Deadly Sin (Cassandra Farbanks) (19 page)

“You see those bolts of titanium? If we break that glass, they’ll lock into place and we won’t get in without a blowtorch and a long wait. James is going through the guy’s computer system trying to find maybe a hint to the combination.” I walked to the door and placed my big hands on the wheel.

“Did you check to just see if it was open?” I started to turn it and gasped as they stared disbelievingly at me. “It’s open.”

“Really?” The wheel clicked and refused to go any further.

“Nope, locked up tighter that a nun’s chastity belt. I could get it open for you if you want.” The tech looked at me scornfully. He hadn’t appreciated my joke.

“I’ve been working on it for over an hour. What makes you think…” I waved a finger at him chidingly.

“Choose your words carefully. Anything you say may be thrown back in your face with vicious sarcasm.” The tech ground his teeth.

“I am one of the best safe crackers in the country. If I can’t open this baby in over an hour of trying, you won’t be able to. It’s impossible.”

“Oh he don’t know me very well, do he? Nothing is impossible.” He growled, tapping his screen.

“I have the best, top of the line equipment. What do you have?”

“A charming smile and a can do attitude.” I looked at Hamilton who shrugged, amused by our banter. “What will it hurt to let me try? If I fail you can take great glee in telling me I told you so.” He glared at me.

“Stubborn woman,” he mumbled under his breath, but I heard it as if he’d spoken out loud. I beamed at him.

“I’m not stubborn. My way’s just better. You capitulate?”

“Fine,” he said, offering me his equipment, but I shook my head. “Don’t tell me your old school.” I kept grinning.

“The oldest school there is. You and your fancy equipment will want to move back a safe distance.” Carlson, the only face in the room I recognized, smiled at me amused as Hamilton was. He retrieved the man’s scope and helped him carry it back to the far wall. It looked expensive and I didn’t want to accidentally blow it up. I placed my hands on the door. It was a tumbler lock, so I focused on the circular movement of spinning. I took a step back, and then another. I kept my palms up and flat, focusing power. Magic’s mostly about will. You will mystic energy to take a form, to be the tool and achieve what you can’t with your physical body. I smiled at the tech as I rotated one hand left in a circle and the other right. Okay, I was showing off just a little.

“Wax on, wax off,” I said in my best Myagi impression. The tumbler spun. I curled one finger and it clicked and spun the other way. I lowered a second finger and again, it changed direction till I lowered a third finger. There was the sound of metal releasing and the large wheel spun. The metal groaned and air hissed through the gap like a hermetic seal breaking. I pumped my fist in the air.

“Witchcraft one, technology zero.” The tech guy gulped while Hamilton, with Carson’s help, pulled the door wider so I was first to see what was inside.

“Okay who had dead guy? ‘Cause you win the pool.” Hamilton looked around the door, taking in the sight.

“Well shit.”

Philonius T Solomon lay in the middle of his vault floor, his eyes wide and staring. A pile of gold coins crushed his small body so that only his head showed. I could already tell that this had to be Rin’s work. Why would he turn on and kill his employer? What was it the butler had heard them arguing about, and why was it enough to kill over? Hamilton looked at me. I could read the question in his eyes and gave a slow nod.

“Okay, nobody touch anything. We’re calling this in. Call Cameron.”

* * * *

I watched Cameron check the guy for a pulse. I found it a little funny because the guy was clearly dead. I donned a pair of the white gloves and leaned against the back of the vault. I was trying to see the origin of the spell. The gold coins smothered him like a golden blanket, all his limbs obscured. Cameron looked at me as the camera flashes made me blink.

“We need to get these off him. I can’t get time of death unless I can get his liver temp.” It took me a minute to realize he was asking me to help. I pushed off the wall and knelt down next to the body. I pushed aside a swath of coins heavy as lead, only to have them hit the floor and replicate so there was twice as many. I jumped, startled. Cameron was also wide-eyed. I leaned in, plucked one coin and placed it on the floor. Nothing happened.

