"They look almost real," Daphne said.
"Thank you," Oz replied. "They're like my children. In fact, if I can't get that elf in the window to behave I'm going to have to put him in time-out. Now, I know you all didn't come down here just to admire the decorations. How goes the search?"
"We've got a suspect," Daphne said.
Oz raised an eyebrow.
"Cobweb," Granny said.
"That can't be," Oz said.
"Oberon told us," Daphne added.
The Wizard raised both eyebrows.
"It's a long story," Granny said. "We believe Cobweb's been working with a group called the Scarlet Hand."
"That mark they found on Oberon," Oz said.
Granny nodded. "Can you pass this information on to Mustardseed? He may be in danger from Cobweb, as well."
"Of course," Oz said.
"Unfortunately, that brings us to another dead end. We don't know where to find Cobweb. He's not still at the Golden Egg, is he?"
"No, all but Titania, Mustardseed, and his men have scattered."
"Did he have any friends?" Granny Relda asked.
The Wizard shook his head. "He was pretty busy following Oberon and Titania's orders. He was very loyal to them. That's what makes this all such a big surprise. Still, there might be someone who can help. There's a fairy godmother over in west Midtown who I've seen with Cobweb. If he needs a place to hide, he might head there. Her name is Twilarose. She owns a dress shop."
"That's a big help," Daphne said.
"By the way," Oz said. "Between me and you, your friend, the chubby guy…"
"Mr. Hamstead?" Sabrina asked.
"Yes. He's made himself a powerful enemy today. Word is he stole Tony Fats's girlfriend. If I were him, I'd get out of town as fast as possible. The fairy godfathers aren't people you mess around with."
Twilarose's Fashion Emporium was on the corner of Eleventh Avenue and Fifty-seventh Street next to a parking lot for garbage trucks. The smell on the block was even worse than the one coming from Puck's cocoon.
Granny had left word at the hotel for Mr. Hamstead and Bess to meet them at the fairy godmother's store. They arrived soon after the Grimms and Moth, though they were so caught up in conversation, they barely noticed the family waiting for them in the fading daylight. Granny pulled the couple aside and gave them Oz's warning. Bess looked concerned but Mr. Hamstead just smiled and reminded Granny Relda that he was more than capable of taking care of himself and Bess, if need be.
While the grown-ups talked, Sabrina looked at the store's window display and decided that this Twilarose person wasn't exactly sure what the word fashion meant. The dresses were so ruffled and brightly colored that the mannequins wearing them looked embarrassed.
"So what's the difference between a fairy and a fairy godmother?" Daphne asked Moth.
The little fairy sneered. "Of course an ignoramus like you wouldn't know the difference. Fairy godmothers and godfathers are lower beings. Unlike true-blood fairies, they need wands to perform magic. And they are born as adults, sometimes as very old people. They can be painfully ugly, with their gray hair and wrinkles."
"It must take great strength on your part to tolerate them," said Granny Relda, who had caught the end of Moth's speech. "It does," Moth said, nodding earnestly.
"Well, we don't know this Twilarose and if she's hiding Cobweb she might be dangerous," Hamstead said, pulling his pants up over his belly. "Be careful and keep your eyes peeled."
A fat, orange tomcat lay outside, blocking the entrance to the store. Granny shooed it away and it raced shrieking into an old refrigerator box someone had dragged out onto the sidewalk.
Inside the shop, they found racks and racks of shiny, poofy-sleeved ballroom dresses, covered in frills and lace. There were also several shelves of shoes in shocking, unnatural colors and funky-shaped handbags.
A roly-poly lady stepped out of the back room and approached the group. She had a big, blue beehive hairdo atop an almost perfect circle of a head. Her eyebrows were drawn on and her cheeks and lips were bright pink. She was wearing a baby-blue satin dress that made it look as if she might be off to her senior prom at any moment. A rhinestone belt with blue-and-green blinking lights completed the look.
"Welcome to Twilarose's Fashion Emporium. How can I help you?" the woman sang. "We're having a sale on spring-fling formal wear and shoes. It's never too early to get a head start on the coming seasons. And remember, everything in this store is a Twilarose original. I design everything myself."
"So you're Twilarose?" Granny asked.
"The one and only," the old woman said. "Perhaps you've seen my work on the runways of Milan, Paris, and Canton, Ohio."
"The Wizard of Oz sent us," Daphne said.
"We're looking for Cobweb," Granny Relda added.
Twilarose's eyes grew wide. "Indeed. Oh my! I didn't recognize you, the Grimm family," she said louder than necessary. "I'm so glad none of you people in the
Grimm family were hurt in that mob scene at the Golden Egg. Terrible, terrible situation. I'm so thrilled to meet the
Grimm family."
"Well, I guess we know he's here somewhere," Sabrina said. The woman was obviously trying to warn Cobweb of their arrival.
"I'm not sure what you're talking about, you people in the
Grimm family!
I just make clothing. In fact, I feel inspired. I'm going to give you all the Twilarose VIP Makeover! Won't that be fun?"
Twilarose reached into the folds of her dress and produced a magic wand. She waved it in the air and there was a loud bam!
When Sabrina looked down, she was wearing a puffy, leopard-print dress with matching shoes. She looked over at the others and saw their clothes had been replaced as well. Daphne had on a rainbow-colored can-can dress and Granny Relda was wearing a big pink gown with a hat as large as her whole body. Moth and Bess were both dressed in tracksuits covered in little golden bells and had snowshoes on their feet. Each of the women had so much makeup on, it looked as if it had been applied with a paint-ball gun.
Poor Mr. Hamstead was wearing an electric-blue tuxedo with tails and a top hat. Even Puck's cocoon had been made over, in different colored ribbons.
Twilarose clapped her hands. "I am brilliant!" she shouted. "You all are going to be the toast of New York City."
"Underling, we don't have time for this nonsense," Moth said.
"Oh no! You don't like the outfits. Maybe something more work-appropriate? I'll fix you lickety-split!" The fairy godmother waved her wand again and bam!
– the dresses were gone, replaced with outfits that were even more outrageous. Now, each of the women was wearing a long evening gown that had a badge, handcuffs, and a billy club swinging from it. Mr. Hamstead was dressed in a black-and-white prison uniform and had a ball and chain around his left leg. He looked down and grunted.
"Genius!" Twilarose said, and then shook her head. "But the makeup is all wrong."
Bam!
Sabrina turned to the mirror. She looked like a geisha from outer space with white pancake makeup and silver lipstick.
Bam!
Now she was wearing fake vampire teeth and a beanie cap with a propeller on top.
Bam!
Sabrina looked down to find she was carrying a toy poodle with a diamond collar, and she herself had two purple shiners and some of her teeth had been blackened out.
"No, maybe it's the shoes," Twilarose said.
Moth stepped forward and waved an angry finger at Twilarose. "I am a fairy and a member of the royal court, making me your superior, so if you are quite finished with your atrocious fashion show-"