Maggie for Hire by Kate Danley Read Free Book Online Page A

friends with my enemy,” the fat guy unhelpfully pointed out.
    “I didn’t know that he wasn’t a friend of yours,” I countered.
    “Then this was nothing more than an unfortunate misunderstanding.”
    “Listen,” I said.  “My dad used to spend a bunch of time here, jerkface,...”
    The fat guy looked at me sharply, “Your father?”
    “William MacKay.”
    “Why did you not say that you were William MacKay’s daughter?” he said, all tension gushing out of the room like rioters pouring out of a soccer game.
    “Maybe because you sicced four guards on us before we had a chance.”
    “When the name Ulrich MacKay is mentioned, I have found it is best to make the first move and sort things out later, if there are things to sort out.”
    “Well... let’s... sort some things out,” I offered weakly.
    “Please, sit,” he said, motioning to some chairs.
    Killian and I grabbed our bottles and I flung myself into one like a 13-year old girl about to be told she couldn’t go to the mall.  One of the guards started to stir, so I offered him my hand.
    “Your boss has a sick sense of humor,” I said, helping him to his feet and brushing the dirt off his tweed suit jacket.
    I took a long drag off of my water and then fixed the fat man in my gaze, “Okay.  Tell me how you knew my father.”
    “Your father aided me by transporting sensitive artifacts to private collectors between worlds.  He was an ‘independent contractor’ of sorts.”
    “My father was a tracker,” I corrected.
    “No,” said the fat man chewing on the soggy end of his cigar, “your father was a smuggler.”
    “You’re a liar,” I said.
    “Believe or do not believe, it matters not to me.  But it is the truth.”
    “I was with him on every run for the past ten years,” I said, leaning forward.
    “The antiquities were small baubles - trifles, really.  They would not have been noticed.”
    “Really?  And what were these tiny treasures exactly?”
    “Vampire relics.”
    That, I have to say, knocked me on my ass.
    “Vampire relics.  My dad worked in vampire relics?”
    The fat man’s eyes were beady and glinted with greasy greed, “You would not happen to be here today to follow in your father’s footsteps?”
    I gritted my teeth and managed to spit out sweetly, “I’m afraid my current contractual obligations have me all tied up at the moment.”
    “Tis a pity,” said the fat man.  “Well, if it soothes your delicate sensibilities, your father would not take any of my larger jobs - only the vampire relics.  In fact, he was the one that contacted me.  A very wealthy private collector had asked him to keep his head up.  Anything I was able to get my hands on, he was interested in.  Of course you know taking relics to the Other Side weakens the vampires’ strength here on Earth, which was a win for me.  Profit and peace, all wrapped up in a tidy bundle tied with a 24 karat string.”
    So that’s why the vampires were after me.  The pieces were starting to fall into place.  It was because of this jerk and a burgeoning bank account that I’m sure was as cushy as he.
    “Any idea what you stole that might have gotten them worked up?” I asked icily.
    “No idea, but if I hear of anything,” he waved the little piece of paper with my phone number on it, “I shall give you a ring.”
    I had had it up to my neckguarded chin, “YOU’RE THE REASON the entire vampire race is trying to kill me and YOU’LL GIVE ME A CALL???”
    The fat guy held up his palms in apology, “It is a hazard of my trade.  Your father was a valuable asset in my operation, though, and I do not wish for us to part enemies.  Your uncle’s name always seemed to come up when... how shall I say... a ‘trade’... had gone sour.  I am not the forgiving type and it would please me to be able to assist you in tracking him down... for justice.”
    “Well, maybe I’m not the forgiving type either and I don’t want to work with the guy who has