Page 42 of Dead and Gone

None of my concern. A weak witch is no threat to me when, and if, he discovers my duplicity. I let go of Alistair's mind, moving back as he clutches the beads to his chest.

Behind him, Corrie stares wide-eyed, gripping the edge of the kitchen counter like it's the only thing holding her up. "What's happening? You said Alistair can't have the gems! Were the ones I sold him real? I'm confused!"

"Rowan," I say softly, "Explain to Corrie what occurred here this evening." He nods, understanding what I mean:ensure Corrie forgets about tonight. "We don't want anythingupsetting her."

Rowan nods and smiles at Corrie, whose eyes dart between us. "I don't understand," she says.

Grayson hisses something in Alistair's ear, then releases his arm and shoves him away. I watch as Alistair sneaks towards the kitchen door, clutching the beads, the faintest thread of magic trailing him. Alistair should count himself lucky that he didn't locate the Redridge gems, unaware until now what danger he would've caused himself if he'd attempted that spell.

I turn back. "Dale is waiting outside to take you to the movies, Corrie. Rowan will finish explaining everything and then you should go to him."

But Corrie doesn't register me. Instead, she's fixated on Rowan, who's carefully replacing memories in her head, removing any connected to tonight.

I cross my arms and survey the surroundings. The mole is safe. The teens are safe. But the larger question looms, nagging at the edges of my thoughts.

Who took and hid the mole's eyes before the teens stole it, and why?

The curator knows.

Next stop: the museum.

17

Altering minds,especially humans, is illegal but necessary for Corrie and Alistair. I'd toyed with the idea of messing with Dale's and Kai's heads, too, but I left them alone as they never witnessed events in the house. Well, left them with threats that I'll inform authorities if they mention anything about this evening's illegal activities.

Now, I stand with Leif and Rowan in the darkness opposite the museum building. Leif holds the mole inside his jacket, and Rowan curls his hand around the pouch of jewels in his pocket, including the Redridge gems which we've removed from the manikin's sockets.

I'll give the curator his mole, and in return, he will furnish me with the truth.

Grayson strolls over to us from his stealthy investigation of the museum's perimeter. "Any police presence when you arrived here after leaving Corrie's house?" I ask him.

"No. The curator is alone in the building."

I nod and prepare to cross the street, but Leif catches my arm. "Tell me. When did you figure out the gems are the mole's original eyes?"

"I wasn't a hundred percent sure at first, but when Dale mentioned the collector only wanted the eyes—red gems—things clicked into place." I glance at the mole. "As did the rubies fit into place in the manikin, although I worried the eyes may trigger a spell when I replaced them."

Leif chokes. "But you put them into the mole anyway?"

"Irrelevant. Nothing happened." I tap my lips. "Alistair confirmed to me the gems were hidden in the mole years ago, long before somebody placed them in an ivory box."

"Do you still think that the curator took them?" asks Rowan.

"That's what I can't figure out. How would the curator know the eyes were valuable and not glass? Did he know they had magic properties?"

"Maybehedidn't hide them?" suggests Leif. "Somebody else could have access to the exhibits. Alistair said that he took the watch from an unlocked cabinet."

"But where are the other jewels from?" asks Grayson. "They're not magical—why hide them?"

"I've thought about this a lot." Rowan pats his pocket. "Somebody is removing and hiding gems fromotherexhibits, not only the mole. We should compare the jewels we have in the pouch to the necklaces and rings in the museum. What if the curator—or whoever—replaced those gems with glass too?"

"Why do that and put them in a box?" asks Grayson.

"Not sure, but I bet the curator has the answer."

"You have a valid theory," I tell Rowan. "Good thinking."

Leif nudges him and mock gasps. "A compliment from Violet!"

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