Connor nodded. “The killer dug it right into his back.”
Meg winced. “Ouch. It’s bad enough being stabbed in the back, but with an ax.” She shook her head.
“Yeah. It’s pretty grisly.”
Meg switched gears. “Wait a minute. How do you know he was killed with the same ax from the show?”
“It was found at the scene.”
Meg took a deep breath. “Oh, boy.”
Connor nodded. “On top of that, Liz doesn’t have a verifiable alibi.”
“She does have an alibi, though, right?” Meg asked.
“According to her, between eleven and midnight she was at home getting ready for bed.”
“And you don’t believe her?”
“It’s not that I don’t believe her. Every suspect has a story. The only way to really separate fact from fiction is if they have someone to verify that story.”
Meg took a deep breath, then groaned.
“Do you see why I can’t eliminate her as a suspect? I mean, on a personal level, I hate to consider her a suspect. On a professional level, you can’t ignore the facts.”
“That’s just it, though. Facts can be misleading.”
Connor furrowed his brow. “What are you talking about?”
“One thing doesn’t make sense to me. Liz is a smart woman. Even if I bought into the ridiculous theory that she could have committed this murder, why would she kill Ethan, then leave the murder weapon lying around at the scene of the crime? It just screams guilt.”
“People panic in the heat of the moment.”
Meg shook her head. “No, she would have brought the ax with her, or at least disposed of it somewhere other than at the scene. Leaving it next to the body is like asking to get arrested.”
“So, what are you suggesting then?”
“That someone swiped the prop after the last performance knowing it would point the finger of suspicion at Liz. Then, once the killer murdered Ethan, they left the ax beside the body to frame her.”
“That’s an interesting theory,” Connor said.
“It’s more than just a theory. Did you find any prints on the murder weapon?” Meg asked.
“Now that you mention it, the weapon seemed to have been wiped clean.”
“Just as I thought. The killer had to wipe the prints. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be able to frame Liz.”
“Or, Liz could have wiped her prints off the ax.”
Meg shook her head. “That doesn’t make any sense. So you’re telling me she took the time to wipe the prints off the weapon but didn’t have the awareness to bring it with her as she fled the scene?”
Connor bit the corner of his lip. “Look, we could go around and around like this all day. In the end, we’re just speculating.”
Meg switched gears. “Who found the body?”
“Our 911 operator got an anonymous tip.”
“Anonymous?” She scoffed. “The case against Liz gets shakier with each question I ask.”
“I never said she did it, just that things aren’t looking good for her.”
“How many more holes do I have to poke before you’ll eliminate her as a suspect?”
“Meg, I really care about you. That’s why I’m begging you to just let me do my job. Please, it’s hard enough already.”
Meg could see the turmoil in her boyfriend’s eyes. As much as it pained her to do so, she backed off.
Chapter Seven
When Connor and Meg returned from talking outside, Liz quickly jumped on the defensive.
“I didn’t do this,” Liz declared.
Unfortunately, her voice was filled with more panic than confidence.
Both Connor and Meg could see the desperation and fear in Liz’s eyes. For Connor especially, just hearing Liz say she was innocent didn’t mean anything. Suspects never volunteered their guilt. Most of them pleaded complete innocence even after being put behind bars.
Connor tried to focus on the work at hand instead of getting sidetracked by Liz’s proclamation.
“I’m just gathering the facts,” he said.
Liz’s eyes got as wide as saucers. “Are you going to arrest me?”
As Connor looked out the corner of his eyes, he saw Meg staring him down. He took a deep breath, then turned to Liz.
“Not at the moment,” he answered.
Liz breathed a huge sigh of relief. As Connor kept talking, she realized she wasn’t quite out of the woods.
“I still have a number of other suspects to investigate and some test results I’m waiting to hear back on. At the same time, don’t go leaving town on me,” he warned.
Meg saw her friend starting to tremble. She leaned over and gave Liz a hug to try and soothe her. It was clear that as long as Connor was in her living room, she’d remain a basket case.
Meg turned to the detective. “Can I have some time alone with her?”
Connor nodded. “Sure. I have some work to be doing anyway.”
Connor then made his exit, leaving Meg and Liz alone in the living room.
Chapter Eight
With the detective gone, Liz no longer had to put on a good face anymore. She could let her true emotions out. As expected, Liz was a jittery mess. While Meg completely understood her friend’s feelings, she needed to find a way to calm her down. There were enough problems to deal with already without having to worry if Liz was going to have a complete meltdown. Besides, Meg needed some answers from her friend in order to try and make sense of the situation. In the meantime, Meg had serious damage control to do.
“I can’t believe this is happening,” Liz said.
Meg gave her friend a hug.
“You’re not the only one,” Meg replied.
“Connor actually thinks I could have done this.”
Meg sighed. “He’s just doing his job. And, given the circumstances--”
Liz didn’t let her friend finish. “I didn’t do this.”
“Of course you didn’t.”
“Meg, I’m being serious. I didn’t murder Ethan. I could never kill anyone, no matter how terrible they happened to be.”
