To Seize a Wayward Spirit

by R. L. Naquin

  I gaped at her. Fifty colors of sand? The possibilities were endless—if I could think of something to do with colored sand other than wiggle my fingers in it. “Oh, no. I don’t need them. I was just admiring them.”

  Ash made a satisfied grunt behind me. She must have figured it out.

  “They’re really fun to play with.” The woman pointed across the store. “We have some beautiful glass jars you can pour the sand in to make gorgeous patterns.”

  So, that was what it was for. I wanted to spend all my money in this place. “You must have so much fun working here. Have you been at the Craft Shack a long time?” I knew the answer to this question, but I was trying to get her to open up to us. She was a gargoyle. Up until a little over a year ago, she wouldn’t have been able to walk among humans without causing a panic. Now, she looked like one of them.

  She brushed back a stray hair that didn’t actually exist on her real body. “Oh, I’ve been here for about a year. I love it. I’ve always been very crafty. Now I get to see all the newest gadgets and try them out.” She brushed her hands off on her apron. She adjusted her lanyard, flipping it over so we could read the name Jackie written in bold letters. “What sort of crafting do you do?”

  I froze at the question, which was stupid. But I honestly never made anything with my hands. I used magic. That was why the store was so fascinating to me.

  Ash must have sensed my dilemma, because she stepped around me so she could see Jackie. “We’re pretty new to the area, but we’re thinking about making costumes for this convention we heard about. CanDorCon, I think it’s called? Anyway. We’re trying to come up with ideas for costumes and thought we might be able to find something interesting in your store.”

  At the mention of CanDorCon, Jackie’s human face paled. “Oh. Well, yes. This is definitely the place to be for that. In fact, several of us go every year. We plan our costumes for months.”

  “Oh! Well, that’s fantastic.” My cheeks hurt from how much jovial grinning I was doing. “I guess we really are in the right place, then.”

  Jackie’s polite, customer-service smile faltered. “Have you been doing cosplay for a long time?”

  I shrugged. “I’ve been making costumes and dressing up most of my life. Ash is a little newer to it, but she’s been doing it, too.” None of this was a lie. What I wasn’t admitting was that I used magic to make my costumes.

  “So, you’ll be entering the masquerade at the con?” The gargoyle’s expression was bland, as if it didn’t matter to her what my answer was, but her eyes told a different story. Her glance flitted between Ash and I in a flurry of nervous activity.

  No, not at all suspicious. She’d only gone from cheerful and friendly to paranoid and jumpy in one sentence. Something was definitely up.

  But I was no help in figuring it out. I had no idea what a masquerade was in this context. Clearly, the question was important, but I didn’t know how to answer it. But then, a masquerade in any context was right up my alley, so I jumped on it. “Of course we are. Can’t wait!”

  Ash tensed beside me. “Are you entering, Jackie?”

  “Every year.” She smiled and her shoulders lowered. “Three years ago, I took first place in the pro category with my Sailor Moon robot costume.”

  Again, I didn’t know what she was talking about, but I tried to look impressed. “Wow. You must be fantastic at this.”

  She lifted her chin. “They want me to be the Cosplay Guest of Honor this year.”

  I tried not to flinch. “Congratulations. That must be a real honor. What do you have to do?”

  She lowered her head and glanced down the aisle past me. “I have no idea. They called this morning, and I turned them down.” She picked up an unopened box of sand labeled Cerulean Blue No. 466 and sliced it open with a box cutter.

  Finally, we appeared to be getting somewhere.

  I softened my voice and took a step toward her. “Why would you do that?” I checked the aisle, both ways, then touched her sleeve. “Don’t you want to be Guest of Honor?”

  She paused, biting her lip. “Look, it’s probably nothing. And you’re new around here, so they probably won’t ask you to do it. But just in case, say no. They can do without a Cosplay Guest of Honor this year. Maybe forever.” Jackie’s human image flickered unsteadily, as if, in her distress, she had trouble holding on to it. The gargoyle underneath was wide-eyed and appeared ready to bolt.

