time to go trick-or-treating, and I overshot that by nearly a month. Remember?”
“That’s true,” Diana said.
“We are talking time travel here. For all we know, she could be here until she graduates from college and still be home in time for Christmas in her timeframe.”
“I suppose that’s possible, but I can’t imagine Sam would be pleased when you present him with a grown daughter for Christmas, when he’s expecting a five-year-old.”
Mara slowly closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Let’s just pick up the duplicate doohickey that might allow people to travel to alternate realities, before we try to solve the paradox of the niece from the future.”
* * *
The arched oak door they stood before looked a little too stately for the aging brick rambler to which was mounted. Mara leaned to the right, looking for a doorbell, and, not finding one, leaned to the left. Behind her, Diana reached over Mara’s shoulder and banged the tarnished brass door knocker mounted directly in front of them.
“Why does Ned have a castle door installed on the front of a generic suburban home?” Mara asked.
Diana knitted her brow. “Don’t be rude. Ned thinks the arches give his home a more welcoming vibe, invites in the good spirits.”
“I forgot he’s one of your enlightened New Agey friends,” Mara said.
“How you turned out to be so judgmental is beyond me. Perhaps if I had spanked you as a child, you’d have learned to have more respect for other people’s beliefs. Just keep in mind that you’re the one walking around with a memory stone in her pocket,” Diana said.
Hannah tittered between them.
Mara looked down at her and asked, “What’s so funny?”
“Nana’s gonna spank you,” Hannah said.
“She’s all talk,” Mara said.
They felt footsteps coming toward them from behind the door. After a metallic click, the door swung open, revealing the tall, lanky silhouette of Ned Pastor. He smiled, and, instead of inviting them in, he stepped out onto the small porch, closing the door behind him.
He pointed toward the driveway and said, “The workshop is around back. That’s where I have the medallion. Let’s go take a look.” After walking past the driveway, they took a sidewalk around the corner and headed toward the rear of the house, with Ned leading the way. As they proceeded, he glanced over his shoulder and asked, “So you said that something happened to the original medallion, and you are interested in the facsimile that I fabricated. Is that correct?”
“Yes, the original was stolen, and I guess you could say I grew attached to it,” Mara said.
“Well, I have to warn you that, while I was able to reproduce the look and feel of the medallion, I don’t think I was able to capture the spiritual power the original radiated,” he said.
Diana caught Mara’s eye and gave her a warning expression.
Mara rolled her eyes and said to Ned’s back, “I’ve been given to understand that the medallion works as a metaphysical prism of sorts, reflecting and refracting the energy of its keeper, if you will. However, it takes time before its effects are detectable.”
“Interesting. To what end does the medallion do this?”
“I beg your pardon?” Mara was caught off guard.
“For what purpose does the medallion redirect and refract your energy?”
“Ah, it is designed to give insight into your, well, into the facets of your consciousness on other planes of existence.”
Diana smirked at her daughter, as they approached a large woodshed at the end of the fenced lot that made up the backyard. A security light at the corner of the building winked on, illuminating the path that led to a small door at its center. When they arrived, Ned pulled out a set of keys and lifted the padlock dangling above the doorknob. Once it was unlocked, he opened the door, reached to the right and flipped on the inside lights.
He walked around to the far side of a workbench that stood in the middle of the floor and ran the length of the building. “Come on in,” he said. “I’ve got it over here in this toolbox.” He walked toward a large metal chest of drawers.
Mara scanned the inside of the building, and admired the range of tools and appliances sitting on shelves and hanging from the low rafters. Many of the devices she could not identify, which surprised her.
“Are all these tools used for jewelry and working with metal?” she asked.
“Oh, there’s a little bit of everything out here.” He pointed to several shelves and