I stepped back into the office and found Willow sitting in my chair with the phone pressed to her ear, and scrawling something in a notepad.
“What’s going on?” The last thing I needed now was for her to make social calls on my business line. She’d already wrecked my answering machine.
She held up her other hand, telling me to wait. “Yes, madam, I have everything written down and will get Sierra to contact you as soon as she’s able to.” She was quiet for a moment before eyeing the stack of folders on my desk and the ones on the floor. “Probably sometime next week…”
I couldn’t believe it. She was actually answering my phone, not making calls.
“What’s she doing?” Gareth sidled up beside me.
“Looks like a bit of work experience.” I pointed at my ruined answering machine. “That’s totaled, so I’m going to be in a bit of trouble and will probably miss out on a bunch of calls.” Not that I’d been paying much attention to work lately.
He wandered over to the side wall and crouched down beside the machine before putting it back in place. The tiny screen still seemed lifeless, but he grabbed the cord connecting to the back and studied it for a moment.
“Thank you,” Willow said before hanging up. She wrote a few more things down and looked at me. “Sorry about that but your phone kept ringing and I thought it might be a good idea to answer.” She held up the notepad. “I took a few messages.”
“Uh, thanks.”
The phone started to ring but before she could pick it up again, the machine clicked on. I looked over at the police officer, who had a proud smile on his face.
“There you go. It wasn’t broken, just disconnected,” he said.
Willow’s cheer seemed to dampen. “I’m really sorry. I don’t know how I do it, but I ruin stuff everywhere I go.” She sighed. “Is he going to take me away?”
I stepped closer. “Willow, why did you stay here last night?”
Her eyes filled with tears. “I didn’t have anywhere else to go.”
“I thought you said you were staying with a friend.”
“I lied,” she said, lowering her gaze.
I sighed. “Look, I can’t say I’m not disappointed you weren’t straightforward with me, but I also remember what it was like to be a teenager. You didn’t think I would understand, right? And probably thought I’d send you right back to your father.” As soon as I noticed the shine, I changed the subject. “I’ll try my best to be understanding, but you have to promise that you’ll be honest with me from now on. Plus, you need to try your hardest not to lose control.”
She looked up and nodded.
“Good.” I made a sweeping movement with my hand. “Now that the kind police officer fixed the answering machine, we can leave.”
“He’s not taking me to jail?” She didn’t move from my chair.
“No, he’s not taking you away, but you’re not staying in my office. I’ve got plenty of room at my place—you can stay there until we get all of this sorted out.”
“I don’t want to be a problem—”
“You’re not a problem. Come on, get your stuff together and let’s go.” I didn’t stick around to push her any further because I wanted her to see I trusted her, and expected her to take responsibility for her own actions.
So I headed out the door and waited in the corridor, staring at the intact window that had once been shattered by Papan, and then later by the black dog.
“She’s putting her stuff away. I think you might get more answers out of her than we can,” Gareth said with a smile. “This is the right thing to do.”
“Are you trying to justify it to me or to yourself?”
He looked thoughtful. “Probably to both…”
“Thanks for fixing the answering machine, by the way.”
“You’re very welcome, Sierra.”
“I’m ready!” Willow called as she raced out the door.
“Make sure you lock the door behind you—we wouldn’t want someone else to surprise me the next time I pop in!” I was starting to get sick of surprises.
“You need me to do what?” Oren’s eyebrows were pretty high on his wrinkled forehead as he looked at me incredulously. He pulled off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. By the look of it, he hadn’t moved from the laptop since I’d left over an hour ago.
I was literally saved by Papan sweeping me up into a tight embrace. “Hey, you got back like you promised.” He kissed me on the mouth.
“Jason, I’m trying to have a conversation with Sierra!”
“And she doesn’t seem to be very interested at the moment. She’s got more important things to do right now.”
I reluctantly untangled myself from his arms. He must have been downstairs in the room he’d been staying in while recovering from the gunshot wound earlier this year. He still had some of his things down there.
“I’ve got some good news and some bad news,” I blurted, rubbing my palms together. Before either of them could answer, I continued. “I’ve got someone I want you both to meet.”
“Okay, so that’s the good news?” Papan didn’t look convinced.
“Unless she wants you to babysit,” Oren whispered.
“It’s only for a little while.” I rolled my eyes.
“I suppose it’s all the same to me, since I can’t copy this file onto my USB drive anyway,” Oren added.
“Really?”
He shrugged. “If I’m going to decrypt it, it’s going to have to be on your computer.”
“No problem.” Whatever made it easier for him to stay with Willow while I ducked out was fine with me. “Just wait here for a sec.”
I turned away before either of them could distract me again, with every intention of heading for the front door—where I’d left Willow and her backpack—but she was already standing in the doorway.
“Oh, hey, I didn’t realize you were there.”
Willow looked shy as she stared past me.
“Hello, there,” Papan said with a beaming smile.
