by J. D. Shaw
“Missy, I don’t know what you want from me.” Mona shrugged. “Life is what we make it out to be, for better or for worse.”
“Why did you get the better? How is that fair?” Missy sneered. “Even back in high school, all you wanted was to steal my head cheerleader position”, Missy retorted, “Because that’s all you can do lacking any sort of real talent. Things never change and you’re living proof.”
Mona shook her head. “Yes they do. My God, Missy, it’s like someone waved a magic wand and changed everything about you.”
“Funny you should mention magic, really.” Missy smiled. “Did I mention the part about being a witch and being able to use magic?
“What?”
Missy nodded. “Of course, if I played by the rules of magic I’d still be an ordinary mortal. You see, I was the generation that was supposed to be skipped. Mother had told me the truth and how she couldn’t violate the rules of magic to alter my life. I begged her, pleaded with her, but she just wouldn’t budge. So one night, her brakes mysteriously failed and she ran head on into a tree. Magic couldn’t save her after all.”
Mona gasped. “You murdered your own Mother?”
Missy grinned. “The magic passed to me, the moment she died. I vowed then and there to get back the life that should have rightfully been mine all along. With some carefully crafted spell work, Missy Collins became the fabulous Victoria Clemens. I gave myself a head of hair with the perfect texture and color, flawlessly toned skin that tanned and never burned, and a body with no unsightly sags or cellulite. When I looked in the mirror I didn’t even recognize myself and neither did you.”
Mona recoiled in horror. “But you’ve got a fabulous life here. Look at you, you’re Victoria Clemens now.” Mona gave her a little smile. “You’ve created a brand new life that is far from that grocery store.”
“You mean having a little winery out in the sticks with a dead husband?” Missy put her hands on her hips. “I don’t think so.”
“Stephen is dead? When did that happen?” Mona backed up toward the dumpster.
“He had a heart attack a few days ago.” Missy revealed. “Before I could finish my plan to get back the life you stole from me.”
“I didn’t steal your life.” Mona fired back. “I made it with a little bit of luck and a lot of hard work.”
Missy paced back and forth in short circles. “It was all so simple but you had to start poking around and mess it up.” She rubbed her hands together nervously. “The magazine scandal was supposed to create enough chaos that Richard would step down and leave a vacancy for a new mayor, my husband.”
“But he’s dead.” Mona pointed out.
“But still under my control.” Missy replied. “I created a spell that made him appear alive and quite healthy to mortal eyes. Then, all I would have to do was work a little magic on the city council, have Stephen drop dead of a heart attack when I chose, and take over as Mayor in his place. It would be my small start to a bigger picture in politics. State Senator, Governor, maybe even President someday?”
“You’re insane.” Mona turned to leave. “I think you really need some serious psychiatric help.”
Missy clapped her hands together. “Stephen, grab her.”
Mona whirled around as the reanimated corpse of Stephen leapt out from behind the dumpsters and seized her in his grip. His cold hand wrapped across her mouth and muffled her started scream.
Missy walked up to her with a grin. “That’s right, babe. You’ve tangled with the wrong witch and now you’re going to pay for it.”
Mona tried to wiggle her way free but it was no use.
Missy picked up the giant scissors and held them to Mona’s chest. “Playing by the rules with magic wasn’t working fast enough so I found a short cut. A little detour to the darker side of magic gave me the answer I was looking for.” Missy pressed the scissors harder against Mona’s chest. “In order to get closer to Richard, you had to die and someone else had to take the blame.”
Mona shook her head in response. Her eyes watered.
“Suzette Powell always has a way of getting on my nerves. I really can’t stand the woman. Always biting her nails and acting so mousy, she reminds me of how I used to be back in New York. She’s a dull, average nobody who never gets noticed.” Missy grinned. “Pinning it all on her just sort of makes this a two-for-one deal.”
Mona cried out once more and kicked Missy in the shin.
