Magic on Changeling Mountain

Colin and Stuart left to go to the store and Tammy went to check on her father. Carolyn picked up the phone and called up to her parents’ house. She explained to her mother what was going on and told her to keep everyone away.

“Make sure everyone washes their hands with antiseptic soap and reports any sore throats or headaches to me right away. Let’s see if we can keep this under control before it spreads to everyone on the mountain.”

“Ok. I’ll pass the word around. Did you guys get the barriers set up?” Angela asked.

“No, not completely. Not yet anyway. Haven’t Dad and Pastor Robins gotten there yet?” Carolyn asked, concerned that it was taking them so long.

“Well, I’ve been in the kitchen all morning cooking for Sunday. They might be out in the barn. Do you want me to go look and call you back?” Angela offered.

“Yes, please. They were going to stop off at the Wainwright place but they should have made it home by now. I hope nothing is wrong.”

“I’ll check and call you right back. Oh wait, I hear your dad’s truck coming in now. Hang on and I’ll find out what’s going on.” Angela put the phone down and Carolyn could hear her walking through the house and then she heard Angela call out to her father that Carolyn was on the phone for him. Soon her father picked up.

“Hey baby cakes, what’s up?” Daniel Masters asked.

“Hey dad! Is everything OK at Wainwrights?” She asked.

“Yeah, but it looks like someone has been up there. The cow and goats are gone and his tractor is sitting in the yard. Looks like they tried to steal it but it ran out of gas.” Daniel said.

“Oh wow. I can’t believe that other changelings would be stealing like that. Maybe Mr. Bennet came and took the animal’s home with him. It sure would be easier on him to look after them.” Carolyn said.

“Well, maybe but I think I’m going to get some of the other changelings to either stay up there or to patrol it regularly at least until we can have the funeral Sunday. It’s only two more days away after all.” Daniel said.

“Well, I was calling to let you know that Tammy’s father has come down with what we think is strep throat and before you get near the family, make sure you wash your hands and gargle with Listerine, just to be on the safe side.

If you get a headache or sore throat or feel at all sick, you have to let me know. Lucinda and Amelia apparated home to see if they can locate some other witches to help us get the barrier into place. Jacob and Julia are in quarantine in my spare bedroom and my friend Charlie is going to bring some antibiotics. Please tell Pastor Robins to do the same as you and tell him to call if he feels at all sick. He really needs to stay away from everyone for a couple of days.” Carolyn instructed.

“Ok, baby cakes. Maybe he will agree to stay here with us for a couple of days. You get some rest too. You were around him today too.”

“I know, daddy. Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. Tell Mom to sleep in my room for a couple of nights so that she doesn’t get it if you end up with it. You should know if you have it or not within 48 hours.”

Carolyn hung up and went to see how her patients were doing. As she started down the hall, Tammy came running out and said “We are going to need a bucket. He’s almost filled up the trash can.” She looked green and about to throw up herself as she raced to the bathroom.

Carolyn turned around and went to get the bucket she used for her mop and returned to the bedroom. She prayed that Charlie would hurry and would have some suggestions on how to treat this.

For the next hour and a half, she and Tammy watched over her parents. Colin and Stuart brought the soup and soda and Colin added some paper cups. That way they could throw them away instead of her having to boil her dishes to kill the germs. Carolyn told them that they should not get around other people for the next couple of days.

Colin said “I’ll rearrange the schedule to cover for our shifts and Stuart can crash at my place so we can watch over each other. You’ve got your hands full here. We’ll be OK.”

“Actually Stuart has been exposed to it more than you. Maybe you should let him go home and you just check in on him. Hopefully neither one of you has managed to catch it and you can go back on duty in a day or two but let’s play it safe for now and just keep away from as many people as possible.”

“Ok, babe. I’d kiss you goodbye but I guess kissing is not a good thing right now?”

“No, probably not. Call me later?” Carolyn said, as she looked at him longingly.

“Of course but don’t look at me like that or I’ll say to hell with it and take my chances on getting sick!” Colin teased.

“Oh, go on now. I’ve got sick people to attend to. Love you!” Carolyn called after him.

“Love you too. I’ll call you later.” Colin said as he got into his patrol vehicle and left. He had so looked forward to spending the whole day with her but circumstances seemed to work against them again.

He and Stuart drove back to the station and checked in with Jason, who was on duty to cover the phones.

“Hey, I’m glad you are back. Joe Danfield is acting up again. Marty from the bar called and asked that we come get him.” Jason said.

“Ok. We’ll go get him. When is that man ever going to learn that he can’t hold his liquor?” Colin said. “What’s got him going this time?”

“Who knows? Marty didn’t tell me what it was that set him off, only that he’s there busting the place up again.” Jason told him.

