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Suzanne looked up from behind her desk like she was surprised to see her. Imagine being surprised to see your boss at work, Velvet let the thought hang in the air. As expected Suzanne picked it up and Velvet knew what was between the receptionist and Rankin.
“Miss Velvet,” Suzanne put down her coffee mug to come around the front desk. Velvet noted she put herself in her path. “I- I heard about what happened at that vampire’s mansion. Are you sure you should be up and about?”
“That was over a week ago.”
“What about the boy? I heard-”
“He’s fantastic. Where is Rankin?”
“He’s in a meeting.”
“A new client?” Velvet walked around her toward the hall.
“Miss Velvet!” Suzanne held her coat sleeve to restrain her. “It’s the police,” she whispered. “I told them you weren’t in.”
“That’s fine. I wasn’t here then. Who are the detectives?”
“Frank Mosby and Omar Henderson.”
“Omar?” Been a while since she heard that name.
~*~
“Velvet!” Rankin jumped up from his chair at her uncharacteristic arrival into his office.
Normally, she would not use her materialization powers in front of the police, but today was bound to be special, she just knew it. Rankin managed not to frown at her and calmly walked her back toward the door away from the sitting area.
“What are you trying to prove interrupting a closed door meeting like this?”
She ignored his tone and glanced over at the detectives sipping at their coffee. They didn’t seem to know she was in the room. “What are you doing to them?”
“We’re just having coffee.”
“What do they want?”
“I haven’t found out yet.”
“Release their minds at once. Or better yet, get Suzanne in her and make her do it.”
“Suzanne?”
“You’ve been receiving instruction from her, haven’t you? You never should have tested your skills on me, you fool. Now, release them, Rankin.”
“As you wish,” he said tightly. Resuming his seat with the detectives, he picked up his coffee cup, gave it a tiny tap. Omar Henderson, the younger Black cop suddenly noticed Velvet standing at the door. He rose up to his full height and rushed to meet her crossing the room.
“Omar.” She enthusiastically received his hug. He was the same guy she remembered from back in the day. Still tall and wide shouldered with the biggest crooked smile she ever saw. “Omar,” she repeated. He’d aged well, she thought.
“Wow, Vee. Girl, you haven’t changed at all. Still pretty as the day I first saw you.”
“Thanks.” She had to pull back first. “It has been a long time since anyone from the police department even admitted to knowing me. Nice seeing a friendly cop again.” Wow. He was more of a hunk than see remembered. “So detective, what’s up?”
“Oh well, there are things being said about you and your associates. We have complaints concerning Jerome Firestrom. You mind answering some questions?”
“Ask away.”
“Is it true there was a home invasion in which he and his house guest had to flee for their safety?”
“We did not invade his home. We knocked on the door and he had his butler show us in.”
“That night were you bitten by Firestrom?”
“Well, I’m surprised he’d tell the police that.”
“He claims it was self-defense. Vee, if he attacked you, you can file your own complaint.”
“I’m not filing a complaint over a bite.”
“And why not, ma’am?” Detective Frank Mosby rose and folded his hands over his crotch. He was an older White man, about sixty with blond thinning hair, just shy of six feet and stocky build. He waited for Omar to join him at the couch before he continued. “If he’s biting you, why not have him arrested?”
“I prefer not to waste my time.”
“Your call. But that ain’t why we’re here, ma’am.”
Oh, he was going to ma’am her to death.
“You were a cop,” he said. Everyone in the room knew that, yet he said it like he just dropped a bombshell in the middle of the room. “Now, what are you doing flying within the city limits? You wouldn’t be making some kind of statement against the city? As a former cop, you know the risk involved in that sort of thing.”
“I hope you didn’t come here to tell me what you think I know.”
“Well, now ma’am, I’m a peace officer with a job to do.”
“Me flying concerns your job how, detective? Seems this is more of a job for the uniforms.”
“It’s not when I get a call from the mayor himself.”
“So Mayor Zennith sent you to harass me?”
“His instruction was to speak to you, ma’am.”
“Okay, tell him you did, then tell him I said to kiss my ass.”
“Velvet,” Rankin shot to his feet.”
“All right, we can change the subject,” Frank said.
