It Takes a Witch: A Wishcraft Mystery Read Free

dollars from the tooth fairy, fifty dollars for accessories, and one hundred dollars for a half hour of my time.
    I bent my head close to Laurel Grace’s and whispered the words Aunt Ve had me memorize.
    “Hello, hello, little one,
    A tooth you have lost,
    More you will lose.
    Put them under your pillow,
    And take a sweet snooze.
    For upon that eve,
    You will receive
    A visit from me,
    If you just believe.”
    Laurel Grace’s eyelids squeezed into a wince—­I couldn’t blame her—­it was a horrible, horrible rhyme—­then popped open.
    Filled with a warmth that came from being part of such a special moment, I suddenly had visions of being the area’s go-­to tooth fairy, spreading love and happiness and gold coins across the state—­heck, across all of New England. Even the tulle didn’t seem so uncomfortable anymore.
    Laurel Grace stared at me for a second, probably taking in the tiara, the eyelashes, the wings, the makeup and glitter. I kept quiet, giving her a moment for it all to sink in.
    Abruptly, she sat upright, looked me straight in the eyes, and started screaming at the top of her lungs. Long, shrieking cries that hurt my ears. “Stranger danger! Stran-­ger dan-­ger!”
    Startled, I screamed back.
    Amanda rushed into the room, saying, “Shhh, shhh.”
    I wasn’t sure if she was talking to me or her daughter.
    Clamping my lips closed, I backed away as Amanda sat on the bed and gathered Laurel Grace close. “Shhh.”
    “Stranger danger! Stran-­ger dan-­ger!” Laurel Grace continued to howl.
    “No, no,” I said, gathering my wits. “I’m not a stranger! I’m the tooth fairy.” Heaven help me, I even twirled. My skirt billowed out, raining sparkles on the carpet.
    “No, you’re not.” Tears flowed from Laurel Grace’s eyes.
    Ve had not prepared me for
this
scenario.
    “Yes, I am,” I reassured, fluffing layers of tulle as though that would help my cause.
    “She really is.” Cherise sat on the other side of the bed, rubbing Laurel Grace’s back.
    “No, she’s not,” Laurel Grace insisted.
    “Why isn’t she?” Amanda asked her daughter.
    “She’s—­she’s…” I was waiting for the words “a fraud” to fall from her lips, and was shocked when she said, “She’s not blond!”
    I held back a smile as I fingered my long dark hair, trying to think of what to do, what to say. I knelt by Laurel Grace’s bed and improvised as best I could. “Fairies are just like people.”
And Crafters,
I added silently. “We come in all different shapes, sizes, and colors.”
    She gazed at me with big blue eyes as though I wasn’t even close to measuring up to her idea of a fairy. It was true I more resembled Esméralda from Disney’s
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
, which might be a tad bit confusing to a five-­year-­old looking for the Tinkerbell sort, so I tried really hard not to be offended when she started wailing again.
    I saw Cherise’s lips moving but couldn’t hear what she was saying, and then her left eye blinked twice. Laurel Grace immediately quieted but still wore a tremulous pout.
    Cherise had used a curing spell to calm the little girl.
    Amanda quickly said, “Why don’t you look under your pillow, honey?”
    I recognized a chance to escape when I saw one. “I should be going. Lots of stops to make tonight. Lots of teeth lost!” I backed out of the room as Laurel Grace pulled the satin pouch from beneath the pillow.
    “How did she know my name, Mommy?” I heard from the safety of the hallway.
    “Because she’s magical,” Amanda answered. “Do you believe now?”
    “Maybe,” Laurel Grace whispered.
    I had to smile at her noncommitment.
    Cherise had followed me out. “Thank you, Darcy,” she said as we walked down the stairs. In the kitchen, she pressed a check into my hand. “I’ll let Velma know what a great job you did.”
    I was ready to put this whole night behind me—­and hang up my wings for good. I tucked the check into my purse. “You’re