However, she wasn’t budging no matter how hard he tried. It was frustrating, but he didn’t want to continue prying.
“I’ll look into his files right now, but only if you have lunch with me afterwards,” Blaine said, spinning around in his seat and opening up a cabinet filled with manila folders.
Hearing her laugh over the phone was like a breath of fresh air for him. It got him smiling as he sifted through the paperwork in front of him.
“Alright, that sounds like a deal. I’ll get us some lunch before heading over.”
“Are you alright, by the way?” Blaine asked. “You sound a little... I don’t know. Like there’s something on your mind.”
“I... I don’t think it’s something that should be discussed over the phone.”
“I understand. I’ll see you later then, okay?” he replied.
After he set his phone down, he got to work finding Leroy’s background. Skimming through the various papers, nothing major caught his eye. That was to be expected. If there was anything outstanding against the custodian, they would have realized it sooner. However, there was nothing.
Blaine was just about to close the folder and place it back into the filing cabinet. That is, until his attention was hooked by a certain subheading near the bottom of the paper he held. Ardensville High School vs. Rhianna Stewart. Those words made him sit up a little straighter in his seat.
As it turned out, it was an out of court settlement made by the school on his behalf to Rhianna and her family. The charges against him were dropped. However, he was suspended from working during school hours.
Blaine swallowed thickly, carefully setting the papers back down. In all honesty, he felt a small pang of excitement in his chest at the possibility of progressing this case in a new direction. With each clue they clung onto, it seemed to slam them into a brick wall. This settlement was not definitive evidence against Leroy, but it was something they were going to look into all the same.
Just as his mind drifted to Thea and how he wanted to discuss what he found, her name flashed up on his phone screen. It was a text.
I’m out in front of the station. I hope you’re in the mood for some burgers because they were the only thing I was willing to get from the fast food place.
Blaine smiled, reaching for his phone and typing out a quick response.
Burgers and getting to spend some time with you. Of course I’ll be in the mood for that. Any day of the week.
“DO YOU THINK THIS CAN lead us somewhere?” Thea asked, taking a quick sip from her cup. “You should have seen the way he was talking about her at the school. It was all hatred. It was kinda scary.”
Taking a quick bite from his burger and wiping his mouth with a napkin, Blaine nodded. “If you can find anything else about this guy, I’ll take it. This case has been driving us nuts because we don’t have any solid leads right now.”
“I’ll see what I can dig up,” she reassured him, setting her burger to the side.
She went quiet for a moment, which made it clear to Blaine that she was thinking about something. Based on the expression on her face, he didn’t have to wonder too long about what was bugging her. He figured she was going to open up to him about it sooner or later.
“Cat got your tongue?” he quipped, leaning back into his seat.
“I’m just... Ever since Professor Kendrick mentioned that my mom had a stalker when she was studying in Chicago, I haven’t been able to shake it from my thoughts. He said that it scared her enough to get her to leave the city and come back to Ardensville. That’s serious. And nobody told me about it until now. Not even Granny or my Aunt.”
“Maybe they didn’t know about it, either,” Blaine offered with a shrug.
“It seems like something huge to keep from your family, don’t you think?” Thea reasoned, glancing at him for confirmation. Regardless, she shook her head and let out a sigh. “I’ve also been thinking about that girl. Nichole. I used the scrying spell to see what she was doing. I didn’t find any evidence to use against her, but it’s pretty clear that she’s a horrible person.”
Blaine chuckled. “Yeah, I don’t think we can arrest someone for being scummy. If we did, half the country would be behind bars.”
Although that managed to get a short laugh out of Thea, the small smile on her face soon drifted away. The situation still made her uneasy. Blaine couldn’t fault her for feeling that way. It was a lot to take in. He reached over to take her hand in his, giving it a reassuring squeeze.
“We’re gonna figure all of this out, okay? I promise. Don’t worry your pretty little head about this anymore, you’re gonna end up driving yourself crazy.”
