Somehow, I’d traveled back in time. But why? How? And also, why? But how? Those thoughts had barely finished flitting through my head when, for the second time in less than two hours, I turned and bolted through my house, out the back door.
I had already locked myself in the neighbor’s basement before realizing I’d left my phone where it landed in the front hall. No way to call for help, although I definitely couldn’t reach out to Tiffaneigh again. Not after seeing what happened. Most people never got a second chance to save the people they loved, and I wasn’t going to throw mine away.
The police would find my phone when they broke the door down, and they’d probably figure out I’d been home when they knocked. Also, I assumed the package sitting on the floor still contained Tony’s baker’s hat, unless I’d hallucinated everything. But watching everything else repeat seemed too real for that. I’d never known anyone to have a spot-on hallucination of the future; my visions only worked looking back.
Note to self: If you go back in time again, grab the package on your way out the door. Don’t drop your phone. Also, figure out how you went back in time.
I couldn’t stay here. Doug would see my phone, know I never left the house without it, and come find me as soon as they discovered I wasn’t in my room. If I were very lucky, they’d think I dropped it on my way out the front door and went down the shoveled path, but—today didn’t exactly feel like my lucky day. They’d find my car in the garage soon enough and know I wouldn’t have gotten far on foot. Former California girls did not go for snowy strolls in early December.
Last time this happened, a concerned citizen spotted me getting into Tiffaneigh’s car. It was probably a fluke. This time, I would be more careful. Maybe I could find a bicycle somewhere. Or escape on foot. I could stick to the shadows, hide somewhere no one would think to look for me.
Unfortunately, that ruled out going to Olive for help. While listening to the scanner, Tiffaneigh had told me that Missing Pieces was Sheriff Matthews’s first stop once he discovered I wasn’t home. He’d probably go himself while sending Doug to check Kevin’s office, which ruled out my second hiding place. The Patels lived uncomfortably close to my house. Where else could I go?
Julie? Kevin’s girlfriend would probably be willing to help, and as a former lawyer herself, she wouldn’t leave me to talk to the police on my own. She might try to convince me to turn myself in, but at least she’d stick with me.
The problem was, her coffee shop, On What Grounds?, shared an alley with Missing Pieces. Even if the sheriff’s department didn’t think to look for me at the place where I got caffeine almost daily, which was unlikely, the odds of someone spotting me going in were too high.
Emma. The friend I’d made during last summer’s Shady Grove Annual Treasure Hunt had turned out to be a powerful ally—and an equally strong witch. She’d helped reverse Mary’s spell that stole my powers last summer, and she was planning to anchor me tomorrow. Maybe she could help now?
If she couldn’t, her magical cat always had something useful to say. Emma would welcome me and protect me, but she lived miles away in Willow Falls. With my car back at my house, it would be a long walk in subzero temperatures once the sun set.
At least it would be harder for anyone to see me—the route didn’t have any street lights. No other obvious options jumped out. I still didn’t want to involve Rusty. It might take weeks to get to Emma’s place, but she ran a home for lost souls. If ever a soul felt lost, it was this one. At the moment, she appeared to be my best option. I better get started.
Five minutes later, I was calling myself ten kinds of names while still trudging down the street, jumping every time a car went by. This would never work. There had to be a better way to figure out what was going on. Until I thought of one, however, I kept walking.
Note to Self, #2: if you go back in time again, grab the darn baker’s hat and a jacket. And maybe my car keys. Hmmm. I’d wasted time initially examining the baker’s hat and having that vision. I’d lost time today trying to figure out what happened and calling Tiffaneigh. What if I’d taken the package and raced straight for the garage? Maybe I would have made it to my car?
Oh, well. It was too late to worry about that now. Or possibly too early.
After another five minutes, curses started tumbling out of my mouth. This had to be the worst plan I possibly could have come up with. The road from my house to Emma’s went directly through Shady Grove. Driving around town instead of through it wouldn’t take much time, but I was on foot. It would take at least another hour of walking around if I stayed on the side streets and residential areas.
Someone was going to see me. I needed to get off the streets, pronto.
Missing Pieces sat near the middle of Main Street. From two blocks down, I easily spotted the police car sitting out front. They weren’t even trying to hide their presence. Until they left, that was out. The magic shop, I’ll Put a Spell on You, was on the other side of Missing Pieces. Although Amira would help, I didn’t see an obvious way to get to her from my current position. But on this end of the street, I stood outside a shop that sold maternity clothes. Only five feet further down the sidewalk sat the pet store. A pet store where I was very familiar with the owner.
