Giving a frustrated groan, I pulled out my phone, but sirens sounded outside the house at just that moment. Sheriff Dane sauntered in, looking bored, until he noticed the struggle.
“Oh geez, you weren’t lying!”
Jo glared at him. “Yeah, I make up stupid stories about people getting killed all the time. Get your cuffs on her, you idiot!”
The sheriff hurried over and gripped one of Maria’s arms while Jo took the other. Together, they managed to get her cuffed. Her mask of rage had slipped away, replaced with angry, sullen tears.
I looked absently down at Tim, then realized that no one had checked on him. I knelt next to him and put my shaking fingers on his neck. His pulse was weak, but it was there.
“Somebody call an ambulance,” I said. “Tim needs to get to the hospital.”
Sheriff Dane put in the call, the read Maria her rights. I stood up, not wanting to get in the way of the ambulance crew. Maria shot me a hateful glare as she walked past, which I returned.
Jo sidled up to me, trying and failing to smile. I heaved a sigh.
“What a night.”
“You’re not kidding.”
Silence fell between us as we both gazed down at Tim’s prone form.
“Are you okay?”
I looked up, startled by the gentle yet insistent expression in Jo’s eyes. I gave a hollow laugh.
“I’m fantastic. I just found out my best friend is a homicidal maniac who tried to frame me for her crimes.”
Jo dragged a hand down his face. “I’m right there with you. I can’t believe I didn’t even consider Maria. I thought that was all water under the bridge.”
“What do you think will happen to her?”
He shrugged. “She attempted murder, which is a life sentence in this state. It depends on her lawyer and what the courts decide. I’m sure the Witch’s Council will also pay her a visit.”
My eyes went wide. “What will they do to her?”
Jo gave an indifferent shrug. “Probably strip her powers. Serves her right.”
I winced. I hadn’t always known about my powers, but now that I had them, I couldn’t imagine life without them. Another surprising pang of pity shot through me as I imagined Maria living the rest of her life without magic.
“What did you mean when you said that Maria had friends helping her?”
A look of intense discomfort flashed across his face.
“Some people in the Farrow family weren’t too happy when Maria tattled to them that Theresa was back. They showed her how to make the potion to strengthen her powers.”
My eyes grew wide. “Chandra?”
“Yes.”
I gave him a pointed look. “So, she was involved.”
Jo crossed his arms, giving an irritable little shrug. “Indirectly.”
The ambulance pulled up into the driveway. Jo and I stepped off to the side while two paramedics examined Tim, took his vitals, then hooked him up to an oxygen machine. Though I didn’t feel a ton of affection for Tim, it still felt awful to watch him being loaded into the ambulance, pale and bloody and limp.
Things got very quiet after the ambulance left for the hospital.
“I guess we should go check on Theresa,” I said. Jo turned a furious stare on me.
“Yeah, about that! Why did you leave her at the hospital alone?”
I cringed. “I was worried about you. We both were.”
Jo looked taken aback, clearly not expecting that answer. He opened and closed his mouth a few times before sighing. “Fair enough, but let’s get back to her.”
We learned on our arrival at the ER that Theresa had been admitted to the main building. After a significant amount of wandering around, we found her room on the third floor. She was sitting up, her cheeks colored and her eyes bright as she wolfed down a Salisbury steak and mashed potatoes.
She nearly choked on her food when she saw us coming through the door.
“Did you get to Tim? Is he all right?”
Jo held up a hand to forestall her. “Maria got to him, but he’s going to be fine. How are you?”
She shrugged. “Better. I got a bit of sleep and they gave me some food. I have a few infections from living in hell for over a month, but I’ll live.”
Hurrying over, I gave her a gentle hug, trying not to disrupt the network of tubes and wires that surrounded her.
“I’m so sorry, Theresa, I had no idea…”
