A Member of the Council (3 page)

“You started working here,” Ty guessed.

Parris nodded. “At first, the job paid rent. I wasn’t getting a lot of calls to sub at the time, however I’d been promised a full time teaching position the next fall. After George asked me to work night shift, the job seemed like a perfect fit.”

“But you stayed,” Ty pressed. Why hadn’t Parris been registered at sixteen like Council law demanded? Some of his kind seemed to think the gift more of a curse. Trying to hide in plain sight, to be normal.

As he listened to her life story, one thing became plain. Parris McCall’s carefully constructed world was about to blow up in front of her eyes.

And the explosion would be his fault.

Chapter 2

“You realize it’s eight in the freaking morning.” Derek Chandler slouched in the leather high-back in front of Ty’s heavy oak desk.

Ty appraised his second with a quick look. The man looked like he’d just left whatever party he’d been at when Ty set up this meeting. Derek still wore a tuxedo shirt and dress pants even though he’d slipped on running shoes. His dark black hair was slicked back and his green eyes bloodshot.

“I need you to find everything you can on this woman.” Ty slid a slip of paper toward his friend. “Without getting The Council involved.”

Derek’s head jerked upward. “This is off the books? Why?”

Good question. Ty remembered the moment he kissed Parris. Now, he regretted letting his emotions take over even a split second. Her dark full lips had called to him. She’d wanted the kiss.

“You haven’t gone off script since you…” Derek paused.

“Since Rowena died.” Ty finished Derek’s sentence. Saying her name felt like a knife jabbing his chest. “This isn’t about that. I don’t want to bring Parris under The Council’s regulations until I know more.”

“Parris McCall. Interesting name. I don’t think anyone with the original bloodline survived Salem. Do you think she’s below level five?” Derek tucked the paper in his pants pocket.

God, he hoped so. The Council wasn’t interested in every person with a touch of power, or who thought they did. Most of the declared witches today were freaks wanting to validate an unconventional lifestyle. The Council only bothered controlling witches with real power. Controlling power of the individual controlled the power of the world. Council members sat on every important business or governmental board. The Council hinted often that Ty should explore political office. If he followed their advice, he wouldn’t be the first man who sat in the Oval Office doing The Council’s bidding. Ty didn’t want to give up his anonymity. Not now, not yet.

“I don’t know. I need a complete history. She runs a dive bar down on Broadway. The Alibi. Her parents are dead, raised by a grandmother.” Ty leaned back in his chair. Parris. Her name echoed in his head. He hadn’t felt this way since Rowena. Another reason he wanted this cleared up soon. He wouldn’t go through that pain again.

His intercom buzzed.

Frowning, he reached over to answer. “I’m in a meeting.”

“Sorry, nothing was on your calendar. Parris is here. She needs to speak with you.”

Derek sat up in his chair. “Interesting.”

“Parris?” Ty responded back to Sally.

“Yeah, you know the owner of the bar last night.”

He glanced at Derek who shrugged his shoulders. “No time like the present I guess.”

“Send her in.” Ty straightened his black suit coat, smoothing imaginary wrinkles. He hadn’t expected to see her again. Now she stood outside his office. This wasn’t good. He didn’t like when his worlds collided. He could see this being a train wreck.

Derek chuckled under his breath. “I’ve never seen you this nervous.”

Ty flashed him a look of warning. “I’m not nervous.”

“Whatever. This chick has you twisted three ways to Sunday.”

Ty started to respond but the opening door caused him to clamp his lips shut. In an instant, Parris stood in his office. Her raven hair pinned in a loose bun making Ty’s fingers itch to remove the pins, bringing her hair down. She wore a soft flowing peacock blue dress hugging each curve. The heels on her shoes were so high he wondered how she’d walked to his office from the underground parking garage.

He swallowed, stepping forward to greet her. He kissed her cheek, waving his arm to propel her forward. “Come in. Did Sally offer you coffee?”

“I don’t want to be a bother.” Parris saw Derek and froze. “I didn’t realize you were busy. I’ll wait outside.”

Derek stood running a hand through his hair. “Not to worry, lovely lady. On my way out.” He glanced down at his rumbled clothes flashing an apologetic smile. “Need to clean up before I start my day.”

Parris slipped into the chair Derek had vacated. Watching her, Ty wondered if he’d been wrong last night. She seemed nervous, scared even, not qualities he’d ever seen in a witch of her strength. Could there have been someone else there he’d picked up on?

“I’ll call you tonight when I complete my reports.” Derek slapped Ty on the back.

“You’ll be done that soon?” Ty asked, keeping his voice down walking Derek to the office door.

Derek looked over his shoulder back at Parris. “I’ll have a preliminary report. There’s definitely something there. I’m intrigued.”

“And it’s powered down today.”

Derek hesitated, his hand resting on the doorknob. “You sure you want this off book? If I find something, The Council may not like not knowing.”

Ty glance at Parris staring out the high rise window. “I’ll deal with The Council if we find something.”

Derek opened the door. “I think the word is when, not if.” He shut the door after him, leaving Ty alone with Parris.

Swallowing again, he put on his lawyer’s mask. There she sat, hands folded neatly in her lap. Looking more like a job candidate or potential client than the sexy bartender he’d met last night. Derek saw right through him. This woman tied him in knots. He needed to cut the cord before he surrendered.

He slid back behind his desk, leaning back in his leather chair. “What can I help you with today?”

She met his gaze. “I need a lawyer.”

“I don’t handle small business issues. I can give you a good referral. There’s another member in our firm who’s well versed in these issues.” He took a slip of paper off his notepad. Easier than he’d thought.

She stilled his hand. A surge coursed through him.

“I don’t want a referral. I want you.” Parris’ voice was hoarse, close to tears.

