“That’s good. There are two cows behind the storage building to the east. I’m grabbing them next. I’m not sure where the other two went. How many goats are on Main Street?”
“All of them as far as I can tell.”
“Maybe the cows went with them.”
“Maybe, although I wouldn’t count on it. They would be hard to miss.”
“Maybe Hannah has the cows.” Tyler’s comment was absent, but it set Cooper’s teeth on edge.
“Hannah is looking for Jinx.”
Tyler jerked up his head. “Jinx? What happened to Jinx?”
“That thunder was so loud he freaked out and ran out the door. It woke him out of a dead sleep. I think he was discombobulated when he ran.”
“And he didn’t come back when Hannah called him?”
Cooper shook his head. “She’s really upset, although she didn’t say as much. I can tell, though.”
“Of course she’s upset. That dog is like a child to her.”
Cooper hadn’t thought of it that way, but he knew the animal wrangler was right. “I’m going to help with the goats and then find her.”
“Don’t worry about the goats. I’ll help with the goats. Find Hannah. She shouldn’t be out in this.”
It was exactly what Cooper wanted to hear and yet he couldn’t abandon his friend. “I’ll help you and then you can help me look.”
“Or you can find Hannah, which is what you really want to do, and by the time you return all the animals will be safely back where they belong. I still don’t know which one of them managed to open the gate to let the others out.”
“That’s a mystery for another time.” Cooper started for the door, hesitant. “Are you really okay with me going after Hannah?”
“Absolutely. That’s the way it should be.”
Cooper didn’t need any more prodding. “I’ll call you if I have a signal ... so you don’t worry.”
Tyler grinned. “I appreciate it. Just find Hannah. I’ll handle everything here.”
And, because he knew it was true, Cooper took off in the rain. He had a blonde to find, and he wouldn’t stop until he had her and her pain-in-the-butt dog.
HANNAH HADN’T CAUGHT AS MUCH AS a glimpse of Jinx since fleeing from the saloon. The dog had taken off, destination unknown. Where he’d gone was anybody’s guess, and since he wasn’t barking, she had to go with her gut.
Jinx’s favorite place in Casper Creek was the creek, a place where he could cut loose and splash around, so that’s where she headed. It might make sense for him to hide in the shelter of the town, but she’d seen the look of terror on his face and knew that he wasn’t thinking when he took off. He was running on instinct, which meant he was likely long gone from Casper Creek.
Away from the buildings, which served as shelter, the rain smacked her in the face so hard it stung. It reminded her of cold fall days in Michigan when rain gave way to sleet and the roads turned terrible. The precipitation here wasn’t as cold, but it was definitely as hard.
Hannah kept her head down so she could monitor the path in front of her. The trail was normally clear, but the rain had turned the hard-packed earth to mud so quickly that what was once firm was now treacherous.
Every thirty seconds, Hannah would bellow out Jinx’s name. All she wanted, more than anything really, was to hear a responding bark. If she could just get some tangible proof that she was on the right path some of the fear that was threatening to take her over would dissipate. For all she knew, Jinx was already back in the saloon. Knowing Boone, he’d likely given the dog Hannah’s dinner — which she had no appetite for — and they were all wondering what happened to her.
She couldn’t think about that, though. Her instincts told her Jinx was still out here and needed his mother. She wouldn’t leave him. She wouldn’t stop. The search would continue until she found him.
She crested the hill that led to the magical wall and slowed her pace to give it a once-over. Despite the storm, it remained as it had been. There was a low hum of energy stemming from whatever magic had erected the barrier, but nothing happened when she popped to the other side. Her first thought was to call to Abigail — if anyone could find Jinx it would be her — but the thought died before coming to fruition when a dark figure standing on the downward slope, looking up, came into view.
Her heart skipped a beat. Somebody was here. Somebody had come for her. Almost as fast as the original thought had come, Hannah discarded it. It was a ridiculous assumption to jump to. It was far more likely somebody had been out hiking and simply got caught in the storm. Perhaps he or she needed help.
