“Do tell.”
She shook her head. “The only reason you’re involved in this at all is because I want Lydia to have a solid alibi. I was going to have you hang out with her after her shift last night while we did what we needed to do.”
“You thought I’d just go along with this idiocy, knowing you’re off to commit who knows what crimes?”
Mikey’s voice went so cold I could almost see the icicles hanging off his words. Stacey was unfazed.
“Actually, no,” she said. “That’s why I called Luke. Flannery has a lot of connections, and I thought an alibi from an officer of the law would be best, but Luke’s rich and well-connected, so he’ll do.”
Officer Mikey actually growled at that revelation.
“It’s not like you want to do it, so I don’t know what your damage is,” she said tartly.
“Youneed to keep your hands to yourself,” she said, turning to Luke. “Lydia’s fragile right now. She’s been through hell, and if her ex has his way, he’ll drag her back to his home and lock her in a basement or something. I’m not letting that happen.”
“We’renot going to let that happen,” Lorraine corrected as she stepped into the kitchen.
She was dressed in a flowing sleeveless jumpsuit, patterned with brilliant yellow hibiscus flowers on a cobalt background. Her thick chestnut hair fell in waves over her shoulders, her dramatic smokey black and blue eyeshadow and ruby lips making her look mysterious and exotic. She wore her nails short and her hands were callused. When she wasn’t working with her animals, she was digging in her garden. If Jen was an Amazon and Stacey a pixie, Lorraine was mother earth.
She tossed her handbag on the counter and went to make herself espresso. She looked over her shoulder at me. “Refill?”
I grinned. “Always. You want breakfast?”
She flashed a smile of her own. “Always.”
“What exactly do you expect me to do while you go and commit whatever crimes you have in mind?” Mikey asked, his expression turning to granite.
“Nothing,” Stacey said dismissively. “Go home and mow the lawn, or whatever you do on a Sunday.”
His lip curled, and he gave a slow shake of his head. “Are you serious or just trying to piss me off?”
She put her hands on her hips, her eyes sparking with irritation. “You want me to apologize for wasting your time? Or for getting you involved at all? You got it. I’m sorry. I should have known better. You’re too straight an arrow to help with this.” She made the last sound like an insult.
“But the police idiots have all taken Flannery’s word for everything. They won’t even listen to Lydia. She’s just the bitter ex-wife causing the poor, pitiful man trouble.” The way she glared at Mikey, it was clear she counted him among the cops who chose to ignore Lydia’s plight. “I’mthe only one who listened. Since you and your cop buddies won’t do anything, we’re going to get her cats back, and we’re going to make sure Flannery stops bothering her. Besides, is it really theft if we steal back what he stole?”
“I can’t be Lydia’s alibi,” Luke said, as if she hadn’t just ripped Mikey a new asshole. “The invitation is to me, so I’ll have to go to the party. Beck would be my obvious date. She’s got the name recognition of her aunt, and everybody will expect that she’s inherited a bunch of money. That makes her welcome, and Flannery will be eager to suck up to us both.”
“What do we do about Lydia?” Jen asked. “And how do the rest of us get into the party?”
“You’re the best choice to give Lydia her alibi, Stacey,” I said with an apologetic look. I knew how much she wanted to be the one to teach the asshole ex a lesson, or at least be there to witness it. “You’re the only one of us who actually knows her, and it makes sense that you would go do something together. When the cops question her—and given their track record so far, they will—they won’t wonder why she was with strangers. Wouldn’t hurt if you had an alibi either.”
Her lips flattened and her eyes narrowed. She crossed her arms, her chin jutting. I just waited. I knew she’d be mad, but she wasn’t stupid. A minute ticked by, and I worked at cracking eggs into a bowl.
“Fine,” she spat out finally. “I’ll call her, but you remember this moment, Beck, when I use logic against you.” Her finger stabbed the air as she pointed at me.
“I’ll try,” I said, as she spun around and marched out of the room, digging in her pocket for her phone as she went.
“That takes care of Lydia, but what about me and Lorraine?” Jen asked. “You aren’t going to be able to get the cats if you and Luke are at the party. We need to get in under the radar.”
“Like as caterers or something,” Lorraine said, sitting next to Jen and casting a wary look at Mikey.
“I’ll cast a glamour,” I said, not looking up.
“What does that mean?” Luke asked, and he’d clearly not quite come to terms with magic, because his voice cracked like he’d just hit puberty.
“A disguise, right?” Jen said.
“Sort of, but in this case, I’d make it so nobody wants to notice you. They’ll see you, but they won’t pay any attention. You’ll be able to walk in with me and Luke.”
