Page 74 of Heir of Uncertain Magic

“It will work out,” the stone replied. “I’ll destroy it if I need to, but it will be years of work ruined. You need to stay with BIKER, Hulda.Promise me. Take care of it so it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. For now, the less you know, the better.”

“I want to!” She couldn’t keep her frustration from sharpening her words. “One of the reasons LIKER is here is to assign a new director. But it may not go to me. Alastair Baillie is also a contender. Mr.Baillie is a lawyer for BIKER. He’s tall, pale, wears glasses—”

“I’ve seen him.”

You have?Was Myra watching BIKER? She didn’t seem at all surprised by the mention of LIKER. How much did she know? Which passersby had had their mind delved into by a lurking woman in disguise?

Merritt’s voice rang so clearly in the back of her thoughts she glanced to the other communion stone to ensure it hadn’t come from that.It’s just ... why would Alastair Baillie want to be the director of BIKER so badly?

Hulda swallowed. “Mr.Baillie is, or was, Mr.Hogwood’s estate and trial lawyer. And I went back to Marshfield.” She rushed her words, fearful Myra would disconnect them. “I found a communion stone there that I’m positive connects back to Mr.Stanley Lidgett, who was the steward at Gorse End. He and Mr.Hogwood were in touch after Mr.Hogwood sailed to the States. I don’t know if Mr.Baillie was also in communication with them ... Explain this to me, Myra. I’m ... I’m floundering.”

A beat passed. “Whoever has BIKER has the facility,” Myra murmured.

“What facility?” If there was a secret facility Myra had kept hidden and the person who was threatening her knew about it ...

Then it stood to reason Mr.Baillie, who was angling so hard for the director position, was the one who sent the threatening telegram. It had to be him! Or was it Mr.Walker using Mr.Baillie as a scapegoat?

Her heart pounded as though Thor himself were striking it.

Trying to wet her drying mouth, Hulda whispered, “If Mr.Hogwood recorded anything about this facility and sent it back to Gorse End, Mr.Lidgett might have seen it. He could in turn have relayed it to Mr.Baillie. And when Mr.Hogwood disappeared, Mr.Baillie sent that telegram! Merritt and I have a theory about the will. We think they might need to produce a body to be paid out—”

“No,” Myra interrupted before Hulda could relate news of her visit with Mr.Adey. “No, Silas didn’t know.”

“Are you sure?” Hulda countered. “Do either of us know how much magic he stole? Did he have psychometry powers? If he didn’t pull it from a file, could he have pulled it fromyou?” She paused, then pressed, “Myra?”

“I don’t know.” Her response was barely audible.

Hulda eyed the ward over her door once more. “What facility?”

Three seconds passed. “I need to go.”

“You will tell me. Now.” The edge in Hulda’s voice surprised her, but she didn’t regret it.

“Are you sure you’re not being overheard?”

Hulda pulled her blanket around her for extra muffling. “Yes.”

Myra took a moment to collect herself. “There’s a secret facility in Ohio that banks blood from wizard cadavers and placentas.”

Hulda’s lips parted. She hadn’t expectedthat.

“My associates and I are trying to find a way to amplify, or possibly re-create, magic outside of genetics. It will be completely lost otherwise. Some say by the year 2000. We’ll lose all of it.”

Hulda didn’t know what to say. Fortunately, her former employer continued on without her.

“We don’t have the answer yet. But Silas Hogwood is the only person who ever successfully transferred magic.”

“Withmagic,” Hulda croaked.

“Yes, but he did it, and his body might be a clue to determining how to replicate it without hurting anyone.”

Hulda’s free hand came up to her mouth. She forced it away so she could speak. “You took his body. It wasn’t cremated.”

A pause. “No, it wasn’t. It’s being preserved at the facility.”

“Dear Lord.” Hulda took a second to compose herself. “How many ... others?”

“Only him.” A whistle passed through the connection—it sounded like Myra was outdoors and fighting a gust of wind. “I tried to get others, long ago, but the cadaver laws wouldn’t allow it. BIKER is not a medical facility, and even then, only criminals can be used.”

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