38. Epilogue 2

Two Months Later

Isat in my new office in my newly opened business, Monsters, PI, with my feet up on my desk and my newest hire, a former gargoyle government agent sitting in the chair across from my desk. Because I'd hired a gargoyle as my first employee, and I was interviewing an ice lord in a few weeks for my open position, I'd purposefully bought furniture that fit monsters.

It also went with my business's name.

We'd barely hung the shingle outside before the phone started ringing. While we'd yet to be hired for a big case, we'd handled missing pets, tracking down the furry escapees. A week ago, we'd located the local high school's class of 2002's time capsule, then hung around to help them excavate it fully and exclaim about the contents. We'd even been hired to track down a missing gromgret mascot costume, finally locating it in the woods behind the high school. A moose had somehow snagged it on its rack and took off with it. It fell off about three miles from the school.

We'd taken on numerous challenges thus far.

These jobs might not generate much income, but it was a start. I had enough wealth to support my new business for a very long time. Solid cases would come in soon. We knew it.

"How are you doing with the garden gnome kidnapping case?" I asked Tuvid.

He shifted in the chair, adjusting his closed wings, and for some reason, his deep blue skin darkened. "The case has been solved. I discovered who was stealing the poor little buggers."

Humans might think garden gnomes were merely stone statues, but not so. They lived and thrived as much as the rest of us monsters.

"How did you crack the case?"

"I set up trail cams near every remaining garden gnome in the vicinity," he said. "And last night, I picked up some footage. I got a license plate that led me to the guy's home. When he let me inside his home to ask questions, I heard the gnomes squealing."

Tuvid had exceptional hearing, something that came in handy while working a job like this.

"He confessed, I waited with him until the local detective arrived, and then I returned the gnomes to the homes they were stolen from."

I nodded slowly. "Perfect. Is there anything else we should discuss?"

Before he could speak, Bailey tapped on my office door and tucked her head through the opening. She'd offered to do her job while sitting at the reception desk until we could hire someone. Like with the ice lord, I had some potential prospects with interviews lined up, something I'd take care of when we got back from our vacation.

"You've got a case," she said with a big grin. "A good one too."

"All of our cases are good," I said with a grin, taking in her gorgeous face and her body swelling with our orcling. She'd deliver in about three months, and I couldn't wait.

"You know what I mean."

Rising, I went over to tug her inside. If Tuvid wasn't here, I'd shut the door, lift her up, and press her against the wall. Or sweep everything off my desk and lay her back on the surface. Sadly, with Tuvid around, all I could do was give her a sweet kiss.

"Let me guess," I said after. "More background checks for the new dating service in town?"

"Not yet, though I imagine Bettina will have plenty of those soon." She leaned against the back of the door. "Angie Granger's here."

Tuvid jolted in his chair. Did he know her?

"The owner of the local microbrewery, Beastly Brews?" Bailey and I had plans to go to a tasting there soon. I didn't drink much beer, but what I'd sipped, I'd enjoyed. I planned to buy some of their specialty brews while I was there. Support a local business and all that.

"She's got a case for you!"

Tuvid rose and turned to lean against the side of his chair. He was as tall and equally broad as me, though there was a sharpness to his face that told anyone who met him that this male didn't fool around. He'd come highly recommended. Frankly, he had more experience than what a small-town business like this needed, but during his interview, he'd quietly told me he was eager for a change. He'd finished a tough case involving statue theft in Europe and wanted to work on simpler cases.

Monsters, PI was exactly what he was looking for, and I was grateful to have him on my staff.

"What's Angie's problem?" he asked in a deadly voice. Bailey once told me she found his voice smooth and silky. I couldn't tell, but then, I wasn't female. To me, Tuvid was a decent guy and a smart investigator. He talked like everyone else I knew. Who cared if he had a nice ass—something else Bailey had pointed out.

"Mystic Harbor is hosting a brew-off where area microbreweries will compete for a cash prize, plus a featured spot in the Monster Beer Blog," Bailey said. "They went viral a while ago and have fantastic reach. The post is sure to make a bestseller out of the winner. Angie planned to enter her new beer, a chocolate chili pepper stout, in the event, but the kegs have gone missing from her locked storage."

