“Come in.” He hung up and slipped the file into the bottom desk drawer.

  Amanda entered, dark hair in her signature ponytail and a black pencil skirt and pink blouse. The deep rosy color of her top complimented her deep bronze skin well, though she had an unusually pale look on her face. Her eyes watered, and she clutched a newspaper to her chest.

  Jacob’s heart sank in his chest. Very few things upset Amanda. She had walked with him through gauntlets of Watchers hurling obscenities and raw eggs at town hall meetings, and she withstood one of his breakdowns on the anniversary of his wife’s death. To see the steadfast Amanda Lewis on the verge of sobbing made his stomach clench

  with

  fear

  .

  “What happened?”

  She rushed toward his desk and slammed the newspaper down before him. Jacob gulped as he tilted his head and read the headline: Body Recovered From Waterfront Identified as Missing Teenager, Ethan Campbell.

  Jacob

  groaned

  . “

  No

  …”

  Amanda crossed her arms and began pacing. “His mother’s from a witching family, and he was a student at Albertus Magnus Academy. Do you think…”

  Jacob arched an eyebrow. “Watchers. I knew they couldn’t be trusted.”

  He had actually begun entertaining the idea that Bruno Jones and his ilk wanted some type of truce, some sort of way to move past all the hate. Jacob thought if he presented a rational, open-minded face to the Watcher leader and showed him that wizards were people who just wanted to raise their families and be good citizens like everyone else, that perhaps Bruno could at least have his organization back off from their extremism.

  But now this? A dead wizard kid? This was a huge “screw you” to the mayor’s office, and especially to the witching families of Miracle Falls. He had the feeling that Mayor Farley made him the point man on this issue because it would be easier for him to take the fall if everything went to hell. But this was about more than just politics. If he fumbled his response or provoked the wrong people, there would be more dead people littering the streets of Miracle Falls. He scanned the rest of the story and noticed that it indicated that the boy had gone missing last week, but for some reason the police were slow to do anything

  about

  it

  .

  “And look at the story just below,”

  Amanda

  said

  .

  He scanned the front page again. “Great. Someone just offed Bartholomew Perkins. You know he was a Watcher sympathizer, right?”

  She nodded. “They arrested a woman last night. My sources there said she claimed she was a sin eater, but I haven’t heard much since.”

  Jacob balled his fist. It was a visceral reaction. “Sin eater? I didn’t think we had one in Miracle Falls. Didn’t they all die off in

  the

  ‘

  40s

  ?”

  “No, apparently. There are still a handful in the country.”

  He wondered if Edwin Kovar, the one who had refused to come to his home that night and perform the ritual for his dead wife, was among that handful. He swore if the old man ever stepped foot in the city, he’d gladly hand the bastard over to the Watchers. And it took a lot for him to think

  that

  way

  .

  One problem at a time, he thought to himself.

  His thoughts turned back toward the situation at hand. Either some people in the city were having the worst year ever, or someone was orchestrating murders that would fuel tension until it burst into an all-out war. He’d need to keep an eye on the Perkins situation; he hoped it was a home invasion gone awry and not committed by a wizard.

  “Amanda, get me Ethan’s parents on the phone. And call your father and find out why the police had their thumbs up their asses while a fourteen-year-old kid was missing. Something tells me they would’ve moved a lot faster if it had been a non-

  wizard

  boy

  .”

  She halted and faced him, wide-eyed. “That’s not fair. I told you from the beginning to leave my dad out of this and that I’m here on my own

  merit

  —

  ”

  “This isn’t about merit or special favors, I need the damn police captain on the phone! Now can you call Captain Lewis…Ms. Lewis?”

  His glare went from Amanda to the space around her. He had barely noticed the framed college degrees and trophies from a nearby shelf floating in mid-air. The entire office rumbled and shifted as if a small earthquake had hit. Jacob took in a deep breath and lifted his

  right

  hand

  .

  Regresso.

  It was a simple command he spoke in the quiet power of his mind. The office quit rumbling and the floating items returned to their proper places. He rose from his seat, noting the hint of apprehension in Amanda’s expression.

  “I’m sorry about that. I didn’t mean to

  scare

  you

  .”

  She blinked. “I’ve seen you at your worst. I just don’t want you to go back there again.”

  “I need to speak to the Campbell family.”

  She approached and wrote a phone number down on a sticky note sitting on his desk. She was always a step or two ahead of him. “The dad’s name is Alexander, and the mom is Nancy.”

  He nodded. “Thanks. And

  can

  you

  —

  ”

  “I’ve already got someone with the Mayor to bring him up to speed, and I’ll hold off the press until you’re ready.

  Anything

  else

  ?”

  He shook his head, dreading having to intrude on a grieving family, but needing to offer them his condolences—and to find out as much as he could before making any public statements. “That’ll be all

  for

  now

  .”

