Witch Confidential

by Lily Harper Hart

  “His neck is broken,” Sully supplied, cocking his head as he studied the dead man. “It was twisted hard.”

  “How can you tell that?” Ofelia was genuinely curious. She liked learning things, even if they were of the macabre variety.

  “Look here.” He indicated the loose skin around Michael’s neck. “Someone did this.” He mimicked a snapping motion she’d seen in movies.

  “That’s ... terrifying.” She tapped her bottom lip as she glanced around. Other than the appearance of Michael’s body, absolutely nothing seemed out of the ordinary. “I didn’t do that.”

  He drew his eyebrows together, confused. “I didn’t say you did.”

  “No, I just mean ... I set him on fire. Or, well, I set someone on fire. He doesn’t look like he’s been in a fire.”

  “Oh.” He understood what she was getting at. “You don’t think he’s the one we saw in the mausoleum. I’m right there with you. I think it’s unlikely.”

  “So ... what happened?” Ofelia knelt so she could look directly into the dead man’s eyes. “There’s nothing here for me to read.”

  He was surprised by the statement. “What does that mean? Can you read the dead?”

  She shrugged. “Sometimes. If the death is violent enough and the soul lingered ... but I don’t sense him here.”

  He made a mental note to sit her down and get a list of the things she could accomplish when they had a chance to chill for a night. She was powerful. He had no doubt about that. Apparently she was even more powerful than he imagined.

  “I don’t know what to make of this,” he admitted after a beat. “What do you think is going on here?”

  Ofelia hesitated, but only for a moment. “I think that Robert Windsor killed those girls in life because he was a monster. I think, in the aftermath of Katrina, he either curbed his impulses or moved the killing somewhere else. I think the latter is more likely, but he was frail toward the end.”

  “He had a heart attack during Katrina,” Sully noted. “I read that in the file I downloaded on him yesterday. It was a big deal and he took a long time to recover ... although not years.”

  “Maybe he somehow lost his taste for killing while he was recovering,” Ofelia offered. “I mean ... people change when they have a near-death experience. I think they call it a moment of clarity. Maybe he realized he was destined for a bad final resting place if he didn’t shape up and he decided to repent and change his ways.”

  Sully was intrigued by the notion. “I hadn’t considered that but ... you’re right. He’s Catholic. I read it in his file. He might’ve believed that he could wipe the slate clean with confession.”

  “And, after that, he fought to live the good life,” Ofelia mused. “It’s possible that he was raised as a ghoul against his will. Or it’s possible that he didn’t truly trust the change worked and he didn’t want to die so he arranged to stave off death either way.”

  “Ah.” Sully bobbed his head. “He was afraid of the flames of hell so he arranged to unnaturally prolong his life. That’s an interesting theory.”

  “The thing he didn’t count on was that he came back with a fractured soul,” Ofelia explained. “He wasn’t whole any longer and he couldn’t contain his urges.”

  Sully was silent as he studied the body. “How does that explain this, though?” He gestured toward Michael. “Why kill his son?”

  “Maybe he can’t help himself. Maybe the son knew the father was still wandering around and was funding his lifestyle as long as the father flew under the radar. Once you went to the house and questioned Michael and Maggie about the bodies in the wall, Michael might’ve realized the secret was going to come out.

  “Perhaps he threatened his father with exposure if he didn’t stop and the elder Windsor lost it,” she continued. “Ghouls are notoriously unreliable. They’re all over the place. Michael might’ve assumed he was fine in his father’s presence, only to find out the hard way that he wasn’t.”

  “Yeah.” Sully bobbed his head. “That leaves us with a problem, though. Robert is still out there. He’s not going to stop hunting even if he is hurt. This proves that. It’s doubtful he’ll return to the mausoleum. How are we going to find him?”

  That was a very good question, and Ofelia didn’t have an answer. “I don’t know. I need to think.”

