“Wh-what?” Adrenaline rushed through her veins. Her fear quickly turned into anger.

  The interrogation room door flew open and two smartly dressed women stepped in. One of them was Kyra Volgens, her boss. “Don’t say another word, Aria. I’ve got her attorney

  right

  here

  .”

  Aria’s breath caught in her throat. She didn’t think Margot would go blabbing to Mrs. Volgens. She didn’t know whether to feel pleasantly surprised or embarrassed. She was certain that needing to be bailed out of jail by the woman who hired her as a nanny would cost her some points in the dependability department. But, the ferocity in Kyra’s command and the confidence of the lady lawyer in her sleek black suit that probably cost more than Aria’s rent, was probably her best bet out of there.

  Rosito rose from his seat. “Kyra Volgens? How do you

  know

  Aria

  ?”

  Kyra set her Chanel bag on the interrogation table. Her lawyer adjusted her black-rimmed glasses and sidled up next to Aria. Kyra crossed her arms and stared down Rosito. “Good. You know who I am. We’d like to speak with Aria in private.”

  Erickson cleared his throat, his lips curving upward beneath his yellow mustache. He gave Aria a subtle nod of encouragement.

  Rosito’s nostrils flared. “The lawyer can stay, you wait outside with me, Mrs. Volgens.”

  Kyra arched an eyebrow. “Before I built my tech company, I was a lawyer too.” She turned to eye Detective Erickson. “There’s a young man, also a lawyer, waiting outside with surveillance evidence I think you’d like to see before going on a witch hunt against this young woman.”

  Rosito glared at Kyra, but finally relented and nodded toward the exit. “Come on, Erickson. And just so we’re clear, Mrs. Volgens, she can’t leave just yet, no matter what evidence you think

  you

  have

  .”

  Kyra waved dismissively at the detective as she pulled a compact mirror from her purse. She reapplied her blood red lipstick. “Aria, hon, are you all right?”

  She couldn’t help but grin. Despite Kyra’s imperfections, she was a total badass when she needed to be. “Yes, thank you. I am so

  sorry

  —

  ”

  “Don’t apologize,” the lawyer said as she opened her briefcase and pulled out her laptop. “You’re innocent.”

  “What? Did you find Belagio?”

  Kyra shook her head. “No, but check out what I found in the surveillance system.”

  The lawyer lady pulled up a video file and played it. While old man Perkins didn’t have cameras inside the home, he had quite a few at the gate, on the property grounds, and at the house’s entry and exit ways. The footage showed an exodus of maids, private security guards, and even a chef roaming the property and finally leaving through the main gate at 9:

  00

  p.m

  .

  Kyra said in a soft voice, “Look at those people.” She waved her hand, and the footage zoomed in on the men and women. Kyra was a technopath witch, and she used her magic to do amazing things with technology. It didn’t surprise Aria that the woman could pull up images on a computer with a mere gesture.

  Aria’s momentary admiration turned into a numbing fear when the camera footage zoomed in on the people’s faces. The chef caught on camera had a blank expression and glazed-over eyes, and so did the other household staff members. Someone had enacted mind control

  on

  them

  .

  “Oh my God,” Aria whispered. “No wonder everyone

  was

  gone

  .”

  Kyra made a few quick gestures with her hand, and three more camera views popped up on the screen. “And look at that…” She slowed down the footage. “Someone, or something, is going back and forth after they all leave and before you arrive.”

  Aria leaned forward and squinted. A dark silhouette sped across the property and into the house. The audio of a physical struggle, then a blood-curdling scream, sent goosebumps down Aria’s arms. The silhouette slipped back outside, as quick as lightning. It moved with such speed that it was almost indiscernible. And, of course, if you were a biased detective ready to lay the blame on the only sin eater in town, the dark being would be even less noticeable.

  “It has to be a wizard,” Aria said. “Maybe he used some type of potion or spell. This person tried to make it look like a sin eater did it.” Even worse, the perpetrator tried to make it look as if she

  did

  it

  .

  The lawyer shut the laptop. “That’s for the police to pursue. We’ve just handed over copies to them, and directly to Captain Lewis. Now, there’s no reason to hold

  you

  here

  .”

  The door to the interrogation room opened. Detective Erickson poked his head in. His gaze went straight to Aria. “Uh, Ms. Knight, you are free to go. We still may need to talk with you as this progresses, but as for now, it looks like we can’t

  keep

  you

  .”

  Relief washed over Aria, and she let out a grateful breath. “Thank goodness.”

  He handed her his card. “You’re welcome. Call us if you remember anything, or if you think you

  need

  help

  .”

  “I will, detective.

  Thank

  you

  .”

  Erickson ran a hand over his mustache and gave a quick nod in acknowledgement. After he stepped back out, Kyra and the lawyer escorted her out of the room. Although Aria wanted to fist pump over this victory, two things kept her subdued: she still felt embarrassed over Kyra having to come down and see her in trouble like this, even if she was innocent, and it was possible that whoever tried to frame her would now come after her since they’d lost their patsy.

