crazy, but it’s a self-driving car with a male voice and it can carry on a conversation.”
“And you named it Romeo.”
“Well, I didn’t name it. Exactly. It’s an Alfa Romeo.”
He whistled. “That tells you they must want you very badly. Like a signing bonus.”
“Did I mention the magical garden?”
“No.”
“In the middle of the little courtyard there’s a tree. Only it’s not the same tree. It changes. Yesterday it was a blood orange tree. Today it’s a pink tulip tree.”
He smiled like a person who didn’t find such wonders extraordinary.
“I met the vampire, but didn’t know about the magical nature of the population. Molly was in the back. He was standing in the middle of the store not moving and not talking.”
Keir chuckled. “That sounds like him.” Keir lifted the pint to take a big swig.
“So I told him to buy something or get out.”
He almost spit out the beer that had been on the way down. The near-strangulation was followed by red-faced laughter. “I would have loved to see that. What did he do?”
“He bought the most expensive piece in the shop.”
“You see, Rita? This is exactly why we need you. The place needs a little shaking up. A new perspective.”
“I’m completely unqualified to be a judge, Keir. That’s the bottom line that everybody seems intent on overlooking.”
“You weren’t selected by committee.” He wagged his head back and forth. “Well, I guess you were, but the committee that picked you is infallible. Because the Powers That Be…”
“Are never wrong.”
“Guess you heard that before.”
“What gave you that idea?”
“What’s in the negative column?”
That brought me up short. What was in the negative column? I blinked a few times trying to remember what I’d mentally deposited on the downside.
“Um, I don’t know what a tosser is.”
Keir looked askance. “Seriously?”
“You know what I mean. That’s an example of language differences. Then there’s culture. No telling what kind of norms and customs I’ll stumble all over. I could leave a trail of offense that’ll be written about for centuries to come.”
Keir snorted into his mug. “You’re as dramatic as the Irish. You’ll fit right in.”
“Where are the kids?”
“Kids?”
“You heard me.”
He looked around, nodded toward someone behind me, then said, “We’re long-lived and aren’t compelled to reproduce. Like humans.”
“So, it really is an adults-only kind of community.” He had nothing to say to that. “I’m not saying that’s a dealbreaker.”
“There aren’t any families with young who live here in Hallow Hill, but families come to Court Week.”
“Oh? Why?”
“Well, sometimes parents are involved in disputes. Mostly it’s because of the festival. A gathering of the clans you might say.”
“I see.”
“I was prepared to do a hard sell, but it seems you’ve already done the work for me. Your plus column is a long list of excellent reasons to accept the post. Your minus column doesn’t have anything on it.”
“I was told my daughter would not be welcome to move here.”
“You have an adult daughter?”
“The surprise that accompanies that question is a very player kind of line. Just so you know that I know. My daughter is in college. Whether or not she could be called an adult depends on one’s point of view.”
He chuckled. “Does she want to move here?”
“No.”
“Is she likely to want to move here?”
“No.”
“Is this a moot point and you know it?”
“Yes.
“What else?” I pressed my lips together trying to decide whether or not I liked being called out on my bull honky. “What’s really holding you back?”
“The big unknown.”
“And what is that?”
“Precisely. There’s no way to know what the big unknown is until you’re into a thing. There’s always something they don’t tell you about surgery until it’s too late.”
“I admit to not knowing about that.”
“Well, yeah, but there’s going to be that something. The big unknown. The thing that makes you ask yourself why you did blank, blank, blank. You know what I mean?”
“Honestly? No. But here’s the thing. I’ve never heard of a magistrate having regrets about accepting the position. I don’t think you’ve begun to understand how important you are.”
“Tell me this. Why do you care? I mean what does it mean to you personally? Why take time to try to convince me?”
He looked away again. It seemed to be something he did when he thought the next words from his mouth were important and he wanted to get them right. While he was thinking Geoffrey came to collect plates.
“Dessert?” Geoffrey asked.
“What do you have tonight?” Keir asked.
“Crème brulee and sticky pudding.”
Keir looked at me.
“Do you like both?” I asked.
“I