“But I still want to meet and go have the witches take the spell off.”
“Sure. No problem.” Ruby patted his arm. “I’ll meet you at my office after you get off work, okay?”
“Thanks, Ruby.”
“No problem. Text me when you’re on your way. I’ll see you later. And I’ll even share my chocolate.” She held up the crumpled bag.
“Yes. Okay,” Max said, putting a hand on her shoulder. “Also, I really love you, Ruby. I still want to marry you.” He swept her up in a tight hug.
She laughed, hugged him hard, and patted his back. “I know. See you soon.”
Ruby bounced away with her bag of pumpkin spice chocolate as Bubba said in a surprised tone, “You love her and want to marry her? Whoisthat?”
Max turned to Bubba with some trepidation. “Well, I guess I have one more story to tell you.”
“Sounds like the best one yet.”
You have no idea.
Chapter Twelve
Ruby had a few more errands to run, including stopping at the bank for some cash. Viktor sent her a text asking where she was and could she come to the mercantile building pronto. It was some sort of emergency. The cashier handed her the receipt along with the cash she’d requested, and counted out the bills carefully.
She moved away to answer the text, but glanced at her account balance on the receipt.Whoa. There was lots of money in her account. Her balance showed the second portion of the fee she’d gotten for finding Max had been deposited.
How can that be? My message barely had time to get to Alienn, Arkansas let alone the far reaches of the galaxy.
“Excuse me,” she asked the cashier, stepping back up to the window. “Can you tell me when the most recent deposit was made to my account?”
The cashier looked on her computer and with a bright smile said, “Today just before noon, an automatic payment was made from an Arkansas bank.”
Huh. That was supernaturally fast.She’d only couriered the package to Alienn, Arkansas that morning. The electronic message may have gotten results faster, but the physical box with Max’s response wouldn’t be there until later today.
She shook her head in wonder as a warm glow spread through her, making her feel good. Capable. Accomplished. Rich. She could easily last for three months on this new bank balance, five if she economized.
Ruby headed back to her office. She’d see Max in an hour. She could finish up the paperwork on his case, or rather his uncle Milo’s case, and file it as resolved since she’d received the final balance.
On her way into the mercantile building, she spotted Viktor leaning on the balcony railing just above her office, clearly watching the door for her arrival. His leather goods store, Hide and Shriek, was just above her business. She realized her financial boon had distracted her from texting him back.
He didn’t look happy. The moment he spotted her, he waved and called down. “Hey, I really need to talk to you. Did you get my text?”
Ruby nodded. “Yeah. Sorry. I got your text, but forgot to text back. What’s up?”
“I need to ask you about something.” Viktor sniffed deeply and wiped his nose with a tissue. “Something important.”
“Okay. Come down to my office and we can chat there. Unless you’re sick. I don’t want your cooties.” Viktor looked over his shoulder as if peering into his store. Was he alone today? Surely not. He didn’t run a cash register or anything, he just made the leather goods and had his store manager sell them.
“Cooties. Ha. I’m not sick. I just have allergies, apparently. I’ll be right down.”
“Yeah, that’s what everyone says as they fling germs around to infect unsuspecting people.”
The dubious expression on his face didn’t stop him from leaving the railing and heading toward the stairs.
Ruby had time to unlock her door, get inside her office and seat herself behind her desk before Viktor entered through the back, blowing his nose loudly into another tissue.
“If you breathe on me and I get sick, I’m going to turn you into a toad.” It wasn’t truly a threat since she’d never been able to master even basic casting spells, let alone complicated ones.
