A Witch Too Late

by Paula Lester

  “That’s terrible! We came here to find someone, but let us know if we can do anything to help,” Cas said. “I’m Cascade, by the way. Nice to meet you.”

  Gretchen smiled feebly at Cas. “Thank you. Three more hours and Ms. North’s event will be over. Then I can focus on figuring out which one of my employees needs to be fired for this debacle. Some days, I hate being the manager.” She turned and opened the closet door, her face set in a determined yet pleasant expression. Cas and her friends followed her out into a long hallway.

  No sooner had Cas passed through the doorway than an angry shout reached her ears. She turned to follow the sound. A man in a business suit shook his hands and glared at a water fountain in front of him. His clothes were soaked. Gretchen hurried over.

  “What happened, sir?” she asked and brushed at his tie without doing much good.

  The businessman jerked away. His bald head, which was covered with water droplets, glinted in the hallway lights. “This fountain just went berserk,” he shouted. “Nearly drowned me.”

  Just across from the water fountain, Cas noticed two men dressed in tartan kilts, complete with woolen socks and garters. Both of them fit the term Gretchen had used earlier—diminutive. One guzzled from a red plastic cup while the other attempted to stifle giggles behind his hand. Finally, he couldn’t take it anymore and toppled over onto the carpet amongst peals of uncontrolled laughter.

  Gretchen shot the pair a dirty look but focused on the businessman. “Oh, I’m so sorry. I’ll get someone to bring you some towels right away.” Gretchen reached under her suit jacket and yanked out a walkie-talkie. She moved a few paces away and barked orders into it and then returned to the wet, bald man. “Why don’t you come sit down over here, sir? Victor will be here with some towels in a moment.”

  The man followed along where Gretchen directed him. “You know, I never would have been drinking out of that fountain if there had been proper water in the pitchers in the conference room.”

  “What do you mean?” Gretchen’s eyes widened, and her words came out weak.

  “They are all filled with vodka!” he exclaimed. “Everyone’s in there right now, drinking it up and having a fine time, but I take medication that reacts with alcohol. I had to find some water to swallow it with, as a matter of fact, and that’s when I got soaked. I suppose your people are using the vodka to distract us from everything that’s gone wrong at your horrible facility today.”

  “Um. No, sir. I assure you there must be some mistake. We don’t serve vodka during afternoon conferences. Certainly not in self-serve pitchers. Would you please excuse me? Victor will get you taken care of in a jiffy.” Gretchen hurried away from the fuming businessman. She walked through large double doors into a massive conference room.

  Cas scanned the area for a glimpse of Echo before she and Graham followed, but as promised, the black cat was nowhere to be seen.

  The gathering in the room looked nothing like a professional conference. Sport coats were strewn everywhere, lying where they’d been shed. People stood or sat in small groups talking, telling stories, and laughing. Everyone had a glass of clear liquid in their hand. Some people danced, even though there wasn’t any music.

  As Cas stepped in, she could sense a sort of fever had taken over the room. It had to be more than the vodka. The people in here were too much—their voices too loud, their gestures too manic. This place was about to implode.

  On the small stage at the front of the room, Tallulah leaned back against a podium and watched the mayhem with her ankles and arms crossed. The dangerous scowl on her face was fierce. She was dressed in a bright white pant suit with a navy blue shirt and heels. It seemed as if Tallulah had given up on gaining the attention of the audience and was infuriated about it.

  Gretchen fluttered around the room and tried to get control of things. Cas intercepted her as she hurried past and whispered a question.

  The pink-clad manager nodded. “I suppose that’s a good idea. I can have the kitchen witches whip something up in about fifteen minutes. I’m going to get the vodka out of here.” Gretchen motioned for several staff members with empty wheeled carts to head over to the table with the pitchers of booze.

  Cas maneuvered her way between revelers to the center of the room and climbed up on a table. She banged her stapler and markers together, but they didn’t make a loud enough sound. A second later, a piercing whistle echoed through the room from just below Cas, and everyone fell silent and looked her way. “Thanks!” she whispered down to Graham. He winked, which made her heart flutter, and made his way out of the room.

