Duplicity (Spellbound #2)

by Nikki Jefford

  Gray looked at the front door. She could unlock it or she could just…

  A grin appeared over her face the moment she teleported inside the shop. Gray allowed her eyes a moment to adjust to the darkness, then made her way to the checkout stand. She rummaged around a drawer and began wrapping her fingers around any loose object that rolled around. No personal connections to anything inside. She shut the drawer and glanced over her shoulder.

  A narrow entrance behind the checkout stand led into a back room. The room was cluttered with cardboard boxes, a mop and bucket, a mini fridge, a desk, and a worn-out armchair. As far as desktop knickknacks went, Adrian’s were not producing anything useful. There was a filing basket stacked with invoices, a stapler, tape dispenser, pencil sharpener, and jumbo eraser. Gray took these items into her hand just in case, but they contained no history or connection to the person who used them.

  Gray settled into the office chair as she handled every loose item on the desk. Next, she rifled through the drawers, but the catalogues and files were about as exciting as the stapler.

  Gray stood and looked around the room. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a bookshelf. Usually, she didn’t have much luck with books, but they might be the closest connection she could channel to Adrian.

  Anyway, she was curious. During the short period Raj had been under Adrian’s employ, he’d talked of an extensive spell collection. If anything, she might learn something new and useful. It wasn’t like Gray had anywhere else to go that night.

  She turned on Adrian’s desk lamp and made her way to the bookshelf. The first volume she selected had a binding as black as night. Gray read the title. Retail Desire: Design, Display and the Art of the Visual Merchandiser.

  She pulled out another book and then another. Specialty Shop Retailing. Retail in Detail: How to Start and Manage a Small Retail Business.

  Gray groaned in frustration. She would have been better off finding out where Adrian lived and visiting his home while he was at work. What did she expect? A box of mementos and personal effects?

  She shoved the marketing books back on the shelf, turned off the desk lamp, and pulled a quilted throw off a nearby shelf. The blanket had history behind it, but not Adrian’s.

  Gray nestled into the worn chair and kicked off her shoes. She only meant to rest her eyes, but then she began to drift and the feeling became so intoxicatingly blissful that she let herself fall under the natural spell of sleep.

  When Gray opened her eyes she saw Adrian staring at her. Morning light filtered through the small windows high above the back room. Adrian’s soft expression quickly hardened. “Look who reappeared.”

  As she sat up, Gray blinked away the fog of sleep. “Sorry.”

  Adrian folded his arms over his chest. “For what? Leaving without saying good-bye? Destroying my merchandise? Or breaking in?”

  Gray screwed up her face. “I did not destroy your merchandise. That was mostly Lee and only because you provoked her.”

  “What are you doing here anyway?”

  Gray would have thought he’d be pleased to see her. She stood abruptly and folded the blanket. “I came by to apologize. Didn’t mean to intrude.” She made for the back door.

  “At first I thought you really had teleported to Spain.”

  Gray turned and smiled. “Nope. I couldn’t even manage to teleport myself across town. I did get from outside your shop to inside. And, I came up with a way to freak Nolan out.”

  “I’m listening.”

  “We’ll need to get to him while he’s sleeping.” Gray smiled. “Let the punishment fit the crime.”

  Gray’s cell phone buzzed inside her purse on top of Adrian’s desk. Adrian sent the handbag floating her way. Gray snatched it and pulled the phone out.

  “Hi, Mom.”

  “Gray, I’m so sorry. One moment I was watching a movie with Mr. Morehouse, the next I fell asleep. I hope you weren’t too worried.”

  Fell asleep? That was how Lee went about protecting Mom from her killer contact?

  “I’m on my way home.”

  “What! No! Don’t go home.”

  “Gray?”

  “I’ll meet you at The Daily Grind.”

  “Gray, what’s going on?”

  “I’ll explain everything there. Just don’t go home!” Gray slid her phone shut. She stepped back into her clogs. When she looked up, Adrian was studying her face.

  “Why don’t you want your mom going home?”

