Relentless Read online

  I’d hoped that one of them would comfort me by pulling some brilliant new strategy out of their asses, but they merely looked back at me and nodded.

  After a moment of silence, I couldn’t stand it anymore. “Really? No suggestions? You two are a lot smarter than I am, particularly when it comes to chasing sorcerers. You must have some ideas about what I should do next.”

  Ian glanced at Gill then lifted his hands, palms-up in defeat. “Moira, Henri must’ve been overly confident. He paid a horrible price. I still think you’re going about retrieving your family the right way—find the bastards who own Cara and Nora then beat the shit out of them. You don’t have good options.”

  His plan was obviously a lot easier to say than to perform. “Henri sent me a photo of Breaux as a short blond guy and Cara as a redhead. By now, though, they’ve no doubt changed their appearance again. Even crazier, someone set fire to the sorcerer’s house. Maybe he did as a way of saying he was leaving Montréal. Now, I have no starting point for finding either Breaux or Cara.”

  “The Tran family will find your sister and mom,” Gill said. “It may take longer than we’d like, but you have to let them worry about that. In the meantime, Ian and I will train you up so you can fight when the time comes, and it will come.”

  “What if the Trans wants no part of chasing Breaux?” I asked. “If they’re smart, they’d pass.”

  Ian spoke in a steady, quiet voice. “Henri’s death is shocking, but that’s not on you. He was a very experienced criminal investigator. So are the Tran brothers. They do this work because chasing criminals pays really well. They’ll no doubt proceed more cautiously, and Suong may back out, but I’ll be surprised if Thao and Dahn give up completely.”

  That was reassuring but didn’t answer the big question. What the hell went wrong?

  Gill said. “Maybe it is time to back off and let the dust settle. A playboy like Breaux is eventually going to resurface somewhere if you’re patient.”

  I shook my head. “We already know he plans to sell Cara as soon as he gets tired of her. He told Wang that would probably be in a few weeks. That was almost two weeks ago. Time is fast running out.”

  “We’ll know soon how much the Tran family will help,” Ian said. “In the meantime, the old fart and I need to train you better. My view is you mainly need to improve your connection with Mother Nature.”

  Gill reached over and patted my arm. “The boy’s nuts. That’s the medicine man in him talking. He’s probably been chewing that peyote cactus shit. You need to work on understanding people. That’s your real weak spot. You can hug the trees later. They ain’t going anywhere.”

  The two of them argued back and forth for a moment about my deficiencies, and they managed to convince me they were both right. I had plenty of weaknesses to improve on before I could confront Breaux.

  Then Ian stuck his finger in the air to interrupt his old friend. “Hey, got an idea that can satisfy both of us. Elysium. Olympia is a Chancellor Level Elder in the Erbater Guild, right?”

  The corners of Gill’s mouth turned up. “Yep.”

  I had no idea what Ian was driving at. “So, what?”

  They both snickered at the latest example of me being dumber than dirt.

  “The boy’s making sense for a change,” Gill said. “Olympia would be perfect for fixing you. Few witches in this state understand people better, and her son Leo was a champion kickboxer in his day.”

  Ian beamed. “I trained with him when I was there. He’s got a unique style that’ll round you out. While Moira’s at Elysium, she’ll have plenty of time to soak up natural magic. It’s the perfect place to take your magic to the next level.”

  Before I could say a word, Gill said, “I’ve known Olympia a long time. I’ll talk her into it.”

  I’d had enough of them making decisions without asking me. “Wait! Don’t I get any say in this?”

  “No,” they both answered at the same time.

  I gritted my teeth as they talked through the rest of the details. Then Gill and I left Ian’s office so he could take a phone call.

  As the stubborn old man and I walked down the hallway, I said, “Look, I’ve got an important job here and a boyfriend. Not to mention, managing the searches for Cara and Mom.”

  “Leave the family and friends, kiddo. I should’ve thought of Elysium weeks ago. The boy is right. I must be getting senile.”

