Chapter 23

Chapter

Twenty-Three

FLYNN

I f I had known I'd be poking a half-putrefied body today, I'd have worn different clothes.

After Set informed us of the state of the dead werewolf, we came down to the basement immediately. The Drususes definitely have all they need to do pretty much anything down here. You'd imagine a witch's basement as decaying and scary. This is filled with modern technology and modern furniture. There is a second kitchen, and instead of an island, there's a big metal table illuminated with fluorescent lights. Scott's body lies on it.

"Fuck, he smells terrible," I state, walking a few steps backward, my senses running wild.

Asmodeus is quick to reply, "I mean, he is dead."

"Why wasn't he kept in a freezer?"

"Oh, he was," Set says, rubbing his forearm against his nose. "And I've used I don't know how many potions to stop the process."

"Strange."

"Did you guys know him?"

"No, I think only Talulla did," Asmodeus remarks, slipping the latex gloves off and throwing them into the garbage.

"Someone is clearly trying to cover their tracks." Someone like Monica, and even if I understand why she wants to keep herself out of the equation, we all know she's right at the center of it. "Didn't he go and buy some protection potions?"

"It could be a reaction from the mix of ingredients in his body." Set is close to Scott once again. It's truly remarkable seeing him so impassive to the stench filling the basement.

"Did it happen with the other bodies as well?"

"Can't really say. We didn't have a chance to get our hands on those ones before the pack did."

"And what does Bear Creek U say about this?"

"That it's truly a tragedy, but that it's clearly contained to the frat house, which is the pack house."

"Too bad we know it isn't."

"Why would Talulla get involved in this though?" Set asks, raising the question we all have.

I sigh. "I'm going to regret asking this, but was she involved with any of them?" I question Asmodeus.

"I don't know for certain about any of the dead ones, but I mean… I know she did go out with a couple of them."

"A couple?" My nostrils flare. I did ask, it's my fault. "That dog she was dancing with that time at the club?"

"I don't think I should be telling you any of this."

It's too bad that now my brain can only think about that. "That night?"

"God, no. She was too busy trying to find excuses not to like you. Don't worry, she literally only has eyes for you."

"This still doesn't explain why she was given the potion as well."

"So, if there are no current ties between the pack and the Popescus, it has to be something else. Maybe someone is seeking revenge, and they saw Talulla that night and thought she was part of it."

"That could be it," I say as I move around the body, smelling and touching it. The rigid frame is turning squishier and easier to break the more we examine it. There's only one thing left to do now. "Any luck with the police report?"

Set shakes his head. They were trying to do this the legal way. I don't know why when they literally stole a dead body without thinking about it twice.

"I guess it's time to pay a visit to the police archives."

"We need a plan for that," Asmodeus says.

"You pretty wizards think about brewing that invisibility potion Cassandra and Talulla used to stalk me."

"And then what?" Set questions, his smirk never leaving his face because it's clear he knows exactly what I'm thinking about.

"Then you let me do what I'm good at."

We take the potion and then apparate inside the police station. I grab the first police officer I see, and with his head in my hands, I start doing my part. "Do you have access to the archives?"

"No. You need a written request from the captain, and then you need clearance from the officers at the archives' door."

"And how do we go down to the archives?"

"You take the elevator right there." The compelled officer points at our left. "You go down to P3, and when you come out, the door will be on your left. Two officers are always on duty to make sure no one without permission goes in."

"Will they know where a specific file is?"

"They can tell you the general area. Everything is in chronological order, so if you know the dates, you'll be able to find what you're looking for fairly quickly."

"Flynn, we have to go. The potion is not gonna last much longer," Asmodeus whispers in my ear. The police officer blinks a few times, realizing something weird is going on.

"Forget everything I asked, and even if you remember it, who's going to believe you? No one is in front of you." The man blinks a few times, and then he's on his way again.

"We can't take the elevator. It would look like air is moving."

"Then let's apparate to P3," Set says, grabbing both our arms and doing just that. "We have about six minutes left. Let's make them count."

We run to the police officers who guard the door, compel them, and walk right inside without anyone suspecting anything at all. Just like we planned.

"When did the alpha die?" I ask the wizards, hoping they will know the exact date.

"Three years ago."

"That's all you know?"

"It's okay, dude. Let's find the boxes from 2021, and then I'll do my tracker juju." Asmodeus claps his hands and then rubs them.

"Did you seriously just say juju ?" I ask, trying to contain my laughter.

"Yeah, I can say it. I'm allowed. I'm a fucking wizard."

The officers point us toward the 2021 section, and you'd think it would be smaller, knowing humans were going through a pandemic, but nope, it's massive.

"Asmo, you might want to do your thing now. We have less than two minutes left." Set is looking at his watch nervously.

"I'm looking," he replies, feeling all the boxes and carefully scanning all the documents.

"One minute."

Then the blonde wizard stops in front of a section, looks down, and giggles. "Here it is." Opening it, he sees the file, grabs it, and carefully puts the box back exactly how he found it.

"Thirty seconds."

Asmodeus jogs toward us, one of my hands holding Set's arm, the other ready to catch his friend.

"And we're out of here." We hold on to each other and make our theatrical disappearance just in time.

We're back at the Drususes's now, and with the alpha's report in our hands.

"Where do you keep the whiskey?" I ask Set, pacing toward the kitchen.

"Bottom drawer on your left."

I get the bottle and three glasses. We all need a sip right now. Set and Asmodeus both sit at the island.

I pour the drinks and then say, "Well?"

"Wanna do the honors?" Asmodeus replies, sliding the folder across the countertop.

Grabbing it, I open it up and start flipping through the pages. "What the fuck?"

Set and Asmodeus are at my side right away. Yes, because this might say that it's Dalton Reyes's file, but most of the pages are ripped out, and if there's any sort of wording, every possible name or connection has been blacked out.

"Someone got there before us."

We continue to look through everything, and despite the fact that there's no written information that can guide us in the right direction, I notice something in the pictures of the crashed car.

"There's a bag." I point out.

"Okay, so he had a bag in the car."

"No, look," I say, making Set look closer. "It's a purse."

"Dalton wasn't alone in the car."