“Pinocchio’s girlfriend is all upset. What’s going on?”
I rubbed the bridge of my nose. “Don’t call her that, her name is Trinket.”
“Weirdest name I’ve ever heard.”
“From the girl who chose to be called Incarra.”
She grumbled. “Will you please tell me what’s going on?”
“Another call came in. I just got done at the scene, I’m heading back to wait for some results at the lab.”
“Dude, you so just sounded like an episode of CSI.”
I grinned. “I need you to sit tight and keep an eye on her. Don’t answer the bell, the door or anything.”
“Want me to turn out the lights and make like nobody’s home?”
I thought about that for a minute. Technically, Trinket and Incarra weren’t supposed to be there and I was out.
“Yeah, good idea. There are some candles under the sink in the bathroom.”
I heard her pass on the instructions to Trinket.
“When will you be back?”
“An hour, maybe two. I don’t think any longer than that.”
“What am I going to do with her in the dark for two hours?”
I let out an exasperated sigh.
“I have Crouching Tiger on DVD. Watch the subtitles, or you could tell ghost stories and braid each other’s hair.” I heard her cursing and a shout of surprise. “Incarra?”
“Speaking of hair, Barbie just set hers on fire. I got to go.” She hung up.
I shook my head. I was never having kids. Hamilton had listened to my side of the conversation with relative good cheer.
“You have someone watching her? Your ghost-seeing friend?”
“Yeah. She seems to resent being stuck on babysitting duty.”
“She’d much rather be out here helping you?” he asked.
“Yes. But it’s too dangerous for her. She doesn’t have an active power, she’s your average breakable human.”
“So are you.”
I was about to correct him but I stopped myself just in time. I wasn’t prepared to let the cat out of the bag tonight.
“I can defend myself. I have magic. What she does is more a psychic ability. It’s all done in her head.”
“How is it you know so much?”
“I read a lot.”
“And it just stays in your head?”
“Depends on how long ago I read it. I can usually remember the article and who it’s by if I can’t recall the contents.”
“How come with a mind like that you didn’t become a cop?”
I grinned at him. “I’d rather be recognized as brilliant now then wait and wade through the ranks.”
Hamilton gave a short sharp bark of laughter and managed to wrestle it down to a chortle. I was beginning to enjoy the way things were going, this easy camaraderie that was building between us. He let me out at the main doors of the station, then took the car to his designated parking spot, somewhere around the other side.
As I went down the stairs, I had to wonder why Rourke hadn’t been up our ass the minute the call had come in. I made a quick stop at the doors to PCU to peer in through the glass. They seemed to be clearing up. I saw LeBron tidying up the pens in a mug. I waited until he looked up, then waved. He motioned for me to wait a minute, then came out into the corridor. Close up, I saw a yellowing bruise on his neck.
“Hey, how’s it going?” I said. “You okay? What’s going on?”
He blinked quizzically. I pointed to the bruise. He clapped his hand to it as though he’d forgotten it was there.
“Yes, things are fine,” he said. “I’ll expand on that in a minute. As for what’s going on, surprise departmental inspection slash audit. Whatever you’re up to, you’ll be free from Rourke for at least the rest of the night.”
He wrapped his fingers gently around my arm and led me down the corridor, away from the doors.
“I got into a bit of a scrap with another wolf on the last night of the moon.”
“What? Simian promised me he’d look after you.”
LeBron got a grumpy face. “Yeah, thanks for that, mom. I thought you’d said something like that to him, and I didn’t like it. I’m a big boy, I can take care of myself.”
I pointed emphatically to the bruise on his throat.
“Obviously that’s not the case.”
“I didn’t get the bruise in the fight.” He laughed and his cheeks flushed. “Brie gave me that, it’s sort of a were-animal hickey.”
“Okay, I’m not sure I want to know any more.”
“It’s not…like that…we weren’t,” he stuttered, scarlet lighting under the bruise. “Her ex got pissy at her spending time with me, so he started a scrap. I won and, well, I guess it was my reward.”
“The kitty bit you?”
“Yeah,” he murmured. I wanted to tease him but I didn’t want to rush of blood to make his head explode.
“I could tell she was taken by you that first night.”
He smiled. “I like her too; she’s really sweet and funny. Speaking of liking people, I heard you went on a date with DJ?”
I groaned and rolled my eyes. “Simian set us up. It wasn’t a date, it was a trick. He won’t get it out of his head that I just need to settle down with a nice wolf—have puppies.”
LeBron laughed until I put my fists to my hips, un-amused. “Well, someone might want to tell DJ that. He’s been glowing about your ‘date’.” I grabbed his quoting fingers and squeezed until he winced.
“Air quote fingers aren’t attractive on anyone, hunny. DJ is talking about me?”
“Like every other breath. He’s gone on you. Big time.”
I took a deep exasperated breath. “Jeez, when did I become a man magnet?”
“Well, and don’t take this the wrong way, but you are an extremely attractive woman. It’s odd, the werewolf makeover I got, the increased senses, eyes, nose, ears I thought that would detract—as it does with most people. But it doesn’t—it’s like I can see your beauty more clearly.”
