“The case your uncle is working on right now for the mayor?” Anthony walked over, textbook still open in his hand. “But what does that old book have anything to do with—?”
“Death cursed other people. Those people just so happen to be mixed up in a murder investigation. They gave us this journal to prove their innocence. I’ve been reading it to find out more about Death and this couple’s connection to the mayor…Aha!” I slapped the page with the back of my hand. “Izz and Segil are David and Tiffany Ward. They’re cursed, too.”
“You’re not making any sense, Jazz.”
I rolled off the bed and flashed an apologetic smile. “I know I’m not. I’m sorry. I really have to tell Uncle Vic what I’ve found. It’s important to the case.”
“If the journal is evidence, it should’ve been handed over to your uncle right away,” Anthony said, frowning in disapproval.
“Angela said only Charlie and I could read it. It’s a long story.” I waved away any further chastisement. “As soon as I’m done talking to Uncle Vic, I’ll be able to focus on Congress. I’ll only be gone a few minutes. I promise.”
Anthony closed the textbook with an aggressive snap.
I flinched.
“I know it doesn’t seem like it now, but your studies are important. I don’t have as much time with you as I used to, so I need to make every minute count. I’m sorry, but the case is going to have to wait until after we’re done with this chapter review.”
The look he gave had me swallowing my protests and sagging back into my chair. I dropped the journal next to my open notebook. Satisfied, Anthony tugged on the bottom of his waistcoat and returned to the whiteboard he’d set up in front of my desk.
“Now, what is the job of a state senator?” he asked, retrieving his uncapped marker.
I slouched forward and dropped my chin on my fist. “To listen to the concerns of the people in his district and bring them before the other members of Congress in hopes of creating legislation which will bring about positive change.”
“Correct.” Anthony paraphrased my answer on the board, writing district concerns, senator, and Congress with horizontal arrows between each word. “What is another word for legislation?”
“Proposition,” I muttered, thinking about all those promotional billboards and yard signs. Vote yes or Vote no on Prop-whatever.
“Also correct.” Anthony wrote the word underneath the others. “Can you think of any propositions that are going to be voted on soon?”
I grimaced. Since I’d started this online government class, I’d been instructed to read up on current events. Twice a week, I was supposed to write a paragraph summary on any government related news found on a reputable site. But I didn’t retain too much of what I read. It wasn’t exactly interesting material.
“Um,” I said, stalling for time. I turned a few pages in my notebook, trying to find my latest paragraph summary. “There was a proposition Mr. Ward mentioned in one of his speeches. He was going to bring it before Congress as soon as he was elected. He said this proposition could change the way we do international trade.”
“Prop two-one-eight,” Anthony said with a gracious nod. “Very good.” He added it to the whiteboard. “Promising to do certain things isn’t uncommon for someone running for any kind of government position, but writing up propositions four weeks before voting day is bold. Just because recent polls put Mr. Ward well ahead of the other candidates doesn’t mean his victory is guaranteed. There’s still plenty of time for him to make a mistake, or for some secret to be released to the public that could cost him the election.”
“Which is why the press knows next to nothing about the deaths of his campaign staff,” I said with a spike of frustration. “Mr. Ward cares more about winning the election than finding justice for the families of his deceased staff members.”
“Unfortunately, that does seem to be the case. But I’m sure your uncle will be delivering much-needed justice soon. After all, he’s found a new suspect,” Anthony said before he steered the conversation back to his lesson.
I sighed, blowing my bangs out of my face.
Just this morning, the facial recognition software had found a match for the grainy profile picture Uncle Victor had been able to pull from the security camera at the marina. It belonged to a notorious contract killer from Asia known simply as the Salamander. He was wanted by Interpol and the FBI for countless murders across the globe. And now he was in Seattle, doing someone else’s dirty work in the hopes of tanking Mr. Ward’s chances of winning the election. Or in the hopes of intimidating Mr. Ward into doing something, although he promised he hadn’t received any threats. Well, none that stuck out.
A giant tub of Mr. Ward’s hate mail was delivered to the precinct a little over an hour ago. Vanessa Burkley was sifting through it right now while Uncle Victor had a conference call with Interpol and the FBI concerning a joint investigation. By some miracle, the two other agencies would play nice and not swoop in to steal this case right out from under my uncle’s nose.
I didn’t know how this information about Mr. and Mrs. Ward being immortal could help the case but it was important Uncle Vic knew all the facts. It might spark something in that brilliant brain of his. Plus I had to tell him there was an entry in the journal about the Smiths’ road trip to Seattle and the date proved they were far away from here during the time of the murders. That was enough of an alibi, right?
No offense to Anthony but school seemed like a waste of time when there was a professional killer and an evil mastermind yanking on his leash out there somewhere, plotting another murder.
“—of course, that’s not the
