Spellbinding Blend

by Kennedy Layne

  It did beg the question if Rye wasn’t some sort of henchman or maybe a spy who did the dirty work of the council. Had there been an open contract issued by the council on Kevin Paul? If so, why? Had Rye fulfilled his duty to remove any threats to the coven? What was he doing in Paramour Bay to begin with? Did the council have him here to watch me or maybe something worse? So many questions.

  Henchman? Contract? Wait a second. You weren’t making that stuff up about Rowena being in town, were you? Oh, I need to sit down. If there’s blood to be spilled on behalf of the coven, then Rowena is definitely the witch that would be involved. We want no part of this, Raven. None. Zero. Zilch. We need to arm ourselves and prepare for battle.

  “Mom is taking care of Aunt Rowena,” I reluctantly admitted, feeling as if we were losing control of this situation. As for Leo, he’d already been sitting on his haunches with his head on a swivel. I truly believed that my mother was a force to be reckoned with, but Aunt Rowena was like the evil queen to my peasant life among the village masses. Leo wasn’t helping with my desire to remain calm, especially if he couldn’t even tell if he was standing or sitting. “Aunt Rowena showed up in town around fifteen minutes ago, and that tells me Kevin Paul’s murder has something to do with the coven. It’s no matter of coincidence.”

  The palm of my hand tended to overheat when I became anxious, and it was definitely dialed up to ten at the moment. What had I been thinking to allow my mother to go off alone with Aunt Rowena? Wasn’t divide and conjure a thing?

  That’s divide and conquer, you simpleton. You were thinking that I came first, and you’d be right. Let’s go barricade ourselves in the cottage, offer Ted up as a ritual sacrifice, and Heidi can dance around the fire while we drink wine and smoke catnip whilst figuring out what spell in the grimoire can make Rowena disappear.

  “Heidi, I hate to do this to you, but do you think you can look at this one listing without me?” A bit of anger began to surface that I wasn’t going to be a part of my best friend’s decision to find the perfect house. My palm was beginning to pop with static electricity. “Leo is right. Aunt Rowena wouldn’t be here if she weren’t a part of this whole mess, and I’ve had enough of being kept on edge and constantly wondering when she would pay us a visit. It’s time she understands that I’m going to stick to Nan’s decision to live a life outside of the coven and their self-serving collection of puritan rules.”

  This Leo? As in, me Leo? We seem to have gotten our signals crossed, Raven. I might have a memory issue, but right now I’m very much of sound mind and body. I never said that a confrontation with a council member—your great-aunt in particular, whose vast powers are far superior to ours—was the way to go in this scenario. What I said was that we should barricade ourselves in the cottage, offer Ted up as a sacrifice, cuddle with Heidi, and consume as much catnip and wine as we can in the short amount of time we have left on this earth.

  “That is so not what you said, Leo.” I inhaled deeply to help with my composure, setting my hands on my hips as I tried to figure out a way out of this without Liam and the entire town finding out that the supernatural world exists. “I don’t understand how this fell onto my shoulders. What is so wrong with a peaceful life as a tea shop owner who wants to help her best friend make a monumental life-altering thirty-year decision? That’s how long mortgage loans are, right?”

  Heidi let out a light laugh and grabbed my hands, waiting for me to look at her before she did one of her legendary lectures that talked me down off the edge of the cliff.

  I think I’m already in freefall. I need a golden parachute.

  “Isn’t it possible that your Aunt Rowena sensed that your mother was in town and came to visit?”

  “I’m not sure that’s something our family does,” I replied cautiously, not seeing where Heidi was going with this speech. Usually, her first sentence did the trick. My anxiety ratcheted up another notch. “I don’t know the strength of Aunt Rowena’s power, only that she’s much stronger than my mother, Leo, and I put together.”

  She’s not handing me a parachute, Raven. I thought you said Heidi was good at giving pep talks.

  “Coincidences happen all the time,” Heidi reassured me, though she really didn’t ease either Leo’s or my tension level. “Rowena being in town might have nothing to do with Kevin Paul’s murder at all. I mean, what about good ol’ Elroy Simpson? Buttons even said that the man had an axe to grind and a bad temper. Well, maybe that last part was my own invention. What if this is simply a case of revenge? Elroy lost his job because of Kevin, and the man wanted revenge.”

