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Joy gave him a smile, thankful. Allhercalls and texts had been unanswered.
“We should leave; I don’t want to upset Mrs. Nazari. Salma, are you coming?” Joy asked.
Salma shook her head. “I have a second interview for that job.”
Joy tried to smile, but too much weight pressed on her. If they failed to find the identity of the witch, someone else could be hurt. Killed. “They called you back?”
Salma nodded. There was something unsure about her smile. Joy’s heart gave a sympathetic flop—when she’d interviewed for her job at the nature sanctuary, she hadn’t slept at all the night before, and she’d fluffed all the prepared speeches she’d written. Not that her boss cared. He was so laidback he hadn’t noticed when she’d accidentally said orgasm instead of organism.
“You’ll be fine, Salma. You’re perfect for the job,” Eilidh said, squeezing Salma’s arm.
Their unofficial leader gave them a weak smile and went to make her mum a cup of tea, while the rest of them crept down the stairs and out the back door.
Eilidh left to reassure her dad she was safe—he’d left her ten texts and three missed calls in the last twenty minutes alone—and Maisie skulked after her to make sure she got home safe, leaving Gabi, Gus, and Joy to walk towards the high street in silence.
“At least we knowsomethings,” Joy said, attempting to break the heavy quiet.
Gabi smiled, a little forced, and—
They all jumped a mile when Gabi’s phone trilled, Gus hissing a vulgar word.
“Pride,” Gabi answered.
Joy focused on getting her heart rate to a more reasonable level, allowing herself a quick scan of the road as if she was bored and waiting for Gabi’s call to be done, not looking for evil witches who punished people when they lied.
“Alright,” Gabi said into the phone. “I’ll be there in ten minutes. Thank you.”
Joy looked expectant when Gabi put the phone away. Gus just scuffed his Converse on the pavement.
“Neil Ivers wants to talk to me. He saw who attacked him.”
Joy’s stomach swooped. She and Gus shared a glance. They were getting closer. But did they reallywantto be closer to a witch cruel enough to try to kill someone just for liking a girl who wasn’t their estranged wife?
TWENTY-EIGHT
GABI
Joy’s hand folded very securely around Gabi’s elbow as they marched down the clinic corridor, Gus close beside them. They were really ought to have for Eilidh and Victoriya—Maisie was still banned from the clinic—but Gabi pushed the door to Neil’s room open and walked briskly inside.
Her blood pumped fast with excitement, dread, and a knot of other emotions. She was done waiting; she wanted her suspicions confirmed.
“Tell me,” she demanded without preamble, shutting the door behind her—and Joy and Gus who apparently wouldn’t be left out.
Neil was propped up in the hospital bed, a flock of flowers on either side of him adding riotous colour to the butter-yellow room. His brown hair was plastered to his face with sweat from whatever healing tonics were flooding his system, and his eyes were glazed, but they pinned on Gabi when she entered, and his jaw clenched.
There was nothing weak or uncertain about his voice when he matched Gabi’s briskness.
“Paulina’s assistant. Girlfriend. I’m not sure which she is.”
While Gabi reeled, he pushed himself higher on the pillows. She suspected it was only sheer determination that kept him conscious, let alone upright.
Her stomach flipped. Her mind instantly began making connections, working through the shock that threatened to ground her to a halt.
“I’d been at work all morning—” Neil began angrily.
“At the school?” Gabi clarified. He worked two jobs as far as she was aware—the school and community classes.
Neil nodded. A wave of dizziness clearly washed over him; he hissed and gripped the bed tightly. “I was on my lunch, having my sandwich on the beach for a bit of fresh air.”
