Chapter 4: An Unwanted Presence
Colette turned on her heels and jogged down the stairs to the main room, stomach rumbling for nourishment. As she entered, she saw a lithe man leaning against the counter while running his gloved fingers through fair, sandy brown hair. A pit formed in her stomach as she recognized the wizard, and she was tempted to disappear into the hall, but it was too late, he had seen her.
"Colette, what a pleasant surprise," greeted the wizard with a boisterous salutation. "You look as radiant as always, despite the cold hard truth that your journalistic skills are non-existent and you are unable to find a real job with a prestigious publication."
"It is nice to see you, too, Grimshaw," Colette replied through clenched teeth. She noticed the two large suitcases at his feet. "Are you staying long in Lachlan?"
"I have yet to make up my mind; I am visiting relatives, after all," replied the wizard with a cheeky grin. "And you?"
"Vacation," said Colette sarcastically. "I thought a nice quiet week in a little known Scottish village would be quite relaxing, but now that the neighborhood has gone to the dogs…"
Grims narrowed his blue eyes, curling one side of his lips up in a sneer. "Are you speaking of the rumors or of me, Colette? Because, if you are implying me, I would like to tell you how hurtful your words are to me after all the adventures, story-chasing, and dangers we have been through together. Have you not realized how much pleasure seeing you on a regular basis gives me?"
"Only in your dreams," muttered Colette as she glared up at the wizard. His sudden grin irritated her and she added, "I certainly hope your visit with your relatives is a quiet, uneventful, boring one."
"Aw, do not be so pessimistic, Colette dear. If there is a story out there, I will be the one to find it," he said with a smirk. He stepped closer to her and raised his hand to her face, gripping her chin and forcing her head back. "Working for a well-known journal has its benefits, and it is such a shame to see your talents wasted at that two-cent wannabe. I could change all that, if you just say the word."
"Get your filthy paw off of me, Grims," snapped Colette. She glared up at the tall wizard with an even gaze, knowing that in spite of him stealing her stories and having them published in The Quibbler, she was the better of the two when it came to performing magic —and her fingers were inching their way to her wand.
"It would be wise to heed the lady," came the deep voice of Ethan.
Grims let go of Colette's chin with a jolt, startled that someone else had been present during their little exchange, and Colette wondered when Ethan had arrived, for she had not seen him either. Ethan stood nearly a head taller than Grims and was almost twice as broad in the chest and shoulders, and Grims took notice. The drifter's dark eyes were flashing with irritation, and through a snarled lip, he ordered Grims to get to his room. Grims used his wand to charm his two bulky suitcases to follow him down the hall and up the stairs, leaving Colette alone with Ethan.
"It looks like I owe you another thank you," Colette said as she turned to face Ethan. "Even though I could handle him myself. I have before."
"I suspected you two had a history," remarked the drifter-turned-handyman.
"Yes," sighed Colette. "A very long and dark history." She ran her fingers through her loose hair in annoyance. "Grims is nothing more than an egotistical, harassing thief."
"I don't care much for reporters," Ethan spoke softly, "but I care even less for thieves and people who do not treat others with respect."
She looked away at his words, wondering where he was leading their conversation. They stood in quiet silence for a moment as she studied a crack in the wall.
"So what are you doing here in Lachlan, Miss Moon?" Ethan asked softly. He raised an eyebrow as he added, "Besides taking a vacation and bothering everyone with questions."
"My boss sent me here to investigate a possible werewolf sighting," answered Colette with a resigned sigh. "If there is any truth to the rumors and if I can beat Grims to publication, it could jump shoot my career."
"Is that all?" inquired Ethan leisurely. "Well, I am sorry to disappoint you, Miss Moon, but there is no story here."
"So people keep telling me," replied Colette with a determined shake of her head, "but I can sense that this town is hiding something, and I plan on discovering what it is."
"Some secrets are not meant to be uncovered," warned the handyman.
Her eyes narrowed in skepticism. "Is that a warning or a threat, Mr. Wolfe?" she countered wearily. Ethan took a step closer to her, his dark eyes staring intensely down at her.
"I am merely stating that not all secrets are meant to be publicized in some magazine," he retorted. "Besides, what would happen if you found that there was some fact behind the rumors? The Ministry would surely send out aurors to either kill the werewolf or capture the creature for the Department of Mysteries to study."
"An unregistered werewolf wrecking havoc in Scotland is a threat to the lives of many people," replied Colette softly.
"And by publicizing it, you would be just doing your civic duty?" snapped Ethan in disgust. "You should be very careful, Miss Moon. There may be more at stake than first meets the eye, and the individual who creates a threat may find herself in grave danger."
"But, if what everyone keeps reminding me is true and there is no story here in Lachlan, then there is no danger."
"Just be careful, Miss Moon," Ethan repeated.
"Funny, you are the second person to tell me that today," said Colette slowly. "Is there something going on here that I should worry about?"
"It would go better for you if you packed and left Lachlan before tonight."
Colette narrowed her eyes at the man's suggestion. "Thank you for the advice, but I am perfectly capable of defending myself from whatever danger lurks here. Good day."
With that, Colette spun on her heels and vanished into the hall on her way back to her room. She climbed the dark steps and was fortunate not to run into Grimshaw as she went down the hall towards her room.