Page 29 of Oohs, Ahhhs, and Orbs

“He’s going to want a briefing on the case. Might as well tell him we don’t have shit. Maybe he’ll be more open to bringing inan expert witch,” I replied as I grabbed the helmet from my bike. “See you in thirty,” I called out, then prepared to take off.

The bell rangover the door as I pushed it open. I didn’t see Bridgette right away, so I assumed she was in the back room and headed that direction. I noticed the large black cat staring at me from the counter with his eerie yellow eyes, and stopped when I reached the counter.

As I stood there trying to figure out what about him was raising questions, he meowed loudly, then turned in a circle. He stuck out one large paw and then scraped his nails against the glass. “Meow!”

“Hey, buddy, Bridgette isn’t going to appreciate you putting scratches all over her counter.”

“Meow!”

“It’s spelled to prevent damage. The whole shop is. The red door hasn’t had to be repainted since the day the first coat of paint was brushed on it.” Bridgette stepped through the doorway to the back room and smiled up at me. “I wasn’t expecting you until tonight. Everything okay?”

I strode over to her and reached out with one arm to snag her around the waist. Yanking her into my chest just hard enough that she collided with a small “oof”, I took her lips with mine. Once we were both low on oxygen, I pulled back. “That’s how we say hello.” I nipped her bottom lip. “Hey, babe.”

Bridgette was flushed when she answered with a breathy, “Hey.”

“Listen, I can’t stay. I have to get to the station for a meeting with my Captain. But I have to ask you something veryimportant. I need you to think about it seriously, but I hate to say it, we will need an answer quickly.”

“Logan, you’re scaring me,” Bridgette studied my face with furrowed brows. “What is going on?”

“There was another witch murdered last night. Mac and I aren’t finding anything that will help figure this out. We are completely out of our element here, and we need help.” I took her cheeks in my palms as her concern switched to distress. “We needyourhelp. If you are willing. You know about the things we don’t. You can help us with the magical aspect.”

She was already nodding before I finished speaking. “Yes, of course I’ll help. I’ll do anything I can.”

“Babe, listen. It’s not that easy. I won’t just be asking you vague questions. You’ll have to look at crime scene photos so you can better understand what the killer is trying to do.”

She briefly closed her eyes and shuddered, but opened them again and stared up at me with her soft, moss colored eyes. “I’ll help, Logan.”

I leaned in and kissed her softly. “It won’t be easy. Seeing that kind of thing,” I shook my head. “It’s hard. Knowing it’s real can cause someone trauma. I hate even suggesting it to you.”

Bridgette stood on her tiptoes and kissed me back. When she dropped back to her feet, she lifted her hand, placed it on my chest, and rubbed softly there. “I know, Logan. I appreciate your concern for me. I want to stop this person before another witch is killed. I’ll help. And if I have trouble sleeping, I’ll have you to hold me.”

“Yes,” I pulled her into my chest where she lay her head as she wrapped her arms around my waist. “You’ll always have me.”

Chapter

Sixteen

BRIDGETTE

I’d never been in a police station before. Honestly, it was a bit disappointing. I had expected to see cops running around, hauling criminals behind them in handcuffs, and filling out paperwork while phones rang off the hook. Instead, when we stepped off the elevator, all I saw were rows of desks that were half empty. The desks that had someone sitting there, the person looked bored as they filled out paperwork. At least that part of my expectation was real.

“Over here,” Logan said as he led me by the hand toward the back wall, where there was an office with windows overlooking the rest of the room and the door standing open. The few men and women working at their desks glanced up and called out greetings as we passed, most of them eyeing me as if I were an anomaly.

Logan knocked on the open door and called out. “Hey, Captain. I’ve brought Bridgette Waters.” He gently tugged me forward and gestured to one of the two chairs sitting in front of the large desk covered in multiple folders.

The Captain was a large man with an even larger, imposing presence. Judging his height from where he was sitting, I would have placed him somewhere near six and a half feet tall with a full head of dark hair and a liberal dusting of gray at his temples. He was handsome, probably of Latin descent, and I couldn’t help but wonder if he was married and how I could introduce him to my mother if he was single. It had been far too long since my mother had attempted dating anyone. Maybe it was spending the last two nights with my mate, but I couldn’t help but want everyone to be happy with a partner. If they were so inclined to have a partner, that was.

After Logan had asked me to help with the case, he had gone to the office, telling me he still needed to approve it first through his boss. Later that evening, just as I finished closing up the shop for the night, he’d knocked on the door, a bag of delicious smelling food in hand. We’d had a simple evening together, talking about our childhoods while letting a movie play in the background as we ate. After he’d carried me through my small living room and into the bedroom, he’d stripped me bare. Then I learned how fun it could be to save water by showering with a friend. Ten out of ten. Highly recommend.

“Miss Waters.” The Captain stood up and leaned over his desk to take my hand in a firm handshake that made my finger look like toothpicks. Maybe not quite that small, but I bet he could have snapped them as easily as toothpicks. “I understand you are knowledgeable in the occult.” He sat back down and folded his hands in front of him over the folders on his desk.

“Yes, sir. I was trained as early as I can remember by my grandmother.”

He stared me dead in the eyes, and I didn’t dare blink or look away. “I’m going to be honest with you, Miss Waters. I don’t believe in witchcraft. But I believe thatyoubelieve in it, and so does this killer. So if any insight you might be able to providehelps find this asshole and are able to put the fucker away, well, I’m willing to keep an open mind.”

“I understand, sir. But, just saying, just because you don’t believe in something doesn’t mean it’s not real.” I felt Logan rest his hand on my shoulder. I wasn’t sure if it was in support or a quiet warning to shut up.

He sat back, still eyeing me, and picked up a cup of coffee that was sitting to the side of his desk. “You’re correct, of course. But there is no proof of magic. If there were, it would be all over social media. Kids these days film every damn thing. Ghosts, witches, magic. It doesn’t exist.” He took a sip of his coffee, then grimaced. “Damn it. I let it grow cold. I swear I can never drink a full cup of hot coffee anymore.”

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