Read Online Missing Magic by Karen Whiddon - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Karen Whiddon
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lighting of any kind.
“What the—?” She pressed on the accelerator,
moving forward, one hand on the butt of her gun. The weapon felt
wrong, the size and weight of it different than she was used to.
But that was because she was carrying her personal gun rather than
her service revolver.
“Hey, what are you doing? We don’t want to
attract their attention.” Cenrick’s husky voice brought her back to
reality. Even though her adrenaline was high and her heart was
pumping, she wasn’t a cop, not right now. She couldn’t just pull up
in front with a squeal of tires and barge in there with her weapon
drawn.
No crime had been committed. No one had
called for help. Even if they had, some other uniform would have to
answer. Dee was suspended. She had no right.
She eased off the gas pedal.
“Sorry. Habit.” She flashed Cenrick a quick,
sheepish smile, deliberately unclenching her fingers from the
steering wheel. “You’re right. We’ll drive by slowly and then
circle the block.”
As they passed in front of Mick’s, the
brightness was almost blinding.
“Don’t you think the neighbors would notice?”
Even once she’d turned the corner, Dee could still see the light in
her rearview mirror.
“Not if it’s only visible to those attuned to
magic.”
She felt obliged to point out that she could
see it. “And I’m quite possibly the least whimsical person you’ll
ever meet.”
“You’ve been to Rune, using magic to travel
across the veil. That alone may have made you attuned to magical
vibrations.”
Dee shrugged. “Whatever.”
As they turned onto the street again, she
pulled over to the curb and parked, killing the ignition.
“What are you doing?” Leaning forward,
Cenrick squinted through the window towards the glow. “We’re too
far away to see anything in detail.”
“This is as close as we can get. That’s the
point of a stake-out – to observe without being noticed. If I park
across the street, they’re bound to notice two people sitting in
this car. Either they’ll investigate, or call the cops.”
“They wouldn’t call the cops.” Cenrick
sounded positive.
She supposed he was right. Criminals never
wanted the law around. “Either way, anything that attracts
attention to us will ruin this. I don’t see any other option.” With
a sigh, she settled back in her seat, trying to make herself
comfortable. Unlike television, real-life stakeouts were frequently
long and boring.
“I think we should leave the car here. We’ll
go on foot and just stroll by the place, as though we’re neighbors
taking our evening walk.”
“Won’t work.” She shook her head. “If Mick
sees me, he’ll know damn good and well I don’t live in this
area.”
“You can always be trying to visit him. You
would, if things were normal.” He gave her a grim smile.
“He told me to stay away.”
“Normally, would that stop you? Besides that,
do you have a better idea?”
He had a point. A damn good one.
“We can try it,” she said grudgingly, one
hand already on the door handle. “If blondie is watching, there
won’t be a problem. I don’t know her. I’ve never met the other man
either.”
Cenrick took her arm, making her jump.
He noticed. “Part of the camouflage. We need
to look like an old married couple.”
She didn’t bother to point out that most old
married couples rarely touched.
The first pass was unremarkable, other than
the way the house appeared. If she’d had a poetic bone in her body,
she’d have said it looked otherworldly, like an intergalactic UFO
about to blast off.
They managed a nonchalant saunter to the stop
sign, crossing the street to continue down the other side. From
there, they had an unobstructed view of Mick’s house.
Other than the neon yellow glow, the house
looked unremarkable. Nothing stirred, no breeze, no curtains, not
even a bird sang or a single squirrel scampered up one of the oaks
that ringed the lawn. The same vehicle, combination SUV and
“What the—?” She pressed on the accelerator,
moving forward, one hand on the butt of her gun. The weapon felt
wrong, the size and weight of it different than she was used to.
But that was because she was carrying her personal gun rather than
her service revolver.
“Hey, what are you doing? We don’t want to
attract their attention.” Cenrick’s husky voice brought her back to
reality. Even though her adrenaline was high and her heart was
pumping, she wasn’t a cop, not right now. She couldn’t just pull up
in front with a squeal of tires and barge in there with her weapon
drawn.
No crime had been committed. No one had
called for help. Even if they had, some other uniform would have to
answer. Dee was suspended. She had no right.
She eased off the gas pedal.
“Sorry. Habit.” She flashed Cenrick a quick,
sheepish smile, deliberately unclenching her fingers from the
steering wheel. “You’re right. We’ll drive by slowly and then
circle the block.”
As they passed in front of Mick’s, the
brightness was almost blinding.
“Don’t you think the neighbors would notice?”
Even once she’d turned the corner, Dee could still see the light in
her rearview mirror.
“Not if it’s only visible to those attuned to
magic.”
She felt obliged to point out that she could
see it. “And I’m quite possibly the least whimsical person you’ll
ever meet.”
“You’ve been to Rune, using magic to travel
across the veil. That alone may have made you attuned to magical
vibrations.”
Dee shrugged. “Whatever.”
As they turned onto the street again, she
pulled over to the curb and parked, killing the ignition.
“What are you doing?” Leaning forward,
Cenrick squinted through the window towards the glow. “We’re too
far away to see anything in detail.”
“This is as close as we can get. That’s the
point of a stake-out – to observe without being noticed. If I park
across the street, they’re bound to notice two people sitting in
this car. Either they’ll investigate, or call the cops.”
“They wouldn’t call the cops.” Cenrick
sounded positive.
She supposed he was right. Criminals never
wanted the law around. “Either way, anything that attracts
attention to us will ruin this. I don’t see any other option.” With
a sigh, she settled back in her seat, trying to make herself
comfortable. Unlike television, real-life stakeouts were frequently
long and boring.
“I think we should leave the car here. We’ll
go on foot and just stroll by the place, as though we’re neighbors
taking our evening walk.”
“Won’t work.” She shook her head. “If Mick
sees me, he’ll know damn good and well I don’t live in this
area.”
“You can always be trying to visit him. You
would, if things were normal.” He gave her a grim smile.
“He told me to stay away.”
“Normally, would that stop you? Besides that,
do you have a better idea?”
He had a point. A damn good one.
“We can try it,” she said grudgingly, one
hand already on the door handle. “If blondie is watching, there
won’t be a problem. I don’t know her. I’ve never met the other man
either.”
Cenrick took her arm, making her jump.
He noticed. “Part of the camouflage. We need
to look like an old married couple.”
She didn’t bother to point out that most old
married couples rarely touched.
The first pass was unremarkable, other than
the way the house appeared. If she’d had a poetic bone in her body,
she’d have said it looked otherworldly, like an intergalactic UFO
about to blast off.
They managed a nonchalant saunter to the stop
sign, crossing the street to continue down the other side. From
there, they had an unobstructed view of Mick’s house.
Other than the neon yellow glow, the house
looked unremarkable. Nothing stirred, no breeze, no curtains, not
even a bird sang or a single squirrel scampered up one of the oaks
that ringed the lawn. The same vehicle, combination SUV and
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