by Alys West
“Oh, right. Thanks.” He shot her a quick glance. “If you change your mind—”
“I won’t.”
“But if you do, Grace will be here from around five.”
Behind her, Debbie put the crate down with a sharp chink as twenty-four glasses clinked against each other and then settled. “Be a love, will you Rachel, and go and give Robbie a hand with the other ones?”
“Sure.”
The walk through the house gave her precious moments to think. She wanted to talk to Grace. She really did. But could she risk it after everything that had happened, after everything that she’d done?
Chapter 47
Jenna zoned out of Finn and Hal’s conversation about green energy and checked her watch again. Ten to four. If she was going to go through with it, now was the time. As far as she could tell, Felicity and Andrew were in the kitchen. She wasn’t sure where her cousins were but she could handle them. She turned to Zoe and said, “Will you come with me?”
“Sure. Are we…” Zoe looked significantly at the ceiling. Jenna nodded.
After telling the guys they were going to the bathroom, which resulted in the briefest nod of acknowledgement from Hal and a seriously worried look from Finn, they headed up the stairs. Jenna had been up here once when Andrew gave her and Dad the grand tour after the house was finally finished. She was pretty sure there were five bedrooms and three bathrooms.
At the top of the stairs, Zoe put her hand on Jenna’s arm and stopped. “I couldn’t tell you before as you were busy with Hal but Rachel’s here. Finn’s spoken to her. She’s working behind the bar.”
“So that’s why she’s here. I couldn’t see her being on Andrew’s list of Orkney’s movers and shakers.”
“You’re pretty calm about it.” Zoe frowned. “Are you sure you’re alright?”
“Not really.” Jenna rubbed the back of her head. There was a persistent dull ache that the painkillers weren’t touching. “But I need to do this, and until I have, I can’t worry about anything else.”
“There’s too many things to worry about today but if you want to talk you know where I am.”
“Thanks.” It’d be good to do that, to get to know Zoe better, to have a friend of her own who was part of the magical community. “Okay, if anyone asks you wanted to see the house and I’m giving you a quick tour.”
“I can sound suitably enthusiastic about that. The house is amazing.”
Jenna looked up and down the landing. So many doors. The last room on the left was the master bedroom. Better start there. To be on the safe side, she tapped on the door and, when there was no answer, pushed it open.
“Wow! Look at that view.” Zoe headed straight for the windows onto the balcony. “Oh my God, imagine waking up to that every morning!”
“It’s pretty special, isn’t it?” Jenna crossed the room to join her but Zoe had already moved on.
“Is this the en suite? Look at that bath. I’d have killed for one of those when I was sharing the house in Lewisham and all we had was one pathetic dribble of a shower. And this is their second home?” Zoe closed the bathroom door. “What’s their other house like?”
“Not as nice as this. I’ve only been once.” Jenna walked over to the nearest bedside table which had a copy of Classic Cars magazine, a sleek alarm clock and the usual male paraphernalia. She slid open the drawer. Some loose change, credit card receipts, cufflinks and a small bundle of leaves tied with a yellow ribbon. She picked it up, prised the leaves apart for a closer look.
“What is it?”
“That’s marigold. I think the other one’s cascara sagrada. I’ll have to ask Grace what you’d use the two for together.”
“You think it’s your uncle’s?”
“Looks like it.” Jenna replaced the herbs, closed the drawer. “He’s deeper into magic than I thought if he’s carrying an enchantment like this around with him.”
She turned, looking for other hiding places. Andrew’s office was downstairs. It was going to be harder to slip in there without being seen. Would he keep anything that linked him to Mum’s death down there? If he’d kept anything at all. She’d said to Winston so many times, ‘We’re not CSI Kirkwall’ and it felt even more true today. But if she found something, anything that linked Andrew to Mum’s death wouldn’t that be enough to get the police to reopen the investigation?
Zoe opened the doors to the walk-in wardrobe. “Oh my God, have you seen the size of this? I’ve paid rent on smaller spaces.”
