“What’s with the gnomes?” Deputy Tegan Herczeg eyed the statues evenly spaced to encircle the house. Her long dark hair was pulled back into a ponytail and if she didn’t have such a harsh expression, she would have been considered pretty. As it was, she was intimidating, made more so by the black uniform she wore.

“Decorating choice.” Lily knew she didn’t sound convincing. “The vandalism is around back. It started when we first arrived here almost two weeks ago. I didn’t report it because I thought it might be kids being stupid.”

Deputy Herczeg didn’t wait to be shown as she strode through the yard. Scaffolding had been set up by the side of the house. Lily glanced up to where Nolan stood beside the roof looking down at her, his hands on his hips. She lifted her hand in greeting.

In the last several days, he’d been a great support—even as lights fell from the ceilings, as plaster crumbled from the walls, as hammers disappeared, and bricks disintegrated to dust at a single touch. Aunt Polly’s repairs were nothing more than a glamour, magical paint that hid bigger problems.

Her inheritance was as she’d first feared—a mess to be cleaned up, crumbling at her feet. Yet, somehow, she didn’t feel depressed about it. Work didn’t scare her. The trust fund had the money to pay for it. She was building a home.

Correction. Lily was trying to build a home for her family. Someone was trying to stop her.

Regardless, she’d make sure everything was repaired the right way. Rather, she’d trust Nolan to see to things being repaired the right way, since she didn’t know what she was doing.

Burn marks scorched the lawn, spray paint marred the siding, and now giant carved symbols had been cut into the side of the barn. How someone managed to saw five-feet holes into the wood without being heard was beyond her.

“Who’d you piss off?” Herczeg examined one of the holes and then placed her hand on the edge to lean inside.

“I’m told everyone,” Lily said. “We’re Goode-Crawfords. Everyone is mad at us.”

Herczeg glanced back, a half smile on her face. “Yeah. True.”

“They’re wrong, though. I have nothing to do with bad luck. As you can see, I’m kind of suffering from some bad luck of my own.”

The deputy sniffed the air and leaned forward. “Are you cooking something in there? What’s that smell.”

A loud creak sounded. Herczeg pulled her head out of the hole. The black cat darted from the opening and ran away. Lily eyed the barn in surprise as it continued to creak and snap.

“Move,” Herczeg said. “Now.”

“What?” Lily frowned at the order.

“Move!” Herczeg charged her, hooking her waist with her arm to force her back.

They stumbled together. She landed hard in the dirt. The deputy lay on top of her like a protective shield. The cracking became louder and Lily was able to peek under the deputy’s arm to watch the barn fall into a pile of dust and debris. Splinters of wood rained over them.

When the sound stopped, Herczeg pushed back to sit on the ground. “I’m inclined to believe you about the bad luck.”

“Lily!” Nolan ran into the backyard. “What happened? Are you all right?”

“Structural issues.” Lily pointed at the garage. “Guess the vandal cut into a support beam.”

“But I checked that.” Nolan examined the debris pile. “It was stable. All it needed was a few two-by-fours to shore up the back wall and a coat of paint.”

“I think you might have missed something. Doesn’t look sturdy to me.” Deputy Herczeg dusted off her black pants. “I’ll write up a report and I will try to patrol out here when I get the chance, but I’d suggest you do your thing and take care of the protection yourself.”

Lily couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Are you telling me to... protect myself?”

“I’m telling you to do whatever it is you witches do to take care of this problem. Cast some spells. Hold some séances. Throw magic glitter in the air.” Herczeg sighed. “I’m not sure what you expect the law to do.”

“Your job,” Lily shot back in surprise. “Find whoever destroyed my barn.”

“My job?” Herczeg crossed her arms over her chest. “My job is to protect the citizens of Lucky Valley. My job is to keep the Garry brothers from fighting over the same woman they had the bad luck of falling in love with because she’s a siren, and to make sure Leda Bourreau doesn’t get so upset she starts World War Three out of her kitchen, and to keep tourists from falling into sink holes that materialize in the middle of town, and—”

“I’m a citizen,” Lily said. “I’m new, but this is my home now, and this is a real threat. Someone is vandalizing my property. I don’t feel safe.”

“You’re a Goode.”

“You’re a cop.”

“I’m a deputy.”

“Then do your job. Find out who is doing this.” Lily placed her hands on her hips and faced the taller woman. “Treat me like I’m not a Goode. Treat me like I’m a person who needs your help.”

“I’ll write a report.” Herczeg walked toward her truck. The dented brown and white vehicle looked as if it had seen better days. Small, rusted bullet holes dotted the side near the passenger door, as if the Sheriff’s Department seal had made for someone’s target practice. Perhaps even more disturbing was the long scratch marks near the back tire. “Make sure you lock your doors, keep your cellphone on you at all times, and I recommend investing in an alarm system. Maybe get a dog. Some outside motion lights wouldn’t hurt.”