  I don’t know who this Elroy character is, but I’m about to hit the ground according to that earlier analogy and end up resembling a rather flat pancake. I want a different comparison, Raven. I don’t care for pancakes.

  “How can you say it’s just a coincidence that Aunt Rowena is here the day after the death of a man who was raised in Windsor, along with the possibility that Rye Dolgiram is a reneged warlock? Heidi, everything is pointing toward the coven and the war that’s brewing between the factions. This is bad. I mean, really bad.”

  My cell phone vibrated in my skirt pocket, and I instantly had the device against my ear without even taking a second to look at the display. I’d made some pretty bad mistakes in the past, and I hadn’t known it in this exact moment, but this one would end up taking the cake.

  “Please tell me that Aunt Rowena isn’t here because of the murder,” I begged, looking up into the tree branches that hung over the sidewalk from an old oak tree in one of the front yards. I was a bit surprised to see a fuzzy squirrel staring down at us as if he was a squirrel ninja ready to do combat with Leo. “I can only take so much stress at this point.”

  The awkward silence that followed was my first sign that something was majorly wrong. You know that moment when your body goes cold and your stomach thinks the bottom has fallen out from under you? Well, I didn’t want to pull my phone away from my ear to look at the display for fear of seeing that my mother’s name wouldn’t be showing on the screen.

  You just escalated our already precarious situation tenfold, didn’t you?

  “Raven?” Liam had said my name somewhat guardedly, not that I blamed him. How was I going to get myself out of the mess I’d just made? “Why would your aunt be in town due to Kevin Paul’s murder? Did they know each other? What gives?”

  Leave it to Leo to just now notice the squirrel keeping a cautious eye on us from the tree branch.

  Is that a…squirrel! Run for your lives!

  Leo had just been praising himself about staving off his short-term memory issue, but he’d spoken too soon. He’d also taken the meaning of the word squirrel to a whole new level, and his hefty backside began to wiggle back and forth as if nothing else in this world existed but the furry-tailed rat squatting on the branch above us.

  Now that I think about it, it was just last night that I was congratulating myself on balancing my relationship with Liam and keeping such an explosive secret that could potentially ruin everything.

  Best laid plans and all that, right?

  Heidi was glancing down at her watch, inadvertently reminding me that she had somewhere to be in short order. Leo had taken off as fast as his body weight could take him upward eight or more feet into the oak tree, and I was left having to come up with some excuse that had some sort of plausibility as to why Aunt Rowena might be interested in a carnival worker’s murder.

  “Liam, how are things going with the investigation?” I asked, hoping to defer his need for an answer as long as possible. I made the decision to walk with Heidi seeing as I had no idea where Mom and Aunt Rowena may have gone to, so it would be futile to start roaming the streets of Paramour Bay. And I definitely didn’t want to run into Liam in person. He’d for sure recognize the obvious signs of me lying through my teeth. “Heidi and I are taking a stroll through the neighborhood to the first listing the realtor scheduled for her.”

  I fell into step beside Heidi, who
se blue eyes were practically glued to the phone in my hand as if it were about to grow legs. Her expression of horror pretty much summed up what I was feeling.

  “Raven, you didn’t answer my question.”

  I’d only ever heard Liam speak like that when he was addressing someone he was questioning as a suspect of a crime, and it practically broke my heart. With that said, I’d worked hard to have a balance in between my two personas, and I wasn’t ready to lose either one of them. Had I been given time to confer with Heidi, she would have told me that I should square my shoulders and dive headfirst into the problem.

  “Oh, you mean about Aunt Rowena? You met her a few months back when we drove up there to get my mother’s sugar glider, remember? She’s a hoot, isn’t she? Anyway, she’s one of those people who has a fascination with those true crime stories,” I said, not giving myself time to hesitate. There was too much on the line, and Leo was currently MIA attempting to hunt a squirrel he would never catch. “I know you have a lot on your plate, and I was just hoping that Aunt Rowena didn’t show up with a ton of amateur sleuth questions and get in your way.”

