Bobby Sparks Witch Detective: Pet Shop Puzzle ( A Paranormal Cozy Mystery)

by Stacey Fields

  “I can’t think of anyone that would want to hurt out little girl,” Loraine said between soft sobs.

  “You had mentioned that she didn’t change her name because she,” Bobby looked down at the notebook in her lap and read Loraine’s quote back to her, “’didn’t want to hurt us any more than she already had’? Can you explain that statement to me, Mrs. Lightbender?”

  “What are you insinuating, Ms. Sparks?” Rick asked harshly. “If you think that we could have—.”

  “It’s not that at all, sir,” Bobby cut him off softly. “I’m just trying to get a better feel for the relationship you had with your daughter is all. The better I know her and her life, the better I’ll be able to make an accurate determination about this case.”

  Rick and Loraine exchanged nervous glances. Don stepped forward and cleared his throat. “If I may,” he began. Everyone turned their attention to him as he continued speaking. “Your daughter was born here in Pinecreek, am I correct?”

  “Yes,” they answered together.

  “And that was, what? About twenty-five years ago?”

  “Yes.”

  “What does this have to do with anything, Sheriff?” Bobby asked. She had to focus on keeping her tone soft and her voice calm. She was finding his ramblings to be counterproductive and annoying.

  “You’ll see, Ms. Sparks,” Don said with a half-smile, “at the time that Mr. and Mrs. Lightbender came to Pinecreek, the idea of mixed relationships was still a hot topic.”

  “Mixed relationships?” Bobby asked.

  “You know,” Loraine said, leaning forward and whispering, “between our kind and the others.”

  “And if I’m not mistaken, Holly’s husband was not a warlock. Is that correct?” Don directed his question to the elderly couple on the couch.

  “He’s a shifter,” Rick whispered between gritted teeth.

  “I’m sensing that you weren’t happy about that,” Bobby said, noting not only his tone but the tensing of his shoulders and the awkward energy hanging in the air.

  “It’s not that we weren’t happy about it,” Loraine said quickly. “It’s just that—well—,” she took a deep breath and added, “please don’t think ill of us for this.”

  Bobby shook her head and waited for the woman to continue.

  “We just would have preferred Holly marry a warlock. It’s not that we were against her relationship with Barry. It’s just that we felt that it caused her more pain than happiness.”

  “How is that?” Bobby tried to write everything she heard as quickly as she could. Her hair continued to fall into her face, making it impossible to see her notebook clearly, so she simply hoped that the words she was scribbling would be legible when she got back to the hotel.

  “You see, Barry and Holly had been together since high school,” Loraine explained. “And the idea of mixed couples has only recently been made acceptable.”

  Bobby looked at Don who shrugged slightly.

  “I thought the entire purpose of coming to Pinecreek was to live in harmony with the others. So, why the separation?”

  “Living in harmony and mixing are two different things. No one knows what will happen when these couples begin producing children!” Rick said angrily.

  Bobby herself had had the same question and concern upon first arriving in Pinecreek.

  “We had hopes of keeping our line pure,” Rick continued to speak gruffly. “Holly was our only child, and it was clear that her decision to be with him meant that our desires were quickly and carelessly thrown to the side.”

  “I can’t help but notice a hint of hostility there,” Bobby said pointedly.

  “Do you think,” Loraine began, tears once again streaming down her face and her words coming out in choked sobs, “that we—we would—kill—?”

  “Not at all,” Bobby said softly, although she wasn’t quite convinced. “I’m just making an observation.”

  “It’s a rather forward one,” Rick said harshly.

  Don stepped forward again and positioned himself between the Lightbenders and Bobby. “Rick, Loraine,” he said softly, “is there anything else you can tell us about your daughter that might prove useful?”

  “There was one boy,” Loraine spoke thoughtfully. She looked at her husband for a second, and when he gave her a soft nod, continued, “he was a nice young man and a warlock at that.”

