The Licensed Mage

15 Discovery

        “C’mon Mack. We can’t help you unless you help us.”

        Claire leaned on the glass counter sprouting all kinds of shrunken heads and dried herbs. Raven stood off to the side smoking his cigarette as he tapped his foot in frustration. They were in the dried herbs shop called “Herbs & Exotic” responding to a robbery. The owner was actually an acquaintance of Claire’s who bought some of her herbs and potions to sell in the shop. The owner, Mack, wanted the ‘hoodlums’ caught but would not divulge the exact contents of what was taken. As Claire tried to talk Mack into giving them the surveillance footage Raven looked around the room studying the walls. All manners of animal parts, horns, and feet…even some genitals covered the walls. Raven could only wonder why anyone would want to steal from a shop like this.

        “Mack, c’mon! What’re you hiding anyways?”

        “Hiding?! I’m not hiding nothin’!”

        Mack stood crouched behind the counter as his one good eye rolled around, looking everywhere but Claire. He had matted white hair and limped on his stump leg. He had a shady past dealing with the black market. Claire never got the full picture but she understood he had a few run ins with some poachers at one point in time. He was a changed man now though and did everything by the book. But for some reason he seemed to change his mind about reporting the crime when he saw Claire walk in with her badge around her neck.

        “Mack…” Claire reached for his hand and grabbed it before he could pull away using a gentle voice, “What’s going on? What happened?”

        Mack raked his good hand through his hair as Claire held onto his mangled one and sighed, “After I called it in I…I told my family what happened. I was furious and was swearing to bring justice to the culprit. Then my son…my son…”

        Mack started crying as he brought his hand to his face. Claire walked around behind the counter and brought her arm around his shoulders understanding what happened, “John did it, didn’t he?”

        “Please don’t arrest him!” Mack grabbed Claire’s shirt as he became hysterical. Raven stepped forward to help his partner when Mack turned to him clasping his hands together begging Raven, “Please, please I beg of you, don’t arrest him! I beg of you!”

        Claire tried to sooth the old man as Raven sighed, “Where is he?” Mack whimpered as Raven explained, “He still broke the law. I’m not arresting him but I have to give him a warning.”

        Mack somberly nodded his head as he went up the stairs to his live-in apartment above. Claire turned to Raven from behind the counter, “I can’t believe you’re gonna scare that poor little kid like that.”

        Raven shrugged his shoulders, “He’s gotta learn. It’ll be a good lesson.”

        He winked at Claire as she understood what he meant. They heard Mack coming back down and turned to see the whole family as mother and father led a scared shitless teenager down the stairs. The kid had clearly been crying but stood with his back straight before Raven and Claire had to give the kid credit as he didn’t even shake as Raven gave him a big pissed off officer act. When Raven explained he’ll only give him a warning the kid nearly feel to his knees with relief and the mother ran to Raven, kissing him on the cheek as she thanked him over and over.

        The lesson taught, Claire and Raven walked outside to the sweltering heat of summer in New York. Ten seconds outside and already they were sweating bullets. It’s been a month since they started working together and as they exited the port in front of their building Claire looked it up and down surprised even today by the changes. The entire building had gotten a makeover, thanks to Abby, and there was even an entire gym set up on the third floor. Heads turned as Claire and Raven walked in arguing.