Read Online Heartache (The Twenty-Sided Sorceress Book 5) by Annie Bellet - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Annie Bellet
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trees, her carpet littered with cat toys. There were at least four of the critters in view, and I gently stroked a big calico cat who was resting on the back of an overstuffed chair.
Joyce did an almost comical double take as Hattie sent the deputy out and the four of us sat down.
“What is she doing here?” she demanded, rousing from her grief-stricken torpor. She pointed a trembling finger at me.
“Saving your ass, I hope,” I said.
“Ladies,” Hattie said. “Jade is helping us with the investigation. Can you walk us through what happened? Do you know who killed your friend?”
Joyce dropped her hand into her lap and sniffed hard. She started to speak, but stopped and looked at Salazar, then at Hattie with a question on her face.
“I’m Special Agent Salazar,” Salazar said in a patient voice. “I’m an eagle shifter and I know what you are already, so you can speak freely.”
“We always check on each other after a storm, because we live alone, you see. My husband and I separated recently. He moved out just last month and I’m not used to being on my own. Peggy and I, well, you know. She is our leader.” Joyce stopped and sniffed again. She pulled a wadded-up handkerchief out of a drawer in the sewing table next to her and dabbed at her nose.
“I tried to call, but she didn’t pick up. I saw lights on and thought maybe she had her phone off. When she didn’t answer the door, I just went in. We don’t lock our doors much around here, as the detective can tell you, agent,” Joyce said.
“And that’s when you found her?” Salazar prompted.
Joyce nodded and tears started to leak from her eyes. She dabbed at those, too.
“She was… I mean. Blood. Everywhere. I… I’m sorry. Do I have to talk about this? What is the point? I know who did it.” Her expression hardened and she looked at me.
“Wait a minute,” I said, holding up my hands in mock surrender. “Don’t you even try to pin this on me. I have an airtight alibi.” I refrained from saying I’d been locked up in jail all night. Joyce didn’t need to know that part.
“Not you,” she said. “Though you’re the cause all right. It was that golden-eyed demon, Mr. Cartwright. He did this, sure as the sun rises in the east.”
I sat back in the chair, disturbing the cat behind me. She got up and jumped down, giving me a look fit to kill. I rubbed my palms on my thighs.
“You know Samir?” I asked. “Do you know why he did this?”
Joyce pressed her lips together into a thin line. She looked at Hattie, then shifted her gaze to Salazar. When they both were silent, expectant in their expressions and posture, she looked back at me and nodded. I wanted to yank her out of her chair and drag the answers out of her, but I forced myself to be calm. She’d been through a hell of a shock; I could take a moment to be patient.
“You have to understand. We didn’t know what was going on. It was just a way to make a little extra money, which the shelter needed. The library too, and Alice’s son needed braces, and… well. Extra money isn’t something folks like us can turn down.” She clutched at her dirty handkerchief like it was a security blanket.
“Money?” I said. “From Samir? For what?”
“For you,” she said softly. “He was paying us to keep an eye on you.”
“When? How long?” I spat the questions out, my brain spinning.
“Oh gosh. Three years now, at least.” Joyce looked down at her hands.
I closed my eyes and wrapped my willpower around my temper. I took a deep breath and tried to think calm thoughts. So Samir had been telling the truth, it seemed. He had known where I was. What I was doing. I might have noticed one or two people watching me. Even in a small town, seeing someone over and over when you aren’t friends would start to stand out. But a whole coven? That was thirteen different women, all probably pillars of the community, thirteen spies to rotate around. I thought of how many had kids or
Joyce did an almost comical double take as Hattie sent the deputy out and the four of us sat down.
“What is she doing here?” she demanded, rousing from her grief-stricken torpor. She pointed a trembling finger at me.
“Saving your ass, I hope,” I said.
“Ladies,” Hattie said. “Jade is helping us with the investigation. Can you walk us through what happened? Do you know who killed your friend?”
Joyce dropped her hand into her lap and sniffed hard. She started to speak, but stopped and looked at Salazar, then at Hattie with a question on her face.
“I’m Special Agent Salazar,” Salazar said in a patient voice. “I’m an eagle shifter and I know what you are already, so you can speak freely.”
“We always check on each other after a storm, because we live alone, you see. My husband and I separated recently. He moved out just last month and I’m not used to being on my own. Peggy and I, well, you know. She is our leader.” Joyce stopped and sniffed again. She pulled a wadded-up handkerchief out of a drawer in the sewing table next to her and dabbed at her nose.
“I tried to call, but she didn’t pick up. I saw lights on and thought maybe she had her phone off. When she didn’t answer the door, I just went in. We don’t lock our doors much around here, as the detective can tell you, agent,” Joyce said.
“And that’s when you found her?” Salazar prompted.
Joyce nodded and tears started to leak from her eyes. She dabbed at those, too.
“She was… I mean. Blood. Everywhere. I… I’m sorry. Do I have to talk about this? What is the point? I know who did it.” Her expression hardened and she looked at me.
“Wait a minute,” I said, holding up my hands in mock surrender. “Don’t you even try to pin this on me. I have an airtight alibi.” I refrained from saying I’d been locked up in jail all night. Joyce didn’t need to know that part.
“Not you,” she said. “Though you’re the cause all right. It was that golden-eyed demon, Mr. Cartwright. He did this, sure as the sun rises in the east.”
I sat back in the chair, disturbing the cat behind me. She got up and jumped down, giving me a look fit to kill. I rubbed my palms on my thighs.
“You know Samir?” I asked. “Do you know why he did this?”
Joyce pressed her lips together into a thin line. She looked at Hattie, then shifted her gaze to Salazar. When they both were silent, expectant in their expressions and posture, she looked back at me and nodded. I wanted to yank her out of her chair and drag the answers out of her, but I forced myself to be calm. She’d been through a hell of a shock; I could take a moment to be patient.
“You have to understand. We didn’t know what was going on. It was just a way to make a little extra money, which the shelter needed. The library too, and Alice’s son needed braces, and… well. Extra money isn’t something folks like us can turn down.” She clutched at her dirty handkerchief like it was a security blanket.
“Money?” I said. “From Samir? For what?”
“For you,” she said softly. “He was paying us to keep an eye on you.”
“When? How long?” I spat the questions out, my brain spinning.
“Oh gosh. Three years now, at least.” Joyce looked down at her hands.
I closed my eyes and wrapped my willpower around my temper. I took a deep breath and tried to think calm thoughts. So Samir had been telling the truth, it seemed. He had known where I was. What I was doing. I might have noticed one or two people watching me. Even in a small town, seeing someone over and over when you aren’t friends would start to stand out. But a whole coven? That was thirteen different women, all probably pillars of the community, thirteen spies to rotate around. I thought of how many had kids or
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