by Chloe Mayson
“Not much to me,” Cortney said. “I consider them all suspects in the poisoning of Aunt Morticia. Is there some way we can force the truth oath on them? And while they are under its influence ask them if they poisoned Aunt Morticia?”
“No, the truth oath must be taken voluntarily,” Warlock Innman explained.
“Rats! Of course, it wouldn’t be that easy! What about having Chief Thorton call them into the police station and interrogate them again?”
Warlock Innman shook his head.
“Why are you shaking your head?” Cortney asked.
Frank spoke up before the warlock had a chance. “The good citizens of Bayou George don’t know that magic exists. We must keep it that way,” Frank said.
“Yes, you caused a disturbance last night shooting fireballs at my gargoyles. I had to conjure up several spells to wipe the images out of several that saw your stunt,” the warlock said.
“Are you telling me that no one outside of the residents of Barnaby House and the warlocks on the council know about the existence of magic?” Cortney asked.
“Well, there are others, servants and the usual odd creatures attracted to magic, lurking among the citizens of Bayou George. But they keep a very low profile. Think of them as cockroaches to be stepped on whenever they show their faces,” Warlock Innman said.
“Could one of them have poisoned Aunt Morticia?” Cortney asked immediately.
“Heavens no. The protection spell bars their entrance into Barnaby House and the other homes of the council members,” the warlock said.
“Therefore, one of the four warlocks poisoned my aunt. I just have to figure out which one did it,” Cortney said.
“You need a crystal ball,” Tom Cat said.
“Really? Do crystal balls work?” Cortney asked as she glanced at Councilman Innman.
“No, your familiar is joking. There’s nothing that can see into the future,” the warlock said.
“Nothing is easy,” Cortney said shaking her head. “I guess I’ll have to do it the old-fashion way.”
“And what is that?” Tom Cat asked.
“I’m going to visit each of the remaining warlocks and ask them to take the truth oath while I ask if they poisoned Aunt Morticia,” Cortney replied. She noticed Frank as he shook his head. “Why are you shaking your head?”
“That could be dangerous. Whoever poisoned your aunt has made two attempts on your life. You will be walking into the lion’s den,” Frank said staring at Cortney with both his blue and brown eyes.
“I’ll take Gator along,” Cortney said.
“I don’t think you realize how powerful a warlock is, Cortney,” Councilman Innman said.
“And I don’t think they know how powerful I am,” Cortney replied with more bluster than she felt.
“I can see that you are just as hard headed as your aunt. So, I’ll save my breath trying to talk you out of stirring the hornet’s nest,” the warlock said.
“You could come with me,” Cortney said.
“No, I’m not going to war with another warlock. Not even to find Morticia’s killer. I left Walachia, we all did, because of the magic wars. I didn’t come here to start a new war,” the warlock explained.
“Okay, Tom Cat, Gator, and I will pay the warlocks a visit.”
“Me?” Tom Cat asked.
“Yes, you too Chicken Little,” Cortney said as she shook her head. “What kind of demon are you?”
“One that doesn’t want to be shot, burned, impaled, poisoned or murdered, or killed in another fashion that I can’t think of at the moment,” Tom Cat said.
“You have eight… No, seven more lives to go. I keep forgetting about Gator eating you.” Cortney said.
“Yeah, well I plan on keeping them all for a rainy day,” Tom Cat replied.
“I have to go. I’ve got better things to do than listen to banter between a witch and her familiar,” Councilman Innman said.
“I’ll walk you to the door,” Cortney said.
“You should reconsider confronting the other council members,” the warlock said as he stepped out the door.
Cortney watched the warlock climb into his expensive SUV. “Hmm, Tom Cat, I think all the council members are wealthy. That SUV cost two hundred thousand dollars! I think I’ll ask Frank to buy me a new car. I mean, I am head of the magic council. I can’t be seen driving my old clunker around Bayou George.”
Chapter Sixteen
“What’s Gator doing here so early?” Pop asked.
“I’m training him as a waiter,” Cortney said.
