The question – and protest – on my lips died. ‘So this really is the end of the world? From what I heard, it is local to Manchester.’
‘It’s not the end of the world,’ Monroe snapped.
‘But it could be if we don’t get a move on,’ Madrona said. ‘Lizzy needs to make a decision. If she’s okay here, I think she should stay.’
Finally someone was speaking some sense. I turned to Madrona, hoping to get more answers but before I could say anything the doorbell rang, echoing through the house and making us all jump.
I straightened my shoulders, irritated by the interruption, whirled round and stalked to the door. This had better be good. The end of the world was apparently nigh, after all.
Chapter Seven
Two police officers were standing on the doorstep – Anna Jones and her partner, the slightly less impressive DI Mulroney. They weren’t the only people; across the street, I spotted several others hovering around and watching us. My eyes narrowed. Whoever they were, they weren’t police. Given the arrogant air which clung to each and every one of them, I assumed they were with Monroe. Did they all turn furry when the mood took them?
Anna’s smile disappeared as she clocked Madrona behind me. ‘Well, well, well. Ms Hatter. Trouble seems to follow you around, doesn’t it?’
My stomach tightened. Had I made an error in allowing Madrona access to my house? I watched the policewoman’s expression carefully. She was wary but not particularly concerned.
‘Actually,’ Madrona answered calmly, ‘I follow trouble, not the other way around. Charley here was in a spot of bother, so my friend and I came to help her out. Because you guys were off having a doughnut or whatever.’
DI Mulroney rumbled irritably, ‘What are you doing here?’
‘I explained,’ Madrona said. ‘Weren’t you listening?’
Determined to regain control of what was happening inside my own damned house, I interrupted. ‘Thank you for coming.’ I did my best to sound pleasant; it wasn’t their fault that they’d arrived so late or that this weird couple were already here. ‘I think things are under control now.’
‘See?’ Madrona burbled. ‘I did that.’
‘Actually,’ Monroe muttered, ‘it was all me.’
I rolled my eyes. Talk about ego.
Fortunately I wasn’t the only one who found him irritating. ‘I don’t care who brought things under control,’ Mulroney said. ‘I want to know what happened and whether it’s likely to happen again. We’re fighting fires across the city and we came here as a favour to you, Charley. If you don’t need us, there are other places we can be.’
Rather than admonish her partner for his less than polite manner, Anna looked rather flushed. Her attention was fixed wholly on Monroe – and it didn’t take a genius to work out why.
‘Yeah,’ I said, calculating the odds that my opportunity to glean the truth about what was happening was slipping through my fingers. ‘He’s good looking but don’t waste your time. He’s an absolute bastard.’
I felt Monroe seethe beside me. ‘After what I did for you, you should be more grateful.’
‘You mean fall at your feet in worship?’ I enquired.
He shrugged. ‘It’s a start.’
Madrona pushed past me, stepping outside to join Anna and Mulroney. She closed the door behind her.
I turned to Monroe and gave him a slap.
He leapt backwards. ‘What the hell is wrong with you?’
I shrugged. ‘You said that if you were rude again, I had full permission to slap you around. I counted at least three separate incidents. That’s another two slaps I owe you.’
A myriad of expressions flitted across his face, most of them involving intense irritation and anger. He eventually settled on mild amusement. ‘I did say that,’ he conceded. ‘But I didn’t expect you to act on it. After what I’ve done for your friend, I’d expect a little more gratitude.’
I raised an eyebrow. ‘You’d prefer it if I grovelled?’
‘I would, in fact. Be my guest,’ he growled.
I clasped my hands to my heart. ‘Oh, thank you,’ I breathed, widening my eyes. ‘You’re such a hero! You’re so big and strong and masterful and without you us little ladies would be lost.’
Monroe’s eyes narrowed. I was getting to him. Good. ‘You should by now have realised that I’m not the sort of person to be trifled with. Unfortunately, however, you seem to be suffering under the delusion that you’re someone special.’ He folded his arms across his broad chest. ‘Dyeing your hair a stupid colour doesn’t make you special. It makes you … stupid. Your friend there is the special one. Keeping her here isn’t going to do either her or you any favours. What will you do when she shifts again?’
I tensed. Damn it. The vexing man was making sense. ‘Is that likely to happen?’
‘I don’t know.’ Irritatingly, he still seemed to be telling the truth. ‘We’re all in uncharted territory here.’
He gave me the opening I needed. ‘Then tell me, big boy,’ I said. ‘Stop messing around and tell me exactly what’s happening. You say it’s the apocalypse and that it’s related to magic. Explain it properly if you’re so powerful and all-knowing.’
I knew from the flash in his eyes that I’d finally achieved the right taunt to get him to tell me the truth. He took a step forward and leaned down towards me. ‘Magic exists,’ he said, his voice barely audible. ‘It’s always existed, whether humans like you have blithely ignored it for generations or not. Except now there’s too much of it. It’s leaked into the atmosphere and the pressure is growing. If we don’t find a way to release it safely, this whole city is going to blow.’
I licked my lips. ‘That doesn’t sound … good.’
‘It’s not. This world is not designed for this much magic. You lot prefer smart phones and television screens and trains that run on time.’ His disgust was almost palpable.
‘My lot? You live in this world too. So does your boss.’
He glared. ‘Madrona is not my boss. We are merely working
