I stared for a moment, then saw the notebook in his hand. There were several names on it, the last followed by the word “photographer.” The remaining man on the outside walkway snapped his suitcase shut and dragged it thumping down the stairs. By the doorway was a video camera, its sophistication somewhere between that of a news crew and the one my dad used before he died to record my and my brother’s birthdays. “Oh, um, Rachel Morgan,” I said faintly. “Special Inderland consultant.”

“You’re the witch, right?” he said, writing my name down with the time and my temporary badge number. “You want a mask with your boots and gloves?”

“Yes, thank you.”

My fingers felt weak as I put the mask on first. It reeked of wintergreen, blocking the stink of decayed flesh. Thankful, I looked in at the wooden floor, shining polished and yellow under the last of the sunlight. From around the corner and out of sight came the snick snick snick of a camera shutter. “I’m not going to bother him, am I?” I asked, my words muffled.

The man shook his head. “Her,” he said. “And no, you won’t bother Gwen. Watch it, or she’ll have you holding tape measures.”

“Thanks,” I said, resolving to not do anything of the kind. My gaze flicked to the parking lot below me as I snapped the paper covers over my shoes. The longer I stayed there, the more likely it was that Glenn would realize I wasn’t where he had left me. Stealing myself, I pinched the clip of the mask tighter, jerking as the pungent fragrance hit my nose. My eyes started to water, but I wasn’t going to take it off for anything. I put my gloved hands in my pockets as if I were in a black-charm shop and entered.

“Who are you?” a strong, feminine voice challenged as my shadow eclipsed the sun.

My attention jerked to a willowy woman with dark hair tied in a no-nonsense ponytail. She had a camera in hand and was dropping a roll of film into a black bag tied to her hip.

“Rachel Morgan,” I said. “Edden brought me in as a—” My words cut off as my eyes fell onto the torso tied to a hard-backed chair partially hidden behind her. My hand rose to my mouth and I forced my throat closed.