by Dianna Love
“The council banned Ann?” What I needed to know was who really didn’t see eye-to-eye with Ann. And if they had reasons to kill her. “What in the world did she do to get banned?”
“I’ve said too much. Just forget everything I said.” He wrung his hands together.
I heard every word he said, and put Petunia on my list of people to question, along with Izzy. And I could ask Izzy about Ann getting her ‘gift’ taken away. Ann must’ve done something really bad.
“Who told Petunia?” I asked.
“Did I say Petunia?” His brows drew. “I’m not sure who said it. Anyways, a lucky mojo bag is a bag that is filled with items that will keep me safe. I think a lot of the village might be requesting a few since there is a killer on the loose.”
I went over to the workstation and picked up two pieces of red cloth from the cloth bin and quickly hand-stitched the seams. I’d never sewn a button on a shirt, but something took over me and I whipped it up in no time. Mr. McGurtle and Mr. Prince Charming watched in silence.
I grabbed different blue items for peace and serenity to put in the bag. The items would surround him, giving him peace of mind. Even though I’ve never used a bat’s wing for anything or even thought of it, for some reason I had a feeling to use it. I walked up and down the rows of shelves that started at the floor and didn’t stop until the ceiling. They were stockpiled with all sorts of ingredients that weren’t available to me in Locust Grove.
“A pinch of bat wing, a few touches of root, a couple coins, and a couple of carved amulets.” I repeated everything I was putting in the bag. I scribbled Mac McGurtle on a piece of paper and stuck it in the bag. I pinned it shut and handed it to him. “Thank you, Mr. McGurtle. You have helped me more than you know.”
I wanted to tell him to watch over his shoulder because everything I put in the mojo bag was all intuition and lately my intuition had been off. . .way off.
When he left, I locked the door behind him. I had the urge to make more mojo bags and sell them in the shop. Not just protection bags, but all sorts of bags like happy, money, good luck, and peace bags.
I worked way up into the night as Mr. Prince Charming worked alongside me. He would bat at different ingredients and I’d stick them in. It was like he knew what he was doing, but I thought I knew better than that.
As I created, my mind was free and let me think about why anyone would want to frame me for Ann’s murder. I understood why Gerald would have it in the back of his head that I had tried to hurt him and I was sure he was going to come to his senses. Or at least hoped Izzy had talked him into his senses.
I was definitely going to make a visit to Petunia’s tomorrow and pick her brain about Ann and Gerald’s relationship. And find out from the two sisters if there was honey in Ann’s system. I wondered how many people knew about Gerald’s distaste for her, not that I thought he killed her—well maybe.
Chapter Fifteen
When I finally decided it was time to go home, I quickly mixed up a small batch of cement. There was no way someone would see me in the middle of the night go to the lake and pour the mixture in the shoe print.
Outside of A Dose of Darla, Mr. Prince Charming stood as still as a statue looking toward Glorybee Pets. A long thin shadow ran across the street and darted off toward Mystic Lights.
“Hey!” I yelled, wondering who it was. Chills ran up my legs and traveled down my arms.
The shadow stopped, briefly turned and looked at me. The glowing teeth were the only thing exposed in the upward grin. Then it was gone.
The shadow made me feel the same way I had felt when I thought I had hit someone with the Green Machine the first time I had come to Whispering Falls.
“Let’s get out of here.” I played with my charm bracelet. Bella said Mr. Prince Charming had picked out protective charms. There was no better time like the present to be protected.
Mewwwl. Mr. Prince Charming let out one long, low groan. We watched a shadow move closer to us, but from the opposite direction.
The gait was fast, but the night wind had whipped up and was quicker. A top hat flew into the middle of the street. Gerald ran to get it, but not before he looked around to see if anyone saw him.
Mr. Prince Charming and I slipped back into the shadow in the entrance of A Dose of Darla, so Gerald wouldn’t see us. It made me wonder if he was breaking into Glorybee like Petunia had said he’d broken into A Dose of Darla.