Yes! Jeff Ahn would help me. He’d said he owed me one.
Keeping my head low, I darted into Paws and Effect and shut the front door behind me. A few customers wandered around, but none of them seemed to notice me. Jeff stood behind the cash register. I made a beeline for him. As soon as I got behind the relative safety of the counter, I dropped to the ground.
“This is a nice surprise,” Jeff said. “How are you?”
“Act natural,” I said. “Pretend I’m not here.”
“You’re sitting on my foot.”
“Oops.” I shifted my weight.
A customer approached, so I waited patiently while Jeff made small talk and rang up their purchases. Then another had a question about the cats. Nearly ten minutes passed before the bolt on the front door clacked into place. Then Jeff squatted down beside me.
“Can I help you?” he asked.
“Is everyone gone?”
“Yeah. We’re closed.”
“Good. I need your help.”
Quickly I explained everything that had happened to me since arriving home to find an unmarked package on my front porch.
“You’re psychic, right?” Jeff said. “Shouldn’t your powers have told you not to touch that?”
“I wish. But it doesn’t matter. Even if I hadn’t picked it up, the police are after me.” I paused. “I think I know why. If my vision is accurate, someone attacked Tony. Sheriff Matthews saw me leaving the bakery. Tony was fine when I left, though. What happened in those few minutes? How did the hat get to me? It’s not like Sheriff Matthews could have gotten a psychic reading and then sent it on over via messenger pigeon.”
“Are you sure about that? What if he asked someone else?”
I didn’t want to pretend no one else in Shady Grove had any magical powers. Not when Jeff owed me a favor because I helped him after one of his spells had a very unfortunate, unforeseen consequence. But even if someone else had my specific gifts, I didn’t see Sheriff Matthews consulting them for help with a murder case. Or letting the key evidence go to the prime suspect if he had. I said so.
“A fair point,” Jeff conceded.
“Also, there wasn’t time,” I said. “When I left the bakery, Sheriff Matthews was outside talking to his girlfriend. He was at my house roughly half an hour later. He must have finished talking to her, gone inside and seen whatever he saw. Someone had to go in the back door, attack Tony, and leave within a very short time frame.”
“How can I help?” Jeff asked.
“I’m hoping you’ll go with me to the bakery. I need you to climb through the open window. Go in, look around, and find any evidence of magic or anything that happened. Then tell me what you found. Also, maybe bring me a cupcake? Tony refused to sell them to me earlier, and it’s been a two-cupcake day, at least.”
Jeff studied me thoughtfully. “Let me get this straight. You want me to shift into bunny shape, enter the bakery, and steal evidence from the crime scene?”
“You make that sound like a bad thing. Besides, the cupcakes shouldn’t be evidence.”
“Just wanted to make sure we’re clear.” His tone betrayed his amusement. “Now I understand why you’re asking me for help instead of Olive. I suppose I do owe you a favor, although to be honest, I didn’t think this would be the type of thing you’d ask.”
“I’m sorry. I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t extremely important.”
“I know.” Jeff glanced out the front window. “We can’t walk down Main Street together. The police car is in front of Missing Pieces. Tell you what. I’ll walk over, go inside, see what I can find out, and report back.”
“What do I do?”
“Rest? List your enemies. Think of people who disliked Tony. Try to figure out who would hurt him and frame you. Also people who could curse a hat. The options are nearly limitless.” Jeff started to go, then stopped and turned back. “When was the last time you ate?”
I thought for a minute. “In actual time, since lunch. About four hours ago. In Bizarro Time Blip World? I don’t know, maybe six or seven?”
“Too long. I’ll pick you up a sandwich and coffee at On What Grounds? On the way back.”
At his words, my stomach rumbled. I hadn’t even realized how hungry I was until he asked. “Thanks, Jeff. You’re a lifesaver.”
The overhead lights went out. A moment later, the rear door slammed shut, leaving me alone with my thoughts. My thoughts were not pleasant. I didn’t want to be alone with them.
At least if I had my phone, I could do some research. Not that research would be super useful when I didn’t know what to Google. Fake visions? Time travel? How to avoid future events coming true? Who would frame Aly Reynolds for murder?
The day’s events had worn me out more than I thought. My brain felt like mush. Thinking beyond the sustenance Jeff promised me felt impossible. Soon enough, my eyelids grew heavy. I tilted my head back, expecting to rest just for a minute. Jeff wouldn’t be gone long. Plenty of time to research while I ate.
The moment my lashes touched my cheeks, I drifted off to sleep.