by K E O'Connor
“And you don’t want Cloven Hoof to be the center of a murder investigation,” Aurora said.
I nodded. “No kidding. My business’s reputation is at stake, and I’m not having the angels ruin it by lurking around and asking inappropriate questions.”
“You’ll get it figured out,” Granny Dottie said. “We know how to whip those angels into shape when they make a nuisance of themselves.”
I scooped up the last of my spaghetti. “Speaking of which, I need to head to Cloven Hoof. Dazielle will be there soon.”
“I’ll come with you.” Aurora jumped from her seat.
I grinned at her. “Are you sure?”
“Absolutely, it’s been a while since I’ve been at the bar. So long as that’s okay with you.”
I nodded. It was fine with me, but I knew that Aurora was really checking in on Frank to see how he felt about us hanging out. Frank had been quiet, and other than a few annoying belches, he hadn’t bothered me for days.
We said our goodbyes and hurried out of the house with Wiggles.
Aurora practically skipped along the road as we walked and kept giving me sideways glances.
“What gives? Cloven Hoof is an awesome place to hang out, but it doesn’t usually make you this happy when you visit.”
Aurora grinned at me. “Toby is going to be there.”
“Your secret squeeze?”
“He’s not so secret. It’s just that I still haven’t told the rest of the family.”
“I didn’t think Cloven Hoof would be his sort of place.” Toby Matlock was more of a private members club person.
“He’s happy to go there if I am,” Aurora said. “I think it will be nice if we spend time together, and you can get to know him.”
I was cautiously intrigued about Toby. I didn’t know much about him other than that he was a lot older than my sister, a powerful warlock with the ability to manipulate a person’s thoughts, and under investigation by Angel Force for illegal magic activity. I did want to get to know him better. It seemed he was a permanent fixture in Aurora’s life, and I needed to give him the once over and make sure he was good enough.
“Sounds great. I’ll deal with the angels, and we can spend a bit of time together.”
Aurora grabbed my arm and squeezed. “He’s lovely. Toby is so romantic and such a sweetie. I think I’m falling for him.”
“Are you sure you’re ready to get serious? I mean, you’re not that old. There’s plenty of time to date other people before you settle down.”
Aurora laughed. “Age doesn’t matter. Toby’s serious about me, and he’s good for me. That’s the main thing. Just you wait. When you get to know him, you’ll love him as much as I do.”
“Hopefully not as much as you do, or that will be weird.”
She laughed again. “You know what I mean. Once you see how great Toby is, you’ll understand why I’m so happy. It might inspire you to make a decision about your own love life.”
“What love life?”
“Exactly my point. You’ve got two gorgeous suitors waiting in the wings.”
I shrugged. “I have no idea who you’re talking about.”
Aurora tilted her head. “Of course you do. You’re resisting getting attached. It’s not so bad letting your guard down. I’ve never been so happy since I opened my heart to Toby.”
“We can discuss my love life another time.” I pulled open the door to Cloven Hoof and grimaced. Dazielle and two other angels were already in the bar. They had an annoying habit of always being early for things.
I strode in and noticed several nervous looking patrons glancing at the angels. It was time to deal with them and get them out as quickly as possible.
I walked over to Dazielle. “Gather your feathery friends and let’s grab a booth out of the way.”
Dazielle smirked at me. “I’ve noticed a few people looking worried. Do you think they’re doing anything illegal?”
I scowled at her. “I’m sure they’re not. You being here is unsettling. Let’s move our conversation to the back of the bar, and we can get this over with.” I nodded to Aurora as she sat at the bar. “I won’t be long.”
“Take your time. I’ll stay here and look out for Toby.”
Once the angels were settled and no longer bothering my clients, I grabbed Izzie. “I hate to do this to you, but the angels want a word about what happened last night.”
Izzie nodded. “I’ve heard the latest. Something about a curse?”
“That’s right. And Puddles mentioned that you dated Serath.”
Izzie’s eyes widened. “For about five minutes a million years ago.”
