Be My Banshee (Purple Door Detective Agency Book 1) (12 page)

Her keen eyes caught the flicker of a dark wing, but that was all. Silence followed, except for the noise from the city that she was growing accustomed to. She watched for a few more minutes to see if anything else appeared, but there was no sign of the creature she thought she’d seen.

“You!” Detective Malto said in an accusatory tone.

She left her place at the door to
Tattoo Hell
to cross the street, her eyes fastened on the distinctive purple convertible. “You’ve got some nerve turning up here. O’Neill was trying to convince me that you and blondie are just innocent bystanders in all this. And yet here you are again. You just couldn’t stay away from what you did, could you?”

Her presence barely registered on Aine until the detective tried to put metal cuffs on her wrists.

“That’s right. You look at me when I talk to you.” Malto continued her tirade. “I’m taking you in whether O’Neill thinks it’s a good idea or not.”

Aine shook her hand, and the cuffs fell to the ground at her feet. “I do not seek to harm you, detective. Please go back to O’Neill and continue your investigation.”

Malto pulled her service revolver and got up in her face. “On the ground, face down. I don’t want to see you look up until I’ve told you your rights, you sick witch.”

“Witch?” Aine was angered and confused by the detective referring to her this way. “I am certainly not a witch, young woman.”

“You heard me,” Malto persisted. “On the ground!”

“It is not I that shall fall before you.” Aine’s eyes flared brilliantly into Detective Malto’s gaze. “Kneel. Put down that weapon.”

Detective Malto dropped to her knees in the trashed concrete parking lot. She flung down her revolver. “How may I serve you, my lady?”

“That’s better. I require nothing of you except that you work faithfully with O’Neill and ignore my presence. Do you understand?”

“Yes, my lady.”

“Good.”

O’Neill rushed across the street to join them. Horns blared as he skirted around oncoming traffic, flashing his badge. “What’s going on? What did you do to her, Aine?”

“I did nothing. Detective Malto and I were having a conversation.” Her tone was hard and cold. It was all she could do to keep from changing form into the old, gray hag.

He helped Malto to her feet, but she was still staring straight ahead as though his presence didn’t register. “Sharon? Are you okay?”

“She is well, O’Neill. I would not harm her unless she was trying to harm you.” Aine didn’t understand his concern.

“I’m not sure what you mean by harming her, but stealing her brain isn’t exactly a good thing. Let her go.”

Aine nodded. “Surely.”

Malto blinked. “Where did you come from?” she asked her partner.

“I was wondering why you were over here,” he said. “We talked about leaving Sunshine Merryweather and Aine out of this.”

“Yeah. Sure.” Malto glared at Aine. “Let’s get back to the crime scene.”

O’Neill didn’t follow her across the street right away. He stared into Aine’s eyes. “You’re supposed to obey me or something, right?”

She inclined her head.

“Well I’m giving you a direct command. Don’t do anything to her again. Sharon Malto is my friend and partner. Leave her alone. If you have a problem with her, tell me. I’ll handle it. Is that clear?”

“Of course, O’Neill.”

He acted as though he was ready for an argument from her. When none came, it stole his thunder. He was left with only a closing remark. “Okay. Thanks.”

Sunshine was quickly crossing the street to Aine as O’Neill was leaving. He looked right at her as though he’d seen her and then shook his head as he continued back to the tattoo shop.

“What was that all about?” Sunshine asked as she reappeared.

“Nothing,” Aine said. “What did you find?”

Chapter Thirteen

Sunshine described the scene inside to Aine and took a piece of ripped and bloody t-shirt out of a bag. “Here. Smell this. See what you think. I think it’s the same person.”

“Perhaps not a person in the way that you mean it. I heard something out here while you were gone—I haven’t heard such a sound since I was very young.”

“So for a really, really long time. What was it?”

“I can’t say for sure. I’m not certain if I actually saw one of the creature’s black wings as it flew away.”

“I get it,” Sunshine said impatiently. “You’re not one hundred percent on this. It’s only a guess. Give it your best shot.”

Aine’s forehead furrowed as she tried to decipher her partner’s words. “I am not familiar with that phrase.”

“Geez! Just tell me what you think is doing this.”

“A harpy.”

Sunshine’s eyes widened dramatically and her hair curled tightly. “A what? Weren’t they only around in Greek mythology?”

