Page 52 of Equalizer
“You know how to reach us,” Owen said. “Keep your eyes open and your wits about you, and stay safe.”
“You, too,” Steven said. “Although now that I know the woo-woo is real, I might never sleep well again.”
Chapter 8
Owen
Dabblers forget—magic always leaves a signature.” Arabella looked smug as she lifted her cup of hot chocolate and took a sip. A few days had passed, and she seemed none the worse for their recent adventure.
“You’ve found where Humphries is doing his surgery?” Calvin reached for a cookie. The bakery where they had agreed to meet had caught his eye a few days ago, and their goods were as tasty as they looked.
“We need to be sure,” Owen pressed.
Arabella fixed him with a look. “We’re sure. We’ve been keeping watch. Humphries and some others go in and out. Once in a while, a delivery carriage big enough to hold a body—or a coffin—pulls up and unloads. The sign says it’s a leather workshop, but no customers or employees ever come around. It’s in a shady neighborhood. And it reeks of dark magic.”
“I can attest to that firsthand,” Winston vouched. “Just driving by made me nauseous. I don’t think anyone with even a glimmer of power could stand to be anywhere near the location for long.”
Owen’s magic also picked up on the truth in Arabella’s report. “What about your coven? Will they help?”
“Yes. Humphries isn’t one of ours, and what he’s doing feeds the kind of fear that leads to witch hunts. He’s a threat to us all. Not to mention that the use of magic for his purposes is utterly abhorrent.”
“What kind of protections does his surgery location have? What about guards?” Calvin asked.
“If he has security, they’re inside. The magic deflects attention and the building has been glamoured to appear uninteresting, even ramshackle,” Arabella reported.
“I don’t doubt there are guards inside. Perhaps even some of the beneficiaries of the replacement parts. I would expect them to be co-opted in return for being repaired,” Winston added with distaste.
“Do they live there? If not, they have to come and go,” Calvin said.
“If it’s too dangerous to have someone watch the location, I can ask the ghosts,” Owen volunteered. “I should be able to contact them without tripping any alarms about using magic.”
“Someone has to be funding Humphries,” Calvin fretted. “The question is—who?”
“That’s a question for Louisa.” Owen knew that their Pinkerton friend could get the financial information. “It would be good to know who has a stake in the game. Because Humphries has to have a benefactor.”
“It’s likely to be one of the Mob families, although Luca Conti looked genuinely surprised,” Calvin said. “If one family gained the ability to put their disabled strongmen back on the job, it would be an advantage.”
“Sounds expensive—I’d think burly henchmen would be a dime a dozen,” Winston sniffed.
“Think about it—the Mob values absolute loyalty. That cuts both ways,” Owen said. “If they take good care of their people, those folks are completely trustworthy—and having magic involved in keeping the replacement part would also help.”
“Extreme, but I can see that,” Calvin admitted.
“The Mob covens keep to themselves,” Arabella said. “They’re secretive, even for witches. But I may have some contacts who can find out enough to narrow it down.”
“What about the Russo family? They’re vying with the Contis for the upper hand.” Calvin took another long sip and paused to savor the drink before setting down his cup.
“They’ve been the most visible, but that doesn’t always mean something. The real power could be staying out of the limelight,” Winston pointed out.
“I’ll see what I can find out,” Arabella promised. “What’s the plan?”
Calvin and Owen exchanged a glance. “I’d like to see where Humphries has set up shop so we know how best to attack. Figured we would drive past today before we go back. Then we gather the troops, see who’s playing for our side, and determine the best way to shut down Humphries’s illegal surgery and capture him.”
“What’s to stop someone else from picking up where he left off?” Arabella asked.
The same thing had occurred to Owen as well. “That’s always the challenge. We didn’t know to look for the resurrectionists sooner, so they got a head start. Now, we’ll be able to watch for the signs and shut them off quicker. This job is always like swatting roaches. Kill one, ten more pop up. I guess it’s job security.” He gave a lopsided smile.
“You might be right,” Arabella agreed in a rueful tone. “In the meantime, I’ll do some more digging and let you know what I come up with.”
