“Yes, of course. We have to have our own ways of settling legal disputes involving magic,” Mr. Hartwell said.
“Okay, then I’ll look into the legal angle,” Ethan said. “Fighting against evil schemers isn’t my legal specialty, but it’s becoming something of a hobby.”
“While you guys are taking the thinkin’ end of the plan, we’re gonna send a few folk down to stake out the store,” Sam said. “I doubt Idris’ll be working the cash register himself, but you never know who you’ll find popping by. There might be someone worth following. That is, if we can see past their disguise illusions. We probably shouldn’t try simultaneously unveiling everyone in Times Square again.” Owen turned bright red at that and became engrossed in the pattern of wood grain on the conference table.
Merlin nodded. “Very well, then. There isn’t much we can do until we have more information. Tomorrow we’ll send Kim to the store to obtain some samples of their merchandise, which we will then analyze. Based on that analysis we’ll have a better sense of what the scheme seems to be, and we will also know how we should respond, businesswise. Now, I’ve asked you to give up enough of your holiday. Please feel free to enjoy the rest of your day. We will meet again in two days to discuss preliminary results.”
As the meeting broke up, Owen went over to Merlin to talk, and that left me standing face-to-face with Ethan. “How’s it going?” he asked, eliminating my option of pretending not to notice him.
“Pretty good,” I said.
“I hear you and Owen are together now.”
“Yeah.”
“Good. He’s a nice guy. And apparently not into chicks with wings.” He glanced over his shoulder to where Trix’s desk sat empty. “I guess you were right about that, after all.”
It had been one of my better breakup lines, I had to admit. He’d said he thought I was a little too normal for him, and I’d accused him of really wanting to date chicks with wings. The fact that it turned out to be true made it even better. “Well, they do say I’m perceptive. And I’m glad things are working out for you.”
“Thanks. No hard feelings?”
I was rather surprised to realize that there weren’t any. He seemed to belong to another lifetime, even though it wasn’t that long ago. “No hard feelings,” I confirmed.