Page 18 of Pointy Ears and Purple Glitter (Quirk of Fate #5)
Tynan hadn’t done much more than collate all of the posts Ian had found about the relationship between Mrs. Cooper and Hayley by the time Friday afternoon rolled around.
He’d considered writing a report or possibly making an appointment with Mrs. Cooper to speak to her about the discrepancy between what he’d been told and what he’d learned, but there was something deep inside his gut that held him back.
Regardless of the information found, Hayley was still missing. She hadn’t accessed her social media for the past six weeks, and while Ian had suggested she could’ve easily set up new profiles under another name, neither of them had been able to find any suggestion that was true.
I need to find her. That had always been Tynan’s intention, although as he thought back over the way Mrs. Cooper had described the situation, he realized Mrs. Cooper wasn’t so much wanting her daughter back as needing a story about what happened to Hayley that was palatable to Mrs. Cooper’s friends.
“I don’t like to say it, my mate,” Malik had said gently the night before, “but that could’ve been why she hired an inexperienced PI to find Hayley in the first place.
With her financial resources, she could’ve hired a complete team of private investigators who could work across the country to find her daughter. ”
Malik’s assessment was only depressing because it was likely true. Sighing, Tynan shuffled his papers together and put them in a manila folder. He hadn’t been back to his office since he’d gone to find Malik, preferring to work in the workshop office instead.
“Are you finished for the night?” Tynan looked up to see Ian standing in the office doorway, pulling on his jacket. Outside, it was just starting to get dark.
“If you mean, have I finished printing out and filing the social media posts you found for me in alphabetical and date order, according to platform, then yes.” Tynan held up the manila folder.
“Your location tips were really useful. I might have to spend some time next week visiting some of the cafes Hayley went to, see if anyone remembers her being with an attentive male.”
“I’ll make a list of those places and their locations over the weekend if you like?” Ian came in, taking the file Tynan held out. “I can also put the word out among some of my friends to see if anyone remembers seeing her.”
“That would be hugely helpful.” Still, Tynan hesitated. Ian had agreed to work up to ten hours a week for him, outside of the hours he spent working for Malik. “Haven’t you got weekend plans of your own?”
“I’ll be helping mam in the garden, doing a shift at the foodbank, and I’m going out Saturday night with friends.” Ian tapped the folder with his free hand. “Plenty of time left to do some more sleuthing. I’ll see you on Monday. See you, too, Sparky.”
“Don’t forget to ask your mam about making a fruitcake.” Sparky’s head was buried under his wing - he was dozing on the desk - but clearly Ian heard him.
“Will do, my avian friend. Bye.”
Ian’s place was taken by Malik who was watching him with heated eyes. “Ready for a bit of a drive, my mate? My rhino is really restless for some reason, so I thought we’d go tonight if you’re keen. We can grab some food on the way.”
“Or I could zap some food, if you’re prepared to take the risk.”
“Your magic loves me.” Malik’s grin widened. “That sounds great. Are you coming, Sparky?”
“Someone will have to carry me.” Sparky’s head emerged just long enough for him to stretch his neck. “Young people can be so exhausting with all their questions. I need a weeklong nap.” His head disappeared under his wing again.
“You can get at least an hour’s worth on the drive.
” Coming into the office, Malik scooped up Sparky with one hand, reaching into the drawer of the desk where Tynan was sitting with the other.
He pulled out a set of keys. “I don’t think I’ve shown you my personal garage yet - it’s at the back of the apartment with its own private entrance. ”
“You’re excited about this, aren’t you?” Checking he hadn’t left anything on that should’ve been turned off, Tynan got up. “I feel this is going to be fun. Sort of like a first date, but where my partner has four legs, not two.”
“It’ll be a clothes-off sort of date, but not a typical one,” Malik agreed. “Definitely fun, though.”
Tynan couldn’t stop grinning as Malik led him to a small garage tucked behind the apartment. His mate’s excitement was contagious. When the door rolled up, Tynan’s mouth fell open. Inside sat a midnight blue vintage Jaguar XK120 roadster, its chrome trim gleaming under the overhead lights.
“You have got to be kidding me.” Tynan circled the car, admiring its sleek lines and immaculate condition. He didn’t know a lot about cars at all, but the Jaguar was in pristine condition. “This is yours?”
