was an important man in British law enforcement."

was an important man in British law enforcement."

hasn't arrived, I guess I could use the help. Mind if I ask you a personal question?"

"No, go right ahead," said Modred.

"What's with the stone?"

"It's an old family heirloom," Modred replied.

"How come it's glowing?"

"It's responding to thaumaturgic trace emanations," Modred said. "Fairly strong ones, I should say.

Coming from over . . . there."

He glanced toward the riverbank.

"I take it that's where the body is," said Paul uneasily.

Loomis glanced from him to Modred with a look of interest. "Yeah. You picked the trace emanations up

all the way over here?"

"As I said, Lieutenant, they are quite strong. May I . . .?"

"Go ahead," said Loomis.

They walked past the police lines and down toward the riverbank. There was already a crowd of

reporters waiting behind the lines, shouting questions and aiming cameras at them. Loomis ignored them.

The body of the murdered girl was covered by a sheet.

"We fished her out of the river," Loomis said. "Her body was discovered by a couple of kids."

"My God. She was just like the last one?" Paul asked.

"Yeah."

"Have your forensics people completed their work here?" Modred asked.

"Yeah, go ahead and take a look, if you want," said Loomis.

Modred crouched over the body and pulled back the sheet. Loomis noticed that the emerald in his

forehead started to glow a bit more brightly.

"What do you make of it?" asked Loomis.

Modred stood. "This girl was unquestionably killed by necromancy," he said. "It's just what I was afraid

of, Paul."

"How's that?" asked Loomis.