Hannah wiped at the rain dripping from her brow and narrowed her eyes in an attempt to make out the interloper’s features. The weather made it difficult, though, and the fact that the figure hadn’t yet moved caused nervous energy to flutter in the pit of her stomach.
“Hello?” She was thankful to find her voice was solid as she called out to the individual. “Are you lost? Do you need help?”
Laughter was all she got in response ... and it was a sound she recognized.
Her heart rate picked up again. This time she had a reason to be fearful. “Stormy?”
The snotty witch laughed again as she slowly raised her eyes to meet Hannah’s clear blue orbs. “You don’t look happy to see me.”
That was an understatement of epic proportions, but Hannah refused to play the game. “I don’t know that I would say that. I am surprised to see you.” She swallowed hard and glanced around to see if the witch was alone. Then something occurred to her. “What are you doing on this side of the creek?”
“Is that a trick question? Is it like ‘why did the chicken cross the road?’”
“No, it’s actually a straightforward question. There are wards. You’re not supposed to be able to cross the creek.”
“Who told you that?”
“People I trust.”
“Well, you might want to look for another source of information. I had no problem crossing.”
“Is there a reason why you crossed?”
“I was just looking around.”
“In the rain?”
“I happen to love a good storm.” She winked at Hannah, causing her to involuntarily cringe. “That’s why my name is Stormy.”
“Right.” Hannah didn’t trust the witch, but she also didn’t have time to dilly-dally. Jinx was out there somewhere, and he needed her. “Well, I’m just out looking for my dog. You’ll want to be careful climbing the hill in this rain. It’s muddy ... and slippery.” Hannah gave Stormy a wide berth, not looking up again until they were on an even level. The expression on Stormy’s face might’ve been amusing under different circumstances, but it filled Hannah with dread today.
“That’s it?” Stormy queried. “That’s all you have to say to me?”
“Right now.” The last thing Hannah wanted was a fight. “I have other things to do.”
“Like look for your dog.”
“That’s the plan.”
“And what if I told you I could produce the dog right now?”
Hannah’s guts turned to liquid ice. “W-what?”
“Your dog. What if I told you that I knew where he was?”
“Then I would ask you to tell me.” Was it possible she really had Jinx? The thought terrified Hannah. Stormy didn’t seem like the type of woman who believed animals should be loved and protected.
“I’m willing to tell you ... for a price.”
Hannah swallowed hard. “What price?”
“I hear things about this property,” Stormy noted. “I hear there’s magic to be had. I like magic.”
“And you think I can somehow help you tap into the magic here or something?” Hannah was legitimately baffled. “I don’t have time for that. I need to find my dog.”
“I just told you I have your dog.”
Hannah craned her neck. “I don’t see him.”
“That doesn’t mean he’s not close and safe. Er, well, at le
ast he’s safe for now. If you want him, I just want one little thing in return.”
Hannah had no doubt what that one thing was. “Casper Creek.”
“Oh, you really are smarter than you look,” Stormy drawled. “Astra said you wouldn’t be willing to deal, but I knew differently. What do you say? I’ll give you the dog. You can give me this place in return. I’ll even give you a few days to pack up your things and vamoose.”
Hannah was dumbfounded. “You think I’m just going to hand over Casper Creek to you? Just like that?”
“If you want the dog back.”
Hannah was about to tell her where she could stick the offer — she would kill Stormy before she let her hurt Jinx and the property would never come into play — but a distinctive bark caught her attention, and when she shifted to the west, she found Astra closing in with Jinx in tow.
Hannah cried out in relief and hurried in that direction, dropping to her knees when Jinx bounded to her. He greeted her with sloppy kisses, and Hannah didn’t care in the least that he was soaking wet as he rubbed himself against her. “I was so worried.”
Stormy’s glare was dark when she focused on her boss. “What are you doing here?”