“Okay we are going to have to stack these very carefully,” I said, starting to make a pile on the empty bottom shelf. Cameron followed suit. Carefully we began to reveal more of the body, first his shoulders, then his arms. His left fist was clenched tightly around something. Lividity had set in so prying his fingers back was a sickening experience. It was a gold coin much like the others. As I pulled it away from contact with his flesh all the other coins vanished in puffs of black dust. A Chinese symbol glowed yellow on his forehead. Frog, the animal associated with the sin of greed. Someone made croaking noises.

“Very funny.” Cameron looked at me blankly and then we heard it again. Cameron leaned down, placing his ear to the dead man’s chest. The croak came again. Cameron gave me a warning look to prepare myself as he pried the corpse’s mouth open. A frog hopped out startling both of us. It sat croaking on the body’s chest. It was green with a bright yellow underbelly. It seemed to stare at me. I looked at the coin I was holding. It was pure gold and on one side there was a frog on a lily pad. I held the coin out, empty lily pad up. The frog leaped, turning to mists that hit the coin. I flipped it from side to side, two lily pads, and two frogs.

“Puts new meaning to a frog in the throat, huh doc.” He blinked at me and his face suddenly creased with humor.

“Oh very good, yes.”

“You got one of those little baggy things?”

“In my kit outside.” I got up, stepping over the body. I didn’t like to watch him take liver temp. I put the coin into the bag, sealed it in and labeled it – Do Not Touch! Once this case was over, I was going to insist that these items be turned over to an enforcer so they could be properly destroyed. Hamilton sidled up beside me as I stared at the coin.

“What was it this time?” he asked.

“Greed. I’ll say one thing for him, he certainly know which sin is appropriate.” Hamilton took a step closer to the vault.

“You have time of death yet?”

“Just looking at that now.” My stomach roiled as I heard the thermometer slide from his flesh. “I’m going to go with an educated guess of around midnight.” Hamilton made notes in his little pad as I pushed up onto my feet.

“What about cause?”

“His chest was crushed under the weight of the coins. I’d go with asphyxiation, but I’ll do the post mortem before I rule officially.”

“Okay thanks Doc.” I walked away a few paces, taking in some deep breaths. I jumped a mile when my phone started ringing. It was my office. I took a walk into the corridor and further looking for a quiet spot.

“Hey Trink, what’s up?”

“Where are you? You need to get changed. You’re going to be late.” I rubbed my temple slowly as she babbled.

“Slow down. Late for what?”

“It’s Halloween.”

“I know it’s Halloween. I planned on holing up with a beer and a DVD later.”

“No, you’re going to a party remember. The king invited you. You can’t turn down a personal invite. Simian called to make sure we knew.” I groaned thinking about the werewolf shindig. I so didn’t want to go to a party after this.

“It’s a costume party. Everywhere is shut. Where am I going to get something to wear?”

“I think I can fix something up but you have to come home. The party starts in an hour.” I gave a very martyred sigh.

“I’ll try.” I hung up the phone and headed back towards the living room. All hell had broken loose: Rourke. She was going for Hamilton’s jugular. I tried backing out of the room but she caught my movement out of the corner of her eye. She turned on me.

“You! Why is it whenever there is a homicide in this town I find you?”

“Just lucky I guess,” I mumbled, but she heard me. Her eyes narrowed.

“I’m taking charge here and I want you gone Farbanks.” I ground my teeth and pulled the gloves off, throwing them to the floor. I was sick of this whole pissing contest. I knew from gossip that her department’s audit had not gone well. She needed a win to justify her department’s expenditure and lack of results. She was extra pissy as a result, too.

“Fine. I got better fucking places to be.”

“Different maybe, but better is debatable,” said Benjamin not missing a chance to take a dig at me. I glared at him.

“You have your whole life to be a jerk Ben. Can’t you take a day off?” I turned on my heel to leave.

“Cassandra wait.” It was Hamilton’s voice that called me. If it had been anyone else, I might have kept walking. I turned my head back to see what he wanted.

