Spellbound After Midnight (Ever Dark, Ever Deadly Book 1)

by Jenna Collett

  “Diane loved it here. She’d spend most of her time in the greenhouse. It’s a shame to see it this way. It used to be beautiful, full of vibrant flowers.”

  I rubbed a spot in the dirt with my sleeve to peer through the glass. “What happened to the seedlings?”

  “Oddly enough, they vanished too. I never could wrap my head around that one.” Theo kicked at a mound of dried grass. “Diane must have taken them with her.”

  It didn’t add up. Clearly, Diane fit into the puzzle somewhere, but we were still missing a piece. The fact she had worked at the palace didn’t bode well for the prince. He would have been a child when she was around and likely wouldn’t have had anything to do with her disappearance—assuming she had disappeared and didn’t leave on her own.

  I groaned internally and pressed my fingers into my eyelids. Why did every lead create more questions? At least we’d found the origin of the roses. Now, we needed to find out how Diane was connected to the murders.

  “Thank you for your time, Mr. Beckett, and for showing us the greenhouse.” I opened my notebook and looked over the entry. “One other thing, do you happen to remember Diane’s last name?”

  Theo rubbed the bald spot on his head and pursed his lips in thought. “What was it? It’s on the tip of my tongue.” He tapped his shoe. “That’s right, I remember. It was Porter. Diane Porter.”

  My jaw dropped, and I looked at Derrick. Surprise widened his features.

  “Did Diane have any family locally?” he asked.

  Theo nodded. “Yes, a sister. I think her name was Jane.”

  Chapter 29

  “Wow. I leave for a few days to investigate a suspected haunting and come back to this? Helen’s dead, and Jane had a sister who grew the type of roses left at the crime scene. You two have been busy.” Vivian shook her head and added a splash of bourbon to her tea.

  My eyes narrowed as she screwed the cap back on the flask. “Since when do you drink bourbon?”

  “Hmm, what?” She tucked it under the table and wrinkled her brow.

  “Where did you get it, Viv?”

  “I…found it.”

  “You found it? That’s the story you’re sticking with?”

  She sipped her tea, lifting a manicured brow over the rim. “Yes.”

  I threw up my hands and turned to Derrick. “And you call me secretive.”

  “Because you are,” he muttered.

  “Well, it’s super annoying.”

  “Tell me about it.”

  Vivian feigned interest in her cuticles until it was safe, then asked, “Are there any leads on what happened to Diane?”

  Derrick leaned back in his chair. “Nothing solid. We spoke with a few servants who were around back then, but they knew as much as Theo. One day, she was there, and the next, she was gone. We’re pretty confident Diane was having an affair with the king. The problem is, we learned she may not have been the only one.”

  Vivian snorted. “Shocking.”

  I drummed my fingers on the table. “So, let’s assume something happened. Maybe she found out about the other women or—”

  “Got pregnant,” Vivian said. “A child out of wedlock wouldn’t have a direct claim to the throne with a legal heir already in place. Diane would essentially be on her own.”

  “And possibly forced to go to her sister.” My mind raced with the new theory. “But if that’s the case, what happened to the child? Assuming there was one, how would we prove it without confirmation from the king? It’s not like we can walk up to him and ask about his potential love child.”

  “I’m certainly not doing it,” Vivian joked.

  We both looked at Derrick. He held up his hands.

  “No way. I’m not allowed to investigate as it is. We’d have to find proof before I can present it to my superior. Only then can we consider approaching the royal family.”

  This was impossible. I dropped my head into my hands and sighed. There had to be a way to determine whether Diane had a child. It was the only thing that made sense and could account for the mysterious man Argus had seen with Jane.

  The bell over the front door jingled as someone entered the waiting area. Vivian lifted her shoulders. She didn’t have any clients booked for the evening.

  We all turned when a woman wearing full black appeared through the beaded curtain.

