“Sounds great. I’ll tell her. Thanks again.” He tucked the gift in his jacket pocket and headed back to Mummy’s. He couldn’t wait to see Pandora’s face when she opened it.
Mummy’s was busy, but he put his name in for a table and sat on one of the benches outside. It was a great Southern fall day. Crisp enough to wear a light jacket, but the air held no bite. He tipped his face into the sun and let his mind wander back to his favorite subject. Pandora.
What would it be like to be married to her?
Nothing like life with Lila, that was for sure.
But that thought took him down a different path. He was unhappy that things with Lila were still unsettled. He understood that she wanted time with Kaley, but whatever else was going on needed to be dealt with. Maybe she wasn’t planning anything nefarious, but the not knowing was like waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Could he force the issue? Somehow push her into making a move? At least that way, he and Pandora would know what was going on. He got his phone out and sent Lila a text, crafting it so that she’d answer right away. He knew her well enough to know what buttons to push.
Thought about what you had to say and you were right. We should talk about our future.
If that didn’t get an instant response, something was wrong.
Ten minutes later, with the no response, he had the sour feeling that there really was something wrong.
Then his phone rang. But it was Kaley. A jolt of panic shot through him. “Everything okay, sweetheart?”
“No, not really.” Her voice was hushed and he realized she probably wasn’t supposed to be on her phone at school. “Dad, I can’t find the feather.”
“I thought you gave it to your mom?”
“I did. I can’t find the real one.”
Oh. Crap. “Where was it?”
“My backpack. And now it’s not there.”
Was it possible Lila has sensed something was off with the substitute feather? Could she have riffled through Kaley’s backpack and found the real one when they’d been out for ice cream? This was not good. But he also didn’t want Kaley panicking when there was nothing she could do about it. “I’m sure it’s no big deal. Don’t worry about it, okay?”
“You’re sure? I’m worried. What if Mom has it?”
“Yes, I’m sure. It’s probably still in your backpack somewhere. Get back to class. It’s fine.”
She sighed. “I’m totally sorry.”
“I know, but it’s no big deal. Love you.”
“Love you. Bye.”
“Bye.” He hung up and shot Pandora a fast text about the feather. Hopefully they could figure this out, but better she know now in case there was something she could do about it. He tucked the phone in his pocket and went back to waiting. He wanted to see Pandora more than ever now. Just being around her made everything better.
The hostess came out and yelled, “Cole, party of two.”
He stood up and looked around. No Pandora yet. He waved to get the hostess’s attention. “Move me back on the list, my date’s not here yet.”
She nodded and went back inside.
He checked the time. Twelve thirty-two. And no sign of Pandora.
The sour feeling returned.
Pandora arrived at the address the seller had given her. It was an older home on the outskirts of town and not in great shape. Well, the woman had said she’d just inherited the home and wanted it sold as quickly as possible.
This wasn’t an area Pandora knew well, but she could sell anything. The key was under the welcome mat like the seller had told her. Pandora went inside to look around and wait for the seller to arrive.
The house was empty and a damp, musty smell hung in the air. It would need work—and a good airing out—to make it saleable, but nothing like the Pilcher Manor. A full paint job inside and new carpet would go a long way here. The kitchen was outdated, but few sellers in this kind of situation wanted to shell out the cash for a remodel. Maybe she could list it as a fixer-upper.
She turned, studying the space. Or maybe she could make the seller a cash offer, get it for a really good as-is price, and then she and Cole could rehab it and flip it.
Hmm. That would be interesting. Nocturne Falls had been around a long time before the Ellinghams had taken over, and the houses that remained from those early days were at best considered vintage.
She and Cole could definitely make a business of it. In fact, she might be able to talk to the Ellinghams about buying up a bunch of them for a reduced price. She made a mental note to talk to Stanhill about getting an appointment with Hugh. Although, if it was a financial deal, that would mean meeting with Sebastian Ellingham, too.
