Waking the Witch (Otherworld 11)

"I'm good here." When I started to argue, he said, "I'm pretty sure Cody's not coming back for revenge tonight, but I'm not counting on it. Besides, someone's been following you, and it may be the same someone who killed Tiffany Radu."

"I--"

"You can look after yourself, I know. But someone also might have killed a guy you were working this case with, so something tells me I'm safer here, too."

"Fine, but you're not spending the night in a chair. It's a big bed. Just keep your shorts on and stay on your side this time."

"Hey, the last time I was the one who ended up with a fat lip, smacked by you flailing around."

"Um, no. You were flailing. That's why you got a fat lip."

"Go to sleep, Savannah."

I walked to his bag and pulled out a T-shirt, then headed for the bathroom.

"Excuse me?" he said. "That's my shirt?"

"I don't own pajamas."

"At least take the one you singed earlier."

"It's ugly, remember? I don't do ugly."

thirty-one

I dreamed I was back in Tiffany's bedroom reading that opened Bible. Or trying to. The words kept swimming out of focus. I got so frustrated that it woke me up.

The first thing I heard was Adam's deep breathing. He was sound asleep, lying on his side facing me. He was a respectable distance away, but his fingers rested on my bent knee.

When I moved, he squeezed my knee. I smiled, closed my eyes, and fell back to sleep.

"EXODUS 22:18!" I blurted, bolting up in bed.

Adam's eyes snapped open.

"Exodus 2.2.: 18," I repeated.

He closed his eyes. "If you're spouting biblical references, I'm definitely dreaming."

I jumped out of bed and yanked my nightstand drawer so hard it flew out, thumping onto my foot--phone book and all. I swore and limped around to the other nightstand. I found the Bible in that drawer and pulled it out.

"You aren't actually going to read that, are you?" Adam said, one eye open. "If it bursts into flames, it's not my fault."

"Tiffany's Bible was open to Exodus 22. I just realized why that's familiar. It's the one Bible verse I know. Exodus 22: I8." I pointed to the verse. "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live."

"Shit." Adam scrambled up. He read the verse, then swore again. "The Bible was open to that page?"

I nodded. "It can't be a coincidence. Maybe it was suicide. She was up to something and was worried I was coming after her. That might have been her final message."

"To who?"

"Me. She knew I was coming over."

"And she knew no one else would hear the baby crying and get there first? She knew you'd break in if she missed her appointment? She knew you'd notice the Bible and realize which passage she meant?" He shook his head. "No, whoever killed her left that."

"As a message?"

"Maybe." He sat upright and pointed to the chair. "Hand me my laptop."