“Motion lights and a dog,” Lily repeated in disbelief.

“You wanted the same advice I’d give a normal, everyday person, that’s it.” The deputy stopped as she opened the truck door. “I don’t mean to sound insensitive, but we both know you’re a Goode. You can take care of this yourself. I have citizens of this town with real problems who can’t fight what’s happening around here.”

Lily shivered at the ominous statement.

Herczeg directed her attention to Nolan. “Councilman Rana was looking for you at the city building this morning. It seems no one has seen you down there for a few days.”

“I picked up some extra work and haven’t been in the office.” Nolan answered. “I’ll be sure to give him a call.”

“We’ve been getting complaints of strange smells near the park. Goblins might be hoarding in their dens again. I’m sure he just wanted you to write them up,” the deputy said.

“Yeah, I’m sure that’s it,” he answered, though there was something strange in the way he said it that made Lily wonder if she was missing something.

Herczeg climbed into her truck, began to back out to the end of the drive, only to pause and come forward again. Rolling down the window, she pulled a phone away from her ear and leaned out to look at Nolan. “You misplace your truck over in Unlucky?”

Nolan glanced at Lily. “Maybe.”

“You want us to send a crew over to help you with that?” she asked.

Nolan flinched. “I’ll figure it out.”

“He’s got it,” Deputy Herczeg said into the phone. She listened to the caller’s answer before laughing. “You don’t say.” She lowered the phone and said to Nolan, “Are you sure you don’t want a crane?”

“Yeah, maybe I should,” Nolan said.

“I’ll let the tow company know.” Herczeg drove away.

“A crane?” Lily asked.

“I’m almost too scared to look,” Nolan said.

“Picnic,” Polly called in excitement as she came out of the house. She wore a yellow and pink 1950s dress and a bright green sunhat with pink flowers. Her sunglasses and chunky plastic jewelry finished the look. Like always, the woman managed to make the quirky look fabulous. She had her arm looped in the handle of a covered basket. She paused by the sign-holding gnome. This time his message read, “Tulips.”

Lily looked down at yet another of her jeans and t-shirt combinations. The more she was around Polly, the more she was beginning to think her own wardrobe was incredibly boring. Jesse was supposed to be mailing them extra clothes from Washington, but their little sister wasn’t exactly happy with the fact they didn’t come home. At least next to Nolan, she didn’t appear out of place. Except for the first night he came to the house, the man lived in work boots, white t-shirts, and an occasional red flannel.

“Oh, I’m sorry, Aunt Polly,” Lily said. “I don’t think we have time for a picnic. The barn literally fell over, and the sheriff is having a crane do something to Nolan’s truck, and—”

“And the tiddle-widdles don’t widdle-tid, and the faddle-daddles don’t faddle, and the goose doesn’t quack,” Polly waved her hand in the air as she walked toward Lily’s sedan, “and the aliens don’t land on Tuesdays.”

Nolan had walked to town to pick up the car and drive it back. She knew she should have offered the vehicle so he could look for his truck, but he hadn’t asked to borrow it and she didn’t suggest it. With his truck missing, he had been staying at the house with them. It only made sense. Lily felt safer with a werewolf bodyguard around.

“Polly, are you... all right?” Lily knew she’d asked the woman that a lot, but there were times when her behavior gave reason for concern.

“It’s always something.” Polly put the basket in the backseat. “You worry too much about little things that don’t need you fretting over them. The barn isn’t going to regrow itself. Until you and Florus find your powers, we won’t have the magic for that, and the pile of boards will be there tomorrow. I made taquitos.”

“Should I get Dante?” Lily took a step toward the house.

“No, he’s tied up at the moment. Leave him be. That boy needs some alone time.” Polly waved her hand and all of the car doors opened. “Get in.”

Lily rubbed her temples. A picnic did sound better than cleaning up rubble. “Okay, but just for an hour—” The last word barely made it past her lips when she tripped and flew forward. She would have landed on the ground face first if not for Nolan catching her a few inches before making impact.

“Oh, sugar bee, bad luck still hasn’t worn off, has it? I knew it was a risk giving you a half-stirred potion.” Suddenly, Polly stopped. “The barn collapsed?”

“That’s what I’ve been telling you.”

“Oh, darn, that’s where I was brewing the potion to help ward off bad luck for the townsfolk. It smells awful during the cooking process. Oh well. I guess I’ll have to start from scratch.” Polly patted Lily’s head as Nolan helped her to stand. “You’d better not drive, or you’ll take us right off a cliff.”