  She gave a firm nod and headed toward the door. She paused right before exiting. “Mr. Wolfe?”

  He picked up the phone

  receiver

  . “

  Yes

  ?”

  “If you ever yell at me like that again…I’ll kick your ass. Wizard

  or

  not

  .”

  He forced down the smirk playing around his lips. “Fair enough, Ms. Lewis.”

  After she left and shut the door, he began dialing the number. He wondered if Harry Storm had any information that could be of use. The man may have lied about being a detective, but he was indeed a private investigator. What if he was trying to warn him about what happened?

  It was time to pay Harry a visit.

  10

  Aria

  Time didn’t seem to be on

  Aria’s

  side

  .

  There wasn’t enough of it either. First thing in the morning, Margot took Aria to the tow yard for her Beetle with less than forty-five minutes left to drive across town to take Ellie and Zarek to school. She felt a cold lump in the pit of her stomach as her window of opportunity shrank. The last thing she wanted was to call Kyra Volgens and tell her she couldn’t

  make

  it

  .

  As she and Margot sat in the waiting area for word on her car, she couldn’t stop counting down the minutes. Aria’s leg kept bouncing, and she was sure a hole would appear in her lip if she didn’t stop chewing on it. She hated waiting. She hated being late

  even

  more

  .

  She finally swallowed her pride—or shame—and texted Kyra, promising that she would be there to pick up the kids, though she’d be a little late. Kyra texted back a gracious response and said Benjamin would take care of the morning school ride. She added an “okay” emoji symbol followed up by a prayer-hands one. Aria was certain if there was an “I’ll be your badass lawyer” emoji, Kyra would’ve included that

  as

  well

  .

  It at least made her feel a little better about not being on time, and it made her even more grateful for the Volgens family. Kyra had been so quick to jump to her aid when Aria thought for sure she would lose her job. She promised herself to go above and beyond to show her appreciation. That reminded her about what Margot did. She was truly the only friend

  she

  had

  .

  “Thank you, by the way, for reaching out to Kyra and helping me last night. I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.” Aria sat forward on her knees.

  Margot patted her on the back. “Honey, you’d be in some cell with a short-haired chick named Bertha covered in tattoos and sharing a toilet.”

  “Awesome perspective,”

  Aria

  said

  .

  “Hey, what are friends for?” Margot giggled.

  “Good point. Good God what the hell is taking so long? I have one car. One. It’s not like I’m ordering it from Germany.” Aria stood and began to pace the lime green linoleum. The sight made her stomach clench. She crossed her arms tightly over her chest and focused on taking deep breaths.

  “You never know in a place like this.” Margot’s head followed Aria as she paced. “If you want, I can take you to get the kids to school.”

  Aria shook her head. “No. Kyra said she would have Benjamin take

  them

  in

  .”

  Margot shook her head. “Then, please, sit down. You’re making me dizzy . . . and nervous.”

  Aria cocked an eyebrow, settling her gaze on Margot for a brief second. She was either lying or joking. Margot could stretch the truth to the very line of a lie, but that was just her. Not that she didn’t always tell the truth, but she had her own way of doing so. The key was in the details of what she said. Aria’s eyes settled on Margot’s hazels. Worry and sleeplessness darkened them, though she tried to hide all that under layers of makeup.

  “How’s your dad doing?” She tried to make the question sound as nonchalant as possible. She studied Margot’s expression for any tell tale signs.

  “Wait…you never ask about him. What’s going

  on

  ,

  Aria

  ?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know. I just

  wonder

  if

  …”

  “He had something to do with

  framing

  you

  ?”

  A rush of heat danced at the back of Aria’s neck. “I don’t mean to sound like a conspiracy nut, but I just keep going over who’d dislike me enough to try and make it look like I killed Perkins.”

  Well, Margot didn’t look offended—which was both good and bad. Even she had to admit Bruno Jones could’ve been involved. She opened her mouth to say something, but then her attention switched to something behind her. She jumped from her chair, landing mere inches from the counter with a smile. “You got my friend’s Beetle?”

  Aria turned, finding the middle-aged receptionist with fading and grown out red hair that revealed the silver from her roots walking from the doorway she had exited with barely a word. She stopped at the counter and slapped a short stack of papers on the counter.

  “Not quite, dear,” she said, and pointed at Aria. “You have to fill these out, take them to the police department to have them signed, then bring them back. Once everything checks out, then you can get your car back with a forty-five-

  dollar

  fee

  .”

  Aria shook her head. The lack of sleep from the night before must’ve caused her to start hearing things. “I’m sorry, did you just say a forty-five-

  dollar

  fee

  ?”

  The woman set her eyes on her, peering from over her glasses perched on the bridge of her age-spotted nose. The blue? Grey? Whatever color they were, they were clouded and bored into hers, “

  Yes

  ,

  dear

  .”

