Dances With Witches (A Hannah Hickok Witchy Mystery Book 5)

by Lily Harper Hart

  “Kentucky was a territory before 1792 and only joined the United States after that. It was an untamed land with native Americans and warring traders. Clement didn’t want to continue trading if he didn’t have to and instead, he started a farm. He insisted that Josette use her magic to help with his crops, and even though she longed for the city, she knew she had to make the best of her circumstances.

  “She had one confidant, a local native woman who taught her about the land, and that woman would later tell the witches who came to gather information that Josette had decided to give Clement what he wanted because she was already planning on killing him off. In those days, men controlled the property and wealth. She knew she wouldn’t be able to lay claim to it if she didn’t bear a child for him ... so that’s how the twins came to be.”

  “He’s sounds like a peach of a husband,” Hannah groused.

  “Like I said, he’s not a victim in the story. Josette isn’t either. She had children with Clement because she planned on killing him. The children would be able to inherit the land even if she couldn’t because of her skin color.”

  “Oh.” Realization dawned on Hannah. “Because she was half black she couldn’t inherit property.”

  “Again, Kentucky was a territory at the time, not a state. Josette didn’t want to take any chances, though. She was determined to be able claim the property for herself, so she hatched a plot against Clement. What she didn’t realize is that the natives in the area — including the woman she thought was her friend — had figured out that she wasn’t exactly trustworthy.”

  Things began to slide into place in Hannah’s head. “The woman told Clement.”

  “She did. Do you know why?”

  “Because she wanted to do the same thing as Josette. She wanted the property. With Josette out of the way, she could move in on Clement.”

  “She wanted status,” Abigail clarified. “And, quite frankly, the natives were treated more poorly than Josette at that time. I have sympathy for them. Unfortunately, they went about seeking power in the wrong way.

  “The book tells a story of the earth opening up and swallowing Josette as the children played in a field and Clement had to make a choice. Clement was painted as a good father who raced to save his girls, but that’s not what happened.

  “Josette found out what her ‘friend’ had done and they got into a terrible fight. Magic was thrown around — because the other woman was a shaman of sorts — but Josette was much stronger and had no problem dispatching her enemy. Her daughters, though, witnessed the takedown and didn’t understand. They were magical like their mother and had never seen anybody die.

  “The scene was described as bloody and awful, and when Josette realized the girls were watching, she frightened them with her black eyes and wild hair. They lashed out with their combined magic and killed their mother. In an attempt to cover it up, they created a large hole in the ground, which subsequently connected to a river and created the creek you’re so fond of.”

  Hannah nodded in understanding. “So, it was magic but not out of the blue like they said.”

  “Clement didn’t want anyone to find out the girls were magical. The natives were superstitious and might’ve gone after them, so he was right to worry. He wasn’t overly broken up about Josette’s death, though. Once he found out what she had planned for him, he conspired to murder her, too. The girls made it so that wasn’t necessary ... and he appreciated it.

  “Reports vary on how good of a father he was,” she continued, not breaking stride. “The girls were well fed and made sure his crops continued to thrive. They were very attached to each other, but those who saw them interact said there was something weird about them. They were identical twins with different eye and hair color.”

  “Then they weren’t identical,” Cooper argued.

  Abigail held out her hands and shrugged. “All I know is that anyone who saw them said they were exactly identical ... except for the color of their hair and eyes. There is an explanation for it, too. This is my theory, not fact, but I believe Amelia was albino. Her hair wasn’t blond, it was without pigmentation. Her eyes were pale blue because they were also lacking in pigmentation.”

  “Is that somehow important?” Cooper queried. “I mean ... why does it matter?”

  “Because the stories of Amelia and Bettina are legendary. It’s not that one was good and one was bad, no matter what that book says. They were both half and half. Sometimes one was good and the other was bad and then they switched places. They were always at war because neither of them acted like a good girl at the same time.”

