“Can you think of anyone who would want to harm Martha?” Logan asked. If he was moved by her tears, it didn’t show. Of course, I was betting he was used to crying suspects.
Cheryl wiped her ruddy face with the back of her hand. “Who can say? Martha was a bit of a spitfire, I’m sure there were people who disliked her. But why would anyone want to kill her? She wasn’t wealthy. She and her husband had a clean divorce and were friends. She had no lovers, no children, nothing to kill for.”
Martha glared across the table at her friend. “Now there’s the Cheryl I know and love.”
Logan leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. “Tell me more about the ex-husband. Are you sure there was no bad blood there? No financial disputes?”
Since no one else had reached for the coffee, I poured myself a mug and added cream. I took a sip and my shoulders relaxed. Cheryl had excellent taste in coffee.
Noticing my movements, she poured herself a cup, then offered the carafe to Logan.
He took it, filled his cup, then left it untouched. “The ex-husband, Ms. Isaac?”
She wrapped both her hands around her warm mug. “Alex and Martha had a wonderful relationship. They were the best of friends.”
“Then why did they get divorced?” Logan asked.
Cheryl sighed. “No romance. They were always just meant to be friends.”
Martha nodded her approval, though I already knew the story. I gave Logan a subtle nod to let him know Cheryl was speaking the truth.
His eyes flicked to me, then back to Cheryl. “What about their gallery? Was it a successful business?”
“As successful as a quaint little business can be. I suppose things did pick up over the past few years.”
Martha’s eyes flew wide. “You pompous little rat,” she hissed. “We are the fourth most popular gallery in the state.”
I was glad Cheryl couldn’t hear the curses that followed.
Logan went on to question her about Martha’s employee, and about Blake Monroe, but Cheryl didn’t divulge anything Martha hadn’t already told us.
Eventually Logan ran out of questions and we excused ourselves, thanking Cheryl for her time.
Martha floated beside me as Cheryl led us to the front door, but hesitated in the sitting room.
I stopped and glanced back, wondering what had distracted her.
She was staring at a painting above the fireplace. “That wasn’t there before.”
I wanted to ask her if she recognized it, but it would have to wait until we were out of Cheryl’s presence. As of now, our host was waiting by the open door.
“That’s a beautiful painting,” I said.
With his back to Cheryl, she couldn’t see Logan’s narrowed eyes. He was trying to figure out why I was talking about the painting rather than walking out the door with him.
She watched me for a moment with puffy, red-rimmed eyes. “It was a gift.”
“From Martha?” I asked. “From her gallery?”
Her jaw fell open a touch. “No, not from Martha. Now if you’ll excuse me, I think I need to get ready for work.”
“Of course,” Logan said, gesturing for me to hurry toward the door.
I did as he asked, with Martha floating right beside me.
Once the three of us were outside the house walking—and floating— toward the gravel drive, I looked to Martha. “Where do you think the painting came from?”
She shrugged her spectral shoulders. “Not from my gallery, unless it was a new piece. Jackson had taken over curating, so I suppose it wouldn’t be unusual for me to not recognize it.”
I turned to Logan as we reached the car. “Martha says the painting wasn’t from her gallery, unless it was something new her employee curated.”
“I’ll ask the ex husband,” he said as we both got into the car. He started the engine, then turned to me, “Though I’ll be surprised if it has any relevance. Cheryl would have to be pretty bold to hang a painting somehow connected to her friend’s murder so quickly after her death.”
“And Cheryl is not bold,” Martha added. “Pompous, but not bold.”
I kept Martha’s words to myself as we started the drive back to town, though one thought plagued me. With friends like Martha and Cheryl, who needed enemies?
Chapter Seven
I had Logan drop me off at home so I could pick up Spooky and take him with me to the cafe. Plus Callie was there, and I wanted to talk to her about the glowing deer. Even if it didn’t have anything to do with the dark magic hunting me, we still needed to figure it out and make sure it wasn’t a threat.
Martha had disappeared halfway through the car ride, and now waited near my front door as I stepped out onto the sidewalk.
Logan leaned across his seat, looking up at me from inside the car. “I’ll let you know what the ex-husband says so Martha can tell us if there are any lies.”
I pressed one hand against the door frame and bent down to look at him. “Or we could both just come with you.”
He smirked. “Martha seems pretty sure that he isn’t involved. If he says anything that makes me suspicious, I’ll bring you both in, but I don’t want to risk it getting around that I’m bringing a civilian in on a murder investigation.”
I wrinkled my nose. “I’m hardly a civilian.”
“In the eyes of the law you are. You be careful, and let me know what your sisters think about that deer.”
I straightened, stepping back so I could still see him. “I’ll tell you as soon as you tell me everything Alex has to say.” I shut the door, then turned with a wave before he could argue, heading toward Martha up the driveway.
“He’s going to question Alex now?” she asked as the sound of Logan’s engine retreated in the distance.
I motioned for her to move away from the door. I could have just reached through her, but it seemed rude. “Yes, but next time act more suspicious. He’s only not bringing us because you don’t think Alex killed you.”
