Storm Of Magick Part 17

"I don't know what's up your a.s.s, but leave it in the d.a.m.n SUV," I snapped. I was sick of walking on eggsh.e.l.ls. I'm all for equal whining and all that, but I knew a couple men who needed to grow a pair.

He parked and shut off the engine. I opened the door and got out before he could say anything to make things better or worse. A group of onlookers started to gather. I stopped and took note of the people. Everyone was trying to get a peek, but if they knew what was on Mirtel Square they would run screaming.

I walked up to Officer Farrell, who was trying to keep the line of people behind the yellow perimeter tape. Paris had caught up and stopped close behind me. Farrell looked green and didn't say a word. He lifted the yellow tape and motioned us through.

"s.h.i.+t," I said under my breath. I guess it was too late to turn around and leave.

"What?" Paris asked.

"Sheriff Cooper is here," I answered, staring at him. I didn't care for the good sheriff - in fact, he gave me the creeps for some reason. I didn't know why, at least not yet.

I walked towards Doyle. He was having a heated conversation with Cooper. Evans headed us off before we could reach them. We stopped and let him come to us. It was obvious that Evans was trying to keep us from getting to Doyle. I looked around and saw several other men with county sheriff uniforms on.

"Hey Logan, Paris," Evans said, looking p.i.s.sed.

"What has everyone's panties in a bunch?" I asked, looking past him at the two men.

"Cooper says we're taking over his investigation. Doyle is trying to explain that this murder is connected to several others we're working on. He's trying to talk Cooper into letting you examine the body," Evans explained.

Okay, I'd take a shot at convincing Cooper myself. I walked around Evans, making my way to Doyle and stood there waiting to be acknowledged. Doyle looked at me. It took Cooper a second to notice I was standing there.

"Do you have a problem?" he asked with a sneer. He loomed over me and the look on his face was cold and distant. If he were trying to scare me, he would have to try a lot harder, because he just wasn't scary.

"Yeah I do. I think you're scared that we'll take this case away from you. A case that can make your career," I said, looking into his cold brown eyes. I gave him a smile, showing him I don't scare easy.

Everyone just stood there with his or her mouths gaping open. I thought Doyle was going to give me applause. I'd said something that he was probably thinking and I'm sure he was thinking worse.

"I don't like you. But, if you think this is a supernatural case by law I have to let you check the scene. By all means, go look at the body," Cooper said in a strained voice. As if he was trying to control himself and not rip off my head. He walked away and leaned against a patrol car. Evans and Paris came to stand next to us.

"I don't believe you just did that," Evans said, a shocked look on his face.

"What? You would have done the same thing if you wouldn't be reprimanded. We needed to look at the body and now we can. It's as simple as that," I said in a matter of fact voice, shrugging my shoulders.

Doyle shook his head but I noticed the grin on his face. He didn't hide his delight very well. "Okay Logan, let's get down to business before Cooper changes his mind," Doyle said.

"Who found the body?" I asked.

"One of the sheriff's deputies," Evans answered, looking at his little notepad.

"So has anyone even looked at the body yet?" I asked.

"No, we've been standing around arguing. Follow me," Doyle said.

The four of us went into Mirtel Square, which is just off the main street. We walked between two gray buildings. It was a nice set-up with outdoor seating, a fountain, and plants in warmer weather. To the immediate right laid a lump of flesh. No one said a word.

"Okay Logan, it's time to go to work. Please do not touch the body. You are the first one to examine it," Doyle said, and then he and Evans walked away.

I stared at the mess that was once considered a body. I tried hard to figure out what I was looking at, but it was probably best that it wouldn't register. I shook my head and started walking towards the body.

It was on its back with the head turned painfully towards the left shoulder. I stopped and squatted down. The scent of blood and sewage was more potent here than any of the other scenes. There was just too much blood and we couldn't get any closer than the knees without contaminating the evidence.

"Jack really did a number on her," Paris said, pulling a small flashlight from his pocket.

He shone the light on the body. I closed my eyes and cleared my head, as ready as I could be. I took a deep breath and started at the head. The face was mutilated; there were slash marks though the right eyelid and diagonally across the face under the left eye.

"The nose has almost been completely cut off the face," I said, pointing but not touching. This close to the body, I could feel magick energy covering it like a second skin. It was one thing I didn't have to check for. It felt like a vibrating motor under my hand and when I moved my hand, the feeling was still there. "Paris, put your hand close to the body and see if you feel anything," I said.

