The Good, The Bad, And The Undead

'I don't know,' I said, my voice rising as I became frustrated. 'Maybe the two are unrelated. Maybe she lied about him knowing she came to us. Maybe the man is crazy and wants to get caught. Maybe he's so sure we can't find our asses in the dark that he's thumbing his nose at us. He had them killed, Edden. I know it. He talked to them before they died. What more do you need!'

I was almost shouting. I knew it wouldn't get me anywhere with Edden, but this bureaucracy was part of the reason I had quit the I.S. And it rankled to find myself trying to 'convince the boss' again. Head bowed and hand on his chin, Glenn took a step back, leaving me alone. I didn't care.

'It's not against the law to talk to Trent Kalamack,' Edden said, his eyes level with mine. 'Half the city knows him.'

'You're going to ignore that he talked to every one of these people?' I protested.

His face went red behind his eyeglasses. They looked too small for his round face. 'I can't accuse a councilman of phone calls and casual conversations,' he said. 'That's his job.'

My pulse quickened. 'Trent killed those people,' I said softly. 'And you know it.'

'What you know isn't worth goose shit, Rachel. It's what I can prove. And I can't prove anything with this.' He flicked a hand at the nearest report, making it flutter.

'Then search his compound,' I demanded.

'Morgan!' Edden shouted, shocking me. 'I won't authorize a search on the evidence that he talked to the victims. I need more.'

'Then let me talk to him. I'll get it.'

'God bless it!' he swore. 'You want me fired, Rachel? Is that it? Do you know what will happen if I let you go through his compound and find nothing?'

'Nothing,' I said.

'Wrong! I will have accused a well-respected man of murder. He is a councilman. A benefactor of most of the charities and hospitals on both sides of the state line. The FIB will become a foul word in human and Inderland households alike. My reputation will be shot!'

Frustrated, I stood toe-to-toe with him, able to look the man right in the eye. 'I didn't know you became an FIB officer to better your reputation.'

Glenn shifted, making a soft sound of warning. Edden stiffened, his jaw clenching until white spots appeared on his forehead. 'Rachel,' he said with a soft threat, 'this is an official FIB investigation, and we are going to do it my way. You've allowed yourself to become emotionally involved, and your judgment is compromised.'

'My judgment?' I shouted. 'He stuck me in a freaking cage and put me in the rat fights!'

Edden took a step closer. 'I'm not,' he said, pointing at me, 'going to let you waltz into his office and telegraph your vendetta-based suspicions while we're gathering evidence. Even if we do question him, you will— not—be—there!'

'Edden!' I protested.

'No!' he barked, rocking me back a step. 'This conversation is over.'

I took a breath to tell him it wasn't over until I said so, but he had walked out. Angry, I struck out after him. 'Edden,' I called after his swiftly vanishing shadow. For a squat man, he moved fast. A door slammed. 'Edden!'

Ignoring the watching FIB officers, I stormed through the open offices, past Rose, and to his closed door. I reached for the handle, then hesitated. It was his office; angry or not, I couldn't barge in. Frustrated, I stood outside his door and shouted, 'Edden!' I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. 'You and I both know Trent Kalamack is able and willing to commit murder. If you won't let me talk to him through the FIB, then I quit!'

I took off my visitor's badge as if it meant something and threw it on Rose's desk. 'You hear me? I'll go talk to him by myself.'

Edden's door jerked open, and I took a step back. He stood before me, his khaki slacks creased and his plaid shirt starting to come untucked. He loomed out into the hallway, pushing me almost into Rose's desk with a stubby finger. 'I told you if you came into this gunning for Mr. Kalamack, I'd sling your witch ass back across the river and into the Hollows. You made a commitment to work with Detective Glenn on this, and I'm holding you to it. But if you talk to Mr. Kalamack, I'll toss you in my own lockup for harassment.'

I took a breath to protest, but my resolve faltered.

'Now get out of here,' Edden almost growled. 'You have a class tomorrow, and I'll deduct the tuition from your compensation if you don't go.'

Thoughts of rent money intruded. Despising that money, not what was right, would be what stopped me. I glared at him. 'You know he killed those people,' I said tightly.

Shaking in unspent adrenaline, I walked away. I passed through the silent FIB officers at their desks on my way to the front. I'd take the bus home.

Twelve

I fell hard as Ivy cut my legs from under me. I rolled away, already aching where my hip had hit the floor. My heart pounded in time with the twin pains on the back of my calves. I tossed a strand of hair that had escaped my exercise band from my eyes. Putting a hand against the wall of the sanctuary, I used it for balance as I got to my feet. Lungs heaving, I ran the back of my hand across my forehead to wipe the sweat from me.

'Rachel,' Ivy said from eight feet away. 'Pay attention. I almost hurt you that time.'

Almost? I shook my head to clear my vision. I had never seen her move away, she was so quick. Of course, I might not have seen her move since I was falling on my can at the time.

Ivy took three loping steps toward me. Eyes wide, I twisted my body in a tight circle to the left, sending my right foot into her midsection.

Grunting, she clutched her stomach and stumbled backward. 'Ow,' she complained, retreating. I hunched over, putting my hands on my knees to signal I wanted a breather. Ivy obediently moved farther away and waited, trying not to show that I had hurt her.

From my position, I glanced at her standing in a band of green and gold afternoon sun streaming in through the sanctuary's windows. The black body stocking and soft slippers she wore when we sparred with each other made her look more predatory than usual. Her straight black hair was tied back, accentuating her tall, lean appearance. Face blank and pale, she waited for me to catch my breath so we could continue.

The practice was more for me than her. She insisted it would extend my life expectancy should I run up against a big-bad-ugly without my spells or a direction to run. I always came away from of our sparring bruised and headed for my charm cupboard. How that extended my life was beyond me. More practice making pain amulets, maybe?

Ivy had arrived home early from her afternoon with Kist, surprising me with the offer to work out. I was still seething over Edden's refusal to let me question Trent and needed to burn off some anger and so said yes. As usual, within fifteen minutes I was hurting and breathing hard while she had yet to break a sweat.

Ivy danced impatiently from foot to foot. Her eyes were a nice steady brown. I kept a close watch on her when we worked out together, not wanting to push her too close to her limits. She was fine.

'What's up?' she asked as I straightened. 'You're more aggressive than usual.'

I bent my leg back to stretch my leg muscle and pull the cuff of my sweatpants back down about my ankle. 'Every one of the victims talked to Trent before they died,' I said, stretching the truth. 'Edden won't let me question him.' I pulled the other leg, then nodded.

Ivy's breath quickened. I dropped to a crouch as she darted forward. Too quick for thought, I ducked her blow, sweeping my leg at her feet. Calling out, she flung herself in a backflip to avoid it, landing on her hands and then feet. I jerked back to keep her foot from hitting my jaw on the way by.

'So?' Ivy questioned softly, waiting as I stood up.

'So Trent is the murderer.'

'Can you prove it?'

'Not yet.' I lunged for her. She danced out of the way, jumping onto the thin windowsill. As soon as her feet