Chapter 7 #2
She blinked at me, taking in my fluffy, tea-party skirt. “Are you? Well, she’s in her office talking to the mayor, so you’ll have to wait a few minutes. Do you want a drink?” she asked the devil with flirty lash-batting like she had visible eyelashes. She didn’t, just very visible tusks.
I grabbed his arm, pulling him closer to me, feeling protective for some reason. “We have dinner plans. You shouldn’t drink before dinner. Also, this is a police station. What kind of drinks could you possibly have?”
“Elixirs, coffee, and water. But I’ve got something a bit stronger in my desk if you’re interested,” she said, winking at him again and wiggling her pale blue brows.
Did he have a reputation for liking ogres? I realized how tightly I was holding his arm, how close I was to him, like he was mine. If he liked ogres, that was great. Made it less likely that I’d fall for him if he was busy dating someone who could rip off my arms.
I stepped away and held Divinity and the cake box. I pointedly smiled at the ogre female even though she barely glanced at me, so intent was she on wooing the devil. “I’ll just wait here. Mr. Gray is free to enjoy your company.”
He gave me an amused look. “Is he? I’m afraid that would be impossible as I’m here strictly on business.”
The ogre finally frowned at him. “You shouldn’t tempt the lieutenant with a deal. She’s got enough on her plate as it is.”
“Not a deal, just offering information to appease my guilty conscience.”
She stared at him, jaw slack, tusks gleaming while her eyes went dull, trying to understand that incomprehensible statement. “Guilty conscience? You?”
He gave her a flat smile, put his arm in mine, and ushered me away from her and closer to Lieutenant Sato’s office. “It’s a curse,” he said with a shrug. Why did his arm feel so strong and perfect in mine?
She nodded knowingly. “Curses can be so inconvenient. I’ll go tell Sato that you’re here.” She lumbered off, leaving us standing there attracting the looks of several other officers. It had been hard to notice anyone when the ogre was staring us down, flirting with my devil.
Lewell offered me a slight smile. I returned it, feeling stupid in my ridiculous fluffy skirt. Also standing there with the devil like I was one of his slaves. Which was true enough.
“How’s everything?” he said, coming over and looking at my rabbit.
“Great! I’m opening a bakery called The Rabbit Hole, as in down the…because it’s part of the Wonderland theme. He’s sponsoring the shop.” I nodded at the tall, muscular devil next to me.
“Sponsoring?” He gave the devil a skeptical look, almost like he knew he was a devil. Maybe it was the tiny horns poking out of his dark hair. Maybe it was the way he oozed deliciousness.
Philius gave him a sleek smile. “Are you looking for a sponsor? I’m always scouting for fresh talent.”
Lewell took two steps away from him, giving me an even more concerned look. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“So far so good. Ask me in five years.”
Sato popped out of her office and waved at us.
“It’s the punching fairy! Come on in. And you’ve found a tall, dark delicious for backup.
Apparently, he has a conscience?” She looked like that was possible.
Amazing. No one else in the whole world would believe such a thing. She must be an incurable optimist.
We sat in her office across from her, and I carefully handed the cake over the desk. “This is a thank-you cake for your help. I’m opening a bakery. I don’t know if the cake will taste good, but it should be exactly what you like and need.”
She opened the box and peered into the chocolate depths.
She sniffed a few times, and her eyes flickered goblin-gold before going back to her usual brown with violet flecks.
“It smells like thanks and strength. Nice combo. You have baking magic? My mom has ordering magic. That’s why she’s so amazing at The Cat’s Pause.
You’re the one opening a bakery next door?
I’m glad you aren’t a dining place. Treats will be perfect after someone orders a nice sushi boat.
You should serve tea with it. It would go with the Wonderland theme, tea parties, right?
So, what really brings you here? I take it you’ve found your dad, because my mom’s been stalking your shop and is quite sure your dad’s staying there with you. ”
“Oh. Your parents own The Cat’s Pause? No, I don’t want to compete with them. I just want to make an amazing bakery. But, no, that’s not why we’re here. The thing is, there was a…situation in Wonderland yesterday involving this…person…” I looked at the devil for help.
He pulled the pocket watch out of his coat and placed it on the desk next to the cake.
