Logan's Quest Page 4

  I put in a memory key and transferred what Dylan had written about Tarren/Torran and “the Protector”. Next, I went through the mail binder and retrieved Torran’s letter, scanned it, and transferred the scan to the memory key.

  I looked at the clock on the computer. I still had time to do one more thing.

  I typed Fire Avians in the search box and held onto the pendant around my neck, focusing on my intention to find something that may not have been visible to everyone.

  I didn’t find anything.

  How could Dylan had left me something, warning me about “protecting the Protector” but nothing on Fire Avians?

  I looked without the help of the pendant.

  Nothing.

  Maybe I would find something on the computer upstairs.

  Magnus came in as I was getting more coffee and heading for my office.

  “I’m doing a bit of paperwork in there and then going back upstairs to do some more work.”

  “Everything okay?” He was not being curious or polite. He was genuinely concerned.

  “Yes, just need to look into some things for a potential client. The gentleman that was here a couple of days ago.”

  “Sorry, didn’t mean to pry.”

  I smiled.

  “You’re not. I’m grateful for your concern, Do you need Troy to be here today?”

  “Not now, but it may change after I return those calls.”

  “Let me know if you do.”

  I stopped by the apartment above the agency checked if everything was okay.

  Curtis and Laura used to live here. I hadn’t heard from them in a while.

  I always felt a little nervous leaving Troy’s special phone here. This time, I picked it up to bring it with me upstairs.

  In the apartment, I made a fresh pot of coffee.

  Dylan had left two laptops behind.

  I had put them both in the guest room, still trying to avoid the master bedroom.

  I had already found some interesting notes on one of the laptops. Now, I wondered how much I had really looked through the other one that had been in Dylan’s bedroom.

  I ate a cereal bar and some blueberries before getting down to business.

  I had the intention of going through every file on the two laptops, including the system and operational ones.

  While browsing through menus, I kept visualizing the image of a dark key with wings.

  I found the image on a folder in the system section.

  Had Dylan done this himself, or had someone helped him?

  I was a little nervous about trying anything related to the computer’s system.

  Could I copy it and put it on the other laptop without damaging anything?

  I was able to copy the folder on the memory key and transfer it.

  Now on the laptop I used the most, I clicked on the folder.

  It asked me for a password.

  I tried several words, including Dylan’s true name. Nothing worked.

  It worked when I entered a combination of the first letters of my name and year of birth.

  The folder held many files.

  I didn’t even know if I was looking for was in any of those.

  @@@

  It took me most of the day to read and research.

  By dusk, I had more questions than answers, but I had answers, especially about Logan.

  Although he had not asked, I wanted to find a plan to help Logan, to get him away from Tarren/Trovann.

  When he’d dropped by unannounced, Trovann had been alone, it didn’t mean he hadn’t brought or hired people.

  I hadn’t heard from Logan, and I hadn’t tried to find him in the Dreamlands.

  I needed short-term solutions and some help.

  But who could I trust?

  Troy was on top of my list.

  I needed someone else.

  Curtis Marshall.

  Curtis was reliable, and I felt I could trust him.

  I didn’t want to put his and Laura’s lives in jeopardy, but I could still protect them when they were here, in this building.

  I sent Curtis an email via his girlfriend Laura’s website.

  “Need some help and advice. It’s about protection.”

  Next thing was what information to give, if anything at all, to Trovann. I could always send him on a wild goose chase, but I didn’t think he was the kind of man to fall for that.

  I really needed to see Logan again before talking to Trovann.

  How to keep Noruk out of all of this? Was it possible? Logan had he taken the young demon under his wing, and Noruk was fond of Logan, which I still found strange for a demon.

  I needed to brainstorm with someone.

  Usually, I would have confided in Nick, but he was still “taking care” of Lenny.

  I grabbed my keys and my wallet and was about to walk out when I looked again at my email inbox.

  Curtis had left me a message.

  “On our way back to town. Should be there tomorrow, late day.”

  First, I felt better, than I thought about Troy and Sahenah.

  When I got to the apartment where Curtis and Laura used to live, I took Troy’s special phone out of my bag and typed in a request.

  The djinn appeared wearing jeans and a black henley.

  “I need to talk to you, alone. Do you think Sahenah will be offended?”

  He shook his head.

  “It is not for us to decide or be offended, Clementine. It’s a matter if you wish her here or not.”

  “Okay, fair enough. So, do you think she would like to rest, or be okay with spending time alone in the apartment?”

  He sighed loudly,but smiled.

  “Maybe she could rest a little longer.”

  After we got into Dylan’s apartment, I got everything out to make a chicken cacciatore.

  “Cooking and having you here will help me think.” I offered as an explanation for the cooking.

  “What has happened?”

  I told him almost everything, trying not to overwhelm him with details.

  When I was done, Troy said.

  “If I may speak freely?”

  He always asked me that and I always answered, like now.

  “Always. You don’t have to ask.”

  “The first thing is to protect yourself, Clementine, and your true nature.”

