I rubbed my face again. “Isn’t she usually? But, like she said yesterday; it doesn’t automatically make her guilty.”
“Well, if she DOES happen to be innocent, I’d very much like to cross her off my suspect list. As it stands…”
“Sounds to me like she’s doing something for the Talisman suits that’d warrant that kind of protection and secrecy. Kind of hate to think what it is though.”
“More importantly, how exactly is she connected with Aurel? Apart from your theory of a love tryst, I mean.” David asked while the rest of my kitties came out of their various sleeping spots to gather around my feet. I was going to have to serve breakfast soon.
“Do you think that Aurel is connected with whatever Talisman business Portia seems to be involved in?”
“I honestly don’t know what to think, seeing as I keep running into solid walls as far as obtaining information goes. Hopefully, questioning his wife today will be a bit more revealing.”
Hagatha Jinx. “So she’s back from Bonemark then? Have your crew finished scouring the crime scene? Any more clues?”
“Not exactly,” David admitted. “After that compound we found on the steps, I had my men go back over the estate with a fine tooth comb. I want to be sure that it didn’t come from elsewhere on the grounds or inside the house itself.”
“So you didn’t find it in Aurel’s laboratory?”
“First place we looked. the Snake-Iron’s a close match to it, but my CSIs tell me that it’s not the same substance.”
“Fair warning, David,” I said, gently nudging the kitties aside as I stretched and wriggled my toes. “Hagatha Jinx is the type to go ballistic over a pastry failing to live up to her high and mighty standards. She’s probably not going to be sweetness and light over the fact that you’re still turning her house upside down.”
“Warning noted, Ms. Jenkins. Care to join me for the questioning? It wouldn’t hurt to have an extra pair of ears and eyes, and, okay, maybe paws too, to unravel any missed clues.”
“Let me see how Millie’s doing when she gets in. But assume that I’ll be there unless I call and say otherwise.”
“Good enough, Hat. Hopefully see you soon.”
I got the kitties fed without too much fuss. Even Gloom held her usual sharp tongue this morning. I noticed that Midnight broke from the feeding bowls early, a crease of worry furrowing his brow.
“Hattie, we need to go downstairs,” he whispered. “Now.”
I was about to ask him why when he trotted off to the door and started scratching it.
“No time to explain,” he said. “Let’s go.”
Deciding that my cat knew something I didn’t, I opened the door, and he ran ahead of me. I moved as fast as I could to keep up with him as he dashed down the stairs. Carbon, his need for breakfast beating down his need for heat, was hurrying up the stairs for his morning grub. He barely managed to get out of his brother’s way as Midnight bounded downward.
“Something wrong?” Carbon asked, whipping his head around to watch his descending brother.
“If there is, I’ll let everybody know in due time,” I said, stepping over him to follow Midnight toward the kitchen. “Breakfast is up. I suggest getting in there quick, as Eclipse seems pretty ravenous this morning.” I jumped down the last of the stairs, tailing Midnight.
By the time I got to the kitchen, Midnight was scratching at the back door. I had a surprisingly hard time opening it; as if some weight on the other side had deposited its bulk there. I put my shoulder into it then and shoved with all my body weight, and the door finally gave way. I heard something thud to the ground.
An ethereal tiny ball of light whirled around the prone Millie Midge’s head. She looked like she was mere seconds away from unconsciousness. The light, done with its circling, jumped suddenly. Midnight, paws swatting at the dancing glimmer fell backward. He had just been ‘bopped’ on the nose by a mischievous light particle.
“You owe me for this one, kitty cat.” Came a barely audible whisper. And then it was gone. Zipping as fast as lightning into a sky whose darkness was retreating just as rapidly.
I crouched down and cradled Millie’s head in my lap, and jumped a little as her eyes flew open wide. My assistant yelped, and then her face turned angry.
“I wish you cats would leave me out of your magic circles.” she barked at Midnight.
“You should have gotten Verdantia to walk with you! That was the deal!” Midnight spat back. My sleep-deprived kitty was furiously rubbing at the pixie-assault spot, trying to wash away the transgression.
