The Pink Pumpkin Party

by Vella Day

  “What are we going to do?” Heather asked.

  “It’s what we are trying to figure out,” Steve said. “But tell us your news first.”

  “Okay. For starters, Danny Wheaton, our current clan leader, thinks he figured out exactly what happened.” We all stilled. “Nash, do you remember Preston Gorman?”

  “How could I not? He terrorized Mill River and killed several innocent bystanders.”

  “Yes, and because you ended his reign of terror, so to speak, his father has been determined ever since to take you down.”

  Nash looked off to the side. “I don’t remember meeting him.”

  “You may not have. Preston’s dad was Duncan Gorman, aka Peter Upton.”

  The room burst into conversation. We bombarded Heather with so many questions at once that Steve had to bang the table. “Let Heather finish.”

  “Thanks. Duncan recruited your three amigos: Travis, George, and Tony.”

  Nash shook his head. “I know Preston was in a different clan, but I don’t remember these guys.”

  “I imagine they were stray punks that Duncan picked up after we all moved down here.” She held up a hand. “I take that back. Travis was his second in command. The other two were hired hands.”

  “Do you think Travis killed this Duncan leader so he could be in charge?” I asked.

  She shrugged. “We might never know unless George or Tony talk.”

  “For that to happen, they need to be caught,” I tossed out.

  The image of the pyramid popped into my head. “This might sound crazy, but Gertrude received an image from the Spiderman glove that Travis dropped outside of the party. She saw the number four as well as a pyramid. Could this pyramid be the hierarchy of the clan, with this Duncan guy on top and Travis underneath?”

  Everyone looked at Nash. “It is certainly possible. It might explain why Travis killed Duncan.”

  “Why kill Travis?” I asked.

  Nash shrugged. “Take out the number two man so whoever is left is now in charge?”

  That sounds like the last werewolf clan that came through here. “That would make George or Tony the Clan leader, assuming those back home don’t rebel.”

  “I’m glad Hunter and I aren’t up there anymore to see that play out,” Nash said.

  “That begs the question, how can we catch the two remaining werewolves?” Steve asked.

  “That is where our old clan members come in,” Heather said.

  “What do you mean?” Steve asked.

  “When I told them what had happened to Nash and Hunter, they rallied. About ten will be here on a later flight tonight to track down these men.”

  My pulse soared. “As in ten more werewolves?”

  Yes, that was a dumb question considering she’d just told me they were clan members, but I was too excited to think straight.

  Heather chuckled. “Yes.”

  I sagged in relief. “If I can find them, then you all can take them down—or rather those who can shift can take them down.”

  Jaxson squeezed my thigh, probably to indicate he was happy I wasn’t insisting that I be the one to charge into danger—as if I would.

  Steve’s cell pinged. He read what was on the screen. “That was Misty. Our two suspects just entered the forest after stopping at the grocery store.”

  “It would be easier to escape if you could hide in a few thousand acres,” Hunter offered. “They have to know we’re on to them, which is why they aren’t returning to their homes.”

  Steve nodded. “Let’s come up with a plan to get these guys once and for all.” He held up a hand. “I realize that if these men decide to shift that I will not be the one to stop them.”

  “Are we to assume we have the authority to bring them in dead or alive?” Hunter asked.

  “You know I’d love it if they didn’t resist, but I doubt that will be the case. I want them to stand trial, but I fear it might be hard to prove that they attacked you and Nash even if we try them in a court of their peers.”

  “That’s true,” Nash said. “It would be their word against ours. We’re pretty sure Travis killed his boss, the man we know as Peter Upton.”

  “That is easier to prove,” Steve said. “Though it doesn’t matter much now since Travis is dead. All we can arrest them for is killing Travis or harming you two.”

  “Can you prove they killed Travis?” I asked. “Packing up their friend’s possessions and selling his car would do it for me if I were on a jury.”

