CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE #2
“Don’t trouble yourself with my little problems,” she whispered, forcing him even closer.
He could feel her warm breath on his skin.
“Keep safe, Oleander. For me. Watch your back. I – I think your partner is not to be trusted. The rumors surrounding her frighten me. And who’s to know she didn’t do something to you down in the catacombs, something to muddle your mind?
Demons possess strange and awful magic – the scriptures warn us!
Even half demons are dangerous. They look like us, but they are not us. ”
Despite everything he knew so far, everything he and Viridian had been through, her words caused a sliver of doubt to enter his heart.
He remembered how he’d felt when he’d first met Hero Viridian, when his first instinct had been to attack her – because Abigail was right: she was dangerous.
They’d managed to build a working relationship these past weeks, but could he really trust her?
Could anyone with demonic ancestry be trusted?
Was he overcoming his training regarding the inspector, or ignoring his training because she liked a drink at the end of the day?
Had he really found a malevolent darkness beneath the Academy, or had Hero tricked him somehow? Everyone seemed to believe she’d attacked him. In fact, no one seemed particularly shocked by the idea, either.
“I trust her,” he said, the words grinding from him. Did he? No. Yes, he did. “She saved my life.”
Her expression softened. “Of course,” she said gently.
“I’m sorry, Oleander. I didn’t mean to cause you distress.
I came to make you feel better.” Another peal of soft laughter.
It shook her petite frame and sent waves of sensation through him.
He nearly yanked her into a passionate kiss, but then she patted his chest, smiled and disengaged.
He lowered hands still curled in grasping claws, empty of her. He swayed, bereft and off balance.
“Why don’t you come to Bright Renewal Academy?” she said suddenly, brightly, as if it was the best idea in the world. “You can see the good work we’re doing and put all your fears to rest.”
He blinked. An invitation to Bright Renewal? How could he pass up the opportunity? Hero would gut him if he refused. At least one of them would finally get inside the place!
“I would–”
A shriek from below startled them both. Abigail’s eyes went wide and she pressed into his arms. He caught her but nearly pushed her away.
That had been his mother! The patter of rapid steps up the stairway made him sag with relief.
He would know her tread anywhere, anytime.
A moment later, Mrs Keen burst through his bedroom door, her face white and her eyes wide.
“They arrested him!” she cried. “For murder! It can’t be, Ollie! Something’s gone terribly wrong. It cannot be possible. Nellie’s son wouldn’t do this.”
“What are you talking about?” And as much as it hurt, he released Abby to go to his mother. “Who’s been arrested?”
“Jerry Braun.” A sob burst from her. “You have to help him, Ollie! This is a mistake, I know it. He couldn’t have killed that nun! It’s impossible!”
Oleander learned the whole story on the way to the station.
The entire neighborhood was buzzing. The PKs had come for Jerry while he and Viridian had been in the catacombs, ransacking his apartment and uncovering presumably damning evidence.
Apparently, the junior inspectors they’d enlisted to help with questioning had found the eyewitness, pursued the lead and discovered a trove of letters and other evidence in Jerry’s room above his bar.
He found it hard to believe. Many of their helpers had next to no experience.
How had they dug up this key witness and convinced her to talk?
He and Viridian had questioned every single nun with even the slightest connection to Catarine, but somehow they’d missed the lone nun who’d witnessed Jerry Braun leaving with Catarine the very night she disappeared?
Extremely unlikely, if not impossible to believe.
But he’d wanted to bring Jerry in himself, to find out if he was the mysterious Mr B in Catarine’s letters. And it turned out he was. This was very bad.
Still, the man who’d been concerned about missing children at Bright Renewal Academy was suddenly the prime suspect in Catarine’s murder?
Why, a more cynical man might think Braun was being framed.
He wouldn’t decide anything until he talked to Jerry directly, with Viridian.
They would be able to tell immediately if Jerry was guilty. Of that, he was certain.
Except…
Abigail’s words came back to haunt him: Who’s to know she didn’t do something to you? Half demons are dangerous.
The stationhouse was as abuzz as Otherside had been.
