Page 113 of Delinquents Turned Fugitives
Immediately, from the posts they’d established ahead of time, Z leaned out from behind a tree. He rewound Muller, moving him back slightly, just until his foot was in the air, then freezing him. I took a quick step forward and shoved the man’s arms down, wishing like hell I could plaster them to his body and write the spell to form little T-rex arms. But I couldn’t. Malcolm would bring Teddy up in just a minute. We had just enough time to get Muller off balance. Literally.
“Check his pocket,” Andros hissed, from his spot behind another tree further up the hill.
I grimaced as I slid my hand into the old guy’s pocket, trying not to think too closely about what I was doing. I felt something long and hard, and I yanked it out.
I held up the yellow stone so Andros could see. “Honesty Amulet,” I whispered.
“Yeah, probably without a warrant,” he grumbled. “Ok, toss it to me.”
I glanced right and left to make sure no one was nearby before I coated the amulet in shadows and tossed it to Andros. He caught it and nodded, then slid back behind the tree next to him. A second later, Z lowered his hand and did the same, moving out of sight.
Muller stumbled, off-balance, looking utterly shocked.
But his threatening momentum was gone. His attempt to close the space and intimidate me had turned into a bumbling mess. I feigned concern. “Are you alright?” I pretended to reach for him, but ensured I didn’t touch him.
“I’m fine. But I have several questions for you, Hayley Dunemark.” He tried to make his tone ominous, but after watching him nearly fall, it was actually just funny.
“Okay?” I oozed disdain with the one word, stretching it out and looking impatient. “You do realize that the funeral is about to start.”
“You realize that you’re the subject of a murder investigation, right?” He tried to step in again.
And Z swooped in. Rewind, reset the arms, repeat.
He stumbled a second time.
“Are you drunk?” I asked. It was hard as hell not to laugh. No wonder this asshole got off on fucking with people. If I had been born a Tock instead of a Darklight, I could only imagine the shit I’d have done.
Muller was furious.
His eyes scanned the trees, but I darkened the shadows around Andros and Z, to ensure they couldn’t be spotted. He knew I was a Darklight, so I clearly couldn’t be doing anything.
I turned, as if I was going to leave. But I just marched a little way up the hill, to a spot with good enough lighting for Teddy and his camera. I slid my eyes sideways and spotted Malcolm and his acquaintance getting into place behind a crypt nearby. Teddy’s arm was up, his phone already filming.
“Hey. Wait,” Muller trotted after me like a good little puppy. I’m sure he thought of it as stomping. But he didn’t realize he was wearing a leash yet. He was about to.
I imagined a clapboard in my head. I imagined a director yelling, “Action.”
I turned where I stood, giving off an irritated huff. “I’m trying to go to my mother’s funeral.” I let my voice crack, which wasn’t hard. “What do you want?” A blue butterfly threaded its way through the air near us, unaware of the power struggle happening right beside it. I watched it as I listened to Muller’s response.
“I want to question you about your whereabouts on April twelfth.”
I pretended confusion, and gave a shrug. “I have no idea. Maybe I was fucking a football team or something, why do you care?”
My flippant answer pissed him off and I saw him reach his free hand down to touch the Honesty Amulet in his pocket.
That’s right, buddy. Sarcasm shouldn’t be possible with an amulet like that, should it?
Muller’s face and grip were both furious when he realized it was gone. “You little bitch!” He shook me.
“Ow! What the hell?”
Just a little more. I just needed to push him a little more.
Suddenly, I found myself back in the trees, farther down the hill, disoriented.
What just happened?
Detective Muller stood near me and his hand was in his pocket.
