Without a word, Evie scrambled from the car.
“What did you say to the genie? To Jena?”
“I don’t remember.”
“You’re lying. Are you involved with her?”
“What?!”
“Are you working with her?”
“No, of course not.”
“You say that as though I can trust you.” His voice was low with controlled anger. “If not for the supernatural stuff, I’d bring you in as a person of interest.”
I closed my eyes against tears threatening to spill. “You’d arrest me?”
His voice softened. “I don’t want to. But, you’re not giving me anything. Help me out here,” he begged.
Our eyes met. I reached out a hand to touch his cheek. The familiar snap of static electricity sounded and his cheek was rough against my fingers. We smiled before his slipped and his expression hardened. He jerked away from me.
“Are you the being Liz mentioned? Have you bewitched me? Does that explain this?” He gestured back and forth between us.
“No! Of course not!”
“No, you’re not the being? Or, no, you haven’t bewitched me? Can you bewitch people?”
I didn’t answer.
“What are you?”
“I’m Mia.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“That’s the only answer I can give you.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
Thank goodness it was midnight. I drove home from Liz’s house in tears following my conversation with Jacob.
How could he possibly think I was working with a killer and I bewitched him?
Now I floated in the lake, recharging my energy. Tonight was way more emotional than I had anticipated. My fingers glided through the water, rubbed against curious fish, and my tension started to drain away.
Despite my efforts to keep my mind empty, thoughts of my failure returned. I wanted to understand why Jena was doing this. I wanted to reason with her to stop the killing. She seemed to be listening to me, until Liz interrupted. I sighed underwater, then laughed that there was still air in my lungs to push out.
What did I do now?
My thoughts turned to Liz. I had known she was up to something; I could tell by the sly glances and her reticence when she normally would bulldoze. It never occurred to me that she would have figured out about the paranormal. My role in her discovery saddened me. The paranormal underworld wanted to keep it that way. I hoped I hadn’t put her at risk by exposing us – if she outed us. I couldn’t imagine the fallout. The vampires in particular didn’t take kindly to humans threatening their existence and they wouldn’t hesitate to kill her.
I needed to talk to Evie. Actually, all of us needed to talk to Liz. Me, Evie, and Catherine. We had to explain the danger Liz could put herself in.
Hoisting myself out of the lake, I made my way into my home. Before I hopped in the shower, I texted the ladies. First Evie, who I knew was up; hopefully she was free.
Are you available? Meet me at the hospital. We need to talk to Liz.
And then Catherine, who might still be at the hospital. She hadn’t texted an update.
You still at the hospital? Evie and I are coming. We need to talk to Liz.
Their affirmative responses arrived as I lathered. I texted them again before I backed out of the garage; I estimated fifteen minutes to the hospital and said I’d meet them in the lobby.
“How is she doing?” I greeted Catherine with the question and a hug.
“She’s sleeping. I overheard the doctor telling Jacob that she’s not in a coma and could wake up anytime.”
“Jacob was here? How did he seem?”
“Seem?”
Oh right, Catherine wasn’t there for any of our disagreement. “When Evie gets here, I’ll bring you up to speed.”
“I’m here,” came a voice behind me. Catherine and I hugged Evie.
I summarized my conversation with Jacob. They stared at me in silence. “Relax, nobody died.” I tried for light-hearted and failed.
“What do we want to say to Liz?” Evie asked this, changing the subject, for which I was grateful.
“Follow my lead?”
Catherine and Evie agreed to do so and Catherine led the way to Liz’s room. Since she was mainly here for observation, she was in a regular, though private, room, and not the ER or ICU. Beeping machinery greeted us. Liz didn’t look bad; she really did look like she was just sleeping, if not for the few wires monitoring her status.
“Should we wake her?”
“No need, Evie,” answered the woman in question. She opened her eyes and smiled weakly at us. “I’m awake. Thanks for staying with me Catherine.”
“I didn’t know you knew I was here.”
“I did.”
A moment passed. Liz knew we were not there just to check on her, but she’d clearly decided to let us direct the conversation.
“Jacob is going to want to talk to you,” I started. She nodded. “He thinks I’m working with Jena.” Her eyes widened at that. “I was hoping that when you speak with him, you can straighten that misperception out.”
“How do I know you aren’t working with Jena?”
I gaped at her. “I’ve been working with you the whole time!”
“You’ve kept secrets from me the whole time.” One hospital gown clad shoulder lifted. “How do I know you weren’t hiding that too?”
I turned to Catherine and Evie for help. They looked stunned. Catherine was the first to jump in to defend me. “Liz, you haven’t known Mia that long, but I can personally assure you that she’s not a killer. In any way, shape, or form,” she emphasized.
Liz’s lip curled. “That and a couple of bucks will get me a cup of coffee.”
“How could you think she’s a killer?” Evie asked. “Aren’t you a better journalist than that to be taken in?”
Risky to insult the woman whose cooperation we wanted, but when Liz’s cheeks reddened I realized Evie took the right approach.
