Spenser

Cole #61

Cole and Layla locked up the office and shop before adjourning together through the small access door from the shop to Jenny’s courtyard. Cole looked around the inner fence in amazement. Witches, Warlocks, and mythical creatures, decorated the interior freshly painted fencing. Two long craft tables were situated under their own awning cover in the opposite corner away from Jenny’s shop. A little boy, and a girl who looked to be his older sister, colored together at one of the craft tables. Four tables and chairs formed a pathway into The Witches’ Brew.

“I don’t come out here for a couple days, and the whole thing changes,” Cole remarked with a laugh. “Did you do this, Layla?”

“Nope, Jenny does most of the artwork in between customers. Once she had the rear of your crappy shop and fencing painted, Jenny started adding her creations to it.”

“Crappy shop? Okay, maybe the paint was a little chipped, but…”

“Crappy,” Layla repeated, pulling Cole over to one of the outside tables.

There were women customers at two of the tables, drinking tea. One of the women, Cole recognized as a customer of ABC Repair waved at him. Cole smiled and waved back before taking a seat at the outer most table with Layla. Jill walked out of Jenny’s shop with a tray holding thee cups of tea. She served the tea to Cole and Layla before sitting in one of the empty chairs.

“This is really nice,” Cole said, sipping his tea. “Hey, this stuff isn’t half bad. I guess it’s safe to drink since I survived Jenny’s coffee peace offering earlier.”

“Jenny won’t do that to you again,” Jill stated. “I wouldn’t advise accepting anything from Skipper here though.”

“You’re just jealous cause you didn’t get to sit in on the big business meeting, Barbie,” Layla replied. “Sorry about that, but it was for grownups only.”

Jill’s face darkened for a moment, as Layla traded stares with her. Jill smiled and shook her head. “Good one.”

Jenny walked out of the shop, teacup in hand, smiling at her customers before joining her friends at their table. She looked at Cole expectantly.

“Well, what happened with the guys from Wolfram and Hart?”

“Who?” Cole asked, as Layla and Jill laughed.

“Jenny bought the Angel TV series on DVD,” Jill explained. “We watched them this past weekend while we were moping.”

“I remember now,” Cole acknowledged. “A law firm, run by some kind of demons, right? I get the connection; but I hope Spenser and Associates don’t have a demon running it. Been there, done that, don’t want a repeat.”

“Where’s your sense of adventure, Cole?” Layla asked. “We handled it.”

“You didn’t handle anything,” Cole retorted. “You were possessed. It feels pretty good drinking tea out here in the afternoon breeze rather than plotting the next move against demons and warlocks. I’m already sick of Spenser and Associates.”

“We have to return their visit,” Layla said. “Something’s funny about the way those three acted when we mentioned meeting Spenser. It’s time we saw the guy in person.”

“I guess you’re right,” Cole relented.

“Why don’t you call them up over there right now, and the four of us can go together,” Jenny suggested. “Spenser might take the meeting.”

“Yea, let’s get it over with,” Layla agreed, standing up. “I’ll go call and see if I can browbeat someone into letting us meet Spenser.”

Cole watched Layla walk into the shop, quietly sipping his tea. Most of the time, Cole would have been anxious to confront a problem; but the weekly disastrous near misses were beginning to take a toll on him. Despite his bravado in the meeting, Cole wanted nothing more than to forget Spenser and Associates ever existed.

“This constant intrigue is wearing me down,” Cole admitted, surprising Jill and Jenny.

“Maybe this is the end of it, Cole,” Jill replied, covering his hand with hers.

“Spenser’s a threat,” Jenny agreed. “Those partners’ visit today was a warning they have no intention of leaving us alone. Cowboy up, Cole, and quit whining.”

The three laughed over Jenny’s send up together. Jenny stood up and said goodbye to her customers, who had left their tables, and moved toward the fence gate. She traded pleasantries with them before going over to say goodbye to the two kids at the craft table. They both gave her a hug before leaving with their Mom.

“I love this place,” Jenny said happily, rejoining her friends as Layla also returned.

“We have a meet in twenty minutes with the kingpin,” Layla announced. “I actually talked to him on the phone. Very smooth talker, with deep voice, and an attractive lilt to the tone. Maybe I should try seduction… you know… the carrot rather than the stick.”

“Why don’t you go to the meeting as Princess Leia, you cheap floozy,” Jill fired off a shot, which had both Jenny and Cole laughing.

“Okay… you got me on that one, Barbie,” Layla said. “C’mon, I don’t want to be late for my potential lover.”

__

Jeff Rigbe met them at the downtown Oakland office building entrance where the Spenser and Associates firm was located.

“Mr. Spenser is expecting you,” Rigbe said in monotone voice conveying he was not happy about it.

Rigbe led them past the security desk and to the elevators, where they rode in silence to the top floor. Rigbe put a hand on the elevator door when it opened, keeping it from closing while he stayed inside.

“Mr. Spenser’s office is at the end of the hall. Go right in. His secretary has gone home for the day.”

“It looks like everyone has gone home for the day,” Jenny said, looking around the empty hallways. “What is this, a set up?”

“Hardly,” Rigbe retorted. “We aren’t barbarians. You wanted a meeting. You have a meeting.”

Cole led the way down the hall and into a spacious office he could tell belonged to Spenser’s secretary. With the three women following, Cole proceeded through the open office door behind the secretary’s desk. The huge office beyond, with elaborate bookshelves, oaken desk, and full bar, gave off an ambiance of old leather and dark wood. A man sat facing the beautiful view of Oakland through a panoramic picture window, late afternoon sunlight streaming in. Hearing his visitors’ entrance, the man twirled around slowly in the chair and stood up, the light behind him darkening his features as if it were his own personal aura. Layla stiffened next to Cole.

“Shit!” Layla mumbled in a whisper.

The man laughed lightly, his rich baritone voice both appealing and enticing.

“A Djinn?” The man asked, still chuckling. He sniffed the air. “A Werewolf, and… some type of ghostly aura too, right? Hello, I’m Voltan Spenser. Please sit down.”

“This explains my firm’s difficulties,” Spenser gestured at the leather upholstered chairs in front of his desk. “Please… make yourselves at home. May I get you anything to drink?”

“Vodka… neat,” Layla spoke up.

“Anyone else?” Spenser asked, pouring Layla’s vodka and his own from a bottle of Stolichnaya Vodka he took from the bar freezer. When no one else spoke, Spenser brought over the drinks, giving Layla hers before sitting down.

“Salute,” Spenser said, toasting with his glass, and then sipping from it.

Layla downed half of hers.

“What the hell’s going on, Layla?” Cole asked, turning to the Djinn.

“He’s a Dhampir,” Layla answered, downing the other half of her drink. “The first I’ve met in centuries.”

Business Meeting

Layla #60

Jenny came around the Nissan hood, holding a cup of coffee. “I brought a peace offering.”

Cole laughed as he drilled a small hole through the center of each intake manifold plug covering the exhaust gas recirculation passage. Each plug would have to be removed, carbon loosened and vacuumed out of the passage to allow adequate flow again.

“Cole!” Jenny exclaimed, acting hurt. “You think I’d poison your coffee again?”

Cole finished his drilling, and set aside his air drill. He smiled at Jenny affectionately.

“Jenny, have you ever seen the Charlie Brown comic strip, where the evil Lucy holds the football for Charlie to kick? Lucy has pulled the football out at the last second before Charlie can kick it every time in the past, causing the boy to smack full length on the ground. Yet, each time Lucy picks up the ball and holds it, she claims she would never pull the ball out again, and Charlie Brown ends up believing her, ending up once again on his back. What do you think the moral of that story is?”

“Hope springs eternal?” Jenny offered, moving the coffee cup closer to Cole.

Cole shook his head, and took the cup, sipping from it without hesitation. “Just call me Charlie. How’s business in the ‘Brew’?”

“My early morning regulars have left, so I took a break. It’s so much fun, and I’m actually going to hit my break even point by early afternoon.”

“I’m glad it’s working out for you. Are your on-line orders picking up too?”

“I’ve managed a twenty-five percent increase in the last month, even with all the ABC Shop distractions. I was born for retail. Maybe…”

“Cole,” Layla called out over the intercom, “Would you please come to the office. You have some visitors.”

“Thanks for the coffee, Jen,” Cole said, taking the cup with him. “I hope it’s not another inspector. I think the only one not having paid me a visit is the Federal EPA.”

“Come and try some of my Green Tea next break.”

“I’ll think about it,” Cole grinned over his shoulder at Jenny.

Inside the office, three thirty-something men in suits were sitting around Layla’s desk. They all had briefcases, and sported dire expressions. Layla smiled up at Cole, gesturing at a fourth chair.

“Come join us. These gentlemen are from Spenser and Associates. They didn’t want to explain the nature of their business to me, and I dutifully refrained from forcing the point.”

“I’m Dan Weyman,” the dark haired man in the seat closest to Cole said, holding out his hand. “These are my partners, Kent Hunkler, and Jeff Rigbe.”

“Thank you, Layla,” Cole nodded his appreciation for her restraint, shaking hands with each of the men. “What can I do for you… or not do?”

“It has come to our attention many agents contracted by our firm have decided to terminate their association with us,” Weyman said as Cole sat down, “all within weeks of our representative Brad Collins making an offer for your shop. This…”

“Oh… Cole,” Layla interrupted. “Kent there waved some electrical gadget over everything in the office, and I didn’t stop him.”

“Wow,” Cole chuckled, “are you guys lucky. Did you think we had the office bugged? Actually, Layla, bugging the office may not be a bad idea. Danny, Jill, and I could have some fun out in the shop with your office encounters like you have with Jenny’s place.”

“Yea…” Layla’s face lit up, “I’d be more appreciated if…”

“Could we get back to business please,” Rigbe cut in impatiently. “We’re willing to concede we underestimated you, Mr. Warren…”

“And my associates,” Cole interjected.

“Yes… ah… your associates… of course,” Rigbe went on. “We had some formidable people working on our behalf we no longer have. We wish to make you a counter offer.”

“Look, quit dancing around,” Cole retorted. “I have work to do out in the shop, and the office ain’t bugged. We’ve stopped your police connection as well as your gang connection. Your coin operated inspectors failed. Thank you for your congratulations. What do you want?”

“We wish to hire you… and your associates,” Weyman answered.

“What, you have a fleet of vehicles you want serviced?” Cole asked innocently.

“Don’t be obtuse, Mr. Warren,” Hunkler said. “We’re offering you a lot of money, and a chance to retain ownership of your shop.”

“Now you’re beginning to piss me off!” Cole stood up. “I don’t need your blessings to stay in business, and you couldn’t pay me enough to work for you clowns. I appreciate you goons coming over like this and putting your cards on the table. Take some advice: start conducting business in the old fashioned way or my associates and I are going to look in on your operations. You must have some hint from your former employees we are not what we seem.”

“All the more reason not to limit your operations and talents, Mr. Warren,” Weyman stood up, his hands in placating fashion, palm outward. “Please forgive Mr. Hunkler for hinting we could control you. An association with us could be worth millions to you.”

“Forget it, boys, I could give him that anytime,” Layla said. “We understand your proposition. Run along now before you three get hurt.”

“Are you three the owners of Spenser and Associates or just a few more Brad Collins’ clones?” Cole asked as the three moved toward the street entrance.

“We’re the associate partners,” Weyman answered. “Mr. Spenser is of course the managing partner.”

“Why didn’t he come himself if he’s so worried about us?” Cole asked.

“You don’t ever want to meet Mr. Spenser,” Hunkler warned, opening the door for his partners. “Think it over, Mr. Warren. If you don’t cooperate, I’m afraid the problem of your continued obstruction of our business will be presented to Mr. Spenser.”

“Watch your step on the way out,” Layla advised, lifting her hand.

Cole clasped Layla’s hand, shaking his head as the three walked to their car.

“Layla, you didn’t make any wishes come true for anyone named Spenser, did you?”

“He could have invented the name; but Spenser doesn’t mean anything to me,” Layla answered. “Why, do you think this has some kind of supernatural angle?”

“I don’t know, but I’m not too thrilled with being blindsided again.”

“Maybe we should pay Mr. Spenser a visit.”

“Let me think about it. How’s our work load today? Any chance of closing a couple hours early, and having tea with Jenny while we discuss this?”

“Maybe by four, but not three,” Layla answered, looking over the remaining invoices.

“That’ll do. I’ll tell Danny he can take off at four. Thanks for not making any adjustments before we heard what the three stooges had to say.”

“Thanks for noticing my self control. Did you patch things up with Jenny too?”

“Yea, she brought me coffee as a peace offering.”

“And you drank it?” Layla asked, comically backing away from Cole, with hands in a defensive posture. “Get out of here. I’m putting up my steel office plating now.”

“I was pretty bad the other night, huh?”

“Oh… I don’t know… does the name Marquis de Sade ring a bell with you?”

Monday, Monday

Before I get into my next Layla addition I have a criticism of these spam filters the blogs utilize. Is it really necessary to have a six to eight letter repeat code of squiggly characters I need a cipher to recognize in order to comment? I mean, what’s wrong with three to five letters in Arial font I can read without an interpreter? C’mon, give us old guys a break. Jkrtllieu is not a spam filter. It’s discrimination. :)

Layla #59

“Good morning, Jill… Jenny,” Cole waved from the Nissan he was doing a computer diagnostics check on, as the two women walked by.

Instead of acknowledging his greeting, Jill and Jenny altered course to say hello to Danny, who had just came in, and was fixing himself a cup of coffee. Cole grinned. Having a Dentist appointment on Saturday, Cole had left Layla’s house early Saturday morning. He had not received a call Saturday or Sunday. The lull in his on going tug of war with Spenser, allowed Cole to spend the better part of Saturday and Sunday catching up on his business accounts, sales tax forms, and payroll taxes. Cole also perused the local news for any reports of Werewolves and flying monsters. He had found only a reference in the Oakland Tribune about gang members in a van accident, caught with automatic weapons and drugs. Cole had called and went over to explain the situation to Cesar and his Dad on Sunday evening, including Officer Conte’s part in it all. They had agreed to keep their eyes open and call him if they spotted any activity out of the ordinary.

Cole shook his head, trying to concentrate on his scanner, but couldn’t help thinking about the Friday night pajama contest. Layla had glided out in a Princess Leia outfit, leaving Cole speechless and stammering. This led to Layla declaring herself the winner, with Jill and Jenny angrily running up to their rooms before Cole could deliver the ‘it’s a tie’ speech he had planned. It was becoming apparent all his reservations about moving in with three women, no matter how much he cared for them, were justified. The fact Layla had showed solidarity with her friends was remarkable in itself. He had come in early as always; and started on the Nissan, which had been waiting with keys in the drop off slot.

Cole completed the scan, on the 2002 Nissan Pathfinder, concluding the Exhaust Gas Recirculation flow problem to be carbon plugging the intake manifold passage. He went to the office with his notes enabling Layla to call the customer with an estimate. Layla gave him a cold look when Cole walked in the office, and set his estimate sheet on the counter. Layla walked over, picked up the sheet, and returned to her desk.

“I’ll let you know if I get the go ahead,” Layla said without looking at Cole.

“Is there something I should know about?” Cole leaned on the counter, smiling down at Layla as he asked. “I know why Jill and Jenny are giving me the silent treatment; but you, Princess Leia, have no reason to be shunning me.”

“I am in unity with my Sisters of the ABC,” Layla replied haughtily, although she blushed.

“You… you blushed,” Cole pointed at her in amazement. “Is that possible?”

Layla giggled, giving Cole the wave off, without meeting his gaze. “Go away, Neanderthal man. It is you and your brethren who have placed the Sisterhood in bondage all these centuries. We Sisters of the ABC will no longer tolerate this abuse.”

Cole left, laughing all the way into the shop, heading over to give Danny a hand with the maintenance check on a 2005 Mazda 3. Jill, having returned from Jenny’s shop, heard Cole laughing, and walked directly to the office. Layla handed her the keys to a 2006 Buick the instant Jill came through the door.

“30,000 mile check, Barbie, get busy.”

“Did you just undercut us with Cole?”

“If you mean did I whine and moan like you and Jenny did all weekend, the answer is no. Frankly though, I’ve had enough of this united front crap. You realize the only thing you two have done is give Cole another reason not to move in with us.”

Jill’s face went from irritated annoyance to questioning worry in a split second. “Shit! We did it again.”

“What you mean we. Take responsibility for your own screw-ups, Barbie, now get to work. Go back, and tell your partner in crime to lay off this retribution cycle. Next time you two get into a sexy fashion contest with the Djinnster, bring it big or stay at home.”

Layla pushed a numb Jill out the office door with estimate sheet in hand. Jill heard Layla’s laughter out to the street where she found the Buick to be serviced. Jill drove the Buick into her stall, and walked over to where Cole was getting coffee.

“Sorry, Cole,” Jill said sheepishly. “Jenny and I were out of line.”

“If you two would have given me a moment, I was going to call the contest a tie. The evil Djinn caught me off guard with the Princess Leia outfit.”

“I’d look good in one of those,” Jill whispered, moving against Cole.

“I’ll bet you would. Layla has only her imagination limiting the wardrobe she can draw from. You and Jenny looked great. I was surprised when the two of you accepted Layla’s winner’s dance.”

“You caught us off guard when you couldn’t get any words out. She won, fair and square. We shouldn’t have went to our rooms like a couple of spoiled teenagers. I guess we didn’t help our case for you moving in, did we?”

“Can I get back to you on that when the damn potion is out of my system?”

“It’s still messing with you?” Jill asked, surprised at Cole’s admission.

“If my reaction to you just standing here talking is any indication, I would say that’s a big yes.”

“Maybe the potion has nothing to do with it,” Jill unable to resist the temptation to glance down, did so, and smiled. “Did you just picture me in a Princess Leia outfit?”

“Possibly,” Cole replied, pushing Jill away. “Don’t you have some work to do?”

“Jenny and I want a rematch.”

“Will you please get to work?” Cole turned away with his coffee, trying to name the seven dwarfs silently in his head.

Raid

Layla #58

“Now this is more like a stakeout,” Cole remarked, adjusting his earpiece. “You really did a nice job, Layla.”

“Oh thanks,” Layla retorted.

“This is like a sardine can on wheels,” Jenny complained, shifting uncomfortably in the cramped inside of a plain brown Ford E350 van.

The inside wall of the van sported a bank of monitors. A narrow counter unfolded from the wall in front of the monitors with two notebook computers, running the monitors. Speakers mounted on the van roof in each corner relayed any sound near the Hernandez house. Cole, Layla, Jill, and Jenny sat in front of the video receivers, with very little room to move in any direction.

Layla clucked unhappily and lifted her right hand slightly. Exotic flowers sprung up from the van floor around Jill. Cole concentrated on the monitors with only a smile of amusement; but Jenny laughed delightedly.

“Hey!” Jill exclaimed, peering angrily through the flower encasement. “What the hell is this? Are you trying to tell me something, Skipper?”

“What? Oh those,” Layla waved dismissively. “I was just freshening up the van a little. Without the hot tub, we have a bit of an odor problem inside this cramped area.”

“Any idea why all the air fresheners are growing next to my chair? Cole smells as bad as I do. We both put in a ten hour day.”

“Cole smells like a man,” Layla leaned into Cole provocatively, “where as you just smell… annoying.”

“I’ll give you annoying…” Jill started out of the flower bed.

“We got movement,” Jenny called out, pointing at the monitor directly in front of her.

Jenny networked her feed to split screen onto the other monitors. They watched as a late 90’s Ford Taurus slowed down in front of the Hernandez house. Cole worked his keyboard, and they had a close up of the Ford license plate.

“That’s Conte’s car,” Jenny said, looking at a list of plate numbers, Layla had printed out. It contained the plate number of every vehicle owned by Spenser and Associates, along with the plates of Conte and Hendricks. “I never figured he’d pull a Lone Ranger on this.”

A few minutes later a black Chevy cargo van drove up behind Conte’s Taurus, and a guy dressed all in black left the van. He jogged to the Taurus passenger door and slid in quickly next to Conte. A minute later, the black clad figure returned quickly to the Chevy van, and Conte drove away. Cole immediately called the Hernandez house, knowing he would be waking them at after one in the morning. Luckily, Cesar answered the phone. Cole told him to keep everyone inside the house until given the all clear, and to stay away from the windows. Only when Cesar acknowledged his directions did Cole turn to his companions.

“Okay, Harpy and Wraith fly to the back of Cesar’s house, and I’ll get positioned across the street,” Cole directed. “Keep your earpieces on. When whatever they have planned goes down, Jenny will give us the signal and we attack from all sides. We don’t kill. We’ll rough the gangbangers up real good, stuff them in their van, and seal ‘em in.”

“And I call the cops,” Jenny finished, without looking away from the monitors. “Better get into position. When they get on the front lawn, I’ll give you three the word.”

Layla and Jill, as Harpy and Wraith, flew up high and over behind the Hernandez house. Cole hurried low behind the parked cars on the opposite side of the deserted street. Only seconds after Cole was in position across from the Chevy van, the passenger and cargo doors opened. Black clad figures spilled out of the van.

“Now!” Jenny called out from their surveillance van.

Cole streaked directly to the driver’s side van door, ripped it open, and pulled the driver out, smashing him face first into the door jamb. He disarmed and threw the unconscious man onto the driver’s seat, confiscating and tossing the ignition keys. Screams shattered the night quiet, as four men heading across the Hernandez lawn were set upon by Harpy and Wraith, the monsters' talons and claws raking the men savagely as they reached for weapons. Cole the Werewolf met their stumbling retreat to the van, growling and smashing them to the sidewalk. Lights were beginning to flick on when Cole began tossing the beaten men into the van. When they were all inside, Cole turned his back to the van, grasped the middle frame and heaved the van over on its side. He then smashed the van doors closed. Waving at Harpy and Wraith, Cole ran full speed toward their Ford van as sirens wailed in the distance. Jenny drove away the second her three companions were inside the van cargo area.