“It’s enormous, isn’t it?” Joining her, Jenna stared at the rows of grey suits, ironed shirts, polished shoes; the less orderly jumble of clothes on Felicity’s side. There were dozens of potential hiding places; shoeboxes, hatboxes, drawers, cases. It’d take hours to search them all. As she moved forward, the door bumped against her injured arm.
Her hand moved to cradle the wound as she spun. “What are you doing?”
“If there’s stuff hidden in here, we’ll need a week to find it,” Zoe said.
“We can’t just leave it.”
“We have to.” Zoe put her hand on Jenna’s shoulder. “They’re expecting you to sing any minute. There’s only so much we can do. We’ve got to keep looking.”
“If your drawing’s right, this house is going to be pretty much wiped out in the next few hours. If we don’t search now, then when will we?”
“It might not be as bad as I drew. And even if it is, we can’t stay here any longer. Pretty soon you’re going to be missed.”
And the longer they spent arguing about it the less time they’d got to search. Jenna took a step back to let Zoe close the wardrobe. As she crossed the room, she glanced at the alarm clock. Five minutes past four. Zoe was right. They were running out of time.
***
Leaning against Finn’s car, Winston refocused the binoculars. Within their circle of vision was the Stewarts’ house and a sliver of garden. He’d seen Jenna in the garden with Hal earlier but she’d quickly been hidden behind the fence lining the drive.
His mobile beeped. Message from Finn. “Rachel’s working behind the bar. I’ve talked to her. She might speak to Grace. Don’t come yet. Jenna and Zoe are exploring.” He knew what that meant. Jenna and Zoe were taking insane risks trying to find some evidence against Andrew Stewart.
His hands tightened around the binoculars. He should never have let her go in there on her own. It was crazy, stupidly dangerous. If anything happened to her, if he lost her again…
“Any news?” Grace said, through the open door of the passenger seat.
He passed his mobile over. She frowned, holding it as far away as her arms would reach and then handed it back to him. “Sorry, I don’t know where my glasses are.”
Winston read out the text, his voice tightening on the last sentence.
“You have to let her do this, you know,” Grace said. “She needs to pull back the power Andrew stole.”
“I do know that.”
“Then stop watching the house like a deranged stalker. What on earth do you expect to see from here?”
“I can’t do nothing.”
“If Zoe’s drawing’s correct then you’re going to be doing plenty in an hour or two. Drink your coffee and simmer down. You’ll be more use later if you ease up a bit now.”
Grace had insisted they go to Stromness before they came here and had bought them both enormous take-away coffees from the Oystercatcher Café. “Best cappuccino north of Soho,” she’d said as they carried them back to the car. “Just what we need for a stakeout.” He’d tried telling her it wasn’t a stakeout but she’d laughed. “Nearest I’m likely to get,” she’d said. “There’s not much call for arthritic sixty-year olds in the police, is there?” At that point, he’d just been relieved she’d not wanted doughnuts as well.
But as time ticked on, Grace’s relentless good humour was beginning to grate. He wasn’t designed for waiting. Not zen enough as he’d told Jenna. Coffee wasn’t likely to help that but, as he’d
nothing else to do, he gestured for Grace to pass him the cup and took a sip. She was right, it was good.
“I hope Rachel decides to talk to me.” Grace folded her bent hands in her lap. “Poor kid, she needs all the help she can get. Her training had barely started when Nina died. If she’s as powerful as Nina said then she’s got a lot to learn to control. Far more than most spellworkers can access even after they’ve been practising for years.”
“Would you teach her?” Winston angled his body so he could watch the house while talking to Grace. “Working on the theory that we all get out of this alive, would you take her on?”
“If she wanted to learn. But I could only take her so far. I don’t use the elements in the same way she does. She’d need a sea witch, a very good one, to really develop her abilities.”
“Do you think this Sarah Parry’s one?” Winston had showed Grace the email he’d found at Rachel’s house.
