Excerpt: The Shadow of Death

“The police found a man in a car down the street. He had a gun which had recently been fired, but since the bullet’s still in my chest, they couldn’t match it for certain yet.”

Alondra let that “yet” go by. “Who is he?”

“No one knows. No identification. The car was stolen from the Venezuelan embassy.”

Alondra found that significant.

“The man is broken, Alondra. His mind is gone. The police said he couldn’t have driven the car. He couldn’t even figure out how to unlock the door and let himself out of it. Complete, drooling catatonia.”

“He shot you,” Alondra hissed, shaken by her own fury. “I was scared you were dying. I didn’t dare leave you to chase him down.”

“You may have erased your opportunity to find out who paid him to see me dead,” Victor scolded. “If these are the tactics you use…” He shook his head, saddened.

Alondra knew his interdict against revenge, but didn’t apologize. Overwhelmed by her new -- unwanted -- power, she didn’t know how she could have done anything differently.

“Is the Lodge working on it?” Alondra asked quietly.

“Yes.”

“Then I won’t meddle in their investigations. I’ll let them solve your murder.” Her eyes flooded, but she blinked hard and didn’t let them spill.

“Good,” Victor said. He closed his eyes, worn out by the conversation. “You showed remarkable restraing in punishing your brother Alexander,” he said. “I don’t want you to have blood on your hands, even for me.”

She nodded, even though he couldn’t see her, and resolved not to tell him about her trip to Oslo.