Wizard Hall Chronicles Box Set

by Sheryl Steines

  Cham thought she was being sentimental or curious as Annie returned to her childhood and the memories she had long since forgotten. He didn’t know she was searching for answers she really thought she wouldn’t find. Annie placed this single picture against her desk lamp; it left her cold. There was something in Emily’s smile, her eyes, and the way she turned from her daughter even though Annie was sitting in her lap.

  Was that when they started to scare her?

  Annie glanced one last time at the picture, before she pulled her first case file for the day. She was on a roll; the cases were simple and required little thought as to the next step. She made notes and worked her way through several, periodically staring at the picture of her mom. Emily’s eyes expressed sadness, her smile was too wide, and she was turning from her daughter. Annie was sure she was hiding a secret.

  After Annie cleared the pile and tucked it into the outbox, her phone buzzed. She jumped, stared at the screen, and headed to Bucky Hart.

  “Hey, Bucky. Got something?” she asked once she got to his cubicle. He reorganized the information on his multiple screens as she sat beside him.

  “Believe it or not, this one was easy,” he said as he pulled out the new folder and handed it to her.

  “Okay. Thrill me,” she said.

  “First, I compared the magic from Rathbone’s cell to the database and didn’t get a hit,” he said.

  “If they’re Fraternitatem, I’m not surprised,” Annie said as she followed along with his notes.

  “I wasn’t expecting it either. So after that, I dug into the employee records at the prison. Turnover at the prison is high, whether guards are rotating out and to other prisons in the system or leaving altogether. I did find two employees who were hired within months of Rathbone’s incarceration. So, I started with them. They are David Stein and”—he glanced at his screen— “and Michael Mann. Their photos and employee records are in there.”

  As Annie stared at the two pictures, her mouth dropped open. David Stein had a thin face, a long, thin nose, and thin lips. His skin and blue eyes were pale, and his thick, curly hair was dark brown. Michael Mann had a thicker, fuller face, a wide nose, brown eyes, and curly hair. Annie summoned the folder Bucky had given her with all of Levi’s aliases and found the picture she was looking for, placing it beside the man with the long, thin face. She took her time, comparing the eyes, the chin, the nose. “Uh. David Stein is Levi Worchester,” she said.

  “I would conclude that as well,” Bucky agreed.

  “Okay. Which one is going as Benjamin Baker?”

  Bucky smiled and handed her Benjamin Baker’s background check. “His hair color is slightly different and I think those are colored contacts. I had the software compare all of the facial features. They are definitely the same man.”

  Annie stared at the pictures of Levi, Benjamin, and David—all one face and yet different.

  “The Fraternitatem worked hard to get a known criminal into the prison system as a guard. It’s a lot to keep an eye Rathbone. Explains why he didn’t contact anyone and had no visitors,” Annie said.

  “They could’ve stopped any letters or calls for sure. I’m surprised they didn’t go through his stuff. They might have found your source,” Bucky said.

  “Maybe they didn’t have time. I mean, we had a year to contact him and didn’t. They probably just found out about it and acted quickly to stop it from happening,” Annie suggested.

  Bucky deleted and added items to his screens as he searched for additional data. “I sent the signatures to the Middle Eastern Wizard Guard, along with their names and all of the aliases I’ve found so far. I’m hoping they have a match in whatever database they use,” Bucky advised.

  “This should help them as much as it helps us. Thanks for finding this so quickly.” Annie stared at the picture of her stepfather and cringed.

  Bucky placed a muzzle spell on his cubicle. When they were secure, he bent over and sent a spell into his bottom drawer, releasing the lock. The drawer popped open; he pulled out a thick folder and handed it to Annie.

  “The background checks we have on file?” Annie asked as she felt the heft of the paperwork.

  “We did a thorough check on everyone. Though without context, we can miss something. Everything seemed normal, even with this case. Except one seemed odd, under the circumstances.”

