“Basically, it has MPD?” Tad asked. “Multiple personality disorder?”
I nodded. “Right. The spirits have some autonomy, but they’re inexorably bound to the land because they have merged—at the core—with the creature. The building is acting as both a focal point and an amplifier.”
“So, we can’t dislodge the elemental, I take it?” Tad asked.
I shook my head. “No, it would take a major quake or other natural disaster to budge it. And since the spirits are connected to the elemental, we can’t exorcise them. However, if we destroy the building, it will help to calm the activity. It won’t solve the problem, but there should be fewer casualties.”
Tad sighed. “So, we tell our clients to look elsewhere for land?”
“Right. There’s nothing they can do. Even if they destroy the building—which we know they’d be doing—building other structures will just offer a renewed focus and more food for the elemental.” I knew what I was about to say was overly hopeful, but I said it anyway. “Ideally, we should encourage the city to buy the land, raze the building, and then cordon off the area.”
Hank coughed. “That’s not likely to happen. While I think we could convince the mayor that the idea is sound, I doubt the city has enough money to buy a piece of land they can never utilize.”
“He’s right,” Tad said. “And I know for a fact that the company that owns it now won’t agree to just demolish the building and let the property sit off the market.”
“Then what do we do?” I asked. “We can’t just walk away.” I had a wild flash that I should buy the land. I had just enough in savings, but then reason took hold. I couldn’t build on the land. I couldn’t sell it. I’d be stuck with a white elephant. A haunted white elephant that I’d owe property taxes on every year.
“Does anybody know a philanthropist?” Caitlin said. She lowered her voice. “The UnderLife of Moonshadow Bay tend to be very wealthy.”
I shivered, not wanting to think about the UnderLife. They existed in the shadows. The UnderLife—the vampires and ghouls and the like—were the stuff of nightmares for most people, human and Otherkin alike.
“Do you know anyone in the UnderLife?” I asked. “I certainly don’t.”
Caitlin shook her head. “We talked to a few for a couple of the cases we’ve been on, but I can’t say we’re on a first-name basis with them.”
“Let’s just put that on hold,” Tad said. “Who’s going to tell the chief of police about this?”
“I can,” I offered. “I know Millie. She can talk to the mayor.”
“Thanks. Go ahead and do that this afternoon? Meanwhile, I’ll brief our client on the bad news,” Tad said.
I carried more pizza and my drink back to my desk. “I’ll call Millie now.”
As I put through the call, I thought about the land elemental and jotted down a few notes. I wanted to tell Charles Crichton about it so he could add it into the history of the city. But for now, I looked up the number for the police. The dispatcher put me through to Millie.
“Hey, it’s January.”
“January, I’m glad to hear from you. How are your coworkers?” She sounded concerned.
“They’ll live. They’re out of the hospital and back at work. Listen, I have some information for you about the asylum. If I tell you, can you tell the mayor? We’re hoping that the city will get involved.”
She paused. “I’m meeting Asher—Asher Brant, the mayor—for coffee. Would you like to join us? That way you can tell us both. We’re meeting at Tangier’s Coffee Express in thirty minutes.”
I hadn’t expected her to introduce me to the mayor. “Hold on one sec,” I said, then muted the call. “Millie’s offered to include me in a meeting with the mayor in half an hour. Think I should go?”
Tad lit up. “That would be wonderful. I’m still trying to get hold of Jane, the real estate developer. I left a message, but she’s out. Caitlin, you want to type up the official report?”
“Sure thing.” She glanced at Hank. “You look exhausted. Why don’t you go home?”
He shook his head. “I am tired, but I’d rather sit here and watch the reports. It’s not that strenuous.” He seemed a little unnerved.
I gathered my things and headed for the door. “I’ll be back after the meeting. Here’s hoping the mayor can do something.”
“Good luck,” Tad said, shaking his head. “But don’t expect too much.”
The streets glistened with ice. Cautiously, I navigated the road into the town square.
Tangier’s Coffee Express was located in City Central, three doors down from the police station. It occurred to me that the mayor’s office was also in the building, and that if anybody ever wanted to destroy the heart of Moonshadow Bay, all they had to do was bomb the crap out of the complex.
I managed to make it inside without slipping and—already frozen by the short jaunt from my car to the building—I was grateful for the warm blast of air as I entered the coffee shop. The building was heated, of course, but they kept the hallways on the cool side.
The coffee shop smelled like coffee, of course, and freshly baked cinnamon buns. I wasn’t hungry, but the smell made my stomach rumble.
What the hell. I had already had six shots of espresso that day—three in my morning drink and three at lunch—so I ordered a hot cocoa and a cinnamon roll. With pastry and drink in hand, I looked around and finally spotted Millie sitting with a man. I joined them.
“Hey, January. Let me introduce Asher Brant, the mayor.”
Millie’s companion was a handsome man who looked far younger than I expected. I seldom used the word “dapper,” but…Asher was dapper, all right. My guess was a metrosexual. His hair was dark and curly, and he was fit and trim, wearing a Calvin Klein suit. Ellison had taught me to read designer labels at first sight.
“I’m January Jaxson,” I said, offering my hand. “My great-grandfather was one of the founding members of Moonshadow Bay,” I added.
He shook my hand. “How do you do? Millie told me you have something you wanted to discuss with me?”
“Yes, actually.” I slid out of my jacket, grateful I was sitting right over a heating vent.
Asher was smooth, charming, and my guess—as ineffectual as he was gorgeous. I had met far too many like him before. They talked a good game, but seldom came through on promises.
I glanced at Millie. “We know what’s going on at the old Stellarview asylum. First, the rumors about Psy’s ghost? Not the problem. It’s actually far worse.”
I told them everything that had happened and what we had found out. “So you see, the best option would be to raze the building and barricade off the land.”
“Which would cost a fortune,” Millie said, groaning. “All right, I see why you felt that the mayor should know about this.” She turned to Asher. “Any thoughts?”
He stirred his spoon in his coffee three times before adding milk and sugar. Still, he said nothing. Finally, he shrugged. “I’d like to help, but the city simply can’t afford to do anything. I suppose we could condemn the building, but we can’t barricade off the land.”