“I almost said no,” I continued, “but I’m really glad I didn’t. This guy is so cute, Harmony. I mean really good-looking. He’s an SPA agent. That’s how we met actually, last night at the rehearsal dinner after the whole … uh … murder, thing.”
Harmony’s fair brows arched. “He works for the SPA?”
“He’s the head of the investigation into Lucinda’s murder. It’s a little macabre, I suppose. Not quite the meet-cute from a romantic comedy or something, but he’s tall and athletic, and he has these dark honey brown eyes that just sizzle.”
“Smitten kitten!” Harmony laughed. “When are you going out?”
“Sunday.”
“Oh.”
“Hey!” I chided. “Why aren’t you more excited about this? Is it because he’s an SPA agent?”
Harmony had a tendency to get herself in trouble with the law. Nothing serious, of course, but there were a handful of infractions in her past that might have colored her view of the people who worked for the agency.
“No! Don’t be ridiculous,” she replied.
“Well, what is it then?” I asked, an unintended sharpness to my voice. “I kind of imagined you bouncing around the house. You’re always nagging me to get out and have a life that doesn’t involve taffeta and confetti.”
She sighed. “It really doesn’t matter now, but I already had a date lined up for you this Sunday.”
My mouth dropped open. “You what?”
“It was supposed to be a surprise. Kind of like a blind date. Or, maybe a half blind, since the dude knew about it.”
“Okay, back up.” I held up a finger and closed my eyes, trying to unpack everything she was saying. “What are you talking about?”
“You know Wes?” She pointed at the ceiling. “From upstairs?”
“Wesley Cahill?” I asked, glancing above, as if he might be waiting, pressing an ear to his floor.
“Yeah.” She hopped off the couch and went to get her shoes. “I ran into him the other day at the coffee shop downstairs. I thought he was flirting with me when he bought my latte, but then he spent the whole fifteen minutes asking about you.”
She slipped into a pair of black pumps, the heels low enough to handle an eight hour shift without killing her feet. “So, I asked if he wanted to have dinner with you on Sunday.”
“Are you serious? Harmony! That makes me sound so desperate!”
She gave me a pointed look. “Um, yeah. You kind of are, remember? I mean years? Stace, that’s just pathetic.”
“Gee, thanks,” I mumbled.
“I’ll fix it,” Harmony said. “We can put Wes on ice until you see if this cop guy is a catch-and-release or a keeper.”
“We?” I repeated.
With a rueful grin, she said, “Admit it. You need my help.”
I rolled my eyes and went to the bedroom and put my shoes away in the closet. I peeled my tights off and exhaled slowly. It was the perfect night for a soak in the jetted tub. I peeked into the bathroom and saw Harmony had half a dozen bras hung up on the shower bar.
This whole roommate thing was wearing a little thin.
I stalked back out to the living room, but Harmony had moved on to the kitchen. She’d filled the sink with water and waved her hands over the surface. The water swirled, kicking up suds and sending any stray food particles off the plates and cups. When the twinkling magic died, she pulled the plug and waved her hands again, sending the clean dishes to the drying rack.
“Who do you think knocked off that snobby vampire?” she asked, using a casual tone. “Everyone’s saying it was the human, but some people think it was the son. I guess she’s loaded and he wanted all her money. I guess that’s a perk to being dirt poor. No one’s ever going to try and whack me. At least, not if they’re looking for money.”
I frowned at her.
“What?” Harmony said, a note of protest in her voice. “I’m just saying, money is always the reason, isn’t it? Love or money.”
She paused and then her eyes went wide. “Or both! What if she had a secret lover, and he wanted her money!”
I frowned at her as I closed the refrigerator door, wine bottle in hand. “You’re being ridiculous. Not to mention morbid. This was a real person who was killed, Harmony.”
If she felt any remorse over her speculation, she didn’t show it. With a small shrug, she circled me, pulled open the fridge, and retrieved a grease-splotched paper bag. “You don’t mind if I take the rest of this to work for lunch, do you?”
“Go ahead. I had a big lunch,” I told her.
