Some Like It Witchy (14 page)

Ah. It was all making sense now. In the five months since she'd learned the truth about her ex-husband, Starla had come into her own. She was speaking her mind more, becoming independent. It was all part of her process of healing.

“How did you explain to him that you have a license but can't drive?” Nick asked.

“Easy. I said I got my license at sixteen like all regular teens and just never used it, but was thinking about getting a car so I wanted to brush up.”

I grabbed her arm. “Are you really thinking about getting a car?”

She laughed and peeled my fingers from her skin. “No. The village is safe enough. For now. I just want to know that I can drive if I have to.”

“Hey!” someone shouted. “Wait up!”

Looking over my shoulder, I saw Harper running toward
us. She was gasping for breath but still managed to
Pzzt!
Higgins into submission.

I suddenly noticed her outfit. A T-shirt, jammie bottoms, and loafers (Godfrey would have a stroke). “What's wrong?”

“I saw a light,” she finally said after catching her breath.

“A light?” I asked.

She pointed. “At the Tavistock house. It blinked on, then off. Like a flashlight.”

We all pivoted. The house was dark.

“Are you sure?” Nick asked.

She glared at him.

I guessed that meant she was sure.

“Someone could be in there right now looking for those diamonds,” she said. “There!”

We looked. Sure enough, in an upstairs window, a light flashed, then an instant later was gone.

Nick handed me Higgins's leash and pulled his phone out of his pocket. He took off for the house, and Higgins immediately followed. Missy kept pace with him, and I had to sprint to keep up with them. At Mrs. P's bench, Nick stopped and said, “Wait here.”

Starla and Harper caught up and we all watched Nick approach the house, then disappear behind it.

“If I knew you all had dog-walking parties,” Harper said, “I might have gotten a dog and not a cat.”

I said, “I'm sure Nick would let you adopt Higgins.”

Harper looked at the drooling dog. “I'm happy with Pie.”

“Look,” Starla said, “there's the light again.”

It appeared as though the intruder was walking between the upstairs rooms, one of which had curtains, one didn't. It was why the light kept disappearing.

My heart pounded with worry for Nick—he'd been dressed casually, without his gun.

All of a sudden, I heard shouting. Starla grabbed my arm, and Harper clasped her hands together. “We should go in,” she said. “Help him.”

“No,” I said. Nick would kill us.

“I can't just stand here,” Harper said.

She started forward and I grabbed her shirt just as the front door of the house flung open, and someone dressed all in black bolted out, jumped the front gate, and darted across the street.

The intruder didn't seem to notice the three of us at all.

“Hey!” Harper yelled.

The intruder stumbled, changed directions, and started running the other way.

I rolled my eyes, quickly bent down, and unclipped Higgins. “Get him!”

Higgins galloped off, giving chase just as Nick appeared in the doorway of the house. He saw what was going on and followed suit.

Harper took off, too. I glanced at Starla. She picked up Twink and shrugged. We broke into a sprint.

Ahead, I could see Higgins gaining on the intruder. A few more steps and . . . yes! The intruder went down with a thud.

Nick quickly closed in, and we were just steps behind.

“Get him off me!” the intruder shouted as Higgins bathed the side of the man's face in slobbery kisses. Missy joined in. “Oh my God. Make it stop!”

A village police car pulled up at the curb, its lights flashing.

I tossed Nick the leash, and he hooked Higgins and tugged him off. The man on the ground rolled over, swiping drool away as he did so.

Andreus Woodshall.

He looked at me. “I do not suppose you have an extra towel on you, Ms. Merriweather?”

“Sorry,” I said, very grateful he was under a streetlamp, his face fully illuminated.

“That's too bad indeed,” he said as the police officer jerked him to his feet.

Nick handed me control of Higgins again. “Can you take him home to Mimi? I need to go to the station for a while.”

“Do you want me to stay with her until you get home?”

“Yeah,” he said. “Thanks.”

I nodded.

As Andreus was being led away, I glanced back toward the Tavistock house and couldn't help but wonder if he'd found anything before being chased off. . . .

T
he next morning, I fought back a legion of yawns as I went for my morning run around the village. I'd barely had any sleep. An hour. Maybe two.

“Stop it,” Starla said, jogging next to me. “You're making me”—she yawned—“yawn, too.”

“I can't help it,” I said. “I don't know how you're so awake.”

“It's a gift.” She smiled, her ponytail slashing the air behind her.

After Andreus's takedown, Starla and Harper had volunteered to come with me to Nick's place, and the three of us had talked long into the night after Mimi had fallen asleep about anything and everything, ranging from the case to Glinda to drool to why Andreus would be so careless in looking for the diamonds.

Nick had returned around four and we all drowsily trooped home.

It was barely eight now, and the village was just starting to come to life. There was a steady stream of customers in and out of the Witch's Brew coffee shop, and I could smell Evan's creations two blocks away.