I reached in my black bag and grabbed my phone. With a few clicks, I took the pictures I needed for that ‘just in case’ moment.
Once Gerald was out of sight, Mr. Prince Charming and I made our way to the lake.
The starry sky lit up the dark night just like a flashlight, reflecting off the lake. I bent down at the edge where I had seen the print and parted the grass.
Mewl, mewl, hiss, hiss.
“I know. It’s creepy out here.” I looked around to see what Mr. Prince Charming was in an uproar about, but chalked it off when I didn’t see anyone, just a few fireflies. And he batted at those, sending them off flying in a straight line.
I poured the mix into the shoe print. Luckily the print had hardened making it a perfect mold.
“I don’t think we’ve met, this time?” A voice broke the night silence, almost making me tip over into the lake.
In the shadow of the moon, she stood between us. Her scarlet hair cut close to her head, and long flowing cape gave her a sophisticated look that I hadn’t seen anyone, other than Izzy, look like in the entire village, making me think that she was part of the council.
“I’m Eloise Sandlewood.” Her emerald eyes light up like the fireflies that flew around her. “It’s nice to see you again, June.”
“Eloise.” Relief settled in my heart. She had a lot of answers to my questions about my past and Darla’s. “Have we met?”
There was a part of me where I wanted her to embrace me and tell me all about Darla and their past. But the other part of me wanted to run.
“Long ago.” Her lips curled into a smile. “You wouldn’t remember me. I’m an incense spiritualist. I help cleanse things, plus I have a few other odds and ends up my sleeve.”
“I saw you in the middle of the street with Izzy this morning.” I gestured. “In front of The Gathering Grove.”
“Yes, I was cleansing the shop to help Gerald recover faster.” Her brows lowered. “I know you didn’t know he was allergic to cedar. He has even more problems than that.”
My ears perked up. “What do you mean?”
“I don’t know. It’s in the smoke.” She pulled a small metal ball out of her pocket, along with a match. She opened the ball where there were some herbs rolled up, flicked the match with her fingernail, and caught it on fire. Touching the match to the ball, the herbs smoked until their flowery scent reached into the air. She swung the ball back and forth by grasping the long chain. “Nice to see you, June. If you need anything, you will find my house in the woods behind the gathering rock.”
“I do need something.” I tucked a piece of hair behind my ear. “I need to know how you helped my mom.”
Eloise’s shadowy figure turned around. The brightness of the moon cradled her face like a spotlight. Her eyes glowed brighter as she spoke. “Your mother was my best friend. Do you have a few minutes to visit me either tomorrow or the next day?”
“What’s wrong with now?” Why wait?
“It’s a bit complicated and I really don’t want anyone seeing us here.” Her cloak swooshed when she parted her arms and gestured toward the lake. “I live beyond the woods, behind the rock. You will rely on your instincts to find me.”
“What is it with following instincts?” I rolled my eyes. “That is all the advice I could find in Darla’s journal that she had for me. Follow your instincts, June.”
Eloise’s eyes drew dark. “She left a journal?”
“Yes. That is how I knew about you and your little agreement.”
She looked into the darkness. “We must not
talk about it here. If you want to talk, you must use your instincts to find me.” She disappeared into the black night.
There were no footsteps, nothing. She was gone. Yes, I would go see her. I had to find out the big secret behind the arrangement.
I didn’t bother taking a look at the cement mold. I knew it needed more time to dry. I had nothing but time. First thing in the morning, I was going to make a visit to see Petunia. I’d pick up the mold then.
Mr. Prince Charming trotted ahead of me. With every snap of a branch or swish of the grass, I jumped. That was one thing about Whispering Falls. You didn’t know who was watching you at any time.
Eloise had my mind reeling, making it hard for me to sleep. I grabbed Darla’s journal off the table and pulled the covers up to my neck. Mr. Prince Charming nestled underneath the cover in the crook of my arm.
