What's a Witch to Do Part 31

She's quiet for a few seconds. "She was my sister," she whispers sadly. "She wasn't all bad. She was just lost. She had no purpose in life. That's not a way to live."

"How's Maxine?"

"She won't talk to me," she says, voice cracking.

"Oh, honey," I say, hugging her. "She just needs time."

"Meemaw and Debbie are all I have," she cries as she clings to me. "Now Debbie's getting married, and Meemaw hates me. All I ever wanted was for her to be proud of me. I've done everything I could, and now it's all ruined."

"No, it's not. I'm sure she's real proud of you. How could she not be? You're beautiful, smart, a hard worker. h.e.l.l, you spend your days saving people."

"I hate that job so much," she cries. "I only became a nurse because Meemaw said I should. I hate my life! Nothing ever works out."

I rub her back. "I know it feels that way sometimes, honey, but take it from me, life can turn on a dime. You just need to have faith."

She sniffles and pulls away. "Oh h.e.l.l," she says, wiping her face, "I hate crying in front of people. I'm sorry."

"Nothing to apologize for. We're family." I smile. "You want to stay here tonight?"

"That'd be great, thank you. I don't want to be alone."

I squeeze her hand. "You're not alone." With a smile, I stand. "Okay, I'm gonna check on everyone. Why don't you find some sappy movie we can watch and bawl our eyes out to?"

"Sounds great."

"Be right back." I walk upstairs and check on the girls first. They're pretending to sleep. "Goodnight. I love you." Inside my bedroom, Debbie lies on her side sniffling. "Hey," I say, shutting the door. I walk to the bathroom to get her aspirin and water. "Sit up and take these."

She does. "I'm being a brat, aren't I?"

"Yes, but you're my brat, and I love you nonetheless."

"I don't know what's the matter with me. You and Collins are going through all this c.r.a.p, and you're both taking care of me. I am a horrible person."

"You'll make it up to us," I say with a smile.

"I really don't know what's the matter with me. I love Greg, I do. It's just ... this is forever. How do I know he's, you know, the one and only?"

"Is he your best friend?"

She thinks. "Don't tell Collins, but yes. He is."

"Has he been a good partner to you? Being there when you need him to be?"

"He's been great."

"I know you want babies. Will he be a good father?"

"Oh yeah. No question."

"This is the biggie. Can you honestly picture sitting across the breakfast table every day from him for the rest of your lives?"

She considers it. "Yeah."

"Then you got nothing to worry about, I guarantee it."

"Thank you," she whispers. "I love you."

"Love you too." The telephone rings. Now what? "I gotta get this. You try to sleep. Big day tomorrow." I pick up the portable and walk into the hallway. "h.e.l.lo?"

"Mona?" George asks.

"Hi, George," I say as I walk to the attic for privacy. "What can I do for you?"

"You disappeared after the summit. Is everything okay?"

"Personal stuff. It'll work itself out. What'd you want to talk to me about?" The attic is stuffy and cluttered with boxes on top of boxes, so I sit at the top of the attic stairs.

"I was hoping you could clear up some inconsistencies so we can close the case."

"Try my best."

I hear the rustling of papers on the other end. "You said the demon was summoned early Tuesday morning, correct? Well, we spoke to a Bruce Nettles, and he said Cheyenne arrived at his apartment around one, and Adam Blue alibied her prior to that."

"Couldn't she have slipped out after Bruce was asleep?"

"That is possible, yes. There is something else though. There were three sets of prints on the notebook: yours, Cheyenne's, and her sister Collins's."

"So? We looked through the book."

"One of the fingerprints was in blood. Animal blood. It wasn't Cheyenne's, it was Collins's. We thought maybe she cut herself, but tests just confirmed the blood was from a dog. Also, though the handwriting is very similar, we compared samples from Cheyenne's to the notebook. It wasn't a match."

If I wasn't sitting, I'd fall down. No. No way. Not her. That doesn't, it doesn't make sense. She loves me. She saved my life. Cheyenne was going to shoot me. If Collins wanted me dead, she would have let her. "You ... you did this!" Cheyenne sounded so surprised. Collins was standing right behind me. What if Cheyenne wasn't aiming for me? What if ...

I stand up and walk farther into the attic. All that she has in the world is her grandmother and Debbie. She wants respect. Me dead accomplishes that. She's the obvious choice for Priestess since Erica would never take the job. And the wedding. That's why it had to be this week. There's no way they'd go through with it so soon after my death, and who would be there to comfort Debbie? Her best friend. I'm a f.u.c.king idiot. "George, get over here. She's-"

"Hang up the phone, Mona." I spin around with a gasp. Collins stands at the door with her finger outstretched, all business. It's the finger that killed her sister yesterday. My heart rate doubles. "Now."

My shaking finger presses the b.u.t.ton. "Oh, Collins."

