Free A Charming Spell (Magical Cures Mystery Series) by tonya kappes Page B

Everyone but Ophelia took cover. Gandolf ran behind a bookshelf and I hid behind him. I squeezed my eyes hoping nothing was going to whack me in the head.
    “Stop!” Ophelia lifted her hands in the air. The books fell to the ground.
    Once the coast was clear, Gandolf stepped out into the aisle waving the book like it was a white flag.
    I reached into my bag without anyone seeing me and pulled out Madame Torres. Her hands were placed over her ears like she was trying to drown the craziness out.
    “Listen to me.” I shook her.
    “Stop,” she whispered. She could tell the severity of the situation. “I get motion sickness. Remember?”
    “Sorry. But I need you to focus.” I hunkered down and held her close to my face, almost eye-to-eye. “You have to get in touch with Mac McGurtle. Tell him to come to Ever After Books immediately.”
    Mac lived next to me in Locust Grove. Little did I knew that he was there to keep a spiritual eye on me. The village council sent him there to protect me in case I turned out to be a spiritualist. When they figured out that I did inherit my father’s spiritual gifts, they sent Mr. Prince Charming to protect me. Little did I know that they were Spiritualists. I thought Mac was just the nosy neighbor and Mr. Prince Charming was a stray cat, until I found out otherwise after I moved to Whispering Falls.
    Since he no longer had to take care of me, he had started to practice spiritual law again and he was the one who helped me out of many crazy situations. I had no idea what the book was all about, but I did know that my intuition told me Ophelia didn’t have anything to do with Alexelrod’s murder. But who did?
    “Is this your book?” Gandolf’s voice was courteous but patronizing. He held the book up over his head in a dramatic way.  “Answer me!”
    “Yes.” Ophelia pinched her lips shut.
    “Did you sell the book to anyone?” He continued to barrage her with questions as he opened the book. It was some sort of book you’d see, like a bracelet making book where all the materials were attached to make a bracelet, only this was about darts and it looked like the two darts were missing from their place.
    “Don’t you dare answer his questions.” Mac McGurtle came through the door swiping the yellow crime scene tape out of his way. “And it is not appropriate nor acceptable for my client’s store to remain closed.”
    “Who called you?” Gandolf pointed toward Mac, but didn’t wait for Mac’s answer. He gestured for the new cop. “Go on. Read her her rights.”
    “Ophelia Biblio…” the young officer’s voice cracked as he fiddled with the piece of paper as he started to read it. “You have the right…”
    “To open your shop!” Mac pushed his large black-rimmed glasses up on his nose with his thick fingers. His blue eyes zeroed in on the young officer like a vulture. “That is what you have the right to do until you hear from me. As for you, gentlemen,” Mac put one arm around Gandolf and another arm around the other officer and started to walk them out of the shop. “Don’t you have some suspects to track down?”
    “No more magic until you are cleared!” Gandolf shouted, his face reddened and he jerked away from Mac. “Rule Number Five in the bylaws state that you cannot leave the community until further notice.”
    “She won’t.” Mac assured them and then ripped the crime scene tape off the front door.
    Ophelia’s eyes turned black with a little gold ring around the rim. She didn’t take her eyes off of Gandolf.
    Suddenly Gandolf’s belt completely unbuckled, giving way to his pants, exposing his tightie-whities. A sight that should never be seen by anyone’s eyes.
    He scrambled to pull them up.
    “No magic!” He yelled galloping through the door and out of the shop.
    The young officer’s laughter had a sharp edge.
    “Shut up!” Gandolf wasn’t happy with his little minion’s reaction.
    “You bad witch.” I couldn’t help but love her