A Witch Before Dying

by Amanda M. Lee

  “We are indeed.”

  We lapsed into comfortable silence, happy simply to be together. Then a hint of movement from the other side of the restaurant window grabbed my attention and I caught sight of Mrs. Little and Scarlet Darksbane walking along the street. They seemed deep in thought, intent on one another, until Scarlet lifted her eyes at the exact right moment and pinned me with a lingering look. The exchange was brief – probably three seconds at most – but it was powerful and obvious. Then it was over and she was gone. I remained troubled by the exchange after they disappeared.

  “That was a little weird,” Landon said, taking me by surprise.

  “So I didn’t imagine it?”

  Landon shook his head. “It was as if she sensed you.”

  If Landon noticed, at least I wasn’t alone in my paranoia. “Maybe one little search wouldn’t hurt.”

  Landon smirked. “I’ll do it when I get to work in the morning. I’ll make a note of it.”

  I was about to thank him when another furtive movement, this one much smaller, forced me to stare out the window a second time. It took me only a moment to recognize Aunt Tillie. She was dressed completely in black and hurrying down the sidewalk, her head bent to cut off the sharp wind. I had no doubt what she was doing.

  “Of course, Aunt Tillie might terrorize her into leaving town before it’s even necessary,” Landon noted.

  “I wonder how she found out about her,” I mused. “I don’t think the information has been made public yet.”

  “How does she find out about anything?”

  “Good point.” I pursed my lips and brushed my hand through my hair, determined to push outside forces out of the forefront of my brain for the remainder of the night. “So, after dinner, do you want to go home and sing in front of the fire? We can be naked and everything.”

  Landon’s laughter was warm as it washed over me. “That’s the best offer I’ve had all day.”

  Four

  I was in a much better mood by the time we returned to the guesthouse. Landon thought it was the food – he was convinced eating delicious comfort meals fixed everything – but I believed seeing Aunt Tillie stalking the new witch brightened my spirits. I could hardly admit that to Landon, though. He didn’t always understand the way the female brain worked.

  Thistle and Marcus sat on the couch watching a movie when we entered, but other than a silent exchange promising mayhem at a later time Landon and Thistle didn’t immediately start fighting. Landon kicked off his boots and settled in the chair at the edge of the living room while I joined Thistle and Marcus on the couch.

  “How was the festival meeting?” Thistle asked, lifting the blanket so I could slide beneath it. The weather was turning quickly and winter was almost upon us. You could feel the bite in the air.

  “Don’t get her going,” Landon warned, stretching out his legs as he focused on the television. “I just talked her down.”

  Thistle ignored the admonishment. “How was the festival meeting?” she repeated, her eyes gleaming as Landon made a growling noise in the back of his throat.

  “There’s a new witch in town,” I replied. “Her name is Scarlet Darksbane.”

  Thistle snorted. “What a stupid name.”

  “Says a woman named Thistle,” Landon muttered under his breath.

  “I heard that.” Thistle shifted, as if she meant to launch herself at Landon and rip out his hair, but Marcus shot her a quelling look and she remained seated.

  “I happen to love your name, honey.” Marcus absently patted her knee. “I think it’s very cute.”

  “Cute?” Thistle wrinkled her nose. “I am not cute.”

  Landon pointedly caught my eye. “Notice I didn’t say a thing.”

  “You just opened your big mouth,” Thistle shot back.

  I pressed the heel of my hand to my forehead as I tried to refrain from screaming at them. Landon noticed my reaction and his smirk slipped.

  “I’m sorry,” Landon offered, instantly contrite. “I shouldn’t have started something the second I walked through the door. It’s not fair to Bay.”

  Thistle was incensed. “Bay? What about me?”

  “Oh, it’s fair to you.”

  My stomach shifted as I rolled out from under the blanket and stood. “I think I need a drink.”

  “Me, too,” Marcus said, standing. “If you two are going to fight … .”

  “We’re not going to fight,” Thistle said hurriedly. “This is simply how we communicate.”

