She stood to pull out a box when the gem dropped and sagged her panties downward. What if it plopped out like a large turd ball?
“Healing crystals?” the older officer said. “Canwe take a look at your collection?”
“Be my guest,” Sorcha said. “Everything’s for sale. If you see anything you like, let us know.”
The two officers looked through Sorcha’s crystal collection and asked Clare to show her wangs, er wands.
Clare squeezed her thighs and walked tightly to her wand cabinet, hoping her knickers would knot around the sacred Heart of Brigid.
“What’s up with you?” The younger man leered at her. “Got a stick up your arse?”
“Lost my vibrator wand, but if you’re looking for a magical butt plug, I’m sure I can carve you a shillelagh of shittim wood.” Clare took the opportunity to sit down after finding a crooked schlong-sized stick.
The two Garda guffawed, each teasing the other about ordering the jumbo-sized butt plug, andClare was saved from getting off her diamond in the rough.
Fortunately, Maeve peeked from the room and noticed the younger Garda was quite a dish. She distracted them with a pot of hot tea in the kitchen, and Sorcha entertained them with stories of historical Irish murders, including a man who believed his wife was a changeling and got the jury to believe him too.
Clare remainedrooted to the sofa and twisted her hands around the shittim wood stake.
What had Griffin gotten himself into? Or was this another part of his story world? Maybe he sent these two goons to flush her out of hiding. Or worse, they were bad guys he’d gotten mixed up with.
One thing she knew, this was one hot potato she didn’t want to carry around. If the anonymous tipster was watchingher, he would follow her straight to Griffin’s place. Should she drop the precious Heart in the mail and hope no one checked it? Or would they have cameras at the post office and arrest her on the spot?
Nope, she’d have to think of a more creative way to return the Brigid’s Blessed Heart. But first, she had to hide it in a safer place than up her arse.
“I have to leave right now,” Clare said to her roomies as soon as the Garda were gone.
“They might be watching you.”Maeve fluttered at the window, hoping to catch a glimpse of the blue-eyed wonder boy. “You’ll be followed.”
“She can’t stay here,” Sorcha said. “The fact that the Garda came here means they suspect she’s hiding the diamond.”
“Exactly.” Clare unzipped her luggage and stuffed everything she’d unpacked back. “Next time, they’ll come with a warrant.”
“Where will you go?” Maeveasked. “Can I come with you? I wouldn’t mind having that hunky shifty-eyed one shifting his eyes and hands all over me.”
“Oh, stop it, Maeve,” Sorcha said. “Can’t you see Clare’s having a moment of panic? She needs me to right the ship with my steady hand.”
“No, I don’t,” Clare said. “You two have to act normal. If all of us leave, then the people watching will think we have somethingto hide.”
“You can’t leave with the luggage,” Sorcha said. “You have to appear as if you’re going out to pick up a bag of groceries.”
Clare looked at all of her fairy costumes. “You’re right. I’ll have to go incognito. No more drawing attention.”
She went through Sorcha and Maeve’s wardrobe and picked out only the white clothes. White jeans, white blouses, white dresses, andwhite shoes.
“What’s with all of the white?” Maeve asked. “You always liked to be colorful.”
“The last time anyone saw me with Griffin, I was wearing black and green,” Clare said. “I never wear white, so if anyone’s watching, they may not associate me with the woman with the ruffled black feathers.”
“Very clever. Shall we get you a white burka the next time I order frankincenseand myrrh?” Sorcha quipped. “Where will you go?”
Clare wrapped a white scarf around her auburn hair. “I can’t tell you, and I can’t let you two know what I do with the stone. It’s for your protection.”
“We can’t just let you go by yourself,” Maeve said. “I bet you’re going to look for Griffin.”
“Shhh…” Clare put her finger over Maeve’s lips. “Don’t talk about me or Griffin.You’ll only put yourselves in grave danger.”
“Be careful.” Sorcha hugged Clare tightly. “If you need anything, you let us know.”
“I’m worried about you,” Maeve agreed. “But think positive, right? Maybe you and Griffin will fall in love and live happily ever after.”
“I’ll settle for live.” Clare blinked back tears at having to leave her two friends. “Wish me luck and a weebit of love.”
