Page 84 of Dance With Death

“A gun would kill a witch,” he says firmly.

“Not one who can throw a spell quicker than you can pull the trigger.” I shake my head. “Kai. Promise me you didn’t go back to the closet and take your mum’s gun.”

“Yeah. Well. That’s the other thing I was gonna tell you. Mum and Dad had a huge row in the gardens. I couldn’t hear everything from inside here, but Mum got in her car and left with two suitcases.”

“She’s gone?” I exclaim. “You could’ve told us that first, Kai!”

“Good grief!” Violet stands. “Time to go and discuss our next move.”

“No. That’s the thing. Mum only left for an hour and then came back—” He tips his chin. “While she was out, and Dad drinking in the garden, I checked her closet again. No box. When she spoke to Dad, I snuck out and checked her car too. No suitcases.”

I exchange looks with the other guys. “Sarah hid the box somewhere. She’d know the photos are missing.”

“Not only the box, but two suitcases worth of things,” says Grayson.

“Hidden where?” asks Leif. “The factory again?”

“If she’s possibly the person who hid the tiara, Kai’s mum would know that’s a useless hiding place,” Violet says.

I stand and wander to the window. Two cars are parked in the circular driveway, a black Lexus with private plates, and Sarah’s red MG, with familiar plates. “She left for an hour?” I ask. “That’s all?”

“Yeah. Sometimes, Mum leaves Dad for a couple of days after a big argument, so I was surprised she came back. Why?”

“What have you seen, Rowan?” Violet asks as she joins me. “Who’s out there?”

“Mrs. Sawyers car.” I point. “There’s mud streaked along the bodywork, and the wheel hubs are covered too. She drove off-road to somewhere that takes a maximum of an hour to get there and back.”

Violet’s face brightens again. “The lane to the lodge. The suitcases are at the lodge!”

“Maybe,” Leif adds cautiously.

“Do you have a key, Kai?” continues Violet.

He looks between us. “I do. But I need you to keep your end of the bargain.”

“But there’s much more to discover, Kai,” Violet informs him.

“And we still need to catch those responsible,” I add. “We promise that, once it’s safe, we’ll help you leave the Sawyer family.”

“And when will that be?” Kai stands. “Ever? I’ve helped, haven’t I?”

“Allow us to borrow the key tonight,” says Violet in an unfamiliarly gentle tone. “You must possess one as you’re inclined to spend time with friends there.”

“Not recently,” he mutters.

“We need to ascertain if your mother did take the suitcases to the lodge and what they contain. I assure you that we will not remove anything,” she continues.

As a semi-reluctant Kai searches a drawer, Violet beams at me Holly-style.

Please let the suitcases be at the lodge, because if Mrs. Sawyer knew Kai found something, and took evidence to a place different than the lodge to hide, Kai’s ‘help' has been anything but.

29

ROWAN

As I travel back to the academy with Violet and the guys, Violet outlines her plans, while we remain quiet, occasionally looking at each other. How do we persuade Violet not to immediately break into the lodge the moment the sun sets?

I steel myself for the debate that receiving a spare key from Kai isn’t permission from his parents, but any thought of illegal entry into Sawyer property leaves Violet’s mind the moment she receives a text from Holly.

---