“What do you mean, dear?”
“I mean, I felt as if someone was eavesdropping at the library door when my father, Frank, and I were discussing the murder case.”
Marie hesitated, shrugging with only one shoulder and giving a sideways smile. “I wouldn’t eavesdrop, hon, but I did walk by while I was looking for the bathroom. When I heard your voices, I knew it had to be further down the hall.”
Sonja bit her lower lip. “Did you . . . Did you hear anything we were saying?”
Marie waved a hand dismissively. “Hardly, my dear.”
She examined the woman’s smudged face, almost as if she’d taken her mask on and off rather quickly all in a row. “But why did you come in here?” she inquired, continuing to examine the state of Marie’s appearance.
“I already told you. I was looking for the bathroom,” she snapped suddenly. “What is this? An interrogation? What’s gotten into you, Sonja?”
As Sonja’s eyes wandered further down, she saw the feathers on the costume were all askew. However, what caught her eye next made her heart practically escape through her throat. There, in the center of the plume of purple and pink feathers, was one single peacock blue one.
She needed to tread carefully from here on out. She made a quick sideways glance to see how close she was to the door before continuing her questions. “If you were looking for the bathroom, why didn’t you turn on the light when you came in?”
“I couldn’t find the switch in the dark.”
“But why walk so far into the room then? The switch would have been right here near the door. Surely you didn’t think it was a bathroom after walking halfway across the room to the desk.”
“I just wanted to be sure,” she defended herself.
Sonja raised an eyebrow. “It just seems odd, is all.”
“Well, instead of asking me all these questions, why not show me to the bathroom yourself?” Marie insisted, standing up from the chair.
“Because I don’t think you were looking for the bathroom.”
“Excuse me?”
“I think you were eavesdropping on our conversation, for what I can hardly tell, and then ran to hide in here when you realized we were coming out.”
Marie’s face took on a stone-like appearance, her bright red lips flat and squished together. “What reason could I possibly have for listening in on your conversation?”
Sonja blinked a few times, wondering at this herself. “I don’t know, but I’m nearly one hundred percent positive you were there.”
“Okay, maybe I was interested in knowing when myself and the other guests would be allowed to leave the ballroom. We’ve been stuffed up in there for over an hour and I’m stuck trying to keep everyone at bay. I came to get answers.”
“Okay, maybe so. That doesn’t explain how you got a single blue feather stuck on your costume?” Sonja finally pointed out the most glaring clue in the room.
Marie went pale, glancing down at herself. “T-This? It could have gotten there by accident, maybe even at the costume shop,” she said in a shaky voice, plucking the stray feather from herself.
“Are you sure you didn’t get it while you were switching outfits?” Sonja accused. She could hardly believe the words that were coming out of her mouth. Marie was a friend and a hardworking coworker at Frank’s department. How could she possibly be the murderer?
But the evidence seemed to be building up.
“I don’t like what you’re implying,” Marie cursed, practically spitting as she said it.
“Your make-up is all smudged like you switched masks as well. Maybe you were listening at the door to find out where Frank was keeping the peacock blue outfit we’d found, so you could take it and destroy it before someone found out it was yours.”
“That wasn’t my outfit. Anyone could have put it down in the kitchen.”
Sonja felt her heart sink. If she had any doubts before about Marie being the culprit, they were all gone. “Only Frank and I knew about the blue costume being found in the basement kitchen. You couldn’t have known that.”
Marie’s mouth fell open, her lips quivering in an attempt to come up with some sort of explanation. “I-I overheard Frank mention it to one of the deputies.”
“You were eavesdropping on them as well?”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Marie snapped.
“I know that it had to be you up in the tower. You ran into me while you were coming down the front steps. My guess is there isn’t a secret passage to the tower and you were forced to take the only escape route available.”
“You’re wrong.”
“Am I, Marie? You’ve always been a friend to me and my family. To Frank, too.”
“And I still am.”
“Then why were you sneaking around the manor in the peacock outfit?” Sonja shouted, getting tired of the excuses.
Slumping down into the desk chair, Marie sighed. “Fine. You’re right. I killed him. I did it for you.”
Sonja took a step back in horror. “For me? How could murdering someone possibly be for me?”
“He was trying to take away your powers.”
Sonja’s mouth fell open so wide that her throat began to feel dry and scratchy. After a second, she found the words. “Y-You knew about me?”
“Of course, I did. I’ve known since before you did.”
“H-how?”
Carefully, Marie smoothed out her dress, adjusting herself in the chair. “I used to be a maid in this house many years ago.”
“What?”
“I’m much older than you think, hon,” Marie revealed. “I’ve lived in this town since it was founded.”
“But how?”
