Meows, Magic & Marshmallows

by Madison Johns

  “And if I sneak off at night again?”

  “Tell me where you’re going and whatever you do, please don’t enter any shop through the back door again. It wouldn’t hurt to take Pansy with you, either.”

  “I wouldn’t dream of leaving him behind. You know, I don’t know why I haven’t bought a gun … you know, for protection. In our field, we might be in need of one.”

  Noah frowned. “I don’t like the idea of you having a gun or learning to shoot.”

  “I don’t really have to learn how to shoot, do I? I mean, all you have to do is cock the gun and blast it.”

  Noah’s eyes widened. “You’re absolutely not getting a gun. I have a feeling I might end up on the wrong end of the firearm.”

  Petunia chuckled. “I was just kidding. I know I’d have to learn to shoot and while I can see the necessity of having one, I don’t think it’s a good idea. It’s bad enough I have a wand.”

  “Do you actually know how to use it?”

  “You just said you didn’t want to know anything witchy … and no, I don’t. It’s not even with me.”

  “Maybe you should have brought it with you.”

  “I hardly think bringing my wand would be helpful if I don’t even know how to use it.”

  “There has to be a reasonable explanation about why you have one.”

  Petunia didn’t care to discuss this with Noah further. It was quite apparent he’d never understand what being a witch was all about. Petunia was still trying to get a handle on things. How she wished Aunt Maxine was here to guide her.

  “Wallace, you’re behind schedule,” a loud-mouthed woman said.

  “It wasn’t my fault, Ms. Deadsnout. I had a few extras in my group and they were being quite difficult.”

  “I most certainly was not,” Petunia said, as she joined the pair. She nodded at the woman who had knocked her down just yesterday, Medea Deadsnout. “You look so familiar to me. Have we met before?”

  “Absolutely not. I never forget a face.”

  “Not even if you bumped into them on the street,” Petunia nearly screeched.

  Medea had a beehive of blue hair with piercing black eyes that were quite narrow as she surveyed Petunia’s face.

  “If you don’t mind, Wallace and I need a moment. He’ll continue the tour in ten minutes,” Medea dismissed her.

  “Of course. I don’t want to be bother.”

  Noah smiled when Petunia rejoined him. “That’s funny, being a bother is exactly what you’re doing.”

  Petunia shot Noah a look and she kept quiet as she tried to overhear Medea’s conversation with Wallace.

  Medea walked further away and whatever she was saying to Wallace turned his cheeks even redder.

  Petunia felt bad she had been the reason Wallace was censured and she approached him as Medea disappeared through a red door.

  “I’m sorry I got you into trouble,” Petunia apologized.

  “It’s fine. I didn’t know Medea was working today.”

  “Is she your boss?”

  “She’s everyone’s boss.”

  “She owns the place?”

  “No,” Wallace hissed. “I don’t know who put her charge or allows her to conduct herself the way she does. The factory was much better before she came to work here.”

  “How long has she been here?”

  “Why are you asking so many questions?”

  “To be honest, Medea knocked me down yesterday and didn’t so much as apologize or stop to find out if I was injured.”

  Wallace bottom lip swelled as he pursed his lips. “She’s so awful. I wish someone would get rid of her.”

  Petunia nodded and rejoined Noah. “It seems Medea isn’t very good to the employees.”

  “You’ve only spoken to one.”

  “I’d like to ask Chloe a few more questions about Medea.”

  When Wallace announced the tour was ready to continue, Petunia and Noah asked him to show them the exit. Petunia had to admit she felt too sick to continue. It wasn’t a lie. Anyway, Chloe must be worried about where they went.

  Noah put his hand on Petunia’s back as she walked down the sidewalk that led to the front of the factory.

  “Where is my treat?” Pansy asked, as he trotted over.

  “Oops, I forgot all about it. I’m so sorry.”

  “You better make it up to me, Red.”

  “I will if you can tell me where Chloe is?”

  Petunia raced across the courtyard to where Chloe was sitting on a bench crying.

  “What’s the matter, Chloe?” Petunia asked.

