Witch for Hire (18 page)

"Good. It needed to be done." And I was exceptionally grateful I wasn't the one dealing with that mess. The power in that house wanted to corrupt me.
 

He chewed on his sandwich. "Have you done anything fun lately?"

"I had a family dinner that was nice, and a weekly dinner with some girlfriends. Why?"

"Eh, this kind of thing can really eat at you. I think everyone who works with it needs to get out, have some fun, see friends, and forget about work."

"I'm starting to see that. I didn't, not at first, but the longer I've worked with the police the more I value the rest of life."
 

He studied me, thinking about something, though I wasn't sure what. "Keep this separate from the rest of your life. Go on a few dates. It doesn't matter if they're serious, just fun. Have some fun. It'll make this job easier."

"I'll keep that in mind, Clark."
 

Driving back, my thoughts kept returning to our previous conversation. Clark was right. I needed to spend more time away from work. I needed to spend more time with people who were special to me. I really wanted to spend time with a guy, one that might mean something and be somebody I could spend part of my life with.
 

I didn't think Clark was that person, and I was hoping his comments weren't a build-up to asking me on a date. I didn't want to hurt our work relationship. I liked working with the guy, and he was a good guy, but not for me.
 

Clark was human, which wasn't his fault or a flaw, but I didn't want to date and fall in love with human. I didn't want to marry someone who would live less than a third of the time I would. I couldn't do that over and over. It wasn't fair, and I'd date a human for fun, but never seriously. Hopefully, he was just being helpful. With a mental sigh, I turned my mind to other matters.

Alara had been something else. I'd seen elves act like that before, but never to me. I wasn't sure why she thought I'd do something interesting. It was strange knowing someone would be listening for news of my action; watching me.

"We're here."
 

My eyes flew open, focusing on the parking lot where my car was parked. "Thanks, Clark."

"No problem. Be safe driving home."

"I will." I pulled my bags off the floor board and closed the door.

Elron

I'd never realized how frustrating it was for the elves on the outside to keep in touch with their more traditional friends. The community I'd lived in for many years didn't have phones, computers, or internet. They received mail, but in this world there was little reason to write a letter when a casual conversation over the phone was so much more efficient.
 

I felt like I'd heard about Michelle years ago, and should know about her past. The memory lingered just out of reach. There was a feeling deep inside, telling me so much of her life had been the product of misunderstandings. I knew her mom hadn't been much of a witch, and I wondered how Michelle had learned so much. Usually, the entire clan helped educate the new generations, but she hadn't had their help. Her family's mistakes had deprived her of a valuable part of her culture.

On the other hand, I'd never seen a witch that young who was so sure of her limits, and willing to face the world alone. There were drawbacks to clans. They didn't promote individuality, self-sufficiency, or entrepreneurial spirits. The clan wanted its members working for the good of the clan. With the oldest members in charge, they were traditional, not taken with modern innovation, and slow to change. The old codgers liked to dictate how people lived. More than anything, the clan wanted a bigger, stronger clan with the most magic possible.
 

Most of my questions could be answered today. Smiling, I took a trip.
 

Michelle

"Oaks Consulting." I'd just sat down in my living room, and didn't want to rush off for a police emergency.

"Hi, is this Michelle?"

"Yes, may I ask whose calling?" This was strange, usually people announced who they were, and I'd never gotten a call from a hospital number before.

"I'm Andrew Wright. We haven't been formally introduced, but we met at a crime scene in Fannin County. I was healing the mermaid." He sounded hesitant.
 

"Yes, what can I do for you?" He must have been calling from work.

"I was wondering if you wanted to get coffee sometime." Andrew sounded nervous.

"I wouldn't mind exchanging work stories, and getting out of the house." Clark's words were ringing in my ears, and I didn't want to spend another evening sitting in my room. "We could get coffee at this little place in Ellijay."

"Coffee Times?"

"That's the place."

"Sure, when?"

"Are you free tonight, say seven?"

"I am. I'll see you there at seven."
 

"See you then, bye."
 

"Bye." His phone clicked off.

I gently ended the call, excited about going out on something resembling a date for the first time in months. Before I could enjoy the feeling, my phone rang again.

"Oaks Consulting."
 

"It's Jones."
 

"What can I do for you?"

"Have you had any other thoughts on how to find the trolls?"

"Let me guess, Carls is angry that no additional trolls have been discovered."

"Yup."

"I have a few ideas, but unless you have bodies, I'm not canceling the first date-like event I've had in months." Seriously, why now? If he'd called yesterday I wouldn't have cared.

"I need something else to try. Carls isn't happy and we still have six trolls out there."

"Have you found any of the people who organized the blast?"
 

"Several officers are investigating potential leads. Michelle, we're only barely holding jurisdiction on this one. We need something."

"What am I, a magic eight ball? I did what I could. I've read books, asked people for advice, and nothing I've found would be helpful."

"Nothing? You just said you had a few ideas."

"I don't think you can do any of the spells I've considered. I'll call you back tomorrow, and with something resembling a plan."

"Fine, enjoy your date, but I expect something brilliant."
 

I just hung up. A good day spoiled by work that wasn't even my job. I set an alarm on my phone to remind me about the date, and moved into the work room. I had to find a way to fix their problem.
 

How the police hadn't tracked down the rest of this ring, or who made the explosives, was beyond me. Then there were the trolls; the trolls that shouldn't have been this hard to find. They weren't known for being smart. Generally they were considered to be rather stupid, but somehow these stupid creatures hadn't been found wandering around the county. No, they'd stayed hidden and been fed for a week without any sign of them.
 

