He snorted. “Not even. The food’s crap and the music sucks. Oh, and let’s not forget…” He scowled. “… my loving family traded me off for a human when I was a babe. And it’s not like they even want me, do they? The Court just hates the thought of a pureblood not under their control. They can Call until Finnbhennach comes home.”
“Who?”
“White bull of Connacht. Far as I’m concerned, I
He seemed pretty sure she was going to give it to him.
“I can pay for it,” he growled as she hesitated. “It’s not charity.” One grubby hand indicated the shelves of junk. “It’s part of the business.”
“Of course it is,” Allie muttered, searching the ring for the right key. Trust Gran not to mention which community her business had become crucial to.
There were three shelves inside the cabinet crammed with bottles and jars that looked like they’d originally held condiments. All of the aunties had similar cabinets although, back home, they were never locked. The aunties liked to weed out those members of the family they considered too stupid to breed.
Probably why they never labeled anything either.
“Do you know…?”
He frowned and leaned over the counter. “I think it’s… uh… no. That one.”
“This one.”
His pointing finger didn’t move. “No,
“This one?” When he nodded, she lifted what looked like a ketchup bottle carefully from the shelf. “You sure?”
“Mostly. It’s the right color.”
It was the only liquid that virulent a shade of orange. When she passed it over, Joe cradled it for a moment between both hands before unscrewing the lid and draining the bottle. He didn’t look any solider but he felt more… there. Slipping a thin hand in past the worn edges of his pants pocket, he pulled out a lump of…
“Fairy gold.”
“Yeah, what of it?”
“Well, it’s fairy gold,” Allie repeated, wondering if he was trying this out on her because she was new. He could move about under his own power, so he hadn’t tried it on Gran. “When the sun touches it, it’ll turn to earth. Or leaves. Or dog shit.”
“You think I’m after cheating you?”
Allie gestured at the fairy gold on his palm, letting it speak for itself.
“You think I’m after cheating Catherine Gale’s granddaughter? Obviously, you think I’m a complete idiot.” He slapped the pale yellow lump down on the counter and glared at her. “I like my balls right where they are, thank you very much. Just put the gold in the cashbox like always.”
“And?”
He blinked. “And? And after twenty-four hours it’s coin of the realm. Well, paper money of the realm anyway.” Another blink wiped the remaining anger away as realization began to dawn. “She really didn’t tell you anything?”
“She really didn’t.” Allie pulled the cashbox out from under the counter, stared into it, and rolled the fairy gold between her fingers. “So, about my grandmother…” When she looked up, he’d started to fidget. “Do you know where she’s gone?”
“Hard to say.” His smile wouldn’t have fooled a three year old. “Heaven wouldn’t want her and Hell couldn’t hold her.”
True enough as far as it went.
“So you believe she’s dead?”
Except for his eyes, he went completely still. His gaze flicked first left then right as though he was afraid there might be eavesdroppers in the shadows. “I believe what she wants me to believe.”
The words came out in a rush and so quietly that Allie had to strain to hear them. The subtext was obvious; she’d better believe the same.
Allie sighed. “Am I going to get a visit from a large man in an expensive suit looking for a lot of money?”
“No,” Joe told her indignantly. Paused. “Probably not.”
“Great. Did she tell you why she wants me here?”
“She had to leave her stuff to someone, right?”
“But why me?”
He snorted. “Why not you? All I know is…” He was watching the shadows again. “… she had me sign that paper and she let me have your name. And then she wasn’t here for a few days. And then you were here.”
“How many days?”
“Store’s been closed since last Friday.”
“I got the letter on Monday. She must’ve mailed it…”
“Before.” He scratched at the back of one hand. “Before she was gone. Yeah. Said she couldn’t trust the post to get it there after.”
“The letter said, if you’re reading this I’m dead, so she either knew she was going to die or she knew she was going to disappear.”
“Well, yeah.” Joe stared at her like she was slightly simple. “She knew things, didn’t she?”
“Good point.” She’d probably
She dropped the fairy gold in the box, reached out to close it, and saw Joe swallow, prominent Adam’s apple bobbing up and down in his throat.
“I’d go get coffee for your grandmother sometimes,” he said hurriedly when she paused. “You know, when she didn’t want to lock up the store.”