  “Medea Deadsnout fired me is what!”

  “How can she do that? You’re not even working today.”

  “She found me and obviously she had planned to do this all along. The pink slip had already been filled out.”

  “Why did she fire you?”

  “She didn’t give me a reason.” Chloe handed the pink slip for Petunia to read.

  Petunia sighed when she saw it only said your services are no long required. “And she didn’t give you any reason why she fired you.”

  Chloe’s hand shook as she held a tissue. “No. I heard talk that Medea was planning to eliminate some of the low performers, but she couldn’t have meant me. I hand out the most samples and have exceeded the sales goals. Just last month I was employee of the month.”

  “Medea just gave you that honor and now she canned you?”

  “Gregg made me employee of the month. He’s my manager.”

  “So, what gives Medea the power to fire employees?”

  “She’s the general manager. I wish someone would do something to get rid of that woman. I only wish I had the guts to do it myself.”

  Noah’s brow furrowed. “Don’t do anything rash.”

  “I can’t blame her if she did. But Noah’s right, please don’t do anything that will get you into any trouble.”

  “Maybe you should speak to Gregg and get the real scoop,” Petunia offered.

  “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt. He’s the shift manager in Candyland today.”

  They walked down the road until they entered Candyland and were stopped by a security guard.

  “You can’t come in here, Chloe,” the guard said. “Medea Deadsnout told us you were no longer working at the factory.”

  “Just because she no longer works at the factory shouldn’t bar her from coming to Candyland,” Petunia said.

  “You tell him, Red,” Pansy said, as he neared the gate.

  “Chloe promised us the grand tour,” Noah said with a grimace. “My girlfriend will be so disappointed if she can’t experience Candyland as promised.”

  “It’s twenty dollars a person and Chloe still can’t come in.”

  Petunia pointed a bony finger in the guard’s startled face. “How dare you treat her like that!”

  “I’m only following orders, lady.”

  “Don’t speak to my girlfriend like that,” Noah said in feigned aggression.

  Pansy raced over to the other side of the gate and Petunia squealed. “Look what you did, you brute. My cat ran inside.”

  Petunia, Noah, and Chloe bum rushed the guard and slipped under the gate despite his shouts for them to stop.

  “This way,” Chloe said.

  They slowed down so as not to raise an alert and entered a dirt road where pony rides were offered. Chloe then led them down a small walkway where the restrooms were and they stopped at a door labeled, “manager.”

  Chloe knocked and a man with bushy red hair opened the door. “Hurry up, before someone sees you, Chloe.”

  Noah and Petunia hurried in the door with Chloe. The man leaned against the desk and his eyes were glistening with unshed tears. “I’m so sorry, Chloe. I can’t believe Medea fired you. You’re one of my best employees.”

  “Was, you must mean,” Petunia said.

  “This is Petunia and Noah,” Chloe introduced. “They’re new in town.”

  That sounded better than saying
they were tourists.

  “I’m Gregg, Chloe’s manager.”

  “It’s just awful Chloe lost her job today. She brought us here for the grand tour,” Petunia said.

  “I don’t know what’s wrong with Medea. She’s an awful woman.”

  “I don’t think she’s human at all,” Chloe said. “She’s a demon sent to destroy Coven Creek.”

  “It certainly seems that way,” Gregg said. “Is it true one of your family’s shops was vandalized, Chloe?”

  “Is that what you heard, vandalized?” Petunia asked.

  “It was broken in and trashed,” Chloe clarified.

  “I suppose some people might consider that vandalism,” Noah said with a frown.

  “Unless they were looking for something,” Petunia tuned in.

  “What could they possibly be looking for there?” Gregg asked. “Is there anything missing?”

  “We’re not certain yet, but Evie’s insurance adjuster is doing an accounting of the inventory,” Chloe said. Then she changed the subject. “Did Medea tell you why I was fired?”

  “No, she just ordered me to fill out the pink slip.”

  “She’s pulling a slick move, but I’m not about to let her get away with it!” Chloe exclaimed. “Let’s get going.”

