Chapter 18

I finished the sandwich without really tasting it. My stomach was happy, but I wasn’t. Sergeant Rawlings came in a moment later and handed me a folder similar to the one he showed me that morning. From the weight of it, it had all of the same photos and information as the original. I nodded in thanks, and he waved me out of the room.

Jenkins stood nearby. He watched as Rawlings led me to the rear exit of the building. I stopped before leaving. “Jenkins handcuffed me while I was on my phone at the front. He left my phone and the charger there and said he would go back for it later.”

Rawlings looked at Jenkins. Jenkins glared at me, but then picked up a plastic bag, which held my phone and the charger. Rawlings took it from him and handed it to me.

I thanked them, and walked outside. The weather had changed considerably. When I was attacked, it was cool, crisp, and clear. Now, it was gray and windy. The wind bit, and if I was right, the clouds looked like they might fall on us, meaning snow.

I walked around the station to Alyssa’s car. At least they hadn’t impounded it. I got in, started the engine, and turned on the radio while waiting for the heater to warm up. I finally found a station reporting snowfall and the possibility of a blizzard later tonight. Crap. I didn’t need a blizzard tonight. I had to find my Dad, and to do that I had to travel.

I looked around behind me to make sure the road was clear. There was a fire truck and police car on Fayetteville Street, keeping anyone from crossing the path the parade would eventually take. I wondered if they would let me out, so I could go around all of this, and no one would have to see me ruining their parade with my presence. I decided to try.

I pulled back, turned the car their way, and then saw the honor guard on horses, carrying flags for the United States, the State of North Carolina, and City of Newton Grove. I was too late. I pulled back into the parking space.

Unfortunately, I was going to be stuck in the parking lot until the end of the parade. I could hear the clip-clop of the horses as they drew near, followed by a few cars carrying various important people from the town and county, and in the distance I could hear the marching band playing “Joy to the World.”

If the officers had released me only fifteen minutes earlier, I might have been free. Don’t get me wrong, I love a parade as much as anyone else does, but this was a parade celebrated by a bunch of church nuts. They really believed Christmas was the birthday of the son of God. It wasn’t enough to be a simple holiday to enjoy and celebrate. No, these people made it all-but-mandatory to show up for every social event the town held. Yet, according to the Sheriff, nobody wanted me here.

I didn’t think it would be too bad. The honor guard rode by, followed by the Mayor, and a couple of other officials. Then the Hobbton High School band marched through, followed by the Wildcats football team.

I never played sports in high school. It required me to trust the other players and for them to trust me, and since no one liked me, then no one would trust me. The football team was the worst, especially since Riley and Leo were on the team. Therefore, as the team walked by, I ducked down in my seat. I wasn’t scared of them, per se, but I didn’t need additional problems brought on just because I was sitting here.

Part of me felt like an idiot hiding in my sister’s car. However, I knew if I let them see me, and any of them knew who I was then her car could suffer damage while they tried to get at me. Especially after the fight this morning.

The football team passed by without incident, as did many of the floats and vehicles of the parade. It wasn’t until the end of the parade, after the last of the fire trucks blew their sirens before breaking off to go to their respective sister-cities that someone decided to strike.

I never saw who did it, but several eggs smashed against the passenger side windows and across the front windshield of the car.

I sat up and looked, but the smeared, broken eggs covered the glass too thoroughly. Instead of getting out and seeking these new aggressors, I started the car, backed out, and left the small town to its own problems.

By the time I got back to the house, the eggs were frozen to the car. I couldn’t go in and leave the car in that state. It was time for a touch of magic.

I called up the cleaning spell Greta originally used on me shortly after Dana and I forged our bond. I stank of sex and Greta didn’t want to sit next to me smelling it. She hit me with the spell, which normally would have cleaned me up and left me feeling refreshed. Instead, I felt like someone had doused me with several buckets of water. The spell left my clothes and me dry and clean, but the initial splash caught me off guard.

Too bad the Laws of Secrecy forbade me from using Magic on the townsfolk of Newton Grove. Hell, that spell alone could have kept Riley, Leo, or me from getting hurt earlier. I really needed to find out the exact wording of the Laws, because if there were provisions that allowed me to use magic to save my life or someone else when there was no alternative, I needed to know.

I cast the cleaning spell on the exterior of the car. When I looked again, the eggs were gone. I smiled. At least I didn’t have to stand out in the cold, washing her car while a potential blizzard approached.

I climbed out of the car, and looked around. It was light, but snow was falling. I stood there for a second, enjoying the pleasant quietness. Then the wind hit me and I shivered. I missed my coat. I needed to replace it. With my few possessions, I went inside. The house was toasty warm, and Christmas music played softly throughout the house.

