Light Magic, Page 28

  “Meg, the SUV’s safely back at Miss Serena’s, locked in that warehouse she calls a garage.”

  I almost sagged in relief. It’s stupid, I know. But I didn’t want to have to tell Miss Serena something happened to the SUV while I had it.

  “Maybe you can help me find a nice clunker to drive tomorrow?” I asked hopefully.

  “He won’t be doing that,” Judith said from behind us.

  I didn’t squeak in surprise, but it was close. While my heart pounded, I rested my head on Drew’s chest. After a slow count to ten to give myself time to calm down, I looked up and turned to where Judith stood with Quinn at her side.

  “Meg, we all understand you want your independence.” She led us into the living room and waited as we found seats. “In your place, I’d be pitching a fit. But I learned a hard and humbling lesson a few months ago.” I didn’t need to see the way Quinn paled before anger flashed in her eyes as she moved protectively to her mother’s side to know what Judith meant. Quinn’s ex had hurt all of them, especially Judith and her, and none of them had seen it coming.

  “I know I have to be careful.” I caught my lower lip between my teeth and thought hard. They didn’t need to know what happened on that last mission, but I needed them to realize I wasn’t going to do anything stupid. “What you guys need to understand is that driving the Land Rover scares the crap out of me. What if something happens to it?”

  “If it does, I’ll talk to my insurance agent,” Miss Serena said as she came downstairs. “However, if it makes you feel better, we can arrange for a Jeep or Tahoe to be delivered.”

  “The Grand Cherokee is a better vehicle, but cargo space would be a problem because of the dogs,” Drew said.

  “That can be handled.” Miss Serena pulled out her phone and disappeared into the kitchen.

  “Drew!” I hissed.

  “Hush,” Quinn and her mother said at the same time. “Let her do this, Meg. She needs it, especially after what Olivia told us,” Judith added.

  I closed my eyes and prayed for patience. How in the world had I managed to find myself in the middle of people who cared for me and wanted to do whatever they could to help me?

  “I’ll agree on one condition,” I said as Miss Serena rejoined us a few minutes later. I had no doubt she’d set the wheels in motion to find me an SUV that would meet my needs. Even though this wasn’t the time to discuss it, we would later.

  “Which is?” Drew asked suspiciously.

  Instead of answering, I crossed the living room to stand in front of Miss Serena. A moment later, I put my arms around her and gave her a hug. As I did, I could almost feel Mom’s approval. Despite everything that had happened, my life was better for having come to Mossy Creek. I couldn’t doubt that any longer.

  “I want to go home,” I said softly and then kissed her cheek. “I want to go back to your house and sleep in my own bed.”

  “Our house.” She spoke softly and her hand, when she reached up to pat my cheek, shook slightly. “Judith?”

  “It will be good for both of you,” Judith said. “I’ll come by later to help give her another healing session.”

  Inspiration struck and it was my turn to grin as a plan formed. “Why don’t we call the café and ask Janny and Miss Peggy to fix dinner for us? Drew or Lucas can pick it up on their way.” The look I turned on Drew was enough. He understood I wanted him to find out what he could about the attempted breakin at Miss Serena’s so he could fill me in.

  “I think that sounds like a great idea.” He pulled his phone from his hip pocket and sent a quick text. A moment later, the cellphone beeped. He checked in and the nodded. “It will be ready for me to pick up in forty-five minutes.”

  “You two and Mom go on,” Quinn said. “I’ll grab your things and follow as soon as I pick up Ali.”

  “Then let’s go home,” Miss Serena said.

  Home.

  After Mom’s death, I hadn’t been sure I’d ever call anyplace home again. Now, thanks to her, I not only could but I did.

  The grandfather’s clock in the sitting room struck midnight as I stepped onto the front porch. Apollo and Athena padded silently next to me. Since our return to Miss Serena’s, they hadn’t left my side. I could feel their joy to be back. Not that I blamed them. Something about the estate, and there was no other word for it, called to me. Whether it was the connection with Mom or something else, I didn’t know and I didn’t particularly care.

