The Enchanter Heir

Chapter Forty

War Games

Jonah scarcely remembered the drive from Cleveland Heights to downtown . . . just that it seemed to take forever and cars kept getting in his way. It had begun to rain, and gaudy ribbons of light smeared the pavement and bloodied the car windows as they hurtled through the darkness, careened around corners, and muscled through intersections. Once it was only Jonah’s lightning-fast reflexes and nimble maneuvering that kept them from ending their journey in a tangle of metal.

“Hey!” Emma said, putting her hand on his arm. “You won’t do anybody any good if we never get there. And those other people deserve a chance to get home, too.”

After that, Jonah slowed down fractionally.

“Who called you?” Emma asked.

“Gabriel.”

“Did he give you any details? Did he say if anyone was hurt?”

“No.”

Ahead, St. Clair was barricaded, the area beyond swarming with emergency personnel and vehicles. Jonah resisted the temptation to plow through the barricades. Instead, he talked his way through.

Jonah left the van in a parking lot on St. Clair and charged toward Safe Harbor, leaving Emma to keep up as best she could. As he approached the scene, he saw that a fire truck was pouring water over the roof. Smoke billowed out of the building, though he saw no flame. Firefighters and Safe Harbor staff were escorting residents out of the building, carrying those who couldn’t walk on their own.

One entire corner of the building was gone, as if someone had taken a wrecking ball to it.

Jonah mapped the building in his mind. The area destroyed was mostly day-use areas—clinics and treatment rooms, the reception area, and the gym. Areas that emptied out at night. The fist in his heart unclenched a little.

Gabriel was in the alley, helping to triage the students as they emerged from the building.

“Jonah!” he said, with a quick nod of acknowledgment. “Kenzie’s out. We’re taking all the evacuees who don’t need hospital treatment to the Steel Wool Building. He’s over there.”

“Is he . . . ?”

Gabriel hesitated. “You know that everything’s harder on Kenzie than on anyone else. Help us get the rest of the students out. Then you’d better go sit with him.”

“What can I do?” Emma asked over Jonah’s shoulder, startling him. He didn’t realize she’d caught up.

Gabriel looked her over. “Since you don’t know this building, head over to Steel Wool and see if the healers need any help.”

“Which one’s Steel Wool?” she asked.

“Follow the stretchers,” Gabriel said. “Natalie and Ramon are over there. They’ll tell you what to do.”

As Emma turned away, Jonah touched her shoulder.

“Here,” he said. “If Kenzie doesn’t have his music, give him this.” He dropped his phone along with a set of earbuds into her hand. “Tell him I’ll be there as soon as I can.” Their eyes met briefly, and then she was gone.

“Casualties?” Jonah asked, swiveling back toward Gabriel. “Two, that we know of,” Gabriel said. “Lucile Benning was the RN on duty. And Liberty Jones is dead. She must have been caught in the explosion. We found her in the street.

We’re not sure how she came to be there.”

“She liked to go out and smoke on the side porch at night,”

Jonah said. Liberty was fourteen, and always had something snarky to say. Therefore, she and Kenzie got along famously.

Her death would hit him hard.

“Do we know what happened?” Jonah asked.

“No,” Gabriel said, too quickly. “We’ll have to wait for the results of the investigation.” He turned away from Jonah and walked back into the building.

But Jonah knew Gabriel too well. Slowly turning, he scanned the brick wall of the building that faced the alley.

Scrawled in white paint across the brick was the legend good Labrat = Dead Labrat. And Save The Children—Kill A Labrat. And Pedophiles. zombies. Labrat . . . with the first two words crossed out. Also the nonspecific Get Out of Town. Some of the tagging was signed The Exterminators. For the next hour, Jonah boomeranged from Safe Harbor to Steel Wool, escorting the students who could walk, carry ing some, propelling wheelchairs and equipment over the rough pavement. The plan was to house Safe Harbor residents in Steel Wool temporarily until repairs could be made. It wasn’t ideal. Steel Wool was a dormitory that had emptied out as the student population dwindled. Unlike Safe Harbor, it wasn’t tailored to meet the needs of physically challenged residents.

