spies and spells 02 - betting off dead (7 page)

“So maybe certain investigations can’t be solved unless your powers help them out?” Lilith turned the observation into a great question that struck me inside.

“That must be it.” My eyes widened. “This is why I can’t date Abram. I am not meant to be his wife. I am meant to use my powers for good and save the world when the authorities need me.”

“Cool.” Lilith nodded. “You are like a real life superhero.”

“Oh, maybe I can wear a unitard.” I wiggled my brows up and down.

“This is not funny.” Mom’s face contorted back to angry. “What on Earth is the coven thinking? Are they punishing me for leaving your father?” she questioned with hate in her tone as she looked up to the ceiling. “My daughter will not be put in danger!” she screamed.

There was a loud knock at the door. All of us turned at the exact same time as Sherry’s body dropped on the couch.

Auntie Meme clapped her hands and all the lights in the house turned on and any sign of witching went back to all the signs of a normal mortal home.

“What is going on?” Sherry sat up and rubbed her head. Everyone went back to staring at her as if they’d never seen a mortal before.

“I’ll be right back.” I held a finger up and rushed over to the door. When I opened it, Susie Brown, the Belgravia Court President, stood on the other side with Mrs. Hubbard of all people. “Good evening, ladies.” I held the door close to my face. “How can I help you?”

“Is your mother home?” Susie asked with a stern look.

“She is busy at the moment. I’ll have her call you.” I smiled and started to shut the door until I felt a push back.

“I don’t have later.” Susie was a little testy. She curled up on her tippy toes and tried to see in my house over my head. “Not only has Mrs. Hubbard filed a complaint about your family having an owl as a pet, she also claims she saw a woman with long blond hair floating in the air through your front window.”

“Mrs. Hubbard,” I tsked, “have you been nipping some of that moonshine I saw you purchase at the park the other day?”

I knew when I saw her purchasing the moonshine out of the car of the local bootlegger that it’d come in handy.

Mrs. Hubbard drew back, she lifted her hand to her pearl necklace, and muttered, “Well, I never.”

“Did you or did you not buy moonshine? Or were my eyes deceiving me like yours were when you thought you saw someone floating in my house?” My eyes narrowed as I looked at her.

“I must’ve been mistaken like you were.” She tilted her chin to the side and looked at me sideways. “But…” she shook a finger. “You do have an owl. I saw it with my own eyes.”

“Again,” I shook my head and lifted my shoulders, lowering them as I exhaled a big sigh, “are you sure you haven’t been drinking that moonshine?”

“Regardless, I still need to talk to your mom,” Susie insisted.

“Mom,” I called out over my shoulder leaving a moment of weakness for Susie Brown and Mrs. Hubbard to push their way into our entryway.

“We have company.” Mom walked out of the family room with her hands clasped in delight. “Come in and have a nice cup of warm sweet tea.”

Mom showed them into the family room where Sherry was sitting on the couch next to Lilith. Auntie Meme’s back was turned to us. When she turned around she was carrying a serving tray shaped like a leaf with pumpkin-shaped tea cups filled with steaming hot tea.

I lifted a brow, but didn’t say anything.

Auntie Meme handed Mrs. Hubbard a specific cup and smiled the entire time as she watched Mrs. Hubbard take a first sip.

“I’m here to settle a dispute from this morning.” Susie eased down on the couch next to Sherry, who still seemed to be a little woozy. “It’s my understanding that Meme has accused our long-time, honorable, up-standing citizen of theft.” She looked at Auntie Meme. “Is that correct?”

“It is most certainly correct that I was told by Shay Hannagan that she saw Gladys leave my house with a package. A package that was left by the US Postal Service.” Auntie Meme pulled the yellow piece of paper the deliveryman had left taped to the door.

“You received some mail?” Susie was more interested in the fact that we’d had a delivery. Auntie was right. They did notice everything about our family, even down to the mail.

“Do you find that shocking?” Mom asked, bringing the steaming cup of tea to her lips. She sat on the edge of one of the chairs, her ankles crossed with a straight posture.

“I’ve never seen a mailbox,” Susie made no attempts to cover her nosiness. “But I guess I was wrong.”

“I guess.” Mom shrugged, taking another drink, her pinky lifted in the air.

“Gladys?” Susie turned her attention to Mrs. Hubbard. “Did the mailman deliver a package to your home to give to Meme?”