  “Hi, everyone! I’m so sorry to interrupt. I just wanted to let you know that there’s been a change in plans. We’re going to be serving dinner and then dessert with coffee in a few minutes.” A happy murmur filled the room.

  Cas glanced at her half-sister, who stared back with hooded eyes and a flat expression. “I know it isn’t part of the plan, but we know there have been some curve-balls thrown at this event today, and we’d like to make it up to you. So please, finish your drinks and enjoy mingling, and we’ll get the food ready. Oh, and don’t worry—you won’t be missing any of the lecture you paid for. Ms. North is going to make it available as a recording for you. She’ll email you the digital files within the next week.”

  She climbed down from the table and headed for the hallway. There. Dinner and coffee should sober these people up and calm things down. She couldn’t suppress a small delighted cackle at the hope Tallulah would have to scramble to create the recording to send to all these people. Cas had to admit, that had been a last-minute ad-lib of pure genius.

  Feeling smug, Cas didn’t watch where she was going and almost stumbled over something. No, someone. The person in a crumpled heap at her feet was a grown woman, though a tiny one. She was about the size of two-year-old human. But her face said something else—like she was closer to a very mature forty. The woman’s horrible scowl didn’t match her short tulle skirt and sparkly blue leotard top.

  “Just like every other human, aren’t you? Think you’re the only being in the world worth any space and consideration. Well, pixies are people too! You can’t just run over us any time you want like we aren’t even there.” She got up and put her hands on her hips. Her chin jutted forward as she glared at Cas.

  “I’m so sorry! My head was in the clouds, and I wasn’t watching where I was going. Pixies are most certainly people! Um. I think.” She stuck her hand out. “I’m Cascade Lorne. Pleased to meet you.”

  The pixie cocked her head and scanned Cas’ face as though to determine whether she was really contrite. She finally placed her hand in Cas’, which engulfed it. “I’m Sapphire Caprice.” Her tone was calmer, but her face still looked angry. She strutted past Cas toward the conference room’s exit door.

  Cas followed her. What luck that she’d managed to find Sapphire so fast. Now she needed to figure out how to talk to her. “I’m sorry, again. I hope I didn’t injure you.”

  She waved a tiny hand at Cas. “I’m fine. You can go away now. I’m on a break, and you’re sucking up my time.”

  “You work for Tallulah, right?” Cas glanced back at the room of revelers. “She’s not having a good day, huh?”

  “You got that right, sister. But the law says I get a break and I’m outta here for a half-hour.”

  Sapphire moved fast, but Cas had no trouble keeping up with her; her stride was easily four times that of the pixie. “Aren’t you the owner of the House of Charms? The shop that burned down recently?”

  Sapphire stopped short and stared up at Cas. “Yes, I am. Or was. What business is it of yours?”

  “None, really. I just recognized you from the stories that ran in the papers, and I wanted to tell you I’m sorry about your store.”

  Sapphire’s fierce look softened a bit. “Thank you,” she said, squinting her eyes in suspicion.

  “I was wondering if I could ask you a couple of questions about the Archsiren. Did you know she
was murdered last night?”

  Sapphire sighed and began walking again. Cas jogged a little to catch back up with her.

  “Yes, I did. And I don’t have anything to say about it. She ruined my life, and I’m not sorry she’s dead. But my life’s still ruined, so it doesn’t matter much,” Sapphire said.

  “How did she ruin your life?”

  The pixie stopped at the doorway to a second conference room. Over her head, Cas could see it was filled with a variety of people who ranged in size from small to tiny. “I don’t have the time or desire to talk to you anymore,” the pixie said matter-of-factly. “Just watch where you’re going with those giant feet, will you? You could kill a Diminutive with them.” She spun on her delicate heel and disappeared into the crowd of supernaturals in the conference room.

  Cas looked around, unsure whether she should go into the ADSB conference room or head back to the human one. Then she caught a glimpse of Graham near the stage at the front of the room, talking with a small person.

