Page 33 of The Dark Hiss of Magic
Fair enough, though it was a shame for Thane. The bacon rolls here were good. ‘Okay.’
‘What do you want with the Blue Tattoos?’ Harriet asked.
‘I want to talk to the drummer. I’ve got some questions for Knox Thunderstick.’
Her face tightened. ‘What sort of questions?’
‘They’re for Knox,’ I said gently. ‘Not for you.’
‘I’m the one holding the knife.’
‘Trust me,’ I said. ‘When I say that if I wanted to change that situation, I could.’
‘That’s a threat!’ Lady Augusta shrieked. ‘That was definitely a threat!’
Something sparked in Harriet’s eyes. ‘Enough, Augusta!’
‘You are unworthy of the De Marcy name!’
‘I amnota De Marcy. We’ve been through this. Many times.’ She returned her attention to me. ‘Do you wish to harm Knox?’
‘No.’
‘Do you know why he’s not shown up today?’
‘No.’ I paused. ‘But there’s a chance he’s gotten himself into some serious trouble.’
Something tightened around Harriet’s eyes. ‘What sort of trouble?’
I sighed. ‘I don’t know exactly – and what I do know is complicated. Does the name Rory Taggert mean anything to you?’
Harriet shook her head. ‘I’ve never heard of him. Who is he? What does he have to do with this?’
‘I don’t know,’ I said. ‘Yet.’
‘Your brother is always creating conflict,’ Lady Augusta hissed.
I blinked. ‘Brother? But you’re not a druid.’
Harriet shot the Cursed Portrait a dagger-laden look. ‘Foster brother. We were both in the system and we grew up together. And, no, before you ask my last name isn’t Thunderstick. It’s Hemworth.’
Suddenly a lot of things made sense. Her admission explained why the Blue Tattoos played here every week, not to mention her concern and why Knox had changed his surname to something ridiculous. He wasn’t beholden to any family name.
I watched her expression then I made up my mind and told her the truth – the whole truth. Now I knew who Harriet was, Ihad nothing to lose and everything to gain. ‘I’m looking into a murder.’
She stiffened. ‘Rory Taggert?’
I nodded. ‘A witch, by all accounts.’
‘I’ve never heard of him, and I’ve never heard Knox mention anyone called Rory.’
‘When I went to the mortuary where Taggert’s body was being kept, Knox showed up pretending to be a pathologist. He ran off before I could talk to him, but I’m assuming he was there for the same body. I don’t know what’s going on, only that Iwillfind out. The witches’ council is also getting in on the act. There’s a lot more to this than meets the eye and I think Knox could well be involved.’
Harriet sighed heavily, her expression anxious. ‘He’s always involved in something, mostly ridiculous get-rich quick schemes.’ She gestured to Lady Augusta. ‘That’s how I ended up with her. But he’s not a bad person, not really.’
‘I’m sure you’re right,’ I said.
She narrowed her gaze and I instantly realised my mistake. ‘You’re a Truth Seeker,’ I breathed.
