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Sunny shrugged. “Yes, and no. My mom used to swear some of the mountain’s magic made its way into this house since we are so close to the mountain.

Just little things, like searching for your keys that would magically be found a moment later right next to the door even though you just looked there, but it’s never been anything like this. ”

“I see,” said Bridget with a pensive nod.

“And there’s something else.”

She was about to tell them about the piano teacher with the glowing red eyes, but before she could, Esther stormed over to the board.

“What is this?” she demanded, taking a card off the board. Turning the card around to face them, Sunny could see if it was the church that said Church of Divine Deliverance .

“Does that mean something to you?” Sunny asked. “Asher and I have been stumped about that one. We didn’t know any churches in the area with that name.”

“I know that church,” Julie murmured.

“You do?” Esther said.

“Yeah, I grew up in the fundamentalist faith, but all the men in my church used to go there. It’s an all-men’s church. They would hold conventions and stuff like that.”

“They’re witch hunters.”

Esther said it like it was common knowledge, as if just the utterance of those words didn’t send chills up their spines from the centuries of oppression the witch hunters had brought down on the generations of witches before them.

“I didn’t know that,” said Julie. “But it makes total sense. I remember when my dad came home from one of those retreats. He found out I had watched The Worst Witch at a friend’s house and gave me the worst beating of my life.”

“And when that awful warlock died last year, he did warn of the witch hunters again. It would seem that they are not only in bed with the warlocks but also the coal company.”

Esther gave a rough chuckle. “Well, it that isn’t the scariest trifecta of evil, I don’t know what is.”

“No good can come from that,” Bridget said.

“And I’m sure if it’s related, but I’m thinking maybe it might be now... I don’t know, but there was something else we were talking about, and we thought I might ask you...”

“Out with it, lass.”

“Well, Asher and I were talking one night, and I asked him what it was he protected on the mountain. And he wasn’t sure. He didn’t remember anyone talking about it... just that they protected it because they always had.”

Bridget nodded. “That can happen sometimes, especially in situations like that. Yes, their family is the protectors of the magic that lies deep within this mountain. It’s magic we can feel, but when you’ve been doing something for generations, the reason can sometimes get lost.”

“So, you don’t know?” Esther asked.

“I’m sorry. Yer mother never shared that information with me.”

“And there’s one more thing.”

Sunny was more afraid to bring this up because everyone seemed to like him so much, but she just couldn’t shake off the feeling of those dreams and those red eyes. Something was off about Nox Whittaker—she would swear it.

“So, when we picked up Ruby from piano lessons the other day...”

That had Esther’s attention, and it made Sunny even more nervous.

She reminded herself that Esther was one of her best friends, and she wasn’t someone she needed to be afraid of.

“So, I told you about the dream and the red eyes I’ve seen. And here look at this,” she said, digging around the papers on the desk until she came to the picture. “Do you see anything weird about that picture?”

The women examined it.

“By the wood line,” Sunny offered.

Bridget cocked her head.

“What is that?” Julie asked.

“It’s those red eyes I’ve been seeing in my dream.”

“What does this have to do with Ruby’s piano teacher?” Esther asked impatiently.

“When I see him... sometimes... it’s like his eyes are glowing red.”

She waited for the judgment, but of course the women in this room wouldn’t judge. While none of them got visions, they all knew what it was like to not be believed.

“Do you think he’s involved?” Julie asked.

Sunny just shrugged. “I just wanted to give you guys all the information.”

“Yeah, Sunny, that’s a lot of information to drop on us,” Esther said dryly.

“I know... What do you guys think?”

“Well... It’s a lot. Nox has always been so nice. Do you really think he’s wrapped up in it?” asked Julie.

Sunny shrugged. “I’m not really sure of anything. Just letting you guys know what’s going on.”

“I’ll see if I can’t get a feel for him,” said Bridget.

“I mean, on the first day of piano lessons, I sent Ruby with cookies that would have made him sick if he had any ill will toward her and watched him eat one, so there’s that.”

“That’s why I love you, Esther,” Sunny said with a smile. “Also why I’m a little terrified of you.”

“Fair,” said Esther, without looking back to her. “Do you know how this church is involved?”

“Not really. Julie knew way more about it than I do.”

Esther looked at the little notecard for a long time. There was something there. Sunny would swear it, but she learned a long time ago not to push Esther.

“What are you guys doing up here?” asked a little voice.

“Hey, baby,” Esther said, reaching out an arm for Ruby, who walked over and snuggled right into her mother’s side. “Sunny was just showing us her father’s old office.”

“Wow! This is cool! This looks like the cop show you watch, Aunt Julie. Was your dad a detective?”

“No, but I guess he was trying to solve a mystery.”

“Aren’t we all, lass?” Bridget said.

“Yeah,” said Ruby in a serious tone. “Brian Denton in my class told me there was a monster in the woods behind the school, so we’ve been trying to figure it out. Maybe we should make a board like this one.”

“Brian Denton?” Esther asked.

“Yeah, he’s a big meanie.”

Esther just nodded.

“Oh, I almost forgot. Uncle Abe is getting the ice cream out of the freezer for the peach cobbler Julie brought. I was supposed to come get you guys.”

“Well, lead the way. If Julie’s peach cobbler is as good as her peach pie, we are in for quite a treat,” said Bridget as they left.

Esther stood there, shaking her head and murmuring “Brian Denton” as they walked out.

“Brian Denton is an eight-year-old boy, Esther.”

“I know, but boys grow up to be men.”

“Let’s go get some cobbler,” Sunny said as she gently pulled Esther out of the room. “Cobbler—and no cursing of children until they are actual men.”

Esther shrugged and followed her down the hall.