T wo weeks later…
Laughter rang throughout the murder basement, music blaring through the sound system as Charmaine, Hollis and Nina did the Apt. Dance by Rosé and Bruno Mars for Charmaine’s TikTok.
“Go, Auntie Nina!” Hollis cheered, as Nina danced along with Charmaine, laughing and making jokes about how they kept missing one move or another while Nina executed them flawlessly.
Wanda wrapped an arm around my shoulders as we leaned against the opposite wall and watched. “Charmaine’s like a brand-new young lady, isn’t she? It’s so wonderful to see her smiling and laughing.”
I nodded, fighting some tears. “It does my heart good. I’m so glad to see she’s mending.”
She and Ron reconnected once he’d been cleared by the council police. After he realized the enchantment he’d been under, everything became clear to him, and the description he’d given of how Eve had “charmed” him was about as accurate as it got.
I’d experienced the same thing. That rooted-to-the-spot, half-aware, half in a daze of confusion, with no ability to stop what was happening to you. It was, for lack of a better word, maddening.
But once she’d gotten Ron punch drunk on her manipulation, he was incapable of finding his way out.
Until he’d escaped prison, that is. Once he’d freed himself from Eve’s manipulations, his head cleared and he began to understand what happened the day Zinnia was killed.
Speaking of Eve. The text I received from Wanda just before I caught Eve breaking into the vault? She’d texted to confirm the call Ron received shortly before we’d interviewed him for the second time was from Eve, manipulating him to admit he’d fathered Zinnia’s child.
We’d all had dinner with The Ellises this past week, to thank Ron for saving our hides, and to apologize for doubting him, but also to check in, reconnect, heal. And it had been wonderful, a balm of friendship and moving forward.
“A siren,” Wanda muttered. “Can you even believe we’ve never run into one in all our time with OOPS?”
I scoffed. “Be glad we haven’t, because wow, as Nina says, what a mind-fuck. It’s infuriating. I swear, I thought she’d hurt Hollis. In my heart, I think that’s what saved me from falling as deeply into her manipulations as Ron did.”
The talisman was now with the proper authorities, and while no one knows if there are more, at least this one was safe.
We’d also spent some time talking with the were council about better police procedures. Keegan had called a meeting of pack leaders and set in motion an investigation that was ongoing.
I don’t know if it’s going to bring about change, but we sure were going to fight to make change happen.
“There’s nothing like a mother’s love,” Wanda whispered, giving me a squeeze.
Keegan and Carl had joined in on the TikTok dance fun now, making us catcall them and wolf whistle their efforts.
“Mom!” Hollis yelled with a wave of her hand. “Get in here!”
Me?
She grinned and nodded, her beautiful blue eyes shining.
My heart swelled. If my kid wanted me to dance with her, I was dancing with her. I had to seize an opportunity to bond when it presented itself.
I grabbed Wanda’s hand and pulled her along with me, catching Tottington coming down the stairs out of the corner of my eye.
The moment he realized I saw him, he turned back around to avoid me, but I caught him by the end of his suit jacket, then grabbed his hand.
“Oh, no, Tater Tot,” I teased on a laugh. “You’re not getting out of this dance party!”
His normally somber face went horrified. “I’m afraid I don’t dance, Miss Marty. I have two left feet.”
But Hollis wasn’t taking no for an answer. “Not a chance, Tottington. We’re all family here, and a family that dances together, stays together!”
My heart thumped in my chest. I loved that Hollis was becoming an inclusive, compassionate, smart young woman, even if there were still remnants of a teenager in the mix.
Hollis pulled him into the circle, giving him a hug he clearly felt awkward accepting, but when Nina grabbed his hand, he loosened up a little. We all laughed at his awkward, jerky movements. But no judgement here, Beyonce wasn’t hiring any of us as backup dancers anytime soon.
Well, except for Nina. The vampire can dance .
As I danced with everyone, seeing us all having fun and enjoying being together, my heart swelled, filled to the brim.
These were my people. Some of them weren’t blood, but family by choice.
Nina had coined the word framily to describe all of us as a group.
Never had there been a better word, wouldn’t you agree?
The End
Thank you for joining me, I hope you’ll return for another adventure with The Accidental Detectives, book three, Be a Detective They Said. It’ll Be Fun, They Said , coming soon!