Murder At The Festival: A Witch Cozy Mystery (A Bluebell Knopps Witch Cozy Mystery Book 5)

by Nancy McGovern

  *****

  Chapter 9

  Bluebell was lost in thought as she headed outside. Craig and Jamie were both missing, and so was their car. So she was stranded there, apparently. She sighed. She couldn't get mad at either of them, however, they had a lot on their mind.

  So did she. Boyd couldn't possibly have been the murderer. Yet who could have done it? Who could possibly have wanted Jamie dead? It surely couldn't have been Jack, and most worrying of all, the real killer was still gunning for Jamie.

  She was looking at the ground, brow furrowed in concentration, when a woman bumped her shoulder.

  "Oh, sorry," Bluebell said, looking up.

  "Yeah, you better be!" the woman sneered.

  Bluebell blinked. It took her a second, but she recognized her immediately – this was the woman who'd been fighting with Charlie in the parking lot.

  "Tilly?" Bluebell said.

  "So you know my name already." Tilly gave her a cruel smile. "I saw you, you know. I saw you try and kiss Charlie earlier today."

  "I had—"

  "Oh, please. Women like you make me sick. He's still my husband! Don't try and steal him away from me."

  "I promise you, I've got no such intentions," Bluebell said. "Nothing's going on between me and Charlie."

  "It better stay that way too, stranger," Tilly sneered.

  Bluebell began to get a little annoyed. Sure, she could understand the woman's problem. If Jamie was right and Charlie was a cheater, no wonder Tilly felt humiliated and angry. But that was no reason to go around threatening an innocent.

  "Excuse me," Bluebell said, trying to move away before her temper exploded.

  "Yeah, keep walking," Tilly said. "You're nothing but a stranger. I own this town. I know the sheriff, I know all the city councilmen. You're just a homeless nobody trying to—"

  "All right, that's it!" Bluebell swung around, her eyes flashing like lightning. "I am not interested in Charlie, but it's becoming ever so clear to me why he left you. Your rudeness is only exceeded by your conceit."

  Tilly moved forward angrily.

  "We're in the parking lot of a police station," Bluebell said. "So come hit me. Make my day. We'll see what all those connections do for you when I press charges."

  "I should hit you, but I can't be bothered," Tilly said angrily. "I'll warn you again. Stay away from my Charlie!"

  "No problem," Bluebell said, stalking away. She was fuming for a while, until a black sedan pulled over near her.

  "Hey." The window rolled down, revealing an unsmiling Hollis. "Bluebell, right? Jamie's friend?"

  "Hey," Bluebell said. "If you're looking for them, Jamie and Craig have gone home already."

  "Right, Craig asked me to pick you up," Hollis said. "The two of them have gone to talk to the mayor and the city council. Not that it'll do any good. Jamie said she's sorry she totally forgot you were still at the station. Her mind was just all over the place."

  "That's all right," Bluebell said. "I completely understand. It was really nice of her to even remember I needed a ride, and nice of you to offer as well."

  "Least I can do." Hollis sighed. He popped open the passenger side door, and Bluebell hopped in. "So you've been talking to Tilly?" Hollis asked as he drove.

  "Unpleasant character, to say the least," Bluebell said. But now that she was away from her, Bluebell wondered why she'd even bothered to feel so upset. It wasn't Tilly that mattered but Jack. She pressed the tips of her finger to her head, trying to think about what could happen next. "Are Craig and Jamie all right? How did they sound when you spoke to them?"

  "I didn't speak to Jamie, and poor Craig could barely speak." Hollis sighed. "I couldn't get anything out of him. He only told me that Jack was in trouble and he needed a lawyer. Even when he called to ask me to pick you up, he barely spoke two words to me.”

  "He's pretty shattered." Bluebell sighed.

  "It's going to be tough for him. A good lawyer is expensive, and Jack looks like he's going to be in a heap of trouble."

  Bluebell gave him a sharp look. "But he could afford it if he sold you the factory, right?"

  Hollis didn't say anything, but Bluebell saw the slight curve of his lips. However, the smile quickly went away, and he said, "I'm not going to take advantage of Craig's misfortune, if that's what you're thinking. This is a terrible thing to happen. The only thing is, Craig's got a lot of friends and supporters in this town. Hopefully it will work out."