  “I can’t believe he hasn’t even sensed my connection to Ichiro.”

  “Maybe you cover everything instinctively?”

  “Hmm, maybe.”

  “Do you wish for me to make this man disappear?”

  “Oh, no! We don’t know what the consequences of that would be.”

  He looked at what I was doing.

  “What are you making?”

  “Chicken Cacciatore.”

  “Oh, this is going to be good.”

  I smiled.

  “I hope so. Will you be my dinner guest? Oh, let me rephrase that. I would like you to be my guest.”

  Whenever I wanted to make a wish, I’d told Troy I would use the word “like” instead of “wish”.

  “Should we ask Sahenah to join us? I asked Troy.

  “Maybe not this time.” He said. “If you want to talk more about your case.”

  “I’ll send you back with leftovers.”

  During dinner, I told Troy about Curtis and Laura being on their way back.

  “I will find a new place for you and Sahenah, Troy.”

  “We already have a place.” He said, putting his hand on his phone.

  “Clementine, dinner is excellent!”

  “Thank you! Are you tiring of apartment life?”

  “I don’t want us to get used to it. As Sahenah would say, it’s not in our ways to accept so many good things from one of our employers.”

  I waited until he was done with his plate to ask.

  “Troy, what’s going on with Sahenah? Is it something between you two? Because if it is, you don’t need to tell me.”

  He sighed.

  “You’re too kind. My worries are not yours.”

  “I’m worried because I care, so what’s going on?”

  “Ever since you’ve freed Sahenah from Curtis’ flesh, she hasn’t been the same. At first, I thought it was to be expected, but she seems distracted. Sometimes uninterested, bored.”

  “Unfortunately, I haven’t asked her for much help.”

  “I’ve been wondering if she misses working all the time for someone.” He hesitates before saying. “I’ve also been wondering if she misses this vampire, Tarquin.”

  I had been thinking the same thing.

  Had there ever been an exchange of blood between those two? I asked Troy if he knew.

  “I don’t think so. Vampires like Tarquin are cautious about taking blood from some of the other preternatural races, djinns included.”

  “If I may ask, how are things between you and Sahenah?”

  “Not as close as it used to be.”

  Right now, Troy was trying very hard to sound casual, but his tone was closer to emotional.

  “It had been a long while since you’d seen each other. You’ve mentioned, in the past, that there are not a lot of members of your community left in this world?”

  “That’s correct, and I don’t know how many of our kind are djinns with good intentions.”

  I still hadn’t learned much about djinns and beyond what Troy thought could be useful for me, he hadn’t volunteered much.

  “Are you aware if Sahenah has written down what I’ve asked for?”

  “Forgive me. I was the one to give you this.”

  Moments later, he handed me a notebook.

  I put it aside.

  I had been ready to suggest that Sahenah reconnect with her “home-world”, but I didn’
t even know if that was possible.

  “I wish she could meet Gilbert.” Troy said.

  “You know that could be challenging, unless you’re ready for Tarquin to know Sahenah has been found.”

  He shook his head.

  “We should get dessert.” I declared. “I would like two hazelnut gelatos.”

  For a moment, Troy looked confused.

  “Yes, that was a wish.”

  The mood lightened after that.

  “We have not resolved your issues.” Troy said.

  “No, I think it’s going to take more than one conversation over dinner, but I’ll still need your help tomorrow. I want both you and Magnus at Finders when that gentleman comes back.”

  After Troy went back in his phone, I made some coffee and checked my own phone for messages and the laptop in the guest room for emails.

  There was nothing that couldn’t wait.

  It was already dark outside.

  I still hadn’t heard from Logan.

  I could always ask Ichiro if Logan could stay in his house in the countryside. I had thought about the apartment on Milton street, but it was still too much in the city for my taste.

  I was counting on Tarren/Trovann not looking too far outside of Montreal.

  If Logan didn’t agree to stay out of town for a while, then what?

  I needed a good night of sleep.

  The best way for me to contact Logan right now was in the Dreamlands.

  Had the small amount of blood Logan had given me, when I had been attacked, created some kind of connection, if only faint?

  I didn’t have trouble falling asleep.

  I found myself in a garage, an auto shop. I was wearing faded jeans and a red tank top.

  “Is this prudent?” I asked Logan as he rolled out from under a car.

  He had on faded jeans with a black tank top.

  “As much as possible right now.”

  “Are you going to tell me more about what’s happening?”

  “What? No small talk?”

  “No time for small talk.”

  He rummaged through a toolbox.

  “My past decisions are catching up with me.”

  “Logan, I think I’ve pieced some things together, and I have some ideas about why this man is looking for you.”

  He has now the hood opened, so I can’t see his face.

  “And where would you have found your pieces of information?”

  “At the agency.”

  “I shouldn’t be surprised.” He said.

  Even here in the Dreamlands, we were both being careful.

  “You’re not sleeping, are you?” I asked him.

  “No, but you are.”

  “So, if someone comes in?”

