“Yep. I like the frozen drinks better. Too cold, now. Then again, you pissed off my grandma. Grandpa is still mad. I know you talked to my mom,” he said.
“And you’re okay talking to me?” I asked.
He shook his head. “Grandma was a pain. Don’t blame yourself. But I don’t know anything.”
“You had dinner with her that night. She seemed fine?” I asked.
He nodded. “Nagging and complaining, as always. She wanted me to get an insulin pump because I kept forgetting my shots. It’s not like I’m a baby. I’m not disabled.”
“Hardly. There are much worse things to have. Some kids have cancer. Managing that isn’t really in anyone’s control.” I shrugged.
He gave me a funny look. “So, I should be grateful I don’t have a worse disease? You sound just like Grandma.”
“Should I be flattered or insulted?” I chuckled. “She just wanted you healthy. When grownups can’t control things, it makes them crazy. My aunt still insists on brewing me this anti-stress tea, at times. Whether I want it or not.”
“Why do you let her? You could just pick up and move away. Not be nagged,” he said.
“My parents died when I was little. She’s all I’ve got in the mom department. And when I am sick or stressed, it’s nice that someone cares. So, you don’t want the insulin pump?” I wanted to get him talking and relaxed. Maybe he’d let something slip.
“Do you think I want guys seeing that when I change for gym? I want to play sports, too. Girls don’t think about the locker room. That thing makes me look like a wimp. Plus, everything I do has to go through the doctor. My mom is fussy enough. How did I get Type 1, and my mom didn’t, but Grandma had it? How is that fair?”
I shook my head. “Not fair. Life sucks, at times. Like, now, you’ll have to go to a funeral. I promise, one day you’ll miss your grandma’s nagging. Maybe not for a long time, but you will. I just wish I knew how convince your grandfather I had nothing to do with it. My coffee shop isn’t behind something.”
“Yeah. Mom said there was nothing on the tox screen. You’d think that’d be enough. Grandma had a lot of meds and issues. Until the final guy signs off and says what killed her, Grandpa won’t believe anything else. Sorry.”
The kid was less of a jerk than I thought. Certainly less cocky than he came off on social media.
“Thanks. At least not everyone in your family thinks my shop is evil.” I smiled.
“My mom brews her own coffee at home and thinks buying fancy coffee is overpriced, but she doesn’t think your place sucks.”
“Thanks. Well, I’m sorry about your grandma. I hope the police determine the cause, and everyone can move on. It just seems odd that she was fine all day long and then suddenly died. But I guess that’s life and death.” I shrugged.
He nodded. “She did get confused, sometimes.”
“Confused?” I asked.
He frowned. “Not like Alzheimer’s confused. She always knew who we were and who she was. She took a sleeping pill, and sometimes, she’d forget what time it was and call at two in the morning. Or go online and buy shoes. Or make a bunch of cookies and eat them. She never remembered it. Grandpa had to check her blood sugar and everything to be safe. The docs tried to get her off that sleeping pill, but the insomnia was worse. Now, if you’re so smart, tell me how to avoid this damn insulin pump.”
I shifted my weight to one leg and propped a hand on my hip. “The best way to get adults to back off is show you can handle it the way it is. Test your blood on a routine, eat right, and take the shots on time and all that crap without complaint or slip up. All your mom cares about is your health. If doing it that way is too much of a hassle, you might decide the pump would be better. The other kids probably already know you’re diabetic if you’re testing and injecting. More kids will know, and girls talk. The pump might actually cut down on it. I’d look at both sides and decide what’s best for your social life.”
He half-smiled. “I didn’t think about that. People do notice at lunch and stuff.”
“And if you’re on a team? I don’t know how that all works, but sometimes, practices go long or there are tournament days when you play a few games. It could be safer with a pump regulating you instead of risking it. If you want to be a jock, less dependence on the testing and injections can’t hurt.” I smiled.
