The Case of the Desire Spell

by Anderson, Amorette

  “You’re right,” I say. “We haven’t been doing a very good job of guarding it.” I place his bowl down on the floor. He’s too busy pacing now to take notice.

  “It’s dangerous, having it open like it is,” Turkey transmits.

  “I know. This ends now,” I say. “From now on, we’re going to take really, really good care of that portal. No one is going to get through it without approval from us. Claudine used to keep it completely blocked off, you know. Azure says that upset many people in the magical community, but at least it’s better than dealing with trouble like this every few weeks.”

  “Indeed,” Turkey says. “You know, I think I read something in ASBW that might be helpful... It was a way of blocking off the pass. It was some kind of verse or rhyme... what was it? Something to do with a lock and a key... supposedly it would prevent anyone from coming in or out.”

  “That would be helpful,” I say. I walk towards the living room, my mind on ASBW. My cat is right. It’s high time that we block off that pass.

  “Where is ASBW?” I ask, searching my coffee table. “I had it here this morning, when I was trying to figure out a spell that would help me pass my test. Did you bring it into the bedroom?”

  “You know I can’t move that book.”

  “Right, no thumbs,” I say. I bend down, and peer under the table, and then under the couch. “Maybe it fell off the table and I kicked it by accident...”

  I don’t see anything under the couch—anything except a massive amount of dust bunnies, that is. I make a mental note to move the couch and vacuum that little section. I’ll do that soon. Really soon.

  Right.

  Back to my search. I get onto my knees, and peer beneath the TV stand. More dust bunnies.

  “Maybe it fell between the couch cushions?” Turkey suggests.

  I stand and hurry to the couch. I don’t like this. I’m so attached to my book. I hate the feeling of not knowing just where it is.

  I pry the cushions off of the couch, and grimace as I eye the Cheetos and choco-puffs that my actions reveal. I have a whole snack bar under my couch cushions, but unfortunately, no green book.

  “Where could it be?” I ask again.

  “Come to think of it, I haven’t seen it all day,” Turkey says. “I thought you had it with you. Did you put it in your messenger bag?”

  “I don’t think so,” I say, hustling over to my bag to check, just to be sure.

  I’m fairly certain I didn’t pack my book when I left the house with Nadia today but it doesn’t hurt to check. I have been wrong before, you know.

  Just once or twice.

  I thoroughly search my bag. No book.

  “What if someone took it?” I say. “Azure knows how to open doors without keys. What if all magical beings know how to do that? Do you think someone could have come in here today, while I was out?”

  “I did take a short nap in the bedroom,” Turkey admits. “Nothing major. A few hours—that’s all. From noon to five.”

  “That’s five hours!” I say. “Anyone could have waltzed in here!”

  “I’m not a guard dog, you know.”

  “Yes, but do you really need to sleep for five hours during the day time?”

  “Let’s not fight,” Turkey says.

  I run my fingers through my hair. “You’re right,” I say. “But Turkey, this really isn’t good. That book is really important. Without it, I’m never going to become a witch.”

  “I remember now!” Turkey says. “It was a short verse, called ‘Lock and Key!’ Four lines. They’re coming to me now. I’ll type them out for you. That’s the spell that will energetically lock off a portal!”

  “Turkey, I’m not worried about the portal right now. I’m worried about my book.”

  “I know, but you should be worried about the portal. Don’t you see, Penelope? If someone stole your book, there’s a good chance that they are involved in magic. They might even be involved with Hiroku’s death—the timing would make sense, wouldn’t it?”

  “It is a strange coincidence,” I say, trying to keep up with my cat’s train of thought. “The book missing and the murder, on the same day.”

  “Right. And if a magical creature is involved, they might be heading for the portal right now, about to make their escape. If you want to have any hope of finding the killer—and your book—you’d better lock up the portal right now.”

  “You’re right,” I say. “I see it now. What was that phrase again?”

