Hell's Bell (Lizzie Grace 2)

He blinked, and then laughed. “That sounds very much like something she’d say.”

“We have been hanging around together for a long time. Sometimes these things bleed over.”

“Concentrate, people.” Ashworth’s voice once again held a note of censure. “I don’t believe the spell placed on Molly is in any way designed to stop her thoughts being read, so if Belle’s available, it would certainly be worth her trying before we attempt anything else. Is she home?”

“No. She’s out with Zak.” I got out my phone and called her. While Aiden was aware we could share thoughts, I had no desire for Ashworth to discover it. He was suspicious enough of us.

Her response was immediate—and direct. The phone? Seriously?

It’s camouflage, so just pick up the damn call. When she did, I added, “Where are you?”

“Not far out of Castle Rock—why?”

“Can you come to the ranger station? We’ve a mind we need you to read.”

She talked softly to Zak, and then said, “We can be there in ten.”

Thanks. I repeated her comment and avoided looking at Aiden. He wasn’t saying anything, but my ruse with the phone would certainly be ramping up his own suspicions about us.

The older man pulled out his phone and then sat down opposite Molly. “I don’t suppose you have any decent coffee in this place, do you, Ranger?”

“We have coffee. Whether you’ll consider it decent or not, I can’t say.” Aiden glanced at me. “Would you like something to drink?”

“Tea, if you have it.”

“We do.”

“I’ll have mine with milk and three sugars, thanks,” Ashworth said, as Aiden headed for the door.

“I’ll help you.” I dumped my backpack on the nearest chair, and followed him down the hall to a small lunchroom.

“Why didn’t you tell him the truth about you and Belle?”

“Because of that whole conversation we had about running from Canberra and my parents. I don’t want them knowing where I am, Aiden.”

He flicked on the coffee machine, and then bent down to get three mugs. “I would have thought not telling him the truth would be even more dangerous. Surely if you intrigue him enough, he’ll just make inquiries about you.”

“He might.” He would. “But I don’t think he’ll uncover much, given we’re not registered.”

And then there was the whole fact that we’d changed our names and magically covered our tracks to ensure we couldn’t be traced.

“There has to be a register for half-breeds,” he said. “Especially if, as Ashworth said, they’re considered dangerous.”

“There is.” I paused and frowned. “I wonder if Molly’s half brother is registered? If he is, then we’ll at least glean some insights as to what he’s capable of.”

“I suspect that’s the reason Ashworth asked for a coffee. He wanted us out of the room while he rang the appropriate authorities.”

“Which is why you didn’t stop recording when we left the room.”

He glanced at me, eyebrow raised. “That’s very perceptive of you, Ms. Grace. Let’s hope Ashworth didn’t notice the same thing, otherwise we’ll be no wiser as to what secret witch business he wanted to discuss.”

“Given they’re an uncommunicative bunch of bastards at the best of times, we probably won’t learn a whole lot.”

“Obviously that’s one skill you did learn in the brief period you were at witch school.”

“Or I simply have good reasons for keeping certain secrets.”

“Which I’m hoping you’ll trust me with one day.”