  Gregg pulled Chloe into a brief hug. “You should have a drink with me sometime, Chloe. Just because you don’t work for me anymore doesn’t mean we can’t be friends.”

  Chloe simply nodded and walked out the door.

  “He sounds sweet on you,” Petunia said.

  “Is he? I hadn’t noticed.”

  Petunia wasn’t sure if Chloe was underplaying it or was embarrassed as she remained silent until they neared the gate. There, the main guard was talking to several other guards who had obviously joined him after Petunia, Noah, and Chloe ran under the gate.

  6

  “Help, Petunia!” Pansy screamed.

  Petunia ran ahead to where Medea Deadsnout was holding Pansy rather tightly, too tightly, if his wide eyes were an indication.

  “Let go of my cat!” Petunia bellowed. “You’re hurting him.”

  “I’ll do more than hurt him very soon. I called the dog catcher and they should be here anytime.”

  “No, not the dog catcher, anything but that,” Pansy wailed.

  “I’m not about to let this witch take you anywhere,” Petunia said.

  “Hand over the cat,” Noah said. “There’s no reason to call the dog catcher. We’ve been looking everywhere for Pansy.”

  “It’s too late for that.”

  Petunia’s eyes widened and her fingers formed into claws.

  “Don’t take it out on him just because you’re mad at me,” Chloe said.

  “I’m not mad at you, dearie, I simply fired you.”

  “Why was I fired? You owe me that much!”

  “I don’t own you anything, Chloe,” Medea said sarcastically. “It’s hardly the end of the world. You can work in that shop your family owns. Oh … hold the phone … it was vandalized last night.”

  Noah quickly stood between Chloe and Medea so they didn’t come to blows.

  “Did you have something to do with it, or know who did it?”

  “Of course not. I hardly consort with criminals.”

  “Whatever you say, dragon lady.”

  Medea laughed. “You certainly have gotten yourself worked up. Security will be here in a moment to escort you off the property. Or I should say all of you, since you have caused quite the stir since you arrived.”

  “No more than was necessary,” Petunia said, as she inched forward slowly. “Give me my cat.”

  “No,” Medea said calmly.

  Petunia jumped ahead and elbowed Medea hard in the stomach and caught Pansy in midair.

  “Don’t you ever touch my cat again!” Petunia huffed, as she turned and walked toward the entrance of the factory.

  Surprisingly Medea didn’t try to stop them, but of course she was on the ground doubled over.

  “I’ll get you for that and your little cat, too,” Medea threatened.

  “Be careful, you know what happened to the wicked witch,” Chloe said.

  Pansy laid limply in Petunia’s arms and tears dropped on his black fur.

  “Why are you drenching me with your tears?” Pansy asked.

  “Because that woman was hurting you.”

  “You mean you actually care about me, Red?”

  “Of course, I do, you little rat, but next time don’t run ahead of me. I don’t want to see you get sent to the pound.”

  “You don’t have to worry about that. Boy, did I ever learn my lesson. Coven Creek is much more dangerous than Lake Forest.”

  “I’m beginning to feel that way, too.”

  “Where are you going?” Petunia asked Chloe, once they were back in town.

  “I better tell Evie the bad news.”

  “I’ll go with you,” Petunia said.

  “Go ahead,” Noah said, as he picked up Pansy. “I’ll take Pansy back to the hotel. He still looks frightened.”

  Petunia gave Noah a quick kiss before following Chloe up the street. What a sweet thing to say about Pansy. Noah was beginning to understand what being a cat owner was all about.

  They passed a large row of quaint shops and then they entered a store simply named Magical Charms. Charms were placed on mannequin arms, making them shine brightly with the green, pink, and yellow gems.

  A buzzer went off when they walked in the door and Evie approached the counter. “What’s the matter, Chloe?” she asked.

  Chloe busted into tears. “I-I was fired today.”

  “Fired? But you had the day off.”

  “I have a lot of days off now. Medea wouldn’t even tell me why I was let go. Services not needed is hardly an excuse.”

