Pumpkin Blend (A Paramour Bay Cozy Paranormal Mystery Book 14)

by Kennedy Layne

  We’d driven to the cemetery and were currently parked right outside the wrought iron gate as we continued to do our best to convince Leo that he wasn’t the culprit. It had taken some doing, but I think that we’d finally persuaded him to believe that Liam wouldn’t be waiting for him with cuffs in hand.

  It’s only a matter of time. My paw prints are probably all over that pumpkin patch, and it was probably my own black hair that was mixed in amongst the crushed acorns next to the curb of town square. How can the residents of Paramour Bay ever forgive me?

  “Heidi, forget about zombies,” I suggested, figuring it was best not to tell her that the palm of my right hand was tingling something fierce. I would have also tried to keep the warning sensation from Leo, but I wasn’t that good when it came to covering up something in my own thoughts. “We’re just here to talk to Ivan. Besides, Leo comes here every Wednesday. It can’t be that scary, right?”

  Don’t you get it, Raven? I’m a hardened criminal! Nothing scares me. Your palm is probably trying to warn you away from me. Have you ever thought of that?

  “We’re sitting in front of a few hundred holes filled with dead people, Raven.” Heidi stated grimly as her knuckles tightened on the steering wheel. “And a local grim reaper roaming about to boot. I’d say that absolutely classifies as scary.”

  My off-again soulmate has a point. It doesn’t help that she currently has a felon in her car. Once that line was crossed, there is no telling what I’ll do next.

  “For heaven’s sake, you had nothing to do with the missing pumpkins, Leo.” My temples were beginning to throb with a dull ache, but I’d have to wait until I got home in order to take some ibuprofen. “Let’s go find Ivan so that we can ask him about Mrs. Marinus’ brother.”

  I’ll be kicked out of the poker games, Raven. What grim reaper is going to want a known thief at his table?

  What I really needed to do was solve this case. Leo was bound to put himself in the holding cell at the local police station at this rate.

  “Heidi, it’s not even All Hallows’ Eve,” I reminded her as I pulled on my leather gloves. The evening temperature had dropped to about the low fifties and was most likely hovering in the high forties due to the coastal breeze. The low patch of fog was traveling slowly across the cemetery, though it did seem to be getting heavier by the second. I’m sure that it was just an optical illusion, though. “Are we ready?”

  No. You should lock me in this vehicle so that I don’t do anything else that would hurt the good folks of Paramour Bay. Keep the engine running, though. I need to take advantage of the heated seats while I can. They don’t have these kinds of luxuries in the big house.

  “You’re coming with us,” I said, laughing at the fact that Leo still believed that he could be the culprit. “Heidi, you need to let go of the steering wheel.”

  “The things I do for you,” Heidi muttered good-naturedly, tugging her gloves on a little tighter before she unfastened her seatbelt. “I don’t think Ivan will recognize me tonight. Let’s get this over and done with.”

  “I don’t know why Ivan scares you so much.” I opened the passenger side door, wincing when the cold air wrapped its tentacles around me. I completely understood Leo’s fascination with the heated seats in Heidi’s car. They were really cozy and comfortable. “He’s a good guy with a really crappy job.”

  I made sure to grab the two flashlights that we’d brought with us, even going so far as to make sure there were fresh batteries in them before leaving the cottage. There was a little bit of moonlight, but additional artificial light wouldn’t hurt.

  The last time that we’d roamed the cemetery, we’d ended up in a pitch-black crypt. It hadn’t been one of our finer moments, that’s for sure.

  “What are grim reapers, anyway?” Heidi asked as she came around the front of her car. She was frowning as she looked down at her key fob. “I’m not clicking it. The car will beep, and the sound will announce our arrival. I’d really rather not broadcast our presence, if you know what I mean.”

  It took me a moment to realize that Leo hadn’t joined us outside.

  I walked back to the passenger side window, placing my hands on my hips in exasperation as I peered inside the car. Leo stared back at me rather stubbornly with one eye, so I had to point my finger at him so that he’d know that I wasn’t giving in.

