“Yeah, but if we strip her powers, then we can let Landon have his way and lock her up,” I noted. “That might be the best of both worlds.”
Aunt Tillie’s expression was unreadable. “She’s a powerful witch. She won’t let us bind her willingly. We’ll have to trick her when it’s time.”
“Hey, compared to what I was picturing, I’ll take it. I think with your devious mind we should have no problem getting exactly what we want.”
“That’s good.” Aunt Tillie beamed. “Now, can we go back to looking for buried treasure and forget about Landon being weird and the evil witch across the lake? We’re focusing on me and my needs now, and I need to beat Margaret.”
“Fine.” I managed a smile as I went back to looking at the prints. “Someone has been here, but I don’t know that they found anything.”
“Over here, too.” Thistle gestured toward a patch of earth that looked to have been dug up — and re-covered — recently. “I don’t know if anything was in this hole, but Aunt Tillie is right, although I’m loath to admit it. People were definitely out here looking for something.”
“So, what do we do?” I asked. “Do we dig up the holes?”
“Of course not,” Aunt Tillie replied. “Do you know how much work that would be?” She grabbed her green bag and started rummaging inside, coming back with what looked like a stick of dynamite. “I told you I came prepared. Now, back up. I’ve got this completely under control.”
I leaped for her before she could find her lighter. “Holy ... !”
Twenty
We found at least twenty spots that showed signs of recent digging. Despite Aunt Tillie’s insistence that we allow her to throw a stick of dynamite into the center of the nearest sites, we were no closer to figuring out what our killer (or killers) thought was buried in the earth. We decided to leave and come back later.
“You’re going back?” Landon didn’t look happy when I announced our intentions to him and Chief Terry over lunch at the diner.
“Do you see a better option?” I asked. “Whoever is digging out there is more likely to come back after dark. We might be able to catch them in the act.”
“You also might run into an ornery poltergeist.”
“True, but we didn’t run into Valerie today. In fact, I didn’t even sense her — and I don’t think Heather stayed behind.”
“I don’t know if that’s good or bad.” His fingers were gentle as they brushed against my face. When he pulled them back, he had a small twig pinched between them. “Were you guys wandering around the woods?”
“As a matter of fact, we were.” I took back the twig. “Aunt Tillie had a feeling, and she turned out to be right.”
“Those words send chills down my spine,” Chief Terry intoned, kicking back in his chair to sip his iced tea and eye me from across the table. “Since when does Tillie having a feeling constitute anything good?”
“Since she’s the one who found the holes.” I saw no sense holding back on this one. “She also came up with another idea — for Dani.” On impulse, I gripped Landon’s hand tightly, causing his eyebrows to hop. “It’s a really good idea.”
“Please tell me there’s such a thing as witch reform school,” he said. “I’ll have the Explorer packed and ready to take her in ten minutes flat.”
“No, but ... we can bind her powers.” I whispered the last part, keeping my voice low so the others in the restaurant wouldn’t overhear.
Landon didn’t react.
“Didn’t you hear me?” I challenged. “We can bind her powers. That means she can’t use them against anyone.”
“Okay.” He nodded and shot me an encouraging smile. “I’m not sure how that works.”
“I forget you’re such a witch novice.” Impulsively, I leaned over and kissed the corner of his mouth. I was feeling so much better now that Aunt Tillie had given me a viable path that I couldn’t remember half the fear that had been twisting me in knots only six hours earlier. “In a nutshell, we would perform a ritual that strips her magic. She wouldn’t be able to curse anyone or call to her powers.”
“Really?” Landon was clearly intrigued. “How dangerous is that for you?”
“Well, she won’t go down without a fight,” I acknowledged, sobering. “We’ll all have to work together. I’m not saying there won’t be any danger, but it’s a path that doesn’t make me want to cry.”
