Page 58 of Midnight Witch

Violet scratched her cheek. “Not much, really. But we did confirm something.”

Mae pursed her lips. “What?”

“We tracked down Leta Patton and asked her a couple of questions,” Miles said.

Nikolai straightened.

Mae frowned. “Let me guess. She doesn’t remember going to Marblehead Neck.”

“Bingo,” Violet mumbled.

Nikolai met Mae’s troubled gaze. That came as no surprise after everything they’d witnessed in the last thirty-six hours.

Mae turned to Alicia. “Is there a way you can locate the woman I saw in my vision?”

The Reaper Queen made a face. “That’d be like looking for a needle in the proverbial haystack. Even more so if Barquiel has one of his damn rifts surrounding that place.”

Mae drooped.

Vlad’s cell chimed. He took his phone out and frowned at the display before accepting the incoming call. “What is it?”

He stiffened and uncrossed his legs a couple of seconds later.

Nikolai’s pulse quickened.

Vlad’s eyes shrank to slits. “Where?”

* * *

It wasclose to midnight when they exited Interstate 95 and entered the outskirts of East Brunswick. Vlad’s men were waiting for them in the parking lot of a Mormon church west of the town center.

Mae stepped out of the SUV the incubus had had theBlack Devilsdeliver to them in Brooklyn. Though the chances of the Dark Council and the New York coven having infiltrated the Russian crime group were slim at best, there was no point taking any chances. Mrs. Son-Ha’s place in Glendale needed to be kept out of sight of their enemies.

She looked around the deserted lot warily as Vlad’s men headed over to them. Even though it was night time, she still felt exposed.

“Sorry boss, they gave us the slip after they left here,” the man in the lead said briskly as he joined them. His eyes widened when he saw Mae. He rocked to a halt. “Er, isn’t that—?”

“A woman you never saw,” Vlad said coldly.

The man paled a little. He looked even more dumbfounded when Cortes stepped out of the SUV with Violet and Miles.

“What’s going on, boss?” the second guy asked uneasily. “I mean, I know there’s a truce in place and all, but aren’t we technically at war with theBacatá Cartel?”

Mae’s mouth went dry.

Vlad froze. “Since when are we at war with the Columbians?”

The man in the lead exchanged an awkward glance with his companion. “Since that deal went south in that strip club on Broadway, three months ago. You know, when you and Vasco Gomez clashed. You killed him, remember?”

Nikolai lowered his brows.

Cortes’s expression darkened. He met Vlad’s perturbed gaze. “Looks like the story line in this illusion is meant to ensure we never become allies.”

Mae fisted her hands.He’s right. Oscar and Vedran must have planned it this way deliberately.

A muscle jumped in Vlad’s jawline as he observed his men. “What’s this truce you mentioned?”

The pair grew even more discomfited.

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