her aunt’s special blend teas appeared in front of her. She didn’t want to know where Minerva had gotten the stash since it looked like all the canisters had been broken.
“Chamomile for calming,” Minerva said. “And a touch of mint.”
She’d left Greg and Dori’s early that morning, but not before a quiet conversation with Dori. Nic had looked so adorable sprawled on his back on the couch; she hadn’t wanted to wake him. She’d sneaked out without the men being any wiser.
Cass wrapped her hands around the mug and stared at the pale liquid as if searching for the answers to her questions there. A face appeared in the tea, fuzzy at first, then growing clearer. When Minerva bumped the table, the image broke apart before she could see features, but she knew for certain she’d seen Nic’s face, and yet, not his face. Him, but different. Perhaps the vision had been wishful thinking on her part.
A few minutes later, Cass saw the flashing lights of the town patrol car as it arrived. Immediately behind it came Nic’s truck. Greg hopped out of the police car and came to her table. Nic followed right behind him, fury written in his narrowed eyes and clenched jaw.
“Cass? You okay?” Greg asked.
“Yes. I’m fine. It’s the store.” Cass’ hands shook and she let go of the mug and clenched them under the table. Anyone seeing her for the first time would think fear caused the tremors, but in reality, she was angry. Beyond angry and heading toward furious. She needed to get control. Needed to calm down before something happened. As soon as the thought entered her mind, the mug in front of her shattered, splashing hot tea everywhere.
“Oh!” Cass jumped up, blotting at the wetness on her skirt. Fortunately, she’d worn the black one today so the stain wouldn’t show. Minerva came immediately, wiping up the mess.
“Cassandra, control,” her aunt whispered.
“I know!” She closed her eyes and took a deep calming breath, exhaling slowly and envisioning the rage going with it. The effort worked, barely.
“How’d that happen?” Greg asked.
“The mug probably had a crack in it and the hot tea and cold air finished it off,” Minerva said as she mopped up the mess.
Greg waited for Minerva to finish her task. “Let us take a look, then we’ll talk. Give me the keys to your place. We’ll check that too.”
Cass bit her lip. What if her place had been trashed? She noted that Greg had come alone in the car. Usually on something like this, the dispatcher sent two men. Though she didn’t know the other day shift guy well, she figured he should be there. “I’m surprised Tom isn’t with you.”
Greg shrugged. “He’s on another job. I’ll get Nic to help me.”
She shook her head, wondering about the legality of having a non-cop help with the search, but Greg would never do anything that wasn’t above board. Even with Steve gone, his people would be following his orders and Steve was a stickler for following the rules. She listened as Greg talked with Nic.
*
“I’m beyond trying to understand why Steve thinks this is all a prank,” Greg said. “This has gone way beyond a nasty e-mail and Tom’s the break-in expert. Steve knows that. But when I talked to him, he told me to handle this.”
“You talked to him?” Nic asked.
“Yeah. I called him as soon as I got the word about this. He sounded distracted.” Greg shrugged. “I’ll figure out what’s up with him after we get this straightened out. Nic, you’ve got more experience with this sort of thing. Sure would like your take.”
“He knows you’ve been helping Cass with this issue. Probably figures you’re better informed.” Nic glanced at Cass. “Stay here.”
When she glared at him, he paused. “Please. This time, please stay here.”
He nodded when she sat back down. He stepped through the broken front door and surveyed the damage. Candles, crystals, jewelry, herbs, books—supplies for spells and magic strewn across
“Chamomile for calming,” Minerva said. “And a touch of mint.”
She’d left Greg and Dori’s early that morning, but not before a quiet conversation with Dori. Nic had looked so adorable sprawled on his back on the couch; she hadn’t wanted to wake him. She’d sneaked out without the men being any wiser.
Cass wrapped her hands around the mug and stared at the pale liquid as if searching for the answers to her questions there. A face appeared in the tea, fuzzy at first, then growing clearer. When Minerva bumped the table, the image broke apart before she could see features, but she knew for certain she’d seen Nic’s face, and yet, not his face. Him, but different. Perhaps the vision had been wishful thinking on her part.
A few minutes later, Cass saw the flashing lights of the town patrol car as it arrived. Immediately behind it came Nic’s truck. Greg hopped out of the police car and came to her table. Nic followed right behind him, fury written in his narrowed eyes and clenched jaw.
“Cass? You okay?” Greg asked.
“Yes. I’m fine. It’s the store.” Cass’ hands shook and she let go of the mug and clenched them under the table. Anyone seeing her for the first time would think fear caused the tremors, but in reality, she was angry. Beyond angry and heading toward furious. She needed to get control. Needed to calm down before something happened. As soon as the thought entered her mind, the mug in front of her shattered, splashing hot tea everywhere.
“Oh!” Cass jumped up, blotting at the wetness on her skirt. Fortunately, she’d worn the black one today so the stain wouldn’t show. Minerva came immediately, wiping up the mess.
“Cassandra, control,” her aunt whispered.
“I know!” She closed her eyes and took a deep calming breath, exhaling slowly and envisioning the rage going with it. The effort worked, barely.
“How’d that happen?” Greg asked.
“The mug probably had a crack in it and the hot tea and cold air finished it off,” Minerva said as she mopped up the mess.
Greg waited for Minerva to finish her task. “Let us take a look, then we’ll talk. Give me the keys to your place. We’ll check that too.”
Cass bit her lip. What if her place had been trashed? She noted that Greg had come alone in the car. Usually on something like this, the dispatcher sent two men. Though she didn’t know the other day shift guy well, she figured he should be there. “I’m surprised Tom isn’t with you.”
Greg shrugged. “He’s on another job. I’ll get Nic to help me.”
She shook her head, wondering about the legality of having a non-cop help with the search, but Greg would never do anything that wasn’t above board. Even with Steve gone, his people would be following his orders and Steve was a stickler for following the rules. She listened as Greg talked with Nic.
*
“I’m beyond trying to understand why Steve thinks this is all a prank,” Greg said. “This has gone way beyond a nasty e-mail and Tom’s the break-in expert. Steve knows that. But when I talked to him, he told me to handle this.”
“You talked to him?” Nic asked.
“Yeah. I called him as soon as I got the word about this. He sounded distracted.” Greg shrugged. “I’ll figure out what’s up with him after we get this straightened out. Nic, you’ve got more experience with this sort of thing. Sure would like your take.”
“He knows you’ve been helping Cass with this issue. Probably figures you’re better informed.” Nic glanced at Cass. “Stay here.”
When she glared at him, he paused. “Please. This time, please stay here.”
He nodded when she sat back down. He stepped through the broken front door and surveyed the damage. Candles, crystals, jewelry, herbs, books—supplies for spells and magic strewn across
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