Allie found herself nodding, her own heart sinking slightly at the prospect. “I think you’re right. This all feels…incomplete. The emotions are all tangled but he, Standish, definitely feels…unsatisfied. Frustrated.”
“Can you tell where he went from here?” Sam asked, for once no trace of humor in his voice.
She shook her head. “I’m sorry. I can’t. There’s a weak trace in the direction of the entrance of the park, but it fades as it goes….I think he projects the emotions I can follow the strongest when he’s thinking about killing or hurting someone. Here he was just running away, so there’s no strong emotion lingering.”
Sam sighed. “That would be too easy wouldn’t it? Alright well this still tells us he’ll strike again, and soon. And if you are right…” Jess growled slightly startling Sam into flinching and giving him a wide eyed look “…erm, well, yes I should say if he hesitated to kill our Good Samaritan, then that could provide us some advantage if we can find him.”
“Now we just need to need to find him,” Allie said.
“Yes,” Sam agreed, still eyeing Jess uncertainly. “Well, I’ll fill Jim and Mark in on what you’ve said. I may try some trace spells as well, although I don’t expect to have much luck. Notoriously tricky things. But at this point it can’t hurt.”
“Alright, then we’ll leave you to it,” Allie said, sick of the stink of emotional suffering permeating the air. Sam nodded absently and she turned and headed back the way she’d come, Jess a silent shadow with her.
As they left the clearing behind Jess matched her stride and reached out for her hand, twining his fingers with hers. She sighed and let herself pull in his emotions – love, pride, concern – not fighting against the way her body reached for his feelings and used them. Even as she felt his emotions filling her, she felt her own fatigue and stress melting away, until she might as well have just woken up, or drank a large cup of coffee.
His voice was gentle, the Elvish words flowing and beautiful. “If that is an example of what you can learn from this teacher then I retract my concern. That was very well done.”
She replied in kind, realizing that she was speaking Elvish so often now that it was becoming second nature instead of a concentrated effort. “Yes, the new shields held beautifully. There was no point when the emotions overwhelmed me, but I could still sense them just as clearly.”
“This is a good thing, my heart. It will give you a great advantage in working such cases,” he said, his pride and pleasure in her success flowing into her.
She couldn’t help but feel her stomach drop at his words though, one hand going to the badge clipped to her waist. Her fingers traced the design stamped in gold, wondering again how she had been foolish enough to get tricked into working for the Elven Guard when all she wanted was her ordinary life as a bookshop owner. But of course the answer was walking next to her holding her hand, oblivious to her unhappiness with the situation.
Chapter 6 – Friday
Bleidd parked his car at the curb in front of the small pawn shop, sparing a derisive glance at the building. Nestled between a dollar store and a laundromat, Gold Street Pawn was an unassuming looking place, lacking all of the flash and allure of most pawn shops. The building was a drab grey with the store name painted in yellow on a flat sign above a large display window to the left of the door. The window was filled with an uninteresting assortment of junk. It was exactly the kind of place that the eye would slide right over, and for that at least Bleidd grudgingly respected the owner, since it was well known by the less law abiding residents of town that Gold Street Pawn was the place to go to buy or sell less-than-legal things, including information.
He paused for a moment, sitting in the car, gathering himself. His body still ached in the aftermath of his injury, and without thinking he reached a hand up to touch the scar pulling across the right side of his chest, feeling it through the thin material of his t-shirt. Already it was amazingly healed in the scant few days since he’d been injured, yet he chafed at the sense of time crawling by. And if he was totally honest he’d have to admit that the knowledge that his fair flesh would always be marred now with a not inconsiderable scar was depressing.
Pushing away thoughts about something he could not change, and reminding himself yet again that he should be grateful to be alive, he slid out of the car. He paused momentarily, using the cover of locking the door to set wards around the vehicle and adding a simple glamour to discourage anyone from entertaining the desire to touch the car. Possibly a bit paranoid, but in this part of town it was always better to be careful.