He cupped my cheek. He knew as well as I did that we’d both been circling the same argument for close to two weeks. Fear of and about Dani ripped through both of us regularly. We needed to express that fear, and it manifested in the form of deep conversations and heavy arguments. “Then we’ll figure out what needs to be done.”
“We have to keep quiet and not mention it to her until we’re ready. Thistle ordered some herbs. We need to put together a few things — hex bags and maybe a potion or two — before we can start.”
“I won’t say anything.” He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to my forehead. “I’m glad you’re excited about this.”
His tone told me he was still worried. “Landon ... .”
“Shh.” He kissed my forehead again. “What do you smell?”
That’s when I realized what he was truly doing and started to laugh. “You’re ridiculous.” My shoulders shook with mirth when I pulled back. “I still smell you. You’re good.”
“You didn’t comment.”
“I’m sorry.” I twined my arms around his neck and whispered. “You smell so good I want to take you right back home and spend the day in bed.”
“Now we’re talking.” He wrapped his arms around me for a long hug. When he pulled back, he was serious. “I really am glad you think this is a workable plan. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried about what happens after you strip her powers.”
“Yeah, I’ve been thinking about that too,” I admitted. “She seems the type to hide in the woods with a gun and try to pick us off one by one once she realizes what we’ve done. That’s where you come in.”
“Oh, good.” He feigned a pleasant smile. “I was wondering if you were going to include me.”
“Once she’s non-magical, she can be put in a hospital or a detention center. She won’t be able to magically hurt anybody, and the staff can be trained in how to take care of her mental needs, which are the real concern once you move beyond the damage she can do with her magic.”
“Oh.” Realization dawned on his handsome features as he brushed his hand over his hair. “I kind of like this idea. We’ll have to come up with a few handy lies to explain where Dani has been.”
“You also might want to figure out a way to shut her trap if she starts talking about witches,” Chief Terry interjected.
“No.” I shook my head. “That will make the doctors think she’s nuttier than she really is. If she starts spouting off about having powers and how a group of witches took them away from her, what will people think?”
He tilted his head to the side, considering. “You know what, Bay? I’m starting to like this idea too. If you’re capable of this binding thing, why didn’t you think of it sooner?”
“I’m not sure. Aunt Tillie brought it up as if it was the most normal thing while we were wandering around the woods. I could’ve kicked myself. It was right there all the time. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”
Landon swooped in to respond. “I know. You’re overwhelmed. You need a whole week of nothing but me ... and you ... and bed. Some bacon wouldn’t hurt.”
Chief Terry extended a quelling finger in Landon’s direction. “Why would you say something like that in front of me?”
“I like to get your heart rate going.” Landon grinned, never moving his eyes from me. “It’s fun ... and it keeps you in shape.”
“I’ve decided I’m going to ignore you for the rest of the day,” Chief Terry huffed, staring through the front window. “You’re dead to me.”
I couldn’t contain the smile spreading across my face. “Oh, you rea
lly are one of us now.”
His brow furrowed. “Don’t make me stop listening to you too, Bay.”
“Never.” I smiled long enough that he had no choice but to return it — even though it was a bit huffy — and then turned back to Landon. “I just stopped in to tell you that I’ll be running around the countryside tonight with Thistle and Aunt Tillie. Oh, and I wanted you to know that I have an actual plan for Dani, so you have nothing to worry about.”
“You can’t tell me that you’re running around with Aunt Tillie and then add there’s nothing to worry about and expect me to agree.” He winked. “As for Dani, I’ll continue to worry until I’m certain she’s completely under control. I am hopeful but ... reticent. That’s a word, right?” He looked to Chief Terry for confirmation.
“I’m not a thesaurus.”
“It’s a word,” I reassured him. “I’m not telling you this because I believe everything is completely solved. I just want you to know that I have a plan. You don’t have to keep having deep conversations with my mother because you’re worried.”
He opened his mouth to speak but halted. For a moment, I couldn’t help but wonder if he’d been talking to my mother about something else. He didn’t come right out and say it, but he seemed surprised by my knowledge that they’d been talking behind my back.
