Southern Magic Thanksgiving

by Amy Boyles

  “The ones I might be killed for,” he said.

  I rolled my eyes. “Yes. Okay. You’re protected while you’re here. No one’s going to harm you.” I turned back to Amelia. “I think the town is acting weird. Something is up. Rabbit, do you know anything about it?”

  He hopped on the bed and let his short feet dangle off the side. “Nothing. I don’t know anything.”

  Lying again. I could feel it. I couldn’t force him to reveal anything he didn’t want. But my suspicion that he was hiding information was like a pin poking my side.

  Amelia rubbed my arm. “I’m sure everything will be fine. You’ll see. You’re coming to the Christmas tree lighting tonight?”

  “First I’m hearing of it.”

  She clapped with glee. “On Thanksgiving night the town all convenes on Bubbling Cauldron to witness the lighting of the town tree. It’s so much fun. It’s magical. You have to attend.”

  I scratched my head. “Okay. Sure. I’ll be there.”

  For the second time in the past couple of days I wished Axel were here. He would’ve believed me, would’ve smelled the same weirdness I did.

  I sighed. All heads turned to me. “It’s nothing.”

  My phone buzzed from its place on my pillow. I picked it up and didn’t recognize the number. It was out of town, but not too far away.

  My heart thundered to an explosive stop. “It’s Axel.”

  Amelia opened her lids so wide I thought her eyes might splat to the floor. “Do you want me to leave?”

  I palmed the phone. “Yes. Mattie, can you take the animals with you, too?”

  Mattie jumped from the windowsill and trotted to the door. “Come on, y’all, Pepper needs private time.”

  They nearly tripped over each other to clamber from the room. Meanwhile, I counted the rings because there’s only six before the call hits voice mail.

  “Four,” I whispered.

  “Five.”

  They were gone. I kicked the door at the same time as I swiped a finger across the bottom bar. “Hello?”

  Nothing. If this was a stupid telemarketing call on Thanksgiving, I would get someone fired.

  “Hello?” I repeated.

  “Pepper.” The low male voice crackled into my ear.

  The reception wasn’t great. I crossed to the window and nearly stuck my head through the pane of glass. “Yes?”

  “Happy Thanksgiving.”

  A slow, creeping realization sank into my brain like icing melting on a warm cake.

  “Oh my God. Rufus?” I couldn’t believe it.

  “Yes. Not expecting me?”

  “No.” I paused. “Why’re you calling me? How did you get my number? Are you stalking me?”

  “It’s a listed number. I only wanted to wish you a happy Thanksgiving.”

  I could hang up, forget he ever rang, but there was a pie sitting on the top shelf of my closet along with a suspicion that crap wasn’t right in Magnolia Cove, y’all.

  I clutched the phone to my jaw. “I’m so glad you called. I need your help.”

  TEN

  “I don’t even get a happy Thanksgiving first? I’m hurt.”

  I seethed into the phone. “Happy Thanksgiving. You’re lucky I don’t call the police and have them trace this call.”

  Rufus paused. “I thought you needed my help.”

  I stopped. “I do.” I sighed. “There’s something strange going on here.”

  “In Magnolia Cove? The most magical place on earth?” His voice dripped with sarcasm. It irritated the holy heck out of me.

  “Impossible,” he said.

  “It’s not. Seriously, Rufus.” His name set my tongue on fire. What’s wrong with me?

  I was obviously severely screwed up in knots over Axel. Had to be. So much so that when Rufus called, I didn’t know my head from my butt crack.

  “Okay.” He relented. “What’s wrong?”

  “There was a woman here. Here name was Lori Lou Fick. She opened up a bakery across the street from Carmen’s. To make a long, boring story—”

  “Nothing you say is ever boring.”

  “I could kill you right now. Can you please just listen? What’s wrong with you? We’re mortal enemies.”

  “I forgot.” A touch of something rang in his voice. Was it sadness? Weird.

  “Lori handed out pecan pies with little chocolate bats in them. Now everyone’s giving their things away.”

  “It is Thanksgiving.”

