by Lily Webb
“Slow down, Sugar, it ain’t like that,” Grandma interrupted and reached for my hand. “It’s just, well, since we put two ’n two together ‘bout your folks, I think it might be smarter to keep the farm in case they come lookin’ for us.”
Her words took the air out of my lungs. For most of my life, Grandma Elle had told me my parents died in a car crash when I was too young to remember much about them — but we’d recently discovered that might not be true.
According to Grandma’s version of events, my mother and father had gone missing without a trace one night while she was babysitting me. They left nothing behind except for a wand the police found in the car they’d apparently abandoned — and a million unanswered questions.
“Sugar?” Grandma asked gently, pulling me out of my spiraling thoughts and back to the pile of steaming vegetables in front of me.
“Sorry,” I said, blinking furiously to keep from floating away again. “Yeah, right, sure, I think that’s a good idea.”
“You’re not just sayin’ that?” Grandma asked.
“No, you’re right. If we got rid of the farm, we might lose them too. Mom and Dad probably wouldn’t think to come to Moon Grove to look for us,” I said without knowing if it was true.
“Prolly not,” Grandma said.
“Then what are we gonna do?” I asked.
“Maybe you could apply for a loan to build a house instead of buying one,” Flora said. For a moment, I’d forgotten she was there.
“A loan?” I asked, a light bulb going off in my head. I’d assumed we’d be going to the Bank of Moon Grove to apply for a mortgage, not a loan, but either way it killed two vampires with one stake. The more contact I had with people at the bank, the more likely I was to understand the tip someone had sent me about it.
“That’s a darn tootin’ good idea,” Grandma said, beaming. I had to agree.
“I was planning to go there tomorrow morning for a story, anyway. Are you free then?” I asked.
“You kiddin’? I ain’t got nothin’ but time. I’m retired now, remember?” Grandma asked.
“So we’re really gonna do this? We’re gonna build a house here?” I asked. Grandma’s smile widened.
“You bet your tush we are,” Grandma said. “And it’s gonna be the best one on the block because the Clarkes ain’t about to get shown up.”
“Well, I think you’re putting the witch before the broom. We have to see how good of a loan we can get first,” I said.
“You leave all the talkin’ to me, Sugar. Your ol’ granny’s got a silver tongue to match her silver hair,” Grandma said as she fluffed her white curls.
“That’s exactly what I’m afraid of,” I muttered and Flora choked on her food.
“You wait ‘n see, we’re gonna walk outta there with more money than you can wave a wand at,” Grandma said.
“You make it sound like we’re gonna rob the place,” I said.
“By the time I’m done with ‘em, they’ll think we did,” Grandma said, her eyes twinkling.
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The Magic & Mystery Series
1. Broomsticks and Burials
2. Spellbooks and Stakings
3. Alchemy and Arson
4. Heists and Homicides
5. Covens and Coffins
6. Vampires and Vanishings
About the Author
Lily Webb lives in the Pacific Northwest with her two cats, Hilda and Zelda, where she spends her time reading and writing all things paranormal. An aspiring witch herself, Lily’s always been fascinated by the magical powers of the written word.
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www.lilywebbmysteries.com