While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions, or for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein.

CRYPT WITCH COZY MYSTERY COLLECTION: BOOKS 1-5

First edition. December 15, 2021.

Copyright © 2021 K.E. O'Connor.

Written by K.E. O'Connor.

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Table of Contents

Copyright Page

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Book 1 | Luck of the Witch | K.E. O’Connor

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Book 2 | Hell of a Witch | K.E. O’Connor

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Book 3 | Revenge of the Witch | K.E. O’Connor

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Book 4 | Curse of the Witch | K.E. O’Connor

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Book 5 | Son of a Witch | K.E. O’Connor

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

About the Author

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Book 1

Luck of the Witch

K.E. O’Connor

Chapter 1

As I slid through the familiar tingle of the magic barrier surrounding Willow Tree Falls, I had one mission on my mind. Find the biggest brownie I could and head home for a night curled up on the couch with Wiggles.

I tried to brush green dust from my black pants. It was unpleasantly sticky, and I only succeeded in smearing it down my thigh. That was the trouble with rogue demons. They had no concern about messing up your clothes when you dragged them back to prison.

I’d spent the best part of a week tracking this particular demon. Abigar had been sly and uncooperative. He had not come quietly. In fact, he’d whined and pleaded for a second chance. He’d even offered me a stash of gold if I’d let him go.

I twisted my long dark hair over one shoulder and adjusted the heavy bag containing Abigar on my hip. There was no way I could let a demon who was that much trouble loose on the rest of the world.

My stomach gurgled, and my mission to find the brownie intensified.

A group of young witches raced out of Star Fairfax’s dance studio, almost slamming into me in their haste to escape the sweaty tutus and bouncy floors that were the torture of dance lessons.

Two of the girls pulled up sharply and stared at me before covering their mouths and running away, laughing as they did so.

“That’s Tempest Crypt, the witch I told you about,” the small redheaded girl with an inability to whisper spoke from behind her hand. “She eats demons for breakfast.”

The other girl turned her wide dark eyes toward me before grabbing her friend’s hand and running off.

“You’d better run,” I muttered. “I don’t make a habit of eating demons or little girls, but I might make an exception in your case.”

I slowed as I passed Heaven’s Door, my sister, Aurora’s magic store. The place was bustling as usual. It was the most popular store in Willow Tree Falls. Everyone loved Aurora. She was Little Miss Perfect and never put a foot wrong. If she wasn’t my sister, I’d hate her.

As if sensing my presence, Aurora’s gaze lifted to the window, and she smiled. She beckoned me into the store.

I shook my head and carried on walking. I was too exhausted, and when I was tired, I wasn’t safe to be around, especially not when it came to Aurora.

I inhaled deeply and smiled. My favorite smell drifted out of Sprinkles bakery. Patti must have just taken a fresh batch of goodies out of her oven.

I increased my pace and pushed open the door to the bakery.

Patti Kayes stood behind the counter, loading the shelves with chocolate chip cookies. She did something magical to whatever she baked. It always tasted heavenly and left you wanting more. I was a sucker for her brownies. The bigger the better, and the more chocolate, the happier I was.

I approached the counter, my eyes glued to the sweet treats behind the glass.

Patti tapped the top of the counter with a long finger to get my attention.

I looked up and met her green eyes. “I don’t see any brownies. My mission is brownie retrieval.”

Patti chuckled as she placed the cookies down. Her wild red curls were hidden neatly under a white floppy baker’s cap. “They’re coming. I had a feeling you’d be back today, so I made an extra batch.”

“You’re keeping tabs on me?”

“Nothing so sinister. I had some of Angel Force in earlier today on a coffee run. They were worried because you hadn’t been in touch and were asking around to see if anyone knew anything and if you might be in trouble.”

I shook my head. I’d done this job as a favor for Angel Force. They were kind of like the police in non-magical communities, just not so efficient. The angels monitored illicit demon activity from Willow Tree Falls, keeping an eye on the rest of the world and making sure no demons became too troublesome. “Those puffed up angel farts don’t know what they’re talking about. We don’t all have time to go gossiping when on a job. They know I won’t let them down.”

Patti eyed the lumpy bag I had attached to my belt. “He’s in there?”

“Where else?”

“Your family will be happy to have him back inside.”

“This one was a giant pain in the butt. But he didn’t escape from the prison. He escaped Angel Force when they were transporting him.”

“That’s demons for you. Always up to no good.” Patti grinned at me. “How many brownies do you need?”

“As many as you’ve got.”

She laughed. “I cooked a batch of fifty.”

“Oh, well, I’ll take a dozen.”

“Good plan. That’s breakfast, lunch, and dinner sorted for a few days.”

I snorted a laugh. “If I’m lucky.”

“Give me two minutes. I’ll box them up for you. Fresh out of the oven, so they’re still warm and gooey.”

I lounged against the counter as I waited for my brownies, my gaze going around the pretty pastel pink and blue cafe. It was late afternoon, so the only customers were retired people or young moms. Several of the clientele didn’t meet my gaze. I didn’t mind. I had a bitchy side that could emerge at inappropriate times. He was called Frank. Frank was a demon, and he came out when I least wanted him to.

“A dozen brownies ready to go.” Patti placed a box on the counter.

I handed over some money, resisting the urge to rip off the lid and stuff my face full of brownies. “Have I missed anything while I’ve been gone?”

“Only all the nonsense in the build-up to the mayoral election.” Patti handed me my change. “I can’t imagine anyone wanting that job. All they get is hassled day and night about inconsiderate neighbors, overgrown hedges, or boundary disputes. Who wants to deal with that?”

“All the ego maniacs who put themselves forward,” I said. “I saw the bunting up across the street. Is that to do with the election?”

“It’s supposed to make people more excited about them,” Patti said. “I’m not even sure I’ll bother to vote. Maybe I will if there’s an any other option. I don’t know about Axel, Mannie, or Deacon being the new mayor. None of them seem quite right for the job.”

“If you don’t vote, you risk getting some idiot filling the role.” Willow Tree Falls’ incompetent but harmless current mayor, Grenville Kirby, was retiring after twenty years on the job. He was stepping down for a life of blissful peace and a passion for playing golf extremely badly.

“Any idea who you’ll vote for?” Patti asked.

“Whoever is least likely to cause Cloven Hoof any problems.” That was my business. I specialized in providing exotic drinks with a little pinch of magic. I also did a healthy sideline in natural pick me ups that came with a side order of magic bliss. It was the perfect way for people to unwind after a stressful day.

“I heard talk about Cloven Hoof at one of the candidate’s meetings,” Patti said.

I sighed. Not everybody loved Cloven Hoof. “Who’s gunning for me this time?”

“I’m not sure but check what they were talking about. You don’t want to find yourself thumped with a new business tax or restrictions on use.”

“I’d like to see them try.” I grabbed the brownies. “Thanks for the heads-up.” My happy brownie induced mood was dented by the possibility of somebody interfering with Cloven Hoof, and it led me to the door of the Ancient Imp. I needed a drink and an update on who was talking about my business. No one knew the local gossip better than the Ancient Imp’s owner, Petra Duke. People always talked more freely when they’d had a few drinks. Petra was always happy to listen.

She was behind the bar when I entered, wiping a clean cloth over the already clean surface. Her long black hair had a sweep of silver running down either side. Her eyes were lined with black kohl, and her mouth was painted red. She nodded at me as I stopped by the bar.

“The usual?”

“Make it a double.” I leaned on the bar, enjoying the woody, earthy scent the building always had. It had a lot to do with Petra’s earth witch roots.

“Are those demons causing you trouble again?” Petra placed a tall glass full of sparkling lemon water in front of me. I rarely drank alcohol. It didn’t do Frank any good.

“This one had his moments, but I squashed him.”

“Cora was in here with your Auntie Queenie last night. She said all the demon cracks are sealed. They’ve had a quiet few days since you’ve been gone.”

“I’ve heard that before,” I said. “There will be someone below causing mischief before too long.”

“You should be grateful. If it weren’t for their mischief, you’d be out of a job.”

“Cloven Hoof keeps me busy enough. Speaking of which, do you know which mayoral candidate is looking to cause me trouble if they get into post?”

Petra laughed. “I wondered when you’d hear about that.”

“It’s true?”

“A couple of residents who live close to Cloven Hoof have mentioned your late license, and they want to see it restricted.”

“I open late to meet customer demand. I don’t like working past midnight. If there was no demand, I wouldn’t do it. Half of the people who come in after hours live in the houses near Cloven Hoof.”

“I’m not the one with the problem.” Petra raised a hand. “It won’t happen. It’s all hot air to get people interested and get them out voting next week.”

“Whose hot air are we talking about?”

Petra narrowed her eyes, a wicked smile on her face. “Mannie Winter.”

“That self-righteous dwarf comes in at least once a week. Why does he want to shut me down at night?”

“He wants to be seen as the next mayor of Willow Tree Falls. He has to be seen working to meet his followers’ requests.”

“I’ve got a request for him. I’ll tell him what it is when I’ve jammed my foot up his butt.”

Petra chuckled and looked over my head as the door to the Ancient Imp opened.

I groaned as I recognized the smell of sweaty, sulfur coated bodies. Willow Tree Falls did a roaring tourist trade, thanks to its allegedly magical hot spas and healing stone circle. Non-magicals came from hundreds of miles to sample these elixirs of a long life and good health. They either spent their time meditating within the stone circle or splashing around naked in the naturally warm thermal spas that sat on the edge of the forest.

They were tourist gimmicks. Non-magicals couldn’t access the real properties of the stones or the spa water. But it meant Willow Tree Falls was thriving, and local businesses did well out of the tourists who visited throughout the year.

“I feel ten years younger.” A plump non-magical with damp blonde hair sat in the seat next to me.

“Me too,” her companion said. He was equally damp looking and sulfur smelling.

Petra turned her attention to them and took their drinks order.

“We should come back every year,” the woman said, “and bring Denise and Bobby. It will do wonders for his aching hip.”

I took a sip of my lemon water. The non-magicals bugged me. They were so sure of themselves yet had no clue what was going on beneath their noses. If it weren’t for my family, their world would be in chaos. They had no clue what was beneath their feet. If they did, there’d be no way they’d hang out in Willow Tree Falls.

The woman glanced at me and smiled. “Are you here for the thermal spas?”

“Nope, I live here,” I said.

“You’re so lucky. You must use them all the time. Your skin’s glowing, and your hair has a lovely sheen.”

“Thanks, I use a great foundation.”

The woman tilted her head. “Tell me your secret. What is it?”

I glanced at Petra and winked. “Actually, it is the spas. Did you cover yourself in the mud when you were there?”

The woman’s eyes widened. “I didn’t know we were supposed to. We swam about a bit and assumed whatever is in the water would be absorbed through our skin.”

I shook my head, forcing myself to look serious. “You’ll only get some of the benefits if you do that. For an immersive treatment, you need to dive under the water, grab a handful of mud from the bottom and cover your bodies in it. That way, you’ll get the maximum benefits and have glowing skin.”

“We should go back,” the woman said as she tugged on her friend’s hand. “I don’t want to miss this opportunity while we’re here.”

Her friend looked longingly at the pint of beer that had just arrived. “We can go back tomorrow.”

“You should go tonight,” I said. “It’s good to be covered in the mud under a full moon.”

“Tempest, maybe you shouldn’t,” Petra cautioned.

I couldn’t help myself. Non-magical tourists were so annoying. “Lots of mud, a full moon, and then you lie on the banks of the spa and let it dry for at least an hour.”

“That sounds amazing. Thanks for the tip. We’ll do that.”

“My pleasure.” I drained my lemon water. And when they did, they’d be met with our not so friendly toothless werewolf, Brian. He liked to hang out at the spa in full shaggy werewolf form and scare tourists. He could do them no harm with his gums and blunt claws but still enjoyed chasing them out of his territory, especially when they were naked.

I grabbed my box of brownies, nodded a goodbye to Petra, and headed out of the Ancient Imp. I spotted more tourists heading toward the pub and was glad I’d left when I did.

“Coooeeee! Tempest, have you got a second?” The piercing tones of Puddles Lavern drilled into my head.

“Not now. I’m busy.” I kept walking, my head down.

“I hate to trouble you, but I need to check when your rent is coming in.”

I gritted my teeth as I slowed. I was a week late in paying. Puddles ran Gnome Place Like Home, the village’s realtor and letting agency. I leased Cloven Hoof’s building from her, including the apartment above it.

“The money’s on its way. As you can see, I’m back from an out-of-town gig. Angel Force will have paid me by now. I’ll drop off a check tomorrow.”

“That’s good to hear. We can’t have you getting behind on payments. I’ve got several people interested in taking over the running of that building if you’re struggling.” Puddle’s lips were painted a glossy pale pink to match her candy floss hair. She was a short, curvy hedge witch, who thought clashing candy floss colors were the latest trend.

“I’ve been busy. You’ll get your money.”

“Of course, I trust you.” Her gaze landed on the box of brownies. “Have you been to Sprinkles? I’m starving.”

“I have.” She was not getting her hands on my brownies.

“What did you get?”

“Brownies.”

Puddles mouth formed a little O of delight. “They’re my favorite.”

“Mine too.” My fingers tightened around the box.

She glanced up at me and frowned. “I should get back to work.”

“Good idea.” As I turned in the direction of Cloven Hoof, I saw a blur of movement heading toward me.

Puddles backed up several steps. “You should tell him to slow down.”

“You have met Wiggles?” I said. He was my best friend, a stocky tan mutt, who had the ability to track me down whenever I arrived back from a job. I never knew how he managed to get out of Cloven Hoof. He was a ninja escape artist with a keen sense of smell, especially when brownies were involved.

Puddles scuttled backwards to the safety of the door of her office.

I held up a hand. Wiggles didn’t appear to be slowing down. “Wiggles, stop!” It was too late. He launched himself into the air and straight into my arms.

Wiggles landed on top of me, and we crashed to the ground, the box of brownies squashing between us.

“Stop. Heel. Sit.” I shouldn’t have wasted my breath. Nothing I said would deter Wiggles from his enthusiastic licking of my face.

I laughed as I gave in and ran my fingers through his wiry fur. “I’ve missed you too, you fur ball.” My gaze went to the squashed brownies, and I groaned. I shimmied, and the box plopped to the ground, the brownies flopping out. They looked like sad little puddles of melting perfection.

Wiggles jumped off me and went to investigate his carnage.

I looked up to see Puddles smirk before heading back into her office.

Wiggles made a grab for a brownie, but I stamped on it. “Chocolate is not good for you.”

He made a grab for another, and we did a dance as I kept standing on brownies and grinding them into the dirt to stop him from getting his teeth into them.

Wiggles sniffed the bag containing the demon and growled.

“Yes, I’m still carrying, so be careful. We don’t want to let this guy loose.” I scooped up the destroyed brownies and was about to put them back in the box when I spotted one pristine brownie sitting in there.

I dumped the rest of the brownies in the nearest trash can and reverently carried the single brownie back to Cloven Hoof, Wiggles trotting along beside me.

Once through the black, shiny double doors, I walked into the bar. It was quiet, only a few customers occupying the booths and a couple sitting at the bar. It never got busy here until the end of the working day. It got really frantic at weekends.

Merrie Noble, bar manager extraordinaire, stood behind the bar polishing glasses. “Welcome home. Did you have a successful trip?”

I patted the bag. “Job done. How’s everything been here?”

“No problems. We had a few tourists trying to get in the other day. I gently persuaded them that this wasn’t the place for them and they’d be happier trying the Ancient Imp.”

We were always careful not to let non-magicals into Cloven Hoof. Magic had a strange effect on them. The magic barrier around the building did a good job, but occasionally, they broke through.

“There are a lot of them out there. We need to keep an eye out for them.”

“The non-magical detector is operational,” Merrie said as she flipped her long blonde braid over one shoulder. “They won’t be getting in anytime soon.”

Wiggles rested his paw on my knee as I sat at the bar and opened the lid of the brownie box.

Merrie poked her head in hopefully. “You’ve eaten nearly all of them.”

“I had a Wiggles related incident. He came to say hello. Most of them ended up in the dirt.”

Merrie chuckled. “I wondered if you were back when he barged down the stairs and out the door before I could stop him.”

I grinned as I eased off my boots. I already felt more relaxed being home. I’d run Cloven Hoof for three years, transforming it from a dodgy biker bar into a reputable joint that served high-end products.

“I’ll be in my booth if anybody needs me.” I grabbed my brownie and walked away from the bar.

I’d just settled in my favorite seat and taken the first bite of brownie when I stiffened. Somebody was watching me.

Chapter 2

I kept my attention on Wiggles. He lounged by my feet, his tongue hanging out and his tail draped over my feet. That was a clear sign that whoever watched me wasn’t a serious threat.

“You shouldn’t be here,” I said as I turned and saw my sister.

Aurora emerged from the shadows. She approached me cautiously. “I wanted to see how you got on out of town.”

“I got the demon.” I kept my gaze averted, my heart kicking up a gear. She shouldn’t be here. She knew what she was doing was stupid by being this close to me after I’d been working.

“I need to talk to you.”

“Another time.”

“This can’t wait. It’s important. I need your advice about a date.”

