Roslyn shook her head in an attempt to clear her thoughts, and for the first time, Israel got a sense of the woman’s confusion. Her curiosity and desire to understand what was happening at the estate had nearly gotten her killed—he didn’t know how or why, but the emotions radiating from her were unmistakable.
“I made certain I was assigned to retrieve the flowers for each day’s arrangements. It gave me time to search the space to find out what was so important, Mrs. Quan would slip into the greenhouse in the middle of the night. The entrance was well hidden. It took me a couple of weeks to find it, but I got lucky when the landscaper went on vacation.” Israel and Cam must have looked confused because she gave them both a conspiratorial grin. “When he wasn’t here to sweep the floors three times a day, it was easy to follow her footprints in the dust.”
“Clever girl, but it seems a bit… I don’t know, elementary for a witch.” Classic Master Cam, throw it down and see if the submissive takes the bait.
“Good try, but I’m not as naïve as I look.” The knowing look she gave Cam made Israel laugh out loud.
“I do believe she’s got your number, my friend.” Turning his attention back to her, Israel deliberately softened his expression. Cam seemed to be setting up a good cop-bad cop scenario, so Israel would play along. After all, Cam had been interrogating subjects when Israel’s biggest worry had been memorizing the plays for his next junior high football game, and whether or not he could charm one of the cheerleaders to give him a kiss behind the bleachers.
It had taken her twenty-four hours of travel time, but she was finally home. Dropping her bags inside the door and kicking off her shoes, Asia headed straight to the bar alongside the swimming pool. Smiling when she saw Charlotte flip the switch on the blender, Asia perched on one of the bar stools and sighed as exhaustion threatened to pull her under.
“If that’s a frozen margarita, I’m going to nominate you for sainthood.”
“Your brother will lobby against it, but I’ll be rooting for you. I could use the brownie points. And yes, it’s a margarita. I took my share out before I added the liquor—darn it.”
“Why are you in the doghouse? Did you try to sneak out of the building alone again?”
“Worse.” Her brother was stalking across the deck, the frown marring his expression easing slightly when she raised her brow in question. “She has a doctor’s appointment this afternoon but conveniently forgot to mention it to me.” Asia looked to Charlotte, who seemed to be overly interested in the lime she was slicing. The air around her started to shimmer as Austin closed in. “Don’t you dare disappear. I swear you aren’t going to be able to sit down until our child is in kindergarten, you’re racking up so many pending swats.”
“Stop picking on her. Geez.” It was time to distract big brother before he made his wife cry—again. Great Goddess, Charlotte’s emotions seemed to turn on a dime since she’d been pregnant. Every time she was upset, tears flowed, then she shimmered out of sight.
“The Knights Templar expert Franklin called said he’d fly to Austin to authenticate and appraise the pieces. His enthusiasm was easy to read during the short communication.” Turning to Austin, Asia hoped he’d volunteer to meet the professor.
“Stop giving me that look, Asia. I know Charlotte and I are supposed to be looking out for things for Cleveland and Vienna, but I’m up to my ass in alligators, and my lovely wife has no business meeting some strange man in a warehouse.”
“I can still take care of myself, you know. I’m pregnant, not helpless.” Charlotte crossed her arms beneath her swelling breasts, unaware of how the move lifted them for Austin’s viewing pleasure. Good grief, I don’t want to see this.
“Charlotte, my love, it’s the professor I’m worried about. You’re still riding the Hormone Express. The roller coaster you’ve been locked on makes you unpredictable with homicidal tendencies. I’d rather my first child wasn’t born in jail.” Charlotte’s expression morphed from shocked to thunderous so quickly, Asia wondered how she’d missed the transition.
“That’s just mean. I’m glad your sister is here. She’ll be able to testify at my justifiable homicide trial.”
Holy crap on a cactus, what happened to her sweet, super-organized, spiritual sister-in-law? Austin stepped around the bar, wrapping his sassy wife in his arms, and bent to kiss the top of her head. Everything about her brother softened when he touched Charlotte. As a healer, Charlotte was capable of absorbing another person’s injury and pain, then heal herself—sometimes quicker and more effectively than others.
Asia had worried Austin’s alpha-personality would overshadow Charlotte to the point, she’d become invisible emotionally as well as physically. Seeing her now, Asia breathed a sigh of relief. Austin became the head of the Adler family decades before any of them expected him to take on the burden. In the years since, he’d slowly evolved into a harsher version of the brother she’d loved growing up.
“I’ll make arrangements for you to have access to the building and have my assistant forward the directions to you. Do not go alone, Asia. Israel can arrange for someone to go with you.” He sighed and looked to the heavens in a clear sign of frustration. “As the great Goddess as my witness, if I ever volunteer to look after someone else’s business while they take a damned month-long honeymoon, I expect one of you to kick my ass.” Asia burst out laughing at the look of pure hopeful joy on Charlotte’s face.
“You, my lovely new sister, will have to beat me to the task, and I can be damned fast when I want to be.” And you’ll be busy with a new baby—or two or three if my brother has his way.
“But I’ll shimmer out of sight and slip right past you. Nobody touches my man’s ass but me.” Charlotte’s words sounded fierce, but her bright green eyes danced with amusement. Her last comment hit its mark. Austin threw his hands into the air, shaking his head as he strode back to the elevator, muttering something about crazy sisters and subs swimming in hormone soup.
Franklin was so physically spent, he didn’t know how much longer he was going to be able to remain upright. He and the others had worked without a break to shatter the dark spell. Long hours focusing their collective power against a force of evil, unlike anything any of them had ever encountered, finally paid off—they’d peeled back the first layer of the spell. He suspected the subsequent spells would be as powerful, but they’d learned there was a nick in the armor of the magician who’d cast the spell. He was confident today’s discovery was going to help them work through the remaining layers of the spell faster and more efficiently.
“Finish this, Eden. I’m tired. I’m hungry. And I’m pissed I have to stand here and babysit you while you clean up the mess you made. Tantrums won’t get you the kind of attention you’re craving.” She glared at him while setting the last of the furniture back in place.
“There are some things missing. Where are they?”
“You are here to add your expertise to the sale of the real property, not the contents. The personal property is none of your concern.” They’d been through this same bit several times since he’d come back upstairs.