CH 127
Bob didn't see the doc in the clinic, so he put the bag of drugs on the shelf over the wall desk and went up to the house to wash and get a decent shirt on. Going inside, he heard a 'Damn it!' and smelled something burning in the kitchen. He ran in to see the doctor scraping at a pan with a plastic spatula.
"What are you doing?" Bob cried. He ran over and took the pan away from the doc.
"I was trying to makes some food, but that pan burned it!" Kimble grumbled.
Bob looked at the partially melted end of the spatula. He frowned at Kimble. "Can't cook for shit, huh? Just step away from the cookware and sit down. This looks like it used to be hamburger. I'll make us some." Bob tossed that pan in the sink. When it cooled down, the pan and the blackened remains in it would go in the garbage.
Kimble sat down "Why do you have a hospital smock on?" he asked.
Bob glanced at him as he got out another pan, then showed Kimble the bottle of olive oil. "Coat the pan with this first, and use low heat, and you won't make a carbon-burger."
"Didn't steal that smock, did you?"
"No," Bob grated. "I was waiting for your medicines and some asshole decided to use me as target practice. My shirt was ruined so I bought this to come home in." He looked in the refrigerator. Thankfully there was a package of hamburger thawed out. He grabbed it and an onion.
"What do you mean target practice?" Kimble asked. "What did you do?"
Bob frowned at him. Kimble HAD to assume it was his fault. "I stopped a robbery. The bad guys didn't like me so they shot me a few times. A doc stitched me up in the hospital, but my shirt didn't make it. You want relish or anything on this?"
"Just cheese and ketchup. If a man shot you, how did you get back here already?" Kimble accused.
"I drove back," Bob said flatly.
"Let me see, where'd they hit you?" Kible asked in a challenge.
The burger was on and cooking. Bob took the smock off and showed him the bandages on his chest that were in a tight group in the middle. "See?"
"If those are gunshots, you should be dead!" Kimble stated.
"You're right!" Bob agreed, pointing a finger at him in triumph. "Be right back, don't touch the burgers."
.
The lunch of burgers with onion bits in it, lettuce and tomato on it and the thick steak fries Bob made, Dr. Kimble deemed the meal passable and went back to put his medications away. Leaving the house, he stopped outside to see a white haired young lady beside a purple haired one that bore stubby horns on her head, and was carrying an alligator. The alligator had to be five feet long, but she was carrying it in her arms.
"You're doctor Kimble?" the white haired girl asked.
Looking at the strange sight, he said, "I am."
"We need your help," she said and pointed to the alligator. "He's got a cut in his side!"
"You need to take him to a vet," Kimble told the girls.
"But you're the doctor!" the purple haired girl cried.
Bob came out behind Kimble. He stopped. "Nana? Lily? What's up?"
"He cut himself climbing over the fence, Nana's keeping him from bleeding all over, but he needs help!" Lily explained in a whine.
Gathering his wits, Dr. Kimble told them, "Girls, you need to take him to a vet. I'm not an animal doctor."
"Take him in the clinic," Bob said, and hurried down to shoo them to the clinic.
Kimble followed them, and yelled to Bob. "That is not a place for animals! Especially dangerous ones!"
Lily called back, "He's not dangerous."
Going into the clinic, Nana put the alligator on the examining table, Lily petted his head and made soft cooing sounds. Bob looked for the suturing kit. Coming into the clinic after them, Dr. Kimble again said, "This is not a place for animals!"
"But he's hurt!" Nana cried. She pointed to his lower side. "Right here, I'm holding it closed, but it's a big rip in his skin!"
"Come on doc, sew him up," Bob coaxed.
"I'm NOT going to sew up an alligator!" Kimble announced. "Even if I wanted to, the thread is for human type skin, not the thick leathery skin he has. It wouldn't hold!"
They all stared at him briefly, then Bob said. "Fishing line! I bet that would work."
"Not here!" Kimble stated. "And get him off the examining table!"