  “Go on,” Bobby said, even though her view of the couple was still blocked by Don’s surprisingly muscular legs.

  “He had a thing for Holly in high school—used to come by the house all the time. We always hoped that she would somehow turn her attention to him and forget about that shifter,” Rick said. He must have remembered suddenly that one of the individuals in the room was a shifter, because he quickly muttered an, “I’m sorry,” under his breath.

  “But Holly wouldn’t have it,” Loraine continued. “She only had eyes for Barry. The boy—what was his name?”

  “Zip,” Rick added, “Zip Charmson.”

  “Charmson?” Don asked, his voice going up slightly. “The mayor’s son?”

  “Yes,” the couple answered together.

  “Do you think this Zip Charmson would wish your daughter any harm?” Bobby asked, leaning over to peer at the couple around Don’s figure still separating them.

  “I don’t know,” Loraine said leaning forward and burying her face in her hands. “Do you think he did it, Rick? Do you think that boy would hurt our little angel?”

  Rick wrapped his arm around his wife’s shoulders and pulled her close to him. “I don’t know, dear. But, I’m sure that these two here will quickly get to the bottom of all of this.”

  Rick looked up at Don, an expression of sadness and worry on his face. “You’ll let us know, right? You’ll let us know what Zip says?”

  “Of course,” Don agreed. “We’ll keep you both informed.”

  Chapter 8: Holly’s Not-So-Happy Pet Shop

  “I’m not sure I buy their story,” Bobby said, taking a bite of her BLT sandwich.

  They had gone to Daisy’s to get take-out before returning to the station. She had to be very careful when she ordered. She specified at least a half a dozen times that she didn’t want the chef’s original BLT—bacon, lettuce, tongue—but instead wanted to stick with the traditional bacon, lettuce, tomato. Still, as she bit into her sandwich, she eyed it suspiciously.

  “You seriously think that poor little old couple killed their daughter because they didn’t like the guy she married?” Don asked with a scoff.

  He greedily and happily took a bite of his BLT as well, although he did get the chef’s special. Bobby wrinkled her nose in disgust as she watched him devour the stomach-turning combination of ingredients.

  She took another bite of her sandwich before setting it down and reaching for her notebook. “I’m not saying that they did it,” she said reviewing her notes. “I just think they know more than they’re letting on.”

  “Why would they keep anything from us?”

  “Maybe they don’t realize they’re keeping something. Maybe they know something they don’t think is important.”

  “Well, they gave us a name,” Don said taking another bite of his sandwich. “We should at least follow up on that.”

  “True,” Bobby said, setting down her notebook and reaching again for her sandwich.

  Just as she lifted it to her mouth and took a large bite, Don pulled his own back and examined it. “I think they might have switched our orders,” he said.

  “What?” Bobby cried, spitting out what was already in her mouth and tossing her sandwich across the desk at her partner.

  Don let out a hearty laugh and took another bite of his lunch. “I’m just kidding, Bobby.”

  “That is not funny!” Bobby shrieked, reaching back across the desk to retrieve her sandwich. “That’s disgusting,” she muttered.

  “It’s not, really. You should try it.”

  “You werewolves have no taste,” she shot at
him.

  “And you witches are just a bunch of little babies,” Don replied sharply.

  “Tell me what you know about this Zip kid,” Bobby said, bringing the conversation back to the topic at hand and ignoring his rebuttal to her insult.

  “He’s never been in any trouble before, as far as I can remember. He moved here with his family about ten years ago. His dad quickly became mayor. They’re one of the richest families in town.”

  “Well, I say we pay them a little visit,” Bobby said trying to force herself to take another bite of her sandwich. Even though after Don’s joke, she inspected the thing yet again, she still felt a slight turning in her stomach every time she went to eat it.

  “We haven’t finished interviewing the girl’s family yet,” Don pointed out. “We still have her husband to talk to.”

  “He’s the one that found her, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “Fine, then we’ll start with him, then go talk to Mr. Charmson.”

  “You really like to fill your days, don’t you?”

