She finally decided that she was the local who worked in the building showing around a foreign friend (Marcia) and her country cousin (me). I didn’t think anyone would much care what our cover stories were, but it kept her from asking too many questions about the magic, so I let it go.
Marcia’s phone had a Bluetooth headset, and I hid the earpiece under my hair. While I looked for Owen’s cell number in my address book, Marcia pulled it up on the phone’s screen. “Why do you have my boyfriend on speed dial?” I asked her with a raised eyebrow.
“It made it easier to nag him about remembering to eat and sleep while you were gone,” she said. “Rod deputized me.”
“He was that bad?”
“He was that bad. Not that it was all you. He’s also a workaholic.”
“Tell me about it. He did say that when all of this is over, we’d go away somewhere. Of course, I’m not sure what ‘over’ means.” Then because I couldn’t resist, I blurted, “And he made an offhand reference to honeymoon plans. It may have just been a joke, and I don’t think he’s planning to propose any time soon, but still, guys don’t bring up the subject of honeymoons unless they’re thinking along those lines, do they?”
Gemma adjusted the scarf she’d tied around her neck to accessorize her otherwise all-black “Really, I’m a local!” outfit. “Yeah, it’s generally a good sign if a man ever mentions anything to do with weddings or families. Most guys don’t even think about that stuff. So, are we ready?”
“I guess so,” I said.
“Communications check?” Marcia said.
I hit Owen’s cell number on Marcia’s phone. When he answered, I said, “We’re about to head out. Any last-minute advice?”
“Be careful. Look out for anything that feels like magic. After that spell we did, they know we’re up to something, so there could be some danger.”
“I was planning to be reckless. Putting my life on the line is fun!”
“You don’t have to be sarcastic about it.”
“I know, it’s because you care. Anyway, I can hear you loud and clear. I’ll call you back when we get there.”
Marcia made a tick mark on her list. “Okay, that’s a communications check. You’ve got the gizmo?”
I patted my shoulder bag. “It’s in here. And it looks just like a transistor radio, so it shouldn’t raise any suspicions.”
“Though people may wonder about anyone with a transistor radio held together with duct tape in an age when everyone else is using MP3 players,” Gemma said.
“But can you listen to a baseball game live on an iPod?” I asked. “Though I think Ethan had it for weather emergencies. Or maybe alien invasions. With him, you never know.”
“That’s a check on the gizmo. Other supplies?”
“I’ve got the duct tape,” I said. “And I’m wearing the magic-detecting necklace. I’m good to go.”
“I have my obnoxious tourist camera,” Marcia said, holding up a huge, practically antique thirty-five millimeter camera on a neck strap. “Plus, my map and guidebook.”
“All right, let’s do this,” Gemma said, putting her hand out like we were a team in a huddle. Marcia put hers on top of Gemma’s, and with a sigh and a shrug, I joined them. “We’re like the Charlie’s Angels of magic. Let’s go kick some magical butt,” Gemma said. “Go, team!” Marcia and I echoed her.
Gemma went into character as soon as we left the building, giving us a running commentary on life in Manhattan as though we were tourists who were new to the city. We took the subway to the station nearest the Empire State Building, then Gemma waved her borrowed pass and got us past the line of tourists. We went up in the elevator, then changed elevators to go up to the observation deck.
The higher we went in the building, the more my necklace vibrated. I could also feel the device humming in my bag. Or maybe that was me. My legs were trembling, and I had to hang on to my purse strap to keep my hands from shaking visibly. My friends thought this was a lark, but I knew we could face real danger.
We stepped out of the elevator at the observation level, and I called Owen, hoping that his magical enhancements worked and I would have a cell signal. He answered, and I sighed with relief that things were going according to plan so far. “We’re here,” I said, feeling better to have his voice in my ear. “Now what?”
“Walk around. Let me know what you feel.”