“I can’t represent you if I don’t know the problem. Why don’t you tell me what’s going on before we decide if working with me is your best option?” Ty knew he would regret those words. A referral would have been a clean cut.

Parris struggled to speak, emotion hanging on every word. “It’s my grandmother. She raised me after my parents died. I owe the woman everything. Now they’re trying to take her house.”

“Who’s trying to take her house?” Ty doodled on the paper. This problem might work in his favor. Meeting the grandmother could reveal the level of Parris’ power. Confirming once and for all if he needed to report her to The Council.

“The city. She owes back irrigation fees. There’s not even an access to the irrigation water at her place. The ditch was buried years ago” Parris sighed. “It’s a long story. She’s been fighting with the water department off and on for years.”

“And still getting charged.” Ty took a sip of his coffee. A sign the two weren’t exactly powerhouses. He couldn’t believe any witch would have let a few bureaucrats in a tiny city office beat them. A good witch would have removed her name and any traces of her property off the water master’s rolls. Not fought this fight in human courts.

“Exactly. Of course, she refuses to pay. I’ve even called to pay the back taxes. The office won’t let me. I think they want to take her home.” Parris sat back in her chair, defeated. “I don’t know what to do.”

“Why did you come here?” Ty watched Parris, wondering what emotion her face would betray as she answered. He wasn’t disappointed. The girl could blush.

“I thought, I mean, after last night, I hoped,” Parris paused, apparently realizing how her words sounded.

“You thought since I kissed you, you’d call in a favor.” Ty’s index fingers folded into a steeple and he leaned his chin forward, considering his options.

“Are you going to help me or not?” Parris stood, her eyes reflecting red.

Ty cocked his head. Interesting. Most witches controlled their feelings, especially anger. When emotions weren’t controlled, bad things happened. The first lesson a young witch learned. Never cast a spell in anger. Yes, he needed to meet the grandmother who’d raised Parris. He might not only bring in a single rogue, but two. Decided, he punched a button on his telephone.

Sally’s voice came over the speaker. “Yes?”

“Cancel today’s appointments.” Ty pushed away from the desk, motioning to the door. “After you. I’ll drive.”

“Drive where?” Parris stood.

“Over the river.”

“What the heck are you talking about?” Parris put her hands on her hips.

“We’re going to your grandmother’s house.” Ty put his hand on the small of her back, gently pushing her forward.

“You’re quoting a Christmas song?” She stared at him, falling in step, pausing at the door. “I didn’t think you’d actually go meet her.”

“I meet my clients in person. It’s the only way to know if they are telling the truth.”

That brought Parris up short. Forward movement stopped. “You think I’m lying?”

Ty knew she was lying
.
“You’re not my client. If I take this case, your grandmother is my client. You’re an interested party.” He looked at her. “Are we ready to go?”

Parris sighed. He’d won. He saw resignation.

“Why not? Grans would love to meet you. But beware.”

“Beware of what?” This time, Ty paused with his hand on the door handle.

“She thinks I should be married. Every man under eighty she meets is a potential husband. She imagines herself quite the matchmaker.” Parris reddened.

“Believe me, I’ve been hunted before.” Ty swung open the door. Walking to the elevator taking them to the parking garage, he called, “Sally, I’ll see you in the morning.”

* * * *

As she sat on the leather seat, Parris wondered exactly how much the black sedan had set the lawyer back, questioning if she could afford to hire Ty. He must make more in a week than Parris cleared from the bar in a month, maybe even a year. She’d have to work harder. Going cheap with Grans’ house on the line wasn’t an option. He might say no, anyway.

“You like classical?” Ty’s voice startled her. She’d been focused on the car’s trappings she hadn’t even noticed he’d entered the driver’s side door.

“Whatever. I’m not picky with music. After you hear
Walk the Line
sixty times a night, diversity in music choice is a good thing.” Parris slid the seatbelt over her chest, clicking the latch shut.

“You need a better jukebox.” Ty pulled the car out of the parking spot, speeding up the ramps.

Grasping the door handle, Parris watched the path in front of them. She couldn’t believe he drove like this. What if someone darted between parked cars or backed up? She took in a calming breath.

“You okay?” Now, Ty watched her.

“Watch the road and slow down.” Parris caught a glimpse of a family at a stairwell door. She threw a mental command at them, stay there, stay there
.
The car zoomed past the family without the parents’ faces even registering a flicker of concern.

“I’m a good driver. Never been in an accident.”

Parris found that impossible to believe as fast as he drove, although he didn’t seem to be lying. “Sorry, I’m not used to cars. I take the bus or train everywhere I can. Not counting today, I haven’t even started my bug since I last visited Grans.”

He swung the car onto a busy city street. Slowing to a speed where Parris didn’t feel like she was on a dirt track. He smiled over at her, “Sorry. I’ll be gentle.”

“Thanks.” Parris kept her gaze on the road in front of them. She hadn’t told him where her grandmother lived yet Ty, so far, drove like he’d been there many times.

“Tell me about the crazy customers you get at the bar.”

Parris frowned at the wording. “I don’t have crazy customers. I said people tend to choose the same song, over and over. One person will select a song early in the day, later someone else will pick the same song. The pattern repeats all night.”

“Wouldn’t seem to be uncommon considering radio stations only play the current hits, over and over?” Ty pulled the car onto the freeway entrance. “Your grandmother lives in Troy, right?”

“How did you know?” Parris shot Ty a glance.

“You told me last night.” Ty mumbled, focusing on merging traffic.

Parris faltered, she’d never said where Grans lived. Parris ran through the conversation, when she got to the kiss, her face heated and she knew she’d turned beet red. “I didn’t think I did.”

“Then how would I know,” Ty answered, sounding oh, so, reasonable.