Pretty Witches All in a Row (7 page)

“We’re back to that again?  Or have you guys been talking about nothing else since I left?”   

“No, we’ve had plenty to chat about.  Can you think of anyone in the circle that wasn’t there that night?”

“No, we were all there; it was on the summer solstice,” Annaliese replied as if that explained everything.

“So Sera Ryan, she’s part of the coven as well?” Nick pressed, pen hovering over the notepad as he waited with bated breath for their reply.

“Seraphine? You could say that, she’s been bucking for head cheerleader ever since we let her onto the squad,” Rose smirked.   

“Rose…” Annaliese’s tone was low but chastising. 

“What?  He already knows,” Rose waved off her objection.  “Don’t you?” 

He sure did now.  “I did, yes,” he returned glibly, trying for an earnest expression on his face.  It was all he could do now to stand in one place long enough to say goodbye, his feet were itching to get on the move and ask Seraphine a few follow up questions.  Namely… why had she lied to him about her relationship with the deceased?

“Ladies, I thank you for your time, I appreciate the cooperation.”  Fishing out another business card, he held it out for Rose.  “Please, don’t hesitate to call me if you have anything else you’d like to add.”

“I will,” Rose replied half heartedly, taking the card and slipping it into her pocket. 

“You’re off then, are you?” Annaliese asked, a note of disappointment in her voice, or maybe he was imagining it.

“Yep, a cop’s job is never done.  At least until we catch the bad guy,” he winked at her.  

“Hey, we were thinking… you must think the fire wasn’t accidental if you’re investigating it, right?” 

“We’re keeping all of our options open at the moment,” Nick replied, already slowly backing towards the door.  “I have to be going now though, nice to have met you Rose, and you too Feather.”  He waved at the other girl as he passed her on the way to the door.

Gibson’s feet fairly flew down the steps once he was outside, already debating whether or not it would be more effective to show up unannounced at Sera’s work again or if he should have her picked up and brought down to the station for questioning.  Maybe that would damage her composure enough for her to start coughing up some real answers.

He had just reached his car when Annaliese burst forth from the shop, “Detective?  I mean, Sergeant?” she called out, flagging him down.

“Yeah?” 

“Do you think Skye’s death could have been related to the other fire?” Annaliese asked breathlessly, catching up to him.

Nick could feel the dumb looking stare on his face, but it still took him a couple of moments to form words.  “What other fire?”

It was her turn to look dumbstruck.  “You’re not investigating the other fire?” she gasped.  “I would have thought that would be one of the first things you checked out.”

“What other fire are you referring to?”  He hated sounding clueless, but better to sound that way to her than to his Captain.

“About a month ago, there was a fire at Zoe’s place.  Her whole house burnt to the ground with her in it. 

“And you didn’t think to mention this before?” 

“I had no idea Skye had died in a fire until Rose mentioned it, you weren’t exactly a bundle of information this morning.  When Zoe died, we thought at the time it was accidental, that’s what the fire department said anyway, but now…”

“But now it’s time to take another look.  This was Zoe… ah…” he searched his notepad for mention of her name.  “Zoe Phillips, also from your coven?”

Annaliese nodded.

“Annie, I could kiss you,” Nick grinned, feeling as though they were finally making some progress.  He wasn’t sure what picture the puzzle was going to look like yet but at least they were uncovering some of the pieces.    “I’ve gotta go.”  Clicking on the car’s remote, he unlocked the door and swung it open.

“Wait a sec...” she chased around to the driver’s side door.  “Here, I have something for you.”  Annaliese thrust something into his hand before he had a chance to slam the door shut. 

Opening his hand, Nick studied the trinket.  It was a smooth brown cabochon pendant on a silver chain.  The stone had been set in silver with an overlay of a stylized eye.  “What’s this?” he asked, holding it up.

“It’s tiger’s eye for protection, and that’s the Eye of Horus, it’ll keep you safe.”  She gave him an almost shy smile as she explained.  “I know you don’t believe in any of this stuff, but it’ll make me feel better if you keep it with you.”

At a loss for words, he closed his hand around it, returning her smile.  “Thank you, that’s real nice of you, Annaliese.  I’ll hang on to it,” he promised.

