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“All right. What was so important that you left our bed to go to Death Mile in the middle of the night with a Scrabble board? This is your behavior when you view something as particularly important.”
“I think there are some living victims of those mercury dragons, and someone needs to find them before they’re killed.”
After several long moments, Erik inhaled, closed his eyes, and released his breath on a heavy sigh. “I can’t even get upset with you over that. I would have put up a fight over you going to Death Mile in the first place, especially to a park renown for hauntings. But I’m not faulting your judgment. You saved us from a lot of unnecessary drama. If you’re haunted, I’ll drag you to the hospital. If you’re not, no harm done. That’s all the confirmation I need to know you’re doing the right thing.”
At least I didn’t have to worry about Erik not taking me seriously. “And I would have done it anyway because if there are victims still alive, someone needs to rescue them. That someone is me.” I cringed. “Or us, if you can get away with double dipping in the force.”
“I’m honestly not sure. I’m considered to be too compromised for the investigation. My father wants to keep me out of it. He wants you on the case, and he only wants me relaying information and doing interior work.”
I took my time considering his words, and I realized his father had the right idea.
He had many strengths, but Erik lost focus when he had ties to the investigation.
“Personal involvement is a problem, and my version of personal involvement gets the case solved. Yours impedes the investigation,” I stated. Once Erik thought I’d be imperiled, his common sense left the building.
“Just because it’s true doesn’t mean you have to say it with such confidence,” he complained.
“Once we feed our babies and get them put to bed, I’ll help you feel better,” I promised.
“But still. Dad made it clear I will not be helping with the investigation.”
I waved my hand. “What your daddy doesn’t know won’t hurt him. You can help me with my side gig. I’ll just drag you around on dates, they’ll just be bad dates where I am working most of the time. If we’re going on a date and we just happen to find some evidence, we’re just blessed with good fortune.”
“I’m interested in dates, even bad ones. It’s been quite a while since I’ve been on a date, good or bad. What do you have in mind for our first date?” Erik checked on his carbunclo, laughed when he realized she attempted to lick the essence of mashed potato off her plate, and promised she could have some more for lunch. “Perhaps a trip to a potato farm so our kittens can see how their favorite food is grown?”
“Does their entire species live on mashed potatoes?”
“Quite possibly. Mine seems to prefer gravy where yours lives for hot sauce, but the mashed potatoes? I was worried you were going to charm my little girl with your cooking.”
I giggled, doubting I had a hope in hell of charming Citrine. “I’m sure you’re her first love. Garnet seems to be her second. I suspect Tourmaline comes in third. That leaves me a very distant fourth. I’m okay with this. But anyway, I’m going to start doing some research on news reports of missing people. I’m going to need to see if I can find records of all missing people in the area and find any overlap. While everything we’ve learned so far indicates that the victims are women, we just don’t know at this point. And we might find more bodies.”
“That seems probable, especially as it appears the victims, thus far, are people who wouldn’t be missed—not here, at least. Transients, like you.”
“I’m going to be testing in soon. I think I’ve crammed as much knowledge as will fit in this head of mine. I just have to pay the fee and be scrutinized against cheating.” I rolled my eyes at that. “As if I’d actually cheat. But I have a sponsor, so I don’t have to worry about that.”
“You have one of the best sponsors in the entire city. Nobody is going to doubt your validity with the black dragon clan backing you. But I do wonder why he is going so far to help you. I mean, he found Citrine for me.” Erik smiled at his carbunclo, and he reached across the table to pet her. “I really appreciate that, too.”
I understood. My little one had wrapped my heart around her paw within moments of seeing her, and Erik loved animals even more than I did. “Just remember that you need to take her to work with you. You can’t just bolt out the door post positive affection time. You have to gather your kitten and all her things. And over lunch, you need to go look for her first crystals. We’ll make space for her hoard while you’re gone, but she needs crystals of her own.”
“Anything else I’m forgetting?”
“A bag of potatoes on the way home. Get a big one. For some reason, I think we’re going to need it.”
* * *
Friday, May 1, 2167
The Gray Ward
Dragon Heights, Wyoming
It rained butterflies, and the skies above Dragon Heights filled with colorful wings. Garnet chirped and squeaked her excitement.
Tourmaline zipped to his nest and refused to come out.
I couldn’t blame the little fellow. There had to be millions of the winged beauties out there, and a lot of them were bigger than he was.
Upon checking the conjured butterflies layering the street, I determined it had also rained moths, caterpillars, and fireflies as well.