by Jinty James
And then a spell made her pause.
How to stop your enemy from fleeing.
“Ooh,” Suzanne whispered.
Trixie patted the page, her turquoise eyes shining.
“Is this the one, Trix?” Maddie murmured.
“Mrrow!”
To stop your enemy from fleeing, raise both hands in the air and concentrate on making that person stay where they are.
“That’s all?” Suzanne sounded disappointed.
“I wonder if it’s different to the spell Trixie did last month,” Maddie mused.
“When she froze the bad guy.” Suzanne’s ponytail swished. “I wish I’d seen that!”
“Broomf,” Trixie chided softly.
“I don’t think you’d really want to be there.” Maddie shuddered in remembrance.
“Sorry,” Suzanne apologized.
“Anyway,” Maddie said, trying to get them back on track, “this spell seems easy enough. Just raise my hands and focus. I don’t think I even need to write this down.”
“Mrrow.” Trixie seemed pleased at Maddie’s confidence.
“Should we keep looking through the book or call it a night?” Suzanne yawned.
“I think we should call it a night.” Maddie didn’t think tiredness and witchcraft was a good mix.
“What is the time anyway?” Suzanne peered at her watch, her eyes wide. “It’s almost midnight!”
“It is?” Maddie stared at her friend in surprise. “Going through the book must have taken longer than we thought.”
“I have to go the bathroom.” Suzanne grimaced. “I know the deputy is downstairs but …”
“I’ll go with you,” Maddie instantly said. “I’ll need it too, anyway.”
Trixie hopped off Maddie’s lap and turned around on the bed in a circle, then settled down.
“I think Trixie’s staying here,” Maddie said with a laugh. Somehow, it made her feel better that her familiar didn’t think she was needed. It must be safe to leave their room.
They unlocked their door and crept down the hall to the bathroom. This floor seemed to be in darkness. Maddie peered over the landing – she could see a faint light shining from the great room, where the deputy was sleeping.
Suzanne led the way, the flashlight app on her phone giving them a welcome light. She shone it along the floor as they made their way down the hall.
They’d almost reached the bathroom, which was situated in the middle of the hallway, bedrooms on either side of it, when she froze. Maddie bumped into her, not expecting her friend to stop so suddenly.
“It’s H – Hailey!” Suzanne stammered.
CHAPTER 6
“What?” Maddie’s heart stuttered. She peered around Suzanne.
Ahead of them in the gloom, a figure stood outside Hailey’s bedroom. She had blonde hair, just like Hailey’s. And she wore what looked to be a sleek nightgown.
“Lift your phone up,” Maddie whispered.
Suzanne obeyed, the flashlight highlighting the woman.
“It’s Jenna,” Maddie murmured.
“Are you sure?” Suzanne squinted.
“Yes.” Maddie’s breath exhaled in a whoosh. For a second there, she really thought she’d seen a ghostly Hailey, just like her friend had.
“Thank goodness.” Suzanne laid a hand on her chest. “The way she’s dressed though, in that nightgown, I thought she was Hailey.”
“Me too,” Maddie replied. “But that would be impossible – unless it was Hailey’s ghost.”
“Don’t.” Suzanne shuddered. “I don’t want to think about that tonight – not after the awful weather, and we’ve only got this little light to get to the bathroom.”
“What is she doing?” Maddie peered at the blonde woman. Jenna stood at the Hailey’s bedroom door, appearing to be waiting for something.
“This is so weird,” Suzanne muttered.
“Do you think she’s … sleepwalking?”
“That must be it,” Suzanne said in relief. “What should we do? I know you’re not supposed to wake up sleepwalkers.”
“We could try guiding her back to her room,” Maddie suggested softly.
“Good idea.”
They looked at each other, as if neither of them wanted to be the first to walk up to Jenna.
“Together?” Maddie whispered.
“Yep.” Suzanne’s ponytail swished in the gloom.
They tiptoed toward the soccer mom.
“Jenna,” Maddie murmured. “It’s time to go back to your room.” She glanced at Suzanne, silently saying “Now what?”
