“I’m thankful for the wards doing their jobs, but I’m a little nervous about your being here, since they’re shielding your power,” the elder Dr. Samuels said. “I’ve been thinking of your safety and the safety of the book while I’m at work, and I’m seriously considering hiring a bodyguard for both of you.”
“A what? How in the world is that not going to attract attention?” Kizzy asked.
“I thought about that too, of course. You can each take a leave of absence. Ruth, since you’re more psychic and can sense danger approaching, you can go home, but you need to stay put. You’ll also know if someone is poking around, and maybe you can call and tell us where they are.”
Noah spied two men getting out of a white sedan. They were eyeing the home but not walking up to the door. What could they want?
“And me?” Kizzy asked.
“You’ll stay here. I need you to protect the book. I’ve heard of a shifter PI I’d like to hire to protect you, just in case.”
“A private investigator? I thought you said I needed a bodyguard?”
“Ah! Here’s the genius of my plan. The guy is a wolf shifter. Now hear me out. This is a bit unorthodox, but desperate times call for desperate measures.”
“A werewolf! How desperate are we?”
“You can fake temporary blindness, andifyou have to go anywhere, he can be your seeing-eye dog.”
“Dad! Are you kidding me?”
“No. I’m not. Kizzy, he comes highly recommended. He used to be a Boston PD cop. At the same time, if anything raises red flags, he can investigate. And, if absolutely necessary, he can rip the schnitzel out of an assailant.”
Noah had one eye on the guys out front, but they didn’t look very threatening.What assailant would require a werewolf for protection?He took a closer measure of the men strolling up and down the sidewalk, gazing at the house. And did Dr. Samuels mention a shifter? That meant he knew of such things.
Ruth laughed. “A seeing-eye wolf. Who’d believe that?”
“He isn’t an arctic wolf with a thick coat. He could pass for some kind of German Shepherd mix. His name is Nick Wolfensen, and he’ll be over later to meet you.”
“So, I guess this is a done deal,” Kizzy said.
“Not yet. I’ll let you meet him first, but if you don’t want me to stick to your side like glue all day, you’ll give him a chance. Any questions?”
“Would it matter if I don’t want any part of this?”
“And do what? Just go on vacation and leave us here to fend for ourselves?”
Kizzy let out a long sigh. “No. Of course not.”
“Then I would ask you to keep an open mind.”
The conversation ended when Ruth decided to head home. When the side door opened, the two unidentified guys jogged back to their car and got in. They pulled away from the curb and headed down the street before Ruth backed out of the driveway.
* * *
Dante and Mallory walked hand in hand down Charles Street, admiring the old Beacon Hill neighborhood. They glanced up when they saw a teapot hanging from a sign. There was even steam coming out of it. That in itself seemed paranormal.
“We’re meeting the wizard here?”
“Yeah. Shhhh…” Dante glanced at the people up and down the sidewalk, but no one seemed to pay them any notice. He opened the door for her, and Mallory walked in hesitantly.
Once inside, she whispered, “I don’t see a big curtain hiding a bald guy and lots of levers. How will we know who he is?”
A guy with close-cropped black hair approached them.
“I think he’s finding us.”
The man stuck out his right hand and introduced himself. “Hi, I’m Kurt. You’re the ones who called me.”
