Meadow pointed to the book of protection spells. “That book. Some candles. A charm. And her grandfather bought something, too. I know he came in before—without his granddaughter—and talked to Bronwyn. She owns the store.”
Will and I exchanged a glance. I was sure he was feeling the same intense zing of adrenaline as I was. “Can we talk to Bronwyn?”
“Not for another six days. She’s meditating at Green Gulch.”
I chewed the inside of my lip. “Can you do us a favor? If Fallon or her grandfather come in, could you please give us a call?”
Will produced a business card and handed it to Meadow. She took it in both hands and examined it. “Didn’t you say you were with the police? This says you’re a fireman.”
“Uh, she’s the police. I’m the fireman. And this case is quite arsonistic, if you will. Very dangerous. Very secret. Can’t divulge too much. Probably said too much already. You’ve been a big help.”
Will and I backed out of the store with Meadow’s huge eyes following us.
“Arsonistic, Will?” I said as we slid into my car.
“Credit me one for thinking on my feet. We got what we were looking for, didn’t we?”
I looked back at the shop as we drove away. “Kind of. Fallon comes to the magic shop with a grandfather.”
“Maybe that’s the legacy we’re looking for?”
“But why would she buy the book of protection spells? I mean, if she’s partnering with, say, her grandfather—”
“That’s one horrible family tree now, isn’t it?”
“Why would she feel the need for protection?”
Will swung his head. “Don’t know. Also, is the geezer really her grandfather or just a crazy old bloke she hooked up with? Some birds kind of like that May-December thing you know.”
“Will, ew.”
“Oh, and it’s much less disgusting for you to think the girl is kidnapping her friends and delivering them to gramps for a little carving party?”
“The whole thing is just so messed up.”
“Okay, so what now? We go back to Fallon’s house, bust down her door, and demand she produce her grandfather? And by the way, why didn’t we ask the garden bird about Miranda? She had one of those spell books, as well.”
“Meadow. And we didn’t need to ask about Miranda because we know that she purchased the spell book and we know she purchased it there.”
Will sunk back in his seat. “Right. You told me she said it was a lapse in judgment as she was going for a love spell book.”
I nodded. “Right.”
“Did you notice where Chaparral kept the love spell books?”
“Meadow. And no, I just assumed they were right next to the other books.”
“They weren’t. The lovey books were all the way in the back. Big pink heart over the rack. Awful thing, really.”
“So? What are you saying?”
Will shrugged. “Just saying that it seems a little odd that your girl could miss a giant pink heart.”
I pulled the car to a stop at a red light and turned to face Will. “There is no indication—zero—that Miranda has anything to do with this. She has no connection to the girls other than knowing them through school.”
“And Fallon’s big connection is that she was friends with the girls and you think she’s a giant bitch. Seems a little weak to build a murder case on, love.”
“Are you defending her?”
“No, I’m standing up for parliamentary procedure. Innocent until proven guilty and all that.”
“We don’t have parliament,” I growled. “And there’s plenty more to indict Fallon. She works in the office and has access to all the girls’ personal information and class schedules. She’s a bully. Bullies are sadists. And she came in to the store multiple times with her grandfather.”
“She went out on an outing with her grandpa.”
“That’s a pretty creepily specific outing, Will. I—well, I went to magic shops with my Gram all the time, but my grandma—”
“I know, I know, love,” Will said, holding his palm toward me. “Your grandmother played mah-jongg with a pixie.”
I pressed the gas pedal down. “We’ll investigate both girls just to cover all our bases, but I’m pretty sure Fallon’s our perp. Or, one-half of our perp team. I just don’t get a good feeling about her.”
Chapter Fifteen
I turned the corner toward our apartment building and slid into a parking spot just as a carpet-covered van vacated it.
Will looked at me and smiled as I pushed the car into park. “Rock star parking. Maybe things are looking up for us.”
I had my hand on the door when a bolt of heat shot through me. “I’m not so sure. Look.”
Will followed my gaze to the girl sitting on the stoop in front of our building. She had her knees pressed up against her chest, her hands buried in the enormous sleeves of a charcoal-grey hoodie. Her head was down, and a very recognizable, fuzzy shock of hair slid out from under her beanie.
“Is that Miranda?”
I pushed open the car door. “Miranda?”
Her head rose slowly, the majority of her face hidden in the shadows. “Ms. Lawson? Mr. Sherman?”
“Yeah.” I rushed toward her. “What are you doing here?”