The Case Of The Dead Frat Boy

By Stephanie Burke

When an obnoxious frat boy hits on Fae Mai-Mai Collins, she nearly gets arrested for magical assault. But then he ends up dead on the back steps of her cafe, and her life, as well as that of her Gremlin lover, Ry-Ry, is sent into a tailspin.

Now the police are on her tail about the murder, her business has become a spectacle for Fae watchers and Fae haters alike, and her life seems to be in danger from some unknown force.

With a magical geas taking over her body to find the truth and a host of frat boys and sorority girls all lining up as suspects, it’s hard for the mild mannered coffee shop owner to tell who is guilty and who is the victim.

Is the true mystery discovering who killed the frat boy, or is it discovering what darkness lies beneath her skin?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Changeling Press
• Release date: Apr 12, 2019

Book preview

skin?

Chapter One

You know, I have a theory.

Mai Collins looked up from the book she was trying to read and stared at the man who unceremoniously dropped down into the seat opposite to her. She looked around the nearly empty coffee shop before shooting her uninvited guest a narrow-eyed, exasperated look and then again glancing around the Java Jump, hoping that he would catch the hint, but nope. He went right on speaking as if the huge, unsubtle hint she had thrown in his direction had never happened.

I think you’re beautiful, but you would be even more so if you smiled.

As if to demonstrate, he opened his mouth in some facsimile of a Miss Universe smile, complete with dimples. She was nearly blinded by the blue-white porcelain caps that glinted in the recessed lighting like a cosmetically implanted dental star. All that was missing was the high-pitched tone emphasizing the perfection of his artificial smile.

He really wasn’t that bad looking, once you got past the artificial moonlight of his teeth. He had short dark hair, deeply tanned skin, and a body that appeared to have more experience in a gym than in etiquette classes, because really… who just sits down at a table and throws out one of the cheesiest and most insulting pick-up lines ever?

This will not stand. She carefully placed a bookmark in her book and laid it on the table beside her cup of cooling peach nectar. People who creased pages were real monsters and deserved to be slapped about the face and head until they got a clue.

You know, she spoke in her smoothest tone, tossing long tendrils of her curly auburn hair behind her shoulders as she leaned forward. I have a theory, too. She shot him a sultry look that had him grinning harder and leaning forward to make their conversation more intimate.

Really? he encouraged eagerly. Tell me more.

I have a theory that you will be more attractive from behind… He perked up, then her voice fell flat …as you walk away. His smile fled and her face dropped into its usual resting bitch-face of epic proportions before she curled her lip in disgust, exposing two of the daintiest, sharpest fangs to ever grace a preternatural creature. Care to test out my theory and prove how true it is? Why don’t you walk the fuck away?

For a moment he stared at her in shock before the color drained from his face. The sound of his chair scraping back as he lurched to his feet was even sweeter than the sound of his muttered You ain’t that hot as he scurried out of her sight.

I was right! she called out to him. You didn’t miss squat day, but that doesn’t mean you have to be a total ass!

He left her shop, and she picked up her book.

Once again, life was beautiful.

* * *

Mai should have seen it coming. After all, she was dealing with humans, and when one dealt with humans it was best to assume the worst in any situation.

I did not attack that boy, she growled at the two detectives -- Magics Division, of course -- who now stood, grim-faced and determined as they tried to surround her in the middle of her coffee shop.

She glanced around at her customers. The humans showed a mixture of concern and fascination as they tried to see what was going to happen next. Most, however, being Fae themselves, were doing one of two things: the newbies were heading for the hills at the first sight of the iron badges and suppressant collars that hung from the two officers’ belts; and the regulars had their phones out because Fae harassment by law enforcement was finally getting recognition as something that every Fae, no matter the type, had to put up with because of the stupid magical malfeasance laws. The damn laws hadn’t really changed since the 1500s, when most Fae populations decided to make themselves known to humans -- with the most disastrous of consequences. There was a time not too long ago when the Fae could be killed on sight, and from the way the police behaved, one would think those laws still applied.

And finally, the watchers who believed Fae were genuinely evil and were a blight against their god, no matter who or what they were worshiping this week, were trying to pack themselves into her coffee shop to see the downfall of another twisted being that shouldn’t exist.

For someone who liked to live life low-key, this was an utter disaster.

As though aware of the cameras pointed at them, one of the grim-faced detectives tried to pacify her. I never said that you did. She offered the fakest smile Mai had ever seen.

Right, Mai drawled, crossing her arms, which caused both detectives to jump and reach for guns that she knew contained bullets made with blessed silver and iron with a rowan core. It was the equivalent of kryptonite to most Fae. They checked their motions, but it was obvious they were prepared to take down one more dangerous creature. Their fear was very real and very dangerous. Even the watchers began to murmur as they moved in closer, some muttering about abuse of power.

Mai turned her head to look at her friend, a very beautiful gwageth anoon, a water maiden who worked full time in her shop. The usual vivacious Fae had pulled her wings in tight, her huge blue eyes narrowing in fear and anger as she looked torn between racing to the back and safety, or chewing out the two peacekeepers. It looked as though chewing out the peacekeepers was winning, but so long as she stayed behind the counter, Mai could deal with the cops. Kay-Kay was vulnerable to the suggestions of human males and did the right thing by continuing to stay far away.