“Actually, we are done talking,” Rankin stated strongly. “I was under the impression you detectives were here in regard to the Jasmine Tanaka murder.”
“Fine,” Frank said. He picked up his hat then addressed Velvet. “You might be a ballsy kind of woman, but don’t make the mistake of thinking you can take on city hall. Oh, and by the way, I ain’t telling Mayor Zennith to kiss your anything, young lady.” He ignored his silent partner as he strolled on out of Rankin’s office.
“Vee, I’m sorry,” Omar stated, seemingly embarrassed down to his toes. “I had no idea he was going to do that.”
“What did you think he was going to do?” Rankin asked.
“Not that bullshit. You think I’d do you like that, Vee?”
“Of course not.”
“But Vee, what the hell is going on? What was all that at Firestrom’s place? And why is the mayor on your back?”
“The Grove. I know Jerome is running that operation and I now believe city hall is allowing it and getting a cut.”
“You think that’s why they bugging about you flying?”
“No. Your partner was just sent to intimidate me.”
“But you aren’t one bit intimidated, are you?”
“No.”
“Do you know anything about the Tanaka murder?”
“I got an idea or two.”
“You care to share?”
“Nope.”
“You can’t do it alone, baby.”
“She is not alone, detective,” Rankin declared and placed his arm around her. “I’m always here. And so is our team.”
“Excuse me,” Suzanne said, entering the office. “That man is stinking up the reception area with that foul cigar. Would someone please make him stop?”
“I guess that is my cue,” Omar said sheepishly. “Velvet, it was really great seeing you again.”
“It was nice seeing you too.”
“Yeah?” He glanced down at Rankin’s arm on her waist.
“Yeah. I’ll walk you to the front desk.” She waited for Rankin to release her. He did it easily enough, but she felt the tightness in his body.
~*~
A few minutes later, Rankin found her in her own office levitating above her desk. She opened her eyes meeting his boring into hers. He was quiet and clearly disapproving. She closed her eyes again, dismissing him until he decided to talk.
“You never mentioned this Omar before,” he finally said. “A friendly cop can be valuable, especially now.”
“I barely know him.”
“From the greeting and the way he fawned all over you, I assumed you two had been involved.”
“Nope.”
“And you aren’t interested?”
“In what?”
“The detective.”
“You know damn well all I’m concerned about right now is the Grove and taking Jerome out. When that’s done we can stand around talking about who likes whom, all right?”
“I was just asking a question.”
“Right.”
“Fine.” His lips compressed into a tight line. Then, “I suppose you had a reason for flying over here this early in the day other than just to levitate in your office.”
“I want you to fire Suzanne. Today.”
“I will not.”
“You do it, Rankin.”
“On what grounds? She does her job and much more.”
“She lied on her application. She claimed she was a normal.”
“She is!”
“She’s clairvoyant, possibly stronger and more gifted than I am. You know why I must know all employees special abilities, Rankin. You put me at risk. Either you get rid of her now, or I will fire you. Is that clear?”
“It is clear, but I will not fire an old lady who has not done anything wrong.”
Floating down to his eye level, she took the time to keep herself calm though she’d just had it with Rankin. “What have you two been up to?”
“I’m merely learning, Velvet. In fact, I pressured her into it. I never threatened her job, but I knew she was afraid of losing it.”
Velvet doubted it took much to get Suzanne in his pocket. The woman was a sneak and a fake. Two of the worst qualities she knew in a person that were even worse in an employee. “Get her old ass in here.”
~*~
“Miss- Miss Velvet?” Suzanne shielded her eyes from the blue glow surrounding Velvet’s tall form.
“Cut the theatrics,” Rankin said, closing the door.
“You shut up until somebody asks you something.”
“Or what?” he demanded to know. “You’ll take my voice like you did to Milly?”
“I’ll fire you and have you barred from the building and my home.”
“You wouldn’t dare,” Rankin sneered.
“Say another word.” He didn’t, but crossed his arms and glowered.
“Suzanne, I called you in here to tell you, your service as our receptionist is no longer needed.”
“What?” Suzanne looked to Rankin’s smoldering countenance then to Velvet’s serious gaze. “I’m fired? At my age?” She shrieked, holding her face. “I’ll never get another job! Please, Miss Velvet!”
