City of Magic: The Complete Series by Helen Harper (book club recommendations TXT) 📕

city than he was letting on was growing by the second. Whether he thought I was ‘rather’ pretty or not, I could tell he didn’t take me seriously. Men like him never did. That meant I had to goad him into giving me answers. When things got to the point where Lizzy transformed into a monster, I reckoned I deserved them.

Before I could say anything, the green-eyed woman butted in. ‘The problem is in there,’ she told him, jerking her head towards the living room.

He squared his shoulders. ‘Excellent,’ he said. ‘This won’t take long.’ He strode past me and opened the living-room door. I didn’t need to watch him to know what the expression on his face was.

I licked my lips. ‘Maybe I should wait for the real police,’ I said aloud, aware that my suggestion would irritate him. I was worried about what he might do to Lizzy; woe betide him if he hurt her.

The woman shrugged pragmatically. ‘The police won’t be able to help your housemate.’ She looked around. ‘Do you mind if I use your toilet while Monroe sorts this out?’

So that was his name. I sniffed. ‘Your Monroe doesn’t look like he’s sorting anything out.’ He hadn’t moved a muscle, he was simply staring at Lizzy. I’d been hoping my dig would make him react, if only slightly, but he didn’t even blink. I’d have to try harder.

If he did know what was going on across the city, then so did the mysterious green-eyed woman. I glanced at her. If she hadn’t come here to help with Lizzy, there was another reason for her visit. Given her toilet request, it was the only thing that made any sense. Was there something in my house that she wanted? She’d be hard-pressed to find much beyond dirty laundry. Still, if I annoyed him and unbalanced her, maybe I’d get to the truth. I had nothing to lose.

A normal person would probably have kicked the pair of them out, but these were hardly normal circumstances. ‘Help yourself,’ I said, in my most nonchalant tone. ‘Top of the stairs, turn right. If you want to snoop around, my bedroom is the next floor up.’

She blinked at me, obviously shocked, so I laughed. My ploy was working better than hers was. ‘You’re here for a reason and it’s not to help Lizzy. Even if I weren’t a gambling girl, I’d bet my eye teeth that you want something from me. Be warned,’ I told her, ‘I don’t have much to take. It’s not been a very productive month.’

She met my gaze head on. ‘I’m not here to steal anything. Neither am I here to hurt you. Or do anything bad. Or mess up your life. Or—’

‘I get it,’ I said, before her garbled explanation became embarrassing for both of us. In any case, there was something about her that made me think she was telling the truth. She had no tells that I could see.

I returned the favour. ‘If that caveman friend of yours helps Lizzy, I don’t really care why you’re here. Do what you want.’

‘Really?’

No. But if she got what she wanted then maybe she’d give me what I wanted – Lizzy’s return to form and answers about what the hell was going.

After a fraction of a second’s hesitation, I shrugged. ‘After the last twenty-four hours, and with half of the British Army patrolling the streets, I’m not sure I have any worry left. What will be will be.’

‘I’m Madrona,’ she said, holding out her hand in a friendly gesture.

It was about time I learned her name, even if it was a rather unusual one. I took her hand and shook it. ‘Hi.’

‘In the interests of honesty,’ Madrona said, ‘I’ve not actually seen a pink elephant, only on television. But if you know where one is, tell me. I’d love to get up close.’

‘Yeah,’ I grinned. ‘Me too.’ Except I couldn’t care less about damned pink elephants unless they were the reason why my world was going to hell in a hand basket. If Madrona and Monroe were here to manipulate me, though, I was going to manipulate them right back, including lying about pink elephants or whatever else happened to come my way.

She smiled again and headed for the stairs. As she passed Monroe, he finally moved. ‘Bunyip,’ he muttered.

I cocked my head. I must have misheard. Fortunately, I wasn’t the only one. Madrona raised an eyebrow at him. ‘Pardon you.’

Monroe tutted. ‘No. She’s a bunyip. An Australian creature. I’ve not heard of one existing for centuries. It must be in her ancestry – the magic has drawn the beast out of her.’ He shook his head. ‘Amazing.’

I narrowed my eyes. He knew what sort of monster Lizzy had transformed into? My instincts had been bang on.

‘Great,’ Madrona told him. ‘Continue with the fabulous work.’

I watched her head up the stairs. I bet all the money in my purse that she was looking around for whatever it was that had made the rats avoid me and the fire rain not fall on my house. And turned Lizzy into a – bunyip. If that were the case, then she and Mr Swagger Pants did indeed know what this supposed magic shit was about. If I could pry answers out of the pair of them, Madrona could snoop away all she wanted – I didn’t have any valuables or papers or anything lying around that she could steal.

There was still the niggling thought that the pair might have something to do with Max and his attempts to get back his money but sneaking wasn’t his suit. He preferred to go in all guns blazing. Nope. The likelihood that I had to worry on that score was virtually nil.

I debated trailing after Madrona as she poked her nose into my dusty corners and continuing to unsettle her to encourage her to talk, but for some reason I thought I might have more chance of getting the truth from Monroe. His