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It took all of Niko’s willpower to leave Indigo to go meet her sisters. They’d stayed in the shower until the water had run cold and then reluctantly dried off and got ready for the day. Niko had an investigation to tackle while Indigo was expected at the café.

He walked her down the street until they were right in front of the coffee shop. “Are you busy tonight?”

Her lips curved into that sexy little smile he’d fallen in love with back in Florida. “That depends. What are your plans?”

“To meet you back here and cook you dinner. I’ll bring the groceries this time.”

“Perfect.” She pressed up onto her tiptoes and gave him a soft kiss before hurrying into the café.

Niko stuffed his hands into his jeans pockets and went to find his truck.

Twenty minutes later, Niko was back home in his office, pouring over the records he’d pulled on Dean Rollins and every professor that Polly, Tricia, and Indigo had taken classes from while enrolled at the university. He pulled the ones that had overlapped with Polly and either Tricia or Indigo. He wasn’t surprised to find that there wasn’t much turnover at the college. Once professors had tenure, they rarely made moves to other schools unless there were interpersonal conflicts that festered like an old wound.

Still, the only professors in his investigation pile were Professor Cannon, Professor Mitchell, and another named Professor Fields. She taught a Women in Magic class and only seemed to offer it one semester a year.

As a Magical Task Force agent, he had the resources to run instant background checks on just about anyone. The only people who were off limits were those who were high up in the government. With a few clicks on his computer, he had copies of tax records, property records, marriage and divorce certificates, and a full work history.

It took him less than a minute to dismiss Professor Fields. There wasn’t one thing out of the ordinary in her background. She was single, an accomplished author who put out a book a year, and taught the one class a year at the college. She lived in a small cottage overlooking the Hood Canal with her two shih tzus and appeared to raise chickens and sell her eggs at the nearby food co-op. There wasn’t anything about her that even hinted at someone who’d compel another person to do anything.

Professor Cannon was a little more interesting. Her records were squeaky clean, and at first glance, he didn’t see anything that was noteworthy. But then he spotted a car loan, one that Cannon had cosigned on. That on its own was uninteresting. But when he ran the name of the primary person on the loan, he discovered Mr. Justice Keaton had a record. He’d done time in the MTF prison for two years for armed robbery. The weapon was a magical dagger, but it was never actually used.

Niko made a note to visit Cannon to find out her connection to Keaton.

Professor Mitchell’s records were also clean at first glance, but once he started scrutinizing his financials, he noted that the man had taken on significant debt in the form of a personal loan right after Indigo had left school. On its own, that wasn’t an issue. People took out loans for all kinds of mundane reasons. But this debt appeared to be reoccurring each year for the same large amount. It didn’t make sense. Why the same amount every year on the same day for an entire decade? It looked like he’d have to pay Mitchell a visit, too.

He moved on to Dean Rollins. The man had lived and worked in the same place for more than thirty years. He wasn’t married. No children. The only thing that stood out was the Rollins LLC on his tax returns. It was listed as sales, but there weren’t any other specifics. The company brought in mid six figures a year.

Niko’s suspicions went on high alert. What in the world was the dean selling that was making him that much money each year while he spent all day behind his desk at the university? He googled the business and came up with nothing. Then he googled the address on the paperwork and found an empty field.

He’d bet his badge that the LLC was some sort of money laundering operation. After spending ten minutes on the computer, it was evident he wasn’t going to learn anything about the business using that route. It was time to investigate the old-fashioned way.

With files in hand, Niko jumped in his truck and headed back to the university.

He found Professor Cannon in her office, reading through a bunch of exam papers.

“Agent Morales,” she said, getting to her feet. She glanced past him, looking worried. “Has something happened?”

“No, nothing new.” He gestured to the chairs. “Can we sit? I just want to ask a few questions.”

“Um, sure.” She sat back down in her seat and leaned forward, her elbows propped on her desk. “Shoot.”

He cleared his throat. “I’d like to ask you about Mr. Keaton. It’s come to my attention that you cosigned a loan for him. Would you care to tell me what your relationship is with him?”

She jerked back, looking as if she’d just been slapped. “Why are you asking me about Justice?”

“He has a record,” Niko said as if that explained everything.