“Well he didn’t.” She crossed her arms and scrunched her face in thought. “Though I wouldn’t mind hearing what he has to say about his dearly departed ex-wife.” Her form dissipated into white mist, then was gone.
I couldn’t say I would miss her. I was ready for a break.
I unlocked the door and walked inside, finding Callie and Spooky both on my white couch.
Callie’s strawberry blonde curls sat in a messy bun atop her head, leaving her thin graceful neck bare. Tattoos decorated both arms, fully visible in her black tank top.
She studied my face from across the room. “How did it go?”
I shrugged, tossing my purse on the floor near the door before hanging my coat on a wall hook. “It doesn’t seem like Martha’s friend is the killer, though she does have a new suspicious painting. Logan is on his way to question the ex-husband.” I walked toward the couch and sat beside her.
Spooky moved off of her lap and onto mine, purring contentedly.
“I did see something weird though,” I continued. “On our way out a deer ran in front of Logan‘s car.”
Callie stretched her arms over her head and yawned. “Well that’s nothing unusual in these parts.”
“I don’t know why I even try to talk to you,” I said playfully. “The deer glowed with magic, and Logan could see it. I think he could feel it when you and mom tried to read him too.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “Well that’s interesting. Is he maybe not as mundane as we think?”
I shrugged. “To be determined. For now, I’m more worried about that deer. I want to know what it was, and why it was in the woods near Cheryl’s house.”
I glanced down to find Spooky’s golden eyes looking up at me, as if interested in what I had to say.
“Do you have something to add?” I asked.
I received only a continued stare in response. While Spooky had spoken into my mind a few times, the occurrences were few and far between, and usually just when I was in danger. I wasn’t sure what the issue w
as. Normally if a familiar had the ability to speak into its witch’s mind, it would do so regularly.
Callie stood. “No use worrying about it right now. I’ll walk you to work.”
I stood with Spooky in my arms. She was right, I needed to get to the cafe, but I was still worried. Maybe that deer running out in front of us was just a coincidence.
Or maybe there is no such thing as coincidence.
We arrived to find the cafe bustling with activity. Evie was busy behind the counter, but most of the chatter was coming from the sofa and matching chairs near the door. Spooky ran for the safety of the bookshelves while Callie and I gently pushed our way through the people crowding around the seating area.
Elmer Brookes noticed me and made room. Though he was tall, in his old age he wasn’t overly imposing, but the crowd easily gave him space, almost like magic.
From my new vantage point I could see Sophie, Richie, and another teenage girl I didn’t know.
“Tell us again what you saw,” a voice in the crowd on my left pressed.
I turned to Elmer as Callie fought for a spot on my other side. “What’s going on?” I whispered.
Elmer’s eyes seemed to sparkle with excitement. “Sophie saw a glowing squirrel this morning. No one would have believed her, except Maura Wimbledon had glowing robins at her birdfeeder.”
I blinked at him, stunned. Maura, the local librarian, was definitely not the type to tell tall tales. And neither was Sophie for that matter.
I turned to Callie as Sophie quietly told the crowd what she’d seen.
The deer? Callie mouthed.
I shrugged, though it was too big of a coincidence to pass off. I’d thought Logan had been able to see the deer because he was something more than mundane, but maybe the deer had been something more than a spirit. Something any mundane could see.
I thanked Elmer for the scoop, then grabbed Callie’s arm and tugged her back from the crowd. I glanced at Evie behind the counter, but she seemed to be caught up on orders, so I dragged Callie back toward the office.
Spooky sat in front of the closed door, as if he’d known all along where we would end up.
Once the three of us were alone in the office, I let out a shaky breath and looked to Callie. “What in the name of the goddess is going on? How are mundanes seeing glowing animals?”
She sat on the edge of my desk, crossing her leather jacket clad arms. It was rare to see her honey brown eyes so serious. “Do you think this is related to the dark magic, Addy? Do you think it’s messing with you?”
“By sending glowing animals out for everyone to see?” I thought about it, but it didn’t make much sense.
Callie pulled her cell phone from her jacket pocket. “We need to call Luna. And mom. We have to find the source of these glowing animals.”
Spooky watched us silently. I wasn’t sure why, but I had a feeling he knew something about what was going on.
I shook my head, casting away my thoughts. “You’re right, call them both. We’ll all meet at my place after closing time.”
Callie stopped mid-scroll on her phone, then looked up. “Do you think this has anything to do with Martha’s murder?”
I thought about it, but it just didn’t make sense. “I don’t see how. She says someone pushed her. That would imply a human, not a glowing animal or the dark magic.”
She shrugged. “All I’m saying is that maybe there’s more to Martha than what meets the eye. It couldn’t hurt to ask.”
“I’ll ask,” I agreed. “Just as soon as she’s done spying on her ex-husband.”
Callie smirked. “I wonder who I would spy on if I was a ghost. Do you say mean things about me when I’m not around?”
I laughed. “Of course, who else am I going to talk bad about?”
Chuckling to herself, she finished scrolling through her phone screen to start making calls. “If I die first, I’ll remember you said that, and I’ll haunt you for eternity.”
I went for the door. I would help Evie, and leave Callie to the calls. “Threaten all you like, you’ll still be the one that’s dead.”
