I’d expected a fight with Lolly. Morgan and I were not fully back into his good graces. I still say the fight was not our fault.
Turns out, Lolly was rather sympathetic with Al’s situation. He has a cousin who lost a bet with a warlock. The cousin now channels through a miniature pony. And apparently will for the next forty-two years.
I tend to avoid warlocks myself.
Morgan sat on my right and Ash on my left. Aunt Tabs sat across from me.
“We can’t just go around killing people, Al.” Terry had poured about two ounces of Blantons into his lowball glass. He’d had maybe a quarter of it so far. I was already considering cutting him off. He wouldn’t leave off about the xenologist.
“He knows you’re a witch and he tried to kill Harley.” Al raised his lip.
“Al dear, I erased his memory of Kate and Harley.” Aunt Tabs took a sip of her martini. “And you saved Harley. All is well.”
Al’s little chest puffed up.
I shuddered. “Can we please stop talking about Harley? I’m going to have nightmares about Al being shot for months.”
Al licked the back of my hand. “I’d take a bullet for you any day, Doll.”
Ash dropped a heavy arm over my shoulders. “Get in line, fuzz-butt.”
I blinked. A little overwhelmed at the sentiment and the testosterone.
Morgan snorted. “Next they’ll be dueling for your favors.”
Al curled his lip at Ash. “I’d rather use a gun.”
I snatched his glass. “That’s it mister. You are cut off.”
Al growled, Ash snarled and Morgan sat upright in her chair. “Who is that with Drake?”
I pulled Al into my side, away from Ash, as I turned to look. I had to smile. She’d gone pink. “That’s my new secretary.” Al wiggled to get a better look. “Désirée Norma-Sue.”
Drake strolled towards us, dressed completely in black. Black jacket, black shirt and black pants. With his dark hair, the only slice of color came from his pale skin and green eyes. He reminded me of a panther on the prowl. Eyes latched firmly on Morgan.
In total contrast, Désirée Norma-Sue bounced cheerfully with each step she took in her hot pink cowgirl boots. She wore a sparkly tube of coral that covered her from mid-thigh to mid breast. Her exposed skin sparkled just as brightly as her dress. Her hair was an explosion of pink ringlets, twisted and coiled in every direction.
Every male in the bar twisted to follow her progress. My shoulders went back just a touch. My secretary was awesome.
“That’s your redneck fairy?” Morgan sucked lightly on one fang. Her cherry nails drummed a quick beat on the table.
“Drake only has eyes for you, dear.” Aunt Tabs assured Morgan. But her eyes narrowed over the rim of her martini glass. She’d relax in a minute after she shook hands and cast her own truth spell.
“She’s a fairy?” Al cocked his head.
“Yep. From Louisiana.”
“I thought all fairies had wings.” Ash tugged me closer. Al growled.
“They do.” I stroked Al behind his ears. He settled down. “She has hers tucked away.”
“Beneath that dress?” I shrugged at Morgan. I didn’t know how she did it either.
“Hey y’all.” Désirée Norma-Sue smiled brightly at all of us. I looked around for an extra chair, but the troll at the table next to us beat me to it. He volunteered his own chair, gallantly pushing it over for my secretary.
She thanked him, slid into the seat and ignored the nearly eight foot troll blinking down from behind her. I would have felt a bit more sympathetic towards him, but his mace looked vaguely familiar.
Drake stopped by Morgan’s chair. He pulled her up and into his arms and kissed her as if he hadn’t seen her in months.
Désirée Norma-Sue, Aunt Tabs and I all sighed.
Drake sat down, pulled Morgan onto his lap and introductions commenced.
One drink later and it was as if we were all good friends. The conversation flowed. Granted the majority of it included blood, Bigfoots and the daily life of swamp fairies, but it still flowed naturally.
I marveled at it all. At my life.
“What did Morgan find out about the blood?” Luckily, Al had moved to lay on my shoulder and spoke directly in my ear when he muttered his question. Aunt Tabs couldn’t hear him.
