The Empty Cradle

by Jill Nojack

  “Mellow meandering momeraths! Now he’ll have me taken down for assault on an officer as well as a murder I didn’t commit,” she scolded. “Like I needed your protection.”

  William held down a hand to help her up. “From where I’m standing, you sure looked like you needed it; I’ll just accept the thank you I know is about to pass your lips before you say it.”

  She brushed herself off as he continued, “I don’t know what got into him. He went at you like you were an armed hooligan, not an unarmed senior citizen. I don’t get it.”

  “I do,” she replied. “Which means that I’ve got a curse to break. As much as it hurts me to say it, don’t blame Denton. He’s a victim. How long will he be out?”

  “A few more minutes. Can you break the curse that fast?”

  “No. I doubt I can even do it alone, depending on how powerful the witch is who did this; I wouldn’t think that Zelda had the juice for something this complicated, but every so often people surprise you. In any case, a curse is dark magic; it tends to stick. I hope when the cost for this little stunt is paid, she ends up with the karmic payload she deserves.”

  “I can’t keep putting him under every couple of minutes while you work.”

  She peered down at the still shape on the grass and smiled. “I have a few ideas what to do with him.”

  ***

  Natalie hid in the dark behind a sheltering tree as she watched events unfold. William had successfully fooled Denton into accepting his obviously far too old and scrawny replica of her own appearance as reality and was handing the box with its precious evidence over to him as he said, “If you think I did what you say I did, then I guess you better take me in.” “She” held out “her” hands for the cuffs and a glint from the patio security light reflected off of them in the dusk. Denton enthusiastically snapped the bracelets closed around “her” wrists .

  “Don’t you want to know what happened to Officer Bailey?” William-as-Natalie asked.

  Peering out from around the corner of the house, Natalie enjoyed the chief’s confused expression as he looked around for William and didn’t find him. “He was right….”

  “He ran into the woods to try to catch the real culprit, the one who set me up.”

  Denton roared with laughter. “Do you really believe you’re getting out of it this time? You might have fooled my officer into believing you’re an innocent, but I’ve got you dead to rights with all the evidence I’ll ever need.” He opened the cardboard box and held up the bag with its gruesome gardening gear. “This will be one day in court I’m really going to enjoy.”

  He grabbed the stand-in roughly by the arm and pulled “her” along, unconcerned that she stumbled as he tugged. It wasn’t that William wasn’t cooperating with Denton—he certainly was. Totally complacent. But this man wasn’t the Karl Denton they both knew any more than the woman he was dragging was Natalie. Despite her mistrust of the man, Natalie didn’t like what had been done to him for reasons that had nothing to do with the danger it placed her in.

  As Denton and his prisoner disappeared around the corner of the house, she turned toward the woods; somewhere out there, there was a witch with a lot to answer for.

  But first things first. She made two calls, disappointed on the first that she got voicemail and had to leave a message.

  The second had a better result. “Get over here right now, she barked. “And bring Robert.”

  21

  As the woman in her black robe stood up, moving back from where the two cats hung in the net, her hood slipped back a few inches and Cassie tried for a glimpse of the woman’s face through Sheba’s eyes.

  No! Too dark. The hood fell back in place, leaving the woman’s face in shadow.

  Sheba, infected by her surprise, hissed at the grinning woman in front of them, her sharp front claws digging into the netting that entrapped her. Then Tom nudged her hard, pushing her head to the side, and she caught a quick movement in the direction he’d pushed her.

  She tensed for action, the hiss dying as she understood what the push had been for. Whoever it was wouldn’t be grinning much longer.

  The rope that held the net had been knotted with a loop for quick release, and the big cat had a grip on it and was tugging, it’s backside toward them, tail twitching.

  She was ready for it when the knot let go. She hit the ground on all four feet, running for her life away from her captor and the creature who’d saved her. She didn’t hear Tom behind her, but she didn’t need to. She knew he’d be there, keeping pace, as she bolted for Natalie’s place. Natalie had to know about this right now.

