Page 77 of The Vampire and the Case of the Hellacious Hag

‘No worries. We’re just wrapping up.’

‘Cool.’ I turned to the air witch. ‘Can I ask you a question?’

‘Sure.’

‘Did you ever hear yourcaptors talking about someone helping them in the mine?’

She frowned. ‘There was one call but I can’t remember the name.’ She paused. ‘Something that made me think Chipmunk.’

I blinked. ‘Chipmunk?’

‘You know the TV show? Alvin, Simon, Theodore?’ She hummed a TV theme tune.

I didn’t know any Alvins, Simons or Theodores – besides that total wanker, Theodore Thorsen, from the Academy. ‘Theodore Thorsen?’ I offered.

She shook her head, ‘No, that wasn’t it.’

I hazarded a guess. ‘Alfgar?’

‘No. Sorry.’

Abruptly I thought of the elder, Baldred, and his son, Delvin. Delvin, who hadn’t wanted us to raise Alfgar’s body. Delvin, who had red hair, like the strand we’d found on Alfgar. Delvin, whose father was an elder and who would definitely have access to keys and anything else the black-ops group wanted. Delvin. Yeah, that made a whole lot of sense.

‘Delvin?’ I asked the air witch.

Emma clicked her fingers. ‘Yes!’ she said excitedly. ‘That’s it! Sounds like Alvin! That’s who that bastard was talking to!’ She grimaced. ‘It made me sing thechipmunk theme tune for three days straight. It’s funny what connections your brain makes.’

Gunnar looked grim. ‘I’ll call Baldred, get them both in. I’ll make it look like some more routine questions on Evgard and Alfgar.’

I steepled my fingers. ‘Do we have time for that. If we’re raiding Reef Mine today…’

‘I’m still waiting to hear from one of my contacts at the MIB.’

I blinked. ‘Gunnar, is it wise to use them?’

‘I trust Henderson completely,’ Gunnar said gruffly. ‘The same as I do you. He’ll handpick a team he trusts, too. It’ll be small but we still need their help because we’re going to be outmanned and outgunned. So while we’re waiting for them, let’s nail Delvin.’

I grinned. ‘In that case … let’s do it.’ April passed me a freshly brewed cup of tea, the perfect chaser to my gut-burning coffee. I could have kissed her. ‘Thanks!’

She tapped Gunnar’s notes. ‘You all done with these?’ He nodded. ‘I’ll type them up before I go for the day.’ She stifled a yawn.

‘You know that you’re the best thing since sliced bread?’ I told her.

She grinned. ‘I do, but it’s nice to hear it all the same.’ She winked and took the notes back to her desk. ‘All done,’ sheannounced a mere ten minutes later before printing Emma’s statement out for Gunnar to check over. Happy with it, he passed it to Emma to sign.

‘You even got in the Delvin thing,’ Emma said to April, clearly impressed. ‘Now that’s a good secretary. You don’t want to come and work for the Alaska Minerals Commission, do you? I can always use a good secretary. You can work remotely.’

‘Hey!’ Gunnar objected. ‘No poaching the staff!’

Emma laughed. ‘If they’re happy, they won’t be poachable.’

‘I love it here,’ April said. ‘It’s crazy but I love the job, so thank you but no. I’m a Nomo girl all the way.’

‘Damn right you are,’ Gunnar said gruffly. ‘You’re valued here.’

April’s face split with another yawn. ‘Well, it was worth staying late if only for all of the compliments. I wanted to stay for Sidnee, but I’m going to have to go. You all be safe.’

‘We will,’ I promised.

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