  Hannah tugged on her bottom lip, considering. “I don’t understand.”

  “I don’t really understand that part either,” Abigail admitted. “If there was a reason the girls were so volatile, a magical reason, I don’t know what it is. Reports of the time say Clement doted on them, spoiled them rotten, and let them do whatever they wanted as long as his crops continued to thrive.

  “The girls took to acting superior, only hanging out with each other, and yet torturing each other at every turn. They were beautiful and terrible. Men called on them despite their reputations, wanted to marry them, but Clement wouldn’t allow it. Eventually, their fighting became so great he had to build a second house to keep them separated.”

  “Yeah, we read that part,” Cooper said. “He wasn’t sleeping in beds with them in those houses, was he?”

  Instead of denying the charge, Abigail held out her hands. “Nobody knows. That was obviously the whisper but there’s no proof. Neither of the girls ever accused him of that and they never turned up pregnant.”

  “I was hoping you would say that was a ludicrous assumption,” Hannah muttered.

  “I wish I could say it. Clement was not a good man. As far as I know, he never married again and was careful to keep his daughters away from any potential dates. There could be a myriad of reasons why that was necessary, but we simply don’t know.”

  “That is really depressing,” Hannah muttered.

  Cooper leaned forward and kissed the back of her neck to soothe her. “Do you want me to grab your butt again to make you feel better?”

  Hannah darted a scandalized look toward Abigail. “He’s just kidding.”

  Abigail chuckled. “I heard you in the cave a good two minutes before I saw you. I know he’s not kidding. That’s not important, though. I need to finish this story so you can get back. Once you cross the magical line, you won’t be able to see me.”

  “Right.” Hannah’s heart dropped. “We need to figure out a way to fix that.”

  “Hopefully, hearing the rest of this story will allow you to do that.” Abigail shot her granddaughter an encouraging smile and then continued. “Girls married at a much younger age back then. The twins were considered adults at thirteen.”

  “So gross,” Hannah complained.

  Abigail continued as if she hadn’t heard the muttered recrimination. “By the time they were in their twenties they were considered spinsters. That sounds ludicrous now, but it was a sign of the times then because life expectancy was much shorter. Despite that, and the fact that he was offered a lot of money for his daughters, Clement never forced them to marry.

  “Life went on. The girls continued to fight. Then one day Clement died out of the blue. The locals whispered the girls were somehow responsible but that was never proven.”

  “Did they really share his body for burial?” Hannah asked on a cringe.

  “No.” Abigail smirked. “He was buried close to the creek and each girl threw in their preferred flower. The land was blessed and then he was put to rest. I have no idea where that part of the story came from.”

  “Then what happened?”

  “War.” Abigail’s demeanor turned dark. “Once Clement wasn’t there to act as a buffer, the girls went at each other hard. Each one of them wanted to claim dominion over the property. As long as they were both alive, they had to split it. That’s when the murder attempts starte
d.

  “They worked hard to try to kill each other for two years,” she continued. “There were multiple accidents on the farm, innocent people were killed, but neither of them fell victim to the other. In one instance Bettina was the one attacking. In the other, it was Amelia. Remember, it was almost as if they both had multiple personalities and would swing wildly all over the place.”

  “And you don’t think there’s a magical explanation for that, right?” Hannah prodded.

  “Not that I know of. I guess it’s possible but there’s no proof of it.”

  Hannah nodded. “Okay, so what happened at the end? How did they both die?”

  “They fought to the death. The one who was good that day finally realized that the only way to save the people of the area from their never-ending war was for both of them to die. She made the ultimate sacrifice and they died on what is now Main Street. They threw everything they had at each other. It was a collision of power so great it caused an explosion ... and fused magically to the land.”

  Hannah jerked up her head, surprised. “Wait ....”

  “Are you saying they weren’t drawn to the land because of the nexus?” Cooper asked, tightening his arms around Hannah.

