Spell Booked (Retired Witches Mysteries Series Book 1) (21 page)

“I think we did.” I dropped to the chair with a sigh.

“I can’t believe we had so many dog grooming spells.” Elsie sank down too. “What was that all about? None of us even have a dog.”

“Don’t you remember when we were thinking about opening a dog spa ten years ago,” Olivia reminded her. “There was that spot where the old dog grooming place closed in the Cotton Exchange. We thought it might be a good way to make extra money.”

“Oh yes.” Elsie tapped her chin. “I remember that now. Joe had been furloughed for a few weeks during that city budget crunch, and Bill had lost his job at the car dealership.”

“That’s right.” I sat back in my chair and stared at the ceiling. “Things were slow here at the shop too. We just never got into the idea of dog grooming.”

“I could go down and search higher on the cave walls for the locator spell,” Olivia offered.

“You know we didn’t climb up there and put spells on the walls. Six feet is the most we could have managed,” Elsie said.

I agreed with her. “Without the council’s help, I don’t see any way we can get Dorothy back.”

Olivia cried.

I’d almost had it for the day. I was exhausted and disheartened enough to lie down and cry. I wanted to know what Joe had to tell me too. Maybe it was something that would make all of this okay—though I doubted that was possible.

Then I suddenly had the best idea ever. “Brian owes me a debt. He probably knows a locator spell!”

Capture and hold, stay with me.

Capture and hold, your fate to be.

I called Brian with the shop phone. There was no response. We had to get his attention. I tried to think what I would do to get Mike’s attention, since Brian was probably only a little older than him. Nothing came to mind, except cutting off his allowance. That wouldn’t work with Brian.

“What about the clarion spell?” Olivia asked. “We could lure him here. Once he’s here, we could collect on the debt. I’ve used the call plenty of times!”

Elsie rolled her eyes, but it was really a very good idea.

“What should we do?” I’d never done a clarion spell, since it was mostly used to attract a mate. I felt fairly certain that Elsie had never used it either.

“It’s so simple,” Olivia assured us. “It’s the easiest summoning ever!”

The plan was simple. We each needed to be in our element. We’d entice Brian to come to us and then talk him into helping with a locator spell.

We set our spell for midnight. There was so much to do. We had to rush home to bathe, according to ritual, and change clothes. A potent spell needed serious magic. Olivia stayed at the shop, complaining that there wasn’t much
she
could do.

It was raining, a cold breeze blowing in from the Atlantic. I could feel the angry water around me. The rain was fierce, pelting the night, while black clouds moved quickly through the sky.

I stopped for Elsie. True to her word, she was wearing her full-length, hooded purple robe.

“I don’t even remember when I wore this last. You should’ve seen Aleese’s face when I came downstairs with it on.”

“You still look lovely and mysterious in it.”

“You’re just saying that so I’ll go to the shop with you.” She giggled and made sure her sword was pulled all the way in before she closed the car door. “What’s that you’re wearing, Molly? I don’t think I’ve seen it before.”

“I’ve only worn it a few times.” I looked down at my tight leather pants and matching vest. I’d paired them with a loose-fitting white blouse. My amulets settled well in the square neckline. “I wasn’t even sure it would still fit me.”

“I guess Joe didn’t see you in that outfit. I can imagine the questions it would bring up.”

In fact, it had raised Joe’s dark brows. He didn’t ask about it. It was hard to see the questions in his eyes and not be able to answer. One thing at a time, I reminded myself.
Don’t get ahead of what you can do.

We’d discussed his newest lead in Olivia’s murder case. It didn’t involve magic, so we sat and talked quietly in the bedroom while Mike watched an old movie on TV in the living room.

There wasn’t much for him to tell me, after all my excitement. He was following a new development in the case that he wasn’t happy about, but he didn’t go into detail. He said he’d know more later. Our conversation was stilted—probably because both of our minds were elsewhere.

I started the car, and we headed back to Smuggler’s Arcane.

Elsie turned to me at a red light on Market Street. “Do you think we could do a big love spell for Aleese before we retire? I know our best love spells were in the book, but maybe we could come up with something.”

