A Witch of a Time

by Amanda M. Lee

  “Now you wait just a minute,” Denham said, raising a hand in protest.

  “I’m not done,” Aunt Tillie said. “You’re a very lucky man, because if you’d messed with one of my girls like you did with Belinda, I would have cursed your manhood until it fell off.”

  Out of the corner of my eye I could see Landon push his tongue into his cheek to quiet himself, but he didn’t make a move to stop her from rambling.

  “Now, I’m sure there’s not much manhood there to curse, and my eyes aren’t what they used to be, but I’m thinking I would have found a way around that,” Aunt Tillie said. She glanced at me and winked. “In fact, I think Thistle has a magnifying glass. We could have just sat you out naked in the sun and burned your little twig off without cursing it. It also would have allowed us to find it, because I’m betting you have to go after high school girls because they don’t know how big a real one is supposed to be.”

  “I don’t have to take this abuse,” Denham said.

  “I agree,” his mother said, moving to his side. “We’re here to claim our property.”

  “Property?” I hate these people. “A child is not property.”

  “She is our blood,” Arlene said. “You take care of your own blood.”

  “She’s also Belinda’s blood,” I said.

  “Well, Belinda doesn’t appear to be able to take care of her,” Arlene said.

  “Belinda is in the other room fighting for her life,” I argued. “When she wakes up, she’s going to want her daughter.”

  “Well, if that happens, then I’m sure we can set up some sort of visitation,” Arlene said.

  “Visitation? That’s her daughter.”

  “We have an appointment with a local attorney tomorrow morning,” Arlene said. “Our son will be getting custody of his daughter in an emergency session if we have anything to say about it.”

  “You can’t just do that,” I said. I turned to Landon. “She can’t do that, can she?”

  Landon looked helpless. “I’m not up on custody issues, Thistle.”

  “You’re with the FBI, though,” I pressed. “You should be able to stop them.”

  Denham shifted his full attention to Landon. “Why is the FBI here?” He seemed nervous. From the look on his face, Landon noticed it, too.

  “I’m friends with the family,” he said. “I was here for the weekend when Annie was discovered, and I was one of the people who found Belinda’s car tonight.”

  “Oh, well, thank you then,” Denham said primly.

  “I’ll also be heading the investigation into her accident,” Landon said, his eyes focused on Denham. He was testing him.

  “What investigation?” Arlene asked. “Surely it was just an accident.”

  “Well, there were some interesting marks on the road,” Landon said. “We have a crime scene team out there right now taking photographs and measurements. We’re also having the car brought in and looked at by a licensed mechanic to make sure it wasn’t tampered with. Because of the nature of the accident, a full investigation seems to be warranted.”

  He was making that up. He hadn’t paid any attention to the road while we were out there. It was too dark. He was bluffing. Since his words were visibly shaking Denham, I was happy to play along with the gambit.

  “And Annie will be a ward of the state while the investigation is ongoing, right?” I asked.

  Chief Terry put his hand on my shoulder. “She will,” he said.

  “These women aren’t state workers, though,” Denham pointed out.

  “No, but Audra Cutler is,” Chief Terry said. “She’s a licensed foster mother. Winnie, I don’t suppose you could get her number from my office and give her a call and tell her we need her down here, could you?”

  Winnie nodded. “Absolutely. That sounds like a great idea.”

  “You can’t do that,” Arlene said, incensed. “We’re that girl’s blood.”

  “I just did it,” Chief Terry said. “Now, you all can go and meet with your lawyers, but you should be aware that our investigation is ongoing. You cannot take that child until I say you can.”

  “And you’re going to let these … women … tell you when that is, aren’t you?” Denham sneered.

  “I’m going to let the law tell me when it’s time, son,” Chief Terry said. “You see, I have the law on my side.”

  THE DENHAMS decided to regroup. They didn’t leave the hospital, but they did vacate our general vicinity. Once they were gone, Landon and Chief Terry snapped to action.

