BooksBarbecue
Back Spells for Lost Things
Chapters (42)
  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Dedication
  4. Prologue
  5. – 1 – Willow
  6. – 2 – Mason
  7. – 3 – Willow
  8. – 4 – Mason
  9. – 5 – Willow
  10. – 6 – Mason
  11. – 7 – Willow
  12. – 8 – Mason
  13. – 9 – Willow
  14. – 10 – Mason
  15. – 11 – Willow
  16. – 12 – Mason
  17. – 13 – Willow
  18. – 14 – Mason
  19. – 15 – Willow
  20. – 16 – Mason
  21. – 17 – Willow
  22. – 18 – Mason
  23. – 19 – Willow
  24. – 20 – Mason
  25. – 21 – Willow
  26. – 22 – Mason
  27. – 23 – Willow
  28. – 24 – Mason
  29. – 25 – Willow
  30. – 26 – Mason
  31. – 27 – Willow
  32. – 28 – Mason
  33. – 29 – Willow
  34. – 30 – Mason
  35. – 31 – Willow
  36. – 32 – Mason
  37. – 33 – Willow
  38. – 34 – Mason
  39. Acknowledgments
  40. More from the Author
  41. About the Author
  42. ALSO BY JENNA EVANS WELCH

After a few minutes, Emma and Simon come in and I make a big deal about how intrigued I am by what I’m reading, which makes Simon smile and Emma stare. I’ll take it. With my nerves firing, I push myself up from the computer. “I’m going out for a walk.” I watch them exchange a quick glance where Emma seems to be communicating something with her eyeballs, but I don’t have even a clue as to how to decipher what that something is.

Simon clears his throat and takes a step toward me. “Hey, Mason, I’m taking Nova to a lunch meeting with a client around noon, then we’re going on a trip to Salem Willows. It’s a fun hangout in the summertime: arcades, beach, lots to see. I’d love to have you join for both.”

Unlike yesterday, this invitation is less of a request and more of a this is the way it’s going to be. I’m too stressed to refuse, so all I do is nod and agree to meet him outside in twenty minutes. Which I do, but all I’m thinking on our walk is, Find the girl, find the girl, find the girl.

But how? I’m obviously going to have to go camp out outside of the house until she shows up again, but how am I going to make that work without alerting Simon to the fact that I’m stalking one of his properties? And what does the girl have to do with the house anyway? Is she related to the woman who owned it? Is that why there’s a painting of her in the house?

I’m thinking about this so hard that I nearly trip over Nova as we make our way down Essex. “Watch it!” she shrieks. I don’t know if Nova is mad about spending time with her dad, or mad because I’m encroaching on her one-on-one time with him, but she seems extra stormy today. She has also clearly mastered the art of walking and texting, and it’s honestly impressive to watch since Essex Street is lined in uneven bricks and packed with people too busy enjoying the weather and all of the weird shops to focus on where they’re going. Whatever Nova is doing, she is completely absorbed in it.

I’m not paying much attention to Simon either. I’m studying the hair and faces of every person I pass. At one point I get a glimpse of red hair and my heart speeds up, but when I turn for another look, I see that it’s a boy wearing a bright yellow backpack.