by Curtis, Greg
“If it does and she's exposed, everything changes for her. There'll be prejudice and bigotry. And though I hope that at least here in America there won’t be a return to witch burnings, we would likely see riots, fear and violence. At least in the short term. But those like Matti with gifts will become objects of fear to many. Some will want to use them. Some will want to stick them in cages and study them. To many she'll be seen as a freak. Her life will be ruined.”
“We can never let that happen.”
“And you can never reveal half a secret. The moment this is partly out there, the rest will follow. People will dig and dig until everything is out there. They'll find a few of the gifted. From them they'll learn about the academy. And from there they'll find the students. Our daughter will be exposed.”
“The one thing we can never, ever do is reveal magic to the world. Not out of fear that someone will stop us. Not because we'll be called crackpots. But because we can never let Matti be harmed. This is the secret that we will take to our graves. Do you understand?”
Sheryl stared at him for a long time after that. Her blue eyes studied him. Trying to see all the way into his brain. Her mind was no doubt running through a thousand different options as she tried to work out if what he was saying could possibly be true. Eventually though she must have realised that he was right. No matter what she could never risk their daughter's well being.
“I understand.”
“Good.” James did his best to smile reassuringly at her.
“Now you really do need to get some sleep. You're safe. Matti's safe. That's really all that matters. And while you have a thousand or more questions to ask, I can't answer them. I'm not even supposed to have told you what I have.”
“But in a few days when everything's settled down, I'll take you to see the German. He's a therapist who deals with this sort of thing. He'll be able to tell you much more, no doubt while he's giving me a hard time. He says I'm antisocial. Can you believe that?” James smiled to show it was an attempt at a joke, however poor.
“But he'll help you to deal with the guilt that's been eating you alive and how to relate to a daughter with a very special gift that she's never been able to tell you about either.”
“I think you need to hold on to that. To realise that as terrible and crazy as this night's been, it's actually going to lead to a better time ahead. A better time for Matti too now that she's finally able to tell you what's really going on in her life.”
With that James got up and turned to leave the room only to discover a familiar figure standing in the doorway. “Will?” He was surprised to see him there. A little worried too as he wondered what the cowboy had heard. Or rather how much.
“James, it’s time for you to go home.”
“But –.”
“Uh uh! No buts. In the last few weeks by my reckoning you've been shot at, blown up, falsely arrested, beaten to a pulp and attacked by a girl with a big puppy. You've disobeyed a slew of direct orders, turned the department upside down and earned at least half a dozen complaints. You may even have got us in to a war. Do you have any idea at all how that impacts on my life? How much paperwork I have to fill out because of you? The reports and the meetings I have to attend?”
“No, this case is over and you are going home and I do not expect to see you back in the office for at least three days. Is that perfectly clear?”
James mumbled something at Will, not completely sure if he was in trouble or not. It sounded almost as if he was being given leave. And the cowboy didn't seem particularly upset by what he'd told Sheryl.
“Good. Keys.” Will held out his hand apparently expecting James to put his keys in them.
“Ahh –?”
“You're in no shape to drive. Yasmin will drive you home and someone else will deliver that old bomb of yours to your place later.” Will continued to hold out his hand and eventually James handed him his car keys, realising that he didn't seem to have a choice.
“Thank you.” Will accepted the keys and quickly stuffed them away in a pocket. Then he turned to Sheryl, who was lying there in her bed looking more than a little confused.
“Ma'am your ex-husband may be a little concussed at this stage, and I wouldn't believe a lot that comes out of his mouth at the moment. I wouldn't believe it normally either. But one thing you can be absolutely sure of – you have nothing to worry about. We'll clean this mess up. In the morning things will be back as they were. And you and your daughter are completely safe.”
“Also there's no such thing as witches and wizards.” He waved his hand theatrically and immediately a huge pile of wild flowers popped into existence above her and fell down to cover her bed. “That's just James being fanciful. He really is sleep deprived and has obviously taken a few too many blows to the head.”
“I mean who would believe something so ridiculous as magic?” He waved his hand once more and a giant pink teddy bear appeared in the air to fall on Sheryl. She grabbed at it with both hands, disbelief plastered all over her face.
With that he tipped his hat to her as if he was in some sort of western, and started pushing James out of the room while Sheryl lay there staring with her mouth wide open and clutching a giant pink teddy bear. He even pulled the broken door shut behind them.
“Now you, home and bed. And when you come back we can start talking about partners!”
“A partner?! But I've been good!” James protested.