"I'll get some fishing line," Bob said. He moved to go past Kimble, Kimble stopped him.
"No!, You're not going to do that here!" Kimble stated. Kimble then was forcefully sat down in a chair. Something was holding him, but he couldn't see anything holding him.
"Nana will keep the doctor sitting down. Go get fish line Bob!"
Bob ran out.
"What..." Kimble asked weakly as he tried to move. He felt he was being held in place, but there was nothing around him.
"Nana will hold doctor still, Lily, can you find something Bob can use to sew the fish line?"
Lily petted the alligator on the head, then went over and began looking through drawers.
"Hey, the needles I have will be too small to use," Kimble complained. "I don't have heavier needles. That's why you need to take him to a VET!"
"Bob will know to get the bigger needles!" Nana announced.
Shortly, Bob ran back in with a spool of fishing line and a package of sewing needles. "Nana, show me where the cut is," he said.
Nana did, pointing a finger along a line about a foot long. "Along here!"
Bob looked at it and frowned. "OK, Nana, can you pinch the skin out so the edges of the cut come out just a bit, close together?"
"Nana will have to let Doctor go."
"That's fine, but I need to see the edges of the cut, and not let him bleed," Bob explained.
Dr. Kimble felt whatever was holding him let go. He sat in place and watched Nana assist Bob in sewing up the cut on the alligator's side. Why that alligator didn't try to slap them with it's tail try to get away or bite them, he had no clue. There also went any sterility of his examining table.
"I don't believe this," he grumbled. Mr. Connor was going to hear about this!
Once Bob sewed up the alligator's side, Lily coaxed the alligator to his feet and Nana helped Bob bandage up his side and put a wrap around him so the stitches wouldn't get dirty. Nana then picked the alligator up and put him on the floor.
"Thanks, Bob!" the girls chimed and left. The alligator followed them out.
Angry, Dr. Kimble had Bob clean and sterilize the exam table and the floor while he left to go complain to Connor.
.
The sheriff got back to his office to find two men waiting outside. One wore dark leathers including a long coat, the other was in a robe and carrying a staff that had a crystal bulb atop it.
"Can I help you gentlemen?" the sheriff asked.
The dark one asked, "Is he it?"
The one with the staff scrutinized the sheriff and said, "Almost, but no."
"What are you guys looking for?" the sheriff asked.
"We will know when we find him," the one with the staff said. They walked away.
The sheriff watched them go, puzzled by their behavior. Going inside he asked his secretary, "Who were those guys."
She'd gotten up to get his coffee. "Who was ... who?"
"The two men outside."
She looked out the window and shrugged. "I didn't notice anyone."
If Aliana hadn't detected a threat from them, he figured it was nothing to worry about.
.
The pair walked along. Coming to the small lake road, they stopped. The one with the staff pointed down the rod. They headed towards the lake. Passing the furniture factory, they paused briefly, then walked on to a house being built.
The leather clad man asked, "Are we headed the right way?"
"We are," the robed man said.
Waking up to where the outside of a house was up and two men were working on putting up siding, the robed man stopped and watched them. After a moment, he frowned. "Almost," he grumbled and walked on.
The leather clad man blew out a tired breath. "OK, that's the third 'almost' you've seen. WHAT exactly are you looking for?"
"The vision was specific," the robed man stated. "Qualities and abilities must match exactly, or the one I pick will not survive and his mission will not be accomplished."
Eyeing him, the leather clad man asked, "If I knew what you're looking for, maybe I could help a bit?"
"No. Unfortunately I must identify him. He will not appear to be suitable, however, he is the most suitable."
"You're not making any sense."
"It's not my fault."
Coming to a 'T' in the road, they stopped. The robed man pause a moment, then took the road on the right. They walked a ways down the road, then the robed man stopped to look across the lake and smiled.
The leather clad man looked and rolled his eyes. "Don't even tell me he's in the lake."
"No, I feel he's in that house there on the other side. Come."
.
