Aw geez. Erase. Scribble. SO WHY BROWNIE WANT US TO FIND.

"Yeah," Rhonda said with a nod. "Good point. And I think we mentioned this to each other--but I got the distinct impression we --or rather Zoe --was dealing with two different camps in that restaurant."

Mom shook her head. "What do you mean?"

I nodded to Rhonda to talk. Easier for you, dude.

"Like we said, when we got there Dags and Zoe said they saw two of the little b.u.g.g.e.rs and they tried to trip us up the stairs --but then a third one showed Zoe where the papers were."

Tim said, "You think there were two different pairings of Shadow Folk? Two different kinds?"

I nodded. I definitely felt a difference in them. The first were nasty and the second were nice. But I didn't scribble this down.

Nona nodded. "It's possible I guess."

Dags cleared his throat. His voice sounded thin and small. "I have a really weird question --" he looked around. Everyone was listening. "You said earlier that Shadow Folk --or the kind we think of as Brownies --weren't originally human?"

Mom shrugged. "That was the feeling comment. According to the book, they could have been."

"So," he shrugged. "If I'm understanding any of this--it is possible to turn someone into a Shadow Person?"

Rhonda shivered. So did I. That thought was just --well --oogie.

Mom shook her head. "I don't really know. The book says they're humans touched by the elements. I don't know how you'd do that. What kind of ritual or event would happen? But if there is a way to turn living people in to Shadow Forms--" she made a face. "I think it would call for the death of the living victim. Since the Folk live somewhere on the Astral, Abysmal or Ethereal."

"Well, that would make sense if you considered the transmitter theory we had. If their essence resided on the Astral, Abysmal or Ethereal planes, then we don't have the filters to see their true forms. Thus we get shadows." Rhonda said.

Jemmy grunted. "I say they're on the we-don't-go-there plane." She shifted in her chair. "But I'm curious, boy, why you asked that question?"

Dags shrugged. "I think it's because --while we were upstairs--and Zoe was following that one shadow around --I got a really familiar vibe from it."

"Vibe?" Mom said.

Rhonda patted her hand. "He got a feeling from it."

Mom shot Rhonda a "watch-it" look. Hey --now I know where I get that frown. The one Daniel said reminded him of an evil puppet.

Sigh. Daniel.

Tim spoke up. "So --and correct me on this since I'm trying to follow the conversation over a period of days --are you saying you recognized one of the Shadows?"

Dags shook his head. "Not the first two. Those felt wrong, kind of like the atrium felt in the hospital and the symbols immediately went active and I blasted them," he held out his hands. "All kinda--"

Scribble. OOGIE.

Dags nodded and pointed to my board. "Yeah, like that. But afterward when we realized there were more Shadows in the loft, that third one felt... calmer."

"No, not calm," Rhonda said with a tap to her chin. "It felt like desperation to me."

My stomach growled. I really needed food.

Nona held up her hands. "Wait...you blasted the first two away? What do you mean by blasted?"

Uh-oh. That's right. Mom didn't know about Mr. Bartender here and his freaky palm-powered powers.

This should be interesting.

I finished up my tea as Rhonda and Dags tag-teamed filling mom and Jemmy in on his tattoos and light power.

Mom's expression caught my attention. "Darren..." that was so mom, calling him by his given name and not his nickname. She held out her hand. "Let me see them."

Dags offered her his palms, face up.

I watched her clasp each hand in her own and then she rubbed her thumbs in the palms. The circles glowed a faint blue, exposing their details. Dags' closed his eyes and winced as if he were in pain.

"You do realize you're wide open," she arched an eyebrow at him as he focused on her face. "With these symbols cut into your skin--they're like an Open House sign for just about any un-fettered creature."

"Open House?" Dags swallowed.

Jemmy nodded. "Boy--this Bonville? Sounds like he was planning on using all four of you Guardians as sacrifices."

Rhonda sat forward. "For what?"

Jemmy smiled. "That, my dear, is exactly what we have to find out."

Nona smiled. "Most of these gitchi-goomie cults or groups use their books like diaries, recording everything from spells to meeting minutes in them. I'll bet if we find their grimoire, we'll know what Bonville's up to."

Grim-who?

Dags grinned at me as he took his hands from mom. "It's kinda like Rhonda's book here," he pointed to the Big Honking Book of Everything. "Like a Witch's Book of Shadows. It'll have all their spells and secrets in it."

Oh.

"Let's see if I can recap," Jemmy said with her hands on the table. "Zoe got a request from a hostess at a bar/restaurant in Roswell. Dags here actually works there as a bartender. One of the co-workers was tripped and ended up in the hospital and the manager refused to pay. Dags is actually owned by this Magician's group and they're trying to suck him back --and the Shadow Folk in the restaurant who are accused of tripping people and playing jokes actually helped you find these doc.u.ments." She pointed to the papers in front of Nona. "Did I leave anything out?"

Sounded about right.

Nona spoke. "Jemmy and I will focus on why these doc.u.ments are important. I can sort of decipher the first page, but the other pages are just jibberish without the secret decoder ring."