  She hoped what she heard wasn’t the sound of a blow as a terrible cry, just like a child’s, rang through the woods.

  ***

  “Get the door open. This one’s going in, and no one—not you, not the mayor—is getting in there unless I say so. No more mistakes,” Denton raged at the night duty officer as he led his captive toward the holding cells.

  The officer cringed back slightly, then blasted by him with the keys out and had the door open before he reached it, holding it for the chief to pass. Then he darted to the empty cell as Jenny walked up to the bars in the other and said, “Ms. Taylor? What are…?”

  William gave a jolly grin that he was sure looked completely wrong on Natalie’s face. “Don’t worry, dear. It will all be sorted soon.”

  The cell door clanged behind him as Denton gave him a final push.

  He kept grinning and held Jenny’s eye until he heard the external door shut. Jenny let out a gasp when he transformed.

  “Shhh…we don’t want to draw any attention just in case. But I think we…we know who has your daughter.”

  Her shock disappeared as soon as he mentioned the girl. She said, “Dahlia? You found her?”

  “Yes. At least—Natalie knows where she is. We don’t think she’s in any danger. She told me to tell you that. She just needs to make sure she’s safe before she lets Denton know where to find the kidnapper.”

  He couldn’t bring himself to say the word “murderer” and watch Jenny’s expression of relief turn to grief. “She’ll be home soon, Jenny. But for now, I have an errand.” He extended his arm through the bars. “I’ll need your pillow.”

  She handed it to him, and he tucked it up under the blanket right next to his own.

  He nodded to her and winked. “If anyone comes in, try to keep them from disturbing Natalie’s nap.”

  Jenny gasped again when he disappeared.

  ***

  Gillian interrupted Natalie as she tried calling Cassie. “No need for that. Looks like she’s here.”

  Sheba barreled toward them from the gloom of the woods, Kit behind her. They didn’t stop running until they both exploded into rolling, shuddering, expanding masses of paws, tails, arms, legs, fur and flesh, projecting strange morphing shadows in the light of the porch and the moon, which was now bright in the night sky.

  Natalie turned to Gillian and Robert, commanding, “Grab something from my linen closet. Sheets or towels. Something they can cover themselves with.”

  The couple bustled toward the house, and Natalie turned back to her now human and nude friends. Skyclad. That’s what the coven called it.

  She wondered idly if William would look as good to her clad in sky as Tom did, then forced the thought away, feeling a flush of hot blood creep up her cheeks. She was glad the last of the daylight had disappeared over the horizon.

  Cassie sat with her legs held close to her body and her arms around them, shivering slightly in the cool night air. Tom turned toward the woods, crouching down, ready to launch himself back the way he came.

  “She might be following us,” Cassie said. “Whoever she is, I think she killed Maureen.”

  Natalie cut her off. “Did she have a sphinx with her?”

  “A sphinx?”

  “The creature we went looking for in the woods.”

  “That’s what it was?” Cassie looked stunned. “A sphinx. That’
s a real thing? Is that what attacked Junior?”

  “It wasn’t. Although I can’t yet assess what danger she and her sisters present to anyone else.”

  “Sisters? There’s more than one?”

  “No. Maybe.” Natalie shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ll have to rule it out by examining the other girls; it’s possible Anat’s magic didn’t affect them.”

  Gillian returned and handed Cassie a clean white sheet, and Robert handed a large bath towel to Tom.

  Cassie stood and fashioned a toga for herself, her expression moving from thoughtful to disbelief and then to anger before she finally said, “Are you saying that Jenny’s missing baby is…. No way!”

  Tom, who was presentable now but still keeping an eye on the woods, turned and said, “No, it’s true. Maybe you didn’t see its face, but I did. Nat’s right. It was dark, but there was no mistaking it had a human face.” He moved to her and put an arm around her shoulder, pulling her tight into his side.

