Spell Struck (23 page)

Evie and her mother shared a long look. Then Mrs. O'Reilly said, "Evie has her father's hair. Dash was a photojournalist, you know."

Evie's eyes shined. "He was on assignment, embedded with the Marines in Afghanistan when…" She joined her mom in a hug.

"He and three Marines were killed," Mrs. O'Reilly said.

My insides whirled.

"Peace. Love. Light.
Namaste
," Parvani said, her palms pressed together in prayer position.

"Amen," Evie said.

I glanced out the window. Blue, red, and white flashing lights assaulted my eyes. "Two more police cars just arrived. We better hurry." Chaos
. My stomach clenched.

We fled the house, still zipping up jackets and buttoning raincoats. Baby led the way, straining on her webbed nylon leash. The rain had stuttered to sprinkles. Many of the neighbors greeted Evie and Mrs. O'Reilly as we pushed through the crowd.

"What happened?" Mrs. O'Reilly asked a rotund man and his athletic-looking wife.

"I think the driver swerved to avoid a deer."

Neighbors encircled us, blocking my view. Perspiration pooled under my arms. The first responders' radios squawked over the murmuring crowd. I needed to escape the stench of burnt rubber and the moans and shrieks of pain knifing the air.

"Aidan! Amy!" I gritted my teeth and pushed through the throng.

"Sarah!" The flashing lights from the emergency vehicles flickered across Amy like mad, patriotic strobe lights. Relief flooded me. She trembled like a captured bird. I threw my arms around her. "Oh, Sarah, it was awful! They crashed right in front of us!"

I stroked her hair. "I'm so glad you're okay. Any word from Mom and Dad?"

"They just left the house. They'll be here in a sec. The police already took my statement. They said I could go."

"Where's Aidan?"

"He was talking to the police a minute ago. The firefighters radioed for the Jaws of Life. It just arrived." Amy shuddered. "There were two people in the van."

Please don't let one of them be Kali.

"Amy! Sarah!" Mom and Dad trotted toward us. Amy ran and met them halfway. As Dad hugged Amy, I told Mom, "I need to find Aidan."

Mom nodded. I left her and threaded through the onlookers, following the hideous screech of tearing metal. Steeling myself, I pushed through a wall of neighbors. My stomach fluttered when I spotted Aidan. He stood beside a female police officer, his gaze transfixed on the firefighter working to free the driver from the van. Aidan glanced my way, and his tense expression relaxed into relief and something more.

I threw myself into his arms. He held me so tightly his heart pulsed against my ear. "You're safe," we said in unison.

"Thanks to you," I said. "Was Kali in the van?"

"No. She's with a neighbor. It was Papo and Magdalena. Magdalena wasn't wearing her seat belt. She didn't make it."

The news sank in like a stone drifting to the bottom of a deep lake. "Are you okay?"

Aidan rolled his shoulders. "It's all so surreal. I don't know…"

My family joined us. Aidan loosened his hold, and I drifted to his side and clasped his hand.

"Excuse me, folks." The female police officer lowered her notepad.

"Yes?" Aidan replied.

"Mr. Cooper, it's time for us to go."

"I don't understand," Dad said. "Where are you taking him?"

The woman arched one brow. "And you are?"

"Matthew Miller. My daughter and Aidan witnessed the accident."

"Yes. I've taken Amy's statement." The cop glanced at Aidan.

He released a long breath. "The two people in the van kidnapped me five years ago."

I gasped and clapped my hand over my mouth.

"They had already snatched Kali. I'm going to take Officer Waters to Kali. Then we'll go to the station so she can check our story."

Realization dawned. "Snatched 2008. Your email address referred to your kidnap date, not a movie."

Aidan nodded.

"I want to go with you," I said.

"It's going to be a long night," Officer Waters warned.

"We have to go to the hospital after we pick up Kali." Aidan shoved his hands in his jeans pocket and stared down at his boots.

My heart tumbled. My mind conjured up all sorts of reasons Aidan might need to go to the hospital — none good.

