Behind her, I spot candy bar wrappers and a half-finished loaf of bread in a plastic bag on the floor. Like maybe she’s been living up here. Without heat. And probably without water—that or she’s decided it’s too cold to take a bath.
Either way, I almost feel bad for her. Almost.
“I know you’ve been stealing from our clients,” I announce. She probably needed to balance out all the candy bars and ate all those savory treats from Buttercup’s Bakery, too.
“What clients?” Minerva gapes at me.
“Don’t play games with me.” I narrow my eyes at her. “You tried messing with Amber and Julian, and now you think you can go after Wes?”
“Oh, you mean the Cleanly Den?” She rolls her eyes at me. “I’ve heard about that.”
“How? No one’s seen you in town in months!”
Minerva bites her lower lip and doesn’t reply.
“I’m going to call the cops.” I reach into my coat pocket and pull out my phone.
“Go ahead.” She crosses her arms in front of her chest. “I’m sure you have plenty of evidence. Like fingerprints? Or DNA? No? Don’t tell me you just broke into my house without any proof.”
My eyes narrow. I kind of want to hit her with something, but my only option is the loaf of bread, so I decide to pass.
“I think you should go,” Minerva tells me.
“Not happening. I know you’re behind the robberies, and I’m not letting you out of my sight until I find proof.”
For a few seconds, Minerva just stares at me. And then she snorts. “Works for me. So what are we doing next?”
Chapter Five
Zoe
I drag Minerva—who insists I call her Mini—back to Jewels Cafe and put her to work. Or try to. She just plops herself on the bar, crosses her arms, and watches me clean. But hey, at least she doesn’t try to flee.
Amber and Julian look on in horror as I gather a bunch of spells from my van. I don’t cheer them up with a magical show. I don’t turn the broken glass into snowflakes that glisten in the sun. I don’t animate the garbage bags and make them bark as they help me clean. And I don’t bother giving them wings as they float toward the garbage slots in the recycling station outside. It’s a sad, sad day when I just clean.
I activate a Windows N Doors scroll and get both fixed up while I try not to think about Ghost. How he made my heart race and break all over again, even after years apart. I can’t believe he betrayed me. Again. I can’t believe he just left me to clean up this mess and to foot the bill. While pocketing Julian’s deposit, no less.
I nearly break one of the Wobble Stopper vials, I’m so pissed. I have to fight back anger as I sprinkle the contents on the various tables and chairs and watch them get magically repaired. And then I almost spill the entire bottle of Spiff N Shine I’m about to spray on the walls and floor.
All the spells combined cost more than two of my paychecks. And as soon as I prove Mini is the thief and save the Cleanly Den, I’m going after Ghost to take back every cent. Hopefully sooner, rather than later, too. Not just because Ghost will probably skip town—but because the girl will not stop whining.
Can someone make me some coffee?
Is there anything to eat?
Ewww, Amber, your feet are so hairy!
In Amber’s defense, she’s a Yeti. They’re supposed to be hairy. And her midnight-blue skin and pink hair actually look pretty cool. Her red, angry eyes, not so much. Especially not while narrowed on the red-haired witch. The put-together, perfect-looking red-haired witch who somehow managed to snag a makeover potion on the way here.
Not that I begrudge her the gleaming skin, shiny hair, clean clothes, or hint of floral perfume. Might as well enjoy them while she can. She won’t be using any more potions once she’s in prison.
“Why is she here again?” Amber glares at Mini.
I sigh. “I can’t let her out of my sight until she’s arrested.” Even though after an hour, I already can’t stand her.
“Arrested?” Mini rolls her eyes at me. “Keep dreaming.”
“The cops will figure out it’s you once the robberies stop. And they’ll find evidence at one of the crime scenes. They always do.” Well, not always, but maybe my words will prompt a confession.
“Right. Brilliant plan.” Mini pulls a stick of bubble gum from her pocket and starts chewing. Loudly. “It’s too bad I’m not the thief.”
“Says you.” I narrow my eyes at her.
She blows a bubble and pops it with one long, manicured, pink nail.
I scowl.
“If you keep doing that, you’ll get wrinkles.” She snorts. “Wait, you already have.”
“Do not mess with me, Minerva. I’ve had one hell of a day and you don’t want to get on my bad side.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it, Zoelle.” She uses my given name, which is listed on the coven registry.
I make a chair levitate. A broken one I haven’t yet fixed. Not wasting a perfectly good one on her.
Julian moves to stand between us, eyes wide. “Maybe you should go home, Zoe. Amber and I can keep an eye on Mini.”
Amber growls.
“Or we can find someone to watch her?” Julian rubs the back of his neck. “How about Violet?”
“My sister?” Amber frowns. “Did she do something to piss you off?”
“No. Why?”
“Because I wouldn’t wish Minerva on my worst enemy.”
“Very funny.” Mini scowls. “But if you guys don’t want me here, I can leave. I have some big plans for tonight.”
“Like robbing people?” I ask hopefully as I lower the chair. Because a confession would get rid of her and clear the Cleanly Den’s name, all in one go.
“I was thinking a movie.” She rocks back in her seat. “Are we almost done here? I’m bored.”
“We’d be done a lot faster if you helped.”
Mini takes a second to think it over. “It’s okay. I’ll just wait.”
I resist the urge to strangle her, and get back to work. At one point the postal worker returns—without the baby this time—and loads up the van with fresh cleaning supplies. I grab what I need and finish up at the cafe, but by the time I’m done, I can’t stand Mini anymore. If I take her with me on the rest of my jobs, I’ll be the one who ends up in prison. For murder. A fate I wouldn’t wish on Julian, Amber, or Amber’s sister. Which is why I decide to lock Mini in my apartment with a containment spell instead.
Containment spells were a trick of the trade when I worked for the agency. And when I took Snowball home, I needed it to keep him from escaping and terrorizing the town. Usually, it allows him the run of the entire apartment, but once we step inside, I confine him to the bed.
My pet fuzzy is curled up in the center and looks like a large, white ball of fluff. Hard to even tell he’s a living, breathing thing at first glance. The vampire who created him left some notes calling his species fuzzies, probably based on looks. I just never got to find out why he created them in the first place. By the time I arrested him, he was mostly snarling and talking nonsense.