Over time, the greenhouse also became my sanctuary. A place to escape to when the world around me—or more likely, my own roommates—got to be too much.
Which was often.
The morning rain had long since stopped and the sun shone brightly overhead as Boots followed me out to the greenhouse. Once inside, he lolled about in the scattered fragments of sunshine that streamed in through the large windows and played across the ceramic tiled floor. “It’s a good day to be a cat, huh, Boots?” I asked him as I rolled up my sleeves. Despite the sun’s appearance, there was still a lingering crispness in the air, but I knew I’d warm up once I got to work. Boots stretched out further, arching his bendy feline back into a half moon.
I left Boots to his basking and crossed the ten by twelve foot space to the table along the far back wall. There were about a dozen copper planters lined up end to end under the windows that got partial sun. I ran my fingers over the sprouts and leaves one by one as though each tender plant was one of my children. Which, considering that I’d raised them each from seeds, they sort of were. “The coltsfoot looks strong. The dewdrops are getting tall! And, oh! Look at the nightshade. So beautiful! It’s too bad we can’t take them to the Seattle Haven, huh? That would be some nice mad money.” I sighed, remembering the shortage that had been reported on the news the night I found Nick Rivers sneaking around the flower beds. “Oh well. We’ll find our own customers.”
Boots meowed his agreement and rolled over to sun his other side.
After my initial inventory, I started watering everything and then went to trimming the first row of plants. When everything was done inside the greenhouse, I stepped back outside and went to tend to the containers where my outdoor plants were growing. My last chore was to weed through the raised beds that were in the middle of the backyard. I built them specifically for the plants that required full sun.
A line of different mint varieties ran around the outside of the greenhouse, and while I worked in the raised bed, the scent of peppermint wafted over on the gentle afternoon breeze and tickled my nose. The smell immediately triggered the memory of appearing in the alley and being overwhelmed by the scent of peppermint right before looking around the dumpster and finding Peg’s body. I shuddered at the memory. It was all so awful. As I gathered my watering can and filled it one final time, I absently wondered if Chief Lincoln was making any progress. How much experience did he even have with homicides? If he had spent his entire career in a small town like Beechwood Harbor, it was hard to imagine that he’d ever worked a murder case before. As Cassie said, things like that didn’t happen here.
I sighed deeply and squeezed my eyes closed as the sunlight poured down on my face. Poor Peg. She would never feel the caress of the sun on her skin again. We’d never been terribly close but she’d given me a job when my resume was spotty at best and had never gone out of her way to cause me any trouble. Then again, she was always busy riling other people up. It was something of a specialty for her.
Kind of like Adam.
I shook my head, dismissing him from my thoughts.
Peg might have been unpleasant but who would have despised her enough to cold clock her with a bottle of peppermint syrup and leave her for dead in the alley behind her own shop? It was just…wrong. Had someone overheard her argument with Cassie and gone to Cassie’s defense? Maybe things had gotten heated and the murder had been an accident? But who would go so far to defend Cassie against a handful of unproven accusations? It seemed far-fetched.
There was no way of knowing what exactly had happened in that alley. It certainly wasn’t up to me to figure it out. I had enough on my plate. All I wanted to do was keep my head down and not do anything that would risk losing my place at the manor. Beechwood Harbor was starting to feel like it could be the home I’d longed for since leaving my childhood home, the San Francisco Haven. For the first time in a while, I had friends, and even though Posy, Adam, and Lacey could drive me nuts, living with them gave me a sense of family that I’d been missing since my parents passed away years ago.
I went back to the greenhouse, shaking away the dark thoughts like tossing off a thick cloak, and lost myself in harvesting what I needed to restock my potion supplies. When my basket was full, I rounded up Boots, and headed back inside the manor. I went to the kitchen and placed a magical lock on the door, freezing it in place. There was nothing that I despised more than being interrupted while I was working. I turned on some peppy music—I found it enhanced the potency of happiness potions—and sparked a fire under my green kettle on the stove.
