15
The phone rang.
Ten hours and change after we arrived at the store.
I had been staring at it, willing its display to light. For a panicked heartbeat, I couldn’t decide if it was real or wishful thinking. The handset slipped across my damp palm when I grabbed it and answered.
“Hollis Apothecary, Rue Hollis speaking.”
Asa ducked into the office, mop in hand. Clay was right behind him. Both were listening in.
So was Colby, who was cuddled into a jacket Arden had left in the office, her dark eyes wide with worry.
“You have something I want,” a quiet, male voice informed me. “And I have two somethings you want.”
“You’ll have to be more specific.”
“I want the loinnir.” He paused. “Give it to me, and I will return the girls I took from your store.”
The long wait had cured me of any urge to play games. “I want proof of life.”
Twin screams pierced the air behind the caller, and he sucked in a breath, as if savoring their pain.
In a blink, Colby shot off the desk, shrank, and nestled down until my hair hurt from her yanking on it.
“There is your proof of life.” His voice grew huskier. “Meet me at Tadpole Swim.”
The lack of qualifiers stumped me. “When?”
A soft laugh flavored his tone. “Now.”
The call ended before I could ask more questions. No doubt that was the point.
“He didn’t tell me to come alone.” I flung the phone at its base. “That’s not a good sign.”
Villains loved their catchphrases, and that had to be number one.
Maybe number two, right behind don’t call the cops.
Which, now that I thought about it, he hadn’t used that line on Miss Dotha either.
“He knows you won’t come alone.” Clay didn’t sound worried one bit. “Why bother lying about it?”
Apparently, he appreciated a criminal willing to cut through the BS to the meat of the problem.
“He wanted off the phone as fast as possible,” Asa murmured. “Check the caller ID.”
“Maybe he worried we used our spare time to tap the line.” Clay shrugged. “Paranoia does that.”
Magic created too many loopholes for old school tech to be anywhere near reliable in these situations.
“He used Arden’s cellphone. It’s on. It’s turned on.” A drum beat in my chest. “Call the Kellies.”
There was every reason to believe the copycat had used a spell to conceal his location, but hope was like a weed. Hard to kill.
“We need to move.” I pushed from the desk and stood. “They’ll have to track on the way.”
Clay left the call to Asa. “How far is this Tadpole thing?”