  “I hope you’re right, Glinda.” Steve placed his palms on the table. “I guess you all know what that means.” He looked over at Heather. “Will the men from your clan be here and ready to go by nine?”

  She smiled. “You can count on it.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  “I still don’t know why I can’t go,” Rihanna said. “We’re the only two who can see these werewolves.”

  “You’re right, but I couldn’t live with myself if anything happened to you,” I shot back.

  “Happened to me? If those wolves see us and attack, there will be at least five other highly trained werewolves to take them down. And if that fails, I won’t be the one they eat.”

  My eyes widened. “Are you saying they’d eat me first?”

  Rihanna huffed. “Ah, yeah. I can run twice as fast as you, and that is all that matters.”

  “Ladies, ladies. Enough of this bickering,” Jaxson said. “I think Rihanna might be right. It’s possible we’ll need to divide and conquer. There should be enough of Nash’s clan there to protect both of you, but only if we stick together at first.”

  I looked over at Jaxson to see if he was trying to appease Rihanna or if he really meant it. He was the cautious one of the group. “Fine, but you go rogue even one time, and I won’t be able to trust you again.”

  Rihanna smiled and then crossed her heart. “I promise I won’t.”

  Iggy hopped up on the table. “Don’t even think about leaving me behind.”

  There was no way I was taking him. He’d go off on his own and possibly put the group in jeopardy by having to look for him. “Someone needs to stay back and watch Nash’s back.”

  “He’s not going?” Iggy asked.

  “No. It’s what the two men want—to get him alone. Actually, one of the clan members will stay back at the station just in case they come in. Steve suggested that Nash take a nice nap in one of the empty jail cells with the door locked. He’d be safe until Nash’s bodyguard can take care of the men.”

  Iggy looked between all three of us. “Isn’t he upset that he’s not going?”

  “Very, but he’s not ready.” I snapped my fingers. “You could wait at the door. If anyone sneaks in, you could cloak yourself, race to the cell, and let Nash know they were there.”

  “He can’t hear me.”

  “I know, but if you jump on him, he’ll know something is up. It’s a very important role.”

  “Fine,” he said. “You own me a big plate of greens though.”

  I smiled. “The biggest.”

  Jaxson tapped his watch. “It’s time.”

  Once back at the office, we dressed. Both Rihanna and I slathered on the green face paint to make us more invisible. I had gone against my rules once more by wearing my dark jeans, but even I realized that pink kind of glowed in the dark. After Rihanna lent me one of her black shirts and black cap to cover my hair, I was all set.

  As soon as she emerged, I sucked in a breath. “No one will see you.”

  “That’s the point.” She picked up Iggy. “Ready?”

  Our first stop was the sheriff’s office to drop off Iggy. “He’ll make sure Nash is awoken if anyone enters the station.” I turned to our deputy. “Don’t worry, Iggy will be gentle.”

  He smiled. “I will feel very safe now that he’s here.”

  “Remember, he can cloak himself, so if you don’t see him, it doesn’t mean he’s not there.”

  “Got it.”

  The stationhouse w
as packed with very large men I didn’t know. Being surrounded by so many werewolves was a bit daunting. I was glad that they didn’t glow yellow.

  Steve introduced both of us. “These ladies can see these men glow, if that’s the right term.”

  “Good enough,” I said. “I’m hoping the spell is still holding.”

  Rihanna leaned over. “Do you still have the spell?”

  I tapped my forehead. “It’s all up here. Trust me. I won’t be forgetting it anytime soon.”

  “All right, men and ladies,” Steve said. “You all know your assignments. Chris, Thad, and Randy are assigned to the ladies here. Surround them, and we’ll be good. Ready?”

  The group agreed in unison. Jaxson drove Rihanna and me, while Chris, Thad, and Randy followed closely behind. We’d been assigned to the Picket Post Path parking lot area since that was near where the fight with Hunter and Nash had occurred. If these men suspected the cops were on to them, they’d probably move pretty far into the woods. It was why I was wearing my small backpack with a few bottles of water and some snacks. I had no idea how many miles we’d have to travel.

