Siren's Mark

Chapter 46

ℤ𝕒𝕟𝕖

I walk into the open courtyard at the center of a small shopping center. The place is relatively busy for midday; people carry armfuls of shopping bags, teens laugh while downing spoonfuls of frozen yogurt, a few men sit outside a women's clothing store with a look of boredom on their faces.

The click-clack sound of Kami's heels on the linoleum flooring catches my attention and I turn to see her walking toward me. She's wearing a black suit with a silk black top underneath and her hair pulled back into a low ponytail.

She walks up to me with a somber expression.

"Okay, what the hell is going on?" I ask.

"Here," she says with a sigh, gesturing to a nearby table and chairs. "Let's sit."

We both take a seat and I give her a questioning look.

"Why did we have to meet in person?" I ask. "What happened? Who is it?"

"Crime scene was already cleaned up when I got there," Kami says. "But I was able to charm my way into the PCPD offices. I made copies of all the files and checked out the victim's belongings."

"And??" I ask, pushing for more details on the victim that we are supposed to know.

She pulls out a deep purple cloth and unwraps it to reveal a gold necklace. The pendant is slightly wider than a business card and features two feathers stretching in opposite directions from a red center stone.

It looks familiar but I can't seem to place it.

I take a closer look at the object and as I inhale I slowly recognize a familiar scent.

The Seer. Lola.

"Shit," I curse under my breath. "Kami, I... I'm so sorry. I know you two were close."

"Thanks," she says softly, leaning onto my shoulder.

After a moment of silence, Kami sits up and continues.

"I don't know what is going on anymore, Z. If someone got to Lola, they have to know that I've been helping her investigate these killings. That's why I wanted to meet you in person. I don't know what's safe."

"Do you have any leads?" I ask.

"None that you're going to like," she says. She wraps the pendant back up with the cloth, along with a folded piece of paper and another small item I don't recognize.

"Are we seriously considering Kieran again?" I ask. "His reaction seemed genuine when I asked him about it. I don't think he even knew someone had died."

"The police said they interviewed him this morning," Kami says. "So if he pretended to be shocked, it's bullshit. He knew."

I stare at her dumbfounded, trying to wrap my head around the new information.

Why would Kieran lie?

"Think about it, Z," Kami says with a serious voice. "Why would Lola be at Pike's? You think always-wears-couture, won't-drink-it-if-it-doesn't-have-bubbles Lola would go to a trashy pub in the middle of nowhere like Pike's?"

"I don't know. You know her better than I do."

"Why would she go to Pike's unless she had a vision? Unless she figured out it was Kieran and came there to confront him?"

"Fuck," I say with a sigh. "I know this looks bad, Kam, but Kieran isn't like that."

"He's a demon!"

"Exactly. He's a demon—that doesn't make him evil or a killer. You're making a lot of assumptions just because of who he is."