by Zoe Arden
Colt's eyes scanned the room for the sheriff, who was just reentering from the doorway on the other side of the room. We started toward him.
Snowball and Tootsie cut us off from our path. Rocky was running closely behind them. I almost tripped over him. Snowball ran under the center table with the cake. Tootsie followed.
"No!" I cried. "Rocky, stop!" He stopped just before he could follow them under the table and knock the whole thing over, and the cake with it.
Rocky turned and looked back over at me.
"Snowball! Tootsie! Come out from there!" I shouted, garnering a few stares.
Snowball's head poked out from beneath the tablecloth. He was holding something shiny in his mouth. I moved in for a closer look and saw Renee's four-leaf clover necklace dangling from between Snowball's teeth.
"Mama," she muttered, the necklace still clenched between her teeth so that it sounded like she'd said. "Mmma." Her fluffy white head looked like it was floating; the rest of her body was still hidden behind the white table linen.
Tootsie poked her head out next to Snowball's. "Ava looking for Renee? She is here."
Rocky pulled back one corner of the tablecloth to reveal Renee sitting there, her knees drawn to her chest.
Rocky looked back to me. "Should Rocky get her?" asked the wolfhound.
Renee let out a piercing shriek. "Aaah! A talking dog!" Panic gripped her so hard that she tried to stand while still under the table. Her head smacked against the underside of the table and the cake wobbled precariously. The orchestra stopped playing once again and everyone stopped dancing. Déjà vu hit me as Renee tried to snap a picture with her camera. Renee shrieked a second time as Colt moved toward her. She clamored out from under the table, fighting Colt as he tried to get a grip on her and prevent her from running off again.
She stomped on Colt's toes. Tootsie and Snowball pulled at Renee's pant bottoms. She let out another shriek and lost her balance, grabbing hold of the table for support. But the table was already unsteady and, instead of supporting her, it toppled under her weight. She, the table, and the cake all crashed to the floor together.
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CHAPTER
EIGHTEEN
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Sheriff Knoxx and Colt each took hold of Renee and escorted her from the ballroom. Her eyes were wide; she couldn't seem to grasp the idea that that Rocky talked. When Tadpole wagged his finger at her like a schoolteacher at a naughty boy, I thought she might faint. She shook her hand free from Sheriff Knoxx's grip and reached into her pocket. He braced himself, his hand moving to his holster for something I suspected was pepper spray, then eased up when Renee only pulled out a chocolate peanut butter brownie. She shoved it into her mouth whole and reached for another one. When she was finally out of sight, the crowd began to disperse.
This time, there was no returning from the resulting chaos Renee had caused. Cake and frosting lay splattered across the floor. People had already stepped in it and tracked it out onto the dance floor. Rocky licked at the buttercream like it was bacon.
"Oh, dear, uh..." Otis scratched his head.
Tadpole walked over to Rocky, who still had his nose buried in the buttercream, and took a lick. The caramelized potato chip crumbles lay scattered on the floor. He picked one up and added a dollop of the frosting to it, then plopped the whole thing into his mouth. He smiled widely and began gathering whatever potato chip crumbles he could get ahold of.
Colt returned a moment later with the sheriff. "Elwin's escorting Renee home," Colt said.
Dean Lampton marched over to him. "Home?" he cried, his face pinched and red. "Home?! Why should she go home? Take her to the sheriff's station. Lock her up."
Sheriff Knoxx shook his head. "Technically, they've broken no laws, except perhaps causing a disturbance. But I think everyone here tonight is guilty of that, don't you? If people hadn't chased them around, maybe things wouldn't have gotten so messy. They should have left it to me and my deputies. And Colt, of course," he quickly added, not wanting to offend him. The sheriff and Colt hadn't always gotten along. Now that they did, they were careful not to butt heads with each other.
I hadn't thought it possible for Dean's face to grow any redder but he proved me wrong. It looked like someone had covered him in red paint.
"You're telling me," he said, "that you just let those MAPP women go."
"No," Sheriff Knoxx said. "We confiscated their cameras first. We'll go through whatever they've got before we return them."
My mind raced. I couldn't help wondering if my picture might be on one of these other cameras. Maybe it hadn't been on Renee's camera at all. I'd have to get a look at them.
"Those cameras should all be destroyed," Dean said. "Can you imagine what would happen if pictures of us performing magic actually got out to the public?"
My collar started to grow hot as I looked at Colt.
"Oh, come on," Colt said, correctly sensing my irritation with him. He'd told me not to worry about that picture Renee had taken of me but Dean sure seemed to think it was a big deal. "Don't you think people would take one look at any pictures they got and think they were Photoshopped?"
"No," Dean snapped. "I don't care either way. Even if the majority did think they were Photoshopped, there would still be a few who believed. A few can turn to many. Many can turn into a problem."
"But there are humans on Heavenly Haven who already know the truth and nothing's ever happened because of it," Colt said.
"Are you serious?" Dean asked, pulling at the cuffs of his shirt like he was trying to rip them off. It was an odd nervous habit to have but I supposed it was better than pulling out his hair. "Renee Tellinger lived on Heavenly Haven years ago. She knows the truth. Look what's happened because of it."