  When we arrived, my nerves flared. “Who’s to say these guys didn’t call in more reinforcements,” I asked to no one in particular.

  Chris stepped next to me. “We have people monitoring that. We’ll know if they hop on a plane to come down here. Don’t worry. We’re not going to let anyone get near Nash—or Hunter, for that matter. The clan is our family.”

  Aw. It almost made me wish I was a werewolf. Okay, not really. I had enough to handle being a witch.

  Thad motioned toward the trail. “Chris and I will lead, and Randy will take up the rear. Any questions?”

  We all said no.

  As we headed into the dark forest, I bet Jaxson wished he still had the ability to see in the dark, like he could after I put that spell on him. Because it was so dark, I figured it would be easy to spot these men, assuming they were still glowing yellow. Now, I was glad that I’d let Rihanna talk me into letting her come with us. It was hard to look in every direction.

  “They could be in tents,” Rihanna whispered.

  “Shh. I don’t need that kind of negativity. We have to think positively, or we won’t find them. This forest is really huge.”

  We weren’t the only group who was searching. Steve said he was hoping these men would get cocky and light a fire, which would be nice.

  After two hours of walking the trail, my feet hurt. At least Florida was a flat state. If I had to climb a mountain, I would have given up a long time ago. The worst part was that Chris instructed us not to talk.

  I was dreaming of a nice long soak in a tub, when a flash of light off to the side caught my attention. I stopped, and Rihanna nearly bumped into me.

  “Watch it,” she whispered.

  Not wanting our voices to carry, I turned her toward the light. The men in front must have heard us, because they stopped. I pointed to the yellow glow about two hundred feet through the woods.

  “I see it, too,” Rihanna said, sounding excited.

  Was this it? The moment we were waiting for?

  “Thad and I will check it out,” Chris said softly. “Randy, stay with them, but text Steve just in case these are the guys.”

  Calls were a bit sketchy to connect, but texts always went through, or so we were told.

  The three of us watched, but I couldn’t really see anything. I especially couldn’t see Chris or Thad. They moved so quietly, I began to wonder what they were doing.

  Randy’s phone lit up, and he pressed the screen close to his chest. “It’s the men. Time for us to go.”

  I wanted to watch. Surely, Chris and Thad could handle these guys, right? Then a howl pierced the still night, and Jaxson tugged on my arm.

  “Glinda!” he whispered.

  Part of me wanted to run—though if I did, I’d probably trip—and the other part wanted to watch. I’d never seen wolves fight. Because it was so dark, I might not see much though. George and Tony still glowed even in their wolf form.

  Randy ushered the three of us down the path. While I didn’t relish a two-hour hike back, I was more relaxed knowing we were safe.

  By the time we reached the car, my legs were like jelly. After thanking Randy for his guidance, I had to practically crawl into the car. I promised myself that I would walk the beach every day to get in shape. Whether that would happen was anyone’s guess.

  When we arrived at home, I said I needed a shower. Bad. “Then I’d like to grab something to eat.”

  Rihanna smiled. “When aren’t you hungry?”

  “Never?”

  “Rihanna and I will shower at the office and then come pick you up. What will it be? The Tiki Hut or the diner?”

  “The Tiki Hut. I want to bring my aunt up to speed on what happened.”

  Jaxson smiled. “I like my pink lady, green-faced.”

  “Don’t get used to it.”

  “When I finish showering, I’ll head on over to the sheriff’s office and pick up Iggy. He’ll want to celebrate with us—assuming we hear back from Steve that all went according to plan.”

  “Great idea. Thank you.”

  While I cleaned up, I waited for some news from someone in the know. I figured once they returned to town, word would get out about what happened.

  It took about forty minutes before Rihanna and Jaxson returned. When they stepped inside, Iggy was riding on Jaxson’s shoulders.

  “I know something,” he said rather smugly.

  “Do tell.” I would have asked if this could wait until we’d ordered, but I had the sense he did have news I wanted to hear.

