spies and spells 02 - betting off dead

by Kappes, Tonya

  Rails and Nails was batting the stall door with his hoof. I stepped inside. My heart drummed against my chest from the uncertainty of who I might find in here. I wasn’t supposed to be in there and how would I explain it if I got caught.

  Rails and Nails seemed to beckon me like he had his own agenda or spell for me. Puffs of dry dirt clouded around my feet as I walked inside. Slowly I opened the stall door. Rails and Nails backed up, letting me know it was safe to come inside.

  I shut the door behind me. The horse stepped up as if he were in high heels. The new shiny horseshoes sparkled underneath his muscled legs. I ran my hand along his side up toward his face and rested on the bridle that smelled of new leather. The brass nameplate proudly had Rails and Nails stamped into it.

  His nose continued to bat at my chest as if he were trying to tell me something. This was the second time I’d wished my mom were here to see what he was trying to tell me. Again, I put my hand up to my pendant and nothing happened.

  “Everything is fine.” I ran my hand along his nose. “I think Amber and Joel are good people.”

  I did. I hadn’t gotten any bad vibes about them and I wondered if Amber even knew the extent of the group they’d joined. I heard the sound of a car door slam. The sound of a metal ramp clinked as if someone was resting on the ground. A bright light shined through the crack of the back door.

  Rails and Nails began to prance around the large stall in a nervous rage. His head bucking, his nose flaring as puffs of air expelled into the cold air around us. He drew his front legs up and pawed at the dirt.

  “I think the faster the better.” The voice caught me off guard. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up when I heard the door creak open and footsteps walked across the barn’s dirt floor. Two headlights glittered through the dust inside the barn.

  I scurried around the stall. Rails and Nails raised all sort of ruckus allowing me to take shelter under a stack of horse blankets that were stacked in the corner.

  I put my ears on high alert to see if I recognized the voices. There were two sets as well as two sets of footsteps. One was heavier than the other.

  “I think you are right.” The other voice was a woman’s that I didn’t recognize. I touched the pendant to let it record the conversation.

  “We need to get a move on now.” The male’s voice was vaguely familiar. The stall door opened. “Here, boy.”

  I peeked out the blanket. Rails and Nails looked back at me. Our eyes met. The sound of metal clipping onto something brought my eyes up to his bridle. The male was stocky and bald.

  My heart sank. My eyes focused on the man that had turned around. It was Ranger Esposito.

  “Come on, big guy.” Ranger clicked his tongue in his mouth to get Rails and Nails to move.

  Where was he going? Where was he taking Rails and Nails?

  There was no time to run back up to the house. There was no time to see if anyone was watching. I simply nodded my head and put myself in the stairway of the Byrds’ basement stairs next to the theater. I had to get Mick’s attention.

  My pendant didn’t go off, but my internal witchy senses told me something bad was about to happen.

  The voices of the men were talking over one another as one spouted off what was best for Rails and Nails’s training schedule.

  “Psst,” I called when I peeked my head around the corner of the doorway. I was glad to see Mick was standing up against the wall, facing me. He lifted off using his back muscles when he saw me. I waved him over.

  His eyes shifted around the room and made sure it was clear to move. With ease, he walked over to the bowl of nuts that was sitting on the bar and grabbed a handful before he nonchalantly moseyed over to the doorway and propped himself up on the wall.

  “Something is wrong,” I whispered. “They are taking Rails and Nails. I saw it.”

  Mick rolled his body toward the door and curled around the corner.

  “What?” His eyes searched mine.

  “I went to the barn and was petting Rails and Nails. Ranger, the bald guy from the auction came in and took him. I swear they were loading him up in a horse trailer.” It dawned on me that the sound of the metal ramp had to be a horse trailer.

  Mick jutted up the stairs and I followed closely behind. The moon had been completely covered by the cloud by the time we’d made it out and rushed down the three decks. Using the light bulb over the barn door, Mick weaved in and out of the wooded brush as I let my legs float in the air and glided behind him without him knowing. Running really wasn’t my thing.

