“Did you yell at her?”
“No. I challenged her. Head-to-head. Skate off. Loser matches the funds the winner raises.”
I shook my head, but I was smiling. “You are going to own her and make rent doing it.”
That got a small smile out of her. “Maybe. She’s built like a marathon runner under her Gucci pantsuit. I haven’t been back on skates all that long.”
“When is the event?”
“Tomorrow.”
“You should get some sleep.”
“I’m fine. I’ll be fine. I’d rather be working than wasting my energy on an old feud. Talk to me about the ring.”
I handed her the picture and pulled it up on my screen too. “Man’s hand. Not a wedding ring. Flat on top, maybe square? I think I’ve seen it somewhere.”
“A lot of men’s rings are square.”
“I know.”
“So where would you have been that you would take the time to note someone’s ring?”
“Everywhere?”
“That’s not exactly narrowing it down. Mithra? The casino?”
I thought back. “No. Maybe the diner?”
“Were Ben or Jame wearing a ring?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Lot of people at the Blue Owl.”
I sighed. “I know.”
“Maybe it will come to you.”
“Yeah, like my luck’s running hot right now.” I glanced at the time on my computer. “It’s getting late. I’ll forward the phones to my cell. Let’s both try to get some sleep.”
“You don’t want to talk about Ryder?”
I rubbed at one eye. “No. I can’t believe he said yes to Mithra. He doesn’t even believe in gods.”
“That’s probably why he said yes. I looked through the books. Dad’s books.”
“And?” I stood, took my coffee cup back to the small sink tucked into the hall and dumped out the water.
“There hasn’t been a warden in Ordinary since mid-last century. Some woman named Duchess. Apparently, even with Mithra’s powers behind her, no one listened to her.”
“Well, that sucks.”
“It means Mithra has been dying to get a new warden in place ever since then.”
“I wish he’d just take a vacation and loosen up. Did the books say we have to obey everything the warden says?”
“It’s a little vague on the details, though there are some notes that suggest the warden should act as jury over the town, while the Reeds act as judge.”
