“You mean Damien,” Grans corrected her. When Mia stared at her, she shrugged. “I think you’re right. If Finn’s going to be here, she needs all the information. If she chooses to leave, we’ll wipe her memories and set her up in Twin. Damien will provide her with a war chest. He set aside money for years, and I mean years, for something like this.”
“That’s kind of you, or him, or you on his behalf.” Mia laughed as she pulled out a cookie sheet. “Finnwill be at the meeting tonight, then she can make up her mind. Unless you want to go chat with her now.”
“I’ll wait for the cookies to be done. I find disturbing news always goes down better when you have a little bit of sugar. Just like inMary Poppins.” Grans turned to Christina. “Now, before you reach for a second glass of wine, tell me everything you saw in that room.”
Christina told Grans everything, just like she had to Mia.
After she finished, Grans took a breath. “Did you notice anything weird or off about the scene?”
“Besides the dead woman come back to life and the girl on the hospital bed?” Christina clarified as she took the last sip of her wine.
“Yes, dear, besides that. You said you recognized Suzanne Parker from the picture. What clothes was she wearing? A nightgown, a hospital gown?”
Christina blinked several times. “Huh.”
“What’s huh?” Mia put the tray of cookies into the oven and got out a second tray.
“In the picture, Suzanne Parker was in a classic Chanel suit. I know the suit. My mom bought one off the Paris runway that year and she still owns it. It’s ivory, and I can’t believe it still fits, but when she wants to look perfect, it’s her go-to outfit. Suzanne Parker had on the same suit in the bed. Powder blue, but the same. She was wearing it as she lay in that bed. Mom wouldn’t even sit down in her suit. She didn’t want to wrinkle it. Now I don’t think I was seeing some sort of body-swapping vision at all. The room was probably empty. I got sent a false vision, didn’t I?”
“I believe you did. The coven doesn’t have a body-swapping ritual, at least not one I’m aware of. Something triggered the glamour—maybe you sneaking off to find out who lived there. Or, more likely,” Grans picked up the medicine bottle, “you removing this from the cabinet. Someone is going to great lengths to keep us from solving Suzanne’s murder.”
CHAPTER10
Mia and Grans pulled Finn aside before their meeting. As they sat in the living room eating cookies, Mia watched Finn’s face.
“Grans and I,” Mia began, “well, we think we should talk about what it means to be a witch in Magic Springs. I want to make sure you know everything that’s going on so you can make good choices. And maybe stay safe.”
“You think it’s dangerous here?” Finn let the cookie she was about to take a bite from drop back to the plate on the table.
“I don’t know. But you need to know a few things.” Grans started explaining the magic community to Finn, focusing on the people who were in their own magic society. When she told her that Dorian was a golem, she didn’t bat an eye.
“He’s a nice person, I know that.” Finn shrugged asshe absorbed the information. “No matter what his history is. I guess the bigger issue is who I can trust, right?”
“That’s exactly why we want you to know everything.” Grans continued talking about the witches and ghosts around them and ended with Cerby and Tempest and their hellhound sides. “So if you have any doubts, we can get you a room in Twin Falls until this is all dealt with.”
“I’m here and part of the group. Mia made me part of her circle. If there’s trouble, I can help.” Finn grabbed her cookie again. “It’s like finding out I have superpowers. There’s no way I’m walking away from that.”
Mia felt better about their society as they met that night, mostly because she now knew they weren’t hiding anyRosemary’s Babystuff from Finn. As she watched the group gather, she wondered how she’d ever thought that could be true.
Whoever had killed Suzanne Parker was blazing a trail with fire. They wanted Mia’s group out of the picture. They weren’t beyond trying to scare them away from the investigation with visions, which were getting worse by the day. Mia wasn’t reacting like the killer wanted her to.
“What else do we need to talk about?” Thomas asked as they all gathered. Grans had told them about the discussion with Finn, and she’d been introduced to the group as a whole. Finn was one of them now.
Finn stood. “Hi. I’m Finn. I’m a witch. I don’t know much about any of this, but I’m willing to learn and excited about helping in any way I can.”
“You may regret saying that,” Levi said as he playfully punched her in the arm. “Someone has to be the virgin sacrifice on Halloween.”
“Levi Majors, what an awful thing to say to Finn.” Abigail pointed at her youngest son. “Now tell her you were kidding. Finn’s going to think we’re awful people.”
“I kid because I care.” Levi grinned as he sat back.
“Don’t worry about it, Abigail. I’ll get him back when he’s not expecting it.” Finn tapped her finger on her chin. “What does Levi hate? Come see me with suggestions after the meeting.”
Mia thought Finn was going to get along nicely with the group.
Thomas rubbed Abigail’s shoulders. “Anything new on the murder? Did we come up with some suspects?”
“Did you hear anything at the shop?” Mia countered his question with a question.
