| |
“The Jade Cat. Well that brings back memories; the last time the Jade Cat came to me with cases, I found myself in the middle of the strangest case I had ever taken on.” Qin Lo paused to sip her coffee, “It was very lucrative though, even my office manager was pleased with that result.”
Kai looked at the young man behind the reception desk and frowned.
“No not him; my office manager at the time quit the job and became an Erotica Writer...” Qin lo smiled at a photo on her office wall, of a curly haired woman holding a hardback book and an award.
“I thought that was your wife.” Kai couldn’t help grinning at the older woman’s proprietary look.
“Oh, she is. She moved from organising my office to organising my life in general and we couldn’t be happier.” Qin lo paused and tilted her head, “except that is when I don’t bring enough money in. Then Gemma can get rather too bossy.”
“So why the eye candy behind the desk out there?”
“Gemma won’t let me use alcohol in my practice anymore, so young Darcy out there is not only gorgeous, but also an empath.” She grinned as Kai turned to look out at him again.
“So, you get an office decoration and calm clients all in one,” Kai turned back and grinned.
“He’s also a graduate from Harvard Business School, speaks five languages and is studying a sixth. He’s a top student at the local Martial Arts School; Gemma was very rigorous in picking someone who would be able to do the job, help me with cases and protect me at the same time. She says that I’m too accident prone for my own good.”
Kai laughed, “Yes, I remember. I think Edward was shocked about that...”
“He’s too used to you and your general bad-assery.” The Private Investigator grinned.
Kai shrugged.
Qin lo lowered her voice so that it didn’t carry beyond Kai, “Back to the original subject; how the hell did you end up as Jade Cat?”
Affecting an innocent look, she shrugged again, “Who says I am? I never said I was, just that I’d been seconded to the Jade Cat’s office and needed you to take over my current caseload. Edward has sent you all the details already.”
“Yes, I know, I’ve read the list in the email. I also know that you have had to fight the Fae and a ghoul...”
Kai swore and cast her mind around, “Lin Ze, I know you’re there.” The familiar mind tone of the Chinese warrior touched hers and she felt his reluctance to acknowledge her. She glared at the large iron shield on the wall, meeting the eyes of the lion face carved into the metal.
“He’s just doing what I asked him to, Kai.” The P.I. waved a hand to pull Kai’s attention back to her, “and I am doing what certain interesting parties are paying me to.”
“My family are paying you to snoop on me? Again? How much do they know?” she felt the fury building in her chest like a wave choking her throat.
An answering wave of calm from the direction of the reception desk covered her, pushing the fury away.
“I see that Darcy is a very strong empath,” Kai choked out before taking a deep breath to finish what the young man had started.
Qin Lo nodded, “I won’t tell them anything about your change in status until you tell me I can, don’t worry,” then she paused thinking, “I will tell them the bare essentials of your physical condition etc and anyway, you can rest easy about the case list, I’ll get Darcy to notify the clients that they’ve been passed to me and see them as soon as possible.”
“Thank you.” She moved to the edge of her chair.
“however, there is something that I would like you to do for me in return.”
“The retainer from the TLPD isn’t enough?”
“No that’s fine. This is something a little more personal.”
Kai nodded.
“Gemma and I would like to adopt from the Temple of Azure Clouds’ orphanage, but as I am only half Dragon, I need a sponsor from another Temple. Could you ask Lady Amira to consider sponsoring us?”
Smiling, Kai stood up, “I’ll ask her to talk to you as soon as possible. I couldn’t think of better parents for children from there.”
Qin-lo stood as well, “Thank you.”
––––––––
WHEN SHE ARRIVED AT the location that the department had stashed Edward and Amin in, the smell of barbequing meat wafted around her. She knocked on the front door.
Amin opened it, holding a pair of tongs and wearing an apron with “The Grill father” on it. Kai grinned at him, “Enjoying yourself, Officer Amin?”
“Edward is a surprisingly entertaining person to look after.” Amin looked around behind her and then stepped backward to allow her into the hall.
“How has he taken to his medication?”
“Lady Amira has been to see him daily. She says that he’s doing well.” Amin locked the door behind her and laid his hand on a palm plate next to the glass door blocking the hall in front of them. It whooshed open and Kai stepped through.
“Hiya Kai.” Edward walked through the hall carrying a tray with a huge bowl of salad on it, “Glad to see that you could spare the time to visit me.”
Kai winced, “I know I’ve been a bit busy, but...” she followed him.
“Oh, it’s okay. I understand why you’re busy, I just wish I could help you with it. That is my job after all.” He laid the tray on the large table on the veranda and moved the salad bowl onto it.
“Until Amira reports that you are safe to be in the general populace, I won’t be able to take you anywhere.” Kai sighed.
“Have a seat, Lady Kai.” Amin said formally, “What would you like to drink?”
Edward looked at her, grinned and said, “Give her a double Gin and tonic with ice and lime, Georg.”
