“Oh, my, Sterling. What are you doing here? You know Elsbeth doesn’t like it when you come visit me too often.” Belladonna said as she bent down and scooped the silver cat up into her arms. Sterling mewled loudly and snuggled up to Belladonna as close as she could get. “You’re right. I don’t think she minds nearly as much as she carries on about it.”
She had to shift the cat in her arm to scratch her now very itchy palm. Bella knew she wasn’t allergic to cats, so the itch in her hand could only mean one thing. Before she could mention the idea to her feline companion, something else caught her attention.
That’s the moment that Belladonna, who had been previously watching a movie on her computer with her headphones on, caught her first glimpse of the fire blazing away at the Tory mansion.
“You poor, poor, dear. Well, I guess I’d better let you in then.” She said and closed the door behind her.
Once inside, she set the cat down and went to get her phone. Belladonna wasn’t sure who to call, but she was sure she should probably call someone. She had to be the only person in town who didn’t know what was going on.
At the edge of Belladonna’s yard, hidden behind a huge azalea bush, a dark figure watched the witch carry her new pet into the house.
Tory Mansion (Or, what was left of it.)
Detective Benjamin Carmichael arrived on the scene as the last of Winterfield’s oldest and fanciest estate burned to the ground. The local firefighters were still trying to put out the blaze, but very soon, they would be doing nothing but watering ash. The fire had consumed the house almost entirely, and it would be doing everyone a favor by putting itself out. Even the garage was gone by the time Benjamin stepped out of his vehicle.
He crossed the lawn and almost reached Fire Chief Higgins when the scream pierced the night air. It was already chilly, but the sound of terror in firefighter Cassie Holt’s voice gave the seasoned detective a chill.
Everyone who wasn’t pointing a firehose at the flames ran around the back of the former house to the source of the scream. There behind the garden shed was Cassie standing next to the body of Mrs. Elsbeth Tory.
Ben had seen worse in his days working homicide in the city, but this event was probably one of the most horrific things the town of Winterfield had seen for a very long time. A murmur started to roll through the group of firefighters, police officers, and the village folk who had been brave enough to come close to the fire.
Ben looked down the hill and saw the crowd of onlookers inching closer. Their curiosity was heightened by the scream. He knew he had to take control of the scene fast. There was a distinct possibility that the estate was now a crime scene.
He grabbed the three police officers already present. “You guys need to get your crime scene tape and put it on the outside gate. Get everybody here who isn’t fighting the fire out. I’m going to call the Chief.”
The three officers nodded their heads and headed for their patrol cars. Ben pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed the Chief’s number.
“I’m already on my way, Detective.” Police Chief Alex Frost answered without even saying hello.
“How did you know already?” Detective Benjamin said astonished.
“You’ll learn how things work around here soon enough.” Chief Frost responded and then cut the line.
Ben shook his head and slid his phone back into his black slacks. Then, he immediately took it back out. There was no forensics team in Winterfield, so he’d have to call in the one from Floret. He was confident they wouldn’t get much from the crime scene. It was so contaminated because of all of the people who had already stomped all over it, but it was best to call them in any way.
By the time he got off the phone with the Floret City Forensics Team, the fire was out. Officer Terry escorted the rest of the firefighters out of the crime scene and then waited with Ben for the forensics team. The other two officers sat in their patrol car at the end of the Tory mansion’s driveway to keep everyone off the property.
Once the team from Floret City arrived, Ben told the two officers guarding the driveway they could go home and get some sleep.
“You can go too, Officer Terry.” Ben offered when he looked at his watch and saw how late it was getting.
“Thanks, Boss. I’ll see you in the morning.” Officer Terry said and tipped his hat to the new detective.
The forensics team was processing the crime scene until almost dawn. Ben didn’t know any of them, so he just stood back and watched them quietly. Chief Frost had shown up and stayed around long enough to tell Ben, he was in charge. Frost had a brief meeting with Fire Chief Higgins before going home.
The State Arson investigator showed up about the time that forensics left, and Detective Ben wondered if he’d ever get the chance to poke about the scene. He was itching to look around, but he knew he’d have to wait until the site was cleared for entry.
As the sun broke the horizon, the State Arson investigator, Mr. Ledbetter, finished his investigation, gave Ben his card, and left. He mumbled something about possibly having to come back later, but he seemed exhausted and frazzled. Being woken up in the middle of the night to visit the scene of a murder will do that to you. But again, people around here hadn’t seen as much of that stuff as Ben had during his previous career.
Detective Benjamin had hoped he wouldn’t have to deal with violent crime anymore after his move to Winterfield, but he is getting ready to poke around the ashes of a burnt down mansion to find clues in a murder investigation.
