The Good, The Bad, And The Undead

live shot of one of his yearling pastures, the artificial light shining through the video screen to make a warm patch of glowing carpet. There was a new school of black and white fish in the zoo-size fish tank, and the freestanding aquarium had been moved into a recess built into the wall behind his desk. The spot where my cage had been held a potted orange tree, and the scent-memory of food pellets made my stomach clench. The camera at the ceiling in the corner blinked its little red light at me.

'It's a pleasure to meet you, Captain Edden,' Trent was saying, the smooth cadence of his voice luring my attention. 'I wish it could be under better circumstances.'

'Mr. Kalamack.' Edden's sharp staccato sounded harsh against Trent's voice. 'I apologize for any inconvenience incurred while we search your grounds.'

Jonathan handed Trent the warrant, and he looked at it briefly before handing it back. 'Corporal evidence leading to an arrest in the deaths known as the witch hunter murders?' he said, his eyes flicking to mine. 'That's a little broad, isn't it?'

'Putting down 'dead body' looked crass,' I said tightly, and Edden cleared his throat, the barest hint of worry we might find nothing staining his professional stance. I noticed Edden had fallen into a parade rest, and wondered if the ex–Navy SEAL even knew it. 'You were the last person to see Dr. Anders,' I added, wanting to see Trent's reaction.

'That's out of line, Ms. Morgan,' Edden muttered, but I was more interested in the emotion that passed over Trent. Anger, frustration, but not shock. Trent glanced at Jonathan, who made the slightest shrug I'd ever seen. Slowly, Trent sat back on his desktop, his long, sun-tanned hands clasped in front of him. 'I wasn't aware that she had died,' he said.

'I never said she was dead,' I said. My heart pounded as Edden gripped my arm in warning.

'She's missing?' Trent said, doing a creditable job of showing only relief. 'That's good. That she is missing and not—ah—dead. I had dinner with her last night.' The barest hint of worry flickered over Trent as he gestured to the two chairs behind us. 'Please, sit down,' he said as he went behind his desk. 'I'm sure you have some questions for me—seeing as you're searching my grounds.'

'Thank you, sir. I do.' Edden took the seat closest to the hallway. My eyes tracked Jonathan as he closed Trent's door. He remained standing beside it, looking defensive. I eased myself down in the remaining seat in the artificial sun, forcing myself to the back of the chair. Trying for an air of nonchalance, I set my bag on my lap and felt in my jacket pocket for a finger stick. The prick of the blade zinged through me. I eased my bleeding finger into my bag, carefully searching for the charm. Now let's see Trent lie and get away with it.

Trent's expression froze at the clatter of my amulet. 'Put your truth spell away, Ms. Morgan,' he accused. 'I said I would be happy to answer Captain Edden's questions, not submit to an interrogation. Your warrant is for search and seizure, not cross-examination.'

'Morgan,' Edden hissed, his thick hand extended. 'Give me that!'

Grimacing, I wiped my fingertip clean and handed the amulet over. Edden stuffed it in a pocket. 'My apologies,' he said, his round face tight. 'Ms. Morgan is tenacious in her desire to find the person or persons responsible for so many deaths. She has a dangerous'—this was directed at me —'tendency to forget she has to function within the law's parameters.'

Trent's wispy hair rose in the current from the air vents. Seeing my gaze on it, he ran a hand over his head, hinting at irritation. 'She means well.'

How patronizing was that? Angry, I set my bag on the floor with a thump. 'Dr. Anders meant well, too,' I said. 'Did you kill her after she turned down your offer of employment?'

Jonathan stiffened, and Edden's hands jerked as if he was trying to keep them in his lap and away from around my neck. 'I'm not going to warn you again, Rachel….' he growled.

