by Sonia Parin
“What she can do? Are you saying she has ‘gifts’?”
“You really have been out of the loop.”
“Yes. And I’m sure that makes me a laughing stock.” They could laugh all they liked. She was still the... incoming High Chair and, if she thought about it, she might actually end up with a really cool cat. She’d be the envy of all covens. “Let me guess, it’s all about us merging...” and focusing but then losing focus... “So are you coming down here?”
“I will as soon as I can organize that search warrant. I already have someone working on it. It shouldn’t be long.”
“Okay. I guess Luna and I should make an appearance downstairs. Actually, she needs to have her breakfast first.” Lexie chuckled under her breath. “I’m going to have to learn to be a better cat person... mom. I forgot to feed her yesterday and what with one thing and another she didn’t make a fuss until she was faint with hunger. Now I have some making up to do.” Lexie turned and looked around the room. “Heavens, she’s probably still recovering her strength. Luna. Rise and shine. There’s some yummy smoked salmon waiting for you.” She poured herself another cup of coffee.
“I think she’s ignoring you.”
“Luna, I’m going to start calling you Miss Precious.” Lexie bent down. From where she sat she could actually see under the bed. “I think last night was too much too soon for her. She might have had a change of mind. Now she’s hiding.” She went to check the wardrobe. “All right. Do not panic.”
“What’s wrong?” Dante asked.
“Luna,” she called out and went to check behind the curtains. Not there. The words hung in her mind becoming heavier and heavier. When she managed to push them out, they sounded shaky and full of the panic rising inside her. “She’s not here.”
Had she slipped out when Grayson came in earlier to bring her breakfast?
“I’ll talk to you later, Dante. I have to go find the little rascal.” When she reached the door, she stopped. “Dante O’Rourke? Are you still there?”
“Yes.”
Her lips quivered. “It’s coming back to me.”
“What is?”
“Last night. I ordered some food for Luna and a drink for me.” She turned and looked at the table. The butler had removed last night’s tray. “I didn’t think about it at the time, but now... I think my drink might have been spiked with something. Luna and I were talking and then I could barely keep my eyes open.”
“I’m coming right over.”
He didn’t tell her to stay put. It would not have made any difference. Lexie stormed out of her room and rushed downstairs, all the while calling out Luna’s name in her mind. If they had connected she should be able to answer back.
If she didn’t answer back...
That meant her cat knew how to hold a grudge.
Or worse. She couldn’t answer.
Chapter Nine
Lexie’s feet barely touched the steps as she hurried down the stairs. Her head felt like a beacon, flashing Luna’s name.
Answer me, Luna. You are in so much trouble. I’m going to start counting. You don’t want me to do that, Luna. Don’t make me go looking for you outside. If I find you’ve gone up a tree again with that rascal, Jack, I will...
“Hello.”
Lexie swirled around but seeing it was Henrietta Langton with her cat, Nigel, she kept moving. She couldn’t remember Henrietta saying anything to incriminate herself and her interest in Luna hadn’t been obsessive.
“Are we late for something?” Henrietta asked. She hurried her steps and tried to catch up with Lexie. “Honestly, with so much going on, sometimes it’s hard to keep track of where one should be.”
“Have you seen Luna? I can’t find her anywhere.”
Henrietta stopped. “You’ve lost your cat? Again?”
Lexie tried to dismiss the look of sheer horror on the woman’s face. Clearly she’d been judged and sentenced. She was a bad cat owner.
Dismissing the guilt before it settled in, Lexie burst out onto the patio but Bebe Brown blocked her way.
“Hello. Where are you off to in such a hurry?”
“She’s lost her cat,” Henrietta called out.
“Again?”
Oh, for heaven’s sake. “Have you seen Luna?”
Bebe Brown shook her head and holding Miss Brown closer to her, stepped back.
Honestly, losing one’s cat was not contagious.
Outside, she scanned the grounds looking for—
What?
