Once Upon a Crime (The Sisters Grimm, Book 4)

by Michael Buckley

  "Release the guard," the fairy said to Mr. Canis.

  Canis put the goblin down and then did something that made Sabrina shudder--he sniffed the creature and licked his lips.

  "I smell your fear, darkling," he said to the guard. "It's delicious."

  Granny set a hand on Mr. Canis's shoulder. "Old friend," she said softly, and this time it calmed the old man. He shrank to his familiar form but for a moment he glanced around as if he wasn't sure where he was. He looked down at his left hand with a confused expression. It had not changed back with the rest of his body. It was still covered in thick brown fur.

  The fairy leader turned to Mr. Hamstead, who held Puck bundled in his arms. "Let's see this fairy."

  Hamstead pulled back the blanket to reveal Puck's fevered face. The leader blanched, then gingerly took the weak boy into his own arms, cradling him gently.

  "He's wounded, badly," Granny Relda said. "We hoped your people might be able to help."

  "Follow me," the boy fairy said as his wings vanished.

  "But Mustardseed," one of the guards cried. "Your father--"

  Mustardseed turned a hard stare on the goblin. "My father will not hear of this, will he?"

  The goblin's eyes were now alight with fear. "Of course not," he stammered.

  The boy fairy nodded, turned, and strode through the double doors. The group hurried to follow. He led them down a long, narrow hallway lined with doors. At the far end was a pair marked EMPLOYEES ONLY. The fairy shouldered them aside and gestured for the family to follow.

  They found themselves in a large room with hardwood floors. A roaring fireplace crackled on one side and a large oak desk sat on the other. A few high-backed chairs were scattered about. In one of them sat a woman wearing a leopard-print dress, big, golden hoop earrings, and matching shoes. Sabrina guessed she was in her early forties, and despite her gaudy outfit she seemed very dignified. She had long, brown hair, professionally styled, and the same shocking blue eyes as Mustardseed. A pretty young girl around Sabrina's age stood behind her, gently combing the woman's hair. The girl's eyebrows were arched upward in what appeared to be a permanent look of doubt and suspicion, and she was wearing an odd little pastel dress that seemed to be made out of silks and spiderwebs.

  "Mustardseed, if you are looking for your father, he is not here," the woman said.

  "Thank the heavens for miracles," the boy said as he set Puck on the nearest sofa. "Puck has returned."

  The woman and the young girl cried out in unison, rose to their feet, and rushed to Puck's side. They knelt down and brushed his matted hair off his sweaty face.

  "Son!" the woman cried.

  Sabrina was stunned. She'd assumed that Puck had a mother--nearly everyone did--but she had pictured her as old and broken, physically and mentally exhausted by Puck's pranks and immaturity. This woman was young and healthy and seemed to be perfectly sane.

  "Moth, find Cobweb--quickly!" the woman said to the girl. "Tell him to bring his medicines."

  "But--"

  "Go!" Puck's mother shouted. Moth cringed and raced from the room as the woman turned her attention back to Mustardseed. "Where did you find your brother?"

  "You're his brother?" Sabrina said. "But you're so… clean." Puck was usually covered in food and whatever he had found in the forest to roll around in.

  Puck has to be adopted,

  Sabrina thought to herself.

  "They brought him," Mustardseed said to his mother, gesturing to the Grimms.

  "What did you do to my boy?" Puck's mother studied the group for the first time, her face full of suspicion.

  "He was fighting a Jabberwocky and it ripped off his wings," Sabrina explained, feeling a lump of guilt lodge in her throat. He'd been trying to protect her.

  The woman eyed her coldly. "And where would my son encounter a Jabberwocky?"

  "Ferryport Landing," Daphne replied. "He lives there with us."

  The woman scowled. "So, that's where he went."

  "Ma'am, my name is Relda Grimm. I've been looking after Puck for some time, now. These are my--"

  "Grimm!

  More troublemakers?" the woman bellowed, cutting Granny Relda off.

  Sabrina sighed. Everywhere the family went they got an angry reception from Everafters. Was this just old hatred of Wilhelm… or had her father, Henry, been meddling in Everafter business? Sabrina's heart sank. Had her father been secretly doing the detective work he'd left Ferryport Landing to avoid?

