“Not even good quality stuff, though.” Sally sounded disappointed.
Was everyone in this town crazy?
“She didn't get into your apartment,” Ethan said, sounding reassuring.
I hadn’t even thought of that, but some tension eased from my shoulders. I was already starting to think of that place as mine. That was dangerous.
“Right,” I heard Sally say, patting Millie on the shoulder. “Let’s go get you all tucked in jail.”
Millie said a few things I didn’t think even sailors said. I was sort of impressed.
I watched as Sally led her out of the coffee shop. Ethan was rubbing his forehead now.
“Not how you expected your day to go?” I asked, wincing.
His smile was crooked. “Not at all.” Before I could say anything, he continued. “I'll give you a call when we're done here,” Ethan said, his attention away from me again.
I was fairly certain that was a dismissal. “Okay.” I headed back out of the main room, my mind reeling a bit.
Addie was standing closer to the door now, disapproval in the pout of her lips. “Drug addicts generally have better dispositions.”
“Not the ones I met,” I said. “Withdrawal’s a jerk.”
Addie hummed thoughtfully. “You’re curious why this was left to you, aren’t you?”
I gave her a strange look. “In what world wouldn’t I be?”
“A world where you already knew the answer,” she said, satisfied.
“I have no idea.” I held her gaze. I really didn’t.
“Your first stop should be the library,” she said.
“The library?”
“That’s where the historical records would be,” Mocha said, moments before Addie.
“Oh.” My brow wrinkled as I thought. “I’ll add that to my list.” Probably sooner rather than later, too, with what had been going on.
“Go back to Wren’s,” Addie advised. “You’ll get some answers there.”
I glanced at Mocha, who was sitting on the other side of the unbroken window, and then back at Addie, who had disappeared.
“Can all witches do that?” I asked Mocha, somewhat surprised over my lack of surprise. Normally that sort of thing would have freaked me out. Apparently my standards were changing, with the whole magic thing. Was that a good thing? Probably.
Tucking my hands in my pockets, I nodded to Ethan on the way out, not that he noticed, and headed back towards Wren’s. My mind was spinning. So there were drugs in the coffee shop. Millie had revealed them. Had she known they were there? Had Mildred been a drug dealer?
If she was, why on earth would a drug dealer have left my mother the coffee shop?
My heart plunged. Maybe Mom had been involved in it. Maybe she’d known about it. But that didn’t make any sense, not really. As far as I knew, Mom hadn’t been back to Elder since she’d left.
I scrubbed a hand across my face, heading off any potential tears. I didn’t have any evidence, or any ideas. Maybe Wren would go with me to the library. Maybe she knew something, even if she didn’t know she knew it.
When I got to Wren’s, I wasn’t surprised to see Theo there, although Lizbeth had left.
“What happened?” Wren asked, wringing her hands together like a mother hen.
I filled them in as quickly as I could, which didn’t take long since I didn’t know much.
“Drugs?” she asked incredulously.
“That's what I've been told,” I said.
“Why would she…” Wren trailed off and the question hung in the air between us. The shadow vanished from her eyes and she returned to normal. I did wonder exactly what else she was hiding under that cheerful façade.
“Where are you going?” Wren asked.
“Addie suggested going to the library,” I said, not even sure where it was.
“To meet Vance?” Theo’s eyebrows shot to her hairline.
“To meet the librarian?” Now that I thought about it, Addie hadn’t mentioned a name. “Whoever it is.”
“Oh, I know who he is,” Theo said. “I'm just surprised Addie does.”
Wren moved over and wrapped an arm around my shoulders, hugging me. “Do you want company?” she asked.
“Directions, at the very least.” I tried to laugh it off, but if they couldn’t give me an idea, I was going to have to resort to google.
“I’ll go with you.” Theo stood, stretching her arms over her head. “I haven’t seen him in a while, so I can check in.”
“Are you sure?” Wren frowned. “Don’t you have to go to the stables today?”
“I can go after I bring her back,” Theo said, nodding to me.
“The stables?” Were they human stables, with horses, or was it some other magic-related terminology that I didn’t know?
Theo laughed at my surprise. “I help manage a stable not far from town,” she said. “My familiar is one of the horses.”
“Oh.” I was sort of relieved to hear it wasn’t some weird place where they held people or something. I didn’t think that particularly made sense with what kind of people they seemed to be, but I never really put anything past humanity.
Theo nodded to Wren, and then headed towards the front door. Caught off guard, I didn’t start moving until Wren tapped me on the shoulders, giving me a gentle push.
I lurched forward, almost landing on my face. My cheeks flushed, but I made it out the door and towards Theo’s dark blue car. It was sleek and it looked fancy. I had no idea what the make was. I wasn’t a car person.
Chapter Eighteen
“So, you do know him?” I asked, getting in the passenger side. It had sounded like Theo knew him, but I was curious how. I took a quick look around the car, not spotting Mocha, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t around. She was always somewhere.
“He's Ethan's fiancé,” she said, a half-smile on her face.
“Oh.” Well, that would indeed explain why they knew each other. “Is it a long drive?”
