Page 84 of Real Fake Hauntings

“I’ll try my best.”

The door opened to admit our first customer of the day. As Dru got busy serving their coffee, I sent Brimstone a text.

Any earth mages in town?

As usual, it didn’t take long for him to answer:

Key.

My right eye twitched.

Aside from Key.

Will ask around.

I thanked him and put the phone away. Then I froze.

There was one earth mage possibility: Key’s missing brother.

But no, what were the chances? Earth mages were rare, but not that rare. Should I mention this possibility to Key? If I’d thought of it, she must’ve too.

I didn’t want her to run straight into danger on the slim hope this was her brother. Whoever this earth mage was, they had helped dig a grave and move a corpse, and possibly had been around when the corpse had been murdered. These were dangerous people, and Key was desperate where her brother was concerned.

On the other hand, keeping something from her when I’d just witnessed how hurt she’d been that I hadn’t included her in the Crane debacle from the start would be stupid and unfair of me.

“Grandma,” I murmured, looking up. “What would you do?”

Considering Grandma hadn’t told me about my magic until she was dead and I’d gotten her spellbook and a long letter at twenty, perhaps not the best person to ask.

But one of her adages did come to mind:

Don’t count your sandwiches before you check the fridge for ham and cheese.

Paraphrasing.

I’d wait to see if anyone took the bait about the earth mage, and then go from there.

The door opened again, and a familiar yipping mixed with the tinkle of the bell.

“Fluffy!”

TWENTY-FIVE

Ian flashed me a smile as Fluffy strained against her leash to get to me.

“Fluffy,” I repeated in absolute delight. “Are you a bee?”

Fluffy yipped again, aware that she shouldn’t bark inside the shop because it’d bother the customers, and she was the bestest, goodest girl ever.

Ian had put a black and yellow striped vest on her with two round white wings attached to the top. They flopped as she bounced happily, her paws clacking on the hardwood floors.

It was so cute I was in real danger of melting right there and then.

Regaining control of my molecules, I crouched by her side and gave her some much deserved scritches. “You’re such a cute bee, Fluffy.”

“I thought I might leave her with you today,” Ian said in an offhanded way. He was wearing the blazer—since I had his jacket—and black jeans. “She won’t enjoy the tours’ upheaval.”

Nice try, but the tours didn’t start until early evening. Grinning, I looked up at him. “What about Rufus?”

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