  Natalie nodded, appreciative. She didn’t need drama. She needed committed, powerful witches; she needed the combined strength of the Maid, Mother, and Crone. Cassie couldn’t be distracted, thinking about the tragedy of the child.

  “It will be dealt with,” she replied, brushing the concern aside with a wave of her hand. “Do you doubt the ability of this trio of witches to accomplish anything they set out to do? Whatever magic transformed it, we’ll break it. The child will be fine.”

  Cassie looked unsure, then her face hardened. “You bet she will!”

  “But first, I need Denton off my back. Zelda’s cursed him.” Natalie paused, looking irritated. “And I blame myself. I never suspected Zelda in this. But if the sphinx is controlling her…”

  “That was Zelda? I mean everyone knows what kind of nasty Deborah can be, but Zelda’s so under her thumb….”

  Tom added, “She was talking about feeding us to the pigs. It couldn’t be Zelda. It had to be Deborah.”

  Natalie glared, impatient. “It was Zelda who performed the curse. Although Deborah could certainly be involved.”

  Cassie looked like she was going to protest, then she shook her head and said, “But the creature, it definitely isn’t the one in charge. It helped us escape by untying the net we were trapped in.”

  Natalie looked thoughtful. “I’m willing to accept that the creature may not be evil by nature. I’m sure Anat planned to take it under her wing and raise it in her own image. Zelda most likely doesn’t know how to control it. But the rate at which its grown…” She stopped herself from musing further. First things first.

  “You two…” She pointed a finger at Tom, then Robert. “…stay well away while we work. The magic of the triple goddess shouldn’t be tainted with male essence. In other words,” she pointed to a far corner of the yard, “go over there and keep your testosterone to yourselves.”

  The two men exchanged a glance, and Robert shrugged. They were on their way when a slight pop behind them made them turn back.

  William had arrived. Tom called, “Come on, Bill, we’re banished to the kid’s table for the duration.”

  “No,” Natalie countermanded as she flicked a hand to extinguish the light from the porch. “I have a job for you.” She turned to Cassie in the sudden darkness. “Where was the net you and Tom were caught up in?”

  “It was…I don’t know. Maybe a few hundred yards into the woods somewhere around the James’s place. We were skimming around the edges of civilization, so that might be where we were. Hard to judge when you’re a cat. You don’t notice people things so much.”

  “That’s fine.” She turned back to William. “The net is evidence of interference with the town’s pets. Find it. Then track her from there. And Deborah must be involved with this as well—glamours are her only area of skill. Keep an eye out for her.”

  “Got it. A net.”

  “And watch out for Butch Holgerson, too, while you’re at it. Since it was Jenny who they framed for springing him, maybe they’re all in this together.” Natalie grimaced. “Talk about an unholy alliance…when you find Zelda, get back here, and let me know where she is. And make it quick. You need to get back into your cell before Denton knows you’re gone.”

  “He was off to see the coroner after he dropped me in the cell. It might not take long.”

  “Robert,” she called to the shadows that engulfed the porch. “Get ahold of your friend Doc Don and tell him to keep Denton occupied for as long as possible by any means at his disposal.”

  “I’ll do my best,” Robert’s voice came back through the gloom.

  She turned back to William. “Well, what are you waiting for? An engraved invitation?”

  The air whooshed in to fill the empty space where he had been.

  22

  “What do you mean ‘unburn the ash’?” Cassie asked.

  “Exactly what I said. If we have any hope of undoing what’s been done, we’ll need to transform what’s left of the items Zelda used back into their original state.” Natalie turned her gaze to Gillian. “The only problem is, I’m short on a plan for how to do that. Ideas, anyone?”

  “Hmmm…well…” Gillian began.

  “You’ve got to be kidding, right?” Cassie burst out. “You don’t even know where to start? I mean, how are you going to do that, short of traveling back in time?”