I figured I could get through a couple of batches before someone would come knocking. Lacey was probably upstairs getting ready to go out for her pageant practice, Adam was probably heckling her, and as far as I knew, Posy was still in town, collecting gossip about Peg’s murder. I hoped she would return with something helpful. As for Gary, the hulking mystery man who stayed in the room above mine, none of us were entirely sure what he was, but he appeared about as nocturnal as Lacey, and I couldn’t remember ever seeing him in the kitchen. So, whatever he ate, it wasn’t something we kept stocked. I shuddered to think of what that might imply.
I hummed along with the familiar song, letting it carry me away from wondering what kinds of things were on Gary’s menu, and went to work. I prepped all the fresh plant materials and then carefully combined the precisely measured ingredients to make a large batch of my specialty happiness potion. With my all natural, organically grown herbs of course. By the time dinner rolled around, I had five vials filled and ready for sale. I released the lock on the door and set about cleaning up my work space.
When the kitchen was spotless, I pocketed the potions and went out into the hallway, calling for Boots to follow me. As soon as the kitchen door swung shut behind me, a cold chill swept over me, and I froze in place at the hunched shoulders straight ahead of me. “Oh, hello, Gary.”
The large man grunted, pulled the front door open, and stepped out into the dusky night, his feet dragging as though they were too heavy to properly lift.
Right. He’s not much of a talker.
Which was fine with me. He gave me the creeps. I hurried to my room with Boots hot on my heels.
Good, so it wasn’t just me.
After a fruitless attempt to find something to watch on TV, I gave up, and decided to go for a walk around town. The sky was twinkling in that magical space right as the moon claims the sky and the sun dips out of sight over the ocean. It’s my favorite time of day. The perfect time for a walk. Inevitably, I ended up passing by Siren’s Song and was surprised to find a flock of people still standing behind the yellow police line. I shook my head and stepped forward to join those at the edge of the crowd to see what everyone was gawking at.
The alley was cleared. Chief Lincoln and his team must have already processed everything and went back to the station to puzzle it out. I was mostly relieved to see that Peg’s lifeless body had been removed. I wasn’t sure I could handle seeing it again.
“Killed in cold blood.” I turned at the voice of Mrs. Grady, a regular at the coffee shop. She was talking to Mrs. Brooks, another regular. From the looks of their fresh curls, they’d both just made a trek from the Lucky Lady Salon—the gossip well that supplied the whole town.
Mrs. Brooks shook her head at her friend’s assessment. “Just horrible. Poor Peg. Who could do such a thing?”
“If you ask me, it was probably that new hooligan I’ve seen wandering the neighborhood.”
I leaned in a little closer in order to hear their conversation, but kept my face turned away so my eavesdropping wasn’t too obvious. “A hooligan?” Mrs. Brooks repeated, sounding thoroughly scandalized at the notion.
“Yes.” Mrs. Grady nodded emphatically. “Last night, I was out walking Dixie, and there was a strange man on the other side of the street. He was wearing one of those hooded sweatshirts, dark like he was skulking around, trying to hide. But I saw him! And his jeans were hanging halfway down his kei
ster!”
I rolled my eyes. Mrs. Grady’s tip was far from useful. Her description could apply to many of the young men that lived in or around Beechwood Harbor. It was a small town but the prime waterfront access made it a popular spot for both tourists and those who lived inland, in neighboring towns.
“Dixie spotted him and all but dragged me back home again! I’ve never seen her run like that. There was something off about that man.”
I thought about Gary. The handful of times that I’d seen him, he was dressed down, in holey jeans, sweatshirts, usually dark colors. And I never saw him during the day. It could have been Gary skulking around the neighborhood. He certainly had a spooky influence on Boots. Mrs. Grady’s dog, Dixie, was a dappled dachshund who probably weighed less than Boots on a skinny day.
