Page 20 of Pointy Ears and Purple Glitter
“He found me, actually,” Tynan said, which was technically true. “We’ve been together for about a year now.”
Malik slipped an arm around Tynan’s waist, a casual gesture that sent a pleasant shiver through him. “How’d you sleep?”
“Better than I have in...well, ever,” Tynan admitted quietly.
Ian glanced between them, grinning. “You two are adorable. Really. Makes me believe in true love and all that.”
“Don’t get sappy on us, Ian,” Malik warned, but his voice was kind as he reached into his pocket. “It’s closer to lunchtime than breakfast now, so you can go and get us some food. Just doublemy order so I can share with Tynan, get something for yourself, and don’t forget the fruitcake for Sparky.”
“Can Sparky come with me? Will he accompany me, I mean? He can pick out the fruitcake.”
Ian seemed excited, and as Malik didn’t seem to mind, Tynan nodded. “Sparky’s not my pet as such, he’s a free spirit, and opinionated, as you’ve noticed.” He pointed at the bird. “No telling tales about things you shouldn’t,” he warned.
“As if I would.” Sparky ruffled his feathers and then flapped over to Ian’s shoulder. “Lead on to the fruitcake, and no, we won’t forget you two while we’re gone.”
Tynan groaned as Ian grabbed some money from Malik’s hand and walked out of the giant roller doors, chatting to the raven on his shoulder. “I hope Ian’s open-minded about weirdness. There’s no telling what Sparky will tell him.”
“Ian is blessed with the creative mind of the young who see so much crap on social media, they don’t care if anything’s real or not, so long as it’s entertaining. They’ll be fine.”
Giving Tynan another squeeze, Malik went over to the Cadillac, checking something in the engine cavity, before closing the bonnet and rubbing a couple of fingerprints off it. “The client this belongs to will be here in about five minutes. Ian and Sparky will be back in ten with lunch, so all in all, good timing. Let’s go to the office. I can see anyone coming in from there.”
Tynan followed Malik to the office, a small room with a desk against the wall, a rather battered table in the middle of the space, and four chairs. The walls were lined with posters of vintage cars and calendars from parts suppliers. A computer sat on the desk, looking somewhat out of place among the paper invoices and mechanical manuals.
“So what’s Ian’s story?” Tynan asked as he sat in the nearest chair. “He seems very...enthusiastic.”
“He’s a good kid. He’s been working for me about two years now. Started as an apprentice, but he’s got natural talent with engines.” Malik leaned against the desk. “He lives with his mam, helps her run a food pantry on weekends. No dad in the picture.”
Tynan nodded, appreciating how Malik had extended a protective influence over the young man. It was yet another dimension of his mate that melted his heart - the ability for understated generosity beneath that commanding presence. Something Tynan was definitely aware of. He felt his cheeks flush and quickly blew out a long breath.
“You’re worried Sparky won’t behave himself?” Malik asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Just thinking about something else.” Tynan laughed. “As for Sparky, define ‘behave.’ I doubt he’d reveal anything truly paranormal, if that’s what you’re asking. He’s surprisingly good at reading situations...when he wants to be. It just depends on if he gets carried away or not. This sort of social interaction is new for both of us.”
“We’ll work it out.” A buzzer sounded as someone entered the workshop. Malik straightened. “That’ll be Mrs. Bloom for the caddy. Give me a minute.”
Tynan watched through the office window as Malik greeted an elegant older woman in a matching jumpsuit and pearls who seemed completely at ease in the gritty workshop. The contrast between the refined client and the industrial setting struck Tynan as similar to his own situation with Malik - unexpected pairings that somehow worked perfectly.
Just as Malik was handing over keys to Mrs. Bloom, Ian came in off the street with Sparky still perched on his shoulder. Theyoung man carried several paper bags that smelled deliciously of grilled meat and spices.
“We’ve returned victorious!” Ian announced, holding up the bags. “And we found the most amazing fruitcake at this little bakery three blocks over. Sparky practically did backflips when he saw it.”
“I did no such undignified thing,” Sparky protested, though his eyes remained fixed on one particular bag. “I merely expressed appropriate enthusiasm for quality baked goods.”
Tynan couldn’t help smiling at the pair. Sparky had a laser focus on some things – okay, mostly fruitcake - and whatever he and Ian had talked about while they were out had clearly bonded them. Ian’s eyes sparkled with excitement, and even Sparky seemed more animated than usual.
Mrs. Bloom gave the talking raven a startled look but recovered quickly. “How...unusual,” she murmured before thanking Malik and heading for the bright red Cadillac. Malik helped her reverse out of the workshop before coming back into the office.
“Let’s see what you two troublemakers brought back,” Malik said as he dragged a chair so he could sit right next to Tynan. “I need a bit more than a slice of fruitcake to sustain me.”
Ian unpacked containers of what appeared to be Greek food—gyros, salad, and a generous portion of fries. He also produced a small cake box that Sparky immediately hopped over to investigate.
“Patience,” Tynan told the bird, who shot him an indignant look.
“We had the best time,” Ian said, distributing the food. “Sparky knows so much about everything. He was telling me about different types of engines and how they’ve evolved over the years. Where’d he learn all that?”
Tynan exchanged a quick glance with Malik. “He...absorbs information. He watches a lot of YouTube if he gets bored at my office.”
“Cool,” Ian said, clearly accepting this explanation without question. “Oh, that’s right, you’re a private investigator. That’s so cool, too. Like, proper detective work and all that?”
