Chapter 24
Chapter
Twenty-Four
Franklin
I stared at the three coroner’s reports opened and littering my desk, each a near-carbon copy of its predecessor. Absolutely no help was forthcoming from that sector. Desperation was the only reason I stared at them again now.
My jaw cracked with my yawn. I’d spent the night camped out in front of Boone’s house. My car seat wasn’t exactly a Tempur-Pedic mattress. My back and neck felt like shit and my eyes needed to be held open with toothpicks.
“Rough night?” Harrison asked as she pulled up a chair while setting a cup of coffee on my desk.
“For me?” I asked.
She held up her own cup and nodded. “You look like you need it.”
I grasped the cup and downed half of it in one go. Thankfully, it wasn’t scorching hot. “I’ve already had three, but thanks for the thought. Never know, number four might be the one to do the trick.”
Elbows firmly planted on my desk, I loomed over the files. “I keep wishing something will magically appear.”
“There’s a lot of magic in the world, but not much left for police work,” Harrison sagely answered.
“True enough.”
Harrison was quiet for a moment before she said, “I don’t mean to be a bitch, but you look rough, O’Hare.”
I chuckled. “You’re not being bitchy—you’re being honest.”
“Some people mistake them for the same thing when you’re a woman.”
I swallowed more coffee and pointed the cup at my chest. “Not this guy. At least, not typically.” Inhaling, I scrubbed the rough stubble littering my chin and cheeks. I’d showered but hadn’t taken the time to shave. “Spent last night in my car watching Boone’s house.”
Harrison’s eye twitched. “Forgive me if I’ve got the wrong impression, but I thought the two of you were seeing each other. Is there a reason you were relegated to the car? Were you a bad boy?” Harrison’s tone was teasing.
“Not that I know of.” The truth was, I could have easily gone inside. Boone and I’d had dinner earlier and he’d invited me inside for the night. I would have been a hell of a lot more comfortable. What I also would have been was distracted. Besides, with Nikodemus Holland’s wards protecting his son, Boone was as safe as he could be while tucked inside behind his locked doors. What I wanted to see was if anyone came nosing around the outside, looking for a way in.
I gave Harrison the quick and dirty rundown and she nodded with understanding. “Makes sense. Hell on your comfort, but I get why you did it. I also understand why you didn’t tell Boone. If you had, he probably would have been out in the car with you.”
I chuckled and saluted Harrison with my cup. “All too right.”
“I actually came here bearing more than insults.”
“Yeah? Got anything good?”
Harrison held up a hand and teetered it back and forth. “Maybe? Becks contacted me earlier and said she cracked the password on Remington’s computer. She’s in the process of going through it as we speak. Hopefully, it will yield something.”
My face fell back into frown mode. “We need a break.”
“We do,” Harrison agreed readily. “We’ll get one. You and I both know serials always screw up somewhere. They get overconfident, sloppy, or a little of both. Maybe we just get lucky and find a clue hidden among all the shit. Either way, we’ll get this SOB.”
“Yeah, but how many will have to pay the price before that happens?” Considering Boone could be part of that charge, I was anxious to get this individual off the street.
My phone rang, the tone generic and not associated with any single individual. Glancing at the screen, I recognized the number and answered, “Detective O’Hare, how can I help you?”
“Detective, this is Gladys Campion. I’m not sure if you remember me or not.”
“Of course I remember you, Mrs. Campion. How is Ocean Springs treating you?”
Her laughter was soft. “Hot as Hades, but I won’t lie and say I don’t love it.”
I understood. More folks enjoyed the heat than they did the cold.
“I’m sorry to bother you, but you asked me to call if I found any further information on Telane Winston.”
I sat up a little straighter while reaching for a pen and paper. Harrison leaned closer and I thought about placing the call on speaker but didn’t. “What did you find?” I asked.
“You told me there were two children, twins by the name of Leo and Caitlin.”
I deflated, if this was about the twins, I’d already tracked their lineage to its end. “Yes. I did some more research and I’m afraid those lines have died out.”
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that, but I’m not calling about them. I decided to search through some of our more fragile archives. A lot was damaged during Hurricane Katrina. Some of it’s still legible, but we don’t keep those documents with the rest of the archives because we’re concerned for their longevity. We keep their handling to a minimum.”
While I understood, I was also confused. “And you found something in these documents?”
