The Isis Collar

scramble to get the door open again and reach the nearest phone. “Hello?”

“Is this Celia Graves?” I didn’t recognize the soft-spoken woman’s voice.

“Yes. Who’s calling?”

She breathed a sigh of apparent relief. “Oh, thank goodness. This is Gillian Paige. Did John stay there last night?”

My jaw dropped and I stammered, “Ex . . excuse me? Who is this again?” Her name didn’t ring a bell at all.

Her voice was bright and friendly, except with an edge of worry. “Gillian.”

Another long pause from me because I didn’t know anyone with that name. The silence made her add, “John’s Creede’s sister? I’m sorry. I know we haven’t formally met, but I’ve heard so much about you. I wouldn’t normally call, but I haven’t been able to reach John and I’m hoping … well, maybe that he just forgot our breakfast. Except he’s never forgotten before, and we’ve had breakfast together every Saturday for six years. So … um, oh Lord, now I feel awkward … but have you seen him?”

John’s sister. I didn’t even know he had a sister. Or that he had breakfast with her every Saturday. So that made me wonder if she really was his sister and if this was a digging expedition? “Um, no. Unfortunately, I haven’t. I’ve been trying to reach him, too. I was supposed to get a call from him, but I … lost … my cell. Where else have you already tried?” If this really was his sister, she’d know who she should call first. Like I did.

She sighed, not in frustration for me asking but more that she’d already done everything she could think of. “The office and the winery were my first calls. Andrew said he talked to you and that John never showed up for his conference call. And I talked to Pam at the winery, but he hasn’t been up there for more than a week. No surprise since the vines are barely starting to leaf out. I was just hoping … he normally keeps me in the loop and I know you two have gotten closer lately.”

I didn’t know what to say, so I didn’t say anything.

She sounded really odd now. “Um. Well, sorry to bother you. But if you hear from him, could you have him call me? I’ve been worried ever since he had to go to the ER for the food poisoning last month. It just didn’t feel right. You know what I mean? He’s so careful about what he eats and he does have enemies.”

Food poisoning significant enough to go to the hospital? John hadn’t mentioned that. A fluttering started in my chest that made me take in a sharp breath. A powerful practitioner, capable of setting up a stalking horse, whom John was tracking. A talented witch, capable of blowing up a bomb inside a grade school, whom I was tracking. Damn. “Yes, he does. Hey, tell you what. Let me get your number. I’ll look around and see if I can track him down. Then one of us will call you.”

“Oh, could you? That would be wonderful. John was right, you are a doll. Thank you so much. I live far enough away that I can only make it up once a week. But I’ll come if you think I need to.”

“No problem. Happy to do what I can.” I took down her number, because even if nothing came of this, I’d like to meet her. I knew all of Bruno’s family. I’d met most of Dawna’s extended family and had the lowdown on all of Emma’s cousins. So why did I know next-to-nothing about John?

Because I hadn’t let him get close enough.

Because I was scared?

That bugged me. A lot.

I made it down to the car with no further delays. I would be a few minutes late, but only a few, if I hurried.

* * *

“Going a little fast there, weren’t you, ma’am?” I let out a sigh and kept my hands on the steering wheel as the khaki-uniformed officer approached my window.

“I thought I was going the speed limit. Isn’t it thirty-five here?” Okay, I’d been going thirty-eight. But most cops won’t bother you unless you’re six or more over the limit. La Cocina was tantalizingly close—just a block away.

“It is. But you were going nearly fifty. Could I see your license and registration, please?”

“What?! Fifty? No way.” I reached into my purse to retrieve my license and opened the glove box for my registration and insurance card. It wasn’t until I had both of those items in my hand and was passing them out the window that I actually looked at the cop. Gran had taught me to be respectful, keep my eyes averted, and answer questions honestly.

When I looked up into the face of the officer, even though it was shielded by his cap’s visor, I recognized him. The last time I’d seen him, he’d been lurking in an alley behind the PharMart store, hoping to either frame me for murder or simply stake me. “Officer … Danson. I’ll need your badge number, please.” My voice might have sounded cold. I know I certainly felt a flash of anger at having to run for my life as he sent bullets flying after me. Go figure.

That’s supposed to be an automatic thing. If a citizen asks, they’re supposed to provide the information. “That’s not pertinent. You were speeding. In fact, I think I’ll need to search your car. You’re acting … suspiciously.”

I hadn’t been kidding when I talked to Harris. Most of the local cops are still pissed off that I hadn’t been sentenced to life in prison for mentally manipulating a couple of them to help me a few months back. I regretted doing it, but I would have felt worse had the demon I was fighting gotten loose and destroyed the city. The judge had reluctantly sided with me, but some of the police had declared a vendetta. All I could do at this point was accept the ticket and make sure the dashboard camera in the car behind me picked up everything that happened. I raised my voice until it was a medium shout that should be able to be heard on the recording. “Officer Danson. Please give me your badge number. And the name of your supervisor. I believe you’re harassing me.”

A second cop got out of the passenger side of the patrol car, a concerned expression on his face. “Is there a problem, Bob?” Okay, Bob Danson—maybe Robert. Good to know.

I spoke again, just as loud, while keeping my hands on the wheel and staring straight ahead. I wasn’t going to make any sudden moves. “I don’t believe I was going fifty, Officers. I dispute that reading. There wouldn’t have been time to reach that speed after the red light at Fourth and Aspen. Please give me your badge number and your supervisor’s name.”

The new cop was taken aback. I could see his confusion in the rearview mirror. “Fifty? Nah, Bob. We got her at thirty-seven. What’s up?”

Danson spun to his left and hissed at his partner. “Shut up, Ryan. Just get back in the car and let me handle this.” I couldn’t believe it, but my peripheral vision told me he had his hand on the butt of his weapon. And he was looking at his partner.

Okay, I was in serious trouble.

I lowered my voice again so that only Danson would be able to hear me, but I didn’t look at him. Face forward and hands on the wheel, I nearly whispered my threat. “Officer Danson, if your intention is to make my life a living hell until I break and do something aggressive that will justify you staking me, you’re in for a long wait. Give me the ticket. I’ll take it to court and make you justify your actions. I’ll subpoena the film from every dash cam and street cam. I’ll call your partner as a hostile witness. All by the book and allowable. Eventually, someone will find you out. You’ll slip up and forget to erase a tape or mess up the radar and then you’ll be out on your butt. I’m part siren and I inherited money. I’ll live a very long time and can afford to keep up the pressure. How far do you want to push this?”

He let out a growl that was worthy of a werewolf on the full moon. “Wait here.” He stalked away. His partner looked after him with a baffled expression on his face.

I wasn’t going to let him—or any of the other cops—get to me. If I did, I’d start to actively hunt them. I can’t help that they fear me. I can help to make sure they don’t act on that fear.

It was the other cop who returned my items as Officer Danson climbed back into the patrol car. “We’ll let you off with a verbal warning this time, Ms. Graves. Please watch your speed.” He seemed honestly befuddled by his partner’s actions, but it wasn’t up to me to be the bearer of bad news. Danson was nuts. Either this young kid would be dragged down with his partner, or he’d figure out how to avoid the nuts. I just smiled sweetly with my lips closed and reached into the sunshine to take back my items.

“Thanks. I will.”

I didn’t start the car until both officers were in their seats. I didn’t need this crap and knew it was going to