Wicked Folk

by Jamie McFarlane

  The sheriff's aura was straightforward and like other lawmen and women I'd met, he had a natural ability to recognize outright lies. I hoped his abilities didn't extend to truth shading.

  "Same child who's missing?" he asked.

  I nodded. "It is. But I didn't get the sense she meant any harm."

  "Work with me here. The way I see it is we have three possibilities; abduction, runaway, or she's simply lost in the confusion," he said. "Obviously, we hope it's the latter."

  Just then, Gabriella returned, her face flushed. "Mr. Jenkins has not seen her," she said. "You could have warned me about his proclivities."

  I raised my eyebrows. I wasn't familiar with any of Rob Jenkins' proclivities. "Like what?"

  "He came to the door naked," she said.

  This caught the sheriff's attention and he snapped his head in the direction of Jenkin's property. "He exposed himself to you?"

  "Yes. Quite proud of himself, too," she said.

  "Give me a minute," he said and pulled the radio from his belt. "Pol, I'm going to need a couple more units up here at the Babcock place. We have a possible missing child."

  A woman's voice answered. "Will do, Aaron. Jason and Drew are on duty. Do you want me to send them both?"

  "Roger that, Polly. Have Jason bring the four-wheelers," he answered and clipped the radio back on his belt.

  "What's going on, Sheriff?" If my adjustment to his honorific caught his attention, he didn't show it.

  "It's dusk right now and in forty minutes it'll be too dark to effectively search this mountain. What I need from you is a good description of the missing child."

  I described Petaluma and looked around nervously. We were losing time getting organized and the mention of abduction worried me. There'd been enough weird stuff happening that I couldn't rule the idea out.

  "Sheriff, I know these woods," I said. "Let me get going and see if I can find her."

  "In a minute," he said. "I'll need your cell phone numbers. The service up here is good and that'll be a good way for us to communicate. Right now, my office is calling in volunteers who help with these types of things. If you think you have an idea of where she went, I'd like to follow up on that."

  "It's not that," I said. "It's just that I know the trails."

  "Be practical for a moment. You don't have water and you don't have a flashlight. Both things you're going to need," he said.

  Maggie trotted into the back yard, tongue hanging from her mouth. "Maggie, where have you been?" I asked, knowing she wouldn't be able to answer.

  "That your dog?" he asked.

  "Sure is," I said, scratching her shoulders affectionately.

  "Not sure a bird-dog is going to be much help," he mused.

  "Here are our phone numbers," Gabriella said, handing Merritt a piece of paper. "We have hiking gear in the truck out front and the dog is familiar with Luma. Can't hurt to start looking."

  "Right," he said. He didn't appear to be a man who appreciated letting a situation get beyond his control and he was struggling to assimilate the information bombarding him. "I'll have my deputy call these numbers in a few minutes so you have a contact number."

  Maggie nuzzled my hand, her maw wet from being dunked in a water bowl. She was definitely ready to get going.

  "Let's go girl." I patted my leg, making a show for the sheriff who would not likely understand if I just talked to Maggie normally. "Hunt 'em up." I tapped the couch where I'd laid Petaluma after she'd passed out.

  Maggie baroofed and spun in a circle, making a big show of getting excited, finally smelling at the location where I was gesturing.

  "What's the plan?" Gabriella asked once we were out of ear shot of the sheriff.

  "There's a main trail back about half a mile. It goes east-west. I'm hoping Maggie will get a hit off it," I said.

  "What about that Seer's Glass or the compass you made last year when you were tracking Shaggy," Gabriella asked. "Can't you make one of those?"

  "I have no idea if Judy has the components available," I said. "And I'd need Petaluma's blood to make the compass." I pulled my day pack from the back of the truck and checked the water bottles. Flicking on a flashlight, I led us over to the forest.

  "Augendae." I cast the sensory enhancement spell on myself, which would work better than a flashlight for me.

  "Baroof, Baroof," Maggie barked excitedly. I wasn't sure if she was on scent or just impatient to get going."

