For previous editions, go here.

Birdie whirled around with a gasp, her hand clutching Sassy’s leash.  Exhaling, she glowered at Percy.  “What are you doing here?”

He motioned to Mr. Pemberely through the window.  “What are you doing here?”

She mimicked his gesture.  “What have you found out, so far?”

He shook his head.  “Not much.  He’s spent days huddled in his lab, trying to solve some expierment he won’t tell me about.  He did talk about the zoo and the Curse of Zarina.”

Birdie waited as Percy gaped at her.   His owl-like eyes blinked behind his thick black frames.  “Well?”

“Well what?”  He blinked again.

“What did Mr. Pemberely say?”  Birdie hissed impatiently.

“Oh.”  Percy’s head bobbed on his long neck.  “He said that he’d had experiences with curses before.  He acted like it would be really simple to break it.  He kept saying, “Just a few drops of my magic elixir, and that poor elephant will be free.”  But everytime he started to go on, that bulldog sitting on his lap would growl.”

“That bulldog is Max.”  Birdie leaned back and crossed her arms, smug at her discovery.

Percy blinked.  “It can’t be.”

“It is,” Birdie insisted.  “And because of Max, Mr. Pemberely is getting a reputation as an animal whisperer.”  She shook her head.  “Though I doubt the fine society of Pemberely would talk to him if they knew what he really looked like.”

“That can’t be Max,” Percy argued.  “I hear his voice all time time, arguing with Mr. Pemberely.  He sounds like a man.  A very large man, in fact, with a very deep voice.”

“But it would make perfect sense!” Birdie protested.  “No one has seen Max in ages.  If Mr. Pemberely managed to turn him into a dog, he could still be powerful, but no one would ever know it was him.”

“But wouldn’t he look like Mr. Pemberely?” Percy took off his glasses and began cleaning them on his shirt.  “I mean, not to be rude, but so far his experiments always end up rather…badly.  He doesn’t exactly have a sterling reputation in the scientific community.”

Birdie shrugged.  “Maybe the guy was seeking immortality or something.  Or maybe he just wanted to be able to hike his leg and pee on trees.  I don’t care why he’s a dog; I just care about what they’re going to do at the zoo.  I’ve got to save the animals–and the ones in the shop.”

“They have been restless lately,” Percy mused.  “It’s like they know something we don’t.  The kittens hardly nap anymore; the lizards don’t even bother to sun themselves.  Even the fish swim in circles, like they’re racing away from someone.”  He stepped back and jumped at a loud yowl.  Stooping down, he peered through his glasses at a thin form in the darkness.  “Is this your cat?”

“It’s your cat.”

Percy’s eyes wide eyes grew wider.  “I don’t have a cat.”

“It’s from your shop.”  Birdie made a face at the cat, who was licking it’s injured paw and glaring at Percy.  “It’s the one that kept watching me.  Now it’s just following me wherever I go.”  She looked down at Sassy, who was eating some grass.  “Sassy doesn’t seem to mind, so I figured she was harmless.”

Percy looked at the cat, then back up at her.  “You’re like the pied piper, you know.  Animals flock to you.  You can see the ones in the store, they follow you around…I bet you have a million at the house.”

“Not a million.”  Birdie peered through the window and cursed.  A large woman in a large purple dress was blocking her view.  “The question is, how do we find out what’s going on?”

“No,” a haughty voice interrupted.  “The question is, what are you doing here?”

Percy squeaked.  “Hello, madam.”

Birdie turned to face a large angry woman in a silk dress, holding a plate of cookies.  “Oh wonderful!” she beamed, clapping her hands.  “I’m so glad we found you.”

The woman eyed her suspiciously.  “Found me?”

“We’re here to audition for the magic act.”  Birdie elbowed Percy, whose mouth was flopping open and closed like a fish out of water.  “We saw the flier and knew that we had to come try.  And my mother, Willow Lark”–

“Your mother is Willow Lark?”  The lady’s frown smoothed somewhat.  “She’s very good.  You know, she brought such a peace to my soul.”

Birdie forced the smile to stay on her face.  “Oh yes.  She’s um, talented.  But she told me about the meeting tonight and I told my partner, Percy here, that we just had to come try.  Didn’t I, Percy?”

Percy didn’t say a word.  He merely bobbed his head up and down on his long neck, a ridiculous smile frozen on his face.

“If it wouldn’t bother the other ladies too much, might we audition?”  Birdie smiled, hoping she looked like the picture of innocence.  “That’s after Mr. Pemberely finishes auditioning, of course.”

The lady’s gaze sharpened.  “How do you know that’s Mr. Pemberely?”

Birdie giggled.  “This is his assistant, of course!”

“Really?”  The woman’s eyes widened.  “Fascinating.”  Eying them, she shoved a cookie into her mouth.  “Yes, yes.  Quite.  I think a new magic act is just what our event needs.”  Shoving another cookie in her mouth, she gestured to the porch.  “Come inside, won’t you?  I’d love to see what you can do.  I’m Mrs. Abigail Adams, Junior League President and owner of this home.”

“It’s lovely to meet you,” Birdie gushed.  “Just let me confer with my partner for a moment and we’ll be right in.”

Inhaling another cookie, Mrs. Adams swept inside.

“Confer?” Percy blinked.  “What’s confer mean?  And why are we doing magic?  I thought we were trying to save the animals.”

“We are, you idiot,” Birdie hissed.  “Haven’t you ever heard of an inside job?”

Percy shook his head.  “But I don’t know any magic.  And Mr. Pemberely will get mad if he sees me here.  I was supposed to be watching the shop.”  He frowned.  “Why did you tell her about your mom, and that I was his assistant?  We should have had secret idenities.  Like superman.”

“Comic books,” Birdie muttered.  “Not surprising.”

“Huh?”

“Look, Percy, the best thing to do in these situations is be as truthful as possible,” Birdie replied, even though she had never been in a situation like this so she had no idea what was best.  “Just follow my lead and go along with what I say, ok?”

“Ok.”  Percy sulked, dragging his feet as he followed her up the steps.  “But if I get in trouble, I’m blaming you.”

Birdie rolled her eyes.  “Just don’t talk.”  Holding open the door, she crept inside with Percy sighing behind her, Sassy bounding eagerly and the cat slinking in before the door shut.

It was time for magic.

Stay tuned, Invisible Friends!  We have a new recipe tomorrow and a new Dallas Jean Lee Friday!  Then Saturday, more Comfort and Whimsy!

More