Elemental Enchantment Read Free Page B

minutes and a shower later, Meaghan had dropped off her car at Butch’s Auto Repair and waited for her sister and brother-in-law to arrive. As she flipped through a magazine, a woman came in with a stack of papers and spoke quietly to the man behind the desk. Before she left, she taped a piece of paper to the window next to the door. It was a missing child alert hung above another one that was yellowing with age, the edges curling up around the tape.
    Meaghan’s throat thickened, and she swallowed hard as she read the flyer. The details were startlingly similar to the one already hanging there. Both girls were around the same age, both had dark hair and both appeared to be stranger abductions, with the suspect driving a tan or gold car. Unable to keep from staring at the girls’ pictures, she knew she’d be seeing them in her nightmares. The memory of another child’s body rose in her mind.
    She still had bad dreams about the little girl her sister had found a few years ago. Well, Emma hadn’t found Marisol—just her body. Together with Meaghan and their friend Rowan, Emma had helped the little girl’s spirit cross over to the other side.
    Flooded with memories and needing fresh air, Meaghan pushed out of the hard plastic chair. As she glanced again at the photos as she passed through the door, she couldn’t help but wonder if these two disappearances were somehow related to Marisol’s. The police had never found her killer, and as far as Meaghan knew, they didn’t even have any leads. Hopefully, it wasn’t too late for these two.
    Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, opening them only when she heard a car pull into the parking lot. Forcing a smile, she slid into the driver’s seat as her brother-in-law, Ian, climbed in back.
    “Thanks for taking us to the airport,” he said.
    “No worries. I’m just glad you guys are finally able to take your honeymoon—”
    “I thought you said you weren’t hurt!” Emma interrupted, peering at Meaghan’s face, concern filling her dark eyes.
    “I’m not.”
    “You’ve got a bruise by your hairline,” she said.
    Meaghan adjusted the rearview mirror to look. Emma was right, a faint purple mark spread downward onto her forehead. She’d figured she’d bruise, but she hadn’t really thought it would be that noticeable. Great. She’d have to cover it with makeup for the wedding shoot tomorrow or figure out a different way to wear her hair to conceal it.
    Normally, it wouldn’t be a big deal, but this couple was particular about having the photographers blend in with the guests so as not to be a distraction. Meaghan doubted that Bride and Groomzilla would appreciate a photographer with a bruised up face. Even without the mark, it would be hard not to be a distraction since she and Toby would have cameras, tripods, reflectors and light kits. It wouldn’t be easy to blend in with all that equipment. Whatever. If they wanted their photographers in wedding attire, that’s what they’d get.
    Meaghan looked at the bruise one more time and turned to Emma. “Is it really that noticeable?”
    Her sister winced. “Kinda.”
    She sighed. “Extra makeup, it is.”
    Emma reached into the backseat. “Honey, can you hand me the cookies?”
    “Gladly.”
    Glancing into the rearview mirror as she backed out of the parking lot, Meaghan laughed at the expression of disgust on Ian’s face.
    “I really hope this craving doesn’t last all pregnancy,” he said. “I’m not sure I can stomach the smell of those things for the next six months.”
    “Want one?” Emma offered around a mouthful of cookie.
    Meaghan pulled up to the stoplight and looked at the package then at her sister. “Watermelon Oreos? Seriously?”
    Her sister nodded and offered a cookie to Meaghan. “They’re delicious. Have one.”
    “I can’t even begin to tell you how much I don’t want to.”
    Emma shrugged. “More for me.” After a moment, she added, “Do you think they’ll have these in