“Yeah, but ... did Abigail dress up?”
He nodded. “Yeah. That was her favorite part. She loved jumping around. She once told me her favorite role was playing one of the bank robbers. I have no idea why. She went all out, though, and put a scarf over her mouth and wore a big hat and everything.”
Hannah tried to picture the scene in her mind. Unfortunately, the only image she had of Abigail was the one she conjured in her mind the night before. Since she very much doubted that was correct, she made a mental note to track down a photograph of her grandmother later in the day so she wouldn’t have to fill in the gaps again.
“Well, I hope to be that adept at things eventually,” she said. “For right now, tell me what we’re doing.”
Rick cocked an eyebrow. “We’re making drinks.”
“I figured that out myself. What sort of drinks? I mean ... did they imbibe a certain drink in the old west?”
“Whiskey.”
“That’s it?”
“Pretty much.”
“Does that mean we just serve shots of whiskey?” Hannah’s stomach twisted at the thought. “That doesn’t sound healthy.”
Rick chuckled. “No, we don’t just serve whiskey. We have every type of whiskey imaginable, don’t get me wrong, but we’re pretty much a regular bar. We serve everything. There are a few drinks that are vintage, though.”
Hannah perked up. “Oh, like what?”
“Well, for starters, there’s Cactus Wine. Back in the day it was made from a mixture of tequila and peyote tea. Obviously we can’t use the peyote but there is a safe mushroom tea alternative we order and people really enjoy it.”
“Okay.” Hannah was gratified that the drink didn’t sound too hard to make. “What else?”
“There’s the Mule Skinner, which is a mixture of whiskey and blackberry liqueur. Our biggest seller is Casper Creek beer, though. Abigail partnered with a microbrewery across the state and they came up with our signature beer. It’s a real crowd pleaser.”
“I think I can handle beer,” Hannah supplied. “That makes me feel better.”
“People will order other drinks, too. If you get trapped, there’s a Rolodex over there. It has a list of ingredients for pretty much every drink there is to offer. Just look at that if you’re in doubt.”
“Oh, cool.” Hannah drifted toward the Rolodex and began looking through it. “This is exactly what I need.”
“It’s going to be fine.” Rick shot her a sympathetic look. “You’re going to be fine.”
“Yeah, well, I’m still nervous,” she admitted. “I’ve never done anything like this before and Abigail was so beloved that it seems like I’m always going to be in her shadow.”
“Abigail was definitely beloved. I’m sure you’ll find your groove, though. I have to believe she wouldn’t have left you Casper Creek if she didn’t think you were capable of running it.”
Since Hannah had never met Abigail, she very much doubted that was true. She didn’t want to cause a panic amongst the workers, though, so she kept that to herself. “Well, I think I’ll at least be able to help you a little. Hopefully I’ll get better at this as time goes on.”
“I’m sure you’ll be fine.” Rick’s eyes gleamed as he caught sight of movement outside the window. “The first tourists are arriving. Are you ready for this?”
It was a daunting question and Hannah wasn’t sure she had an answer. “I hope so. Bring it on.”
TWO HOURS LATER, HANNAH FELT as if she’d been run ragged. In her mind, fetching beer and pouring whiskey sounded like an easy job. She hadn’t considered the customers when she was imagining it, though. Most of them were snarky and demanding rather than pleasant and amiable.
“We’re out of beer,” Hannah noted as she loaded the last case into the cabinet refrigerators. “Where do I get more?”
Rick, who had worked tirelessly, bopped his head toward the back of the building. “There’s a storage shed out back. It’s locked, but the key is hanging by the back door. There’s a big cooler to the right in there and we keep the beer cases there.”
“Okay. I’ll get some.”
“Wait.” Rick held out his hand to still her. “That’s a lot to lift and you hit your head. Maybe I should be the one to fetch the beer.”
To Hannah, that sounded like a terrible idea. Rick was much better with the customers than her. He was certainly faster and didn’t falter on a regular basis either. “No, I’m fine. There will be a revolt if I’m left in charge. I’ll get the beer.”
“Are you sure?” Rick looked pained. “I don’t want to be responsible if you pass out or anything.”
Hannah tried not to be affronted. He meant well. “I’ll be fine. I promise.”
“Okay.” He still looked dubious but there were people clamoring for drinks on the other side of the bar. “Can you take out the garbage since you’re heading in that direction anyway? The dumpster is right next to the shed.”
“Absolutely.”
Gratified to have something to do — and some air, because the saloon guests were rapidly sucking up all the oxygen in the room — Hannah happily collected the garbage bag and grabbed the key before sliding through the back door. Once outside, she could let loose a cleansing breath and take a moment to enjoy the sunshine.
Loud barking caught her attention, and when she turned toward the paddock she found Tyler and Jinx entertaining the fans who gathered to watch the horses perform. Her initial instinct had been to keep Jinx with her — he was unlikely to listen to anyone else, she figured — but Tyler thought it best to keep him outside. It turned out, that looked to be a good thing because Jinx was having the time of his life.