The event would be held in a week. No brew meant no prize or potential buzz for her business. I could only imagine how upset she was.

"She spoke with Detective Carter, and he conducted an investigation," Bailey rolled her eyes. "He's found no clues. That's when she decided to come to us."

"You'll need to handle this one," I told Tuvid. "Since Bailey and I will be on vacation for the next week." We were traveling to the orc kingdom to visit the king and watch a few gromgret games.

Tuvid swallowed hard and gave me a curt nod. I could swear he'd lost some of his color, though I had no idea why. This agent never flinched at anything.

"I'll bring her into your office," Bailey told Tuvid, backing from the room.

We moved over to Tuvid's office, and he settled in his chair while I leaned against the wall. I'd hang out in case he needed my input, but otherwise, I'd only listen out of curiosity.

Bailey opened the door and stepped inside, leading a curvy woman with thick, curly blonde hair.

"You," the woman snarled.

"Um, yes, me," he croaked, rising from his chair.

"Do you two know each other?" Bailey asked.

"Yes," Tuvid said.

"No," Angie shouted.

With a shake of her head, Bailey made the introductions. "Angie Granger, this is Tuvid Elresh, who, I guess, you already know. Angie's the owner of the microbrewery in need of our services."

Angie snarled. She raced around Tuvid's desk and stood in front of him, her fists on her hips and her freckled cheeks florid. "Not from you."

"Angie," he said, jumping to his feet. "Um, yeah."

Bailey and I looked at each other with raised eyebrows—brow ridge in my case—and it was clear neither of us knew what to do.

Angie poked Tuvid's chest. "This man accused me of theft." She whirled around to face me and my mate. "Assign another agent."

"We can't," Bailey said. "Katar and I are leaving town tomorrow, and we won't be back for ten days." She gave me a weak smile. "We planned to leave town, that is."

"I can handle this," Tuvid said. "You two go ahead. I'll take down the information and help Angie."

"Are you alright with that?" I asked Angie.

"You're sure there's no one else available?" she asked.

"I've got some interviews lined up for when I come back, but for now, Tuvid is my only available agent."

She sighed. "Alright. We'll make this work."

I took Bailey's hand, and we backed out of the room, closing the door behind them.

Voices echoed inside, though more subdued now.

"Should we cancel our vacation?" Bailey asked. "Angie needs help and from what I just saw, she might not want Secret Agent Gargoyle Tuvid on the case."

Secret Agent was Bailey's new nickname for Tuvid. He found it funny and laughed whenever she said it.

"Let's give them a moment and then we'll ask," I said. "This could be our last chance to visit before our orcling arrives."

Things suddenly went silent inside the office.

"I'll take a peek." Bailey carefully turned the knob and cracked the door open. She ducked back out into the hall and leaned against the wall; her eyes wide. "I think we can go on vacation."

"Have they stopped arguing?"

"I believe so."

"Only believe?"

"He's holding her in his arms. His wings are wrapped around her." She frowned my way. "Too bad you don't have wings."

I huffed. "You don't like heights."

"That's not true."

"Then why wouldn't you open your eyes when we climbed to the top of that lighthouse?"

"Because . . . Because . . ."

I chuckled. "Gargoyles don't have tusks," I pointed out. "Tusks are better than fangs."

Her pretty cheeks darkened. Was she remembering what I'd done with my tusks last night?

Bailey sashayed over to me and traced her fingertip down the front of my shirt. "Tusks are better than fangs."

I wrapped my arms around her. "And my arms area a decent substitution for wings."

"They are." A shiver tracked through her, and she smiled up at me.

I tilted my head toward Tuvid's door. "Should I go in there and remind him we have rules about fraternizing with the clients?" Assuming that's what was going on right now.

"Do we really have that rule?"

I shrugged. "Maybe."

"Does the rule extend to staff fraternizing among staff as well?" She looked up at me with heat in her eyes.

"Absolutely not." I swept her up into my arms and bolted to my office.

Thankfully, I'd already installed a good lock.

I hope you enjoyed Katar and Bailey's story!

I had so much fun writing their romance and

infusing it with a touch of mystery.