At last, the well-laid plan played out. Her car now not only sat in front of the fire hydrant but also blocked the exit to the fire station. The three had outdone themselves this time. And right on cue, Sheriff Matt Mulroney appeared with his ticket pad in hand. She took a few additional close ups as the three individuals who moved her car lined up behind the sheriff while he wrote the ticket.
As the marauders moved away from her car, she straightened and peered down into the valley. Her plan had worked. She had her evidence. Now all she had to do was pack up, take it to town, and end this silly game.
She bowed her head against the rising breeze while packing her camera equipment into the padded ammo box strapped to the back of the ATV. The oaks swayed and sighed as though responding to her stubborn determination. With a glance up at the leafy canopy, she shook a finger. “It is high time they accept the fact that I am fine. There is no crime in living alone.” The woods understood. Now if she could just convince her friends. She yanked the strap hard, securing the ammo box behind the seat.
The tops of the trees whipped back and forth harder. A gust whirled the leaf mold into spinning bundles of debris, then ripped her ballcap off her head and tore her ponytail loose from its ties. Caught in the wind, her hair band and cap bounced across the ground.
She ran and caught them both, then wrestled her thick curls out of her face. “All right now. Enough fun and games. I have to get down to the diner with these pictures and end this foolishness once and for all.”
The wind calmed. A stillness fell over the clearing. Hannah shivered and glanced around. It suddenly seemed strangely deserted. She whistled her favorite bird call that never failed to charm a few feathered friends out of the brush. Nothing. Silence engulfed the wood.Not a branch moved; not a bird chirped. The entire forest stood as though frozen in time.
“Strange.” She strapped on her helmet and headed down the hill toward town.
2
“There are rumblings,” Thaetus said.
“There are always rumblings. Where is my ticket and the rest of my papers? I dinna wish to be delayed any longer.” Taggart tossed a shirt toward the dilapidated black bag on the bed, then snapped his fingers. The garment folded itself and slipped inside.
“Why do ye pack clothes? Ye can manifest anything ye need.” The fidgety Scot frowned down at the cracked leather tote, peering over the rims of his glasses that had slid to the end of his nose.
“I must blend in, man. Do ye ken how much trouble I would have at the airport if I showed for a flight to the United States with no baggage?” Taggart wandered around the room, grabbed a book from the bedside table, and tossed it into the bag.
“Take an empty bag.” Thaetus snatched the book back out and squinted at the faded lettering on its spine. “This one is mine. Ye canna have it.”
“They x-ray bags. They would question an empty one more than no case at all. Keep yer precious wee book and tell me about the rumblings.” Thaetus fretted more over his meager possessions than a female Draecna choosing her first cavern. Taggart yanked open adrawer, scooped out a handful of socks, and flung them toward the suitcase.
Thaetus hugged the book to his thin chest and snorted a pouty sniff. “Sources say they located the Guardian. They ken ye are headed to recover her.”
Taggart closed the drawer so hard the dresser rocked against the wall. “How in Hades did they discover her? They might make an attempt on her before I can get there.” This meant he couldn’t get to Jasper Mills fast enough. Hannah MacPherson was not safe. An ancient protectiveness surged through him, pounding the message:Make haste before it is too late. Frustrated beyond measure, he hated the idea of traveling by mortal conveyances. But if one human caught him sifting out of thin air, widespread panic would ensue. Chaos and terror among the population of Jasper Mills was not the way to win the woman’s trust.
Thaetus retreated toward the door. “The minion confessed. From what we gather, they found her town but have yet to find her. She should be safe for now. But as soon as ye arrive, they will recognize her for who she is.”
“Has Septamus disposed of him yet?” Taggart knew the answer before he even asked. He once interrogated a minion himself. Messy, wicked little beasts that tended to explode once ye broke their will.
Thaetus shook his head. “No. It destroyed itself as soon as Septamus twisted the last bit of information from its mind.”
“Bloody hell.” Taggart strode across the disheveled room. “Sloppy work, indeed. I want to know how they discovered this information. Minions canna pass through the portals alone. They must be accompanied by someone gifted with powerful magic.” He twitched his head toward the bulging suitcase on the disheveled bed. It sealed itself shut. “I need the rest of my papers now, Thaetus. There is no time to waste.”
Early lunch customersalready crowded the diner, but Hannah still snagged her favorite spot at the tall counter. A sense of ownership filled her as she slid her hand across the worn vinyl seat, still warm from its last occupant. This red stool won the choice seat award because it provided the perfect vantage point. From this perch against the gleaming tile wall, she could see everyone as they entered, spy on every table, and gossip to whoever worked behind the counter. She hugged her ankles around its steel pole and propped her elbows on the counter. This spot had been her preferred seat since she’d been tall enough to crawl up on the bright red swiveling pedestal. And this was where she would end this silly parking ticket maneuver launched by the population of Jasper Mills.
“Well well, Miss Hannah! I see you got another ticket today! I can’t believe you blocked the fire station. Shame on you, young lady!”
And so it began. She didn’t even bother looking around. It was old Mr. Henry. He had loved Jake like a son. But now was as determined as everyone else that she move on with her life. Well, the kindly old gentleman needed to butt out and concentrate on chasing Agnes around the library.
“Do you want a cup of coffee to go with that predatory look?”
“Absolutely, Millie. Thanks so much.” Smug satisfaction filled her as she fixed her slyest grin at her best friend.
“What have you been up to all morning?”
Hannah tapped her nail around the rim of the thick ceramic cup while smiling down at the dark, swirling brew. Millie would find out soon enough. The rich aroma of the coffee tickled her nose. Her stomach growled in anticipation. She always got hungry after she solved a problem. Perhaps a slice of cheesecake would be good while she waited. “I had a moment of enlightenment,” she said. “Are today’s pies ready yet? I’m starving.”
“Still in the oven,” Millie said. “Enlightenment, huh?” She pulled four plates of steaming food from the window between the kitchen and the counter, then stacked them in a line down both arms. “Hold that thought. I’ll be right back.” Her short, blond curls bounced with every step. As flighty as a hummingbird, she set the plates in front oftheir awaiting patrons and skipped back behind the counter before Hannah enjoyed the first sip of her scalding-hot coffee. “Okay. Now what do you mean by enlightenment?”
Hannah held up a finger and shook her head. She pointed at the oversized clock on the bright red wall at the back of the room. “Not yet. I’m waiting for three more people to arrive. Then we are all going to have a nice little chat about my car and those parking tickets.”
Millie glanced at the great black and white clock, then frowned as one hand moved a notch. She caught her bottom lip between her teeth and turned back to Hannah with a pained expression. “What do you mean by a nice little chat about your car and the parking tickets?”