I let myself out of the office before she could think of anything else to say, holding the door open long enough for Spooky to follow. The crowd had somewhat dispersed, though most of the tables were filled with excited chatter.
I walked behind the counter to stand beside Evie.
She smiled at me. “Paranormal activity sure is good for business, isn’t it?”
I looked at the crowd, noticing occasional glances my way, and realized everyone gathering at my cafe hadn’t been a coincidence. I was sure none of them believed I could do actual magic, but they did all think I was a witch, and probably assumed I would have more knowledge of the supernatural than anyone else in town.
They had come here hoping I could grant some insight. Only problem was, I was just as in the dark as everyone else.
Chapter Eight
Logan called as Spooky and I walked home in the dark. Though the initial excitement had died down, it had been an effort to chase the last few customers out of the cafe.
My icy fingers fumbled my phone out of my pocket, nearly dropping it on the sidewalk. I managed to answer on the third ring. “What did you find out?”
“Well hello to you too,” Logan answered. “I was hoping you could play translator again so I could ask Martha a few things about what Alex had to say.”
I glanced around the quiet neighborhood, then continued walking with leaves crunching underfoot, debating what to say.
“You still there, Addy?”
“Yeah I’m here.” I turned at a stop sign with Spooky trotting ahead of me. “I’m just debating whether or not I should tell you something.”
“Spill it.”
I glanced around again to make sure no one was listening, then lowered my voice, “That deer wasn’t the only glowing animal around, and you’re not the only mundane who can see them. Sophie Eddings saw a glowing squirrel today and Maura Wimbledon had glowing birds at her feeder.”
I focused on the sound of my boots echoing across the sidewalk while I waited for him to reply. I wasn’t sure why I was telling him, but he had seen the deer, so it was probably something he should know.
“So this might not be something only pertaining to your world,” he answered finally.
“Well it probably is, but it’s leaking out everywhere. I’ve never experienced something like this. I’m used to my world being a complete secret.”
I stopped walking at a sudden tingling sensation, then stepped back as a glowing field mouse ran right in front of my boots. Spooky shot off after it, disappearing so quick I didn’t have time to react.
“Dammit,” I hissed. “Logan, I have to go, Spooky just chased after a glowing mouse.”
“I’m already on my way to your house, tell me where you are.”
I told him the cross streets and hung up. I would lecture him about thinking he could just show up at my house later, once I found my cat.
“Spooky!” I called out, scanning the darkness. He had taken off toward a small copse of trees in someone’s yard.
I considered the consequences of trespassing for nary a second, then ran in the direction the cat had gone.
My boots barely maintained traction across the slick grass and damp dead leaves as I charged past the trees. I spotted a tiny glowing critter darting away near a fence encircling the next yard, then a larger black blur chasing after it.
“Spooky!” I rasped, changing direction to follow him.
I heard a car screech up and a door opening and shutting, but didn’t pause to see if it was Logan. I was close enough to watch as the glowing mouse found a hole in the fence and scurried through. I lunged toward Spooky, but he leapt upward, easily scaling the wooden fence before disappearing on the other side.
“Crap.” I wrapped my hands around the top of the fence and tried to pull myself up, but it was too tall, I didn’t have the strength. I tried again, scraping the toes of my boots
across the wood as I tried to gain purchase.
I lost my hold on the fence and stumbled backward as someone ran up behind me, then turned to find Logan shining a small flashlight my way.
I motioned him closer. “Hurry up and give me a boost!”
He didn’t ask questions, he just tossed his flashlight in the grass and moved toward me, then laced his fingers together for me to step on.
With one boot in his hands, I gripped his shoulders and propelled myself upward, then flung my arms over the top of the fence. The house beyond the yard had a back porch light on, granting me a full view of fresh cut grass and small shrubs.
I didn’t see Spooky or the mouse anywhere. My heart fell to my feet as I lowered myself back down from the fence and looked for a way around. Maybe they had made it past the house and out onto the next street.
Logan followed me as I hurried around the perimeter of the fence. “What’s going on, Addy?”
“I told you on the phone, Spooky chased after a glowing mouse. They both went into the yard, but now I don’t see them anywhere.”
I circled the fence, rushed out to the next street, then looked both ways. Nothing.
Logan stopped at my side, glancing around.
Tears welled in my eyes. I should have kept that damn cat on a leash. Now he was out in the streets alone and I didn’t know what these weird glowing animals were.
Logan tentatively placed a hand on my shoulder. “He’s been around a long time, I’m sure he’ll be alright. He’ll find his way home.”
I wiped the tears from my eyes, refusing to let any fall down my cheeks. I hated crying in front of people. “What if he’s not all right? What if the dark magic gets him?”
Logan’s hand fell from my shoulder. “Did you encounter it again? Why didn’t you tell me?”
I shook my head and started walking back in the direction we’d come. “I haven’t seen it, not since that time in the woods. I can’t find it anywhere.”
He jogged to catch up with me. “I knew you weren’t just hiking the other morning. You and your sisters were out looking for it.”
Catnip Cantrips (Twilight Hollow Witchy Cozy Mysteries Book 2) Page 4
