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Yeah, it definitely could have gone worse

Over the course of the following day, I jotted down notes on promises or threats I’d er--notes like "Tuggle the hobgoblin + 3 unnaa favor owed for identifying a hex-charm created by Emmeline Palmer," as well as important save-the-date notices like "Labor Day Weekend 2024: Satyr Nicode inspired, I talked to Chief Bryant about letting me borrow the hard copies of the Peood data in the his heavy shoulders "Why not? Those reports don’t exist as part of the official record It’s always been your brainchild, Daisy Not that I don’t see the merit in it," he added "But no reason you shouldn’t utilize the else?"

"Actually, yes" I hadn’t forgotten about Hel’s charge "Have you heard anything about this laho’s been talking to people in town about selling off big tracts of undeveloped land?"

Chief Bryant frowned "Ducheyne? Dufreyne?"

I nodded "So his ar "I’ve heard a few things I heard this lawyer fellow talked Bob Ballister into selling a plot along the channel he bought back in the seventies and clung to like a li to build and retire there if a road ever went through" His shrewd, sleepy gaze slewed in h that doesn’t seem likely at this point"

"A road, youdeveloper was involved"

"How big?"

"Big"

I thought about it A plague of McMansions along the lakeshore notwithstanding, Pe laws in place to preserve the character of the place Hell, ere the only sed to keep McDonald’s at bay "Any idea who’s behind this Dufreyne?"

The chief shook his head "Nope Why?"

"Hel’s expressed concern"

"Huh" His gaze sharpened "I wonder ould concern a goddess, exactly?"

"I don’t know," I said "But I’ll tell you one thing--that lawyer’s not human He’s, um, a hell-spawn"

"Like you?"

"No" I couldn’t bla ht have some kind of power of persuasion I think he’s clailanced upward involuntarily, as though the Inviolate Wall were a visible sphere around us "Isn’t that supposed to be capable of unleashing you-knohat?"

"Yeah," I said "At least that’s what I was always told I don’t know There’s soht" He unfolded his arms "I don’t knohy I hadn’t noticed it myself I’ll poke around and let you knohat I find out"

"Thanks," I said "And if you hear Dufreyne’s been talking to anyone else, tell h property"

"Are you kidding?" The chief snorted "That property’s been in her family forever She wouldn’t sell in afamilies, don’t you know? They’ve been here since before the sand sed Singapore Hell, if the legends are true, it was a Cavannaugh that took down Tale I’m surprised Aot , I ht about taking her husband’s name

He blinked "You’re sure?"

I nodded "Yeah, I’ She lookedunfocused When I asked about it, she said she couldn’t iine why she even entertained the idea I told her not to trust the guy, that I had a bad feeling about hied "It seemed to clear away the cobwebs, anyway"

"But you don’t have powers of persuasion, right?" Chief Bryant asked "No offense, Daisy I justembarrassed

"It’s okay" I smiled wryly "No, no powers of persuasion, sir Don’t worry, I haven’t claiht To be honest, I don’t knohy it worked Maybe Dufreyne’s ability is estion Maybe it takes tiht moment to nip it in the bud Maybe two hell-spawns cancel each other out no matter what I don’t know"

The chief’s face softened into an expression of paternal worry "That can’t be easy, being an enigain with the unexpected surge of gratitude My eyes stung a little "Thank you," I ht" He planted his hands on the desk with ato Dufreyne should talk to you Anything else? Where are ith this obeah woman situation?"