by Jill Nojack
"Exactly what did you see?" she demands.
"Five little black dogs staring at the spot where you and I stood together with our tongues stuck down each other's throats in something that was definitely not just a friendly gesture."
Her hand moves to cover her mouth as she starts to sob. Between tortured breaths, she says, "No wonder Robert was furious. I would have treated him the same if I'd seen him like that with someone else."
"You wouldn't have. You're kinder than that. And Robert wouldn't have treated you this way without a push. I mean, were you at the house when he got back?"
"Yes, I was. I was just finishing up packing a hamper for the concert before I went to meet him. Come to think of it…how could he think it was me he saw if he came straight home? That doesn't make sense. He should have known I couldn't have gotten back before him if he'd just seen me downtown."
"That's what I mean. He was being influenced. He's not thinking like himself, and if Anat Jr. has moved in, I don't think Robert's going to come to his senses unless we can get the beast away from him."
"Oh Goddess, Tom," she says quietly, her head still down in her hands. "Not again. I don't know if I have any fight left in me."
When she raises her head again several minutes later, we drink tea and stare at each other. Neither one of us seems to know what to say.
Finally, she sets her tea down. "You can't stay here, Tom. Not if there's any chance Robert might regain his senses. I just don't want to chance it. Not given what he thinks he's seen."
I don't think it will make much difference since even if I'm not here, my arch-nemesis can make it look like I am, but I don't put up a fight. "I can sleep in the diner. Robert can't toss me out me since the paperwork for the lease is already done."
"No, that's not right. Plus, wouldn't the health department have something to say about it if they find out you're living there? No, I'm calling Nat."
***
Nat arrives to pick me up about half an hour later. She bustles in the door, making jokes, "It's about time Robert realized the better woman didn't win. What's his favorite wine, dear? Just so I get that right?" But she stops short when she sees the state Gillian is in. She's not always the most sensitive person in the room, but she's not out and out mean, either.
We fill her in on everything that's happened and although she doesn't express sympathy to either one of us, other than a hmmmm or two, she starts right in planning and plotting.
"Tom, did you see the older dog, the one that Anat took over? Or did you just see the pups?"
"No, I didn't see the adult dog. I just saw the five young ones—the one that followed Cassie, the one that must have followed Robert, and three others. I don't know where they all went. I was too busy tracking the one that went back to the shop."
"Well then, that's our first job. Find out where they went, and where their dam is holed up. Once we know that, we should be able to take them out. We don't have to worry about harming anyone like we did when Anat took Cassie. None of the people involved are possessed, so we can remove Anat's canine minions one by one and things should go back to normal."
"Will they?" I say. "Or will Cassie and Robert still believe that they saw what they saw? I can't see Cass forgiving me for murdering her new pet. And what's to stop Anat from grabbing another dog or cat or bird or cockroach?"
Nat harumphs. "I'll worry about demonic cockroaches when the threat surfaces. Until then, you can't just let this be simple?"
"Is it ever simple?"
"Could be. If the two of you weren't so obsessed about your love lives all the time."
Gillian rouses. "Nat, I've had enough. I know that you're hurt because Robert chose me over you, but we both care about you, and we tried to be careful with your feelings. You haven't made it easy. But if you don't want to help, then just go on and get out. Tom and I will manage on our own."
Nat turns to her, brings her hand to her chin, looking down at her from beneath half-closed lids, then raises a finger-tip and taps her pursed mouth for a moment.
Finally, she lifts the eyebrows that match her bobbed, platinum hair and says, "You have no idea how close you just came to being turned into a hamster. But…" She lowers her hand and starts digging in her ever-present red vinyl purse, "…fortunately for you, I know when it's time to stop fighting the current. What do you Brits say? 'Let's get stuck in?'"
***
I put my small store of possessions away in the dresser drawer Nat cleared for me in her guest room. They don't fill it completely. She might as well have cleared me out a shoe box. What I've got isn't much to show for a whole life. Without Cassie, it's nothing at all.
I call down the hall, "Nat, I'm going out. Don't close the bedroom window, please."
"Wouldn't think of it," she calls back.
It doesn't take Cat much time to be back up in the tree just outside the upstairs parlor above the shop. Yes, this is who I am now: an obsessed stalker trying to get a glimpse of the woman who has told me in no uncertain terms she never wants to see me again. But I'm not letting go. Not while I've still got one life left that I could be spending with her.
She's watching TV, her new pet lounging across her lap, her fingers absently fondling a glass of wine on the end table. She doesn't look angry or broken-hearted. She just looks vacant.
Then that damn dog jumps up and starts yapping at me. Cassie gets up, walks to the window, expressionless, and closes the blinds. She doesn't even acknowledge me.
"Shut up! Shut up! Both of you. You're doing my head in!" Gillian screams.
That never happens. She must really be a mess. Our breakfast meeting had started out fine, all crullers and cooperation over the living room coffee table, but things went downhill fast.
Nat and I exchange a glance, and then we both fold our hands in our laps and wait for whatever's coming next.
