When I finished, Xen asked, "If he's getting out, do you think his cronies have been getting out, too?"
"I haven't seen any evidence of them. But I wouldn't rule it out. Would you mind if I reinstated your bodyguard?"
The look she gave me needed no interpretation.
"Xen," I pleaded, "it's for your own safety! I don't want him getting his hands on you again!"
She still looked unwilling. I leaned my forehead against hers, staring deep into her eyes.
"Please?"
She rolled her eyes, but I followed the plea with a kiss. When it ended, she muttered, "I'll forgive you. Eventually."
I chuckled at the running gag statement. Then I asked, "How's Calla been?"
"Very quiet. I checked her a few times, before I dozed off, and she's still sleeping. I put some sweat on her bruises, so they should start healing up quickly enough. But the real trouble is in here," she pointed a claw at her head, "and here." She pointed at her heart.
"I know," I sighed. "Believe me, I know."
After snuggling for a while longer, Xen made dinner, we ate, snuggled (among other things) some more, and then she went back to her apartment. She needed to go to bed, and I needed to think. It was now 8:05 pm, and I could feel the backs of my eyes stinging, begging for sleep. I went to the bathroom, and woke myself up more by splashing water on my face. Then I retrieved a notepad and pen, and made a list.
Things I Know
- Jessup has gotten out of prison at least once, as is evident by the tracks on Senator Skald's lawn, and the pieces of grass and dirt on his feet.
- Mrs. Skald was not faking her distress; therefore, her husband must really have vanished.
I wondered whether to actually count that point, since it was based on guessing, but since I think myself a pretty good judge of character, I was sure it was genuine. I wracked my brain for another certainty, but came up with nothing. So instead I wrote questions.
- Was Senator Skald kidnapped, or did he go into hiding, or did he leave of his own free will?
- Why has nobody reported seeing him vanish, other than his wife?
- Has he been taken by a political enemy?
- How did someone take him, anyway? Even if he’s an old troll, he’s still got to be pretty strong.
- How did Jessup get out of prison, and back in, with nobody noticing?
- Why would he be involved in the senator's disappearance?
- What do those bits of magical residue do?
I groaned inwardly when I saw all the things I would have to find out, but steeled myself. I had taken on this case of my own free will; I owed it to the clients to get the answers. Besides, a detective's got to do what a detective's got to do.
I looked at the kitchen table, where I had placed the evidence baggies so they wouldn't interfere with my Xen-time. In order to distinguish the ones with the magic from each other, I had used different colored markers to place a dot on each. The one I had found on the senator's property had a pink dot, the one in the elevator a blue dot, and the one in Jessup's cell had a black dot. Other than that, the magics looked about the same.
If only I were a mage or an alchemist right now! I thought. Then I'd be able to figure out, just by holding them, what they- I stopped, and looked over at the room where the girl slept. It was worth a shot. I was desperate. The odds of her being able to help weren't thoroughly high. But I'd be turned to stone and smashed before I asked that irritating Fleming for help.
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