monster haven 02.5 - hidden holidays by r l naquin

Author:r l naquin [naquin, r l]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Bottle Cap Publishing
Published: 2014-01-07T00:00:00+00:00

Finnegan Jones

Acquisitions and Treasure Hunting

If you want it, I’ll find it.

I made a sour face and tucked the card in my blouse. “Mr. Jones, give me a reason not to let my friend snap you like a twig. The Leprechaun Mafia is not welcome on my property. Your people have been warned.”

His salesman smile didn’t waver. “Madam, there’s no such thing as this ‘Leprechaun Mafia’ you speak of. And if you’re referring to that small incident with the Sacramento Brotherhood, those events occurred in Sausalito. I’m an independent contractor, unassociated with the Brotherhood.” He had the audacity to wink at me. “And this isn’t Sausalito, either.”

I bent low to look him in the eye, and I spoke through gritted teeth. “You’re in my woods, and a selkie pelt has gone missing. Theft is not a business model. Hand it over or I let Iris beat it out of you.”

Iris shook the leprechaun for emphasis. I nearly ruined the effect by smiling at Iris. Having backup was awesome.

Fin held his hands out. “Please, no. The suit is expensive and I’ve already lost a loafer. If you’ll have the gentleman put me down, I’ll hand over the pelt. I don’t want trouble.”

I nodded and Iris dropped Fin. On his head.

The small man took a moment to shake sand from his hair and brush the wrinkles from his clothes. He reached into his pocket for a flat box, about the size of a woman’s wallet, then pinched it open. A pile of fur sprang out, as if it had been under pressure. The pelt was far larger than the box, but since I owned a magical purse with similar properties, I didn’t question how it fit.

“My pelt!” Owen ran past me in a naked streak, scooping the pelt into his arms and rubbing it against his face.

Brynn and Rhys appeared on either side of me, their pelts draped around them like blankets.

Brynn grinned at me, and her dark eyes lit her face. “We went for help.”

I frowned. “How did you talk to Iris from the water?

Rhys puffed out his chest. “We found a sea serpent. She said she knows you and would take care of it.”

“Frannie.” I smiled. “I haven’t seen her since she and her baby rescued me from sharks after I fell overboard from a dinner cruise.”

That sounded ridiculous, even to myself. And I’d lived it. The kids didn’t even blink.

How a sea serpent had gotten word to a skunk-ape I had no idea, but I knew the two were friends. It made a weird sort of sense, given the context of my currently wacky life.

“Can I go now?” Fin stood to the side watching us, his arms folded across his chest.

I squinted at the sky. Full dark was nearly here, and I had to get back home before I couldn’t see my way through the trees. Maurice would be worried soon.

“Here’s the deal, Fin.” I gave him the full-on force of my most serious stink-eye. “You get the hell out of this town.

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