Page 13 of Death and Do-Overs

“No way,” Wendy said. “And we’re luckyJaydendidn’t find the box first this morning.”

If it was messy to get the police involved in a magical clone’s murder, traumatizing our non-magical coworker with my situation would have been a disaster. I tried to swallow the lump forming in my throat.

Andrew opened Nie’s mouth and narrowed his eyes.

“What is it?” I asked him.

“I’m not sure.” He reached inside with a pair of long tweezers. “Something’s lodged in her throat.”

It could be an important clue, or it could be nothing.

“Do you think she choked to death?” Rose asked.

“That had to be so scary,” Imogen said. “One time I had a scallop get lodged and my cousin laughed as I turned purple. I thought I was going to die for sure.”

“That’s terrible. Your cousin is terrible,” Rose said. “You know that, right?”

I ignored them and focused on Andrew’s task, waiting to see what he’d uncover.

“He is terrible, for sure.” Imogen nodded. “I Heimliched myself on the back of a chair. Jabbed it right under my ribs and whoosh, out flew the scallop.”

Wendy wrinkled her nose. “Even if Nie choked to death on a scallop, or anything else,someonestill cut off her head, ten thousand percent.”

Finally shoring his grip, Andrew lifted his tweezers. Held in the ends was a pale green object. He set it down on the table.

Everyone leaned in for a better look.

From the six legs to the curved carapace, the object appeared to be a beetle carved from a precious stone.

“That’s definitely not a scallop,” Imogen said.

The beetle looked to be about two inches long and fairly thick. Based on the size, and the difficult time Andrew had dislodging it, someone must have really shoved it in there hard.

There was no way Nie had done this to herself.

“Do scarabs mean anything special to you, Mar?” Rose asked.

Scarab? Was that the type of beetle it was?

“No,” I said. The only thing that came to mind when hearing that word was the Brendan Fraser classic,The Mummy.

“Makes me think of that movie,The Mummy.With those swarms tearing people apart.” Wendy visibly shivered.

“So it’s an Egyptian thing?” Imogen asked as if any of us had any real answers.

“The scarab is a symbol for rebirth and resurrection,” Andrew said.

Apparently one of us had answers. Though Andrew’s insight only led to more questions.

“Another taunt,” I said.

“I agree,” Wendy said. “It’s like the killer was pointing and laughing at you, Mar.”

“Or maybe they were hopeful,” Imogen said. “Like the resurrection would work.”

Everyone stared at her.

“What?” she said. “It could happen.”

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