“If my brownie contact there hadn’t sent his brain beam we wouldn’t have known you were staggering your way to the Angel by yourself.” Midnight huffed, pacing in frenetic circles around Millie’s feet.
“For crying out loud, girlfriend, why?” I asked, shaking her a little. “You know you can trust Verdantia. And what were you even thinking trying to come into work today?” I cried.
“Had to,” Millie managed.
“Why?” I demanded.
“Had…to...Zzzz”
Her eyes had fallen shut, and she was snoring in seconds.
“Mil?” I shook her shoulder gently. “Millie?” She looked pale, and I felt a worry worm wriggle in my belly.
Midnight popped his claws and pricked Millie’s bare ankle. No response. He brought in the other set of his five sharp spikes, and with both paws held either side of her shin, popped his claws again. Nothing. He moved to the other ankle.
“Midnight,” I said, exasperated. I took hold of one of his paws firmly. “Treating her like you do Grandma’s throw pillow isn’t going to wake her up.”
“But it’ll make me feel better,” Midnight retorted. “See how ungrateful she was, Boss?”
“She’s tired, buddy. And under a lot of stress. As are you and the rest of us. Lighten up a little, will ya? You know Millie loves your furry arse to bits.”
Footsteps, fast and light, trotted up behind us. Verdantia Eyebright’s usually serene face was creased with worry. Goddess, she still looks beautiful even with the weight of the Isles on her shoulders.
“Without help, there is no return to the waking world for her,” her grave words hung like a black weight in the still morning air. Who knew how she knew how to be here. Faery vibrations were way too subtle for us mere Witches to catch, but somehow she and the dancing pixie light had had a connection. She knelt down. “I’ll watch her. Call an ambulance.”
The BrooMedics were here in less than ten minutes. Dawn, peeping through with pinky-orange strands, pushed at the edges of the deep blue night. The streets were still deserted. It’d be another hour at least before the shops threw their doors open to bustling trade.
All I could think of though was how despite all attempts -- cat claws included -- Millie wasn’t waking up. The BrooMedics were doing their best to rouse her with an assortment of waking compounds, including basic Mainland smelling salts. Verdantia even used some of her own portable potions; all to no avail. Millie remained senseless to the world. Midnight circled us in skittery distress.
“Sorry, miss,” the older BrooMedic, a woman in her mid-forties with tanned skin and dark, kind eyes, said as they loaded her on the hammock between the two joined besoms.
“But we’ve done all we can for her here. She needs to go to hospital, tout suite.”
“Not alone she’s not,” Midnight muttered as he jumped onto Millie’s chest.
“Oi!” the other BrooMedic, a younger man about my age with a raw bone complexion and very pale skin, barked. “What do you think you’re doing, kitty cat?”
“Watching out for my hooman, Paleface!” Midnight spat back. “If that’s going to be a problem, you’d better tell me now.”
“Midnight,” I admonished him. “I know you’re tired, and I know you care about Millie, but just remember these people are here to help.”
“Well, I’m not leaving her,” he said, settling down on his haunches for the ride to Howling M
ercy Memorial Hospital.
I looked to the woman BrooMedic, an apologetic smile on my lips. “Is that going to be—“
“If he’s trained in riding broom and doesn’t shift about, then I see no harm. “She tickled Midnight behind the ear. “I have protective cats myself at home.”
As she and her partner mounted their ride, I went to Midnight. He had nuzzled in between Millie’s body and her left arm; a protective paw stretched over her stomach.
“You sure about this, fuzzy?” I asked, giving his head a rub.
Midnight purred as he pushed his head into my palm. “If what we just saw is any indication, I’m not sleeping again anytime soon. Might as well put the insomnia to good use.”
“I’ll be by later. You take good care of her.”
Midnight gave my palm a lick and then turned to Verdantia. “Mind keeping an eye on her while I’m gone?”
Verdantia blew him a kiss. “Of course, my friend.”
