The next year went by for Vicki and crew pretty uneventfully. Their children got older, London was two, the twins were almost six and Coreen's baby Cason was already a year old. Christian had a little sister, Olivia. Marjory had gotten pregnant soon after healing from her ordeal, they were thrilled. Maggie had also had another child, a little girl she named Julia. Mike and Kate's new son, Vincent, Vin for short, had joined the clan too. Henry had been after Vicki to have another baby. It had been two years and he said four would be perfect, she hadn't agreed just yet. "Besides," she told him, "there is lots of time for more.." she always reminded him, telling him too that practice made perfect. Everyone seemed happy and content.
But as usual, things would get a little, well out of sorts.
"Coreen," Vicki called from her office. She was stumped. She was trying to finish up the paperwork on a recent case but couldn't seem to get her computer to take the information. She banged the top of it, hit the side, swore at it even..nothing.
"Dammit!" Vicki said as Coreen entered the office.
"Did it help?" Coreen laughed at her boss.
"No," Vicki sighed, "I'm gonna have to break down and buy a new system."
"Aww.." Coreen said coming around to Vicki's screen to offer help, "Poor "I hate change" Vicki might have to change.."
Vicki rolled her eyes at her.
"Not change so much, technology. What ever happened to just writing things down, filing them, looking things up in the yellow pages. Good old fashioned detective work, real people stuff."
"True. But, look how fast we can get things done, surfing the net, cell phones," Coreen raised an eyebrow, tapped a couple of keys and voila!
"Uh..how..?" Vicki said, her mouth hanging open.
"Operator trouble.." Coreen said walking back to her desk.
"Oh.." Vicki didn't get it at first.."HEY!! Wait a minute!"
Coreen's laughter could be heard from the next room. Vicki got up and poured herself some coffee disreguarding it was mid-afternoon. She was deep in thought looking forward to the long weekend. She and Henry had a romantic getaway planned for the next four days. She could hardly wait. She shuddered at the thought of having him to herself for four days. They were going to a nice little bed and breakfast. It was very old, lots of history. The story behind the house was that it had been moved from Salem, Oregon. It was supposed to have belonged to an accused witch. Yeah right, Vicki thought. Well, no matter. It was still beautiful and a lovely tourist trap. Somewhere she could go with Henry, all alone and have lots and lots of hot sex.
"Penny for your thoughts," Henry asked slipping up behind her, planting a sexy kiss on her neck and wrapping his whole body around her it seemed. She closed her eyes, moaned and said..
"Oh, it'll cost you more than a penny."
She put her coffee down and turned into a much better position for a kiss. They kissed for a bit, very romantically. They finally heard Coreen clear her throat.
"Get a room..ick!" She teased.
"We are getting a room, remember?" Vicki shot back.
"I was just going to tell you goodbye and have fun, gotta head home." Coreen was still her little perky self but had grown up even more after having Cason.
"Hmm..baby waiting for you?" Vicki asked, smiling at her.
"Yeah..and Cason too," Coreen added making everyone laugh. She started to leave and turned back around.
"Oh, and could you guys take some pictures of that old house you are going to for me?" Coreen asked.
"Sure. Why?" Henry asked.
"Oh.." Coreen got excited, "because it used to belong to this witch, she..."
"Coreen," Vicki stopped her, going to where she stood and taking her hands, "honey, you know as well as I, those were just horrible happenings to more than likely innocent people. True magical people, we tend to be quiet."
"Stop patronizing me Vicki," Coreen jerked away from her.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."
"No, I'm sorry, it's just that I really think this house is the real deal and I want to compare pictures of it from a book I picked up," Coreen told them.
"Oh. Well in that case, consider it done." Vicki gave her a quick pat, Coreen moved in to hug her. Vicki should have known that was coming.
She would take pictures just to pacify Coreen if nothing else. It's the least she could do. Coreen went way above and beyond many times for them. She was a lot smarter than many gave her credit for. She was also half-lycan and half magical herself. Vicki knew how obessessed Coreen was with all of this.
"Tell me a bit about this house Coreen.." Vicki asked of her before she left.
Coreen told them that the house had been moved from Salem, Mass. about two hundred years ago. That was something Vicki had a problem with too. The house would have to be almost four hundred or more years old. She seriously doubted that a house that old would survive, she kept that opinion to herself. Coreen said the woman it belonged to really was a powerful white witch, a good witch. She was found out and tried. She was convicted but before they could execute her, legend says she disappeared.
"They say," Coreen started whispering, her eyes big, "she's still in the house, hiding, waiting for someone to clear her name so she can go back home and live out her life, have a family. She's waiting for someone to come and save her."
Vicki and Henry looked at Coreen. She was really into this.
"Okay, we'll see what we can find out while we are there, okay?" Vicki told her, almost meaning it.
"Thanks..bye!"Coreen called out over her shoulder.
"That girl.." Vicki said shaking her head.
"What if it's true?" Henry asked absentmindedly.
"Well, wouldn't be the first time something freaky happened around here now would it?"
She had no idea...