Witching For Joy (Premonition Pointe #3) - Deanna Chase Page 0,4
in Premonition Pointe. The town was a magnet for those with magic. Joy was only surprised because, even though they’d been working together for a few weeks now, Carly hadn’t given any indication that she was a witch.
She shrugged one shoulder. “I try not to use it on the set. That way there’s no confusion that what I do is a result of my acting ability and not some spell.”
Joy frowned, trying to puzzle out why magic would be a problem on the set. “How would that even work? Magic doesn’t make anyone a better actor. If you used an illusion spell, the reality would show up on film.”
“Some people without magic don’t understand. It’s just easier and cleaner to keep them separate.” Carly strode across the parking lot to her rented vehicle. After Joy slid in beside her, Carly turned to her. “Do you mind coming back to the house? Maybe look at some more pictures to see if you get any more visions?”
There was a desperation in her tone that nearly ripped Joy’s heart in two. Tears filled Joy’s eyes as she nodded. “Of course, I will. I have to warn you that I can’t promise anything. That’s the first vision I’ve ever had.”
Carly nodded solemnly. “I understand. I just… need you to try.”
The ride to Carly’s large rental house on the south side of town was full of silence. Joy was just too drained after the day of acting and then the trauma of witnessing an abduction. If she was honest with herself, all she wanted to do was go home, drink an entire bottle of wine, and pass out so that she didn’t need to think about it anymore. But she couldn’t leave Carly alone, and if there was anything she could do to help, she’d do it, regardless of her own needs.
They wound their way up a steep two-lane road until finally they came to a small community of houses that overlooked a bluff. Carly steered the car to a modern house in the middle of the street and hit the garage door opener. As the door rolled up, all the windows in the house lit up, and Joy asked, “Does anyone else live here? Besides you and your niece I mean?”
Carly shook her head, and in a businesslike, emotionless tone, she said, “No. The lights are programmed to come on when the door goes up. I learned a long time ago to never walk into a dark house.”
Joy studied her costar, realizing that due to her fame this might not be the first time Carly had dealt with something this serious. She wanted to ask her friend what she had meant by that statement but wasn’t sure she wanted to know. Instead, she just nodded, waiting for the car to come to a stop. When it did, she slid out of the car and met Carly at the door that led into the house.
“Are you ready for this?” Joy asked her, suddenly wishing they’d asked someone to come check out the house before they went in. Someone like Hope’s boyfriend, Lucas King, or maybe even just Hope, Grace, and Gigi. Her coven had proven they could handle pretty much anything. Surely they could root out an intruder if there was one. Sweat popped out on Joy’s forehead, and she swallowed hard as Carly opened the unlocked door and strode in without even a hint of fear.
“Damn,” Joy muttered. She really needed some of Carly’s confidence. If she’d been in the lead, she’d have tiptoed in and taken forever checking every nook and cranny to be sure no one was lying in wait. Not that the tiptoeing would be needed. It wasn’t exactly a secret that someone was home, considering every light was on and the garage door was hardly silent.
“Joy?” Carly called, poking her head back into the garage. “Are you coming?”
“Of course… I was just…” Joy let her voice trail off and shook her head. “Sorry. It’s been a really long day.”
“Shit! Of course it has,” Carly said quickly. “Did you want me to take you home? We don’t have to do this—”
Joy held her hand up in a stop motion even as she hurried toward the door. “No. Time matters. Let’s do this now. If I can pick anything up from your photos that can help the authorities bring her home, then it’s imperative that I try as soon as possible.”
“Okay,” Carly said, already retreating back into the house. “That’s what I