by Sonia Parin
“I hear Henry is a bit of a lady’s man.”
Ramona shivered. “He gives me the creeps.”
He gave her the creeps too?
“He’s probably looking to take over from poor Stewart.”
That would give him motive. Bump off his competition...
Eloise Fitzpatrick strode past them, her cat, Angelina, in her arms. She gave them a finger wave and went to stand by the piano.
There was nothing somber about the mood in the room. On the contrary, conversation flowed and was highlighted with rises of laughter. “Is everyone here a pragmatist?”
“You think we should all be wearing black and crying our eyes out?” Ramona asked.
“Even if his death doesn’t strike a personal chord, I expect people to at least be thinking about...” Lexie shrugged. “How death can strike at any moment.”
“I suppose. But at least one person here isn’t surprised.”
“Huh?”
“The killer,” Ramona said.
“You think it’s one of you?”
“Of course. Who else would it be? No one else has stepped inside the house. It stands to reason the killer is someone among us.”
“And it doesn’t bother you?”
“I try not to think about it.”
Try? “And what about the rest of the time? Are you looking over your shoulder? Locking the bedroom door? Hesitating before you take your next bite or sip of your drink?”
Ramona looked down at her glass. “Well... now that you mention it, I will. I’m not ready to kick the bucket just yet. I have several new wigs and gowns on order and I’d like a chance to show them off.”
“That’s as good an excuse as any to want to live a little bit longer,” Lexie said.
“I didn’t mean to sound trite. It’s enough to want to wake up and see another sunrise or share a warm smile with a stranger... or...” Ramona scooped in a shaky breath. “Oh dear, I think it’s just hit me. Stewart’s been killed.” She spun around on the spot, her gaze jumping from one person to the other. “Who do you think did it?”
“I’m new to this group. You know them better. Who do you think had motive for murder?”
“Hearing it said out loud makes it too real. I suddenly feel lightheaded and my heart is punching against my chest.”
Lexie looked down at Ramona’s drink.
Ramona gasped. “Oh, you don’t think... oh, my... oh, my.” Ramona fanned herself with her cat’s tail. “I need to sit down.”
“I’m sure it’s nothing. In fact, I get the feeling Stewart was the only target here. And if he wasn’t, the killer likes to make a statement.” She thought about that for a moment. There had to be a reason for the apple being stuffed in his mouth.
Taking a bite of the apple...
Had Stewart gone too far in his philandering? He might have become involved with someone he shouldn’t have.
Take a bite of the poison apple...
She’d bet anything the apple had been poisoned.
An apple a day keeps the doctor away?
No, that wouldn’t make sense. Unless the woman he was involved with was married to a doctor.
“Should I call for help?” she asked Ramona.
“I’m feeling better. I think I only needed to sit down for a moment.”
“Are you sure?”
Ramona nodded.
Lexie turned her attention to the people she hadn’t spoken with yet. A woman in black caught her interest. She had pale blonde hair reaching her waist and a cat with an eye patch on it.
They exchanged a small smile.
Checking on Luna, Lexie then made her way across the room and introduced herself.
“I’m Bebe Brown and this is Miss Brown.”
“What’s with the eye patch?” Lexie nearly choked on the words. Could she have been more uncouth? In her defense, her feet were begging her to sit down and take the load off.
“An unfortunate accident. But it’s all been sorted out now. I see Luna is here.”
“Where do you know her from?”
“Around. I attend so many functions, it’s hard to say.”
Lexie wished someone would be more specific. Luna had turned up out of the blue with Jonathan in tow... or vice versa, soon after Lexie had been forced to accept her heritage and rightful place in the Mackenzie Coven. Mirabelle and Catherine knew her. In fact, Mirabelle’s cat was Luna’s sister. They must have some idea of where she’d been before.
Lord Bradbury joined them. He gave Lexie a nod of acknowledgement but seemed content to simply hover.
Lexie took the opportunity to thank him for the invitation.
“After my brother saw Luna he couldn’t stop talking about her. He simply had to extend an invitation. Personally, I never thought you’d come. Luna’s been shunning these events for so long...”
Really?
Luna had a say?
And surely she can’t have been avoiding everything. Otherwise, how would she have met Jack? And... Where had Stewart seen her?
“I see she’s taken up with Jack,” Bebe Brown said, “Not that I’m surprised. Every time they see each other, they’re inseparable.”
“Yes... but where?”
Both Lord Bradbury and Bebe Brown stared at her, eyes unblinking.
“Around,” they both said.
“There’s something strange about these people. No one seems to remember where they’ve seen Luna, but they’ve all met her before,” Lexie told Dante later that evening when she returned to her room. “In fact, they’ve all been looking forward to seeing her again.”
“Maybe she’s blurred their memories.”
“She can do that?” Lexie kicked off her high heels and stepped out of her dress. Luna had headed straight for her luxurious kitty basket and was gazing out the window.
Her cat was moonstruck.
“She’s a ‘gifted’ cat and would have picked up a few extra tricks from her previous owner.”
