Chain of Souls (Salem VI) Read Free Page A

do anything." She paused. "What do you think would happen if you ended up killing a bunch of Coven leaders outside the country? They'd toss you in jail and throw away the key."
    John nodded. "I think it's strange that they haven't done it here, don't you? Five important people have vanished."
    Amy glanced around, making sure the sidewalk was empty. "But they haven't found any bodies," she whispered. "There's no proof a crime has been committed. Maybe that's the reason Card hasn't called you back. Maybe it's his way of telling you your job is done where the Coven is concerned and you should keep your mouth shut and lie low for a while."
    "Even though other people may be getting killed? And we haven't talked about this, but what about Jessica Lodge? What am I supposed to do about her? She's related to all of this you know."
    "We
think."
    "Well, I
think
this girl was in England, and I
think
that's where Jessica is, as well."
    "You think this girl has something to do with Jessica?"
    "Maybe as a victim."
    "Why do you think that?"
    John was starting to get frustrated with her questions, but he was trying not to show it. He knew she really didn't believe him, and he realized they were close to having their first fight as a couple. "Because," he said, biting off the words, "Jessica went to Cornwall on her last trip. She didn't tell any of us, but Rich Harvey knew. He let it slip one day when we were at lunch. I didn't think anything about it at the time. Only later, when I knew he was part of the Coven, it seemed a lot more significant."
    She looked at him, and her face softened. "I know how you feel. I just think that after everything we've been through, we deserve a little break. And . . ."
    "And what?" he demanded.
    "You ought to hear yourself. What you're describing isn't a story, it's just guesses and intuition, and it's coming in the aftermath of a huge shock to your system. It isn't anything you would pursue if somebody else told you this stuff."
    He stopped walking and turned to face her. "Two weeks ago, I was a rational reporter who always followed the rules. I checked my sources, and I always verified the facts." He paused. "But then this woman's spirit started talking to me, taking me places, pointing things out to me. It seemed pretty crazy because I didn't believe in stuff like that, but the fact that she talked to me and I listened made it possible for us to stop a chain of horrible murders that had been going on around here for over three hundred years. And it made it possible for me to save your life."
    Amy nodded. "Yes, but now I think we should let other people—"
    "What if my dream was another message, but a different kind? What if nobody else gets these damn messages? What do I do, ignore them, say they're somebody else's problem? What if people are getting killed and there's nobody else to do anything? What would you want me to do if that little girl was your daughter? Think about that. What should I do, Amy? What would
you
do if you were in my shoes?"
    Amy shook her head. "I don't know," she said softly.
    "Yes, you do."
    She reached out suddenly and gripped his arms. "Just please be careful. We got lucky as hell the first time around. If you get involved with those people again, you're going to be farther from home and everything will be more dangerous. Promise me you'll be careful."
    "I haven't done anything yet, but yes, I promise I'll be careful."

CHAPTER THREE
    WHEN JOHN WALKED INTO THE
SALEM NEWS offices and onto the newsroom floor, he looked across the room through the glass walls of his office and spotted a stranger sitting in one of the visitor's chairs. The man looked to be in his fifties, with short gray hair and a dark suit, but he didn't look familiar. John glanced at several of the early arriving staffers to see if anyone was going to speak up and tell him why one of them had told a stranger it was okay to take a seat in his office when he wasn't even there; however everyone he made eye contact