Serendipity (Bayou Magic 3)

“It’s a two-for,” Brielle agrees. “Now, talk.”

I explain my visit to Miss Sophia—the vision and racing over to Daph’s.

“How did you know that it hadn’t happened yet? Or that it wasn’t happening as you saw it?” Cash asks.

“Because that’s not how it works with me,” I reply. “It’s always precognition. I don’t know how I knew it was about to happen right away. I just knew I had to get here.”

“Then we found the envelope,” Daphne says, picking up the story. “Brought it inside and opened it.”

“Did both of you touch it?” Cash asks.

“Yeah.” Daphne winces when Cash’s eyes narrow.

“Have I taught you nothing?” he demands.

“I had to open it,” Daphne replies. “And let me just say, I could have gone my whole life without seeing what was inside.”

Cash puts on some gloves—ignoring the snickers from the rest of us at the sight of him carrying gloves around—and then reaches over to the table to pick up the envelope.

When he pulls out the photo, his face goes stone-cold.

“Son of a bitch.”

“Oh, damn,” Brielle mutters.

Millie and Lucien look at each other and seem to have some unspoken conversation.

“The timestamp,” I point out.

Cash scowls again. “It hasn’t happened yet.”

“Wait, what?” Millie asks. “What do you mean?”

“Just that,” Cash says. “The time on this photo is later today.”

“He hasn’t killed her yet,” Lucien says.

“But she’s missing her eyes,” Daphne puts in.

“We’re dealing with a supernatural entity,” Millie reminds us all. “He can manipulate technology. But how is he doing this? Has he inhabited another body?”

“Has anyone spoken with Dahlia lately?” Brielle asks.

“Who’s Dahlia?” I blink at the others, still feeling like I didn’t do my homework.

It’s damn frustrating.

“Dahlia was the witch Hor—he inhabited last time,” Millie says with sadness in her blue eyes. “She sold her flower shop and moved to Miami. She’s long gone.”

“I don’t blame her,” Brielle mutters. “After what she went through, I’d move far away, too.”

“I don’t think he’s possessed someone else,” Lucien says, thinking it over. “I could be wrong, but that didn’t exactly work out well for him the last time.”

“How else can he kill people?” I demand. “How can he take pictures and drop them off here?”

“Good question,” Millie says. “That’s a damn good question. I need to consult the grimoires.”

“I think we need to know who this woman is first. How do we get to her before he kills her?” Cash wonders.

“You won’t find her,” Lucien says, sorrow heavy in his voice. “If we’ve learned anything from the past year, it’s that killing is what he does best. Better, even, than taunting our girls. It’s his passion, the way gardening or painting is for others. Murder is his hobby, and he’s damn good at it.”

“Who is she?” Daphne mutters, examining the photo. “And why is it so hard to identify someone without their eyes?”

“I can run her through a database,” Cash offers. “But it’s not going to be fast. I’ll narrow it down to anyone living in Louisiana with the attributes that we can make out, but as we all know, she could be a tourist.”

“It can’t be hopeless,” I mutter. “Why else would he show us who he’s going to kill?”

“Aside from the fact that he’s a sick fuck?” Cash asks.

“Okay, point taken.” We sit in silence for a moment. “He was able to get to Daph’s doorstep. He walked right up here and left this on the mat.”

“The protection spells are for inside the dwelling,” Millie replies.

“Is it possible to put her in a bubble? If he can get to her door, he can look in the windows.”

“I’m on the second floor,” Daphne reminds me.

“And he’s not a man anymore. Do you think he can’t just float on up here and look inside?”

Daphne goes pale and swallows hard. “Well, that’s a lovely thought. I’ll never get naked again.”

“He can’t see inside,” Millie rushes to assure us. “I set that spell, as well. He can’t see in. He can’t hear what happens in here, either.”

“Well, that’s something, I guess.” I reach over and take Daphne’s hand, encouraged when she doesn’t immediately pull away. “You are safe here, you know.”

“Yeah. Sure.” She blows out a breath. “I don’t know what to do. I have to open the shop today, but I hate the idea of knowing that this poor woman is out there somewhere, going through Goddess knows what. And that she only has mere hours to live.”

“Unfortunately, there’s nothing you can do,” Lucien says and rubs circles over Millie’s back. “It’s already been set in motion.”

“I’ll do what I can on my side of things,” Cash says. “I’m taking this with me.”

“Good.” Daphne waves it away. “Get it out of here. I don’t want to see it again.”

“I’m going to Reflections with you,” I inform Daphne. “I’m going to be stuck to you like glue for the foreseeable future.”