Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 71312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
“Okay,” Nik starts and inhales deeply. “Do you know a lawyer?”
“Um, just the one who handled Aunt Estelle’s affairs after she died, but I don’t think he does criminal cases? Fuck, Ethan isn’t a criminal. Well, I guess he is on some accounts of breaking and entering, but he’s not a murderer!”
“I know,” Nik says calmly, eyes wide. “We’ll start by finding a lawyer.”
“And tell them what?” I ask as the reality of the situation comes crashing down on me. “That Ethan is innocent because a demon is the real murderer, but don’t worry about that because I used a flaming sword to kill her!”
“I wouldn’t tell a lawyer you killed anyone.” Nik makes a face. “Even a demon. They might think you’re speaking metaphorically.”
“Right.” I bring my hand to my forehead, feeling like the world is spinning around me. “He said to call his dad.”
“Then that’s what you should do. I know I’ve heard Ethan talk about other times he’s been arrested, and yes—” Nik holds up a hand to keep me from protesting. “I know the Order was able to step in and pull strings and he’s not part of the Order now. But his family still is. They could help.”
“Unless they really are behind this.”
“Well, yes, I supposed they would not be helpful then.” Nik comes down the hall and puts both hands on my shoulders. “It’s going to be okay, Anora.”
“How? I have no idea how to prove Ethan is innocent?”
“You are a witch,” he says slowly. “Surely, we can come up with some way to get Ethan out of jail.”
I nod again, letting his words sink in. I am a witch. I can cast spells and sway opinions and probably do a lot of things I shouldn’t do. Though in this case, it’s justified.
Because Ethan didn’t kill anyone.
“I’ll call his dad.”
“Good.” Nik gives my shoulders a squeeze. “He was on his way to work, right?”
“Shit, yes.”
“Did he take his phone, by chance?”
“I don’t know,” I reply. “The police didn’t check his pockets or anything.”
Nik holds up a finger and rushes back into his room, coming back a few seconds later with his own phone. He calls Ethan’s and we hear it ringing downstairs. “Call Ethan’s dad. I’ll come up with a reason for him not to show up to work.”
“Food poisoning,” I offer, not knowing what kind of weird excuse Nik might use. “Send a text. His phone password is zero-eight-two-seven.”
“The day you two met?” Nik’s lips curve into a smile.
“Yeah. The day we met. I thought he was a vampire.” I smile as well, mind flitting back to that night. I was drunk and upset and walked out of the bar with no destination in mind and just happened to cross paths with Ethan. “Thanks, Nik.”
“Of course. You’re like my family now.” He gives me a sympathetic smile and we start downstairs. I get my phone from the kitchen to call David, hands still trembling. The call goes right to voicemail. Letting out a long exhale, I call Julia next. She answers on the third ring.
“Thank god,” I sigh, letting my eyes fall shut.
“What’s wrong?”
“Ethan was just arrested for Patrick’s murder.”
“Fuck,” Julia replies. “Are you guys at home?”
“Yeah. It was the Thorne Hill police and they had a warrant.”
“Fuck,” she repeats. “This just happened?”
“Yeah. Ethan said to call his dad, but he didn’t answer.”
“He’s on a hunt.”
I swallow the lump in my throat. “What do we do?”
“Where were you the day of the murder?” Julia asks, tone tense but overall calm.
“Um…we…we…” I close my eyes, thinking back. Sam came to the house to tell us in person that I was about to be accused myself. And she came because Ethan wasn’t answering his phone. “We were here dealing with an incubus.”
“Oh. Okay. I didn’t know that.”
I’m surprised Sam didn’t mention anything, but I’m not about to bring it up now. “We didn’t leave the house until, um, maybe that night? Or did we order food?”
“The night doesn’t matter. Patrick’s time of death was early that morning. You have cameras, right?”
“Yeah, we do,” I say, getting excited for a split second. “And the camera footage will show Ethan here, but also us killing the incubus. Did you know they, uh, explode babies?”
“Eww. I’d heard but I’ve never fought one myself before. What time did that start?”
I shake my head. “I don’t remember. I can check—the barn footage!” I pull the phone away from my ear, putting it on speaker. “Ethan fed the horses that morning. Hang on.” I madly scroll back through all the footage, heart racing faster and faster the farther I go back. I haven’t deleted anything, but I don’t know how long the video footage is stored before it’s automatically deleted. The barn camera is set up to record a minute when someone—or something—comes in or out of the main door. We set it up that way so we’d know if someone tried to steal one of my horses or donkeys, someone escaped from their stall, or if a demon broke in. Other than that, nothing is prerecorded and I can just check on everyone anytime I need reassurance.