Missy started to fall backwards, which caused Stephen to lurch forward to save her in response. Unable to move away, Mona fell onto the scissors which impaled her through the chest. She crumpled in his grip.
“You stupid idiot, I almost got stabbed myself.”
Stephen let Mona drop to the ground with a thud. She moaned and then went still.
Missy reached into her charm bag and produced Suzette’s fingernail. “Stephen, press this into her wrist and be quick about it.”
He did as she asked, jabbing the fingernail into her soft pink flesh. The sound of the sanitation truck roaring down the alley interrupted them. “It’s time to leave. Stick her in the dumpster and let’s get out of here.”
Stephen did as she asked and picked Mona up from the ground. He placed her gently on her back in the dumpster and then disappeared into the alley just as the truck approached and everything went dark.
Vivienne awoke to the smell of natural gas. She was still trapped in the Glen Harvest Winery cellar, in the dark, only now she had full knowledge of what had happened to Mona Clarke.
As she pulled herself up from the floor, she heard the hissing sound coming from the far end of the room. The pipe that served as the main line had been severed and the space was filling up fast with flammable gas. The wine cask where Stephen’s body had been encased was shattered on the floor once more, with no sign of him anywhere. She bolted toward the door leading out of the cellar when the door opened and Stephen stood at the threshold. In his lifeless hand, there was a single book of matches. He pulled one free and prepared to strike it and start the conflagration that would kill them all.
“No.” Vivienne screamed in horror just as something gray leapt from behind the door and snagged the matches from his hand. Vivienne watched in shock as Joshua, in wolf form, scampered over to her and dropped the matches at her feet.
She quickly grabbed them and looked at the reanimated form of Stephen with a mixture of pity and disgust. “It wasn’t your fault. You need to let us go.”
Stephen stared at her with his cold, dead eyes. He started to shamble toward her. “Light the match.” He repeated over and over with his new orders.
The werewolf growled at him and leapt into the air in a vicious attack. Vivienne, taking advantage of the distraction, made for the door to escape. When she reached the threshold, she ran right into Victoria, who she now knew to be Missy Collins.
“You’re not going anywhere.” Missy smacked Vivienne across the head with the grimoire she had stolen.
Vivienne recoiled for a moment. “You’re a murderer and you’ve violated the magical laws.”
Missy sneered. “There’s only room for one big witch in town and that’s me.” She slammed the door shut and locked it from the other side.
Vivienne furiously yanked and pulled at the handle but it wouldn’t budge.
“Light the match, Stephen.” Missy yelled from the other side. “Do as I command.”
Stephen picked up the wolf with both arms and hurled him against the wall of casks. The wolf yelped in pain and rolled to the ground, transforming back into the naked form of Joshua.
Vivienne rushed over to him. “We have to get out of here. The gas is going to blow this place sky high any minute.” She grabbed some stained towels that were used to clean up drips from the casks and draped it across his lower half to cover his nakedness.
Joshua shook his head and moaned. “Vivienne, I’ve been tracking your scent for hours. When I came out of the station both you and my car were gone.” He wrapped the towel
around his waist and knotted it.
Stephen clumsily picked up the book of matches.
“There’s no time to explain.” Vivienne looked around in desperation and then focused on the taps which allowed the wine to be drawn from the barrels. She rushed over to the one directly across from Stephen and started to yank on the spigot with all her might. “Joshua, help me pull this out.”
Joshua jumped up from the floor and limped over to the spigot. Together, they managed to yank it out. A river of red wine poured out, but the pressure wasn’t nearly strong enough to reach Stephen.
“Back up.” Joshua ordered.
Vivienne side stepped. “Whatever it is you’re planning to do, you better hurry.”
Stephen ripped a single match from the book and prepared to strike it across the coarse surface.
With a primal growl, he threw his arms back and then forward at the cask. The wood splintered and shattered as a wave of red wine blew outward, knocking Joshua and Vivienne to the floor.
