by CC Dragon
“I have to go. Thanks for the tea. Thank you,” I dashed off.
Chapter Seventeen
I went home and dragged Esme to my SUV.
“Who did what?” she asked.
“Trela was a gypsy posing as Wiccan to own her shop and whatever in Salem. Make the most money. She racked up big debts that her boyfriend, now ex, paid for. She pissed off other witches. She’d moved around all her life.”
“She was conning people.” Esme caught on quick.
“Right. But the gypsies wouldn’t kill one of their own. Not a woman. Not for conning Gorgers. Unless she’d hurt a gypsy, they wouldn’t go after Trela,” I dashed out as I drove to the mansion.
“If she was alone, she’d turned her back on the gypsies and was still running their cons,” Esme suggested.
“Who’s more likely to attack? The family that wants her back or the people she conned?” I asked.
“Conned, but...”
“But they had help,” I said.
I parked then we went up to the door. “Follow my lead.”
“This better be good,” she said.
The butler admitted us.
“You’re late for dinner,” Bran said.
“We’re not here for that. Is Dutch around?” I asked.
I’d barely said his name, and he arrived. “Yes?”
“I need to catch a killer. You’re the rep to the witches’ council?” I asked.
He nodded.
“Even if it’s someone in your family?” I asked.
“Always.” He nodded.
“Vern,” Esme called.
The vampire came down the stairs. “What’s the matter?”
“Where’s your aunt?” I asked Bran.
“What are you doing to the peace of our home?” Aunt Trezel came out of the sitting room.
“I know who stole my spells. But it’s not the same person who killed Trela.” I headed into the sitting room, and everyone followed.
“What?” Esme asked.
“I wrote a few spells on the way home from Salem.” I held out my hands. “What was my mother’s belongs to me. Bring me the thief for everyone to see.”
I never dragged people from their lives. It was dangerous. It could expose magic. I was over those problems, right now.
Amelia and Brenda both materialized before us.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Brenda asked.
“Interesting. So, who put you up to stealing my mother’s spells?” I asked.
Amelia nervously looked around. Her eyes kept darting to Aunt Trezel.
“That’s what I thought.” I turned to Aunt Trezel. “Why would you kill Trela?” I asked.
“That’s out of line. Get out of this house,” she ordered.
“No. It’s not your house. You’re crashing here for a reason. You invited Trela to your ball. Why?” I asked.
Trezel shrugged. “She was supposedly a new witch in town. I was being nice. Then, I met her. I realized what she was when I found her snooping through my things. She tried to steal from me.”
“Oh, you noticed these.” I pulled her rings from my pocket and slid them on my fingers. “They’re not worth much. Pretty. Gypsy.”
“Trela was a gypsy?” Bran asked.
“She hid it. I don’t know why she left her family group in Florida, but she traveled up the East Coast. Apparently, she burned bridges in person and online. That’s why she wasn’t rushing to open a shop. But why did she take you up on the offer for the ball?” I asked.
“She was going to con you,” Amelia said.
“We knew her from the online coven. We warned our hostess about the gypsy witch,” Brenda said.
“The cons, you mean?” Vern asked.
“Yes, and that’s she’s a gypsy witch. Not one of us. She bounced around the East Coast, which is suspicious,” Brenda said.
“Why steal spells from Claudia?” Bran asked.
They looked at Aunt Trezel, again.
“She asked us to. Like a test to see if we were loyal and strong,” Amelia admitted.
“Why Claudia’s things?” Vern asked.
I knew that. “She wanted to know who my father was. If he was possibly a gypsy. If I was someone to reject.”
“Aunt...” Bran growled.
“We know she’s not, now. Or you believe she’s not. There’s no proof her father is who everyone says he was. There’s something wrong about her. Family secrets and shame. She’s not right for you,” Aunt Trezel said.
“You don’t know the secret?” I asked.