“He most certainly did not.” She stated emphatically.

“Are you sure?” Auntie Meme’s lashes drew down and created a shadow before she sent a little wink toward Mrs. Hubbard.

“I’m positive.”  Mrs. Hubbard’s stomach growled. Her chest heaved a couple of times before she clamped her hand over her mouth. She jumped up and without a word ran out of our house faster than a witch on a broomstick.

We all looked out the front window where Mrs. Hubbard was puking into her plastic flower garden.

“Yuck,” Susie’s nose curled. “I’m not sure she’ll be on the Historical Home Tour.”

“Which reminds me.” Mom stood up. “I’ve got to get my house in order and ready since I filled out the application for the tour. I’d love to open up my home to the wonderful Old Louisville community.”

“I can’t guarantee your home will be picked.” Susie placed the tea cup on the coffee table and stood up. She looked over at Sherry who still looked confused. “I guess I’ll be going since Mrs. Hubbard can’t produce any proof to her claim.”

Mom walked Susie to the door while we turned our attention back to Sherry.

“Here dear, have some tea.” Auntie Meme ran her finger around the edge of the tea cup and tapped it twice with the pad of her finger before she handed it to Sherry. “I’m thrilled you will be joining my staff at The Brew.”

Auntie Meme slid her eyes up to me; they were filled with amusement.  I shook my head knowing Sherry had just drunk one of Auntie’s spells. I wasn’t sure what Auntie had put in Sherry’s tea, I only knew that as Guardian of my life’s journey, she was going to do whatever was in her power to protect me. Even if it was from Blondie.

Chapter Six

“Good morning.” I chirped to Vinnie when I got in the next morning.

“What has got you in such a chipper mood, Maggie?” Vinnie asked as his circuits lit up. The read out on the screen didn’t say our usual morning stop The Brew, it had Mick’s address. “Oh no.” Vinnie’s pistons were in a bundle. “There has been a shift in your universe.”

“I’m glad you noticed.” I tapped the circuit screen. “As you can see, we are going to pick up Mick Jasper at his home.”

“Whatever you say, Maggie, though I’m not happy with it.” Vinnie shifted into gear and pulled out of the garage and rolled down the alley.

“I figured out exactly why I have you as my familiar and I also know exactly what my life’s journey is.” I gripped the wheel. “I haven’t slept this good since I was a baby.”

I was so excited ever since I had woken up. It was a much different feeling than I had felt everyday I’d gotten up to go to work at The Brew. It was the feeling of happiness knowing I was going to go do my life’s work. Mom had once told me that when we figure out our true life’s journey that there was a fire ignited inside us. She was right. Nothing was going to stop me now. Not even an old snarky car like Vinnie.

“I am glad you slept well.” Vinnie’s voice was distant.

I rubbed my hand along the dash.

“Listen, I love you, Vinnie. You have saved me countless times and most of those times weren’t life or death.” I was doing my best to sweet talk him. His engine purred as he proceeded to drive on the interstate toward the address I had for Mick. “You are a 1965 AC Cobra. Not just a regular old familiar. You and I both knew that I was destined to do more than just work at The Brew, pour coffee, and clean up after people or else the coven would’ve given me a regular old familiar like a dog or cat or something not fun like you.” I patted my hand on the seat. “Don’t you want some excitement? Some fun? Be able to use that fancy exhaust system under that handsome hood of yours?”

“When you put it that way.” Vinnie sped up as his ego swelled. “I do think that you would make a wonderful spy. It is the partner that has been chosen for you that has my new chrome wheels spinning.”

I couldn’t help but smile. The last time I was in a pickle and needed his assistance, I  promised Vinnie a new pair of chrome wheels. I made good on my promise and he sure did look mighty fine.

“Mick is not someone you need to be jealous of.” I did my best to smooth over the situation before we pulled up in front of Mick’s apartment building. His beat-up maroon Caprice was parked in front.

“He can’t even park his car right.” There was disgust in Vinnie’s voice. “Look. Half on the curb, half off.”

If Vinnie had eyes, I could just see them rolling.

“See, how could I really be into a guy who doesn’t take care of his car?” I asked and rubbed my palm over Vinnie’s steering wheel.

“He thinks he is protecting you.” Vinnie wasn’t going to let it go.

