The one thing that stuck out was Orrin’s labeling my actions to save my teammates as reckless.
Maybe…maybe he didn’t hurt any humans by design. I assumed he attacked at night because that would be the best time to take a crack at Tutu’s. But maybe his goal was more personal and less nefarious. If Tutu’s was his target, why would he—or, possibly, Gisila—want to attack it? It’s impenetrable, and Tutu is Gisila’s sister!
The investigative end of this was mind bogglingly difficult—it was far too easy to jump to conclusions. Maybe I needed to add some police procedural books to my research on social rules?
When I was almost to the meeting room, I started unsnapping my mask so I could take it off to drink my smoothie. I’d removed all the hooks from the left side when my cellphone rang.
I pulled my cellphone up, smiling when I saw it was Nan. I swiped to accept the call, then slipped the phone between my hood and the unfastened part of my mask and held it up to my ear. “Hi, Nan!”
“Good evening, Lass!” Nan’s familiar voice leaked from my cellphone speaker sparking memories of hugs, which always smelled of the saddle soap we used to clean all our leather gear and the soothing scent of gunpowder. “I know you’re about to start your shift, so I won’t keep you long.”
“What’s up?” I moved to the side of the hallway so I wouldn’t block anybody and leaned against the wall.
“I was just calling to make sure you’re doing well. I know no news is good news, but I do fret.”
I smiled at Nan’s familiar love of American proverbs. “Sorry. The last few days have been… interesting. There was a fire at the public library, and I had to question some wizards as part of the investigation,” I said.
“Oh my. Well, as it is said, hope for the best, but prepare for the worst!”
I locked my legs and pressed my back harder against the wall. “Yeah, I’m just being cautious about it. I don’t want to miss anything.”
“You needn’t fret,” Nan said. “You’ve got a good head on your shoulders, I’m sure you’re doing right.”
“Thanks. Um, how is everyone?” I asked.
“Let me think… Fergus is out on a mission with John and Mack,” she said, listing my Dad, uncle, and cousin. “Your mother got a new dagger sharpening kit and is as smitten as a kitten. Oh! Your brother created a new practice drill for loading a gun while blindfolded. He’s going to record it and send it to you.”
“Which brother?” I asked. I had three of them, all older, and all obsessed with training and improving. I was the easy-going member of the family.
“Peridot,” Nan said. “He’s been getting sloppy with his gunwork lately, but practice makes perfect!”
“How’s Paddy?”
“He’s as happy as a clam! Stephen and Joe are coming out to help him with a few projects.”
“Uncle Stephen and Uncle Joe?” I asked, naming two of my Mom’s many brothers.
“Yes!”
“Are they coming for house or vampire projects?” I asked.
Everyone in my mom’s family had taken up a trade in addition to being trained as vampire slayers. My mom did landscape design and installation before she married Dad. Uncle Stephen did roofing and siding, while Uncle Joe was a plumber. （Both families were delighted when Mom and Dad got married. Mom’s family, the Carters, were able to semi-retire as slayers—they just acted like reserves for the O’Neils, and instead did construction full time, and usually patched up anything we O’Neils destroyed in the process of a mission for super cheap.） “House projects,” Nan said. “It was supposed to be just a few simple fixes—change out a water faucet, check all the toilets since I think we have one that won’t stop running, and replace a few shingles on the roof. But your Uncle Stephen had to open his mouth and say that the roof could use a gun mount, and that got them all harebrained.” Nan grunted her displeasure. “I’ve tried stuffing their mouths with food to keep them preoccupied from getting more ideas, but I’m not sure it’s working. The proof of the pudding is in its eating, I suppose. How’s that little friend of yours?”
I paused. Friend? I didn’t tell her about Connor, did I?
My family wasn’t anti-vampire, but not even my mom’s family would be thrilled at the idea of me living next to a vampire.
“What was her name…Sunshine?”
“Sunshine is good,” I said. “I got a text from her this morning—she’s been doing a lot of yard cleanup with her folks. I’m hoping to get her opinion on the wizard thing.”