  “Well, I’m going to ask you to do it at the bar.” Sully’s smile was rueful. “I know we’re partners, but I would prefer not having to explain your presence to responding emergency personnel if I can help it. My co-workers might not understand the civilian partner thing.”

  “I get it.” Ofelia wasn’t bothered in the least. “I need to do some research anyway. I have books back at the bar ... and in my apartment. Besides, I need to check on the kitten. He got very little attention this morning because of the way my father and brother barged in. I feel bad for him.”

  “That’s because you’re already attached.” Sully poked her side. “You need to admit it and go on a shopping spree.”

  “I’ve already been on a shopping spree.”

  “You need an even bigger shopping spree. We’ll go together. He’s kind of our cat, right?” His eyes sparkled. “He also needs a name.”

  “I suppose you want input on that, too.”

  “You know it.” Sully grinned at her. “I’m actually looking forward to it.”

  Because she could see he was, she let loose a sigh. “Fine. You can help name the cat. You have to help take care of them, though, too. That means ... regular visits.”

  His smile widened. “That’s going to happen regardless. You don’t have to worry about that. In fact —” He broke off and glanced around to make sure nobody was looking. It was more for show than practicality. “I think I need a kiss before you head out to do your research.”

  “Oh, yeah?” Amusement lit Ofelia’s face. “What if I think we should wait until this is finished?”

  “Then I’ll cry.” He was matter-of-fact. “Do you want to be responsible for making a grown man cry?”

  “That’s been my life goal for as long as I can remember.”

  He waited, tilting his head.

  She blew out a sigh and moved closer. “Fine, but I’m doing this under duress.”

  He eagerly leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her mouth. It was just as good as he remembered, and he cursed himself for falling victim to his urges when he had a murder to focus on. Now he would be able to think of nothing else for the intervening hours. “That wasn’t so bad, huh?” He pressed as he pulled back.

  “It could’ve been better,” she teased, starting for the door. “I don’t know about you, but I’m not a fan of making out over dead bodies.”

  “Oh, that was just a kiss. The making out will come later.”

  “I’m looking forward to it.”

  That made two of them.

  OFELIA TOOK THE KITTEN TO THE PATIO with her so she could research her theory. In truth, she wasn’t sure what to make ... of any of it. Everything she knew about preferential killers suggested that they were incapable of simply stopping their rampages. So, the question was, if Robert was capable of returning to his killing ways after recovering from his heart attack, why didn’t he?

  She was lost in thought as she read through an old book she’d found at an estate sale years before. It had an extensive section on ghouls and that was what she focused on as the kitten rolled around on top of her feet, attacking her shoelaces.

  “Ofelia?”

  She jumped at the voice, glancing up to find her father watching her through the open door. “I don’t want to fight,” she immediately offered. “If you’re here to talk about Zach ... .”

  “I’m not here to talk about him.” Oscar’s expression was wry. “While I’m not exactly thrilled with what happened this morning, I’ve had some time to think about it and realize that it’s not the end of the world.”

  “Pretty far from it,” Ofelia agreed. “I ... like him.”

  “I know you
do.” Oscar looked pained. “I want you to be happy, kid. I just ... it’s happening really fast. I thought I would have a chance to get used to it when the time finally came. You’re not giving me that chance.”

  She balked. “It’s not as if we’re getting married.”

  He chuckled. “No. I get that. It could come to that eventually, though.”

  “Are you going to pitch a fit if it does come to that?” Ofelia was honestly curious. “I mean ... I know you’re anti-marriage these days after what went down with you and Mom. I want him to feel welcome here, though. I have a feeling he might be hanging around a long time.”

  “Of course he’s going to be hanging around.” Oscar made a tsking sound and shook his head. “I’ve known from the moment I first saw you two together that you had something special. I never doubted this was going to come. I just ... you know I don’t like change.”

  Ofelia knew that better than anybody. She was the same way. Oscar’s mental issues, though, made him feel things more acutely. “It’s not really a change.” She opted to be optimistic. “It’s still me and you, and occasionally Felix. Zach is an addition. He’s not going to take anything away from you. Honestly, you might find you actually like him.”

