Page 11 of The Witching Hours

Just as she arrived back in the study, she heard the thunder of boys descending stairs.

“Mom!” Judd yelled. “It smells like something good is cooking for dinner!”

Yes. It pinched her heart that her son thought a homecooked meal was an event.

He and Blake stopped at the study door when they saw their mom wasn’t alone. They didn’t try to hide their curiosity about the stranger.

“This is Amon,” Brigid said.

Judd said, “Hi.”

Blake said, “Hello.”

Neither of them sounded enthusiastic enough to sell sincerity with their greetings.

“He’s here discussing some of dad’s insurance business with me. We will be having dinner in,” she looked at her watch, “another hour and a half. If you need a snack, there are three different kinds of pears on the kitchen island and all of them are ripe. Use a napkin. I’ll call you for dinner.” They turned toward the kitchen, but she stopped them. “Oh. And bring meGrand Theft Auto. It’s off limits.”

She heard Amon chuckle softly.

Judd whispered to Blake loud enough that she could hear. “Told you she’d find out. Auntie Grace is a blabbermouth.”

When Brigid was satisfied that they were back upstairs without GTA, she sat down. Her eyes flicked to the Starbucks grande cup on the table next to her chair.

“Yes,” Amon said. “Made exactly the way you like it at precisely the right temperature.”

“Thank you.” He nodded once in a way that suggested a bow. “How does this work?”

“The spell that brought me to you was specifically designed to save you from those who relish the misfortune of others, especially widows, and seek to take advantage. In your case that would be your late husband’s former employer. Plus, bankers. Mortgage bankers. Credit card bankers. And the lawyers who created the documents that make them all so deliciously evil.” Brigid blinked and waited for him to continue. “I can take care of all that.”

“How?”

“Well, you’ll hiremeas your lawyer.”

“Fighting fire with fire.” She didn’t know why that popped out, but it amused Amon.

He laughed. “You may prove yourself worthy of my services yet. So, first things first. There’s a life insurance policy in the safe.”

“No. There’s not. I was just in the safe earlier today.”

“Yes. Well. There weren’t groceries in your pantry earlier today either. Don’t underestimate me Brigid Margaret Campbell Carmady. Your husband’s insurance company would allow a policy up to four million based on his income. I don’t see any reason why you shouldn’t have the maximum. Do you?”

“Four million, um, dollars?” Her mind was racing through calculations. She could pay off the house, pay off the credit cards, pay for college and working would be an option, not a necessity. Her boys would be safe and secure, and their lives wouldn’t be turned upside down. “Wow.”

“I’ll take that as agreement. Further, the residual commissions that should be yours by right,willbe yours by right. Your attorney will see to that.”

“I, uh, don’t really have an attorney.”

Amon chuckled. “I just told you. You not only have an attorney, you have the best of the best. That would be me.”

“Oh. I’d heard stories about lawyers, but that was just…”

“Those are just stories. Members of the Bar may seem to have demon-like characteristics, but I assure you, they’re simply humans with a twist.

“As to your debts, when your mortgage holder tries to foreclose, your lawyer will point out that the contract clearly says you own the house free and clear if your spouse passes away. They’ll have the same reaction you did when you came upon your magazine layout recreated in your dining room. They’re going to be dumbfounded as to how such language made its way into your contract. Especially since all contracts begin as templates these days. But it will be inescapable. Undeniable. Life’s mysteries are fun, aren’t they?” he asked cheerfully. “The same thing will happen with your credit card debt. The fine print clearly says your debt is cleared if you’re widowed. How does that sound?”

Brigid opened her mouth to speak, but Amon went on before she could formulate an answer to his last question.

”And that’s not all.”