always wanted to be respectful of Saffie and not pry, this wasn’t the typical foster situation.”
“We know where her office is.” I started backing toward my mom’s truck. “We’ve dropped her there a few times. Let’s go ask her.”
Landreia jumped up and sprinted for the passenger door as I hurried around for the driver’s door. Gigi groaned and climbed into the backseat a split second before I sped off down the road. I heard my mom’s voice in my head asking me to be careful and I knew I needed to given the amount of snow on the road but I just couldn’t focus properly. I was turning into the driveway of Dr. Troy’s office before I even realized we’d gotten close.
Shit, that was bad, Savannah.
Well we made it for now, do better when we leave.
All three of us practically dove out of the truck the second I threw it in park. Dr. Troy’s office was on the first floor of the blue wooden house tucked away in the back. The lights were all off but that wasn’t surprising given it was Christmas, and three in the morning. Landreia and I pulled our wands out at the same time and bright light poured from the tips – the flashlight spell had always been one of my favorites.
That first day we’d walked her here I’d made sure to watch exactly where she went just in case. And boy, was I glad I had because there wasn’t a single sign on the house that said it was a doctor’s office. I led the way up the few steps to the front door. There were still no lights coming from inside. I frowned and knocked hard on the wooden door.
“This is the doctor’s office?” Landreia hissed in disgust.
“Yeah, we watched her go in this door.”
I sighed. “I’m gonna have to knock louder and wake up the whole damn neighborhood. Here goes nothing…”
I slammed the side of my fist on the wooden door as hard as I could over and over. The wood rattled and the knock echoed through the dark night.
Golden light spilled from the second floor and my heart stopped. Shit. Here goes. I heard a door creak open then crash against the wall. Footsteps thundered down the stairs on the side of the building. I grabbed the back of Gigi’s black coat and dragged her back behind me. The last thing we needed was for her to go penguin in front of a human. Again.
“What is going on down here?” A man grumbled and then he rounded the corner and froze. His eyes widened. “What? Ladies, it is three in the morning on Christmas, mind telling me what the hell you’re doing pounding on the damn door?”
It was a bit too dark to really see the guy but he was definitely tall with wide shoulders.
Landreia stepped in front of us then pointed her wand-flashlight up at her face. “I am sorry, Sir. My daughter didn’t come home from Midnight Mass tonight so we’re looking for her.”
The man frowned and cocked his head to the side. “Do I know you?”
“I’m Landreia Night, I own The Night Haven shop on Essex—”
“Ohhh. Right. Salem’s witch, right, right.” He took a step forward then reached up and touched something I couldn’t see – and light poured from a fixture on the wall. The man shook his head, his salt and pepper hair looking rather disheveled. He took a good hard look at us and sighed. “Your daughter, you say?”
“My foster daughter, yes,” Landreia said softly. “These are her friends. We’re sorry to disturb you we’re just worried about her.”
The man scratched the back of his head. “I understand, I have kids. But…why would she be here?” He pointed to the door I’d been knocking on.
“When she left home for Mass it was to meet up with her therapist.” Landreia gestured toward the door. “So we’re here.”
“This is her doctor’s office,” I added, in case that wasn’t obvious.
The man’s face scrunched up. “Ladies, I think you’re confused—”
“No, I brought her here once.”
The man looked to me with suddenly sad, dark eyes. “When?”
I shrugged. “Few days ago?”
“That’s what I’m telling you, I think you’re confused.” He sighed then scrubbed his face with his hand. “The therapist who worked here died last year. We just haven’t cleaned out the office yet.”
“No, no that’s not possible. I saw her go in here.” I scowled and replayed those memories in my head but they were clear. I saw her go