Nice Day for a Mage Wedding: Casino Witch Mysteries 4

by Nikki Haverstock

  “You got me. Hey, speaking of Ellen”—she edged toward the door—“why don’t I hop on down there and grab some snacks to eat?”

  “Fine, fine. Just be back fast. Five minutes tops. Got it?”

  “Got it,” she shouted as the door slammed behind her.

  Patagonia jumped onto the desk and over to the check that was sitting out. Probably hoping to chew it up again.

  I snatched it out from underneath her and turned around to place it on top of a filing cabinet. I took a moment to admire the handwriting. Each letter and number was round, like it was made from a balloon. It was the kind of writing that my chicken scrawl would never approach, even when I took the time to carefully form each letter. Some people just had the gift of adorable writing. Linda had that gift.

  There was a crash, and I turned around to see Patagonia glaring at me and the bookkeeping ledger on the ground. It had landed on its end and stood up like a tent or the letter A. Patagonia must have shoved it off the desk in a fit of annoyance.

  A note lay face up. It had probably been wedged between two pages of the book and was dislodged when it fell. The same round, cute letters stared up at me, and I grabbed it. It was a short message jotted on the back of a receipt, and a strip of tape told me that it was likely left on the door of the office at some point.

  Ned, I came by to help you with the bookkeeping, but I must have missed you. Linda

  She had been the mystery person helping him with the books. From the conversation I had seen in the visions, I knew that she hadn’t realized that he was keeping a second set of books, and this note supported that idea. Otherwise she would have been a bit more discreet about admitting she was helping with the books. He probably kept the note as proof that she was involved, and it was probably part of his assurance that he would take her down with him if she didn’t come over and help him the night he died.

  I stood up quickly and raced out of the office. She probably came over that night and took the other set of books. She must have known he was murdered, and it was likely that she had skipped town already.

  I jogged around the building and slowed as I saw Sally in a car, luggage and boxes packed all around her. She was in the front passenger seat, something that I didn’t think was technically allowed because of her slight stature. When she caught sight of me, she waved excitedly and yelled through the closed window, “We’re going on vacation.”

  She was still in her pajamas, the ones I had seen her in the other day, and she shivered, her lips a little bit blue.

  I wasn’t a parent but felt sure that her mother should put a jacket on her or at least wrap a blanket around her shoulders.

  I waved back and gave her a little smile.

  Linda, her mom, locked the door to the apartment and rushed toward the car but slowed when she saw me. After a few moments, she put on a fake smile that did nothing to cover the unease in her face or her soul. Waves of nervous energy filled the air around me, and I almost choked on it.

  She looked like a rabbit caught in the corner by a large cat. I stepped as close as she would allow me. “I know that Ned got you involved in something illegal, and I also know that you are innocent. Please help me find out who killed him.”

  It was a gamble because she could have been the killer, but as I spoke, her fear almost overwhelmed me. When I said she was innocent, her emotions backed up that it was true. She was relieved, and she believed me. She might have thought about denying knowledge of what I meant except for the tears that flowed down her face.

  She turned her back to the car and tried to dab away the tears before Sally could see them. “I’ve been so scared, but I didn’t think you would believe me if I told you. I didn’t want to skip town, but it didn’t seem like there was any option.”

  I nodded, trying to look like I understood while my thoughts spun.

  Her spirits were lifting. “I’m going to grab some stuff from inside, then I’ll explain what I can. I still need to head out of town for… other reasons, but I’ll be available by phone.”

  She popped back into her apartment, and I decided to sit in the car with Sally. There was something in the little girl that drew me to her. She seemed too tiny, though weren’t all kids at that age?

  I got into the car and closed the door. It seemed to have gotten significantly colder. Perhaps a storm front was blowing in. “Don’t worry. Your mom will be right back.”

  “Mom can’t go anywhere without me.” She shivered again.

