Logan's Quest Read online

  Walking towards the car, I realized there was music inside.

  Logan was sitting there, with the driver’s door opened, shirtless, wearing only wearing jeans.

  He looked genuinely surprised.

  “Is this your dream? Are you asleep?” I asked him.

  “As I should be. How did you find me? Are you taking a nap?”

  “No, to the nap. To put it simply, I visualized where I wanted to go, and it worked. Of course, I still have to find my way back.”

  “That was bold. All of this for me?” He was grinning.

  “Logan, someone is looking for you, and he’s not a friend.”

  His expression didn’t change.

  “You already knew?”

  “More like I sensed something. How did you find out about this?”

  “He came to the agency. Asked me to take the case. Look, I don’t want to stay here longer than I have to. Can we meet later? Not at your club or your shop.”

  “Club Eternel.”

  Strange choice.

  “I don’t think it’s a good idea. This gentleman knows you hang out with vampires. How about the Homebound Pub? He won’t be able to sense you there.”

  “You might be right. Okay, I’ll be there around eight tonight. You better go. You know how to get back?”

  “I think I do.”

  I walked away, aware he was staring at me, sat down on the sand, connected with my energy, and visualized the guest room in the apartment.

  There was a moment of panic where there was nothing.

  Then I felt something under me and opened my eyes.

  I stayed sitting on the floor of the guest room, disoriented and a little tired, until I recognized everything around.

  I noticed some grains of sand on my socks.

  “Wow! Not going to do that too often.” I whispered to myself.

  Before “travelling”, I had turned off all my arcane connections except the one to Clydan.

  Usually, when I did something like that, out of the blue, Clydan would call soon after, making sure I was alright. When I looked at my phone, there were no messages from my biological Avian father.

  I was a little disappointed. Ever since he had taken an interest in Melissa, Clydan had been a bit less present, although he kept reminding me, in brief messages, that I could reach out to him anytime, night or day.

  I looked at the time again. I had been gone for a little over twenty minutes.

  I splashed some water on my face, brewed some coffee, and filled a thermos before heading back downstairs to Finders.

  When I walked in, Magnus looked at me, concerned.

  “Everything okay, boss?”

  “Yes, just some unexpected business. I’m not trying to dismiss your question, it’s just that I can’t say much about it yet. Magnus, how do you think the agency is doing?”

  “I think it’s doing quite well. Business has been coming in sudden bursts, but it works. We get more questions on the phone, and, well, if I may speak frankly?”

  “Always.”

  “I think that if people have lots of questions about the same thing, it could be billable.”

  “Something to think about. Magnus, I’ve been thinking that for questions and small cases, you could take those on? Would you be willing to? With an increase in salary, of course.”

  He smiled.

  “No need for the increase. I already have a very good salary. Answering the questions would be nice, that and taking care of unexpected visitors. Speaking of which, while you were upstairs, inspector Richard Dupuis called and said he would drop by.”

  “How did he sound?”

  “All business.”

  Half an hour later, Richard Dupuis walked in with a tall man with short cropped dark hair.

  I never knew if I should call Dupuis “inspector” or Richard. He insisted on the latter.

  “Hello, Clementine.”

  “Inspector, it’s been a while. How have you been?”

  He turned to the other man and said.

  “I keep telling her to call me Richard. Clementine, this is sergeant Frank Chartrand.”

  I had already sensed that the man with Dupuis was” gifted”. Although likely not a preter. When I shook his hand, it confirmed my feeling, but there was another side to his nature.

  “Frank works with me now on, well, unusual cases. Can we talk in your office?”

  I was about to say that it was okay to talk in front of Magnus when my trusted employee said.

  “I’ll make sure you’re not interrupted. Can I get you gentlemen some coffee?”

  “We’re fine.” Dupuis said.

  Chartrand didn’t say anything.

  Once we were sitting in my office, Dupuis said.

  “Frank has met with the Consortium last night. He’s now part of the liaison team. If I’m not around, you can contact him for any kind of preternatural business. I told him he could do the same with you and your agency.”

  Frank Chartrand finally spoke up.

  “I’ve heard a lot of good things about this agency.” He had a cool and calm voice. “If you need help with anything, please don’t hesitate to contact me.” Frank Chartrand said as he handed me his card.

  When I touched the card, I had a small intuitive feeling.

  He was a were or shapeshifter, and an occasional blood donor.

  “I’ve given Frank some of the cold cases.” Dupuis declared. “He might need some assistance.”

  “I will be happy to assist.” Was all I could say.

  “OH, Clem, before I forget, I believe you don’t have a PI licence. Does the owner have one? If you’re now the owner, it might be a good idea to get the proper certification. Just to be on the safe side.”

  They left quickly after that.

  So far, the morning had been a bit too unpredictable.

  Magnus came in with a fresh cup of coffee.

  “I saw you dragging your thermos around. Cup is better.”

  “Thanks!”

  “Clem, what was that all about?”

  “I’m still not sure. I got mixed signals from Dupuis.”

  “What about the other guy, Chartrand?”

  “I would feel better knowing more about him.”

  He smiled.

