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Tears welled in her eyes as she pounded on the door. Her hand numbed and turned red with each blow. The skin scraped and blistered. She didn’t care. She was going to either break through this door or break her hand.

Alice flinched and held her breath as Hugo’s hand closed around her wrist.

“Hitting it won’t open the door,” Hugo said.

“No, but it damn well will make me feel better.”

Hugo hugged her. She buried her head into his shoulder and sobbed.

“You know who did this, don’t you?” Hugo said.

“It can’t be true. It can’t,” Alice cried.

“They didn’t give us the hat to let us know they hurt her. They gave it to us so we knew Sam was working for them,” Hugo said.

Chapter 23

Dance Night Macabre

Alice sat in her bay window, the curtains drawn back, observing the Savinos’ house. She leaned against the wood frame with her legs outstretched, waiting for any signs of movement. The room was dim, only lit by the flickering of the candelabras resting on the console tables in the hallway, so she could see the outside world clearly. A black shoulder bag rested on the dining table. She was still, except for the rising and falling of her chest as she breathed in and out to calm her nerves.

She was dressed for combat—boots, her leather pants, Victorian style tailcoat hugging around her like a protective suit of armor, and her witch’s hat secured on top of her head. She was primed and ready for action. Scouting. Waiting. Eyes focused.

She could see to the street and around the back. If anyone left the house, she would know. The street was quiet. Dark. No movement. The rain drenched night sky cast a dark shadow on Ravenhill Drive. Only the orangish glow of the porch lights pushed back the night sky from engulfing the street with an inky darkness.

Hugo entered from the kitchen carrying two tea cups. He handed Alice the black cup. It was warm to the touch. Steam rose from thedark liquid inside, forming ghostly apparitions against the coolness of the air.

“Thank you,” Alice said before taking a sip. The liquid warmed her soul.

“Any changes tonight?” Hugo asked.

“No,” Alice said. “It’s been three days and nothing. I would expect them to respond by now. Not even during the day. I haven’t seen them come or go. No ghouls outside checking on us. They must be using the door in their basement to move in and out. I bet it’s connected to their nightclub.”

“They can do that?” Hugo asked.

“Yeah. You can create connections between magical spaces. I used to have a connection to Ez’s place until . . .” Alice paused, peering deep into the dark liquid of her tea cup. “Until I came here. It’s why Ez has to pick up the stuff.”

“Maybe you can reconnect them when this is all over.”

Alice took a sip. “Maybe.”

“What if they up and left?” Hugo asked with a slight hint of hopeful sarcasm. “After all, she didn’t find the spell.”

“If only.” Alice took another sip. She curled and stretched her toes inside the boots. “No, they’re waiting for us to make a mistake. We have to be patient.”

“Are you sure about this? Is the rain too much? Are you sure you don’t want me to go with you?”

“I’ll be okay by myself. The rain should provide cover,” Alice assured him. “We’ve run through the scenario. It should work.”

“Need I remind you about the last time I ran through a scenario?”

She tilted her head, raising an eyebrow with a sly smile. “The last time you didn’t have me,” Alice said with a wink. “Besides, I’ll have Gwennie to protect me.”

Hugo leaned in to kiss her on the cheek. “Be careful.”

“I’m always careful—well, most of the time.” Alice smirked.

Something in the window caught her attention. A black luxurySUV pulled in front of the house. Alice straightened. An unknown figure dressed in a black suit got out.