“And to top it off, you haven’t even begun to figure out how to manage Vinette’s magic coursing through your veins. This is all happening way too fast, and you’re in over your head. Let me take you to the council until we figure this all out.”
“I can’t leave until I find out about my father, but I promise if it gets to be more than I can handle, you’ll be the one I call.” I slipped the pendant that Ryder had given me to block my magic out from beneath my shirt and held it up so he could see. “You might not have been around since I arrived, but you’ve been protecting me since before I left the island.”
His gaze searched mine, looking for answers I couldn’t give him. Everything he said was true, but that didn’t change the fact that I was right where I needed to be, at least for the time being.
“That’s the only reason you’re staying? You want information on the family?”
“It’s like a large empty void inside of me that I need to fill. I need these answers, or I’ll never truly feel complete.”
He dropped his hold and nodded before stepping around me. “If that’s what you need, then I’ll get your answers.”
Ryder jogged down the stairs, and I was quick to follow. “Where are you going?”
He stopped on the third stair and turned back to me. “I’m going to the council to see what they can tell me about Mildred and your dad.”
“Now? You just got here.” I should have been relieved he might leave. It would be less mess to deal with, but King had been right. It was time I decided what I wanted in my life, and Ryder leaving again without closure would never help me decide.
Chapter 3
Ryder had reluctantly stayed, but he’d been on the phone with his office the next few hours. Noah and Franklin were on the porch talking and drinking coffee when Georgia and I left.
We had visited Mr. Stephens, the attorney, only to discover that Mildred Hexford had been more manipulative than either of us could have dreamed. Georgia had to complete one year of running an antique store before she, too, could open her box, but unlike the contents of mine—family information—hers held something much more valuable; the identity of her mother’s killer.
Georgia had been skeptical until Mr. Stephens produced a picture of her mother’s crime scene with the rug pulled back and half of a symbol drawn on the floor. Georgia had the same three-day grace period to make her decision on whether the name she desperately desired was worth sticking around for.
Georgia and I stopped for coffee, both in need of caffeine and time to take in the stipulations of Mildred’s will.
“If she wasn’t dead, I’d kill her myself,” Georgia whispered over the rim of her coffee.
“You aren’t the only one,” one of the approaching women said, pulling out two chairs at our table.
Georgia and I exchanged looks of confusion before she spoke. “Are you two lost? This table is taken.”
The pretty one grinned. “No, but you are. You two are Hexfords, right?”
“And you are?” I asked, tilting my head.
“Simone and Brandy,” the blonde said, answering for both of them. “We’re from the coven outside of town. The coven that your great-grandmother founded. I was hoping to talk you both into coming out for a tour.”
“Not interested,” Georgia said, rising and grabbing her coffee.
“What she meant is that we’re busy.”
“No,” Georgia amended. “We aren’t interested at all.” Georgia took my arm and led me out.
“That was rude.” I gawked at my sister.
“They gave me the willies.” Georgia visibly shivered. “You’ve been a witch for a minute, so you’re vulnerable. I’m not. Trust me on this. We don’t want anything to do with that coven until you find your sea legs.”
“Fine.” Maybe she was right. Maybe I was rushing things.
So here Georgia and I stood outside the door of the antique shop on Main Street. The blue and white striped awning was faded, as was the store sign that hung above. The glass windows gave us a glimpse of what awaited inside, everything from knickknacks to a suit of armor facing where window shoppers would walk.
The items inside the store didn’t bother me. It was what greeted us that turned my throat dry.
“Um.” I licked my lips and swallowed around the lump in my throat. “I don’t know what you know about me, but I see death omens, and one seems to be hovering over the welcome mat.”
Georgia shoved her key into the lock. “You see death omens, and I see the freshly confused ghost.”
Georgia shoved open the door and glanced over her shoulder. “She must have known I could see ghosts. It’s the reason I didn’t want the antique store. Every item inside has someone’s energy attached to it, and I can see them all if they’re still lingering around.”
I followed her inside as she hit the lights. I’d expected old and dusty, but what I found was anything but. Every item in the place looked as if it were brand-new. Surfaces shined and shelves were delightfully displayed and pleasing to the eye, but it was the smell of death that caught us off guard and had us covering our mouths.
I grabbed her arm to stop her from going farther, slid the phone out of my pocket, and dialed King’s number.
He answered on the first ring.
“You ready for me to come over and kick him out?” His tone, although playful, was laced with more meaning than I had time to decipher.
“Georgia inherited the antique shop. It smells like something died in here. Can you come take a look?”
“It’s probably just an animal, but give me a few minutes and I’ll be right there.”
“Thanks, King.”
“Oh and, Tess, don’t touch anything. In case it is a crime scene, I don’t want it contaminated. I know your propensity for finding dead bodies.”
“One dead body doesn’t make me a magnet, but get here fast. I have a feeling you’re going to need the medical examiner instead of a taxidermist.”
I hung up just as Georgia was running her hands over an antique lamp. Her legs wobbled seconds before giving out. I barely had time to catch her in my arms, lowering her to the ground as Georgia’s eyes rolled back in her head.