  “Please excuse my interruption, but they told me at the agency I’d find you here.” Olivia Lockwood stepped further into the room. Her eyes were red-rimmed, lips trembling. She clutched a handkerchief tightly in her hand; in the other, she held a worn journal.

  Derrick stood to offer her his seat, but she declined.

  “I won’t stay long. I’ve already given a statement regarding my daughter. I knew she was troubled—it was why I remarried. I’d hoped a fresh start would set her on the right path. I never imagined she’d be involved with…” Olivia paused, bringing the handkerchief to her mouth to cover a sob. “That’s not why I’m here. I can’t change what my daughter has done, but I refuse to let her be branded a murderer. She didn’t kill Ella, I know it in my heart. Someone manipulated her and then killed her to keep her quiet.”

  She extended the journal. I reached out to take them from her.

  “I was going through her things and discovered this in her room. It’s in Ella’s handwriting. Helen must have found it after the murder and was worried it would reveal her association. Ella knew my daughter was caught in something beyond her control. Even though they weren’t close, I think she wanted to help her. I have to believe that. I’m giving you this because I want you to find who did this to my family, and I want them to pay.”

  “Mrs. Lockwood,” I began, while Olivia struggled to regain her composure, “we know there was someone else involved besides Helen. We’re going to find out who. I promise that if Helen wasn’t responsible for killing Ella, we’ll do our best to clear her name.”

  “That’s all I ask.” Olivia wiped at the tears in her eyes, then turned to leave.

  After the front door had closed softly behind her, I opened the journal and read through the entries, passing it to Derrick when I’d finished. It was as Olivia had said: Ella had known Helen was in over her head and had started to follow her. The symbols on my palm had begun to itch, and that familiar warmth had returned. I glanced at Derrick then Vivian as unease coiled my stomach.

  “Ella saw her killer months before the night of the ball. She followed Helen to the Laughing Raven. We need to know what she saw.” My palm was on fire. I rubbed at the painful spot, wincing when it only grew hotter.

  Vivian grasped my hand and turned it palm-up. The symbols glowed orange, giving off their own light.

  “I have an idea. There’s just one part you won’t like.”

  “You said the same thing when we started this whole mess.”

  She angled her head and ran her fingers over the symbols. “Yeah, well, this time, you’re really not going to like it.”

  “What’s she talking about?” Derrick asked.

  “The link between Ella and Tessa.” Vivian led me to a chair and flattened my hand against her séance table. “I’ve been thinking about it. Why the connection? What does it mean? Whenever the symbols glow, you experience a memory or insight into Ella’s life. In her house, she led you to her room and her father’s letters. Then, at the fountain, you experienced her final moments. When you read her journal just now, your symbols acted up. What if we could use the journal and your link to Ella to discover what she saw the night she followed Helen?”

  “How?” Wariness strained my voice.

  “Possession.”

  So, there was the part I wouldn’t like.

  “You mean, the crazy thing that happened between you and Sophie? No way. Can’t you do it?”

  “It won’t be the same—the link is stronger between you two. With Sophie, the connection was faint. She was disjointed, unable to stay or speak for long.”

  “But Ella doesn’t have her memories.” I gra
sped at straws, trying to think of reasons it wouldn’t work.

  “Some of her memories will return once her spirit has taken over. We can bind the journal entry to her spirit and amplify the memory. I think.”

  “You think?”

  Derrick stepped between us. “Tessa, you don’t have to do this if you don’t want to. We’ll find another way.”

  Vivian made a face and slung her arms across her chest. “This is the way. Why else is there a link between them? We can use it to our advantage. You won’t feel anything, if that’s what you’re worried about. It’s like taking a nap.”

  “With a ghost inside you.”

  “Temporarily.”

  I groaned and closed my fist, sick of seeing the glowing symbols. Was this what it had come to? Was I even considering it? My whole body cringed at the idea, but Vivian had a point. If we could use the link to our advantage, we had to try. It was the least I could do for Derrick. Well, not the least. There was nothing small about letting a ghost use you for recreational housing.