Her lip curled at the thought. Sebastian was a notorious grump who kept an iron fist on the Ellingham finances. If it benefitted the town and meant increased business, though, he’d have no reason not to agree to the deal.
Didn’t mean he couldn’t find one, just that one wouldn’t be obvious.
She also needed to talk to Hugh about getting Cole in to interview at Harmswood. She still thought Kaley ought to be going there too. Especially now that she and Cole were staying in Nocturne Falls.
Her to-do list got longer with every passing minute.
Back to the work at hand. Almost twelve fifteen and the seller hadn’t shown up yet. She wasn’t happy about being late to her lunch with Cole, but he’d been really understanding about it. He was pretty awesome like that. Still, another couple minutes and she’d text him again. She pulled out her tape measure and note pad and went to work measuring the bedrooms.
While she was finishing up the master, she heard the front door open and close. “In the bedroom,” she called out.
She walked into the hall to meet the woman she’d spoke to on the phone.
And straight into Lila.
Her heart jolted, and the bitter taste of foreboding coated her tongue. Every nerve in her body went on alert. “What are you doing here?” But she already knew, didn’t she? She’d been set up.
Lila’s smile was as pleasant as a crocodile’s. “Meeting you.”
“No, I’m meeting Hildie Martin.” The woman on the phone had had a very distinct Southern accent and sounded about seventy years old.
Lila put her hand to her chest and grinned. Then a new voice came out of her mouth. “I am Hildie Martin.”
The voice was an exact match. Pandora’s belly went colder still. No one knew where she was. “How did you get a key to this house?”
Lila laughed. “The human men in this town are very gullible. All it took was a little story to the local locksmith and a pinch of magic. Anyway, it was the easiest thing.”
Pandora’s dread turned to anger. Lila needed to be put in her place. Nocturne Falls was Pandora’s town, and the people in it were good people. They didn’t deserve to be conned by this side show. “What do you want?”
Lila shrugged one shoulder. “Just to talk.”
Pandora dropped her tape measure and note pad into her purse without taking her eyes off Lila. “So talk.”
Lila’s purse buzzed—her phone no doubt—but she ignored it. “Cole and I are going to be getting back together. I thought you should hear it from me first. I’ll let Kaley know you won’t be around anymore. Don’t worry, I won’t make you look bad. I appreciate that you’ve been so kind to her.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
Lila sighed. “Come on, Pandora. This can’t really come as a surprise to you. I can’t help that he’s never fallen out of love with me.”
“You’re out of your mind, you know that? He’s not in love with you. He’s in love with me.”
Lila’s eyes took on a dangerous glint. “Maybe this will help you understand.” She reached into her purse, pulled out a compact and opened it.
How makeup was going to help, Pandora had no idea.
Then Pandora saw that what was in the compact wasn’t makeup, but sooty, gray ashes.
Her witch inst
incts kicked in as Lila puckered up and blew the ashes out of the compact. The tangled threads of her magic reached out to Pandora.
She threw her hands up and cast a spell to freeze Lila in place. It worked. The bits of ash stilled in the air like gray snow. Lila’s face was suspended in a mask of anger and superiority.
“Not so full of it now, are you?” But Pandora was at a loss for how this was going to come to a good end. She could already feel the strain of holding the spell. She hadn’t successfully cast a spell this large in…well, forever. And she didn’t have Cole here to strengthen her magic. Her fingers began to tingle with fatigue. If she was going to grab her phone and try to call for help, she’d better do it now.
She just didn’t think she could hold a spell this heavy with one hand. But she had to try. She inched one hand toward her purse.
Lila’s right eyelid twitched.
Bother. The door to the master bedroom was a few feet away. Maybe she could hold the spell long enough to get in there and shut the door.
“Let…me…go,” Lila mumbled.
“Sure. That sounds like a good idea.” Sweat trickled down the back of Pandora’s neck. Actually, talking made it easier. Maybe because then Lila wasn’t fighting the spell so much. She shuffled back toward the master bedroom door. “What were you trying to cast on me anyway?”
