“We’ll figure something out.” I took the sheet of paper from Nigel and scanned it. “Okay, I will get most of these things.” I handed the list to Regge as we left a worried-looking Nigel with the wolves. Outside, I said, “I texted Cobb last night about Castenada.”
“We need to talk to Ziggy. She can help Master Anu.” Regge settled into the passenger side of my car.
“Call them, see if they want to do breakfast.” I put my feelers out, seeing if the hotel was in immediate danger. Satisfied that all was quiet, I started the car.
“It’s almost six a.m. and you want me to call them?” Regge was doubtful. Damien Cobb was notoriously not a morning person.
“Cobb will be grumpy, but we need to catch them before a day shift,” I said. “We can meet them at Joe’s on Sixth Street.”
Jane Zigfield was a fully licensed medical doctor, but she worked at District 21 of the Philadelphia PD. She preferred her job as a forensic specialist, despite the odd hours and lower pay. Fortunately for all of us, she wasn’t above treating the unusual or the supernatural.
“Yeah, well. A grumpy Detective Cobb is not my idea of fun on no sleep.” Regge sounded rather grumpy himself.
“You slept pretty good.” I let my grin widen. “Judging by the snoring.”
“I did not.”
“Oh, you did. It was adorable. Like a little bear cub.”
“Shut up.” Regge hid a smile as he put his phone to his ear. I listened as he patiently explained the need for Cobb and Ziggy to join us for breakfast.
«±»
Joe’s Diner was bustling at this hour. We hung around the entrance, looking like washed-out college students, until a server waved us over to a booth. We’d ordered our food and drank half a cup of coffee before Ziggy and Cobb showed up.
Ziggy was an average-sized woman, but she looked super petite with Damien Cobb’s large, muscled frame following her. Her skin was a dark olive tone, which made her blue eyes pop under her curly hair, giving her a definite mixed-race exotic look. Cobb had cut his locks the year before, but his close-cropped hair and trimmed beard did nothing to make his appearance less menacing. His typical don’t-fuck-with-me scowl was in full force this morning.
Even knowing that Cobb had a softer side, I curbed my usual enthusiasm around him. The cop was known to cave to the whims of his girlfriend or his teen-aged daughter. And his cop partner could make him tear up with laughter. I’d seen it with my own eyes. I left my side of the booth and went to slide in with Regge.
“Wait,” he said. “Let me sit on the outside.”
We had just resettled in when Cobb stopped at our table. “Do you two fetuses know it’s way too goddamned early for anything but sex or sleep?” He waited for Ziggy to slide across the seat before sitting across from me. “And thanks to you, I’m not getting either right now.”
“Damien, we’ll get you some coffee and hotcakes and listen to what they have to say, okay?” Ziggy leaned into him. “It’s obviously important.”
Cobb harrumphed but jerked his head toward the window. “Is that your weird cat sitting outside like he owns the place?”
Regge smiled and nodded. I followed Cobb’s gaze, and sure enough, Archie was circling the edge of a stone planter outside the front window. It was oddly comforting, knowing the familiar watched over him.
Our conversation was interrupted by the waitress’s appearance at the table. Ziggy ordered for both her and Cobb. When orders were taken, I launched into all that had happened since I’d texted with Cobb the night before.
“Are you sure it’s Ramon Castenada?” Cobb asked.
“Well, Nigel didn’t know which mob guy was which, but one of them was watching the hotel.”
“Nigel the ghost?” Ziggy asked.
“Yes. And the old guy needs a doctor, and we need info on the cartel. So of course we called you guys.”
“My shift starts at eight. But I can swing by the hotel on the way home,” Ziggy said.
“We.” Cobb looked at her. “Wecan swing by. A dilapidated hotel with ghosts and necromancers and mob guys. Yeah. It will be both of us.”
We chatted until our meals came. Regge had ordered a ton of food. Eggs, hotcakes, hash browns, and sausage, with an extra side of bacon.
“Yours will be right up, darlin’.” The server winked at Cobb, bringing about an awkward moment where Ziggy grinned at the table and Cobb fidgeted and scowled.
Regge chewed thoughtfully for a bit. “We can meet you there at five?”
