Like she gave a shit what they thought. Wow, yeah, thats thanks, thats really great.
No problem. Jillian grinned at her for another few seconds, like shed just handed Chess a couple thousand dollars for no reason, then opened the car door. Come on, lets hurry up here so we can go.
Yeah, that really gave Chess incentive to hurry. The thought made her feel even shittier. What was the matter with her? Jillian was being nice to her, she genuinely was. Chess had little doubt that yes, her classmates would be jealous if she got to visit the City before they did. What Jillian was offering was a Big Deal. And here she was, being a fucking bitch about it just because well, who the hell knew why. Because she was a fucking bitch, really.
Vaughn and Trentoh, goodystood outside, smoking cigarettes and squinting at the sun. They nodded when Chess and Jillian crossed the yard. Hey.
Jillian glanced around. Anything?
Not really. Just what we saw yesterday.
Gloria Waring is on her way Trent started, but stopped when another car, a dark green sedan of some kind, pulled up behind Jillians. Ah. Gloria Waring is here.
Not just Gloria, either. At first Chess thought the man with her was her husband, but no. This was a different man, older. Maybe not as old as the Waringsdefinitely not, she saw as he drew closerbut he had a good ten years or so on Gloria.
What was he doing there? Who was he?
Uncle Mark was who he was, at least according to Gloria. Well, hes not really my uncle, hes justhes been friends with Mom and Dad for my whole life. Her lip trembled; Uncle Mark put his arm around her.
Why did this happen? He looked at all of them, even Chess, like she had any answers. How did this happen?
Jillian spoke. Sir, the rate of ghost-related deaths in the District is one of the lowest in the world
But it still happened, he snapped, and real malice flashed in his eyes, solidifying Chesss initial instinct. Something about him bothered her; something about him set her on edge. She didnt like him one bit.
Yes, it happened. Trent stepped forward. And were sorry for your loss. But thats no reason to get nasty with Inquisitor Morrow. Is it.
A moment of stare-down. A moment of something flashing in Uncle Marks eyes. How could Gloria stand there and let him touch her, how could she not see
Maybe there was nothing to see. Maybe she stood there and let him touch her because there was no reason not to, right? She knew the guy. Chess didnt. And just because something about him made Chess uncomfortablewell, shit, a lot of people did, didnt they?
And she needed to pay attention to what was happening, because Trent had clearly won the little mental battle and the conversation was moving on.
Shannon and Joe would never do that sort of thing, Uncle Mark was saying. The sun hovered just over his head like a halo. How appropriate. Or not. They were kind of afraid of magic, really. You know, they had very strong beliefs before Haunted Week and never really
He stopped, apparently realizing to whom he was speaking. Im not saying they kept believing after Haunted Week or anything. They didnt, of course they didnt. Just that they were kind of set in their ways.
Chess started to ask how he knew that, how long hed known the Warings, when Jillian asked for her. Which was good, because Chess didnt figure she should really be asking any questions.
They worked at a mission, Uncle Mark said. A religious charity. I waswell, I lived there. I was an orphan, and they took me in, gave me a job.
When was this? Jillian asked.
Oh, um I was thirteen, so that would have been in 1993. They helped a lot of people. Too bad it was all a lie, really.
A lie? Chess looked at him more closely. Yeah, a lot of people whod believed in the old religions had felt betrayed after Haunted Week; well, of course they had. That was one reason hardly any of their churches or whatevers still stood: angry hordes of ex-believers vented their rage on anything and everything they could, and the fires had burned all over the world for weeks after.
When thewhat was it, the New Hope Mission?had burned, had Uncle Mark poured the gasoline? Had he stood and watched? Cried? Smiled?
Jillian didnt ask, damn it. And what happened to the mission after Haunted Week?
A shadow passed over Uncle Marks face. It closed. Well, of course it closed. They all did, didnt they?
Uncle Mark stayed with us for a while, Gloria said. Before he got a job and got his own place and everything.
I just cant believe theyre gone. Mark wiped his eyes, took a few deep breaths. Theythey taught me everything, they made me feel like a real person. They told me anything was possible, and I believed them.
I just cant believe theyre gone. Mark wiped his eyes, took a few deep breaths. Theythey taught me everything, they made me feel like a real person. They told me anything was possible, and I believed them.
The others nodded and made sympathetic noises. Chess didnt. He sounded bitter, didnt he? Again she inspected him; again she saw something in his eyes that she didnt like, something that made her uncomfortable.
