“Sean, what was in that jar you gave me?” Sam asked later. “Did it match?” I asked. “Did what match?” Roy asked. “Sean gave me something to compare to the unknown substance we found in the women’s stomachs. It matched.” Sam looked at me. “What was it?” “Wine.” “That is not wine.” “Elvin wine,” I amended. “I’ve already made a list of my alibis. I didn’t kill them, and I didn’t dump the bodies.” “We never said you did.” “You can’t buy that stuff at the liquor store,” I pointed out. “Sean, you’re not a suspect. What about Katrine? She had alibis too, didn’t she?” Roy asked. “I never heard, only that she was no longer a suspect.” “Where did the wine come from?” Sam asked. “Underhill. If you need to know which vineyard, I can get you samples.” “No need. That was an exact match.” “That came from Jaanalor’s vineyard. I rotate between all the vineyards, so I don’t drink all the good stuff.” “How can a human get some?” “You go Underhill to a vineyard and grab a bottle, just like me. They aren’t locked up.” “How would a human go Underhill?” “There are natural passages. The nearest is two hundred miles away.” “Is there a way for a human to open a passage like you do?” Roy asked. “If the human was a mage and knew how, yes. But even human mages had relegated us to myths. It’s doubtful anyone knows the spells.” “How else could a human get the wine?” Sam asked. “Ask an elf for some.” “You aren’t giving the stuff away. Could Katrine have done it?” “From a Seelie vineyard? It’s doubtful she would have.” “We should call her,” Roy suggested. “May I?” I requested. “Use the speakerphone,” Sam said. “And use English,” Roy added. I called Katrine. “Kat, this is Sean.” “What do you need?” “Have you ever taken any wine from a Seelie vineyard?” “Not in centuries. I prefer Unseelie wine.” “Have you ever given a bottle to a human?” “A whole bottle? That would kill a human.” “I meant to keep, to drink at their leisure.” “No. There’s a limited supply. What little I bring here, I keep a close eye on.” “You don’t drink on full moons?” The Unseelie worshipped the same gods. I’d assumed they had similar worship styles. “I usually go Underhill. Then I can conjure wine and save the good stuff for holy days. Why all the questions? Puck said your dad made the best wine Underhill and had a huge vineyard. You should have plenty.” “I do. I…” I wasn’t sure if I should tell her. Roy made a motion to end the call. “Sorry, I need to get going. We’ll talk in chat. Thanks. Bye.” “Bye.” I hung up. “Could a human have followed one of you when you went Underhill?” Sam asked. “If they followed Kat, they’d end up in Unseelie lands. There are no elves there or old phantasms left, but there are wild animals. It’s unlikely they would survive alone to make it to a Seelie vineyard. And I usually open the passage in my apartment to avoid being followed. And no one can take anything from my apartment that they didn’t bring in.” “You can’t,” Roy confirmed. “He has to hand it to you in the hallway.” “A spell? Could someone negate it?” Sam asked. “I’d know as soon as I walked into the place. It’s never happened here.” “I’ll let the chief know we have a little information,” Sam offered and left. “And I have a meeting with internal affairs about my probation. Have fun with your dolls.” Roy stood. “Problems?” I asked. “No, procedure. I’m getting close to getting off probation. There are some evaluations.” “Good luck.” “Thanks.” Something didn’t sit right with me. No one could have gotten the wine, but they did. How? Like, Kat, I kept a close eye on the wine I brought over. The only time I was gone for any substantial time was when I was the army’s “guest.” During that time, they put my belongings into storage on the base I was held on. Could one of them have taken it? I made a phone call to the base and left a message for Colonel Gillman to call me. He was the one in charge of the department where I was studied. I spent the rest of the day trying to keep from dwelling on it. By the time I returned home, I still hadn’t heard from Gillman or his people. It was odd. Like I’d told Kat, they were jumpy and kept a close eye on me. Someone always called me back in an hour. I decided on a more drastic action. When the army had my things, they hid bugs in them. I had expected that, found and destroyed them. They put more in my apartment. I destroyed those too. The third time, I kept one. They never brought more, even after I wrapped it in towels, put it in a box, and buried it under blankets in my closet. I pulled it out now. I held it so I was looking into the camera. “This is Yesanith Wysanorin, specimen forty-nine. I need to speak to Colonel Gillman, Major Flannigan, or Doctor Barbara Moss. If they don’t contact me, someone will die.” I tucked the bug away and went about my evening.