black hair.
Dressed in a snappy olive-green suit, he waved his hands around and
gesticulated as he spoke. The grating, arrogant sound of his voice spoke volumes
about his personality, as did the conceited content of his words.
“This joker would turn in his own mother if he thought it
would enhance his career and standing,” Julian said softly to Matt. “No way
would he keep a friend like Shadow under wraps if he knew about it.”
Matt had to agree with his partner’s assessment. Turning, he
looked into the office on the left-hand side, the one Ida had indicated was
Olivia Congreave’s. He saw a curvy, red-headed woman who appeared to be in her
early thirties. She stood by the window and looked down, seeming entranced by
the scene below. Her red, wavy hair reached just below her shoulders, offset by
the dark-forest-green jacket she wore and a pencil-slim black skirt.
Reaching out with his magical senses, Matt detected her
signature and knew this woman was not Shadow. Long years of habit had him
memorizing the uniqueness of her essence, but much of his initial interest
waned as he placed her in the “possibly helpful” basket. She was not the
intriguing, complex, challenging puzzle Shadow conjured for him. Matt drew up
short as he thought this, stunned by the fact that his interest and curiosity
about Shadow had grown so deeply. He was hunting her down as if she were prey.
Riveting, beguiling, seductive prey.
Embarrassed by this private self-revelation, Matt turned to
speak to Julian and break the unusual silence, only to find his partner staring
at the red-headed witch. Julian looked at her with such an intensity it was as
if he feared she were a mirage and would disappear without a moment’s notice.
Never having seen his friend look at or react to anyone like that, Matt felt
equal parts amused and intrigued. Nudging him, Matt grinned and jerked his head
toward the witch’s office.
“Do you think you can handle us going in there and asking
her questions, buddy?” he teased Julian. “Or do you want to wait out here?”
Matt felt his amusement deepen as Julian’s pale skin
flushed. “I think I can handle coherent words,” he replied fairly tartly.
“Unlike you, I happen to have a brain and a distinguished vocabulary. Maybe it
would be best if I asked her a few questions and you sat back and
watched how it’s done.”
Matt’s eyebrows rose in amusement and he waved a hand,
indicating that Julian should precede him into Olivia’s office.
“By all means,” Matt teased, “go for it, man. Show me what
I’m lacking and teach me a lesson in how to thrill the ladies.”
Julian knocked on the frame of the open door before entering
a few steps. Matt kept a discreet pace behind him, more than willing to let his
partner and friend try to bedazzle the witch. At the knock, the redhead turned
from the window, her eyes wide with surprise. She clearly hadn’t expected to be
interrupted.
“Excuse me, but are you Miss Congreave?” Julian asked in a
soft, gentle tone.
“I’m Olivia Congreave, yes,” she replied. She appeared to
try to hide her surprise, but Matt could still see the curiosity lighting her
eyes. “May I help you? I’m afraid I wasn’t aware I had an appointment just
now…”
“Oh, no. I’m sorry, we didn’t have an appointment. I’m
Julian Sherwyn and this is Matthias Kestell. We’re following up on a few leads
we’ve discovered in conjunction with some cases the Enforcers have in their
cold files. We have just a couple of simple questions, if you don’t mind giving
us a couple of minutes of your time?”
Matt watched as an invisible barrier appeared to come down
over Olivia’s expressive face. Her smile dimmed and the curious,
eager-to-please light in her eyes became far more cautious. Nothing overt had
changed, and her tone of voice remained cheery, if a little forced now. Matt
had to hold himself still as he’d nearly taken an instinctive step forward, his
inner radar singing
Dressed in a snappy olive-green suit, he waved his hands around and
gesticulated as he spoke. The grating, arrogant sound of his voice spoke volumes
about his personality, as did the conceited content of his words.
“This joker would turn in his own mother if he thought it
would enhance his career and standing,” Julian said softly to Matt. “No way
would he keep a friend like Shadow under wraps if he knew about it.”
Matt had to agree with his partner’s assessment. Turning, he
looked into the office on the left-hand side, the one Ida had indicated was
Olivia Congreave’s. He saw a curvy, red-headed woman who appeared to be in her
early thirties. She stood by the window and looked down, seeming entranced by
the scene below. Her red, wavy hair reached just below her shoulders, offset by
the dark-forest-green jacket she wore and a pencil-slim black skirt.
Reaching out with his magical senses, Matt detected her
signature and knew this woman was not Shadow. Long years of habit had him
memorizing the uniqueness of her essence, but much of his initial interest
waned as he placed her in the “possibly helpful” basket. She was not the
intriguing, complex, challenging puzzle Shadow conjured for him. Matt drew up
short as he thought this, stunned by the fact that his interest and curiosity
about Shadow had grown so deeply. He was hunting her down as if she were prey.
Riveting, beguiling, seductive prey.
Embarrassed by this private self-revelation, Matt turned to
speak to Julian and break the unusual silence, only to find his partner staring
at the red-headed witch. Julian looked at her with such an intensity it was as
if he feared she were a mirage and would disappear without a moment’s notice.
Never having seen his friend look at or react to anyone like that, Matt felt
equal parts amused and intrigued. Nudging him, Matt grinned and jerked his head
toward the witch’s office.
“Do you think you can handle us going in there and asking
her questions, buddy?” he teased Julian. “Or do you want to wait out here?”
Matt felt his amusement deepen as Julian’s pale skin
flushed. “I think I can handle coherent words,” he replied fairly tartly.
“Unlike you, I happen to have a brain and a distinguished vocabulary. Maybe it
would be best if I asked her a few questions and you sat back and
watched how it’s done.”
Matt’s eyebrows rose in amusement and he waved a hand,
indicating that Julian should precede him into Olivia’s office.
“By all means,” Matt teased, “go for it, man. Show me what
I’m lacking and teach me a lesson in how to thrill the ladies.”
Julian knocked on the frame of the open door before entering
a few steps. Matt kept a discreet pace behind him, more than willing to let his
partner and friend try to bedazzle the witch. At the knock, the redhead turned
from the window, her eyes wide with surprise. She clearly hadn’t expected to be
interrupted.
“Excuse me, but are you Miss Congreave?” Julian asked in a
soft, gentle tone.
“I’m Olivia Congreave, yes,” she replied. She appeared to
try to hide her surprise, but Matt could still see the curiosity lighting her
eyes. “May I help you? I’m afraid I wasn’t aware I had an appointment just
now…”
“Oh, no. I’m sorry, we didn’t have an appointment. I’m
Julian Sherwyn and this is Matthias Kestell. We’re following up on a few leads
we’ve discovered in conjunction with some cases the Enforcers have in their
cold files. We have just a couple of simple questions, if you don’t mind giving
us a couple of minutes of your time?”
Matt watched as an invisible barrier appeared to come down
over Olivia’s expressive face. Her smile dimmed and the curious,
eager-to-please light in her eyes became far more cautious. Nothing overt had
changed, and her tone of voice remained cheery, if a little forced now. Matt
had to hold himself still as he’d nearly taken an instinctive step forward, his
inner radar singing
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