by Kelly Ethan
The Cursed Crow and the Deadly Hex
A Point Muse Cozy Paranormal Mystery. Book Four
Kelly Ethan
Copyright © 2020 by Kelly Ethan
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.
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Contents
The Cursed Crow and the Deadly Hex
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
REVIEW
About the Author
ALSO WRITTEN BY KELLY ETHAN
PARANORMAL ROMANCE
NON FICTION
CHRISTMAS CRACKERS: A Paranormal Cozy Mystery Collection.
Love and hugs to Bronwyn Stuart and Alexis Fleming. Sometimes it takes a village to produce a book baby.
Special shout out to Barbara, Becky Neilsen and Theresa, my amazing proofreaders. Who have made my book baby glow. Big hugs.
And to my ARC Team who have eagle eyes for typos as well. You all rock!
The Cursed Crow and the Deadly Hex
Book Four
There's a murder at Harrow House, a cruel crow stalking old friends and a nosy librarian turned sleuth.
Let the mayhem begin…
With barely a breath to relax, Xandie Meyers and her family of Harrow witches now must deal with a new problem. One that dropped dead at their feet.
Someone is targeting old members of Elspeth Harrow’s, Morrigan Coven. The same Elspeth Harrow who happens to be Xandie’s long lost Grandmother. People are dying and all signs point to an inside job. Xandie has no choice but to swing into Sherlock librarian mode.
Between bizarre accidents, a defanged vampire, reanimated animal corpses and a search for a missing doomsday device, Xandie barely has time to sniff out the killer. A villain that’s always two steps ahead.
But whoever the murderer is they hadn’t counted on the stubbornness of Harrow witches and one nosy librarian.
One
“Death.”
Alexandra Meyers, a.k.a. Xandie, Librarian to the supernatural Great Library of Alexandria, winced as her Banshee cousin screamed again.
“Death...” The wailing trailed off.
The crow plunged down, targeting Elspeth Harrow, a somewhat wicked hex mad witch and matriarch of the Harrow family. Elspeth stepped back as the bird dropped, followed by a small murder of crows, all sinking to the ground around the Harrow witches in a bizarre feathered minefield.
Elspeth stepped toward the first crow that had collapsed. The black-feathered body of the crow shimmered and formed into a naked, silver-haired old woman. Elspeth kneeled next to the woman’s body and took her pulse, before turning and stomping inside. The front door to the house closed with a final and resounding bang.
“A dead crow shifter at your grandmother’s feet after a Banshee screams death isn’t something you see every day.” Lila Harrow gathered up a sobbing Holly, a.k.a. half Banshee-half witch, and bundled her inside Harrow House.
Xandie crouched next to the elderly woman. Jet black feathers lay tangled through her silver hair and sweat had dried on the woman’s emaciated body. The shifter looked like she’d flown long and hard, only to fall dead of exhaustion at Elspeth’s feet. At the same time, her cousin saw their grandmother’s death...
Elspeth exited the house, shovel in hand. She moved up and hovered close to Xandie. “Her name was Minerva Crow.”
“You knew her?”
“We were part of the same coven, a long time ago.” Elspeth stood, stony faced, then walked away to a pretty patch of Harrow garden where the sun filtered through the trees with soft rays and the rose petals smelled the strongest.
Xandie watched as Elspeth pushed the spade deep into the rich soil. She was digging a grave for her departed friend.
Elspeth clicked her fingers and the dead shifter hovered off the ground, then flew to her side. Lowering her down, Elspeth buried her.
Xandie joined her grandma, standing shoulder to shoulder with her. In a united sign of respect, they both remained silent for a few long moments.
“I need to make some phone calls. Update people.” Elspeth dropped the spade and marched off.
“Are you going to tell us what’s happening?” Xandie called out to her normally devious and full of life grandmother.
Her grandmother stopped walking but didn’t turn back to face Xandie. Her tone was so fierce and glacial, it was as if ice formed in the air between them. “When I’m ready, I’ll let you know. Until then, tell those chattering witches to stay away from me.” With that, Elspeth disappeared behind Harrow House.
And that was the Elspeth people equal parts hated and loved.
Her grandmother.
Two
“Last will and testament of Elspeth Harrow,” Xandie read aloud and then cast an inquiring glance at her grandma. “Is there a reason I’m seeing this now instead of after you pass away?”
Snatching the document out of Xandie’s hands, Elspeth rolled it up. “So, when I die a horrible death, you’ll know three things.” Elspeth moved a grinning Cheshire cat statue, turned it upside down and wedged the will up inside the hollow cat.
“Three things?”
“That you’re my favorite granddaughter, you’ll inherit Harrow House and...” Elspeth paused for effect. “And a devious, twisted villain murdered me.”