  "What's up, girl? Timmy fell in the well?" I couldn't help myself and smiled as Maggie growled menacingly.

  Gabriella swatted my arm with her flashlight. Apparently, I wasn't supposed to make jokes while running through the dark creepy forest. "You're such a dumb-ass," she said.

  "We'll find you, Maggie. Go!" I urged.

  Maggie barked a final time and vaulted into the forest, her narrow body easily slicing through the undergrowth. As a bird-dog, she was particularly adept at traveling quietly and quickly.

  "What now?" Gabriella asked.

  "Turn off your flashlight."

  Gabriella complied and we stood at the edge of the darkened forest, the last rays of the sun's light an orange glow filtering through the deciduous canopy.

  "What are you doing?" she asked quietly.

  "Shhh." I closed my eyes and picked up her hand. The spirit of this forest was familiar to me and I quieted, allowing myself to become attuned. It wasn't like the forest would tell me where Petaluma was. I'd never been on a speaking basis with nature, but I felt the forest welcome me all the same. A natural habitat is a living, breathing organism; all beings within it are interconnected. I'd have enjoyed drawing a spell circle and meditating for an hour or two, but I didn't have the time. I had learned as much as I could in a short period.

  "This way," I said, opening my eyes and leading Gabriella in the direction of a heavier path.

  "You found her?" Gabriella asked.

  I chuckled, loving her wide-eyed faith in my wizardly powers. I would have loved to say yes, but lying to a witch was a fool's errand. "No. I needed to say hello to an old friend."

  "You're so full of crap," Gabriella said. "And I can't see without my flashlight."

  "Augendae." I waved my hands across her eyes.

  "Oh." She sounded startled. "That's amazing. The colors are beautiful. It's almost like daylight."

  I shook my head. Somehow, every spell I cast on Gabriella worked better for her than me. The surrounding terrain, for me, was considerably more muted than she was describing. To me, the forest appeared to be in a perpetual state of late dusk.

  The trail we were on was only used by Judy and her coven when they entered the forest and even then it was one of several. If Petaluma wanted to disappear into the woods of her own volition, I had a couple of places in mind to check. I reasoned that she wouldn't go directly to any of the coven's ritual sites. As a young man, I'd visited the forest during more blessings, rituals, and celebrations than I could remember and had discovered my own share of unique hiding places.

  A distant sound of breaking branches and Maggie's excited baying caught our attention. "Sounds like she's on to something. This way," I said.

  "But she's over there," Gabriella pointed toward what I knew to be a deep ravine.

  "Trust me," I said as we ran as fast as we could safely manage.

  Jumping across a narrow stream, I turned back to offer my hand to Gabriella. She'd worn light tennis shoes to dinner and was having trouble with the slippery mud. Having crossed, we continued on through the wild undergrowth, using Maggie's baying as a beacon. My confidence grew as we closed in on a position I was more than familiar with.

  "There." I pointed at a quad of giant oaks that had grown together. The massive trees competed for position next to and surrounding a thick slab of granite. From beneath the slab, a steady stream of water exited into a marshy area, eventually turning into the stream we'd crossed below. A careful observer - which I was certain Petaluma was - would have tracked the running stream back to
the lichen covered rock which had been overgrown by the proud guardian oaks. When I'd been younger, I'd been able to slip between the trunks by climbing only a few feet. Over the years, the trunks and my own growth had forced me to climb higher, but I'd always been able to find access. The reward had been a private retreat with a crystal clear pool.

  Maggie quieted as we approached; human understanding overriding the beast. When Maggie transformed, she shared a duality with her beast form. She was capable of overriding the animal's behaviors, but more often than not, she simply enjoying the form's natural, instinctual abilities.

  "There's a hollow inside the trees," I said. "The spring bubbles up inside and flows under the rock. We have to climb up to find a way in between the trunks. There's room - just enough for a small girl."

  "Luma, I'm coming in," I raised my voice to the tree, seeking out familiar footholds.

