Page 10 of Sun and Stone (Elementally Yours #5)

10. Interrogations Are Different on TV

"Should you be driving?” I wonder.

Maybe I should have asked earlier. Before I found myself in the passenger seat with Fynn cruising down the road, racing towards our confrontation with his ex-fiancée.

“I’m fine,” Fynn says.

He might be more suited to drive than me. A look at the dash tells me he’s going the speed limit and I haven’t even remembered to buckle in. I do so, taking a deep breath.

This is so not how I pictured the investigation going.

When we figured out the suncatcher Fynn’s ex gave him was harming his powers, we decided to call it a night and found a hotel to sleep in, in two separate rooms. Fynn arranged to meet with his ex-fiancée the next day.

We need to do this, but I'm not sure I'm ready.

The sleep hasn't really settled my nerves at all. Last night I was too stunned by everything we discovered. And now that we’re in the car, it feels too real.

Meeting Fynn’s ex-fiancée. The guy he was ready to commit to. He was gonna put a ring on it.

And I'm just a friend. With benefits.

It seems to pale in comparison.

I didn't plan on an overnight trip, so I'm wearing yesterday’s wrinkled clothes. I feel inadequate and it's hard not to wonder. Does this guy have anything to do with why Fynn insisted we keep things casual? Is he the one who got away? Are there still feelings there?

"Are you alright, Perry?"

"What? I'm not the one driving."

"That's not an answer."

"It's fine. I'm… everything is fine."

"Look, I'm not really sure on the protocol here. Was I supposed to tell you I had a fiancée? I wasn't trying to keep him from you, it's just… it's sort of complicated."

No kidding. "It's fine, Fynn."

It's not a total lie. I'm not sure he owes me any explanation about his ex. He only mentioned the guy a couple times and never when there was a good time to bring up a failed engagement, like when we were discussing a topic like past relationships… we've never discussed that topic.

Because this isn't a relationship.

My inconvenient, non-friendly feelings are getting more inconvenient by the minute. And I’m just a friend. With benefits. I’m not sure I have the right to ask any of my questions.

This isn't the time or place to unravel. We have a mystery to solve, a mission to accomplish. We’re trying to get to the bottom of Fynn’s power problem.

I change the subject, trying to get us back on track. "Tell me about the suncatcher."

“When I struggled and threw myself into magic, Malcolm saw how hard I was working and bought me the gift to help,” Fynn says. "I couldn’t detect any sun magic, so I assumed it was just some cheap trinket marketed as helpful, something to scam those lacking magical knowledge out of a few bucks.”

Makes sense. There are many mystical items out there that are snake oil.

“You just checked it for sun magic?" I wonder. "Not anything else?”

“Yes. Why?”

“I'm getting something,” I say, then stop myself. No sense saying more until we get confirmation.

Us rock casters aren't thought of as being particularly intuitive or perceptive. More hard-headed and thick when it comes to things like emotion, extra senses, and mysticism. But I have developed a sense for some magic, the kind I've been around for years through close friends, like water and night magic.

"Are you sensing night magic?" Fynn wonders.

So much for not saying anything. "How’d you know?"

"Well, now that I know it was making me weak, it's obvious."

I didn't want to tell him without being totally sure, but he's right. Now that we can look back on what happened, it seems clear this ex of his got jealous and sabotaged his magic. Which means we need a game plan.

“Alright, how should we approach this meeting?" I ask.

"What do you mean?"

"Let's just chat, feel him out for a bit," I decide. "Only confront him if we’re not getting anywhere. If it comes to it, I’ll be the bad cop. Not sure you’re capable."

Fynn shakes his head while keeping his eyes on the road. "Don’t think it will be necessary."

“You think he’ll confess immediately?”

“Confess? There’s something to confess?”

"You’re a sunbrand. His gift was your exact weakness."

When we reach a stoplight, he slows the car and puts his hand on my arm for a moment, turning his head to look at me. "Let’s not jump to conclusions. I really don’t think he did it on purpose."

"Agree to disagree."

The light turns green and he starts driving again. I cross my arms in the passenger seat.

