by Amy Hopkins
Red adjusted his grip and swung the pot again, this time bringing it down on the witch’s head like an oversized hat. He pinned her down, and Amelia grabbed her legs. Despite the old woman's injuries, she writhed and flailed.
Penny let out a grunt of frustration. "Hold her still!" If she didn't execute the move perfectly, well. It wouldn't be the witch who was executed.
"She’s stronger than she looks," Red snapped. He had all his weight on the pot, but it still shuddered and scraped on the stone floor as Anna struggled to free herself.
If you want something done right… Penny threw herself across the old woman's body, using her knees to pin the witch’s chest. She ignored the claws that pierced her shirt and scratched her belly.
Penny raised the cleaver. Then, she brought it down with all her might.
Chapter Sixteen
Penny stared at the smoldering building, her jaw clenched. She pulled away from Amelia’s touch on her arm.
“It was worth a try, lass.” For once, Red spoke sincerely.
“No.” Penny turned back toward her friends. “It was a waste of time. Time I could have better spent elsewhere.”
“Like where?” Amelia waved a hand around. “You had no idea what you’d find here! You have other leads, but none of them are ready to be actioned. At least now you know the address was a fake or a diversion, but the outcome is the same. Now you can focus your efforts somewhere else.”
“I suppose so.” Penny kicked at a lump of broken concrete on the ground, then pulled out her phone. “I guess the yoga class is canceled?”
“I’m still up for it.” Red looked down at the pale skin peeking through his singed and shredded tights. “I don’t think my pants are, though.”
“That was enough of a workout for me,” Amelia told them. “I might hit the library though—after I clean up. I was going to do it tomorrow anyway.”
“Assignment?” Penny asked.
Amelia shook her head. “I’m going to put my meager skills to the test. My plan is to trawl through all the independent newspapers and local blogs to see if there’s any mention of this Polybius game.”
“And I’m going to rub her feet while she does it.” Red shrugged. “Unless there’s a better way for me to help? The next full moon is weeks away. Otherwise, I could just sniff the bastard out.”
“Let’s hope we find him before it comes to that.” Penny straightened her shoulders. “This hunch may not have panned out, but I still have a few more cards up my sleeve.”
“And a few more scars, if you don’t get those healed.” Amelia gestured to Penny’s ruined shirt. “Make sure you get that treated, Penny. Who knows what disgusting germs those grotty fingernails were harboring.”
Rather than trust Penny’s good sense, Amelia accompanied her to the first aid room when they arrived back at the Academy.
"Get to it." Amelia waved at the locker that housed the Asclepius Staff. "I'll do the paperwork for you."
"You're a gem." Penny entered the six-digit code to unlock the door and grabbed the staff. She pulled up her shirt, wincing as she peeled off a bit of fabric that was stuck to her skin. Luckily, the wound looked fairly clean. The staff would take care of any bacteria, but not solid debris that would become trapped in the flesh as it healed over.
A few short minutes later, Penny felt whole again, if extremely hungry.
“I don't meet the dress standards for the dining hall like this. I'll have to change before I eat." Penny scribbled her signature on the sign out paperwork Amelia handed to her. “Are you heading down to grab dinner?”
Amelia considered a moment, then shook her head. “No. I can grab something on the way to the library with Red. I want to get started right away.”
Penny nodded. In truth, she was a little relieved. “Oh, by the way, I’m going out tonight. DeLouise has organized a visit to the Bagdad for me, but I can’t get in until they close.”
“You’re following up on the lead Paddy gave you?” Amelia grimaced. “Well, I guess it’s better to go after they close than before they open. I hate early mornings.”
“Same. They did offer me a morning visit, but one AM somehow sounded less awful than five.” Penny gave Amelia an impulsive hug as they headed upstairs together. “Thanks for coming to check out that horrible house with me.”
They reached their room, and Penny turned the doorknob. She pushed, but it didn’t open.
“Huh?” She jiggled the handle and shoved harder. This time, the door cracked open a tiny sliver. “Something is blocking the door.”
“How?” Amelia added her weight to it. “Is someone in there?”