Crossing the cracked sidewalk he pushed open the door to the pawn shop and felt the slight tingle of active magic. It was far too weak and crudely constructed to have even a minimal effect on him, but he could feel it like smog in the air and he repressed a sneer. If Will was going to go to all the trouble to waste magic on spells to confuse and distract customers he would have thought he’d at least have invested enough money to hire a decent witch or mage to do the job. He shrugged off the annoying sensation and walked past the racks of cheap used items, each a piece of someone’s desperation, towards the back counter.
He was in luck, the owner was working today. Will leaned against the counter reading a pornographic magazine and smoking a cigar. The heavy blue smoke dispersed in the air and made the already dim lights at the back of the store appear hazy. Bleidd had known the original owner, Will’s father, having the occasional need to make use of the shop for one reason or another and so he knew that despite appearances Will was only in his mid-forties. He could easily have passed for a man in his sixties, despite the obvious dye job that made his hair look like an oil slick. His face was a roadmap of deep lines, his eyes so bloodshot the whites looked pink to the elf’s sensitive vision. Will always wore jeans and a t-shirt sporting a motorcycle, even though he didn’t ride, and was always smoking and reading the same sort of magazine whenever anyone came in. Bleidd had long suspected the man intentionally cultivated an image he thought would throw people off to give himself an advantage in any haggling, a suspicion that was somewhat confirmed when Will glanced up, realized who it was, closed the magazine and snuffed the cigar. “Oh, it’s you. Selling or buying today?”
“That depends,” Bleidd said levelly, refusing to flinch at the stench of cigar heavy in the air. He didn’t know how the man could bear it. “On whether or not you have what I’m looking for.”
“Right, same old same old then,” Will said shrugging like it didn’t matter to him. Of course given Bleidd’s willingness to pay cash without trying to argue the price down for the information he needed, something Will could count on whenever he came in ‘looking’, the elf knew it mattered very much to the human.
“I’m wondering if you’ve acquired any merchandise recently from unusual sources that you may not have been as scrupulous about checking ID for,” Bleidd said, choosing his words with care.
Will pursed his lips. “Well now that’s a broad question. Always getting things coming and going from unusual sources and maybe I don’t remember to check IDs the way I should all the time.”
Bleidd nodded trying to walk a fine line between staying vague enough that if the Dark elves questioned Will themselves about anyone hunting them he wouldn’t be able to point a finger at Bleidd, and not being so vague that even the quick witted pawn shop owner couldn’t decode what he was saying. “This would be larger amounts.”
“Ah,” Will said snapping his fingers. “Now that you mention it I did get a weird guy, an elf and you know they don’t sell in here very much, in a few weeks ago. Had a book that was pretty pricey. Might have seen something like it on a police fax a little later, but well…I’d already paid the guy.”
For some reason that sounded familiar to Bleidd. Frowning he said. “Can I see the book?”
Will shrugged again but reached down for his keys. That peaked Bleidd’s interest; it must be an expensive book if the normally paranoid pawn shop owner had it in one of
the few locked displays. A moment later the human returned carrying a very battered copy of an elvish treatise on water magic. Not the sort of thing he expected a human pawn shop to be peddling, but there was something naggingly familiar about the book. After a moment he realized what it was – the book had been stolen from Allie’s store. He felt an surge of triumph at having unexpectedly found her property when the Guard had failed both to find it and capture the thief, but that was quickly followed by an equally unexpected wave of remorse. He knew that Jessilaen and the other Guards had very quickly been distracted by more serious things, including threats to Allie’s life.
Will was watching his face eagerly. And Bleidd quickly decided to use this to his advantage not only in pleasing Allie but to cover his real reason for being here. “How much are you asking, and what can you tell me about the elf who sold you this?”
