I loiter before a construction site on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. A sign on the chain link fence reads, Coming Soon: the L Center.
Reporter Rosa Langstrom stands beside the wooden placard. She smacks her lips and smoothes her short black hair. “Ready to shoot?” she asks her cameraman.
“One sec,” says the guy.
I’d keep walking, but the L Center stands for the Le Charme Center and I’m none other than Alec Le Charme. Color me curious.
“Ready,” says the guy.
Rosa grins for the camera. “For seven years now, New Yorkers have seen this sign.” She gestures toward the placard behind her. “The L Center is notorious for constantly being under construction. In fact, there have been no less than four complete rebuilds of this place. It’s a strange legacy for what’s arguably the most famous jewelry company in the world, Le Charme. But here at the Magicorum News Network, we’ve uncovered inside information that this eternal construction site may actually be finished soon. Why? There’s one simple reason. Alec Le Charme.”
Called it.
Is it strange that I’m standing on the sidewalk while a reporter does a story on me? Not too odd. Plus, I’m a pro at hiding in plain sight. I wear a baseball cap, sunglasses, and jeans. More importantly, I slump while keeping a blank face. It’s a skill.
Rosa goes on. “Le Charme Jewelers was founded in 1643 by the famous gem caster, Charles Le Charme. For any of you living under a rock, casters—meaning witches and wizards—are part of the Magicorum. As a gem caster, Charles was the perfect man to start a jewelry company. All the Le Charmes follow a Cinderella life template. The first-born son always has a Glass Slipper Ball during his eighteenth year. It’s when he chooses his wife.”
I fight the urge to roll my eyes. For centuries, the oldest sons in my family have been marrying someone they meet at their Glass Slipper Ball. That behavior ends with me.
Rosa continues. “As everyone knows, Diamond and Legend Le Charme have one child, their fifteen-year-old son, Alec. His eighteenth birthday ball will be here before we know it. And that’s a big reason to finish this construction. You heard it first here, folks. Now in other Magicorum news… a new season of Real Warlocks of Manhattan has just been given the green light…”
While the reporter keeps talking, I join the pace of foot traffic on the sidewalk. Soon, I approach the back gate to the construction site itself. There I find a familiar mini house that holds Gerry, our wrinkly guard. Like always, Gerry watches a small black and white television.
I pause before the window. “Hello.”
Gerry smacks his lips. Without making eye contact, he points toward the small tray under the Plexiglas window. “Identification.” I slide my company key card over. Gerry picks up the card and chuckles. “You sneak up on me every time.”
“It’s my super power.” Gerry slides my ID back; I scoop it from the tray. “Is Legend here yet?” Some parents are called Mom and Dad. Mine are always Diamond and Legend.
“Arrived a few minutes ago,” answers Gerry. He bats at a little bobblehead Yankees figure on his tabletop. As behavior goes, it’s a little weird, but that’s Gerry.
I scan the deserted construction site. “Any word on the crew coming back?”
“Not that I’ve seen.”
“Right.”
I set my hands into the pockets of my baseball-style jacket, march onto the back lot, and wonder. Could that newscaster be right? Is construction starting up again? If so, it wouldn’t the first time the L Center was reimagined. Legend regularly drags me here to share his latest schemes. All of which leads to one question.
What’s Legend up to this time?