Page 3 of In the Monster's Wake
“It’s a pity you don’t want to hire anyone,” Braith continued.
“I don’t know.I might be convinced we do need a secretary.What else would they do for me?”
“Not sleep with you if that’s what you’re thinking about.”
“I wouldn’t.”
“I know.”
Braith knew that Archibald wouldn’t do anything that might result in their office closing.He didn’t know what he’d do if he wasn’t a PI.He didn’t even want to think about it.He’d found his place in the world, and he would cling to it with both hands, no matter how messy it became.
And it might become messy.He eyed the TV, which was on but without sound.He didn’t need the sound to know what they were talking about, though.“What do you think of that?”he asked Braith as he tilted his chin toward the screen.
Braith grimaced.“I don’t like it.”
Archibald didn’t like it, either, but the fact that the attacks against their community were on the rise was none of their business, and it wouldn’t be until someone paid them to look into it.It wasn’t like attacks on monsters were a rarity, anyway.Humans were increasingly worried about anything that wasn’t like them, and monsters were prime examples of that.It was easier to blame them for everything wrong in the world than to look on the inside and admit that humans could be monsters, too, albeit not physically.
“Do you think someone will hire us to look into it?”he asked Braith.
Braith shrugged.“Maybe.Someone’s bound to want to know what happened to their loved one.It’s not like they can go to humans and ask them to investigate.”
Archibald was sure that every person involved in the attacks had a family who wanted to know what had happened to them, but a lot of them wouldn’t be able to afford to pay him and Braith to look into it.Maybe they could do so pro bono.It wasn’t something Archibald would think of normally, but it might be worth it if it meant having fewer cases to work on eventually.If they stopped whoever was brutally murdering monsters across the city, that person wouldn’t be able to continue hurting people.
“You’re thinking so hard I can see smoke coming out of your ears,” Braith teased.
Archibald rolled his eyes.“You’re not writing that report, are you?”
“Why don’t you do it yourself?It’ll be faster and more efficient.”
Archibald almost did it because Braith wasn’t wrong.Besides, Archibald was picky when it came to doing things his way.Braith tried, but a lot of the time, he made a mess, even when he was trying to do the right thing.
But Braith didn’t want to deal with the paperwork, and giving in and doing it for him would only push him into trying this every time he wanted to get out of filing reports.
Archibald glared at him.“I know what you’re doing, and it’s not going to work.Start writing.”
Braith groaned and flung himself back in his chair, but he also picked up his pen, so Archibald didn’t say anything.He didn’t care if Braith wanted to compile reports flopped over in his chair or upside down, standing on his hands as long as he did it.
He glanced at the TV screen.He couldn’t help but wonder.
Who in the city was killing monsters?Why were they killing so many of them?It could be the hunters, but it wasn’t their style.They were much more righteous about killing monsters and usually bragged every time they did so.
But if not the hunters, who?
* * * *
JASPER COULD HAVE CRIEDwith happiness when his parents finally left.His father had hinted pointedly at Jasper coming back to the hunters several times, but Jasper acted as if he didn’t understand what his father was saying.He’d learned from the best.His father always behaved as if he didn’t understand what Jasper was saying, after all.
“That was something,” Corey said as he locked the door behind them.He probably didn’t want them to try to come back in.
“Next time someone knocks on the door and we’re not expecting a delivery, don’t open it,” Jasper told Corey and Kerry.“Please.If you do, and it’s my parents again, I’ll leave you alone to deal with them.”
“You wouldn’t be that cruel,” Corey argued.
“You mean as cruel as you were when you snuck out of the kitchen and abandoned me with them?”
“They’re your parents, not mine.”
“Why do I like you again?”
