Chapter 24
Chapter
Twenty-Four
Erasmus
Gaia, I hated this. Snuggled up on my couch, I stared at the flames licking their way up from the logs below. My eyes were dry from staring too long. Feet pulled up and knees tucked, my position reminded me of how I’d found Navarre upon our first introduction. There was something innately soothing about resting in the fetal position.
It was also a little hard on the knees.
Stretching out, I rested my feet on the coffee table but still didn’t take my eyes off the fire as I remembered my conversation with Pops. It wasn’t that it had gone badly, just… I hated his worry more than I hated my own.
Pops didn’t think it was time to involve Momma yet, and I trusted his opinion. I was also more than a little relieved, although that relief was a minuscule drop in the lake of angst taking up residence in my brain.
“You seem very melancholy.”
I barely twitched when Aurelia shifted into my line of sight. The sound of the little hamster ball rolling across the floor sounded distant as the fella took off toward the hallway. I was only halfway surprised Aurelia was still carting the thing around. I didn’t think she liked this one as much as Little Fang and wondered endlessly why she continued caring for it. Was Aurelia truly that bored?
“I’m resting,” I halfway lied. I was physically resting, but I couldn’t get my brain to shut off and do the same.
Aurelia’s head cocked to the side and her Caribbean blue eyes narrowed. “I do not believe that is completely accurate.”
I felt my eye twitch. Since when had Aurelia become so observant? “I’m resting my body. My brain hasn’t gotten the memo yet.”
Aurelia moved, shifting around the coffee table before circling it and perching on the edge. She’d started coming closer to me, as if she were finally comfortable narrowing the space between us. I still wasn’t certain how I felt about that. Aurelia didn’t need proximity to harm me. I think it was more instinctual wariness than anything else.
“You speak a language I am well versed in and yet I often do not understand what you say.” Aurelia sat with her legs spread and her elbows perched on her knees as she leaned toward me, gazing at me as if I were a complicated puzzle.
“I often think the same thing about you,” I answered. That wasn’t strictly true. I understood what Aurelia said. I often didn’t understand why.
Aurelia remained silent, her eerie gaze boring into me until I simply couldn’t take it any longer. Frustrated, I said, “I don’t like it when you’re here and don’t show yourself.”
Aurelia’s eyebrow ticked upward. “I am showing myself currently.”
I blew out a huff. “Yes, I’m aware. But you didn’t yesterday.”
This time, Aurelia’s eyes scrunched. “I do not believe I was here yesterday, though I am uncertain.”
“How can you not know for sure?”
Aurelia waved a dismissive hand in the air. “Time is irrelevant and difficult for me to grasp.”
I’d heard that before and still couldn’t understand it. Just like Aurelia couldn’t understand why keeping track of time was so important to most species, especially those as short-lived as humans and necromancers.
“Regardless, I have not done that for what you would most likely consider a lengthy time interval,” Aurelia said.
“Done what? Been here and not made me aware?”
“Yes. You told me you do not like it, and I have attempted to uphold your request.” Aurelia’s tone was matter-of-fact.
I started to argue. I’d definitely gotten the feeling someone was watching me yesterday and yet, I’d never known Aurelia to lie. She didn’t need to. If anything, Aurelia was unabashedly blunt and honest. I didn’t think she knew how to be otherwise.
Swallowing my argument, I felt the tingle of unease slither down my spine again. Because if it wasn’t Aurelia, then who was it? My gaze flicked to the shadows dancing around the fireplace and the odd location I’d seen the stationary shadow yesterday. I’d chalked it up to my eyes playing tricks on me, but what I’d seen yesterday definitely wasn’t there today. It could be that the play of shadows simply changed with the fire. That would be the perfectly simple and sane explanation. It was an explanation I didn’t completely buy, no matter how much I wanted to.
Swallowing hard, I asked, “Aurelia, can you tell if anyone else is in the house?”
Aurelia’s seemingly perpetually bored facial mask slipped into something more intense. “The creature is here.”
