“I will.” I gave her a small smile then spun and shoved the door open. Cold air slammed into my face.
“Do you have your wand?” She shouted after me.
I did, but I knew she’d feel better if I proved it, so I yanked it out of my coat and held it up. “GOT IT.”
“Good luck!”
I hurried out to the driveway and my feet crunched in the snow on the ground. The air was bitter cold and stinging my face. The blizzard was definitely more than the weathermen had predicted. But mom’s pickup truck was brand new, black, shiny, and a monster in the snow. As I put my hand on the door handle the car recognized the keys in my hand and just unlocked for me. I yanked it open and climbed in.
The truck roared to life quickly. I threw it in reverse and backed out onto the street. Gigi lived literally around the corner so it took me less than sixty seconds to get around to her house. Gigi may have sounded confused and asleep but as I pulled up I found she was already on the sidewalk, bundled up in winter gear.
“What do you know?” Gigi asked as I sped down the street.
“Saffie went to Midnight Mass with Dr. Troy then never came home.”
Gigi cursed and pushed her hair back.
We were both silent as I drove at illegal speeds through town. It was late, nobody was out at this hour. The town of Salem passed in a blur. When I finally pulled up in front of The Night Haven, Landreia sat on the front steps with her face buried in her hands and her black hair blowing all around her.
I was out of the truck and hurried onto the sidewalk. “We’re here.”
Landreia looked up with tears in her blue eyes. “I just don’t understand. I’ve looked everywhere.”
“Okay. Talk to us. What happened? Let’s go through the steps again just in case.”
“What did you guys do today?” Gigi asked as she sat down on the stone step beside her. “How was she?”
“We had a great day. We played in the snow, for Goddess’ sake.” Landreia scrubbed her face with her hands and shook her head. “Then we had a nice dinner and watched Christmas movies. I knew she was a little bit sad that she was spending the holiday away from her real life, the one she can’t remember but she was trying not to let it show – like maybe she was afraid she’d hurt my feelings? She asked if she could go to the Midnight Mass at the church around the corner because her therapist Dr. Troy was going to be there…so she went…but never came home.”
I cursed and started to pace the sidewalk in front of her house and shop.
Gigi pursed her lips. “I’m assuming you checked the church.”
“Three times in two hours!” Landreia groaned. “You don’t understand. I was sitting right here waiting because I knew what time service would be over. A lot of people walk so I saw them, figured it’d be any minute. But then the crowd vanished and she hadn’t shown so I went looking. She was nowhere to be found.”
“Did you call The Coven?”
“Gigi—”
“What?” She looked up at me and made a face. “Why is that a bad question?”
“Because it’s three in the morning on Christmas,” Landreia said under her breath. “I didn’t want to alarm them if she was by chance with you.”
“But she’s not.” Gigi arched one eyebrow.
“Is there some place else she might go? Or somewhere she’s shown you she liked?”
“I still think we should call The Coven—"
“Not yet.” I narrowed my eyes at Landreia. “Have you tried a tracking spell?”
She seemed to deflate. “Several. Nothing.”
“I really think we should call—”
“GIGI. Stop, please. It’s only been three hours. Saffie has proven she can fight off demons. I don’t want to panic before it’s absolutely necessary.” I turned my gaze back to Landreia. “Show me what happens when you do it?”
Landreia pulled her wand out of her coat, flicked it in the air, and chanted words in the ancient language. I knew them but I wasn’t listening. I was too busy watching what her wand did. It flashed with light…then did nothing. It was like the world’s fastest sparkler on the Fourth of July.
Landreia sighed. “See? Nothing. That’s not normal.”
“Okay, okay, okay…have you called Dr. Troy?”
She shook her head. “I don’t have her number or address. I thought I did but can’t find it. I