Trent's smile never flickered. He was angry and trying not to show it. I was glad I could paint the walls with my feelings; it was far more satisfying. 'No, it's all right,' Trent said, clasping his fingers together and leaning forward to set them on his desk. 'If it will ease Ms. Morgan's belief that I'm capable of such monstrous crimes, I'll be more than happy to tell you what we discussed last night.' Though he was talking to Edden, his gaze didn't shift from mine. 'We were discussing the possibility of my funding her research.'

'Ley line research?' I questioned.

He picked up a pencil, the motion as he twirled it giving away his discomfort. He really should have broken himself of the habit. 'Ley line research,' he agreed. 'The vein of which has little practical value. I was indulging my curiosity, nothing more.'

'I think you offered her a job,' I said. 'And when she refused to work for you, you had her killed, just like all the other ley line witches in Cincinnati.'

'Morgan!' Edden exclaimed, pulling himself upright in his chair. 'Go wait in the van.' He rose, giving Trent an apologetic look. 'Mr. Kalamack, I'm very sorry. Ms. Morgan is entirely out of line, and is not acting under FIB authority in her accusations.'

I spun in my chair to face him. 'It's what he tried to do to me. Why would Dr. Anders be any different?'

Edden's face went red behind his little round glasses. I clenched my jaw, ready to argue right back. He took an angry breath, letting it out at the knock at the door. Jonathan opened it, stepping back as Glenn came in, ducking his head briefly to Trent in acknowledgment. I could tell by his hunched, furtive expression that the search wasn't going well.

He murmured something to Edden, and the captain scowled, growling something back. Trent watched the exchange with interest, his brow smoothing and the faint tension in his shoulders easing. The pencil was set aside, and he leaned back in his chair.

Jonathan went to Trent, putting a hand on his desk as he leaned to whisper in Trent's ear. My attention flicked from Jonathan's condescending smile to Edden's worried frown. Trent was going to come out of this looking like an injured citizen brutalized by the FIB. Damn.

Jonathan straightened and Trent's green eyes met mine, softly mocking. Edden's voice rasped at my awareness as he told Glenn to have Jenks double-check the gardens. Trent was going to get away with it. He killed those people, and he was going to get away with it!

Frustration gripped me as Glenn gave me a helpless look and left, closing the door behind him. I knew my charms were good, but they might not work if Trent was using ley line magic to hide her. My face went slack. Ley line magic? If he was hiding her with ley line magic, I could find her with the same.

I glanced at Trent, seeing his satisfaction falter at the sudden questioning look I knew I must be wearing. Trent held up a finger to Jonathan, keeping the tall man quiet as he focused on me, clearly trying to figure out what I was thinking.

Making a search charm using earth magic was clearly white witchcraft. It followed that one made using ley line magic would be white as well. The cost upon my karma would be negligible, far less than, say, lying about my birthday to get a free drink. And whether stemming from earth or ley line magic, a search charm was covered under the search and seizure warrant.

My heartbeat quickened, and I reached to touched my hair. I didn't know the incantation, but Nick might have it in his books. And if Trent used ley line magic to cover his tracks, there would have to be a line close enough to use. Interesting.

'I need to make a call,' I said, hearing my voice as if it were from outside my head.

Trent seemed at a loss for words. I liked seeing the emotion on him. 'You're welcome to use my secretary's phone,' he said.

'I have my own,' I said, digging in my bag. 'Thank you.'

Edden gave me a suspicious glance and went to talk to Trent and Jonathan. By his polite stance and appeaseing look, I thought he might be trying to smooth the political waves his failed FIB visit was going to cause. Tense, I rose, going to the far corner to try and stay out of the camera's view as well as their earshot.

'Be there,' I whispered as I scrolled through my short list and hit the send button. 'Pick up, Nicky. Please pick up….'He might be getting groceries. He could be doing his laundry or taking a nap or in the shower, but I was willing to bet my nonexistent paycheck that he was still reading that damned book. My shoulders relaxed as someone picked up. He was home. I loved a predictable man.

' 'Ello,' he said, sounding preoccupied.