“Thanks!” she said, scurrying out of the kitchen. “See you tomorrow, Stace!”
“Remember to cancel that date!” I called after her.
The front door closed without a reply.
Sighing, I pulled open the refrigerator door and looked inside. Underwhelmed by my choices, I shut it and put a bag of popcorn into the microwave. “Keeping it classy,” I muttered to myself, topping off my glass of wine. My spirits buoyed a little when I remembered that in a few days’ time, I’d be dining with Caleb McCord. I dumped the popcorn into a bowl and started wondering aloud what I would wear. In fairness, Peaches had wandered into the kitchen, so I wasn’t technically talking to myself.
By the time I finished my glass of wine, I’d decided on my eggplant cocktail dress with the sweetheart neckline and ruching on the side, paired with diamond studs, my emerald drop pendant necklace, and a pair of black slingback heels.
I took the bored look on Peaches face as approval and took the bag of popcorn from the microwave.
The doorbell rang and I frowned. Harmony knew the spell to release the warded locks on the condo. It would be impossible for her to lock herself out. And it was much too early for Patrick to be coming home in a stupor, his own password lost in his inebriated mind. Who did that leave? I never had visitors.
“Coming!” I called out as I set the bowl of popcorn aside and wiped my fingertips off on a tea towel.
I muttered a spell, and a window opened on the door. It was one-way viewing only, and I stopped short. Alice Merryweather was standing on the other side, and judging by the streaks of mascara under her eyes, she wasn’t there to talk about ice sculptures or centerpieces.
Chapter Seven
“Alice? What happened?” I asked the visibly shaking woman as I ushered her inside.
“They—they think I did it!” she sputtered, wrapping her arms around herself. “They think I killed Lucinda!”
I blinked and hurried to shut the door behind her. According to Harmony, the entire building was already talking about the murder. I didn’t need to further kick up a gossip storm. “Who? Who thinks you killed Lucinda?”
“Everyone!” Alice exclaimed. “That SPA agent had me dragged down to their headquarters this afternoon. They asked me the same questions they asked right after … well, after it happened. He wouldn’t let me leave. It went on for hours! I kept telling him and the other agent that I’d been clear on the other side of the house, crying in one of the guest bathrooms.”
I frowned. I’d checked every bathroom on the first floor, looking for Alice, and had come up empty. Wherever she’d been when Lucinda was attacked, I felt fairly certain it wasn’t in one of the bathrooms. But it had been a traumatic evening for everyone. Maybe she’d simply forgotten her exact location, or maybe I’d missed her while I was out catching Kait in the garden.
I started to ask, but decided against it as Alice continued. “Dimitri finally intervened and had some of his connections call the agents, and they let me go.” She paused, a muscle twitching in her brow. “I told him he should have called sooner, and we got into this big fight. All of a sudden, out of nowhere, he asks if I did it.”
I gasped.
Alice’s eyes lit up. “Exactly! How could he even think something like that, let alone have the audacity to ask me like that. It was unbelievable. I told him to go to hell and took off, but I don’t know how to get out of this place. I remembered you men
tioned you lived in this building once, and so I came here. I told the doorman I was a friend of yours. He started to call you to confirm, but I was crying pretty hard, so he just sent me up. I hope you don’t mind. I didn’t know where else to go.”
I shook my head. “Of course not. I’m so sorry about all of this. I can only imagine how scary it must be, especially when you’re not, uh, from here.”
Alice sniffed. “That’s one way of putting it.”
“Do you want something to drink?” I asked, starting for the kitchen. “I can order some food if you’re hungry.”
She shook her head. “You don’t have to do that. I’ll be fine.”
I got her a glass of water anyway.
She took it gratefully, and I invited her to sit on the couch. She shrugged out of her coat and I laid it across the back of one of the two tufted accent chairs opposite the couch.
“I spoke with Dimitri earlier,” I said, rounding the chair to perch on the edge of it. “He didn’t say anything about the SPA or the investigation. It must have all happened quickly.”
