"A lock isn't going to stop a sorceress," Slim said.
I gaped at him. "She's a sorceress? Why didn't anyone tell me?"
"I thought you knew," he said. "I've heard people talking about her at the restaurant. She's pretty powerful. I'm not sure what we can do to stop her."
"A lock warded by a witch should do the trick," Flo said triumphantly. "I knew she was up to no good, so I had Natalie put a ward on the office."
Slim surveyed the freezer ruefully. "I wish you'd had her ward the entire place," he said.
"I will now," Flo promised.
"Do you think Circe used magic to ruin your freezer?" I asked.
"Probably," Flo said.
"Then could Natalie use magic to reverse the damage?"
Slim picked up the phone and started dialing. "Daisy, you're a genius."
An hour later, the freezer was running again and Slim had calmed down enough to decide that he wasn't going to close Slim's, at least not yet.
I wanted to blame it all on Circe, but part of me wondered if there was anyone else in town who had something against Slim.
After the freezer was up and running, Natalie warded the entire building. I watched her do it and marveled at how quickly her power had grown since she was out from under her grandmother's thumb.
Afterward, I helped Flo move the jukebox into her usual spot. Flo hadn't even plugged the machine in before Lil let forth a stream of songs.
I recognized "Blackmail" by the Runaways, "Help, I'm Alive" by Metric, and "Blackhearted Love" by PJ Harvey.
"What's wrong with her?" Flo said.
The jukebox was definitely agitated. The last song cut off and there was silence. Then she repeated the sequence one more time before finally going mum.
"She's trying to tell us something," I said. Lil had never been so talkative, but I couldn't figure out the clues she was giving me.
Flo nodded. "Do you have any idea what she's talking about?"
"Unfortunately, no," I said.
Flo shrugged and then bent down to plug in the jukebox.
"Can I borrow a quarter?" I asked.
Flo handed me a stack of shiny coins. "We need all the help we can get."
The quarters went in and I looked at my selection choices. Maybe it was time I tried speaking her language. I punched in E4, which today was "Talk to Me." Nothing. My next try was "Tell Me" by Stevie Ray Vaughan, then "Tell Me Something" by Selena Gomez.
Lil didn't respond for a long time. Finally, the music started playing. The song was "Help" by the Beatles.
This time I got the message, loud and clear.
I put my hand out and touched the warm smooth surface of the jukebox. "I'll help you, Lil," I said.
Fortunately, we had a steady stream of customers. Samantha showed up with a group of anniversary party volunteers, who grabbed a table in the corner. Nurse Phillips and the rest of her band filled up one of the booths. I headed toward the Side Effects May Vary booth, but Flo waved me off and took their order instead.
Gradually Slim's bad mood lifted. The ticket wheel shook occasionally with the force of his agitation, but by the time the breakfast rush had ended, Slim was back to his usual self.
The people at Samantha's table, however, didn't look very happy. In fact, Lilah Porter was in tears. I asked Samantha what was up, when she approached me during my break at the counter.
Samantha said, "Didn't you hear?"
"Hear what?" I said.
"Lilah Porter got one of those notes a few weeks back. And later, someone sent her parents some incriminating photos."
"Photos of what?"
"She didn't say," Sam replied. "But she's getting shipped off to boarding school."
"But it's her senior year," I said.
"Harsh, huh?" Sam said. "But her parents won't budge."
A thought occurred to me. "Is Lilah ... you know?"
"Why don't you ask her yourself?" Sam suggested. She motioned to Lilah to join us at the counter.
Lilah's eyes were rimmed in red and she held a box of Kleenex. "What do you want?" she said. She sniffled noisily.
"Daisy has a couple of questions for you," Sam said.
I wasn't sure how to start. "So you're leaving for boarding school soon?" I finally said.
"Yeah, can you believe it?" she said bitterly. "One little slip-up and my parents couldn't wait to ship me off."
"About that slip-up," I said. "I heard you got a blackmail letter."
"I thought it was a joke or something," Lilah said. "At first."
"Then what happened?"
"Then all hell broke loose," she said. "My parents got the photos in the mail and it was all over."
"Can you show us the photos?" Sam asked.
"No," Lilah said. "My dad was so mad, he put them through the shredder."
"This is kind of a sensitive question," I said. I dropped my voice and made sure nobody else in the diner was listening in. "But do you happen to have any ... powers?"
"You mean, am I psychic or anything?" she asked. "Like your family? Not exactly."
"But there is something different about you," I said. It was a statement, not a question. I had a pretty good idea that Lilah was like the blackmailer's other victims. She had some sort of paranormal gift, although she obviously didn't want anyone to know about it.
She nodded. "Let's just say that there's a reason I was protesting showers after PE." Lilah had successfully lobbied to make showers after gym class optional.
"You mean...?"
"Mermaid," she whispered. "On my mother's side. My dad is freaked."
"There's nothing wrong with being a mermaid," I said.
"Tell that to my father," Lilah replied.
"And the photos?" Sam asked.
"Midnight swim. I thought I was alone, but obviously I wasn't."
"Do you remember when the photo was taken?"
