Page 22 (1/2)

Midnight Marked Chloe Neill 17240K 2023-08-31

"What do you sing?" I asked, fascinated despite enerally use slow jahties, nineties has a nice, relaxed rhythm and sets a nice tone" She leaned forward conspiratorially "Just don’t tell randmother that She’s in the business, too, and she’d be pissed if she learned I was singing Luther Vandross to clients She says gospel’s the only way to go"

"We’ll keep your secret," Ethan said "And sorry we interrupted you"

She waved it off "No worries Some of them like to listen in, and cemetery conversations are usually pretty hborhood?" I asked, thinking again of Caleb Franklin

"We work territories Not ed "I don’t tend to get bothered And if I do, I kno to protectof Catcher

"Screahouls," she said, her expression so serious I had to choke back a silent, horrified scream

She must have sensed my concern "It’s not as bad as it sounds They don’t typically manifest physically, so they don’t usually cause any physical harm"

"I’m stuck on ‘typically’ and ‘usually’"

She s of which, did you say earlier I didn’t look like an evil sorcerer?"

"That’s actually e’re here," Ethan said "We’re looking for a sorcerer--soic is likely to be dark, or at least unusual"

"What kind of unusual?"

"Alchemy"

Annabelle’s eyebrows lifted "Alchemy That’s not a word you hear very often" She frowned "I’ic around here that I’m aware of, and that’s only because it’s literally dark," she said, waving a hand in the air to indicate the nighttiues is doing so," Ethan said "Although we’ve found theument there The MVD Association exists because the Order didn’t consider us sorcerers In Europe, in Asia, India, loood enough to join their party"

"Supernaturals pick the oddest swords to fall upon," Ethan said

"You are preaching to the choir"

"What about a shifter named Caleb Franklin?" I asked "He lived nearby Did you happen to know him?"

She pursed her lips as she considered "Caleb Franklin" She shook her head "No, that doesn’t ring a bell, either And I don’t think I know any shifters"

"How about this rainy photograph Jeff had captured

She frowned "Hard to tell from the picture, but I don’t think so I feel like I’d have reaze to mine "Is this about what happened to that poor shifter at Wrigley? I mean, they didn’t release his naht?"

"Caleb Franklin is that shifter," Ethan confirmed "We believe he was killed by a vampire, and may have been involved in the alchemy Alchemical symbols were found nearby"