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Rascal yawned, his jaw cracking when Wynona climbed into the truck the next morning.
“Late night?” she said with a soft laugh.
Rascal grunted. “You could say that.”
She handed over a travel cup full of matcha. “Here. This ought to help.”
Rascal took a drink, then winced. “Hot,” he rasped.
“Sorry!” Wynona pushed across the bench seat and touched his cheek, immediately healing his burnt tongue.
Rascal sighed. “I think I like this new power.” He gave her a quick kiss, then put the truck in drive. “And I’m glad to see you’re turning to your powers more.”
Wynona slumped. “Don’t scare me like that and then pretend that nothing happened!” She slapped his arm. “You scared me!”
Rascal chuckled and grabbed her arm before she could move back to her side of the cab. “Where are you going?”
“To my side, to buckle up.”
The wolf shook his head. “I don’t think so. You can buckle up right here.”
Wynona rolled her eyes. “I’m not sitting in the middle of the truck, Rascal. It’s not seemly.”
“What’s unseemly is how much time you spend too far away from me.” He gave her one more kiss, then pressed the gas pedal.
Wynona scrambled to grab the lap belt. “Bully,” she muttered.
“Boyfriend,” he shot back with a wink. “It’s my job to drive you crazy.”
“Well, at least you’re honest about it.”
Violet snickered and burrowed deeper into Wynona’s hair. She hadn’t been thrilled about getting up this morning. The night had been a late one and Violet would have preferred to sleep in, but she also refused to miss out on any details about the murder. Next time, you and Celia need to have a break down at noon, not midnight.
Rascal snorted and glanced over. “How did things go with the sister? I cut out after I realized what was happening.”
“You shouldn’t have been in there in the first place,” Wynona teased, laying her head against his shoulder. “But I was glad for your support,” she said softly.
Rascal squeezed her knee.
“We’re...starting over, I suppose,” Wynona answered. “I’m not really sure what that’s going to mean. She wasn’t awake when I got up this morning, but I healed her last night, and now I have a room full of grimoires that I don’t know who they belong to and I think Celia stole them, and I can tell some have magic I don't really want to mess with.”
Rascal whistled low under his breath. “That’s...a lot.”
Wynona only nodded.
“But for your sake, I hope things with Celia work out.”
“Me too.”
They were silent the rest of the way to the station, but Wynona’s mind wouldn’t stop churning. She really didn’t know how things would go with Celia. Better? Worse? Would Wynona regret sharing so much? Had she shared enough?
“Time to find a murderer,” Rascal said as he parked the truck.
Wynona made a face. “I suppose that’s a little more important, huh?”
Rascal shook his head. “Nah. There’s no ‘more important’ or ‘less important’. Just what matters in the moment.” He hopped down and reached out his arms for her.
Wynona gave him a look.
Rascal grinned, completely unperturbed by her surliness. “Don’t deny me my rights to hold you whenever possible.”
Sighing, but secretly loving it, Wynona scooted over and he helped her down. “Sometimes I think you’re like a little boy who never grew up.”
“Glad you finally figured it out,” he teased, pulling open the precinct door for her. “Chief’s waiting for us in his office.”
Wynona nodded and they walked through the front lobby. She gave a small wave to Amaris, who pretended not to see her, adding yet another layer of hurt to their already strained relationship.
Rascal growled quietly.
Let it go, Wynona said with a sigh. She’ll have to decide one way or another soon enough.
It just means I get more of you to myself, he sent back. Best choice she could have made.
Wynona squeezed his hand. He was too good for her. She knocked on the chief’s door. “Chief Ligurio?”
The vampire was on the phone when she poked her head through the door, but he waved them inside. His eyes went back to the wall while he focused on his conversation. “Yes, sir. I understand, sir. You know I work by the book, Judge Tolarus. I won’t push unless there’s cause for it.” There was a pause and then Chief Ligurio made a noncommittal noise. “I understand. Thank you.” He hung up the phone, then growled. “Money,” the vampire said through clenched teeth. His incisors had elongated, showing just how frustrated he was. “Why does money always think it’s more important than the law?”
Wynona sat down on the edge of one of the chairs. “It’s not money,” she said softly. She had seen this far too many times in the family she grew up in. “Money is just a piece of paper or coin. It’s the importance we give to it that matters.” She shifted a little as all the men in the room watched her.
Violet’s tail curled comfortingly around her neck and Wynona reached up to scratch behind the mouse’s ears.
“To most creatures, money means power, so they hoard it as if their life depends on it. Then when they gain power, they convince everyone else that their money is worth something and that it can change their lives as well.”
Chief Ligurio leaned back, his teeth shortening, and his red eyes searching. “Should we add philosopher to your resume, Ms. Le Doux?”
