Page 61 of Bright Dark Curses

“We will?”

She glared at me, daring me to deny her request. Then it suddenly clicked—Dorsey was part of the PBOA and so had a vote in the future of Dru’s shop.

Dru really knew how to mix paranormal crimes and business.

“We’ll take a look around the bed and breakfast and report back,” I confirmed, since I was smart enough not to deny her request.

Shane took out some bills and put them on the table. “Key and I will take the hotel rooms tonight while they’re filming. I’ll find someone to cover for us at the set. It shouldn’t take long.” From the fast glance he sent Ethan, I had a feeling the someone would probably be Alex, and he’d also be in charge of keeping an eye on Ethan. I could get on board with that.

“It’ll be okay, Hope,” Key reassured me. “If someone sees us around the rooms and gets curious, we’ll call Ethan to vouch for us. Plus, people might recognize us from being on set, so they won’t find it weird if we’re at the hotel.”

“We’ll be fine, boss,” Shane said with all the confidence of a man twice his age. Which, experience-wise, was probably not too far off.

“How will you get inside the rooms?” I asked.

Key grinned and waved her fingers. “Magic.”

Her earth magic, I assumed. It worked wonders on metal locks. I grinned back. Key was ready to fly the coop, and all I could do was watch her take to the air and bring out an air mattress in case she crashed.

EIGHTEEN

“Let’s go,” Dru said the moment we split from the others.

“Where?”

“To Dorsey’s, of course.”

“Right now? Shouldn’t we wait for later while they’re filming? Lee might be in her room now.”

“Get the lay of the land now, return later if needed. Besides, Dorsey might not be around if we come later.”

I wanted to say that was the point, but thought better of it. Looking down at Fluffy and Rufus, I asked, “You guys ready for another excursion?”

Fluffy barked in ecstatic happiness. Rufus looked like he was so done with this day.

“The dogs don’t care where they’re going, Hope.”

“Of course they do! Watch.” I crouched to be more on their eye-level. “Do you guys want to see Ian?”

Fluffy immediately put her paws on my knee and huffed expectantly, wagging her curly tail at supersonic speed. Rufus let out a low woof of approval.

Vindicated, I gave Dru a superior look. “See?”

She rolled her eyes and kept walking.

As we made our way across Old Olmeda, I brought out my phone and checked on my crystal order.

Preparing for shipment.

Seriously? How long did it take to put a piece of rock in a box with some padding, slap a label on it, and send it out? It wasn’t exactly nuclear physics.

Only a delay in reporting, I reminded myself. Even the best employee sometimes forgot to scan the shipping label and update the system.

“Did your meeting go well yesterday?” I asked to distract myself.

Dru rubbed her hands in gleeful anticipation. “Everything is ready. Just waiting for Thursday’s PBOA. As soon as Sonia approves me, I’ll be ready to start renovating the inside.”

“You know nobody in the PBOA is going to say no, right?”

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