Chapter 2
People, no matter the species, hated the nagi and while they left her alone, they weren’t welcome either. But better being banned than being hunted for being a crossbreed.
For the most part, they posed as humans, and Archie most likely was. His bloodline had been so watered down over the centuries he hardly could call himself a finder, but he was still registered as one, so he didn’t have much choice when it came to his occupation. Hence Edie and he ran Jaeger’s Lost and Found.
It looked like a bookstore, but none of the books were for sale. The old-fashioned cash register took up half the counter because Archie liked how time had dulled the spark of the brass, how the round buttons sounded when he pressed them, but it didn’t do any work.
“For God’s sake, Archie!”
He jumped when she slammed her hand on the counter and realized he’d tuned her out.
“Mrs. Smilow will be here any second. Do I need to remind you how much we need a paycheck?”
No, she didn’t. The drip from the roof was reminder enough.
* * * *
Archie glared at Edie as she clicked the ballpoint pen for the hundredth time. She talked and talked and talked and smiled and smiled and smiled.
“Don’t you worry, Mrs. Smilow. Archie will find Spike in no time at all, he is a finder after all.” She shook Mrs. Smilow’s hand and smiled once more.
Mrs. Smilow, a short, round woman in her late seventies, narrowed her eyes at Archie. He didn’t offer her his hand. Hadn’t when she walked in and had no desire to do it now either. He had nodded, that had to be good enough. Edie was the one who talked to clients, and if it hadn’t been for the meetings taking place in his home and Edie insisting on him being present, he’d have found a way to avoid clients altogether.
“I’ve heard of finders.”
Archie kept his face blank. Everyone had heard of finders, though most humans refused to believe in them. He didn’t blame them. It was hard to believe someone could find anything they wanted to, no matter where it was hidden, as long as they had an item connected to what they were trying to find. Though, in Archie’s case it wasn’t that simple. Sometimes he found things through connections, but most often he found things without having anything linked to them and had no idea to whom the lost item should be returned.
Mrs. Smilow dropped a pink leash on the table in front of him. “I’m expecting to hear from you soon.”
“We’ll be in touch shortly.” Edie steered her toward the door, glaring at Archie over her shoulder. The chime of the bell died away and the drip from the second floor became audible again.
“You’re unbelievable.” Edie threw his pea coat at him. “Would it hurt you to be polite?”
“I was civilized.”
“You didn’t say a word, not one fucking word!” The double set of fangs flashed by before she took a deep breath and hunched her shoulders. “Okay, we need to find this mutt before it’s too late. I can’t live on coffee alone.”
Archie patted his chest, his heart drumming uncomfortably as he eyed the coat. “You want to go outside?”
“How else do you suggest we find a dog on the loose? We know he ran away from her in Greenwood Park. I’m sure he came across a rabbit or something. If we’re lucky, he ran himself tired and went back to search for his mommy. We need to find him before he decides to walk home on his own. We won’t get any money if she’s the one finding him. Grab the leash.”
Archie did, a sensation of cold and wet climbed up his arm, and he shuddered.
“You got something?” Edie was fully aware of how useless he was.
“My guess is he’s still outdoors somewhere.”
“Great! Let’s go.”
He gestured at the room.
“Oh no, you’re coming. I will not run around this city in the rain on my own. Put a be-back-soon sign on the door.”
Archie didn’t move. Go outside? On a Wednesday? He looked up at the antique solid brass chandelier, the soft yellow glow caressing the cobwebs.
“Archie! Now.”
He gritted his teeth and stood. The ringing in his ears grew until he was certain it would cause permanent damage. Edie grabbed his arm and marched them out the door. The rain whipped against his face. He couldn’t breathe. Reaching out, he touched the brick wall next to the door.
The fronts of the houses were so narrow it looked like they were standing on top of each other. What they lacked in width they made up for in depth, and Archie wanted to break Edie’s hold and launch himself back inside and run until his back was flush against the farthest wall, well-hidden behind row after row of bookshelves.