  “I find that doubtful given what I saw this morning.” Oscar’s expression was dour. “He’s a ... filthy pervert.”

  Ofelia pressed her lips together to keep from laughing. “I’m an adult,” she reminded him. “I’m allowed to hang with a filthy pervert if I want. I need you to give him a chance. He’s a better guy than you’re giving him credit for.”

  “I just don’t want you to rush into anything.” Oscar was earnest. “You’re a catch, Fe. I want to make sure he’s worthy of catching you.”

  “I happen to believe he is. That’s really not important right now, though. We might’ve ... lost our heads ... a bit last night. We’re determined to get to know one another. You don’t have to worry about that.”

  He let loose a sigh. “Fine. I knew you wouldn’t see things my way anyway. I don’t know why I even tried.”

  “Me either.” She beamed at him. “Did you need anything specific or did you just come out here to give me grief? I’m trying to do a little research before we open the bar later.”

  “Oh, I had a reason.”

  She waited a beat. When he didn’t volunteer it, her eyebrows hopped. “Can you share with the class?”

  “There’s someone here to see you, a woman. She says it’s important.”

  “A woman?” Ofelia thought of Trudi. “Okay, well, show her in. Maybe we’ll finally get somewhere on this case after all.”

  SULLY WAS DISPASSIONATE AS HE WATCHED the coroner motion for her men to roll out the body on a gurney. She’d arrived quickly, didn’t offer up a lot of chitchat, and had already made her preliminary report.

  His neck was indeed broken ... and with great force. She suggested it happened in a rage, which only fueled Sully’s theory that Robert had come back to exert vengeance on his son.

  “Oh, man,” a voice said behind him, causing his eyes to drift to his left. “It really is another body.”

  Daisy, her shoulders slouched, looked as if she wanted to be anywhere but the room that had upended her plans. “I can’t believe this is happening again.”

  “If it’s any consolation, I believe this is tied to the first round of bodies so it’s really not a separate crime scene,” Sully offered.

  “That doesn’t really help my case.” Daisy made a face. “My father is going to be livid.”

  “Well, he’ll have to get over it.” Sully was in no mood to listen to the whining of the rich and privileged. He had other things on his plate, including a trip to the Windsor mansion so he could inform Maggie what happened to her brother. He really wasn’t looking forward to that. “Murder doesn’t happen on a convenient timetable.”

  Daisy’s eyes were quizzical when they landed on Sully. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you.”

  Sully was instantly contrite. “No, it’s not your fault.” He felt like a bit of an ass. “I’m just ... trying to figure things out and I’m crabby. I apologize.”

  “It’s okay.” Daisy’s smile was back. “I get it. This has to be a miserable job.”

  “It’s not always bad. There are good things. I can’t think of any right now, but I know there are good things.”

  Her grin widened. “You’re funny. I like that about you.”

  Her attention suddenly made Sully feel uncomfortable. “I’m not that funny.”

  “No, you’re hilarious without even realizing it. I think that’s why I’m so attracted to you.”

  Sully felt as if the bottom of his stomach had fallen through his body. “Um ... .”

  Daisy pushed forward as if she didn’t notice the change in his demeanor. “That’s why it’s fortuitous that you were still here when I arrived. I’ve been wanting to ask you out and it seems the perfect opportunity has fallen into my lap. What do you say?”

  Sully blinked several times in rapid succession. He wasn’t expecting this. He thought for sure that Daisy would’ve picked up on his not-so-subtle hints over their last meal and beat a hasty retreat. Apparently that wasn’t how she operated.

  “I know it’s forward,” she continued, barely taking a breath. “I really like you, though. I think we could do great things together. I would really like to give this a try.”

  Sully finally found his voice. “While I’m flattered, I’m going to have to decline.”