It wasnt until the conversation had ended that she realized what it might bewhat it probably was. He held out his hand to her; her first instinct was to ignore it, to pull away, even, but with everyone watching she really couldnt. So she took it. She let his skin touch hers, and his energy shocked her, made her breath catch in her chest and her heart give an unhappy leap.
He was the one whod made the sex spell.
Maybe he did, Jillian said. She glanced at Chess. Sorry. He probably did, if it felt like the same energy to you. And thats cool, you know? Actually, its doubly cool, because it means you made an energy identification, and we learned something more about his relationship with the Warings. About him.
Yeah, something gross. Chess hesitated. Maybe it wasnt the best thing to ask; maybe she was being weird wondering. But she couldnt help it. Isnt that kind of strange, though? To have a friend youve known since he was a kid make a sex spell for you?
Maybe, but maybe not. Maybe hes good at it. I mean, they were married and they had a kid, its not like its a secret that they had sex.
I know, it just seems
Takes all kinds, you know?
Sure. Chess nodded. It was still fucking weird, but whatever. The spell was strong. Why isnt he working for the Church?
Jillian tilted her head. You seem really interested in him and that sex spell.
What? No, I just
Oh, come on. Jillian patted Chesss thigh, patronizing and creepy all at once. I understand. Were both girls here, right? I can I can help you, you know. Like, to meet men. I know the Church doesnt cover that stuff, so you know, if you want to talk to someone
Why would Chess want to? Oh. Oh, ick. And oh, like she needed help in that department. The only thing she ever wanted from men was easy to get. Um, thanks, but, Im really just wondering about the case. Its notits not about that.
Well, just the same you know, your mom probably talks to you about all of this, but
I dont have a mother. They were on the highway again, heading back toward Churchback toward the City of Eternity, shitand cars zipped past them, flowed around them. What were those people thinking of, talking about?
If only she was with them instead of trapped with Jillian and her concern.
Again, not fair. Jillian was being cool. She was a nice person. It wasnt her fault that Chess felt like Jillian was trying to crack open her soul and poke around inside.
Oh. Well, of course, lots of peopledid she die during Haunted Week?
I dont know. Chess kept her gaze pinned out the window. Um, I dont know who she was or anything, I never knew her name. They found me when I was a newborn, outside a hospital. Before Haunted Week.
Oh. So much hid in that oh. Surprise. Maybe a bit of contempt? Because Chess had no ancestry, no family she could trace, like everyone else did. No names of the dead to put on her list, to visit through a Liaiser the way normal people did.
Jillian must have realized shed let the silence sit a little too long. Well, my offer still stands. I havent had a trainee before, so this is its kind of cool for me, to be honest. I dont have a little sister or anything, either.
Chess nodded. And changed the subject as fast as she could, because unbidden the image of the flask in her bag appeared in her mind. She couldnt pull out the flask, and she couldnt continue having this discussion, either. Her throat felt oddly tight as she said, So, Mark. How did he make such a strong spell when hes not Church? Wasnt everyone tested?
Pause. He could have volunteered to be tested, yeah, since he was too old for the mandatory testing. Maybe he did. But lots of people still have some ability even though they arent strong enough to work with us. You know that.
Can we check that?
Jillian slid the car into the exit lane. Her brows drew together, not like she was worried but like she was trying to think of a way to say something. Uh-oh. Chess had pushed it too far, hadnt she? Damn it. Jillian was the Inquisitor, not Chess; Jillian had the experience, had dealt with this stuff before. So why hadnt she just kept her damn mouth shut?
But Jillians reply wasnt what she expected. You know it does kind of stink that were not getting a case we can really investigate. I am supposed to be training you. You havent said if you actually want to join the Squad after you graduate, but
Um, I dont really know what I want to do yet. Not entirely true, but Chess was pretty sure she didnt want to join the Squad, and equally sure that Jillian wouldnt appreciate hearing that.
Hows this, then? Lets go ahead and pretend this is an actual investigation, and Mark is an actual suspect. You investigate him, okay? And Ill oversee it. You report to me, and well see if we can build some kind of case. I mean, we cant, because its a ghost murder, but you know what I mean.
This time Chess didnt need to fake her excitement. Really?
Yeah, sure. Itll be fun, huh? And youll learn a lot, I bet.
Wow, thats thanks. Thanks, Jillian.
Jillian laughed; her smile held a hint of smugness unrecognized, the self-deprecation of someone who knew self-deprecation was expected but didnt really feel it. But then, Chess wouldnt have expected anything else. For all of her Im-your-cool-pal crap, Jillian was someone who did things in order to be admired and acclaimed. And not for any other reason.