*After Lorcan left, Fiona heard the rustling of a spirit nearby. Probably Angus returning. She heard a ghostly knock and sensed it wasn’t Angus. She didn’t feel up to assisting with spectral matters. Maybe if she ignored it, they’d go away. She selected some of her music on her phone.
She jumped when the classic rock song changed to klezmer-style music. What the hell? She enjoyed ethnic music but was a little annoyed her own music choice had been interrupted. First Scottish piping on the radio…now Jewish music.
Fiona turned her phone off completely. Of course the music started again.
“Just let me in and I’ll tell you what I need.”
It sounded like an older woman with an Eastern European accent, probably Polish. At least it wasn’t Transylvanian.
“I’ll come out,” Fiona said.
She opened the door to the ghost of the elderly woman she’d seen before. Melissa’s grandmother.
“Well, it’s about time!” The woman sounded abrupt. “I’ve been trying to get your attention for days.”
Had she? She’d seen her at the restaurant and again that day at her shop, but hadn’t sensed her after that. She had been dealing with the ghost of a Scottish Highlander, the death of her miog, and the break-in. Not to mention a vampire attack. She might’ve been distracted.
“What do you need from me?” Fiona probably sounded equally blunt.
“Aren’t you the courteous one? Or are you like my granddaughter and think men the only ones worthy of your time?”
The old woman lifted her double chin, her ghostly eyes boring into Fiona.
“If you want my help I’d suggest you be a little nicer. Haven’t you heard you get more flies with sugar than vinegar?”
“Do I look like the sugary type?” she sniped.
Fiona closed the door in the ghost’s face.
She went back to the armchair. Maybe the old woman’s death wasn’t an accident. She’d probably irked the wrong person.
Then Fiona sighed. That was uncharitable. She’d been told by more than one spirit it wasn’t easy to find someone who could hear them. This ghost might be desperate.
Fiona opened the door again to find the spirit woman standing with arms crossed, tapping her foot.
“Finally. The dead Scotsman said you were kind-hearted, but then he’s glupi when it comes to you.” She made a gesture indicating Angus was stupid.
“I’m not sure someone who walked in front of a bus should judge anyone’s sanity but you were elderly so I’ll cut you some slack.”
The old woman scowled down her nose over her eyeglasses, impatient.
“So you know how I died. Big deal!”
“I doubt either of us want to spend time making small talk, so tell me your name and what you want.”
The ghost woman scowled. “I’m Lena Kozlowski.”
“I’m Fiona.”
“Yeah, I know. And you’re Irish. I’ve been following you around for days and you’ve simply ignored me.”
“Do you want revenge on the bus driver? A spell to make him suffer the fleas of a thousand camels? I can’t send Baba Yaga after him…because she’s…” Fiona made the gesture of pulling her hand across her throat.
The spirit woman slapped her knee and laughed.
“That’s true then…that you killed that Slavic hag? Ghosts have been raving about that when I asked about you.”
Fiona shrugged. “I don’t take kindly to anyone who harms children.”
“I outlived my children,” Lena’s spirit said. “If you don’t do something, my misguided granddaughter might be joining me, too.”
Fiona turned sharply. “Melissa’s in danger?”
“She’s too trusting of men and lets anyone who looks at her twice take her to bed. In my day she’d have been considered a trollop. She keeps altering her appearance to get a man.” Lena sighed. “She was perfect as she was. She changed her hair. Whatever! Women do that. But now her face…her lovely nose, and her body just to attract men.
“She a smart as a whip, too. She won awards in school. Even had a scholarship. She could’ve been anything…done anything, but she thinks she needs validation and affection from men. All because her no-good father left when she was a youngster.”
Fiona nodded. Unfortunately there were a lot of women like that.
“Why do you think she’s in danger?” Fiona asked.
“You think it’s fine that she sleeps around? That it won’t eventually put her in danger when she ends up with the wrong man? I don’t see you sharing men’s beds. Even that tall blond with the strange bow, and the devilishly handsome man who wants to get in your pants.”
Fiona looked away. “I try not to judge. I’m easily two decades older than Melissa. It’s more common today for women to let themselves experience pleasure. I was born…a long time ago, even before your time, Lena.”
The woman bobbed her head. “Yada, yada, I know you’re a witch from another time.”
Fiona stared. “How do you know that, exactly?”