“And who was that?”
“It was... That’s strange...”
“Dante? Are you still there?”
“Yes, I am. What was I saying?”
“You were about to tell me about Luna’s previous owner.”
“I was?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t recall.”
“Okay. This is definitely weird. So who was it?”
“It was—”
“You’re kidding me.” She strode over to Luna’s basket and tapped it with her toe. “Hey, whatever you’re doing, stop it.”
I’m sleepy. Stop making so much noise.
“Did you remember to lock your door?” Dante asked. “You need to keep your guard up. There’s still a killer at large.”
“How comforting. Any news about the cause of death?”
“Cyanide poisoning.”
“What?”
“It was in the apple.”
“Do you think Stewart’s lover gave it to him?”
“Possibly. Did you have any luck hearing the voice again?”
“No, but there are still a few people I haven’t spoken with. Also, remember I was in the closet so the voice was muffled.”
“At least we know it was a woman.”
“Or a man with a soft voice. Tell me Ramona doesn’t have the sweetest voice you’ve ever heard.”
“You’ve got a point there,” Dante said, “I’ll have to see if I can find something incriminating about the cross dresser.”
“He... she’s the only one who didn’t have an affair with Stewart. That makes her the exception.”
“And a good candidate for murder if we think outside the square. Maybe Ramona didn’t like being the exception...”
“She definitely didn’t like Stewart’s hobby. She might have decided to take matters into her own hands and put an end to his malevolent activities.”
Chapter Six
“Here, taste this.”
Luna shied away from the fork full of scrambled eggs.
> “No? What if it’s poisoned and I die? What will you do then? Remember, you need me to click my heels and get us both back home.”
Luna sprawled on her back and kicked her legs up in the air.
“It’s on your head.” Lexie finished her morning coffee and poured herself another cup. “Hello, mom? Are you there?”
Not now, darling. Unless it’s an emergency. I’m in the middle of rehearsals.
Fine. She’d try later.
“Jonathan? Are you there?”
“This had better be important, I’m washing your windows. Did you talk to your mom?” he asked, his voice coming through loud and clear.
“Um... I couldn’t get a hold of her. I guess she still has you doing housework.”
Jonathan grunted. “I’ve reorganized your linen cupboard.”
“I have a linen cupboard?”
“You do now. One day, maybe not tomorrow, or the next day, but one day soon, I will get your mom back for this. Mark my word. Now, what’s going on with you? Have they caught the killer?”
“No, but we now know Stewart was poisoned with cyanide.”
“And you’re taking all necessary precautions and not eating or drinking anything?”
“Sure.” Lexie nibbled on the edge of her toast. “While I’ve got your attention. What do you know about Luna’s previous owner?”
“Oh, she was... She was—”
“What?”
“What was the question?”
“Not you too. I think Luna’s come to me with a safety trigger of sorts, like a hazy forgetting spell. Every time I ask about her past, someone starts to tell me and then they forget what they were about to say.”
“That’s weird, but not implausible. Her previous companion must have cast a spell so you don’t tap into her tricks of the trade.”
“Companion? Is that what I’m going to be if she chooses to stay with me?” Lexie shook her head. “I’m starting to suspect I might turn into her lackey. It’s all about her. This entire trip is about her. Coming to stay with me is all about her.” Luna rolled over and gazed at her.
You know I can hear everything you say.
Lexie pointed her finger at her. “Unless you come clean about your previous owner, I’m just going to ignore you.” Luna rolled over and turned her back to her. “Remind me again why I need a cat.”
“Tradition,” Jonathan said.
“Are you about to break into song again?”
Jonathan started humming The Fiddler on the Roof tune.
“Has Catherine been in touch with you?” she asked.
“Nope.”
“What about Mirabelle?”
“No.”
“They must really be up to their eyeballs in... whatever it is they do. I can’t get a hold of them—”
“I hate to cut in on your woe be me moment, but is there anything else you want to talk about? I’m going to be busy all day wallpapering your bedroom.”
“You’re doing what?”
“Your mom’s idea.”
“No way. You leave everything as is.”
“Can’t. I’m under a spell. Even my breaks are timed.”
“Well then I’ll... I’ll put a spell on you to reverse everything.”
Jonathan laughed. “How are you going to do that if you can’t even find out who Luna’s previous owner was?”
“Put your personal assistant hat on. I need a reminder to bring this up at our next meeting. I need to switch on my ‘gifts’ and I need it fast-tracked.”
“You’re the only one who can do that.”
“How?”
“All I know is that you need to connect with Luna first.”
“I’ve done that. We’re talking... sort of.”
“I mean, really connect. I don’t know the full deal, but there’s something about merging.”
“Eww. I’m not merging with her. There are some things I wish to keep private.”
“It’s a mental thing, Lexie. You’re supposed to tune into each other’s source of ‘gifts’ or some such thing.”
“I wish everyone would stop being so vague.”
“Anything else? I really need to hop to it.”
