Red (28 page)
Chapter 34
I sat scowling as Nate drove us to the chichi neighborhood of Rockwell Crossing where we’d be picking up Todd Caliban for another round of questioning. We had enough circumstantial evidence now to bring him in again for a second chat. I was hoping, if nothing else, he could back his now-suspect alibis with something a little more concrete and set my mind at ease.
Sebille obviously was doing everything she could to cover up Caliban’s addiction to D, even going as far as blackmailing his drug supplier to keep things quiet, but that could be chalked up to trying to protect the man she loved, not necessarily complicity in murder. The Tribunal would probably let her off with probation.
But there’d be no wrist slapping for Caliban. Although there was no way he was actually committing the murders himself, there was enough circumstantial evidence to make the Tribunal believe he was masterminding them—which did nothing to help Seth. I could just see Mary Smith standing before the Tribunal, painting a lovely picture of two of my former lovers being partners in the worst murders in Tale history.
Fortunately for us, Caliban would sell out his best friend to save his own ass, so maybe he’d start spilling his guts as soon as he found out his alibis were falling apart. I just had to hope that when he did, I wouldn’t hear Seth’s name on his lips.
“You okay?” Nate asked, as we turned onto Caliban’s street.
I nodded. “Yeah, it’s just—”
The sudden sound of sirens cut across my words as an ambulance sped past us. I twisted around in my seat to catch a glimpse of the brake lights as it turned the corner and disappeared.
“That was one of ours,” I gasped. “What the hell?”
My question was answered the minute we pulled up in front of Caliban’s place and saw Sebille Fenwick hurrying down the steps.
“What’s going on?” I demanded, jumping out of the Charger and rushing to cut her off.
“You again,” she hissed, her eyes narrowing. “Leave us alone!”
“Where’s Caliban?” I said. “Was that him in the ambulance?”
Sebille clenched her fists at her sides and stepped closer to me. “Yes, it was. Now get out of my way. I need to get to the hospital.”
“Did he finally OD?” I spat. “You give him a little too much D this morning with his tea and biscuits, Sebille?”
Sebille’s eyes flashed with fury as she took a menacing step toward me. “I said,
get out of my way
.”
get out of my way
.”
I pushed my face up at hers. “Make me.”
For a split second, I thought she was actually going to give it a go, but then she took a measured step back and glanced over my shoulder as Nate came up behind me. “I am sorry to be rude,” she said with forced politeness, “but I really must get to the hospital. Caliban needs me right now.”
“Let her go, Red,” Nate said.
My head whipped around so that I could ask him if he’d lost his freaking mind, but the look he gave me assured me his faculties were all in working order.
I bit my tongue until Sebille had sped off after the ambulance, then I let loose. “What the hell?” I demanded. “We should have taken her in!”
“For what?” Nate pointed out. “We came here for Caliban. I’ll call Al and have him put guards outside Caliban’s hospital room. If he survives, we’ll question him then.”
“If he survives,” I repeated, disgust seeping into my voice. “Damn it!”
“Red—”
“He’s hooked on D, Nate!” I yelled. “How could we not have noticed? How could
I
not have noticed? I’ve known the guy for years!”
I
not have noticed? I’ve known the guy for years!”
“You heard what Aloysius said,” Nate reminded me. “He didn’t start using until after you were together. Caliban’s a grown man. You can’t blame yourself for choices he’s made.”
I let out an exasperated sigh and ran my hands through my hair. “Let’s just get out of here. Nicky called this morning about Hamelin’s computer. Maybe he’s got something for us.”
“Come on,” Nate said with a jerk of his head. “I’ll buy you some lunch. If memory serves, I still owe you one.”
“I’m not hungry,” I lied.
Nate took me by the shoulders and steered me back toward the car. “You’re always hungry. Come on; you can call Nicky on the way.”