She takes a deep breath. "All the two of you have done for the past half hour is quibble about who's going to spy on who, and who's going to be in charge of what. Neither one of you will compromise. You're like children. One of you has to be in charge. Decide who that is."
"Well, obviously, that's me," Nat says, rubbing up a little ball of dangerous-looking red magic at the tips of her fingers.
I stay calm. I don't need to start fighting with her again. Especially when she's in the mood to kill something. "Look, Nat. I get it. I don't have my own magic, and I'm definitely not a natural leader. But I'm the one who knows Anat the best. I understand her motivations. And that's going to help us more than magic. I need to step up, and you need to step aside."
"Well, flapping frog fritters!" She pauses and her eyes narrow. "When you say it that way, it obviously makes sense. But when this Anat character is out of the way for good, you don't challenge me again." She folds her arms across her chest and gives me a penetrating look.
I drag a finger across my own chest one way and then the other to make an X. "Cross my heart, Nat. I don't want anything to do with any of this. I'd be happy to never have known magic existed. But that bitch has interfered between me and Cassie for the last time."
"You do exude a certain leadership quality—or maybe it's just sex appeal—when you talk that way. So, I'll step back. Be your right hand man, so to speak. It's not like Gillian's going to be up to it."
We both look to Gilly. She gives a shrug and a sad smile. "Having Robert look at me that way, like I was filth, it's taken all the fight out of me."
I stand and walk to her, give her a supportive hug. "Just for a little while, I bet. And I know if I need you, you won't let me down. So, no more fighting for us. Time to get back to what really matters."
They both nod their heads in agreement.
"Look, if you can't plan the battle, can you make tea for the planners?" I ask. Gillian heads toward the kitchen, so I guess she can.
I lean back in one of the flowery, overstuffed arm chairs and cross my ankle over my knee, one elbow on the arm of the chair, stroking my chin.
"To
m! Don't let Gillian see that," Nat says, giving me a fierce look.
"What? Oh…geez." I realize I'm unconsciously mirroring one of Robert's contemplative moves. Great. Now I have to worry I'll set her off because I've picked up some of my friend's mannerisms. I was always a natural mimic, even as a kid. I don't need it getting me in trouble now.
I lean forward again, elbows resting on my thighs, my feet firmly on the floor at a masculine distance from each other. Yes, that's more like me.
"Okay, Nat. What I need from you is information on what Cassie is doing on a daily basis. Watch her every move during the day at the shop if you're working together and try to find out what she's doing when she's not there."
"Why can't I just walk in, magic blazing, and incinerate the beastie that's causing the problem?"
"Because we don't know what effect that would have on Cassie. I'm not risking hurting her. And it won't help us locate Anat. So just don't go off half cocked." I stare her down. She glares back, and then she nods, accepting the terms. I continue, "And…Gilly's not going to like this part…"
"What part am I not going to like?" Gilly asks as she comes back into the room with a tray of tea biscuits.
"I want Nat to pretend that she's moving in on Robert now that you're out of the way. It would seem natural to Robert that she would, and he's not completely opposed to her that way, right?"
She closes her eyes for a moment, and the corners of her mouth turn down almost imperceptibly.
I realize my mistake. "I'm sorry, no, that's a terrible idea."
"Yes, a truly terrible idea," Nat agrees. "What would I want with someone else's leftovers? There's no way I could pull it off. No one would believe it for a minute."
That's not true, of course. Everyone would believe it, and I'm sure Nat knows that.
Gilly knows, and she looks grateful. "Thank you."
"What for?"
"For taking my feelings seriously. I know how difficult it is for you to stop joking around, and I appreciate it."
"Yes. That's fine." Nat turns back to me abruptly, expressionless. She asks, "And while I'm risking life and limb spying on people who are being controlled by our neighborhood canine goddess, what will you be doing?"
"I'm going into deep cover. I'll be making the rounds as Cat. No one pays attention to a cat. And with the number of black cats in this town, even the people who know about me are unlikely to suspect me. My anonymity was a big part of how Eunice kept herself in power all those years. Now it's time to put everything I learned to better use. I'll be tracking the other dogs and trying to find out where dear old mom is hiding out."
"It sounds like a plan. Any more details?" She shoves a cup at Gillian, not even looking at her. "More tea."
I really wish Robert was here. He's always a stabilizing force between these two. So now I know what our first step has to be: we need him to complete our rebellion. And there's no reason we can't move right now.
***
"Just stop worrying, Tom. I've got your back," Nat hisses in my ear where we hide behind the bushes at City Hall. There's not a lot of traffic in and out, and the police force is mostly out patrolling, but I'm still not convinced we're going to have the easy time of it Nat thinks we will. It's bad enough Robert is bringing his own pet to work—a quick peek in his office windows confirmed that—but a stray cat roaming the municipal offices will definitely raise some eyebrows.
"Just go on. I'll keep an eye out. And Gillian has the car running. We'll get the dog away and bring Robert back to his senses, I'm sure of it."
I creep along beneath the bushes until I'm near the door. Cat fixes his eyes on the enticing, transparent violet wave of the magic Natalie uses as it hits the door and opens it enough for Cat to slide through. He's worried about our tail and puts an extra bit of rocket into his glide, and we're all the way through and heading down the hall toward Robert's office in the back of the building before I can make sure the door is being kept open for our retreat.
