The Thirteenth Sacrifice by Debbie Viguié Read Free Book Online Page B

shadow hung about him unlike any she had seen there before.
    He gestured to the television. “That reporter is crying ‘witch’ and no one is calling her a liar. Last time something like that happened anywhere around here, a lot of innocent people died.”
    “This is hardly the sixteen hundreds,” Ed said.
    “No, but times are tough and people are on edge. And two things never change. People will always blame other people for their problems, and the worse things are, the more zealous people get. That means trouble in any century.”
    “We’re going to have to put her in protective custody,” Samantha said.
    “Let’s hope she gives us something that makes it all worth it,” Ed said with a sigh.
    “If the real killer doesn’t come after her, someone else might.”
    “You say that like it’s a bad thing,” he said with a weak smile.
    “I think she’s a lonely, mixed-up girl who’s gotten in way over her head. She doesn’t deserve to be in the line of fire.”
    They walked over to his desk and found a stack of photos from the three crime scenes. They grabbed pictures of each of the three victims and headed back to the interrogation room.
    They reclaimed their seats and Ed placed the photos facedown on the table.
    “Do you know what’s going on out there?” Ed asked, jerking his head toward the outside.
    “A cop convention?” Katie asked.
    The girl was trying so hard to be tough, but she just couldn’t pull it off. Samantha almost felt sorry for her.Still, it was a good thing that Katie wasn’t the seasoned hard case she pretended to be.
    “The press is stirring up an angry mob that wants to hunt you down and burn you at the stake, old school.”
    Katie’s jaw dropped open. “What?”
    “You heard me. There’s a witch hunt going on out there, and by the looks of things, they’re going to skip the whole witch trial and go straight to the execution.”
    “People would do that?” The bewildered look on Katie’s face was both sad and comical. “But I’m not a witch, not really.”
    “You’ve cried witch so many times that people are starting to believe you, and trust me, they’re pissed,” Ed interjected.
    “They’re not going to believe that you didn’t have anything to do with all of this,” Samantha said.
    “But I didn’t!”
    “But you know who did. You know something. Talk to me, Katie, and we can help you.”
    Katie shivered and seemed to fold in upon herself. “I didn’t do anything wrong,” she whispered.
    “Tell us what you did do,” Ed said, pushing her.
    “Look, all I know is I get paid to have a roommate, as long as I screen them special,” Katie said, whimpering. “None of them have ever died before.”
    “Do you know that for certain?” Ed demanded. “Where’s your last roommate?”
    “I don’t know. She just split, and she stiffed me for the rent.”
    Samantha was watching Katie, a quiet horror creeping over her as Katie’s earlier words sank in.
    “What are you screening them for?” she asked.
    Katie turned to look at her and the girl’s eyes were dilated wide with fear. “Purity.”
    “You mean you’re targeting virgins?” Ed asked.
    “That’s just part of it,” Samantha whispered and Katie nodded.
    “Total purity. No sex, no drugs, no drinking, no smoking, no tattoos, no piercings, not even ears,” Katie said.
    “Anything else?” Ed asked, his face turning ash white.
    “They have to be religious.”

4
    “You get paid cash to screen your roommates?” Ed repeated.
    “Sort of. Just a little bit. There’s other stuff mostly.”
    “Who? Who pays you to screen your roommates?” Ed asked Katie.
    “They’re witches. Honest, real live witches,” Katie said.
    “And how do you know that?” Ed asked sarcastically.
    “I met them through a friend of a friend. They’re the real thing. They can do all kinds of stuff.”
    “Did they promise to teach you?” Samantha asked.
    “No. I asked, but they said they wouldn’t.”
    “And you