One Witch's Trash Panda Is Another Witch's Treasure
Page 4
The possum hissed at me and I took a step back. “Nice possum,” I said. “You don’t want to hurt me.” What kind of spell could I do on a possum that wouldn’t hurt him? It wasn’t his fault he was under the siren’s control.
Before I could decide, the possum lunged—and was grabbed by the tail in midair. I staggered backward and landed on my bottom. From the floor, I saw a gray wolf with the possum’s tail gripped in its fangs.
Delphine’s song became a shriek of dismay. It was enough to break her hold on the possum. The animal blinked and yelped when it realized its predicament.
“Sheriff, it’s okay,” I yelled. “Let him go.”
The wolf released the possum and it scampered out of the room. The wolf bared its teeth at Delphine, daring her to move. Accepting defeat, the siren sank against the piano.
“How did you know to come here?” I asked.
The wolf morphed back into the sheriff’s human body. His naked body. I wanted to avert my gaze—I really did—but my eyes refused to cooperate. He grabbed the potted plant from the corner and placed it in front of him in a very dignified and strategic fashion.
“I found where she moved the treasure and then tracked her scent back here,” the sheriff said.
“She’s been using music to brainwash stray animals into stealing for her,” I said. “Because they’re small and can get in and out of places without being noticed.”
“So Raoul really did take the golden chalice from the Whitethorn,” the sheriff said. “I told you he was a thief.”
“Yes, it seems so, but he has no memory of it,” I said. “He honestly didn’t know that he’d done it. He was under the siren’s control.”
Delphine’s jaw clenched. “I did those animals a favor by giving them a purpose. Their potential was being wasted.”
“You took away their free will and forced them to commit crimes on your behalf,” I said. “That’s not a favor to anyone except you.”
The sheriff flicked one of the plant leaves. “Hey, Rose. Do me a favor and magic me some clothes so I can arrest her?”
I tapped my wand thoughtfully on my chin. “Hmm. Spells for clothing? Not sure if I know any of those.”
He glared at me. “Rose, this is not the time to mess around.”
I remembered a spell that my cousin Linnea performed and decided to try it. I focused my will, pointed my wand, and said, “Vestis.”
Delphine strangled a laugh and I quickly realized why. The sheriff was now wearing an adorable yellow dress.
“The style flatters your hips,” I said.
He growled and I raised my wand again, recognizing my error. Vestis was Latin for ‘dress.’ Vestitus was ‘clothing.’ “Vestitus,” I said.
The yellow dress was replaced by jeans and a T-shirt.
“Better?” I asked.
“Much,” he replied.
Delphine held out her wrists limply. “If you two are finished flirting, can you get on with arresting me?”
“We’re not flirting,” we said in unison.
Delphine rolled her eyes. “More potential being wasted. Now that ought to be a crime.”
Sheriff Nash slapped the handcuffs on her. “Let’s go, Delphine. Looks like you’ll be singing the blues from now on.”
“Good one,” I said, offering him a fistbump.
He stared at my fist. “Seriously, Rose?”
I dropped my hand to my side. “Fine. I’ll go home and share the good news with Raoul.”
The next day I was summoned to the sheriff’s office to give a formal statement. The recovered treasure was in the process of being catalogued and returned to its rightful owners. I knew Captain Yellowjacket would be relieved, as would Doris Kingsley.
“Good job cracking the case, Rose,” the sheriff said, when I entered the room. He and Deputy Bolan were already seated at the table they used for interrogations. “I guess you’ll be writing the story for your boss, too.” There was no love lost between Alec Hale and the sheriff. Werewolves and vampires didn’t mix well at the best of times, and those two had a rocky history.
“I’m writing it later today, so that it makes this week’s edition,” I said.
Sheriff Nash grinned. “Somehow I knew you’d manage to clear your trash panda’s name.”
“His name is Raoul,” I said. “Try to be respectful. You don’t like it when people call you a fleabag.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Nobody calls me a fleabag. They wouldn’t dare.”
“Okay, fine. But you wouldn’t like it if they did.”
He folded his arms and glowered. “You made your point.”
“How did you figure out Delphine was behind it?” Deputy Bolan asked.
I shrugged. “I guess you could say he followed the scent and I followed the musical notes.”
The leprechaun tugged his beard. “That’s not really an expression.”
“It isn’t?” And here I thought I’d said something clever. Damn. “Marley was a huge help. She recognized the tune that I heard in Raoul’s head from the music center. Delphine was the one playing it.”
“I knew I liked that Marley,” Deputy Bolan said. “She’s one smart cookie.” He shook his tiny leprechaun head in amazement. “How can an apple fall so far from the tree?”
“I often ask myself that same question,” I replied. I was the first one to admit that Marley was far superior to me. I was lucky to have her.
“Don’t sell yourself short, Rose,” the sheriff said. “You have a few good qualities.”
I eyed him. “Such as?”
“You can sniff out trouble better than anyone I’ve ever met,” the sheriff said, with a mischievous grin.
“Gee, thanks. Speaking of trouble, promise me you’ll take Raoul off your watch list. He’s not a criminal and he’s under my protection now.”
The sheriff and deputy burst into simultaneous laughter. “Your protection?” the sheriff echoed.
I straightened my shoulders. “That’s right. He’s considered a Rose now, and don’t you forget it.”
The sheriff’s smile faded. He hated the fact that my aunt practically ran this town single-handedly. “I’ll make a note of it.”
I left the sheriff’s office with a smile on my face and a spring in my step. I felt more like a witch today than I had since I first discovered my true nature. I was raised as an unsuspecting human in Maple Shade, New Jersey. Raoul waited all these years in the woods behind the cottage because he sensed a greater purpose awaited him. Like me, he trusted his instincts. He’d shown perseverance and fortitude, two qualities I was more than happy to have in a familiar.
My smile widened. I officially had a familiar. It didn’t matter to me that Raoul wasn’t like the others. Somehow, it seemed appropriate that he was different. After all, so was I.
Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed Ember, Raoul and friends, please help other readers find this book so they can enjoy the world of Starry Hollow, too ~
1. Write a review and post it on Amazon.
2. Sign up for my new releases and other book news via e-mail at http://eepurl.com/ctYNzf or like me on Facebook.
3. Other books by Annabel Chase include the Spellbound paranormal cozy mystery series.
Curse the Day, Book 1
Doom and Broom, Book 2
Spell’s Bells, Book 3
Lucky Charm, Book 4
Better Than Hex, Book 5
Cast Away, Book 6
A Touch of Magic, Book 7
A Drop in the Potion, Book 8
Hemlocked and Loaded, Book 9
All Spell Breaks Loose, Book 10
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