by Tonya Kappes
The Marys stood next to each other and with a flick of their hands, they disappeared.
“If I’d only known what Whispering Falls was all about, I doubt I would have come here to live.” I sat with my face in my hands.
“That is no way to act.” Eloise brought me a cup of tea from the kitchen. “We are here to help figure this out. Don’t mind Mary Sue. She’s the oldest and really she should retire. She’s a softy at heart.”
“They are fine.” I took the cup from her and took a sip. “Thank you.”
“Can you tell me why you wanted to see Kenny so bad?”
“This.” I reached into my bag and pulled out Belur. Slowly I wiggled the cork off the top. Immediately a stream of purple fog filled the air and Belur stood in the middle.
“Your wish is my command, Master June.” He bowed with his hands clasped in front of him.
“Kenny left that at my shop.” I bit my lip waiting for Eloise’s reaction.
“Oh, no.” She shook her head. “A genie.”
“And what is wrong with that?” Belur crossed his massive arms in front of him and tapped his toe. The bell on the pointy tip jingled with each tap.
“There’s nothing wrong with it if you were in a different type of spiritualist community, but your type isn’t allowed in Whispering Falls.” She got up, walked over to the shelf of books and pulled down a binder that clearly read Whispering Falls By-Laws. She opened it and tapped a page, showing Belur. “See, right here.”
“Why don’t I have one of those?” That would have definitely come in handy when I decided to move here and take the village president position.
“Yours is coming,” She confirmed. “You were just sworn in as the President.”
“Why aren’t I welcome?” Belur pushed his chin in the air, casting his eyes down on Eloise.
“Who doesn’t want their wishes granted? If you got into the wrong hands, everything could go horribly wrong.”
“See? That is why I needed to get in touch with him.” I threw my hands in the air.
“Did you break into Wicked Good?”
“No!” I protested.
“What about the ostrich? Did you kidnap him?”
“Me? No.” I knew I was going to have to spill the beans about the spell I gave Faith to drink. “I needed feathers from an ostrich for a potion.”
“Who did you give Mugwort to?” Eloise asked. “Remember I was best friends with your mother and we always dabbled in that book. Besides, you aren’t a level twenty-eight yet.”
There weren’t too many things I could keep from Eloise. She had known me since birth and she did sorta replace Darla when I moved back to Whispering Falls.
“Faith,” I whispered.
“June!”
“She needed help with her skills and I thought a little bit of Mugwort wasn’t going to hurt. So when I saw Petunia and that ostrich, it was a sign.” I had to get the heat off me. “Did they find the bird?”
“No, as a matter of fact, they are searching your property and you can’t go home.” She walked over to the window and looked out into the woods. “You are going to have to stay here until further notice. And Izzy is interim village president until further notice.”
“I guess I screwed up this time.” I walked up behind her and looked out over the treetops and into the beautiful woods.
“You are right about one thing.” She turned around and faced me. The lines between her eyes creased with worry. “No one can know about Belur. Not even the Marys.”
Her words sent chills up my spine. There was something in her tone that confirmed that someone was putting all of these crimes on me. I still couldn’t shake the facts. Faith and Petunia were both mad at me for various reasons. And it wouldn’t be the first time that someone had murdered for revenge.
Chapter Fifteen
There were many things running through my head the entire night as I sat on Eloise’s couch, not to mention the noises that were coming from outside. I wasn’t use to sleeping in the woods, and neither was Mr. Prince Charming.
Mewwl, mewwl. He threw his head up in the air toward the sun that was shining in through the large windows of the den.
“What is it?” I asked him, wishing that for one second I could have Petunia’s gift of communicating with the animals. Normally, I’d go to Petunia if I were in a situation where I needed to know what Mr. Prince Charming was thinking, but not now. Not today anyway.
Especially since she and I were both suspects in Kenny’s murder, as well as her believing I stole the ostrich, which was insane.
Okay, maybe it wasn’t too insane since I did need one of those feathers.
“Hear ye, hear ye,” Faith’s voice was a lot quieter than yesterday.
I rushed over to the door and out onto the porch to see if I could hear her better. Mr. Prince Charming darted out behind me. Immediately, he started his figure eights around my ankles, only this time he ran over to the steps and back again. He repeated this several times.
“Stop,” I begged him as I tried to listen into the dawn air. The whipping wind and crackling branches made it hard to hear.
“The funeral service for our dearly departed Kenny will be held at Two Sisters. . .” Faith’s voice trailed off, floating back again in spurts. Mr. Prince Charming darted down the stairs of Eloise’s tree house and into the night.
“What? June Heal what?” I asked. Squinting I tried to see where Mr. Prince Charming ran off too.
