“I’m always proud of you, Bay. Being strong while I was undercover has nothing to do with that. In truth, I liked that you missed me. I’d be lying if I said otherwise. Deep down inside, it meant that I was important to you, and I needed to at least feel important. That’s how I got through everything.”
“Of course you’re important to me,” I scoffed, amused. “How could you think otherwise?”
“I didn’t really think it,” Landon clarified. “I simply missed you so much I let rational thought out for recess and then forgot to ring the bell to call the class back inside.”
“I think we both did that,” I admitted, releasing his hand and linking my arm with his. “I wanted to believe I was above it all. I was obsessed with what you were doing … and eating … and whether or not you were in danger. I was fixated on the people you were probably hanging out with. Aunt Tillie made me watch some movie in which an undercover agent slept with one of the people he was going to arrest and fell in love with her. Even though I knew it was ridiculous, I started wondering if that would happen to you.”
“It couldn’t, but that’s hardly the point. As for Aunt Tillie, if she wasn’t the front line of our offensive against Brian Kelly I would totally yell at her. I’m going to let it pass because I want her focused on him.”
“That’s probably a solid plan.” We rounded the final corner that led to the guesthouse and I pulled up short when I saw the multitude of vehicles in front of my home. There were five state police cruisers and another unmarked vehicle in the driveway. A bevy of police officers and evidence technicians walked in and out through the open front door. “I … what the … what is going on?”
“I don’t know.” Landon slipped his hand to the small of my back and prodded me forward as he licked his lips. “I thought they would be done here by now and we could slip in and find your copy of the will, but … this is something else entirely.”
I increased my pace when I saw Chief Terry scurrying in our direction. Landon slowed a bit, but didn’t allow too much distance between us. Chief Terry’s face reflected profound sadness when we locked gazes.
“I’m so sorry, sweetheart.”
“About what?” I stopped in front of him. “What’s going on?”
“I’ve been completely removed from the case other than in an advisory capacity,” Chief Terry explained, sparing a glance for Landon over my shoulder before fixing his full attention on me. “The state police were willing to work in conjunction with me up until this morning.”
“What happened this morning?” Landon asked, joining us.
“He happened this morning.” Chief Terry pointed for emphasis, and when I followed his finger I found myself staring at Agent Noah Glenn, Landon’s co-worker and a general tool. I’d hoped to never see the little ferret again after he threatened to throw Aunt Tillie and me behind bars for murder several months ago. Apparently the only luck I had these days was of the bad variety.
“What is he doing here?” Landon was furious as he clenched his fists at his sides. “Why is he here?”
“That’s a very good question.” Chief Terry’s eyes were contemplative as he pinned Landon with a hard gaze. “He says that your boss sent him because you and I can’t be trusted to follow the evidence where Bay is concerned. A conflict of interest, he said.”
Landon was flabbergasted. “There’s no way that Steve said anything of the sort.”
“I happen to agree with you,” Chief Terry said. “That doesn’t mean he won’t be trouble. He managed to worm his way into the investigation and form a partnership with a state trooper who came into this situation with a definite chip on his shoulder.”
“What does that mean?” I asked, confused.
“I think that Trooper Davis has already convinced himself that you’re guilty,” Chief Terry replied. “He’s also convinced that Landon and I are dirty enough to cover up a murder for you. It doesn’t help that your drug test came back negative, so it looks suspicious that you were knocked out for so long that night.”
My stomach twisted. “But … .”
“Don’t worry about it,” Chief Terry ordered, gruff. “I won’t let them railroad you.”
“We won’t let them railroad you,” Landon clarified pointedly. “I stopped in to see you earlier. I wanted to talk about a few things. Your secretary said you were busy, and then I got sidetracked by Brian Kelly.”
Chief Terry’s eyebrows rose. “Brian Kelly? What is he up to?”
“He fired Bay.”
“What?” Chief Terry was beside himself. “That little rabid ferret better start running now.”