Liz locked eyes with Meg, staring at her long and deep. Meg didn’t doubt her friend in the least. She could say with a hundred percent confidence that Liz was telling the truth.
“I know you didn’t,” Meg replied.
Liz breathed a sigh of relief. “Good. Now I just have to find a way to convince Connor of that.”
Liz started trembling. She was coming unraveled. This wasn’t something words or a hug could fix. Meg had to call on something more powerful—a spell. This would take some finagling.
“I know just what you need. A cup of tea always calms me down,” Meg said.
Liz was critical of that suggestion. “Tea? Meg, you know I usually love your advice, but it would take a horse tranquilizer to calm me down right now.”
Meg smiled. “Trust me.”
Meg excused herself, then headed into Liz’s kitchen, where she began to prepare some tea. This wouldn’t just be any old cup of chamomile. It would be spiked with a special ingredient.
Meg prepared the tea, then whispered under her breath as she stared at the cup. “Tranquillitas, tranquillitas, tranquillitas.”
Liz would never taste the difference, but Meg had just cast a calming spell on the tea. One sip and Meg’s friend would feel like she just finished a day of meditating.
***
The spell worked like a charm. As expected, it only took one sip of the enchanted tea for Liz to calm down. Now, Meg could get down to the most pressing matters.
“Wow. That actually worked. Maybe I should make tea more often,” Liz said.
“I know it’s hard to believe it now, but I’m going to get you out of this,” Meg insisted.
Liz furrowed her brow. “How are you going to do that?”
“By finding the real killer myself.”
Liz’s eyes opened wide. “Really?”
Meg nodded. “Unfortunately, I don’t
see any other way.”
Liz still wasn’t convinced. “I know you solved that other case, but this could really be dangerous.”
“I can take care of myself.”
Liz sighed. “I can’t ask you to do this.”
“You don’t have to ask. I’ve already made my decision.”
Liz smiled. “You’re such a good friend. I can’t think of anyone else that would do something like this for me.”
Meg corrected her. “I’m not doing this alone.”
“Who are you doing this with then?”
“We’re going to do it together.”
Even a calming spell wasn’t enough to keep the concern off of Liz’s face now. “You want me to investigate this case too?”
Meg nodded. “You know these suspects better than I do. I want you to hop on the computer and dig up all the dirt you can on them.”
Liz furrowed her brow, and then smiled. “Right…from the computer. Will do.”
“Who knows? We may get lucky. You never know what people are going to post on the internet.”
“That’s so true.” She bit the corner of her lip. “I still can’t believe you’re doing this.”
“Trust me, I’d much rather be sitting this one out, but that’s not an option,” Meg said.
Liz gazed at her friend, trying to hide her concern. “Good luck.”
Chapter Nine
While Meg was eager to start investigating this case, she managed to hit her first roadblock before even leaving Liz’s driveway. Not surprisingly, she found Connor standing by her car. That was usually a welcome sight to her. The opposite was true right now.
The problem was, she already knew what he was going to say, and she didn’t like it. At the same time, she had no interest nor time to argue with him. She also couldn’t avoid him either. That meant she was forced to go through the motions, trying to keep this conversation from getting out of control. In her mind, the key would be to keep this brief while not hurting Connor’s pride or feelings. That was easier said than done.
Connor wasted no time cutting straight to his biggest worry. “You’re not thinking about investigating this case, are you?”
Uh oh. This was exactly what Meg had anticipated. It was time to try and do a delicate dance.
“No,” she answered.
He breathed a sigh of relief. “Good.”
“I don’t have to think about it. I’m doing it.”
That was not the answer he was looking for. Connor groaned. “I’m urging you not to.”
This was on the verge of getting ugly. She made one last ditch effort to end this swiftly and without hurt feelings. “We’ve been here before. Do you really want to do this again?”
He shook his head. “You’re so stubborn.”
“Some people would call what I’m doing being loyal.”
“Yeah? It’s loyal alright. It’s also stubborn.”
“I’m glad we understand each other. Now, it’s time to get down to business.”
For a fleeting moment, Meg thought Connor might actually let her go right there. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case.
“Meg, you’re not making this easy for me.”
“Imagine how hard it is for Liz. She’s in there worried that she could spend the rest of her life in jail.”
“Look, I’d love to be wrong about this, but I wouldn’t be doing my job if I eliminated her as a suspect.”
“I understand you’re stuck between a rock and a hard place. Rest assured, I’m not going to stop until I push that rock out of the way.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.”
“Don’t worry about me.”
“Meg, you’re my girlfriend. I can’t help but worry about you.”
“That’s sweet, but I can take care of myself. Or, have you forgotten how the last case turned out?” she asked.
“I admit it, you saved my backside in the last case, but you never know when your luck might run out. This is serious business. There is a killer on the loose. They’ve already murdered one person. What makes you think they won’t do the same to you if you get in their way?”
This was one of those times she wished she could just tell Connor about her witch powers. That she had a whole range of spells that could keep her out of danger. The problem was, her mother had sworn her to secrecy. Meg had to do her best to convince Connor of her safety in other ways.
