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Sanjay insisted on driving, claiming to be the one on highest alert. Tempest ensured they’d all buckled their seat belts as they peeled out of the driveway.

Now, she opened the picnic basket her grandfather had thrust upon her. He’d long since learned that there was no controlling his granddaughter and her friends. “I assume you’re off to investigate,” Ash had said simply. “You’ll be at your sharpest if you’re well nourished, and I know you skipped lunch, so I’ve got an assortment of sandwiches for everyone.”

“Who wants the spicy hummus baguette sandwich?” Tempest asked.

“Not me,” said Sanjay. “I’ll take something mild.”

“Isn’t it only like a five-minute drive to downtown and the Hidden Bookshop?” Ivy asked. “I’m sure Ash’s sandwiches will keep until we’re done. Or are we going to Milton’s house first?”

“We should try the bookshop first,” Sanjay said, “since that’s where I last saw him. Convincing a murderer to confess can take a bit of time. I want to be sure to get a confession this afternoon, so I can get out of that contract. Hand me anything that doesn’t smell spicy.”

“I still don’t see why you’re so eager to get out of performing this weekend,” Gideon said. “It doesn’t seem that bad. You perform magic for all sorts of people. Even kids’ birthday parties.”

“First of all,” said Sanjay, “at this point in my career, I do kids’ parties only as favors. I don’t accept money for them. And besides, kids are fun.”

“As long as they’re old enough to have fun with magic,” Tempest added.

There’s a certain age below which magic falls flat on kids. When they’re really little, everything in the world is magic to them, because they’re seeing it for the first time. Water comes out of a tap? And you can make it start or stop? Amazing! Your shoes leave a mark in the dirt that you can identify later? Fun! A man in a bowler hat pulls a flower from behind your ear? No reaction. Because I’ve seen a flower before. They’re everywhere.

But by around five, kids have a basic understanding of how the world works. Faucets and footprints are only fun if they’re part of a game. There’s an opening in their imagination for things they know aren’t supposed to fit into how the world works. That’s when magic becomes truly magical.

“True,” said Sanjay. “So true. Always ask the age of the kids if you’re going to do a party. Five to nine is the sweet spot. And willing adults who’ve bought tickets. Not people wandering down Main Street on the summer stroll who don’t care about a good but dated trick.”

“Still doesn’t seem that bad,” Gideon insisted.

“It’s because he feels like a shill,” Tempest explained. “He doesn’t want to do magic on behalf of a company, even one that’s a bookshop and wine bar.”

“A private event is totally different from a public one,” Sanjay explained. “This is like I’m a spokesperson endorsing their product. How do I even know if I like their product?”

“You said you liked their wine.” Tempest caught his eye in her rearview mirror.

“I do. It’s really good for a passion project of an amateur winemaker. But that’s not the point.”

He only had time for two bites of a cucumber sandwich before pulling into a parking spot in the lot a block away from the bookshop.

“Shouldn’t we have a plan before walking through the door?” asked Gideon.

“This is the plan.” Sanjay turned off the engine and took another bite of the cucumber sandwich. “This cumin spread is delicious. I’m definitely saving the rest of this sandwich to celebrate catching Milton.” He turned in the seat to address Gideon, who was behind Tempest. “Tempest will ask Aurora about an arcane magic book, Erdnase’s Artifice, Ruse, and Subterfuge at the Card Table , to get her into another section.”

“I will?” Tempest asked.

“I didn’t call out Milton’s lie about his job in front of his coworkers today,” Sanjay said, “but I want to know the truth, so that’s my cover story for coming back to talk with him alone.”

“I’m pretty sure it’s not a crime to lie about your job title,” Tempest said. “And how do you know they have that book?”

“I saw it behind glass when I was there earlier.” Sanjay took one last bite before wrapping up the remains of the sandwich. “And even though it’s not a crime to lie, you agree with me that it’s suspicious.”

“I do,” Tempest said. “One of our main suspects lying about anything is suspicious right now. Since you’ve thought this through so well, what will Ivy and Gideon be doing?”