  I took a seat on the porch swing and pulled my legs up under me. For a long time, I sat there, staring out into the dark. Except it wasn’t dark. A full moon hung in the sky and stars, brighter out here than in the city, twinkled overhead. Night insects sang their songs and a light breeze blew through the trees.

  Peace.

  I felt at peace. There had been no nightmare to wake me, screaming and reaching for my weapon. Instead, Drew slept upstairs in my bed. He’d held me close and we’d laughed and talked. He’d done his best to keep it light so I wouldn’t think too much about what we’d learned. Between the stress of the day – hell, the stress of every day since my arrival in Mossy Creek – and the healing session Miss Serena and Judith did with me, it hadn’t taken long for me to fall asleep.

  Now, with the dogs sleeping in front of the swing, I let my mind wander. After dinner, Drew and I had walked the dogs. I’d laughed gaily as they raced after squirrels, barking in excitement each time they came close. Then we came to an area close to the back tree line. A black fence wrapped around it and I could see headstones, some that looked to be a century or more old. Before I could ask, Drew explained that this was the Duchamp family cemetery.

  Now, thinking back on that moment, I felt a lump in my throat. There was something else I needed to talk with Miss Serena about, something I needed to ask her, and I hoped she agreed.

  “You should be in bed, child,” Miss Serena said as she joined me on the swing.

  I reached for her hand and smiled. “I woke and couldn’t get back to sleep. So, I thought I’d sit here for a while.”

  “Are you all right?” She looked at me and I felt her concern.

  “I am.” I drew a bracing breath. “Miss Serena, I have a favor to ask.”

  “If you’re going to argue about the SUV.” Warning filled her voice.

  I smiled and shook my head. “No, not the SUV.” Especially since I still didn’t know what she’d done when she made the call before we left Quinn’s. “It’s about Mom.”

  Serious now, she swiveled on the swing so she could look me in the eye.

  “When Drew and I walked the dogs, we came across your family’s cemetery.” I swallowed hard. What if she said no? “Miss Serena, I might still be learning a lot about Mom, but I’m sure of a couple of things. She loved you and she thought of this as home. I – I was wondering if I could bring her here, bring her home to be with the people she loved?”

  I waited, holding my breath. Suddenly, Miss Serena leaned forward and pulled me close. For a long moment, we clung to one another as we remembered the woman we’d both loved so much. Then she sat back, tears glistening in her eyes.

  “I think that would be a wonderful idea.” She sniffled and reached into the pocket of her robe for a tissue.

  “Thank you.” I hugged her again. “I think Mom would like it.”

  “We can start looking into the process tomorrow, if you like.”

  “I do.” I smiled and squeezed her hand.

  “I’ll be going into town with you in the morning as well,” she said, surprising me. “I need to go to the bank to get the title to your mother’s motorcycle out of my safe deposit box. Then we’ll take are of transferring it to you.”

  “Miss Serena, you don’t have to.”

  “It’s yours now, child.” She smiled gently. “Then I have some things I need to talk to Annie about.”

  I nodded. At least if she was coming, maybe that meant she’d drive. If so, the Land Rover would be left in the garage and I wouldn’t be responsible for it.
I could worry about getting home later.

  “Meg, always remember this is home,” she said softly as she climbed to her feet. Then she reached down to help me stand. “Now, let’s get you back upstairs to bed. Tomorrow’s going to be a busy day and morning’s not that far off.”

  Together we walked inside, the dogs racing upstairs ahead of us. As the front door closed and locked without Miss Serena touching it, I shook my head, a bemused smile touching my lips.

  “One day, you’re going to have to explain to me how it does that,” I said. “And, while you’re at it, maybe you can tell me why your house is quieter than Quinn’s. I feel this place in the back of my mind but not like over there where it actually seems to talk to me.”

  Miss Serena chuckled and actually reached out to pat the wall as we climbed the stairs to the second floor. “Just like with people, houses have their own personalities.”