Cannon’s face soured, making her look like she’d just sucked on a lemon. “Justice served his time. Since he’s been out, he’s been nothing but a model citizen.”

Niko nodded. “That might be true. I certainly didn’t find anything new in his records. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t be asking these questions, but as you are well aware, Polly was compelled against her will. It’s my job to look at everyone connected to her to find out if anyone had motive and opportunity. If I didn’t ask about your connection with Mr. Keaton, I’d be derelict in my duties.”

She gritted her teeth and looked like she wanted to spit nails. When she finally spoke, she said, “Justice and I live together. We’ve been in a relationship for the past twelve years. Eighteen years ago, he was with his brother when his brother decided to rob a liquor store. Because Justice had his magical dagger on him, the charges were upgraded to robbery with a deadly weapon. His lawyer was crap, and even though Justice just stood there like a deer in the headlights while his brother demanded the clerk hand over the cash in the register, he went to jail. End of story. Ever since he’s been free, he’s lived as a model citizen. Now he’s a highly coveted dog trainer. Is there anything else you need to know, Agent Morales?”

He had to admire her fire. If someone came knocking on his door asking about his past in connection to a crime, he’d probably get his hackles up, too. “He’s a dog trainer? Does he not advertise on the internet?”

Cannon’s nostrils flared. “No, Agent Morales. He doesn’t advertise because he doesn’t need to. He gets his work strictly from word of mouth.”

“He must be really good at his job,” Niko said.

“He is,” she said, finally relaxing into her chair. “I’m telling you he doesn’t have anything to do with Polly’s compulsion. He doesn’t even like magic. Not after everything he went through. He spends his days with dogs, and when he has time off, he hikes or bikes the trails.”

Niko nodded. It wasn’t unusual for former prisoners to develop a love for the great outdoors. After being confined in a cement and brick prison for any length of time, they learned to cherish fresh air and sunshine. “Do you have a current number for him in case I need to get in touch?”

She reluctantly gave him the number.

“Thank you.” Niko mimed tipping his hat and then left, intent on finding Professor Mitchell.

Indigo’s favorite professor was just ending a lecture when Nico caught up with him.

“Professor,” Niko said as he showed his MTF ID badge. “Can you spare a few minutes?”

Mitchell’s expression turned from jovial to concerned. “Has there been another incident?”

“Not that I’m aware of. I’m here investigating who might have compelled Polly Smart. Do you have any idea who might have done that?”

“If I did, I’d have already offered that opinion to the investigating officer,” he said, sounding annoyed. “Is there a reason why you think I might know something?”

It was the perfect opening. Niko pulled out the papers that highlighted his debt and put them on the man’s desk. “Shortly after Indigo Easton left school, you took on a large sum of debt. And while you spend all year paying it off, it seems you take on that same debt year after year. Why?”

The professor’s face completely shut down. “My finances are none of your business.”

“They are when I’m investigating a crime,” he said, though Mitchell was right. He wasn’t suspected of anything, and there certainly wasn’t anything to warrant taking him in for questioning. Niko was just hoping that the man would be honest so that he could rule him out and move on, especially given Indigo’s fond feelings for him.

“Dammit,” Mitchell muttered as his entire face turned beet red.

“Care to share?” Niko asked.

“I’m being blackmailed,” Mitchell blurted.

Well now, that was interesting. Niko took a seat and leaned forward. “Why? And by whom?”

“A while back, I was dating a student. Her brother found out and threatened to turn me in to the dean unless I paid him off. It’s against policy for faculty to date a student, and if the dean found out, I’d have been fired. I have never loved a job more, so I decided to just pay him. Only the blackmail didn’t stop there. He now demands a yearly payment, and I’m not in a position to say no, even if I did want to risk dealing with the dean.”

“Why is that?” Niko was on full alert now. There was more to this than a simple payoff.

“The brother is law enforcement and he made it clear that if I didn’t play ball, he’d find a way to frame me for something. He’s not the bluffing type.” Mitchell wore a defeated expression as he glanced away.

A ball of rage formed in Niko’s gut. He knew more than one law enforcement officer who abused their position, and it never failed to make his blood boil. “Who is it?”