  I frowned. “You look a little freaked. Are you okay?” I held out my arm and lifted my bracelets so she could see the gems embedded there and be reassured that I wasn’t human.

  She nodded, paused, then shook her head. “I wasn’t their first choice.” It came out as a whisper. “I’m the fourth person they’ve offered it to over the last several months.”

  I took a step back. “Fourth?”

  “There have been...some incidents.” She dropped her hands to her sides and stared at the floor. “The first three they asked are dead.” She stopped, her throat catching. A tissue appeared in her hand from one of the pockets in her apron, and she dabbed at her nose. “And they all worked here.”

  Three dead, not two. This was even worse than I’d thought.

  Chapter Six

  Whoever was killing cosplayers clearly wasn’t Jackie. I had to get us close enough to someone on the inside to get some help. I had to trust someone. Sure, Jackie was the first person we’d met in this situation, but I was a good judge of character, and she was too freaked out about potentially dying to be the one doing the deeds.

  “Look, Jackie. We weren’t honest with you about why we’re here.” I braced myself for her reaction. She might be pissed that we’d lied to her.

  She frowned, then stood straighter and turned her attention to the end of the aisle. “Brody. I... I was just stocking these, then I was going to come see what you needed me to do next.” She grabbed the little bags of colored sand with each hand and shoved their cardboard hangers on the display pegs.

  I turned to see who had her so rattled. A giant man with dark skin and eyes such a deep brown they were nearly black loomed over us. He was a good two inches taller than Tahm, who strode into our aisle behind him.

  “That’s fine, Jackie. Finish up with this, then take over the register for Amy. She needs to go on break.” He turned his intense gaze on me, and gave me a shiver. “If you two would like to follow me, please, we’ll go to my office.”

  I glanced at Tahm, and he nodded. So much for stealth. Apparently, Tahm had marched himself directly to the manager and told him everything. I’d have been angrier if it hadn’t worked and he’d blown things, but it looked like it had been the right move.

  He was going to undermine me into a psychiatric ward.

  I gave Brody a nod and followed his lead toward the back of the store and into the employees-only area. Trickles of danger and menace emanated from the man as we walked. I mentally swatted the unwanted emotions away and kept walking. I could squint and focus all I wanted, but he didn’t look any different. He felt Hidden though, even without the terror he spread. He led us through a swinging door into a warehouse area, and the three of us slipped through the doors with him.

  Ash tugged on my sleeve. “Are you sure this is a good idea?” Her eyes were wide, and she looked like a bunny about to make a run for it.

  I patted her hand. “Relax. The fear you’re feeling isn’t real. Ignore it if you can. He’s fine.” I glanced at Tahm. “Probably.”

  Brody led us into an office with windows that looked out into the loading area. He pulled a third chair into the space across his desk, then took the fourth chair on the other side. “Please. Sit.” He waited until we were settled, then cleared his throat. “So. Tahm said you’re investigating the deaths of my girls.”

  I nodded. “We are. Though I would have preferred to be a little subtler about it than going directly to the manager.”
I shot Tahm a perturbed look.

  Brody waved his hand. “Don’t blame him. I usually know what goes on in my store. I’d have figured it out anyway. Especially with you two getting Jackie all worked up. That woman is a nervous wreck even when there aren’t coworkers dying everywhere.”

  I started to apologize, then closed my mouth. He was using his fear glands to manipulate me into backing down. This girl never backed down. I folded my arms across my chest and settled into the chair. We stared at each other so long that the other two shifted in their seats, clearly uncomfortable.

  The tension broke when Brody threw his head back and laughed. “You’re tough. I’ve never known anyone who wasn’t affected by me. What makes you such a fearless warrior?” His grin was warm, and there was a note of admiration rather than condescension in his voice.

  “I’m older than I look.” I smiled back and relaxed my arms. “And you’re not my first.”

  He raised his eyebrows in surprise. “There aren’t very many of us.”