Liz sighed. “I know she’s not involved,” she allowed. “I’m just pissed you guys didn’t tell me about the paranormal world.”
“You’ll tell Jacob I wasn’t involved?”
“Yes, Mia, I’ll tell Jacob you weren’t involved.” She paused. “If you do something for me.”
“You’re going to extort Mia? For you to tell the truth?” Evie sounded pissed. I didn’t blame her; I wasn’t feeling too charitable.
I headed off the ensuing battle. “What do you want?”
“Information.”
We didn’t have to ask what kind of information; we all knew what she wanted to know. “I can’t give you what you want,” I said.
“Then I can’t say what you want.” She pointedly closed her eyes. “You can go.”
“We’re doing this to protect you,” Catherine insisted.
Liz opened a single eye. “Go on.”
“We can confirm the paranormal underworld exists, but most of us want to keep it that way,” Evie explained.
“And?”
“If you threaten to out us, you’ll be killed,” Evie responded simply.
“Us?”
I was really hoping that Liz would have missed that pronoun, so of course she didn’t.
“I’m a vampire.”
Liz stared open-mouthed at Evie. “A what?”
“You heard me. And my people will kill you without hesitation if you try to tell the world about us.”
“You’re a vampire?” Liz repeated.
“Yes. Keep up,” Evie snapped.
“Okay.”
“That’s it? Okay?”
“What more do you want, Mia? I’ll inform Jacob that you were not involved in any of the murders. I will also not disclose the existence of a paranormal underworld.”
I breathed a sigh of relief.
“For now,” Liz continued.
“For now?” Catherine ques
tioned.
“There’s an echo in this room,” Liz retorted.
“Don’t be a bitch,” Evie snapped.
“Evie!” Catherine exclaimed.
“Sorry,” Evie said, not sounding sorry.
“What do you mean, for now?” I redirected.
“Well, Mia, I want the whole story. I want Jena and the paranormal underworld.” She smiled shrewdly. “If I wait for Jena to be caught, then I can have both. So, I’ll wait,” she concluded.
The three of us goggled at her.
“What about the risk to your life?” I had to think that self-preservation would be high on Liz’s list of importance.
“Once I actually out all of you,” she said, and I sensed that Evie wanted to knock the smug look off of Liz’s face, “nobody would dare kill me.”
Evie snorted. “Like my people care. You’ll just have an ‘accident’,” she explained, putting the last word in air quotes.
“I’ll take that chance.”
This was probably the best we were going to do tonight. At least Liz wasn’t going to say anything more about us right now and she’d clear things up with Jacob. We’d have to be satisfied with that.
“Thank you,” was all I said.
Liz gestured for us to leave. “I’m tired. We’ll talk later.”
“Actually, Liz, now that I know your full plan, I don’t think it’s in anybody’s best interest for us to continue to work together on this story.”
“So be it, Mia,” she answered and closed her eyes.
We took that as our unsubtle cue to leave and did. We remained silent walking down the hallway away from her room. I noticed an empty darkened room to our left and ducked inside. Catherine and Evie followed.
“What do you guys think?” I asked.
“We probably should report her.” Evie said this but I could tell her heart wasn’t in it.
“If we do, she’ll be dead within twenty-four hours.” Vampires had Cleaners for exactly this sort of job.
“I know.”
We considered our options. We were all uncomfortable with the idea of signing Liz’s death warrant.
“What happens if you don’t?” Catherine asked.
“If the Family finds out after the fact, and they believe we knew, we’re probably dead for not saying anything.”
I expected this answer but Catherine clearly didn’t. “You’re kidding.”
Evie and I shook our heads no.
“Well, dang, what do we do?” Catherine asked.
“If I may give an opinion?”
We turned as one to face the woman who had entered the room.
“Robin?” Catherine asked in distaste.
“Hello, ladies,” Robin Landon addressed us. “I couldn’t help but overhear—”
“Because you were eavesdropping,” Evie interrupted.
“—your quandary,” Robin continued as though uninterrupted.
We stared at her for a beat.
“And you have an opinion?” I asked.
“I do. I wanted to let you know not to worry so much about this,” she said easily.
“Really? What does the councilwoman have to do with this?”
“Tsk, tsk, Mia,” Robin scolded. “You know I won’t answer that question. The councilwoman simply wanted you to know that she would take care of it.”
“Take care of it,” Catherine gulped. “Is she going to kill Liz?”
Robin laughed. “Not at the present time.” We stared at her when she didn’t continue. She sighed. “You’re still on the right path. Liz is playing her part.”
And with that, the demon’s minion exited the room. We stood in silence for a moment.
“Okay, what do you guys think?” Catherine finally asked.
“Not to give Robin or Barbara too much credit, but my vote is we don’t say anything. The Councilwoman told me before that I was on the right track. And now Robin says not to worry about it. Regardless of their involvement, I won’t be able to sleep knowing I had a hand in someone’s death,” I finished and the other two nodded.
