Read Online The Sorcerer Heir (Heir Chronicles) by Cinda Williams Chima - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Cinda Williams Chima
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Anyway, who’s ‘we’? Who’s coming?”
“Me and the police and my lawyer. I get the impression that you are a prime suspect.”
T he detective from Trinity, Ross Childers, was like one of those small-town cops out of a novel, the kind that seemed homespun until they outsmarted the big-city criminal.
It was good that he and Kenzie had worked out a story ahead of time, because Jonah was marched down the hall to the family conference room and questioned separately. Matt Green stayed with Kenzie. Gabriel came along with Jonah.
Jonah’s physical state was a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it probably helped that he was pale and sweating, still half-sick from whatever had knocked him out. It supported the story he had to tell. On the other, it was harder to think, to strategize, and to make the best use of his enchanter’s charm.
Jonah had to assume that Emma had told the police at least some of what happened in the gazebo. What he didn’t know was how much she had left out. For instance, had she offered any explanation for DeVries’s attack on her? Had she told police that Jonah was a mass murderer?
He guessed not, or he’d be in custody already. Was he really going to benefit from Emma’s distrust of the police? Or was she just biding her time? Jonah preferred to be master of his own fate. He did not like waiting for the other shoe to drop.
All he could do was stick as close to his own truth as possible, trying to anticipate the traps that Childers might set for him. The detective typed notes into a tiny computer that seemed to disappear into his lap. Once he’d collected basic information from Jonah, he got down to business.
“I understand you were out on the grounds during the party,” Childers said. “Did you see or hear anything unusual?”
“I was passing the gazebo, and I heard raised voices, like people fighting,” Jonah said. “I went to see what was up.”
“And what was up?” Childers asked.
“Rowan DeVries had my friend Emma up against the wall, and seemed to be threatening her. So I pulled him off her and asked him what the hell he was doing.” Anger boiled up in Jonah once again at the memory, but he fought it down. You killed his sister, he reminded himself. You have no standing.
Out of the corner of his eye, Jonah saw Gabriel react to that revelation. He looked like he’d been punched in the gut.
“So you knew both of them?” Childers continued.
“Emma and I are in a band together. DeVries—I don’t...we haven’t really met officially, but I’ve seen him at least once before. In Trinity.”
“You come to Trinity often?”
“No,” Jonah said, massaging his forehead. “I think tonight was my...third visit.”
“You must have a good memory, then,” Childers said. “Since you recognized DeVries.”
“He made an impression.”
“What kind of impression?”
“He seemed like a very angry person,” Jonah said truthfully. “Both times I met him.”
“What were they fighting about?”
“We didn’t really get into that. I figured if they wanted me to know, they would tell me. And they didn’t.”
“What happened after you separated them?”
“DeVries left.”
Childers raised an eyebrow. “Really?”
“I told him to leave, and he did,” Jonah said evenly.
“Where did all the blood come from, then?”
“Blood? Was there blood?” Jonah racked his brain. He hadn’t left any blood in the gazebo. Had he? “Oh. I think maybe Emma punched him in the nose or something before I got there. His nose was bleeding, anyway.”
“So it was Emma?”
“So it was Emma what ?” Jonah growled. “If she punched him in the nose, he deserved it. She was defending herself.”
“She didn’t have a knife or other weapon?”
“Why would she have a knife ? She was there to play a gig, not to slaughter the audience during the break.” He snorted. “Way not to be asked back.”
“It’s just that some things aren’t adding up,” Childers said. “Her
“Me and the police and my lawyer. I get the impression that you are a prime suspect.”
T he detective from Trinity, Ross Childers, was like one of those small-town cops out of a novel, the kind that seemed homespun until they outsmarted the big-city criminal.
It was good that he and Kenzie had worked out a story ahead of time, because Jonah was marched down the hall to the family conference room and questioned separately. Matt Green stayed with Kenzie. Gabriel came along with Jonah.
Jonah’s physical state was a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it probably helped that he was pale and sweating, still half-sick from whatever had knocked him out. It supported the story he had to tell. On the other, it was harder to think, to strategize, and to make the best use of his enchanter’s charm.
Jonah had to assume that Emma had told the police at least some of what happened in the gazebo. What he didn’t know was how much she had left out. For instance, had she offered any explanation for DeVries’s attack on her? Had she told police that Jonah was a mass murderer?
He guessed not, or he’d be in custody already. Was he really going to benefit from Emma’s distrust of the police? Or was she just biding her time? Jonah preferred to be master of his own fate. He did not like waiting for the other shoe to drop.
All he could do was stick as close to his own truth as possible, trying to anticipate the traps that Childers might set for him. The detective typed notes into a tiny computer that seemed to disappear into his lap. Once he’d collected basic information from Jonah, he got down to business.
“I understand you were out on the grounds during the party,” Childers said. “Did you see or hear anything unusual?”
“I was passing the gazebo, and I heard raised voices, like people fighting,” Jonah said. “I went to see what was up.”
“And what was up?” Childers asked.
“Rowan DeVries had my friend Emma up against the wall, and seemed to be threatening her. So I pulled him off her and asked him what the hell he was doing.” Anger boiled up in Jonah once again at the memory, but he fought it down. You killed his sister, he reminded himself. You have no standing.
Out of the corner of his eye, Jonah saw Gabriel react to that revelation. He looked like he’d been punched in the gut.
“So you knew both of them?” Childers continued.
“Emma and I are in a band together. DeVries—I don’t...we haven’t really met officially, but I’ve seen him at least once before. In Trinity.”
“You come to Trinity often?”
“No,” Jonah said, massaging his forehead. “I think tonight was my...third visit.”
“You must have a good memory, then,” Childers said. “Since you recognized DeVries.”
“He made an impression.”
“What kind of impression?”
“He seemed like a very angry person,” Jonah said truthfully. “Both times I met him.”
“What were they fighting about?”
“We didn’t really get into that. I figured if they wanted me to know, they would tell me. And they didn’t.”
“What happened after you separated them?”
“DeVries left.”
Childers raised an eyebrow. “Really?”
“I told him to leave, and he did,” Jonah said evenly.
“Where did all the blood come from, then?”
“Blood? Was there blood?” Jonah racked his brain. He hadn’t left any blood in the gazebo. Had he? “Oh. I think maybe Emma punched him in the nose or something before I got there. His nose was bleeding, anyway.”
“So it was Emma?”
“So it was Emma what ?” Jonah growled. “If she punched him in the nose, he deserved it. She was defending herself.”
“She didn’t have a knife or other weapon?”
“Why would she have a knife ? She was there to play a gig, not to slaughter the audience during the break.” He snorted. “Way not to be asked back.”
“It’s just that some things aren’t adding up,” Childers said. “Her
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