I tried calling Nicky three times while we drove but didn’t get an answer on his cell. Finally, I tried his landline at home, on the off chance he’d actually be there. He wasn’t, of course, but he’d had the forethought to leave a message for me with the housekeeper.
“Nicky can’t meet us today,” I told Nate, pocketing my phone. “I’m supposed to come by the house for brunch tomorrow morning and pick up the info from Hamelin’s computer. I don’t know why he couldn’t just send it to me.”
“I’m sure he has his reasons,” Nate said, apparently sensing my apprehension about Nicky’s insistence on delivering the findings in person.
Changing the subject to something more pleasant, I asked, “Where should we head after lunch?”
“Don’t you need to go to Elizabeth’s to get ready for tonight?”
I let my head drop back against the headrest and groaned. “God, that’s right. The party.”
“We don’t have to go,” Nate said. “Cornering Caliban for a chat was pretty much our only reason for going.”
I shook my head. “When else would we have the chance to mingle with the Who’s Who of Tale society without dragging their asses downtown? I’m guessing just about everyone from Hamelin’s recent client list is going to be there.”
“I looked over the client list,” Nate informed me. “It’s pretty much just the usual muckety-mucks. I have a feeling they’re going to tell us the same story about the rats as everyone else has. And it’s pretty clear Caliban was using them for spying on people who could help or hurt him in some way. The only thing we need to know is who has been helping him eliminate the latter group, and I doubt any of those folks are going to be able to tell us that.”
“I’d still like to hear what’s being said,” I told him. “Besides, having Caliban absent from the party might be a great opportunity for people to gossip a little.”
“Do you think they’ll talk to you, knowing who you are?”
“I hate it when you get all logical on me,” I mumbled. “Still, it can’t hurt to try. Besides, you don’t need me to get them talking. You could just unleash that charm you’re so proud of.”
Nate gave me a thoughtful look. “This is true,” he said slowly. “Considering I’ll be adding formal wear to my arsenal, those poor women don’t have a prayer.”
I punched Nate in the arm, eliciting the burst of laughter I was hoping for. If he hadn’t been so damned disarming in his arrogance, I would’ve slugged him harder. As it was, I just needed to hear him laugh. It had the desired effect on my amped-up nerves as did the deep dish pizza we split at a little hole in the wall joint where my love affair with Chicago’s famous pie had begun.
When he dropped me off at Elizabeth’s a couple hours later it was with the promise to return at the appointed time looking even more “dashing than usual” (his words, not mine). As much as I was looking forward to seeing what that entailed, it made me feel a little nervous about how I’d measure up.
Fortunately, Elizabeth immediately set my mind at ease when she greeted me at the door, a look of unabashed delight in her fine eyes. “Tess!” she cried, taking my hands in hers and pulling me inside. “I see the concern in your expression, but you needn’t worry. All is prepared, and I guarantee you shall look breathtaking when Detective Grimm arrives this evening.”
“Breathtaking?” I echoed. “I’d settle for believable.”
Eliza laughed good-naturedly and linked her arm with mine as we made our way into the study. “Would it help if I told you Darcy and I might have found some information on Sebille Fenwick for you?”
My brows shot up. “That was quick.”
Elizabeth’s eyes twinkled. “I do believe Mr. Darcy has acquired a liking for investigative work.”
“Really? Maybe he could do a little moonlighting for the FMA. They always need good researchers.”
Eliza squeezed my arm. “I shall mention it to him. Perhaps such an activity would make him feel more a part of the Here and Now. This could be exactly what he needed.”
I almost didn’t recognize Darcy when I entered his study. His rather reserved expression was so visibly altered by excitement he looked like a different person. Gone were the lines of sadness and concern that had creased his brow for so long.
With a friendly smile, he strode toward me and offered his hand in greeting. “Ms. Little. A delight to see you as always.”
“Darcy,” I said, shaking his hand. “Eliza tells me you might have found something.”
“Indeed.” He ushered us over to his desk and waited for us to take a seat before perching on the corner of his desk and turning his laptop around for us to see.
