Insidious Winds Read Free

watch your back.”
    I checked the screen, surprised that there was a
number, although I didn’t recognize it. “What’s wrong?” I asked, sitting up. I
recognized Marcus’s voice.
    “You know that problem I had a few months ago?”
    “Yeah.” Someone was following him, but he never
called me for help, so I assumed he handled it.
    “Well, the problem found me. Three of my good friends
were injured and six more are missing. Everyone who knows me is getting
attacked.”
    “What about your computer?”
    “Destroyed. My house blew up with me in it.”
    “Do you need help?”
    “Not just yet. I’m going to try to disappear again,
but I’ll find you if I need you. I have to go.”
    “Wait, one thing first---”
    “It’s in the mail. If you happen to meet---” he was
cut off as the line went dead.
    Before I could set the phone down, it rang again. The
number was different. “Hello?” I said when I answered it.
    “Morning, Devon. This is Cindy. Did I wake you?”
    Cindy was one of the people who told me about
Quintessence before I ever got involved with John. She had hired me quite a few
times to hunt down and buy some very rare magic books. “Morning. No, I’m up. Do
you need another book?”
    “Actually, I heard you got involved with the craft
yourself.”
    “I seem to have lost my anonymity.”
    She laughed. “Only in the paranormal community.
That’s what I’m calling about. Something supernatural is happening here and I
don’t know anyone else who would believe me let alone be able to help. My
sister’s husband was attacked… by bees. He was hospitalized with a severe
reaction to bee stings.”
    “Okay, how is that supernatural?”
    “Because four witnesses said there were no bees.”
    “What’s her address?”
    “She lives right across the street from me.”
    “I’ll take the first flight out, but you need to know
I have to be somewhere on the twenty-fifth.”
    “Yeah, I know; that’s when the semester starts.”
    I wanted to ask her how she knew, but that wasn’t
something to talk about over the phone. “Alright. See you in a few hours.” I
hung up and got dressed. Just as I was slipping on a black t-shirt, my phone
rang again. It was Mrs. Thomas, asking about her husband. I told her that he
was innocent for the fourth time, but this was the first time I was lying.
    When I finally made it to the kitchen, Henry was
making breakfast. “Morning.”
    “Good morning,” he said. “You should keep your early
sleep schedule during your off time so you don’t have to readjust when you
start back at school.”
    “It never used to be a problem. I could stay up all
night for stakeouts and whatnot, then take an hour nap and be just fine.” I
grabbed a mug out of the cabinet and filled it with coffee. “We have a case.”
    “I heard. At least your side of it.”
    “I’d say you should pack up while I book a flight,
but you didn’t bring anything.”
    “I left my bags in my truck because I didn’t know for
sure where I would be staying.”
    “Well, you can’t commute between here and your place
every day and I do have an extra room. As for payment, are you interested in a
flat fee or a percentage?”
    “I’m only interested in having a legitimate job and
leaving my parents and that life behind me.”
    “Are your parents going to come after you?”
    “If they do, they’re going to come with something to
blackmail me with. I am putting your life in danger by being here, but I figure
you of all people would have something to protect yourself with.”
    “I have an alarm system and Vincent taught me some
magic that would help. It’s not enough to stop an attacker, but it’ll keep
someone from sneaking in.”
    “If they come to threaten me about Scott, then I can
get some information about him.”
     
    *          *          *
     
    Although the plane arrived on schedule, the actual
flight was quite miserable due to unexpected and almost violent turbulence.