She heard Jonathan grumble and then break into a chirpy rendition of Flowers on the Wall... “Hurry back home,” he said between lines.
Lexie plumped up her pillows and hummed, “Counting flowers on the wall...”
Luna brushed her paw along her ear.
“You have a problem with my singing?”
You can’t carry a tune to save your life. Now hurry up. I have places to be.
“Hang on. I need to make one more call.” Taking another sip of her coffee, she called out, “Dante O’Rourke.”
“Yes?” his voice came through loud and clear.
“Any news on suspects?”
“Stewart Bradbury didn’t seem to have any enemies but plenty of lovers.”
“Could you find out if someone was after his stuffed cat collection? These are all cat lovers. Surely one of them must have a fetish. Or maybe one of them resented Stewart’s obsession with stuffed cats. Cats are the common denominator here, but his perversion made him an outlier.”
Dante agreed. “You’ll have to ask more pointed questions. People might be more willing to open up to you.”
“Okay. Just so long as it doesn’t put me in the line of fire. Over and out.” She smiled to herself. This really wasn’t so bad. She had breakfast served in bed. A suitcase full of new clothes and Jonathan back home sprucing up her apartment.
Okay, so maybe she should have a word with Morg and tell her to back off. Then again... her windows did need cleaning.
“Alexandra.”
“Mom? I was just thinking about you.” Lexie frowned. Her mom had used her full name. That never boded well.
“Sorry about earlier. I have an actor determined to butcher Shakespeare. There’s something I forgot to mention. I heard on the grapevine there’s a price on Luna’s head.”
Lexie lowered her cup of coffee. “A price. On Luna’s head?”
Luna raised her head, a notch at a time. Then she sprung up on all fours, her hairs standing on end.
“Why?”
“For the obvious reasons. She’s a special cat.”
“But... Dante O’Rourke assured me he hadn’t picked up on any special vibes from the guests.”
“That doesn’t mean anything. Alexandra, do not lose sight of Luna. No Mackenzie has ever lost their cat. Remember, rule number one...”
“Do not lose your cat. Yes, I know that much. And I wish I knew more but no one seems willing or capable of explaining anything to me.”
“What is it you want to know, dear?”
“How... how do I do this?”
“What, dear?”
“You know, witchy stuff.”
“You have to focus, Lexie.”
She rolled her eyes. “What does that mean?”
“You’ve always had a tendency to flutter around. Stand still for a minute and think.”
Lexie fixed her gaze on the clock sitting on the mantle. She blinked. Within a second, her gaze slid over to the upholstered chair beside the fireplace. Antique? Were the birds embroidered or woven? And what type of birds were they? Birds of Paradise?
“Lexie!”
“What?”
“That’s not focusing.”
“I can’t help it. I have a wanderlust mind. I’m a curious creator and thinker.”
“High on caffeine. You need to wean yourself off that stuff. Drink some chamomile tea. That should calm you down.”
“All right.” She took a sip of her coffee.
“I saw that.”
“So what else do I need to do?”
“After you focus. You become one with what you want. Then you stop thinking about it.”
“Huh?”
“Well, you don’t consciously think about breathing and yet, you do it.”
“Huh?”
“Practice, Lexie. It
does make perfect.”
She heard some back chatter coming through. “Is everything okay up your end?”
“I think I have a mutiny on my hands. I have to go. Remember, if you need anything, you only need to holler. Also, everything you need is already within you and around you.”
Huh? It all sounded so cryptic. She scooped in a big breath and looked around her. She had to focus, but she also had to stop thinking and become one... with the thought? She should have written it all down.
She heard her mom sigh.
“You know the old adage, if you don’t use it, you lose it.”
But she’d never used it...
“Okay, over and out.”
Her mom sighed again. “You don’t need to say that, Lexie.” As her mom’s voice faded away, she heard her call for attention. Clearly her mom meant to set her actors straight.
Luna leaped onto the bed, sauntered across her legs, jumped over her breakfast tray and sat on her chest.
I have a price on my head?
“I’m sure my mom was exaggerating. Scoot over, I have to shower and change.” A short while later she headed toward the door, her heels clicking along the wooden floor. “You,” she said and pointed a finger at Luna, “Stick close to me.”
Luna gave her a head to toe sweep.
“What?”
That’s what you’re wearing?
The cropped navy blazer and matching mini skirt were the only items she managed to pull out of her suitcase. When she’d tried to see what else there might be, she drew out the same outfit. Just what she needed... a suitcase with a mind of its own. Or a meddling mom who thought she knew what was best for her.
Brunch was served on the patio. There were several tables sitting four people each. Lexie made a beeline for Eloise Fitzpatrick. The redhead had her white tabby, Angelina, sitting on her lap and was feeding it tidbits.
Lexie leaned in and cut to the chase. “So who was the last woman to indulge in Stewart’s company?”
“Me.”
What? No denial? “How can you be sure?”
“I avoid self-sabotage at all costs. I couldn’t afford to think of him with anyone else so, as far as I was concerned, I was the only woman in his life.”