I sat up, my heart racing until I remembered that’s what Aurelia called her pet. “You mean the hamster?”
Aurelia nodded. “Yes. Do you mean something else?”
“I do. I’m not… I’m not certain, but I’ve gotten the feeling recently that something is watching me. I thought it was you.”
“It is not,” Aurelia sternly answered.
“Yes, and I believe you. And if that is the case, then perhaps there is something else. If there were, would you be able to tell?”
“Most likely,” Aurelia answered, her expression revealing nothing. She also hadn’t said if there was something else or not.
Begging Gaia for a little patience, I asked, “And would you be willing to let me know if there was? As always, it is your choice.” If there was a magic word with Aurelia, choice was it.
Aurelia’s stiff body relaxed a fraction. “I believe I would do so, unless I found it more interesting not to reveal their presence. As for now, there is no one here beyond you, me, and the creature.”
Said creature rolled into the living room. Aurelia gave the moving ball a scathing look. “I do not like this pet . I have informed Peaches he needs to find it another home. I refuse to name such a worthless creature.”
“And what did Peaches have to say?” While I didn’t want a hamster, if Aurelia’s patience with the thing was at an end, then I’d take it off her hands if only to save it. I wasn’t sure that Aurelia would end the hamster’s life, but I also didn’t feel like chancing it.
“Peaches will comply. He asked me to take care of it until he finds an appropriate home.” Aurelia huffed. “I acquiesced. I promised to care for it in the interim. Peaches promised it is a top priority.” With narrowed eyes, Aurelia said, “We will see if he keeps his promise or if he yet proves to be like other masters.”
I swallowed my unease. “I think Peaches will keep his word, but sometimes rehoming animals takes time. If it takes longer than you think it should, then don’t assume he isn’t trying.” Most pixies had tender hearts and Peaches was no different.
Aurelia quietly contemplated my words and finally offered a faint nod. The hamster ball rolled closer and hit Aurelia’s combat boot. Reaching down, she easily plucked the ball off the floor, opened it up, and deposited the hamster into the backpack she carried.
Standing, Aurelia glanced around the house as if seeing it for the first time. “Your home is very…festive. I have noted similar decorations around Peaches’s home and others he knows. It is an interesting change.” Head tilted to the side, Aurelia said, “Your mate has arrived,” before vanishing.
Sighing, I checked my phone and noted I’d missed Franklin’s text letting me know he was on his way. Most likely it had pinged about the same time Aurelia showed up.
Standing, I made my way to the door, eager to get Franklin’s arms wrapped around me.
O nce upon a time, I’d been nervous and felt out of place when walking into the local police precinct. While it didn’t exactly feel like home, it was where Franklin spent a lot of his time. Just knowing he was inside went a long way to easing the way.
“Good morning, Erasmus.” Officer Ebony Becks was a lovely woman. Her dark skin looked beautiful against her police uniform and her grin was always welcoming. I’d liked her from the start and my fondness had only grown over the years.
“Mornin’, Officer Becks,” I greeted back. “How are things today?”
“Oh, you know, the same old, same old.” Becks’s smile faded around the edges. “I’m sorry but I haven’t been able to do much work with the list of necromancer mothers. I’m afraid we’ve gotten rather busy. Crime is an unfortunate constant.”
I waved her off. “Perfectly understandable. I appreciate any help you can offer and understand that current cases take precedence.”
“They do, but that doesn’t mean I won’t find a way to work on it,” she promised.
“I don’t want to cause you a lot of extra work. You already have so much to do.”
“Nonsense.” Ebony’s grin was back full force. “I love doing that kind of thing. Honestly, you’re doing me the favor, not the other way around. Besides, doing work I’m supposed to do keeps me out of looking into things I’m not supposed to.” Ebony threw me a wink before heading back to her desk and the computers waiting there.