  Gill’s hands were shaky, that was true, but his brain was much sharper than mine. “Don’t be ridiculous. If the Greeks agree to help me, I guess I can spare a few days. I—”

  “More likely weeks, sweet cheeks. Olympia’s got a job cut out for her. Your mama did her best, I’m sure, but it wasn’t much.”

  Anger flashed through me so hot and fast I was blinded for an instant and couldn’t breathe. “Wait a damned minute! You leave my mom out of this. She’s a saint, did incredibly well in an impossible situation. Better ‘n you ever could’ve, I know—”

  He held up his hands, palms forward. “Whoa, okay, sorry about the cheap shot. I’m sure Nora tried her damnedest, so let’s just put the blame where it belongs—on you. Bottom line, you could be gone for a good long while, Moira.”

  I was beginning to see that. I wasn’t nearly as strong a witch as I needed to be in so many ways. “Listen, I’ll do what you and Ian say, got no choice, but if Suong or anybody else tracks down Beaux or Mom while I’m up there, I’m busting out of Elysium to help my family.”

  He shrugged. “Just remember, there’s no point in chasing an asshole before you’re strong enough to stomp them. And Olympia and Leo will make you better…if they agree to take you. Still figuring out that’s the real problem, aren’t ya?”

  His last comment suddenly made me worry that I’d missed something obvious. Then it hit me. They might turn me down. What a mess. I had no idea anymore what was best for me or my family. All I could do was trust Ian and Gill. “Sir, yes, sir.”

  “That’s more like it. I’ll tell you when I’ve had a chance to schmooze my old friend.”

  -o-o-o-

  AT DINNER, GILL told me Olympia and Leo would be thrilled to help me. I should’ve known. The guy had spent forty years as a salesman, and he knew all the tricks. Got what he wanted out of everyone, as usual.

  After dinner, I caught up with Ian as he strolled through the courtyard garden with Samuel in his arms. Laura followed close behind him arguing with Christina over a dress that girl wanted more than life itself. Oh, to be a kid again.

  When I drew even with Ian, I asked, “Are you sure it’s a good idea for me to leave?” “You’ve been an inspiration to me.”

  His eyes opened wide, and he patted his chest over his heart. Then he turned. “Did you hear that, ladies? Moira actually said something nice about me.”

  Laura and Christina smiled at the stupid joke.

  “Hold on,” I fired back. “I tell anybody who’ll listen that you’re my Prince Charming. You’ve made me much stronger.”

  “Aw, gee, now I’m all gooey inside.” He pretended that his legs had gone wobbly and weaved around holding the baby as though he might drop his son.

  Samuel just cooed and blew bubbles. I didn’t react, just waited for a real answer to my question.

  “Fine,” he said, as he straightened up. “Gill is right about one thing. You could benefit a lot from understanding people better.” He held up a hand to keep me from explaining how ridiculous he sounded.

  “I mean,” he said, “reading them, Moira, being able to anticipate what they’ll do next. One reason the old geezer’s so powerful is he knows what somebody else is thinking before they can figure it out for themselves.”

  That sounded like a damned useful trick. Maybe Olympia would teach it to me.

  -o-o-o-

  LATER THAT EVENING, Dana, Lee, Philippe, and I shared a bottle of Chilean Carménère red wine in my suite. It was amazingly good, but I didn’t taste the “supple red-and-black b
erry flavors Lee claimed he noticed. He was a wine snob, but I ignored his weakness because he treated Dana like a princess. The two of them were moon-eyed over each other.

  Then I told them about Gill’s and Ian’s plan for me. To my surprise, they all thought shipping me off to the Lost Coast was a great idea.

  “Am I that much of a pain in the ass?” I asked.

  The three of them looked at each other then nodded their heads as one and laughed.

  I ignored the guys and honed in on my sister. She owed me big-time, and I trusted her more than anyone. “Really? What have I done to you that’s so terrible?”

  She bit her lip. “Nothing, you’ve been amazing. I’m so proud of you.” Then she paused as though searching for the right way to break bad news to me. “It’s just that you’re a tiny, teensy bit tone-deaf when you deal with people. It’d do you a lot of good to understand folks better, and it’ll make you a better warrior.”