  As if in response to what she said, the energies in the house built. We stepped onto the landing and small lights danced at the far end of the hallway. A sense of joy enveloped me, and I knew then this house welcomed me in much the same way Quinn’s had.

  I was home and soon I’d make sure Mom was as well.

  Chapter 24

  “Good morning, Ms. Sheridan,” Carli said as I entered the office.

  I bit back a smile at her formal greeting, knowing it was only because there were already several clients waiting. I nodded to them and crossed to Carli’s desk. Before I could ask, she handed me a stack of messages and then turned her monitor so I could see it. I didn’t know whether to laugh or run back out the door at the sight of a full day’s schedule. When did that happen?

  Stupid question. I knew exactly when it happened. It happened the moment I told Annie I’d work with her. Who knew what else she had in the works already?

  “Your first appointment is in forty-five minutes, Ms. Sheridan,” she said, all professionalism. “Beth said she’d handle the walkins this morning.”

  “Thanks.”

  With my messages in hand, I made my way to the private area of the office. With my back to the door, I inhaled the welcoming aroma of freshly brewed coffee. Then I looked around, unsurprised to see Beth already at her desk. However, the sight of Miss Olivia at the desk next to hers brought me up short. Even though I knew she still came in to help or, as she put it, make sure Beth and Annie were running the office right, this was the first time she’d been there since I came to town.

  “Annie’s in her office and said to send you in when you got here,” Beth said.

  “Thanks.” I stopped in front of Miss Olivia’s desk. “Thank you.”

  She glanced up from the papers she was proofing and nodded. “Whenever you’re ready for the rest of it, let me know.”

  “I will but, for now, I’ll let Annie and Quinn deal with it for me.”

  She didn’t say anything, but I could tell she approved. “Go see what Annie wants. I’ll bring you a mug of coffee,” Miss Olivia said and, from where she sat at her desk, Beth rolled her eyes.

  I pressed my lips together to keep from smiling. Once confident I had myself under control, I thanked Miss Olivia again. After leaving the mail and messages on my desk, I made my way to Annie’s office. With the door closed, I lightly knocked, waiting for her to answer.

  “Come!”

  I opened the door and stepped inside. Annie sat behind her desk. Seated in one of the client chairs was Miss Serena. They smiled and waited for me to join them. As I did, Miss Olivia arrived with my coffee. She made sure the others didn’t want anything and then left the office, closing the door behind her.

  “Miss Serena brought the title for your mother’s motorcycle as well as a few other documents we need to go over,” Annie said as I took the chair next to Miss Serena’s.

  Half an hour later, I walked Miss Serena out. After she unlocked her car, I motioned to Athena. Before Miss Serena could protest, I opened the back door and ordered the Mal inside. Then I bent bent and kissed Miss Serena’s cheek.

  “This will make me feel better,” I said softly and watched as she slid in behind the steering wheel. “And thank you, for everything.”

  She patted my hand and slid the key into the ignition. “I’ll see you at home tonight. Call if you’re going to be late.”

  As she pulled out of the parking lot, I shook my head. She’d managed to outmaneuver me, and I had a feeling it wouldn’t be the last time. One of the documents she’d brought with her – or, more accurately, one that was delivered while we met with Annie – was the result of her phone call last night. In the space next to Annie’s Mustang sat a brand-new Land Rover Discovery HSE. I’d protested when Annie handed me the paperwork. Well, I’d tried to. Then Miss Serena said the one thing I couldn’t argue with, no matter how much I wanted to. She said the car was to make up for all the birthdays, Christmases, graduations and so on that she’d missed in my life. If we were family, I’d let her do this. When I looked at Annie for help, she simply shrugged and told me I was on my own.

  I still hadn’t looked at the sales papers that had been included with the title. I didn’t want to know how much she’d spent. Instead, I’d put in a call to Annie’s insurance agent and left a message that I needed to set up coverage not only for the Discovery but for the Chief as well. That’s when Annie reminded me I needed to get a Texas driver’s license as well.

  “At least,” she said, smiling broadly, “if you are planning on staying in town.”