So much for marveling. In between Morgan’s Big Secret and Bigfoot, I’d nearly forgotten about the dead senator.
“What blood?” Unfortunately, Ash still heard him.
“Oh my.” Désirée Norma-Sue waved a hand in front of her face. “Now, isn’t he just hotter than a fairy bonfire in the middle of August?”
I looked in the direction Désirée Norma-Sue was looking, but I didn’t see anyone other than two dwarves and one rather large bellied gargoyle.
“Kate?” I really didn’t want to have this conversation with Ash.
“Who are you looking at Désirée?” Morgan twisted around, scanning the bar.
“Why that gargoyle over there.” Désirée Norma-Sue hummed and squirmed in her chair. “Isn’t he just delicious?”
Morgan nearly fell off Drake’s lap. I think my own jaw dropped.
In addition to having a belly at least twice the size of Désirée Norma-Sue’s entire body, the gargoyle in question wore a black leather jacket with studs all along the sleeves and across the chest. His skin was a sort of ashy gray, his head bald and he had three looped earrings in the one ear I could see.
His pinky alone could crush my secretary.
She popped up out of her seat and was beside the rough gargoyle in a flash. Clearly, shyness was not a problem for Désirée Norma-Sue.
“Kate.” I sighed. If I was going to have this conversation, I didn’t want to do it where my aunt could hear.
“Dance with me.” I pulled Al down from my shoulder. He was snoring. I handed him to Aunt Tabs and pulled Ash onto the dance floor.
One big hand settled on my lower back. The other slid further down, cupped my ass and pulled me in close. My body automatically softened against him. My body was never torn with Ash. I wrapped both my arms around his neck and tucked my head under his chin.
“Kate?”
Things were going to have to change between us, if we both wanted this relationship to work. I knew that. We couldn’t continue to keep secrets.
I’d already decided I was willing to fight for us, but now that I knew the exact details of the curse, I didn’t know how to approach the battle.
In an odd sense, I felt more vulnerable now than I had before I understood what I was up against.
But I had made up my mind. It was time for me to set aside my Duck and Dodge ways. I couldn’t move forward if I refused to face my issues.
We would both have to stop hiding things from each other if we wanted this to work. I needed to tell him about the curse. He needed to tell me about his father.
But for now, for this very moment . . .
I sighed. Inhaled his woodsy scent.
Bigfoot was out of my life, Al was alive, Morgan and I were still BFs, I wasn’t in jail and Ash had his arms wrapped around me.
“There’s some blood in the alley outside of my office. Al thought Morgan could find out whose it is.” I didn’t want to go into the details. There was too much.
I needed some time to come up with a plan.
For now . . . For now I simply wanted to enjoy this - no dead bodies, no frame jobs, no Bigfoots. Just Ash. His strong arms holding me.
Ash pulled back to frown down at me. I cupped my hands over his cheeks and kissed him.
27. Resolution.
My wand vibrated about half an hour after I arrived at work the next morning. I gripped it tightly as I waited for the detectives.
I’d looked up several spells last night before I’d gone to bed. I had several options at my wand tip, including a memory zapper and a somewhat complicated spell guaranteed to change the focus of their investigation.
I preferred not to use
the last one as it involved knowing all the details of their investigation which would include several more spells and some breaking and entering on my part.
Then again, I also preferred to not go to jail for a crime I did not commit.
Life was pretty good at the moment.
After my roller coaster day yesterday, last night had been surprisingly mellow.
Morgan and I had mostly worked everything out. I’d called her “Auntie”, she’d flipped me off.
Aunt Tabs had promised to give Ash a small chance. I figured I could renegotiate after her two week time limit.
Désirée Norma-Sue got the gargoyle’s phone number. His name was Phil. I still didn’t see it, but she’d practically bounced her way into work this morning. With blaze orange hair.
Al had slept. Apparently, one ounce of bourbon is too much for one small Chihuahua. We’d made a bed out of napkins and set him in the middle of the table.