  “And you really like to just sit around while murderers walk free in your town!” Bobby snapped back quickly.

  “I’m still not convinced,” Don replied calmly.

  “Not convinced that it was a murder?”

  “Nope. I still think that the girl just had some sort of condition. I don’t know. I guess we won’t know anything until we get those lab results back.”

  “So, you think we’re wasting our time with all of this investigating?” Bobby asked, frustrated and annoyed yet again.

  “I think that this will be a great chance for the Witch Council to see that here in Pinecreek we can take care of ourselves, and their services of overseeing every aspect our lives is no longer needed.”

  “Do I sense a hint of resentment in your voice, Sheriff?”

  “Not resentment,” Don corrected her, “simply a subtle undertone of annoyance.”

  “Well, I’ll be sure to inform them that you and your department has been nothing but helpful in these proceedings,” Bobby said, rolling her eyes.

  “I’m not sure I like the cold sarcasm I note in your voice, Ms. Sparks,” Don said, crumbling up his napkin and tossing it into the trashcan next to his desk.

  “You have to admit, Sheriff, you are handling this case rather laxly.”

  “Laxly? Bobby, you have my full help and participation on this case. Regardless of my feelings towards your bosses, I’ll be at your side through the whole thing, eager to help in any way I can.”

  “I find that more off-putting than encouraging,” Bobby replied, also balling up her napkin along with the remaining bits of sandwich she couldn’t force herself to finish and tossed it in the trash.

  “Well, it’s what you’ve got to work with, so—.” he said, pushing himself up out of his seat, “you can take it however you want, but it’s not going to change the facts.”

  “Do you know where the husband lives?” Bobby asked, reluctantly, as she pushed herself up and headed for the door.

  “Right above the pet shop,” Don said as he followed behind.

  “Don’t tell me I’m finally going to see the scene of the crime?” Bobby said, feigning a schoolgirl like excitement. “I was beginning to think I never would.”

  “Keep that snarky tone up, and you might not get to,” Don shot back quickly over his shoulder.

  They walked together to the main square. Bobby had noticed that in Pinecreek, no one had a car. It was a small place, so she assumed the lack of transportation was simply because there was no need of it. Still, walking down the sidewalks in heels and a pencil skirt wasn’t the easiest task, even if they were perfectly paved with not a crack or bump in sight.

  “Speaking of snarky tone,” Don said as they walked side-by-side, “I was surprised to see your gentle, feminine side come out earlier.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “With Mrs. Lightbender,” he reminded her. “You were almost kind—at first, at least.”

  “I am a nice person, Mr. Silverback,” she replied sharply, “at least to the people who deserve it.”

  “I see,” Don said with a slow nod and a slight chuckle.

  They walked a little further in silence before he spoke again.

  “I enjoy this back and forth we’ve come to develop between us,” he said in a sincere yet amused manner.

  “At least one of us does,” Bobby replied, pulling at her hair and tying it back with a rubber band she had stolen off her desk. She wanted to be sure that she was able to take legible notes this time around. The information she had from her meeting with Holly’s parents would only be legible if a translator of chicken scratch was brought in.

  "Really," he said speeding up and turning around so that he was walking backward in front of her. "Maybe we can even get into somewhat of a groove—like a good-cop-bad-cop routine. I'm even willing to say you can be the good cop."

  "Don," Bobby said firmly, stopping and staring at him as he nearly tripped backward, "we have been working together for a day. We don't have a dynamic, and I don't plan on being here long enough for us to establish one."

  “If you say so,” Don said as Bobby walked past him. She heard him laugh again to himself before hurrying to catch up with her.

  They walked to the town square, where the Town Hall sat in the middle, surrounded by rows of shops, cafes, and a movie theater. The place was busy with different individuals hurrying about their daily business. They smiled at each other and greeted one another sweetly. Bobby immediately noticed that they referred to each other by name. They all knew the names of everyone else around them.

