Witch Is How Dreams Became Reality (A Witch P.I. Mystery Book 32)
Page 24
“It won’t be long now, “Jack said. “Only two more and then it’s your turn.
“No one cares about these other prizes. Everyone is here to find out what the top prize is.”
“You could be right. Look.” Jack pointed. “It looks like the local TV has only just arrived.”
“When they interview me, I must remember to get in a plug for the business.”
“And so, citizens of Washbridge,” the MC said. “We now come to the top prize. And to award it, please welcome on stage your mayor.”
The crowd managed no more than a polite round of applause for the diminutive man, who looked as though he might trip up over his chains of office.
“Hello, everyone.” The mayor had the microphone now. “I’m delighted to see such an excellent turnout for Washbridge’s inaugural annual lottery. It has raised an incredible amount of money for some very worthy causes. And, as you have already seen, there have been many excellent prizes. None better than the one that it is now my great pleasure to award to Jill Maxwell.”
“I’ll see you back at the house.” I gave Jack a quick peck on the cheek. “I might be a while because I’m going to take her for a spin.”
“Jill Maxwell, will you please come on stage to collect—” I was standing next to him before he’d had the chance to finish. “You’re very keen, and little wonder.” He glanced to the side of the stage to make sure the TV cameras were in place. Satisfied, he continued, “Jill, it gives me great pleasure to present this to you.”
As he handed me a white envelope, the cameraman walked over to us, in order to get a close-up.
“Open it,” the mayor encouraged me.
I didn’t need telling twice. No doubt this would be the registration documents and the key, although I couldn’t feel anything key-shaped inside. But then, weren’t all new executive cars keyless these days?
I ripped open the envelope and took out the card.
“What do you think, Jill? I bet you weren’t expecting anything as exciting as that, were you?” The mayor was speaking half to me, and half to the camera.
I said nothing. I couldn’t. I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me.
“Come on, Jack, let’s go.” I grabbed him by the arm.
“I thought you might both want to come back to our place,” Kathy shouted after us.
“No, thanks. I’m feeling a bit peaky.” Back at Jack’s car, I slumped into the passenger seat. “Get me out of here.”
“Why were you so sure you’d won a car?”
“Because I saw them delivering it, and I asked the man if it had something to do with today, and he said it did.”
“I suppose it did, in a way.”
“How?”
“Didn’t you see the mayor arrive? He was in a Jag, and it looked brand new.”
“I’ve never been so embarrassed.”
“Why? You still won first prize.”
“A course of lessons at Clown?” I threw the envelope into the back seat. “Are you smirking?”
“No, of course not.”
“That looked very much like a smirk to me.”
“It wasn’t, I promise.”
“Just take me home.”
We drove back in silence. I should have known better than to think that I could ever win something like a new car. Why had I bragged about it to so many people? They would no doubt all have a good laugh at my expense when they saw what had happened on TV.
We’d just pulled onto our street when Jack stopped the car; he appeared to be staring at our house.
“What’s wrong? Why have you stopped here?”
“Your car? It’s not on the driveway. Where has it gone?”
“Oh no!”
“What’s wrong?”
“I told the breaker’s yard that they could come and pick it up. It’ll be a heap of scrap metal by now.”
“Oh dear.” Jack began to laugh so hard that soon there were tears rolling down his cheek.
“It’s not funny!”
“Come on, Jill. Surely you can see the funny side.”
More mystery and magic await Jill Maxwell in the next book:
Witch Is How Bells Were Saved
(Witch P.I. Mysteries #33)
ALSO FROM ADELE ABBOTT:
Whoops! Our New Flatmate Is A Human
Susan Hall Investigates Book #1
Take a shy werewolf, a wizard who fancies himself as a ladies’ man, and a vampire dying for her first taste of human blood. Then add a human for good measure.
Web site: AdeleAbbott.com
Facebook: facebook.com/AdeleAbbottAuthor