  Chapter Five

  Sometimes, I procrastinate when it comes to working magic. You know, there’s a time of day for everything. I have my morning ritual—a nice strong cup of coffee, and then into the bathroom where I shower, blast tunes, and sing into my hairbrush, among other things.

  There’s a time of day for reading the paper—about 11, when I have my bagel—knitting, catching up with friends, and brushing my teeth before bed.

  All of my habits are built in at this point. Hardwired. Jumper Strongheart says most people function on autopilot most of the time, relying on habits.

  Unfortunately, or fortunately, I’m not sure, casting spells is not yet a part of my ‘autopilot’ setting.

  It takes some effort to remember to use my magic. Even when I go about using it, it takes a lot of effort to get started.

  Now, as I sit in my living room with my cat, I fight off tiredness and focus my attention on the spell at hand.

  It’s tough, because my mind keeps on wandering towards my soft bed, my warm comforter, and how good it’s going to feel to lay my head on my pillow.

  However, I manage to recite the whole poem that Turkey typed for me, while imagining Hillcrest Pass.

  “In my mind I close the gate,

  In my mind I turn the key.

  None will enter, none shall pass.

  For now there is security.”

  In my mind, I hold a picture of the pass. As I finish the spell, the overhead light in my apartment goes out suddenly.

  I smile.

  That usually means the spell worked.

  I have a really good feeling about that one. I just blocked off Hillcrest Pass. No beings from other realms will be able to use the pass to enter the Earth Realm. More importantly, no one is going to be able to leave through the pass, and escape out into the magical universe from which they came.

  They’re trapped in the Earth Realm. Could the being who stole my book perhaps have also killed Hiroku?

  I’m not sure, but as I scoop Turkey into my arms and make my way through the dark living room, I keep on turning the possibilities over in my mind.

  Who would want my book?

  Magical beings seem to know of the book, and the powers that it holds. I scroll through a list of the magical beings currently in Hillcrest.

  There’s Azure, for starters. She’s tried to steal my book before, when I first got it. I fought her off with my fledgeling witch skills, but it was a close call. She almost broke into my apartment and took it. I know she’s in town, and she was acting suspiciously. But could she be a killer?

  Then there’s Silas, Cora’s fiancé. He’s a werewolf who moved to town about a month ago, from the Water Realm. I’ve always gotten a good vibe from Silas. He strikes me as kind of a laid back surfer, which makes sense since apparently the Water Realm is famous for their water sports. But maybe his kind hearted attitude is just a front? He tells Cora that he loves her, but could his marriage be a cover up for a sinister plot?

  My eyelids are heavy, but I can’t fall asleep just yet.

  There’s one more magical being that I have to consider, if I want my list to be complete.

  Doctor Maxwell Shire.

  Max is a sophisticated, handsome, athletic vampire. Though he’s technically just over 500 years old, you’d never guess it by looking at him. He has the body of a much younger man, thanks to his vampire lifestyle. Max says that staying young has to do with eating a great deal of raw, wild game. If you ask him, he’ll bore you with a long
lecture about amino acids and testosterone.

  I smile, just imagining how excited he gets when he’s talking about the human body.

  He’s passionate about his health, to say the least.

  He’s passionate about a lot of things, actually. Including me. He seems to have a bit of a thing for me.

  Well, more than a bit.

  I’m smiling like a lunatic now, as I lie in my bed looking up at the dark ceiling.

  Happiness fills me as I recall the way Max looked at me, recently, and told me that he’s been waiting his whole life to meet a woman like me.

  He says that he finds me attractive.

  The feeling is more than mutual. In fact, the guy is so hot that I pretty much lose my cool every time I see him. When he first moved to Hillcrest, I really couldn’t get over how handsome he was. I’d pretty much start drooling every time I saw him. That wasn’t good, because I was dating Chris at the time.

  Now I’m single.

  I don’t know what will happen for Max and me, in the future, but I know what I want to happen.

  Thinking about when Max first moved to Hillcrest reminds me of something. When Max first crossed over Hillcrest Pass, it was because he had heard about my copy of ASBW. We met up over coffee, and he made it clear that he wanted the book. He said it was very rare and valuable. He went on and on about how it could turn humans to witches. He asked if he could buy it from me, and I refused.

