Love and Other Crisis | Season 1

Episode | 31

Kaliope rubbed her eyes, emotionally drained from reading the printouts from Katerina's journal. The team lost access to the treasure trove of evidence they uncovered after the investigators swooped in and confiscated the safe and its content, citing in their constant refrain—they have jurisdiction.

Prepared for Darcy's power trip, Ronin ordered them to make copies of everything they'd found. He held onto a mysterious black card Katerina tucked away at the bottom of her stash. They weren't sure of its significance, but if she hid it, it meant something.

They completed their mission not a moment too soon. The investigators learned CMT retrieved something from the townhouse faster than expected.

~~

The staffer Inola stationed on the lookout called as soon as Darcy and his entourage exited the elevator.

"Incoming."

The team gathered in Ronin's office, the door wide open in invitation. Darcy Wellington led the group, and the expression on his face was priceless when he saw the safebox and its content. Kaliope's satisfaction mirrored her team's. The mud Katerina splashed wasn't on their faces alone. And regardless of his stoic act, Ronin's pleasure at their "one-up" matched theirs.

"How'd you—"

"Clever is as clever does." Inola thumbed her nose at Darcy.

Darcy's fedora sagged with his bluster. He snatched up the safe in his tantrum, not realizing the mechanism was heavier than it appeared, and almost dropped it on his foot. A wind mage, who accompanied the lead investigator as part of his entourage, levitated the safe out of their offices.

Inola's shameless cackling raced behind their parade.

~~

If Darcy kept a diary, he'd write a scathing recount of the incident. Scribble a few curses for the CMT team. Thankfully, they wouldn't require Madam Falgor's curse-eating services, as Darcy's nature talents meant they'd never take. Chills pimpled on Kaliope's skin, recounting Madam Falgor's display of her talent.

Madam Falgor was correct in her assessment of Katerina's state of mind. The woman's sporadic diary entries, random snapshots of prominent life events, spoke volumes. They oozed pain from every line as she documented her vendetta against the witching community.

Growing up an orphan without a House, Katerina lived a troubled life, overlooked and mistreated. As retribution, she conned those in high society who coveted her services out of millions with her hidden talent. Kaliope expected an uproar over the lumps of coal popping up after Katerina's death, but not a single peep—the Assembly's coverup at work.

"Anything?"

Kaliope blinked at Gideon, who offered her a cup of coffee over the partition between them.

"Yes and no. Nothing about the black card or how Katerina forged her registry files. But there is a full confession for the Falgor case. She planned to swipe the fertility gem from the start of her commission and replace it with one of her charmed replicas. Manipulating Ballister Falgor was a petty, unexpected amusement."

Kaliope was about halfway finished with the diary printout. She started from the entry dated the day Katerina received the Falgor commission until her last entry on the day she died before circling to the beginning. Kaliope handed Gideon her notes. His ability to decipher her handwriting was a skill.

No matter her faults, Kaliope pitied Katerina. It was hard not to. The witch's world shaped her into the wicked thing she became. Katerina's tormented childhood stoked Kaliope's discontent with the disparities among the witches. No one liked mistreatment. And one day, when they snapped, they turned into a Katerina.