Page 105 of Sigils & Spells

“Give me a little credit, won’t you?” Scarlett paced back to the counter. “I can find things out without anyone connecting you to that place. You need to worry about those chatty cops. If more people cancel security jobs, we’ll be in trouble. I like my job. We need to be proactive.”

Stella Johansen came in through the back door. “Hey! Sorry, I’m late.” Stella described herself as forty, fluffy, and frazzled. She was fabulous.

Just shy of six feet tall, the Nordic blonde had first been a long-time customer. Four years ago she’d approached me about a job, opening with, “If you keep going like this you’ll run yourself into the ground. You need an assistant. I need to get out of the house before my twenty-month-old twins drive me insane. Let’s help each other. Hire me.”

Since coming to work for me she’d had another set of twins, girls this time.

“I come bearing gifts.” Stella held up a drink carrier with three coffees. “Caramel latte for Marin, although I didn’t expect to see you here already. Nice surprise. You actually get to drink it while it’s hot. And a mocha for Scarlett the Silver Wonder.”

“I love you.” Scarlett picked up her drink and mine. “And a double espresso for you?”

“Of course.”

“I need to make a few calls, Stella.” Scarlett passed me the latte. “Mind if I take a fifteen-minute break?”

“Take thirty.”

I removed the lid, inhaled the scrumptious steam, then took a cautious sip. Delicious.

“I’ll be in the kitchen if you need me,” Scarlett called over her shoulder. “Have Marin fill you in on her adventures.”

“I heard about the kids' game drama from my sister-in-law and my mother-in-law told me there were two handsome cops in here asking about some spells. Did something else happen?”

“Unfortunately, yes.”

A customer walked into Besoins.

“Hold that thought.” Stella set the beverage holder on the counter, then greeted the young woman.

My cell rang. I enjoyed another sip before pulling the phone from my pocket. I groaned when I saw the number. This conversation would take a while. Heading for our consulting room, I answered with a pre-emptive, “Hello Livie, sorry we’ve been playing phone tag.” Then braced myself for a verbal onslaught.

“Have your ears been burning, Marin? I’ve been singing your praises to everyone I know.”

Really? “Thank you.”

“We got them!” Livie cheered.

Rubbing my abused ear, I switched the phone to my other hand. “The thieves?”

“Yes! We’ve got video of someone trying to break into the barn.”

“Wonderful. Did the police identify them?” I walked into the consulting room. Two comfortable sage green barrel chairs faced each other with an oval burled wood coffee table between them. I scanned a tall display shelf standing in the corner to my right. Each shelf held crystals and candles, artfully arranged by Priya. I didn’t see any citrine, a boost of positivity would be handy right now.

I collapsed into a chair.

“Not yet. It’s only a matter of time. The guy’s magic bounced right off your spell. He fell on his butt!” Livie cackled. “He tested the ward in several different areas then finally gave up. I made a video clip.” She snickered again. “You have to see it. I’ve sent it out to my friends and family already. I’ll shoot it over to you.”

I heard a beep. Before I could check my phone to see who was trying to reach me Livie said, “Oh! That’s me. I’ll call you back later, okay?” And she hung up.

I stared at the phone, a tad shell-shocked. Not only was it the shortest conversation I’d ever had with the woman, I didn’t think she’d asked me a single question. If she had, she sure hadn’t waited for an answer. I thanked my lucky stars she’d called with good news.

My phone pinged. I checked messages. As promised, Livie had sent the clip. I took a long drink of my latte, then set the nearly empty cup back on the table.

The black and white video showed a slim figure wearing a hoodie. They flung a spell at the camera and a bloom of white filled the screen. When it cleared the person was sitting on the ground. As they made it to their feet I caught a brief glimpse of a lip ring, not an uncommon sight these days. The person wiped their hands on their dark jeans as they walked off the frame.

Something nagged at me. I played the video a few more times. Despite the image’s surprisingly good quality I couldn’t see more of the person’s face. They stood and … What was wrong with their hand? I hit pause, tapped to scroll back some, then studied the image. I took a screenshot and used my fingers to blow up the image.

A rectangular cut stone, large enough to cover their left ring finger from knuckle to knuckle. No diamonds or filigree encircled the gem. There wasn’t any way to tell the color of the stone, but I thought I knew the identity of Livie’s thief.

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