  As soon as we made it to the clearing, the flash of a horse trailer’s taillights glowed in the distance before disappearing around the curve of the country road.

  “Oh no.” A flicker of apprehension coursed through me. The sound of a zipper rang in my ears. I grabbed Mick and threw him out of the way. We sailed through the air right as the roof of the barn exploded into thousands of pieces lighting up the night sky.

  Chapter Seventeen

  “Tell me exactly what happened last night.” Burt sat on the edge of his desk with Sherry next to him. His arms crossed over his chest. Mick sat in the chair next to me.

  Burt had called us to come in at five o’clock in the morning. Vinnie and I drove with our eyes closed. I was getting used to not waking up so early like I had to when I worked at the diner.

  “I told you.” I started my story over for the umpteenth time. “The women were in the kitchen discussing their clothes and I happened to be outside enjoying the night air when I noticed a shadowy figure heading out to the barn. I was bored and figured I’d go check it out.”

  “I told you she couldn’t just play the part.” Sherry cocked a brow. “She doesn’t just want to blend in anymore.”

  “You talk about me as if I’m not here.” I shot back at her.

  “Maggie, please. Just tell the story.” Burt was much better than I was at ignoring Sherry’s underhanded comments.

  I continued to tell him the exact same story as if he thought I was going to change it or have any more clues.

  An agent knocked on the door of the office and Burt waved him in.

  “Sir, the fire chief ruled the explosion as arson.” The agent handed Burt a file and a large blue zip bag. “We have the scene cleaned up. Unfortunately, the bag contains what little remains of Rails and Nails that was recovered from the stall and also Agent Esposito’s remains.” The agent went back to the door and before he walked out he said, “Sir, the Natural Preserve of Wildlife is outside. They are here to discuss evidence of an very rare and powerful owl that has been seen in two separate parts of Louisville.”

  Mick looked at me with a sly eye. I gulped. Then it registered what the young agent just said about Ranger.

  “Agent Esposito as in Ranger?” My lashes flew up my cheeks as the shock of discovering that Ranger was an undercover agent hit me full force. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “You only need to know your role in the investigation. That role is to play Mick’s wife so you can rub elbows with the women and get him into the men’s circle.” Burt looked through the bag. He pulled out a bag that had EVIDENCE printed in bold lettering across it. “It might be a good thing that you didn’t stay put because now we have an agent killer on our hands. You might’ve seen more than you know.”

  “No.” I shook my head. “I told you everything I know.” I continued to replay the memory. “I didn’t see the woman and when I left the women in the house, all the wives were accounted for.”

  “This means there is an outside couple that didn’t come.” Sherry noted. She picked up the phone. “I need you to get me the list of everyone who was invited to the Byrds’ party and we can compare it to the list that is going to the Tuckers’ shindig.”

  “Shindig?” I asked.

  “Your next assignment for the case.” Burt dragged a file off his desk with his empty hand. When he handed it to me, I noticed the horse bridle in his other hand in the bag. The brass tag was pushed up agai
nst it and it read Rails and Nails.

  “Wait.” My eyes narrowed on the bag. “Rails and Nails?” The words stabbed me in the gut to even think the horse had died too.

  “I’m afraid the only remains found in the stall was this and the shoes.” He took another evidence bag out of the big blue bag.

  My heart sank. Rails and Nails was trying to tell me something and I wasn’t listening. I was too busy trying to play detective that I let down my life’s journey.

  “Are you okay?” Mick leaned over as Burt and Sherry dismissed themselves and went over the evidence.

  “I’m fine.” I shook my head. I glanced up at Sherry. “It’s early and if she’s not at The Brew, then I need to go and help Auntie Meme out today.”

  “I don’t know if that’s a good idea.” Mick’s voice was sympathetic. “You’ve been through a lot for someone who isn’t used to this line of work. We lost a good agent last night.”

