Page 42 of Bright Dark Curses

Very disappointing.

“Anything?” Key asked Shane.

“Nothing. You?”

She pursed her lips. “Nothing out of the ordinary.”

“Can I tell Ian about this? He might have some ideas?” I asked.

Key frowned and opened her mouth, but Shane spoke before she could. “Already told him.”

She let out a squeak of outrage.

He shrugged. “Boss knew something was up.”

Key turned her accusatory glare on me, and I lifted my hands in a peace gesture. “I didn’t tell him anything. But since he knows,” I added smoothly, “why not use his vast knowledge of the paranormals in Olmeda?”

Key looked like we had stolen her favorite toy. On Christmas day. “I guess.”

I squeezed her arm. “Ian won’t interfere in your business.”

“I know. It’s just…” She seemed to deflate in front of us but then got herself under control. “It doesn’t matter.”

I totally understood where she was coming from. “Ian does have a way to get involved in everything, doesn’t he? There’s little we can do on our own without him looming nearby.”

“Boss, you’re the one who always calls him,” Shane said dryly and unhelpfully.

“Anyway,” I said in a bright voice, “does Brim—your uncle have a food video log?”

Key’s sadness receded. “Oh, yeah. He did that for a few months. It’s fun, you should watch it.”

I brought out my phone and looked at her expectantly. “Can you send me the link?”

“Oh, I don’t have it on me. I’ll see if I can find it later.”

Aww. “Thank you.” I leaned in. “Is it true he was part of a boy band?”

Key snorted a laugh. “What? No. No way.” Then she blinked, as if the idea suddenly had merit. “At least, I don’t think? I know Uncle Jeremy is a little showy, but I can’t see him being part of a boy band.”

“The person who told me sounded certain.”

“Maybe they have him confused with someone else?”

We looked at Shane, as if he would’ve had the opportunity to know Brimstone and Destruction better than his niece or his current employer.

“I have no idea what you guys are talking about,” he said deadpan.

Suspicious. He was too good at doing the whole Ian-stone-expression thing. Maybe I’d ask him for Natalia’s number and text her later.

The crew around us burst into action again, signaling more scenes were about to be filmed. I checked my phone; it was getting late.

On the one hand, I wanted to stay and continue watching the movie be filmed (and keep an eye out for our suspects, of course). But on the other, the longer I stood around, the bigger chance someone would finally notice I had no ID and didn’t belong here, which would get Key and Shane in trouble. With Brett out of the picture for now, we needed someone inside the set to watch out for anything suspicious. I was confident Key and Shane wouldn’t be drinking anything from strangers, and they both had the magic-detecting potions now. They would be safe enough.

No, of course they wouldn’t be safe enough, and worry about what could happen gnawed at my insides. But they were adults, and if I were to be truthful to myself, they had a lot more experience with the dangerous side of the paranormal world than I did. Like, a lot, lot. Even after all the happenings so far with me and my shop, I was the baby here experience-wise.

Besides, if I didn’t get back, Fluffy and Rufus were going to show their displeasure in dirty, smelly ways.

“I have to get back home,” I told them. “Will you be okay here?”

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