  “Why don’t we start up the car and get the heater going?” I had seen the keys on the seat, and I twisted around to grab them from underneath me. I got the sudden prickling on the back of my neck that indicated I was being watched.

  I looked around but saw nothing ominous. The black town car rolled by, using the back alley as a shortcut from the parking lot to the casinos on the Avenue. A chill wind picked up a pile of leaves and slammed them into the car’s rear window. Then I spied Vanessa, who had turned the corner of the building and was looking for me. She was chewing on something and carrying a large paper bag. I saw another upset-tummy spell in my future. “That’s my friend Vanessa. I bet if we ask nicely, she will share a sweet with you.”

  Sally turned in her seat and waved wildly. “I don’t think she sees me.”

  I put the key into the ignition and turned. The car roared into life, then time stopped.

  The moment stretched out, each microsecond taking an eternity to experience. There was a noise that built into a roar and light that became brighter and brighter until I couldn’t see anything. The pressure built, compressing me tighter and tighter. The air in my lungs was forced out, then it reversed, and I felt as though I was being ripped apart.

  My mouth opened in a scream to release the fear that had come over me, but nothing came out. The light, the noise, the pressure were all that existed for an eternity until two things happened: a burning pain in my left wrist flared, and the sensation of a cold small hand slipped into my right hand and squeezed. I barely had the realization that Sally was there with me and we were in trouble when everything went black.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  I was in a deep black hole. I was trying to crawl out, back toward the surface. I pushed and pressed to reach the surface, but it was a long haul, and every movement brought me more pain, both physical and emotional. Something was very wrong though I didn’t know what.

  Several times I slipped during the climb, and I fell back into the abyss. It was all-consuming, and no time passed there. Nothing hurt and nothing was wrong when I was nestled down in the darkness. It was tempting to stay in there and rest. Endless rest. But something was pushing me to try the climb again. I didn’t know how long I tried to climb, but I had a sense that a million years had passed or maybe no time at all. It was both things at once.

  I knew I could stay in the pit. Whatever it was, it didn’t hurt and was peaceful. But something was pushing me to climb out, so again I tried, pushing up toward the surface and the pain that was waiting for me.

  With a gasp, I opened my eyes. Everything was too bright, and I squinted against the light. And everything hurt. It was a universal pain that covered every inch of my surface and bore down into me. My lungs ached with each raspy breath, and even my heart beating in my chest seemed to push pain throughout my body.

  There was noise all around me, and I realized that a hand was on mine. Every point of contact was painful, and yet it was comforting. I turned my head, and the world whirled around as nausea climbed up my throat. It took a few moments to settle down, and when it did, I could focus well enough to see Bear, Badger, and Colleen. Patagonia was a heavy weight pressed into my ankle.

  Bear had a hand on mine and patted it very softly. “It’s okay. We’re here with you.”

  “’Kay,” I responded. It was barely a whisper, and even my voice sounded injured.

  Badger retreated from the room, and a few moments later, several nurses shuffled in.

  I closed my eyes and resisted the urge
to slide away, this time into sleep. The void wasn’t calling to me any longer, and pain was now with me constantly. The nurses pressed buttons and jotted down numbers in a cool crisp efficiency that I found comforting. When they did touch me, the pain was almost unbearable, but I could tell that their expert fingers were doing as little damage as possible.

  “Monza Ella, can you look at me?”

  I opened my eyes to look at the nurse, her features swimming in front of me as I tried to focus.

  “Do you know what day it is?”

  I stared a bit longer, trying to sort through my thoughts. “Hold on.” I usually didn’t know the answer to the question on the best of days, and this was definitely not close to a “best day.” I took a breath and spoke so she would know I hadn’t forgotten her question. “On Monday we went to a party and were forced into Tiffany’s wedding. Then there was Tuesday with the bachelorette party, then Wednesday we had a dress fitting, so Wednesday? Is it still Wednesday?” I looked out the window, where it was dark.