  “What?” Daisy looked genuinely stunned. “But ... why? We had such a good time at dinner the other night.”

  In Sully’s mind, it had been a torturous meal and he never wanted to return to the restaurant in question in case it triggered some weird PTSD incident. “I’m seeing someone.” He decided to lay it out for her in no uncertain terms. “The woman I was with the night we ran to your aid. That’s Ofelia. We’re together.”

  “Oh, I ... didn’t realize that.” Daisy’s lips curved down. “I’m confused why you would agree to go to dinner with me when you were involved with another woman.”

  “Because technically I didn’t consider that meal a date.”

  “Well, it was.”

  “Not on my part.”

  “It was still a date.” Daisy was firm. “I think you led me on.”

  Sully sensed the conversation slipping away from him. “I don’t happen to agree, but it hardly matters. I’m with Ofelia, and that’s exactly where I want to be. I’m sorry if that hurts your feelings but ... there it is.”

  “Yes. There it is.”

  Sully was convinced it was over and let out a sigh of relief. That turned out to be a mistake, because Daisy picked that moment to throw herself at him. “Oh, it can’t be over. I can’t imagine my life without you.” She pulled him close. “I won’t let you go. Not when I was so close. We’re meant to be.”

  And just like that, Sully realized things had gone from bad to worse. He wasn’t sure it was even possible.

  Nineteen

  Ofelia was surprised when Oscar showed Maggie out to the patio. The socialite was the last person she expected to come calling. In fact, since Sully was the one who interacted with her earlier, Ofelia couldn’t wrap her head around a potential reason for the woman’s visit.

  “Um ... hello.” Ofelia offered a wan smile as Maggie sauntered into the enclosed patio area. “Can I help you?”

  “I certainly hope you can.” Maggie’s smile was welcoming and yet there was something cold in her eyes. “This is a lovely space. It’s enclosed, but you still see the sun. It’s ... beautiful.”

  “Thank you.” Honestly, Ofelia had no idea what she was supposed to say. “At one time we opened it for guests so they could sit out here and smoke but that polluted the area too much. Now I make the smokers hit the tunnel.”

  “That’s wise.” Maggie stared at the ivy-covered walls for an extended beat and then took the chair across from Ofelia without invitation. “I saw you with Detective Su
lly earlier. I didn’t realize he was working with civilian partners.”

  “I don’t know that I would call myself his partner. I was with him when the discovery was made in the building next door and I’ve offered what help I can. It hasn’t been much.”

  “Still, you’re a business owner.” Maggie’s demeanor was ... odd. That’s the only word Ofelia could think to describe it. “It seems strange to me that you would involve yourself in a murder investigation. I did a little digging, though, and now it makes sense.”

  “You did a little digging?” Ofelia was confused. “It’s only been two hours since I saw you. How did you dig that fast?”

  “I started digging the day the bodies were found. I was curious why you were involved.”

  “But ... how did you even know I was involved?”

  “It wasn’t difficult. I know Daisy and she was there for the discovery. We went to boarding school together for a time. I didn’t like her then and I certainly don’t like her now. Frankly, I can’t help thinking this is all her fault.”

  Ofelia felt slow on the uptake. “I don’t understand why you’re here.” She shifted on her chair and closed the book she was reading. Something very strange was going on and she had a bad feeling about what was to come. “I don’t understand why you dug up information on me. I don’t understand why you’re acting like an alien from another planet. I simply don’t understand any of it.”

  “Really? That’s a shame.” Maggie made a clucking sound with her tongue. “I guess that means I’m going to have to explain things, huh? It’s too bad. I thought you were a worthy adversary. Now I know better, though.”

  Adversary? Ofelia’s heart skipped a beat. “You’re the one behind this,” she said finally, her mind working fast to try to fill in the gaps. “You’re the one who killed those girls.”

  “Not technically.” Maggie’s smile never wavered. “That was my father. He needed a little push, of course, but basically all I had to do was point him in the right direction. He always had strange appetites.”