“I think this Mia was trying to look like everyone else by finding clothes in thrift stores and garage sales. Actually, I admire her choices. A bit gothic but not offensive. I don’t get it though. If this is Mia Cooper, her parents are both celebrated college professors making enough money to support this house and an apartment in the city. Why didn’t Mia benefit by their wealth? This all reeks of an experiment of some kind. I really wish I had entered her mind.”
“Do you think we should call social services?” Nicholai asked.
“And tell them what? We don’t know where Mia is.”
Nicholai held out the mailing label, “I bet this man does. If not, he’ll want to know why?”
A pecking at the window alerted the birdmen that one of the observers had some information. Angelo read the bird and nodded. The bird flew away.
“Wyatt Wayne’s sedan has just left the mansion. He’s placed a warder spell on the house, so we can forget about getting in there.”
“Maybe we should follow the sedan for a while,” Nicholai said. “Demons don’t usually go out unless there is someplace they have to be. Let’s at least see if this Mia is with them and if she is under duress.”
“You know, Wyatt had the audacity to comment on birdmen parents selling their children to the Brotherhood. I bet he bought the Coopers’ child.”
“I’m looking at the differences between the houses. She’s probably better off there.”
Angelo took one last look around and agreed with him.
~
Mia kissed the ground before she rose. “I never want to travel that way again. Give me a thousand metal birds, leaky boats, smoke-filled cars, and puke-smelling buses.”
“I think it’s scrambled my senses. All I can see is dirt.”
“I think we landed in a plowed field. You’re a farmer, what are they growing?”
“Does it matter?”
“Guess not. Where’s the city?” Mia asked, looking around. All she saw was dirt. Maybe her senses were scrambled too.
“When you and Ted visited, were there any farms?”
“Nope, except for Glenda’s but that was north. I’m trying to remember the lay of the land when I was airborne…”
“Well?”
“Hold on, I was fighting a dragon at the time.”
A plane flew overhead. It was climbing.
Mia nodded and pointed in the direction of where it had come from. “We go that way.”
They got as far as Route 400 when a Sedgwick County Sheriff’s car pulled over and rolled to a stop where Mia had sat down to retie her shoe.
“You’re way too young to be hitchin’,” the deputy said, getting out of his vehicle.
“I’m older than I look,” Mia said lamely. “I wonder if you can help me. My brother dropped me off at Meadowlark Road, and my parents were supposed to be there to pick me up, but they never came. Did you get a report of an accident? I’m really worried.”
The man lost his hard edge and offered Mia a seat in the back of the cruiser while he made a few calls.
When he came up unsuccessful, she said, “My uncle works at the Home Depot…”
“The one off West Kellogg?”
“Yes. How far is it?”
“Too far for me to let you walk.”
“My aunt teaches at Robinson Middle School.”
“How about I drop you off there?”
“That would be so great! Would you like a peanut butter sandwich?” Mia asked and dug in her pack and pulled out the compressed loaf of sandwiches.
“No, miss, I’ll pass. Can I have your name?”
“Mia Murphy.”
“Parents?”
“Stephen and Chastity Murphy.”
“Your aunt’s name?”
“Which one, I have four?”
“The one at the school?”
“Mary Garrett.”
The deputy, satisfied, shut his door. “Put on your seat belt,” he instructed, and when she had, they pulled out into traffic.
Murphy looked over at Mia. She could lie so easily. If you didn’t know her tell, you would be in a lot of trouble weeding through the lies. In this case, she had charmed the deputy to not only not dispute her story but conned him into giving her a ride.
The lunch hour was going on when he pulled up. Many of the children had decided to eat outside to enjoy the warming spring weather. Mia burst out of the car calling, “Aunt Mary!”
Two teachers turned around and stared at the girl with the backpack. One started to walk over. That was enough for the deputy. He drove off and tapped his horn goodbye. As soon as he left, Mia walked quickly into the building, avoiding the approaching Marys.
She headed to the office, walked in bold as brass, and tapped the bell on the counter.
A woman walked out of the inner office. She was wearing a name tag.
“Hello, Ms. Peters, I’m supposed to drop off some science fair equipment to Theodore Martin. Should I leave it here, or can I take it to him in class?”
Ms. Peters looked at the large backpack and worried what Ted Martin had borrowed. He was a smart kid, but he could talk paint off a barn when he got going. “Let me get his next class,” she said, pulling out his class card. “He’s at lunch now. He’ll be in room 116 when lunch is over. Let me write you a pass. Your name?”
“Mia Murphy, my aunt is Millie Martin.”
“So Ted’s your cousin?”
“Kissin’ cousin,” Mia said, adding a giggle for effect.
“Room 116 is down the hall. Take a right at the trophy case, and it’s down there on the left.”
“Thank you, Ms. Peters. Do I return the pass when I leave, or should I have Ted bring it to you?”
“No, just toss it.”
Mia left the office and headed down the hall. Murphy was beside her. He whispered.