Her relief was noticeable and she stepped away from the car.  “Have a nice day, Detective.”

“Sergeant,” he corrected automatically.

“Whatever,” she smiled widely, making her way back to the porch as he drove away, flanked by Rose and Feather who came to stand by her side. 

“He’s got a good aura, sorta purpley with gold sparks,” Feather commented.  “I bet he finds out who did it.”

“He’s got a cute ass,” Annaliese smiled, teeth catching her lower lip as she watched him leave.

Rose turned to watch Annaliese watching the departing detective.  “Did you see his reaction when we mentioned Seraphine?  She isn’t going to like this,” she murmured. 

“That’s her problem,” Anna sighed. 

* * *

Nick’s voice was jubilant as he placed the call, already having decided to head back to the precinct.  “I need you to pick up one Seraphine Ryan and bring her down to the station for questioning.  Take Brady with you, flash your badges around her office, make as much of a spectacle as you like, but there’s no need to lead her out of there in cuffs unless she puts up a fuss.”

If Park was surprised by the edict she gave no sign of it.  “Are we charging her?”

“No, not yet.  It’s just a friendly conversation, but this time it’ll be on our turf.  Oh, and call Hicks, we need to get the wheels turning to get a body exhumed.  Zoe Phillips.”  He spelled it for her.  “And get your hands on everything in connection to the investigation of that house fire, about a month ago.”

“Another fire?”  This time she couldn’t help the surprise in her voice. 

“Yep, another one.  Things are starting to break Shellybelly, I can feel it.”  He could practically feel her icy stare at that nickname, but was in too good of a mood to care.

“Yes Sir,” Park replied succinctly.  “Anything else?”

“Ten bucks says she cries.”

* * *

Nick stood outside the interrogation room watching Seraphine Ryan through the two way mirror.  She looked unruffled, as though there was nothing amiss.  He had to admit, under the harsh fluorescent lighting she seemed a little hard.  The line of her jaw too sharp, the arch of her brow too severe, her dark eyes cold and fathomless, devoid of emotion.   

Inwardly he replayed their earlier conversation over and over in his head.  He’d been so distracted by her beauty; dazzled by the throaty timbre of her voice, he hadn’t paid enough attention to what she hadn’t said.  It was almost tempting to let Park or Brady in there to question her so he could sit back and observe objectively, but the need to confront her was too strong; he wanted to be the one to break her.

Envelope tucked under his arm, Gibson strode into the interrogation room, throwing the door open and taking a perverse satisfaction when he saw her startle for just a moment before she recovered.  “Miss Ryan.”  Nick remained standing, forcing her to look up at him. 

“Sergeant Gibson.  I assume you have a good reason to call me away from my office without notice?” she replied in an even tone, her mask firmly back in place. 

Nick watched her for a long moment, debating with himself how best to broach the subject.  His natural inclination was to play the charmer; it went well with his natural disposition.  As he stared down into her beautiful face, the desire to put a notch in that armor overtook that tendency and he decided to go with it.

“You lied to me,” he accused in a cold tone, eyes devoid of their usual playful glint.  “Do you know what obstruction is?  That’s when you deliberately give false information in a criminal case.  You go to prison for it.”

“How very dramatic, Sergeant,” Sera replied blandly, unwilling to rise to the bait.   “Can you be a little more specific in your accusation?”

“I’m not fucking around with you, Seraphine,” he growled, slapping down the first picture of Skye smiling into the camera, flowers in her hair.  “When was the last time you saw her?”

Seraphine flinched slightly, swallowing before she answered.  “I told you; I don’t remember exactly, it’s been some time since she worked for Naturelle Organics…”

“Bullshit you don’t remember.  Or is this the last time you saw her?”  Nick slapped down the next picture, one of the burned corpse; pushing it towards her.  Turning away with a slight cry, Sera’s brow crumpled in distress.  Pressing his advantage now that he’d gotten a reaction from her, he slid the picture back into her field of vision.  “Are you gonna tell me again how you barely knew her?  Word is you knew her very well, some might say close enough to be sisters, isn’t that what you call it when you witches are from the same coven?  Sisters?”

