The Swedish Days Swindle

by J. B. Michaels

  “The Coven is sending Constables to arrest us?” Millie asked.

  “I was followed, obviously. The Coven sends a constable every month to check out the shop. Lately he has been around twice a month since I sold so much essence of hummingbird.” Marie stepped out from underneath the shelter and looked into the night sky for a broom or anything suspicious.

  “Why wouldn’t they just come down and stop us right now?” Becca asked.

  “Maybe there is only one of them and they didn’t want to take three of us on?” Marie said.

  Millie felt awful. “Oh my, I am so sorry for getting them on your case, Marie!”

  “Please, I am not worried about the Coven. We’d better get started. We don’t know how much time we have. Becca, start the blocking vapors up. Let’s get this over with and get Mac back,” Marie ordered.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Within minutes, Becca tied her hair up in a ponytail and lit a fire underneath the cauldron. The fire pit was built into the concrete slab of the picnic shelter; tongues of flame roared upward and bit the bottom of the large black bowl. Becca dumped the water from the back of Marie’s truck into it, stirring in a whole bottle of chameleon shedding as the water heated.

  “We’re up to a good boil.” Becca reported. “The vapors should take effect in a minute or two.”

  Millie and Marie had already started the incantation of the counter-hex spell, kneeling down in front of the open car door with the spell book between them. The fire under the cauldron provided enough light to illuminate the written words.

  Mac still lay unconscious in the back seat of his car.

  “Awaken from the slumber of a thousand dreams torn asunder. Lift thy spirit to the dawn, far away from the demon spawn. Come to the light. The light of life. The light of day. The light of hope.”

  Marie looked at Mac. He didn’t move. “We have to keep repeating this until some part of him moves. That’s only way we know if it is working. We should place our hands on his head and try again. It will make our powers stronger. Stronger together. Ready?”

  “Yes. Let’s do whatever we need to do. Mom, how is it going?” Millie looked to her mother in the center of the picnic shelter.

  Green puffs of smoke rose from the cauldron. As the vapors and smoke billowed, it changed to purple then to blue. Becca waved her hand in front of her face. “Things are good. Chameleon skin smoke changes colors, so that must mean it is working. We don’t have ton of it left.”

  “Millie.” Marie placed her hand on Mac’s shoulder. “Again.”

  “Right.” Millie followed suit and firmly held Mac’s shoulder.

  “Awaken from the slumber of a thousand dreams torn asunder. Lift thy spirit to the dawn, far away from the demon spawn. Come to the light. The light of life. The light of day. The light of hope.”

  Mac remained motionless.

  “Awaken from the slumber of a thousand dreams torn asunder. Lift thy spirit to the dawn, far away from the demon spawn. Come to the light. The light of life. The light of day. The light of hope.”

  Still, nothing from Mac.

  Millie squeezed his shoulder and then looked around her. The smoke and vapors smelled strange. A mixture of burnt leaves yet also like the reptile house at the zoo. They again placed their hands on Mac and recited the incantation. Being able to touch him while reciting a spell was progress—it had to be working.

  Marie looked frustrated.

  “It’s working. I couldn’t even put a lift spell on him earlier, without being thrown across the room by the hex.” Millie gave Marie an encouraging smile.

  “That is good to know. Let’s keep reciting it.”

  “We know you’re in there! Cease and desist! By order of the Coven Constabulary!” A male voice yelled from the grassy filed around the picnic shelter.

  There was so much smoke billowing from the cauldron it was impossible to see what the witches were doing. “Ignore it keep going!” Marie gripped her wand with her free hand, the other hand still on Mac’s shoulder.

  “Awaken from the slumber of a thousand dreams torn asunder. Lift thy spirit to the dawn, far away from the demon spawn. Come to the light. The light of life. The light of day. The light of hope.” Marie and Millie repeated.

  “Last warning! Cease and desist!” There were multiple voices sounding off outside the smoky picnic shelter. They were pinned in.

  “Dropping the last shedding into the cauldron now. You two may want to hurry it up!” Becca warned.