  “I’m saying they created the nexus,” Abigail replied. “Sometimes magic is so powerful that it becomes otherworldly. When Amelia and Bettina died here, everything they were fused with the land and created a power base that exists today. It’s also the reason I removed those pages from the book. I didn’t want anyone thinking that power base could be tapped. It’s too dangerous to attempt.”

  “How does that play into Angel going missing, though?” Hannah asked, desperate. “How do we find her? How do we get rid of the dome?”

  “I don’t know. I don’t have the answers you need. I’m sorry. All I can provide is the story.”

  “And we’re grateful for it,” Cooper reassured her. “The story is important. We just need to figure out how all the pieces fit together.”

  “And fast,” Hannah added. “The longer this goes on, the more worried I’m going to be. We have to end this ... and now.”

  “I wish you luck.” Abigail blew her granddaughter a kiss as Hannah and Cooper struggled to their feet. “I’ll be out here if you have more questions. You have to focus on what’s going on inside the dome, though. I think your answers will manifest there.”

  Hannah could only hope that was true.

  13

  Thirteen

  Hannah went straight to her apartment to go through the books again when she got back to Casper Creek. Cooper tracked down Boone to relate the news about Abigail and join in the search. He was convinced Angel had been secreted away somehow, which meant they needed more information to find her, but he couldn’t sit around doing nothing when the girl needed help.

  The afternoon seemed to stretch into forever, with Boone ultimately leaving and then coming back with Lindsey. Cooper had watched him from the paddock as he received a call, recognizing the moment Boone lost his temper. He’d known the call had been about Lindsey without the sheriff having to relate the information. The way Boone stalked off told Cooper the teenager was in for a lecture, and the girl’s red cheeks and swollen eyes when Boone returned with her in tow confirmed that she’d gotten one. Despite that, Lindsey helped her father carry in two huge boxes of food before theatrically throwing herself into a chair.

  “And how are things with you?” Cooper asked as he filled a glass with half iced tea and half lemonade.

  Lindsey glared at him. “I’m crappy. How are you?”

  Cooper chuckled as he carried the glass to her. He knew her drink of choice thanks to numerous meals with her father and was hopeful she would perk up thanks to the delivery. “I’ve had better days.”

  Lindsey was petulant as she sipped her drink, her dark eyes landing on her father. She didn’t speak, though.

  Boone didn’t have that problem. “Did you thank Cooper for that drink?”

  Lindsey made a protesting sound. “I didn’t ask for it.”

  “That doesn’t matter. He delivered it to you, went out of his way because he knows that’s your favorite. The polite thing to do is thank him.”

  Lindsey grumbled something unintelligible under her breath before turning a bright — and obviously fake — smile toward Cooper. “Thank you so much for the blood, sweat, and tears you lost while providing me with this rare and wonderful drink. I’m forever in your debt.”

  It was such an absurd statement Cooper had no choice but to press his lips together and look away to keep from laughing. Boone was familiar enough with the security chief, however, that he recognized trouble.

  “Don’t encourage her,” Boone warned.

  “I’m not encouraging her.”

  “If you laugh, that’s exactly what you’re doing.”

  “Go ahead and laugh,” Lindsey prodded. “I know you want to. I’m an absolute delight and should be rewarded ... even if my father doesn’t want to acknowledge my greatness.”

  “Oh, geez.” Cooper refused to make eye contact with either of them, instead fixing his attention on Hannah as she entered through the swinging doors with Jinx on her heels. “There’s my favorite girl.”

  Lindsey rolled her eyes. “Oh, sure, she’s your favorite girl. I’ll just bet you encourage her every chance you get.”

  Hannah, bewildered, glanced between Lindsey and Cooper. “What did I miss?”

  “Nothing,” Boone growled. “You didn’t miss anything.”