  “All right, we don’t have a lot of time,” Chief Terry said. “Landon and I are going back out to the scene of the accident right now. I don’t like the way that guy was acting.”

  “That’s because he’s a sick bastard,” Aunt Tillie supplied.

  Chief Terry ignored her and focused on Landon. “Can you get someone to run Denham’s financials tonight?”

  “Are you thinking he was in the area?” Landon asked.

  “He clearly didn’t come with his parents,” Chief Terry said. “He came in after them. Did you see his father? He was surprised to see his son. He doesn’t appear to have much love for him.”

  “How can you tell?” I asked. “He didn’t talk.”

  “He’s henpecked,” Chief Terry said. “He clearly lets his wife call all the shots.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with being henpecked,” Aunt Tillie said. “Some might call it a virtue.”

  Chief Terry rolled his eyes. “You guys need to keep Annie here. When Audra gets here, tell her what’s going on. She’ll agree to take Annie on. Once she’s here, the state is officially involved and the Denhams have no legal standing.”

  “Annie isn’t going to want to go with anyone,” I protested.

  “Hopefully she won’t have to,” Chief Terry said. “If we’re lucky, Belinda will wake up before we have to deal with whatever slick suit the Denhams hire. There aren’t a lot of choices around here.”

  “Will it go in front of Judge Crawford?” Marnie asked.

  “He’s the only judge we have,” Chief Terry replied.

  “I think I’m going to bake him a pie.”

  “I think I’m going to help,” Mom said.

  Chief Terry stilled. “You’re not going to do anything funny to the pie, are you?”

  “Of course not,” Marnie said. “No man can say no to my pie. It’s magic all on its own. It doesn’t need any actual magic.”

  My mind went someplace dirty, and I fought the urge to snicker. A quick look at Bay told me she was thinking the same thing.

  Mom cuffed the back of my head. “Don’t be filthy.”

  “I didn’t say anything,” I muttered.

  “You were thinking it.”

  “What should we do?” Bay asked.

  “Just stand watch,” Landon said, giving her a quick kiss. “I’ll be in touch as soon as I can.”

  “Don’t let those people in Belinda’s room,” Chief Terry warned.

  “Do you think they would kill her?”

  “I don’t like them,” Chief Terry said. “I wouldn’t put anything past that mother, or her piece-of-crap son, for that matter.”

  Once they were gone, it was just Clove, Bay, Aunt Tillie and me, and we were at a loss. That’s when Dr. Garfield came out of Belinda’s room. I rushed up to him. “Is she going to be okay?”

  Dr. Garfield looked tired – but hopeful. “She’s very dehydrated,” he said. “She has some broken ribs, but since she couldn’t move around, she didn’t aggravate them. That’s a good thing.”

  “What’s the bad thing?”

  “She hit her head, probably against the steering wheel,” Dr. Garfield said. “I have no idea if she’ll ever regain consciousness. That’s our biggest cause for concern. We’re pumping her full of fluids, and her kidneys aren’t in danger of shutting down, and her heartbeat is strong, but it’s a waiting game now.”

  Dr. Garfield took his leave, and when he was gone, I couldn’t take the silence. “It�
�s a waiting game, and we’re almost out of time.”

  “Then we’re going to have to rig the game,” Aunt Tillie said, her face animated.

  “And how do we do that?”

  “We’re witches, grumpy puss. There are many ways to rig the game. Clove, this is what I need you to do … .”

  When she was done outlining her plan, I realized why Aunt Tillie never lost a game: She plays to win. I could only hope her winning streak would hold.

  Ten

  “Are you sure this is going to work?”

  The spell ingredients Aunt Tillie had instructed Clove to gather out at The Overlook were cause for alarm. This wasn’t some bargain-basement spell that we could half-ass and pull off. This was a spell that called for precision – something my cousins and I weren’t known for.

  “It’s going to work,” Aunt Tillie said.

  “Have you done it before?”

  “No.”

  “Then how do you know it’s going to work?” I pressed.

  “Because I have faith,” Aunt Tillie said.