“Like I said, I’m going to worry about you until Dani is out of our lives and no longer a threat to anybody,” he said. “I do feel better, though, if that relieves some of the stress you’ve been carrying.”
“Some,” I promised, although my stomach was doing that uncomfortable dancing again. “You’re not going to try to talk us out of stalking people at Heather’s property, are you?”
“Nope.”
“No?” I was understandably dubious. If history had taught me anything, it was that Landon didn’t like when we snuck around in the middle of the night muddling his investigations.
“I’ve decided that you are who you are,” he explained. “You like to wander around in the dark with Thistle and your great-aunt and find mischief. I knew that from the beginning. You remember the whole cornfield incident.?”
I scowled. How could I ever forget? It was right after we’d met. He was undercover and I was in trouble. He got shot trying to protect me. That’s where it all started. “You’re not still bitter about that?”
He smirked. “No. I consider myself lucky.”
“Lucky? How?”
“I got you out of the deal. Sure, I also got crazy women wearing matching tracksuits who like to dance naked under the full moon. I also got your nutty great-aunt, who carries a shotgun and wears a combat helmet, but you were definitely worth it.”
I went warm all over. “Thanks. You were worth it too.”
“Of course I was. As for running around at night, what can I do?” He held out his hands and shrugged. “I’m trying to be a better man.”
“You’re already a great man.”
“Yes, but I’m a man who sometimes struggles with the fact that you don’t need me.”
“I ... you ... I need you.” I meant it. “Why would you think I don’t?”
“Perhaps that came out wrong,” he said quickly. “I didn’t mean you don’t need me overall. In a fight, though, more often than not, I’m a detriment. That became very clear when you were taking on Diane. You were a badass and I was the guy trying to figure out how to make the situation better without risking making it worse.
“You changed my life, Bay,” he continued, beaming at me. “You’re a pain in the butt sometimes, but you’re my pain in the butt. I’ve reconciled myself to the fact that you’re going to do what you’re going to do. Guess what? I’m okay with it.”
They were the words I’d always wanted to hear. I smacked a loud kiss against his lips. “We’re definitely going to put that doughnut aroma to good use when I get back tonight.”
“Oh, geez.” Chief Terry slapped his hand over his eyes. “Now you’ve got her doing it. You’ve corrupted my little sweetheart.”
My grin only widened. “We’ll be careful. I promise. If I get coverage, I’ll even text so you know when to expect me.”
“That would be great.” Landon turned back to his lunch. “Try to keep Aunt Tillie in line. I worry about her the most.”
“Oh, don’t worry. We confiscated the dynamite. She’ll be fine.”
He nodded. “Good. I ... wait.” He broke off, a fry halfway to his mouth. “What dynamite?”
Uh-oh. “Did I mention you changed my life too? I can’t thank you enough. Gotta go.”
I SPENT THE AFTERNOON AT THE CAMPGROUND, giving Hazel a much-needed break. She took off to town, leaving me with Dani, who proceeded to pout her way from one end of the campground to the other while emitting dramatic sighs and wrinkling her nose.
I pretended I didn’t hear her. It was a tried-and-true tactic I’d learned from my mother when I was a teenager. I used to act just like Dani — er, well, without being a murderer, that is — and my mother punished me by not acknowledging my teenage angst. She was trying to get me to go to her — and it worked like a charm.
“Aren’t you going to ask me what’s wrong?” Dani asked finally, on what had to be her twentieth circle. She plopped down on the picnic table bench across from where I was working on my computer and fixed me with a petulant glare.
“I already know what’s wrong,” I countered, amused. “You’re angry that we didn’t take you with us earlier and you want us to bring you on whatever adventure we’ve got going tonight.”
Her eyes lit with excitement. “You’re going on another adventure tonight?”
