I forced a smile. “In good news, Jeannine seems to be working harder to build family ties. I wish I could believe she cares for me and she isn’t looking for someone to blame if things go badly again.”
“Uh-oh. What now?”
“She’s dating a new man who she’s quite taken with. She brought him here to meet me. A very nice man, but Aunt Theresa won’t approve.”
Nora stepped back, her head cocked. “What do you mean?”
“You know first-hand Aunt Theresa lives in a very small bubble, where people who aren’t like her are dismissed out of hand.”
“Jeannine’s new boyfriend is indigenous?” Nora guessed.
“No, he’s black.”
“Just as bad to Theresa’s way of thinking. Do you believe Jeannine cares for the man? It isn’t an act of defiance against her mother?”
“No. I think moving to Milwaukee was her act of defiance. Her feelings for Travis seem genuine.”
Nora nodded. “Well, then, good for her. I know how difficult it can be loving someone from a different cultural background, but again, true love has a resilient quality that can carry you through. What does Jason say?”
I picked up the pan of wax and swirled it before it hardened, then poured what was left into the votive molds Nora had put out. “She hasn’t told him yet, but I have to believe he’ll be more accepting. He’s had to deal with a lot over the past year, and he seems to have adapted.”
“Which doesn’t help with your problems. How can I help?”
I smiled. “It helps that you’re here, but you probably knew that. I’m guessing that’s why you showed up today. You always seem to know.” I set the pan down and reached for a paper towel to wipe away the residual wax.
“I knew you were unhappy when I left yesterday, but I thought you and Kyle wanted time alone to talk. Have you found a solution to your transferred spell? I thought we could look into that together, if you want.”
I tapped the votive molds against the tabletop to dislodge any bubbles in the wax. “I reached out to the woman who cast the spell. Kyle is looking for Daria. I’m not sure how he thinks she’ll cooperate, but we do need to find her to send the spell back to her, unless there’s another option.”
“I wouldn’t expect much help from the woman who cast the spell, either.”
I rested my hands on the worktable and huffed. “How can she cast a spell that brings harm to someone else? Won’t that reflect to her?”
“Technically, I don’t suppose it is harm. It’s setting a wrong to rights in her mind.”
“That’s playing fast and loose with the concept of hurting someone,” I replied. “If the spell is realized while Kyle is carrying it, he’ll never be able to work in law enforcement again. That’s the definition of harmful to his career.”
“He’ll find other work.”
“He doesn’t want other work,” I told her. “That’s part of our problem.”
“No, that’s part of his problem. I suppose we all create our own safe space, don’t we?”
I dropped onto the stool, considering her words. Hillendale had become my safe space. Had it become my bubble? I shook off the idea. I’d gone to college, left Hillendale for three years.
I’d come back. I’d chosen my bubble.
Nora’s dark blue eyes glowed with hidden knowledge. She nodded, acknowledging she knew I’d gotten her message. “Now,” she went on. “You said you’d reached out to the woman who’d cast the spell. What did she have to offer?”
“I’m still waiting to hear from her.” I left the workshop and opened my laptop on the dining table. I checked email and saw a reply from Madeleine Stephens.
Chapter 11
Someone knocked on my door, someone who called to me a moment later—Kyle. “Brynn?”
More interested in what Madeleine had to say, I opened the email first.
“Well, are you going to let him in?” Nora asked, her voice low.
I scowled and walked to the door.
Kyle slouched beneath an umbrella, sheltered by the overhang above the door. “I saw you come home. I didn’t want to impose on your time with Nora, but I wanted to let you know I talked to Jude.”
Jude, who had hired him to rehab vacation cottages in Door County. Of course, he’d called to tell him he needed to take some time off to heal. “Was Jude unhappy about the delay in his schedule?” I asked.
“He’s been great, but I think you know that. I also talked to him about that kid who got railroaded, Perry Stephens. Jude’s a lawyer, you know.”
“Railroaded might be a harsh term. He did steal that car.”
Kyle’s expression tightened. “Sentence doesn’t fit the crime. There were extenuating circumstances. I’m not saying he should get off. I’m saying there was more to it, and the drug conviction seems sketchy. Jude said he’d look into it.”
“That’s good of you to mention it to him,” I said.
“His conviction might have been warranted, mind you, but if sloppy police work is the cause, seems I can fix this.”
On his own. Without magic.
I didn’t disagree with his logic, but once cast, the spell had a goal which had to be met. He was trying to take control of a situation he had no control over. “Kyle...”
“Let me try it my way,” he insisted.
“Your solution will only go so far. You might help Perry, but it won’t solve your problem.”
“What do you mean?” Kyle asked.
“You can’t reason with magic,” I breathed. “The course has been set.”
He scoffed. “You’re saying I’m doomed? I think I can avoid taking possession of any illicit drugs.”
“You don’t know that,” I said.
