Читать книгу I Put A Spell On You - Kerry Barrett - Страница 15

Chapter 6

At first it didn’t even cross my mind that anything more sinister than a power cut had happened.

I was about to get ready for my night out. The spa was quiet because most of the therapists had finished for the day. There was a Bikram yoga class on in one of the studios, Nancy – the new temp receptionist – was putting on her coat, and Xander was sitting in her chair, fiddling about with her computer.

He’d been tight-lipped about his lesson with Esme.

“Yeah it was good,” was about all he’d said. “She took me through some basics, the rules and whatnot.”

I’d narrowed my eyes.

“Tell me,” I said. “Tell me what she told you.”

“Okay, scary controlling lady,” he’d said with a grin. “She told me about all the three stuff.”

I’d been impressed that Esme had started ‘by the book’ as it were. Uncharitably I assumed the lessons I’d given her were still fresh in her mind. I wanted to know exactly what she’d said though, so I got Xander to talk me through it.

“She said the most powerful magic is made by three witches together,” Xander explained carefully. “And, she told me that if you do a nasty spell, it’ll come back on you three times as bad.”

“That’s true,” I said. “Doesn’t stop me forgetting about it when I’m in a mood though.”

Xander chuckled.

“Seems unfair,” he said in an overly casual manner. “That you can’t hurt someone who’s hurt you.”

“It’s not worth it,” I said. “Our magic all comes from positive energy – if you start messing with the dark stuff it gets scary pretty quickly.”

Xander’s eyes darkened for a second, but he didn’t push it.

“That was about it,” he said. “We didn’t have much time.”

I let it go, but I made up my mind to ask Esme more about what they’d got up to.

Leaving him to it – he was working on more flyers advertising the spa to new customers – I took my make-up bag and clothes into the deserted changing room. I was quite capable of doing my hair and my make-up magically, but I found it frustrating as if I liked it, I could never recreate it, and if I didn’t, it was a bugger to change. So I stuck to doing it my own way, even if some other witches turned up their noses at me.

I’d stripped off my work clothes and swapped them for the outfit I’d summoned earlier, and was just touching up my make-up, when all the lights went out. The little red light on my hair straighteners, that I’d plugged in to heat up, went out, too.

I paused, mascara wand aloft, knowing we had an emergency generator. There was a beat, then a whir as everything started up again. I smiled at myself in the mirror, pleased the expense had been worth it.

And then the emergency power went out.

There was a shriek from the yoga studio as twelve sweaty women felt the heating go off and the cold air of an Edinburgh winter creep in.

“Bugger,” I whispered.

It was pitch black in the changing rooms, which had no windows. Keeping one hand on the wall, I felt my way round the lockers towards the door and then out into the corridor. It ran along the edge of the building, so it had windows but the sun had set hours ago and it wasn’t much lighter there. Finding my way through memory and touch, I made it to reception where Xander was lighting candles. He made a spooky face at me through the flame, but I was in no mood to laugh.

“I pinched these from one of the treatment rooms,” he said, lighting another tealight. “Are youOK?”

I nodded. Half-finished make-up wasn’t a worry for me at the moment.

“Shall we go and rescue the hot-yoga girls?” Xander asked.

I sighed.

“I suppose so.”

Using our phones as torches, we headed to the yoga studio, where the instructor was trying to calm the nerves of her shivery charges. Like grateful lambs, they followed us out of the studio and into the changing rooms. Xander lit tealights and scattered them on every available surface. It actually looked quite pretty.

“Ladies,” he said, giving a little bow. “I’ll leave you to it. Last one out, blow the candles out.”

As one, the yoga class all simpered at Xander. I tutted and headed back to reception, Xander following. We sat together and waited for the yoga crew to leave while I rang Lucy and Georgia to explain. Then I rang the electricity company.

“EH4?” the very helpful operator repeated, in a shrill Scouse accent. “There’s no problem reported in that area.”

My heart sinking, I walked to the door of the spa, phone still clutched to my ear, and peered out. We were on a side street mews, away from the main road of Raeburn Place. Everything was dark and quiet – perhaps it was a problem in the area after all.