“You and your family are too strong. Whatever magic was used to protect that secret, it can only be revealed to someone who isn’t going to use it to hurt you. Clever magic.” She glared at me.
“So, you killed Trela just for being a gypsy?” I asked.
“I checked into her past. She stole. She lied. Then, she used me by coming to an event. I won’t let those gypsies ruin my family, again.” She folded her arms.
“Again? Ruin? What are you talking about?” Bran asked.
“They’re all liars and cons. I married one by accident. He stole money behind my back for years. I was a fool. I believed in exceptions to the rules once, and it backfired.”
“Lucky he died,” Vern said.
Dutch shook his head.
Bran rubbed his forehead. “You couldn’t. You killed your husband?”
“What else could I do? They aren’t subject to the witches’ council. I couldn’t let him get away with it. There had to be justice. And Trela made me a fool at the ball, along with her.” Aunt Trezel pointed at me.
“She might as well be gypsy,” Trezel continued. “She’s friends with them. I’ve had her tracked. Her uncle might not be blood, but she took you, my darling nephew, to a gypsy wedding. She may not be one, but she’s too close to them. She wears their jewelry. She’s infected,” Aunt Trezel accused.
“That’s crazy,” Bran said.
“But you killed Trela. You used my mother’s spells. Maybe you forced Brenda and Amelia to do it, but you were behind it.” I looked at Dutch.
He waved his hand, and Aunt Trezel was gone.
“She’s in the dungeon?” I asked.
Dutch nodded. “The case will be brought before the council.” He turned to Brenda and Amelia. “You will testify and be punished for theft.”
Brenda shook her head. “We didn’t have a choice. It was that or...”
“Or what?” Vern prompted. “Death?”
“She’d blame it all on us. I’m pretty sure she was trying to frame me for murder, anyway,” Brenda said.
“I agree. She told me the same person who stole the spells used them to kill Trela. All this to get rid of a gypsy.” I shook my head.
“A thief and con artist,” Amelia added.
“So, turn her in to the cops. Death isn’t a sentence any of us get to hand out,” I said.
“I’m sorry, Claudia,” Bran said.
I turned to Esme. “What about the council? Are they pro or anti-gypsy?” I asked.
“Murdering anyone is bad. Human or gypsy witch,” Dutch said.
Esme nodded. “I’m going along to make sure.”
“I hope she gets life in the dungeon.” I exhaled and looked at Bran.
“What?” he asked.
I shook my head. “I know before, when we started dating, you said that if I was part gypsy or something, it’d be awkward. It’d be an issue. I really thought it’d be like two people from different religions getting together. Some issues but it could be sorted out. But this?”
“We’re not all like that,” Vern said. “We’re not killers.”
“But if I were even part gypsy...”
I looked Bran in the eye.
He sighed. “It would be a hard sell to the family.”
“So, vampires and werewolves are okay?” I asked.
“We don’t encourage it, but if it happens to a member of the family, we won’t kick them out,” Bran said.
“That’s very kind. So, you can discriminate against the gypsies? Because that can’t just happen.” I shook my head and turned to Dutch. “You’ve the case. Do what you want. I’m done with this family.”
I walked out.
“Claudia.” Bran caught me on the porch.
“Don’t lie to me. Don’t.” I shook my head.
“I’m not. I didn’t know she’d done any of that. She’s the family wild card. She gets away with things because she moves around so much. Two murders? She’s going away,” he said.
“I don’t care what anyone thinks. You. Your parents. If I were a gypsy, I’d be trash you don’t want in your family.”
“You’re not. Why do you care about that?” he asked.
“The same reason I care about human and gypsies, even though I’m not one. Someone with some power has to look out for the weak or the ostracized. Guess I volunteered.” I looked him in the eye. “You know, don’t you?”
“Know what?” He leaned back.
“What my secret is. You know, and you’ve haven’t told me.” I wanted to puke. “I trusted you.”
