would have been satisfying to make them squirm.
If they even knew about her, that is.
As I waved back, it seemed less likely they knew anything at all. My dad was the liar, not them. So instead of asking them about it, I took it out on Norbert. In my defense, Iâd been planning to yell at him anyway.
âNow youâre Skyâs personal assistant?â I demanded as soon as he hopped into my car. âWho do you work for, anyway?â
Norbert scowled. âIf anyone here should be mad, itâs me,â he shot back. âIâm your cousin. I get to do your grunt work.â
âYeah, so?â
âSo how come you partner up with Sky and not me?â
âSky Ramsey and I are not partners!â
âOh, really?â said Norbert. âSo he just happens to know youâre Umbra Investigations. He just happens to have all the information on the Corabelle LaCaze case? He just happens to need a name run on a potential suspect?â
âHe barged into my client interview. It was an accident!â I stepped on the gas and sped down the street.
Norbert made a noise through his nose.
âLook, heâs obsessed with my dad,â I said, gripping the steering wheel. âHe was dying to be a part of Umbra. I didnât go to him. He came to me.â
Norbert folded his arms and turned his body away from me. âWhatever. Itâs cool.â
He was silent the rest of the way to school. When I parked, he reached for the door handle without a word. I needed to do something. It wasnât his fault that my life was a series of surprise disasters.
âNorbert!â
He didnât answer, but he froze in place.
âI need your help.â
His hand still on the door, he turned and looked at me, his eyes softening. âYou do?â
âI need everything you can find on Todd Harmon. Cell phone activity, driverâs license, plates, parking tickets. Anything. Iâve never had a missing person case before, and . . . â I paused, but only because the next part was true, and truth is not exactly my specialty. âItâs a big deal. I canât do it alone.â
Norbert grinned. âIâm on it. Youâre welcome.â
I found Corabelle in the hallway before homeroom. She wasnât her usual manicured self. Her ponytail had slid halfway down her head, and some strands had escaped the rubber band to straggle around her face.
âDid you find Todd?â she asked the moment she saw me.
âNot yet.â I pulled her into a corner so we could have some semblance of privacy. âBut youâre right. Itâs totally a curse.â
She blinked rapidly. Her hand went to her mouth. âI knew it.â
Sliding back into my Umbra mode was the easiest thing in the world. Ignoring the twinge of guilt over lying about Todd Harmonâa real missing personâwas more difficult. Giving a crap had never been part of the Umbra plan. I shook it off. âThereâs some dangerous magic at play here,â I told Corabelle. âI donât know if youâre aware, but Van Nuys is the warlock capital of the world.â
âReally?â she breathed.
âYeah, and I hate to do this, but Iâm going to have to charge you an additional hazard fee.â
Corabelle didnât even blink. âWhatever you need.â
âBy the way,â I said, âI didnât see anything on Toddâs parents in the information you gave me. Have you talked to them? Do you think they might know something?â
Corabelle shook her head. âNo parents. Todd was a ward of the state. He got scholarships for college.â
Wow. Aside from the disappearing act, Todd was looking more and more impressive. Heâd become a pre-med all on his own. But then again, what did I know? A âward of the stateâ could mean anything. I didnât have any parents either.
âHere, in case it helps.â I took the photo Corabelle
MR. PINK-WHISTLE INTERFERES