He stepped back and swallowed hard. “If I knew I could get you that close to me, I would have tripped you earlier.”
Petunia narrowed her eyes as she blushed. “You didn’t trip me, that woman is the one who knocked me down,” she pointed out, turning to watch the retreating woman.
“Are you okay?” Chloe asked with concern mirrored in her blue eyes as she joined them.
Chloe was one of the witches Petunia had met earlier at the shop. The woman had changed clothing since then and now wore white pants and a red and white striped shirt, with her hair pulled up into a tight ponytail.
“Oh, you saw that?” Petunia asked.
“It was hard not to.” Chloe laughed before a frown worried her lips. “It’s unfortunate that you’ve bumped into the nastiest witch in Coven Creek, but please don’t tell her I said that. Most of us are quite nice.”
“Oh, so you are a witch.”
“Yes, and so are my sisters, Emerald and Evie. I can’t apologize enough about Emerald’s behavior. But I don’t think she knew quite what to do when you knocked the crystal ball over and … what happened happened.”
Noah’s brow shot up. “I’ll grab us a few drinks,” he said, as he walked in the direction of a food vendor.
It was Petunia’s time to smile. “Sorry about that, but I don’t think my boyfriend wants to hear our conversation.”
“It’s for the best. I knew you were a witch from the first moment I met you after that happened. That crystal ball hasn’t been moved in more than eighty years.”
“Eighty years?” Pansy gasped.
“Shhh,” Petunia snapped.
“She can’t hear me, you dolt.”
“If it hasn’t been moved in that long, how can you possibly dust it?” Petunia asked.
“What I meant was the inside of the globe. It’s been a murky green and stayed that way. But to be honest, none of us wanted to handle it.”
“Why, is there something wrong with the globe?”
“The last owner was a very powerful psychic witch.”
“That doesn’t sound good,” Pansy said.
“Well, I’m not powerful or a psychic witch, far from it. I’m a potion witch and not even a good one. I’ve only had one success, for the record.”
Chloe clucked her tongue. “If you were able to bring that crystal ball to life, you’re a powerful witch.”
Pansy snickered.
Petunia shot Pansy a look. “I assure you, you’re mistaken. Why did you insist I take the globe?”
“Would King Arthur put the sword back into the stone? I think not.” Chloe glanced at her watch and gasped. “I have to get going now or I’ll be late for work again.”
“But what am I supposed to do with … ” Petunia choked out at Chloe’s retreating back as she scurried up the street and out of sight.
“That witch is goofier than you,” Pansy said.
“I might have to agree with you this time. I’m certainly not a powerful witch.”
“I should think not. Of course, I never knew witches really existed before you changed me into a cat.”
Noah rejoined Petunia and Pansy. He handed Petunia a can of cola and motioned her to a bench. She sat down and waited for Noah to say something first.
He rubbed the back of his neck for a moment. “What is this about a crystal ball?”
“If you wanted to know, why did you take off so quickly?”
“Because I didn’t really want to know, but I changed my mind.”
“Can’t we talk about something else, like what we’re eating for dinner.”
Noah sighed and leaned back against the bench. “If I’m going to date a witch I need to be more involved.”
Petunia squeezed his hand. “I appreciate that, but it’s really not necessary. To be honest, this isn’t easy for me either and I wish we could have a normal relationship that doesn’t involve magic.”
“Our relationship would be far from normal even if you weren’t a witch. When I moved to Lake Forest, I had planned to run for sheriff in the next election, not become infatuated with the neighbor next door.”
Petunia smiled. “I’m surprised about that part myself. I hope you don’t think I’m holding you back from becoming sheriff.” Petunia tried to twitch her nose like that sitcom witch who was married to a mortal. “I could use magic to help you get elected?”
Noah’s brows furrowed. “I hope that was a joke.”
Petunia gasped in feigned outrage. “Don’t worry—it was. All you need to know is that I knocked over a globe. You know, like a snow globe.”
“And they made you buy it?”
“They made me take it with me. Supposedly, the crystal ball hasn’t been moved for… a long time.” Petunia swallowed hard. “That’s all there is to it.”
“What did you do with it?”
“Put it in my suitcase, of course. I don’t believe in crystal balls or psychic witches.”
“Whoa, what about psychic witches?”
“I don’t know, that’s just what Chloe said. She was the one I was just talking to. Her family owns the shop where I acquired the globe.”
“Maybe you should call Aunt Maxine and ask about it,” Noah suggested.
“Who’s being an alarmist? Not you.”
“I’m not doing that, it sounds interesting is all. We came here for a vacation and not to solve a mystery.”
“This is hardly a mystery at all. We solve crimes in Lake Forest, not paranormal mysteries.”
“I know, but aren’t you at least a little curious?”
“Yes, but not enough to bother my Aunt Maxine. We came here to spend time together, remember?”
“And she and her witchy friends are doing what?”
Petunia jerked her hand back. “Do you actually think I need my eighty-plus aunt here to help me sort it out?”
“Yes, if it has anything to do with magic.”
“I’ll have you know I’m quite capable of figuring out things all by myself.”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you.”