  I cringed at the tone-deaf part, but she knew what to say to convince me. I could ignore the social niceties, but I’d never pass up a chance to become a better fighter. Then I glared at the guys to get their comments, but they just mumbled under their breaths.

  I was obviously heading up north, and the gods only knew for how long. Just another sacrifice I had to make to get the family back together. Am I going to miss the people here more than they’ll miss me?

  Chapter 14

  Monday, March 8th

  AT BREAKFAST WITH Gill and Katie, I waited for word on my fate. He sipped his orange juice, smacked his lips like he was particularly proud of himself, and said, “Had a real nice chat with Olympia. She’s a hoot. When I first mentioned your little problem, she said, she’d be ‘overjoyed,’ her word, to take you home with her. Hector promised to train you up, too, if Leo is too busy. It’s a hell of a deal. They’re flying to Eureka this afternoon then taking a boat home. Gracie booked you on the same flight as theirs.”

  Hector. I’d forgotten about the overaged fan boy. Getting attention from a crazy old Greek would likely add to my troubles, not lessen them. “You know, just between us girls, the other old fart might be a problem.”

  Gill looked back at me, as innocent as a lamb.

  “I mean,” I said as he pretended ignorance, “he could be a bit too friendly, if you catch my drift.”

  Katie glared at her husband. Is she right? You can read his mind.”

  Gill shook his head. “Goofy, sure, but not a skirt chaser. You’ll see. He admires your take-no-prisoners fighting style, that’s all.”

  “If I have to fight him off, I’m going to tell your extremely kind wife.”

  He blanched for a second, glanced at her, then nodded. “I did check his mind, just to be sure. I wouldn’t put you in that kind of a jam, Moira.”

  She patted my hand. “At the first hint of any kind of trouble, you call me. We’ll get a chopper in there to extract you.”

  Both of their assurances made me feel a lot better, so I changed the subject to how much Travis had grown. Which he had.

  Gill and Katie both beamed at me, and guilt flooded through me. I need to show my appreciation for their constant efforts to help. So, I played with the baby more than usual.

  Even so, I couldn’t see how becoming more understanding would help me kick some sorcerer’s ass. But the deal was done. It was up to me to make the best of it.

  Then Suong called. I got a sudden premonition the whole Tran family was about to cut me loose, and it sent a sharp pang of fear through me. My searches for Cara and Mom might have to start from zero again.

  I grabbed Dana from an adjoining table and strode over to an empty party room so we could talk on speakerphone without the whole damned clan listening in.

  “Hi,” Suong said in a tired voice. That didn’t encourage me.

  Dana and I both said “Hi” back, and I tried to sound chipper. My sister put her hand on her forehead and groaned quietly. I must’ve hit another wrong note.

  “After talking it over with a half-dozen family members, and nobody agreeing on a damned thing, I’ve decided to help you with a cyber-search for Breaux and Cara. If I can hide my tracks from the Russians and Chinese, and I can, I should be able to fool some two-bit gangster from Canada.”

  Relief poured through me, and Dana gave me a thumbs up while she grinned from ear to ear. Then I worried immediately that Suong might be underestimating Breaux like Henri had.

  “Great news,” I said, trying not to shriek with joy. “You’ll be extra careful, right?

  “You bet. My boys need their mom.”

  “And will you be able to look for Alan and Nora, too?” Dana asked.

  “Sure, your dad doesn’t worry me. In both cases, though, no travel. All my computer presto chango magic will take place in NYC. I’ll squeeze you in between managing the shop and my kids. It could be weeks before I have any results to share.”

  I didn’t care. She had a life, big surprise. “No problem. Great.”

  “Not so fast,” she said. “I charge three hundred bucks an hour. You already know all the other standard terms from working with Thao and Dahn. Are you okay with all that?”

  I glanced at Dana. Suong was a bargain compared to Henri, although she wouldn’t get close to the targets. That was for the best.

  Dana nodded.

