My head was pounding. Probably from the mix of exhaustion, expending too much magic too many days in a row, and the frequent rushes of adrenaline that had been flooding my system. I dipped my head, burying my face in my hands as I rubbed my eyes and temples.
If I went to the bridge, I’d be walking into a trap. But what happens to Holly if I don’t? I needed some sort of backup.
An edge. But what did I have? A dagger and a six-pound dog. Maybe a ghost if he popped around.
I wished I knew how to contact Falin. Not that he was likely to agree to my going to that bridge. Digging my phone out of my purse, I cal ed Information, but, of course, Falin had no listed number. I briefly considered trying to cal the local FIB branch. If anyone knew how to reach him, it would be the FIB. But, one, they probably wouldn’t give me a number even if they had one, and two, with my luck they’d figure out who was asking and trace the cal . Wards that protected me from being tracked did little good if I let technology pinpoint my location.
I continued to pace. If I went to that bridge alone, there was no guarantee that whoever had Hol y would release her. I had to go to the police. I cal ed John.
He answered on the second ring. “Alex? Girl, where are you? Actual y, don’t answer that. I don’t want to know. Did you know the FIB has a warrant out for your arrest?”
“Yeah. It’s . . . complicated.”
“You keep using that word. What the hel is going on?
You’re working for the FIB. Then Andrews shows up, causes a scene, drags you out of the station, and an hour later I find out a warrant’s been issued.”
I cringed. John was my friend, but he was a cop first, and I cringed. John was my friend, but he was a cop first, and I knew I wasn’t instil ing a lot of confidence. I could almost hear him thinking that he was going to have to report the fact that I’d contacted him. I took a deep breath. “I wasn’t ever working for the FIB, but I think I’m sort of, accidental y, involved with Falin. I had no authority to be on your crime scene.”
The line was silent a moment longer. Then a low chuckle rumbled over the phone. “Accidental y involved? Only you, Al,” he said, apparently forgiving me for the trespassing without a word. “You have broken more of my boys’ hearts after a one-night stand than I can even guess, and then you end up ‘accidental y’ dating the biggest asshole to ever walk through this place. You’re right. That’s complicated.”
By “boys” he meant cops. I had a bit of a reputation at the station, so I let John have the laugh at my expense. I knew the next thing he would say would be on a more somber note.
“So tel me what you did to piss off the FIB. It has to be more than trespassing on the crime scene. The warrant is sealed. Al anyone around here knows is that you are to be detained and turned over to the FIB.”
“It’s bul shit. The reason they’re after me is tied in with the fact that I can see through glamour.” Which was true—it was just that the reason I could see through glamour was because I could peer across realities. I wasn’t going to share that detail with anyone, though, not even John.
Folklore was ful of stories about mortals being struck blind because they could see through glamour, so my ability to See was reason enough for John to believe the FIB would take an interest. “And, John, their timing sucks.”
I told him an abbreviated version of Hol y’s kidnapping, the most recent construct attack, and the meeting at the bridge tonight. I left out the bits about independent fae getting spirited away to Faerie, the constructs being fueled by souls, and my theories involving the reaper.
“Damn,” John whispered when I finished. He and Hol y
“Damn,” John whispered when I finished. He and Hol y weren’t terribly close friends, but as an assistant district attorney and a homicide detective, they had worked more than a few cases together.
“So what do I do?”
“You need to file a missing-person report. As there’s a ransom note, it’s clearly an abduction.” He paused.
“Actual y, let me take care of that. You can’t walk into a station while the FIB is looking for you.” His chair squeaked again and I could tel he was pacing. Wel , so was I. After a moment he said, “The detectives in charge of missing-persons inquiries wil cast a tracking spel , though I have to warn you that most kidnappers are smart enough to hide victims behind wards, so there probably won’t be a quick solution. The detectives in charge wil also likely try to make contact with the kidnapper. That wil probably be hard since you’re in hiding, but they wil try to buy time and get the kidnapper’s demands.”
“We already know what they want.”
“Alex, you can’t go to that bridge. This isn’t a money drop that can be done quietly and hope for the best. Whoever this is wants you for her, and it’s not like you’ve had any confirmation she’s even stil alive.”