Magic & Madness

by Annabel Chase

  “You hate to fly.”

  “But I love horses,” she said.

  “True,” I replied. Marley adored her unicorn and was a natural rider. Maybe she’d have the same experience on a pegasus, despite the whole departing-the-earth aspect of it.

  “Can I ride one, please?” Marley triggered her puppy dogs and I melted. At what age did that stop working? Not ten, apparently.

  “There’s no need to hesitate. She’ll be quite safe,” a familiar voice said.

  “Alec!” Marley ran over and threw her arms around the vampire’s waist. He gave her back a gentle pat before releasing her. As usual, he was impeccably dressed in an expensive suit and loafers.

  “You know you’re at a carnival and not a business meeting, right?” I teased.

  Alec fussed with his cufflinks. “I’m perfectly comfortable, thank you.”

  Holly appeared beside him, seemingly out of nowhere. “I’m so excited to be here. I haven’t been to a carnival since I was a little girl.” Her eyes sparkled, and she had a childlike quality to her. As long as she didn’t laugh or start pawing at Alec, I figured I could tolerate her presence.

  “This is our first carnival in the paranormal world ever,” I said.

  Holly’s eyes popped. “You’re kidding! What a treat. I wish I could go back in time and experience it for the first time all over again.”

  “I wish I could read Alec’s books for the first time all over again,” Marley said.

  Alec flashed a genuine smile, revealing his impressive fangs. “That’s kind of you to say.”

  Marley joined the line of children waiting to ride a pegasus. She struck up a conversation with the boy in front of her, rendering my presence unnecessary.

  “I didn’t expect to see you here,” I said.

  Alec inclined his head toward Holly. “I was coerced.”

  “Ha!” I said. “Like anyone could coerce you.”

  Holly rubbed his arm. “Alec is very supportive of me. I’m a lucky lady.”

  A lump formed in my throat. “You really are.”

  “Where’s your boyfriend?” Holly asked. “That tall, dark and handsome werewolf, right?”

  “He’s working right now,” I said.

  “Isn’t this the part where you say he’s not your boyfriend?” Alec asked.

  “I’m trying to get more comfortable with the idea,” I said. “That starts with not objecting to the word.”

  Alec’s strong jaw tightened. “I see.”

  “I want to check out where the baking competition will be held,” Holly said. “I think my recipe is ready for public consumption, and I’ve even found a group to join.”

  “I’ll be participating this year, too,” I said.

  Alec choked back a laugh. “You will?”

  “As part of a group of moms from Marley’s school,” I said. “They enter every year.” And win, I failed to add.

  “That’s wonderful that you’re getting more involved,” Alec said. “I’m sure Marley is delighted.”

  “She is, and that’s the only reason I’m doing it.” Okay, maybe a part of me wanted to kick Holly’s baking butt. The petty part.

  “You’re a devoted mother, Miss Rose,” Alec said.

  “Mom, watch!” Marley waved from atop a pegasus.

  “You’re doing great!” I couldn’t believe my eyes. My daughter was by herself flying through the air on a winged horse. Amazing.

  “She’s fearless,” Alec said. “Like her mother.”

  “I don’t know about that,” I replied. The vampire stood close enough for me to smell him and it took all my strength not to dissolve into a puddle. If there was a spell to make me less attracted to someone, I needed it. Now.

  “We saw Bentley near the fortune teller’s tent, didn’t we?” Holly bumped Alec with her hip.

  “Yes, he was interviewing a few attendees who’d had their fortunes told,” Alec said.

  “You should go over there,” Holly said. “She’s one of the headliners.”

  “You didn’t go?” I asked.

  Holly shot a quick look at Alec. “This one didn’t want me to. Said the woman would say a bunch of stuff that wasn’t true anyway, so what’s the point?”

  That was interesting. Maybe Alec was afraid of what truths the seer would have revealed.

  “I’ll head over there with Marley in a minute and see if he needs help,” I said. I promised to help him out with the carnival coverage and I meant it.

