fist-bumped the air.
“We are a team. And we’re going to be the winning team. I promise you.” She linked arms with him, and they went inside together.
Chapter Twenty-Four – Caleb
“The guy Oscar suspects, Reginald Barnes, was behind our parents’ murder was released from prison three months ago.” Aiden glanced at Caleb and then at Zara.
“Which means he could be the person who is stalking Zara?” Karros tensed his jaw and made his hands into fists.
He has the protective nature of a shifter, Caleb’s bear said.
He does. Let’s hope he never has to fight to protect her.
“It’s possible. At least it’s possible that he is paying someone to stalk Zara. He’s not in good physical shape from what Oscar heard from one of his old colleagues. Certainly not healthy enough to walk all over these mountains.” Aiden sighed. “Which means we either stay here and try to flush him out or we take Zara back to Wishing Moon Bay and see what other information Oscar can come up with.”
“You want me to run away?” Zara asked. “What about our aunt and uncle? They might not be safe. If I leave, whoever is watching me might hurt them to get back at me if I run.”
“True.” Caleb shook his head. “There’s no right answer here.”
“Oscar has also started working on our case.” He pointed to Caleb. “Since we went there with Flora, he’s been trying to figure out who took us.”
“He has?” Caleb asked. “I thought he gave you all the information he had in the file.”
“He has managed to get hold of the original file.” Aiden poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down at the table. “He’s gone through it thoroughly.”
“And?” Caleb sensed his brother was holding something back.
“He is chasing a lead now. But he’s not overly optimistic.” Aiden inhaled deeply. “However, there is some evidence he’s trying to get hold of. Something that we might be able to use for a location spell.”
“A location spell?” Zara asked.
“Yes, if we have something that belongs to a person, it’s possible to locate them,” Karros explained.
“Just like that.” Zara snapped her fingers.
“Not exactly. It takes magic.” Elise looked down at her hands. “The fae can do them but our magic is not as powerful as that of the witches.”
“Does Oscar have any evidence that our kidnapping and the murder of our parents are related?” Caleb asked. “I don’t want us getting off track and following a lead that is worthless.”
“He has never found a connection. That doesn’t mean one doesn’t exist.” Aiden raked his hands through his hair. “If only we could remember what happened.” He tapped the side of his head in frustration. “We were there. We were old enough to remember so why don’t we?”
“Vampire?” Elise offered as an explanation.
“No.” Caleb shook his head. “We think we just blocked it all out. We even forgot we had a sister.”
“Well, there is one thing we could try.” Elise glanced nervously at Karros who stared at her, his brows knitted together.
Whatever it is, Karros doesn’t seem very happy about it, Caleb’s bear said.
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea.” Karros crossed his arms over his body as he leaned against the doorframe. “There might be a good reason you buried your memories.”
“Whatever it is, we’d like to hear it. Then we can decide.” Aiden closed in on Karros.
“I agree.” Caleb slipped his arm around Elise who looked down at her feet for several moments.
She’s trying to decide whether to tell us or not, his bear said.
“Please, Elise. We’d like to hear your idea. Give us the chance to decide whether we act on what you have to say or not.” He pulled her toward him.
“Okay, our Grandma Hannah is a wise woman of the wildwood, she lives and breathes that place.” Elise swallowed hard. “She believes that everything is connected. Like a web.” She paused. “She believes that if you can link to that web then you can access any memory. All you have to do is enter the right state of mind, it’s like a dream walk.”
“Any memory?” Caleb asked.
“Any memory in here.” Elise cupped his face in her hands. “You never forget anything, you just store it away. The things that we don’t need to remember, like what you had for breakfast when you were five, are stored there in the same way that traumatic experiences that we have chosen to forget are stored there, too. But it’s possible to access those memories when you dream walk.