Sister's Keepers Read online

  "So, step one is done, and we have a way to recognize the little green guy. Now how do we go about catching him?" I asked.

  "I've been thinking about that," Lily said. "It may just be fiction, but leprechauns are supposed to be overly fond of gold and lucky charms. The real things, not the cereal, although on TV they're overly fond of those too."

  "If we could find a golden lucky charm, then maybe we could tempt the faerie from his hiding spot?" Jed asked.

  Lily nodded. "Saint Patrick’s Day is Wednesday. I thought we could find a golden four-leaf clover or something and have a local pub host a leprechaun look a like contest. I mean, it should be too tempting for a leprechaun to resist, especially if the pub was an Irish one. It'd be covering three things they supposedly love: gold, charms, and booze."

  "And we make sure that we are the ones who award the prize," I said. "With these handy pendants, we'll be sure to award it to the right faerie. But how do we keep him from simply disappearing?"

  "The Fae can't just pop in and out like Coyote," Rose said. "They only appear to because of their glamor. With all of us wearing a clover, he shouldn't be able to get out of our sight, once we identify him."

  We had a plan. Wednesday would tell us whether or not it was a good one.

  UNFORTUNATELY FOR ROSE, me, and Lily, the leprechaun struck our pack. Either that or really, really bad luck. The three of us, each guilty of illegal digging and plant removal in a state park, came down with a bad case of poison ivy. I figured the little devil had been there watching us, and Lily's warning had given him the idea. Being a part-time wolf, I've always been immune to the stuff. It seems a faerie trick can surpass even genetics.

  Jed was a trooper, though. Supplying us all with Calamine lotion and running oatmeal baths for me. I was still miserable, though, and itched my way through to Wednesday night. I was really looking forward to getting my hands on the little bugger.

  Rose had set everything up with the local Irish pub. We were to meet up there around six and keep watch for our culprit to show up. Whether or not we waited around for him to win the contest totally depended on how much we were all itching at the time. If he had the ability to stop the itching, we might even let him live.

  Being sixteen, and thus underage to be in the bar, Lily was going to sit this one out. She and Maggie were in a car parked by the back door, just in case he was more slippery than we might give him credit for. Rebel was covering the front. The windows to the pub were all barred, so that should mean we had all bases covered.

  The night was chilly as the good old Indiana weather had leaned back toward the winter realm of things again. I felt bulky in my old army coat. Not the same light feeling of nice warm fur at all. Jed and I showed up a little before six and ordered a veggie plate to share in deference to Rose joining us later. At six sharp, she walked in.

  Mine wasn't the only jaw that dropped at her appearance. Jed and half the men in the pub did likewise. Little did I know that Rose was a knockout. Instead of her customary tight French braid, her long silver and black hair hung in a wavy cascade down her back. She was dressed in a sparkling pink and gray long sweater dress over tight black leggings. The leggings were tucked inside knitted gray calf boots. Her cane was nowhere to be seen, either.

  Rose grinned at our reaction. "I do clean up occasionally, you know."

  I tucked my tongue back in my mouth and just went with a nod. "Good to know."

  Jed smiled. "You look great, Rose."

  "Thank you, Jed." Then she lowered her voice. "I just hope the bartender notices."

  I stared at her and then looked at the bartender in question. Not a bad choice, that. He looked familiar, but I couldn't quite place where I had seen him before.

  "He's new to town," Rose said, winking at me. "He moved here to be closer to his son, Brian."

  "Sheriff Dunwood's father?" Of course, then it all made sense. Rose had always had a thing for Dunwood. With the arrival of the new bartender, she just might have a shot at an older version. Now that I knew what I was looking at, I could definitely see the resemblance. I didn't even have to ask whether or not he was single. Rose wouldn’t be interested if he wasn't fair game.

  "Widower? Or divorced?" Jed asked. Okay, so that was a fair question. Just one I hadn't thought of.

  "Widower," Rose said proudly. So, not a man to take marriage lightly. A good sign of a good man.

  Trying to get my mind off the track of Rose's love life, or lack thereof, I glanced around the bar. Our plan might not have been as well thought out as we had hoped. The bar was literally packed with small men in green outfits, most of them sporting Irish looking pipes. Leprechaun heaven.