Hannah kept her eyes on the dog, her lips curving as she carried the bag to the dumpster. She didn’t consider herself a weakling, but it took extended effort to finally open the lid and then she had to try twice — the first time ending with the garbage bag smacking her in the back of the head — before she managed to lob the bag into the huge dumpster.
When she was finished, she rubbed her hands together and turned toward the shed. She figured she would have to make at least three trips to get enough beer to satisfy the thirsty guests. Her mind was on that when she noticed a shadow moving across her path and she pulled up short.
When she lifted her eyes, her mind went momentarily blank. She recognized the woman standing there from ... somewhere. She couldn’t exactly remember from where. “Do I know you?”
The woman was dressed in an ankle-length skirt. It was blue in color and looked to be constructed out of natural fibers. Her hair was a magnificent shade of white. It reminded Hannah of a Halloween wig one of her Detroit friends wore as part of a costume years before. It was so perfect that she found she wanted to touch it. She managed to refrain, though, because even in her befuddled state she recognized that was weird.
“We have to talk,” the woman announced.
“Oh, um, okay.” Hannah wiped her hands on the seat of her jeans. “Do you work in one of the restaurants or something? I feel as if I’ve seen you before but ... .” And that’s when things slipped into place for Hannah. How she could’ve forgotten given what happened the previous afternoon, she had no idea. “Wait ... you were on the cliff above the creek.”
“I was,” the woman confirmed. “My name is Astra Bishop.”
Astra? Hannah had to wonder if that was a real name. “Oh, well, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” She extended her hand, but Astra smoothly avoided shaking it. “Sorry.” Hannah felt out of place. “My hands are dirty from the garbage. I don’t blame you for not wanting to shake.”
Apparently Astra wasn’t one for pleasantries because she immediately launched into a long speech. “I knew your grandmother. We were close for a time. I was her protege ... kind of. She turned on me, though. She cast me from her circle. No matter how hard I tried to get back, she purposely kept me out.”
Hannah had no idea what to make of the statement. “That sounds ... terrible. I don’t k
now how to help you, though. I’m not sure what circle you’re talking about.”
Astra narrowed her mesmerizing eyes. They were almost teal up close and personal. “I’m talking about her magic circle.”
“Magic circle?” Hannah felt as if she was caught on one of those reality-television shows that played pranks on unsuspecting people to make them look foolish. “Is that code for something?”
“Code?” Astra’s temper bubbled hot and fast as she regarded the lithe blonde. “What game are you trying to play?”
Oddly enough, Hannah had been tempted to ask the white-haired wonder the exact same thing. “I’m not trying to play a game. I’m trying to get beer. I really should do that, by the way. Rick is going to run out.”
“Forget the beer.”
“I can’t. I’m trying to help.”
Astra made an incredulous face. “Are you kidding me?” Her agitation was on full display. “Are you trying to drive me insane?”
“Absolutely not.” Hannah was sincere. “I don’t even know you. I’m starting to think you’re a little crazy, though. I’m not sure I have the energy for crazy today given what happened yesterday.” Something occurred to her. “Hey, you don’t happen to know how I fell and hit my head, do you? Are you the reason for that?”
Astra’s glare was withering. “Are you accusing me of hitting you over the head?”
“Not unless you did it. You’re one of the last things I remember before things went dark.”
“Yes, well, I’m not the sort who usually jumps on strangers in the creek and bashes them over the head with a rock.”
“That’s good to know.”
“I’m here for a specific reason,” Astra stressed. “I have questions for you. You have something that belongs to me.”
The longer the conversation went on, the more confused Hannah became. “I have something that belongs to you? I doubt it. I don’t have anything besides a dog and he’s definitely mine. I adopted him from the pound when he was nine months old. You can’t have him.”
“I don’t want your stupid dog,” she spat. “I want the book.”
“What book?”
“You know very well what book. Your grandmother kept it from me even though it should’ve been mine. I expect you to go upstairs and get it for me right now.”
“I don’t know what book you’re talking about.”
“The grimoire. She stole my grimoire!” Astra was beside herself. “I want it. I won’t let you keep it from me.”
That’s when a memory niggled at the back of Hannah’s brain. The dream from the night before popped into her head. The woman pretending to be her grandmother had said something about a grimoire, too. She’d almost forgotten.
“I don’t have what you’re looking for.” Hannah carefully shifted to put more distance between Astra and herself. “I’m sorry if you were under the impression I did but ... I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You’re lying!” Astra’s eyes filled with fire as she took a menacing step forward, her hands clutched into fists at her sides. “I am not leaving without my book.”
Hannah took another step away from the woman, this one much longer. “I think you should probably go.”
“I’m not going anywhere without my property.”
“I don’t have your property. In fact ... .” Hannah broke off when she smacked into something solid. She was fairly certain she should still be a decent distance from the bar. That meant whatever she ran into hadn’t been there before. “Um ... .” Fear filled her and threatened to overwhelm her senses as she moved her eyes to the man standing with his chest against her back. The relief that washed over her when she realized it was Cooper was palpable. “I’m glad you’re here.” Her voice was breathy. “I don’t know who this woman is, but I think she might be crazy.”
“She’s definitely crazy,” Cooper confirmed, squeezing Hannah’s shoulder before carefully sliding in front of her. His eyes never left Astra’s face.
