page28 (1/2)

‘Home,’ Brutus said with more than a hint of imperious coing-you-to-your-knees imperious command

‘Believeto do’

There was a strange clunking sound in the background then I heard Eve’s muffled voice ‘Brutus? Princess? What is that smell?’

My eyes narrowed What smell?

‘Miaow,’ Brutus said Then he hung up

I ground my teeth Why, that little… I hissed under ot, he co Eve or what the setting his Friday tuna treat now, he was sadlyother than Clare Rees and her fa suspicion that Brutus had so and had called s, but that was crazy Then the phone rang again and, without looking at the screen, I answered

‘Brutus, how on earth can you get your paws to dial the nu about? Have you been peeing in the corner?’

‘Certainly not,’ Winter said ‘I used the toilet and I even put the lid down afterwards’ He paused for ayou?’ he enquired ‘That cat is bloody a’

That cat is bloody annoying; I think that’s why I love hied the subject ‘I think that Blackbeard sent Clare’s parents a postcard and pretended it was from her He was desperate that no one knew she’d disappeared’

Winter’s ansas gri as well The police have agreed to the eo, not least because steps have been taken to conceal the disappearance of the other coven members too And all their houses are booby-trapped in exactly the same manner as Clare’s Blackbeard means serious business’

I gri the Rees’ family

Winter drew in a breath ‘How does that boy ? And why?’

‘He has a particularly annoying and peculiar skill set,’ I agreed ‘We need to talk to him’

‘Agreed We should also see if we can get hold of your friend Iqbal He has proved himself incredibly helpful in the past when it co to avoid ic concerns me If anyone kno he’s capable of that, it’ll be Iqbal’

‘It sounds like we need to skedaddle back to Oxford’

Winter agreed ‘The police and Arcane Branch have everything under control here It’ll take so to do it quietly so that Blackbeard isn’t alerted’

I ran a hand through my hair ‘He’s not just one step ahead of us, Rafe,’ I said quietly ‘He’s several miles in front And we both know that I’m no runner’

‘It’s not just you on his tail, Ivy, or me Between the Order, the coven’s families and the police, we’ll catch this bastard before the week is out’