Nine Lives (Lily Dale Mystery #1)(98)

Odelia nipped it in the bud. “Let’s put it to rest, Pandora. The war ended hundreds of years ago.”

Bella half expected Odelia to add that she was there when it happened, but for once, she refrained from bringing up her past lives.

“Just join us, Pandora. It’s going to be a spectacular day.”

“I never pay attention to weather forecasts.”

“I’m not talking about the weather. Rain or shine, we’ll be celebrating freedom,” Odelia said firmly, with a meaningful nod at Bella.

How about rain and shine? At the moment, the sun is still peeking out, but it’s started to sprinkle.

Rainbow weather.

Max insisted he saw one yesterday, but it eluded her. Now finishing up with the dishes, she finds herself searching the sky above the lake. Nope. Nothing but clouds and sun. Rain and shine.

That’s okay. I’ll take it.

“Oh, no! Mom!”

Bella turns to see Max, wide-eyed, clutching a crimson-stained napkin against his mouth.

“What happened?”

“My tooth!”

His tooth.

Thank goodness. Thank goodness.

Bella hurries to his side and gently tips his head back. “Here, open your mouth. Let’s see.”

“But I swallowed it.”

“Just like you said,” Jiffy tells him admiringly. “On the Fourth of July.”

That gives Bella pause.

Do I believe in coincidences?

“No, that’s mine!” Opal St. Clair is insisting to her sister. “Bella, dear, tell Ruby that it’s mine.”

“Your what?”

“My red piece, right there in the Lollipop Woods. She thinks it’s hers.”

“I’m red, because it matches my name.”

“No, you’re yellow.”

“Yellow doesn’t match. My name isn’t yellow.”

“It isn’t red, either.”

“If I’m not in the Lollipop Woods,” Ruby says, “then where am I?”

“But by the way,” Jiffy tells Max, “the tooth fairy won’t come if you swallow your tooth.”

“Yes, she will. My mom says. Right, Mom?”

“The tooth fairy will come no matter what,” she assures Max.

“Are you sure?”

“I’m positive. She pops in here all the time to, you know, hike the Fairy Trail.”

“The Fairy Trail! That’s it.” Ruby studies the game board and then looks up, confused. “Where is the Fairy Trail, dear?”

“I think you’re still back there in the Peppermint Forest,” Max tells Ruby.

Noting that it’s time to feed little Spidey again, Bella leaves her son grinning a happy, gappy grin and makes her way back through the quiet house.

Doctor Bailey had been pleased yesterday to see that the little kitten is thriving and that Chance hasn’t rejected him.

“She’s an unusual cat,” he commented as he packed up his scale and instruments.

“You don’t know the half of it,” Bella replied.

But at least she doesn’t walk through walls.

Doctor Bailey promised he’d be back to check on the kittens again later today.

“On a holiday? Is that necessary?” she asked, worried that the kitten might not be doing quite as well as he’d implied.

When he assured her that it is necessary—and that he doesn’t have other plans anyway—she found herself wondering whether he’s simply the most conscientious veterinarian in the world or looking for something to do on this first holiday of summer.

Maybe a little bit of both. Maybe something more, too.

Before he left, Odelia managed to invite him to the barbecue.

He accepted immediately.

Doctor Bailey . . .

Grant . . .

Bella isn’t sure how she feels about that.

As she starts up the stairs, she sees that sunlight is falling through the stained-glass window. Multicolored light arcs across the landing.

There. She got her rainbow after all.

Maybe it’s a sign. Maybe it means that everything is going to be— Her foot catches a stair tread.

She falls forward.

So much for signs, Bella thinks wryly, sprawled on her hands and knees. I really hope that wasn’t— Wait a minute.

The landing’s hardwood floor, now just inches from her face, is . . .

Off.

One of the cracks between the floorboards is a little too wide.

Heart pounding, she looks for evidence of a hidden latch or hinge. Finding nothing, she feels her way along both sides of the crack, pressing, probing. Nothing happens.

She hurries back to the kitchen.

“What are you doing, Mom?” Max looks up from the game as she jerks open a drawer and fumbles around inside. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Nothing’s wrong. It’s fine. I’m fine.”

Grabbing a butter knife, she races back to the landing. With a trembling hand, she slides the tip into the space between the floorboards. She runs it along the length of the crack, jiggling it back and forth.

Nothing happens.

This isn’t like the closet. No hidden panel swings open or springs toward her.

Maybe she was wrong.

As she pulls the knife out of the slot between the floorboards, she sees one of them rise. Just a little—but enough.