Fly by Midnight (15 page)

Impostor Jane dabbed at her face one last time and returned her handkerchief to her purse. “No, that’s not what Jon wanted. He was a modest wizard and wanted a quiet passing. There will be a quiet memorial, but no formal burial service.”

“No service?” Honora jerked up in her chair. “Don’t you want some closure or peace of mind provided from a ceremony? Your husband must have many associates who would like to pay their respects.”

Andreas shot Honora an annoyed glare. “Thank you for coming, Mrs. Rainer.”

Andreas ushered her out. “I’ll let you know when you can claim your husband’s remains. It won’t be long. I promise you.”

“What are you planning on doing with the body?” Honora blurted out tactlessly, catching her
before she left.

“Cremation, of course.” The thing called Jane looked her right in the eye and said, “I’m going to burn it.” And Honora could have sworn she saw a flicker of glee.

15

H
onora raced out of the police station and flew back to her office. Time was not on her side. She had until Andreas released the body to get a handle on what to do about the evil creature pretending to be Jonathan Rainer’s wife. Turning his body over to her wasn’t an option. First, Honora needed to find out what kind of creature she was dealing with. Heaving the window open and hauling herself off the ledge and into her office, Honora was relieved to find Sawyer waiting for her.

“I hope you have good news for me, because events have taken a turn for the complicated.” She peeled out of her jacket and headed for the bathroom, where she kept a change of clothes. After cleaning up from the long trip, Honora grabbed some tea and a bagel from the kitchenette and plopped down behind her desk.

“I’ve got news, but you aren’t going to like it,” Sawyer said. The casebook he’d compiled from his meticulous research was spread open before her. But before she could dive in, a loud whining sound filtered in through the window, followed by some loud pops and the rumbling of a motor.

Annoyed, Sawyer glanced out the window. “Sounds like someone is strangling a cat.”

Honora immediately recognized the telltale rattle of Jenny’s less-than-stealthy hover bike. “She really needs to get that contraption tuned up.” Honora couldn’t help but smile as Jenny parked her bike out on the ledge of her office building.

“It’s illegal to park your bike there,” Honora called from her chair. She’d forgotten to close the window all the way.

“Are you going to turn me in?” Jenny dismounted and climbed inside. She took off her helmet and tossed it onto a chair. “I didn’t want anyone seeing me coming in the front. I’ve been doing surveillance, and I’m in subterfuge mode,” she said, shaking out her hair.

“Doesn’t anyone use the door around here but me?” Sawyer asked. His gaze drifted over Jenny, who was hard to ignore. She adjusted her aqua-colored jumpsuit, which made her look like a mermaid crossed with a hummingbird.

“Not too conspicuous in that outfit.” Honora tried to smile, but her brow was heavy.

“You don’t look good. What happened up north?” Jenny asked.

Honora told Jenny and Sawyer that Jonathan believed the impostor had killed his wife and infiltrated Everland through the witching wall.

Jenny’s eyes narrowed. “Damn it! She’s going to pay for what she’s done. No one messes with the witches and wizards of Everland. Coven of one!” She pumped her fist in the air.

Sawyer shook his head in disgust. “I’m in, too. Whatever I can do to help you bring the creature down, I’ll do.”

“How’s the surveillance of
Jane
been going? Did you find out anything new?” Honora asked Jenny.

“She hasn’t left her house for the past two days except to walk that dog, which in case you hadn’t noticed, despises her.” Jenny shook her head, a sneer of disgust on her face. “Dogs always know when something isn’t right. The little pup must have seen right through whatever glamor she’s using to hide her identity. But unfortunately, there’s nothing suspicious from what I can tell—no meetings or visitors.”

“Did we get the results on the blood I found in the drain back from the lab?” Honora turned to Sawyer.

“Yes, and I also had them run the talon that Jenny found. First, the blood analysis came back belonging to Jane Rainer, which at first I didn’t think was odd, seeing as it was her bathroom, and she could have easily cut herself, but after what you just told us, the blood evidence could be used in a case against the creature for killing her, since there doesn’t seem to be a body.” His brow was heavy. “Are you two ready to find out what the impostor
really
is?”

“What?” Honora asked. Her stomach tightened. She braced herself.

