Page 13 of A Match Made in Coven (Paranormal Romance #2)

Chapter Thirteen

Follow the Money

LORCAN

The sun was still cresting above the tall trees, painting their fall-colored leaves in brilliant hues of red, yellow, and orange, as they walked away from Chiron Manor toward Sarah Michelle’s car.

Lorcan slid into the front passenger seat of her sensible sedan, smirking.

“It’s nice to ride up front for a change, instead of being chained up in the back. ”

Sarah Michelle rolled her eyes, the hint of a smile tugging at her lips despite her clear efforts to keep scowling. “Please, you were never chained.” She shifted the car into drive and headed toward her place across town.

Lorcan leaned back, enjoying how the golden morning light danced over Sarah Michelle’s bronzed skin and illuminated strands of blue in her black hair.

Something about this grumpy, sarcastic detective drew him in like a pixie to moonlight.

Perhaps it was the challenge she represented, with her sharp wit and fierce personality.

Or he simply had a thing for women who could curse him six ways to Sunday.

As they pulled up to Sarah Michelle’s cozy cottage, Andromeda came to the door, a smirk on her lips as she called out, “Well, well, look who’s back.”

Sarah Michelle strode up the walkway with her characteristic no-nonsense stride. “Hey, Andy. We need your help.” She summarized the potential financial lead with Morning Star as they headed inside—apparently, she wasn’t all about business only with him.

Lorcan followed the two witches into the living room, and they gathered around the dining table, setting up their laptops and three boxes filled with case papers that Sarah Michelle must’ve summoned from the station—they weren’t here last night.

A pang of guilt assaulted him. He was making her work from home to hide this unconventional collaboration he’d forced on her.

But Lorcan wanted to find Elijah’s killer, and he was still convinced Sarah Michelle had a better chance of apprehending the culprit with his help.

“Can you do a deep dive on this Morning Star thing?” Sarah Michelle asked her roommate. “Check the normal Internet but also poke around the Darknet, check if anything pings concerning money or finance. I’ve added you as an official consultant, so you’ll get the usual fee.”

Andromeda cracked her knuckles and opened her laptop. “You got it. Give me an hour, I’ll see what I can dredge up.”

Lorcan pouted. “Why can she be added as a consultant and I can’t?”

Sarah gave him that overly sweet, villain-right-before-she-pulls-the-lever smile. “For starters, she has actual useful skills and is accredited with SMPD. And she also wasn’t the victim’s best friend and business partner.”

“That’s okay. I’ll just sit here and radiate untapped potential.” Then, just because, Lorcan winked at Sarah Michelle, delighting in the scowl she shot him.

He vowed to chip away at that grumpy exterior and uncover the passionate woman he suspected lurked underneath.

While Andromeda poked around the web, they combed through Elijah’s financial records, both of them preferring not to wait for the official report that, indeed, was late.

Despite the gravity of the task, Lorcan wasn’t as concentrated as he should be.

He kept stealing glances at Sarah Michelle as she worked, admiring the determined set of her jaw and how she absently twirled a lock of hair—this morning back to pin straight—around her finger while deep in thought.

Sarah Michelle lifted her gaze, and their eyes locked.

A flight of sprites swarmed his belly in response.

Gargoyles, he had it bad.

They were still looking at each other, strangely saying nothing, when Andromeda glanced up from her screen, gaze darting between them. “Should I leave you two alone? Feeling a bit like the third wheel.”

Lorcan flashed her his most charming grin. “Third wheel? Nah, more like our lucky charm.”

Then he turned his attention back to the stack of bank statements in front of him, determined to ignore the captivating witch by his side, and how, working this close, their knees were brushing under the table.

As he delved into the maze of numbers and transactions, the sheer magnitude of the financial mess Elijah was in unraveled.

Gargoyles be damned, Glenda King had been right.

“Hex, this can’t be right,” Lorcan spat.

“What did you find?”

“Elijah was deep in debt. Maxed out credit cards, loans piling up…” He shook his head in disbelief. “Our business is doing well. Even with the mortgage and alimony, he should’ve had plenty left.”

“Yeah, I saw the mansion you live in. Or was that built on family money?”

Bristling at her sarcastic tone, Lorcan replied testily, “No, it’s a property I renovated myself, and Elijah could have built two more if he wanted.”

“So you’re both loaded—were… I mean”—Andromeda cleared her throat—“if your company is so successful, why was Elijah broke? Where did his money go?”

The question hung in the air. Unease coiled in Lorcan’s stomach. How could his reliable, level-headed business partner have been this man whose finances were in shambles?

Sarah Michelle shuffled a few folders. “We need to dig deeper. The explanation has to be buried in these records somewhere.”

As they sifted through more statements, a troubling pattern emerged.

“Look at this.” Lorcan pointed at a row of data. “Many cash withdrawals, each under ten thousand dollars. Clearly an attempt to avoid triggering bank scrutiny. And they go back years.”

He looked up at the detective, perplexed. “This isn’t like Elijah. He’s not the type to engage in anything illegal.”

Sarah Michelle’s expression was skeptical. “The only activities that require that much cash are the shady kind.” Her intense gaze bore into him.

Lorcan couldn’t resist teasing her. With a lopsided grin, he quipped, “You’re cute when you’re all serious and detective-y.”

