THREE
In the week since Phoebe's premonition, they had learned nothing new about their mysterious woman. Phoebe's friend at the bookstore kept checking, but could find nothing new either about the book or the author. In a way this was good news. It meant they still had time. Discrete phone calls to local publishers had netted little information; when they netted anything at all.
It was beginning to look as if this woman was a first time writer. Which meant there would be next to nothing known about her. Unless she was a popular or best selling author, she wouldn't be widely known. And anyone who did know about her might not want to divulge what they did know to strangers.
Phoebe walked into the living room and collapsed on the sofa. Prue looked up at her from the map she was using to try to scry for the woman. Trying without success.
"You look bushed," said Prue.
"I am," said Phoebe. "I spent nearly all afternoon at the mall."
"Doing what?" asked Prue.
"Looking at the backs of books," said Phoebe. "A lot of writers have their pictures on their books. I was hoping I might find out who our mystery woman was."
"That was a good idea," said Prue.
"Yeah, but a waste of time," said Phoebe. "Do you have any idea how many female writers there are? And how many of them don't have their pictures on any of their books?"
"No idea," said Prue.
"Way too many," said Phoebe.
"Well, it was still a good idea," said Prue.
"I could use a break," said Phoebe.
""Why don't you relax?" asked Prue. "I don't think there's much more we can do today, anyway. Dinner should be ready soon. Piper and Leo are in the kitchen. Think I'll go check on their progress."
"With the meal, I assume?" snickered Phoebe as Prue left the living room.
Prue had been in the kitchen only a minute or two when Phoebe suddenly called for her and Piper. The two sisters hurried into the living room, followed closely by Leo.
"That's her," said Phoebe, pointing at the television. "That's the woman in my premonition."
On the television, two women were seated at a small coffee table talking. A sign behind them on the wall read "The Book Nook". One of the women was a young blonde about twenty-five years old wearing a pantsuit. The other woman was an older black woman wearing a business suit.
"I thought I'd watch 'The Book Nook' to relax," explained Phoebe. "When I turned the television on, there she was big as life."
"Quiet," said Prue, turning up the volume on the television.
"So," said the black woman, "with the success of yet another novel, what are your plans for your next book?"
"Well," said the younger woman, "it's a little different. It's about three sisters who are witches with some unusual powers. They spend their time fighting evil and protecting the innocent while trying to lead normal lives. It should be out some time next spring."
"We'll look forward to it," said the black woman. "My guest today has been Jennifer Crandall, author of the best selling book 'Ancient Evil' available in bookstores everywhere."
"Whoa," said Prue, "that was eerie. She could have been talking about us."
"She was," said Leo. "Now all we have to do is find out where she is. Then we can find out if she's a warlock or a demon or what she is."
"I know exactly where she is," announced Phoebe.
In the week since Phoebe's premonition, they had learned nothing new about their mysterious woman. Phoebe's friend at the bookstore kept checking, but could find nothing new either about the book or the author. In a way this was good news. It meant they still had time. Discrete phone calls to local publishers had netted little information; when they netted anything at all.
It was beginning to look as if this woman was a first time writer. Which meant there would be next to nothing known about her. Unless she was a popular or best selling author, she wouldn't be widely known. And anyone who did know about her might not want to divulge what they did know to strangers.
Phoebe walked into the living room and collapsed on the sofa. Prue looked up at her from the map she was using to try to scry for the woman. Trying without success.
"You look bushed," said Prue.
"I am," said Phoebe. "I spent nearly all afternoon at the mall."
"Doing what?" asked Prue.
"Looking at the backs of books," said Phoebe. "A lot of writers have their pictures on their books. I was hoping I might find out who our mystery woman was."
"That was a good idea," said Prue.
"Yeah, but a waste of time," said Phoebe. "Do you have any idea how many female writers there are? And how many of them don't have their pictures on any of their books?"
"No idea," said Prue.
"Way too many," said Phoebe.
"Well, it was still a good idea," said Prue.
"I could use a break," said Phoebe.
""Why don't you relax?" asked Prue. "I don't think there's much more we can do today, anyway. Dinner should be ready soon. Piper and Leo are in the kitchen. Think I'll go check on their progress."
"With the meal, I assume?" snickered Phoebe as Prue left the living room.
Prue had been in the kitchen only a minute or two when Phoebe suddenly called for her and Piper. The two sisters hurried into the living room, followed closely by Leo.
"That's her," said Phoebe, pointing at the television. "That's the woman in my premonition."
On the television, two women were seated at a small coffee table talking. A sign behind them on the wall read "The Book Nook". One of the women was a young blonde about twenty-five years old wearing a pantsuit. The other woman was an older black woman wearing a business suit.
"I thought I'd watch 'The Book Nook' to relax," explained Phoebe. "When I turned the television on, there she was big as life."
"Quiet," said Prue, turning up the volume on the television.
"So," said the black woman, "with the success of yet another novel, what are your plans for your next book?"
"Well," said the younger woman, "it's a little different. It's about three sisters who are witches with some unusual powers. They spend their time fighting evil and protecting the innocent while trying to lead normal lives. It should be out some time next spring."
"We'll look forward to it," said the black woman. "My guest today has been Jennifer Crandall, author of the best selling book 'Ancient Evil' available in bookstores everywhere."
"Whoa," said Prue, "that was eerie. She could have been talking about us."
"She was," said Leo. "Now all we have to do is find out where she is. Then we can find out if she's a warlock or a demon or what she is."
"I know exactly where she is," announced Phoebe.