In the Shadows

sly cast to her eyes as she watched Cora’s reaction to her reaction.

“They can see a church anywhere.” She turned to the brothers.

“Let me ask you this: How many witches did you have in New

York City?”

Charles matched Minnie’s grin, noting Cora’s dismay but too

caught up in the magnetism of Minnie’s dark, glittering eyes to

care. If Cora was an engine keeping everything running, Minnie

was both steering wheel and gas pedal. He was very curious to see

where she’d drive them.

“I have yet to meet a single witch in our great metropolis,”

he said.

“Then we have you beat.” Minnie skipped off the steps and

into the night, beckoning them to follow with her mocking laugh.

“Come on, come on!”

To the witch! Charles thought, giddy with the thrill of doing

something besides dying. Arthur held out his arm to Cora, who

took it, casting a worried glance back toward the house.

As he and Thom stepped into the night, Charles felt an odd

weight on the back of his neck and looked up. In one of the

second-story windows, a figure stood, silhouetted in black, impos-

sible to identify. Watching them.

Charles rubbed his shoulder against his ear, trying to shake off

a sudden chill. But it wouldn’t leave.

Late March, 1902

five

M

INIE SPUN AND TWIRLED, THE DIRT ROAD STILL

WARM UNDERFOOT. It wasn’t the height of tourist sea-

son yet, and the town still felt like it belonged only to

her at night.