Should she look for a golden tabby or a black cat?
She resumed her mental hollering of Luna’s name and still no response.
I will wring your neck. I’ll replace you with a dog. A Corgi. Actually, I’ll keep you and the Corgi and I’ll give it preferential treatment. I will. You just wait and see...
Halfway across the lawn she thought she picked up a faint, mournful mewl.
She revisited the tree where she’d found Luna the previous day. Anyone seeing her move from tree to tree, waving her fists and issuing threats would think she’d lost her marbles.
“Dante O’Rourke.”
“I’m in the library with Aurora Smithson.”
“Does she have my cat?”
“No. I guess that means you still haven’t found Luna?”
“Put the place on lock down. No one is leaving until Luna turns up.”
“Calm down, Lexie. Whoever has her won’t harm her.”
“You can’t say that with any degree of certainty. Stewart was going to stuff her. What if he’s not the only one collecting stuffed cats? What if there’s a black market for witch’s cats?” She broke into a run and headed back to the house. “I just remembered something.” It had been one of those passing remarks... a conversation filler. “Ramona said Luna reminded her of Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s.”
“Luna’s cute, but I wouldn’t go so far as to compare her to the star.”
“The film opens with Holly Golightly wearing a black designer dress. I bet anything Ramona can see Luna in her true colors. In fact, the more I think about it the more convinced I am. I wore a black cocktail dress yesterday and Ramona said Luna made a nice accessory. That only makes sense if Ramona can see Luna as a black cat.” Or her in her Mackenzie Coven outfit...
“But that’s impossible. I didn’t sense any special powers from her.”
“You said it yourself, some people see strange things and dismiss them. I’m guessing Ramona is one of those people curious enough to notice. I have to find Ramona. And... didn’t you say she’d placed an order for black wigs?”
“Yes. So?”
“She wants Luna for herself.” Lexie reached the steps leading up to the back patio. “Dante O’Rourke. Are you still there?” A faint voice reached out to her.
“Lex—”
It sounded like Dante, but his voice cut off. “Was that you?”
Don’t come...
“What?” That had definitely been Dante but the words had been even fainter.
“Stop.”
The command slammed into her head. This time Dante came through with such fierce clarity, Lexie thought her head would explode.
“What now?”
He didn’t answer. In fact, the silence that settled around her had a disturbing hollowness to it. It was the silence of a pitch-black room or the quiet before the storm.
Henrietta Langton and Bebe Brown had settled at a patio table. Lexie hurried toward them. At last, something normal. “Have either of you seen or heard anything?” They were both taking small sips of their colorful drinks. Bebe twirled a pink and blue paper umbrella and shook her head. Neither one seemed concerned by Lexie’s alarmed tone. In fact, they appeared to be quite oblivious of anything being wrong.
“Where is everyone?”
They both shrugged.
Lexie clicked her fingers in front of Henrietta. She didn’t even blink. Nor did her cat, Nigel. Had they been put in some sort of trance?
Dante had been wrong. Someone here was definitely meddling and using powers.
She strode across the patio, her gaze darting around as she mentally corralled all the suspects. Aurora had access to an orchard and in Lexie’s mind that gave her the means to source the poison. If Dante had forced a confession out of her, she might be putting up a fight. Using her special powers? It had to be the reason why he’d told Lexie not to come.
Or he might have been coerced... forced into sending the message. What if it had been his way of saying she should hurry up and get her butt inside because he and Luna needed rescuing from the lunatic who’d taken them prisoner?
Great. Now she’d become delusional.
What made her think she could rescue anyone? As she stepped inside the house she alternated between calling Luna and Dante. Neither one answered.
There were three doors leading off the foyer. She knew one led into the library and another one into a sitting room. The other one she wasn’t so sure about. Easing it open, she saw the butler arranging chess pieces on a board.
