“I did know,” I confirmed, folding my arms over my chest. “The question is: How did you know?”
“I know all and see all.”
That was her patented answer, and I didn’t believe it. “How really?”
“I have spies in her inner circle. All she can talk about is this property. She’s going to build condos out here. I don’t think that should be allowed.”
“Why?” I asked, genuinely curious. “Are you afraid she’ll spoil the property’s rustic appeal?”
“No.” She made a face. “I just don’t want her to be happy. Spoil the rustic appeal? Who taught you to say things like that?”
I flicked my eyes to Thistle and found her grinning.
“This family makes me tired,” I said. “I mean ... really, really tired.”
“We’re very good at doing that,” Thistle agreed. “It’s genetic.”
WE DECIDED TO TAKE ON the search in an orderly fashion. That meant working together to attack each building. We started at the nearest cabin, even though I’d already been inside, and worked our way through the other two before we took a break to get some air.
“I don’t remember those cabins feeling so claustrophobic,” Clove complained, shaking her head. “I mean ... seriously. In my memory those ceilings are like twenty feet high. What happened?”
“You were shorter,” Aunt Tillie replied simply. “Those cabins were always holes. I remember that weekend your mothers made me come with them to help run the camp — that was the one where Bay found the body — and I thought then the cabins were falling apart. Now they’re literally falling apart. I don’t see why Margaret would want them.”
“She’ll tear down the cabins,” Thistle said.
“That camp you’re talking about is the one where Landon and I met,” I supplied. “That’s why we came up here in the first place.”
“Do you wish you hadn’t?” Clove asked. “I mean, you wouldn’t be on a ghost hunt if you’d stayed away.”
“And then there would be a father and mother still wondering why their daughter wasn’t calling home,” I pointed out. “I’m not sorry we came here. We were having a good time before we found the body. Besides, it’s better to know if there’s a predator in our midst. We obviously have a killer up here.”
“But how could someone live here?” Clove made a face as she scuffed the ground and looked around. “There’s no power. There’s no place to shower in the middle of winter.”
“I don’t think showering is at the top of the list for homeless people,” Thistle pointed out. “That’s what we’re talking about, right?”
“Maybe,” I hedged. “I don’t like blaming homeless people for murder without actual proof.”
“We should blame Margaret,” Aunt Tillie suggested. “That would stop her from buying this property.”
“Why are you so fixated on Mrs. Little?” I asked. “I mean ... other than your usual reasons. It’s not as if you’re attached to this property or anything. You hated it when we went to camp.”
“I didn’t hate it when you went to camp,” she countered. “Those were glorious weeks when I didn’t have you three running around and getting into my stuff.”
“Oh, admit it,” Thistle teased. “You cried when you didn’t have us around to entertain you.”
“I threw naked dancing parties on the bluff,” Aunt Tillie fired back. “No, seriously. Every year we sent you to camp we had a big witch retreat. We’re doing that again in a few weeks.”
“Mom mentioned that,” I said, rubbing my hands on the seat of my pants to wipe away the grime I’d picked up in the cabins. “Do you really think we should invite real witches to Hemlock Cove? That seems somehow dangerous.”
“We haven’t held a solstice celebration since Walkerville became Hemlock Cove,” Aunt Tillie pointed out. “It’s our turn.”
I still didn’t think it was a good idea, but the solstice was weeks away. I had time to argue with my mother about that later ... when I could look her in the eye again, that is. “Well, as long as you’re happy.” I rolled my neck and blew out a sigh, frowning when I realized there was a second vehicle parked in the overgrown lot. This one was a dated Bronco ... and I had no idea when it had arrived.
“Do you see anyone else hanging around?” I jerked my eyes to the left and right as I looked for the driver of the vehicle.
“Why?” Thistle asked, her eyes automatically going to the parking lot. “Oh. Someone is here. When did that happen?”
“Why do you think I’m looking around like an idiot?” I asked, irritation rushing through me.