“When I was a child, a witch summoned one of the creatures to serve her. The harpy took the lives of several people before the witch was killed. They are usually called to take blood vengeance. Sometimes it can be justified—such as the murder of a loved one. Sometimes it is petty revenge for a real or perceived wrong against the summoner.”

“Really?” Sunshine searched Aine’s eyes before she started the car. “You’re telling me that someone from Norfolk called up 1-800-Get-a-Harpy to take care of their problems. Is that even possible?”

“For the right practitioner. It would doubtless be a witch who is committed to the dark arts. The witch would have to do more than dabble to call and control a harpy. Do you know of such a witch?”

“Sure. I know of several powerful witches. But they aren’t the kind you can call up and ask out for lunch.” Sunshine started the car and careened out of the parking lot. “Lunch! I almost forgot. My aunt is in town today, and I promised to have lunch with her. You might as well come along, even if you don’t eat. She’s older—maybe she’s seen a harpy too.”

Sunshine drove quickly to the cafe where she had scheduled to meet her aunt. She took a quick look at her hair and makeup before she went in with Aine. She knew her aunt would tell her mother everything about her.

“Aunt Molly!” Sunshine found her and gave her a big hug. “You look great. I love that new necklace. Where did you find it?”

“It’s actually quite old,” Molly Addison Renard said of her large amulet. “It belonged to a very ancient witch in our family line. Since I don’t have anyone with magic as a descendant to leave it to, you might be the one to inherit it.”

“Thanks.” Sunshine was about to touch it when she saw something move inside it. “What is that? Is something living in there?”

“I know that piece,” Aine said. “I have seen it in a time long past. It once belonged to Mananan MacLir. How came you by it, witch?”

Molly laughed but her cornflower blue eyes were wary. She looked to be in her late fifties but being Sunshine’s aunt made her older than her appearance. Her brown hair was attractively styled but in a subdued fashion. “Who’s your new friend, Sunshine?”

The hostess told them a table was ready. They followed the young woman to a spot with a pretty pink tablecloth and flowers on it. A waitress came and took their order for drinks.

“Aunt Molly, this is Aine of Ulster. She’s a real life
beane sidhe
. She came from Ireland searching for the last member of the family she serves.”

Molly nodded at Aine, but kept one hand on the necklace. “Aine.”

“Aine, this is my Aunt Molly. She’s a water witch. She’s fourth or fifth generation in my family line. She’s from Wilmington, North Carolina.”

Aine warily nodded back, knowing well the power of the magic held inside the other woman’s necklace.

They faced each other across the pretty table as though they were about to battle.

“Really, ladies.” Sunshine intervened. “I love this place. I don’t want to be thrown out. Aunt Molly, Aine is a friend. We’re working together at the agency. Aine, my aunt is not your enemy.”

“I understand,” Aine replied. “But the magic in that amulet is rarely held in a human’s hand.”

“It was passed down to me,” Molly explained. “A sea god gave it to an ancestor of ours, and it came to me through the family line.”

Aine nodded. “Ah. A gift from an immortal. Rare but not unheard of. Particularly from MacLir, who was always very generous with his lovers.”

“Hold on a minute.” Sunshine recapped. “That came from a sea god? Are they around too? I thought
beane sidhes
were gone, and now there are sea gods. I suppose harpies are possible too.”

Molly moved her hand from her amulet, more relaxed now that she understood what was going on. “Harpies? You know a harpy?”

Sunshine picked up the wine list as their server returned. “I think I’m going to need something stronger than sweet tea to explain all this. Would anyone care to join me?”

It took most of lunch to acquaint Molly with everything that was going on, even as fast as Sunshine spoke. They had wonderful food and wine with lunch—at least Sunshine and Molly did. Aine didn’t eat, although she did have a glass of wine. If the server heard anything of their unusual conversation, she didn’t let on but kept the wine bottle close at hand.

“That’s quite a story,” Molly said to her niece. “Don’t worry. I won’t mention it to your mother. The last thing you need right now is for her to fly up here and try to tell you how to take care of it. You’ve done so well with your detective agency, Sunshine. I’m glad you found something you enjoy doing.”

“Thanks. It can get hairy, but I really love it.”