“I know some guys needing stitches,” Jill laughed, as the three caught their breath.

“Let’s go get a beer somewhere,” Jenny called over her shoulder. “It’s Friday night.”

“Better yet, let’s kidnap Wolf boy here, and haul him back to our house,” Layla suggested. “We’ll have a pajama contest, and he can be the judge.”

“I like it,” Jill agreed enthusiastically, hugging Cole, who had begun chuckling good naturedly as he picked up his cell-phone.

Cole called Cesar, advising him and his family to stay in the house and not come out. He told Cesar the problem had been handled, but there were a lot of police arriving in front of his house.

“You will tell me about this soon, Cole?”

“As best I can, Cesar. Sorry for the disturbance, but it couldn’t be helped.”

“This story of yours will be very exciting, I think.”

“I’ll be in touch, goodnight,” Cole ended the call, leaning toward Jenny. “Let’s run on over to Conte’s house and tuck him in, Jenny.”

“On the way, boss,” Jenny giggled.

__

Conte had just finished nearly a pint of bourbon, watching wrestling on cable in his bachelor pad, when the Wraith streaked through his wall, and into his face. Conte cried out in drunken shock as Jill’s scythe like nails tore down over his arm, spilling his drink, and spilling blood. Conte dived to the floor, clutching his wounded arm, and Jill tore the back of his shirt to shreds, leaving tiny red razor thin cuts crisscrossing Conte’s skin. When Conte lay sobbing for mercy, Jill floated down near his ear, whispering in a voice not unlike skeletal bones being pulverized to form words.

“Go… and never come back. This is your one and only warning.” Jill ended her threat with a last feather soft pass of her nails, leaving welling blood furrows down over Conte’s scalp.

Jill materialized in the van, smiling at Layla.

“Was it good for you?”

“Most satisfying, Barbie,” Layla nodded, having viewed the entire scene from the Wraith’s perspective, “most satisfying.”

“I believe I’m due to judge a pajama contest, and I don’t want to be late,” Cole remarked, the remnants of Love Potion #9 having overpowered his senses ever since hearing Layla’s suggested interlude. “Home please, Jenny.”

“On it, boss.”

Inspection Time

Layla #57 My favorite Genie shoots past the 60,000 word marker with this weekend's edition. :)

“Hello, I’m from the East Bay Municipal Water District, Ma’am,” the man in the brown suit handed Layla his business card, as he walked up to the counter. “I’m here to do an inspection of the building.”

Layla smiled at the short, rotund man with thinning hair, instinctively knowing his visit was not a coincidence. Her first thoughts were: gather information or water district gerbil. After a short pause, Layla went with information gathering, remembering as Cole had pointed out, there would always be time for an adjustment later. With great power comes great responsibility. Wow, Layla thought coming around the counter, I have to stop watching the superhero movies Cole keeps forcing on us while staking out the Hernandez house.

“How may I help you?”

“No need, Ma’am, I’ll do the site inspection and come see you with my findings, or give them to the owner if he’s in.”

“I don’t think so, Mr… ah… Terrance,” Layla read off the card. “We have shop liability insurance; which strictly prohibits unescorted people, not in the employ of ABC, from walking around our building. I’ll be happy to take you on a tour of the entire premises.”

“Okay… fine…”

“Layla.”

“Layla…” Terrance’s happy face became grim as he shifted his clipboard up for note taking. “We’ll start here in the office.”

Forty minutes later, Layla came to get Cole. Danny, Jill, and Cole had been drinking coffee, watching Layla escort Terrance around the shop. All three were studiously looking away now, having been subjected to Layla’s hilarious pantomime of everything Terrance had done. She had mimicked every detail of the inspector’s walk, finger pointing, head shake, and clipboard writing. The moment Terrance glanced at Layla, she instantly played the attentive office manager, much to her co-workers immense amusement.

“Oh, Layla,” Jill laughed, putting her arm around the Djinn, “that was the best.”

“You nailed him, Layla,” Danny added enthusiastically.

“Some kind of inspector?” Cole asked.

“Yep… water district,” Layla confirmed, pulling Cole over out of Danny’s hearing. “He has a list of defects in the shop, which ceased to exist the second he pointed at them. Make sure you insist he point out the fault in detail, Cole. They were all bullshit, but I corrected them as we went.”

“Thanks, Layla, you really are getting good at this,” Cole complimented her.

“Yes, and you owe me. Don’t even think of watching another Spiderman, Hulk, or Steven Seagal movie tonight while we’re on stakeout.”

“I have just the movie picked out for tonight: ‘Sweet Home Alabama’. Reese Witherspoon plays a self indulgent, shallow woman, not unlike…”

“Don’t even go there!” Layla warned, hands on hips.

“Not unlike the way you used to be,” Cole finished with a laugh. “C’mon, lets go rain on Mr. Terrance’s parade.”

“Mr. Warren?” Terrance held out his hand.

“Hi, Mr. Terrance,” Cole shook the dead white codfish Terrance offered him in greeting, completely devoid of any noticeable grip. “Layla tells me you have some items to go over with me concerning environmental violations.”

“Yes, and very serious ones I might add. Perhaps we should start here in the office with the more minor problems. Your licenses, hazardous waste emergency placard, and…” Terrance started to point, but lowered his hand instead. He walked closer to the wall, where the various shop licenses, waste generator, and emergency contact number displays were located. “I…”

“Something wrong, Mr. Terrance?”

“Ah… let’s go out in the shop,” Terrance directed. “There are serious concerns to be addressed. Your waste oil drum spillage containers, electrical outlets, air compressor, space heater gas lines, and back fence clearance will all have to be handled immediately. They pose grave concerns regarding not only the environment, but also the safety of your customers.”

“Let’s get to them,” Cole exchanged glances with Layla. “Point them out and tell me what I need to do.”

Over the next half hour, Terrance led Cole and Layla around to each item on his list, stuttering through an array of clichés. What he had noted in his first run through, as problem areas, were no longer visible. Jenny came out of her shop when the group reached the back fence, looking questioningly at Layla, who gave her a quick head shake. Terrance ran his hand along the fence, where he had noted a clearance discrepancy between the fence and the back storm drain. It no longer existed. He turned to Cole, who had been asking him in each instance to point out the problem, and gestured angrily.

“Look, Mr. Warren, I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing, but…”

“Too bad, Sparky, because I know exactly what game you’re playing,” Cole cut him off, taking out his own small pocket notebook and pen. “I want your inspector license number, and the name of your immediate supervisor. Before you leave my shop, I want a clean bill of health with your signature, or I start making calls. If Spencer and Associates owns your supervisor, I’ll start phoning my city and state representatives.”

“Are you threatening me, Mr. Warren?” Terrance’s reddening face took on the arrogant condescending look of the seasoned bureaucratic.

“I’m merely pointing out reality to you. Since you can find no explainable violation, I want you to fill out your report saying so, and give me a copy of it with your signature. One way or another, I’m calling your office; and find out if my shop was in line for inspection, or if you made a special trip here just for me.”

The haughty look faded quickly from Terrance’s features when confronted with having to explain his presence on the opposite side of the city from where he belonged. Without another word, he quickly scribbled out a new form report with his signature, and handed it to Cole.

“I hope you won’t find it necessary to call my office, Mr. Warren,” Terrance said with formal stiffness, unable to look at Cole directly.

“I’ll think about it,” Cole replied. “You know your way out.”

“Damn!” Jenny complained after Terrance had left. “I missed another ABC episode of ‘The World Turns’, haven’t I?”

“We’ll fill you in later,” Layla promised.

“Stakeout?”

“Oh yeah,” Layla grinned.

“It’s your turn on the monitors first, Evil,” Jenny reminded the Djinn.

“No, it’s my turn,” Cole retorted.

“You don’t get a turn watching the monitors, wrench-boy,” Layla waved him off, putting an arm around Jenny’s shoulders, and guiding her away from Cole. “Ever hear of a movie called ‘Sweet Home Alabama’, Jen?”

At two o’clock in the afternoon, as Layla said goodbye to one of ABC’s customers after giving them their keys and receipt, an officious looking man in a dark blue suit entered the office. He waited until the customer exited the office before handing a smiling Layla his card.

“Hi, I’m from OSHA. There have been some complaints regarding shop safety violations. Who do I see about going over these issues?”

“I’m all yours, inspector,” Layla gestured toward the shop, hurrying around the counter. “Let’s go get a list of all the nasty hazards ABC has been subjecting its employees to.”

One Time Offer

Layla #56

“Hi Cole,” Layla greeted her boss as he walked into the office. “How’d we do on stakeout duty?”

“The Hernandez family is safe. So far, so good,” Cole replied. “Did you three get some sleep after we ended our watch?”

“I’m not talkin’ about the bodyguarding gig, and yea, we slept very well.”

“What am I supposed to say, Layla? You were there. How do you think it went?”

“Well enough for you to start packing your things and get your butt moved in over at my place.”

“We’ll keep things just as they are for now.”

“I figured you’d say something like that, Cement-head. Guess who called this morning.”

“I’m a little dense this morning, Layla. Let’s not play twenty questions.”

“Cassie left a message. She went on two weeks emergency leave, and has put in for a transfer. Once I let her know I knew what was going on, she told me Conte didn’t buy much of what she said, but he would pass on the info to Spenser.”

“Good, with Conte being assigned a new partner, it should slow him up a bit. If he does keep going with business as usual, he’ll have to do it off duty.”

“Speak of the devil,” Layla chuckled, pointing out the office window.

A police car parked in front of the shop. Officer Conte exited the vehicle, leaving his new partner in the passenger seat. Conte walked around either side of the ABC shop without approaching the office, as if looking for something. Cole figured he was sending a silent message, because Conte had seen Layla and Cole watching him through the office window. Cole saw Layla get an irritated look and begin raising her hand.

“Layla!”

“What?” Layla said innocently, lowering her hand.

“No adjustments for now, okay?”

“Fine, I don’t mind staking out the Hernandez house every night,” Layla shrugged. “What the hell is Conte looking for anyway?”

“Nothing,” Cole replied. “He’s yanking my chain, letting me know my building could be in danger.”

“I’ll bet an hour of being the office gerbil would make Conte forget all about our building.”

“He has a new partner out there watching. Otherwise, I’d be open to your suggestion. We have to keep a lower profile. Any more official witnesses, and they’ll be sending a S.W.A.T. team here to take us dead or alive.”

“Yea, that’ll work out real well for them. Puny humans.”

Cole laughed. “You liked the Hulk movie?”

“I know how the Hulk feels,” Layla grinned back at Cole, “all that power, and not allowed to smash. McGruff’s done with his walkabout. Here he comes.”

Conte opened the sidewalk to office door and walked in. He was a big man, but still had to look up at Cole. He had been carrying his nightstick while doing the impromptu inspection, and only now did he slip it into place on his belt. Conte traded looks with both Cole and Layla, seeing the two both knew the score.

“I guess we can skip the preliminaries,” Conte said finally.

“Yea, that would be best,” Cole replied.

“I don’t know what the hell you did to Cassie, but I don’t scare, punk.”

“That’s what you think, McGruff,” Layla fired back before Cole could speak.

“I’ll handle this, Layla,” Cole said, moving between Conte and Layla.

“Good thinking,” Conte pointed a warning finger at Layla. “You’d do well to keep your mouth shut, honey.”

“Honey!?” Layla tried going around Cole.

“Easy, Layla,” Cole turned and grabbed her by the shoulders. “Let’s hear what he has to say.”

“One of these days, McGruff,” Layla said, leaning around Cole, and smiling, “we are going to have us some fun.”

“I look forward to it.”

Cole turned. “I take it Cassie relayed my message. Did you talk to your bosses yet?”

“They laughed. They don’t scare either. You do realize they don’t need your building, and the offer will drop precipitously if it ceases to exist.”

“You’re taking a lot of chances, Conte,” Cole replied, wondering if he was missing something. “What the hell could be worth all this?”

“Sometimes an example can make all the difference.”

“This won’t go well for you or the Spenser firm,” Cole said.

“Don’t worry about us, Warren, worry about yourselves. You’ve already had a taste of how easy you can be reached. Just to show you their hearts are in the right place, the firm will add another twenty grand onto their offer. That’s a sweet profit for you. It’s on the table until I walk out of here.”

“Best get moving then.”

“You’ll regret not going the easy route,” Conte replied, turning to the door. “Better get used to seeing crime scene tape, dummy.”

“Can you do something very innocuous, Layla?” Cole whispered, his fingers curled so tightly, his knuckles were white.

“Oh yeah,” Layla answered, with a small twirl of her finger.

Conte, who was halfway between the office and his squad car, suddenly took a header, sprawling comically onto the sidewalk. He sat up groggily, blood streaming from his hands where Conte had prevented a face first meeting with the sidewalk. His uniform pants were torn, and blood trickled from a scrapped right knee. His new partner, trying hard not to laugh, had jumped out of the squad car, and rushed to Conte’s side. Conte brushed him away, and stood up unsteadily. He glanced back at the ABC office. Cole and Layla waved.

Surveillance

Layla #55

Jenny answered the door, surprised to see Cole on the step, holding a box.

“Hi, Jenny, I needed to talk with you all before work. I brought donuts.”

“C’mon in, we’re having coffee before hitting the showers so you’re just in time with the donuts. Did you think about me last night… huh… huh?” Jenny allowed him to get inside before draping herself against Cole from behind. “Oh, you’re cold. Why don’t you come upstairs with me and I’ll warm you up.”

Cole gritted his teeth, the potion still not completely dissipated. Jenny slid around him, her warm hands and thinly clad body making Cole’s original purpose fade. Jenny smiled knowingly when she saw his face.

“Love Potion #9 still running around in there, cowboy?” Jenny asked in a whisper, her hands tearing the fabric of Cole’s reality apart with ease.

“Oh yeah,” Cole admitted in what sounded like a croak issuing from between his clenched teeth.

“Okay,” Jenny giggled, taking his hand, and pulling him toward the kitchen. “Hold the box in front of you, and we’ll go surprise the girls.”

“Well… look who we have here,” Jill began sarcastically, looking up from her coffee, “it’s the Oakland Police groupie.”

“Cassie kick you out at dawn, Cole?” Layla chuckled at Jill’s opening, following it with a shot of her own.

“I don’t think he’s been playing around,” Jenny said, taking the box of donuts.

“Hummmm… so I see,” Layla replied, as Cole quickly sat down.

Jill fixed him a coffee while Jenny opened the donut box and passed out napkins.

Cole took a sip of coffee, and launched directly into what he had found out from Cesar, finishing his tale with the offer of terms to Cassie. The three women sat spellbound by Cole’s findings and subsequent actions.

“Conte followed us home,” Jenny spoke up after a brief silence. “Layla felt him.”

“Never would have figured Hendricks and Conte were directing the muggings,” Layla said. “It makes sense now I hear it. They lean on the gangs; and if a gangbanger gets caught, no one believes what they say if they do talk. Spenser and Associates stays clean.”

“Why would you promise to let bygones be bygones, Cole? They nearly had you killed,” Jill questioned, her voice betraying anger.

“You should have let us negotiate terms,” Layla said.

“Gee, I might have considered it if I hadn’t been running around like a bull in heat,” Cole retorted. “We can’t just kill the cops, the owners of a multi-million dollar business, and various gangbanging cohorts. I know how enticing it sounds, believe me. I’m here this morning because I care what you three think. I tipped off some very dangerous people last night. We’ll have to be on guard until we see how they react.”

“Wish us all on a deserted island or an estate on the Riviera,” Layla suggested, between bites of her donut.

“Don’t even tell me you haven’t been living in Djinn paradise dealing with everyday human achievement and strife,” Cole wagged his finger at Layla. “I’ve seen your eyes light up at the shop, running the office, and torturing us humans.”

“Yea, I admit it,” Layla grinned at Cole. “Once out of the lamp, reality is addictive.”

“Except when you feel like a new Lexus,” Jill reminded her.

“And a new house,” Jenny added.

“It’s a process,” Layla sighed as if with deep regret.

“I need to risk my reality now. I want to wish for some way to keep Cesar Hernandez and his family safe. Can you keep them under surveillance, Layla?”

“That’s so sweet,” Layla replied, patting Cole’s hand. “For the thousandth time, I’m a Djinn, not Layla the omnipotent. On the other hand, I can fry an egg now.”

“Good to know,” Cole laughed.

__

“He played you!” Conte raged at Hendricks as they sat in their patrol car. “Get a grip, Cass, you are one cold piece of work. How in the hell does some bozo grease monkey pull your string like this?”

“I’m relaying the message, Mike,” Cassie replied, without meeting her partner’s eyes. “Believe what you want. Do what you want. Tell your contacts whatever story you want. I put in for a transfer this morning. I’m out of here. I go on two weeks emergency leave as of tomorrow until my transfer comes through.”

“Jesus… you’re serious. Forget the monster stories. What does Warren have on you?”

“I told you everything, and I’m not going over it again. If I were you, I’d stay clear of those people, and kick free of Spenser. Let’s concentrate on police work for a change today.

__

“You can be pretty creative, Cole,” Layla complimented him.

“Thanks, but I’m a little less than enthused with your additions to my idea. This doesn’t fit in with my concept of a stakeout. We’re lucky International Blvd was this close to Cesar’s house, otherwise this semi-truck would have been a little conspicuous.”

“I like it,” Jill sighed, leaning against Cole inside a large hot tub, with Jenny across from them, and Layla on the other side of Cole.

“We sure have his house covered,” Jenny put in, waving at the banks of monitors with every angle being picked up by infrared cameras focused on the Hernandez house. “This is like a vacation spot, with big screen TV, and surround sound.”

“I have to admit, I didn’t picture a surveillance van in quite this kind of luxury,” Cole chuckled, watching the 46” Plasma screen opposite him.

“Want me to take over watching the monitors, Jenny,” Layla asked.

“No, I’ll wait until Cole gets through watching ‘The Thirteenth Warrior’,” Jenny answered, scanning the monitors viewing the front of Cesar’s house. “I’ll switch places when we watch ‘Fried Green Tomatoes’.”

“Yea, you can have my place,” Cole volunteered quickly. “I’d rather poke my eyes out with a hot poker rather than watch the Tomato movie again. We’ll watch ‘Soldier’ next.”

“I’ll turn you into a tomato rather than watch that movie again,” Layla threatened.

“You can’t touch me,” Cole reminded her, mimicking Kurt Russell’s stolid voice in the movie ‘Soldier’. “Remember: fear and discipline… hey… my trunks?!”

“What Djinn giveth, Djinn can taketh away,” Layla whispered, moving closer.

Terms

Layla #54

Cassie Hendricks had changed out of uniform to meet Cole. Her long brown hair, loose and flowing, lay over Cassie’s shoulders. The small amount of makeup added since Cole last saw her earlier in the day accentuated Cassie’s high cheek bones and full lips. The two had driven to a small restaurant on MacArthur Blvd. called the Café by the Bay, where they both ordered only coffee. The last of the restaurant’s patrons paid their bills, leaving Cole and Cassie alone at a side table minutes after they were seated. The waitress left a coffee carafe with them for refills.

“You have quite a crew at ABC, Cole.”

“Yea, it gets a little weird there sometimes, but we manage,” Cole said carefully. “I’m sorry about the drama earlier. I know you and your partner have better things to do than handle calls relating to my shop. I’m sure those two ladies were…”

“They were kooks,” Cassie laughed. “We get them all the time, especially from Berkeley.”

Not so kooky, Cole thought. “I’m sure Jenny’s ‘Witches’ Brew novelty shop will have a tendency to attract a few out of the ordinary customers.”

“It is a novel idea. I’m interested in your questioning of Cesar Hernandez. You said he was the one we brought in for the attempted mugging on Stan Gibson, your former boss. My partner and I weren’t on duty when the incident happened. I looked for the record when Layla talked to me about it, but didn’t find anything.”

“His record was sealed because he was only sixteen, and made a deal with the DA. It worked out. He’s a good kid, and his Dad straightened him out. I was glad you asked to talk it over with me,” Cole said, as all congeniality drained from his face. “Cesar told me who ordered Stan’s mugging. It turns out the gang member responsible for directing Cesar let slip who wanted it done.”

Cassie’s face momentarily revealed the deer in the headlights shock Cole’s revelation caused. It was replaced instantly with narrow eyed, feral cunning.

“That’s better,” Cole smiled. “I was wondering how long we were going to dance before you dropped the come on. I have no clue as to how deep you and Conte are in this with Spencer and Associates. It must be deep if you’re directing gang muggings for them.”

“What do you want?”

“I’ve been around the block enough times to know it would be extremely difficult to simply out you, Conte, and Spenser. We need to talk terms.”

“I doubt you’re in any position to discuss terms,” Hendricks shrugged. “It would make everything easier if you simply sold out to Spenser. You were nearly killed the other night. Other innocents could be hurt if things were to get nasty, like Hernandez, or even those airheads working for you.”

“I have a card to play, I’ll show to just you, okay?” Cole’s voice changed into a low pitched snarl as he looked around, making sure they were alone. His fangs dropped, and Cole allowed a partial transformation of his face to the Wolf, seizing Cassie’s arm as it lay on the table between them, the claws and hair jutting out where he held her. “Don’t scream, or I’ll rip your throat out right here.”

Cassie had pitched back in her seat, petrified by Cole’s sudden transformation. “Wha…what the hell are you? This is… insane.”