Xandie sighed at her grandmother’s antics. Something inside her had changed since the shifter had dropped dead at her feet and Xandie’s Banshee cousin had very loudly proclaimed Elspeth’s death. In fact, the last four weeks since the crow shifter had dropped dead at Elspeth’s feet had been quiet. Too quiet. It was enough to silence any witch, Harrow or otherwise. But it was always best to have a healthy dose of fear when Elspeth, given to vocal interference in all her relatives’ lives, turned into a creepy, non-talkative version of a brooding witch. “Who murders you?”
Elspeth waved a hand through the air. “Could be anyone. You wouldn’t believe how many people I’ve upset in my long life.”
“Oh yes, I would,” Xandie muttered under her breath. It didn’t pay to annoy the pre-eminent hexer in the region. “Let me recap. Because a shifter you once knew died at your feet, you think someone will murder you?”
“Because Minerva isn’t the first of the coven to die in mysterious circumstances. She’s the second.” Elspeth patted the statue and turned expectantly to Xandie. “Well?”
“Ah, glad you aren’t dead yet?” Really, how did one answer that?
“You’re my sole beneficiary. You get lock, stock and witching candle.” Elspeth settled her gaze on her granddaughter.
Xandie sat bolt upright and nodded vigorously. “Yep. Got it. Fantastic. But how about you tell me more about your coven and the person you think is trying to kill you? Because we both kn
ow you have a theory.”
Elspeth sniffed and wandered the sitting room. “Nothing much to tell. We formed up in World War Two. Did this and that and then I left to get married and have ungrateful babies.”
“And you think someone is murdering members?” This was more information her grandmother had volunteered in one sentence than she had in the last few months Xandie had known her. Elspeth loved mystique and mystery and preferred to haunt the shadows. Apparently, it was better to get the jump on your enemies and hex them. Before arriving in Point Muse, Xandie’s life in college town, Andrews, with her dad, had been calm…and boring. Harrows bought chaos and mayhem to her life and Xandie was starting to see the attraction. The drama she liked, the dead bodies she could do without.
“Let me guess, she changed the will again?” Lila poked her head into the sitting room.
“You, Lila Marie Harrow, are jealous you aren’t my favorite anymore.” Elspeth glowered at her eldest granddaughter. The phone trilled from the kitchen. “That’s mine.” Elspeth scooted past Lila and made a break for the phone.
So much for being an old woman. She was spry enough for anyone half her age. Mind you, no one knew exactly how old Elspeth was. Any time someone asked her, she hexed them or started lopping a year off the age she told everyone. Her grandmother was short and slim, with close cropped, curly silver hair. Most of the time a glaringly bright wig would sit atop her own hair and Elspeth Harrow was never without her handy hip flask. Bedazzled, of course. Amber colored eyes completed the picture of a slightly devious and always-dangerous elderly witch. Xandie might be a Meyers by name, but through her mother, Miranda Harrow, Elspeth’s eldest daughter, she inherited her grandmother’s lack of height and the Harrow eyes. All the Harrow women had the amber eyes.
The three cousins shared a strong resemblance. Lila, the eldest had curly, long brown hair. Xandie had shoulder length straight hair, the same shade as Lila’s. Holly, the youngest, also had the same shade hair in a smooth, short, chin-length bob.
As for Xandie’s mother, she’d disappeared when Xandie was five years old in a supposed tragic accident. Now through a troll detective named Herman, hired by her deceased Great-Aunt Sera, the former Librarian, Xandie had found out on top of all that, her mother wasn’t dead or missing, but had chosen to go underground and work for the suspicious human-only agency, ASP-Anti Species Project. Her mother apparently had amnesia but had discovered ASP’s rotten core and disappeared again. Only, now ASP was stalking Xandie and wanted to use her as bait to bring their rogue agent in. And if all that wasn’t enough, she now had a dramatic Elspeth planning her will. Good times
“Don’t stress,” Lila said. “She changes the will weekly. I thought we were due another rewrite with the dead crow and Holly wailing Elspeth’s death.”
Poor Holly, it had horrified her after she realized she’d Banshee wailed at their grandmother. She was the quietest of the three cousins and hadn’t bounced back from her vision like outgoing, over-dramatic Lila or bookish Xandie did after something dark and weird happened. Holly over-thought every move. Xandie, on the other hand, was stubborn and liked to jump in with both feet. “How’s Holly coping?”
“Doing okay. Freaked, but glad her mom and mine are on that singles’ supernatural cruise they won. Everyone’s relieved they aren’t here to see the Banshee fallout.”
Out of the blue, the day after the crow episode, Aunt Amelia had received tickets in the mail for a cruise from a competition she couldn’t remember entering. Elspeth convinced Amelia to take her sister and Colin, the talking pug, along with her. Winifred had been over the moon about the cruise and Colin was excited to have the opportunity to peer up new skirts and pig out on all you can eat buffet food. Amelia took the chance for time away, and they all left soon after. “Elspeth told me they extended the cruise.”
“Colin met a nice beagle. Aunt Winifred’s preparing marriage vows as we speak.” Lila frowned. “Has Elspeth mentioned anything else about the crow shifter yet?”
