Precinct 13 (33 page)

I insisted that I drive because my car had a working heater and radio. I could tell, however, that Jack was mildly unimpressed with the boring lack of character my modern vehicle exuded.

Once he’d buckled in and we were on the way to the courthouse, I asked, “You seem to know about this Tinker Bell Theorem, right?”

“A bit,” he said.

“Does it work in reverse?”

“How do you mean?”

I wasn’t sure exactly, but I’d been thinking about my stepmonster a lot lately. I’d been trying to reexamine that part of my life with a magical eye. It was difficult to push past all the pain and accusations, but Valentine had said Gayle was a threat because she blocked my “call” to him. At first, I’d wondered why, but after the nuclear option in the graveyard and everyone’s reaction to the “spontaneous improbability” of my curse spells, I figured I knew. Lately, instead of why, I’d been wondering
how.
“Well, can you make magic weaker by not believing?”

Jack played with his earring as he thought about it. “If the theorem works at all, I would say that, yes, it’s bound to be true in both directions.”

I nodded. I remembered Valentine had also said something about how equating magic with superstition and madness had been a tool for those who wished to contain the power. That seemed to have worked for society, but what about individually? “So, you could potentially control a witch by telling her that magic wasn’t real?”

“Are you thinking of your stepmom?”

“I am,” I said.

We’d arrived at city hall. I turned to enter the underground lot, since I knew the above spots would be harder to come by thanks to my experiment.

“I think we should make sure that, as soon as we’re able, we send someone to Chicago to check on your father,” Jack said. “This demon sounds like a real piece of work.”

I could hardly disagree with that.

As I predicted, the parking lot was full of gawkers when the Bobcat cracked down on the cow’s head. The entire crowd made a sound of disgust that sounded like, “Ewwwww.”

But when the Bobcat backed off and I compared the skulls, it was a clear match. The crowd applauded.

Afterward, while Jack and I were cleaning up, the chief came over to shake my hand. I had to remove my glove before getting a hearty, knuckle-crunching squeeze and pump. His smile was as bright as the gold horseshoe belt buckle glistening at his crotch. “Old Franklin never did anything like that.”

It took me a few minutes to remember that Franklin was the name of my predecessor. “No, I imagine not.” I managed to extricate my hand before he pulped it.

He nodded approvingly. “You’re all right, Connor.”

“Thank you, sir.”

He stood with his hands on his hips, nodding approval at our work. “You should really consider occupying that office of yours. You know we’d love to have you here at city hall.”

I’d already been thinking along the same lines. “I like being able to work for the county
and
the precinct.”

“We’re lucky to have you.” He nodded and slapped me heartily on the back before heading back inside.

Genevieve separated herself from the remaining loitering crowd to join us. She didn’t say anything, she just pulled on a pair of gloves and started helping Jack with the cleanup.

She was smiling, too. I got the sense that I’d won over a lot of hearts with my science today, including hers.

The best part of the day, however, was when I dropped Jack back at the office. We walked in to a party. Or so it seemed. Everyone was making happy noises, drinking champagne from plastic glasses. Jack pulled a uniform aside. “What’s going on?”

He smiled. “You haven’t heard? Stone’s back.”

Despite everyone’s obvious jubilation, I was nervous as we approached the conference room. I could see the wiry, messy curls that escaped from under her cap from across the room. She had her back to the door, so I hadn’t seen her face yet. Just seeing that wild hair made my heart skip.

Would it really be her?

Jack and I made our way through the throng of well-wishers. We just made it up to her in time to hear Vito ask, “So, um, if you’re not doing anything this weekend, I’d love to take you out.”

Her smile could have lit up the room.

That was when I knew she was in there. It was our Stone. She was really back.

When it was my turn, I gave her a great, big hug. She held her arms out stiffly, with surprise, but when I didn’t let go, she wrapped them around me awkwardly. When I was finally able to let go, I told her with a tear in my eye, “You and me, we’re going to get your hair done properly.”

Her eyes sought the spot that Vito had retreated to.

“Yes,” I said fondly. “Before your big date.”

Jack and I went out to lunch, as friends, and he promised to help me work on focusing my swearing powers. “Though,” he said, “with spontaneous improbability, it’s difficult. Part of the magic is that it’s somewhat wild and uncontrolled.”

“I just don’t want to have to go nuclear every time.” I felt a little twinge of guilt when I thought about Devon’s eye.

“I think we can manage that,” Jack agreed with a grin.

The only sour note in the whole day was overhearing Peterson’s raging argument with the department he called “Infernal Affairs.” We all heard his bellowing voice as he insisted that they didn’t need to investigate Jones. Given the way he stomped around the office after slamming down the phone’s receiver, it was clear he lost that point.

I’d heard from Hanson at the end of the day that the regular cops had tracked down the Bobcat’s rental information. With that in hand, they were able to get a full confession from Olson himself. It seemed that the way Olson ran his
organic farming was extremely cost-inefficient and the ranch was hemorrhaging money. He’d hoped to get a good insurance settlement, but hadn’t counted on magical fairy rings and smart, capable, if nonmagical, police officers.

I was proud to be part of both departments.

Tired, but happy, I went home to discover Valentine still in my bed. Kicking off my shoes, I stretched out beside him. I stroked his hair, careful of the rough patch by the short hairs in the back. “You’re still here,” I murmured.

“Yes,” he said. “This, my dear, is a very interesting town. I may be here quite a while.”

I thought I would be, as well. Tomorrow, I planned to move my spider plant and some of my files to the big office, upstairs. The plant would appreciate being in the light.

I thought, for once, I might, too.