Bob was on the phone with Joan as he squeegee-mopped the clinic floor with disinfectant. "...Great! So you beat Seattle again for the cup?"
"Yes, by two points this time, and we'll be home day after tomorrow. Then we are going to work out something with Mr. Grumpy Doctor so he's not running you ragged! You're our husband NOT his whipping boy."
"I'll be happy just seeing you. I missed you guys," Bob told her. He mopped his way out the door.
"Bob! did you get the clinic cleaned up?" Dr. Kimble asked in a rough tone from behind.
Bob glanced at him. "Hon, Dr. Grouchy is back. I'll call you later."
"OK, I'll yell at him when we get home. Love you."
"Love you too, bye." Bob replied and closed his phone up.
"You DID sterilize the examining table, correct?" Kimble grumbled.
"Yeah," Bob said with a sigh. "And wiped off the cart and the instruments and cloths are in the sterilizer. Floor's wet, so don't go in yet," he said in a monotone.
"What about that mop?"
Bob rolled his eyes. "I'm taking it back to the house to put a new head on it. This one might be contaminated, right?"
"Yes!You never us the same mop head twice!"
"Of course not," Bob agreed. "You don't have to worry about buying them, do you?"
"And bring back some clean non stained towels when you return," Kimble said firmly.
Bob bowed. "Yes, Master," he said with more than a bit of sarcasm.
"It's Connor's fault I don't have any help, go blame HIM if you don't like it!" Kimble retorted.
Bob grew a grin and said, "You know, Joan and Allie are coming home soon."
"Good, you'll have help."
"No, I think you're getting your ass kicked," Bob said with a grin, then went up to the house.
Bob went in, put a new sponge head on the mop then grabbed the last white towel they had and headed back down to the clinic. Of course, when he went back outside, Kimble wasn't by the clinic. "He went in anyway," Bob grumbled. "Now I bet he's complain about footprints on the floor." Bob strode down, ready to bend this stupid mop over his head! His patience with Dr. Kimble was word to a frazzle. If it wasn't for the fact they needed a doctor so bad, Bob would kick him and his clinic out! Let someone else deal with this asshole!
Just before Bob went in, he heard Kimble ask, "And just WHO is going to clean that off the floor?"
Another voice said, "Shut up!"
Bob stepped into the doorway and stopped. Dr. Kimble was standing against the wall. On the other side of the examining table a man in a long leather coat was holding an old style revolver on Kimble, finger on the trigger. Closer to the door, a man in a robe who was holding a staff looked at Bob and smiled.
Totally lost, Bob asked, "What's going on here?"
The man in the robe gestured to the floor. "Come in lad, stand in the circle."
"Bob, RUN!" Kimble spat.
"He runs, I kill you!" the man in leather stated in a hard tone.
"I'm not running," Bob offered, "I just want to now why you're holding a gun on our doctor. We don't have any money, or anything valuable."
"Come in and stand in the circle, and all will be explained." the robed man said gently.
Bob looked down to see a pentagram inside a circle had been drawn on the floor. He had no idea what the squiggles and symbols in it meant. "What's that?"
"The place for you to stand. As long as you do as we ask, my friend won't shoot the doctor," the robed man said.
Bob shook his head and winced. "Please, don't shoot him, I just cleaned this place. That will be a big mess to clean up."
"I will unless you obey!" the leather clad man intoned.
Looking for a way out of this, Bob shrugged and asked, "If I don't obey, why don't you shoot me?" He took a step inside. "Come on, I'm the one you want, right?"
"Indeed," the robed man said with a smile. "Tell you what, come in a little farther, and your doctor will be safe."
"Don't care about him, I just don't want to do a bunch of cleaning again," Bob replied.
The man in leather chuckled.
"As I said, stand on the circle and all will be explained," the robed man coaxed.
"Hokay, fine," Bob said and stepped over to stand on the circle. "Now, explain."
The robed man raised a hand and rattled off some words. Bob didn't understand a thing. The circle glowed, Bob and both men disappeared, leaving Kimble standing alone in the clinic looking confused.
