Free Putting on the Witch by Joyce and Jim Lavene Page B

the witchfinder.”
    With Makaleigh dead, there were only eleven members of the council. Most of the witches present were unhappy with that idea.
    â€œWhat if one of the council killed Makaleigh?” an older witch demanded. Her very fine white hair was piled a foot high on her head.
    â€œDo you have a better suggestion, Madam Ernst?” Larissa Lonescue haughtily demanded. She was another member of the council.
    â€œYes.” Madam Ernst was just as haughty. “It should be a combination of council members and non–council members. Just using council members isn’t fair.”
    â€œI agree,” Sarif Patel said. “Bring forward the witchfinder. He is impartial and won’t stop until he finds the killer.”
    â€œOh my gosh!” Dorothy put a hand to her mouth. “I forgot all about your present, Brian. She can’t just stay wrapped up that way.”
    â€œYeah. Sorry. I didn’t think about her being alive.” Brian quickly followed her as Dorothy pushed her way out of the room. Loud grunting and a few curses followed them, but it was Brian, so no one dared say much about his departure.
    Abdon stared at me and Elsie. He appeared to be trying to put something together, and I was pretty sure I wasn’t going to like it. With the bracelet containing Olivia gone, I wasn’t so worried about standing out in the crowd, even with him. I stared right back until I grabbed Elsie’s arm and the two of us followed Brian and Dorothy through the crowd.
    â€œWhat in the world was wrong with him?” Elsie asked. “I feel as though I’ve had the third degree, and he didn’t even speak.”
    â€œI don’t know,” I muttered. “But we just needed to get out of that room. I’d rather not find out what he’s thinking. I’m sure it has something to do with him ‘choosing’ a murder suspect.”
    We emerged through the throng of angry, depressed witches back into the nearly deserted ballroom. Dorothy was pulling Brian behind her as they approached the ceiling-high pile of gifts.
    â€œShe’s right here. You don’t have to worry. I mean, it’s not like she’s in a closed coffin or something. She’ll be fine.”
    Dorothy carefully picked through the gifts until she found what she was looking for. “Oh no! She got out.” She held up the empty pink cat carrier. “No telling where she is now.”
    Brian started searching in earnest too. “Don’t worry. She’s just a cat. She was probably terrified and has hunched down in a corner around here somewhere.”
    â€œYou can tell he’s never had a cat,” Elsie said. “That cat has probably been all over the castle a few times by now!”
    â€œOh, Brian.” Dorothy rested her head against his shoulder. “That poor little kitty. We have to find her.”
    â€œI’m sure she’s fine, honey,” Brian said. “She’s locked in too. She’s here.”
    â€œWait,” Elsie said. “Let’s do a locator spell for her.”
    â€œWith the magic already diminished here, I don’t think we can find her that way,” I said to Elsie. “We might just have to look for her the old-fashioned way.”
    â€œSo this is what it’s like to have a cat.” Brian smiled at Dorothy. “Fun.”
    â€œIt’s not always like this,” she told him. “Once you get to know each other, this won’t happen. You’ll have a rapport with her, and she won’t run away.”
    â€œSounds like a wife.”
    Dorothy frowned at him.
    â€œUh-oh,” Olivia whispered. “That look means trouble.”
    â€œJust kidding.” Brian hugged Dorothy and took her hand. “Come on. Let’s find the cat.”
    She laughed and they sprinted toward the stairs.
    â€œYou know, I wonder why I was sneezing in the other room.” Elsie put away her handkerchief.