Oh, well, crap. She’d had no idea. Sometimes I’m nowhere near as smart as I like to think I am. “We’re heading back across the lake once it gets dark,” I replied, refusing to lie. She had to get used to not getting her way. Her life would likely take a swerve in the upcoming days and she was going to have to learn to adjust.
“Can I go?”
I was expecting the question. “No. It might be dangerous.”
The scowl that took over her face was ugly. “Why do you always say things like that? I know about danger. I can handle myself.”
“You’re still young.”
“And yet I’m stronger than you,” she muttered. Whether or not she meant me to hear her was difficult to determine. The one thing I knew with absolute clarity, though, was that she was slipping further from the ideal we were trying to set for her. We were almost out of time.
“I’m sorry. This is a ... difficult ... situation. We’re trying to see if we can catch people doing stuff over there. It’s not someplace we can comfortably take you while guaranteeing your safety.” That sounded reasonable, right?
Instead of pushing further, Dani wrinkled her nose. “What sorts of things are you trying to catch people doing? Oh, wait. Are you trying to catch people doing the dirty? I bet it’s your boyfriend. He’s always struck me as the cheating type.”
That got my full attention. “Landon isn’t a cheater.”
“Oh, please. He’s got Hollywood hair. Everybody knows that guys with Hollywood hair can’t stop themselves from cheating. It’s a biological fact. I even saw it on television or something.”
“Uh-huh.” I pressed the heel of my hand to my forehead. She was giving me a headache and it wasn’t even dark yet. “Did you see that on one of those Kardashian shows?”
“Hey, those chicks know what they’re talking about. They’ve had problems, and men were at the center of all of them.”
“Yes, that’s obviously the case.”
“I don’t see why I can’t go with you,” Dani persisted. “I’d be good if you’re trying to scope him out and figure out who he’s cheating with.”
“He’s not cheating with anybody.” I was certain of that, despite my earlier freak-out. “That’s not in his nature.”
“Yeah? I thought the same thing about my dad.”
“This is different.”
“Because it’s you?”<
br />
“Because ... it just is.”
“If you say so.” Dani was dejected as she got to her feet and turned toward the cabin. “How do you expect me to win your trust if you won’t let me do anything?” she called over her shoulder as she trudged away.
It was a fair point. “This is too dangerous. I’m sorry.”
“Whatever.”
I was still focused on her retreating back when I heard footsteps behind me. When I turned, I found Hazel watching with sympathetic eyes.
“How’s it going?” she asked in her relaxed, amiable tone.
“She’s upset.”
“So I gathered. Don’t take it personally. She gets upset over everything.” Hazel sat at the table across from me. She looked rested and relaxed. The break had been good for her, even if it left me feeling antsy.
“She found out we’re going back across the lake tonight. She’s angry we won’t take her with us. I tried explaining it’s too dangerous, but she doesn’t see it that way.”
“Why are you going back?” Hazel asked.
“Someone has been digging holes over there, and I have to believe they’re looking for something specific. If we knew what that something was, we could narrow down our suspect list.
“I think they’re digging after dark,” I continued. “We want to be there tonight if anybody shows up. If we can figure out who we’re dealing with, we might be able to solve these murders.”
“And then focus on Dani,” Hazel surmised.
I hesitated. “Yeah. We’ve actually come up with a potential idea on that front.”
“Really? And what’s that?”
“It’s too complex to get into, especially out here with prying ears.” I pointedly inclined my head toward the cabin. “Suffice it to say that if everything goes as planned, we might have this entire situation ‘fixed’ in a few days.” I used the appropriate air quotes for emphasis.
“Don’t keep me in suspense. I’m dying to know the plan.”
“Later.” I waved off the question. I had no doubt Dani would either drag the information out of Hazel or figure out a way to eavesdrop if the conversation continued. “It’s a good idea, I promise you that. We’ll get into details in a few days — after we deal with all of this.”
To Love a Witch Page 20