Pet Psychic Mysteries Boxset Books 5-8 (Magic Market Mysteries Book 2) by Erin Johnson (simple ebook reader .txt) 📕

The monkey’s eyes grew wide. You talks?

I bit my lip, frustration tightening my jaw. What was up with this? The lemurs and now the monkey? Did none of the animals in here talk to each other? Maybe Zane Perez had been right and there was some sort of mistreatment happening that was damaging their ability to speak? Or could my powers be misfiring? I frowned—I was having no trouble speaking with Daisy, though I wouldn’t mind some of her snark going over my head.

Angry voices startled me from my thoughts. The monkey spun around to look behind it, then sprang from the branch and disappeared into the vine-covered trees. I held still, listening. It sounded a little far off, but two men were arguing—and the voices sounded familiar. Unfortunately, they appeared to be coming from among the trees.

21

The Jungle

I crossed my arms and tapped my fingers on my elbow. If I had magic, I could just use a spell to amplify the sound of the voices, but I was unfortunately cursed. Wah wah. Magic kept the animals enclosed, but would it keep people out? Only one way to find out.

I tied my jacket around my waist, crouched down, and lowered myself over the edge of the bridge so that I hung from the planks, my toes dangling over the soft, dark earth below. The rope bridge swung gently, and I let go, dropping onto the ground with a soft thud. I took a deep breath and headed toward the trees.

The other night at the party, Quincy had needed to spell the magical barrier to allow him in. But the phoenix had been about to combust, with hundreds of guests milling just outside the cage. No doubt keeping people out was a greater security concern then.

I was sure it took a ton of magic to keep these force fields running day and night. They probably only had enough power to enchant the animals to stay in. With guided tours, people would be supervised. Plus, nobody would be dumb enough to try and get to the animals. I grinned as I dipped under a low branch. Nobody except this girl. Wait….

I closed my eyes and stretched my arms out as I approached the slightly shimmering magical force field. I was about to get quite a jolt if I was wrong. I winced and stepped forward.

Cool, tingly magic brushed my fingers, but they passed through. I peeled my eyes open, grinning, and stepped through with the rest of my body. I followed the sound of the voices, climbing over twisted roots and pushing aside leaves the size of my torso.

I silently whispered a prayer that I wouldn’t inadvertently cross over into the spider monster’s enclosure—whatever that was. I froze as Mark and Quincy came into view, then ducked quickly behind a thick tree with smooth bark before they could see me. I crouched down and eased back out, peeking through the feathery stalks of a fern.

Quincy’s chest heaved, and a deep red flush covered his face and neck. His voice shook as he scowled at Mark. “I’ve been going through the records.” He raised his thin brows. “Malorie always took care of everything, but now that I’m looking into it, I see she let you have too much freedom.”

Mark stood in front of Quincy but didn’t face him. He held one arm across his chest, the other at shoulder height, a smoking cigarette between his fingers. “What are you talking about?” He took a puff of the cigarette, his glasses slightly fogged from the humidity.

Quincy bristled and pointed a trembling finger at him. “Now—now I know you’ve been stealing potions. The numbers aren’t adding up.”

I raised my brows. Come again now? The veterinarian was stealing from the sanctuary? I remembered how surprised Quincy had been when we opened the chilled cupboard in the sanctuary’s office the other night and found so many potions missing. He must’ve looked into it and thought Mark was behind it.

I glanced back, suddenly wishing I hadn’t been so eager and gone to get Peter and Daisy. Was I about to witness another murder… and was I next?

Mark scoffed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Quincy.” He looked him dead in the eye and spoke in a tone that said he clearly did know. “I believe you’re mistaken.”

Quincy stomped a loafer-clad foot. “I’m not mistaken!” He huffed. “I’m tired of everyone around here treating me like a simpleton and keeping secrets.”

Mark snorted. “Are you? You want to stop keeping secrets?” He tapped his cigarette. “Trust me, I know more than you have any idea of. You want me to keep my mouth shut about your little collections of ‘animals’ here, then you’ll just overlook those discrepancies, got it?”

I shifted in my crouch. What did he mean, keep his mouth shut about the animals?

Quincy’s face grew redder and splotchy. “What the shell’s that supposed to mean? Huh?” He shook his head, jowls bouncing. “I—I could have your license revoked.”

Mark barked out a laugh and sneered at him. “Oh, Quincy, it already was. Why do you think I’m working in this eel hole? I lost my license for being addicted to potions, and I’ve been doing my job just fine on them around here, so you keep looking the other way, and I will too.”

Quincy spluttered as Mark dropped his cigarette and ground it out with his toe. He patted Quincy on the shoulder as he walked off into the trees. “There is no one else you could get to do this job without asking a lot of questions.”

He disappeared into the jungle, and after a few moments, Quincy stalked after him.

I slowly rose to my feet and bit the inside of my cheek. What the shell? What could Mark mean? Were the animals being illegally trafficked? Was that what Malorie was hiding from Quincy?

I was lost in my thoughts when a hand closed around my