Witches for Hire (Odd Jobs #1)(20)
“Nothing specific. He traced chatter back to Gulley running errands for Perry Stiles.”
Clive filed the name Perry Stiles away for further research. “Do you know why Perry is interested in you?”
“I’m a big fish in this territory, and mediocre witches dream of making a name for themselves by going after me. If Perry or his minions continue to aggravate me, it won’t end well for them.” Desmond flicked his fingers as if shooing away a fly. “Now that I’ve been honest with you, why don’t you tell me why you were following Perry’s acquaintance?”
“Gulley was late on child-support payments, and his ex-wife sought us out for aid.”
“I bet you didn’t expect the body.”
“No, and I didn’t expect the man to be tied to tension brewing in Atlanta’s werewolf packs. I was even more surprised that you had anything peripherally to do with it.”
“Whatever Stiles is planning is bigger than I imagined. Any chance you’ll tell me what happens at the pack meeting tonight?”
Clive smiled at the magician, who was too knowledgeable about their activities, and wanted to give their whole office a sweep for eavesdropping spells, no matter how much it offended Jeremy’s pride. “I doubt anything we’ve spoken about is new to you.”
Desmond smiled. “I’m more than GQ-cover looks.”
“I think you referenced something above my knowledge.” Clive knew exactly what he was talking about. A role-playing couple had used Desmond’s face on the magazine’s latest issue as inspiration for a botched glamour spell and called them for help. The magician could do with less ego strokes.
Wide shoulders sank artfully as Desmond sighed with the dramatic flair of a man who never stopped performing. “There’s no helping it since you’re still new to our world.” The butler rolled a steaming tea set toward them. “Ah, punctual as always.” Desmond returned his attention to Clive. “Let’s talk about more pleasant things. What brought you to Earth Realm, Sir Knight?”
Slapping together general facts and what Clive considered to be common knowledge amongst strangers, he spun Desmond a tale of boredom and half-truths, so the arrogant show-off couldn’t gain more valuable information about him.
CLIVE MASSAGED his chin after smiling for so long. He and his employees stood in the parking garage, avoiding the lines of cars navigating the exits while unfortunate owners having trouble searching for their cars streaked in between bumpers. “You’re right, Jeremy. I don’t think I’ve ever met a more arrogant man in my life.”
“The curse of entertainment, I suppose,” Jeremy said.
“But I don’t think he’s helping incite a werewolf war.”
“I told you so.” Simone snatched Jeremy’s box of cookie-dough candies.
“Hey!” Jeremy grabbed for it, but she already had most of the candy dumped in her hand.
“You owe me for bitching during the whole thing.”
Footsteps suddenly slapped the concrete a few yards from them. Edarra moved out of the shadow of a truck. “There were no suspicious sounds or behavior from my vantage point.” She tilted her head in wonder. “The audience’s movements and heartbeats were nearly harmonious in response to this magician.”
“It’s not unexpected from a man who puts that much thought into his acts daily,” Clive said.
Jeremy massaged his neck while sending dirty looks to Simone. “What’s the next step?”
“He was irritatingly informed about all of us. I’m beginning to suspect he’s having us followed. We need to watch each other’s backs carefully.” Clive now knew what he needed to about Desmond, so he could safely move the werewolves to his first priority.
Chapter 7
EVERYONE WAITED by the car, silently staring at the guards with assault rifles lining the driveway and porch. The pack had shown Simone hospitality since day one, but armed monsters speaking into earpieces and eyes glowing in their direction didn’t inspire confidence in one’s survival odds.
“Do they always have so much security?” Clive whispered to her.
Simone shook her head. “Only a few, and never with so much artillery.”
“I’m so glad we came,” Jeremy muttered.
Edarra shrugged. “It’s smart to take precautions when they aren’t sure if they’re targets too.”
Simone glanced at her husband, who hadn’t left the backseat and miserably scratched around his bandage-thick pants leg. She wanted to be a bad wifey and shove him inside the cabin. The quicker they got this over with, the less chance there was she would lose control of her emotions and allow them to smell how much they scared the shit out of her. Werewolves were one thing, but if Rudy’s drunken tales were to be believed, elders’ changed forms matched the size of monster trucks. It amazed her how the human counterpart remained the same, but the beasts within continued growing until the werewolf died.
Rudy clutched the door handle as if he was still thinking about whether he wanted to go inside.
“Babe?”
Her husband got out and walked to them. “Sorry, it’s frustrating knowing they can fix everything if they wanted to.”
“I get it. Take a moment,” Simone said, even though she really wanted him to move his ass faster.