for someone with a grudge against Stella Mae Ragel or one of the band members.
“I know it does not need to be said, but we talk to no one outside this unit, and we guard our words anywhere we might be overheard. The media is everywhere, following LEOs, sneaking onto the property, trying to get inside to take photographs of Stella Mae.”
“Worse,” JoJo said. “Turn on your TVs. The media just posted breaking news, based on unnamed sources close to the case, that Catriona Doyle will be charged for the murders. Dollars to donuts the feeb, Smythe, released the info.”
Occam turned on the set and we watched the news scrolling by on CNN and then on Fox. They were both naming Catriona Doyle as a suspect in the deaths and showing aerial footage of the investigation at the farm.
Without taking his eyes from the screen, FireWind said, “Ingram, I need you to go back to the farm and read the land. I had hoped to wait until tomorrow, but, with this”—he gestured to the TV—“I want it done tonight, not in the daytime when the drones might take footage of you. Since nothing reads specific on the psy-meter, I want you to see if you can tell what the death and decay energies are, whether it’s speeded-up natural progression or a witch curse or even something else.” He hesitated and I thought he might say more about the “something else,” but he didn’t. “If possible, I’d like you to determine how it got onto the property: via the drive, the front door, the back door, or a trail in.” He looked at me. “You were able to determine that with the salamanders, yes?”
FireWind was talking about the things that had nearly killed LaFleur and had killed Occam. I could discern their passage over the land when I read it. “I can try,” I said, hesitant. Every time I used my gift of reading the land deeply, I risked losing myself in it and becoming more plant. I had been practicing at Soulwood, and I had gained a little control over reading and the unintended results, but I still couldn’t read the earth for more than a few minutes at a time or I set down roots. Literally.
I didn’t want to be a tree again. I liked being human.
“We know that three reporters made it from the connecting road overland to the house,” FireWind said. “I want you to rule out anything you can, tonight. Tomorrow, after you get some sleep, I want you back at HQ to help Jones on the deep backgrounds.”
Deadly danger, followed by paperwork and scut work, I thought. With new probie Margot gone, research fell back to me. Worse, I’d have to face my sisters sooner than later. I held in a resigned sigh.
“I know you are trying to locate the Blood Tarot deck, but put that on the back burner.” As if he thought that was why I was hesitating, he added, “The Blood Tarot is a vital piece of evidence from the last case, and when this is wrapped up, you can return to it. Or sooner if we receive evidence that it’s being used in blood magic.”
T. Laine said, “Nell can’t read the earth alone.”
I looked down at my laptop. I didn’t like it stated quite so baldly, but it was the truth.
“Ah. As we are several days out from the full moon,” FireWind said, “I’d like Occam to go with her.”
“I can do that,” Occam said.
FireWind met T. Laine’s eyes. “If this meets with your approval.”
T. Laine flushed faintly but nodded.
“A few final, unrelated particulars before we dismiss,” he said. “Jones. Originally, the third floor was intended to be set up for a PsyCSI lab, but the engineers say the equipment needs to be on a concrete slab on a ground floor to protect it from magical energy interference and to provide weight bearing for heavy equipment, so the lab will be elsewhere, though close by HQ. Within a few months, we will no longer have to transport in crime scene techs and transport out all testing. HQ’s third floor will eventually become the expanded regional administration offices of PsyLED under my direction, and my office will be moved upstairs as soon as construction is complete. Unit Eighteen will continue to be run by Rick LaFleur and Jones, with Jones also responsible for setting up IT for the regional office and meshing the system with the national office systems. Jones, congratulations. You