“I don’t know,” said Owen. “Depends on how well Leon cooperates. If he talks freely, that will be easy. If he makes trouble for us, we’ll have to get a warrant.”
“Or you could just look into his mind and find out what he knows,” said Nadia, that annoyed edge to her voice and emotions once more.
“Maybe,” said Owen. “It depends. You know the mindtouch spell?” She nodded. “Then you know it’s not always the most pleasant experience. Looking into someone else’s mind…you see things you’d rather not. And it doesn’t always work, at least at my level of skill. The High Queen, she can use it to sift through your thoughts like a strainer. For me, I can find what I’m looking for most of the time, but if the mind is strong enough, it can resist.”
“Well,” said Nadia, “suppose we’ll just have to play it by ear.”
Owen laughed. “Welcome to Homeland Security.”
She frowned. “Why is that funny?”
“Because we have procedures and policies for every damn thing, but we still have to play it by ear half the time,” said Owen.
“Suppose that’s true,” said Nadia. “You can plan for everything, and it still all goes to hell most of the time.”
Owen took an exit off the interstate and turned right. A half-mile later he drove up to Modern Sewer Solutions. It was a big building with cinder block walls and a corrugated steel roof. A chain link fence with barbed wire encircled the entire property. Parked in the yard were dump trucks and several bulldozers and excavators and stacked in one corner were several concrete segments of sewer pipe. A guy in a forklift was moving plastic-wrapped pallets in the other side of the yard. A row of pickup trucks and cars were lined up against one wall, and Owen parked the SUV in one of the empty spots. He and Nadia got out and looked around.
“Doesn’t look like Leon’s into forbidden technology,” said Nadia.
“If he was, would he leave it lying around in the yard?” said Owen. Nadia inclined her head to concede the point.
The forklift shut off, and a paunchy middle-aged guy in a tan jacket, jeans, and work boots got out. He hurried over, a worried look on his face, but the sight of a Homeland Security officer intended to inspire that reaction.
“Hi,” said the man. “There a problem?”
“Not right now,” said Owen. “My name’s Owen Quell, and I’m with Homeland Security. We’re looking to talk with Pablo Leon. Do you know if he’s around?”
“The boss?” said the man. “He doesn’t come around too much. But we can check.”
“Thanks,” said Owen. “What’s your name?”
“Dave Maddock,” said the man. “I’m the yard supervisor.” He gave Nadia a confused look. “Did…you bring your daughter?”
Owen repressed the urge to scowl as Nadia threw back her head and laughed.
“Sorry, no,” said Nadia. “My name’s Nadia, and I’m a consultant.”
“Huh,” said Maddock. “Well, let's check with Toni. This way.”
Maddock led the way to the warehouse door. Owen had let his aurasight lapse during the drive, but he reactivated the spell. Maddock’s aura was concerned, but held no trace of tension or worry. If Leon was involved in something illicit, Maddock didn’t know about it.
Owen and Nadia followed Maddock into a shabby-looking office area. Worn gray carpet covered the floor, and several cubicle partitions had been set up. Some of them held desks, while others contained stacked boxes. Modern Sewer Systems did not look very organized. On the far side of the room was a small office, and a pretty middle-aged woman sat at a desk, typing on a computer. A little plaque on her desk said that her name was Tonette Caplan, office manager for Modern Sewer Systems.
“Hey, Toni?” said Maddock.
“Yeah?” said the woman, not looking up from her screen. She had dark hair arranged in a messy bun and wore a button-down shirt and jeans.
“Homeland Security’s here, and they want to talk to the boss,” said Maddock.
Toni looked up, her eyes widening behind her glasses. A flush of guilt and fear went through her emotional aura, and Owen realized they had found a lead. She knew something.
“Hello,” said Owen. “I’m Owen Quell, and this is Nadia, a consultant working with the department. We were wondering if we could speak with Mr. Leon.”
Toni frowned. “What about?”
“Questions concerning an ongoing investigation,” said Owen. “Can we talk in here?”