“Maybe it’s the killer,” Clove said, her voice ratcheting up a notch. “Maybe we’re about to be thrown in the pool like the other women. Maybe there’s some sort of ritual attached to what’s going on ... like a reverse baptism.”
Aunt Tillie shot her a withering look. “How are you even related to me with deduction skills like that?”
“It’s entirely possible,” Clove snapped.
“It is not.” Aunt Tillie shook her head. “That’s Randy Weaver’s truck. He’s the caretaker out here.”
Caretaker? This was the first I was hearing about that. “I didn’t know Gertie had a caretaker.”
“Someone has to occasionally check on the property,” Aunt Tillie explained. “That’s Randy’s job. I know because Elroy Daughtry ran into him up here before winter and asked him about it.”
I knew very little about Randy. He was in his thirties, appeared to be one of those guys who had ten different side hustles going at the same time, and boasted what always seemed to be a lecherous gaze when it came to young women. He had a full beard that made me think he was hiding a weak jaw, and eyes that naturally squinted. As far as I knew, he was a looker, not a toucher. He’d been in town only five years, and I had a feeling I would’ve heard if he did more than look. Still, if he was spending time out here he might be worth a quick chat.
“Where do you think he is?” I asked, spinning. “I ... .” I broke off, almost yelping when I caught sight of Randy standing on the porch of the nearest cabin. He’d apparently been listening to us because he looked amused as he leaned against the structure and stared.
“Good morning,” he drawled, his blond hair gleaming under the sunlight. “I didn’t realize ya’ll would be out here today.”
“We’re reminiscing,” Clove lied.
“We’re looking for something the cops might’ve missed,” Thistle corrected.
“It’s none of your business what we’re doing,” Aunt Tillie challenged, sliding in front of the group and directly facing off with Randy. “Do you have a problem with us being here?”
Instead of reacting with anger, Randy snorted. “I don’t care. It’s not my property. Gertie doesn’t pay me enough to chase people away. I just thought I should stop by when I heard about the cops being up here.”
“How often are you up here?” I asked. He didn’t seem like a man worried about our presence. I took that as a good sign. That didn’t mean I trusted him.
“I’m supposed to come once a month.”
“How often do you really come?”
Randy flashed a charming grin and held out his hands. “Not as often as I should.”
“Before today, when was the last time you were here?” I asked, suspicion niggling at the back of my brain.
“It was before winter.” Randy didn’t look embarrassed by the admission. “I’m not the most diligent of employees. Gertie knew that before hiring me. Besides, she pays me, like, thirty bucks a month. It’s not as if I’m making bank on this gig.”
“Still, if you promise a service, you should provide it,” Thistle said. “It sounds to me like you’re taking advantage of her.”
“And it sounds to me as if she’s getting what she paid for,” Randy countered. “Either way, it doesn’t matter. This place is going to be sold. Gertie told me that herself. I just wanted to see for myself what they tore up.”
“And probably check to see i
f there was anything worth taking,” I added. “If the camp is really going to be torn down, everything here is up for grabs, right?”
“It can’t hurt to look.”
His smile made me sick to my stomach. “Yeah, well, that’s what we’re doing. Don’t mind us.”
“I don’t mind you at all.” Randy offered me a wink. “In fact, maybe we should break into teams and search the cabins together. That will allow me some one-on-one time with you girls.”
Aunt Tillie glared at him. “Sure. I’ll be on your team, Randy. How does that sound?”
Randy cringed. “Oh, well ... maybe you want to keep looking around yourselves.”
“I think that’s probably best,” I agreed. I waited until he gave up trying to flash “come hither” eyes at Clove, Thistle and me when Aunt Tillie wasn’t looking and disappeared behind the cabins to speak again. “I don’t know that I believe he’s a killer, but we should definitely mention him to Landon and Chief Terry.”
“Definitely,” Clove agreed, shuddering. “He’s gross.”
“He’s all sorts of gross,” Thistle agreed. “But he’s a looker. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of him actually having the guts to put his hands on a woman. And a story like that would spread like wildfire.”