  Perhaps Don was right—if someone suddenly went missing, everyone else would surely know about it.

  Not only did they smile and greet each other, they also took a moment to observe Bobby suspiciously. They were hesitant of outsiders. And, perhaps they, too, shared Don’s feelings that the Witch Council should leave them to their business. Could they know she was from the Witch Council already, though? She had only just arrived the night before.

  Her question was quickly answered when Don directed her attention to one of the shops. Hanging just above the wooden doorframe was a sign that read, “Holly’s Happy Pet Shop.”

  “Happy?” Bobby asked, reading the sign, “why happy?”

  “Because Holly had a gift,” Don explained, “like most witches do. Hers was that she could enchant any animal she wanted. She could get them to behave exactly like their owners desired.”

  “She worked magic,” a woman’s voice chimed in.

  Bobby turned around to see a small, big-nosed, wide-eyed, dressed all in green little woman standing behind them. She was short, as most leprechauns were, and the tip of her head only reached about as high as Bobby’s belly button.

  “I’m sorry to interrupt,” the woman said in a high-pitched, cheery voice. “You must be Bobby, am I right?” the woman asked, extending her hand to her.

  “Yes,” Bobby said surprised as she shook the woman’s hand politely.

  “My name is Maggie O’Leary,” the woman explained, dropping her hand at her side. “My husband and I own the pawn shop next door to Holly’s Pet Shop. Such a sweet girl, it’s so sad what happened to her.”

  “Did you hear or see anything Mrs. O’Leary?” Bobby asked, rummaging through her purse for her notebook. “Why do you say it’s ‘sad’?”

  Maggie tilted her head to the side and looked up at Bobby. “Why, because you’re here investigating, aren’t you? That means that the Witch Council suspects murder, does it not?”

  “Where did you hear that from, Maggie?” Don asked.

  “Well, Daisy told Frank that she met you last night. Frank told Jeff, who came into the shop this morning. Jeff told Doug, that’s my husband,” she added for Bobby’s benefit, “who told me.”

  “That’s an awfully long line,” Bobby said, shocked and confused, “and it spread in such a short span of time.”

  “News travel
s fast around here,” Maggie said with a shrug.

  Don nudged her softly, a smile just barely visible on his lips.

  “Well, Maggie,” Don spoke again, “you shouldn’t always believe what you’re told, and you definitely shouldn’t go repeating it. Ms. Sparks is only here to send a report back to the Witch Council. For the moment, we don’t suspect anything. We are only gathering information.”

  “Well,” Maggie said sharply, her sweet tone suddenly gone, “if you find anything out, you let me know, Sheriff. I have a right to know these things, being that I shared a wall with her. To be honest, it wouldn’t surprise me in the least if it was murder.”

  Bobby’s mouth dropped open, and she knelt forward to look the woman in the eye. “Why do you say that, Maggie?”

  “Oh, now you want to talk to me?”

  “I never said I didn’t,” Bobby pointed out. “My partner here is just very tired. It’s been a long 24-hours for him, as I’m sure you can imagine.”

  Maggie peered around Bobby’s shoulder at Don with suspicion. “I’m not saying anything, except that—.”

  “Yes?” Bobby asked, adjusting her weight so she could write in her notebook.

  “Holly was always fighting with people,” Maggie whispered quickly.

  “What people?”

  “Well, her husband for one, but who doesn’t do that, am I right?” Maggie asked with a chuckle. “And her employees—or, employee, a handful of customers, and her parents.”

  “That’s an awfully long list, Maggie,” Bobby said, trying to keep her voice calm and sweet. “Can you give me anything more specific?”

  “Well, up until she fired her, she was always going at it with that other witch she had working for her—Laura, something.”

  “Thank you, Maggie,” Bobby said as she straightened up.

  “Yes, Maggie, thank you,” Don added.

  Maggie shot Don a quick, almost angry glance before smiling pleasantly at Bobby and heading towards her shop.

  Chapter 9: Dogs, Cats, and Coffee—Black