His hand hovered just above the skin. He ran his hand up and down the body a couple of times, as if he were scanning it like a machine. "Magick residue," Paris said. "It's a low vibration."

"It's like his magickal energy is enraged. Look, he's cut through the lip and the skin on the cheek is peeled back. I guess he was p.i.s.sed that he didn't get to finish his last victim," I said, pointing to each area.

I went down to the neck. The larynx was severed and the muscles sparkled with ice crystals. The white bone against the dark red muscle looked like some macabre candy cane. Since we couldn't touch anything, we were pretty much guessing at the missing pieces.

Jack took the intestines and draped part of them around her neck like a morbid boa. The rest lay in a pile between the left arm and the body, which at my best guess placed Jack on the right side.

"I'm going to try to get a vision," I said, getting up. I moved to the other side and squatted back down. I stared at the cement, not sure, if this was a good idea.

"Are you sure you want to do this after he got into your head?" Paris questioned, looking at me as if he wasn't sure that I should be doing this.

"I'll only touch the area for a second," I answered. Here's hoping curiosity didn't kill the witch. That seemed to be my new motto lately.

I laid my hand on the rough, cold concrete. I got a flash of hands and a surgical tool, and him cutting into the body. The rage was overwhelming and I jerked my hand away as if I'd been burned. I rubbed my hand on my jeans as if some sticky residue had been left behind.

"What did you see?" Paris asked.

I got up and walked back around the body. "I saw him cutting her up," I said, looking at the mess that lay in front of me. "Let's finish this." Jack was a sick son of a b.i.t.c.h.

I bent down to finish the examination. Again, Jack had cut from one hipbone to the other, but this time an additional cut was made on the body. The incision started at the breastbone, ending just below the lower stomach. There were stab wounds to the groin area. Since we couldn't touch the body, we were done.

"It's time to talk to Doyle," I said.

We walked back between the buildings to the main street. Cooper stood with Doyle, and I walked up to them. Paris hung back, staying out of the way. Cooper didn't look too happy, and what I was about to tell them wouldn't help his mood in the least. On one hand, it would please Doyle to get the good sheriff off his back, but on the other hand, it was yet another Jack murder.

"Well?" Cooper snapped.

"There's a magick residue, just like the other victims," I answered, looking from one to the other. I felt like sticking my tongue out and saying 'I told you so,' maybe doing a little touchdown dance, but I held it together.

"How convenient," Cooper said, looking totally disgusted.

"Do you think I enjoy dragging my a.s.s out in the cold to see a mutilated body? Oh yeah, it's my idea of a wonderful evening. So if you think you'll find another registered expert that lives locally, be my guest. Oh wait there isn't one," I said in a loud voice, on the edge of yelling.

"I'll be watching you, Wolf," he said, pointing a finger at me before stomping off.

"What the h.e.l.l is that supposed to mean?" I wondered out loud.

"Okay Logan, forget him. Is this another Jack victim?" Doyle asked.

"Yes, and it's like he did it in a raging fit. I don't think this is his last victim. He has one more victim - the worst of all the murders. Doyle, he has to be found before he can move on," I reminded him.

"Don't you think I know that? I have the mayor breathing down my neck," Doyle said in a controlled voice.

I had to overlook his frustration. We knew who the killer was, but couldn't find him since we didn't know whose body Jack had taken over. Nothing like playing hide-n-seek with a spirit. "Do you need anything else?" I asked.

"No, and thanks, Logan," Doyle said.

I smiled and gave a nod. I turned and walked towards Paris's SUV. Paris was close behind.

Chapter 20.

Farrell lifted the yellow tape that stretched the entire width of the street. We went under and people refused to move, as if afraid, they would lose their place to see the terror behind the building. Paris and I weaved our way back through the crowd. A lot of nosey people out braving the weather just to maybe see what was going on. I opened the SUV door and got in the pa.s.senger seat. Paris got into his seat and started the engine.

"Logan, either that sheriff is hiding something or something is desperately wrong with him. His heart beat was racing and I could smell something weird on his skin," Paris said, cranking the heat up.

"He does give off a weird vibe," I said.