777 Cornland Lane
Sterling stretched out in front of the fireplace in Belladonna’s parlor. She licked her paw and meowed loudly. Despite the fact that she’d just escaped a massive house fire, the small silver cat wanted a fire lit in the hearth.
The Victorian house on the corner of Cornland Lane and Parker Street had six fireplaces total, but all of them had been converted to natural gas years before Belladonna bought the house. All she had to do was push a button and turn a dial, and a cozy fire roared to life. Sterling rolled over on her back and swished her tail across the rug in appreciation.
Belladonna was still trying to call her best friend Murielle when the broom in the corner of the room fell over. “Company’s coming.” She said to Sterling and knelt down to rub the cat’s furry belly.
A few moments later, there was a knock at the front door. Belladonna shuffled quickly to the front entryway. When she swung the heavy oak front door open, Murielle was standing there looking red faced and frazzled.
“I’m sorry. I forgot my phone at home when I went to the square to watch the fire.”
“Then how did you know I was trying to call you?” Belladonna asked and stepped back so her friend could enter the house.
“Witch please, I always know when you’re trying to call 30 seconds before the phone rings. Apparently, it works even when I don’t have my phone.” Murielle says and bends down to pet Sterling as the cat rubs against her shins. “Why is Sterling here? I mean don’t get me wrong, I’m glad the kitty didn’t burn up, but what’s she doing here?”
“She was at my door. I didn’t even know there was a fire until I opened it to let her in. I was in the den watching Practical Magic again.” Belladonna says and laughs when her best friend rolls her eyes at her.
“Sterling always did like you. I wouldn’t be surprised if she burned down the Tory mansion just so she could come live with you.” Murielle started to chuckle, but then her face went ghostly white. She looked as though she might be sick.
“What is it?” Belladonna asked as she rushed to her friend’s side.
“That wasn’t nice. I shouldn’t have said that. Considering.”
“Considering what?” Belladonna said as she squeezed her friend’s shoulder reassuringly.
“That’s what I came down here to tell you. I don’t know how it slipped my mind. Anyway. They found Mrs. Tory’s body out behind the garden shed. One of the firefighters. Um, Cassie Holt. She found her when she went around the
back of the house.”
“Oh, that’s terrible,” Belladonna said and brought her hands up to her stomach. She pressed against her belly as if that would stop the queasy feeling of dread rising in her.
“You’re probably the only person in town that will feel that way,” Murielle said grimly.
“Don’t be mean.” Bella chastised softly.
“Well, not many people like her. In fact, I’m pretty sure you and Sterling are the only ones who did.”
“People didn’t understand her,” Belladonna says as she bends down to scoop Sterling into her arms again. “Did they girl?” The cat purrs as Bella scratches under her chin.
“Let’s get some tea and sit on the porch,” Murielle said and headed towards Belladonna’s kitchen.
Belladonna cut up a peach while her friend quickly washed some berries from the refrigerator. The two women filled the bottom quarter of their glasses with the fresh fruit and then poured ice tea over it.
They made their way out to Bella’s huge wraparound porch and sat down in the rocking chairs to watch the fire. Once Belladonna was situated, Sterling jumped into her lap and curled up.
“Oh hey, Sterling. I didn’t even realize you’d followed us out here.” She said and petted the cat softly.
The two women rocked and chatted until the fire at the Tory mansion was completely out. Soon after the blaze was gone, Officer Terry drove up. Bella and Murielle waved at him as he pulled his police cruiser up to the curb.
“Ms. Murielle, would you like a police escort home this evening?” He asked with a hopeful smile on his face.
“Why sure, Office Terry. Let me grab my purse.” She said and stood up.
“When are you going to give in and just go out on a date with that man already?” Belladonna asked and gave her friend a wink.
“Haha, soon Bella darling. Soon. I’m just going to make him work a little harder for it. I’m worth it, and I think he likes the challenge.” She said and retreated into the house before Belladonna could respond.
“You make sure and lock your door tonight Belladonna.” Officer Terry called out to her.
“I will, thanks, Luke.”
He didn’t say the reason for the warning, but it was there hanging in the air. Mrs. Tory’s death would most likely have the whole town on edge for a while. Bella wondered if the new detective she’d seen at the coffee shop a few times was the one working the case. She didn’t know why, but the idea of him up on the hill investigating intrigued her. Actually, he intrigued her, but she’d never let on about that to anyone.
“By Belladonna,” Murielle said as she came bouncing out the door.
Bella put Sterling down on the porch and got out of her rocking chair to hug her friend goodnight. It made Belladonna happy to see her friend falling in love. Even if Officer Terry was a werewolf. Ms. Nightshade was confident that her best friend was in good hands.
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Brewing Love: A Witchy Mystery (Tree's Hollow Witches Book 1) Page 8
