CHAPTER THREE – Magical Boost
Saeth watched the last of Elyta's students leave. They had found a few drawings of the dig, which they took with them back to the on-site offices and more of Elyta's journals, which Saeth put into the interdimensional holding space with the others. She was using more magick than she liked but there was little to be done for it. She had one big spell left to do so she cast it, sending all of Elyta's belongings, lock, stock and barrel to a holding place in Wales. She'd give her brother, Evan, a jingle and have him and his wife do the actual packing – after double checking to be sure there was nothing the Council might want – and give it to the Ashworths.
With the journals in their interdimensional space hooked to her like a backpack, she almost made it to the door, hoping for a momentary reprise from the tragedy but a knock stopped her. She hoped it was just a student who had forgotten something – though she'd have one hell of a time explaining how the apartment got suddenly empty. She had no desire to talk to the lawyers again. Her head pounded from a mix of exhaustion, hang over and overuse of magic. All she wanted was a good lie down. She opened the door, not the least bit shocked to see it was the worst possible scenario; Lilah and Lindsey stood in the hall.
"We have that restraining order," Lilah said, with an arrogant cock of her head.
Lindsey, however, was looking past Saeth. His mouth dropped. "Holy hell. It's all gone!"
"'Fraid so. You're a little late." Saeth smirked.
Rage sent tremors through Lilah's slim body. "You knew what you were doing was illegal!"
"I have no idea how your Yank legal system works. How was I to know you'd get that restraining order? I was fairly sure you were just trying to bully me. After all, the cops felt the place no longer had any value in the investigation. So why give you a restraining order? More importantly, why do you want one? What are you afraid I'd beat you to in Elyta's stuff?"
"We don't owe you any explanations." Lindsey's blue eyes met hers coldly.
"I'm probably going to have to disagree but that can wait until I get a chance to talk to Elyta's students and co-workers to get the overall picture of just what the hell's been happening here." Saeth smiled smugly. "But don't let it be said I play unfair. I will tell you that I did find a few drawings of the site layout. They're back onsite now if you care to take a look at them. And if you don't mind, I'd like to go home. I'm tired and I'm still in the mood to rip the lips off of someone every time I think about my friend being killed. You don't want to be in my line of sight, considering you're suspects. Especially you, Ms. Morgan, standing there pursing your lips like you smell something bad. They're making a tempting target." Saeth gauged Lilah's response. It was cooler than she liked it to be. She gave her credit; Lilah obviously didn't scare easily.
Lindsey glanced over at Lilah as well, his blue eyes twinkling. Saeth suspected he'd enjoy watching her maim his fellow lawyer. "Suspects according to who?" he asked.
"To me and the L.A. homicide division, especially after I turned over all my correspondence with Elyta dealing with your firm and the stolen artifact. They're slow off the mark, no doubt working this up cautiously, given that you're lawyers. But if the peelers here are anything like they are back in Wales, they'd love to put the screws to the likes of you." Saeth smiled viciously
"Sounds like you'd enjoy it as well." Lindsey's expression said he understood and might even approve.
"Your kind are nothing but a pain in my ass no matter what dig I'm on," she admitted with a shrug. "I'm sort of with Shakespeare on this topic."
"Shakespeare?" Lilah seemed bewildered and bored.
"'The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers.' King Henry VI, part two, act four, scene two," Lindsey said.
"Well read, gotta like that." Saeth patted his shoulder, favoring him with a deprecating grin.
Lindsey brushed her away, his synthetic hand thudding against her tanned fingers. "I wrote a paper around that quote."
"Refreshing. If you'll excuse me." She pushed past him into the hall. "Oh, if you hurry you might have time to check all the post offices, UPS, Mailbox Etc and so on to find Elyta's stuff before it leaves the country. Except for the computer."
Lindsey raised an eyebrow, the only sign that he was extremely interested in the computer. "Where is that?"
"Was that what you were after? Elyta's hard drive?" Saeth stepped back up to him forcing him to step back, practically trampling Lilah. "Too bad. I've given it over to Detective Parkinson in homicide."
Lilah's lips parted in a cold grin. "You bitch."
"Don't drop your rag, Ms. Morgan. It makes you look unprofessional." Saeth turned and walked away.
"How did you manage it?" Lindsey called after her.
"Grad students. They don't like you either."
Saeth's fingers brushed the interdimensional space she had put Elyta's journals into, reassuring herself they were still there even though she couldn't feel them. She could feel the magic around them and laughed to herself over walking the most important pieces of evidence right past Wolfram and Hart's collective nose. Now to head back to the Hyperion and enlist some help in pouring over them.