by T K Eldridge
Sett reached out and gripped my hand. “Sid, you need to be careful. I heard about Pru Corby hassling you. If she were to find out she was half Fae?” She shook her head. “Not a good thing. She is already somewhat unstable. This could push her clear over the edge.”
“If she’s unstable, why is she still in the SPD? Isn’t that reason enough to get her to retire?”
“There aren’t that many of us in the SPD, as you well know. What do we have, three active teams and about fifteen support staff? For the whole division?”
“Yeah, but having an unstable cop on the team puts us all at risk.”
“Until this case, the chance of her finding out something like that was slim to none. Now, yeah, it’s an issue.” Sett sighed and took our gloves, whispered a word, then put the now dirt-free gloves on the shelf. “I’ll talk to the Commander about it tomorrow morning. You’re right that we have options now.”
“And next day off you’ll teach me how to do the body sensing thing?” I asked.
“Sure, I’ll call the Academy and see when we can get you and Sin out to the body farm and train.”
I made an ‘eww’ face and she laughed. “Best way to learn, with real dead bodies.”
“Oh, I almost forgot, Auntie. I wanted to preemptively ask you something.”
Sett led me up to her porch and poured us each a glass of iced tea. I took mine and curled into one of her wicker chairs.
“You know that Sin has found his Chosen in Mira, right?”
“I had heard that, yes. Have they bonded?”
“I think that was on the schedule. Anyway, if I know my brother, he’s going to want to move his family here, within the wards and protections. I was wondering if you would mind having me as a roommate for a little while. Having me living with him and his new family would be uncomfortable and awkward, since if we’re in the same building and having sex, we can feel what the other…”
“Oh, hell. Yeah, that would be beyond uncomfortable,” Sett said. “I will be honest, I really enjoy my solo space. I need the privacy to keep myself balanced and functional for work.”
My face fell, I’m sure. I had really been hoping that Sett would let me move in.
“I do have an idea though. Now that Jolie is living with the alchemist in the city, her apartment is empty.”
“Jolie had an apartment? I thought she just lived with Grandma.”
“It’s an in-law type apartment where the garage used to be.”
“I thought that was part of Gram’s herb lab. Huh, that’d work, yeah.”
Sett laughed and drained her glass. “Go over and check it out. I love you, Sid, but I don’t even want an inside cat.”
I chuckled and finished my own tea. “Thanks, Auntie. I’ll go check it out and talk to Grams.”
“And I’ll talk to the Commander.”
Chapter Nine
Sin
Tasha and I were given a lead to investigate that took us to Collegiate to interview a Mr. Bastien Pascal. Mr. Pascal served as a substitute teacher and an office administrator. He was also one of the few staff that had stated on his paperwork that he was part Fae. An anonymous tip hinted at Mr. Pascal being closer to the kids under his care than his position warranted, so we didn’t know if we were about to expose child molestation, kidnapping, or just a teacher who gave a damn about the kids he worked with. I had suggested we pick him up from his house instead of on the campus, and Tasha agreed.
He lived in a neat brick townhouse about five miles from the school, and we were parked out front when he rode up on his bicycle. As the garage door rolled up, Tasha and I got out of the SUV and headed up the driveway. The man parked his bike next to an older model truck, then turned to greet us. “Mr. Bastien Pascal?” Tasha asked, then flashed her badge. “Officer Campbell and Officer Boudreau. We have a few questions for you.”
“Sure, would you like to come in?” Mr. Pascal said.
“Thank you,” Tasha replied and we followed him into the garage.
He unlocked the inside door and gestured for us to join him, then hit the button on the garage door to close it. We followed the man into his house and I took a moment to look around while we passed through a small mudroom into the kitchen, then over to the table and chairs set into a bay window with a view of the back terrace and trees beyond. The house was neat, but not obsessively so. Good quality furniture mixed with some build-it-yourself stuff spoke of someone slowly improving their first house after years of apartment living.
