Lex ran his hands over his face and asked, “Are you sure you want me to pursue this, Scarlett?”
“Of course I am,” she said.
“It feels…off. I’d ruin this case for Amelie but not your dad.”
“My dad,” Scarlett said, “Is not an innocent and sweet little girl. It’s understandable—wanting to save and protect your daughter. Helping some shady guy because he’s related to the girl you…”
She cut it off not knowing how to describe what they were.
“The woman I care about?”
He’d never been quite so straight-forward with her, and she wasn’t sure she could believe it. She couldn’t read his eyes. She couldn’t tell by tapping into the nature magic and scrying him—he was too-talented a warlock for her to be able to just embrace the flower magic around here and tell what was going on with him.
She shrugged and watched his mouth twist at her wordless reply.
“I’ve got the boys looking for your dad. When I find him, you can come with me to talk to him.”
“Unorthodox,” she said to him, trying to read him and failing yet again.
“This is a town of witches, druids, warlocks, and other various species. Unorthodox is required.”
She grinned and said, “I’d like to go. I’m surprised you’re letting me.”
“I expect we’ll find him soon.” He cupped her cheek gently and said, “I want you safe. I doubt your dad, no matter how criminal, is really a threat to you.”
She wished she believed the same.
“He’s not staying at any of the hotels?” Odd. Where could he be?
“None of them,” Lex said, and Scarlett sighed.
Her dad wasn’t staying with her family, he wasn’t staying in a hotel. Where was he? Two of his old friends were dead, one was in jail, and one or two more were missing. Who else had he known in Mystic Cove? Who had he stolen from or lied to? Who had reason to hate him still? Maybe him and his old friends?
“He has to be with someone he knew from before,” she said. “Nothing else makes sense.”
“Maybe,” Lex said.
The backdoor to the garden opened and Scarlett turned to see Luna coming out. “Ask my Gram or Henna. They’ll know places he could be. Try to give my mom space, ok?”
Scarlett held out her hand for Luna, and she skipped across the garden to tangle fingers with Scarlett and then twirl.
“Is she all right with all of this?” Lex’s voice was careful, but Luna didn’t seem to be listening.
“I think that Harper and I have…ruined whatever hopes Mom might have had for my dad.”
Lex flinched and Scarlett had to suppose that he was envisioning himself equally blocked. He should be. He wasn’t her dad, but Lex brought all of those feelings up. If Lex really cared about her…he had to see that she’d be affected by how he’d never told anyone about Amelie. How many people thought they knew Scarlett’s dad and had no idea he had a daughter?
“Do you think you are wrong about him?”
Scarlett took a deep breath and it hurt, to be honest, “I doubt it.”
She glanced down at Luna, not wanting her to hear the truth and covered her ears before saying, “He is the kind of man who would cat-fish you. He’d tell you he loved you, take all your money, and leave you weeping. As far as I can tell, he’d have stolen from his own mom.”
Lex’s head cocked and he glanced down at Luna, cupping her little cheek, and said, “I wish it were otherwise.”
“So does the little girl inside of me. The adult, however, has learned better,” Scarlett lifted her hands off of Luna’s ears and asked, “What’s up little one?”
Luna looked up brightly and said, “I need to run an errand.”
Scarlett stared down at her 5-year-old and saw those pretty green eyes shining so brightly. The girl turned to Lex and said, “I can find mommy’s daddy for you.”
Scarlett looked at Lex and down at Luna and said, “What do you mean?”
“Your daddy,” Luna said. “I can find him. He’s making Nana sad.”
Scarlett tried to keep her face passive, but Luna was so very right. Scarlett needed to remember just how perceptive her daughters were.
“I don’t like that Nana is sad. I don’t like that Gram is angry and most of all, I don’t like that you’re all upset inside.”
Scarlett tried to speak, failed, and then said, “Look…”
“Mommy,” Luna said seriously, squeezing Scarlett’s hand, “I’m not stupid. Nana needs to be happy right now.”
Scarlett pressed her fingers to her head, trying to hide her expression. Did? Could? Could Luna know?
Lex glanced between them and then said, “Do you know what she’s talking about?”
