Read Brownies and Broomsticks: A Magical Bakery Mystery for Free Online Page B

course.”
    Declan put his hand on Ben’s shoulder. “I’ll drive you.”
    My uncle opened his mouth to refuse, but then shut it and ushered Lucy toward the door. “Thanks, Deck.”
    As they went by, Lucy’s shoulders hitched in a stifled sob. Ben looked at me with red-rimmed eyes. The lines etched into his forehead had deepened in thecourse of a few short hours. Even his beard seemed to droop. I felt helpless watching them walk out.
    “Don’t worry. Declan will get them home and settled in.” Jaida flipped the dead bolt again after they’d gone and leaned her back against the door.
    “So you know him.”
    She cocked her head. “Your uncle took Declan under his wing when he first became a firefighter. He’s a gentle soul, but there was an incident early in his career that would’ve made a weaker man quit—or worse. Ben helped him through it. You know, he’s good for Ben, too. He always wanted a son.”
    Lucy had never mentioned that. She and Ben had married later in life, and I’d wondered if she missed having children.
    Jaida changed the subject. “It’s a shame your big day’s been ruined like this.”
    My shoulders rose in a brief shrug. “It’s not about me. Something like this shouldn’t happen any day. I’m scared to pieces about Uncle Ben. Is it really as bad as you said?”
    She sighed and came back to the table. Sat down. “I’m afraid so.”
    “I should go over to Ben and Lucy’s, too.” I got to my feet.
    “There’s nothing you can do over there, you know.” The words were tempered by her gentle tone. “Ben and Lucy have relied on each other for years. It might be best to give them some time. Besides, Lucy will be …”
    “What?”
    Jaida hesitated. “There are some things you don’t know about your aunt.”
    “Like what?”
    “Well, she’s more resilient than you might think. And she has … unusual resources at her disposal.”
    I stared at her.
Resources?
The word was innocent enough. Even boring. But there was something in the way Jaida said it. Something in the way she was watching me now.
    A tingle fluttered down my spine.
    I looked away and said, “Yeah, maybe I should wait until tomorrow morning—darn it, I almost forgot.” I checked my watch. “I’m supposed to go pick up a box of dishes I found on Craigslist last night. If I hurry, I could still make it.”
    Jaida stood. “What can I do to help?”
    “I just need to lock up and hit the lights.” I rose, too. “Thanks for dropping everything for Uncle Ben on such short notice.”
    “Nonsense. It’s what friends do.”
    In the kitchen, my hand hesitated on the knob of the back door. Rather than locking it, I wrenched it open and took a few steps into the alley. Pipes and cables snaked across the three-story brick walls on each side of the asphalt, punctuated by power meters and locked metal access boxes. Many of the windows high above had been bricked over, but a few remained. Down at the end of the block the driver of a white produce van carried boxes into a restaurant.
    Jaida joined me, craning her neck up at the windows as I had. “There might be a witness who saw Ben.”
    “If someone happened to be looking out at exactly the right time,” I said.
    Our eyes met. Neither of us thought there was much chance of that.
    Inside, we gathered our things, and I unlocked the front door. As Jaida crossed the threshold to the sidewalk outside, I put my hand on her arm.
    Her eyes met mine. “You okay?”
    “I will be.” I wanted to ask about her reference to Lucy’s “resources,” but I couldn’t quite find the words. My hand dropped to my side. “I’ll see you tomorrow, right?”
    “Of course. Earlier than later, I expect. Good night, Katie.”
    “Good night.”
    When I was a teenager I’d heard Mama talking to Daddy one night about Lucy. About how they didn’t need to worry about her because she would always land on her feet. Only Mama used a different word than
resources
.
    Mama had said Lucy