Chapter 21
TWENTY-ONE
At ten in the morning the next day, I stood at the local airport along with Key to welcome Oh -call-me- Tammy .
My spirits could’ve been higher.
“ Maybe she’s not as bad as you remember,” Key offered gently.
Judging from the last time I’d had contact with my ex-mentor, when I’d called her to get Lilian’s number, she most definitely still was.
The only bright spot in this cloudy and downright gloomy morning was that, as far as we could tell, nobody else had gotten sick overnight. I had called Dru and Veva to make sure they were okay, and I was confident if anyone else had gotten sick, they’d have come to the shop.
Unfortunately , Shane and Brimstone hadn’t improved either. Shane had slept on the rug in Ian’s living room with Key using the sofa and Alex the guest room upstairs. Brimstone had sent me a few semi-threatening texts before asking if I was going to turn my shop into an ice cream parlor next year.
I couldn’t tell if he was joking or not, but from one optimist to another, I appreciated him getting on board with his new powers.
I had slept over at Ian’s too, and I’d brought Bagley with me.
Ian hadn’t been too impressed by my decision, but, as I’d explained, what if the spell messing with people’s magic messed with the spell keeping Bagley inside the locket? What if it accidentally set her free and she took over Bee - Bee ?
I won’t deign to mar your enjoyment of this story by repeating the very, very un-nice things Ian said about finally having an excuse to get rid of my lovely secondhand Vespa .
When I showed Bagley the list of dark coven families, before I put her on the top shelf of Ian’s entrance closet, she recognized the same family as Ian , and another one, which also no longer lived in Olmeda .
Hard to tell if she was telling the truth, but what would she gain by lying?
Hutton and Sonia had also called, demanding to know where we were with the investigation. While the current issues weren’t under the PBOA’s purview, I understood her interest. I would be pretty worried too if Ian suddenly got stuck with his magic upside down.
I told them both the same: I had two top-tier witches working on the spell, and I’d follow today with any news.
Which brought me back to the present.
“ Is that her?” Key asked, a note of awe in her voice.
I followed the direction of her pointing finger to find a tall, striking woman in a white suit, high heels, oversized sunglasses and bright-red lipstick. Her raven hair was artfully gathered into a bun, and she carried a leather jacket draped over one arm while dragging a small carry-on suitcase with her other hand.
“ That’s her, all right,” I agreed before taking in a fortifying breath.
I was not her intern anymore, I reminded myself. I did not have to fetch her coffee. I was a peer—or as much of a peer someone could be when one had little magical power but owned a witch shop—and she was here to help, not ignore me and forget to teach me any magic.
Tammy stopped in front of us and lifted her sunglasses to the top of her head. Her green eyes examined Key , then me. She blinked.
“ Do I know you?” she asked.
My fake smile made an instant appearance as I stuck out my hand. “ Hope Avery . I used to be your intern.” For two years.
Her expression cleared up. “ Oh , that’s riiiight. Faith . I remember now.” She shook my hand twice, then turned her attention to Key . “ And this is?”
“ This is Key . She’s helping us with the magical issues.”
Tammy shook her hand. “ Hello , Kelly . Lovely to meet you. Please call me Tammy .” She nudged her suitcase until it stood in front of me. “ Take care of this, dear, will you? Now , shall we get to Lilian ?”
I looked at the extended handle of the suitcase like it was a snake laughing at me and taking unflattering photos for social media. “ Of course, Tammy ,” I heard myself say.
“ Perfect . Oh , do they have a coffee shop here? The coffee on the flight was awful. Aw -ful.”
“ There’s a drive-through on the way to Olmeda ,” Key ventured, her eyes big as saucers.
“ Per -fect.” She leaned her hand on Key’s arm. “ And oh, call me Tammy , please.”
Key started, opened her mouth, gave me a fast, nervous glance, then parroted, “ Okay , Tammy .” She led Tammy to the exit while I dragged the suitcase behind me, feeling like I was fifteen rather than an adult twenty-six.
After a stop to get Tammy’s coffee, we drove straight to the bed and breakfast. Tammy kept up a chatter about the awful taxi ride to the airport, her uncomfortable flight in business class, how she already missed home, how it was “a bit too chilly” here in Olmeda , and “it looks somewhat run-down, doesn’t it?”
“ It’s old-town charm, Tammy ,” I couldn’t help retort to that last one.
Key nodded vigorously from the passenger seat.
Tammy didn’t appear convinced and simply slurped coffee through tiny, pursed red lips.
“ Lovely ,” she said when we finally stopped in front of the bed and breakfast. “ Leave it to Lilian to stay here instead of a decent hotel.”
I snapped straight. Dorsey and I might not be on the same batting team, but from one hospitality worker to another, the bed and breakfast was lovely and much better than a hotel. Allegedly and according to the online reviews.