  He said all the right words, but underneath his smooth charm, Bluebell couldn't help but think that his businessman's instinct would come first. After all, he'd told Jamie himself that he only thought of cold hard cash when it came to business. Surely, even now, his mind was coming up with ways to persuade Craig to sell the factory.

  Bluebell sat up a little straighter. The factory. Jamie had been the one person refusing to sell the factory, when Hollis really wanted it. Couldn't it be possible that…

  Hollis looked over at her and raised an eyebrow. "What's the matter?"

  "Nothing." Bluebell smiled unsteadily. "I was just thinking about the whole parade. I still can't process it. The murder, I mean."

  "Oh, yes." Hollis nodded. "Terrible!"

  "Were you at the parade too?" Bluebell asked. "I didn't see you."

  "Oh, I had lunch at the stalls, but then I was stuck at the office," Hollis said. "I've recently bought some property off the old highway, and the licenses to convert it into a mall were taking forever. I had to write a bunch of emails to the representatives." He sighed. "Boring stuff like that always ties me up."

  Bluebell smiled politely. So he'd been alone in his office, had he? That wasn't much of an alibi. Then again, nobody had one, really. The murderer had bravely walked up to Mrs. Lahey and killed her in the middle of the parade. It could have been anybody at all. Well, anybody except Boyd, apparently.

  "Did you know Mrs. Lahey well?" Bluebell asked.

  "She was a good woman," Hollis said. "Not well-loved, because she tended to be grumpy and a little stuck in her ways. But she was a good woman all the same. She was kind to me when I was a kid, and that's why I rather liked her. I was even friends with her son before he died. He was a soldier, and a solid man."

  "I'm sorry to hear that," Bluebell said. "Must have been a hard life for her, alone with no family."

  "I wouldn't say she had no family. She has a couple of nephews," Hollis said. "Though she wasn't very close to them. Henry looked in on her once in a while, just for old time's sake. I wish... I don't know. It's just a shocking way for her to die. I wish we could have done something to prevent it. Imagine the bold audacity of the killer – he murdered her in the middle of a crowd!"

  "That's what worries me," Bluebell said. "Whoever the killer is, they aren't as much smart as they are foolhardy, and so far, they've had luck on their side. Twice he tried to kill Jamie, and the third time… well, the third time she may not escape."

  "So you don't think it's Jack?" Hollis asked.

  "How could it be?" Bluebell said. "I know for a fact that the killer was at Jamie's doorsteps around the time Jack was found."

  Hollis colored. "Yes, but it's just a knife and they won't find fingerprints on it," he said. "I'm sure the police can still convict Jack."

  Instantly, Bluebell was alert. "How did you know that?"

  "Know what?"

  "About the killer and the knife," Bluebell said. "You said Craig barely spoke to you. I don't believe he told you about it."

  Hollis turned red. "Of-of course he did," Hollis said. "He must have. How else could I possibly know, right?"

  "I don't think so," Bluebell said. "You're lying."

  "How dare you say that!" Hollis turned red. "I'm doing you a favor here, offering you a ride and—"

  "And you're trying to divert the topic and feigning anger," Bluebell said. "Classic signs that you're caught in a lie."

  "Get out of my car." Hollis pulled over, and angrily leaned over to open her door. "Out!"

  "Ho
llis, I'm serious. It'll be very easy for me to go to the Sheriff to find out what's happening. It'll be easy to talk to Craig too, and see whether he remembers telling you."

  Hollis' face was hard. "Do what you like," he said. "Just get out of my car. I'm not wasting a minute more on you. You're just some stranger who sauntered into town. For all we know, you are the killer! I'm an old friend of Craig's, and I'm going to tell him not to host you any longer. You've overstayed your welcome."

  Bluebell got out, and nodded. "Say what you like, Hollis, the truth will come out, and you're going to regret not taking the chance to come clean when you could!"

  "Regret is a pretty big word," Hollis said. "Here's a shorter word for you: leave!"

  With that, he drove off, leaving Bluebell stranded on the side of the road, thinking over his words.

