Page 32 of It takes a Psychic

The waiter appeared at the table with another cup and a pot of coffee. He glanced at Roxy. “I’m not sure it’s legal to have a dust bunny at the table.”

“She’s an emotional support dust bunny,” Leona said.

“But you might want to keep an eye on the silverware,” Oliver added in low tones.

Leona shot him a quelling look and turned back to the waiter. “He’s joking, of course. This dust bunny is licensed.”

Roxy blinked her big blue eyes at the waiter, who, predictably, melted.

“Well, okay, I guess,” he said. He turned back to the humans. “Can I get anything else for you?”

“We’ll take one of those,” Leona said, nodding at a counter that displayed a row of tiered serving trays filled with small sandwiches and an assortment of cookies and sweets. “I haven’t had anything to eat since breakfast.”

“Certainly,” the waiter said.

He poured the coffee, plunked a tower of treats in the center of the table, and vanished.

Roxy studied the goodies on the various tiers the way small childrenstudy the packages under the Christmas tree. With great deliberation, she selected a lemon square.

Leona took a tiny sandwich and ate half of it in one bite. Oliver waited until she was munching before he spoke.

“You have a license for the dust bunny?” he said.

“About the pyramid crystal.”

“First, let’s discuss your difficult day,” he said.

She brushed off her fingers and reached for another sandwich. “What about it?”

“I’d like a few details,” he prompted.

“I got fired this morning.”

“Shit.”

“That’s what I said.” She took a bite of the second sandwich. “In hindsight, I suppose it shouldn’t have been such a shock. The raid at the mansion is making big waves in the antiquities world. So far my name has not come up in any of the media coverage, but the university figures it’s only a matter of time before word leaks out that a member of the Department of Para-Archaeology was on the scene. After that, it won’t be long before some reporter discovers that the university received some extremely sizable donations from the Antiquarian Society. The decision to sever all connections with the organization was made early this morning in an emergency board meeting. I’m a connection.”

“That is not right.” He reached for one of the sandwiches. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

“It isn’t your fault. The university authorities are responsible for sending me into the line of fire. Let’s focus here. About the crystal.”

“Right.” He ate half the sandwich. “Speaking of my pyramid, where is it?”

“Safe.” She rezzed up a bright, shiny smile that was probably meant to be reassuring. “You didn’t expect me to carry it through the streets of Illusion Town, did you?”

“Please don’t tell me you left it in your apartment.”

“Of course not.”

Roxy selected a scone.

“Good choice,” Oliver said. He did the same. “Where is the pyramid, Leona?”

She apparently concluded he was serious. She patted her messenger bag. “In here.”

“In other words, you did carry it through the streets of Illusion Town.”

“There’s also a flamer inside my bag. The moms gave one to my sister and one to me when we moved out into our own apartments. Griffin women can take care of themselves.”

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