Ash and I had danced. And danced. And danced. I’d put my mind on hold. That moment, his body against mine - I’d been filled. Full of family and friends. Our connections.
Pretty damn good.
Désirée Norma-Sue poked her head around the door. Blaze orange didn’t do justice to her hair color. Neon with a hint of toxicity was closer to the mark.
“You have Detective Connor and Detective Brushing here to see you again.” She glanced over her shoulder and frowned slightly then turned back to me. “You in trouble?”
“I hope not.”
She nodded once. “Let me know. I got some cousins with a gator farm. They don’t mind a long drive.” She nodded once more and ducked out.
I should have been more shocked. Sadly, the company I keep tends to make me a bit hardened to the idea of death and murder. That and the dead bodies that keep piling up.
And truthfully, I was touched. We hadn’t known each other long. I think she sensed the friend potential between us as well.
I would have to explain human legalities to her, however. I’d try moral responsibilities as well. It never worked with Al, but fairies were usually a bit more sensible.
Although considering her current hair color, sensible might not be the best adjective to describe my secretary.
Detective Connor and Detective Brushing walked into my office. If anything, they appeared to be standing even closer together now than the last time I’d seen them.
I tried to take some solace in that.
I stood up to meet them as they approached. Detective Connor wore a chocolate brown jacket. Detective Brushing a sage green one.
“Do you have a dog, Ms. Storm?” Detective Conner scowled as he asked his question. His tone implied ownership of the canine variety was testament to criminal activity.
I swallowed hard. A gator farm suddenly sounded quite nice.
Detective Brushing placed his hand on Detective Connor’s forearm. The change in his body language shocked me.
His hand dropped away from the butt of his gun, his shoulders relaxed and his eyes softened. He almost smiled.
True Love. It had to be it. I couldn’t imagine anything else - or anyone else - making such an impact.
I’d have to ask Désirée Norma-Sue. I’d only gathered the basics when I’d cast my spell in the first place.
“The blood we found in the alley is canine. If you have a dog, you might want to check him for an injury.” Detective Brushing squeezed Detective Connor’s arm briefly and let go.
Almost as if he couldn’t stand the loss, Detective Connor took a half step closer to his partner.
I so wanted to sigh. Love just gets me every time.
“I’m sure Al is fine.” I stuck my wand in my back pocket. “But I’ll ask him when I get home.”
“You’ll ask him?” Detective Connor narrowed his eyes at me.
“I meant, um,” what did people do with dogs that didn’t talk? “I’ll check him over.” I beamed at them. I couldn’t help it. “I take it this means I’m in the clear?”
“Yes you are.” Detective Brushing held out his hand to me. “We should have an update on the news in the next hour or so. Thank you for your help.”
I shook his hand. Detective Brushing had convinced his partner to stop in with the news on their way to a celebratory lunch at Spike’s bar.
They’d caught the true murderer. Details not too clear. Detective Brushing had other things on his mind. The two detectives were off for the next two days and they planned to have a cold beer and . . .
I jerked my hand back. I truly did not need to know their exact intentions.
They were madly in love. I was happy.
****
“And in breaking news, the police have caught senator Tom Crawford’s killer. Chief Sam Lake held a press conference just moments ago.”
The neatly dressed and pressed dark haired anchor turned to look at the large screen behind him. A short balding man in a dark blue uniform adjusted the microphone behind a wooden podium.
“We have arrested Jim Percy, one of senator Tom Crawford’s campaign workers, in connection with his murder. We believe Mr. Percy worked alone and that he killed the senator as the result of a political disagreement.”
The screen switched over to a picture of several police officers escorting a ruffled, blonde, middle aged man in handcuffs. His blue shirt wrinkled, one shirt end pulled out of his pants and thin wire glasses askew on his face, he thrashed in their hold, screaming, “I didn’t mean to do it. It’s not fair. Someone moved the body. I shouldn’t have been caught. It’s not fair.”