“Eloise made the funniest potion today. Talk serum. We gave some to Izzy and she wouldn’t shut up. I had to make her leave before Otto got home or I was afraid she was going to spill the beans about Eloise. I didn’t want him mad, especially now since the council approved A Dose Of Darla.”
That was the last thing I remember reading before I fell asleep.
Turn around, turn around! The hands floated away, and the head bobbled side to side. Just a little more to the right.
My body shook and I woke up in a dead sweat to banging on the door.
Groggy, I pulled back the sheet from my damp body, and noticed the clock read nine o’clock AM. I hadn’t slept that late since I was a teenager.
I jumped out of bed to see who was at my house. Mr. Prince Charming stretched his front legs out in front of him, yawned, and then followed me to the door.
“I hear you are making new friends right and left.” Oscar held up a bag of muffins from The Gathering Grove.
I rolled my eyes, moved out of the way, and let him in.
Meow, meow. Mr. Prince Charming made his presence known.
“Not for you.” Oscar put the bag up in the air a little more, so Mr. Prince Charming couldn’t bat at the bag. But that didn’t help. He was up on the counter before Oscar sat the bag down.
“Gerald called Uncle Jordan, accusing you of killing Ann and trying to kill him.”
“He’s crazy.” I shook my head. “How was I to know he was allergic to cedar of all things? Not like he knew Ann was allergic to honey.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean you need to get that autopsy to prove my innocence. When will the Karima sisters have it complete?” Not only were Constance and Patience the owners of the funeral home, they were the village coroners. “According to Petunia, Ann was highly allergic to honey. And Chandra caught Gerald breaking into A Dose of Darla stealing honey supplements. Why would he steal honey when he could get real honey from Petunia?”
I paced back and forth trying to figure out why he’d steal it, when it hit me.
“Supplements show in the blood stream!” I pounded my fists in the air. I knew Gerald was up to something. “As a matter of fact, I also heard that Gerald and Ann had something going on. But Ann got on Gerald’s nerves and he dumped her. She was chasing him around and he was annoyed with her.”
“That doesn’t make him a murderer.”
“No, but he did have tea with her the night before she died. And maybe he gave her the honey supplement.” My head was beginning to hurt.
“Who told you all that?” Oscar questioned.
“People.” I shrugged.
“I’ve been working on this case for a couple of days and no one wants to talk to me.”
“They don’t trust you. That’s why Gerald called Jordan.” I didn’t know if that was true, but it sounded pretty good. “Now, about that autopsy?”
“I should get it back any time now.” His brows met in the middle. “No you don’t, June Heal. I know that look on your face. You let me handle this investigation before you get yourself into any more hot water.” He threatened me and I don’t take threats lightly.
Oscar was crazier than half of this town if he thought I was just going to sit back and let him try to exonerate me. I was on a roll and Petunia was next in line.
“Did you hear me?”
I did, and remembered that someone else was going to die, but who?
“June, are you okay? All the blood drained from your face.” Oscar knew me too well.
I worked around my new kitchen making a fresh pot of coffee to go with the muffins.
“Spill it.” He took me by the shoulders. “Even Uncle Jordan said that you were acting funny yesterday. He said he stopped by the Cape Cod when he saw the Green Machine there.”
“I needed some comfort and you were too busy. That’s why I went to the Cape Cod.” I didn’t want to tell him, but I knew I couldn’t keep quiet. “I’m having nightmares again. It’s a different person. The hair is different, but the killer’s hands are the same.”
Nervously, I bit my nails. A nasty habit I had broken years ago, but my nerves had gotten the best of me. I had to make an appointment with Chandra to get them painted. I wouldn’t bite them if they were painted pretty.
Oscar ran his hands through his hair, sat down in one of the kitchen chairs, and propped himself up on his elbows. “Do you think this is your ‘gift’? Can you see when someone is about to die?”