She wasn’t wrong. “I ... .” Whatever I was about to say died on my lips when the hair on the back of my neck stood on end. Slowly, I turned in the direction of the pool as I felt a pair of eyes on me.
At first, I thought those eyes belonged to Randy. He was a pervert, after all. It would be just like him to hide and spy on us. It didn’t take me long to realize it wasn’t him, though. The second I caught sight of an ethereal figure by a tree I recognized we’d found what we were seeking.
“What is it?” Thistle asked, picking up on my mood. “Do you see something?”
I nodded slowly as I met the ghost’s gaze. She looked timid, as if she was afraid of her own shadow – if she’d cast a shadow. She had dark brown hair and ducked her head to avoid eye contact. Still, there was something familiar about her.
“It’s not Hannah Bishop,” I said after a beat. “It’s someone else. I think I’ve seen her before, but I can’t remember where.”
Aunt Tillie, who could also see ghosts, stared in the same direction. “I kind of see her,” she said. “Her essence is weak.”
“She’s hiding.”
“And yet you can still see her. I barely see a shimmer.”
“Maybe Bay is more powerful than you on that front now,” Thistle argued. “She’s a necromancer, after all. She would have to be more powerful.”
“She’s definitely more powerful,” Aunt Tillie agreed, her gaze thoughtful. “Do you want to try talking to her?”
“That’s why we’re here,” I replied. “She might have answers.”
Twelve
The ghost didn’t want to talk. She played a rather intriguing game of Hide and Seek that lasted a full hour ... and then she completely disappeared. Thistle was annoyed that I didn’t force her to stay and answer questions, but my necromancer powers were a work in progress and I had no inclination to play master and commander over what I assumed was a traumatized soul.
Thistle was still complaining about it when we reached downtown in time for lunch.
“I’m just saying that you wasted our time,” she complained as we exited my car in front of the diner. “You could’ve forced her to answer questions and we might already have a killer in custody.”
She had a point, but still ... . “I don’t like forcing them unless I have no other choice.” I was uncomfortable having the conversation in the open in case someone was eavesdropping. “Let’s talk about something else.”
“Like what?” Thistle made a face. “Should we talk about your mother having sex with Chief Terry on the first date? That’s the only other thing I can think to talk about.”
Ugh. I didn’t want to talk about that either. Instead, I turned to Aunt Tillie and found she was edging away from the diner. “Where are you going?”
She adopted an expression of faux innocence. “What do you mean? I’m not doing anything.”
“I didn’t ask what you were doing. I asked where you were going.”
“Oh, well, you’re clearly going into the diner. I can’t take Peg in there. Her feelings are hurt by that, for the record, so I’m going to take her for a walk to make her feel better.”
I narrowed my eyes. Aunt Tillie was a masterful liar, but she didn’t put much effort into this one. “Where are you really going?”
“Nowhere you need to worry about.” Her eyes flashed with annoyance. “Don’t you have your own stuff to freak out about?” She didn’t wait for an answer, instead barreling forward. “I guarantee you do, what with your favorite father figure spending the night with your mother and your refusal to embrace your new powers because you’re afraid. Those are better things to waste your brain power on.”
I worked my jaw. “I’m not afraid.” I darted my eyes around to make sure no one was within hearing distance. “And don’t say ‘powers’ like that. You know I don’t like it.”
“I know that you’re being a big baby,” she clarified. “You have to get over it. Your powers wouldn’t have advanced the way they have if you weren’t ready to use them. Stop being a ... well, a Bay.”
I glared at her. “You’re trying to change the subject because you don’t want to tell me where you’re going.”
“It’s none of your business.”
“She’s going to spy on Mrs. Little,” Clove interjected. “We all know it. She’ll never admit it. Why does it matter? She’s going to do what she’s going to do.”
Aunt Tillie’s gaze was speculative when it landed on Clove. “It’s a sad day when I find myself agreeing with you. I don’t even know how this happened. The world is topsy-turvy.”
