“He or she would have had to walk past our table to leave the restrooms, and I would have definitely noticed someone internally freaking out if they had just stabbed someone. So, either he or she didn’t walk past me or the culprit wasn’t a newb. If the killer isn’t working with a full deck, it’s possible he or she could have kept his or her demeanor and not had a second thought about what he or she had done.” Orwin finally put his phone down, his black boot bouncing continuously so that his knee went up and down incessantly. His nervous energy was beginning to show itself. “If we go on the assumption that no one in the café is that cruel and heartless, then that can only mean the victim was stabbed before we came in or that she’d been in there for a while.”
“Which leaves the real possibility that the killer did leave before we entered the café and I stood in line for a coffee.” I was coming to accept that the killer might not be inside this very room. It was clear that Orwin didn’t share the same belief. “It’s possible.”
“No,” Orwin denied, sliding his cell phone back into the pocket his jacket and leaning forward to give me his recollection from earlier. “We walked in. The older couple hadn’t been at their table yet. I distinctly remembering the woman—”
“Marna.”
“You know her name?” Orwin asked in surprise before waving his hand in dismissal. “You got that information from Pearl, didn’t you?”
“Piper,” I supplied, wondering just what else the petite blonde witch knew about our suspects. “We need to speak with her again before these witnesses are released. I’ll try and stall the officer when it’s my time to give a statement. Go on about the older couple. They’re new around town, which means they still have some secrets.”
“Marna was waiting at the pickup counter for their drinks, while…”
Orwin was waiting for me to supply him with the older gentleman’s name.
“Jack.”
“While Jack was over near the area where the café keeps their complimentary newspapers.” Orwin narrowed his dark gaze at the couple who were now talking in hushed tones after the door had finally closed. There was still a forensics team in the restroom, and two officers were standing around eyeing the lemon loaf while the third took statements. It wasn’t clear which officer had taken the lead, but that would be the individual I’d need to speak to in order to gain more insight into the murder. “I never had the opportunity to pick up on their mental thoughts with all the commotion earlier.”
Orwin explained to me one time what it was like to have every single person’s thoughts in his head who were gathered closely around him, and it wasn’t pretty. It was basically a complete overload of information as everyone talked at once. I could see why he hadn’t picked up on anything of importance, and it appeared now a druid had shut down Orwin’s ability to use his power.
Have you thought of possibly thinking outside the box?
Orwin immediately stood and pushed back his chair as Pearl’s advice practically came out of nowhere. I mean, sure, she was being held by Piper while answering the police officer’s questions, but her posh tone had literally smashed the silence in our heads into tiny little pieces.
I didn’t take either one of you for the dramatic types. Duly noted. Anyway, a druid can be downright cunning, and he or she has probably already thought of their exit strategy.
Knox Emeric was now staring at Orwin in curiosity, as was a few of the other witnesses. I reached out and tugged on his hand, hoping that everyone just thought he was antsy due to the situation we’d found ourselves in.
“Sit down,” I whispered, deciding that it might be best to just get a list of names and investigate tomorrow. “You’re drawing too much attention to us.”
Orwin reluctantly sank back into his chair, though he never once took his skeptical gaze off Pearl. To anyone else, he was staring at Piper…and she was almost finished speaking to the officer, according to his body language.
Pay attention now, Miss Lilura. I want this evening over with as much as you do.
That much I could believe.
You just recited your suspect list, but you seem to be forgetting the other employees who were working this evening—another barista by the name of Tad Whitaker and the manager, whose name is Jamie Lehman.
“That’s it?” Orwin whispered, clearly expecting Pearl to give us a bit more information. I was too, but she remained silent. “You’re absolutely right, Lou. Bringing Piper and Pearl along wouldn’t be in our best interests, since they don’t have anything to offer. Hey, it looks like you’re next to give your statement.”
Sure enough, Piper was holding Pearl a little closer to her chest as she made her way back to the table. Her blue eyes held a bit of confusion, which had me wondering if Pearl’s statement regarding her colleagues hadn’t jarred her memory.
“Orwin, see what Piper knows about Tad Whitaker and Jamie Lehman,” I whispered, standing up when the police officer indicated that I was next up to give my statement. “And don’t instigate anything with Pearl. I really don’t want to have to take you to the ER for stitches or cat scratch fever.”
Orwin’s response to my censure was to cross his arms over his chest. All I could do was hope he came out of the next five minutes without a bleeding red exclamation mark down the middle of his face from the damage Pearl would no doubt leave behind in order to make her point.
I can make my point without drawing a single claw, Miss Lilura. You would do well to remember that.
Chapter Six
“…and that is when I rushed into the restroom behind the barista,” I concluded, finishing up my statement. I was grateful I’d put on my jacket for the added warmth. “There was nothing we could do for her, though.”
“We appreciate your cooperation,” Officer Bell said as he closed the small cover on his writing pad. He was with the Bedford Police Department, and I was pretty sure he had some understanding of who and what might reside throughout his jurisdiction. “Will you be in town for a few days should Detective Jones have any more questions?”
Don’t get me wrong about my previous observation.