  *****

  Chapter 10

  She'd walked about a mile when a red convertible pulled up next to her. The window lowered, and Charlie peeked out. "Well hello again, Ms. Knopps," he said in a mocking tone. "Could it be that you're enjoying a little hike out on the highway? Or perhaps, you'd like a lift."

  Embarrassed and annoyed, Bluebell said, "Thanks, but I've been told to stay away from you. So that's what I'll do."

  "You've been what?" Charlie frowned. "By who?"

  "Your ex-wife is quite the charmer," Bluebell said.

  Charlie sighed. "Tilly! I can't believe it! What did she say to you?"

  Bluebell shook her head. "Forget it, I've got enough things on my mind to get involved in your little domestic dramas."

  Charlie parked his car, and she heard the door slam as she kept walking. A few seconds later, he'd jogged up to her, and then began walking beside her.

  "What are you doing?" she asked.

  "Well, since you won't get in the car and ride with me, I decided to walk with you," Charlie said. "It's a public street, so surely you can't object." He gave her a friendly smile, his beautiful eyes resting briefly on her lips before looking back into her eyes. "Can you?"

  "Charlie, you're a good looking man, but I want to be clear, I'm really not interested in starting anything with you. Tilly might have been angry, but she was right. You're not divorced yet, you're still her husband. Which means you should honor your vows, not come on to the first girl you see."

  "Oh, that's nice," Charlie said, "You're taking marital advice from Tilly. What a wonderful fount of wisdom she turned out to be." His voice, always so smooth, was suddenly bitter.

  "I mean..." Bluebell hesitated. "Look, I shouldn't even be talking about this with you. I've got more urgent—"

  "No, I do want to talk about it with you," Charlie said. "Like, I want to ask you, did she keep a straight face when she accused me of cheating on her?"

  "Charlie," Bluebell said gently, "I—"

  "Did she?" Charlie asked. "Did she tell you the same sob story she's told everyone in town, while I, like an idiot, tried to take the high road and not talk about it?"

  "Not talk about what?"

  "Not talk about why we broke up!" Charlie exclaimed. "I guess I'm just old fashioned that way. When I married her, I really thought it was going to be for life. When she slowly started showing me how mean and selfish she was, I still tried to hold on, I still tried to improve her, and for what? Nothing! She was cheating on me for a year before I found out. If it hadn't been for Jack, in fact, I never would have found out."

  "Jack?" Bluebell's eyes narrowed. "He told you?"

  "He saw her," Charlie said, "And well… that's when I knew it was over for me. Poor guy was pretty unhappy himself. The second woman who'd let him down. I guess we Leimbachs are terrible at getting the first wife right. Look at Craig's ex!"

  "How did Jack even find out?"

  "He went over to pick up some skating gear from my house while I was at the office. Jack and I are pretty close," Charlie said. "For a while after his mom left his dad, I kept him with me three days of the week."

  Bluebell remembered Jamie telling her that Charlie had really stepped up back then. "I heard that you were good to him and Craig." She nodded.

  "They're my family. It isn't about being good to them. Obviously, they needed me and I was there, no matter what differences we have."

  "But getting back to Jack…"

  "Right. Well, like I said, I'm still his uncle, and we often play hockey on weekends. I'd given him a key to my house too, and he dropped by one day to pick up some skates he'd left over at mine. He was bunking school, so Tilly wasn't expecting him."

  "Oh, man..." Bluebell said.

  "Yep. She and Boyd were kissing each other right in the living room when Jack walked in." Charlie sighed. "He's a good guy. Despite everything, neither he nor I wanted her reputation destroyed. I knew that would make it impossible for her to live in this town, and... I don't know. I still loved her enough to just... not want to hurt her."

  "Wow," Bluebell said.

  "I know. That was stupid of me, as I now realize. Tilly's been telling everyone who's willing to listen that I'm a cheater, and that I have other women on the side. Plus, I have no proof that she and Boyd cheated on me. So I'm fighting her in court, and I'm fighting for my reputation."

  "I'm really sorry," Bluebell said.

  "Don't be," Charlie said. "In a way, it makes breaking up with her very easy for me, now that I see how cheap she is. All she ever wanted was my money. So be it. I've got good lawyers, and I'm confident she isn't going to see one penny of it."