Scarlett didn’t answer him, but she thought…yeah…yeah, I do.
“She can’t tell you,” Luna told Lex. “Cause she’s real, real mad at you. And Mommy’s extra sad with you.”
Scarlett closed her eyes and found it was her who was avoiding Lex’s gaze this time.
He had mercy on her when he asked Luna, “And how can you find…” He stopped struggling for the right word.
“Mommy’s daddy?” Luna looked between them and then said, “Me and Ella aren’t stupid. Amelie isn’t either, Lex.”
Lex swallowed, and Scarlett could see his adam’s apple bob. He told Luna, “I never thought you and Ella or Amelie was stupid.”
Luna patted Lex on the side of his leg and said, “She needs to know that you love her. You have to find a way to tell her. And make her believe. Like Mommy does for me and Ella but that Daddy doesn’t.”
“Luna,” Scarlett said, “Daddy loves you.”
Luna then patted the side of Scarlett’s leg and said, “Ok.”
Given the condescending nature of Luna’s statement, Scarlett flinched both for herself and for Grant.
“Mommy,” Luna said, ignoring the look on Scarlett’s face, “I do have an errand to run.”
Scarlett blinked once, considered, and then said to Lex, “She has an errand to run.”
“I’ll find Mommy’s daddy for you,” Luna said, “But first, Mommy, I need to run my errand.”
“Well let’s run this errand,” Lex said, “And see what you can do.”
“No,” Luna told Lex, “Only Mommy.” She reached up and tangled her fingers with Scarlett’s and then whistled. As Luna did the birds around the garden whistled back. She then looked up brightly and then said, “It’ll take them a little while.”
“Can she do that?”
“I have no idea,” Scarlett admitted. Her daughter was an endless bundle of surprises.
Chapter 11
“So,” Scarlett said, looking down at her 5-year-old girl, “What is it that we need to do and how do you know about Nana?”
“We’re druids,” Luna told her mother as if she were a little bit slow, “I can see it.”
Scarlett licked her lips and considered. It was possible. Luna and Ella were very talented. Scarlett wondered just how much stuff she thought she was hiding from the girls and was failing to succeed. She tangled her fingers through Luna’s and said, “You are such a delight.”
Luna grinned and hopped and said, “Lex is sorry.”
“Can you tell that with your abilities as well?”
“Mmm, it’s in his eyes.”
Scarlett thought about that for a second and then told her daughter, “I can’t read anything in his eyes…”
“Mommy, you’re all mixed up in your head. You need to spend more time with the groves and your magic.”
Scarlett laughed. She’d just told a druid who came into the bakery this the other day—with the same tone. It was easier, she guessed, to know what was wrong than to employ her knowledge herself. She thought about her life, how busy it was, how she worked from when she woke until after her girls went to bed, and had to admit more time in the groves was probably not going to happen. She brushed her daughter’s hair back and said, “I love you, Luna Bean.”
>
Luna was leading the way through the streets of Mystic Cove as though she knew them a little too well. Scarlett’s mom-instincts were concerned, but the walk was too nice to mess with. She’d have to talk to Luna later about her knowledge of the town.
“I know you love me,” Luna said brightly. “You’re the mommy. I’m the baby.” Then as they passed a little house, Luna paused, held up her finger, and said, “I’ll be right back.”
Luna skipped across the lawn, squatted down, and pulled out of her backpack several carrots, shoving them into the area under the porch. She whispered for several moments, nodding on occasion, and then stood and said, “Giles will help us. He knows lots of places.”
Scarlett considered and realized that Luna intended to send out even more animal friends. Just how many animal friends did Luna have? And what had she been using them for beyond finding Scarlett’s dad?
“Giles?”
“He’s a rabbit.”
“I’m surprised you haven’t brought him home.”
“Oh Mommy, I would never do that. Giles likes his life. You have to let wild things be wild.”
“That’s very wise,” Scarlett said, trying not to over-react and irritate Luna. Scarlett, however, wanted to jump up and down, celebrating that she wasn’t necessarily going to come home to a lynx someday.