“Besides,” I added with a hopeful smile, “maybe Liz is right. Maybe they won’t kill her if she goes public, since she is a celebrity of sorts, and not just a random fruit loop on the internet.”
“That is optimistic,” Evie said, sounding doubtful.
“Yeah, I know, but what else have we got?”
“Maybe Barbara really will keep her safe?” Catherine asked.
“If that’s actually what Robin meant,” I countered.
“Maybe we can talk Liz out of it,” Catherine offered.
“Unlikely, but there’s no harm in trying,” I agreed.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Back home, I was debating whether or not to slip into the lake or the pool when my house and mind filled with all-too-familiar popping sounds. I froze in my living room, head swinging side to side to see where Jena would materialize.
Next to my glass topped wicker breakfast table, I saw the shimmer in the air that preceded Jena’s arrival before. I braced myself, wondering inanely whether or not she was coming in peace. Like she was an alien or something.
Jena appeared before me, her black eyes flashing like obsidian glowing from within. She glared; I remained silent. Waiting.
“How did you find me?”
No small talk for the genie I gathered. “You were captured on a vacationer’s video; from there we found you on security footage at a casino.”
“Who are you?”
“My name is Mia. I’m a movie producer. You killed,” I swallowed audibly, “one of my actors. Chad Johnson.” No reaction. “I’m also a nixie.”
“Why did you want to find me?”
Her monotone voice unsettled me. “I wanted to help you.”
“Help me how?”
“You can stop doing this.”
“Why would I stop?”
Unsure what to say, I shifted. “How did you start?”
She stared as if trying to determine whether or not to tell me. If she wanted to kill me, she probably could before I could react.
“A year ago, my sister Juni Jawahir was killed by the human, Roger Miller.”
“It was an accident.”
She glared at me for the interruption. “I waited for the human system to bring him to justice, but they let him go.” Her body hummed with hatred.
“I knew I had to have patience. I waited for a sufficient amount of time to pass. Even though I wanted revenge, I did not want to unduly bring attention to our kind,” she anticipated my question.
“After a year, I decided enough time had passed and I exacted my revenge.” She stopped like that was the end of the story.
“What about Chad? And Bradley Reese?”
“People like Roger care only for themselves. They care only about what other people can do for them. The fewer of them that exist in the world, the better the world will be.”
“That’s why you targeted actors? Because you think they care only for themselves?”
“Yes.”
I was silent and she continued. “Once I killed Roger, I searched online for an actor promoting an upcoming Facebook Live streaming video. After I found Chad, I searched for him in person, followed him off and on. I decided he was the one. I waited for my moment.”
Nausea bubbled up and Jena must have seen something in my face.
“Roger, Chad, Bradley. They’re all the same. They wanted internet fame. I gave it to them.”
Her complete lack of remorse unnerved me, but I pressed forward. “Not all actors are like that. Chad was a young man doing what he loved. Wanting to share that with the world.”
A flicker of uncertainty crossed her face. “No.”
“Yes, Jena. Even Roger’s involvement with Juni’s death was a horrible, horrible accident. He was devastated by her loss. He loved her. Surely you saw his social media posts when you were—” I paused to find ano
ther word for stalking “—gathering information.”
Jena didn’t respond.
“Jena, you can stop. Your existence can go back to normal.”
“I don’t want to.”
Stunned by her admission, I struggled to find anything else to say. My secret goal, once I knew that the killer was a supernatural being, was to find out why and possibly help him or her without resorting to killing the being. And once I knew she was a djinn, I immediately recognized either she stopped or she was killed. I still didn’t see another possible outcome. She was too powerful. I had to convince her to stop killing men.
“Why?”
“Because it’s fun. These men don’t deserve the life they’ve been given. I’m solving that.”
“I can’t let you keep—”
Jena laughed, an unearthly sound. “Let? As if you could do anything to stop me.”
“I’m going to try.”
“Don’t make me kill you too.” She dematerialized.
I collapsed on the couch, my heart racing. I failed. Other men were going to die unless I found a way to kill her. Dawn was a few hours away. I curled up on the couch for some relaxation before making another move.
The next morning, my heart in my throat, I called Jacob. It went to voicemail and I wondered if he was there and choosing not to answer.
“Hey, Jacob,” I started, after the beep. “If you have some time, I’d really like to talk to you. It’s important. It’ll answer a bunch of your questions.”
I ended the call. I didn’t say I’d answer all of his questions, but maybe it was time to tell him at least a little bit more. If Jena wasn’t going to stop, then anybody chasing after her was in danger.
My phone trilled notification of an incoming call. Jacob.
“Hey, Jacob.”
“Hi, Mia.”
Silence.
“You left me a voicemail.”
“I did. Um.” I paused.
“Mia, I don’t have time for this.”
The coldness in his voice hurt. “Can we meet?”
“I’d rather you tell me over the phone.”
My eyes filled with tears. “I’d rather tell you in person.”
“Fine. Text me where and when and I’ll be there.” He ended the call.
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