Maybe I need to get closer to Whispering Falls to hear, and that is what he’s trying to tell me. Without a second’s delay, I ran in and grabbed my bag off the couch, and took off down the steps after him and closer to Whispering Falls. It would make sense that the paper wouldn’t carry into the woods since it was for the community.
Carefully, I stepped out into the meadow where the Gathering Rock was situated between the village and the woods, and quickly ran behind the rock. I couldn’t risk anyone seeing me since the Order of Elders told me to stay put at Eloise’s house. Also from here, I’d be able to see if the fireflies were still out or if they had gone home. They would definitely tell Petunia they saw me if she asked.
“Tsk, tsk.” Aunt Helena crossed the field as if the dawn air was carrying her, landing on her pointy-heeled shoes right in front of me. My bangs blew up as her long green cloak swooshed around her.
Hiss, hiss. Mr. Prince Charming ran off toward our home. I wanted to tell him to stop, but Aunt Helena knew I was up to something, only I couldn’t tell her what because I didn’t know.
“Oh shut up,” She muttered in Mr. Prince Charming’s direction. It was no secret there was no love lost between the two. In fact, she had been upset that the Village Council had appointed Mr. Prince Charming as my Fairy god-cat in the first place. He was always by my side and I loved him just the same.
I stood still as she walked around me, slowly, never taking her eyes off me. I waited with anticipation to what she was going to say.
“I’m assuming Eloise doesn’t know that you have escaped?” She raised her hands in the air and a spark shot out of the tip of her fingers as her hands came back down and she pointed in Eloise’s direction.
“It was unplanned.” Which wasn’t a lie. I didn’t intend to follow Mr. Prince Charming into town. “I was trying to hear the morning news better since it was so faint at the tree house. Plus, Faith had said something about me.”
“I wouldn’t worry too much about Faith.” Aunt Helena really liked Faith when we were at Hidden Hall. In fact, Faith was her favorite student. “She will come into her own gift, just as you did. And without the help of Mugwort.” Her eyes were downcast on me.
“I had to do something.” I threw my hands in the air. “She obviously didn’t listen in clairaudience class.”
“You obviously didn’t listen when I told you you needed to come take a class for level twenty-eight.” Her eyebrows dipped in a frown. “You won’t get any better with your cures until you finish your schooling.”
&
nbsp; “What exactly does that mean?” There were times I felt everyone here had a common language that I was not a part of. I grew up with regular, old, run-of-the-mill people in a normal community, not a spiritualist one, and I think they forget that sometimes.
“It means you will not be able to do anymore cures than the ones you know. Being a spiritualist is just like any other craft, you have to keep learning June, or your skills will die.”
Die? I studied Aunt Helena’s face to see if she was bluffing or telling the truth, because death seemed a little harsh. Her face was still and serious.
“Now would probably be a good time to do that.” At least it would get me out of here.
She threw her head back and roared with laughter. The birds scattered from the trees.
“Did you ask the three musketeers?” She brought her hand up to stifle her giggle.
“Who?”
“Mary Sue, Mopsey and Mopey.” She waved her hands in the air. “Those three Marys.” From the lack of respect she was giving them, I could tell she wasn’t a big fan of them either.
“You mean Mary Sue, Mary Ellen and Mary Lynn?” I asked.
“You know good and well what I mean.” She crossed her arms in disgust. “They shouldn’t be the Order of Elders, but that’s for another time. Have you discussed this with them? After all, you are banned until further notice.”
I put my hands together and batted my eyes. “Can’t you ask them for me? You are the Dean.”
If I had to play the Dean’s niece card, I would.
“Of course I will.” She smiled, causing her eyes to narrow like a cat’s. She wrapped her arm around me and her cloak followed. “When shall I expect you?”
There were a few things I needed to get done. First, I had to make a stop into Locust Grove and see Adeline. I had to do a little bit of snooping and I wanted to know who she was fighting with. Then I needed to go to Kenny’s funeral.
I didn’t know why I needed to go, but I did.
“How about this time tomorrow?”
“I’ll be waiting.” Her hands flew to her side and she vanished. Right into thin air.
“I wish I could disappear like that.” I was green with envy at Aunt Helena’s skills. Why couldn’t I have those kinds of spiritual gifts instead of the whole intuition thing?
Chapter Sixteen
“Where are you?” I hissed into the air in a hushed whisper. Mr. Prince Charming didn’t want to be anywhere near Aunt Helena. He darted off so fast when she showed up that I didn’t see where he went. “Mr. Prince Charming.” I ran my fingers along my wrist, wishing I had my charm bracelet. I could use a little luck right about now.
Off in the distance, closer to our house that sits on the hill overlooking Whispering Falls, a long white tail danced in the sunrise. He was heading straight toward our cottage, but why?