Toni hesitated, looked around, the guilt and fear in her aura intensifying.
“Yeah,” she said at last, wiping her hands on her jeans. “Yeah, we can talk in here. Can you close the door behind you, Dave?”
“Sure,” said Maddock. Clearly, he had wanted to hang around and listen. He left the little office and closed the door behind him.
“So,” said Toni. “What’s this about?”
“All right,” said Owen. “I’m going to have to read you your rights and responsibilities.” He made the official statement as he had so many times before. “Do you understand them?”
“Yeah,” said Toni. Her eyes were wide and frightened. “Am I under arrest?”
“No, we just want to ask some questions,” said Owen.
“Okay,” said Toni. She folded her arms across her chest, unfolded them. “Ask.”
“We wanted to speak to Mr. Pablo Leon,” said Owen. “We haven’t been able to reach him. Do you know where he is?”
Toni shrugged. “No. Have you tried calling him at home? Or his cell phone?”
“We’ve tried,” said Owen. “There’s been no response.”
“Oh,” said Toni. “Well…maybe you should try again. He’s really busy.”
The guilt and fear in her aura flushed deeper.
“I’m sure that he is,” said Owen. He decided to try a different tack. “When was the last time you saw Mr. Leon?”
“Um,” said Toni. She wiped her hands on her jeans again. It was such a screamingly obvious tell that he would have known that she was lying even if he hadn’t used the aurasight. “I’d say…three days ago? Yes, that sounds right. Three days ago.”
That would have been the day after the Doyles were killed.
“Three days?” said Owen. “That’s a long time to be out of touch.”
Toni shrugged. “Mr. Leon is a busy man. He has a lot of responsibilities.”
“Like running this company?” said Owen.
Toni nodded. “Yes, of course.”
“Would you say that Mr. Leon is a very hands-on manager?” said Owen.
For some reason, Toni flushed at that. “Yes. He’s always involved with the company’s work. Sometimes he goes out to dig sites himself to supervise.”
“Then isn’t it a little strange that he hasn’t shown up for work in the past three days?” said Owen. “Did he take a vacation?”
“No,” said Toni. “Not…not that I know of. Sometimes Pablo isn’t the best with paperwork, which is why he hired me.”
“Do you happen to know a man named Ronald Doyle?” said Owen.
Toni stopped herself from flinching, but a quiver still went through her face.
“I do,” said Toni. “He owns a construction company. I saw in the news that he died a few days ago.”
“What kind of relationship did you have Ronald Doyle?” said Owen.
“I didn’t,” said Toni. “I mean, I knew him, and we sometimes chatted when he and Pablo were working together on contracts, but that was it. He seemed like a nice guy. I don’t think he deserved what happened to him.”
“What did happen to him?” said Owen.
Toni shifted in her chair. “Well…he died. That’s what the news said, right? Some kind of accident or something.”
Nadia’s voice was quiet. “All the news said was that he died in suspicious circumstances.” She was standing in the corner of the little office, arms folded, face grim. “Didn’t say anything else.”
“Accidents can be suspicious,” said Toni.
“That’s
right,” said Owen. “You said you last saw Mr. Leon three days ago. That would have been the day after Doyle was killed. Did Mr. Leon know about it?”
“Yes,” said Toni. “It…he was very upset. He and Mr. Doyle were friends.”
“Would you say that Mr. Leon was frightened?” said Owen. “Like he was worried that what happened to Mr. Doyle might happen to him?”
“What…what did happen to Mr. Doyle?” said Toni. “Pablo didn’t say…”
Owen hadn’t decided on how to answer that question, but Nadia spoke first.
“He and his entire family were killed by a creature from the Shadowlands,” said Nadia.
“Oh, God,” said Toni, eyes wide. “God. Even the kids?” Nadia nodded. “That’s awful. Was it something left over from the Archon attack a few years ago? I remember that. One of the rift ways opened up on the street a few blocks away, and we all stayed inside the building with our guns until the battle was over.”