Petunia pointed out a restaurant across the street. “There’s a hibachi over there. I love to see my food cooked in front of me.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
They slipped Pansy into Petunia’s hotel room since she could hardly hide him in her purse at the restaurant during dinner. When they walked into the restaurant, Petunia admired the large bronze fountain, which sported five dragon heads spraying out water. They were escorted to a hibachi table and sat next to two other couples sipping mixed drinks. Their reddened faces told Petunia they had already pounded quite a few. They appeared to be thirty something.
The first time Petunia ever went to a hibachi place, she hadn’t expected to be seated with strangers, but it was more enjoyable than she thought. She had rather enjoyed listening to their conversations and now she was looking forward to the distraction.
“This is the best vacation. We spent all day stuffing ourselves with candy samples from the factory and now pounding drinks,” a robust man sitting next to her now said.
“They give out samples of candy?” Petunia asked. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to eavesdrop.”
“Hard not to when we’re sitting at the same table,” a blonde said. “I was hoping for something like Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.” She laughed.
“Then you’d have to find a golden ticket,” her bald husband said.
Petunia had to glance down to roll her eyes and laugh.
The Asian server took their drinks and orders and they waited some time before the cook pushed his cart toward the table. For the next 10 minutes, they enjoyed onion soup and salad with ginger dressing while the cook clanged his cooking tools as he flipped and spun them. He managed to catch them every time.
Petunia sat back a little as he poured oil on the grill and sparked it to life with a match. The flame whooshed upward and Petunia gasped as a vision of the woman who had knocked into her earlier that day suddenly appeared in the flame
s.
Noah squeezed her hand. “Is something wrong?”
“No, I-I’m seeing things.”
He locked eyes with her for a moment and then concentrated on the cook. Petunia was actually relieved. She was happy that Noah had an interest in her being a witch, but that didn’t mean she wanted to share everything with him. She had to keep some secrets from him, like how she turned a once love interest into a cat via a love potion.
She didn’t think Noah believed she had any real abilities. Petunia might be in possession of a wand and broom, but that didn’t mean she used either of them. She’d leave that to the professional witches, which she most certainly wasn’t.
Petunia excused herself and walked into the bathroom. She splashed cool water on her face. This was ridiculous. She couldn’t have seen what she thought in the flames. She hadn’t even given much thought about what happened earlier. She had been more worried about what Chloe had said about the crystal ball that was once owned by a psychic witch. Petunia didn’t know if it was a good witch or bad. Of course, she hadn’t much experience when it came to bad witches and wasn’t even certain if there was such a thing.
She returned to the table to find a plate full of grilled vegetables and fried rice waiting for her. “I didn’t think I was gone that long?” Petunia said.
“I was about to send our server in there to check on you.”
“I think I’ve had too much excitement for one day. I’m heading to bed early, I think.”
“Good idea if they hand out as many candy samples as that man said. From the brochure I’ve been reading, it’s a large factory tour.”
“I can’t wait. You might not have noticed, but I have quite the sweet tooth.”
“I knew there was something we had in common.”
Petunia entered her room after parting ways with Noah in the hall. She then popped open her to-go container for Pansy, who promptly trotted over and dug into the filet mignon and remainder of the fried rice. Petunia collapsed into a chair. She flicked on the television and was scrolling through the channels when a green light filtered through beneath the closet door.
Her heart pounded painfully in her chest as she ran over and cautiously opened the closet, staring at her suitcase, which was now partially open and emitting a strange green glow.
“What’s going on, Red?” Pansy asked, padding over to get a closer look.
“Did you unzip the suitcase?”
“Oh, yeah. I did it with my paws. I can open doors, too,” he hissed.
Petunia shot him a look. “There’s no need for your sarcasm.” She pursed her lips for a moment and threw open the suitcase all the way. There on the bottom was the green glowing crystal ball.
“I don’t understand it,” Petunia said out loud. “Did someone come into my hotel room while I was gone?”
“Well, I had a good catnap, but I’d hardly sleep through someone breaking into our room.”
Petunia’s brow shot up. “I’m not sure about that. I’ve never known you to wake up from a catnap.”
“I suppose you’re right. Us cats wake up in our own time, not at the will of our masters … I mean, our humans. You should know by now that us cats are supreme beings.”
“So, you didn’t hear anyone trying to spirit in the room?”
Pansy yawned. “Nope.” He squinted his eyes at the light. “I think you should take the crystal ball out of there and take a better look at it.”
“I don’t want to take a better look at it, I don’t even want it in my hotel room.”
“Suck it up, Red.”
“How did it get out of the towel? I wrapped it with the towel snugly.”
“Beats me but apparently you’re destined to have a crystal ball.”
Petunia’s hands slipped to her hips as she began to tap her foot nervously. “I most certainly was not. You tripped me at that shop.”
“I most certainly did not! It’s not my fault you’re a klutz.”
“You wound your leash around my ankles.”
“Would you calm down, you’re starting to sound hysterical.”
“How can I calm down at this turn of events? It was bad enough I was seeing things at the restaurant.”
