“No. Well, I mean. No. I didn’t call you anything. Come on. Let’s go.”
“Okay, sis,” I said, smiling and full-well knowing it’d get under her skin.
“We are not related, James.”
“J.T. That’s what my friends call me.”
“Yes, Honey. J.T.”
I wanted to throw Ethel out a window and see if she’d land on all fours. Every part of me wanted to toss Violet on the bed and show her exactly who was in charge. But that would have to wait. With a clean record and the stupid Cat Girl death by a clumsy chick with a bowl thing solved, well, there’d be plenty of time for me and Mistress Pain. I’d make sure of it. Hell, I was a warrior, according to Miss Thing. Better? I could throw a mean skeleton face where I needed one.
Chapter Fourteen
Violet
Ethel took James to my truck as I checked out of the hotel. I was a bundle of nerves. I knew exactly how to get rid of James’ record; Ethel and I were working on it before we ever drove up to New York. I threw my remaining bag into the bed of my truck. James was already in the front seat, and Ethel was turned around mouthing, “Tell him,” through the rearview mirror. We have known each other too long. She knew exactly what had me all worked up. I sighed. I guess flirting between the two of us was in the past.
I sat down and started the truck.
I bounced my leg up and down as I waited for my warm-blooded vehicle to heat up.
James reached across the seat and held my leg down so I couldn’t move. “Why are you so twitchy?”
I grabbed my pocketbook and pulled out two business cards. I set the parole officer’s card on my dashboard and plugged the other address into my GPS. I was practically raised by this person. Ethel and his mom have always been close. He and his family were members of the coven, but somehow completely separated from the politics. In fact, he hated the coven. He was sympathetic to our side and was doing everything in his power to help us. He had a lot of influences, and he has always crushed on Ethel. I pulled out from the hotel parking lot, following the GPS directions.
“Call Weston Stein,” I directed into my Bluetooth.
“Hello Violet. It’s been a while.” He always answered on the first ring like he was expecting our call any second. We hadn’t talked to him for a few weeks, so he shouldn’t have been prepared for us. But he always was.
I smiled at his tone, he sounded so friendly – flirty even. James’ grip on my leg was even tighter when Weston spoke. I smiled even wider because I got the sneaky suspicion he was jealous. There was no reason to be because Weston only had eyes for Ethel. “How’s your mom and ‘em?” I pulled the southern charm on him.
“Good. I just talked to her. She is ready for you and Ethel to come home. How’s Ethel?”
“Good. I would put her on the phone right now, but, you know, cat got her tongue and all.” I laughed at my joke and she kicked the back of my seat. Even though she was in human form and could talk all she wanted, she liked Weston, but not in that way. She avoided him like the plague.
“Are you enjoying New York?” He was polite. He would never directly ask me why I was calling, but would let me lead the conversation. It was like he knew someone was listening to him. Given his occupation, that was a real possibility. “It’s colder than I thought it would be. So...remember the last time we talked? I need you to look into something for me.” I was trying to be careful what I said. I wasn’t ready to tell James this quite yet.
“It is already finalized,” he answered quickly.
“Oh? Okay. That was easy. We are headed to your office right now.” I cringed when I realized I hung up on him without saying goodbye. I expected a slap to the back of my head for being rude.
James shook my leg. “What was that about?”
I smile when I figured out how I was going to tell him. I wasn’t going to tell him at all. “I got a surprise for you.” Ethel kicked the back of my seat again, but otherwise remained quiet.
NEW YORK TRAFFIC WAS unreal. Not only was there an insane amount of people, but my truck was too big for the crowded streets. Parking was a joke. I finally found a spot across from Weston’s building, but I wasn’t sure if it was for parking because the signs were too confusing. Ethel volunteered to stay in the truck just in case.
“I don’t like surprises.” Even though his words said one thing, he held my hand as we crossed the busy street. He even opened the main door for me as we walked in. I wish I could read what happened to him while he was away. He was different, almost kind.
I found the elevator. We had a long way to go because the Law Offices of Weston Stein was on the top floor. “Please understand I did this with you in mind. This was before I met you, and even if you chose not to read Ethel, I already set this in motion.”
James dropped my hand and turned to face me. “What did you do?”
“Between gods and everyone, you’re about to find out.” The elevator door opened and I stepped out, leaving James to follow me.
I heard his footsteps behind me, but I didn’t have the nerve to look. “I don’t like surprises,” he repeated.
I ignored him and pushed open Weston’s office door and made my way to his receptionist. She looked up from her computer and her gaze followed my body up and down. With me she had a scowl on her face, but when she looked at James her face lit up. Nope. This time I grabbed his hand. Her face returned to a scowl. “I suppose you are Violet?”
Weston swung open his door and barreled out of his office like a man on a mission. He was short in height, not much taller than me, but made up for it in sheer muscle. I stepped away from James just as Weston picked me up in a big hug. I slapped his shoulders and made him put me down. “You are never going to win Ethel if you greet all the girls this way.”
“Just for you Violet...” He barely got out all the words when James wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me beside him. “You must be James. You are lucky to have someone like Violet looking out for you.” James’ arms tightened just on this side of pain.
Weston walked back in his office. “Come in and shut the door behind you,” his voice was muffled as he walked further away from us.
I followed James into the office and quietly pushed the door closed. I was the last one to sit down. My heart dropped when Weston handed James the envelope.
I knew what the contents said. I paid for it and set in in motion. I watched James read it over three full times before he looked at me and then over to Weston. “I...um...don’t understand.”
Weston smiled in a way only a lawyer could. It was a small smile, that said he was emphatic but he knew many things. Weston looked at me in question before he said anything. That was why he was a good lawyer and a great friend. I nodded to him, giving him permission to tell James.
“A few months ago, my mom called me on Violet and Ethel’s behalf. They found someone a lot like Violet, but he was in a lot of trouble. Once I talked to Violet, I knew I had to look into it. If anything else, a Death Seer has to stay out of the system. I dug around your record. Your crimes were easy, almost too easy. It was like you wanted to stay in jail. I ran your records by the governor, and he agreed with me. Here are your papers. The governor pardoned all of your convictions. Thanks to Violet, you are a free man.”