Bixby gave a sniff. “Despair, renewed hope and the fear it might happen again.”
“Close enough,” Minerva said. “Now, drive.”
Still, I held back. “You won’t tell her now? I need to be able to do this, Minerva. It’s my calling. If the mayor stops me, it would be tragic.”
She turned and touched my arm lightly with one paw. “She can’t stop you, even if she finds out. But why would she care, when the outcome helps the town?” When I still didn’t move forward, she extended her claws. “I won’t tell her unless it becomes a conflict of interest with my job.”
“In other words, if you rescue a dog and it goes for Ruthann’s throat,” Bixby supplied cheerfully. “Wouldn’t put it past Tiffin.”
“Rest assured, I can handle Tiffin.” Minerva’s tone was assertive.
“Then why didn’t you?” Bixby asked. “You left your own office in a snit instead of handling the matter. Left it to us to clean up.”
“My responsibilities are many, minion. It’s important to know when to delegate.” She applied more claw to my sleeve. “Why can’t you choose cats?”
“I don’t not choose them. The dogs just come to me. Cats are most welcome.”
She lifted her paw. “Pedal down, Miss Brighton. You’re stalling.”
“Fine,” I said. “Business first, chitchat later.”
“Chitchat never. I only said enough to get you moving. They strike tonight.”
“Who strikes tonight?”
There was a long silence during which I desperately wanted to hiccup to release the tension. Now that I couldn’t do it, I realized they’d served a vital function in keeping me steady.
“Bixby’s job,” she said. “Oftentimes the things we inherit can be managed with the help of things that serve. The dog serves.”
“Old lady, I will have you know that a dog with a pedigree like mine serves no one.”
I wasn’t falling for her distraction. “Minerva, who strikes tonight?”
“Strike first, Janelle, and in the order I tell you.” She turned her back to me. “I’m reasonably sure we can stay one step ahead.”
“One step ahead of an invasion?” Bixby asked.
“Insurrection,” I said. “Coup. It was in Tavi’s puzzle.”
My dog grumbled. “We need more than three novices.”
The cat didn’t reply as I gunned Elsa down the last block and pulled into the driveway at the Brighton manor. I hoped Norris was right about having what I needed. Because it sure felt like I was dragging my best friends—my only true friends—into a death trap.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Sinda and Ren threw coats, hats and boots on over their pajamas and then followed me to the car. Minerva had come inside and demonstrated the urgency of the matter by hissing and circling, like a feline herder with a very bad temper. She also made it clear she would continue to ride shotgun, so my friends got into the rear with Bijou and Mr. Bixby.
“This is outrageous,” Mr. Bixby grumbled from Sinda’s lap. “I am the king of this vehicle.”
“Elsa doesn’t have a king,” I said, pushing my beloved car’s luck on slick roads as we rushed toward Adeline Brynne park. “No fighting, please, Mr. Bixby. We need all focus on the mission.”
“Which is?” Sinda asked.
I filled them in on everything that had happened since I’d dropped them at home earlier.
“That puzzle stuff is genius,” Renata said. “I’m proud of you.”
“Well, it took a lot of support from Bixby. Plus, I tapped into Liberty’s problem-solving prowess. Turns out she did give me something more valuable than hiccups.” I held up my hand in case Minerva chose to weigh in. “No, I wasn’t born with those skills. Just a little magic gone wrong.”
“It went right first,” Sinda said. “Just too much of a good thing.”
“Let’s hope things go right tonight. Minerva refuses to confirm the identity of the saboteurs but it’s probably best to assume it’s Oscar and his criminal coven. We need to beat them to six sentries and secure them.”
“Did anyone say how?” Ren asked. There was a slight tremor in her voice. “Because that sounds like a big job.”
“Not yet, but I do know from Minerva that it requires all of us. The mayor told me that multiple magicals combined spells to create these sentries. Without that safety net, the town could crumble or fall into the hands of the wicked.”
“So, no pressure.” Sinda’s tone was wry but I knew she had to be as nervous as Ren. I was nervous too, but I trusted Norris and Minerva that we would figure it out. There was nothing like a little pressure to sharpen the mind.
“True, true, true,” Bijou said, picking up on my thoughts. “My money’s on Witchy for the win.”
“Three witchies, Beej.” It felt good knowing my best friends were behind me. Literally, in this case.
We reached Adeline Brynne Park all too soon. I was no closer to knowing what to do and becoming more concerned by the minute.
“One thing at a time,” Bixby said, as I parked. “Narrow the playing field. It’s a big space and you don’t want to reveal Adeline for longer than necessary while you search behind every tree.”
After we got out, Bijou put her nose down and took the lead. “One molecule is all I need,” she said, forging ahead. It wasn’t long before she exclaimed, “Here, here, here! Magic as old as I once was.”