  “Aria, do you need a ride home?” Kyra wore a satisfied grin as they walked down the hallway and stepped into the elevator. She scanned the area, probably looking for Detective Rosito so she could gloat.

  Heat rose in Aria’s cheeks as she realized Kyra had never seen where she lived. It was a far cry from the gorgeous five bedroom home the Volgens family occupied in the Verde Gardens area of the city. “Oh, I was going to get a ride with my friend. I don’t want to be any trouble.”

  Kyra pushed the button for the first floor. When the elevator began its descent, she turned and faced Aria. “They would pin it on you and go to sleep tonight like babies. Bastards. You wouldn’t believe the things I’ve seen through my technopathy—videos, chats, and messages. Trouble is brewing in this city, and the Watchers are adding fuel to the fire. I have to cloud most of that shit out just to make it through the day without slapping someone. But of course when a normal person loses control, it’s losing control. When a witch does it? It’s terrorism.”

  “Yeah.” Aria nodded in agreement. She wasn’t going to tell Kyra otherwise.

  “You know who the real terrorists are? The Watchers. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were behind

  all

  this

  .”

  That made Aria feel even worse, because her best friend Margot’s father, Bruno Jones, was a high-ranking member of the Watchers. It made her uncomfortable to think Bruno may have used Margot’s friendship with her to do something

  like

  this

  .

  “Mrs. Volgens,” Aria began, “do you think the man who tried to

  frame

  me

  …”

  “He’s here, Aria. I saw it on the station’s cameras. God, he really does move fast.” Kyra reached into her purse and fumbled inside. She pulled out a black leather glove with metallic fingertips. She slipped it on, holding her gloved hand stretched forward. Sparks of electricity crackled along the edge of

  the

  tips

  .

  Aria’s hands shook as she infused power into her S-shaped birthmark, holding the flame within at bay until the right moment. The lawyer lady gulped, but her hands lit up a bright blue as she took a defensive stance. The elevator doors slid open, but no one stood outside them or entered. Kyra paused, her face screwed up in concentration as she mentally accessed and scanned the station’s cameras again. Finally, she breathed a long sigh, slipping her glove off and back into her purse.

  “Okay…he’s gone.” Kyra exchanged a worried glance with the lawyer.

  “What was that thing?” Aria nodded toward the metal-tipped glove now tucked away in Kyra’s purse.

  “My defensive tech glove. Designed it myself. Trust me, it will fuck

  him

  up

  .”

  Aria stepped out and thanked Kyra once more. “I guess coming to work in the morning is out of the question. I’m sorry about

  all

  this

  .”

  Kyra frowned. “There is nothing wrong with you, Aria. Remember that. The real murderer will be found soon enough. Until then, set a ward around your place and ask Detective Erickson for a security detail when you leave.”

  “So, you don’t mind me taking the kids to school?”

  She shook her head. “I’ll have my own security once you reach my place, and the Albertus Magnus Academy is a hundred times more protected. Don’t start hiding in the

  shadows

  ,

  hon

  .”

  For a moment, Kyra started to lean in for a hug, but then she must’ve realized she had never hugged Aria before. She settled on giving Aria’s hands a tight squeeze in solidarity. Kyra and the lawyer waved goodbye as they departed.

  Aria’s stomach rumbled with hunger as she went to pick up her belongings, but then she nearly lost her appetite when she realized that her car had been impounded. As she made her way down to the reception area, she got a text message from Margot saying that she was around the corner and almost at the station—which, in Margot Speak, meant she would probably be another twenty or thirty minutes.

  She thought better of sitting around in the reception area and decided to head outside. She’d probably go to the coffee shop across the street and have Margot pick her up from there. Every uniformed officer she passed made her feel self-conscious, as if one of them would stop her and tell her that new evidence had been found and they’d march her right back upstairs to Detective Rosito.

  She made it into the reception area when she overheard the conversation between the officer at the reception desk and a dark haired man wearing a brown jacket and indigo jeans. She could’ve sworn she heard the man in the brown jacket say the name Belagio. She pulled out her phone and tapped at the screen, pretending to use it. She strolled nearby, head inclined toward the phone screen and ears intently listening to the exchange.

  “Listen, Harry, the Mayor’s chief of staff is gunning for you, so you need to stay out of this.” The officer shook his head, denying some request.

  “This concerns him as well,” the man said in a gruff voice. “Just do me this one favor, Mike. The name’s Dominic Belagio, he has an English accent, his breath always smells like mint, and he looks like a schmuck.”

  Aria nearly dropped her phone. That man actually spoke with Belagio face to face? “Excuse

  me

  …

  sir

  ?”

  Before she knew it, she was right next to the man called Harry. He paused and faced her. “Sorry, am I holding up the line or something?”

  The officer, Mike, spoke up. “May I

  help

  you

  ?”

  Aria asked in a faltering voice. “You said you met a man named Belagio?”

  Harry nodded. “Do you

  know

  him

  ?”

