Dead But Not Forgotten by Charlaine Harris Page B

for Sam, anyway? Sure, there’d been trouble when the shifters and weres first came out, but that was old news. Besides, if it had been any kind of human motive, Sookie would have winkled it out with her telepathy. That made it a supe, but then what? I knew for a fact Sam wasn’t in the local were pack, but he had good connections with it. The local vampires left him alone because Sheriff Ravenscroft had told them to. Another witch would have cast the spells herself and not hired Marietta. Who did that leave, and how could I get any more information out of the witch when she was bound by a blood contract?
    Blood contracts were powerful—both parties had to sign in blood and the penalties for breaking them usually meant a lot more blood. The only way to break a blood contract was for both parties to agree or for both of them to die. I didn’t have a big problem with killing Marietta after eating that awful cheeseburger, but I wasn’t sure I could work around all her protection spells and I didn’t know who the other party was. But I had an idea.
    â€œHey, a blood contract can’t be done over the phone or the web, can it?”
    â€œOf course not.”
    â€œSo that means your client came here?”
    She nodded slowly, as if she weren’t sure if the contract would stop her.
    â€œInto this office.”
    She nodded again.
    â€œThen don’t move, don’t cast any spells, don’t call anybody, don’t text anybody.” Then, because it was Christmas Eve, I said, “You can take a nap if you want.” I didn’t expect her to take me up on it, but at least I’d made the gesture.
    Sookie had said Sam got sick around Thanksgiving, which meant Marietta’s client been at that house less than a month earlier. So I was hoping that the witch wasn’t a very good housekeeper and that she hadn’t had a holiday rush of clients needing spells. I started sniffing my way through the office, starting with the guest chairs, then going down the hall to the front door and even onto the front stoop. There was something, something kinda familiar, but I couldn’t get enough to ID it.
    I went back to the office and saw that Marietta hadn’t moved, which was a good thing for her front teeth. I was trying to think of a question she’d be able to answer when she asked me one. “Do you need to go to the bathroom? I keep one just for clients. It’s the first door on the right.”
    â€œMarietta, you are officially forgiven for this carpet. And the sleep pants, too.” I went to a door I’d gone past before and went into the bathroom. The first thing I noticed was that I’d forgiven her a minute too soon. The bathroom was in beige—even the toilet was beige. The second was a scent that was entirely too familiar.
    I grinned and went back to the office. “I’m going to go now and make a phone call. A little while after that, you’re going to get a call from your client, and she is going to tell you to cancel your blood contract. You can do that part over the phone, right?”
    She nodded.
    â€œGood. As soon as that contract is canceled, I want you to go to Merlotte’s and wipe all those curses clean. And throw in a heavy-duty protection spell while you’re at it.”
    â€œI have to have you here for a blood contract.”
    â€œDon’t need it, and don’t need this kept confidential. In fact, I want every supe around to know that Desmond Cataliades is paying for this. You send him a bill and it’ll be taken care of. Got it?”
    She nodded.
    I thought about offering a fist bump to seal the deal but didn’t think she’d take it the right way. “I don’t think it’s going to take long for your client to call, so you better get dressed so you can get right to work.” I let myself out because she still hadn’t moved from her chair.
    I called Uncle Desmond while I ran back to