Meows, Magic & Missing (Lake Forest Witches Book 3)

by Madison Johns

  “And I suppose you’ll also insist on coming along, Pansy?”

  “Of course, but you better find someone to take care of the cats. You know they can’t be left alone.”

  “I’ll have to find someone to take care of my cats,” Petunia abruptly said.

  “There’s a lovely cat boarder across town,” Lucy said.

  Petunia came unglued. “I can’t board my cats. They won’t be able to adapt to that.”

  “Then leave them home with extra bowls of food.”

  “She has no idea what kind of cats Merlin, Gem and Sassy are. They’ll gorge themselves and starve until you come home,” Pansy said.

  “Not to worry, I won’t allow that to happen.”

  “You could ask Cora,” Noah suggested. “Perhaps she can look after my dog, too.”

  “Cora hates cats. And I have no idea what she’d do to your dog. Somehow I imagine they’d all be euthanized by the time we returned.”

  “Fine, you win. I’ll stay behind and watch your cats and that pit bull of yours, Noah,” Lucy said. “I can’t very well go anywhere looking like this.”

  Petunia stared back at Lucy, who skin was deepening to a muddy green. “We had better hurry. Do you have anything to wear with a hood?”

  “A jacket, but won’t that look strange if I go outside wearing something like that during the summer?”

  “Nobody will probably even notice.”

  Lucy left the room and came back wearing a white parka. Yup, nobody’s going to notice a woman wearing a parka in July.

  “We’ll hurry to the car and try to screen you the best we can,” Wanda suggested.

  When they finally went out the door they did so in a group, surrounding Lucy. Wanda, Hazel and Lucy piled into the rear seat and Noah drove to Petunia’s house with Petunia and Pansy barely making it into the front seat in time before he backed down the driveway.

  Petunia stared wide-eyed at Cora, who was standing on the porch when Noah pulled up front. “Looks like we have trouble,” Pansy said.

  “Oh, great. Just what I needed. Let’s go, Pansy, we’ll need to get rid of her.” Petunia left the car and greeted Cora, “Hello there.”

  “I’m glad to see you. Sheriff Pinkerton wouldn’t talk to me about your aunt. It’s as if he thought I was prying into your aunt’s business.”

  “Nooo,” Pansy said.

  “Not now, Pansy.”

  “As it turns, out I know where she went, and she’ll be back soon.”

  Cora smiled. “That’s good to hear. Perhaps I should come in and we could have a cup of tea.”

  “Actually, with the way my cats shed, I wouldn’t recommend it.”

  “Move it along, Cora,” Pansy said.

  “I don’t blame you; we’re hardly friends,” Cora said as she slowly walked away.

  “It’s not that,” Petunia said. “I plan to go find Aunt Maxine.”

  “Who’s going to look after your cats?”

  “Lucy.”

  “Oh, that’s good. I’m allergic to cats.”

  Once Cora had disappeared around the block, Lucy hurried inside Petunia’s house while Noah went to his house. “Here’s the cat food,” Petunia explained. “You have to police their dishes because they don’t like to share.”

  “Oh, don’t worry. I imagine I won’t have any trouble with your cats.”

  “And make sure you only let Melvin out back,” Noah said as he walked inside with a bag. “If he gets loose, he’ll run for days.”

  “Oh, how I know that’s the truth. I’ve seen that dog running loose on many occasions.”

  “Go pack a bag, Petunia,” Noah said. “Wanda and Hazel are waiting in the car.”

  Petunia went upstairs and packed just enough for a few days. She had no idea how far it was to Witchataw. She bounced down the stairs to find Noah unhooking Pansy’s leash. “What are you doing?”

  “Pansy’s not coming along, is he?”

  “Yes, I am,” Pansy declared, taking a swipe at Noah’s pant leg.

  “I need Pansy to come, too.”

  “You better not let your other cats know that Pansy’s your favorite.”

  “I can’t say he is or isn’t, but Pansy hates to be left alone for long.”

  “Lucy’s here to look after him.”