That was one ‘gift’ I did not want. But when I thought about it, most of my nightmares, when I was a child, did come true in one fashion or another. Once I lost a shoe and had a nightmare about Darla being mad, then another one where I had lost it. I went to the place I saw in my dreams and it was there.
Another time I had a nightmare that I fell off my bike and got stitches, only the next day it happened to Oscar. Darla always said that I had an active imagination.
“Oscar?” I gasped, thinking he might be right. “One problem is that I don’t know the outcome until I dream it, and then it is too late. Or at least it was for Ann.”
“Is there anything else in the nightmare that you can remember besides the head? Can you look around and see if there are any clues on the hands? Markings?” Oscar asked some great questions, but how was I going to manipulate my dream?
I pushed the muffins aside. I’d suddenly lost my appetite.
“So now what?” I waited to hear my fate. Were they or weren’t they going to charge me with murder?
“We will wait until Gerald gets better and the council can meet to discuss all the evidence.” His appetite wasn’t affected. He stuffed a half of a muffin in his mouth.
“I did find a journal from Darla in the shop.” I hesitated for a moment, wondering if Oscar might want it for evidence, but I continued. “There really isn’t anything in there but how she moved us to Locust Grove.”
“Really? Anything else about the village?”
“I haven’t gotten that far. If there is, I’ll let you know. But nothing earth-shattering.” Even though there weren’t any mind-blowing events in the journal, it was still nice to have her journal. Which seemed odd, because Darla never kept anything.
After Oscar left, I went over the clues with Mr. Prince Charming.
“Chandra and Ann didn’t get along because Ann took Chandra before the council to sue her for her back problems.”
Meow.
I paced between the kitchen and the family room.
“Gerald broke into A Dose of Darla to get a honey supplement. Ann was in love with him and drove him crazy. He had tea with her the night before she died. Alone. Only, in Whispering Falls, we are never alone.”
Meow.
“And Ann was banned from practicing her spiritual gift.” I wondered what her gift was. “Plus she lost her shop.” I threw my hand in the air. “Oh! Don’t forget about Gerald slipping into Glorybee last night.”
The questions about Ann getting banned were for Izzy to answer.
Now there were three visits on my list. It shouldn’t be hard to make a quick visit to each of them since I couldn’t open A Dose of Darla until I
hear from the council. I had some time on my hands, and I was going to use it to prove my innocence.
Funny, the council consisted of two of the three people I needed to talk to.
Mr. Prince Charming couldn’t care less. All he wanted to do was bathe himself.
“Fine. I’m going to get my mold, and then stop by Glorybee Pets to pay Petunia a visit.”
As soon as he heard Glorybee, he ran over and did figure eights around my ankles before we headed out.
Chapter Sixteen
I was careful not to be seen when I picked up the mold at the lake on my way to Glorybee. At a glance, the cement mold resembled the shoeprint that I had cast under my bedroom window in Locust Grove. I hid it under my shirt and dropped it off at the shop on my way to the pet store.
Mr. Prince Charming didn’t wait around for me. I was sure he was already there.
“What took you so long?” Petunia was pruning back the limbs on the indoor tree.
“How did you know I was coming by?” I handed her a mojo bag that I grabbed from the shop.
“Him.” She pointed to a very high branch, where Mr. Prince Charming was sitting next to a chipmunk. “Oh, I love mojo bags. Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” I didn’t have a really good way to beat around the bush. I had limited time before Oscar heard from the council or even looked for more clues. “So tell me about Ann and Gerald having a fling.”
Petunia’s expression completely left her face.
“I heard that they were having a fling.” I acted as though I couldn’t tell that she was surprised that I knew. I reached up and picked a few of the dead leaves off some of the branches, petting a few animals as I went.
“I don’t know anything about that.” There was a slow burn in her voice. “Why would I care about such silly things?”
