“I had a chance to speak with Edgar,” I told Russ.
We sat in my office reviewing the latest information on his case. Despite the current state of the town council, the judge opted to go ahead with the trial since no one directly involved was impacted by the spell. It was the right decision, although I wouldn’t have minded more time to prepare.
“And what did he say?” he asked.
“He believes that you didn’t intentionally hit him and I’m sure he’s willing to testify to that effect.”
“That’s good, right?”
“It will help.” I threaded my fingers together. “One of the vampires seems to remember a genie called Brion in the pub.”
Russ appeared thoughtful. “Yeah, I remember seeing him. Lanky fella with greasy hair.”
“Samson believes that he may have deliberately redirected your bottle to hit Edgar. Samson saw his lips moving, like he was maybe doing an incantation.”
Russ leaned forward, enthralled by this bit of news. “Why would he do that?”
“Apparently Edgar was responsible for having him kicked out of the country club. I’m going to speak with Brion myself. I just wanted to mention it to you first in case you knew anything about it.”
“I don’t.” He broke into a wide grin. “Could this help let me off the hook? If he caused the bottle to hit Edgar?”
“Not entirely, but I might be able to argue for a lesser sentence because you lacked the necessary intent to hit Edgar.”
He rubbed his hands together. “Nice one. I like a smart witch.”
“Don’t get too enthusiastic. I’m not making any promises.”
“It’s cool. I get it.” He eyed me appreciatively. “You know, you should really hang out around the pack more often. I can name a dozen werewolves on both hands who’d love a crack at you.”
A crack at me? Ugh.
“A dozen werewolves, Russ? On both hands?” I waited for the math to sink in, but it didn’t happen. “I’m not really interested in dating right now, but thanks for thinking of me.”
“Is this because of that vampire you went out with?” he asked. “If he’s scaring you away from other dudes, just let me know and I’ll…”
“Chuck a bottle at his head?” I interjected. “Demetrius isn’t scaring anyone, Russ. And I’m a big girl. I’ll handle my own business.”
“Will you let me know when you talk to Brion?” he asked. His expression turned so hopeful and eager, I hated to let him down.
“I will.”
He slapped his hands on the armrest and hopped to his feet. “Thanks, babe. You’re awesome.”
I opened my mouth to correct him, but he was out the door before I could form the words. Werewolf speed.
“Althea,” I called, summoning the Gorgon to my office. It was time for the next item on my agenda.
She appeared in the doorway. “You rang, Your Ladyship?”
I groaned. “Now you sound like Sedgwick.” The last thing I needed was another smartass in my life.
“I’m kidding,” Althea said. “What do you need?”
“What do you know about the Grey sisters?” I asked.
Her snakes began hissing wildly and she placed her hands on the sides of her headscarf to calm them.
“The Grey sisters, huh?”
“You know them?” I asked.
Althea made a noise at the back of her throat. “More than I care to.”
I gave her a quizzical look. “What are you not telling me?”
She heaved a sigh. “We’re cousins. Some people mistakenly think we’re half sisters, but we’re absolutely not.”
Wow. Althea was related to the Grey sisters. I couldn’t decide whether this was good news or bad news.
“I need to go see them for Gareth,” I said. “Maeve McCullen told us they can help him learn to become more active as a ghost.”
Althea raised an eyebrow. “And he’s sending you as his emissary? I thought he liked you.”
I shrugged. “No choice. He can’t venture to their cave in his condition.”
“And you plan to convince one of them to make house calls?” Althea asked, and barked a deep, throaty laugh. “Good luck with that.”
“I promised him I’d try,” I said.
She blew out a breath. “Of course. Anything for Gareth.” She pulled a chair closer to the desk and sat opposite me. “Okay, if you want to get anywhere with those nasty cousins of mine, here’s what you need to bring.”
I grabbed my quill, ready for action. If a Gorgon tells you what to bring to appease her nasty cousins, you take copious notes.
“A headless chicken…”
I paused mid-stroke. “A what?”
