whiskey witches 02 - blood moon magick (14 page)

The Whiskey’s weren’t poor by any means. They had an old family trust, but that money was almost gone and it belonged to Alma, their grandmother. While Leslie and her family lived with Alma, they still paid rent and utilities and bought groceries. Then, there were her other bills. Leslie and Tru took care of the house. That was the cost of allowing them, basically, to take over the house with their brood.

“I don’t know what to do,” Leslie said, her drawl thickening. “I’m so
stupid
.”

There was a lot of that going around. “You’re not stupid, Les.”

“But I am! I knew. I
knew
something was hinky, but I went ahead and did it anyway.”

Paige winced and blew out a breath. “Check scam.”

“Yes.” Leslie’s voice was small and high. “I can’t believe I fell for it.”

“People fall for it all the time. That’s the reason why other people do it.”

“But
who
would do something like this? They have got to be really evil. Just evil.”

“Not all of them. No. Sometimes, they’re just really desperate.”

“Well, now I am! Am I supposed to go scam someone in return?”

“In actuality, you could.” Paige just had to get her sister out of freak-out mode so she could think through the process with a clear head. “The likelihood of you getting caught are slim to none.”

“I should—wait.” The quiver left Leslie’s voice. “Are you trying to tell me to break the law?”

“Sure. If you’re desperate enough and your moral code says it’s okay, do it. But be smart about it.”

Leslie whispered, “How would I do that?”

“I’m not going to tell you
how
, but if that’s a path you really want to go down, you’ll figure it out. People half as smart as you have done it. So…”

Leslie paused, then clicked her tongue. “No. I can’t do that. What if I pick someone who’s old and has no money, or someone who’s about to have a baby, or someone who doesn’t have a job, or someone who’s this close to losin’ their house?”

Paige breathed a sigh of relief. Crisis averted. “All good points.”

“But why would they fall for it? If they’re that close to doom, why would they help anyone? I thought I was helping this girl out.”

Paige shrugged. “People with less help more. It’s just the way it is. You got scammed. All it shows is that you still care for people, that you haven’t grown callous.”

“I might be now!”

“Well, yeah.
For
now. That’ll change, though, because you don’t suck as a human being. You still want to help people and, after all this blows over and things return to normal, you’ll go back to helping people.”

“And being stupid.”

“I wouldn’t say that, Les,” Paige said, tired and frustrated. She needed to listen to her own damned words. “You’ll just help people and be a bit more guarded. That’s all.”

Leslie sighed, but Paige could tell she was feeling better. The tone of Leslie’s voice was stronger, lower. She sounded more like herself. “What do I do?”

“Go to the bank. They won’t be able to do much, but they might be able to help at least a little. But be prepared. They might be insured, but they’re dicks to their clients. Every time. They love to take your money. But don’t ever ask for help. Then, go to the police. Call the fraud line. They’ll let you know where you have to go to file a report. Then take that case number and talk to the people you owe money to.”

“Seriously?”

“I didn’t say they’d all be willing to help. Cell phone companies? Dicks. Credit card companies. Dicks. Auto loans, student loans? They’re more willing to help.”

“Because they’re earning interest off my bad decision.”

“Exactly. Just be ready for them to say no, but they might work with you. You have to try.”

“And how do I get the money back?”

Paige shrugged deeply, pulling herself out of the conversation just enough to see how far they’d made it. They were leaving the town of Golden. Huzzah. “Sell stuff.”

“Shit.” Leslie growled. “I’m about to have a baby. This isn’t a good time.”

“Is it ever a good time to be scammed and have some asshole steal money from you?”

“Well, no.”

“Okay, then. Just do what you can. Does Tru have any vacation time he can cash out?”

“I’ll ask.”

“That’s another route.”

“I’m not going to ask Grandma.”

“Oh, good.” Paige widened her eyes, her breath forming a misty cloud on the window. “Because I was going to strongly advise against that.”

“You won’t…tell anyone, will you?”