  "How on earth do we know which one is the real one? He could be any one of these guys," I said.

  "Well, the contest judging is at eight o'clock, so we have a couple of hours to roust him out of the herd. He may not even be here yet," Jed said.

  I glanced down at my pendant with the quickly drying clover on its back. I'd plucked another fresh one and taped it to my shoulder, out of sight. I believed in being prepared. Plan B, so to speak.

  The manager of the bar was making the most of our anonymous donation. He had even added the bonus of the Saint Patrick's day tab being on the house for the lucky winning leprechaun. I figured with that bit of sweetening, the little dude was as good as caught.

  I leaned back in my chair, grinning. I love it when a plan comes together.

  Standing up on the stage the pub had rigged for the contest, the manager asked for everyone's attention. Once the pub was semi-quiet, he made his announcement.

  "Welcome, everyone to our Saint Patrick's Day celebration. May your beer always run green. We are honored tonight to have a genuine Irishman, born and raised, to judge tonight's contest and award the prize. Join me in welcoming Mr. Ian MacDougal."

  A small man stepped up beside him and waved to the crowd. Up to that moment, I had thought he was just a contestant. He certainly fit the bill. He couldn't have stood more than four and a half feet tall, with bright red hair, freckles, and the requisite green suit and hat. He even had on little black boots, and a pipe could be seen sticking out of his jacket pocket. Every ounce the lucky leprechaun.

  "Ah, and I be thanking ye for your kind welcome for such a small personage as meself. Drink up, good lads and lasses. 'Tis the night for glad hearts and flowin' alcohol." With that, he raised his glass filled with the night's green brew and chugged it to the cheers of all the would-be leprechauns in the audience.

  MacDougal then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and handed his mug over to the manager. Drawing the golden four-leaf clover from his breast pocket he looked out over his captive audience.

  "An' this dear folk, would be the prize ye are goin' for. Fourteen carats of solid gold." He held up the small charm and let the light glint off it. "Isn't she a thing a’ beauty? And some lucky leprechaun will be leaving with this piece o'luck tonight. May the best leprechaun win."

  The crowded pub erupted in cheers as the little man stepped down from the stage. He certainly was popular with the crowd. Maybe it had something to do with his genuine Irish brogue. It was certainly nice to listen to. Something in the way they pronounced their R's with a rolling kind of lilt. Beautiful to hear, really.

  I don't know about Jed, but the smells from the table next to us were about to drive me insane. Cheese fries topped with crumbled, crisp bacon. My stomach was growling, and I was having trouble controlling my drool. Yeah, it was that bad.

  Rose must have noticed my discomfort, or else she caught one of Jed's many coveting glances to the neighboring table's eats. It was no secret that my mate loved his bacon.

  "Oh, go ahead, you two. Order one. I can't claim house rules in a public pub. Especially not when everyone else here is having meat. No guilt, I promise," Rose said.

  I could have kissed her. Not wanting to wait for a waitress in the crowded pub, I left Jed and Rose to keep an eye out for our target and went to the bar to order. I go
t talking to Dunwood's dad, in between his filling drink orders, and decided to wait for the food at the bar. When Dunwood Senior got caught filling several orders at the other end of the packed bar, Ian MacDougal came to sit on the stool beside me. I hadn't even seen when it became vacant. Although, charmer that he was, MacDougal may have talked the guy out of it.

  "It's not fair to hog all the beauties of the pub at one lone table, ye know," he said.

  I looked at him, then around the pub. "Seems to me there's a good share of pretty ladies here tonight."

  "Oh, aye. And not a one under six foot, it would seem. All these lasses and their high-stepping footwear. It's unseemly to us wee folk." He winked at me. "Now you and your lady friend over there are more to me size."

  I grinned at him. "I'm afraid even we are a bit on the tall side to you."

  He grinned back. "Nothing wrong with looking up at beautiful things, if you get me drift. As long as I don't feel in danger of being overlooked in the heat of passion."

  "Somehow, I don't think you'd be one to be overlooked, Mr. MacDougal."

