Page 89 of A Seer and Present Danger

“Yes.”

That “yes” sounded more like “probably,” so I made it quick.

The land line was my only hope. I fumbled with the flashlight on my phone and ran into the kitchen.

Instead of going to the phone, I dug in the drawer, pulled out a roll of plastic wrap, and took it back out into the dining room.

“What are you doing?” Vandre asked. “I said not to get close—Oh. Yes. Good idea.”

I pulled Aggie’s hands behind her back and tied her wrists together. Then just because I didn’t know what other kinds of power she had, I tied her ankles together.

“I thought you wanted to be friends!” she yelled as I dashed back into the kitchen.

“We could have been,” I told her honestly, “but you wanted money and power more than you wanted friendship.”

I picked up the phone receiver and almost sobbed in relief when I heard the dial tone.

I quickly dialed 911.

“Nine-one-one emergency, this is Chief Delaney.”

“Delaney, it’s Piper. I’m at the Blue Owl. The murderer is here, but don’t worry, she’s tied up. I’m here with Vandre, I mean Detective Vandre, you know him? Myra says you know him. And Gail and a man named Charles are here and they might need an ambulance—but they’re breathing so I think they’re okay.

“Oh, and we have no power, but I’ll wake up Buzz and get the generator going.”

Futures flashed:

Delaney driving out here still talking to me on the phone…

Delaney driving too fast and getting in an accident…

Me hanging up the phone and waking up Buzz (and Delaney arriving safe and sound.)

“See you soon!” I said. “Drive safe!”

I hung up the phone then dashed back to Buzz’s office to wake him up and get those keys for the generator.

* * *

“She thought you had Pandora’s box?” Delaney asked me. Again. She really was thorough about getting all the details multiple times.

I set my tea on the table and yawned. The storm had blown itself out hours ago. Morning was a smudge of grey in the unrepentant sky.

“That’s what she said. She said she saw the futures and in them I had the box.”

Delaney tipped her head in question.

“No. I don’t have it. I don’t know where it is. It’s possible someone planted it on me, but I don’t know who could have had it or who would have been close enough to give it to me. Hugo was dead, maybe Gail or Kenny? But I wasn’t around them long enough for them to…”

Futures sparkled and flashed:

I was in my car, I went home…

I was in my car, I went to the Rookery…

I walked out to my car and looked in the back seat…

That last future shone like a lighthouse in a storm.