Once Upon a Crime (The Sisters Grimm, Book 4)

by Michael Buckley

  "Should be OK. He might be a little green. Still, I have to warn you. Even if we see Oberon he'll be difficult to understand. I think it has something to do with the energy they use to become full-torso apparitions. They trade the body for the language but we'll do our best--sometimes I can make out what they want to say by having them play charades. Now, let's concentrate. Oberon? Oberon, are you there?"

  Sabrina rolled her eyes. "You're just going to call out his name? It's that easy?"

  "Fine, if you want the whole shebang there's no extra charge," Scrooge said as he flipped a switch on the wall. Rays of light shot out of the crystal ball, speckling the tapestries with shimmering suns, moons, and stars. The sound of a powerful wind came from speakers mounted on the ceiling. Scrooge reached under the table and pulled out a huge swami hat. It was bright purple and had a shiny red ruby in its center. He plopped it on his head. "This authentic enough for you?"

  Sabrina scowled.

  "Oberon, King of the Fairies. We call on you. Come forth and reveal yourself," Scrooge continued. Unfortunately, his request went unanswered and the family sat waiting for several minutes.

  "I'm sorry. Dead people can be a bit shy," the psychic said nervously. His former confidence seemed to fade. "Oberon, come out, come out wherever you are. That's right, Your Majesty, we're having a party and you're invited."

  "This is ridiculous," Sabrina said, leaping to her feet. She was fully prepared to march out of the room when an odd chill crept up her spine. She felt as if she had a horrible head cold. In fact, her whole body felt weird, almost as if it were filled with stuffing, like she had become a giant teddy bear.

  "Granny, what's going on?" Sabrina cried as she watched the hair on her arms stand on end.

  "I think he's here," Scrooge said, sounding relieved. "Oberon, is that you?"

  Sabrina's mouth opened on its own and a ghostly voice echoed out of it. "Where am I?"

  "Hey! Did that come out of me?" Sabrina cried, looking at her sister, who stared at her with eyes as wide as moons. Even Moth looked a bit freaked out.

  "Wowzers!" Scrooge said to Sabrina. "You're a natural medium. Ghosts feel comfortable talking through you. Your mother had the same ability!"

  But Sabrina couldn't respond. The ghost had full possession of her now. "Where am I?" the voice said. This time Sabrina's arms flailed around as if she were angry.

  Scrooge bit his lip. "Oberon, I have some bad news for you. Are you sitting down?"

  "I don't know," Oberon's voice said. "Hey! Where's my body?"

  "Yeah, that's the bad news. You're dead."

  There was a long silence but Sabrina could still feel the king's presence inside of her. Suddenly, her mouth opened again and a single frustrated word came out.

  "Fudge."

  "I know. It's a real bummer. Right now, you're stuck in limbo and you're going to stay there until your killer is brought to justice.

  Luckily, we've got some people here who want to help you out with that inconvenience."

  "King Oberon, it is I, your loyal subject, Moth. I have been caring for Puck since you have departed," the little fairy bragged as she hefted Puck's cocoon onto the table. "He is here with me."

  "I know, I can smell him from the astral plane," Oberon groaned, then forced Sabrina's body to walk over to Puck's cocoon. Sabrina felt her hand move over it, caressing the cocoon lightly. She could feel a wave of regret pour over her, an odd sensation considering how Oberon reacted when he discovered Puck in his office. Hadn't he called his son a traitor? Sabrina also felt Oberon's hold on her body weaken. She took the opportunity to wrench back control.

  "Get out of me!" she demanded.

  "Sabrina, don't fight him. We need to ask him some important questions," Granny said.

  "Easy for you to say. There's only one person in your body," Sabrina cried.

  "Oberon, do you have any idea who killed you?" Granny Relda said.

  "Cobweb!"

  the voice bellowed as Oberon took control again. "He poisoned me. He brought me a glass of wine to celebrate the arrival of Veronicas girls. A moment after he left I felt faint and collapsed. Then there was a terrible pain and blackness."

  "I knew it!" Moth cried.

  The family looked at her in disbelief.

  "Well, I did!"

  "Do you know why he wanted to kill you?" Granny asked Oberon.

  "No," the king said. "He's the last person I would have suspected. Oh, I am so angry! I had Rangers tickets this season. What a waste!"