Okay, maybe sabotage isn't as obvious as I thought. Am I being biased? Is Fynn? No wonder he's not upset. He thinks this was all some innocent misunderstanding.

My gut says differently, though I can't say for sure what's going on. All I know is that I'm determined to get answers when we interrogate his ex. Fynn deserves that much.

He's too nice to bust skulls and demand answers, so I'm going to have to be tough for him… in a charming way. Can a person bust skulls in a charming way? Probably not.

Usually I'm the 'catch more flies with honey' type of person, but Malcolm sets me on edge, already testing my patience and we haven't even met yet.

Whatever Malcolm's hiding, I'm going to find out. No matter how tense or ugly he gets, I'll be ready. For Fynn.

~

This makes no sense.

"Perry, did you hear me?"

"Uh, sorry," I say. I'm so confused. "What was the question?"

"Tea," Malcolm says. "Earl grey or oolong?"

Interrogations aren't like this on TV. I didn't prepare for this.

From what little I heard from Fynn, Malcolm and he didn't part on the best terms. With a failed engagement and his little gift harming the sun caster's powers, I was expecting a hostile confrontation.

Not a handsome man in a tailored suit to usher us into a fancy office with a big smile on his face. Not for him to offer us freaking tea.

"I hope it's okay," Malcolm says as he hands me a cup. "This is the best I could arrange on short notice."

Everything is so… civil. I stare down into the cup, totally baffled. I'm having tea with Fynn's evil ex-fiancée. How is this happening?

The bad guys do this sometimes. Disguise themselves, try to pretend they aren't bad. What did I expect? For this guy to have devil horns and be twirling a cartoon mustache?

We just have to stay on guard and not get lulled into a false sense of security.

"Hey, you picked a great day to come down," evil ex says conversationally. "We have a new product line launching soon, which means freebies galore. Help yourself."

He points to a small display of skincare products? Is that an insult? …Probably not. This is a skincare company. There are pictures of smiling, fresh faces lining the hallway walls. And this office is adorned with plaques and awards for using natural ingredients.

Now the dastardly villain in disguise is… helping me take care of my skin? And not even because he wants to wear my face as a mask, just because… he works at a skincare company.

"Thanks," Fynn says, giving me a strange look. Can't say I blame him. "Maybe later."

"Right, let's catch up first." Malcolm acts like they're old friends, not scorned lovers.

They carry on with small talk, asking about each other's work and catching up on their lives. I listen and sip my tea, totally bewildered at how all traces of tension or animosity are seemingly absent.

The office is sleek and modern with a clear desk and a few plants in clean white pots. Minimal, yet distinctly on the expensive side. And Malcolm himself is making no secret about being high powered and important. Not in that impeccably tailored designer suit with a flashy gold watch on his wrist. I struggle not to fidget and adjust my wrinkled beyond hope clothes.

Malcolm's slicked-back black hair isn't exactly my favorite style, but I can't deny his creamy white skin looks flawless. Maybe I should take home some of those samples.

Aside from being a bit full of himself, he's being a perfectly polite host. Is it possible Fynn's evil and dastardly ex… isn't so dastardly after all?

Fynn nudges me. "Doing okay there?"

"Sorry." I clear my throat and set down the teacup. "This isn't what I expected. Uh, I'm not sure if this is a sensitive subject, but I thought you two didn't end on a good note?"

"True," Malcolm agrees without hesitation. "But it seems like we've both moved on. You moved and have a new life now, Fynn. I've been promoted. What happened between us is history."

"I agree," Fynn says. "But there is one part of our past we do need to discuss. Do you remember a gift you got me, a suncatcher? It had magic."

"Oh, I can't tell you much there," he laughs. "You're the wizard. I know next to nothing."

"Do you remember buying the suncatcher?" Fynn hands his phone over, showing the picture of the item in question. We thought about bringing it in person, but since its proximity to Fynn weakens him, I took it to my room last night and kept it away.

Here it comes. Time for the drama and dark secrets. Finally. The moment I’ve been on edge waiting for, where we peel back the polite mask and reveal the evil ex’s true colors.

Malcolm looks at the image and nods. “It rings a bell, I think. The person at the store said it would help. Did it?"

