Page 41 of The Nowhere Witch

The door to the office opened in the other room.

“It’s Bibbi,” Hawk said, as if he had some sort of inner alert that told him who was walking into his building.

Bibbi popped her head into the back room and glanced around, her eyes tripping when they hit Hawk. “Hi, all. Just I left my bag here.” She held it up as if she needed to prove the reason. “Uh, Hawk, while you’re here, could I get your opinion on something in the other room? I was having a problem with one of the slips.”

“Sure.”

“Well, night,” Bibbi said, walking back into the other room. Hawk got up and followed her.

“I’m sorry I always have so many questions and I’m always bothering you,” she said, her voice higher than normal, carrying into the back room.

“It’s fine,” he said.

They were still talking, but their voices were muffled as they got farther into the office. No matter how I angled my head, I couldn’t hear what else was being said. What I could hear very well was Oscar’s laugh.

Was I that obvious? One look at Oscar said yes.

I dropped my tea onto the table, grabbed my jacket, and headed to the door, nodding to Oscar. I wasn’t walking past them to go to my room, and I did want to talk things out.

“Where are you going?”

“I’ve got some errands to run.”

And a lot of aggravation to work out.

17

Two hot cocoas in my hand and I was on my way to Zab’s. Whatever he had planned for today was going to be easier than what I’d done all day. I felt like I could barely straighten up after Bautere had handed me my ass all day. Still, I’d stopped for cocoa because I couldn’t show up empty-handed with all the help Zab was giving me.

I made a right, only a few minutes from his place when I saw two familiar faces up ahead, Braid and Spike. I would’ve called after them but was fairly certain that would only make them walk faster. I’d have to chase them down.

Cocoa or info. This should’ve been an easier choice, but I really did like my cocoa. Still, I needed to know who’d dragged me back here. Were they friend or foe?

I walked as fast as I could to Zab’s, put the two cocoas on the stoop, and then ran. They might be lukewarm when I got back, but it would have to do. It was the best compromise possible at the moment.

People stared as I took off down the street. Braid noticed first, seeing the attention I was getting and glancing behind him. He said something to Spike, and then they both ran.

“I just want to talk to you!”

“We have nothing to say!” Spike yelled, as he kept going.

Lucky for me, neither of them were very fast. They were both huffing as I continued to gain on them.

We passed the buildings and were in a field when Braid dropped to his knees, a palm to the ground, dragging in air like his life depended on it.

Spike hesitated for a second, looked at me, looked at Braid again, and then kept running. I let him go. I only needed one, and Braid had seemed the smarter of the two anyway.

I circled until I was leaning over him, a bit short of wind myself.

He put up a hand. “Don’t hurt me! It wasn’t my fault. I was only doing a job.”

“For who?” I asked. Whoever it had been, they’d given him a lofty view of my current abilities.

“I don’t know. I got an envelope filled with cash and a warning that you weren’t to be harmed.”

So, a friend or protective of their assets, like some other people I knew. Not for a second did I think it was Hawk, though. He couldn’t wait to get me out of here.

“What else did your instructions say?”