  Honestly, the things I did for ghosts.

  “Fine. I’ll do it.”

  Vivian clapped her hands together and flew across the room to gather her candles and sage bundle. She was enjoying this a little too much.

  Derrick sat beside me and brushed his thumb across my palm. “Are you sure?”

  “Not really. I’m afraid Vivian doesn’t know what she’s doing, and I’ll end up possessed by an evil spirit and give it corporeal form.”

  “I can hear you.”

  “I should hope so, I’m not whispering.” I squeezed Derrick’s fingers. “But I want to do this for you. Maybe, in some small way, it will make up for what happened before, with the other witch.”

  “That wasn’t your fault.”

  “No, but if there’s something I can do to bring you and your family peace after Sophie’s death then I’ll do it.”

  He pulled me against his chest. “Thank you, Tessa.”

  I fiddled with the cuff of his sleeve and made a reluctant face. “Just promise me that if I become evil, you won’t try to chop off my head. Allow me to live out my maniacal days in the mountains somewhere.”

  Derrick stifled a smile and staged a sigh. “I can’t promise you that. The law has very strict rules on letting evil roam free.”

  Vivian snickered. I was surrounded by court jesters.

  “Fine, then wait until you get my bill.”

  Laughing, he pressed a kiss to my forehead. “Knowing you, it will be huge.”

  “It’ll bankrupt the agency.” I glanced at the clock and shivered. All we had to do now was wait for Ella to appear and convince her to invade my body in a super creepy séance ritual.

  Good times.

  ***

  “I’ll do it.” Ella floated closer, nodding her head in excitement. “Will I remember everything?”

  Vivian chewed her lip. “Not everything. The link works best when tied to an object. The journal is the catalyst for this memory. You won’t remember the day you died.”

  “I understand. I still want to try.”

  “You don’t want to think about it for a while? Maybe take a couple of days?” I asked, wringing my hands in my lap.

  “Tessa, quit stalling.” Vivian lit the bundle of sage and held it in the air.

  “I’m not stalling.” I ground my teeth and tried to calm my nerves. It felt like I was on a runaway cart with no option but to hold on and hope for the best. Derrick was going to have broken fingers by the time this was over. I gripped his hand harder to test his limits, but he didn’t even flinch.

  “Don’t let go,” I said.

  “I won’t.”

  “I’ll know if you do.”

  “No, she won’t.” Vivian moved the pedestal candle into the center of the table.

  Derrick smoothed a lock of hair out of my face. “I won’t let go.”

  I believed him. Nerves settled, I took a deep breath. This was fine. What was a little possession among friends anyway? It would make for a great story. I’d be amazing at parties. Not that I went to parties—but maybe someday.

  Vivian instructed me to place my palm with the glowing symbols over the pages in Ella’s journal. The instant I did, I felt a jolt and a wave of dizziness.

  “Are you ready?” she asked Ella.

  Moving to stand behind me, Ella settled a translucent hand on my shoulder. “I’m ready.”

  That made one of us.

  Vivian closed her eyes, and the ritual began. The candles dimmed then flashed the room in white light. Warmth flowed through my limbs, sending me drowsy. I tried to keep my eyes open but they drifted shut, and I went numb, fading into nothing.

  ***

  “Ella? Can you hear me?”

  My name sounded faraway, and I struggled against the dark, fighting to bring myself closer. I opened my eyes and blinked to clear my vision.

  Vivian sat across from me, her concerned gaze searching mine. How strange. My hand was clasped between the detective’s, his grip firm and reassuring, but there was a hint of fear in his eyes. I’d caused it.

  Without thinking, I tried to pull my hand away, but he tightened his grip.

  “Don’t,” he said.

  That’s right, he made a promise.

  I took a deep breath, filling my lungs with sage-scented air. It smelled oddly pleasant. There was a teacup next to my elbow, which I reached for, downing the liquid before I could stop myself. Sugar and raspberries burst on my tongue. I wanted more—it was delicious!