I shifted in my seat. My sister had the weirdest notions when it came to what was important. She was obsessed with finding the perfect guy.

“Whoever it is, get rid of him. If you’re having doubts, then he’s not worth it.”

“He’s a mayoral candidate.”

“Even more reason to turn him down.”

“He’s a good-looking guy, though. It’s Deacon Feathers.”

My eyebrows rose. Deacon was one hot half-angel half-human. He was like an Adonis with a squint. He was muscled, blond and had piercing blue eyes. One eye was always half-shut as if he was thinking about some complicated puzzle, or maybe he was just constipated. I could never tell.

“Anyone running for mayor will have an ego too big for you to handle.”

Aurora sighed. “He’s a nice guy. We’ve been on a few dates already.”

It looked like I wasn’t getting rid of my sister any time soon. I checked in with Frank. He seemed content and wasn’t kicking up a fuss because his desired object was almost within touching distance. “What’s the problem?”

“There’s somebody else.”

“You’re two-timing Deacon?” My sister would never do such a thing, would she?

“No, nothing like that. It’s nothing serious with Deacon. I think he might like me though. He’s dropped hints about making us official soon.”

“Do you think he’s looking for a trophy wife to support his campaign?”

“Tempest! It’s not like that. He is sweet and funny. I like him.”

“Do you like the other guy more?”

“That’s the problem. I think so. He’s different. Older than me.”

“You’re dating a sugar warlock?”

Aurora drew closer to the table. I held my hand up and shook my head. “Bad idea. I’m exhausted.”

Her smile faded. “I trust you not to hurt me.”

“Then you’re an idiot.” I took a large bite of brownie. Sugar always helped keep Frank occupied.

Aurora’s gaze lowered. “I don’t know what to do. I’ve agreed to go on another date with Deacon tonight, but I don’t think it’s right. Maybe I should give him another chance. He is fun, but...”

“He doesn’t set your panties alight like the old dude does?”

Aurora laughed. “It’s not all about sex. I never thought I was into older guys. This one is special.”

“Then you’ve solved your own problem. Date him and ditch Deacon.”

“I don’t want anybody to get hurt.”

“They definitely will if you don’t make up your mind. You can’t leave two guys hanging.” Aurora was always the good girl. The one with the perfect white magic spell ready to help anybody at a moment’s notice.

I kicked out a stool, the sugar from the brownie giving me a hit of energy. “Sit down, you’re making the place look untidy.”

Aurora grinned at me as she took her seat. “What would you do in my position?”

“Date neither of them. They sound like more trouble than they’re worth. An old rich dude or an up-and-coming egomaniac. Hard pass on both.”

“Neither of them is like that. They’re both sweeties, just in different ways.” Aurora shrugged, and her hand drifted to my half-eaten brownie. She pulled off a piece and popped it into her mouth. “I could go on one more date with both of them. That would make up my mind.”

“Or make you more confused. Perhaps neither of them is right for you, which is why you’re finding it so hard to make a decision.”

Aurora licked chocolate off her fingers. “You could be right. I’m doomed to a life alone, never finding love or happiness.”

“You’ve just described my life.”

“Tempest! That’s not true. You decided not to date.”

“They’re not exactly queueing up outside the door to get me to change my mind.”

“Your work keeps you busy.” Aurora waved a hand in the air. “Then there’s the whole... demon thing.”

I flinched in my seat as Aurora alluded to my unwelcome passenger. Every time I let my guard down, Frank took advantage, especially when Aurora was around. “You should go.”

“This is nice. We should do it more often.”

“Not today. Get out of here.” Frank stirred inside of me, finally alert to Aurora’s presence. I felt his hot, sticky energy slide up my windpipe, like a gross bout of acid indigestion. An unpleasant side effect of containing such a strong demon inside me was the burps.

Aurora carried on, seemingly oblivious to my trouble. “Mom wants to see you for lunch tomorrow. We’re all getting together. Can you make it?”

“Sure, I’ll be there.” I gritted my teeth as I fought with Frank to stop him from getting a foothold. If he did, Aurora would be at risk.

“Are you having problems with the one we never talk about?” Aurora’s gaze turned cautious, and she stood slowly from her seat.

“My only problem is you. Get out of here. Now.”

Aurora backed away. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to cause you any trouble. I missed you; that’s all. I miss not having my big sister around to talk to when I have a problem.”

“You should be used to it by now.” I squeezed my eyes shut and pressed my fingers against the bridge of my nose. A gross tasting sulfur belch shot from my lips as Frank made his presence felt.

Aurora turned and hurried away. “See you tomorrow?”

I nodded as I watched her leave, my throat burning and my eyes hot. “Frank, you son of a demon. You are not having my sister.” The hot burn sank back into my stomach, and a faint chuckle filled my head.

That was too close. I had to keep Aurora out of my life as much as possible. It was better for her if she wasn’t around me. Better for my whole family. I didn’t trust Frank not to try to take a pop at one of them out of spite.

I could never stay in Willow Tree Falls for long. There was always too much temptation for Frank.

Tomorrow, I’d go to Angel Force, get a new job, and get out of here for another week or two. Willow Tree Falls and my family were better off without me.

Chapter 3

No matter how hard I tried to ignore it, the persistent thumping sound wouldn’t go away.

I rolled over and groaned, covering my head with a pillow.

Wiggles wriggled in under my arm, nudged the pillow away, and licked my cheek.

“You have my authority to go eat whoever is making that awful noise.”

Wiggles laid next to me and continued to nudge the pillow off me.

With a resigned groan, I pulled myself out of bed and stomped downstairs, through the empty bar and to the front door of Cloven Hoof.

Lula Greenwood stood in front of me. She had elected herself the unofficial village’s gossip and was ideally placed to fulfill that role as the owner of Sweet Pixie Beauty, the only hairdresser and beautician in Willow Tree Falls.

“Has somebody died?”

Lula’s almond-shaped eyes widened. “Not that I know of.”

“Is the village burning down?”

“Erm, no.” She glanced over her shoulder.

“Has the demon prison collapsed?”

“The demons are fine, I think.”

“Then you have no reason to be banging on my door. Go away.”

“Wait! I had to come and tell you as soon as I heard.” Lula bounced on her toes.

“I’m not interested.”

“Aurora’s been arrested.”

I scowled at her. “My sister would never be arrested. You’ve made a mistake.”

“I promise you, I haven’t. I saw her being taken away not half an hour ago.”

“Taken away by?” I rubbed my eyes, wondering if this was a horrible dream.

“Dazielle. She never leaves the office unless it’s serious.”

I grimaced. Dazielle ran Angel Force. She led a group of twelve angels who spent most of their time polishing their halos and preening their feathers. “Are you sure it was Aurora?”

“Positive. They marched right into Heaven’s Door and brought her out. It looked like she was crying when they took her.”

What had my sister got herself into? I should leave this alone. One night of sleep was not going to make me safe to be around. “Does our mom know?”

“I came here first. I was going to drop by Cora’s place next and let her know what’s happening.”

“Do that. This must be a mistake by the angels. It won’t be the first. Any idea what they’ve taken her in for?”

“It’s terrible what people are saying,” Lula said as she ran a hand down her long, silky hair. “I hope it’s not true.”

“Tell me.” Aurora’s worst crime was being too sweet or stroking a puppy for too long.

“Some people are saying she’s been arrested for murder.”

I choked out a laugh. “Then this is all a huge mistake. My sister can’t squash an ant. She wouldn’t kill anybody.” I needed to stay out of this. This mess could be sorted by Mom.

“Aurora must need a friend right about now,” Lula said. “I went and asked if I could speak to her and got turned away. Apparently, they’re still processing her. I knew she’d need a friendly ear, though.”

“I bet you did.” Lula would be hot on any gossip trail, just waiting to spread it around as quickly as she could. I let out a sigh. I needed to see what had happened. I couldn’t abandon my sister if she’d made a mess of things.

“I can wait here for you while you get ready.” Lula eyed my sleep shorts and faded gray tank top. “We can go to the station together.”

“No need. I know the way.” I closed the door in her eager-looking face. I needed strong coffee with a magic hit if I was getting into this mess.

I hurried upstairs and pulled on clean black pants and a fitted black shirt. I grabbed the ripe smelling bag full of captured demon and clipped him to my belt. He would enjoy a trip to see the angels just as much as I would.

I headed down to the bar. We had a state-of-the-art coffee machine that I’d never quite figured out how to use. I managed to make an espresso and dumped in a heaped teaspoon of stardust. It would give me the right natural boost of energy to get me through this and hopefully keep Frank satisfied.

As soon as my family found out what had happened to Aurora, they’d invade Angel Force’s headquarters. My family was a handful. A big, powerful magical handful, who couldn’t afford to get distracted by this.

“Stay here, Wiggles,” I said as I pulled open the door. “Keep this place safe until I get back.”

He whined as he watched me leave. He hated me going anywhere without him, but Angel Force was no place for Wiggles. They’d spend all their time petting him and feeding him treats like he was their toy to play with.

I raced along the street and had made it ten steps past Puddles’ office when she shot out the door. “I heard about Aurora. I hope everything is okay.”

“It’s all a mistake. She’ll be out in no time.” I kept walking.

“Oh, that’s good to hear. Have you got my check?”

I grimaced. In my haste to get to Aurora, I’d forgotten about the overdue rent. “Later. I’ll get it to you later.”

“I do need that money,” Puddles called as I raced away.

“You’ll get it. End of the day, I promise.” Puddles was a pain, but I always paid my bills.

“Give my best to Aurora.”

I ignored her and continued to hurry along the main street of Willow Tree Falls until I reached Angel Force. I barged through the double doors and had to blink several times. Everything was white. It was such a cliché. It wasn’t as if residents didn’t know the place was run by angels. They had the name emblazoned over the door in glowing lights to hammer home that they were pure, angelic beings that wafted around with those ridiculous wings doing good deeds.

I stomped to the desk where Sablo stood, her perfect blonde hair in a coil on top of her head. She stood her ground as I stopped in front of her and craned my neck. Angels were tall.

“I’m here to get my sister out.”

Sablo pursed her perfectly full lips. “Aurora is about to be questioned.”

“What’s she being questioned about?”

The doors behind me burst open. My mom, Cora, was the first through the door. She was followed by her sister, my aunt Queenie, Uncle Kenny, and just behind them was Granny Dottie and Grandpa Lucius.

I shook my head. Did the whole family have to turn up? I’m surprised they didn’t drag my cousins along as well. We could have had a picnic.

Mom grabbed me in a hug. “What’s going on? We just heard what happened. How is our baby?”

“Aurora is twenty-three. She’s not a kid, and I’ve no idea how she is. I just got here.” I extracted myself from Mom’s embrace. “I was about to spring her out.”

“Nobody is springing anybody out,” Sablo said sharply.

“Somebody mentioned a murder.” Mom turned her dark, intense eyes on Sablo. “I can’t believe that. Not my little girl. You’re barking down the wrong hole if you think she’s involved.”

“Up the wrong tree, Mom, not down the wrong hole.” Mom always messed up her metaphors.

“You know what I mean. This is a big mistake.”

“Aurora is being questioned in relation to a death,” Sablo said.

The whole family erupted into cries of protest.

Sablo held up a hand and waited until they’d quietened down. “We are questioning her to get more information and discover what she knows about it.”

“We must all be there,” Mom said.

“That’s not possible,” Sablo said. “But Aurora has asked for one of you to be present.” Her gaze went to me.

I stepped back and shook my head. “That’s not a good idea.” Angels made Frank twitchy. Therefore, I was also twitchy. When I was twitchy, Aurora was in danger.

“She says you know the process. Apparently, you’ve been arrested before.”

I shrugged. “That was a long time ago. Aurora would be better with someone else. Auntie Queenie, you should go in.”

Auntie Queenie chewed on the large pastry she had in her hand. “I get so nervous under pressure. I might blurt out my secrets and be the one to end up behind bars.”

I shook my head. Auntie Queenie did have something of a murky past. “Grandpa Lucius?”

He patted my arm. “You go in. Your sister needs you. She’s asked for your help.”

They were crazy letting me anywhere near her. They knew what risk I posed to Aurora. I couldn’t abandon her, though. She was terrible under pressure. “Fine, I’ll go in for the questions.”

“I’ll take you there now,” Sablo said.

After reassuring Mom I wasn’t going to let Aurora get stuck behind bars, I followed Sablo through a doorway and along a white corridor. She knocked at a door and opened it to reveal a small interview room with a table and chairs.

Dazielle sat on one side of the table and my sister the other.

Dazielle’s teal-colored eyes narrowed a fraction when she saw me. “Come in, Tempest. Aurora has asked for your presence in this interview.”

I nodded and hurried to sit next to Aurora. “How are you doing? What are you doing in here?”

“It’s been a horrible misunderstanding.” My sister’s normally perfect cheeks were blotchy and her eyes red. I’d always taken comfort that she was an ugly crier until today. “They think I killed Deacon Feathers.”

My eyebrows shot up. “Why would they think that?”

“We’re about to find that out,” Dazielle said. She nodded to Sablo, who closed the door behind her.

“My sister would never kill anybody,” I said. “You know her.”

“I’ll admit I was as surprised as you. But her intimate relationship with Mr. Feathers is well-known.”

“So, you jump to a conclusion and assume she killed him because of that?” I glanced at Aurora. “You didn’t kill him, did you?”

“Of course not.” Aurora dabbed the end of her nose.

Dazielle tapped a finger on the top of the table. “When was the last time you saw Deacon Feathers?”

“Two days ago,” Aurora said as she grabbed my hand and held on tight.

“What did you do when you met?”

“We had a coffee at Unicorn’s Trough. Brogan can back me up if you need a witness. He served us.”

“What did you talk about?”

“Nothing special. I guess you could say we were on a date. We were getting to know each other.”

“Is your relationship with Mr. Feathers intimate?”

“That’s none of your business,” I said.

“It is. Jealousy and unrequited love are good motives for murder.”

“We weren’t intimate,” Aurora said. “That was our third date. We’d held hands a couple of times, and he’d kissed me on the cheek but nothing more.”

“Did he want more? Did he try to push you into something you weren’t comfortable with and you snapped?”

“My sister never snaps,” I said.

“Somebody did because Deacon’s dead,” Dazielle said.

Aurora stifled a sob. “I didn’t do it. I didn’t see him yesterday.”

I glanced at her. She’d just lied. Aurora had told me she was supposed to meet Deacon last night.

“What were you doing last night if you weren’t with Mr. Feathers?” Dazielle asked.

“I was stocktaking at Heaven’s Door. I do it every Thursday night.”

That was another lie. Aurora hated stocktaking. She did it about once a month and only when customers started mentioning certain stock was low.

“We found a note in Deacon’s calendar to say he was meeting you for dinner at seven thirty. Are you saying that date never happened?”

Aurora nodded. “We had a change of plans. We were going to meet, but then I couldn’t. I realized I was long overdue getting my records up-to-date and new stock ordered.”

“I thought you said you did a stock take every week. Things can’t get that far behind in seven days.”

Aurora blushed. “It might have been two weeks since I did my last stock take. Business has to come first. Deacon understood when I let him know.”

“So, you did see him yesterday?” Dazielle asked.

I kicked Aurora under the table. She was making too many mistakes. Even I was suspicious of her.

“Oh, yes, my mistake. Only for a few minutes. It was after I’d seen Tempest. I dropped by Cloven Hoof to talk to her. Then I went straight to Deacon’s and told him I couldn’t make our date.”

Dazielle looked at me. “Is that true?”

I nodded. “Aurora came by after I got back from my job.” The bag with the demon in still sat on my hip.

“What did you talk about?”

“Family stuff. Nothing you’d be interested in.”

Aurora nodded. “After that, I spent the evening at Heaven’s Door. I did my stock take and then went to bed. It was a dull evening.”

“Not so dull if you snuck out and killed Deacon,” Dazielle said.

“I’d never hurt him. He was so lovely.”

“How did he die and when?” I asked Dazielle.

“We’re still determining the cause of death,” Dazielle said. “He died around midnight. One thing we do know is that your sister was one of the last people to see Deacon alive.”

“Where did he die?”

“He was found in his bed at home.”

“I’m innocent.” Aurora sniffed loudly and wiped her nose.

Something was off here. I was angry with the angels for arresting my sister, but her story didn’t stack up. She was hiding something. I wasn’t going to dig it out of her under the watchful gaze of Dazielle.

“If you don’t have concrete proof that Aurora is involved, she’s not staying here any longer,” I said.

“She can leave,” Dazielle said. “I decided it best if we question her here to speed things up. Deacon Feathers was an important member of the community. He was a potential mayor. We are under pressure to get this solved quickly.”

“So, you dragged in the first victim you could lay your feathery paws on to try to force a confession?” I shook my head. “That’s not going to happen. Aurora gets out of here, right now.”

Dazielle’s top lip curled. “Aurora you may leave. But stay in Willow Tree Falls. Don’t go anywhere. I will have more questions for you.”

“She’s not going to skip town,” I said. “She’s done nothing wrong.”

“Of course I won’t,” Aurora said. “I want to help in any way I can. I promise you I had nothing to do with Deacon’s death. I liked him. I considered him a friend.”

“A friend with benefits?” Dazielle asked.