  Millie looked at Mac. He still showed no signs of consciousness.

  The three witches were now practically in the eye of a magical hurricane. Purple, green, and blue smoke swirled around them, protecting them from any outside forces. Bursts of light suddenly popped through different places in the smoky barrier. The Constables were casting spells to stop them. The attempts failed.

  For now.

  “They’re getting pretty aggressive,” Millie muttered.

  Marie stood up. “We can get aggressive right back.”

  “What are you doing? Mac isn’t awake yet!” Millie grabbed at her, trying to catch her hand.

  “Grab a hold of him.”

  “He won’t move, remember?”

  “Just do it. I am going to send out the car. Hold him tight!”

  Millie stood up and reached for Mac’s hands. She pulled hard. His hands didn’t budge from his chest.

  More bursts of light dotted the smoky barrier.

  “The smoke will be gone soon!” Becca threw up her hands, urging the smoke upward. “We are officially out of the protection brew ingredients!”

  “Come on Mac! Mom, help me with Mac!” Millie clung to Mac’s hands as she stepped to the side and made room for Becca.

  Her mother ran over without hesitation and grabbed his left arm with both hands.

  Marie twirled her wand and pointed it at the hood of the car, away from her companions.

  “Repulse Extremis!” Marie yelled.

  Millie and Becca screamed.

  Mac’s car shook like it was hit by a semi-truck. It flew out from the disintegrating, smoky barrier and onto the grassy area of the Sycamore Woods Picnic Area.

  Millie and Becca held onto Mac as the support of the car’s backseat no longer held his body weight. He was free of the car.

  The constables yelled from the grassy area, clearly in shock as the car barreled past them. Their spells stopped.

  The vaporous smoke lifted away and the barrier lifted.

  “Seriously, Marie? You threw a car at us! You’ll pay for that!” a constable yelled.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Millie looked down at Mac, still in her arms, sprawled on the concrete slab.

  “Mac, are you okay? Can you hear me?”

  “He should wake up soon. You three need to get out of here—I’ll handle the constables.” Marie smiled grimly. There’s only two of them and that’s no match for me.”

  “Mac, please. I love you. Please wake up.” Millie kissed his forehead. Memories flooded through her mind: the laughter they shared. The ridiculous energy the man had, the lack of focus at times. His sweetness, his humor. Their partnership. Their love. Millie felt it all and tried with her sheer will to wake him up.

  “Millie, Marie’s right. We should leave.” Becca patted Millie’s back. “We can carry him.”

  Millie’s teardrops fell onto Mac’s face. She couldn’t lose him.

  “That better not be snot.” Mac muttered, his eyes still closed.

  “Mac! You’re awake!” Millie wiped the tears from her face.

  “Yep. Yep.” Mac opened his eyes. “What happened?”

  “Enough talking. Get back to the car! Ben, I see you!” Marie yelled at the pair of constables, still reeling from having a car thrown at them. “Don’t get any closer or you will regret it!”

  “You know one of the constables, Marie?” Becca asked. “And…does the care still work?”

  “Ben is my boyfriend. I just pushed the car into the m
iddle of the field. It’s fine. Go. Now.” Marie pointed her wand.

  The blue Chevy sedan was still upright and on four wheels about thirty yards from the picnic shelter.

  “Well, let’s get the hell out of here then.” Mac attempted to stand up, but his knees shook from weakness and injury.

  “I got you. Marie, thank you so much.” Millie helped Mac to his feet and supported him as they exited the picnic grounds, making their way to the car.

  Becca ran ahead and started the ignition.

  “Why would you cast spells at us? I didn’t think it was actually you out here, Benjamin!” Marie yelled at her boyfriend.

  “We’re lucky Marie is dating him.” Millie laughed. Marie and Ben’s voices faded as she helped Mac walk to the car.

  “I am lucky to have you, Mills. What the hell is going on?” Mac said.

  “I’ll fill you in on the way back to Geneva. A lot has happened. A lot.”

