Part 26 (1/2)
She toyed with the amulet bag for a moment, then shoved me aside and sauntered over to the couch. ”You all think you're so clever; you figure it out.”
”Oh, it's not as difficult as you think,” I said, slowly walking around the couch to face her. ”We know you want this house.”
”Eh?” Dad looked confused.
”Why else would you spin such a song and dance about wanting to buy it from me?”
”You're not going to sell, are you?” Tony asked, leaping to his nearly invisible feet.
I waved him and Jules back into their seats. ”The house isn't mine to sell; it's Adam's, but even if it wasn't, I wouldn't sell. It's sanctuary...but you knew that long before you got here, didn't you, Savannah?”
”Of course she did,” Adam answered for her. He strode into the middle of the room. ”Every member of the mortal family who lived here knew what the house was. And you're part of that family, aren't you?”
Her eyes all but spat fire. She leaped to her feet and accosted him, shoving her face into his. ”I'm part of the family from whom you stole this house, yes.
And I intend to have it back! Don't think I don't know what you did; you tricked my great-grandfather into handing the house over to you. You drove him insane in order to get your hands on the house, but I'm not as weak as he is, and I intend to get back what's mine!”
”Oh, really?” I c.o.c.ked an eyebrow at her. ”If you're so determined, why has it taken you so long to confront Adam? Could that be because you know you don't have a foot to stand on legally?”
She opened and closed her mouth a couple of times. ”I have every legal right to this house, and I will be pet.i.tioning the Akas.h.i.+c League to recognize my true owners.h.i.+p.”
”She's bluffing,” my father said. ”Take it from one who knows how to bluff. Karma's right: if she had any true claim on the house, she would have acted on it long ago,”
”You people don't know anything,” she snarled, and stomped back to the couch.
”I wonder,” Adam mused, stroking his chin. ”It's true that she can't get the house from me by conventional means. But does she want it badly enough to commit murder for it?”
Her head snapped around to glare at him.
”You mean that she might have killed Spider to force the League to give the house to her?” I shook my head. ”I don't see that the one would ensure the other.”
”She might have a case for claiming the house if I was charged with the murder,” he said in the same slow, thoughtful voice.
”But you didn't kill him,” Dad said. ”And there's no reason to think you did.”
”No, but she might have thought that if I was discredited enough, it might be easier to pet.i.tion for owners.h.i.+p of the house. The League takes sanctuaries very seriously; they wouldn't want one in the control of someone who demonstrates blatant irresponsibility.”
Pixie lifted her chin from on her hand, where it had rested. ”Weak.”
I nodded. ”I agree; it's weak.”
”True, but it does give her a motive, which we were missing. However, I think we can clear her from the possible charge of murder.”
”I'm grateful for such kindness,” she said in a snarky tone.
Adam ignored it. ”She wasn't alone long enough to have killed Spider.
There was only a very small window of opportunity for the murderer to get downstairs and do the job. Nita, how long was it from the time you heard Spider and Meredith enter the bas.e.m.e.nt, to the sounds of a struggle?”
I'd almost forgotten that Amanita was in the room, so silent and still was she. She hadn't moved from her perch on the footstool in the corner, and somehow, without appearing to slouch, gave the impression that she was curled up in a defensive posture. She jumped slightly when Adam turned to address her. ”Oh, me? How long? About half a minute. Maybe less. Not very long at all. I heard the men talking, and then the sounds of breathing and grunting, and then nothing.”
”As I thought.” Adam turned back to us. ”There wasn't time for anyone mortal to get downstairs that quickly. Which basically eliminates everyone who isn't a polter.”
I leaned heavily against the nearest chair. ”You're saying a polter killed Spider?” I looked from him to my father to Pixie. I shook my head. ”I don't believe it. None of you had a reason to want him dead.”
”Oh, I wouldn't have minded bas.h.i.+ng his brains in,” my father piped up cheerfully. ”But as it happens, I didn't. I knew Karma would never forgive me if I did.”
”We're going to have a very long talk later,” I told him with a stern look.
”I didn't kill him, either, although I kinda wanted to after he hit on me,”
Pixie announced.
”He what?” Dad spun around to look at her.
”He hit on me.” She gave a little shrug and tried hard to be insouciant, but failed. ”It's not a big deal. Nothing for you to go all eyes bugging out like you are.”
”My eyes do not bug out,” Dad protested. ”And you don't realize the seriousness of what you're saying.”
She tipped her head to one side. ”I'm not stupid, you know. I know more than you think. But it wasn't a big deal. Karma was there.”
All eyes turned to me.
”Is that true?” Adam asked, his face unreadable.
”Not exactly,” I said, my gaze dropping. ”I was sick in the bathroom a couple of times. The first time I came out. Spider was standing next to Pixie, but she shoved him aside and ran off. I didn't see him hit on her...although I had no doubt that was in his mind.”
Adam's voice was rich with anger. ”Why didn't you tell me that earlier?”
I lifted my eyes to his. ”I honestly didn't think it was important. I could see that Pixie wasn't harmed, or even overly upset.”
”Yeah,” she said with complacency. ”Guys. .h.i.t on me all the time. It's no big deal.”
”Regardless, you should have told me,” Adam said, his stare continuing to bore into mine.
”I'm sorry. I just didn't want to involve Pixie in it any more than she was.
If it makes you feel any better, I've been angsting about it all morning.”
His jaw tightened. ”It doesn't. Is there anything else you want to tell me?”
I shook my head, feeling about as low as a snake's belly b.u.t.ton.
”Well, I have something to say!” my father said, his voice loud. ”His killer should be given a medal for bravery! Spider deserved to die! He was having s.e.x with minors!”
”He what?” Adam asked, looking more than a little startled.
”He was molesting children,” Dad said, waving toward me. ”Karma said earlier he bragged as much to her.”
I nodded wearily as Adam turned his gaze on me. ”He admitted upstairs that he was having physical relations.h.i.+ps with teenage polters.”