CHAPTER 20

C HAPTER 20

W ith three of the six contestants having parents who had been attacked by the retribution spell, Mia didn't know if that meant her suspect pool was dwindling, or if Tatiana, the last of the group to be affected, had been the ringleader of all the problems. Hopefully, she only had three more possible parent instigators. And one of those was a woman with dementia whom she could take off the list.

The group was clustered around Mia's kitchen after lunch on Friday as Abigail went through the day's events and what kinds of sabotage or problems to watch for with the judges, the contestants, or the parents. It was a long list.

Levi glanced at the clock nervously. "When are Jeani and Cheryl arriving?"

"Why? Are you looking for a new dance partner?" Christina teased, but there was a bit of angst in her tone.

"No. I thought I should apologize to her. I don't think I led her on, but if I did anything to make her think I wanted more than just a friendly dance, I want to take that responsibility and tell her I'm sorry." Levi's face was red, but resolved.

Everyone at the table was silent for a second.

"That's lovely," Abigail finally blurted out. "And I'm sure she'll appreciate it. Just don't make the apology too long or get too close."

"Mom, I know how to break off a relationship—or even the idea of one. I've done it a few times." Levi hugged Christina. "And I'm sorry if I gave you any grief in this whole thing."

"You're being thoughtful." Trent reached over and put his hand on his brother's head. "Do you have a fever?"

Everyone laughed as Levi batted Trent's hand away.

"To answer your question, Jeani and Cheryl and the staff will be back here at three to make sure everything's perfect. Then the audience starts to arrive at five thirty. We'll have soft drinks and coffee available, as well as passed trays, as they mingle on the lawn. The coven's bartenders will be here to set up an outside bar at five. At six, the ten-minute warning bell will sound—which will actually be Bambi asking people to find their seats. The judges will come out during that time, and promptly at six ten, the emcee, the current coven board president, will start the show. That's Brandon Marshall, for those of you who don't know. He's really nice and has run this contest for the last five years. Zeus had planned on doing it this year, but after last night's incident, Brandon decided to step in."

"Mary Alice, would you check Brandon for any spell work before he goes onstage? Since they couldn't get to Zeus, they may want to get someone else on their side," Thomas added to the discussion. Last night, Abigail had packed to go home, saying the event was as ready as it was going to be. Thomas had taken her luggage out to his car as soon as he arrived today.

Mia studied the group. Abigail and Thomas were solid. This whole taking-a-break thing had been a hoax to try to get the shenanigans to happen sooner than later. Mia wouldn't be surprised if Thomas had moved Abigail to the school for her safety while the contest was being hammered out. That's what family did—protected each other.

"Okay, I think that's all I wanted to say. Anyone else have anything to add? Have you seen anything odd this week?" Abigail looked around the group. "Oh, if you haven't heard, Mia and Cerby found another door into the school. It was through the storage room closest to the parking lot. So, if you see people hanging out there and looking frustrated, Trent put a dead bolt on the door, and Mary Alice fortified the wards in that area."

"So, someone was coming into the school through that door?" Christina shivered. "I thought all the weird feelings I was getting when I worked alone in the kitchen were because of the ghosts, but now you're telling me it could have been a real person? The next place I work at had better be new construction on hallowed ground."

Trent and Levi snickered.

"What did I say?" Christina looked around the table.

"New construction can actually cause spectral visits because the ghosts are angry you tore down their old family homestead or hangout. And hallowed ground doesn't mean no ghosts. It means no demons," Abigail explained to the only mortal in the group. "And boys, don't laugh. Christina didn't grow up in a magical world. She has to learn these things."

"Cerby seems to be finding a lot of things lately." Christina picked up the little Maltese as he was sleeping on the floor. He made three circles, then went back to sleep on her lap. "Is that the ‘hound' part of ‘hellhound'? Can we have him smell something and find a missing person?"

Abigail smiled. "Not yet, but soon. He's really going to need to go to a special trainer, though. Trent, have you picked one out?"

"I don't want to send him away, so I'm looking at trainers who are closer. The McMann family up north has a great training program. And I can bring Cerby home every weekend." Trent glanced over at Mia. "I'm sorry, I didn't mention his residential training requirements before."

"I can't believe you're sending this baby away." Mia smiled at Cerby while he slept. "Tell me he'll be a little bigger."

Her cell phone rang. The display said the call was from the Local Goat, Brad's restaurant. She stood and answered the phone while she walked into the living room. "Hello, is this Brad?"

She heard a long sigh on the other side of the call. "Then he's not there with you. I thought that maybe since he went up to have dinner with you on Wednesday, he might still be there? Like, in a coma somewhere and no one called the restaurant?"