  We were inside of Belinda’s hospital room, and we’d purposely waited until Dr. Garfield finished another check on the woman before we spread out our supplies. Dawn was starting to encroach, and the day shift would start in another hour. It was now or never.

  “Okay, what do you want us to do?” I asked.

  Aunt Tillie pressed her lips together as she regarded me. “I need you to go outside and wait with Marcus and Annie.”

  “What?” She had to be joking.

  “You’re too unfocused, Thistle,” Aunt Tillie said. “This spell calls for three witches. You’re not going to be in here.”

  “But … .”

  “No,” Aunt Tillie said firmly. “We need someone to keep everyone out of the room while we do the spell. It’s going to take some time. I need Bay with me, and Clove isn’t mean enough to handle the Denhams. That leaves you.”

  “Are you just saying that because you think I’m unfocused?”

  “I’m saying that because we only have one shot at this,” Aunt Tillie said. “We have to do an awakening spell in a busy hospital while bad people are in the hospital trying to steal a little girl. What’s more important, your pride or Basil?”

  “Her name is Annie,” I grumbled.

  “I like Basil better,” Aunt Tillie said. “You know I’m right.”

  Unfortunately, I did know that. “How long will it take?”

  “As long as it takes,” Aunt Tillie said. “I don’t care what you have to do, but you make sure the Denhams don’t take Annie and no one comes in this room. I don’t care if you have to start this hospital on fire, you protect your family, and you protect that little girl.”

  She was setting it up as a challenge. I knew exactly what she was doing. “You make sure you do your job,” I said. “Your legend will diminish if you don’t.”

  “My legend will never diminish, missy,” she said, puffing out her chest. “This will only cement it. I am the wickedest witch of the Midwest.”

  You can always count on Aunt Tillie’s ego to pull her through. “Good luck.”

  “You, too,” Aunt Tillie said, narrowing her eyes. “Something tells me you might be in more trouble than we will be.”

  I FOUND Marcus sleeping in a chair in the waiting room. Annie was sitting on his lap, her head settled against his chest. I wasn’t sure if she was asleep, but she was at least resting her eyes.

  Audra had arrived a few hours before, and she was slumbering in another chair a few feet away. Once we’d explained the situation, she’d been more than happy to help. She’d introduced herself to Annie – without being scary – and she’d started to build a rapport with the girl fairly quickly.

  I sat down in the chair next to Marcus and focused on the closed door that separated my family from discovery. I had no idea what was going on in there, but I knew Aunt Tillie wouldn’t fail me. Not this time. Sure, when I was in high school and needed her to curse a boy because he’d dumped me for a friend, she’d told me to suck it up and do it myself – but this was different. Huh, now that my mind was wandering, I couldn’t help but wonder if Kayla Dobbins ever did find a pair of underwear that fit again.

  My body was weary, but I couldn’t make myself relax. Something was about to happen – and not just in Belinda’s room.

  “There she is.”

  I jerked my head up when I heard the voice. I saw Jonathan Denham and his mother round the corner a few seconds later. They had another man with them, and Tom Denham was trailing behind the small group with a morose look on his face.

  Marcus snapped awake, and he was cradling Annie protectively against his chest as he looked to me for answers. He wasn’t sure what was going on, but he was readying himself for a fight.

  “They can’t get in that room, and they can’t have Annie,” I said, my voice low.

  Marcus nodded.

  “Whatever I say, just go along with it.”

  He nodded again.

  “Oh, and if I try to kill them, just let me,” I added.

  “Yeah, we’ll have to agree to disagree on that one,” Marcus said. “I’m not sure monthly conjugal visits will be enough to keep me honest.”

  He has an odd sense of humor sometimes.

  I got to my feet and cut Denham and Arlene off before they could get too close to Belinda’s room. “What are you doing here?”

  “We’re here to claim our grandchild,” Arlene said.

  “Well, Chief Terry said you couldn’t,” I replied. “He’s in charge. You’ll have to take it up with him.”

