Read Online Red Witch: Book Two of the Wizard Born Series by Geof Johnson - Free Book Online

he’s already got a DUI charge on his record.”
    “And Deputy Fife might be lurking under the overpass again.”
    “Rita, you know John Paul hates it when you call him that.” Alphonse set a mug under a beer tap and pulled the handle down; a golden brown liquid poured into the glass.
    “John Paul is such a deputy do-right. He cramps my style.”
    Alphonse nodded toward the restrooms as he poured. “Here comes your partner in crime.”
    Rita turned to see Cassandra coming toward her, bumping against barstools again as she walked, a cigarette carelessly waving in one hand.
    Cassandra plopped on her bar stool and said, “There was a line in the ladies’ room. I think Zoe was doing something naughty in there and holding up the show.” She chortled and took a drag from her cigarette.
    A brown-haired woman approached them from the direction of the restrooms. She was shorter than Cassandra, but still tall for a woman, and broad in the hips.
    “Looks like Geraldine’s comin’ this way,” Rita said. When the woman reached them, Rita said, “Hey, Sugar. Did that potion we made work for you?”
    Geraldine gave a little shrug. “Worked okay.” She put her hand on Cassandra’s shoulder and leaned closer. “Cass, I couldn’t help noticing when you came out of the bathroom….” Her voice got lower. “You got a big spider vein on your left leg, right behind the knee. You probably can’t see it, so I thought you might want to know.”
    “No!” Cassandra leaned down and tried to look at the back side of her leg. “Rita, is that true?”
    “Haven’t looked lately. Stand up and let’s see.” Cassandra stood and turned. “Yep.” Rita reached over and touched the spot with one finger. “Right there.” Cassandra sat quickly and scowled.
    “Sorry to be the one to tell, you Cass,” Geraldine said. She patted Cassandra’s shoulder. “I gotta run, girls.” She walked off.
    Cassandra looked at Rita with her mouth partly open, eyes narrowed.
    “Sorry, Cass. Guess you’re getting old.”
    “I’m only forty-three.”
    “You’re forty-nine.”
    “Well, you should talk.” She pointed at Rita’s red hair. “Your gray roots are showin’ big time.”
    “You lie!” Rita’s hand involuntarily shot to her scalp. “I just died it last week.”
    Cassandra shook her head grimly.
    “How come I didn’t notice?”
    Cassandra picked up her cigarette from the ashtray on the bar and took a drag. “Because we still haven’t replaced that burnt-out light bulb in our bathroom. Can’t see squat in there with only one light.”
    Rita ground her teeth for a moment before saying, “We need to stop on the way home and get a new light bulb.”
    “Rita.” Cassandra jabbed one finger at her. “We need to get a new witch, and soon.”
    “I’ll get started on it this week.”
    * * *
    Jamie stood next to his car in the morning sunlight, watching Fred cross the street toward him, their gazes locked as she neared. There was no other movement in the known world except for her. No cars drove by. No birds flew. No leaves swayed in the breeze. There was only Fred, coming closer with each graceful step.
    I love the way she walks , he thought. When she reached him, she gave him a quick kiss and looked at him with a whimsical smile. Then she brushed one hand through his curly blond hair and said, “Hey.”
    “Hey,” he replied, and they continued to look into each other’s eyes. “You know what that reminds me of? That time I had mono. Remember? I was lying on the couch with my head in your lap?”
    “Of course I remember,” she said.
    “I was having terrible dreams and I woke up and you were there, rubbing my head and smiling at me. Then you said ‘Hey’, just like that.”
    “And you said ‘Hey’ back.”
    “And then I fell asleep again, but I stopped having bad dreams.” He shook his head. “I don’t think I’ll ever forget that.”
    “You’d better not. I know I —”
    “Hey Lovebirds.” They both turned