“I think we could do that. That way, you wouldn’t have to leave her alone when we go to Boca.”

“Why do you think witches have such a strong compulsion to retire there? It’s a huge hotbed of old witches.”

“I don’t know.” We’d reached the shop, and I parked beside Dorothy’s car. It reminded me why we were putting so much extra effort into what we did tonight. “Maybe it’s the weather. Every witch I’ve ever known has retired there.”

“I wish I were as excited about it as you and Olivia are—
were
. I suppose it doesn’t really matter to her where she lives now.”

“Are you afraid?”

“I am. I’ve seen what life has been like with limited magic. Why would I want to live with
no
magic? That’s what’s kept me here. Well, that and you and Olivia. I wouldn’t want to go anywhere without you.”

We got out of the car as a mournful sea bird cried out in the darkness. The river was still alive with lights and traffic, despite the storm. The large structure that was the old Cotton Exchange was silent and empty before us.

“This is like the old days, huh, Molly?” Elsie nudged me with her elbow. “It’s great to be back in the saddle again.”

Olivia met us at the door. “I’m glad you’re back. Let’s get this over with. I’m tired of being stuck here alone.”

“You might have to get used to it,” Elsie remarked.

Olivia ignored her. “This is so exciting, isn’t it, girls? We used to get together like this all the time, talk about spells and brew potions.”

“The good old days.” Elsie nodded. “When you were still alive.”

“Molly, tell her to stop doing that. I don’t need to be reminded every five minutes that I’m dead. I
know
I’m dead. I can look right through my hand.”

She held it up and peered through the transparent semblance of her former flesh.

“Let’s focus,” I said. “This is serious magic that can have very bad consequences if we don’t do it right.”

“Kind of like what happened to Cassandra.” Olivia tried to get her own back by making fun of Elsie’s magic.

“No. Not like that,” I disagreed, not convinced that Cassandra was really hurt by it. “That was magic gone awry. This could be much worse. We could call something we can’t control. We could hurt Brian.”

“That would be terrible,” Olivia added. “I know you don’t like him, but he really
is
a very nice young man.”

“Give it a rest,” Elsie sniped. “Even if he didn’t kill you, he’s not a
nice
young man! And maybe if you had better taste in
nice
young men, we wouldn’t be here tonight!”

“It’s almost midnight.” I took off my jacket. “Let’s get started.”

“Ooh! You look fabulous, Molly!” Olivia soundlessly clapped her hands. “I haven’t seen you dressed like that since we did the spell that helped Joe propose to you.”

“Joe was already in love with you,” Elsie said with a roll of her green eyes. “You must have something to work with. No one can truly make someone love you. Lust after you, be obsessed with you—yes. But not
love
.”

“I know
that
!” Olivia scoffed. “I’ve done my fair share of love spells and potions in my day.”

“But no love spell worked for
you
?” Elsie guessed.

Olivia floated through the trapdoor and the rug.

“She’s really getting the hang of being a ghost,” Elsie remarked.

I lifted the trapdoor to the cave and started down the stairs. “She won’t have anything else to do for a hundred years.”

“I’ve heard that’s the life span of a ghost,” Olivia said.

“Really? A hundred years?” Elsie shook her head. “At least she won’t need plastic surgery.”

“Why are you being so mean to me, Elsie?” Olivia circled the roof of the cave. “The dead have feelings too, you know.”

“Time to end the chatter, ladies.” I stood near the cauldron. “Elsie, call the fire.”

It was important for us to be actually based in our elements. I had filled the mop bucket with water. I planned to stand in it to get the best effect from my element.

Elsie drew her sword. She stood as close to the fire as she could.

Olivia’s staff was with us, even though I wasn’t sure it would do any good for it to be there. I didn’t see what it could hurt either, and it made her feel that she was part of this important spell.

The flames made dancing shadows on the cave walls. Olivia floated near the ceiling and tried to restrict her movements so we wouldn’t be distracted.

Elsie raised her sword and began the incantation Olivia had recited for us. We had already discussed what order we would use.

