Page 58 of Upside Down Magic

“Yes.You’vebeen very helpful.”

“Don’tforget to send me theChristmasevent stuff,” he said over his shoulder as he started down the flagstone path.

“Iwon’t,”Iassured him. “Whatdo you think?”IaskedIanonceJimwas out of hearing range.

“AbouttheCabinet?Wortha check.Notraces of magic in the closet?”

“None.Ifa spell was done there, it was made a while back.”

“Doesn’trule the current spell out.”

“Butit doesn’t help us figure out who’s behind it.”

“Onething at a time.”

“You’reright.Let’shead over.”TheCabinetwas within walking distance, so we wouldn’t need to drive there.

“Foodfirst,”Iansaid.

Iwanted to complain, but my stomach apparently had ears and liked the idea.Iansmiled at the loud growl.

“Foodfirst,”Iagreed.

Wecalled the cemetery on the way to the nearest fast-food restaurant to get an update onShane.Nothinghad changed, but also nothing had gotten worse, so, asGrandmaliked to say, you might’ve bought the wrong kind of apples, but at least they weren’t rotten.

Ianwent to order our food whileIall but jumped onto a table the moment a pair left with their trays.Astudent with a laptop under his arm gave me the evil eye, but it would take nothing less than crying orphans andRedRidingHood’sgrandma to get me to relinquish the tiny table and two seats in the busy restaurant.

Myphone rang, and, luckily this time, the callerIDshowed a recognizable name.Abouttime!

“Hello,Hutton,”Isaid into the phone.

“What’sgoing on with the broken paranormals?”

“Isee you chose to ignore my messages but had no trouble listening to gossip.”

“Doesit affect the pack?Whydid you close down the shop?Whydidn’t you tell me the pack might be in danger?”

Ibreathed in and reached for myZenzone. “WhenwasIsupposed to tell you?Whenyou refused to return my calls and texts?”

“Iwas busy.”

“MaybeI’mtoo busy to talk now.”

Ihung up on him and beamed with delight at the trayIanput in front of me.

Myphone rang again, andIangave me a pointed look after reading theIDclearly visible on it.

“Don’tmind him,”Isaid, letting the call ring. “He’shaving a moment.”

Whenhe rang again,Ideigned to answer the call.

“Witch.”

“Beforeyou start growling, there are some issues going on but nothing widespread yet.Asfar asIknowClawstoneParkis not in danger.”OrNataliawould’ve been affected by now. “Also,”Icontinued as he started yelling again, demanding to know more, “under no circumstances come to the shop.”

Therewas an abrupt silence, then, “Whynot?”

“There’sa blood specialist from theCouncilwho dropped in a couple of days ago.Shemight guess there’s something wrong with you.”

---