I was glad to be leaving. I thought about the bodies, and knew that I would never be able to get those women out of my head. What if there were more women, but it never was released to the public and it just wasn't an accepted part of the killer's history? I hoped Caleb s.h.i.+fted back soon. I want him to get on the computer to see what he could dig up.

"Where are we going?" Paris asked.

"Back to the Realm," I said, settling back.

Traffic still wasn't too bad, but from the look of it, everyone was trying to cram into the mini-mall. Huge snowflakes floated to the ground as if moving in slow motion. I took out my cell phone and dialed the hospital. I was sure I was getting on their nerves, but that wasn't my problem.

"Dr. Clark, please," I said.

"h.e.l.lo, this is Dr. Clark," he said.

"It's Logan Wolf.'

"Ms. Wolf, your friend shows some signs that she's trying to come out of the coma. Her EEG shows more brain activity, it's a very good sign," Dr. Clark explained.

"Thank you, doctor. I'll call again soon," I said. I closed the phone and put it back in my pocket.

"Good news?" Paris asked, gripping the wheel tight.

"Yeah, Dr. Clark thinks Sam's trying to come out of the coma. Looks like we're not done with the high winds, and the road looks icy again," I said, not wanting to dwell on it. I didn't have time get my head out of the Jack game.

The storm of magick blew in over our heads and coated the sky like a dark blanket. A tingle of Frost's magick crawled along my skin. It felt weird. "Do you feel that?" I asked.

"It feels like bugs crawling on my skin. Try to contact Ronan," Paris suggested.

I took a deep breath and focused. "Ronan," I whispered.

I waited for his Irish accent to fill my head but there was only silence. My stomach tightened. Before I jumped the gun, I tried again.

"Ronan ... Ronan," I tried. Still nothing came. "Something's wrong," I said looking at Paris.

"Can you use your ties to contact anyone? Or, project yourself there? See if anything is going on?" he asked.

I focused on all the men, using the spark of my magick that each held inside them, calling to all of them. Still no one answered. Okay, now I was convinced that something was wrong. But, I didn't want to project myself to them. If it were Palmira, she would sense that I was there and I didn't want to give her the upper hand.

"Paris, something is wrong. We have to get to the Realm. Like now!" I said urgently.

"We're moving as fast as we can, Logan. There's black ice on the road. I think Frost got some new orders," he said, watching the road very carefully.

I held out my hands and whispered a spell to melt the ice on the road. I could feel it starting to work, but slowly. I needed a power boost.

"Okay, this is the plan. I'm trying to melt the snow. But, I need a power boost. You up for it?" I asked.

"Sure, as long as it doesn't make me wreck. I don't want my SUV to end up like your van," he said, face straight. But, his will faltered and a huge grin ripped across his face.

"Oh, you're so funny," I said with a fake laugh. "Are you ready, smart-a.s.s?"

"Hit me with your best shot," he laughed.

I put my hand on his thigh and stretched my free hand out in front of me. It helped me focus and the ice started to melt faster. But, I was expending a lot of energy. Right now, I didn't have the luxury of wasting power I might need at the Realm.

"Why did you stop?" Paris asked.

"It's a waste of our magick. Plus, we're almost there," I said.

We took our time and pa.s.sed three accidents. Finally, we pulled into the Realm's parking lot. Paris parked, shut off the engine and we got out.

"Can't keep Little Rock citizens in their homes very long. Looks like everyone in the county is out," Paris said, looking around the full parking lot.

"Yeah, that means we don't know if Palmira's inside or not. And if she is, she can't be allowed around civilians," I said, walking towards the door.

I turned the k.n.o.b and opened it slowly, hugging the wall as I entered. I pulled my Ruger after I pa.s.sed the threshold. The few lights that usually lit the stairs were out. Paris entered the building using the same hug-the-wall technique.

"Try the light switch behind you," I whispered.

He turned and I heard his hand sliding along the wall, then he flipped the switch. A single light came on. Either the rest were blown out or someone unscrewed the bulbs. A horrible thought just hit me.

"Oh s.h.i.+t," I said.

"What?" Paris asked, looking around as if he missed something, but he could hear better than me.

"If Palmira is here she has everything she needs to do the power ritual. The scrolls were left in the library in plain sight. And Rafe was here," I said.

Paris stuck his nose in the air, trying to get a scent. "Rafe is still here. I can smell Caleb too, and he's terrified. What's the plan?" he asked.