Free Dead Is Not an Option by Marlene Perez Page A

replied. "But maybe we can meet later? My last class ends at four."
    We agreed to meet at Slim's and hung up.
    "Want to come with me?" I asked Sam.
    When I told her what I was trying to find out, she was all for tagging along.
    Natalie was already there when Sam and I arrived. Sometimes I felt like I practically lived at Slim's, but when Natalie suggested it, I couldn't say no. She wanted to spend time with Slim and she was doing me a favor. Besides, I needed to check in with Lil.
    I slid into the booth where Natalie was sitting. I almost sat on Slim, but the laughter on Natalie's face gave it away in time and I managed to catch myself.
    "Sorry, Slim," I said. "I didn't see you there."
    Natalie giggled and I made a face at her.
    "Time for me to get back to the kitchen," Slim said. "Can I get you anything?"
    "I'd love an order of fries when you get a chance," I said.
    "Make that two," Sam said.
    "Do you want anything, babe?" he asked Natalie.
    "Not anything from the kitchen," she teased. I didn't think it was possible to watch an invisible man blush, but I had no doubt that's what Slim was doing.
    Natalie's giggles followed him all the way to the kitchen.
    After she finally stopped laughing, she turned to me and said, "Okay, this is what I found out."
    She pulled a large notebook out of her bag and flipped through it until she found the page she was looking for. "I finally found a precedent for this situation. Back in 1815, a witch trapped her rival in a grandfather clock. But the rival's coven managed to undo the spell."
    "That's great news!" I said. "Do you think you'll be able to break the spell on Lily and Bam? What do we need to make it happen?"
    "If I have the gist of it, it helps to know the emotion behind the act. You know, greed, gluttony."
    "Jealousy?" I asked.
    "Why, yes," she said. "Why do you mention that emotion in particular?"
    "Circe had a thing for Balthazar Merriweather, but he only had eyes for Lily Varcol."
    "We don't have anything better to go on," she said.
    "Actually, we do," I said. I filled her in on the conversation I'd overheard between Circe and the count.
    Sam, who had been completely silent during our conversation, finally spoke up. "What else do we need?"
    "We need the items she used to enchant them," Natalie said. "And the presence of all enchanted parties, of course."
    I was regretting my promise to Lil, just a tiny bit. It seemed like a tall order, especially since Circe wasn't cooperating and she was unlikely to hand over her precious pig. I glanced over at Lil. I hoped she hadn't heard our conversation. It wouldn't help to upset her any more than she already was.
    "Circe said the second item had been confiscated," I said.
    "Do you think she was telling the truth?" Sam asked.
    "Maybe," I said. "She didn't know I was listening in. At least, I don't think she did."
    Slim came back with the fries and a pitcher of ice water with three glasses. "Natalie gets dehydrated easily," he said.
    "He takes such good care of me," she cooed. I was happy for them.
    After he left, we continued our conversation.
    "What happens to Lily and Balthazar?" I said. "Assuming we find the objects and reverse the spell?"
    Natalie looked startled. "They go back to being human."
    "Lily's been trapped in the jukebox for a long time," I pointed out. "And Balthazar has been a pig for just as long. Mrs. Wilder is Lily's younger sister and she's quite—"
    "Ancient?" Sam said.
    I gave her a dirty look. "Elderly," I continued. "It seems tragic that even if we do restore them to their human forms, they—"
    "Might not survive the reunion?" Sam finished my sentence. "That doesn't seem fair."
    We turned to Natalie with pleading looks.
    She sighed. "Don't get your hopes up," she said. "But I'll see what I can find out about that too."
    "I owe you one," I said. "That reminds me. Do you have any time to tutor a young witch? Her parents are norms, so she doesn't really have any family information to help her out."
    "I'm still an