“The talon belonged to a ghoul,” Sawyer said. He turned the large parchment casebook around on the desk so that Honora and Jenny could get a good look. Next, he tapped his wand and uttered a spell, bringing up the data on the talon. An inky illustration of the mottled claw and detailed notes appeared on the page.

“Ghoul, yuk!” Jenny’s nose wrinkled.

“That claw gets more disgusting every time I look at it.” Honora cringed.

“Then I hate to tell you a typical ghoul has ten of them protruding from its fingers. The claws are six inches long and are used to shred flesh off the bone. In fact, ghouls are known to store parts of the body to eat later, causing a terrible
stench
.” Sawyer swallowed and continued, “Actually, ghouls primarily eat the flesh of the dead. They usually dine on corpses and are known to frequent graveyards. But you should know that if there isn’t a corpse available, they’ll kill to survive.” He tapped his wand and a grotesque ghoul image appeared on the page. Honora stared with sickened fascination.

Ghouls resembled walking corpses.
You are what you eat,
she thought. Their skin hung like melted wax covered in rot. Hooked claws splayed from their hands, but even worse than their claws were their mouths. Their mouths hung open on what looked like dislocated jaws and were filled with rows of sharp teeth embedded in black rot. Talk about poor oral hygiene.

“That’s disgusting.” Jenny reeled back and paced the office. “Spare me the gory details.”

“That’s one of the most terrible things I’ve ever heard. A ghoul killed Jane and stole her identity to get to Jonathan Rainer.” Honora had smelled a corpse in the Rainers’ home, and she had a terrible feeling that it had been the real Jane. She took a deep breath and gritted her teeth. Honora clenched her teeth. She wanted revenge, not only for Jonathan and Jane, but also for Everland—not to mention the pulsing desire she had to rid their world of that parasite.

Honora tried to remember what she’d learned about the creatures at Haven Academy, and it wasn’t much more than Sawyer had told her. Ghouls were the gravediggers of the Otherworld. Foul creatures. What was more disturbing was that Jonathan had been right—an Otherworld creature had infiltrated Everland. But why? Its motives were unclear.

“I should have known the Jane who hired me wasn’t a real witch.” Jenny sighed. “How’s she disguising herself? Where did she get the knowledge to use magic? This ghoul is using some pretty sophisticated spells to hide her true identity, and that makes it even more dangerous.”

“Flesh eaters that know how to use magic. This just keeps getting worse,” Honora said. “We still don’t know why it’s here. What could these foul beasts possibly want with Everland? We aren’t famous for our graveyards.”

Everland had a few graveyards, but many witches preferred to have their bodies burned and their ashes sealed in a box and placed in a tomb. Old lore of witches being buried upside down at a crossroad was drilled into young witches and wizards to teach them about the treacheries of the Otherworld and the old human ways. Also, witches’ bones could be used in black magic, and no one liked the idea of being dug up for nefarious means, so being taken down to ash became a preferred method of burial.
Like Jonathan Rainer will be if I don’t hurry up and figure out what the ghoul’s endgame is,
Honora mentally reminded herself.

Sawyer turned the casebook around. “But here’s what doesn’t make sense. Ghouls aren’t highly organized or ambitious. They lay in wait, living near cemeteries. They have no real reason to come here on their own.” Sawyer scanned through more information. “They are easily manipulated, have no loyalties, not even to each other, and crave flesh. Give them what they want, and they’ll do anything for more. They are devious by nature, selfish, with insatiable appetites.”

“Basically, what you’re suggesting is that it didn’t come here on its own? This ghoul Jane is working for someone else,” Jenny said. “It makes sense. Someone is pulling its strings.”

“All I know is that a ghoul would have no reason to come here if not part of a larger plan,” Sawyer said.

“But whose plan?” Jenny asked. “We’re back to the beginning.”

“Looking for a motive,” Sawyer said.

“It all comes back to the wall. We can only assume whoever is behind this scheme wants to have access to the arch. And we don’t know who’s calling the shots, so we need to start at the point of entry and retrace the ghoul’s steps,” Honora said. “Question one: How did it get through?” She drummed her fingers on her desk.

A knock sounded on the door. Sawyer shot up. A young wizard dressed in a blue uniform with a messenger bag thrown over his shoulder stood in the glass doorway. Honora waved him in. In Stargazer City, couriers were a constant because correspondence was delivered numerous times during the day. Not everyone could send messages via their trusty bird familiars.