“I had the gift when I was alive and spirits—we just know things. I sense Melissa’s in trouble. I’ve had a vision of a man with dark hair grabbing her and dragging her away.”
Fiona could see the woman was serious. “That’s disturbing, but you’ll have to give me a little more to go on. Maybe you should be following her.”
“Then what? It’s not as though I can call the police or knock the bastard over the head. I can’t even make my hands work. See.” Lena placed her hand on Fiona’s shoulder and her mouth fell open when she was able to touch her.
“It’s the whole witch thing,” Fiona explained. “I can touch spirits and they me. I’d like to help, but I can’t follow Melissa around waiting to see if she’s taken. But you can do that.”
“You work for these people with unusual devices.” Lena gestured to the time portal. “Do something.”
“Wait here,” Fiona said.
“What else am I gonna do, play Kapela?”
Fiona chuckled, then went to get one of LAMB’s trackers.
“Are you able to hold this?” Fiona asked.
“I doubt it!” Lena shook her head.
“I’ve enchanted it so it’s not seen by the human eye so hopefully you can hold on to it.”
Lena rolled her spectral eyes but put her palm out. Fiona placed the tiny tracker in her hand. It didn’t fall straight through.
“Well, I’ll be a monkey’s uncle,” Lena said. “But now what am I supposed to do?”
“Put it in Melissa’s purse or maybe in her bra.”
“I’ll do what I can,” Lena said. “How will this help?”
“We should be able to track Melissa’s location.”
“Even if she’s globetrotting?”
“The scientists here track agents even when they go to different times.”
Lena’s ghost nodded but then clucked her tongue when she saw Angus’s spirit appear again. “Can’t you see she’s not interested in you, Scotsman?”
Angus dropped his chin to his chest then disappeared again.
*
Fiona knocked on Henry’s office door. The one he used for lawyering, not LAMB business though they were on the same floor of the high-rise. It was late; his personal assistant had left. Fiona sensed Henry was still working. He was a workaholic.
“Henry,” she called through the door.
“Ms. Maguire?” He sounded surprised.
“Yes. May I come in?”
“Certainly.”
She opened the door. Henry was already nervously patting down his comb-over.
“You should have called, Fiona. I would’ve gone to my other office.” Henry only used her given name when they were alone. “Have a seat.”
“Henry, this isn’t LAMB business…not directly. I don’t have an appointment, but I wanted to ensure my affairs are in order.”
His face paled. “Fiona, have you had a premonition? Do you think you’ll perhaps not come back from the next mission? You don’t have to go then. We can…”
She held her hand up. “I’ve had no premonitions, Henry. However, there’s always a chance I won’t come back.”
“Too true,” Henry whispered.
“I want to make sure upon my death, Timothy gets my half of the sale of my shop and apartment and I’d like my Mustang to go to Lorcan.”
Henry looked surprised but nodded.
“The proceeds from the sale of my motorcycle should be given to the animal shelters I support. The money in various accounts will be split between, Cal, Amarra, and Angelique with stipulations that some is given to my grandchildren.”
“Everything’s already in your will but your car, Fiona.” Henry looked puzzled. “Yes, I’ll see to it your savings go to the three of them in the coin used in their time periods. If you should outlive me—which I hope occurs since I’m old and infirm—” He pointed to his leg.
“Seventy isn’t old and my life’s more dangerous than yours, Henry,” Fiona said. “But you were saying.”
“If I die first, your wishes will be carried out by my successor, another lawyer with LAMB. He knows about time travel, MBs and…everything really. He’d take over your file. I guarantee it would be a smooth transition. His name is Michael Myers.”
Fiona gave a bark of laughter. “Not Freddy Krueger or Jason Voorhees?”
Henry Dalton was almost always serious, but he cracked a smile and then chuckled. “I’d actually like to introduce you. He’s probably only slightly younger than you and recently divorced.”
“Really Henry? You’re trying to set me up?”
He grinned. “If you met him and…”
“I’m perfectly content without a man in my life just now.”
She didn’t tell him she wouldn’t want to get involved with a recently divorced man. They usually fell into two categories. Those who wanted to talk nonstop about their wives or the others only interested in having sex to make up for not playing the field while they were married.
“There’s also the money that supports my friend with the…special needs child. And the fund that pays for the upkeep of the cemetery for stillborn babies and to help families who can’t afford grief counseling, right?” Fiona asked.