“If any person at ABC or in the Hernandez family is hurt, I will be your personal nightmare. Pray they live charmed lives, because yours will be forfeit in a spectacularly gruesome way if anything happens to them. Do you understand the terms?” Cole leaned over into Cassie’s gasping face.

“Yes… yes… for God’s sake… yes!” Cassie blurted out, turning away and shutting her eyes.

“Good,” Cole assumed his human form, taking a quick glance to see if he’d drawn any interest, but the cook and waitress were cleaning up in preparation of closing. He released Cassie’s arm. “Tell your friends at Spenser my employees over at ABC are a little more than what they appear to be. The flying monster was real. Spenser and Associates would be smart to start running their operation legitimately, and forget about ABC all together. You and Conte need to find a new line of work.”

“What does… I mean… what do we tell Spenser they get?”

“They get to live. I’ll forget about my mugging, and they forget ABC exists. If I hear of any more mysterious land deals anywhere around me, my crew and I will investigate it. Believe me when I tell you, that is the last thing on earth you or Spenser want to have happen. Now let’s go.”

“I…I have to go to the bathroom first.”

__

Layla’s face took on an irritated look Jill was all too familiar with as they drove toward home.

“What’s up, Evil?”

“Oh, Officer ‘Ho’s partner is following us. My little joke must have interested the cops more than I thought it would.”

“I probably overdid my service call a bit,” Jill conceded.

“I thought it was just right,” Jenny complimented her from the back. “I laughed the rest of the day over the Berkley Twins’ departure from the ‘Brew’.”

“Yea, we can’t pass up entertaining opportunities like that,” Layla added. “We’re not doing anything, so let McGruff the Crime Dog follow us all he wants. We’ll go home and do exactly what we had planned.”

“While that damn Cole’s probably playing around with Cassie,” Jill muttered, leaning back in her seat with arms crossed over her chest.

“We’ll have to low key our romantic aspirations for the time being,” Jenny said with regret. “Sorry I jumped the gun on Love Potion #9.”

“Don’t beat yourself up over it,” Layla replied. “If it wasn’t that, it would have been something else. We’ll have to fall back on old standards: guile and trickery.”

Day's End

Layla #53

Layla watched Officer Cassie Hendricks and her partner talking to Cole at the front door. Jill walked up next to her.

“I’m sure this has to do with my customer service call, huh?”

“Yea,” Layla smiled over at Jill; “but why didn’t Cassie go back to the source, instead of coming around the front. I saw Jenny’s two visitors you helped her with in the back of their patrol car. They must have told the cops about ‘The Witches’ Brew’ incident, so why a visit with Cole?”

“I don’t do touchy feely too well, Layla. Maybe you better get Jenny to explain the thing between men and women to you.”

“Very funny, Mechanic Barbie, even allowing for our uniformed tart’s infatuation with Cole, don’t you think she would have went in the back first to talk with Jenny?”

“I don’t know; but with all the arm touches, and smiling head nods, I’d say she’s trying to combine business with pleasure,” Jill answered, watching Cassie putting her hand on Cole’s arm while talking with him. “Her partner doesn’t say much.”

“She’s stunned he’s back on his feet, I’m sure… it still doesn’t follow she would come to Cole first, and especially with the partner along for the ride. Maybe… uh oh… Cole’s waving us over. Put on your poker face, Barbie.”

“I don’t play poker, Evil, I play Skippo.”

“Good, then you’ll have no trouble being a cheating, lying bitch,” Layla whispered sideways as they walked toward Cole and the police officers.

“Hello, Officer Hendricks, and Conte,” Layla said pleasantly, while Jill simply gave the two officers a small wave of acknowledgement.

“Officer Hendricks tells me two women were picked up running and screaming away from the Witches’ Brew," Cole said. "They claim they were attacked in Jenny’s shop.”

“Attacked by whom?” Jill asked innocently, an award winning look of consternation on her face. “I was in Jenny's shop a little while ago, and opening day is going very well.”

“It actually involves you, Ms. Conners,” Officer Conte spoke for the first time. “Would you mind walking out to our patrol car with me?”

“Not at all,” Jill agreed, allowing Officer Conte to guide her to the rear passenger compartment of his squad car; where the two Berkley Goths started screaming again at the sight of Jill, cringing and hugging each other in terror. “Wow, they’re really freaked out.”

“You’ll understand our puzzlement, Ms. Connors, since this is the second time we’ve received a report of you turning into a flying monster.”

“Yea, what can I say, I’m a scary flying monster,” Jill laughed, turning and clasping her hands behind her back. “Take me away, Officer Conte.”

Conte chuckled appreciatively, taking Jill’s arm and walking with her back to where Layla, Cole, and Cassie Hendricks were watching the performance.

“By their reaction, Cass, I’m afraid we do have the scary flying monster they said attacked them,” Conte deadpanned while gesturing at Jill. “Proving it may be a problem. What do you suggest we do about this heinous crime?”

“I guess we drive the Kook twins to their car and see them on their way,” Hendricks smiled turning on Jill with pointing finger. “As for you, Ms. Connors, no more flying monster attacks.”

“Yes, Officer Hendricks,” Jill agreed in mock seriousness, head down in acquiescence.

“Okay, I think we’re done here. Nice to see you up and around, Cole. Would you mind getting together with me after you close, and go over what you’ve found out about your mugging? What you explained Cesar Hernandez told you may require further investigation.”

“Sure,” Cole agreed. “I’m closing on time tonight.”

“Good, you close at five, right? I’ll see you then.”

Cole watched the police officers return to their squad car, sensing Layla and Jill fuming next to him. He turned on them coldly, the look on his face wiping the petty annoyance off theirs.

“If you two are through terrorizing the local population, let’s return our attention to fixing ABC’s customers’ vehicles. Ms. Connors, are you making the Chevy your life’s work, or do you plan on sharing your expertise with a few other makes and models before the day ends?”

“I…I… on it…” Jill jogged inside to the Chevy she had been working on, while Cole turned his attention to Layla.

“Ms. Thomas, would you be so kind as to resume your office duties; and facilitate the profit gathering mission of the repair shop enterprise, I’m hocked up to the eyeballs trying to maintain?”

“Sure, Cole… we were just giving Jenny a…”

“Today, Layla, today,” Cole cut her off, watching as she scuttled off hurriedly to the office without looking back. Cole clamped his hands into fists, desire nearly overwhelming his mind. He walked stiffly inside the shop.

__

“Holy crap, Jenny, you should have seen Cole’s face when he told us to get back to work,” Jill muttered, sipping the tea Jenny had served her friends at the Witches’ Brew patio table. “He’s really pissed.”

“I’m glad I missed it. Did he leave already?”

“Yea, he sent Danny on his way, locked the doors, and went off with Inspector Gadget’s twin sister,” Layla answered. “He decided to share Hernandez’ story with Hendricks, rather than with his trusted partners. Jill and I were supposed to come straight here, grab you by the hair, and haul you home, making sure everything is locked up tight before we left. We decided to flaunt our positions and have tea with you instead.”

“Well, Secret Sisters of the ABC,” Jenny hunched over the table conspiratorially, “what will our next move be?”

“I got nothin’,” Layla sighed, leaning back with her cup.

“Opening day at the ‘Brew’ was a success,” Jenny mentioned, glancing side to side at her friends.

“Kudos,” Jill said tiredly. “Let’s lock up. I’m going home, chug a couple boiler makers while I watch Battlestar Gallactica reruns, and hit the sack.”

“Count me in,” Layla nodded, standing up.

“Me three, sisters,” Jenny agreed. “I’ll get the shop door.”

Officer Conte watched the women get into Layla’s Lexus and drive off. He started his Pontiac and followed them discreetly.

Grand Opening

Layla #52

“Cole, please come see my opening,” Jenny pleaded. “I promise, we won’t ever do anything like that again to you.”

“Go away,” Cole ordered, not looking up from the battery he was replacing in an 86 Jeep Cherokee.

“We forgive you,” Jenny giggled.

“You what?!” Cole hit his head on the hood, jerking up to Jenny’s response. He reeled back holding his head. “Damn it… Jenny…”

“I’m sorry, Cole, but we have to stick together. Now come on back for my opening… just for a few minutes.”

“Someone could have been killed last night. The stuff you poisoned my coffee with near drove me insane. I could see Layla pulling a stunt like that; but I trusted you.”

“We were trying to get you over thinking we care about you because of some stupid pheromone. We want you to move in with us, that’s all.”

“Not going to happen,” Cole stated, still rubbing his head. “Go on and do your opening. I’ll come take a look later on. I have a business to run out here too.”

“You promise?”

“Yea, I promise, now get out of my sight, before I take a broom handle to you.”

“Ooooooooohhhh… kinky.”

“Why you…” Cole started for Jenny. She squealed and ran for the back as fast as high heels and a tight black skirt permitted. Cole watched her, the dregs of Jenny’s potion still causing him grief. He shook his head, trying to shake off the stabbing desire lancing through him, and turned again to the Jeep.

“Is he coming back,” Jill asked as Jenny came into sight.

“No, but he did talk to me. I joked with him, saying we forgave him, and Cole busted his head on the Jeep hood he was under.”

“Hell of an ice breaker, Jen,” Layla sighed. “Cole didn’t get a chance to tell us what he found out from the Hernandez kid either.”

“He promised to stop in later. I’ll ask him then. I’m nervous as hell.”

“Get over it,” Layla snorted, giving Jenny a back of the head slap. “I hear some people on the other side of the gate, so open up and at least pretend you know what you’re doing. You ran the ABC front desk, so you can certainly run a novelty witch shop.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence, Evil,” Jenny replied, heading over to unlatch the gate.

__

“Hey, I heard you talking to Jenny,” Danny said, joining Cole under the Jeep hood, where Cole had begun changing the drive belts.

“Yea, she never listens to anything contrary to what she wants to do, especially my orders.”

“Any chance of finding out what happened last night?”

“Believe me when I tell you, Danny, in knowing or not knowing what goes on outside of ABC, ignorance is bliss.”

“I may be a little slow on the uptake, but I’m not stupid,” Danny laughed. “Going to work here in the morning is like Forrest Gump’s box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.”

“Speaking of work…”

“I’m going right now to get the next one up, boss. Did you hear anymore about who clubbed you the other night?”

“It’s under investigation still. In the meantime, until it gets sorted out, ABC will be closing on time, and everyone will be leaving together. No overtime until further notice. Layla is scheduling accordingly. How’s the family?”

“Real good,” Danny replied, leaning in again. “My wife hangs on every word when I talk about the shop now. Even my two kids sit enraptured at the dinner table when I talk shop. My wife suggested an exorcist.”

“Now I know the earth is doomed.”

“Huh?”

“You used enraptured in a sentence. Get to work.”

__

Jenny bagged a small crystal, smiling at the woman and daughter purchasing it. “Thanks for coming in. Please tell your friends.”

“We will, Jenny, your shop is so interesting,” the woman said. “I’m going to bring my friends over in the morning for your green tea mixture. It was very good. Would having the kids play out in your courtyard be a bother?”

“Not a bit,” Jenny answered. “Maybe some craft tables would be a good addition out there for the kids.”

“That’s a great idea,” the woman’s daughter piped in. “Even boys like witch stuff and comic books.”

“I’ll try to have a larger selection on hand,” Jenny nodded, looking back at the small comic rack she had. “Well, see you soon.”

Two women, dressed in Goth manner walked in past the woman and her daughter. They looked around the shop, clucking derisively and rolling their eyes. Jenny didn’t interfere with their perusal of her shop, busying herself with straightening the merchandise displaced by prior shoppers. Jenny flicked on the intercom switch Layla had asked for so she could enjoy anything of entertainment value while still in the front office.

“The Witches’ Brew, indeed,” the one who looked like she stepped out of a Macbeth cauldron scene commented, as she met Jenny’s smile with a sneer. “Do you work here, young woman?”

“Yes, I’m the owner, Jenny Southington. Can I help you find anything?”

“What in Gaia’s name does this place have to do with witches?” The other Macbeth cauldron scene lookalike asked. “We came all the way from Berkeley because someone gave us a flyer of yours. This is such a disappointment.”

“It’s a novelty shop not the gateway to the 7^th Level of Hell, Ma’am,” Jenny giggled, thinking what she would have done to the two only a short time ago.

“And do you think of yourself as a witch, Ms. Southington?” the first Goth crone continued the interrogation.

“I’ve banished a demon, dispersed a warlock’s spell, and created a love potion potent enough to nearly get me killed,” Jenny rattled off her latest adventures.

“Sacrilege!” Crone #2 gasped.

“Have you ever been sacrificed on an altar?” Crone #1 whispered, invading Jenny’s airspace, her face twisted to convey a threatening demeanor.

Jenny made her own face, reaching into the pocket of her smock, and pulling out a plastic case. She held it up between her and Crone #1. “Tic-Tac?”

__

In the office, Layla chuckled, listening intently to the conversation. When she heard the sacrifice remark, the Djinn smiled and opened the shop intercom.

“Wraith to Witches’ Brew for customer service please.”

__

Crone #1 slapped the Tic-Tac case out of Jenny’s hand angrily.

“Are you trying to scare me, Endora?” Jenny laughed. “You two are adorable.”

“It would be unwise to disrespect us,” Crone #2 warned her, moving in closer.

“Hey Jenny,” Jill called out from the doorway. “Layla sent me back for Wraith customer service.”

Jenny looked around the two crones, checking for customers. Seeing none, Jenny nodded. “It’s really not necessary, Jill.”

“I know,” Jill replied, walking past the crone duo. “Layla wants a viewing. I can feel her creeping around in my head. We need to install video back here.”

“Oh look, Sue,” Crone #1 said to her friend, “it’s Mechanic Barbie.”

Two women in black were picked up moments later by Oakland police as they ran screaming down the middle of 38^th Avenue.

Setback

Layla #51

“Jenny…” Layla nudged her friend, receiving a weak groan in response. “Hey… Barbie, you okay?”

The three women, their clothing in tatters, lay scattered haphazardly over Layla’s king size bed. Layla reached for Jill’s foot, shaking it.

“Earth to Barbie… over…” Layla continued with her assault on Jill’s foot, until Jill kicked away from Layla’s hand.

“Oh… my… God…” Jill muttered in a raspy whisper. “What…what time is it?”

“Almost seven,” Jenny propped herself up enough to see the clock on Layla’s nightstand. “I think I’m paralyzed from the waist down. Call 911.”

“When did Cole leave?” Jill asked, sitting up stiffly. “I passed out a little after one.”

“He came down off the plateau around three,” Layla answered, her healing factor allowing the Djinn more mobility. “I’m wishing myself a mug of Mocha Java. Anyone care to join me?”

Jenny’s hand waved, but her body remained face down on the bed coverings. Jill slowly moved to Layla’s side, where the Djinn sat upright against the padded headboard. Layla handed Jill a freshly created steaming mug, which Jill sipped with an appreciative moan. Layla sipped from her own mug, kicking Jenny lightly.

“You can’t drink it from there, Elvira. Hull your abused butt up here.”

Jenny inched into a sitting position on the other side of Layla, her journey marked with a symphony of whimpering gasps. Layla handed Jenny a mug, and the three sat in silence enjoying their Djinn created mixture.

“Today’s Wednesday,” Jenny said finally, “hump day.”

“Careful with the jokes, Elvira,” Layla warned. “You don’t have your Angelica Root on you; and I’m thinking we need a house pet… something in the rodent family.”

“I put just the right amount of potion in,” Jill mimicked Jenny comically in singsong manner.

“Witchcraft potions are an inexact science,” Jenny sighed. “Who knew?”

“Was Cole mad?” Jill asked.

“Oh yeah,” Layla replied. “I won’t go into detail as to what Cole was doing when he came out of it; but let’s just say I’ll have to repair some stuff magically between here and the door, because I heard some things flying around between Cole cussing us out and his eventual exit from the house.”

“I think I’ve seen more of you two than I care to, if you know what I mean,” Jill chuckled with some embarrassment.

“I hate to say this, but I believe I’ve seen more of Cole than I care to,” Jenny added.

“Amen,” Layla agreed, glancing sideways at her friends. “I’m glad I have separate bathrooms, cause you two need a major overhaul. Today is your opening day, right Jen?”

“Oh God…” Jenny cried out, getting off the bed gingerly, and limping off. “Thanks for the reminder, Evil. See you two in forty-five minutes. That’s the best I can do.”

“Maybe we should call in sick, Layla,” Jill suggested, grunting into a standing position.

“Yea, I’m sure Cole would be less mad if we do that.”

__

Danny met the three as they exited Layla’s newly acquired Lexus, having been waiting for them to arrive. He grinned at his co-workers.

“This comes straight from the boss,” Danny said. “Don’t approach him, don’t talk to him, don’t look at him. Get your asses to work as if he weren’t here today… his words. I’m to act as his go between. Not being a curious guy, I’ll let it stand at that. Damn, ABC is getting to be an exciting place to work. It’s like a cross between soap opera and Mission Impossible.”

“You’re getting to be quite the comedian lately, Danny boy,” Layla pinched his cheek playfully. “Get back in there, or I’ll hunt up all the foul jobs I was going to give to Jill, and make you do them.”

“Yes, Mistress of the Dark,” Danny laughed, turning and jogging inside the shop.

“You were kidding about…” Jill began, and then shut up for a moment. “What did I do? Jenny made the potion.”

“Yea, but you’re the other human around with the responsibility of holding Elvira in check,” Layla replied.

“Oh sure, blame the only normal in this threesome,” Jill retorted, striding ahead. “Something tells me it would be good to get buried in my work today, so bring it on.”

“What time you opening, Jen?” Layla paused to ask. “A grand opening might be a good ice breaker for our incommunicado Cole.”

“About ten, I hope. If you get a few minutes, come on in and let me know how everything looks.”

“I will,” Layla agreed. “That was a night to remember.”

“It was certainly not one to repeat in the near future. I may have set our plans for Cole to move in back a little.”

“Yuh think?!”

Love Potion #9

I never thought I'd be doing a Layla #50. :)

“Okay, we’re here,” Layla said, entering ‘The Witches’ Brew’ with Jill close behind. “We’re all closed up. What was so important we couldn’t talk about it on the way home?”

“I did it!” Jenny hurried over to her friends.

“Did what?” Layla asked, looking around for some change.

“I gave Cole a small touch of my own Love Potion #9 formula.”

“What the hell did you do that for?” Jill asked.

Jenny frowned. “I thought we were all agreed about speeding things up getting Cole moved in with us.”

“Give me the details,” Layla said, sitting down at one of the tables.

“I served Cole a cup of coffee an hour ago with a drop of my potion in it.”

“Cole left a few minutes ago after he sent Danny home,” Jill said, joining Layla and Jenny at the table. “This potion of yours doesn’t work like the song, I hope.”

“No,” Jenny laughed. “For it to work, I mixed in a tiny piece of our DNA. Cole won’t run out and get the hots for anything in sight.”

“What kind of DNA?” Layla asked.

“I brewed it with a hair from each of us,” Jenny explained. “He’ll be very interested when we get together later. Cole told me he was going over to talk with the kid who tried to mug Stan, but he’d come to our house right after.”

“He better come,” Layla replied. “How does this potion of yours work exactly?”

“Well… I’m not really sure,” Jenny admitted. “I know he’ll be attracted to us; but to what degree depends on my mix. I think I put a perfect amount in his coffee.”

“Cole’s already attracted to us,” Jill pointed out. “We should have talked this over more.”

“Too late for discussions,” Jenny shrugged. “It will kick in about an hour from now. When he comes over, Cole should be pliable enough where we’re concerned to accept our urging to move in.”

“Sounds okay to me,” Layla nodded. “It’ll be great having him living at our house.”

“We’ll need to establish some ground rules,” Jill said.

“Yea,” Layla smiled, “no holds barred, every woman for herself.”

“Exactly,” Jenny agreed.

“Let’s get home then,” Jill stood up, looking down at her dirty uniform. “Someone will have to hose me off before I go in the house.”

“Dirt from a car is like an aphrodisiac for Cole,” Layla patted Jill’s shoulder, “and that odor, ooh la la.”

“Very funny, Djinnster,” Jill smiled as Layla and Jenny laughed. “Wear that same perfume you have on now when Cole comes over. It makes you smell like Peppy Le Pew.”

__

A loud knocking drew the three women from their respective rooms, hurrying together down the stairs. They were all wearing high heels and short, low cut dresses: Jill in red, Layla in blue, and Jenny in black.

At the door, the knocking grew more insistent. The women were halfway down the stairs when the lock gave way, and the door burst open. Cole leaped into the entryway, slamming the door closed behind him, freezing the three on the steps. Cole’s clothes were in disarray, and he panted like a wolf, his chest heaving. He spotted the three on the stairs, and his fangs grew more prominent. Cole started up the stairway as if he were stalking prey, his face contorted and wild looking.

“Uh oh,” Jenny whispered, backing up a step. “I may have made a slight error in the dosage.”

Some Clarity

Layla #49

“Okay, what’d I miss?” Cole asked. “I saw the narrowing of the eyes, and the head shake. Do you two know Collins?”

“We think the attempted mugging on Stan is related to Spenser and Associates. Instead of taking their offer after the close call, Stan sold to you,” Layla explained. “They moved more quickly this time, and didn’t bother with an offer before taking you down.”

“You know something about what they were involved in down the street?” Jill asked, as she watched the darkness descend over Cole’s face.

“Yea, Stan and I talked about the scam they pulled on the corner. They received sweetheart deals from the state for tearing down the buildings already there, and making a ten unit condo complex supposedly for low income housing. What happened was they used front groups to purchase all the units, and then sold them to regular working class people for $250,000 per unit.”