  “This is our attorney, Donald Hollingsworth,” Arlene said. “He says your Chief Terry has no jurisdiction over this child.” She moved toward Marcus and held out her arms. “You can give her to me.”

  Marcus shook his head. “You can’t have her.”

  Arlene narrowed her eyes. “What? Are you some kind of pervert?”

  “No, that would be your son,” I said.

  “Stop saying that,” Denham snapped. “I am not a pervert.”

  “You knocked up your student.”

  “That was … she seduced me.”

  “Yeah, right,” I said, rolling my eyes.

  Hollingsworth stepped closer. I didn’t recognize him, which meant the Denhams had gone outside of Hemlock Cove to retain legal counsel. That was probably a good idea on their part. “Ma’am, you have to hand that child over.”

  “I don’t have to do anything,” I said. “And I’m not doing that. I don’t care what you say.”

  “You listen here,” Arlene seethed, wagging her finger in my face. “You’re not in control here. I am.”

  “And that’s what matters to you, right? Control?”

  Arlene was taken aback by my challenge.

  “I get you,” I continued. “I get what you are. You’re a woman who henpecked her husband and raised a monster. You’re a woman who wants a chance to mold another young mind. You’re a woman who wants to control everything.

  “I’ve known women like you,” I said. “Well, that’s not exactly true. I’ve known women who need control – one in particular – but the difference is, she still manages to know what’s right and wrong.

  “Sure, she straddles the line,” I said. “She often crosses it.” Goddess, does she cross it. “She still manages to do the right thing. I don’t even think you know what the right thing is. That’s how far gone you are.”

  “Oh, you’re so full of yourself,” Arlene said. “You think you know how to read people. Now, let me tell you about you. You were raised in a family of all women, and you never learned your place. You want to stand out, so you dye your hair odd colors. You want to be special, but everyone else around you has something more – something better – to offer.

  “You’re insecure, and you’ve latched onto my granddaughter to make yourself feel important,” she continued. “You think, if you somehow beat me, then you’ll have everyone in your family applauding you. You still won’t be
special.”

  I snorted. She was trying to throw me off my game. I’d grown up with the master, though. She couldn’t shake me. Still, I needed to play the game to buy time, and I was more than willing to do it.

  “Oh, you couldn’t be more wrong,” I said. “I’ve always stood out in my family, and it’s not because of my hair. It’s because I’m generally unpleasant and bitchy. That’s just how I roll. I dye my hair because it drives my mother nuts – which is funny, because her hair is so red she gives random circus clowns nightmares.

  “In my family, no one has a place,” I said. “In fact, everyone is so scattered that we can’t remember what our place is from the previous day. I don’t need accolades and applause from my family because we work for a living, and we believe in earning something instead of taking it.

  “Your problem is that the son you raised to be entitled turned out to also be a sociopath,” I continued. “You expected him to elevate you by virtue of his name. Instead, all he’s done is drag you down. I have no idea what transpired when you found out Belinda was pregnant with your grandchild, but I’m guessing it wasn’t pretty. You didn’t want anything to do with Annie until you realized that Jonathan here wasn’t going to amount to anything.”

  “You take that back,” Denham spat.

  I ignored him. “I don’t care what you want, lady,” I said. “I care what’s best for Annie, and that’s clearly not the woman who raised this piece of trash.”

  “Well, you don’t have a say in that,” Hollingsworth said. “You’re not the law.”

  “No, but I am,” Chief Terry said, striding into the room with Landon on his heels. He shot me a questioning look before focusing on the Denhams. “Is there a problem here?”

  “Yes, this … woman … won’t let me have my granddaughter,” Arlene said.

  “Well, she was instructed not to,” Chief Terry said. “I think that means she’s doing her job.”

  I froze when I saw Annie start to move on Marcus’ lap. He smoothed her hair down, trying to lull her back to sleep, but it was too late. She sat up straight and rubbed the sleep from her eyes, her gaze landing on me first. “What’s going on? Is my mommy awake?”