Mermaids And The Vampires Who Love Them

18. PHYSICAL ENTANGLEMENTS

"I'm definitely in. You know I am."

Fintan stops pacing. "I'm all for going after these guys, but maybe we should tell Headmaster Crumpet." He puts his arms protectively on Pickle's shoulders. She covers his hands with hers, which makes me smile. Yay, Pickles!

"I don't think that's a good idea, Fintan," I say. "I know it sounds logical, but my dad told me not to get involved and that I couldn't tell anyone. If the headmaster knows, I'm sure he'll tell my dad."

Poseidon's beard. If my father finds out that my roommates know, I'll be in huge trouble. He'll ground me for all eternity and ask questions later.

"There is something else that none of you guys know yet," Pierce says. "Something I discovered tonight."

"What? In Crumpet's office?" I say.

"Yeah. I found out Brack Sharkweather has been donating sizeable sums of money to West Marin Heights. And he's been appointed to the school board."

Fintan shrugs his shoulders. "So?"

"So, Sharkweather has a lot of power at this school. It's his yacht we've seen near the poisoned water and also anchored in that shallow, rocky area near the shore. That means he's a suspect. If Waverly's father and the others are working on the case, fine. But what if Sharkweather has hoodwinked them and is covering something up?"

"Okay," Fintan says. "I get it." He kisses Pickles' auburn curls. Orange and red sparks shoot out of the fireplace. I swear it looks like the fire is jealous. "Stop that." Fintan glares at the fire. It sparks one last time, then settles down.

"What we need is more information. Solid evidence," I say.

"Where is the cave in relation to the boat sightings?" Thunder asks.

"I could draw it on a piece of paper," I say.

"I think I can do better than that," Pickles says. "I mean, if you wish it." She's already aiming her wand at the table.

"I do! I wish for something better than a piece of paper to map out the area."

Almost before I'm even done wishing, the plate of cakes on the table transforms into what looks like a miniature model of Tomales Bay and the surrounding area. And not like a toy model. It is alive! Tiny birds flit amongst the trees. Bats, mice, skunks, and deer are roaming the forest. Beneath the water, there is kelp and eelgrass and a school of tiny fish. Miniscule seals, the size of ants, poke their heads above the surface. On one side of the bay, there is an eerie glow over a circular area in the water, with tentacles reaching out from the middle. On the opposite end is Pierce's Point. And lurking in the center of the bay, is the Sharkweather yacht, with tiny henchmen, I mean people, walking on the upper deck.

"This is amazing, Pickles," I say. "How did you do it?"

Fintan has stopped pacing and is looking at the model in awe. We all are.

"Oh," she says, waving away the compliment. "It's just a slight enhancement of the basic 'Turning a Pumpkin into a Golden Coach' spell. It was our first lesson in Fairy Godmother 101."

"You get to learn way cooler stuff than we do." Lily-Bella pouts.

"Thanks," says Pickles, sounding very pleased.

"Okay, guys," I say. "This area with the eerie, colorful light is where the water is poisoned. Beau and Olga told me they have seen divers lowering containers off of a ship and storing them in the cave. And over here," I point to the rocky area beneath Pierce's point, "is where Pierce and I saw the yacht. Why would it go there instead of the pier next to the school grounds?"