The walk back to the police station from Linda’s house felt like a dream. Ben tucked the evidence bags into his jacket the best he could because he didn’t want to walk around town with them in his hands.
The overwhelming urge to stop into the salon and see Belladonna hit him as he walked by her shop, but Ben fought it. It was best for everyone involved if he did what he had to do as quickly and professionally as possible.
It had been a long time since Ben felt sick about an arrest. The doubts started to creep into his mind after he put the evidence in a locker and started walking towards the diner. He should have his car so that he didn’t have to parade Linda through the town square, but waiting for Pepper and Sumac to bring it back would just be more procrastination.
He knew Linda, and she wouldn’t fight him. She would walk willingly from the diner to the police station, and Ben wouldn’t even need his cuffs. Would he?
The dark fingers of doubt crept into his brain like molasses seeping into cracks. What if he didn't know Linda at all? What if all of their conversations at the diner were just the act of a talented and practiced psychopath?
“Hey, sweetie. Wait up!” Belladonna’s voice called out from behind him.
She was hurrying towards him, and the sound of Bella’s voice broke him out of his black reverie. Ben shook his head as if to break the spell of gloomy tentacles obscuring his ability to think clearly.
“Bella, baby, I’m not sure if you want to be here right now,” Ben said, but he took her hand when she offered.
“I had to come to you. It was almost as if I could feel your sorrow. We’re connected now. Whatever you’re about to do, I’m doing it with you.” She said and squeezed his hand.
Ben filled Belladonna in on everything, and she was glad she’d come. Her next appointment wasn’t for an hour, so she had plenty of time to be there for her soon-to-be-husband and a good friend. They both needed her now.
“You know she was set up, right?” Belladonna asked right before they opened the door to the diner.
“I know. That’s the only reasonable explanation, but until I can prove that, I’ve got to arrest her. If Lexi is trying to hurt Linda, she’ll be safer in jail anyway. We can protect her there. Granny and Sumac can put a spell on her cell, right? They can keep Lexi out?” Ben looked hopeful.
“We’ll do our best,” Belladonna said.
What happened after that was a blur for Ben. He was right about Linda cooperating, and he hated himself a little for ever doubting her. Fortunately, the other waitress was already there. Trina was in the kitchen flirting with the new cook.
Linda told her that she had to go, and then walked out of the diner with Ben and Bella. She was quiet, and she kept herself from crying until Ben had her processed and showed her to her cell.
Belladonna had to go back to work, but she promised to send Granny and Aunt Sumac over to the police station as soon as she heard from them.
“If nothing else, I’ll go get them when I’m done working, and all three of us will come back.” She promised.
“I’m staying here with Linda until that happens,” Ben said decisively.
“I understand.”
Belladonna couldn’t find her Granny and Aunt until she got off work, but as soon as she got home, she told them all about Linda. The three witches hurried back to the police station in Ben’s car.
When they arrived, the witches lined up in front of the jail cell and chanted an ancient spell of protection. They didn’t need to do anything fancy since Sumac was confident that the binding spell had worked.
It was true that Lexi could overcome at least part of the binding, but it would take a lot of energy. The Nightshade witches assumed she was in Winterfield for much bigger reasons than setting Linda up. If Lexi was going to power through their binding, she’d channel her magic towards her end game.
Still, everyone involved wanted Linda to be safe, so they warded her jail cell against magic and granted her their personal protection.
Ben was reluctant to leave Linda alone, but he couldn’t stay at the police station all night.
“I’ll be okay. I’ve slept in worse places before.” Linda said. “Besides, Sumac brought me this stuff from Belladonna’s house.” She pointed towards the bedding and toiletries Aunt Sumac had pilfered from an unused guest room. “Could you bring me some coffee and a sausage biscuit in the morning?”
“I will. I’ll get them before I go to the salon in the morning.” Belladonna volunteered. “In fact, we should get you some dinner. Come on Aunt Sumac, let’s run over to the diner.”
With that, the Nightshades left the station. It would be a few minutes before Officer Cornwall came in for her part-time evening shift. Ben hoped that there wouldn’t be too much friction between Lucy and Linda after the cell phone incident.
It was when he was looking around the office that it dawned on Ben that he hadn’t seen Chief Frost all day. Alex hadn’t called in sick, but his office was empty. There was no sign anyone had been in there since yesterday.
Ben took out his phone and dialed Frost’s home number. He got no answer. Next, he tried his cell phone, and it went straight to voicemail.
That was odd.
The Chief’s cell phone was to be kept turned on at all times per department regulations. If it was turned off or the battery was dead, that was a clear warning that something had gone very wrong for Alex Frost.
Five
The next day Brynhidlr held a press conference in the town square. Thanks to Nightshade magic, no outside reporters showed up. The mayor appointed a local resident named Anna Keller to act as the town reporter and liaison to the outside press.
Anna was descended from the Sirens, and the sound of her voice could direct anyone’s attention to whomever or whatever Ms. Keller wanted. Brynhildr was eager to find out if she could work the same magic with her writing.
