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“I think they planned to keep me longer, but something spooked them. Maybe the sound of sirens. I’m not sure, because it’s all kind of a blur. They panicked and left. Once I was sure they weren’t coming back, I got to work on the ties binding my hands. And once those were free, I took off theblindfold and made my way to the road.”

“And that’s where we found you,” the officer concluded.

“Yes.” Mags turned to me. “It’s hard to believe that wasn’t even half an hour ago.”

“It’s hard to believe a lot about today,” Nan added.

Mr. Milton, who’d remained quiet until now, cleared his throat. “They took you to Dewdrop Springs. Probably means they’re from there. A lot of the bad things that happen around the bay come from folks in that town.”

All eyes zoomed to Mr. Milton. Nobody wanted to contradict him, but nobody jumped to agree with him either.

“It could have been anyone,” I said at last. “But I doubt the kidnappers were stupid enough to return home while they had her.”

“Are you saying we should rule out Dewdrop Springs?” Mr. Milton questioned, his voice flaring in irritation.

“No, but we shouldn’t rule out all the other possibilities, either.”

“Is there anything more you can tell us, Mags?” Mom asked, wrapping an arm around her niece’s shoulder.

“That’s all I know,” Mags answered somberly.

I remained quiet. Mags had already been through so much. There was no point asking her to recall more when she’d already told us.

Did this mean the kidnappers wouldn’t be found?

Probably at least not for now.

And who or what had scared them off? Would they really be back?

Would every moment going forward put me in peril, seeing as they could strike at any time?

They’d said they wanted me to stop, but I didn’t know what I should stop. And honestly, I refused to be scared off my duties as a P.I. by some disgruntled bad guys.

More than afraid, I was angry—angry this had happened to Mags in my place, angry it had happened at all, and angry that Mr. Milton was still here.

Finally, I decided to say something about that niggling little problem.“Do you think we should limit any further discussions to family only?”

I looked to my parents for support, but it was Nan who answered.“Are you trying to suggest Mr. Milton isn’t welcome?”

“I just think it would be better,” I said, “if it were only us.”

When Nan didn’t argue in his defense, Mr. Milton became extremely flustered.“I’m only trying to help. Can’t you see that?” he demanded of me.

Mags spoke up in the eerie voice she’d affected since returning to us. “Angie’s right. I want him to go.”

Mr. Milton looked to Nan one last time, then stormed out of the station.

Chapter Seventeen

“C’mon,” the police officer told Mags. “We need to get your statement on record before letting you go.”

“Should I come with you?” Charles offered.

Mags shook her head.“I didn’t do anything wrong, so I don’t need a lawyer present, but thank you.”

We watched her go, the rest of us remaining in the waiting room uncomfortably close to a grimy looking coffeemaker. I hung back as far as I could from the untrustworthy appliance.

If it was a coffeemaker that had first given me my ability to talk to animals, then another coffeemaker could just as easily take that power away, too. Definitely not something I was willing to risk.

“How are you feeling?” Charles asked, leaning one shoulder onto the wall beside me and sweeping his concerned eyes over me.

“I feel like a giant weight has been lifted from my chest,” I said. “I know that’s super clich?, but it’s also like a part of me didn’t even realize that I couldn’t breathe until Mags was brought back safe, sound, and relatively unharmed.”

“I know what you mean,” Mom agreed and laced her fingers through my father’s.

“I don’t know if we’ll be able to find the kidnappers based on the information we have, dear,” Nan told me, concern etched across her aged features.

“It’s not a big deal. Now that I know they’re coming for me, I’ll be ready,” I promised.

“Maybe they only wanted to give you that warning and plan to leave it at that,” my dad ventured. “Are you going to listen?”

“Of course not,” Nan answered for me. “Angie hasn’t done a single thing wrong.”

I simpered at my parents.“She’s right, you know. Now that we have Mags back, we need to focus on figuring out who killed the judges.”

“What are you thinking?” Mom asked, curiosity flashing in her eyes.

“I’m thinking I’d like to talk to Mr. Gable again. He’s the one who knew the most about the Holiday Spectacular. Both the festival itself and the committee who planned it.”

“Don’t forget he’s the one who knows the most about the guests, too,” Charles reminded me. “He took pictures of everyone who came through that main entrance.”

“Yes, the camera!” I cried. “It’s here at the police station. I never got a chance to finish looking through it.”

“That officer didn’t seem too keen on having us involved in his investigation,” Dad grumbled. “Do you really think he’d share a key piece of evidence like that?”