Accidentally Catty (15 page)

Beck cocked his head. “What does this have to do with the commode?”

She waved a hand at him. “It means to put someone out. Inconvenience them. Sorry, it’s all those crossword puzzles I do. I love words . . . Never mind.” She shoved more roast beef in her mouth to still her tongue.

Wanda gave Katie’s good hand a pat. “Hopefully, this will be cleared up soon, and we won’t put you out for too long.”

“It’d be cleared up if you’d have just let me get inside that sheriff’s big-assed, hillbilly head, Wanda,” Nina shouted.

Wanda shook her head. “Oh, no. No way am I going to let you mess around some poor soul’s mind.You still don’t have the ability to make your magic stick. No matter how misguided he is about our innocence, we’re playing this straight for Katie’s sake. From the grumblings we heard in town, she doesn’t need any more hassles.”

Nina snorted and tilted her dark head at Katie. “Yeah. It’s like you have the plague or some shit. Every time we told people who we were staying with, they suddenly got hinky.”

Katie stopped devouring the roast beef, her eyes unable to meet theirs. “I’m so sorry. The people in town, they . . . well, they didn’t much like me setting up shop here. They think I’ve usurped the town’s only veterinarian and taken business from him. They don’t share well. Anyway, that’s not the point right now. The point is, you’ve been accused of something wrongfully, and I’ll go right down to the sheriff’s and tell him so myself.” She rose on unsteady legs, regaining her footing in time to wave off Beck’s hand to her elbow.

“Wasted energy, Katie,” Wanda replied. “The sheriff has an eyewitness to the crime—the victim himself—and while all he can do is question us right now, because this Daniel Green didn’t accuse us of actually committing the crime, Sheriff Glenn can legally require that we not leave town.”

Katie stopped in her tracks. She knew a little about the law—unfortunately, none of it was good. She’d once been ordered not to leave town . . . “You’re right, but there’s no way you’ll be staying at that motel.You’ll stay here. It’s the least I can do after all the trouble I caused. If not for Ingrid’s call to you, this never would have happened. So it’s settled. No more talk of motels.”

Beck leaned into her ear, sending a wave of delicious chills along her exposed flesh. “Shall I begin that coffin?” he teased, his breath warm, the heat of his body close.

Katie licked her lips, the savory roast beef still lingering on her lips. “I’d be very careful, were I you.”

“Because?”

“I get the impression Nina isn’t in love with our little town. Don’t rile the vampire.”

Nina scraped her chair away from the table. “Yeah,” she agreed. “Don’t. She riles easily. And save the stupid-ass jokes about coffins. I don’t sleep in a coffin, Prince Charles. I sleep in a bed. With my man. A man I can’t see because of you, pal.You started all this shit. If I were you, I’d start trying to remember something, or I’ll knock your amnesia right the fuck out of you.”

“Speaking of men,” Casey said. “Marty and I have to go cover for Wanda and Nina. First and foremost, because we have children. Second, those men will want explanations when they get home tomorrow. If we’re not there to provide them, you’ll have far worse descending upon your quiet little town than four mouthy women.”

Marty hoisted Muffin over her shoulder, giving Katie a smile and a quick hug. “But don’t worry. Darnell’s on it. If anyone can find any information about what’s next, it’s Darnell. And we won’t be far. If you need us, all you have to do is call. I promise you, even though Nina’s a bitch in secondhand clothing, and she’s difficult and mouthy, she’s got your back. No one’s better at taking on a large, angry crowd than mouth here. Okay?”

Katie gulped, returning Marty’s hug and giving Casey a quick one, too. “Thank you, both of you. I don’t know how all of this will end, or what to expect, but I appreciate everything you’ve done.”

“Don’t you worry ’bout nuthin’, Doc Katie,” Darnell said, his grin wide, the beefy hand he placed on her shoulder kind and reassuring. “I’m gonna find you some info. Till then, if you need me, all you gotta do is think my name and I’m here.” He pointed to the spot on the old wood flooring where he stood.

Casey chuckled at Katie’s eleven-millionth surprised expression. “It’s true. If you can’t find one of us, think up Darnell. Just picture him in your mind—that’s all it takes. Now be safe, and remember what Wanda told you. There’ll be a day when you’ll laugh about this. Promise. Beck?You take care, and I sure hope you figure this out. Nina? Shut your big, opinionated mouth, and try to remember you’re a guest here. Wanda—call me and keep me updated. Love you both.” She gave Wanda a hug and Nina a jab in her upper arm.

