Hot anger flared to life in my chest, and I balled my hands into fists. I really, really didn’t want to fight with Peter. I needed this job to pay the bills, and from a practical standpoint, it’d be easier to just suck it up and do my job.
But on a personal level, I couldn’t believe he was treating me like this. Hadn’t I proven, on our last case, that I was willing to break “shifter code” to do what was right? I’d risked a lot, too.
I was still waiting for some retaliation from Ludolf Caterwaul. Shell, the mob boss of the shifters had almost killed me the last time I saw him. Peter had no idea what I’d risked to be honest with him.
I gave a jerky nod, my whole body a tight bundle of buzzing anger. “Oh. So it’s like that, huh?”
He shook his head, eyes heavy. “You should have told me soon—”
“Oh!” I barked out a mirthless laugh. “So you could react like this?”
Anger flashed behind his eyes. “You know, you’re acting like—”
A loud murmur of voices sounded, and we both glanced up toward the hotel. Bon and the new chief strode out the double doors of the hotel entrance, the noise from the lobby briefly filtering out into the otherwise quiet night.
Chief McCray waved an arm in greeting, and she and Bon headed toward the white marble steps.
I leveled Peter with a weary look. “I’m going home. See you tomorrow.”
Peter nodded, then turned to greet his superiors. I was too angry and wrung out on tough emotions to handle the exuberant McCray or grumpy Bon at the moment. I booked it into the tree-lined path out of there and wound my way down the island mountain of Bijou Mer back to my little neighborhood in the Darkmoon Nightmarket.
14
THE CLINIC
“Oh, hey, Jolene.” Heidi held the nondescript door to Will’s vet clinic open for me, and I stepped out of the dark alley into the fluorescently bright waiting room. She turned back to face Will, who slumped in one of the hard chairs lined up along the wall.
“Even if it is a pyramid scheme—which it’s not—I’m already in. I’ve got to make this work—I need more money.”
Will tipped his head back and barked out a laugh. He crossed his arms tight, his white lab coat billowing out onto the seats beside him. “You and me both, sister. For the twentieth time, I can’t give you a raise.”
She threw her hands up, her nails brightly colored. “Then don’t come at me for trying to better myself. If you can’t give me a raise, I have to be my own boss.” She tossed her head, and her side pony flew over her shoulder.
I raised my brows. “Hi, guys.” I gave an exaggerated circle wave. “Great to see you, too.”
They both spared me cursory glances and mumbled their hellos. I rolled my eyes and threw myself into a chair on the other side of the L shape from Will, a table strewn with outdated magazines and editions of The Conch between us.
“Alright, what are you fighting about?”
“I’m not fighting about anything.” Will’s bushy brows were raised nearly to his hairline. “I’m just trying to talk some sense into our young friend here.”
Heidi rolled her eyes. “I’m not a child.” She clicked her tongue and turned to face me. “Besides—if you two want me to act like an adult, then why are you throwing water over my deck? My friend Alayah wants me to get a place with her, and I am dying to move out of my parents’ house, but how am I supposed to do that without any merkles?” She threw her hands up again.
Will crossed his legs and frantically bounced his foot. “Can’t help you, sister. Between what I’m paying Ludolf for rent and ‘protection’”—he made air quotes with his long fingers—“and what I pay you, I can barely afford to live myself.”
I sighed. “I feel your pain, guys. With Peter ghosting me, everything I’ve made from consulting has just about dried up. I don’t know what I’m going to do when this job is over.”
Heidi’s expression softened, and she turned to me, lip curled. “He’s not over it, huh?”
I sank lower in my chair and shook my head.
“Sorry.” She grimaced. “Maybe he’ll come around?”
Will snorted. “Not in my experience.” He shot me a side-eye look. “Sorry,” he added.
I nodded, then shot Heidi a half smile. “Not everyone’s as open-minded and sweet as you are.”
Her cheeks flushed pink, and she waved it off. “I honestly don’t get the whole antishifter thing.” She shrugged.
I gave her a small grin. “You’re one of the good ones, Heidi.”
She straightened and threw her shoulders back. “Thank you. And you know, my success is in my own two hands. With Potent Potions, I can make my own schedule and I decide how much money I make—I just have to work tirelessly and not be afraid of sacrificing some hard work, time, and relationships.” A little crease appeared between her brows as if even she wasn’t sure of her words.
Will cocked his head. “Did they tell you that?”
“Well…” Heidi shifted on her feet. “Yeah.” She scrunched up her face. “Listen, what happened tonight, with Mama Pearl dead? It’s got me shaken, too. Don’t tell anyone I said this, but I’m starting to think using my entire savings to buy in might not have been a good idea.”
Will sucked in a mock gasp and pressed an enormous hand to his chest, eyes wide. “No!”
Heidi answered him with a flat look.
I cleared my throat. “So… the company’s still going on, huh?”
“Even though they cut off the head of the gorgon?” Will chimed in.
Heidi nodded. “Mama Pearl would’ve wanted us to continue on with her legacy.”
“They told you to say that, too?”
She rolled her eyes but gave a grudging nod to
