Olivia stared at the bank a moment longer. “Yes.” She paused, then she shook her head. “No.”
She turned to walk away, but Theo simply caught her by the arms and steered her gently back to the door.
“You need to get this over with, Olivia,” he told her. “You cannot put all this behind you until you do. It will always be there at the back of your mind.”
“I know.” She blew out the breath she’d been holding. “You’re right.”
“Come on.” He took her hand in his and tugged her toward the door.
As she walked through the door into the light open space, she pulled her hat off and stuffed it in her coat pocket.
“Can I help?” a member of staff greeted politely.
“Um, I’d like to speak with the manager,” Olivia answered nervously.
“Certainly, Miss…”
“West,” she replied, watching with some amusement as the woman’s eyes widened.
“I’ll let him know you’re here.” She disappeared momentarily and arrived back with a short man with very little hair and a really wide forehead.
“Miss West,” he greeted her courteously. “I’m George Banbury, the manager. Please…” He gestured toward a desk with two plain, utilitarian gray padded chairs tucked neatly in front of it. “How can I help you today?”
“I, uh…” She sat down in one of the seats with Theo next to her. “I’ve recently found out that my aunt held a safety deposit box here, and I have the key to it. I just wondered how I would go about getting access to it?”
“That’s not a problem. Evelyn West did indeed rent a box with us, and your name is already listed. You are more than welcome to access its contents. All I require is a valid form of identification.”
“I have my driver’s license.”
“Perfect,” he replied as she handed it to him.
“Can I remove the items if I choose to?” Olivia asked, following Mr. Banbury into a back room that was filled with row upon row of metal boxes.
“That is your right.” He nodded. “The box is paid up in full for several years. We can either refund the fee back to you if you wish to surrender the box, or you can keep it and store other items in it. Your key, if you don’t mind, Miss West.”
She handed it to him and watched as he unlocked the box and pulled out an interior metal container, carrying it over to the table in the center of the room and setting it down.
“I’ll just give you some privacy.” He inclined his head politely and left the room, quietly clicking the door closed behind him.
In the stillness of the windowless room, she could feel her heart pounding in her ears as she reached out with trembling hands and lifted the hinged lid. The box contained a large, thick rectangular item wrapped in heavy black velvet. She reached out slowly and grasped the object carefully. She could feel the heat tingling in her fingertips as she lifted it clear of the box and laid it on the table in front of her.
Breathing heavily, she just stared at it. Even wrapped in cloth and hidden from view she knew what it was. She could feel it whispering to her, calling to her blood. Slowly, she peeled back the thick layers of velvet to reveal a heavy black leather-bound book with a triple moon etched into its face. She laid her hand reverently on the cover, and for a second, she could have sworn she saw the surface ripple beneath her palm.
Excitement pounded through her veins, and she opened it, turning to the first page. For a second her vision blurred, and the page seemed to swirl in front of her eyes, the words re-ordering themselves on the page until they settled into an elegant curly script.
Lifting the heavy book in her hands, she gasped as a thrill ran through her. She was actually holding Hester’s Grimoire, the book that had obviously been protected and treasured by her family for centuries. Suddenly feeling very exposed, she closed the book and wrapped it up in the velvet cover. She took the metal drawer, slotted it back into the wall, and after locking it, she slung the key around her neck. Picking the book up and holding it tightly in her arms, she hurried out of the room. Theo glanced up as he saw Olivia hurrying back out into the main floor of the bank, her expression excited but wary.
“What is it?” He stood as he saw her slightly shell-shocked expression.
“Not here.” She shook her head. “We need to go, now.”
“Was everything to your satisfaction, Miss West?” Mr. Banbury called to her.
“Everything’s fine. Thanks for your help.” She waved as she grabbed Theo’s hand and pulled him to the door. Unbuttoning her coat, she clutched the book to her chest and folded her coat over it to protect it from the rain, which had now slowed from downpour to steady drizzle.
Chief Walcott watched as they exited the bank and hurried toward her car, which was parked nearby. His eyes narrowed as he zeroed in on the bulky item half-concealed by Olivia’s coat. Torn between following her and entering the bank, he hesitated and missed his opportunity. Cursing, he turned and pushed the door open, his hawk-like gaze surveying the main floor. Zeroing in on the manager, he beckoned him over.
“Chief Walcott,” the small man greeted pleasantly. “What can we do for you today?”
