Page 27 of Shadow Seeking

He frowned. “As long as you do destroy it. Do you know a witch? Although I suppose Angela could do it for you.”

“My best friend is a witch,” I said. I began to go through her drawers. “So, did you find the key to the deadbolt?”

He nodded. “Right here.” He held up the key.

“That makes it difficult. And you said there’s only one other key?”

“Yes, the master key. And Ms. Jessel verified that she has the master key and it’s properly locked in storage.”

“Unless someone was in her office with her, and managed to escape other than through the door, then…it does look like she took a nosedive out the window. There must be something we’re missing but right now, I don’t know what it could be.” I paused, looking around. “I don’t know what else to look for.”

I looked up at him. “Now, for real talk. What do you think happened to her?” I stood, wandering over to the boarded-up window where I leaned against the wall, my arms crossed.

Philip paused, then glanced around. “Personal opinion? I think somebody had it in for Letty and that they tossed her through the window, but I have no idea of who did it, why they did it, or how they did it. As I said, Letty was an honest but fair person, toward both the staff and the students.”

I nodded. “I’m taking these personal effects—her purse and a few other things. I’ll leave Angela to go through the books and decide what she wants to do. I assume a lot of the folders and binders belong to the school and the next principal will need them?”

He nodded, looking grim. “I appreciate you coming out.”

He ushered me out of the office, then walked me to the hallway. Once there, he looked around again, leaned in, and whispered, “The cops insisted it was suicide, since they couldn’t find anything to contradict the thought. But I really do think Letty was murdered, and I’d love to see someone really investigate her death. I will say this, however: be cautious.”

The warning in his voice was obvious. I worried my lip. “Walk me to the front door, please.”

Philip nodded, not asking why.

A bell rang and students flooded the hallway, heading toward their next class. As we threaded through the hall, I asked, “I thought this was the admin building?”

“Yes, but we also hold school wide meetings here, and study hall is always conducted in classes near the library, which is housed in McCarver Hall.” He opened the front door for me and stepped out beneath the eves sheltering a few students from the rain, which was still sleeting down. “You have a question, I assume?”

“I noticed you whispering. Do you think that her office is bugged?”

He paused, thinking over my question. After a moment, he nodded. “I don’t, not really. But I don’t like talking around the other teachers or staff members about this. You never know who might be listening in.”

“All right. Second question. Why did you tell me to be cautious?”

He shrugged. “Same reason. You never know who might be listening. If somebody did kill Letty, they did so in a gruesome fashion. They weren’t playing around. They might not take it kindly if they think somebody is on the look out for them. Right now, Letty’s death is officially listed as a suicide. If she was killed, it behooves the killer to keep that belief intact.”

“Right,” I said. “Common sense. All right, I’ll be in touch. If you think of anything else, let me know.” I didn’t want to talk to him about the other deaths or missing students. Right now, he seemed to be as suspicious as Angela and I were. But thatcouldbe an act, and it didn’t make sense to let him know everything we knew—not until we were positive he was safe.

Back at the office,I called everyone into the conference room and I brought out the mandrake root. “I think this was Letty’s mandrake. Philip, at the school, said it’s been tainted and twisted. I wish I could find out what happened to it.”

Sophia took it from me again, and she sat down, holding it between her hands. We all knew well enough by now to quiet down and let her do her thing.

“I see something,” she said.

We waited until Sophia suddenly jumped up and threw the root on the table.

“Are you all right?” Dante asked.

“Yes,” Sophia said, her eyes wide.

“What happened?” I asked.

“It’s been touched by demonic energy. That warped Letty’s connection with it.”

“Demonic?” I asked, my eyes wide. “But, I’m half demon?—”

“Yes, you’repartdemon. This though, this is bad. Big and bad.” She set the root down. “I don’t know what happened to it, but I don’t recommend anybody play around with it. There’s no telling what repeated exposure would do to you.”

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