"Brad didn't come for dinner with me this Wednesday. He was here last week." A pit was starting in Mia's stomach. Maybe talent night practice hadn't gone off quite as easy as she'd hoped. "Look, give me your name and number. If I hear anything, I'll call. Did you call the Magic Springs Police Station yet?"

"It's next on my list. I'm Diana Brown. I'm Brad's"—she paused, then went on—"sous chef. And roommate. He hasn't been home since he left to drive up to Magic Springs on Wednesday. We got in a fight because I didn't like the fact he was going to see you again. I tried to call the police here in Twin, but they said I had to wait twenty-four hours. Then I thought maybe he was just figuring out some things. We'd just moved in together. You know how that can be on a confirmed bachelor. But it's not like him to miss one night of service, let alone two."

Mia wrote down Diana's name and the three numbers she'd given her. "Call the Magic Springs police. Ask to speak with Mark Baldwin and tell him you talked to me."

After she hung up, she went back into the kitchen. The group had broken up, and now only Abigail, Trent, and Grans remained.

Abigail took one look at her and asked, "What's wrong now?"

Mia told them about Brad and the fact that he was missing. She told him how he'd told Diana he was coming to Magic Springs on Wednesday to meet her for a late dinner. "He never called me about dinner. Last Wednesday, he said he'd see me soon."

"But he's missing now." Trent drummed his fingers on the table. "I wonder if he even got to Magic Springs or if he's still in Twin."

"Good question, but not something we can solve today. We've got an event to get through. Maybe I'll call this Diana on Sunday and we can drive down to Twin and talk to her then." Mia wrote a note on Sunday to call and get an update. Then she closed her planner. "So much for a stressless weekend. That sounds bad, doesn't it?"

"You can't save the entire world." Trent squeezed her shoulder.

Grans sniffed. "Actually we can, but we never get the credit. I'm coming over tomorrow morning with a gift for you. I'd keep it at my house, but with the wedding, I'm going to have to sell the house. Or at least move and rent it out."

Mia hoped it was furniture. Even though her apartment was fully furnished, she had little coves and outcroppings all over the school where she could put a small love seat, table, and lamp to make a conversation spot. The first floor still had a lot that needed to be done. "Trent and I are going to the festival and the parade. What time are you coming?"

"I'll be here at eight. Robert wants to attend the festival, then we're going to Boise for dinner. They never have anything good to eat at those things." She glanced at her watch. "I'm going home to get ready, and I'll be back at five to watch for any magical interference. And Robert will be with me tonight."

Mia watched as Mr. Darcy jumped off the window seat and ran to the front door. Dorian opened it for him, then the door slammed just a little too hard.

Grans sighed. "Dorian really needs to get over it. The man is dead, and he's still upset that I'm dating again."

Grans followed Mr. Darcy out of the apartment, and then it was just the three of them. "I'm running home too," Abigail announced. "Dress up tonight. The local paper will be here for pictures."

And with that, Trent and Mia were alone. He led her over to the living room, where they sat together. "Are you worried about Brad?"

Mia nodded. "A little. I mean, I haven't talked to him much since high school. It's not like the guy I knew then to just take off, though."

"But he might be a different man now," Trent pointed out.

Mia shook her head. "Not from what I felt from this Diana. She believes in him. She thinks he took off because they'd just moved in together. Like, it was her fault. I think something bad happened."

"Well, let's not add this worry to tonight's plate. We have a contest to get through. I can't believe Mom and Dad were just pretending to be mad at each other." He rubbed his face. "It's not fair to the kids when the parents fight."

Mia thought about that for a minute. When she spoke, she grabbed Trent's hand. "I think they were truly fighting. Or at least, they both didn't agree with the plan. Your mom was really scared for your dad. She was worried that something bad was going to happen. He might have thought they were on the same page, but I think your mom was just going along for the ride. Your dad can be persuasive."

"True. And I can see him making up this plan that Mom hates, but she feels like she needs to support him. Then, if everything works out, she can just say he was right and no one's feelings would get hurt. But this—this is bigger. Even Levi felt the division, and he's usually oblivious to the nuances of emotion." Trent squeezed her hand. "We need to talk."

"Uh-oh, what did I do now?" Mia sank back into the cushions. She was so ready for this event to be over. It was taxing on every level. She shut her eyes and felt the warmth of Trent's body next to her own.

"I'm just wondering if we should take this to the next level. What do you think?"

Trent's voice was soft and warm, and she could just sink into it . . . "What?" Her eyes flew open, and she sat up. "What are you saying?"