.
Joan and Allison were in a good mood driving back home. They'd won the cup again this year after another fierce game against Seattle. As usual, it was a hard game and fun. Not a boring moment to be had. Now after their victory, they were looking for some good long cuddling time with Bob.
"Keep him naked, in bed for a week," Allison said with a lusty grin.
"Oh yeah!" Joan agreed. "If that doctor dares to even speak to him, I'll lock him in his clinic and nail the door shut! Bob is ours!"
"We gonna stop in and visit our parents?" Allison asked.
"After a few rounds of sex, sure," Joan beamed. "And we're here!" Joan announced, seeing the first buildings in Driftwood.
Driving into town, Joan saw the secretary run out of the sheriff's office to stand in the road and wave her arms. Joan managed to stop before she hit the woman. The secretary ran up to her window. "The sheriff needs to talk to you," she said firmly.
"Now?" Joan asked.
"Right now."
"Fine," Joan grumbled. She backed into the lot. They went in to see the sheriff looking at a perf board with a picture on it as he thumbed through a book. He looked up as they came in. "Joan, Allison, have a seat please."
They sat side by side.
"When was the last time you talked to Bob?" he asked.
"Couple days ago," Joan replied. "Why?"
"Bob's missing," the sheriff stated and put the book down. "Seems according to Dr. Kimble, two men came and took Bob. That's his story. He said they all just disappeared. We've been looking everywhere, and your parents and siblings have searched the lake. Bob's no where to be found."
"What?" Joan asked weakly.
"Why kidnap Bob?" Allison asked in the same weak tone.
"We don't know. All we know is two men grabbed him. I saw the men Kimble told me that took him, so I know they are real. The thing is, Kimble claims they just vanished, all three of them." He pointed to the perf board, "Do you know what that is?" he asked.
Joan and Allison got up and looked a the picture of a pentagram in a circle. Joan shook her head. "Isn't that some kind of witch circle?"
"It's a magic circle," the secretary offered. "Yes, it is used to help cast spells, but we have not found any clue on what was cast. Since they all disappeared, it was a spell to take them someplace. Where they went, we have no idea."
"But, they are someplace, right?" Allison asked.
"Yes, but we have no way of knowing where unless we can find out what those symbols in that circle mean," the sheriff said. "We're looking everywhere, in every reference we can find, but nothing matches."
"But Bob IS someplace, can't you put out an APB on him?" Joan asked.
The secretary said, "Joan, when I say he is someplace, he could be anywhere in time or space. We think it was a wizard who took Bob. If that's the case, I doubt he just teleported Bob off to another continent. He wouldn't need a magic circle for that."
"There's a reason why they took Bob." the sheriff said. "I remember that robed man said I was close, but not 'it'. I assume he meant the one he was looking for. What is special about Bob?"
"How do you mean special?" Joan asked.
"Bob is immortal, I know that," the sheriff stated. "There must be something else, something different about him that I'm not."
"He plays football," Allison offered.
"I don't think that's it," the sheriff said.
Joan frowned. "He's part cyborg now," she said.
"That may be it," the sheriff agreed.
"How can we find him?" Allison asked.
"First go home and make sure that circle is still intact. We have to find out what all those symbols in that circle mean, then try and find someone who can tell us how to activate it. That may take a while. Only then can we find out where Bob is and hope to get him back."
Joan burst out with a flail of her arms and cried, "WHY pick on Bob! Why come all the way here to grab him!"
"That's what we need to find out," the sheriff replied.
Allison let out a huff and pouted, "There goes happy time."
.
Joan and Allison went home to find Cameron down by a new building by the shore. Seeing them pull in, she came up to meet them. Joan ran down to meet her in a hug.
"I'm sorry about Bob," Cameron said.
"Me too Mom," Joan agreed with a weak smile. "This is just ... crazy that two men disappeared with Bob."
"Trust me, we're doing everything we can to find him. In that, I have jobs for you and Allison. Come in the house with me."