Thea nodded, sighing softly. “You’re right. I’m still going to talk to my Aunt about this and see if she can remember anything. The mystery is killing me, so if I find out a little more about what happened, I think it’ll calm me down.”
“Do whatever feels right, Thea. You’ll have my support always.”
With that, the two of them shared a brief kiss before Blaine exited her car and returned to the police station. Before he entered, he watched her drive off and silently hoped that she would take his advice. He noticed the beginnings of bags forming under her eyes.
Settling back into his office, he was hit with a sudden wave of motivation. Even though he would’ve preferred to spend his entire day with Thea, he got to work searching through Rhianna’s texts and emails for clues. The thought of Thea remained in his mind as he did so.
Chapter 16
“What a surprise,” Tiegen mumbled to herself. She watched from her desk as Thea walked through the door of her office and settled down in the seat in front of her. “I knew a day like this was going to come eventually.”
Thea raised a brow. “What are you talking about?”
“Your studies, Thea. The development of your magical abilities.” her Aunt replied, motioning to the office around them. “Why else would you visit me during the day?”
“That’s not the main reason I wanted to see you,” Thea said, which earned her a small frown. “I wanted to talk to you about my parents.”
Folding her hands over her lap, it was clear that her Aunt wasn’t anticipating that response. However, she didn’t say anything against it. With a slight nod, Tiegen beckoned her to continue.
“Do you know about anything that happened around the time my mother came back from Chicago? Something that would have caused her to return to Ardensville early?”
Tiegen straightened in her seat, jaw clenched. She stared at Thea with a perplexed expression as she tried to make sense of what she said. Eventually, she let out a deep exhale through her nostrils.
“Why do you ask?”
Thea shrugged. “Curiosity.”
“I...” Tiegen wet her lips, tapping the armrest of her seat. “I wasn’t very close with your mother until after she married Alistair. Based on what he told me at the time, I could tell that something was going on. I didn’t know the details then and I still don’t know them now.”
“Are you sure you don’t know anything?” Thea pressed, sitting on the edge of her seat. “I talked to Professor Potter recently at the university and he told me a bit about my mother.”
Letting out an amused hum, Tiegen smiled. “So they were acquaintances, huh? That makes sense.” She rose out of her seat, dusting off her clothing. “He is a creative, if limited, warlock. He serves as an asset to this town, even if his magical abilities aren’t the best.”
Even though Thea wanted to talk more about what the professor told her, the determined look on her Aunt’s face made it clear that she wouldn’t get the chance. Tiegen had other plans for her.
“You, on the other hand, aren’t going to end up with mediocre magic skills. I would never allow that to happen,” her Aunt said, motioning for her to stand. “I want us to work on the binding spell again. You’ll start getting used to it in no time, I promise.”
“Whatever you say...” Thea murmured as she positione
d herself a few feet away from her Aunt.
Following her instructions, Thea managed to bind her Aunt’s feet and rendered her unable to move. With Tiegen’s coaxing, she gradually moved upwards. Her calves, her knees, and her thighs. Her Aunt let out an amused laugh as she realized that she couldn’t walk anymore.
“Look at you.” Tiegen exclaimed, resting her hands on her hips. “Look at how far you’ve come. I can’t move anymore.”
“I’ve never seen anyone happy with the fact that they couldn’t walk, Aunt Tiegen.”
“Well, I’m sure if they were in my shoes, they would be happy, too,” she remarked playfully. “You’re showing a lot of progress, Thea. All of that hard work is paying off.”
A flurry of excitement settled in Thea’s chest as her Aunt’s words resonated. Tiegen was right. She was improving and she could see it clearly. Albeit gradually, her magic was getting stronger. Those hours of practice with Sybil were finally making themselves known.
“Now, I want you to continue binding me. Try my chest next,” Tiegen said.