That’s why you two came racing in here, irons blazing with fresh blessings, and demanded that I give myself up peacefully because you don’t want any trouble out of the dangerous Fae who attacks humans? The smile she returned to the peace officer was just as fake as hers had been. You may not notice it, but I have several cameras recording everything that happens here in black and white and in color. Yeah, I sprang for the extra cost of color cameras too. Furthermore, my video feed does not just stay here in the shop. A live stream is always recording to my file at the ACLU Magics Division; a copy is being made to no less than three servers that none of us can access without voice confirmation and magical power imprint for both of our safeties; and one copy is going to my lawyer’s office so that the recording can’t be tampered with. In addition, I have an eidetic memory so I can quote back word for word what your senior partner all but shouted as you both burst your way into here like cops from some action movie.

Ma’am, the female detective began, shooting her older and now growling male partner a glare before turning to try to explain her points to Mai. I apologize for my partner. He didn’t mean to say that. I just need you to relax and come with us to answer a few questions.

Can you relax with someone who has their hands on their gun ready to send you to the afterlife if you -- oh, I don’t know, cross your arms in frustration? Would you be able to relax if there was a wand gripped, ready to be pointed at your face? How about relaxing when a growling partner with a threatening manner that, frankly, is scaring me and my customers, starts yelling about bringing you in by any means necessary? You put the shoe on the other foot, Officer, and then you try to relax, because frankly, in my place, you’d probably be on the verge of shitting yourself or pissing your pants.

At her words the male detective sneered but didn’t move his fingers away from his gun while the female detective flinched a little and relaxed her ready stance.

Detective. She tapped the elaborate iron badge that hung around her neck on a silver chain. And that is not how we mean to come off, ma’am. We just want to make sure no one was hurt here today. That’s all.

So to ensure that the evil Fae aren’t casting spells on poor innocent humans, you came in here flinging accusations, ready to shoot to kill at the slightest movement on my part? You came here to protect yourselves -- and any humans, you say. You don’t give a shit about me and my kind.

Look, we just need to bring you in for public safety, the male growled, taking an aggressive step forward, and every ounce of good will that Mai had left in her body fled.

Public safety? She rolled her eyes. "Yes, because I am such a danger sitting at my table and doing accounting. That’s why your hand is still on your gun despite the fact that your iron badge is not heated at all, not even glowing a bit to show magic is being used. That is why all these people feel safe standing here while they are recording you and aren’t running for the hills. The public is so concerned. Right."

The male looked around and saw the clearly placed cameras, their line-of-sight covering not only the entrance and exits of the shop, but everything that happened within the open-plan inside the shop too. He looked at the people surrounding them, appearing to be unafraid, before he slowly eased his hand away from his gun.

And bringing me in is a far cry from answering questions. Mai turned her attention to the female officer -- detective -- again, who she’d caught in the middle of shooting her partner a concerned look. So what actually are you wanting me to do? Apparently, if I move, I’m going to be shot. No matter what I say, you are not going to believe me, as your partner already has me tried and executed by his actions and his attitude. The burden of proof should be placed on you to prove but because I am not human I am guilty until I prove myself innocent. So what would you do in my place, Detective? Would you willingly go with people who already have the worst in mind about you? Would you trust your safety to them?

I would do what I could to prove my innocence, the detective offered reasonably as she took a step forward as local camera crews began to show up. It won’t take long.

Well, the burden of proof is on him. Mai, who knew the law and how it pertained to her, decided with finality. I will give you a copy of the tape but I am going nowhere with you.

* * *

Six hours later, Mai was still sitting in an interrogation room, fuming, as the two detectives who had brought her in for public safety sat down to view the tapes… again.

Mai felt her anger burn brightly and growled low under her breath as the two detectives stared at the enhanced monitor for what felt like the hundredth time. They’d brought in a tech, who’d taken one look at the video and declared it unaltered and boogied. They’d brought in a magics specialist, who’d pointed to the magical meter in the corner of the video that all Fae-run business were required to have in plain view when dealing with humans; he’d declared that the meter clearly showed that no magic was being used and probably hadn’t been used in weeks for anything beyond a sanitization spell.

It was about then that Mai demanded to know if she was under arrest because she was tired, had worked a full day, and had yet to close her shop properly. She wanted her boyfriend Ry-Ry, who had come down to the station as soon as he heard she was being questioned. He was sitting in the waiting area texting her that it was getting more and more difficult for him to not fix several coffee machines and faulty body cameras that were calling to him. Gremlins were kind of like that.

Her head was actually pounding and her stomach growling from lack of sustenance when the two cops, Detectives Maria David and Evan Gold, finally decided that there was no reason to detain her further.

We had to be sure, Maria offered, a forced smile on her face. Mai didn’t know if it was from embarrassment that her people had been called in for bullshit or anger that they didn’t have any reason to arrest her. Officer Gold had nothing to say. He just crossed his arms and glared at his suspect who glared in return. The man’s desire to do something to