Pop’s eyes widened. “Please tell me you are joking?”
“Nope, I need help,” Cortney said as she watched Tom Cat walk behind the counter and curl up on some kitchen rags.
“The first time a customer complains about his hamburger, he’ll probably take his Bowie knife and cut their throat,” Pop said.
“That’ll cut down on complaints about your cooking,” Cortney said.
“Cortney, I’m not joking,” Pop said.
“Don’t worry. Gator is not going to hurt anyone. He might scare the living daylights out of them, but he will not hurt them,” Cortney said as she took an extra apron from under the counter.
“No way. I’m not putting that on,” Gator said shaking his head as he watched Cortney approach with the apron.
“Yes, you are unless you want to move back to your shack in the swamp,” Cortney said. She lowered her voice. “I can’t let people know that you are my bodyguard. Think of it as a disguise,” Cortney said as she tied the apron around the thin, greenish-skinned man’s waist.
Gator’s snake eyes narrowed, but he didn’t speak.
“And here is an order pad. You write down the orders and then hang them in the service window,” Cortney said.
“You mean I have to wait on customers?” Gator asked.
“Yep, think of it as deep undercover,” Cortney said and fought to keep the smile off her face.
“Oh, there’s Officer Ray. He can be your first customer,” Cortney said as she put her hand in the middle of Gator’s back and gave him a nudge.
“What do you want for breakfast?” Gator said as Officer Ray sat down in Gators favorite booth, the one at the end of the diner.
“Who tied an apron on you?” Officer Ray asked.
Gator touched his hand to the hilt of his Bowie knife and growled.
“Eggs over easy and grits,” Officer Ray said quickly as he eyed Gator’s hand that grasped the handle of his knife. “With bacon,” he added in an apologetic tone.
“See,” Cortney said to Pop. “That went well.”
“If by well you mean Gator didn’t cut Officer Ray’s throat, then I guess you are correct. However, he’s not likely to return for breakfast again,” Pop said.
“Yeah, he will. He likes Gator,” Cortney said as Pop rolled his eyes.
“So, are you settling in at Barnaby House?” Pop asked as he walked into the kitchen.
“It feels like home already,” Cortney said.
“Have you heard any strange noises during the night?” Pop asked as he dropped two eggs on the grill.
“Noises? What kind of noises?” Cortney asked.
“I’ve heard rumors that it’s haunted. That there’s a ghost living on the second floor,” Pop said. “People see him staring out the window at night. I’ve never seen him myself. I spent the night once in the cemetery watching the house but didn’t get a glimpse of a ghost.”
“Pop, that’s silly. There are no such things as ghosts. Next, you are going to tell me you believe in witches and warlocks,” Cortney said.
“No, I’m not looney. I don’t believe in ghosts or witches for that matter. I’m just telling you what some people believe,” Pop said as he flipped the eggs. He slopped a scoop of grits on a plate and then added the eggs. “Order up, Gator,” he shouted.
Gator approached the window as though he was stalking prey. He growled as he lifted the plate out of the window.
; “See,” Cortney said. “He’s adjusting.”
Gator slid the plate of food onto Officer Ray’s table as the door’s bell ringing announced another customer. Gator glanced at Cortney who was filling the sugar jars at the booths. She nodded her head for him to take the man’s order.
However, as Gator approached, the man reached behind his back and pulled a pistol from his belt. “Get out of my way, freak. I’m here for the Barnaby woman,” he said.
Gator stopped but held his ground.
“I said to get out of my way, freak!” the man yelled.
“Roger?” Officer Ray said as he stood up. “What are you doing? Put the pistol away.”
“Take a step, and I’ll shoot you,” the man shouted as he gave no acknowledgment that he recognized Officer Ray.
“Ma’am, can I kill him?” Gator asked calmly.
“No, he’s hypnotized. He doesn’t know what he’s doing.” God, I can’t say aloud that he’s being controlled by one of the warlocks on the council. “Just disarm him and give him a knock on the head,” Cortney instructed Gator.
