Waking the Witch (Otherworld 11)

AS ADAM DROVE, I relayed Paula's story.

"I can see how it happened," Adam said when I was done. "It's Alastair who's full of shit. They wouldn't take Kayla away for a clear self-defense case."

I shrugged. "It might not have looked all that clear to him. But she's wrong about the photos. She just didn't see the signs--the cops didn't, remember? If Alastair is into Santeria, he knows enough about rituals to fake one and give the murders a satanic cult angle."

Adam's fingers tapped the steering wheel, his gaze distant.

"What?" I said.

"He could, but would he? Wouldn't anything cultlike have them looking in his direction? Then, if they found the Santeria--which he wasn't hiding very well--he'd be the new prime suspect. Maybe the cops never noticed those ritual signs because they weren't there. Where did Jesse get his set?"

"From a contact. A friend--" I swore. "They were doctored before Jesse got them."

WE COULD VERIFY that theory easily enough--just look at the real photos. But when I called the station, Bruyn was out. I wanted to stop by anyway, but Adam eased me off, not wanting us to jump to conclusions so fast.

"Remember Claire did have that pewter bead in her hand," he said as he drove. "Sure, I think it would be dumb for Alastair to stage it, but maybe he didn't see that."

"He was panicked and did the first thing he could think of. But if that's true, then it seriously cuts down on the suspects for Claire's murder."

"Let's say Claire found evidence that Paula killed Ginny and Brandi. She goes to Alastair to get his advice. He kills her."

"Then Michael starts getting close. Alastair lures him to a warehouse staged for a ritual--"

The Jeep thumped into a pothole. My stomach heaved and I grabbed the dashboard. Adam hit the brakes and my breakfast almost hit the windshield.

"Shit! I'm sorry." He eased the Jeep to the side as I bent forward, eyes closed.

"Kleenex," I mumbled, trying not to open my mouth too far.

"Right. Okay. I've got napkins."

He passed them to me and I spat out the stuff in my mouth. As I wadded up the tissues, an opened pack of gum appeared in front of me. I took a piece, and chewed before saying, "I think I'm coming down with something."

"You haven't been feeling well?"

"A bit nauseated." I glanced over. "And no, it isn't morning sickness. Somehow I doubt I'm a suitable candidate for the next immaculate conception."

"I was feeling a little off myself first thing, and it's definitely not morning sickness for me. Could be the flu. Any other symptoms?"

I told him about the headaches and the spellcasting.

"You're having trouble casting spells?"

"Just a few misfires. It's nothing."

"You should have told me. If I'm watching your back, I need to know that your spells are on the fritz."

"Let's just get to the motel and talk to Jesse about the photos. Avoid the potholes if you can."

He pulled back onto the road.

"Maybe whoever gave Jesse those photos did the doctoring himself," I said. "He wanted Jesse to investigate Claire's death, so he Photoshopped the others. I keep going back to that witch theory. If Ginny and Brandi's deaths weren't connected to Claire's, then that makes even more sense. Claire could be a witch. She's killed. Two weeks later, I'm being stalked and Tiffany--who we know is a witch--is killed."

Adam didn't say anything. When I looked over, he was staring straight ahead.

"What?" I said.

"I just keep ..." An angry shake of his head. "About the witch thing. It's tweaking a memory, and it's driving me crazy because I can't figure it out. I'm going to check a few more things in the database, then I may have to break down and call Dad."