  "You must know our father, Henry," Sabrina said, testing her theory.

  "Your father? No! I'm talking about Veronica Grimm," Puck's mother said. "Veronica?" the Grimms cried in unison. "You know our mom?" Daphne said.

  The woman fell back as if she'd been slapped. "Veronica Grimm had children?"

  At that moment, the little fairy girl known as Moth returned to the room. "Your Majesty, Cobweb is on his way."

  "Very good. Mustardseed, escort these people to the street," his mother snapped. "Their presence is no longer required."

  "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Mr. Hamstead said. "Let's all calm down. Now we all want what is best for Puck, so--"

  "You can leave on your feet or in a box," the woman threatened.

  Mr. Canis stepped forward, eyes flashing. He started to open his mouth but was quickly interrupted by an angry voice.

  "If anyone is leaving in a box it will be you!"

  Sabrina spun around and found three large men standing behind her. Their leader was a tall, bearish fairy roughly the same age as Puck's mother. He had a big, thick face and thinning hair. He was wearing a black pin-striped suit, expensive shoes, and a gold watch. His wings were fluttering furiously. The other two men were the ones Sabrina had seen when she had first entered the Golden Egg, the track-suited bouncer and his bulldog-faced partner. They were carrying violin cases.

  Their leader charged at Puck's mother, grabbing her roughly by the wrists and shaking her violently. "You've pushed me too far, Titania."

  "Get your hands off me, Oberon!" the woman roared, pulling her hands away.

  "Get this traitor out of here!" Oberon cried, pointing at Puck. His two huge cohorts moved toward the sick boy.

  "He's hurt," Mustardseed said as he stepped in their path to protect his brother.

  Oberon turned his anger on his son. "Would you like to join your brother in banishment? Do you want to be liosta dubh, as well?"

  Mustardseed shook his head. Still, he stood his ground.

  "Puck is your son and he's hurt, Oberon," Titania pleaded.

  "He's no son of mine," the king snarled, standing over Puck's weak body with clenched fists. "He betrayed me. He turned his back on thousands of years of tradition. In the old lands, the King of Faerie would have had his head on a pike for such disobedience."

  "What's a pike?" Daphne whispered to her sister.

  "A long pointy stick," Sabrina replied quietly.

  Daphne curled her lip.

  "Just like your traditions, the old lands are dead and gone," Titania said. "Bah!" Oberon cried. "Not for long!"

  Just then, a tall, thin man with long, black hair and a dark face entered the room. His eyes were sunken and purple. He carried a black case in one frail hand.

  "You called for me," he said.

  "Cobweb, I'm afraid you've wasted a trip. We won't be needing any medicine today," Oberon said, dismissing the fairy with a flick of his hand.

  Sabrina was stunned. Would he really let Puck die?

  "No! Wait!" Titania cried. She pulled her husband aside and her voice suddenly softened. "Let Cobweb heal Puck and I will give you a present."

  "What could you give me that I would ever want, Titania?"

  "Power, Oberon," Titania said. "I can give you power over the entire community."

  "I already control them," the fairy leader said with a laugh. His goons giggled with him.

  "Perhaps, but you don't command their respect. I can give you something you've always wanted--their support," Titania argued. "I
can give you something that will help you rebuild your precious Faerie kingdom."

  "And what would that be?" Oberon said.

  Titania gestured to Sabrina and Daphne. "The children of Veronica Grimm."

  Oberon looked stunned for a moment, then laughed. "Another one of your lies."

  Titania grabbed Sabrina roughly by the wrist. "Tell him who your mother was, human."

  "Veronica Grimm," Sabrina said, yanking her hand away. "But I think you've got the wrong Veronica Grimm. She wasn't involved in any Everafter nonsense."

  Oberon's eyes flashed so brightly Sabrina had to look away. Then he turned to Cobweb. "Heal the boy!" Oberon turned back to his wife. "But when he is well he can go back to whatever rock he has been living under for the last ten years."

  Mustardseed and Moth looked saddened by Oberon's declaration, but Titania nodded and thanked him.

  Oberon spoke to the fairy in the tracksuit. "Bobby Screwball, I need the Wizard."