  “Last thing I remember, I was walking behind on you on 38 and then… well yes, that’s all I remember.” Mac cleared his throat. “The next thing I knew, you were dripping on my face.”

  “I will fill you in. Right now, just focus on getting your bearings and getting into the backseat of the car. Baby steps, Mac. Baby steps.” Millie felt the weight of his arm on her shoulders as she supported his body weight with her small frame.

  “You are right. Man, I’m really thirsty and hungry. What the heck? I feel like I have been asleep for days—have I been asleep for days?”

  Millie sighed. He just couldn’t stop asking questions. He couldn’t help himself. She loved that he was awake, but it didn’t make him any less annoying at times. Ever the solver, and ever curious, Mac O’Malley was back.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Mac, Millie, and Becca returned to 272 and hid the car in the garage. If anyone searched for Mac unconscious in the backseat, they would not find him. Millie thought it safer to just stay at 272 and not go to Mac’s, just in case someone was watching. She didn’t feel safe and didn’t feel the night was over. Something nagged at Millie.

  Something she forgot.

  Mac yawned the whole way back. He even dozed, but could be easily roused as Millie checked to make sure he hadn’t fallen back under the dark magic of the hex. Paranoia had dug its proverbial claws into the good witch hours ago.

  “You’re right, Millie. I will save my questions for tomorrow.” Mac sat on the couch downstairs. “Let’s get some rest.”

  “Millie upstairs.” Hank said.

  “Okay, Dad. Mac, rest is best. We will just crash here for the night.” Millie said to Mac. She checked the time: it was after midnight. Forty-five minutes past midnight.

  Dermot the leprechaun.

  She set up a meeting with him in front of the bank at midnight. She completely forgot. Not that he cared—that little mischief-maker was probably having the time of his life.

  Millie weighed her options on whether or not to run back to the bank. The leprechaun couldn’t have caused that much trouble in the past few hours, right?

  She would have to figure out a way to find the Celtic legendary creature tomorrow. She needed the rest. It had been a most precarious night. A gauntlet, a challenging trial. Her exhaustion and the comfort of Mac’s safety called her to rest and rest she would—in a separate room from Mac, per Hank’s demand. His house. His rules.

  “Goodnight Mac. I will be right upstairs.”

  Mac snored in response.

  “Mills. Mills. Wake up.” Mac gently shook her shoulder.

  Light from dawn sprayed on the white walls of Millie’s old room. Her eyes regained focus and, with multiple blinks, she looked at Mac.

  “I see you are well-rested.” Millie brushed her hair from her eyes.

  “What the hell are you two doing in there? What did I say?” Hank burst into the room.

  “Very funny Dad. Too much right now. Too much.” Millie shook her head.

  Hank laughed and walked back out of the room. “Breakfast is ready.”

  “We have a lot to catch up on. What happened?” Mac leaned on his cane at the side of her bed.

  She had made him wait all night for answers. It was only fair.

  “We are in for another long day. You were abducted by a magic user and they forced me to rob a bank in order to get you back. Luckily, we have until tomorrow to return the money I stole to the bank without Gerald knowing.”

  “How come I don’t remember anything? Did they drug me or something?”

  “Worse than that: they put a hex on you. It nearly killed me. Mom and I called Marie for help and the three of us were able to remove the hex. However, I think it is probably wise for you to lay low here, while I sort some things out.”

  “What things need to be sorted out? Like, who did this to us? Well, beyond the obvious, do you think it connects to the dead body we found in the Fox last night?” Mac hobbled around the room and opened the blinds.

  Millie covered her eyes. “Little warning , next time, Mac. Ack. I just woke up. Too bright.”

  “Sorry, sorry.” Mac closed the blinds as quickly as he’d opened them.

  “I have no idea if the body is connected. I’m sure Vince will have something for you on that. Now, Mac, this is only between us, but I summoned a leprechaun to help me rob the bank. I have to find him before he wreaks havoc on Geneva’s coffers, if he hasn’t already.”

  “According to legend, once you take your eyes off them leprechauns are very hard to find. That will be problematic. How did the people who did this get a hold of you?”

