Chapter Seventeen

“Okay, listen up,” Emma, my actual best bud on the planet, who was lacking in the bosom department and proud of it—stating she’d be perky at eighty, thank you very much—clapped her hands together to get the noisy group of women to take notice. She looked good, wearing a sky-blue floor-length gown that set off her red curls nearly as spectacularly as Ivana’s today. Swirls of gold and purple hues intermixed with the predominant blue of her dress, making the silk appear alive as she sashayed about. I was happy for her. She’d recovered from her auntie’s death, put it behind her and taken up skydiving. Apparently, number one on her bucket list. Mine, catching the killer.

“Tonight, I’m going to explain the history and purpose of poppets or spirit dolls, then we’re all going to make one.”

A series of cheers followed her announcement. We’d all had a glass or three of sparkling apple cider, thanks to our hostess. It tasted so good everyone tended to forget it had the same alcohol content as beer. And Canadian beer is known worldwide as strong beer. I just loved the way the bubbles tingled my mouth. Not as much as Ace’s kisses, though. I sighed. Okay, got to keep my mind off that annoying man.

“So, the first known mention of the word poppet in the medieval world occurred in or around 1539. At that time, the name did not have a good connotation, with popular thinking being that they were the vehicles for witches and sorcerers to carry out their nefarious purposes. Of course, they were misunderstood and misused, as most poppets are designed for the purpose of good karma. They have three main uses—healing, attraction and banishment. From making straw dolls for sending troubled or bad spirits floating away on a river or waterway to—”

“Yes, stop!” Ivana held a hand up, her red-painted fingernails poised into claws. “We make straw dollies.”

“Yes, great idea.” A chorus of women all agreeing with Ivana shocked me. I was more interested in making a doll to protect a loved one, not a straw doll to drive someone away. Or maybe I should rethink that position? No. I shook my head firmly. It was either meant to be or not.

“So, if everyone’s in agreement, I’ll demonstrate a straw doll first.” Emma capitulated so quickly to Ivana’s demands that I looked toward the doorway. Had one of her legendary brothers walked in, holding us hostage? No. Okay, this was decidedly odd. Why would the entire group be having issues with persons they wanted to banish? At least in my case it made some sense.

Well, I could learn how to create one but not charge it with magic to banish anyone. The example Emma held up was quite cute, making my fingers itch to get started. I accepted the offering of short pieces of straw and cord for binding them together from my friend. I glanced at our hostess, Christine, who was flitting among the women with food and cider offerings with an air of contentment I’d never witnessed before. I crossed my fingers. Please let her have that child she so desperately wants. Maybe a poppet and matching baby tucked in a snug cradle would help?

I tuned back in to Emma’s spiel. We all dutifully followed her instructions and within the hour a mismatched assortment of straw dolls had been fashioned for posterity. I caught Tulip out of the corner of my eyes handing something off to a few of the women and frowned. I thought I’d caught the glint of golden hair.

“What are you doing?” I demanded, my mind suddenly filling in all the blanks.

“Nada,” she said, a smug look undercutting her denial.

“So help me goddess, if you’re doing what I think you’re doing…” I left the threat hanging. Much more effective.

“Charm defend honor,” Ivana declared, giving me a scowl and winding a strand of the hair around and around and around the neck of the poppet.

“I don’t need defending. If Ace chooses to spend time with another, that’s on him. Not me.” I crossed my arms over my chest, swallowing against the lump that had suddenly appeared in my throat. “Don’t you dare charge these dolls with bad intentions. I’ll never forgive you.” Of course I would. I wished Jennifer would go away too, just not like this.

“Snowy Creek—now,” Ivana said, getting to her feet with a determined look that would easily part the waters of the Red Sea. “Come.” Her last word caused everyone to scramble to their feet and troop out after her. I jumped up and followed. Maybe I could neutralize the effect with some good intentions of my own.

It was a lovely starlit evening as we marched the ten minutes to the creek at the south end of town, the air fresh with the scent of late-blooming flowers and bulbs. Snowy Creek stretched in a silvery ribbon highlighted with moonlight for a few winding miles past worked fields and stands of thick forest. Magical.

Ivana gave her doll a firm shake, a nasty look, then leaned down and set it afloat on the water. I was relieved she hadn’t sunk it with a rock or tied it to a cement block to swim with the fishes. Things were looking up.

“Hidey ho, stripper, time to go!” she said in a booming voice that made a screech-owl, well, screech—which was out of character as they had a range of calls that didn’t sound anything like a screech—and fly off in a kerfuffle of feathers and wings.

“Hey, that’s not the right verse,” Emma protested. Brave woman.

But she was right. We’d used that one last month to send a busload of strippers on their way. It had worked, though no actual harm had been intended, as we did raise the funds with a splendid bake sale to fix their ailing bus.

Nevertheless, the other women dutifully followed suit, setting their straw poppets on the water and chanting the silly little verse, led by Ivana. I had to work hard not to laugh. They really did have my back, and it appeared harmless enough, setting the poppets free on such a pretty moonlit night.

“She looks so beautiful in the moonlight.”

I whirled around, searching for the source of the words, but couldn’t locate them. I shrugged. It must have been my imagination. I got back to business.

A crunch of heavy boots on twigs and stones littering the creek bank woke me to the fact that we had company just as I set my poppet free with a hope and a prayer that Jennifer Morgan would get home safely. Soon.

“Good evening, ladies,” Constable Collins said, tipping his hat. A few southern sighs swirled around me, making me give an invisible eye-roll.

“Evening, Constable,” the women said in unison, their tones as smooth as clover honey now.

“Miss McCall, if I could have a word.” It was a definitive statement, not a casual invite.