  Back then, I didn’t trust Max.

  I’ve gotten to know him a bit over the last few months. He took a job at the local college, and rented an apartment in my complex. Now he’s my neighbor.

  Could he be getting closer to me just so that he can take my book?

  I mean, what could he possibly see in me, anyways? What if he’s been lying about his feelings for me? What if he’s been buttering me up with compliments, just so that I would let my guard down? What if he killed Hiroku?

  I shudder at the thought of it.

  Turkey reacts to my quaking by nestling in closer to me. I reach for him and pet his back as I try to calm down.

  I can’t jump to any conclusions.

  I mean, yes, it’s kind of hard for me to believe that a drop dead gorgeous vampire has genuine feelings for me, little old Penny Banks. I don’t think I’m sophisticated like him. I’m not athletic. I’m not pretty—in a conventional manner.

  But maybe I’m selling myself short.

  I enjoy thinking that Max really does long to be with me. I’m not going to give up that hope, just because of a little old murder. At least, not based on suspicions alone.

  Instead, I’m going to do the work. I’m going to uncover the facts. Hopefully, I’ll prove that Max is innocent.

  But if he’s guilty, the sooner I know, the better.

  Turkey is purring. The sound soothes me, and I turn to my side and snuggle further under the covers. Within a few minutes, I’m sound asleep.

  I wake at seven the next morning.

  I’m tempted to roll over and fall back asleep, but I resist the urge. Instead, I turn my thoughts to Cora and use her as motivation to get up. Cora was so upset last night when Marley and I woke her to drop off Blueberry Muffin and share the news of Hiroku’s death.

  After all, Cora worked for Hiroku. The two were close. Plus, now Cora’s out of a job. That’s a lot to process. I know that as her friend, I should be there for her.

  Because Cora worked for Hiroku, I’m sure that the police are going to want to question her.

  She’ll have to deal with answering their pesky questions, on top of processing her own grief.

  Nope, it’s not going to be a good day for her.

  With that in mind, I rush through my morning rituals. I drink my coffee while I’m in the shower (yes, it can be done) and only sing one song while brushing my teeth. This is difficult, but also possible.

  I give Turkey a quick kiss on the top of the head and then dial Cora as I’m rushing out the door.

  She picks up on the third ring.

  “Penny?” Her voice is kind of nasally and she gives a big sniffle after she says my name. I can tell right away that she’s crying. I can hear Blueberry Muffin barking in the background.

  “Are you doing alright?” I ask. “I’m on my way to your place.”

  “I still can’t believe this is happening!” Cora says. “I could hardly sleep last night. This little dog won’t stop barking! I know it’s not her fault.” She sniffles. “Hiroku was so young! Only in her 50s. She has a daughter, you know... I should have been there.”

  “In the office?” I ask.

  “Yes. She asked me to work late. I said that I couldn’t. I was supposed to meet Silas for dinner. If I had stayed at work, maybe this wouldn’t have happened.”

  “This isn’t your fault, Cora,” I say. I’ve made it to the bike shed that’s off to one side of the Blackbear Apartments’ parking lot. I pull my cruiser from the rack, and roll it out to the road.

  “You can’t blame yourself,” I say, cradling the phone between my ear and shoulder.

  “But I’m a zumba instructor!” Cora says. “If I was at the office last night, I could have fought off the attacker—whoever it was. I’m much stronger than Hiroku. I’ve seen her arms. She doesn’t have any muscle definition.”

  “What would you have done, hip checked the attacker with a basic salsa step?” I ask.

  “No... I suppose not,” Cora says.

  “It’s not your fault that Hiroku died,” I say.

  Now that I’m on my bike, I’m pedaling as fast as I can. The morning air is so cold that it sort of burns my bare fingers where they’re wrapped around the handlebars. It’s much colder than yesterday. A cold front must have rolled in overnight. “This is a huge shock for you, and we need to think about your mental health,” I say.