She shrugged. "Right after school started. I wanted to get one last swim in before the water got too chilly. Even mermaids get cold."
"Did the note ask for money?" I asked her.
"Not the first one," she said.
"There was more than one?"
"Yes. Three, total," she said. "But I didn't find the last two until it was too late."
"Where did you find it?" Sam asked. I was pretty sure I already knew the answer to her question and Lilah's answer confirmed it.
"In my gym bag," she said. "But I'd lost track of it for a few days and I finally found it in lost and found. So anybody could have put the note in there."
"Do you still have the notes?"
"Nope," she said. "I gave them to my dad."
"Anything else you can tell us?"
"Just that I hope you catch whoever is doing this," she said.
"We will," I said. "E-mail me if you think of anything else." I wrote down my e-mail address and cell phone number on a piece of paper and handed it to her.
Lilah headed back to the table.
I didn't say anything until she was out of earshot. "Boarding school."
"Yeah. Boarding school. And the worst part is that they found a school miles from any ocean or river. No pool. Lilah will be miserable," Sam said.
"Did you know about her?" I asked.
"I can keep a secret," she said. "And Nightshade's full of them."
She was right. Nightshade was full of secrets, but wouldn't be for long if we didn't stop the blackmailer.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
I wished I could do some investigating after work that day, but Dad had laid down the law. I had to come home right after school and work, no dates—not even group dates—until further notice. I'm pretty sure Mom stopped him from checking me into a convent, but just barely. She was busy with a case, which meant long hours and a certain distracted air.
"Mom, can't you talk to him? Please?" I said.
"I will, but Daisy, your father is still adjusting to being back in Nightshade," she said. "Could you please be tolerant for a little while longer?"
> I sighed. "He's not like this with Rose or Poppy."
"You're still in high school, Daisy," she pointed out. "And I can't really say I disagree with your father's decision to ground you after your shenanigans last night."
"Mom, it's not my fault that Dad missed out on half of my childhood," I said.
"It's not his fault, either," she said gently. "Maybe you should try to remember that."
I nodded. "I'll try," I said. A tiny part of me was still angry that he'd been gone so long, but it was time to get over it. I spent the rest of the weekend looking at old photographs of Dad and me.
Monday at school, Ms. Tray called me out of class. I headed to her office begrudgingly. I'd avoided her as long as I could, but I'd run out of excuses.
I ran into Penny Edwards in the hallway. She put her nose in the air and tried to ignore me, but I stepped in front of her. "What's your problem with me, Penny?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," she said.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about," I said.
She started to stare me down but dropped her gaze at the last minute. "I know you don't like me," she finally said.
"Of course I like you," I said.
"You don't have to lie, Daisy," she replied. "I know what everyone thinks of me."
"I do like you, Penny," I said.
She gave me a knowing look.
"Most of the time," I amended. "But I thought we had been getting along better lately. Until the past couple of weeks, that is."
"I thought so, too. So why did you say that about me?"
"Why did I say what about you?"
"You don't have to deny it," she said. "Ms. Tray told me that you told her I was the least popular person in school."
"Penny, I never said that," I said. "In fact, I don't even talk to Ms. Tray."
"Where are you going right now?"
"To Ms. Tray's office," I said, without thinking.
"You never talk to her, huh?" If possible, Penny looked even madder than before.
"This is the first time I've been to her office," I said. "And besides, I would never say anything like that. Does that sound like me?"
"Not really," she said. "But why would Ms. Tray say something like that?"
"I have no idea," I said. "I know we haven't been the best of friends, but we can try harder."
Penny nodded, but she didn't look like she felt any better.
"The bathroom wall," I said. "That was you, wasn't it?"
She nodded again and looked slightly less tense.
"Why did you do it?" I asked. "How did you do it? When did you become a witch?"
"I felt horrible after I did it," she said. "After I saw what the spell did, I tried to fix it, but I couldn't. If I'm a witch, I'm not a very good one."
"It's okay," I said. "My friend Natalie Mason fixed it, but I wouldn't try anything like that again."
"I won't," she promised.
"Maybe I can introduce you to her," I offered. "She might have some pointers for a beginner witch."
"I'd like that," Penny said.
I shifted on my feet, uncertain what to say next. I didn't want to leave. "Hey, do you want to hang out with us at the anniversary party?" I asked.
"Really?" she said. Her face brightened and she smiled for the first time since we'd started talking. "I-I have a date," she confided. "Is it okay if he comes, too?"
"Sure," I said. I wondered who she was going with, but had more pressing concerns. "I've got to go, but I'll see you there."
I hurried off to Ms. Tray's office. I saw Wolfgang Paxton's parents on their way out, looking troubled. Parents talked to guidance counselors all the time. Still, I wondered what kind of advice she'd given the Paxtons.
The door was shut, so I knocked and then tried the door. It was locked.
"Just a moment," Ms. Tray called out. There was a flurry of shuffling papers and then the sound of a drawer whooshing shut. The door opened and Ms. Tray said, "Please have a seat." She gestured toward a chair full of stuffed pillows. "I'm so glad you could join me," she said.
"Uh, sure," I said. I didn't know why she'd called me into her office, but I'd go along with it.
