The Lying, the Witch, and the Werewolf (Down & Dirty Supernatural Cleaning Services Book 4) by Kate Quinn (best books for 8th graders .txt) 📕

“It was fine when it was just the podcasts, but then she started reading the books and doing the online chats. Finally she up and moved to the compound to live the Together We Come life.”

“You want us to get her out?” Nico asks.

“No!” Gary shakes his head. “Maybe. I don’t know. She’s a grown woman, I get that. And I know that Together We Come is sex-positive and all about female empowerment. The leader is a woman, for Pete’s sake! I just want you to...check it out, I guess. Make sure she’s doing okay. I haven’t heard from her in months. If she’s healthy and happy and this is how she wants to live, fine, I’ll respect that. I just have to make sure it’s not a”–he lowers his voice again–“cult.”

I nod.

“Paige can go in,” Nico says. “She’ll spend a few days pretending to be one of them and make sure your sister is okay.’

I nearly choke on my coffee for the second time. If the client wasn’t sitting right here, I’d ask him what the hell he’s thinking. But since he is, I simply force a smile and say in a tight voice, “Let me check my schedule first, Nico.”

“Of course,” Gary says. “I understand that this would be a big job and take you away from other work.” He opens his wallet and extracts a thick stack of cash. The top one is a hundred dollar bill and I got a feeling the rest of them are too. “What will it cost for expedited service?”

“Double,” Nico says without hesitation. “Plus all expenses.”

I have to clench my hands in my lap to keep from reaching for that money. It would go a long way towards helping me secure a new solo office location. “I probably can move some things around on my calendar.”

“Great,” Gary says, sounding like everything worked out exactly the way he knew it would. Must be nice being able to carry around wads of cash in your wallet that can bend the world to your bidding. “If everything looks on the up and up, I’d just like a few pictures and a full report.”

“That won’t be a problem,” Nico smoothly assures him. I shoot him a look that communicates how I feel about that. It looks like I’m the one going undercover, so I’ll also be the one having to take sneaky pics and that seems like the type of thing that would fall squarely under suspicious behavior inside of a sex cult.

“Now if the cult is what I fear, Vicky will need to be taken out of it. With or without her consent. Be deprogrammed.”

“Nope,” I say quickly before Nico can once again tell Gary what he wants to hear. “I’m not kidnapping a grown woman who is somewhere of her own free will. If the cult is bad, I will take her aside and present the evidence. After that, it will be her decision whether or not she wants to stay.”

“What if she’s drugged...or worse?” Gary demands.

“If she’s drugged then she’s not there of her own free will. At that point, taking her out wouldn’t be a problem.”

Gary frowns, but to my surprise, Nico nods. “Paige and I are in agreement on this. I doubt you’ll find any PI willing to go further, but…” Nico pushes the stack of bills back in Gary’s direction. “You’re free to try.”

Gary hesitates and I can see he doesn’t like having to bend on this. Even though he thinks I’m the PI, he does seem more inclined to listen to Nico. Oh, the fragile male ego. “I just want the best for my sister.”

“As do we...er...as does Paige,” Nico says. “Now if you’d like to move forward, I have some paperwork over here and I can give you a receipt for your retainer.”

Gary stands and follows Nico over to his side of the office. Even though I’d been about to leave, I sit down at my desk again and pretend to work while Nico has Gary sign a contract. Finally, Gary heads out, though not before stopping at my desk again.

“Looking forward to working with you,” he says. “I appreciate you taking this case on.”

“Of course,” I say graciously, because I have better sense than to tell him I couldn’t say no to that large stack of cash.

The minute Gary leaves, I let my client face fall. “What the hell, Nico? We’re working together now? You volunteer me for undercover work without even asking first?”

As usual, my outburst bounces right off Nico. “You're short on cash,” he says. “And I had a feeling Gary is pretty plump in the pockets. I figured you’d jump at the chance to do a little PI moonlighting.”

He’s right, damn it. But I’m not done giving him a hard time. “I want to know what you’re paying me for this job. I want it in writing. And I want to be treated like an equal—especially since I’m doing the dangerous part.”

Nico snorts. “I’ll pay you half what Gary pays me and I’m happy to get a contract written up. As for you doing the dangerous part…” Nico moves towards my desk in a way that clearly demonstrates what he is—a hunter. Even walking on two legs, the animal inside him is so obvious.

“From what I can tell, it’s a mix of supes and humans going through a lot of lube trying to fuck their way to world peace. They’re lunatics, but they’re harmless. If I were you, I’d think of it less like going undercover and more like an all-expenses paid vacation.”

I narrow my eyes at Nico. “Then why aren’t you going?”

He smiles. “Because I’m well known in the supe world. Chances are I’d be spotted by someone I know right away, and the cover would be blown.”

I gesture to the door. “A client came here looking for me. It seems that I’m getting to be pretty well known, too.”

“Yeah, as a human who likes to help supes. You’re the perfect