Darnell held out his hands to each woman. “Ladies, you ready?”

Marty blew Katie a kiss before taking the demon’s hand. “Ready.”

Casey nodded, too, before adding, “Say good-bye to Ingrid and Kaih for us.”

They were gone in a shimmer of light and shade, as though they’d never been.

Beck stood silent for a moment, clearly taking in Darnell’s ability to disappear with two women and a poodle in tow. “Do you suppose we cougars can disappear into thin air like that? I find it very amusing, not to mention useful.”

“You mean for when you want to hurry home from the roller rink so you won’t miss your milk and cookies before your nap?”

Beck cocked his head, dark and delicious, while he rolled up his sleeves. “Wow. I guess you are old. Aren’t roller rinks extinct?”

Katie’s cheeks burned two bright spots of pink. She rolled her tongue in her cheek and narrowed her eyes, forcing herself to remember she was his elder, and there was an example to be set. “How do you feel about laundry? Lots of it? We have guests who need fresh linens, and we need to move that blood to my office refrigerator so Aunt Teeny doesn’t do something crazy like cook with it.”

Beck cocked an eyebrow at her, his expression arrogant. “What if I told you I can’t remember how to do laundry?”

“I’d tell you to read the instructions on the back of the laundry soap.”

“Dooooc Woooods!” Ingrid hollered, skidding around the kitchen doorway. “Hurry! We have a patient!”

Katie crossed her arms over her chest, noting her ACE bandage was a little looser than it had been this morning. “I thought we agreed to close up shop for the day? Doesn’t Dr. Jules take emergencies?” She fought the sting of his name on her tongue, but she couldn’t hide the spiteful sarcasm saying his name out loud held.

Ingrid grabbed her arm, tugging her to the reception area. “She said she had to see you! Hurry, and Beck, you come, too, please. We might need help.”

Katie stopped short just beyond her reception desk and realized who her patient’s owner was.

Well, if people weren’t talking before today’s events, Daniel Green’s coma, and her fancy New York friends who were arrested, they’d be wagging their tongues now at who sat on her waiting room couch.

Esmeralda Hunt.

The woman the warm, welcoming people of Piney Creek had labeled a modern-day witch.

At this point in her week, after all the shifting, fanging, fireballing, and disappearing had come and gone, Katie began to wonder if the people of Piney Creek might not have some merit to their suspicions about Esmeralda Hunt.

Far be it for her to ever again in her lifetime say, “Fill in the blank doesn’t exist.” Because it did.

And it was in her kitchen.

Drinking blood.

Oh. God.

Katie made her way toward Esmeralda, hunched on her waiting room sofa with her bulldog Delray on her lap. Esmeralda had lived in Piney Creek for ten years now since the death of her husband, Nigel. No one knew a lot about her, and she didn’t offer up much about herself—which was always an excuse for the Piney Creek residents to gossip.

She sure didn’t look like a witch—not by one’s typical definition. There were no warts, long, straggly black hair, or a pointy hat. If she’d come by way of broom, from the looks of Delray’s stout body, it was probably in two pieces outside the clinic’s door.

But then, aside from her hand and those crazy teeth that had sprung from her mouth last night, she didn’t suspect anyone would brand her a cougar, either. Maybe by society’s definition, but not by the animal kingdom’s.

Esmeralda’s coal black eyes were lined with fear and worry, her lips, colored in a cherry red that flattered her pale skin, trembled. Her gamine face, surrounded by a short fall of neat dark hair with threads of silver in it, screamed concerned as Delray moaned in her arms. Her legs were crossed at her ankles, her pristine white sneakers, digging into the floor to keep a grip on her overweight dog.

Delray, a red-brindle-and-white English bulldog lay flaccid in her lap, his tongue lolling from his mouth as he panted his pain, his black-and-white-checkered bow tie askew around his neck.

Ingrid quivered at her side. “You’re not actually considering treating
her
dog, are you, Dr. Woods? I mean, they say she’s a witch,” Ingrid whispered with a hiss. “A witch who cast a spell on Doreen Panzowski. Everybody in town says Esmeralda made all of Doreen’s hair fall out just because she denied her access to the gardening club. And that’s not even the half of what they say she does up at that cottage of hers with all those plants and herbs she grows.”