Deciding she should enlist his help, she strode in. As she walked toward him she expected him to stop organizing the pieces and look up. Not because a life of servitude had conditioned him to respond to someone’s presence but rather, because that’s what a normal person would do. Her included. But he didn’t look up.
Lexie cleared her throat, but Grayson ignored her. Had he suddenly developed a hearing impairment?
“Grayson.”
He began humming.
With all the chess pieces in place, he drew out a cloth from his back pocket and wiped the edges of the small table.
“Grayson, can you hear me?”
He appeared to be completely oblivious.
Dante had been so sure no one at the manor house had powers, yet she knew someone had taken control of Grayson, and Bebe... and Henrietta.
“I suppose there’s no point in asking if you’ve seen or heard anything strange.” Grayson didn’t even look up from his dusting. She might as well have been talking to a statue... a moving statue. Alive and breathing, but not hearing her.
She strode out and crossed the entrance foyer. “Hello,” she called out at the top of her voice. “Loud enough to revive a week old corpse. Yet no one answers. Should I feel insulted?” She strode into the library and found Dante standing in the middle of the book filled room chatting with Eloise Fitzpatrick. The redhead sat with her legs crossed, her attention fixed on Dante while she scratched Angelina behind the ears.
“I hope you know what’s going on,” Lexie said.
Dante didn’t even look at her. Nor did Eloise.
Lexie waved her hand in front of Dante’s eyes, but he didn’t even blink. “Right, you can’t answer me because either you can’t see me or hear me or you’re pretending. Hey, it’s not April Fool’s.”
How could they not see or hear her?
As she turned to leave, she saw Aurora sitting in a corner with Jack on her lap. She had a book and appeared to be reading to him.
“Aurora. Can you hear me? Blink three times if you can.” Nothing. Not even the flutter of an eyelash. “How about you, Jack? Can you hear me?” Cats were meant to have extra sensory perception, or some such thing.
“Okay, this is beyond weird. And... definitely time to call for backup.” She contacted her mom first. Then she called Jonathan. Neither one answered. “Mirabelle. Catherine. Someone. Anyone. Remember me. You were so keen for me to face up to my responsibilities and resume my rightful place in the Mackenzie Coven. You promised you’d help. Yet here I am, asking for a little assistance and getting nothing. I feel misled. I’m sure you’ve all told me at one time or other I could call on you. For anything. Well, this is definitely something.”
If there’d been even a whispered response she would have heard it. The house had fallen deadly silent. Drop a pin and she’d hear it.
“I don’t want to think you’ve all cut me loose so I’m going to assume you can at least hear me but if you’re answering back, I can’t hear you... because... maybe someone here has come into some powers.” Lexie slapped her hand over her mouth. She swirled around in a panic. Since arriving at Chelsea Manor, everyone had commented on Luna’s uniqueness. They’d all been fascinated by her. Stewart had wanted her for his bizarre collection.
Someone, or everyone, knew about Luna’s abilities.
“Oh, we’re in trouble. What if the person who took Luna is using her powers? For starters, I’ll be angry because I don’t know what Luna is capable of doing and I’m her companion. It would be unfair for someone else to see her strut her stuff... willingly or otherwise.”
Time to hit panic stations, Lexie thought and rushed to the door. “Just in case anyone is wondering what I’m getting up to, I’m going to keep searching the house.” Out of curiosity, she strode up to a mirror and checked her reflection. Yes, she could see herself.
“For a moment there I thought I might have disappeared. I’ll work my way from bedroom to bedroom and then—”
What if Luna hadn’t been taken against her will? What if she’d gone willingly? “What if I failed to impress her so much she decided she couldn’t wait to leave me?”
Luna. If you can hear me, I’m going to find you. I know we’ve had our differences, and maybe I’ve been too strict with you. If you want some alone time with Jack... then by all means you are free to roam at will.
“Lexie!”
“Dante?” Swinging back toward the library she rushed in and found Dante in the midst of an argument with both Eloise and Aurora.
