by Jenn Cowan
Cat grins at him, and he winks at her. Since April’s death, they haven’t spent much time together, but I know Bobby will always have a soft spot for his step-daughter. Cat fills out the form then hands it back to him.
“Judging starts in fifteen minutes,” he informs us then motions to the next couple in line.
I follow along behind Regina and Cat, who are playing the parts of the sister witches well. I’m surprised they haven’t abandoned me due to my lack of witching spirit. My heart’s not in it tonight. I keep thinking about Josh and wondering if he’s safe. Then my thoughts turn to Maggie and Martin. Are they OK? Where has Hailey hidden them?
The hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Someone’s watching me. I glance over my shoulder, and there’s a person in a skeleton costume leaning against the far wall. Their eyes locked on mine…or at least I think they are. Hollow eye sockets with slits in them make it hard to tell if they’re looking at you or not.
I turn away and continue to follow my “sisters." The feeling of being watched again comes over me, and I take another peek over my shoulder. Mr. Skeleton or maybe it’s Ms. Skeleton is standing only a few feet away. People are passing by around it, but it’s like a statue, and I’m almost one hundred percent sure it’s staring at me now.
“Autumn, want some cider?” Cat grabs my hand and tugs me toward the drink table.
The warm cider smells heavenly with the mix of spices and tastes even better. I close my eyes and savor it for a moment, forgetting everything that’s going on. When I open my eyes, the skeleton is next to me. I can smell expensive cologne. “Gil?”
He nods. “I need to talk to you. Alone.”
Regina and Cat have moved on to the popcorn balls and probably won’t notice if I slip away.
“I have to be back for the costume contest.”
“You will be.”
I glance around, feeling eyes on me again. This time it’s Travis's. He cocks an eyebrow. I shake my head. He frowns but doesn’t come over. At least he’s seeing who I’m leaving with, in case I don’t come back.
Gil’s on my suspect list, but he's not very high on it. For one, I don't think he's smart enough to pull this off by himself, and two, the display at the dealership appeared real. His grief was tangible. Roger and Gil seemed more like brothers than cousins. Why kill him? What motive did he have? Maggie? Money? Is he behind the threats to Maggie and Roger and if so, what were they? Was he threatening to tell the police she and Roger robbed the jewelry stores? I sigh and watch Gil move toward the side exit. I know he’s involved somehow, but I can’t figure out exactly how or why he’s a part of this mixed-up case.
He motions for me to join him.
I hesitate, not wholly trusting him, but the sleuth in me needs answers.
“Come on, Autumn,” he calls to me from the side entrance door then disappears outside.
I'm acting ridiculous. What’s the worst Gil can do to me in a public place? The whole town is here. I take a deep breath and step outside.
He's gone.
“Gil? Where’d you go?” I step a little further away from the door.
Suddenly, the hall goes dark behind me. A few people gasp, and someone screams. At first, I think it’s part of the Halloween theatrics, but when a handkerchief with a sweet chemically smell on it slides over my mouth, I know I've been set up.
21
I blink and try to focus on something. The ground is cold. It feels like smooth concrete and smells like tires and grease. Gil must have taken me to the dealership. I blink again, but my vision’s still cloudy.
I feel something sticky dripping onto my leg. When I swipe at it, it smears on my hand. Grease is never going to come out of this dress, but when I glance down, it’s not grease, its blood.
My heart starts beating wildly in my chest. I feel around my body, trying to find the source of the blood. Nothing hurts, and I can't find any wounds. If it's not me, then who's blood, is it? I glance up and see lifeless eyes staring back at me from the ceiling
Gil.
I gasp and scramble away from his body. My limbs still feel heavy, but I’m able to back into the showroom doors, away from Gil’s body.
He’s hanging from the rafters. His body’s limp and lifeless. A large gash is on his forehead, which is the source of the blood. Did he hit his head trying to climb up the ladder? I spot a metal ladder lying on the ground. A note covered in blood is underneath his feet. Is this his confession to Roger's murder and the blackmail? I wonder if he mentioned where he was keeping Martin and Maggie.