“I know about the clairvoyance. Is there anything else?”
“Huh?”
“You’ve worked here for months under false pretenses. Why did you do this? I want to hear the reason why, right now!”
“I haven’t done anything, I promise!”
Velvet purposely moved closer to the older woman to gauge her level of intimidation. Suzanne appeared afraid. Good. “Do I have to examine you, Suzanne?”
“Examine me?”
“You know what that means, don’t you? And Suzanne, if you fight me, I will hurt you.”
Suzanne put a hand to her bosom. “What for? I- I don’t understand.”
Rankin came forward meaning to shield her. Velvet swept him away with a concentrated gust of air. He hit the wall knocking off a Monet print. He got to his feet in a combat ready stance.
“Really, Rankin?” Velvet raised a glowing fist. She wished he would make a real move rather than stand there panting and glowering. “Because I really want to whoop me some immortal ass!”
“Oh no!” Suzanne fell to her knees. “Don’t fight!”
“Don’t worry,” Rankin said and eased up. “Velvet is just acting a fool.”
“This is your last chance, Suzanne.” Velvet turned her back on Rankin and gave all her attention to the other woman. “Are you human?”
“No.” She got to her feet. “Please, don’t hurt me. I’ll show you what I am.” Suzanne removed her glasses and tossed them across the room. Balling her hands into fists, she created an orange cloud around her body, she seemed to dissolve into it. A few seconds later, the cloud faded and a small nude being stood in the place of the old lady Suzanne.
Velvet let her own aura subside and walked around the strange creature before her. It was both orange and yellow seemingly at the same time, as she couldn’t tell which color was dominate. It stood about fifty five inches tall. It was a bald woman with breasts that could fill a B sized cup. Her yellow eyes had no pupils that Velvet could see. “Who are you? What are you?”
“I’m still Suzanne,” she answered in a teary young girl’s voice. “I’m a sprite.”
“A sprite?” Velvet resisted the urge to share a glance with Rankin since she wasn’t trusting him at the moment. She’d heard of the little people but never encountered one. “Why are you here? Why would you risk yourself to fool me?” Suzanne began to cry like a small child at the harsh tone in her voice. “Can it, Suzanne. I know you are a grown up person.”
“She’s scared of you.” Rankin spoke from behind the desk. “Let her collect herself. A transformation like that can’t be easy.”
“And you know that, how?” Velvet glanced back at him with a roll of her eyes. “You start talking right now, sprite!”
Suzanne jumped, then blurted, “It was safe here. Even if they found me, they wouldn’t dare come here.”
“Who?”
“The returners, they collect runaway sprites.”
“What do you mean runaway?”
“I left her.”
“Who?” Lord, it was going to take all day interrogating her, Velvet thought. Velvet ran what she thought she knew about sprites through her mind. They were lesser magical creatures, practically cursed into servitude with a stronger creature. To Velvet’s way of thinking, they were more of a nuisance than help and just another person to worry about. “Do I know this person you ran from? Is she a witch?”
“Yes.”
“Who is she?”
“I don’t dare say her name!”
“She lives around here?”
“We came from far away.”
“So she is here. Okay, you start talking for real. You know what I want to hear.”
“You’ll let us stay with you, if I do?”
“Us?”
“I gave her to you to keep. You wanted a child, didn’t you?”
“Sprite, you better not be telling me you stole Carmen!”
“Of course not!” Suzanne stood indignant, and dared look directly up into Velvet’s bewildered face. “It was her! You can’t make me say her name because I’m more scared of her than you!” She fast walked behind the desk and took Velvet’s coat to wrap herself inside it.
Rankin stood up offering Suzanne his chair behind the desk. “Are you cold?” he gently asked.
“Not cold, just naked.” She addressed Velvet, “May I transform this coat into some clothes?”
“My magic is in that coat,” Velvet said. “That your sneaky way of getting hold of my magic?”
“It will protect me if I have to leave this building. Me and Carmen,” she added softly and dropped her eyes.
“Carmen isn’t going on the run with you. So don’t be thinking you can get to me by using that baby!” Boy, was she full of little tricks. “Go ahead and use the coat.”
