I sat back on my heels. “Maybe so, but it’s well intended. She wants to keep us here. Out of Angus’s way, most likely.”
Her tail came up and gave a quick swish to let me know we understood each other. It had a white tuft at the end, like the one on Keats. Her markings were similar, too.
“Seen one border collie, seen ’em all,” Bixby said. “There’s nothing special about this dog.”
“On the contrary, she’s one of a kind.” I offered my hand, palm up facing her. Skye basically gave me a chilly high five, making Mr. Bixby fake a retch. “Sinda?”
“There’s a border collie in the pendant gallery,” my friend confirmed. “A sapphire chip for the eye.”
“So pretty. And so like Keats that I can’t help wondering if they were related.” If so, Skye didn’t let on. Maybe she didn’t know herself. “I wish she could tell us what she really wants.”
After another long gaze into my eyes, she turned and retreated the way she came in.
“What’s happening?” Ren asked.
“We’ve been put in a stay,” I said. “I believe Skye’s gone to see if the coast is clear.”
“Something I could have easily done given my capacity to become invisible,” Bixby said. “But I wouldn’t leave you with a complete stranger. Did it ever occur to you a ghost dog may have nefarious intent?”
I got up and turned to face the others. “Nope. I’d know. And they’d know the bridge is closed to ruffians.”
“Can we leave?” Sinda said.
The breeze blew up behind me and pushed us out of the aisle. It wasn’t nearly as strong as Harold’s whirlwind, yet equally effective. This sheepdog worked in subtler ways.
“You call a bite subtle?” Bixby said, pulling up the rear. “Hairball never nips.”
“He makes his point, though, doesn’t he?” Of all my rescues, Harold had the greatest ability to bend matter to his will. He could generate a powerful vortex and toss objects around. I couldn’t help but think it was a reflection of Liberty’s inner chaos, which I was coming to know too well from my glimpses into her psyche.
“Why aren’t we running?” he asked. “Do you even know where Angus is? The place still reeks of dark magic. Toxic, actually.”
Bijou lifted her nose. “Fading fast. Not fast enough.”
I scanned the library for the ghost border collie and saw her standing at the opening to another aisle. Her tail gave a low swish that felt like another invitation. “She’s in there, now.” Pointing, I squinted at the sign. “Parapsychology and Occultism. Interesting.”
“Maybe there will be reference books Sinda and I can use until we find our own grimoires,” Ren said.
“Maybe.” I headed toward it. “Our library’s occult collection is probably more extensive than most.”
Skye was still blocking the aisle when we got there so I stopped and looked over her. The space was full, all right, but not just with helpful resources.
Ren peered over my shoulder and whispered, “Someone’s stretched out on the floor reading.”
Without so much as an “excuse me,” Bixby walked right through the border collie. “There are stranger places to enjoy a good book but I don’t think he’s reading.”
“Gone,” Bijou said, sniffing again. “Gone, gone, goner.”
“What?” I motioned for Skye to step aside and walked into the aisle. The light was dimmer here and all I could see was big feet and an open book on the man’s chest. “Maybe the occult content gave him a heart attack. I’m on the verge of a cardiac episode myself.”
The border collie charged in the other end and met Mr. Bixby in the middle with the prostrate form between them.
“I’m going to go out on a limb here and say he found the best book first, ladies,” Bixby said. “On the bright side, it’s still available for borrowing.” He waited a beat before adding, “Angus MacDuff, however, has been checked out.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
“Bye-bye, roadkill,” Bijou said, turning back to block us. “Don’t look, Witchy. Ugly man.”
Angus wasn’t ugly, though. In death, he was benign and even vaguely distinguished. In his youth, he’d probably been a handsome man. If he’d had a shocking encounter, it didn’t show in his countenance. His lips almost formed a smile.
“Maybe he spelled himself happy,” Bixby said. “And checked himself out because of what happened in magical prison.”
“That makes sense,” Sinda said, behind me. “He was certainly agitated when we met earlier.”
I signaled to the ghost dog. “Skye, could you keep everyone away? In fact, herd them out of the library if you can. Gently, please.”
Her tail waved briskly as she left, happy to be given a task.
Ren pulled out her phone. “I’ll call the police. Should I go straight to Drew?”
“Good idea,” I said. “Chief Dredger and Officer Barrow get flustered over things like this.”
“Things like a warlock dying after arguing with you?” Bixby asked. “Understandable, if you look at it from their point of view.”
“We don’t know it was foul play,” I said.
“Well, it sure smells foul and looks suspicious. Or is that just me?”
I glared down at him. “Even if it is, Angus confronted me in my own store. I could hardly be considered a suspect.”