  “I know that, but I don’t want to go into why I want him along, and I don’t think I have to explain it to you.”

  Noah’s brow shot up and Petunia felt bad about her tone, but she had no intention of ever telling Noah that she had changed a man into a cat that communicates telepathically. Telling him she was a witch was so much easier.

  Petunia re-attached Pansy’s leash. He pranced all the way to the door. “I’m so excited. I can’t believe I’m actually going to a real witch convention. I certainly hope we’ll find Aunt Maxine and Princess. It’s so hard to believe they’d be together.”

  “Oh, since when do you care about Princess? From what I remember she liked to bat you around.”

  “In case you haven’t noticed, that’s what cats do.”

  “Yes, but Aunt Maxine has never taken Princess anywhere. There has to be a reason why she would.”

  “Do you actually believe that she left on her own?”

  “At this point I’m not sure, but she sure made it look as though she might have. She placed a spell over the spell books and then there was the invitation.”

  “Yes, but then why didn’t she take Hazel and Wanda?”

  When Noah, Petunia and Pansy were finally in the car, Hazel muttered, “It’s about time.”

  “Yes, we thought that we’d have to take the boat all by ourselves,” Wanda said.

  “Boat?” Noah asked.

  “Oh, why did I say that? I must have meant the train.”

  “I thought we would be taking a bus,” Petunia said. She frowned. “Do either of you know where Witchataw even is?”

  “Of course we do.” Hazel laughed. “Drive south to Hidden Fork.”

  Wanda dabbed her face with powder. “That’s where we’ll catch the bus for the next part of our journey, but get moving. If we’re not there by three, there won’t be another bus until tomorrow.”

  “Hang on, then,” Noah said as he floored the car out of town.

  Once he left the outskirts of Lake Forest he sped up the highway that led to Hidden Fork. Petunia powered down her window, enjoying the breeze. She hoped that she’d find her aunt healthy and enjoying the convention.

  She pulled her cell from her pocket and scrolled through her recent calls. She hadn’t heard from Aunt Maxine by phone for two days, but she had seen her yesterday at Mystical Remedies. It wasn’t out of the ordinary for her not to have heard from her aunt, but it certainly was when it came to the shop not opening. And leaving her friends behind as she had could mean only one thing -- she wanted to protect them.

  Chapter Four

  Noah glanced over at Petunia. He was surprised at her tone when it came to her cat Pansy, but didn’t all witches need a black cat? Petunia wasn’t the only one worried about Aunt Maxine. Noah was also worried, and although he was aware they claimed to be witches, he wasn’t all that sure until he touched that book at Aunt Maxine’s house and received the jolt of his lifetime. At least Petunia was willing to give him a kiss to wake him up. He had never met anyone as interesting before. He wished he had the opportunity to spend more time with Petunia that didn’t involve investigations.

  Noah gave Pansy a quick look and from the way his eyelid twitched, he swore the cat winked at him! What was it about that cat and Petunia’s obvious attachment to him?

  * * *

  “You might want to slow it down,” Hazel suggested. “It gets rather hilly and twisty up ahead.”

  “How close are we to Hidden Fork?” Petunia asked.

  “About five miles.”

  Noah slowed the car. The road was indeed quite curvy. This certainly wasn’t helping Petunia’s phobia of car travel. Her parents had died in a car accident when she was twelve. T
hat’s when she came to live with Aunt Maxine. She had learned when she was older how many other relatives had also died in car wrecks. That was the reason she believed a curse was placed on their family. Of course her aunt didn’t have any phobias about driving -- or anything else. In truth, if she lost her aunt, life wouldn’t be half as interesting. She was full of life with a smile quick on her face. Aunt Maxine not only wanted Petunia to find a man, she made it perfectly clear that man was Noah.

  Petunia placed a hand against the dash, closing her eyes. The movement of the turns nauseated her.

  “What’s wrong, Red?”

  “I’m afraid of being in a car, remember?”

  “Oh, then it’s a good thing that your eyes are closed. Noah almost clipped the tree we just passed.”

  Petunia groaned.

