Whiskey Witches, F.J. Blooding [ap literature book list .TXT] 📗

The next morning, Brian arrested Malika and Jones for suspicion of murder. A few pieces of evidence had come in. A hair that was quite possibly Malika’s, though they were still waiting for the DNA results. One of Jones’ fingerprints. It was enough. Paige knew they were guilty. It was only a matter of time for the courts to provide due process.

Her targets, however, were Sven and that damn key. She needed to get either Malika or Jones to share his location so she could gain possession of the key. She couldn’t leave without it, and she couldn’t stay.

Malika sat in the interrogation room; petite, finely boned and in control. Her mocha skin gleamed with health under the glare of the fluorescent light above her. “Paige.” She raised her cuffed hands. “I would shake your hand, but I’ve been bound.”

Paige took the opposing chair. “They’re only handcuffs, Malika. It could be a lot worse.” Like being tied to a table while a spell was cast into your bones. “You understand your rights?”

“I feel so guilty about everything. If there’s any way I can help, tell me.”

This woman was like a funhouse of traps. “Tell me about the key.”

“The key?”

“You can stop playing stupid. You know what I’m talking about. We know you’re guilty of murder. You’re going away for a long time. Just tell me where the key is.”

“Why would I do that?”

“I could help you out.”

Malika’s warm expression slithered away as something cold replaced it.

Paige slid back in her chair. “How did you find it?”

Malika’s lips flattened.

“Help me. You’re going down for murder. You’ve got multiple life sentences ahead of you. I could put in a good word for you. Maybe send you someplace nicer.”

“Nicer than what?”

“You haven’t been to jail yet. Trust me, you want my help.”

Malika tapped the table with her fingertips and dropped her gaze. “I found it among my mother’s things.”

“Where is it?”

Malika sat back in her chair. “We tried to open it.”

“Why do I care? I want to know where it is.”

The other woman smiled slyly. “There’s something inside. I didn’t know what it was. Not at first.”

“I feel like we’re flirting and all I want to do is get to the good part. If you know something, spill it. Do not play with me. I am not in the mood.”

Malika’s lips twisted as if she’d eaten something sour. “Someone is trapped inside, someone who understands the gate.”

“Who?”

Malika raised her eyebrows, a slight smile gracing her lips.

Paige rested her arms on the table. “See, here’s the thing I’m having a hard time figuring out. Everything in this case seems to fall around this key and opening it. What if you knew what the key was, and you knew it opened unspeakable power? And what if you couldn’t use the key? What would you do?”

“I would gather magickally rich people and use the power of their blood.”

Blatant. “Okay. So that was your idea? You’re not going to lay the blame on Mike?”

“I discovered the key. I gathered the coven.”

“That doesn’t seem like you. You seem so much kinder than this.”

Malika’s handcuffs clanked against the table. “You can enter the other side any time you wish.”

“The other side of what?”

“The gate. He said you had the power.”

“Who?”

“You don’t know?” Malika scoffed.

“Why would I? How would I?”

“He’s one of them.”

“Which them?”

Malika pulled back. “What do you mean which them? There is only one.”

Paige couldn’t tell if the woman had lost her mental capacity, or if she was just clueless. Also, trying to follow her was giving Paige a headache.

“He’s an angel, sent to help us. To free us.”

So someone other than Sven? Or was she trying to say Sven was an angel? “Angels? Free you? Are you sure?”

“Can I speak to him?” Malika’s dark eyes took on a maniacal gleam. “The First. He is The First, isn’t he? The one called…” She paused.

Paige felt the power gather around the other woman and sat up straighter.

“Lucius.”

The name vibrated through her, ricocheting through every vein, coursing along every nerve. She gripped the table until her fingertips went white.

“Lucius.” A twisted smile played along Malika’s lips. “Come forth and speak to the one who freed you from your bonds.”

The intense power pulsed around Paige, tightening, constricting, choking the very life from her body. It didn’t make sense why. Lucius wasn’t possessing her, wasn’t connected to her.

Someone knocked on the door, the sound loud in the ensuing silence.

Both women jerked.

Malika’s smile slithered into something nicer, but her eyes held the knowledge that she had nearly won. “I know you’re in there, Lucius. She can’t protect you forever.”

Paige went to the door and closed it behind her, her hands shaking.

Brian clenched his fists. “Saw you weren’t getting anywhere with Malika. I want a full confession.”

“She said she’d gathered powerful people and used their blood. I have the confession.”

His eyes blazed with dark emotions. “Yeah. I heard that. Get one from Jones. I want both these scumbags going away for a very long time.”

“I need to know where the key is.”

“I’m aware, but these two are in our grasp. We can get these two. In trying to get Sven and that key, we could lose all of them. Let’s catch the ones we can.”

“The key has the potential of destroying hundreds of thousands of lives. Millions, even. Billions.”

“I get it. I do, but—” He held his hands in front of him like he were holding a large ball. “—we have these two. Let’s take the wins we can.”

Yeah, well, what if by taking the win in this little battle, it cost them the war?

Brian pointed down the hallway with his chin. “Jones is one door down. Get a confession out of him. I’ll be in the security room.”

“Right.” She steeled herself and opened the door.

Jones’ expression shifted from boredom to mild interest.

Paige leaned against the wall. “Where’s the key?”

Jones raised his