Proven Guilty (The Dresden Files #8) - Jim Butcher Page 0,72

I was making the call alone, hed definitely be our asshole. Hes got all the earmarks.

If hes the guy, hes out of my reach, she said. Hes got a hair-trigger attorney and has already spoken to Greene and Rick. Any police pressure I brought against him would be harassment. Greene wont act on my suspicions.

Well, I said. Good thing Im not Greene.

* * *

Chapter Twenty-two

禄 ^ 芦

Murphy and I walked around the hotel, and as we did I popped open a fresh can of blue Play-Doh. At the corners of major intersections and at the exterior exits, I pinched off bits and plunked them down on top of the molding over doorways, inside flowerpots, inside fire extinguisher cabinets, and anywhere else where they wouldnt be easily or immediately noticed. I made sure to leave plenty of them in unnoticed little spots along the hallways chiefly in use for the convention, especially Dutside the rooms that the schedule designated as showing films as evening approached.

What are we doing again? Murphy asked.

Setting up a spell, I said.

With Play-Doh.

Yes.

She gave me a level look.

I shook out the can that still had most of the original material in it, and showed it to her. The little pieces Ive been leaving around are part of this piece. See?

Not yet, she said.

They used to be one piece. Even when theyre separated, they still have a thaumaturgical connection to the original, I told her. It means that I'll be able to use the big piece to reach out and connect to the little pieces.

Thats what you meant by a web?

Yes. Ill be able tohellip; I twisted up my face, searching for the words to explain. I can extend energy out to all the smaller pieces. Ill set it up so that if one of the little pieces picks up on a disturbance of the energies, Ill be able to feel it through the larger piece.

Likehellip; seismographs, sort of, Murphy said.

Yeah, I said. And we use blue Play-Doh. Blue for defense.

She arched a brow at me. Does the color really matter?

Yes, I said, then thought about it for a second. Well, probably no. But yes, for me.

Huh?

A lot of the use of magic is all tied up with your emotions. With what you believe is real. When I was younger, I learned a lot of stuff, like the role of colors in the casting of spells. Green for fertility and prosperity, red for passion and energy, white for purity, black for vengeance, and so on. It could be that the color doesnt matter at allbut if I expect the spell to work because of the color used, then that color is important. If I dont believe in it, the spell wont ever get off the ground.

Like Dumbos magic feather? Murphy asked. It was his confidence that was really important?

Yes, I said. The feather was just a symbolbut it was an important symbol.

I gestured with the can. So I use blue, because I dont have to do too much introspection, and I dont introduce new doubts in a crisis situation. And because it was cheap at Wal-Mart.

Murphy laughed. Wal-Mart, huh?

Wizarding doesnt pay much, I said. Youd be surprised how much stuff I get from Wal-Mart. I checked a clock on the wall. Weve got about two hours before the first movie starts showing.

She nodded. What do you need?

A quiet space to work in, I told her. At least six or seven feet across. The more private and secure, the better. Ive got to assume that the bad guy knows Im around here somewhere. I dont want to get a machete in the back when Im busy running the spell.

How long do you need to set it up?

I shrugged. Twenty minutes, give or take. What Im really concerned about is

Mister Dresden! called a voice from across the crowded convention hallway. I looked up to see Sandra Marling hurrying through the crowd toward me. The conventions chairwoman looked exhausted and too nervous to be awake, much less standing, much less politely pushing her way through a crowd, but she did it anyway. She still wore the same black T-shirt with the red SplatterCon!!! logo on it, presumably the same Id seen her in the night before.

Ms. Marling, I said, nodding to her as she approached. Good afternoon.

She shook her head wearily. Im suchhellip; this is such an enormous amount ofhellip; but I dont know who else I can turn to about this. Her words failed her, and she started trembling with