“What about Jane? Have you had any luck changing her back to a normal mouse?”

“No. But she’s happy transforming into a woman when she feels like it,” Sunshine said. “And she’s a wiz on the computer.”

Molly frowned. “But her permanent transformation isn’t what the universe intended.”

“Maybe not.” Sunshine’s smile was strained. “But I think she’s happy. And if I can reverse the magic at some point, she’ll have a choice about it. Until then, she has plenty to keep her busy.”

“And fed,” Aine observed.

Sunshine asked how things were going in Wilmington. Molly told her that she and her coven were doing well. “We’ve actually added two new witches. Brian is very strong, although not well trained. The other is Dorothy—she’s actually Olivia’s daughter. She wasn’t raised a witch, but she’s coming along very nicely.”

“Olivia’s daughter?” Sunshine wondered. “That must be a story!”

“It is. Imagine Olivia being able to keep a secret for so long!”

They laughed at that, and Sunshine asked after her Uncle Joe and her cousin, Mike, who had no magic. They were Molly’s husband and son. Sunshine’s mother was also married to a man who wasn’t a witch.

 “How’s your boyfriend, John? Are you two still together?” Molly asked.

Sunshine got uncharacteristically quiet. “He’s dead, Aunt Molly. He was murdered, maybe by the harpy.”

“Murdered? I’m so sorry.” Molly was shocked. “I’d offer your uncle’s help with that investigation, but if there’s a harpy involved, anyone without magic should stay far away. There’s only so much a police detective can do.”

“I know.” Sunshine collected herself, putting it from her. Her eyes were red, but she kept the tears from falling. “I have Aine now. You can’t go wrong with a
beane sidhe
, right?”

“I’m sure that’s true.” Molly squeezed her niece’s hand. “Don’t forget that we love you. Call if you get into trouble.”

“I will.” Sunshine sniffed but managed to keep it together.

Molly had to leave right after lunch. She was picking up her son at college on her way back to Wilmington. She hugged Sunshine again when it was time to go and smiled at Aine. “Good luck you two. Come visit when you get a chance. Aine, please come with her.”

“Thank you,” Aine replied gravely.

“Bye, Aunt Molly. Give Uncle Joe and Mike a hug for me.”

“Are you the sea god’s lover?” Aine abruptly asked before Molly could get in the car.

Molly’s rosy complexion went deep red as she laughed. “Good heavens no! But my friend, Olivia may have had a dalliance with him. I try not to think about it.”

Dark clouds swept over the city from the sea. Rain wasn’t far. Small and mid-size boats were putting in to harbor as the wind rose and the barometer plummeted.

“When I first came here, I was immediately attracted to your purple door agency,” Aine said as they got back in the car.

“Why do you think that was?”

“Power calls to power. I was drawn there as surely as I was pulled here by the presence of Sean O’Neill.”

“I’m not that powerful.” Sunshine laughed.

“No,” Aine agreed. “But Mr. Bad is. His presence has made your detective agency as a beacon in the night to the creatures of magic and darkness.”

Sunshine didn’t know if she agreed with that, but she thought about it on the way back to the agency. When the
beane sidhe
had gone to check on O’Neill, Sunshine knocked on Mr. Bad’s office door. Jane scampered away before he called to come in.

“Miss Merryweather,” he said as she closed the door behind her. “Is there something I can do for you?”

“I wanted to tell you that Aine has a feeling about the killer who murdered John and the others.”

“Yes?”

Did his voice sound worried? Was there something not quite the same about his tone? Sunshine considered it. Was he wondering if Aine had told her something about him that could ruin their relationship?

She explained about the two new deaths at the tattoo shop and the possibility that a harpy might be responsible. “Do you have any experience with harpies? Is that even possible?”

He took a slow deep breath that seemed to make the room breathe around him. “You must know by now that anything is possible. It has been many years since I saw a
beane sidhe
. It would be much longer that I would have seen a harpy. But these creatures don’t disappear, Miss Merryweather. They hide in places no one thinks to look for them until someone summons them—or they are needed once more.”

“It’s going to take some serious research to figure out how to get rid of a harpy.”

“As I’m certain Aine has pointed out, you must search for the summoner.” His chair squeaked as he moved in it. “I should advise strong caution. It would be unlikely that you would survive an encounter with a harpy.”