The PKs seemed certain they’d found their man and an air of jubilation suffused the place, along with a sense of palpable relief, as if the entire station had been spared a reckoning.
And it had, in some ways. The town of Havenside had been living in fear for too long.
Tensions were high, the situation fraught.
Now, perhaps peace could return for its citizens.
Not fucking likely.
Keen found Hero observing the interrogation.
For once, she looked a mess. Stained, tattered bandages covered her hands, her scapular – burned and bloody – lay across a chair in the observation room, and her cream-colored shirt had seen better days, untucked and singed.
Her billowing harem pants bore the marks of their adventure, and he could see patches of pale, scratched skin through the rents.
She’d shed her boots, too, though had kept on her stockings, the floor being cold and unforgiving.
Her hair was loose, a lank silver tangle down her back.
She didn’t even turn to greet him when he entered.
Her entire focus was on the window into Interview Room One.
He joined her, eyes roving briefly to the vicious wounds on her thighs – healing, he was happy to see.
She’d been hurt while dragging him from the grasp of ravaging demons.
Nothing any good partner wouldn’t have done, but he still felt gratitude toward her.
Two officers were conducting the interview, and by their appearance – collars open, hair mussed – they’d been at it for some time.
Jerry looked miserable, eyes sunken, hands shaking, hair awry.
He sat hunched over the desk, his elbows propped on the table and his head drooping.
His knee was bouncing beneath the table, a nervous tic he’d had since childhood.
Coates sat across from him, speaking in a low, cajoling voice: “This can all be over if you just tell us the truth, Jerry. Make us understand what happened, why you lost your temper with the sister.”
“He doesn’t need to talk,” Smith interjected harshly, looming over Jerry and speaking right into his ear. “We have everything we need. Let the hangman have him. No one will shed a tear for this one.”
“Easy, Inspector Smith,” Coates chided. “I’m sure Jerry would rather unburden himself. Right, Jerry? The judge always goes easier on the ones who confess. The ones who show genuine remorse.”
“I’ve done nothing wrong,” Jerry said, his voice raw and cracking. His tone was monotonous, as if he’d already said the words a thousand times already. He hid his face in his hands, his shoulders trembling. “Please, this is all a mistake.”
Smith slammed a fist on the table. “Liar!”
Jerry started to weep. The two officers exchanged a look as if they’d finally made some progress, and Keen wondered if his friend was close to breaking. Coates jumped in again with his cajoling while Smith leaned over Jerry and whispered threats in his ear, but no confession seemed forthcoming.
Watching through the transparent mirror, Inspector Viridian made a rude noise. “Amateurs,” she said. “They’ve been at this same routine for hours.”
Keen cleared his throat. “Is there a file on Braun?” His heart hurt to see his old friend in such a state, but he couldn’t be influenced by feelings.
He had to remain objective, to look at the evidence and make his own judgement.
Still, maybe he’d been right to be suspicious of Jerry.
Somehow, his old friend had avoided coming into the station to answer their questions for over a week now. Was his guilt the reason why?
His partner jerked her chin. “On the table.” She turned to watch him as he went to the file. “It’s all bullshit. But I think you already know that.”
“I don’t know anything yet, Inspector.”
The file was bigger than he’d expected and contained an eyewitness statement from Sister Agnes that looked legitimate and read plausibly.
He remembered Agnes from their previous visit to Clementine Prep.
She was the convent’s unofficial night watchman and so had a handle on the comings and goings in her own house.
She had no doubt that the man she’d seen leaving with Sister Catarine had been Jerry Braun.
Her description of him was spot on, and in fact she’d recognized him.
He’d been making quite a stink lately about the kids in Otherside who’d supposedly “run away.”
Along with the statement were descriptions of Jerry’s room above his tavern – apparently, he’d had quite the shrine built for Sister Catarine – along with evidence linking him to her.
Letters from him to her, undelivered and dripping with mawkish sentiment, and a few from her to him, addressed to “Mr B.” A few mementos…
“Dear Goddess, he had her cincture in his possession?”