“Come on, Stuart. Let’s go before he tears the place down.” Colin said as he re-zipped his jacket and headed back out the door.

Stuart followed behind him. “Should I take my car or can I ride with you?”

“Save the town some gas, come ride with me.” Colin said. “It will give us a chance to talk.”

Stuart almost wished he had kept his mouth shut but climbed into Colin’s patrol vehicle and buckled his seat belt and waited. He knew Colin well enough to know that he would say or ask whatever it was on his mind only when he was ready. They were halfway to the bar, which was on the other side of town, when Colin finally asked, “So when are you and Tammy planning on tying the knot?”

It was not the question Stuart had expected and it caught him off guard. “Um, I’m not sure yet. We haven’t had much chance to discuss anything yet.”

“I know what you mean. Carolyn and I have been engaged since Christmas and we still haven‘t had a chance to plan our wedding. Lord, I can’t wait for that day to come.”

“It’s not the wedding you are looking forward to, it’s the honeymoon!” Stuart teased him.

“Well, that too!” Colin chuckled “But it’s more than that! I’ve known and loved Carolyn since we were children. I still have to pinch myself to believe she loves me back. I can’t wait for her to become my wife and for us to begin our lives together.”

They pulled up in front of the bar just in time to see a chair come sailing through the front window. “Wonderful.” Colin commented. “Come on, let’s go before he tears the place down around Marty’s ears.”

They entered the bar and had to immediately duck as another chair sailed over their heads followed closely by Harry MacKenzie, a local resident that had been in the bar and was trying to help Marty subdue Joe, landed at their feet. There were four men trying to subdue Joe, who was a large barrel chested man with arms to match and bright red hair and beard, but they looked like children trying to climb a human volcano.

Marty came running to Colin and Stuart yelling, “Stop him, please! Stop him before he tears my bar apart and this time I’m pressing charges and I want a restraining order!” Marty wagged a finger in Colin’s face.

“What set him off this time?” Stuart asked.

“He came in here mad. Then that idiot biker, the big guy with the leather jacket, got his nose out of place when Joe commented on his girlfriend’s double D’s. There were three other guys with the biker and of course they couldn’t stay out of it. They’ve been tearing the place apart for the last half hour. Please make them stop!” Marty told them.

“Stuart, go get Zoey.” Colin said and tossed him his keys. Stuart caught them and left, glad that he wasn’t going to have to take on the big men. He knew what was going to happen and as he pulled out of the parking lot, sure enough, he heard the shot.

Colin pulled his service pistol and pointed it at the ceiling and pulled the trigger. The shot was like throwing ice on the bikers and everyone seemed to freeze, except Joe. He finished the punch he had been about to throw and doubled the big biker over his fist. Down the biker went on top of one of his friends, who was out cold on the floor. Then Joe staggered back and smiled a bloody smile at Colin. He was missing at least one of his front teeth. His right eye was going to be swollen and black in the morning and he had blood running down the side of his face. “Hey sheriff. Come to join the fun?”

“Joe, how many times do we have to tell you, you can’t come in here and bust the place up. You haven’t worked off the costs from the last time, have you?”

Joe staggered back and sat down heavily on the only stool in the place that hadn’t been broken and hung his head. “No, that’s going to take a while.” He said, as he looked around the place. “Oh man, Zoey is going to kill me.”

“Marty, can you call the station and tell Jason to bring the van? I won’t be able to fit all of these guys in my jeep.” Colin said.

“You make sure you tell the judge I want a restraining order this time. And you! Stay out of my bar, Joe! I mean it this time. The next time you darken my doorway, I’m going to shoot you myself!” Marty said as he began picking up the few pieces of furniture that had only been knocked over and not broken.

Out of the 8 tables and 40 chairs, he only had 2 complete sets and one extra chair, which he sat down in and looked around him. The big mirror over the bar and all of the glass shelves that had held his liquor and glassware in front of it had been broken as were the two beer taps dispensers. He had shut them off from underneath the bar as soon as the fight had broken out. This wasn’t his first go round with Joe and his temper but he was going to make sure it was the last this time.

Colin began helping the bikers to get up and sat them in the chairs. A woman with blonde and black hair inched her way out of the bathroom and over to the biggest of the men, keeping a wary eye on Joe. She whispered to Colin “That man is crazy.” She said, pointing at Joe.

“No, just not very bright.” Colin told her and while he didn’t know exactly what had been said to set the biker off, he could imagine. The woman was tall and very well endowed in her breast and it was shown to its best effect in the tiny tank top she had on under the leather jacket that was open down the front.

