Darkness fell away like a magician’s cape.
We were in a brightly lit garage where three other cars were stored.More lights snapped on automatically as the SUV took one of the dozen open parking spaces.
Lu maneuvered into the space next to them.
I whistled.“This is nice.”
And it was.
White subway tiles accented in dark green, gave the garage the distinctive Art Deco style that used to be more common back in my day.Accents of dark wood gave another hint at the care taken in building this place.
Pamela and the others got out of the car, and so did we, though I was stiff and groaned a bit.
“Everyone still in one piece?”Elmer asked.
“Never better,” I said, trying to ignore the headache.
“Was this military?”Lula asked.
“Intelligence services,” Josie said.“Lots of spy stuff happened here.”
“For the world wars?”I asked.
“To begin with,” Elmer said.“After that, it was decommissioned.The last keyholder passed those keys on to some local monster hunters.Ever since…” He made his way across the space and up a short set of metal stairs.“Ever since, it’s been in the family.The hunting family.”
He used a key to unlock the door and slapped the inside of the wall.Lights came alive in the room ahead of him.“Come on in,” he said.“Family’s always welcome.”
“We’re part of the hunting family, right?”Abbi asked me.
“Dunno, Pumpkin.Ask Pamela.”
“Of course you are.”Pamela draped the strap of a duffle over one shoulder and hefted two others out of the back of the car.“Family are the only people allowed.Come on this way.I’ll show you your rooms.”
Josie shut the car doors.“You’re gonna love the showers.Hot water for days.Nice watch, by the way,” she said to Lu.“Antique?”
The magic pocket watch that could stop time, and the winged key to open the book, hung from separate chains around Lu’s neck.She usually kept them hidden, but our run through the storm had dislodged them so they were on the outside of her shirt.
“Yes,” Lu said smoothly, tucking it away.“It’s very old.”
“Well, old fits in here.”Josie strode across the room.“You won’t believe how far back the library goes.”
Abbi took a step, then turned back.
“Maybe I’ll stay out here in the truck.”
“Why?”Lu asked.She had grabbed our bags and handed me mine.
Abbi rocked up on tiptoes and pointed at the tool box.“Hado will miss me.”
Lu frowned.
I leaned on the truck.“Let’s find out what kind of magic they have on this place.See how safe it would be for Hado to move away from the book.If it’s not good enough or safe enough, we’ll all sleep out here with Hado together.”
“A sleepover?”Abbi asked.
“Yup.A sleepover.”
Lu’s gaze darted up to mine, and she smiled.