Sarah Michelle’s eyes flashed as another viciously sweet smile parted her lips. “Call me cute again, and I’ll curse your wardrobe to consist solely of itchy wool.”

Lorcan’s grin widened. “In that case, I might have to go around naked.” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively. “You wouldn’t mind that, would you?”

Sarah Michelle shot him an affronted look, but a telltale blush colored her cheeks. “Actually, I’d rather not be responsible for your public indecency charge. And I prefer my nightmares to be a bit more imaginative.”

She spun away from him, focusing on her roommate. “Andy, have you discovered anything about Morning Star yet?”

Andromeda was barely suppressing a smile as she replied. “Nope, but I’m not giving up. This code name has to mean something.”

Lorcan knew how to take the hint that he’d better stop the teasing.

The chances he’d otherwise soon be hopping around turned into a toad were escalating fast. He steepled his fingers as he contemplated the mystery of Elijah’s cash withdrawals.

“Okay, let’s think this through logically.

What activities require untraceable cash? Drugs, maybe?”

Sarah Michelle shook her head. “Elijah’s toxicology report came back clear. No signs of substance abuse. Prostitutes?”

Lorcan dismissed the idea. “No, no way. Elijah would never.”

“Could he have had a secret girlfriend with expensive tastes? Maybe he was conned?” Sarah Michelle proposed.

Lorcan frowned. “Doubtful. Elijah had no reason to keep a relationship quiet, and he wasn’t the flashy type. His car is more sensible than mine, for hex’s sake.”

He raked his brain to reconcile this new information with the man he believed he knew. Suddenly, it hit him—how Elijah always knew the odds of things most people never considered. “Unless… he was gambling.”

“That could explain the cash withdrawals and the financial troubles.”

Lorcan nodded grimly. “It fits. But I never… he never. How could I not see?”

“Addiction can affect anyone. Even those who seem to have it together.”

A heavy silence fell over the room as they grappled with the new development. Lorcan’s heart ached for his friend, wondering what demons Elijah had been battling in secret. If only he had paid attention, maybe Lorcan could have helped.

He turned to Sarah Michelle. “Do you have any pictures of Elijah’s desk?”

Sarah Michelle nodded, pulling out a stack of crime scene photos from the file. She used a magnifying glass that radiated a gentle light, uncovering subtle clues as they pored over the images, searching for anything that might support their gambling theory.

Suddenly, Lorcan jabbed his finger at a photo. “There! That mug with the Encore Boston Harbor Casino logo.” Elijah used it as a pen holder.

Sarah Michelle leaned in for a closer look. “And those pencils… they’re from Foxwoods Resort Casino. One of the largest in the country.”

Lorcan’s mind raced with the implications. “Can the police track how often Elijah visited these places? Maybe through his phone records?”

Sarah Michelle pursed her lips. “I’ll have to call it in, but I don’t know how long it’ll take the department.” She clicked her tongue. “They’re not the best at dealing with human tech.”

“But I am,” Andromeda chimed in, a wicked smile playing on her lips. “Just give me Elijah’s cell number, and I’ll work my magic.”

He gave a low whistle as she pulled up the first set of encrypted data. “You’re disturbingly good at this.”

The blond witch flashed him a wicked grin, making him more relieved than worried. With Andromeda’s skills and their combined determination, they might get to the bottom of what happened to Elijah.

As Andromeda worked her technological sorcery, Lorcan’s gaze drifted back to Sarah Michelle.

Under her tough exterior, the detective seemed to be a kindred spirit—someone who understood the thrill of the hunt and the satisfaction of piecing together a puzzle, but who was also able to show compassion.

If only she didn’t hate his entire family.

Andromeda hammered the keys at lightning speed as she navigated the digital labyrinths. After a few tense minutes, she leaned back in her chair, a triumphant grin spreading across her face.

“Got it,” she announced. “In the past year, Elijah’s phone pinged near the Encore casino in Everett every weekend. And he made a few trips to Foxwoods in Connecticut, too.”

Lorcan’s heart sank at having his suspicions confirmed.

Elijah, his easygoing, reliable business partner, had been harboring a secret gambling addiction.

The discovery left a bitter tang in his mouth that tasted a lot like guilt and regret.

Despite what Sarah said, he should’ve known. Should’ve noticed something was wrong.

Taking in his saddened expression, or maybe just being her usual pragmatic self, Sarah Michelle broke the somber silence. “We should call it a night.” Had they been working all day? Did they even have lunch? “We can head to the casino in the morning and ask around.”

Despite the revelation that had just flattened him, a sliver of vitality returned thanks to her stern, no-nonsense frown. He couldn’t resist poking her. “You’re only looking for an excuse to spend more time with me.”

“Funny, I thought I was just doing my job.” Her poker face gave nothing away. “I’m not interested in catering to your ego, Black. Trust me, I’d rather be locked in a room full of Boggarts than with you.”

He stood up. “Lower on the social scale than Boggarts? My ego is being crushed, detective.”

“I’m sure there’s still plenty to go around.”

As Sarah Michelle escorted him to the door, Lorcan shifted his playful demeanor to serious. He turned to face her, his expression sincere. “Oh, admit it, Callidora. We make a good team.”

She faltered. “You’re not what I expected.”

Lorcan’s heart soared at her confession. It wasn’t much, but it was a start. He offered her a gentle smile, his hand lingering on the doorknob. “I’ll take that, for now . Goodnight, Shelly.”