  Ash leaned forward, frowning. “Us what? What am I missing? I did the thing, Kam, and he looks the same.”

  Tahm shrugged when I glanced at him. “I thought he was a human Aegis or something.”

  Sometimes it was a monumental task not to blurt out “I told you so” or “And that’s why I’m supposed to be in charge, you numbskull.” Somehow, I managed.

  This time.

  “He passes for human because it’s daytime. When the sun goes down, he’s a mothman.” I made my declaration with a minimum amount of smugness. Maybe with an extra smidge of pride.

  “I’m impressed,” Brody said. “May I ask where you met one of us?”

  My moment of superiority vanished. The lump in my throat appeared out of nowhere, and it took me a moment to clear it so I could speak. “He was my friend. We were partners.” I brightened a little. “He left me the truck we used to get us here. Her name is Celia.”

  He frowned. “Was? You’re not...you’re not talking about Darius, are you?”

  The day was full of surprises. And it wasn’t even noon yet. “Yes. You knew him, too?”

  He went still, contemplating his hands. “Darius and I are—were—cousins. So you must be Kam.”

  I leaned forward and shook his hand. My fist disappeared in his. “I didn’t even know Darius had any family.”

  “We don’t talk about each other much. But we’re closer than you would think.”

  “He was a good friend. I miss him every day.” A minute ago I wanted to deck this guy for spraying his fear juice everywhere. Now I wanted to hug him, if only to feel like my old soul chaser partner and mentor were still alive. Or at least, a little less dead.

  “Maybe when we’ve caught whoever’s killing my employees, you and I can sit down over drinks and talk about him. Share stories.”

  I smiled. “That would be nice.”

  Tahm shifted again in his seat, then leaned forward. “Speaking of which...maybe you could tell us what you know about what’s going on around here.” His face was pinched and reddened, as if...well, as if he were jealous.

  That was a nice thought. Was he jealous? I wouldn’t mind a little of that. I tilted my head and watched him from the corner of my eye. If it were true, then maybe I was more to him than a commitment he was stuck with or his best friend’s baby sister. My stomach fluttered, and I had to look away. Hope was a dangerous thing. It made a person take risks, and I wasn’t prepared to do that just yet. To be honest, I wasn’t even sure what I wanted or how I hoped things would turn out with Tahm. I needed more time to adjust to his actually being here. And I had a job to do. I couldn’t let my awkward personal situation become a distraction.

  “Right.” Brody sat back in his chair and folded his hands over his stomach. “CanDorCon is almost upon us. Business always picks up in the months leading up to it. The con’s not terribly big, but the cosplayers around here take it seriously.”

  “I’d say murder is definitely serious.” Tahm relaxed his shoulders, apparently satisfied that, at least for the moment, Brody wasn’t going to leap across the desk and ravish me.

  Boys were so weird.

  Brody quirked an eyebrow at Tahm, probably because of his understatement. “Well, until yesterday we weren’t certain the deaths were more than bad luck and coincidence. But Wendy makes three. Three is rarely a coincidence.”

  I leaned forward and put my hands on the edge of his desk. The metal surface was sticky, so I let go and wiped my hands on my jeans. “We only know about Felicia and Wendy. Can you tell us about what happened in between?”

  “You don’t know about Simon?” He gave me a puzzled look. “Then why are you...?” He shook his head. “Simon died about two weeks ago. Everybody loved him. He was talented and patient at teaching craft classes for kids in the summertime.” Brody rubbed his fingertips over his forehead and sighed. “He was a good guy. They were all nice people. We have to stop this.”

  Ash had been quiet through the conversation, probably because she’d been fighting off the remains of the fear-inducing chemicals we’d walked in with. Color had returned to her face though, and her breathing had returned to normal. “Why do you think the victims all work here? I mean, if the murders are con related, why do they also have this place in common?” Her voice was still a little quieter than usual, but she swallowed and kept going. “Could there be other victims we haven’t discovered yet who don’t work here?”