“Don’t say any more.” I stood and pulled Aurora to her feet. “Let’s get you out of here.”

Dazielle jumped up and opened the door.

I unclipped the demon bag from my belt and passed it to her. “You’ll be needing this.”

Dazielle scowled and held the bag out at arm’s length as a foul sulfur smell drifted from it. Demons always got angry when they were too close to an angel. “You should have taken him to processing as soon as you got back. Can’t you take him to the crypt now?”

“You wanted one escaped demon collected and brought to you. That’s what you paid me for, and that’s what I’ve done. You can process Abigar and transport him yourself.”

Dazielle glared at me. “Very well. And if you’re interested, I’ve got another job coming up next week.”

Although we didn’t consider each other friends, she knew how good I was at chasing down demons. I glanced at Aurora, who hovered in the hallway, clearly anxious to leave. “I might be. Let me have the details another time.” An out-of-town job was what I needed. It would give me distance from my sister. My work here was done. Aurora was out of the cells, which meant I could leave too.

Dazielle nodded. “I’ll be in touch.”

I hurried Aurora back to the desk where Sablo stood. Aurora had to fingerprint a couple of documents before she was allowed to leave, but we were finally free.

“My sweet girl, whatever have they done to you?” Mom fussed around Aurora, running her hands over her hair as if checking for injuries.

“They just questioned her. It’s nothing,” I said.

“Somebody killed Deacon,” Aurora whispered, big, unshed tears glistening in her eyes.

“You had nothing to do with it,” I said. “Did you?”

“No, as I said in the interview, I was at the store.” Aurora glanced at me before looking away. She knew I was on to her.

If she wasn’t going to tell me the truth, there was nothing I could do. Aurora was out of harm’s way, and I needed to get out of Willow Tree Falls before I caused her any problems. Problems of the demon kind.

“We’ll figure out the truth,” Mom said. “Your sister will figure this all out.”

“I can’t.” I slowed from my sneaky retreat to the doors. “I’m busy with Cloven Hoof. And the angel farts have another job for me.”

Sablo cleared her throat and glared at me.

I shrugged. I never hid my contempt of them. That really would be rude.

Granny Dottie tutted. “You need to look after your sister.”

“That’s what I’m trying to do,” I growled and tapped a finger against my chest.

“You can’t abandon her when she needs you most,” Granny Dottie continued, seeming happy to forget about the demon residing inside me who wanted to kill Aurora.

“She’s got all of you,” I said. “She’s not alone. You can help keep her out of here. The angels know they’ve made a mistake. They’ll find the real killer. They were just looking for an easy target.”

Sablo huffed before stomping away from the desk.

“My little girl is nobody’s easy target,” Mom said. “Tempest, you must help your sister. She depends on you, and we’re busy with the cemetery.”

I looked at Auntie Queenie for support. She simply nodded as she finished what might have been her third pastry. I had no clue where she stored all her pastries, but she was always eating.

Granny Dottie patted my arm. “It’s the right thing to do, dear. You’ll handle it.”

I stared at her and shook my head. “It’s better if you help. You’re old. You know a thing or two about the law. The only reason I help these angels is because of you.” Years ago, Granny Dottie had guilted me into helping these pristine princesses when they couldn’t get a handle on a demon who’d escaped their custody. Before she’d married Grandpa Lucius, she’d been involved with the former chief of Angel Force. I still hadn’t quite worked out that relationship, but she was loyal to the angels, even if I wasn’t.

“I’m grateful for it,” Granny Dottie said. “But just because I’m old doesn’t mean I’m clever.”

She wasn’t going to be any help to me. “Grandpa Lucius. Please, you help Aurora.”

He grinned at me. “Your mom is right. You’re in the best position to help her. You know how Angel Force works. You got her out of here with no problem.”

“Because she’s innocent. You would have been able to do the same thing.” They had no idea how hard I struggled to keep Frank under control. They always assumed I was capable of anything. The role of being a big sister sometimes sucked.

“Tempest, you’ve always looked out for Aurora. Don’t let her down when she needs you the most.” Mom’s eyes were fixed on me. She had a way of making me feel guilty even though I’d done nothing wrong.

It looked like I was not winning this fight. I had to decide who was a bigger threat here, the incompetence of the angels and their desire for swift justice or my unwelcome demon friend.

The angels were useless but persistent. I had to help Aurora if they had her in their blue-eyed sights. “I’ll help but only until we ensure the angels no longer consider Aurora a suspect. Then I’m out of here.”

Aurora ran forward to hug me. I stepped away and shook my head. “Then you’re on your own again.”

Aurora grinned at me. “I knew you wouldn’t let me down.”

I rubbed my forehead. I might not, but Frank definitely would. I needed to find Deacon’s killer and fast.

Chapter 4

Having spent part of the morning calming my family and making sure my not so baby sister was out of immediate danger from the incompetence of the angels, I’d headed back to Cloven Hoof for a long, hot shower and a huge breakfast.

I felt marginally better after stuffing myself with crumpets and tea and deliberately not thinking about what a mess Aurora had gotten herself into.

Wiggles had watched every delicious bite before grudgingly accepting he wasn’t getting any and heading to his bowl of dog kibble on the floor.

“It’s for your own good.” I licked the last of the strawberry preserve from my fingers while sitting in my favorite booth in the bar. “I need a lean, mean fighting machine. Not a dog with a pot belly who inspires laughter. You’re my vicious guard dog, not my pet pooch.” In truth, Wiggles was a delicious mix of both. When he wanted to, he could be the meanest, most evil-eyed dog you’d ever stumble across. He also had a way of winning you over by rolling onto his back and showing you a cute pink and white dotted belly ready for a tickle.

The door to the bar opened. Merrie strode through. She slowed when she spotted me. “Hey! I heard about Aurora. How’s everything going?”

“She’s out. It was all a mistake. The angels know nothing. They figured since Deacon had scribbled their date in his calendar, Aurora was the last person to see him alive and therefore she killed him. It wasn’t exactly genius detective work.”

Merrie walked behind the bar and flicked on the back lights. “Poor Aurora. How’s she doing?”

“She’s shaken up.” I didn’t mention that she was hiding something. She’d always been an awful liar. Her nose twitched when she lied. It had twitched three times in that interview.

Merrie shook her head. “Deacon always struck me as the sort of guy who could look after himself. He had decent angel skills.”

“Clearly not enough. I have no idea how he died, though. Dazielle wasn’t giving much away.”

“He was smothered,” Merrie said, “at least, that’s what I heard. Someone got in his bedroom and smothered him.”

“Then it couldn’t have been Aurora,” I said. “She’s not strong enough to hold down Deacon.”

“Unless she caught him unawares.”

I glared at Merrie. “Not you as well.”

Merrie grinned. “Maybe Aurora and Deacon were into kinky stuff. He could have asked her to tie him up and then shove a pillow over his head. Things got out of hand. The next thing you know—”

“Stop! You can’t think my sister did this.”

“Absolutely not, but it’s being talked about. If Deacon was asleep and someone crept up on him and smothered him, he might not have been able to fight back.”

“He could have been drugged,” I said.

Merrie’s eyes widened. “Aurora sells herbal remedies for insomnia at Heaven’s Door. Some of that stuff is potent. I’ve tried it a few times. It can knock out an elephant.”

I groaned. “You’re not helping by suggesting my sister not only smothered Deacon in a lurid sex game, but she also drugged him.”

Merrie laughed. “I’m staying well out of this. But maybe that’s what Angel Force is thinking, which is why they questioned her.”

“Dazielle muttered something about getting quick results because of Deacon’s high standing.” I shook my head and snorted. “He wasn’t high standing. He was a wannabe mayor. There’s nothing special about that.”

“There sort of is,” Merrie said. “People look up to the mayor. They respect them. Deacon had a good shot at winning.”

“So, one of the other candidates killed him.”

“Anything is possible.”

The snow globe on the bar vibrated.

“Can you answer that?” I asked Merrie.

She shook the globe to activate the message.

“Don’t forget lunch at Mom’s today.” A tiny version of Aurora stood inside the snow globe. “We’ve got lots to talk about.”

I hopped up and shook it to end the message. My whole family around a table, digging up reasons Aurora was innocent. That would be interesting.

The snow globe vibrated again. I groaned and nudged it with a finger. “Don’t forget you’re bringing dessert.”

“Is there some emergency you need me for?” I asked Merrie.

She raised her eyebrows. “Nope. Everything is fine here.”

“You’re sure there’s nothing I need to do that will keep me away from my family?”

Merrie laughed. “Sorry, you can’t avoid the family lunch because of me.”

I grabbed the tub of stardust from behind the bar and ate a huge teaspoon.

Merrie pulled it out of my hand. “That’s not hygienic.”

“That’s my own personal tub. Label it as so then keep it under the bar,” I said. “I’m going to need all the energy I can get.”

“You love your family,” Merrie said as she placed the lid back on the tub. “You wouldn’t have them any other way.”

I shrugged. They weren’t the problem. I was.

I spent a couple of hours on boring but necessary paperwork. But finding no more excuses to stay at Cloven Hoof, I headed out with Wiggles to find a dessert. There were so many great places to eat. I was contemplating something with lemon or maybe chocolate when Puddles stepped in front of me and held out her hand.

“Your rent.” There was no smile on her face.

“I haven’t forgotten.” I dug the check out of my back pocket and handed it to her.

She stared at it for a few seconds before nodding. “Make sure you’re not late next month. I’ll have that building back on the market if you’re not careful.”

I glared at her. “You wouldn’t dare.”

Wiggles growled and nudged Puddles with his nose.

Puddles took a step back. “Not everyone loves Cloven Hoof.”

“I know you do. You buy from us every week.”

“I have to. I have nerve issues. It doesn’t help when my clients pay late.”

I bit my tongue. I didn’t mean to be a jerk. Puddles had a job to do just like I did. “It won’t happen again.”

Puddles nodded. “We’ll forget all about it. Give my best to your sister. I hear she’s still having a tricky time.”

“Not for long,” I said. “I’m off to sort this mess right now.”

Puddles eyes widened. “You know who killed Deacon?”

“Not yet.” I walked away before Puddles questioned me further. The gossip mill was up and running in Willow Tree Falls, and all eyes were focused on Aurora. I needed to grab dessert and head to Mom’s quickly before I faced further quizzing.

It was a toss-up between three places for dessert. Brogan Costin’s cafe, the Unicorn’s Trough, served decent food. I’d never had a bad meal there. If I wanted something fancy, Tilly Machello’s restaurant, Bite Me, was always an option. Then Tate Rathmore’s Mystic Mushroom take out did a killer chocolate profiterole.

“Choices, choices,” I muttered under my breath. I settled on the Unicorn’s Trough and headed to the royal blue awning and into the cafe.

Brogan Costin was Romanian and came with a flair for magic and a hint of the undead. He wasn’t a full-on vampire but had a liking for prowling around at night and seducing virginal maidens in long floaty dresses. At least, that’s what he said he did. Personally, I thought he was more into star gazing than cleavage leering, but we all had reputations to uphold.

He was behind the counter as I entered. He wore a white apron over his black outfit and flashed me a bright smile when he saw me. “What will it be, Chickadee?” His deep voice always sent a pleasant shiver down my spine.

“I’m looking for a killer dessert for lunch. What have you got on offer?”

“For you, anything. I was hoping you might be here for something hot and spicy.” His grin widened. His teeth were slightly sharper than the average warlock.

“Just the dessert today.” I grinned at him. “Something sweet and moreish.”

“You could be describing me.”

“I’m sure Auntie Queenie would be happy if I served you up as the dessert.”

He chuckled. “She is a sweet lady. I can offer you fudge cake. A warm, sticky, sweet cake that will melt in the mouth. Or I have a caramel jam cake. Sweet, fluffy and a treat in your mouth. Or how about a peanut butter fudge pie? I promise you, when you take a bite, it will make you moan with pleasure.”

Every dessert he described sounded a little more delicious than the last. “I could take them all.”

“My favorite is the peanut butter fudge pie. It’s sweet with a slightly salty aftertaste. It goes perfectly with vanilla ice cream.”

I licked my lips. “That sounds ideal. I’ll take the biggest one you have.”

“I will be with you in one moment.” Brogan disappeared into the kitchen and returned with a box in his hand. “I was most sorry to hear about Deacon and your sister’s alleged involvement in his demise. I trust everything is being resolved?”

“She’s been questioned but released. The angels are figuring things out as am I.”

“Aurora is such a charming girl. I knew Deacon was interested in her.”

“He spoke to you about her?”

“No, but you can always tell when someone is infatuated with a person.” Brogan flashed me a smile. “Deacon used to watch when she walked past here. He had coffee here most mornings. He would hum under his breath as he watched her walk.”

I wrinkled my nose. “That’s a bit creepy.”

“These half-angels, they have issues. Human urges and heavenly urges conflicting. Maybe he was torn between his primal urge to devour your sweet sister and his angelic longings to do the right thing.”

I nodded. That was the trouble when angels had children with non-magicals; the resulting offspring were often stunning to look at but came with dubious morals. “Deacon never mentioned he was having trouble with anybody?”

“Not to me,” Brogan said. “He spent most of his time discussing the upcoming campaign. He thought he was in with a chance.”

“Did you like him for our new mayor?”

“I was undecided. He had his plus points, but he was too ambitious for my taste.”

I held out some money, but Brogan shook his head. “A gift from me to your lovely family. I ask you just one thing in return.”

I narrowed my eyes. “What’s that?”

“You think of me every time you take a bite.”

“I’d rather just pay.”

He laughed. “I insist. Having a family persecuted for no reason is something I am familiar with. You have a friend here. Every time you need something sweet, just think of me.”

I reluctantly put away my money. Brogan was hot, and he knew it. I looked but didn’t touch. He was an outrageous flirt but had a good heart.

“Thanks. Aurora will appreciate this.”

“As I hope, you do too.”

I nodded a quick goodbye and hurried out of the Unicorn’s Trough where Wiggles waited for me.

Maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad thing to spend some down time with a gorgeous warlock. Brogan was a charmer, but I saw him as more of a friend, someone I could talk to without any fear of being judged.

I turned left at Lula’s hairdressers and walked along the lane to Mom’s house. She owned a large detached plot, set back from the road and surrounded by large evergreens. The grounds of the house had a wild, untamed feel to them. As a powerful witch, who drew her energy from nature, she loved surrounding herself with it.

My whole family was descended from a particular type of witch. They got their energy from the earth and anything that lived, and died, in it, which was why they enjoyed living away from other houses and the bustle of the village.

The front door opened before I’d reached it, and Mom ushered me in and hugged me. “We’ve been discussing matters. We’ve got some ideas you need to hear.”

Wiggles bounded through the door, already on the hunt for food.

“I knew you’d figure this out without me being involved.”

Mom tutted as she took the dessert box, lifted the lid, and gave an appreciative nod. “We haven’t. We still need you. Go on through. Everybody is in the kitchen.”

I wandered along the warm, cluttered hallway, full of childhood knickknacks and bookshelves piled high with thumbed paperbacks.

The kitchen was a handmade affair, built when my dad was still around. Some shelves sat at different heights, and a large worn wooden table dominated the center of the kitchen.

Aurora sat at the table, flanked by Auntie Queenie and Granny Dottie.

Aurora looked up and smiled at me, her eyes still looking red. “I’m glad you came.”

I looked at the steaming mug of chamomile, cookies, and the box of tissues on the table. “You look like you’re doing okay. You don’t need my help.”

“I do. You know everyone in the village. I don’t think there’s a single person you don’t do business with.”

“I take their money. It doesn’t mean I know them.” I settled in a seat at the table and leaned back, taking a moment to see how Frank felt about being so close to Aurora. So far, so good.

“That gives you a good in,” Auntie Queenie said. “If they refuse to talk, you can withhold the goodies.”

I shook my head. “It doesn’t work like that. It’s not like I’m planning to put sanctions in place if people refuse to talk to me about Deacon’s death.”

Mom placed the dessert on the counter. “Your sister is innocent. We all know that.”

“What we need to figure out is who wanted Deacon dead.” Grandpa Lucius wandered into the kitchen, sniffing the air as he did so. “Did someone call me down for lunch?”

“No, you old rogue. While you’re standing, help me lay out the plates,” Mom said.

Grandpa Lucius and Granny Dottie had lived with Mom for five years, ever since she’d gotten worried about their magic becoming unstable. It wasn’t; she just loved having them around and needed an excuse to keep them close, especially after I’d moved out and Aurora had moved into the apartment over Heaven’s Door.

After Grandpa Lucius had laid out the plates and cutlery, he sat in a seat and rested his hands on the table. “Perhaps Deacon has a jealous ex-girlfriend. Since he set his sights on our Aurora, he could have let someone down. They wouldn’t have been happy about that.”

“He was seeing Petra for a while,” Aurora said. “Deacon said it wasn’t anything serious, but maybe it was.”

“Petra never takes relationships seriously,” I said.

“A jealous, spurned woman is a dangerous thing.” Grandpa Lucius helped himself to a large piece of quiche and ignored the salad Mom offered him.

“As if you’d know anything about that,” Granny Dottie said. “You’ve only ever dated me.”