“Nice place,” I commented as we sat down.
“Thank you. I just bought it a year ago. Would you like coffee or water? I have the pot set up to brew for when I get home,” he said.
“Coffee would be great,” I replied.
“Water for me,” Tasha said.
“I’m assuming this is about the kids that have disappeared over the past few weeks?” Mr. Pascal asked as he sat a bottle of water and a glass in front of Tasha.
“Yes, sir. We’re talking to a few people from Collegiate who may have had some connection with the children,” I said.
Mugs and a coffee pot were brought over and he sat before pouring the coffee. “I appreciate you speaking to me at home and not at the school. When Samantha was first taken, the Belle Cove PD came to the school to talk to her teachers. They were not discreet and Mrs. Williams, the Life Skills teacher, was butchered in the news. She and her husband have moved from Belle Cove because of it. She is innocent and they made her out to be some kind of child abuser. I’m glad the SPD is now handling the case.”
I took a sip of coffee and nodded to him. “Good coffee, thank you. And yes, we don’t want to hang an innocent person out to dry if a simple change of venue can prevent that.”
“So, Mr. Pascal,” Tasha started and he interrupted her.
“Please, just call me Bast, Officer. I’m not hiding anything and I’m happy to help in any way I can.”
Tasha smiled. “Okay, Bast. Now, as you’re not only a teacher but also an administrator, you likely already know this part. The children that have been taken are all of Fae descent.”
Bast nodded, hands wrapped around his mug. “I noticed that, after Timothy Sanchez was taken.”
“Anything else you’ve noticed?” Tasha asked.
“The children are more watchful of each other, but otherwise, no. Unless you’re talking about how myself and the two other teachers who openly identified in our school applications as having Fae bloodlines are now being shunned by nearly half of the staff at Collegiate and under watch by the police?”
“Wait, what?” I said and looked at Tasha.
Tasha shook her head. “Sin, call the Commander and check that out, please?”
I rose from my seat and stepped out of the kitchen into the living room to make my call. Nice leather furniture and a decent flat screen TV. A couple of framed photos on the wall, looked like family from the 1930’s or so.
I put the call through and got the Commander’s receptionist. “Hey Lacey, it’s Sin. I need to speak to the Commander. Yes, I’ll hold.”
About half a minute passed before I heard Grampa pick up the phone. “Sin? Everything alright?”
“Yes and no, sir. Bastien Pascal states that he and the other two teachers that openly identified as having Fae bloodlines in school documents are being watched by the police. Is that something the SPD is doing or the BPD?”
“Not that I know of. Let me check and I’ll get back to you.”
“Thank you, sir.” He put me on hold and I wandered the room, looking at other photos and a bookshelf full of a mix of classics and contemporary novels.
When the Commander got back on the call, he was quietly irate. “Finish questioning Mr. Pascal and assure him that there is no official watching of himself or the others by either police department. That if he sees any other police around, to call the station and we’ll take care of it.”
“What’s going on?” I asked.
“Someone set up a surveillance of those teach
ers and forged my signature on it. When I find out who did that, I’m going to skin them.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll let Mr. Pascal know.”
The phone disconnected and I let out a slow breath. Grampa hadn’t been that pissed in a long time. But, that didn’t mean there wasn’t a reason to watch Bast and the others, just that he hadn’t approved it. I headed back to the kitchen and interrupted Tasha as she made notes from her discussion with Bast.
“Seems there is no official watching of you and the others by either department. I’m to ask you to call in to the station if you see anyone watching you again,” I told Bast.
His shoulders relaxed and he let out a breath. “Thank you. I didn’t like that feeling. Was too much like the late 1940’s into the 50’s with the whole Red Scare and Communism accusations.”
I had studied the period in school, but I wasn’t making the connection. “What do you mean?”
