Page 5 of Ogre on Patrol (Monsters, PI #5)
Chapter 5
Ellie
“ D o you have wards on your business?” he asked, staring down at his phone where he must intend to take notes. He wasn’t writing, however.
“You know I’m a hedge witch. I’m great with plants. Not so great with much of anything else, though I’ve mastered transporting myself and others if need be from one location to another.” Something I only did if my grandmother was out of town since that was more a council skill than one needed for a person running a greenhouse. “She placed wards, though I imagine they’re wearing thin.”
“You should get them reinforced.”
“Will do.”
“If I remember right, you were thinking of joining the council yourself.”
“That’s on hold for now. I’m focused on building this business, a business, I’ll point out, that’s in danger since someone destroyed my greenhouse full of ordrids. ”
“Alright.” He squinted down at his phone in that cute way I used to adore. “I’ll take notes.”
“No paper like back at your office?”
He held up his phone, smirking. “Nothing beats tech except magic.”
“Still not wearing glasses?” I asked as he leaned closer to his phone, frowning as he typed.
“It would ruin my image.” He fed me a lopsided grin that made my heart flip. Why couldn’t I put this male and his seductive ways behind me?
Cheating should be enough to do it, yet I couldn’t drag my gaze off his mouth. His broad shoulders. Or forget how amazing it had been between us before it all fell apart.
“Maybe you need one of those phones the size of a tablet,” I said.
“Wouldn’t fit in my back pocket, now would it?”
“I guess not.”
“Alright, let’s talk suspects. Start with anyone you might've irritated within the past year or so.”
I scoffed, shifting Crouton on my lap where he’d settled himself like a flour sack. “You think I make it a habit of pissing people off?”
“You tell me.” He leaned back against the cushions, watching my every move. “You mentioned you'd fired an employee. Tell me about Valerie Greene.”
“That’s different. She didn’t leave me any choice.”
“What happened?”
“She was cutting deals behind my back.” I traced a finger along Crouton’s soft ears. “Selling rare plant cuttings to black-market collectors. Do you know how much trouble that could’ve brought to my business? They'd assume I was involved. We’re talking about some seriously shady collectors who don’t play by the rules.”
Thain’s thick brow lifted. “And when you confronted her?”
“She tried to deny it at first, then got nasty about what I pay her. She threw out some uncreative insults about how everything had always been handed to me and how I was too stuck up to be anyone’s friend.” That had stung.
He nodded and typed on his phone, sliding his tongue across one of his tusks, a move that used to make my knees go weak. Still did, if I was being honest. “What’s she doing now?”
I pressed my lips together. “She’s working for Elias Fenwick.”
His eyes sharpened. “Your competitor? I didn’t think you two ran in the same circles.”
Elias's business was much more upscale than mine. He had numerous employees. Vast greenhouses with high-end climate controls. And he catered to the wealthy where I sold mostly to the average witch who more often wanted a good quality plant at a bargain.
Other than my ordrids, my new venture that was supposed to level me up. I’d have to start over.
“Elias has always been more about flashy displays and marketing gimmicks than actual skill,” I said. “But Valerie going to work for him gives her access to resources she didn’t have here. ”
“And a clientele who might be willing to buy her rare cuttings, assuming she's still in the black-market business.”
I shrugged. “I told my grandmother. Valerie got her hand slapped. If she's wise, she stopped doing that. Some of those witches—and wizards, I'll add—can be nasty if they're not happy with the product you deliver.”
His gaze lingered on me before he looked down at his phone. “Think Fenwick is involved in this?”
I shoved an exhale through my nose. “He doesn’t need to sabotage me to stay in business. He’s got his own niche with those looking for plants for their gardens, window boxes, flower beds. He has some pretty exclusive stuff, but nothing magical. That’s my area of expertise, and I guess he respects that. Besides, he and Ophelia are a couple.” My best friend had moved in with him six months ago. “She’d never let her boyfriend do something like this.”
Frowning, he grunted before finally speaking. “Valerie may or may not be acting alone, though revenge doesn’t always need a co-conspirator.”
The way he said it, like he knew all about grudges, made my chest tighten. I hated the way memories of us nudged at the back of my mind. To cover, I directed my focus on Crouton, who’d started snoring, his little body heaving with every breath. “She needs to be on the list.”
Thain typed again. “Anyone else?”
Before I could answer, my phone buzzed from my back pocket, and I pulled it out. A quick glance of the text made me groan. “Speaking of people who irritate me... ”
“Who is it?”
“Reginald Barron.” I sighed. “He owns a bunch of exclusive condos a few streets away, on the ocean, of course.” While my place was not. “He’s been after me for months about the greenhouses ruining the aesthetic. Apparently, prospective buyers don’t like the view, though they don't see my place unless they happen to stroll in this direction. There's a nice patch of woods between us.”
“What does he want now?”
The message on the screen was as arrogant and as passive-aggressive as ever, and I read it aloud. “Ms. Landish. This is a courtesy reminder that your upcoming permit renewal is under review. I trust you’ll consider the visual impact of your greenhouses on Mystic Harbor’s quaint charm. Should this remain an issue, my legal team is prepared to take further steps.” Grumbling, I tossed my phone onto the coffee table. “More of the same nonsense. He thinks if he pressures me enough, I’ll sell the place. He'll buy it and demolish everything, landscaping this section of town into whatever type of park or recreational area he thinks will boost his profits.”
Thain frowned, running a hand over his jaw. “Has he ever shown up here? Made direct threats?”
“Not threats, really. He’s too polished for that.” I leaned back in my chair. “He’s come by a few times to talk. It’s always full of legal terms and fake smiles.”
“That kind of entitlement doesn’t usually come without a mean streak,” Thain said. “He’s on the list.” He typed on his phone again. “Anyone else? ”
“I can’t think of anyone offhand.”
He watched my face with more scrutiny than this conversation deserved. “What about Ophelia?”
I blinked at him, my face folding into a frown. “Why would my best friend do something like this?”