Page 28 of A Dash of Wolf

“Because she keeps breaking the law right in front of me.” He dropped into his chair. “And until we find out who is doing the vandalism, the evidence keeps pointing her way.”

Beulah snorted from her desk. “That girl’s been pushing back against authority her entire life. Trust me, Chief. Had any of us been raised by the ice queen Lavinia Beaumont, we’d rebel too.”

It was on the tip of his tongue to ask about Adeline’s parents. He’d noticed she never mentioned them. Not once. Not at the marsh, not at the station, not in any of their conversations. She talked about her grandmother, about Emory, about the bakery, about the squish-squids. But never her parents. He wanted to ask more about them...but that had to come from her. Not from Beulah. Not from gossip. If Adeline ever trusted him enough to tell him, he wanted to hear it from her.

He stood and picked up his coffee cup. The liquid was cold, but he could reheat it. He also picked up his notebook. It was time to figure out who was really behind all the sabotage. “I’ll be in my office if anyone needs me.”

12

“We’re going to solve this,” Emory said over her hot chai. “I’m tired of Chief Wolfe arresting you.”

The Saturday morning rush had died down, and the bakery was quiet for the first time all day. A couple of stragglers lingered near the window, but the counter was clear. Adeline leaned against it and took a sip of her own hot chai.

“I kind of like it,” she said, waggling her eyebrows at her best friend.

Emory nearly spit out her drink. “You what?”

“I don’t mind it either,” Princess Muffin Top said from her bed near the register. “It’s giving me street cred. Sadie Hawkins’ dragon just asked me out. He says he loves a bad little kitty.”

Adeline stared at her cat. “You’re dating a dragon now?”

“I’m considering my options. Don’t change the subject.” Princess Muffin Top stretched. “What are we going to do about the vandal?”

“A stakeout,” Emory said, her eyes lighting up. “We go out to the marsh tonight and catch whoever’s doing it.”

“I think that’s what Mason was doing last night,” Adeline said.

Emory’s chai stopped halfway to her mouth. “I’m sorry. Did you say Mason? When did this happen?”

Adeline slapped at Emory’s arm. “Stop it. He just said I could call him that if I wanted. Now, what time do you want to do this stakeout?”

Emory set down her cup and struck a dramatic pose. “We ride at dawn.” She paused. “Oh wait. No. We ride at eleven p.m.” She wrinkled her nose. “That doesn’t sound nearly as cool as ‘we ride at dawn.’”

Adeline laughed. “How do we get there? The Beetle Bus is too flashy. Ivan would spot it a mile away.”

They looked at each other.

“Moody!” they both shouted at the same time.

* * *

Miss Moody’s red-and-white convertible Isetta pulled up to Adeline’s cottage at exactly eleven o’clock. The tiny car sputtered to a stop with its top down.

“Y’all ready for some trouble?” Miss Moody asked.

Adeline, Emory, and Princess Muffin Top climbed in, and the spatial magic immediately happened, growing enough to make the convertible comfortable enough to seat them all. Princess Muffin Top lowered the goggles she had perched on her head, purring loudly as her fur streamed behind her as the Isetta picked up speed.

“You look like a feline Amelia Earhart,” Adeline joked.

“I look fabulous!” Princess Muffin Top shouted into the wind.

They reached Drury Marsh in ten minutes. Miss Moody pulled over at the edge of the dirt path and left the Isetta running. “Y’all be careful out here now. I got a feeling somethin’ goin’ happen tonight, for true. Call me when you ready to come home.”

“Thanks, Miss Moody,” Adeline said as they climbed out.

Miss Moody waved and disappeared down the road in a trail of dust and taillights. Adeline, Princess Muffin Top, and Emory carefully traipsed through the dark marsh, past the bulldozer and other equipment, and came to a stop by the squish-squids swimming around in murky water, their bioluminescent glow shining bright.

Emory started to unpack her Mary Poppins-like enchanted satchel. Out came a thick quilted blanket. A large thermos. A bag of kettle corn. A jar of mixed nuts. Two travel mugs. A piping bag of whipped cream. And a bottle of whiskey.