“I’m just checking for you,” the operator was saying. I wandered down the mews and cursed as I saw Raeburn Place lit up like a Christmas tree. The pub and pizza restaurant were buzzing and the flats above, and street-lights, obviously all had power.

“I think the problem is at your premises,” I heard the operator say.

“I think you’re right,” I said, hanging up.

I went to the cupboard next to Star’s old desk and found the fuse box. But none of the switches had tripped. Not really sure what to do next, I sat in reception next to Xander. We said goodnight to all the yoga class as they filed out, laughing among themselves.

“Can you do anything?” Xander asked as the last woman left. I shook my head.

“There are some things witches can’t mess with,” I said. “Life and death – that’s the biggest. But also electricity, water supplies, that kind of thing. It’s too risky.”

Xander gave me a sympathetic look.

“I’ll just go and check there aren’t any stray candles burning in the changing rooms,” he said. He wandered off – and suddenly the lights came back on.

“Harry!” Xander came thundering along the corridor. “It’s back!”

“Thank bloody god,” I said, throwing my head back against the sofa cushions. I looked at my watch, wondering if it was still worth going to meet Lucy and Georgia. It wasn’t too late, I decided. I’d just check my appearance in the mirror in the changing room.

Xander sat down in front of Star’s computer again.

“Are you staying?” I asked.

“I might just finish these flyers,” he said. “I think we should get them out soon as.” I was impressed and even felt slightly guilty that I wasn’t staying to help. Grabbing my bag, I walked towards the changing room.

“Oh fuck, no!” Xander cried.

My stomach lurched. What now?

“Xander,” I called. “What’s up?”

There was a pause.

“Erm, everything’s gone,” he said.

Not understanding, I went back into reception. Xander was staring at the computer, a puzzled look on his face.

“It’s empty,” he said. “There’s nothing here.”

I looked over his shoulder at the screen. It was blank, except for the little icon that showed our server.

“Click on that,” I said, my jaw aching with tension. Xander clicked and the server opened, but there were no documents inside.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. All the spa’s records were on there. Client histories, orders, receipts, advertising, accounts. How could it be empty? Xander rebooted the computer and looked again. It was gone.

A moment passed as I decided whether to have a meltdown or put on my business head. Meltdown almost won, but I pulled myself together.

“Right,” I said. “I’ll ring Malcolm. He’ll know what to do.”

Malcolm was our IT guy. He lived in Glasgow, and worked remotely most of the time – just popping in to us a couple of times a week. I hoped he’d be able to help from over there.

I slumped on the sofa and dialled the number. Xander watched me explaining what had happened, then got up and wound his scarf round his neck.

“Back in five,” he mouthed at me. I nodded, trying to concentrate on what Malcolm was saying.

When Xander came back, Malc was still talking. He’d accessed our server remotely and confirmed there was nothing there, but he couldn’t work out why.

“I’ll call our back-up company,” he said. “Don’t worry, Harry. This will be sorted out in no time.”

I hung up and looked at Xander.

“He’s not worried,’ I said in relief. “He’s going to call back in a mo.”

Xander grinned and produced a bottle of wine from behind his back.

“Let’s have a glass,” he said. “We can celebrate our lucky escape.”

“Ah, is this where you went?”

“I thought we deserved it.” Xander sloshed wine into two mugs and we chinked them together.

“Here’s to In Harmony living to fight another day,” I said, taking a huge mouthful then texting Georgia one-handed to tell her I was stuck at work.

Xander swigged his wine.

“And the Harry/Xander dream team,” he declared. “Nothing fazes us.”

We clinked mugs again. I drained my drink and refilled, and then my phone rang. It was Malc.

“There’s been a fire.” His voice was slow and his words well thought out. I wondered if he’d practised what to say.

“A fire,” he repeated. “At our back-up’s HQ.”

“So…” I prompted, knowing exactly what he was going to say.

“There is no back-up.”

I breathed in and out, not knowing how to react.

“Everything’s gone, Harry. I’m so sorry.”

Unable to speak, I passed the phone to Xander and walked to the front door. I put my hand on the In Harmony sign. I loved this business like it was my child. Tracing my name with my fingertips, I narrowed my eyes. I was bloodied and battered, yes. Things were tricky, indeed. But I wasn’t giving up yet.