Officer Bell hadn’t come right out and said that he was aware a coven of witches was in the midst of his town. I’m pretty sure it came down to the way he’d worded his questions—like the one where he asked if I’d seen any unusual lights coming from the restroom before the victim was found. Who would inquire about such a thing unless they were aware banshees and grim reapers walked among us?
It did cross my mind that he could in fact be the druid, but why block the powers of others? Officer Bell hadn’t been in the café during the time of the murder, anyway. If he was a druid working for the police and truly wanted to catch the guilty party, he would have used his abilities to his advantage. Same went for a warlock, which left me wondering if he wasn’t a mere human trying to prove his own theory.
That alone made him almost as dangerous as a druid.
“My…cousin and I will be staying at the motel on the east side of town.” I’d already given Officer Bell my cell phone number. It was easier to claim that Orwin and I were cousins than to explain our working relationship. “We can—”
The bell above the front entrance rang, causing every single witness and officer in the café to look that direction. It seemed that Detective Jones had finally arrived at the scene of his own investigation, and it was clear he’d already had one heck of a night.
Orwin’s sudden sneeze from the table had caught Detective Jones’ attention, but not for long. His dark gaze swept the witnesses gathered near the front of the café until his focus landed on Knox Emeric. It was clear the two men didn’t like each other on sight, but I couldn’t pinpoint the reason.
Testosterone, Miss Lilura. Apex predators give off pheromones.
Pearl was probably right. Alpha males would always bump heads, but I’d learned over the last three months to never rule anything out. It didn’t help that I could cut the tension with the proverbial knife. What was it about
Knox Emeric that bugged me?
“Detective, I’ve taken everyone’s statement and contact information,” Officer Bell offered up, stepping away from me. I quietly made my way back to the table where Oliver, Piper, and Pearl were watching the newcomer closely. “The victim’s name is…”
Officer Bell and Detective Jones began to make their way to the back of the café, giving me time to find out what new details Oliver was able to obtain from Piper. I quickly took my former seat, hoping that Piper or Pearl had provided Orwin with enough facts on those involved to solve this murder.
“Can we go now?” Orwin muttered, shooting me a look of irritation that I couldn’t miss. Apparently, I’d been way off base with how vital Piper and Pearl could be in this situation. “It would be nice to be able to breathe sometime today.”
You could always step outside, Mr. Cornelia. Don’t let the door hit you in the—
“Pearl!” Piper exclaimed in embarrassment. Pearl didn’t seem the least bit fazed, and she even hopped down from her witch’s lap in order to start cleaning her paws as if she’d done nothing wrong. “I’m so sorry. Like I said before, Pearl can be a bit finicky, but it’s only because she’s so protective of me. She means well.”
“Did she mean well when she brought up Roswell?” Orwin asked, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose to glare Pearl’s way. His allergies evidently weren’t the cause of his bad mood. It appeared that Pearl had figured out his weakness and was using it toward her advantage. “I happen to know for a fact that—”
“Orwin, we don’t have time for your conspiracy theories,” I responded gently, understanding all too well what would happen if we all let this conversation get out of hand.
“Pearl and I will help you figure out who killed Cassie Grier,” Piper offered up with a small smile. She was attempting to appease everyone, but all that did was confirm her need to be a peacemaker. I had a gut feeling that she put herself in that spot a lot. “Orwin explained a bit of your process in solving these mysteries, Lou. I think it’s fascinating the lengths you go to in order to save those you see in your visions or to at least see that the person responsible for his or her death gets what’s coming to them.”
Fix this problem that you’ve created, Miss Lilura. I can sense the change in her.
No wonder Pearl and Orwin were ready to attack one another. For some reason, Piper seemed to find our Scooby Doo method of investigating crimes rather interesting. Pearl had nothing to worry about, because I could dispel any notion that what we do was like what she’s seen on the Saturday morning cartoons.
“Piper, did you know Cassie Grier?” I asked, having already decided that the barista’s input in this murder investigation was pivotal. Once this mystery was solved, Orwin and I would be on our way…leaving Piper and Pearl in peace. “Is there anything you can tell us about the victim?”
“I didn’t know Cassie personally.” Piper rested an elbow on the table before gesturing with her eyes to the three women who’d come into the café with Cassie. “Vickie, Heather, and Megan were her closest friends. I think they might have all been friends from the community college, but I’m not one hundred percent sure about that. They all stopped into the café tonight after their yoga class.”
I kept my opinion to myself regarding the so-called friendship between the four women. Cassie had definitely been the outsider, and that might have had something to do with her murder.
Poor Miss Cassie. She always did have the collywobbles.
Orwin slipped his fingers underneath his black-rimmed glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose in obvious frustration. He had more patience than I would have guessed in this situation. It was also quite refreshing to know he couldn’t hear my opinion of him now that his abilities had somewhat been tabled.
“Collywobbles means that Cassie was always a bit nervous,” Piper offered up, frowning when Orwin audibly sighed and sat back in his chair. “Pearl is just trying to be helpful.”
“Why was Cassie anxious?” I asked before Orwin disagreed with Piper’s observation. “Was she a…”
Good heavens, no! Cassie was as human as you are hexed, Miss Lilura.
