Secret Of The Rose (Legacy Of Magick Series, Book 2) (10 page)

“It only creates more chaos,” Bran finished for me.

Whatever else was going to be said was cut off by a knock on the door. Bran opened the door to the garage and Lexie Proctor, police officer and member of Gwen’s coven came in.

“Lexie.” Bran nodded formally to her.

“Hi everyone.” Lexie smiled.

I noticed that Bran stood up a little taller as Lexie came in. I
thought
he was dating some snooty chick named Angela. But it was obvious to me that Lexie flustered him. Even in her police officer’s uniform, Lexie Proctor was pretty. Her honey blonde hair was braided in a neat bun at the nape of her neck, and she stood there radiating confidence.

I’d been a fan of Lexie’s ever since I saw how gentle she’d been with Ivy, when she had questioned my cousin at the hospital the night of Ivy’s rescue. Because of her kindness, I tried to work up some warmth into my greeting. “Hi Lexie.”

“I’m off shift, so I thought I’d drop by and see what else you’ve discovered,” Lexie explained as we all went through to the kitchen. Lexie pulled up a stool at the breakfast bar and sat, comfortable in her uniform and gun. “I took a look at those dolls out there. That’s truly messed up.” She shuddered.

Okay, that reaction bothered me— a lot. If a cop— who is also a Witch, shudders over something, that can’t be good. Focusing on Lexie, I felt a strong tightening in my solar plexus. “What else has happened?” I asked her following my gut hunch.

She smiled at me. “You are really impressive. One of these days I’d like you to take a look at some of our open homicide cases.”

“Ah, no thanks.” I tried not to heave. The last thing I wanted to do was to psychically ‘see’ a murder or to have a vision of someone being killed.

“This is off the record, and is not to be repeated.” Lexie waited until we all agreed. “The coach of the squad contacted me because she received a sort of vague threat against the girls, a call to her private cell phone.”

Gwen laid her hand on Lexie’s arm. “Is the school taking it seriously?”

Lexie frowned. “Well, I went in and had a meeting with the principal. He seems to think it’s just a prank. But to be on the safe side, he has taken the precaution of having a few more plain clothes officers as security at the game tonight.”

Ivy wandered into the kitchen. “Hi Officer Lexie.” Ivy grinned at her. “I have some news,” Ivy announced plopping onto an empty barstool. “Holly texted me a little bit ago. Megan’s arm is in a cast. She won’t be performing at the game tonight, but she’s at home and resting now.”

“I’m glad she’s resting comfortably,” Lexie said. “But I’d really like to know how a spell involving so many individuals is being pulled off.”

“I have a theory,” Gwen began, “the longer the dolls are in close physical proximity to their victims, the more damage or harm they’ve been able to cause.”

“Which might explain why Kate’s wrist had only been sprained,” I said. “It must not have been in her locker for very long, and she tossed the doll in a garbage can right away.”

Ivy drummed her fingers on the counter. “If Viviane, and now Megan, unknowingly carried the dolls in their backpacks for a few days... that would explain why their injuries were worse.”

“Here, look at this timeline, Gwen.” Lexie pulled out a notebook and showed us a timeline she had created. “Whoever is planting the poppets on the girls is
close
to them. Close enough that they have easy access to their backpacks and lockers.”

“Agreed,” Bran said.

“How
did
you find that third doll today?” Lexie asked us.

Ivy squirmed a bit in her seat. I studied the kitchen counter, trying to act innocent.

“Girls?” Gwen inquired.

I glanced over at Ivy before I said anything. “We found it in her backpack,” I said finally.
Well, that was the truth.
No sooner had I silently thought that, when Gwen raised an eyebrow at me and seemed pissed. I shook my head. I had to start remembering that her telepathy worked best when she was physically close to you.

“Why am I getting a psychic impression of Sherlock Holmes?” Gwen asked.

I suddenly recalled joking with Ivy about acting all ‘Sherlock’ on our way into the school. Ivy’s eyes flared wide, and she shook her head at me.

With a sigh, I dropped my chin into my hand in defeat.
Freakin’ telepaths...
“Oh, go ahead tell them Ivy.” I gave up.

“Thanks Watson. You suck,” Ivy said to me. She crossed her arms on the counter and explained how we had acquired the third doll. Afterwards, Gwen shut her eyes and shook her head. Bran tossed his hands in the air, and Lexie started to smile but made an effort to look disapproving.