“I was just about to ask you the same thing,” Astra replied, her expression blank. “I was down at the creek when the dog appeared. He splashed right in the water and hid next to the bank.”
“The storm frightened him,” Hannah explained. “He took off from the saloon. I’ve been looking for him ever since.”
“Well, he’s here now.” Astra flicked her eyes to Stormy. “What were you two talking about?”
“We were just shooting the breeze,” Stormy replied.
Annoyed, Hannah narrowed her eyes. “She said she had Jinx and wanted to trade him for Casper Creek.”
“Is that a fact?” Astra looked downright furious. “That’s quite the trade, huh?”
“It was a joke,” Stormy offered. “I was just messing around with her.”
“It doesn’t sound like that to me.” Astra held Stormy’s gaze a beat longer and then focused on Hannah. “I would get the dog back to town. This storm won’t let up yet for a few hours. You really shouldn’t be out in it.”
Unsure what to say, Hannah went for sarcastic levity. “I didn’t know you cared.”
“I don’t ... about you at least. I don’t want anything bad to happen to the dog and he seems to love you.”
“He’s a good boy,” Hannah agreed. “I ... really can’t thank you enough for bringing him to me.”
“The dog is innocent in this. Just take him home. I don’t need thanks. I simply want some alone time with Stormy, if that’s all right with you, I mean.”
Hannah could only nod. The cold vibes building between the other witches made her nervous. She didn’t want to hang around a second longer than necessary. “Knock yourselves out. Cooper is probably looking for me anyway.”
“I’m sure he is,” Astra agreed, making a derisive shooing motion with her hand. “You should find him, get out of the rain. I’ll handle this.”
“Okay. Um, thanks again.” Hannah motioned for Jinx to follow her and the dog happily acquiesced. She had so many questions, a million of them really, but now wasn’t the time to voice them. It wasn’t until she was at the top of the hill that she realized both Stormy and Astra had managed to clear the creek boundary. How had that happened? Actually, when had it happened? Were they able to cross the day before? Did they have something to do with Angel’s disappearance?
Hannah’s head was alive with a web of questions as she left the two witches to battle it out. As much as she wanted answers, she wanted safety more. The questions would have to wait for another day.
15
Fifteen
“You’re in big trouble for scaring Mommy,” Hannah groused as she hiked back to Casper Creek with Jinx in tow. For his part, the dog seemed none the worse for wear. His tongue lolled out as he scampered in the rain, making sure not to wander too far away from his favorite person in the world. “I mean big trouble.”
The look Jinx gave her was goofy.
“I mean it.” Hannah was determined to give the dog a good talking to when they got home ... just as soon as she dried him off and warmed him up. “You should never run away from me. You almost broke my heart.”
Jinx padded next to her, his expression suddenly grave. To Hannah, it almost looked as if he was absorbing every word. Watching him, she tried to smile ... and then burst into tears instead. “Don’t scare me like that again,” she insisted, her voice cracking. “I just ... can’t deal with it.”
At the top of the hill, she pulled up short when she found Cooper heading in their direction. Relief momentarily overwhelmed her as she picked up her pace.
“Are you trying to kill me?” Cooper barked when he saw her, stopping still in the middle of the storm to rest his hands on his knees. He had no idea what direction she’d gone in and played a hunch when he left Casper Creek. He’d never been so thankful in his entire life that his hunch turned out to be correct.
“I found Jinx,” Hannah volunteered through her tears, stopping directly in front of Cooper.
He stared at her, internally debating whether he wanted to yell or cry. Ultimately, he gave into his urges and pulled her in for a tight hug. “You scared ten years off my life.”
Because it mimicked what she said to Jinx so closely, Hannah managed a laugh as she rubbed her cheek against his shoulder. “I’m sorry. I just had to find him.”
“I know.” He couldn’t hold out in the face of her misery, no matter how angry he’d been during the jog from Casper Creek. “You shouldn’t have left.”
