Something jumped onto my back, and I distantly realized it was Spooky. Suddenly I could feel the earth beneath my knees, and I could sense my family surrounding me. Spooky brought me back to myself enough to fight.
I pressed my hands over Neil’s grave. None of the old words would come to mind, so I’d just have to use my own. “I bind you, Neil Howard. I bind you to your grave. Rest and know peace.”
I repeated the words, and my sisters and mother joined in. They huddled around me, linking hands, and together we spoke, “We bind you, Neil Howard. We bind you to your grave. Rest and know peace.” We repeated the words over and over, building in power each time.
The magic reached its breaking point. My body lurched forward as a cool white mist spewed out of my mouth. The mist soaked into the ground below me. Suddenly my thoughts were all my own again.
My shoulders shook, and I wasn’t sure if I was laughing or crying. Probably a little bit of both. “He’s gone.”
“Oh thank goddess.” Luna fell to her knees and hugged me.
Spooky hopped off my back and came around to rub against my hands.
Callie knelt down beside us, but my mom stayed standing, staring down. “The ghost may be gone, but whatever called it is still out there, watching.”
We all glanced around in the darkness, but nothing moved other than Logan walking toward us.
He peered down at me with wide, horror-filled eyes. “What just happened?”
I wondered if I looked as bad as I felt. “Do you really want to know?”
“I’m not sure. Maybe not.”
Callie and Luna helped me stand. I tried to walk on my own, but nearly fell, and had to grab back onto them. “Well that’s good, because I’m not sure what I would tell you.”
My mom started gathering up the extinguished candles. “We can talk about this at home. You’re all coming home with me tonight where you’ll be safe.”
Part of me wanted to give in and take my mom’s protection, but another part of me had just channeled and banished a ghost. “I’m taking Spooky to my home tonight. The rest of you can do what you want.”
My mom stood with the candles in her arms. “You don’t know what you’re dealing with, Adelaide. My sister—”
“But I’m not your sister,” I interrupted. “I need to figure this out myself.”
She watched me for a moment, then nodded.
Callie wrapped her arm around my waist. “Let’s get out of here. This graveyard is giving me the creeps.”
My sisters helped me stumble back to the car. Ollie was hiding in Luna’s hair, and neither sister seemed to want to meet my eyes.
I could tell myself that they were just afraid of the dark magic returning, but I knew that wasn’t it. At least, it wasn’t all of it.
Tonight, I had channeled a ghost. The power was like a faucet, one no witch could turn off.
At least, that’s what I had been told, but it wasn’t about to stop me from trying.
Chapter Fifteen
After one last attempt at convincing me to go home with her, my mom left. I had told Callie and Luna to go too, but they were now both upstairs, getting ready for bed. It seemed we would be having sleepovers until the dark magic was dealt with. Of course, that hadn’t stopped them from intentionally giving me a moment alone with Logan.
I wasn’t sure I wanted the moment. He waited in the living room while I made tea in the kitchen, which he had finally accepted.
I carried in a little tray with two mugs of chamomile and set them on the coffee table. Every light was on in the house, the normally soft white glow seeming harsh at such an ungodly hour. I took a seat on one of the chairs adjacent the sofa, not sure Logan would want me anywhere near him after what he’d seen.
After a little bit of prodding, he lifted his mug and took a sip. It didn’t seem to relax him in the slightest.
I sucked my teeth, debating what to say. “I’m sure you have questions.”
He took another sip of tea. Dark circles marred has deep brown eyes, seeming to fit with the wrinkles in his slacks. He hung his head a little lower. “Still trying to formulate them.”
I watched him while I waited. Honestly, I was shocked he hadn’t run away after seeing Neil’s ghost the first time. That he hadn’t run from the graveyard meant he was either brave or stupid, probably a bit of both.
He took a deep inhale. “So Neil’s ghost, it’s gone?”
“Yes, but just the ghost, not whoever or whatever sent it after me to begin with.”