  Evie patted her spiked hair. “Deadsnout, of all people.” She clucked her tongue.

  “Do you believe she had the audacity to remind me that our shop was trashed—or vandalized, according to her?”

  Evie tapped her pink-painted fingernails on the counter. “That’s not all that surprising and now I think we should call Sheriff Griffin. Medea Deadsnout offered to buy the shop from me a few months ago. And just a few days ago she gave me a veiled threat. She suggested something untoward might happen to the shop.”

  “If you didn’t sell?” Petunia asked.

  “She didn’t say as much, but it certainly was implied.”

  “She’s a horrible witch,” Chloe said. “One of these days someone is going to do something dreadful to her.”

  “Don’t say things like that, Chloe. It might be taken as a threat,” Evie said, as she picked up the phone and called the sheriff.

  “This is our first solid clue about who might have wanted to trash our shop,” Evie said.

  “It’s not much of a clue, but at least this way the sheriff will question her,” Petunia said. “Although I wouldn’t expect that woman to give up much of anything.”

  “I can’t believe she took your familiar,” Chloe said. “That’s against Witches Affairs’ rules.”

  “I can’t imagine she cares about any of that,” Evie said. “Is your familiar okay?”

  Petunia wanted to tell them that Pansy wasn’t exactly her familiar, but now that she thought about it he wasn’t much different. He certainly was an animal guide for her and Petunia felt better when he was with her than when he wasn’t. Even though Noah now had him, Petunia was worried that the dogcatcher would show up at any moment.

  “Do you have a leash law in Coven Creek?” Petunia asked with concern.

  “Not for familiars. Medea’s only power is at the factory and Candyland and she knows it.”

  “Still, I know how easily cops can be persuaded.”

  “I hope you weren’t talking about me,” Sheriff Griffin said, as she sauntered through the door. Apparently, the buzzer didn’t work in this circumstance.

  Petunia stepped out of the way. After all, this didn’t conc
ern her. “I’m sorry if you took it the wrong way. I assure you I meant no disrespect.”

  “I’m glad you made it here so quickly,” Chloe said, as her face reddened.

  “We think we know who trashed my shop,” Evie said.

  “Medea Deadsnout,” Chloe exclaimed.

  Griffin’s brow shot up. “How can you be so certain?”

  “She has shown an interest in buying it,” Evie said. “A strong interest.”

  “Meaning what exactly?”

  “She’s pushy, is what my sister means,” Chloe said. “And Medea is used to getting her way. Why, just today she fired me from the factory for no reason at all.”

  “So, is this what it’s about, revenge?”

  “Yes, Medea has been insistent that I sell to her,” Evie said.

  “That’s not what I meant. Is Chloe trying to get back at Medea because she was fired?”

  “I wouldn’t do that,” Chloe said, as she stomped her foot for emphasis.

  “I agree. Chloe would never stoop to such a thing.”

  “Then why didn’t you mention who you believed might have trashed your shop when I spoke to you the first time?”

  “I didn’t think much of it at the time. But now that Chloe was fired, I can see Medea made good on her threats.”

  “Threats?” Petunia gasped.

  “Yes, Medea told me she would get ahold of my shop one way or the other.” Evie wiped beneath her eyes. “She made a mention that it would be a shame if my sisters began to have a string of bad luck.”

  “See, what did I tell you,” Chloe exclaimed.

  Sheriff Griffin took out a notebook and clicked open a pen. “We dusted for prints, but whoever trashed your store obviously wiped them clean.”

  “I hope you’re going to at least question Medea,” Petunia said. “And ask her about her whereabouts the night the shop was broken into.”

  “From my recollection, you broke into the shop yourself.”

  “I did no such a thing.”

  “Not according to Emerald.”

  “I certainly didn’t break a window or door to gain entrance and I called out Emerald’s name so I wouldn’t startle her,” Petunia explained.

  “And we aren’t pressing charges, as you know,” Evie said.

  “Besides, I don’t have any reason to trash that shop. I have no interest in it, but Medea does,” Petunia pleaded with the sheriff. “So, are you going to question Medea or not?”