While he worked, Jonah kept his eyes and ears open. Especially to the conversations between Gabriel and police and fire officials.

“I understand protocol, Stan,” he heard Gabriel say to the fire officer in charge, “but trust me when I tell you that we can best meet the needs of these children right here. They are emotionally fragile, and an unfamiliar environment might be enough to cause a massive decompensation. Nobody wants that. Anyone who’s medically stable should stay here.”

The police detective in charge of the crime scene kicked a bit of rubble away. “We’re treating it as arson—some kind of explosive device. Has there been any friction with the neighbors? Any trouble prior to now?”

“No,” Gabriel said, “I don’t know of any town-gown troubles. Our school is small, and for the most part, our students keep to themselves. About the only place they interact with the locals is through our community music programs and the volunteers who provide services. Most are too young to go to the clubs in the district.” He shook his head. “I’m guessing it was a hate crime . . . people fear and hate what they don’t understand. Or possibly someone with a grudge against me. And no, I don’t know who that would be.”

“We’ll figure it out,” the detective said.

No, you won’t, Jonah thought. Not unless you’re open to a magical explanation. “Thanks for being here, Paul,” Gabriel said. “I know you’ll want to interview some more students. Let’s work together to make that as quick and painless as possible.”

Paul put a hand on Gabriel’s shoulder. “I’m sorry this had to happen, Gabriel. These kids have enough on their plate as it is.”

“Ah, Jonah, there you are,” Gabriel said, noticing Jonah’s approach. “Paul, I’d like you to meet Jonah Kinlock, my assistant. Jonah, this is Paul Whipple from homicide.”

Jonah acknowledged the introduction with a curt nod. “I’m just curious, Detective,” he said. “How will you go about investigating this incident?”

“We’ll interview witnesses,” Whipple said. “We’ll look for people who have grudges against faculty or students. We’ll compare it with similar crimes in the area, see if there’s a pattern. And, of course, forensics and the arson squad will go over the property with a fine-tooth comb, collecting evidence.” He paused. “Why do you ask? Is there something you think we’re overlooking?”

“Jonah’s younger brother lives at Safe Harbor,” Gabriel put in, before Jonah could open his mouth. “Naturally, he’s concerned. I think we’re about done here, Jonah. Why don’t you go see about Kenzie.”

Jonah knew when he was being dismissed. But he wasn’t leaving without putting a word in. “Is Detective Whipple aware of the possible connection to the Carter Road Lift Bridge incident?”

“Don’t you think that’s kind of a long shot, Jonah?” Gabriel said, with a warning look.

“We’re interested in everything, even long shots,”

Whipple said. “What do you mean?”

“Some parents of the Trinity Montessori children have suggested that students from the Anchorage might have been connected to the kidnapping,” Jonah said. “Because, you know, we’re close by. Some have had ugly things to say about us . . . that we shouldn’t be here.” He shrugged. “I know it sounds far-fetched, but I thought you should know about it.” Whipple scribbled some notes. “I may be able to get this information from the team investigating the kidnapping, but is there a contact person at the school that you know of ?”

“What do you think?” Jonah asked Gabriel, pretending not to notice his headmaster’s scowl. “Mercedes Foster? She’s been the liaison between the parents and the police, right?” Gabriel nodded grudgingly. “She would be a good choice,” he said. “Though it’s hard to believe that people in Trinity would come all the way over here to menace our students. Or would know how to go about putting together an explosive device.”

“Trinity may be a small town, but it’s extremely diverse,”

Jonah said. “You might be surprised.” He met Gabriel’s eyes, a look that said, If you want a rubber stamp, Gabriel, look somewhere else. “Now, if we’re done here, I’ll go see about Kenzie.”