Jade let out a tiny, purry growl. I think your first scenario is more likely. If Chandra banished her, she wouldn’t be very happy about her coming back.
“Yeah, but it’s not exactly a secret that the Farrows hate the Blacks either.”
I thought again about the basement and the blocked door. Could the Farrows be breaking into the house as well? Was that part of the warning, too?
“Do you think one of the Farrows has been the one breaking in?”
Jade sat up, her eyes narrowing.
Almost certainly.
I frowned deeply. “Do you think it’s just to intimidate me? Or do you think they’re after something?”
Before she could answer, I sat bolt upright as a realization hit me.
“Wait a minute! Jade, you lived here with Grandma, didn’t you? Do you know if she hid something in that room?”
She started shaking her head before I’d even finished my sentence.
I wasn’t privy to all your grandmother’s secrets. She fed me and sheltered me a lot of times, but she didn’t let me in on anything she was doing. I think she didn’t trust me very much after Nick’s death and only kept me close sometimes to keep an eye on me.
Settling back on the couch, I sighed. A part of me felt sorry for Jade, but I could understand Grandma’s reasoning. If I were in her place, I probably wouldn’t tell Jade if I’d hidden something important in that secret room either.
With a groan, I stood up and started pacing.
“All I get is dead ends. I can’t answer the question of what’s in the room, or why Theresa was kidnapped, or who did it. Short of going to the Farrows themselves, I don’t know where I can get more information on them.”
I wandered into the kitchen and gazed out of the window at the back yard. There were planter boxes that I hadn’t noticed, along with a neat little white picket fence.
I wondered vaguely what Grandma had planted in those boxes, whether herbs or vegetables or flowers, or maybe all three. I wished so badly at that moment that I could talk to her, that I could figure this whole thing out.
And then, it hit me. No one knew more about the Blacks and their history than Tim. I dismissed the notion almost immediately, though. I couldn’t stand to sit through another long lecture about small town politics.
But what about Maria?
My mind caught hold of the idea. Tim said she’d worked at the library while they dated. If she’d gotten her information from the library, then surely I could, too.
I grabbed my jacket and shoes, and almost got to the front door when Jade called my name.
Where are you going?
“I thought I’d go to the library. I have some research to do.”
Jade leapt up onto the back of the couch.
What are you researching?
“Witch families in Woods Crossing.”
You want to find out more about the Farrows.
“Yes. You coming?”
In the end, Jade came with me, sitting quietly on a comfy chair while I perused the aisles for any local histories. It was close to closing, and I’d had no luck, so I reluctantly approached the librarian.
“I’m looking for some kind of local history or anything about the Black and Farrow families.”
The older woman looked intrigued. “Are you a member of either of those families?”
I eyed her warily. It felt silly to distrust a gray-haired old lady, but Chandra was an old lady, too.
“My name is Sage Lightwood-Black. I have some Blacks in my ancestry.”
She smiled warmly. “Celeste’s granddaughter.”
I gave a nervous laugh. “Is it that obvious?”
“You look just like her. Hold on a minute. I’ve got something in special collections that might help.”
The librarian went through a door behind the desk, then reappeared a few moments later holding what looked like three ordinary leather-bound journals.
“These belonged to your grandfather, Alder,” she explained. “Celeste donated them to the library shortly before she died. He did a lot of research on the Black family. This is one of the best local genealogies recorded. He wrote quite a lot about the Farrows as well. I think you’ll find it useful.”
I stared down at the journals, awestruck.
“Thank you. This…this means a lot to me.”
Her smile grew wider. “They’re yours now, honey.”
