Black Cat Crossing

by Fitz Molly

  "No one ever said she was bright," I commented to Vance. The fire chief lowered Amber to the ground and then scooped the ice into the evidence bag, sealing off its effects.

  "Not like you," Vance replied.

  "Gee, you're now just noticing?" I joked. "But still, I'm not smart enough. I don't know who's behind all this." I couldn't keep the frustration from my voice. "You didn't by chance see a middle-aged vampire creeping around here, did you?"

  "Vampire? In Silverlake?" Vance's eyes darted around the darkness in front of him.

  "Not a real vampire. A guy dressed up in a costume. I gave him the candy apples for the bookstore, but Misty never saw them. Something doesn't add up."

  "Was he a local?"

  "That's the thing, I'm not sure. He seemed familiar, but it was hard to tell with the costume."

  "No, but I'll definitely be walking you home tonight."

  I changed the subject. I was an expert at that. "Anyway, speaking of being smart, I was going to grab one of the chocolates for Aunt Thelma for when I get home." I looked down at my phone. "The bakery is open for ten more minutes." I shot Diane a text to make sure she still had some chocolates left before heading that way. She replied that she did and she’d be on the lookout for me.

  "I'll walk with you," Vance suggested.

  "Are you planning on keeping that gargoyle?" Fire Chief Grady walked up and asked Vance.

  "Uh, not sure." Vance looked down to Rocky who replied with a playful yip. "Don't they turn back to stone when the sun comes up?"

  "Not if they've been bewitched, or so I'm told," Grady replied.

  "Oh, well yeah, I guess so. If the church is okay with it and Rocky here wants to stay." The gargoyle danced at Vance's feet. The answer was clearly a yes.

  Just then the second gargoyle appeared at Grady's feet and looked up at him adoringly. The fire chief absently rubbed his pointed ears. "I think these guys deserve some time off after guarding the town the last hundred or so years."

  "I think you're right," Vance replied.

  I interrupted the conversation. "I'm going to go grab that chocolate. I'll be right back." I left Vance and Grady to talk all things gargoyles and made my way to the bakery.

  Things were finally winding down around Village Square, and what a night it had been. And somewhere down the line, Vance had adopted a gargoyle and I was fostering a litter of kittens. I shook my head. I should learn by now to always expect the unexpected. I took a deep breath and tried to give myself a pep talk. It was okay that I didn't catch the Halloween Hijinker, as I was now dubbing them. Tomorrow was a new day, and perhaps a good night's sleep would do me wonders to unravel the clues. Mayor Parrish's spot as Suspect Number One was now replaced by the mysterious vampire. Who was he? He was a witch, that was for sure. Probably someone local. Not one of the shop owners. Not a teacher either. I had seen him before, but not regularly.

  Rustling in the bushes caught my attention. Instantly, I reached for my wand.

  "Angelica," Mayor Parrish said from behind me. I rounded on her. My wand pointed right to her chest.

  The mayor put her hands up in surrender. "Good heavens, what are you doing? That's the second time you've drawn your wand on me tonight."

  I lowered my wand. "Sorry, just on edge. I heard something behind that tree."

  "Oh well, I'm sure it's nothing. Anyway, I wanted to formally say thank you for your help tonight."

  "Thank you?" Mayor Parrish was full of surprises tonight.

  "Yes, without your help, I don't know what would've happened. Whenever there was a problem, you were there. Helping to make it right."

  "Yes-th, you sure where." The vampire came out of the bushes. Mayor Parrish cocked her head. The man continued to walk forward. Light from the store windows spilled onto the walkway, casting the man's face in relief.

  "Gerald Blackworth, is that you?" Mayor Parrish said.

  "Gerald Blackworth, as in the mayor of Hendersonville?" I asked.

  The mayor waved his cape and bowed. When he stood, his wand was outstretched, pointing at my face.

  "Drop it," he commanded, pointing to my own wand. I did as I was told. "Into the alley." He motioned with the wand. Mayor Blackworth's voice sounded slushy.

  "What's the matter with you? And take out those teeth. You sound ridiculous," Mayor Parrish said, but moved toward the alley none the less.

