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“No hard feelings,” I said. “I know you’d do the same if our roles were reversed.”
“Yes, ma’am. You have a good evening.”
“You too, detective.”
Exhaling, I disconnected. The simmering worry over the blurry photograph congealed into a thick dread that settled deep within my chest. Everything had consequences. I knew that. But damn, the timing of this one sure sucked ass.
I dropped the phone onto the table then used the tip of the knife to pry the splinter from beneath my fingernail. New pain lanced through my hand, but it soon faded to a dull ache. Too bad I couldn’t excise my worry with equal ease.
Surgery accomplished, I set the knife down and scowled at the table, even though I knew it didn’t deserve my ire. I’d been meaning to sand it down for ages and hadn’t. Consequences.
At least I could still flip people off with that hand. Sometimes you simply had to focus on what was most important.
Chapter 12
Despite hellacious disruptions of the flows, I managed to bring the kehza Juke through without injury. This particular demon adored pistachios, and I tossed it a five-pound bag the instant we sealed our agreement. Juke let out a screech of unmistakable delight, then expertly split shells with its claws and munched on the nuts while I explained the plan. That done, Eilahn escorted it to the woods to wait until I gave the signal. I helped get food ready and pretended this was nothing more than an ordinary backyard cookout with friends. Because, y’know, I did that sort of thing so often.
At five minutes before seven the security panel dinged. Bryce checked the camera. “He’s at the gate. We’re on.”
“Excellent.” I grabbed a towel to wipe my hands. “Buzz him in, please. Y’all remember to play nice, y’hear?”
Smile gone, Idris muttered something under his breath about No Promises and stalked out the back door. Bryce snorted.
I rolled my eyes and headed out to the front porch in time to see Pellini pull up in a silver Chevy pickup to park beside the Malibu. He climbed out then fished a twelve-pack of beer off the front seat.
“Glad you could make it,” I said with a smile.
He nodded and cast his gaze around, taking in the surrounding woods as well as the mobile home situated fifty yards to the east of the house. If he saw any of the arcane protections, he didn’t react to them.
“Nice place,” he said, starting up the steps. “Not what I expected.”
“Thanks,” I said brightly, determined not to rise to any sort of bait during his visit. “It’s been in the family a long time. Come on inside. I’ll introduce you to a couple of friends of mine.”
He followed me in and to the kitchen where I introduced him to Bryce and Idris. Bryce greeted him with a friendly smile and nice-to-meet-you, and Pellini responded in kind. Idris’s greeting was only a hair shy of surly, and to everyone’s relief he excused himself after the minimum length of time required to be sociable.
“Jill will be over in a few minutes,” I told Pellini then grabbed a bowl of chips and pushed it into his hands. “Can you take these out to the table on the back porch? It’s a nice evening. We might as well enjoy it.”
He seemed glad for something to do, and I followed him out with a vegetable tray, plates and napkins. I gestured toward the tree line. “Zack and Ryan built a kickass obstacle course through the woods a few months back. Feel free to indulge in ludicrous exercise if the mood strikes.”
“Ain’t happenin’,” Pellini said with a snort. “But on the off chance I head that way, feel free to knock some sense into me.”
Jill wandered over with Steeev, and Pellini relaxed more with the presence of another familiar face. After Jill introduced him to Steeev she started a light chat about a silly case they’d both recently worked. With devious finesse a dirty politician would envy, she skillfully dodged any opportunity for Pellini to pose questions about Steeev. Curiosity flickered in his eyes, but he remained polite and on topic.
Bryce handed Pellini a beer then excused himself to go tend the grill. Idris stalked farther out into the backyard and onto the nexus. Even though the entire event was a setup to evaluate Pellini, everyone appeared to be having a good time. Apart from Idris, of course. If Pellini suspected anything, he didn’t show it. A wave of guilt struck me at the subterfuge, but we were in too deep for second thoughts. A few minutes later Bryce returned to the table with a platter of grilled sausage, chicken, hamburgers, corn, potatoes and, apparently, anything else grillable he’d found in the kitchen.
I piled sausage, chicken, and corn onto my plate, while Pellini built a hamburger. Halfway through my chicken I felt power stir on the nexus—a buzzing vibration in my gut and head. I shot a quick glance toward Idris to confirm him as the source. Pellini put his hamburger down, a frown tugging at his mouth. He definitely sensed it. I was right about that much at least. Steeev touched Jill’s arm in a prearranged “time to skedaddle” signal. Jill heaved up from her chair and gave everyone a bright smile as she patted her tummy.
“Sorry to bail, y’all, but the bean says she’s had enough,” Jill announced to my relief. Best she wasn’t around if things got interesting.
A chorus of “goodnight” arose, and Steeev escorted her back to the mobile home. The instant the door closed behind her the nexus flared. I held my breath as a filament of sapphire energy shot toward Pellini’s feet with the speed of a coachwhip snake. Pellini jolted out of his chair with a choked cry of alarm. He stumbled back a step as it struck him then, plain as day, he kick-pushed the potency away.
“What the hell’s going on?” he demanded, breathing hard. Idris withdrew the filament, but stood tense and watchful, still assessing. Bryce continued to calmly eat his mashed potatoes but monitored, ready for damn near anything.
“I’m sorry,” I said as I got to my feet. “I had to be sure of what I saw at the plantation.”
Confusion clouded Pellini’s face. “What? What did you see?”
I narrowed my eyes. “You physically manipulated potency.”
