Page 37 of Wicching Hour

“I’m so sorry,” Mom said, rising to her feet.

He waved away her apology. “You hadn’t even been born. I, myself, was still a child. And an odd one, so I suppose they assumed me capable of horrible disloyalty.”

“No,” I said. “We’re not making excuses for them. What they did to you was cruel.”

With a sad smile, he patted my hands. “You’re such a blessing to me.” With a head shake, he added, “What’s done is done. You came here because you had a vision of me being crushed under my desk and my books burning. That is far more pressing.” He glanced down the hall. “I won’t feel comfortable sitting behind it until we fix this.”

“Then let’s do that,” I said, going to his door. I held it open for both of them.

Mom stepped out and glanced around the parking lot. “We’re out in the open here.” Her fingers flicked as she stood east, south, west, and north, casting a safe spot for us where we couldn’t be observed.

I looked over the RV as I slid off my gloves and stuffed them in my pockets. “Bracken? I have a suggestion you might not like.”

Eyebrows raised, he waited.

“I think we remove the tires and do what we can to make this a stable addition to the gallery.”

I thought for sure Mom would protest, but instead she said, “You could hire Phil’s construction company to come back and build a proper in-law unit.”

I tried to gauge Bracken’s reaction. “We could ask him to make it as close to what you’re used to as possible,” I said. “If you’d like that.”

He swallowed. “That’s quite a bit more permanent than we discussed earlier.”

“I don’t want to push, but I love having you here,” I said. “You don’t have to decide n?—”

“Yes. I’d like that very much,” he said, nodding. “Very much indeed.”

EIGHTEEN

And Bracken Makes Three

Mom walked to the side of the RV. It had been parked about a foot from the wall of the gallery.

Mom looked back at me. “There isn’t much room for it to tip back and forth.” Her focus shifted to Bracken. “Were you planning to go anywhere?”

Bracken and I shared a look and then he nodded. “Arwyn and I were going car shopping. I need something smaller for driving around town.”

Mom walked back around. “Good, then. Now you know not to take this to car shop.”

“I can take them,” Declan said, walking around the back of the RV from the deck.

“You’re supposed to be sleeping.” I poked him in the side and then remembered I’d already taken off my gloves. “Oh, damn.” I went to the water’s edge and caught a shot of water.

“That actually works perfectly,” I said when I returned. “Then we’ll know if there’s enough headroom for you.”

“If you’re trying to find a car I fit in,” Declan said, “your options are going to be severely limited.” He looked at me. “And I’m here because your groceries were just delivered. I didn’t know whose was what, so I put all the perishables in your fridge. I figured you could separate the orders when you’re done here.”

“Good,” Mom said. “You can keep an eye on things while we work.”

“Please and thank you,” I added on an eye roll.

“They were implied,” Mom assured us.

Bracken and I moved to where Mom was standing near the gallery wall.

“I think a simple sticking spell,” she said, “so it can’t be tipped. Then we’ll ward against everything else.”

“Especially fire, please.” Bracken’s gaze moved between the two of us. “I’ve been building my collection for over fifty years. Many are one of a kind books that can’t be replaced.”

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