Wynona laughed uncomfortably. “Please, don’t.”
Rascal squeezed her shoulder. “Well said, sweetheart.”
“Still...” Chief Ligurio leaned forward, folding his long fingers together. “It doesn’t change the fact that those with that money seem to think they’re above the law.”
“What’s going on?” Rascal asked.
“What’s going on is that Mr. Pearlily complained to the right people that we were harassing his family,” Chief Ligurio said tightly. “I’ve been informed that if I cross that line again, I’ll lose my position.”
Wynona blanched. “I’m so sorry,” she said softly. “That’s my fault.”
“No, it’s not,” Rascal growled. “It’s mine. I was hoping Wynona’s influence would help bring down their walls so we could get a few more answers. I take full responsibility.”
Wynona reached up and took her soulmate’s hand. “What can we do to fix it?”
Chief Ligurio rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Next time, don’t get caught.”
Wynona’s jaw gaped while Rascal chuckled.
“The idea had merit,” Chief Ligurios said. “When people lawyer up, we often miss half the story, so trying to get around the barrier wasn’t bad at all.” He raised a black eyebrow at Rascal. “But maybe don’t be so blatant about it?”
Rascal nodded. “Consider it done.”
“Now that that’s out of the way...” Chief Ligurio pulled open a file folder from the side of his desk. “I’m afraid to say it, Ms. Le Doux, because I feel like I know what your response will be, but we can’t find anything on this case that doesn’t come back around to your Ms. Thallia.”
Wynona sighed. “Everything you have is circumstantial.”
“And yet all the circumstantial evidence points to her.”
“But you can’t build a court case on that,” Wynona pointed out.
Chief Ligurio tilted his head. “Why are you so determined to defend her?”
“Why are you so determined to accuse her?”
“Because she’s a spoiled young creature who’s never heard the word no,” Chief Ligurio said. “She’s flighty and has grown up with a bully for a father and spends her time trying to rehabilitate ex-cons.” The vampire snorted. “Why do you think it’s out of her wheelhouse to kill someone?”
Wynona pinched her lips together. “I don’t quite know,” she admitted. “You’re right. She is spoiled, and she doesn’t know how to deal with real life. While she was the best option I had for hiring an employee, she had a lot to learn.” Wynona shrugged. “But everyone needs a chance and I was trying to give her one. She’s young. She’ll learn how to work, if she’s willing. Yes, she lied and yes, she has a penchant for bad boys, but that doesn’t make her a killer.”
Chief Ligurio sighed. “Without other evidence, I’ve got nowhere else to turn my attention.”
“And you’re sure the father is innocent?” Wynona pressed. “His temper was...volatile.”
Chief Ligurio shook his head. “Unless he or his wife change their stories, I can’t do anything about him. They’re backing each other and I have no other evidence to suggest he’s lying.”
Wynona jerked upright. “What about the landlord angle?” She turned to look at Rascal. “What did you find out about that? You were looking into it last night, right?”
Rascal nodded. “We did, but it was a dead end.” He made an apologetic face. “The condo was actually leased to Thallia.”
“So she was letting him stay there?” Wynona asked. “While she lived at home?”
“It appears that way.”
She gave the chief a look. “And you don’t think her father knew that? Why would his daughter lease a condo from him, but still live at home?”
“According to the property management company, she kept the condo as a place to hang out with her friends.” Rascal shrugged. “They didn’t realize someone was actually living there full-time.”
Wynona blew out a breath. “That just seems suspicious. Don’t you think?”
“So your bet is on the father?” Chief Ligurio clarified.
Wynona shrugged. “I’m not sure. All I know is that of all the Pearlilys, he seems the most likely to have killed someone in anger.” She tapped her fingernails on her knee. “But truth be told, if I had to pick a story, I’m still curious about a theft gone wrong.”
“I thought you said nothing was missing,” Daemon said by way of announcing his arrival.
“Nothing was missing,” Wynona admitted. “But that doesn’t mean they knew there wouldn’t be anything worth stealing when they came. Maybe the partner got angry when there was no money or magical objects and took it out on Dralo.”
Chief Ligurio pursed his lips. “I’ll give you twenty four hours to look into that, but otherwise, I’m focusing back on Thallia. Her story just doesn’t add up.”
Frustration seeped into Wynona’s chest, but she pushed it back and stood up. “Fair enough.” Turning, she raised her eyebrows to Rascal. “Coming?”
He grinned, his predator coming out just a little. “Wouldn’t miss it.”
“Tone it down, Deputy Chief.” Daemon groaned. “Because I’m coming too.”
Wynona laughed softly when Violet grumbled her agreement with the officer. “Okay. Can I see Dralo’s wallet? Was it found at the crime scene?”