“I did. It looks like there was a third child, a boy named Valin. I went back to the archives and found more mentions of Valin Winston. He married and had four children.”
I swallowed hard and asked, “Any of them male?”
“One,” Mrs. Campion answered. “I’ve traced all the children’s lineages as far as I can. There were three surviving members of the family tree when my archives stop in 1969. I can give you the names if you’d like.”
“Oh, I’d like. I’d like that very much, Mrs. Campion.” She rattled off three names and I jotted them down, making certain I had the spelling correct. After I’d double-checked, I said, “Thank you for your time and efforts. I’m not certain if this will lead to anything or not, but I appreciate the effort.”
“It was no trouble. I like doing research and enjoyed the project. I’ve always enjoyed being useful. I hope you have a pleasant day, Detective. If you need anything else, don’t hesitate to contact me.”
“Will do and thank you again.”
Mrs. Campion ended the call, leaving me staring at three possibilities.
“Well?” Harrison asked. “Are you going to tell me what put that grin on your face?”
I physically wiped my lips, eliminating my smile. As of yet, I didn’t have a damn thing to smile about. “Turns out Phineas Noland might have had some relatives still alive after all. That was Mrs. Campion. Boone and I met her during our deep dive into the Ocean Springs archives.” I gave Harrison the details regarding my conversation, tapping my pen on the names I’d written down. “I still have no idea if this will lead anywhere or not, but at least I’ve got something more to track.”
Harrison stood, taking her coffee cup with her. “You never know. We’ve solved more with less.”
We had indeed.
I had no idea life could be like this—for me. Others found someone they connected with, someone they missed while they were gone, someone they couldn’t wait to lay their eyes and hands on again. Intellectually, I understood that. I’d just never anticipated it happening to me. Sitting comfortably on Boone’s porch swing, his body snuggled tight against my side, made me realize how wrong I’d been. It also made me realize the absolute hell I’d go through if it were taken away.
“This is nice,” Boone said lazily. He’d tucked his bare feet up beside him while I did all the work of pushing the swing. Boone sounded half-asleep. His absolute trust that he was safe with me, that he could relax and allow his body to rest, was not lost on me.
“It is,” I answered easily. Beer half gone, the bottle sweated in the evening heat. It wasn’t the only thing sweating. Somewhere along the line, I’d gotten used to the Mississippi humidity and heat. I wouldn’t exactly call it a welcome friend, but it wasn’t the enemy I’d once believed it to be either.
Given my lack of sleep the previous night, I found my eyelids drifting closed. It would be easy to slouch down and take a nap. As I’d told Harrison earlier today, while on Boone’s property, he was safe. I was too.
I didn’t relish the thought of another night in my car. I wasn’t egotistical enough to think I could keep it up indefinitely. Hell, I wasn’t even sure I could keep it up tonight.
“What made you tense up?” Boone asked, his voice a husky baritone.
“Hmm?” I asked while raking my fingers through his hair. Its mild sweat dampness didn’t put me off. This was Boone, and I wanted every part of him, even his sweat. I scrunched my nose at that odd thought but let it go. While it sounded gross, I realized I meant it.
Boone poked a finger at my belly, tickling me lightly. My abs scrunched and he chuckled. “Those are some impressive muscles, Detective O’Hare.”
“Only because they have to be. Trust me, as soon as I’m off active duty, I’ll become a paunchy old man.” When Boone’s laugh grew louder, I said, “You think I’m joking? Well, the joke will be on you when you’re the one having to cuddle up next to my round tummy. I expect you to love it as much as you love the six-pack.”
When I glanced down, Boone’s bright-green eyes stared up at me. A slow grin lifted his lips and softened his features. “You do, huh? And just how many years do you expect to be on active duty?” He raised an eyebrow. “I’m just asking so I know how long I have to admire your firm tummy.”
I loved speaking like this, like we had decades ahead of us. I was even happier that Boone felt comfortable enough to play along. “Oh, I’ve probably got another fifteen, maybe twenty years. I doubt I’ll be able to keep things this tight for that long, but I’ll need to stay in shape if I’m out on the streets.”
“Saying it like that makes it sound like you’re selling your bodily wares.” Boone lifted an eyebrow. “Something you’re not telling me, O’Hare?” Boone made a valiant effort to keep his smirk under wraps but lost the fight and doubled over in a fit of giggles. My belly warmed at his unfettered laughter. Wiping his eyes, Boone laid his head back on my shoulder and said, “I think you need a different way of saying that.”