“So why didn’t the state bust the Spenser group?” Layla asked.

“Nobody complained,” Cole shrugged. “Certainly not Stan or our neighbors around here. The way section eight housing worked in the duplex on the other side of the street was drug dealers coerced people who could qualify for section eight housing into applying. After their applications were approved, the drug dealers paid them off, and in they went. Stan told me it took the cops and neighbors ten years to bust out the crack dealers who ran the place.”

“I get it,” Jill said. “The people paying the two hundred fifty grand can’t be bought out.”

“They have jobs, families, and guns,” Cole smiled. “Stan figured it was the price of doing business the way Spenser handled the deal. They made a profit and ten families of all creeds and colors purchased homes. We get a lot of their business.”

“It seems Spenser may have changed their acquiring tactics,” Layla added.

“I’m not much on conspiracies involving gangbangers and legitimate enterprises,” Cole replied, shaking his head. “They’d need a few layers between them and the street gang. Granted, Collins was a little slimy; but he represents a multi-million dollar operation. If his firm sees an opportunity, they make the most of it.”

“Like vultures,” Layla said. “I like ‘em for it.”

“Ditto,” Jill agreed. “We want to find Stan’s mugger and find out if anyone approached him to do the job. Now that you’re better, we’ll try and get the police to tell us his location.”

“No need,” Cole replied, walking over to the filing cabinet, and opening the bottom drawer. He took out a file and brought it over to the counter. “His name’s Cesar Hernandez. He was only sixteen when he attacked Stan. Because he was the one who received the most damage, the DA let him off with a slap on the wrist. I went over to his house; because I wanted to see if he had family.”

“And to make sure you knew where retribution might come from?” Jill asked.

“Exactly,” Cole grinned. “His old man, Ray, is a stand up guy. He heads a contract crew that cleans grocery stores and schools. Cesar was the oldest of five kids. Ray and his wife had no clue Cesar had decided to test the gangbanger waters. Ray pulled the kid out of the public high school viper nest, and put him to work while he earns his GED in night school classes.”

“I know the name. They bring their cars in here,” Layla looked through the folder . “This Cesar kid owns an old Chevy Cavalier, doesn’t he?”

“Yep, but don’t say anything to Stan. I never told him I went over to the Hernandez house. The only thing he knows was I lured in Ray’s business contract for his fleet of vans. Cesar only lately started dropping off vehicles for his Dad. I told the kid it would be better to stay away while Stan was still around to recognize him. I’ll go over and see Cesar tonight. I always assumed it was a gang initiation.”

“We’re going with you,” Jill stated. “You’re not getting out of our sight.”

“If you want to come with me and sit in the car, it’s okay by me; but I take care of this alone. Wise up, and just go home. I’ll report over later. I have the Wolf now, and I won’t be wishing him away.”

“He’ll be fine, Barbie. We’ll go rent a couple movies, and play rock, paper, scissors to see who sleeps with him.”

“Bite me, Skipper. You read minds, and I don’t anymore, which means Jenny and I can’t win,” Jill retorted, turning to Cole. “Okay, we’ll wait, but you turn on your damn cell-phone for a change. Check in when you start for our house.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” Cole saluted. “Well, I have a brake job to do.”

“Oh, you’re so forceful, Barbie,” Layla crooned, after Cole left the office. “If you’re done piddling around with the Toyota, I have a nice motor and transmission mounts job on a 94 Taurus for you.”

“Shit, I’ll look like a coal miner after I get done with that,” Jill complained, while Layla reached for the Ford Taurus keys and estimate sheet.

“You need some seasoning. At ABC, we want our Techs to be well rounded in automotive repair.”

“I think we’ll play Skippo to see who gets Cole tonight,” Jill replied thoughtfully, taking the Taurus keys.

“You and Jenny cheat at Skippo!” Layla took the bait, following Jill to the door.

“At ABC, we want our Djinns to be well rounded game players.”

“You’ll be well rounded, Barbie!” Layla called out after her, when Jill closed the door in her face. “If I catch either you or Jenny cheating me again, you’ll be on Social Security before getting out of your gerbil ball!”

Just Business

Layla #48

Jill tightened nuts on the 2002 Toyota Camry upper strut supports. Jenny ducked her head around the opposite side of the Toyota hood. Jill immediately picked up the stun gun lying at hand on the fender, firing off a crackling blue arc. Jenny jumped back with her hands palm out in defensive posture.

“I come in peace, sister of the ABC.”

“You’ll be an electrically charged piece if you don’t get the hell away from me.”

“We left you two alone after our little visit, didn’t we?”

“Yea, after you scared the crap out of me, and my scream brought the nurses on the run. The miracle took over from there, ending my conjugal visit with Cole, bitch! Then they threw me out! I’m going to…” Jill headed for Jenny and then stopped, waving her off. “Go away before I do something I’ll enjoy too much.”

“They released Cole this morning.”

“No, really?” Jill looked up and over at where Cole was taking the lug nuts off the wheels of an old Ford truck. “Hey, what do you know, there he is. Any more press releases before you leave me the hell alone?”

“Oh… I see… it was funny when you and Evil popped into the backseat of Cole’s Dodge with me in flagrante; but it’s sacrilege when you’re the recipient, huh?”

Jill turned away, picking up where she left off on the Toyota, unable to keep her lips from quivering in suppressed mirth at Jenny’s reminder. “You had more clothes on than I did.”

“We heard you get up at five and leave this morning,” Jenny said, returning to the opposite fender. “Has Layla come over to talk?”

“She knew better. Layla used Danny to direct me between jobs this morning, which was fine with me. Cole’s so focused, he hasn’t even talked to me since our initial hug hello this morning. When I get through with this strut job, I’m going to take him over a cup of coffee, and find out how he’s doing.”

“I’ll go,” Jenny volunteered, bobbing around comically, drawing a reluctant laugh from Jill.

“Sure… go ahead. We’ll be sitting next to your hospital bed tonight.”

“On second thought… I’ll be in the ‘Brew’.”

“You have chosen… wisely,” Jill muttered, nodding as Jenny waved and backed away.

__

“Hey, Jill,” Cole greeted her as he tightened the rear drum on the brake lathe, and set up the cut to be taken. He started the resurfacing process before taking the proffered cup of coffee from Jill. “I heard your stun gun crackling.”

“A simple misunderstanding.”

“I’ll bet. God, it feels great to be wrenching today. From now on, whenever I’m in the midst of some crap job, or buried to my eyeballs in work, I’ll think back to lying paralyzed on that hospital bed.”

“Where were we… I mean… you know, when…”

“Turnaround Lake in the Caribou wilderness,” Cole answered, knowing what Jill was referring to right away. “Did you like it?”

“It…it was breathtaking. There really is a rock like that?”

“Yep, I’ve fished off it many times. I backpack up there once or twice a year, depending on work. The silence when I’m on the rock, before first light, actually allows me to hear the gears turning inside my own head. When the sun rises over the mountain, it warms up from freezing to t-shirt weather in a matter of minutes.”

“Will you take me up there with you?”

“Oh yeah,” Cole answered, taking Jill’s hand. “In early October, there’re hardly any bugs. The nights are crisp and cold, with star clusters so bright they practically leap at you. The mornings are dark and still.”

“Sounds wonderful. I’d like to have a second chance on the rock.”

“I think that can be arranged.”

__

Layla looked up from her computer screen. A man dressed in a tailored slate gray suit walked into the office, with coiffed wavy brown hair, and briefcase in hand. Tall and slender, with an easy smile, the man seemed to be enjoying a joke he’d just heard. Layla stood up to greet him, returning his smile with her own.

“Hello, Sir, how may I help you?”

The man extended a business card.

“I’m Brad Collins, from Spenser and Associates. My firm represents many business interests in the Bay Area. Perhaps you’ve heard of us?”

“Oh yeah,” Layla froze her smile in place with an effort. “I believe I have heard of your firm. I think Stan Gibson, the prior owner, mentioned it to me.”

“Great,” Collins replied, his smile widening. “He may have mentioned our interest in acquiring this property.”

“Yes, he did; but then he sold it to his employee instead, Cole Warren.”

“Exactly,” Collins nodded in agreement. “We heard Mr. Warren met with a tragic reversal of fortune. We wondered if he had anyone with power of attorney we might speak with. I’ve heard he is in a coma, and can’t communicate.”

“Wait right here, Mr. Collins,” Layla directed, walking hurriedly around the counter, and opening the door into the shop, “I have someone for you to talk with about this.”

Layla stepped into the shop, spotting Cole holding Jill’s hand near the brake lathe.

“Hey, Cole, you and Jill come on in the office. There’s a visitor here you need to talk to.”

Cole and Jill walked into the office. Collins’ smile disappeared. Layla could tell right away, Collins knew Cole on sight.

“Cole Warren,” Layla gestured at Collins, “meet Brad Collins of Spenser and Associates.”

“Mr. Warren,” Collins held out his hand, struggling to regain his composure, “we’d heard you were in an accident, and had lapsed into a coma.”

“There wasn’t anything accidental about the pipe some punk smacked me in the side of my head with, Mr. Collins,” Cole joked, shaking the man’s hand. “Stan told me he’d been offered a buyout from your firm, just before he sold me the business. What can I do for you?”

Layla saw Jill’s face take on a dark look at the mention of Spenser and Associates. Layla gave her an imperceptible head shake, and Jill reigned in her first impulse to Wraith the guy.

“I…I was hoping to make an offer on the business with whomever you’d designated your power of attorney to, because we’d heard you were in a coma. I’m happy to see our information was flawed. Would you entertain an offer, Sir?”

“No, I’m doing pretty well,” Cole answered politely. “I doubt I’ll ever sell. Stan never did tell me what your firm planned to do with the business.”

“Well, as I’m sure you’re aware, this area is depressed, and foreclosures are at an all time high. We represent an investment group interested in large properties we wish to turn into section eight housing for the less fortunate people in the area.”

“Oh, you mean like the section eight housing complex down the street, where they changed low cost housing into $250,000 apiece condo sales?” Cole said.

Collins lost his smile again. “Well, I see you’re busy. Nice meeting you, perhaps we’ll speak again.”

“I doubt that will be necessary, Brad,” Cole replied, opening the office door to the street for Collins.

Hello My Baby

I’m adding an addendum to my Layla adventure tale today. I took in a 2003 Saturn sedan with a customer complaint of noise in the front ever since he had a minor accident, which required the replacement of the Saturn front bumper. After an initial inspection, I took the Saturn out for a road test, and heard nothing. He okayed my keeping the car for a drive this morning, because it sounded louder cold. It turned out to be how the bumper mated to the frame. When the car settled overnight, the noise would become audible until it was driven for a while. The customer explained every time he took it in to be checked, the noise would disappear, which led to the funny point I’m getting to.

The customer said, “My Saturn’s like the frog in the old cartoon, where it would pop out singing until…”

I started laughing, knowing right away what cartoon he meant.

“You’re really dating yourself, pal,” I said, which got him laughing too.

In the Warner Bros. cartoon, a poor sap finds this case which he opens. A frog jumps up with top-hat and cane singing ‘Hello my baby, hello my darlin’, hello my ragtime gal’. Every time he tries to exploit the frog for money, it simply sits and croaks like a frog.

I didn’t charge him for checking the noise; but I should have charged him a hundred bucks for planting that stupid song in my head for the rest of the day. :)

Come Back

Layla #47

“Oh… real funny,” Layla frowned at Jenny, who quickly suppressed her amusement over Jill’s unconscious noises and body motions.

“Maybe it’s part of her plan… uh oh…”

Jill suddenly stiffened, and an involuntary scream escaped as Layla waved a hand and Cole’s hospital room was sealed off. Jill jerked on the chair, with Layla and Jenny gripping her arms to keep Jill from pitching off the chair.

“Damn it, Barbie, this is no time for foolin’ around,” Layla said in tight lipped angst.

“Maybe she’s in pain,” Jenny suggested, trying to keep a straight face, and failing.

__

“Oh my God… Cole…” Jill cried out, pleasure flooding her mind as she remained locked in Cole’s arms. “Don’t… no… no more, we have to go back.”

“I’ve run my string out, baby,” Cole murmured against Jill’s lips. “I have faith. I’m not afraid to go on. Maybe you better head back.”

“No! I…I’m not leaving without you. Oh… oh no… Cole… don’t do that…”

__

Layla and Jenny were holding onto Jill with determination. Jenny was laughing while Layla cursed under her breath.

“You’re not helping, Elvira!” Layla seethed. “Think of something or we’ll lose them both.”

“Okay… okay,” Jenny relented, still smiling. “Hey… can’t you enter Jill’s mind?”

“Not unless I want to really screw things up,” Layla said, slapping the back of Jill’s head as Jill began to pant again, accompanied by small helpless moans. “I knew I should have turned you and the giggling Witch-O-Rama here into tree toads when I had the chance.”

“C’mon, I didn’t… hey… how about spiking in just a thought, something to jar Jill back to business?”

“Yea…” Layla thought for a moment and then smiled. She grabbed Jill’s hair and closed her eyes. “I’m giving you a ‘Shaq’ haircut, and Jenny’s plucking your eyebrows out, Barbie.”

Layla repeated the sentence every few moments.

__

In the midst of their lovemaking, Jill screamed, rolling away from Cole, patting at her head and eyes with both hands. She was bald.

“What happened… to your hair?” Cole asked, scrambling over to Jill and holding her.

“Layla! You Bitch!” Jill yelled out, her voice echoing slightly. She jumped to her feet, pulling on Cole. “C’mon you, we’re going back so I can kick the snot out of a certain Djinn and her buddy. I mean it Marine… on your feet!”

Cole chuckled, standing up and shaking his head.

“I’m paralyzed, Jill, and I ain’t going back,” Cole stated firmly, disengaging himself from Jill. “I’ll stay here until my body gives up the ghost, and then I’ll move on. I love you. Tell Layla and Jenny I love them too. See you all on the other side.”

“You idiot!” Jill hugged Cole around the waist. “All you have to do is wish…”

“Don’t you think I know that?” Cole said, rubbing Jill’s bare back. “What if I go back and I can’t get a word out?”

__

Jill’s body went limp, and her face contorted in fury.

“That’ll learn ya’,” Layla laughed, knowing she had reached Jill.

“Oh, she is going to… ah oh… here we go again.”

Jill’s body began to tense, her mouth slightly ajar, as her breathing quickened.

Layla grabbed Jill’s hair, closing her eyes. “Concentrate Barbie!”

__

“We have to go,” Jill gasped, pulling free of Cole, but grabbing his hand. “It’s not your time, and I swear to God I will take you out myself if we can’t get you back all the way. Now, c’mon, before that damn Djinn starts cutting pieces off me.”

“Okay,” Cole nodded reluctantly, “but I’m holding you to your promise. Hey, once more for the road? You look kind of kinky with no hair.”

“Really?” Jill asked, running her free hands over her head as Cole moved in, only to be pushed back. “Nice try, big boy, you can have all you want on the other side. Let’s go.”

__

Jill’s eyes opened, and her head jerked around, unsure for a moment where she was.

“Easy, Barbie, you’re back with us,” Layla said soothingly, and then laughed as Jill’s hands reached for her hair and eyebrows.

“We had to get you back somehow, Jill,” Jenny said, patting her friend’s hand.

“He’s coming…” Jill jumped up, rushing to grab Cole’s hand, peering into his face.

Layla positioned herself to grant his wish, leaning near Cole’s mouth. Cole groaned slightly, his eyes fluttering. He slowly focused, and his lips moved. Layla leaned in closer but could hear nothing. Cole tried again, his eyes getting more agitated. Jenny went around to the other side of the bed, peering at Cole’s mouth, her lips mimicking Cole’s.

“Water… he wants water,” Jenny yelled.

Jill grabbed the water glass with straw they had on a moveable table near the bed. She filled the glass partway, and carefully guided the straw into Cole’s mouth. He clumsily sucked a little fluid down, coughing weakly. Cole looked at Layla, a crooked smile forming.

“Were…Werewolf… I wish… to be… a Werewolf.”

“Done!!!” Layla laughed, clapping her hands excitedly.

Cole changed, his body swelling out quickly into monstrous form, with Layla, Jill, and Jenny pulling equipment out of his way. He leaped lithely across the room from the bed, tearing away what bandages remained, a growl gurgling up through his throat, giving vent to his own excitement. The three women danced and hugged him and each other.

“Okay, party’s over, Dog Boy, change back and get into bed,” Layla ordered. “I’ve been manipulating your vitals out to the nurses’ station since Jill went in to get you.”

“What for?” Cole growled, evoking laughter from Jill and Jenny.

“We have to let the Doc discover the miracle, unless you want to go out and introduce yourself.”

“Fine,” Cole growled in resignation and changed to human form. Layla handed him a hospital gown, which Jill and Jenny insisted on helping him get into.

“You’re not going to stick all that stuff back into me, are you?” Cole asked, getting back into bed, and pointing at the equipment.

“No, I’ll keep the input normal to the nursing station,” Layla replied. “We’ll leave Barbie here to help the nursing staff discover the miracle.”

Layla kissed Cole, and then hugged him tightly. “I’m glad you’re back.”

“So am I,” Cole framed Layla’s face in his hands. “What a relief it was to know I could speak.”

“I’ll bet. See you in the morning if you can get released,” Layla said, while Jenny kissed and hugged Cole.

“Oh, they’ll release me alright,” Cole stated, as Jenny patted his cheek affectionately. “I’ll be in the shop bright and early.”

“Don’t get hurt, you two,” Layla said, walking toward the door, and hauling Jenny along with her. “The nurses might be by on rounds, so better prop the chair against the door, kids.”

“Thanks, Layla,” Jill called out happily.

“How long, do you think, Evil,” Jenny asked, after the door to Cole’s room closed behind them, and she heard Jill slip the chair back under the room door handle.

“We’ll give them fifteen minutes, and then we pop in to chaperone.”

Going In

Layla #46

“Man, seeing Cole like that was brutal,” Danny said, standing next to Jill near their small break area drinking coffee.

The two had finished up with all Monday’s scheduled jobs a few minutes before closing time. They decided to have a cup of coffee together while Layla made sure the customers reacquired their vehicles without any problems. Jill nodded her head in agreement. The weekend saw little change in Cole’s condition, with Layla, Jenny, and Jill maintaining a hopeful vigil. Danny and Bob had stopped in on Sunday afternoon together, visibly shaken at the sight of their friend.

“Cole’s going to pull through, Danny,” Jill replied, wishing she could believe her own words. “Jenny said they’re doing tests all day to see if they can operate tomorrow.”

“Did Layla hear anything about police progress?”

“Cassie, the woman police officer we met the other day, has been nice enough to keep us apprised of any progress. They have squat. Cassie tried forwarding our thoughts on the similarities between what happened to Stan, and Cole’s mugging; but they won’t even go back and question the gangbanger Stan had the run in with.”

“And they wonder why people take the law into their own hands,” Danny retorted.

“When Cole gets well, we’ll…”

“Jill!” Layla called out from the office door. “We have to get over to the hospital. Danny, lock up when you leave, and don’t stick around here.”

“Okay, Layla,” Danny agreed, watching Jill set off at a dead run.

__

Jenny met her friends in the hallway outside Cole’s room. The commotion inside made it clear Cole had taken a turn for the worse.

“He… he started losing it when they brought him back to the room after the last battery of tests,” Jenny explained, her lower lip beginning to tremble upon seeing friendly faces. “They had to call for the crash cart to bring him back.”

“No more of this for you, Jen,” Layla replied, putting a comforting hand on Jenny’s shoulder. “You fill in for me tomorrow, and I’ll stay with Cole.”

“We both know I can’t run the shop like you can,” Jenny shook her head, taking a deep breath. “I’ll be fine… it’s just…”

“Hi,” Doctor Torturro broke in tiredly, at the doorway, as the nurses rolled the crash cart out of Cole’s room. “I’m glad you’re all here. Cole’s not doing well. His body is starting to shut down, and his brain wave activity has all but ceased. I wish I could…”

“Don’t say it, Doc,” Layla interrupted. “We know you’ve been doing all you can. Is… he stable now?”

“I’m afraid he’s holding on by a thread, Layla. It would be a good idea to stay with him for as long as you three can. Cole’s survival depends on more than we can offer him.

“We will, Doc, thanks,” Layla smiled, ushering Jill and Jenny in past Torturro.

Doctor Torturro nodded and walked down the hall.

“Okay,” Layla said, when the three were standing together around Cole, “plan B.”

“There’s a plan B?” Jill asked, turning to Layla questioningly.

“Jenny and I have talked it over, but it’s dangerous as hell,” Layla nodded. “I’m going to give you the power to enter into Cole’s mind. I can’t do anything because of his immunity, and Jenny…”

“I’m scared,” Jenny admitted, taking Jill’s hand. “Would you… want to try bringing Cole out of it?”

“In a heartbeat,” Jill grinned, feeling hope surge through her for the first time in a week. “I’ll drag his ass to the surface. Why didn’t you ask me before?”

“Because you may go in and never come out, Barbi,” Layla said with some irritation as she turned on Jenny. “See, I knew she’d want to dive right in like a damn Predator drone.”

“Layla’s right, Jill,” Jenny said, squeezing her hand, “you have to be careful. If you do locate his conscious mind, Cole may draw you into whatever fantasy world he’s locked into.”

Jill pretended she was falling asleep, complete with head nodding and rolling eyes. She looked up finally at her exasperated friends.

“Bored now, when do we start?”