Paige glanced at Tony and Dexx. “Well, I
am
in a car with people, so they know.”

“Dexx?”

“Yeah.”

“Tell him not to tell Grandma.”

“I will.”

“And you won’t?”

Paige could only guess at how embarrassing this entire thing was. “Nope. Not a word.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“I almost didn’t tell you, you know.”

Paige frowned. “Why not?”

“Because you’re a cop. I didn’t want you to be all judgy.”

“Ah.” Paige could totally relate. She didn’t want to admit to anyone that, as the demon summoner, she’d fallen into a trap and couldn’t summon anymore. “Well, this is fairly common and just shows that you’re a decent human being. That’s all. Unfortunately, this was a bad experience, a life lesson, and a costly one, but you’ll survive it.”

“You think so?”

“Sweetie, you bred a zoo. If you can do that, you can survive this.”

A breathy chuckle escaped Leslie. “Yeah. You’re right. Okay. Well, talking about the zoo, I should get back to it. I haven’t heard glass break in nearly twenty minutes.”

“Uh-oh. What could Tyler be up to?”

“What’s Mandy doing to him?”

Paige chuckled. “Right. Well, go through the attic. There might be some things up there you can sell. And—” She quickly did some math in her head. “—I can send you some money to help tide you over for a bit.”

“No.”

“I’m good. Trust me. I’m fine. Just understand that it’s a loan, so I’ll want it back sometime before you’re dead. Okay?” She wasn’t expecting to be paid back. Ever. She’d forgotten about the money in her savings in the first place. She didn’t have anything to spend it on. And it wasn’t that her sister wasn’t good for it, that she wouldn’t be able to pay it back. She’d called it a loan so Leslie would take it.

“Thanks, Pea.” Relief coated Leslie’s words with a thickened drawl. “For not sayin’ I told you so.”

“Well, I didn’t and there’s no need. Just don’t let yourself be fooled again. Now, I’ve got to go. I’ll wire the money over when I get home, which might be late.”

“Thank you, again. I love you.”

“I love you, too.” And she did. Her heart warmed with it, spreading down her arms. This wasn’t like the kind of warmth sex or a good work-out could offer. This was the kind of warmth experienced after a long duration of isolation. She hung up the phone.

Dexx sighed. “That sucks.”

“Yeah.”

“Mum’s the word.” He zipped his lips shut.

She turned to the window. It felt good to be reminded that her world wasn’t always about demons and murders and, now, paranormals. Her world included real life.

Sucked for Leslie.

But nice for Paige.

P
aige looked at the crime scene. She used her witch vision. She searched for smells, magickal traces. Anything that might lead them to the demon responsible for Elizabeth Harwood’s murder.

Nothing.

Well, not all hunches panned out, which was the reason why so few actually survived as a detective. There was lot less adrenaline and a lot more work than Hollywood made it appear.

They couldn’t take Dexx back to the precinct where someone would start asking questions about him, then run a background check.

“Come on, Tony. I’m ready for wine.” A shooting ray of the dying sun stabbed her eye. Pain flared in her skull, riling her already sensitive nerves. No answers. No solutions. More questions. She needed another cigarette.

No. The ash still clung to her lungs. No. She did
not
need another cigarette. Sex? Yeah. Maybe she needed sex. Blessed Mother. “And hot dogs. I know I have hot dogs.”

“Wow.” Tony’s shoes made a sliding staccato on the concrete outside the restaurant that had become the latest dead end. “Well, I can’t say I’m interested in your hotdogs, but if you have a beer…”

“We have ales.” Dexx zipped up his jacket and quirked his lips to the sun. The light made his green eyes seem as though they were laced with lightning. “We’re in Colorado. Apparently, it’s known for its ales and there’s this liquor store that lets you build your own six-pack. It’s brilliant.”

“Yeah.” Paige walked toward the station. “It’s so ‘brilliant’, my fridge looks like a liquor store. So, you’re coming over.”

Tony glanced at her out of the corner of his eye as they walked. “Do you realize we’ve been partners for five years and I’ve never seen your place?”