The sleeping woman didn’t seem to register their presence.
“Bed time,” Suzanne said in a soothing voice, gently taking one of Jenna’s arms.
Maddie took the other, and together they carefully turned Jenna around so she faced the direction of her room.
Maddie and Suzanne shuffled forward, Jenna copying their motion. Her eyes were open but looked glazed, and her breathing was even.
“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” Suzanne hissed to Maddie.
“I know,” Maddie whispered. Was this why Trixie hadn’t wanted to come to the bathroom with them? Maybe she didn’t want to get in the way as they brought the soccer mom back to her bedroom.
Maddie opened Jenna’s door and maneuvered herself, Jenna, and Suzanne into the room.
“We should put her to bed,” Maddie suggested.
“Okay.”
They guided Jenna to the bed.
In the light afforded them by the flashlight app, Maddie could see Jenna had a pillow on her bed and a pushed back sheet and blanket.
They eased Jenna down onto the mattress, and covered her with the bedclothes.
“There,” Suzanne murmured in satisfaction.
“Let’s go.” They tiptoed out of the room, gently closing the door behind them.
“What about locking the door?” Maddie asked.
“Oops.” Suzanne scrunched her nose. “I know!” She opened the door, pulled out the key in the lock from the inside and quickly shut the door again. A faint click sounded as she locked the door from the outside.
“I’ll push the key underneath.” Suzanne bent down and shoved the key under the crack between the floor and the old wooden door.
“Good thinking.” Maddie was relieved that Jenna was safe in her bedroom.
“Phew!” Suzanne mopped her brow dramatically as she headed toward the bathroom. “I can’t believe we did that.”
“I’m just glad the whole thing went smoothly – especially with securing her room.”
“We’ll have to ask Jenna about her sleepwalking tomorrow.” Suzanne entered the bathroom and turned on the light switch. Welcome yellow light flooded the room.
“I wonder what she was doing at Hailey’s door,” Maddie mused as she looked at herself in the mirror. There were faint purple shadows under her brown eyes and her shoulder length brown hair looked a little untidy. She yawned, surprising herself.
“I can’t wait to go to bed,” Suzanne said with a yawn of her own.
A few minutes later they returned to their room.
“Thank goodness you’ve got that flashlight app,” Maddie said. “With everything that’s happened, I haven’t had time to download that app for myself.”
Trixie lifted her head as Maddie slipped into bed.
“Mrrow?” she asked sleepily.
“Jenna is all tucked up,” she told her familiar, but she wasn’t sure if Trixie was listening as her eyes had closed again.
Maddie felt herself drift off to sleep, too tired to wonder anymore about Jenna’s appearance at Hailey’s bedroom door.
CHAPTER 7
“I don’t care!” Autumn’s screech came through the solid wooden door. “Do your worst. Just know that karma will bite you in the butt!”
Maddie blinked awake. What was that about? She turned her head to look at Suzanne. Her friend sat up in bed, rubbing her eyes.
“Was that Autumn?” she ask
ed. “What time is it? Does she want us to make breakfast?”
“I think it was another one of those phone calls she’s been getting,” Maddie said.
“Mrrow?” Trixie laid a paw on Maddie’s arm, her claws sheathed. It felt like a soft, velvet caress.
“I think Autumn’s having problems,” Maddie replied.
“Mrrow.” Trixie dipped her head, as if to say, “Yes”.
“Maybe we should check if she’s okay.” Suzanne hopped out of bed. She tugged on a short terry cloth robe over her t-shirt and sleep shorts.
“Good idea.” Maddie pulled on her dressing gown. “Want to come, Trix?”
“Mrrow!” Trixie jumped off the bed and padded toward the door.
They found Autumn pacing the hallway, dressed in a white dress with sunflowers decorating the fabric. Her cellphone was clenched in her hand. She looked surprised and then relieved when she saw them.
“Oh, girls, I was debating whether to knock on your door, but the Universe must have sent you.” She summoned a wan smile.
