Page 62 of The Little Shop of Curiosities, The Music Box Part 2

I can’t help it. I laugh out loud.

“What?” Harrison turns that glower on me, but it doesn’t have the effect he intended. Honestly, whenever he gets all prickly and put out, it just makes me hot for him.

“You two may not be related biologically, but you’re so alike. It’s like looking at you in sixty years.”

“Fifty,” Grumps grumbles. “Anyway, we’re getting off topic.”

“Right.” I settle back against the sofa, resting my arm along the back as I drink my tea. “I went to visit Hadley and Mason a few days ago.”

“You did?” Harrison blinks, his brows wrinkling, but I can’t be sure if it’s worry or something else.

I nod.

“Who’s Hadley and Mason?” Grumps asks curiously.

“They’re a solicitor’s office,” I continue, “but evidently not just any solicitor’s office. They represent magically and supernaturally inclined families and individuals.”

“Do they really?” Grumps leans forward his eyes glittering in interest.

“And according to Mr Hadley, they’ve been around since 1605. Well, not them personally, but their ancestors. The original Hadley and Mason were part of King James’ court. Given his absolute fear of witches and his subsequent persecution of them, Hadley and Mason the first convened a secret society to protect the accused and limit the damage. I’m guessing the mantle was passed from father to son, to the present-day Hadley and Mason. Somewhere along the way, it morphed from a secret society into a legitimate business.”

“And he just told you all of this?” Harrison frowned. “Why?”

“Because”—I stroke his back absently—“they’re apparently the ones who have been filtering all the paranormal cases in my direction.”

“Really?” His brows furrow.

“They want to hire me.”

“For?” Grumps chimes in.

“Hadley told me that I was onto something before I went back home to Yorkshire. That more people are spontaneously manifesting supernatural gifts—a lot more. More than they can keep track of, and they want to know why.”

“They’re not the only ones.” Grumps traces his bottom lip with his thumb.

“Did you ask him about the demon in the bookshop?” Harrison asks.

“Yes, but I didn’t get much of an answer. All he said was that the demon wasn’t the one causing this outbreak of paranormal abilities. That it was something else, something more powerful.”

“More powerful than a demon?” Harrison whispers, his gaze briefly flickering to his grandfather, who scowls thoughtfully. When Harrison turns those blue eyes back on me, they’re once again filled with worry but also determination.

“Then I guess we’d better figure it out.”

15

“Highgate Cemetery?” I remark in surprise. The grand West Entrance has just come into view as we stroll through Waterlow Park.

Grumps chuckles, leaning heavily on his walking stick with one hand, his other arm linked through mine.

“I thought you were taking me to some archives.”

“I am.”

“Grumps, this is a cemetery. One of the—if not the—most famous ones in London. There’s no archives here.”

“Ye of little faith,” he huffs as we approach the gate. A man stationed there watches the visitors pass into the grounds. When he sees Grumps and me, his eyes track over to me briefly, then he nods to Grumps and we walk right through.

“I thought you had to have a paid ticket to visit here?”