Sam Harlan (Book 3): Damned Cold by Kevin Lee Swaim

Callie and raised an eyebrow, but Callie just shook her head.
    Jodie turned her gaze upon Callie and her face blanched, her mouth forming an O . “Glory be upon Him,” she whispered. She blinked and her eyes returned to their normal shade of brown. “Perhaps you can help,” she said.
    What was that all about?
    “What did you see?” I demanded.
    Jodie sighed heavily. “Nothing I could explain to you. The stick man that attacked you. What else did you find?”
    “There was a heart,” I said. “And two eyeballs.”
    “A heart to beat,” Jodie said, “and eyes to see. He was watching you.”
    “ Who was watching us?” I demanded.
    “The man who took her sister,” Gene said angrily. “Carlton Meriwether.”
    “Who the hell,” I asked, “is Carlton Meriwether?”
    “The one who set the stick man upon you,” Jodie said, her face turning red. “ He’s the one who took Dorothy.”
    “Let’s start from the beginning,” I suggested, holstering the Kimber.
    Jodie visibly relaxed and the cloud of magic dissipated, like a passing storm cloud on a spring day. “He lives in Monticello,” she said. “His family is Chicago old money. They used to vacation downstate during the summer along with the other wealthy families. He lives on the north side of town.”
    “Okay,” I said, my frustration rising, “now really tell me about him.”
    “He’s powerful,” Gene said, raising his hand to shush Jodie. “He’s the most powerful witch we’ve ever met, and we’ve met a few. Being near him is like standing next to a waterfall. It’s … hypnotizing. Carlton is no good. He delights in pain like it’s a drug.” Gene shook his head and I could almost smell the fear rising from him. “Meriwether is … there’s something wrong with him.”
    “Why did he take your sister?” Callie asked.
    “I don’t know,” Jodie said. “It doesn’t make sense. We’ve known each other our entire lives. It comes with being a practitioner in such a small community.”
    A lightbulb went off in my head. “Dorothy is a witch, too.”
    Jodie nodded. “Our family is gifted. Even Dawn, although we’ve kept it from her. Dorothy is strong, almost as strong as me. I don’t know why Carlton took her or what he plans to do with her, but it can’t be good.” She took a choking breath and her eyes grew watery. “I’m scared, Mr. Harlan. I’m afraid of what he might do to her.”
    “What does he stand to gain?” I asked.
    “I don’t know,” Jodie said. “Unless…”
    “Unless?”
    Jodie shuddered. “Unless he means to feed on her.”
    I cast a sidelong glance to Callie, who looked as confused as I felt. “Can he do that?”
    “Emotions have power,” Jodie said. “If he evoked enough terror, he could feed on it, especially given how strong Dorothy is. But it doesn’t make any sense. Carlton is already wildly powerful.”
    “Why attack us?” I asked.
    “He must be watching you,” Jodie said. “He must think we contacted you. You’re a threat to him.”
    “I wonder what makes him think that,” Callie said.
    Jodie leaned forward and said to me, “You reek of death, Mr. Harlan. I sensed it last night, but once I looked upon you with my sight, I saw how dangerous you are. I don’t know what bargains you’ve made, but it has marked you.”
    She turned to Callie, and the tone of her voice was full of something bordering on awe. “You are … something else. I’ve never seen anything like it. You are bathed in a power that makes me feel small. You are pure, like a newborn baby.”
    Callie said, “Mrs. Rexford—”
    “Whatever you are doing with him,” Jodie said, nodding at me, “I strongly urge you to reconsider.”
    “She’ll keep that in mind,” I said dryly. “Look, I don’t know what’s going on. I don’t know if I can trust you. I believe Dorothy is missing, and I believe you think this Meriwether fellow is behind it.” Jodie and Gene turned to look at each other, and they both started to