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Bridget said it first, and best.  “Holy crap!”

“Oh my gosh,” Cici breathed, grabbing onto the desk for support.

“It can’t be…”  Uncle Dan whispered, his eyes wide as saucers behind the jeweler’s glasses.

But Magnolia knew, even as she watched the jewelry pieces slide across the desk without a human hand, as they clicked together like a puzzle to create a jeweled headdress, she knew.

It was magic.

Amaryllis was magic.  The silver fingerprints, the strange store…there was no other explanation.  The words were about to drop from her lips when she looked up and saw fury burning in Bridget’s eyes.

“These are special pieces indeed,” Uncle Dan whispered, his eyes glittering.  “Where did you say you got them?”

“They were just a gift.”  Bridget snatched them up, nearly ripping them from Uncle Dan’s eager fingers.  “Thanks for looking at them.  I’ve got to get back to my shop…”

“Bridget,” Cici hissed.  “Bridget!!!”  Shooting an apologetic smile to Uncle Dan, she scurried after Bridget as she rushed through the door and out of the shop.

Magnolia turned to her Uncle Dan, mournfully staring at his empty fingers.  “I’m sorry, Uncle Dan.”

He picked up one of the discarded chunks of brown paper, running his fingers over the shimmering fingerprints.  “Did you feel it, Magnolia?”

“I’m sorry?”  Magnolia bit her lip.

“Did you feel it?  When you touched the pieces?”  Uncle Dan stroked the silver streak.  “The little blast of electricity, that little zing?”

Magnolia gulped, her throat dry.

“I know you did, because I did too.  I’ve only seen that once, when I picked up a estate piece once.  The husband had given it to his wife on their first anniversary, and she had worn it for sixty years…”  Smoothing back his frizzled grey hair, he smiled. “The second I picked it up, warm love flowed through me.  It was like drinking chocolate syrup, all warm and thick and sticking to your ribs.  You know, I’ve never seen anything like that.  Not until now.”

Magnolia forced herself to swallow.  “What did you feel this time?” she croaked, clutching the discarded leather desk chair Bridget had shoved toward her.

Her uncle raised his head, smiling.  “Joy.  Snow angels on Christmas morning.  Just pure joy.”  His smile grew larger.  “It was magic.  Pure magic.”

Magnolia reeled back, clutching at her arms as though to hold her stolen thoughts in.  She wasn’t the only one who saw the magic after all.

“As soon as your friend calms down, tell her the pieces are real.”  Her uncle glanced up, meeting her eyes.  “And if she ever wants me to look at them again…no charge.”

Magnolia whispered her thanks, fleeing the shop and the stern-eyed clerk.  She rushed down the street, ducking into the floral shop.  Bridget was sitting behind the counter, staring at the linked pieces.

Letting the gold bell ring cheerily behind her as the shop door closed, Magnolia crept forward.  She had nearly reached the counter when Bridget’s green eyes met hers.

“Nancy Drew wouldn’t know what to do with this.”

Magnolia covered Bridget’s hand, cupped over the jewels, with her own.  “They’re real.”

“I know.”  Bridget bit her lip, her bravado and anger faded away.  “What do we do now?  We can’t accept this.  This is too….much.”  She shook her head.  “This makes me more curious than ever.  What the devil is she selling?  She can’t sell pieces like this.  This is…”

Magnolia said the word Bridget could not.  “Magic.”

“Exactly.”  Bridget gulped.  “What do we do now?”

Magnolia’s fingers tightened around hers.  “What would Nancy Drew do?”

Bridget grinned, a touch of icing still on her cheek from one of Cici’s stolen cupcakes.  “Confront her.  Demand an explanation.”

Magnolia returned her grin.  “Or we could break in again, search for clues.”  And magic, she finished silently.  She was desperate for more magic.

“Ten o’clock?” Bridget slid the jewels off the counter into her purse, zipping it closed.

“Sounds perfect,” Magnolia said, winking.  “I’ve got to get back to the shop.”

Floating out the door, she waved and twirled down the street, her feet barely touching the ground.

She wouldn’t just act like Nancy Drew.  She’d be just like her.

Stay tuned, Invisible Friends!  We have a delectable Tex- Mex delight tomorrow!

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