“Trust me, I’m going to be as careful as possible. Besides, I have a little help if I need it.”
She pulled a can of pepper spray out of her purse.
That did not ease Connor’s fears. Worry was still all over his face.
“All right,” he said.
She smiled. “Good.”
He stopped her. “I wasn’t finished. If you insist on investigating this case, we’re doing it together.”
“Are you saying you want to be my sidekick?” she joked.
“If anything, you’d be my sidekick.”
“Does that mean you’re going to deputize me?”
“Don’t push your luck. If we were in the city, I could get in serious trouble for this.”
“It’s a good thing we’re in Enchanted Bay then, isn’t it?”
“If anyone asks, you’re a special advisor on this case,” Connor explained.
“I like the sound of that. I almost want to put in on a business card,” Meg joked.
“Don’t make me regret this.”
“Don’t worry. I’m the most professional amateur sleuth you’ve ever worked with.”
“That doesn’t make me feel as confident as you seem to think it does.” He switched gears. “We should really get down to work.”
“Before we do, I have to make a stop first,” Meg insisted.
Chapter Ten
Meg knew she’d be in for an earful when she told her mother about her plans. At the same time, she couldn’t hide the truth from her mom. That made for an anxiety-filled ride over to the donut shop. At least for her. Connor was too busy letting his mouth water as he let his donut cravings get the best of him.
When they arrived at the shop, Connor was easily distracted with a jelly donut while Meg pulled her mother into the back office.
Concern was all over Beth Walton’s face the moment Meg revealed what was going on.
“Oh, dear. Here we go again,” Beth bemoaned.
That was a much more muted response than Meg expected. Beth was far from having a gung-ho attitude about her daughter’s intended sleuthing, but Meg would gladly take this scenario over the full meltdown she expected to see from her mom.
Beth had been careful over the years to make sure the general public didn’t find out she was a witch. She was afraid if her secret got out, she’d be persecuted. Beth urged her daughter to do the same. By putting herself in harm’s way, Meg might find herself in a position where she’d need to use her witch powers to keep herself safe, in turn revealing she was a witch in the process.
“I know you’d rather that I sit this one out, but you do understand why I’m doing this, don’t you?” Meg asked.
Beth reluctantly nodded. “That doesn’t mean I like it.”
“I don’t like it either, but what else am I supposed to do?”
Beth laughed.
Meg furrowed her brow. “What’s so funny?”
“The fact that you’re dating a detective, yet you still feel the need to investigate this case yourself,” Beth explained.
“That’s because I have one thing that Connor doesn’t.”
“A stubborn streak as wide as the San Andreas fault?” Beth joked.
Meg shook her head. “I was going to say that I have spells at my disposal.”
Beth gritted her teeth and remained quiet, even though every fiber of her being wanted to beg her daughter to reconsider. She exhausted her will power and managed to keep her mouth shut.
Meg was pleasantly surprised. “It’s good to see you’re not arguing with me like last time.”
“If I tho
ught I had even the slightest chance of changing your mind, I’d argue with you all day to stay out of this. I’ve seen that stubborn look in your eyes before, and I know I’d have a better chance of selling an Eskimo a Hawaiian shirt in the winter than I do of getting you to leave this case alone.”
“Mom, I promise to be careful.”
“You’re better be, especially with Connor hanging around. If he finds out you’re a witch, he might become disenchanted with your relationship in a hurry.”
Beth had only ever told one person outside the family that she was a witch—her husband. She immediately regretted it. Instead of responding with understanding, Beth’s husband became paranoid that she had cast a love spell.
In time, his paranoia got the better of him. He ended up leaving Beth. Even now, thirty-two years later, she still hadn’t gotten over it. Not only that, she feared the same fate for her daughter.
“Mom, I assure you, no one is going to find out our secret.”
“Don’t make promises unless you can keep them.”
Meg gazed deep into her mother’s eyes. “I promise.”
Beth took a deep breath. “Good luck.”
“Everything is going to be fine. Don’t worry.”
Beth couldn’t help but laugh at that statement.
“That’s not likely. Worrying is what mothers do best.”
Meg gave her mom a big hug.
“I love you,” Meg said.
Chapter Eleven
Before Meg could get working on this case, she had to straighten out her thoughts. There were so many things swirling around in her mind. Not to mention, suspects were not in short supply. She decided to run down the list in an attempt to untie the knots in her head.
First on the list was Owen Goodman. Owen was the director of the musical. He’d been with the show from the very beginning. Over the years, Owen had passed up a handful of other opportunities in bigger cities because this show was his baby and he couldn’t imagine anyone else directing it. Owen was so devoted to the show that his long hours at the theater caused the crumbling of his marriage. With the show canceled, Owen was an over-the-hill director with no job prospects who had just lost the thing he cared the most about. When a person’s livelihood was threatened, they often did crazy things. In Owen’s case, did things turn deadly?
Halloween Witch Cozy Mystery Ten Book Set Page 3