  The employee record was on top, the information highlighted in yellow. Annie noted it was from Starla Lakin’s bank statements. “She was paid $5,000 twice in the two months prior to starting here. What did she do before getting this job?” Annie perused her resume.

  “Retail, if you believe her resume. We could have assumed it was a bonus,” Bucky said.

  “On the surface, it still looks like it. Anything odd in her employee record?”

  “I don’t have access once they’re vetted and hired. Cham can tell you that. I was able to pull the deposited check. And it’s not a bonus from a retailer.”

  Annie shuffled through the papers. The check was written by Antique Symposium. “Huh,” she said.

  “Quite the coincidence, don’t you think?” Bucky asked.

  “Emily’s pay stub is from there as well.”

  “I finally did find something on the company. It originally incorporated in the U.S. in 1970. It was moved to Israel in 1982, and the president since 1970 is Michael Milner.” Bucky pulled out a picture of Michael, which looked like it had been printed from the company website.

  “What does the company do? What do they sell? How much do they make each year? Are there employee records?” Annie asked.

  Bucky shook his head. “I can’t find anything. I’m still looking though.”

  Annie blew stale air from her lungs. “Fake company, probably. Besides that conundrum, anyone else seem suspicious?”

  “No. I looked at the three wizard guards that started in the last year. Nothing in the timeline, nothing odd. I can expand the search on the off chance and older member of the guard is involved.”

  Annie summoned a list of employees from the time of her mom’s death and handed it to him. “This is from the lab. Can you pull these records? We’re curious if the Fraternitatem infiltrated the lab.”

  Bucky glanced at the list. “1999?”

  Annie nodded. “Someone tampered with the body. If anything seems unusual, let me know. I’ll let Cham know.”

  Bucky nodded and watched Annie leave for the fifth floor.

  *

  As Annie approached Cham’s cubicle, she could hear a familiar female voice. Though Cham couldn’t seem less interested in what Starla was saying, Annie wasn’t sure if she should be incensed or chuckle as Starla openly flirted with her fiancé.

  She took a deep breath. Rather than alerting Starla she was there, she entered the cubicle and sat beside her in the empty chair.

  “I—Annie, I thought you were out in the field,” Starla said sheepishly.

  “I’m sure you did. But I’m not. I expect you’ll be less obvious next time you flirt with my fiancé,” Annie said with a smirk.

  “I’m not…” Starla picked up her folder and exited without saying goodbye.

  Cham turned and placed a hand on his wall casting a muffle spell. “Sorry,” he said sheepishly.

  “Did you encourage her, flirt back, or offer to promote her for sex?” Annie asked.

  Cham laughed. “Do you need me to answer that?”

  “It’s annoying,” Annie said.

  “I interviewed her with Milo and she barely looked me in the eye. I’ve seen her a handful of times when I’ve been to the satellite offices. Nothing. It’s a little obvious, and I apologize. I did tell her to knock it off. It’s inappropriate on so many levels,” Cham said.

  “She’s angling for information?”

  “I think she thinks she’s clever in how she’s trying to find out more about the need-to-know case. I think her goal is to butter me up first. I’m half tempted to give false info and see what happens.”

 
Annie dropped the file on the desk and explained who the prison guards watching Rathbone were and which one was her stepfather.

  “So Bucky found Levi King-Solomon. At least we’re closing in on them. Anything about the background checks?”

  “Do you remember your little friend received two payments for five thousand dollars, months before coming aboard?”

  Cham nodded. “She was in retail. We figured it was a bonus. We didn’t push. It’s not a bonus, I take it?”

  “The check came from Antique Symposium.”

  Cham looked at her, his mouth open in surprise. “I’m not sure what to say to that.”

  “She was placed here as a mole, though why a satellite office? Not to mention, it bothers me that I misjudged her so badly.”

  “There’s only so much we can do in the background check without context. She’s due for her wizard guard test. I can only hold that off for so long,” Cham said.

  “I never suspected anything, though I only trained her for about two hours in potions. She mentioned retail jobs in passing, but she really understood potions,” Annie said.

