“Where is my aunt?” Petunia asked.
“She’s gone home to whip up something that had better cure this,” Estelle said.
“If she’s making another potion, why are you here?” Petunia whispered.
“You don’t expect us to believe she can cure us, do you? She should have made the potion right in the first place.”
“I can agree with that, but I believe my hair tonic potion might have accidentally spilled into her antidote … you know, accidentally.”
“I told you it was all her fault, Mother,” Maria hissed. “She’s probably only here to gloat.”
“I’d never do that,” Petunia insisted. “I’ll wait here until my aunt returns.”
“It seems that you’d be more comfortable waiting at home,” Noah suggested.
Petunia glanced around the room where people were waiting for their appointments. They smiled slightly behind their magazines. “Please come with me,” Petunia implored them. “You don’t need these people gawking at you.”
Maria stepped forward, menacingly. “Nobody better laugh at us. They’re twice as hairy as us.”
“I hardly think so,” one woman said. “I only need the hair on the top of my lip taken off.”
When Maria pulled out her wand, Petunia and Noah rushed her out the door with Estelle calling after them, “Wait, we’ll miss our turn.”
Noah skidded down the road with Estelle and Maria hollering in the back seat, “You better be taking us somewhere to remove this hair,” Estelle said. “I’m not sure how long I can hold Maria off.”
Petunia called her aunt. “I hope you’re home making that antidote, I have Estelle and Maria with me. I saved them from having electrolysis done.”
“We’ve had it done before,” Estelle declared.
“I’m home,” came the reply over the phone.
“Drive to my aunt’s house. She’s whipping up another batch of her antidote that might counter the last one. I hope anyway,” Petunia said.
“Sounds good to me.” Noah smiled.
“I’d turn that man into a toad,” Maria threatened, “if he wasn’t so darn handsome. Why don’t you date me instead of Petunia?”
“It’s too late now, I’m afraid Petunia has me cast in her spell.” He winked.
“Drive faster, Noah,” Petunia suggested.
Noah whipped into Aunt Maxine’s driveway minutes later and they all piled out, going through the garage. Aunt Maxine rushed Noah and Petunia inside and closed and locked the door so that Estelle and Maria wouldn’t be able to enter.
“That should keep them for a while.” Aunt Maxine cackled. “It will take some time to make my antidote. If I hadn’t been in such a darn hurry, I could have done it right the first time.”
“I suppose you’re right, since Mr. Calhoun might not have survived much longer,” Petunia said. “What’s preventing the Hoodwinks from getting out of the garage?”
“I might have cast a containment spell, or I think I did. What’s new with you two?”
“A Mrs. Tuddlington is looking good for the poisonings. I’m not sure if you know her,” Noah said. “She sports a bouffant hairstyle.”
“Kind of hard to miss that I suppose, but I don’t recall seeing anyone like that. Of course I’ve been awful busy combing those cats of yours, Petunia. So, how did you tie it all together?”
“I’m not sure that we did,” Noah began. “She allegedly was spotted opening the champagne and putting something in it, though.”
“That is awful doing something like that. I hope she’s been arrested after the way she ruined the cat show and had it canceled,” Aunt Maxine said.
“It’s awful the show was cancelled?” Petunia agreed.
“That’s what Mr. Calhoun told us. He was quite despondent about it, actually.”
“Apparently Mrs. Tuddlington runs a cat show that competes with Mr. Calhoun’s. She planned to sabotage the Lake Forest show.”
“What do you think of all of this, Noah?”
“I don’t know what to think. It’s hard to believe someone would poison people just to ruin a cat show. It just seems a little too quick of a wrap up to me.”
“So, you don’t believe Mrs. Tuddlington poisoned the champagne?”
“I don’t know. All I know is we were supposed to question Tracy and we never got the chance. I’d like to check out the Lake Forest Winery, too.”
“You mean that abandoned building north of town?” Aunt Maxine said. “It hasn’t been a winery that I know of for over two decades.”
“I found the boxes that contained the champagne in a stockroom and it had the name Lake Forest Winery all over it,” Petunia explained.