I couldn’t stop myself from chuckling. “You’ve spent so much time with us that you’re starting to sound like a Winchester,” I noted.
“That’s a terrifying thought,” Chief Terry muttered. “What are you going to do about it?”
“We came here because Bay has a copy of William Kelly’s will in her filing cabinet,” Landon replied. “We need, it but … I’m guessing we can’t get it until these guys release the guesthouse back to her.”
“I’ll get it,” Chief Terry growled. “Don’t worry about that. Do you need anything else from inside?”
“Maybe some more clothes.”
“I’ll grab those, too.” Chief Terry rested his hand on my shoulder. “Everything is going to be okay, sweetheart. Please don’t worry too much about this.”
I forced a smile for his benefit. “I’m not worried. I have you and Landon, right? I’ll be fine.”
The look Chief Terry shot Landon wasn’t full of friendship and loyalty. “Yes, well … .”
I decided to ignore his obvious evasion. “So they’re going to search the guesthouse again? What do they hope to find?”
“I have no idea, but that’s not all of it,” Chief Terry replied. “They’re going to search the family living quarters at The Overlook, too. That’s their next stop.”
The information knocked the wind out of me. As I decided how to answer – and whether or not I should warn my mother and aunts – Landon took everyone by surprise when he burst into hysterical laughter.
“You can’t be serious,” he sputtered.
“I’m damn serious.” Chief Terry cocked a dubious eyebrow. “How is this funny?”
“Oh, it’s not funny.” Landon sobered, although the corners of his mouth remained curved. “It’s going to get funny when Aunt Tillie finds out the state police and Agent Glenn are searching her property.”
Something occurred to me. “The greenhouse!”
Aunt Tillie’s greenhouse was her private space, where she grew marijuana and a variety of herbs for spells. Landon suddenly sobered.
“Oh, crud on toast,” he muttered.
“It’s late in the season,” Chief Terry pointed out. “No plants could survive out there this time of year.”
“That’s true,” I conceded. “What about seeds, though?”
Chief Terry shrugged. “I’m not sure what to tell you, but … I guess we’re about to find out.” He inclined his chin in Davis’ direction. “Here comes trouble … and I’m guessing the next stop will be The Overlook.”
Things just kept getting worse.
AN HOUR LATER we were back at The Overlook and the family living quarters were under siege as the state police moved furniture and went through every drawer in search of … well, I wasn’t exactly sure what they thought they would find.
Chief Terry and Landon watched their every move to make sure they didn’t break or destroy anything, Chief Terry going so far as to threaten one of the troopers when he moved to drop a vase on the floor.
I felt sick to my stomach for causing this, anger threatening to overwhelm me. This was hardly my fault, yet my family was paying because I was now a murder suspect. It wasn’t fair … or right.
“How long do you think this will last?”
Landon shifted his eyes to me. “Not long, sweetie. The good news is that the search warrant covers only the family living space. The i
nn itself – and the outer buildings, for that matter – are free from the search.”
I wasn’t sure how that was good news, but I kept the thought to myself. “Have you seen my mother?”
“Last time I saw her she was in the kitchen with Noah,” Landon answered. “He was trying to get bossy, and she was having none of it.”
That made me feel better, if only marginally. “What about Aunt Tillie?”
Landon swallowed hard. Aunt Tillie was here when we hurried back to warn everyone about the search, but she disappeared not long after. I had no idea what she was doing – and whether or not it would get us in more trouble than we were already in, if that was even possible – but I was starting to grow fearful.
“Have you counted the number of troopers present?” I asked after a beat. “They’re not disappearing, like in a horror movie, right?”
Despite the serious nature of the situation, Landon chuckled. “I don’t think, so but that would be kind of funny.”
I didn’t get a chance to explain exactly why that wasn’t funny – or that it was a distinct possibility because Aunt Tillie watched the original Predator movie a few days ago and commented that she really identified with the alien – because the sound of raised voices drew me to the kitchen.
