It’s my birthday today!

27!

And now, my gift to  you…a new Shimmer!

Elbowing her way through the crowd, Magnolia gagged and coughed, waving the smoke out of her face as she raced up to the charred edges of her aunt’s bookshop.

“Whoa!”  A blue-clad arm chopped down in front of her.  ”Ma’am, you can’t go in there!”

“That’s my aunt’s shop!”   She glared at the policeman, shoving against his arm.  ”I’ve got to see her!”

“This is your aunt’s shop?”  Wordlessly,the cop grabbed her arm, steering her over to a cluster of firemen.  ”Hey guys, her aunt owns it.”

“Excuse me.”  Magnolia yanked her arm away, smoothing her dress.  The little dignity she had left was spoiled by the kitten’s head peeking out of the bag, a perturbed mewl making even the hardened fireman chief’s lips twitch.

“Ma’am, do you know how we could contact your aunt?”  The firechief swallowed a giggle as the kitten batted at ash snowflakes fluttering around them.  ”We need someone to help with the crime scene.”

“Crime scene?”  Magnolia whirled around, staring at the crispy front sign, dangling from one lonely chain.  ”Um, don’t you mean fire?”

The fire chief shifted, his rubber boots squeaking.  A reporter scuttled by him, the rapid flash making her eyes ache.  ”You see, Miss…uhhh…”

“Magnolia,” Bridget supplied, sliding under the yellow caution tape.  ”Magnolia.”

“Hey, you can’t”– the cop raised his hands, backing off at her glare.  ”My mistake.”

“What’s the problem?” Bridget demanded, yanking the lens off the reporter’s camera and dropping it in her purse.  ”Touch me and you die,” she informed him, ignoring his wounded howl.  ”You can take pictures later.”

“I need a story!” he whined.

“Well, you’re not getting this one.”  Bridget tossed the lens into a pile of burned books.  ”Here, fetch.”  Turning her attention back to the cop, she demanded, “So?”

The firecheif coughed, the cop wincing as he spoke.  ”Someone broke into the store originally.  We think the fire was a cover up.”

Bridget turned to Magnolia.  ”You don’t think…”

Magnolia fished a jewel out of her purse, holding it up to her eye.  Through the faceted stone, dark smudges and a inky fog trailed through the book store, leaking out of the windows and dribbling through the doorways.  Swallowing hard, she nodded.

“Drat,” Bridget cursed.  ”What do you think your”–

“WHAT IS GOING ON?”

“That answers that,” Bridget replied as Magnolia’s aunt stormed onto the scene, her icy eyes sweeping over the crowd.  ”I want to know who was responsible for this travesty!”

“We haven’t found that out, ma’am.”  The cop stepped behind the fire truck door, his voice squeaking over the charred window.  ”It looks like a case of burglary and arson.”

As her aunt screeched at the cops, Magnolia whispered into Bridget’s ear.  ”Get Cici.  I’m going to take a peek in the store.”  Bridget nodded, glaring at the journalist, once again snapping away as she hurried toward the cupcake shop.

Ignoring the kittens’ repeated protests, Magnolia crept inside the crumbling shop.  Burned books scattered the floor, black clumps of ashes displayed on scorched bookshelves.  Blinking back tears, she surveyed the damage, ash swirling around her heels as she stepped gingerly across the soot-streaked floor.  A yellowed page scuttled past her foot, the dark print smudged with grey and black.  She traced its path with her eyes, panic tightening her throat.  Rushing down the basement steps, she rounded the corner.  But even before her eyes confirmed it, she knew.

The Nancy Drew books were gone.  Only a black flower remained in their place.

Suddenly, she heard a roar of applause.  Cursing her decision to wear cute shoes, she hurried back up the stairs, sneaking out the back door to avoid lectures from overzealous firemen.

“So what do you say?” Cici’s voice rang out over the crowd’s, warm as burned sugar.  ”A town party on Midsummer’s Night to raise money for the Book Nook?”

Cheers and applause roared. Even the firemen and cops were nodding in approval, wide smiles on their faces.

“So bring your cash and your appetite!  My cupcake shop will provide the goodies…”

“Gentlemen, I’ll provide bouquets for the ladies.”  Bridget’s smooth voice won giggles and groans.

“And we’ll have dancing and music and everything you could want.”  Amaryllis twirled.  ”A fundraiser on Midsummer’s Night Eve.”

Much to the kitten’s dismay, Magnolia fainted.

Stay tuned, Invisible Friends!  We have a new recipe tomorrow!

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