Chapter 3 #2
“Maybe pattern isn’t quite the right word.
Escalation? At first, the cases were just your run-of-the-mill kind of things.
Cheating spouses, untrustworthy business partners, all pretty mundane, but slowly the ones that started coming my way turned out to be…
of a supernatural inclination. If you know what I mean. ”
“I have no idea what you mean.”
“One of the cases I investigated turned out to be a telepath who was using his gift to win at high stakes poker games and another case ended up being a guy who was kind of a reverse psychic. Instead of reading people, he was able to push suggestions into their minds…”
Danny leans forward in his chair in interest. “Mind control? Really?” His eyes widen, then narrow curiously. “What was this person making them do?”
“He was getting them to purchase really expensive insurance policies they didn’t need. He became the top sales rep overnight and cleaned up with a massive bonus.”
Danny’s mouth falls open. “Seriously?”
I chuckle. “Seriously.”
“Of all the things you can do with an ability like that and he was…selling insurance?”
“He did have a bit of a limited imagination.”
“That’s really weird.”
“You’re telling me. It didn’t stop there. As word spread, more and more people were coming to me with cases that they couldn’t go to the police about, things that were…I don’t know, otherworldly? And you know what was really strange?”
“Does it get stranger than someone with the power of suggestion selling insurance?”
I huff a quiet laugh. “No, what’s weird is that the people using these paranormal gifts weren’t born with them. Like me, they’d only had them for about a year or so. It’s like somewhere someone flipped a switch and all of a sudden regular people started developing preternatural abilities.”
“Like someone’s turned up the supernatural dial on London?”
“Yes! That’s it exactly.”
Danny frowns. “Well, that’s…fairly disturbing.”
“Yeah,” I agree. “I was starting to put together a timeline of when all these abilities started when I ended up having to go back home because of Mam.”
Danny’s expression softens. “How is she?”
“She’s doing okay,” I reply quietly. “We were long overdue for a very long conversation and being at home those few months…I don’t know, it’s like everything was stripped away and we were finally able to be honest with each other. Maybe for the first time ever.”
“I had wondered if you were going to stay up north,” Danny confesses. “Selfishly, I’m glad you didn’t.”
“It’s not my home anymore,” I admit, my heart heavy.
“I don’t think I’ll ever feel the same way about it.
Just doesn’t fit. I’d intended to pick up my investigations and build back up the PI agency when I got back to London, but then all this stuff with Viv…
” I draw in a breath. “If I’m right and this is just the beginning of something supernatural shifting in London, it’s going to need a lot more investigation, and I won’t get paid for it.
Not to sound mercenary or anything, but I’ve still got bills to pay. ”
Danny glances around the small office, taking in everything from the dented dark green filing cabinets to the saggy brown sofa.
His eyes narrow as they catch on the blanket and pillow folded neatly at the end of the sofa and then his gaze tracks across to the measly heap of my personal belongings stacked in the corner.
“Sam?” he says slowly. “You’re not living here, are you?” He turns his attention back to me when I don’t immediately answer. “Seriously?”
I shrug. “I’ve been up north for months without working.
I couldn’t afford to keep this place and my flat too.
The lease was up for renewal anyway, so I let it go.
I needed to hold on to the office for the time being because it was full of all my files.
It made more sense to just doss down here for a while until I can get another place.
I got a small settlement when my employment with the police came to an abrupt end.
I’ve still got enough of that left, but it doesn’t mean I don’t need to be careful until I’ve got more income coming in. ”
“For fuck’s sake, Sam. Why didn’t you say something?” He scowls. “You can stay with me and Tristan.”
I chuckle. “As much as I appreciate the offer, I have no desire to listen to you two going at each other every night.”
“We’re not that bad.”
“According to Dusty, you are.”
“She needs to mind her own business. Seriously, you can’t sleep on that shitty sofa.”
“Honestly, it’s fine. Anyway, I’m not always here. It’s a few nights here and there.”
“Oh?” Danny’s brows rise slowly.
“I think we’re getting a little bit off subject.” I roll my eyes. “We need to figure out what’s going on with Viv, and I have a feeling we’re going to be tripping over that dick Byrnes every time we turn around.”
“I’ll deal with him.”