Pansy jumped on the bed and rolled to his back lazily. “You’re one step away from the looney bin.”
Petunia’s waved her fisted hands in the air. “More than you’ll ever know. At the restaurant, I saw the woman who knocked me over … or at least I saw her head … no, it was her face.”
“You saw a floating head at the restaurant?”
“It was in a flaming hibachi grill.”
Pansy sat up now. “That’s interesting. I wonder what it means, besides that you’re losing it.”
“How should I know,” Petunia said, as she plopped on the bed.
“You can’t keep ignoring that crystal ball. You need to take a better look at it. But you can’t do that if you leave it in the suitcase.”
How could Petunia explain how frightened she was about touching that thing? How is it emitting light like that? She didn’t have any other choice; Petunia would have to pick up the crystal ball.
Petunia lifted the crystal ball out of her suitcase and quickly carried it and set in on the dresser. She gingerly touched the globe and stared at the green smoke that swirled inside.
The light slowly dimmed and Petunia felt frozen in place. She focused on the green smoke and as it cleared, she gasped at what she saw!
3
She stared open mouthed at the same image that had appeared at the restaurant. It was the woman who bumped into her earlier. Why was she seeing visions of that woman and what did it mean? She berated herself for not asking Chloe about the woman. Petunia had to know who she was and there was no time like the present.
“We’re going out,” Petunia exclaimed. “I just saw the woman in the crystal ball.”
“I didn’t see anything,” Pansy said, as he prowled the top of the dresser.
“Of course, you didn’t. I’m the witch, not you.”
“Do you think there really are psychic witches?”
“I don’t know.”
Petunia picked up Pansy’s leash.
“Wait up, Red. You don’t have to truss me up. Familiars don’t need a leash.”
“Except that you’re not a familiar, remember?”
“Who’s going to know?”
Petunia sighed, so not in the mood for this conversation. “Fine, but I’m not going to be happy if I get a ticket for having you off leash like I do back home.”
Petunia led the way from the room, checking to make certain her door was locked. She still wasn’t sold that magic had opened her suitcase, but what else could explain it?
“Aren’t you getting the lughead?” Pansy asked.
“No, I don’t want to tell him I’m seeing things.”
“But I thought he wanted to be kept abreast of your witchy ways.”
“This is one of those cases that the less he knows, the better it will be for our relationship.”
“You’re probably right. When he first started dating you, he thought you were only a potion witch.”
“That’s all I am.”
When they walked outside it was nearing dusk, yet there was enough light to see without the street lights.
She crossed the street and avoided a crowd at the chocolate fountain. Instead, she made tracks for Enchanted Objects.”
Petunia waved at Emerald, who stood outside the shop watering flowers. Emerald frowned at the sight of Petunia and scurried inside, promptly locking the door and turning off the open sign.
Petunia’s hands slipped to her hips. Of all the nerve. Emerald did that on purpose. Petunia knocked on the door, rattling the glass window. Emerald scowled.
Petunia wasn’t one to be dissuaded this easily. She followed a sidewalk that led to the rear of the building. She found the back door partially open and entered the shop.
“We shouldn’t be doing this,” Pansy cautioned her.
“Hogwash, I’m not about to let Emerald get the best of me.”
“Go on ahead, but I’m staying out here. I don’t want to be changed into a frog.”
“You’re so overdramatic, Pansy.”
Pansy sat next to the door and watched Petunia disappear out of view. Inside the back stockroom, she squeezed through a row of staked boxes and listened intently. She approached a small counter with an electronic pricing gun and a takeout container. But when she approached the doorway that led into the main room of the shop, Petunia called out, “Hello, is anyone here?”
She took a step into the sales area and suddenly ducked, as Emerald swung a broom viciously at her head.
“What are you doing?”
“How dare you sneak through the back door. Can’t you see we’re closed?”
“You weren’t closed when I walked up. And your sign says you’re open until eight.”
“I close the shop when it’s slow.”
“That might be a little premature. There’s quite the crowd outside, gathering at the fountain.”
“They’re waiting for the bus.”
“Really, a small town like this has a bus service?”
“Shuttle bus, actually.”
“I suppose there are hotels further from here. We must have gotten lucky to be able to book a hotel in the heart of Coven Creek.”
Emerald’s face tinted pink. “Just tell me why you came here and then get lost. I have more important things to do.”
“I was hoping you could tell me more about that globe I knocked over. I’d like to know who the previous owner was.”
“None of your concern.”
“I disagree. If you’re going to make me take the thing, I think you owe me some kind of explanation.”
Emerald sighed. “I’ll have to discuss this with my sisters first. I’ll be right back.”
Petunia nodded as Emerald walked behind the sales counter, leaving Petunia to stare at a wall of folded Coven Creek T-shirts.
Petunia hummed to herself as Emerald spoke on the phone and picked up a small witch figurine. The pink witch was quite small and elf sized.
The bell over the front door dinged and a pale-faced woman wearing a police uniform appeared around a shelf and stared down Petunia.
Meows, Magic & Marshmallows Page 2