In Search of Justice

by Katie Holmburg

  In Search of Justice

  Book One of the Seeker Files

  By

  Katie Holmburg

  Copyright © Katie Holmburg

  October 2017

  This Book and eBook are licensed for your personal enjoyment only. It may not be resold or given away to other people.

  To my mom,

  who helped me to never give up on my dream.

  And my family,

  who love me despite my weirdness.

  One

  Two

  Three

  Four

  Five

  Six

  Seven

  Eight

  Epilogue

  Glossary

  About the Author

  Sneak Peek

  One

  Detective Aletta Sheridan was having a rough day. In fact, she’d even go as far to say that she was having a horrible day, week, and month. Scowling, she noisily dumped her bag on her desk, ignoring the glares the other occupants of the room sent her way. Three weeks! Three weeks she’d been stuck on desk duty and if she had to deal with one more piece of paperwork, she was going to scream.

  Dropping gracelessly into her chair, she slumped forward and propped her chin on her hand, biting back a sigh as she waited for her computer to boot up. She hated being on desk duty and at this point, there was no end in sight. Her superiors had sternly informed her that unless she accepted a partner, she would be stuck on desk duty for the foreseeable future. Her scowl deepened further as the screen turned on.

  She had no need for a partner and she absolutely refused one point-blank. She could handle herself just fine; she didn’t need anyone underfoot and getting in her way. The ogre incident had been a fluke. Yes, she’d gotten beaten up a bit, but she’d been just fine in the end. Shouldn’t that have proved that she could take care of herself? But no, it had made the senior officers nervous at having almost lost one of their human officers. Thus, the decree that she needed a partner, a supernatural one.

  The computer finally finished loading and she straightened, muttering angrily as she entered her password. It wasn’t that she had anything against supers. In fact, some of her best friends were supers. However, she had worked hard to get where she was on the force. She was one of only five completely human officers in this division and the only female human officer. She had worked tirelessly to get to this point and now everyone was treating her like a delicate porcelain doll because of one run-in with a rogue ogre.

  HSI, the Human-Supernatural Investigation unit, had become a home to her in the short time that she’d been here. Aletta had only been here for a little over a month, transferring in from the regular Isenton PD. When she received word that she was being transferred to HSI, she’d been ecstatic. She’d cleared out her desk in record time, ignoring the puzzled glances the other officers were sending her.

  She sighed, rubbing her face wearily. She’d been so ready to prove herself; to prove that she’d deserved to be chosen for this department. She was sure the other officers (they were actually called agents, she’d discovered) had had a good chuckle at her starry-eyed enthusiasm. Still, she hadn’t been bothered, throwing herself fully into her first case. Instead, she’d run into that ogre and gotten benched for her trouble. And here she was, three weeks later, contemplating the lethality of various office supplies and slowly murdering the plant on her desk which had been a promotion gift from her mother. Her mother knew her track record with keeping plants alive, but apparently hope sprang eternal.

  Hearing her name called, she snapped her head up to see the captain’s secretary beckoning for her. Standing, she ignored the smirks on the other agents’ faces nearest her and made her way over to where the secretary waited. Putting the most pleasant expression she could muster on her face, she asked politely, “Yes, Cara?”

  Cara was a sweet woman who mothered the entire office. However, she was tougher than most of the street agents and could make someone’s life hell with just paperwork. It always paid to be polite to her, no matter how irritated Aletta might be with the rest of the office.

  “Agent, the captain is waiting for you. He has a case for you.”

  Aletta felt her eyes light up. “I’m off desk duty?”

  Cara hummed pleasantly, a soft smile on her face, “Um-hm. He’s waiting for you. Go ahead and go right in.”

  Trying to decide whether Cara’s cheery mood should worry her, Aletta knocked softly on the captain’s door. When he called for her to enter, she eased the door open and slipped inside, gently shutting it behind her. Looking up, she was startled to see another person already in the office, standing in front of the desk. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize that you were in a meeting, sir. I’ll come back later.”

  Capt. Jones held up his hand, halting her hasty retreat. “Agent Sheridan, we were waiting for you. This is Lirim Bosk. Lirim, this is Agent Aletta Sheridan.”

  Shaking his hand, she eyed him warily. It was immediately apparent that he was Fae, although she was uncertain what type. He was slender, with dark hair and vivid green eyes. He glanced over her quickly and she knew that he was taking note of every tiny detail. The concentration of his gaze was at odds with his overall demeanor, which seemed to be designed to fade into the background. Feeling the start of a flush, she quickly broke eye contact. She murmured, “Pleased to meet you” before stepping away and standing nonchalantly before the captain’s desk. “You needed to see me, sir?”

  He nodded and motioned for them to be seated. Aletta was startled when Lirim pulled out her chair for her, but she nodded her thanks and sat, focused completely on what the captain could possibly want from her. She was puzzled by Capt. Jones’ first question. “Have the healers cleared you for street duty?”

  “Yes, sir. They gave me the go-ahead two weeks ago.”

  “Good. I have a case I need you on ASAP. There was a murder last night.”

