“Hey, Mercy, what’cha workin’ on? Looks like a miniature Corvette.”

I looked up to see Tony, cop and old friend—usually in that order—leaning up against one of my work benches. Today he was dressed casually in a thin shirt and khaki shorts appropriate to the hot summer day. Tony looked a bit frayed around the edges. It had been a little over two weeks since the sorcerer had moved into town and, according to the local news, the crime rate had been skyrocketing.

“Good eye,” I told him. “It’s a ’71 Opel GT, designed by the same guy who designed the Corvette. Friend of mine bought it from some guy...