“I doubt it. You said she lives in the Lake District. Sea witches need to be by the sea. Even a lake wouldn’t be enough. They waste away without the ocean.”
A car passed them, continued down the lane and turned into the Stewarts’ drive. Winston raised the binoculars again. A middle-aged couple got out, the man dressed in a sport’s jacket, the woman in a summer skirt that was swiftly plastered to her legs by the wind. The guests were arriving.
***
Zoe’s mobile vibrated in her pocket. She pushed herself away from the landing wall and pulled it out. The message was from Finn. “Where are you?!? Felicity’s been to ask why there’s no music.”
He’d every right to be pissed. The deal they’d eventually reached after a lot of talking and a serious amount of compromise was that she wouldn’t take any unnecessary risks and when the storm kicked off, she’d do exactly what he said even if that included getting the hell out. They’d been here less than an hour and she’d already blown the ‘not taking unnecessary risks’ part. She’d been trying to get Jenna to hurry it along but their progress was far too slow. Jenna was determined they were going to find something and that was starting to freak Zoe out.
Because Jenna shouldn’t be doing this. She’d been to hell and back over the past few days. She should be sat at home, wrapped in a blanket, watching crap TV. Or going out with her friends, drinking far too much wine and getting seriously pouring-your-heart-out-to-strangers drunk. Or eating a vat of ice-cream while listening to a playlist of deeply depressing songs. Those were tried and tested ways of coping when life dealt you utter crap.
Becoming a magical double agent was not on that list. For good reason. It required an innate ability to deceive, ruthless determination and nerves of tungsten. None of which were qualities any sane person should be expecting themselves to demonstrate after the kind of shit Jenna had been through. She really wished Winston had talked Jenna out of this. The risks were too high for what they were likely to achieve. Because in the end, despite the enchantment they’d found in Andrew’s bedside drawer, this seemed like exactly the house a successful businessman and his wife would live in. A beautifully created, deliberately showy status symbol, complete with every gadget you could think of.
She tapped out a quick reply to Finn, promising that they’d be back soon and pushed the door in front of her. After bedroom three she’d offered to stay outside and keep watch, hoping that would speed up the process. It hadn’t.
Jenna spun to face her, her hand on her heart. Then her face changed.
“Oh, it’s you.”
“We need to go.” Zoe glanced around her. Clearly a guest room by the lack of personal belongings, decorated in pistachio with white accents. “Felicity wants to know why you’re not playing.”
“One more minute. I think I’ve found something.”
“Jenna—” Zoe broke off as she saw Jenna’s outstretched hand. “What’s that?”
“Fenugreek seeds.”
“And?”
“You use them in magic. Money spells.”
“Have you seen this place?” Zoe’s hands flew out. “They really don’t need any more money.”
“And there’s a tingle in the air.” Jenna’s hand twirled next to her shoulder. “Someone’s done magic in here. Pretty recently or I wouldn’t be able to feel it.”
“Okay but we have to go.” Zoe stepped back towards the door. “We’ve been gone too long.”
“You go. Tell them I’ll only be a minute. I just need to see if I can find any—”
“No, it’s you they’ve missed.”
“Then you stay.” Jenna pulled open a drawer, started to rifle through it. “Keep looking.”
“I can’t—” Zoe broke off, raised her hand. Footsteps, light and fast, coming up the stairs. “Someone’s coming.”
Jenna frowned. “That’s okay, we’ll say we were—”
“What? We wouldn’t have spent any more time looking round if I wanted to buy the place and, trust me, Finn and I couldn’t afford the garden shed.” As she spoke, Zoe unwound her scarf and peeled off her cardigan. She threw them at Jenna. “You’re getting changed for your performance.”
“I am?”
“You are.” Zoe swung the door open and backed out saying, “Lose the shirt and try it with the scarf.”
She tried to glance casually around. A boy of about ten stood on the landing about three feet away. He glanced behind him and then said, “Mum says no one’s supposed to be up here.”
“I’m just waiting for Jenna. She’s getting changed.”
The boy smiled, his face lightening up. “Jenna’s here?”