Gary had moved into the manor a few months ago and as far as I knew, neither Adam nor Lacey knew anything about him or where he’d come from. He certainly wasn’t a beachgoer. So, what was he doing in a town like Beechwood Harbor? It didn’t make sense. Was this the only place left for him to go? Had SPA sent him to the remote town to keep him out of trouble? A chill ran through me at the thought that he could be behind the murder.
It was getting dark. Posy would likely be returning home soon, if she wasn’t already there. She didn’t like to stay out after nightfall. I turned away from the small cluster of people at the police line. However, I only got a few feet, when a voice called out to me. “Holly!”
Nick appeared at my side and I bit back a groan. Was I ever going to get away from this guy?
“Hello, Nick,” I grumbled.
Nick grinned at me. “Evening.”
“You coming to see the Chief?” I asked, tossing my chin in the direction of the abandoned crime scene.
“Nope. I already got everything I need.”
“Oh really?” I arched an eyebrow at him.
“You doubt me?”
I laughed. “Chief Lincoln is a tough guy to crack. I hardly think you just strolled up and got all of the case details.”
“Well, I didn’t say that I got all the case details…” Nick pocketed his hands in the front of his well-worn blue jeans. “But I got enough to work with.”
Another laugh burst forth. “Oh, okay. Well, good luck.…” I stepped to the side of him and made to move away.
“Don’t you want to know what I know?”
I stopped and dragged my gaze back to him. “Not really. I trust that Chief Lincoln will solve the case and bring the murderer to justice.”
“Even if he thinks it’s your friend Cassie?”
My blood ran cold. Cassie was right. “He does not. That’s absolutely ridiculous.” My voice didn’t sound nearly convincing enough.
“I’m just telling you what I know. I’ve been here all day and hers is the name that keeps coming up over and over again.”
“From the Chief?”
Nick nodded.
“Bat wings,” I cursed under my breath, raking my fingers through my hair.
“Bat wings?” Nick blinked.
Oh no…he wasn’t supposed to have heard that. “Uh—it’s an old family expression.”
“Okay…”
It was all happening just as Cassie had feared. And even with all of my power, there was nothing I could do to help her.
Unless…
“I have to go find the Chief.” I looked up the road to where the police station was nestled between the fire department and a little sandwich shop.
“Holly, wait,” Nick said, reaching for my arm. I whipped back, out of his reach, and a flare of magic tickled my palm. My heart was racing and I knew I needed to be careful. Anytime my emotions ran high, it was more likely that my magic could go haywire.
“I don’t have time to wait, Nick. Cassie is my friend. I have to help her.”
“Arguing with the police chief won’t help anyone,” he said, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Cassie didn’t do this.”
“Well, then it shouldn’t be hard to prove but right now she’s the only suspect on the list.”
I balled my hands into tight fists to contain myself.
“I can help you,” Nick said.
I flicked my gaze to him and he flashed a smile. “Why would you help me?”
“Because if I help you, then you can help me.”
I wrinkled my nose like I suddenly caught a whiff from a bag of expired toadstools. “Seriously? My best friend is under investigation for murder, and you’re blackmailing me to get help?”
“Blackmail?” He reared back as though I’d struck him. “No, no. But I’m a Private Investigator. I have a fee. I’m simply offering to waive the fee in exchange for something that I want.”
I glowered at him. “You’re repulsive.”
“Come on, Holly! You let me run my tour of the manor and I’ll help you prove Cassie’s innocence!”
I huffed and started down the sidewalk. “Goodbye, Nick.”
“Holly, wait! This is a business deal. Cut and dry.”
I kept going. There was no point in trying with that man. I was a big girl with more power in my little finger—literally—than he could possibly imagine. I didn’t need his help or his back alley offer either. I would save Cassie’s reputation all by myself.