The young wizard handed her a parchment packet with a council seal imbedded in a blob of gold wax. He tipped his cap and hurried out.

“That can’t be good, can it?” Jenny asked, eyeing the emblem.

Honora broke the seal and scanned the contents of the letter. “I’ve been summoned to a meeting with the council immediately, and you’re never going to believe who this is from—Beatrice McManus.” She tossed the letter to the desk and shook her head.

“Your
favorite
witch,” Sawyer said sarcastically. “When are you going?”

“Right now.”

“Any sordid details?” Jenny flipped her hair. “Did the self-proclaimed queen bee say what she wants?”

Honora jerked up in her chair, her eyes wide. Her heart rose to her throat. “No, but it does say that I need to come immediately, alone, and that it’s about my mother.” A nervous shudder went up Honora’s spine. Beatrice wanted her to come alone, which unfortunately meant she’d have to leave her sisters in the dark for right now. Finally, the council was going to address the biggest question in her life: What happened to Elspeth Mayhem?

It was late in the afternoon when Honora arrived at the meeting, and a guard immediately escorted her to a chamber deep in the bowels of the council building. Behind a long wooden table, Beatrice was seated in the front of the room, flanked by two other stern-faced council members. They were wearing long black robes with white collars normally saved for formal proceedings. Honora’s heart leapt when she saw Harper sitting at a side table with a large ledger and quill positioned in front of her for taking the meeting minutes. She gave Honora a small smile and a nod. A lone chair sat in front of the group. The guard took his position to the side and watched her.

“Have a seat, Ms. Mayhem,” Beatrice said and waited for Honora to join them before proceeding. “I have requested your presence because it has come to my attention that you’re involved in an investigation of Jonathan Rainer and that you located him in the North Woods. Is that correct?” A pair of horn-rimmed glasses perched on the tip of Beatrice’s nose.

Honora shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “Yes, and you also probably know that Wizard Rainer is dead. His body is in the morgue. It’s a police matter now, but I’m told it’s just a formality, and the case is considered an unfortunate accident.” Her spine stiffened. Under the glaring eye of the council, a cold sweat broke out all over her body. Lying to the council could get her private investigator license revoked, but she had to take the risk, since the traitor could be anyone. And Beatrice was not her first choice in confidants.

“That’s what I’ve been told. But that isn’t why you’re here. You’re here because the Council of Everland would like to obtain your services.” Beatrice didn’t even bat an eye.

“What? You want to hire me?” To say Honora was shocked would be an understatement. “I thought you were going to punish me or arrest me or blame me for something. But hire me? Have you lost your mind? You hate me, or did you forget?” Honora blurted out.

Harper’s eyes widened, and one of the council members cleared his throat. Beatrice turned to him. “I told you she was volatile, unpredictable, and had little respect for rules or authority.” She shifted her attention back to Honora. “But the one thing you did accomplish was finding Wizard Rainer when we could not. I can admit that you’re an effective investigator. And we need results. I’m willing to look beyond our differences and put them aside. Everland needs you.” Beatrice attempted a thin smile. Harper scribbled notes across the parchment.

“What exactly do you want me to do?” Honora arched her brow. Her instincts pulsed with suspicion.

“We know that Jonathan Rainer was in hiding from his wife. And we know that she is not his wife but a ghoul posing as her, but what we don’t know is whom the ghoul is working for or if there are more Otherworlders in our world. Your job will be to find out. The wall has been breached. We suspect the Travelers Program is to blame. There is a traitor among us. You must find him or her and rid Everland of this parasite.”

The room grew deathly quiet. The council didn’t know much more than she did. Honora’s stomach sank. They must be seriously desperate if they were coming to her. She didn’t know if she should be flattered or terrified. Both, perhaps.

Then her eyes narrowed.
The Travelers Program.

Beatrice sensed her hesitation and continued her pitch. “Working for the council at a time of national security is your civic duty, and I would expect any upstanding witch to comply, but I understand you have a business and are a professional, so though I personally don’t agree, the council has decided that you will be paid handsomely for your efforts. But only if you succeed, of course.”

Money? Did they really think I’m that shallow?
Honora remained calm and quiet. There was no way she was going to tell them that Jonathan was still alive. Not until she knew more. Sawyer would freak out if he knew she was about to take a job with the council. But truth be told, she needed their information if she was going to get any farther in the case.