“Okay, smartass,” Layla gestured, and three chairs appeared once again near Cole’s bed. “Sit down and close your eyes. Reach out with your mind as you would for sleep, and try to detect any…”

Jill had sat down as Layla directed, and closed her eyes, reaching out with her mind. She gasped and her eyes popped open, looking toward Jenny accusingly. “Jenny… you pervert… you were touching Cole inappropriately. He’s in a coma for God’s sake!”

“I…I…” Jenny stumbled back, blushing furiously, “thought… you know… I could reach him in a different way.”

“Concentrate,” Layla laughed, slapping the back of Jill’s head. “That’s enough with the trial runs.”

Jill briefly shook a finger angrily at Jenny, and then relaxed against the chair back, closing her eyes once again. She pictured Cole, trying to project the need for him she felt every time he looked at her. A doorway formed amidst the colorful synapse atmosphere Jill found herself floating detached within.

Opening the door, Jill stepped onto the path winding through a wooded wilderness. On her left mountain peaks surrounded a large still lake. Dawn light, shining up from behind the mountains, highlighted the cloudless sky. Silence, so complete it felt like a tangible substance, engulfed Jill in a soothing wave. She walked along the path, shivering with delight in the cold mountain air.

“Jill, I’m here.”

Jill looked over to see Cole, holding a fishing rod with one hand, and waving at her from the flat granite outcropping, which jutted into the lake. He was dressed in jeans, black parka, and hiking boots. She cried out his name and ran through the woods separating them and into his arms. Cole laughed, holding on to her tightly, while trying to keep his grip on the pole.

“Thanks for coming. Wow, you look great.”

Jill pulled back from Cole a little, looking down. She was dressed in a black thong bikini and matching sandals. Gee, Cole, who dressed me in this outfit, she thought. Cole put aside his fishing rod. He sat down on the thick woolen blanket spread over the rock surface, pulling Jill down between his splayed legs. Cole wrapped his arms around her tightly, his head over her shoulder. Jill leaned into him, looking out at the lake and the sun peeking up over the mountainous horizon.

“It’ll get warm in a minute,” Cole promised, hugging her. They watched the sunrise together, Jill’s heart racing as she felt Cole’s hard body pressing against her. The sun brought warmth as Jill put her arms around Cole’s knees.

“Cole, you need to come back with me,” Jill whispered, as Cole’s hands gently stroked her arms and shoulders, slowly moving up and down, sending a heat wave through Jill.

“Back where?” Cole moved his lips along Jill’s right neck and shoulder.

“Oh Cole… to… to the real world,” Jill moaned, shivering at his feathery touch.

“What for?” Cole asked, stripping off his parka, and guiding Jill around smoothly until she faced him, her legs around his waist. “Why would we want to go back, baby?”

__

Layla and Jenny watched Jill’s body begin to writhe in the chair, sweat beading on her forehead and lips. Jill began making little gasping groans, her body bucking slightly against the chair back and seat.

Jenny met Layla’s perturbed facial expression, giggling.

“Houston… we have a problem,” Jenny intoned.

Undercurrents

Layla #45

“How you holding up?” Layla asked.

“Work is my friend,” Jill smiled across at Layla as she guided the water pump on a 1992 Buick into place.

“Stan called. He’s still in the process of moving to Arizona, and he didn’t get my messages until today. He told me he’d call the police and fill them in on Cole’s family history. We’re meeting him over at the hospital at noon.”

“Any change?” Jill didn’t look up as she asked the question, concentrating on finishing the job without error.

“Jenny says no, but Doctor Torturro told her Cole’s breathing on his own. They may operate the first of next week if Cole keeps getting stronger. Bob and Danny worked with Cole for nearly three years, and didn’t have a clue as to his family.”

Jill nodded. “How are we doing on the work load?”

“Pretty well actually,” Layla answered. “Tomorrow’s Friday, and we’re holding our own. I’m stretching out the appointments wherever I can so we don’t get slammed if a problem comes up.”

“Did Cassie call you?”

“No, I called her. They got nothin’. Oakland’s violent crime rate is nearly three times the national average, so to the cops, Cole’s mugging is another day at the beach. Stan hinted at something over the phone which piqued my interest. One of the reasons he sold out to Cole so suddenly was a rather weird takeover offer from some investment firm buying up commercial properties in the area.”

“We are going to find out who did this,” Jill locked eyes with her friend, “right Evil?”

“Oh yeah,” Layla whispered, “and then we’re goin’ to set things right.”

“It’s nearly 11:30, so I’ll finish this up, and then we’ll head over to the hospital.”

“I’ll close up while we’re gone, and give Danny a chance to relax. He’s really stepped up for us the past couple days. Leave the Buick in here. I’ll call the customer when we get back.”

__

Stan hugged Layla and Jill when they entered Cole’s hospital room.

“I’m sorry to see you two under these circumstances,” Stan said, with Jenny walking over to join them.

“We know that, Stan,” Layla smiled, patting his shoulder. “You said over the phone you’d fill us in on Cole’s family history, and this deal on the shop you were offered.”

“Not much to tell on Cole’s family. His Mom died when he was twelve of ovarian cancer, and his Father raised him back in Pennsylvania. Cole’s Dad died in a car wreck while Cole was serving his second tour with the Marines in Iraq. After his discharge, Cole moved out here and started taking auto tech classes at a junior college. He applied to a note I had up on the college bulletin board. I hired him.”

“How about any extended family?” Jill asked.

“Far as I know, it’s just Cole,” Stan answered. “I don’t know how much I can add about the shop deal. Some lawyers came by to see me from some firm called… ah… Spencer and Associates I think it was. They were making offers on all the commercial properties in the area since the real estate drop.”

“But you said the deal was weird when I talked to you on the phone,” Layla said. “Weird how?”

“They acted like I should have been grateful for the offer to buy me out,” Stan went on with some irritation. “It wasn’t like my business had tanked because of the real estate mortgage crisis. They offered less than the price I’d promised Cole when he and I had talked about him taking over. Besides, they wouldn’t tell me what they wanted to do with the business and I had a lot of old customers I didn’t want screwed. I told them to take a hike.”

“Tell them about the run in you had after work, just before you hired Layla,” Jenny urged.

“Some gangbanger with a knife tried to mug me after work one night after I’d stayed late going over the books with Cole. The punk didn’t know Cole was there too. Cole came out and saw him threatening me. Let’s just say the guy ought to be able to eat solid food in another month, although his chances of fathering any more gangbangers is negligible.”

“Did you have him arrested?” Layla asked, exchanging glances with Jenny and Jill.

“Yea, he had a record from about the time he was born. Anyhow, a couple weeks later, we had the break in and theft of everything we had. You helped Cole get our stuff back, and I hired you in the office. Needless to say, I’d had enough excitement. I wanted to get out of the business while I still could, so Cole and I started into serious negotiations. Now Cole gets his head busted. It’s a damn shame.”

“Thanks for coming by, Stan, I know you have a thousand things to handle with this move of yours,” Layla said.

“I owe the guy my life. I’ll do anything I can. Did the police say whether anything was stolen?”

“Nothing was stolen,” Jill answered. “The mugger didn’t even take Cole’s wallet or money. That’s what has us wondering if this was a mugging or something else. If the neighbor lady across the street hadn’t called 911, Cole would be dead. Unfortunately, she didn’t see who did it, only Cole lying in a pool of his own blood.”

“With what happened to you after turning down Spencer and Associates,” Jenny added, “I’m not buying the coincidence angle. Maybe we can get the police to tell us what the gangbanger’s name was Cole smacked around.”

“Time enough for all that when we get Cole back on his feet,” Layla said.

“But Doctor Torturro said…” Stan caught himself, “that is… I mean…”

“We know the Doc ain’t too optimistic, Stan,” Layla smiled, “but we are.”

Darker

Layla #44

“I’m stuffed,” Jenny complained. “God, I love their chicken dinners here.”

“You look stuffed,” Layla observed. “Keep shoveling it in like that, and we’ll have to widen the entrance to ‘The Witches Brew’.”

“I eat too much whenever I’m sexually frustrated,” Jenny giggled along with her friends. “How about you, Jill… any thoughts?”

“Yea, we kidnap Cole and hold him at Layla’s until we’re all satisfied,” Jill offered, leaning forward with a stern conspiratorial look.

“Forget it, Barbie,” Layla snorted derisively with a wave of her hand, “I have no power over Cole unless he asks. Jenny’s worthless for physical coercion unless she gets hungry, and Cole handled you like a campfire girl. We’ll have to rely on guile.”

“Speaking of Cole,” Jill said, “Where the hell is he? You don’t think anything else went wrong with that stupid Cad, do you?”

“You’d know more about the possibility than either of us,” Jenny replied. “Maybe he stayed to screw around with the books. He’s getting the small businessman mind. You know… all work, and no play. We need to start concentrating on this seduction plan. How long do you think it’ll take before he concludes it wasn’t the Wolf pheromones causing our interest?”

“I don’t know,” Layla sighed. “He’s such a cement-head, it could be days, weeks, or...”

“Don’t even say it!” Jill cut her off, irritability taking over for interest. “He didn’t have the Wolf at the shop, and he was driving me nuts.”

“Along with the Djinnster and me,” Jenny concluded. “Perhaps a small spell would be in order here… a little ‘Love Potion Number Nine’?”

“Hummmm…” Layla perked up, “not bad, Elvira. It’s not like he doesn’t care for us. We need to get Cole over the hump with this lack of confidence he has concerning our feelings for him.”

“He…he told me he loved all of us,” Jill added. “We wouldn’t be changing his feelings for us, only helping him get more in touch with them.”

“Nice rationalization,” Jenny nodded, patting Jill’s hand. “Well Layla, since we have Miss Goody Two-Shoes here on board for this, we’re all set.”

“Goody… don’t make me Wraith you girl,” Jill warned Jenny, who was pointing at Jill comically, amusing Layla, who gestured in a calming fashion.

“Take it easy, Barbie. Jenny was just trying to gauge how much of what you’re saying is talk, and how much is a prelude to action.”

“I say we beam over to the shop, and take Cole by surprise right now,” Jill stated, her hands splayed out on the table.

“Oh yeah,” Jenny agreed.

“I love this plan,” Layla smiled, standing up. “C’mon, we have to go find a toll booth.”

“Phone booth, Djinnster,” Jenny corrected Layla’s Superman changing reference.

“Whatever…” Layla retorted, leading the way out of Porky’s, snapping her fingers.

__

The three appeared inside the ABC Repair Shop office, thinking to surprise Cole. Instead, they were in darkness, with sirens fading in the distance, and flashing lights outside the barred and curtained office window. Layla peeked out through the curtain edge, and quickly pulled back away from the window.

“Shit! There’re cop cars right out front,” Layla whispered, pulling her two friends back from looking themselves. “We’ll have to beam back and get the car. If we suddenly walk out the door, it’ll be suspicious as hell. Plus, Cole can’t be here. He always shuts off the office light last. We’ll take a quick peak in the shop and then split. If the Cad’s gone, Cole’s already gone too. One of the neighbors probably had a break-in.”

Jill pulled away and peaked out front. “I don’t know Layla… holy shit! Cole’s Dodge is still out there, and the cops are stringing up crime scene tape.”

Jill hurried back to Layla and grabbed her arm.

“Take us to the car right now, Layla! We have to get back here.”

In the next instant, they were inside Jenny’s car in the Porky’s Pizza parking lot. Jenny started her car, and drove toward ABC Repair, fast as not getting stopped or in an accident would allow. They rode in an uncomfortable silence. Jenny parked a half block down the street, and the three hurriedly exited the car and moved quickly toward the police presence in front of the shop.

“There’s Cassie,” Jill pointed to the female officer standing near Cole’s Dodge, watching pictures being taken and the taped off area around the Dodge being processed. She looked up as Jill jogged toward her, holding up a hand.

“Wha…what happened?” Jill asked, trying to see around Cassie, who had intercepted her.

“I’m glad you and your friends made it over,” Cassie said. “We need to check inside your shop, and for one of you to inventory what’s inside.”

“I’ll let you in right now,” Layla offered, taking out her keys to the shop. “Where’s Cole at?”

“I…I’m sorry,” Cassie said hesitantly, “Mr. Warren was mugged here by his car. The ambulance took him to Summit hospital over an hour ago. He was badly hurt. Can…”

“We have to go,” Layla told the police officer. “I’ll let you in the office, and you can check anything you like, but…”

“I need you to stay and inventory the site, Ma’am. It’s the only way…”

“Go get the car you two,” Layla ordered Jill and Jenny, ignoring Cassie. “Swing by and get me.”

“Okay, here’s how it’ll be,” Layla said, gesturing for Cassie to follow her to the shop entrance. “I’ll let you in, and then I don’t care if you burn the place down. I’m leaving. Just swing the door shut when you’re done.”

“But…” Cassie began to protest until Layla swung back toward her, azure eyes alight with menace. The look chilled the police officer to the very marrow of her bones. She gestured her acceptance of Layla’s words. “Sure… okay… just let us look around. Leave me your number in case I have to contact you.”

Layla nodded, opening the small entrance door, and flicking the light on inside. She took out a business card from her purse, and jotted down the cell phone number for the phone she rarely turned on. Handing it to Cassie, Layla fled past her toward Jenny’s waiting car without another word.

Thirty minutes later, the three stood next to Cole’s hospital bed inside a Summit hospital intensive care section room, with an attending doctor. Cole’s head was bandaged tightly, with the majority of padding covering Cole’s right temple area. Tubes, breathing apparatus, and every life sign machine known to man appeared hooked into him. The gray pallor of his face frightened the three more than anything else they could see. Layla spun toward the doctor, hope beaming up in her face.

“Can he speak, Doc, or can you make it so he can speak? All…”

“I’m sorry… no,” the Doctor broke in gently. “He’s in a coma. We’ve stabilized the internal hemorrhaging, but we won’t even be able to assess the damage until we replace some of the blood he lost.”

“How are his chances?” Jenny asked, seeing Jill was biting her lip hard enough to have drawn blood. “Will he be able to speak after you get his blood level up?”

“I can’t say,” the Doctor admitted. “Do you know if Mr. Warren had any family?”

Jenny and Jill looked to Layla expectantly, but Layla shook her head.

“I don’t know, Doc. I’ll have to call around to his old employer and our other co-worker. We’ll stay here tonight, and I’ll be able to tell you more in the morning.”

“I… that is…” the Doctor paused, looking around at the three faces. He nodded finally. “Very well, but you must not interfere with any of the nursing staff. I’ll leave word I’m allowing you three to stay.”

“Thanks, Doc,” Layla said. The Doctor walked out of the room, and Layla gestured. Three padded chairs appeared next to Cole’s bedside.

“Can’t you do anything, Layla?” Jill choked back a sob as she covered Cole’s exposed right hand’s busted thumb knuckle softly with her hand.

“I can turn him into a Werewolf if we can get him to wish for it, kid,” Layla said, putting her arm around Jill’s shoulders. “He’ll be better fast then.”

“Jenny!” Jill turned, an idea forming. “Do you know any incantations or maybe a spell, which would allow Cole to speak?”

Jill’s intensity nearly undid Jenny’s tenuous hold on her own emotions. She covered Jill’s hand where it lay over Cole’s with her own.

“I do know one… but it won’t be instantaneous… and you have to have faith,” Jenny whispered, before bowing her head. “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name…”

A second later, Jill and Layla joined in Jenny’s incantation.

And Things Were Going So Well...

Weekend with Layla begins with #43.

“What happened, Cole?” Layla asked as Cole came jogging into the office. “I saw you drive the Cad back in.”

“It blew the damn pump seal as I neared the garage. Everything was fine, no noises, and good power assist,” Cole answered with a resigned look on his face. “See if you can get the power steering pump delivered before five. I’ll stay and change it. I’m lucky it happened on the test drive.”

“Should I call the customer first and sell the job?”

“I wouldn’t wish that chore on an enemy. No, we’ll have to eat it. See if you can get the part first, and then call the Cad owner and tell him I’m going to get it done late. I’ll call him when I’m through.”

“On it,” Layla acknowledged, picking up the phone.

“Oh… yeah,” Cole turned back toward Layla. “I wish not to be a werewolf.”

“Can we talk about that?” Layla asked, putting the phone down.

“Nope.”

“Done,” Layla said. “Why don’t you wish to be a sex slave next?”

“Tempting…” Cole laughed; “but no, I think I’ll stick with just me for a while. I’ll be pulling off the pump, so let me know if you can get the part before closing.”

Layla watched Cole walk out the office door, trying to gauge if she wanted him any less. She smiled and picked up the phone.

__

Layla, accompanied by Jill and Jenny, brought the Cadillac power steering pump over to where Cole and Danny were talking by the work bench. Cole was using his power steering pulley remover on the old Cadillac steering pump when the three women walked up.

“I’m taking off, boss,” Danny said. “Goodnight, ladies… er… is it okay to say ladies, Layla, or is that a gender violation?”

“If I say goodnight, dickhead,” Layla retorted, “would you feel violated?”

“I’ve been called worse,” Danny shrugged while the others laughed, waving as he backed away. “Goodnight, comrades.”

“Goodnight, Danny,” Cole chuckled, taking the rebuilt pump from Layla.

“Have you been out here undermining my gender reeducation movement, Mr. Warren?” Layla asked, in a hands on hips stance.

“I may have mentioned your empty headed, gender crapolla to my male employee, Ms. Thomas,” Cole replied in officious tone, setting up his pulley press on tool for installing the old pulley on the rebuilt pump. “I warned him to be on guard for anything you might deem a transgression.”

“I’ll bet you did,” Layla chuckled, moving behind Cole, and running her hands up his back to the tops of his shoulders. She massaged his shoulders, feeling the muscles moving under Cole’s shirt as he tightened the press, forcing the pulley into place.

Jill and Jenny moved in on either side of Cole, lightly massaging his upper arms as he worked.

“How’s it feel not having the Wolf inside?” Jenny asked.

“Are you three trying to make a point here?” Cole asked, turning away from the bench with power steering pump in hand, separating himself from his body massage. Layla and Jenny were wearing thigh high dresses and high heels, while Jill had stripped off her uniform shirt, and wore only a sleeveless white t-shirt over her pants. “On second thought, you're all auditioning for the new ‘Charlie’s Angels’ movie, right?”

“We’d be better than those three stiffs they had in the other two,” Jenny remarked.

“They made a second movie of that travesty?” Jill asked, forgetting what she was doing.

Cole moved around her and toward the Cadillac, while Jill looked questioningly at Jenny.

“We had him cut off, Barbie,” Layla said, giving Jill a slap to the back of her head. “Pay attention.”

“Oh… Jill…” Jenny laughed, pointing at the now fuming Jill who was rubbing her head and staring at Layla, “Layla gave you an NCIS head slap.”

Layla gave Jenny an identical slap, while Jill administered the same to Layla while her attention was diverted. Cole watched them, shaking his head and smiling from under the Cadillac hood.

“I take back the ‘Charlie’s Angels’ remark,” Cole said, fitting the pump into place, “you three are more like the three stooges. Nyuk…nyuk…nyuk.”

The three women looked at each other and started laughing. Soon they were over in a semi-circle around the Cadillac front bumper.

“You didn’t answer as usual, Cole,” Jill stated with some irritation.

“I’m fine,” Cole answered, looking up. “I’ll miss the extrasensory perception; but now it won’t bother me as much when you forget to wear deodorant, Jill.”

“Why you… no good… rotten…” Jill scooted past her friends and jumped on Cole’s back, legs locked around his waist, arms in a choke hold around his neck.

Layla and Jenny, tears rolling down their cheeks, hooted wildly in laughter while Cole moved to finish the power steering pump job without missing a beat, even with Jill throttling him with all her might.

“Oh… girlfriend…” Layla gasped, “you’ve… been served.”

After releasing the belt tensioner into place, Cole backed away and picked up a power steering oil container, adding the fluid to the pump with the steering wheel in the full left hand position. He looked at Layla and Jenny, who were still howling and pointing at the grunting Jill.

“Hey, where’d Jill go?” Cole asked, looking around calmly, causing another bout of frivolity at Jill’s expense. Cole patted Jill where her arms were clasped, trying to make headway against Cole’s corded neck muscles. He gently but inexorably pulled Jill around to face him, with her twisting and trying to lock her legs against the movement, all to no avail.

“Oh, there you are,” Cole said, when Jill was facing him, panting from the effort to avoid it. Cole covered her mouth with his. Jill moaned, allowing Cole to draw her to him as he sat Jill on the Cadillac fender.

“Jesus…” Jenny whispered.

“That’s hot,” Layla added. “Hey, break it up. Don’t make me get the water hose.”

Cole put Jill back on her feet, next to Layla, giving her one last quick kiss.

“I have to get this Cad fixed and picked up. Why don’t you three go over to Porky’s and I’ll meet you there.”

“I…I’ll stay and help,” Jill said, touching her lips.

“The hell you will, Barbie,” Layla yanked on Jill’s ponytail, eliciting a surprised yelp.

“Come on, Jill, I’m starving,” Jenny said, taking Jill’s arm and pulling her toward the door. “Cole will catch up with us later. No more pizza though. I want their chicken dinner.”

“Don’t stay too late, Cole,” Layla said, following Jill and Jenny. “We need to talk.”

“I’ll be there in about an hour,” Cole promised.

Forty-five minutes later, Cole walked out to his Dodge, relieved he’d been able to get the Cadillac back to its owner. Looking forward to meeting his three friends, Cole remembered the last encounter with his ‘Angels’, with a self-satisfied smile. He had stunned them for a change, Cole thought, reaching for the Dodge keys in his pants pocket. He heard a slight scraping noise behind him. Cole whirled around, hands coming up in combat readiness, only to be smashed against his Dodge with a blow to the right temple from something with metal composition. Pain, and then a vortex of colors accompanied his last thought before the darkness: what a bootcamp.