"Well, it had moon magic," I say.

He stares blankly back at us. "Okay… is that bad?"

"Fynn’s powers come from the sun."

"Yeah, does that matter? The sun and moon are connected, right?"

Connected yes, though they aren't complements. Malcolm seems clueless. I think he's fighting the urge to check his watch. Nothing indicates he's lying or hiding something, but I don't believe his innocent act. Maybe it's because we're in his high-powered office and he's sitting behind his stupid clear desk in his fancy suit. None of it suits this ignorant rube routine he's doing.

"The sun and moon are connected," I agree. "Connected because one rises while the other wanes. They're opposites."

"Oh… so it didn’t help you?" Malcolm asks Fynn.

"Afraid not,” he admits with a grimace.

"It was significantly weakening his powers," I add.

"Well, then I should get a refund," Malcolm says. He sighs. "It's probably too late now. I just asked the clerk. I thought he’d know what to buy." He looks at his ex with concern. "Did this really screw things up for you? I'm sorry. I was only trying to help."

Fynn manages a smile. "At least we’re getting it sorted out."

It is an easy mistake to make. Objects with a strong connection to an element are easy to infuse with the element’s power, much like how I gain strength from rocks or an earthbrand from nature. However, sometimes those objects are inverted to help those with opposing powers instead.

They seem satisfied, but I'm not sure. The game is afoot. It led us here and the case doesn't feel resolved. I think there's more.

"That’s all? I ask. "It was an honest mistake, and you didn’t know better?"

Considering the matter settled, Malcolm looks surprised by the question, but he shrugs after a moment. "Magic really isn’t my strong suit."

"The store clerk didn’t tell you?"

"If he did, I wouldn’t have bought it," he says. Am I imagining the way his hand tightens around his teacup?

"Did you tell him Fynn was studying sun magic?"

"Perry, don’t grill him," Fynn warns me.

"Just trying to understand how this happened." I place my hands on the desk and lean forward. "Are you telling us everything?"

"Okay, you got me," Malcolm finally admits, his shoulders slumping in defeat.

Oh my god. He really is up to something! I mean, I knew it all along. Well, I suspected it. But given how serenely everything was proceeding, I did start to wonder if I was seeing things that weren't there.

The teacup rattles against the saucer as Malcolm sets it down with more force than necessary. Hunched at the clear glass desk, his former air of confidence is shattered.

"I wasn't totally honest," he admits, making a pitiful noise. "I didn’t talk to a store clerk or tell anyone about what I needed. I was running late and saw the suncatcher." He groans and throws his hands up in the air. "Come on, it picks up rays of light and sparkles in the sun. It seemed so obviously for sun powers. I just bought the thing."

I blink, taken aback by the simple explanation. This isn't the dramatic revelation I was expecting, the grand conspiracy unraveling before my eyes. It's just... a careless mistake?

"I'm really sorry about all this," he tells Fynn. "Here I thought I was helping you and all I did was cause trouble." He shakes his head ruefully. "Guess I should have paid more attention to the magic stuff, huh?"

"So this was just a mistake," I say, thinking it through. "You were in a rush and selected the first item you saw. But if you didn't have time, why didn't you just ask your assistant to buy an appropriate gift?"

Now both Malcolm and Fynn give me confused looks. And Malcolm slumps further in his seat, loosening his tie. "Oh, it's quite simple, really… I am the assistant."

"What are you talking about? Your promotion…"

"Yes, I'm now the executive assistant to the VP of sales," he says. "This is his office.”

I look to Fynn, who nods, confirming it. Huh. This is not detective Perry's finest moment.

Waltzing into this pristine fancy office and seeing the horrible ex get along so well with Fynn, I thought everything was exactly as it appeared. That Malcolm was some high-powered executive with money and nice suits and flawless skin and… I got jealous. He had so much I didn't, even Fynn at one point.

I didn't see the truth. And I don't want to make the same mistake now.

If I try to see things clearly, then… it all makes sense. Seeing Malcolm as naive and clueless was difficult. But busy and indifferent? Yeah. That checks out.

So much for a big mystery. There's nothing else to find here. Case closed.