“Okay, fine. I’ll tell you. My aunt didn’t want me to, but I don’t care.” Bran took a step closer to me.
“No, I don’t want to know. Not from you. Not from your aunt, who just wants to use to it to keep me out. If it was nothing, she’d have told me to put me in her debt. Stay away from me,” I said.
“Please, just listen,” he said.
“Stay away from me.” I jumped in my car and slammed the door.
The truth would come out another way. I didn’t want it from him.
Chapter Eighteen
I hid on the second floor and opened a bottle of wine, which would be illegal on the first floor since I didn’t have a liquor license.
Aunt Mandy and the twins found me. I blamed Brad and his vampire senses.
“Brad ratted me out?” I asked.
“Can I have some?” Iris asked.
“No, mine.” I sipped from a plastic cup.
“What happened?” Aunt Mandy asked.
I shook my head. “I broke up with Bran. His aunt killed Trela. Brenda and Amelia stole my spells under orders from Bran’s aunt. You’ll never imagine why.”
“Why?” Violet pressed.
“Trela was a gypsy. I mean, it sounds like she did some long cons and got away with it. But a gypsy at the ball? Bran’s aunt was upset a gypsy slipped in under her radar. I can’t be around them. I thought they were just quirky, but I can’t be so close to such a prejudiced family.” I took another swallow of wine.
“What did Bran say? He doesn’t seem like that,” Aunt Mandy said.
“Nothing worth listening to. Before he mentioned that it’d be hard to get a gypsy in the family. When he first said it a while back, I thought it was the attitudes of the older generations.” I refilled the little glass.
“Maybe he did mean that, and his aunt is just awful,” Iris mused.
“She found out the secret, and I think she told him. Neither of them bothered to tell me. I can’t trust him.” I groaned.
I drank the wine like a shot and refilled the glass.
“Okay, that’s enough.” Aunt Mandy took the bottle. “Iris, go get her two large black coffees.”
“Right. Don’t say anything important until I get back,” Iris said.
“Cream and caramel sauce. Iced,” I said.
Esme walked up the stairs.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to leave you stranded,” I said.
She sat on the sofa. “Vern gave me a ride. I can teleport, but it’s too risky with so many humans here.”
“What happened?” Aunt Mandy asked.
Iris came up with both hands full of coffee. I took one. “Thanks.”
I handed the wine cup to Esme, who downed it quickly.
I sipped my coffee as I waited.
Esme took a deep breath. “That evil woman is locked up for the remainder of her life. Powers bound. Guilty of two murders.”
“At least magical justice is true and fast,” Violet said.
“And the thieves?” I asked.
“What powers they had have been removed. Permanently. Brenda is furious,” Esme said.
“They were accessories to murder,” I said.
“No, they didn’t know she was really going to kill anyone. They thought it was a threat. That’s their story, anyway. They warned Bran’s aunt about the gypsies and stole the spells to prove their loyalty. They had no hand in the actual act itself.” Esme had another cup of wine then took the other coffee.
“Vern and you okay?” I asked.
Esme shrugged. “He and I aren’t that serious. He’s a nice companion when I want to go out. I don’t need to settle down or have kids at my age.”
“Since you’ll live nine lives, I suppose a vampire is a good companion. I just couldn’t. I can’t...” I reached for the wine.
“No,” Aunt Mandy said.
“Can’t what?” Esme asked.
“She dumped Bran,” Iris added.
Esme looked at me. “You’re so like your mother.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.” I stared at the rings on my fingers. “I don’t know what to think of Trela, but she didn’t deserve to be murdered.”
“Of course not. No one deserves that. The police haven’t been back. They must’ve ruled it a suicide,” Esme said.
I nodded. “I’ll ask Derrick. Assuming he’s still dating that hunky detective.”
“That’s a good idea. We’ll have a spa day this week. Manis, pedis, and hair.” Viv nodded. “Derrick will cheer you up. It’s about time he had some luck in love.”