  “See you around, Miss Rose,” Holly said, wiggling her fingers like a child. She looped her arm through Alec’s and they strolled away. I averted my gaze so that I didn’t have to watch him go. As irrational as it was, I hated the thought of him with anyone else. Better to block the mental image all together.

  Marley bounded toward me, her cheeks flushed. “That was the best ride ever. Can I go again?”

  “Maybe later,” I said. “I want to head over here and look for Bentley. Holly said he was by the fortune-telling tent.”

  We finally reached a bright yellow tent with a sign above the flap that read—Madame Bovary, Revealer of Fate.

  Marley tugged my hand. "Mom, can we do this, please? I've never had my fortune told."

  "Oh, I don't know. You probably won't have your fortune told as much as someone telling you what you want to hear."

  Marley groaned in exasperation. "I forget who I'm talking to. Miss Jaded and Cynical."

  "That's Ms. Jaded and Cynical to you, young lady."

  Marley planted herself in front of the entrance. "Please? Just this once. I can't go through my whole life not experiencing things because you tell me that they’re no good. I need to decide for myself."

  I hesitated. As usual, the astute ten-year-old was right. I needed to encourage her to try new things and make her own decisions. Just because I’d already decided that fortune telling was a waste of time and money didn't mean that Marley didn't deserve the opportunity to experience it for herself. Besides, fortune telling in Starry Hollow was a far cry from the wanna-be psychics in New Jersey. The paranormal world was full of seers with actual abilities.

  "Fine," I relented. "But we’re not going to make a habit out of it."

  Marley clapped her hands. "Thank you, thank you."

  She ducked inside the tent and I followed. Madame Bovary paced the back of the tent, talking animatedly on her cell phone. I touched Marley's arm as a warning not to interrupt.

  "What do you mean?" the seer asked in an agitated manner. "That's completely unfair. I can't believe you’re doing this to me." She paused to listen. "I don't see why that matters.” Her gaze flickered to us and she broke into a smile. “I need to call you back.” She slipped the phone into her pocket and motioned us forward. “My apologies, ladies. Do come in. I am here to reveal whether your hopes and dreams will become a reality.”

  Marley and I sat in the chairs opposite the seer’s wicker chair. The round table between us was draped in a yellow cloth that matched the outside of the tent.

  "Wicker?" I queried.

  Madame Bovary shrugged. "It's incredibly durable, especially when it gets carted around as much as this one does. You'd be surprised."

  Marley fixated on the crystal ball on the ground beside Madame Bovary's feet. The seer noticed Marley's interest.

  "Are you interested in a reading from the ball?"

  "There are other options?" Marley asked, surprised.

  Madame Bovary's lips curled. "Of course, my dear. My talents are not limited to a single device. I can read cards or runes or crystals…Whatever you decide.”

  Marley looked at me for approval. "Can we do the ball? Please?"

  I nodded, and Madame Bovary lifted the ball from the ground and set it on the table between us with a slight grunt. "Which one of you would like to go first?"

  Marley hopped in her seat. "Me!"

  "Your eagerness is a fine trait," Madame Bovary said. "I can see why you make friends wherever you go. It is one of your talents.” She quickly glance
d at the crystal ball for good measure.

  Marley beamed, completely clueless that the woman was likely making it up as she went along.

  "Do you have a particular question in mind for me?" Madame Bovary asked.

  Marley appeared thoughtful. "Will I come into my magic on schedule?"

  Her question took me by surprise. Although I knew that it was a concern for her, I didn't realize it was at the forefront of her thoughts.

  Madame Bovary stared into the crystal ball. “Hmm. Your magic. You are what? Ten years old?"

  Marley straightened. "Yes. That's right."

  Madame Bovary studied me closely. "And you are worried because your mother's gift was delayed?”

  Marley's eyes twinkled. "That's right." She elbowed me gently. "See? She knows."

  I reserved judgment. It was easy to guess that the only reason Marley would have concerns is because her mother did. I’d be her only frame of reference.

  "Your magic will manifest in a most spectacular fashion,” Madame Bovary said. "Stars and stones. You will be amazed and so very pleased when it happens."

