by Kelly Ethan
Xandie held her hands up. “And I’m a Meyers, remember?”
“Close enough.” Rose shook her head and a large curl of silvery blonde hair fell across her forehead from her beehive bouffant. “I will ban you all, Harrows and extended Harrows.”
“If we suffer, you have to suffer, too, cousin. That’s the Harrow code.” Holly kicked a bread roll out of the way and headed outside.
Rose pointed a trembling finger at the pyramid of rolls near Bridget’s feet. “I expect that mess to be cleaned, Librarian. Do you understand?”
Without waiting for acknowledgement, the inn owner stomped off.
With a sigh, Xandie bent down and collected all the rolls up and dumped them on the table.
“I don’t know how you put up with her. She’s pure mayhem.” Bridget sidled over to Xandie and pasted a commiserating smile upon her face.
“From what I can tell, Elspeth stopped a black marketer, and possibly saved thousands of lives. Doesn’t sound like mayhem to me.”
“It’s all in the delivery.” Bridget lovingly lifted the crystal ball from the table and cradled it like a baby.
“If you hate Elspeth so much, why come to Point Muse?”
“No matter how I feel about her, we’re Morrigan. She might drive me crazy, but you protect your own.” Bridget nodded to Xandie and strolled out.
“Bridget? Do you have a piece of the Morpheus Amulet?”
Bridget stalled for a moment but didn’t turn. “You think that’s why the others were killed? For their amulet pieces?”
“Don’t you?”
The Morrigan member continued her walk. “I hope not. For my sake.” With that, she disappeared.
“That answered that question.” Elspeth’s nemesis definitely had a piece of the amulet.
Which meant Bridget, along with Elspeth and Lucien, were at the top of a very short hit list.
Twelve
“Kill me now.” Xandie winced as the siren screamed over her head. She thought that after getting Elspeth out of Mayweather Inn she’d have a chance to relax. A hot chocolate or a hot tea, late-night B-grade movie and a good snooze on the couch.
“What? Did you say tuna?” Theo yelled back at Xandie. Horatio, Theo’s pet imp, ears stuffed full of cotton wool, cowered on Theo’s back.
“I said...” Xandie yelled and then gave up. She’d arrived back from Elspeth duty to Theo and Horatio locked out of the house and the current state of noise pollution.
Agent Jackson slid to a stop just in front of Chief Braun, both breathing quickly as they tried to talk over the other.
“Take this...”
“These are spelled...”
Xandie glared at the men, both holding earmuffs out to her. “Seriously? You couldn’t have come up with this an hour ago?”
“Earmuffs,” Theo squealed and clawed Braun’s leg until he dropped his pair to the ground. Shaking Horatio off, Theo wiggled on the ground and slid the earmuffs over his ears. He sighed in relief and sagged back onto the grass.
“Either my head is ridiculously small, or Theo’s deformed.” Xandie shrugged and swiped Jackson’s earmuffs, sliding them on. Instant relief hit her as the noisy siren cut out completely.
“They’ve been spelled, so they mute the siren, but you can still hear what’s going on around you.”
Xandie smiled a little. She still hadn’t forgiven him for attempting to wipe her memory, but noise blocking earmuffs was a start. “Can you tell me what the heck is going on? Why we are locked out of the house and the Library in the middle of the night?”
“What? What did you say?” Braun raised his voice over the siren.
Agent Jackson hadn’t seen fit to share spelled ear protection with the Point Muse Police Chief. Xandie pointed to her spotlighted driveway and the gaggle of pajama-clad onlookers now gawking at them.
With a nod, Braun strode off to move the nosy gossips along.
“Any reason you didn’t issue our Chief spelled headgear?”
Agent Jackson smirked. “He didn’t ask nicely enough.”
Xandie rolled her eyes but refused to comment. She had other more important issues to focus on. “Why has the Library locked us out and why has her alarm triggered?”
Theo stopped his lolling on the ground and straightened. “I can answer that. Some woman with red hair delivered a parcel. I took it into the Library. The next thing I know, Horatio and I were shoved outside, and the alarm goes off. That’s when you turned up.”
“I worked that out with all your yowling. But why did the Library shut down?”