“Watching from across the street, in case he tries to flee.”

Ivy wrinkled her nose. “I’m supposed to tackle him?”

“I thought it would probably be Gideon who did it,” Sanjay answered.

“I’ll do my best,” Gideon said, “but my money’s on Ivy.”

“Nobody’s tackling anyone.” Tempest grabbed the sandwich from Sanjay and tossed it into the picnic basket sitting between Gideon and Ivy. “Let’s go figure out why he lied.”

The Hidden Bookshop storefront was technically on the town square, but the actual entrance was set back a few yards, making it feel as if you were already entering a secret world as you stepped through the wrought iron gate and walked over black limestone paving stones to get to the front door.

If you looked closely at the top of the gate slightly above eye level, you’d see that the caps weren’t a plain spike or the common decorative fleur-de-lis, but each cap was a tiny open book made of iron.

Tempest breathed in the scent of old books as they reached the door of the Hidden Bookshop. A faint bell jingled as they stepped through the door, alerting the staff that a customer had entered, though Tempest didn’t see a soul.

Her gaze fell to the cherrywood bookcase against the wall that her dad had built. The one that would slide open and lead to the new wine bar next door. The shelves had live edges—the type of edge that looked like natural driftwood and gave a bookcase a rustic appearance. The grain pattern of the cherrywood Darius had selected was filled with swirls that gave it a beautiful, distinct character. A good choice for the bookcase that would be used more as a door than simple shelving for books.

“Milton?” Sanjay called out when a full minute passed without anyone greeting them.

A slight woman with white curly hair that included several pops of bright purple stepped out from a section in the back.

“It’s good to see you, Tempest,” Aurora said, greeting her warmly before turning to Sanjay. “That magic bottle trick is going to delight customers this weekend! Not that I’m unhappy to see you so soon, but did you forget something?”

“I forgot to ask Milton about something.” Sanjay’s eyes darted behind Aurora, even though there was no movement from the back room. The bookstore didn’t even have a cat.

Aurora shook her head. “He left shortly after you. But I’m glad you came back with Tempest. I have something I think her dad would like. A gift.”

“There’s no need—” Tempest began.

“Nonsense. Darius undercharged us for his beautiful work on the bookshop.” She disappeared in back, and less than a minute later, she returned and pressed a small leather-bound book of old carpentry techniques into Tempest’s hands.

She opened the cover and saw it was from the nineteenth century. “He’ll love it.”

“If you tell me you spotted any clues in the five minutes we were in there,” said Sanjay as they went to collect Ivy and Gideon, “I’ll eat my hat.”

“As much as I’d like to see that,” said Tempest, “I didn’t learn anything except for the fact that Aurora and Alex are lovely people, so there’s no way they’re working with Milton to try to kill you.”

The four friends piled back into Sanjay’s truck and followed his GPS to Milton’s house, less than a mile away.

“We’re here.” Tempest pointed to a single-story bungalow in a similar style to the original house at Fiddler’s Folly.

“I don’t think he’s home.” Gideon pointed at the windows. “The house is dark, and there’s no car in the driveway.”

“He has a garage,” Sanjay said.

Tempest shook her head. “With a house this small, no way he’s using that garage for his car.”

They walked up to the front door and rang the doorbell, then knocked twice, but nobody answered.

“Looks like we have a visitor,” Gideon said.

“Milton is back?” Sanjay whipped around.

Tempest turned as well. It wasn’t Milton who’d arrived. It was a police cruiser. It came to a stop in front of the house, blocking Sanjay’s truck.

Officer Kwan, who’d been following Sanjay before, stepped out of the patrol car. “Detective Blackburn thought I might find you here. He requests your presence back at the station.”

“Have you arrested someone?” Tempest asked.

“Or are you arresting me?” Sanjay stepped behind Tempest.

“Neither. But it would be in your best interest.”

Tempest hooked her arm through Sanjay’s elbow and coaxed him back to his truck.

“I’m never helping someone ever again,” Sanjay muttered under his breath.

Tempest waved at Officer Kwan. “We’ll meet you at the station.”