The wave of red wine crashed over Stephen, drenching him and the matches in one fell swoop.
Joshua quickly got to his feet and pulled Vivienne up from the floor. “Let’s get out of here.”
“Lead the way.” She spit out a mouthful of wine.
Stephen, now soaking wet, tried to strike the matches but they wouldn’t light. The soggy cardboard just disintegrated in his featureless hands. He stared at them like a lost child.
Vivienne’s attention turned to the locked door. “Can you smash that open too?”
Joshua nodded and with a ferocious growl slammed into the door with all his might. It fell forward into a stairwell. Joshua grabbed the door by the handle and tossed it inside the cellar. “Follow me.” He ordered.
As they both raced up the stairs into the tasting room, a flash of lightning and a clap of thunder shook the structure.
Vivienne pointed to the lit exit sign above a set of double doors. “That way.” She sprinted out the front door as a vicious thunderstorm swirled overhead.
“What now?” Joshua asked as he followed behind her into the gravel parking lot of the winery.
Vivienne caught a glimpse of Missy standing near the vineyard with her hands in the air. Oblivious to their escape, she had her back to them chanting something that seemed to make the storm grow worse.
“Run like the wind.” She said and pulled him with her.
They had only a minute to spare as a large bolt of lightning erupted from the storm and struck the winery tasting room. It exploded in a huge fireball, knocking them both to the ground with the concussive pressure as a clap of thunder stung their ears.
When they looked up a few seconds later, there was only a flaming pile of rubble that burned like a great bonfire. The orange and yellow flames reached up toward the clouds in angry defiance.
“No.” Missy screamed furiously having noticed their escape. She picked up the grimoire and began chanting another spell.
The thunderstorm flared with a strange greenish light as Vivienne held tight to Joshua. Whatever spell was about to hit them, she was certain it was going to end with their mutual demise. “I love you.” She yelled tearfully at him.
He was about to speak when his eyes widened in surprise. “Vivienne, what is that?”
She turned around to see several spikes of lightning arching to the ground and creating a grid of electrical energy around Missy. “I don’t know.”
Five cloaked figures slid down the lightning bolts, each taking a place apart from the other. They raised their arms and shaped the electrical energy into the shape of a pentagram.
A shrill scream from Missy pierced the air. The pentagram flashed like a strobe as a whooshing sound, much like the air escaping from a balloon, erupted and flung Missy and the figures up into the swirling storm clouds. There was one final crack of thunder and then the clouds began to dissipate allowing the stars to shine once again.
Joshua sniffed the air. “Where’s Victoria? I can’t smell her anymore.”
Vivienne got up and ran over to the spot where Missy and the figures had been. The field grass was bent, reminding her of the pictures of crop circles from tabloid magazines. There, in the center, was her grimoire. She picked it up and held it to her chest.
Joshua stepped beside her. “What the hell was that?”
Vivienne could feel the slight tingle of magic in the air. It was so subtle; she could easily mistake it for common static electricity if she didn’t know any better. But, she did know better. Somehow, she knew this was the magic of the elders. “She’s been arrested by a higher power than the police.” Vivienne tried to explain.
“I don’t want to know.” Joshua shook his head. “Do I?”
“You better get out of here.” Vivienne looked at Joshua. “You’ll never be able to explain what happened and why you’re dressed only in a flimsy towel.”
Joshua kissed her as the sound of sirens from the volunteer fire department sped toward the ruins of the Glen Harvest Winery. “I love you, Vivienne Finch.”
“I love you too, you furry beast.” She kissed him back as the sirens grew louder. “Now hurry up and get out of here.”
“What about you?”
“I’ll figure something out.” She smiled. “See you back home.”
He turned around and ran with unnaturally fast speed. His limbs elongated, fur covered his body, and a few seconds later the towel fluttered to the rain-soaked ground as the werewolf disappeared into the woodlands.