  “That’s not what Thanksgiving’s about!”

  Rufus replied with a buttery laugh. “Point taken. You think the pies have something to do with it?”

  “Lori’s dead. Murdered with a pair of ribbon-cutting scissors. Her pet rabbit told me that she was selling love potions illegally. I saw a car filled with men screech from the back of her building this morning. I have their license plate.”

  “Has Axel run it?”

  My stomach exploded into the earth. He didn’t know. Rufus had no clue that Axel had left.

  I tapped a clenched fist to my forehead. “No. Axel doesn’t know. He’s gone.”

  “Gone? Why would the wolf leave?”

  There was a test in his voice. A test and I didn’t know if I would fail or score sun-blistering high marks.

  “Never mind,” was all I managed to say. I couldn’t go into it. Didn’t want to go into it. “But no. Axel hasn’t run it.”

  “Are you asking me to?”

  I gnashed my teeth. I wished I had a piece of beef jerky to tear off and chew to a knobby pulp. But I didn’t. All I had was my tongue, and I wasn’t about to gnaw that raw.

  I closed my eyes and sighed. “Yes. I’m asking if you’ll run the plate.”

  “Do you have any pie left?”

  “Yes.”

  “I can analyze it. See what’s in it.”

  “In your Frankenstein lab?”

  He laughed faintly. “No. I do know how to work magic to analyze things. Just like your boyfriend.” I couldn’t help but note a touch of bitterness in his voice at the word boyfriend.

  This was the break I’d been waiting for. No one would help me on this. Everyone thought I was crazy, and the one creature who knew the truth—stupid Collinsworth—was holding on to his secrets tighter than a high schooler locking down her virginity the night before prom.

  I huffed out a breath. “When and where?”

  “When do you want to meet?”

  It sounded like a challenge. I didn’t know if it was, and to be honest, I wasn’t up for any sort of challenge. This wasn’t a game. These were real people I knew being affected by something that was beyond my level of understanding.

  “I can meet tonight.”

  I swore it sounded like he smiled. “Are you going to the Christmas tree lighting?”

  I frowned. “How do you know about that?”

  “I used to live there, remember?” he said, sounding annoyed.

  “Right. Yes, I’m going.”

  “Meet me right after the bulbs are lit. You won’t be missed that way.”

  “Where?”

  “Do you remember, once upon a time when I wanted your power?” Regret dripped from the words.

  “I do. But I don’t think that’s over. I believe you still want my magic.”

  “I’ll settle for friendship.”

  “And weird calls on holidays?”

  He chuckled. “Yes, and those. But do you remember when you tried to leave town and I found you on the outskirts? You were on the road.”

  My stomach clenched. I remembered. If it hadn’t been for Axel, Rufus would’ve captured me. Then he would’ve analyzed my brain, made me become his cohort in evil. Or whatever it was he wanted.

  I gulped. The memory was too real, too sharp. “I remember.”

  “Meet me there. Bring the pie.”

  Click.

  “And goodbye to you, too,” I said. I glanced at the closet. “Now how the heck am I going to smuggle this out without Betty knowing?”
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  That woman was like a feral dog around the pie. I had to think of something.

  It hit me like a bright, brilliant shooting star slamming into my chest.

  I snapped my fingers. “I’ve got it.”

  “What’s in your purse?” Betty sniffed the opening of my bag.

  We were on our way to the tree lighting. I knew she would be all over me, trying to find that stupid pie.

  “Just regular stuff. Lipstick, tissues, tampons.”

  Betty glared. “Where’s my pie?”

  I shook my head. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  She wagged a fist. I bit back the laugh that threatened to blow from my mouth. “I’ll find my pie.”

  I squeezed her shoulders. “Why don’t we enjoy the tree lighting and forget about the pie?”

  Though most of the homes in town still had furniture strewn on the lawns, a couple of them showcased something that made my gut twist.

  “For Giving?” I murmured.

  The sign staked in the yard of a cute white cottage stole my breath. “For Giving?” I repeated.

  Betty harrumphed. “That’s Sylvia Spirits’s house.”