  “Take it easy, Petunia,” Wanda soothed her. “It won’t be long before we’re there.”

  “If you keep your eyes closed like that, it only makes it worse,” Noah said.

  Petunia eased her back against the seat with a sigh, snapping her lids open. She sucked in her next breath at just how the road snaked through the hills and curves. But as they crested the next hill, Hidden Fork became visible.

  “This is almost like a ride,” Hazel said with excitement.

  “I have to agree with you,” Noah said. “I used to love roads like this when I was younger.” He smiled. “I’m originally from New York.”

  “Oh my, the Big Apple,” Hazel said. “What did you do there?”

  “I was a police detective in New York City, but I came to Michigan to run for sheriff of Lake Forest. That is, until I met Petunia and my life changed for the better. So now instead of running for sheriff, I’ll be starting a PI business soon.”

  “Private eye?” Wanda exclaimed with a clap. “How exciting! Does that mean Petunia will be working with you?”

  “I haven’t worked out the details yet, but we’d be the only PI’s in town with a cat for a mascot.”

  “He meant third partner, right? I’m not mascot material,” Pansy insisted.

  “Calm down. I don’t think I even want to work alongside, Noah.” Certainly not when she was attracted to him.

  “You’ll have to control your emotions. We both know what happens when you go off half-cocked. You turned me into a cat!”

  “I know, but I promise I’ll find a way to change you back. Certainly someone at the convention should be able to help me with that.”

  “Oh no you don’t! You’re stuck with me just the way I am. I’m having way more fun as a cat than I ever did as a human.”

  “Petunia?” Hazel said. “What do you think about joining Noah in his future job career?”

  “The only thing I’m thinking about right now is finding my aunt.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that,” Hazel began, “That’s what we all want. I just like the idea of you and Noah working together because you have such a great record of solving crimes.”

  Noah laughed. “She’s right. Let’s hope that will be the case now. Where exactly is the bus station.”

  “In the center of town. You can’t miss it,” Hazel instructed him. “You know, it’s the building with the Bus Station sign.” She chuckled.

  Noah cocked an eyebrow, but didn’t comment until he glanced at Pansy. “Will they allow you to take Pansy on the bus?”

  “I’m not sure. I’ve never traveled by bus. I’ve never been to a witches convention. I haven’t been a witch all that long, and I refused to join Witches Affairs, so I never expected to go anywhere like this.”

  “Witches Affairs, eh?”

  “No need to hurt you head thinking about it, Noah. Witches Affairs is a club for witches, nothing more,” Wanda said.

  “More of an organization,” Hazel added.

  “One that I don’t care to be associated with. Besides, that Estelle and her daughter Maria weren’t very nice to me the last time I saw them.”

  “Oh, so they were the ones who were responsible for frogs hopping all over your yard that one time,” Noah said.

  “Yes and if I had drunk any of that potion as they wanted me to, I’d be changed into a frog.” Petunia sighed, “I don’t feel so badly that I gave them my hair tonic potion now. I’m sure they are quite bald by now.”

  “You made a potion that causes baldness?” Noah asked with shock. “Remind me to stay on your good side.”

  “I couldn’t seem to help myself, and they were pressuring me to make a potion.”

  “How were you aware that potion would make anyone bald?”

  Petunia pursed her lips. Should she tell Noah how she had sold her hair tonic on line and how it was supposed to help men grow hair, and was quite shocked when it did the opposite? No, she’d rather not. “Oh, let’s talk about something else, as in how I’ll be able to get Pansy aboard that bus.”

  “Don’t you dare even think about putting me in that big black bag of yours again. You almost suffocated me the last time.”

  “I won’t make any promises unless you’d rather have me find a nice kennel to board you.”

  Pansy’s eyes bulged and Petunia went back to glancing out the window.

  A line of rather peculiar looking women holding leashes connected to cats wound outside the door of the bus station.

  “Perhaps this won’t be a problem after all.”

  “Pull over to the sidewalk. I believe there is valet parking,” Wanda said.