Stricken, she tried to look everywhere but at that photo, her eyes locking with his.  “Alright, yes I knew her better than I let on, but I didn’t have anything to do with what happened to her.  Didn’t she die in a fire?”

“Just like Zoe here.”  Gibson withdrew the next shot of a girl with long brown hair, eyes fixed on a distant point off camera, giving her an almost melancholy look.  “Are you going to tell me you didn’t know her either?”

Sera looked up in what appeared to be genuine surprise.  “Are you saying that their deaths are related?” 

“You tell me,” he replied, leaning back against the wall, arms folded.

“You don’t seriously think I had anything to do with any of this, just because I downplayed my friendship with Skye, do you?”

“No, of course not.  I always believe people who lie to me; it really builds those bonds of trust,” Nick returned sarcastically.  “Why did you lie, Sera?  You had to know it would come out sooner or later, you share too many of the same friends.”

Seraphine reached for a glass of water, ostensibly because she was thirsty, but Nick recognized it as a ploy to buy herself some time to formulate a response.  “You have to understand, for a woman in my position, maintaining a line between my professional life and my personal life is essential.” 

“Especially when your personal life is so… controversial?” 

“Exactly.  You must believe me; if I thought it could possibly have any bearing on your investigation at all, I would have told you.”

“It’s not up to you to make that call, Seraphine.  It’s my job to determine what is and isn’t relevant.  Withholding evidence is serious business.”  Nick watched as a change came over her, the stricken look vanished; instead an almost playful glint came into her eyes.

“Oh come now Sergeant Gibson, it’s hardly a hanging offense is it?  I wasn’t as forthcoming about our friendship as I could have been.  You can’t blame a girl for keeping some secrets,” a smile curved her lips.

“I can when it interferes with my investigation,” he replied, refusing to respond to the power of that smile.  “Where were you between the hours of eleven PM and two AM last night?”  Nick leaned forward against the table, looming over her.

“Am I a suspect in this investigation?” 

“Answer the question, no more lies.” 

Seraphine leaned back, crossing her legs.  “I’d like to have my lawyer present before I answer any more questions,” she replied coolly. 

“Only the guilty ask for a lawyer.” 

“I think this interview is at an end.”  Sera rose, smoothing down her skirt.

Nick intercepted her, blocking the path to the door.  “Why don’t you make this easier on yourself and answer my question?  If you’re not guilty then what do you have to worry about?”

“Either charge me and let me call my lawyer, or get out of my way.  Either way, I’ve said all I intend to say,” Seraphine returned, fixing those dark eyes on him.

If looks could kill...
  “Alright, you’re free to go.”  Nick stepped aside.  “But thanks for stopping by, it was very illuminating.”  He fixed her with a smug smile, taking an inordinate amount of pleasure from the flicker of doubt that registered in her lovely eyes at his tone.  Damn, he was gonna owe Park ten bucks…

Chapter Four

Hours later found Nick poring over the same information, looking for something he might have missed.  His eyes were drawn back to the white board which held the picture of the other girl to have died in a fire, Zoe. 

There was precious little information in the investigative report into her death.  Twenty-six, five foot eleven inches tall, long medium brown hair, brown eyes, Caucasian.  She’d lived alone in the house that burnt down and she’d purchased it two years ago on her own.  She worked for a local company that specialized in environmental science as an engineer.  There wasn’t any information on her personal finances yet, but he imagined she must have been pulling in a pretty decent salary to afford the house all by herself.   

Once the fire had been ruled accidental there hadn’t been so much as a single interview with her friends and family.  Just like Skye’s fire, there was no trace of accelerants to be found; the cause an overabundance of unattended candles.  The only difference being with no neighbors close by, Zoe’s house burned nearly to the ground by the time the authorities responded, obliterating most of the physical evidence. 

Nick stared into the girl’s dark eyes…  Had she been murdered along with her coven member?  Or was it an incredible coincidence?  Odds were there had to be a connection, someone who wanted both girls dead for reasons that might only make sense to the killer.  But in his experience, it usually boiled down to the basest of motivations; love or money.  Love and hate were opposite sides of the same coin, wrapped up in jealousy and envy; it was all related once you understood their motivation.  Money was just as powerful, whether it was a case of not enough or too much is never enough; it never ceased to amaze him what people would do for a few bucks.