The screen switched back over to the anchor. He’d been joined by a short haired blonde. “Clearly, a very disturbed individual, wouldn’t you say, Lucy?”
Her long, glittery green earrings swung gently as she nodded her head. “Yes, John. A very sad situation. Let’s hear what else the chief has to say.”
The screen switched back to the balding chief. I turned the TV off. Placed a quick call to Morgan. She’d already heard the news. Her Twitter friends included several cops and media personal.
She never ceased to amaze me.
I suddenly felt like a celebratory lunch as well.
“Désirée?” I walked into the waiting area. “How do you feel about Italian? I’m buying.”
****
“Kate?” Désirée Norma-Sue stood in my doorway. “That woman from yesterday is back.”
Crap.
I never did find out her name. I wasn’t sure I wanted to know it and if she planned to yell at me some more, I’d have to boot her.
“She appears calm today.”
Maybe she just needed some closure? I could understand that. I wavered. Then reminded myself I was a good witch.
“Show her in.”
She strode through the doorway in skin tight jeans, another cleavage displaying blouse - this one in midnight blue - with matching blue heels. Her luscious curls fluttered around her face and shoulders with each step.
I stood up, her last visit all too clear in my mind and my ears.
She stopped across from my desk, switched a blue clutch to her left hand and offered me her right. “Thank you for seeing me, Ms. Storm.”
“Kate.” I shook her hand. A diamond tennis bracelet glittered on her wrist.
My truth spell gave me a heads up. And my romantic heart started to soften already.
“I’m Crosby Stilson. I don’t think I introduced myself yesterday.” She released my hand and sat down, crossing one skinny leg over the other.
The Stilson name rang a bell. Old money and lots of it. They owned a ranch outside of town.
I sat down behind my desk. Looming isn’t my style. Plus, it pays to be polite to wealthy potential clients. I’m not a mercenary witch, just an immanently practical business one.
“I owe you an apology for my behavior yesterday.”
I couldn’t argue with that.
“Tom and I didn’t have a perfect relationship,” her pink lips tightened briefly, “however, I thought we did have an unde
rstanding.”
And she’d found out the hard way they didn’t. Ouch.
“I didn’t love Tom.” Not a big surprise there. “However, his death made me think about my own life.” Death does tend to do that to a human.
Her impressive breasts swelled as she inhaled. “And I’ve decided I want more from a relationship than what I had with Tom.” I thought a squirrel had a more significant relationship with his nuts than she and Tom had together. I kept that thought to myself.
“I’d like to hire you.”
I considered her behavior yesterday, my need to match people with their best possible match and my bank account.
I couldn’t - and would not - find her a financial match. Nor would I find her a match based on social levels either. I’d take them into consideration, but love was what I based my matches on.
My truth spell pointed to a rather lonely heart beneath those perfect breasts.
The matchmaker in me couldn’t resist.
Everyone deserves a happy ending.
I smiled at her and opened my drawer, pulling out some paperwork. “Then, let’s get started. Shall we?”
****
My phone rang just as I was locking up.
The Doors sang “come on baby light my fire” twice before I found my phone in my purse.
“Hello, Ash.”
“Kate. Would you like to have dinner with me tonight?”
I still had some work to do on my own happy ending. I had to overcome my usual Duck and Dodge inclinations, if I wanted to fight for that ending.
I had no idea what I could do about the curse, but I wasn’t giving up.
“Dinner together sounds perfect.” I stepped onto the sidewalk and into the warm evening sunshine. “I need to pick up some meatballs for Al first. I could be ready in about an hour?”
“Great. I’ll pick you up at your place. I’ve got something for Al.”
“You do?” Ash did not like Al. He hadn’t from the moment Al had peed on his leg.
“I found some dog bones I thought he might like.” Ash sort of half snarled out the words.
I stopped mid-stride.
Hold the Ruby Slippers. Ash was making an attempt. Granted, it sounded like it might be killing him, but Ash was making an attempt to be friends with Al.
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