“Wasthisamagialreatureattak?”FelixturnedtoStramitz.“InthemiddleofdowntownEdinburgh?”
“Multiplebitemarksintheeiling,”Stramitzrepeated.Sheturnedawayfromthesorhedwallanditsbitemarksandfousedontheman—halftheman—onthebed.Thewoundpatternlookedfamiliar.Hewasn’ttorn—“Thatmanwasbitteninhalf.”
Felixbithislip.“Whatdoesthis?Aspell?A…dragon?”
“Theyhaveawitness,”Phillipsofferedwhenheamebakintothesuite.
“Ohyeah?”Felixarhedabrow.“Howbigarehisteeth?”
Thewitness—ArhieEversworn—wasaporterwhohadbeentetoworkandhadtakenhispreioustimemakinghisroundstohekonthepenthouseearlierthatm.Andhe’dalsomispedhisemployeemasterspellkeythatallowedhimintoanyroominthehotel.FelixtookpointontheinterviewandamedownonEverswornhard.Theporterwasi,Igorawasertain,buthewasdefinitelyhidingsomething.
“Thisdoesn’tlookgood,Arhie,”Felixrepeatedformaybethefifthtime.“Youweretetowork,tetohekonthesuiteinquestion,andyourspellkeyismissing?Itallseemsvery—”
“fluent,”Stramitznarrowedhereyesandtheporter’sgreeneyeswidened.
“Yeah,”Felixontinued.“Alotofpieesomingtogetherandpointingtoyou.”Everswornstaredathisfeet.FelixmetIgora’seyesandwaitedforherapprovalbeforementioningthespelllog.“Now,theseurityspellloggotsrambledintheminutesbeforeyousayyouenteredthepenthouse.Anyreasonyouanthinkof,Arhie,thattheseuritysystemwouldmalfuntionlikethat?”
“What?”theporterbreathed.“No,ofoursenot.”
Stramitztookastepforward.“Soyoudidn’tnotieanythingoutoftheordinaryonyourwayuptothepenthouse?”
Theportergulped,andStramitzthoughthelookedoddlyfamiliarwhenhestaredbakather.ShemadeanotetosendoutinquiriesonhimtoalltheotherDMLEoffiesbeforetheendoftheday.Eversworntookabreathandasked,“Didyouhavethelogforthefourteenthfloor?”
“Ijusttoldyouthelogsweresrambled.Now,didsomethinghappenonthefourteenthfloor,Arhie?”
“Yes,”hesaid,thenshookhishead.“No,”herushed.“Imean,er…maybe?”
Igorastoppedherselffromsmiling.“Youdorealizeyoustatedeverypossibleresponsetothequestion?”
“Sowhihisit?”Felixsaid.
Everswornhuffed.“No,Ididn’tseeanything.”
“Don’tleavetown,Mr.Eversworn.”Igoraraisedherbrows.
“I—Iwon’t.”
Ontheirwayoutofthehotel,Phillipsaskedifthey’dgotanythingoutofthewitness.Igorabrushedhimoff,buthepersisted.“Youdidn’ttellmehowyourasewasoedtothis—thisi,”Phillipsstuttered.
“Wedidn’t,”Igoraagreed.