Pheromones?

Layla #42

Cole stood over the sink putting anti-bacterial cream on a Band-aid when Jill walked up behind him. He saw her smiling at him in the medicine cabinet mirror as she looked over his shoulder.

“The Cad get a piece of you?”

“Yea, the knuckle on my right thumb here is still on the frickin’ tin heat shield,” Cole answered, quickly wrapping the Band-aid around his right thumb knuckle expertly.

“Can’t you turn into the Wolf, and heal?”

“I never thought of it,” Cole admitted. “I’ll run out on the street, do a lap around the block as the Wolf, and slip back in all better. Don’t you have some work to do?”

“The Chrysler’s done,” Jill laughed. “C’mon, we’ll go in the office storeroom and get you healed. Layla’s having lunch with Jenny in the back.”

“I don’t have my expandable superhero suit on.”

“So, get naked first,” Jill urged, pulling on Cole’s hand.

“Not going to happen,” Cole replied, pulling Jill into an embrace, and giving her a quick kiss. “I have to finish putting in the rack and pinion gear on the bloody Cad.”

“That was sexual harassment… I’m tellin’.”

“If you’re telling Layla, be sure to mention trying to have your way with me in the storeroom.”

“It’s your word against mine.”

“C’mon, stop cruisin’ and help me thread the new rack into place. It’ll go easier with two people,” Cole said, pulling Jill in the Cadillac’s direction.

“When are you going to quit fooling around and move in with us? Layla and Jenny miss you.”

“What about you?” Cole asked, picking up the replacement power steering rack and pinion unit, and starting it through the driver’s side wheel well.

“I haven’t experienced what I should be missing yet,” Jill reminded him, taking the rack from below and guiding it into position. “If you’d gone into the storeroom with me, I’d have a sample.”

Cole laughed. “You need to get out there and start dating. Layla and Jenny are a little round the bend, but you have your whole life ahead of you.”

Jill threw down the rack unit hold down bolt she’d started threading, and grabbed Cole’s shirt front in both hands.

“I love you, and… and I’m not backing away.”

“If you lose my rack mounting bolts…”

“Don’t joke around,” Jill shook Cole’s shirt, feeling the muscles tensing up underneath. “Tell me you don’t care for me.”

“The trouble is,” Cole replied, putting his arms around Jill, “the concept of working, eating, and sleeping with three women I love takes time to process.”

“You… you do love me?”

“Yes, but I have trouble believing the three of you love me. After the run in with Cassie the policewoman’s sudden interest in me, I’m coming to the conclusion Layla’s right about the whole Wolf pheromone thing. I think I’ll wish the Wolf away, and see if things go back to normal.”

“Don’t even think about it!” Jill gasped, pushing away from Cole. “You’d be at the mercy of Layla, or whatever monsters come calling for payback from past Layla wish pranks. Cole, it’s not the pheromones.”

“There’s only one way to find out,” Cole said, running the back of his hand gently along Jill’s cheek. “Now help me with this rack. I’d like to get off work at five for a change.”

Jill walked over to the workbench next to them and plucked two pairs of Nitrile mechanics gloves from the box there. She handed a pair to Cole. “Here, put these on before you lose anymore skin.”

“The Cad ate the glove too,” Cole chuckled, pulling on the gloves quickly. “Gloves thick enough to protect against sheet metal aren’t thin enough to work in.”

“Like you told me,” Jill said, picking up the mounting bolt she’d dropped, “if the sight of my own blood freaks me out, I’m in the wrong trade.”

“Yes, young Jedi, your training is nearly complete,” Cole said, eliciting a laugh from Jill with his Yoda imitation.

__

“Well?” Jenny asked, looking at Layla as they sat at one of the tables inside ‘The Witches Brew’ shop in the back.

Layla sat with her eyes closed in concentration. Her brow furrowed at Jenny’s interruption, and she frowned.

“Shut up,” Layla said through clenched teeth. “This is an inexact science. It takes a very light touch or Jill will know I’m fishing around in her head. She tried to get Cole in the storeroom, but he put her to work on the Cad instead. He… he’s thinking of wishing away the Wolf!”

“What?!” Jenny exclaimed in surprise. “He can’t do that. We need the Wolf.”

“He thinks we’re all coming on to him because I mentioned the Wolf pheromones the other morning when that ‘ho in the police uniform put the make on him.”

“Is it just the pheromones causing us to act like groupies?”

“Maybe for the cop, but…” Layla relaxed and opened her eyes. She picked up her coffee cup. “They’re hard at work again. Listen, he was turning me inside out before I made him into a Werewolf to save my butt.”

“And you turned Jill into a gerbil for wanting him the day she applied here, right?” Jenny giggled. “That leaves only me he might be turning on with the pheromones.”

“In your case, Elvira, I wish it were only the pheromones,” Layla leaned back thoughtfully, sipping her coffee. “Cole’s resisting our lifestyle plans too hard. I never should have mentioned the pheromone thing. It has him thinking we’re all being mesmerized by his aura. If he were a regular guy, he’d be…”

“If Cole were a regular guy,” Jenny interrupted, “he’d have screwed himself with trick wishes, and you’d still be living in the lamp from hell.”

“Very true,” Layla grinned. “He sure is somethin’.”

“Hey, you didn’t ever read my thoughts, did you?”

“Never.”

“You snot!”

After The Storm

Layla #41

“Okay, we need to have a plan,” Layla said, sitting at a table in Porky’s Pizza with Cole, Jill, and Jenny. “This stuff where we get blindsided every other day by Demons and Warlocks is the pits. If we’re all decided we like each other’s company, and we all make a go of it at ABC Repair, we have to devise some kind of early warning system.”

“I don’t know how we could have seen the Warlock thing coming,” Jill said.

“Oh please!” Jenny interjected. “We ignored so many warning signs on that one, we may be too stupid to stay together.”

The four friends broke into laughter over Jenny’s send up of their situation.

“Here’s to Jenny,” Layla held up her mug of beer in toasting fashion. “Without her timely arrival into our group, there really wouldn’t be a group. And now that I think of it, I’d have Cole all to myself.”

“Ah… no… you’d be dead,” Jenny corrected Layla, clinking her mug with the others.

“What kind of plan do you have in mind?” Cole asked, after taking a big gulp of beer.

“Veto power, munchkins,” Layla replied with a nonchalant wave of her hand. “When one of us sees something out of place as Cole did the other morning with Davy, we don’t laugh it off like a bunch of suicidal hyenas. We take a hell of a lot closer look at whatever doubts one of us has.”

“Agreed,” Jill put her mug up, and the others toasted with her.

“Can I put in one more thing, since I’m the one being honored tonight?” Jenny asked.

“No, you can’t sleep with Cole,” Jill declared.

Jenny’s face betrayed her annoyance for a moment, staring at Jill, and then she laughed.

“Saw that coming, did you?”

“Oh yeah,” Jill grinned.

“What did you do with Gather?” Cole asked, trying to change the subject.

“The lamp is a portal between dimensions,” Layla answered. “I sent him someplace hotter. Forget about Gather, how’s your new shop progressing, Jen?”

“They came and set up all the shelving and my computer desk,” Jenny warmed to the subject. “With you back tomorrow, I’ll be able to get everything ready. I can finally catch up on my Internet orders. I’ve already contacted UPS for pick ups and deliveries through the back. I might even be able to have my grand opening tomorrow afternoon.”

“What will you be shipping to people?” Jill asked.

“Charms, silver symbols, beads, specially scented candles, and crystals mostly,” Jenny replied. “I’m handling some book titles I act as a conduit for too. I have the same items for sale in my shop, but I also have scent potions I won’t be shipping. I have enough room for a couple tables with chairs inside, and plenty of room for other tables outside under an awning I’m having installed. That way, I can sell refreshments too.”

“Good,” Layla interjected happily. “Now, I can send the customers normally bothering me in the office back to your place while they wait for their cars.”

“I’ll see if I can paint an outline trail from our office through to the back, so I don’t have people wondering around the shop,” Cole offered. “Otherwise, our shop insurance will go through the roof.”

“I’ll just have them walk around the corner and go into Jen’s place through her entrance,” Layla countered.

“Just don’t be scaring away customers by herding them where they don’t want to go,” Cole warned, evoking a quick wave off from Layla.

“I have a dual responsibility to represent and promote both businesses now, so back off, cowboy,” Layla cautioned. “I can’t show favorites. Besides, Jenny is the star now.”

“Listen, Djinnster,” Cole fired back, “anymore of your lip, and you’ll be demoted to shop cleanup. Aren’t you forgetting all the times I’ve…”

“What have you done for me lately,” Layla interrupted with a haughty turn of her head, much to the amusement of Jill and Jenny. “There is also the problem of you sexually harassing the help which will have to be addressed.”

“Wha…what!?” Cole nearly choked on the swallow of beer he was in the process of downing. “That’s not funny.”

“Sexual harassment is never a laughing matter,” Layla informed him. “I’ve seen you touching both Jenny and Jill inappropriately in the shop. Unless you want me to report you, this crude behavior of yours will have to end. The State of California expressly forbids…”

“Enough…” Cole stopped her, as the others shared a laugh at his expense, “what’s with this sudden passion for political correctness and false accusations?”

“You need to move into our house so we can ride share in your Dodge and save the planet from Global Warming,” Layla instructed. “At night, your education in the proper treatment of female co-workers can begin.”

“I don’t think so,” Cole snorted, pouring himself another beer from the pitcher. “Between Demons and Warlocks, I haven’t had sufficient time to get a handle on running the shop. I’m confused enough already.”

“We can help you see things more clearly,” Jill stroked Cole’s hand where it lay on the table.

“I can see just fine.”

“You need to be watched,” Layla stated.

“You need your head examined, Djinnster,” Cole retorted, leaning back in his chair. “I think I’m beginning to miss the Warlock.”

All Better

Layla #40

“Now, Davy,” Layla said, escorting Kensington over to the door. “When your buddy gets here, you know what to do, right?”

Kensington nodded nervously. “I tell him I’m having some fun. I get him to come into the living room to see how bad you and your friend are. When…”

“You better be a hell of a lot more convincing than that you little turd,” Jill interrupted. “I want an academy award performance or you’ll be missing pieces later.”

“Easy, Barbie,” Layla said soothingly, as she put her arm around the visibly shaken Kensington. “Davy’s going to do real well when the mean old Warlock gets here. He doesn’t want me to send him to that special place again, do you, Davy?”

“No! God no!” Kensington cringed away from Layla, holding his hands up in a defensive gesture. “I won’t screw up… just don’t send me back there… please!”

“Make me happy, Davy, and I won’t have to,” Layla shrugged innocently. “Jill and I… uh oh… get in the living room, Barbie, our guest just popped in from hell.”

“No, Evil, you popped in from hell,” Jill kidded her. “Gather…”

“No time,” Layla cut her off, grabbing Jill’s arm and pulling her toward the living room. “Let him wait, Davy. Don’t answer the knock until he gets agitated.”

Gather rang the doorbell after knocking, irritation turning to anger. Kensington opened the door, smiling confidently, knowing without doubt who he feared more.

“Sorry, Sir,” Kensington stepped aside, “I was trying to convince Layla giving up the jewel would be her only hope. She’s been rather obstinate. Even torturing her friend makes very little impression. I…”

“She’s a Djinn,” Gather chuckled, drawn in by Kensington’s act, and hearing the muffled moans coming from the next room. “Layla doesn’t care about anything but herself. I told you to simply state my terms and have your way with them for a few minutes. You should have been at your house an hour ago. In a couple days, Layla will do anything to stop the pain.”

“Sorry… I lost track of time.”

“I’ll bet you did. Let’s go have a look,” Gather said, following the sounds of pain into the living room where Layla and Jill lay slumped on the couch.

Gather grinned as he peered into Layla’s contorted face.

“Oh Layla… Layla…” Gather crooned, his voice a raspy inviting whisper, both cutting and self congratulatory.

Layla sat up, smiling back. Gather lurched backwards, stunned and terrified. He desperately tried to disappear, but could not.

“Hello Evan, long time, no see,” Layla stood up, walking around the immobile Gather appraisingly. “Looks like you’ve put on a little weight, pumpkin.”

“This is the same Warlock, who nearly killed us?” Jill asked, joining Layla next to Gather. “I…I expected something… I don’t know… more impressive. He looks like Frodo from the Rings.”

“Warlocks are cowards, Barbie,” Layla laughed. “They’re only good for sneaking around making people miserable. This one would have been very dangerous with his precious jewel. Well, Evan, what shall we do with you?”

“Lay…Layla… we can make a deal,” Gather pleaded, his eyes and mouth the only parts of his body he found movable.

Kensington watched the being he had thought to be invincible trapped easily. With furtive glances back at the door, and at Layla, a longing to be out of Layla’s house rivaled his fear of crossing the Djinn. Sensing Kensington’s every thought, Layla giggled, locking eyes with him.

“Don’t do anything foolish, Davy.”

“I…I won’t!” Kensington froze.

“You won’t what?” Layla prompted.

“I won’t move… Mistress of the Dark.”

“That’s better,” Layla replied, as Jill laughed at the result of the Djinn’s earlier instructive torture session with Kensington. “Now then, Evan, remember my former abode.”

Layla gestured, and her lamp became visible on the coffee table in front of the couch. Gather’s lips trembled and tears began to form at the corners of his eyes, a premonition of his fate robbing him of the final vestiges of his composure. Layla nodded.

“Yea, I see you recognize it. I bet you’ve always been curious about it, haven’t you?”

“Noooooo…” Gather protested. “Please… I…I’ll do anything… anything…”

“Too late for that,” Layla spoke in a tone so menacing, Jill backed away from her friend unconsciously. “You should have stayed far away from me, Evan.”

Layla flicked her finger at Gather, and then toward her lamp. With a blood curdling scream, Gather’s form melted like candle wax left inadvertently on a hot stove. The sickening mix of flowing color hovered over and was sucked inexorably through the lamp’s spout. Kensington ran into the kitchen and threw up violently.

“Layla… that was… I mean…” Jill stammered for words, and then shrugged. “Like Jenny said, ‘sucks to be him’.”

“Yes,” Layla agreed, staring at the lamp. “Well, shall we get Davy on his way. I think he’s learned his lesson, don’t you? I kind of like the petty, self absorbed creep. He…”

“Reminds you of you,” Jill injected.

“Barbie, it’s a good thing I like you,” Layla sighed. “Say, your pretty blonde hair’s getting a little long. How about a hair cut?”

“No!” Jill reached for her Angelica Root first; and not finding it, she reached for her hair. All the while, Layla laughed.

“C’mon, quit preening, and let’s go say goodbye to Davy,” Layla walked toward the kitchen with Jill following but keeping her distance.

__

“You about done yet, my little mechanic buddy?” Jenny said, leaning in under the hood of an Oldsmobile Cutlass Cole was finishing. “It’s nearly six-thirty. If you stay here any longer, the traveling Djinn show will make an appearance to find out whether you’re being a good boy.”

“And have I been a good boy?” Cole glanced up from adding coolant to the radiator he’d replaced on the Olds.

“Too good, if you ask me,” Jenny pretended to pout.

Cole stripped off his gloves. “I’m as far as I can go on this one. You sure were something today. I didn’t know you could still thwart a Warlock.”

“I just countered his spell,” Jenny shrugged; “but it does take faith, and concentration.”

“You still have some of your power,” Cole continued, putting his arm around Jenny’s shoulders, guiding her toward the exit. He had already locked up and checked all the doors. “Are you getting tired of bailing us all out yet?

“I love it here,” Jenny replied.

“I’m glad. If…”

Layla and Jill appeared right in front of them. Jenny put her hand over her mouth, stifling a laugh. Cole shook his head.

“Damn!” Layla griped.

“I told you fifteen more minutes,” Jill complained, grinning at Cole and Jenny.

Thanks For Stopping By

Layla #39

“A Warlock, huh?” Jenny questioned rhetorically. “In all my…”

“Shut up, Jen,” Layla cautioned, walking back into the living room and collapsing on the couch with Jill right behind her. They moaned in chorus.

“No use boring Dave with our petty lives, Jenny,” Cole said when Jenny gave him a confused look. “Let’s see if he can tell us how Gather managed to make Layla and Jill sick. How about it, Dave?”

“You can’t hold me here,” Kensington said, taking out his cell-phone.

In the blink of an eye, Cole kicked the phone out of Kensington’s hand. “Yea, I can.”

“Shit!” Kensington yelped, clutching his left hand to him. “I think you broke my hand.”

“Jenny, see if Gather’s in Dave’s fave five,” Cole directed, while he watched Kensington. “That’s just a starter if you don’t start talking. How’d Gather do it?”

“He…he had me get inside my Trans Am with him, and he cast some kind of spell. He said anyone else getting in the Pontiac within the following twenty-four hours, other than me, would become deathly ill.”

“What did he say in your car? Repeat it for me.”

“I can’t. It was in Latin. He said something like ‘Omne flam…” or something.”

Jenny had been listening intently with a slight smile. She handed the phone to Cole.

“Gather’s number is in there,” Jenny walked into the kitchen and came back with a notepad and pen, jotting down the number. “I checked for an address, but he doesn’t have one listed in the contact info.”

“Well, Dave, how about it?”

“I’m not telling you anything!” Kensington backed away from Cole, still holding his hand to him. “He can do stuff… not only sickness… he gets mad sometimes, and with just a gesture, Gather can throw me across the room. You can…”

“I can heal Jill and Layla,” Jenny broke in.

“How…” Cole began, confusion taking over for anger momentarily.

“Never mind, we need Dave in his Trans Am with Layla and Jill. Can you get him out in his car?”

“You bet,” Cole smiled at Jenny. “Dave will happily go out to the Trans Am with us, right Dave?”

“No way am I…”

Cole hit him, flush on the chin, pivoting into the short punch and propelling Kensington off his feet and onto his back out cold. Jenny laughed, and frisked Kensington for his keys, which she found in his right front pants pocket. Cole picked Kensington up over his shoulder and carried him out to the Pontiac, glancing around as Jenny hurried in front of him and opened the trunk. Cole stuffed Kensington in the trunk.

“Can you really make them better?” Cole asked Jenny as they jogged back to the house.

“Gather used a powerful spell you don’t want to use where anyone with a little knowledge can hear,” Jenny told him excitedly as they entered the house.

The adrenaline rush had worn off their two afflicted friends. Layla sat upright, unable to lie down without intense pain. Jill lay half on her side, shifting in agony every few moments. Layla’s eyes fluttered open, her teeth clenched to withstand the pain. The sight of Cole and Jenny in front of her with smiles threw Layla into a state between confusion and retribution.

“What… what the hell are you two smiling at? Where’s…”

“In the trunk of his Pontiac,” Jenny answered. “You should have seen Cole…”

“Tell me you didn’t kill him!” Layla’s voice rose, irritation overcoming pain.

“He’s alive,” Cole said, leaning down toward Layla. “Put your arms around my neck. Jenny thinks she can counteract Gather’s spell, but we have to get you and Jill into the Pontiac.”

Layla put her arms around Cole’s neck, groaning as he lifted her effortlessly from the couch. He transported her out to the Pontiac rear seat, allowing Layla to lie down while he went to get Jill. Cole picked up Jill, and carried her out to the Pontiac front passenger seat, while Jenny slid in behind the steering wheel. With Layla in the back and Jill unconscious in front, Jenny held her hands up toward the roof of the car with Cole watching anxiously from outside. She closed her eyes in concentration, speaking Latin.

“O spirito di Morte indegna,
Da questa casa tu ne puoi andare,
Questo malatto nella notte
Tu non potrai pigliare,
Perche le corne a iettatura
Ti sono venuta a fare!
E appena l'alba sara spuntata,
Il ammalato più non ti sarai guadagnato
E dalla morte verra liberato!”

(Spirit of Death, to thee I say,
Thou shalt not with thee bear away
These suffering ones, for at thee now
The awful magic sign I throw;
And when thou seest the morning dawn,
Without thy prey thou shalt be gone,
This time there'll be no gain for thee,
And from thy power they'll be free!)

Layla sat up, rubbing her eyes, hesitant to believe the pain was gone. Jill stirred groggily at first, as Layla reached over the front seat and hugged Jenny.

“Thanks Jen, I owe you,” Layla whispered.

“I’m just glad you’re back, Evil,” Jenny replied happily.

“Oh my God… I feel sooooooooo… much better,” Jill exclaimed, working her hands, arms and legs energetically, her face glowing with relief.

Cole opened the passenger side door, peering in hesitantly. He broke into a big grin when Jill threw her arms around his neck, kissing him all over his face.

“It worked! Thank God,” Cole exclaimed, pointing at Jenny wildly. “What now?”

“Now, my friends…” Layla gestured with her hands, and they were all transported inside the house with a still unconscious Kensington, “you and Jenny return to work. Gather will get worried when his playmate doesn’t report in. He’ll come by, see the Trans Am still here, and think Dave’s going to overdo it. Gather will want to make sure I can still deliver the jewel, so he’ll come in to supervise.”

“Sucks to be him,” Jenny laughed.

“Wow,” Jill said, looking over Kensington, “what’d you hit Dave with?”

“Frustration,” Cole replied. “Let’s leave them to it, Jenny. Danny’s probably tearing his hair out by now, and I need you to run the front desk while I catch up on the jobs.”

Jenny nodded, looking over at Jill and Layla questioningly. “Beer and pizza later?”

“My treat,” Layla smiled. “Run along now, and no hanky-panky, Elvira.”

Visitor

Layla #38

Cole watched Jenny walk in from the street, and went out to greet her. He had come in early to get a head start on readying the shop for Monday morning’s jobs. Cole could tell in a second from Jenny’s worried frown, things had not changed at Layla’s house.