“The honor of chairing the party planning committee will go to Belladonna Nightshade. She and her family are honored members of my personal circle of trust, and I know that she will make this a celebration that will define my candidacy.” Brynhildr’s announcement took Belladonna completely by surprise.
Bella thought about politely turning the appointment down, but she realized that planning the town party could help her investigate Leonard’s murder. If she and Ben were going to get Linda out of jail as soon as possible, they would need every available advantage.
“Thank you. I look forward to doing anything I can to help you become our next Governor.” Belladonna said to a round of applause.
Belladonna had already been to the jail that morning to visit with Linda and take her breakfast. Her next appointment at the salon wasn’t for a couple of hours, so Bella decided to get Carly and Jessie involved with the party planning committee.
She knew that Carly needed something to take her mind off Nick, and party planning seemed to be part of Jessie’s elven nature. Together, she knew the three of them could put on a bash that Winterfield would never forget.
Bella couldn’t help but feel like she needed all of her friends and family around her right now too. Lexi being back in town was putting her on edge, and she was scared they’d have to do battle with dark magic soon.
Bella went into Big Buns Bakery to see Jessie, and she was glad to find that Carly was in the pantry sitting cross-legged on the floor and reading a book by candlelight. Since she was a vampire, Carly was usually home by now sleeping, but Bella could tell she didn’t want to be alone in the house.
“Hi, Bella,” Carly said sleepily when Belladonna opened the pantry door.
“Hey, Carly. Jessie told me you’d be back here.” Bella said.
“Yeah, when I’m at home I keep checking on Nick every five minutes. You know how they say a watched pot never boils? Well, a watched vampire never turns.” Carly set the book on the floor and stretched her arms.
“I have a proposition for you and Jessie, and I figured I’d come by and discuss it with you before I go back t
o work,” Belladonna said hopefully.
Bella told Jessie and Carly about the party planning, and she was successful in recruiting them both. They discussed meeting times and themes for a few minutes while eating apricot preserve stuffed croissants and drinking lattes.
Belladonna bought a dozen of the croissants and took them with her back to the salon. She found Francine sitting on the ground outside on the sidewalk reading a book.
“Oh my gosh, Francine. I’m so sorry. I’ve let myself get caught up in so many things.” Bella said.
“That you forgot me,” Francine answered with a laugh.
Belladonna was glad that the witch had a sense of humor about the situation. It wasn’t like Francine had much choice about working at the salon given the ultimatum Belladonna had given her, so Bella figured she should probably not forget her again.
Bella unlocked the door and let them in. She gave the box of apricot croissants to Francine and told her to take a couple.
“Just make sure there are a few left, I’m going to take them over to Ben and Linda at the police station this afternoon,” Bella said as she pulled on her apron.
“Linda’s at the police station?” Francine asked before taking a big bite of the fresh pastry.
“Yeah, that’s a long story. You sure you want to hear it?”
Bella proceeded to tell Francine about Linda’s arrest. She was starting to trust Francine even though it might not be the best idea to let her guard down so soon. Belladonna even considered giving Francine a key to the salon, so she’d never have to wait on the sidewalk again, but she decided to wait just a little bit longer before handing over the keys to her business to the former dark witch.
That’s when the idea hit her. She could invite Francine to be on the party planning committee. If Francine was really one of the good guys now, it would be a great way for her to get back into the good graces of the community. If she were a spy or meant any ill will, Belladonna would be keeping her close and giving her a chance to slip up.
That was one thing Belladonna was learning about the bad guys, if you gave them long enough they would start making mistakes. So, it was decided. Belladonna asked Francine if she’d like to join them on the party planning committee.
Francine’s eyes lit up in a way that made Belladonna believe she was completely sincere. The two witches had spent the rest of the hour before the next appointment came in discussing colors, music, and food possibilities while eating all but three of the croissants.
“That’s okay,” Belladonna said as she put the box away in the back room. “That’s still one for Ben and two for Linda.”
Just before Bella’s next appointment arrives, Francine’s cell phone rang. The woman’s face went white as a ghost. She murmured a “Thank you” and then a “goodbye” before hanging up.
“Are you okay? What was that?” Belladonna asked.
Francine looked like she was about to faint.
“I have bad news.”
Francine wouldn’t tell Belladonna exactly who called. She said a few of the other dark coven members were still around on the outskirts of town, but they didn’t trust anyone enough yet. They communicated with Francine sometimes, but that was as close as they were willing to get until they were sure they could come back without being retaliated against.
“That was one of them. She called to tell me that she’s seen Lexi going in and out of that old, abandoned church at the edge of town.”
Belladonna acted like the Lexi sighting was no big deal. She made up some excuse about it probably just being someone who looked like Lexi and told Francine not to worry. While Bella was ready to start trusting Francine about some things, it was better if she kept her out of this.
It would only be temporary. Eventually, she’d have to tell Francine that Lexi was back for her own safety. She hoped it wouldn’t hurt to keep it a secret for one more day.
Bella took Ben and Linda lunch and the rest of the croissants. Ben was super stressed because Chief Frost was missing, and he still had no way of getting Linda out of jail. He wanted to search the Chief’s house, but the doors were locked. Ben had no choice but to sit on his hands until he was able to get a judge to sign off on a search warrant.