“$700 firm,” Will said without blinking an eye at the outrageously high amount. “And he was a strange one like I said. Twitchy for an elf. Short hair, maybe shoulder length. Don’t think he was planning to stay in town for very long.”
Bleidd pulled out his money and counted out seven crisp hundred dollar bills passing them into Will’s hands without a word. He knew already there would be no talk of taxing the purchase. Will didn’t bother to even pretend to put the money in the register, instead stuffing it directly into his pocket. “So why do you care so much?”
“It was stolen from my friend,” Bleidd said, knowing in this case absolute honesty was best. Will likely already knew where the book was stolen from and when. It wouldn’t hurt to let him know that Bleidd considered that particular store of personal interest; it might encourage him to immediately alert the former Outcast elf if anything else belonging to Allie ever showed up in his place.
“Must be a good friend,” Will said cautiously.
That Bleidd ignored, letting his silence speak for him. Then, “Anything else from this strange elf?”
“No,” Will said, as expected. It would look odd though if he didn’t ask.
“You are certain?”
“Like I said I don’t get many elves in here selling, and when I do it’s not usually expensive stuff,” Will said, then added offhandedly, “There is another elf that’s been selling in here regularly lately, decent stuff. I feel like I’m financing his mistress if you know what I mean. But he’s got no connection to the other one.”
“How can you be sure?” Bleidd pressed, trying not to show his interest. This sounded promising, since he knew that if the Dark court had agents here they must be financing themselves somehow and they obviously couldn’t go to the bank and do a regular currency exchange without raising suspicions. That was his entire reason for coming to the pawn shop to begin with. If he were them he would pawn stolen goods to get the money he needed, and so it was logical to start at the store that was most well-known for handling stolen items without questions.
“Oh, I’m sure,” Will said. “The guy with the book was dark haired and like I said he was looking to rabbit. I could practically smell it on him – he was probably out of town before sundown that night, one direction or another. This other guy he’s blond and like any other elf – long hair, big attitude. And he’s been in a couple times, same routine each time. He’s hanging around, I’d bet my cigars on it.”
Bleidd nodded slightly, thinking And there we have you my not-so-clever Dark court agent. Now to find out where you might be… “That does sound unrelated. You understand though that I have a personal reason for wanting to find anyone who wants to steal from my friend.”
“Ha,” Will laughed without humor. “I’m betting this is the sort of friend you spend horizontal time with. Trying to earn some points by playing white knight and catching the bad guy?”
Oh if only I had a chance to be horizontal with her I would surely take it Bleidd thought repressing a smile but alas so far things have not fallen out in my favor. To Will he simply said “More or less yes. So I’d like to be certain that the person is truly gone…” hopefully spitted on the end of an Elven Guard’s sword dying slowly “…I’m sure you understand.”
“The crazy things we do to get laid,” Will said smirking. “I hope she – or he, whatever floats your boat, I don’t judge – is worth it. But like I said I’d bet that elf was outta here as soon as he could find a way out after he sold that book. This other guy’s not going anywhere, not the way he keeps coming in. The way he goes through money the girls over at The Gentleman’s Club have probably built a shrine for him.”
Of course Bleidd thought Where else would a Dark court elf go in this town to kill time but the strip clubs? That was where I picked up their trail last time as well…let’s see if it proves more fruitful this time. He stepped back from the counter holding the book carefully on his bad side. It still ached slightly to use that arm and he wouldn’t risk being attacked and having to take the time to drop anything to free his good hand. If all kept going well it should be almost normal within another day, but the last lingering feeling of vulnerability irritated him. “I’m sure you are right that the one who stole this book is long gone. I am glad that I found it at least. That will please my friend well enough.”
Will laughed, relighting his cigar, “I hope you get thanked repeatedly until things start to chafe.”
He waved slightly and walked out, thinking Oh, if only…
*****************************
“Hey Jason you ready for lunch?” Allie asked her friend, looking up from the box of new books she was checking in.
“Are you kidding?” Jason asked. “Am I ever not ready to eat?”
