Comprehension lit his face. "You're Zee's prot?g??"
"That's right."
"May I see it?" he asked, holding out his hand for the stick.
I didn't give it to him. "Are you fae?"
His expression went blank and cold--which was an answer in itself, wasn't it?
"The fae don't consider me one of them," he said in an abrupt voice. "But my mother's grandfather was. I've just enough fae in me to do a little touch magic."
"Touch magic?"
"You know, I can touch something and have a pretty good idea how old it is, and who it belonged to. That kind of thing."
I held up the staff to him.
He took it and examined it for a long time. At last he shook his head and gave it back. "I've never seen it before--though I've heard of it. One of the fairy treasures."
"If you're a sheep farmer, maybe," I said dryly.
He laughed. "That's the one, all right--though sometimes those old things can do unexpected things. Anyway, it's a magic they can't work anymore, enchanting objects permanently, and they hold those things precious."
"What did Tad think you could tell me about it?"
He shook his head. "If you already know the story about it, I suppose you know as much as I do." "So what did touching it tell you?"
He laughed. "Not a darn thing. My magic only works on mundane things. I just wanted to hold it for a bit." He paused. "He told you I could find you information on it?" He looked me over keenly. "Now this wouldn't have any bearing on that trouble his father is in, could it? No, of course not." His eyes smiled slyly. "Oh, I expect that I know just exactly what Tad wants me to find for you, clever boy. Come back here with me."
He led me to a small alcove where the books were all in locking barrister's bookcases. "This is where I keep the more valuable stuff-- signed books and older oddities." He pulled up a bench and climbed on it to unlock the topmost shelf, which was mostly empty--probably because it was difficult to reach.
He pulled out a book bound in pale leather and embossed in gold. "I don't suppose you have fourteen hundred dollars you'd like to pay for this with?"
I swallowed. "Not at the moment--I might be able to scrape it up in a few days."
He shook his head as he handed the book down to me. "Don't bother. Just take care of it and give it back when you're finished. It's been here for five or six years. I don't expect that I'll have a buyer for it this week."
I took it gingerly, not being used to handling books that were worth more than my car (not that that was saying very much). The title was embossed on front and spine: Magic Made.
"I'm loaning this to you," he said slowly, considering his words carefully, "because it talks a little about that walking stick..." He paused and added in a "pay attention to this part" voice, "And a few other interesting things."
If the walking stick had been stolen, maybe more things had disappeared, too. I clutched the book tighter.
"Zee is a friend of mine." He locked the bookcase again and then got off the bench and put it back where it had been. Then in an apparent non sequitur he said casually, "You know, of course, that there are things that we are forbidden to discuss. But I know that the story of the walking stick is in there. You might start with that story. I believe it is in Chapter Five."
"I understand." He was giving me all the help he could without breaking the rules.
He led the way back through the store. "Take care of that staff."
"I keep trying to give it back," I said.
He turned and walked backward a few steps, his eyes on the staff. "Do you now?" Then he gave a small laugh, shook his head, and continued to the front door. "Those old things sometimes have a mind of their own."
He opened the door for me and I hesitated on the threshold. If he hadn't told me that he was part fae, I'd have thanked him. But acknowledging a debt to a fae could have unexpected consequences. Instead I took out one of the cards that Gabriel had printed up for me and gave it to him. "If you ever have trouble with your car, why don't you stop by? I work mostly on German cars, but I can usually make the others purr pretty well, too."
He smiled. "I might do that. Good luck."
Samuel was gone when I got back, but he'd left a note to tell me he had gone to work--and there was food in the fridge.