  “They used your phone to call me and make demands—demands that I met to get you back. You know, just bank robbery and all.”

  “Did you recognize the voice?”

  “It was a male voice, sort of snake-like in a way. He sounded like a typical bad guy from any fantasy story. Does that make sense?” Millie moved her long legs off the side of the bed.

  “Okay, so a creepy voice and we know they use magic because they hexed me. They want to rob banks. They also needed a big sum of cash but just to have or what? Why not just use magic to rob the bank like you did?” Mac twirled his cane.

  “My guess is they wanted to frame me. And the magic community comes down hard on anyone using magic for criminal activity. Like, really hard. I mean, we were flagged because I bought too much essence of hummingbird so we could see each other when I was in New York. We have to find the leprechaun and get that money back into the vault. Either that, or I’m in serious trouble with the magic world and the real world.”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Mac turned on his cellphone. One voicemail: from Vince. Mac didn’t listen to it just yet. “I’d better call Vince back. He may be able to help us.”

  “Don’t tell him about the leprechaun. I am going to hop in the shower.” Millie finally stood up.

  Mac dialed.

  “Hey Mac, where ya been?” Vince’s voice sounded refreshed and peppy. He must have just had some more coffee.

  “Ah, just turned the phone off last night. What’s going on? And what’s up with that floater?” Mac paced Millie’s old bedroom by himself, the sound of the shower audible in the background.

  “The floater is actually quite the interesting story. He is a mechanic from St. Charles. Found some cash hidden in a car he was working on and then decided to ask the person who owned the car—or stole the car, in all likelihood—what the cash was from. He wound up being part of crew of thieves called the Bucs until he got cold feet and wouldn’t do a job stealing from vendors at the Swedish Days fest. Then they killed him.”

  “Oh no. Did you say Bucs? What was the cause of the death?”

  “I did say the Bucs. They sliced his throat and then cut his tongue out because apparently ‘Dead Men—”

  “Tell no Tales’. The Bucs. I know these guys, Vince. I know the leader: a guy named Frank Halloran. I almost took him and his crew down after they did the same thing to someone in Chicago. They literally got away but not witho
ut me shooting his brother in the ass with my .44.” Mac’s heart jumped into his throat. A sick feeling overtook and coated his stomach.

  “Oh wonderful. So, you have a connection to the Bucs. You killed the leader’s brother? Does he know you are in Geneva? You better lay low.” Vince’s tone turned serious.

  “They are good Vince. Really good. I didn’t kill him, he lived and we arrested him since he couldn’t run with two buttholes. The modus operandi is to force people to commit crimes for them if the heat is too strong. I hope they don’t know I am here.”

  “They haven’t learned many new tricks then. They threatened to kill Terry’s wife Denise in order to force a false confession from Terry’s brother-in-law, Vic Sabatini, that he killed Terry.” Vince sighed.

  “What did Terry offer them that was useful? Maybe the mechanic shop? Clean the money they steal through there?” Mac pondered.

  “That really doesn’t matter now. We gotta catch these guys. We have the advantage now: Vic confessed that he had been put up to it. We have arrested him officially and won’t let him out. He told us the Bucs were going to hit Swedish Days today., so, we’re setting up a sting operation. GPD will have plain clothes cops all over Swedish Days.”

  “You trust this Vic guy?” Mac asked.

  “Yes, we’ll catch them in the act today at Swedish Days, Mac. Relax.”

  “Be careful Vince. The Bucs are tricky and always one step ahead. How are they going to hit Swedish Days? Vic give anything specific?”

  “No. We will station cops near all the vendors and watch the money transactions, etc. Mac, we have this under control. You best just lay low, though. Anything else you can tell me about Halloran? He’s the leader?”

  “As far as I know he’s still the leader, yes. Like I said, they disappeared after I almost caught them but that was six years ago. They are pros. They change appearances and utilize any means necessary to not get caught. Last time I saw Halloran, he had blonde spiky hair and about 5’8” tall. Not a tall man, but still built. Brown eyes. Really dark brown eyes.”