I closed the door to my office with the excuse that after more than three days with relatives, I needed to focus. I wasn’t being entirely disingenuous. My list of relatives included an ex-mother-in-law, an ex-brother-in-law, and icing on the cake, an ex-husband, and all those exes put together at the same time really was the worst.
Now that we knew who’d killed the hidden folk on Salt Spring Island, I wanted to ask Malvyn if he’d ascertained whether Josiah and Garnet were also responsible for killing the two males Tanner found at other sites, earlier in the summer. I was curious about the Magicals’ system of justice in these cases. My heart hurt for Sallie. She might need therapy.
I left a message at Rowan’s clinic office, asking her to call when she had a moment. Using the office landline, I called the Pearmains’ number.
“Hyslop Pearmain here.”
“Hyslop, it’s Calliope,” I said. “How are you doing?”
“Considering our grandparents are missing, not great. But we’re aware that Tanner has a solid lead on their whereabouts, and we remain hopeful.”
“Are the sisters with you?”
“They are. They like it here.”
“Do you like having them with you?”
“We do.” Hyslop’s voice had lowered to a whisper. “Peasgood and I were hoping to get Gram and Gramp’s blessing to ask their hands in marriage. After that, our plan was to discuss the engagements with Néne and Sil’s parents. They think once their mother and fathers get over the shock, they could be convinced to see the wisdom in their daughters putting down roots in this realm.”
My jaw dropped open. “What do you mean, this realm?”
“Our druidic training took us to Europe and one other realm. We spent time in the French Alps and also at the Seelie Court.” Voices raised in the background. “Can you hold for a moment please?”
I added Seelie Court and Unseelie Court to a long list of questions for Christoph and the others, right under rings that sized themselves, blood, and more than a dozen other items.
“I’m sorry,” Hyslop said, “but I have to go. Néne and Sil are arguing over where to put a flower garden.”
“Give them each their own plot,” I suggested, adding, “on opposites sides of the property.” Through the glass panel beside the door to my office, I could see Kerry waving. I mouthed, “What?”
“Come. Here.”
I returned the receiver to the cradle and joined Kerry. “Did you find something?”
“How much do you know about your ex’s real estate holdings on Salt Spring?”
“I wasn’t aware he owned any property here,” I said, crossing my arms and settling one hip against her desk. “Aside from the building they renovated last year, the one where they have an office.”
I was on the verge of a belly-plummeting moment, and my hold was slipping. I squeezed my biceps and breathed through my nose.
“Your house abuts three other parcels, two of which are owned by the Flechette Real Estate and Property Development Corporation. The third one’s in a blind trust, same as the big parcel across the road from you. That one runs almost the entire length of Fortune’s Folly Road.”
That would explain how Doug and Roger had gained access to the woods behind the back of my house. “Does it look they own anything else on the island?”
“According to the real estate gossip sheet, an A. Flechette has entered in a bid on one of the orchards in the south end. Hmm,” Kerry murmured, clicking away with her mouse. “I had no idea that old property was under foreclosure.”
“Kerry, is that orchard anywhere near Brooks Farm?” Harper and Thatcher worked for the Brooks family.
“Uhhhh…yep. Across the road. I’m kinda surprised Lolly hasn’t snatched it up already.”
I grabbed my bag and my phone. Lolly Brooks had been in labor the day I met Rowan. No wonder acquiring a neighboring property wasn’t at the top of her to-do list.
“Kerry, I’ll be back. My ex has been…” I stopped to press my fingertips against my eyes. I wasn’t going lose it in front of my assistant. “My ex has not been acting in our sons’ best interests lately. Harper and Thatcher work at Lolly’s and I…”
“You go make sure they’re okay.” Kerry came out from behind her desk, gave me a hug, and steered me out the office door. “Call me. And let me know if there’s anything I can do from here.”
I pointed at my canvas bag. “Get the soil samples in there over to Rowan’s office. I’ll call her from my car and let her to know to expect you.” I gripped the knob and grounded myself in the look of concern in Kerry’s eyes. “And thank you.”
Getting to the southern part of the island meant I’d be driving through cell service dead zones for long stretches. I made myself sit in my car and call Harper and Thatcher, only to reach both their voicemails. Tanner was in—or on his way to—France. Christoph had no cell phone that I was aware of. That left River, Wes, and Kaz. I would start with Wes.
Taking a breath, I patted my chest, looking for the familiar reassurance of the pouch. Only, it wasn’t nestled at my sternum, and there were no leather cords looped around my neck.
Rather than hyperventilate, I walked myself through my morning routine and pinpointed when I might have inadvertently removed the pouch.
I called Wes.
“The boys left about thirty minutes after you,” he said. “Had breakfast first. Christoph and I made sure they had their amulets and the temporary portal stones, the pelotes. We made two for each and strapped them on their arms above the elbow. Either one of them can activate any of the four stones, and it’ll get them to the crabapple, Calliope.”
“Wes, I appreciate knowing about the stones, but I literally just found out the Flechette Group owns two of the properties