“The sisters like their poultry.”
“You mean plucked and wrapped in fairy paper, right?”
Althea gave me a no nonsense look. “What do you think?”
“Does it have to be headless?” I asked. “Can’t they take care of that part?”
Althea folded her arms. “Do you want my help or not?”
I resumed writing. “Okay, okay. Continue.”
“A jug of Goddess Bounty.”
I’d never heard of that one. “Is it a type of wine?”
Althea laughed. “Oh, it’s alcohol. Nothing as elegant as wine, though. And bring chocolate. They have a sweet tooth. I mean, they share it between them, but they have one.”
“Anything else?”
“Your wand.” She gave me a pointed look. “That’s for your benefit. And have a few defensive spells on the tip of your tongue, just in case.”
Her last suggestion made me uneasy. Were the sisters that dangerous?
“Maybe you should come with me,” I suggested. “A little family reunion?”
The snakes hissed in response. “We’re not particularly close. I don’t think my presence would help you any. Might even be a hindrance.”
My face fell. “What if they eat me?”
“With their one tooth and one eye between them? Highly doubtful.” Althea stood and inclined her head. “Won’t keep them from trying, though.”
I groaned. Just another day in Spellbound.
I tracked down Brion at the less popular Windmill Golf Course on the eastern edge of town, past the Shamrock Casino. He’d just finished a game and was floating to his car, a bag of clubs slung over his shoulder. From the waist down, he reminded me of Silas. A small tornado in place of hips and legs.
“Excuse me. Are you Brion?”
He turned, scrutinizing me. “Do I know you?”
“Emma Hart, public defender.” For a brief moment, I felt like I should be wearing a cape and a unitard.
“Oh, right. The new witch.” He tossed the bag of clubs into the passenger seat of his car. “Can I help you with something?”
“I guess you’ve heard about Russ,” I said.
“That he’s a wereass?” Brion shrugged. “Not really news to me.”
“That he’s going on trial for aggravated assault,” I corrected him. “You were at the Horned Owl that night, weren’t you? I think I saw your name on the list of witnesses.”
He nodded. “Saw the whole mess. That Russ should really curtail his drinking. All of those werewolves could stand to take it down a notch or two.”
“And what about the vampires?” I asked. “Were they overindulging too?”
“No,” he huffed. “They’re too uppity to enjoy themselves like the werewolves. It’s all pinkies out and perfectly tailored golf plaids.”
So the werewolves were too wild, but the vampires were too ‘uppity.’ I wondered where witches fell on the Behavioral Scale According to Brion.
“Do you know Edgar, the victim?” I asked.
He snorted. “Of course. Edgar’s got a stake shoved so far up his ass I’m surprised it hasn’t pierced his heart.”
“Really? What makes you say that?” I asked. “I’ve met him a handful of times and I’ve found him to be kind and considerate.”
Brion snort
ed. “Because you’re a potential source of food. He wants to lull you into a false sense of security.”
My gut twisted at the idea that Edgar viewed me as food. I’d initially had the same concern about Demetrius. The more I came to know Gareth’s friends, though, the more I knew that simply wasn’t true.
“So how do you know Edgar?” I asked.
“He’s a member of the Spellbound Country Club,” he said. “He was always complaining to management about me so they finally revoked my membership.”
“What was the basis of the complaint?” I asked.
Brion’s face reddened. “He didn’t think it was right for me to use magic on the course. I mean, he uses his vampire strength and reflexes. Why shouldn’t a genie be able to use his natural skills?”
“I guess management saw it Edgar’s way?”
“Yeah, sure, I mean the guy owns a piece of a successful blood bank and manages to roll in coins without lifting a finger. Of course management sided with him. The world isn’t fair.”
“No, Brion. The world isn’t.” Normal or paranormal, it was a tough lesson to learn. “I guess that makes you angry. The unfairness of it all.”
“Damn straight.”
“Angry enough to redirect the bottle thrown by Russ to make sure it hit Edgar?”
