Almost Midnight (Shadow Falls: After Dark #3.5)(65)

Shawn narrated the images as they flashed. “Here, you can see the fireball. And here’s where Miranda shrunk it down to the size of a pea.” Shawn’s gaze shifted to Tabitha.

When surprise filled her eyes, Miranda knew that Tabitha really hadn’t known she’d saved her butt. And if the tightness in the redhead’s expression was any indication, she didn’t like knowing it.

Miranda looked at the clock on the wall, wishing this would end so she could find out exactly what Tabitha was so pissed about. What was it that Miranda was supposed to know and didn’t? The bad blood between them had gone on too long. It was time for answers.

“Okay,” Burnett said, pausing the projector. “It seems apparent that Tabitha was the intended victim.”

“What? Why do you think that?” Tabitha asked, fear sounding in her voice.

Kylie leaned forward. “The first vampire grabbed you and it appears you were the fireball’s target.”

“But … but…” Tabitha started sputtering. “I mean … I thought you believed it was someone trying to take out the competition.”

“We do,” Burnett spoke up.

“Then why didn’t they go after Miranda or Sienna?”

“That’s what we’re trying to figure out,” he said.

Burnett sat on a straight-backed chair and turned his gaze to Shawn. “Now, about the fireball stunt, would—?”

“Spell,” Sienna interrupted.

Burnett turned to look at the girl. His expression said he wasn’t all that fond of her. “Excuse me?”

“We don’t perform stunts. We do spells.”

He nodded, discontent flashing in his eyes. “Would someone have to be in the vicinity to perform this … spell?” He directed his question toward Shawn, but glanced around at Miranda and the other two witches as well.

“It’s not impossible to do it from a distance, but it is improbable,” Miranda answered.

Shawn nodded at Burnett as if agreeing with her. Sienna and Tabitha did the same.

“So, chances are, the person responsible for the fireball was caught on camera?” Burnett looked at the image on the wall and it was a picture of Sienna.

“I suppose,” Shawn said.

“Why are we just discussing the fireball? It was a vampire that almost broke Tabitha’s neck,” Sienna said as if offended he accused her kind.

“I’m not forgetting,” Burnett said. “But I’m pretty sure the vampires were hired help, the real villain is one of your own kind. Perhaps even someone in the competition.”

“Wait,” Sienna blurted out. “Are you saying we are suspects?”





Chapter Nine


Burnett looked at Sienna really hard, and the tilt to his head told Miranda he was about to question the girl and listen to her heartbeat for lies. Did Burnett suspect Sienna of being behind this? Miranda didn’t know the witch well enough to make that call.

“Does that disturb you?” Burnett asked.

“Yes, it disturbs me,” she said with sass. “Tabitha is my friend. I wouldn’t hurt her.”

“Were you two together today?”

“No,” Sienna said. “I was meeting my parents for dinner when I saw the commotion.”

“So, you didn’t cause the commotion?”

“Sienna wouldn’t do that,” Tabitha insisted.

Sienna frowned. “But he has to hear that from me, don’t you?”

Burnett didn’t pretend. “Yes.”

“No, I didn’t try to kill Tabitha. And I resent that you think I did.”

Miranda tried to read Burnett to see if he caught the girl lying, but Burnett’s expression didn’t give anything away. Then, remembering Kylie’s ability to turn vampire, she looked at her with the question in her eyes.

Kylie nodded, telling her that Sienna was telling the truth.

Sienna’s gaze shot to Miranda. “Why aren’t you asking her questions? Is it because she goes to your school, and you don’t want one of your precious students to be guilty?”

“I’m precious?” Miranda said, sending the girl a fake smile. “Thank you for that compliment.”

Burnett let out a low growl. “It’s true. My relationship with Miranda Kane prevents me from being suspicious of her. However, evidence guides me in the same direction.”

“What evidence?” Sienna asked.

Burnett didn’t appreciate being questioned, and his expression said so. “Why would she have saved Tabitha if she was the one attempting to kill her? Any more questions?” he asked in a clipped tone that demanded respect.

Sienna didn’t have a comeback.

Neither did Miranda. But probably for different reasons. It felt good—heart gooey, need-a-hug kind of good—knowing that Burnett believed in her. The temptation to jump up and embrace him hit hard. Embrace him like she would her dad. Her dad, whom she’d barely seen these last few months.

It hit her then. Hit her harder than it had earlier. She missed her dad. His work had always kept him on the road, but since she’d signed on full-time to Shadow Falls, it felt as if she barely saw him at all.

Kylie, with her chameleon shifting abilities, must have turned Fae, because she seemed to read Miranda’s mood and she leaned over and whispered, “It’s gonna be okay.” Her shoulder lightly pressed against Miranda’s and a sweet calm flowed from her touch. Yup, she was Fae, all right. Only a Fae’s touch could ease a heartache.