The police officer nodded and disappeared through another door off the veranda.
“How did you know that was what I was craving?” Kai asked.
“I can feel it. There seems to be some kind of link between us now; I have to concentrate on it, but I can feel what you feel. You got rather angry earlier, didn’t you?”
“Yes. My family are having Qin-Lo keep an eye on me again.” she shrugged and sat down at the table.
“Thought that might be the trigger; there was exasperation as well as love involved, so I surmised it was family.” Edward laid out some cutlery and various bottles and pots of condiments. The trill of the phone echoed out from the direction Amin had gone in.
Edward and Kai exchanged a speculative glance.
A few minutes later, Amin brought a huge glass of ice and clear liquid in, a wedge of lime floating in it. He handed it to Kai, “I just heard from Detective Zhao. Edward has been cleared for duty. He said to make sure that he’s wearing the tracking band he gave you, then you can move the two of you into the mansion in temple lands.”
Kai worked her way through the sentence, then smiled. She rummaged in her work bag and pulled out the green and silver leather box, “Here, this is your passport to freedom.” She handed it to Edward, who opened it.
“This is an expensive piece of kit.” He lifted out a silver and rose gold watch, “One of the local high-end designers I suspect.”
She nodded, “It’s a combination tracker, smart watch and phone.” She flashed her wrist, “I have one just like it. All the Triang council and other politically important people do now.”
Edward looked at it carefully, the tiny green L.E.D. on the face flashing against his palm, “So what am I?”
“Politically important for the most part; if something happens to you, I won’t be happy.”
Amin grinned and pulled his sleeve back, showing the plain black leather strap on his wrist, a similar green L.E.D flashing on his wrist, “put it on, Ed. I have one too.”
“Why do you have one?” Edward slipped the band into place on his wrist and tightened it.
“He’s politically important too; where he goes, I usually am.” Kai eased her rose gold leather band on her wrist, “Yours is linked to mine too, I insisted.”
Amin left the room again, “I’d better go get the steak.”
“You seem to be getting on well with Amin.” Kai sipped her drink and sighed appreciatively.
Edward did something that she had never seen him do before; he blushed.
She raised an eyebrow, “like that is it?”
“He’s not scared of me... and I like the way his scales appear when he... um... well...” Edward stuttered to a halt as Amin returned with a steaming tray of grilled steak.
“You told her then.” The Naga looked at Kai, a question in his eyes as he put the tray on the table.
“Your personal relationships are nothing to do with me. Just don’t broadcast it; I’m not sure how the rest of the Triang would react.” She helped herself to salad, “Shall we eat?”
The meal proceeded with a certain amount of silent relish; Kai hadn't had steak for a long time and hers was just how she liked it. Edward clearly liked his on the blue side, but was having trouble chewing, his fangs seemed to get in the way. She watched Amin cut the meat into smaller, bitesize pieces and feed them to Edward one at a time.
When Edward saw her watching them, he blushed even redder than before and coughed. Amin looked at her and grinned, his own fangs gleaming, “I've got an even half dozen young nieces and nephews who have problems with their fangs and eating; I know how to get round it."
Edward smacked him lightly on the arm; Amin still winced though.
"I understand his embarrassment. I felt much the same when I was gifted with my current looks." Kai said, looking down at her plate, "It's hard to get used to something that you've never had or ever intended to have."
"Are you used to it now?" Amin asked as Edward seized the fork off him and started feeding himself.
"I'm not sure I ever will be. It has a lot of unintended consequences." Kai grinned at him, raising an eyebrow and Amin sighed, then groaned and blushed, "See what I mean?"
"Kai, would you please stop messing around with Amin's libido?" Edward said around a mouthful of steak and fang, “I’m trying to eat here.”
Kai laughed and went back to eating again.
The phone rang out in the hall as they finished their meal. Amin pushed his chair back and headed out to answer it. Kai put her glass down as she had finished the wine in it.
"So, have you given any thought as to how you want to use me?" Edward's question surprised Kai and she stared at him.
"I am assuming that you're going to make use of my talents; I mean, not just as your office manager, but as a Ghoul." He continued.
She took a deep breath, "I wanted to talk to you about the Office Manager thing actually, I was told not to use you in that fashion... but I can't see any other way of you staying close to me. I mean, Amin is officially my bodyguard and I'll be selecting another one, once I can talk to Li about it, but you're not exactly bodyguard material..." she trailed off as amin re-entered the room, looking serious.
"What's the matter?" she asked.
"There's been an attack on various Triang safe houses around the city, you're being called in to deal with it." Amin looked at Edward.
"He comes with me. As my Personal Assistant if nothing else." Kai stood up, "And you're the only Bodyguard I have available, so you'd better come too."
Amin nodded, "We'll deal with the dishes later."
"The house staff can deal with the dishes, Amin, you can stop pretending to play house with Edward. You two will be busy for the foreseeable future." Kai swept out into the Hallway."