  “Good thing we’re called Finders.”

  I told him about Dupuis’ request for official documents.

  “But are we really a PI agency? You must have this in some papers with the company’s lawyer.”

  I kissed him on the cheek.

  “You ‘re a genius. I’ll call the lawyer.”

  Magnus was still blushing when he said.

  “Still wonder why Dupuis is asking for this now. Is this him or the Powers that Be?”

  “I’m going to try to do some digging discreetly.”

  I called Morgan, closing the door of the office, I retrieved the file where I had put the letters from, and notes about an Avian named Trovann.

  @@@

  Morgan had asked if we could have dinner early.

  That worked well for me. I didn’t want to miss Logan at the Homebound Pub.

  “I know we just saw each other, but something has happened.”

  “I brought the company’s file like you asked.”

  Morgan, who was a little taller than me, had her caramel blond hair in a braid today. She was still dressed for work.

  I was suddenly struck by how young she looked, but that was likely much, much older than I was and that her life would eventually end only to be reborn ”from ashes”, unlikely in my lifetime.

  Something must have shown on my face.

  “Is it that bad?”

  “Oh, no, I don’t think so. I was just thinking about him.” I said, gesturing at the living room.

  “I understand. I still feel this way myself.”

  I had not told her what had happened while I was visiting my mother.

  I cleared my throat.

  “Dinner should be ready soon. Can I offer you somet
hing to drink? Wine?”

  “Just water for now. You want to talk business before dinner?”

  I nodded.

  We sat in the living room.

  “What are you looking for?”

  I told her about Dupuis’ visit and questions.

  She frowned, pulled some papers out, went through them quickly.

  “Why now?” She asked, handing me some documents. “As you can see, there’s no mention of a private detective agency. Although Dylan may have wanted something similar, we were both aware of the paperwork involved. He didn’t want to raise too much attention or suspicions.”

  “The thing is, I’ve been thinking, Dupuis is one of several people who has treated Finders like a PI agency, going as far as sending me missing persons cases.”

  “So, you could counter with questions of your own?”

  “I could, but you’re right. Why now? I wonder which vampire he owes favors to. He’s a regular donor, but to whom?”

  “Questions for the Consortium, the Council, or even Orvan?”

  “I doubt Orvan wants me to be a regular visitor to the Consortium archives.” I said. “Let’s eat.”

  Over a meal of pasta with a sun-dried tomatoes sauce, I talked about Chartrand but didn’t mention Tarren/Torvann or Logan.

  “Have you heard from Clydan?” I asked Morgan.

  “No. You?”

  “A couple of brief messages, reminding me that if I need to reach him, I should, night or day.”

  “What about your sister? Have you seen her lately?”

  Morgan meant Zaryan, my half-sister. We had the same Avian father.

  “No, ever since my neighbours went away on their road trip, I’ve barely seen her.”

  Of course, Zaryan had a boyfriend, a demon named Noruk, that could be rather unpredictable. Caring, but unpredictable.

  Thinking about Noruk, I thought about Logan, who had taken the young demon under his wing.

  I still had some time before my meeting at the pub.

  “How’s Ichiro?”

  Morgan rarely asked about my vampire/DJ boyfriend.

  “Still looking for a house.”

  “I thought he had found one?”

  “Me too. Sometimes I think he should just live in his new club.”

  After accepting some tea, Morgan got ready to leave.

  “I’ll send you, by courier, legal copies of those papers just in case inspector Dupuis decides to pursue this.”

  “Thanks, Morgan.”

  After she left, I called Gilbert.

  “Good timing. Just dropped off a customer. I’ll be there in thirty minutes.”

  If someone knew who Dupuis owed his health and longer life to, Gilbert would.

  On my way downstairs, I stopped to let Troy out of his phone-abode.

  The djinn looked relaxed and rested.

  “Should I wake Sahenah?” I asked him.

  “Do you need anything before she joins us?”

  Troy, on my request, had become casual in asking me if I wanted to make a wish.

  “Nothing for now, but maybe tomorrow.”

  I pulled up the application called Vispa2 and typed in a request.

  Troy’s companion, another djinn, faded in, wearing jeans and a loose white shirt. She was barefoot, the way she liked to be.

  “Hello. Clementine. Hello, Troy.”

  Troy was a djinn who had been “given” to me so I could help him find another djinn, Sahenah.

  Troy was now my assistant, employee, occasional wish-granter, but also a confidante.

  It had been several months since I had successfully found and freed Sahenah and others who had been trapped in a cursed man’s flesh. I was still wondering if she had come back truly herself. Only Troy would know this, but every time I had asked him, he had been adamant she was.

  I made sure her, and Troy spent as much time together as possible, since Troy had feelings for the female djinn.

  “I’m out for most of the evening. I’ll drop by tomorrow morning.”

  “You’re sure you don’t need my help tonight?”

  Troy asked.

  “I should be okay.”

  “You will let us know if you wish anything.”

  “I will.”

  Troy, Gilbert, and I had found a way for me to send Troy’s phone “text” messages.

  When I got downstairs, Gilbert was already there.

  I sat in the front seat.

