Page 33 of The Vampire and the Case of the Hellacious Hag

‘Let me dump this crap, then gimme!’

‘Any calls yet?’ I asked.

‘Just one complaint that the snow plough hadn’t been down their street. I don’t know what they want me to do – arrest the driver?’ She rolled her eyes. ‘Then nothing would get done.’

‘Can you imagine? The whole town would be calling to yell at us.’ I could tell she was bursting to tell me about Thomas. ‘Well?’ I finally asked, waggling my eyebrows.

She grinned. ‘Oh my God, Bunny! Why did I wait so long to get with him properly?’

‘Better to be sure, isn’t it?’ I pointed out. ‘And to be in a good place yourself.’

She smiled dreamily. ‘You’re right, and Iamsure now. I worried at first that it was just a knee-jerk reaction, a rebound thing after Chris, you know? But it wasn’t. What we have, it’s real. He’s so patient with me, so kind.’ She licked her lips. ‘This feels anti-feminist to say…’

‘Hey! This is a judgement-free zone. Say what’s in your heart. I don’t care what label you want to stick on it.’

‘After all I’ve been through, I feel like he can protect me and I like that. He makes me feel safe.’ She made a face. ‘And I know I should make myself feel safe, I should be strong enough alone—’

I held up a hand to stop her. ‘There is absolutelynothingwrong about wanting a strong partner in life, feminist or not.’

She smiled. ‘Thanks, Bunny.’

Shadow was stalking around the office flicking a pen around the floor. His game was interrupted by the door opening, flinging the pen across the room. He chased it happily. The newcomer blinked, nonplussed at the sight of the unofficial Nomo cat. I stood up and went to the counter. ‘Mayor Finau, how are you this evening?’

Of all thecouncil members, I saw him the least. I still wasn’t sure what supernatural creature he was, if any.

‘I’m well enough,’ he said, but his voice was tight with anger. ‘But I do have a crime to report.’

I found the clipboard and a pen so he could fill out a report and pulled out my notepad. ‘What happened?’

‘Someone has stolen my boat. If we hurry, we can follow him. I have a tracker on it.’

Water chases weren’t my wheelhouse. ‘Okay, let me call Gunnar. I can’t run a boat.’ I hurried to my desk to call my boss. The Nomo’s boat had recently been fixed after being dented by a pissed-off selkie and it was at our slip at the south harbour.

‘What’s up?’ Gunnar answered his mobile abruptly. The office never rang during our time off unless there was a problem.

‘Gunnar, we need you down at the south harbour. Someone has taken Mayor Finau’s fishing boat, and we have limited time to track it.’

‘Again?’ He sighed audibly. ‘On my way. Meet you there.’

Again? I studied the mayor. Mafu’s nostrils were flared and his chin was up; he was battling his anger, but it was still riding him. ‘It’s probably too late anyway,’ he spat. ‘He’ll be miles away by now.’

‘He?’ I questioned, surprised. ‘Do you know who took it?’

‘Yeah,’ he muttered darkly. ‘Damn right I do.’

I raised an eyebrow and waited for him to tell me. When he didn’t elaborate, I asked, ‘Well, who took it?’

‘My son-in-law.’

I blinked. Okay, this was weird. Family borrowed stuff from each other all the time, so why was Mafu so upset? ‘He took it without your permission?’ I asked carefully.

‘Damn right he did. That prick!’

‘Does he live in Portlock? Will he be returning home?’

Some of Mafu’s anger drained away and he gave a long sigh. ‘Yeah, the good-for-nothing prick lives here. He’ll be back.’ He grimaced and rubbed his forehead. ‘I’m sorry. I’m not thinking straight. Ring Gunnar, won’t you? Stand him down. This is a family matter, not a police one.’

His one-eighty took me completely by surprise but nevertheless I picked up Wilson, the office phone, and rang Gunnar back. He answered instantly. ‘Stand down?’ he asked, his tone resigned.

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