  He did his invisible blip thing and magically appeared on the roof of Heidi’s car.

  Have it your way, but it’s your fault if I end up turning over a tombstone or something. Who knows what I can do now that I’ve resorted to grand theft?

  “Just be on the lookout for any roaming spirits,” I murmured so that Heidi didn’t pick up on my words. “I want to get in and get out without adding to our mystery caseload, if you know what I mean.”

  Leo and I had once been visited by the spirit of a witch who had been looking for her familiar. It had resulted in us meeting the council of the coven and realizing just how thin the veil could be to those specters who wished to cross back over. The fact that we were two weeks away from All Hallows’ Eve had me a bit wary of entering the cemetery, but it should be fine if we were quick about our business.

  “How do we even know where Ivan is right now?” Heidi asked quietly as she looped her arm through mine as we finally walked through the wrought iron gate to the cemetery. “Leo, you’re going to have to lead the way. You mentioned that Ivan lived on the grounds, so it can’t be too far from here.”

  Don’t tell my off-again soulmate that we play poker in one of the crypts. It might freak her out, and we really shouldn’t be calling attention to ourselves this time of night. To completely change the subject, when did it become so cloudy? A little moonlight couldn’t hurt in a situation like this. The left half of the graveyard is completely black!

  “Leo, you have a patch over your eye.”

  It’ll be real once those inmates get ahold of me. I’ve heard whispers about what goes on behind bars, and it ain’t pretty, Raven.

  I would have thought that Leo would have tabled the fact that he could possibly be the thief in light of the fact that we were about to enter the land of the dead.

  No such luck.

  I bet Ivan could help me convince Leo that he wasn’t to blame for the missing pumpkins. I didn’t even believe that an agitated spirit could move the prized jack-o-lantern, but someone who was scared of said specter was another matter altogether. Maybe Ivan would break protocol just this once in order for the townsfolk to finally be able to enjoy the festival.

  Liam had let me know that everyone had agreed with the mayor. Nothing was going to be dismantled in town square in hopes that Liam could recover the prized jack-o-lantern. Celebrations were slated to continue next weekend if everything worked out, but they didn’t know what was really going on the way we did…and it needed to stay that way.

  “Ivan lives at the back of the property,” I finally answered Heidi, whose grip on my arm continued to tighten with each step that we took. We’d crossed through the wrought iron gate and were now passing the first row of tombstones. “Most of the family crypts line the back, but to the south of them was where the groundskeeper’s residence was built. We’ll go there first to see if—”

  Heidi’s muffled scream initiated a surge of energy to the palm of my right hand, and I ended up frantically swinging her in a complete circle to try and find out what had caused her frightened reaction.

  What is it? Where is it? Are we going to die? Raven, answer me!

  There was nothing around us, and I had even scanned the graves nearby. Heidi was right in that we hadn’t really covered zombies in her lessons, and my own knowledge was limited on the subject.

  “Something grabbed my leg,” Heidi whispered in fright, still feverishly examining the ground. Again, I noticed nothing out of turn as I swung my flashlight back and forth across the area around us. “I swear to you, Raven. Something wrapped its way around my leg and squeezed.”

  There might be a brig
ht side to this excursion, Raven. I could die from a heart attack before the good ol’ sheriff can cart me away in handcuffs.

  “Let’s just keep going,” I said quietly, all but tugging Heidi in the opposite direction of her car. “The faster we talk to Ivan, the quicker we can get home.”

  “Not fast enough,” Heidi muttered, glancing back at the entrance with longing.

  She let go of my arm long enough to pull something out of her coat pocket. I couldn’t make it out right away, so I shifted my flashlight to get a better look.

  What in Hades is that?

  “Is that salt?” I asked in disbelief.

  One would think we’d just entered an episode of Supernatural. Did you notice that the witch on there doesn’t even have a familiar? I keep waiting week after week for my doppelgänger to show up, but I’m losing hope. That reminds me—do I get set television hours in prison? I don’t think that I’d survive without my shows.