Hands stuffed into my coat pocket, I fingered the charms resting there, finding comfort in their weight as I made my way to Franklin’s desk. He’d come in this morning to get some work done before we headed west to Louisiana. We hadn’t heard anything else from Detective Cardoza. As far as I knew, they hadn’t gotten any further on the case or the ID of the person who rented the vehicle that ran me off the road. Ebony Becks thought she might be able to pull an image off the dark purple hat the person was wearing. She was currently running it through some kind of program, attempting to clean up the image enough to make something sensible out of it.
It was more than we’d had but not enough to do much with. Frustration was an emotion I was becoming all too familiar with.
That constant frustration took a backseat to Franklin’s grin when he looked up and our eyes connected. “Hey, sexy, how are you feeling?”
I rubbed the back of my neck as heat flushed my skin. I’d fallen asleep in Franklin’s arms and woken up the same way. It was as if my body sought him out no matter my consciousness. While I hadn’t cried last night, I’d been morose and quiet. Franklin hadn’t complained. He never did.
“Better,” I truthfully answered while pulling over a chair, mindful of the squeak the feet made when dragged across the linoleum floor. Plopping down, I shifted my pants pockets so Pops’s charms settled more comfortably.
“Good. I’m just finishing up here, and then we can head out. That should get us to your meeting with Janet Meeker in plenty of time.”
I should have argued more, told Franklin he didn’t have to make the trip with me, but the truth was I was far too relieved to be that altruistic. I didn’t welcome the trip back to Louisiana by myself. Not that I wanted to place Franklin in danger, but I did want company.
“I just need to speak with the captain about a couple of things.” Franklin’s phone sounded and when he checked the number, a frown tugged his lips. Holding up a finger my direction, Franklin said, “Sorry, I need to take this.”
I didn’t mind and leaned into the hard chair. It wasn’t terribly uncomfortable but would become so if I had to hang out in it too long. Head tilted back, I was staring at the ceiling, but Franklin’s increasingly worried tone pulled me attention from my musings.
“Slow down, Billy. Tell me what’s going on.” Franklin sat up straighter, pen in one hand and scrounging around for paper. I pushed a piece toward him, and he nodded a thanks. “Okay. I got it. Are you somewhere safe?”
I could tell Franklin didn’t really like Billy’s answer by the purse of his lips and narrowed eyes. “Does he know where you are?” There was a pause before Franklin said, “Stay put. I’m on my way.”
Franklin pocketed his phone and began to rise when his gaze hit mine and I knew the instant he realized he couldn’t possibly be in two places at one. “Shit. Boone, I—”
“Someone’s in trouble.” It wasn’t a question.
Franklin swallowed hard and nodded. “Billy Davies. Looks like Boggs isn’t waiting until Thursday. Billy said he saw Boggs’s goons on his way to school this morning. He didn’t call me then, but Billy got called out of class. He was told there’s an emergency at home and he’s not sure if that’s true of if they’re just trying to get him out of the school building. Billy’s freaking out.”
“No kidding. I would be too. Don’t you have surveillance on Billy’s house?” I asked, remembering our previous conversation.
“We do and I haven’t heard anything. That’s my next call. Billy’s holed up in a bathroom in the school. I…I promised him I’d be there, but…” Franklin licked his lips, obviously torn. “Give me a few minutes. I can make some calls and see who’s available to pick him up. It doesn’t have to be me, I—”
“Absolutely not.” I stood, determination lighting a fire under my ass. “You will not let that boy down. You are the one he came to. You are the one he trusts. I’m not about to let you blow that trust now.”
Franklin shook his head. “It’ll be fine. You’re my priority.”
I closed the distance between us. Grasping Franklin’s face within my palms I raked my thumbs across his jaw. He was so damn torn. I could see it in his eyes. He couldn’t stand letting either one of us down. Franklin had been placed in an impossible position, and it was my job to get him out of it.
“I’ll reschedule Janet Meeker,” I said. “That’s the simplest solution. It’s not like her granddaddy is going anywhere.” While that was true, I hated to put her off any longer. Janet had been very understanding the last time. I wasn’t so sure about this go around. There was a strong likelihood I was about to earn myself a scathing review. Seeing the relief on Franklin’s face was worth whatever vitriol Janet sent my way.
