observed.
Her eyelids looked as puffy as mine felt. "I am, but I'll get over it. How are you doing with all this? You have to be under a lot of stress."
"I'm scared for Clarita. Killing Victoria was one thing, she was a powerful witch who had enemies. I could almost understand the past catching up with her. But Benita? No way. She wasn't even a particularly powerful witch. The only reason she was allowed in the coven was because she was Victoria's daughter," she said.
"What about Clarita. Is she a witch?" I asked.
Before she could answer, we were interrupted.
"Hope you're hungry. Belle packed your plate about as deep as I've seen it," Mari said, sliding a platter filled with diced fried potatoes, green peppers, onions and four eggs over easy, all slathered with a pile of white gravy. "Belle nixed the ranchero sauce. Apparently, you're more of a cream gravy guy."
I nodded my head in appreciation. She was right about that.
The plate she placed in front of Gabriella contained a single pancake and a side of strawberries.
"Thank you, Mari," Gabriella said.
"You bet. And the hot sauce is behind the napkins," she said and bustled off.
I reached behind the napkins, pulled out my favorite wooden-topped, glass bottle of hot sauce and sprinkled on a liberal dose. The food smelled so wonderful, I forgot about Gabriella for a few minutes.
I finally paused long enough to take a big drink of coffee. Gabriella hadn't eaten a bite of her pancake yet and was staring at me, horrified.
"What?"
"Do you always eat this much?" she asked.
"There's bacon in these potatoes. Do you want to try some?" I asked, ignoring her question.
"Vegetarian." She picked up her knife and sliced a small hunk from her pancake.
"No syrup?" I asked.
"I hope you were just guessing about Clarita," she said.
"Guessing what? That she's a witch? That's not much of a guess. Magic follows blood lines," I said.
"Not always for witches," she said. "But Clarita is a very special little girl. She will possibly be the most powerful witch of her time, certainly within Leotown."
"You can tell this already?"
"Yes."
"How many people know?"
"It's a well-guarded secret. Which means just about every witch in Leotown knows. Victoria was proud of her grand-daughter. It was like she felt like she'd failed with Benita, but Clarita redeemed her."
"That's a lot to lay on a little girl. How old is Clarita?"
"Six years."
"Ugh. I was six when I was abandoned," I said. "I don't remember my parents, other than some feelings."
I sat back and put my fork down. I couldn't believe I'd actually told her that. Besides Judy, I'd never shared it with anyone.
"I'm sorry, Felix. This must bring back some bad feelings," she said.
"Was Clarita home when her mom was killed?" I asked.
"Yes. The police have evidence that suggests that."
"Like what?"
"Her bare footprints were in the blood."
I gritted my teeth. The callousness made my blood boil. "That's heinous."
"Will you help us find her, Felix?"
"I'm not exactly a favorite with you witchy types. How does Felicia feel about my involvement?"
"She doesn't like it, but I'd make a deal with the devil if it'd get Clarita back."
I nodded. She might just be doing that.
BLOOD TRAIL
"We should get going," Gabriella said. "I love the sisters, but they're unrepentant gossips."
"Place has a nice feel," I said. "Judy would like it."
"Going so soon?" Mari asked, appearing at our table. "Was something wrong? You've hardly touched your plates."
"It was delicious," I said. I'd eaten well over half of the food on my plate.
"Tell Belle we're sorry, but events of the last week have made eating hard," Gabriella said.
Mari placed her hand on Gabriella's arm. "Be careful, child, you’re in a precarious position and are making decisions that will endanger many." Mari's speech wouldn't have been particularly creepy if her eyes hadn't fogged over as she warned Gabriella.
Gabriella didn't even bat an eye, however, and patted the older woman's
Her eyelids looked as puffy as mine felt. "I am, but I'll get over it. How are you doing with all this? You have to be under a lot of stress."
"I'm scared for Clarita. Killing Victoria was one thing, she was a powerful witch who had enemies. I could almost understand the past catching up with her. But Benita? No way. She wasn't even a particularly powerful witch. The only reason she was allowed in the coven was because she was Victoria's daughter," she said.
"What about Clarita. Is she a witch?" I asked.
Before she could answer, we were interrupted.
"Hope you're hungry. Belle packed your plate about as deep as I've seen it," Mari said, sliding a platter filled with diced fried potatoes, green peppers, onions and four eggs over easy, all slathered with a pile of white gravy. "Belle nixed the ranchero sauce. Apparently, you're more of a cream gravy guy."
I nodded my head in appreciation. She was right about that.
The plate she placed in front of Gabriella contained a single pancake and a side of strawberries.
"Thank you, Mari," Gabriella said.
"You bet. And the hot sauce is behind the napkins," she said and bustled off.
I reached behind the napkins, pulled out my favorite wooden-topped, glass bottle of hot sauce and sprinkled on a liberal dose. The food smelled so wonderful, I forgot about Gabriella for a few minutes.
I finally paused long enough to take a big drink of coffee. Gabriella hadn't eaten a bite of her pancake yet and was staring at me, horrified.
"What?"
"Do you always eat this much?" she asked.
"There's bacon in these potatoes. Do you want to try some?" I asked, ignoring her question.
"Vegetarian." She picked up her knife and sliced a small hunk from her pancake.
"No syrup?" I asked.
"I hope you were just guessing about Clarita," she said.
"Guessing what? That she's a witch? That's not much of a guess. Magic follows blood lines," I said.
"Not always for witches," she said. "But Clarita is a very special little girl. She will possibly be the most powerful witch of her time, certainly within Leotown."
"You can tell this already?"
"Yes."
"How many people know?"
"It's a well-guarded secret. Which means just about every witch in Leotown knows. Victoria was proud of her grand-daughter. It was like she felt like she'd failed with Benita, but Clarita redeemed her."
"That's a lot to lay on a little girl. How old is Clarita?"
"Six years."
"Ugh. I was six when I was abandoned," I said. "I don't remember my parents, other than some feelings."
I sat back and put my fork down. I couldn't believe I'd actually told her that. Besides Judy, I'd never shared it with anyone.
"I'm sorry, Felix. This must bring back some bad feelings," she said.
"Was Clarita home when her mom was killed?" I asked.
"Yes. The police have evidence that suggests that."
"Like what?"
"Her bare footprints were in the blood."
I gritted my teeth. The callousness made my blood boil. "That's heinous."
"Will you help us find her, Felix?"
"I'm not exactly a favorite with you witchy types. How does Felicia feel about my involvement?"
"She doesn't like it, but I'd make a deal with the devil if it'd get Clarita back."
I nodded. She might just be doing that.
BLOOD TRAIL
"We should get going," Gabriella said. "I love the sisters, but they're unrepentant gossips."
"Place has a nice feel," I said. "Judy would like it."
"Going so soon?" Mari asked, appearing at our table. "Was something wrong? You've hardly touched your plates."
"It was delicious," I said. I'd eaten well over half of the food on my plate.
"Tell Belle we're sorry, but events of the last week have made eating hard," Gabriella said.
Mari placed her hand on Gabriella's arm. "Be careful, child, you’re in a precarious position and are making decisions that will endanger many." Mari's speech wouldn't have been particularly creepy if her eyes hadn't fogged over as she warned Gabriella.
Gabriella didn't even bat an eye, however, and patted the older woman's
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