He knew I wasn’t supposed to go anywhere near our home, but I knew he wasn’t going to send me into danger.
Like a good Fairy goddaughter, I went where he was leading me and it was right in the front seat of the Green Machine.
“You are a stinker.” I pushed the manual locks down, and then hunkered down and rubbed his back before he nestled in a ball on the dashboard. I couldn’t risk anyone seeing me. Slowly, I raised my head and looked out the passenger window to see if I could see anyone in the house. It was dark, but that didn’t mean no one was there. “Now, how am I supposed to get this thing started without my keys?”
Tap, tap, tap.
I lay on the seat hoping whoever was tapping on the Green Machine window didn’t see me, but obviously, they did.
Please don’t see me, I thought with my eyes tightly shut.
“I can see you.”
“Oscar?” I sat up and could feel the joy come back to my soul.
“Are you looking for these?” He dangled the keys off his finger, but looked around to see if anyone saw him. “Let me in.” He motioned to the lock.
Without hesitation, I pulled the silver lock up and slid to the passenger side of the Green Machine.
“Did you see anyone in there?” He asked before he leaned over and took me into his arms.
“No.” I pushed him back. “Are you going to arrest me?”
Fear and anxiety knotted inside my gut from the thought of the percussion of violating my parole set on me by the Order of Elders. Seeing him was probably worth it. A calmness washed over me as my intuition told me to trust him.
Meow, meow. Mr. Prince Charming wasn’t too alarmed to see him either. He threw his back leg up in the air and began cleaning his fur.
“Let’s get out of here first.” Oscar put the keys in the ignition. Turning the old El Camino on, he eased out of town without anyone seeing us.
We rode in silence with our hands clasped, resting on the space between us, until he pulled over when we reached the outer limits of Locust Grove.
“Remember when life was much simpler?” He turned off the ignition and turned himself in the seat to face me. Taking both my hands in his, he put them up to his lips and gently kissed each one. “No.”
“No, what?” I couldn’t help but get lost in his deep blue eyes.
“Earlier you asked me if I was here to arrest you; I’m not. I gave it up.” Looking down, he shook his head. “I wasn’t going to leave you in this time of need so the Order of Elders made me choose.”
My mouth dropped. He smiled.
“I told them I wanted to give up all my spiritual powers.” He dropped his head. Reaching over, I pulled his chin up so I could get an intuition reading off his body language. If the eyes are truly the path to someone’s soul, I should be able to see his with no problem. And since he was no longer a spiritualist, I can read him as much as I want to without his permission. “What?”
Closing my eyes, I inhaled, and then inhaled again. . .only deeper.
“What? Why did you inhale twice?” His voice drifted into a hushed whisper.
Slowly, I opened my eyes and a smile crossed my lips. “The first time I was reading your intuition.” My heart fluttered. “The second was because you smell so good.”
“Awww…my little witch.” He slid over and wrapped me in his arms. Kissing the top of my forehead, he assured me, “We are going to figure this out, but I’m afraid I’m not going to be of any help.”
“Of course you are.” Just because he wasn’t a spiritualist didn’t mean he wasn’t a good cop. “You were a police officer before we knew about our spiritual gifts and you will continue to use those skills now.”
“You know what?” there was eagerness in his eyes. “You’re right! I was good.”
“You are good!” I confirmed, twisting in my seat to face him. I grabbed the sides of his face and kissed him. “Now, let’s get back to figuring out who killed Kenny.”
As much as I wanted to reminisce about the past, I didn’t have a lot of time to figure out who was trying to frame me from not only Kenny’s murder, but also the stolen ostrich and June’s Gems. Things were progressing fast in the spiritual world. With the banning of me living in the village and the Order of the Elders sent, I didn’t need my intuition to tell me that the evidence had built up against me.
“Let’s start with the facts.” Leaning over me, Oscar opened the glove box and searched through it.
“What are you looking for?” I questioned as he pulled out a napkin.
“Paper. Don’t you have any scrap paper in here?”
“Where is your little pad?” I noticed he didn’t have his usual cop stuff out, including that annoying notebook he writes in.
“They took it.” He found a chewed up pen in the there as well. “They took everything.”
“This is a good thing.” I had to find a light in the tunnel. “Besides, you never really learned how to use your sorcery powers or even went to school.”
“I was never very comfortable with the whole idea. I like old school investigations.” He held the pen and napkin up in the air, and then slid back over to the driver�
�s seat. “Let’s get started. There isn’t much time.”
Oscar reconfirmed my fear…not much time.
It was just like old times, watching him take notes as I answered all his questions about where I was when all the incidents took place.
And then came the explosive question.
“Why in the world would you ask all over Whispering Falls how to get in touch with Kenny?” He waited. I bit the corner of my lip, wondering if I should just come clean about Belur.