Melvin narrowed his eyes. “You spoke to IA?”
“No,” Harold replied tersely. “You can talk to them if you want.”
Ashe visibly relaxed. “Maybe I will. You headed for the Chief’s office?”
This asshole is interrogating me. “I’m gonna take some vacation time.” Anger crept into Harold’s voice. “That alright with you?”
Ashe held his hands up, his eyes wide, trying and failing to look wounded. “Hey, I was just asking. No hard feelings alright?”
“Not on my part.” Harold turned his back on Ashe and headed for Maxwell’s office.
——
“I was wondering when you were gonna check in.”
“Yeah Chief, I uh—I need to take some time off.”
Chief Maxwell gawked at his star detective. “What’s going on—?”
Harold put his forefinger to his lips, pulled the scroll from his pocket and slid it across the Chief’s desk. It read: White Men United has infiltrated the force. Me and Curtis were ambushed last night. Melvin Ashe set it up. Watch your back. I’ll be in touch. Out loud Harold said. “I’m having some personal problems. I need to take a few days, maybe a week, to sort things out.”
Chief Maxwell stared at him. “Sure, Polanski,” he said at length. “If you need time, you need time. Just get the paperwork on my desk, and I’ll sign it.”
He wrote, When will I hear from you? and handed it to Harold.
Harold scribbled three words and handed it back. I don’t know.
______
Chapter 25: Grandmere
Dr. Dearborn’s office was wedged between two apartments buildings Downtown. It was only two houses down from the postal building. So, they decided to walk. Dr. Mark Dearborn, General Practitioner was painted on his door, and below it hung a hand-painted Open sign.
Curtis opened the door, and they stepped inside. The noon sun was shining through circular windows outlined with brass. A wooden claw-foot desk centered the room. To their left, shelves of books lined the wall and to their right, beyond the outer office, were two more closed doors. Mark Dearborn, a tall fair-skinned man just shy of fifty with a receding hairline, was sitting at his desk behind a stack of papers.
“Good afternoon, Dr. Dearborn,” Curtis greeted him, “this is my partner, Mona Livelong. I hope you don’t mind me bringing her along. If you prefer, you and I can step into the next room.”
Mona extended her hand, “A pleasure to meet you, sir.”
Dr. Mark Dearborn shook her hand, gazing at them with intense green eyes behind his spectacles. “No, it’s quite alright. I cleared my schedule for today, so we won’t be interrupted.”
They sat in the armchairs facing his desk, and Curtis told him what he’d discovered so far, finishing with what he’d told Mona last night, “At this point, the woman’s identity is unconfirmed. But based on your description, and her first name—”
“You’re sure it’s her,” Mark Dearborn finished.
“That’s right, sir. I’m sorry.”
Dr. Dearborn sat for a long moment, staring at some point beyond their heads. “I love my wife,” he said at length. “I’ve done all I can to make her happy. What does this man have, what do any of them have, that I don’t?”
“Your wife is a beautiful woman, but she’s getting older, n’est-ce pas? She wants to feel that she’s still attractive.” Curtis remembered Mona’s words. “Maybe she just wants attention.”
“Attention I can’t give her, I suppose,” Dr. Dearborn said dryly. “What do you suggest I do?”
“If you think you can save your marriage, fight for it. If not, divorce her.”
Mark Dearborn turned his intense gaze to Mona. “What about you, young lady? What do you think?”
Startled, Mona took a few moments to reply. “I agree with Curtis. If you don’t think you can save your marriage, then leave her. You deserve to be happy.”
The doctor nodded. He reached into his desk drawer pulled out a satchel and handed it to Curtis. “That’s five hundred coins. Continue surveillance for another week, and then report back to me. I want to be absolutely sure it’s Julia.”
_____
“Mona!” As Mona stepped through the door, Madeline grabbed her in a quick embrace. Madeline’s hair was pulled back into a thick bun and she wore a knee-length dress with a low bodice and short boots. “So good to see you, cherie. I’m glad Curtis finally decided to bring you for a visit.”
Mona returned her smile. “It’s good to see you too, Mrs. Dubois. You’re looking as pretty as ever.”
“Mèsi, cherie. Come, let’s sit in the living area.”
They followed her into the living room. A tan carpet decorated with colored globes covered the floor. The room was furnished with overstuffed wine-colored chairs and a sofa. A brass-topped low chest centered the room, and atop it were two unlit oil lamps. Bay windows to their left afforded the room plenty of light.
