Page 20 of Spellbound After Midnight

“A promise from a witch? Is that any good?”

Ouch.His barb hit, leaving its mark on my ego where other scars lived.

“You don’t trust witches?”

“Would you trust someone who can spin an illusion with a wave of her hand?”

Resting my knuckles on his desk, I leaned forward and held his gaze. “No, but I wouldn’t trust someone so quick to judge either. A cynic who only sees what he wants to see.” I ran my finger over his nameplate and spun it around to face him. “Like this man.”

The confident smile leached from his face. He moved the nameplate out of my reach.

“Miss Daniels, let’s be clear—”

“Call me Tessa. If we’re going to work together, there’s no need to be formal.”

His hand froze mid-air. He might have stopped breathing. Had I shocked him into an early grave? Working with me wasn’t that inconceivable.

“Miss Dan—”

“Tessa.”

His eyes closed while he gathered his patience. I had time. Pulling a chair closer, I sat down and arranged my skirts, then hooked my ankle around the leg of his desk. I wasn’t going anywhere on my own. When he opened his eyes, I blinked up at him, the picture of innocence.

“Miss Daniels, I don’t know what you think is happening here, but we’re not working together. Settle your fines and go. Forget what you saw in the evidence room, and if you don’t, and I hear you shared a single shred of information about the case, I will have you locked up where no amount of magic will set you free. For real this time.”

Seriously? What was with this man and his jailhouse threats?

“About my fines.” I picked a phantom piece of lint from my skirt and flicked it into the air. “I’m short on funds and can’t pay them, which is why I’d like to offer you a proposal.”

His face was easy to read. He regretted confiscating my potions. Hell, he might even regret visiting my shop altogether. Too bad for him.

“I’m offering to help with Ella’s case in exchange for clearing my fines.”

“No.”

“I think you’re being short-sighted because of your dislike for me.”

“My dislike for you?” He sank into the chair behind his desk and ran a hand over his face. His exhaustion seemed to increase, as if whatever lurked in his mind weighed heavily on him. “Tessa, that’s not…” His voice faded when he realized he’d used my given name. The victory was small, but it was mine.

“See, was that so hard? As I was saying, Derr—” His gaze shot to mine, darkening, daring me to finish that sentence. “I mean,Detective. Your dislike for me aside, I have information that can help find Ella’s killer, and unless your intent is to continue hanging roses on your evidence board, I suggest you hear me out.”

“You have information you didn’t divulge during our meeting the other day?” He pinned me to the seat with an accusatory glare.

“It’s new information, and I’m not sure I would call what we shared the other day a meeting. It felt more like an interrogation.”

“You’re observant, I’ll give you that.” He leaned back in his chair and waved his hand with cool indifference. “All right, Miss Daniels, I’ll humor you. What makes you think I’d let you anywhere near this case?”

And we were back to surnames. So much for small victories.

I pushed out of the chair and paced the room. Now that I had his attention, I was reluctant to start. Should I lead with Ella’s ghost, or ease into it? I glanced at the door. Maybe I should make a run for it instead. It might be a coward’s exit, but it held a certain appeal.

I cleared my throat and smoothed my damp palms over my skirt. “Are you aware that some people can see things others can’t?”

“Miss Daniels,” he warned.

“Answer the question.”

“Do you mean, spirits?”