  “Why would someone do this? An innocent horse?” I couldn’t fathom it. “An innocent man.”

  “Think about it, Maggie. Rails and Nails was picked out of all of their horses to back as the Derby go-to. Everyone in the group would’ve made money, but the win would’ve put the Byrds at the top of the game.” His eyes told me more than he wanted to.

  “So you are thinking the Tuckers had something to do with it?” I questioned.

  “Let’s just say that last night before you came to get me, the group had just voted that if something happened to Rails and Nails, Bet the Farm was to take his place.”

  “Bet the Farm?” I questioned.

  “The stall number four horse that the Tuckers won at the auction.” His words tugged at my witchy senses.

  “That means I need to make sure I get in Riley’s tight circle.” My eyes narrowed and I knew exactly what I needed to do.

  Unfortunately, my little investigation was going to have to be put on hold until my double shift at The Brew was over.

  The bell above the door signaled my arrival. Auntie Meme stuck her head through the kitchen window.

  “Thank goodness it’s you today.” Her jaw tensed visibly. “My spell on Sherry has worn off. She’s just nasty with the customers and flings food down. I swear there’s more food on the ground than there was on the plates.”

  “I don’t need to do anything today.” The less I told her the better. “I was meaning to tell you that I know you put that Cassie spell on me. I also know that you originally tried to put it on Mick, but that’s when you got burned.”

  Whenever we tried to cast spells and they backfired, the spell couldn’t be used on that person.

  “Then you thought that you’d just throw it on me. And the little oops, I thought that was my glass trick where you put your finger in my glass, was a nice way to transfer the spell.” I reminded her of the night she showed up to Mick’s apartment with the Spell Circle. “Nice way to get Miss Kitty noticed because Mick’s landlady took a great photo of her flapping outside of Mick’s window as well as him seeing her.” Intently I stared at her. “You know that I can’t use any spell on Mick since he is part of my life’s journey.”

  That was how we all knew my two worlds had collided. When I first met Mick, I put a couple of spells on him, including a mind erase spell that simply bounced off him. Spells didn’t work with mortals who were meant to be in your life’s journey.

  “The Spell Circle was a nice touch too.” I walked behind the counter and grabbed the condiments caddy. I moseyed around to each of the tables and refilled the items that need to be filled.

  Auntie Meme didn’t try to protest what I’d accused her of.

  “I went to the post office to check on that signature.” She chattered from the kitchen.

  I scurried through the swinging door. “Was it Mrs. Hubbard?”

  Auntie Meme was standing over the pots watching them stir themselves as she put a little dash of this and that in them.

  “No.” She looked over her shoulder at me. Her brows drew in an agonizing expression.

  “Then who?” I asked with anticipation.

  “Abram Callahan.” She said his name with somber curiosity.

  “What?” My jaw dropped and I threw my fingers over top of my necklace. “Vinnie,” I gasped and had to sit down in the chair at the tiny table.

  “Vinnie?” Auntie’s eyes were hollow. She buried her head in her hands and slumped her shoulders.

  “Last night I was in a little bit of a situation that probably warranted a warning from Vinnie. I continued to touch my pendant to get a reading from him but nothing. I figured I was safe but I wasn’t. There was an awful explosion that almost killed me and Mick.” I choked back the words. “Do you think Abram unhooked the pendant circuit?”

  “I think it’s very likely.” She drew in a deep breath and brought her trembling hands down to her side. “It’s time for a little family gathering with Abram Callahan.”

  “I’ll call him.” I got up and stopped shy of the door. “Don’t forget to erase any trace of Miss Kitty. From what I’ve been hearing the wildlife association is looking for her and has even gone to see SKUL.”

  Auntie Meme stood still, staring at her pots.

  The diner’s breakfast crowd was light and it was nice not to rush around since I’d gotten up so early to go into SKUL. The lunch crowd was another story. I hustled and bustled up until one in the afternoon and had not a moment off my feet.