He stared at me for a second as though rolling over my advice in his head. “Maybe you’re right. My mom would fuss less, which helps. Thanks. I have to get going.” He headed down the aisle of books.
The kid was about image. He wouldn’t hurt someone, but he resented his grandmother for sharing the disease. Maybe I was chasing crazy leads.
* * *
Mr. O’Conner was outside the café, again, protesting. I cast a warming spell on him. Truthfully, he wasn’t making much of a dent in our customer base, anymore. We’d put notices out on social media, explaining the situation. Most of our customers came back, yet this man persisted.
I watched him from inside.
“Want me to call the police?” Esme asked.
“No. Let him learn we won’t play his game, anymore.” I removed the warming spell. “He can go home or stay. No more babying him. He may be grieving, but he can’t keep blaming us. The results will be in soon enough, and we can all move on.”
“No luck with the grandson?” she asked.
“He didn’t do it and knows nothing. He mentioned she takes a lot of meds. It might be natural. Find any suspects for the threats?” I asked.
“Not really. Some solo witches may have heard about the insult. They sometimes come in here. But there’s no way to prove it. It’d just be questioning people. They’d all deny it and resent us for doubting them. We need more proof or a confession before we accuse anyone. Your reputation has taken enough of a hit. I’ll ask around to my connections, but I don’t want to look like we’re on a witch hunt. I know it was my idea, but we can’t go about it the way you’re chasing down humans like they’re suspects. We have to be more subtle,” she said.
“Unless they were here, they’d have to have heard it from someone who was. Ugh. I don’t want to think about this, anymore. I feel like I’ve followed every logical angle and found nothing. Maybe it is all nothing. Natural causes and some hollow threats. I’m worried for nothing. Or I missed something.” I sank into a chair.
“You need to forget about it for a bit. You’re obsessed, and your mind needs a break. Come back at it with fresh eyes. Go to bed and get some rest. Watch some mindless TV or read a book. Get yourself away from this stuff.” She nodded.
“You’re right. I’m going to go to the movies. Not be here for a bit,” I said.
“Sounds like a plan. Go. I’ll cover for you here,” she said.
“Thanks.” I needed a mental break. The only decisions I needed to make were what to see, how big of a popcorn to buy and what flavor to add to my diet soda.
Chapter 18
The movie was okay, but the time outside of my own head had worked. I felt refreshed and somehow like I’d hit the reset button on my brain. I didn’t have all the answers, but I was clearer on some things. I’d wait for the human report and see how they would handle it. Redo my spells and, if it was murder, pursue the guilty party with paranormal justice.
I waved to Brad and headed upstairs to my room. I wasn’t alone. A man was bent over my nightstand, using my phone.
Magically, I spun him around. The phone fell to the floor.
Ryan.
“Didn’t Esme lock you up tonight?” I asked.
“No, I think she forgot.” He gave me that flirty grin.
“What are you doing here? Stealing? Using my phone?”
“Who has a landline, anymore?” he teased.
“It’s for the security system. And spam calls. What did you do? Why are you trying to get away so badly?” I challenged him.
“What did I do? I killed a werewolf who was killing humans. By our laws, it’s fine. All the humans
see is a human body, and that’s bad. Even if it’s collateral damage in my job, no one understands. I want to move on. Farther away. But I need to check on my sister. You don’t seem to care,” he said.
“You chose your job, and you’re the one who has to manage your family and work. I’ve got my own problems.” I pushed him out of my bedroom. “Wait. Collateral damage?”
“You do have your own problems. Someone was snooping down in your storeroom. I came up here to avoid being caught down there. You don’t want people to know I’m here, right?” he asked.
“Define people.” I magically flung him down the stairs.
“Damn, is that necessary?” he asked.
I stepped over him and walked to the counter. “You let him upstairs?” I asked Brad.
“Um, he got spooked by Belle. The other baristas are helping her stock, so he can go back. I told him to wait in the sitting area on the second floor while I had some customers. Not to go into your private room.”
“Well, he doesn’t listen.” I turned when I heard the bell on the door.