“I was so stupid. I don’t fit in with them.” I sipped my coffee.
“Opposites attract. They’re no better than you,” Iris said.
“They think they are,” Aunt Mandy filled in.
I sighed. “It’s done. It’s over. Murder solved, much faster than human courts. At least we know the outcome without waiting for trails.”
“They had to interrogate her pretty good to get her to confess,” Esme shared.
“That makes me feel better.” I smiled. “I think I should get some sleep. Tomorrow, back to normal.”
“Ken asked for a potion. We won’t turn him away,” Aunt Mandy said.
“Ken. He must’ve been a spy to see what we know. He was here for three days and who knows what he overheard. But, yes, give him the potion. He’s still a werewolf. You can feel it,” I said.
“Feel it?” Iris frowned.
“You can’t feel it? That inner wolf in a werewolf?” I asked.
She shook her head.
“You have to be a pretty powerful witch to sense that,” Esme said.
I never thought about it.
“Okay. Enough education and drama. I’m going to bed.” I stood and felt a change in the café.
I walked down and looked around. It was mostly empty. Then, I saw Bran at the door.
“Get out,” I said.
Brad looked shocked behind the counter.
“The Killeans are no longer welcome here. None of them,” I said.
“Claudia, listen to me,” Bran said.
“Nope.” I waved a hand at him.
The door flew open, and he landed out on the street.
I walked out and stood over him. “You have a lot of nerve showing up here.”
“I need to explain,” he said.
“Okay. Did you think this was a joke? That I help people because it amuses me to think of their pain and me riding to the rescue?”
He tried to get up, but I kept the pressure on his chest. “I admired that you cared for people and went out of your way to help them. I was raised to build up the family. To make us stronger so no one could hurt us. No one could drive us out. Did you have a relative burned?” he asked.
“They generally hanged people more than burned them. What does it matter, now?” I asked.
“Money and power are
the only things humans respect and fear. Our family never forgot that one of our own was murdered.”
“By a gypsy? Or by the courts here? WASPs were afraid of anyone with powers they didn’t have. Or even the idea that women could be stronger.”
“No, not gypsies. I know you see them as good, but they’re no more innocent than any other group of people,” he said.
“Agreed. Trela probably did steal and con. That doesn’t mean she deserved to be murdered. I’m all for justice being equal and applied to all. The hunters go after vamps or weres that have killed. If they catch another one, they educate them. You know how you influence and keep checks on groups? You interact with them. You believe in them, and the ones who screw up or can’t follow the rules, they’re the exceptions. They get singled out.”
“You’re so selfless.” He shook his head.
“No, I’m not. I know what it’s like to lose my family to a werewolf. I don’t want that to happen to one more person. The gypsies help with that. And some werewolves don’t know what they are until we educate them. My motives aren’t hard to see. Yours, I have no idea other than pure greed.” I took a deep breath.
“Once you have a lot, you’re afraid people will take it from you. Everyone wants to be us,” he said.
“I don’t. I don’t want to turn into evil and hateful people, who think there is any group out there beneath me. I’d rather be powerless than to believe I’m superior. And, since I figured out what you really are, I’ve actually felt more powerful. Maybe you’ve got it backwards.” I folded my arms.
He slowly stood. “You think you’re stronger?”
“I think you should learn how to take a breakup and go home.” With a wave of my hand, I opened the door of his expensive foreign car. That wasn’t much, but when I levitated him, it was easy. I shoved him in the car and slammed the door.
I wiped the memories of any humans that might’ve seen it.
Back in the café, I walked up to Brad. “Let me know if he’s a problem, again.”
“Claudia,” Esme said.
“What?” I asked.
Esme smiled. “You’ve finally embraced your powers. Don’t let them take over.”
I shook my head. “I’m going to bed. Derrick’s tomorrow.”
The twins nodded.
I headed up the stairs.
“Claudia,” Iris called.
