Page 58 of An Oath at Midnight

I couldn’t just wait around and do nothing, so I’d spent the day doing more research on the prom committee. They still had a tight connection socially and in business, and not just Dark Star Investments. I looked down at the open yearbook on my passenger seat, at their smiling faces in their prom picture, and back up at the massive house in front of me.

It belonged to Robert and Jenna Hazark.

I didn’t know if one of the witches in that picture, the ones still breathing at least, had anything to do with the killings, but if I were one of them, and I was innocent, you better believe I’d be on high alert after several people I knew had shown up savagely murdered. My wards would be rock solid, and my place would be locked the hell down tight.

The Hazarks obviously didn’t think the way I did. The gates to the house were thrown open and several cars were parked out front. Were they having some kind of party? Fucking odd thing to do after what happened. Calvin still hadn’t been found, but if they were as tight as I thought, they had to know he was missing.

Another car rolled in. I couldn’t see who was driving, but I recognized the female in the passenger seat. Maria Watson, shareholder in Dark Star and Chase’s date for prom back in the day. Like the others, she was a witch from a prominent family. Maria also owned a bunch of high-end clothing stores. Emmaline and Marcel was the name of her boutique chain. The stores stocked designer labels and were named after her sister and brother who both died when they were just teenagers. In the article I found, it said they’d died in a tragic accident of some kind.

Shoving my door open, I jogged across the street to get a better look at what was going on. She parked beside a Lamborghini Miura. Its license plate was GLDNBOY. Not hard to guess who that belonged to. Chase Golden was a manwhore who’d inherited his wealth and never worked a day in his life. He had several businesses that he had nothing to do with, and according to gossip on Nightscape, was the biggest player around. He’d been nicknamed golden boy in high school because he had the looks to match. Perfect chiseled features, golden-brown eyes and thick, blond hair that had a slight wave that all his followers were “desperate to run their fingers through.”

I’d only ever had a couple of encounters with him, both times at The Cauldron, when he’d come in for supplies, and both times he’d been a slimy douche canoe.

Maria got out and headed for the house as a Holden’s Catering van pulled up on the other side of the Lamborghini. The door opened, and Jamie Graves got out. Jamie was my age, a fellow loner from Roxburgh High and my occasional science partner and study buddy. He’d gotten a job at Holden’s straight out of high school.

Looked like I’d just found my way into this shindig.

I waved when he spotted me, and there was no missing his surprise.

“It’s been a long time,” he said, giving me a wary smile when I strode over, his confusion at seeing me there, obvious.

“Too long. You heard about Margot?”

He nodded. “I was gonna call…”

“I was too.” It was bullshit, and we both knew it. We might have thought about it, but the actual calling, that wasn’t something either of us actively did unless we totally had to. “I thought I’d see you at the funeral, but then they made it family only…”

“Yeah.” He shut the van door, and his gaze darted from mine. “Though, I’m not sure you would’ve been welcome there.”

The rumor mill had been busy. “Willow didn’t do it, Jamie. She’s innocent.”

His head tilted to the side. “I hear they have evidence.”

“They’re wrong. Someone’s setting her up.”

He was quiet a couple beats. “So why are you here?”

“I’m trying to clear my sister’s name.”

“And you think they know something?” He motioned to the Hazarks’ mansion.

“I’m sure of it.”

Genuine concern filled Jamie’s eyes. “If you’re right, and Willow was framed, then there’s a psycho out there who won’t like anyone poking around in their business.”

I scanned the parking lot, making sure no one was watching us. “Maybe not, but I don’t really have much choice.”

“Christ, Mags. It’s too dangerous.”

“It’s not exactly voluntary.” I shoved my hands in my pockets. “The mother called, and I had no choice but to answer.”

“Fuck…yeah, of course. I heard about your sisters.” Disbelief filled his eyes. “So this is your task? Finding a fucking psychotic murderer?”

“Yep. I’m not sure the mother likes me all that much.”

“No shit,” he said, looking furious on my behalf. “And that’s really why you’re here?”

“It is, but I need you to keep all of this to yourself, no one can know.” I trusted him. No, we’d never been besties, but he, Margot, and I, we’d been there for each other when we’d needed to be. We’d only had each other in that shitty school, and the loyalty between us had always been rock solid. I glanced at the house and back. “So how big is this party?”