  Bobby Screwball nodded, reached into his violin case, and took out a long, thin stick with a big silver star on the end. He waved it in circles above his head and with a flick of his wrist a man suddenly appeared from nowhere. He was short and paunchy with thinning hair and a big, bulbous nose. He wore gray trousers, a white shirt, and an emerald-green apron covered in oil and dirt. He seemed completely bewildered, his eyes darting around the room in panic. Then he frowned.

  "Aw geez, Your Majesty," the man cried in a thick Southern accent. "I was in a staff meeting. An entire group of trainee elves and Santa Clauses just saw me disappear into thin air. They're probably all freaked out. You may think that forgetful dust grows on trees, but you're wrong. It's very expensive and harder and harder to get!"

  "Wizard, I need your particular talents," Oberon said. "Tonight we're having a celebration. I want to see every Everafter in town. Tell them I have… a special surprise for them."

  "You're kidding me, right? A party? Tonight?" the Wizard cried. "Impossible. I can't just walk over and have the signal turned on. These things have to be planned."

  The fairy with the bulldog face stepped over to the Wizard, grabbed him by the shirt collar, and pulled him close. "You're the Wizard. Nothing is impossible."

  "Call off your goon!" the little man cried.

  "Let him go, Tony Fats," Oberon said. The fairy frowned but released the squirming man.

  "Fine! But don't expect a miracle," the Wizard grumbled.

  "That's what I like to hear," the king said. He turned to his men and gestured at Sabrina and her family. "Keep them somewhere safe. We don't want the community's Christmas present damaged before they get it."

  "Will do, boss," Bobby Screwball said as Oberon marched out of the room.

  "I will need a little privacy with Puck," Cobweb said as he o

  pened his case. He removed several vials containing powders, a few empty glass jars, a mortar and pestle. Then he began mixing things in the mortar.

  "Everyone out," Titania said as she exited the room. Moth and Mustardseed followed close behind, leaving the Grimms and their friends to trail reluctantly after the odd, fidgety Wizard and Oberon's henchmen.

  The Wizard took out a silver box that looked like a remote control. He pushed some of the buttons quickly, and when an odd wheeze came out of it he shook it angrily. Then, he pushed some more and shoved it into his pocket. When he looked up he acted as if he was noticing the group for the first time. "Who are you people?"

  * * *

  Bobby and Tony Fats led the family out into the hallway. Sabrina felt Daphne slip her hand into her own and squeeze tight.

  "Don't worry," Sabrina whispered to the little girl, wishing she could take her own advice. She had no idea what Oberon's henchmen were capable of. Both Tony Fats and Bobby Screwball had hands as big as pumpkins. They also looked and talked as if they had seen too many mobster movies.

  "The boss wants you to wait in here," Bobby Screwball said when he stopped at one of the many doors in the hallway. He opened it and shoved everyone roughly inside. The room was full of boxes and extra tables and chairs that matched the furnishings in the main room. The two men were preparing to leave when Sabrina spun around on them.

  "Wait a minute!" she cried. "You can't lock us up."

  "We can't?" Tony Fats said to his friend. "I thought we just did." They both laughed.

  "No, you can't," Mr. Canis growled as he stalked toward them.

  Tony and Bobby opened their violin cases and took out their magic wands. They waved them threateningly and Mr. Canis took a step back.

  "You're not very nice," Daphne said. "What kind of Everafters are you?"

  "We're fairy godfathers"

  Tony Fats said. "I've never heard of fairy godfathers."

  "And that's just how we like it," Bobby Screwball replied. "Now, you sit in here and keep your mouths shut and no one will get hurt."

  Bobby slammed the door. Sabrina rushed over and pressed her ear against it. She heard the lock turn and the men's muffled conversation. Daphne joined her and together the two girls strained to listen.

  "Veronica was a real looker," Bobby said.

  "She had great gams, too," Tony added. "What does gams mean?" Daphne asked. "They liked her legs," Sabrina replied. The men's voices faded away.

  "This can't be good," Hamstead said.

  "Relda, I could easily overpower them," Mr. Canis said.

  "And we may need you to do just that, old friend," Granny said. "But they do have Puck and he is not well. I believe it would be wise to just wait and see what happens. I don't believe we are in any danger."

