Demons of Good and Evil by Kim Harrison

            “Give him a chance,” I said as we wove our way to Glenn’s office. It was his dad’s old one, and I could find my way blindfolded. Heads were beginning to turn, and I tried to smile. Edden’s witch, I thought. But the farther we went, the more convinced I was that it wasn’t me but Cassie’s stunning features that had caught their interest.

            “Besides,” I added as we slowed at Glenn’s open door, “I don’t want the pack getting hurt trying to rescue David. The FIB has tools and skills you will not believe.”

            “I don’t see it,” Cassie said softly, and as I knuckle knocked on the doorframe, I winced.

            Glenn was an organizer, but he had clearly been overwhelmed. Stacks of half-taped boxes made a shaky tower against one wall. Another box of sundry office supplies sat on a chair, and I sighed at the stuffed rat on top, a reminder of Nick, my ex-boyfriend who had cleverly escaped human justice only to fall to demon reckoning.

            The detective’s desk wasn’t much better, with a desktop computer, a laptop, and a tablet all trying to sync. Or at least, I think that’s what he was doing. The old-school landline phone and answering machine were both in the trash, and Glenn’s top-of-the-line cell phone was resting on a charging pad as if it was a shrine. Clearly he was having issues reconciling his dad’s paper existence with his own, electronic organizing.

            “Martie?” Glenn shouted as he and Jenks looked up from his computer, the man’s expression shifting to pleasure as he saw us standing there. “Rachel, good,” he said as he stood, his chair rolling to hit the wall as he gestured for me. “Come see this.”

            I inched in past the boxes as Jenks rose up and down, dust slipping from him as he went to perch on Glenn’s pencil cup. “Hi, Glenn. Merging your offices?”

            “In theory, yes.” Glenn nodded to Cassie. She’d laced her hands behind her back, clearly not wanting to shake his hand. “I’m starting to wonder if it would be easier to learn my dad’s organization system than refiling everything the way it should be.” Glenn’s attention returned to Cassie—and lingered, his entire mien shifting as he took in her fatigue and annoyance. “I am sorry about David. We will find him. Please come in.”

            “Sure,” Cassie muttered, and I gave her a nudge to be nice, gaze going to the door at a soft knock.

            “Glenn, we have talked about you yelling for me,” a tall, uniformed woman said, her obvious annoyance hesitating as she noticed us. “Oh. Hello.” Her dark eyes touched on Cassie and me before lingering on Jenks. “I didn’t know Detective Glenn had anyone visiting.” Her head tilted, small lips parted. “A little late in the season for a pixy,” she added as she touched her tightly curling hair, clearly charmed.

            “Martie. Good.” Motions fast, Glenn sidestepped out from behind his desk. “I want you to meet two of my favorite people, Rachel Morgan and Jenks. They own and operate Vampiric Charms out of the Hollows.”

            Jenks spilled an uncomfortable yellow dust as he moved from the pencil cup to my shoulder. “Yo,” he said simply, but I extended my hand over the desk, appreciating the tall woman’s take-no-prisoners attitude.

            “Nice to meet you,” I said as we shook hands, and she smiled, her gaze darting to the charms on my shoulder bag as if recognizing them for what they were. “Is it Martie, or Officer Martin?” I asked, seeing her full name on her badge.

            “Martie, please,” she said, smiling. “My dad is Officer Martin. It’s a real pleasure,” Martie said, and Cassie quietly fidgeted at the niceties. “Glenn has told me he’s worked with you before. Did you really bring in a banshee by yourself?”

            “No one brings in a banshee by themselves,” I said, stifling a shudder.

            “True.” Martie glanced at Jenks. “Jenks, can I get you anything? I’ve got some nuts in my desk.”

            “Martie is into the paleo diet,” Glenn needlessly explained, and Martie’s smile widened.

            “Thanks. I’m good,” Jenks said, his wings a nervous tickle on my neck.

            “And this is Cassie Castle.” Glenn shifted to include Cassie. “She owns and operates the Hollow’s floating casinos.”

            Immediately Martie came closer, her brow furrowed in sympathy as she practically shoved Glenn out of the way to take Cassie’s hand in comfort. “I can’t tell you how sorry I am that this happened. We are doing everything we can to locate Mr. Hue. I actually found Glenn asleep at his desk this morning when I came in.”