Page 59 of Handcuffs and Hexes

“What the hell are we going to do with it now?” Sybil said.

I shrugged. “Beats me. I never want to see it or hear it again.”

There was a clearing of throats, and Chief appeared with his hands on his hips. “Some of the victims’ families are happy it is still open. They insist on attempting to retrieve them. Especially the last victim.”

That had been Palivius.

I rolled my eyes. “It’s not like they are being held in there in suspended animation. That thing was a portal. They went somewhere—and I still don’t know what Eldritch horror lies on the other side—but I really don’t think she was inviting themto a tea party. Even if they weren’t immediately consumed by whatever hungry entity waited on the other end, the initial victims have been in there for a good week. You’ll be retrieving corpses. My professional opinion is still to close the damn thing completely.”

“I tend to agree with you,” Nina said. “But Palivius’s family is kicking up a fuss, and this at least shuts them up for a bit. And the new development means that head office is keeping Alfonzo here to analyze The Breach.”

Great. That meant he wasn’t going home.

“If they really want to study it, can’t they ship it to Rome?” I asked. “Then he can take all the time he wants analyzing it?”

“That’s what I said!” Nina exclaimed. “But no. They didn’t want to move it.”

“But it has to move. It’s in the middle of the intersection,” Chief said.

Alfonzo came butting in, wagging his finger in the air. “No, no, no. No move. And no close! Everything will be wrong. Even now, everyone has touched it. How can I take my measurements?”

“Well we can’t just keep it in the middle of the intersection,” Chief said. “Traffic needs to flow.”

“I do not care. It must not be moved!”

“And what if you succumb to her, uh, it?” I asked. I wanted this thing as far from Darlington as possible.

“It does not speak to me like in the reports. I am not a man of magic, but of science.”

Well, that explained why he hadn’t reacted to it at all.

There was a clearing of throat, and we turned to see Desmon in his human form, dressed in his signature suit. “This is my city. And if the EA wishes to keep such a dangerous artifact here, I will require payment. The EA will also need to do all they can to ensure the safety of my people.”

“You must be Desmon.” For the first time, Alfonzo actually looked reverent. “I’m sure we can work something out,”

“For now, why don’t we turn this intersection into a roundabout to keep the traffic flowing? We can build a small shed around it and load it up with locks and wards.” Hazel suggested.

“Hey, that might work!” Chief and Director Kwan said together.

“A shed?” Alfonzo exclaimed. “I can’t work in a shed. I need a laboratory!”

“Well, then,” Nina said, putting her arms around the shifter. “You better start convincing head office to fund it because a shed is all we got enough for in this backward town.” She guided him away, but only after sending a wink back to us.

Director Kwan had her eyes on the ball. If we had to keep the wretched thing open in Darlington, the least they could do was increase funding.

The good thing was that I no longer heardhervoice in my head. We were safe, for now.

“Good job, Seth.” Desmon patted me on the back awkwardly.

The dragon of Darlington was still coming to terms with the fact that he had effectively started thinking of Mateo and me like sons he’d never had. Human emotions were still difficult for him, but it was coming along.

I didn’t bother being tactful. “Does that mean I get a vacation?” I asked, resting an elbow on his shoulder. Before he could reply, I moved Hazel in front of him. “Have you two met? This is Hazel. She’s important to me. So you’ll be seeing her at the weekly dinners from now on.”

Hazel looked a bit in awe, probably because she’d never met a dragon before. But she’d get used to it. Desmon was mortal, just like the rest of us.

“I will see you at dinner.” Then Desmon was called away by a frustrated-looking Director Kwan.

“So, kid,” Chief said to Hazel when we got back to her cruiser, “you and the wizard, huh?” The chief put his hand up. “And before you deny it, it’s a good thing. At least I know you’ll be well cared for. He’ll keep you out of trouble.”

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