  The word leprechaun jumped into her mind when she looked at him, but he didn’t resemble the version she had in her mind from St. Patrick’s Day cartoons and decorations. Instead of a wizened old, bearded face, he had a smooth, youthful look. His skin wasn’t green, and he didn’t have on green clothes either. He wore a beat-up black leather jacket and pants with jet black cowboy boots. The guy did have three features that were responsible for evoking the leprechaun term in Cas’ mind: red hair—though it was cut and styled in a Mohawk instead of a long, flowing mane—a heavy, square belt buckle, and slightly pointed ears. Cas got an uneasy feeling from him. He gave off shady vibes.

  But Graham’s presence in the room encouraged her to enter. After all, Lavania’s killer could be in this room. In fact, maybe she’d already met her. Sapphire definitely seemed to have a grudge against the former Archsiren.

  Cas scanned the room and was shocked to recognize someone else. The small delivery man from SunSprite stumbled her way. The glass in his hand sloshed white contents over onto the floor as he moved.

  “Why, hello!” The sprite was tipsy, and his words slurred. His eyes weren’t quite focused on her.

  Cas smiled at him. “Hello. It’s nice to see you,” she said.

  “Did I see you talking to Sapphire Caprice just now?” he asked.

  “Yes. I accidentally knocked her over, and I was just trying to apologize,” Cas affirmed.

  “Oh, there’s no use apologizing to her. She’s in a mood that isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Who could blame her, really, after her business burned down and left her with almost nothing? Terrible thing, that.” He started to shake his head but stopped when it caused him to stagger to the side. Cas reached a hand out to steady him. He took a gulp from his cup.

  “Her business burned down? What was it?” Cas thought she might get some information out of the sprite if she played her cards right.

  “The House of Charms. Sapphire specializes in charms and potions. I don’t believe the rumors about who did the burning, though, do you? It just doesn’t seem like she could really do such a thing.” He took another big swallow from his cup.

  “Who?” Cas continued to hold onto the sprite’s arm to keep him still.

  He looked around to see if anyone was close enough to hear and then said in a stage whisper, “The Archsiren.”

  “Really? Why would she do such a thing?” Cas had to focus to understand everything the drunk sprite said.

  “Because she thinks Sapphire sold a charm to a witch who used it to steal her husband. You might know her. That North woman who’s famous with the humans.” Another gulp.

  “Tallulah? Tallulah stole Lavania’s husband with a pixie charm?”

  “Alledegly . . . I mean, allegorically . . . uh, allegedly. Yes.” He took another drink from his cup, and it sloshed more white liquid onto his hand. “Course, the Archsiren couldn’t prove it, and she was still trying to find the evidence when someone killed her. She wanted Sapphire to lose her Charms and Potions license on top of losing her business. I don’t think she would have rested until she’d totally ruined poor Sapph’s life.” He shook his head again, and Cas caught him once more.

  “Oh dear. That’s a sad situation,” she murmured. “I’m sorry, sir, but I never caught your name.”

  “Oh, it’s Bixbie. Pleased to meet you. I’m sorry your package was so late. I don’t know how that happened. My boss is determined to figure it out, though, don’t you worry. Shame when packages get lost like that.” Bixbie shook his head, and this time, Cas couldn’t save him from falling over. He was asleep before he hit the floor.

  Cas knelt down and grabbed the cup out of the sprite’s hand before it could tip over. It was odd-looking. White and clumpy. She gave it a sniff and couldn’t pull away fast enough. The stuff smelled awful.

  “Curdled milk. It’s what gets sprites drunk,” Graham said from behind her shoulder.

  “Yuck.” She carried the cup to a garbage can and tossed it in. “I have to find a bathroom to wash my hands now.”

  “There’s one back by the closet where the courser dropped us off. Hey, listen, I have a lead on the river stone that SunSprite delivered to you. I’m going to go see what more I can dig up. Echo can stay with you for now, and I’ll see you later, okay?”

  “Okay. Thanks, Graham.” Cas smiled up at her neighbor and he grinned back.

