Starfire (Grim Gate 2)

“By check out, you mean go inside via a little breaking and entering, right?”

“Yeah. Wear plain clothes. A hat wouldn’t hurt. Not a baseball hat. That’s my look.” He flashes a cocky grin that always does me in.

“Good thing it’s cold. I have an impressively large collection of beanies that all smell like the barn and probably have hay stuck to them.” I return his smile and take a drink of my coffee. Ethan makes us both French toast, and then it’s time to head out. I pull on a pink beanie when we park down the street from Claire’s house.

“This neighborhood is cute,” I say, unbuckling my seat belt. “It kinda reminds me of the street my house was on in Syracuse.”

“Yeah, it kinda does. The houses are close together.” I’m not sure if he’s complaining or making sure I’m aware of the close proximity of the neighbors when we’re breaking into Claire’s house.

“Do you think she already left?” I ask after several minutes tick by. The salon is only eight minutes from her house. She still has time to get to work, but she’s going to be cutting it close.

“That’s her car,” Ethan says, eyeing a black Camry. “She only has the one. I suppose it’s possible she carpooled with someone.”

Five minutes later, we get out, going with plan B. I clip Hunter’s leash to his collar, though he definitely doesn’t need it. Hand in hand, Ethan and I walk down the street, looking like a happy couple walking their dog on this cold February morning. We slow when we’re across from Claire’s house, and Hunter does a good job of acting like he has to sniff everything, hence the reason for us stopping.

“The TV is on,” Ethan tells me. “Still doesn’t mean she’s home.” We get to the end of the street and turn around. This time, when we’re almost in front of Claire’s house, someone closes the blinds. I get a flash of red hair, but again, we can’t be sure it’s her. We get back into the car and I call the salon.

“Serenity Salon and Spa, this is Aubrey speaking. How may I assist you today?”

“Hi, I was actually hoping to talk to speak with Claire about booking an appointment.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, she’s not in today. I’m happy to help you though.”

“Great, thanks. Can I book a facial, then?”

Ethan looks at me and I shrug. I’m already on the phone with the salon and I could really use a facial. My face breaks out the week before my period.

“Of course!” I hear her clacking away on a keyboard. “We are quite booked up at the moment, but I can get you in two weeks from today, actually. Would eleven-thirty work?”

“Perfect. I’ll take it.” I give her my info and then end the call. “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer, right?” Turning, I give Ethan a triumphant look. “How long do we continue the stakeout?”

“We can call it quits,” he says and puts his Jeep into drive. “She’s not coming out anytime soon if she saw us.”

“Right.” I turn and look at Hunter, trying not to worry because he’s not wearing his seat belt harness and safely buckled into the back seat. He’s a spirit and from everything I read, is pretty indestructible in shadow form.

“I’ll keep digging into Claire’s past,” Ethan goes on. “And you should cast every curse and hex breaking spells you can. There’s nothing specific about voodoo in your book, is there?”

“No, it’s a different type of magic than the magic we practice.” The words come out of my mouth so naturally I almost don’t realize what I said.

“Another memory?”

“I think so. There’s nothing specific to it, but yet I know. Voodoo is different and can be dangerous if not done correctly, just like all the spells in my book. I’ll comb through the book again. It’s possible I missed something written in smudged ink that was already hard to read before.”

“We’ll figure this out.” He rests his hand on my thigh, and I know he still feels bad for doubting me. “Together.”

I put my hand on top of his and lace our fingers. My phone chimes with a text.

“It’s Harry,” I tell Ethan.

Harrison: Hey, I’ll be in Chicago this weekend two take clients out to dinner. I can come over Sunday-Monday.

“He can come for a quick visit this weekend since he’ll be close by in Chicago.”

“That’ll be nice.”

I type a quick reply to my brother and put my hand back overtop Ethan’s. “We didn’t see each other much in college since we went to different schools. And then we got our own places and still didn’t see each other often even though we were in the same city. Yet I moved here, and I miss him.”

“You’ve always been close to family.”