The answer came as a hiss. “Boots?” Penny slapped a hand on the door. “You open this door right now, Miss. So help me I’ll—”
There was a scrape and a clatter, and the door fell open.
Penny stepped inside and righted the fallen chair. “Did you barricade the door?” she asked, incredulous. “Why? How? You’re a snake!”
Boots’ hiss turned from apologetic to offended.
“Fine. You’re a highly intelligent serpent. But what the hell?” Penny perched on the edge of her bed and gestured for Boots to join her. “Was someone trying to get in?”
Boots nodded.
“And you thought they wanted to hurt you?” she asked.
Boots waggled her head in a dipping, swaying movement that was somewhere between a yes and a no.
“I don’t even know what that means.” Penny sighed. “You poor thing. You were scared, weren’t you?”
Boots shook her head. Then, she looked down and nodded.
Penny cupped the serpent’s head and touched their noses together. “Whatever spooked you, we’ll get to the bottom of it.”
“Hey, Penny’s not the only one who has your back.” Amelia leaned down so she was eye level with the serpent. “If you ever need help, Red and I are here for you too. Okay?”
Boots reached up to flick a tongue on Amelia’s cheek as a sign of thanks. She curled into Penny’s lap, then sniffed at the torn, bloodied shirt and coughed in disgust. Boots wriggled backward and made a show of rolling on the bed to clean herself.
“Hey!” Penny squealed. “I have to sleep on that!”
Chuckling, Amelia tossed Penny a towel. “You go shower, I’ll stay here with the germophobic reptile.”
Shooting Amelia a grin of gratitude, Penny grabbed some clothes. “Is that okay, Boots? I won’t be long.”
Boots gave an unimpressed sniff and turned away before slithering over to Amelia’s bed.
Penny gave her a fond look. “I’ll take that as a yes.”
When she returned, the room was tidy, and Amelia had changed into fresh clothes. Boots was sprawled across Penny’s bedspread, which she was pleased to see was still clean.
“Thanks, Amelia. I feel a thousand times better now.” Penny’s stomach protested that by growling loudly. “Or I will with some food in me.”
Boots dropped off the bed and came to sit at Penny’s feet.
“If I don’t see you before you go tonight, be careful, okay?” Amelia asked. A slight frown creased her brow. “I don’t feel great about someone trying to get into our room while Boots was alone.”
“I don’t either,” Penny said. “I’ll speak to the dean about it. This place is like Fort Knox. I’m sure there will be hallway cameras. Maybe we can find out who it was?”
When the two girls parted ways at the dining hall, most of Amelia’s concerns seemed to be relieved. Still, she gave Penny’s hand one last squeeze before she left. “Remember, be careful.”
“You too!” Penny shot back. “You never know what kind of weird Irish creeps might be hanging around after dark.”
“Hey!” Red popped around a corner. “I resemble that remark.” He pulled Amelia away. “Hurry up, love. The library closes at eight. That only gives you an hour to do your research.”
“It’s only ten past six,” Amelia said, double-checking her watch.
“Aye. We�
�ll need the rest of the time for canoodling.” He winked, dodging the hand that tried to swat his head.
“You only need two and a half minutes for that,” Amelia remarked pointedly.
Red clutched his chest and staggered back. “You wound me with your overly truthful accusations.”
Penny shook her head at their antics as she waved goodbye and headed for the dining room. Even before she arrived, the aroma of rich pasta sauce hit her like a tsunami. Penny wasn’t the only one with a growling stomach, it seemed. Even Boots got excited, scooting under several tables and almost tripping a student in her quest to secure herself a slice of lasagna.
Penny made for her usual table but veered left when she spotted a familiar face. She pulled out a chair beside Dean March.
"I'm so sorry to interrupt your meal," Penny began.
"Don't worry." The dean gestured to her own empty plate. "I've finished eating. I'm back on the clock, so to speak."
"Dean, are there security cameras in the second-floor hallways?" Penny scooped lasagna onto her fork and shoved it in her mouth, chewing quickly.
Dean March nodded. "Is this to do with Trevor's disappearance? Because you’ll have to explain how the girl’s dorms are linked to that."