  Just as I sat down to have a fountain Diet Coke at the bar before I began to clean up for the day, the bell jingled over the door.

  “Two please!” the voice shouted.

  “Sit anywhere.” I tapped my toes on the floor to swing the stool around.

  “Maggie?” Riley laughed. She stood in the door of The Brew with Amber. Their arms filled with packages. “What are you doing here?” The snobbery in her voice chimed throughout the diner.

  Auntie Meme smacked the bell that sat on the pass-through and shouted, “Order up!”

  There was no order to be up, so I looked back at her. Her eyes were focused on the two women.

  “We will just sit over there.” Amber pointed to a two-top in the back corner of the diner.

  They maneuvered their packages as they weaved in and out of the tables and used the empty four-top table to hold their packages.

  “Maggie,” Auntie Meme had a mild, interested voice. “Do you mind telling me who those two snobs are?”

  “It’s very important that you do me a favor.” I was probably going to regret it, but I had to do it. “I need you to make me a special spell for them. I need you to make them each want me to become their best friend.”

  A slow, secret smile crept up on Auntie Meme’s face like she understood. She disappeared back into the kitchen. The clinking sounds of pots and pans floated in the air.

  “Hey girls.” I walked over. “Y’all’ve been shopping.”

  “Yes. But more importantly, why are you here?” Amber asked.

  “My family owns the diner and we were a little shorthanded today. Of course I love to come in and meet new people. Tell them about all the great horse racing that might be coming our way.” I winked. “Do you know what you want?”

  They both glanced up at the chalkboard above the counter where the daily specials were written.

  Both of them ordered the special. BLTs on rye and chips.

  Auntie Meme already had their food prepared and spelled up before I even turned in their ticket.

  She winked and smiled as I took the tray from her. Riley and Amber weren’t interested in talking to me once I delivered their food. I watched them from afar to see if the spell had taken effect. It wasn’t until the last drop of water was drank from their frosty cups that they signaled me to come over.

  “I wanted to invite you over for a get together with all the couples tomorrow night.” Riley scribbled her address down on a napkin.

  “But you can ride over in our limo with us,” Amber chimed in.

  “No,” Riley scrunched her no
se. “I’ll send our limo over to pick you and Mick up.”

  “That’s okay.” I called a truce between them. “Mick and I like to have our car. We will see you at seven tomorrow night.” I tucked the napkin into my apron pocket and walked off with a big smile on my face.

  I pretended to busy myself behind the counter instead of watching them leave. The bell over the door chimed their departure. Auntie Meme stuck her head in the kitchen window.

  I grabbed the condiments caddy under the counter to start cleaning up and refilling the tables.

  “Go ahead and use a little magic to clean up.” Auntie’s grin overtook her features. “You deserve a mortal day off.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  “Vinnie, I don’t know what Abram did to you but he’s going to regret it.” I rubbed my familiar’s dashboard. His circuits weren’t lighting up like they normally did.

  I flipped the switch to manual and drove myself home. When I got there, I pulled Vinnie into the garage and put down the door.

  Mom was in the garden behind our house, bent over her fish pond, the newest feature to her award winning garden. Mom was proud that she’d won the blue ribbon of the garden club tour. Lilith was asleep on a float in our play pool. It was an actual swimming pool that was only four feet deep and just enough for us to enjoy the Kentucky warm summer days. It was a tad too chilly for me to get in, but Lilith had warmed the pool to bath temperature.

  The vibrant colors of the flower garden along with special herbs made the yard pop with fall colors.

  “How was your day spying?” Mom bent down and picked up one of her koi fish and pet it like a dog before she kissed his perched lips and put him back in the pond.

  “It was a bad night.” I sat down next to her and picked up her clippers and helped clip some of the herbs. “I really wanted you to come and check out a horse for me. I’m not sure, but I think there has been some things going on that the horse can let you in on.”

  “Oh,” she rubbed her hands together. “I love horses. But it’s going to have to wait until after we do a little number on our good friend.”