They went in to see a few papers laid out on the table. Cameron pointed to the picture of the magic circle. "I have searched for these symbols everywhere, I found some that are similar, but nothing exactly the same as any of them. John Henry found two men in the US who claim to be wizards. The sheriff's secretary is ready to go out and see these men to find out if they are. Since we just found out today, I had her wait until you got home before she left. Now that you're home, Allison, you really need to go spend some time with your mother. She is very upset Bob's missing. Joan, you need to go see Bob's Mother. She's even worse. Right now, that's what the two of you need to do. If anyone finds anything, we'll let you know. You have your house keys?"
They both nodded.
"Good, any evidence we have will be brought here for safe keeping. Lock all the doors and windows before you go. Terminators are watching the house to ensure only people allowed here are here. Dr. Kimble has been moved over to your parents' house, Allison. His new nurse is there too. We got a trailer set up for his place. Don't take any grief from him. If he becomes a pain, call me."
Meekly, Joan said, "Mom? I scared for Bob."
"We all are." Cameron said gently. "Right now, going to visit his mother is the only thing you can do for him. I'm going to tell the sheriff it's OK that his secretary starts her search."
Joan nodded sadly. "Allie, let's lock the house up."
.
The first place Aliana went was the wizard in California. His place was on the main street and he had a big sign out front. She went in to see his secretary who informed the wizard she was here. when asked her name she said, "Anna".
After a half hour wait, she was shown to his office. Right away, she sensed no magic on or about him.
The man in a suit behind his desk beamed her a smile and said, "You've come to the right place! Tell me, what do you need?"
Aliana frowned at him. "You're a wizard?" she asked, not believing it.
"Financial wizard!" he proclaimed. "I can show you loopholes and get you set up making money, even if you don't have a job or currently any income!" he bragged.
Aliana shook her head. "This was a waste of my time."
"Really, tell me what you need."
"A real wizard," she stated, then teleported to Chicago.
.
Harry Dresden winced at the monthly bills. He owed more than he had to keep from being booted out of his place. The rent was overdue and the landlord wasn't happy. The door opened, Connie Murphy came in. "Dresden, you busy?"
"Hey Murph. Only trying to figure out how to conjure up some way to pay the rent. Go something for me?" he asked hopefully.
She plopped down in the chair across his desk from him. "Sorry. I just came to let you know that the department rejected your offer. The Captain, in fairly strong words, said we won't be holding you on retainer. Job by job only."
Harry nodded. "Figures. Hey, it was a shot."
"In the dark," Murphy said with a snort. "Dresden, you need a regular job," she said firmly.
"Tell me about it," he grumbled. "I'm thinking about doing kids parties just to make some cash."
"Maybe you should quit this wizard thing," Murphy said. "Or at least make it a side job."
Harry sat back and said, "I can't Murph. Can you stop being a cop?' he asked with a wave of his hand.
"Not the same," Murphy said and leaned towards him. "Harry, you don't eat right, you're broke all the time. Look at that piece of crap you drive around! You need a regular job! You are too good of a man to be kicked out onto the street like a common bum!"
A knock sounded at the door. Outside a woman with long dark hair in a red dress waved. She opened the door a bit. "Harry Dresden?" she asked.
Harry didn't need protection spells to know she wasn't human. He felt this was some kind of demon.
Murphy asked, "Can you pay Harry?"
"Five grand cash if he can answer my questions," she replied.
"The come on in!" Murphy said and she got up and opened the door.
"Thank you!" the woman said with a smile and came in. Harry shot up to say no, not to let her in, but he was a bit too late. When she crossed the threshold, his protection wards went off. Murphy squinted and turn away from the brightness. When the flash of light and bits of lightning died down, the demon stopped in place, now in full demon form. The curvy woman still had her red dress, but now also bore large leathern bat type wings on her back, horns on her forehead that curved back on her head and a long thin tail that bore a spaded end hanging down below the knee high hem on her dress.