“Bonding…spell.”
“And here we thought you were prepping that for Cole.” Pandora thought about that for a moment as her fingers went numb. She made a little more progress toward the door. “So you were going to bond to whatever’s in me that works with Cole’s familiar spirit?”
“Yes,” Lila hissed.
“I have to say, we did not see that coming.” Wait until she told her family. And Gertrude. Pandora’s wrists throbbed with pain, and she started to feel sick to her stomach. At best she had another thirty seconds in her. Maybe twenty. Time to make her move. “Well, wish I could say it was nice talking to you, but you’re an awful human being, a really crappy witch and a real turd of a mother.”
The freezing spell dissolved. Pandora leaped into the master bedroom as Lila reared back to cast the ashes forward again. Pandora got the door shut and locked just in time.
Lila howled in frustration.
Pandora collapsed against the door, panting and feeling faint. She flexed her fingers, trying to get the feeling back. She knew she needed to call for help, but if her fingers weren’t working, that was going to make using her phone tricky. Why hadn’t she set up voice command dialing? If she lived through this, she was doing that first thing.
On the other side, Lila muttered the words of a new spell. Based on the few words Pandora could make out, Lila was trying to funnel the ashes under the door.
Pandora took a few deep breaths of ash- and magic-free air while she could and went for her phone. “You really need to give up, Lila. Those ashes aren’t going to do a thing.”
Lila kept chanting the spell in a voice too quiet for Pandora to make out.
She brought her phone to life and saw a text message from Cole that caused new panic to rise within her.
Lila might have the real feather by accident.
Nausea made liquid pool in Pandora’s mouth. If that was true, she was in serious danger. She swallowed against the panic clawing her throat.
Magic might once again take the man she loved.
Hell no. She was not about to let that happen twice. Not without a fight.
A thin curl of ash wormed beneath the door.
Pandora held her breath, screwed up her courage and prepared to do battle.
Cole’s fear turned to anger when he saw Pandora’s Mercedes parked outside the old house. “Stay here,” he said to Corette.
“I think not.”
They both jumped out of his truck at the same time. Cole tried the front door, but it was locked. He threw his shoulder against it, driven by the burning need to save the woman he loved. The frame splintered, and the door gave way.
He raced into the house. “Pandora!”
“Cole!” The voice was muffled, but definitely Pandora’s.
As he skidded to a stop in the small living room, he could see clearly down the hall.
Lila stood in front of a closed door, hands outstretched, focused intently on whatever she was mumbling.
Corette thrust her hands out and yelled something.
Lila jerked like a rag doll and hit the rear wall. She got to her feet, scowling. “Stay out of this, witch.”
“Not when my daughter’s in the balance.” Corette closed one fist and pulled it toward her.
Lila was dragged in their direction, nails raking down the hall. “Let go of me.”
Corette yanked forward again until Lila was out of the hall. She held Lila in place and turned to Cole. “Get Pandora.”
He didn’t need to be told twice. He ran down the hall and opened the only closed door.
Pandora was crumpled against the wall, phone in one hand. Her skin was pale and she was trembling. She lifted the phone a few inches off the floor. “I tried to call.”
He pulled her into his arms and lifted her, holding her close to his chest. “I’m here now.”
“Yes, you are.” She slumped against him.
“Are you okay? Are you hurt?”
“Nope. I’m pretty good. Just magically hungover.” She exhaled a long breath. “How’d you find me?”
“Your mother. Something about a locating spell.”
Pandora let out a weak laugh. “The witchy version of your GPS app.”
“Apparently.” He carried her into the living room.
Lila was now sprawled on the floor.
Cole’s brows shot up, and he looked at Corette. “Is she…”
“No, she’s not dead.” Corette smiled. “Sleeping Beauty spell. She’ll be out for twenty-four hours. Sheriff Merrow’s on his way, and I’ve also called our local ACW rep.”
