Casual Curses & Meticulous Magic by Lee Roland

Author:Lee Roland
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: murder, dogs, magic, police, pi, detective, witch, private investigator, machine, mayhem
Publisher: Highland Press Publishing

Chapter 19

Titus enjoyed the ride back to through the now black night. Melian sat in the front seat beside him with Raziya and Ratavick in the back. Such a satisfying and incredibly interesting day. He’d met a dragon, an unusual donkey, and two reject hellhounds. He had also reluctantly adopted a cat. Best of all, he managed to fulfill a fantasy to knock Burton Farnsworth on his ass. No, kissing Mel was best of all. In two days, his life had become something new and fascinating.

“So, Rat,” Mel said, “what made Dengler think now was the time to challenge you?”

“I have no idea, but he suddenly had more power than he’s ever had before. Strange power. I didn’t recognize it, and I thought I knew all forms of magic.” He stopped, as if something unthinkable occurred to him. He stared at Mel. “His extra strength ended abruptly when you loosed your barrage. It was as if something turned off a switch. This situation has become complex. Thank you for acting. I didn’t think you cared, my dear.”

Titus watched him in the rearview mirror. Ratavick’s face wore its usual expression of superiority.

Melian stared straight forward. “Of course I care, Rat. You may be a black-hearted tyrant with evil schemes, but you’re still my favorite uncle.” Her voice was light, but Titus heard stress. The lesser of evils she’d called him.

“Dear Melian. You may be an incompetent witch playing tag with disaster, but you’re still my favorite niece.”

“Aw, I’m really touched. After all these years. Come on, Uncle, just think how boring your life was before I got to be a teenager.”

“Indeed. Someday, I sincerely hope you’ll come to understand the difficulty of dealing with an undisciplined adolescent who has certain powers she can’t or won’t control.” He laughed out loud and it sounded like a crackling fire. He still chuckled under his breath when he spoke again. “And by the way, how many hounds does it take to change a light bulb?”

Melian shrugged. “None. The hounds would eat the light bulb, the light fixtures, and the person who wanted it changed in the first place.”

Titus and Raziya laughed for a long time.

“You want to go home, Raz?” Melian asked after they left Ratavick at his mansion.

“No. I’d rather go have a drink. My treat. There’s a bar on South 43rd that Daddy’s thinking about buying. We can check it out and do an assessment on the company expense account.”

“Oh, yes. But I need to go by the Gramarye and get out of this costume.”

Titus thought she looked just fine. He would rather go back to the apartment and stay. As he approached the Gramarye, intending to turn into the back parking lot, he saw a car at the curb in front. A man lay partly on the steps struggling to crawl inside.

Drake!

Titus quickly parked and hurried to him. Melian and Raziya followed and crouched around him. The detective gasped for breath, his arm stretched toward the building.

Titus caught his shoulders. “What’s wrong?”

“Inside,” Drake gasped.

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