Page 2 of A Match Made in Coven
Interesting. “Did Elijah Preston have any known involvement with the magical community?”
Flint hesitated, shifting his weight. “Well, turns out his business partner is a wizard.”
Her pulse quickened—thoughts jumping to the handsome man in the photo. “Do we have a name?”
“Yes, ma’am. He’s…” Flint replied with a resigned sigh. “Lorcan Black.”
The name hit Sarah like a stunner to the chest. The good-looking wizard was a Black. Countless warnings rang in her ears—hushed whispers around the dinner table at family gatherings of betrayal, subterfuge, cruelty… andmurder. The Blacks and the Callidoras had been enemy covens for centuries, ever since an alliance through marriage had ended in a blood bath instead.
Sarah Michelle’s mind whirled as she processed the information. The idea of working on an investigation involving a Black made her skin crawl, but she had to remain professional. She inhaled, pushing down the surge of emotions. Now wasn’t the time to get caught up in ancient feuds. She had a case to solve. Schooling her features into a neutral expression, she refocused on Flint. “I need everything you have on Black. His whereabouts, his alibi, any connection he might have to the murder weapon.”
Flint nodded, his demeanor guarded. “I’ll get right on it. But, Detective Callidora…” He paused as if weighing his words. “Be careful with this one. The Blacks are a powerful coven, and they don’t take kindly to being crossed.”
Sarah Michelle’s lips curved into a humorless smile. “Neither do the Callidoras.” She spun around, already studying her next move. She needed to talk to Lorcan Black, to look him in the eye and gauge his reaction to the news of his partner’s death. But first, better to do her homework.
She pulled out her phone and dialed a familiar number. “Hey, it’s me,” she said when the call connected. “I need a favor. Can you pull up everything we have on Lorcan Black?… Yeah, I know it’s late. But this is important.” She listened, then nodded. “Not even a citation? A minor misdemeanor?” The colleague she trusted the most for profiling suspects confirmed Black was squeaky clean—or his family had wiped out every trace of wrongdoing. “Thanks, I owe you one.”
As she hung up the call, Sarah was already piecing together theories and possible motives to murder a business partner—a woman they both wanted, an argument about money, the usual. Was Lorcan Black a violent type? If his public profile was immaculate, she’d have to dig deeper to find some dirt on him, if it existed.
A Callidora and a Black, linked by a murder. Oh, this case was going to be a doozy. But Sarah Michelle never backed down from a challenge. Even if it came in the form of an attractive, potentially murderous wizard from a rival coven.
She was still mulling over the new development when another officer approached, holding a clipboard with details about the murder weapon. The junior agent, his uniform askew, handed the clipboard to Flint with a deferential nod.
Flint scanned the report, his eyebrows climbing higher with each line. He looked up at Sarah, an unreadable expression on his face. “The magical dagger lodged in Preston’s skull? It’s registered to Lorcan Black.”
Ah. Lorcan’s blade had been buried in the victim’s head—his business partner. No infractions, so the killer was let in,or had a key. While the cameras had been disabled by someonewith the codes. It was almost too neat, too obvious. But Sarah knew better than to dismiss the evidence staring her in the face.
Nailing a Black for murder would bring double satisfaction. Justice would be served and her family vindicated.
Lorcan Black. The name tasted bitter on her tongue, like a poorly brewed potion. She’d spent her entire life hearing about the Blacks, about their viciousness. Their entitlement. And the injustices they had inflicted. And now, fate had thrown her right into the middle of it.
But Sarah prided herself on upholding her integrity. She wouldn’t condemn the wizard based solely on his family name. Personal history would not cloud her judgment, not when she had a killer to catch. With a final, resolute look at Officer Flint, she instructed, “Prepare a warrant. We’re going to pay Mr. Black a visit.”
Chapter Two
Running into Trouble
SARAH MICHELLE
She stood before the imposing metal gates of Lorcan Black’s residence. Not a house, but a mansion that loomed over the darkened landscape like a fortress. Ancient oak trees lined the long driveway, whispering secrets in the nightly breeze.
She pressed the button on the unmistakably human but high-tech-looking doorbell, the sleek metal cool under her finger. Silence greeted her, the stillness unnatural. She exchanged a glance with her team of magical law enforcers. A sharp nod, and they moved into action.
Agent Ramirez stepped forward to magically unlock the gate. He flicked his wrist, murmuring an incantation under his breath. The intricate designs on the metal shimmered in the charm’s wake but gave no reaction.
Iron.
Good thing Sarah Michelle had decided early on she shouldn’t rely solely on her powers in her line of work. She motioned for Agent Ramirez to step aside and retrieved a small kit from a side pocket in her uniform pants. Sarah kneeled by the gate and took out a pick with a rounded tip and a wavy one. The tiny tools glinted in the moonlight as she inserted them into the lock, feeling for the tumblers until she heard the satisfying click of the mechanism giving way. She stood up, pushing the gate open with a muted creak, granting them access to the estate grounds.
They proceeded down the gravel driveway, footsteps nearly silent. At the mansion’s front door, another agent, a petite woman with fiery red hair, stepped up to the entrance. With a muttered spell, she made quick work of the lock—regular brass this time. Sarah Michelle gingerly pushed the door open, half expecting to be thrown out by an anti-intrusion ward. But nothing happened.
How odd. Why would a rich wizard like Lorcan Black leave his home so unprotected against magical intrusions? Unease prickled her scalp. Was it misplaced confidence in his capabilities to deal with an intruder or warranted reliance on his magic?
Just how dangerous was this wizard?
As the door swung on its hinges, it revealed the mansion’s opulent yet empty interior. Polished hardwood floors gleamed in the dim light, and expensive artwork adorned the walls. Sarah Michelle signaled to her team with a wave of her fingers. Silently, they fanned out to search the premises, stunner guns out, eyes sharp for any signs of danger or deception.
While the others checked the living room and kitchen, Sarah Michelle made her way across the foyer, her stunner gun raised ready to take action. A distant noise led her to the basement stairs. With cautious steps, she descended into the lower level of Lorcan Black’s house, senses on high alert. The faint hum of machinery became louder with each step she took. She followed the sound, her boots light on the polished wood.