“Pfft,” I said, waving the comment away.
“I mean it. You don’t really see yourself.”
“If you start going into a description I’m officially naming you a poetical sop.”
He grinned. “Well…” he chuckled, “your hair, for instance. It’s like chocolate with an undertone of honey and something red. Your eyes are truly green; I’ve never seen eyes like them. Most green eyes are washed out, almost gray.” He reached up to rub his thumb just under my eyes; I jerked back. “These are actually jewel toned.”
“Okay, that’s enough,” I said, giving him a jab in the shoulder.
“I haven’t even got to the glow you give off.”
“You’re creeping me out. Move back to less personal grounds, all right?”
LeBron blinked, his brow furrowed and he took a step back. “I was just trying to explain what DJ sees. Probably what a lot of the supes around you do.”
I pulled at my sleeves nervously. “You never noticed it as a regular old human?”
“Not as much. I mean, you’ve always had a certain appeal. Not in a dating way. Sometimes I’d see something when you let your power out—in those moments you were something else.”
I started laughing, which only seemed to make him cross.
“Women just can’t take compliments,” he grumbled, shoving his hands into his pockets.
“I’m sorry, you just said that so reverently.”
His lips quirked. “You draw people, Cassandra—Ben calls it stupid mind voodoo, and he thinks both I and Hamilton are your bitch puppets.”
“I’ve always thought less is more with him. What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him… but going on the scale of what he doesn’t know, he’s practically immortal.”
“Oh, don’t joke,” he said through laughter, “that’s too scary a thought. Hodgeson living forever.”
I smiled, leaning back against the wall, my hands trapped behind my back. “Do you thin
k you could talk to DJ for me?” I said, drawing us back to the original topic. LeBron shook his head.
“No way. I am not getting involved. DJ is one of the few borns that like me and I’d like to keep it that way.”
I gave him one of my best smiles, deciding to see if I could push my luck.
“Buddy, me amigo…”
“No, Cassandra,” he said, shaking his head. “I don’t draw lines often, but I have to here. Y’know there’s not a lot I wouldn’t do for you—despite my better judgement sometimes—but you have to deal with your own love life.”
I pouted and he shook his head.
“Stop that.”
“Yes, do stop,” said another voice.
I looked to my right to see that Benjamin had joined us in the corridor. I leaned over to LeBron and said, “You’re right, we should pay a tutor, so what he doesn’t know doesn’t become a plague for future generations.”
LeBron doubled over laughing, half from the comment, but the other half, I was positive, was the mashed in, moody expression on Benjamin’s face.
“What are you two on about?” Benjamin grumbled.
“Nothing,” LeBron said, straightening. “Just a private joke.”
“A joke at my expense.”
“Don’t worry,” I beamed. “I’ll start you a tab.”
LeBron hooted, losing control of himself again. Benjamin growled, jabbing his thumb over his shoulder.
“Get back to your desk, LeBron.”
LeBron nodded mutely, holding his side, and left me alone in the corridor with Benjamin. I smiled and batted my eyelids innocently.
“As for you, Farbanks, get on your way and stop extending your pernicious influence over any more of my officers.”
“Pernicious influence…that’s big words, coming from you. I heard you prefer the term bitch puppets.”
He turned away from me, heading toward the doors he’d come out of. “Just get on,” he growled over his shoulder.
I waved. “Those anger management classes are working. Way to go.”
He slammed the door into the frame loudly.
“Sheez, guys can’t take a compliment.” I smiled to myself. I was a little awful to Ben, although I saw he was growing, but he had years of abuse to make up for before I’d consider cutting him a break. Maybe. I’d think about it. Perhaps.
I headed for Ro’s lab. When I pushed the door open, I found myself looking at the back of a man in an extremely well cut suit. His black hair just brushed his collar, and I saw from the skin on his hands that he was darker skinned than me. An ankh tattoo peeked out from under the cuff of his starched white shirt. He was reaching up to take down one of Ro’s specimen jars.
“I wouldn’t touch that,” I said loudly. He jumped. “Because if you break it, I’ll probably get the blame.”
He turned around to look at me; he was a handsome man in his late thirties, well groomed, from his lavishly styled hair to his manicured hands. He smiled at me, reaching back up for the specimen jar. This was obviously a man who did not take orders from women. He held it in both hands, studying the contents.
I said, “Who are you? What are you doing here?”
“I am here to see Ororo Soltaire.”
“Doctor Soltaire isn’t here at the moment.”
“Yes, I know, hence why I’m waiting.”
“Doesn’t explain how you got in here.”
“There are very few doors that are closed to someone such as myself.”
I wanted a door to appear between us just so I could slam it in his smug face.
“I’m sure that’s not true,” I said, “Because I’ve just met you and I already don’t like you.”
“You don’t know me.”
“I can’t imagine that you get better.”
The door swung open behind me and the gasp behind me let me know exactly who the self righteous prick was.
“Amran,” Ro said, recovering herself and coming to stand at my side. “What are you doing here?”
“I told you I’d be in the area on business. I wanted to talk to you face to face.”
