Dresden Files 11 Turn Coat

Description:

Nearly a year and a half after the events in Small Favor, Dresden's nemesis, Warden Morgan, shows up on his doorstep and asks for protection from the other Wardens just before passing out. Dresden calls in Dr. Waldo Butters, who does his best to patch up the patient though his stitches are delicate and stress could cause fatal arterial bleeding. By helping Morgan, Dresden has become an accomplice after the fact, and will share Morgan’s death sentence unless he can prove that Morgan is innocent.
Dresden reasons Morgan is a jerk, but that he would sooner fall on his own sword than be a murderer. Morgan regains consciousness, and gives his story. The Wardens are hunting him for the murder of Senior Council Member Aleron LaFortier. Morgan remembers going to sleep two days ago, waking up in Edinburgh today, and standing over LaFortier’s corpse - with knife in hand and a bank account balance of several million dollars.
Dresden and Morgan agree that someone may be eliminating wizards who have hindered their schemes. Morgan suggests that Dresden could be the next one to be framed. Dresden agrees, especially given his defusing of Darkhallow fiasco (Dead Beat). They also consider it possibly the work of the Black Council. When asked about pursuit, Morgan reveals he was given a favor by the Summer Queen which he exchanged to muddle the tracking spells of the Council. The faerie spell masking Morgan from the Wardens will expire in about 48 hours.
While recovering medical supplies from Thomas, Dresden is attacked by a Naagloshii, that is semi-divine, also known as a 'skinwalker', and attacks the homes of the nearby werewolves, Will and Georgia. After Dresden recovers, he and the Alphas investigate the attacker who ambushes them, killing one of the Alphas and putting another in ICU. The remaining Alphas are shocked, and demand to be given more information in the future if they are to help. Harry agrees.
Subtle calls to members of Paranet reveal that pairs of Wardens are appearing in out of the way U. S. cities, though Dresden, as a Warden Commander, should have been notified of this. At the Zero nightclub, Justine shows him a wanted poster from Craigslist which offers a reward for Morgan's death, proving that someone outside the Council is attempting to exacerbate the problem as the Council would not use Craigslist. As they talk they are accosted by Madeline Raith, Thomas cousin. She proves herself to be a less than subtle member of the Raith House. She tries to seduce Harry (who rejects her and insults her on multiple levels while doing so) and Justine, and threatens Justine's life. Thomas at that breaks a metal chair over her head, pins her spread-eagle (through the wrists) to a flat table with a pair of chopsticks, and holds her down for Justine. Justine lets Madeline know she didn't like being played with by brushing her hair against her skin, and planting a long, lingering kiss on Madeline's forehead causing the vampire major burns, including a charred-black parody of a lipstick kiss. They leave with Madeline in a beaten, burned, and humiliated heap.
Outside the club, captain of the Wardens Anastasia Luccio appears and interrogates Dresden about consorting with the vampires. She tells him about LaFortier’s murder. She was worried that Morgan escaped specifically to kill Dresden - that Morgan might think that Dresden was LaFortier's murderer. She knows Morgan didn't do it, because she has known him for over a hundred years. He was her apprentice.
While Dresden is at the night club, Molly arrives at the apartment for her potions lesson. She becomes an accomplice to LaFortier’s murder by association. Although, because of the Doom of Damocles, if Harry was guilty, she would be beheaded with him anyway. After Dresden explains the consequences of her involvement - execution - Molly freely agrees to help care for the bed-ridden Morgan. They move Morgan to Dres