  "Not in any danger?" Sabrina cried. "Oberon says he's giving us away to the Everafters. I think we should find Puck and break out of here now."

  "I think we should stay. They seem to know Mom," Daphne said. "Wouldn't it be cool if she was a fairy-tale detective, too?"

  "Don't be so gullible," Sabrina said.

  "I'm not being gullible!" the little girl cried. "What does gullible mean?"

  "It means you believe what anyone tells you. They couldn't have known Mom. Remember, this is Puck's family! The Trickster King! This is all some big joke of theirs."

  "I'm not so sure," Granny said. "Your mother was a Grimm, after all."

  "By marriage," Sabrina said a little louder than she meant to. "My mom was the only normal person in this family. She would never have gotten involved with Everafters!"

  "Your mother knew about Everafters. She lived in Ferryport Landing with your dad when you were just born," Granny said.

  "She's right, Sabrina," Hamstead said. "Your mother and Henry got into a number of adventures in the short time she lived with us."

  "Adventures?" Mr. Canis grumbled. "More like near-death experiences."

  "I think that's why she fit into the family so nicely," Granny Relda said with a smile. "Veronica seemed to have a healthy dose of the Grimm women's spunk."

  "Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!" Sabrina cried. She felt she had to defend her mother. Nobody knew Veronica better than she did! The thought that she would have chosen to get involved in the family business when she didn't have to was ridiculous. Her mother was a normal, everyday, predictable person who enjoyed reading, museums, and her children. She was exactly what Sabrina wanted to be when she grew up.

  "Well, you don't have to be a jerkazoid about it," Daphne snapped.

  "Jerkazoid?" Mr. Hamstead asked. Sabrina's little sister was always coming up with unusual words that made sense only to her.

  "It's my new word. It means her jerkiness isn't normal--it's superpowered."

  Sabrina ignored the little girl's insult and turned to her grandmother. "We should leave now," she pleaded.

  Granny shook her head.

  Sabrina wanted to argue but she could see it was pointless. When the old woman made up her mind there was no use trying to change it.

  * * *

  The family waited for over an hour in near silence. After some time, Bobby Screwball and Tony Fats brought them a supper of
antipasti, salad, stuffed shells, and lemon chicken. It looked and smelled delicious, and Sabrina was starving, but she refused to take a bite, warning that it was probably poisoned. Mr. Canis sniffed it and assured her that there was nothing unusual about the food, but she still wouldn't eat.

  Some time later, the door opened and the Wizard entered. He stepped into the room, wearing the same outfit as earlier, but he was quite a bit more frazzled. He looked as if he had spent the past hour pulling out what little hair he had left on his head.

  "I'm very sorry about this, folks," the Wizard said.

  Mr. Canis sprang on the little man, knocking him to the ground. Fangs dipped out of his mouth and hovered dangerously close to the Wizard's neck.

  "We have questions," Canis growled. "And we're tired of waiting for answers."

  "I don't know anything!" the Wizard cried. "I swear. Oberon sent me to retrieve you. The party is about to start."

  Mr. Canis turned to Granny Relda who nodded. "Let him up."

  Canis allowed the man to get to his feet. The Wizard brushed himself off, checked his neck for puncture wounds, then said, "Listen, I'm sorry this is happening but I'm just the messenger."

  "And who exactly are you?" Hamstead asked.

  "My name is Oscar Zoroaster Phadrig Isaac Norman Henkel Emmannuel Ambroise Diggs." He reached into his pocket, took out his silver remote, pushed a button, and waited as a business card spit out from a slot in the front. He handed it to Granny Relda.

  " The

  Oscar Zoroaster Phadrig Isaac Norman Henkel Emmannuel Ambroise Diggs?" she said. "The one and only," the man said. "Are you an Everafter?" Daphne asked. "Yes, ma'am. My friends have been known to call me Oz."

  Daphne let out a squeal that sounded like a scream and a snort at the same time. She jumped around in a crazy jig. When she was finished she stood shaking and giggling with the palm of her hand firmly planted between her upper and lower teeth.

  After a minute, she removed her hand, cried "You're my favorite," and launched herself at the stunned man. She wrapped her arms around him, and he tightened up as if the little girl were trying to kill him rather than give him a hug.