Her entire body convulsed. Finally the shaking stopped and her eyes reopened. It was Georgia’s eyes looking back at me, but the smile of satisfaction that rested on her lips was my first clue that something wasn’t quite right.
“Well now. Who are you?” Georgia’s sex-kitten voice had deepened to a baritone that revealed a man.
“Who the hell are you, and what did you do to my sister?” I asked as the ghostly face of a man shimmered, protruding from Georgia’s smooth skin before settling back into place. I’d never seen an apparition try to sink into someone else’s skin. My mouth parted as I tried to comprehend, and my brain worked overtime trying to figure out how the hell to evict him. My limited list of spells didn’t cover this. I hadn’t had a need to figure out more thanks to Ryder’s pendant. A smile stretched my lips.
“Georgia’s a strong little witch.” The ghost licked his lips and glanced around the room. “She isn’t going to give me much time.”
“Even less than you think,” I said, slipping the pendant from around my neck. I was about to place it over Georgia’s head when he yelled, “Wait. She’s in danger. You both are. That’s why I’m fighting so hard to hold her back.”
“Danger how?” I asked, almost unable to believe I was having a conversation with a ghost possessing my sister.
“Tell her she has to return the painting before it’s too late,” the man said.
I dismissed the warnings. There weren’t any paintings on the walls.
“Time for you to go.” I leaned down to whisper in his face. “And don’t come back.”
I slid the pendant over Georgia’s neck. I watched in awe as the ghost flew from her body. Anger blanketed his face as he disappeared into a back room.
“Georgia,” I whispered, feeling for a pulse.
Her eyes b
linked open, and she looked momentarily confused before her eyes turned lethal. “That son of a bitch. I’ve been out of practice too long.”
I helped ease her to her feet on wobbly legs. “Next time you should warn me that you can be possessed.”
“There’s only one spirit that has figured out how to weasel his way in,” she said, holding on to the register counter. “That was Damien Gold. He was haunting a group of witches that had summoned him, trying to get the location of his hiding place for a painting he’d stolen. I was trying to help banish him.” She glanced around the room. “What did he say?”
“That we’re in danger,” I said, seconds before King came charging in with his gun drawn. It softened my heart the way he was always alert and prepared. Although I didn’t think smelling death would be our down fall.
He took a swift look at Georgia and me, and his brows dipped. “You two okay?”
I nodded as King passed us, checking the store before disappearing into the back room.
Georgia held up the pendant resting around her neck. “You kicked him out?”
“Yeah, you can thank Ryder for that neat little trick,” I said, taking the pendant back.
“I’d rather shoot myself in the foot than thank that tracker for anything,” she said, heading toward where King had vanished from sight.
“So you do know him?” I called out, following her into the room. The question went unanswered when we found King squatted next to a woman’s dead body.
Her blonde hair was matted with blood, her eyes wide open, staring unseeing at the ceiling. Dark Crimson caked in the slit on the woman’s throat.
“Who is she?” The question was whispered into the silence as I glanced around the back room for the first time. Lines and rows of paintings stacked five deep covered every available space. Dust moats danced in the speck of sunlight from the back door left ajar in the otherwise windowless room. A crowbar covered in dried blood lay on the concrete floor.
“This poor girl is Katrina Gold. She’s a member of the coven outside of town,” King answered, standing and pulling the phone from his pocket.
Chapter 4
Georgia and I exchanged a worried look. The last name told us enough. King spoke on the phone as Georgia moved to stand beside me, giving her back to King before whispering, “She has to be related to Damien. It would explain why he showed up. You need to tell me exactly what he said.”
“He said we’re in danger, and you need to return the painting…or was it burn the painting?”
Georgia’s eyebrows dipped in confusion. “Did he say which painting and why? Look around, Tess. This room is filled with canvases.”
King snapped his phone closed and spun to find us huddling and whispering.
“What aren’t you two telling me?” he asked.
“Uh…” I’d started to confess when Georgia cut me off.
“Nothing. It’s just that another witch dying here isn’t going to paint us in a favorable light. I was just telling Tess that maybe we should skip the welcoming party tonight.”
“And I was just telling her that we should definitely go. We’d look guilty if we didn’t.”
Georgia’s eyes narrowed on me.
“There will be a lot of disappointed people if you don’t show up,” King said, ushering us out of the back room. “What have you ladies touched since you got here?”
“Georgia touched a lamp in the front of the store and the check-out counter. That’s it I think.”
“That will make the forensic team’s job easier. You two should go home while I wait for them to get here. I’ll get your formal statements later when they’re done.”
“That’s the best idea I’ve heard today.” I grabbed Georgia’s arm, pulling her to the front door. “Let us know what you find.”
We stepped out into the fresh air and started the walk back to the inn.
“You’re as manipulative as our grandmother,” Georgia said, yanking her arm from my hold. “I told you I didn’t want to go to that party.”
