“Rose wants you to start taking the herbs tonight. She filled me in on your case, and I want to assure you I’ve had success with worse.”
Curiosity got the better of me. I unrolled the top of the bag and peered in. Three stoppered bottles and a roll of paperwork. “What do I owe you?”
“Nothing right now. We’ll settle up after the ceremony.”
“I’m not going to have to take out a loan, am I?”
Belle fluttered her finger. “Heavens no, but if you need reassurance, the prices are on my website right there in black and white. Or maybe it’s pink and white, I’m not sure, but—”
I stuck out my hand. “Thanks again, Belle. I’ve got to get back to work.”
“Handshake, pancake, give me a hug!” She enfolded me in a floral-scented embrace before holding me at arm’s length and beaming. “Put in a good word with that adorable Mr. Wickson, would you please? Or better yet, direct him to my workshop. I have the perfect potion for what ails him.”
“Is he sick?”
“No, but he’s going to feel very out of sorts if he doesn’t come in for a sample of what Ms. Belle has to offer.” She pursed her plumped, rose-pink lips into a moue and blew a deliberate kiss in the direction of the one man still standing at the window.
Chapter 7
I re-entered my office and stashed the bag of drops. “Did you catch Belle’s message?”
Kaz’s blush was far redder than I would have guessed, given that Wes had the red hair. “I did. I assume you have her contact information?”
“I do, with clear instructions to pass it on to you.”
“Well, then, I’ll take that number, please,” he said, holding out an open palm.
Tanner cleared his throat. “May I remind you all we have severed heads to discuss?”
“And I have a witch to woo.” Kaz feigned indignation and tried to make himself as tall as Tanner.
“Point taken.” Tanner laughed, lifting both palms.
This lighter-hearted version of the government agent was good to see after the weightiness of what happened earlier, but what I really wanted was everyone on the same track.
“Who here has connections in the Fae community?” I asked.
Tanner snapped to attention. “When did we conclude the heads belong to the Fae?”
“I believe the pointed ears and elongated noses are consistent with garden trolls, what my aunt used to call the hidden folk.” I had consulted a compendium of magical creatures and seen the resemblance between the frozen faces and those carved into the picture frames. I saw no reason to add the compendium was my childhood coloring book and the consultation occurred while my eyelids were struggling to open.
“I didn’t even know we had a troll community,” Kaz muttered in Tanner’s direction. “I hope those heads weren’t the end of it.”
“The end of dead trolls?”
“Well, yes. Not the end of garden trolls as a species. Those tunnels were rather small. I suppose it does make sense they would be the smaller versions.”
Time to take charge. I turned my back to the map and raised my voice. “Guys. Is there a network of magical beings we can tap into? A registry of sorts, maybe online?” Brilliance flashed on the inside of my forehead. “What about using a dating app to try and connect?”
The men stared.
“Oh, don’t tell me you don’t know about ShiftR. Or MagicalMates?”
All three shook their heads, the looks on their faces varying degrees of the same expression: mild shock.
“Trolling for trolls.” Wes elbowed Kaz, seemingly pleased with his quick wit.
I gave Tanner a silent plea for mercy. What was it with his cohorts?
He stood and took over. “There is a directory. I’ll share it with you, but it’s obviously not up to date, as Calliope’s name isn’t listed. I’ll also arrange to have Kaz or Wes revisit the other two sites where the catatonia spell was active. Calliope, I’ll stay on the island with you. There’s the giant bat to have another look at and…”
Wes did a double take. “Wait, did you say giant bat?” He went from slouching to sitting straight. “When can we see it?”
I had to rein in this circus of tangents.
“Why don’t we all have dinner at my house tonight?” I directed my question at the ringleader. I noticed he hadn’t gotten to the part where he shared that a spurned lover was stalking him.
“Dinner’s a good idea,” Tanner said. “Kaz and Wes are leaders in the mentorship programs too. And I’m not a bad sous chef, so you can put me to work.”
“Did you just make the assumption I’m cooking for all of you?”
Guilty.
“I have a grill,” I informed them. “Stop at one of the grocery stores or farm stands. Pick up whatever you feel like cooking and drinking. Be at my house around six thirty, seven o’clock.”
Kaz’s hand went up slowly. “Calli, lass. Would you happen to have an extra bed?”
Three-ring circus. “Are all of you in need of housing?”
“It’s the middle of the summer and you know how hard it is to find a place to stay,” Kaz said. “When we came over to help Tanner, we weren’t planning to be here more than one night, let alone two. Or three.”
“My sons have camping equipment. I can bribe them into sleeping in the living room or under a tarp in the yard or… We’ll figure it out.” I turned and faced the map. The afternoon was marching on, and this band of merry men needed to focus. “Tanner, could you please put pins in the locations of the other orchards? Use the red pins. The ones with little flags.”
I left Tanner and company at my office. My car choked at the foot of my driveway. I stuck my head out the window and yelled, “Honey, I’m home” even though my sons were at work and there were no other vehicles in sight.
An invisible barrier dropped, the front wheels bit into the gravel, and I was delivered to the base of
