Free Under the Bridge by Autumn Dawn Page B

problem. “I need to see the murder scene. I need to know how
Carrie died.” This was her fault; she needed to do what she could
to bring the killer to justice.
    No one spoke up right away. Finally, Eyrnie
offered, “There’s nothing you can do, hon. She’s gone. Besides, I
doubt there’s much you can learn from the crime scene; they’ve
moved the body, collected the evidence. There won’t be anything
there.”
    She turned a look on him, knowing her eyes
glowed like twin stars. She could feel the cold power rise in her,
seeking an outlet.
    He stiffened. “All right. I’ll drive.”
     
     
    10. Smells Like Blood
     
    Billy shifted uncomfortably. Crammed in
Eyrnie’s truck between him and the troll, she wanted to crawl out
the window and ride on the roof. Ash took up more than his share of
the seat, though he wasn’t touching her. She needed air, but he’d
picked up her bike and stuck it in the back of Eyrnie’s truck like
a child would lift a plastic toy. She’d wanted to ride, but had
been overruled.
    It was probably for the best. The adrenaline
dump left her shaky; she was too distracted to be a safe
driver.
    Maura’s sword had been carelessly tossed
behind the truck seat. In the closed cab, she smelled a noxious
poison on the blade and struggled to control her stomach. Maura
hadn’t been taking chances with her demise.
    “You keep sighing,” Ash pointed out. “It
annoys me.”
    “You didn’t have to come,” Eyrnie groused. “I
was against it.”
    “But you think I’m a killer. Best to keep me
in sight,” Ash said with creeping menace. Eyrnie had made it was
clear that he didn’t trust him yet, but the possessive way the
pooka hovered around Billy made his motives suspect.
    She didn’t want to think about it. Her head
was throbbing with a nasty headache, and guilt was gnawing her
bones. “Stop it!” Billy snapped. “I didn’t ask either of you to
come. At this point, I’d have been better off chancing the bike.”
She wanted action, and was willing to pick a fight to get it.
    No one apologized, but the men proceed to
ignore each other.
    It wasn’t a long drive to the lake. Maura
hadn’t said exactly where Carrie had been killed, but Eyrnie had
made some calls, and the fae grapevine knew. He pulled into the
parking lot and pocketed the keys. “She was found off to the right,
just past the playground.”
    Ash stepped out of the truck and took a deep
breath. “Smells like blood,” he said appreciatively.
    Billy sent him an aggrieved look and brushed
past, pretending he wasn’t giving her the willies. “Track it down,”
she muttered. A storm was blowing in and the lake was deserted. She
could see flashes of lightning a few miles out.
    Eyrnie also had his nose to the wind, but he
let Ash lead the way. She didn’t blame him. Better not to let an
enemy guard your rear.
    Ash led the way down past the trees and to
the water’s edge. There was nothing obvious at first glance; lots
of footprints and shovel marks.
    “They dug up the bloodstained sand for
evidence,” Eyrnie guessed, looking around. “There’s still plenty of
death smell, though.”
    “Show me where it’s strongest. I want to know
where the body lay.”
    “Here,” Ash said, walking over to a spot
nearer the trees. He indicated a tree. “Look at the damage here;
they chipped off some of this bark, probably for evidence. She was
flung at this and fell. They shoveled up the earth for evidence,
too.” He smirked at Eyrnie’s suspicious look. “I’m the better
hunter.”
    Billy sighed at their posturing and moved
closer. She studied the ground and the tree and knelt to grasp a
handful of dirt. Softly, she spoke in the Old Tongue. “Show me what
happened.” She flung the dirt into the air.
    Everything stilled. The dirt hung in the air,
motionless and then separated into two parts. Some of it swirled
into the air, and the second half drifted down to form a thin
outline of Carrie’s remains.
    Billy took a shuddering