“Sounds like you should check that out. I’ll give you a call when I have the antidote finished. I might need someone to help me handle Estelle and Maria.”
“I can imagine they’ll be quite angry for being locked up like that.”
“I’m sure they’ll forget about that once they have the antidote in hand,” Noah suggested.
There was a knock on the front door and Hazel was standing behind it, waltzing in moments later. She hurriedly handed off Pansy to Petunia. “I believe you’ll have to take your cat back now. We already took the other cats to your house.”
“We?” Aunt Maxine cocked a brow with a slight smile.
“Mr. Cooper is waiting in the car.”
“How kind of him. When is the wedding?”
“Come now, Maxine, you know I’ve sworn off marriage. I must admit, though, that Mr. Cooper is quite relationship worthy.”
“Isn’t that a little premature?” Petunia asked.
“Not at my age. Ta-ta now.”
Petunia glanced down at Pansy and said, “Nice to have you back, partner.”
“Save it, Red. What are you doing here?”
“It’s a long story.”
“I don’t have nothing but time on my hands,” Pansy said, as he licked a paw.
“Me and Noah are heading over to the Lake Forest Winery. We believe they bottled the champagne from the cat show there.”
“You mean you haven’t wrapped up your case yet?”
“Apparently a Mrs. Tuddlington looks good for the poisonings, but we’d like to tie up a few loose ends.”
“It’s about time I put some work into this case. I can’t imagine you and Noah will be able to figure it out on your own.”
“So, what have you been doing at the cat show?”
“Checking out the competition. You know there were plenty of good-looking felines around there. There’s nothing like being fancied by a Persian. It’s too bad Mr. Calhoun has packed it up and is heading home.”
“Already? I had hoped to speak to Tracy. She’s one of the volunteers. Remember? She was one of the girls who checked us in.”
“I vaguely recall her, but I haven’t seen her all day, if that helps.”
“Darn!”
“Darn?” Noah asked. “Is that supposed to mean something?”
“No, I think we should hurry to check out the winery. We might find a vital clue that will be a game changer.”
“Yeah, right.”
Pansy leaped out of Petunia’s arms and headed for the garage. “Oh, no, you don’t, Pansy, I have witches locked in the garage … very angry ones,” Aunt Maxine said with a chuckle.
Pansy pranced back to the front door. “I think I’d rather be out of here before wands go flying … or is it witches?” He laughed.
Noah looked suspiciously at Petunia and Pansy. “Sometimes I wonder who owns who?”
“That’s kind of how it is with cats,” Petunia replied.
Noah pulled into a driveway that was overgrown with vines. “Are you certain this is where the winery is located, Petunia?”
“According to Google Maps.”
“I don’t like this place; can we leave now?” Pansy asked, as he trembled.
“Calm down, would you. I’m nervous myself.”
“Can you keep the motor running?�
�� Petunia asked Noah. “It will make me feel a whole lot better if we can make a quick getaway.”
Noah turned to Petunia with furrowed brow. “You don’t think the place is haunted, do you?”
Petunia wanted to slug him for that suggestion as she glanced at the moss-covered brick building with a sign that hung by only a solitary nail.
“Get out, Red, and quit being such a chicken,” Pansy exclaimed, hopping out the opened window ... obviously changing his mind about the place.
“We might as well join Pansy,” Noah suggested. “We don’t want your cat to show us up.”
Petunia and Noah stared at the building and Petunia wrinkled her nose at the stench of mold. She rubbed a window, leaving a thick layer of muck on her fingers. She peered inside and caught sight of what she thought was a light. “Someone must be here, I think that’s a light, Noah?”
Noah tried the front door but it was locked. Pansy led the way to the back where tire tracks were imbedded in the mud. The back door was locked, too, but there was a broken window that Pansy jumped through before Petunia could stop him.
“Be careful, would you,” Petunia said to Pansy.
“I’ll let you know if there’s anything inside of interest.”
“What are we waiting for?” Noah asked.
“For Pansy to come back.”