I followed with the same incantation until our voices mingled.

The fire roared as it reached for the ceiling. The heat from it was stifling. My face was hot and sticky.

The water in the mop bucket began churning around my feet like a spa. It had been cold to begin with but quickly heated. There was a slight trembling to the ground. Small rocks danced around us as our voices got louder and stronger in the spell, as though shaken in a huge sieve.

We repeated the incantation five times before we stopped. It was exhausting. I wanted to collapse on the ground but held my place with my feet in the water bucket.

“We did it!” Elsie’s voice cried out as the chant echoed away.

I opened my eyes, and there was Brian, standing in the cauldron. The fire raged around him. He was protected only by the balance of our elements—and Elsie’s control of the flames.

He was wearing blue boxer shorts with a sports emblem on them. I didn’t recognize the team name, but that was okay. We’d found a way to get his attention.

“What’s going on?” He was suddenly aware of his surroundings. “Why did you bring me here?”

Tell the truth—you cannot lie.

This spell defies you to decry.

Black or white, big or small.

The truth will come—or naught at all.

“We need your help to find Dorothy.” I thought we might as well get to the point. She was the immediate problem. “I want to collect on the debt of honor that you owe me.”

“So soon?” He scratched his head and yawned. “I have a big test in the morning. Can’t we do this later?”

“No! The rogue witch took her. She could be dead by morning.”

“Are you sure? What would someone like that want with an untrained witch?”

I’d asked myself that a hundred times since Dorothy had disappeared. The only answer I could come up with seemed ridiculous, but I said it anyway. “The witch wants her magic.”

He laughed. “Yeah. The Big Bad wants that little-kid magic Dorothy can do. That doesn’t make any sense.”

“Any magic is better than none, if the witch is really trying to live forever,” Olivia added.

“And she has absolutely no defenses to overcome.”

“I have a small problem, Molly,” Elsie whispered. “I
really
have to pee. I think it was all the excitement. I’m sorry.”

“Seriously?” I sighed. “Didn’t you go before we came down here?”

“No. I didn’t have to go then.”

“But you control the fire,” I reminded her. “Either it will die out completely while you’re gone, or it will get even hotter and possibly roast Brian alive.”

“Hey!” Brian gave us a nervous but winning smile. “I don’t know where Miss Witch-in-Training is, but I’ll help you find her. Have the old chick release the clarion spell.”

“Old chick?” Elsie glared at him, and the flames roared even higher. “Can’t we roast him? I don’t like his attitude.”

Olivia came down from the ceiling. “Girls, he said he’s willing to help. Give him a chance to prove himself to you.”

Brian glanced up at her. “Thanks, Olivia. You were always very sweet.”

She giggled and pirouetted near the sandy floor.

“All right, Elsie,” I said finally. “Let’s release him. Then you can go to the bathroom.”

It was a lot easier to let go of the spell than it had been to use it. I felt the effort leave me. I took a deep, cleansing breath before dragging myself to my chair and collapsing.

Elsie scooted upstairs quickly for a woman her age.

Brian sat in Olivia’s chair, obviously comfortable despite his lack of attire. I could see what had attracted Olivia to him—he had a very
athletic
body. “So you think this rogue witch is scared of you two?” he asked in a doubtful voice.

“No. I can’t explain why he or she would be worried about Elsie and me. But why else threaten us and take Dorothy?”

“Maybe you have something the witch wants,” he suggested.

“That could make sense, except that we don’t have anything of great value to a witch with that kind of power. The witch didn’t ask us for anything. And this is the second time we’ve been attacked.”

“Third, if you count my murder.” Olivia pouted.

“How do you plan to find her? If the witch is as powerful as you say, she could cloak herself.”

“We needed a third witch for a locator spell with Dorothy and Olivia gone.” I didn’t plan to tell him that we couldn’t remember one. Needing another witch to make it work made sense too, without the embarrassment.

“Sure.” He got to his feet and took stock of our cave. “Sweet spot down here!”

“Thanks.”

“Why do you think this witch wanted your spell book?” he questioned.

