“The morgue?”
“No.”
“Carter?”
“Remember the cases and the lack of evidence? Well, this incident has a very lively clue.”
Is he telling me there’s a witness?
“I’m on my way, Carter.”
“Call me when you arrive.”
“What happened?” Sacha asks.
“I think we got a break in the cases. It sounds like there might be a witness at the hospital.” I look at Cristobal.“We have to follow this lead.”
Things remain off between us. The critical situation hasn’t allowed us time to talk anything out.
“Go with them, Marcellus.”
I don’t bother protesting. I’ve grown used to the vamp’s presence, and there’s no time to waste.
Driven by an intense sense of urgency, I rush for the front door with the duo behind me.
“I’ll drive,” Marcellus says. My phone chimes.
“Works for me.”
He chops the thirty-minute drive in half, and I text Carter to meet us. I powerwalk my way over to the entrance when I spot the familiar redhead emerge. Carter observes Marcellus.
“Good, you brought back up. You’ll need them to get inside.”
“Are you going to fill me in?”
“Officers were called in on a case today. A body was dumped in a church. The man was flayed alive.”
“Jesus Christ.”
“He must’ve been involved because when they arrived on the scene, they discovered he wasn’t quite dead. I don’t need to tell you how improbable that is. The blood loss and the shock from having so many nerve endings essentially shredded should’ve killed him long before they got there.”
“You suspect magic?”
“Has to be. I’m here unofficially, so my ability to help is slim to none today.”
“The tip-off is plenty of help, Carter. Thank you.”
“Anytime. The man’s in Room 415.”
I pat his shoulder. “We’ll take it from here.”
“If he’s being kept alive by magic—”
“I’ll put him out of his misery,” I promise.
“That’s good.” He walks away, clearly disturbed by the case.
“I’m going to need your special skills of persuasion, Marcellus. I’ll handle the blending in and not being noticed once you distract the woman at the front desk on the floor.”