“Thank you.” Suzanne quickly dressed herself in a black pantsuit with a white sweater and black boots. While she was at it, she gave herself a braided hairdo and human appearance with dark chocolate skin.
She looked great, Velvet had to admit that.
“Now what about Carmen and that woman in the ladies room?”
“I had the puppet bring Carmen to you.”
“Where did you get a puppet?” And one so sophisticated at that, she wanted to ask.
“I made her. I make puppets.”
“But that body was once human, wasn’t it? It was too perfect otherwise.”
“No. That body was not once human,” Suzanne said, in a way that made Velvet wonder if she wanted to ask anything further about the puppet. “I use puppets to go out to see and do where I cannot. But I know you want to know about Carmen.” She came around the desk growing solemn as she did so. “The Old One used Carmen’s mother. I saw it.”
“Is she dead?”
“She drained her, then put her body in a huge cauldron and boiled the meat off her bones. Then she ground the bones to meal. You know why, don’t you?”
Immortality. The witch was a cannibal, eating human flesh to cheat death. Suzanne called her the Old One. A strange witch in Fairlight who was old. She looked at Rankin and saw he was thinking the same thing. Samantha.
“So you see, if she finds me there is no hope! She will destroy me horribly!”
“You think she wants you and not Carmen?”
“She can get a baby girl anywhere,” Suzanne began to cry. “But a sprite in this realm is hard to find.”
“How long has she been after you?” Rankin asked.
“Earth time, about seventy eight years. I never should have rescued that baby, but I thought I’d be safe with you guys!” She rushed to Velvet and hugged her, burying her face in her middle as she began to sob.
Velvet patted her back soothingly, and tried to catch Rankin’s eye. He was off into his own serious thinking it seemed. “You can stay,” Velvet decided. “But not as a receptionist. Carmen needs a full time nanny.”
“What?” Rankin started to object.
“Carmen is under my protection against magic, as is the offices and my home. As a sprite, I believe Suzanne will benefit from it just being with Carmen.”
“Yes. Yes, you are so clever!” Suzanne hugged her tighter.
“Hold it,” Rankin demanded. “Are you insane?”
“No, Rankin, I am not insane. I am a witch. Though not as old as your friend, I am strong and powerful, and I can protect my friends from a cannibal that thinks she can live forever!”
“You just want to engage her!”
“She came to Fairlight to challenge me.”
“Naturally, you think everything that happens is about you!”
“Then enlighten me.” He didn’t say anything, but strolled for the door. “Yeah, that’s about what I figured.”
“Rankin.” He paused because the front exit door would not open. “We’re keeping Suzanne, so what are you bugging about?”
“You are such a bitch,” he informed her.
“Excuse me?”
“Open this god damn door,” he said.
She unlocked the door manually then pushed them open wide, allowing him to march out. He walked straight across the street, went between the buildings, clearly not caring where he went. Just wanted away from her.
“Are we going home too?” Suzanne asked all eyes and smiles. She was carrying a small stylish purse that complimented her outfit. She obviously wasn’t concerned much about Rankin in her happiness.
Rankin wasn’t wearing a coat, she wondered if he’d appreciate it or notice if she placed one on him. After having done it, she looked down at Suzanne, who was holding her hand.
“You going to fly me?”
“Can’t you fly on your own?”
“Only if my mistress takes me up.”
“Samantha can’t fly?”
“Sure she could, but she never took me up. Velvet, what’s wrong? Why are you frowning at me?”
“What parts of Carmen’s mother were eaten?”
“The bone meal.”
“No flesh?”
“No.”
“Then you lied to me.” Velvet squeezed the little fingers inside her hand.
“No!”
“That witch is after Carmen more than you. She was preparing Carmen for a special meal, wasn’t she? You gave Carmen away to protect yourself.”
“That isn’t true! I couldn’t let her eat Carmen! Ow! You’re hurting me!”
“I swear, Suzanne!” Oh, what the hell? She wasn’t going to tell her everything at once. It was her way of staying useful as long as she could. “Suzanne, I swear if you betray me, there is nowhere you can hide. I won’t spend decades chasing you like that old fool. I will destroy you straightaway. You understand me?”
“Yes, yes mistress!”
“I’m not your mistress.” Velvet tossed her little hand away from hers. “Come on. We’re walking home.”