  She stole a glance of Mike from the corner of her eye and thought of Detective Rosito upstairs probably having a seizure over her release. “Sort of. I think I have some information you may want to hear about.”

  Harry shrugged. “Okay,

  spill

  it

  .”

  “Can we talk privately?”

  Mike leaned forward and rested his chin on his elbows. “Might as well. I can’t help you out this time, Storm. I’ve already given you the name for that license plate number. Besides, I’ve got some parents coming in soon about their

  missing

  kid

  .”

  Harry sighed, but extended his hand and gave Mike a handshake anyway. “Tell Betty I said hi, and give the kids a hug

  for

  me

  .”

  “Will do, bud. Stay out of trouble, okay? Captain Lewis will flay your ass if the mayor’s office

  requests

  it

  .”

  Harry seemed ready to drop the matter and turned his focus onto Aria. He gestured toward an empty row of seats against the wall on the other side of the reception area. They went over and sat down, ignoring a loud drunk being brought in, as well as a middle-aged couple tearfully explaining to Mike that their son had disappeared.

  “Okay, you’ve got my attention.” Harry shifted in his seat, studying her. “What do you know about Mr. Belagio?”

  “I’ve only spoken to him by phone, never in person. He hired me to perform a ceremony for Bartholomew Perkins at his home—” She rolled her eyes when Harry’s gaze went from her chest to her right hand, where her S-shaped birthmark was imprinted. “And when I arrived there earlier this evening, Perkins was dead, murdered, and whoever did it made it look like a ritualistic killing. If it weren’t for my boss, I’d probably be sitting in jail right now, or worse. The same wizard who killed Perkins just showed up here at the station and then disappeared. They’re not done

  with

  me

  .”

  Harry gently lifted her hand and gave it a slight turn so that her palm was exposed. “You’re that sin eater woman. I’ve heard

  of

  you

  .”

  “Good things, or bad?” she asked with a nervous smile.

  He offered her his hand. “Harry Storm. I’m a private investigator. It looks like you weren’t the only one hired by that son of a bitch.”

  She felt a rush of confidence. Finally, someone who believed her about Belagio. “We need to find him, we need to tell the police.”

  He snorted and gestured toward Mike at the reception desk. “Just tried that, sweetheart, and now Jacob Wolfe’s on my ass, even though I think Belagio might be targeting him

  as

  well

  .”

  Aria perked up. “Well, maybe he’ll listen to us. If Belagio has planned for Mr. Wolfe something similar to what happened to Perkins, then it’ll be in his best interest to hear what we have to say. Whoever the killer is, he’s skilled at magic, and he’s fast. He was able to move fast enough to escape view in normal security footage. And the staff walked off the property right before I arrived; they were like zombies.”

  Harry drew in a deep breath and straightened his back. “Too bad for old man Perkins. So, you don’t know where Belagio is or where he might’ve gone? You haven’t even

  seen

  him

  ?”

  “No.”

  “Have you seen a blond man riding around in a black sedan? It’s registered to Warren Bright. That name mean anything

  to

  you

  ?”

  She shook her head. “

  No

  ,

  but

  …”

  “Listen, I’m not gonna waste your time because you seem like a nice girl, but you know less than I do about Belagio, and if you’re not careful, you can get yourself killed. Both Dominic Belagio and Warren Bright are dangerous men, and it looks like if I find one, I can find the other. My advice to you is to just

  go

  home

  .”

  “But Harry…”

  “Goodnight.” He rose from his seat and headed through

  the

  exit

  .

  Aria had a mind to follow him, but just as she made it to the front doors, Margot came crashing through, throwing herself into Aria’s arms and wrapping her in a

  fierce

  hug

  .

  “I’m so sorry this happened, Aria! Oh my God, are you okay?” She pulled back to study

  Aria’s

  face

  .

  “I’m all right, I’m just a little tired. And hungry.”

  “Do you want to stay at my place tonight? We can go get your car in the morning.”

  Aria nodded. Fear and disappointment gnawed at her. “Let’s get out

  of

  here

  .”

  Aria may have been a “nice girl,” but she was a hell of a fighter when necessary. And she considered tracking down Belagio absolutely necessary. Her life depended

  on

  it

  .

  Harry Storm was going to help her do this. She didn’t know how, but she knew that she would make

  this

  work

  .

  9

  Jacob

  Iknew this guy was trouble .

  Jacob shifted in his black leather chair as he tossed the file on Harry Storm onto his desk. He wondered what interest the P.I. had in him, or the Watchers. Harry wasn’t of wizard lineage, yet he often found himself entangled with them. His assistant, Amanda, was unable to uncover records of some events that happened with Harry in Los Angeles, but no doubt Storm’s big brother who worked in the federal government took care

  of

  it

  .

  The transfer button on his desk phone flashed red, and he scooped up the receiver and pressed it. “Yeah, what

  is

  it

  ?”

  “Sir,” Amanda’s voice, unusually shaken in tone, came from the other end of the line. “I need to show you something.”