“I don’t know. The witch is collecting items of power from our community. Even the council isn’t sure why.” I glanced at Olivia. “All we’ve heard is what Olivia said. The witch is trying not to die. Killing Olivia is part of that, I suppose. What happened that night?”

He shrugged. “We went out and had a few drinks before dinner. Then we ate.”

“And we danced!” Olivia swirled around the cave.

“Then we went to a few other bars.” Brian’s forehead furrowed. “One thing led to another, and we went back to my apartment—”

“I get the picture.” I stopped him from relating any other details I’d be sorry I heard. “I still don’t understand why you were in that alley, Olivia.”

“Well, I forgot something at the last bar we went to. I can’t think what it was right now. I went back to my place after I’d left Brian. Once I realized, I went right back out to find it.”

“You didn’t drive. Your car was still at your house.” Elsie rejoined us.

“Yes. That’s right. I was a little tipsy. I called a taxi, and the driver took me to the bar.”

“And then what?” I asked.

Olivia thought about it. “I don’t know. I was in the alley, and someone came up behind me. I fought, but I wasn’t strong enough. It was terrible. All I could think about was that I would never really know my baby girl.”

“Which is why you called her name.” Elsie nodded.

“Yes.” Olivia tried to wipe a tear from her eye. “I can hardly bear to think about it.”

“It sounds like the same spell that brought me to the tavern by the waterfront,” Brian said. “I didn’t know why I was there either.”

“Maybe the witch planned to kill you too,” Elsie said.

“Maybe.” He considered the idea with an uneasy expression.

“Let’s get started on the locator spell,” I suggested before we got too maudlin to do anything useful.

“Yes.” Elsie picked up her sword. “I hope you know a good one, Brian, my boy, because none of us can remember
any
of them at all.”

He grinned. “You’re joking, right? A locator spell is easy!”

“Not if you don’t know one,” Olivia said.

“Okay. Whatever.”

He glanced at me, but I didn’t say anything. I was sticking to my original assessment of the situation. It would be good to have a third witch. Brian was an air witch like Olivia. Elsie and I were used to working with that element.

“I’ll need my wand,” he said. “It’s back at the apartment.”

“And you’ll have to put on some clothes,” Elsie observed. “Something spiffy.”

“Too bad,” Olivia murmured.

“I could use a ride to my place.” He pointedly stared at me. “It would be faster than calling a taxi. I don’t exactly have my car with me.

“All right. But let’s hurry.”

We didn’t speak at all on the way back to the apartment Brian shared with the other young men near the community college. My mind kept straying to Olivia going to this crowded, probably messy apartment, to have sex with the young man beside me. She was definitely the wild one of the three of us.

Elsie had stayed at the shop with Olivia until we got back. She was breaking out the elderberry wine that we’d made last summer. So much had happened; summer seemed a lifetime away.

“Cheer up, Molly,” Brian finally said as we pulled into the parking lot for the complex where he lived. “We’ll find Dorothy.”

“Thanks.” I wondered if the rogue witch would give her up that easily. It struck me that
finding
Dorothy might be the least of our problems. Brian’s magic was young and strong. I could feel it racing through him like quicksilver. It would give our spell a boost that Dorothy’s untrained magic wouldn’t have.

But using a locator spell to find Dorothy was one thing—confronting the powerful witch who’d taken her was another. If there was a spell that could compel the rogue witch to give up Dorothy, I didn’t know it and had never tried using one like it. I supposed that was the price I paid for using magic to take care of housework and make my life easier.

“Have you ever done anything like this?” I asked him, alone in the car with the night and the rain. I didn’t want to sound like a silly old woman, but I felt like one.

“You mean confronting a wicked witch who kills and steals for power?” He laughed. “Sure. All the time.”

“Seriously.” Was everything a joke with him?

He sobered. “I think only members of the council have done this kind of thing before, Molly. I don’t know why they aren’t here doing it now.”

“Yeah.” I looked out the side window. “Me either.”

“Come on inside,” he invited. “You probably shouldn’t be out here alone with the rogue witch running wild.”