“Evidently.” My fingers found their way back to his hair while Boone’s fingers wiggled their way under my shirt and began tracing circles on my abdomen.
My breath caught and Boone asked, “You want me to stop?”
“Don’t you dare.” It was the easiest decision I’d made all day.
“Anything you want.”
I turned that phrase over a few times. “That’s a dangerous offer.”
“Depends on who you make the offer to. I’m not worried. I trust you.”
I sucked in a humidity-laden gulp of air. Only the foolish or truly na?ve gave trust away easily. Erasmus Boone was neither of those things. Placing a kiss on the top of his head, I inhaled Boone’s citrusy shampoo scent and whispered, “I’ll try hard not to break that trust.” I wanted to promise never to break it. Right now, it sounded like an easy promise to make, but none of us had a crystal ball. Only oracles could see the future and they were generally too insane to make sense of it.
I rolled the balls of my feet, pushing the swing into motion and creating a lazy arc. My beer was warm by the time I drained the last drops. Warm or cold, the alcohol helped relax the stubborn muscles that refused to enjoy the evening without chemical help.
“Have you heard back from your father yet?” I asked.
“No.” Boone blew out an exasperated breath. “Well, I got a text saying he overnighted the contact charm. It should be here tomorrow. I guess he didn’t want to wait the extra day or two for him to get here to bring himself.”
Silently, I agreed with Boone’s father. “I’m glad he sent them. I’ll be even happier when they arrive and I’ve got one in my hands.”
Boone shifted so he could look up at me and ask, “You really don’t mind?”
I scoffed. “If I could, I’d chip you and download an app on my phone so I could follow your every movement.”
Boone’s nose scrunched. “That sounds a bit…”
“Stalkerish? Overprotective? Paranoid?”
“Maybe,” Boone dragged the word out. “Given recent events, I can’t say that I blame you. But if I get some kind of tracking device, so do you.” Boone poked my abs for emphasis. “You’re the homicide detective. There’s no reason to think the serial killer won’t come after you too.”
“I’ve thought about that,” I agreed. “But so far, I don’t fit the profile. I’m straight up human, and as much as I hate to say it, so far our killer doesn’t have much to fear from my detective skills.”
Boone’s poking finger turned into a slap. “That is not your fault. You’re working hard and doing the best you can. There’s just not much to go on and it’s not like I’ve been a lot of help either.”
I stared at my empty beer bottle. Currently I wasn’t working too hard, but Harrison was right—everyone needed a break. There were only so many times your brain could travel down the same dead-end streets without threatening to shut down. My brain needed new scenery. It needed a detour, and Boone’s front porch was the perfect mental vacation. When I got back to the case, maybe my brain could see around those dead ends and find a new alley to explore.
Without much to add, I changed the subject and asked, “Anything from Aurelia?” Last I knew, she’d left without committing to wearing the communication charm. She hadn’t said no either.
“Not a peep. Or a creepy pop-up. Maybe I scared her off.”
“Scare a djinn off? You?” I asked, unable to hide my disbelief.
Boone squirmed a little and his hand slid from my skin. I instantly missed the contact. Unfortunately, Boone wasn’t done. He sat up, pulling the rest of his body from me. With one knee bent and his foot resting on the swing, Boone folded his hands on top of his knee and laid his chin on top. His gaze was distant, staring across the yard.
“Boone?” I questioned. Had I offended him? “It’s not like anyone else can do any better. When it comes to djinn, we’re all fucked.”
Turning his head, Boone laid his cheek on his folded hands. “You sound pretty sure.”
I twisted my body as much as the swing would allow, focusing on Boone, studying him. Boone appeared nervous, like he was sitting on a secret landmine that might blow his ass up any minute.
“What do you know?” I asked, confident that he did, in fact, know something. Boone had a lot of friends —an eclectic mix of species. It would only make sense that he’d know something I didn’t. “Have the fairies figured something out? Or maybe the warlocks or witches?”
Boone shook his head as much as possible given his questionable position. Sucking on his bottom lip, Boone said quietly, “As far as I know, I’m the only one that’s a threat to djinn.”