  At least I had some time to take care of that. In the meantime, there were other things to consider and papers to review. Annie said she’d left copies of the probate papers for my great-great grandmother’s estate in my office. She’d put in a call to the attorneys handling the estate and would let me know when she heard back from them. In the meantime, Miss Olivia was pulling together everything she could about the estate and would be available to answer any questions I might have.

  “But,” she reminded me, “we have a full day of appointments.”

  With that thought in mind, I returned to my office, Apollo on my heels. “Zwinger!” I ordered and smiled as he moved to one of the two dog beds under the window and settled down. I bent to rub his ears and gave him his favorite chew toy. Then I took my place behind my desk, wondering what else the day had in store for me.

  And almost came out of my chair at the first file I opened. I stared at it for a moment, convinced I’d misread it. But no. I’d read it right. Remembering Annie talking about how tired she’d gotten when she first returned to Mossy Creek about all the surprises sprung on her, I wanted to ask if she’d forgotten. Then I wondered if that wasn’t what she wanted. Well, two could play that game.

  “Drew, did you know what your sister had up her sleeve?” I asked the moment he answered my call.

  “Huh?” I heard him say something to someone. The sounds of him walking away from the noise in the background followed. “Sweetheart, I have no idea what you’re talking about. What’s my twin done now?”

  I sighed. “Hang on. I’m going to send you a picture.” I quickly snapped a shot of the top page of the stack of documents and sent it to him. Then I waited, wondering what he’d have to say.

  “Please tell me you’re agreeing to it.”

  I heard a hint of excitement in his voice and sighed. “Drew.”

  “C’mon, Meg. You know you want to do it.” Humor and encouragement came through the cellphone. “I’ll take you out to celebrate tonight.”

  “No promises, but I’m holding you to taking me out.” As long as he didn’t spring any surprises on me. “All right. I need to get to work. I’ll see you soon.”

  “Sounds good.” He paused a moment before continuing. “Meg, I’d really like it if you signed those papers and stayed in Mossy Creek. I’d like it a lot.”

  With that, he rang off. I tossed my phone onto the desktop and leaned back. There were a million reasons why I shouldn’t agree with what Annie proposed and even more why I shouldn’t consider staying here. B
ut they were all outweighed by a few very simple facts. Mom wanted me to come here. I felt more at home here than I had anywhere else except the home Mom and I shared as I grew up. I had friends and family of choice here, even if I’d only known them a short time.

  “Damn it, Apollo, what am I supposed to do?”

  The Mal looked up, his teddy bear in his mouth. Chuckling, I leaned forward and reached for the partnership papers. I read through them, making a few changes, and then signed them. If Annie agreed to my changes, soon Metzger and Grissom would become Metzger, Grissom and Sheridan.

  “Meg,” Beth said from the doorway.

  I looked up and waved her inside. As I did, I slid the partnership papers back into their file. “What’s up?”

  “Your first appointment for the day is here but Lucas just called and wants to meet with you and Annie ASAP.”

  Worry sent my stomach into a flip. “Did he say what he wanted?”

  “No, just said it was important.”

  “All right. See if —” I checked my notes. “Mr. Nickerson wouldn’t mind rescheduling. If not, do an intake interview with him for me. Get the pertinents and tell him I’ll be in contact before the end of day.”

  “I’ll handle it. Don’t worry.”

  “Does Annie know?”

  “She’s finishing up with Mrs. Brewster. She should be ready to leave in five minutes or so.”

  “Let her know I’ll be ready.” I stood and looked down at the desktop. “I guess you know about this.” I tapped the folder containing the partnership papers.

  She grinned and nodded.

  Expression serious, I picked up the folder and extended it to her direction. “Then I’ll return them to you.”

  Her face fell as she reached across the desk for the file. My mouth twitched, and I fought the urge to smile. Instead, I watched as she tried to look inside the file without me realizing it. As if she could when she was standing right in front of me. Instead, I leaned against the desk and waited, wondering how she’d react.