“They’re worse if anything,” Jenny said, anticipating Cole’s question. “I thought they were perking up a little when you spent yesterday helping me put away stuff.”

“Playing cards seemed to keep their minds off being sick. What was the name of the card game again… the one Layla nearly threw a fit over?”

“It’s called Skipo, I think,” Jenny laughed. “Layla thought everyone was playing against her. It was so funny. You’re right though, for a time, the card game made them forget the pain.”

“They actually seemed on the mend by the time I left at ten.”

“Both popped some aspirin and hit the sack. Around three this morning I heard them moving around and groaning, so I fetched some more aspirin and water. When I left the house, they were sipping tea at the table, all bundled up, and looking like death warmed over.”

“Thank God we haven’t come down with it,” Cole said a little guiltily, knowing what Layla and Jill were going through. “You don’t feel anything coming on, do you?”

“Nope,” Jenny shook her head in the negative. “I feel great, and every time I look at Layla or Jill, I feel like dancin’. Maybe we should take them over to the emergency room tomorrow morning if they don’t show any improvement.”

“I agree, but what’ll the doctor say about Layla? I mean does the inner Layla look like the rest of us here at Earth Central?”

“Yea, I’m pretty sure she does,” Jenny replied hesitantly. “She has all our hungers and needs. Hey, ask me how I know they were feeling worse this morning?”

“Okay… why do you think they’re worse than before?”

“Before I walked out the door, I told them I was going in early to clean out your pipes before the shop opens,” Jenny answered. “Layla said something like ‘that’s nice’ and Jill just grunted out a goodbye.”

“That’s bad,” Cole agreed, leading the way into the office. “We definitely take them in to see a doctor tomorrow morning if they’re not better by tonight. I’ll have Danny watch the shop at lunch and we’ll go over to check if they’re all right.”

“Want to get your pipes cleaned before the shop opens?”

Cole looked over Jenny’s figure in the mid thigh length, sleeveless blue dress, with plunging neckline, and chuckled uneasily as she posed against the office counter.

“We have customers arriving in ten minutes,” Cole pointed at the office clock.

“What are you waiting for then?” Jenny beckoned to him.

Danny walked in the office a split second before Cole moved to do exactly what Jenny urged.

“Hi, boss, Jenny… where’s Jill and Layla?”

“Home sick, Danny,” Cole answered with a sigh. “How’s your youngest?”

“A little better, thanks. This is going to be the Monday from hell, huh?’

“I’m afraid so. Can you watch the shop for me while Jenny and I go check on Layla and Jill at lunch? We shouldn’t be gone long.”

“Sure,” Danny answered.

__

Layla’s doorbell rang at eleven o’clock, while Layla and Jill were watching TV, shifting uncomfortably on the couch every few minutes to ease their aches and pains. Jill moaned and cursed, signaling for Layla to answer the door.

“Forget it… Barbie,” Layla turned on her side, and shoved her feet toward Jill.

The doorbell kept ringing every few seconds. Jill staggered up off the couch with a string of expletives.

“If only I could turn into the Wraith for a moment,” Jill muttered through clenched teeth, “this salesman would be ruined for life.”

Jill adjusted her robe and pulled open the door. It was Dave Kensington.

“Mr…” Jill began to say in surprise when Kensington simply brushed by her, kicking the door closed, and pulling Jill along by her robe front.

“I guess you ain’t so tough without being able to change into a monster,” Kensington mocked Jill, who lost her balance and fell to the floor.

Layla had pushed up to her feet, hearing the commotion and Jill’s yelp as she hit the floor. Hurrying around the couch, Layla made it to the living room entrance in time to see Kensington get ready to kick Jill in the side.

“Touch her, and I’ll kick you in the nuts so hard, your dog will fall dead from the pain,” Layla warned him, moving with her fists up and feet splayed to keep her balance.

“You don’t have any powers,” Kensington retorted, but backed away from Jill anyway.

“I don’t need any powers to kick your ass,” Layla spat on the floor between them, and reached down to help Jill up, never taking her eyes off Kensington. “You up to helping me beat this perv senseless, Barbie?”

“Oh yeah,” Jill said, putting her fists up, ignoring the shooting pains every movement brought on. “Let’s tackle him, and I’ll rip his eyeballs out.”

“Wait a minute,” Kensington held up his hands, seeing he would not be able to play out his act any longer. He didn’t believe they could take him down, but he wasn’t prepared to find out. “I have a message from a friend of yours, Layla, a Mr. Evan Gather.”

Jill watched Layla’s mouth drop open and her fists lower and unclench at the sound of Gather’s name.

“Hey… what’s up, Evil?”

“Gather’s a Warlock… one of the most powerful I’ve ever seen,” Layla glanced over at Jill, all the energy draining from her body. “That’s what this is about. Gather made us sick.”

“Very good, bitch,” Kensington laughed. “Evan says to say hi, and unless you give him the jewel you stole back, he’ll make you and Jill beg for death.”

“Do you have the jewel, Layla?” Jill asked.

“Yes, but you don’t understand what Gather would do with it, Jill,” Layla’s face was twisted in uncertainty. “A Sultan found my lamp two hundred years ago, and made one wish: take away the Warlock’s power jewel. At the time, Gather was terrorizing the Caliphate with misery.”

“Best give it to me now, Layla, while you can still move,” Kensington ordered.

“Gather would take the jewel and kill us anyway,” Layla said, shaking her head. “Get out of here. Go tell Gather he better start praying I don’t find a way out of this.”

“You won’t,” Kensington replied confidently, moving to the door. “I’ll be back in a couple more days to see if you’ve had a change of heart.”

Kensington opened the door, coming face to face with Cole. Kensington stumbled back from the doorway, and Jenny slipped in past him.

“Cole saw Davy’s Trans Am out front, so we’ve been listening at the door,” Jenny explained to Layla and Jill as Cole walked in and slammed the door.

“I think we better discuss how you’re going to help us resolve this situation, Dave,” Cole suggested.

Moving Day

Weekend with Layla continues in Layla #37. :)

Cole knocked on Layla’s door at 7 AM. Jenny answered, waving him inside.

“What’s the problem, Jenny?”

“You’ll see,” Jenny said as Cole followed her into the large kitchen.

Layla and Jill sat at the table opposite each other, sipping tea, their hands shaking slightly as they held the cups. They both wore heavy white robes. Their faces looked tired and drawn. Cole sat down at the table between them, and Jenny sat down facing him.

“Say something,” Cole said, glancing from one to the other.

“I feel like shit,” Jill mumbled. “It feels like the bone ache flu.”

“Ditto,” Layla added.

“I didn’t think Djinns could get the flu,” Cole said, peering into Layla’s face.

“It may have to do with being out of the lamp for the first time in… well… forever. I have another news flash for you. Jill and Jenny took a chance, and wished for me to bring their stuff here. I couldn’t do it. This bug is disrupting my powers.”

“I knew there had to be some good news in there somewhere,” Cole joked.

“Oh, real funny,” Layla groaned. “Let me tell you something. I’m having a hard time carrying me around let alone moving stuff.”

“Put a fork in me,” Jill added. “I’m done.”

“Danny called last night, and his youngest is sick,” Jenny told Cole. “He won’t be able to make it. That leaves this moving party up to you and me, partner; and frankly, you don’t look up to the mark.”

Cole laughed, and even Layla and Jill chuckled a little at Jenny’s insinuation.

“The good news is there aren’t any stairs,” Jenny continued. “This flu thing’s probably going around, so we’d better stay away from these two. I’ll bunk in with you for a few days while they get well.”

Layla and Jill directed a withering gaze of promised retribution toward Jenny, who immediately held up her hands in surrendering fashion.

“Just testing,” Jenny said. “We’d better go pick up the truck, Cole, and get this show on the road.”

“Jill and I have your times figured from one place to another,” Layla told Jenny. “If you know what’s good for you, be back here within the allotted time.”

“And what is the allotted time?” Jenny asked, making her own calculations.

“That’s for this Djinn, and her sidekick to know, and you devious witch wannabes to find out.”

“Sidekick?” Jill questioned.

“In anticipation of your reprehensible character,” Layla continued, gesturing at Jill with some irritation, “Jill and I confiscated a few personal items from your room we’re certain Cole will find really interesting should you not make it back here within the deemed allotted time.”

“You did not!” Jenny blushed, nearly upsetting her chair as she fled the room, with Jill and Layla laughing painfully.

Minutes later, they heard Jenny cursing colorfully as she descended the stairs at a slower clip. Red faced, Jenny looked at her roommates in tightlipped fury, her fists clenched.

“We had a pact. Our rooms are off limits,” Jenny blurted out.

“You mean like the pact we had for staying away from Cole?” Jill asked, exchanging amused glances with her partner in crime.

“Fine! C’mon, Cole, let’s get out of here before I start beating these two invalids.”

__

“I thought for a while there we were going to need a bigger truck,” Cole said, as he and Jenny carried her bed frame pieces out to the rental truck. “I’m glad Jill was living in a furnished apartment, and you haven’t had time to get crazy with your belongings.”

“Yea, well I’m glad you’re able to shape-shift enough to not scare the neighbors, but still increase your strength enough to manhandle my mattress and couch out here,” Jenny admitted, sweat staining her white blouse she had tied off at the waist. “I wasn’t much help with those.”

“You steadied the load enough for me to get them on the truck,” Cole pointed out as they approached the open truck back, already nearly full of furnishings. “Most of the stuff was in boxes we had to carry out individually anyhow. How do you think we’re doing on time?”

“I don’t know,” Jenny retorted, letting Cole guide and slide the bed frame pieces into the spot he had left for them. “By the time we get all this junk unloaded, my arms will feel like rubber bands, and I’ll be too tired to care about their threats.”

“What the heck could make an over hundred year old witch embarrassed?” Cole laughed as he shut the truck cargo door, and locked it.

“Never you mind,” Jenny replied, blushing. “Thanks for not mentioning it all day. Now, let’s get back to Layla’s and see if I can keep my dignity intact.”

With Cole driving the truck, Jenny leaned against the passenger side door, dozing. She nodded off, bumping her forehead against the rolled up window. Jenny sat up, yawning.

“That felt a little better,” Jenny said. “I may be able to make it through the unloading. Then, I want a beer or two or three.”

“Sounds good,” Cole smiled over at her. “I hope Layla and Jill are feeling better.”

“Better start hoping the stuff isn’t catching. I don’t know about you, but I need a case of their ‘Crud’ about as much as I need a second chin.”

“You have a point there. We’ll be shorthanded again at the shop Monday unless those two make a miraculous comeback on Sunday. Strange how Layla’s powers went on the fritz along with her health.”

“Just as well,” Jenny replied, “who knows what a sick, cranky Djinn would be capable of?”

__

Layla and Jill met the truck, dressed in sweat shirts and jeans, gamely trying to help their friends unload at least the smaller boxes. After a couple trips, they gave it up and had to go lie down in their rooms, leaving Cole and Jenny to finish. Later, the pair sat on Jenny’s couch, drinking beer and watching ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ on Layla’s new plasma TV. Hearing the two laughing, first Layla had joined them, and then Jill trudged down. Cole paused the movie and fetched a round of beers for all of them. Cole sat down between Layla and Jill in the space Jenny had vacated without protest.

“Are you two any better at all?” Cole asked, opening the twist tops on the beers he’d set on the coffee table, and passed them out.

“I think I’m worse,” Layla sipped the beer, trying not to let her hand shake. “It feels like every joint in my body’s aching. Aspirin helps a little.”

“I’ve never had anything like this,” Jill added. “Maybe because it’s so intense now, the flu will burn itself out by Monday.”

“I hope so,” Cole traded worried looks with Jenny, who was visibly surprised at how much worse her friends appeared to be.

__

At the ‘First and Last Chance Saloon’ Evan Gather and Dave Kensington sat at a table.

“How do you think it’s going?” Kensington asked, taking a swallow of his drink.

“They’re real sick now,” Gather confided. “By tomorrow, they’ll wish they were dead. You’ll have gotten your revenge for the night they attacked you, and Layla will be in a more agreeable mood for returning what she stole from me.”

Trouble On The Way

Layla #36

“Good morning, Layla,” Kensington said, after driving his Trans Am in the door, and getting out to stand by the driver’s side door. “Would you mind going around the block with me so I can show you what it’s doing?”

“Sure,” Layla, agreed readily, having walked out of the office with clipboard in hand. She waved at Cole, who had paused to watch. “I’m going around the block with Mr. Kensington. Be right back.”

“Make it quick, Layla,” Cole replied a bit uneasily. “We have a bunch of drop-offs coming in soon.”

“Will do,” Layla climbed into the Pontiac passenger side front and buckled her seat belt.

Kensington started the Pontiac, which idled a little rough. He leaned back, pointing at a red light on the dash, for Layla’s benefit.

“The check engine light has been on for the last month ever since it began missing when I hit the gas,” Kensington explained as he backed out of the shop and onto the avenue out front. “It smoothes out some when I go faster, but listen to this.”

Kensington hit the gas, and the Pontiac shuddered before shooting forward. He drove the Trans Am around the block, with it hesitating at each stop sign when he tried to accelerate. Kensington drove into ABC Auto and shut off the car.

“Oh yeah,” Layla nodded her head, making a note on the estimate sheet. “I have all your information, so if you’ll sign the diagnostic estimate, I’ll give you a call as soon as Jill finds out what’s wrong. You don’t mind Jill working on it, do you?”

“Not at all,” Kensington replied, handing Layla the keys. “I was a chump before. Jill did a great job on my brakes. I’ll wait for your call.”

Cole and Jill both walked up as Kensington left. Layla handed over the Trans Am keys to Jill. “You’re up, Barbie. Give me a rundown on what you find.”

“Kensington gives me the chills for some reason,” Cole said.

“Listen, ‘Bad Moon Rising’,” Layla quipped, giving Cole a push on the shoulder, “you mind your business, and let me handle the customers.”

“Okay… okay,” Cole walked away with a wave of acknowledgement.

“I should have Wraithed Jenny last night,” Jill said, opening the Trans Am door.

“You were mad you didn’t think of it,” Layla laughed. “Besides, did you see her face when we popped in on her? I thought her head would explode.”

“That was tight, Evil,” Jill giggled, getting in and starting the Pontiac. “She’s still hiding out in the back.”

“I’d chalk it up to remorse, but I know better. Get to work, Barbie. I want the list of parts and labor I can sell on my desk within the hour.”

“Right away, Mistress of Darkness.”

“And don’t you forget it,” Layla called after her as Jill closed the door and drove the Pontiac to her stall.

Jill reported to the office nearly forty minutes later. She handed Layla her sheet.

“A major tune will take care of the miss, but he fried the catalytic converter by putting off the repair too long.”

“Ouch!” Layla noted, looking over the list of repairs. “I’ll get this figured and give him a call. I hope I can get the converter delivered today. Hey, what’s up with your hand, Barbie?”

Jill realized she had been rubbing her right wrist and hand. She shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m a little sore today. Should I report to the emergency room?”

“Forget it, slacker,” Layla retorted, handing Jill another sheet. “Do the service on the Ford Taurus while I get the okay on the Pontiac.”

“But I’m huuuuuurrrrrrrrtttttt…” Jill whined, taking the sheet, and drawing a laugh from Layla as she gave Jill the wave off.

Cole heard Jill muttering curses while working under the Pontiac even with the noise from the air compressor. She had the Pontiac up on the lift and was in the process of trying to cinch up a new catalytic converter and pipes on the Pontiac. Cole walked over and held the converter assembly tighter into position, and Jill slipped the gasket and bolts in place at the rear. She then reached up in front a little shakily Cole thought to start the front attaching bolts. Jill wiped sweat from her brow and smiled at Cole.

“Thanks boss.”

“We do have a stand for doing this you know,” Cole kidded her.

“I know. I was a little behind getting the tune done, and I thought to just whip the cat. in place and get the Pontiac on the road.”

“No problem, just make sure you test drive it real good before we give it back. I don’t want anymore trouble from Kensington. You look kind of done in. Maybe getting a good night’s sleep should come before stalking me at night.”

“You wish,” Jill grinned, pulling on Cole’s shirt. She kissed him, lightly at first, and then with ardor. For the first time that morning the small aches and twitches she’d felt subsided from her consciousness. When she pulled away gradually, Jill saw more than a buddy look on Cole’s face. “Nice.”

“Better finish this up or Layla will be out with her whip,” Cole advised, backing away.

“Don’t remind me,” Jill sighed, picking up her air ratchet.

__

Kensington walked into the office a half hour after leaving with the Pontiac, a big smile on his face. Layla looked at him attentively, shifting uncomfortably in her seat.

“It runs better than new, Layla! Give this to Jill for me,” Kensington said, putting a twenty dollar bill on the counter. “Tell her to buy a few beers on me.”

“Thanks, Dave, I’ll tell her,” Layla nodded, using Kensington’s first name as he had insisted when paying the bill.

“I’ll be back when I need service,” Kensington gave Layla a small salute and left.

Layla stood up, irritated and surprised at the ache she had in her legs. She picked up the twenty and went out in the shop. Jill was adding oil to a 2005 Toyota Corolla she had serviced after the Pontiac. Layla put the twenty on the fender cover.

“Your work was a hit, Barbie. Dave even left you a tip.”

“Thanks,” Jill replied tiredly, picking up the twenty and sticking it in her pocket. “What do I have left after this? I think my pilot light went out.”

“Cole diagnosed a noisy distributor on the 90 Acura outside. The parts arrived about fifteen minutes ago, and he’ll be tied up with the tie rod ends on the Ford Aerostar he’s doing now. Want to take that one?”

“Sure, I’ll get the sheet and keys from you after I drive this out.”

“You want to think about putting off the move tomorrow?”

Jill shook her head no. “Uh uh, I want to get it over with while we have everything set up.”

“You could simply wish it over to my place,” Layla offered.

“Yea, I could chug down some Draino too, but I’m not going to,” Jill smiled to take the bite out of her refusal.

“Okay for you, Barbie,” Layla snapped her fingers, pirouetting toward the office.

Jill flexed her hands after closing the Toyota hood, wondering if she was getting the flu.

Bad Feeling

Layla #35

Cole sat alone in the office, printing out a map to Dave Kensington’s home address, which he had retrieved from their customer database. Left to work alone without interruption, Cole thought back more and more to Kensington’s apology as the day wore on. He had allowed Layla, Jill, and Jenny to leave a couple hours early for the purpose of gathering Jenny’s more delicate products from her storage unit in Walnut Creek. He smiled at Layla’s continued annoyance at being laughed at every time she offered to use magic. Danny opened the office door.

“I’m taking off, Cole. The Escalade’s ready to be picked up tomorrow morning. Thanks for letting me come in at nine this morning.”

“Sure, Danny, good night.”

“I heard your harem moved in together, boss.”

“Do you like your job at ABC, Danny boy?”

“Oh… did I say that out loud? I’ll close the big door on my way out,” Danny laughed.

“Thanks, you prick.”

Cole shut down the computer. He quickly went through his routine of checking the back gate, and all the door locks. With Kensington’s address in hand, Cole exited his shop and drove his Dodge toward Kensington’s house. Having decided to err on the side of caution by making sure the man didn’t live in a crypt, Cole parked a few houses down from Kensington’s house on Lyon Avenue in Oakland. The Trans Am was parked in the short driveway. Cole settled back in his seat, torn between abandoning his goofy stakeout idea, and simply walking up to knock on Kensington’s door for a conversation. Fifteen minutes later, as Cole watched the house, he nearly jumped through the roof when knuckles rapped on his window. Jenny waved her right hand fingers at him daintily as Cole turned the ignition key on without starting the car, and hit the down switch for his window.

“It’s me, cowboy… your faithful Velma,” Jenny giggled, standing outside the driver’s side window in a knee length black London Fog trench coat. “Didn’t have the Wolf antennae up, huh?”

“Get in, Velma, before I start thinking of wishes Layla would grant me with pleasure,” Cole whispered.

A look of apprehension swept over Jenny’s face at the thought of what Cole could wish for. She hurried around to the passenger side of the car and got in.

“Where are your housemates?”

“At Layla’s watching ‘Ghost Finders’ on her new plasma TV. I told them I had to go out for some things at Office Depot for my shop,” Jenny grinned. “It just so happens I bought the stuff last weekend, and the bags are in my trunk.”

“I’m not sure I want to know how you knew where I was.”

“I…I bugged your car,” Jenny admitted, holding up her hands in placating fashion as Cole leaned toward her with eyes narrowed. “Easy… easy there, big fella’. It’s a game the three of us are torturing each other with.”

“You must be very proud, seeing as how you’re even more devious than a Djinn.”

“Well… not really… she did sleep with you before I sealed your building off from her.”

Cole tried not to laugh, but failed.

“So… what are we doing here?” Jenny asked, leaning against Cole, with her left hand on his thigh. “This is like old times… out on a stakeout together again.”

“That’s Kensington’s house across the street.”

“Oh yeah, the Trans Am guy,” Jenny looked where Cole pointed. “Did you get some kind of premonition or something? Layla told me he’s bringing his car in for a tune tomorrow.”

“I’m still demon shy,” Cole admitted. “It’s probably nothing. I wanted to make sure he actually lived at the address he gave us. Man, am I glad tomorrow’s Friday.”

“Don’t forget, you and Danny volunteered to help us move Saturday.”

“How can I forget? I’m the one who has to go with Jill and rent the truck. We then load up at her place, and head for Walnut Creek to get your stuff. Taking Layla up on her wish offer might not…”

“Don’t even think it,” Jenny interrupted. “The moment us mortals relax and trust the Djinn, we’re in deep shit.”

