Waking the Witch (Otherworld 11)

I gave an evil laugh.

"Let me rephrase that," he said. "Call me sometime later than now, but before midnight."

"We'll see."

fifteen

I still had almost two hours to kill before meeting Cody. I called Jesse to let him know I'd sent the files. He was on the other line and said he'd phone back. I wandered into the first shop I came to--the hardware store where Dorothy claimed Cody and Claire had argued. I was browsing, trying to attract the clerk's attention so I could ask about it, when a voice behind my shoulder said, "I thought PIs were supposed to be unobtrusive."

I turned to see Megan. The rest of her group was outside, milling about.

"Getting in a catfight with the main suspect's wife?" she said. "On

Main Street?"

"She started it."

Megan smiled. "I don't doubt that. Tiffany Radu is one of those women who believes it's easier to scare away the competition than to tell her husband to respect his wedding vows. You should have seen her when we first moved here--practically hissing every time we came to town."

"Did you ever see her facing off with Claire?"

Her eyes sparkled. "Is that the direction you're looking? Interesting. I can't say I did, but I'll ask the girls. Or you can ask them yourself. We're heading to the diner for an early lunch, if you want to join us."

"So I'm forgiven for yesterday?"

"You were just doing your job. And I was doing mine. Protecting the business."

I noticed she said the business, not the girls.

"I might take you up on that. And Alastair? Is he--?"

"Away today, I'm afraid. But we can set up an appointment."

I glanced out the window. "The new girl seems nervous. Still bracing for the orgies, I bet."

Megan laughed. "Is that all you think about?"

"I like sex. And from what I hear, so do you." I turned to go. "Or is it power?"

A good parting line, but I didn't get more than two steps before she said, "Power," and I spun back to face her.

"You didn't expect me to admit it?" she said. "Sure, the sex is a nice bonus, but sex is power, at least when you've got a houseful of girls and one man."

"That's honest."

"I thought you'd appreciate it."

Megan was clearly playing me, having decided I made a better ally than enemy. That was fine. I thought the same about her.

"So you're sleeping with Alastair?"

"I'd rather not admit it, because that's exactly what everyone expects, but I know you already got the scoop from Deirdre, so yes, Alastair doesn't spend a lot of nights alone. Under the circumstances, he'd have to be a saint or a eunuch if he did. I'm sure Deirdre also told you that I'm insanely jealous of every girl he takes to bed."

"And you're not."

"They like to think I am. They're like little girls, giggling because they put one over on the teacher. But I'm not Tiffany Radu. I encourage Alastair to take the new girls up on their offers. What matters isn't that he strays; it's that he comes back."

When I looked doubtful, she said, "Think about it. All those girls. All that temptation. He gives in--he's only human. But he always returns to me. To the girls, that means something."