Murphy turned back to see her and backed up, eyes wide and mouth open.
The demon looked at the now burnt wards and said, "That wasn't necessary."
Harry drew his hockey stick to him. "What do you want?" he asked in a hard tone.
"Information," Aliana told him. "You are a real wizard, I was hoping you could help me."
"What are you!" Murphy cried as she reached for her gun.
Aliana turned to her and gave her a sharp-toothy smile. "Succubus. Don't worry, I'm not here for mischief, I have something important I am hoping Mr. Dresden can help me with."
Under Harry's scrutiny and Murphy's gaping face, Aliana got the picture out of her purse. She showed it to Harry. "I am not familiar with the runes inside this magic circle. What can you tell me about them?" she asked.
Harry blinked. "You ... came for help?" he asked warily.
"Yes, Someone was kidnapped using this circle. Anything you can tell me about it will be helpful."
Harry looked a the picture, then looked at it closer. He reached out to take it, she let him have it. He sat down studying the picture. "Where did you get this picture?" he asked.
Aliana sat down across from him sideways on the chair, legging her tail hang down as it swished side to side. "The circle is in a clinic at home. Two men, one in leathers with a gun, and another in robes and a staff, held the doctor there at gunpoint and made Bob Tanner stand on the circle. The wizard said his spell and they vanished. The doctor can't tell us what words the wizard spoke. He was staring a the gun, afraid he was going to be shot," she explained.
"You of all beings are trying to solve a kidnapping?" Harry asked.
"Yes. My Master is the sheriff there. He want me to find out all I can about that circle, and who made it. Where they went, if you possibly can."
Murphy noted the woman's tail swishing, and slight movements of her wings, In the open back dress, she also saw were the wings came out of the woman's back. Her fingernails were also ridiculously long. All her adornments suddenly appeared, and everything looked real. How was that possible?
Harry frowned at the picture. "I'm going to have to study these. I don't recognize them."
The woman then reached into her purse and pulled out a thick stack of wrapped 100 dollar bills. "Here's five thousand, just tell me whatever you can about those glyphs."
"Who are you?" Murphy asked in wonder.
Aliana turned to her and said, "You can call me Anna."
It was then Harry realized Murphy had seen everything. Face planting he grumbled, "Hells Bells! This is not good."
"The picture or the money?" Aliana asked.
Harry cast a intent look at Murphy. "Murph, you can't say anything about seeing Anna here. Nothing to no one! Please, this is very important!"
Aliana giggled. "Yeah, humans would freak. Or put you away in an 'I love me' jacket."
"Could you shut the door please?" Harry begged, realizing it was still open.
"Sure," Aliana said. She stretched out a wing and shut the door.
Harry got up. He had to get this demon out of sight of the street. "We need to go down to my lab. Follow me."
Aliana followed him. Murphy walked behind Aliana, studying her in disbelief. What she was seeing couldn't be real. It also looked very real.
It wasn't until Harry was down is his lab, showing Anna a seat that he saw Murphy had come along and was now studying his lab. He let out a groan, "Murph, you can't be down here!"
Aliana giggled. "Opps," she said with a grin. "Let me have my powers back and I'll make her forget," she offered.
Harry stared at her. "No, I can't trust you that much," he stated.
Aliana shrugged. "Fine by me. All I really want is to know about that magic circle."
Bob materialized and cast a glare at Harry. Murphy let out a short scream of surprise from him appearing close to her. Bob said, "Harry, are you insane? Letting a succubus down here?" He then turned to Murphy and bowed as he said, "Forgive me, Madam. Hothbert of Baimbridge, at your service."
"Harry?" Murphy asked and turned to him, looking lost.
"Bob! That was very poor timing!" Harry snapped.
"Have no fear, Mr. Baimbridge, I am only here to find out about that picture Harry has." Aliana assured him.
"What are you?" Murphy asked Bob.
"As long as you're here Bob, what do you make of these glyphs?" Harry asked.