She didn’t want to add to Ben’s stress, so Bella didn’t tell him about the Lexi sighting at the old church. She also didn’t tell him that she had every intention of going out there to poke around after her last appointment.
If Murielle weren't away on her honeymoon, Bella would at least have someone to take with her. She thought about taking Aunt Sumac and Granny but decided to just go take a peek after work. If she saw anything that warranted a real investigation, she’d get her family involved.
Belladonna’s last appointment was an hour before Ben was due off work, so she had plenty of time to walk to the old church. It had been years since she’d been out there. The church had been abandoned a long time ago. Belladonna wasn’t sure how long, but it had been at least decades if not a century.
The story behind it was that a bunch of religious fanatics started it because they thought that all the paranormals in Winterfield were devils. The problem was that they weren’t content to just hang out on the outskirts of town and pray for the residents of Winterfield. They started coming into the town at night and trying to “exorcise” the townsfolk.
This behavior didn’t go over very well, and the fanatics were run off. The church building still stood on the opposite side of town as the cemetery on the other end of a cornfield. During the summer, you couldn’t see the church, but right now, there wasn’t anything growing in the field.
Belladonna made her way on foot across the empty expanse. She noted that the building was in serious disrepair, but it still looked sound. The formerly white siding was now a dirty gray. Thanks to the protective magic of the town, no vandals had broken any windows or spray painted any part of the now historic building. It was beautiful in a creepy, abandoned building kind of way.
Bella stopped about halfway across the field when she thought she saw movement in one of the church’s windows. She couldn’t tell if someone was inside, or if it was a trick of the fading sunlight.
Belladonna didn’t spook easily, but she figured it wasn’t a good idea to meet Lexi face to face alone. She should have brought Aunt Sumac and Granny Pepper with her and cursed herself for coming alone.
She turned around and headed back towards home. This was a matter for the entire Nightshade coven, and it was time to come up with a plan.
Six
Together Belladonna, Sumac, and Pepper decided that it would be best to wait for Murielle to get back before chasing Lexi down. They also hoped that Petunia would return from wherever the time rift had taken her before they had any kind of final showdown.
Murielle came back six days later tanned, rested, and ready to fight evil. They were six long days for Linda, but it had to be this way. The witches knew they were stronger together, and they were missing a crucial piece with their coven member so far away.
Once Luke and Murielle returned, Belladonna was ready to put her plans in motion. Her first idea was to try and wake Nick from his death-like coma. Carly wasn’t so sure, but she said it had been done before.
Honestly, Bella thought she was tired of waiting too. The days and days of not knowing if he was alright were taking their toll on her physically. She wasn’t sleeping well and was eating too much junk food too.
If the coven could wake Nick, maybe he could tell them who tried to kill him. That might not be enough to clear Linda since there was no official report of Nick’s death, but it would at least lead them towards the real killer. If they knew who it was, they could find the evidence and Ben could arrest the real culprit.
That night, the witches gathered at Carly’s house. Jessie decided to come along too. Carly and Jessie stayed upstairs and made pigs-in-a-blanket and chocolate chip cookies. They also made salads with the butter lettuce, blue cheese, candied pecans, and pomegranate vinaigrette that Bel
ladonna brought with her.
“We could all eat a little more vegetables.” She said when the witches gave her the evil eye.
After that, Belladonna, Murielle, Granny Pepper, and Aunt Sumac made their way down into the basement. They lit a hundred candles that surrounded Nick’s sleeping body with a warm glow. Murielle used tiny quartz crystals to make a protective circle around them, and then they sprinkled the area with a generous layer of salt for added fortification.
The spell was a fast, but powerful one. The Nightshade witches lifted their voices up to the goddess and the universe begging them to let Nick wake up. Their chanting got so loud that it almost shook the house, and then it was done. The quiet was so thick that it felt like you could cut through it with a knife, but Nick did not move. Sumac was about to suggest they do it again when they heard the yelling coming from upstairs.
“Ahhhhhhhhhh! Oh my gosh!” Jessie yelled.
“You guys have to get up here!” Carly called out.
Belladonna rushed up the stairs first, and what she saw out of the kitchen window made a lump in her throat that she wasn’t sure she’d be able to swallow.
“Is that…” Bella started to ask.
“Chickens?” Aunt Sumac startled Belladonna who didn’t realize she had walked up behind her.
“Guys, that’s way more than…”
“Holy shi…” Granny Pepper began.
“Granny!” Murielle chastised.
“Well, I think it fits the situation,” Pepper said and lit her pipe.
Outside in Carly’s yard and for as far as the eye could see were what looked like hundreds, maybe thousands, of chickens. Belladonna stared blankly for a few seconds before breaking out into a loud, boisterous belly laugh. Everyone else, including Granny Pepper, joined her laughter.
Bella only allowed herself to revel in the absurdity of the situation for a few moments, and then she ran outside. Belladonna used her wand to zap the clucking, strutting, and feather shedding chickens back into the nether they came from.
Party Hexed: Cozy Witch Mystery (Witches of Winterfield Book 4) Page 3
