Page 97 of Sigils & Spells

“I’ll ring them up, Marin. You finish up your calls.”

Feeling foolish, because I still couldn’t make myself walk back to the consulting room, I tucked myself back behind the velvet curtain.

Blessedly, Livie’s call went straight to voicemail. I gave her my personal number again. The coffee witches had left by the time I made the last starred call. It too went to voicemail.

I had ninety minutes, give or take, before my warding appointment so I tackled the other numbers on Priya’s list. As she’d said they were mainly parents with questions about the game. Most of them hung up disappointed with my answers. The silly notion I’d miss something faded. My worries stewed away on a low boil.

After I made the last call I crumpled up the paper and threw it in the waste basket. I wished I could throw away my nagging thoughts as easily.

I distracted myself by tidying up and restocking shelves. A few customers trickled in. I listened as they shared whatever variation of the missing witches' story they’d heard. No one had anything new to share.

My phone pinged a calendar alert.

“Priya, I’m heading out.”

She frowned at me. “You look a little green in the gills. Are you feeling okay?”

“Stressed.”

“The assassin game will blow over.” Priya hugged me.

“You’re right.” And something far bigger than a kids’ game could explode in my face.

I went upstairs for my purse and keys. In the privacy of my apartment, I considered calling Aidan. I didn’t need rumors and theories, I wanted concrete information. But the chances of him even taking my call were slim to none.

The inside of my car was toasty warm from the morning sun beating down on it. I lowered all four windows to let the heat escape. Three minutes later, agitated by the wind messing with my hair, I raised them back up. I flipped through my favorite radio stations as I drove across Kingston. Even Taylor Swift couldn’t distract my thoughts away from the missing witches and their deaths.

My phone rang through the car’s audio system and the Stewarts' phone number appeared on the center console screen. A glance at the clock told me I wasn’t late. Why were they calling?

The traffic light ahead of me switched from yellow to red. I braked, stopping behind a gleaming white SUV, and pressed accept on the screen. “I’m on my way.”

Mr. Stewart’s baritone voice boomed through my speakers. “Marin. I’m sorry for the short notice, but we have … reconsidered the security system. Our son thinks we should go with the Eyes On You full spectrum system.”

Eyes On You was a middle-of-the-road non-magical system. Mrs. Stewart had been quite adamant about needing more protection than what they offered. My stomach dropped. Apparently, my customers weren’t the only ones who enjoyed passing along information. It didn’t take a detective to figure out Deputy Stewart had talked to one of the officers present last night. And that conversation had cost me this job.

“Please bill us for your consultation and drive time. Again, I’m sorry.” Mr. Stewart didn’t sound sorry. He sounded anxious.

“Not a problem.” I gripped the steering wheel so tight my knuckles hurt. “If you change your mind, you’ve got my number.”

He hung up before I’d finished speaking.

Damn it!

The light changed to green. The cars in front of me pulled away. I muted my radio and followed.

Drumming my fingers against the steering wheel I wondered what exactly the deputy had been told. Whatever it was had sent the Stewarts running. I wished I hadn’t gone to the apartment. That stupid door had been my Pandora’s box.

My intention to help could wind up costing me my reputation, my business, and my employees' livelihoods. I hadn’t helped Jonah or the Budneys. And what about those poor women?

My vivid imagination served up a door swinging open to reveal an emaciated body sprawled on the blood-stained concrete floor. A shivering chill raced through me. Despite the warm day, I cranked the car’s temperature up ten degrees.

My spells had been used to hide Jonah’s property and the locked room. A disaster loomed on the horizon. I didn’t have time for a pity party. I needed to find an amplification witch.

How?

Good question. I had no idea.

Traffic slowed again for another stop light.

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