  “Clementine! It’s been a while.”

  “Yes, it has.”

  “Where to?”

  “The Homebound Pub, please.”

  I looked at the time on the dashboard. I would be on time to meet with Logan.

  “How have you been, Gilbert?”

  “Oh, you know, busy. And you?”

  “Same.”

  Troy had said Gilbert now had a girlfriend, but he hadn’t mentioned anyone. I was not going to pry.

  “Gilbert, I need some information that might be, well, sensitive.”

  “There’s always a privacy spell on when I pick you up. What would you like to know?”

  “Sorry to be so direct, but you know which vampire Dupuis owes a favor to?”

  I sensed he was hesitating.

  “I have a very good reason to ask. I’ll share that with you.”

  “Do you remember a woman, a vampire, who was seeking to lead the Council? She was a friend of the one who met her last sunrise not that long ago.”

  Despite the privacy spell, Gilbert was avoiding naming names, but I knew who he was talking about.

  I didn’t remember much about Silvestra, the one who had been a candidate, except that she was tall and had long, wavy, black hair. As for the one she had befriended, that was Anka. A woman who had been Ichiro’s lover, then enemy, who had tried to have me killed, then had taken some preternatural hostages. Months ago, the vampire Council had sentenced her to death by sunrise.

  “She’s Dupuis’, hmm, lover?”

  “Master, mistress, benefactor, and healer by way of blood.”

  “He owes her a lot.”

  “Rumour is he does. Now, why do you ask?”

  I told him about Dupuis’ visit.

  “Could it be petty revenge?”

  “Something to annoy you, Clementine. Are you going to talk to the Council, or maybe the Consortium about it?”

  “If I talk to anyone, it will be the Council, but I may not have to. Have you ever heard of this Frank Chartrand?”

  “Can’t say I have. If you want, I can ask around, discreetly.”

  “Let me do some of that myself first. I may eventually ask for your help.”

  Gilbert parked not far from the pub.

  “I would invite you in for a beer, but I have a meeting with a potential client.”

  It was a half-truth.

  “It’s okay, Clem. I’d rather go back to that place we went to, near the Uni, Chez Gilles. If you need a ride back, call. If I’m not available, it will go to voicemail.”

  “Very well.” I paid him for the ride, adding a generous tip.

  Inside the pub, I spotted Logan sitting at a table in the back.

  I checked if Mona and Calum were here.

  I couldn’t see Calum, but Mona was coming out of the kitchen when she saw me.

  “Well, now, that’s a nice surprise!” The red-haired waitress, who was also Calum’s girlfriend, gave me a big hug.

  I didn’t want to draw attention to Logan, but I didn’t want to “ignore” Mona.

  She would have been hurt.

  “We’re quite busy tonight. Let me find you a table...”

  “It’s okay. I see a familiar face. I’ll go sit with Logan.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah, I find him entertaining.”

  She looked at me strangely, but all she asked was.

  “What can I bring you?”

  “Hard cider, please.”

  Logan Carmichael was leafing through a magazine. He looked so relaxed... and ordinary
.

  I glanced around for Thomas, the vampire Chaos bringer, but he was not here.

  I had to assume that Wesley, and maybe Brandon, were working tonight in the pub’s kitchen.

  I hadn’t seen the young vampire, or his Fae roommate yet.

  “You’re here early.” I said, as a greeting to Logan.

  “Thought it was best to come in before you.”

  Mona put a glass of cider in front of me and a pint full of amber beer for Logan and walked away without a word.

  Would she tell Calum I had been having drinks with Logan?

  I felt a little silly asking him my next question.

  “Are you able to do a privacy spell?”

  He smirked like I was joking.

  “Let’s make small talk so it doesn’t look too obvious when I do it.”

  “How have you been?”

  “Today has been a challenging day, so far, but I’m doing okay. And you?”

  “I’ve been to the beach.” He said with a grin.

  Still, I could tell he was a little edgy.

  Then, I felt it. The spell was around us. We could speak more freely.

  “Tell me everything you can, but still be careful.” Logan said.

  I told him about Tarren’s visit and request, but also about a letter that had come to the agency months ago.

  “And you think this is the same man?”

  “Got a strong feeling about it.”

  “What are you going to do, Clementine?”

  I answered with a question of my own.

  “What do you want me to do? Logan, I owe you, big time, for several things.”

  “This Tarren, when is he coming back?”

  “In several days. Logan, who is he?”

  “Someone from a distant past, another life. I need those several days to take care of some business. If he comes back earlier, can you buy me some time?”

  “Sure will.”

  “As for who this man is, Clementine, we’ll have to meet again, and I’ll tell you more. I’ll contact you.”

  “Do you need anything else?”

  “I might need several things, including a place to stay. Again, I’ll let you know. Needless to say, keep this matter as confidential as you can.”

  “Of course.”

  I felt the privacy spell lift.

  Logan rolled the magazine and put it in the inside pocket of his jacket and said,

  “Sweet dreams, Clementine.”

  He quickly walked away.

  I was a little stunned and slightly frustrated. I didn’t have many answers, but I did owe Logan for several things, including saving my life.