Katie’s temper spiked. “Uh, Ingrid? Hello in there. Have you considered we’re sort of in the same boat, Mrs. Hunt and I?” She held up her hand as a point of reference. “And no one in town likes me, either, but I’m certainly not going to turn away an animal in pain who clearly needs medical attention. For all we know, she really is a witch. It’s not like we’re making a huge leap into the fantastical after last night, wouldn’t you agree?”

Ingrid paled at her admonishment. “Okay, you’re right. It sucks to be labeled, but I’m telling you right now, if my hair falls out, you owe me the Hair Club for Men, at the very least. And I’m flying low on the radar with this one. If, in fact, we’re going with the theory that anything is possible, then it’s definitely possible Esmeralda put a hex on Doreen, and that’s why she lost her hair. I like my hair.”

Katie rechecked her hand to be sure it was properly covered before she moved toward Esmeralda. “Mrs. Hunt? What’s the trouble with Delray?”

Her eyes caught Katie’s, the eyes of a pet owner whose beloved companion was in distress. Delray moaned, low and mournful, his liquid brown eyes staring up at her. “I don’t know,” she whimpered. “He hasn’t eaten at all today, and if you take one good look at my Delray, he doesn’t miss many meals. I even tried tempting him with a can of soft food, but he just won’t eat. Then about an hour ago, I couldn’t even coax him into some of my chicken salad. Delray loves my chicken salad—especially when I make it with pickles. When he wouldn’t move an inch, I knew something was wrong. I hauled his big carcass over to Dr. Jules, but . . .” She bit back the rest of her words, but her eyes welled with the tears of what Katie deduced were from Dr. Jules refusal to treat Delray. “I hope you take emergencies. I’ll pay whatever the cost. Please, please help him. He’s all I have!” Her sob tore at Katie’s heart and ate a hole of resentment that Dr. Jules would turn any patient away for any reason.

Beck was at her side immediately, kneeling before Esmeralda and running a large hand over Delray’s ears. “Why don’t you let me carry him to the examining room, Mrs. Hunt? He’s a rather portly boy, eh? Much too much of a load for a woman of your delicate frame to lug around. I promise to be very gentle with him,” he coaxed, crooning to her in those honeyed British tones. He held out his arms, and the tune of Ingrid’s sigh in her ears made Katie’s spine stiffen.

“You know what he is, Doc?” Ingrid said on a sigh.

“What?”

“He’s a four-letter word for salacious.”

“Sexy?” she replied almost automatically.

Ingrid waved her hand while she stared at Beck’s retreating back. “I don’t know. He’s just so everything,” she drawled on another breath.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Sexy, salacious Beck. It infuriated her. “Uh-huh, and he’s so who did this to me and so who had your bowels making bricks all colors of the rainbow last night. How quickly we forget,” Katie commented out of the side of her mouth, following Beck into the examining room.

What it was that made her resent Ingrid’s sudden turnabout as far as Beck was concerned was something she’d examine more closely later. Maybe while she was brushing her paw and waxing her legs. “Bring Mrs. Hunt in so Delray doesn’t become agitated, would you please, Ingrid?”

Beck settled the dog on a blanket he’d grabbed from the shelves and stroked his back. Katie washed her good hand and grabbed her stethoscope.

Ingrid seated a shaky Esmeralda by Delray’s side so she could remain close.

Katie lifted Delray’s back end to roll him so she could get a better feel of his abdomen.

Katie’s head popped up. She eyeballed all parties present in the examining room. No one made a suspicious glance at Delray. In fact, no one stirred. The examining room was deathly quiet.

Except for the voices in her head.

Katie shook off what must be her imagination. It had to be lack of sleep. She’d only had one cup of coffee this morning, thus leaving her delusional. “All right, big guy,” she crooned to him, feeling his sides for any swelling or irregularities. “I hate to tell you this, but I have to, you know, see what’s going on down there. First up, we need to take your temp.” Ingrid handed her the thermometer to insert, running her free hand over his wide head to comfort him.

Delray squirmed.
Tell your friend patting me on the head won’t make me feel any better about you sticking that thing up my shitter.

She closed her eyes and sighed a long release of aggravation. No. Seriously? Like really? No. It was her imagination. That’s what it had been this morning, and that’s what it was now.