Free The Dark Farewell by Josh Lanyon Page A

young Mr. Devereux really is a sorcerer?”
    “I don’t believe in that hocus-pocus hooey,” the sheriff snarled.

    www.samhainpublishing.com
    45
    Josh Lanyon
    “Then there’s your answer.”
    McFadden stared at him. “And you don’t believe in that mumbo-jumbo either.”
    “That’s not the point,” Flynn said. “The point is, without magical powers, Devereux couldn’t be in
    two places at one time.”
    The sheriff continued to eye him grimly, only partly convinced.
    “Think what a fine story it would make,” Flynn suggested. “This young man using his talents to help
    the police in their investigation. Why, the public loves this kind of thing. It would be nice to appear in a national paper for something other than the massacre, don’t you think?”
    The sheriff stuck his cigar back in his mouth and chewed on it thoughtfully. “Meybee so,” he said
    reluctantly. “Meybee so.”
    46
    www.samhainpublishing.com

    Chapter Six
    “I never know when it’s going to happen,” Julian said, staring at his hands.
    “Speak up,” McFadden ordered.
    Julian’s throat moved and he said more loudly, “Before I turned sixteen, the voices—the spirits—
    came to me all the time. But then when I turned sixteen, I-I became ill. The spirits only come once in a while now.”
    “Come every night you’ve got a show, don’t they?” McFadden asked. He added sarcastically, “Or are
    you charging folks a pretty penny on the outside chance the Count of Monte Crisco is going to show up?”
    Monte Crisco . Well, that was appropriate from this pigheaded fool. Flynn was careful not to let what he thought show on his face. He said calmly, “You’re doing fine. Just tell the truth.”
    Julian swallowed hard. He didn’t look up. “Last night, during the performance, I heard a woman
    talking to me. A spirit. At first I was confused. Unsure of why she had come to me. She didn’t understand.”
    He looked up, but he was talking to Flynn not McFadden.
    “What didn’t she understand?” Flynn asked.
    Julian closed his eyes. “She didn’t understand she was dead.”
    McFadden turned to Flynn and Flynn shrugged.
    “What happened?” McFadden questioned.
    Julian drew a deep breath and opened his eyes. “It’s difficult when they don’t know yet. She didn’t
    come to me willingly. She came because she was lost and heard my voice. She’s trapped on this side. They all are.”
    McFadden asked, “Who?”
    “The murdered girls.” Julian said carefully, “It happens sometimes with a-a violent death. They don’t have time to…to transition. And he’s done something to them.”
    McFadden’s voice was dangerous as he demanded, “Who has? What’s he done?”
    “He…cut them up.” Julian put his long, slim hands over his face. His voice was muffled and shaking.
    “He’s cast some spell on them. An ancient spell. They’re held here, prisoner—”
    “Horseshit!” McFadden jumped up, looking as though he wanted to strike Julian. Flynn rose too,
    watching him, ready to intervene. Whatever McFadden read on Flynn’s face stayed his hand, but he said in a trembling, deep voice, “You’re a goddamned liar.”
    Josh Lanyon
    Julian lowered his hands. He looked terrified. “I’m not lying. Why would I lie? I don’t want it to be true—”
    “What’s the name of this murderer then? She must know it, this spirit gal. What’s the name of the
    man who killed those girls?”
    “I don’t know.”
    “Because you’re a liar. A goddamned liar and a-a mountebank.”
    Flynn cut across the sheriff, his voice calm, although listening to himself he thought he must sound as loony as Julian. “Did you ask Theresa who killed her?”
    Julian shook his head, his shoulders hunched defensively. “I had to tell her she had…crossed over. It was a shock to her and she fled. They do sometimes.” His wide dark eyes were absolutely sincere as they met Flynn’s. He might be a mountebank or he might be mad—or both. He believed what he