Shadows of the Redwood (16 page)

“She kept me from Dad.”

She was afraid. She loved you. Sometimes fear clouds judgment.

Keelie pointed back to the house. “Did you see someone break into my house and take something from there?”

The tree looked over at Keelie’s house.
There was a storm the other night. I didn’t see what had entered your house, but I sensed an Under-the-Hill creature.

“Under-the-Hill?” Keelie shivered.

Be careful, Keelie, for even in the Redwood Forest, evil spreads its shadow.

“What do you know about that?” Keelie asked.

I can say no more. I’ve said too much already. May you grow many rings
, the tree said. His face dissolved back into the bark.

Keelie felt a block of magic surround the tree like a shield. This conversation was definitely over.

“You know you’d better listen to him,” said a voice low to the ground.

She glanced down, startled, into the sharp-eared face of a grinning coyote.

“What are you, the L.A. version of the White Rabbit?” Keelie had spent her fifteen years living here with no wildlife interaction, and all of a sudden she was talking to coyotes and trees.

Someone shouted out her name. Keelie looked up the street in the direction of her house. Laurie was running toward her. Keelie turned back to the talking coyote, but he had disappeared. Just like Knot. She rubbed her temple with her left hand as she examined the parchment still clutched in her right.

She was still stunned at the revelation that Mom had used magic to block her memory. This thought was disturbing on so many levels. It would take Keelie a long, long time to sort through it. Had Mom used magic books? Since Mom was half fae, she could have—but then why keep her father out of her life, if magic wasn’t objectionable?

Keelie lifted the parchment up to the sunlight, trying to figure out what it was.

Laurie finally reached her. “I checked through the house for you. It’s so creepy and empty. It got really cold, like something was watching me, and Sean is going nuts. He’s stalking the neighborhood like an escapee from the Lord of the Rings funny farm. Somebody is going to call the police.”

Keelie held up her hands. “Stop talking. Where is Sean now, and where’s Risa?”

“He said to pick him up at the end of the street. Risa is sitting in the car and refuses to get out. She’s saying something about dark fairy magic. She looks sick, kind of green around the gills.”

“Elves don’t have gills, sprites do,” Keelie said absently, putting the parchment into her pocket. “Let’s go rescue Sean and Risa. Elves can’t tolerate urban environments for long.”

“What were you doing down here at the park?” Laurie asked. “Remember when we used to play here, and bring books and picnics?”

“Yeah, it was fun. That tree just talked to me.” Keelie motioned with her head in the direction of the tree.

Understanding lit up Laurie’s face. “Ah!” Then her forehead furrowed. “Did it talk to you when we were little?”

“Apparently, but I didn’t remember until just now.” Keelie didn’t want to go into the whole Mom-using-magic thing.

Knot came dashing up to Keelie. He’d returned to his normal size, but his eyes were dilated, his fur mussed, and he meowed angrily.

Laurie’s eyebrows rose. “What’s wrong with him? He’s acting weird even for Knot.”

This wasn’t weird. This was agitated. Keelie wondered if it was really Peascod that Knot had chased away from the house. “Kitty, you need a cup of catnip tea. The good stuff that makes you drool in the corner.”

The temperature in the park had suddenly dropped several degrees, and a cold wind kicked up. Maybe Risa’s claim about dark fairy magic wasn’t too far off the mark.

Laurie was trying to act calm and collected like she wasn’t concerned about anything, but Keelie knew her friend was worried. Truth be told, Keelie was, too. The trip to the old house had revealed more questions than answers.

“Storm must be blowing in. Let’s go and get a latte at the mall. I think I could use a coffee,” Keelie suggested.

“Sounds good to me.” Laurie turned and walked down the street, back to the car. Knot surveyed the terrain like a tiger scrutinizing his territory for enemies.

Keelie looked in the same direction, and swore she saw a skinny, ugly dog watching her from the bushes. It seemed to be the coyote. A flash of dull gold fur disappeared into the greenery. Knot growled.

“Come on. I’ll buy you a tall cream.”

Knot swiveled his head up to stare at Keelie. He blinked and his eyes dilated. All of a sudden, he reached out, wrapped his paws around her ankle, and bit her. His fangs sank deep into her skin.

“Ow! Let go, you crazy cat.”

He did, and ran after Laurie like a spineless wuss not brave enough to face the consequences of his insane action, which was an angry Keelie.

“You have cat litter for brain cells.” She loped after him. “Get back here, you psycho horror-movie excuse for a cat. A coyote would make a better guardian than you.”

There was a tingle in the air, followed by a zingy harp sound. Keelie spun around, expecting to see an elf girl playing a harp. No one was there. Nothing. Still, there was a feeling of magic in the air, and suddenly she wanted to leave.

Two ladies in jogging suits watched with baffled expressions as she hobbled to the car. Knot was nowhere in sight. Laurie was waiting for her. She put on her sunglasses, shaking her head, and opened the car door.

Just then Sean rounded Mr. Heildelman’s bushes and came to Keelie’s side. He clasped her upper arm as he scanned the street. “Are you okay? Did you see anything strange?”

“Nothing’s normal anymore, but I’m fine, thanks.” Keelie forced a smile. “We’re going to grab a coffee at the mall.” She looked at her old house once more. “Did you lock everything up?”

“Yes. Are you sure you’re done here?”

Keelie bit her lip, then released it. Mom had always told her not to bite her lip. “I’m done.”

Sean pulled Keelie into a hug, surprising her. “I’m going to keep you safe,” he whispered.

Keelie’s legs became boneless. She pulled away from Sean and they grinned at each other. His eyes were bright.