Bast leaned back and looked from Tasha to me. “Anyone who was a little different in those years, risked being called a Communist and having their lives torn apart or being tossed in jail. I’m gay, and by being anything other than heterosexual, I would easily be a target. I am discreet about it, of course. Even now. Being a teacher and being anything other than hetero is still risky. It’s almost less risky to tell the magical community I’m Fae than it is to tell anyone I’m gay.”
“You were born in the 1920’s?” Tasha asked.
“I was born in 1918, in Philadelphia. I moved here to Belle Cove in 1987. Rented a place from Agnes Hutchins until last year. She introduced me to Alec McGinty when I first moved here and helped me get the job at Collegiate. I still go by her place and help with the maintenance and yard work now and then. She’s a sweet lady.”
“I know Agnes. She’s friends with my Grandma Fortin,” I told Bast. “I can talk to her and get a character reference for you to add to the report.”
Tasha gave me a quick smile. “Good idea, Sin.” Then she turned back to Bast. “Okay, I have to ask these questions, but I already am pretty sure I know the answer. This is just a formality, okay?”
“Sure, go ahead,” Bast said.
“Have you ever harmed a child? Kidnapped a child? Been inappropriate with a child?”
Bast answered with a firm no to every question.
Tasha slid one of her business cards to him and rose from her seat. “If you have any questions or think of anything that might help us with the case, please call that number and ask for myself or Officer Sinclair Boudreau. If we’re not available, leave a message for Commander Walsh.”
Bast rose with me and shook our hands. “Again, thank you for your professionalism and discretion with this. I appreciate it more than you know.”
I shook his hand and looked him in the eyes. “Tell me, if you can, what the cop that has been watching you looked like?”
He led us through the house to the front door. “She looked middle aged, trim build and short gray hair. Pale skin and gold-rimmed sunglasses.”
I thanked him once more and followed Tasha out to the car. “Corby,” I said to her.
Tasha nodded. “She’s becoming a problem for more than you and Sid. Let’s go talk to the Commander and turn in our report.”
We got into the SUV and headed back to the station.
“Is there a way to lock down the case files so only our team has access?” I asked Tasha.
“It’s not normal, because we have such a small group, it’s usually beneficial to have everyone able to access case notes and files in the event something happens that ties in. But yes, it is possible. I think it might be a good idea to do that with this case.”
“At least until the Commander can take care of Corby.”
“And anyone else she’s recruited to her crazy train,” Tasha said.
“You think she’s got others to join her?”
“Well, Bast said he and the other two teachers were being watched. Stalked. Whatever. That’d take more than one person to manage.”
“Y’know, Tash, I’m glad you’re working this with me. Sometimes it terrifies me how little I know about everything. I keep making assumptions.”
“And that’s going to get you killed. Stop thinking academically and start thinking tactically.”
“I’m working on that. It’s not like flipping a switch, y’know.”
“And you’ve spent most of your life in academia. I get it. But if you’d like to have the nice, long, multi-century lifespan you are slated to have, then I suggest you pull your head out of your ass and work harder.”
“Wow, Tash, don’t sugar-coat it or anything.”
“I’m not trying to be a dick, Sin, but let’s face it. You and Sid were dumped into the deep end and you’re both struggling. We all go through it, it’s not unusual. But you and your sister are higher profile than most of us, so your adjustment period is out there for everyone to see.”
“Greeeat,” I muttered.
“Look, Sin. You’re smart, capable, and you’re going to eventually be an incredible officer. But you’ve got some shit to learn and you need to get street smart fast. I’ll do what I can to help, but you should keep working with Sett and the Commander on your own time, too.”
“I appreciate it, Tash. Thanks.”
“Just listen when I tell you to do something and we’ll be good. You don’t want my brother erasing your life because you got me shot.”
I shuddered, then laughed. She was so right. Her smirk made me laugh harder and Tash joined me. We pulled up to the station, laughing. It was a good change.
And I vowed to do better. Tino could erase my life with his tech skills.