Gwen walked over and dropped a hand on Ivy’s shoulder. “What would you have done if you’d have been caught?”

Ivy shrugged. “Well we weren’t. So no harm, no foul.”

Lexie tapped her pen against her notepad. “It stands to reason if there were four accidents, and three poppets found, then there are probably more poppets.”

Gwen nodded in agreement. “We need to see if the rest of the girls have been given poppets—
discreetly
.” Gwen emphasized the last word, and gave Ivy and me a withering look.

Bran seemed to mull that over. “How do you suggest we go about doing that?”

I couldn’t help it, I grinned at Ivy and said. “I suppose we could have our resident B and E girl go through the rest of the girl’s lockers at the school.”

Lexie held up a hand. “I did
not
hear that,” she grimaced.

“Sorry.” I tried to look contrite.

Lexie drummed her fingers on the counter as she thought. “For tonight, we keep an eye on the rest of the girls on the squad. We need to watch and see who is close and who has access to their personal belongings during the game. Tonight is the biggest football game of the year, and if someone is going to try something else, it will probably be tonight.”

“I’m going to the game with Duncan. We can help watch.” I volunteered us.

Ivy announced that she was supposed to help take pictures for the yearbook, so she would be on the sidelines of the game with her camera. “I’m supposed to get plenty of pictures of all the cheer squads, and the band tonight. So I can watch and photograph the squad from a different perspective.”

Lexie beamed at her. “That’s perfect.” She focused on Bran. “I’m off duty this evening, but I’d feel better if I was close. Do you have a date to the game tonight?” she asked him.

I had the supreme pleasure of watching Bran be at a loss for words. “Ah, no I don’t,” he finally managed.

“Well, you do now,” Lexie said.

Bran stood there shell shocked, as Lexie continued on as if she didn’t notice. “I’ll pick you up at six thirty,” she told him. Lexie hopped up, told the rest of us goodbye and let herself out.

I bit the inside of my mouth to keep from laughing. Bran appeared a little flummoxed. His mouth worked, but nothing came out. “I’ve never had a woman ask me out before,” he finally said.

Ivy gave him a light punch in the shoulder as she walked past him to the staircase. “Technically bro, she didn’t ask you. She
ordered
you.” Ivy made a whip cracking sound.

Gwen tried to hide a smile as Bran shuffled his feet and for once did not look all elegant, poised and in control.

Bran ran a hand through his hair. “You know, I am really uncomfortable around guns,” he said to no one in particular. He picked up his suitcase and carried it upstairs.

I followed him up to the second level. I had a big night to get ready for, myself. “I wouldn’t worry about it Bran— looks to me like Lexie is
very
comfortable with guns.” I couldn’t resist ragging on him, as it helped keep me from being nervous.

About tonight. After the game. With Duncan.

“What are you so nervous about?” Ivy frowned at me from over her shoulder.

“Nothing. Stay out of my head.” I glared at her.

“I’m not in your head. Your emotions are broadcasting way out to here.” Ivy stopped, stretching her arms out as if to demonstrate.

Damn!
I walked around her, making an effort to yank my emotions back in line.

“You
are
nervous about tonight...” Ivy wiggled her eyebrows at me. “And you’re not wound up because of the football game.”

“I think you’re sensing Bran,” I said. “He’s the one who’s all flustered.”

“Shut up, Autumn,” he grumbled passing us on the second floor landing.

“You never know...” I teased him. “Maybe if you’re a really
bad
boy Lexie will get out her handcuffs.”

Bran turned to glare at me, and I wiggled my eyebrows suggestively. Ivy giggled at him and went to her room, and I turned to go to mine. Suddenly I felt a quick burn across my butt. I gasped and grabbed at my backside and looked over my shoulder to see what happened.

There was a little black smudge across the back pocket of my jeans.
Bran.
I glared at him, truly shocked that he had done that.

Bran brushed his hands off, and I saw a little spark of energy fall from his hands.

“Damn it Sparky, these jeans are new! I am
so
telling your mom you did that,” I threatened.

Bran tossed back his head and laughed. An honest to god belly laugh. I had never heard him laugh like that before. It reminded me of my father, and I smiled in reaction.