He set his half-full mug back on the table. “Do you think whatever sent Neil’s ghost after you is also what actually killed him?”
I let out a breath I didn’t know I’d been holding. He still believed I wasn’t the murderer, even after all he had seen. He had watched me channel a ghost, and he still believed I was one of the good guys . . . or at least not one of the bad guys. “Maybe, but I’m not entirely sure. I’ve been able to sense the dark magic whenever it’s near, but when that truck tried to hit us, I didn’t sense anything. I think the driver was a mundane. Come to think of it, I didn’t sense the dark magic when I found Neil’s body either. I think someone else killed him, and the dark magic was just taking advantage of a confused ghost.”
He finally met my eyes, though it seemed to take effort. “So we still have no idea who killed him?”
I shrugged. “Nope, though my money is on Blake Monroe. Have you managed to find him yet?”
He shook his head, seeming to relax now that the conversation was back on normal police business. “We’re still looking. Once I get Mary’s information from your veterinarian friend tomorrow, I’ll ask her about him.”
“She was going to call him, so he won’t have any information from her until the afternoon. Although, she did mention Tammy said she could wait tables at the tavern.”
His expression turned thoughtful. “I’ll question Tammy first thing then.” He stood. “I should probably get going.”
I stood and walked him to the door. The whole conversation had been a lot less painful than I had been expecting. Of course, he’d avoided asking me much.
With his hand on the knob, he turned back to me. “Will you be safe here tonight? I could call an officer back to watch your house.”
I leaned back, a bit surprised by his concern. “My sisters are just upstairs. I’ll be fine.”
“Your sisters were there with you tonight too, and they didn’t seem to be much help.”
I gut clenched, because he was right. As much as my sisters would try to protect me, I had a creeping feeling that I was on my own.
Spooky came into the living room and hopped on the couch, watching us. Maybe I wasn’t entirely alone. I was pretty sure he was the one who had spoken into my mind and told me what to do with Neil’s ghost. Maybe he could tell me what to do about the dark magic too.
With a sigh, I turned back to the detective. “I’m afraid I won’t be entirely safe anywhere, but there’s nothing you can do about that. I think for now we just need to focus on solving the murder, and hope that everything else falls into place.”
He opened the door. “You leave that part to me, just focus on staying safe.”
I watched him as he stepped outside. I almost didn’t want to bring it up, but— “Hey Logan?”
He turned back to me, framed in the light of my front drive.
“You know the whole thing about me being a witch? Do you think you could not tell anyone? Being out in the open hasn’t historically worked out well for us.”
The corner of his lip ticked up. “I think I can leave that part out of my investigation report. I should probably leave out the ghost too.”
I smiled. “Thanks, I’ll see you later.”
I watched him walk down the drive and get in his car before I shut my front door. Would it do to have some dark magical force swooping in the moment I turned my back.
Once the sound of his engine receded in the distance, I shut and locked the door, turning as my sisters
came down the stairs.
Callie walked around the couch and leaned her butt against the arm. “So is he freaked out?”
I shrugged. “A little, but at least he’s not gathering townspeople to burn us at the stake.”
Luna remained standing by the stairs, looking back and forth between us. “We need to figure out what to do about that dark magic,” she eyed me pointedly, “and about you being able to channel. How did you know what to do?”
I walked over to the couch and sat, taking up my cooling mug of tea. “I think Spooky told me. Well, he told me to channel the ghost. The jumping in was my idea.”
Luna walked around Callie’s outstretched legs to sit beside me. “So do we believe mom then? Was he Ida’s familiar?”
The cat jumped up on the coffee table, and we all turned to stare at him.
“But if that’s true,” I began, “why did he just come to me now? I was born seven or eight years after Ida died.”
Luna patted my leg. “Maybe you weren’t ready.”
