Page 77 of Last Witch Attempt
Perhaps reading my mind, Evan extended a hand. “I’ve got it.” He moved forward, his jaw clenched.
Clove, Thistle, and I remained at the outskirts of the clearing. He worked fast, and he didn’t get very deep before the odor became overwhelming.
“Oh, geez.” Clove bent at the waist and gagged. “Is that a body?”
Evan nodded. His eyes locked with mine. “You should probably look.” He was apologetic about the suggestion. “I’m sorry but … you know how it is.”
Resigned, I left Thistle and Clove to huddle together and moved toward him. The body in the hole was female. She looked to be about thirty, although looks could be deceiving with a paranormal creature. The only true sign that she wasn’t human was her feet. Her toes were much longer than that of a human and her feet looked longer.
She was covered in cuts and bruises.
“So that’s a naiad?” Thistle asked nobody. She’d edged closer, keeping Clove behind.
“It’s not a human,” Evan replied. “I feel comfortable guessing she’s a naiad.”
I exhaled heavily. “How long has she been here?”
“At least a week.”
“There are two of them?” That was the part I was having trouble wrapping my head around. “Are naiads always female?”
“I don’t know enough to hazard an opinion. It could be there were two sisters here, minding their own business. They could’ve been lovers for all I know too. We don’t have enough information yet.”
“Can you tell how she was killed? I see the bruises. Is that what did it?”
“I would have to pull her out to look.” Evan hesitated, then sighed. “I’ll do that. I don’t want to risk coming out here again knowing that construction will begin soon.”
My stomach constricted as Evan dropped to his knees. He rolled the naiad, looked at her back, then placed her in the hole again.
“She was stabbed with something on top of everything else,” he said. “It could’ve been a knife, maybe a sword.”
I thought about Aunt Tillie. There were no circumstances under which I could imagine her hunting the lake for naiads.
I instructed Evan, “Bury her again. She deserves some respect.”
He set to work with no further prodding, and I allowed my mind to wander.
“What are you thinking?” Thistle asked when I’d been quiet for a long time.
“I’m guessing the naiad was killed by someone who had something to do with the construction project. Why the second naiad went after those three men, I don’t know. But I’m going to find out.”
“And then what?” Evan asked. “We can’t let the naiad kill people … even if it’s warranted. We can’t just wave our hands and say ‘Have at it,’ and look the other way.”
“Especially with the Feds around,” I agreed. “But if those men killed this naiad, I don’t know how keen I am to dish out punishment to the second.”
“We need motive.” Evan rolled his neck. “You need to get on Landon about the victims. What are you going to tell him about the naiad?”
“The truth.”
Evan bobbed his head. “You should head back to town. I’ll stay and look around. I’ll meet you back there once I’m satisfied I’ve seen everything there is to see.”
19
NINETEEN
We had more information, but not enough to solve our problem. I had theories as to how it all had transpired. We needed proof. That would inform my decision about the remaining naiad.
“I can hear the gears in your mind working,” Thistle said as I parked in front of Hypnotic. “You know, you don’t have to do it all yourself.”
