“He asked for my number,” Sybil chattered away in the car.

“And you were a good little elf and didn’t give it to him.” Maggie downshifted as she turned a corner. Her silence was telling. “Please tell me you at least checked him out!”

“Definitely.”

“Not his ass, him overall. You did some interrogation mojo on him, right?”

“He knows I’m with the Guard. Do you really think he’d try something?”

“Hm, let’s see. There was that gremlin we brought in two months ago. He knew you were with the Guard and he also thought you were a total pushover. Which you almost were because he trotted out a sob story worthy of a midnight soap opera on the Supe Love Channel.”

“I went through my usual list of questions as we drank and danced and his answers were all I hoped for,” she assured her friend.“

Her cell phone chirping All Star interrupted Maggie’s comment about sanity having more than one meaning. Without looking down she tapped her Bluetooth button on her steering wheel to answer.

“O’Malley.”

“Tell your friend that Algar has to cancel their dinner date this weekend. He’s been called back to the Dark Country,” Declan’s voice flowed through the microphone like smooth jazz.

Maggie shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “How did you get this number?”

“What did you do to him?” Sybil demanded, practically leaning across Maggie.

“Trying to drive here, babe,” Maggie told her.

“I want to know what you did to him, Declan!” Sybil’s voice grew shrill even as she still partially obstructed Maggie’s vision.

“Syb!” She pushed at her shoulder. “I can’t see the road!”

“Algar’s a great person and there was no reason for you to mess with my social life,” Sybil growled.

“Trust me, there was an excellent reason.”

“I want to know how you got this number!” Maggie chimed in.

“Sweet dreams, Maggie.” He clicked off.

Maggie muttered a variety of curses in multiple languages while Sybil added a few of her own.

“That’s it. I’m dragging that Anna in tomorrow.” Sybil fell back against her seat. “My eight brothers weren’t allowed to mess with my social life, so there’s no reason for him to think he can.” A soft chirp sounded from her bag. She pulled out her cell phone and began reading. “Oh boy.”

“Oh boy what?”

“Yours isn’t the only cell number Declan dug up. He texted me a report on Algar. It seems that son of a whore has a few side businesses we need to check into.” Sybil’s delicate features turned hard.

Maggie grimaced. “So Declan did a good thing.”

“Yes.”

“Oh.”

Sybil looked at the witch. “Did you do something?”

Maggie took a deep breath. “Remember Jim Morrison singing about lighting his fire? Well, I guess you’d say I doused Declan’s.”

Her friend gaped then burst out laughing. “Let’s hope he’s wash and wear.”

###

When Anna walked into Declan’s office she found him standing in the midst of a downpour that didn’t touch one piece of furniture.

She pressed her hands over her mouth and just stared with saucer-size midnight black eyes as her shoulders began shaking with suppressed laughter. “Declan?” she choked out the name.

The long-suffering demon wiped his face as steam rose up from his clothing.

“Anna, would you get me a towel please?”

© Linda Wisdom, Sourcebooks Casablanca, 2011