Circle of Death (Damask Circle 2)

The cops out front did mean they couldn’t go in that way, even if he did take them out temporarily. “Does the garage provide access to the back of the house?”

She nodded. “But there were bits of Ross all over the kitchen. I can’t …” Tears glimmered again, and she bit her lip.

He wondered why she was so determined not to show any emotion, to hold it all inside. Had some nut in her past enforced the impression that it was better that way?

“Close your eyes, then. I’ll lead you through.”

She glanced at him and nodded. “I guess I can manage that.”

“Good. Wait here while I go deal with the officers.” He hesitated. “What’s the name of the local newspaper?”

“The Moonee Valle

y Leader. Why?”

“I need a cover story.”

“Oh. Be careful.”

He smiled, raised her hand and kissed her fingers. “Always.”

A pretty blush crept across her cheeks. He resisted the impulse to kiss her more thoroughly, then pulled his phone out as he made his way down the street. He sent Camille a quick text, giving her a rundown on the present and asking her to check it out; then he plucked one of her ready-to-go potions from an inner pocket and held it loosely in his free hand. Once he was near the car, he hit the phone’s record button. The passenger’s-side window was halfway down.

The cop raised an eyebrow as Doyle stopped beside the car. “May I help you?”

“Officer, Mike Jones from the Moonee Valley Leader,” Doyle said, and held his phone closer to the half-open window. “I was just wondering if you could give us an update on the events here. Are you any closer to discovering the murderer?”

The officer grimaced. “I’m sorry, sir, but I’m afraid I can’t comment.”

“I’ve talked to the neighbors, and several said it looked like the bodies were torn apart.” He crushed the charm as he spoke, and felt a tingle against his palm as the magic activated. “Is that true?”

“Again, I’m sorry, but if you want more information, you’re going to have—”

The rest of the sentence was cut off as Doyle threw the crushed remnants of the charm into the car. Blue smoke immediately began to fill the cabin, and Doyle stepped back as a few tendrils curled out through the half-open window. The last thing he needed was to be caught in the spell’s immobilizing net. Neither cop stood much of a chance—the spell was designed to work fast and it would hold them for about ten minutes. He hoped that would be long enough to get Kirby in and out of her house.

He went back to collect her, then led her into her backyard via the unlocked garage door. Birches lined the boundaries, casting dappled shadows across the tiny patch of grass. Azaleas brightened the corners of the yard, providing cheerful splashes of yellow, red and orange through the shade.

“Pretty,” he said, meaning it.

“Thanks.” She plucked a key from under the mat and glanced at him, a smile touching her lips. “And don’t tell me that’s a dumb place to keep a key, because I already know it.”

“I wasn’t going to mention it.” Besides, for most professional thieves, door locks were the least of their problems. It was things like pressure pads, heat and motion sensors and all the other varieties of alarms available these days that provided the worry. “But you could at least try somewhere more original.”

“Like what? The potted plant?”

“Actually, if you have to leave a key, then sticking it to the back of something like a leaf is a damn fine hiding place. Most amateurs don’t think of that.”

“And most professionals don’t bother?”

“Something like that.” He took the key from her and opened the door. “Ready?”

She nodded. He caught her hand, ducked under the crime scene tape and led her into the kitchen. It was as if he’d walked into a slaughterhouse. Seeing the pictures was one thing, seeing the reality another. Granted, there were no body parts lying about, but blood was still splashed everywhere, and the outlines of where they’d found the different pieces of humanity littered the floor.

No wonder she had been so fearful to confront this all again. While he was no stranger to the various faces of death, even he found this sickening. He quickly guided her through it and up the stairs.

“You can open your eyes now,” he said once they were out of sight of the mess below.

She did so, taking a deep breath in the process. “Thank you.”