Circle of the Moon (Soulwood #4 )- Faith Hunter Page 0,50
cell and texted back. Come on up.
“Is this about the cops and the dustup at the church this morning and you getting hurt?”
“Dustup. Yeah. And probably. The kidnapping of a federal law enforcement officer and raid on the church compound probably hit the news. And maybe she’s heard about the witch circles and did some digging. Maybe she’s responding to the report that KPD and the sheriff’s department didn’t share info with us about paranormal reports. Either way, this is official business, not tea and cookies.”
Mud crossed her arms over her chest and her face took on a mulish expression, mouth firm, eyes narrowed. “I ain’t going upstairs and twiddle my thumbs.”
“Is this one of those lifestyle things we’re working through?” I asked. “Like, how our living arrangements will work when I go into the field? Because if you think a social services worker will be okay with you being present during discussions about official police business, then let me tell you, you’re wrong.”
“I’m staying some nights at PsyLED HQ. That’s full of police business.”
“You’ll be there while I’m doing paperwork, not in the middle of a debrief or with me in the field or at a crime scene—and only until I get child care worked out.”
“I don’t need no dagnab babysitter.”
“We will talk later. Now scoot. Take your tablet upstairs and practice.”
“This ain’t fair.”
“This isn’t fair.”
“That’s what I said. Not fair.” Mud snatched up her tablet and stomped up the stairs.
“Ha-ha,” I muttered, grinding my teeth. I put my gobags together and started a half pot of coffee. Mud was twelve, a grown-up woman ready for marriage according to some in the church, but just entering her teenage years. God help me.
• • •
Margot walked up the steps to my porch. She was tall, lean, with broad shoulders and her hair buzzed short enough to see her scalp, a perfect do for the weather. I shoved my own red locks away from my sweaty face and dreamed of central air-conditioning. It had to be in the high nineties in the shade and nearly that inside the house, even with the window unit going full blast. Normal for late July.
I opened the door and studied her, even as Margot studied me back. She was wearing her badge and weapon in plain view. She might have implied that this was a friendly little chat, but she was on the job. That hurt my feelings, but I shoved it down inside and stepped back from the door. “Welcome to my home. Hospitality and safety while you’re here.” It was a God’s Cloud of Glory greeting and promise. “Come on in.”
Margot said, “I’m honored to accept your hospitality.” That was one of the proper church responses and I tilted my head in surprise. “I’m one of the few special agents who’ve bothered to learn the proper responses for the church.” She stepped inside. “Dang, girl, I thought you left that ‘suffer for the sake of your soul’ stuff behind. It’s hot as hades in here.”
“Mm-hm,” I said. “Coffee?”
“Sure. Let’s make the unholy hell of this furnace room hotter.”
“I got ice cubes if you want.”
“Iced coffee? That sounds like a little bit of heaven.”
I led her to the kitchen and she leaned on the counter, seemingly content and comfortable in my home. I took a tray of ice cubes and felt her looking around, taking inventory. The first time a cop had done that I had accused him of wanting to steal my belongings. Now I knew that cops were just notoriously nosy.
“Where’s your sister?” Margot had indeed been snooping.
I didn’t answer and she said, “I can’t see any court not wanting Mindy to live here. If you need a reference, I’ll happily provide one.”
A spurt of anger shot through me. The fact that Mud was living here off and on and I was trying to get custody of her wasn’t widely known. Margot had been spying into my court records. “You been keeping better track of me and mine than is common even for cops,” I said, maybe a mite too calm. “Want to tell me why?”
Margot stood and went to the wood-burning stove, inspecting it as if she had never seen one before. She held a hand over it as if testing to see if it was being used in the overheated house. She said, “You knew my secret. I expected you to out me and you didn’t. I was curious.”
I made a sound in the back of my throat that might