Thea furrowed her eyebrows together as she stared at her Aunt, then down at her hands. “A-Are you sure?”
“Of course I am. I wouldn’t have said it otherwise.”
“Can’t we just... stick with the legs for now? It’s a good starting point, don’t you think?” Thea reasoned, reluctant in wanting to go any further.
Although her success gave her a slight confidence boost, she wasn’t willing to push it that far. Recalling how Tiegen described binding spells in greater detail, even mentioning how they could stop a person’s organs from functioning if used improperly, her throat went dry. Thea didn’t want to risk it.
Tiegen wasn’t pleased, sending Thea a pointed look.
“Do you really think that your opponent is going to be fazed when you bind their legs together?” her Aunt asked.
Thea scratched at the spot behind her ear. “I mean, I would.”
“Most wouldn’t be. In fact, they’d probably rejoice at the fact that you gave them a chance to recover and retaliate. They can still cast spells with their hands, you know. Or they could even call for backup. Binding their legs isn’t going to be enough to stop them. Your hesitation just gave them a chance to recuperate.”
Pressing her lips into a thin line, Thea acknowledged that her Aunt had a point. However, there was a difference in using the binding spell in combat and using it in practice. She wasn’t in any danger and she really didn’t want to hurt her Aunt unintentionally. For that reason, she stood firm in her decision not to continue with the spell. Even as the displeasure continued to accumulate within her Aunt’s gaze.
Shutting her eyes, Tiegen took a few moments to concentrate. Suddenly, she waved her hand through the air. Just like that, her ability to walk returned. She took a few steps towards Thea.
“See?” Tiegen said, making her way back around the desk. “You just gave me the upper hand. You never give your enemies the upper hand. The mercy you just showed me?” She shook her head. “I sincerely doubt they’re going to be as compassionate with you.”
Letting out a small sigh, Thea leaned over to grab her bag. That was enough magic for her. She had other priorities she needed to get to.
“I need to get back to my shop,” she said, already heading towards the door. “Jesse’s working on mural ideas for Rhianna.”
“Mhmm,” Tiegen replied, already flipping through the countless papers on her desk. “Make sure to practice later with Sybil. Binding spells are your friend, Thea. Not your enemy.”
Without another word, Thea left her Aunt’s office. She didn’t want to think about anything related to magic for the rest of the day. For some reason, it was exhausting her.
Chapter 17
“Hold on,” Jesse said, setting down the painting materials he was holding. “So that professor knew your mom?”
“Yep.”
“He was her teaching assistant?”
“That’s right.”
“And he was kinda friends with her when they attended college together?”
“I guess so,” Thea said, leaning on the counter. “He knew enough about her to know that she had left Chicago early and returned to Ardensville. He mentioned that my mom had a stalker, which is why she came home from the city.”
“That’s... horrifying. If I was getting stalked in a big city like that, I’d pack up my stuff and leave in two seconds. I don’t blame your mom for getting out of that situation,” Jesse replied, running his hand along Sybil’s head. “And what about that Leroy guy? What did you manage to find out about him?”
“Well, I know that he really hates Rhianna. Blaine managed to look up his file and he found out that there was a court settlement involving him and Rhianna’s family. I’m guessing his animosity has something to do with that.”
Jesse’s eyebrows shot upwards. “Do you think he could have killed her?”
“I’m not sure yet, but...” Thea glanced towards the door of the shop. She dropped her voice down to a whisper, recognizing the person who just walked in. “I’ll have to look into it a bit more.”
Jesse sent her a quick nod before ducking his head, also noticing the unexpected visitor. He resumed restocking supplies around the shop.
Kim approached the counter slowly, taking her time to observe her surroundings. Her eyes soon lit up as her gaze met Thea’s.
“How are you, Kim?” Thea said, sending her a smile. “Are you looking for anything in particular?”
“Yes, actually.” the girl replied, setting her school bag on the counter. “I was thinking about buying some nice paper for scrap booking I’ve been considering taking that up as a new hobby.”
