“Calli,” he said, glancing at me. His smile smoothed the lines of concentration jamming his forehead. “Earlier, Kerry determined that Doug—or the Flechette company—owns two of the properties that abut yours, to the north and south. I want to show this to Bas.” Tanner stood, holding his laptop, and stepped around the low table and boxes of sewing supplies and went out the front door.
Maritza came around in front of me and assessed her work. “The bodice of the dress must fit you like a lambskin glove, Calliope. Snug, yet pliable. The rest of the dress will hang from that foundation.”
“What about the sleeves?” I asked. I felt overexposed, even knowing the dress had a long way to go.
“I will fit them to the dress once we have the bodice right. But here,” she said, reaching for two pieces of black fabric on the closer end of the table. “Let’s slip these on so you can get a sense of how they will hang.” Maritza guided one sleeve onto my arm, pinned the top to the shoulder seam, and repeated with the other sleeve on the other side.
Tanner and Bas reentered the house, bringing with them a rising breeze that teased at the possibility of rain. Tanner’s gaze swept me head to toe as he passed and returned to his corner armchair. Alabastair took a seat at the table.
“Tanner, Alabastair, what do you think?” Maritza stepped away. Slightly afraid of the pins, I shifted side to side, enough to give my admirers a two-hundred-seventy-degree view of the me in the dress.
“Stunning,” Tanner said, eyes on me and not whatever was on his screen. “Both the garment and the wearer. I have a feeling the dress is going to be a work of art, Maritza.” He winked at me and added, “Calliope’s already perfect.”
My body heated from the top of my head to the bottoms of my feet, and suddenly I was worried about sweating so much during the dinner with Odilon that he’d be able to read me right away.
“Exquisite.” Bas kissed his fingertips.
After unpinning the sleeves, Maritza’s fingers flew over the front panels, tugging here, pinning there.
“Did you two find anything interesting?” I asked Tanner.
“We compared the assessment maps to get a feel for property lines. The parcels to the north and to the south are the two owned by the Flechettes. As far as records show, there have been no homes built on those properties in decades. I haven’t drilled down far enough to see if the names of past owners of the parcel to the east, which abuts the area near the bunkhouse, and the one across the road are in the records.
“I think it would be worth a few of us reconnoitering all four parcels,” he added. “Soon. As in, today. See if we find any property markers.”
I liked his idea. “Christoph’s here. He’d go with you.”
“I’d like to see who else is available. The more the merrier.”
“Call River,” I suggested. “He had a date with Airlie on Friday night, and I think he should fill us in on how it went.”
Tanner chortled and took out his phone. The call rang through as he stood and went to the back deck. I could hear him through the glass, and it sounded as though River was ready for more exploring. “He’ll be here after lunch, and he’s calling Wes to see if he’s up for an adventure, too.”
As far as I was concerned, the bigger the group the better. They were also more likely to know if anything they came across had its origins in magic. “Before you guys head off,” I said, “would you mind testing the wards around the house? If we’re going to be nosing around on the Flechettes’ land, I want to know they can’t retaliate if you get caught. And if you do,” I added, “we can use my connection at the police station.”
Tanner gave a soft growl as he resettled and drew his computer onto his lap. He and Jack Kaukonen, my friend from high school, had been in their wolf forms during the showdown in August. Meribah’s, Adelaide’s, and Doug’s fates were decided in the field, per an agreement between Jack and Malvyn acting in their official capacities as an officer of the RCMP and an enforcer, respectively.
It was six weeks later and still no one knew of Doug’s twin brother Roger’s whereabouts. My gut said he was in hiding. Roger especially did not seem to function well without his mother’s guidance, twisted as that maternal influence was.
“This fitting is complete.” Maritza circled behind me once again. The dress loosened as the pins in the back panels were removed. I shrugged out, careful not to disturb where Mari had added more pins in front.
“Should I stay in the slip or—”
“You may get dressed, Calliope. And if you would be so kind, I could use a bite to eat. Black tea if you have it, lemon, no cream, and a selection of tea sandwiches? I couldn’t help but notice the fresh dill on your counter. Perhaps cucumber for starters?” Maritza dismissed me with a turn to the table and bent to her work.
“Tanner, Bas?” I asked. “Are you two ready for lunch?”
“I would love to stay, Calliope, but I think my time would best be spent consulting with a peer who may be able to assist us with the mystery of this new portal. He is of impeccable character and I will swear him to secrecy.” Bas hugged me, then turned his full attention to Maritza.
Tanner stretched, popped a few vertebra, and yawned. “Yes. I want to chat up Christoph, see what he thinks about the idea of slapping on an inspector’s badge and tromping through the woods.”
The question of who the blind trust owner behind the land across the street and the smaller parcel at the far end of my property was gnawed at me while I moved through my kitchen.
