She leaned forward and put her arms on the desk. “Dani, you asked for time to clear the Benning case. The Family needs you. We need your skills, your expertise, your imagination. We need you to build a munitions works, hire and train the magiteks to run it, and provide the designs for them to build.”
I opened my mouth, but she held up her hand.
“Let me finish. You do that for us, and we’ll let you work out a role for yourself with Osiris. I know that he’s hoping one thing you’ll do is agree to be our liaison with the police and the Whittaker Family. And I haven’t forgotten my promise to extend patronage to Kirsten and her business. The troubles have just started, and we expect things to get far worse. Believe me, you’re going to need us as much as we need you.”
With a big sigh, I said, “We’ll negotiate.”
Her expression told me what she thought about negotiation.
“I’ll talk to DC Whittaker and to Kirsten,” I said.
She surprised me. “And to Amelie. I’m hoping you can also be a liaison to the elves. I would like her to arrange a visit for you with your grandfather.”
I wanted to ask if she was going to allot any time for sleep, but figured I should follow Osiris’s and my mom’s advice and keep my mouth shut for once.
I found Kirsten, and we went out for a walk in the garden. I told her about my grandmother’s offer, and when I got to the part about Olivia’s offer of formal patronage, I watched her light up. Her smile almost split her face.
“Seriously? I can put up one of those signs on my shop and list Findlay as patrons in my advertising?”
“Yep, along with the access to bank loans, commercial credit, invitations to social events, security—all of that stuff.”
For one of the first times since I’d known her, she was speechless, practically vibrating. Then she shocked me with the first words out of her mouth.
“Wait until I tell Mychal!”
Later that afternoon, I got a text on my phone that Sarah Benning was awake. I wandered over to the guest wing and found the room where she was staying. As I walked down the hall, Diana Benning came out of a door and walked toward me.
“Lieutenant James. I can’t express how grateful I am. Thank you, thank you,” she said with a smile, and then folded me into a brief hug. “This is for you,” she said, handing me an envelope.”
“There’s no need, Mrs. Benning,” I started, but she pressed two fingers to my mouth.
“Don’t argue. Take it and say, ‘You’re welcome.’”
“All right, thank you, and you’re welcome.”
I took the envelope. To my surprise, it didn’t feel like money. It was heavy and lumpy.
“Go ahead and look,” Diana said.
I did and my mouth dropped open. The necklace and earrings were beautiful. Obviously hand-crafted originals. Not diamonds, but my birthstones. Rubies surrounded with peridots, set in filigreed white gold.
“It-it’s too much,” I stammered.
“It’s a pittance compared to the life of my daughter. I still feel I owe you, so if you ever need a favor, or help in any way, Justus and I will be there for you.”
It took me a minute or two to compose myself and wipe the tears out of my eyes, then I went into Sarah’s room. She was sitting up in bed and eating something from a bowl on a tray on her lap. Picking at it, really. She looked up, and it took a moment before I saw recognition in her eyes.
“You! You meddling bitch! You’ve ruined my life!”
Not exactly the reaction I was expecting, but Kirsten had said the girl needed extensive therapy.
“You’re welcome,” I said.
“You have no idea what you’ve done.”
“Oh, I think I do.” I glanced at the door, but Diana hadn’t followed me in. “I once was one of Ashvial’s playthings. He made me feel better than I’ve ever felt in my life. But it wasn’t real, and when he got tired of you, he would have cast you aside and let his minions torture you to death.” I gave her a faint smile. “If you ever need to talk, let me know.”
I turned around and walked out. Case closed.
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Books by BR Kingsolver
* also in audio
The Rift Chronicles
Magitek
War Song (Coming late 2020)
Rosie O’Grady’s Paranormal Bar and Grill
Shadow Hunter*
Night Stalker*
Dark Dancer*
Well of Magic*
Knights Magica
The Dark Streets Series
Gods and Demons*
Dragon’s Egg*
Witches’ Brew*
The Chameleon Assassin Series
Chameleon Assassin
Chameleon Uncovered
Chameleon’s Challenge
Chameleon’s Death Dance
Diamonds and Blood
The Telepathic Clans Saga
The Succubus Gift
Succubus Unleashed
Broken Dolls
Succubus Rising
Succubus Ascendant
Other books
I’ll Sing for my Dinner
Trust
Short Stories in Anthologies
Here, Kitty Kitty
Bellator