“Oh, that’s really nice.” Thea exclaimed, already beginning her search for materials Kim could use. “What are you making a scrapbook of?”
“I was thinking about making one for nostalgic purposes. I have a bunch of pictures of Rhianna and myself but no place to put them, so I figured making a scrapbook would solve that problem for me.”
After hearing that, Thea softened. She sent Kim an apologetic look, already noticing the slight glaze in her eyes. Kim’s bottom lip slightly quivered, but she fought the urge to cry. Instead, she blinked a few times to clear her vision and sent Thea a grin.
“I asked around town and people kept telling me that this was the place to go if I needed art supplies, so here I am,” Kim said. “I’m doing whatever I can to distract myself from Rhianna’s death, you know?”
“That’s understandable. Hey Jesse, can you come over here for a second?” Thea called out, waving him over. “Do you think you can help Kim pick out some scrap booking paper? You’re more of an expert on that than I am.”
“Sure,” he said, turning towards the girl. “Have you ever made a scrapbook before?”
“Never,” Kim replied, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
“Do you have any dimensions in mind for the paper you want to use?”
Her eyes fluttered as she sent Jesse a small smile. “Not particularly.”
“Oh, okay. I can teach you everything you need to know. Here, follow me.”
Thea watched as the two of them made their way near the back of the shop to discuss the scrapbook. Soon enough, her attention was diverted towards the front again when yet another person made their appearance known. This time, Thea was more than happy to see that familiar face.
“Pippa. I didn’t expect you to swing by. What’s going on?”
Although Pippa opened her mouth to respond, her eyes drifted towards the pair near the back. Laughing and joking with each other, Jesse and Kim continued to plan out the scrapbook together. Meanwhile, Pippa felt her heart start to thump loudly in her chest.
“What’s happening over there...?” she asked as nonchalantly as possible. Pippa struggled to keep her voice’s inflection at a steady level. “I didn’t know those two knew each other.”
Thea scoffed. “Barely. Kim stopped by because she wanted to buy some material
s. Jesse’s just helping her out.”
“...Oh,” Pippa said, swallowing thickly. “That’s nice of him.”
“Are you jealous?”
Pippa’s eyes widened. “W-What? What are you talking about? I’m not jealous.”
“Mhm,” Thea replied, narrowing her eyes playfully at her friend. “Definitely not jealous. That’s why your cheeks turned pink at the sight of Jesse talking with another girl, huh?”
“Shut up.”
“It’s a good thing you came, actually. I wanted to ask you if you’d like to come with me to the sorority house tomorrow. I think it’s time to dig around a little bit.”
At that, the mischievous glint in Pippa’s eyes soon became visible. She nodded eagerly.
“It’s been two weeks since I’ve got to play detective, Thea. Two.” Pippa held up two fingers to emphasize her point. “It’s about time you invited me to do something with you.”
Rolling her eyes, Thea sent her friend a pointed look. “I didn’t invite you because I figured you were busy. That’s all.”
“Yeah? Well, I’m not,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest. “And I’d love to hang out with you. I always do.”
Their conversation was interrupted by Kim’s soft giggle, who passed by with a bag full of materials that Jesse already rang up for her. Pippa looked her up and down before averting her gaze.
“Do you guys think you can make it to open mic night at Ardensville college? It’ll be a great time. I’m sure it’ll help take our minds off of a lot of things,” Kim said.
“Sure, I’d love to go.” Jesse replied. He didn’t notice the daggers he received from Pippa for saying that.
“Yeah, I’m sure we’ll find some time to show up,” Thea added on.
Kim smiled. “That’s awesome, I hope I see you all there. Gage is going to do some comedy work shopping and I’m 90 percent sure that it’s gonna be horrible. We could all use a good laugh, y’know?”
Spooky Magic (Tabby Kitten Mystery Book 4) Page 6