  Startled, she glanced at Lirim before looking back at Capt. Jones. “A murder? That’s not really my specialty, sir.”

  He ran his hand through his hair and she was startled to note that he looked a little weary. For a Fae, an elf at that, this was tantamount to a confession of exhaustion. “You have a unique way of looking at things, Agent Sheridan. I have a feeling that it will be needed on this case.”

  She took the case file he offered her and stood. “All right, sir. I’ll grab my things and head out to the scene at once.”

  His voice froze her in place before she could take a single step. “Not so fast, agent. There’s another reason I called you in here. Agent Bosk here is your new partner.”

  She glanced at the silent Fae before turning back to the captain, the muscle in her jaw jumping. Before she could get a word out, Capt. Jones cut her off, his voice stern and laced with warning. “He is to be your partner and I will not hear a word of complaint. Am I clear, Agent? We have a murderer running loose in the streets and I do not have time to deal with your petty dislike for a partner. You were hired because you hold promise to be an asset to this department. Do not cause me to rethink that assessment.”

  Swallowing hard against the bitter taste in her mouth, she dipped her head to hide her flashing eyes and said quietly, “Understood, sir. Permission to head out?”

  “Permission granted. Dismissed, agents.”

  Lirim spoke, his low, musical voice startling her, “I need to speak with the captain, Agent Sheridan. If you’ll give me just a moment?”

  Nodding her acknowledgement, she let herself out, physically restraining herself from slamming the door behind her.

  * . * . *

  Lirim watched as Agent Sheridan quietly closed the door behind her, anger fairly radiating off her. He knew that she was frustrated at being as
signed a partner but couldn’t understand why. Most of the HSI agents were partnered up; only a few worked alone. He frowned as an unpleasant thought crossed his mind. Maybe she had something against working with supers? He wouldn’t think so with her being a part of HSI but stranger things had happened. He made a mental note to keep an eye out for any prejudiced behavior on her part. It was always better to anticipate problems that never manifested than to be blindsided by someone that he trusted.

  Satisfied that she had indeed headed for her desk and was out of hearing range, he turned back to the captain. Keeping his voice carefully neutral, Lirim asked, “Why didn’t you tell her that she is being hunted? I’m sure that she wouldn’t object to having a partner if she knew the reason for it.”

  Jones sighed and absently ran his hand through his hair. He chose his words slowly, trying to order his thoughts. “Agent Sheridan is an exceptional agent, despite the fact that she’s only been with us for just over a month. I feel that she has much to offer this department. However, she has an...unusual way of looking at things. If she knows that she’s being targeted, it’ll change her focus. We need all of her attention on this case before someone else dies.”

  Lirim turned this over in his mind for a minute before nodding his understanding. Turning to leave, he paused and asked, “Sir, are you sure that she is being targeted?”

  Jones let out a bark of humorless laughter. “Bosk, only one in roughly seventeen thousand ogres go moon mad. The last case was nearly thirty years ago when one rampaged mindlessly through three towns before finally passing out and being captured. This particular ogre, knowing that he is susceptible to moon madness, chooses to not only venture out on the night of the full moon but also single-mindedly goes after HSI’s newest human recruit. No, someone is targeting Agent Sheridan, and until I discover who dares to attack one of my agents, your job is to keep her alive. Understand, Agent Bosk?”

  “Sir.” With a nod, he slipped silently out of the office, mentally sorting and filing away the information he’d just learned. Seeing Agent Sheridan leaning impatiently against her desk, he suddenly had to bite back a grin. He had a feeling that this was going to be an interesting assignment.

  * . * . *

  Aletta slung her messenger bag across her chest and leaned against her desk, trying not to fidget as she waited for Agent Bosk to finish with the captain. Cara was watching her with discretion, curiosity shining clearly in her eyes, so she did her best to keep her expression neutral despite the myriad of emotions swamping her. She was furious that she’d been assigned a partner, excited over finally getting to leave the office, and apprehensive about heading out to a crime scene. Last time she’d been on a case, it had ended badly, to say the least. What if she messed up again?

  Seeing the captain’s door open, she shook her head firmly to dislodge the fear and doubt. If she started worrying and second guessing everything, she would lose her nerve and all value to HSI. There was nothing worse than an agent that had lost her nerve. Not only could she die, but she could get her fellow agents killed in the process.

  Straightening as Bosk approached her desk, she ignored the urge to cross her arms. Restlessly playing with the strap of her bag, she asked quietly, knowing that everyone in the office could hear her anyway, “Ready to go?”

  Lirim asked, “If you’re ready?” She nodded. “Let’s go. I’ll drive.”

  Deciding to not argue, she quietly followed him from the office down to the garage. He approached a nondescript sedan and courteously held the door for her. She shot a quick glance at him, then slid into the vehicle, trying to puzzle out his behavior. Was he being a gentleman, or did he feel that she was incapable of even opening a door by herself? She didn’t get the feeling that he was looking down on her, so she decided to let it go for the moment.

  She buckled up and settled her bag more firmly in her lap as he started the car and pulled out. Other than giving him the address, Aletta was content to allow the ride to pass in silence. About five minutes had passed when he spoke, breaking the silence and drawing her from her reverie. “So, what are the details?”