Bran walked in. Perfect timing. Why did that man always show up when I had chaos on my hands?
“Bad time?” Bran asked.
“Horrid, actually.” I smiled. I magically pushed Ryan toward the basement as Belle came up the stairs.
“Sorry,” she said.
“No, it’s not you. It’s our ever-rude guest.” I pointed to Ryan. “Jail.”
He disappeared. Once I felt him there, I went further. “Locked.”
“Impressive,” Bran said.
I laughed. “Not really. I grew up with twins who were always changing places. I learned teleportation young, so I wasn’t caught up in their tricks. They tried to blame me.”
“I can’t believe that. Iris and Violet are too sweet,” Belle said.
“Kids are never perfectly sweet. We all test the rules growing up. Belle Andrews, Bran Killean. Belle is a gypsy witch who supplies us with expired blood from the blood bank to keep our vampires fed safely. Bran is…” I paused.
“I’ve heard of his family.” Belle blushed a bit and shook his hand. “Never thought I’d meet one.”
“A gypsy? Forgive me, I thought the women stayed at home. You’re a modern gypsy?” Bran asked.
“I guess.” Belle tugged her coat tight around her. She was cute and sweet but thirty, and in gypsy years, that was an old maid.
“Belle chose a career. I think it was a better choice than getting married at sixteen,” I said.
“I’d tend to agree with you, but I don’t want to seem anti-gypsy traditions. My family takes its share of judgment. I don’t want others to think I disapprove. We all have to do what works for us.” Bran smiled at me and Belle.
The man was a flirt. Or he was this attentive and nice to every woman? Maybe I should wait for the brother to come home? I didn’t really know either of them well.
“I’d better go. Mom always waits up. Nice meeting you,” Belle said to Bran. “Bye, Claudia.”
“Bye, thanks. Sorry about Ryan. The vampires were supposed to keep a handle on him.” I shot Brad a look.
The other barista came up from the basement. “Blood is stocked.”
“Good. Hopefully, by the next delivery, Ryan will be gone,” I said.
“Great. Are you coming to the wedding?” Belle asked as she lingered at the door.
“Probably. See you there?”
She nodded. “Mom insists. Gotta go.”
I waved. “Say hi to your mom for me.”
Bran remained quiet until she left.
“Complicated culture?” he asked.
“Yes. But I’m just a guest. Belle and her sister wanted more than to be housewives.” I knew more about the details of her family life that explained a lot, but Bran didn’t need to know.
“Quite the rebels. And you’re invited to a wedding?’ he asked.
“My uncle is a gypsy. It’s his nieces getting married. Double wedding. We’re not the most popular family to go, but my aunt and uncle don’t believe in cutting off family ties if they can help it. Sorry, I should go check on my horrible guest,” I said.
“Your troubles tend to linger,” he said.
I shrugged. “I can’t force the human world to work faster.”
“Want some help putting him in his place?” Bran offered.
“I can handle it.” I headed down the stairs, feeling like I should invite him, but it wasn’t his business or his problem.
Ryan paced in his cage. “You need to let me go. Just kick me out. You’ll never see me again.”
“If I believed that, I’d do it so fast your head would spin. I think you’ll run back here. I don’t need more headaches. Who were you calling?” I demanded.
“Does it matter? You lock me up. Cut me off from my family and friends. You hold me hostage. I could call the police,” he said.
I laughed. “I’m protecting you from the police. Please do call them. I’ll hand you over, at this point. My uncle will get over it.”
“I need to get out of here,” he insisted.
“Why? Did you kill Mrs. O’Conner? Did you think it was a favor or something?” I asked.
“No, I didn’t kill her. I was beat up here that night. I couldn’t even have made those threats.”
“You know about those?” I asked.
“Esme vents. She thinks I don’t listen. She talks to herself, sometimes. Who knows what she might’ve said to someone about that annoying old woman before? The threats might not even be related to the murder,” he said.
