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“You okay?” I held her hands, which had gone clammy. “Do you need to go home?”
“I hate this.” She sat in my chair and put her head between her knees. “I used to be a badass when it came to dealing with the bitchy customers, but now I melt down at every confrontation. I’m a wimp.”
“You’re not a wimp. That woman was a bully. No wonder her brother doesn’t want her to find him.”
“The brother.” Camber lifted her head. “That was him, who came to the shop, right?”
“Yeah.” I leaned against the doorframe. “She’s the one who beat him within an inch of his life.”
As much as I didn’t want to pique their interest in Aedan, I did want them to be wary that his sister had come sniffing around for signs of him. They needed to know she was dangerous and to avoid her.
“I haven’t seen him around here.” She chewed her bottom lip. “Who is he?”
“Right now, he’s a failed attempt at witness protection.”
“You met him on the job. Your other job.” Her eyes rounded. “That makes sense. You’re working abuse cases.”
Until her bright mind made the connection, I hadn’t considered I could hide Aedan using that excuse.
With the girls’ trauma so fresh in their minds, I didn’t bring up my other job often. I hadn’t outlined the parameters of my consultant gig with Clay and Asa, except to say I was helping the police. That would do me a solid in this instance, where I could twist the boundaries of my duties to match the situation.
More lies, more reimagining the past, but how bad were white lies that kept them safe?
The fact it weighed on me, the lies, was worrisome given I had no choice but to keep telling them.
“He might not stay here long,” I warned her, not wanting either girl to get attached to the idea.
“He’ll have to leave if his sister finds him.” Her gaze skated to the curtain and beyond. “Arden liked him.”
“Arden doesn’t know him.” I bit the inside of my cheek. “I didn’t mean to sound harsh. I just worry.”
“I know.” She shoved to her feet and came to hug me. “I’ll fill her in after work.”
“I would appreciate that.” I kissed the top of her head. “Now scoot.” I nudged her. “She’s swamped.”
The three of us fell into an easy rhythm, and I was grateful again for the all-consuming rush.
* * *
As soon as the shop closed, I locked up and drove home, eager to put eyes on Colby. And Aedan. I must have checked my phone for camera notifications a dozen times after Delma left the shop, but no blips disturbed the surveillance area or the wards. Colby hadn’t texted or called, and I was trying not to hover, but it gnawed on me, knowing Aedan’s sister was on the hunt for him and had come straight to me.
The daemon community was aware that Asa and I were in fascination with one another, and she knew her brother had challenged Asa. I was the logical point of contact. But how had she found me?
Oh crap.
The dobhar-chú pups.
Aedan’s friend must not be as friendly as he believed if he ratted Aedan out to Delma.
A chime distracted me while I parked, and I unfastened my seat belt before picking up my phone to see a text from Clay.
>>Results are in. Blood on the cage was black witch.
>Fingerprints?
>>Belonged to Agent Fanny Barker.
>Any idea where to start looking for her?