“Lex is a wild thing too,” Luna told Scarlett. She tangled her fingers with Scarlett’s again blithely innocent of the tornado she was causing inside of Scarlett. “He doesn’t know how to be like us.”
“And what are we?”
“We’re family and house and pie and…um…bookshelves people. He’s an only-him people. But he wants to be family people only he doesn’t know how.”
“So you think I should forget that he lied to us all this time?”
“No,” Luna said, “Daddy lied to us and you let it go. So, he kept being naughtier and naughtier. You have to teach Lex how to not be wild, or he needs to be left…well….like Giles.”
“In the wild?”
“Mmm-hmmm,” Luna said distractedly. She sniffed, whistled, and then said, “Stay here Mommy.”
Luna ran down a little alleyway and she came back a few minutes later.
“And what was that?”
“I don’t think you’ll like that one.”
“Mmmm,” Scarlett said, “I don’t think so. Out with it.”
Luna kicked the sidewalk and then said, “It’s a rat.”
“A rat?” Scarlett knew a lie when she heard one. Especially from Luna.
“A rat,” Luna repeated.
Scarlett raised brow.
“Rats,” Luna said softly.
“Sssss,” Scarlett repeated. “Just how many are we talking about?”
“I didn’t count them,” Luna said, not meeting Scarlett’s gaze. Given that Luna and Ella were the ones who’d taught Scarlett about the power of the sideways-eye Scarlett cleared her throat and waited. Luna finished, “A lot.”
“Don’t you think that Mrs. Anderson would care that there are a lot of rats living back there?”
Luna nodded slowly.
“Don’t you think you can do something about that?
Luna frowned and said, “They like it back there.”
“They need to go, or Mrs. Anderson will get rid of them other ways.” Luna’s eyes narrowed on Scarlett and she said, not without tenderness, “Even Mommy would get rid of rats like that Luna Bean.”
Luna was angry when she stomped back to the rats, and Scarlett could hear her pleading with them. When Luna came back, her arms were crossed over her chest, and she was stomping even more heavily.
“They don’t want to move,” Luna told Scarlett, stomping her foot for emphasis.
“Ok,” Scarlett said, not bothering to explain she’d be calling Mrs. Anderson when Luna and Ella were at school.
Luna’s eyes narrowed on Scarlett and she attempted changing the subject, “Did you want to bring cupcakes to school for your harvest party?”
Luna nodded begrudgingly.
“Chocolate? With pumpkins on top?” Get sidetracked, little bean, Scarlett thought.
“Turkeys cause it’s Thanksgiving. And apple spice cupcakes.”
Scarlett let Luna’s thoughts meander through random paths while she followed Luna to a crow that had hurt its foot, to the den of the opossum den she’d nursed back to health, and then to a little house, where she went up and knocked on the door. Scarlett didn’t know the woman inside, but Luna knew her as Miss Grace asked her about her children before squatting down to talk to a little chihuahua.
The little dog’s head cocked and it barked at Luna one time. Luna said something and the dog barked again.
“Hello,” Scarlett said, crossing to the woman in the doorway. She had to wonder how Luna had made friends with an adult and Scarlett had no idea it was happening. She was starting to feel like the most out-of-touch mother ever.
“Oh you must be Scarlett,” she said.
Scarlett’s brows rose and the woman looked down at Luna and then said, “I suppose it’s weird that I know your daughter and we haven’t met. I volunteer in her class. My sister is Luna’s teacher. I’m Grace.”
“Oh,” Scarlett muttered, feeling a rush of relief.
“I was hoping I’d have a chance to talk to you. Luna has said her grandma wants to adopt one of the puppies, but every time I ask her to bring her Grandma over, Luna…”
“Sidesteps with a large order of sideways-eye?”
Grace nodded and then said, “They’re ready to go home, and Luna said you would come pick up the puppy today. I was starting to think that it wasn’t going to happen.”
Scarlett pressed her lips together, trying to hide her reaction while she considered. Gram would be furious if Luna set a puppy on her lap. Which—would be kind of funny. Especially given that Gram had invited Gus to the family deal to torture Scarlett. But the puppy. And then there was how Luna was very, very good at identifying animals and people who needed each other. Scarlett loved Gram and companionship would be good for her.
