Page 28 of Dragon Charmed

Tessa’s heart sped up. “He doesn’t need to find out right now.”

Eric chimed in. “I think Tessa is right. We let her work with the PI, and she can make sure we get the whole story instead of having it filtered through John.”

Eric was sticking up for her? Was it because of her earlier reminder about why she would pick up a golf club?

“You have never trusted John,” Megan said to her husband.

“No. He lied to us when we met him,” Eric responded.

Megan’s right eyebrow rose. “And we lied to him, so I don’t think we have much room to judge. If we speak to John, I won’t mention you’re working with the PI, but I also won’t lie to him if he finds out what you’re doing.”

“Fair enough,” Tessa said. “I didn’t tell Ben—the PI—to keep it a secret that I was helping him, so it will come out sooner or later. By that time, even if John is angry, hopefully we’ll have found Mia and she can help us with interpreting the second paragraph on the scroll. And let’s be honest—did you think I would be able to keep out of it?”

“Nope,” all four adults answered at once. Was she that transparent?

They were all sporting smirks on their faces. Why did she feel like she was the only one who didn’t know the punch line to a joke.

Sienna leaned forward. “When did you go to John’s house?”

“Why is that important?” Tessa asked.

Marcus answered. “It’s very important. We need day and time.”

“Ahh. It was yesterday morning around eight or so.”

Everyone groaned except for Sienna, who whooped before putting her hands out, palms up. “Pay up, everyone!”

“What’s going on?” Tessa asked.

“I won the bet,” Sienna crowed.

Tessa gaped at them. “What bet?”

Sienna smiled. “It was a bet on whether you were going to let John stop you from helping with the search for Mia White.”

Tessa looked to her best friend. “Did you bet I wouldn’t do anything?”

Megan chuckled. “Oh no, I knew you would do something too. We all did. I just didn’t think it would be this fast.”

She wasn’t sure what to think of that. “You all bet I would do something?”

The whole table nodded at her like bobblehead dolls. Bella copied everyone, bobbing her head up and down as well.

Marcus frowned. “I can’t believe you waited until yesterday morning.”

“I told Megan and Eric about the curse and talking to John around noon the day before.”

“I know,” Marcus said. “I thought you would do something that same evening.”

She turned to Eric. “And you?”

“I almost had you followed when you left the house that day because I was sure you were already heading for trouble.”

Sienna shook her head. “I knew you would think through things and then somehow become a part of the search for Mia. And I was right!” She started whooping again, which set Bella off with the giggles.

So much for her worrying about telling them the truth. She had actually turned away food when her nerves got the better of her. “Do you think Marilyn has some ice cream to top those salted caramel brownies with?”

Chapter 10