They lifted off into the pinkening sky, and I walked back into the kitchen, my newly assigned Faery Guardian hot on my heels. All my remaining kitties were gathered around the fire in the front of the shop. Even Shade had returned from his very early morning talks with Miss. Poof. I could see concern reflecting back at me in every last yellow pair of eyes.
I rang the police station’s front desk from the shop phone.
“GIPPD,” a bored Sergeant Spinefield drawled.
“Chief Para Inspector Trew, please,” I said.
“Sorry, miss, I’m afraid that the Chief Para Inspector’s not available at the moment. Can I take a message?”
“No. Thank you, sergeant Spinefield.”
I hung up.
“You should really keep whatever appointments you’ve already set up for the day, Hattie,” Verdantia said casually.
“But who’s going to run the shop while I’m out there?” I asked, spreading my arms wide. “You’ve got your own greengrocer to run, after all.”
A knock came on the back door as soon as I’d said that. Verdantia looked like she’d been expecting it and got the door for me. Artemus was standing on the other side, out of breath from running down the street.
“Verdantia, Hattie,” he said between pants. “I saw the BrooMedics while I was taking out the trash.Is Millie—“
“She lives and breathes, Mr. Caves,” Verdantia said, giving his shoulder an affectionate squeeze. “But her fate must be decided elsewhere. I’ll let the two of you figure out what that fate will be.” With that, she turned and left through the way she entered.
“Huh? What did she mean by THAT?” Artemus queried.
“Get used to it, buddy. Verdantia’s the queen of cryptic.” I paused. “She was supposed to be ‘guarding’ me today.” I gave mock air quotes to my friend, and rolled my eyes in sarcasm. “Guess she has more important things to do,” I added rather more ruefully.
“Fae kind don’t need to be in one’s presence to be one’s protector, Hattie. I’m sure you’d remember this if you weren’t under so much stress.” Artemus reassured me.
I waved my hand, changing the subject.
“How’s the order coming along?
“Yes, I wanted to get an early start today, anyway. Green Lion is a bitch to scrape from the glass tubes. I want to clean those thoroughly before I run any more substances through.”
““How close are we to being done with everything?”
“Nearly there. The last of the supplies should be arriving today. It’ll still be a bit touch and go, so, with your permission, I’ll stay overnight if need be to finish things up.”
“That ought to go over well with clueless cop,” Gloom said from the doorway.
“Not now, Sister,”
“Would you mind running the shop in my absence too? I’ve got an appointment I can’t really skip and—“
“If you’re referring to the investigation into Aurel Nugget, then that definitely would trump the shop for at least one day.”
I shook my head. “No real secrets when your girlfriend’s place is the most popular pastry shop on Glessie, is there?”
“If my research into magic has taught me anything, it’s that the truth will always eventually come out. It’s just that certain common pieces of information tend to be released a bit faster than the more esoteric data.”
Then he offered me a reassuring smile. “I do believe I can manage a day of running your fine establishment while keeping up with the refining out back.”
He gave the kitties at our feet a questioning look. “Will all of you be willing to help me with the proper cures for any walk-in customers that may arise?”
“It’d be our honor, Mr. Caves,” Onyx said with a small bow.
“Hmmph…like you’d know bullyroot from blueclaw,” Gloom quipped.
“I wish my memory-lapse skills could make her forget why she’s here.” Eclipse offered. “Sadly, I can only wipe the mind of humans.” He hadn’t used his mind-wipe technique in quite some time. I guess he was getting itchy to jump into his innate talents once more. Eclipse’s heart was in the right place, but he seemed to think the solution to every big problem was his amnesia trick. “Try to avoid that today, if possible, ‘Clipsy. I actually want people to remember that they’d like to come back.”
“Well, dudes and dudettes,” Shade said. “If we’re gonna run The Angel today, we might want to get in position before kickoff time, you know?”
“Well said, brother,” Onyx said, smiling. “Shall we?”
“I’ll, uh, hang back here for a few moments. Make sure Hattie’s broom starts okay.” Fraidy said already walking backward.