He chuckled. “That doesn’t mean I didn’t leave behind lots of broken hearts when I accepted you.”

Granny Dottie caught my eye and shook her head. “Petra is worth talking to. She might have considered their relationship serious. Then she got wind that Deacon was dating Aurora and things turned sour.”

“I was wondering about the other candidates running for mayor,” I said. “Professional rivalry turned bad could mean someone needed Deacon out of the running.”

“He was a handsome beast,” Auntie Queenie said. “Lots of women would have voted for him because of that chiseled jaw. And did anyone else dream about his abs?”

Aurora blushed. “He was lovely to look at.”

I filled my plate with quiche and salad. “Another candidate might have thought Deacon had an unfair advantage, especially when you compare him to Mannie Winter.”

“Some people find chubby dwarves with beards attractive,” Mom said as she sat at the table, checking everyone’s plates to make sure they had enough food.

“If we’re considering other candidates, we should also have Axel Shadowsoul in the mix,” Granny Dottie said. “I know you have a soft spot for him, Tempest, but he’s a candidate and a half-demon. He’ll have evil intentions running through his veins.”

I glowered at her. “Axel is as evil as a chocolate frog. He’s all talk and no action.”

“He’d like some action with you,” Aurora said. “He always asks about you when he comes into Heaven’s Door.”

“He does not.” I shoved a piece of quiche in my mouth. “Even if he is interested, he’s wasting his time.”

“He is sort of gorgeous,” Aurora said, “if you like the smooth and rich type.”

“Then you date him.” I’d had enough of my sister trying to fix me up. She always chose decent but boring guys. There was no spark when I went out with them.

“There’s also Rhett Blackthorn and his gang to add to the list of suspects,” Auntie Queenie said.

“What makes you think he’s involved?” I asked.

“He’s a shady biker. He runs with a bad crowd.”

“He’s a fallen angel, he sort of has to.” If I was going to date anybody, it would be somebody like Rhett. He was hotter than the hell he’d dragged himself out of and made leather pants look so good I sometimes drooled when I saw him in them.

Still, I’d been there and done that and gotten too close to being burned.

“Being part of a bad crowd doesn’t automatically make you a killer,” Mom said.

“I’m sure I saw his bike parked outside of Deacon’s house,” Auntie Queenie said. “I remember because I sat on it for a while. That’s a sexy beast of a machine. It’s a V-twin, four-stroke, with overhead valves and self-adjusting lifters.”

I grinned. Auntie Queenie had been in the Dead Tree Witch biker gang. The biker witches were ousted by the fallen angels a long time ago. It was something nobody talked about unless Auntie Queenie had one too many and started trash talking the fallen angels. That was always fun.

“I favor the jilted girlfriend,” Grandpa Lucius said. “Women are beautiful, but they can be terrifying.”

He should know since he was surrounded by them. As the only man in the household, I felt sorry for Grandpa Lucius. Not that he had anything to be sorry about. He was waited on hand and foot most of the time and even got his laundry done when Granny Dottie was in a good mood. Still, it must be tough when he needed some guy time and had to contend with Mom and her sister discussing the best way to seal a crypt crack and what kind of pot roast to have at the weekend.

“I’ll talk to Petra,” I said. “See what she knows.”

“I can guarantee a strong woman is involved,” Grandpa Lucius said.

“I just don’t see Petra doing it. Earth witches are usually benign. You need someone with a dark streak in them. Someone who’ll hold a grudge.”

“A woman scorned,” Grandpa Lucius said. “I’m telling you jealousy is a strong motive.”

“Petra can hold her own in a fight,” I said. “She’s got powers, so maybe you’re right.”

“And I saw Deacon arguing with Petra a few weeks ago,” Aurora said. “It was just as I arrived for our first date. I didn’t hear what they were fighting about. Maybe she got mad about me dating him.”

I scooped up the last of my quiche and hopped up to unbox the dessert. It looked like Petra was my number one suspect. Grandpa Lucius was right; jealousy turned people into monsters.

“I’ll head over to talk to Petra after lunch. If I get her to confess, this will be sorted by the end of the day.”

Mom reached over and patted my hand as she stood to clear the lunch plates. “You’re such a good girl.”

I nodded as I sliced up the pie and plated it for everyone. It was a good job I was the only one who could hear Frank at that moment. His laugh echoed inside my head, making my temple throb and my spine tremble. Dark, unhappy thoughts bounced around my head. I tried to stay on the right side, but having a demon living inside you made being good a constant struggle.

I stuffed a spoonful of peanut butter fudge pie into my mouth and urged Frank to stay quiet. He was content, for now, but wouldn’t stay that way for long. I had to hope he’d stay under my control for just a couple more days, so I could sort out Aurora and then get out of Willow Tree Falls fast.

Chapter 5

I left Mom’s house with a spring in my step as I walked with Wiggles along the lane. Lunch had been delicious, and Frank had behaved himself most of the time, which was not typical of him when I shared air with Aurora.

This mess would easily be sorted. I’d have a quick chat with Petra, maybe twist her arm if she needed it, and she’d be singing to Angel Force in no time. My sister’s name would be cleared, and I could get back to being careful about not spending too much time with her and exciting Frank.

I needed to swing by Cloven Hoof before wringing a confession out of Petra. There were packages that needed dropping off. Since I was heading past half of the drop-off sites, it would do no harm to go in and catch up on all the gossip. And I’d be happy to set anyone straight if I caught them badmouthing Aurora.

As I pushed open the main door to Cloven Hoof, I heard laughter.

My eyes widened. Petra sat at the bar with a bowl in front of her and a half-drunk glass of red wine. She was starting early. Maybe she was hiding a guilty conscience and needed a distraction.

I strode over and sat next to Petra. Merrie nodded at me from behind the bar before moving away. Wiggles sniffed around for a bit before laying down at my feet.

“Is there something wrong with the wine at Ancient Imp?” I asked Petra.

She shook her head as she chewed on a piece of dried mushroom. “It always tastes better here, and I’m sampling your new produce. Patti said you had a new supply of Mystic Tail mushrooms. It’s good quality stuff.”

“It always is.”

She nodded, her eyes glazed from the natural power she absorbed from my special variety of mushrooms. Mystic Tail mushrooms were rare, expensive, and exquisite on the tongue.

“I was coming to see you,” I said.

“What about?”

“How were things between you and Deacon before he died?”

She slid me a sideways glance as she carried on munching. “I haven’t spoken to that loser for a long time.”

“You used to date?”

“Sort of. It was casual. He was a good-looking guy. I enjoyed his company.”

“Word on the street is that he wasn’t all that into you, especially not when he got my sister to agree to go on a date with him.”

Petra whistled air through her teeth. “I can’t say I noticed who he dated after me. We were never exclusive.”

“You cared enough to fight with him a few weeks ago.”

She turned in her seat. “What are you talking about? We never fought.”

“Are you sure about that? I know from a reliable source that you did. What got you so angry?”

Petra glanced at me before stirring her finger through the bowl of mushrooms. “He was unreliable. It irritated me. It must have been his non-magical side.”

“He stopped taking you out, and you didn’t like it?”

“I liked the free meals. I loved having a hot guy on my arm. It was nothing. I’d already moved on.”

“You’re dating somebody else?”

Petra grinned and fluttered her lashes. “Of course. How can somebody who looks this good stay single for long?”

I suppressed a snort of laughter. She was hot in a brassy kind of way. I got the impression most guys were terrified of Petra. “Who are you seeing?”

“Different guys. No one special.” She glanced at me. “Are you looking for recommendations? You’re dating again?”

“No, and not anyone you want to set me up with.”

Petra shifted in her seat. “I’m guessing all these questions have to do with your perfect little sister. You’re looking for someone else to blame Deacon’s death on?”

I nodded. There was no point in concealing the truth. “She didn’t do it. It has to be somebody else. What were you doing the night Deacon died?”

Petra eyed me suspiciously. “Like I have to tell you.”

I thought about what Granny Dottie had said about withholding supplies. Petra bought from me at least twice a week. She loved her mushrooms. “You will if you want to keep getting your hands on my products.”

Petra huffed out an angry breath. “I’ll find another supplier.”

“In Willow Tree Falls?”

“You’re not the only seller. I can import.”

“For double the price and half the quality.”

Petra grimaced. “Fine, I have nothing to hide. If you must know, I was home alone eating pizza.”

“Where did you get the pizza?”

“Mystic Mushroom, same as always. Tate makes the best double cheese and pineapple pizza in the village. I get the same order once a week. I’ve been doing so for years. Ask him; he only has to hear my voice, and he knows what I want.”

“I might do that.” A quick stop at Mystic Mushroom was never a hardship. Petra was right. Tate did make amazing pizzas. I could check her order and maybe get something for dinner.

“I ate pizza, chilled out, then went to bed. The exciting life of a bar owner. I’m too tired to do anything else.” Petra sighed. “I’m thinking it’s time I got into a new business and am hoping something established will come up for sale. Something with more regular hours and fewer bar fights.”

I could relate to that. Cloven Hoof closed at midnight, and we were never done clearing up much before one in the morning. “You’re sure you weren’t still interested in Deacon?”

“He was a dumb half-angel. I never loved him. He was fun to hang out with. The fun came to an end, and I moved on.”

Petra sounded worryingly plausible. “If you didn’t do it, and my sister isn’t involved, who do you think wanted rid of Deacon? Did he talk to you about any enemies he had?”

Petra looked around the bar and leaned closer to me. “I reckon it was Mannie Winter.”

“Why Mannie?”

“Deacon and Axel were working together. They wanted Mannie out of the running for mayor, so it was the two of them standing against each other.”

“Why do that? Mannie doesn’t stand a chance of winning this election.”

“So you’d think, but he’s invested a whole heap of money into new campaign material. He’s getting a real buzz going around Willow Tree Falls. Haven’t you noticed all the posters and promises he’s making to turn the village into a worldwide tourist destination?”

I’d paid no attention to the upcoming mayoral election and had missed all the posters. “That only makes me not want to vote for Mannie. We have enough tourists. We need no more.”

“I couldn’t agree more. I’ve watched Deacon and Axel in the Ancient Imp on several occasions. They were as thick as thieves, talking about something secretive and stopping whenever I went over to grab their empty glasses. They were working on something together. My guess is, it had to do with getting Mannie out of the campaign.”

“But one of them would still lose. Get rid of Mannie and they’d compete with each other.”

Petra shrugged. “Maybe they’d come to some arrangement. They’d keep out of each other’s way whoever won. Or they’d do under the table deals between the two of them, so there were no hard feelings. I don’t know the details.”

“A half-angel and a half-demon working together. I guess I’ve seen stranger partnerships.”

“One thing I do know is that politics is a shady business, and Deacon and Axel both wanted a shot at being mayor. They were worried Mannie’s money and experience would go against them. You need to speak to Mannie and see what he knows about Deacon’s death. I bet he did it.” She pushed back her stool. “I have to get out of here. I’ll have the early dinner crowd in soon at the Ancient Imp. I need to make sure the barrels are changed so customers don’t go thirsty.”

“Hold up. You haven’t told me who you’re dating.” I wasn’t letting Petra off that easily. I also wasn’t convinced by her not so solid alibi about eating pizza alone on the night Deacon died. What was to say she didn’t stuff her face and then kill Deacon?

“That’s my business.” Petra turned and hurried out of Cloven Hoof.

I dashed after her, Wiggles jumping up and running after me. He loved a good chase. “Tell me who you’re dating. All I want to do is double check you’re really over Deacon and didn’t hold a grudge that he’d moved on.”

She ignored me and ran to her sleek black sports car. She was one of the few people in Willow Tree Falls who owned a car. The place was so small it was easy enough to walk to wherever you liked. Wearing the kind of heels she did, Petra needed all the help she could get when it came to walking.

“Give me one name,” I said. “It can’t be that hard. You can’t have that many boyfriends.”

“I told you what I was doing that night. That’s all you’re getting out of me.”

“If you’re dating that many hot guys, you’d brag about it, not keep it a secret.”

Wiggles bounced around my feet as he sensed my growing agitation.

“Keep your nose out of my business.” Petra hopped into her car and gunned the engine.

This was my business. Aurora’s reputation was at stake, along with a potentially lengthy spell in prison if she was found guilty. I ran toward Petra’s car. “Wait! I’m not finished with you.”

Petra spun the car around, the tires squealing.

I leaped out of the way, falling backward to avoid being hit by the back of her car as it swerved. I heard Petra crunch the gears and punch the gas.

Wiggles growled, sensing my panic, and leaped in front of the car, his hackles raised as he tried to defend me from a metal beast.

“Get back,” I screamed at Wiggles.

It was too late. Petra accelerated and hit him.

Chapter 6

My breath caught in my throat, and my eyes were blinded with tears. For a second, the world froze as I couldn’t believe what had happened.

There was a flash of Petra’s brake lights as she realized what she’d just done.

“No, you don’t.” She was not escaping from this. I rolled onto my feet, stretched out a hand, and cast a net spell, trapping the car.

I felt it thump against my magic as Petra put her foot down again.

“No, no, no, no.” I ran toward the car. Where was Wiggles? I silently begged all the benevolent witches and warlocks to make sure he was okay. He wasn’t a big dog, but he might have survived.

I rounded the car. Wiggles was in front of it. He must have been lifted off the ground from the impact.

My heart stuttered, and I wiped my cheeks with my hands to remove the tears. Anger burned through my grief. I was going to kill Petra.

I dropped to the ground next to Wiggles. He lay on his side, looking like he was simply asleep.

I gently pressed a hand to his furry tan chest. He didn’t move.

My tears felt like hot acid as I stood and stalked over to Petra. “What have you done?” I opened the door, grabbed the collar of her dress, and yanked her out of the car.

Petra gasped and looked at Wiggles. “I didn’t mean to. It was an accident. He just jumped out in front of me.”

“You weren’t going to stop.” I shook her hard, wanting to hear her teeth rattle. Wanting her to feel the same pain I did. Anger raced through my veins, and I didn’t try to stop it. This was one of the few occasions when I was glad I carried a demon inside of me.

I didn’t fight as Frank took over. He fed on my rage, and it made him strong. My blood felt like fire as his power raced through my body, making me shake and my vision blur.

Petra gasped and staggered back as she sensed the demon energy sparking through me. She hit her car and scrambled for the door handle.

My hand shot out and wrapped around her neck. “You killed him.”

“Please, it was an accident.” Petra clawed at my hand.

“Let me take over completely,” Frank whispered in my head. “She deserves this. She is a killer.”

I nodded. Petra might not have killed Deacon, but she’d definitely killed Wiggles. She deserved to be punished.

I dropped my final barrier and allowed Frank to take control of my body.

He purred in satisfaction. Whenever Frank took control, I felt like I was watching myself have an out-of-body experience. It was my body and my voice, but my actions were controlled by a ruthless demon, who thrived on destruction and death.

At least, this death was deserved. My disembodied self looked back at Wiggles. Through the rage and satisfaction Frank felt at getting a taste of power, my heart clenched with sadness.

I’d had Wiggles for ten years. He’d been with me since he was a pup. I was a surly, uptight teenager when I’d passed by Fur Baby Emporium, run by Abigail Furby. I’d stood and stared at the puppies for at least ten minutes, my attention repeatedly drawn to the little guy in the corner no one else wanted to play with. Abigail had seen me looking and encouraged me into the store.

It had been love at first sight. Wiggles had stumbled over to me on his big paws, hope in his tiny blue eyes that he’d finally found someone who understood him. My heart had melted, especially when I found out how his siblings ignored him because he was the litter runt. We’d been best friends ever since. He was my rock and never judged me, no matter what I did or how badly I behaved.

Now he was gone. Run over by this cold-hearted witch, who couldn’t drive because of the ridiculous heels she drove in. She deserved everything Frank gave her. I would sit back and enjoy the show.

I watched as Frank used my hand on Petra’s head, my fingers digging into her hair.

“Destroy her,” I whispered.

“It will be my pleasure,” Frank replied. “A gift to you.”

“No, don’t do it,” Petra said. “I’ll do anything. I’ll get you a new dog. Whatever you want is yours.”

“Tempest, stop!”

I glanced around, not certain where the muffled voice had come from.

Aurora stood at the end of the lane, horror etched across her heart-shaped features.

I shook my head, panic flooding through me. She couldn’t be here. If Frank turned his attention on Aurora, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to stop him.

I waved her away. “Get lost.” She had no idea Frank was in control of me.

Frank laughed. “Two delights in the same day. I feel honored.”

I gritted my teeth and forced his energy away. I had to get control of him, or Aurora would be dead. I squashed the anger and rage I felt. That was what had fired Frank up and given him power over me.

“It’s time for you to take a rest.” Sweat trickled down my back as my internal battle to regain control raged.

“We are not finished.” Frank’s voice was deep and gravelly inside my mind. “You do not want revenge on the one who killed your best friend?”

My gaze went from Wiggles to Aurora. Revenge for my lost dog or protecting my sister? I loved them both. I wanted them both to be safe.

“Decide what you want,” Frank said. “I know what I desire. We both desire it.”

Petra sank to the ground, her head bowed as a rush of Frank’s energy shot through me and he took control again.

“Tempest, you need to stop.” Aurora took a step closer.

