Birdie turned back to the monitor and rewound the video. “What am I looking for?”
“A guy with red hair,” Max and Ruby said at the same time.
They watched in regular time as a short, small-framed guy with a potbelly and bright red hair entered Bubba’s place.
“There!” Max pointed to the screen. “That’s him. That’s Howard.”
“Go forward until this guy, Howard, comes back out and follow him. Please.” Ruby added the last word quickly, having almost forgotten she wasn’t in a position to give the Sheriff and his aunt orders.
Birdie didn’t seem to notice. She pushed various buttons and different video surveillance throughout town followed the little red-haired man as he walked slowly to an alley halfway between the psychic shop and the fountain.
He disappeared from sight. Half a minute later, a man with Max’s face and body, wearing Max’s clothing and a baseball cap, emerged from the alley.
“Whoa,” the Sheriff said. “That’s crazy. Rewind that again.”
“Say please, Hank. I’m not your servant.”
“Please rewind, Birdie, my employee, who is currently trying my patience.” She huffed, mumbled a few words under her breath about familial ingratitude and a few more things that Ruby didn’t hear. She pushed more buttons and brought up the video feed showing when Faux Max exited the fountain area after leaving the paper sack. The impersonator entered the same alley. Less than a minute later, the short, potbellied man left the alley. She followed him through town, losing him as he seemed to be heading back to the Pinehurst Inn. The last image showed the man putting a finger to his mouth before looking each way at an intersection, as if trying to decide which way to go.
“See? Max is innocent.” Ruby brushed a palm down Max’s arm and patted him affectionately. She hadn’t questioned his innocence, but it was good to have video proof for any doubters.
“Anybody recognize this guy?” the Sheriff asked.
“Nope,” Bubba said.
“I was at the Pinehurst Inn and there are two new guests registered there this week.” Ruby didn’t look at the Sheriff after voicing that tidbit.
He looked at her through narrowed eyes. “How do you know that? I know for a fact that the crusty old clerk there refuses to give out information about guests.”
Ruby gave him a wide-eyed, innocent smile. “The crusty old clerk still refuses specific details on guests. However, the sign-in log was wide open on the desk in plain view for anyone to see. You just need to learn how to read upside down.”
He gave her a wolfish smile. “Who says I don’t already have that skill?”
Max straightened. “Am I allowed to leave now?”
Birdie swiveled around in the chair. “Guess you’re innocent after all. Sorry for all the things I thought in my head that you probably could read.”
Max laughed. “You have quite an imagination, Miss Birdie. But I accept your apology.”
“Can you read my mind right now?”
Max frowned. “I’m afraid to.”
“Good call,” her nephew said.
Birdie pursed her lips. “It wasn’t anything bad, Hank. Go ahead, Max. Read me like an open book.”
Max closed his eyes, put two fingertips to his temple for the space of about fifteen seconds and then smiled. “Yes. Thatistrue.”
“I thought so. And I approve. I think it’s wonderful.”
“I will surely regret this,” the Sheriff said, glancing at the ceiling as if for direction from the powers that be. “What did you see in Aunt Birdie’s mind, Max?”
“She wanted to know if I really love Ruby and want to marry her. And thatistrue.”
“At least for now, until I take him to see Matilda and Helen,” Ruby added. “They promised to remove their spells. I hope they’ve come up with a reversal spell.”
“Matilda and Helen?Theyput the spell on you?” Birdie asked and cackled with glee.