“I told you I had to find him.”
“You should’ve waited for me.”
“No.” She was morose when she pulled back. “I followed my heart. You can’t ask me to go against my heart.”
And, because he knew she was right, he shook his head and let go of his frustration. “You’re okay. That’s all that matters.” He flicked his eyes to Jinx, who continued panting and playing in the mud. “He seems okay.”
“Astra found him in the creek.”
Cooper froze. “Astra found Jinx in the creek?”
“That’s what she said.”
“Why was she down at the creek? I mean ... did you find her just sitting there when you managed to track down Jinx?”
“No. I never made it that far. I ran into Stormy at the bottom of the hill instead. We were talking — well, arguing really — and that’s when Astra showed up. She had Jinx with her.”
Cooper was stupefied. “I don’t understand.”
“I honestly don’t either.”
He glanced back in the direction she’d come from, torn.
“Don’t go back,” Hannah pleaded, as if reading his mind. “It’s a mistake. They looked as if they were going to fight.”
“I don’t understand how they managed to get on the property. I thought there were wards keeping them out.”
“I thought that, too. Either the wards have failed or they found a way around them.” Something occurred to Hannah. “Or maybe that barrier is messing with the wards. Magic that strong can’t be wielded without consequences.”
“Maybe,” Cooper agreed. He slid his arm around her shoulders and tugged her toward Casper Creek. “Either way, they’re not going to answer our questions and I’m not keen on being stuck in this storm a minute longer. We’ll talk about things back in town.”
“Don’t you mean yell?”
“No.”
“You look like you want to yell.”
“Well, that shows what you know.” He playfully poked her stomach. “I’m so glad that you and your furry friend are safe that I think I’m going to forego a lecture this evening.”
“Wow. It’s like Christmas.”
He snickered. “I wouldn’t go that far. I just want to get out of this.”
“Astra said it was going to keep storming for a few hours.”
“Is she suddenly a weather person?”
Hannah shrugged. “I don’t know. She didn’t waste a lot of time on me. She seemed much more interested in what was going on with Stormy.”
“That’s both interesting and frightening.”
“That was my thought on the subject.”
“Come on, Jinx,” Cooper prodded as they walked toward town. “I think you’ve scared your mother enough for one night. If you play your cards right, I bet she’ll spoil you rotten for the rest of the evening.”
Jinx seemed perfectly happy with that notion because he happily yipped and took off in front of them.
She was safe, Cooper reminded himself as they walked. She was safe and soon she would be warm. It was the outcome he’d hoped for ... and yet he remained leery. What had Astra and Stormy been doing on the property? Had they really been fighting? Was it all for show? He didn’t know, but he was determined to find out.
TYLER, BOONE, AND LINDSEY WERE eating dinner when Hannah and Cooper straggled into the saloon.
“You guys look a little rough around the edges,” Boone noted as he took them in. “How far did you have to go?”
“Almost out to the creek,” Cooper replied, moving directly toward the bar. “Tyler, can you do me a favor and run up to Hannah’s apartment and get some towels?”
“Sure.” Tyler bobbed his head, grinning at Jinx as he moved to collect the key from Cooper. “Do you want fresh clothes, too?”
Cooper hesitated. He’d thought they would go straight upstairs, take a warm bath, and then climb into bed. The smell of the food had him re-thinking the order of things. “That would be great. I have jogging pants in her dresser, bottom drawer on the right side. She’s got some in the middle top drawer. You can grab two of my T-shirts for both of us.”
“You’ve got it.”
Cooper extended a warning finger toward Jinx when it looked as if the dog was going to shake himself next to Lindsey and Boone. “Can you please not do that?”
The dog held his gaze, frozen in place, and then wriggled his body to shake off the excess water.
“Gross,” Lindsey complained, wrinkling her nose. “I thought you told him not to do that.”
Dances With Witches (A Hannah Hickok Witchy Mystery Book 5) Page 15