Brion balled his fists. “So what if I did? I didn’t throw the bottle. The sheriff can’t arrest me for anything.”
O ye of little legal knowledge. “Actually, he can. In fact, there are several charges to choose from.”
Brion seemed surprised. “What about Russ? He threw the bottle.”
“And he will stand trial for that,” I said. “But he may serve a lesser sentence if we can show that he didn’t intend to hurt Edgar.” I gave Brion a reproachful look. “And clearly he didn’t.”
Brion folded his arms and glared at me. “I’m not saying anything.”
“Too late, Brion,” I said, with a sympathetic smile. “I’m afraid you’ve already told me everything I need to know.”
“I never thought we’d get that wand out of his nostril,” Daniel said.
We were on our way back from babysitting Lord Gilder, Maeve, and Lady Weatherby and I was near exhaustion.
“It’s my fault,” I said. “I should have done a better job at hiding the wand. Lady Weatherby may have a child’s mental state, but she’s still clever.”
"Oh, fabulous,” a voice snapped. “Now my day simply cannot get any better."
An icy blond fairy gave us a look that would have frozen lava.
"It's good to see you, Elsa," Daniel said. “You’re looking well, as always.”
I stiffened. Elsa? Was this the daughter of Mayor Knightsbridge—the one Daniel had spurned? It had to be. She had her mother's fair complexion and even wore her blond hair in a similar fashion.
"Good to see me?” she repeated with a hollow laugh. "I'm pretty sure I told you the next time I saw you I wanted it to be facedown at the bottom of Tartarus."
"I think you may have said hell, but you made your point,“ he said good-naturedly.
She shoved her hands against her tiny hips. "I've heard you’re trying to mend your ways, not that I’m keeping up with you in any way, shape, or form. I assume you're just working an angle we haven't figured out yet."
The angel shrugged. "No angle. Just want to make up for past transgressions."
She stopped and narrowed her eyes at me. "Can you believe the minotaur shit he’s shoveling? The unicorn doesn't change its horn overnight, you know?“
"Not overnight," he said. "I think it's been a long time coming. It was really Emma who inspired me to move forward. To be a positive force in our tiny bubble of a world." He gave me an affectionate squeeze on the shoulder, which normally would make my heart thump wildly. The look on Elsa's face, however, stopped my heart in its tracks. The leveling expression gave even Lady Weatherby a run for her money.
"I can't take any credit, Daniel," I said. "Your good deeds are all down to you."
"Can one of your good deeds include removing the spell on my mother?” Elsa asked. “I can't take her like this. It was bad enough fighting with her before she aged backwards. This is far worse. It's like arguing with myself."
I noticed Daniel's lip twitch. Like he was desperate to smile but knew better.
"You had a fight with your mother before the spell took hold?" I asked. Was it possible she'd done the spell in anger and now had a change of heart but couldn't fix it? Elsa was a fairy, so she was capable of a wide variety of spells.
"Mother and I are always arguing about something," she huffed. “The last time it was over her lakeside cabin. I wanted to use it for a romantic getaway with my boyfriend." She shot a triumphant look at Daniel. "Yes, that's right. My very serious boyfriend, Jasper. He's the most wonderful man in Spellbound. No one else comes close."
"Congratulations," Daniel said. "I'm very happy for you."
That was not the response Elsa wanted to hear. I was fairly certain I saw steam come out of her ears.
"Anyway, Mother refused because she was planning to spend the weekend there with a few friends. It was ridiculous. She can use the cabin anytime she likes. Could she not make the occasional sacrifice for her only daughter?"
I had no horse in the race, but I did want to know more about the argument. "So what happened? The youth spell took hold before the weekend. Were you able to use the cabin?"
She smiled. "I suppose that is the one positive that came out of this mess. Jasper and I were able to enjoy ourselves at the cabin. But I need my mother back now." She even stomped her foot for good measure. If I hadn't known any better, I would have assumed she was under the spell as well.