“Tempest,” Dazielle called. “We’re asking the questions over here.”
I shook my head. “You’ve got nothing to worry about.”
Izzie licked her lips. “Are you coming with me? Those angels make me nervous.”
“Absolutely. I won’t let them loose on you. I know what they’re like.”
She let out a sigh. “Okay, I’ve got nothing to hide. I’ll talk to them.”
I ordered a round of lemon drops from Ginger, and we walked over and settled in the booth opposite the angels.
“Tell me what you know about Serath,” Dazielle said.
Izzie nodded. “Not that much. I wasn’t all that impressed with him.”
“You dated in the past?”
“Sure, but not for a long time. Serath said all the right words, but I soon figured he was a player.”
“What did he do to make you realize that?”
“He cheated on me,” Izzie said.
“That jerk,” I said.
“Indeed,” Dazielle said, that worrying gleam in her eyes again. “Go on.”
“We met when he came for a visit with Dewey a few years ago. They were staying for a couple of weeks because his apartment was being decorated. Serath wasn’t a bad-looking guy and caught my eye the first night he was here. We went out on four dates, and things seemed to go well.”
“How did you discover he was cheating?”
“I was walking back from Cloven Hoof at the end of a late shift. I saw Serath stumbling out of the Ancient Imp, his arms wrapped around another woman.”
“So, you were angry with him?” Dazielle asked.
“Of course I was angry. He was seeing other people behind my back.”
“And you wanted revenge?”
I shook my head. It was so obvious where Dazielle was trying to force this.
“Back then, I would have, but that was years ago,” Izzie said. “He came by Cloven Hoof the next night after I’d spotted him cheating, being all smooth and charming and saying how much he’d missed me. I dumped him on his cheating butt and never spoke to him again. Last night was the first time I’d seen him since then.”
“And old feelings arose?” Dazielle asked.
“Hold on,” I said. “Izzie has told you what she knows. You don’t fall in love with somebody after four dates. She did the right thing. She ditched the loser and moved on.”
Izzie nodded at me gratefully. “That’s right. Sure, I wasn’t thrilled to find him standing at the bar last night, but it didn’t bother me. I could see he hadn’t changed. I didn’t want him dead, though. Nobody deserves that.”
“You wouldn’t have minded if you saw him with another woman while he was staying here?” Dazielle asked.
“I couldn’t care less,” Izzie said. “He’s moved on with his life, as have I.”
“Are you seeing somebody else?” Dazielle asked.
Izzie scowled at her. “Not at the moment. I’m happy to be single. There’s no crime in that, is there?”
“Absolutely not,” I said. “And Izzie was here last night. Dozens of customers will vouch for that, and so will I.”
“We’re still not sure exactly what time Serath was cursed,” Dazielle said. “It’s not outside the realm of possibility that Izzie cursed him in the bar and he died later.”
“And then what? Izzie snuck in
to the woods, dug a shallow grave, discovered where Serath had collapsed after she’d cursed him, dragged him there, and shoved him in?”
Dazielle’s eyes narrowed. “It’s possible.”
Izzie shifted in her seat. “Listen, I didn’t like the guy, but I wouldn’t kill him. He was being rude to a lot of people. Maybe he met his match after leaving Cloven Hoof. Someone could have jumped him, dragged him into the woods, and gotten their revenge. I don’t know. All I know is that it wasn’t me.”
Ginger walked over with our lemon drops and set them down. “I didn’t mean to overhear, but I was working behind the bar last night and heard everything Serath and his friends were saying. Izzie did nothing wrong, although she had every right to slap them.”
“Do you know them?” Dazielle asked Ginger.
“No, I’m new to the village, but they were being disrespectful jerks. They were lucky Izzie didn’t blast them off their feet for being so rude.”
Izzie smiled at her. “I’m not going to deny I was tempted.”
“They’re not worth wasting your magic on,” Ginger said. “They’re not nice guys.”