  “One is dead, and the other is on his way to some place where werewolves who’ve been bad go,” my familiar announced.

  “Who is dead? I hope either George Fredericks or Tony DeLorenzo.”

  “Yes, one of them.” Iggy was usually a bit chattier, but at the moment he seemed to be relishing doling out the information bit by bit.

  “What about Chris and Thad?”

  “I think they are fine. A bit scratched up, but Nash told me that was par for the course. They would heal.”

  Relief poured off of me. “Does that mean the case is over?”

  Jaxson moved close and wrapped his arms around my waist. “It means exactly that. You did it again. You saved the day.”

  I laughed. “Rihanna, Levy, and Gertrude all had a hand in this, too.” Iggy tilted his head. “And Iggy and you, too. It was a team effort.”

  “I wonder if the day will come when we help bring down the bad guy and get paid.”

  “I think we are destined to be poor and do pro bono work.”

  Rihanna cleared her throat. “I thought someone was hungry.”

  That was my hint to unhook my arms and go downstairs. “Let me knock on Aunt Fern’s door. Hopefully, she’ll join us.”

  I locked up and walked across the hall. She must have heard us, because she opened up before I could knock. “What’s going on?”

  “We’re going to grab something to eat downstairs, because we are celebrating.”

  She smiled. “I take it the men were caught?”

  “Yes. Come on. We’ll tell you everything.”

  My aunt glanced at the ceiling and closed her eyes for a moment, almost as if she was talking to Uncle Harold.

  Considering everything that had happened in this case, I was quite confident that he was answering her.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Within a week, the Tiki Hut was back to its usual hustle and bustle. Even Aunt Fern seemed to have come to grips with being duped by the man who called himself Peter Upton. As for the original four men determined to take down Nash Solano, only George Fredericks was still alive. Apparently, what had started out as a four-person pyramid was now down to one.

  George had recovered from his capture and was awaiting trial in a prison designed for his kind. I say good riddance to him. George confirmed that Travis killed Peter—or rather Duncan Gorm
an—in order to assume the role of clan leader. Naturally, he said he knew nothing about Travis’ plan. And because out-and-out murder of a clan leader was not the way to assume leadership, Tony, and only Tony, took it upon himself to put Travis in his rightful place. George had been unable to explain how there were two sets of claw marks on Travis’ body, however.

  When questioned about the direct attack in the woods on Nash and Hunter, George denied all guilt. It didn’t matter. In this particular court of law, other kinds of evidence would be admissible—like that of Rihanna being able to read their minds. Nash assured everyone that George Fredericks would never walk freely in the light of day again, and that put my mind at ease.

  Now I could turn my attention to the next challenge in my life—that of working on the Thanksgiving and then the Christmas decorations at the Tiki Hut. Just because I had another job—at least in theory—that in no way excused my involvement in being the head of the decoration committee. I counted the days until both holidays.

  Yikes! I had a lot of presents to buy this year. Iggy was easy. I always ordered some hibiscus leaves from the florist, which he totally loved. My mom usually would send me a link or two to some blouse she’d found online, along with some Wizard of Oz memorabilia she’d located on eBay. That was easy to do, and Mom was always happy with her gifts.

  Dad and Aunt Fern were easy to please, too. It would be Rihanna and Jaxson who would be the hardest, but I had time before the panic set in.

  I was sitting at my office desk, going through our finances when the door burst open and Rihanna rushed in. Ever since school started, she’d been working with Gertrude and Levy on honing her psychic skills, and her progress—according to her two teachers—was quite remarkable.

  “I did it!” she announced.

  Iggy, who’d been sleeping under the sofa, peaked his head out. “Did what?”

  “I contacted my dad.”

  Her father had been murdered about six weeks ago, and she’d been a little out of sorts that she never got to talk to him—father to daughter—before he died. Even though his killers had been caught, he’d yet to answer her pleas of speaking with him from the beyond.