“That’s because he is a trained spy where I am new and he is my partner. We are supposed to look after each other.” I glanced out the window when I heard a loud whistle.

Mick was hanging out the open window on the top floor of the four-story building. His fingers positioned in his mouth as he blew another whistle with them. When our eyes met, he waved me up.

“And now he wants to take you into the depths of his cave.” Vinnie shut his engine off.

“He’s not a caveman, he’s late.” I opened the door and got out. As I walked up to the front of Mick’s building, Vinnie clicked his horn twice, letting me know he locked himself.

The front glass door’s security system was buzzing when I walked up. Mick must’ve pushed the button to let me in. I ran my finger along the thirteen metal mailbox slots and read the names until I got to his.

“Apartment 4.” It was strange because floors one through three had apartment a-d on each floor, but not floor four.

I walked over to the elevator. The doors opened on their own. I got in and pushed the button for level four. The elevator stopped, dinged and I got out greeted by the open door of apartment four.

“Come on in. I’m running a little late.” Mick’s voice came from inside the apartment. “Make yourself a cup of coffee. There are mugs in the cabinet.”

The apartment was very masculine with the metal work, exposed ceiling, leather furniture and the open floor plan with the open kitchen. It was more of a loft feel than an apartment. The view of downtown Louisville was really pretty and I could only imagine what it looked like in the dark. I wisped myself over to the crack in the bedroom door and noticed Mick didn’t have on the cowboy outfit anymore so my outfit of jeans, cowboy boots and plaid shirt wasn’t going to cut it.

He wore a pair of seersucker blue striped pants, a white button down shirt with a blue and white polka dot tie and a pair of brown loafers with no socks. He was putting the finishing touch of gel in his hair.

I waved my hand over top my head and around my body, changing into a Lily Pulitzer flower dress, a flower in my hair, a monogrammed gold necklace and a pair of wedged heels along with a white cardigan neatly tied around my shoulders.

“Did you get a cup of coffee?” Mick appeared at the bedroom door. His eyes drew down my body and then back up. The double meaning of his gaze was not that of just a partner.

“I am going to get one now.” I quickly broke the uneasiness and walked to the cabinet.

“You are good. When I go into someone’s kitchen to find a plate or something, I end up opening all of them until I find what I need.” He paused. “But you aren’t like everyone else. You know things and I don’t know how.”

“It looks like rain is coming.” I poured a cup of coffee from his fancy stainless steel carafe. “So you better grab your umbrella.”

“It looks like blue skies to me.” He looked out the wall of glass. “Unless you do know something.” He eyed me suspiciously.

I rubbed my elbow. “It’s in the ache.” I lied. I’d heard about people’s bones aching when rain was a coming.

“Huh.” His brows dipped. “Ready?”

“Ready.” I didn’t bother finishing my coffee. I glanced back out the wall of glass before we walked out. The sky might’ve been crystal clear blue, but there was a storm brewing.

“We will take your car if that’s okay,” he said and held the door of the elevator. “It’s much nicer than my car and we are supposed to be playing some rich couple.”

“Sure.” There was an older woman waiting for the elevator when it opened on the bottom floor. She and Mick exchanged glances. I couldn’t pull my eye away from the long hair that jutted out from her chin. She wore a blue house dress with rolled down, knee-high, flesh-colored hose and a pair of thick-soled white shoes that were worn by nurses in the old days.

“Mr. Jasper.” Her gazed moved to me. With a cocked bushy brow she nodded at me. A thin smile crossed my lips.

“Mrs. Cartmell.” He acknowledged her back. “Have a good day.” He held the front door open for me and I stepped out. “That’s the landlord. She lives in one of the apartments on the first floor. She is always nosy and watching my every move.”

“Do you give her a reason?” I asked.

“She thinks I’m shady because I rent the entire top floor, drive the junker and come and go at all hours. She’s always trying to get me to tell her about my day, my job. And now she’s going to ask me about you.” He laughed.

“Nice parking job.” I pointed to his car once we got to the street and I pretended to click the key fob so Vinnie would beep open.

“What can I say?” He put his hand on Vinnie’s door handle to open the door. “I got in late.” He winked, his teeth sparkled underneath his smile. “Yuck!” The grin changed into a snarl. He shook his hand as if he was trying to thump a booger off of it or something.