Chapter 16
Iput water in the coffee pot and plug it in. I’ve already had enough caffeine for the day but there’s something comforting about sipping coffee while talking about stressful subjects. And right now I’m pretty damn stressed.
I don’t want Nick involved, but honestly, I could use the help right now. If Jason Trent is kidnapping children, he needs to be stopped as soon as possible.
“So the kids that died,” Gemma starts as we catch her up to speed. “Was it murder too?”
I shake my head, flipping through the files that Nick brought. “One was from an overdose, ruled accidental and not suicide, and the other died in a freak accident where scaffolding fell from a building he was walking by.”
“Are you sure those were accidents?” Gemma mumbles.
I tap my pen against the table, thinking. I need to think end game here, and that’s probably Jason wanting the kids for some reason or another. Maybe they refused or tried to get away. Would he kill them?
“You said Rachel is a witch,” Nick says slowly. “Does that mean you think these other kids are witches too?”
“Yes,” I tell him, watching coffee stream down and start filling the pot. I take the files over to the table and sit next to Gemma.
“I don’t see the connection,” Nick says.
“I don’t either, not really,” I admit. “But I think it’s a waste of time looking for one. Because I know Charles works for Jason, and Rachel was with Charles. Nick,” I start, and look at him. “I need you to do something for me.”
“Sure, anything.”
“I need you to see if you can find anything at all on a guy named Jason Trent. I don’t think that’s his real name, but it’s the one he gave me. He might be staying at the Ritz downtown, but I’m not sure. And see if anyone has seen Rachel coming in or out of the hotel.”
Nick nods. “I can do that.”
“I’ll take you back to the cafe to get your bike.”
“I’m coming with,” Gemma says, putting her hands on the table and pushing up. “No way I’m staying home alone again.”
“Actually…I have a better idea. I have an errand for you to run too and I’ll stay here getting things ready,” I tell Gemma as I pull out the photo of Rachel.
“She’s from Indiana, so it’s a bit of a long shot, but maybe Lyra knows something about her or even her parents.
She goes to conventions and festivals…maybe she heard something. ”
“And if they come back?” Gemma raises her eyebrows.
“I think the protection spell will hold.” I smooth the photo of Rachel on the table and Gemma takes a picture of it. “Be careful, and call me if you need anything,” I tell both Gemma and Nick.
“We will.” Gemma grabs her purse, pulling the keys to her car out. “Same goes for you.”
“I know.” I walk them both to the back door.
The same wall of magical energy protects this entrance too.
It prevents things from coming into the house, but anyone is free to leave.
I think. I guess we’ll find out. Gemma steps out the door and doesn’t get zapped.
I watch until Gemma and Nick are in the car and heading down the road.
Then I text Jared, telling him not to come over in case he was planning on it today.
I set the phone down and pace around the kitchen as I think.
The smell of coffee fills the air, reminding me that I put on a pot but never drank it.
Not wanting it to go to waste, I pour myself a cup and sit in the living room, trying to figure out what my next move should be.
But right as I’m starting to match things up, I’m hit with intense tiredness. I gulp down some coffee but can’t fight it much longer. I put the cup on the table and lie back on the couch. My eyes fall shut and the next thing I know, I’m dreaming.
Rachel is pushed through a set of double doors. Mr. Trent is behind a large wooden desk, and he’s pissed. Built-in bookshelves line the wall behind him, and I know the items being shown off are some of his magical artifacts.
“Did you find them?” he asks through gritted teeth. He already knows Rachel didn’t, but he wants to make her say it out loud.
“No, I was close, and then another witch—”
“Another?” Mr. Trent’s eyebrows go up. “I specifically asked you if there was more than one witch in the house.”
“At the time we only detected one,” she says, looking down at the floor. I can sense her fear, though it’s hard to detect. Mostly she feels numb.
“Sir,” Charles interrupts, stepping up behind Rachel. “Think of it this way: we can bring you two witches now.”
“I don’t want two witches,” Mr. Trent booms. “I want the witch with the fire power!” He stands up and strides to the window. The vision of the dream shifts and I can see out the window and recognize the skyline. “Bring her to me. She has something I want, and I want it now.”
He whirls around, brown eyes flashing with anger.
For a man without powers, he sure is intimidating.
Striding back to his desk, he opens a drawer and pulls out a skeleton key.
He goes to the bookshelf and picks up a plain black box, setting it on his desk.
He unlocks the box and pulls out a pair of antique handcuffs.
Something is engraved in the metal, but I’m not close enough to read what it says.
“Turn around,” Mr. Trent tells Rachel.
“Is this really necessary, sir?” Charles asks, twitching as he tries not to move forward.
“She had a job and she failed.” Mr. Trent puts the handcuffs on Rachel and the inscription glows for a moment. “To your room. No food or water for a day.” He waves his hand in the air, dismissing them both. “Bring me the boy.”
I jolt awake, heart racing, and spring up. Feeling a little disoriented, I rub my eyes and take a deep breath. Did I just channel something? It wouldn’t be the first time I saw through another witch’s eyes. If what I saw is true, then Mr. Trent did indeed take the missing children.
And he has more than just Rachel.
“Shit,” I mumble, scrambling up and into the kitchen.
I recognize the view of downtown Philly, and it wasn’t from the Ritz.
I open my computer, drumming my fingers on the table as Google Maps load.
I do a quick search, looking down at the city from a satellite view.
It doesn’t take long to narrow down locations, though I can’t be sure between two buildings.
One is a fancy apartment complex, and the other is right next door and houses offices.
The room I saw was an office, but that doesn’t mean it was necessarily the office building, especially with Mr. Trent telling Rachel to go to her room.
“New game plan,” I say out loud, opening a Word doc. I quickly type out a note for the guys, hit print, and tape it to the inside of the basement door.
I’m not going to do anything stupid, but I need to check out these buildings in the daylight. That way we’ll be ready to bust in, guns blazing. Because that boy would only be sixteen. He’s still a child.
And who knows who else Mr. Trent has in there…or what he’s planning to do with them. I call Gemma and jump when her phone vibrates behind me. Dammit. She left it on the counter. I leave her a message anyway, assuming she’ll check her phone as soon as she’s home.
“Hey, Gem,” I start. “I think I found where Mr. Trent is holed up. I’m not going in or anything, but I need to narrow down one of two buildings and then I’ll be back. I’m outlining the house with salt and doing the protection spell once more just in case. See ya later.”
I put my phone in my purse and grab the can of salt. Since we’re running low, I try to use it sparingly. I add a few crystals for extra oomph and gather herbs for a protection spell, setting them all out on the counter just in case.
“Okay,” I say to myself as I tighten the laces on my boots.
I use the bathroom, grab a bottle of water, and head out.
Clouds start to cover the sun, but we’re still hours away from sunset.
I get in my car and tear down the driveway, turning onto the street.
I turn off my road and onto another country road, this one a little busier than the rural one my house is on, but it still doesn’t have much traffic.
A few roads run perpendicular to it, with stop signs on their end, not mine.
Usually, I’m always aware of what other cars are doing, but right now I’m too distracted to realize the truck barreling down the crossroad isn’t slowing down. And I don’t notice until it’s too late.