Glancing at Clive, I found him glaring at Dave, his eyes vampy black. What?
When Dave finally opened his eyes, he was glaring right back at Clive. “You think I enjoy this? You asked me.”
“That was before I knew you were going to lick my wife’s finger.” Clive was seething.
“Claw,” Dave corrected.
Eww, that was what I’d felt? “Okay. Everyone stand down,” I said mostly to Clive before turning back to Dave. “Did you learn anything?”
Dave collapsed into the cushions, resting his head on the back of the couch. He was reminding Clive that he was no threat. At least right now in this situation, he wasn’t.
“Yeah,” Dave said. “Definitely fae. I think I know what he is, but I’m not sure.” He stretched his legs out and crossed them at the ankles. “He?—”
My phone buzzed in my pocket. Who would be calling me so late? I checked the screen. Just a number, no name.
“Hello?”
“Hello, yes, is this Sam?” The voice sounded familiar but I couldn’t place it.
“It is.”
“Oh, good. We’ve spoken on the phone before, my dear.”
Clive mouthed Bracken.
“Is this Bracken?” I asked.
“How clever you are! Yes, I’m your great-uncle Bracken. I just received a call from Arwyn. She said she had a dream about you being in trouble and thought I should call you. She wasn’t sure why. She just thought you needed my help. So, what can I do for you?”
I put it on speakerphone and glanced between the men, both of whom shrugged why not?
“We could use your help. Thank you.” I went through what had been happening and Dave’s certainty that the killer was fae.
Bracken was silent. I glanced at Clive, who motioned handwriting back to me. I had excellent hearing, but Clive’s was better. He could hear Bracken writing through the phone.
Bracken muttered quietly to himself. “Yes, yes. It’s the only thing that makes sense. Well, given what you’ve told me, I think you might have a pooka on your hands.”
Dave blew out a gust of breath and nodded. “That’s the fucker’s name. I couldn’t come up with it.”
Bracken paused.
“Oh, sorry! I forgot to tell you that both Clive and Dave are with me.”
“Ah. I see. I remember Dave’s voice now. It’s good to speak with you again and I would still like to interview you. At your convenience, of course.”
Dave rolled his eyes. “I’m kinda busy.”
“Of course you are.” Bracken responded, not the least bit put off by a snarly demon. “I’d be happy to go to you. I just purchased a new vehicle and would enjoy the drive.”
“Yeah. Fine. Whatever,” Dave rumbled.
“Splendid.” Bracken cleared his throat. “Samantha, if this is a pooka in the human realm, I’m afraid we’re in quite a lot of trouble.”
I looked between Dave and the phone. “Okay, but what is a pooka?”
“Quite right,” Bracken said. “I’m getting ahead of myself. A pooka is a malevolent fae spirit. He’s a chaos agent.”
“Wait,” I interrupted. “A spirit? As in something ghosty that I could influence?”