  Gray looked at the backdoor entrance beyond Adrian’s shoulder. Would it be rude if she teleported out of there two days in a row without saying good-bye? Probably.

  She jutted her chin defiantly. “I made a mess last night and I don’t want her to see it until I’ve gotten a chance to clean it up.”

  Adrian’s lips twitched. “Magical mishap?”

  “Dinner disaster involving a lot of rice.”

  Adrian joined in her laughter. His arm shot out as she tried to pass, blocking her from the door. “Nice try, Gray. What’s going on at your house?”

  Gray was very tempted to karate chop the arm he held in front of her. Maybe she would teleport. Ha! Adrian would rue the day he taught her that one. Instead, she turned two glaring eyes up to his face and said, “I told you, I spilled rice all over the floor. Now move.”

  The arm lowered. “Gray, if you ever need a place to stay…”

  “I’d sooner sleep in a snake pit.” Gray waited till she was out the door to grimace. What was she saying? She just had!

  Mom stood waiting for her in the parking lot at The Daily Grind. She was at Gray’s car door before Gray even got out.

  “How did you get here?”

  “Daniel lent me his car. Gray, what’s going on?”

  “Mind if I order a mocha before we go into the details?”

  Mom looked at the coffee shop, then at Gray. She nodded.

  Once they were seated, Gray spoke in a low voice. “Your contact came by the house last night.”

  “My contact?” The color drained from Mom’s face. “Are you sure?”

  “I’m sure. What I don’t know is what he wanted. I sorta freaked and fled the scene. Mom?”

  Her mom blinked several times. “You did the right thing.” She gripped the sides of the table. “What did he say?”

  “Well, he doesn’t really speak, does he?”

  Mom’s eyes were wild looking. They stared directly into Gray’s.

  “He said he is here to correct his mistake… or the mistake, and when I asked what mistake, he said ‘you.’ Does he want to kill me?”

  Mom shook her head slowly, but Gray couldn’t be certain whether that meant no or she had no clue.

  “What happened last year when he found out that Charlene and I were stuck in one body?”

  “He was angry. Like I said, I lied to him.”

  It felt like fingers had squeezed a hold over Gray’s heart. When the barista called out that her mocha was ready, she couldn’t move.

  “Gray,” Mom said. “Gray, your mocha’s ready.” Finally, she got up, grabbed the drink, and set it in front of Gray.

  The thought of her mother alone with the Grim Reaper sent panic through Gray. She’d left to meet him. Mom had never brought it up, and Gray hadn’t asked. What if, like Gray’s encounter with Nolan, it was too painful to mention? “Did he harm you in any way?”

  Mom’s forehead wrinkled. “What? No. We haven’t been in contact.”

  “What about when you went to meet him?”

  Mom tilted her head.

  “You left me a note that you’d gone to meet him again. Last week!” Gray lowered her voice. “I mean, last year.”

  Mom’s lips formed an “O.” “When I arrived at the location he’d specified, he wasn’t there, but there was a note. He said I’d lied about the date of death and the situation was being corrected. I rushed home, but it was too late. Charlene had her body back, and you were gone. I thought that was his doing. Then, a couple days later, you cont
acted me in the body of Stacey Lee Morehouse. I thought he’d taken pity on me and performed a body transfer.”

  “He doesn’t seem like the pitying type. He doesn’t even seem human. Is he?”

  “He’s neither human nor warlock. He’s a necromancer. Warlock, originally, till he traded his identity and voice in for higher powers.”

  Gray shuddered involuntarily. “So you’re saying I don’t have a chance?”

  Mom stared into Gray’s mocha. “We have certain advantages. He can only come out at night and he’s slow, but Gray, I did a bit of research.” Mom looked up. “There can only be one you.”

  Gray’s breath ceased as though those words alone might do her in. There had to be another “but.” Come on, Mom, say it. Gray finally let out a breath, heaving forward as she did so. Tears pooled at the corners of her eyes. “You think I’m a mistake, too. Don’t you?”

  “I could never think you were a mistake.”

  “But you already have one of me. I’m… excess.” A sob made its way up Gray’s throat.