“Elspeth has an idea on that.” Lila stepped up next to Xandie and gave Theo a rub underneath his chin.
“Oh, please, enlighten us on Ms. Harrow’s working theory,” Agent Jackson replied with eyebrows arched, his tone heavily laced with sarcasm.
Xandie coughed to hide the laughter bubbling up. The oh-so-competent agent didn’t enjoy relinquishing control to someone else... Especially not the slightly haggish Elspeth Harrow.
“Raise both those eyebrows at Elspeth and she’ll have those caterpillars off your face in a flash.” Lila grinned, teeth on show.
Jackson cleared his throat and inclined his head. “Be happy to hear any theory Ms. Harrow has.”
“From Theo’s description of the parcel, Elspeth could identify the surname of the sender.”
“And?” Braun finally joined them.
“The surname was Burne. That’s the alias Whitburn used to use. She didn’t recognize the first name. Alberta. But Whitburn always liked to disguise himself as a female during certain Morrigan Coven operations.”
Lila delivered the words with a satisfied expression.
Xandie studied her cousin’s face. She was just that little too pleased with herself. “What did you do?”
“Moi? I’ve done nothing.”
“So why look so pleased with yourself?”
Lila sniffed, affront in every line of her body. “The lack of faith from my cousin offends me.”
“And?”
“And I bribed Elspeth with moonshine and mom’s chocolate stash and told Elspeth Holly broke her favorite cauldron when we were little. Elspeth gave up the information and is happily cursing Holly now.” Lila beamed. “All is good in Lila Harrow’s world.”
Shaking her head, Xandie turned to Braun and Jackson. “How long until we can get inside the Library? There are files in there we need.”
Jackson turned Braun. “You know Library protocol and security better than I. What’s your best guess?”
“Anywhere from a few hours to a few days, maybe more, depending on the level of threat to the Library. Obviously, the parcel was contaminated or contained some kind of threat, physical or magical, to the Library.” Braun shrugged. “The Library will clear the threat, but until then, you and Theo are homeless.”
“Great.” The Library was her home. Now she couldn’t even open the front door.
Jackson winked at Xandie. “My room at the Inn has two beds in it. Happy to offer the spare to our very important librarian and her feline companion.”
“Braun Lodge has plenty of rooms. Aggie thinks of Xandie like family.” Braun glowered at the PIG agent and moved to stand close to Xandie.
Moving to stand on the other side of Xandie, Jackson faced Braun down. “From what I can gather, you and Xandie have a contentious relationship and Braun Lodge isn’t exactly quiet with all your bear shifter siblings in and out. The Inn and my room are quiet enough she can get some rest.”
“From what I hear you wiped her memories and made her come to Point Muse. Why would she want to stay with you?” Braun pointed a finger tipped with a claw at the PIG agent.
Jackson whipped out a metal wand and tapped Braun’s bear claw. “Unless you want to lose any memories you have of how to shift into a bear, I’d retract that claw.”
Xandie stepped away from the testosterone-smothered space between the two men. “You know what? Being homeless seems more appealing now.” Both men ignored Xandie
.
Lila nudged her cousin. “You know Harrow House is open to all Harrows and Library felines.”
Great. Stuck in Harrow House with her talking cat, his pet imp, her cousin, her hex-mad grandmother, a fanged freeloader and their Paladin jailer... “Yay,” Xandie offered weakly. At least it was better than a hotel room with Jackson or Braun Lodge with Zach and his siblings.
Lila waved at the still squabbling law enforcement officers and steered Xandie toward her luminescent blue bakery van. “Just to show I care, I’m moving in, too. Added protection. It’ll be a party.”
“Or a wake...”
“Feed me. Feed me.” Theo punctuated each word with a swipe of his paw across Xandie’s nose.
Xandie squinted through one eye at her food obsessed feline. “Didn’t I just feed you?”
“That was last night when we arrived in this witch’s den of hexing. You’ve slept most of the day away. Feed me. Feed me.” This time Theo unsheathed his claws and rested them threateningly against the tender skin of Xandie’s nose tip.