“We’ll have everyone in one place,” I said, without missing my stride. “We can ask questions, find out a bit more about Katrina and her connection to the shop. Who knows, maybe you’ll find something useful on that Damien guy and we can get him out of your life for good.”
I watched as she thought it over, her face softening. She grinned in a sly way I was starting to understand. “You’re right. I can cast a truth serum spell, and we’ll know who killed her before the end of the night.”
“That’s not what I meant,” I called out as Georgia jogged out into the middle of the street. “Where are you going?”
She turned to face me, jogging backward toward the other side of the street without missing a beat. “We’re going to need supplies.”
We were going to need a lot more than that if we ended up alienating everyone in town. I spun around and started walking down the street, silently wondering if our third sister was going to be this much of a pain in the butt.
I slowed, spotting Livvy in the ice cream shop talking to a little boy. King’s niece was my first friend in this weird town and lived next door. I’d saved her life once from a killer trying to cover her tracks. Livvy was wise beyond her years. Where other seven-year-olds might be interested in playing with friends, she was more concerned with how to save the earth from global warming.
I waved when she spotted me. Her eyes bulged before she turned away, pretending not to see me. Maybe she was genuinely starting to act her age. I continued my walk home. Two minutes later, Livvy appeared by my side.
“Sorry about that,” she said as her little cheeks tinted red.
“It’s okay. You were talking to your friend. I’m glad you have one now.”
“You made me the most popular kid in school. Everyone wants to know what it’s like to live next to a witch and float in a bubble. They all want to come over and spend the night and spy on the inn.”
I cringed. It seemed the town gossip had started. “What do you tell them?
“That you’re my friend and you’re as normal as the cat.” She grinned.
Laughter bubbled from my lips as I tossed my arm over her shoulders. “Well, at least you didn’t lie.”
“I don’t like your sister. She’s not nice like you.”
“We don’t really know her yet.”
“And you have new people staying there, and Uncle King is worried.”
“You’re observant for a seven-year-old. So is this part of your scheduled play time?”
Livvy turned silent at my question. Sadness filled her eyes. “I haven’t had scheduled play time since my mom died in the car accident.”
“I’m sorry, kiddo.” I hugged her closer. “That’s got to be hard. My brother and I lost our mothers too. Would you like to meet my brother? He’s a chef that makes the best desserts.”
“Will he make us something?” Her eyes widened hopefully at the thought.
“I’m sure he will,” I said, opening the door and stepping inside to the sound of classical music, which made me pause.
“What in the…”
I headed toward the sound coming from the living room and found Noah on the floor with a woman straddling his lap. They turned to look at us, and I quickly covered Livvy’s eyes. Livvy shoved my hand out of the way.
“Had to test the limits of the inn, didn’t you?” I asked.
“No, and this isn’t what it looks like,” Noah said as the woman climbed off of him.
She shoved the mussed short dark strands out of her face giving me a glimpse of her pink tinted cheeks. “You must be Tess. Noah was just telling me about you.”
“Was he now?” I turned my gaze to my brother as he shoved off the floor.
“I’m sorry we haven’t been introduced,” she said, holding out her hand. “I’m Margo, your sister. I hope you don’t mind that I stopped by unannounced.”
I didn’t know whether to be concerned or relieved that she’d showed up unannounced, so I just con
tinued to stare at her like an idiot that forgot how to use words.
“She doesn’t mind.” Noah answered for me, earning a confused look.
I crossed my arms over my chest. “What in the world were you two doing?”
“You have your cat to thank for that. He ran between my legs and tripped me, and I took Margo down with me,” Noah said, staring at Margo. “I’m just glad she’s all right.”
Margo clasped her hands in front of her and lifted her chin. Beneath her tiny frame, stature and shyness, I could feel a bit of defiance in the air.
“Livvy,” I said, squeezing her shoulder. “Why don’t you go show Noah our special cookie jar while Margo and I get to know each other.”
Livvy took Noah’s hand and pulled him from the room. I waited as they walked out into the hall, but I could hear Livvy’s voice. “Is Margo your girlfriend? I had a boyfriend once. He pulled my hair. Did you pull Margo’s hair? Boys are stupid. Did you know…”
Livvy’s voice trailed off.
Chapter 5
“Cute kid. Is she yours?” Margo asked.
“She’s our neighbor.”
“Oh.” A look of understanding crossed her face. “Your boyfriend’s kid then?”
“King’s niece,” I corrected. “I’m sorry. We just left the attorney’s office, and we weren’t told you were coming?”
“He doesn’t know,” she said, pulling an invite like the one Noah had arrived holding. “Someone in town invited me to the welcoming party.”
She handed me the invite. It was different than the one King had sent out. The handwritten invitation was more feminine. I flipped it over to find the return address blank. The lawyer may not been able to locate Margo, but it appeared someone in town knew where to look.
I smiled and handed the invite back. “I’m glad someone knew how to reach you. Let’s go find you an empty room.”
“I should have called,” Margo said, grabbing her suitcase and following me up the stairs.
“It’s fine.” I stopped in front of the doll room and grinned. “Sorry, this is the last room available.”
Witch Bait Page 2
