Page 71 of Starry with a Chance of Nightshade

“Really? I kind of thought you’d be used to it by now, and since you seem to be really damn good at compartmentalizing, it wouldn’t bother you much.”

Stratton wished that was true. “I take no joy from it, if that’s what you’re saying.”

“No,” said Brett, sounding tired. “I didn’t mean it that way. Listen, I’m sorry. I understand that none of this is your doing, I’m just having a hard time coming to terms with what’s happening around here. I want the people of my city to be safe. I want parents to be able to send their children to college here and not worry about them coming home in a body bag.”

“We all want that, Chief.” Stratton stepped back and glanced around the scene to be sure he’d not missed anything. He was an extremely adept tracker, but his focus had been split all day. “Grimm Cove isn’t any more dangerous than any other city. I saw a lot of murders in New York and Chicago. A hell of a lot of them.”

“How many were like this?” asked Brett.

“Honestly, some were far, far worse and they had nothing to do with the supernatural,” confessed Stratton. “Grimm Cove isn’t as small as everyone likes to pretend. It’s grown a lot since the last time I was here even, nearly twenty years ago. The crime rate here for the size of the population isn’t that high.”

“Feels like it’s through the damn roof anymore,” said Brett.

“I understand,” said Stratton. “But you should know, this is only the start of what’s to come. There will be more death. More violence. And more of us here to stand against it. This is kind of a tale as old as time.”

“Doesn’t mean I have to like it,” quipped Brett. “Pepper and Tucker are this age. It could have been them. And I’ve got little ones on the way. I want them safe. I should make Poppy and the kids go far from here.”

Pepper and Tucker were Brett’s stepchildren and were college aged. They were due to head back to Yale within the week to start their sophomore year.

Stratton felt for the man. It had to be hard having loved ones to worry about too. “Brett,” he said, rarely calling the man by his first name. “If you think the issues that are coming are going to happen within the confines of the city and not spread, you’re wrong. Odds are, they’ll start outside of here. She and the kids wouldn’t be any safer away than here.”

“Dammit,” he said, running a hand through his hair. “I need to talk to Poppy about not letting the twins go back to Yale right now. Not until we know more about what’s happening.”

“Let them go,” said Stratton. “They’re very capable. You forget they weren’t raised in the dark about who and what they are. Poppy’s grandparents saw to that. Pepper and Tucker will be fine. They’re natural-born witches from a very powerful line. Don’t try to cage them or your wife, thinking you’re protecting them. It won’t end the way you want.”

Brett let out a line of curses that left the crime techs focusing extra hard on not making eye contact with the irate shifter male. Brett gathered hold of himself, his gaze sliding to Stratton. “It’s moments like this that I kind of envy you, Bright. You’ve got only yourself to worry about.”

Stratton’s thoughts went instantly to Astria. For some reason, it became all too easy to picture her being the victim of a crime such as this. It left his gut churning. So much so, that he actually broke out in a cold sweat and had to step back and turn away to collect himself.

Brett never said a word as he did.

When Stratton felt more like himself, he faced his captain and then checked his watch, knowing Astria had been expecting him to meet her for lunch. That time had come and gone hours ago. Right this second, he needed to be near her, to see with his own two eyes that she was alive and well. That she hadn’t fallen victim to what was happening around town.

When he’d agreed to go on the hunt for monsters with Brett, he’d assumed they wouldn’t find much. That hadn’t been the case. Their search had led them here, to the body. Between the missing limbs and the brains being gone, it didn’t take a genius to know this was related to the Mill Hollow killings. Only now, this body was within Grimm Cove city limits.

The problem was officially theirs now.

Brett checked his phone again. “I really need to hear my wife’s voice and know she and the kids are all right.”

“I’m sure they’re fine. If not, Tuck would have found a way to get word to you. Ellie-Sue would have brought down the thunder and let the world know.”

Brett exhaled. “You’re right. I just…this…this one is hitting home, and I don’t just mean because it happened in Grimm Cove.” He motioned to the victim. “She’s Pepper’s age, Stratton. Hell, she even kind of looks like her. Dark hair. Tall.” He was visibly shaken. “Someone took her life, her future, in the blink of an eye. Right now, her family thinks all is right with her. They don’t know their entire world is about to shatter.”

Several of the techs kept their heads down as they worked, clearly wanting to pretend they weren’t hearing the chief of police get emotional.

“We need to find whatever is doing this and stop it,” said Brett.

“Agreed,” returned Stratton. “I lost the trail at the road. They either took it by foot out of there or a vehicle was waiting for them.”

“Is it what you told me about?” he asked, glancing toward one of the techs and then back at Stratton.

“I believe so, yes,” returned Stratton, motioning for Brett to follow him as he carefully maneuvered through the crime scene to avoid contaminating it more than it already was. He bent near a spot where the ground coverage was disturbed. “See here? This tells me someone, or something, was shuffling their feet as they moved. The other, over there, tells me someone was dragging a foot while they walked. The shoe sizes don’t match. One leg is heavier too.”

“Sounds like there were at least two assailants, makes sense they’d have different-size feet,” said Brett.

“No. You’re not hearing me,” corrected Stratton. “This set of marks is fromoneperson. A person with twodifferentsize feet. And I’m not talking one size different from the left to right foot. I’m talking several sizes and, if I’m correct, that set over there hastwoleft feet.”

“Shit,” breathed out Brett.

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