  “That isn’t odd. Other guards come to us the same way. They have a job outside the Hall, and later decide to try it here. Not many go that route, but it happens,” Cham said.

  “I wouldn’t fire her yet,” Annie said.

  “I can easily string her along. She started when, a year ago?”

  Annie nodded.

  “Around the same time as the prison guards went to work at the prison.”

  “The Fraternitatem hid all of this well for a year, but the cards are falling fast now that we know,” Annie surmised.

  “Once we found the prophecy and you received your powers, we had something to look for,” Cham said. “Who else is out there that we should be watching? I mean, we have two teams on your grandmother. Rathbone is dead. Who else would the Fraternitatem go after?”

  Annie ran through the players in the black market debacle and bit her lip. “Even though Gladden Worchester is dead, it appears his cousin is part of the Fraternitatem. We should separate him from them. Maybe Arden Blakely? Even with a memory modification, she could be in trouble.”

  Cham took notes on a pad. “I’ll pay her and Ariana a visit. It might be worth it to bring them in and keep them safe. Anyone else we should worry about?”

  “The only other person that might be a threat to them is Mortimer. He’s making out like a bandit because wizards are afraid to go back to the market. He knows something but won’t tell me what. I’m surprised he hasn’t run yet.”

  “The Fraternitatem is probably watching both of them. I know we want to keep this close to the vest on the off chance we have a mole. But we’d need more teams. I suppose I can tell them just enough to not arouse suspicion. But I’d have to give them some reason,” Cham said. He made additional notes. “Any other surprises?”

  “Nope. If I were you, I’d fetch Arden and Ariana and bring them to Tartarus where they’ll be safe. Mortimer will take care of himself. And either let Starla flirt with you and give her false info or assign her somewhere out of the offices,” Annie said.

  “You’re not jealous, are you?” Cham asked with all seriousness.

  “Jealous? No. Irritated, yes. It’s pretty gutsy to flirt with the boss at work while his fiancée works across the aisle.”

  Cham grimaced. “Sorry. It’s uncomfortable for me too.”

  Annie frowned. “I’m going to get back to what I was doing, if you don’t need anything else.”

  *

  The portal spun with colors of pink, blue, and yellow. It made Annie dizzy. As she looked inside the lights, air blew around her hair. She ignored it and watched her younger self with Emily.

  Annie vaguely remembered the red-and-white checked pedal pushers her mother yanked up her lean legs. She also had a far-away memory of the white shirt and her insistence that she could put it on herself, “I do it, Mommy.”

  As she watched her tired, fussy younger self push Emily away and pull the shirt over her short curls, she felt an ache in her stomach.

  A frustrated Emily pulled Annie onto her lap and gathered her short, curly hair into two ponytails. They sprang out from each side of her head. The toddler Annie squirmed until she reached the ground. Emily sighed as Annie escaped her grasp and ran for her toys in the den.

  Annie watched through the portal, her past that she couldn’t remember. She reached out to touch the memory, to burn it in her head so she could recall it if needed. Emily turned toward the portal, catching Annie’s gaze. “You’re not her anymore,” Emily said.

  “Neither are you,” Annie replied.

  Annie woke and glanced at her phone; it was 2:00 a.m. Even after making love to Cham, she found herself restless, unable to relinquish thoughts of her mother mothering a son.

  Why not me?

  She snuck out of bed, leaving Cham in a blissful sleep and headed to the den. She left the television on low and leaned against the back of the sofa, her baby book open to a time she couldn’t remember.

  When she heard footsteps against the wood floor, she thought Cham was coming to find her but when she looked up, she matched Jason’s gaze.

  “Hi,” he said and sat beside her, glancing at the book. “You saw Emily today.”

  Annie wiped her tears and took a sip of tea. “Yeah.”

  Jason took her hand and looked at her engagement ring. In a perfect world he’d still be alive, this would be his house, Annie would be blissfully chasing demons and vampires, and when she returned home at the end of the day, she’d put her work away and live her life.

  “The ring is beautiful,” Jason said.

