“Nor should humans,” Grans added. “Even though Suzanne Parker’s dead, I filed a complaint against her testing methods. I don’t know if anyone else in the department uses the methods she used on Mia, but leadership needed to know.” Grans absently leaned into Damien’s side and closed her eyes.
He met Mia’s gaze and smiled. His plan was going well, it appeared.
“Okay, so we know that Brandon set the house training program in motion, and we know he was at least one of many who complained about my level from the first test.” Mia was trying to think this through, but she was tired and hungry.
“I think he hid his complaint with all those other fake complaints,” Christina added. The doorbell rang and she stood to answer it. “That’s either Mark or pizza. No offense, Sarah, but I’m hoping for the pizza.”
Both had arrived. As the Baldwin family got reacquainted, Mia and Christina retrieved plates and napkins from the kitchen. The group paused the discussion and took a few minutes to eat.
Mark broke the silence. “Suzanne Parker’s death has been ruled an accident. The mayor came by with the report, and the recommendation that I close the case. I believe he tried to mind wipe me as well. I didn’t know he was part of your social circle, Mia.”
“Not my circle,” Mia reminded him again as she took another piece of Hawaiian pizza. “If he did push the magic button, we know the killing has a magical component—not just in the method but also in the motivation. Huh. This is the first time I haven’t been able to tell you that a murder isn’t related to magic. I’m not happy. I like it when ‘my’ people are good and kind and don’t kill others. How do we punish someone in the magical courts? Does the coven have a Mark I can take this to?”
“The Mark in the coven already knows about the human ruling. Now, that person is working on making sure the killer is found and punished,” Thomas explained. “Mia, I’m surprised the office holder hasn’t reached out to you before. I guess they assume if you cleared it from being magic-related, they had no reason to tell you.”
“You’re saying ‘office holder.’ Does that mean you don’t know who it is? As a full member of the coven, you don’t know?” Mia’s head was hurting. The food hadn’t helped like she’d hoped.
“Mia,” Abigail started gently, but then sighed as Thomas met her gaze. “We have a sheriff, I guess you’d call it. Someone who handles rule breakers. We have prisons and trials, just like humans. But the person who brings a rule breaker to trial is kept secret. That way, if you’re interviewed, you won’t know who to lie to and who to tell the truth to. It’s complicated, but it works for us.”
“So all we can do is wait for the office holder to make a decision and put the killer up for trial? How do we give them what we know?” Mia curled up her legs under her. She hadn’t gone this far to find Suzanne Parker’s killer to stop now and trust that someone else would do the job.
Mark was pacing with Em in his arms. He’d missed his little girl. “Believe me, I feel the same way. It’s like working hard to get an A, but then not being told your score—just that you passed and not to worry about it.”
“So that’s it? We’re done?” Mia couldn’t believe this was happening.
“Think of it this way,” Abigail said. “If Brandon, or maybe even Sabrina, killed Suzanne Parker and you gave him the evidence you’ve collected, he could get rid of it. It’s better for everyone to stay out of this now.”
“It’s not right, and I hate it, but from what you’re telling me there’s nothing I can do.” Mia pushed away her unfinished pizza. “Sorry, Trent, but if it’s okay with you, I need to get some sleep. Are you going back to the house?”
“If you don’t mind, I’d rather stay here for a few days. Even though we fixed the damage, the smoke smell takes a bit longer to get out.” Trent looked at Cerby, and the hellhound covered his head with his hands. Tempest inched closer to Sarah. The dogs were sorry.
Mia laughed at the dogs’ reactions. They knew they were in trouble. “I’d love to have you stay. I’ve missed all of you. But for now, I’m beat.”
“You’re still recovering from the test,” Grans said as Mia stood to go upstairs. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep this group from throwing a kegger while you sleep.”
Mia laughed. “That was one worry I never had. Thanks. Now I’ll be listening for blaring hard rock.”
Sarah stood and gathered up the baby’s car seat. “We’re heading home too. If I’m right, I’m sure the house is a disaster. Mark and I have some work to do before we head to bed.”
“To my defense, I thought I had a couple of weeks before I needed to start cleaning.” Mark took the car seat and handed Sarah the baby. “Come on, Tempest. Let’s go home. And no fire games. I don’t have top-of-the-line, premium home insurance.”
Tempest barked in response, then turned and barked at Cerby. The two had become fast friends.
Mia was on the second floor when she realized Damien was following her with Mr. Darcy. She turned in the foyer and shook her head. “I’m fine. Tired but fine. You don’t need to follow me.”
“I’m not. The library asked me to come up and get the academy’s original blueprints. There’s something we need to know before the remodeling is finished.” He put his hand on her back as they started up the last flight. “As tired as you feel, I’m surprised you didn’t take the elevator.”
“It’s funny that the library helps by giving us books with information, but they don’t just flat out tell us what’s going on. It would be a lot easier if they manifested as a sweet old lady librarian who told us what we needed to know and then gave us cookies and reading recommendations.” Now Mia knew she was tired. She was manifesting more creatures to live in her home. “Maybe she could …”
Mia never knew what she was going to suggest because she slumped over onto Damien’s side and he swept her into his arms. She felt herself being carried into her apartment, then nothing.
When she woke up, the morning sunlight made her blink. She sat up in the bed and saw that Trent had slept on the love seat in her room. His legs stuck out and angled toward the floor, and Cerby lay next to him. Mia looked out the window and saw Buddy perched on her roof. The dragon waved a wing and cooed through the glass. Mr. Darcy opened one eye from his place on the end of the bed, stretched, and then curled up again. Apparently, it was too early to get up.
Mia threw off the covers and went into the bathroom to get ready for the day. She wasn’t sure she’d go to the Lodge. Did her sudden tiredness come from her meeting with Blake? Or had her body just given out after all the stress and torture she’d gone through in the last month? What she needed was a massage, and maybe a trip to an island somewhere with rum drinks and sea and sand.
That would be nice. But first, coffee. She groaned as she realized the testing guy from Nationals was going to be at the Lodge to meet with her. She had to go in.
Grans sat at the table with Cleo, talking quietly over coffee. Both looked up as Mia walked into the kitchen. She poured herself a coffee, added a few teaspoons of sugar, then sat down.