“Stop torturing me, you sadistic animal.” Xandie rolled over and pushed herself out of bed with a groan. At least she, Theo and Horatio, the imp, had a place to sleep, but it wasn’t a patch on her Library home. Xandie stood and stretched the kinks out of her back.
“Food,” Theo wailed. Horatio punctuated his owner’s cry with shrill pips and a raised fist.
Anyone would think she starved them. But, judging by the cat’s potbelly, he was doing fine. Xandie held a hand up. “Let’s head to the kitchen and we’ll agree you never touch my nose again.” Xandie opened the door and shuffled downstairs, passing Elspeth whispering on the phone.
“Wow, the dead walk.” Lila munched on an apple as Xandie entered the kitchen diner.
Holly threw a cookie at Lila. “Hey, enough with the dead jokes. It’s a sensitive subject, especially at the moment.”
“It was a joke, Banshee. You need to lighten up.”
“I’ll show you a joke.” Holly launched herself at Lila, only to be caught by Buchanan, who dropped her back into a chair.
He continued on toward the coffee pot and poured himself a cup as though that didn’t just happen. “Do you Harrows ever not fight?”
Xandie snorted and opened the fridge, grabbing out a fresh plate of tuna. She knelt and placed it on the floor for Theo and Horatio. “Is the sky blue today?”
“Are we Harrows?” Lila smirked and threw an apple core at Holly.
“Are we breathing?” Holly caught the core and then lobbed it at Xandie.
Xandie ducked, and the core hit Elspeth in the chest before dropping to the floor.
All eyes swiveled to Elspeth, who picked the core up and carefully placed it on the bench. She ran a hand over the top of the apple and watched with an enormous smile is it shriveled down to a dry husk. She looked up with a wide smile. “Have you ever heard the story of the witch who littered?”
All the girls and Buchanan shook their heads.
Elspeth cackled and the coffee pot overflowed with volcanic ferocity. “Really? I thought such a tragic story would be required learning for young witches keen on survival.”
Amelia stepped into the kitchen, with Winifred in tow. “Are you still telling that old tale to scare young witches? You trotted it out whenever we didn’t pick up after ourselves.”
Winifred shuddered. “It used to give me nightmares imagining what happened to that poor, young witch.”
“Get a grip, Winnie. The old girl was just scaring you into cleaning for her.” Colin trotted in. “Look at all my dames in the one spot. Warms an old pug to his cockles.”
“The less we now about your cockles the better, dog.” Lila took a step away from Colin as he raised a back leg next to her.
Theo, Xandie’s cat, hissed at the pug. “No manners at all. Doginstein.”
Colin dropped his leg and casually sat back. “You do know that no one other than the Librarian can hear your insults, feline?”
“I’m sure Elspeth can help with that minor issue. She made you talk, didn’t she? After all, I am family.” Theo smirked and twitched his tail in Colin’s face.
“Claiming family rights? I see tuna breath has settled in.” Colin turned to Xandie. “Are you sure he didn’t break the Library just to get pampered at Harrow House?”
“Pampered, my furry tush. The service in this house is abysmal, as is your company.” Theo tipped his nose in the air and pranced past Colin, just as a low rumbling shook the dining room and a putrid fishy smell filled the air.
Xandie slapped a hand over her face as the stench wafted over. Next to her, both Lila and Holly doubled over, gagging.
Colin shook his head at Theo. “And you talk about manners, feline.”
Arching his back, Theo yowled, fur standing upright. “I would never desecrate Harrow House like that. Don’t pass the blame like you passed the wind, you miscreant.”
“Oooh. Big words for a stinky tuna lover no one else can hear,” Colin sneered back.
“Enough.” Elspeth slammed her hands together and a large boom sounded. A cool wind blew through the house, blowing the tuna-scented flatulence out of the kitchen.
Amelia, with eyes watering, took a deep breath. “I told you Colin can’t have tuna. It disagrees with his constitution. You need to be a responsible pet owner.”
“Colin is his own man.” Elspeth waved her hand in the air. “Pug, that is.”
Buchanan massaged his forehead, unmoved by the putrid stench bomb that had just erupted in the kitchen. “Maybe we could focus on the coven killer and protecting Elspeth?”