He chuckled as he pulled her back down into his arms. "I'm just wondering if you would say yes if I were to ask a specific question. Like, soon."

"You're feeling out your proposal? What am I, a scared, unbroke colt that you have to ease up next to just to get a rope on me?" She knew she was stalling. But she needed a second to think.

"No, I like the imagery, though. I know that you're a busy career woman with a second job, as well as a calling to study for and a whole new world to learn about. You've done well working on the sidelines of the coven. They respect you. They still want to give you their fancy decoder ring and swear you in on a full moon with a virgin sacrifice. I didn't want to add one more thing to your busy schedule unless you are ready. You're not going to hurt my feelings if you say no." He pulled her closer. "Okay, so you will hurt my feelings, but I'll try not to make this about me."

She took a deep breath, but he put his fingers on her lips.

"Hold that thought. We can talk more tomorrow when we're at the festival and don't have a possible murderous queen contest to get through." He stood up and then paused. "Wait, that made it sound like the contestants are murderers."

Mia stood up as well. "Maybe they are. I'm going to go read for a while before I get ready for tonight. I'll see you about six."

He pulled her close and kissed her. "I'm looking forward to tomorrow."

"Maybe you shouldn't," Mia said, but then laughed at the look he gave her. "Sorry, but you set yourself up for this. Now all the power is in my hands for a pre-engagement proposal question on how I might feel."

"When you put it that way, it sounds stupid." He paused at the door. "Cerby, come with me. We need to chat about boarding school. Your evil, soon-to-be stepmother is insisting."

"Oh, don't you put that decision on me. You're the one sending the baby away." She picked up Cerby and gave him a kiss, then handed him to Trent. "And we don't say ‘stupid' in this house. Maybe ‘ill-informed.' Or ‘wrong,' even. But not stupid."

"That makes me feel tons better." Trent grinned, tucking Cerby under his arm like a miniature white football. "See you later."

The apartment was quiet for the first time since Mia could remember. She was totally alone. Even Mr. Darcy had left. Mia made sure the front door was closed and locked. Christina and Grans both had keys if they needed to get in. Mr. Darcy had Dorian. But other than that, she shouldn't be disturbed. She went into her bedroom and shut the door. Then she pulled out an old scrapbook from her hope chest. They should have called these chests "memory keepers." She didn't keep quilts or other items for a someday married home. She kept her yearbooks, her scrapbooks, and mementos from trips.

She found a picture from the summer when Brad had run with her social group. They'd all been out at Lucky Peak at a bonfire. It was just before school started, and everyone was mourning the disappearance of summer. She'd passed her driving exam that year, and her parents had given her an old sedan. The paint was baby blue, and the interior brown fake leather. The air conditioner didn't work, and the heater took forever to clear off the frost on her windows, but Galadriel was all hers. Mia had named her after the elf queen in The Lord of the Rings . She was a beauty and a terrible power, all at once.

In the photo, she and Brad were standing by Galadriel. He had a beer in his hand; she had a Coke. And they were both grinning like fools. She'd loved that picture. They'd both looked happy and had the whole world in front of them.

She sat down at her desk, clearing off everything except a white pillar candle and the picture. She lit the candle, closed her eyes, and whispered the incantation her grandmother had taught her to find lost things. It was written in her grimoire, but she'd used it enough times, she remembered the spell by heart.

As she repeated the chant, a vision of Brad, dirty and sitting in a dark room, came to her. As she watched, she saw he'd been chained to a wall. He sat on an old cot, his head in his hands. Then his head lifted.

"I can feel you. Mia? Is that you? Are you looking for me? I'm here in Magic Springs . . ."

All of a sudden, her connection was cut off, and the vision of Brad was gone. The candle had dripped wax on top of his picture, covering his face.

Mia debated trying again, but she'd found out what she needed to know. Brad was alive and somewhere in Magic Springs. She glanced at the clock. She didn't have time to try the spell again right now. And besides, she wasn't sure if the person holding Brad had sensed her and kicked her out of the basement or if the wax had broken the connection. She'd talk to Grans tonight.

First, though, she'd call Mark Baldwin and see if Diana had reported Brad missing. Then she'd tell him what she'd seen. Mark didn't believe in magic, but he also wasn't willing to ignore a possible clue—no matter where it came from. She found his name on her recent contacts list and hit the button. When he answered, she started talking.

With her phone call done, she headed to the bathroom to get ready. Brad was alive. She'd find him sooner or later. But first, she needed to make sure that all six contestants lived through the competition and the best girl was chosen for the scholarship. She hoped it would be Melody.