  Gerald removed the teeth and threw them to the ground. "What is the matter with me? You and your town stealing Halloween is what’s the matter!" he shouted.

  "What are you talking about? Your town caters to mortals," Mayor Parrish said.

  "Mortals? Where do you think witches celebrate Halloween? Hendersonville! Or they used to. This year you ruined everything. First was your fall festival and now this! Tourism is already down twenty percent!"

  "That hardly seems statistically relevant," Mayor Parrish said.

  Gerald fired a warning spell. Red sparks shot past our faces. "Stop talking."

  "What are you going to do?" I looked into the darkened alley way.

  "First I'm going to erase your memory. Then, I'm going to fill it with hatred for Halloween. Make it so you never want to celebrate it ever again!" Gerald chuckled. He looked like a demented little vampire.

  As far as I was concerned, that was not happening. In the blink of an eye, I reached up for my tiger's eye. Before Gerald could react, the spell was out of my lips, and I transformed into a cat. My eyes instantly adjusted to the darkness. Gerald was frozen in shock. He couldn't react as I sprang on him, literally jumping off his chest and stealing his wand with my teeth. Mayor Parrish wasted no time, withdrawing her own wand and holding Gerald in place. "Go ahead, make my Halloween," she threatened. I meowed my approval from the ground.

  "Is everything okay?" Diane asked, peering into the alley. She quickly took in the scene.

  "No, it's not okay. Mayor Blackworth was behind everything tonight. He wanted to erase our memories and take away Halloween." Mayor Parrish's voice was one level below shrieking.

  "I'm calling the sheriff," Diane said, her phone out to her ear.

  Meanwhile, I morphed back into human form. Gerald looked like he wished he could transform into a bird and fly away. "Shall we try?" I asked, reading the expression on his face. "Maybe a toad instead. It would serve you right," I suggested.

  Gerald held his hands up higher. "Please don't, I'm sorry. I was only thinking of my town. A mayor would do practically anything for his citizens."

  "Include breaking the law?" I asked.

  "Tsk, tsk," said Mayor Parrish. "It's a darn shame your constituents aren't witches. It would be easier to explain your arrest."

  “M-M-M-My arrest?”

  “Or we could set the townsfolk loose on you,” I suggested.

  Mayor Blackworth looked over his shoulder to the crowd that had gathered. Two sets of glowing red eyes glared back at him. Only we knew the gargoyles were friendly.

  "I-I-I... I’ll never do anything to harm Silverlake again," he stammered.

  "Mm-hmm, tell it to the judge." Amber stepped forward, placing Gerald under arrest. The deputy didn't look me in the eye, and I was okay with that. I was just happy to see she wasn't blaming me for any part of this. She was probably still sleepy from her run in with the Draught of the Dead.

  Vance made his way through the crowd. "Can't leave you alone for two minutes, can I?"

  "Not if you don't want to miss the action," I replied, blowing at my fingernails as if it had been easy peasy.

  "What do you want to do now?" Vance asked.

  "I say we pop into the bakery, grab a couple of pumpkin spiced lattes, and wrap this Halloween up right."

  "Now that is an excellent idea. Shall we?"

  "Let's." As I walked next to Vance, I found myself wishing that next year Halloween would have less hijinks but just as much magic. Let's see if I get my wish.

  Want More?

  Want more of Angelica and the rest of The Mystic Inn gang?

  Ge
t started with TALL, DARK AND HAIRY or catch up with the series HERE!

  Learn more about the author and see her other awesome books HERE.

  Bewitching Henry

  Michelle Francik

  About This Single

  On a lonely road in the midst of a thunderstorm, witch Stella Spinney screeches to a halt to avoid hitting a terrified black cat that darts out of the forest. She enlists the help of her witch cousin, Pixie; Henry the talking cat; and Chester, the vampire accountant, to help her solve the mystery. Join the gang as they race against time, escape dangerous predators, and rescue the kitten's human--a little boy named Adam who’s injured and lost in the deep, dark woods.