Zoe gestured at the door. “She’ll be out in a minute. So what do you think of the party?”
“It’s alright.”
Zoe laboured on, asking questions to which she received one or two word answers. She broke off when the bedroom door opened. Jenna had tied the scarf around her head. The colour suited her, the red lustrous against her dark hair. The cardigan was a little too small, the buttons straining across her chest but it looked sexy with only the vest top underneath. From somewhere, she’d also found a lipstick in a ruby red which was a little shakily applied.
“Angus! I was hoping I’d see you.” Jenna dropped her hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Are you joining the party or hiding in your room?”
The boy pulled a face. “Hiding.”
“Can I come and see you later on? You can beat me at that race game again.”
“Mario Kart.” Angus walked backwards away from her. “You were rubbish!”
“Yes, I know I was rubbish.” Jenna laughed. “I’ll see you later, okay?”
Another set of footsteps on the stairs, heavier, slower. Definitely an adult.
“You look great.” Zoe spoke a little too loudly. “Ready to meet your audience?”
Andrew’s bald head appeared at the top of the stairs. He stopped on the last but one tread. “So that’s where you are.”
“I’m sorry, I was getting changed,” Jenna said.
Zoe shot her a quick glance. She sounded far too much like her usual self. “I’m afraid I distracted her,” Zoe cut in quickly. “Your house is so beautiful, I begged her to let me see more of it.”
“I wish you’d let me know you were up here,” Andrew said. “I’ve been looking everywhere.”
To hide the spike of fear, Zoe plastered on a smile. “I’m so sorry Mr Stewart, it’s entirely my fault. I’m an artist you see and I love beautiful things and your house is full of them.”
Oh crap! Why had she said that? She was supposed to be whatever it was Laura did. Something important at the Royal Armouries.
Andrew stared at her for a long moment. Her heart hammered, sweat bloomed and trickled down her back. She concentrated on her breathing, on keeping each inhale even. She’d faced Maeve and survived. She could handle Andrew Stewart.
His gaze moved to Jenna. “Go. Hal’s waiting for you.”
“Yes, Uncle Andrew.” Jenna’s voice was perfect, exactly as it had been yesterday. She didn’t even glance at Zo
e before she ran down the stairs.
“And play something lively,” Andrew called after her. “Something to get the party started.”
Zoe’s jaw tensed. The absolute bloody bastard. He’d not even said please. Just ordered her around like a servant. Even Maeve managed to sound a bit more polite to poor Helena most of the time.
“So Laura,” Andrew’s attention returned to her. “What brings you to Orkney?”
“Holiday.” Zoe forced her hands to relax. “We’re touring the north of Scotland and I wanted to come over to Orkney to see Jenna.”
“Good timing. Seeing as she’s leaving next weekend.” Was he watching her too intently? Or did he look at everyone that way while he talked to them?
“Lucky timing.” Zoe’s laugh came out too high. “But I’m pleased she’s finally taking charge of her life and making the decisions that are right for her for a change.”
She wasn’t imagining the look this time, the weight of his gaze as he studied her face. Andrew’s arm came out, guiding her to the stairs which were wide enough for them to descend in tandem.
“It’s a great flat I’ve found her,” he said. “Really central location in New Town. Close to all of the shops and bars. Did she tell you she turned it down the first time I offered it?”
“No, she didn’t mention it.” She was too close to him on the stairs. It was harder to lie in this proximity.
“Because of some bloke she was seeing.” He stopped on the last step and turned. His hand rested on the newel post, boxing her in. “Still, that’s all over now.”
The room had filled up. People stood around in groups of three or four, holding glasses. The murmur of conversation was punctuated by the occasional laugh or exclamation. Behind Andrew’s head, she saw Finn’s hand go to his staff at his throat. He put his drink down and started to cross the room towards her. She had to defuse this and fast.
Zoe gestured towards Jenna as she spoke quietly to Hal. “I always hoped she and Hal’d get another chance. They were so good together.”