CHAPTER TEN
I TRUDGED ALL THE way home, fuming that Nick had even tried to trick me into helping him with his lame tour. “I swear, if he comes back to this house, I’m going to give him a real show…” I muttered to myself as I pushed through the front door. Boots came running to greet me and I stooped down to scratch under his chin. “What do you think, Bootsie? A week tangled in some fishnet vines should do the trick?” I laughed at the visual of Nick flailing to get free of the sticky, dark green vines that had a webbed growth pattern that resembled the stockings.
Footsteps sounded on the main staircase. I glanced up but kept my fingers running along Boots’ chin.
Adam was standing there, smirking at me. “Talking to yourself, gorgeous?”
I frowned and gave Boots a pointed glance. “I was talking to him, thank-you-very-much.”
Adam laughed and came to a stop a few feet in front of me and rested against the intricately carved banister at the base of the grand staircase. “Well, if you need some…human…company. Let me know.”
I rolled my eyes. “Well, if there were any humans around here…”
He chuckled. “You’ve had a rough day. Let me take you out for dinner? I promise to take your mind off all the drama.”
I sighed and pushed up from the floor. I straightened and gave Adam an exasperated glance. “Are you ever off?”
“What do you mean?”
“Off. Ever since I moved in, you’ve been after me for a date. It’s been six months, Adam. At what point do you start picking up on the clues I’m dropping that say I’m not interested? I mean, honestly, they could fill the bed of a dump truck by now.”
Adam laughed and folded his arms. “I’m a persistent man-slash-beast.”
I smiled, beside myself. Adam was all kinds of charming which made it impossible to ignore him completely. “I think you should move on to other targets,” I said, my tone light and matter of fact. I wasn’t mad at Adam for his persistent nature. Most of the time, I found it flattering, but today my mind was too occupied elsewhere to give him proper banter in return. Which, was a shame, because it was usually a lot of fun.
“Nah. I’ve still got more tricks up my sleeve.” Adam grinned at me and dropped his hands and shoved them into the front pockets of his worn jeans. “In any case, I do need to go rustle up something for dinner. You’re welcome to come along. No strings.”
I eyed him and then arched a brow. “Is it coming from the pick-up window or the dumpster?”
Adam laughed and shook his head. “Come on, Holly. Let’s go.”
I glanced at Boots, wishing he could tell me what to do. I trusted his sense of judgment more than my own sometimes. He blinked once. “All right,”
I said, meeting Adam’s dark eyes. “But first, have you seen Posy? I have something I need to ask her about.”
“She’s in the study. I’ll go get gussied up,” he said, batting his eyes and miming like he had long luxurious locks to fluff and primp before jogging up the stairs he’d just descended.
“Okay, Lacey,” I teased.
I was still laughing to myself as I went down the hall, past my room, and opened the heavy wooden door to the study. “Posy?” I called softly, peering around the door.
“Over here,” her glum voice came from near the fireplace that wasn’t lit.
I entered the room on the balls of my feet. Posy was sitting in—okay, strategically floating above—one of the two wingback chairs angled to frame the fireplace. They were upholstered in maroon colored crushed velvet and lent a Gothic chic flavor to the formal room filled with dark wood furniture, stained glass windows, and the scent of old books. “What are you doing in here all alone?” I asked, taking the seat opposite her. I smoothed my hands over the thighs of my dark wash jeans.
“I needed some peace and quiet,” she replied, shifting her gaze to me in slow motion.
“Is everything all right?”
It was incredibly important that the answer was yes. For all of our sakes.
She dragged her eyes back to the empty, cold fireplace. “Yes. I just feel deflated after hearing about the murder.”
“Everyone is still gathered outside the alley.”
“Yes. I saw that on my way back here. It’s so tragic.”
“Did you learn anything about who might have done it?”
Murder's a Witch: A Beechwood Harbor Magic Mystery (Beechwood Harbor Magic Mysteries Book 1) Page 7