  Where It Fits

  BEWITCHING HENRY can be read as a stand-alone, but chronologically it fits between A GET WITCH QUICK SCHEME and PEACH PIE GOODBYE… Enjoy!

  Chapter One -Stella

  Inky blackness surrounded the silver Mercedes 300; the only illumination as it cruised down the back road was the glow of the headlights. Stella Spinney peered through the windshield, scanning the darkness as she drove through the pouring rain. “Any moment now,” she whispered, biting her lip. The sky lit up as several forks of lightning pierced the darkness and she chuckled with delight. The sound came out as more of a cackle, which made her laugh even harder.

  “Now I just need a wart on my nose, and I’ll be the stereotypical witch,” she joked. A boom of thunder rocked the night and she gripped the steering wheel tighter, momentarily startled by the intensity of the sound. She shrieked as a dark shape bounded from the side of the road, landing directly in front of the car.

  “Halt!” she screamed, snapping her fingers. Everything froze; even the storm. The only sound was her ragged breathing as she struggled to calm her adrenaline-fueled nerves. “What the heck?” she muttered. She slammed the car into park, released her seat belt and threw open her door.

  She marched to the front of the car and stopped, her mouth dropping open as she realized what she’d almost run over. In the center of the road was a small black cat, frozen in time. Its tail was fluffed out and its back arched, but it was the cat’s eyes that held her attention. They were wide with terror.

  She dropped to her knees beside the animal and took a closer look. Its claws were ragged and torn, as if the cat been desperately scratching at something. There was a dark spot on its back where the fur was matted down. She reached out and touched the spot, lifting her hand so the headlights could illuminate it. She wasn’t an expert, but it sure looked like blood.

  She stood up and took a look around. Her spell would only last another minute or so and she was pretty sure once time started the cat would high tail it out of there. She ran to her car and opened the back door. She pulled out the small pet carrier she used when she took her own cat, Onyx, to the vet. She lifted the cat and placed it carefully into the carrier, making sure she didn’t catch any of its fur when she closed the wire mesh door.

  The spell ended; rain poured down on her head and the wind whipped her dark brown hair into her face. The cat, now trapped in the carrier, was frantically trying to get out, howling and yowling as if the devil himself was after it. She lifted the carrier and headed for the car. As she placed it on the backseat the sky lit up again; this time a single, long flash of lightning. The boom was nearly instantaneous, so Stella knew the storm was right overhead. She shivered as she climbed in, taking one last look around before she drove off.

  She’d been on her way to her cousin Pixie’s bakery in Spinney Hills and for a moment, she considered turning around and heading home, but the look she’d seen in the cat’s eyes still haunted her. She had a feeling something bad had happened, but she couldn’t exactly ask the cat about it, now could she. She hadn’t seen anything on or near the road, but it had been dark and stormy, so she could have missed something. She decided the best thing to do was continue on the bakery. Pixie and Henry will be able to help me, she thought.

  As she continued down the dark road, she hated to admit it, even to herself, but she was a little shaken. She’d feel better once she dried off and had a cup of coffee. Ooh! And a piece of Pixie’s famous peach pie. Pixie would help her figure out what to do about the little furball in the back seat. She adjusted the rearview mirror so she could keep an eye on the cat. Their eyes met and she realized the cat was keeping an eye on her, as well.

  Chapter Two -Stella

  “Well, who do we have here? That’s definitely not Onyx.” Pixie, owner of Pixie’s Pies, welcomed Stella into the bakery, taking the carrier so she could remove her raincoat and hang it on the coat rack. Stella pushed her damp hair out of her face, straightened her ruby-hued cashmere sweater, and turned to face her cousin.

  “Actually, I was hoping you could help me with that. Well, you and Henry, I mean.”

  “Of course, we’ll help you,” she replied. She took a closer look at Stella. “Are you okay? Did something happen?”

  “Well, I nearly ran over this little guy on my way here. It jumped out right in front of me and scared the dickens out of me. It looked like it had seen a ghost, Pixie.”

  The baker’s brows drew together, and her lips pursed as she turned towards the back of the shop. “Henry,” she called out, “Stella’s here and she needs our help with something.” She set the carrier on the counter and took the woman’s arm, dragging her to a barstool at the counter. She poured them each a cup of coffee and placed one in front of Stella.