“Don’t worry,” I said to her. “Dewey and Bart won’t get back in here again.”
Ginger nodded as she walked away.
Izzie sighed. “She’s right. I wouldn’t waste my magic on a loser like Serath. I don’t care about him. As far as I’m concerned, our relationship is ancient history. Besides, he’d gotten daft ambitions to get in with Rhett’s gang. That can only mean trouble.”
My eyes widened. “For real? Serath wanted to be a biker?”
“Absolutely. He was bragging about it last night. He even said they’d be lucky to have him.”
Concern ran through me. Could that be why Rhett was in the woods when we’d been searching for Serath yesterday? Was he trying to cover something up? Had Serath showed off to the gang to prove he was worthy, and it went wrong?
“Have you got what you need?” I asked Dazielle. I needed to get out of here and speak to Rhett as soon as possible.
“For now,” Dazielle said. “I might have further questions as this investigation continues.”
Izzie shrugged. “I’ll help if I can, but I don’t know anything more than I’ve told you.”
“Thanks, Izzie,” I said. “You can get back to work.”
She slid swiftly out of the booth and hurried away.
“Any chance you can get your angels out of my bar before you ruin the evening for all the customers?” I asked Dazielle.
Dazielle arched an eyebrow. “What’s the hurry? We can stay for a few complementary drinks, make sure everyone is behaving themselves.”
I glowered at her. “Aren’t you on duty?”
She smirked. “I know what you’re going to do. You’re off to talk to your boyfriend and see what he knows about Serath’s disappearance.”
My plan had been rumbled. Dazielle was not as daft as she looked. “First off, Rhett’s not my boyfriend. And second, why shouldn’t I?”
“If you do, don’t go feeding him any lines,” Dazielle said. “And I’m only letting you talk to him because he shuts down every time he sees an angel. Anyone would think that guy has something to hide.”
I shrugged. Rhett most likely did have things he didn’t want the angels to know about. “I’m not going to help him cover up a murder, but a chat about his whereabouts and what he saw in the forest could be helpful.”
“Sure. Let me know what he has to say.” Dazielle gestured the angels to follow her.
I flicked her a salute. “Yes, ma’am.”
Dazielle strode out of the bar with her angels in tow. The tension in the air vanished, and a buzz of conversation began as soon as the door had closed.
I raised my gaze to the ceiling. What was Rhett doing getting involved with Dewey and his friends? There was no way he’d want them in his gang. I couldn’t let this wait. I had to speak to Rhett.
I hurried to the bar. “Merrie, I’m heading out for a couple of hours. Have you got everything you need?”
She smiled and waved me away. “You go. We’re fine here. I’ve got Ginger and Blaze working tonight, as well as Izzie.”
As I turned from the bar, Aurora stood in front of me, excitement on her face.
“I can’t stop,” I said.
Her smile faded. “Oh, just five minutes.”
I looked at the door. I needed to tackle Rhett. “What’s up?”
“I want you to meet Toby. He’s just arrived.”
I gritted my teeth, feeling torn. A part of me wanted to check out Toby and make sure he was legit, but I needed to get to Rhett and find out what he knew about Serath’s murder.
“Please, it won’t take long.” Aurora tugged on my arm. “Toby is looking forward to meeting you.”
I let out a sigh. “Sure, let’s meet this guy and see just how amazing he is.” My murder hunt would have to be put on hold while I checked out someone just as dubious.
Chapter 7
Aurora grabbed my hand and pulled me to a booth at the back of Cloven Hoof.
Waiting for us was Toby Matlock. He was a well-preserved warlock, who must be pushing fifty. He had slicked-back dark hair, a neat goatee beard, and wore a long purple velvet overcoat. He was trying hard to look like someone from a Victorian English murder mystery.
“Toby, this is my big sister, Tempest.” Aurora gently pushed me toward Toby.
Toby extended a silver ring-covered hand. “It’s a pleasure to be formally introduced.”