  “I tried explaining that to Bay over dinner but she didn’t listen,” Landon complained. “I don’t think she gets us.”

  “Oh, I get you.” I shuffled to the kitchen and collected the ingredients for chocolate martinis from various cupboards. Marcus quietly joined in, seemingly happy to steer clear of the potential war zone. “I don’t see why you guys can’t ignore each other the next few weeks.”

  “Because this place feels small and it’s too cold to spend a lot of time outside,” Thistle said. “You shouldn’t get worked up about it. It’s not a big deal.”

  “I’m not worked up about it,” I countered. “Do I sound worked up?”

  Thistle glanced over her shoulder and arched an eyebrow. “You sound worked up about something. What gives?”

  “She’s turning her focus to the new witch,” Landon supplied. “She’s convinced that Scarlet Darksbane is up to something.”

  His tone irked me. “You said that thing she did at the window was weird.”

  “It was definitely weird,” Landon agreed. “It was as if she sensed you watching her or something. I just think she might’ve reacted that way for a reason other than you think.”

  “And what reason would that be?”

  “She might very well be a real witch, like you guys are the authentic deal,” Landon replied. “You said there are a lot of witches out there. Wouldn’t it make sense for another real witch to move to the area?

  “I mean, think about it,” he continued. “This town is made up of people pretending to be witches and warlocks for the public. That might be very appealing for a real witch because she would no longer have to hide who she is.”

  “I guess that’s fair,” I conceded.

  “Thank you.”

  “I still don’t like her.”

  Thistle chuckled as Landon rolled his eyes.

  “What’s she like?” Marcus asked. “I heard someone was coming in and taking over the old space from The Cauldron Company. That must be her, right?”

  “That’s her,” I confirmed. “She’s opening a magic store.”

  Thistle, who had been enjoying the conversation only moments before, narrowed her eyes. “She’s opening a magic store?”

  I knew that would irritate her, so I forced a smile. “Just like your magic store.”

  “Nothing is like Hypnotic,” Thistle argued. “We have thirty kitschy stores in this town and Hypnotic still stands out.”

  “According to Mrs. Little – who is best friends with the new witch, by the way – Scarlet’s new store will offer exactly the same things you do at Hypnotic.”

  “Well, she’s clearly evil and has to go,” Thistle pronounced, hopping to my side of the argument with little thought. “We need to find out who she really is. There’s no way Scarlet Darksbane is her real name.”

  “Landon is going to look her up,” I offered. “I bet he finds a bunch of dead husbands and decimated families in her wake.”

  “Oh, well, I’m so glad you’re not taking this to a dramatic place,” Landon drawled.

  I ignored him. “That’s not all. Mrs. Little plans to whip this new festival into shape and is launching it in a week. She’s actually bringing in renaissance festival performers and everything. She said she’s going to put a lot of focus on Scarlet and her new store because that’s the neighborly thing to do. Those were her words, not mine, but she wouldn’t stop blabbering about it when she was handing out assignments.”

  “I’ve always hated tha
t old bat,” Thistle complained, tossing the blanket onto the floor as she stood, fire in her eyes. “She’s just doing this to get to us.”

  “I told you.” I locked gazes with Landon. “You didn’t believe me. You said I was making something out of nothing. I was right.”

  “I fail to see how Thistle jumping to the same conclusions you did is proof,” Landon said dryly. “So far, from what I’ve seen of Scarlet Darksbane, she seems like a perfectly normal woman trying to get to know people in a new environment.”

  What a rube. “You’re so naïve.”

  “What has she done that’s so terrible?”

  “You saw the way she looked at me.”

  “Yes, and I saw the way you acted with her,” Landon pointed out. “You were aggressive from the start.”

  “I was not.”

  “You were, too.”

  “I was not.”

  “You were, too.”

  “She was not,” Thistle snapped, tossing one of the throw pillows from the couch at Landon’s head. He smoothly caught it in the air and glared at her.

