Page 167 of Rejected By the Alpha King

In a game where no one was playing by the rules, it would get him killed. “I find it alarming, Officer Jones,” I said loudly. “That my husband has been beaten but there’s no one in the cell with him. I’m sure you have an explanation for this.”

“No, ma’am,” he said woodenly. The spell would only allow him to say yes or no.

“I see. When my husband’s lawyer arrives, I’m sure he’ll be looking into the matter. In the meantime, if any more marks appear on him, we will sue this department for every little penny that you have. Do you understand?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Kenzi practically pushed me out the door, and Janelle murmured something before the door closed. When we met the other on the other side of the parking lot, I looked at the witch.

The use of the magic was taking a toll on her. “What did you say to them?”

“I instructed them to follow the procedure in their handbook for two hours. They may awaken prior to that if anyone else interacts with them. This will protect them if anything violent happens but also keep the spell quiet.”

“Shame. I’d be tickled pink if a car ran them over,” I muttered.

“Tickled pink?” Saul echoed. “That’s an interesting thought.”

“Officer Jones was beating Jax. Emerson probably paid him,” I said bitterly and sighed.

“Let’s get this over with. Where are the dead bodies?”

I was in a hurry. One day until Emerson killed Cindy. Sweet and innocent little Cindy. I’d thought she was a plant. I’d thought they were all plants.

No, they were all just victims of Emerson’s cruelty. Now Cindy was going to die if I couldn’t end this before the deadline.

One day. Everyone stared at me when I demanded they help me. I knew what they were all thinking. There was no way I would get this all done in one day.

But I had to try. I couldn’t just sit around and do nothing.

Saul had rightfully assumed that the local doctor was also the coroner. Janelle used magic to get us in and then sagged against the wall with the effort. She’d had enough for one day. Saul silently pulled a chair up for her and directed her to sit.

The door to the morgue was locked, but only with a simple deadbolt. Apparently the doctor was more concerned with their drugs than their dead people.

That was just fine with me.

There were three bodies in the morgue. One elderly woman and the two victims. Pulling the drawers open, I took one look at them and inhaled sharply.

“Creepy,” Kenzi muttered as we both stared at my dead body. “It’s pretty perfect.”

I wrinkled my nose. “It’s covered in magic.”

Saul pulled down the sheet, and I cleared my throat before he could get too far. He bowed his head. “I’m only looking to see if they’ve performed an autopsy. They have not. I’ll just check on the other body while you undo this atrocious spell.”

We all knew it wasn’t me, but I wasn’t all that keen in learning if the rest of the body would resemble me as well. Kenzi handed me a pair of latex gloves, and I touched the cold skin. Memories flashed before my eyes. All of my father’s victims that I’d had to bury.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I’m sorry that you had to die because of me.”

“Not because of you,” Saul interjected crossly. “We’ve talked about this. You are not responsible for your father’s kills. You are not responsible for Emerson’s.”

No, but I thought of Marsh and wondered just how many times one had to deal with psycho men before they started to think that maybe they were the problem.

“Stop it,” Saul growled again. “Whatever you are thinking of, just stop it.”

“Sorry,” I muttered and focused on the spell instead. The tendrils of colors were tightly woven around the body, but as soon as I focused on them, they immediately loosened and started to dissipate.

“Huh,” Kenzi said over my shoulder. “Well it still kind of looks like you.”

When I opened my eyes, I saw that she was right. The woman was about my age with similar coloring, but it was clearly not me.

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