Hehehehe. I love my mom.

Sometimes.

"I suspect that the missing wife, as well as Maureen and the others, learned of Bonville's fiendish plot--because you know Magicians always have fiendish plots--and he killed them or did something to them. Dags --let me and Rhonda do something about those tattoos. In here you're fine, but out there you're done for."

Dags blanched.

Mom looked at me. "I need you and Rhonda to check out Maureen's apartment and see if there's anything in there that might lead us to where she went. But the big thing to do is get a hold of Bonville's Grimoire."

All eyes stared at Nona as if she'd lost her mind. And I think she had.

"Nona," Rhonda frowned. "Exactly how do you suppose we do that? I'm sure he's got it locked up in his home or where ever they do their mojo."

She smiled and I didn't like it. "I don't think he has that Grimoire anymore," she held up the doc.u.ments. "These pages attest that it was taken, or defaced in some way."

"They do?" Rhonda said.

"You think those pages are out of the book itself?" Jemmy said.

"Yes I do," Nona said. "And if it was taken and these pages ripped out, my guess is either Bonville's wife," she looked at Dags, "Or Maureen took it."

"Which would make sense in a motive standpoint if he came after her," Dags said. "And you don't think he's found it?"

"No. But rest a.s.sured," she grinned and I still didn't like it. "If we can get our hands on it, he'll be coming after us as well."

Oh. h.e.l.l.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

The problem we faced--well okay we had several problems but I'm gonna concentrate on one at a time--was that we needed Dags to come with us to look at Maureen's apartment (he had a key!) but if he stepped outside of the house wards then he might get zapped.

Rhonda and Mom moved into the Botanica while Dags and Jemmy talked about stuff in the corner. I decided to be useful and started picking up things and taking them back into the kitchen. Tim appeared there as well and was solid enough to open the dishwasher so I could load it.

"You got any Wraithy feelings on this one?"

I paused in the middle of putting a dessert plate into the washer. Uh...no. And what is Wraithy feelings?

"You know--kinda of like a spidey sense?"

I pursed my lips and shook my head before finishing up the dishes. Once that was done I poured myself another gla.s.s of tea over my half-melted ice and looked at my little spooky buddy. I don't get this thing with Dags--the whole marks on the hand thing. That's more Rhonda's schtick. But those things in that restaurant? I shook my head. There were two types of things--kinda like we were attacked by a set of apples and then an orange helped. They were both fruit, but just different kinds of fruits.

Tim laughed. "I'm not sure which is sadder--your a.n.a.logy or the fact I understood it."

I blew him a quiet razzberry and sipped my tea. Mmm....sugary goodness. Oh shut up--I'm watching my sugar!

"You think that the oranges and the apples were related?"

I nodded. Yeah--just not in the way we think of as related. The apples felt--well p.i.s.sed off. Angry. Irritated. I don't have the right word. But the orange was--well--scared. Sad. Desperate.

"Hey Zoe!" that was Rhonda.

I saluted Tim with the tea and moved out of the kitchen and into the Botanica. Mom and Rhonda had cleared the coffee table of its magazines and had a flat square of wood on it--with a pentagram carved out of it. Oh geez...don't these two ever stop? Was the one on the floor not enough that they had to make a portable altar thingie?

I was shocked Rhonda didn't have it on my iBook. She could call it an iPentagram.

Wait--iStar?

iPentacle?

Phhht.

Jemmy and Dags were with them as well, all kneeling and sitting down around the board. In the middle of it sat Dags' silver bracelet. Upon closer inspection I noticed it was a chain of little silver skulls--but they were stylized looking. Kinda like Day of the Dead skulls. That real silver?

"Yeah," Dags said. "It was a gift from a shaman I met while I was in Mexico."

Oh. Cool.

"Yeah. He's dead. Bit by a snake."

Well you're just full of cheery news, ain't cha?

"Zoe," Mom looked up where I was looming. "I need you to go OOB for me and then go corporeal."

I stood up straight. I did manage to sign, "Why?" cause I'd seen that gesture enough.

"Just trust me on this."

You're not gonna hurt me are you?

"She wants to know if she's gonna get hurt," Dags interpreted.

Mom rolled her eyes. "Not yet. Just please--"

Yet? Why the yet part? Oh all right. I moved past them and set myself down in the papasan and slipped out. Didn't take much to make me go all solid. Just one thought of Daniel and poof. Here I am! I moved in closer--Dags was watching all wide eyed.

"How come you always have that on?"

You don't like bunny slippers?

He smiled. "Love them. But when they sprout fangs, I'm outta here."

"Okay, Zoe I need you to reach out and touch the bracelet when I tell you too."

Oh--kay. So I held my corporeal hand over the bracelet.

"No, the other one. The one TC touched."

Argh. I switched arms, reaching out with my left arm. This made the hand print even more visible to everyone. I was self-conscious about it. Dags was literally salivating over it.

Mom lit four white candles around the table. She bowed her head. Then she nodded to me. I touched the bracelet-- And found myself in the other room--on my a.s.s.