I felt Frank’s attention drift to her. A lustful hunger burned inside him for my sister. It had always been that way, ever since the night he’d tried to take her. Ever since the night I’d stopped him from devouring her.

My head pounded with the effort of stopping Frank, but I was gaining control and forcing him back.

“Get out of here,” I shouted at Aurora. “It’s not safe.”

She ignored me and drew nearer. “What’s going on? What happened to Wiggles?”

Panic engulfed me. Frank was still far from being under my control, and Aurora was ignoring me as she took another step.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, forcing Frank down, down, and down, trapping him inside me. I always imagined a big, roomy cage he lived in. I furnished it nicely, so he had nothing to complain about, but if I were him, I’d not want to spend the rest of my days trapped inside a witch’s mind prison. I understood why he fought me.

Slowly, his grip loosened, and his hot, jagged power slid down my spine. I opened my eyes and blew out a long breath.

Petra remained on the ground, my fingers tangled in her hair. She knew better than to mess with a demon like Frank and knew not to provoke me while I got control of him.

“Tempest, what happened?” Aurora repeated.

“When will you ever listen to me?” I gasped. “Frank was out. He could have killed you.”

Aurora licked her lips. “I didn’t know. Is everything good with Frank now?”

“Just about but keep your distance for a bit longer.” I swiped a hand across my sweaty forehead. “Petra hit Wiggles with her car.”

Aurora’s hand went to her mouth, her gaze on Wiggles. “Is he...”

“Yes. She ran him over.” I choked on the sentence and had to swallow a few times to get control of my tears.

“I’m so sorry,” Petra whispered. “I promise you I couldn’t stop in time. I’d never want to hurt him. I liked Wiggles.”

Frank let out an angry howl as he slid back under my control. I felt the same desire to howl. I wanted to scream and cry and smash Petra’s car into tiny little pieces.

Aurora’s eyes widened. “Are you sure you’re in control?”

“For now. Why do you ask?”

“Your eyes are red.”

It seemed like Frank wasn’t as far away as I thought. “You should leave while you can. Frank was dealing with Petra. He might come back.”

Aurora shook her head. “What Petra did was horrible. We all love Wiggles, but you can’t kill her.”

“I can. She didn’t even stop. She doesn’t care what she’s done.”

Petra was still on her knees in front of me. She raised her head. “I got scared. You wouldn’t give up on the questioning.”

Despite all my warnings to keep her distance, Aurora ignored me and walked over. I staggered out of the way as she caught hold of Petra, helped her up, and eased her back into her car. “You’d better go.”

“She is going to pay for this,” I said.

“She will. I’m sure of it.” Aurora glanced cautiously at me before turning her attention to Petra. “Are you okay to drive?”

“I’ll be fine,” Petra whispered.

“Then I suggest you leave while Tempest feels calmer.”

Petra nodded. “I’m really so sorry. I never meant for this to happen.” She glanced at me before steering the car around Wiggles and away from Cloven Hoof.

The anger finally left me, and I dropped beside Wiggles again. He was gone, my best friend had been taken from me. My heart ached, and my lungs burned. I had no one to talk to. No one to watch terrible movies with. And who would I share lie-ins with, now Wiggles wasn’t there to snuggle next to?

Aurora touched my shoulder. “Oh, Tempest, it’s so sad. Poor Wiggles.”

“He didn’t deserve this. He was looking out for me. I was chasing Petra, trying to get answers out of her about Deacon’s death. I spooked her, and she wouldn’t stop.”

“Wiggles was helping you. He was such a loyal dog.” Aurora’s words wobbled as she spoke.

Frank stirred inside me, restless at how close Aurora was to him. Or maybe he was also sorry Wiggles had gone. He’d known him as long as I had.

“You need to get out of here,” I said to Aurora. “I still don’t have things under control here. Frank loves to feed on my moods. Right now, I want to punch something hard until my hands bleed. He’s only encouraging those feelings.”

Her grip tightened on my shoulder. “Before I do, I have an idea.”

I glanced up and saw a determined look in Aurora’s eyes, mingled with a little fear. “Which is?”

“We’re powerful Crypt witches. Although some of our power comes from siphoning nature, we also feed on undead energy, you in particular.”

“Sure, I just love to drain all the creepy undead power from our cemetery.” That was certainly a quirk in my abilities. I loved being around dead, creepy things, which was why hunting soul sucking demons never fazed me.

“I don’t mind it either.” Aurora’s smile was soft. Her magic had always been gentler than mine. She could draw power from the cemetery but thrived when it came to helping others. She grew strong from positivity. I sometimes wondered if we really were sisters. We couldn’t be more different.

“What’s your point?”

“We both know a certain spell to reanimate dead things.”

I sucked in a breath. “Flowers and birds, we can manage those. We can’t bring Wiggles back from the dead. He’s a dog.”

“The magic works on animals. The birds wake up and fly away. Obviously, Wiggles is much bigger, but between the two of us, we can do it. What do you reckon? Shall we get Wiggles back?”

I jumped up, my knees feeling shaky and my heart racing with uncertain hope, and I hugged her. “Anything! I’ll try anything to get him back.”

Her eyes glistened, and she bit her bottom lip. “Let’s do it.”

We sat either side of Wiggles and both placed a hand on his warm chest.

“There’s no guarantee this will work,” Aurora said quietly. “He’ll need lots of energy.”

“How about some mushrooms?”

Aurora tilted her head. “I thought they only chill people out.”

“I have all sorts in Cloven Hoof.” I scrambled to my feet, raced into the bar, and grabbed a bag of dried Regal Bolete mushrooms.

I was already eating a handful as I thrust the bag at Aurora.

She pulled one brown, flat mushroom from the bag. “How many?”

“At least a dozen. We need to feel so buzzed we think we’re flying. That’s the kind of spark Wiggles needs to come back to me.” I swallowed the lump of citrus-infused mushrooms. Sometimes, these little buggers did not taste great if you didn’t give them a helping hand with something sweet or tangy.

Aurora gobbled down a big handful of mushrooms, and I ate a few more just in case.

Eating these was like downing a dozen energy drinks but without the caffeine side effects. The colors brightened around me, and I felt like bursting into song and dancing on the spot as the mushrooms worked their magic.

“We can do it. I’m sure we can.” Hope fluttered in my chest. I was getting Wiggles back. I settled on the ground opposite Aurora.

With our free hands, we linked fingers. This spell aired on the wrong side of light. It wasn’t a full on black magic spell but definitely had shades of gray. Bringing anything back to life was a big deal.

Magic pulsed through my body, my energy mingling with Aurora’s and flooding down our fingers as we willed Wiggles back to life.

We sat like that for half an hour, focused on Wiggles. Nothing else mattered. We didn’t speak; we barely breathed; we just pulsed magic into him.

I felt my energy ebbing but refused to give up. Wiggles would live. He had to. I sucked in a breath and blocked out everything else.

“Did he move?” Aurora whispered. Her skin was gray from the toll the spell had on her, but she looked as determined as me that this magic would work.

I pressed against Wiggle’s chest and gasped as a tiny shiver of movement ran along his spine. “It’s working.”

Aurora smiled at me as a trickle of blood slid from her nose. “I knew we could do this.”

“Can you keep going? You don’t look so hot.”

She nodded. “We’re almost there. The hard part is over.”

As my own energy wilted, Frank shifted inside me. If I got too weak, he would break through again. With Aurora sitting so close, she wouldn’t stand a chance, and I’d be powerless to protect her.

Only when Wiggles’ chest was rising and falling regularly, did I pull back my magic. Aurora did the same. She slumped forward and took several deep breaths.

I hugged her. “You’re amazing. Now please, get out of here. Frank could come through at any moment. When he does, your butt is his. I have nothing left to fight him with.”

Aurora stood wearily, nodding as she did so. “Give Wiggles a kiss from me when he wakes up properly.” She dragged herself away, turning back as she got to the end of the lane and giving me a thumbs-up.

I lay beside Wiggles on the ground and wrapped an arm around him. “For a too perfect to be true sister, she isn’t so bad.”

Wiggles kept his eyes closed, but his ears twitched, suggesting he was listening.

“She took a huge risk by helping us.” I rested my forehead against Wiggles’. I needed to get better control of Frank. I hated not being around Aurora, not able to do all the things we used to do when we were kids.

“Maybe I should let her go to prison for Deacon’s murder,” I said to Wiggles. “She’d be safer behind bars, and she’d have the guards to protect her. I could decide when I went and saw her. If I was having a bad Frank day, I could leave her alone. It will be much harder to hunt my sister if she’s locked away.”

Wiggles shifted beside me and grunted. “That’s a terrible idea.”

Chapter 7

I shook my head and stared at Wiggles. It sounded like he’d just spoken, but that wasn’t possible. I ran a hand down his side. That spell must have taken more out of me than I realized if I could hear voices.

Wiggles opened his eyes, and my breath caught in my throat. They were glowing red.

I sat up and inched away from him. “How are you doing? Has that magic made you feel weird?”

“You bet your fuzzy butt it has. And being hit by that witch’s car wasn’t a fun tea dance full of sprightly grannies.” Wiggles staggered to his feet and shook out his fur. “Man alive, that spell had a kick and a half to it.”

Holy cow! Wiggles could talk. My mouth hung open as I stared at him.

“Stop catching flies. Anyone would think I’m your first talking dog.” Wiggles tilted his head to the side, before settling down to scratch an ear with his hind leg.

I scratched my head in response. “You are my first talking dog. Wiggles, this is amazing. You’re talking!”

“It’s about time. You’ve had so many one-sided conversations with me over the years. I’ve never been able to tell you what I was thinking. Whenever you were about to do something dumb, I always wanted to step in and help but could never say anything other than woof. The number of times I’ve tried to tell you how many bones I wanted, and it never worked.”

I choked out a laugh. “Your eyes have changed color.”

Wiggles blinked a few times. “They feel the same.”

“They’re red. Like fire pits of hell red. You look scary cool.”

“Huh! No kidding. I guess that’s what comes of doing a spell when you’ve got a demon inside you.”

I gasped. “No way. Frank helped with this spell?”

“I felt the fiery dude’s energy curl around me. It was like wearing a thermal coat in the desert. Sweaty, gritty, and sulfurous. I don’t know how you deal with him sitting inside you like a giant tapeworm all the time.”

“Gross!” When I thought about it, that was a decent description of Frank. Nothing I did shifted the son of a demon. “So, if a demon got involved in bringing you back, what does that make you?”

“Well, glowing red eyes, brought back from the dead, and an ability to talk. You got yourself a drop-dead gorgeous hellhound as a best friend.” Wiggles raised a paw and examined it. “Which is pretty darn cool if you ask me.”

I laughed again and wrapped my arms around his neck. “It is pretty amazing.”

“Enough with the cuddles. That’s something we need to discuss. I’m not much into the spooning at night. I don’t mind a couple of minutes, but you sometimes have me wrapped in your embrace the whole night. I have fur and that gets hot. This hellhound needs his space. He needs room to scratch and break wind and do some serious grooming at night. That’s not possible when you’re hugging me so tight I can barely breathe.”

“I don’t cuddle all night.” I untangled my arms from around him.

“You have a cuddle addiction.”

I rubbed the top of his head. “We’ve got a lot of talking to do.”

“No kidding. First things first, my name. Wiggles sucks. We’re changing it.”

I stood up, unable to take my eyes off my new hellhound, and resisted the urge to dance around with delight at having him back. “Your name is adorable. I can’t think of anything else to call you. You’ll always be Wiggles.”

“Why am I called Wiggles?”

“Well, when you walk, you have that cute little sway to your butt, like a doggie super model.”

He growled and his eyes glowed brighter. “Wiggles is off the table.”

“We’ll discuss it later.” I couldn’t help myself and hugged Wiggles again.

He endured it for a few seconds before shaking me off. “And another thing, your sister. Don’t go giving up on her so quickly. She might be sweeter than a jar of molasses, but she doesn’t deserve jail time.”

My eyebrows rose. “How much do you know?”

“I hear everything when you let me hang out with you.”

“Okay. That’s good; you haven’t missed much. The angels don’t know how Deacon was killed, although Merrie heard he’d been smothered. His body was found at his house.”

“Why do the angels think Aurora’s involved?”

“Deacon had their date penciled in his calendar. That’s when the trouble begins. I think Aurora lied about seeing Deacon the night he died.”

“Your adorable little sister told a lie to Angel Force?” Wiggles shook his head. “That’s impossible.”

“She’s not as innocent as I first thought, and Aurora is a terrible liar. She got herself in a muddle and was almost caught when questioned. She has denied her involvement, but I need to know why she’s lying.”

“Who else have you got in the frame?”

“Petra pointed the finger at the other mayoral candidates. It’s possible they’re involved. In particular, she fingered Mannie.”

“Axel deserves a visit. I do not trust that guy. He’s too smooth talking for my liking. He’s always sliming around you and trying to get into your pants.”

“Wiggles! That’s not true. He slimes a bit, but he knows never to make a pass at me.”

“It’s true. He sniffs around you like I do when I sniff out a box of Patti’s brownies.”

I grinned at him and shook my head. It was going to take a while to get used to having a talking hellhound as a sidekick.

“How about a visit to see Axel since you’re so fond of him?”

“Why not? If he is in cahoots with the victim, he could be the killer and not Mannie. He might have had a disagreement with Deacon and decided to get rid of him.”

“Okay but let me do the talking when we see him.”

Wiggles cocked an ear. “I’ve not been able to talk for ten years. I should do the talking.”

“Not everyone is calm about hellhounds. Axel might think you’re going to belch brimstone at him.”

Wiggles grumbled. “I thought there was something stuck in my throat. I can do that?”

“Isn’t it standard practice for hellhounds?”

“Hmmm. I’m new to this game. Let’s see if I’ve got anything to cough up.” He sucked in a deep breath.

“Let’s stick to fur balls for now. We can try the brimstone belch when we’ve got more time. But we need to do something with your eyes.”

“What are you suggesting, sunglasses?”

“That’s not a bad idea. Wait here a moment.”

“I was joking,” Wiggles yelled after me as I ran to my apartment, grabbed the darkest pair of shades I had, and ran back down the stairs.

“Try these.” I settled the glasses on Wiggles’ nose.

“How do I look?”

“Odd, but not as scary. I don’t suppose you can do anything about the scary red eyes?”

“Not a chance. I didn’t even know I had them. The hellhound eyes are here to stay.”

“Are you up to questioning some suspects now?”

“Of course, I feel great.”

“You have just come back from the dead. You might like to take it easy.”

“I’ve never felt more alive.”

“Come on then. We might as well go tackle Axel.”

As I walked alongside Wiggles, I realized I was still in shock. I’d seen him run over and then had my sister help bring him back to life. My sister and my demon.

“I was thinking Rocky,” Wiggles said.

“For what?”

“My new name. Something solid and dependable.”

“It doesn’t suit you.”

“I’m not solid or dependable?”

“You’re both of those things. I just don’t see you as a Rocky.”

“How about Tiberius? Or Zeus?”

“I like Wiggles.”

“It makes me sound like a sap. I should be a hairdresser, not a hellhound, with a name like that.”

“People will think it’s strange if I change your name all of a sudden. You’ve always been Wiggles. No one is going to remember a new name.”

“They will if I bite them every time they get my name wrong.”

“No! No biting.”

“You’re always telling me to bite people.”

“I only mean it half the time.”

“Am I allowed to bite Axel if he’s too much of a jerk?”

“No. Not even then.”

“What if he slimes up on you in his usual way and makes suggestive comments?”

“Maybe a gentle nip.” We headed away from Cloven Hoof and walked along the main street. Axel owned a flash bachelor pad on the opposite side of Willow Tree Falls to my family. I’d never been inside, despite his many offers to show me around, but imagined what it would be like. Lots of chrome and minimalistic lines. The total opposite of my home.

As we approached the stark white building, I glanced down at Wiggles. “Best behavior now. You don’t want to go scaring the half-demon and making him run if he is involved in this murder.”

“I’ll do my best. I’m getting used to my new hellhound abilities. I might be unpredictable for a while.”

“No talking,” I cautioned him.

“I make no promises.”

“I should have left you back at Cloven Hoof.”

“I’ve been breaking out of that place ever since we moved in.”

“Exactly how have you been able to do that? I lock the door every time I leave.”

“We all have our secrets.”

“Now you have no reason not to tell me yours.”

Wiggles barked a laugh. “That’s never going to happen. I like being a mysterious hellhound.”

I knocked at Axel’s front door. He didn’t work. He was a trust fund baby and had been given vast amounts of money by his demon father, Kroni.

As far as I knew, Axel spent most of his time gambling, flirting with anyone he thought was available, and racing around in his fancy soft top.

Axel opened the door. He smiled brightly when he saw me. “This is a pleasant surprise.”

“It’s not a social call,” I said.

“That is a shame.” With his slicked back dark hair and perma-tan, Axel looked like someone out of an old episode of Dynasty. The look strangely suited him. Give him a cravat and loafers and I’d be convinced he was an oil baron’s son, not demon offspring.

“Did you hear about Aurora?”

His smile faded. “I did. What a shock. Why don’t you come in? I can fix us some drinks.”

I gave Wiggles a warning stare, which he completely ignored as we stepped inside the house.