  "Are you sure Cobweb acted alone?" Mr. Canis said. "Perhaps he was working with another person who wanted you dead."

  "Like who? Everyone loves me!"

  "We saw you fighting with your wife," Granny replied.

  "Titania? Impossible! She wouldn't kill me. Sure we fight, but you try being married for five thousand years and see if you don't bicker."

  "Did you know that Cobweb was a member of the Scarlet Hand?" Granny asked.

  "The Scarlet what?" Oberon asked. "I've never heard of any Scarlet Hand. Listen, you've got to find Cobweb and bring him to justice."

  Suddenly, the chill in Sabrina's body disappeared and a new-voice came from her mouth. "Please insert fifty cents for ten more minutes."

  "Sorry, we've lost the connection," Scrooge said.

  "Well, get him back!" Moth cried. "We need to know if Oberon suspects anyone else!"

  "I'm sorry. He's gone. I hope it was helpful," Scrooge said.

  Granny stood up. "It was more than helpful. We now know who killed Oberon and all we have to do is track down this Cobweb. If only detective work were always this easy."

  "Forget detective work," Scrooge said. "Sabrina could make a bundle as a psychic."

  Sabrina cringed.

  The group thanked Scrooge for his help and then exited the room, where they found Tim struggling with his desk, again. They helped him set it upright and then paid Scrooge's fee.

  "Satisfied customers, eh? Well, well, that's good news," Tim said as he counted the bills. "The guvnor tends to get a lot of bad connections these days. I was a big fan of your mother, by the way. She was good people."

  Daphne rested her elbows on his desk and smiled brightly. "Would you say it for me?" she asked.

  "Say what?"

  "You know! The line," the little girl begged.

  Tim frowned, rolled his eyes, and took a deep breath. "God Bless Us, Every One," he grumbled.

  Daphne clapped her hands and giggled like she'd just stumbled into a surprise party.

  "I should start charging for that," Tim muttered.

  "So we know who killed Oberon. What do we do now?" Sabrina said when the group stepped back out into the street.

  "Mustardseed said to report everything to Oz," Granny said as she raised her hand to hail a cab. One quickly pulled over.

  "Where to, folks?" the cabbie said.

  "Macy's department store," Granny said, as she helped the girls into the taxi.

  "I'm feeling tired," Mr. Canis said from the sidewalk. "I believe I could use some time alone. Do you think you can manage without me?"

  Granny nodded. "Do you need a ride?"

  Mr. Canis shook his head. Relda waved good-bye, and the taxi pulled away from the curb and headed north toward Macy's.

  Daphne clapped her hands. "We're off to see the Wizard."

  Sabrina rolled her eyes. "You've been waiting all day to say that, haven't you?"

  Daphne grinned from ear to ear.

  When they arrived at Macy's, they found a huge crowd of people pushing their way into the store at the same time that an equally huge crowd was trying to get out. Sabrina was not surprised. After all, Christmas Eve was just three days away and what would the holidays be without thousands of panicked shoppers scrambling for last-minute gifts? Granny urged them all to hold hands as they politely moved through the mob.

  "Mommy!" a small child cried as he pointed at Puck's cocoon. "I want that for Christmas!"

  Sabrina snickered to herself, imag
ining the stinky sac underneath a Christmas tree. She would love to see Puck's face when he crawled out of it only to find a weird little boy staring at him.

  "So, did Oz say what he does at the store?" Daphne yelled above the crowd.

  "No, but I'm sure if we ask, someone will help us find him," Granny Relda said. "He's a bit of a character. Everyone must know him."

  "I found him," Moth said, pointing at one of the many huge picture windows that ran along the sides of the block-long building at Herald Square. There was Oz behind the glass, working on a window display featuring several elves who were supposed to be assembling toys in a red-and-green factory. The elves were robots, run by electricity, yet they moved like human beings, laughing, waving, and pounding away on their toys. One, however, had obviously gone haywire. It was pounding on its robot brethren. Oz stood nearby, aiming his silver remote at the malfunctioning elf. A throng of people pressed against the window, watching the wizard work on the remarkable creations and giggling at his troubles. Sabrina glanced down the street and noticed that there were similar crowds ogling the other windows, which featured scenes from

  The Night Before Christmas, A Christmas Carol, and

  The Nutcracker.