The Roving Stones had converged on the green and maroon tents were already popping up—without Andreus. Though, according to Nick, Andreus would be out on bond by noontime. He'd been arrested on breaking and entering
charges only, as there was still no evidence that he'd had anything to do with Raina's death.

“Heads up,” Starla said.

I looked ahead and saw Glinda out walking Clarence.

“U-ey?” I asked, and we both turned back the way we'd come.

“We can't avoid her forever,” Starla said.

“We can try.” I smiled.

She laughed. “Yes. Yes, we can.”

Fluffy clouds floated across the sun, shading the village. Although rain was predicted for later tonight, it looked like it was going to be a beautiful day.

I was slowly waking up as I heated from exertion, and started making mental to-do lists for the day. First and foremost, I wanted to get back to the library to finish going through those microfilms. While there, I'd search the files for any mention of Zara. I also wanted to find out about that fertility charm, but figured that was the easiest of the tasks, since Ve seemed to know so much about it.

After a quarter mile, Starla said, “What's with Ve?”

I looked toward As You Wish. Ve was in the front yard marching to and fro, hands in the air, her voice raised. We were too far away to tell what she was saying, but it didn't look like it was anything good.

“What's she wearing?” Starla asked, stifling a giggle.

“Her robe.” The short satin one that barely reached midthigh. Her hair was wrapped up in a towel, too, as though she'd just gotten out the shower and decided to have a breakdown on the front lawn. I didn't have a good feeling about this. We kicked up our pace.

A small crowd had gathered on the green, watching her. Mostly Roving Stones vendors, but I saw Glinda on the fringe, openly curious.

My bad feelings about the situation were verified as we
reached the yard just in time to hear Ve say, “I'm going to kill that witch!”

I cringed and hoped the crowd merely thought she was using a euphemism. “Aunt Ve! What's wrong?”

“What's wrong? What's wrong? Look around!” she said, her eyes wild. “She's gone too far this time. Too far.”

“Who?” Starla asked.

“Dorothy,” Ve said, stomping back and forth.

I didn't see anything unusual when I scanned the yard. Missy gazed at us from behind the closed gate. The mourning dove bobbed along the porch roof. Archie wasn't in his cage but that wasn't all that strange—he could be meeting with the Elder or on his morning flight around the village. Terry was openly watching from his front window.

It was interesting that he was keeping his distance. I wasn't sure whether that was smart or foolish of him.

“I'm going to kill her with my bare hands.” Ve mimicked wringing a neck.

Smart of Terry, I decided, taking a step back. I'd never seen Ve so mad.

“What'd she do this time?” I asked.

Ve said, “She stole my signs!”

Gasping, I looked around again, this time noticing the very empty lawn. Every single political sign was missing. And the big banner that had been tacked to the porch was gone, too.

“Oooh,” Ve said, seething as she headed for the back door. “I'm calling the police.”

Starla said, “Do you need me to stick around?”

“No, that's okay. Thanks.”

“Let me know how it goes,” she said, then turned and jogged off, her ponytail flying.

Looking back at the now-dispersing crowd, I noticed Glinda still standing there. She started toward me, then stopped. Forward, stop. Forward, stop. At this rate, she'd make it across the street by lunchtime.

I could only imagine what she wanted to say. Maybe more about Andreus's innocence—or if she'd overheard Ve accuse Dorothy, maybe something about her mother. Though I doubted it would be a defense of her. Glinda knew exactly what Dorothy was capable of and had never condoned any of it. Surprising, really.

Most likely, Glinda wanted to talk about Mimi, but I had nothing to say to her about that matter. Nick had made it clear. No Glinda.

Finally, she turned and walked away.

I let out a relieved breath as Archie came swooping downward, landing on the fence separating our yard from Terry's. As I opened the gate, he cleared his throat.

“‘Hell of a woman. Good little thief
.
'”

“No idea what that's from, but it's rather perfect.”

He fluffed his feathers. “It is, isn't it?
Reservoir Dogs.
”

I glanced toward the house. High-pitched strains of Ve's voice carried out as she spoke on the phone inside the house. “Have you ever seen her so angry?”

Bending, I rubbed Missy's ears as she let out a big yawn. It had been a long night for her, too.

Archie said, “Not since Godfrey put the fake snake in her bed.”

Smiling, I said, “What? When was that?”

“Shortly before they divorced.”

I laughed. “Ah, Godfrey. He was really testing the Do No Harm part of our heritage.”

“If Ve had possession of Circe's wand at that moment,” Archie mused, “Godfrey would probably be
oinking
around the village right now.” He lowered his voice. “I daresay, if Ve finds those missing diamonds that Dorothy tread carefully lest she become Miss Piggy.”

