Page 83 of All My Witches
“It’s notfair.”
“Life isn’t fair,” I supplied. “Didn’t Aunt Tillie always tell usthat?”
Thistle wasn’t about to be appeased. “I’m totally going to choke that old woman to death when we get home. I’m not kidding. I’m really going to do it thistime.”
We both knew it wasn’t true, but it was a nicethought.
CLOVE WASA BUNDLE OFnerves when it was her turn. She squirmed as she tried to get comfortable on the witness stand. Aunt Willa’s stance was much more aggressive when sheapproached.
“Ms. Cramer, what can you tell us about your interaction with theaccused?”
“Not much,” Clove replied. “She’s been mean and weird … and she stole a diamond. I’m not even sure I understand most of this world. I think you should ask someone else, because I don’t like being uphere.”
“You have to answer the questions being posed,” Chief Terry ordered. “That’s your responsibility as awitness.”
“I don’t like it when people stare at me,” Clove shotback.
“Well, that’s too bad.” Chief Terry was firm. “You must testify. If you don’t, I’ll hold you in contempt ofcourt.”
Clove did exactly as I expected and burst into tears. They weren’t real, of course. She could’ve been a soap opera actress, given her propensity for manipulating emotions. She’d been perfecting the art of crying on cue since we were kids. She’d gotten quite good atit.
“Why on earth are you crying?” Aunt Willacomplained.
“I’m not crying.” Clove swiped at her cheeks. “My eyes areleaking.”
“That’s not going to get you out of answeringquestions.”
Clove looked to Chief Terry to see if that was true. In typical fashion, he folded like a shirt on a clothing store display rack at the sight of hertears.
“She’s done,” Chief Terryannounced.
“I’m not done with her,” Aunt Willaargued.
“And I haven’t even had a chance to talk to her,” Reginaldchallenged.
“And yet she’s still done.” Chief Terry was firm. “Witnessdismissed.”
Clove kept her back to Chief Terry as she walked toward us. She looked smugger than Aunt Tillie. “I guess I handled that,huh?”
I guess shedid.
TO MY SURPRISE,THISTLEwas called next. She was absolutely furious when she realized what washappening.
“I knew it!” She stomped her foot as shestood.
“You knew what?” Landonasked.
“I knew that you guys were the leading lady and main hero in this story. Why else do you think I’m being callednow?”
“I don’t understand.” Landon looked to me for anexplanation.
“You’re the leading lady and man,” Thistle spat. “That’s why you haven’t been called yet. I thought there was a chance I would be the last called, which would mean I’m the leading lady, but it didn’t happen.” She turned and glared at Aunt Tillie. “You and I are going to throw down, oldlady!”
Aunt Tillie wasn’t bothered. “That sounds delightful. Now, hurry up. I’m getting bored watching you guys testify. I want to get to the part where Itestify.”
“So get to it,” Thistle shot back. “What do you expect us to say? You know everything we saw. You know how agitated we are. Why not go up there, say what you want to say, and put an end tothis?”
“Now why would I want to do that?” Aunt Tillie tilted her head to the side. “That doesn’t sound like nearly as much fun as causing you tosuffer.”