  “Good. Yes, it is still Wednesday. Do you remember where you were?”

  I had been investigating the murder. Linda had gone to get a book and… tears welled up, and I sobbed. “Sally! Is she okay?”

  The nurse’s eyes went wide, and she looked from me to Bear.

  Bear patted my hand. “Who’s Sally?”

  A sob racked my chest. She was so small. Could she have survived whatever hurt me? I remembered her little hand in mine. “She was next to me in the car when it happened. Is she…?”

  Bear exchanged another look with the nurse. “Honey, no one was in the car with you. There was a bomb, and the car exploded. It was a miracle that you survived, but you were in there alone.”

  I couldn’t control the crying. The movement was causing a pain the felt like my body was being ripped apart. Machines were beeping, and the activity around me increased. I remembered the sensation of Sally’s tiny hand in mine as the explosion roared around us.

  “Put this potion on her forehead!” someone shouted.

  I felt a wet compress across my forehead, and everything decreased. Every sensation and thought slowly dimmed.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  I woke suddenly with the sensation that I wasn’t alone even though no one was on the couch or the chair next to my bed, as they had been when I last fell asleep. The stillness of the hospital was almost complete until I caught the faint whisper of soles on linoleum near the door.

  I turned in that direction and was hit by a wave of emotions: relief, excitement, and love. A moment later, a small girl bounced into the side of the bed, and a cold tiny hand grabbed mine. It didn’t hurt the way I had expected.

  “Sally!” I croaked then broke into a little cough.

  “Ella!”

  Linda, still hidden in the darkness, spoke. “Is it okay if I turn on a light?”

  “Please do.” I blinked into the sudden brightness though it was just the light from the bathroom that barely illuminated the room.

  Sally was dressed the same as the previous day, and there was not a scratch on her face. She studied me as closely as I was doing to her. She brushed my face. “I knew you weren’t dead because I could have found you then, but not everyone that is not dead is okay. Are you okay?”

  I found her speech to be a bit confusing. “I will be. I am glad to see you. I was really confused and thought you were in the car with me.”

  “Oh, I was! I helped protect you, but we have to go now.”

  I looked from her to her mother. My addled brain just wasn’t understanding what she was saying. “Where is Bear? Can you explain this to him?” Where was everyone?

  Linda grabbed a bag and put it on the foot of my bed. “We waited until everyone left, and now we need to go. Here is the book you were looking for. Ned was a bad man, though I’m not sure what he was up to. He knew that I was hiding from Sally’s dad and used that to make me help him with the books. I am sure that car bomb was meant for me, and I am so sorry it hurt you. Sally did what she could, but in her state… well, I am sure you understand.” She was edging toward the door, dragging Sally behind her.

  “I don’t understand.”

  But before I could say any more, they were gone, Sally waving excitedly while Linda looked each way down the hall, like a victim in a slasher movie keeping an eye out for the killer.

  In the silence afterward, it was hard to understand what had happened. It was made even more difficult as sleep was pulling me under again. Maybe it was a hallucination or a waking dream. I yawned and surrendered to the night.

  When I woke up next, I didn’t have the loss of time that I’d had before. I knew, on some level, that time had passed. Patagonia had shifted to my right hip, and she slept deeply.

  Dr. Trout was next to my bed in a chair, and Bear hung out near the door, but the others were gone.

  She smiled. “How are you?”

  I tried to smile, but half of my face felt thick and lazy. It refused to move the way I wanted. “I’m fine.”

  “You aren’t yet, but you will be. You are already looking much better than when they brought you in. Gave me a real fright. I thought we might lose you. That rune really saved your butt.” She gestured to my arm.

  I lifted my left arm to look. The bracelet from Thomas was gone, and the skin where it had been was blackened. I let my arm drop back to the bed. The effort had been overwhelming.