Penny shook her head, then stopped. Could it be? "I'm not sure," she admitted. "When I got back this afternoon, Boots had barricaded the door with a chair. She said someone tried to break in."
"Boots said?" The dean's laser focus turned to Boots.
"I asked a bunch of questions," Penny quickly explained. "And she nodded or shook her head. It’s not perfect. I still don’t know who it was or what they wanted."
"Boots, do you know the person who tried to enter the room?" Dean March asked the serpent directly.
Boots nodded.
"Was it a student?" When Boots indicated 'no", Dean March asked if it was a professor. She pursed her lips when Boots nodded. "Did they attempt to force their way in?"
Boots hesitated.
Dryly, Penny took point on the next question. "Boots, did someone knock at the door and scare you?" A nod. "But they didn’t try to kick down the door. You just got spooked because someone came looking for Amelia or me?"
Boots shook her head, then nodded, then shook again.
"What does that mean?" Dean March whispered.
"I think she's confused." Penny eyed the snake, who bared her fangs at the accusation. "Or embarrassed."
Boots threw her head onto the table dramatically.
"Sorry, Dean." Penny blew on another forkful of food. "She's been a bit skittish lately."
"It's perfectly all right, dear." Dean March held a hand up to forestall any reply Penny might try to make while her mouth was full. "I'll have a look at that footage, just in case."
Boots lifted her head up and nodded eagerly.
"Take care, my dears." Dean March collected her plate and cutlery to return it to the kitchen.
Penny finally gulped down her food. "Dammit, Boots," she muttered. "You had me thinking someone was out to get you."
“Out to get who?” Cisco grinned at Penny as he flipped a chair around to sit on. “How was your trip to the abandoned lot, did you find anything?”
Penny groaned. “It was a bust. Well, I think it was. No sign of technologically advanced spy organizations, just an evil witch and a sight that almost blinded me, it was so horrific.” Penny told him the story of Anna Marple, Perkins, and Red’s torn pants. “I owe him a new pair of strides,” she finished. “His were completely destroyed.”
“I’m sure he doesn’t mind,” Cisco pointed out. “I mean, it was for Trevor, right?”
“Yeah. I know.” Penny let out a slow breath. She was tired, aching, and stressed to the max over Trevor’s disappearance. “Sorry, I’m such a buzz kill when I’m worried.”
“Not at all!” Cisco grinned. “But as your boyfriend, it’s my job to help you chill.”
“You’re my boyfriend now?” Penny teased. “After one date?” She had to admit, it was the best date she’d ever been on.
“Is that not how it works?” Cisco’s eyes twinkled. “Then quick, let’s have another one.”
“What, now?” Penny chuckled as he nodded seriously.
“I even came prepared.” Cisco fished in his pocket and pulled out a tiny battery operated tea light candle. “And you say I’m disorganized!”
Choking on a mouthful of food, Penny tried not to laugh. “Cisco, you’re adorable.”
“I know.” He slid his plate a little closer to hers and set his phone on the table. He pressed the screen a few times and tweaked the volume.
“What song is that?” Penny tilted her head to she could hear it better over the buzz of noise in the dining hall. “Is that… Is that the love song from Lady and the Tramp?”
“When the moon hits your eye,” Cisco’s deep baritone rang out through the room, loud and off-key. “Like a big pizza pie…”
Boots rolled herself off the table and hid behind Penny’s feet.
I’m glad someone has that option, Penny thought.
With all eyes in the room now on him, Cisco grinned, stood, and bowed to the dining hall. He waved away his spectators. “The show’s over, go back to your dinner.”
Penny eyed him warily. "Do you have anything else planned?"
Cisco patted his pockets down and tipped his head to one side. "I'm sure I had a mariachi band in here somewhere." He shrugged. "I must have left it at home. That one will have to wait till next time."
Penny giggled, which made her blush, which made her laugh even harder. "Never a dull moment with you, is there?"
"I do my best." Sobering, Cisco changed topics. "But on a more serious note, what are we gonna do about Trevor?"