"You know, I knew the second I heard you say his name in the hall I was screwed. Just knew it." She clucks her tongue. "I all but gift-wrapped Cheyenne for them. I thought they had the notebooks, they had her trying to kill you, that'd be it. You always made the F.R.E.A.K.S. seem like all they did was containment. Killing preters. She's dead, end of case. They'd go, I'd kill you a month from now some other way. Car accident, maybe. Best laid plans, huh? I swear, I have the worst f.u.c.king luck on the planet. Just once, why can't something go my way?"

"You framed Cheyenne."

"Well duh! I had to do something. You weren't supposed to know you were in danger, but that f.u.c.king werewolf ruined everything. Then Ale got caught, and I had to move to Plan B."

"How long have you been planning this?"

"Around two months, I guess. Knew I needed help though. I wanted no ties to me, but I don't know many killers. I was at Croatoan and 'accidently' ran into Ale. Introduced myself. You mentioned him a few times. We found out we had a lot in common."

"There were no records of you being at the club," I say.

"I insisted on secrecy for obvious reasons. After that first night, I knew he could help me get rid of you, and I could help him too. That's what the co-op's for, right?" she asks with a smile. "Cooperation?"

"Not exactly. So he died, and you moved to Plan B. The demon."

She takes a step toward me. "I knew you'd found out when you offered to make me your heir and were asking about Richmond. It was kind of obvious, you know. Even Cheyenne would have seen through it," she says with a scoff. "I played it well, don't you think? Telling you Cheyenne wanted the position was really inspired."

"Convinced me."

"I know." She shakes her head and clicks her tongue. "Then my luck turned again. Lilith was just supposed to drive over and suck the life out of you from a safe distance without anyone ever knowing she was here. Let me tell you, there wasn't any indication in a single d.a.m.n book I read that her presence would wake up the whole d.a.m.n town. I knew we could feel her evil up close, but not a trillion feet away. So there you were, ahead of me again. At least my plan to frame my b.i.t.c.h sister went better. You bought everything-the demon at her house, my performance at the country club, my frantic phone call-hook, line, and sinker."

"Cheyenne believe you too?"

"I told her you were threatening Meemaw and acting crazy when I called. I even sounded scared. Then things went sideways again," she says, shaking her head. "It was my fault. I had to gloat, and for the first time in her life, she got a clue. She was supposed to shoot you, then me being the brave hero, I'd kill her. Then she aimed the gun at me, and I had no choice."

"But I don't understand. Why? Why would you do this to me? You're like my sister. I love you!"

She scoffs. "I was never your sister. If I was, you'd have let me stay here like you'd promised. You had the room."

I think for a second, then remember ten years ago when she had to go back to her parents again. "I was twenty-five, Collins. My grandmother had just died, my grandfather was a walking ghost, I was head of the coven and guardian to a teenager. I'm sorry, okay?"

"No," she says, shaking her head. "You promised. After the last time my daddy got arrested, you sat me on that porch and promised I would always have a safe haven here. You lied to me, you b.i.t.c.h. You know what happened the night you sent me home? He raped me. If it wasn't for Meemaw taking us in again, he would have kept at it until one of us was dead."

I shake my head. "I'm sorry. I am so sorry. I had no idea he was-"

"You're supposed to take care of us," she says, snarling at me. "That is your job, and you failed. I could do a better job. I couldn't stand it another day. You acting all mighty and people bowing to you. I knew it should have been me. The shop, the house, the respect. It isn't fair they look up to you and down on me just because Meemaw wasn't the favored daughter. She was going to get her rightful respect, her birthright, and to see me become the most powerful witch in the country. But now ... it's all ruined," she says with a sad chuckle. "My life is over."

"It doesn't have to be. I-I can talk to the squad."

"Oh shut up Mona. Don't insult me. I see right through you." She squares her shoulders. "At least I can accomplish what I set out to do. Ex-"

I toss the phone at her head, smas.h.i.+ng it right into her temple, while at the same time saying, "Calx!" She stands petrified like stone. Not bad for my first time using it. I run through the mess to the door. The spell only lasts five seconds. Just as I take the last stair down, she points that finger. I barely have time to step into the hall before she shouts the death curse. Its evil stains the hallway a scorched black.

Debbie pokes her head out. "What-"

"Lock the door!"

I lose precious seconds making sure she does. Collins moves into the hall, fury practically making her skin glow. A gust of wind barrels down the hall like a bullet, knocking me back onto the stairs. I grab the banister in time and only fall two steps onto my b.u.t.t but smack my head too. The world becomes a little fuzzy. Collins runs toward me, finger out again, but I'm still recovering. Part of me knows I need to do something, but I can't get my body to listen. She's gonna kill me, and the almost feral smile on her face is the last thing I'm going to see.

"b.i.t.c.h," she says.

"Lapsus!" a voice yells.

Triumph becomes shock as something invisible grips Collins and tosses her thin body over the banister. She falls the story, screaming all the way until her body hits the hardwood below with a thump. h.e.l.l's bells.

"Aunt Mona!" Sophie says as she runs toward me. "Are you okay?"