“Ms. Caplan,” said Owen. “We have reason to believe that Mr. Leon is in danger from the creature that killed Mr. Doyle and his family.” That was only a hunch, but it seemed very likely. And it wasn’t illegal for Homeland Security to lie to witnesses and suspects during an investigation. “If you have any information about his whereabouts, that would be helpful.”
“I’m sorry,” said Toni. “I just don’t know where he is. He just…I haven’t heard from him in a couple of days.”
Even without the aurasight, he could tell that she was lying. With the aurasight, she all but glowed with guilt and fear.
“I see,” said Owen. “I need to show you something. One moment.”
He drew out his phone, went to the official website for Punishment Day videos, and selected a suitable one. The video started playing, and Owen turned the screen to face Toni. She flinched back in her chair as a scream came over the phone’s speakers. The video was from California, and it showed a naked woman dragged to a post and tied to it, her arms bound over her head. An Elven noble wielded a whip with expert precision, lashing it across her back ten times while the woman screamed and sobbed. The spectacle turned Owen’s stomach, as it always did, but he kept his face stony.
“What the hell?” said Toni. “Why are you showing me that?”
His aurasight detected a surge of fury, but not from her.
From the corner of his eye, he saw Nadia glaring at him, but he ignored her and pressed on.
“Ms. Caplan,” said Owen. “This video is from a recent case. A woman was convicted of giving false statements to Homeland Security during an investigation. That typically carries a steep fine, but for a felony investigation, the penalty also includes ten lashes on a Punishment Day video. You have stated, during an interview with a Homeland Security officer, that you don’t know of Mr. Pablo Leon’s current whereabouts. I would like to give you a chance to reconsider that statement before it is entered into the official record of this investigation.”
Tears filled Toni’s eyes. “I don’t…I don’t…”
“I don’t want to take you back to the Central Office for questioning,” said Owen.
Toni let out a shuddering breath, tears sliding down her face. Owen paused the video.
“You don’t understand,” she said. “Nobody does. Pablo’s been under so much strain, and he can’t tell anyone. He…”
“You’re having an affair with him, aren’t you?” said Nadia. Her voice was quiet, sympathetic, but the hot rage in her aura hadn’t abated.
“His wife doesn’t understand him,” said Toni. “She doesn’t understand the business. I do. Pablo couldn’t run it without me.”
“Ms. Caplan, it is highly likely that someone sent a Shadowlands creature to kill Ronald Doyle and his family,” said Owen. “If Mr. Doyle and Mr. Leon had some kind of business relationship that inspired the attack, it is possible that Mr. Leon is in extreme danger. Please, help us find him.”
“It…you have to understand,” said Toni. “The company had some tight years. Pablo was looking for a new way to make money, something to help the balance books. A few months ago, he and Doyle had a deal. Something with a new technology company. He didn’t tell me the details.” A flicker of resentment went through her aura, soon subsumed by the fear. “Then, three days ago, he came into the office. He was in a good mood. But he saw the news that Doyle had died in suspicious circumstances, and it was…it was like he panicked. I’ve never seen him so upset. He emptied out the safe in his office. He all but ran to his car, and I haven’t seen him since. He hasn’t responded to emails or texts or calls, nothing.”
“Do you have any idea where he might have gone?” said Owen.
“No,” said Toni. “He has a cabin in Minnesota, by the Boundary Waters, but no one is picking up the phone there. I don’t know where he’s gone, and I’m really worried.”
“Did you consider filing a missing person report with Homeland Security?” said Owen.
Toni hesitated, some of the guilt in her aura intensifying. Likely Modern Sewer Systems had some business practices she didn’t want examined too closely. “I didn’t know what to do about it. I know what Homeland Security would have said. They’d just laugh at me or say he had gone on a trip.”
“Or shove a Punishment Day video in your face,” said Nadia.
“But can you help him?” said Toni.
“We’re going to do our best to find him,” said Owen. That was no lie. It seemed very likely that Doyle and Leon had been involved in something together, and whatever it was had gotten Doyle killed. If they found Leon, they would have their answers.