  We’d finally arrived in front of the house that was first up on the listings Heidi had been given by the local realtor. As a matter of fact, the lady in question was waiting for us on the front stoop with a big “I hope you buy this one” smile on her face. I wish I felt so optimistic regarding the next five minutes or so, but Liam had yet to really comment on my so-called excuse.

  “Speaking of which, how is it going today?” A part of me was hoping Liam would make some big announcement that he’d apprehended the killer, and the weekend plans we’d had to sneak sweet moments in between his schedule could stay the course. That wasn’t so much to ask, was it? “I was hoping to stop by the station this morning, but my plans for today got away from us.”

  I certainly wasn’t lying about that last part.

  “Jack just put an all-points bulletin out on a man by the name of Elroy Simpson. Seems he had a grudge against the victim and was seen in town by some of the carnies we spoke to last night,” Liam said, though I could still detect traces of uncertainty regarding my excuse about Aunt Rowena. “If Simpson is the man we’re looking for, he’s probably long gone by now. Just in case, keep an eye on your surroundings. Simpson is around six feet tall, shaggy brown hair, brown eyes, and has a tattoo of a Thor’s hammer on his forearm.”

  “Heidi and I will be careful,” I promised him, guilt settling deep inside my soul now that I’d had to once again lie to him. “After we take a look at this house, we’re probably going to head over to the carnival. Will we see you there?”

  “Yes, Jack and I are heading over that way now to do some follow-up questioning. How about we meet at eleven-thirty for an early lunch?” Liam sounded a little distracted, but he hung on the line until I gave the answer that Heidi and I would love to meet them at the food concession area. “Raven, you didn’t tell me that your mother was in town, too.”

  Heidi had already made it down the narrow walkway to greet the realtor. They stood talking while I finished up my phone call, but it certainly wasn’t ending the way I’d hoped.

  “Um, Mom arrived first thing this morning, right before Aunt Rowena popped in,” I tentatively answered, not wanting to know how he’d confirmed such a visit. A headache was starting to set up residence in my temples, and it wasn’t one that any amount of aspirin could eradicate. Maybe he’d simply caught sight of Mom at the carnival. After all, I was an optimist. “Are you already at the carnival?”

  “No, I’m still at the station.” Liam must have put his hand over the receiver of his cell phone, because his words were muffled as he spoke to someone else. I was really, really hoping that he was carrying on a side conversation with Eileen, his dispatcher, but I couldn’t be so lucky. “Send them in. Raven, I’ve got to go. It appears that your mother and aunt are here to see me. Remember, keep your eyes open.”

  Liam disconnected the line, leaving me standing on the sidewalk with my cell phone in hand and no one on the other end but doubt. My stress level was now through the roof. Why would my mother ever, under any circumstances, take Aunt Rowena to see the man I was currently dating? Was she completely and utterly insane?

  To make matters worse, Leo came running down the sidewalk as fast as his short little legs could carry him and looking a little worse for wear—and that was saying a lot.

  Can squirrels give cats rabies? I’m asking for a friend, but it’s really urgent.

  “Leo, I can’t handle your conspiracy squirrel questions right now. We have a bigger problem,” I explained to him, leaning down so it didn’t look odd that I was talking to my cat. Thankfully, Heidi and the realtor had already headed inside the house. “You need to go to the police station to find out why Mom and Aunt Rowena sought Liam out. Mom’s conversation with Aunt Rowena must have gone really sideways, and I can’t get there in time to stop them from doing whatever it is they think they’re doing. I trust you, Leo. The future of our lives here in Paramour Bay now rests on your shoulders. Make it happen.”

  Chapter Six

  That squirrel thought I had broad shoulders, too. Jumped out of that tree like he was the one with a parachute, and I’m the one who ended up with the battle scars. Raven, am I foaming at the mouth yet?

  “Did Rowena really block Leo from entering the police station?” Heidi asked as we walked through the numerous tourists and residents who were enjoying the entertainment and beautiful weather. She sidestepped two excited children as they raced toward the twirling tea cups. “You’re dating Liam. How does your aunt and mom believe we’re not going to find out what they were doing this morning?”

  Now that I think about it, that glyph of a warding spell was pretty strong. There’s no doubt that Rowena is up to something, because she would have had to prepare that spell in advance. I suppose that I could always take her out with rabies.

