“You’ll keep him?” she asked.
“Yes, but if he bites me, I’ll charge extra.”
She didn’t laugh. My humor was lost on the witch.
“Thank you. I’ll return with the truths.”
Forgoing the typical trip upstairs, which would give us another look at the ghostly activity, I led Marcia out of my office, through the examination room, and out of the house. I locked the door behind her and returned to glare at my spreadsheets mocking me with their rainbow of colors. Bella licked her paw while eyeing the paddling frog. He bumped his nose into the Barbie, who stared back with unwavering, problematic encouragement.
I slid the flamingo to the corner, away from drafts and sunlight, and fetched a gauzy mosquito net. “There. That should keep you safe.”
He croaked, low and resentful. I took that as an agreement.
Harry drifted through the far wall. “I hear there’s an amphibious romance situation,” he said, floating toward the pool and peering in. “Oh. He’s handsome for a one-eyed frog.”
I nibbled on my bottom lip, unsure how to answer that. The boundary wards clanged in my head, heralding the arrival of company of the corporal variety and saving me from having to come up with a suitable response. Instead, I ignored him and slapped a Post-It on the flamingo.
Patient: Pete
Do not kiss.
“Reminds me of my uncle,” Harry mused, then bent so close his nose almost dipped into the water. “Poor sod. Is that a toy?”
“Emotional support lifeguard,” I replied. “Don’t haunt him. He’s got enough problems, and I’m not sure how much intellect he retains.”
Harry drifted back and straightened his tie. “I am excellent company.”
The rumble of an engine circled the property. Maggie stuck her head in my door and thrust a Tupperware toward me. “Delivery is here.” After I accepted it, she dove back out and thudded up the stairs.
I stalked through my office and examination room, throwing open the door just as the distinct reversing alarm sounded, reminding me of a heart monitor. After it parked, Mike, a tall guy with a buzz cut, green eyes, and a permanent smile, jumped out the driver's side. He was one of the few who didn’t mind the supernatural creepiness at Summer Grove House. Likely because we tipped him in Maggie’s cookies.
He glanced at the offering in my palm. “What delights do you have for me there, Cora?”
“Raisin and oatmeal.”
He grabbed the box, held it to his chest, and sighed like I’d made his entire week better. The power of a good cookie cannot be underestimated.
The passenger door opened, and a guy I’d never met approached us.
I tilted my head in question.
“Oh, this is Owen. He’s training and learning the ropes with me this week.”
“Hi,” he mumbled as stuffed his hands in his dark jeans pockets and swiveled his head, taking in the carport.
“How’s the family?” I asked Mike with a wary eye on the newcomer.
He placed the cookies on his seat, which made me grin. He’d eat them while on the job today. He yanked on the handle and slid the door open, revealing a van full of brown unmarked boxes. “Twins are running circles around me, but Tanya has them under control.” He tilted his head. “Mostly. Lord help us when the next pair arrive.”
Wrangling a pair of four-year-old boys whose names should be Double and Trouble was no mean feat, and now they had another set on the way.
“How far along is she?”
“Seven months. She said to thank you for the nausea medication. It worked more than anything her doctor gave.”
“She’s very welcome.” Nature held a lot of the answers to the ailments that affected us. It was too bad we’d lost sight of that fact with synthetic drugs.
Mike handed me the invoice, and my brow rose as I checked it over. What the hell were unicorn surgical gloves? At least they were half the price of the standard ones.
