Page 44 of Once Upon a Curse for True Love
They implemented the tedious process until four letters were spelled out: L-O-V-E.
“Love?”Donatello frowned.
“You and Patrick were in love?”Andromeda asked.
Zeros.
“You were in love with him?”Donatello asked.
Zeros again.
“He was in love with you?”Andromeda guessed.
Ones filled the screen.
Donatello scoffed.“Unrequited love is a classic motive.”
Zeros again, more rapidly this time.
Donatello’s frustration mounted.“Maybe you don’t know better!”he snapped.“You’re dead because someone stuck your consciousness into a computer.Even if Patrick was in love with you, that doesn’t mean he wasn’t capable of murder.”
The zeroes pattern moved so quickly it blurred into green light.Even as a semi-consciousness, Arcanet was stubborn as a troll.
“Leave it.”Andromeda patted Donatello’s arm.The warmth of her palm seeped through his sweater, momentarily distracting him from his frustration.“We should give him a break.”
Donatello exhaled.“You’re right.Let’s go.”
In the hallway, Andromeda was again deep in thought.
“Something isn’t adding up,” she said as they walked.“I know what we saw on that video, but Arcanet seems convinced Patrick’s innocent.”
“Arcanet is sure of his assistant’s feelings for him,” Donatello corrected.“That doesn’t mean the intern didn’t do it.If anything, we now have a motive—he was a scorned lover.”
“Patrick couldn’t create a lich.”
“He could have an accomplice.Patrick couldn’t handle the rejection and—”
Andromeda stopped walking, turning to face him.“Can I watch the security footage one more time?Arcanet said it could have been tampered with, and I agree.”
Determination shone in her eyes, and experience had taught him to follow every lead, no matter how improbable.If Andromeda saw something he’d missed, it was worth investigating.
“Sure,” he agreed.“You can use the video analysis room down the hall.”
The room was small but well-equipped, with multiple screens and specialized magical scanning equipment designed to detect alterations in both digital and magical recordings.Donatello projected the footage on the main screen, stepping back as Andromeda took a seat before it.
He stood behind her, trying—and failing—not to notice the loose strand of hair that curled over the side of her neck.It was begging to be tucked away and the freed skin to be kissed.
“There.”Andromeda pointed at the screen.“Look at that.”
Donatello squinted at the video.“At what?”
“The way he moves.”She rewound the tape and played the segment again.“It’s… off.And his eyes—they don’t blink naturally.”
“The security cameras at the emporium are shielded,” Donatello pointed out.“They’re designed to see through enchantments and glamours.”
“A wizard powerful enough to create a lich could trick even shielded cameras,” Andromeda countered, twisting in her chair to look up at him.The movement brought her face uncomfortably close to his, and Donatello took a step back.
He had to focus on the case not on the way her irises caught every hint of light in the room.“That’s a big if.But…” He played the video and scowled.“You’re right, his gait doesn’t match Patrick’s.”