  Brody tipped his head toward her in appreciation. “That’s a good question. One we’ll have to ask the woman who runs the con. She’d have a wider list to look at. But honestly, most of the local cosplayers work here at least part-time.” He shrugged. “The discount is excellent, and these people go through a lot of craft materials.”

  I drew my brows together in thought while I picked through the information he’d given us. “I’m sorry to ask this, but where was Simon hit? It might help us to establish a pattern of locations.”

  “Oh, he wasn’t a hit-and-run victim like the other two.” Brody’s voice was soft. “He died at home of anaphylactic shock.”

  Ash set down a plastic owl she’d been fiddling with. “Then what makes you think it was related to the other two?”

  I nodded in agreement.

  “He was extremely allergic to dog hair. Extremely allergic. He was at home working on the makeup effects for his con costume. Somehow, several of the products in his collection had dog hair in it. He lives—sorry, lived—with four other people. None of them fessed up to bringing a dog inside, but everyone assumed it was one of them. It seemed like an accident.”

  I couldn’t understand why anyone would think that was an accident. “Surely his roommates knew his allergy was so extreme? And if it was that bad, where was his epinephrine injector? Shouldn’t he have had one of those pen things on him at all times?”

  Brody spread his hands out, palms up. “I have no idea. This is what the OGRE officer told me.”

  I groaned and tipped my head back. “A scrawny satyr dude named Ziggy?”

  “Yeah. That guy. Why?”

  “He’s useless.” I inhaled deeply and blew the breath out. “Okay. So, first, we go back to Ziggy the asshat and get Simon’s file. Might as well grab Wendy’s while we’re at it—assuming Ziggy even has one so soon. Brody, can you get me Simon’s address in the meantime? We’ll want to take a look around.”

  He pulled open the drawer of a filing cabinet beneath his desk and flicked through the files. “I’ll give you the whole file if you like. In fact, if you think it’ll help, I’ll give you Wendy’s and Felicia’s files as well.”

  I nodded and took the manila folders he handed across the desk. “Maybe I can find another connection.” I paused, running my thumb across the smooth cardboard. “If Jackie doesn’t accept the invitation to be the guest of honor at the con, who do you think they’ll ask next?”

 
“Connie. They already asked her when Jackie said no. But I wouldn’t worry about it.”

  “No? Why not?”

  “The position is cursed now. Nobody’s going to accept it. They’d have to ask someone from out of town if they really wanted the slot filled. But I doubt they’ll ask anyone else.”

  “I think it would be a good idea if we talked to all your employees, since so many of them are involved in this convention.” My guess was the person doing all this worked there. Maybe we’d get lucky and figure it out before anyone else got hurt.

  Brody rubbed his hand over his mouth and went still for a moment, his eyes focused on a spot on his desk. “I really didn’t know what to do. I am so glad your team is here.” He stood and shook each of our hands again. “Whatever you need, you’ve got it.”

  “I could use a bathroom, if you’ve got one.”

  He smiled. “That’s an easy problem to solve. Out my office door and around to the left.”

  “Thanks.” I stepped around the chair toward the door. “Why don’t you two grab the employee list while I’m gone? Once we’ve collected everything, we can take a look at it all and figure out a strategy.”

  “Got it, boss.” Ash winked and turned toward Brody.

  Tahm nodded with a solemn expression. He had to know I was unhappy that he’d gone straight to Brody instead of following the plan. Was that what it would be like, married to him? A constant battle of wills? I sighed as I rounded the corner out of his line of sight. I might not have known what I wanted, but I knew what I didn’t want. And I wouldn’t even consider being married to someone who didn’t consider us to be a team.

  No matter how much I wanted to bury my face in his neck to smell his shampoo and soap.

  * * *

  In theory, the entire point of using a restroom was privacy. I was getting precious little of that these days.

  As I washed my hands, the mirror caught the reflection of a dark shadow flickering behind me. I spun around and found my old pal, Mr. Eyeball, staring back at me.