Henry nodded. “They’ve been in place for years, Fiona. You’ve generously helped your friend and her child, plus assisted many grieving families. And always anonymously.”
“I don’t want recognition.” She swallowed hard. “I just want people to have help…like I wished I’d had.”
“That’s kind of you, Fiona. Now, I don’t like to cut this short, but I’m meeting my family for a party. It’s my grandkids, the twins’ birthday.” He gestured toward the photo on his desk.
“Of course.” She stood. “Have a nice evening, Henry, and if I don’t see you tomorrow, then I guess I’ll see you when I get back.”
“I’ll be there to see you off.”
“Thanks for everything, Henry.”
He nodded, looked at her a little oddly, then stood and grasped his cane before he embraced her. He’d never been affectionate before. Maybe he believed he wouldn’t see her again.
Fiona left and was about to get into the elevator when she glanced down the corridor and saw Antonio walk into Henry’s office. His normally easygoing posture was tense and she saw a frown.
That was odd. She hadn’t known they were acquainted, but Henry had several clients she wouldn’t know about. It was after hours though. Maybe they were friends. But Henry was supposed to be going out. Had he just wanted to get rid of her?
She shouldn’t worry about it; she had enough on her mind. Yet Antonio seemed upset and this would bother her till she found out why. The elevator doors opened but instead of getting in, she returned to Henry’s door.
At the sound of Antonio’s strained voice, she hesitated. She didn’t want to eavesdrop. Then she caught Melissa’s name, followed by Lorcan’s name, and the word demon.
How the hell did Antonio know Lorcan was a demon? Would Henry really tell LAMB secrets to an outsider?
She knocked on the door, then opened it without being invited in.
“One more thing, Henry. Oh…forgive me, I didn’t know you had a client,” she lied. “Antonio!” She tried to sound surprised. “I’m sorry I interrupted. I…”
“No. Come in, Ms. Maguire.” Henry motioned to her. “This might be something you can help us with.”
“Hello, Fiona,” Antonio said as he stood. He appeared uncommonly frazzled. His tie was crooked and his eyes had dark circles under them.
“Antonio. What’s wrong? You look upset.”
He cleared his throat. “I am most distressed. I…well…Melissa has gone missing. I think your partner might have something to do with it.”
Fiona shook her head, confused. “That’s a serious accusation, Antonio. Explain.”
She took the chair beside the distraught man.
“Melissa and I have been seeing each other.” He lowered his eyes again. “It’s nothing serious of course. We barely know one another, but she stayed over last night. When I returned from handling something at the restaurant this morning, she wasn’t there.”
“Okay.” Fiona nodded. “Maybe she stepped out.”
“She left her handbag and cell phone behind, and she’s been gone all day. I’m worried.”
“Why come to Henry instead of the police?”
“It hasn’t been twenty-four hours.”
Fiona put her hands together. “Why would you think Lorcan has anything to do with this?”
Henry looked uncomfortable now, too. The men glanced at each other. Antonio sighed, but nodded.
“Mr. Morelli’s on LAMB’s board of directors and funds a good portion of our budget. We have you to thank you for that, Ms. Maguire. After you gave him the message from his late wife, he hired an investigator who followed you and discovered you worked for LAMB. Mr. Morelli came to me offering to assist. Now, he knows about the agents and employees here, plus the MBs we search and assess.”
Fiona felt her jaw drop. She had no idea. How was that possible, given her witch’s intuition?
“Okay…that’s all very interesting, but why do you think Lorcan has anythin’ to do with Melissa bein’ gone? If she has disappeared?”
“After my brothers called me to the restaurant, I believe Melissa went out to meet him. I know very well what he is…and I’ve heard what they are capable of.”
Fiona frowned. “Lorcan wasn’t with Melissa last night. I’m staying at his house. He did meet up with a woman, but it wasn’t Melissa.” She omitted the part about him meeting up with two women.
“Do you really suppose he’d tell you who he was with?” Henry scratched his chin.
“I had a vision of who he was with. It wasn’t a blonde.”
“But it probably happened this morning. Were you with him then?”
Fiona knew Lorcan wouldn’t hurt Melissa, but she couldn’t lie and say she’d been with him.
“Why are you so eager to pin this on Lorcan? He’s part demon but he’s also half human.”