I saw Colt bite back whatever else he wanted to say. Dean was right and Colt knew it.
"I'm going to stop those MAPP women once and for all," Dean said.
"How?" I asked.
He glared at me. "I don't know yet but I'll figure it out. Mark my words. By this time next week, MAPP will be a thing of the past." He stormed off toward the front doors, saw a crowd of people still milling around out there, and decided against getting stuck in a swarm of angry, irritating questions. He turned and went into the kitchen area instead.
The crowds had really thinned by now. It was mostly me, my family, and the work crews who remained. Polly and Wilma were standing together looking out over the ruined cake. They almost looked happy.
I rounded on Colt. "You told me that picture Renee took of me didn't matter," I shouted in a whisper.
"I still don't think it does," Colt said. "Dean is kind of a dim-witch sometimes. You know that."
"All I know is that you told me there wasn't a problem when there was. You better look through all those cameras you confiscated today and make my sure my picture isn't on any of them. If it is, you delete it."
"I really think you're overreacting," Colt said, his face flushing.
"I'm overreacting?" I yelled, forgetting to whisper. Eleanor and my dad turned to look at us from several paces away. "You know what you are? You're a—"
"WARTHOG!" Betsey LaGrange shouted from across the room, jarring me out of my anger for the moment. Colt and I both turned toward her. She was yelling at Damon.
"If I’m a warthog, then you're a TOAD!" he yelled back at her.
"I guess we're not the only ones on edge tonight," Colt said. "Bet they wouldn't be yelling like that if they'd eaten your cake."
"A little sugar never hurt anyone," I said, smiling. The ones who weren't smiling now were Betsey and Damon. I had no idea what had happened between them but whatever it was, they looked ready to kill each other.
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CHAPTER
NINETEEN
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Betsey's hair burned a bright pale yellow. It was almost white as it shined beneath the ballroom's lights. Her eyes were a deep blue-green, almost purple. She looked at Damon like he was the last person on Earth she wanted to see right now.
"You told me your mom had changed," Betsey shrieked so loudly that Tadpole actually covered his ears.
"She has," Damon shouted angrily. I had to wonder if Damon had completely lost his mind. Had he just witnessed the same scene we had? Maybe watching his mom go off like that had finally made him snap, or maybe he'd blacked the whole thing out, not wanting to think of his mom in such a harsh light.
Betsey cocked her head to the side, her shiny pink lips open in an angry half-O. I could have sworn that she was glowing pink as she tapped one foot rhythmically, angrily, against the floor. The six-inch heels she was wearing only made the tapping worse. It was loud and echoey. It sounded like she was wearing tap shoes.
"Fine," Damon shouted, caving under her gaze. "She hasn't changed, okay? But she's trying. It's not easy to change how you feel about witches and wizards when your husband was killed by one."
My heart slammed against my chest at the mention of his father's death. It almost sounded like he was blaming my dad for killing his. For defending himself. For defending me.
Damon must have turned his head at just the right moment and caught my expression. For half a second his face paled and he lowered his eyes away from me as if he were embarrassed.
"I don't mean to say that my mother's—or father's feelings—on witches and paranormals are right or ever have been. I just mean that it's not been easy for my mom to accept things. When you love someone, you love all their flaws. Sometimes you even make them your own." He sighed. "That's what she did with my dad. That's why she can't let go."
Damon looked back up at me when he said that last part. Colt tensed beside me. I saw Betsey's eyes drift my way and my cheeks colored. She looked mad at me now. I really couldn't understand why either she or Colt should be jealous. It made no sense. Damon and I were wrong for each other on so many levels. But did that mean we couldn't even be friends without the risk of upsetting our loved ones?
Tadpole let out a loud belch all of a sudden and everyone laughed. That is, everyone except Betsey and Damon. My aunts and father were busy trying to clean up and pretend that they weren't listening. Colt and I weren't even pretending, we were just standing, watching, waiting to see what happened next. Polly and Wilma were doing the same. I was just glad that it wasn't me and Colt fighting anymore. Then again, from the look in his eyes, I wasn't sure our argument from earlier was over. I took his hand and gave it a squeeze. He hesitated then squeezed it back. I let out a sigh of relief as my fingers began to tingle from his touch.
"Damon, you lied to me," Betsey said, her voice sounded hurt but her face still looked filled with fury. She was grinding her teeth together.
"I had to," Damon said. "I did it for us."
I groaned. Next to me, Colt groaned, too. Damon shot us a questioning look. He had just made a huge mistake and didn't even know it. When he turned back to Betsey, his eyes opened wide. Betsey's face had turned a silvery white color that made my hairs stand on end.
"HOW DARE YOU?!?" she shouted. "You lied to me for us? Do you think I'm stupid? You lied to me because you're a coward!"
"Betsey, I—"
"No!" she shouted, turning away from him. "I should never have come to this stupid party with you." She turned her eyes from him to those of us watching them. We looked quickly away, embarrassed. "He knew his mom was gonna do something stupid tonight; why do you think he dragged me here? He wanted to keep an eye on her." She turned back to him. "Great job," she snapped.