She didn't say anything else, so I looked around. Her office had been redecorated in early ick. There was a painting of men hunting and killing a unicorn. The decorations on the wall were all vaguely violent, with dripping red hearts and wounded things.
"So Valentine's Day is your favorite holiday?" I asked. I couldn't think of any other reason someone would do that to a perfectly harmless room.
She ignored my comment. "I'm sure you know why I've called you here."
"Not really," I admitted slowly.
"I've been so looking forward to visiting with you," she said. "I've heard so much about you."
"You have?"
"Why of course I have," she said.
"From who?" I folded my arms across my chest.
"That charming young man of yours, and your friends, even your employer," she said.
She'd talked to Slim about me? What did my part-time job have to do with my college education? I'd never heard of a guidance counselor investigating her students.
"You seem to know an awful lot about me," I said.
"Why, of course I do," she said, with a sparkling smile. "It's my job to know everything there is about the students at this school."
"Everything?" I said without thinking. "That seems a little extreme."
Her toothy smile faded. "Everything. Now, about your plans to hold Ryan back by keeping him in Nightshade."
"What?" Her dainty lace gloves were definitely off. "I'm not holding him back," I declared.
"It's just that you two are so attached—it's unhealthy."
"What?" I said, incredulous. "Is that what you told my father?"
"Now, Daisy, part of growing up is letting go."
I wanted to let go of a few choice words. Instead, I stood up. "This meeting is over."
Part of me knew I was behaving badly, but I was beyond caring.
I thought she'd tell me to sit back down or maybe send me to the principal. Instead, she gave me a smile that made my blood freeze.
"I'll decide when it's over," she said.
My response was unintentional. The candy in the bowl on her desk shot into the air like a geyser and then clattered to the floor. I stood there with a hand to my mouth.
What had I done? My abilities weren't exactly a secret, but Ms. Tray was an outsider, and someone I didn't like or trust.
"I'm so sorry," I said. I dropped to the floor and scrambled around to pick up the candy.
"Leave it," she said. "You'll be late for class."
I did as she told me, but as I left, I caught a strange gleam of satisfaction in her eyes.
Great. Instead of a college consultation, I'd made a new enemy. Way to start senior year.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
During English, I tried to figure out what to tell Ryan. I knew he would ask me about my meeting with Ms. Tray, since he was president of her fan club. He'd already had at least two meetings with her.
"How did your last counseling session go?" I asked Ryan on our way to lunch.
"She's so good at her job," he replied.
"How so?"
"Ms. Tray asked all these questions about my family," he said.
"What kind of questions?"
"Like where my mom was, where my dad grew up, that sort of thing."
"I doubt she was just making conversation," I said. I was sure it was something else. What did Ryan's family have to do with where he went to school? Apart from the financial stuff, of course.
"She's so conscientious," Ryan replied, totally missing my point. "I have another meeting with her next week."
I wasn't too thrilled with the idea of Ryan in another one-on-one session with her. Besides, she was asking way too many questions. And I wanted to know why.
A minute later, a thought slithered through my brain. They will pay.
&n
bsp; I put a hand to my head as a sharp pain stabbed my temple. The next thing I knew, I was on the floor and Ryan was crouched next to me.
"Daisy, talk to me," he said. "Nurse Phillips will be here in a minute."
The pain in my head was gone, but my mouth felt dry. "I'm okay," I said. I tried to sit up, but Ryan stopped me.
"Don't move until the nurse checks you out."
Nurse Phillips came hurrying toward us. "Daisy, what happened?"
"I ... fell," I said. "At least, I think that's what happened. I must not have been watching where I was going."
I mean, what else could I say? I wandered into someone else's mind and got a dose of the nasties strong enough to make me faint?
She checked my pulse and shone a light in my eyes. "Let's get you to the infirmary," she said.
Ryan insisted on carrying me. Werewolves were strong, but I wasn't exactly tiny. He didn't even break out in a sweat. I wrapped my arms around him and held on tight. There were a few strange looks sent our way, but since Nurse Phillips was right behind us, everyone got the picture.
At least, I hoped they did. I saw Penny Edwards texting furiously and hoped it was just a coincidence.
When we reached the nurse's office, Ryan placed me gently on the cot and then stayed with me. He grabbed a chair and pulled it next to me and held my hand. That made me feel much better. Nurse Phillips took my pulse and then got paged to the gym. "I'll be right back," she said.
Samantha came rushing into the nurse's office a few minutes later. "Daisy, I heard you broke your ankle," she said.
"No, I just fell down. I'm fine," I replied.
Ryan snorted. "Typical Nightshade gossip."
I decided I should tell them the truth. If I couldn't be honest with my best friend and boyfriend, who could I be honest with?
"Something weird did happen," I admitted.
"I knew it!" Samantha crowed.
"You don't need to sound so happy about it," I responded.
"Sorry," she said. "Go on."
"I caught someone's thoughts and whoever it was, he or she is full of the most terrible hatred. It gave me a blinding headache. I think I passed out for a minute."
"You didn't pick up anything else?" Ryan said.
I thought about it for a moment. "I'm pretty sure the person was at the school, but other than that, no idea."