Page 69 of The Library on Plum Island
“Of course I do.” Harriet’s answer sent Daniella through a complex whirl of emotions.
Before they could continue talking, a crash came from inside the kitchen. Daniella and Harriet looked at each other wide-eyed before dashing toward it. As they neared the door, the thought flashed through Daniella’s mind.
Shouldn’t we be running away from the danger?
But before she could think, Harriet flew through the door with the small hammer raised as if it was as mighty as Thor’s. Daniella went after her and froze when she saw a man bent at the waist digging in a kitchen cupboard. But before Daniella had time to react, Harriet charged at the man and was about to bring the small hammer down on his head. The man moved faster than any lightning bolt Harriet’s tiny hammer could’ve summoned. The man knocked the hammer from Harriet’s hand. Before Daniella could yell stop, the man had twisted Harriet’s hand behind her back and pinned her against him with an arm wrapped around her neck.
“Stop!” Daniella yelled and froze.
The world seemed to slow down, and her head turned as she heard the sound of a bark, squawk, and the fast clicking of claws over tiles. Her eyes widened, and like a deer frozen in fear at oncoming headlights, she was frozen to the floor. When Daniella could finally lift her feet, it was too late. She was hit by fur, feathers, and claws. Daniella went down with a yelp, getting a mouth full of feathers when the large Macaw landed on her head.
“Daniella?” The man yelled at the same time Harriet shouted. “Daniella!”
The next thing Daniella heard was an oof, a hiss, and another squawk as the bird was knocked flying off her face.
“Daniella, are you okay?” Harriet dropped to her knees. “Oh no, your face. It’s bleeding.”
“Probably from that half hawk half macaw talons,” Daniella spluttered. As Harriet helped her up, the male voice yelled.
“You killed Blue Beard! What is wrong with you?”
Daniella’s heart thudded against her chest as she turned to see Caroline’s brother, Finn Shaw, drop to his knees next to the blue and red Macaw lying lifelessly on the floor.
“I didn’t mean to.” Harriet’s voice was stilted.
Daniella noted that Harriet’s eyes were wide with horror as she watched Finn bend down and gently scooped the bird up.
“Let me take a look at him,” Daniella walked up to Finn, who was as tall as Alex and towered over Daniella.
“Do you know how to help him?” Finn asked, his eyes wide, concerned, and fearful. “Please, if you can, help him.”
Daniella didn’t know much about animals; she was a human doctor. But as she took the bird from Finn, the creature’s eyes popped open. He squawked and flapped out of Daniella’s hands to land on his feet on the counter. His beady eyes seemed to glare accusingly at Daniella and Harriet as he squawked again.
“He’s alive!” Harriet breathed. “Oh, thank goodness. He’s alive.”
“No thanks to you!” Finn’s eyes grew stormy as she turned toward Harriet. “Are you freakin’ crazy? First, you try to bash my head in with…” His brows furrowed as his gaze fell on the hammer lying on the floor. “Is that one of Harley’s safety hammers?”
“Yes.” Daniella nodded.
“You were going to bash me over the head with that?” Finn shook his head. “Then you try to kill my bird.”
“I…” Harriet stared at Finn, startled by his attack. “I…”
“What are you even doing in my family’s house?” Finn seethed.
His angry words echoed through the kitchen. Even Sandy, the German Shepherd, and Melton, the huge striped Tabby that was part of the trio that had knocked her flat, slinked away. Daniella noticed that Blue Beard tried to fly but couldn’t because one of his wings was dragging. She glanced at the floor to where a whole lot of his feathers littered it. Daniella was about to say something but stopped when she saw Harriet’s face go ashen. Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears as she stood staring at Finn, mortified.
“What are you even doing here?” Finn hissed at Harriet. “Were you going to murder my sister’s pets with your safety hammer?’
“I’m... I…” Harriet cleared her throat, and Daniella could see how hard she was trying to hold onto her emotions.
It was the first time Daniella had ever seen Harriet at a loss for words or not fighting back. Daniella didn’t think anyone could reduce Harriet to a stutter, and red-hot anger flooded Daniella at the thought. She knew what it felt like to suddenly have your power and confidence taken away. Harriet was a strong, confident woman. Finn was using her vulnerability over nearly having killed an animal to appease his own shock over what had just happened in the kitchen. And Daniella knew it had to be shock making Finn verbally attack Harriet as the Finn she knew would never verbally lash out at someone.
Fuelled by the adrenaline still pumping through her system and wanting to protect both her friends before things got out of hand, Daniella jumped between the two of them.
“Finn!” Daniella hissed, her eyes narrowing warningly. “That’s enough! Daniella didn’t know you’d be here. She volunteered to look after Caroline’s animals until you got home, which she was told would only be later tonight.” She put her hands on her hips and widened her stance as she stood her ground. “What happened to Blue Beard was an accident. Harriet was reacting to seeing Blue Beard land on my face.”
“Oh!” Finn swallowed and took a step back. “I got back early.”