She walked over toward the parking lot where Joshua’s Jeep was parked haphazardly taking up several spots. Bits and pieces of the structure had rained down upon the vehicle, but by some minor miracle it appeared mostly unscathed.
The fire truck screamed into the lot and she waved at them. Two burly men in heavy gear jumped out of the cab and approached her. “Are you hurt?”
“No. But I’m sure glad to see you.”
One of the firemen draped a thick blanket over her and led her to the truck. “Was anyone else inside?”
“Stephen Clemens, the owner.” She shook her head sadly at the flaming remains of the winery. “I don’t think he made it out.”
“We’ll look for him.”
Vivienne nodded back solemnly.
Chapter 25
When she returned to Cayuga Cove a few hours later, she couldn’t believe her eyes. The local police had blocked off the area around Stephen and Victoria’s home with yellow crime tape.
Parking Joshua’s car along the curb, she made a beeline for the gathering of police and fire vehicles. Sheriff Rigsbee and several officers were standing off to the side.
Sheriff Rigsbee turned around in surprise. “Vivienne Finch. Why am I not surprised to see you here?”
“Victoria Clemens tried to kill me tonight.” She explained. “She trapped me in the Glen Harvest Winery and cut the gas line.”
“What are you talking about?” Sheriff Rigsbee eyed her cautiously smelling her wine-soaked clothing. “Have you been drinking?”
“I’ve been doing some investigating about Mona Clarke’s death and I found out she isn’t who we thought she was. Her real name was Missy Collins and she’s had a vendetta against Mona for years. Suzette Powell is innocent.”
“We know all about it.”
Vivienne shook her head. “How could you know that? I was on my way to explain everything to you.”
Sheriff Rigsbee regarded her for a moment and then ducked under the police tape. “Victoria Clemens called me personally and confessed to everything tonight. By the time we got to the house it was too late, she had hung herself.”
She followed him to his car. “She committed suicide?”
He nodded. “She left a note explaining everything. Would you come down with me to the station so I can add your incident to the report?”
“Yes.” She stepped into his car.
As they drove away, he gave one last look at the scene before them. “It may not have been pretty, but at least justice was
served.”
“I suppose it was.” She still didn’t understand just what had happened in her absence.
“Justice was served, darling granddaughter.” Sheriff Rigsbee’s image blurred and was replaced by that of Nana Mary.
Vivienne’s hands flew to her mouth. “Nana Mary?”
She pulled the car over to the side of the road. “Victoria Clemens or Missy Collins, whichever you prefer to call her, has been under investigation by the elder witches for quite some time.”
“How did you know her name was Missy Collins?”
Nana Mary reached over and pulled the necklace with the pentagram out from underneath Vivienne’s shirt. “We could see it all with this. It’s sort of like a hidden camera, broadcasting what you see into the minds of the elders in the conclave.”
“Even my thoughts?” Vivienne wondered.
“Even those.” Nana Mary smiled.
“I’ve been having these visions.” Vivienne explained. “It’s like I’m seeing things through someone else’s eyes.”
Nana Mary nodded. “Tactile recall. It’s one of the more rare gifts that just so happens to be your special power. That’s why I was under orders from the conclave to give you the talisman that would allow them to view everything.”
Vivienne took a deep breath. “What is this tactile recall?”
“You’ll learn to control it better over time. But basically, if you are in physical contact with someone, you’ll be able to sense their thoughts.” Nana Mary replied. “It will come in quite handy, especially when someone is lying to you. You see, people often think of what they’re trying to cover up when they fib. The police have lie detectors to bring the guilty to justice, witches have special powers and talismans.”
“But I keep passing out afterwards. That doesn’t seem like a good thing for me in the end.”
“Every gift has a safety trigger to avoid it being misused. It’s the natural law of magic.” Nana Mary explained. “Something that Victoria chose to ignore when she delved into the forbidden arts.”