It was not as I expected. There was no chrome or glass. A rusty motorbike sat by the stairs, parts littered on the ground, and a huge bookcase full of paperbacks dominated one wall. Everything on the shelves looked well-read.

“I didn’t know you liked to read.” I stood in front of the shelves. He had everything from the classics to pulp fiction noir.

“I love a good book. This way.” He led us past the bike and into the kitchen.

Wiggles headed straight for the trash can in the corner and started sniffing around it.

The kitchen was all white. It felt lived in and well-used, just like Axel’s book collection. Maybe I had this half-demon all wrong.

“Anyone would think you were a half-angel, rather than a demon, given your liking for all the white in here,” I said.

Axel chuckled. “Blame my interior designer. I told her what I wanted, gave her the money, and she spent it all. Maybe the place could do with a bit of color. What do you suggest?”

I looked around the kitchen. “You’ve got plenty of room for a sacrificial altar at that end. Maybe you could host parties and invite the neighbors for some gentle bloodletting.”

He grinned as he pulled a bottle of white wine from the fridge. “That’s tempting. Would you come to the party if I did?”

“Unlikely.” I shook my head as he held up the wine bottle. “Not for me. I’ll have a soda if you’ve got any.”

He pulled out a can of soda and handed it to me along with a glass.

I opened the soda and drank straight from it. “What do you know about Deacon Feathers’ death?”

Axel raised his groomed eyebrows. “It was a surprise. Deacon was a decent guy for a half-angel. He could be sickeningly good, but that’s not a reason to get rid of him.”

“Did you consider him a friend?”

“We weren’t friends. We also weren’t enemies. We had a healthy competition between us. Did you know we were both running for mayor?”

“I did. Did you consider him strong competition?”

Axel’s grin widened. “Ah, I see what you’re doing. You’re looking for someone else to put in the frame instead of your sister.”

“What if I am? You could be a good fit.”

“Sorry to disappoint you. I was busy that night.”

“What were you doing?”

“The same as always. I went to the gym, had dinner, and then headed out to a movie.”

“What movie did you watch?”

“They’re showing the Witches of Eastwick. It’s an oldie but a goodie. Not too true to life but enjoyable.”

That would be easy enough to check out. “Where did you eat dinner?”

“The same place I always do, over at Bite Me.”

“Have you got any evidence?” I watched him carefully as I sipped my soda.

Axel lowered his wine glass. “I could probably dig out some receipts. Tilly will definitely remember me. I tip well.”

“I’d like to see those receipts.”

His smile faded. “You really think I’d kill Deacon?”

“Why not? He’s an angel; you’re a demon. You’re old school sworn enemies.”

“We’re not the only ones around here who have their demon issues.” Axel’s gaze swept over me. “How’s yours doing?”

“I’ve no problems. I also had no issues with Deacon.”

“Deacon was dating your baby sister. Maybe you got all protective of her and decided to get rid of him before he broke her heart.”

“Nope. They weren’t serious.”

Axel shrugged. “Well, I’ve nothing to hide. Give me a moment and I’ll find the receipts. I can’t have you thinking I’m a killer.” He left me in the kitchen with Wiggles.

“What do you think?” I quietly asked him.

“He’s still too smarmy for his own good but check out this trash can. It has four different compartments.” He pressed the levers on the bottom, and the lids opened one after the other.

“Stop messing with the trash. You’re only looking for food.”

“Axel could have hidden evidence in here. I’m sniffing it out and being a good hellhound.”

“Has your sniffing helped at all? Is there a murder weapon hiding in there?”

“Woah, something so much better. Axel has dumped half a cake. Come over and take a look.”

I shook my head. “I’m not looking at a discarded cake.”

“It’s cherry and chocolate. It smells great. Barely any mold on it.”

“That’s nasty, and it’s not evidence.”

“My stomach disagrees.”

“Here we go.” Axel returned and handed me a movie stub and a receipt for his dinner. “I can’t help with my gym routine, but I’m there every evening at the same time. You can check with the staff if you need corroboration.”

The dates were correct, and the movie ticket had been torn. “Did you have dinner with anyone?”

“I’m a sad, lonely bachelor. I always dine alone.”

“Don’t tell me you go to the movies alone, as well?”

“I prefer to see movies with nobody else. I can’t stand anybody talking and spoiling the mood. As soon as the ads start, that’s it. I’m focused. I don’t need distractions or anyone asking me if I want popcorn or what that person said and guessing the twists at the end of the movies. No interruptions, that’s how I like things.”

“There were other people there? If I asked around, they’d remember seeing you?”

“Of course. I always like the back row though.” Axel winked at me.

“I bet you do,” I muttered.

“I am sorry to hear about Aurora getting pulled up for this murder. If you’re looking for somebody to blame, you should speak to Petra. Until recently, she was hot and heavy with Deacon.”

I sat up straight. That was not what she’d told me. “What changed?”

“Deacon got sick of her hounding him. He told me she never gave him any space. She was always checking up on him. Petra would even accidentally show up at places he went to and pretend it was a coincidence. He was convinced she’d been snooping in his diary, so she could keep bumping into him. One day, he had enough and told her it was over. Petra didn’t get the hint. She kept asking him for a second chance.”

“Deacon wasn’t interested in getting back together?” Petra had acted like she hadn’t cared one way or the other about Deacon. Somebody was lying.

“He was looking for a trophy girlfriend, somebody who would look good on his arm during the election. Deacon needed somebody reliable by his side, someone potential voters would find appealing.”

I frowned. “And he decided to pick my sister as that replacement?”

“I meant no offense. Aurora is adorable. She’d make a perfect trophy girlfriend.”

I reached across the counter and smacked the side of his head.

“Ouch! Okay, she’d make a perfect girlfriend.”

“Don’t even think about looking at her.”

Axel’s grin turned sharp. “I like my women on the spiky side. Your sister is sweet, but she’s not for me.”

“What did you do first?”

His brows lowered. “You’ve lost me.”

“Do you work out first and then stuff your face afterwards?”

“Oh, I see. It’s always the gym, then food, and then a movie. I hit the gym around five, head to dinner at about six-thirty, and catch the eight o’clock movie. It’s the same every Thursday. I like my routine. Everybody knows it. You’re not going to catch me out.”

I wrinkled my nose. He did have evidence to show he was nowhere near Deacon’s the night he died. “What time did the movie end?”

“We’re always out by eleven,” Axel said. “The neighbors don’t like the noise. I watched the movie and then wandered back here. I must have been in bed by midnight at the latest. I had a nightcap and then turned in. It’s not always high glamor here. I’m an average guy.”

It sounded like a pretty good night if you discounted the gym workout. He had a solid alibi. Axel no longer seemed like a likely candidate for Deacon’s murder. But what he’d said about Petra interested me. She’d been clear she wasn’t interested in Deacon. She’d been almost flippant about it and claimed to be seeing somebody else. Then she’d run off and squashed Wiggles in her panic to get away. Maybe she wasn’t being as upfront as she should be.

“How close are you to Petra?”

“Not very. I occasionally go to the Ancient Imp for a glass of wine but prefer my own cellar to what she offers.”

“You definitely think she was hassling Deacon?”

“Absolutely. I was there a couple of times when she accidentally stumbled across him. She made some excuse about fate bringing them back together. He seemed embarrassed by the whole thing. You know Deacon. He was never rude, but he politely brushed her off without hurting her feelings. He’s too much of a sucker. He should have told her she didn’t stand a chance and was wasting her time. She might have left him alone after that.”

“Is that how you talk to your conquests after you get what you want?”

Axel smiled at me and raised his wine glass. “Maybe one day you’ll get to find out.”

I glanced at Wiggles, who shook his head as he ate moldy cake out of the trash.

“I’m going to have to chat to Petra again.” Which was a good thing. We had some unfinished dog hitting business to deal with.

“You’ve already talked to her?”

I finished my soda. “We met earlier today. We’ve got an issue to clear up.”

“From that glint in your eye, it looks like it’s not a good issue.” Axel glanced at Wiggles. “What’s with the dog shades?”

“He’s had an eye operation. He’s going to have to wear those shades most of the time.”

Axel patted his leg. “Here boy. He’s always such a decent dog, although I get the impression he’s not too keen on me.”

Wiggles growled and bared his teeth, displaying all the cake stuck between them.

Axel frowned. “And definitely not today.”

I stood. “Thanks for the drink and the alibi.”

“My pleasure.” Axel walked Wiggles and me back to the front door. “If I can be of any help in clearing your sister’s name, let me know.” His hand moved to my lower back.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

He leaned forward as if he was going to kiss me.

“Take a hike, buddy. She’s not into toads.”

Axel jumped back. He looked at me and then Wiggles. “Who said that?”

I looked around, trying to keep the smile from my face. “Maybe you have a ghost. Have you had this place checked recently for unwanted spooks? The magic sometimes draws them in.”

Axel stared at Wiggles. “I could have sworn that came from Wiggles.”

I glared at Wiggles, silently willing him not to say another word. “He’s just a dog.”

Axel looked around the hallway. “How bizarre. Well, as I said, anything I can do, just ask.”

I pulled open the door and left Axel staring around the inside of his house.

I waited until we were out of earshot before speaking. “That was close.”

“The guy was being a sleaze. He was going in for some open mouth action with you.”

“Don’t be nasty. He was going to kiss my cheek.”

“No way, that guy is as slippery as an eel. He’d have accidentally planted one on your lips and then gone in for a full-on face sucking session.”

“I wouldn’t have let him,” I said. “And you need to keep your mouth shut until we work out how many people to tell about your transformation.”

“What’s wrong with me being a hellhound?” Wiggles asked. “It adds an edge. It will get you more respect now you have me by your side. Your amazing talking hellhound, Thunderbolt.”

“Thunderbolt?”

“I’m trying it out.”

“More like Thunder Fart. Let me tell people about your change slowly. I’ll only get questions about what kind of magic I used to bring you back. It will make people jumpy, knowing my pesky demon had a hand in your resurrection.”

“You’ve always been known for your shady magic practices. This is not so different.”

I stopped walking and stared at Wiggles. “I am not. My magic is legit.”

“As are those mushrooms you sell in Cloven Hoof.”

“Everyone needs a little natural buzz now and again. Those mushrooms are Magic Council approved. Hell, some Council members come to Willow Tree Falls to get their own mushrooms. I’m doing nothing dodgy.”

“And neither am I,” Wiggles said. “All you did was use some powerful magic to bring back your beloved dog. I came back with a few improvements; that’s all. I cannot go around wearing sunglasses and keeping my jaw shut the whole time. That would be torture.”

“You need to when we investigate Deacon’s death,” I said. “We don’t want to spook any more suspects.”

“I’ll keep my muzzle shut, so long as the sleazebags keep their hands off you.”

I patted his head as we continued walking. “You’re a good boy. Anyone would think you were jealous.”

“Of course I’m jealous. I’m your reluctant snuggle buddy.”

I laughed as we headed back into the village. Wiggles might be a hellhound, but I’d trust him over any of the guys I’d dated.

“Let’s go see Petra while she’s still racked with guilt over squashing you. Her guilt might force her to open up,” I said. “She didn’t tell us the truth about her feelings for Deacon, and I need to know why.”

“Grandpa Lucius is right. It’s always the ex-girlfriend or the wife,” Wiggles said. “They get obsessed with a guy, and that’s it. It could be lights out at any time.”

“How many ex-girlfriends have you got that want to do that to you?”

“A hellhound can dream. Let’s go scare this witch and see what she has to tell us.”

Chapter 8

Before heading to the Ancient Imp to grill Petra, I made a quick detour to Cloven Hoof. Merrie was behind the bar as usual when I walked in. She raised her hand when she saw me.

“I’m glad you’re here. We’ve got a problem.”

“No problems, not today. I’m on a mission to prove my sister’s innocence.”

Merrie nodded. “Two things. Angel Force has been in touch. They left information about a new job for you.”

I slumped onto a stool by the bar. I had said I’d take another job to get me out of Willow Tree Falls. Right now, all I could think about was helping Aurora clear her name, not jumping an escaped demon and teaching him a few lessons.

“What else?”

Merrie pursed her lips. “Two staff called in sick.”

“You’re kidding. Who?”

“Paula and Mickey.”

“They’ve only been here a couple of months. They’re both sick at the same time?”

“It looks like it. Paula is decent, but I was always a little concerned about Mickey. He enjoys sampling the produce too much. He says you need to experience everything, so you can give recommendations to customers. Most of the time, he’s as high as a kite and keeps walking into things.”

“Get rid of him.”

“Isn’t that your job as our boss?” Merrie winked at me. “You get all the fun jobs.”

I groaned. “Fine, when he’s well enough to make an appearance, let me know. I’ll happily fire his bewildered backside.”

“Will do.”

“We’ve got two parties this evening, haven’t we?”

“A stag and a hen party from out of town.”

I snitched my nose. “I’ll stick around and lend a hand.” Merrie was great at her job, but pre-wedding parties were hectic affairs.

“Thanks, that will be great. Most of the prep is done, but it’s going to be crazy when the drinks orders come flying my way.”

My mission to quiz Petra would have to wait. I knew where she was. She wasn’t going to leave Willow Tree Falls, even though she thought she’d run over Wiggles and must be wondering what hideous revenge I had planned for her. I couldn’t wait to see the look on her face when we strolled into the Ancient Imp later that night.

I hurried upstairs to change into my usual work outfit, flat black boots, fitted black pants, a red shirt and my hair tied back in a low ponytail.

“I’m starving,” Wiggles said.

“Is the moldy cake not sitting well in your stomach?”

“That barely touched the sides.”

“What’s your favorite food? I’m guessing you’re not going to say the dog kibble I feed you since there’s half a bowl still in the kitchen.”

“It’s not great.”

“It’s a nutritionally complete dog food.”

“It’s not hellhound food. I’d love a rare steak with a side order of fries, half a bottle of Chianti, followed by a mountain of ice cream.”

“No way are you getting any of that. I’m not having you turning into an obese hellhound.”

“I’ll burn it all off. I run extra hot now I’m fired by demon power.”

“Even so, no Chianti.”

“How about a smooth Merlot?”

“How about a fresh bowl of water?”

“I’ll settle for toilet water.”

“No! No more drinking from the toilet bowl. It’s nasty and you leave puddles all over the floor.”

“There’s just something about that heady mix of fresh water, cleaning fluid, and human waste that I can’t resist.”

I wrinkled my nose. “Stop talking.”

“That’s not happening. I’m never giving up on this voice.”

I sighed. “No wine, no toilet water.”

“You are no fun.”

“I’m lots of fun. But I don’t want my new hellhound felled by a heart attack.”

“That’s impossible, I think. I can’t die from anything so basic, not anymore.” Wiggles turned in a circle, checking out his fur as if that would give him a clue as to just how indestructible he was.

“We’ll negotiate this later. You stay up here while I get to work.”

“I’ll get bored on my own.”

“Take a nap on your favorite beanbag.” I pointed to the squishy tartan bag Wiggles loved.

“I hate that thing. Every time I move, it wakes me up with all the crunchy ball sounds. It’s like sleeping in a bowl of rice crackles. Hard rice crackles.”

“I had no idea. Where do you like to sleep?”

“Your bed is comfortable.”

“You can sleep there only when I’m in it.”

“You’ve got all those pillows. I like to lay between them and roll about. Sometimes, I grab one and put it between my legs—”

“Please tell me you don’t hump my pillows when I’m out of the apartment.”

“Only now and again. Once a day at the most.”

I walked over and closed my bedroom door. “I’m going to have to get new pillows.” I grabbed the dog kibble and topped up his bowl.

“I’m not touching that. It tastes like meaty sawdust.”

I rummaged in the fridge and pulled out half a pack of chicken sausages. “How about these?”

“Not a fan.”

I sighed. Who knew hellhounds could be so fussy. “What do you want?”

“Steak.”

“I don’t have any steak. I’m not into red meat.”

“I bet you’ve got some down in the kitchen freezer.”

“You’re not having the bar food. That’s for paying customers who get the munchies.”

“Just a small steak. I’ll forego the wine and the ice cream.”

I groaned. I had to get downstairs and help Merrie. “I’ll get a steak sent up to you so long as you promise not to hump my pillows.”

“You’re a diamond.” He turned in a circle a couple of times and settled on the carpet.

“I’m a mug.” I tucked in my shirt and ran down the stairs. I placed the order for Wiggle’s steak with Niall, my amazing chef, and got to work on setting up the tables and drinks orders for tonight’s parties.

We often had out-of-towners coming to Willow Tree Falls to visit Cloven Hoof. As the only licensed purveyor of magical herbal enhancements, I had a popular business. Magic users from all over the country came to enjoy themselves.

We were particularly popular with the hen and stag parties. They often got a little out of control with all the naughty behavior as people celebrated a last night of freedom with the soon to be newlyweds.

There were two parties tonight. Fifteen hens and twenty-five stags would be descending on us. They always spent well and partied hard, and they always left behind one hell of a mess.

As I did a final check of the tables, Merrie hurried over. “The hens are here.”

“Let’s give them a night to remember.” I turned and watched as fifteen overexcited witches dressed in sparkly pink outfits pushed through the doors. The bride wore an enormous white veil and already looked unsteady on her high heels.

