Little White Lies

“I was nice to you your Senior year, if you recall,” Charley said.

“Oh, that’s what you said out loud, but I knew.” Julie pointed to herself. “You were just there to get Wyatt in your clutches, to steal him away from me.”

“It was my impression that he was nobody’s to steal.” Charley shifted weight from one foot to the other. If she could get past Wyatt, Julie’s sisters would be easy to contain. As she thought it, he returned with Julie’s coffee.

Charley turned to him, prepared to throw some obscenities his way but noticed a slight hitch in his step. He hadn’t had that on the walk in the hall.

“Did you add sugar?” Julie blinked her eyes at him in double time.

He groaned and turned back out of the door. She returned to Charley.

Why does he keep leaving? He’s used to butting in and being in charge.

“Wyatt was mine until you came along… and I had to settle for Stuart. Then you went and got that kid, and Stuart went on and on and on about him. I knew it was time to give you a taste of your own medicine.”

“I give you props for taking my boy.”

“Yeah, but he got back to you,” Julie pouted in clear disappointed. “My stupid sisters let him out.”

Sure they did.

“Now that you know I have Wyatt, and your time is on its last tick-tock…” Julie all but stuck her tongue out as she said it. “You’ll see how it really feels to lose. You won’t get to do that shape-shifty thing anymore, and you’ll be all alone.”

The woman had become as crazed as Stuart claimed. Charley switched tactics, held her voice light and airy. “I think you’re right, Julie.”

Julie stopped, blinked and stared. “Of-of course I’m right.”

Charley caught screams from the other side of the house. Julie started for the door, shook her head, and took her spot back. They stared at each other as Charley listened.

“You need an exterminator,” one voice yelled.

“Get over here and get this mouse! It got bigger since last time. Ugh!” the other yelled.

Mouse? Chase? Bigger? No. They wouldn’t send in a boy!

Heavy footsteps raced through the hallway with emphasis on one foot as if he had a limp. Wyatt passed the office where Charley and Julie talked. “Give it a rest, you idiots!” He yelled as the two female voices continued to screech ‘eww!’ and ‘yuck!’

“It ran to the garage! Get it!” Their shouts grew in tandem.

Charley let her grin grow wide. “Your sisters are afraid of a little mouse?” She motioned with her head toward their screeches.

“Yes. They always thought I was the ditzy one.” Julie flipped her hair off her shoulder.

“Oh no, I think you’ve shown them otherwise. Stealing someone’s fiance, kidnapping a little boy, beating two women unconscious, and all of it two days before my birthday.” Charley pointed to the deluded bitch. “You’ve really outdone yourself, Julie.”

“Scott! Heads up!” one of the voices yelled, “That mouse is-” Her screech went silent.

Scott Bland? Charley slow clapped. Gotcha. “I gotta hand it to you.”

“Of course you do, because this time, I get the guy.” Julie glowed with a winner’s exuberance.

“No, Julie, I don’t think you do.”

***

“God! Do I have to do everything?” Julie threw her arms into the air. She took a step toward Charley but stopped again and shivered, her gaze directed to the hall floor.

Charley followed the line, turning to see a little gray mouse-larger than the one Chase had become-in the center of the doorway. “Afraid, Julie?”

“No.” She grumbled and took a step toward it.

The mouse didn’t move. Its whiskers twitched, once toward Charley and once to Julie. As it turned its tiny head in Charley’s direction, she noted the lavender eyes.

Hello, Maggie.

Charley smirked. “I think I’d be very afraid of that one.” She pointed to the animal.

Julie took another step. “I’ll just shoo it away, like you did me the night of the dance.”

Charley’s resolve grew. The will to fight rebuilt to a fire, and her heart beat with unmatched fury.

“Oh, I didn’t shoo you, Julie. I kicked your ass right out of his arms. Though I did try to be nice about it. I even suggested Wyatt date you.”

Julie and the mouse stared each other down.

Come a little closer, Julie.

Her eyes burned with rage. “And now he is! You don’t get him anymore. Ever. I got you on your last try.”

“Yeah, you have him all right. You can have Detective Bland today, tomorrow and every day afterward.” The flicker in Julie’s eye told Charley she’d scored a direct hit.

“I don’t think so.” Julie’s gaze moved from Charley to the mouse again. “Why isn’t that thing running?”

“What thing?” Charley asked with a raised eyebrow.

“That mouse.” Julie pointed.

“I’m sorry, Julie, but I don’t know what you mean. That’s my friend Maggie right there.”

Maggie began her shimmer upward. Julie’s eyes bugged as she scrambled backward to her desk. As soon as she bumped into it, she turned and climbed on top of it. The taller Maggie got, and the more her form took shape, the more Julie shook with what Charley assumed to be abject terror.

“How-” She slipped on the desk as her heels slid against the slick surface. “He said-”

“How what, Julie? He said what? Didn’t know we could be animals, too, did ya? How did this beautiful woman show up in your house?”

“Aww, beautiful?” Maggie shook off the rest of her change.

She stood barefoot, stark naked, and as lethal as if she had an arsenal of guns strapped to her hips. Her eyes burned with rage, as deep a violet as Charley had ever seen. Maggie mock-punched Charley.

Charley took a step closer to Julie. “Tell me where Wyatt is.” Her tone turned deadly as she let her own eyes shift to a purple as well. She bared her teeth as might a rabid animal and slammed one fist into the chair, knocking it over in one move.

“You already know. He’s helping with th-the mouse,” Julie stammered but looked again to Maggie.

“He’s in the garage.” James walked to the door and handed Maggie her clothes.

Charley turned and pushed past Maggie to James. “Where?”

“They’re getting ready to load him into an ambul-”

“Why-”

“Just go.” James moved out of her way but pointed down the short hallway.

“I’ll just keep Brick for Brains company, then-” Maggie said over her shoulder.

Charley ran down the empty hallway and followed it to the front where officers had secured Julie’s sisters and Bland, who’d retaken the shape she recognized. Red and blue lights dotted the windows from outside. Cael lifted Lily into his arms and walked out through the open front door.

“Where is he?”

The officers pointed to the end of the hall.

She made the ten feet in three steps and yanked open the door to the garage.

Wyatt lay on a bright orange stretcher on the cold cement floor. Two EMTs and three guys Charley guessed to be FBI colleagues surrounded him, along with the ropes from which they must have released him. His head lolled as they pulled wires free from his chest.

Bland tazed him. “Wyatt!” She screamed and ran to him, falling to her knees at his side. “Wyatt! It’s me, Charley.”

“Ma’am,” one EMT said, “I need you to step aside.”

Charley didn’t move. Fresh bruises appeared across his temples, along his naked shoulders and down his chest.