I leaned forward, bracing my elbows on my knees to hide my frown. Why wouldn’t I have been ready? Both of my sisters got their first familiars when they were teenagers. Although, their animals weren’t like mine. They might live a little longer than normal, but they didn’t live over forty years.
The cat blinked back at me, offering no explanations.
I sighed. “I should get some rest while I still can. I need to open the cafe in the morning.”
Luna sat bolt upright. “You can’t possibly be thinking of going to work in the morning. Something powerful is out for your blood.”
“And that’s not going to change whether I’m here or there.” I stood. “I can’t hide from this thing. All I can do is try to figure out who killed Neil, and hope that it’s connected.”
I walked around the sofa toward the stairs. Spooky hopped up and followed at my heels. I paused with my hand on the banister. “I’ll see you both in the morning. I appreciate you being here.”
Callie tilted her head back to look at me. “Love you, sis. I don’t care that you’re a scary channeler now, you’re still our Adelaide.”
I blew her a kiss and walked up the stairs with Spooky following close behind. While I appreciated Callie’s sentiment, I wasn’t sure I could agree. I wasn’t just the same old Adelaide anymore.
I had channeled a ghost. It was an ill omen for any witch. Now that the gates were open, other spirits would notice. Some would simply want help, but others would try to take me over for another chance at life.
I could only hope that Spooky had waited for me for a reason, and that he knew how to keep me from the same fate Ida suffered. Of course, with an old dark magic and a mundane murderer after my blood, I might not survive long enough for it to be an issue.
Chapter Sixteen
The next morning I took Spooky to work with me. I needed to open the cafe, but I wasn’t too keen on being without him. I had gotten dressed in a long-sleeved black blouse, topped by a black coat, the color befitting my mood. Normally I avoided too much black since most of the town folk already thought I was a witch, but today I was beyond caring.
Spooky trotted at my side down Mueller Street, then followed me as I took a right and eventually headed past Golden Dollar Pawn. Just as I passed the store front, my steps halted, then I took a few steps back. The sign in the window was flipped to Open.
Blake Monroe stood behind the counter within.
It only took me a second to consider my options, then I was opening the door and heading inside, leaving room for Spooky to follow. I waited for a strange reaction as I walked up to the counter. If Blake was the murderer, he could also be the person who tried to run me and Logan over.
He was either a very good actor, or he didn’t know anything. He smiled. “How can I help you?”
I scanned the objects beneath the glass countertop, feigning interest. “Oh, just a little early for work, I figured I’d take a browse.” I glanced up at him with mild curiosity. “You were out of town.” I took in his clean, blue button up shirt, and neatly combed blond hair. He didn’t look like a man with worries.
He winced at my question. “Yeah, a bit of a bad break up, I decided to go camping for a few days.”
“A break up?” I inquired, hoping he wouldn’t think I was interested. Then again, him thinking I was flirting might help.
He turned away and started arranging stuff on the shelves mounted in the back wall. “Yeah, you know the story, girl left me for another guy.”
I was glad his back was to me, or else he would have caught my sudden interest. Mary hadn’t mentioned there being someone else involved in Blake becoming her ex. “That’s the worst. Did you know the guy?”
He took down a box of objects, clanking metal pieces together within. For a moment I worried he had a gun, then he set the box down, revealing some jewelry and watches. “Maybe you’ll be interested in some of these, and yeah, I knew the guy. We used to be friends until she started working for him.”
I dropped the watch I had lifted to inspect. “Oh! Excuse me. I haven’t had enough coffee this morning.”
He leaned one hand against the counter. “Speaking of coffee, maybe I’ll come by your cafe one of these days.”
Was he threatening me? I looked up, and he gave me a crooked but charming smile. Ah, definitely not threatening.
I stepped away from the counter, pulling my cell phone out of my back pocket. “Oops, killed a little bit too much time. I better go.” I rushed toward the door.
“Don’t forget your cat!” he called after me, but Spooky was already at my heels following me outside.
I turned on the sidewalk as a car pulled up to the curb, quickly recognizing it as Logan’s.