“You suspected a witch, didn’t you?” she asked.
“You mean you—”
“Of course, but I never hurt anyone. I don’t curse people. I don’t kill people. At least not until tonight.”
“How old are you?”
“I’m one hundred and thirty-three, my dear.” She touched her hair, brushing it with her fingers. “I’ve only ever used my magic to lengthen my own lifespan. Staying among my friends and family, remaining in this town that I love, it’s all I care about.”
Sonja blinked back her confusion. “But, what does that have to do with me.”
“Over the past thirty or so years, my powers have been fading. You see, Haunted Falls holds a wealth of magical energy. The veil to the realm of the dead is thin here, thinner than anywhere else I’ve ever visited. However, over time that gap is closing. We’re getting more closed off and fewer people believe in magic, or the underworld.”
“And you’ve been using this magic to live longer.”
“Yes, hon. That’s exactly right. However, when the gap started to close, I knew I would have to get my magic from someplace else.”
Sonja paused, her eyes widening in realization. Placing a hand on her chest, she swallowed hard. “Me?”
“That’s right. From you. Your powers act as a conduit to the underworld from which I can draw my magic. I’ve even done rituals to enhance your powers and make you stronger.”
Sonja folded her arms. “Are you insane? Doesn’t that mean I also draw in more malice and evil to Haunted Falls? All those murders that have happened here, the witches who have come here, the ghosts and demons.”
“It’s true. Paranormal activity is drawn to you like a moth to the flame—and your flame has only grown brighter.” Her face hardened, anger flashing behind her eyes. “But, unfortunately, that flame is all but gone now. Despite all my efforts this evening to stop that warlock from finishing his ritual, you still managed to step in his circle.”
Marie stood up, the fury only growing in her until it almost seemed as if she were breathing steam.
“You’ve been using me all this time, bringing harm and fear to the people of Haunted Falls.”
“But you’re useless, now,” she spat. “You are just as normal as everyone else. I considered that I might be
able to use your father, but his power is nothing but a flicker compared to what yours was.”
“I thought you were my friend,” Sonja choked.
“We were friends, but now you know my secret, and you know why I had to kill that warlock.” Marie’s hair began to move as if some unseen wind were blowing it. Her eyes began to glow red, a show of the true malicious power that had stayed dormant for so many years. “Now, as much as it pains me, I have to make sure you stay silent as well.”
Not wanting to stay another second, Sonja turned to go for the door, but it slammed shut with an unseen force.
“You’re not going anywhere,” she threatened.
Turning back, she watched in horror as the woman approached her. Just as she got close, where Sonja could feel a heat like fire coming off her, a loud yowl cried out over the air. A black cat leaped down from above, charging with its claws out, and landing on the witch’s head.
Marie screamed out as Belinda ripped and tore at her.
Sonja took the opening, and pulled the door open, running out into the hall and down to the ballroom where she called for Frank.
Chapter Thirteen
“Trick or Treat,” a group of kid’s shouted at the front door of the Waffle Diner and Eatery.
“Oh, you all look so spooky,” Sonja praised the children as she handed out baggies with peanut butter cup waffles in them to each little monster. “There you go.”
“Thank you,” they all cried, waving as they ran off toward the next place to ask for candy and treats.
“They’re all pretty cute, aren’t they?” Frank admitted with a smile from where he stood leaning in the doorway. The diner behind him had been decorated to the hilt for the evening. Orange and purple lights illuminated the building with a festive glow. Various dummies dressed up as vampires, scarecrows, witches, werewolves, and more sat at the tables and booths closest to the front windows, eating meals of eyeballs and worms and other such macabre treats. It was a real picture window show.
Cobwebs shrouded everything, and a fog machine sent out a mist across the small parking lot. A CD of spooky sounds and music played out of the loudspeaker system.
“I never knew you to like kids that much,” Sonja teased him.
“Hey, if I’m going to be opening a board game shop and non-profit here in town, I better like them,” he said with a chuckle.
“You’re right there,” she agreed.
“Trick or Treat,” another bunch of cuties shouted out as they approached the diner. Sonja handed out their treats and sent them on their way.
Frank stepped forward, taking a seat in the chair next to his wife. “So, I know I’ve already asked you this a few times now, but are you really okay not having your sixth sense anymore?”
Sonja breathed out quietly through her nose. “I’m getting used to it.”
“I just worry,” he noted.
Setting down her large bowl of bagged treats on the concrete porch, she folded her arms around herself against the chill of the night. “It’s bittersweet. I miss it. It made me feel special, like I had something meaningful to contribute to the world. At the same time, I now know that those powers were being used for selfish purposes and could still be used for selfish purposes by someone who had the power. I’m okay with no more hauntings, no more possessions, shapeshifters, demons, witches, the works. In all honesty, it’s a relief to let go.”