Penny wished the moment of peace had lasted just a little bit longer. "I’ve set up a seance at the Bagdad tonight, so I can question Tilly." When he squinted in confusion, she explained who Tilly was. “It was Paddy’s idea, and DeLouise set it up for me.”
“Anything I can do?” he asked.
Penny shrugged. “Is there anything you can think of? I have Paddy keeping an ear out. Esmerelda is going to ask around, too. Crenel is trying to organize a chat with those guys who were kidnapped. The only other thing I can think of is trying to find out who Trevor was working with, but I don’t even know where to start!”
“Mom might know who Trevor has been hanging around with,” Cisco suggested. “I’ll ask her, and I’ll talk to Professor Anand, too.”
“Good idea.” Penny sighed. “When this all done, though, I might need some counseling. Every time I close my eyes, I see the horrifying image of Red in his torn-up yoga pants."
Shuddering, Cisco pushed his now-empty plate away. "I'm glad I’m finished eating because you just killed what was left of my appetite."
"I just wish we had a definitive answer about that house. Did the spooks pull the address out of thin air? Or did they know about the witch, hell, did they put the witch there?" Penny tapped the table with her fingertips. "How many strings are these guys pulling?"
"We'll get them," Cisco told her confidently. "And we'll get Trevor home safely."
Chapter Seventeen
Penny met Agent DeLouise outside the Bagdad Pub just after one AM the next morning. The restaurant had closed an hour ago, the tables long since cleaned down and the kitchen stripped and sterilized.
DeLouise led her inside, past a sleepy-looking waitress clutching a cluster of keys. "Thanks for staying." The agent spoke as if the young woman had a choice, rather than being ordered by her manager, who in turn was under instructions from the FBI.
"No problem." The sleepy waitress mustered a grin. "It's time-and-a-half for doing nothing."
DeLouise accompanied Penny to the atrium, then nodded toward the kitchen doors. "All yours, Penny. You want me to come with, or wait outside?"
"Outside is fine." Penny knew DeLouise would follow orders to do pretty much anything, but that didn't mean she was happy about attending the seance.
Not only that, but Penny hadn’t mentioned she was bringing a friend. She knew Boots wouldn't cause a health hazard in the kitchen, but having her there still might cause problems if anyone found out. "I'll try not to take too long."
Inside, Penny picked a spot on the floor to work. The stainless steel countertop would give her more space, but damned if she wasn't aching to sit down.
When she opened the bag, Boots slowly unfurled and stretched out, uncomfortable after being jammed up against Penny's other supplies.
"Remember, love, you're not supposed to be here," Penny reminded her in a whisper.
Boots gave a gentle hiss of assent and curled up quietly to watch. Penny unpacked her kit—a small folding table, a silk cloth, some candles, salt, a pen, and a notebook.
The few classes they'd had on summoning ghosts had been vague. Penny was instead relying on information gathered from her ghostly friends at Paddy's. One young specter had suggested that since the Veil tearing, pretty much any ceremony had a decent chance of working. All the more so if the entity in question wanted to make contact.
Penny spread the cloth over the table and arranged the candles in a star shape. She lit the candles before turning off the cold white lights overhead, then returned to the makeshift altar and sat before it with her legs crossed and palms up. She took five slow, deep breaths before beginning.
Something butted her leg, and she opened one eye. "Yes, Boots?"
Boots pointed her nose at one of the candles and tapped it with her snout. Penny eyed the table. Sure enough, the candle Boots had identified was just slightly out of alignment with the others.
“Thanks, lovely.” Penny adjusted the five-pointed star and tugged a wrinkle out of the altar cloth. Satisfied, she closed her eyes again “I call on the ghosts of the Bagdad theatre. I call on the protectors and the helpers. I call on the ghosts of the Bagdad Theatre.”
Penny repeated the chant until her posture relaxed and her ears buzzed. A warmth draped her shoulders, and the soft glow behind her eyelids flickered “Tilly, are you there? Please, I need your help.”
Penny felt the presence before she heard the scritch of pen on paper. Her eyes snapped open, and she watched the floating pen painstakingly etch out an answer.