  She didn’t have to search for Echo. Soon after Graham left, the cat rubbed against her leg and then took off in a flash of black fur down the hall to the courser closet. As she passed the doorway to Tallulah’s convention, Cas glanced in and saw that everyone was seated and eating. That should help sober them up so they could go home. She didn’t see her half-sister anymore.

  Cas found the women’s bathroom and went in to wash the curdled milk off. It was a fancy bathroom with two rooms separated by an open doorway. The initial room was a small lobby complete with full-length mirrors and a small couch with mint green throw cushions. There was a sink and small mirror in one corner. Cas decided to use it instead of continuing on through the doorway into the bigger room that contained the stalls.

  “All I’m saying is you could have gone to her and said you didn’t buy a charm from me.”

  “Who needed a charm? Her husband was looking for a way out of his life with her. I didn’t need any magic to draw him in. And it was only for a couple of nights before he left town for good.”

  Cas froze. She recognized both Sapphire’s and Tallulah’s voice in the next room, and she didn’t know whether to stay and listen or flee before being caught. It only took a second to remember that she herself was currently the prime suspect in Lavania’s murder. If Cas had any hope of changing that, she needed to figure out who the real killer was. She turned the faucet on and pretended to wash her hands.

  “I know that and you know that, Ms. North, but the Archsiren had her own beliefs. She burned down my shop, even though I couldn’t prove it, and now I have nothing. And you haven’t come forward to help me, so I consider you to be complicit in the ruination of my career!” Sapphire’s voice was getting higher and more screechy as she spoke.

  “I don’t have to listen to this. Your problems with the Archsiren are none of my concern. I took you on as an employee as atonement for something I didn’t even do, and I think that’s quite enough. Besides, Lavania’s gone now, so you’ll be able to rebuild your career. Just make sure you keep your mouth shut about what you do as my employee, and I’m sure things will start to look up for you.”

  Cas knew the conversation was coming to an end and one or both of the women would be coming out into the little lobby in a second. She wouldn’t have time to get out the door without being seen, so she sprinted over, opened it, and then let it start to swing shut behind her.

  Cas hoped it would look like she’d just come in.

  Tallulah came out first and stopped when she saw Cas. She looked her sister up and down.

  “Hiya, Lu,” Cas said, making an effort to so
und casual. “How are you?”

  Her half-sister snorted and left without answering. Sapphire followed after a moment. She didn’t even glance at Cas.

  As she headed out of the bathroom toward the courser closet, Cas thought this trip to the convention center had been pretty interesting. Could Sapphire the pixie have been the one who’d drugged her and taken her to the council’s chamber to take the fall for Lavania’s murder? It seemed like a tall order—pun intended. Cas wasn’t sure yet, but she knew who to talk to next.

  Chapter 11

  SunSprite Delivery Service was a large metal warehouse with bright orange siding and the neon green SunSprite logo displayed prominently on all four sides. There were twenty or so neon pink vans parked around it that were just like the one Bixbie had been driving when he delivered the stone to her.

  Cas and Echo entered through the front doors into a lobby built for people half her size. There were chairs and coffee tables in several areas around the room. Some of them were a typical size she’d expect for adult humans, but others could‘ve fit preschoolers. The long countertop along the back of the room only came up to her thighs. Echo jumped up and rang the bell with his paw.

  Cas looked around the large lobby. It was painted the same Pepto-Bismol pink as the delivery vans, with accents of neon green and orange. Certificates of good service and notes from children thanking SunSprite Delivery for giving them tours of the facility lined the walls.

  Cas found herself tapping her toe along to the music playing over the speakers. It sounded like a mix of chimes, jingle bells, and cow bells, and an underlying soft drum beat. “That music is quite spritely, isn’t it, Echo?” Cas dissolved into giggles at the pun. Even though he couldn’t actually roll his eyes, the expression on Echo’s face conveyed quite well that he wanted to.

  Cas was still smiling when a very small man with black hair shooting straight up from his head stumbled over and leaned on the counter. His eyes were puffy, and Cas wasn’t exactly sure what a sprite’s normal complexion was like, but she felt pretty confident this one was pale.