“Nah.” She flipped on the turn signal and turned right. “Five minutes tops.”
“Will he be at work?” I asked, wondering what library hours were.
“He's a workaholic,” Theo said, satisfied.
“Fits in with your family,” I teased.
Theo smirked and didn't deny it.
“Here we are,” she said, parking the car. It'd been a short enough drive that we might as well have walked, but maybe there was a reason for it.
“So his name is Vance?” I asked, following her out of the car and towards the library. The library was a tall brick building, something that seemed to connect to what could have been a townhome in a bigger place. Two buildings in one.
“Yup.” Theo had longer legs than I did, and I had to double-time to keep up with her. She even made it through the door before me, holding it just long enough for me to sneak through before it shut.
“Vance,” she called out as we got inside.
Well that was stealthy. Not that we needed to be stealthy, but I always preferred discretion over – well, a loud announcement. There weren’t many people inside, something I was grateful for.
“How can I help you?” A tall man, probably in his mid-30s, appeared at the front desk, his spectacles making him look a bit like an owl. He looked like he was out of a romcom with a nerd. Not that he was as cute as Miles.
I struck that thought from my brain. Not now.
“Did you hear about what happened?” Theo asked, the question casual. Like she expected there was no way he hadn't heard about it.
Given that he seemed to be engaged to the head of police, I would have bet he knew more than we did. He seemed pleased to see us. “Theo,” he said, giving her a hint of a smile. Then he turned to look at me, his gaze raking over me like a computer scanner. “And this is?”
“The new witch,” Theo said.
“I’m Lou.” I wasn’t sure whether to extend a hand, but since he didn’t, I just tucked them in my pockets. I gave the librar
y a curious look. “Is this place magic?”
It seemed to take Theo a second before she figured out what I was asking. “No, buildings aren’t really sorted that way,” she said. “You can talk about magic wherever, just exercise discretion.”
“Do you worry about humans?” That was something I had always seen on TV.
“Depends on the human,” Theo said dryly.
“Although it always is a possibility,” Vance said strictly. “We’re very careful as to who is aware of magic and why. It’s not a decision made lightly.”
Theo gave him a smile, although I thought I detected a hint of irritation under it. Did she not like him? She had seemed fine meeting him earlier, when the idea was proposed.
“Now, how can I help you?” Vance asked, his voice kind.
“I was wondering –”
“If I had any idea why Mildred would leave the coffee shop to you?” He looked like he had been anticipating the question. Word really did travel fast.
“Basically,” I said.
He looked thoughtful. “Who did you talk to?”
Before I could answer, he headed back behind the desk, towards a computer there. I glanced at Theo, who shrugged. Apparently, that was it his usual attitude. Once he sat down, he waved absently with a hand, as if summoning us.
To each their own, and all.
“I never met Sam,” Vance said, almost amicable. “But of course I knew of her.”
“Did everybody?” I was starting to get a better picture of who my mother had been before she’d had me. It both matched who I remembered and surprised me, but that was life, wasn’t it?
“She was quite the social person,” he said, typing absently. “She knew everyone.”
“Isn’t that normal in a small town?” I asked.
Vance made a noncommittal noise. “There’s knowing everyone’s business, and then there’s knowing people. Your mother was the latter.”
“She also used to go to Mildred’s coffee shop,” he said, staring at something on the screen.
“How do you know that?” I asked, curious.
His grin was razor-sharp, but it was there. “I’m one of the former. I know everything.”
Theo’s eyes narrowed, but the discomfort of the moment passed. “It’s part of the record-keeping I’m responsible for.”
“Like, lineage records?”
Vance shook his head. “With a town like this, you have to keep track of who comes and goes. It’s also important to keep track of feuds.”
“It's so when war breaks out, we’re not surprised,” Theo snarked.
I caught the short glance that Vance gave her. Apparently that wasn’t sarcasm.
“She seemed friendly with Addie,” he said, consulting his notes.
“Who was the librarian at the time?” I asked, wondering if it might be easier to just go directly to the source.
“He passed away, I'm afraid,” Vance said. “A few years ago.”
“Supernaturals can die?” I asked.
The look Vance gave me was humoring, and even Theo smiled.
“Immortality is tricky business,” Theo answered. “It's nothing like it is in the movies, and you don't want it either way.”
I took a few seconds, to think about what it would be like to outlive everybody I loved. Or, well, the human ones. To see the world change, hundreds of years after hundreds of years. No, I didn't think I'd like that at all.
“I don't know how you don't go mad,” I said. “Living as long as you do anyway.”
“Sometimes we do,” Theo said, some humor to her voice. “Even two hundred years is a lot.”
“Don't scare her,” Vance chided. They seemed friendlier than they had at the beginning of the conversation, something I found relaxing. “I'm afraid that's all I know.” He glanced down at his notes. “But if I come across anything, I'll let you know.”
“Anyone you think I should talk to?” I was looking for any lead at that point.
He frowned, looking thoughtful. “It might be worth talking to her sister.”
“Whose sister?” I blanked.
