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“Someone must have thought you were close to have bothered attacking you the other night,” he said mildly, raising one eyebrow.
“If I am close, I don’t know it. I have no real suspects. I have no evidence. I’m at the point of hoping they do something else that will give me more clues. I’ve even resorted to wondering if maybe the attacks were personal, but I couldn’t think of anything I have or anything I’ve done that would set someone off like that. Idris seems to want to make me quit, but I can’t see where that would do him much good.”
He remained unruffled, even as I was close to tears. “Let’s consider the evidence you’ve gathered.”
“That’s just it, there is no evidence. Everyone in the company suspects everyone else, and nearly everyone could have had motive and opportunity if you look hard enough for it.”
“Then let’s see who had the most opportunity. Most of the damage was focused on the R and D department, right?”
“Yes. But that doesn’t narrow it down much. It’s the biggest department in the company.”
“True. Did you say anything to anyone Friday that might have given them an impression you knew more than you really did?”
“I was in R and D, but for an entirely different reason,” I said, hoping I didn’t blush.
“I know you’ve been assigned as Santa for Mr. Palmer,” he said gently. “That was at my suggestion. I felt he’d be more comfortable with someone he knew, and it would give you broader access for investigation.”
“Well, while I was down there I talked to Ari and Jake, but a lot of others saw me and thought I was investigating. Or else they thought I was the spy.”
“I propose you focus on that department. You have an excuse to be there.” He smiled. “I believe Mr. Palmer is going to find himself awash in holiday treats in the days to come.”
He was a sneaky old man, but as comfortable as I felt with him, I didn’t dare say so to his face. I shouldn’t have been surprised, though. He’d put kings on thrones. This was small potatoes to him.
“So, hanging out in R and D, then,” I said, feeling a little better. If only I could deal with my magic problem the same way.
He took a flat crystal from his desk. “This should get you past security there. The spell is on the crystal, so you don’t have to worry about a lack of magical ability.” No, I just had to worry about wards I could no longer get through, but I didn’t have a pressing need to get into Owen’s office. “And I can keep Mr. Palmer busy so you’ll be able to snoop without giving away your Santa identity.”
I had the distinct feeling I was being manipulated, but I wasn’t sure where he was going with it. I took the card-like crystal from him and put it in my pocket. “Thank you.”
“I’d like a report at the end of the week, if you don’t mind.”
“No problem.” In the meantime, it looked like I’d be doing more baking. Then there was the treasure hunt, which was the least of my worries. I handed my clues over to my team and made a couple of suggestions about deciphering them, but otherwise I let the people who were truly enjoying themselves play. I had bigger puzzles to solve.
That evening, as I baked another favorite family recipe, I reflected that I might actually be in better shape than the last time we’d had a crisis, despite what felt like a lack of progress. Before, we’d relied on my dating ability to save the world, and I was a much better cook than I was a potential girlfriend.
This batch of cookies I put in a plastic bag tied with ribbon, which I was able to hide easily in my tote bag. I waited until Owen arrived at Merlin’s office for a meeting, then I headed down to R&D with the cookies and the crystal card. Along the way, I passed at least two teams of treasure hunters, all wearing their company caps. Everyone was laughing and smiling, which was a nice change of pace from the previous week, even if it was mostly because of magical company caps. One team had on matching outfits. The other stopped in the middle of the hallway to give their team cheer, which had something to do with how dominant the Dragons were. My team was going to lose. We hadn’t even reached the point of looking for items. We definitely didn’t have a cheer, a mission statement, or a team uniform.
As Merlin promised, the card got me easily through the front door at R&D. Ari was in her lab not too far from the entrance, her feet propped up on a table while she read a book. She wasn’t wearing the company cap, which didn’t surprise me. I suspected she was doing even less for her team than I was for mine. “Hi!” I said.
She looked up from her book. “Oh good, you’re not one of those treasure hunt nutcases. I’ve had three people so far thinking something was hidden in my lab.” She glanced at the bag I carried. “Let me guess, another Santa mission.”
I tried my best to look vague. “Maybe.”
“You’re carrying a bag of cookies.”
“That doesn’t mean they’re for my secret Santa.”
She rolled her eyes. “Don’t even try to lie. You totally suck at it. Coffee?”
“Yes, please.” As usual, the cup popped into my hand. I was proud of how nonchalantly I handled it. “What are you reading?”
She held up the antique-looking book. “Love-spell book I swiped from Owen’s lab. Somehow, I doubt he’ll be using it anytime soon. He only has it because it’s by some old wizard he’s been studying. There’s a spell in here for getting the attention of human men. I may have to give it a try—at the next full moon, I can take a canary feather and sprinkle it with rose essence, then wave it in the path of my target.”
“Or you could say, ‘Hi, come here often?’ Even I manage to make that work sometimes.”
“It also has spells to make people fall in love with each other. Want me to hook you up with anyone?”
That was the last thing I needed, magical interference in my shambles of a love life. “No thanks. Besides, remember, I’m immune.” Well, I was once, and I hoped I would be again.