Well, when Pearl put it like that…
“Cassie was always a bit shy.” Piper’s eyes widened a bit, drawing our attention to the fact that Detective Jones and Officer Bell had come back from their little trip through the crime scene. “Honestly, I think that Vickie, Heather, and Megan felt sorry for Cassie.”
A nest of vipers, those three.
I wouldn’t have thought it possible, but this was the second time this evening that Pearl and I agreed on something.
“May I have your attention?” Detective Jones called out, his deep voice containing a rather raspy quality that gave away the fact that he was a heavy smoker. “I’d like to speak with Tempest Lilura, Orwin Cornelia, Daniel Wilson, Michael Harris, and Caleb Parker. The rest of you are free to go, but please know that I might be reaching out to some of you with follow-up questions.”
Sighs of relief could be heard by those who had been released from the confines of the café. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out why Orwin, myself, and those three gentlemen who’d been in line were the individuals chosen to be re-questioned. After all, we had been the ones closest to the scene of the crime.
“Oh, and Jamie Lehman.” Detective Jones was focused on the list of names that Officer Bell had given him. He was wearing what could only be called a trench coat that had seen better days. He reminded me of that old television show “Columbo”. It might only need to be sent to the cleaners to have the wrinkles removed, but I’m not sure what good that would do when the man spent most of his waking hours traveling from crime scene to crime scene. His tenacity reminded me a lot of…well, me. Without the wrinkled clothes, of course. “Would it be possible to get us some fresh coffees?”
It didn’t surprise me when Piper immediately jumped up to fulfill the man’s request. She certainly was a people pleaser.
Which is why I’ll be of assistance to you until this situation we’ve found ourselves in is over…and you can be on your way.
“I can get everyone some coffee,” Piper said after her manager had given her approval. “I’ll have it ready in a couple of minutes.”
Pearl was now on the floor, gracefully strolling around Orwin’s chair until she came to mine. The majestic way she sat back on her haunches left no doubt that she considered herself royalty.
You assume I’m not royalty, Miss Lilura. It seems to me as if you really need to brush up on your history. Crypt cats were considered companions of the Gods…that was until my move to England in the early twenties with my dear Evelyn.
“I just thought of something.” Orwin had lowered his voice to all but a mumble, making sure those passing our table in order to head for the door couldn’t hear him. “Can you…you know.”
Orwin flicked his wrist to indicate my ability to move things.
Your friend is wondering if the druid has smothered every supernatural creature’s innate power in this close proximity or just his, thereby letting us know that the druid is completely aware of our presence.
Great. Pearl was translating now.
A simple thank you would suffice.
I inhaled and counted to ten. I’d said it before, but I completely understood why Orwin became irritated when my thoughts constantly invaded his personal space. Traveling in the Jeep hours on end, it was a wonder he hadn’t gone insane.
Well, Miss Lilura, that might very well be the case considering he believes in little green men with antennas sticking out of their heads.
Orwin’s cheeks became just as red as his nose.
“We don’t have time for bickering,” I reminded him, casting Pearl a look that told her she needed to rein in her impulses to instigate Orwin. Who was I kidding? She was doing it to me, too. “Go help Piper make the coffee or keep her company.”
Orwin was onto something, and I couldn’t afford to be distracted. It wasn’t l
ike we all had some internal transmitters that alerted each other when another supernatural being was in our vicinity. At least, not unless one specifically cast a precise incantation to do so, as I had with Ammeline.
There was only one way to find out if the druid was targeting only Orwin or anyone with supernatural powers. It would stand to reason that if the druid had murdered the victim that he or she would cover their bases, so I wasn’t surprised to find that I couldn’t even budge one of the empty plastic coffee cups on a random table.
“It seems as if no one with certain…ingrained abilities…can utilize their gifts.”
Well, isn’t that unfortunate? Do you resort to the human method of investigating often in situations like these?
“One of us needs to go outside with the others,” Orwin said, already pushing his chair back and completely ignoring Pearl. What he really meant to say was that he needed to be the one to join the other witnesses, while at the same time get some distance from the vexing feline. “I’ll be able to do my thing, and maybe then we’ll be able to catch the killer.”
The type of spell cast by the druid wouldn’t have extended to the outdoors unless it was utilized on a specific person. If that were the case, we’d have to assume the area of effect was the café in general. Orwin would be able to rule out those individuals leaving as the guilty party, thus leaving the druid as our only suspect.
If this is the method the two of you use to close a case, it’s a wonder any of them get solved.
“Lou.” Orwin said my name in a manner that confirmed he was losing patience, when our roles were usually reversed. “Do something.”
By this time, most everyone Detective Jones allowed to leave had already walked through the door. Knox Emeric was the last, and he was taking his good old time zipping up his backpack.
“Spill it,” I warned Pearl, not in the mood for any games. “If you know something, then just tell us.”
Did it ever occur to you that if the druid’s magic can’t touch a familiar that I must be able to tune in to his or her thoughts? What I’m trying to say, Miss Lilura, is that I know exactly who your druids are.
If the Curse Fits Page 5
