Page 106 of Dark Horse

Ha. Who’s complaining about the time now?

Any luck? You two getting along?

We think we might be on to something, and we might have some help.

I love her.

When will you be out here?

As soon as I can. I’ll explain more tonight.

Talk to you then.

I send him a kissy face emoji and then tuck my phone back into my pocket before I take off to help Charlotte.

I takea seat at the large research table across from Charlotte. She’s got dozens of books spread out across the table and a laptop open in front of her as she looks back and forth between the page and screen.

“Did you find anything else out?” I ask as I skim the page she’s inspecting.

“Yes. That contact of Beatrix’s was helpful. She had someresources I hadn’t thought of and volunteered her help with anything else we might need.”

“Oh good. That’s reassuring. While I was working out this morning, I had a thought. Instead of my usual podcast, I did a search to see if the governor had done any—and he had. Quite a few, so I listened to one while I was working out and another when I was making lunch. They were both the kind where a group of guys sit around and shoot the shit, talking like they’ve got all the secrets to the universe.”

“I’m familiar.” She smirks at the way I roll my eyes.

“Anyway, he did a couple of them, and in one of them, they were talking about getting your DNA tested and ancestry stuff. He mentioned that he was a descendant of Charlemagne. They all got excited about it, and he went all in on his connection to him and how he thinks his DNA affects the way he thinks. I know I’ve heard the name before in history class—is it possible that it has a connection?”

Charlotte sits back, looking up to the ceiling like she’s sorting through the card catalog in her brain for information as she taps her manicured finger to her chin. Her eyes narrow, and she starts typing quickly into the computer before she looks back up at me.

“That’s what I thought. He was never beatified,” she murmurs as she scrolls down. “But he was considered. Lost out for all the murdering it looks like, but there’s a reliquary with his arm bone in it, another with his head. I’ll have to look deeper into this. I think it’s a good lead though.” She looks up and smiles at me.

“Happy to contribute something.” I offer up half a smile. I just want to help Grant and the rest of them solve this. If they know his motivations, they might be able to find a way to get ahead and stop him or at least leverage it against him.

“You should keep digging on it too. See what youcan find—any other references the governor makes to things like that and any other information we can find about his ancestry. These bones are in Germany, in Aachen to be exact. It’s on the other side of the country from where Levi was looking, but I think we’re getting warmer.”

“All right. Do you have anything on your shelves?” I look to the massive wall of bookcases.

“I don’t think so, but check the database. You can use that laptop over there.”

“Perfect. Thank you!”

The two of us spend the rest of the evening pouring over all the information we can find, making notes and creating what looks like a murder board out of one of her walls, connecting all the bits of information we have and pinning them up to try to see if we can make sense of the picture it paints. When ten rolls around, I excuse myself to go upstairs. I want to take a quick shower, change into some cute pajamas, and get ready for my chat with Grant. It feels like it’s been an eternity since we saw each other last. I don’t want to look tired and frazzled and make him worry. So we say our goodnights, and she continues on without me.

FORTY-SEVEN

DAKOTA

When I get into bed,he’s already sent a couple of photos to me. One of him in the mirror half-naked coming out of the shower, and another with his belt undone and his pants partially unzipped. I nibble my lip while I try to think of something to send in return, finally settling on a photo of me with my shirt partially pulled up over my breasts and another of my legs stretched out across the bed. I figure we’ll start tame and work our way up from there.

Long day?

THE DEVIL:

So fucking long. Making progress though. So I suppose it’s worth it.

Good.

I can’t wait to see you again.

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