Witch's Bell Book One

with an Internet connection can look up the dark arts, just like any idiot can go downtown and get wasted on drugs. The kids don't know what they're dealing with, but like the high. And we clean up after them.'
    'Junkies,' Nate raised an eyebrow, 'Vale is a city of magical junkies... right?'
    'No, no, you've got the wrong picture. There really isn't too much magical crime around,' Ebony made her way over to the counter and started shuffling around behind it. 'Honestly, there isn't. Vale is usually quite ordinary. However-'
    'On special occasions, we have to call in to see Eb. We bring her a biscuit, she steals our coffee, and goes and finds our bad guy.'
    Ebony finally found the book she was looking for. 'Ah ha, here you go, Detective Nate, here's some light reading for you.'
    Nate took the book and looked at the cover. 'A Brief History of Magical Crime in Vale? Ahh... who wrote this... and who published it-'
    'Oh no one wrote it, it wrote itself.' Ebony pulled out another book and threw it at Nate. 'Here's another one you might like.'
    'Witches, a Comprehensive Study of their use in Law Enforcement in Vale,' Nate read aloud.
    'There are other books I could find you,' Ebony began to pick her way towards the back of the store. She had to admit she was feeling a little bit ashamed, but only just a trifle. She'd had such fun playing with this new detective that she'd let Harry get of hand. The spirit of this old store was cantankerous to be sure, but usually never as dangerous as he'd been today. To put it simply, she really could have handled things better, and now she was eager to smooth things over.
    Well, not smooth things over completely. There was something very delicious in the way Detective Nate reacted to being teased. The man had this certain vibe about him that made Ebony want to walk up to him, mess up his hair, and pinch him on the cheek.
    'Hey,' Ben walked up to Ebony and caught her arm, 'you can look for books later. Right now, we need you on a case.'
    'Oh,' Ebony said quickly, 'oh dear. It's that murder from last night, isn't it?'
    'Yeah.'
    'I don't like murders,' Ebony said softly.
    'No one does, kid.' Ben nodded at Nate. 'Now, you've kind of had a big morning. And I'm sorry for how things have played out. You can go back to the office, and I'll get one of the boys to give you a proper debrief.'
    Nate slowly shifted from foot to foot, staring warily out at the store, then down at the two books in his hands. 'It has been an unusual morning,' he said carefully.
    'Ha, yeah.' Ben clapped a hand on his shoulder and shook it lightly. 'I told you it was important to learn the ropes in this town.'
    'I did think it was strange when I was forced to sign a specially drafted secrets-act,' Nate noted, voice becoming more detached.
    'About that,' Ben grinned, his chin dimpled like a sand dune in the wind. 'That secrets-act is going to be, ah... more binding than you think.'
    Nate's brow knotted. 'Sorry?'
    'It's a magical document,' Ebony interjected. 'One of the things you'll learn in those books I've given you is about the sacred pact between the witches and the police department. Part of that pact is that you'll never pass on the secret of the witches. And in order to ensure that, you sign a special kind of document.'
    Nate's brow tightened. 'What kind of document? What do you mean?'
    'Well, while breaching an ordinary secrets-act might land you in jail... trying to tell anyone about the witches will...'
    'It's not pleasant, son,' Ben patted Nate's shoulder again. 'Your throat will seize up, you'll lose your voice for a day, you won't be able to write or communicate in any way... oh, and you'll grow a really hideous wart on the end of your nose.'
    Nate grimaced. 'Right.'
    'Now, we've got to get to that crime scene, Eb, while it's still, ah, fresh.'
    Ebony gave a shudder. If anyone had been paying particularly close attention to her, they would have seen her stature reduce slightly, her expression become weaker, her stance less confident. While on familiar ground, Ebony could be as cheeky and sassy as her red lipstick and wild hair would permit, but when things became unfamiliar, uncertain, unsafe even then Ebony's confidence would ebb. And as the confidence ebbed, the knowing glimmer would fade from her eyes to be replaced with... well, something more human.
    'Rookie, I'll drop you off at the office on the way.'
    Detective Nathan Wall took a final look around the room, at the books in his hands, up at Ben's open