  Mom sat up. “You’re not excess. You are as much Graylee Perez as Lee is.”

  “But she’s been around longer, and this is Charlene’s body.” Gray pushed back from the table.

  “Gray.”

  “I have to go.” Gray left before her mother could call her back, leaving her mocha untouched on the tabletop.

  School days had always seemed to drag on as a student, but the hours felt even longer when she was out of school and waiting for the day to end. Gray spent the morning at the public library, mostly online. She didn’t come up with anything other than what she felt was a reasonable question: if it was okay for doppelgangers to run around, why couldn’t there be two people with the same mind and memories? Who was that bothering, really?

  Gray bought People magazine and pretended to read it at the sub shop while she ate lunch. She spent the last hour in McKinley’s student parking lot. Raj’s car had been sandwiched between two vehicles when she arrived, so she stared at the smaller of the two until its tires began rolling back on the pavement. Gray pulled it all the way out then guided it into a vacant spot across the aisle. Then she pulled the Beetle in beside Raj.

  Gray tapped on the steering wheel after the bell rang and students filtered out, heading to their vehicles. “Another day in paradise,” Gray mumbled to herself.

  When Raj walked out of the double doors, Gray sat up and gripped the wheel. His smile could melt icebergs. It could also break hearts, what with the way it disappeared as soon as he saw Gray getting out of her car.

  Raj ran a hand through his hair and looked behind him. “Gray, what are you doing here?”

  “We need to talk.”

  “I know.” Raj looked down. Not only was he avoiding eye contact, but Gray could have sworn he backed away. “I shouldn’t have kissed you. It’s been confusing having two of you around and that’s why I can’t see you again.”

  He still wouldn’t look at her. Gray felt her heart dropping. Now, as his eyes rose to meet hers, she wished he never had.

  “There can be only one Gray,” Raj said.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  The freshmen sitting in the back of the bus were launching spitballs—not that they’d dare get one within a foot of Stacey Morehouse. But even if one of their wet wads had landed in her hair, Lee wouldn’t have noticed.

  She sat against the window, staring outside dreamily. She could see early signs of spring coming in the green blades of grass reaching out across front lawns. Lee sighed.

  A sophomore sitting across the aisle yelled, “hey!” as spitballs flew at her.

  When they reached Lee’s stop, the lowerclassmen all leaned away from the aisle as Lee made her way down it. “Bye, Betty!” she called out cheerfully to their driver as she hopped down the stairs.

  “Bye, Miss Morehouse.”

  Lee’s eyes lit up when she saw her mom’s shoes in the entryway. Lee removed her own and lined them beside Mom’s.

  “There you are, sweetie,” Mr. Morehouse said. “Did you have a good day?”

  “A most excellent day.”

  “Lee, can I talk to you a moment?” Mom asked.

  “Sure, Mo…Ms. Perez. I’ll just drop my book bag off in my room. You can come with me.”

  If she weren’t convinced she were in for a lecture, Lee would have skipped up the stairs. Drat! How did her mom know? Lee touched her cheeks. Of course, she had the glow—the ‘I made love for the first time and can’t stop grinning’ glow. Double drat!

  She really should have rethought leading Mom to the scene of the crime. Lee stopped abruptly in the hallway. “What’s up?” she asked nonchalantly.

  Mom studied her face. “Did you put a sleeping spell over me last night?”

  The glow turned into a crimson flush of shame over Lee’s cheeks. “Uh, why don’t we step inside my room?” Lee shut the door behind her mom. The sight of the overstuffed monkey on her bed brought back her smile.

  Lee tried for a more abashed expression when she refaced her mother. “It was for your own safety. Gray called and said you couldn’t go home.”

  “I know. She filled me in this morning.”

  “Oh, good,” Lee said and sat on her bed.

  Mom sighed. “And to think I gave Mr. Morehouse a hard time this morning for not waking me up.”

  Lee grabbed the monkey and rubbed her cheek against his fuzzy head. “Yeah, he was under the same spell.”

  “Naturally. Lee.” Mom’s tone deepened. “Lee!”

