Page 42 of Once Upon a Curse for True Love
“And yet, science says otherwise.”Donatello leaned back, projecting indifference.“Let’s try another one.Care to explain why your name appears on record for a recent purchase of time-sand?”
“Time-sand?”Patrick shook his head vigorously.“No, never.I wouldn’t even know where to get it.”
“Magical Components Emporium on Fifth Street,” Donatello supplied.“You signed for it three weeks ago.”
“No!”Patrick’s voice rose, cracking.“I didn’t!I don’t know how my name got on those records, but it wasn’t me.I never bought time-sand!”
Donatello’s expression remained impassive as he opened the folder and slid a document across the table.“The clerk remembers you.Red hair, glasses, nervous demeanor.Sound familiar?”
“Lots of people have red hair,” Patrick protested weakly.
Andromeda followed the exchange with growing unease.Something wasn’t adding up.Patrick seemed genuinely shocked by the accusations, but the evidence was damning.She studied the young man’s body language as Donatello continued his methodical questioning.
“Did you have a problem with Magnus Thorn?”Donatello asked.“Did he mistreat you?Take credit for your work?Was he planning to replace you?”
“No!Magnus was brilliant!He was teaching me everything he knew.He was—” Patrick’s voice broke.“He believed in me when no one else did.”
“And yet you had access to his workspace.Knowledge of his systems.The perfect opportunity to plug in that hard drive when he wasn’t looking.”
Patrick’s face crumpled, tears welling in his eyes.“I would never hurt Magnus.Never.He wasn’t just my boss or mentor, he was—”
The young man stopped abruptly, hands covering his face as his shoulders shook with silent sobs.Donatello watched him impassively but gave the suspect a moment to compose himself before he continued.
“He was what, Patrick?”Donatello pressed, his voice surprisingly gentle.
Patrick shook his head, tears streaming down his face now.“It doesn’t matter.But I didn’t kill him.I couldn’t have.”He stuttered.“P—please, you have t—to believe me.”
“Why should I believe you when all the evidence points to the contrary?”
Patrick shook his head again, shoulders slumping in defeat as he retreated into himself, refusing to answer further questions.After a few more attempts, Donatello gathered his folder and stood.
“Consider cooperating, Patrick.It’ll go better for you if you do.”With that, Donatello exited the room, leaving the apprentice staring blankly at the table.
Andromeda was still processing what she’d witnessed when Donatello rejoined her in the observation room, his expression thoughtful.
“Well?”He joined her in staring through the glass.“What’s your read?”
“Something doesn’t add up.He seems genuinely devastated about Arcanet’s death.And he doesn’t strike me as someone with the knowledge or temperament to create a lich.That kind of magic requires… I don’t know, a certain darkness.Ruthlessness.He looks like he cries when he accidentally steps on ants.”
“Or he could be fooling us all,” Donatello reminded her.“Maybe this puppy-dog routine is just an act.”
“Maybe,” Andromeda conceded, unconvinced.“But why would he need spyware if he had access to Arcanet’s office and could verify in person if the hard drive was plugged in.”
“To activate the curse remotely when he wasn’t on the premises?”
“Could be.Any explanation why he’d deny purchasing time-sand so vehemently?He has to know you could easily verify it.”
“For some people, denial is a valid defense strategy.”Donatello shrugged.“Or he’s panicking.”
Before Andromeda could respond, a sharp knock rattled the door.A deputy entered, tablet in hand, nodding respectfully to Donatello.
“Detective, we pulled the security footage from Magical Components Emporium.”He handed over the tablet.“Time-stamped to the purchase of time-sand three weeks ago.”
“Let’s see what we’ve got,” Donatello muttered, tapping the screen to start the video.
The footage was grainy but clear enough: Patrick Ruescher, unmistakable with his shock of red hair and wire-rimmed glasses, standing at a counter, counting out money and signing a receipt.The timestamp matched the date on the purchase records.
Donatello turned the tablet toward Andromeda, his eyebrow raised in challenge.“Still convinced our guy is not a liar?”