  Each window display was more magical than the last. Sabrina remembered that L. Frank Baum, the man who had written about the land of Oz, had described the Wizard as a mechanical genius, able to create realistic, even frightening illusions. He was so talented, he had once convinced the entire country of Oz that he was a powerful sorcerer.

  Granny maneuvered through the crowd and tapped on the window. Oz turned with an irritated expression, which disappeared when he spotted her. He waved for her to come inside and then climbed out of the back of the window display.

  The group squirmed their way into the bustling store, where Oz met them. He shook their hands and then ushered them into a room marked STAFF ONLY. What Sabrina saw inside was even more amazing than the window displays. The room was filled with half-finished figures, many blinking and buzzing, waiting for their moment in the spotlight. Robotic birds sat on perches singing sweet little songs, and a family of half-painted polar bears played with a newborn cub in the corner. They looked so real it was hard not to get nervous around them. There were also stacks of papers and old engineering books lying about, a full-length mirror leaning against the wall, and a cot sitting in the far corner. Sabrina suspected the Wizard slept in his workroom more often than not.

  "I'm sorry I'm so frazzled," Oz said as he offered everyone a seat. "Today is 'what-happened-to-the-rest-of-the-year?' day here at the store. You'd think people might realize there are three hundred sixty-four days to shop before Christmas."

  "We were admiring your windows," Granny said. "The displays are extraordinary."

  Oz picked up a robot head. It blinked at him and smiled. "Yes, well, it's the closest thing I'll get to real magic. I used to be a first rate slight-of-hand man back in the day. When I first found myself in Oz, I did a trick for the Mayor of Munchkinland and before I knew it, I was the Great and Terrible Oz! Unfortunately, there isn't a lot of demand in New York City for a guy with that title. I tried my hand entertaining at kids' birthday parties, but video games put an end to that, of course. When I heard about this job, I jumped at it. I always had a knack for mechanical things. Now I create illusions with circuits instead of my hands."

  "They look almost real," Daphne said.

  "Thank you," Oz replied. "They're like my children. In fact, if I can't get that elf in the window to behave I'm going to have to put him in time-out. Now, I know you all didn't come down here just to admire the decorations. How goes the search?"

  "We've got a suspect," Daphne said.

  Oz raised an eyebrow.

  "Cobweb," Granny said.

  "That can't be," Oz said.

  "Oberon told us," Daphne added.

  The Wizard raised both eyebrows.

  "It's a long story," Granny said. "We believe Cobweb's been working with a group called the Scarlet Hand."

  "That mark they found on Oberon," Oz said.

  Granny nodded. "Can you pass this information on to Mustardseed? He may be in danger from Cobweb, as well."

  "Of course," Oz said.

  "Unfortunately, that brings us to another dead end. We don't know where to find Cobweb. He's not still at the Golden Egg, is he?"

  "No, all but Titania, Mustardseed, and his men have scattered."

  "Did he have any friends?" Granny Relda asked.

  The Wizard shook his head. "He was pretty busy following Oberon and Titania's orders. He was very loyal to them. That's what makes this all such a big surprise. Still, there might be someone who can help. There's a fairy godmother over in west Midtown who I've seen with Cobweb. If he needs a place to hide, he might head there. Her name is Twilarose. She owns a dress shop."

  "That's a big help," Daphne said.

  "By the way," Oz said. "Between me and you, your friend, the chubby guy…"

  "Mr. Hamstead?" Sabrina asked.

  "Yes. He's made himself a powerful enemy today. Word is he stole Tony Fats's girlfriend. If I were him, I'd get out of town as fast as possible. The fairy godfathers aren't people you mess around with."

  * * *

  Twilarose's Fashion Emporium was on the corner of Eleventh Avenue and Fifty-seventh Street next to a parking lot for garbage trucks. The smell on the block was even worse than the one coming from Puck's cocoon.

  Granny had left word at the hotel for Mr. Hamstead and Bess to meet them at the fairy godmother's store. They arrived soon after the Grimms and Moth, though they were so caught up in conversation, they barely noticed the family waiting for them in the fading daylight. Granny pulled the couple aside and gave them Oz's warning. Bess looked concerned but Mr. Hamstead just smiled and reminded Granny Relda that he was more than capable of taking care of himself and Bess, if need be.

