Page 36 of Herbs & Hex-breaking

He didn’t seem particularly upset about it, and so while he served the food, I asked him, “Don’t you typically do something with Lorna?”

He shrugged. “She’s got other plans this year. Lorna’s taking a quick trip from Tuesday night until Thanksgiving. She’ll be back early Friday morning, to be here for Black Friday.”

I hadn’t known that but considering the past few weeks, it was hardly surprising that she hadn’t shared her plans with me.

“Anyway,” he continued. “Considering I was gone for almost three weeks, seems holding down the fort while she takes a break is the least I can do.”

We had worked our way through about half of our meal when my phone began to ring from inside my purse. Hearing it, I scooped it out. The name on the screen had my stomach dropping in apprehension. It was Hattie Broussard. “Hattie, what’s wrong?” I asked.

“This is Johnny, her fiancé,” came a shaky male voice.

I pushed back from the counter and stood. “Johnny, what’s happened?”

“Hattie’s been in an accident. She fell down a flight of stairs. I’m here with her in the emergency department.”

CHAPTER EIGHT

“What?” I asked, shocked to hear it. “How seriously is she injured?”

“Hattie was conscious and they wheeled her off to x-ray a few minutes ago. But she asked me to call you. Said that she needed you.”

I grabbed for my purse and swung it over my shoulder. “Which hospital?”

Dex rose to his feet beside me, while I listened to Johnny.

“Tell Hattie that I’m on my way,” I said once I had the information. “I’ll text and let you know when I arrive.”

“Thank you, Kate,” Johnny said. “She’s pretty scared.”

I ended the call and looked over at Dex. “I need to go.”

He simply nodded. “I’m coming with you. I’ll drive.”

In a matter of moments, we were in his car and driving to St. Vincent’s.

“I don’t understand,” I said, rubbing my forehead. “I worked a very intense protection spell for her and Johnny on Samhain night.”

“I meant to ask you about that,” Dex said as he navigated through traffic.

“I saw her last week,” I told him. “She picked up her gown, and I gave her fresh herbal sachets for protection. She told me things were improving for them, and she promised me that she’d continue to carry it…or at least she was supposed to be.”

Dex reached for my hand and held it, offering support.

“I know that no spell is fool proof,” I said, “but I’ve never had one fail like this before!”

“A vision popped in my head while you were speaking to Johnny,” Dex said, “and with my retrocognition, I saw her fall. If I’m right, then I don’t think that your spell did fail, Kate.”

“What do you mean?” I frowned. “What did you see?”

“It was an ugly fall down very tall concrete steps.”

I nodded in confirmation. “Johnny did say she fell down a flight of stairs.”

Dex squeezed my hand. “Hattie asked for you, didn’t she?”

I blinked back worried tears. “She did.”

“Hang on darlin’,” he drawled. “I’ll have you there in a few more minutes.”