  I'd lost a certain flexibility since the last time I'd entered this private sanctuary and it took me several tries to boost myself over the first branch and into the cleft which would give me the purchase I required. In the wan light, I peered down, my eyes coming to rest on the thin teen. Her knees were pulled tight against her chest and she refused to acknowledge my presence.

  "Is she there?" Gabriella called up to me as I turned back.

  "Yes," I said. "Call Merritt."

  I turned back and carefully lowered myself down next to Luma. She shivered as my arm brushed against her own. I pulled off the shirt I'd grabbed from the truck and wrapped it around her. My eyes caught a glimpse of the book held tightly against her chest.

  "I can't go back," she said through gritted teeth.

  I pulled a fist-sized chunk of granite from the cold pool of water beneath us. "Adoleret." I focused the stored energy from my ring into the rock until it was almost too warm for an ordinary person to hold and set the rock next to her.

  "I won't let anyone take your book until you're ready," I said.

  "Why did it hurt my mother?" Petaluma asked. "It's never done that before."

  "It's a spell," I said, telling her something she already knew. "It was worried you were giving it up."

  "Spells don't worry," she said. "Don't treat me like a child. I know you're going to try to take it again."

  "How long have you known?" I asked.

  "Known what?"

  "Don't treat me like an idiot," I replied. "How long have you known you have power over dead things?"

  "I'm not left-hand," she replied without conviction.

  "Is that what you think? That you're bad because of your magic?"

  "I tried to kill my mother. I think it's pretty clear what I am," she said. "You don't know the things I've done."

  I wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close to me. "Luma, only you decide what path you walk. Having necromancer magic doesn't make you evil." Initially she resisted, but then loosened her grip around her knees.

  She placed the book beneath her thighs and buried her face into my chest, crying softly. "I can't stop myself."

  "When a practitioner's magic comes in, it can be overwhelming," I said. "Did you know I burned down the gymnasium of my high school?"

  She placed her hand on my chest and pushed back, looking me in the face. "You did not." Her words didn't match what her face seemed to understand.

  "It's how Judy found me," I said. "I was a mess."

  "Thea says you're dark, but you hide it."

  I wasn't expecting the slap and it set me back. For a moment, I just looked at the small girl, not sure how to respond. "I guess I don't see it as black and white. I've done things I'm not proud of, I know that."

  "You hurt her," Petaluma continued. "She says it was really bad, but she's glad it happened."

  "It was an accident," I said. "Just like your book hurting your mom. Why would Thea be glad it happened?"

  "Not sure," Petaluma replied.

  "Altum Visu." I waved my hand across my eyes and opened them slowly.

  "What are you doing," she whispered. "Your eyes are glowing."

  "Wizardy stuff," I said. The book she was holding had a deep purple glow with bright streaks of yellow along its leather cover. A translucent slimy brown and green algae-like film covered the book and rode up along Petaluma's arm, encircling her throat. A small amount of energy appeared to flow from the girl, most likely feeding the parasitic spell.

  "If I promise no one is taking that book from you, can we get out of here? I think your mom would like to see you when she wakes up," I said.

  "She's afraid of me."

  I considered her words. If I were talking to a normal kid, I'd deny what she was saying, but I was talking to a witch whose magic had come in. I'd risk alienating her if I lied. "Is Judy?"

  "No. But Mom's been trying to hide me from Judy. I think she's ashamed."

  "She's afraid of how other people will treat you when they learn of your magic," I said. "Believe me, if Judy can deal with me, she'll know how to help you too."

  "I'm not giving her my book."

  "Of course not," I said. "It's too valuable. Where did you find it?"

  "At the faire last fall," she said.

  "Faire?"

  "Eppy. The gypsy faire. They have a store with old books. I couldn't believe I found it," she said.

  "Yeah. Me either."

  Plea

  "It doesn't get busy until afternoon," Lace said. "And by busy, I mean we might get a handful of real customers. Mostly, people come to talk. I have some work to do in the back, if you guys can deal with the front." She had been curious about how the girls were doing, but not as freaked out as I might have been in her position.

