Shadow Witch Read Online Free

Evelyn said. “She might be willing to stay with Sammi. Fred could give her one of her magic pendants, and she’d be safe enough.”
    Larry scowled. “You guys sound like you really believe this Mr. Gundy is going to swoop out of the shadows and grab that little girl, and molest her or something.”
    “Sammi seems to think so,” Fred said.
    Carl took a deep breath and nodded. “Let’s not make any decisions about her until I can find out more about her foster father.”
    “What if he’s as bad as Sammi says he is?” Jamie asked.
    “I don’t know.” Carl inhaled slowly and pushed the fingers of one hand through his short brown hair. “Then we’ve got a real problem.”
    * * *
    Duane Gundy watched as his wife set the phone down. “Well?” he asked.
    She shook her head. “They still haven’t seen her.”
    “I don’t believe ’em. Libby’s her best friend. I bet Sammi’s hiding over there. I’ll go over there and ask ’em in person. I can tell if they’re lyin’, if I can look ’em in the eye.”
    “I don’t know, Duane. I don’t want to bother them again, and Mrs. Carter sounded like she was telling the truth. Maybe you should drive around again and look for Sammi. Maybe go check the diner. She’s bound to be hungry by now.”
    Duane Gundy grabbed his car keys from the hook by the kitchen door and shoved his wallet in his back pocket. “I done checked everywhere I can think of. I’m goin’ to Libby’s house.”
    Gundy spit on the ground before he banged on the Carter’s front door again, cursing to himself. A few seconds later, Mike Carter opened it, but didn’t turn on the outside light. He wore a white undershirt and faded black jeans, and he was barefoot. A barbed wire tattoo circled his right upper arm.
    “Damn, Duane, what the hell do you want?”
    “I want Sammi. I know she’s over here.”
    “My wife done told you she ain’t here, and we ain’t seen her.”
    Gundy tried to see past the lean, sinewy man into the house, but the partway open door offered only a limited view. “Well, she ain’t nowhere else. She’s gotta be here.”
    “She ain’t. Now quit botherin’ us. We’re tryin’ to eat supper.”
    He could’ve been lying, but Gundy couldn’t get a good look at his eyes in the darkness. “Let me come in and see for myself.”
    “I said she ain’t here!” Mike glared at him.
    Gundy crossed his arms and cocked his head to one side. “Well, I ain’t leavin’ ’till I see for myself.”
    Mike leaned back inside the house and yelled over his shoulder, “Luke, run into my bedroom and fetch my gun.”
    “Now, hold on.” Gundy stepped off the small wooden stoop and held out both hands defensively. “No need for that. I’m leavin’.” He walked to his car, and when he glanced back, he saw Mike still standing in his doorway. Gundy slid into the driver’s seat, started the engine, and drove off. He didn’t go far, just a short distance down the road, where he had a clear view of the Carter’s house. He pulled onto the shoulder, turned off the ignition, lit a cigarette, and waited.
    * * *
    Fred lay in her bed, staring up at the dark ceiling, thinking about Sammi. Boy, what a night. Another big problem for us to deal with, and just when we thought we were home free .
    Jamie had a theory about it. He always seemed to have a theory about something. He thought that their power attracted problems, like a light attracts moths at night. The brighter the light, the more moths. And the stronger the magical power, the bigger the problems. She tuned him out when he began to expound on his hypothesis, but it did seem to make sense, now that she thought about it.
    Though I don’t see how we could have a bigger problem than the demon.That was awful . She sighed and rolled over onto her side. That poor little girl. An orphan, just like Aiven. Is that a coincidence?Jamie thought it might not be. Such a similar situation, Sammi and Aiven, orphans with magical powers, showing