“Willow, this is Papan. He’s my—”
“—she was probably going to say boyfriend, but that sounds so immature,” he said, extending a hand. “Lover sounds too mature. Beau makes me sound like a wanker, and good friend seems a little too impersonal for what we are. There really isn’t a single word for us.” He quickly glanced my way. “Let’s just say I’m her partner in crime.”
“Oh, wow… I mean, hi.” Willow’s blue eyes were wide as she tilted her head back to stare at Papan. He shook her hand and she seemed dazed.
I couldn’t help but grin. Jason Papan was certainly impressive, so tall and lean, with muscles that stood out even beneath his clothes. The way his green eyes sparkled and his dark blond hair fell so casually in front of them guaranteed to get any female with a pulse smiling. I also liked how he was joking around with her already.
Turning to Oren, I said, “And this is…” Why did all my relationships have to be so complicated?
“Oren, an associate of Sierra’s,” the old man answered, and shook her hand as well. He considered her with narrowed eyes and a frown. Had he seen something different about her already?
“Willow’s going to be staying with me for a few days,” I said, meeting her gaze. “You can have one of the rooms downstairs.”
“I’ll show her the rooms so she can pick one,” Papan said. “Come on, Willow. Let me show you the subterranean level.”
She hesitated for a moment but I nodded, encouraging her to follow him. Her look of awe was now joined by rosy cheeks.
“What’s going on, Sierra?”
I turned to face Oren. “That’s why I had to race out of here. Willow somehow got into my office and was hiding out there. The policeman who found her has told me a few interesting facts about her, and I’ve worked out a few of my own along the way…like the fact that mentioning her father makes her so angry a lightshow containing poltergeists appears around her.” I’d just realized that although he knew I was me
eting my half-sister yesterday, I hadn’t told him how it went.
“You’re not serious.” He frowned.
“I’m very serious. According to her, she’s died several times and comes back feeling a little heavier.” I sucked in a quick breath, hoping she didn’t overhear our conversation. “I’m not sure what’s going on with her but she obviously ran away from home and seems to be in some sort of trouble.”
“Does she know you’re dumping her on me?”
“She knows I have to go out for a bit—I explained it to her on the way over.” Willow had sat quietly in the passenger seat the whole time, eyes on the windshield while she listened to me prattle on. At least she wasn’t crying anymore, or freaking out. “I didn’t, however, tell her who you really are. I don’t want her to flip out again.”
“I agree,” Oren said with a nod. “If she’s as fragile as you claim she is, then it’s best not to bombard her with too much. I won’t say anything that’ll set her off.”
“Thanks,” I said. “I just wasn’t expecting her to have any supernatural baggage.” Or maybe I’d been hoping she didn’t.
“You share the same mother, you know what that means.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know what it means.” That she was as much a part of the strong spook catcher familial line and witchy bloodline as I was. “Anyway, we’ll have to discuss all of this later. Right now, I need to duck out again.”
“Oh no, you don’t.” Papan stepped back into the kitchen and closed the door behind him.
“How is she?”
“She’s checking out the room.”
“And is no doubt already developing a crush on you,” I said with a laugh.
He shrugged it off like he always did.
“You certainly know how to call on the charm, Jason.” Oren glanced my way before adding, “I wonder how Sierra managed to resist you for so long.”
I avoided Oren’s eyes, because he really shouldn’t be teasing anyone about being charming when he was so good at it himself. I turned to Papan, who was staring at me with that familiar, cheeky grin curving his mouth.
“I don’t like to rush things,” he said with a wink. “Well, most of the time.”
“Okay, guys, I really need to head out.”
“You’re not going anywhere without me,” Papan said.
I nodded. What harm could it do to take him with me? Papan was a PI. He had a knack for solving things. If the constable’s assumption of something supernatural being present at the crime scene was wrong, maybe Papan would see things the police had missed. “Sure, I don’t think Gareth will mind.”
“Who’s Gareth?” he asked.
“The police officer who found Willow in my office and now needs my help.”
He narrowed his eyes. “What kind of help?”
“Gee, Papan, why don’t you just wait until we get in his car so he can brief us on it?” I probably shouldn’t have snapped, but couldn’t help it. This certainly wasn’t turning out to be the relaxed Saturday I’d been hoping for. “I’m sorry.” I sighed. “He wants me to check out a corpse that was found this morning to see if there’s anything strange about it.”
“You mean he wants you to check if there’s anything paranormal going on?” Oren asked, raising an eyebrow.
I nodded. “That’s right.”
“And that’s why you want me to stay here and watch Willow?”
“Yeah, I don’t want to leave her alone.” I lowered my voice. “I don’t want her to run off before I get a chance to help, but I’ll tell you both all the details later. Right now, I—we—better not leave the policeman waiting much longer.”
Oren sat on the kitchen chair he’d vacated only minutes ago. “Fine, I’m making really slow progress on this text, anyway. You two go ahead and help the authorities while I try to break the code and make sure Willow settles in okay.”
“Are you ready?” I asked Papan.
“As ready as I’m ever going to be.” He looked about as happy as I did to be leaving the house so we could get knee-deep involved in something that had nothing to do with us.
