Chapter 20
Chapter
Twenty
Franklin
“I suppose we always knew it was a possibility,” Agent Frost said.
“The silencing charms were probably a long shot.” Phlox and Leon arrived two hours before dawn, and we were sitting in Boone’s living room.
Well, three of us were sitting. Phlox was pixie pacing by flying back and forth, retracing his route and filling the space with pixie dust. Not for the first time, I was grateful for the charms Warlock Kines sent with Phlox.
I didn’t need a snotty, red nose on top of the dark circles cupping my eyes.
“True,” Leon agreed. “However, do we know if this djinn is to be believed?”
“Leon’s got a point.” Phlox flew behind Leon’s chair and placed his hands on Leon’s shoulders.
“I don’t know why she’d lie about something like that,” Boone answered while glancing my way.
“Neither do I.” I had my arm draped over the back of the couch where my fingers could tangle themselves in Boone’s hair.
We never made it to the naked cuddling part of the plan last night.
We had showered and lain together on the couch, both of us in casual loungewear.
“We can’t rule out the possibility, but I get the feeling she’s right. ”
Phlox started pacing again. “Then our little trip to Leander’s place was a waste of time and a good pair of pants.” Phlox gave his shredded pant leg a sorrowful look. “At least that little mutt didn’t get ahold of my skin.”
The story of how one of Leander’s smallest dogs had leapt into the air and latched onto Phlox’s pant leg was the first thing out of his mouth when he and Leon got back. Given any other circumstances, I would have found the imagery funny.
Phlox crossed his arms, his nose pointed skyward as he huffed. “Leander didn’t even properly scold the mongrel.”
I wasn’t at all surprised, and given Boone’s continued silence, I figured he wasn’t either.
We were probably both on the same page regarding what would have happened to the dog if it had broken Phlox’s skin.
Leon was old enough to have a lot of vampiric control, but all bets were off when it came to his beloved.
Had Phlox been injured… God, I didn’t even want to imagine what could have happened.
Catastrophe wouldn’t be a strong enough word.
Clearing my throat, I tried to get us off the topic of Phlox nearly being maimed. “Do we know if it’s all charms?” As the only human in the room, I knew the least about magic.
“What do you mean?” Boone asked.
“This is probably an ignorant question, but are all charms similar, magically speaking?” When Boone still appeared confused, I tried clarifying more. “Do some pack a bigger magical punch?”
“Oh.” Understanding lit Boone’s eyes. “Not from what I understand. I spent a lot of time with Pops when I was younger. Different charms require different levels of magical manipulation.”
“He’s right,” Phlox agreed. “There are different levels.”
I mulled that over for a second before asking, “And where would silencing charms fall?”
“Really low on the skill and magical level,” Boone answered.
“And warding charms? Like the ones around our home and the ones Phlox and Leon just set up around Leander’s house?”
Boone’s eyes briefly widened. “Well…those are different.” He waved a hand around the living room. “Pops set ours up personally. They’re the strongest magic a warlock can wield and given Pops’s abilities—”
“The ones around your home are airtight,” Leon finished.
Boone chewed on his bottom lip. “As far as I know. But they’ve never been tested against shadow borne.”
My brain was starting to piece together the point of this conversation. “And the charmed wards around Leander’s place?”
“Not as strong,” Boone answered. “But a hell of a lot more powerful than something as simple as a silencing charm. Remember what I said about intention?” I nodded, and Boone continued.
“The warding charms don’t just utilize Pops’s magical abilities, they tap into the one they are protecting.
That’s why it was important that Leander be clear in his intentions when the wards were set.
” Boone shrugged. “But again, we don’t know if they’ll work against shadow borne. ”
My eyes tracked around the room, taking in every darkened corner and lowly lit lamp. I began wondering if that were true. “Maybe we do know,” I said more to myself than for anyone else’s ears.
Boone shifted, twisting so he could get a clearer look at me. “What do you mean?”
I lifted a hand, waving it around the room. “Have you noticed anything recently? Have you felt like you were being watched like before?”
“I… No. Not really, at least not in the house.” Boone’s head dropped as he stared at his clasped hands. Brow furrowed, Boone finally shook his head. “But I did before. Earlier, Tenzen’s shadows were here, in the house. So, he must be able to get through the wards.”
“Not necessarily,” I stubbornly persisted.
Phlox flew closer, finally landing on the ground in front of me. “I’m going to agree with Erasmus on this one. If he got through before, then why couldn’t he now?”
“Because the wards were changed.” My pulse quickened as certainty took hold.
“Changed how?” Phlox asked, his head tilted to the side, shifting his hair and covering his shoulder.
“Gaia, you’re right!” Boone bounced on the couch. “Pops changed them the last time he was here.” Boone split his attention between me and Phlox. “Before, the wards were specific to me. No one could cross them that meant me harm.”
“And now?” Leon asked.
Boone grinned. “Pops changed the wards to include Franklin in that protective circle. Now, no one can enter that means either one of us harm, not just me.” The excitement drained from Boone’s face, his pale skin going ashen. “But if you’re right, then…”
I understood Boone’s concern. “Then the reason Huxley’s shadows can no longer enter the house is because his intentions toward me don’t meet the new criteria.”
Pixie dust clouded the area as Phlox’s wings worked overtime. “Director Huxley doesn’t want to hurt Erasmus, but—”
“He has no such qualms when it comes to me,” I finished. Boone’s fingers grasped my shirt, twisting tight. His beautiful green eyes glistened with concern. Cupping his cheek, I tried to sound reassuring. “It’s okay. We already knew he didn’t think much of me.”
