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Even with the gardens Iris had put in, and the occasional cow Smoky brought home to fill the freezer, we were going through quite a bit of money. I also knew that Smoky supplemented the budget from his treasure trove. No one knew just how much he had stashed away, but he was a dragon, and over the centuries he’d accumulated quite a nice haul.
Shamas also pitched in, helping out from his salary, and Menolly from the Wayfarer. I wasn’t sure where they got the funds, but Trillian and Morio also contributed. Since everybody lived on our land except Nerissa, there wasn’t extra rent for them to think about. But still, we had to be spending a good fifteen hundred to two thousand a month on food.
Shade touched my hand, lightly brushing his fingers over my knuckles. “What are you thinking about?”
Startled, I glanced up, shaking away the thoughts. “The food bill, actually.”
Camille let out a strangled sound. “Yeah, it’s time for shopping again. Iris will be away on her honeymoon, so someone will have to go with Hanna to help out. I’m volunteering myself, you—Delilah, Morio, and Shade. This coming weekend.”
“Oh, on that matter, I have something for you.” Shade reached in his pocket and pulled out an envelope, handing it to her.
She set down her fork and opened it, her eyes widening, the violet hue glimmering in the sudden wash of sunlight that came streaming through the kitchen window.
“Oh! Are you sure? This is…very generous.” Camille pulled out a stack of bills, and I saw they were fifties.
“I’m staying here now, so I’m adding to the household expenses. Never worry—I come by my money in an honest way.” Shade grinned at her, then down at me. “I want to help.”
“There’s five thousand dollars here!” She glanced up at him again. “This is…”
“Enough for about two and a half months of food. Take it. I eat like a horse.” Shade pointed to his plate, stacked high with waffles and bacon.
Smiling gently, Camille nodded and tucked the money away in the kitchen safe, namely the Spongebob cookie jar. “Thank you. We manage, but this will help a lot.”
Trillian arched an eyebrow, then pulled out his wallet. “If you’re going grocery shopping again, that means it’s cough-it-up time, people. Let’s see the coin on the table. Give what you can.” He handed her five twenties.
Smoky produced another stack of bills, Morio handed over what looked like about eighty dollars, Shamas—who was dawdling over breakfast for once—handed her a check for three hundred, and Vanzir, who’d just come into the room, surprised everyone by producing a couple of fifties out of his pocket.
“I got lucky last night at poker. Here, take it.” He looked so proud I wanted to hug him. Vanzir was the least likely among us to ever have money to spare.
“We can stock the pantry and pay the utilities for a while with all this. We have no mortgage. Henry’s bequest allowed me to pay off the Indigo Crescent Café. The OIA pretty much bought the building the bookstore and the Wayfarer are in…so we’re doing good. We still need to come up with the cash to build Iris and Bruce’s house with, though.” She worried her lip between her teeth.
“No worries there,” Iris said from the rocking chair where she was playing with Maggie, who seemed to enjoy the bustle of the morning breakfast routine. “Bruce will pay for that. He’s a leprechaun, you know—they have a special way with turning thin air into gold. And stocks into a pile of cash that defies even the market fluctuations.”
Laughing, Camille nodded. “Good, then. As soon as the weather clears up a little more, the guys can get busy building, so come up with plans and get the permits we need. Now, let’s finish eating and get the place decked out for your wedding.”
I pushed back my chair, finishing breakfast post haste. “I hate to be a party pooper, but I promised Chase I’d give him three hours this morning. We need to go talk to the families of the Supes who were killed last night in the bombing. I also want to look through the remains of the hall while the energy is fairly untainted. I don’t suppose you could go with me?” I turned to Camille.
She frowned, but Iris spoke up. “Take her. Just be back this afternoon to help me get ready.”
Trillian nodded. “Go, both of you. We men may not have quite the same sensibilities you womenfolk have, but Iris will tell us what to do and we’ll carry through. Shamas, are you working today?”
He shook his head. “Yeah, I’m going in a little late.”
Smoky, Trillian, Morio, and Shamas started chattering with Iris about plans as she handed Maggie to Vanzir, who began playing a rousing game of tickle-belly with her. Shade headed over to join them. Camille and I glanced at one another.
“Get the feeling we aren’t needed around here?” She was joking, but I sensed a little bit of hurt beneath the surface. Camille had always been the one everyone turned to, and while I knew it dragged on her, after the trauma with Hyto, we’d all quietly pulled back a little, become a little more independent so she’d have the time to recuperate.
I shrugged and grinned. “Eh, they’ll need us soon enough. But right now, Chase does need us, so let’s get a move on. I’ll drive.”
She nodded, and, gathering our coats and purses, we headed out the door for my Jeep. First stop: the Supe Community Hall, to find out everything we could about the freaks who’d destroyed five lives.
Chapter 5
In the harsh light of morning, under the dismal rain that was pouring down, the charred ruins of the Supe Community Hall looked like a burned-out shell. Part of the building was still standing, but it looked dangerous, and the fire marshal had cordoned it off with bright yellow caution tape. The smell of smoke hung heavy in the air, scorched wood and flesh—acrid and pungent on the lungs. The rain formed rivulets of black water, thick with the ash and soot from the fire, the channels streaming along the street toward the grates covering the drains. I watched as little flakes of what had once been a beautiful building silently glided into the sewer system.
Frostling, a full-blooded Earthside Fae officer, stood guard. She’d recently joined the FH-CSI and was proving to be a fantastic addition. I waved to her and she waved back. “Delilah, Camille, hello. Chase said you might show up this morning.”
“Anybody try to get in here?” I glanced around. “Anybody skulking around?” The bushes near the main hall had been scorched in the fire along with the building, but there were enough trees on the lot that somebody could conceivably hide and keep watch.