“Speaking of that…” Elspeth turned to Buchanan. “What’s with all the shifter guards arriving? I’m sure one hexed dead shifter is enough, don’t you think?”
With an oath, Buchanan stormed out, muttering, “Damn local cops pushing their noses into Paladin business.”
With a malevolent smile, Elspeth disappeared out to her workshop.
“Since when has Elspeth been helpful to law enforcement?” Theo paused in his offended stalk out of the room.
Xandie straightened. “While I’ve been living in Point Muse, Elspeth has never helped aid law and order.”
Holly joined her cousin. “Not in my entire lifetime.”
Winifred closed her eyes for a moment. “Mother has a pathological distrust of rules and regulations. She’d never willingly volunteer anything to help an officer of the law.”
“She’s scarpered.” Amelia sat down at the kitchen table. “Her regular modus operandi. Distract and disappear.”
Xandie cleared her throat. “Elspeth was on the phone when I shambled past this morning. I couldn’t hear what she was saying though.”
Lila licked her lips. “I think we have an Elspeth alert. Holly, check the phone. Xandie, see what’s going on outside. I’ll search Elspeth’s workshop. Now break.” Lila clapped her hands and all three girls shot off in different directions. Their aunts watched them go with resigned expressions on their faces.
Xandie raced to the front door and Harrow House obligingly swung open. She patted the door frame as she passed through. Even Harrow House was looking out for the irascible Elspeth.
“What’s the rush?” Braun leaned against the porch enjoying the sight of a flustered Xandie.
Halting her run to the outside, Xandie patted her bed-hair down. Thanks to her long nap, her shoulder-length brown hair was sticking up and out like tufts of fur. At least she wasn’t in pajamas, thanks to Lila. She was in a comfy pair of yoga pants and a Harrow witch does it better T-shirt. She pasted on a smile. “Nothing’s wrong? Just checking on the situation outside.”
“Situation?” Braun parroted Xandie’s words, but with a mocking twist.
Damn man. “Elspeth was concerned about using shifter guards since her crow friend already died from a hex that target shifters. That’s all.” And if you believe that maybe I can sell you a hypothetical bridge.
Xandie glanced around the yard. Buchanan was arguing
with Aggie Braun with a pile of shifters grouped around them. The Paladins had formed a wider circle around the group and still had guards posted. Surely Elspeth couldn’t escape with all the manpower around Harrow House?
“Checking to see if any blood’s been shed yet, or checking on something else?” Braun straightened and sniffed the air. “Or should I say someone else?”
Xandie raised a hand up and backed inside the house. “I have no clue what you’re babbling about.”
Harrow House slammed the door in Braun’s face.
“Thanks for the save, House.” Xandie spun around as Holly slapped the phone down.
“We have a problem, Xandie.”
“Yep, a big one.” Lila came out from the kitchen and agreed with Holly. “Elspeth isn’t in the workshop or in the house.”
“I snuck into her bedroom and the old girl is definitely missing in action. But I found this sweet hat.” Colin wiggled his hips while wearing an Elspeth-special cone brassiere on his head.
Shuddering at the horrifying image of a bra-decorated pug twerking, Xandie whipped the bra off Colin’s head and tucked it under her arm. “She could be anywhere. Where do we start looking?”
“Buzzkill,” Colin muttered. “I’m off. There has to be someone wearing a dress around here.” He wandered off to find a stray skirt to peer up.
“I think I can help with finding a place to look.” Holly pointed to the phone. “I checked who the last caller was.”
“And?”
“Mayweather Inn was the last number.”
Xandie groaned. The current abode of Bridget Doyle, ex-Morrigan Coven member and Elspeth’s fortune-telling nemesis. “Right, Elspeth probably ducked out for a second round of bread rolls with Bridget.”
Lila dangled her bakery van keys in front of her cousins. “Well, post haste, little Librarian and wailing Banshee. We’ve got a hex-mad grandmother to catch before she incites the rage of Aphrodite wannabe, Rose Mayweather.”
Xandie flung the front door open and moved to step out. Unfortunately, the broad chest of muscled bear shifter, Zach Braun, provided a barricade to their get-Elspeth plans.