I hurried in that direction, my eyes widening when I slid through the door and found Davis squaring off with a wall of Winchesters.
My mother and aunts stood in front of the door that led to the dining room, arms crossed over their chests and defiant as Davis moved to walk around them.
“I believe you’re overstepping your bounds,” Mom announced, planting her hand in the middle of Davis’ chest as he tried to bully her into stepping aside. “The warrant says you have the jurisdiction to search the family residence. What’s on the other side of this door is not part of the family residence.”
Instead of apologizing or responding with sheepish retreat, Davis merely cocked an eyebrow. “Are you telling me where I can and can’t go?”
“I believe the warrant has laid that out for you,” Landon interjected, causing Davis to jump.
Davis turned and locked gazes with Landon. “You have no part in this investigation.”
“That’s true,” Landon conceded, keeping me close to his side. “That doesn’t mean I can’t report what I see to the judge who issued the warrant. I can have the entire search rendered invalid if you walk through that door.”
“And why would you do that?” Davis challenged. “What are they hiding?”
“Nothing,” Landon replied, refusing to let Davis’ tone unnerve him. “The answers aren’t here. The answers are with Doug Lockwood. I know it, and you do, too. The problem is that you can’t find Doug so you’ve opted to focus on Bay, because this is the highest profile case that’s ever crossed your desk.
“Oh, yeah, I looked into your background,” he continued, chuckling. “I know you’re hoping to make a name for yourself with this case. You’re a small-town boy – from one town over – and you happened to land at the state police post closest to home. You’re all about making a name for yourself. You won’t be making it on Bay, though. I promise you that.”
“I’m merely following the evidence.” Davis’ expression didn’t soften, but he wisely stepped away from the Winchester clan blocking the door. “Your girlfriend is the obvious suspect.”
“Really? How did she knock herself out? How did she choke herself?”
“Perhaps one of her family members did it,” he said, jerking a thumb at the women behind him.
Landon rolled his eyes. “Yes, the Winchester women often run around choking each other into unconsciousness. Good grief.”
Landon’s tone was dismissive, expressing exactly what he thought of that theory. Of course, that was the moment Aunt Tillie showed up to claim her rightful place as ringmaster of the circus. She breezed through the door, her eyes busy as they bounced between faces, and then plastered a serene smile on her face.
“This won’t be good,” Landon muttered, shaking his head. He clearly suffered from the same sense of worry invading my stomach.
“No one panic,” Aunt Tillie ordered, lobbing a pointed look in her nieces’ direction. “I’ve got everything under control.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” Davis asked, genuinely curious.
“It means that I’m ready to fight to the death for my right to protect my liberty, happiness and – most importantly – freedom.” Aunt Tillie delivered the line as if she were on a stage in front of an audience. I almost wanted to applaud … and then laugh.
Davis wasn’t nearly as impressed. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“It means that I found my shovel,” Aunt Tillie replied, not missing a beat. “Let the games begin.”
Uh-oh. I had no idea what she was referring to, but it couldn’t be good. Yeah, scratch that. The look on her face told me things were about to turn downright awful.
Eighteen
“Why do you need a shovel?”
Davis was obviously confused regarding Aunt Tillie’s sudden appearance. Either Noah hadn’t filled him in on my great-aunt’s quirks or he didn’t believe the rumors were true. If it were the latter, that would prove a fateful mistake.
“I need to dig a bunch of holes,” Aunt Tillie replied. She’d managed to find her combat helmet and change into camouflage pants. “Speaking of that, how tall are you?”
“I … what?” Davis furrowed his brow.
I expected Landon to insert himself in the argument, but instead he moved to the counter and hopped on one of the stools. “Are there any cookies?”
Mom didn’t respond verbally, instead grabbing a plate from the counter next to the refrigerator and shoving it in Landon’s direction.