  Lee stopped messing around with the monkey. “Yes?”

  “Why didn’t you tell me the truth?”

  The truth was she’d taken care of the danger of Mom returning home while at the same time buying herself more time to hang out with Raj. That wasn’t what Mom needed to hear, though.

  “Little tricky with Mr. Morehouse right there,” Lee said.

  “You could have pulled me aside.”

  “I think Gray was worried you’d go out looking for her.”

  “Where did Gray go?”

  “Adrian’s magic shop.”

  Mom’s jaw dropped.

  “See?” Lee said. “I’m not the only one withholding information.”

  “What was she doing there?”

  “Trying to find something of personal significance to Adrian so we can put the whammy on him and collect his blood.”

  “I don’t want you getting involved in any of this.”

  Lee pushed the monkey aside. “I’m just as much at fault as Gray. Besides, if we don’t fix this, Holloway has threatened to put you on trial.”

  Mom snorted. “Holloway can’t put me on trial.” She reached around her neck and unclasped the nazar. Mom held it out to Lee. “I’m no longer a witch.”

  “My mom is no longer a witch,” Lee repeated twenty minutes later.

  Raj came over as soon as she called. Lee sat on the edge of her bed, hugging the oversized monkey to her chest. “I think Gray was trying to tell me yesterday, but I sorta launched into her about the other thing.” Lee squeezed the monkey tighter.

  “Lee, about that.” Raj scratched his head. “She approached me after school today.”

  Lee’s head shot up.

  “I told her I couldn’t see her anymore.”

  Lee’s lower lip trembled. She stood up so quickly the monkey fell off her lap onto the floor. “You shouldn’t have said that.”

  Raj’s head twisted. “Why not?”

  “I think maybe Gray’s in danger.”

  “Adrian?”

  “No, The Contact.” Lee’s eyes widened. “She called last night and said he’d come to the house. I think he wants to take her out of the equation.”

  A look of horror crossed Raj’s face. “Oh my God, when I told her there could only be one Gray I didn’t mean…” He looked at Lee desperately. “What can we do?”

  “That’s just the thing. Mom told me nothing can be done.”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  In
general, Gray had never been much of a crier, but she figured she had earned the right to wail if she wanted. Gray chose the one place that was sure to be secluded, where even if a person happened by, they wouldn’t think twice about catching sight of a sobbing girl: St. Ann’s Cemetery.

  The dew on her grassy plot was soaking through Gray’s tights. Tears and snot covered her face. She sucked in and sniffled pitifully.

  She glanced at her tombstone and read aloud, “‘Forever in our hearts.’ Whose hearts? Not Mom’s. Not Raj’s.” Gray began sobbing again.

  Her phone rang. She ignored it. Mom had been trying to reach her all day.

  “Go away!” she called into the sky when the sun burned through the clouds and glared at her with its rays. Gray leaned her back against the headstone and covered her face in her knees and arms.

  Maybe if she waited long enough, night would come and The Contact could finish her off in the graveyard—less hassle for everyone involved.

  Gray’s teeth began to chatter. Soon her body was shaking from cold rather than sobs. Reluctantly, she stood up and made her way to the car. Once inside the vehicle, she started the ignition and cranked up the heat.

  The sun had retreated behind the clouds again, and the sky was finally dimming. She’d wait out the night, then fling herself over her grave once more. No excuses this time.

  The cell phone wailed inside Gray’s purse. She pulled it out, looked at the display screen, and answered, “what do you want?”

  The last thing Gray was in the mood for was Adrian’s boastful voice… until he told her why he was so pleased. “There was an incident at the supermarket involving Nolan’s mother and now she, along with Mr. Knapp, is spending the night at Gathering, but Nolan is staying home… alone.”

  Gray sat up in her seat and smacked the steering wheel. “We got him!”

  Once she’d tossed her phone beside her purse on the passenger’s seat, Gray turned the ignition all the way to start. The car rumbled to life.

  Gray may have lost the chance to get back at the weasel for the prank he’d pulled on her when she was sharing a body with Charlene the year before, but she wasn’t losing it again.