  Marley squirmed in her seat with excitement. "I can hardly wait! So will it be on my eleventh birthday?"

  I waited with interest to see how Madame Bovary would handle the direct question.

  Her tongue ran across her hairy upper lip. "You will have magic when you are eleven. That much I see.”

  "Arguably, she has magic now through me," I said. "Do you mean that she’ll inherit her own powers?"

  Her nostrils flared in annoyance. "The crystal ball is not a calendar, my dove. It does not provide exact dates. I see magic in your daughter's future. Her own magic, but it may not come precisely when she expects it.”

  Marley seemed happy enough with her answer.

  "Anything else?" Madame Bovary asked with a flash of impatience. She seemed eager to move on from us.

  Marley gazed at the crystal ball, considering the question. "Will my mom get married again?"

  My head snapped to attention. "What? Why would you ask her that?"

  Marley gave me a sheepish grin. "Why not? Don't you want to know?"

  "Not particularly," I said.

  Madame Bovary placed her fingertips on the crystal curves. "I see a wedding in your future, but not to the groom you think."

  I frowned. I could interpret that in a couple different ways. I could think it was Granger because I was stuck on Alec. Or I could think it was Alec because I was dating the sheriff. Either way, Madame Bovary would be right.

  Marley seemed to have the same thought because she said, “Do you see a name? Or whether he has fur or fangs?"

  I slapped my forehead. "Marley, maybe it's not either one of them. Maybe it's someone I haven't met yet."

  "No, you have definitely met him," Madame Bovary said, running her hands along the sides of the ball. "He is someone currently in your life."

  "Her boss or her boyfriend?" Marley pressed.

  I gave her arm a gentle smack. "That's enough."

  Madame Bovary looked at me with interest. "You are afraid."

  "Not afraid," I countered. "Just not interested."

  The seer regarded me. "Not interested in romance? That's not the vibe I get from you. I see years of romance in your future, if you are open to it. The option is yours for the taking."

  “How do I…take it?” I asked.

  “When you close one door, you will then be ready to step through another,” Madame Bovary said.

  “You mean a relationship door?” I asked.

  “Indeed. A beautiful romance is blossoming,” she said, and I noticed her blink away tears. “How fortunate you are to have such love waiting for you.”

  “What about…?" I didn't have a chance to finish my question because Madame Bovary's phone rang. She snatched the phone from her pocket and brought it to her ear.

  "I told you I'm busy. I will call you when I'm finished," she snapped. “Well, I do need this rectified immediately. It’s a huge problem for my business.”

  "We should go," Marley whispered.

  I fished money out of my handbag and set it on the table. As much as I wanted to ask my follow-up question, now didn’t seem like the right time. It was probably best to ask outside of Marley's presence anyway. Maybe it was the crystal ball, but I wasn't convinced Madame Bovary was the real deal. On the other hand, I was only human and couldn't resist the curiosity. Did one door represent Alec and the other door represent the sheriff? And, if so, which one was which?

  These questions continued to gnaw at me as Marley and I explored the rest of the carnival. When we ran into Florian and Delphine by one of the cake stands, I saw my opportunity to double back.

  “I’ll meet you here in ten minutes,” I said. “I left something behind in the seer’s tent.”

  Marley fixed her round eyes on me. “You didn’t have anything.”

  “No, not anymore,” I said. “Because I left it behind. I’ll be right back.” I hurried away before anyone could question me further.

  It wasn’t as easy to retrace my steps as I expected. The carnival was enormous and I had to bob and weave around the families out for a slow stroll. Finally, I spied the familiar yellow tent. I hovered outside, listening intently to make sure she wasn’t in the middle of a reading. I heard only silence from inside, so I pushed open the flap.

  “Madame Bovary,” I called, entering the tent. “Would you mind if I ask you one follow-up question?” I quickly halted. A body was facedown on the ground next to the small round table. “Madame Bovary?”

  I sprinted forward and dropped to the ground beside her. As I reached to check her pulse, one glimpse of the back of her head told me there was no need.