Noah shook his head and picked up a rock and broke the window the rest of the way. He then put his arm through the hole and unlatched and opened the door. Petunia opened it the rest of the way, but before she entered, she asked, “Do you think this is a good idea? Isn’t it breaking and entering?”
“Technically but we have to rescue Pansy. How else will we ever be able to get him back? Why, he might be injured and needing our help.”
Petunia pushed through the door and pressed an arm to her nose to diminish the smell of the mold. Her hair blew slightly and she moved into the other room, calling, “Pansy, I don’t think it’s safe here.”
“I know, there’s a woman tied up here.”
She hurried into another room where a box full of champagne bottles sat. Noah raced into the other room at the sound of a woman crying. Petunia was hot on his heels and there on the floor was Tracy, the volunteer from the cat show. She was sitting on the floor with her hands and ankles tied with duct tape, her mouth taped shut.
Noah pulled out a pocket knife and cut her loose.
“What happened?” Petunia asked, as she helped Tracy up.
“Melanie happened,” she said tearfully. “I’m so sorry I locked you in the stockroom, but they were after me.”
“They?” Noah asked.
“Y-Yes, Melanie and Mr. Calhoun.”
“Melanie and Mr. Calhoun, not Tara or Mrs. Tuddlington?”
“Tara isn’t involved in what happened at the cat show, Melanie was.”
“But we were told that Mrs. Tuddlington was spotted handling the champagne bottles, putting something in them,” Petunia said.
“I don’t know who told you that, but Melanie had already opened the bottles before Mrs. Tuddlington arrived to help.”
“So, Melanie was responsible for the poisonings? Doesn’t that mean that she made an attempt on Mr. Calhoun life?”
“She didn’t try to kill Mr. Calhoun. He drank the tainted champagne willingly.”
Noah scratched his head. “So you’re saying that Mr. Calhoun poisoned himself?”
“Yes. I heard Melanie talking about it with Mr. Calhoun.”
“But he almost died,” Petunia said.
“He probably didn’t mean to make himself that sick,” Pansy said, as he stood there swishing his tail.
“I’m not sure why he did it, but I’m telling you he wanted to make it look like he was a victim,” Tracy exclaimed.
“A willing one,” Noah added. “Who tied you up?”
“Melanie did, after I told her I was going to go to the sheriff and tell him about what they did.”
“So nobody poisoned Mr. Calhoun, and Melanie was in cahoots with him,” Petunia mused. “I can’t help but wonder why. What could he possibly gain from having his own cat show cancelled?”
Chapter 15
“We should call the sheriff,” Noah said.
Listen to him, Red,” Pansy said.
“Not yet, I want to confront Melanie and Mr. Calhoun first,” Petunia exclaimed.
“I’m going with you, too,” Tracy insisted. “I have a few words I’d like to say to them!”
Noah shook his head. “I don’t like it, but I have a feeling that neither of you will take no for an answer so we should get going. I’ll call the sheriff on the way. We should have plenty of time to settle the last details of this case before he shows up.”
They hopped in the car and Noah skidded off down the road, passing two women with scarves over their heads. Petunia had to blink twice. “Could it be Estelle and Maria?” Petunia asked Pansy.
“No, it can’t possibly be them. They’re locked in your aunt’s garage, remember?” Pansy said.
“You’re right—or I hope you’re right.”
Noah coasted his car and parked it on the side of the building as there were two cars already parked up front.
“That’s Melanie’s and Mr. Calhoun’s cars,” Tracy said.
They then slipped from the car and went in through the back door … moving steadily toward the office, where voices could be heard.
“I just spoke to my insurance adjuster and I’m cleared to get my insurance check,” Mr. Calhoun said.
Melanie laughed. “And here I doubted this would work. I never even knew you could put an insurance policy on a cat show … and for a million dollars.”
Petunia’s jaw slacked open and Tracy was on the move.
“So that’s why you held me hostage, just so I couldn’t ruin your insurance scam?” Tracy shouted, as she moved into the office.
Mr. Calhoun came out of his chair with a handgun pointed straight at Tracy.