  “Thank you, Pixie.” Stella took a sip of the hot brew and sighed. “You make the best coffee.” A plate with a piece of pie appeared in front of her and she moaned in pleasure. “And the best peach pie!”

  As she took a bite, a large, gray tabby with piercing blue eyes strolled into the room. He yawned and stretched, first his front legs, then his back legs, one at a time. He sat down, his tail twitching behind him, and looked up at Stella, expectantly.

  “Just the um . . . cat I need to speak with,” Stella mumbled.

  His tail twitched again as he lifted his nose in the air and sniffed, looking over at the carrier. “That’s not Onyx.” His voice was rich and deep and tinged with the slightest bit of sarcasm. Stella grinned.

  “Nope, it’s not. I’m not sure who it is, Henry, but I’m hoping you can help me figure that out.”

  He lifted a paw and licked at it delicately while he considered her request. “Where did it come from?”

  “The middle of the road,” she replied.

  Henry looked at her, head tilted sideways, tail flapping against the floor. “Not helpful, Stella.”

  “I know,” she admitted. “Sorry. I was driving over here and suddenly this little guy jumped out in front of the car. I cast a spell to stop time so I wouldn’t hit it. When I took a closer look, it looked scared. Its claws are all torn up and I think there’s blood on its fur. I couldn’t leave it there and I didn’t know what else to do, so I brought it with me.”

  The cat’s tail flapped again as he considered. “Okay. On one condition.”

  “Henry,” Pixie warned.

  “It’s okay,” Stella said. “What condition, Henry?”

  “That you bring me one of those little wind up mouse toys like Onyx’s. I love that toy. We had so much fun playing with it.”

  “Done! Now can you please talk to the cat, or do whatever it is that you cats do to communicate, and find out what the heck’s going on?”

  The gray cat nodded his head and ambled to the carrier, where he plopped down and proceeded to lick his hind paw.

  “Let’s give them some privacy,” Pixie suggested. They took the coffee and pie into the other room and sat at a table in the corner. “You seem to have come to terms with me having a talking cat,” she smirked.

  “Henry was amazing with Onyx while I was on The Catch of a Lifetime. He helped him understand that I wasn’t abandoning him, and that I’d be back as soon as the reality show was over. My being gone didn’t freak him out like when I first got him from the shelter. Back then, if I left even for
a moment, he’d hide, and when I found him, he’d be shaking like a leaf. This time, even though I was gone for weeks, he acted like it was no big deal.” She took a sip of her coffee. “Which reminds me, thanks again for offering to watch Onyx while I’m on my honeymoon. It’s such a relief to know he’ll be happy and cared for while I’m gone.”

  “Of course. We love Onyx and I think it’s good for Henry to have a cat buddy to play with.” Pixie grinned and added, “Henry’s an old grump, but while you were on the show, he reminded me every day that we had to go see Onyx.” She looked over at him, a tender smile on her face. “I guess since I talk to him all the time, I sometimes forget he’s a cat and not a human. He really is amazing.”

  Stella nodded enthusiastically. “He really is. I just hope he can shed some light on what happened to that poor little kitten.”

  Chapter Three -Midnight

  I yowled. I yowled as hard and as loud as a little kitten could. What was wrong with these witches? A little boy was lost in the woods and there they were: sitting, drinking coffee, and eating pie.

  I threw myself against the bars of the carrier, shifting it slightly closer to the edge of the table. Maybe if I knocked the carrier to the floor it would pop open and I'd be able to escape. But then what? I had no idea where I was or how to get back to Adam.

  Adam. My poor, human boy. For moment I paused, thinking about his scent and his tears as I left him behind. I had to get back to him! I had to save him.

  I yowled some more and did my best to move the carrier, but it was too big, and I was too small. I paused to take a breath. When I looked up, I was surprised to see a large, gray tabby cat strutting slowly into the room. He yawned and licked his paw, then strode over to where the two witches were talking. I yowled some more. "Hey! You over there! Get me out of here. I need to get out of here."