“Nicely done.” The Williams women were not to be messed with. “You should know that Kaley thinks she might have accidentally given Lila the real feather.”
“That’s all right. It might even be better. Those ashes will become evidence, and if they’re fully potent, that will only make our case stronger.” Corette brushed the hair off Pandora’s forehead. “How are you, my darling?”
“Good. Tired. Wore myself out holding a freeze spell for longer than I thought possible.” She yawned. “Wow. Really tired.”
Corette took Pandora’s hand and patted the back of it. “It’s a testimony to how powerful a witch you really are that you were able to hold that spell at all when your gifts have gone unpracticed all these years. You’ll probably feel drained for a day or two, but this is a good start to regaining your power.”
“So a couple days of rest are all she needs?” Cole asked.
“Yes.” Corette put her hand on Cole’s arm. “Take her home. I’ll keep you posted on how things go.”
He hesitated. “I feel like I should stay with you until the sheriff gets here.”
“Take my daughter home. I’ll be fine.” She shook her head at Lila. “That one’s not going to be causing anyone any more trouble for a long time. Stanhill and I will take care of bringing Pandora’s car back.”
The mention of Stanhill reminded Cole that he was supposed to talk to the man about getting in to see the Ellinghams about work, but there’d be time for that later. “I’ll need her keys to get into her house. Do you have a set of her car keys?”
Corette smiled knowingly. “I don’t need keys to start a car.”
He snorted. “I guess you don’t. See you later. And thank you.”
“Thank you for taking care of my daughter.”
Cole got Pandora into his truck and belted in, then drove through town to Pandora’s house. By the time they arrived, she was out cold. He found her keys in her purse and opened the house. Pumpkin greeted him with a loud meow and a head butt to the leg. “I’ll feed you as soon as I get your mother into bed.”
&n
bsp; He brought Pandora in and laid her on her bed. Her shoes came off easily, but her suit jacket took a little more work. He drew the quilt over her, then pulled the shades to darken the room, finally closing the door most of the way.
Pumpkin meowed endlessly as he walked into the kitchen. “Okay, I get it, you’re hungry.” He dug around until he found a can of food and a plate.
Pumpkin fell on the food like she was starving. He shook his head and checked the time. Kaley would be out of school soon. He didn’t want to leave Pandora, but he didn’t have a choice. And Lila was being handled. He scrawled a quick note and put it on Pandora’s nightstand in case she awoke, then jumped in his truck to go pick Kaley up.
When they got back to Pandora’s, she was still sleeping.
Kaley peered in through the cracked bedroom door and whispered, “Is she going to be okay, Dad?”
“She’s going to be fine.” He put his hand on Kaley’s shoulder. “You want a snack? I’m sure she won’t mind us rooting through her kitchen for edibles.”
Kaley shrugged. “Sure.”
“Okay, come on.” He shut the door and gave Kaley a squeeze. He knew she was upset. She’d been in a funk since he’d explained what had happened on the ride back to Pandora’s. “Hey, I know you think this is your fault. It isn’t.”
“I’m the one who let Lila have the real feather.”
“We don’t know that. And you didn’t let her have it. If she got the real one, it was because she went through your stuff.”
“I guess.” Kaley took a seat at the kitchen counter while Cole rummaged through the fridge and cabinets. She sighed a few times, then finally spoke. “I don’t want to see Lila anymore.”
Cole turned, a box of mac and cheese in his hand. “Because of what she did?”
“Yes, that. But everything else too. She would have hurt Miss Williams. And you.” Kaley picked at her fingernail polish, frowning. “She’s not a good person. And she’s not a good mother.”
“You’re sure about this?” Cole thought he’d be happier about the decision, but he hurt for Kaley. Realizing the unsavory truth about a parent was a scar she was going to carry the rest of her life.
The Professor Woos The Witch (Nocturne Falls Book 4) Page 22