“I’m a little busy at the moment; I’m in the middle of a murder case. I told you I wouldn’t have the time.”
“Surely your assistant,” he motioned to me with a sneer wrinkling his long nose, “can cover for you for a little while.” He added a genial smile, which made me like him even less.
“Cassandra isn’t my assistant. She’s a colleague and a friend. Don’t you dare come in here and talk down at her.”
I smiled at Ro. Good for her; she was recovering her backbone. I leaned over to her and said, loudly enough for Amran to hear, “You sure you don’t want me to hex him?”
She shot me a sideways glance that spoke volumes.
“A sorceress, hmm?” He looked me over again. “That explains why, while so rude, she comes in such an alluring package.”
“Seriously, Ro,” I said, “I can hex him real quick; no one will ever know you were involved.”
Ro finally gave a tiny smile. “Won’t you get in trouble?” she asked as if she actually considered my offer.
“The Wizard Council won’t touch me. Besides,” I said, turning to look at him, “once they met him they’d see it was justifiable.” I stretched my arms out in front of me, interlocking my fingers and pushing until they clicked. Ro put a hand on my arm.
“I appreciate the gesture, but I can handle this. Go wait in my office.”
I nodded and as I walked past him I let just a little power snap out, a pinch that even a normal like him felt. He jumped and I walked into the office with a little smile on my face. I hopped up to sit on her desk and craned my neck, listening to the conversation.
“Amran,” she said, then took a deep breath.
“Ororo, you look very good. I like the shorter hair, and strangely, it suits you.”
“Amran, shut up. I’m talking, you’re listening. I don’t appreciate you coming here to my place of work to harass me. I spoke to my lawyer after your call, and he is sending me a copy of the agreement we signed—you gave up your rights so that I wouldn’t bother you and your oil baroness wife for child support. Just because she can’t pop out an heir and I did doesn’t mean you can come here to try to intimidate me.”
“What does November think?”
“She’s five. Unless you’re a Barbie doll, she doesn’t really care. Now, I’m prepared to be nice.”
“Nice?” His tone prompted me to get up and walk into the office doorway.
“Yes, her sixth birthday is in October. You can come to meet her, but on three conditions.”
“State them.”
“If you’re late, that’s it,” she said counting them off on her fingers. “If you bring your wife, that’s it. If November gets upset, you’ll leave.”
He nodded, shoulders stiff.
“I think I can manage that. I’ll have my secretary contact you for the details.” He started to head for the door.
“Amran,” said Ro in a hard voice. He turned to face the room and saw me in the office doorway. “Try anything underhanded between now and then, I even smell one of your high price, brown-nosing lawyers, it’s off and I’ll never give you another chance.”
I gave him the whole Robert DeNiro ‘I’m watching you’ act from behind Ro, which made him shudder. He walked out in no happy mood. Ro turned to look at me.
“What did you do?”
“Who? Me?”
“Liar.”
“Innocent until proven guilty,” I said, smiling, then turned to look toward the lab doors. “So, which one’s the mass spec?”
Ro put the specimen jar her ex had been fondling back on the shelf.
“You want the big honking machine next to the door here,” she said then, walking over to it.
“Huh, looked like a printer to me.”
“It is a printer; the results should have printed out while we were gone.” She pulled a piece of paper from the top of the machine and stared at it.
“I don’t understand. This makes no sense.”
“What is it?” I pulled at the corner of the paper trying to get her to relinquish it.
“This isn’t a substance I know. Bay leaf, traces of Komodo saliva, vanilla essence.” I snatched the sheet and scanned over the full list.
“They’re potion ingredients.”
“Potion? What kind of potion?”
“I don’t know. Never had any patience for the art myself. All that brewing and re-brewing, adding ingredients at the right time.”
Ro took the sheet back. “How do we find out what this makes?”
“Do me a copy and I’ll find out. You make sure Hamilton gets a copy for the report I filed.”
She pressed the repeat button twice and I pulled out my phone. I hit a number I’d being calling a lot lately.
“Hey. Where are you? Great, I’m coming round.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
I opened the door into Grimoires to find Truth sitting on a stool at the cash register desk poring over a couple of lists, her hands running sharply over the braille.
“Cassandra, we really must stop meeting like this. People will talk.”
I smiled as she raised her head, despite the fact that she couldn’t see it.
“Only narrow minded people gossip, and what is their opinion worth?” I said.
She smiled at me in return, a wide, even-lipped smile that showed no teeth. “True. So, what is it I can do for you this time? How come you do not go to your mentor anymore?”
I wrinkled my nose at the mention of Virginia. “We’re not really on speaking terms; well, we speak, but not a lot and not more than the basic pleasantries.”
Truth looked at me, considering. I pulled the list out of my pocket and a small vial which I put down on the counter. Ro had given me a small test tube with some of the icky blue stuff she’d pulled out of the chocolates. Truth’s face turned to the tinkle as the glass rolled around on the desk top.
“I need to find out what this is.”
Truth’s fingers went unerringly to the vial. She picked it up, uncorked the top, and sniffed it. Her nose wrinkled immediately.
“Oh, my. Read me the ingredients, but I think I might already know.”
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