Do You Haunt to Know a Secret? by Ellen Riggs

Author:Ellen Riggs [Riggs, Ellen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-07-25T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Dr. Featherburn wasn’t what I expected at all. I’d pictured someone in her seventies, with gray hair and the lines wisdom brings. Instead, she was likely in her early fifties and was what Mom would call a handsome woman. Her straight fair hair was in a cut so short the Wyldwood wind would never get a rise out of it, and her blue eyes had the eerie, penetrating gaze of a certain spectral border collie I knew. And a couple of living ones, too.

“I don’t like her,” Mr. Bixby said, before we even sat down in the examination room.

“Me, either,” Bijou said. “She smells fake. Fakey fake fake. Magical facelift.”

“The poodle’s right. She’s like a waxwork figure. What’s she hiding?”

I answered on the inside line. “Hopefully a wealth of experience with weird magical problems. We need her, Bixby, so please keep it down.”

His grumble was all the satisfaction I got.

Meanwhile, Ren bent over to pick up Bijou, ostensibly to suppress her commentary but also to hide her grin over that very commentary.

“I don’t normally allow friends into the examination room,” Dr. Featherburn said. There were three guest chairs in the nicely appointed room, so I knew patients didn’t always come alone. “Your magical health is a very private matter, Miss Brighton.”

I gave her my best hospitality industry smile. “I’m just a little nervous, so I brought along my best friend, Renata Scott. If you prefer a family member, I could ask my cousin, Liberty Brighton, to come instead.”

The doctor’s face was naturally pale but I still thought a bit of color drained out of it. So far, Marli Seagrave was the only one I’d encountered who was utterly unfazed by Liberty. “Oh, I’ve met Liberty,” Dr. Featherburn said. “Lovely woman and so well preserved. There’s no need to call her. If you’re comfortable with Renata, I am, too.” She looked down. “The dogs are another matter.”

“Emotional support animals, both of them. I’m here today to talk about something very difficult and personal. It’s so hard to trust people in Wyldwood when you know your vulnerabilities can be easily exploited.”

She motioned for Ren and me to sit down. “I assure you that everything discussed in this room stays in this room. It’s a professional obligation. Further, there are no records on site. I have the highest security digital system money can buy. Does that help?” I nodded, but my doubts must have still been on display, because she continued, “Miss Brighton, do you think I’d still be practicing after all these years if I disclosed my patients’ ailments? Our town can be quite unforgiving.”

“She makes a good point,” Bixby said, silently. “One indiscretion and she’d end up like Angus.” He made a popping noise in my head. “Bye-bye brain.”

That was all it took to make me hiccup.

Across the room, a sunflower burst through the metal on a tray of medical instruments. Dr. Featherburn turned quickly at the metallic clatter and stiffened slightly. “I see the problem.”

Mr. Bixby chuckled. “I should hope so, lady.

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