Clove beamed at her. “Maybe I’m the smart one and you never realized it.”
“Or maybe the world is suddenly spinning backward. Either way, don’t concern yourself with me or what I’m doing. I’ll find my own way home.” She clutched Peg’s leash tighter and turned to leave. “By the way, don’t tell Terry and Landon that I’m downtown. Make sure they think I’m back at the inn.”
That didn’t bode well. “Why? What are you going to do?”
“Don’t you worry about it, Little Miss Busybody,” she shot back. “You mind your business and I’ll mind mine. How does that sound?”
It sounded like a recipe for disaster, but I was incapable of controlling her. “If you get arrested, I’m not bailing you out,” I warned.
“The cops have to catch me to arrest me. I’m way smarter than them, so it’s not going to happen.”
That wasn’t a comforting answer. “Just ... don’t get caught. We have enough going on right now without you making things worse.”
“I never make things worse.”
Thistle snorted. “Making things worse should be listed as a bullet point on your résumé.”
“And having the biggest mouth in the world should be on yours. Now, stop talking to me. I can’t fade into the background like a ninja if you’re yelling at me across the street. You’re ruining my street cred.”
I pursed my lips as I watched her go. “Is anyone else afraid she’s going to do something stupid?”
“No.” Thistle shook her head. “We know she’s going to do something stupid. Worrying is a waste of time.”
Sadly, she was right.
LANDON AND CHIEF TERRY WERE already seated when we entered the diner. They wordlessly made room for us as we crossed, and I was careful not to meet Chief Terry’s gaze as I slid into the spot next to Landon.
“Hey.” He leaned over and gave me a kiss. “I’m glad to see you’re still in one piece. How did your visit to the camp go?”
“It was ... interesting.” I shrugged. “By the way, have you guys considered looking at Randy Weaver? We ran into him out there.”
Landon furrowed his brow. “Who’s Randy Weave
r?”
“A local pervert who has like fifty part-time jobs because he refuses to hold a full-time job,” Thistle replied as she grabbed a menu from the center of the table. “He’s all sorts of lazy.”
“He’s a pervert?” Landon looked to Chief Terry for confirmation.
“He’s got a wandering eye that likes to mentally undress women,” Chief Terry replied. “We’ve never had a report of him actually touching anyone. I’ve had plenty of complaints about lecherous gazes.”
“And you ran into him at the camp?” Landon prodded. “He didn’t touch you, did he?”
“No. He tried to get us to go into a cabin with him, but Aunt Tillie changed his mind on that front. He was clearly terrified of her and disappeared not long after.”
Chief Terry tapped his bottom lip. “I forgot that he was paid to look after the camp. My understanding is that it’s a sporadic thing. He’s supposed to go out there once a month or so. He’d make a likely suspect.”
“Except he claims that he hasn’t been out there since before the snow fell,” I said. “I asked. He wasn’t ashamed at all of the fact that he hasn’t visited. He said Gertie pays him thirty bucks a month and he goes out there when he feels like it.”
“I can see him shirking his duties,” Chief Terry said. “Killing someone is work. Opening that pool and closing it again was work. I don’t know that he would put in that amount of work.”
“Well, he’s still worth considering.” Landon rubbed his hand over my back as I snagged a French fry from his plate. “Where is Aunt Tillie? I thought she was with you.”
“She was, but she lost interest once we got back to town. She said she had other things to do.” I avoided his gaze as I dunked the fry into ketchup.
“What other things?”
Crap. I didn’t want to answer that question. “She didn’t say.”
“What Bay is trying to avoid telling you is that Aunt Tillie took Peg to spy on Mrs. Little,” Thistle volunteered. “Aunt Tillie told us to lie to you, which means she’s probably going to do something illegal, and Bay is squirming because she doesn’t want to lie but can’t exactly tell the truth without risking Aunt Tillie’s wrath.”
Flip the Witch Switch Page 12