I feel around my dress for my phone but can't find it. Did I lose it in Gil's car when he brought me here? Why did he bring me here? It doesn't make any sense.
“Ah, she’s awake.” Heels click across the showroom floor then stop in front of me. Maggie bends down and smiles. Her blond hair is falling loosely down her back, and she’s dressed in a tight black jumpsuit. “Glad you could join us, Autumn.”
“Maggie? Are you in on this? With Gil?”
Her smile stretches wide across her face then she laughs. “Oh, Autumn. You always think everyone in your inner circle is innocent.”
I frown. “But you are. Roger faked his death."
Maggie’s smile vanishes. “Idiot. Always playing pranks and trying to be funny. Do you know he went into one of the jewelry stores the day after our heist to ask for a refund? A refund!" She shrieks, then says with disgust, "He was going to get us caught.”
“So that’s why you left Florida?”
She nods. “The police brought Roger in for questioning after that, but Roger talked his way out of it. Made up something about finding the jewels in a gutter. He had a good lawyer too, but it was only a matter of time before they figured out he was lying, found evidence to connect him to the heist and his girlfriend too. When your mother told me about an opening at your spa, I knew it was the perfect place to lay low for a while.”
“You didn’t realize Roger used to live here.”
Maggie shakes her head. “Of all the places I could have chosen, I choose the one where that jerk's family lives.”
“So, Roger ships the jewels to Gil, to give to you so that you can sell them. Daysville's a small town. A local pawn shop probably wouldn’t look too hard at the jewels especially ones from a deceased loved one.”
She doesn’t say anything. Just purses her lips.
“Why did you need to sell the jewels? Who’s threatening you?”
Maggie tosses her head back and laughs. “No one. I made Roger think I owed someone money so he would send me the jewels. Guess the jokes on him now, huh?"
"So, you sold the jewels to what?"
"I needed the money to get out of town and start a new life. Away from that loser. He was obsessed with me and extremely jealous. Even accused me of dating his idiot cousin." She gestures to Gil. "I had to get away from him."
"Instead you killed him and his idiot cousin.”
She shrugs as if killing someone is no big deal. “It needed to be done. Roger wasn’t going to leave me alone, and Gil pieced it all together. He figured it out before you did, Miss Sleuth. Although, I’m sure you’d have figured it out, which is why you’re here. We’re going to tie all this up in a neat bow for the police. All the criminals are dead and the annoying town sleuth is too. The captain should give me a medal, but I’ll take my freedom."
I glare at her. “Not quite, you’re still a suspect in the jewelry store heists.”
She laughs. "Gil's 'suicide' note admits to him being Roger's accomplice in the jewelry store heists since he was visiting Roger in Florida during the time of the thefts. No one will suspect a thing. I’ll play the perfect grieving employee then in a month or two, I’ll tell those little old ladies at the craft store how much it hurts to stay here when you’re no longer running the spa. No one will question me leaving this dinky little town for good.”
I glare at her. No one talks about my town like that, but I refrain from giving her a piece of my mind. I need more info
from her, and if we're done talking she's going to kill me. “Where's Martin?”
“Hey, Autumn.” Martin steps out from behind a car and avoids looking up at his dangling cousin. He’s dressed in all black like Maggie.
Maggie stands and loops her arm in Martin’s.
“You two were in on this? Together?”
“We’re in love,” Martin defends. “Roger wouldn’t let Maggie go. He threatened her. Even pulled a gun on us.” He sighs and rakes a hand through his dark hair. “We were packing up, getting ready to leave town when he and Gil showed up. They were both drunk, among other things” Martin rolls his eyes.
“So, they show up here to confront you and then what happens?”
“Roger wouldn’t get out of the way of the car. I revved the engine to try and scare him, but it was like a game of chicken to him. He pointed a gun at me, and I knew he was going to pull the trigger.”