The couple sat on the sofa. “Where’s Papa?” Curtis asked.
“Working on an auto. He’ll be back later this evening. I’ll fix us some cake and coffee.”
“Mrs. Dubois, you don’t have to go to all that trouble.”
“No trouble at all.”
In twenty minutes, Madeline had returned with a tray holding a silver coffee pot, containers of cream and sugar, three cups, three small plates, and another plate of pastries. She set the tray on the chest and poured three cups of coffee, prepared her own cup, and then sat in one of the wine-colored chairs. Curtis and Mona stirred cream and sugar in their cups.
“These look delicious,” Mona said, helping herself to a pastry.
Madeline sipped her coffee. “So, how was the demonstration?”
“We were attacked,” Curtis said. “That’s why I didn’t want you and Papa to go.”
“O non!” Madeline put her hand to her mouth. “Was anyone hurt?”
Curtis nodded, looking grim. “Wi, a few people were.”
“I’m so glad I listened to you, cheri. When will this madness end? Your Chief Maxwell should have you working on this, n’est ce pas?”
“We’re working on case connected to the shootings,” Mona said.
“Bon. Now to what do I owe this unexpected pleasure? Has my son moved out again? Have you come to tell me you’re finally getting married?”
“Not yet,” Curtis said shyly.
“No rush; stay as long as you like. But I do want grandchildren. I know you both would make good parents.”
Mona blushed. “Thank you.”
“Mama,” Curtis protested, “You’re embarrassing her, and you have grandchildren.”
“Not from you,” Madeline quipped, smiling.
“I’ve been staying at The Sojourner, while we work on the case.”
“You must tell me about this case.”
There was an awkward pause. “Well, it’s two cases actually. A gentleman hired me to tail his wife.”
“Ah,” Madeline smiled knowingly, “she is cheating.”
“He thinks so.”
“I’m working on a kidnapping case,” Mona added. “The thing is ...” she glanced at Curtis.
“It overlaps with another case I’m handling for the Chief, and there are aspects of it that are ...” he fumbled for the right words.
Madeline’s eyes gleamed with interest. “Supernatural? Don’t look so shocked. It is a natural conclusion, n’est ce pas? Mona is, after all, a paranormal detective.”
“Curtis thought you and Mr. Dubois might be in danger,” Mona added. “I can put something around your house to protect you,” she couldn’t bring herself to say spell. “I could even uh, put something on your body— with your permission of course.”
“No need, cherie. My manman, Curtis’ Grandmere Michelle, she made a gris gris for both me and Mr. Dubois before we were married. There was a young woman who was very jealous of me. She thought he should marry her instead, and she was skilled in the arts. So, Manman, powerful in her own right, took steps to prote
ct us.”
Curtis and Mona gazed at her in stunned silence. “Mama, you never told me,” he said.
“I never could find the right time, until now,” Madeline replied. “You two go on and do what you have to. Don’t worry about me and Papa. We’ll be fine.”
——
They walked out to Curtis’ steam-auto. “Mrs. Dubois is something else.”
“Yes, she is.” Curtis hunkered down to turn the crank.
“You alright? That was some pretty explosive news.”
“It actually explains a lot.” Curtis got to his feet, his face thoughtful. “Mama likes you—I mean really likes you. She never thought I should be with anybody else.”
“Does that make you angry?”
“Non, bebe.” They climbed into the auto.
As they pulled away from the curb, a voice spoke from their backseat. “Good evening, I’m William.”
____
Chapter 26: William
“Ki bagay si!” Curtis exploded, almost crashing into the curb. He glared at the small dark man through his rearview mirror. “Where the hell did you come from?”
“I followed you and Miss Livelong and hid in your backseat.”
“Followed us in what?”
Mona turned around in her seat, gazing intently at William, sending out her supernatural antenna. Reading him. She sensed no evil. Instead, there was vacuum, as if she was probing thin air. It was unsettling.
“How did you know where to find us?” she asked.
“I know a great deal about you and Curtis.”
“I recognize your voice!” Curtis said. “You were at Ashe’s house last night.”
“That’s right.”
“Are you human?” Mona asked. “‘Cause I have the feeling you’re not.”
“No young lady, I’m not human. I’m a Guardian.”