Antonio shifted uncomfortably in his chair, which was when Melissa’s grandmother’s spirit appeared again.
“I doubt he can be trusted,” Antonio admitted. “I think your partnership puts you in danger.”
“I told you my granddaughter was in danger,” the spirit woman grumbled in Fiona’s head. “The dark-haired man took her just like I said.”
Fiona couldn’t believe it was Lorcan but wouldn’t ask the ghost in front of Antonio.
“It wasn’t your partner.” Lena pointed to Antonio. “His brothers had her taken. He likes her and they’re afraid she’ll give their business a bad name. You said they have connections with crime families.”
Had the ghost heard her telling Lorcan that? Fiona nodded and both men stared.
“Who are you looking at, Fiona?” Antonio asked.
“It’s the spirit of an elderly woman,” Henry answered.
Fiona shot him a glare. How much should they tell Antonio?
“It’s Melissa’s grandmother,” she explained, reluctantly. “She tells me her granddaughter was taken against her will. However, it wasn’t Lorcan. It was your brothers, Antonio.”
He straightened, insulted. “They wouldn’t…they…”
“Would they be okay with you seein’ a woman so much younger? Would she be the type of woman they’d want you to perhaps marry? Would they want her to be entitled to part of your fortune?”
“We’ve only been seeing each other a few days. While I find her most enticing, marriage certainly hasn’t entered the conversation. Of course there’d be a prenup if I were to marry again…no matter who the woman was.” Antonio’s face colored, and he wouldn’t meet her eyes.
She saw the beads of sweat on his brow. He wiped his forehead.
“What are you not telling me?” she asked.
Henry put his hands together and sighed.
“A few months ago, Mr. Morelli came to me stating he was worried about some of the dangerous assignments you’re given.”
“And?” Fiona glowered at both men, knowing she wouldn’t be happy with what she was about to hear.
“It was his idea to pair you with Mr. Wright.” Henry slowly let out his breath like he expected her to react with magic.
Fiona put her hands out palms up. “That makes no bloody sense. You think both my job and Lorcan are dangerous so you suggested we become partners?” She looked at Antonio but he turned away.
“You just went along with it?” she accused Henry.
“As I said Mr. Morelli provides a good portion of LAMB’s budget.”
“You honestly thought I’d hate workin’ with Lorcan so much that I’d quit?”
Antonio’s face colored again. “To be honest, I imagined you’d quit when you were told you had to work with him.”
She nearly had.
Fiona was furious. She wanted to react with anger…and magic. “I thought you were my friend, Antonio.”
“I’d hoped perhaps we could be more. I intended to propose to you after we attended the theatre.”
Fiona put her hand over her mouth, stunned.
“You seem surprised?” Antonio said. “We’re fond of one another. I’ll never love another as I did my darling Giovanna and you don’t appear to want romantic love or a physical relationship. But we’re fond of one another. We’d make suitable companions.”
Fiona shook her head. Such a marriage sounded terrible. Why would Antonio think she didn’t want true passion? Because she didn’t think of him like that?
“Your brothers and your family in Italy would fight you tooth and nail if you married someone who isn’t Catholic. Or at least Italian.”
“My brothers find you less objectional than the other women I’ve been seeing. They dislike your spiritualist background and of course don’t know you’re an agent or that you’re a witch. They couldn’t know about that.”
This just kept getting better and better.
“But my aunt in Italy adores you. I thought we could move there after we were married.”
“I’m not getting married or moving. What does this have to do with Lorcan? You thought you’d come up with some harebrained story that he might have hurt Melissa when in reality you got your brothers to what, kidnap her?”
“No, that’s not it. My brothers wouldn’t do that. I assure you I was worried about her. I didn’t know what happened. I admit, I thought if you believed your demon partner had something to do with it, you’d think less of him. I saw your attraction to him which is why I didn’t propose…that and the fact you left with him.”
“I explained that I was called to work, but you likely knew that.” Fiona took some calming breaths and closed her eyes. “Do you know where Melissa is?”
Antonio shook his head. “I just told you, I don’t.”
She opened one eye and gave him a glare. “I’m asking Melissa’s grandmother. Spirits often know more than people. They can go where they’re mostly unseen.”
The elderly specter pointed to Antonio. “In the basement of his restaurant. You’d be able to find her; I put that tracker in her drink.”