“You're saying it was self-defense?”
“It all happened so fast.”
“Why did you come back?”
Martin glances at Maggie. “I couldn’t just leave. I have a business. Clients to tend to and it wasn’t right of me to leave them high and dry. I needed to tie up loose ends.” He rubs the back of his neck. “Sorry about your Jeep. I never meant for things to go this far. I’m so sorry, Autumn.”
“Yes, Autumn. We're so sorry that your time has come to an end.” Maggie moves around Martin, a shiny black gun in her hand. “Being a sleuth isn't all it's cracked up to be. No back-up. No gun." She waves it around in the air. "It's a shame about Josh marrying Hailey. You have to be heartbroken. So, heartbroken in fact, you decide to end it.” She steps closer to me.
My eyes grow wide, and I have to think fast. “Why did Hailey marry Josh?”
Maggie laughs. “I saw Josh checking his accounts one day in the break room. Who would have thought a massage therapist was an investment guru?”
I glare at her.
“Oh, Autumn. I can't believe you haven't figured it out by now. Your sleuthing skills are slipping. Hailey’s a con-woman. She's always looking for her next victim. She’s kind of like a black widow. Only she hasn’t killed anyone, yet.”
“Did she put him under a spell?”
Maggie snorts. “Spell? No, at least I don't think so. She's been dabbling a little more into witchcraft, ever since she opened her shop in Florida." Maggie sighs. "I thought she'd turned over a new leaf a couple of years ago. Settled down, became a business owner, but when I told her about Josh, she couldn't resist."
"If she didn't put a spell on him, what did she do? Why doesn't he remember anything about their weekend together? About their wedding?"
Maggie smirks. "She hypnotized him.”
“Hypnotized him?”
“Yep. It’s pretty incredible. None of the guys remember a single thing until she’s long gone with their money."
"She's done this before?"
"Many times. Usually, she's in and out in a day, two tops, but Josh’s accident threw a wrench in her plan. He hadn't put her on his accounts yet.”
“So, the accident wasn’t intentional?”
“Not everything that happens is on purpose, Autumn. Sometimes things are just accidents.”
I frown. “Who is she?”
“Who is who?”
“Hailey.”
Maggie frowns and furrows her brows. “I don’t understand.”
“Travis told me Hailey died a couple of years ago.”
Her jaw drops open, and her eyes practically bulge out of her head. “Wh-what are you talking about?”
"Hailey's dead."
“No, no, no. You are mistaken. Celeste died.”
I lift an eyebrow. “Who’s Celeste?”
“Hailey’s twin sister. My sister. She died in a freak accident. Fell while hiking with Hailey.”
“Guess Celeste conned you,” I murmur.
“You’re lying.” Maggie’s face turns red, and she lifts the gun. “Good-bye, Autumn.”
22
I don’t have time to move or blink before the entire showroom is crawling with cops.
Maggie and Martin are on the ground in handcuffs within seconds. Maggie’s screaming and insisting Hailey’s still alive. Martin’s somber and accepting his fate.
“Autumn, are you hurt?” Travis holds out a hand to help me up.”
“I'm fine.”
He gives me a once over. “Are you bleeding?”
“No.” I gesture to Gil. “It’s his. I was underneath him.”
Travis clenches his jaw at the sight of Gil. “We heard everything.”
“You did? How?”
“We bugged the place after we finished processing Roger's murder. Everyone knows Martin wouldn’t just leave his baby. This dealership is his life.”
I smirk. “Good thinking, Detective Mills.”
He bows slightly then rubs the back of his neck. “Sorry, it took us so long. The blackout at the town hall put everyone on high alert, and we spent way too much time evacuating the building and sweeping it for possible explosives. When we figured out it was a distraction and that you were missing, we tapped into the dealership bugs and hightailed it over here." He glares over his shoulder at a sobbing Maggie. "She almost killed you.”
I wave him off. “She didn't.”