I wasn’t really scared to stay outside and wait for him—until I thought about how Olivia was killed. Going inside, now that he’d mentioned it, seemed a safer choice.

There was loud music playing in the stairwell. Footballs and kissing couples occupied the spaces between stairs. Brian hailed some of the people, fist-bumping a few as we went.

Once we’d reached his apartment, jackets, bikes and old food littered the living room and kitchen. We zigzagged through all of it and found the bedroom. No doubt it was Brian’s—his name was on the door.

We went inside and closed the door behind us. I thought that a wand could be a fragile thing, difficult to find in the ruins of a student’s life.

But it wasn’t a problem. Brian’s room was as neat and orderly as the other rooms were a mess. The wand was perched on a table beside the bed. It was made of willow that had been shaped and cut to bring out the most power in it.

“My dad gave me this on my tenth birthday.” Brian lifted it. “We started training when I was really small. He and my mother are both witches. They wanted me to be strong when I grew up.”

It suddenly occurred to me who this young man was. “Abdon Fuller? Are you related?”

“Yes. He’s my grandfather.”

“He’s been a member of the Grand Council of Witches forever.” I worried that we’d said and done too much around Brian.

“He has,” he agreed with a smile. “Or at least longer than anyone else can remember.”

“I didn’t know.”

“Yeah. I’d rather no one put us together, you know? Every witch in Wilmington hates the council. I do too, even though he’s a member. To tell you the truth, he and I don’t get along all that well. You don’t have to worry about me talking to him about all this, Molly.”

“Thanks.” I was beginning to agree with Olivia about Brian. The more I got to know the true man, he seemed like a very nice person. A little more ego than I liked to see in a witch of his age, but not as bad as I’d feared.

“No problem. Guess I should change. Elsie wants me to come back
spiffy
.”

“I’ll wait in the car.” I didn’t want him to confuse me with Olivia. “I’ll be fine.”

He frowned but didn’t argue. “I’ll only be a minute. This is actually about as spiffy as I get!”

I went downstairs and stopped before I went outside. I hated that my town and my life had begun to make me nervous. I’d never been afraid to be out late at night by myself on the streets. I was a witch. Who could hurt me? But it seemed my glory days were well behind me.

I waited at the foot of the stairs, near the outside door. There was no point in taking foolish chances. Olivia was dead. It could have been me.

Brian was as fast as he’d said. He was wearing jeans and a nice red satin shirt. I knew Elsie would like the red satin. He didn’t say anything about me waiting inside for him. I was grateful that he didn’t make fun of me.

Rain was coming down even harder on the way out. We’d had to park in the back of the building and walk around. I was soaked by the time I reached the car, but the rain was a wonderful, uplifting magic for me. Brian wasn’t as happy with it, though air didn’t truly conflict with water. Elsie would have been very upset.

We got in the car, prepared to leave, when a dark sedan pulled up beside us. It was so close that I wouldn’t have been able to get out my door. My heart started racing. I couldn’t pull forward. There was a car parked in front of us.

Someone shone a flashlight in the window. I rolled down the glass as I gripped both my amulets. Brian took out his wand.

“Molly?” Joe’s face was wet, his hair plastered to his head. “What in the world are you doing out here?”

I felt my breath catch in my throat. “You startled me.”

Lisbet was with him. She was wearing a heavy yellow poncho and a big rain hat. “I guess so! What in the world are you doing out here at this time of night?”

“I brought something to a friend of Mike’s. You know students—they either have no money or they’ve forgotten that they need to eat this week. I offered to bring some food by.”

Joe peered more closely into the car. “Who is that with you?”

“Hi.” Brian leaned forward into the flashlight’s beam. “I’m Brian Fuller. I’m a student. Friends with Molly and Elsie.”

“Funny.” Joe glanced at Lisbet. “We’re actually here to see
you
, Brian. Would you mind stepping out of the car?”

“Me?” Brian’s gulp was audible. “What for?”

“We finally found a videotape of Olivia going into a bar,” Joe answered. “She was with Mr. Fuller.”