Allie laughed and shook her head. “Good point. I really don’t know how you do it, if I ate the way you do I’d explode.”
He shrugged, tossing his head to get a stray lock of hair out of his eyes, “I have a fast metabolism.”
Allie looked her friend over from his scuffed work boots to the fire department t-shirt she’d been teasing him earlier about wearing on his day off. At 5’ 9” Jason was solid muscle and tended to give the impression of being bigger than he actually was. His eyes were so dark they looked like they matched his black hair, although Allie knew they were really dark brown. His father was Japanese and Allie suspected that Jason looked a lot like him, since he didn’t look anything like the picture of his mother she’d seen. She could relate to that; she looked far more like her mother than her brown haired, green eyed father, which meant she also didn’t look much like her grandmother or cousin. Jason always radiated an air of quiet confidence that gave the impression he could handle anything that came up, something that made sense given his job, but had always intrigued Allie given how high-strung Jason could actually be.
“What?” Jason asked, shifting uncomfortable and clutching the book had been holding up to his chest like a shield to ward off her scrutiny. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Just thinking that your fast metabolism has good results,” Allie said, smirking. “I’m sure Tony appreciates that great body even if you do eat him out of house and home.”
Jason blushed at her words. “You’ve been hanging out with elves too much, that polyamory stuff is rubbing off on you. And don’t get any ideas, I’m so totally not into girls.”
Allie laughed again, louder, “No worries, you are probably the world’s most expensive date anyway.”
“Truer words were never spoken,” Jason said grinning. “But like you said, I am worth it.”
“Okay are you trying to talk me out of ogling you Mr. Ego or into it?”
Jason laughed with her. “Well it’s hard to deny my own awesomeness.”
They both started giggling then and every time they’d start to wind down they’d glance at each other and crack up all over again. Before long Allie couldn’t even remember what was so funny, and she was bent over the counter wiping tears from her eyes. The laughter released the last of the subtle tension that had lingered between them since Allie had discovered the secret Jason was hiding
about his heritage. She took a deep breath, staring resolutely at the countertop, and thought Oh that was good. I needed that. We needed that. I guess maybe laughter really does cure everything.
“Okay, okay,” Jason said, his voice still thick with amusement. “Lunch. Must get lunch.”
“Yes,” Allie agreed, struggling to sound serious. “I don’t really want the sandwiches we brought, to be honest. I was thinking maybe we could order a pizza or something?”
“Sounds fine to me,” Jason said. “Didn’t they feed you at that meeting this morning?”
“At the police station?”
“Unless you’ve been to more than one meeting today,” he teased making Allie blush.
“They had bagels and coffee but I wasn’t that hungry,” she said. “Listening to detective Riordan discuss, in detail, the evidence from the crime scene didn’t exactly help my appetite.”
Jason laughed. “No I guess it wouldn’t, but I bet you a slice of pizza that all the cops – human and Fairy – ate like it was nothing.”
Allie rolled her eyes. “They did. Not me. I must have a much lower tolerance for gross than a real cop.”
“Any progress with all of that?” Jason asked more seriously.
“Hard to say. The victim’s doing well, which is good, but she couldn’t tell us too much, really, that we didn’t already know. I didn’t get anything breakthrough worthy at the scene either, except that he probably isn’t going to wait too long to try again.”
“Hmmmm. That is frustrating,” Jason agreed. “So no emotional trail to follow?”
“Not this time,” she said, making an exasperated noise. “And no real physical evidence that tells us anything we didn’t already know.”
Just then the bells over the front door jingled and they both turned reflexively towards the front.
Liz’s friend Candice was walking in slowly, her eyes moving across the rows of books. Jason turned back to his novel, but Allie stepped out towards her cousin’s friend, smiling, “Hey Candice, good to see you again. Anything I can help you with?”
Into the Twilight: a Between the Worlds Novel Page 17
