Page 51 of Pointy Ears and Purple Glitter
“Deal.” Tynan kissed him lightly. “And I promise to fill you in on everything the moment I get back.”
As the hours passed, Tynan prepared carefully, reviewing everything they knew about Hayley Cooper and her mother. He changed into clothes that looked professional but allowed freedom of movement if he needed to react quickly. His glamor on his ears was holding strong - another benefit of his stabilized magic since bonding with Malik.
At two-thirty, he and Sparky set out for the coffee shop, taking a taxi to avoid being followed. The Percolator was just as Malik had described - a bustling café in the heart of downtown, with large windows and multiple entry points. Perfect for a safe meeting.
“I’ll do a perimeter check,” Sparky announced as they approached. “Make sure there are no suspicious characters lurking.”
While the raven did his reconnaissance, Tynan entered the café and secured a table near the back wall with a clear view of both entrances. He ordered a coffee and texted Malik:Arrived safely. No sign of trouble.
The reply came immediately:Be careful. Check in at 3:30 as planned.
At five minutes to three, Sparky returned, flying right through the open door and landing discreetly on the chair next to Tynan. “All clear outside. No sign of Garrison’s goons or anyone else suspicious.”
Tynan nodded, his eyes fixed on the front door. Just as the clock struck three, a young woman entered wearing a blue scarf draped loosely around her neck. She matched the photos they’d seen of Hayley Cooper - chestnut hair, pretty in an understated way. She scanned the café nervously before spotting Tynan and making her way over.
“You must be Ian’s friend,” she said, sliding into the seat across from him. “He described you perfectly. You’re the private investigator.”
“Tynan,” he confirmed, offering his hand. “Thank you for agreeing to meet.”
She shook it briefly, her eyes darting around the café. “Is Ian okay? His message said he was injured.”
“He was hurt during a break-in at the shop,” Tynan explained, studying her reaction. “His arm is broken, but he’ll recover.”
Genuine concern crossed her face. “That’s terrible. Please tell him I’m sorry.”
“I will.” Tynan leaned forward slightly. “Hayley - it is Hayley, right? - Ian mentioned you wanted to talk to someone not connected to your mother.”
She nodded, unwinding the scarf from her neck. “I saw on social media that you’ve been asking about me. At first, I was angry, but then I realized she hired you, didn’t she? My mother?”
“Yes,” Tynan admitted. “She came to my office about three weeks ago, claimed you’d been missing for six weeks.”
Hayley laughed, though there was no humor in it. “Of course she did. And let me guess - she painted a picture of us as best friends? Said I tell her everything?”
“Something like that,” Tynan confirmed. “But your social media told a different story.”
“I bet it did.” She sighed, wrapping her hands around her coffee cup. “Look, I’m not missing. I left. There’s a difference.”
“I figured as much,” Tynan said gently. “Would you mind telling me why?”
Hayley hesitated, then seemed to make a decision. “My mother is...controlling. She has been my whole life. I couldn’t breathe without her monitoring it. She put a tracking app on my phone, there were cameras in our house, restrictions on who I could see...” She shook her head. “It wasn’t normal, but I didn’t realize how bad it was until I started therapy last year.”
“That matches what we found,” Tynan confirmed. “Your posts suggested tension.”
“That’s putting it mildly.” Hayley took a sip of her coffee. “Did she tell you about my dad? Or my uncle?”
“She didn’t, but we learned they disappeared, too.”
“They didn’t just disappear. They escaped.” Her voice hardened. “My mother drove them away with the same controlling behavior. When they tried to leave, she made their lives hell - stalking, harassment, threats. My dad had to change his name and move to another continent to get away from her.”
Sparky shifted on his chair, and Hayley’s eyes widened slightly at the raven.
“He’s with me,” Tynan explained quickly. “Sort of a therapy animal.”
She nodded, though she kept glancing at Sparky. “Anyway, I knew I needed to get out, but I’d seen what happened when Dad and Uncle Jeremy tried. She hired private investigators, had them followed and even reported them missing to create legal problems. I knew I had to be smarter.”
“So you created a cover story,” Tynan guessed. “The mysterious new boyfriend.”
“G,” she confirmed with a small smile. “He doesn’t exist. I made him up, left those breadcrumbs on social media to create a narrative she’d believe. I figured she’d assume I’d run off with him, maybe look for both of us together, which would make it harder.”