  He laughed. A tinkling and happy sound, his laughter. Made me want to join in. So I did.

  "Please, dear heart," he said. "Call me Ian or MacDougal, but leave the Mister out of it. Too formal for friends by far."

  I nodded. "MacDougal it is."

  He gestured over toward our table. "I don't suppose ye'd be willing to trade your Indian in for a true Irish gentleman for the night?"

  The laughter came of its own accord this time. I mean he couldn't really be serious, right?

  "Ah, and I was afraid that may be your response. But ye can't blame a little man for trying, now can ye?" He hopped down from the stool. "I'd best be off attending to me duties then." He tipped his little green hat and walked off just as my ooey, gooey cheese and bacon fries came.

  I took them back to the table to share my kill with my mate. Okay, so it was really someone else's kill, but wolves aren't all that picky about little things like that. Food is food, and I was willing to share. That's all that mattered, really.

  As we sat there eating—well, at least Jed and I were eating—I couldn't help but think about poor MacDougal and how hard he must have it finding women his own size. He really was attractive in his own little way. And it was hard to believe he'd have much trouble charming his way into a girl's heart. Bedroom, too, for that matter. Which brought up a question.

  "Hey, Rose, do all Irishmen smell like Cedarwood and lavender?" I asked.

  Rose's eyes shot from the bar to my face in an instant. "What did you just say?" Her voice was sharp.

  "MacDougal smelled like Cedar and lavender. Is that some kind of Irish thing?"

  Rose was on her feet and scanning the bar.

  "What's wrong?" I asked around my mouthful of bacon cheese fries.

  "MacDougal is our leprechaun. And he's gone."

  Jed and I were standing beside her in a heartbeat. "How do you know?" Jed asked.

  "The smell of Faerie, it was in my Grandmother's journal."

  "Let me guess, they aren't just tricksters. They're thieves, too, aren't they?" I asked.

  Rose nodded. "Never trust a faerie with gold or virtue. They'll steal both in a New York minute."

  And the little leprechaun thief had slipped right through our fingers.

  Pluck a duck.

  Chapter 5

  WE SPLIT UP. ROSE DUCKED out the back to meet up with Lily and see if he went out that way. Jed and I ran out the front to join Rebel. I sent a mental picture of MacDougal to Reb, and he took off running. I took that as a sign that the scent I had was the Irishman going and not coming. Sometimes it's really hard to tell.

  Jed yelled out to Lily and Rose and we were off.

  For having such short little legs, the man sure could run. I'd have gained on him faster if I could have wolfed, but I would have lost time stripping to skin first. Besides, I'm pretty fast even on only two legs.

  Rebel however, having four legs, was closing in pretty darn fast. Whether he got my mental message or just used his own smart doggy brain, he veered off to get in front of the runner and head him off in front of us.

  Within minutes we had him cornered or, to be more accurate, treed. When Jed and I reached him and Reb, MacDougal was sitting on a limb high up a tree. Reb was sitting at the base of the tree, panting. He greeted me with a big grin. Reb, that is, not MacDougal.

  I took the time to praise him but couldn't resist adding the comment that I would have gotten him first if I could've furred. Reb just chuffed. I took that as an agreement rather than an insubordination.

  "Would ye be of a mind to call off your monster of a wolf, there? I'll admit ye've caught me fair and square."

  I raised my eyebrows and shook my head. Neither Jed nor I was the faerie expert of the pack. "I think you'll do just fine up there until our friends have the opportunity to join us."

  Jed smiled at me. "I'll be moseying back to lead them in."

  "Take your time, dear. We're not going anywhere." I raised my gaze to MacDougal. "Are we MacDougal?"

  The Irishman, and leprechaun, sighed and shook his head. "Nowhere a 'tall."

  As soon as Jed was out of sight, he tried to bargain with me.

  "Being a true leprechaun, I have a stash of gold ye know. Let me go, and it'll be yours for the having."

  "I'm on to your faerie tricks," I answered. "I like my gold solid and real, thank you very much."

  "Ah, a connoisseur of the faerie ways, I see." He thought for a minute. "Fine, then maybe a wish would be more to your liking? One wish I'll grant thee for me freedom."