  The taste soon soured when a throb in my temple made memories cloud my mind. I winced, and my hand shook. This wasn’t real. This wasn’t my life. It belonged to someone else. The cup dropped and hit the edge of the table, then crashed to the floor.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.”

  “Shh, it’s okay.” Vivian grasped my other hand, slowly moving it to rest on top of the journal. They grew warm beneath my palm. “Relax, Ella. Take a moment and get your bearings. Do you know what we’re doing?”

  “Yes. I forgot for a second. Waking up was disorienting.”

  “We need to ask you some questions. Do you think you can handle that?”

  I nodded. “You want to know about Helen? About what I saw the night I followed her?”

  “We do. Take your time, I know this is difficult. What do you remember?”

  A hollow feeling grew in my stomach. It expanded into the rest of my body, leaving me sick and shaky.

  “I hoped I’d remember more, but so much is fuzzy.”

  “Do the best you can.”

  “When my father got sick, I thought Helen had poisoned him. I padlocked my room at night, terrified she’d poison me next. I started following her, recording her movements—I wanted proof. A few months after he died, she visited someone at a bar called the Laughing Raven. I went there and waited in the back until she arrived, then watched her sell a packet of berries to a man I’d never seen before. Something felt off, Helen seemed scared of him. They went around back, and I followed, but Helen wasn’t there. Another woman was.”

  “Do you know who she was?” Detective Chambers asked.

  “He called her Jane. They were arguing.”

  “What were they arguing about?”

  “The poison. Jane told him to get rid of it. She said his plan was worthless and they’d never accept him. He showed her something on his arm, a raised mark. It wasn’t a scar from an injury—it was too defined for that. She slapped him when she saw it. It startled me, and I must have made a sound because they stopped shouting and went inside.”

  “Can you describe the man for us? Did he have any distinguishing features besides the mark on his arm?” the detective asked.

  “He was fairly young, early twenties maybe. He wore a cap and a dark coat. There wasn’t anything that stood out. He had a soft voice even when he was angry. It wasn’t loud, but it was menacing, if you know what I mean?”

  Vivian nodded. “Do you remember anything else about t
hat night?”

  “When I got home, I confronted Helen about everything. She denied trying to poison my father. She claimed she’d been trying to save him, but he was too far gone. I wanted to believe her. She had her vices, but in the end, I don’t think she was a killer.” Murkiness blurred the rest of my thoughts, and a whimper escaped my throat. “That’s all I remember. I’m sorry.”

  “You did really good,” Vivian soothed.

  “I feel dizzy.”

  She placed a hand over mine. “I think it’s time.”

  “No!” My gaze darted around the room, panic eliciting harsh gasps. “I’m scared to go back. Please, let me stay a little longer.”

  “Don’t be scared. We can’t hold you here or leave the connection open for too long—it’s not safe for either of you.” Vivian’s voice grew quieter. She lifted the sage bundle and struck a match, filling the air with the scented smoke.

  A weight settled in my body. The lights dimmed.

  “Everything is going to be all right, Ella,” Vivian whispered.

  I closed my eyes.

  ***

  “Five more minutes,” I mumbled, burying my head under my arms.

  A thick smell crinkled my nose. Why was there so much smoke? Was the shop on fire? If another one of my spells had started a house fire, my mother would kill me.

  “I didn’t start the fire, I swear!” My eyes burst open, and I nearly fell out of the chair. Someone caught me around the waist, settling me back in the seat.

  “Relax, Tessa. There’s no fire,” Derrick’s voice rumbled in my ear.

  I searched the room to be sure. Vivian held up the bundle of sage and waved it around. Oh, yeah. Not fire, possession. I shuddered.

  “Did it work?”

  “It did.” Derrick wrapped his arms around me. “You were great.”

  “She slept through the whole thing,” Vivian grumbled. “Honestly, Ella and I did all the hard work. Possessions don’t just happen, you know?”