“Welcome ladies,” I said as they entered the bar. “Let me show you to your table.”

The bride-to-be, Tennessee Brown, nodded and smiled. “We’re here for your mushrooms.”

“They’ll be on tap, as requested.” I gestured to her table, set up as instructed with trays of canapes infused with some of my most potent mushrooms.

“Come on, ladies.” Tennessee gestured to her friends as she hurried to the table. Her drunken hens followed behind her.

Merrie lined up shot glasses on the bar and filled them with a shimmering blue liquid as I settled the party.

I walked to the bar and snitched my nose at the shots. “Don’t tell me they want star bombs all night?”

Merrie grinned. “Mushrooms and star bombs are our specialities.”

“Keep an eye on how much they’re drinking. Too many star bombs and our bride-to-be will be floating on the ceiling.”

“You’re the boss.”

I sensed the next party arriving just before they entered the bar. I’d had second thoughts about letting this party in. They were elves. Not your fantasy style elf you see in all the video games. They were more like the ones portrayed in blockbuster movies, lithe with shimmering skin and pointed ears. They always had the ladies drooling. I excluded myself from that. I liked my guys with a bit more muscle and a bit less mouth.

But they’d paid upfront and had been nothing but gracious when they’d made their booking. Plus, they booked the deluxe package. These elves were wealthy and liked to spend money.

I pulled open the door to find twenty-five immaculately dressed elves. They looked too good to be true and mostly were. Elves could be deceitful. There was often some sneaky scheme up their perfectly outfitted sleeves. You had to watch what you said and be sure you agreed to nothing you weren’t sure of, or you’d end up in one of their underground caverns dancing until your feet bled. All in the name of their entertainment.

“Welcome to Cloven Hoof.” I looked around the group. “Which one of you is Darius Oathfinder?”

The tallest elf in the group with silver eyes stepped forward and bowed. “That would be me. Are you Tempest Crypt?”

“I am. It’s nice to meet you. I hope you’re having an enjoyable bachelor party so far.”

“We’re about to,” he said. “We’ve heard nothing but good things about the produce you supply.”

“I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.”

“And if I am?” His silver eyes glinted with the challenge.

I smiled sweetly. I was not going to be tricked by this elf. “Then we can talk in private.”

“I look forward to it. I’m sure we can reach a satisfactory deal.”

I was not doing a deal with an elf. “Everything will meet your approval. Please, follow me.” I led the elves to their table on the opposite side of the room from the witches. I was sure the two parties would be mingling in no time. That was their prerogative. I wasn’t a dating agency. I’d serve the drinks and let them find their way to each other.

Once the elves were settled and mushrooms gently melted on their tongues, I headed back to the bar where Merrie was returning with two empty trays.

“How are the witches?”

“Having fun.” Merrie removed a pair of devil horns that had been stuck on her head. “Someone has bought a variety of amusing willy-shaped items.”

“They’ve also asked for the same shape of cake,” I said. “It’s in the kitchen when they request it.”

“I’ll pass on that if I get offered a slice,” Merrie said.

“It’s bright pink with sparkles,” I said. “You’d be wise to pass.”

“You’ll be warning me next there’s a stripper booked.”

“It is a hen party,” I said. “What do you expect? And I think it’s two strippers for our ladies.”

Merrie shook her head. “Please tell me I’m getting a bonus for working this.”

“You’ll get something.” Merrie worked hard and never let me down. I always rewarded her for that.

Once I was sure the witches and elves were happily drinking and eating, I headed back to the bar. “Can you handle them on your own for half an hour?”

“It shouldn’t be a problem. If anyone gets too rowdy, I’ll be in touch,” Merrie said.

“Thanks.” I dashed upstairs to find Wiggles standing in the middle of the apartment, a guilty look on his face and couch cushions scattered around.

“What are you up to?”

He ran behind the couch. “There’s nothing to see here.”

“We’ll discuss this another time. Come on. We have a witch to question.”

Wiggles bounded down the stairs, and we hurried out of Cloven Hoof.

“What’s the plan?” he asked as we headed to the main street.

“We’re quizzing Petra.” It was getting late, and the Ancient Imp would be closing soon. That should mean it wasn’t too busy, and she’d make time to see me. Even if she didn’t, I’d convince her she had to.

“Do you think she was lying about her feelings for Deacon?”

“It’s possible. If she did, and she still loved him, it must have stung to see him getting together with Aurora.”

“She could have been jealous enough to put a stop to his dabblings with Aurora.”

“Dabblings? I don’t think they dabbled. They went on a couple of dates.”

“That’s all you need. Dinner and a drink and a dabble.”

“Please don’t tell me what you think a dabble is.” My talking hellhound had a dirty mind.

He chuckled. “You know what a dabble is. I bet you dabble when the mood takes you.”

“Nope, no dabbling allowed. So, if Petra couldn’t bear the thought of Deacon being with anyone else, maybe she snapped, killed him, and is trying to frame Aurora?”

Wiggles growled. “First, she frames your sister, and then she squashes me. This lady needs me to take her for a long walk off a short pier.”

I shook my head. “That makes no sense. If you were walking with her, you’d fall in as well.”

“You know what I mean. We need to teach her a lesson.”

We did. Petra would benefit from a scare. It might convince her to give up driving or at least stop wearing such impractical shoes. I pushed open the door to the Ancient Imp, magic flaring on the tips of my fingers.

As soon as Petra saw me, she raised a hand and shook her head. “Not in here. I value my bar.” Her gaze shifted to Wiggles, and her eyes widened. “Wait! I thought he was...”

“You thought you’d killed him?” I pointed a finger at her, magic dripping from it and sizzling on the ground.

The drinkers in the Ancient Imp turned to stare at Wiggles and me, all conversations stopping.

“Keep your voice down,” Petra hissed as she gestured me to the bar. Her gaze didn’t leave Wiggles. “I was so sure I’d hit him.”

“You did.” I approached the bar and rested my hands on the top, crackling my magical energy across it.

Petra’s gaze turned concerned, but she let out a relieved sigh. “I’m glad he wasn’t hurt. It wasn’t my fault. I didn’t see him until it was too late.”

“You shouldn’t be driving. You’re dangerous behind the wheel. I’ve seen you knock over dozens of trash cans.”

“I’m short. I have trouble seeing over the hood of the car. That’s why I wear such high heels.”

“Wearing heels doesn’t make you taller when you’re sitting down. And it’s lazy. Everything is within walking distance here.”

“I love my car as much as you love Wiggles.” Petra leaned against the bar. “Listen, no hard feelings about hitting your dog. I promise you it was an accident. Don’t destroy my bar.”

“You might need to buy him some expensive dog treats to make up for it,” I said as I pulled back my magic and felt it absorb into my skin. “He’s not going to forgive you easily. Neither will I.”

“I will. I am sorry, Wiggles.”

Wiggles pretended not to have heard her as he snuffled chips off the ground and ducked behind the bar out of sight, no doubt on the hunt for more food.

I dropped my hands and shook the residual tingles of magic from them. “Why did you run off?”

Petra shrugged and ducked her head. “You spooked me.”

“You were spooked because you have something to hide. No one runs like that unless they have a guilty conscience. What’s on your mind? Feeling bad about Deacon?”

Petra gestured for me to stop talking. “I told you I’m not interested in him.”

“I’ve been told that you were basically stalking him. He lost interest, and you hadn’t. You kept pestering him long after he’d moved on.”

Petra’s cheeks flushed. “Rubbish. Who told you that?”

“I have my sources.”

She huffed and polished a glass with a cloth. “Your sources don’t know what they’re talking about.”

“You didn’t follow him around in the hope of bumping into him and making Deacon realize he still loved you?”

“Our paths crossed now and again. This is a small place; it was going to happen. I’m not a stalker.”

“You didn’t mind the fact Deacon was seeing my sister?”

Petra frowned. “I wasn’t thrilled about it. I always assumed he saw me as the perfect match in the lead up to his campaign to become mayor.”

I gestured around the room. “The owner of a bar might not have been the quality of girlfriend he was looking for.”

“Hey! The Ancient Imp is respected. Everyone comes here.”

“Sure, you serve great beer. But the attractive owner of a white magic store is more acceptable on the arm of a future mayor.”

Petra shrugged. “Deacon made his decision, even if it was a bad one. I’d moved on.”

“You still liked him. Admit it.”

She sighed. “Okay, I did care about him, but I had nothing to do with what happened. I’m sorry Deacon is dead, but if he goes around treating people like they’re objects and upgrading to help himself, something like this was bound to happen.”

“You felt like he used you?”

“Not right away. It was only when he got serious about running for mayor that he changed. I got the impression someone was telling him how he should behave to win over voters. I guess they told him I wasn’t the right sort of woman to have in his life if he wanted to be a winner.” Petra polished the same spot on the bar so hard it squeaked.

“And you’re sure you were home eating pizza the night Deacon died?”

“Go check the trash if you like. The pizza box is probably still there with the receipt in it. That’s what I did.”

“Someone killed Deacon, and it wasn’t Aurora,” I said, feeling a spark of magic fire in me as I grew frustrated. “Angel Force will have to look into everybody who had a motive for wanting him dead, and that includes you. They will find out if you went after Deacon.”

“It wasn’t me! I already told you, if you’re looking for the killer, you should talk to Mannie. He has to be involved. He’s such a sleazebag.”

Mannie Winter was known for his underhanded dealings. He wouldn’t be above pulling a few tricks to get what he wanted in order to become the new mayor of Willow Tree Falls. Would he go as far as murder?

“Please, Tempest. I don’t know anything about this.” Petra placed her hand over her heart. “I miss Deacon, even though he was a jerk to me. How about a beer on the house? My treat. A tiny way to say sorry for what happened to Wiggles.”

I looked around. Wiggles was nowhere to be seen. “No beer. I’ll take a lemon water but a small one. I need to get back to Cloven Hoof. We’ve got the place full of overexcited punters tonight.”

“What would Wiggles like? I owe him one as well.”

“A bowl of water will be fine if you can find him.” The door behind me slammed against the wall, and I jumped in my seat.

Petra looked up and blinked in surprise. “Oh! What are you doing here?”

As I swiveled in my seat to see who’d come into the pub, I was overwhelmed by a wall of white and feathers and blasted in the chest by a bolt of magic.

Chapter 9

My head pounded, and my throat felt raw as my eyes flickered open. “What the...” I blinked slowly. The last thing I remembered was being in the Ancient Imp and Petra groveling and offering me free drinks.

This was definitely not the Ancient Imp, and I wasn’t about to enjoy a sparkling lemon water while I guilt-tripped Petra.

Feathers! I remember lots of fluffy, pristine angel wing feathers and a thump of halo magic slam into me.

I twisted my head and frowned. From the shocking amounts of white surrounding me, I was at the Angel Force headquarters.

Anger rolled through me, and it stirred Frank into action. His hot unstable energy flooded my veins.

I sat up slowly. My chest ached from where I’d been slammed with magic. What in all of hell’s fire breathing demons did Angel Force want with me?

“I can take them down if you let me out,” Frank whispered.

“It’s tempting,” I muttered. I had two choices. I could wait it out and see what the angels wanted, or I could let Frank out and blast my way free and wring some angel necks as I did so.

“Those angels can’t keep you here. They’ve locked you in a cell for no good reason. You have every right to break out,” Frank said.

“I do have questions that need answering.” I rolled off the bench and onto my feet. I made sure to keep Frank in his shackles as I tried a spell on the door. The magic wavered and then faded before it had any impact.

“A null shield,” I said with a grimace. It was hardly a surprise. Angels had the ability to create voids that prevented anyone’s magic from working. They’d need it on the cells since everyone they arrested had some kind of magic.

My frustration grew and, along with it, Frank’s power and control over me.

“Let me out. I can get us out of here. No angel shield can stop me.”

It was so tempting to let Frank take over. He was a pain to carry around, but he was a powerful demon. But once he was let out, chaos would ensue. He’d stop at nothing to get what he truly wanted, and that was Aurora.

“Stay where you are. These feathery numpties must have me here for a reason.”

I heard a door open and close. A moment later, Dazielle arrived holding two coffees and a brown paper bag.

“Are those peace offerings so I don’t sue you for wrongful arrest?” I pointed at the bag.

She looked down at the bag and shrugged. “I figured you might be hungry. You’ve been out all night. It’s almost noon.”

I groaned and rolled my shoulders. “Perfect. What am I doing here? I wasn’t breaking any laws that I know of.”

“You’re here for two reasons.” Dazielle opened the hatch and passed me a coffee. “Do you want a muffin?”

“I’ll take two.”

She smirked and handed me one blueberry muffin.

“I’m waiting.”

“First of all, someone in the Ancient Imp reported the dangerous use of magic. They were worried about the safety of the building and Petra.”

“For crying out loud! I didn’t actually use magic. I might have suggested the use of magic, but no spells were cast. Petra was never in any real danger.” She hadn’t been on that occasion, but if an angel had happened upon me choking her after she’d hit Wiggles, it would have been a different story.

Dazielle raised a hand. “They thought your demon had you in his control. They needed to be careful.”

“I was in control.”

“And how is Frank?” Dazielle blew on her coffee as her brilliant blue gaze traveled over me.

“Hating on you right about now.”

She nodded. “So long as he knows his place.”

“Sadly, he does.” I bit a piece off my muffin. It was good, obviously from Sprinkles. “I was angry when I went to visit Petra. That’s what the drinkers at Ancient Imp must have sensed. I had a right to be. Petra ran over Wiggles yesterday.”

Dazielle’s eyebrows quirked. “She did? He looks fine to me.”

“Where is he?”

“In the break room. He spent the night there after following you when you were brought in. That dog snores loudly.”

“He does it because he knows it annoys people. What’s the second reason I’m in here?”

Dazielle placed her coffee down. “I can’t afford to have you distracted. Your job is not to investigate Deacon’s murder. Your job is to help your family keep the demon prison safe and bring back any rogues we need capturing.”

“That’s not totally true. Besides, I can do both.”

“Finding out who killed Deacon is our job.”

“You don’t get to tell me I can’t look out for my own sister.”

Dazielle sighed. “That’s not it. We’re the experts, and we’re already questioning people. If you’re doing the same thing, it confuses the issue. We had Petra on our list to talk to. We know about her involvement with Deacon. We know he wasn’t all that happy with her.”

“Do you also know she basically stalked him after he dumped her? I’ve been told she wasn’t giving up on him so easily.”

“We’re also aware of that.” Dazielle leaned against the bars of the cell. “I’ve spoken with Axel. He told me about Petra’s continued interest in Deacon. He also told me that Deacon was much more interested in Aurora.”

“So why didn’t you drag Petra in for questioning like you did Aurora?”

“We don’t drag suspects anywhere. If you hadn’t interfered, I might have done so. You can’t get involved in this investigation.”

“It’s my sister; therefore, I’m going to be involved.” I felt the remains of the muffin squish between my fingers as I clenched my fist.

“We don’t need your assistance.” Dazielle straightened and glared at me.

“You need me for everything else. I only help you because Gran dated the old Chief at Angel Force. She twisted my arm and made me promise to help.”

“Castiel has retired. Maybe you can retire your services as well.”

“Maybe I will. I can drop you on your feathered butts in a second. You’ll have to go out and deal with those demons on your own.”

Dazielle shook her head. “I appreciate you leaving Willow Tree Falls to retrieve the demons. But you can’t investigate cases whenever you feel like it.”

“I’ve already found several other suspects. Suspects who are more likely to have killed Deacon than Aurora.”

“No! Stay off the case. You’re too close to our main suspect. You can’t remain impartial.”

I tamped down on Frank’s urge to come out. “Aurora cannot be your main suspect. She’s a white witch. She is not about killing guys she dates.”

“She’s a white witch who can tap into the energy of the undead. You might not know your sister as well as you think you do.”

Dazielle was dumber than I’d realized. “I know Aurora wasn’t all that into Deacon. He was pursuing her, and she went along with it, so she didn’t hurt his feelings. I also know Petra was obsessed with him and stalked him. What’s to say she didn’t crack when she saw Deacon out with Aurora and did something about it? Then there’s Mannie. He’s sly and underhanded, and he wants to be the mayor. He saw Deacon as competition so bumped him off.”

“So, is it Petra or Mannie who’s the killer?”

“Both. Neither. I don’t know. But I will find out.”

Dazielle’s eyebrows rose slowly. “You have been busy.”

“Busier than you. Why don’t you pursue Petra and Mannie, rather than chase after my sister?”

“We might well do that. But we don’t go into any situation without as much information as possible. And you going around terrorizing people into confessing is not helping. There will be more complaints filed if you’re not careful.”

“I don’t care about complaints.” I tilted my head as I heard several angels in the nearby office shriek and something crash to the ground.

Dazielle set her coffee and muffin on the table and walked toward the door. As she reached it, it slammed open and knocked her into the wall.

Wiggles barged in, growling as he ran toward me.

“It looks like someone’s woken up.” I grinned at him and lowered my voice. “Are you having fun with your angel buddies?”

“The number of angels who have tried to rub my belly is embarrassing. If they knew what I really was, they’d be running the other way.”

Dazielle scrambled to her feet and hurried over. “Keep control of your dog, Tempest.”