I kept my back to the village green so as not to arouse suspicion from anyone passing by as I chatted with Archie. “What happens if the diamonds are found? Where do they go? Back to the museum?”

“It depends who finds them,” he said. “If their true value is known I cannot foresee the gems being turned in to the authorities.”

Their true value. The power.

“If a Crafter finds them, then he or she should immediately turn them in to the Elder,” Archie continued. “She is the best guardian of them and their magic.”

It was unsettling to consider the diamonds being used by someone of immoral character. “Did you learn anything yesterday on your eavesdropping missions?”

“Kent Gallagher is a troll.”

“Literally?” I asked. One never knew in this village.

Archie laughed, a deep resonant sound that vibrated his whole being. “Sadly, no. He is merely . . . a cretin. He was joyfully dancing around his office yesterday after learning of Raina's untimely passing.”

Talk about immoral character. “I'm not surprised. From what I've learned, he checked out of that marriage a while ago. Did you happen to see a woman? He's allegedly having an affair.”

“I saw no one; however, I heard him on the phone sweet-talking someone. Lots of
babys
and
sweethearts
. I almost hoiked up my breakfast.”

“Hoiked?” I asked, smiling. “Have you been playing Scrabble with Mrs. P?”

He hung his head in faux shame. “Yes.”

It was moments like these that reminded me why I loved this village so much. I said my good-byes and had turned to go into the house when I caught sight of Calliope hurrying across the green, her gaze set on the Tavistock house, a
SOLD
sign in her hand.

I hotfooted it to meet up with her. Leaning on the fence, and holding on to the same finial Cherise had latched onto yesterday, I watched as Calliope slapped the magnetic
SOLD
sign right over Kent's and Raina's faces on the
FOR SALE
sign in the yard.

“Darcy, hi!” she said, her voice light though she looked like she hadn't had much sleep either. Darkness circled her eyes.

“So, it sold,” I said, suddenly feeling very sad.

“All-cash offer from a client of Noelle's, no contingencies, no inspection, closing tomorrow. A dream come true for an agent.”

“Tomorrow?” I asked. “Isn't that quick? And on a Saturday?”

“I've seen quicker. Cash is king, Darcy, and dictates the rules. Saturday closings aren't unusual. The official record will be filed on Monday, but the new owner can have access as early as tomorrow afternoon.”

I tried not to wince as I said, “Was it Andreus who bought it?”

She shook her head, her hair falling in soft waves around her face. “No. Some sort of trust company.”

Trust company? “What are they going to do with it?”

“Ordinarily, I'd say rehab it and sell it for a bigger profit.”

A spark of foolish hope ignited in me once again. Maybe I could save up . . .

Then I laughed at myself. I'd have to save a lifetime to buy this place. Maybe two lifetimes.

“But in this case, I wouldn't be surprised if it's a treasure hunter's company with plans to take the place apart board by board looking for those diamonds.” She shook her head and
glanced at the house. “But if a treasure hunter wants to pay a small fortune to look for them, my fat commission and I aren't going to stop them. Finn and I have student loans to pay off, and this sale goes a long way to erasing that debt.”

Very pragmatic of her.

I wondered if Noelle had more than one client offering on the house, because yesterday she'd said that her client with a cash offer hadn't been interested in the diamonds. . . .

“I know Cherise will be disappointed with the outcome of this sale,” Calliope said, “but if she's interested, I'd be happy to show her the Maypole Lane house again—or any others she might be looking at. Just tell her to call me.”

“I'll tell her.” Yesterday, Calliope called this job a bird in hand, but today there was a fire in her eyes that told me otherwise. “Do you think you'll stay in real estate?”

Fidgeting, she said, “I'm not sure. I can see why it's so addicting. Kent's made it clear that he'd like me to stay on.” Glancing at her watch, she added, “Actually, I'm supposed to be meeting him soon to discuss a proposal.”

Hmm. I wondered if Calliope was the recipient of all those
baby
s and
sweetheart
s Archie overheard. It should be pretty easy for Nick to get a copy of his phone records to find out for sure. Although I'd had her cell phone at the time, she still had a landline. . . .

I said, “Kent mentioned that you were planning Raina's funeral. Any details yet? I'd like to attend. . . .”

“Not yet,” she said softly. “We haven't heard when she will be released from the medical examiner's office.”

It was a blunt reminder that Raina hadn't died a natural death. “Right,” I murmured. “Well, let me know.”

“I will. I'll see you later,” she said, waving as she set off toward the Magickal Realty office.

As I watched her go, I thought of my phone call with Harper yesterday and the possible motives she'd ticked off for Calliope murdering Raina.

An affair with Kent.

Wanting Raina's job.

Mentally unstable.

At this point, it was looking like she'd been right about two out of three, and that third was still up in the air.

I hoped I could choke down all the crow I was going to have to eat.