And yet…yet…if Gram decided to be furious about it all…Scarlett was going to end up with yet another pet. Given that Luna had a dog, 3 cats, a bird, a squirrel, and african dwarf frogs that was the last thing Scarlett wanted.
But Gram. A dog could be good for her. By the stars, Scarlett thought, meeting her daughter’s eyes and knowing she’d never be able to say no when the druidic knowing was shining out of those sweet mossy green orbs.
“Well…” Scarlett said, “It’ll be all right.”
Grace examined Scarlett’s face and said, “Does Luna’s Grandma know about this dog?”
“Luna’s skills magically help link up animals and people that need each other. So no. But that doesn’t mean this isn’t best.”
Grace hesitated and then leaned down to Luna, saying, “Will you make sure the puppy is ok?”
Luna nodded and then piped up with her happy little voice, “You can trust me.”
Scarlett lifted the puppy out of Luna’s hands. It was a little tiny rat with a tooth that was twisted sideways. It’s little eyes bulged. Scarlett had seen many an adorable chihuahua puppy, and this dog was entirely the opposite. Humor rose at the idea of this dog and Gram being soul linked.
Grace stepped inside quickly before Scarlett could shove the dog back and ask for one less repugnant.
“Grace conned you into picking this one,” Scarlett told Luna after scratching the puppies ears. “It’s unadoptable and semi-hideous.”
“No,” Luna said, rubbing her nose against the puppy’s. “He’s a little bit mean. Like Gram. And all soft and snuggly underneath. Like Gram.”
Luna looked up, pausing and Scarlett followed her daughter’s gaze. There was a seagull on the line. It was looking right at Luna.
Scarlett paused and then said, “What’s up with Scuttle there, lovey?”
“He found your daddy.”
Scarlett stared. She didn’t really believe that bu
t Luna said, “He’s living in a van and parked near the old drive-in theater.”
Scarlett had started to try to let Luna down easy, but there was a campground near that old drive-in. It was far enough out of town that it would make sense. It was cold, so it would be deserted. It would be easy to stay there for cheap. Especially given that the drive-in had restrooms. If he broke in…it wouldn’t be a terrible place to stay.
“Ok,” Scarlett said, hurrying her daughter home from her ‘errands.’ She messaged Lex on the way, so he’d be ready to go find her dad but refused to tell Lex where her dad was. Lex would not be going without her. She doubted he’d leave without her given how he was in the doghouse. Plus, he was only being agreeable because he wanted to see how her Dad reacted to Scarlett. She wasn’t stupid—Lex would never bring her on an investigation if he thought she would be in danger. At least not without fighting.
Chapter 12
Lex drove and Scarlett laid her head against the headrest. It had been such a crap day. She wanted to curl up in her bed and fall asleep to Netflix, but she didn’t think that was going to be her future.
“Scarlett,” Lex said, “I really am sorry.”
She cracked her eyes opened and tried to find her druidic senses, but she was so tired. Not just physically but emotionally. Her dad, Lex, her mom, a baby sister, her sister Maeve. It was just too much to handle in a day.
“Ok,” Scarlett said. She turned towards him a little bit and looked at him through her lashes. The moon was high, the stars were out, this part of Mystic Cove was pretty sparse on anything but trees and scenery, and his face wasn’t hard to look at it.
“That doesn’t mean you forgive me,” he said.
“I don’t know how to do that. Not yet,” Scarlett admitted.
Lex took her hand, weaving his fingers through hers, and the feel of his skin on her hand made her shiver. She knew that to be a sign of her feelings—but she didn’t want to deal with those right then. Maybe not for a long, long while.
“I know I screwed up with you, but I wasn’t a terrible dad to Amelie,” Lex said. “I tried.”
Scarlett looked at their hands. She could only really see them because of the lights inside the car. The way they fit together made her shiver. Made her wonder. But she’d had her paths looked at—she’d been told she’d face plant into love. Maybe she would…but she hadn’t yet. Not quite.
Hobgoblins and Homework Page 9