Page 66 of Deadly Deception
“Not at all,” I answered. “I can’t imagine what it says will sound any worse coming from your lips than mine.” There was no reason to keep passing the evidence around the room.
Aurelia slid toward me. I’d seen her standing in the corner of the room. Given the lack of other responses to her appearance,I figured she was concealing herself from everyone’s view but mine.
“I left before this envelope was placed,” Aurelia said and when no one so much as glanced her way, I knew for certain she was keeping her presence under wraps. I had no idea why she sometimes did that and other times did not. Trying to figure out why Aurelia did half the things she did was a shortcut on the road to a migraine.
I hated the hint of eager excitement in Aurelia’s voice. She was truly enjoying this, which made me think I needed to speak with Peaches again soon. A bored Aurelia wasn’t good.
Henson carefully opened the envelope. His fingers were steady and his breathing even as his eyes scanned the single piece of paper.
“What does it say?” Franklin asked.
“Not much,” Henson replied. His jaw worked back and forth and a muscle in his cheek twitched. “I’ll be in touch, necromancer. Vanja.”
“That’s it?” I asked while taking a step forward.
“That’s it,” Henson reiterated.
“Not terribly helpful.” Franklin’s fingers squeezed a little tighter before letting go.
Henson made an indistinguishable sound before lowering the paper. His eyes scanned the tossed room and if possible, his jaw clenched even tighter. “What the hell is going on here?” Henson threw out a hand, the same one with the message written on it. “No one knew Navarre was here. Just the three of us and Tompkins.”
“Tabitha too,” I answered and when Henson gave me a quizzical look, I said, “She’s the medium the Magical Usage Council sent.”
“I can’t see her doing anything like this,” Franklin said, and I agreed.
“There would be no reason for her to.” Tabitha had already told Franklin she planned on taking Navarre to Minnesota. No one threatened to stop her. Navarre had no known family that would protest.
My mind tumbled and a thought that soured my stomach occurred. I was about to open my mouth, but Franklin beat me to it when he said, “Sara.”
Henson’s head shot up, eyes narrowed. “Sara? As in Sara Tompkins, Shane’s niece?” Henson adamantly shook his head. “No. Absolutely not. I’ve known Sara for years and she…” Henson’s words dissipated as he stared down at the note. “She couldn’t. She wouldn’t.” Henson’s tone wasn’t nearly as persuasive as the words.
It was my turn to reach out to Franklin. Touching his wrist lightly, I shifted close enough he could feel my body heat. “We don’t know anything for certain,” I said. “Maybe Sara told someone else.”
“How did she even know Navarre was here?” Henson asked. “His location was kept between the four of us.”
I inhaled, letting that breath out by measured degrees. “I think Tompkins thought Sara was in that sphere of trustworthiness. When Franklin and I stopped by the precinct yesterday, I got the distinct impression Sara knew exactly where Navarre had been taken.”
“Agreed,” Franklin said. “She didn’t say anything outright, but there were hints.”
“That still doesn’t mean she’s involved,” Henson argued.
“No, it doesn’t,” I easily agreed. “However, it does make an odd sort of sense.”
Henson jerked back like I’d slapped him. “How in the hell does it make an ounce of sense?”
Franklin defended my line of thinking. “You’re too close to the situation, Henson. Hell, I might be too. I get what Boone’ssaying. You’ve got at least one bad apple in the station—someone who’s got a bead on what’s going on. Sara works reception, but she also works the lines between the officers. Sara’s the one that gives out assignments. She’s the one that directs certain officers to crime locations.”
Henson’s mouth opened then closed before he finally managed, “She’s not the only one.”
“While that might be true, it’s terribly convenient considering all the bodies Boone found. It might go a long way to explain why they hadn’t been found.”
“Oh, this is very interesting,” Aurelia said, reminding me she was still present. She’d been so quiet I’d nearly forgotten. Irritation flared through me, and I pushed it down. Getting mad at Aurelia wouldn’t do me any good at the moment.
Henson pushed his shoulders back, standing a little taller. “Sara’s the one that told Shane we had a necromancer in custody. Why in the hell would she do that? If she’s the one responsible, if she’s the one masquerading as Vanja, wouldn’t it be in her interest to have Navarre go down for DeWayne Foster’s death?”
I tilted my head as I considered that and found I couldn’t disagree. Franklin, however, could.
“But she didn’t tell her uncle about Navarre.”
