Dead Man (Black Magic Outlaw Book 1) by Domino Finn Page B

concrete."
    "Hey," he said, shrugging. "You're the expert, but voodoo, Santeria, all that saint stuff came over from Africa with the slave trade. It's all the same crap."
    "Maybe to the uninitiated," I said. "Think about how different Los Angeles and New York are, and they're in the same country. Africa's a gigantic continent."
    "Whatever," he said. "You're the expert."
    He said it sarcastically, as if I'd made a mistake and was backtracking with an unnecessary explanation. I didn't bother getting into it with him and moved on.
    "What about me? How'd I die?"
    Evan paused, going circumspect on me. "You really don't know?"
    "I don't remember my death or the days leading up to it. I don't remember getting mixed up in anything, or even being scared. It's like, yesterday was a random day, only today's ten years later, and all I've got to show for it is a bad hangover."
    "You are the worst material witness ever, you know that?" Evan shook his head and grew solemn. "We found your blood, man. Buckets of the stuff. Even though your body was never recovered, there was too much blood loss for survival. Everybody said it was impossible. Zero percent chance. And since the crime scene was on Star Island, we figured you were dumped into the Bay or the Atlantic."
    The body of water between the island of Miami Beach and mainland Miami is called Biscayne Bay. Some islands lie off the MacArthur Causeway in between. Star Island is one of them. It's billed as the home of the stars. Puff Daddy, Shaq, Gloria Estefan. Real swank places.
    "What was I doing there?"
    Evan shrugged. "We don't know. The homeowners at the time were on extended vacation in Germany. They were cleared. We couldn't place anybody else at the residence. The property was on the market and a sign was out front, but the economy's been in the shitter since you've been gone. No one was buying or watching the house. We think squatters were involved."
    I sighed. More like DROP the ball. Evan noticed my lack of satisfaction and became defensive.
    "Listen, Cisco. The room was a mess. A pentagram was drawn on the floor with your blood. Judging by the smears, your body was once in the center of it. There were candles and dust and—"
    "What kind of dust?"
    "I don't know. I'm sure it was analyzed, but it didn't lead anywhere. The point is, we're out of our depth with this occult stuff."
    I nodded in agreement. It was going to be the hard way then. "I need access to the property."
    "Cisco, the evidence is long gone."
    Forensics are one thing, black magic's another. After ten years, detecting trace Intrinsics wouldn't be a walk in the park, but given enough time and channeling, I could find something. I had to find something.
    "I want the address," I said, leaving no room in my tone for debate.
    "I don't have it. I don't remember addresses from years ago."
    "Then get me the file."
    Evan rubbed the heels of his palms on his forehead. I could see him working through the logistics of getting me the case file. Going against procedure, asking favors, sticking his neck out.
    "You owe me this, Evan. You can't sit on your ass forever."
    He snorted. "No one sat on their ass. This was out of my hands. I say 'we' only to refer to the City of Miami, but I wasn't allowed anywhere near your case. I tried in the early days and got reprimanded for it. It was over by that point. I couldn't do anything for you." He was angry, but it didn't look like it was at me. He put his head on the desk. "I wish I'd known you were alive, man. Damn it. I wish I'd known you were alive."
    I shifted uncomfortably. Wondered what this was like for the people whose lives I was interrupting. Maybe everything was silky smooth before ol' Cisco came back to town. Maybe the only thing I would do is scratch and tear and burn everything I touched.
    I kinda liked the sound of that.
    With a lull in the conversation, I re-examined the absurdity of my predicament. The police couldn't help me, Martine was dead, Em wasn't around to give me a