Page 68 of Blackmail and Broomsticks
Harper cleared her throat. “Speaking of which …”
“Don’t tell me you’ve got another big surprise waiting. I’m not sure I can handle any more excitement tonight.”
“What if it’s good news? At least I believe it is?”
“Spit it out. Please.”
“You might have to spend a few days without me.”
Fear gripped me. “That’s what you call good news? Are you ill?”
“Nothing of the sort.” Reina frowned at her wife. “Harper is trying to tell you that she’s Ms. Vine’s pick.”
“What?”
Harper lowered her voice. “You may recollect that Ms. Vine informed you that she was ready to pass on the baton as you-know-whatto the next generation. She’s chosen me. She warned me that I’ll have to be prepared for a hardcore crash course.”
“That’s great. The part about you being the one, that is.” I hugged her. “The hardcore part is less great. Why the sudden hurry?”
“Beats me. Except that she said you’d better be prepared too.”
“Me?”
“Shh. You’ve got a visitor coming.”
Sure enough, Sam strolled over. I hadn’t spotted him before, but then Linda’s performance and Harper’s admission had been distracting.
Reina offered him her seat. “I’ve got to get on stage.” She sashayed away.
“I’ll bring you drinks,” Harper chimed in.
“Stay,” Sam said. “I thought you might like to hear this too.”
Harper and I exchanged a puzzled glance.
“I’ve studied old files and taken a dozen soil samples. There’s only a tiny area on the retirement village grounds that needs action to remove any potential health hazards. It won’t even hold up the building work.”
“The development can go ahead? What about ownership and investors?”
“A consortium has stepped in. I don’t know the details, only that from what I’ve heard so far, it’s all sorted. Whoever wants to spend their twilight years living it up in Cannon Hill, will be able to do so.”
“That is crying out for a bottle of fizz.” Harper rushed off, with a huge beam on her face.
I beamed too. Aside from Ms. Vine’s ominous words about me needing to be prepared, this was the best day in a while. What could possibly happen anyway that friendship, a cat, and magic couldn’t solve?
****