Alice hiccupped. “I don’t know. They just kind of showed up out of nowhere. Dimitri tried to stop them from taking me, but he knows there are limits to what he can do.”
“What can I do to help?” I asked gently.
She sighed and rocked her head back against the couch. Her eyes moved over the ceiling, unfocused. “I don’t even know. Dimitri and I haven’t had much of a chance to talk about anything since last night. After everyone left, he went for a long walk, alone. I fell asleep waiting for him to come back to the mansion. When he finally did, the sun was coming up. I think that’s the only reason he came back. If not for daybreak, he might have wandered forever.”
A twinge of pain clawed at my chest. “If I’m honest, I still can’t believe any of this is happening,” I told Alice. “I can only imagine what he must be going through. I’m sure he didn’t mean to upset you, Alice. His head has got to be so mixed up and confused right now.”
She continued to stare up at the ceiling, barely blinking. “Is it bad that I don’t care that she’s gone?”
I opened my mouth, but no answer came forth.
“I’m sad for Dimitri, of course,” she hurried to say. “They weren’t close, but still, she was his mother. But, personally, I can’t sincerely say I feel anything about her.”
Again, I came up empty, searching for a reply but unable to land on quite the right sentiment. Which was unusual for me. Just as I was prepared for most emergencies, I also had a repertoire of speeches at the tip of my tongue in case of emotional emergency. Cold feet? Overly emotional mother of the bride? Clingy mother of the groom? Snippy bridesmaids or warring cousins? I could wrangle it all, but with Alice, I was left mystified.
My phone rang, and I nearly jumped out of my chair, grateful for the distraction. I didn’t recognize the number on the screen, but I often got calls from numbers I didn’t have saved in the device.
“Do you mind?” I asked Alice.
She shook her head. “But if it’s Dimitri, I’m not here.”
“Right.” I cringed and clicked onto the call. “This is Anastasia Winters.”
“Hello, Anastasia,” the voice replied.
A whisper of heat fluttered over my cheeks when I realized my mystery caller was Caleb McCord. Alice looked at me expectantly and I shook my head.
“This is Agent McCord,” Caleb continued, and I wondered why he was using his formal title after insisting on me using his first name. “I’m sorry to interrupt your evening, but is Alice Merryweather with you?”
I blinked and turned away from Alice. “What?”
Caleb cleared his throat. “We have information that Alice might be on her way to see you. Have you heard from her this evening?”
For the second time that night, I was struck speechless. I didn’t want to lie to Caleb, and even more importantly, the SPA, but at the same time, I didn’t want to betray Alice’s trust. She was still my client, and as far as I was concerned, that meant it was my job to guard her privacy. Why would the SPA care if she was visiting me? And more startling, how did they know she was here?
I moved toward the window, careful not to disturb the fluttery sheers that concealed the inside of my home from the street below. Was someone out there, looking up at my window?
“Anastasia? Are you still there?” Caleb asked.
Turning away from the window, I licked my lips. “Has something happened in the investigation, Agent?”
At the word. agent, Alice straightened, her eyes going wide. I held up a finger, letting her know I had it handled.
“Alice is a person of interest in the murder of Lucinda Vanguard,” Caleb said. His tone wasn’t harsh, but I could feel an edge of tension to his words. “My partner was keeping an eye on her and called me when she spotted her going into your building.”
“How do you know where I live?” I asked.
“I didn’t before tonight,” Caleb replied. “When Alice went inside, we pulled a list of all the residents in the building, and your name popped as being connected to the case.”
“I see.” I looked at Alice and she shook her head. The fear in her eyes made my heart drop. She wasn’t from the haven. She didn’t belong to the supernatural community, no matter what some heavily-doctored official paperwork might say. Facing an SPA prison was scary enough for anyone, but to a human, it must be downright terrifying.
“Are you planning on arresting her?” I asked coolly.
Caleb cleared his throat. “No. Not at this time.”
“So, what do you want with her?”
“We want to keep tabs on her,” he answered, the tenseness coming back. “As long as she remains in the Seattle Haven, we want to know who she meets with, where she goes.”