  “Yes, it’s a saltshaker,” Heidi said defensively, keeping the flashlight in her right hand as she slipped her arm back through mine. She kept a firm grip on the saltshaker with her left glove. “I learned the last time that we should take as many precautions as possible.”

  I decided not to continue talking in case that we woke something up that should remain asleep for all eternity. We had only taken a few more steps when I happened to aim my flashlight in front of my boots.

  This time, I was totally prepared for Heidi’s scream, which hadn’t been so muffled this time. She began to stomp her feet and ran a few steps ahead of me before I could catch her arm.

  “It’s Leo,” I exclaimed with a chuckle. “He’s been walking between us, and he can’t see anything in his left peripheral view with that patch on. He wrapped his tail around your leg to keep close, that’s all.”

  I get blamed for everything. It’s okay. Once you have a record, everybody assumes you’re guilty. I’m used to it by now. Just throw assault onto my charges, Raven.

  “That’s a relief,” Heidi replied breathlessly as she clutched the saltshaker to her chest. Her flashlight was now pointed up toward her chin, making the black face paint appear to deepen the hollows of her cheeks and eyes. “I was about ready to dump this salt all over my body.”

  “I don’t think salt works that way.”

  What…is…that? It’s getting larger, Raven. It’s…do something before it swallows my soulmate whole! I’ve changed my mind. She’ll forever be my soulmate!

  What Leo was witnessing was a very large shadow that had suddenly appeared and was now ever so slowly creeping up behind Heidi. The dark silhouette did appear that it was going to overwhelm her any second, and I quickly managed to grab and yank her toward me and Leo.

  Unfortunately, I’d knocked the saltshaker out of her hand.

  If this was the malevolent spirit that caused someone to steal the pumpkins in an attempt to ward it away, we were going to be in very serious trouble.

  Tell my soulmate that I love her, and that I never meant to betray her! This is it! We’re all going to die!

  Chapter Fourteen

  “Mr. Leo? Miss Raven? Miss Heidi?” Ivan materialized out of the dark shadow. As if to set the mood for the evening, we could all hear an owl hoot his own inquiry in the distance. It was almost as if the nocturnal creature had reiterated Ivan’s same questions. “What are you three doing out here this time of night?”

  Heidi’s audible sound of relief echoed over the wide landscape, but it quickly turned to one of alarm.

  “No,” Heidi replied quickly with a shake of her head. “Not Heidi. I’m…Bree. You know, from the bakery.”

  I smacked her in the arm with the flashlight for lying so brazenly.

  I can only imagine that my soulmate is befuddled by the fact that I realized my mistake about my not-so-perfect mate. Felines can change their minds, you know. I’m going to have to sit the old geezer’s feline down and break the news to her that it’s over. Raven, you’re going to have to speak with Liam about giving me time to turn myself in. I have to get my affairs in order.

  “Ivan, you scared the daylights out of us,” I exclaimed, removing the beam of my flashlight from his face when he squinted. A cold gust of wind came through, shifting Ivan’s combover. He slowly ran his hand over the dark strands to put them back in place. “We came to see you. We were hoping you could answer some questions relating to the stolen pumpkins.”

  We already know that I was the culprit, though I have no idea where I put them. Short-term memory loss and all. Anyway, ask if we can reschedule the poker game for tomorrow night. Explain that I don’t have long before the good ol’ sheriff throws me behind bars and throws away the key.

  “I’ve heard about what has been happening in town,” Ivan said, glancing toward Leo as my familiar continued to argue with me about what topic was more important. “Would Leo like to say something? I’d think it is a bit early to be dressing for All Hallows’ Eve.”

  Even though Ivan was a grim reaper and part of the supernatural world, he couldn’t hear Leo’s thoughts. That was reserved for the special bond between witches or warlocks and familiars. Rye was their interpreter during the poker games, and it worked out well for the most part.

  “We’ll get to Leo’s concern in a minute,” I said, pushing aside the poker game for now. “Heidi and I were reading about the history of the jack-o-lantern. We—”

  “Bree,” Heidi corrected me, shifting a bit farther away from me so that I couldn’t reach her with the flashlight this time. “Raven was talking to Bree. Which is me, in case you were wondering.”

