I sliced into my trout. Steam trickled up from the cooked fish. The smell of it made my mouth water.
“What sort of spell is it? And don’t think that because I asked, that means I’m going to help find it.”
“It’s a target spell.”
“What’s that?” I asked between bites of fish. “I’ve never heard of a target spell. Of course, I haven’t heard of most spells since, you know, I only have limited knowledge of magic.”
“And what a shame that is. Maybe Malene will teach you now that you know her secret.”
I shook my head. “I don’t think so. Since she lost her spell-hunting ability, her magic is limited. With you doing all this hunting, that could change things. You know, since you’re bringing old spells back to the forefront.”
“I’ve noticed some effect of magic on the town. When I show someone a spell, they can see it.”
“Oh, that reminds me! I bought the doorknob that you magicked for Lance and Patrick at Architectural Scavengers.”
Delight danced in his eyes. “Are you going use it for yourself?”
“No, I’m planning to put it in that house I’m doing the bid on.”
A shrill voice nearly punctured my eardrums. “Clementine Cooke, is that you?”
The sound was like nails scraping down a chalkboard. Inwardly I cringed, but outwardly I plastered on a big smile and glanced around the room to see who had called me.
“Yoo-hoo! Clementine! Over here!”
My gaze zeroed in on Crystal Darsey. She sat two tables over and gave me that little finger wave again.
“Clementine! Fancy seeing you here. I hope you’re well. Heard from Hadley Hutto yet?”
My insides twisted. “No, not yet.”
She winked. “Well, I have. But I won’t say about what.”
I wanted to strangle her. A man strode up to their table and sat. I instantly recognized him as Sykes Laffoon, Rufus’s wizard mafia employer.
He sat and smiled. In a voice that was smoother than a butter knife slicing through honey, he said, “Hello, John. Hello, Clem. Care to join us for supper?”
“Oh, well,” I stammered. “We’d hate to interrupt.”
Crystal rose, teetering in her heels. “Oh, it’s no interruption. Come on, Sykes. Let’s join ’em.”
Before I could mutter a squeak of disapproval, Crystal was scraping her chair across the floor and butting it up against mine. I shimmied to the left and was about to move my plate when Crystal grabbed my fork and speared the trout.
“This looks delicious.”
“Help yourself,” I muttered.
“Don’t mind if I do.” She bit into it. “Yum. Sykes, be sure to order me this. I want a whole plate of fish.”
“Sure thing,” he said. “You can have whatever you want.”
I snatched my fork from Crystal before she had a chance to nab another bite. “So are you two dating?”
“Hardly,” Crystal said. “He’s my uncle.”
“Oh.” I noted the deep V sliced into Crystal’s dress—a V that plunged nearly to her belly button. “How nice of your uncle to take you to dinner.”
Crystal rubbed Sykes’s knee. “Yes, isn’t it?”