She had on a pair of leather pants that looked like they had been painted on to her long legs and ample bottom. Her combat style leather boots looked brand new and must have cost a small fortune. She wasn’t what Colin would call a pretty woman as she was much too skinny and painted for his taste but he could see why she turned heads with those large breasts and tiny waist. She had a way of standing that made her look like she was posing for a photographer all the time, with her back straight and her chest stuck out.

Stuart came back about the same time that Jason showed up with the van and he didn’t look at all happy.

“Zoey said to tell you, and I quote her, “to throw his ass in jail and throw away the key.” She claims she’s done bailing him out.” Stuart whispered to Colin. It would be easier on everyone if Joe didn’t find out that Zoey wasn’t going to bail him out until after they had him behind bars. He was going to be upset to say the least.

“Come on, help me get everyone loaded up.” Colin said. “Better put Joe in my jeep so that nothing gets said to set him off again.”

Jason came over and they looked over the mess that Joe and the bikers had made of the bar. “Oh man, what a mess! When is he ever going to learn? He’ll have to take out a second mortgage on the house to pay for it this time.”

“Marty, get a list together of all the damages and I’ll let you know when to show up for court.” Colin said, as he took hold of Joe’s arm and walked him out to the jeep. Stuart and Jason, handcuffed and loaded the bikers into the back of the van. “Hey, how come you guys didn’t handcuff the guy who started it all?” The biker chick wanted to know.

“They don’t make handcuffs that big. Joe’s basically harmless unless you piss him off. What did your boyfriend say to him?” Jason asked.

“I think it was something like “carrot topped troll” and “hillbilly”.” She replied.

“Hillbilly. Yep. That would have done it.” Stuart said. “Well, sit back and relax. We’ll get him contained first.” Stuart had always thought that they should keep a cell reserved for Joe. He usually managed to get into trouble every couple of months except he wasn’t a nice drunk like Otis on Mayberry. Joe was a one man wrecking crew.

Colin took Joe in and booked him then locked him in the single person cell, after he had removed the bedframe and just left the mattress on the floor. “Hey, where’s the bed?” Joe asked, as Colin closed the door behind him. “There’s no place to sit down!”

“You broke the chair and the bed the last time you were here so you’ll just have to sit on the floor. Be thankful we had the extra mattress or you’d be sleeping on the concrete.” Colin told him.

Joe wasn’t happy about it but he entered the cell and turned around as Colin closed the door behind him. “Have you called Zoey to come get me?” He asked.

“Yeah, Joe. We even went over to the shop and were going to give her a ride but she said she’s not going to come this time. She said she’s tired of bailing you out because you never learn not to do it again. She said she’s done bailing you out and is not going to come this time or ever again.” Colin said, glad that he was on the other side of the locked cell door because he expected Joe to go off and become violent again. To say he was shocked at Joe’s reaction was an understatement. The look on Joe’s face was so pitiful that Colin felt sorry for him.

Joe seemed to crumple after that. He sat down on the floor cross legged and just looked at his hands as big tears rolled down his face. “Damn! She warned me how many times that one of these days she was going to do this but I guess I didn’t want to believe it. She always says that next time she won’t bail me out but she always does. I guess I’ve done it one time too many times.”

“Yeah, Joe. Zoey is a good woman. She needs someone she can depend on to help her through life, not make her spend all of her hard earned money on bail and repairing Marty’s bar because you can’t control your temper.” Colin told him. “Looks like you’ll just have to stay here until the Judge determines what he’s going to do with you. I’m afraid it’s not going to be good, Joe. He told you last time that his patience was wearing thin with you and the only reason he let you go last time was because of Zoey.”

“I know, Sheriff. Will you do me a small favor?” Joe asked.

“Sure, Joe, if I can.” Colin told him.

“Tell Zoey I’m sorry. I doubt if she’s going to come see me and I want her to know that I’m sorry that I let her down again.” Joe said and then hung his head.

“Sure, Joe. I’ll tell her. Now you lay down and get some rest.” Colin told him. He left the cell area, puzzled and glad for what had just happened. Joe was not someone he wanted to go one on one with in a fight but he was also a good man. He just couldn’t hold his liquor and shouldn’t drink. Maybe now he has finally learned a very hard lesson. He just hoped that this latest incident would not be the final straw for his marriage with Zoey.

Colin went to do the paperwork for booking Joe and the restraining order that Marty insisted on. He called Marty’s bar as soon as that was ready and told him he would need to come sign it so that it could be submitted to the judge in the morning.

He sent Stuart home and told him to get some rest. “Take some vitamin C and drink lots of fluids. Let’s just hope that we weren’t around Tammy’s parents enough to get strep throat. From what Carolyn told me, Tammy is in quarantine, so get some rest!”