They were entering the Downtown area. “Pull over,” William said. Curtis pulled up alongside the curb and put the auto in park. “There is a plot, orchestrated by DA Joe McIntyre, to replace high ranking politicians— including Governor Mekins— with White Men United operatives. This plot will succeed, unless you help me stop it.”
Curtis turned around in his seat. “Don’t you people talk to each other?” he said testily. “Opal already told Mona North America was in danger. She didn’t say a word about McIntyre.”
“Opal and I are both Guardians,” William replied calmly. “I know of the danger to your world. But I had to wait for the right time to come forward.”
“Why don’t we start over?” Mona said. “How do you know about McIntyre’s plans?”
“Joe McIntyre is a sorcerer. I’m his personal valet.”
Speechless, Curtis and Mona gazed at him, both trying to process this revelation. And on the heels of this they wondered: was he an ally? Or an agent provocateur leading them to their death?
“The DA is a sorcerer?” Curtis asked.
William nodded “Oh yes, he’s spent months setting this up, playing the fool for the press.” His face hardened. “But I know him for what he is. And he has the child you’re looking for.”
“Isis!” Mona breathed.
“She too is a powerful sorceress. But her power is in its infancy, so she can’t fight him. Not yet. He plans to sacrifice her at midnight.”
Curtis and Mona cut their eyes at each other. You getting anything from him?”
Mona shook her head. “No. The back seat might as well be empty.” She glared at William. “That means you’re hiding something. Or lying.”
“How do we know we can trust you?” Curtis added. “You could be setting us up, n’est ce pas?”
William smiled humorlessly. “That’s almost exactly what you said to me last night—right before I saved your life.”
“I have a question for you,” Mona said. “You and Opal are both Guardians. Why don’t you stop him?”
“I was thinking the same thing,” Curtis growled.
“Opal is one of the Guardians of Tundra. But her powers are limited in this dimension. She showed you the doorway and cast a drawing spell over The Sojourner to call you to it and protect you inside its walls, but she is forbidden to interfere any further.”
“That still leaves you,” Curtis countered.
“You want answers. Fair enough.” William propped his arms up on the seat. “Give me your hands.”
For a long moment they hesitated. Could they trust him?
They took his hands ...
... And appeared on the Northern edge of town, on the cobblestones across the street from DA Joe McIntyre’s two-story mansion. Mona and Curtis looked down at their bodies. Their forms were shadowy and translucent. This will have to be quick, William said. His lips didn’t move; they heard his voice in their minds. These are only our spirit forms. Our bodies are still in the auto. But McIntyre’s wards might detect us.
He floated toward the house, dragging the couple with him. They materialized inside the mansion on the second floor. William walked through the first door on the right and they followed. Inside, Isis sat on a double bed. Her eyes were red from crying. She looked up quickly, her eyes searching the room. She had sensed them.
William rushed back through the door. She must not see us! Not yet! He pointed to the last door on the right. That’s Mcintyre’s office. We dare not try to enter, even in spirit form, while he lives.
He moved down and still further down to the lowest level of the house. There, in a windowless room, a half-circle had been etched onto a raised platform. Pegs for the wrists and ankles had been screwed into the surface. Their positioning made it obvious that a child would be placed on this surface. Beside it, two curved knives lay on a smaller table. The scene shifted, and they felt themselves traveling backwards in time ... A naked man and woman lay on the same symbol, this time etched into the floor, their limbs intertwined in embrace. As their cries of orgasm rose, the half-circle glowed blood red, and the light covered them. The illumination shot upward, and the couple saw the same demonic symbol emblazoned on the ceiling.
“Joe McIntyre is not human. His parents made a deal with a daemon before his birth. This house is a shrine to that same daemon, which gives him even more power. After tonight, if he is allowed to sacrifice Isis, he will have her blood in his veins. If that happens, even our power combined will not be
enough to stop him.”
“And he will tear our worlds asunder.”
Moments later, they were back in the auto facing William. He disengaged his hands, pulled a scroll from his pocket and handed it to Mona. “This is his address. His house is heavily warded. You won’t be able to go inside while he’s alive, but the others will. You should plan to go at ten pm. McIntyre will be preparing for the ceremony, and he will be distracted. I’ll leave the downstairs windows open. There are guards on the first floor; others are interspersed across the property.” William gazed at Mona. “Kill the outside guards if you must, but only if you must because McIntyre’s wards will detect your magic.”
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