Page 57 of Sins of the Heart
killers. “Obscure, but worth a look. Police report on a
homeless guy who swore he’d barely escaped a rundown shack with his life.”
“I suspect you meanthisrun-down shack.” Alastor
paused and seemed to take his silence for an affirmative. “Anything else in that report? Did the local constabulary check it out?”
“Localconstabulary?” Dagan snorted. “Thecops
did a drive-by and a cursory check. Place belongs to a
guy by the name of Joe Marin. He and his brother,
Frank, inherited it three years ago when their mother
died. She’s the one who got Joe’s name inscribed in the
old man’s book of records. She asked for the mortgage
to be paid off on this place.
“The brother, Frank, is overseas, last anyone knows.
Cops chatted with Joe. Decided he was squeaky clean.
So they closed the file.”
Turning, he studied the graffiti on the opposite
wall.Life Sux.
True, but he could argue that death sucked more.
He stepped closer, examined the letters, let his fingertips almost touch the words. Not the usual sort of paint…
“Waste of perfectly good blood,” Alastor murmured
from behind him.
66
SINS OF THE HEART
“You think?” They exchanged a glance. Humans.
They did such odd things. “Let’s see what other marels this place holds.”
Dagan walked along the narrow hallway to the back
of the house, peripherally aware of his brother a step
behind him. He paused at the end, studying the door.
“What makes you think there’s something here to
find?” Alastor asked.
“Apart from anewdeadbolt—” Dagan tapped his
