"David told me they came into the Ravens Bane asking about dark magick. He called me up early this morning." Charlie tore off a piece of her sourdough bread bowl and gestured with it. "He asked me if he should call the police hotline with the information he had."
Verona stirred her chai latte, shaking her head. "Now how do we even know they were the same teenagers? It's not like the police had released names or pictures of these kids."
"Said they were going to Penny Pines right after. They said they were on their way to do a ritual in the woods," Charlie insisted. She popped a piece of bread in her mouth. "You know why none of their clothes were missing?" Charlie made her eyes really big. "David said they were wearing homemade robes: new, DIY, hand-sewn, hooded robes."
Verona looked thoughtful. "You're thinking that's why the parents came to the conclusion that they were taken from their homes naked? They didn't see any clothes missing from the kids' closets."
Charlie nodded, her shoulders bouncing. "Teen witches are like that." A casual gesture, Charlie's fingers went to her neck. Charlie often did this to make sure her tiny pentacle pendant was safely tucked into her shirt. The commonly used term for Charlie and Verona were 'closet witches.' "If they were serious about practicing witchcraft, they'd never let their parents see their ritual robes."
Verona pulled a notebook from her purse. "This is all speculation, you know." She scribbled frantically on the pad. "Probably going to amount to nothing. Not even worth going into."
Charlie nodded. "You haven't touched your raspberry walnut salad."
"Uh huh."
"It's like your favorite salad."
"I'll get it to-go."
"You're going to talk to David after work, aren't you?"
Verona looked up from her notebook. "What?"
Charlie smiled behind her cafe mocha as she took another sip.
"Just call me after."
"Okay."
---------------
The familiar sounds of Tibetan wind chimes and singing bowls filled the small smokey room
Verona stirred her chai latte, shaking her head. "Now how do we even know they were the same teenagers? It's not like the police had released names or pictures of these kids."
"Said they were going to Penny Pines right after. They said they were on their way to do a ritual in the woods," Charlie insisted. She popped a piece of bread in her mouth. "You know why none of their clothes were missing?" Charlie made her eyes really big. "David said they were wearing homemade robes: new, DIY, hand-sewn, hooded robes."
Verona looked thoughtful. "You're thinking that's why the parents came to the conclusion that they were taken from their homes naked? They didn't see any clothes missing from the kids' closets."
Charlie nodded, her shoulders bouncing. "Teen witches are like that." A casual gesture, Charlie's fingers went to her neck. Charlie often did this to make sure her tiny pentacle pendant was safely tucked into her shirt. The commonly used term for Charlie and Verona were 'closet witches.' "If they were serious about practicing witchcraft, they'd never let their parents see their ritual robes."
Verona pulled a notebook from her purse. "This is all speculation, you know." She scribbled frantically on the pad. "Probably going to amount to nothing. Not even worth going into."
Charlie nodded. "You haven't touched your raspberry walnut salad."
"Uh huh."
"It's like your favorite salad."
"I'll get it to-go."
"You're going to talk to David after work, aren't you?"
Verona looked up from her notebook. "What?"
Charlie smiled behind her cafe mocha as she took another sip.
"Just call me after."
"Okay."
---------------
The familiar sounds of Tibetan wind chimes and singing bowls filled the small smokey room