Unfortunately, it seemed probable that Leon had already been killed.
“Thank you,” said Toni. “Thank you.”
“Can we have a look around his office?” said Owen. “We might find something that will tell us where Mr. Leon went.”
“Sure,” said Toni, getting to her feet with a shaky breath, “but I don’t know how much help that will be. He didn’t leave much behind.”
That was the truth. Leon’s office was about the size of Toni’s, but far emptier. The desk was bare of papers and documents. A safe in the wall stood open. There were cords for a laptop computer on the desk, but no sign of the laptop, which Toni said Leon had taken with him.
“Thank you for your cooperation, Ms. Caplan,” said Owen once they had finished. “We’ll contact you if we have any further questions.”
“Please, please, let me know if you find Pablo,” said Toni.
“We will,” said Owen. He hoped he would not have to notify her of Pablo Leon’s death, but that seemed probable. “We will pursue all avenues of investigation.”
He walked back into the cold November day, Nadia following him.
The molten rage pulsed through her aura, unabated since the conversation.
***
Chapter 9: Bad Memories
Owen got behind the wheel of the SUV and opened the laptop mounted on the dashboard.
Nadia slid into the passenger seat, her face a hard mask.
“Give me a minute,” said Owen, bringing up the UNICORN interface. “I need to update the case notes with Tonette Caplan’s statement. That, combined with the fact that Pablo Leon seems to have disappeared, should be enough to get a warrant to go over his finances. If he’s hiding somewhere, that might help us find him.” He rubbed his jaw, his mind racing. “Do a UNICORN check on Leon quick, find out about his wife and kids. We need to check on his wife. If whoever sent the wraithwolf after the Doyles goes after Leon, they’ll be in danger.”
Nadia’s expression was still hard, but she nodded and produced her phone.
“His wife’s name is Carolina,” she said after a moment. “Apparently she was a model in Portugal before she and Pablo emigrated here. Two kids, uh…boys both, ages 18 and 20, and they’re both in service to Duke Tamirlas as men-at-arms right now. They’re probably safer than Leon himself.”
“Right,” said Owen. “I’ll get a call into Duke Tamirlas’s office, have them check to
make sure the kids are in the barracks. Then after I put in the request for the warrant, we’ll stop by Pablo Leon’s primary residence, see if we can meet his wife and get more information.”
“Okay,” said Nadia.
They sat in silence as Owen filled out the forms on the UNICORN interface.
“You might as well get it off your chest,” said Owen.
“Get what off my chest?”
“Why you’re so pissed.”
“Suppose the aurasight told you that,” said Nadia.
“Yup. Also, I’ve been married for eighteen years, and I have four daughters,” said Owen. “I know when a woman’s angry at me.”
She did not smile at the joke. “You want to know? All right, fine. Why the hell did you shove that Punishment Day video into Caplan’s face and threaten her with it?”
Owen blinked. “It worked, didn’t it?”
“God,” she spat, caught halfway between exasperation and disgust. “The end justifies the means, is that it? Doesn’t matter who you hurt and what you break along the way, so long as you get results? Sounds like a Homeland Security officer for sure.”
“Really?” said Owen, glancing up from the keyboard. “The end justifies the means? Sounds more like the method of a criminal who received a royal pardon.”
“Looked that up, did you?” said Nadia. “I suppose deep down every Homeland Security officer is a bit of a voyeur.”
That annoyed him. “Really? The High Queen orders me to work with you, and then you simply appear out of nowhere in my office while making no effort to hide your contempt for Homeland Security. If I didn’t try to find out more about you, I’d be an idiot.”
“And what did you find out?” said Nadia. “You’ve had all this practice as a voyeur, bet you found out something.”
“I know you used to be a Rebel,” said Owen. Her lips thinned further. “And I know you betrayed them and parleyed that into a pardon from the High Queen.”
“Bullshit,” said Nadia. “I was forced to work with the Rebels. An Elven noble held a gun to my head and told me that I had to do it. First chance I got, I screwed the Rebels over.”
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