Another officer approached the group, radio in hand, and took Officer Waters aside. Two first responders wheeled a gurney past us. The bloodied man beneath the white sheet raised his head when he spotted Aidan and shouted, "Nico! Tell the police how I saved you. How I took you in. Tell them how you'd be dead if not for me. Do the right thing, boy." He moaned and collapsed back on the gurney.

Aidan's hand tightened against mine.

Officer Waters rejoined us and glanced down at her notepad. "There's been a new development." Her gaze met Aidan's. "Do you know a Mr. Castellano?"

"He's our art teacher."

"Mr. Castellano just called the station." Officer Waters pressed her notepad to her chest. "It appears he can corroborate your story."

Chapter Thirty-Three

Sunlight slanted through the hospital window, warming the thin blanket and crisp, clean sheets covering my hospital bed.

"Are you sure you won't stay?"

Kali shook her head. "I'll come back tomorrow and see if your ear is back to normal and if they have the whole deaf, undernourished, dehydrated thing under control."

"Bring June."

"I will. She and the Yorkies are waiting for me in the parking lot. I'll tell her how handsome you look in Jì's jammies."

I rubbed my hand across the soft flannel. "One man's rejects are another man's treasure."

"Please don't ever use the word 'treasure' around me again."

"Sorry. If it makes you feel any better, Papo is facing state and federal charges. Kidnapping, child endangerment, child neglect, attempted murder, murder…" I fingered my injured ear. "Assault. I can't remember what else."

"I guess they aren't going to charge me with anything."

"Why would they? Sheesh, Kali."

"Because I introduced you to Magdalena and Papo. I feel responsible. They kidnapped you because of me."

"You were just a kid. You can't blame yourself for being their pawn. I sure don't blame you."

"You sound like June."

"Good. I'm glad everything worked out so you can stay with her."

"Me too." Kali tugged on the edge of the blanket, smoothing out the wrinkles. She twisted toward the door. "Salem's here. I'll leave you lovebirds alone."

"Bye."

Kali wagged her fingers at me and then sauntered out the door.

Salem knocked on the doorjamb. "You decent?"

"Totally. Come in."

Salem approached the bed. "Gray plaid is your color." She leaned close. "And you smell good, too."

"Soap and hot showers are way underrated."

"Tell Amy." Her expression crumbled. "Why didn't you tell me?"

I shook my head and fingered the blanket. "I couldn't. Shame. Fear." I stared her in the eye. "Besides, you had your own problems."

"True, but still…"

"I'm sorry I kept secrets from you."

Salem stared down at the blanket. "I kept a secret from you, too."

"You mean, besides not being a real goth?"

"Yes. Way worse than that. It may be my fault you came to town."

I leaned forward on the bed. "How do you figure?"

"Halloween night I performed a love spell and asked for a guy with all your qualities."

"You wished for a guy who was broke, homeless, kidnapped—?"

"Handsome, magical, artistic."

I inched my fingers across the blanket until they touched Salem's. "I wished for someone like you."

"You should have aimed higher. I come with a lot of baggage."

"Good thing I don't." I laughed.

She bolted up. "I almost forgot! Mr. Peters loved
Blaming the Brew. I handed it in early so I could capitalize on the sympathy vote. I think we
'll get an A."

"Way to go!" We slapped palms in a high five. The connection sent magic humming down my arm. I glanced at the black tote and festive bag clutched in her other hand. "Did you bring the grimoire?"

"Yes. It likes you. Maybe our visit will cheer it up." Then she mouthed,
and more words will appear.

"Have you decided what to do with it?"

Salem's thin shoulders rose then fell as she released a long sigh. "I couldn't sell it to the Roma in its current condition even if I wanted to. So I think I'll keep low for now. Maybe loan it to Evie's grandmother, see if she has any ideas."

"What about the healing spell for Amy?"

"I'm going to try love and light instead. It worked well for Irina."

My heart jolted. "Irina?"

"Oh, I didn't tell you. At Evie's sleepover, a horrible energy tried to pull me away. A ghost girl stepped in and stopped it. Her name was Irina."