My gut clenched and a gust of air exited my open mouth. “You…what? How?”
“Are you freaking out on me, Franklin?”
“A little, yeah.”
Instead of putting him off, Boone grinned. “It freaked me out too. Still does.” Eyes slipping closed, Boone’s grin fell and he grew serious. “What witches did to create djinn really is horrible. They took living humans—or at least, the two djinn I’ve met were created from humans— hollowed them out, leaving little more than a shell, and packed that shell full of magic. You can get rid of the physical stuff, but the soul is different. I don’t think they fully knew what to do with it but as the saying goes, where there’s a will, there’s a way, and the witches of old found a genius solution. Depraved, but smart. Instead of trying to destroy their souls, they attached them to something physical.”
“Their object of attachment. Christ, that’s why it’s so important?”
Boone gave a miniscule nod. “It is. Witch, warlock, and necromancer history is a bit convoluted, but the important part is that back when djinn were created, necromancers didn’t exist. Witches had no way of knowing that one day, a species would appear that could undo what they did.”
I sat there, completely dumbfounded. Processing Boone’s words took time, putting the pieces together a little longer, but once they started slotting into place, the puzzle took shape quickly. “You can bring their souls back.”
“I can. It’s not like with the dead. Djinn aren’t exactly dead, but the principle’s the same. I can put their souls back into their bodies. It’s funny. Everyone says that only fairies and brownies are magic—that the rest of the species manipulate magic or bend it to their will, and that humans are the least magical of all. I’d beg to differ. The soul is the most magical of all and it trumps all other forms of magic. I wasn’t sure what would happen with Janus when I—”
“Janus?”
“It’s a long story, but Janus is another djinn I met.” Boone’s lips twisted like he’d tasted something sour. “Sadistic fucker, nothing like Aurelia.”
“I’ll have to take your word for that.”
Boone let loose a quick chuckle before he grew serious again. “I wasn’t certain what would happen when I returned Janus’s soul to his body. I had an idea but didn’t know for sure. It could have gone worse. I thought he might immediately age and turn to dust. That didn’t happen.”
“What did happen?” I felt like a kid sitting in the movie theater, eagerly waiting for the previews to end so I could get the juicy flick I’d been waiting a lifetime to see.
“He reverted to what he was before his body was twisted with magic. Janus became human again. No magical abilities, no more object of attachment, no more master, no more immortality.”
“Shit.”
“Yeah.” Boone finally sat up and stretched his legs out in front of him. Running his fingers through his sweaty hair, he stared across the lawn again. “He could have lived like that. He was still young. That’s not what he chose.”
I swallowed hard. “What did he choose?”
Boone grunted. “The idiot challenged a three-hundred-year-old vamp and his mate with nothing more than a lot of arrogance and a dagger. Suffice to say, he didn’t last long.”
My mild alcoholic buzz deserted me and I was left reeling in a world where a better, stronger, alcoholic buzz would be very welcome.
My brain felt cluttered, but one thought stuck out and I asked, “Does Aurelia know?”
Another bark of laughter answered me. “She was there, saw the whole thing.”
Heart hammering, I glanced around, sure Aurelia was lurking in a corner somewhere.
“She’s not here. Or, at least, I don’t think she’s here.” Boone shrugged as if it weren’t important. I begged to differ.
“You could kill her. Christ, Boone. You’re possibly the only one alive that could do that.” Sure, there were other necromancers, but from what little I understood, Erasmus Boone was maybe not one of a kind, but one of the most talented. Not all necromancers could return a soul to its body. In fact, most couldn’t.
“I know, and so does Aurelia. I’ve offered to return her soul. Not to kill her, but to free her from an endless existence of servitude. So far, she’s declined. I know it sounds weird, but it’s a game of trust. Aurelia trusts that I won’t do that unless she asks, and I trust that she won’t kill me before I get a chance to return her soul.”
My eyes burned from staring. I simply couldn’t stop. “You’re playing a game of chicken with a djinn?”
Boone’s lazy grin grew slowly. “Yeah, I guess you could look at it that way, but I’m not worried.”
That was okay. I could be worried enough for the both of us. God above, how was I supposed to keep Boone safe? How was I going to make sure I didn’t lose the best thing I’d ever found? Suddenly, staying awake tonight didn’t seem like a problem. Right now, I didn’t think I’d ever be able to sleep again.