Suddenly, the thin, freakish-looking man conjured from a cauldron, moved with blinding speed. Gator snatched the pistol from the man’s hand with a flowing motion almost too quick for the eye to follow. Then he struck the assailant on the side of the head with the handle of the revolver. The man crumpled to the floor.
“What’s happening to people in Bayou George? First, two policemen attack you, and now Roger Craig owner of Guns and Ammo threatens you with a pistol,” Officer Ray said as he rushed over to stare down at the fallen man.
Wow, this is getting out of hand, Cortney thought as she leaned over and whispered into Gator’s ear. “Run over to Charley Brown’s and get Councilman Innman. We need him to clean this from everyone’s memory. I don’t know how to do it,” Cortney said.
Gator rushed out of the diner.
“Where’s he going?” Pop said as he walked out of the kitchen.
“He’s just running an errand for me,” Cortney said.
“At a time like this?” Pop asked scratching his head.
“It’s an important one,” Cortney said as she watched Officer Ray bend down and grab the unconscious man’s hands and cuff them.
“There. That should hold him when he wakes up. Gee, Roger was the last person I thought would go postal,” Officer Ray said shaking his head.
Cortney heard the door open and turned.
“You keep attracting trouble,” Councilman Innman said.
“I think you need to do one of those forgetting spells,” Cortney said.
“Hmm, can’t clean up your own mess?” the warlock asked.
“I’ve been a witch for only a few days. What do you expect?” Cortney replied.
“Witch?” Pop said. “Well you can be a handful, Boss, but I wouldn’t call you a witch.”
“Believe me,” Tom Cat said as he emerged from behind the counter. “She is a witch. Broomstick and all.”
“Pop, did you throw your voice?” Officer Ray said. “I swear I thought the cat spoke. Where did you learn to be a ventriloquist?”
“Councilman Innman, now would be a good time!” Cortney said shaking her head.
Immediately, the warlock began to draw a pentagram in the air as he chanted. When he finished the spell, the pentagram erupted in blue flames for a second.
“Ah, Gator take the handcuffs off the man,” Cortney ordered as Pop, and Officer Ray stood in a daze.
When everything was in the correct position, Cortney nodded at the warlock. “Wakey, wakey time.”
The warlock said a word under his breath as he walked out the door.
“What happened?” Pop asked as he glanced around the diner.
“Why is Roger lying on the floor?” Officer Ray asked.
“He fainted. Here, help me get him in a booth,” Cortney told Officer Ray. “Pop, bring him a glass of water,” she added.
“What happened? What am I doing in the diner?” Roger said as he opened his eyes. “God, my head hurts.”
“You fainted and hit your head on the table as you fell,” Cortney said.
“Strange. But I don’t remember coming here. The last thing I remember was cleaning my 9mm.”
“Maybe you should go by the hospital for a checkup,” Officer Ray said. “Heck, maybe I should go to the hospital also. I feel funny,” he added.
“You shouldn’t eat your breakfast so fast,” Gator said and snickered.
“Did anyone visit your gun store just before you blacked out?” Cortney asked.
“I had just reopened the shop. I only had one customer. An older woman visited the shop wanting to know if I sold mace. The last thing I remember is watching her walk out of the store.”
“You should go to the hospital and get checked out,” Officer Ray repeated.
“No, I’m fine. I just came from Dr. Wigdahl’s office for my annual checkup. He gave me a good bill of health,” Roger said. “God, I’ve got to get back to the store. I don’t know if I locked the door,” the man said as he shrugged off Officer Ray’s hands.
“Okay, all the fun is over,” Pop said clapping his hands. “Time to get back to work.”
“Hmm, I thought you owned the diner,” Gator said to Cortney.
“I do, but it’s complicated. Pop’s the boss for now,” Cortney said as she walked behind the counter. “And speaking of getting back to work, you need to clean your table,” Cortney added nodding to the end booth where Officer Ray had been sitting. “And Tom Cat, get under the counter.”