Not only were people hiding them, but they were feeding them too. That was something the police could look for. The troll who'd killed his handler had been in town. With the fiasco at the chicken farm, I would have moved the trolls to contained, controlled environments. The police could look for areas where the trolls could be safely contained and avoid detection.
 

I couldn't figure out why they hadn't used the werewolves or other shifters to track the trolls, but even if they couldn't pick up the scent near where the map displayed trolls, I could probably make a spell to help them out. It was worth a shot. Not only that, but you'd think something supernatural would have noticed something. It might be worth canvassing the areas the map highlighted.
 

My alarm rang, reminding me to eat dinner before I headed to Ellijay for coffee.

Michelle

I braced myself before going into the dining room, but Elron wasn't there. Giddy with hope that he'd been passing though, I settled into a chair with a plate of lasagna.
 

"I am Tinver. Who are you, lass?" The dwarf asked from across the table.
 

"I'm Michelle, the resident witch. Are you staying for a few nights or moving in?" He was a nice looking dwarf, with thick red hair, no beard, and well-kept clothes. Tinver could have been forty or four hundred.

"I'm staying for a few days. I'm on vacation."

"Where are you from?" I asked.

"Montana. I wanted to vacation somewhere warm for a change. I'll be spending a week down here before I return home."

"Mining?"

"Yes. It's a good honest trade for a dwarf, and in our blood. What do you do, lass?"

"I help the police with problems that require magic to solve."

"That's a fine thing to do. Not traditional, but a fine job."

"Thank you."
 

We lapsed into silence, listening to the quiet conversation of Trent and Blenda. Tironious, the satyr, was still here, and flirting with Priscele as his voice rose.
 

"I can do things you've never imagined," Tironious said.
 

"Like what?"

"That would be telling, but I could come back to your room and show you. A nymph such as yourself deserves a complete answer."

"Really?" Priscele leaned against him.
 

Tironious brushed a hand down her arm. "Women are special. Women like you are rare and need special treatment."

"You make me feel special."

After several minutes of ridiculous flirtation, Priscele whispered something in his ear before leaving the dining room. The brownies quietly finished their meal and followed her out.
 

I'd never figured out if these flirtations went past the dining room, but Priscele was never happier than when she was flirting. I returned my attention to my food, trying not to think about how the satyr would look unclothed. It wasn't a pretty picture.

"Girl, um, Michelle. Why don't you slide down here?"
 

I blinked at Tironious. I hadn't paid much attention when he called girl, but hearing my name was different. "No." I returned to my food.

"I've got something I want to tell a pretty girl like you." He leaned closer.
 

"Not interested." I messed with the food on my plate, but I didn't think this was over.

I heard his chair scrape as he pushed away from the table, and the quiet clomp of his hooves as he walked. He stopped, leaning over me. "Why won't a pretty girl like you talk to me?"

"I just want to eat . . . alone."

"I'll be glad to help you eat." He reached for my fork.

"No," I knocked his hand back. "I'm fine, leave me alone."
 

"I just want to help." He smiled a creepy, strange smile.
 

"If I wanted help I'd ask for it, now leave before you spend the rest of your days as a newt."
 

He stepped back. "I didn't mean anything by it. I just wanted to help a pretty lady."

"Then help me by leaving . . . or risk being something small and slimy for a very long time." I bared my teeth at him.

"Alright, no need to be mean. I'll leave." He backed up, giving my chair a wide berth as he left.

"Lass," Tinver caught my attention. "I'd be careful of that one. He really likes women."

"I will. I haven't seen him like this before. I ate with him several days ago, right after he arrived, but I'm surprised he's still here. I was under the impression that he was leaving after only a day or two."
 

"That one likes to stay where women are available. He'll stay longer just to see you and that nymph."

"Landa takes care of her own."

"Aye, lass, she does, but I'll keep an eye on him anyway."
 

Dwarves weren't known for lending a helping hand. I accepted his generous offer, and the implied compliment. "Thank you Tinver, that's very generous and appreciated."
 

As grateful as I was for the warning, I doubted anyone would risk Landa's wrath, or banishment from this place, just to have sex. Then again I wasn't a creature who'd been designed as a lusty party boy.

A vibration in my pocket reminded me that I had other plans for the rest of the evening. After thanking Tinver again, I excused myself from the table, heading to something closely resembling a date. It wasn't until I was in my car that I realized how reckless all of this was. When I'd answered the phone, with Clark's advice still in my ears, I'd hardly thought twice. Meeting in a public place, with several people around wasn't the craziest thing I'd done, but there were as many bad spells as there were good ones.

I reassured myself, knowing I'd left early enough to arrive before him, even if he wanted to be there early as well. If I had my snack and coffee before he arrived, it would be difficult for him to spell them, or me. I might not see a spell that was cast before I arrived, but I should be able to detect him casting a small spell in front of me.
 

Snickering, I realized how I sounded. I wasn't going to war or on some undercover job; I was going on a date with a guy who'd seen me perform several impressive spells. This was going to be fun, and relaxing. If I was lucky we might even set up a second date.
 

Coffee Times was a cozy shop in the town square. It featured whimsical lighting, and a mural of fairies resting in trees. It was known for organic teas and coffees, as well as the fresh pastries. The place was a favorite of mine because of the white chocolate and mint Frappuccino.
 

"Hi, what can I get you?" The waitress was a cheerful teen girl with a ponytail.
 

"I'd like a large Shamrock Frappuccino and a slice of gingerbread cake." I paid her and waited for my food. Looking around I didn't see Andrew. However, a table for two, with really comfortable chairs, was open.
 

"Here you go." She handed me my order.

"Thank you." I set my food and purse down at the table before heading back to pick up a straw, fork, and napkin.