* * *
I had promised Sid I’d come home and have dinner with her tonight. We’d not spent any real time together for almost a week now between our schedules, my time with Mira and her training with Sett. I got her favorite Thai food and sent her a text that I was headed home. I paused long enough to send a text to Mira that I loved and missed her, and if she wanted me to come by after dinner, I would. A few minutes later, she called as I was driving home and I let the Bluetooth in the SUV answer.
“Hello, anam cara. How are you?”
“I’m good, Sin. Ethan is playing before dinner and I took a break from homework to give you a call. You don’t need to come by tonight. Spend the time with your sister. I’m going to soak in the tub and read a new novel I picked up the other day.”
“You sure? I can come by later.”
“I’m sure. Stay home, sleep in your own bed. Do some laundry. Enjoy reconnecting with your sister. I’m going to enjoy my book and sleep until Ethan wakes me up in the morning.”
Mira’s voice sounded warm and happy, and that right there was all that I needed in this world.
“Alright, love. I’ll see you tomorrow after work. Give Ethan a hug from me.”
“I will, beloved. Goodnight.”
When Mira hung up, there was a moment of hollow loss and I laughed at myself. I was getting pretty sappy. She just checked all the boxes and then some. I turned down the road that led to the farm and felt the wards slide over me a few minutes later. I really needed to get Mira over to meet the family and talk to Sid about living arrangements. No matter how much I trusted Mira to do her wards well and take care of Ethan, I knew what kind of darkness was out there and I couldn’t relax with them not under the family’s protections.
I pulled up to the green cottage Sid and I had been living in for the past few months. The Thai food would be a good start to the evening. I had actually missed my sister.
“Sid! I got Thai. You hungry?” I called out when I went into the house.
“Be right down,” Sid yelled.
I put the food on the table and got out dishes and silverware. “Beer or wine?” I yelled.
“Beer is fine,” Sid replied as she walked into the kitchen, hair wet, feet bare. “Thanks for this. I just got back from a run and I’m starving.”
The next few minutes were spent dishing out food and g
etting drinks before we settled at the table to eat.
“Gods, I needed this,” Sid said around a mouthful of Chicken Pad Thai. “And I’ve missed you. How’s it going with Mira?”
“We bonded,” I said. “It was incredible. I’ve never..no, wait. That’s just not something I’m going to discuss with you. But yeah, it’s good.”
“That’s awesome,” Sid said. “So, I wanted to talk to you about…”
Her last phrase came out the same time I said, “So, I wanted to talk to you.” We both chuckled and I gestured with my fork. “You first.”
“Grams said I could live in Jolie’s old apartment at her place, so you can be here with Mira and Ethan if you want.”
“I love you, sis.” This was better than I had hoped. “I asked Mira about moving here, but she’s worried about uprooting Ethan. Which, I get – but I’m worried about them.”
“Want me to talk to her too?”
“No, sis. But I do want her to come to dinner and meet everyone. Well, except Mom and Dad. They’re not due home for a few months.”
“I can help set that up. I’ll make sure to get Grams and Sett and everyone together. Sound good?”
“Make it after Tuesday. She’s got a final Monday night and I promised to take her out somewhere nice on Tuesday.”
“And I’m working the late shift Tuesday through Thursday, so I guess we’ll try for Friday next week?”
“Yeah, sounds good. Pass me the rice.”
She slid the container over and we ate in companionable silence for a few minutes.
“I’ve been working with Tasha the last few days,” I said. “And she pointed out that I need to keep training on my own time because I spend too much time thinking and not enough time acting. I’ve been screwing up and not even knowing it.”
“And I had a long chat with Sett and she’s teaching me some earth magic stuff that will help, but there’s a lot of meditation in it that’s helping my focus and my ability to see more than with just my eyes. I feel like a little kid who got moved into high school classes before they’d finished third grade,” Sid said. “I’m screwing up, and I know it.”