“I see,” I said, ice creeping into my voice. “Well, if she’s not under arrest, then I don’t have a comment on the situation.”
“Anastasia—”
“I don’t have anything else to say, Agent McCord,” I bit off.
I clicked off the call, overriding his objections.
“I can’t believe you did that!” Alice burst out. “I didn’t realize my wedding planner was also a hard-as-nails lawyer!”
A nervous smile twitched at my lips. “Far from it. My heart feels like it’s about to rocket right out of my chest.”
Alice looked toward the window I’d stood at moments before. “They followed me here.”
It wasn’t so much a question as a statement. I nodded all the same. “Looks like it. And while I’m not a tough lawyer, I think it might be a good idea for you to get one.”
Alice’s face fell and she gave a miserable nod. “I’m sorry I’ve dragged you into this.”
I dismissed her comment with a wave of my hand. “I’m glad you came here. Really. I’ll help in any way I can. I’m sure Dimitri has a lawyer who can help you. If he hasn’t called someone yet, now would be the time.”
Alice frowned. “I don’t think he’s going to be too interested in helping me.”
I returned to my chair and sat at the edge, leaning forward to brace my elbows on my thighs. “Alice, Dimitri loves you. He was willing to risk everything he’s known to be with you, even if that meant his mother disinheriting him. He’s spinning out right now, trying to grasp at something. I don’t think he really believes you had anything to do with Lucinda’s death.”
Alice’s eyes darted away and in the soft light of the room, I could see a sheen glistening across them.
My phone rang again, and Alice sat up straight. A swell of fear raked at me, but I ignored it and reached for the phone with a steady hand. I had to keep it together for Alice’s sake. With a puff of relief at the name on the screen, I held it up to face Alice. “It’s Dimitri,” I said. “You still not here?”
She swallowed hard and held out her hand. I gave her the phone and she answered, “Hi, Dimitri, it’s me.”
With a quiet smile, I excused myself and let Alice and Dimitri
speak in private. Of course, that was easier said than done in a one bedroom, one bathroom condo. There really wasn’t anywhere I could go that wouldn’t allow me to eavesdrop on the phone call. At least, Alice’s side.
She caught Dimitri up on the SPA’s phone call and my defense of her.
“Don’t do anything rash!” she pleaded with him a few moments later. “They’re already watching every move we—or at least I—make. We don’t want to draw more attention to ourselves.”
Things fell quiet for a moment, and I peeked out into the living room. Alice sat on the couch, her lips tightly clamped together as she listened. Finally, she nodded and said, “I know. I’m sorry for what I said, too.”
I smiled and ducked back into the kitchen and busied myself wiping down the kitchen counters.
“Okay. Yeah. Okay. I’ll see you soon.”
I was scrubbing an invisible speck from the stovetop when Alice appeared at the arched entry to the kitchen. She held out the phone and I took it with my dry hand. “Thanks.”
“Dimitri’s coming to get me,” Alice said, wrapping her arms around her middle. “Do you mind if I hang out here until he gets here? I don’t want to wait in the lobby. They’re probably down there, waiting for me.”
I abandoned my sponge. “Of course not! Do you want something to eat? ”
She shook her head. “No, thank you. If I can use your washroom, I’d appreciate it. I’m sure I look like a raccoon.”
I smiled and pointed her in the right direction. When I heard the bathroom door close, I sighed and sagged back against the counter.
Well at least one love story was back on track. As for my date with Agent McCord, I’d probably just ensured that the romantic dinner date had just been downgraded into a night home alone, wearing sweats, with a pile of take-out and a bottle of wine for one.
Chapter Eight
The following afternoon, Dimitri called me at the office to thank me once again for taking Alice in the night before and to inform me that the family had decided that in place of hosting their wedding that Saturday, the plans would be altered and that Lucinda’s funeral would be held in its place. The Vanguard family were scattered across the globe and had decided to pull together for the funeral rather than waiting to arrange something later down the line.
Witchy Weddings: A Magic Witch Mystery Series: The complete Touch of Magic series Page 10