  “I believe Boone and his daughter are having a bit of a ... thing,” Cooper volunteered. “I’m not an expert on the shenanigans of teenagers — I haven’t been one for more than a decade — but I’m pretty sure Lindsey is testing her limits ... and her father is out of patience.”

  “Ah.” Hannah’s eyes danced with amusement. “I see. Does it make you want to have children?”

  The question was asked in a teasing manner, but Cooper was serious when answering. “I wouldn’t mind a kid or two ... eventually. I don’t particularly want this kid right now.” He jerked a thumb at Lindsey and winked. “Teenagers are something you have to build up to. However, I would love a three-year-old little girl with blond hair and blue eyes forcing me to attend tea parties.”

  Hannah was taken aback. “Blond hair and blue eyes?”

  “He’s talking about a miniature version of you,” Lindsey snapped. “He’s gaga over you, if you haven’t noticed.”

  “That will be enough of that,” Boone said, extending a warning finger in her direction. He was obviously close to blowing, something Lindsey recognized because her eyes were narrow slits of contemplation.

  “Don’t do it,” Cooper warned, correctly reading Lindsey’s mood. “Your dad has had a long day. You don’t want to add to it unnecessarily.”

  “Maybe I’ve had a long day,” Lindsey shot back. “Have you ever considered that?”

  “Sure.” Cooper didn’t miss a beat as he nodded. “I’m betting you did have a long day. You’re probably worried about Angel.”

  “I barely know her.”

  “That doesn’t mean you’re not worried, and it doesn’t mean you’re not confused about what happened. We’re all confused. We all want to find her. Your father has been out here looking all day. He deserves a break.”

  “Maybe I deserve a break.” Lindsey morosely stared at the table as Boone removed containers from the box. “Just because he thinks I’m a kid doesn’t mean I don’t deserve a break, too.”

  “Fair enough.” Cooper flicked his eyes to Boone. “Do I want to know what you deserve a break from, Lindsey?”

  “Him,” the teenager muttered.

  “Right, because I’m the worst thing that ever happened to you,” Boone shot back, shaking his head. “Just ... stop being a pain. If you’re rude to Cooper, Hannah, or Tyler, then I’m going to increase your home confinement for another two weeks. That will leave you locked up for a month during great weather. Is that what you want?”

  Lin
dsey made a protesting sound. “I’m not being rude.”

  “You’re a teenager. You idle at rude.” Boone shook his head and focused on Cooper. “That thing they do where they’re sweetness and light? It doesn’t last. They’re only cute for five minutes ... and then they learn to talk.”

  Rather than make things worse and continue the conversation, Cooper focused on Hannah. “Did you find anything upstairs?”

  Hannah shook her head. “I went through all the books on that shelf and none of them mention Amelia and Bettina. I should’ve asked Abigail before we came back if there were more books. I think that was a huge waste of time.”

  Lindsey accepted the container her father handed her with a grunt of acknowledgement, her attention fixed on Hannah. “Who is Abigail? I didn’t know there was another Abigail out here.”

  Hannah froze. She’d forgotten that Lindsey wasn’t a member of the inner circle. Exactly how much the girl knew about the paranormal world was a mystery to her. “Oh, well ....”

  “It’s the same Abigail,” Boone volunteered. “We’ve talked about this. Her ghost is still hanging around.”

  Lindsey made a face. “I thought you were exaggerating when you told me that.”

  “No.”

  “But ... ghosts are real?” Suddenly, the petulant teenager had disappeared and was replaced by a curious young adult who had a lot of questions.

  “They are,” Boone confirmed.

  “Are other things real?”

  “Yes.”

  “Does that mean those stories you told me when I was a kid — the ones about werewolves and vampires and witches — were true?”

  Boone hesitated and then shook his head. “I think most of the books I read when you were younger were all fiction. Those Twilight books are definitely fiction. Don’t go falling for some sparkly vampire. It will end badly.”

  That had a ghost of a smile hovering around Lindsey’s lips. “How come you didn’t tell me it was real?”