  Annie pulled her hand away and tucked it under her arm as she sulked. “Cham knows me better than anyone. He knew what I’d like.”

  “You’re peeling away the layers of their plan. You’re learning about your enemy. It’s all useful,” Jason said.

  “I know it takes time, right?” Annie chuckled. “I’m sorry. I’ve been horrible to you since you’ve been back. It’s my fault you’re here.”

  “Don’t apologize for asking for help.” Jason stared at the television screen.

  Annie dropped her baby book. “I feel a little nauseated.” She held up her hand. The fine white mist billowed from her palms, faster than it had before. She scratched her arm as the magic flowed faster. Annie stood but stumbled from dizziness. Jason held her arm to keep her steady.

  “Magic overload and stress, I think,” Jason said.

  She faltered against her father. He held her against him. “I don’t feel so good,” Annie said as she passed out.

  *

  Annie shivered under thin blankets. Her eyes flew open and darted around her as she tried to place her location. A warm blanket was placed over her chilled body; a woman in scrubs smiled at her.

  “You’re awake. That’s good,” she said.

  “How did I get here?” Annie’s throat was raw. Her jaw itched as she tried to speak. The nurse took her pulse. “Your fiancé and father brought you here. They’re outside now with the others.”

  Annie glanced at the nurse’s name tag. “Thanks Susan.” She cleared her throat—her mouth was so dry. Susan poured a glass of water and helped Annie to sit.

  “Here. Drink this,” Susan said.

  “What time is it?” Annie handed back the plastic cup.

  “It’s four in the morning.”

  Annie lay against the raised bed as Susan tucked the blanket around her. She closed her eyes.

  “I’ll let them know you’re awake. They’re waiting for you in the waiting room.”

  Annie listened to Susan’s shoes squeak on the linoleum floor as the nurse left the room. She opened her eyes again when she heard voices and footsteps entering the room as Cham raced for the bed.

  “Damn, you scared me.” He held her chilled hand.

  “So naturally you take me to the hospital,” Annie said. Kathy, Ryan, Jason, and Samantha filed in the room. Annie sighed. “Ha
ven’t we done this already? Go home and get some sleep.”

  “We were worried.” Kathy touched Annie’s shoulder and sat beside her.

  “This is nuts. Everyone, go home.” Annie yawned, suddenly exhausted.

  “We just wanted to make sure you were okay,” Jason said.

  Annie stared at Samantha. Her lips were pursed and she couldn’t meet her sister’s gaze, but when Annie reached for her, Samantha held her hand and squeezed.

  I’m so sorry, Annie thought. Samantha glanced at her confused for a moment and released Annie’s hand.

  “I appreciate you running all the way here, but I’m tired. As much as I’d like to go home, I’m sure I’m stuck here for a while. You go,” Annie said. They glanced at each other, lips tight and eyes crinkled in worry.

  “Tomorrow,” Jason said.

  Reluctantly, they kissed her goodnight and filed out.

  “Go home,” Annie said to Cham.

  “I’m staying.”

  Knowing she couldn’t fight it, she curled under the blankets and let sleep overtake her.

  Chapter 17

  Annie stared at the townhouse. Her gaze followed the front of the house and stopped at the front bedroom window. It was black and empty; if Emily was home, she wasn’t watching. Annie opened the latch on the front gate and stepped into the small yard, then let herself inside.

  As she climbed the stairs, she heard laughter, light and free. She moved toward it, her curiosity growing—she wanted to laugh like that. Shiloh sat at the counter, showing Emily something from a book. She chuckled, fluffed his hair, and returned to preparing dinner. Annie’s skin itched from the stress and resurging anger the scene caused her.

  It should have been me.

  Annie took cautious steps into the kitchen as if she had to hide herself, even though she wasn’t really there. Her presence went unnoticed as her mother seasoned the chicken and popped it into the oven. Emily pulled lettuce from the refrigerator, carefully pulled it apart, washed each leaf, and paused when Shiloh showed her another comic book; they both laughed.