Peter shrugged. “I know it’s a little… er… intimidating, but…?” He swept his big hands towards the giant black arachnid and raised his brows at me. “You still in?”
Ah. Now I understood why he’d been surprised and somewhat cautioning about my blind acceptance of the case. I scoffed. “I want hazard pay for this one.”
Peter shot me an apologetic look. “I’ll ask Edna about it, the office manager, but I’m not sure if the department can—”
I waved a hand and cut him off. “I’m kidding.” I smirked. “I got this.”
Did I though? I looked up at the giant mound of spider and its tangle of legs, then pressed my eyes shut tight for a moment to collect myself. I’d taken depositions from serial killers in my previous life as a lawyer—was I really going to be intimidated by a spider?
I peeled an eye open. The thing shuddered and jerked, and I couldn’t help but jump back and recoil. Eek… maybe a little intimidated.
I squared my shoulders and drew on my courage—and maybe a little on my desire to impress Peter—then strode forward.
Behind me, Daisy growled. Hope you’re not allergic to spider bites.
I glanced over my shoulder and shot her a flat look. If this spider bit me, its fangs would probably go right through my arm, so an allergic reaction would be the least of my worries. But since I couldn’t utter a retort without exposing my secret in front of Peter, I settled for sticking my tongue out at her. Her ears flattened as she glared at me.
Peter stepped forward with me, his wand drawn. I stopped and looked him up and down, surprised.
He noticed and shot me a perplexed look. “I’m coming with you.”
Warmth flooded my chest, and I flashed him a confident smile—fake it till you make it. “Nah. I got this.”
His eyes darted toward the creature. “Are you sure?”
“Psh. Yeah, no, I’m good.” I mean, yes, of course I wanted him to walk up to that freaky spider with me. In fact, I didn’t want either of us to have to get any closer, but I needed to speak to the thing without being overheard, which meant….
I climbed gingerly over a spider leg with the girth of a tree trunk and edged closer to its body, leaving Peter and the other officers behind. I gulped, my throat tight, and wiped my sweaty palms on my jeans. I now stood in a sort of nest of tangled spider legs and leaned right and left, trying to figure out which way its face lay.
The thing stirred, and four sets of beady black eyes blinked at me. My heart jerked to a halt, and I pressed a hand to my chest. A set of dripping pinchers clicked together.
I swallowed against the lump in my throat and longed to glance back at Peter for support, but didn’t dare take my eyes off the thing for a moment. I raised a trembling hand in greeting and spoke in spider language, which to me, sounded like a series of whispers.
Hey there, spider. I flashed a smile. I come in peace.
The eight shiny round eyes blinked in unison. You speak… spider? Its voice came out hoarse and labored.
I nodded and kept my voice down so that Peter and the several other officers who crowded together near the door wouldn’t hear. Yes. I, uh— I scratched the back of my neck. How to phrase this delicately…. The cops want me to ask you why you killed your witch? I drew a finger across my throat. Was she mistreating you, or…?
The pinchers clicked together and clear venom dripped to a sizzling puddle on the concrete floor. I did not kill… the… witch. The giant spider wheezed.
I really didn’t want to contradict an enormous spider but…. They say she was killed by venom—your venom.
The giant, shiny eyes blinked, somewhat out of unison. But now… I die. Why would I... kill… her?
I licked my lips. Fair point, spider, and frankly in line with what my gut told me. I’d never heard of a familiar killing its witch. I edged closer. Sometimes familiars and their witches share a mind connection—if it wasn’t you, did you see who did kill her?
Black lids slid halfway over the creature’s many eyes. It wasn’t me. It was— It shuddered, and a couple of its legs dropped limp to the ground.
I frowned, holding my breath. The thing just had to hold on a little longer. Who was it?
The spider struggled for breath. It was—the one—who was here before.
I peered through the semidarkness at the enormous creature. Here, when?
Here as a—girl—and then again—as a woman. The one who—
The giant thing seized, its legs twitching. I scurried back, tripped, and landed hard on the concrete. Peter appeared at my side a moment later and crouched down next to me. Together, we watched the spider convulse, let out a grating moan, and then grow still, its body listing to one side.
My chest heaved. “I think it’s dead.” Not that I was volunteering to double check.
Peter nodded, and his eyes drifted to my face. “Are you alright?”
I gulped as he took my hands and helped me to my feet. I sure was now.
He lifted a thick brow. “Did you get anything?” He let go of my hands to lightly touch his fingertips to my temples.
Oh geez. He was touching my face. My breath caught as I stared up into his bright blue eyes.
Daisy barked, deep and loud, and we both jumped apart.
Unhand him!
“Daisy.” Peter frowned down at her, then looked at me, his lips quirked to the side. “I’m sorry—I don’t know what gets into her sometimes.”
I curled my lip. “Worms, probably.” I rolled my eyes at the dog and let out a couple of quiet whines. If you hadn’t