Ivy moved to her doorway and announced in a superior tone of voice, “You kids stop playing with magick before you put somebody’s eye out!”

“What’s going on up there?” Gwen called from downstairs.

“Nothing.” Bran and I hollered back in unison.

Bran grinned at me as he slammed his door. I slammed mine too, and I hurried to get ready for my evening with Duncan. Tonight promised to be memorable... in more ways than one.

***    

The first thing I noticed as Duncan and I entered the stadium was that the stands were packed. The Homecoming game had brought the locals out in droves. We worked our way through the crowd, and the atmosphere was celebratory and electric. The marching band was seated all together in one section and was playing a rousing fight song, while the cheerleaders were standing on the track between the stands and the field, doing a dance routine to the music.

Duncan and I found a seat with the rest of my family, and I noticed that the cheer squad currently numbered eight. The eighth girl had a slightly different uniform, and once the gold metallic pompons stopped shaking, I realized that it was the back-flipping girl from the JV squad. Leilah. I remembered. Her name was Leilah Martin.

Holly and Cypress were in the center of the front line as co-captains, and they appeared happy. Kate was there doing her best, despite her wrist in a brace. I searched for, and found Viviane sitting in the front row of the stands, right in front of her squad, with another girl who had a hot pink cast on her leg.

Both of the injured girls were wearing their cheer uniforms. They sat with the coach and cheered along with their squad from the bleachers. I smiled when I saw that somebody had decorated both of the girls’ crutches festively with blue and yellow curling ribbons.

Duncan and I sat down next to Aunt Gwen and Marie Rousseau. Bran and Lexie followed us up the steps and ended up sitting one row below, and directly in front of us. I saw as Lexie sat down, that she was indeed wearing her gun. The outline through her coat was unmistakable. But I was pretty sure all cops carried a gun, even if they were off duty.

I nudged Aunt Gwen. “Is that Kellie?” I asked, pointing to the cheerleader with the hot pink cast.

“It is,” Gwen answered, and handed me a program. Gwen was wearing a large button featuring a photo of Holly in her cheer uniform. The button had blue and gold ribbon behind it, and I saw lots of parents sporting buttons with sports photos of their son or daughter. Even Marie was wearing one.

“Aw, I feel bad for her and Viviane missing out on cheering at their Homecoming game,” I said, and glanced over the names of all the players, cheerleaders, and the nominees for Homecoming court. As I read the program, I noted that both Kellie and Viviane were nominated for Homecoming Queen.

I held the program down between Lexie and Bran. “Lexie, did you notice that two of the injured girls are nominated for Homecoming Queen? Could that be connected to everything that’s going on?”

“I did.” Lexie shifted her gaze from the program to where the girls sat. Then she pulled out her cell phone and sent a few quick texts.

Duncan put his arm around my shoulder and said in my ear. “She’s probably contacting the plain clothes officers working security at the game and telling them to move closer to the squad.”

While I had told Duncan about the poppets, I had not shared the information about the plainclothes officers. I gaped at him, wondering how he had known, and he leaned over and told me. “I spotted them when we first came in.” Duncan smiled. “There’s Ivy.” He pointed to her as she stood between the squad and the football player’s bench taking photos for the yearbook.

As I watched, Ivy swung her long lensed camera directly at our group sitting in the stands. I smiled and we all waved to her. She gave us a thumbs up and went back to photographing the squad and the band.

A short time later, Lexie stood up and told us that she and Bran had decided to sit with her friend. She leveled a look at Bran. His smile was a bit strained, but he stood up, and they moved several rows down to sit right next to the cheer coach and the two injured cheerleaders. I saw Lexie smile at the coach, and the coach look a little relieved to have the off duty cop sitting close by.

I exchanged a significant look with Aunt Gwen. So much for going to the game and having fun.

Gwen patted me on the arm. “Try and enjoy yourself,” she suggested.

Duncan squeezed my hand, and I did my best to try and relax. The football game was enjoyable, and as the second quarter wound down, I had almost forgotten about the intrigue. Right before half time, I was standing in line waiting to use the restroom. I could still see the game, and listened with a half an ear while two overdressed women stood in line in front of me, gossiping. I wiggled my toes in my comfortable neon green running shoes and rolled my eyes at the idea of wearing stiletto heels to a high school football game.