Page 66 of For Dear Life

“But he had a large number of alibis for Rory’s exact time of death,” says Zoe. “He was interviewed too.”

“And Viggo wouldn’t kill Rory,” says Nita. “Rory was an Ursa and part of the inner circle.”

“What do you know about Trent?” I ask. “Did you meet him? Is he friendly?” Is he a construct?

Nita looks at me in disgust. “This is about finding Rory’s and Wes’s killers.”

I suck my lips together. If the recently deceased Maxwell was correct, Rory killed Wesley. And Oz killed Rory. If he isn’t permanently deceased, is Oz next?

“Did any kids from the academy labor for this family?” I ask.

“No. So that’s not the connection between Wes’s and Rory’s murders.”

“And have you discovered anything that might link them?” I frown.

“Only the runes, and the way they were killed,” says Zoe warily.

“Oh. You subscribe to ‘the Violet Blackwood did it’ theory?” I make to stand.

As I do, Marci tosses something into the circle we sit around.

A pendant

A very familiar pendant. I kneel and take hold, examining to confirm my suspicion—small, coin-like with a leather string through the hollow center. “Who does this belong to?”

“Rory. He couldn’t wear the necklace around Viggo, but he was supposed to wear it when around the witches on site,” says Marci.

“A couple of weeks ago, Rory stopped wearing the pendant altogether,” says Nita. “We had a fight about it, and he got weird—we didn’t see each other much after that.”

“The witches are involved!” I say triumphantly. “You gave Rory a protective talisman. How did you know?”

“More of a just in case,” says Nita. “Those elderly witches wouldn’t kill anyone—they barely practiced witchcraft in their lives. But Rory was paranoid. He needed the money, so Marci helped out by creating one.”

“You made the pendants? Why would you give one to Wesley if he attacked witches on campus?”

“Wes?” Marci frowns. “I never gave one to Wes.”

“Kai?”

“No. This is the only one I charmed. To be honest, I wasn’t sure I had the shape or spell correct.” She slants her head. “I studied the older texts—my father’s a historian.”

Older texts? “You wrote in the academy book! A code?”

“No, but I deciphered what I think you’re talking about.” Marci smiles.

Wesley and Rory. They both wore pendants but weren’t wearing them the nights they died. Sawyer implied Kai lost his—he wasn’t wearing one at the lodge.

“I told you I had useful information, but I’m only telling you this because if you didn’t kill Rory, I want to help you find who did. For Nita’s and Holly’s sake,” says Marci.

“Why Holly’s?”

“Because Holly’s in danger from associating with you.” Marci takes the pendant and twirls it in the air above her hand. She used a light tone, but her expression is as dark and heavy as usual when she’s around me.

“Marci wants people to think she suspects you and is protecting me,” explains Holly quickly when I growl. “But she doesn’t think you’re guilty.”

“Yes. Holly could be in danger, Violet, but not from you,” adds Marci.

“And because we’re investigating Rory’s death too, we can help each other,” says Nita.

---