This place has that just-painted, just-bleached institutional smell to it that marks so many government buildings. I'd prefer a little whiff of dirt. It would feel less like things are being covered up. Then again, in a town like Giles, there's plenty to cover. Robert has had his hands full with a town full of eccentric witches for a long time.
I keep to the wall, peering through each open door before I pass. I smell the pup before I can see it. I stick my head out around the door frame and it spots me immediately.
I expect it to growl or paw at Robert's leg. I'd assumed I'd have to attack to actually draw it away, but things turn out better than I'd hoped. I don't need to do much to get its attention. I know it must be connected to Anat somehow, but it's clearly still mostly dog. When it sees a cat, it can't help but give chase.
I tear off in the other direction, and I hear it panting behind me, trying to catch up. Not going to happen. Cat can really cover the ground, at least for short distances.
I dart out through the door and hear the dog pushing through behind me with a little yelp.
This is working. I'm drawing it away. If I can get it out of whatever range it needs to influence Robert, I may be able to break its hold.
But I also hear Robert calling it back.
Rover? He named it Rover? Man, the guy really needs saving.
Nat's waiting in the bushes to snatch up the pup in a bag she prepared especially to dampen any influence coming from the miserable creature. I slide gracefully in next to her after my run to share her hiding place. I turn back quickly to watch the pup heading toward us from between the leaves. But before it even makes if off the building's steps, a big cop hustles toward the entrance from the parking lot and scoops the pup up as it tries to skitter by him with its nails clacking against the concrete.
"Oh no, you don't. I don't think the mayor will be happy if you end up splat under the wheels of a passing car. Let's get you back inside."
He heads for the door, which Natalie had allowed to close after the pup got through, and Robert opens it, then gives a stiff smile when he sees the pup being returned.
He takes it from the cop without a word and heads back in. No thank you from Mr. Congeniality? How can these people not know the man's not himself?
Cat creeps back under the bushes and brushes against Nat's legs. He's not the least bit bothered. He had a victory. He escaped his pursuer. But me? I'm far from celebratory. That's one step in my plan down the tubes already, and it may also have tipped Anat off that I'm on to her.
***
I shift awkwardly in the back of Gilly's small economy car and get dressed while the ladies keep their eyes to the front. Even Natalie, who is all business now as she fills Gillian in.
"If the officer hadn't come around the side of the building when he did, this would be sorted. We'd have the pup away, and you'd be back in your lover's arms."
"So, that's it. We can't try again?"
"It's up to Tom. But I think we'll be expected next time, don't you? There appears to be an intelligence working behind all of this. If it were me, I wouldn't let something that was almost successful play out again under my watch." Natalie flings her black, fringed scarf around her neck forcefully. "We should assume we're not getting away with something similar again."
I've gotten myself straightened out now and need to gather some intelligence of my own. "Do you think it saw you, Nat?"
She turns to look at me over her shoulder. "I don't think it did. But that doesn't mean I'm in the clear."
Gillian nods her head as she pulls cautiously out of our parking spot a block from City Hall. "Natalie, I'll drop you at the shop. No point you being late to work. Tom, you'll need to stay down. I don't want us being seen together. I'm going back to talk to Robert after I drop Nat and stop you off at her house."
"No, you're not going to see Robert!" I tell her.
"I am."
I'd say I forbid it, but that would have them both rolling on the floor laughing—a dangerous deal when one of them is d
riving the car. I mean, I like women who know their own minds, but just once I'd like to have one of the women in my life follow instructions without giving me lip. Particularly when what I just said makes sense.
"Gillian, there's nothing you can say to him right now, and who knows how much influence Anat has over him? You really can't do this," I say, frustrated.
"I agree, dear. He's unpredictable right now. Not our calm Robert. You would be taking a big risk for no real gain," Natalie says, lending unexpected support.
Gillian's voice is low and quiet when she responds. "I just want to see him. Make sure he's all right." Then she barks out a command. "Down, Tom! There's a car approaching, and we're nearly there."
I don't have much choice, and it's hard to argue when my six foot tall body is crammed into the foot well. Not what you'd call a position of power.
After she lets Nat out and we're heading back to her place, I make my case from my cramped space behind the passenger side seat. "Don't you think I'd be waiting for Cassie every morning when she leaves the shop if I thought there was any chance she could be talked 'round? But I'm not. Because it would be wasted energy, and it would be risky, just like Nat said. And you're too smart to go against both me and Nat. I mean, how often do we actually agree on something?"
"You sent Nat off to keep a close eye on Cassie. That isn't risky?"
"You aren't Nat. She'll do anything it takes to protect herself, and you know it. Could you say the same thing about yourself?" I hate being stuck back here where I can't see her when she talks.
Gilly is quiet for a moment, then her voice floats to me over the seat back, "Anything? No. Not quote, unquote, anything."
"Exactly. And that's why I'd worry about you, but I'm not worried about her."
"Fine. But I need to be in this. I was wrong. I've found my fight again. Give me something I can do."