  The black letters of the sign confused me. “What does that even mean?”

  Amelia popped up between us. “I don’t know.”

  “Excuse me,” came a voice at my ankle. Collinsworth tugged my pant leg.

  “What is it?” Be grateful I don’t kick you.

  “I believe,” the rabbit enunciated perfectly, “the sign signifies that the owner is giving away the house.”

  I screeched to a halt. “No way. Why would Sylvia be giving away her house?”

  Collinsworth snapped his little trap shut.

  I nudged him with my toe. “Why would she be giving her house away?”

  “She’s in the spirit of giving,” Betty said.

  “Makes no sense,” I ground out. “None of this makes any sense.”

  I raked my fingers through my hair. This whole situation was like a horrible virus. With every mutation the scenario worsened. At first it was folks handing out small things. Now we were talking houses.

  I needed to speak with Rufus.

  A shudder swept through my body. Never in the entire history of the world did I think I’d need to speak with Rufus. Comets would destroy the planet first. A meteor would smack me right in the chest before I sought Rufus’s help.

  I scanned the sky for said comet but saw nothing. It wouldn’t have surprised me if the stupid thing collided with my backside.

  After what seemed like a constant battle to keep my purse away from a snooping Betty, we finally reached the tree.

  My breath staggered.

  It was magnificent. It must’ve stood at least twenty feet tall. Endless strands of bulbs on rope twisted all the way to the top. Nestled in the boughs were decorations completely individualized to Magnolia Cove.

  There were witches in Christmas clothes, giants playing in the snow, and cats sitting atop red and green pumpkins. The ornaments were absolutely darling. I loved them all.

  My heart was near to bursting at the magic of the holidays in Magnolia Cove.

  Too bad someone had to be murdered and now everyone was acting all goofy.

  Oh, and let’s not forget that I was actually looking forward to meeting up with Rufus so he could help me untangle this mess.

  Yes. That’s when I knew I must’ve been suffering from some sort of brain damage. When the thought of Rufus Mayes made me want to run as quickly as I could to meet him, I knew I was either suffering from the same virus as everyone else, or I was infected with my own original virus.

  I was pretty sure there wasn’t a cure other than hiding under a rock and never seeing the light of day again.

  I guess what I meant was—I hoped we got this whole mess figured out because the thought of relying on Rufus made my stomach do something I wasn’t familiar with.

  I decided not to think about it too much.

  My thoughts flashed to Axel, but that was even worse, so I concentrated on counting how many witch ornaments decorated my side of the tree.

  “Hi, Amelia.”

  All of us twisted our heads to the left.

  Sidling up to the group, apparently on soundless loafers, was Dicky Downy. He brushed 1960’s surfer boy bangs from his eyes.

  Amelia gazed at him with mistrust. “Hi, Dicky.”

  He punched his hands into his pockets and stared at the ground. I swear if there’d been a pebble to kick, he would’ve done it. “Happy Thanksgiving.”

  She sniffed. “Same to you.”

  All of us, including myself, were totally glued to this exchange. What was the big mystery here? Dicky was clearly smitten with Amelia, and my pixie-haircut, doe-eyed, almost airheaded cousin looked at Dicky Downy with confusion.

  Since Dicky was here and he’d had a tiff with Lori Lou the day before she was murdered, I decided his brain was ripe for plucking.

  “How was the pie from the Sweet Witch?”

  “Good,” he mumbled, still staring at Amelia.

  “Terrible about Lori Lou.”

  He raked his fingers through his hair. “I’d say.” He reached out as if he wanted to graze his fingers down Amelia’s arm and stopped himself when her gaze snapped to his hand. “I’m giving tours of my parents’ house. Would you like to come?”

  “A tour before the Christmas tours start?” Betty huffed.

  “It’s my way of giving back to the community.”

  Amelia gave him a murderous look. “And what else will you be giving away?”

  “Nothing.”

  Right. Dicky had been the rich kid who sold the drugs. I turned to face him, placing myself between him and Amelia. Now he had no choice but to look at me.

