He waited till I’d rolled down the driveway in darkness before doing so. “The second best gift after Hairball is you. From what I can sense, Liberty always lacked purpose, so she got caught up in the wrong things. Either your mother didn’t need her or she didn’t feel connected to Shelley in the same way.” Pondering, he added, “You two truly are connected, whether you like it or not. So, you’ve become Liberty’s purpose. A reason to change.”
“Huh. I thought I was more of a thorn in her side.”
“Oh, you are. And witches of her generation were less—how can I say this?—collegial. Sure, there were alliances aplenty but you didn’t trust anyone but family, and often not even them.”
“So lonely,” I said. “I know that from my own experience. Never confided in a soul besides Ren. Not for more than a decade, when I met you and Sinda.”
“And you’re doing better than most. Truly.”
We drove along the winding roads through the springs yet again. It was more slippery now from the mist and the first real snowflakes were falling. Despite the circumstances, it gave me a childlike joy to see them. Christmas would be different this year. Spent with real friends and family instead of with colleagues and guests at some nameless resort.
The drive seemed too short and too long at the same time, because I wasn’t sure what we’d find at the other end.
A ghost dog in need, yes, but the closer we got, the more my senses signaled a warning. If Angus’s case hadn’t been closed, the police might still be on site. It would take time to confirm whether Robert Parkin was the killer, but he was certainly part of a puzzle that would move the investigation along. Ruthann seemed satisfied with detaining him, and the sentries were safe, at least for now.
Bixby scratched at the passenger door and I opened his window. Elsa’s heater wasn’t her best asset, so it was plenty cold enough without flakes blowing in. “What is it?”
“Not sure yet. But something.”
The downtown core was pretty much empty, as it should be at that hour. Christmas lights still offered a cheery glow in many stores.
I parked around the corner from the library and rolled up the window.
“Anything yet?” I asked the dog.
He rumbled tentative confirmation. “Pretty sure Skye isn’t alone tonight.”
Sighing, I buttoned my coat to the neck. “So, I might get commotion along with my cue after all.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
My hope of finding the back door of the library propped open again fizzled as we walked through the alley behind the building. A peek in the side window had already established that Drew wasn’t still doing his homework on magical mysteries here. No need for the cop of my dreams to sit around an empty library in the night.
“Unless he had hopes for another jaunty bouquet,” Bixby said, in my head. “Wait till he hears he’s on the hook for bringing the flowers again. There is something to be said for traditional gender roles. Unless you’re enjoying wearing the pants in this relationship. In which case, knock yourself out.”
“I am not wearing the pants. That’s outdated thinking and a terrible thing to say.”
He chuckled. “Modern magicals really aren’t that different from cave magicals. Evolution moves incredibly slowly. Drew’s in a macho, male-dominated profession. I’m sure he’s more comfortable wearing pants. That’s all I’m saying.”
“You’re saying too much. Do you want me to focus, or not?”
“Sure, but a brain of your caliber—and I’m privileged to witness its capacity from the inside—can focus on two things at once. If you really want to ‘cut loose’ with Drew, you might need to let him bring the flowers.”
A puff of disgust streamed out of my mouth. Visible proof he’d gotten to me. “I’m plenty feminine enough. Meeting men has never been a problem.”
“Keeping men, on the other hand…”
Another steamy puff followed. “I wear dresses and heels all the time.”
“And your powers far exceed his, at least at the moment. Red may very well feel he’s the one in stilettos getting posies.” He watched my breath. “No need to get all puffy about it. I’m just trying to help.”
“You’re not helping.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. You got your dander up, and I do believe you’ll need a good dose of dander in there.” Pulling in a long snort, he added, “What exactly is dander?”
“Just tell me who’s in there requiring my dander.”
He continued to sniff. “No magical flatulence that I can detect. Verbal flatulence is another matter.”
I snickered at that. “You verge on that yourself, my friend. Stick to the inside line, please.”
“I always try. Rarely succeed.”
The door wasn’t ajar, but it was unlocked. Judging by the fresh scratches on the metal, someone had picked the lock rather clumsily.
“Human?” I asked, poking my head in quickly to take stock. No one lay in ambush, at least in the back room. Inside the library proper, baseboard lighting in the stacks offered enough clarity to avoid attracting attention with my phone light.
“Not quite. Not much of anything, as far as I can tell. And yet something.”
I readjusted my grip on him to make sure he was secure. His warmth felt comforting under my bare fingertips, despite his caustic commentary. “Be quiet until we figure out what’s going on. Please.”
He didn’t respond, which was a welcome reprieve.
There was no need to go looking for Skye. The border collie was standing at the end of the cookbook aisle, waving her tail in a greeting. I’d never seen her so happy. Warmth spread from Bixby’s body right through my own. He was right. Skye was absolutely worth a middle-of-the-night expedition.
“Hey, girl,” I whispered, dropping to my knees beside her. “Do you want to join us on this side of the great divide? We’re ready if you are.”
“You don’t have a home for her yet,” Bixby reminded me.