“There were literally hundreds of instances of sibyls—the oracles of ancient mythology that Elizabeth suggested. However, after discarding those accounts, I discovered an obscure reference in Arthurian texts to Sebille l’Enchantress, who by some accounts was Queen of the Sidhe and friend to Morgan le Fay.”
“No way,” I said, giving him a grin. “You’re kidding, right?”
“I would not jest about such matters,” he assured me, his tone grave. “If Sebille Fenwick is the enchantress mentioned in Arthurian legend, then she is a most powerful foe indeed.”
I stared at Darcy for one long, bemused moment. “How is it I’ve never heard of her?”
“Her story appears in only the most obscure texts,” Darcy explained. “And, as with most figures associated with the lore of the great king, there are numerous inconsistencies, depending upon the text in which her story is found. By some accounts, she was merely a pagan queen.”
“My God,” I breathed. If what Darcy was telling me was true, Sebille Fenwick was potentially more than just a put-upon underling in love with her boss. If she had come over as the Enchantress version of her tale, Sebille actually could be the one sending out the familiars and controlling the werewolf. And if she was powerful enough to hang out with Morgan le Fay, we were in some seriously deep shit, magically speaking.
“Would you guys excuse me for a sec?” I said, launching to my feet and rushing toward the door. “I need to make a call.” I paused at the door and turned back. “Thanks, Darcy. I owe you one.”
I hurried across the hall to Eliza’s sitting room and shut the door behind me before dialing Nate’s number.
“Miss me already?” he asked by way of greeting.
“You have no idea,” I shot back. “Where are you?”
“On my way to drop off the Charger. Why?”
“Sebille Fenwick is quite possibly a cohort of Morgan le Fay.”
There was a long pause before Nate said, “Damn.”
“Yeah, no shit.” I started to pace, my mind racing. “Do you think she’s still at the hospital with Caliban? Maybe if someone can apprehend her there, she’ll behave herself.”
“Because cornered sorceresses are usually so docile?” Nate said drily.
“There you go being logical again,” I huffed. “Got a better idea? This one’s above you and me, Nate. Even
I
don’t go up against people like her alone if I can help it.”
I
don’t go up against people like her alone if I can help it.”
“I’ll call it in to the Chief,” Nate offered. “He can send in someone from Special Forces to pick her up for questioning.”
I stopped pacing and pressed the heel of my hand into my eyes to stop the pounding pain beginning there. “She could be behind the familiars, Nate. She could be sending the werewolf. God, Nate, she could even be behind Seth’s blackouts. What if he
was
the werewolf doing this?”
was
the werewolf doing this?”
“Even if he was, he wasn’t doing it willingly, right?”
“Yeah.”
“So then he’ll be fine.”
“You sound so sure.”
“I
am
sure,” Nate said. “I know you don’t like Mary, but she’s reasonable, Red. If we give her Caliban and Sebille, she’ll let Seth off the hook.”
am
sure,” Nate said. “I know you don’t like Mary, but she’s reasonable, Red. If we give her Caliban and Sebille, she’ll let Seth off the hook.”
I sighed, hoping he was right—especially since in handing over the dead rat, I might have given them all the evidence they needed to pin the murders on Seth. “What a frigging mess,” I mumbled. “I don’t get it. Why would Sebille help Caliban murder these people?”
“I have no idea, sweetheart,” he said gently. “Maybe she’s just trying to protect him, keep his career moving forward in spite of his addiction issues. People don’t always think clearly about their choices when they love someone.”
I felt a lance of pleasure at his words and would have liked to stand there listening to that raspy voice of his go on for hours. Hell, he could have been reading stereo instructions and I would have begged him to keep talking.
“Red? You still there?”
I coughed a couple times, gathering my scattered wits. “Yeah, I’m here.”
“I’m going to call the Chief,” he went on. “Why don’t you give Trish a call and see what she’s found.”
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