Demons of Good and Evil by Kim Harrison

            “Yeah. That would put sand in my Cheez Whiz, too,” I whispered.

            “No.” Trent turned to face me. “I wasn’t going to mention it unless he brought it up in front of you, but I found out yesterday that his wife left him after their baby girl died.”

            “Oh no.” My shoulders slumped as I took Trent’s hands. “I didn’t know.”

            He rolled the bag closed, a fistful of chips in hand. “It was Rosewood.”

            “Why didn’t he . . .” My brow furrowed. “Why didn’t you—”

            “I did.” Trent grimaced. “I told him treatment was available even before I knew his wife was pregnant. I asked if he wanted her screened, which he didn’t. I was unaware that the child had it until she died. The only reason I can fathom why he ignored the possibility was that he would rather mourn his child than be beholden to me for saving her life.”

            “Oh.” The small word slipped from me, unbottling my childhood pain at the hands of Trent Kalamack Sr. Still, it had been worth it, obviously.

            “Perhaps he regrets his decision,” Trent said. “I’ve often wondered if half of Lee’s issues stem from the belief that his father regretted becoming indebted to my father for saving his life.”

            “A father would never regret that,” I whispered. “I had no idea. He must be devastated.”

            “Clearly.” Trent pulled me closer. “I’m thinking it might be better if you don’t bring it up unless he does. He didn’t tell me not to say anything, but . . .”

            “Yeah, I got it.” My brow furrowed in sympathy, and then I stiffened as someone’s phone hummed. “It’s me,” I said as I reached for it. “I bet he’s not coming,” I added as I glanced at the screen, my eyebrows rising when I saw who it was. Vivian.

            “Um, I should probably take this.” I stood, missing Trent’s warmth already. “I hung up on her yesterday.”

            Trent wasted no time reaching for his new book as I went into the nearby kitchen. “Hey. Hi, Vivian,” I said when I hit connect. “Sorry about the goat thing yesterday. We’re still on for tomorrow, right?”

            “Rachel,” she said, and I winced at the wary tone in her voice as I eased the door between Trent and me closed. “Were you by chance at the hospital this morning?”

            The kitchen was silent and dim, and I grabbed a cookie from the nearby plate. “Ah, yeah.” I bit down, my mouth coming alive with the taste of chocolate and almonds. Damn, Trent doesn’t need a demon-cookie book. These are magical all on their own. “I was helping Detective Glenn interview Walter Vincent. I had no idea he had a no-divulge curse on him. I was trying to get the invocation for the chakra curse cure.” That, and find out who the mage is.

            Vivian sighed, and I could almost see her petite features bunching up. “Were you in the room when Walter Vincent went into cardiac arrest?”

            Ah, crap on toast. Hand to my forehead, I leaned against the counter. Maybe I shouldn’t have busted the camera. This looked bad, and if she was asking, she probably already knew the answer. “Um, yes, but he triggered the curse himself.”

            “He passed this afternoon,” she said, and I slumped.

            “Glenn was supposed to call,” I said, arm wrapped around my middle.

            “He is under a gag order,” Vivian said. “The only reason I’m allowed to tell you is because . . . Actually, I’m not. But I’m calling because the tests have come in and the curse that took Walter down requires demon blood. That’s why they couldn’t break it.”

            “That doesn’t mean it was me,” I said, pulse quickening. “I’m not the only source of it. Walter is working with Hodin’s student. Walter could have been under that no-divulge curse before he even got to Cincinnati.”

            “Yes,” she interrupted. “We’re investigating that, but until then, I’m asking you to not leave Cincinnati. You are more than a person of interest and half a step from being charged.”

            Charged? “Hey, I did not curse Walter,” I said, but even I had to agree that I had the motive and the means. Sure, Glenn had been standing right there, but FIB or not, he was also human. His testimony would be dismissed because unless they had a degree they couldn’t use, humans generally didn’t know a spell from a dance step.