For her part, the white-haired banshee appeared to be happy to see him. Her grimace turned into a grin lightning quick and she immediately started batting her eyelashes. “Hello, lover,” she purred.
Cooper’s frown deepened. “What are you doing here, Astra? You’ve been served with a court order that says you can’t cross onto Abigail’s property.”
“Abigail is dead. That restraining order doesn’t stand. It dies with the person who requested it. I did a little research.”
Cooper was abnormally calm given the circumstances. Hannah found it fascinating to watch him ... and terrifying to watch her.
“Under normal circumstances, you would be right,” Cooper offered. “The thing is, these aren’t normal circumstances. Abigail’s restraining order was for the property because you were actually vandalizing buildings and threatening the animals. It stands even though she’s dead.”
Astra narrowed her eyes to dangerous slits. “I don’t happen to believe that.”
“That doesn’t mean it’s not true.” Cooper never moved his eyes from her face as he dug into his pocket. “You don’t have to believe me, though. I think we should call Boone. He’ll know how to figure things out.”
The expression that flitted across Astra’s face told Hannah all she needed to know. The last thing she wanted to do was to talk with the sheriff.
“That won’t be necessary.” Astra’s demeanor turned stiff. “I was just leaving.”
“Uh-huh.” Cooper’s expression was unreadable as he flicked his eyes to Hannah. “She didn’t hurt you, did she?”
Hannah shook her head. “No. I just ... don’t understand.”
“I know. I’ll explain in a bit.” Cooper swiveled and found Astra glaring at him. “It’s actually interesting that you showed up when you did. Boone and I were looking for you earlier.”
“Oh, really?” The flirt was back in Astra’s eyes. “What did you want to talk to me about? I bet it was old times.”
“You would be wrong there.” Cooper was grim. “We want to talk to you about Jordan Flynn.”
Astra didn’t miss a beat. “I have no idea who that is.”
“Really? His roommate says that you two were dating … or at least he was interested in dating you.”
“He’s mistaken.”
“He seemed pretty sure of himself. I think you should wait until Boone gets here and then you guys can set up an interview, hash things out.”
The words were enough to prod Astra into motion. “Oh, well, I would love to. I have a pressing date, though.”
“I figured you would say something like that,” Cooper said dryly. “You should prepare yourself, Astra. Boone will find you eventually and he won’t simply let you off the hook without answering questions.”
“I’m not afraid of Boone. I’m not afraid of anyone.”
“That always was your weakness,” Cooper agreed. “You thought you were omnipotent.”
“Who’s to say I’m not?”
“Common sense.”
“Yes, well ... .” She broke off and licked her lips. “I should be going.” She focused on Hannah for a long beat. “I’ll be back. We have some things to talk about.”
Since she was absolutely bewildered, all Hannah could do was dumbly nod. “Sure. Whatever.”
Cooper remained rigid as he watched Astra go, waiting until she’d disappeared from view to speak again. “I think we need to talk.”
Hannah was incredulous. “Oh, you think?” Then she remembered why she was outside in the first place. “We have to take beer inside first. I left Rick alone. He needs help.”
“I’m on it.” Cooper was resigned as he trudged toward the storage shed. “You’re sure she didn’t hurt you, right?”
“She didn’t lay a finger on me. Heck, she wouldn’t even shake my hand.”
“That’s interesting, huh?”
“Only in your mind.”
“No, it’s definitely interesting.”
9
Nine
Hannah and Cooper hauled four cases of beer into the bar, made sure Rick was okay — he was holding court with the customers and having a grand time — and then excused themselves to her apartment. She gathered bottles of water from the refrigerator for both of them, opened the sliding glass doors to encourage air flow, and sat on the couch.
Cooper didn’t say a word.
“I think you owe me an explanation,” she said after a beat. “I don’t want to be the girl who demands answers and stomps her feet to get them, but I’m not opposed to that if you don’t start talking.”
Despite the serious nature of the situation, Cooper barked out a laugh. “You’re funny.”
“Yes, I’m a regular barrel of monkeys.”
“I’ve never understood that expression.” He took on a far-off expression as he turned his attention to the window. “I mean ... why would monkeys in a barrel be funny?”
“I have no idea.” Hannah folded her hands over her lap and waited. “Do you want me to ask questions to direct the conversation? I can do the asking if it will make things easier.”
“That’s what I’m trying to do,” Cooper admitted as he turned his gaze back to her. “I’m trying to make things easier. I don’t know that it’s possible.”
“Well ... .” She broke off and ran her tongue over her teeth, internally debating. “Here’s the thing: I was in a really weird place when I got the letter explaining that I had suddenly inherited a town.” She decided that opening up might be the best way to put Cooper at ease. She was embarrassed to tell her story, but it seemed necessary. “I had just finished negotiating a severance package with my boss.”
Cooper was officially intrigued. “It seems to me that was the perfect time to get the letter. You didn’t know where you were going to go and then an opportunity fell into your lap.”
“Yes, but I didn’t tell you why I lost my job.”
He stilled. “Oh, right.”
The Dirty Coven Page 8