  While the grown-ups talked, Sabrina looked at the store's window display and decided that this Twilarose person wasn't exactly sure what the word fashion meant. The dresses were so ruffled and brightly colored that the mannequins wearing them looked embarrassed.

  "So what's the difference between a fairy and a fairy godmother?" Daphne asked Moth.

  The little fairy sneered. "Of course an ignoramus like you wouldn't know the difference. Fairy godmothers and godfathers are lower beings. Unlike true-blood fairies, they need wands to perform magic. And they are born as adults, sometimes as very old people. They can be painfully ugly, with their gray hair and wrinkles."

  "It must take great strength on your part to tolerate them," said Granny Relda, who had caught the end of Moth's speech. "It does," Moth said, nodding earnestly.

  "Well, we don't know this Twilarose and if she's hiding Cobweb she might be dangerous," Hamstead said, pulling his pants up over his belly. "Be careful and keep your eyes peeled."

  A fat, orange tomcat lay outside, blocking the entrance to the store. Granny shooed it away and it raced shrieking into an old refrigerator box someone had dragged out onto the sidewalk.

  Inside the shop, they found racks and racks of shiny, poofy-sleeved ballroom dresses, covered in frills and lace. There were also several shelves of shoes in shocking, unnatural colors and funky-shaped handbags.

  A roly-poly lady stepped out of the back room and approached the group. She had a big, blue beehive hairdo atop an almost perfect circle of a head. Her eyebrows were drawn on and her cheeks and lips were bright pink. She was wearing a baby-blue satin dress that made it look as if she might be off to her senior prom at any moment. A rhinestone belt with blue-and-green blinking lights completed the look.

  "Welcome to Twilarose's Fashion Emporium. How can I help you?" the woman sang. "We're having a sale on spring-fling formal wear and shoes. It's never too early to get a head start on the coming seasons. And remember, everything in this store is a Twilarose original. I design everything myself."

  "So you're Twilarose?" Granny asked.

  "The one and only," the
old woman said. "Perhaps you've seen my work on the runways of Milan, Paris, and Canton, Ohio."

  "The Wizard of Oz sent us," Daphne said.

  "We're looking for Cobweb," Granny Relda added.

  Twilarose's eyes grew wide. "Indeed. Oh my! I didn't recognize you, the

  Grimm family,"

  she said louder than necessary. "I'm so glad none of you people in the

  Grimm family were hurt in that mob scene at the Golden Egg. Terrible, terrible situation. I'm so thrilled to meet the

  Grimm family."

  "Well, I guess we know he's here somewhere," Sabrina said. The woman was obviously trying to warn Cobweb of their arrival.

  "I'm not sure what you're talking about, you people in the

  Grimm family!

  I just make clothing. In fact, I feel inspired. I'm going to give you all the Twilarose VIP Makeover! Won't that be fun?"

  Twilarose reached into the folds of her dress and produced a magic wand. She waved it in the air and there was a loud bam!

  When Sabrina looked down, she was wearing a puffy, leopard-print dress with matching shoes. She looked over at the others and saw their clothes had been replaced as well. Daphne had on a rainbow-colored can-can dress and Granny Relda was wearing a big pink gown with a hat as large as her whole body. Moth and Bess were both dressed in tracksuits covered in little golden bells and had snowshoes on their feet. Each of the women had so much makeup on, it looked as if it had been applied with a paint-ball gun.

  Poor Mr. Hamstead was wearing an electric-blue tuxedo with tails and a top hat. Even Puck's cocoon had been made over, in different colored ribbons.

  Twilarose clapped her hands. "I am brilliant!" she shouted. "You all are going to be the toast of New York City."

  "Underling, we don't have time for this nonsense," Moth said.

  "Oh no! You don't like the outfits. Maybe something more work-appropriate? I'll fix you lickety-split!" The fairy godmother waved her wand again and bam!

  --the dresses were gone, replaced with outfits that were even more outrageous. Now, each of the women was wearing a long evening gown that had a badge, handcuffs, and a billy club swinging from it. Mr. Hamstead was dressed in a black-and-white prison uniform and had a ball and chain around his left leg. He looked down and grunted.