“Good?” Will raised a quizzical eyebrow. “You call this good?” He glanced pointedly around the hallway. “This is a disaster! And with the mess in Hong Kong you've managed to uncover, the elders want you under more control. Just in case.”
“But you'll like her. She's an actual huntress. Experienced in animal control. Young but willing to learn. And she thought the interview she had with you went well. Bit rough in places. Unregistered too, which means she has to do some community service for us. And some of your questions caught her by surprise. But I think she'll make a great addition to the team.”
“Alysson Thomas?”
“Yes, that's her. I'm glad you recommended her – though next time office hours might be more appropriate for phoning in.”
“Um?” James wasn't quite sure what was happening. Was she even out from under the banshee's control yet? It hadn't even been a couple of days. It had barely been one. And he couldn't imagine why she would want to join them.
“No. No arguments. No “ums”, “ahhs” or “maybes”. You're going home to rest.” Will gave him a push in the direction of Yasmin who was standing there in the hallway. “Senica, he does not come back in the office for at least three days. Tie him down to a bed if you have to, but that's an order.”
“Yes Sir.” Yasmin suddenly looped an arm through James' and started escorting him along the hallway back to the stairs.
“Ahh?” It did seem a rather familiar gesture out in the open.
“What.” She turned and gave him a peck on the cheek. “You really think there's anything in the office the boss doesn't know about?”
“Now, let's talk about shoes. And in particular about high heels and soft grass. They don't go together as you may have noticed. Which is why I would very much appreciate it if you would stop arranging all these meetings in grassy areas!”
“Ahh?” James wasn't sure if he should even bother protesting. He already knew he wasn't going to win. But he did know as they hit the stairs that he didn't care. The hunt was over. The banshee was in custody. And really, everything seemed to be going well. Strangely though when his boss was busy showering his ex with magically summoned wild-flowers and stuffed toys, but well. And really, he was too tired to care. With the adrenaline wearing off he just didn't have a lot of strength left.
It had been a very long day.
Chapter Twenty Three
Dawn was well and truly broken by the time they made it to Yasmin's apartment. And James was near to breaking as well. He wasn't completely sure why they were there, but he was at the s
tage where he was simply too tired to care. All he wanted to do was sleep. He didn't care where. He'd slept a little in the car on the ride back, but kept waking every time the car hit a bump or turned a corner. And quite frankly even if his own apartment was still a crime scene full of technicians and surrounded by reporters, he wouldn't have cared. He would have simply slept where he fell and they could have worked around him.
“Grief you're a mess!” Yasmin suddenly started patting him down, brushing off the worst of the dirt from his clothes, and then running her fingers through his hair. “Maybe that's your magic. You're a dirt magnet!”
“And maybe.” James suddenly felt frisky. He wrapped his arms around her, pulled her close and kissed her. “I'm just a magnet for you.” Yasmin didn't exactly seem to be disagreeing he noticed.
“Really? Out here? On the landing? Where the neighbours can see? What would they think?!” She pretended to be upset, though she still made sure to kiss him back. She was enjoying herself.
“That I'm a very lucky man.”
“You are indeed. Especially for the next four days.”
“Four days?”
“Time of the month. And since you can't possibly get me with child twice or unchild me, you can screw my brains out until then!”
James wasn't sure about the logic of that, but he liked the sentiment. Especially when she was wrapping herself right around him. Unfortunately she stopped too soon and he didn't like that so much.
“First though you have my house guest to meet. So best behaviour please.”
“House guest?” James hadn't known she had someone staying with her. Maybe that was who she'd been texting as they'd driven back. But as she pushed the key in the lock and turned it he guessed he was going to find out. Then the door swung open and he forgot about everything as he discovered his daughter standing there in front of him.
“Daddy?”
James stepped in and grabbed her up in his arms, lifting her right off the ground in his happiness. She was too big for it really and he was hurting all over, but he simply couldn't help himself. He couldn't stop himself kissing her either. Or the tears from leaking down his cheeks.
“She needed a safe place to stay after Daniels was exposed, and I volunteered.” Yasmin shut the door behind them. “But now that everything's been dealt with, I imagine she'll be going back to school soon. So you two had better make the most of your time together.”
“I'll get some breakfast on.” Yasmin left them then, heading for the kitchen and giving them the promised time together.
“Thank you.”
There were few moments in life that James had found were truly worth living for these past few years. But this one was. He'd been shot at, blown up, beaten up and attacked by an invisible wolf. He seemed to be cornering the world market in gauze bandages, surgical tape and pain killers. But just then he didn't care about any of that. Just these few precious seconds were worth all of that and a hell of a lot more.