The Good, The Bad, And The Undead

I glanced at Jenks's attention-getting buzz. He had a worried I-told-you-so look. How nice of Trent to let his secretary take all the time she needs to find her boyfriend when he's probably stuffed in a closet so she'll keep her mouth shut. 'Ah, let's make it tonight,' I said, thinking of my fish. 'I need to look up a few things.' And whip up a few antigoon spells, check my splat gun, and collect my fee…

'Of course,' she said, settling back as her expression clouded.

'And if nothing turns up there, we'll go on to the next step.' I tried to make my smile reassuring. 'I'll meet you at Dan's apartment a little after eight?'

Hearing the dismissal in my voice, she nodded and stood. Jenks flitted into the air, and I rose as well. 'All right,' she said. 'It's out at Redwood—'

Edden shuffled his feet. 'I'll tell Ms. Morgan where it is, Ms. Gradenko.'

'Yes. Thank you.' Her smile was starting to look stilted. 'I'm just so worried….'

I disguised putting my lie-detecting amulet away by digging through my bag and pulling out one of my cards. 'Please let me or the FIB know if you hear from him in the meantime,' I said as I handed it to her. Ivy had the cards professionally printed, and they looked slick.

'Yes. I will,' she murmured, her lips moving as she read vampiric charms, the name Nick had given my and Ivy's agency. She met my eyes as she tucked the card in her purse. I shook her hand, deciding her grip was firmer this time. Her fingers, though, were still cold.

'I'll show you out, Ms. Gradenko,' Edden said as he opened the door. At his subtle gesture, I sank back into my chair to wait.

Jenks buzzed his wings for my attention. 'I don't like it,' he said as our eyes met.

A flash of ire took me. 'She wasn't lying,' I said defensively. He put his hands on his hips, and I waved him off my cup to take a sip of my lukewarm coffee. 'You don't know her, Jenks. She hates vermin, but she tried to keep Jonathan from tormenting me though it might have meant her job.'

'She felt sorry for you,' Jenks said. 'Pitiful little mink with a concussion.'

'She gave me part of her lunch when I wouldn't eat those disgusting pellets.'

'The carrots were drugged, Rache.'

'She didn't know that. Sara Jane suffered as much as I did.'

The pixy hovered six inches before me, demanding I look at him. 'That's what I'm saying. Trent could be using her to get to you again, and she wouldn't even know it.'

My sigh pushed him back. 'She's trapped. I have to help her if I can.' I looked up as Edden opened the door and poked his head in. He had an FIB hat on, and it looked odd with his white shirt and khakis as he gestured for me.

Jenks flitted to my shoulder. 'You and your 'rescue impulses' are going to get you killed,' he whispered as I found the hallway.

'Thanks, Morgan,' Edden said as he grabbed my canister of fish and led me up front.

'No problem,' I said as we entered the FIB's back offices. The hustle of people enfolded me, and my tension eased in the blessed autonomy it offered. 'She wasn't lying about anything other than having a key to let his cat out. But I could have told you that without the spell. I'll let you know what I find out at Dan's apartment. How late can I call you?'

'Oh,' Edden said loudly as we slipped past the front desk and headed for the sunlit sidewalk. 'No need, Ms. Morgan. Thank you for your help. We'll be in touch.'

I stopped short in surprise. A curl of escaped hair brushed my shoulder as Jenks's wings clattered against themselves in a harsh noise. 'What the hell?' he muttered.

My face warmed as I realized he was brushing me off. 'I did not come down here just to invoke a lousy lie- detecting amulet,' I said as I jerked into motion. 'I told you I'd leave Kalamack alone. Get out of my way and let me do what I'm good at.'

Behind me, conversations were going quiet. Edden never hesitated in his slow stride to the door. 'It's an FIB matter, Ms. Morgan. Let me help you out.'