“The Lady of the Wild Woods. I was keeping her in this watch as a deal for a few hundred or so years, but I released her yesterday. Miss Kesty has informed me that it’s irresponsible for an upright citizen of Singsong to do such a thing without alerting the proper authorities. ”
Lieutenant Sato frowned at him, at the watch, and then at him again. “You released this Lady of the Wild Woods in Singsong?”
“In Wonderland, which isn’t technically part of the city proper, but I’m fairly certain she left my domain and entered the city.”
“Why did you release her?”
“I made a deal with someone who wanted her freed.”
Her eyes tightened. “Who wanted her freed? Or is that confidential?”
The devil shrugged. “Confidentiality wasn’t part of the deal. Goblins, a band called the Riku, who oppose the goblin king, wished for her release.”
“Goblins who oppose the goblin king?” Her eyes turned fierce in a flash that made my skin prickle. “And you just released her?”
“Indeed.” He nodded soberly, but his eyes were amused.
“And you’re here to tell me because…”
“Miss Kesty was concerned about the situation.”
“I thought it was your conscience.”
“Miss Kesty is my conscience.”
“Mm. That sounds likely.” Sarcasm dripped off her words, heavy and thick. She pulled out a dangerous-looking knife and cut into the cake viciously, putting a slice on a sheaf of papers and handing it over to me before she sliced two more pieces, one for each of us.
“Take a bite so I know it’s not poisoned,” she directed me.
I blinked then bit into it with my face, getting some of the glazed icing on my cheeks. Mm. It had the perfect crumb, and the chocolate was decadent without being too strong.
When I looked up, Sato was also eating her cake with her face. The devil pulled a fork out of his coat and ate like the only civilized person there.
She drank a cup of something then licked the chocolate off her lips. “So, this Lady of the Wild Woods is now my problem?”
“Or you could make it the goblin king’s problem,” the devil suggested with an innocent smile.
“Or you could track her down and catch her in your watch like you did the first time,” she pointed out with chocolate smeared across her thumb.
“Ah. I could, but no one’s made a deal with me which required me to do so, which makes it unlikely.”
“What would it take to get you to take care of your own mess? Maybe in return I won’t jail your conscience.” Sato gestured at me.
“Threats from Lady Justice? How charming.” The devil smiled at her dangerously. “I’m not interested in threats.”
I cleared my throat. “But we are interested in helping any way we can. But right now, it’s out of our hands.
I just thought you should know about the threat.
Not that we’re turning it over to you, because we realize it’s still our problem since we caused it.
However, we don’t have the resources you have.
So, you should be on the lookout for…” I looked pointedly at the devil and his lashing barbed tail.
“Parks,” he finally said, eyes fixed on me in a way that made me feel like I was more delicious than the chocolate cake.
“You’ll be looking for parks that become darker, more shadowy even during the brightest hours of the day.
She’s weak now, so she’ll be taking the weak, the unknown before moving to more challenging targets.
You’ll look for missing transients, dust addicts, that sort of thing.
You’ll find shredded clothing in the tops of trees, and nothing else of the victims.”
Sato stared at him, horror growing on her face. “And why would these goblins want to release a psycho killer?”
He raised a brow. “Why? I didn’t ask. That wasn’t part of the deal.”
Sato pressed her hands on the desk and gave a serious nod. “Okay. We’ll be on the lookout for clothing remnants in the tops of trees. And does she stick to one park?”
“Until it thins of prey.”
“And how does one capture her? Other than pocket watches?”
“She’s a spirit wrapped in flesh and blood. So you’ll need a way to contain the spirit or destroy it entirely.”
“And how would you destroy a spirit?”
He gave her a puzzled look. “I wouldn’t. You can’t use a spirit once it’s destroyed. I make deals. I don’t execute.”
“Ah. But you know how to do so?”
He gave her a slight smile. “Naturally. Shall we make a deal?”
I grabbed his arm and hauled him upright.
“It’s been so nice to see you, Lieutenant Sato.
Enjoy the cake. I’m sure you can figure out how to destroy evil spirits with other sources.
We have to go to dinner. We have a reservation.
” I hauled him out of her office without giving her the chance to agree to make a deal with the devil.
I smiled at the ogre as I dragged him past her and out the front door. If I was the devil’s conscience, I had my work cut out for me.
But who was going to be my conscience when he felt so incredibly good?