  “You weren’t there,” Landon argued. “You don’t know whether or not she was aggressive.”

  “I know Bay,” Thistle said. “If she says there’s something wrong with this woman, then there’s something wrong with her. I have faith in Bay’s instincts. I’m loyal.”

  “Oh, geez.” Landon pinched the bridge of his nose. “Are you saying I’m not loyal?”

  “I’m saying that you’re a butthead,” Thistle said. “As for the loyalty thing … perhaps it comes and goes with you.”

  “I can’t deal with this,” Landon muttered, leaning his head back and staring at the ceiling. “I have no problem running a search on that woman. She did give Bay an odd look, and I’m curious to see what I’ll find in her past. As a law enforcement official, though, I need proof. What I saw tonight wasn’t proof. It was Bay being … weird.”

  “I’m not being weird,” I protested. “I’m being … proactive. Yeah, that’s the right word. I’m being proactive.”

  “Against what?”

  “You’ve complained on multiple occasions that I accidentally find trouble, and then you cry when I almost get hurt,” I said.

  “I don’t cry,” Landon groused, wrinkling his nose. “I hardly ever cry.”

  “You cried when she was almost shot,” Thistle pointed out.

  “You cried when she was attacked at the guesthouse when you were in that fight,” Marcus added.

  “You cried when you had to race out to the Dandridge to save her on that ship,” Thistle said, warming to the game.

  “Okay, that will be enough of that.” Landon held up his hands to stall the argument. “I get what you’re saying, but Scarlet Darksbane hasn’t done anything yet.”

  “Aunt Tillie was following her,” I said. “We both saw that. If Aunt Tillie believes she’s up to something, she’s definitely up to something.”

  “Aunt Tillie believes the minister at the church is up to something because he looks at her funny,” Landon said.

  “She hasn’t been proven wrong on that,” Thistle interjected. “He might very well be up to something … or he could simply be suspicious because she likes to steal wine.”

  “I notice you only take Aunt Tillie’s side on the rare occasions it coincides with your side,” Landon said. “Don’t you find that a bit … convenient?”

  “No. Aunt Tillie is amazingly ingenious.” The fact that Thistle said it with a straight face was impressive. I couldn’t help but purse my lips to keep from laughing at her defiant countenance. Landon’s expression was something straight out of a sitcom. “Okay, she knows all and sees all,” Thistle corrected, immediately realizing her mistake. “She’s a diabolical old crone who likes to mess with people. That doesn’t mean she’s wrong about Scarlet Darksbane.”

  “Fine. I give up.” Landon held up his hands in mock surrender. “I will run the new witch through the system, share all of the gruesome details, and hope that you guys don’t get arrested for doing something terrible to her. How does that sound?”

  I flashed him a warm smile. “That’s all we ask.”

  “Great.” Landon accepted the chocolate martini I carried to him with a smile, placing it on the end table before snagging me around the waist and dragging me into his lap. “Try not to get in trouble with the new witch.” He smacked a kiss against my cheek. “I don’t want to have to bail you out.”

  “Oh, Chief Terry would never arrest me.”

  Landon studied my face. “Probably not.” He shifted so we were both comfortable sharing the chair. “Be careful, though. You don’t know this woman. I would hate to find out you went after her for no reason.”

  He had a point, which was unfortunate. “I’ll wait to see what you find out in her background check,” I offered. “I have no intention of going after her just to go after her.”

  Landon didn’t look convinced. “Do what you want to do. But if it means my fighting with Thistle bothers you less, I want you to focus on the new witch. I don’t care if she is innocent and you’re embarking on a witch hunt in the process.”

  Marcus chuckled as he handed Thistle a martini and reclaimed his seat. “So you’re basically sacrificing the new witch to be more comfortable with the current living conditions. That’s what you’re saying, right?”

  Landon shrugged. “I never pretended to be altruistic.”

  “I’m not going to go after her just to go after her,” I promised. “There’s just something off about her.” Despite the fun and games, that was true. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was about to happen. The problem was, I had no idea what.