“We couldn’t help overhearing a little of your phone conversation.” Maddie gestured to the group leader’s phone.
“I just hope nobody else heard.” Autumn made a face. “I might as well tell you three what’s going on.”
“Mrrow,” Trixie encouraged with a nod of her head.
“I used to run this business, hosting self-help retreats, with a partner. In fact, he was my fiancé.” Her expression crumpled. “Until I caught him skimming the profits.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Maddie replied, her heart going out to the older woman.
“Not only that, but when I broke up with him, he drained our joint savings account.” Autumn’s hand tightened further on the phone. “He claims that since it was in both our names, it was perfectly legal to take all the money. And the only way I can try to get back half is by hiring a lawyer and that costs money.” She shook her head.
“That’s terrible.” Suzanne’s voice was fierce.
“Mrrow!” Trixie agreed.
“But this is the worst thing.” Autumn laughed hollowly. “He’s now trying to put me out of business! It turns out he was the one who cancelled the original caterer and masseur, so this retreat would be a disaster. He’s being so toxic at the moment, I just can’t deal with him. And now I’m wondering if he was really like this all along, but I just didn’t see it, because I thought I was in love with him.”
“I’m so sorry,” Maddie said again. She didn’t know what else to say.
“He seemed to be so into my retreats and workshops.” Autumn shook her head slowly. “He even ate most of my vegan cooking – and he used to be a meat eater. I can’t believe he hoodwinked me like that.”
“Is he the one who’s been calling you this weekend?” Suzanne asked.
“Yes.” Autumn nodded. “He keeps crowing about how this weekend will be a disaster and that I can’t manage without him.” Her face tightened. “Which is a lie. I was running these retreats by myself before I even met him.”
“Maybe he’s jealous of your success,” Maddie suggested.
“Yeah!” Suzanne’s head nodded violently. “That must be it. Because you’re successful, he felt threatened by you and that’s why he’s done all this. I bet he thought you’d never catch him stealing the profits.”
“The only reason I’m taking his calls is because I’m trying to reason with him and get back my share of our savings. Not that I’ve been successful.” Autumn paused. “My mother was right when she told me a long time ago to have a secret savings account and tell no one about it. I just wished I’d put more in that account than I did the joint account.”
Maddie looked down at Trixie. She didn’t have a secret savings account. Maybe that was a good idea.
“Mrrow,” Trixie said softly in the affirmative, as if answering Maddie’s thought.
“It’s good that he hasn’t taken all your money, though,” Suzanne said encouragingly.
“Yes.” Autumn looked down at Trixie and smiled. “I think Trixie sensed that I needed comforting this weekend, and in her marvelous feline way gave me some much needed solace. You’re a wonderful girl, Trixie.”
“Mrrow.” Maddie thought her familiar was trying to appear modest, but failed.
“That was so nice of you, Trix.” Suzanne praised the Persian.
Now Maddie knew why Trixie had been by Autumn’s side so often. Not for the first time she wished Trixie could speak English, or Maddie could speak cat! But she was glad the mystery of Trixie’s attraction to Autumn had been revealed. She bent down and stroked Trixie, making her purr with pleasure.
“But there’s no way my ex could know about Hailey’s death,” Autumn said. “He lives in Seattle. Why does he sound so sure that this weekend will be catastrophic? Not that it hasn’t been, of course.” Sorrow flickered across her face. “Poor Hailey.”
“You don’t think he has something to do with Hailey’s murder, do you?” Suzanne asked.
“Like what?”
“Like killing her.”
***
“But Detective Edgewater didn’t say it was an intruder,” Maddie pointed out.
“Oh, that’s right.” Suzanne sounded disappointed.
Maddie knew how her friend felt. It would be very convenient to pin Hailey’s murder on a stranger, especially one who had treated Autumn badly.
“I can’t believe it could be someone here.” Autumn looked distressed.
“I know,” Maddie replied. “Everyone seems nice.”
“I wonder what’s going on with Edith and Linda. Did you pick up a weird vibe yesterday from them, Autumn?” Suzanne asked.
