The Beastkeeper's Redemption

Thirty-Two

Thirty-Two

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

"Constable Jenkins," Izzy greeted, feigning a smile of welcoming exuberance as she held the door wider. Even with her wealth of experience on the stage, struggling to keep a mask of cool obliviousness on her face was an effort.

There was a half-naked beastkeeper behind her that certainly didn't help matters since Kaede emanated all levels of possessiveness as he towered close to her.

"What a surprise seeing you here," Izzy continued, not failing to note the pointed narrowing of the constable's flinty gaze as he eyed Kaede looming behind her. "As you can tell, we are hardly dressed to welcome company at the hour."

At that, Constable Jenkin's brows shot up into his receding hairline. "It's half three in the afternoon, Miss Hawkins."

Remarkably, her smile didn't waver. "Please, do come in," she insisted, opening the door wider to allow the other man entrance into the ramshackle interior of her small townhouse. "Have some tea while Mr C'lainn and myself quickly make ourselves more presentable-"

"Formalities won't be necessary, Miss Hawkins," Jenkins muttered quickly as he slid past her. "I have a few questions for the two of you, and I'd prefer not to provide you a moment alone to get your stories straight."

Damn it.

It was, she conceded, exactly what she had been thinking- a moment alone with Kaede to inform her hotheaded lover not to say anything rash, to allow her to formulate the reasons that were percolating within her quick-thinking mind.

There was only one reason why Jenkins had shown up on her doorstep that day- Lewis Grant had run to the authorities the moment he had gained consciousness. Her only saving grace in that moment was that the tantrum that Cassie was throwing would last some time and likely ensure that her sister remained in her room until the lure of dinner called her out of it.

And even that depended on how much her sister had allowed herself to simmer down.

Therefore, Cassie's involvement in the prior evening's events would surely not be circumspect- just as long as her sister remained hidden away in her room.

Because she would bet the entirety of Isaac's inheritance that Lewis Grant would not have mentioned that harrowing assault to the constable currently taking a seat on one of the dusty armchairs that littered her one and only parlour room. The action attracted the attention of several pixies who began to flit about his head with noisy chirrups of excitement.

Ever since Kaede had joined her, the presence of the smaller fae creatures had become more noticeable. Just that morning she had chased them away from her armoire where they had been rooting through her stockings, no doubt with mischievous intentions.

"Tea?" Izzy offered in an amiable tone.

But Warren Jenkins held up his hand before he settled in the chair, leaning back while he cast a shrewd gaze over first Izzy, and then Kaede. "That won't be necessary," the constable said. "This won't take long."

Kaede positively swaggered past her then and positioned himself in the next available armchair placed adjacently to the one Jenkins occupied, crossing his arms over his bulging chest and throwing the officer a put-out glare.

Oh, God.

"Well?" the Beastkeeper insisted, raising a brow, "to what do we owe the pleasure, constable? Since you will not allow myself or the lady of the house to at least don decent attire, it must be of some import."