  “Drink your martini,” Landon prodded. “You’ll feel better when you have a buzz.”

  “You’re just saying that because you want to take advantage of me.”

  “Again, I never pretended to be altruistic.”

  I giggled as I rested my head on his shoulder. It was nice when it was just the four of us and no one was arguing. “I promise to be good.” I lowered my voice. “I just want to know a little bit more about her. I have this … feeling.”

  Landon shifted his eyes to me. “Then we’ll do it together. If you really believe there’s something wrong with her, then there probably is. I have faith in your instincts.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Just don’t do anything crazy.”

  “When do I do crazy things?”

  Landon shot me an exaggerated look. “When don’t you do crazy things?”

  “I’m a very pragmatic person.”

  “Yes, that’s the word I often think in my head when my mind drifts to you fifty times a day.”

  Even though he said it with a sarcastic tone I couldn’t help but focus on that particular statement. “You think about me fifty times a day?”

  “How did I know you would latch onto that part?”

  “You must be psychic.”

  “No, sweetie, I’m going to leave that little bit of magic to you. I think it’s best for both of us.”

  “SO, I WAS THINKING … .”

  Landon squeezed the tube of toothpaste as he watched me in the bathroom mirror right before bed. He was clearly trying to prepare me for something.

  “You were thinking about what?” I asked, shifting one of Thistle’s bras hanging on the towel rack.

  “First, I was thinking about grabbing all of these bras and tossing them on Thistle’s head,” Landon said, glaring at the offending lacy objects. “But that’s what she wants, so instead I’ll ignore them. She’ll win if I mention them.”

  I tapped his chin. “Now you’re thinking.”

  “Actually, I was thinking about something else,” Landon hedged. “The bra thing just came to me and I got distracted.”

  “Okay. What were you thinking?”

  “You know how we were going to turn Thistle’s room into my office and Clove’s old room into your office?”

  I nodded.

  “What
if we switched that around?”

  The question caught me off guard. “I thought you wanted the bigger room.”

  “I don’t really care about the size of the room,” Landon explained. “I’m fine with you getting the bigger office. It’s just … I would like some space of my own. It’s not that I’m not happy with the living arrangements,” he added hurriedly. “It’s just … .”

  “The walls are closing in on you,” I surmised, smiling. “You’re just as antsy as me, aren’t you?”

  “I don’t know that ‘antsy’ is the word, but I would like a room to retreat to that’s just for me,” Landon admitted. “I’m thrilled at the idea of living with you. I need you to know that.”

  “I know.”

  “Living with Thistle is a chore, though. She’s always in my face. I would like a room where I can shut the door and not see her stupid face.”

  “I think that’s more than doable,” I said. “In fact, I was going to suggest it myself, but then I thought maybe you’d think I was trying to steal the bigger room from you.”

  “How much bigger is Thistle’s room?”

  “Like a foot in each direction.”

  “That’s nothing.”

  “It was a big deal when Clove and Thistle were fighting to see who got that room,” I said.

  “And where did you land?”

  “Oh, you know me.” I beamed. “Size doesn’t matter.”

  Landon poked my side. “You’re lucky you’re cute.” He bent over and pressed a sweet kiss to my forehead. “Thank you for not making a big deal out of this.”

  “Did you think I would?”

  “I honestly had no idea,” Landon replied. “You’re hard to read sometimes. All of the fighting Thistle and I are doing is driving you crazy. I see it on your face. I want to ease that burden.”

  “And your own burden,” I added. “It’s okay. I get it. Everyone needs alone time.”

  “You’re used to living with Clove and Thistle,” Landon supplied. “I’ve lived alone for a long time. I’ve spent every possible night with you during the last year, but I still spent a few nights alone every week.”

  “Do you think you’ll miss it?”

  “Sleeping alone? No. I think you and I will be perfectly fine,” Landon replied. “It’s getting to the time when we’ll be alone that’s the issue. I don’t want to keep fighting with Thistle because I know it drives you crazy, but … .”