He quietly studied his memory. “I guess I didn’t notice anything. Her tattoo was wrapped, but that was it.”
“Exactly my point. The Bailey girl was bound, tattooed, strangled, and stabbed from head to toe. But this time the victim wakes up three days later with only a tattoo as evidence of anything happening. They made sure she would only be hurt long enough for us to believe she wasn’t involved. They got us chasing our damn tails.” He shoved open the door and squinted as he stepped into the sunlight.
“But what reason did Eva have to kill her? We still haven’t found a connection between the two of them.”
“Maybe they were going after the same guy, or maybe Eva just didn’t like the way she was looking at her.”
“Yeah, I guess,” James said with a sigh.
“Don’t you get it? Eva was laughing because of how far off our investigation is. It’s been him and her together this whole time, and she thinks it’s funny that we’ve missed it.” Schilling pressed the key fob and the car chirped.
“But what about the mom’s boyfriend?” James asked, circling to the passenger side. “He just vanished. You think they had reason to get rid of him too?”
“Maybe, if he got in the way. Right now, I don’t care about motive. We need to find this Alek No-Last-Name phantom, and I want to bring Eva in and talk to her as a suspect, not a victim.”
? ? ?
“So, what you’re telling us is that you’re from a mythological place where souls go to spend eternity when they’ve been damned to hell?” Bridget pressed her code into the keypad attached to her door, and the deadbolt whirred to life. “At least I know you’ll be there as eye candy when I’m sent to the fiery pit.”
“What I speak of is not myth, nor is it a fiery pit. It’s beautiful.” Alek’s smile faded. “Or it was before the curse.”
“Ooh, a curse? Tell me more,” Bridget said, holding the door open for them to enter.
“It weakened Tartarus, almost killed it, and made it possible for the creatures it jailed to escape to your realm.”
“Don’t encourage him, Bridget. At least not until he tells us something useful.” Eva sat on the arm of the couch with her back to Alek. “Do you have your phone? We should listen to that message from my mom.”
She searched her pockets and emptied her bag on the floor. “Crap, I must have left it in the car.” She picked up her keys and paused in the doorway. “Don’t say another word until I get back. I want to hear all about this curse.” The door closed, and the keypad beeped a few times before locking.
“The curse, that’s how Alastor was able to free himself and kill you.”
Eva closed her eyes against the rising memories.
“You remember, don’t you?” Alek asked, lowering himself onto the velvet armchair across from her. “Now you have proof that what I say is true.”
She shrugged. “Maybe I’m starting to believe some things, but you’re way off about him killing me. I’m still very much alive.”
“Part of you died that night. You did not leave that basement the same woman as when you went down. You now have the power to heal yourself. Who knows what other power you possess? You must feel the changes.”
Eva’s gaze searched the floor for answers. “I feel different. But—”
A buzzer interrupted their conversation.
Alek shot to his feet. Eva rolled her eyes. “Calm down, it’s just Bridget.”
“Why would Bridget call her own apartment?”
“She’s being lazy. She enters a code to get in. She doesn’t even have a key.” Eva walked toward the door.
“Wait, it’s not safe. I will go,” he said, jumping in front of her.
“I’ve got it. It’s fine. No one knows we’re here. If it’s not Bridget it’s one of her neighbors’ friends. We buzz people in all the time.”
“What if it’s the people chasing you?”
“No. One. Knows. We’re. Here. And I’m not sure if anyone is really chasing me. But if they are, I don’t need your help. I’m a big girl.” She stepped around him and pressed the video monitor by the door. “Oh my God.”
“Who is it?” Alek rushed to her side. His muscles tensed, and Eva’s eyes wandered over the tight ripples in his T-shirt.
“It’s the cops,” she said, pulling her attention back to the door.
“Bridget, you there? It’s Detectives Graham and Schilling. We just have a few questions to ask you.” James shouted before buzzing again. The loud noise made Eva jump.
“You no longer have to be afraid,” Alek spoke quietly and placed his hand on her shoulder.
“It just startled me, that’s all.”
“I will keep you safe.”
Her gaze met his, and she relaxed for the first time since waking up in the hospital. “I know.” Her eyes fell to his amulet. The silver-wrapped crystal pulsed a brilliant amber. “That stone. I remember it from in Bill’s house, with Alastor. And from my dream.”
“It is the last pure piece of my home and how I’m able to travel between realms.”