I wrapped the crystal's chain around the snow globe, while Phoebe placed the U.S. map on the floor. The crystal rotated around twice before it slipped out of my hand and landed in Texas. Kyle pulled a Texas map out of one of the drawers. "Try this now."
Phoebe removed the U.S. map and replaced it with the Texas map. The map was as large as the U.S. one. Phoebe took the crystal and the snow globe and spun the chain. It landed in Grand Prairie, Texas. Located in eastern Texas near Arlington, Grand Prairie has a population over 100,000, so finding Paige was going to be difficult. We both knew more were at risk every minute it took us to find Paige and Piper.
Kyle held both Phoebe's and my hand, and we orbed to Grand Prairie. We ended up at the intersection of Jefferson and Freeway streets-desolate industrial parks with hundreds of businesses.
Phoebe slapped her hands on her sides, "How what?"
"We have to think about Paige. Based on what we know, where would Paige be?" I surveyed the area and pointed, "How about the Texas Health and Human Services?"
"Prue, do you know how big that building is? It's going to take forever."
"Be positive. Hopefully, there's a directory." We walked toward the building, and I pulled a sheet out of my pocket. "I copied down some notes from the Book. Let's see. Aster is a fall flower, and lily is a spring flower. My guess is that Paige is a summer flower."
"And what are summer flowers?"
"Roses, peonies, irises, larkspur, marigolds, zinnias…"
"Well, it's a start."
We reached the entrance way to find a touch tablet directory with each letter having ten to twenty names. Phoebe and I rolled our eyes, but we thought this was a process. We reached M and finally we got a hit. "Rose Mitchelson? Henry's last name was Mitchell," Phoebe looked at Kyle who didn't seem upset.
"A summer flower and a Henry connection. It has to be it."
Through seven floors and three checkpoints, we reached Rose Mitchelson's office. A portly redhead welcomed us, "Hello, how can I help you?"
"We're here to see Rose Mitchelson."
"I'm sorry. Mrs. Mitchelson is not in. She is on field visits today. She will not be in the building until tomorrow."
"Is there a way to contact her? It's an emer—"
"Are you on the emergency list?" As I was talking, I noticed Kyle walking out the door and orbing.
"My name is Shannen Aster, and this is my cousin, Alyssa Lillianfield."
The redhead scanned her tablet. "I'm sorry. You are not on the list. We have a strict policy in regards to privacy and our employees. Perhaps, you could contact one who is on the list."
We nodded and exited the office. Kyle was there smiling. "Why are you smiling? We struck out," Phoebe glared at Kyle.
"We didn't strike out. I looked at her calendar. She will be at the Blue Rags at 7PM. She has it highlighted and starred. We just have to find out what and where Blue Rags is located."
"I hope it's not a strip bar," I mumbled.
"No, that would be Piper," Phoebe mused, "Remember she did the counter dance for her high school reunion."
"She was also possessed at the time."
"Still..it's a possibility."
Thank God, it wasn't. Blue Rags is a night club in Arlington. It features jazz and blues. On its website, its banner mentions the opening act as the beautiful Rose of Arlington and it displayed Rose's picture. We couldn't tell if it was Paige. We didn't know each other until we touched the Book. Right now, it was four, and we had three hours to kill.
We returned to San Francisco knowing we had to do something. Grams was hovered over the U.S. map with a blue baby blanket and the scrying crystal. "Any luck?" I asked.
"Nope," Grams stopped spinning the crystal, "I thought Wyatt's blanket would find Piper."
"Grams, I think we all used that blanket one time or the other. It was a good try. Did you try anything else?"
"I tried a couple bracelets, but I couldn't find her wedding ring…"
Phoebe and I looked at each other. "Most likely, we won't find her ring. It disappeared when she took the potion at the end of her life. Let me try." Phoebe's arms dug into Piper's box, and she lost her balance and fell in the box.
"Phoebe!"
"I'm fine. It's like a walk-in closet. At least it's organized. How about Piper's wedding dress?"
I still felt guilty for Piper's wedding, and I didn't want to bring up old issues, "Really, Phoebe? I don't think Piper has all happy memories about that event."
Phoebe yelled, "True, so true." She scrounged in more drawers. "How about a P3 keychain?"
"Not close enough."
I heard hear Phoebe emptying boxes inside of boxes and a series of bumps, jingles, and crashes followed her. "I GOT IT!"
"What? What?"
"Help me out." I pulled Phoebe out of the box, and she pulled a golden chain from her pocket. She handed me the chain. It was my old necklace with my name, Prue, in cursive.
"Why would she…"
"Come on, Prue. When you died, Piper was so distraught. She wanted a piece of you. Leo found your necklace and gave it to Piper for a wedding anniversary. She treasured it to her dying day."
I didn't respond. Grams gave me the crystal, and I held the crystal chain and my chain together. The crystal began to spin violently. It landed in Illinois. Like before, we found the map of Illinois, and I scryed with the crystal again. It landed in Yorkville, Illinois—fifty miles out of Chicago.
"Okay, Kyle, let's try it again."
We orbed to a small town with its shopping centers and McDonalds, but we landed next to a large complex. I figured that our connection to the crystal gets us real close to the person. It worked with Phoebe and Paige, so it must be the same for Piper.
"Prue, it's worse than a strip club. It's juvenile detention!"
I thought, Great, Piper is an angry adolescent!