“Good luck with that. According to Maddie, he’s got the DCI eating out of the palm of his hand. The same DCI that really doesn’t like you.”
“Bloody hell,” Danny mutters. “If we can just stay off his radar, I reckon we can handle this murder investigation ourselves. After all, we’ve got resources and information they don’t,” he muses. “Maybe we should talk to Death.”
I laugh loudly. “God, could you imagine if Byrnes heard us now? Yeah, we don’t know what the symbols etched into the murder victim’s body mean. Let’s just ask the Grim Reaper.”
Danny chuckles. “I never thought this is how my life would turn out.”
“You and me both.”
“How the fuck did we get here?”
“I don’t think the question should be how did we get here, but rather, where do we go from here?
Like I said, I’m pretty sure Viv’s death is only the beginning.
Something weird is happening. I don’t know whether it’s just London or if it’s spreading further, but once we find the killer, I need to go back to my original investigation and see if I can figure out whether all these people with new abilities are just a coincidence or whether it’s something we should be worried about. ”
“I’m already worried.” Danny shakes his head. “Maybe we should talk to Harrison about this. I could also speak to Tristan. If there’s something weird and supernatural brewing in London Dusty might know something.”
“Sounds like a good idea,” I reply, I can’t tell Danny Harrison already knows, not without telling him that while I was away in Yorkshire I’d call Harrison almost every single night and we’d talk for hours.
Danny chews his lip in thought. “You should probably stay close to Harrison. I know that you two like to snipe at each other, but right now, it’s more important that we keep him safe.”
If Danny only knew what Harrison and I actually like to do when we’re together... I could tell Danny that Harrison and I have gotten closer, that we don’t bicker, like everyone assumes, because we don’t like each other. In fact, it’s the complete opposite.
I guess I just want to keep it private for as long as I can.
I’m not really sure where Harrison and I are heading and the last thing either of us needs is our friends having a front row seat and eating popcorn while we try to figure it out.
Prickles is a complicated person, and I come to this situationship with my own issues.
We need time to explore whatever this is without a murder investigation coming between us.
“I’ll keep an eye on Prickles,” I tell Danny. “You keep an eye on Tristan.”
“Just try not to aggravate Harrison too much.” Danny rolls his eyes.
“In the meantime, I’ll see if Tristan can get his hands on the post-mortem report.
I’m not sure which mortuary Viv was sent to.
I’m trying to get hold of Maddie to see what she’s been able to find out.
If we can get photos of the markings on Viv’s body, maybe Harrison will recognise them, and if not, maybe he’ll be able to find out what they are.
Out of all of us, he’s the one with the most experience with magic. ”
“I’ve already got photos of the markings on Viv’s body.
I managed to sneak some pictures of the crime scene before Byrnes and the others showed up,” I confess, knowing what a stickler Danny usually is for the rules.
This time, he doesn’t say anything. “I’ll speak to Prickles about it.
It might also be a good idea, like you said, to speak to Death. See if he can tell us anything.”
Danny nods. “He’s not always very forthcoming, but I’ll see if Chan can get any information out of him.” I watch as he drains his formerly forgotten glass, then pushes himself out of the chair. “I’m glad you’re back, Sam. I’m really grateful to have you here.”
I study his face. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” he starts to say, then pauses. “You know what? Can I be honest?”
“Of course, always.”
He draws in a slow breath. “I love Tristan. I love my life here. I wouldn’t change a single thing, but when I came to London, I had no idea that my world was about to expand to include ghosts and chaos monsters and potential apocalypses and the Grim Reaper and a whole bunch of drag queens.
” He snorts. “Sometimes, it just feels?—”
“A bit much?”
“I can handle it, but sometimes it just feels like my head’s gonna explode. I’m really grateful to have you, someone who understands, someone who won’t look at me like I’m crazy.”
“I get it.” I nod. “My life has been a bit of a rollercoaster for the past year or so, and I’m grateful for you too. Now we have to do what we can for Viv.”
Danny’s expression hardens. “I can tell you one thing. Viv’s killer better run, because he’s really not going to like what happens when I catch up with him.”
I smile slowly. “Danny, this is so unlike you. It’s so refreshingly”—I search for the right word—“bellicose.”
Danny’s tone cools.
“I prefer to think of it as justice.”