  Noah’s jaw tensed as if he was doubtful about that, but he pulled over anyway. Petunia picked Pansy up and took her bag, with Wanda and Hazel following. A rather slim and grayish looking man came to the driver’s door, and Noah handed over the keys.

  “I’m not sure how long we’ll be gone,” Noah informed the man.

  “Bring back your receipt and I’ll make sure your car is returned,” the man said before driving off to the rear of the station.

  At the ticket booth Hazel showed her identification and the agent slid tickets across the counter to her. As she turned, she informed them, “We were expected! And because there are only four tickets here, Aunt Maxine might not have passed through here.”

  Petunia walked up to the counter and knocked on the glass for the agent’s attention. “Hello there. I was wondering if you could tell me if a Maxine Patterson has been through here yet and picked up her ticket.”

  The agent behind the counter, a frail, elderly woman, trembled slightly. “Please don’t make any trouble for me. I can’t tell you who has or hasn’t been through here. I was given careful instructions about how to handle the tickets for you people. Your bus is waiting to load now,” she whispered.

  Before Petunia could ask her what she meant by “you people,”’ Noah took her elbow and steered her to the bus. He was expressionless and Petunia couldn’t help but wonder if he was a little nervous about being on a bus full of witches and cats. Petunia was curious about whether all the cats used to be humans, but how many clueless witches could there be in the world?

  They handed their suitcases to a portly man who stored them in the luggage compartment, and they waiting in line to board. As they climbed on the bus, they slid their tickets into a box that lit up green with a punching sound. “Keep those tickets handy,” the man in the driver’s seat said. “Otherwise you’ll not be allowed on the ship or back on the bus for the return trip.”

  A woman with green hair and in a black dress, informed them as they approached, “There are assigned seats; please follow me.”

  She led them to the back of the bus, where Petunia’s name was on the aisle seat with Noah’s on the one by the window. There were seats for Hazel and Wanda across the aisle from them. Petunia glanced up the aisle at the other passengers. All of the women wore flamboyant clothing that either meant they were headed to a witches convention or a taping of “Let’s Make a Deal.”

  “I had no idea there would be required clothing for this trip,” Petunia said.

  “There isn’t, but so many of us like to show
off. There’s a contest for the best-dressed and, of course, the most talented cat. I hope Pansy shows the other cats up.”

  “Please tell that Hazel that I’m not a performing monkey.”

  “Be nice, Pansy.”

  “This is so weird, all those witches with their cats with them.”

  “Well, you’re with me, too.”

  “But I’m not really a cat.”

  “They might not be either.”

  “Doubtful. Not an intelligent one in the bunch.”

  “Then it won’t be hard to show them up. You can’t tell me you aren’t even a little interested in being the most talented cat at the convention.”

  “Talented how? I can’t imagine how a cat would show it’s talented at all. Why, it’s not as though we’re dogs.”

  “Oh? Are you admitting that dogs are more talented than cats?”

  “I didn’t mean it like that. We both know dogs are just slobber machines. That Melvin is a perfect example. I wish I was there to see how Merlin is handling Melvin stealing his food.”

  The bus rumbled out of the station and down the road. Not a person was on the streets, as though they knew the passengers and their destination.

  “How long has this bus gone to the convention?” Petunia asked Hazel.

  “Why are you asking Hazel everything? I’m just as in the know as her,” Wanda butted in. “And to your question, witches have been coming through Hidden Fork around this time of year for the last forty years.”

  “That’s how long the convention has been takin place,” Hazel added.

  “I certainly don’t remember Aunt Maxine ever going to this convention.”

  “She hasn’t, not when she was the only witch in Lake Forest besides us, and that’s what’s so strange about your aunt’s departure.”

  Noah shook his head. “I should have stayed home. Somehow I think I’ll stick out like a sore thumb.”

  “Are you saying you’re not at least a little interested to find out what the convention is all about?” Petunia asked.

  “No. The only thing I’m interested in is you, Petunia, and finding out what having a witch for a girlfriend might be like. I must admit it makes me wonder how they knew all about us before we even arrived,” Noah said, “Did you tell them we were coming, Hazel?”