“As a matter of fact I did,” the group leader said slowly. “I thought I might be imagining things, as I’ve been so stressed about my ex.”
“Apart from the phone calls you didn’t look too strained,” Maddie attempted to reassure her.
“I was trying to embrace positivity every minute,” Autumn replied. “And it did work – some of the time at least.” She glanced down at her phone. “But now I think it’s time to cut out the negativity in my life – starting now.” She punched some buttons on the phone. “There. I’ve blocked his number. He won’t be able to call me while I’m here. And if he contacts me again, I’ll go to the police and report him for embezzlement.”
“Shouldn’t you do that anyway?” Suzanne crinkled her brow.
“You’re right.” Autumn nodded. “I was hoping we could arrive at a truce – if he paid back my share of the joint savings account and he repaid the money he skimmed – then I wouldn’t need to go to the police. But after the way he’s treated me …” Determination etched her face. “Tomorrow morning I’ll go to the police in Seattle and report him.”
“Mrrow!” Trixie said in approval.
“Trixie seems to think that’s a good idea,” Maddie said. She hated the thought of a bully and a criminal getting away with bad behavior.
“Then I will definitely do it.” Autumn smiled softly at the Persian. “I’ve loved having her here this weekend, Maddie. I think my ex has done me a favor in a way – if he hadn’t cancelled the original caterer, then I wouldn’t have met you three.”
They all smiled at each other – even Trixie, whose mouth turned up at the corners as she gazed at Autumn.
A bedroom door opened. They all turned to see Brenda joining them in the hall.
“Am I late?” she asked, running a hand through her short layered hair.
“No.” Autumn smiled at her. “We’ll have breakfast soon and talk about how we can end this retreat on a positive note.”
“Oh, good.” Brenda smiled down at Trixie. “I’m definitely getting a cat, Trixie.”
“Mrrow.” Trixie made it sound like a good idea.
“We better get started in the kitchen.” Maddie beckoned to Trixie and Suzanne.
“You’re right. Breakfast in a jiffy, Autumn!” Suzanne’s ponytail swished as she ran down the stairs.
“W
hat is for breakfast?” Maddie whispered as they walked toward the kitchen.
“Granola,” Suzanne replied. “With lots of fresh fruit.”
“Sounds yummy.” Maddie’s stomach started to rumble.
She fed Trixie in a corner of the kitchen before she and Suzanne got to work.
“I’m stumped about Hailey’s murder,” Suzanne said as she got out a big container of raw granola. “I’m sure Autumn didn’t kill Hailey. And we didn’t.”
“And it looks like it wasn’t an intruder,” Maddie added, as she heated water for the coffee.
“It wasn’t my grandmother’s fault!” Edith’s voice carried into the kitchen. “Your father seduced her!”
“He did not!” Linda sounded indignant. “Your grandmother tempted him until he couldn’t resist! I’m sure she was the one who said they should run away together!”
Maddie, Trixie, and Suzanne stared at each other.
“But your father was a bigamist!” Edith came into the kitchen and froze as she noticed Maddie, Trixie, and Suzanne. “Oh!”
“What are you – oh no!” Linda looked embarrassed as she almost bumped into Edith and saw the trio in the kitchen.
“We’re making breakfast.” Suzanne gave them a little wave. “Can we get you two anything?”
“Maybe Maddie and Suzanne can decide,” Edith said. “And Trixie.” She looked down at the cat to say hello.
“Decide what?” Maddie asked curiously. Was this the reason for the weird vibe between Edith and Linda – whatever this was?
“Who the guilty party was,” Linda said.
“It sounds like family history,” Maddie commented. “Are you sure you want to tell us about it?”
Linda and Edith looked at each other, as if daring the other to speak first.
“Yes!” they said together.
Edith sat on a stool at the kitchen counter.
Not to be outdone, Linda sat on one next to her.
Maddie and Suzanne exchanged a glance, their eyebrows raised.
“My grandmother,” Edith began.
“Ran off with my father.” Linda scowled.