I shook his hand. “I’ve seen you around Willow Tree Falls. I don’t think we move in the same circles, though.”
His smile was pleasant as he gestured for us to take a seat. “The Crypt family’s reputation is an esteemed one. You are all well-known and liked in the village. I simply have not had the pleasure to spend time with your charming family, other than Aurora.”
Oh, he was smooth. I perched on the edge of my seat as Aurora sat next to Toby. Toby was probably the wealthiest person in the village. He had expensive tastes, but then he could afford to.
“So, tell me how you met my sister.” Since I was here, I may as well give Toby a decent grilling and see if I could make him sweat.
“I am a regular visitor at Heaven’s Door. Aurora is usually far too busy to spend time chatting with me, so I had to bide my time before I captured her delightful attention.”
She gently swatted his arm. “That’s not true. I have time for all my customers.”
Toby smiled at her and brushed a finger across her cheek. “One day, I was fortunate enough to be in the store when it was quiet. We got chatting, and she offered me an herbal tea. The next thing I knew, three hours had passed. Your sister is captivating.”
I grinned at Aurora. “She has her moments.”
Wiggles trotted over. He’d been sniffing around behind the bar since we’d arrived in the hope of getting food. “Are we done here? I’m in need of a long walk and a big, fat—”
“Is this creature yours?” Toby recoiled in his seat as he stared at Wiggles.
“I’m my own creature, buddy, and I can speak for myself,” Wiggles said. “Who are you?”
“Wiggles, this is my boyfriend, Toby,” Aurora said. “Tempest is getting to know him.”
Wiggles tentatively sniffed the toe of Toby’s black pointed boot. “Aren’t you a bit old for Aurora?”
“He’s the perfect age for me,” Aurora said. “The guys I’ve dated in the past have been so immature.”
“You deserve the very best, my dear.” Toby’s gaze was troubled as he watched Wiggles sniff around. “I did not know you had a hellhound as a companion,” he said to me.
“It’s a recent upgrade,” I said. Toby was clearly not a fan of hellhounds. He squirmed and shifted in his seat like something cold had been dropped down the back of his shirt.
“It’s an upgrade I approve of,” Wiggles said. He fixed his fiery gaze on Toby. “Have you got a problem with hellhounds?”
“
I’m not a fan of any animal,” Toby said. “I have allergies.”
“Oh, you poor darling,” Aurora said. “I didn’t know that.”
Wiggles made a show of sitting and scratching until a cloud of fur drifted around him. There were times when I could kiss Wiggles.
“It’s not a problem, so long as I don’t spend much time with anything that has fur.” Toby nodded at Wiggles.
“You’ve got no worries there.” Wiggles trotted off, clearly not impressed by Toby.
Someone else who was also less than impressed with Toby was Frank. His hot energy curled up my spine, and I felt sweat break out on my forehead. The last thing I needed was Frank making an appearance and getting possessive over Aurora. Strangling Toby would not make a good first impression.
I shoved against his power until I was certain he was under control. “What are your intentions toward Aurora?”
“Tempest! You can’t ask that,” Aurora said.
“I can. How long have you been dating now, four months? That’s enough time to get serious.”
“I’m very serious about your lovely sister,” Toby said. “She is flawless and beautiful, and she has the sweetest nature.”
Aurora blushed and ducked her head. “I’m not that perfect.”
I smiled. She was pretty near perfect, but her taste in men was questionable. Toby was very smooth, but the way he kept an arm around Aurora’s shoulders hinted that he was possessive.
“I adore Aurora,” Toby said. “If she allows me, I plan to be in her life for a very long time. You never know. You could end up being my sister-in-law.”
Aurora gasped and stared at Toby. “Are you serious?”
“I believe we can be very happy together.” He gently kissed her cheek.
I stifled a grimace. I’d never seen Aurora like this with a guy. She was quick to fall for hot looking guys, but her infatuations quickly cleared, and she moved on when the hotness fell away and there was nothing behind the muscles or cute dimples.
