Det. Grant Noble sat at his desk holding his own business card. He’d turned it over several times to see her gorgeous handwriting on the back.
He often felt a strong desire to protect innocent people. This was way more. He couldn’t stop thinking about her. Her crazy accent change, her quirky way, but mostly, those eyes.
He pulled up Cary Grant’s image on google. He certainly saw where she’d seen a resemblance.
He’d also run background checks on both her and Levi. Seems they’d both been adopted in London on the same day. She was 27 years old. He was 29. No arrests, but he’d found them both to be witnesses in a sealed Interpol case. The plot thickened. A quick google search showed ties to several large investments, the big one being Apple computers, and a women’s music education fund called Euterpe, after the Greek muse of music. He looked at the card again. She’d said that he could call. As he reached for his phone, it rang.
“Detective Noble.”
“Hello, Mr. Grant.”
“Ms. LaVoe, I was just thinking about you.”
“Was it a good thought?”
“It was a contemplative thought.”
“I was contemplating something myself. It’s short notice, but I have a massively dull fundraiser to attend. My friend Giselle insists I bring a date.”
“I don’t know if that’s appropriate, since I’m investigating your brush with death.”
“I’m not asking you to ravish me in your paddy wagon, Mr. Grant.”
He laughed out loud. “Sure, why not? Dinner first at my favorite hole in the wall? I’ll count it as a long-form interview. I have so many questions.”
“And I’ll count it as vetting your protective services... oh, and Grant?”
“Yes?”
“I’ll have no more of that Ms. LaVoe nonsense. We are officially on a first name basis, understood?” She struck him as a little bit bossy, but he was mostly alright with that.
“Alright, Murder, time and place?”
***
Levi looked at his iPhone. He’d signed up for the new “Magical Elf” phone dating app.
He was torn about it, on the one hand, the name was hilarious. On the other, it was kind of cringe, too.
The app’s interface was really easy though. Wave the “wand” also cringe at the screen to place the pretty magic gay boys you’d like to meet in an oubliette (awesome!) for later viewing. He was also amazed at how many of these people were out. Not as gays — this is NYC, for crying out loud— but as magical.
He also wondered what kept normies from just creating accounts. Was the app only visible to the mages, and the cursed or blessed? He’d put a few into his oubliette, but he’d yet to click on any. He decided to get bold and select one just from his picture. Maybe read a bio or…
He looked at three before he selected a blond man named Colin. He was similar-looking to the boy who’d fed him bread in London oh so many years ago. That boy, he’d later learned, had died from the sweat, less than a year after. Kindness is rarely rewarded with kindness.
Colin was even more attractive splattered across the entirety of his screen shirtless. Bugger all. He clicked in. There it was in print. The thing he should’ve listed himself as. AGELESS/PROTECTOR. He felt himself a fool for even considering a life where he could have a partner without having to hide any of who he was. He clicked the envelope icon anyway.
Coffee?
He locked the phone and set it on the wireless charger. He grinned. Nikola, that crazy old fool, would’ve loved that, at least before he went all misogynistic and they had stopped visiting him. He decided to check if Colin had returned his message. No. He made an annoyed face. Now I’m going to be checking this stupid thing every ten minutes. He shook his head. Technology.
***
Murder had promised Giselle she’d come by her house and give her “respite” from all the preparations she was making for the fundraiser.
By house, she meant mansion. It was ideal for a party. You could valet guests’ cars to the parking lot a quarter-mile away, and the main room was huge. If it were old, musty, and had a touch more style, you’d call it a castle.
Giselle was a touch over 40 but was still very obviously a former model. She was 5 foot 11, blonde, tanned, and in amazing shape.
Giselle didn’t need funds herself, this particular fundraiser was because her brother Jack had died from cancer. There was only one word for how rich Giselle was. Billionaire. Levi and herself were loaded, but not like Giselle.
The hotel penthouse seemed like a terrible waste of money to working-class people. The truth? They’d invested so heavily in the Dominick Hotel when it was being built that they now essentially got paid to live there; it would be foolish to buy a house like this since it was always likely they’d have to cut and run again.
Their biggest investment was in Apple. The dividends were almost uncountable. All because Levi had been obsessed with one of their old video games, a text-based game at that. She liked the devices, smartphones especially, instant information in your evening bag seemed like magic. News from a town away could take seemingly forever back in the 1500s.
She pulled her ‘British Racing Green’ 1962 Jaguar E-Type Roadster to the main gate and pressed the buzzer. Giselle must’ve remembered to put her on the list today. That, or she was right by the controls waiting for her. She drove up the long circular driveway and parked under the covered section immediately in front of the giant double doors. The door opened, and Giselle popped out. She ran and hugged her tightly.
“I’m so sorry, Murder. I missed your show, and I wasn’t there for you when you were shot.”
“I’m a quick healer, but you know that.”
“Yes, but I’m always worried when you get in trouble”. Giselle kissed her forehead with her overly plumped, augmented ruby lips, leaving a big ring of lipstick, as she often did.
Murder rolled her eyes. “You do that so no one has better makeup than you, don’t you?”
“Darling, I have the best makeup anyway. This is how I mark my family.” She took Murder under her arm, and they walked inside.
***
Detective Noble waited for his date with Murder. He’d laughed at that thought several times during the day.
Raoul’s would be busy tonight. He’d managed a reservation because he’d helped the owner out with some side investigating in the past. Also, the hostess who answered the phone was Jenna. He’d known her since high school.
She was both surprised and happy he had a date. She was worried he was still harboring feelings for her. He wasn’t, but his naturally friendly nature and his love for this old restaurant might make you think so.
Murder arrived at Prince Street just over 14 minutes late. Grant smiled at her. She blushed. He had such a great smile. He handed her a single red rose.
“Careful. I didn’t clip the thorns. I never do. They look cooler with them.”
“Grant, so sweet! Do you have a rose bush?”
“I do indeed.” He offered her his arm and turned towards Raoul’s. She paused. She knew the place very well. Or she had, a lifetime ago. She looked at his suit and was pleasantly surprised. It wasn’t bespoke or designer but it was cut and tailored and used nice fabric. She was thoroughly impressed.
“Are we going to Raoul’s?”
“Oh! Do you know it? The-” He was interrupted by his phone ringing. “I’m so sorry, that’s the work phone.”
Murder nodded. She understood having to work very well. She’d done her fair share the first half of her life. The thing they don’t tell you about magic is that it takes money to purchase services if you’re not born naturally gifted, and it’s not particularly good at making you money. For some reason, getting your mage to cast spells for coin and financial windfalls just didn't work.
She watched as he had a very animated phone conversation. He turned to her as he hung up the phone. “Were you at the residence of a woman named Giselle this afternoon?” Murder’s face had equal amounts of surprise and concern. She nodded in confirmation. “I’m afraid you may be the last person to see her alive.”
Murder started to faint but Grant caught her and helped her to a nearby bench. She sobbed.
“No no no! It can’t be. She... no. I love her so much.”
“Is that where we were going tonight?”
“Yes.” She buried her face in his shoulder. He held her tightly. He whispered in her ear.
“I’m so sorry. My boss wants me to bring you in. I have to. But I know it wasn’t you. I could tell by your reaction. I’m going to fight for you.” She cried more and pulled him even closer.
“I need to call Levi. my phone didn't fit in my bag.”
“Of course.” He unlocked his Samsung Galaxy phone and handed it to her. She managed not to comment on the competing device As Murder dialed her best friend, she accidentally squeezed the stem of Grant’s rose in anxiety. She didn’t see the shock on his face as the wound healed before the blood drop hit the ground.
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