I followed, tight to his heels, not caring about the dark looks I was getting. 'This run is mine, Edden,' I almost yelled. 'Your people will mess it up. These are Inderlanders, not humans. You can have the glory. All I want is to be paid.' And see Trent in jail, I added silently.

He pushed open one of the glass double doors. The sun-warmed concrete threw up a wave of heat as I stomped out after him, almost pinning the short man against the building as he gestured for a cab. 'You gave me this run and I'm taking it,' I exclaimed, yanking a curl out of my mouth as the wind blew it up into my face. 'Not some stuck-up, arrogant cookie in an FIB hat who thinks he's the greatest thing since the Turn!'

'Good,' he said lightly, shocking me into taking a step back. Putting my canister on the sidewalk, he stuffed his FIB hat into his back pocket. 'But from here on out, you are officially off the run.'

My mouth opened in understanding. I was officially not here. Taking a breath, I willed the adrenaline out of my system. Edden nodded as he saw my anger fizzle out. 'I'd appreciate your discretion on this,' he said. 'Sending Glenn out to Pizza Piscary's alone isn't prudent.'

'Glenn!' Jenks shrilled, his voice scraping the inside of my skull, making my eyes water.

'No,' I said. 'I already have my team. We don't need Detective Glenn.'

Jenks left me. 'Yeah,' he said as he flew between the FIB captain and me. His wings were red. 'We don't play well with others.'

Edden frowned. 'This is an FIB matter. You will have an FIB presence with you when at all possible, and Glenn is the only one qualified.'

'Qualified?' Jenks scoffed. 'Why not admit he's the only one of your officers who can talk to a witch without pissing his pants?'

'No,' I said firmly. 'We work alone.'

Edden stood beside my canister, his arms crossed to make his squat form look as immovable as a stone wall. 'He's our new Inderland specialist. I know he's inexperienced—'

'He's an ass!' Jenks snapped.

A grin flashed over Edden. 'I prefer rough around the edges, myself.'

My lips pursed. 'Glenn is a cocky, self-assured…' I fumbled, looking for something suitably derogatory. '…FIB flunky who is going to get himself killed the first time he runs into an Inderlander who isn't as nice as I am.'

Jenks bobbed his head. 'He needs to be taught a lesson.'

Edden smiled. 'He's my son, and I couldn't agree more,' he said.

'He's what?' I exclaimed as an unmarked FIB car pulled up to the curb beside us. Edden reached for the handle of the back door and opened it. Edden was clearly from European decent, and Glenn…Glenn wasn't. My mouth worked as I tried to find something that couldn't be remotely construed as being racist. As a witch, I was sensitive to that kind of thing. 'How come he doesn't have your last name?' I managed.

'He's used his mother's maiden name since joining the FIB,' Edden said softly. 'He's not supposed to be under my direction, but no one else would take the job.'

My brow furrowed. Now I understood the cold reception in the FIB. It hadn't been all me. Glenn was new, taking a position everyone but his dad thought was a waste of time. 'I'm not doing this,' I said. 'Find someone else to baby-sit your kid.'

Edden put my canister into the back. 'Break him in gently.'

'You aren't listening,' I said loudly, frustrated. 'You gave me this run. My associates and I appreciate your offer to help, but you asked me here. Back off and let us work.'

'Great,' Edden said as he slammed the car's back door shut. 'Thanks for taking Detective Glenn with you out to Piscary's.'

A cry of disgust slipped from me. 'Edden!' I exclaimed, earning looks from the passing people. 'I said no. There is one sound coming past my lips. One sound. Two letters. One meaning. No!'

Edden opened the front passenger door and gestured for me to get in. 'Thanks bunches, Morgan.' He glanced into the backseat. 'Why were you running from those Weres, anyway?'

My breath came in a slow, controlled sound. Damn.

Edden chuckled, and I put myself in the car and slammed the door, trying to get his stubby fingers in it. Scowling, I looked at the driver. It was Glenn. He looked as happy as I felt. I had to say something. 'You don't look anything like your dad,' I said snidely.