“Evidence locker it is,” Rascal said, taking Wynona’s hand. “Nothing like a visit to the dank basement to cheer your spirits.”
“At least I’ll get to say hello to Yetu,” she replied with a smile.
Rascal grinned. “He’ll be happy to see you.”
Wynona looked over her shoulder. “Daemon? Did you look at the evidence for magic?”
He nodded. “Yeah. There was a light dusting on his wallet, but it was nearly black, the same color as the leather. I’m guessing since Dralo was a dark elf, it was more than likely his.”
Wynona nodded. That made sense. “He could have put a non-theft spell on it.”
“That’s what I assumed, though I can’t tell for sure.”
Rascal pulled open the door to the basement and they all marched down the concrete steps.
Upon reaching the bottom, Wynona couldn’t help but laugh lightly. Heavy snoring, loud enough to shake the concrete walls, reverberated throughout the room.
Rascal rolled his eyes. “Trolls,” he grumbled. He marched up to the window and banged against it. “Yetu!”
A loud snort shook the bars at the window and Yetu snuffled a little before the snoring picked up again into its regular rhythm.
Wynona covered her mouth to hold in her laughter, but it bubbled through anyway. “Sorry,” she said to Rascal. Clearing her throat, she clasped her hands at her waist and schooled her features. “I think he must be tired.”
Mountain trolls were notorious for being deep sleepers, and Yetu had been living under the station for more years than Wynona had been alive, but he also prided himself on being alert and the evidence locker being the safest place on earth, so it tickled Wynona that the elderly troll obviously took naps on the job.
Rascal grumbled, then banged against the window harder. “YETU! AVALANCHE!”
The snoring instantly stopped and the room grew quiet.
Wynona backed up when a heavy stomping started their way. “Who called avalanche? There’s no avalanche!”
Rascal stood with his hands on his hips, not the least bit concerned that a giant mountain troll was bearing down on him.
Yetu hesitated when he saw who was waiting. “Oh, hello, Deputy Chief.” His slate gray eyes wandered to Daemon and then Wynona. “Ms. Le Doux!” the troll rasped in his gravelly tone. He came up to the window. “I was hoping I would see you again someday.”
Wynona smiled and walked up. “Hello, Yetu. How are you doing?”
Yetu glanced at Rascal and scratched under his rock chin. “Doing alright, thank you. I, uh...didn’t sleep well last night.” His massive shoulders shrugged.
Wynona waved away his worries. “It happens to all of us,” she assured him.
The troll smiled. “Did you come to chat? Or did you need to see something?”
Wynona stepped closer, pressing up against the still glowering Rascal. “We’d like to see the evidence from the Ziumar case,” she said politely. “But getting to see you was definitely a bonus.”
His smile widening, Yetu leaned in. “How about you leave the wolf for a man like me?” he teased. “I can crush wolves with my fist.”
Wynona laughed as Rascal growled even more. Daemon tried to hide his laughter, but was only able to get it under control when Rascal turned his bright golden glare in the black hole’s direction. “As tempting as that is,” she began, taking Rascal’s hand, “I’m afraid my heart is already taken.”
Yetu put a hand to his heart and sighed. “A troll can only dream,” he said. “Let me get you your bag.” He shuffled off and Wynona heard the banging of lockers and more stomping before the troll reappeared. “Here it is,” he said, hanging over the plastic bag. “Very little in it.”
Wynona nodded. “That’s alright. Thank you!” She blew the troll a kiss as they walked back up the stairs and enjoyed watching a bit of pink climb into Yetu’s granite cheeks.
“Come back anytime!” Yetu yelled, shaking the walls with his enthusiasm.
“Flirt,” Rascal teased her as they emerged.
Wynona grinned. Payback was fun sometimes. “Girlfriend,” she whispered. “It’s my job to drive you crazy.”
Rascal didn’t speak out loud, but the flare of light in his eyes said it all.
Wynona swallowed hard. “Daemon!” she said a little louder than she needed to. Wynona cleared her throat. “Let’s get this wallet out and you can take another look at the lingering magic.”
Daemon nodded, though the stiffness to his shoulders said he hadn’t missed the exchange between Rascal and Wynona.
We need to stop, Wynona scolded Rascal. We’re going to give Daemon a coronary.
No way. It’ll give him ideas on how to get Prim’s attention.
Wynona closed her eyes and shook her head. “Time to catch a killer,” she reminded him. Not play matchmaker.
Meddling, Violet reminded her. It’s called meddling and who’d have thought the wolf was so good at it?
Rascal chuckled as he let them all into his office. “Work now,” he said as she passed. “Play later.”
It’s a date.