  Gabriella and I had offered to help at Judy's shop while she sat with Dolly and Gia in the hospital. Dolly's recovery would take a while, given the concussion and second degree burns on her stomach and thighs. Gia, on the other hand, had been fortunate. Her neck wound, while initially concerning, was healing quite well although she was likely to have a considerable scar.

  "Do you have any of those soaps in the back?" Gabriella called from behind the second aisle. "They smell like rosemary." I quirked my head at the familiar phrase and swiveled toward the front of the shop.

  Perfectly timed with my dream, the front door opened, causing the brass bell to ding cheerfully. I quickly stepped from behind the counter, positioning myself between the newcomer and Gabriella. If we were going to step in the crap, I was facing it head on.

  To my surprise, not to mention considerable confusion, the woman who entered was FBI Agent Dana Anderson. Anderson was medium height with auburn hair, porcelain white skin and today, she wore a tailored gray suit with a white blouse. Her attire was quite different from the last time we'd met when she had been wearing a dark blue jumpsuit. I might have mistaken her for a mild-mannered business woman if I hadn't seen her arrest a werewolf and a couple of rogue witches without breaking a sweat.

  "Agent Anderson?" I asked.

  She gave me what I can only describe as a look. "Mr. Slade. Why am I not surprised to see you here?"

  "I think that's a good question," Gabriella said, standing. "Why aren't you surprised?"

  "Have we met?" Anderson asked, turning toward Gabriella.

  "Not directly." Gabriella joined me at the counter.

  "And you are?" Anderson asked. I wasn't sure why Gabriella was playing coy, so I watched her intently.

  "Gabriella Valverde," she replied, holding out her hand. "Tell me your name again?"

  "Special Agent Dana Anderson," she replied, accepting Gabriella's hand. "You are Whyte Wood then?" It took her a moment to recall the information.

  "You should know better than to lie to a witch," Gabriella said coolly. "Could you have picked a cheesier alias?"

  Anderson hitched an eyebrow and looked at me. I gave her a shrug. I wasn't sure what Gabriella's issue was, but I sure wasn't about to question her in front of Anderson.

  "You caught that, did you?" Anderson asked.

  "I was suspicious when Feli
x told me about you and Mulper back in Leotown," Gabriella said.

  "For the record, it's the first time I've been outed," Anderson admitted. "Most of the people I run into don't watch much TV."

  "Why the alias?" I asked.

  "Consider the type of people we're likely to run into," Anderson replied.

  "Criminals?" I asked.

  "Yes, and given names are targets for all sorts of spells and curses. I'm not about to give them that power," she replied.

  "Social visit then?" I quipped.

  "No. Mr. Slade, I'd like to ask you about a corpse I examined two nights ago in Missouri," she said. "The local sheriff thinks you're involved, but didn't have anything concrete. Want to tell me what that's all about?"

  "Not much to tell," I said. "We found a woman next to the river."

  "She had a wound on the side of her neck and a rather large dog bite on her arm. Strangely, both of those wounds were received post mortem," Anderson replied. "I understand you were traveling with a dog. Perhaps I should get a warrant for an impression of its teeth, so I could match it up with the wound pattern." Maggie had come out from the back of the shop and looked up at Anderson inquisitively.

  "Coroner told me the woman had been dead for a few days," I said as innocently as I could manage.

  "No judge would give you a warrant for dog mouth prints on a corpse. There's no crime," Gabriella said, annoyed.

  Anderson sighed. "I feel like we're getting off to a bad start. But first, is anyone else in the store?"

  "Aside from Maggie here, we're alone," I said, hoping Lace wouldn't join us. "What's going on?"

  She crossed to the front door, flipped the sign from open to closed, and twisted the lock. "Level with me," she said. "I know you didn't hurt that woman in Missouri. Not, at least, while she was alive. However, the marks on her body bear a strong resemblance to those on an agent who was killed in much the same manner only a few miles from here."

  "As in special agent?" I asked.

  "Yes. An undercover."

  "Why was he undercover?" Gabriella asked.

  "Do you recognize this man?" She held out a picture of an early thirties-something man dressed in khakis and a polo shirt.