  “You bet,” I said. “Don’t worry about the expense at all. Use every resource you’ve got. Thanks so much.”

  Then Dana took over the conversation. She said all the right things to wrap things up. I thanked the gods that someone was willing to risk hunting sorcerers for me. All I had to worry about was bringing them down when we found them. Getting back at dear old dad would be particularly sweet.

  -o-o-o-

  EARLY IN THE afternoon, Dana and Philippe drove me to the local airport for the trip up to Eureka. I didn’t think of myself as a sentimental person, but saying goodbye choked me up. After living so many years alone, surrounded by some of the meanest bastards in the world, I’d found a home at the inn. Without realizing it, I’d latched onto those folks so tightly, my heart ached as we drove away. And leaving my sister and boyfriend in the terminal left me shivering with nervousness. I was losing my hard shell at a time when I needed it more than ever.

  Olympia and I sat next to each other in the small plane, and big ol’ Hector sat in front of us. He’d bought two seats so he could spread out. Once the plane was in the air, the propellers roared so loudly it was hard to talk with him. He tried to hear me a few times but then gave up. That was for the best.

  “Elysium is the Greek word for heaven,” Olympia said over the propellers. “It’s a small town perched on a long stretch of headland a hundred feet above the Pacific.”

  “How did it get there?” I asked.

  “Old immigrant colony from back in the early Nineteenth Century. Hundreds of pagans who worshipped the traditional Greek gods were driven out of Southern Europe. They arrived on the coast of Northern California at a time when it was no man’s land between Mexico and Russia, about as far from civilization as they could get.”

  “Were they all magicians?”

  She shook her head. “Only half, but they all relied on the magicians for protection from outsiders. In the early days, a ship might suddenly appear out of nowhere and start blasting away with cannons. We learned to fight back, then outsiders mostly left us alone. These days, we run a resort to bring in tourist dollars, but the town has one-fourth of the population it had when Hector was a boy. Times change.”

  The flight was beautiful. I was surprised as to how much greener the north coast was than the hills around Monterey. We flew over dense evergreen forests covering the coastal mountains. Olympia told me those were mostly redwoods, hundreds of thousands of them. That was quite a sight.

  We even flew past Elysium, but our route was too far inland to see the town. That was disappointing, but I’d see it from ground level soon enough.

  Not long after, we la
nded, and the three of us took a cab from the small local airport to Eureka’s harbor. A stout teenager with an olive complexion and wavy black hair jumped off of a cabin cruiser and hugged Olympia and Hector. They introduced him as Teddy, Olympia’s grandson and Hector’s great-grandson. The handsome, muscular boy wore a blue blazer with a decal showing a Greek goddess standing in front of a forest. When I shook his hand, I felt a powerful aura. The kid was the latest in a long line of extremely impressive witches.

  Hector grinned from ear to ear and play-punched Teddy in the shoulder. “I brought back a big surprise.” The old man pointed at me. “You’ll never believe who this is.”

  The teenager stared at me blankly then smirked. “Aw, gee! Selena Gomez? What a great disguise!”

  Hector chuckled. “Show him,” he told me.

  Before I could, Olympia gripped her dad’s arm. “Not here.”

  The teenager glanced around, and so did I. Luckily, nobody seemed to be paying us any attention, but Olympia was right. We couldn’t be too careful.

  The kid was smart enough to distract the old man with some story about two sailboats colliding right after Teddy had entered the harbor. Then he and I loaded our luggage onto the boat. Within a few minutes, he was piloting the cabin cruiser out of the slip and past the town.

  Olympia opened a bottle of Greek wine, and we relaxed as the teenager turned the boat south. He entered a narrow gap where Humboldt Bay met the open ocean. That’s when the boat began to pitch. A stiff, humid breeze from the west refreshed me.

  “The swells are about five feet high,” Olympia said as she grabbed the bottle to keep it from tipping over. “Let me know if you begin to feel seasick.”

  I promised that I would, but I was too excited to get out on the Pacific again. There was nothing for five thousand miles to the west but water. I felt as free as the golden eagle circling overhead.