  “And what did you have on your right side? I didn’t find any evidence of a rune, but something blocked some of the damage. Combined, they were enough to keep you from being ripped apart. Whoever built that bomb is going to be pretty surprised that you lived.”

  I remembered the small hand holding mine, and tears welled up again.

  “Whoa. It’s okay. I am a bit worried about a head injury. Bear told me that you were worried that a little girl was killed. I went and visited the car myself to see how to treat you. I can assure you that no one was killed, and no one was in the car. Vanessa was injured just a little. She’s down the hall, and once we are done speaking, she can come see you. The only other person was a woman in the apartment complex who sustained very minor injuries but didn’t need treatment. Do you understand?”

  “Yes.” But the truth is that I didn’t understand. Everyone was so sure, but so was I. But I was in my old mindset. I hadn’t even considered magic. If Dr. Trout said no one was killed, then maybe there was hope. “You are sure?”

  “Yes. It was just you in the car. And we are thankful enough that you survived. It really was a combination of the rune on your left wrist and whatever was on your right, but it was still touch-and-go for a while. You had a very good doctor.” She gave a little laugh at her joke.

  Colleen came into the room, and after greeting everyone, she turned to me. “Ella, how do you know Linda Harris?”

  “Wait, how do you know about Linda?”

  “I ran into her a little bit ago in the parking lot. I eventually got out of her that she was here to see you, though she tried every lie in the book first.”

  It hadn’t been a dream. “And you saw Sally, too?”

  A pained look crossed her face. “Ella… Sally’s been dead for years.”

  I looked up at Colleen and decided I needed to sit up to talk about this. I poked at buttons on the side of the bed until Dr. Trout came over to adjust the bed.

  The movement made me a little nauseated but not nearly as much as just turning my head had before. Whatever magic or medicine they were using was very effective.

  “Linda Harris was the woman at the explosion.” I hesitated on what to say next. Linda had asked that I not tell anyone about Sally, but this wasn’t just random strangers. I trusted these people with my life. “It was her daughter that I thought was in the car with me. Actually, she was in the car. Sally said she tried to help me but could only do so much in her condition. What is going on?”

  Colleen frowned. “Sally must be a ghost.”

  Dr. Trout shook her head. “I didn’t re
alize you could talk with ghosts.”

  “I didn’t either. Colleen, how do you know Linda?”

  “It was years ago. She got pregnant with a married man and was hiding out. I never found out who he was, but he must have been really powerful. She really believed he would kill her if he found out about the pregnancy. I wanted her to leave, but she felt she needed to stay. When Sally was about eight—”

  She cut herself off and turned away to compose herself. She took a deep breath and turned around to rush out the rest. “Linda and Sally were in a terrible car crash. Linda was sure that someone messed with her car, but really there was no proof. Linda was hurt badly but nothing compared to Sally. It was only a small consolation that Sally didn’t suffer. It all happened so fast. Linda called me in hysterics from the hospital that night. Sally was in a coma for three days until she passed.”

  Dr. Trout brought over a box of tissue to Colleen, and Colleen took a moment to wipe her eyes and compose herself. “Linda was inconsolable during those three days, then… she seemed to get a handle on herself. When Sally actually passed, Linda barely reacted. I thought that maybe the grief had become too deep and she went into shock, but I suppose in retrospect it is obvious that Linda did something to free Sally’s soul from her broken body. I should have suspected something, but it was all so awful. Then after the funeral, Linda disappeared. This happened a few years ago—the last time I was here for any significant time. I needed a break afterward and went on the road.”

  I thought of the cold little hand in mine, and a tear trickled down my face again. “Poor Sally and Linda. Is it hard? Making a ghost, I mean.”

  Colleen sat down in a chair, looking exhausted. “Frankly, I didn’t think Linda had it in her, either the knowledge or the power, but love and fear will push you to do things you otherwise couldn’t. And it must be using up a lot of her energy keeping Sally here.” She rubbed her temples as though a headache was coming over her.