  Cora sniffles. “Thank you, Penny.”

  “No problem.” My fingers are really burning now. I need to hang up the phone and then try to pull my sleeves down over my knuckles. “I’ll see you in a few minutes,” I say.

  After I hang up, I tuck my hands into the sleeves of my knit sweater, and then continue biking as fast as I can.

  I make it to Cora’s place in record time.

  When she opens the door, I’m pleased to see that she’s not crying. Her eyes are red-rimmed, and her nose is pink from blowing it, but otherwise she looks okay.

  She leads the way into the kitchen. I note that the house is quiet. “Where’s little Muffin?” I ask.

  “She finally fell asleep about five minutes ago,” Cora says. “I think all of her barking wore her out.”

  “This must be really traumatic for her,” I say. “It’s nice that you took her in.”

  “I had to,” Cora says as she begins serving me a cup of coffee. “I’m pretty much Hiroku’s closest friend here in town. I just can’t believe this happened.” She places the cup down in front of me. “I mean, Hiroku was such a nice woman. She was a great boss, at least. She let me take long lunch breaks. She never sent me emails on the weekends. She sometimes gave me thank you cards when I did a good job typing up notes for one of her cases.”

  “That’s sweet,” I say.

  “Hiroku would say that it was just good business. She often told me that she wanted me to work for her for at least five years. She said otherwise it wasn’t cost effective to hire me.”

  “She was smart, wasn’t she?” I ask.

  Cora nods, and her blond ponytail bounces up and down. She cups the coffee mug in her hands. It’s bright yellow and it says “Perfect day to be happy” on it, in curly-cue cursive. Below the quote there’s a big smiley face. It’s a fitting Cora mug.

  “She has dual master’s degrees from Harvard Law and Harvard Business School.”

  “Woah,” I say. Now that’s impressive. I barely passed Speedy’s Online Licensure Program with a C average. The thought of getting one master’s degree overwhelms me. This woman had two.

  “Do you know what she did before moving to Hill
crest?” I ask.

  “She lived in Massachusetts. Boston, I think, or just outside of it. She was a partner in a really hoity-toity firm there... Benson and Itsu. She said the stress of it was really bad for her health. She started having migraines and stuff. So, she quit, packed up, and moved out here to Hillcrest. She was looking for a small town surrounded by wilderness, where she could find some peace. You know how she loves Shin Roku—her forest bathing.”

  “Well, that’s pretty much Hillcrest,” I say. “We sure are small, and we have wilderness on all sides of us. But I guess we let her down on the peace front. Getting killed in your office doesn’t exactly sound peaceful to me.”

  “Not at all. Poor Hiroku,” Cora says. We sip our coffees in silence for a minute. Then I ask, “What kind of a case was she staying late to work on last night? Anything controversial?”

  “I don’t know if I would call it controversial, exactly,” Cora says. She hesitates, and bites her lip.

  By her behavior, I can see that the case was indeed controversial.

  “What was it about?” I say. “Maybe if we know what Hiroku was staying late to work on, it might give us some clues to go off of. As of right now, all I have is suspicions that I’ve conjured up on my own. I need some facts.”

  “Okay,” Cora says. “Well...” She looks down and to the side. “I know how this is going to sound, Penny. It’s not going to sound good.”

  I slurp my coffee, waiting for her to go on.

  She does. “You know how Silas bought land out in the woods, past Beaver Pond?”

  “Yeah...” I say.

  “Well, there’s this one-room schoolhouse on the land—right where Silas wants to build. It’s a really beautiful old round building, actually.”

  “I know,” I say. “My mom and I used to have picnics up there,” I say

  “So you know,” Cora says. “It’s on this level section of the land, right in a spot that will get sunshine in the morning, and has beautiful views of Never Summer Peak. Silas took me out there to see it. It’s really gorgeous.”

  “And?” I say.

  “Silas wants to tear it down—the schoolhouse.”

  “Hmm...” I say. “I can imagine that’s going to upset some people.”