“Do you realize we’ve been partners for the last five years and I never knew you were a vampire?”

He clucked his tongue.

The drive to her place was long due to traffic, but uneventful. It allowed her time to let go of the events of the day, at least enough so that she didn’t feel the need to turn anyone into a toad.

“So, this is your place?”

The complex wasn’t much to look at. It was on the rich end of the poor side of town. She should have been able to afford more, but, well, she was paying child support, a fact she now knew. Oh, those wily mind-blockers. They could keep a person from even asking the questions when it was time to pay the bills.

Tony stepped through the threshold of her apartment and stopped, his gaze on the ceiling.

Paige frowned at it and turned on the lights. A paper butterfly, some tissue paper flowers, and several strings of rope lights hung from the ceiling. “What? I decorate for the seasons.”

“You have a broom hanging from your ceiling.”

She forced herself to widen her eyes in shock. She hadn’t received a reaction like that since Texas, but then again, she hadn’t invited anyone to her place since Texas besides Dexx. A durable stick broom hung from the top of the wide doorway separating the dining room from the living room. It was so covered in silk, purple wisteria and plastic dill weed, she almost couldn’t see the broom itself anymore. “Holy cow! Wow. That’s what this thing is? I’d wondered! It just appeared one day. Like a growth.”

He gave her a dry look.

Dexx untied his boots and left them at the front door. “Take your shoes off and stay a spell.”

Tony frowned at him, but did as he was told.

Someone knocked on the front door. The force of it vibrated Paige’s hand as she used it to keep herself steady to take off her boots.

With one boot on and one boot off, she leaned forward and peered through the peephole.

A tall, slender young man with dark eyes and sharp features stood in front of her door, adjusting his grey necktie uncomfortably.

Frowning, she unlocked the door. “Special Agent Scott.” He was FBI and had assisted on the Louisiana case.

He flashed a quick smile. “Jack. Remember?”

“Right.” Shit-wow. A very busy day, and now this? She didn’t need this right now. “So, then, personal reasons for the visit?”

He tipped his head to the side, biting his lip. “Yes. Can I come in?”

Could she really say no? She moved out of his way, inviting him in. She closed the door behind him, throwing the deadbolt and the chain. “Dexx, you remember Jack?”

“Mr. I-See-Dead-People-Die-Before-They-Die.” Dexx clasped Jack’s hand. “Sure. What brings you out here?”

“Uh.” Jack’s dark eyes landed on Tony.

“Right.” Paige released a breath out of one side of her mouth. “Special Agent Jack Scott is with the FBI and sees dead people before they die.”

Tony nodded, the corners of his lips drawn down. He reached out a hand. “Detective Tony Guerrerro. Vampire.”

Jack’s smile froze, his hand already clasping Tony’s. He jutted his head forward. “Did I hear you right? Vampire?”

Tony nodded and kicked off his shiny black loafers. “What about those beers?”

“Yeah, sure.” Dexx turned toward the tiny kitchen. “What do you like? Darks? Ambers? IPA’s?”

“IPA, if you have one that’s any good.”

“Jack?” Dexx called, his head in the fridge, bottles clanking together.

“Uh, um, amber?” The man’s sharp features remained twisted in disbelief.

Dexx stood. “Are you sure?” He drew out the last word with a sarcastic flare.

Jack wouldn’t stop staring at Tony.

Paige gave Dexx a frank look. “Amber, D.”

“D?” He whistled and pulled four bottles from the fridge. “You slay me, Pea.”

She shrugged. “My house, D. My rules.”

He took the church key—aka, the bottle opener—off the fridge, popped the tops of the bottles, and brought them out to everyone. “Amber for the undecided one. Hey, man. It’s okay. Really. IPA for the walking undead one. Dark for the hormonal one.”

Paige raised an eyebrow, but took the brew. “Did you
want
to die? Tonight?”

“Trying to liven the moment.” He clunked his bottle with hers. “I’ll get started on the hotdogs.”