First he put in an order for the alarms, detectors, and extinguishers, then he quietly texted Sally, asking her if she could arrange for him to meet with Mira and Ethel’s coven. She sent him a map pin to Fix-It Witches. Belatedly, he recalled Iris chatting with some witches outside during that graffiti incident. Apparently, those two belonged to Ethel’s coven, and since it was a business, he could show up without an appointment.
He didn’t say anything as he headed out because there was no guarantee this would work. Outside, he found a tall man in his early seventies on the front porch, and his heart sank when he realized Awful Susan from next door stood behind him, a smug smile creasing her cheeks. The two had just been about to knock.
“Can I help you?” he asked in an icy tone.
“I’m from HAPI. Susan has made a troubling report. Is it true that you’re housing multiple paranormals here in violation of all city housing regulations?”
Suddenly, he recognized the man. Dan Rutherford was a big mouth who’d built himself a reputation for targeting paranormal citizens. He was wealthy, and he’d drawn support from a certain type of human. This didn’t bode well.
“I don’t see why I should answer that,” Eli said. “There’s no law that says we have to report where we live or with—”
“That will change if I have anything to say about,” Rutherford cut in. “I’m talking to my pal about it. You might know him. He’s proposed some protective legislation.”
Eli needed to get rid of these two assholes immediately. Before Iris discovered that the situation could potentially get worse.
She’ll find out if you do this. But even that awareness couldn’t dissuade him. Whatever the personal cost, he’d fix things for her.
“Neither one of you is welcome. Susan, you’ve been warned before. If I see you across the property line again, I’m filing for a restraining order.” He flipped open his phone with a purposeful snick. “Do I need to report you two officially?”
Not that he’d actually call the cops. They might side with Susan and Rutherford, but fortunately, they didn’t call his bluff.
“Look forward to my next move,” Susan said.
Rutherford followed her across the yard, and that didn’t sit right either. Hell knew what they’d be colluding while he frantically tried to fix things. Eli understood that he was contradicting himself because he’d registered how much Iris wanted to be independent and that she didn’t want to rely on others. But she said I’m her boyfriend. That gives me the right to look after her.
At least, that was what he told himself as he jogged to his truck and drove toward the business district.
Downtown St. Claire was busy this time of day, lots of cars jockeying for limited parking spots. He circled once and opted to park on a side street and walk five blocks. No big deal, as it wasn’t raining, though he sometimes wished shifting was more convenient. If he changed, he’d show up naked, and that really didn’t work.
St. Claire was more charming than he remembered with shops painted in whimsical hues. Brick and wood buildings broke up the visual monotony, and he passed the little bakery Gamma had mentioned. I should get cinnamon rolls on my way back. But his goal was Fix-It Witches first.
The sign literally had two witches on it, so he marveled over the fact that this pair had kept their true nature a secret before the big announcement a few years back. Inside, it was meticulously clean with an array of vintage appliances and electronics displayed for purchase. The pretty woman behind the glass case glanced up and smiled as the bell jangled to announce his arrival.
“Welcome! How can I help you today?”
He thought he recognized her, but admittedly he’d been paying far more attention to Iris the day they’d stopped by the shop. “Are you Danica Waterhouse?”
“Uh-oh. You’re not trying to serve me a subpoena, are you?”
Eli laughed, showing that he had nothing up his sleeve. “Not even slightly.”
“Then yes, I’m Danica Waterhouse. I didn’t change my name when I got married.”
“Congratulations. That’s a beautiful ring.” He felt pretty sure it wasn’t his imagination that she’d held her hand gesture a little too long.
Definitely inviting a compliment on the jewelry. Normally, he noticed such details and didn’t play along, but today, he was trying to make a good impression.
“Thank you,” she said.
“I came to talk to you because you’re considering an offer to help with a big spell over at my girlfriend’s house.”
“Oh, you’re Sally’s housemate!” Danica brightened, her faint wariness evolving into a genuinely pleased expression.
“That’s me, Eli Reese. I just wanted to tell you something that might impact your decision. I realize that this is literally your livelihood and you might not be inclined to accept work with a deferred payment schedule.”
“It’s not wholly the money,” Danica said quickly. “Sure, that’s a factor for Clem and me, but the whole coven has to agree. Typically, we’d only do joint spells for one of our own members, but Sally’s dating Ethel, so…”
Eli nodded. “It’s a gray area, understood.”
“What did you want to tell me?” It was a gentle prompt but a nudge nonetheless.
“Cost doesn’t matter. I can cover it. I can wire the full amount right now, and if you need to charge more than usual since the spell is so broad in scope, that’s fine.”
“That would be…seven times our usual fee. You’re really fine with that?”
Since the money had hit his account yesterday from the sale of What’s Cooking?, he could answer with assurance, “Yes, completely. Price is no object.”
“Deep pockets,” Danica murmured with a surprised twitch of her brow. “You don’t look like you have that kind of money.”
“Do you need to see proof of funds?” he asked.
She shook her head. “That won’t be necessary.”
“Does that change anything?”
The tech witch laughed. “I hate to say it, but probably. The others don’t have any emotional investment, unlike Ethel. So Clem was a no, Kerry was a no. I was undecided until now, as were Margie, Leanne, and Vanessa. You had Ethel in your corner. And Priya, of course. She’s such a sweetheart.”
“Mira doesn’t get a vote?” Eli asked.
Danica shook her head. “Right now, she’s provisional. We’re still in the getting-to-know-you stage, and she’s directly impacted by the situation.”
“That makes sense. I’ll give you my contact info. When you reach a consensus and a workable estimate, let me know. I’ll pay up front.” He touched his phone to hers.
She checked to make sure his details registered properly and nodded. “Nobody in the coven will mind an unexpected windfall. Since that’s the case, I’ll be in touch.”
There, it’s done. No turning back.
Iris would likely be livid when she found out, and then…she would have questions, ones he’d answer at long last. Maybe part of him would even be glad to have it over, even if it meant everything was. His chest ached, and he rubbed it reflexively.