“Restored her myself.” Pride filled Malik’s voice as he ran a hand over the hood. “Found her abandoned in a barn about eight years ago. Took me almost three years to get her back to her original glory.”
Sparky fluttered from Malik’s hand to perch on the car’s side mirror. “It’s shiny. I approve.”
“I thought we’d take the top down.” Malik opened the passenger door for Tynan with a flourish. “The night’s warm enough, and it can be nice to get a breeze on our faces. You might want to tie your hair back.”
The leather seats were butter-soft as Tynan slid in, Sparky fluttering to his shoulder. When Malik got behind the wheel, the engine roared to life with a deep, throaty purr that sent vibrations through the floorboards.
“Where exactly are we going?” Tynan asked as they pulled out onto the quiet streets, the evening air rushing past them. He thought about his hair being tied back, quietly pleased that it happened without incident. Purple glitter would not be a good accompaniment to the tanned leather upholstery.
“My land is northwest of here.” Malik guided the car smoothly through town toward the outskirts.
“As I said, it’s about an hour’s drive. The cabin there isn’t very fancy, but it’ll work for us.
The whole point of buying the place was so that I would have somewhere where I could go to shift and roam without being seen. ”
As they left the city lights behind, the dark road stretched before them with only the car’s headlights illuminating the way. Stars spread across the sky in a glittering blanket, and Tynan found himself relaxing deeper into the seat, one hand resting on Malik’s thigh.
“Did you know rhinos can run up to thirty miles per hour?” Malik said suddenly, glancing over with a grin. “Not that I’ve ever properly timed myself, but apparently it’s possible.”
“Really?” Tynan turned toward him, genuinely interested. “That’s… actually impressive for something you claim is so large.”
“And despite how we look, we have pretty poor eyesight.” Malik’s hand covered Tynan’s on his thigh. “We rely more on hearing and smell. When I’m shifted, my sense of smell is incredible. I could probably track you from miles away if I needed to.”
“That’s handy if we ever get separated and I get lost.” Tynan chuckled.
Sparky, who had been quietly dozing on Tynan’s lap, perked up. “Do you charge at things? Like in those nature documentaries?”
Malik laughed. “Only when threatened. We’re actually pretty peaceful unless provoked. Though I admit, when I’m in rhino form, I do enjoy knocking down small trees occasionally. It’s…satisfying.”
“What else?” Tynan found himself genuinely curious about this other side of his mate.
“Most people don’t know we’re excellent swimmers.
” Malik’s thumb traced circles on Tynan’s hand.
“There’s a small lake on my property where I like to cool off in summer.
And despite the armor-looking skin, we’re actually quite sensitive to sunburn.
I have to be careful about how long I stay shifted during daylight hours in summer. ”
The road narrowed as they turned onto a gravel path, trees looming on either side.
After a few minutes, Malik slowed the car and turned down an even smaller dirt road barely visible among the foliage.
A wooden gate appeared in the headlights, and Malik stopped to punch a code into a small keypad on a post almost completely hidden by bushes.
“No one comes out here except me,” he explained as the gate swung open. “But welcome to my rhino range – a hundred acres of wild forest and meadows which are just perfect for roaming and stomping around. I love it out here.”
A cabin appeared at the end of the winding driveway, rustic but charming with a wide porch and large windows. Solar lights illuminated the path to the front door, and Tynan could hear water running somewhere nearby.
“It’s beautiful,” he breathed as Malik parked and killed the engine.
“It’s home - my other home.” Malik leaned over to kiss him softly. “And now it’s yours, too.”
Inside, the cabin was simple but comfortable. There was an open living area with a stone fireplace, a small kitchen, and what looked like a bedroom through an open door. Large windows faced the forest, and Tynan imagined the view during daylight must be spectacular.
“I need to shift,” Malik said, rolling his shoulders. “It’s been too long, and my rhino’s getting restless. He really wants to meet you himself. There’s a clearing just beyond those trees.” He nodded toward the back of the cabin. “Will you come watch?”
Tynan’s heart quickened. “I’d love to.”
They walked hand in hand through the trees, Sparky flying ahead and circling back, until they reached a wide clearing that was outlined with a few more solar lights. Malik stopped and turned to Tynan, taking the time to kiss him deeply before stepping back.
“This is the first time anyone else has been out here, except me,” he said with a half-smile. “I’m warning you now, my animal side is not exactly graceful.”