Chapter 87

Chapter 87
“Already on it!” The app was already connecting to the cameras. We stared at the spinning blue circle as the microsecond it took to connect to the cameras at the manor felt like a week.
The screen filled with six squares all with different views. The two in the barn showed an empty space over the X on the floor and closed sliding doors. No issue there. The other four cameras were a different story.
Two of them showed open doors. The back door and the front door were both hanging open. Those would have been calls for concern if not for the other two. Clearly in view of them were trucks bearing the GWC Security company’s logo. One parked on the street. The other on the gravel between the porch and side door to the barn. Both vehicles were parked perfectly to be in frame of the cameras.
Elle and I both snarled at the images. “Now way that’s an accident!”
I nodded at the accuracy of her comment. “You mean the perfectly framed company logos?”
She nodded. We exchanged looks. “We’ve been played.”
“How did he do this so fast?” I checked my emails quickly. “I haven’t even received an email from Leon with the quote!”
She checked her watch. “We’ve been gone less than six hours! He’s only known for about four.” She shook her head. “How? You don’t think-“
“That he was tracking us?” I finished when she broke off. She shrugged.
“It would explain the ease of our escape.” We giggled at her movie quote. Grabbing my pack and some drinks, we went back out onto the porch. “It was odd that we didn’t come across a single patrol car. Vince should have had them coming by the manor, just to keep an eye on things. Yet, I didn’t see any.” She shrugged. “Granted, they could have come by while I was snoozing, waiting for your lazy butt to get up.”
I flipped her off. She stuck her tongue out then continued. “He could have had them waiting all along the highway. Given how early it was, we would have been easy to spot.”
“What’s he tracking? My phone, your phone, or Betty?” I raised an eyebrow at her questioningly. She shook her head at my question.
“For all we know, he’s got a tracker in one of our purses.” Shrugging, she stared at Betty. “Do you think he could have placed his own tracker when he took the others off?”
“That would be sneaky and underhanded.” I took a drag and thought it over. “I would totally approve of it. If he did it to someone else!” I paused for another drag. “That would also mean he just happened to have one on him. That’s disturbingly prepared.”
We got a good laugh at that. “We’re lucky this is the first time Betty has been tracked.”
“They used to have to track her the old fashion way. By sound.” We giggled at my description. A thought occurred to me. “I wiped her down pretty good last night when I got the glass out of her. If she’s got a tracker, then he hid it well.”
She looked speculative. “What if he did it magically? We are thinking like humans. There’s witches in town that could have cast a tracking spell. Or he could have just been using his ninja powers to keep track of when you walked out of the house. But that would mean he was up and watched us drive off.”
“We so should have burned rubber in front of his house!” Oh, that chapped my hide! I was not going to be out maneuvered by a cop! “Ugh! He knows I’m an amnesic! I’m at a disadvantage when it comes to all things magic. Unless you need your lawn water, then go ahead and tick me off.”
I crushed my smoke into the sand bucket harder than necessary at the thought of him using magic against me. He was going to pay for this. Clearly, he had forgotten what me and Elle could do to people. Time for him to be reminded. We were legends in high school for a reason. Even his nerd self would have heard of our antics.
As we stood to go inside, our pizza arrived. We thanked the kid and took the boxes inside. In the kitchen we opened the boxes of pizza, garlic bread, and brownies. Elle laughed when I handed her a paper plate. “What? I hate doing dishes.”
She just shook her head while plopping down in a chair at the table. We ate in silence for a moment. Then I asked the question that had been nawing at me since the first time I saw her and Vince together. “What’s going on between you and VD? Are you having an affair?”
She choked on her garlic bread. Tears in her eyes, she cleared her throat. “Excuse me?”
“You two are always whispering. Having secret conversations.”
She full on laughed at me. Then pulled out her phone, still snickering, she scrolled though something. Then slid it over to me. I looked down. On the screen was a gorgeous black-haired man with green piercing eyes. Said eyes were focused on the camera or more likely, the woman behind it. The only description of his expression I could think of was smoldering. He was shirtless with a bunch of muscles on display. His dark blue wranglers clung to his muscled legs. Black boots were on his feet. An adorable little boy was clinging to his back.
I had to clear my throat. Wow. “Um. Is that Max?”
Giggling knowingly, she nodded. I shook my head in disbelief. He had been a bean pole in high school. “He grew up good.”
“You should see him naked!” She pointed a finger at me. “Not that you will! I would cut you!”
I nodded. “Sounds fair.”
“Why on earth I would I risk losing that for a man that looks like a Lego?” She quired.
“I know right! Such a Lego head!” We snickered. “So, if you aren’t having an affair, what are you whispering about? Are you keeping secrets from me?”
“Nah, we are just conspiring to withhold certain information from you.” I flipped her off. “Kenna, we are just slowly reintroducing you to what’s been kept from you. We love you. We just don’t want to overwhelm you.”
“Hmm.” Something felt off. But I trusted her not to be working against me. Both of our phones dinged with a message in the group text letting us know the movers would be here within an hour. Exchanging surprised looks, we cleaned off the table.
 Then we stormed up the stairs. We needed to knock this out to get back home and get some answers. Now armed with the traitor’s gift, we were going to be able to make some head way.