The healers didn't mince words. Daddy's chances of survival were slim to none. But it was the words they weren't saying that concerned me. I could see them swimming behind their passive expressions, and it took everything inside of me to not scream at them to spill what they knew. Thankfully, I didn't have to resort to hysterics because their lips became a lot looser when the authorities entered the room.

"Officer Pilgrim," Mama said, her face twisted in confusion as she continued to rub Alma's back in an attempt to soothe the sobbing woman. "Is there more news about the cause of the accident?"

Peter Pilgrim was the chief of Black Brier's police force, and everyone in town knew he had the hots for Alizon Wych. He made up excuses to stop by Southern Charms or by the house. She never talked about it, but I'd seen how she smiled and blushed when his name was mentioned.

But today there was no flirtatious note to his voice or stars in his eyes. And the red spreading across her cheeks as he spoke was from anger, not bashfulness.

"Alizon, what charm did Polly Hamlin purchase in your store?"

"She bought a pair of earrings. Clear quartz and garnet. She'd been having some issues with memory and inspiration."

"Why not get a memory or muse charm?" Officer Pilgrim asked, his eyes hard and flat as he waited for Mama's response.

"Polly wanted to take a more holistic approach. Clear quartz aids in purifying your physical, mental, and spiritual bodies. It offers balance. Garnet helps you utilize creative energy."

"Is it true these were a special order? Earrings designed specifically for her?"

"Most of the charms bought by the people in this town are special order," Mama snapped. "The ready made charms are the basic sort, and only the tourists purchase them."

He jotted something down in his notebook, and Clemmy stepped forward. "Why don't you go ahead and tell us what you're accusing my daughter of?"

Caly and Harmony went bug eyed and shuffled closer to me- as if I could help them if things went south magically speaking. I might have my own protection charms, but they wouldn't do my sisters much good.

"No one is accusing anyone of anything, but we do have to investigate every angle."

"I call bullshit," Clemmy said.

Officer Pilgrim swallowed and rubbed the back of his head. Even the healers shifted from foot to foot. Clemmy was a double threat- Council leader and an all around bad A witch. No one wanted to make her angry.

"Basil's physical injuries from the blast were extensive, but nothing our healers couldn't handle," the head healer said, lifting her hand to ward off further comments. "But it's the dark magic that's killing him. Dark magic we found in the shards of garnet we pulled from his skin."

Mama turned white as a sheet, and she dropped into the chair next to Alma. My step-mother shook her head in denial, threading her fingers through Mama's as she admonished the healer. "There's no way Alizon would use her magic like that."

"I don't understand," I whispered to my sisters, "I thought garnet was a good stone."

Officer Pilgrim must've overheard me because he answered, "The stones aren't inherently good or bad. It's the magic we put in them, and what happens when dark magic is fed to garnet, Mrs. Wych?"

"P-Peter, you know I wouldn't do that."

"Answer the question, please."

"Garnet fed with dark magic pulls energy from the one wearing it. We call it a Vampire stone because it feeds the energy back to the one who enchanted the stone."

It sounded a lot like Siphoning to me, which only solidified my earlier beliefs that today's events were part of a bigger plot. But surely my mother couldn't be tied up in the middle of all this? She was a good witch. A kind woman. As much as my father might exasperate her, their divorce had been as amicable as a divorce could possibly be. Alma was her most trusted friend. Heck, she'd introduced Alma to my father. What motive would she have to attack him after all these years?

"So you are accusing my daughter of purposely attacking Basil? You didn't have to be an ass about it," Clemmy said.

"Mrs. Leopold-"

"Clemmy. Don't ever call me Mrs. Leopold. That was my mother-in-law, and I never did care for the woman."

"Clemmy," the officer persisted, "we don't think Alizon was attempting to harm her ex husband."

"Of course n-"

"We think her target was Polly Hamlin."

Chaos erupted in the room as everyone tried to speak at once. Alma was out of her chair, one hand supporting her stomach while the other waved in front of Officer Pilgrim's face. Harmony shouted profanities that would've earned her a stern lecture any other time, and Caly was crying so hard she was starting to hiccup.

Only Clemmy and I remained silent. Me, because I had little to offer to this conversation, or at least nothing that wouldn't make Mama look even more guilty. If I mentioned someone was dabbling in demonology right now, they might light the witch fire on the spot, and a quiet Clemmy rarely meant anything good.

"Enough," Officer Pilgrim shouted, ending the pandemonium with a snap of his fingers.

The spell stole everyone's voice- well, everyone but mine. With my charm, I couldn't feel the tell-tale irritation of magic spreading over my body, but I wasn't about to speak up to test the theory. Not when it would lead to more questions and scrutiny.

"Now, will everyone behave?" Begrudging nods followed, and he snapped his fingers again. "We are not pressing charges. We are only letting you know that you are a person of interest, Mrs. Wych. As such, you are not to leave the city. Is that understood?"

"Oh, it's understood."

Mama marched toward him. Her dark hair was a tangled mess around her face, but instead of making her look unkempt, it added a ferocity about her that made Officer Pilgrim step back from the fuming woman. She pushed her finger into his chest, and everyone sucked in a sharp breath. That little digit packed a powerful punch.

"It's also understood that if I ever see you darken my doorway, I'll let my mother turn you into a flea."

"Are you threatening an officer?" The speaker was an officer I didn't recognize.

A Cheshire grin spread across my mother's face, and she batted her lashes at the young man. "Yes, I am. Because you see, I don't deal in dirty magic in the shadows. If someone in this family is going to do something, we're going to make a show of it."

"That's my girl," Clemmy crowed, rubbing her hands together as she studied Officer Pilgrim. "Though, I might have to do something other than a flea. Too small and easy to lose."

"Do whatever you wish, mother."

"I want to see Basil," Alma said, rolling her eyes and ending the spectacle. She gave each of us a hug before following the healer to my father's room.

"I'd like to see Daddy too," I said.

Mama nodded. "That's fine. We've another hour before visiting hours are over. Should be enough time for each of you to speak to him."

"We think it's best that you don't go back there," the head healer said, stopping Mama as she tried to follow us.

"Because you think I'm draining his energy? You know if that's the case, it doesn't matter how near or far I am from him?"

"We know that, but still, it wouldn't be proper."

Clemmy put her hands on her hips and tapped her foot on the ground. I swear smoke was billowing from her nose as she exhaled. "There's one way to solve all of this, you know. Just test the magic. Alizon will willingly submit a sample."

"Of course I will. I have nothing to hide."

"You'd have to come downtown. We've already got what we need from Basil."

"Then lead the way."

"Mama, what are they testing?" I asked, grabbing her by the arm. Panic gripped me at the thought of letting her out of my sight. I already had one parent lying in a bed, his life drifting away slowly. I couldn't lose her too.

"They're just going to check the genetic markers on the magic. When they see mine doesn't match up, I'll be released. With a full apology."

Officer Pilgrim bowed his head, his mouth softening for the first time since he arrived. "Of course, Alizon."

"See, I'll be back before you know it."

If only that was true.