  "You can save your bargaining for our negotiator. But I'm thinking we'll be wanting more than a wish from you." I scratched my arm where the Calamine lotion had rubbed off during the run. "Like maybe a piece of your hide."

  "Ah, the itch is still bothering ye I can see. But say the word and ye'll itch no more."

  "And I'm assuming that would constitute a wish and acceptance of your bargain. No dice, little man. And to think I was feeling a little sorry for you in there."

  "Sorry? For me? A man who has it all?"

  I snorted.

  He straightened his back in indignation and almost fell out of the tree. Which didn't help my laughter. Or his pride.

  Luckily, that's when my pack showed up. I gathered myself into some kind of order and MacDougal glared down at them.

  "It'll be glad I am of dealing with a true lady, rather than this wolf in skin clothing. Rude she be."

  Okay, that tore it. If Jed hadn't held me back, I'd have climbed the damn tree and knocked him off that branch. He forgot that this wolf happened to have arms.

  "Calm down, Taz. He's just trying to get your goat. Let Rose handle this."

  "Goat? She has a goat? Isn't that odd for a wolf? And what on earth would I be wanting with a goat, anyway?"

  "It's just an expression we use. Jed means you are just trying to get Taz riled up," Rose explained.

  "And why would I want to go and do that? It's being nice I was, offering to settle this situation like the true gentleman I am." He glared down at me. "She cast dispersions on my manhood."

  "I did what?" It startled me to hear the squeak in my voice.

  "You heard me, implying I'm less of a man because of me stature. I'll have ye know I'm quite the catch in Faerie."

  "Then why did you venture all the way out here to start trouble?" I asked.

  "It wasn't to look for a girlfriend, thank ye very much."

  We probably would have continued our argument for a while longer, but Rose ended it.

  "Would you two please agree to a temporary truce?" she asked. "I'm getting a crook in my neck from looking up into that tree."

  "It's not so comfortable up here, either, dear lady. What with those two wolves slathering down there for me hide."

  I tried to look innocent. So did Reb. Besides, I don't slather. Except when I smell bacon that is.

  Jed asked the question I was wanting to. "H
ow can we trust him not to run?"

  "Well, for the first thing, faeries are honor bound to keep their word. You just have to make sure you listen very carefully to what they say and read between any lines that may or may not be apparent. In other words, look for the loopholes." Rose smiled over at me. "And the second thing is that both Rebel and Taz have a good scent of Mr. MacDougal up there. As long as he remains in our realm, they can find him."

  I looked up with as evil of a grin as I could manage. In fur form, it would have come off so much better. Wolf teeth and all. Even in skin form, I managed to make him gulp.

  "Oh, I could find him all right," I growled. "It's what I do."

  "Okay then. Mr. MacDougal, do you agree to come peacefully with us and to remain with us, causing no trouble or harm to any of us until such time as we have made a satisfactory conclusion to this situation for all parties?" Jed glanced at Rose to see if his wording was sufficient.

  She thought for a moment and then nodded.

  "Define no trouble or harm," MacDougal said. "I canna promise I can refrain from me own nature for too long, should negotiations be delayed or reach an impasse."

  Rose looked up at him, rubbing her neck. I noticed she was leaning pretty heavily on Lily with her free hand. She must be missing her cane right now with all the activity.

  "Tell us in your own words what you are willing to agree to, and we'll go from there," Rose suggested.

  "Fair enough. I agree to remain with you of me own free will until such time as we conclude our business together satisfactorily to all parties involved."

  "I didn't hear anything about not causing trouble," I said.

  He sighed. "I'll be as courteous a guest as you are a host, Tazlyn Hunt."

  "Done," Rose said. Turning to me, she whispered, "You can do this Taz. Just treat him like an honored guest and he can't cause trouble. By his own word."

  I looked at her and nodded. Now it was my turn to gulp.

  JED, BEING THE POLITEST member of the pack, decided to drive MacDougal to Rose's. He put me in the other car with Rose and Lily. Like I've said before, the man knows me too well. Cutting the time I had to spend with the little faerie could only be a good thing. Maggie switched cars and rode with them, being the friendliest of the two dogs. Rebel was way too much like me.