Franklin’s deep inhale spoke volumes. “I hate this,” he said.
“I know you do, but it’s your job and that boy needs you more than I do right now. My job is bringing the dead back. Yours is to keep them alive as long as possible. We work at different ends of the spectrum and right now, your job is the priority. It’ll be fine. I promise.”
Franklin’s arms surrounded me, pulling me against his hard chest as he squeezed tight. “God, I love you. I could say those words a thousand times and it still wouldn’t be enough.”
Despite the phone call I wasn’t looking forward to, I felt my heart lighten. I would have liked to stay in Franklin’s arms, but he had a boy to rescue. Pushing free, I said, “Go on. Call me later?”
“Of course.” Franklin kissed my forehead before reaching for his coat and keys. “Stay safe. I’ll see you later tonight.” Franklin’s phone was already at his ear as strode through the precinct on his way to his vehicle.
With a heavy sigh I followed his example, reaching for my phone and pulling up Janet Meeker’s number. A text would be the coward’s way out. I almost took it but called her instead. Janet answered quickly.
“Necromancer Boone, I didn’t expect to hear from you for a few more hours yet.” Janet sounded pleasant enough. I wasn’t at all certain that would last.
Clearing my throat, I leaned against Franklin’s desk and dove into my apology. “I hate to do this to you, Miss Meeker, but I’m afraid—”
“You’re canceling?” More than a hint of anger rang through those words.
“Regretfully, yes. I’m afraid something emergent and unavoidable has come up.” I didn’t want to drag Franklin into this discussion. I hadn’t told Janet that Franklin was coming with me this time and I didn’t see a reason to broach that topic now.
Mumbled words I couldn’t make out rumbled across the phone call. I got the feeling Janet was speaking with someone else. There was a good chance it was another family member. She’d already told me one or two might be present also. While that wasn’t in the contract I’d had her sign, I didn’t mind as long as I had a heads-up.
Janet’s voice came back, stronger than her prior mumbled words that clearly weren’t meant for my ears. “That’s fine. I understand.” Janet’s tone softened into honeyed sweetness. “Emergencies happen. While it’s unfortunate, plans can be changed.”
Tension fled my body. “Thank you. That is very understanding. Again, I’m very sorry. This isn’t how I typically run my business or treat my clients.”
I got the feeling Janet was waving a hand in the air. “I won’t pretend I’m not disappointed and maybe a little upset, but as I said, things happen. I just hope everything is all right on your end. I’d hate to think you’re canceling because of some personal affliction or predicament.”
“No, nothing like that.” Her concern was kind. “It has more to do with my boyfriend.” While I still didn’t want to get into specifics, I decided to share enough that Janet wouldn’t worry.
“Ah, yes… Significant others can derail even the best laid plans. Love makes you do all kinds of things you never imagined yourself capable of.”
I blinked trying to parse out those odd word choices and phrasing.
Before I could respond, Janet said, “Maybe I could come to you.”
My mouth slipped open while my brain processed Janet’s words. “Come here?” I was more than a little puzzled. “You want to drive your granddaddy’s body across state lines?” While Mississippi and Louisiana were kissing cousins close, it was still at least a three-hour drive. They’d have to hire a hearse, load up Eugene Meeker’s coffin and body, and head this direction.
Janet’s laugh was too high pitched to be auditorily comfortable. “Oh no. Not the body. Granddaddy was cremated. Didn’t you know? I’ve heard that’s not a problem for you. That you can still bring back the soul. Was I misinformed?”
My brain stumbled. I could have sworn Eugene Meeker had been buried, not burned. However, if it was only an urn… “I hate to make you do that.”
“It’s no problem. In fact, it might just be a better plan. This way, you don’t need protection on your way here. I heard the person who attacked you is still on the loose. This way is much safer.” Janet’s reasoning was incredibly sound and generous.