"I think the entire town wishes the council would revert back to normal," I said. "It isn't just your mother who’s been affected."
She flicked a dismissive finger in my direction. "Oh, I know that. The rest of it doesn't impact me, though. It's Mother who’s driving me mad. If she borrows my clothes one more time, I'm going to have a complete meltdown.”
"What kind of spell do you think was used?" I asked. “Everyone’s calling it a youth spell.” Maybe if I tested her knowledge, she would turn out to know more than an innocent person should.
"I have no clue," she said, pouting. "I didn't even know there was a spell like that or I might have used it on her ages ago. Now that I've seen the outcome, though, I wouldn't dream of it. She’s a pain.“
"I hear the sheriff is working hard to catch the spell caster," I said.
Elsa sighed. "Yes. Sheriff Hugo is a doll. I know he’s doing everything in his power to help us."
Sheriff Hugo was a doll? So she was spoiled and delusional. Quite the combination. What had Daniel ever seen in her?
"Oh, look. There’s my darling Jasper now. Gotta run.” She gave Daniel a final glare before fluttering off to greet her boyfriend.
I waited a beat before addressing Daniel. "Elsa? Really?"
He gave me a rueful smile. "She's always been a spoiled brat," he said, "but I think that was part of her appeal. Plus, she always wore really short skirts. No one can argue with those legs."
"You really were shallow, weren't you?" It seemed so at odds with the deep thinker I knew.
"It was a phase." He paused. "A very long, disappointing phase."
"So do you think she had anything to do with the spell on the council?" I asked.
He stared after her as Jasper placed an arm around her and she whispered in his ear.
“Elsa’s angry enough to pull a spell like that, but I don't think she's competent enough. She tried to curse me several times after we broke up, but all of them backfired."
"Backfired? How?"
He raked a hand through his mess of blond hair. “Let me think. One time, she tried to make me disgusting to all the women in town."
"How did it backfire?"
"It had the opposite effect," he said with a grin. "I suddenly became irresistible to every female in town. I had a line of ladie
s outside my door every morning for a week."
I smacked my forehead. "And I'm sure you handled that really well."
He grinned. "Elsa was apoplectic."
"But I thought you were already irresistible to the ladies of Spellbound. What effect would the spell have?"
"It deepened existing feelings," he explained. "Any woman who was already vaguely attracted to me suddenly found herself incredibly attracted to me. An enhancement."
I shook my head. "No wonder she hates you. And the mayor, too. You embarrassed them."
Daniel nodded sagely. "Humiliated them, really." He glanced back to the spot where Elsa had been standing. "Now that I think about it, I owe her a genuine apology."
"You’re only realizing this now?"
"No, I've known for some time, but she hates me so much, I dread the thought of having the conversation."
"Maybe it's time for you to make a list of all the people you've wronged over the years and go and see them one by one to apologize."
"I predict a lot of doors slammed in my face," he said.
"That's okay," I said. "It's nice that you’re volunteering and doing more community work, but if there are people still living in Spellbound who deserve an apology, then that might be a better use of your time."
He gazed at me with great affection. "You have a way of putting me on the right path, do you know that?"
My body pulsed with energy. I wished he wouldn't look at me like that. It wasn't fair. I didn't want to end up being a name at the bottom of his list of apologies.
I mustered my strength. “That's what friends are for.”
Chapter 9
Despite my protests, Daniel insisted on accompanying me to the cave of the Grey sisters.
"You can't go and see them on your own," he said. "They would eat you alive."
I tried to use Althea’s line of logic. “With what? The one tooth they share between them? I think I’ll be fine."
"Even so, I'm coming. If nothing else, I’ll carry the headless chicken.” He grinned. "I consider it my good deed of the day."
I rolled my eyes. "You and your good deeds. Is there no end to them now?"
"I don't suppose you’d let me fly you to the cave," he said.
Lucky Charm (Spellbound Paranormal Cozy Mystery Book 4) Page 7
