The ladder scooted a foot to the left.
“Perfect. Thank you.”
She continued to dust the shelves, and Steve settled back down on his pillow. She felt a smile tugging at her lips. There was so much magic here, and the inn wasn’t even at its peak.What must it be like when it’s full of otherworldly guests?She wanted to see that.
But if Auntie Zee stayed away from the inn for too long…they’d lose what few guests they had. She wasn’t as confident as she’d tried to sound to Jack that they could keep everything moving smoothly without Auntie Zee. She’d seen last night how demanding the guests were and how much the innkeeper did to cater to them.
Not to mention: What if Auntie Zee was in trouble? Hurt orsick somewhere? Calisa didn’t want to even think about that. It didn’t seem plausible. Not Auntie Zee. She was too ornery for that. Regardless…We can’t wait for her to come back on her own.If Auntie Zee did this regularly and if Jack had never said anything, she might not realize how many problems her absence could cause. She had to be told and brought back.
What they needed, she decided, was access to Auntie Zee’s records. If they had that, they could figure out where she’d gone. Calisa had gotten a glimpse when she’d first arrived—a large leather-bound book with handwritten notes. It had looked to be where Auntie Zee kept all her info about the inn: guest registration, expenses, supply lists…Maybe there was a record of where those supplies came from? In fact, the more Calisa thought about it, the more likely she thought it was.
Unfortunately, Calisa hadn’t seen the logbook since her first day. It clearly wasn’t kept anywhere visible. “Do you know where Auntie Zee keeps the inn’s logbook?” she asked the ladder.
It wobbled under her, as if she’d confused it.
“I doubt she keeps it in the library. You don’t need to get upset.” Climbing down from the ladder, Calisa patted the rungs. “You’re doing a great job.”
The ladder seemed to stand up straighter at that, and it occurred to Calisa that she had adjusted remarkably well to weird stuff happening, if she was complimenting a ladder without even pausing to think about it.
Her first guess was that it was in the lobby desk. If Auntie Zee were here, she was positive she wouldn’t be permitted to touch it. She checked the kitchen, the sitting room, and the dining room to be sure no one was watching. All wereempty. Jack was upstairs, cleaning the bathrooms. She could hear the faucets turning on and off. Outside Melidor was lying in a muddy puddle, talking with the shrubbery. The stone statue was closer to the inn, beneath the overhang of the porch roof, shielded from the worst of the rain. Drops rolled down one of her shoulders and along her arm.
Looking out at her, Calisa wondered if she should invite the statue inside. Had she ever been invited? Did she want to come in?Couldshe come in? Considering it, Calisa wondered how she’d manage the steps up to the front or back door.
Once Auntie Zee is home and everything is back to normal, I’ll ask Jack if there’s wood to make a ramp.There was nothing she could do about the second and third floors, but everything on the first floor should be made accessible, and not just for the statue. Other guests might have other needs…if they ever had other guests.
Certainly wasn’t going to be an issue if they couldn’t find Auntie Zee.
Filing the idea away for later, Calisa searched the desk, checking every drawer.
No logbook.
Shedidfind a pine cone, a pair of scissors, and a yo-yo.
Calisa sank into the stool behind the desk. What if Auntie Zee had hidden it, to preserve the privacy of her guests, instead of merely putting it away? Given that the primary draw of her inn was discretion, that seemed likely.
“Where would she keep her book?” Calisa asked out loud.
What if it was in Auntie Zee’s room?
If Auntie Zee didn’t want Calisa to open doors, she wasnotgoing to like it if Calisa broke into her bedroom. Her great-aunt would likely send her back to Brooklyn instantly…. Of course, Auntie Zee would have to beherebefore she could dothat.
Weighing the risks, Calisa absently watched the shadows in the mirror swirl.
If I wanted to hide something and I lived in an inn full of portals, why just hide it in my room?Auntie Zee could have hidden the book anywhere, in any realm.
“Any chance you’re a magic mirror?” she asked the mirror.
The swirls seemed to deepen, and she glanced behind her to see if they reflected any movement. When she looked back, a single word was displayed on the mirror’s surface in black newspaper font:
No.
“Seriously? That’s not…Okay, yes, that’s kind of hilarious.” She crossed to the mirror and, hands on her hips, stared into it. “Magic mirror on the wall, do you know where Auntie Zee keeps her records book?”
The smoke swirled.
Yes.
“Where?”
