The War on Witches by Paul Ruditis Read Free Book Online Page B

vacuuming. Honestly, I don’t know why anyone brings their computers to us. This is not exactly a sterile environment.”
    â€œNoted. Also, ewww.” Paige started to get up, but stopped short. “What’s this?”
    â€œWhat’s what?” Phoebe asked.
    Paige frog walked a few steps, careful not to touch the dirty floor any more than she had to. She pulled a small, rectangular card from beneath the counter. “Looks like a business card. ‘Jacob Perly. Media Consultant.’ Media consultant? That’s a new one. No business address, but there is an e-mail address.”
    Piper took the card. “Anyone could have dropped this. She did say the owner never cleans. It’s not like most evildoers we encounter leave behind calling cards.”
    Phoebe took the card. “But it’s nice when they do.”
    â€œThe guy’s messenger bag spilled on the floor,” Nat said. “I figured he cleaned it up while I was unconscious. Maybe he missed something.”
    â€œPerly,” Phoebe read aloud. “This name is familiar.”
    â€œEx-boyfriend?” Paige asked.
    â€œFunny,” Phoebe replied. “But
no.
It’s something else. Something . . . I’m not sure.”
    Paige took the card back from her sister. “I’ll get Henry working on it.”
    â€œWhat do you think he was?” Nat asked. “Warlock? Demon?”
    â€œToo early to tell,” Paige replied. “First guess would be warlock because they’re all about taking witches’ powers, but I don’t know why he’d need a book. Beyond that, there are too many options, really. Could be anything. We’ve got a lot of resources at our disposal. We should be able to tell you more soon.”
    â€œYou’re leaving?” Nat’s knuckles went white as her hands clutched the edge of the counter. “Is it safe? Will he come back?”
    Phoebe placed her own hands over Nat’s reassuringly. “He got what he wanted. Now that you’re powerless, there’s no reason for him to return. You should be fine now.”
    â€œBut if you have friends”—Paige went to the window—“a coven maybe? Surround yourself with people who can protect you.”
    â€œBut warn them too,” Piper added. “This guy—or whatever he is—might be after other witches.”
    Piper looked Nat directly in the eyes like she did when she was trying to calm one of her girls after a bad dream. “We’ll find out who did this. And if there’s a chance to get your abilities back, we’ll find that too.”
    All heads turned as someone pounded on the door. The Charmed Ones took defensive positions, protecting Nat as they prepared to face the potential threat.
    A woman in a black T-shirt and jeans had her face pressed against the glass. “Nat! What’s going on in there? Why is the door locked?”
    â€œOh, great,” Nat said as she went for the door. “My manager’s back.”
    Phoebe grabbed her before she could open it. “Allow me,” she said. “I have a few things I’d like to say to her. Someone needs a lesson on the responsibilities of management.”
    â€œThis should be good,” Piper said to her other sister.
    Paige stared at Piper in disbelief. “Yeah. You and I need to have a similar conversation.”
    Following a few choice words from Phoebe, the Charmed Ones left the computer store the nonmagical way: through the now-unlocked door before heading back to the alley. The street was finally growing crowded with shoppers as the day grew later. They had to find someplace with fewer prying eyes before they orbed away.
    Phoebe had convinced the manager to let Nat have the rest of the day off and gave the woman no small amount of grief for abandoning her post and leaving her employee alone at the store. None of this was the manager’s fault, of course, but it felt good to let