“In her drink?” Fiona was shocked. “You mean…she swallowed it?”
“I thought I was being innovative.”
Fiona shook her head. Lena kept speaking.
“I don’t believe this man knew about it. It was his unjust family. They’re probably descendants of Mussolini.”
Fiona let out a sigh of relief, but it was short-lived.
“However.” The ghost pointed to Antonio. “I think he had someone ruin your place of business.”
“What?” Fiona whirled to face Antonio. “You were responsible for the damage done at my shop?”
Antonio shook his head, eyes wide. “No, no…well…no. I admit I hired thugs to break in. Twice. They were only to take a couple of things. I promise I’d never have them do anything destructive or hurt your pet, cara amica.”
Fiona stood up. “Don’t you dare call me that! Clearly, we’re not friends. You wanted to scare me? You wanted me to feel unsafe in my own home? To marry you? To quit at LAMB and give up my apothecary shop? You don’t want me to work at all? What is this, the feckin’ fifties?”
“I would have permitted you to stay on at your shop, but my brothers would not. I truly meant for us to move to Italy. You enjoyed our time there. The sunny weather, the food, and the wine. Please don’t be so upset,” Antonio said.
“Oh, I’m way beyond upset.”
The door opened and closed with a slam. Several items in Henry’s office floated around the room. She had to restrain herself from hurling everything straight at both men. She took several deep breaths and the articles fell with a crash.
“Ms. Maguire, I can see you’re agitated but…”
“Henry, I’m furious with you, too.”
Henry opened his mouth to speak, but then only sighed.
“You’d better check your restaurant’s basement, Antonio. Your brothers are probably trying to pay Melissa off so she’ll go away. Or maybe they intend to dispose of her.”
Antonio’s dark eyes became large beneath knitted silver brows. “I swear I didn’t know about this.”
“Did they hurt her?” Fiona asked the grandmotherly ghost. She shook her head.
“Not yet.”
“Antonio, go to the restaurant; ensure they don’t harm Melissa. Make them pay for her silence so she can go to school or move away or whatever the hell she wants. She also has a LAMB tracker inside her. If that’s found I’m guessin’ it could lead to findin’ out about this place, too, Henry.”
He threw a serious look at Antonio.
“I will take care of it,” Antonio said. He stood and reached for Fiona’s arm but she pulled away.
“I swear I had nothing to do with the last violent break-in. I want life to be easier and less perilous for you, Fiona. I…I could give you so much.”
“I’ll tell you right now, Mr. Morelli, I’d never enter a loveless marriage. I’ll not be quittin’ work here at LAMB or endin’ my partnership with Lorcan. If that means you intend to withdraw fundin’ for missions then just know there’ll be a lot of MBs that might wreak havoc on you, Boston or the entire earth. Because Lorcan is bloody amazin’ at what he does and I’m not half bad either. If you’re okay with lettin’ that chaos happen, then you really aren’t even close to the man I thought I knew.”
Fiona stood and started for the door.
“And if you’re goin’ to fire me, Henry…” she waggled her finger at him “…then just bloody well do it. Maybe Lorcan and I will start our own agency. It’s not like we’d even need your damn time machine. And yeah, go ahead threaten me with keepin’ the mystical cabin.”
“Wait, Fiona,” Antonio called.
Henry clucked his tongue. “Ms. Maguire, don’t be distressed. You’ll not be fired. You’re invaluable to LAMB. Mr. Morelli knows that. Mr. Wright won’t be let go either. But we should discuss this further.”
“I think you’d better send one of our agents over to Antonio’s restaurant to make sure Melissa is safe, unless you want an anonymous tip sent to the Boston PD or better yet the media.”
Antonio’s olive complexion turned white. “Please don’t do anything rash, Fiona. I’ll handle the situation. As the eldest brother, I have controlling interest in our restaurants. I’ll see that lovely Melissa is well compensated for her frightening ordeal. Or maybe I’ll keep seeing her just to spite my brothers.”
The elderly specter smiled at Fiona, winked and disappeared.
“Henry, I’ll need that whiskey from your bottom drawer.”
He nodded, opened the drawer and passed her the bottle.
Fiona took it and started for the time portal enclosure, still reeling from all she’d learned. Spending a quiet night in the cabin drowning her sorrows suited her just fine.