Sisters Grimm 05 Magic and Other Misdemeanors

"We've got yet another big day ahead," Granny said as she stepped out of her room. "We're having a yard sale. Get dressed and come down right away. We could use all the hands we can get.

 

The girls did as they were told and found a crowd gathered on the front lawn, browsing over tables covered with lamps, old books, vases, and assorted knickknacks. All of the items had little price tags on them. Granny sat at a rickety card table with a little gray cash box.

 

Uncle Jake met the girls on the front porch and together they gazed out at nearly all their possessions. It almost made Sabrina cry to see the old woman selling so many things from her past. "Why is she doing this?"

 

"We're a little short on the tax bill," her uncle said.

 

"How short?

 

"Three hundred thousand dollars," he said.

 

"Does she really think she's going to make that kind of money at a yard sale?" Sabrina asked.

 

"Desperate times call for desperate measures," Uncle Jake said.

 

For most of the morning, people circulated through the tables, haggling over prices and chatting with neighbors. Granny stayed cheery throughout and never seemed insulted when she was told one of her prized possessions wasn't worth what she was asking for it. She rarely turned down an offer, even if it was ridiculously low.

 

"Relda, tell me about this sword," a golden-haired man said as he studied a blade. Sabrina recognized it immediately. It was a gift from Grandpa Basil and it had hung over her grandmother's bed since the girls had moved in.

 

"It's a samurai sword from Japan, Sir Kay," Granny explained. "It's Shinto period--a shogun's blade. You can tell from the cherry blossoms carved into the steel. I think it's easily worth ten thousand dollars."

 

Sir Kay removed the sword from its hilt and examined the blade closely. "How much are you asking for it?"

 

"I'll take whatever you can offer."

 

"I'll give you a hundred bucks," Sir Kay said. Granny sighed. "Sold."

 

"Granny, no!" Sabrina cried. "You love that sword."

 

"It's just a sword, Sabrina, and we need the money," Granny replied.

 

Glinda the Good Witch came over carrying an umbrella stand in the shape of an elephant foot. "You don't happen to be selling anything enchanted, are you, Relda?"

 

"I'm afraid not," the old woman said.

 

"Oh well, I'll take this," the witch said, somewhat disappointed. She handed Granny a ten-dollar bill and disappeared into the crowd.

 

"Mom, you're just giving this stuff away," Uncle Jake complained. He crossed the lawn, waving an old book in the air. "This is a very rare copy of the

 

Necronomicon.

 

There's only four or five of these left in existence, and all you want is ten bucks?"

 

"You and your brother spilled fruit punch on all the pages and then ripped out all the magic spells when you were nine," Granny said. "Its value dropped dramatically."

 

Uncle Jake frowned and tossed it onto a table, then turned to a crate of old records. "You're selling my Johnny Cash albums? These are worth more than the

 

Necronomicon!"

 

"Granny, if it would help, I could set up a lemonade stand," Daphne offered.

 

The old woman pulled the little girl close for a hug. "A wonderful idea!"

 

"Yeah, if we sell each glass for thirty thousand dollars," Sabrina said under her breath. "Where's Charming?"

 

"He's keeping a low profile," Granny said, gesturing back to the house.

 

Sabrina spotted him peering through the curtains. She nudged her sister so she could see the prince as well.

 

Just then, a police car pulled up and parked along the road. Nottingham stepped out of it and approached the yard. Sabrina could see he had a white bandage over his nose, and two black eyes.

 

"Hello, Sheriff," Granny said, trying to sound chipper.

 

"Selling your trash, are you, Grimm?" the sheriff sneered. "I doubt you could give away most of this."

 

"Well, you know what they say, one person's trash is another person's treasure," the old woman replied.

 

Nottingham laughed. "You know what else they say? There's a sucker born every minute." He picked up an African mask Sabrina had seen in her grandmother's bedroom, flipped it over, and dropped it back to the table as if it were a wad of used tissue.

 

"Seems as if you've had an accident," Granny said.

 

Nottingham's lip curled. "Yes... an accident."

 

"You need to be more careful," Granny said.

 

"Thank you for your heartfelt advice," Nottingham seethed. "By the way, you wouldn't be selling any full-length mirrors this afternoon, would you?"

 

Granny smiled and shook her head. "Not today. Perhaps you'd be interested in a paperweight or a pair of sunglasses! No one would see your eyes."

 

Nottingham sneered. "Perhaps I should buy a chair. It might be fun to watch your desperate little play. Though I know how it's going to end--in foreclosure."

 

Uncle Jake brought over a high-backed chair and set it down. "This one is twenty bucks."

 

Nottingham laughed. He paid Granny Relda and sat down. "Money well spent," he sang.

 

He was grinning like it was his birthday when former deputies Boarman and Swineheart arrived. They were two of the Three Little Pigs, former police officers and good friends of the Grimms.

 

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