“Nope, just spoke about a coven they were all in years ago. Have you heard all the calls she’s getting? She locks a silence hex around her every time she answers.” Xandie stood and sidled toward the kitchen, Lila in tow.
Both girls paused around the corner, straining to hear Elspeth’s phone call.
“Check on the others and don’t forget Henry,” Elspeth whispered into the phone. “I don’t care about anonymity. Warn the rest of them. Morrigan’s being targeted. Get it done.” Elspeth slammed the phone down, then noticed her granddaughters eavesdropping. “Eavesdroppers never hear good about themselves. And sometimes their ears fall off.”
“And eavesdroppers also find out interesting tidbits about their secretive and devious grandmother that she hasn’t shared with her loving family who only want what’s best.” Lila folded her arms and glared.
“It’s none of your business, baker girl.” Elspeth sniffed and stomped past Lila and Xandie.
“Who’s Morrigan?”
Elspeth had forgotten to put a silence hex on the call, so they’d heard a few words. She’d mentioned a Henry, but it seemed that Morrigan had more emphasis. Xandie figured Elspeth might let something else slip that she could research with the Library. Especially if she badgered her.
“Morrigan is dead.” The power in the house dimmed, and the shadows from every corner of the home gathered around Elspeth like a cloak.
“Cut the hag routine, Elspeth. We’re all Harrows here.” Lila snapped her fingers.
Shadows receded, but the power still fizzed off and on.
“Elspeth,” Lila growled.
“Check your facts, sweetie. The power flicker isn’t me.” Elspeth grinned, teeth bared like a shark. “If the interrogation is over, I have underwear drawers to hex.” The shadows swarmed Elspeth again as she faded out, disappearing with a high-pitched cackle.
“I hate it when she does the evil witch thing.”
Xandie ignored her whining cousin and headed for the phone. If she could do a reverse phone call, it might tell her who Elspeth talked to, but the phone was dead again. Point Muse was renowned for spotty phone coverage because of the mess of ley lines running through the town. But somehow Elspeth could always call in and out whenever she liked.
“Forget it. I’m sure she’s got some kind of mojo on it. We need to focus on what we heard. Henry and Morrigan and the fact someone’s trying to kill them. Just like that crow shifter.”
Lila was right, but something about the way Elspeth said Morrigan felt different, like a title, not a person. She nibbled a corner of her lip. “I’ll ask Theo and the Library about Morrigan, see if they know anything.” Her Library was sentient and contained all the knowledge of the supernatural world. As the current Librarian, Xandie filled requests, copied information, shelved and coordinated appointments. If asked, the Library would help her with any information she needed as long as it was supernatural…and a crow shifter dropping dead qualified as supernatural.
“Your cat will lecture you about finding more corpses and then belch tuna breath everywhere.”
Her cousin wasn’t wrong. Her lecturing furry feline had once been a binge-drinking Greek teenager until the Great Library of Alexandria had fought against a firebombing, demon-possessed Julius Caesar. Theophilus had ended up as Theo, a black cat guardian to the Library and every Librarian since. Especially everyone descended from Xandie’s family. She was stuck with him. Unfortunately, no one else could hear his whining. The unlucky Librarian and the Library were the only ones to understand him. Although her Aunt Amelia, being an animal Empath, could usually understand what he was feeling. “I have to swap that tuna out; it plays havoc with his indigestion.”
Lila tapped her chin thoughtfully. “I think the Henry she’s referring to might be Henry Strongarm. He works at Point Muse Academy and is the full-time gym teacher. Maybe we should sleuth him out?”
At least Henry was nice and close and living in town. A thunderous knocking at the door derailed Xandie’s thoug
hts.
Harrow House quivered and seemed to gather itself, waiting.
Lila reached the doorknob as Elspeth came flying down the stairs... literally.
A neon-pink, waist-length wig flew behind her as she rode a gust of wind down to the door. “Dibs on the door. Why don’t you girls go upstairs, quick smart?” Elspeth clicked her fingers.
Lila climbed the stairs, groaning and grabbing at the stair rail.
“Lila? Why are you groaning?”
“Because our damn grandmother hexed me. She’s making me walk.” With a moan, Lila disappeared upstairs.
Xandie ducked into the kitchen doorway and hid so Elspeth wouldn’t see her. If her grandma hexed Lila to leave, then Elspeth didn’t want them knowing who knocked. Thankfully, the Library protected her from all magic, so she could stay and spy.
With a twitch of her pink wig, Elspeth flung the door open and scowled at the man in the doorway. “I can look after myself. Protect the others.”
The man coughed. “That’s what they told me. But since I have a pre-existing contact with a Harrow, they sent me.”
Elspeth scoffed. “Please, none of my girls interact with the fuzz. Although...” Elspeth stopped to scan the man from coiffed top to shoe-shined toe. “The granddaughters might or if you’re into cougars, my youngest daughter would probably jump you.”
