No Quest For The Wicked

Page 59

“Then maybe we could just keep Granny close to Mimi, and she can counteract or minimize the damage until we can find a way to make the switch. She already stopped Mimi from abusing the cake decorators.”
“That may work for a while, but it won’t be enough later in the evening.”
“Why not?”
“When this event starts, this room will be filled with billionaire and millionaire philanthropists, celebrities, and politicians. Now, think about those kind of people surrounding the Eye.”
“That’s when the real trouble will start,” I said, nodding as I imagined the likely scenario. “That’s probably what these magical puritans have planned—a big scuffle breaking out that they can resolve.”
“Or worse, one of those people with real power getting the brooch away from Mimi. Imagine what might happen if a senator got that thing and took it to Washington. That’s when the real trouble would start that they could step in and save us all from by plunging us back into the Dark Ages.”
“Yikes,” I said, shuddering. “Okay, then, we’ve got to get the brooch and get it out of the museum before the event starts.” I turned to watch Mimi fleeing from Granny to go micromanage something else, trailed by her minions. “Maybe we should use one of our darts on the puritan minion, get him out of the way, and then we can go for the brooch.”
“Okay, let’s do it that way. Give me a dart and I’ll deal with the minion.”
I took the case out of my purse, handed him a dart, and said, “I’ll distract him.”
I picked up a flower arrangement and headed past Mimi and her minions. When I thought I was in the perfect position to distract all of them, I pretended to trip, dropping the arrangement so the vase shattered on the floor, the water splashed everyone nearby, and flowers flew in all directions.
That triggered a patented Evil Mimi hissy fit outburst. “I do not believe the incompetence I’ve seen here today!” she shouted. “This is a world-class institution. I am trying to put on a world-class event. And yet you people can’t do anything right. You can’t get the linens right, you can’t get the flowers right, you can’t get the cake right, you can’t even walk across the room without dropping something. I’m terrified of what the food is going to be like. You, stop that!” she shouted at me as I bent to pick up the fallen flowers. “Don’t do another thing. Don’t touch anything else. I want you out of here, right away. This instant! Do you hear me?”
She seemed to expect me to fall down and grovel or else scurry away in fear, but instead, I stood up and faced her, stepping toward her in a way that showed I wasn’t the least bit intimidated by her. I might not have been able to channel the power of the Eye the way Granny did, but I wasn’t influenced by it, either, and I had taken my last verbal abuse from Mimi almost a year ago. She had no power over me anymore, and it felt really good to know that.
She stared at me. I figured she was baffled by the idea of a catering staff member not being cowed by her. But I didn’t expect what she said next.
She frowned as if in disbelief, then said, “Katie Chandler? What are you doing here?”
Chapter Twelve
It was my turn to be stunned speechless. Mimi wasn’t supposed to be able to recognize me. I was magically disguised! I glanced over at Rod and saw that he was on the phone. Behind Mimi, Owen was also on the phone, so I assumed they were conferring about this very situation. Either Rod’s illusion on me had slipped, or the brooch made Mimi immune to magic and not just magical attack.
“Well? Explain yourself!” Mimi snapped.
I turned back to her as if just then remembering she was there—which was halfway true—gave my best mysterious Mona Lisa smile, and said, “That would be my business.”
“You’re working for me, so that makes it my business.”
“Actually, I’m not.” I had to bite the inside of my lip to keep from smiling. This was way too much fun.
She waved her hand dismissively. “You may work for the catering or event company, but I’m the one hiring those companies, so ultimately, you work for me.”
“Isn’t your foundation the one paying the bills?” I asked in mock innocence.
“I’m the one signing the check,” she shot back. There was a slightly frantic edge to her voice, like she wasn’t quite sure how to deal with this situation. I’d never dared to openly defy her when I worked for her. She’d probably thought I was a meek little mouse then. I was a meek little mouse then, but saving the world from bad magic a few times does wonders for your confidence levels. I’d faced down dragons, evil wizards, and creatures out of my worst nightmares—and won. Even with a magical brooch, Mimi was nothing.