Gifted Thief (Highland Magic #1)(30)

I pursed my lips and considered. If I were a Sidhe Clan heir with more money than sense, where would I keep a priceless gem? Under the bed, perhaps? I got down on the floor. Nope. Nothing there. Maybe in a cupboard. I checked every one I could find. No luck there either. Fridge? No. Under the sofa cushions? No. In the toilet cistern? No.

I spent a good thirty minutes exhausting every possibility. When I was certain the Lia Saifire wasn’t anywhere I could access, I plonked myself down in the centre of the room to mull things over. It would take another twenty-four hours to access the main safe next to reception and I didn’t want to waste that kind of time unless I absolutely had to.

Perhaps the wardrobe safe was a front and there was another one lurking somewhere, albeit better hidden? But how long could I waltz around here before Byron decided to come back?

I picked at a hangnail then grabbed my bag. It wasn’t ideal but if I played my cards right I might able to wing it successfully. I slid out the letter opener and gave it a tap. When nothing happened immediately, I rubbed it against the fabric of my dress. There was an odd hiss followed by the familiar flash of blinding light and Bob appeared, standing on my leg.

‘I was asleep,’ he complained. ‘You ignore me for days and then, when I finally decide to get some shut-eye, you force me to get up.’

Exasperated, I folded my arms. ‘It was hardly days. It’s been less than ten hours.’

His eyes narrowed. ‘Are you sure?’

‘Yup.’

‘I just lose all track of time when I’m stuck in that thing.’ He looked around, realising he was on my thigh and grinned. ‘Hey girl. Nice legs!’

‘Piss off,’ I grunted.

He bent over, poking me experimentally. He was too tiny for it to hurt, but it was still irritating. ‘Nice muscle tone, Uh Integrity. Wait a minute though. Weren’t you wearing this before? Have you not been home yet? Girrrrl! You one bad lady.’

I willed myself not to react. ‘Bob…’ I said tiredly.

‘Huh?’ He glanced up as if confused. Then he shook himself as comprehension dawned and a look of pure glee transformed his face. ‘You’ve finally come to your senses! You want your first wish!’

I drummed my fingers against my arm. ‘Let’s say I’m thinking about it. It’s just…’ I let my voice trail off.

Bob frowned. ‘Just what?’

‘It doesn’t matter. I don’t want to offend you. Go back to sleep.’

‘No, no, no, no! You can’t offend me. Tell Uncle Bob what the problem is.’

I fidgeted. ‘How do I know you’re any good? I mean, I know there’ll be side effects from any wish I make but what if the wish doesn’t work? I get all the nasty stuff to deal with and none of the benefits. I’d like to make a wish but I’m not sure I can trust you to be experienced enough.’

Bob’s jaw dropped. He stared at me as if I were mad. ‘Not experienced enough?’ he shrieked. ‘Not experienced enough?’ His voice rose to an extraordinarily high pitch. Any choir would welcome that sort of soprano.

‘Okay,’ I said hastily, ‘maybe you do have lots of experience. But you could be really rusty too. You said yourself that you lose track of time when you’re stuck in the blade. Who knows how long it’s been since you last did any wish fulfilment? I’m not sure I can take the risk.’

Bob was clearly aghast. ‘I am a wish expert. In the world of wishes, there is none better than me!’

I shrugged. ‘Prove it.’

‘Fine,’ he snapped. ‘Ask for something.’ He waved his little arms in the air. ‘Make it something small, mind. I’m not giving away the big stuff for free.’

I blew air out through pursed lips. ‘So asking you to cure a fatal disease would be a no-no, then?’

‘You bet your cute arse it would be.’

‘Hmm. Okay. How about you find an object? Lost and found has got to be pretty simple, right?’

He scoffed. ‘Yeah, right. You ask for the Hope diamond as a test and then you’re set for life.’ He waggled his finger at me. ‘No chance, sweet cheeks.’

‘Hey, you don’t need to retrieve the object. Just tell me where it is. If you don’t think you can do even that though…’

‘I can do that! Of course I can do that! What shall I search for?’

I tapped the corner of my mouth. ‘There was something in the paper yesterday about a jewel. Some kind of sapphire, I think. Lia Saifire, perhaps?’

He clicked his fingers. ‘Done!’

Placing two fingers on his temples, he closed his eyes and began to murmur. ‘Shamamamamamama.’

‘What on earth is that?’

He opened one eye and frowned. ‘Don’t interrupt me! I’m concentrating.’

I leaned back and kept my mouth shut, doing everything I could not to grin. After several seconds, he looked at me again. ‘The Lia Saifire is in the possession of a young Sidhe man. He has dark hair, two adorable dimples in his chubby little cheeks and he’s staying at the Astor Hotel in room number 907. Ta da!’ His brow creased. ‘Hold on. Where are we right now?’

‘We’re on the floor next to a coffee table.’

‘The floor where?’ Bob’s eyes narrowed. ‘Wait a minute. We’re in the Astor Hotel too! You bitch! You tricked me! That’s what you wanted to know all along!’