Laurie gave a thumbs-up. From inside the car, Risa scowled and punched the back seat with closed fists.

Sean opened the passenger-side door. “Milady.” Knot jumped in, his big orange butt taking up the entire seat.

Laurie shook her head. “You two, let’s get going. I need a coffee.” She climbed into the driver’s seat.

“Move over.” Sean leaned down and glowered at Knot.

“Knot, you can sit with me, my love,” Risa said.

Knot scooted over and Keelie sat down next to him. He narrowed his green eyes as he looked her up and down, as if he was thinking that maybe she should ride on the hood.

As Sean walked around the front of the BMW, Laurie gazed down at Knot. “Is Keelie mean to you?”

Risa tipped forward, her hands on the back of the seat. “She’s mean to him. She calls him Snotball.”

Knot placed his paw on Laurie’s leg as if confirming that what Risa said was true:
Yes, she’s so mean to me. You should try living with her.

Sean got into the back and closed the door. Keelie pulled the seat belt around her body. “He bit me.”

“It was a love bite. Cats bite you as a token of their affection.” Laurie cranked the car.

“You can forget the milk.” Keelie glared down at the cat, who looked ahead.

Risa patted Knot on the head. “I’ll buy you some cream.”

Keelie snorted. “Let’s go get that coffee.”

In the mall parking lot, Laurie held her designer bag open. “Knot can ride inside like those little yappy dogs do.”

“How are you going to keep him inside the bag?” Keelie asked. “We can’t handcuff or tape him down.”

Glaring at Keelie, Knot sank his claws deeper into the seat upholstery, refusing to be manhandled into the pocketbook.

Risa leaned over and scratched him under the chin. “If the kitty gets into the bag, then he gets his milk-milk.”

“Milk-milk?” Keelie nearly gagged.

Sean was out of the car. “Ladies, we need to make this a short trip. Last night, I told Lady Keliatiel and Sir Davey I’d make sure you got home safe and sound.”

With a nod to Sean, Knot stepped into Laurie’s bag with his tail held high. He stuck his furry head out and blinked his eyes at Keelie.

Laurie lifted the pocketbook and gave it to Keelie, her face red from straining. “See, no prob, but you can carry your cat.”

“Let me,” Sean reached for the bag, but Knot growled in protest.

“No, he’ll bite you,” Keelie took the bag from Laurie.

Knot purred. Keelie wondered if he was kneading his paws like a superhappy kitten. What was he doing to Laurie’s stuff? She wouldn’t think about that.

At the mall, once her refuge of happiness and retail adventures, Keelie shuddered at the alien artificiality of the stores. Laurie chattered on and on about which stores had the best sales. “We need to find La Jolie Rouge.”

Knot traveled contentedly in the bag like a pampered lap dog. The bag straps dug into Keelie’s shoulder, and she was sure that she’d have rub on some Achy Bones Salve once she was back from this shopping trip.

Inside Starbucks, Laurie continued to prattle as they waited in line to get their coffee. Keelie was so tired that she couldn’t focus on Laurie’s words. Of course, Laurie was talking non-stop and Keelie had had an emotional afternoon.

She definitely needed a coffee to help her reenergize. Maybe six shots of espresso would do the trick. It had to have been going back to the house. Who wouldn’t be wiped after an emotional experience like that?

A huge bump appeared on the side of the bag and then rolled around, accompanied by loud purring. It made the buckles and pockets pop and rattle. Knot must be doing somersaults inside. Two girls behind Keelie stared at the bag strangely. She grinned.

A pop hit jingled from inside the bag.

“Keelie, hand me my phone, would you?” Laurie was almost at the counter.

Keelie stared at the heaving bag. She was already limping. What would happen if she stuck her hand in there? She’d return to the redwoods in an ambulance, thanks to Knot her so-called guardian. “Why don’t you let your voicemail catch that?”

The phone abruptly stopped ringing. “Meow?”

Luckily, Laurie didn’t hear that, thank the tree rings. Keelie wondered who Knot was talking to.

The Starbucks barista was a bored, purple-haired girl. She acted like she didn’t want to be there.

“We’d like two coffees,” Laurie told her.

The top of the purse opened and Laurie’s Vera Bradley wallet poked out. Keelie took it. “Do you want a shot in your cream?” she whispered into the bag.

The girls waiting for their coffees stared wide-eyed. Keelie grinned at them. “Just kidding.”

Laurie took her wallet. “What do you guys want?” she asked Sean and Risa, who seemed confused by the menu.

“What do you suggest?” Sean asked.

“Coffee is good.” Laurie didn’t sound sarcastic.

“I’ll have green tea,” said Risa. “What is venti?”

“Big.” The bored barista swiped Laurie’s debit card down the register’s side.

Keelie placed the bag on a nearby chair. “I’ll have a venti latte with six shots, and an espresso con panna.”

The purple-haired girl’s eyes widened. “Six shots?”

Laurie’s mouth dropped open, but she recovered. “That’s what I heard, too.”

“Okay.” The purple-haired girl shook her head as she rang up the order.

They got their drinks and went to the atrium by the food court. Keelie sat down near a small, flowering pear tree and felt a smidge better. She took the lid off the espresso con panna (a shot of strong espresso poured over a mound of whipped cream) and put the little cup on the floor under the table. Knot squeezed himself out of the bag and dropped to the floor.

Risa and Laurie scooted their chairs close so that their legs hid the slurping feline.

Keelie stuck her head under the table. “Behave yourself.”

He blinked, his eyes round and sweetly innocent, like an animated cartoon. Keelie didn’t believe him for a second. “I’ll be watching.”