Missing Magic Read Online Free Page A

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to close the garage.
    Once they were gone, his companion sat up,
inhaling sharply. He saw a glint of silver. Cenrick realized with
shock she held a pistol. A revolver. A metal weapon.
    That explained her lack of fear earlier.
    Despite himself, he recoiled.
    “What?” Again her amber eyes narrowed. “Don’t
tell me you’re afraid of guns.”
    Already regretting his instinctive movement,
he jerked his head in a quick nod. “Not afraid, wary. And with good
reason. Where did you get that?”
    “It’s mine.” The set of her chin looked
determined. “They took my service revolver, but this is my personal
gun.”
    “DO you know how to use it?”
    “Of course. I’m a cop, after all. Just like
Mick.” She got to her feet and, keeping a death grip on his sleeve,
moved forward. “Come on.”
    “What are you doing?”
    Without even looking at him, she reached for
the doorknob into the house. “I’ve had enough of this cloak and
dagger stuff. If Mick’s in some kind of trouble, I want to help
him. I’m going in.”
    Despite the gun, despite the chill the sight
of so much deadly metal brought him, Cenrick dug in his heels.
“Wait.
    You need to calm down. Think for a minute.
You might be a cop, but no crime has been committed.”
    To his relief, she hesitated. “You know,
you’re right. I can’t go charging in there, weapon drawn.” She
reholstered the gun, letting him breathe again.
    “But damned if I’m letting them hurt Mick.”
Letting him go, she marched over to the door at the back of the
garage and opened it. Outside, the motion sensor activated the
light.
    The dizziness rushed back, making him stagger
as he tried to follow. “Where… where are you going?”
    “To the front door.” Her cat’s eyes reflected
the illumination. “I want to talk to Mick. I’m his friend. They
can’t turn me away.” She marched off, leaving him to go after
her.
    Outside, he could breathe easier. The night
air had grown slightly cooler, and the breeze carried the scent of
flowers.
    Part of his equilibrium returned. He looked
up in time to see her vanish around the side of the house.
    Because he had no choice, he went after her.
He didn’t even know this woman and now he might have to protect
her. He kept to the shadows where he had a clear view of the front
door in case she needed him.
    She pressed the doorbell. When the door
opened, she stepped forward, as though she meant to force her way
in. A huge man blocked her, speaking in too low of a voice for
Cenrick to hear what he said.
    “I want to see Mick.” Her rising voice
carried. “I’m not leaving until I talk to him.”
    The man stepped aside. She entered the house,
the door closing behind her.
    Cenrick waited.
    Though it seemed like an eternity, less than
five minutes passed before the door opened and she stepped outside,
her rigid shoulders and grim expression telling him of her
anger.
    She hit the sidewalk at a fast walk, heading
down the street away from him.
    Feeling even stronger, he jogged after her.
“What happened?”
    She gave him a sharp glance. “She won’t even
let me talk to him.”
    “She?”
    “The blonde woman we saw with him earlier.
The
    one that’s supposedly his girlfriend.” Scorn
curled her lip.
    “She said he was sick and couldn’t come out
of his room. When
    I tried to push my way past her, arguing that
I could go see
    him, two of those goons blocked my way.”
    “Did they hurt you?”
    “They didn’t lay a hand on me.” Her tone
indicated she’d almost wished they would have.
    “Come on.” Taking her arm, Cenrick steered
her away from the house. Oddly enough, with each step he took, he
felt better. The dizzy feeling, the way his thoughts had felt
disjointed, all vanished.
    What was in that house?
    A sound behind them made them turn. “Wait.
What’s that?”
    “Mick! He’s calling my name.” Pulling her arm
free, she started back.
    Cenrick ducked behind a massive pecan
tree.
    “Dee?” Mick appeared at the end