  “As I was saying, we’d researched about how the jack-o-lantern can be used to ward off evil spirits,” I explained, thankful that I’d worn an extra layer of clothing when another gust of wind came blowing through the cemetery. “Mrs. Marinus lost her husband and her brother, and at first I thought that maybe she’d taken the pumpkins to ward off their spirits. You know, in case one of them decided not to keep their appointment to cross through the veil.”

  “It happens from time to time,” Ivan replied with a slow nod.

  “I know that there are certain aspects of your job that you can’t reveal to us, but—”

  “Such a delicate time in a soul’s life is very private, Miss Raven. I would not share anything from your crossover when that eventually happens,” Ivan stated, adjusting his suspenders as he focused on Leo. “I apologize for canceling our weekly poker game, Leo. There are some things in my job that cannot be avoided, but know we will resume after All Hallows’ Eve. I do believe it is your turn to bring snacks. Something that we can all eat this time around, please.”

  Please explain to my poker host that the likelihood of me having a seat at his table in two weeks is about as likely as me remembering where I stuffed all of those pumpkins. I mean, you made it sound as if quite a few had been taken from the pumpkin patch. You know, I thought my shoulders got a little brawnier.

  Leo did have a point about where someone would put all of those pumpkins. He or she would have to carve them, buy candles, and keep them lit during the nighttime hours. According to Liam, he’d driven around all the neighborhoods to see if anyone had an unusual amount of jack-o-lanterns.

  Liam clearly hadn’t discovered any such residences, so it did beg to question—where had all the pumpkins gone?

  You’ve got me, but I’ve heard that individuals can sometimes go to prison on circumstantial evidence. That reminds me. Do we know any good lawyers?

  “Leo, you are not a thief,” Ivan stated after I’d explained the issue. It hadn’t been easy getting all the details out when Leo’s agitated meows were carrying across the graveyard loud enough to wake the dead. We definitely didn’t need to deal with that type of disaster at the moment. “I can sense these things in the souls that are under my administration. There might be a lot of red tape when it comes to those in my charge, but I like to keep up with my duties. Organization is the key to a smooth transition, especially upon factoring in good deeds
over bad.”

  Raven, please confirm what our grim reaper is trying to say, because he lost me at the red tape part of his speech. And when he means good deeds over bad, I’m assuming I’d rank some type of sainthood for my efforts in the squirrelpocalypse.

  “Administration?” Heidi asked, unable to quell her curiosity. She’d discreetly tucked away the saltshaker that she’d picked up from the ground into her coat pocket as she gave Ivan an innocent smile. “Just how does your role in the supernatural realm work, if you don’t mind me asking. Bree, that is. Just in case you forgot.”

  “I can’t reveal trade secrets,” Ivan responded quite respectfully. He’d inadvertently answered Leo’s request for more information, as well. “Is there anything else that I can do for all of you this evening?”

  I didn’t feel as if we’d gotten any of the answers that we’d sought in coming here, so I tried once more to clarify some things.

  “Ivan, do you recall if Mrs. Marinus’ husband actually crossed through the veil?” I asked, doing my best to be a bit more specific in my questions.

  Ivan shifted back and forth on his work boots, clearly not comfortable with the types of inquires that I was presenting him with this evening. I certainly didn’t want him to get into any trouble with someone higher up the chain of command.

  “Yes, Mr. Marinus quite happily crossed through the veil, though it wouldn’t be prudent of me to say in which direction. His good deeds did outweigh his bad, though.” Ivan nodded more to himself than us, as if he was satisfied with his answer. “Now, I can’t say that for Mrs. Marinus’ brother. Another grim reaper escorted him to the afterlife. I’m afraid that I have an appointment that I must keep this evening, though. You really should head on home.”

  Seeing as I’ll be nominated for sainthood later down the line, doesn’t that hold any sway on rescheduling the poker game for tomorrow night? Cancelling outright seems to be a bit drastic. Would you please mention that?