5th Pentagram: The sequel to the #1 Hard Boiled Mystery, 9th Circle (Book 3 of the Darc Murders Trilogy) (Book 3 of the Darc Murder Series) by Ben Hopkin Page A

opportunity. With the current cases clearly linked with the others, those close to the other investigations could be targeted.”
    Mala felt her heart constrict. “Is that what you think is going on?”
    “It is unlikely, but knowing Janey, so are the other options. We need to view it as a viable scenario.”
    This was the worst of nightmare situations for Mala. She couldn’t fully process what was happening right now. She was scrolling through vision after horrific vision of what could be happening to the little girl, when she felt a tug on her arm.
    She let out a small scream, leaping up in her seat and then twisting around to see what had pulled at her. As if this night hadn’t been bad enough.
    But when her eyes adjusted to the darkness of the back seat, she could make out a form huddled in the back seat. Two forms.
    It was Janey. And her bear.
    * * *
    She knew when it was time to stop hiding.
    Janey thought that she would probably get in trouble, but it had been worth it. Even the part where she had to stay in the car for so long with her neck getting all cramped up. Oh, and with Popeye griping the whole time. That hadn’t been fun at all. He hadn’t stopped complaining since they first hid. Actually, he hadn’t stopped complaining since they’d left the apartment.
    But when Mala and Darc saw her, Darc pulled off to the side of the road right away. Janey jumped over the back seat right into Darc’s lap and he just held her for a minute. It was almost like it had been when Daddy had found her that one time she’d gotten lost in the forest. Except that Darc didn’t smell like her daddy. Or talk as much.
    Mala watched them for a minute, a weird look on her face. Popeye said she must still be hungry because she’d had Japanese food that didn’t ever fill you up. That was silly.
    And then Mala was hugging her too. Popeye kept saying that he was getting cramped, but Janey knew he liked it. He couldn’t fool her.
    Then the hug was over and Mala was talking to her. “Janey, don’t ever do that again. I’ve never been so scared.”
    Janey knew that it had been bad to make Mala afraid like that. But she had needed to see Darc. She had drawn Mala a picture while she was waiting in the car, and she pulled it out and handed it over.
    Mala took it and started to cry.
    It was a picture of a badge, with Mala and Janey and Popeye and Trey and Maggie all inside of it. They were all holding hands.
    Janey thought it was a happy picture. She didn’t understand why Mala was crying.
    “I believe her drawing represents--” Darc began.
    “I know what it means, Darc,” Mala answered in between her crying. “I know.” She leaned in to hug Janey again, and she whispered something in her ear.
    “I’m sorry, Janey.”
    Janey felt something swell up inside her belly and then she was crying too. She didn’t even know why. Darc looked at her, and Janey could tell he didn’t understand either. She just shrugged at him and kept hugging Mala back.
    This had been the best night ever .
    * * *
    Trey stood in the middle of Mala’s living room, sipping at his black coffee, doing what he could to sober up. The anxiety of Janey’s disappearance had left, but had now been replaced by the awkwardness of getting busted by Mala for the whole Bluetooth-in-the-ear bit.
    In retrospect, that may not have been one of his finest ideas.
    Janey was still wrapped up in the blanket that she had used to hide herself in the backseat of Darc’s car. Trey had to admit, the kid had showed a lot of creativity and sheer cojones in managing to hitch a ride without getting caught. Girl had skills.
    The babysitter was waiting to be picked up by her parents, Mala having decided that Pyper was too distraught to drive. The young woman’s eyes were red, Trey could only assume from a long bout of crying. He couldn’t even imagine what it must feel like to lose someone’s kid.
    It was getting later by the moment, and if there was any chance that Darc and he