  “Dicky.” I tapped my finger to my cheek. “I heard the strangest rumor about you. About way back in the day when you were in school here.”

  “What’s that?”

  I lowered my voice. “That you were always well supplied with…things.”

  His expression remained blank for what felt like an entire minute. Finally recognition flared in his eyes. “Right. That.”

  I was about to make myself look horrible, but I had to get Carmen out of jail. I had to prove that Lori Lou was killed because of this whole illegal-love-potion thing. I just had to.

  “There’s something I wanted to experiment with.” I dropped my voice even lower. “Love potion?”

  Dicky rocked back. “Yeah. I don’t do any of that anymore.”

  I searched his eyes for a hint of a lie. The blue irises didn’t flicker with anything other than absolute honesty. So Dicky wasn’t buying love potions. But who was?

  I wish that little jerk Collinsworth would just tell me. I gazed down at him. The rabbit wore the handkerchief he’d nabbed from the bakery. White poppies floated over the crimson as if they were drowning in paint.

  “Thanks anyway,” I said, turning back.

  Dicky moved closer to Amelia, and I stepped back, waiting for the tree to be lit.

  Mayor Battle stepped onto a podium. He cupped a hand under his mouth. Magic unfurled from his palm. When he spoke, his voice bellowed in high definition.

  “Happy Thanksgiving! Welcome. I won’t give a big speech. We’re all here to see one thing. This tree lit up. Without further ado, light her!”

  The bulbs hummed and flickered for a second before blazing to life. I swear, if Santa Claus was cruising around scoping out his route for the big day, he would’ve seen this tree’s lights from China.

  Yes, they were that bright.

  Which meant it was time for me to meet my nemesis—Rufus Mayes.

  ELEVEN

  I sneaked back to the house and snatched my cast-iron riding skillet from its spot by the hearth. Once outside I hiked one leg over and jetted into the sky.

  Lifting off, soaring across the horizon as the stars winked to life was something I would never get used to. The bottom dropped away from my stomach as th
e tip of the skillet sliced through the atmosphere.

  I landed on the road outside town a few minutes later. The canopy of trees overhead made the growing dark almost menacing. I pulled a flashlight from my pocket and washed it over the trees.

  A figure stepped from the shadows. I shot my beam over. He wore black jeans and a soft black sweater. His long, dark hair had been cut to his shoulders, and the black eyeliner that normally rimmed his eyes was gone.

  I did a double take. “Rufus?”

  He sauntered over. “The one and only.” He opened his arms. “What? No hug?”

  I stiffened. “I’d rather hug Satan.” Which wasn’t true, but Rufus wasn’t my favorite person on the planet, either.

  He traced his thumb over his bottom lip. “Understood. Now. You have something for me?”

  My stomach plunged. Odd. Was it the fact that he was getting right to business? We’d sort of called a truce last time I met him. A flash of something burned bright in my core. Sadness? Was I sad that he wasn’t talking to me?

  Ridiculous.

  But just to test it…

  “How’ve you been?” I said.

  “Almost sounds like you care.”

  “You wish.” I glanced away.

  “I’ve been remarkably good for someone condemned from all decent society.”

  “Glad to know something’s working out for you.” Really, I was. “What about the experiments? Been playing vampire on any unsuspecting victims? Or trying to turn them into vampires? Or whatever it is you do.”

  He took a step forward. My heart leaped to my throat. I’d never noticed before how dark his eyes were—inky black. They were so dark I couldn’t tell where the pupil stopped and the iris began. I was tempted to flash my light in them just to see.

  His lip coiled into a smirk. “It seems I’ve taken over a new leaf.”

  “Shocking.”

  He chuckled. “I haven’t done any of those things since I left here. I’ve actually been a model citizen.”

  “Hard to believe.”

  He laughed softly. “I knew you’d say that. There’s no way for me to prove it to you.”

  “And there’s no way this town is going to allow you in to confirm it.”

  “I know.” His voice became dark, bothered. He inhaled sharply. Rufus’s gaze flickered to my throat. “Your heart’s beating fast.”