Stuart wanted to argue, but knew it was pointless, so he did as he was told, at least on the going home part. He figured that now he would have the time to really get his apartment cleaned up. From what he had seen of Tammy’s apartment, she was a neat person and he didn’t want her to think he was a slob.

Charlie showed up with his doctor bag and checked on Jacob and Julia and confirmed Carolyn’s diagnosis of strep throat. “They both have it so open up and let me see your throat.” Charlie said after he came out of the bathroom, wiping his hands on a clean towel. He shone his pen light down first at Carolyn’s and then Tammy’s throats.

“Well, it doesn’t look like you have it yet so I’m going to give you both shots to boost your immune systems and recommend that you try to stay away from them as much as possible. Have they been sick recently? They are both very pale.” Charlie asked.

“No, in hiding. And Charlie, please don’t say anything to anyone about them. They need to stay under the radar, if you know what I mean?”

“Well, I can’t say my curiosity has not peaked but I know better than to stick my nose in where it is not welcome but don’t worry, I won’t say anything to anyone. I took some blood samples and will run standard tests but I am pretty certain that once they are able to hold down some solid food, which probably won’t be for a couple of days at least, they need some good hearty meals and lots of rest and then some sunshine. Best source of vitamins there is, so long as you don’t overdo it. In the meantime, load them up on vitamin’s B, C & D.”

“Thanks, Charlie. I owe you one.” Carolyn said.

“Hey, you saved Mr. Whiskers for my daughter, so let’s just say we are even.” Charlie replied. He gave them both shots and bottles of hand sanitizer then left.

“Mr. Whiskers?” Tammy asked after he was gone.

“His 9 year old daughter, at the time, 20 pound cat. He was seriously overweight because she was over feeding him. He ate a rubber mouse and his system couldn’t digest it and I had to cut it out of his intestines along with several cotton balls and q-tips and about 6 lbs of fat! If he hadn’t swallowed the mouse whole, his own body weight would have slowly killed him, as he was literally strangling in his own body fat.”

“Ewww. Gross! Poor kitty cat.” Tammy said. “So what are we going to do now? I was hoping to see Stuart later today but I guess that’s out of the question now?”

“Yeah, sorry. I was hoping that Colin and I might get a chance to spend some time alone too but that’s not going to happen either. I told both of them to go home and stay away from other people. But I’d bet my last dollar that they went back to the station first.” Carolyn said, as she pulled out her cell phone and called Colin.

“Hi, babe.” Colin answered.

“Hi! Where are you?” Carolyn asked.

“Just leaving the station. Joe busted up Marty’s again.” Colin said, hoping she would understand.

“Colin, you have to stay away from everyone no matter what is going on or we could be facing an epidemic of strep throat. Charlie was just here and confirmed that it is strep and he has us in quarantine for the next 48 hours.” Carolyn said, trying not to sound like she was scolding but it came across that way anyway.

“Ok, ok. Point taken. I’m heading home now. Stuart went home about a half an hour ago. I had only stopped off to pick up the work schedule so that I could rearrange it to cover us when Jason told us about Joe. I’m going home now and won’t leave until you tell me it’s ok. I don’t want to be the one to spread that around. I had it when I was in high school and it’s no fun!” Colin said.

“Call Stuart and make sure he knows that he is to stay home and not be passing any germs he may have been exposed to around. If you have it already, take some Zicam and vitamin C. If not, call the pharmacy and have them deliver some. In the meantime, drink lots of fluids and get plenty of rest. Same goes for Stuart.”

“Ok. I will. You take care and follow your own advice. Love you.” Colin said and then hung up. He drove straight home and called Stuart to let him know that Tammy’s parents definitely had strep and what Carolyn had said they needed to do. As soon as he got in his apartment, he stripped out of his uniform, took a shower and pulled on his most comfortable sweats. He made himself some lunch and then sat down to work on the schedule for the other deputies. It was going to mean that his deputies were going to have to work long shifts which he hated. He didn’t like having to dump his responsibilities on anyone else but it couldn’t be helped.

Since he had the time, he also worked on a proposal he had been thinking about for a while now of asking the town council for the funds to be able to hire some new deputies. He wondered if Justin might consider joining the force now that he was home. He would offer it to Ralph but Ralph had confided in him that he never wanted to handle a gun again for as long as he lived. And unfortunately, carrying a sidearm was part of the job.

Colin had had to pull his gun several times during his career as a cop but the only times he had ever fired it were like when he had arrested Joe at the bar. He had never shot at a person and in the back of his mind, he often wondered if he could actually shoot someone. He’s sure that if it was to save the life of himself or someone else, he probably could but hoped he would never have to find out.

Once that was done and since he was going to be stuck in the apartment for a couple of days, he decided to follow Stuart’s train of thought about cleaning his apartment and do the same.