The Burning Bush by Kenya Wright Page B

they’re good for you?” Cassie pouted and strolled to the bed.
    I took a stack of pictures out of the shoe box. Onyx had drawn Xs on every picture. I couldn’t make out the faces, but I assumed some were her and the mystery boyfriend.
    “There’s her diary.” Cassie seized a clear stone with two red gems on it. “Holy Shango! Onyx was big time. She had an orb. It’s like a magical electronic diary. It holds an infinite amount of memory. Like you’re supposed to still be able to use this thing when you’re over a hundred.”
    Jackpot. A diary would tell me everything I needed to know and stop Rivera from blackmailing me for at least a few weeks. Cassie handed Onyx’s diary to me. I studied it, turning the orb around in my hand. It was the size of an apple, but as round as a ball, with a smooth surface.
    “I read about this in Mag Tech.” I glided my fingers against the red gems. “If you lose it, it’s supposed to appear in front of you, but only if you say a programmed chant. At least that’s what the ad said.”
    “I have an orb. Mine only has one button. To open it, you have to press it in a certain rhythm.” Cassie dug around in the box, taking out a jewelry box and more pictures.
    I pressed the gems and nothing happened. Not that I thought anything would. Luck was never on my side. I slung it into my jean satchel.
    “How are you going to get the orb open?” Cassie dangled a black stone, carved butterfly in front of herself.
    “I know a Witch in Drum Housing Projects who could probably unlock it.” I spotted an unopened box covered in yellow wrapping paper and white ribbon. “I’ll go to the Witch next.”
    Angel crashed back onto the bed. “Are you going to open the gift?”
    I checked the tag. It read, Happy Birthday, My Love!
    “Yeah. Hopefully this is to or from our mystery boyfriend and not a present for a friend or relative. Although the my love part makes me think it’s not a family gift.” I tore open the paper, hoping I hadn’t just completely disrespected Harriet and that this had something to do with Onyx’s murder.
    The yellow paper ripped away easily, exposing a white cardboard box. I lifted the top. A framed charcoal sketch of a man lay inside. I held the sketch to the light. Angel and Cassie got behind me. The mystery man had an upright triangle in his forehead, which stood for Fire Witch. He smiled back at me with a trimmed beard.
    “I hope this is the boyfriend even though the beard makes me think this is a grown man.” I rushed out of Onyx’s bedroom, holding the picture like it was a fragile and expensive piece of crystal.
    “Mrs. Fife?” I headed to the kitchen. Angel and Cassie ran up right behind me.
    “Harriet?” I yelled out.
    Harriet stumbled out of the kitchen with her coffee cup in her hand. “Yes?”
    “Do you know who this is?” I held the picture up to give her a better view.
    “No.” Harriet stared at the sketch for several seconds and looked at me. “Who is this?”
    “I don’t know.” I held my hand to the side. “It was in an unopened gift . . . that I . . . opened.”
    Harriet grabbed the paper and analyzed it again, shaking her head. “I don’t know this man.” She handed it back to me. “Do you think he killed my baby?”
    I shrugged. “I don’t know, but I’ll find out.”

After leaving Harriet’s apartment, I decided to take Onyx’s diary orb to an Air Witch named Vee. Maybe the diary orb contained some clues as to who killed Onyx. Angel and Cassie tagged along with me. We caught a tram to Drum Housing Projects.
    I was hoping Vee could open the diary with her magic. The Witch was the best hustler in all of Shango District. Anytime I stole textbooks that possessed security spells, she would destabilize them and remove any tracking charms for no additional charge. Unfortunately, when we arrived at Vee’s apartment, she already had a customer waiting to be served. I helped Vee with the customer’s spell so she could quickly