seemed to be paying any attention to what was going on in the street.
Interestingly, the air closer to town was thick with the musk of wolf. There were a lot of us here, and it made me wonder if Dunedan was a werewolf community. It was certainly remote enough - although it was unusual for such a community to also be a tourist destination.
I swung into a street just before the police station and headed for the paddock from the other side. There were fewer houses here, meaning less chance of being seen.
I slowed once I hit the grass. The thick scent of blood had faded - not surprising, given twenty-four hours had passed.
Yellow-and-black police tape fluttered in the slight breeze and I wondered if the body would be transferred elsewhere for the postmortem. If Dunedan was so small that the local doctor acted as coroner in an emergency, then I doubted they'd have a proper morgue. In fact, even the cops might have to call in specialists. They surely wouldn't have had to cope with many murder investigations in a community this size.
I ducked under the tape and stopped just inside the trees. I didn't want to disturb the murder scene any more than necessary and, besides, I really didn't need to go close to where the victim had died to feel his soul.
I could feel it from here.
I couldn't actually see him, but that really didn't matter. He was here. The thick chill said as much, as did the energy flowing from me, building in the air, giving him strength and sapping mine.
I had no idea of his name, so I simply said, "Why do you linger?"
Why was I murdered? I came here to start a new life, not have it ended.
His words were angry and his fury filled me, roaring through my body like a wave. But his statement sent a sliver of alarm through me. I'd heard a similar complaint once before ...
But where?
"What is your name?"
As I asked the question, awareness washed over me. I was no longer alone in the strand of trees - and the thick scent of warm spices mingled with sweat said it was Harris. I internally cursed my luck, and hoped like hell he let me finish questioning the dead man's soul.
Marcus. Marcus Landsbury.
Which wasn't a name that seemed even remotely familiar.
"How did you end up in this field, Marcus?"
I don't know. One moment I was walking home, the next I'm here, unable to move or talk, and some bastard is cutting my tackle off.
"So you saw him?"
No. He was wearing some sort of costume.
A sense of deja vu ran though me. I'd heard this before, even if I couldn't remember where.
"What sort of costume?"
A red devil mask. It had horns. He hesitated. I swear he had cloven hooves, as well.
Again that sense of familiarity. "Is there anything else you can tell me about him? Was he big? Small? Fat or thin?"
He was on the small side, but strong - really strong. He had to be, didn't he, because I'm not exactly small. He had broad shoulders and big arms, though. Moved efficiently, like it was a job, nothing more.
Meaning it could have been a professional hit. Especially given they'd probably used some form of immobilizer to take him down so quickly. Things like that weren't available over the counter - though easily enough gotten on the black market.
And just how would I know something like that?
I rubbed my left temple wearily. Energy continued to flow away from me, and the pain slithering through my brain was increasing. "And what did you do, Marcus, that warranted being slaughtered in such a fashion?"
I've done my time. It doesn't matter. The words were angry, ricocheting around my head as sharp as nails.
I winced, blinking back tears. "It obviously matters to someone, Marcus, or you wouldn't have been killed in the manner you were."
He was sucking at my energy like a man possessed, and my knees were threatening to buckle under the strain. I tried locking them, but knew I'd have to end this soon, answers or not.
It shouldn't matter. Damn it, it was a long time ago!
Well, someone obviously hadn't forgotten. "Tell me what you did."
Why? What fucking good does it do now?
"I guess that depends on whether you want to stay here haunting this scrawny patch of trees, or move on."
The energy was draining at a faster rate now, and my head was beginning to ache fiercely. My knees suddenly unlocked,