He shut off the engine and stepped out, narrowing his eyes at me. He still looked a little tired from last night, though his casual suit was freshly pressed.
I lifted my hands in surrender before he could speak. “I was just browsing, not asking any questions.”
Logan stepped up on the sidewalk, then moved close to me. He lowered his voice, “Addy, he could be a murderer. He could be the person who tried to hit you.”
I wrinkled my nose. “More like hit on me, and I learned something interesting. Blake claims Mary left him for her boss. Her boss was Neil.”
He moved closer to me, bringing with him the smell of fresh soap and shaving cream, no aftershave or cologne. “That makes him seem more like a murderer, not less, and you were just alone in his shop with him.”
“I’m pretty sure he doesn’t even know Neil is dead,” I whispered, “let alone who killed him.” Spooky leaned against my leg, reminding me I had someplace I needed to be. I took a step back. “I’m late to open the cafe, I need to go. The regulars will be waiting.”
Logan swiped a hand over his face, shaking his head. “I would appreciate it if you stayed inside the cafe until closing, I can give you a ride home when you’re done.”
I shrugged. “Sure, if that would make you feel better.” Inside, I was sighing with relief. I had been worried that after last night, Logan would avoid me, effectively cutting me out of the investigation.
I waved goodbye, leaving him to question Blake, though I really didn’t think he would learn anything new. I believed that Blake had just been out camping, and that’s why the cops hadn’t been able to find him. So who did that leave on my suspect list? Mary? Sasha? Or maybe there was someone else we didn’t know about. Someone else who was in love with Mary, and wanted Neil out of the way.
I still had a lot of questions, good thing I knew just who to ask.
I called Max from my office on my lunch break. “Have you heard from Mary yet?”
“Who is this?” he asked sarcastically.
“The pope. Have you heard from her?”
“Addy,” he sighed, “someone tried to run you over. Are you sure you want to keep looking into this?”
“I’m in too deep, Max. And I just want to ask her a few questions.”
He sighed again. “All right, she called, and I visited Ike this morning. He insisted on taking care of Neil’s debt himself. He seems to think he’s personally responsible for all the trouble Neil caused. I’m walking over to drop a check off to Mary in a few minutes.”
“Give me the address, I’ll meet you there.”
“I don’t think so. I’ll meet you at the cafe and we’ll go together. Do you have someone to cover for you?”
“Evie is here,” I explained, “but just for a few hours.”
“It shouldn’t take long, she doesn’t live far from you.”
“I’ll wait for you at the cafe then, see you soon.”
He said goodbye, then hung up.
I put my phone back in my pocket as I debated how to approach things with Mary. Did I tell her that I knew she had been dating Neil? Or did I dance around it and see what she might admit?
Spooky sat on my desk, watching me.
Maybe he could take a look around Mary’s house while I talked to her. I hoped she liked cats.
I went back out into the cafe with Spooky, thinking I could make Max a coffee as a thank you, but Francis Brookes spotted me and beckoned me over to her table. She and Elmer must have come back while I was calling Max.
Elmer smiled and straightened his spectacles as I approached.
“Back for your lunchtime fix?” I asked.
He lifted his cup with a nod, though I knew it would only contain decaf. Neither he nor his wife would sleep at night if they had caffeine after noon.
Francis pointed to the free chair. “Sit, Addy, we need to talk.”
Her tone made my pulse race. Had she heard I was sticking my nose into a murder investigation? Or had Logan lied about keeping quiet? Did she know I was an actual witch?
Spooky hopped up into my lap as soon as I sat.
Francis gave me a brilliant smile, wrinkling every line in her face, and there were a lot of them. “I’m told you’ve been spending some time with the handsome veterinarian. I was worried with your new pet,” she gestured to Spooky in my lap, “you’d given up on men entirely.”
Familiar Spirits (Twilight Hollow Witchy Cozy Mysteries Book 1) Page 8