  “That’s exactly what frightens me, Heidi.” The tingling in my palm hadn’t subsided. It was a constant static that was beyond annoying, and I wanted it to stop. I wanted everything to go back to the way it was before Leo caught Rye using magic on my gate to dispel my ward, and way before Kevin Paul’s murder. “What if Aunt Rowena did something to Liam? You know, erased his thoughts or his feelings toward me. Mom should have called me by now.”

  It would also explain why I didn’t feel Rowena’s presence earlier when she first arrived into town. She must have carried the glyph on a talisman. On a side note, squirrels aren’t known for hunting wounded cats, right?

  I couldn’t stop rubbing my right palm with my other thumb in an attempt to lessen the distracting sensations. It felt like my hand had fallen asleep—pins and needles. If I thought for one second that Liam wouldn’t find it odd that I needed to cancel our early lunch, I’d do it in a heartbeat. As it stood currently, the only chance of finding out why Aunt Rowena and my mother had sought out Liam was to ask him myself.

  I startled when Leo’s four paws all lifted off the ground at the same time, but thankfully he’d had enough wherewithal not to disappear into thin air amongst the crowded people.

  “A flower for the pretty lady?” Buttons bellowed with a smile, bringing us up short when he jumped in front of our path toward the picnic tables. In the grip of his white glove was a purple carnation. “How about two?”

  Leo hissed at Buttons from behind the corner of the funnel cake stand. Buttons didn’t seem too fazed at the sight of a pet cat walking with his owner around a carnival. Well, maybe he had given a second glance, but he was too busy waiting for us to take the purple and pink carnations out of those freaky white gloves that still didn’t have a smudge of dirt on them.

  I hate clowns. Not as bad as squirrels, but they’re right up there on my list with spiders and fairies.

  “Thank you, Buttons,” I said, following suit after Heidi had already expressed her appreciation. I glanced over his shoulder toward the pizza stand, but I couldn’t find Liam anywhere in the crowd. Maybe I
could get some questions answered, though. “How is today going for everyone? I can imagine that it’s been pretty rough on everyone to keep up the momentum for the children and their parents after last night’s tragedy.”

  Buttons cautiously looked around before taking a step closer. It didn’t escape my notice that Heidi took a small step to the side as Leo cautiously approached while keeping her between them.

  I’m not taking any chances. Besides, I’ve got to save up my energy in case I have another round with Skippy the Squirrel. I can’t let bygones be bygones after what he did to me this morning. Death before dishonor.

  “Word has it that Elroy Simpson was seen in town yesterday,” Buttons whispered, holding up one of his pristine white gloves near his painted face as if we were conspiring with one another. “Get this. Kevin didn’t only take Elroy’s job, but he also moved in on the man’s girlfriend, too. Turns out that Clara spent all night crying in Kevin’s camper over what happened to him. Poor thing. Olive took the day off to stay with her in the camper, although George wasn’t too happy about being shorthanded.”

  “George?” It was pretty easy to follow Button’s story. Clara had been Kevin’s girlfriend, and Olive was the best friend. It sounded as though George was one of the bosses, but it was always best to clarify who was who in this situation. “I take it George makes the schedule for the staff?”

  The day might just be looking up if there were more suspects to put on the list. Maybe I’d overreacted about Aunt Rowena being in town. It could have simply been as Heidi had suggested—Aunt Rowena sensed my mother’s presence and came to visit. Most likely, Aunt Rowena was recruiting for the faction she was currently leading against the other council members of the coven. That left Rye to be the handyman he claimed to be, and I’d only allowed my imagination to run wild when it came to my gate.

  “George Mertes is the owner and operator of this small outfit. He had to use a couple local volunteers to cover for the others.” Buttons lowered his hand and wiggled those gloved fingers at a couple of passing children and their moms. He once again looked all around us, almost as if George was going to pop out from behind the carousal. “Clara and Olive have been with the carnival for years, like me. We’re already short-staffed, and George has a lot on his plate now that one of his employees was killed during open hours. He’ll be lucky if his insurance isn’t revoked. We even had to shut down one of the less frequented rides so that we had enough workers to man the other attractions and the game booths. On top of that, I heard through the grapevine that the state detective has been all over George, looking for answers as to why Kevin wasn’t where he was supposed to be when he was killed.”