I mange to sit up just as Cora and Debbie step into the hallway, both terrified. We all gaze down at Collins's lifeless form when they join us. She lies on her stomach with her left leg at an odd angle. "Oh G.o.ddess! Collins!" Debbie shouts. "What-"

"It was her. She framed Cheyenne. She wanted to kill me." I look at Sophie. "Where did you learn that spell?"

"Mommy. She used it on the demon Papa summoned."

I pet her hair. "You'll have to teach it to me sometime." I kiss her cheek. "But if you ever do anything that stupid again, I will tan your hide." She nods. "Good. Come here." I groan and pull both girls into a hug, holding tight for a few seconds. "Debbie, help me up." I release the girls, and the crying Debbie gets me off the floor. The world tilts a little but rights itself a second later. I take one step at a time, my eyes never leaving Collins.

"Is she dead?" Sophie asks, voice quaking.

"No, she's still breathing," Debbie says, sounding relieved. "She couldn't have-"

"She did," I say. "She murdered Cheyenne in cold blood too."

"Why?" Debbie asks.

"Because she thought I was lucky. Because I failed her." I stifle the tears that want to come. That poor girl. We make it down the stairs, then stop and all gaze down at our cousin. She hasn't moved an inch. "Debbie, take the girls over to Sara's and stay there. The squad is on its way."

"What about-"

"Debbie, go!" I don't take my eyes off Collins with my finger pointed out as Debbie grabs the girls and runs out. They don't even close the front door. Her breathing is shallow. The wind from outside blows in, and I get a chill. A big part of me is happy she's still alive. Murderer or not, she's still the girl whose knees I put bandages on. "Oh, Collins."

"Adam!" Cora shouts outside.

I spin around to see Adam standing next to an SUV on the street. I almost faint from relief. He looks confused and concerned as Cora sprints over to him. The other wolves get out too, but the movement out of the corner of my eye makes my head whip around. Collins's finger is pointed right at me, as deadly as a gun. Her b.l.o.o.d.y grin chills me to the bone.

"Mona!" Adam shouts, panicked.

"My f.u.c.king luck," she mutters as she flips over. "Guess I need a hostage. Hands up."

Adam is through the door as she sits up. "What-"

"With one word, I kill her, loverboy. You know I can do it. Move and I will." Her hate-filled gaze whips toward me. "Hands f.u.c.king up, Mona! You're not as skilled in black magic as I am. Your finger is just a finger right now." I raise my hands and she smiles, a tooth falling to the floor while blood and saliva dribbles down her chin. I may throw up. "s.h.i.+t." It takes effort but she gets to her feet. "f.u.c.k, I think I broke my leg."

"You hurt her, and I will rip you apart limb by limb," Adam growls.

"Blah, blah, blah. By the way, if you're supposed to be her bodyguard, you really suck at it. Get on the lawn, loverboy. Go!"

He listens. With her free hand, she grabs and spins me around, using me for support and holding her finger to my temple. "Walk, oh mighty Priestess." Slowly, we shuffle to the door as she groans in pain with each step. My eyes never leave Adam, who waits outside tight as a spring. His eyes keep s.h.i.+fting to my right to signal me. Okay.

I take the first step onto the porch and see Jason to my right waiting to pounce. The moment she sets her good foot outside, I elbow my cousin in the stomach just as Jason grabs for her arm. She's so shocked she releases me. Jason grips her arm as she struggles, wiggling like a worm on a hook. Her mouth opens to say something, but I c.o.c.k my fist, spin around, and slug her in the face with all my might, just like Daddy taught me to.

She slumps against Jason, down for the count. Her luck has run out. "You are so excommunicated." I sigh and look at Jason. "Now that's what I call cooperation."

Enjoy being alive The F.R.E.A.K.S. arrive five minutes later to find Auntie Sara serving the werewolves coffee, Adam icing my tender hand, and Collins tied up and gagged on the couch, still unconscious. Sadly, I'll bet this isn't the strangest crime scene they've pulled up to.

They take Collins to their mobile command center to be treated and s.h.i.+pped off to a secret prison never to be heard from again. In spite of everything, my heart breaks for her as they wheel her out on a gurney, hands cuffed. I let her down. I did. I'll never forgive myself for that. As I'm beating myself up, my hand is checked by the F.R.E.A.K.S. doctor and deemed fine. Bruised and battered, but I'll keep going. Always do.

About an hour later, after they separated us to get our statements, I'm allowed to bring the girls back from Auntie Sara's and put them to bed. To my amazement they fall asleep almost immediately. They've been through worse, I guess. Never again. Debbie called Greg, who rushed right over. Pretty sure he kissed away her cold feet before taking her home. Guess the wedding's back on.

The wolves are willing to take over helping the squad, so I can have a few minutes of peace out on the porch. What a week. This is how Adam finds me, curled up on the swing staring into s.p.a.ce. I move to make room for him and rest my head on his chest as he puts his arm around me. We just rock for a few minutes. Heaven.