“You’ve spent a lot of time thinking about that, have you?” I asked.
“What else do I have to do here? Oh, you’re stocking too much eggnog. People don’t seem to like it in their coffee. But I’d make a shake out of it,” he said.
“The holidays are over, anyway,” I said.
“I’d keep a minty green shake year-round. People like it. Maybe do holiday flavors in July. When it’s hot and people want something cold and delicious. Peppermint and all those flavors.” He shrugged.
It wasn’t a horrible idea. “Thanks. Now, back to the real question. Why are you trying to blame Esme?”
“I’m not blaming her. She just talks a lot. Someone out there might’ve threatened the old woman to curry favor with you. Or even killed her to please you when they heard about her threats. You don’t know how powerful and known you are,” he said.
“Flattery crap won’t work,” I said.
“That part is true,” said a voice behind me.
Bran had followed me.
“What are you doing, spying on me? Nosing around my property?” I asked.
“I just want to help if I can. Esme asked if I could try and get you involved more in our world. Your powers are known and still growing.” Bran nodded.
“Esme is more powerful,” I said.
“Barely, and she’s a century older than you. You like humans, and that’s nice, but you need to grow you powers and flex them.” Bran glared at Ryan. “This human is not worth your time.”
“You’re a stronger wizard than I am a witch. Why do you want the competition?” I asked.
He smiled. “Competition makes us stronger. You let your guard down because you’re on top. It’s good to be pushed. Challenge me.”
“Do I need to be here for this?” Ryan asked.
“I can take him off your hands for you. I promise he’ll never escape my dungeons,” Bran said.
“Not cool, dude,” Ryan said.
“Thanks for the offer, but I’ll handle my own problems.” I added a magical perimeter until morning then walked up the stairs.
Bran followed me.
“I don’t think I helped,” Bran said.
“Actually, you gave me some information that helps. Esme put you up to this. Chatting with me. Helping me. It makes sense, now,” I said.
“No,” he said firmly.
“Yes. I’m not a fool. I appreciate any help to socialize with the witching worl
d. I don’t know why it’s such a big deal. My aunt never pushed me. Esme never did either before. What’s changed?” I asked.
Bran shook his head. “I’m not sure. I know, when your mother died, it was big news in the magical and paranormal community. She was such a strong witch. Esme promised to make sure you were connected, but your aunt kept you from the groups and activities as a child.”
“You were included in them?” I asked.
“No, but that’s my family. You don’t cultivate a certain reputation by joining in everything. I knew about them. We occasionally were allowed to do something over the summer. My brother pushed for it more than I.” Bran folded his arms.
“You have a brother?” I asked.
“Esme didn’t tell you?” he replied.
I played disinterested rather than dumb. “She mentioned someone in Romania studying and also you have a cousin staying. I didn’t retain all the details. Human trouble.”
“My brother is studying the history of vampires. Myths and facts. He’d love to meet your gypsy blood fairy. My cousin is staying. She wanted to try college but needs Esme’s magical tutoring. Her skills are lacking. Her parents let her run a bit wild and free with humans. We should really go back to boarding schools.”
“Like Hogwarts?” I laughed.
“Don’t mock it. Homeschooling and private tutors only works so well. Trying to fit into a human world makes us weak and fearful of them. We need to organize and be stronger.” He looked me dead in the eye.
“I agree there. But we can’t ignore humans. We need to know what they’re thinking and planning. Anyway, I’m sure Esme will help your cousin. When your brother comes back, please bring him by. I’d love to meet him, and Belle would, too.” I smiled.
“Why don’t we get to know each other better before that?” he asked.
“You don’t have to do anything special with me. Esme put you up to it, and it’s not needed,” I said.
“Dinner can’t hurt. Fill in some blanks about things. Then, I can escort you to the Vernal Equinox ball. My cousin says I need to get a life,” he said with a smirk.
“I’m hearing that a lot. We can blame Esme for that nugget being planted, I’m sure.” I chuckled.
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