  “For what?” Aria asked. Shit just didn’t stop falling,

  did

  it

  ?

  “It’s an administrative fee. Part of it covers the impounding process, the gas and time of the driver, and then the

  stocking

  fee

  .”

  When did I fall into the Twilight Zone, and when the hell can I get out? With a sigh, Aria gripped the papers, sliding them off the counter and tucking them under her arm in one swoop, then said, “Okay, fine. I’ll

  be

  back

  .”

  “Good luck, dears.”

  Yeah. I’m gonna need all the luck I

  can

  get

  .

  Aria spun on the balls of her feet then marched out the door to Margot’s car, stewing in her flux of emotions. Forty-five dollars for a stupid incident she wasn’t even responsible for. She had to find Harry Storm. She supposed it was a good thing she had to go back to the police station. That desk officer, Mike, seemed cozy with Harry. He could tell her how to get into contact with him. Two birds with one stone, right?

  “You all right?” Margot’s voice pulled her from her thoughts as she reached the passenger

  side

  door

  .

  “I will be. I just need to get my car back so I can get back to my life before anything else happens today.”

  Margot nodded as they both slid into their seats. Aria knew Margot would give her the silence she needed to sort out her thoughts, and she was grateful for that. However, she also noted that Margot wasn’t eager to continue the conversation about Bruno Jones. In any case, she needed a plan—one that would guarantee her another shot with the P.I., and bring her closer to tracking down Belagio.

  God, please be kind and have that Rosito guy elsewhere. I don’t need a run-in with

  him

  too

  .

  * * *

  The station was still cold, and had the distinct smell of cigarettes, coffee, and

  body

  odor

  .

  Or maybe it was just nerves. Either way, Aria rubbed her hands continuously along her arms for what warmth she could get and tried not to breathe through her nose. Being back so soon set her nerves on edge, and she made sure to slink past the news cameras outside the station. The man and woman she had seen last night crying about their missing son were standing near the front steps of the station’s entrance, speaking in faltering voices about the rise in anti-wizard sentiment in Miracle Falls, and how the boy’s death sent a message of violence and fear into the community.

  This is hell. I’m in hell. I can’t get out of here soon enough.

  She had sped out of Los Angeles because she couldn’t take it. As a sin eater, she could sense and tap into people’s misdeeds and sins. It clung to them like an aura, or the way stale cigarette smoke held on to a smoker. Her Shrivener, Edwin, had taught her how to use her powers. He was the one who raised her and trained her on how to access knowledge of people’s sins, as well as how to close herself off from them. She thought she could be anonymous and free in a huge city like L.A., but being inundated with every vice coming at her from all directions was spiritual and mental torture. It made her want

  to

  die

  .

  So, she had done her research and settled on moving to Miracle Falls. Lots of old witching families, decent-sized population, and even a way to continue sin eating so she wouldn’t shrivel up and die like most of them had after the second World War. But now, with the Watchers gaining popularity and tearing the city apart, she wondered if it was worth staying.

  She was disappointed to hear that Mike wasn’t working until later in the afternoon, which would force her to make a third trip to the station within a twenty-four-hour period. She thought of about a dozen other things she would rather do, like getting her teeth pulled without anesthesia. She knew she pressed her luck each minute she spent there; she had a feeling Detective Rosito still wanted her head on

  a

  pike

  .

  Aria breathed a sigh of relief when the woman returned with papers signed and a plastic smile. She jutted them out to her and gave a very flat goodbye. Aria gripped the papers then high-tailed it out of there, especially when she saw passersby being stopped by reporters for on-the-spot interviews.

  Margot was all smiles when she saw Aria speed-walking to her car. Once she was in the passenger’s seat, Margot asked, “I take it that

  went

  well

  ?”

  “As well as it

  could

  go

  .”

  “Let’s do this.” Margot reached over and squeezed her hand. “

  And

  …

  Aria

  ?”

  “Yes?”

  “I’m going to talk

  to

  him

  .”

  Aria arched an eyebrow and gave Margot an alarmed look. “

  You

  are

  ?”

  “I’m not going to let on that we discussed him or that you suspect him.” Her jaw tightened. “He talks the talk, but at home he’s a good father, and I think he’s just misled. Maybe someone in the organization is forcing his hand, I don’t know, but I’m going to find out the truth.”

  “I

  appreciate

  that

  .”

  When Margot dropped her off and she finally had her Beetle, she got into her car, all the while keeping mental note of her tasks: go home, shower, then pick up Ellie and Zarek from the Albertus Magnus academy. Not to mention, if she couldn’t find Harry, she’d have to come back and speak to Mike. She had already tried looking Harry up on her phone, but he wasn’t listed anywhere. Either he was exaggerating about who he was, or he was the most paranoid person she had