I stared at Franklin’s desk while chewing on my bottom lip. I’d promised him I wouldn’t drive to Louisiana without him, and I was a necromancer of my word. Janet’s offer solved a multitude of problems, not the least of which was taking Franklin away from his job for a day.
Decision made, I said, “If you really don’t mind—”
“Not in the least.”
Tension leaked from my body. “Then I will happily take you up on your offer. When can you be here?”
“Consider me in the car and on the way. Would you like me to come to your home or meet elsewhere?”
I never gave out my home address. That was just asking for trouble if things didn’t go the way my clients wanted. I quickly thought of a few options, discarding most of them. In the end, I settled on a cemetery I knew relatively well. Trinity Holy Cross wasn’t one of the graveyards I frequented on my downtime, but it wasn’t overly loud to my necromancer senses either. The weather wasn’t even too shabby today. It was mostly sunny and in the low sixties. I asked Janet if she needed the address and she told me she’d look it up online.
“I’ll text you when I’m about thirty minutes away,” Janet offered.
“That works for me.”
“Wonderful. We’ll see you soon.” Janet ended the call, leaving me pondering if the we in that statement was her and her granddaddy’s ashes, or if someone on this side of the veil was accompanying Janet Meeker.
I was staring at my dark phone when Captain Loretta Cicely walked by and said, “You look pleased.”
Nodding, I was still grinning when I answered, “My client offered to come to me.”
Loretta’s eyebrows rose. “The one in Louisiana? The one that O’Hare was supposed to go with you to meet today before he was called away to check on a person of interest?”
“One and the same. This way, Franklin doesn’t have to take any time off. I know he’s busy and—”
“And you are very important to all of us. I hope you’re not doing this out of concern for O’Hare’s position here. I assure you, I am fully behind O’Hare’s desire to keep you safe.” Loretta squared her shoulders as she stared up at me. We were almost the same height. Despite her missing my mark by an inch or so, I felt cowed by her gaze.
“No.” I cleared my throat and attempted to shore up my voice. “No, it’s not that. But this way is simpler for everyone.” Maybe not for Janet Meeker, but she seemed eager enough.
Loretta looked me up and down before releasing a sigh. “When are you meeting this client and where?”
Scratching the back of my head, my neck burned from embarrassment. Loretta’s concern was a bit overwhelming. “My guess is three to four hours from now. As for where, Trinity Holy Cross Cemetery.”
Loretta jotted down the name and tucked the piece of paper into her pocket. “I’ll let O’Hare know. Feel free to text him too. He may not be able to respond right away.” With a frown, she added, “The situation’s not good.”
I swallowed hard. “Is Franklin in danger?”
Loretta shook her head. “Doubtful. But one can never be too careful. Don’t worry. O’Hare’s got backup. You just take care of yourself. Worrying about the ones we love is every law enforcement officer’s distraction. It’s unavoidable, but it can prove problematic as well.”
Guilt stabbed my chest. While I didn’t think Loretta said those words to be cruel or to get me out of Franklin’s life, they were a harsh reminder that in many ways, I was more of a liability to Franklin while he was on the job.
“I’ve got this,” I assured Franklin’s captain. “It’s a simple retrieval on my home turf. Besides, I’m loaded with Pops’s charms.”
Loretta cringed. “Yes…well, Warlock Holland is very skilled.”
Laughter tore its way through my chest, bubbling through my mouth. “That he is.” With a wink, I added, “He’s skilled at a lot of things. Prideful ass-holery is just one of them.”
Loretta’s cringe turned into a smirk. “Too true.” Walking past me, Loretta’s rings flashed in the fluorescent lights as she waved me away. “Take care of yourself, Erasmus Boone. You are far too important to this department and the man that occupies that desk to let anything happen to you.”
I stared at Franklin’s empty chair, wishing more than anything that he were sitting in it. I didn’t like the implications of his chair sitting there, waiting for its occupant to come back. Slipping my fingers along the back of the chair, I whispered, “Be careful, Franklin. You are far too important to me too.”