Travis rakes a hand through his red hair. He’s out of his costume and dressed in all black with a bulletproof vest covering his chest with the words Daysville SWAT on the front in bright white. "I heard what Maggie said about you not having any back-up or a gun. Maybe it's time you get a conceal and carry permit and take a gun safety course. Just in case."
"You know how I feel about guns, Travis."
"I know, but just think about it, OK?"
I nod then glance at the clock on the other side of the dealership. “Oh, no, the costume contest.”
Travis grins. “Cat texted me. She and Regina won for best couple.”
I laugh. “Really? How? We were a trio.”
“When you went missing, they told everyone you were out hunting for children.”
I snort. “More like murderers.”
Travis shoots me an unamused look, but continues, “They also didn't have much competition. Lots of people went home after the blackout, and I left to find you, so that knocked Allison and me out of the running.” He rubs a hand over his cheek.
“Allison’s mad, isn’t she?”
“I’m a cop. It’s my job to keep the members of this town safe. If she can’t understand that, then maybe we shouldn’t be together.”
“But I’m not just any member.”
He stares at me for a minute, then says, softly, “No, you’re not.”
Someone calls Travis’s name, and he holds up a finger. “I have to get to work. I’ll have one of the officers drive you home.”
I nod and watch him join the other officers. The sound of a phone buzzing comes from somewhere in the dealership. I start searching for it in hopes it's my phone. When I peek underneath a minivan, I find it.
The buzzing stops by the time I retrieve it and my heart sink's when I see who was calling. A tear rolls down my cheek when I try to call him back, and it goes straight to voicemail.
Travis must have seen me searching for something because he rushes over. “Autumn?" He ping-pongs between the tear on my face and the phone in my hand. "Who was that?”
"Josh.”
"We'll see if we can trace it." He reaches for the phone.
I press it to my chest. "What if he calls back? I don't want to miss his call again."
"We'll be quick. I promise."
I nod and hand him the phone.
Travis passes it off to another officer, who hurries to the SWAT van parked outside. "I'm sure he'll call back."
More tears fall from my eyes.
Travis pulls me into his arms and kisses the top of my forehead. “We’ll find him, Autumn. I promise.”
My heart squeezes at his words, and I pray they do because
, without Josh, I don’t know if I can go on. If I run the spa. Scratch that, if I can keep the spa open or if I even want to. Without Josh, my life doesn't exist. He's in every part of it.
“Let’s get you home.” Travis leads me toward his SUV.
“I thought you had to work.”
He opens the door. “It can wait. I'll get your phone and be right back."
I slip into the seat and watch the officers process the scene. "Anything?" I inquire, when Travis gets in and hands me my phone.
"The call pinged from a tower outside Daysville."
"So, maybe's he close to finding Celeste?"
"Maybe." Travis doesn't say anything else, but I can tell he has something on his mind. “You don’t believe what Maggie said about you being wrong about this case, do you?”
I shrug. “I was. I was so convinced it was Hai-Celeste. Maybe Gil. I didn’t want to believe Maggie or even Martin, for that matter, was behind this. I guess I’m naïve. Too trusting.”
Travis smiles. “Nothing wrong with that.”
“There is when you’re trying to catch a killer.”
“In your defense, Maggie didn’t kill Roger. Martin did.”
I snort. “She helped ‘kill’ Gil though.”
“I’m sure you would have figured it out.” He glances over at me. “You’re a good sleuth, Autumn. You’ve solved three cases over the past year, and one was even a cold case. Don’t be so hard on yourself.”
“Maybe I should stick to what I do best. Massage.”
Travis swerves to miss a pot hole, but I’m not convinced I didn’t shock him. “You’re going to quit sleuthing?”
I shrug.
“Autumn, you can’t be serious.”
“I thought you’d be happy about this. You’ve been trying to get me to stay out of cases all year.”
He sighs. “I know, but you have a gift. Not that you’re not using it with massage, but you have a nose for solving crimes.”
“What’s wrong with just being a massage therapist?”