  Suddenly, Natalie’s face lightened and she and Gillian exchanged a glance. She said, “I wasn’t sure where to start. But thank you, now I am. Yes. Time travel. I should have thought of it.”

  “What? You seriously mean we’re going to go back in time?”

  “Don’t be ridiculous! Human beings can’t move through time. It would create all kinds of paradoxes. But matter can be regressed in the same way that it can be encouraged to move forward. What do you think every witch in the county does before the garden show to make sure their flowers are at just the right stage of bloom? We’ll simply do it in reverse. But it will take the magic of the beginning, the middle, and the end; the representation of the entire cycle of life.”

  Natalie, the Maid, looked from Cassie, the Mother to Gillian, the Crone. “And here we all are. How convenient.”

  ***

  Denton paced across the length of the morgue. Doc Don was getting dizzy watching him.

  “Karl, I can’t just wave my hand over it and tell you if the blood on the weapon matches the blood from the victims. It takes time. Karen did me a special favor coming in to take custody of the samples at this time of night—and she’s doing me another one by slipping this in front of the paternity tests in the queue,” the coroner said, soothingly. “But we don’t know if this is the murder weapon. I hope you plan to wait on the results before acting?”

  He didn’t mention that the test wasn’t coming back until well past noon the next day. Robert had said to stall, so stall he would. If Denton wanted to wait for the results in the coroner’s office overnight, it was fine with him. He usually enjoyed the man’s company and considered him a friend. But tonight? He wasn’t the balanced, thoughtful man Doc was used to dealing with; that had been clear on the phone when Denton demanded his presence in the morgue. He’d had to abandon a perfectly al dente plate of mushroom pasta.

  Denton look unconvinced about the need to wait for the test results, and the wide dilation of his eyes was worrying. Was he occupying the chief to keep him out of the public view because he was under the influence of something? Had the chief been doped? And why would Robert have to cover that?

  Well, whatever the mayor’s involvement was, he couldn’t let Denton roam free in this state. What could he use to keep the man engaged? He rubbed his chin, then said, “I can undertake some additional tests to try to match it to the murder weapon while we wait for the blood results, if you want.”

  “What tests?” Denton barked. “Why haven’t you started them yet?”

  “Uh…. Well, I suppose because I had to walk the samples up to the lab, and now I’m putting on my lab coat so that I can get start
ed.” He’d tried to sound amused as he said it, but it came out annoyed. Denton’s irritability was getting to him. “Don’t see how I could be multi-tasking any of that while doing a visual examination of the implement, do you?”

  Denton glared at him in response, then growled, “Just get me what I need to keep that woman in jail. She’s not getting out of it this time.”

  He knew that Denton didn’t trust Natalie, having had a run-in with her over a case twenty or so years ago. The two of them had been publicly butting heads ever since. But this was over the top. It wasn’t like Denton to let anything get to him this way.

  He shook his head while he worked his hands into a pair of tight latex gloves, then removed the garden tool from its protective packaging to place it on a tray at his work table.

  He intentionally didn’t interact with the chief because he didn’t want to rile him further. But from what he could hear of the phone call taking place behind him, Denton didn’t need any help to keep him riding a wave of anger.

  “Blast it, Barnes! I supported your last bid to sit on the county court, and now you’re hemming and hawing about granting me a search warrant for the home of a possible murderess…no, we’re waiting on the results of the testing, but I’m certain that….”

  That last part was followed by a string of invectives and the sound of something fleshy hitting something solid. He turned to see Denton holding a hand against his chest and grimacing.

  Don offered, “Let me see it. What did you hit?”

  “The wall.” Denton kept his hand where it was. “And no levity about how that fits both figuratively and literally. I’ll be fine.”

  The pain seemed to have drawn the chief away from his single focus on Natalie Taylor being a cold-blooded killer. If pain was so effective at bringing Denton back to himself, maybe a punch in the nose would keep him from getting distracted again.