I wonder if the old woman that visited the gun shop had anything to do with the spell that compelled him to attempt to murder me? Maybe the warlock that poisoned my aunt has an assistant. I should question the two policemen that attacked me with their nightsticks and find out who was the last person they saw before they blacked out, Cortney thought.
Two women entered the diner and Cortney motioned to Gator that she would wait on them. Later, as more customers entered, Cortney was forced to let Gator wait on female customers. She thought they would be terrified of the freakish looking man with green colored skin and snake eyes. However, they seemed captivated by him like mice to a snake.
“He’s working out better than I thought he would,” Pop said after the lunch rush.
“Good, because I have an errand to run,” Cortney said.
“You mean you’re leaving me alone with Gator?” Pop asked.
“Yep, unless you want to run the diner by yourself?” Cortney replied.
“Hey, if he cuts a customer’s throat, it’s on you,” Pop said shaking his head as Cortney removed her apron.
“At least take the cat. He makes me nervous,” Pop added.
“Come on, Tom Cat; let’s go for a walk,” Cortney called out.
Tom Cat immediately came out from under the counter.
“He’s a spooky cat,” Pop said shaking his head.
“You’re just imagining things, Pop,” Cortney said as she held the door open for Tom Cat.
“Wow, it’s hard for me to play dumb,” Tom Cat said as he walked beside Cortney heading up Sugar Cane street to Dr. Wigdahl’s office.
“Be careful that no one hears you talking. I haven’t learned the spell to make people forget. But I see I had better learn it soon if I’m going to be around you,” Cortney said.
“Hey, you were going to have to make Pop and Officer Ray forget what happened with the gunman. What harm did me talking to Pop do?” Tom Cat said.
“He might have forgotten that you talked, but he has a lingering sense that you are not an ordinary cat,” Cortney said.
“I’m not an ordinary cat! I’m a familiar,” Tom Cat exclaimed.
“Yes, but no one is supposed to know that fact,” Cortney replied. “Now stop talking. People are coming,” Cortney added.
“Oh, your cat is so cute. I wish mine would follow me around like a little puppy dog,” a woman said as she approached them.
“Believe me, he’s no sweet p
uppy,” Cortney said.
“How did you train him to follow you?” the woman asked as she paused to admire Tom Cat.
“Doggy Treats. He loves doggy treats. Tom Cat is a trans-animal. He has the body of a cat, but his inner identity is a dog,” Cortney said.
“Really, I’ve never heard of such a condition. I mean, sure, I’ve heard of transsexuals but never a trans-animal,” the woman said.
“It happens more than you realize but people don’t recognize the condition. I’m sure your vet has treated it,” Cortney explained. “It’s nice talking to you, but I’ve got an appointment with Doctor Wigdahl and I don’t want to be late,” Cortney added.
“What a coincidence. Doctor Wigdahl is my doctor too. God, he is the sweetest man you’ll ever meet. I’ve never heard him say a disparaging word about anyone,” the woman said as Cortney stepped around her.
“Trans-animal?” Tom Cat said. “Why did you tell the woman such a lie?”
“She annoyed me with her happy face,” Cortney said. “She’s probably one of those women that says, ‘have a good day’ to everyone they meet. And I haven’t had a good day since I arrived in Bayou George,” Cortney added.
Chapter Seventeen
Wow, I’ve never seen so many smiling faces in a doctor’s office, Cortney thought as she walked up to the receptionist’s window.
“Yes, may I help you?” a beautiful blond woman in a white nurse’s uniform asked, beaming a pleasant smile.
“I’m here to see Councilman Wigdahl,” Cortney said figuring she would get the nurse’s attention if she called him councilman instead of doctor.
The smile wavered.
“I’m Councilwoman Barnaby,” Cortney added as she watched the smile disappear completely.
“Oh… Ah… Doctor Wigdahl doesn’t do council business in this office,” the nurse said.
Hmm, interesting that she would say that. I wonder if she knows what kind of council her doctor belongs too? Probably not, Cortney thought as she said. “Well, today he does. Please tell him I’m here.”