Free Spell of Summoning by Anna Abner

She chuckled, though none of this seemed very funny anymore. If it ever had been.
    “Not unless he’s cast a spell on himself. But he probably won’t be that stupid.”
    “If only we were so lucky.”
    “Grams might be able to sniff out something from other spirits, especially ones that he uses for power. But that’s a long shot. There are a lot of spirits in the world.” He grunted as he shifted into first and pulled onto the street. “Do you have a string of enemies in your past?”
    “You mean do any of my former clients dabble in the dark arts?” Rebecca smiled. “Sorry. No. I have business rivals, sure, but no enemies. I have a few friends, but nobody who harbors a grudge. Not that I know of.” And that was 100 percent the truth.
    “Well, think harder.”  Holden turned onto Marine Boulevard and headed downtown. “Because someone out there wants to destroy you. Not just kill you,” he said and glanced at her, “but turn you into a monster.”
    After a coffee run, Holden parked in front of her office and walked Buster toward the entrance of the Rebecca Powell Realty Group.
    She’d always been so proud of her business. Not caring of the cost, she’d hired an interior designer who’d chosen the muted color schemes, brought in comfortable and stylish furniture, and designed the work space to be open with no walls or barriers. It was her absolute pride and joy. If Rebecca could have taken a photo and kept it in her wallet the way other people kept photos of their children, she would have.
    But now? She was closing the doors on May 1. Twenty-two days. And she wasn’t even sad about it.
    “Let’s make this fast.” Holden held the front door for her.
    “Why?” She wasn’t used to being bossed around. She did the bossing. “You in some kind of hurry?” They still had hours before their appointment in Springfield.
    Real estate agent Jessa McAvoy, and not Rebecca’s assistant Derek Walker, greeted them from the front desk in the stylish reception area. The other three junior agents had already moved on to bigger and better jobs, but Jessa insisted on staying until the very end.
    “Where’s Derek?” Rebecca asked.
    “He said he’d call from the road,” Jessa said. “He’s working on the Havers Street property. You heard?”
    “I did.” Rebecca led Holden around the desk, noticing two vases of wilting lilies on the side table. “Replace these, please,” she told Jessa. “They look so sad.”
    “Yes, ma’am. I’ll do it right now.”
    Rebecca marched through the empty workroom and unlocked her filing closet. It was empty. All the files—every hard copy, every manila folder—were gone.
    “Jessa?” she called, panic rattling through her chest. The other woman appeared in the hall like she’d been waiting for her. “Where are all my files?”
    “I boxed them up.” Jessa crossed her arms. “And put them in storage with the extra computers and desk chairs. You asked me to, remember?”
    She touched her forehead. It sounded logical.
    “You told me the unused desks and shelves go next,” Jessa added. “The movers are coming tomorrow. Is that still your plan?”
    “Yes, of course. I just forgot.”
    She gave Rebecca’s arm a sympathetic squeeze. “It’s okay. You’ve been under a lot of stress, even for you.”
    Understatement. “Jessa. Someone is…” How to explain? Maybe half the truth was better in this situation. So she did what she was so good at and spun the story. “Stalking me.”
    Jessa gasped. “Are you okay? Have you called the police?”
    “There’s nothing to report. It’s more like a few sightings and a suspicion.” Rebecca fiddled with the door lock. “Has there ever been anyone in one of our deals who was super pissed off? At me, especially? Has anyone ever threatened me? In a letter or a voicemail, maybe, that you never told me about?”
    Jessa shook her head. “No, Boss. Everyone loves you. Well—” She rolled her eyes. “There’s Charley, but