“Mildred’s.” Vance looked at me, as if realizing I hadn’t caught up. “Millie. I believe she’s been released from custody already.”
I wasn’t exactly looking forward to that. “What can you tell me about their family?”
The way Vance’s lips tightened made me think that I'd hit on something. “Her family is very well known,” he said.
“But not for good things,” I guessed.
Vance looked around the library, his eyes lingering. “There are some things we don't discuss in public.”
“Oh God.” I rubbed my forehead. What if she was like some old-school gangster boss? What if that was where the drugs were from?
Theo snapped her fingers in front of my face. “Earth to Lou,” she said. “Don't go crazy yet.”
I wasn’t entirely convinced I hadn’t passed the line for crazy already.
When Vance spoke, his voice was soft. “She did often talk about regrets.”
“Who?” I asked. “Sam?”
“Mildred.” His forehead crinkled in a frown. “Not to me, but there were a few occasions where –” he paused. “I can't go into detail, but it might be something worth looking into.”
“Okay,” I said. I wasn't entirely convinced, but it wasn't like I really had any better options at the time, right? “If I’d known it was going to be so difficult, maybe I would have been smart enough not to move here in the first place,” I muttered.
Theo coughed, and the air stilled. She was looking at her feet. “I'm glad you came,” she said simply. “It's been a long time since I've seen Mom this happy.”
I opened my mouth and then closed it. That was true. For all that I was having a rough time, for them, I was a reminder of something they’d lost long ago. Not sure what to say, I reached out and squeezed Theo’s shoulder.
“How do I get to Millie's from here?” I asked. I remembered the B&B and its kookie owners, but I didn’t remember where it was.
“You sure that's a good idea?” she said doubtfully. She was already looking outdoors, as if trying to figure out which way the bed-and-breakfast was.
“Do you have a better one?” I asked sourly. Do nothing, be guilty. Do something, be guilty.
She laughed as if I'd scored a point with that. Maybe I had.
“Worth a try,” she agreed. She glanced back, although I wasn't sure what she was looking at or who she was thinking of. “If you head down the south road and take a few lefts, you'll hit the main road, and I think you can get to the B&B from there.”
“Just give me the address.” I grinned. GPS had been invented for a reason, after all.
Theo’s smile was distant, but she did. Then she grabbed my wrist, her eyes boring into mine. “If you need something, call,” she said.
It did make me a bit nervous, because I was wondering what kind of thing she thought I might run into. “Of course.”
When she seemed satisfied that she had my promise, Theo walked me outside, lingering at the door as I headed out. I stood there, frozen for a long moment, before I shook my head and headed forwards. I wanted to call someone, anyone, to have my back.
It was the sort of time where you wanted an Adultier Adult. Somebody who actually came across like a grown-up, instead of an imposter.
“Let's go get shouted at,” I muttered.
“I’m not going to miss this,” Mocha drawled, trotting over to my heels.
“Where the fudge did you come from?” I kept myself from swearing and falling over, but it was a near thing.
“Been here for a while,’ she said, starting to walk forward. She stopped, looking back at me. “Are you coming or not?”
“Is it normal to do the disappearing thing?” I asked, working on catching up with her.
“I do what I want,” Mocha said amicably.
“Surprise, surprise,” I muttered.
Mocha rolled her eyes.
�
�Now, are we going to go get shouted at or not?” Mocha asked impatiently. “And then I want lunch.”
“So you can do what you want, but that doesn’t involve lunch.” I gave her a look, but I started walking in the right direction.
“I’m picky,” Mocha said without an apology. “You’re my human, therefore, you’re on the hook for serving me whatever I want.”
“Since you're my familiar, am I supposed to make sure you don't eat something you’re not–”
“If whatever you're saying means that I won't get the food I want, may I suggest that you don't say it.”
I held my hands up in surrender. “I'll stop.”
Mocha made a satisfied noise. We walked the rest of the way in quiet, a companionable one, each of us lost in our own thoughts.
It was a quicker walk than I had expected, and the B&B loomed into view. Had they charged her at all, or had they just released her?
“You don't have to do this,” Mocha said, sounding serious for the first time.
I shrugged, which was as much of an answer as I felt like giving. I was grateful that the desk seemed to be empty. But I could hear the screams of what sounded like a horror slasher movie echoing in the background.
Strange, strange people.
“Up the –”
“I know, I know!” I said. “I remember which room we’re supposed to go to.” Still, I hesitated in front of the door, my hand poised to knock.
Mocha stilled, tilting her head up, like she smelled danger.
There was a long sigh. “Really?” she asked the door, like it was a rhetorical question.
“Can the door talk to you?” I was at a loss.
“That’s a ridiculous question,” Mocha said frankly. “That said, you might want to wait to open the door.”
There was a sinking feeling in my stomach. “Something bad?”
“You know that thing that happened earlier, that you didn't really want to repeat?” Mocha asked casually.
“Finding a dead body?”
“Yeah, that.” Mocha didn’t sound impressed.
I almost fell down. “Please don't tell me she's dead in there.”
Mocha was silent.
“Mocha.”
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