“Ooh, chocolate chip.” Landon removed the plastic wrap and grabbed a cookie. “What’s for dessert tonight, by the way? I’ve got a hankering for cake.”
Davis rolled his eyes so hard I thought he would topple to the side before pinning Landon with a dangerous look. “Do you really think you should be here, Agent Michaels? You have no standing in this investigation.”
“No, but I have rented a room and I’m a guest,” Landon shot back.
“He’s also a member of the family and can come and go in the family living quarters however he likes,” Mom added. Whatever anger and resentment she harbored for Landon during his long sojourn was apparently gone.
“Except he can’t go into my room,” Aunt Tillie volunteered. “I’ll have to dig another hole if he tries.”
Davis snorted, seemingly amused by Aunt Tillie’s bravado. “I’ve heard stories about you.”
I wasn’t sure what Davis was insinuating – or what he ultimately hoped to accomplish – but the idea that his statement would dissuade Aunt Tillie was laughable. Instead of interjecting myself into the conversation, I sat next to Landon and smiled as he handed me a cookie.
“I should hope you’ve heard stories about me,” Aunt Tillie fired back. “I haven’t spent decades cultivating the perfect public persona only to have the Hemlock Cove rumor mill implode at the wrong time. What have you heard?”
Davis shrugged. “I’ve heard a lot of things. We’ve been interviewing people around town about Ms. Winchester’s habits. Your name came up quite frequently.”
“Well, that’s a little disappointing,” Aunt Tillie sniffed. “I’ve done a lot more entertaining things when Bay wasn’t around, because she’s kind of a kvetch when it comes to following the rules. No one told you about that stuff?”
“That’s not true,” I protested. “I broke the rules with you all of the time when I was a kid.”
“That doesn’t count.” Aunt Tillie made a derisive sound, as if she was clearing her throat of phlegm so she’d have something to spit in Davis’ direction. “I always tricked you guys when you were younger so you thought that breaking the rules was preferred to being boring. You still grew up to be boring.”
“Don’t listen to her, sweetie,” Landon
said. “You’re not boring.”
“Says the guy whose wildest dream is rolling around naked on giant slabs of bacon,” Aunt Tillie muttered, shaking her head. “You’re boring, too.”
“I don’t have the energy to argue with you, so I guess I’ll be boring for the day,” Landon countered. “Is there more chili? I could use another serving of lunch.”
“Is that what you do with your time here?” Davis asked, incredulous. “Do you simply sit around eating?”
Landon wasn’t bothered by the accusation. “You haven’t tasted their food. I dreamed about eating here every night for a month straight. I might as well take advantage of it while I’m sleeping under the big roof.”
“I’ll heat up some chili,” Twila offered, shuffling toward the refrigerator. “Bay, do you want some?”
I wasn’t hungry until Landon mentioned the chili. “I could eat,” I said after a beat. “Thank you.”
Davis merely shook his head and turned back to Aunt Tillie. “Are we done here?”
Aunt Tillie snorted. “Not even close. I want to know what other stories you’ve heard about me.”
“They’re varied and entertaining,” Davis replied. “I think you’re kind of like an urban legend around this town. People blame you for everything short of controlling the weather.”
That was mildly interesting because Aunt Tillie could actually control the weather. I’d watched her bring down lightning storms on no less than two enemies, and she made it snow one Christmas when I was depressed about the possibility of a green holiday.
“Whoever you’re getting your information from is clearly falling down on the job,” Aunt Tillie supplied. “You might want to pay a visit to Margaret Little. She’ll fill your ears with more of the truth.”
“I’ve talked to Mrs. Little,” Davis said. “She’s the lady with all of the unicorns, right?”
“Yes.” Aunt Tillie nodded, brightening. “You would think she’d realize after all these years that the phallic nature of the unicorn says a little something about her, but she hasn’t caught on yet.”
[A Wicked Witches of the Midwest 10.0] Murder Most Witchy Page 17