“I still need you here.” I shook my head.

“No you don’t. I’ve given you all I can. You know who you’re looking for. Finding him is a police matter.” I turned again and headed for the door. I was sorry to leave Hamilton to deal with Rourke by himself, but I was so tired of the bullshit and infighting. Aram was right. Far as I knew, Rin was a human. It was their job to bring him in. I’d done what I could. I’d given my advice but I was not trained as a cop. I couldn’t and wouldn’t interfere in interdepartmental squabbles and chain of command, as an outsider.

The rain ceased as I collected the umbrella resting by the foyer door. I headed out into a clear, starry night. Perhaps I did need a distraction. Lucky for me I had one all lined up.

Chapter Fifteen

I was dubious about Trinket’s choice of costume, but as it was last minute and there weren’t really many other choices, I went for it. Material swished behind me as I walked through the community streets heading for the large, castle structure carved out of rock. The imposing façade of the werewolf council hall always gave me an eerie little chill. The two on duty at the door looked me over and then my invitation before letting me through. They did their best to stay focused on their jobs and not what I was wearing, but I could tell it was hard. Even I knew my outfit had a risky quality to it.

I placed the invite on top of the checkered towel in the basket. Under the towel were my phone and keys, as I couldn’t have added a purse to my ensemble. Music floated softly through the halls as I headed for the main, underground chamber where the party would no doubt be in full swing. I was careful in my heels as I descended the stairs, desperate not to catch on the hem of my cloak.

The lights were bright and attracting. The music was something you could mingle to, so dancing hadn’t broken out yet. I stepped into the light as I entered through the doorway. Several of the conversations ceased as I did. I dropped the hood back, shaking my hair out. I could feel eyes on me.

I smiled when I saw Simian coming over to greet me. He was dressed in an orange fur toga. His brown hair mussed, and a blue tie hung loose around his neck.

“Cassandra you made it,” he said directing me towards the drink table.

“Shouldn’t you say yabba dabba doo?”

“Shouldn’t you be on the way to grandma’s house? Seriously, Red Riding Hood? Did you forget we’re werewolves?” I looked down at my outfit. The hooded red cloak ran the length of my body. Under that was a red dress with a black corset that showed my chest off by pushing it in and up. I thought the stockings on top of my little black boots were a little much, but Trinket insisted the outfit would be incomplete without them. Luckily I was the same height and roughly same size of one of her sister’s. She raided all their clothes that we’d put into storage when she came to work for me. I added my locket as a precaution in case this party went into the early hours.

“Come on, you’re telling me this bothers you?”

“Not me,” he said, catching the eyes of several, young male wolves in the room staring at me. “Red Riding Hood happens to be a fairly popular fantasy with our men.” I smirked, reaching for a glass of what looked like champagne. I made a quick observation of the room. I was indeed getting a few lusty glances. I arched a brow and faces turned back to their conversations. I took a long sip from the fluted glass. Simian looked nervous.

“Relax will you. I’m a big girl. You don’t have to stand here guarding my virtue. I think I can handle anyone who makes a pass at me. Where’s Wilma?” I asked in an attempt to change the subject. Simian’s eyes searched the room.

“Over by the cheese dip,” he said. I turned my gaze in that direction. Indeed Sophie stood by the buffet dressed in a white dress, boulder like pearls and a bone in her hair. I bet she picked the costumes. Simian was too uncomfortable barefoot and not wearing pants.

“Are the kids here?”

“No, it’s too late for them. We got a sitter.” I found that a shame. I always found kids in costumes cute. Zoe would have made a very cute Pebbles. A tap on my shoulder made me turn and I was greeted by a warm smile from out host. Usually Leroy Craven reminded me of Russell Crow in
Gladiator,
but tonight he had on a black pompadour wig and a bedazzled, white jumpsuit covered by sequins and rhinestones.

“Miss Farbanks so glad you could come. Thank you, thank you very much.” I smiled at him.