Bob went over and studied the picture. He put a finger to his chin. "These are not standard glyphs, Harry. See these two, here and here?" he asked, pointing them out. "They are bend versions of a teleportation glyph, by the way they are bent, may indicate dimensional travel."
"I see," Harry said thoughtfully. "So wherever, whoever it was went, they are in a different dimension now."
"That would be my guess as well. This one I haven't seen before. It could be a specific destination," Bob said in a musing tone. "It could also have another meaning."
"Do you have an equivalent?" Anna asked.
Bob frowned at her. "I do not speak to demons!" he said haughtily.
"What a snobby Ghost!" she replied.
"At least you took away her powers," Bob said to Harry.
"Good thing for you," Aliana growled at him. "Harry. Do you think they took our Bob to another dimension?"
"Could be another dimension in space, or time," Harry said. "We'll have to look more into it. To do that, Bob and I need to do some studying. Will you leave with Murphy and erase her memory of this after you're outside?"
"As in, her entire time I've been here?" Aliana asked.
"Yes, She's seen way too much for her own good," Harry said firmly.
"You do know that may well give her nightmares," Aliana said.
"Nightmares?" Murphy asked.
Aliana turned to her. "Your conscious mind will forget everything you've seen. Your subconscious won't. When you sleep, you'll get visions. Bad dreams of me, Bob, and us down here. Possibly ones of bad things happening that never happened, but fear in your mind made up."
"Murphy can't know you or Bob exist," Harry stated.
"Why?" Aliana asked.
"Because the the High Council insists that NO humans know anything supernatural exists! If they found out Murphy knows, there's a good chance they'd kill her."
Aliana let out a snort. "Wow, and people think I'm evil."
"If the shoe fits," Bob said to the ceiling.
Aliana got up. "Harry, keep studying that. Ten grand more if you can tell me where our Bob went to. I'll take care of keeping Murphy here quiet. Fair enough?"
"With no harm coming to her, from you or anyone else?" Harry asked.
"With no harm coming to her from me or anyone else," Aliana stated.
Harry nodded and got up. "All right, I'll see you out. I have to redo the true sight wards anyway."
They went back up to Harry's office. Harry searched the street then stepped out to look again, then ushered them out and asked Aliana, "Got a number I can call?"
Murphy stepped outside. She watched as Aliana stepped outside and changed back into a normal looking woman.
Aliana pulled a card from her purse and gave it to Harry. "This is the sheriff's office. One of us is usually there. He's got an answering machine also."
Now that this woman looked normal, Murphy got some of her senses back. "Come sit with me in my car a moment, please."
Aliana did. They got in the car. Murphy said, "The things Harry does. The wizard stuff. That's all real. You're really a demon."
"That's right," Aliana agreed. "And if the powers that be here do not want anyone to know about any of it, you cannot ever tell anyone what you know. It's too dangerous for you and any family you have."
Murphy let out an insane sounding giggle. "Harry truly is a wizard. You work for a sheriff?"
"I do. The sheriff is my master. He tells me what to do, and what I can't do."
Murphy shook her head. "This is unreal. A demon cop."
"No, I'm just his secretary. Can you keep quiet about everything you saw?"
"I have to."
"Yes, you do. Remind Harry, we're trying to find a man who was kidnapped. This is important."
Murphy nodded. "What can you tell me about who was taken. I am a real cop after all."
"His name is Robert Tanner." Aliana said and slid closer to Murphy. "I'll show you what he looks like." She brought her tail out ans slapped it on Murphy's forehead to give her a mental image of Bob.
In her mind, Murphy saw Bob, even as she recoiled from the spade end slapping into her forehead. She blinked and stared at Aliana to see her tail slip back up under her dress.
Aliana pulled another card out of her purse and handed it over. "This is the sheriff's office numbers. If you even think you see him, call."
Murphy nodded. "I wish you luck in finding him."
"Thanks. Bye."
Murphy turned to reply. The seat beside her was empty. For some reason as she drove away, she got a fit of insane giggles.
.