I went to the kitchen and set my stuff on the counter. No one was there. I wasn’t entirely surprised. Mom said she wouldn’t be home until dinnertime. Granted, with the snow falling and the possibility of a blizzard later, she might show up early. I remembered how Alyssa would turn on every radio in the house to the same station so no matter where she went she wouldn’t have to carry the music with her. In this case, however, other than the music, the house was quiet. I didn’t mind, but I was curious.

I went upstairs. Sure enough, I could hear the music from downstairs as well as another source coming from her room. I crossed the balcony to her room and softly knocked on the door. No answer. I tried the doorknob. It wasn’t locked. I eased it open. She wasn’t in there.

Then I heard a door downstairs open and someone grunting as if moving something heavy.

I closed her door and went to the balcony. Alyssa stood in the back door, tugging at the handle of an old wagon I played with as a child. Boxes, probably Christmas decorations, were stacked on top of the wagon. Knowing what most of those boxes contained, I knew those boxes weren’t light.

“Good thinking!” I called out.

She spun around, looking for the face to go with the voice. “Who is that?”

I grinned and shifted to a ‘spooky’ voice. “It’s the spirit of Christmas Past!”

She looked up and glared at me. “Very funny. Now, get down here and help me.”

I went back downstairs, and helped her bring in the wagon full of boxes. Once inside, we spread the boxes out so we could get into each of them.

“Do you have the tree?” she asked.

I looked up. “Er ... no. I haven’t had the chance.”

She frowned at me. “Then what have you been doing all day?”

I shook my head. “I’ve been at the police office.”

She straightened up and scrutinized me. “You cannot tell me you’ve been there all day. If they didn’t want to talk to you, they would have run you off. If they were going to help, or offer help, that wouldn’t take this long either.”

I nodded. “I know. I know.”

She crossed her arms under her breasts. “Mom called not too long ago. She’s hoping you picked a good tree, which means you need to go get one. Now.”

I looked up at her and considered arguing, but chose not to. She was right. Mom wanted a tree and I was supposed to get one. It wasn’t my fault that the police decided to take several hours to decide what to do with me after I was attacked. I stood up, went to the kitchen to retrieve her keys, and plugged in my phone while I was there. It had only charged enough to let me make that call earlier. I hoped that by the time I got back with the tree, it would have enough charge to it so I could check all my messages and send out a few of my own.

When I stepped out of the kitchen, I looked over at Alyssa. She sat on the floor in Indian Style, and pulled out paper-wrapped decorations. She reminded me of a Christmas when we were younger and I found her in the same place, doing the same thing. She looked at me now and said, “What?”

I smiled, feeling whimsical, and shook my head. “Nothing.”

“You better get going. The snow’s coming down heavy, and I heard there may be a blizzard tonight.”

I nodded. “Do we need anything for that?”

She blinked in thought and looked around. “We’ve got firewood. The Generator has gas.” Then she shook her head. “I don’t think so, but Mom will know better than I would.”

I nodded. “I’ll call her first.” Then I went back to the kitchen.

I turned on my phone while it was charging. It made more noise about messages. Text messages alone totaled in the sixties. I suppose that’s the cost of having so many women worried about me. My voicemail was full. I shook my head. I needed to call one person and have my status passed on to everyone. Jordan. From the very beginning, she helped me keep it together anytime something weird happened. She made sure everyone knew what was going on and allowed me to do what I needed to without being bombarded like this. It was time to let them know I was okay.

I pulled up Jordan’s number and called her.

She didn’t pick up instantly. Her phone rang for a moment and just when I thought I would be talking to her voicemail, she picked up. “Seth?”

I nodded, realized she couldn’t see me, and said, “Yes.”

“Oh, thank heavens. Where are you? What’s going on? Why haven’t you called?”

“Okay, okay, slow down. I’m at my family’s home in Newton Grove. I’m trying to find my missing father, and my phone’s been dead.”

“Wait, what?”

I chuckled. “I’m not going to be home like I planned. My dead mother left a message that I have to find a magical locket before I do anything else. My dad was the last person who had it, so I have to find him to find out where he left it. Once I have the locket, I’ll be on my way.”

“Oh!” she said. “But what’s so important about the locket?”

“I’m not entirely sure,” I said. “All I know is that I have to find it and keep it safe.”

“Okay, strange, but okay.” Then she must have put the phone to her shoulder to talk to someone else, because the voices were muffled. “Okay, one more thing, who is this woman who says she’s here to find you a new apartment?”

“That is Lana Kulick. She’s a sort of personal assistant to the family. She runs errands, sets up meetings, so on and so forth.”

“I know what a personal assistant does,” she said. “I just don’t get why she won’t let us handle that.”

“She hasn’t had anything to do for months,” I said. “I thought she might enjoy meeting my extended family.”