“Well, I’m glad to hear it.” Wrapping his arm around his wife he kissed her head.
“You’re certainly glad to see it go,” she pointed out.
“I’d be a dishonest man if I didn’t admit that was true, but I also feel sad that you have lost a part of yourself. It was becoming a bigger part of our lives with every passing day.”
Sonja glanced down at the black cat that had snuggled up beside the chair. Belinda was asleep. Thus, was the nature of being a cat, she supposed. “We aren’t completely devoid of the paranormal,” she said.
“I wouldn’t give up Belinda as part of our family for anything in the world,” he said. It was true. Belinda, having lived with them, was now as much a part of their life, and their family, like any parent, sibling, or child would be.
“And even though we can’t see Misty, she’s still around.”
“I wish that cat would stop knocking things over, though,” Frank complained.
“It’s a comfort to have an animal haunt our home, somehow,” she laughed.
Frank chuckled as well, looking up at the clear starry sky. “And your father?” he asked, broaching a slightly sensitive subject. “Will you ever be able to let go of the fact that he went behind your back?”
“I’ll be able to forgive him in time. I forgave him before.” She shrugged. “He was being my father, the same way he always has been. Overprotective, but not always great at communicating. While what he did was wrong, he did it out of love. I can’t completely fault him for that.” Bringing her legs up onto the chair, she hugged them close to her body. “Marie is the harder pill to swallow.”
Frank set his jaw, the muscles tightening and the veins popping out slightly. “She betrayed us all, in a way. We all trusted her for years.”
“She used me.”
“According to Belinda, she used up what energy she had left in trying to attack you. She won’t have any more magic for a while, it seems.”
“She’ll just grow old as normal, now,” a voice came from below. Belinda had woken up and was stretching her paws out in front of herself.
“Belinda. You’re awake,” Sonja said, reaching down and scratching her friend behind the ears.
“Without magic, she goes back to being human again.”
“It’s a shame she’ll have to live out the rest of her life behind bars,” Sonja noted.
“She murdered someone,” Frank pointed out.
“I know, but she still just wanted to live longer, to escape death and remain in the town she loved.”
“It doesn’t justify murder.”
“No, it doesn’t,” Sonja agreed.
Another horde of children came running up. “Trick or treat,” they shouted.
“What a cute kitty,” another kid said, staring at Belinda.
After getting their goodies, they were on their way.
“They really are cute, aren’t they?” Sonja beamed.
“They sure are,” Frank mused quietly, a little smile on his lips. “So, how do you feel about having a kid of our own one of these days?”
Upon hearing those words come from her husband’s mouth, Sonja smiled from ear to ear. “Do you think it’ll be born with a sixth sense like me and my father?” she asked.
Frank furrowed his brow unhappily at this thought.
Belinda and Sonja burst out laughing.
Also by Carolyn Q. Hunter
Diner of the Dead Series
Book 1: The Wicked Waffle
Book 2: Battered and Buttered Waffle
Book 3: Sinister Strawberry Waffle
Book 4: The Wayward Waffle
Book 5: Pumpkin Pie Waffle
Book 6: Turkey and Terror
Book 7: Creepy Christmas Waffle
Book 8: Birthday Cake Waffle
Book 9: Spooky Sweetheart Waffle
Book 10: Eerie Irish Waffle
Book 11: Savory Spring Waffle
Book 12: Benedict Waffle
Book 13: Scary Sausage Waffle
Book 14: Murderous Mocha Waffle
Book 15: Red Velvet Waffle
Book 16: High Steaks Murder
Book 17: Hole In One Waffle
Book 18: Fireworks and Waffles
Book 19: Games, Ghouls and Waffles
Book 20: Waffling in Murder
The Wicked Waffle Series
Book 1:Hot Buttered Murder
Book 2: Bacon Caramel Murder
Book 3: Thanksgiving Waffle Murder
Book 4: Christmas Waffle Caper
Book 5: Buckaroo Waffle Murder
Book 6: Wedding Waffle Mu
rder
Book 7: Cactus Waffle Murder
Book 8: Zombie Waffle Murder
Book 9: A Very Catty Murder
Pies and Pages Series
Book 1: Killer Apple Pie
Book 2: Killer Chocolate Pie
Book 3: Killer Halloween Pie
Book 4: Killer Thanksgiving Pie
Book 5: Killer Christmas Pie
Book 6: Killer Caramel Pie
Book 7: Killer Cocoa Pie
Book 8: Shamrock Pie Murder
Book 9: Killer Easter Pie
Halloween Waffle Murder Page 7