  Looking at him from the corner of her eye, he seemed to be completely absorbed in driving. However, she had the feeling that he was focused entirely on her and she shifted uncomfortably. Sighing, she knew she had to be completely honest with her new partner. Her brow furrowed momentarily at the reminder that she was saddled with a partner, but she pushed it aside as unimportant for the moment. “I haven’t looked at the file yet.”

  He glanced at her before returning his gaze to the road. He asked, “Is there a reason why you haven’t read the file?”

  There was no judgement in his tone, only mild curiosity. Wrapping her fingers around her bag to keep from fidgeting, Aletta answered, “I prefer to go into a scene with no idea of what happened. That way I’m not biased towards a certain situation. I find that I pick up more details if I examine the scene before I read the reports. I know it’s odd, but it really does make a difference in how I investigate.”

  He was silent for long enough that she was starting to worry that she’d already somehow blundered in his eyes. Suddenly he gave her a half grin, throwing her off balance for the third time that morning. “That actually makes a lot of sense. Thanks for explaining.”

  She let out the breath that she hadn’t even realized she’d been holding. She offered grudgingly, “If you want, Agent Bosk, I can read the report to you if you need it.”

  He shook his head. “I’ll look at it later. Also, it’s Lirim.” She quirked an eyebrow at him, so he expounded, “I’d prefer if you’d call me Lirim. We’re partners, at least for this case, so I’d prefer for us to be comfortable around each other. I’m not saying we have to be best friends but calling each other agent is going to get old quickly.”

  Blushing slightly at his gentle rebuke, her mind was caught up by something that he’d said. “Partners for this case?”

  He shrugged, “The department is putting us together for a trial run to see how we work together. If it doesn’t work out, they’ll assign us different partners until we find one that works well with each of us. However, I would like to try to work together from the start.”

  Surprised by the news that she’d have a say in who her partner would be, she nodded thoughtfully, ignoring his veiled implication that she was planning on being purposefully difficult. If nothing else, she took pride in doing her job well and would never sabotage it just because she was unhappy.

  “All right, I guess I can live with that.” He nodded, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. She added softly, “Aletta.”

  * . * . *

  Pulling up to the crime scene, Aletta took a moment to look it over before getting out of the car. From all appearances, it seemed to be a modest, suburban home, the kind of place that people never expected crime to touch. The lawn was green and neatly trimmed, with no newspapers laying about. Both the sidewalk and driveway were clean and stain free, no puddles of oil or antifreeze marring their pristine surface. The house itself was painted an unimaginative beige, blending in with its bland, earth-toned neighbors. Everything about this house shouted average, so what had targeted its occupant for murder?

  Noticing that Lirim was waiting patiently for her to finish her observation, she quickly climbed out and settled her bag over her shoulder, resting it comfortably on her hip. She discreetly waved her hand to indicate the other houses. “We need to see if anyone’s interviewed the neighbors yet. In this kind of neighborhood, everyone watches everyone. Maybe we’ll get lucky and someone noticed something out of place.”

  He nodded, falling into step behind her as she made her way to where an officer was waiting for them at the front door. Recognizing him, she nodded. “Clive, how’re you? How bad is it?”

  He offered a half shrug, watching her and Lirim closely. “Doing fairly well. The department’s been different without you. HSI been treating you all right?”

  She smiled slightly at that. Clive had alwa
ys acted like a protective big brother, watching out for her. “It’s been interesting, but you know how I love a challenge. Anyway, Clive, this is my partner Agent Bosk. Lirim, this is Detective Clive Weathers, one of the finest of Isenton’s PD.”

  They shook hands, doing that weird silent communication thing that guys do. Both apparently satisfied with whatever had just happened, they turned back to her. She rolled her eyes and decided to ignore it. “Clive, how bad?”

  He turned serious, “It’s bad. All my years on the force, I’ve never seen anything like it and I’ve seen some seriously weird things. I thought that you didn’t do murders.” There was a questioning tone to his last statement.

  “Agents in our department do whatever the situation calls for; we’re not as specialized as the force is. Thanks, Clive. Give Kelly and the girls my love.”

  “Will do. Take care.”

  She moved past him and opened the door, the copper tang of blood immediately assaulting her. She hesitated, looking at her partner. Seeing that Clive was heading towards the street to talk with one of the neighbors, she asked quietly, “Are you going to be alright?”

  He looked at her, slightly offended. She straightened her shoulders, seriousness evident in her gaze. “I’m not saying that you can’t handle a murder scene. I know that Fae senses are better than human ones, although not necessarily as strong as a Lycan’s. If it’s this strong for me, it’s probably overwhelming for you.

  “If we’re going to make this partner thing work, I need to know what your strengths and limitations are. We don’t have time to figure this out slowly, so I’m going to be blunt and ask what I need to know.”

  He blinked, respect entering his eyes. “I do have stronger senses, but I can handle this. I’ve learned to tune out things that are too strong. I can still smell it, but it’s not nearly as bad as it could be.”