The big guy leapt to his feet, wand drawn and eyes wide. “Canal alert system. The police are here! I’ve got to hide this stuff—quick!”
A CASE
My chest heaved. “Wait—what? Hide it where?”
I glanced around the tiny tent.
Luckily, I was saved from making up some lie to excuse my lack of magic and inability to help by Bixby’s quickness. I didn’t expect the overweight guy to move so fast, but he muttered spells to himself, pointing his wand here and there. Displays flipped over, turned into shelves containing rows of bottled spices or disappeared completely. Within less than a minute, the whole place had transformed into a nondescript spice shop.
He slumped back down into his human office chair, then startled when he realized he hadn’t changed it. He pointed his wand at it, and in a whirl of glowing green magic it transformed into a wooden stool.
I blinked, still shocked at what had just happened. “Wow.” I frowned. “Does everyone in the canal do this every time the police come by?”
Bixby’s chest heaved, his face flushed. It took him a moment to catch his breath before he could speak. “All the illegal—ones do. The cops—don’t come by—all that often.” He pressed a hand to his chest, gasping. “But we have the alert—system for when—they do.”
I slid up to his desk, all the electronics gone, replaced by large jars of red, gold, and brown spices and plunked a merkle down. “I’ll take the cassette and be on my way, thanks.” I shook the tape at him before stuffing it in my pocket.
He gave me a wary look, then scooped up the gold coin and punched a button on his metal till. The drawer flew open and he counted me out change in silver coins, then dropped them in my hand. He looked at my pocket, which bulged with the cassette. “If you get caught with that, you didn’t get it here.”
I scoffed. “I’m sure the cops have bigger things to worry about than some smuggled human music.”
He shot me a heavy look. “You’d think. But be careful.”
I gulped. Geez. I mean, I’d been working with Peter for a few months now—murders abounded on the island. Surely they wouldn’t care about a cassette?
Then again, I’d also seen plenty of corruption and cruelty within the police department. And the way a Darkmoon citizen was treated down here on a bottom tier of the island was much different than the way an upper tier citizen would be handled. Growing up in the Darkmoon District had taught me that much.
I nodded my thanks to Bixby and ducked back out into the alley. I headed toward the stone steps that led up and out, the place now eerily quiet and dark. Many of the red lamps had been extinguished and storefronts closed. Bells still tinkled frantically from somewhere nearby in the dark.
As I dove into the dim fog, a shadowy figure emerged up ahead. The hairs rose on the back of my neck as I recognized the outline of a police cap. I looked around but found all the nearby tents closed up and so tightly packed that I couldn’t squeeze between them. The dark figure advanced, and I considered chucking my cassette to avoid being caught with illicit goods.
I pulled it from my pocket, ready to throw it away, when the figure emerged from the swirling fog and I recognized Peter and, of course, his canine partner, Daisy. My shoulders slumped with relief.
“Hey, Jolene!” he called brightly, oblivious to the panic he was causing the people in the canal. “I was looking for you!”
I grimaced and stepped closer, my voice low. “Hey, Peter. Maybe keep it down in here?” And maybe not use my name—I didn’t need a reputation for being friendly with the cops.
He frowned and looked around. “Oops. Yeah, I figured it’d still be going strong here in the Darkmoon, but I guess these guys decided to close up shop early tonight, huh?”
I sucked on my lips to keep from smirking. Oh, sweet, innocent Peter. “Something like that.”
Daisy barked. Liar!
I shot her a simpering smile. Oh, how I’d missed Peter’s magically lie detecting dog and her brutal honesty.
Peter, who could understand her tells, if not her actual words, shot me a puzzled look.
I ignored it and grabbed his arm—I couldn’t help appreciating the firm muscles under his navy uniform sleeve—and spun him around. “Let’s get out of here.” And stop tormenting the poor people who thought he was here to raid their businesses.
He fell into step beside me with Daisy leading the way up ahead. The alleyway too narrow for us all to walk shoulder to—well—haunches.
I shot Peter a puzzled look. “Wait. How’d you know I’d be here?”
He shot me a sheepish grin. “I, uh, went by your place first, then swung by Will’s clinic, which was closed, but by chance, I ran into Heidi. She told me I might either find you at those food pods on the corner or down here.” He grimaced. “Hope that’s okay?”
I sucked on my lips. Heidi knew me too well—either that, or I was way too predictable. I shot Peter a grin. “Yeah, that’s fine. What’s up?”
He glanced around, a line creasing the space between his thick brows. “You know, Jolene… this isn’t a great area. It’s dark and hardly anyone is around.” He lowered his voice. “And with your… condition… you can’t really defend yourself.” Concern filled his blue eyes. “You shouldn’t be down here alone.”
I took a deep breath, warring emotions filling my chest. On one hand, I appreciated his concern for me. It was true, I didn’t have powers, and the more people who knew that, the more dangerous it would be for me. Which was why he shouldn’t go around talking about it.
On the other hand, the place had been plenty lively and fairly well lit before he and Daisy waltzed down here. Besides, this was my home. I’d grown up in this district and knew how