“Put that gun down,” Noah exclaimed, as he rushed into the room with Petunia. “It’s too late now that we know your scam.”
“Although I must admit that I’ve never heard of anyone trying to wreck their own cat show just to claim the insurance money. It’s just crazy poisoning yourself like that. You nearly died,” Petunia said.
“Quite accidental, actually,” Mr. Calhoun said.
“What would have happened if you had actually died? You wouldn’t be able to collect then, now could you?”
“No, but I could,” Melanie said. “My name was on the policy, too.”
“Not a smart move if you ask me,” Tracy shouted, inching toward Melanie. She then reared back and slapped Melanie full in the face. Melanie pleaded with Tracy, “Please, stop. It was Mr. Calhoun’s idea to keep you under-wraps until the insurance company paid out.”
“What would you have done then?” Noah asked. “Let her go? I doubt it.”
“How many times have you done this?” Petunia asked.
“This is the first time. I’ve done my time as a grand marshal. I’m long due for a wealthy retirement.”
“With Melanie?”
“Of course, and without Tara, I might add. I sent her packing after you left.”
“So everything you said to Tara when we were here was a lie?” Noah asked.
“I almost wish my aunt hadn’t given you any of her antidote.” Petunia then gasped as Mr. Calhoun looked up. He sported a face full of facial hair! If only it was just a beard and mustache. “Oh, my, your face!”
Mr. Calhoun juggled the gun as he stared in the mirror. “I just shaved!” He then pointed the gun at Petunia. “I don’t know how she did it, but that aunt of yours is responsible for this and she better fix it, or else!”
“She’s a witch is why. She put a spell on you that caused you to grow facial hair and if you shoot anyone, you’ll never get an antidote to fix it.”
“Not that it matters, since he’s going to prison,” Tracy said smugly.
“Put your hands up,�
� came the order from Sheriff Pinkerton, who pointed his gun at Mr. Calhoun, while the rest if them tried to get out of the way least bullets fly.
Mr. Calhoun frowned as he put the gun down just as Pansy came racing past, swiping a claw-raised paw across the man’s face. “I’m going to shoot you, cat!” Mr. Calhoun shouted.
Petunia gasped. “What an awful thing to say—especially from a man who earned his living as a grand marshal for cat shows.”
“If you move toward that gun, I’ll be forced to shoot you,” Pinkerton informed him. “It’s what I’m trained to do.” He then locked eyes with Petunia. “What’s going on here, Petunia?”
“Melanie was behind the poisonings and Mr. Calhoun basically wanted to ruin the cat show to collect his insurance money from the policy he took out for this event so he could retire a million dollars richer. He drank some of the tainted champagne to keep himself off the suspect list.”
“I believe Melanie must have given Mr. Calhoun a bigger dose,” Noah said. “That way she’d get all the insurance money.”
Melanie shrugged.
“She held me captive after I overheard what they were doing,” Tracy added. “I locked Petunia in the stockroom so she wouldn’t get hurt.”
“They had Tracy tied up at the Lake Forest Winery building,” Petunia added. “It’s a dilapidated building on Lake Forest Drive.”
“I’m quite aware of where that is. I’ll radio Deputy Cartwright to check it out.” Pinkerton smiled. “I’m glad you figured out what was really going on. I released Mrs. Tuddlington an hour ago after nobody came forward to confirm that she opened the champagne or poured anything in it.”
“My bet is that Melanie’s prints will be all over it. She’s the one who opened the bottles before Mrs. Tuddlington arrived to pour the bubbly,” Petunia explained. “I’m worried about where Tara might have gone, though. I hope Mr. Calhoun and Melanie didn’t kill her.”
“No, she came to the station and told me I needed to investigate further and look into Melanie’s background. She said that Melanie has a record as a con artist.”
“Why doesn’t that surprise me?” Noah exclaimed.
“My bet is if Melanie and Mr. Calhoun jetted off somewhere, he might just go on the missing list,” Petunia said with a curt nod.
Meows, Magic, & Mayhem (Lake Forest Witches Book 4) Page 11