  “They’ll think I’m talking to myself, or a ghost.” Then he added. “I think I may go somewhere else for a while.”

  “What about Noruk?”

  Noruk, son of Zankir, lord of one of the demon realms, had been living in our world for months now. He was “visiting” under the supervision of Logan. And had been dating my half-sister, Zaryan.

  “He’s back living with Brandon and Wesley.” Logan said.

  That was news to me.

  “Does he still work with you?”

  “He wanted to train as a mechanic. He’s as ready as he will be. I want him to take care of my shop while I’m away.”

  I wanted to ask him where he was going when Logan spoke up again.

  “Clementine, I’m going to ask you to keep an eye on Noruk for me.”

  I had tons of questions, but instead I asked.

  “Why are you still here, at the shop?”

  “Someone left me his car two nights ago. Do you know what this is?”

  Logan finally faced me.

  “Hmm, t’s a vintage muscle car?”

  He grinned.

  “Not bad. It’s a 1971 Plymouth Barracuda.”

  “You said someone.”

  “I mean, someone left it at the garage with instructions and part of payment.”

  “That someone must trust you. Any idea who it is?”

  “None.”

  “Then why take the risk?”

  “I need the work to get my mind off things, and I like the car. The man didn’t feel threatening. Still, I may follow the owner once he or she picks it up.”

  “What if it’s a trap?”

  “I have this gut feeling it’s not.”

  “Logan, do you have a plan? Because I may have a short-term solution.”

  “And what is that?”

  “The deejay’s little house in the country.”

  “Already asked. Seems someone else needs it right now, but I might stay at this club with good vibes. Looks like it has a decent size crawling space.”

  If I understand him right, he’s talking about Ichiro’s new club.

  I felt sleep pulling me back. It was difficult to resist.

  “Where I need your help the most right now, Clementine, is with Trovann. I need you to buy me some time.”

  “I’ll do that.”

  I’m sure I’ve been sleeping for a while when I’m back in the Dreamlands, looking for Ichiro.

  I find myself in a dream version of his club.

  Ichiro is not here but I see, on the bar, a lone glass of red wine and a piece of paper leaning on it.

  “I’ll be here later tonight.” It was written in blood.

  The red wine may have been spiked. I’ve found that even in the dreamlands, Ichiro’s blood affects me.

  I didn’t mind being affected.

  Maybe that’s what Trovann would sense the most. My blood connection with Ichiro.

  The alarm on my phone woke me up. Good thing I had set it the night before.

  In the shower, I realized I still didn’t know what I would tell Trovann.

  Half-truths?

  I could send him up North, to the cabin where I had performed Curtis’ spell removal? Then again, maybe Logan could use that cabin for a while?

  Before getting dressed, I did a quick visualization, picturing applying concealer over the burn mark on my upper arm. Maybe it was too little too late and Tarren/Trovann already knew who I was, but it was worth trying.

  While having my first cup of coffee. I thought about two people who knew Logan personally, but not enough to endanger him.

  Seth, owner of Club Eternel and Saskia, Fae, sister of the previous leader of the Consortium. Maybe I could use one of them in my cover story for Logan?

  Going downstairs, I stopped by the apartment I had loaned to Troy and Sahenah.

  Everything was clean, nothing was out of place. I got Troy’s phone out and typed in a request.

  He appeared, wearing a pair of black cargo pants and a gray sweater.

  “Curtis and Laura are back today. Should we ask Sahenah to join us?”

  “Maybe after your meeting with this morning’s client?”

  “Yes, you’re right. That would be better. While waiting to see where everyone is going to stay, I was thinking of relocating you to my other apartment.”

  “It’s better if I’m with you most of the time.”

  “I understand, but can Sahenah stay in the phone for a long time?”

  “It’s her abode for now. It should be comfortable.”

  “Troy, there’s something else.”

  “How can I help?”

  “I’ve been wondering why someone like my client who could be powerful and have resources, even if he’s not accustomed to our world, would need my help to locate this man?” Then I added. “It’s not a wish, Troy. I would like your opinion.”

  “The client may already have some ideas about where to find this missing person, but it would be easier if someone led him to a location?” He hesitated, then said.” He may also have ulterior motives.”

  “What could those be?”

  “He may have had doubts about the agency owner’s, hmm, loyalties?”

  “Yes, that may be the case here. Okay. Let’s go to work.”

  When we walked in, Magnus was sitting at the reception.

  “Good morning.”

  “Good morning, boss.”

  “Any visitors or calls?”

  “The gentleman you’re expecting, if he’s on time, should be here in fifteen minutes. I’ve returned most calls, sent you one.”

  “Thanks, Magnus. I may need you to run an errand for me. Troy will take the reception for a while.”

  Magnus followed me to my office.

  “When Tarren Jones gets here, I would like you to stick around, but only for a few minutes.”

  “And after?”

  “I’m going to ask you to go to Logan’s club, but before, check if there’s other preters around, near this building. Even if there are, let them follow you, if they decide to do so.”