“I have immunity.”

“Our stuff doesn’t,” Jenny retorted.

“Yea, you’re probably right. I’ll be over…”

“Hey, Cole, some guy in a suit just walked up to Kensington’s door,” Jenny pointed out.

“He must be a next door neighbor,” Cole replied, focusing on the man as Kensington came out to join him on the landing, before following the man over to the Pontiac. “I didn’t see him drive up.”

The two men entered the Pontiac Trans Am and closed the doors. With the tinted windows, Cole and Jenny couldn’t see what they were doing. The car didn’t start up. A few minutes later, the men left the Pontiac and went inside the house again.

“Maybe the guy wants to buy his Pontiac,” Cole suggested. “That would make sense. He wants to get it tuned up before trying to get a smog check for the buyer. I think I’ve had enough of this stakeout. I’m going home.”

“What, no goodnight kiss?”

Cole glanced over with a smile and caught his breath in a ragged gasp. Jenny had opened her coat, revealing she wore a black, waist length, sheer mesh top and nothing else. In a second, she nimbly straddled the stunned Cole, who forgot everything about why he was in the car, or what he was doing there. Jenny sealed his mouth with hers, and heat swept through the two in a familiar wave. Jenny leaned away, reaching for Cole’s belt buckle. She glanced up to see Layla and Jill smiling at her from the backseat of the Dodge.

“Oh… shit!” Jenny scrambled off Cole, pulling her coat around her.

“Ahem…” Layla cleared her throat.

Cole stayed still, leaning back with his eyes closed. “Hi Layla… hi Jill.”

“Hello… worm,” Jill said. “Fooling around with the floozie, huh?”

“It’s not a floozie, Jill,” Layla exclaimed, leaning forward to peer into Jenny’s face. “I think it’s our roommate Jenny, fresh from the office supply store.”

“I was… I was helping Cole make sure Kensington lived where he said he did. We can’t be too careful with this demon thing,” Jenny grasped at the straw of credulity, and missed.

“Oh right… you were busy watching Kensington’s house, and slipped off the seat and onto Cole’s lap facing the wrong way. Imagine that,” Layla said thoughtfully. “I think we better ride back to my house with our office supply maven, Jill.”

“An excellent idea,” Jill concluded.

Layla stepped out of the Dodge, opened Jenny’s door, and grabbed Jenny by the ear. “Come along, dear.”

“Ow…ow…ow…ow…ow, goodnight, Cole.”

“Goodnight, Jenny… goodnight Layla… goodnight Jill…” Cole remained where he was, listening to the three women trading insults and laughter on the way to Jenny’s car. A few moments later, Cole started the Dodge and drove home. A few minutes after Cole drove away, Evan Gather walked out of Dave Kensington’s home and vanished from view.

Apology?

Layla #34

“Hey… I saw what happened to you the other night, friend,” a smooth baritone voice said from behind the man drinking a beer at the First and Last Chance Saloon. “My name’s Evan Gather by the way. Let me buy you a beer.”

The man at the bar perked up, looking over at Evan Gather with his hand offered, curious why he hadn’t seen the tall, heavyset Gather when he looked for witnesses. Gather was dressed in a well tailored Navy Blue suit with vest and tie.

“I wish you’d been with me when I went over to have that bitch arrested,” the man shook Gather’s hand. “Dave Kensington.”

“Glad to meet you, Dave. May I join you?”

“Sure thing,” Kensington said, gesturing at the barstool next to him, as Gather signaled for a round. “That was some scary shit.”

“You’re telling me,” Gather commiserated. “So, it didn’t go well when you tried to have the blonde arrested?”

“The cops hung me out to dry. I did find out Jill’s last name from the ABC Auto Repair’s website. It’s Connors. Hell… I don’t even believe what I saw.”

“Oh, it was real,” Gather assured him. “The brunette looked like she was in on it too, almost like she was in charge.”

“Yea… now that you mention it, she did seem to be calling the shots. Layla… Layla St Claire, she’s the service coordinator at ABC according to the website.”

“I have a little proposition for you if getting back at Jill still appeals to you.”

“What’s all this to you, Evan?” Kensington asked suspiciously.

“I have a small score to settle with Layla. I stumbled across a picture of her with Connors a couple weeks back. She took something from me on behalf of another. I’d like to get it back.”

“Now we’re getting somewhere. Why didn’t you say so? What do you have in mind?”

__

“Cole, that guy from the bar just walked into the office!” Jill said excitedly, hurrying over from the Subaru she was tuning up, and pointing at the office.”

Cole sighed, and peeked out from under the dash of a 1999 Chrysler he was taking the lower column cover off of in preparation for changing the turn signal switch assembly.

“Tell Danny to pick up some gerbil food when he goes to lunch.”

“Cole!” Jill admonished, laughing.

“What do you want me to do? Layla’s been handling people real well. From what you’ve told me about the night you Wraithed the guy, Layla had the whole thing under control.”

“So, in other words, it was me and Jenny picking on him, huh?”

“That about sums it up,” Cole smiled up at Jill.

“Why you… uh oh… here comes Layla and Mr. Trans Am.”

“Gee, I remember the days when I just worked on stuff here,” Cole groused, easing out from under the dash. “Those were the days.”

“Cole,” Layla called out, walking up with Kensington beside her. “Mr. Kensington wants to apologize for his behavior the other day; and to Jill, for his remarks the other night.”

“I’m really sorry, Ms. Connors,” Kensington said, with what sounded like true contrition in his voice. “I was a real asshole the other night. Please accept my apology.”

Jill shook hands with Kensington hesitantly, stunned at this new turn of events.

“Sure, Mr. Kensington,” Jill replied.

“Glad this is cleared up, Mr. Kensington,” Cole added, stripping off his nitrile glove, and shaking hands with him too.

“Well, I’ll see you tomorrow, Layla, thanks again,” Kensington said, and walked out.

“What’s he coming in tomorrow for?” Jill asked when Kensington was nearly out the door, wondering if a guy could ever forget about getting attacked by a Wraith.

“He wants his Trans Am tuned,” Layla explained, holding up her hand in a warding off unwanted remarks fashion. “And no, I didn’t make him do time in the gerbil ball. What are you doing over here bothering Cole for, Barbie? Don’t you have a Subaru to finish?”

“I’m going, Evil,” Jill moved toward the Subaru, flipping off Layla with her right hand behind the back.

“I’ll turn that into a claw for you, little missy,” Layla warned as Cole laughed.

Jill’s Angelica Root appeared in her left hand, beside the right.

“It’s funny now, Barbie; but soon, you and your Angelica Root will be in my personal doll case next to the unicorn collection.”

Jill pulled her hands forward, and glanced back uneasily at Layla.

“That’ll learn ya’,” Layla chuckled, turning toward Cole, who had slipped back under the Chrysler dash. “Why don’t you come in the office for a quickie at lunch, big boy?”

“Because I gave Jenny and Jill my word I wouldn’t fool around with any of you while we go through this transition phase at ABC,” Cole stated without peering out at Layla. The sight of her walking toward them with Kensington had revved him up more than he cared to let on. “Did you move into your new house?”

“I slept there last night,” Layla answered, leaning into the car, and running her hand up along Cole’s side. “Jenny brought over a few suitcases too. Jill’s waiting for the weekend, because she can’t move out officially till the end of the month. I could sneak you up to my room tonight after Jenny goes to bed.”

“Hi, Mom, what ya’ doin’?” Jenny’s voice came over Layla’s shoulder, causing Layla to pop up from where she was angrily.

“Don’t do that, Jen, unless you want a bell attached permanently to your nose,” Layla threatened.

“Lighten up,” Jenny said, clapping Layla on the shoulder, peaking around her at Cole. “You tryin’ to get some, girlfriend? Can I play too?”

“Get back to work you two,” Cole ordered.

“You won’t be ordering anyone if another demon comes calling,” Layla reminded him.

“Jenny already gave me a talisman to ward off another surprise visit,” Cole replied.

“Layla, want to come back and see the shop? I have it ready to stock,” Jenny asked, seeing the conflicting emotions Layla experienced in hearing Cole’s new piece of information.

“I guess so,” Layla agreed. She followed Jenny out to the back blockhouse. “I have to hand it to you, Jen, you’ve been working your tail off out here.”

“Let me show you the street sign first,” Jenny said, leading Layla through the gate to the street. “The sign company finished it this morning.”

Layla admired the colorful sign, mounted on a post, with three beautiful witches around a huge cauldron. ‘The Witches Brew’ in decorative cut out letters, made up the sign’s top part, running in a semicircle over the picture. An arrow hung under the sign, pointing toward the shop. Address numbers were in black, as if dripping out of the arrow, with the picture surface acting as a backdrop for the front and rear mirror images.

“Very nice,” Layla complimented her. “It must of cost you a small fortune.”

“The sign company’s making up another larger sign just like this one for the storefront.”

Inside Jenny’s shop, Layla stopped, and took a deep breath. The freshly painted light blue walls, and new deep blue-gray carpeting were highlighted by the many decorative hangings.

“They’re delivering the shelves, display case, and computer desk tomorrow.”

“Maybe this was a good idea,” Layla allowed. “It’ll help cement-head pay his mortgage, and give you a chance to assimilate.”

“Thanks for letting me stay at your house. It’s beautiful. I hope we can get Cole to stay with us and give up his place.”

“I’m still a little confused on how I ended up having to share him,” Layla remarked, with a pointedly wry look at Jenny.

“You love having me and Jill around?” Jenny offered, smiling sweetly.

Sharing

Layla #33

“Oh boy,” Jill remarked, driving toward ABC Auto Repair, with Layla next to her and Jenny in the back of her Pontiac. “There’re cop cars out in front of the shop.”

“I didn’t think the little prig had it in him to call the cops on you, Wraith,” Layla chuckled. “Send us a note now and then from Folsom Prison. I’ll send you cards, and…”

“Very funny,” Jill replied. “So, any suggestions, Evil?”

“Let me handle it. Cole will be in there with that cute naïve look on his face while he’s listening to our latest caper.”

“I have a feeling he won’t be as amused as we were,” Jenny added, as Jill parked her Pontiac.

Jill wore the shop uniform of Navy blue pants and shirt. Layla wore a thigh length maroon dress with v-neck, while Jenny had worn work overalls to continue the refurbishing of the block room. As they walked inside the big door, the man from last night’s adventure gestured animatedly at the women from near the office. He stood flanked by four Oakland police officers, a woman and three men, while Cole listened with arms folded over his chest.

“There they are!” The man shouted. “The blonde attacked me last night.”

“Hey, look girls,” Jenny laughed, “it’s the drunk from outside the First and Last Chance Saloon. Man, were you wasted.”

“Tha…that’s not true! I want the one named Jill arrested for assault.”

The officers were looking skeptically at the man now as they saw the three women in person.

“Officer,” Layla sauntered up to the policeman nearest Cole, gesturing at Jill, “as you can see, my co-worker Jill is a head shorter than this guy, and probably a hundred pounds lighter. We did see him at the Saloon; but like Jenny told you, he was pretty drunk.”

“What about it, Sir?” the woman police officer asked. “Jill here doesn’t look like she’s even close to your weight class, it’s pretty tough to believe…”

“She…she changed into something monstrous. It wailed and flew around me like a demon. You saw the cuts on my back and arms. How…”

“I wish you’d told us about the monster before,” the officer Layla had spoken to traded knowing looks with his three companions. “We should be looking for the monster instead of hassling these people. Sorry to have bothered you, Cole. Congratulations on buying the shop. I’ve known Stan a long time.”

“Thanks, the twenty percent discount is still on for police and fire,” Cole replied. “Layla here can…”

“You’re just going to ignore the assault?!!” The man cut Cole off, inserting himself between Cole and the police officer Layla had spoken to. “This is so typical of…”

“Don’t say anymore, Sir,” the woman officer warned. “If you’re not careful, you could be the one under arrest for assault. I would suggest you walk away.”

The man stared at the group allied against him, and began backing toward the door, shaking his finger at Jill. “This ain’t over.”

“Wow, someone’s clock-spring’s wound a little tight,” Jenny observed, watching the man storm out of the shop.

“We’ll be going then. I wouldn’t worry much about that guy. Someone rolled him by the bar, and he’s looking to take it out on anybody he remembered seeing. For the record, what was his beef with you three last night?”

“He approached us in the bar, claiming Jill screwed up his car,” Layla explained. “I gave him a business card, and told him Cole would check it out for him. He ragged on us outside the bar for a few moments before we left for home.”

The officer smiled at Layla and gestured toward the door for the other officers. “Let’s go.”

The woman officer hung back for a moment, putting a hand on Cole’s arm. “I need brakes on my Nissan. Can you handle it this week?”

“Sure,” Cole replied, fishing a card out of his breast pocket and handing it to the officer. “Give Layla a call.”

“I’ll give you a call. I’m Cassie, by the way,” Cassie said, holding up the card momentarily before following the other police officers out.

“Jesus,” Jenny complained, giving Cole a little push, “what is it with you?”

“What!?” Cole held his hands up innocently. “I didn’t do anything.”

“It’s the wolf,” Layla sighed, looking after the attractive female officer, who did her best to walk with attitude in her uniform. “He’s giving off pheromones.”

“Don’t turn this on me. What the hell did you do to that guy?” Cole asked, and then thought better of it when the three women began laughing. “On second thought, get to work: all of you.”

“Wait a minute, Cole,” Layla stopped him from walking away. “I have news. I’m getting a house up in Piedmont. It’s a big place. Jenny and Jill are going to move in with me.”

“Oh boy…” Cole muttered, looking up at the ceiling as if hoping for divine intervention.

“What’s wrong with that?” Jill asked.

Cole returned his attention to the three women. He shook his head.

“Never mind, I think it’s wonderful, super, just fabulous,” Cole uttered sarcastically, turning once again to walk away.

“We need your help moving,” Jenny put in, “and Danny.”

“Why don’t you wish for Layla to move you two in?” Cole asked with a laugh, as his suggestion evoked looks of horror on Jenny and Jill’s faces. “Well, at least you two have moved past the wish phase. I’ll help. Danny isn’t coming in until nine. You can ask him then.”

“Hey…” Layla called out suddenly as Cole moved away, “I think I resent that.”

Last Chance Saloon

Layla #32

The three women sat at a table in the bar called Heinold's First and Last Chance Saloon on Jack London Square in Oakland. They had spent an hour shopping and walking around by the pier, avoiding all talk of Cole or the shop. Jenny explained her ideas for ‘The Witches Brew’ in the back block house during part of the walk. Layla had immediately offered to grant Jenny a wish to furnish her shop, which was met with good natured derision. They sat together in the bar, sipping one of the bar’s specialties: a Bloody Mary.

“Okay, maybe I won’t turn you two into tree toads,” Layla said after a comfortable silence. “I’m not going anywhere, so maybe we should talk about our situation more realistically.”

“I’m in love with Cole,” Jill admitted, looking away from Layla.

“I’m shocked,” Layla joked. “C’mon Jill, I’m not Dr. Phil. Let’s move past the gagging details of our mutual affection for a certain wrench-head.”

“No offense, Layla, but can you care about him?” Jenny questioned with serious intent. “I mean… you are a Djinn. What…”

“I’m still discovering human feelings on a daily basis,” Layla cut in with an impatient wave of her hand. “I used to take exquisite delight in the petty crap humans brought on themselves through their so called feelings. Now, my existence is like a ‘Jerry Springer’ episode, with me as one of the pathetic participants.”

“You didn’t answer… as usual,” Jill pointed out.

“Love is pain and hurt,” Layla replied with a slight shrug. “I’m in love.”

An uneasy moment passed after Layla spoke, and then she started giggling, which soon had the three laughing together.

“You’re alright, Djinn,” Jenny held up her glass in a toast her companions joined. “Don’t think for a second I’ve forgotten you made me into a crone for a century though.”

“Not likely,” Layla retorted, “it’s the one pleasurable thing about having you around. Ahhhh… memories.”

When the three finished enjoying Layla’s send up of Jenny, Jill made another suggestion.

“Maybe we should give him the space he wants,” Jill offered.

“That’s easy for you to say, Barbie,” Layla snickered. “You don’t know what it is you’re missing.”

“I saw you and Cole on the creeper in the shop while you had me talking by string pull in doll form,” Jill added calmly; but when Layla leaned toward her smiling, Jill blushed.

“Bad Jill… bad,” Layla made a shaming gesture, running her right index finger over the left index finger she pointed at Jill. “Those voyeuristic thoughts do not belong in a realistic conversation.”

“That’s cold,” Jenny shook her head in a chastising manner at Layla.

“Save your breath, Jenny,” Jill smiled at Layla directly while saying it. “I would have probably been dead if not for her when the demon held us. We have to keep reminding each other she’s a Djinn, not the little sisters of the poor.”

“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you two,” Layla reiterated again.

“We’re listening now,” Jill agreed. “It was stupid for me to keep thinking of you as I would another human. Cole warned me, and I didn’t listen, so I learned the hard way.”

“Oh boy, did I learn the hard way,” Jenny let her forehead thump down on the table. “A hundred years wearing a bag over my head really helped with the old humility.”

“Hey, why don’t we go over and surprise Cole tonight together,” Jill suggested.

“What about the spell keeping me out?” Layla asked, walking right into the verbal slam.

As if on cue, Jill and Jenny turned toward her. “What about it?” They asked together.

“I think Jill may have a point,” Layla leaned back in a suddenly thoughtful manner, seeing her companions would go, and laugh at her while they did it. “Cole should have some space to get things going at the business.”

“I need another drink,” Jenny sighed. “I should have pretended to help Cole, while enjoying the moment a bit longer.”

“Raum would have had him and us if you’d waited any longer,” Layla replied, getting the waitress’s attention and making a gesture for another round. “Thank you, by the way.”

“I didn’t do it for you,” Jenny grinned at Layla as the drinks arrived. “I did it to get Cole, and take out a demon. It was really exciting. I found out I could get something done without any special powers.”

“Hey, Jill, that guy behind you at the bar’s giving you the eye,” Jenny said, without looking at the man she spoke of. “He’s cute… I think he’s coming over.”

“Hi,” the young man said, holding a glass of beer in his hand. “You two work over at ABC garage, don’t you? Layla… and Jill… right? You work in the back on the cars, don’t you, Jill?”

“Yes,” Jill smiled at him, noting he was almost as tall as Cole, and looked to be around the same age as she was. She liked his blue eyes and sandy colored hair. “Did you have some work done at ABC?”

“Yea… you screwed up my car,” the man complained. “I told Layla here I wanted Cole to work on my Trans Am, but she gave the job to you. It hasn’t been right since I drove away over a month ago.”

“Why didn’t you call me if you were having trouble?” Layla asked, instantly irritated, digging around in her purse, and pulling out an ABC business card. She handed it to the man. “We guarantee our work.”

“Actually, I think Jill here needs to make things right,” the man’s face took on a petty look as if he expected Jill to jump up and run out to his car.

“Wait a minute,” Jill frowned. “I did a front disc brake job on a 2002 Trans Am just over a month ago. I had to replace the brake calipers too. Is that the one?”

“It was running great before I had the front brakes done,” the man nodded his head. “Now it misses every time I accelerate from a stop sign.

“I don’t know anything about cars, but I know the brakes don’t have anything to do with the way it runs,” Jenny laughed, which elicited a grim set to the man’s face. She ignored Layla’s rapid head shake. “Jill’s a good mechanic; but what I think we have here is a failure to communicate. Apparently, you thought a front brake job included a tune-up. It doesn’t.”

“Jenny… I’ll handle this,” Layla cautioned. “Call us tomorrow, and I’ll set up an appointment to check out your complaint.”

“Bullshi…” Jill began, but Layla covered Jill’s mouth with a hand.

“Call us, okay?” Layla smiled up at the man.

“Okay…” the man looked at the business card, “but it better get fixed this time.”

The three women watched the man return to the bar before talking. Jill cast a glowering look at Layla, the Bloody Mary’s beginning to hit her. Layla waved her off before she could speak.

“Business is business, Blondie,” Layla reminded her, after taking a sip of her fresh drink the waitress brought over. “If we’re helping Cole with the business, we have to be politic with the customers.

The three continued enjoying their drinks; but Jill noticed the man, who had walked over to talk with them, still watching her with a smirk on his face.

“He accused me of screwing up his car,” Jill said in a hushed tone.

“Get over yourself,” Layla admonished. “C’mon, we better hit the road. You better let me drive. You two lightweights are an accident waiting to happen. Jenny, if you know what’s good for you, stay over with me at Jill’s place. You look about three sheets into the wind.”

Jenny laughed, but nodded in acquiescence. Layla paid the bar bill, and they walked out together, only to be followed by the man with the Trans Am.

“Hey, where’re you girls going?”

“Home, and we don’t need company,” Jill blurted out, suddenly realizing she was a little higher than she thought.

“Oh… okay…” the man held up his hands in surrendering fashion, “it’s like that, huh?”

“Like what!?” Jenny demanded, poking her right index finger in the man’s chest.

The man pushed Jenny hard, sending her sprawling. Jill looked at Layla expectantly. Layla looked around, making sure there were no witnesses.

“Okay, okay, Wraith him, but no permanent damage,” Layla admonished, helping Jenny to her feet.

Jill turned into the Wraith. The man screamed and began running with Jill in hot pursuit, raking small cuts as she went. Layla watched with an annoyed look.

“What’s wrong, Layla,?” Jenny asked, dusting herself off.

“A Trans Am tune is good money, Elvira. Repeat business is what makes ABC run smoothly,” Layla explained, watching the man trip finally with the Wraith following up the misstep, gesturing at him for Jenny’s benefit. “We’ll never get this guy back in the shop now.”