“What’s so funny?” I ask, irritation straining my voice.

“Remember how the pot episode went? Moderation in whatever she asks you to do is advised.”

I chuckle. “Don’t worry. I won’t make that mistake again. Well, I’d better prepare lunch. I’ve gotta get to work. Enjoy your afternoon, honey.”

“Not likely. I’ll be grading. Will you stop by later?”

“I doubt it. I have classwork to finish. But I want to. I love you.”

“Have a fantastic day. I love you, too, Gwyn.”

I dress in my new Mystic Sage logo T-shirt and jeans, gather my belongings, and walk into the kitchen. Leslie is sitting at the tiny table eating a bologna sandwich and vegetable soup. She slurps a spoonful and rests the utensil in the bowl. Mr. Yeats sits on a chair, his tail wagging back and forth.

“Hello, Gwynedd. Care to join me for lunch?” she asks.

“A quick one. I need to get to work. The incident on Main Street last night ate into my studies. I’m hoping to arrive a little early, so I can leave earlier, too. I must schedule time to plod away on my intuition. Try to enhance it enough to check out any future magic residue.”

“The thought of a witch aiding a kidnapping ring is disconcerting. We pledge to do no harm, as you well know. I will warn the coven of the possibility on Samhain before the guests arrive.” She consumes another spoonful of soup. “I hear you may do some training with Agnes to increase the effectiveness of your intuition. You’re welcome to ask me for help next time. But I understand if you prefer Agnes’s tutelage.”

“Don’t take offense. She became my mentor when I completed my training during the break from the coven. She doesn’t follow your academic approach, but I do well when I work with her. Well, most of the time.” I chuckle, recalling my initial sessions—when I nearly snuffed out all the pot plants in her garden.

Leslie chuckles. “Indeed. Agnes created the term think outside the box. I’m certain of that.”

“Her style of teaching is good for me,” I say while making a PB&J sandwich. “My entire childhood and marriage were in a box. Look what that got me.”

“You have a wonderful son. For that alone, your prior life was worth a portion of time in an Unremarkable world.”

I grin as I nudge Mr. Yeats off the chair. “It was. Despite all that’s happened, I want you to know I value your support and knowledge. I wish the road getting here hadn’t been so bumpy, though.”

“Indeed. I appreciate your candor, Gwynedd. Study with Agnes as much as you like. It doesn’t offend me.”

Leslie takes another bite of her sandwich, and I do the same. It’s not the same as having a living mom sitting across the table, but having her here has become a close second.

When I enter Mystic Sage, Officer Quinn O’Connor is speaking with Shane, who’s manning the cash register. He pets his snow-white beard.

“I ran out when I saw the commotion on the street. The crowd gathered outside the shipping store blocked me from viewing what happened. I’m sorry I can’t add anything to your investigation.”

Officer O’Connor finishes taking notes on her tablet. “We have to interview as many people as possible who were on Main Street when the kidnapping occurred. Thank you for your time, Mr. Murphy.”

“Anytime, Officer. You have a pleasant afternoon.”

She nods and exits the store as I stash my purse under the counter. My boss logs out of the cash register and bemoans.

“Swiped a child in the middle of the day. Unbelievable. It was overcast and had just started to rain. Packed sidewalk. The perfect storm to obscure the criminal from notice.”

“Leslie will announce this to the coven on Thursday, but Ronnie and I arrived right after the kidnapping. Magic residue permeated the area. Unfortunately, not enough for me to find the source. My intuition is weak.”

Shane’s emerald-green eyes widen. “A witch took the precious child?”

“I don’t know for sure. I have to work on my skills and figure out if I can increase my radar enough to identify the magic stream. But there would need to be a next time for me to have a trail to follow.”

“How unfortunate. I’ve never had a need to increase my instincts. Accepted what skills I possessed and concentrated on other areas of the craft. I wish for your success, but let’s hope you won’t need it in the future. The Bearsden Police theorize the Baby Nabbers from Pennsylvania are responsible.”

“Well, they aren’t releasing any information about what they discovered in the gardens yet. I’ll take over now if you want to work on the stock in the back.”

“Thank you, darling. I have an appointment with a stack of cardboard.”

While he ambles into the crystals room, the door dings. Council member Alys Morgan strolls in and approaches the small toy section. Her pale-blond hair falls to the side as she bends down to pick up a puzzle. She turns her nose up and returns the game to the shelf.

“May I help you find something, Ms. Morgan?” I ask.

“All the toys here are for older children. Do you have any for younger ages?”

“I’m sorry, we don’t. There’s a specialty toy shop at the other end of Main Street. Try there.”

“I came from there. They didn’t have anything unique. I’m buying them for the children of a very close friend. Since these kidnappings began, they’ve all been too terrified to go outside. I wanted to give them something to cheer them up.” Alys turns and looks at me, and I’m taken aback by the flash of anger in her eyes. “Someone needs to do something to keep the children of Bearsden safe.”

“I agree,” I say, at a loss for words. “I’m sorry we don’t stock any items that meet your needs. Maybe check online? Lots of toys on the internet. You’ll find something.”

She smiles sweetly. “Thank you…what’s your name? I forget. I’m terrible with names.”

“Gwynedd Crowther, but my friends call me Gwyn.”

“Have a nice day, Gwyn,” she says on the way to the door.

“You, too, Ms. Morgan.”

Alys exits the store and heads west on Main Street. Not long after, Jeff enters with Ashley Lewis and a small boy in tow. Although his mother has dark hair, his head is covered in blond ringlets. He’s an adorable toddler.

“Hey, Gwyn,” Jeff says. “I was working on some spreadsheets at home and stopped by to give the flash drive to Shane. Ashley came with me to discuss your babysitting offer.”

YES. Don’t act too excited, Gwyn. “Hi, Ashley. I’d be happy to babysit when I’m available. Get my phone number from Jeff and call whenever you need me. Last minute is fine. I’ll come if I can.” My heart is about to burst with unexpected joy.

“Thank you for the offer,” she replies. “I brought Aidan with me so he could meet you.”

I squat so I’m eye level with his angelic face. “Hi, Aidan. I’m Gwyn.” His eyes shine like pastel-blue sapphires, a lighter hue than his mother’s.

He wrinkles his nose and pulls his hand out of his mom’s, sprinting to the toy section. He bangs on the skull with flashing red eyes and throws it to the floor. Ashley darts to him.

“Stop that, Aidan! These toys do not belong to you. I’m so sorry. The Terrible Twos, you know.”

Jeff jogs over and picks up the merchandise. “Don’t worry about it. He’s a toddler.”

“Two-year-olds can be a handful,” I say. “I remember my son at this age. He was a fireball, but he grew into a responsible adult.”

She takes a breath. “If you’ve changed your mind about babysitting, I’ll understand. So many grad students have quit on me.”