Witch Doctors Inc: SEASON TWO (Ongoing)

Part 2.4

"I hate Big Boss," I whine.

Addy smiles at me kindly. "He's giving you this case because he believes in you, Lily."

"He believes in making money," I retort.

I am also concerned, Onyx says.

Great. Now the cat is concerned. Whenever the cat gets concerned, I get thrown onto a rollercoaster of magical drama.

You used the dark power again, Lily. His gaze is dark and unblinking. In the consultation room with Emmeline. You destroyed the tulips.

I sigh. "I did. It got away from me again. But I wasn't expecting Emmeline to say what she did. Now that I know what I'm dealing with, I'll keep the dark power under control."

Onyx's eyes narrow. I certainly hope so, Lily.

I will keep the dark power under control. I won't erase one more thing from this world. I am not the darkness that lives inside me.

Onyx meows and nestles his head in between my arm and lap. I ignore him. He meows again. Lily, he says petulantly. This position means that you must pet me.

"Get lost," I grumble. "Unless you want to disappear too."

Onyx hisses and hops off my bed, tail raised.

Addy regards me with worry in those amber eyes of hers. "Why does Emmeline think you killed your mother, Lil? You would never do such a thing, and you were only a child when she died. It was such an awful thing to say."

I roll my eyes. "Seraphine told her there was something wrong with me."

"Who's Seraphine?"

"The town fraud."

Seraphine is one of those types who thinks she can tell the future by reading cards. If Emmeline is taking her advice, it's no compliment to her intelligence.

"Emmeline thinks my mother's ghost is back for revenge," I explain. "Even if ghosts exist, which they don't, it's not me she would be haunting. She got into the cart that day because of Emmeline."

My mother, Harmony, and Emmeline were high school friends. That changed when they both fell for my father. My father, of course, chose my mother, but Emmeline never stopped loving him. The week my mother died, Emmeline had returned. I don't know exactly what happened, but according to Onyx my parents had a fight about her, and my mother left to stay with a friend. She hadn't even left town when her cart crashed, killing her instantly. If her fiery ghost is back to haunt someone, it should be Emmeline.

"I never met your mother," Addy says, "but she sounds like a wonderful person. The phoenix is a great choice of bird. I think I might make it my favourite bird, too."

I give her an almost-smile. "I wish I remembered more of her. My memories are patchy, but I know she was pretty upbeat and she was nice to everyone. You kind of remind me of her, actually."

Addy gasps. "Really? Oh Lily, that makes my day!" She takes both my hands in hers. "Your mother would never want to hurt you, Lil. She loved you. And I will never, never believe that you hurt her."

Her words warm me, but I pull my hands away. I'm not the touchy-feely type. If Big Boss wants me to do a job, I will. And I'll do a flipping excellent job to, just to stick it in his face.

"I'm going to treat this like any other job," I say. "We have a magical problem, so I'll use diagnostics and investigation techniques to solve it. There are weird fires breaking out in Emmeline's house? Not a ghost, sorry. She's stuck evidence together higgledy-piggledy and ended up with a conclusion that falls over every time it tries to stand."

"I agree with you there, Lil. Her evidence is really weak. Just because it's happening after your mother's memorial, and your mother saying that she'd come back as a phoenix? It's not enough to conclude that your mother's ghost is here. I'm sure there's a rational explanation for those fires."

Onyx returns with a sock in his mouth.

"You'd better spit that out," I growl. "I don't want your mouth germs on my feet."

Onyx makes a show of chewing the sock some more. I am coming with you for this one, he tells me. You need me to keep the dark power at bay.

"You're not invited," I argue.

Addy scoops him up in her arms and rubs his forehead. "I think we should all go, Lil. You need all the support you can get. This is a really difficult situation for you, and the darkness is going to take advantage of that. I don't think it's a good idea for you to be based at your childhood house for the investigation. You need some distance. I'll speak to Maya, and we'll get some accommodation for all of us nearby."

All of us?!

"Hell no," I argue. "Maya and Ruby aren't coming. I'll take the cat if you insist, but I don't need everyone in Zilitron to come."

"They can help, Lil. Maya has resources, and Ruby is really good at digging up information. We'll all be there to support you and buffer you against the dark power."

I hate to admit it, but I do need the distraction. If I sink too deeply into this case, the darkness will find me. The more annoying friends I have blabbing in my ear, the better.

"Fine, they can come," I relent. "But they're not coming into the house with me."

"Of course, Lil. You need your space."

I shall pack my suitcase, Onyx says.

I scowl. "It's a suburb of Zilitron. We're not going to the moon."

Onyx rests his head on my bedsheets. I shall take my rubber mouse toy, he says, and my scratching post. There is also my new hat, which many have said I look quite dashing in.

I put my head in my hands. Out of all the bosses I could have landed, why this one? On top of an evil stepmother and a fake ghost, I have this lot to deal with. Rubys and Onyxes and Mayas. As if I haven't got enough on my plate.

Then there's the one I haven't spoken to in years. The one who married my mother's enemy after she died, and all but forgot about me.

I steal myself to face my one and only father.