“Partner in crime, huh?” I teased as soon as we hit the corridor. “Do we need to buy matching outfits and start moonlighting as villains?”
Papan slapped me on the ass. “Would you prefer I referred to you as the foxiest woman I’ve ever known?”
I opened the front door. “Papan, you’re much too naughty.”
He grabbed me around the waist and pulled me close enough to kiss the side of my neck. I couldn’t help but giggle like a giddy school girl.
As we headed for the white Holden Commodore VE waiting at the curb, I noticed Gareth was staring out the passenger side window. How long had he been watching us? I had to admit, carrying on like this when we were going to a crime scene probably wasn’t proper protocol, but I refused to feel bad about having a good laugh in spite of all the crappy things swamping my life.
I met his eye as I opened the back passenger side door. “Hope you don’t mind if I bring backup.”
“I’m not going to kidnap you,” he said, and looked annoyed.
What an odd thing to say. “Of course not, but Papan’s a private investigator and might come in handy.” I jumped into the backseat and slid along until I was sitting behind Gareth.
Papan climbed in beside me and closed the door.
“This is Constable Gareth Crewe,” I said. “And this is Jason Papan.”
They exchanged nods and a quick handshake.
“Where are we going?” I asked once we were both belted up and on the road.
“The body was found in a back alleyway off George Street,” he answered, meeting my eyes in the rearview mirror.
I placed my hand on the seat over Papan’s. He entwined his fingers with mine and I was suddenly very glad that he’d invited himself along on this morbid outing. The last thing I wanted to see right now was a corpse, but if the spirit was hanging around I might be able to give the constable answers he didn’t already have.
“Hope you don’t mind me asking, what makes you think this might be paranormal in nature?” Papan said.
Gareth met my gaze in the mirror again, but looked away quickly. “The girl was found with identical marks on the side of her neck. It could’ve been made by some sort of weapon or tool, but I think it looks too precise.”
“So you think she was bitten?” he asked without any condescension in his voice.
Gareth shrugged. “That’s why I’d like Sierra to take a look. Though, I’m sure that as soon as you both see the corpse, you’ll know exactly why I don’t think this is an average murder.”
“Personally, I don’t believe there’s ever anything average about murder,” I said.
“You’re right about that,” Gareth agreed.
With the amount of ghosts I’d seen resulting from violent murders—and most of them done at the hands of fellow humans, by someone the victim knew—I’d learned to never take it lightly. When a person was killed, their pain and suffering didn’t end at the time of death. Murder victims usually became aimlessly lost spirits because so much of their energy lingered behind. They craved contact and couldn’t comprehend why others didn’t interact with them. It wasn’t until they actually realized they were dead that they turned all their confusion into violence.
It becomes an endless cycle of violence. And I’d usually end up being the one trying to track and imprison these former victims so they could be judged and stop causing chaos.
Things didn’t always happen that way, but most of the time they did.
We drove the rest of the way in silence, and I stared out the window while enjoying Papan’s warm hand in mine. I could certainly get used to having him by my side all the time, which made me feel a little needy. As if that was a green light for a phone call, his phone started to ring. He pulled it out from his pocket, looked at the screen and shut it off.
It had to be Vixen. What the hell was up with her? Why did she keep pestering him when everyone was te
lling her the same thing? Whatever her problem was, I agreed with Papan. The sooner the next full moon cycle got here, the quicker we’d be able to see if being bitten by the demented canine affected her.
According to my research, which I’d scribbled in my trusty grimoire, the Perro Negro—or black dog—was a shape-shifting sorcerer who could change from man to canine whenever he wanted. Those he bit were contagious mutts, and mutts didn’t get any of his dark magic. They became infected by lycanthropy and cursed with shifting for a week in each moon cycle, similar to werewolves. Our main concern with Vixen’s condition was that Mauricio hadn’t been an average black dog. With the Obscurus demonic influence he carried, who knew how it would affect her?
“Here we are.” Gareth parked the car at the Pitt Street end of the alleyway connecting to George Street. I’d walked down this narrow path many times, especially when I was a kid and would come to the city to watch movies with the few friends I had. Of course, all of that stopped when I was recruited by the Council.
Papan opened the door on his side and I did the same on mine. I headed for Gareth, who was already waiting for us in front of the police tape.
“This isn’t going to be pretty,” the police officer said.
“I can handle it,” I whispered. I might not want to be here right now, between the tall buildings on either side, but I wasn’t new to this. Barrier tape had been set up at both ends, with a police officer standing in front of each to keep the gawking pedestrians and news crews away.
My stomach lurched when we ducked under the blue-and-white police tape, which was the same as what had covered the door to Benita’s office. The sight of her mauled body flashed inside my brain, and I paused.
“Hey, are you okay?” Papan asked, reaching out for my hand but dropping it before making contact.
I nodded slowly. “Yeah, I just had a flashback, that’s all.” I was glad he didn’t ask any more than that, because as far as Gareth knew, I hadn’t seen Benita—just the huge dog who attacked her.
On Pins and Needles: Sierra Fox, Book 3 Page 9