Michell didn’t answer.

Niko stared at him, and suddenly he remembered when the payments started. “You were dating Tricia Brighton, weren’t you?”

The professor jerked his head up, staring at Niko with wide eyes. “How did you guess that?”

“Her brother is Officer Paul Pitts, and since the payments started right after her death, I put two and two together.”

“You don’t leave any stone unturned, do you?” Mitchell asked.

“No. I don’t. And now I have to ask if you knew how to do the spell that Tricia and Indigo created.”

“What?” the professor gasped. “You think I compelled Tricia?”

“I don’t think anything,” Niko shot back. “I’m just seeking facts. And the facts are that you were dating a student who was compelled and then died. Shortly after, you were blackmailed by that student’s brother. None of that looks good. You must see that.”

Mitchell stood so fast that his chair toppled over. “Of course I see that! Why do you think I keep paying that bastard? It wouldn’t take much for the administration to decide to pin her death on me. Do you know what a stain that entire ordeal with Tricia and Indigo is on this institution? And the fact that it remains unsolved as to who is responsible for her death only makes it that much worse. Now there’s Polly’s case, too. If they had a fall guy, they could put this all behind them. It’s why they are so desperate to pin it all on Indigo. She’s already left. No one will care what happens to her and they can finally sweep it all under the rug.”

“And while they are ready to bury her, you’re offering her a job. Why?” Niko’s instincts told him that the professor was telling the truth, but he still didn’t understand why he was trying to lure Indigo back into his world.

Mitchell ran a hand over his head as he closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them, he stared right into Niko’s eyes and said, “I wanted to give her back something that she lost. She deserves the options that were taken from her.”

“And?” Niko knew there was more to it than that.

“And I was hoping she could find a way to get me out from under the thumb of Paul Pitts.”

There it was. The key that Niko had been looking for. It looked like Officer Pitts had just gone from pain in the ass to criminal and was now officially on Niko’s list of people to investigate. “Stay away from Indigo,” he warned Professor Mitchell. “If I find out you’re trying to use her again, we’re going to have a major problem. Understand?”

The man nodded, his face solemn. “You believe me then? You don’t think I’m responsible for Tricia’s death?” His voice cracked when he said Tricia’s name, and there was real pain etched in the lines of his face.

“Did Indigo know you two were dating?” Niko asked.

He shook his head. “We didn’t tell anyone. Once she graduated, we were going to make it official. I’d already asked her to marry me.” There was no mistaking the anguish in his tone.

Niko knew that romantic partners could have regrets after harming their significant others, but he didn’t think that applied to Mitchell. The man just had an open energy that implied he wasn’t capable of lying. To confirm, Niko pulled his dagger out of the sheath and nodded when he saw the blade hadn’t shifted to any shade of red, the indicator that someone wasn’t telling the truth.

“Whoa!” Mitchell raised his hands in the air. “There’s no need for that!”

Niko suppressed a chuckle as he sheathed his dagger. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to attack you. Just checking the truth meter.” He stood. “Thank you for your time. If you think of anything that is relevant to Polly Smart’s case, call me. Not Officer Pitts.”

“Understood.” Mitchell chewed on his bottom lip. “You’re not going to tell anyone about me and Tricia, are you?”

“Just Indigo. I don’t care about school politics.” The man had been dating a legal adult. And if Niko wasn’t mistaken, the professor likely wasn’t that much older than Tricia. Five years at best. What did he care if they were dating? He didn’t. “But you have to understand that if it becomes relevant in solving Polly’s case, I’ll have no choice but to put that information in my report.”

“I don’t know what that would have to do with Polly Smart,” Mitchell said.

“I don’t either,” Niko agreed. “But like it or not, the two cases are intertwined due to the nature of the spell, and I don’t know what it’s going to look like when this is all said and done. So I just thought I should warn you.”

Mitchell nodded and bowed his head. When he looked back up, there was a fierce look in his eyes when he said, “Find out who killed Tricia. I’ve been waiting for far too long.”

“I’ll do my best.” Niko walked out of the office feeling as if he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. And the day wasn’t even half over. He still needed to see the dean and find Kinsley. Plus, now he planned to have a little chat with Paul Pitts.