“You’re afraid to take him down,” I accused, trying to goad him into arresting Trent.

“Listen to me real good, Rachel,” he said, jolting me into taking a step back. “I don’t give a dingo’s ass if you think Kalamack did it. I have to prove it. And this is the only chance I’m going to get.” Turning halfway around, he scanned the parking lot. “Someone take Ms. Morgan home!” he said loudly. Without a backward glance, he stomped to the stables, his heavy steps silent on the sawdust.

I stared, not knowing what to do. My attention went to Trent getting into an FIB cruiser, his expensive suit making it look wrong. He gave me an unfathomable look before the door shut with a metallic thump. Lights off and slow, the two cars pulled out.

My blood hummed and my head was pounding. Trent wasn’t going to get away with this unscathed. Eventually I would tie each and every murder back to him. Having found Dan’s body on his grounds would give Captain Edden the clout to get whatever warrant I wanted. Trent was going to fry. I could play it slow. I was a runner. I knew how to stalk prey.

I turned away, disgusted. I hated the law even as I relied on it. I’d much rather fight a coven of black witches than a courtroom any day. I understood witches’ mores better than lawyers’. At least witches used theirs.

“Jenks!” I shouted as Captain Edden emerged from the stables, keys jingling in his hands. Great. Now I was going to have to listen to a lecture of wise-old-man crap all the way home. It felt good to shout, and I took another breath to yell for Jenks again when the pixy came to a short stop in front of me. He was literally glowing in excitement, the dust that had sifted from him drifting into me from his momentum.

“Yeah, Rache? Hey, I heard Glenn kicked you out. I told you not to go up there. But did you listen to me? No-o-o-o-o-o. No one listens to me. I’ve got thirty some kids, and the only one who listens to me is my dragonfly.”

My anger hesitated for an instant as I wondered if he really had a pet dragonfly. Then I shook myself, sending my thoughts onto how to salvage something from this. “Jenks,” I said, “can you get home from here all right?”

“Sure. I’ll hitch with Glenn or the dogs. No problem.”

“Good.” I glanced at Captain Edden as he approached. “Tell me what happens, okay?”

“Gotcha. Hey, for what’s it’s worth, I’m sorry. You gotta learn to keep your mouth shut and your fingers to yourself. See you later.”

This coming from a pixy? “I didn’t touch anything,” I said, peeved, but he had already flitted back to Glenn’s temporary office, leaving a head-high trail of dust to slowly dissipate.

Edden spared me a single glance as he passed me. Frowning, I followed him, yanking my door open. The car started, and I got in and slammed the door shut. Belt latched, I draped my arm on the open window and stared at the empty pasture.