They both nodded. Distantly, I was aware of Gemma, Gail, and a few of the other witches filing in.

“Okay,” I took a deep breath. “What did you guys have for dinner tonight?”

“Chicken nuggets and mashed potatoes with green beans,” Cil said. “I ate all my green beans, but Zip only ate half.

“Dad said I could,” Zip stuck his lower lip out.

“I hate green beans,” I admitted, and he grinned at me, revealing sharp, pointed teeth. He was still missing a couple of adult teeth.

“I hate them too.”

“So after dinner, what happened next?”

“We went back to the store. Dad said he wanted to stay open for a few more hours and we needed to do our homework quietly.”

“Okay. So what happened after that?”

Zip reached for his brother’s hand once more. “A bad man came.”

“How did you know he was a bad man?”

“He was wearing a cloak. Bad men wear cloaks.”

My mouth twitched. He wasn’t wrong. Anyone who wanted to look suitably villainous had a tendency to buy a black cloak. And that cloak tripped them up and gave their enemies loose clothing to grab them in a fight. Cloaks were for low-level thugs and rookies.

“So the bad man came, and then what happened?”

Cil’s eyes filled with tears. “Dad told us to hide.”

“Was the bad man in the store?”

“No. He was on the street.”

“Okay, so your dad saw the bad man through the store windows. And then you hid in your secret hiding spot? The one I found you in?”

“Yes. Dad used his I’m serious voice. If you don’t listen to that voice, you get no TV for a week.”

“Did you hear anything when you were hiding?”

Zip began to tremble, and Cil threw his arm around his brother’s shoulders. “We don’t want to talk anymore.”

I studied them. I wasn’t going to get anything out of them until they felt safer. “That’s okay. Gemma and the other witches here are going to look after you.” I leaned close. “If you’re lucky, maybe Charlene will make you her famous chocolate chip cookies.”

“Dad said you had to keep us safe.”

I nodded. “I am. This is the best place for you. These witches are the most powerful in Durham, and they’ll kick the butts of anyone who messes with you. I’m going to come back tomorrow, okay? Maybe we can talk some more then.”

“You’re going to find out who hurt our dad,” Zip said.

“Yes.”

“And then you’re going to kill them,” Cil stared into my eyes.

“That’s right.”

“Danica,” Gemma hissed, and I shook my head at her. “They’re big enough to hide and keep quiet when their dad tells them to. They’re big enough to know the truth.”