"Magdalena's daughter."

"Are you serious?"

I nodded. "Magdalena got her reunion, just not in the way she expected. And speaking of unexpected, I discovered something about Amy."

"What?"

"I think she is a Sensitive. There's a place in Berkeley that trains people with extrasensory perception and other paranormal abilities. Amy should be tested."

"Okay. I'll tell her you said so."

I nodded toward the festive bag. "On your way to a party?"

"Not exactly." She raised the bag and placed in on the bed beside me. "I brought you something."

"Seriously?" I parted the tissue paper and pulled out my trinket box.

"We weren't sure when or if you were coming back. Mr. Castellano said it was too beautiful for you to leave behind. Be careful when you open it," Salem instructed. "The present inside is breakable."

"Wow. It feels like Christmas." Other than Kali's watch, I couldn't remember the last time someone had given me a present. I raised the lid on the wooden box and lifted out a weighted object wrapped in glittering purple tissue paper. "I hope this is what I think it is."

"If you are sensing an art theme, then yes." Salem perched beside me.

Slowly, wanting the moment to stretch out as long as possible, I peeled away the paper. "You changed her. She's even more beautiful."

"She just fit. It's as if you made the box for her."

"I was making it for you. So you wouldn't forget me."

"As if." Salem studied the statue. "I wish you had been there to help me fashion the base for the stone. It was my first time working with wood, so don't judge."

"Are you kidding? You did a great job."

"Thanks. Now she's standing on top of the world instead of trying to hold it up."

"Much better." I leaned forward and traced Salem's jaw with my finger. "She's perfect, just like you." Her eyes gleamed, and dragonflies took flight inside me. Our faces inched closer. We kissed, and her lips were soft and sweet and tasted like strawberry lip gloss. "Good thing I'm not hooked up to a heart monitor."

"Why?"

I kissed her again until we both gasped for air. "Because it would have beeped like crazy."

A blush blossomed across Salem's pale cheeks. She cleared her throat. "I still can't believe Mr. Castellano figured things out. He searched for you on the Missing Children's website before he called the police."

"I never checked because Papo always said no one cared about me. He said no one would bother reporting a missing street rat."

"You were never a street rat to me," said a soft voice. "It broke my heart when your dad wouldn't relinquish you to me."

My heart boomeranged. I sat up straighter. "Bronwyn?"

Salem sidled away, and Bronwyn rushed to my bedside. Worry lines crinkled her face, but her hair was just as I remembered, long and streaked with bright autumn strands. She resembled Mom so much a cry rose in my throat.

Bronwyn touched the faded rags encircling my wrist. "Katherine's bracelet. It's really you." A sob escaped her lips as she wrapped me in her arms. I hugged her back as tightly as I could with one arm tethered to an IV. "When the police called me, I was afraid to get my hopes up." She pressed her forehead to mine. "You're taller."

I laughed, suspended between disbelief and elation. "I'm in bed. How can you tell?"

"I can tell." Her hands trembled as she tucked the thin blanket around my waist. "After you vanished, I moved to San Francisco to search for you. I have a small flat. There's room for you. I hope you'll come live with me."

Return to the city? Leave Salem? M
y misgivings warred with the second wave of thoughts.
Bronwyn is family, my real family, and she's finally found me.

"Or I can rent a place here and commute on rapid transit if you want to finish the school year at Jefferson."

"For real?"

Bronwyn clasped my hands and nodded. "Whatever you want. I will make it happen."

I glanced at Salem, whose eyes gleamed with secret delight. She had the oddest expression on her delicate fairy face. "What?"

"Don't you hear it?" Salem asked.

Bronwyn angled her head. "Hear what?"

Salem held the black tote aloft. The sides bulged like a beating heart. The heat and swelling in my injured ear vanished. Something within the ear popped. The sirens outside, the beeping monitors inside, the nurses talking in the hall — the whole cacophony rushed in. Then I heard a distinctly non-hospital sound.

The grimoire chirped.

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