He was already long gone as his last word landed in my head. “Liar.”
When I got to the car and dropped the invisibility spell, Liberty was long gone, too.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Ipulled up in front of the Beanstalk Café about half an hour before closing time. Sometimes Norris Strump was there late working on his crossword puzzles. Since its reopening, it seemed to have become his second home. Maybe he liked to work surrounded by commotion, which was the exact opposite of me. The steady stream of people coming into the café during the daytime would end up parading through my thoughts as well. I could handle the slow and steady trickle of customers at Whimsy, especially because it was my home turf. I had good friends nearby, two heroic dogs, and my spell book locked in the back.
It was interesting that while I still only used Everyday Spells for Everyday Magic occasionally, it had become something of a lifejacket.
“Good analogy,” Bixby said, from the passenger seat. “It could literally save your life and probably will, over and over. A book like that should last all your days. You’ll create your own original work to enhance the foundation Liberty already laid.”
“I hope she’s okay. She was so upset by what happened. I’ve never seen her that way.”
“It was difficult to witness, even for me.” There was rare compassion in his voice. “She truly believed she’d triumphed over that problem many decades ago, whereas it was always lurking in the subconscious. Perhaps that’s why Oscar’s coven was able to put her out of commission.”
“Coven? Shouldn’t that be in our lexicon?”
“You tell me. I choose to see it as a group of likeminded magical people. Ideally those you can trust. Think of it as branding. Are Sinda and Ren just friends, or part of your coven? Along with more dogs than I care to acknowledge.”
“Well, if dogs can be in a coven, I suppose it wouldn’t be so bad. But Oscar’s coven—the Main Street Mafia—isn’t like that.”
“Filled to the brim with magical flatulence,” Bixby agreed. “Must get uncomfortable.”
“Someone nearly killed Arnold Blatchford last month and now Angus is gone. I wonder if this is a targeted effort to dismantle that coven, if that’s what we’re calling it.”
“Sounds like a big job. Taking down powerful warlocks isn’t easy. It would need to be someone very powerful.”
I opened the door, got out and leaned in to pick up the dog. “Well, that’s a problem for another day. At least, I hope so.”
He squirmed in my arms. “Why am I in this infernal coat? It’s going to feel like an actual inferno inside. I didn’t cross back to be trussed up like a collectible doll.”
“Sorry, buddy.” I waved to Norris as I crossed the pavement. “I just had a feeling you’d need it.”
His next grumble was grudging acknowledgement. “Perhaps. This may not be our last stop.”
Norris hadn’t waved back and didn’t even look up when I stood over him. In fact, he went on to circle not one but two words in his puzzle. Tonight, it was a word search instead of a crossword.
“I always forget they can go diagonally,” he said. “And backward. When you’re trying to stave off dementia, it’s important to switch things up.”
He didn’t volunteer commentary often and I took it as an invitation to sit down across from him with Bixby in my lap. “Mr. Strump, I need your help.”
Making a show of checking his watch, he said, “Office hours are long over.” Then he smirked. “I don’t actually have office hours. Class will meet when I think there’s a need and only then. Have you finished your crossword puzzle?”
I nodded. “It was fun, actually. I enjoyed the personal touch. Hiccup. Six-letter word for belch. I take it you know about my malady.”
“Ruthann may have mentioned.” His lip twitched. “I understand it took an interesting turn today.”
“Alarming might be a better word. You were right about the raven in the puzzle, too. I need to ask… did you sense that or cause it?”
“You don’t need to ask and I don’t need to answer.” He directed his pen at me. “This is your homework.”
I tapped my fingers on the table. “Is it a punishment for what happened when I hiccupped in… the wrong place?”
“It’s happened in a few wrong places, from what I understand. But it’s not a punishment. We all make mistakes.” He stared at me with bright blue eyes through thick lenses. “And then we deal with the consequences.”
“That’s fair.” I slumped a little in my seat. “At least, if you know how.”
He actually smiled a little and leaned forward, the puzzle sliding along with his elbows until it brushed my fingers. “You have everything you need. And maybe more. Just put it all together.”
I sighed. “I’ve never been that good at puzzles, to be honest.”
“No?” He leaned back. “Figured it was a family trait. Liberty certainly is. I lost many a match to her when I was still in the game.”
“What game is that?”
Pulling the puzzle back into position, he used his pen to circle another word. “Pep talk over. One per customer.”
“And none for Marli Seagrave, I hope.”
He continued circling with assertive strokes of the pen. “Oh, there’s more to her than meets the eye. And too much of her that meets the ear. Not everyone has your social skills. Me among them.”
Bixby pretended to go limp in my arms. “She’ll be the death of us. Perhaps literally.”
Norris stopped and directed his pen at the dog. “Less drama, more action.”
“Excuse me?” Bixby yapped in annoyance. “I am a dog of nonstop action. Drama is part of my schtick.”
“That noise is more grating than Miss Seagrave,” Norris said, gathering his things. “I’ll go home to work in peace.” Once he was standing, he pulled up the collar of his trench coat and favored me with another blue stare. “I suggest you put on your thinking cap, Miss Brighton, before it turns into a dunce cap. The clock is ticking.”