“ Dorsey’s bed and breakfast is a landmark of Olmeda ,” I said, putting on my full charm. “ Booked out for months, from what I hear. Spacious rooms, recently renovated bathrooms. Great service, and the breakfast is to die for.” By this point, Key’s eyes were bulging so much they were in danger of falling out. I ignored her and forged on. “ There is much to be said about getting the boutique treatment, unlike in hotels with their many guests and concierges always in a hurry.”
Tammy passed me her empty coffee cup and unhooked her seatbelt. “ Personally , I prefer the restaurants in a hotel. Oh , dear, I hope they cleaned my room already and we don’t have to wait. Candy , get my suitcase, will you?”
Is that me? Key mouthed.
I swiveled my hand. Fifty -fifty.
She sighed and got out of the SUV while I pressed the button to open the back. Once the suitcase was safely on the sidewalk and the back closed, I abandoned Key with Tammy and went to find a parking spot. Luckily , it only took a few minutes, and soon I was back to the bed and breakfast.
The first floor was empty, so I went up the stairs and found Key and Dorsey standing by Lilian’s closed door.
“ Tammy inside?” I whispered, walking up to them.
Dorsey shushed me and pointed at the door. “ Avery , do some magic so we can hear.”
“ They’re strategizing,” Key told me.
“ More like gossiping,” Dorsey said with derision. “ That Tammy person, is she really a powerful witch?”
“ Tammy called her Goosey ,” Key whispered, trying hard to contain a laugh.
My lips twitched. “ I see.”
Dorsey muttered some unflattering things about city people thinking they were all that, then pointed at the door again. “ Well ? Do something about it.”
“ Magic doesn’t work like that, Ms . Dorsey .”
“ Well it should,” she grumbled.
At this point I was honestly surprised she didn’t have some kind of messed-up peephole or hidden camera network rigged through the bed and breakfast. Not that I’d mention that to her—no need to give her ideas.
Movement over by the stairs drew our attention. Ian and Alex stepped onto the landing and I let out a small squeal of happiness. “ Ian !”
“ Christ , you’re louder than an elephant,” Dorsey said.
Ignoring her, I met Ian halfway down the hallway and gave him a fast hug and a kiss. “ Your SUV is safe.”
He hugged me back. “ Good . The witch in there? No issues getting her here?”
“ None whatsoever. Strategizing with Lilian .”
“ Hey , boss,” Alex said, winking at me. He looked uncharacteristically haggard this morning, with dark circles under his eyes and his surfer brown-blond hair falling limply over his shoulders.
“ How are things with Shane ?”
He made a face. “ Same .”
“ Will he be okay alone?” I asked, worried.
“ He’s stuck as a wolf, angel,” Ian said, tugging my green hair streak, “not reverted to being a toddler.”
“ You never know. He could get stuck in the doggy door trying to get outside, and who would be there to save him?”
Alex laughed, and Dorsey shushed him. “ Be quiet, young man.”
“ What’s happening?” Alex asked me in a whisper.
“ We’re trying to listen in the witches’ meeting,” Key said.
Ian walked up to the door and pressed his ear against the wooden slab for a few seconds. “ They’re discussing herbs,” he told us.
Oh , shifter hearing was so unfair. “ Show off.”
Dorsey pouted. “ That’s it?”
“ Yes .”
Behind us, Alex and Key kept up a murmured conversation, Shane’s name coming up here and there. From the gist of it, Key wanted to go to the cemetery right away, but Alex was advising her to give Shane some alone time. I agreed with him but said nothing—they weren’t asking for my input.
“ What else, Cavalier ?” Dorsey was asking when I refocused on her and Ian .
“ I don’t spy on private conversations unless it’s part of a job.”
“ Are you blackmailing me?” Dorsey bristled.
“ I’m saying it’s none of your business.” From the slight amusement in Ian’s voice, he was enjoying the exchange. Nothing revitalized your spirit like a good back and forth with an evil old crone.
I almost missed Bagley .
Ian lifted an imperious finger, and Dorsey’s mouth snapped shut. A moment later, the door opened to reveal Lilian and Tammy , all confident smiles. Excitement bubbled up in my chest. This had to be good news.
“ Faith , go convene the local paranormal leaders at your Pea Pot ,” Tammy said with cool confidence. “ Make sure there’s a powerful one of each type.”
Ian arched an eyebrow—he really should’ve believed my tales about Oh -call-me- Tammy .
“ Is that a good idea?” I asked. “ Won’t we risk the spell affecting someone new?”
Tammy dismissed my worry with an airy wave of her hand. “ Of course it’s a good idea; otherwise, we wouldn’t be asking you to do it.”
“ There won’t be a reason for anyone to be affected,” Lilian said, a note of smugness in her tone. “ We know how to break the spell.”