“Shocker,” Gloom muttered.
I reached for my coat, and was interrupted by Fraidy’s admission. “I think ...given all ...that’s going on right now, I-I- I sh-should accompany y-you on your j-journey.”
“Finding your inner Galahad, Mr. Fraidy Cat?” Artemus asked in amusement, taking last night’s dirty beakers to the sink.
“I made a promise!” Fraidy snapped. “A sacred oath to Bast’. And it’s one I-I’m going to keep.”
I knelt down to give my kitty a rub. “Glad to have you along, Fraidy boy. Now I’m ultra protected, ” I joked with Artemus. “An absent Faery protector, and the world’s most scared living-being.”
Artemus laughed. “Is there anything further I could do to help as well?” he asked, pouring Green Man Cleaner into the first bulb.
“If there is, I’ll let you know,” I said, lifting Fraidy. “But right now, I’d better get going, so I can get back here and help out as quickly as possible.”
“You afraid that something’s going to happen to the shop?” Fraidy asked in alarm, wrapping his arms around my neck and looking pleadingly into my face.
“Not really.”
“Given everything the last day or so, why not?”
Fraidy’s question made me stop for just a moment. Then, realizing that the answer to that would come out eventually, I finished packing for the trip, while my fur-baby clutched for dear life around my neck.
CHAPTER 11
I tried reaching David on his cell as Fraidy and I crossed the sky on my trusty broom. Three attempts and I couldn’t even get his voicemail. I didn’t get it. Cell service wasn’t that bad at the Nugget estate, was it? Hopefully, there was an innocent explanation that didn’t involve anything catastrophically magical. I kept that cheerful thought close as I made a couple of deliveries on the way to the crime scene. I’d have preferred to have flown straight there, but Verdantia’s words about keeping all my appointments remained with me.
The constables were still milling around the grounds as we landed, but it was obvious they were wrapping up. Lines of yellow tape, various placards marking evidence locations and radio chatter filled the scene before us. I set the broom in a copse of trees near the steps where we’d found the second batch of darker gray powder. Fraidy weaved his way through the bushes sniffing for anything useful that hadn’t yet been detected by David’s guys.
>
“I’ll…I’ll see if there’s anything that Midnight or that brownie missed,” he told me from the cover of a blooming azalea.
“Sure you’ll be okay by yourself?” I asked.
“I-I…really don’t know,” he admitted. “But there’s…only one real way to find out, right? Just you make sure to stick close to the Chief, okay?”
Not waiting for an answer, he rustled deeper into the undergrowth. I chuckled a little. Maybe my most terrified cat was finally growing a pair.
A quick question to the nearest CSI pointed me to where David was. CPI Trew was standing by the front door, fiddling with his cell phone and muttering curses under his breath. My approach interrupted his berating of the digital device.
“Oh, Hat,” he said. “Did you call? I can’t seem to get my cell to take or receive calls.”
“Yeah, I know,” I said, tapping the Bluetooth still in my ear. “I tried calling you on the way over but…”
He held up his phone in frustration. “Dammit all, I’ve got full bars in this area. Why is it that a supposedly top-of-the-line unit like this refuses to work while a broken-down radio in Aurel’s laboratory is suddenly able to pick up transmissions from the Mainland?”
I gave him a sharp look. Yet another imbalance, then?
The Chief caught it. “Does that mean something to you?”
“No, no. It’s not that. I’ve just had a … well, it’s been a rough morning,” I said, my voice nearly breaking from a threatened onslaught of tears. I breathed in deep. I’d share the news with Millie soon, and also the link between his broken phone and the newly revived antique radio in Aurel’s lab. But I wanted to keep my head clear for what was going on here and now if I was to be any help to David.
Still, my friend always knew when something was bothering me. He rested a hand on my shoulder. I couldn’t help but notice yet another stopped watch on his wrist. Bran, he must be emitting some strange frequencies right now.
“Tell me what’s on your mind when we get done here, okay, Hat. Ready to get this interview done?”
“Talked to the widow already?” I asked as we stepped inside.
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