  Madame Bovary was dead.

  5

  Deputy Bolan was the first to enter the tent. He took one look at the body on the floor and one look at me, before shaking his tiny leprechaun head. "Seriously, Rose? This is why we can't have nice things."

  My hands flew to my hips. "How is this my fault? Unless you’re accusing me of her murder….”

  Sheriff Nash swaggered into the tent before I could finish my statement. "Do I need to separate you two?"

  "He started it," I said, quickly realizing how juvenile I sounded. "I haven't touched anything. I walked in and this is exactly how everything was."

  The sheriff eyed the body on the floor. “She can’t have been that good if she didn’t see her own murder coming.”

  “Her reputation is excellent,” Deputy Bolan argued. “I have friends who come to see her every year. She’s a big attraction.”

  The sheriff surveyed the scene. The seer’s body sprawled on the floor. The chair and table were upright. Nothing appeared out of place except—“Where’s the crystal ball?"

  “I don’t know,” I replied. "She had one in front of her during my reading, but I don’t see it.”

  “Found it!” Deputy Bolan said on the other side of the tent. “It must’ve rolled over here. Pretty sure it’s the murder weapon.”

  “What makes you say that?” I asked.

  “They don’t usually come covered in blood,” the leprechaun replied.

  "She used that ball to tell my future," I said, shivering. Now she was dead and the ball was spattered with blood. Not the brightest outlook.

  Sheriff Nash shot me a curious look. "You had your future read earlier?”

  "Just for fun," I said. "Marley insisted."

  The sheriff grinned. "Anything about a tall, dark and excessively charming stranger coming into your life?"

  I hesitated. I didn't want him to know what Madame Bovary had actually said. Not that I put much stock in her predictions. Obviously, she had some deficiencies when it came to seeing the future.

  "There was no mention of handsome strangers," I said. "Tall, dark, or otherwise."

  Sheriff Nash examined the body. "Looks like blunt force trauma to the back of the head."

  Deputy Bolan stood over the crystal ball. "This must be pretty dense to
cause an injury like that.”

  “With enough force, it could have easily dealt the fatal blow," the sheriff said. “Secure the perimeter, Deputy. We don't want anyone coming in to disturb the crime scene before we can bag and tag the area.”

  The leprechaun scuttled to the opening.

  "Do you want me to leave?" I asked.

  Sheriff Nash glanced up at me, his dark eyes solemn. "Never."

  I pretended to miss his meaning. "Well, I can't stay in this tent all day, as pleasant as it might be with a dead body."

  Sheriff Nash rose to his feet and began to explore the tent's interior. "What time was your reading?"

  "About half past three," I said. "I was probably in here for about ten or fifteen minutes."

  “Just you and Marley? No one else?”

  I shook my head. “No one."

  "Did Marley have her future told, too?"

  "She did," I replied. "She wanted to know if she’d be coming into her magic next month. That was the pressing question."

  "And what did the seer have to say about that?" the sheriff asked.

  "She was vague, as you’d expect. Marley seemed to think the answer was a resounding yes, so I just left it at that."

  The sheriff regarded me closely. "And what about you? Anything newsworthy? What made you come back to see her?"

  He clearly suspected that she’d told me something significant. I didn't want to elaborate. "I accidentally left my handbag behind," I lied. "I didn't realize it was missing until we’d moved on, so I ran back on my own." I patted my handbag. "Luckily, everything was still here."

  The sheriff seemed to accept my reason. "Did you see anyone waiting when you left the first time, or after you returned?"

  I paused to mull it over. “No, not that I recall.”

  The sheriff cocked his head. “You sure? Not even a tall, dark and handsome man of your dreams?"

  I suppressed a smile. "You seem very set on me meeting this man. Maybe there’s someone you'd like to introduce me to?"

  The sheriff edged closer to me. "I believe we've already met. As I recall, you were very quick to tell me about your sexual history."

  My mouth dropped open. “That was as part of an investigation! I wasn't giving you my dating resume." At that point, I’d found him fairly obnoxious. Sexy as hell, but obnoxious.