Damon was blushing. "Look, can we just go somewhere and talk?"
"No, I need to get away from you before I do something really dumb. I need to think about this before I make any decisions."
"Think about what?"
"Us."
Damon looked hurt then angry. "Fine," he snapped. "Go on and think about us. I won't stop you. I've got my own thinking to do anyway."
Betsey's eyes flashed anger once more before she turned around and left. Damon stood watching her go. When she was finally gone, no one said anything for a full minute. Damon just kept standing in the same place as if he thought she might come back. Maybe he did. Finally, he took a step forward.
"Betsey!" he yelled and ran after her.
Snowball and Tootsie ran past us, away from Rocky. They had resumed their game from earlier, hyped up by flattened cake and spilled sugar.
Dean came stomping out of the kitchen.
"There are no more mini corn muffins in there," he growled. "I refuse to stay any longer in a place where I can't get mini corn muffins." He stomped out the same doors Damon and Betsey had just gone through.
Damon and I looked at each other and smiled. We may have had our share of worries but at least none of them involved mini corn muffins.
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CHAPTER
TWENTY
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No one from MAPP was expelled from the island, though according to rumor, Sally, Bebe, and Vivian had been expelled from their hotel. Even in Mistmoor they'd heard about the disastrous happenings at the mayor's ball and had no sympathy for the MAPP women. They considered it dumb luck that MAPP was more interested in Sweetland than Mistmoor at the moment but knew that could change at any instant.
No one was exactly sure what had become of the three women. They'd been spotted here and there in the last couple of days following Otis' party but no one seemed to know where they were staying. No hotel in Mistmoor or in Sweetland would have them. I'd have thought they'd leave on their own since places were refusing to serve them—it wasn't just the hotels. A diner they'd gone into had refused them coffee and tea, and Mistmoor's library had told them all to get out when they'd come in searching for a book on removing curses, hexes, and other paranormal-type stuff. They'd told the librarian they were afraid they'd been cursed during the mayor's ball and wanted to get rid of it. When she'd asked who'd cursed them, they'd named me.
I hadn't cursed anyone but I was starting to wish I had. The MAPP women were paranoid, rude, and in the way. They had just ruined the social event of the year and seemed intent on doing even worse before they finally left Heavenly Haven. Most people were outraged they hadn't yet been banned from the island, or at least from Sweetland.
"Let them stay in Mistmoor," said Natalie Vargas this morning over a chocolate banana muffin.
"What would that solve?" asked Eleanor. "They'd still be here."
"But they'd be on the other side of the island."
"They've been on the other side of the island." Eleanor’s temper seemed short this morning and I suspected she hadn't gotten much sleep. "Look what good it's done."
"You're particularly cheery this morning, aren't you?" said Natalie sarcastically, setting down her muffin wrapper and wiping her hands.
"There's a trashcan right there," Eleanor snapped.
Natalie looked at her, picked up the wrapper, and tossed it in. "I was going to throw it away."
"I'm sorry," Eleanor sighed. "I guess I'm just not good company this morning."
Trixie poked her in the side. When she looked up, she handed her a cup of hot chocolate. "Chocolate makes everything better," Trixie said. "If you don't believe me, ask Renee Tellinger. Did you see her stuffing her face with those chocolate peanut butter brownies when they carted her off?"
Eleanor took a sip and smiled. "Thanks. It's good."
"Of course it is," Trixie said. "I made it myself. I think I'll bring Eli a cup as well."
She made another mug and went into the back room to deliver it to my father, who was busy helping us clean the ovens out. The bakery wasn't busy today; people were more interested in staking out the mayor's office, demanding that Renee and her friends be sent away never to return. There wa
s even a rally going on later in the afternoon. I wasn't sure how much any of it mattered. Even if we kicked them off the island, they could always sneak back.
"Are you worried about the windstorm that's coming?" I asked Eleanor. There was supposed to be a real doozy on the way.
"No. We'll get through it okay. I guess I'm just upset about the ball. It was supposed to be such a nice evening and look what happened."
"Why don't Otis and Tazzie Singer work together on this?" Natalie asked. Tazzie Singer was Mistmoor's mayor. "Find some way to get rid of MAPP once and for all." Natalie was starting to sound like Dean Lampton.
"Zane says that they can't legally expel them from the island since all they did was break up a party," Eleanor said.
"They vandalized it!" Natalie shouted, her face red.
"They snuck in," Eleanor replied. "Things only got trashed when people started chasing them around. In a lot of cases, it was the guests themselves who did the trashing, not Renee and her friends."
Natalie's eyes shot blue streams of heat right at Eleanor's head. "I can't... I don't..." Her hands were shaking she was so angry. "I'm leaving," she finally said. "You and your crazy ideas can stay right here without me."
Eleanor and I exchanged a confused look. Neither of us particularly cared whether Natalie was here. She was crude, gossipy, and hard to like at times. In fact, she usually hovered here far longer than we cared for.
"If you want to go, then go," Eleanor said. Natalie tucked her purse under her arm and walked out the door. A second later, she came right back in.