After the door refused to open, Mar begrudgingly knocked on the warm surface. She shuffled her feet as she waited for the witch to answer. The door swung open as Angie stood, hair now pulled up into a loose ponytail and a soft smile on her face.
"Come on in," Her voice was airier than before and Mar followed into the house, her expression neutral as usual. Angie moved quickly back into the dining room where she had a few books and jars scattered near the others from earlier in the day.
"When I was here earlier you were doing some type of spell, um, I was wondering what exactly that was meant to do," Mar spoke slowly but the witch turned quickly to face her, setting down the jar in her hand.
"Why did something happen?" She drew out her question and tried to seem uninterested, though, a bit of worry peeked through her tone. Mar sighed at her coyness and stepped forward, quickly plucking her knife from her side and dragging the blade across her arm like she had before.
"Ya, I noticed something a bit odd," Mar stated, annoyed as they both watch the cut heal in a matter of moments. Angie clicked her tongue and seemed to mutter something under her breath before occupying herself with her jars again.
"I've been, ugh, working on perfecting some new spells. You walked in front of one for," She paused like she was trying to remember, "immortality, not like forever immortality but, you know, a little bit."
"A little bit?" Mar sounded exasperated but Angie nodded, "How long?"
"A day…maybe."
"maybe?"
"Yes." She was reading something from one of the books now as Mar pinched the bridge of her nose, sighing, "Look," Angie suddenly began, "You'll be fine and there are worse spells than being invincible for a day, ok? I've been trying a tracking spell but," she teetered a jar on the table, "It's not working for shit so where are you with the victims?" Mar was silent a moment trying to digest the information and the question directed at her.
"I've been a bit preoccupied," She finally responded, quirking an eyebrow at Angie's smile.
"Well then we could use each other couldn't we?" She proposed, to which Mar snorted.
"Team up?" Angie nodded, "Fuck it, why not? I left my laptop back in the motel room. Do you happen to have one around here." Angie gave her a an odd look.
"Of course, It's in the room," stretching her body strangely, she pointed around the corner, "there."
"Alright," Mar began, leaning back in the chair and scrolling slowly on the laptop, "They seem to be different in every aspect except a restaurant somewhere in town." She looked up but Angie had apparently disappeared from her previous position next to her. Mar yelled her name and Angie poked her head around the corner.
"I heard you, calm your pretty little head." Mar scowled at her, closing the computer and pulling her discarded jacket over her arms as she stood. She had closed most of the distance between her and the door before she thought again and stopped.
"Are you coming," A shuffling of feet followed her words as Angie hurried out of the back room, grabbing at jars from her shelf and stuffing them into a purple shoulder bag. Mar smirked at her as she finally made her way to the door and offered a grin down at Mar. Shaking her head, Mar walked out onto the porch and they both made quick work of the couple blocks to town.
"OK, so do you even know any other witches in the town or possible motives," Mar cocked her head at the women walking next to her on the sidewalk.
"Nope," Angie rustled in her bag a second, "But, whoever it is seems simple enough. Coughing up nails isn't exactly a top-noche spell," She laughed but as Mar opened her mouth to respond a loud screeching noise caught their attention. Snapping her eyes up, Mar briefly saw the speeding car as is bumped up onto the sidewalk and collided with her body. For a moment, lying on the warm concrete, she thought if she breathed it would be blood and not air from what were surly several broken ribs and ruptured organs. Breathe, breathe,breathe. Air, thank God. The ache faded and Mar pulled herself slowly back to her feet. The driver's face wasn't visible as he was unconscious on the steering wheel and anyone who saw the incident was frantic. With a quick glance to Angie's shocked face, Mar hurried down the street, pulling Angie by a tight grip on her wrist. As the crowd disappeared from both sight and hearing she allowed herself to stop, pacing both hands firmly on Angie's shoulders.
"I'm fairly certain you fucked up that spell," She breathed out, receiving a conceding nod from Angie, who was apparently less concerned as she continued walking to the restaurant.
"Hi, can I help you," chirped the waitress as they both entered through the doors. She walked a bit closer to them, "Can I get you lovely ladies a seat?" There was something in her smile that reminded Mar of someone she used to know. She briefly checked the name tag. 'Kate' not 'Gracie'.
"No, ma'am, we're investigating a series of deaths in the town," Mar held out her badge once more, "We need to ask a few questions, if you wouldn't mind." Mar gave her best 'professional smile' despite the worried look that crept onto the waitress's face.
"Yes," she stuttered, "Of course, most of our staff are in the back. Follow me." Passing the mostly empty tables, all three of them pushed through the back doors and into the kitchen, bustling compared to the dining area. Eyes immediately fell to them as the chef made his way up to them, a gloved hand extended for a handshake.
"Jeremy,Can I help you," His wide, charming smile faltered a bit as his eyes caught Kate's worried look from behind them, "You're here for Tracy and Hannah," he finally questioned. With another glance at Kate, he gestured for both Mar and Angie to follow him out of kitchen. "Listen, I cared about them both. I loved them both and I don't know how this happened." Mar's eyes caught a golden band around his finger.
"You're married?" He looked confused for a moment but nodded.
"Yes, Kate and I-" He stopped as if he would say something else but never did, instead opting to rub the back of his neck. It was then that Angie's foot snagged on a chair and tumbled to the ground, a jar rolling out briefly before she stuffed it back into her bag, collecting herself. Mar's eyes were trained on Kate, however, whose face fell as she watched the jar. At Mar's glare she ran and Mar gave chaise. She was fast, weaving her way down the street and between the building' alleys but eventually Mar was within a few feet of her.
"Freeze," Mar's gun was trained on the back of her head as she halted in her tracks, turning to face her with a shit eating grin. Unexpectedly, she walked toward Mar, stopping only to retrieve something from the bag on her side.
"Oh, do you have a gift for me," Mar jested but before another word could leave either of their mouths, Kate had drawn and emptied her gun into Mar's chest. This sensation wasn't unfamiliar and Mar was currently stuck between hating witches with every fiber of her being and being really damn glad they existed. Kate's eyes widened when Mar didn't fall.
"Look, I know it's the thought that counts but I sure as hell hope you kept the receipt." The next shot zipped by Mar's ear but succeeded in hitting Kate square in the forehead. Spinning around Mar saw Angie, gun drawn directly behind her, Her bag still swaying on her hip from sprinting.
"You could hang around, you know," Angie offered from her recline position on the motel wall. Mar smiled at her but shook her head as she shoved the last bit of her belongings into the duffle bag, slinging it over her shoulder with a grunt.
"I've got things to do," she eventually responded.
"Things, things," Angie playfully pondered flicking her hand in the air with each word, " Like what chasing down monsters."
"Yes," Angie rolled her arms. Mar moved to walk out the open door but Angie blocked her path earning a genuine smile from Mar, "Look, I'll tell you what, you need anything, you give me a call and I'll be here but yes, I've got a job to do." Somewhat content with this, She moved her arms, allowing Mar to move to her car, hand running along it's body before she popped the trunk.