“Sure.” I kept my fingers crossed as I followed him back up the shallow creek bed to the road. The last thing I needed was Ace getting wind of the purpose behind this particular event.

“Hey, I found nugget!” Ivana screamed with delight behind us. I studiously ignored the chorus of happy yelps that followed, and continued walking away with our Mountie down the roadway. Probably just my Auntie T.J. up to her old tricks.

“What’s the deal tonight?” he asked, stopping a few hundred feet away, well out of earshot of my crew.

“Nothing, just a bit of fun. Emma gave a class on making some harmless little poppets and we thought we’d give them a fond farewell.” I shrugged it off.

He frowned. “I thought poppets set on water were intended to banish someone?”

Was there anything that this guy didn’t know something about?

“Not always,” I hedged. “Anyway, they were just a practice thing. You know, just to learn the basics. So, what did you want to speak to me about?”

“Well.” He cleared his throat. “Jennifer said that Tulip attacked her today in the café.”

“What? Are you insane? My sister would never hurt a flea. For heaven’s sake, she picks up ants and spiders and sets them free on the doorstep. Drives Star crazy.” I planted my feet firmer into the grass, trying to find my harmony with Mother Earth. Serenity now. “She removed a huge beetle out of her hair. That’s all. Jennifer should be thanking her. Those bore beetles have a nasty bite. Might have taken a chunk right out of her scalp.”

“Okay. She may have misread things. She’s a bit sensitive right now.”

“Yeah, well I did ask her to the meeting, but she said she was too busy.”

“Thanks for trying.”

Guilt struck. I could have tried harder. Hmm. That sucked.

“What’s going on with your case?” I asked, ready to share what I had learned today since we’d last talked.

“The pieces are coming together. You’re going to find out anyway, so I might as well tell you. We’re holding Guido Morello for twenty-four hours. The ricin was found in his RV. Under the floorboards, like you said and confirmed by the tip.”

“It wasn’t him! I mean, think about it—what does he have to gain? Howard was related through marriage, plus, if you’re skimming money, why kill off the man who’s helping you to get it?”

“Maybe Howard got too greedy? The mob wanted to send a message? Could be any number of things.” Ace shrugged, his handsome face illuminated by the moonlight and making my stomach give a little flip-flop.

“Well, I have some fresh intel.” I told him about what Charlie and Tom had overheard near Miller’s Pond.

“Thanks.”

“Maybe I can earn that badge back,” I hinted.

He gave me a look that clearly said No way in Hades. “Oh, by the way, my parents had to cancel for this weekend. Something about an issue in the virology lab. Sounded best to take care of that first. They can visit anytime.” He shrugged with a smile.

“Yeah, not wanting something released into the atmosphere any time soon. We could all start acting like Pod people or—”

“Or Stepford clones,” Ace added with a low chuckle that did nice things to my insides.

“Or zombies. How would you like to go to a wedding?” I asked, before I could change my mind.

“Sounds good. Meet a few more locals, garner more goodwill. That reminds me, HAZMAT gave the green light an hour ago. You’re back in business.”

“Great. I would hate to see all the work and food prep today go to waste. Of course, we could have donated some of it.”

“So, we good here? No need for a Mountie to hang around and make sure your coven doesn’t get up to things requiring the law to intervene?”

“No, we’re all good. I’ll catch up with you later about details for the wedding.”

“Perfect. I’m dying to see you in your wedding finery in the Bucket Parade, darlin’.”

“Wait! You know about that?” I groaned loudly. Even I had forgotten about it in my enthusiasm to have a partner for the festivities. I hadn’t even managed a Graduation date, going with a few of my besties to save face. And we did have a lot of fun, painting our initials on the town’s water tower at midnight.

“I mean, if you can’t make it, you know, ’cause of work, I’ll completely understand.” Not so much if it’s due to a certain woman.

“No, I’m pretty sure I can make it. Unless you’re chickening out?” he teased.

My, oh my, the moon was bright tonight. His aura flashed right then and there, nearly blinding me. I looked up. Had the ancient fixture been hiding behind a cloud or something? No, just the same quarter moon as earlier. Hmm.

Ace walked away with that animal-magnetism stalk that was his alone, making me wonder what his spirit animal was. Mine was the eagle. I’d spent countless nights filled with dreams of flying over forest and vale, at one with nature, under the canopy of moonlight. I’d have bet, with that noble air, his was the lion. That would explain the need to dominate and survey his domain with such effortless command. I could even visualize a mantle of fur widening his shoulders further.

“Tulip,” I shouted out, “I’m heading home.” She gave me the universal thumbs-up signal, a wide grin dominating her beautiful face.

I began the short trek back to the café, yawning and kicking at loose stones with the toe of my shoe, thinking about the case and asking for divine guidance. I added a short plea for Rosalie’s earring to show up soon. Sitting across from her tonight, seeing her deep sadness, had sucked. I reached into my pocket and rubbed the small coin-shaped bronze disc that I’d had since I was six years old. Given to me by my dad when he had been two months sober, it was the only talisman I had from him from a time I seldom thought about. Too painful by half.

Mercies of mercies, I managed to slip into the café without being accosted by any drunken Russians or anyone needing my help to find something or any other crazy event needing my immediate assistance. Or maybe I had this all wrong? I stopped mid-stride in my tiny kitchen, realizing that all these zany events that Snowy Lake was famous for kept me focused on the present and not dwelling on a past I couldn’t change.

I took a quick shower, then slipped between fresh sheets, enjoying the floral fragrance of the fabric softener advertised to encourage sweet dreams. Now that would be something. My dreams were too often filled with shadowy figures up to no good…

I woke up groggy, feeling as if I’d been asleep all of five minutes. I checked the clock on the side table. It had been five minutes. What had awakened me? A furtive sound downstairs made me startle. Oops, I did lock up, right?