“You think that makes me feel better?” Boone sounded heartsick.
“No, sweetheart. But what I do think is that it makes you safe. At least within these walls. Forgive me, but that’s the most comforting thought I’ve had in a very long time.
” Boone might disagree, but I couldn’t stop the ease loosening tension’s tight grip on my chest. I knew the feeling wouldn’t last, but I would hold on to it for as long as possible.
I’d cling to that thought for as long as I could.
“Thank you, Detective Ames. I appreciate your time.”
“I should be thanking you. If we verify that those are indeed Larry Christian’s remains, then you’ve found two of our missing persons and closed two cases that were well on their way to being cold.
I just don’t understand how both of our victims wound up in Mississippi.
Nothing came up in either investigation that would connect them to anyone in the state. ”
I didn’t fault Detective Ames. I got the feeling she could have looked until she was ready to drop from exhaustion and never found a damn thing linking our Ohio victims to Mississippi. “And I doubt you ever will, no matter how long or hard you search.”
Quiet filled the line until Detective Ames asked, “What do you know?”
“Too damn little. Only that I have twelve victims from six different states with absolutely no known ties to Mississippi or our dump site. You’re not the only one floundering here.”
A long, deep sigh filtered through our connection. “I don’t envy you, Detective O’Hare.”
I grunted. “That makes two of us.” I could also include the other officers of the law I’d spoken to in the past two hours.
They could easily make up a “Thank God we’re not Franklin O’Hare” club.
Depending on what they charged for membership, they could probably at least afford a decent meeting room with a fair amount of snacks and quality liquor.
“I’d appreciate being kept in the loop,” Detective Ames requested.
“I’ll do my best. At the very least, I promise to send a summary of my final report. I know what it’s like dealing with the grieving loved ones. Sometimes, closure is all we can offer.”
Another sigh. “There’s not a lot of grieving regarding Mr. Christian. Our female victim, Jolene Bailey, is a different matter. Thank you again. Take care, and keep in touch.”
“I’ll do my best,” I promised before ending the call.
Leaning into my chair, I slid down and rested my head on the back, staring at the water-stained ceiling. Hands resting on my abdomen, my gritty eyes itched something fierce. I refused to rub them and make the situation worse. It was slowly becoming a psychological game of torture.
“I thought I told you to get some rest,” Captain Cicely said. I wasn’t sure when she arrived. There was a fair chance I’d even fallen asleep for a precious few minutes. “Obviously, you didn’t do as ordered as you look even worse than yesterday. You can’t keep running on fumes, O’Hare.”
Losing the battle with my eyes, I furiously rubbed them while sitting up straighter. The yawn that cracked my jaw made a popping noise. Twisting my head from side to side, I popped a couple of joints in my neck and shoulders for good measure.
My musical joints brought a grin to Captain Cicely’s face. “You sound like an octogenarian, O’Hare.”
“Pretty sure I feel like one too.” I honestly had no idea. I really hoped this wasn’t how I was going to feel at eighty. If so, it was going to royally suck.
Inhaling deeply, Captain Cicely tapped one of her nails against my desk. “What gives? Why aren’t you sleeping?”
I glanced around the room, making sure we were outside of prying ears. If the precinct weren’t full of humans, all bets would be off. “In my defense, Boone and I went home last night with every intention of getting naked and—”
“I do not need to know the details, O’Hare.”
I chuckled. “Fair enough, but that’s not really where I was going. I think both of us were too tired to engage in extracurricular activities. We were simply planning on cuddling and sleeping until dawn.”
Captain Cicely ran her gaze up and down my rumpled body. “Obviously, that’s not what happened.”
I cringed. “No. It’s not.” Checking again that we were alone, I told the captain what transpired. To her credit, Captain Cicely managed not to vomit when I told her Boone and I’d been visited by yet another djinn—the very first djinn at that.
“Sweet Gaia.” Captain Cicely looked down and away. “I don’t even know what to say to that.”
“You’re not alone.” I went on to let her know what we discussed with Ajita, minus some particular thoughts regarding how to inactivate a shadow borne.
I still thought it was possible that Huxley couldn’t get in Boone’s house any longer.
If that were the case, then he didn’t know about Ajita’s theory, and I had no intention of letting that cat out of the bag if he happened to be lingering around the edges of the precinct.
Hands splayed to the side, I finished with “Boone and I didn’t get a lot of sleep after that.”
“Understandable.” Captain Cicely’s tapping fingers picked up speed. “I wish there was something more I could do. This case couldn’t have come at a worse time. You’ve got enough on your plate without having to weed through this mess. If I had anyone else I could give it to—”
“I know.” We were a small community, and our resources were limited. It was part of the appeal and why I’d settled here to begin with. “I’ll manage.”
Captain Cicely stood, her palm on my shoulder as her fingers squeezed tight. “I know you will. I just wish you didn’t have to. Let me know if there’s anything you need from me.”
I listened to the captain’s quiet footsteps as she left my area, heading back to her office.
My gaze tracked to the open folder sitting on my desk, papers scattered around it along with hastily scribbled notes.
The captain was right, this clusterfuck of a case really couldn’t have come at a worse time.
It was taking up all my available mental space, leaving little room for anything else.
That was the shitty aspect of the job. Murderers weren’t the most considerate individuals in the world. They didn’t worry about the impact their actions had on an investigator’s private life, the inconsiderate assholes.