“There she is. Do you know what’s happened? I’ve spent the last half hour reading the same page to Jack,” Aurora said.
Dante leaned in and whispered, “Lexie. Someone cast a spell on us.”
“Yes, but who? You said you hadn’t sensed anyone.”
“What’s this about,” Eloise demanded. Aurora chorused her concerns. “What is he talking about? What spell?”
Lexie grabbed hold of Dante’s sleeve. “I came in earlier and you couldn’t see me. Could you hear me?”
He shook his head. “Whatever’s happened, it’s affected us... me... the guests and blocked you out.”
“What if it happens again?” Lexie turned to Aurora. “You. Did you kill Stewart with an apple? Quick, answer me.”
“What? Are you out of your mind? Kill the best lover I’ve had?”
“Same goes for me,” Eloise piped in. “If I were to kill anyone, it would be the person responsible for killing Stewart.”
Lexie wasn’t convinced. “Aurora. You own an apple orchard.”
She nodded. “It’s been in my family for years.”
“Stewart was killed with cyanide and that’s made from apple seeds. Admit it. You gave him an ultimatum. Stop seeing other women. He refused so you killed him.”
“Have you been drinking?” Aurora asked.
“Then it was you.” Lexie pointed at Eloise. “I saw you in the room with him.” She hadn’t but it was about time she started calling people’s bluff. “I heard you tell him you’d warned him to be discreet.”
Eloise blushed.
“It really was you.”
“Yes. But I didn’t know he was dead. I thought he was ignoring me.”
“So did I. You must have gone in after I did,” Aurora said.
“Lexie. We need to look elsewhere,” Dante said.
“No. Hang on. I heard Eloise say she’d warned him to be discreet. To me that sounded like a threat.”
“And it was. No one outside of this house was supposed to know what went on during our soirees, but I’d gone into the village and heard someone say she’d heard Stewart at the local pub talking about us. I was so cross with him, I told him I wouldn’t see him again until... well, until the following day.”
Lexie plunged her fingers through her hair. “I wish I could squeeze the truth out of people just by asking.” She swung toward Aurora. “Is that your real hair color? Well, no... as a matter of fact, i
t isn’t,” she mocked.
Aurora cleared her throat. “Actually, it isn’t.”
That wasn’t something a woman readily admitted to.
“I think my truth spell is working.” If only she knew how she’d done it. Had she inadvertently focused? On what?
“Come on. We’ll go through the house. Luna’s bound to be in one of the rooms.” Lexie rushed out the door. “Should we split up?” When Dante didn’t answer she turned and saw him double back into the library and pick up where he’d left off. Whatever spell had been put in place before had now returned. “I guess I’m on my own again. Unless...”
Mom? Morgana Elsbeth Mackenzie, if you can hear me... Help.
Her heart punched against her chest. She should have known it would only get worse when she hadn’t been able to leave.
She raced up the stairs and opened the first door she came across without even knocking. Inside she saw a couple arguing over the choice of ties.
“Is my cat, Luna, here?”
Neither one heard her or looked at her.
By the time she’d opened a dozen doors, she had dismissed as many suspects. Now she was down to a half dozen or so.
Hearing a hollow thud, she stopped. Had the spell worn off again?
She opened another door and jumped back. Henry Stuyvesant stood by the window with Blackwell in his arms.
“You. Are you doing this?” she demanded.
“Don’t be absurd. What’s going on? Every time I try to leave my room, I think I’ve forgotten something. I walk back to the window and stand here like an idiot gazing out.”
Instinct told her to call his bluff. “Sure. Pull the other one. Why did you kill Stewart?”
“Me?”
“Yes. You resented his popularity with the women here. You wanted to clear the way for yourself.”
“I’ve never heard anything so absurd. If you’re going to suspect someone you should consider Bebe Brown. Stewart nearly killed her cat.”
Could Bebe Brown really have taken matters into her own hands?