  He tried to look brave as he said it, but Bluebell could see the hurt pulsing under his skin. He was still unhappy about it. There was betrayal and sadness in his eyes, rather like a puppy that's been unexpectedly kicked by its master.

  Bluebell bit her lip. "Can I ask you a question?"

  "Anything," he replied.

  "That day at the parade… what were you and Jack talking about?"

  "Oh, that." Charlie shook his head. "Nothing important. Jack wanted to take a year off and travel the world, I was just giving him advice as an older, wiser man. Basically, I was telling him to forget it, and to buckle down and work hard. His parents weren't willing to pay for an extended vacation for him, and neither was I."

  "Oh," Bluebell said. "That was all?"

  "Yes," Charlie said. "Why?"

  "Nothing." She shook her head. "I just thought... well, he looked rather angry."

  "Of course he did," Charlie said. "He was furious, but he's just a kid. I thought he'd get over it. Neither he nor I knew what was going to happen in the very near future."

  "Right," Bluebell said. "You're the one who found him, aren't you?"

  Charlie nodded. "He was crumpled up in a heap," he said. "He couldn't remember a thing."

  "But was he hurt, physically?" Bluebell asked. "Did he have any marks on him?"

  "Nope." Charlie shook his head. "He had the glove on him, and that's all."

  Bluebell frowned. "Tell me where you found him," she said. "Tell me every detail you remember, no matter how slight."

  "Sure," Charlie said. "After you and Craig left to go look after Jamie, I tried talking to a couple of his high school buddies, who said they hadn't seen him. So I started scouring the area, to no avail. After an hour, I began looking in all the alleys. I thought I'd gone over them all, but then it turned out there was one I'd missed. A hot dog stand had been blocking it. I went in, and there he was, crumpled on the ground. I panicked. I thought... well, I thought that he was dead! I just picked him up and ran to the sheriff!"

  "Of course!" Bluebell yelped. "Charlie, that's it! You did it!"

  "What?" He asked, looking mystified.

  "Jack's clothes had no blood on them, did they?" Bluebell asked. "Just the glove."

  "Yeah." Charlie nodded. "So?"

  "Remember how your jacket was covered in blood because you examined Mrs. Lahey's body?" Bluebell asked. "The murderer must have had some spatters on their clothes too, yet nobody even noticed!"

  "True," Charlie said.

  "Unless, of c
ourse, they were wearing something to protect them." Bluebell smiled. "Something that would keep the spatters off."

  "What?"

  "An apron," Bluebell said.

  "You think Jack was wearing an apron when he murdered Mrs. Lahey?" Charlie's eyes narrowed. "I don't know what you're talking about!"

  "Charlie, I think I've figured out a way to prove Jack's innocence, but I need your help," Bluebell said. "We have to move - and fast!"

  *****

  Chapter 11

  Hollis snuck into his office, forehead covered with sweat. Breathing deeply, he took out a screwdriver hidden under his desk, and then opened up a vent on the wall. He took out a small plastic bag from inside, and then screwed the vent back on. Looking this way and that, he finally grabbed a briefcase, and put the plastic bag inside.

  No one could ever know what he'd done. He'd be ruined if word got out!

  Making sure that the coast was clear, he snuck out the back, and got into his car, tossing his briefcase into the back seat. With a sigh of relief, he gunned the engine, and headed out.

  Slowly, as he crossed town limits, he began to relax. He even started whistling to himself. All he had to do was reach a cliff, and then throw the briefcase away. They'd never have evidence against him once he did that.

  Humming, he stretched his shoulders, feeling the anxiety that had crowded his brain since the parade finally leave him. Bluebell had nearly given him a heart attack when she caught him in a lie. It had been thoughtlessly careless of him to say that. A mistake that could have ruined his careful plans!

  But Hollis smiled, knowing that he'd never get caught now. He parked his car on the shoulder of the highway, and reached behind him for the briefcase.

  "Uh-uh." Bluebell smiled. "Naughty boy!"

  Hollis screamed, his face turning white, and clutched at his heart. "You! What are you doing here! It's impossible… how could you have—"

  "Never mind impossible," Bluebell said. "What do you want with the briefcase, buddy? You weren't planning on throwing it off the mountainside, were you?"