Waking the Witch (Otherworld 11)

two

I studied the victims for some sign they'd been killed by a supernatural--puncture wounds, gnaw marks, weird burn patterns. But the only sign of trauma was the bullet holes.

Next I looked at the background for evidence that the victims had been used ritualistically. If so, then we probably weren't dealing with a supernatural killer. There were black art rituals involving human sacrifice--usually high-level protection spells that required a life in forfeit for a life protected--but that's a lot more rare among witches and sorcerers than Hollywood would have people believe.

If these were indeed ritual murders, then the most likely culprit was Hollywood itself, for suggesting that it's possible to harness the forces of darkness through sacrifice. As if a demon really gives a rat's ass about a dead human or two.

When humans ritually kill, though, they're rarely subtle. Pentacles in blood are a particular favorite. Apparently, if you're going to the trouble of proving what a badass occultist you are, you want to make sure the whole world gets it.

However, even if the killer was human, that was a concern for us. The agency takes a few calls a year from supernaturals freaked out because some lowlife in their city drained a victim's blood or left occult paraphernalia at a crime scene. I tell them to chill--most humans are smart enough to know vampires and witches and demons are the products of overactive imaginations, and the police will quickly turn their attention to more plausible explanations.

Sometimes, though, exposure threats do bear investigating. We can never be too--

I stopped. I lifted the photos and squinted at them. Was that a faint line under each body? Part of a circle drawn in chalk and hastily erased?

"Do you have a better picture of this?" I asked, pointing at the line.

Jesse shook his head.

"What does the police report say about it?"

"As far as I know, nothing. I haven't seen it myself, but my contact says it wasn't mentioned."

"Okay. But since it's in a covered, unused area, the marks under the latest victim should still be there."

"That's what I'm hoping."

All the magical races--witch, sorcerer, shaman, necromancer--had rituals that used chalk circles. The important part was the symbol presumably underneath these bodies. Once I'd noticed those chalk lines, I started picking up other very discreet signs of a true dark art ritual-flakes on the concrete that looked like dried herbs, a black smudge on the wall that I recognized as smoke from a burning brazier, an edge of silver, almost hidden in the latest victim's clenched hand. A coin? An amulet?

"The cops must have seen that," I said, pointing to the silver. "Or the coroner did."

"I'm guessing yes, and I'm really hoping they'll tell me what it is, but they may hold on to the information to weed out the killer from the cranks."

I looked at the two earlier victims. One had her left hand fisted and the other's right hand was palm down on the ground. Either could have been holding something.

"Who's the client?" I asked.

"Me."

When I glanced up, he looked faintly embarrassed. "See, that's the problem with knowing Lucas. You get this urge to do pro bono work."

"It's called guilt."

"No kidding, huh? I'm not a crusader, but every now and then something like this crosses my radar. A necromancer buddy with the Washington state police recognized signs of what looked like a real ritual. He can't jump in without raising eyebrows, so he passed it to me."

I took out my iPhone and logged in to our database, tapping the virtual keypad as he continued.

"Officially, though, the mother of the last victim hired me. I tracked her down and offered to investigate in return for her confirming that to anyone who asks."

"A free PI. Bet she was happy."

"I wouldn't say happy. It took a lot of fast-talking to persuade her I wasn't running a con. Even made me sign a waiver."

"Did she seem reluctant? Maybe for a reason?"

"Nah, just a legal secretary who thinks she's been at the job long enough to practice law herself."

I turned around the phone to show him a list. "I plugged in what we know, and this is what I get. Eight possible rituals, more if whatever she has in her hand isn't significant."