I looked at Wiggles and gestured to the sunglasses that had slipped down his nose. It wasn’t the smartest idea to reveal he was a hellhound in the middle of a building full of angels.

Wiggles bared his teeth and shook the glasses off. “Lady, you have no clue what you’re doing when it comes to helping Aurora.”

Dazielle’s mouth fell open, and she flapped her lips, no words coming out.

Wiggles eyes glowed, and he advanced on her, his hackles raised.

Dazielle backed away slowly. “You’re not Wiggles.”

I pressed my lips together to prevent myself from laughing. “He is. He got an upgrade. I was telling the truth about Petra. She ran over him. I decided to bring him back.”

Dazielle stared at me. “Your dog is a hellhound. You own a hellhound. Have you got the proper license for that?”

“It got lost in the post. I wasn’t going to lose my best friend because Petra doesn’t know how to drive. Oh, and if it’s of any interest to your investigation, she was running because I was questioning her about Deacon. She has something to hide. Don’t let her fool you.”

“Is Tempest free to go?” Wiggles asked. “I’m getting bored, and it’s long overdue breakfast.” His gaze landed on the muffin Dazielle had abandoned, and he grabbed it.

“Hey!” Dazielle said.

Wiggles growled at her, and she backed away again.

“Fine, have the muffin,” she muttered.

“Can I go?” I kept the grin off my face as I watched Wiggles scoff her breakfast. “Have I learned my lesson?”

Dazielle shook her head. “Probably not, but you can go. Petra doesn’t want to press charges. But I’m keeping my eye on you.” She waved her hand over the null shield, and the door clicked open.

“You can watch me all you like, but I’m not stopping. I’m going to clear my sister’s name no matter what it takes.”

“Then you’ll find yourself back behind bars if you’re not careful.”

I scowled at Dazielle before pushing past her, Wiggles hot on my heels. There was not a chance in hell of that. I still had suspects to question. Until I’d figured out which one of them killed Deacon, I was not stopping.

Chapter 10

I rolled my shoulders as I walked away from the Angel Force headquarters. “What a night,” I said to Wiggles.

“You’re telling me. It’s not much fun being a hellhound surrounded by angels. They kept sniffing the air whenever they got too close as if they could smell something they didn’t like but couldn’t trace the source.”

“Are you sure that wasn’t your gas? You did eat moldy cake from Axel’s trash.”

“I’m telling you they smelt hellhound. I had to fake being asleep for hours and hope they didn’t twig.”

“It’s too late for that now. You revealed yourself to Dazielle. Everyone will know about you. There’s no hiding what you are.”

“I never wanted to hide. That was always you. Anyone would think you’re ashamed of being owned by a hellhound.”

I looked down at him. My smile faded, and worry pricked at my gut. “I never asked; you don’t mind being a hellhound? I didn’t know that’s what you’d be when we brought you back.”

Wiggles gave a yip of delight. “Are you kidding me? I didn’t mind being a regular dog, but now I get to live forever, talk, and terrorize people. I don’t see any downside to my upgrade.”

“You don’t mind that most people are going to be terrified of you? You won’t get as many treats if people are too scared to approach you.”

“Fewer treats? Huh, I didn’t think about that. Maybe I should look into getting lenses to hide my eyes and practise my cute begging face.”

“You’d still have that hellhound smell.”

“I’m no longer smelling of buttercups and sunshine?”

I laughed. “You always smelt of grass and dog biscuits to me.”

“That’s not so bad.” He sniffed his front leg. “There is a sulfurous tang to me now. I’ll get some cologne. That will sort the problem.”

“Or you could embrace it. I like you as you are. Others will get used to you over time.”

“Yeah, I’m a badass hellhound.” Wiggles strutted in front of me.

“You have a cute ass, not a bad one.” I grinned as he lived up to his name by wiggling his tush. “Where did you go last night in the Ancient Imp? One minute you were gobbling chips off the floor, and the next, you’d vanished.”

“I was clue hunting.”

“What clue?”

“I went through Petra’s trash.”

“Not again. This has to stop. I—”

“I wasn’t looking for food. I was hunting for food containers. More specifically, pizza boxes.”

“Oh, right. Petra’s alibi. What did you find?”

“A greasy box and a receipt that tallies with her story.”

“She did eat pizza that night. But maybe she went out after that?”

“She got the pizza at midnight, so unless she ate and killed at the same time, it’s unlikely.”

I tilted my head from side to side. I wouldn’t want to commit murder with a belly full of pizza. “Let’s head to the cemetery, see how Aurora’s doing and if there are any updates from her end.”

There was always at least one member of my family at Willow Tree Falls Cemetery, no matter the time of day or night. Willow Tree Falls had been built over the entrance of the largest demon prison in the world. The village might be small, but what lay underneath it was enormous. And the Crypt family was in charge of it all, making sure the demons didn’t break out.

Weaknesses and cracks in defenses appeared for different reasons. Sometimes, a minor earthquake might cause a tiny crack and a demon would creep out. Sometimes, the demons worked together and used their combined strength to blast a hole in the prison. Getting demons to work together was rare. They all had such big egos that they rarely accepted help from each other, but now and again, it happened. When it did, it was my job to leave Willow Tree Falls and get them back, along with any other jobs Angel Force couldn’t handle. Oh, yes, and running Cloven Hoof. I sometimes surprised myself that I had any time to sleep.

As I headed through the high black iron gates of the cemetery, I spotted a checked cloth on the ground by an off-white stone crypt. The door to the crypt was open.

I poked my head in and discovered Auntie Queenie, Mom, and Granny Dottie inside cutting up sandwiches.

“It looks like I’m just in time,” I said.

“Where have you been hiding?” Mom said. “I tried to get in touch with you last night at the club. Merrie said you’d gone missing.”

“Not out of choice,” I said. “Dazielle arrested me. She’s warned me off of investigating Deacon’s murder.” I walked over and grabbed a cheese sandwich.

“That angel has clouds for brains. I hope you didn’t listen to her,” Mom said.

“Do I ever listen to anything the Angel Farts say?”

“Good girl.” Mom patted my arm and swatted away my hand as I made a grab for another sandwich.

“We were setting up a picnic,” Auntie Queenie said. “Join us.”

I glanced behind me. Surprisingly, Wiggles had hung back. Whenever there was food around, he always forgot his manners and was front of the queue. It looked like he was feeling a little bashful about being a hellhound.

“Before we do, I’ve got something to tell you.” I gestured Wiggles into the crypt.

He slunk in, keeping his head down.

“It’s about Wiggles. He’s a bit... different these days.”

Granny Dottie glanced at Wiggles. “We know. You and Aurora brought him back from the dead.”

“Which is very dangerous,” Mom said. “You know how exhausting spells like that are. Your sister’s nose bled all night. You also know that anything could hop on board a spell like that. You could have brought all sorts of unpleasant characters back with Wiggles.”

“We didn’t.” At least, I hoped we didn’t. It had been a selfish move using such strong magic, but I’d do it again to get Wiggles back by my side. “The thing is, we had some help from Frank.”

Mom dropped the butter knife and glared at Wiggles. She hated Frank. He’d tried to kill Aurora and now lived inside me and refused to budge. “What did he do to your lovely dog?”

“Nothing terrible. Well, nothing harmful to him. I think Frank has a soft spot for Wiggles.”

Wiggles barely moved the whole time we talked. I could see his nose twitching. It must be torture for him looking so contrite when all he wanted to do was launch himself muzzle first into the pile of sandwiches.

“Anyway, the three of us combined energies, and, well, Wiggles has come back as a hellhound.”

This time, they all stopped fussing around the food and stared at Wiggles.

Wiggles raised his head, looking like the saddest, most innocent hellhound in the world.

“He does have very red eyes,” Auntie Queenie said.

“If he’s a hellhound, he’s immortal,” Granny Dottie said, “or, at least, ridiculously hard to kill. Demon water, maybe essence of Iris would do it. Your dog is now one tough little guy.”

Mom shook her head and continued buttering bread. “If that’s all, then there’s nothing to worry about. So long as Wiggles is safe to be around, then he’s welcome.”

“He’s safe,” I said.

“We’d never turn him away just because he’s a hellhound.” Granny Dottie patted his head. “Would you like a sandwich, sweetie?”

“I’d love one,” Wiggles said.

Mom dropped the knife. Auntie Queenie laughed and clapped her hands together.

“He talks!” Granny Dottie yelped. “Even better.” She threw Wiggles a sandwich.

He gobbled it down and licked his lips before giving me a quick wink. The family had accepted him, and I couldn’t feel any more relieved.

We spent a few minutes ferrying food out of the crypt and all settled on the blanket outside in the early afternoon sunshine.

“What’s our next step in clearing Aurora’s name?” Mom asked.

“I still like my theory that the biker gang had something to do with it,” Auntie Queenie said as she passed around plates. “They’re shady. They’re always up to no good.”

“That doesn’t make them killers.” Mom passed around the sandwiches. “They’re overexcited boys with too much time on their hands.”

“They try to undercut my market,” I said. “I’ve had to have words with them several times to stop them from selling things I have at Cloven Hoof.” No one trampled on my business niche. I was the mushroom and magic drinks specialist in Willow Tree Falls, no one else.

“I bet they’re always happy to oblige.” Granny Dottie’s smile was sly. “Don’t you have a thing for Rhett?”

I studied the sandwich I held. “No, I’m not into Rhett.” His muscles and dark hair did nothing for me. Neither did those eyes that were almost black and so intense, nor that smile that could melt an iceberg.

“You’ve had a thing about him ever since you and Aurora were kids,” Auntie Queenie said.

“My daughter does not date a biker,” Mom said sharply.

“A few seconds ago, you described him as an overexcited boy. There’s no harm in dating someone like that.” Granny Dottie smiled at me, a gleam in her eyes.

“I’m not dating anyone,” I said. “It’s just that I have to see him to warn him off of encroaching on my business.”

“You’d think, with those muscles, he could turn his hand to all sorts of physical labor. The kind that gets him all sweaty, so he needs to take his shirt off all the time,” Granny Dottie said. “A few of those bikers have even turned my head, and I’m happily married.”

“My head is not turned,” I said. “Getting back to the point, other than the fact they’re a bit shady, why do you think they could be involved in Deacon’s death? It’s not as if he hangs out with the biker gang.”

“Maybe not, but I spotted that bike outside his house. Why visit Deacon if they weren’t doing something nefarious together?”

“Maybe they wanted to offer him support in his campaign?” Granny Dottie said.

“They’re not interested in who wins the role of mayor,” I said. “They do whatever they like, whoever is in charge.”

“You should go talk to Rhett,” Auntie Queenie said to me. “He must be missing you since you stopped returning his calls.”

“I’m not going to talk to the bikers or Rhett. And I didn’t stop returning his calls. He stopped calling me.”

“Because you didn’t pick up or reply to his messages,” Auntie Queenie said. “A fine piece of leather clad behind like that is not going to wait forever.”

“I’ve been busy,” I muttered.

“We should invite Rhett to dinner one night,” Granny Dottie said. “It’s long overdue him meeting the family.”

“No to Rhett coming to dinner.” I glared at Auntie Queenie. “We don’t need that hassle.”

“You’re putting up too much resistance.” She waggled a finger at me. “You still have feelings for that young man.”

I stuffed the rest of the sandwich in my mouth and chewed. “If it means that much to you, I’ll go talk to Rhett.” I’d prove her wrong. I wasn’t in love with Rhett Blackthorn. He was just hot and tempting; that was all there was to it.

The ground beneath us trembled. Mom, Auntie Queenie, and Granny Dottie were on their feet so fast they were just a blur of movement. They raced into the crypt.

I hopped up and followed them with Wiggles.

“There’s a crack opened at the Cornwallis crypt,” Mom said as she stared at the glowing map that had appeared on the stone wall. The map showed the layout of the cemetery and highlighted any breaches.

They grabbed long wooden sticks that leaned against the wall. To the impartial observer, they looked like solid, slightly twisted walking sticks. They were much more than that. They were powerful magic rods, imbued with so much magic no demon stood a chance when whacked around the head with one.

“Do you need a hand?” I asked as they hurried past me.

“No, you stay here with Wiggles and enjoy the food.” Mom touched my cheek, and I felt her magic crackle against my skin. “We won’t be a moment.”

I glanced at Wiggles, and he shook his head and yipped. There was no chance we would miss an opportunity to watch Mom, Auntie, and Granny in action. It was easy to forget what strong witches they were when all they did was cook, gossip, and try to match make me.

I ran along behind them with Wiggles, eating another sandwich as I did so.

“You head around the back,” Mom said to Granny Dottie. “We’ll check inside the crypt and see how bad the crack is. We should have caught it early enough that nothing has gotten out yet.”

“I’m on it.” Granny Dottie defied her seventy-two years by sprinting around the back of the crypt and leaping over several headstones as she disappeared round the corner.

“There’s some serious girl power going on here,” Wiggles said.

“No kidding. I hope I can jump over gravestones like that when I’m her age.”

The crypt doors blew open. A blast of hot fetid air slapped my face. Mom stood in the entrance, the wooden sticks clasped in both hands. She spun and twirled like a ballet dancer as she slammed into the shimmering form of a demon as he attempted to slide through the crack in the prison.

“He’s inside,” I yelled to Granny Dottie.

She raced back around the crypt and threw herself into the fight with Mom and Auntie Queenie.

“Those ladies are something else,” Wiggles said.

“I learned everything I know from them. They’re the best demon hunters in the world.” I felt a rush of pride at being connected to this family. It was times like this when I wished I could stay around more and help monitor the prison.

“Get back, demon,” Granny Dottie yelled as she slammed her sticks against the demon’s head.

The demon roared and rose up, a mass of gray and purple smoke, as he tried to form a solid shape and raked his claws through the air.

Granny Dottie danced out of the way, laughing as she did so, looking suppler than a twenty-something yoga fanatic than a seventy-plus grandma.

Mom had moved behind the demon, and with a nod to Granny Dottie and Auntie Queenie, they linked their sticks together, surrounding him in a circle of magic.

“No,” the demon roared, his rough, deep voice echoing off the stone walls of the crypt. “I must be free.”

“You must stay where you are,” Mom said. “You need to serve your sentence like a good little demon.”

“You witches cannot keep me contained,” he roared.

“Of course we can, you butt head,” Granny Dottie said. “That’s our job.” She kicked him in the stomach as Auntie Queenie rushed closer and pounded his head with her sticks.

With a final roar, he slid back into the crack he’d come out of, the air surrounding us filling with a dense, eggy smelling fog in his final act of defiance.

Wiggles coughed and backed out of the crypt.

I wafted my hand in front of my face. You could always sniff out a demon by their rotten egg stench.

After a moment, when they were sure he’d gone, my mom placed her sticks against the crack and traced over it several times until it was sealed.

Granny Dottie grinned at Mom. “Nice work, my girl.”

Mom nodded and grinned as she patted Auntie Queenie’s arm. She looked over at me. “You should be eating sandwiches, not watching the show.”

“I wanted to pick up a few pointers. It’s been awhile since I’ve seen you take down a demon.”

“Nothing ever changes.” Granny Dottie emerged from the crypt with the others. “They roar about injustice and being set free, and we tell them that’s not possible. That fight has made me hungry for something sweet. It’s time for cake.”

We walked back to the blanket and were sampling a delicious, sugary, homemade carrot cake covered in a thick layer of vanilla frosting when Lula ran into the cemetery. She was waving at us, flailing her arms over her head as she approached.

“Don’t tell me she’s got a half-price cut and blow dry we just have to have,” Granny Dottie muttered.

“Be nice,” Mom said. “She does a great job on your hair.”

Lula stopped and gasped in air as she reached the blanket. “Have you heard the news?”

“I think we’re about to,” I said.

Lula’s gaze went to the cake, and she licked her lips. “That looks nice.”

“You can have a slice if you tell us what’s made you run like a toad with a rocket up his butt,” Granny Dottie said as she brandished the cake knife.

“Oh, yes, of course. Petra’s in the hospital.”

Mom glanced at me. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

I raised my hands. “She was fine when I saw her last night. I didn’t touch her.”

“That’s not the worst of it,” Lula said. “Aurora’s been arrested for attempted murder. Angel Force think she tried to kill Petra.”

Chapter 11

I jumped up and grabbed Lula by the shoulders. “Tell us everything you know.”

“That’s it,” Lula gasped. “Someone trashed Petra’s place, and she was injured when she discovered the burglar.”

I shook my head in disbelief. “Angel Force think Aurora did that? How dumb are these angels?”

“They seem certain she’s involved,” Lula said. “I ran to your house to let you know, but you weren’t there. I figured I’d find someone here at the crypt.”

Mom looked at me, her expression thunderous. “Tempest, you have to get your sister out of the cells. If she keeps being arrested, people will talk.”

“Let them talk,” I said. “It’s none of their business.”

“I’ll come with you,” Granny Dottie said. “We can sort out this mess.”

“No, you need to keep an eye out for that demon coming back. If there’s a weakness in the prison, you all need to be here.” New cracks were notorious for breaking open again. Once the demons found a weakness, they exploited it.

Lula glanced at the crypt behind us, and her cheeks paled. “You’ve got demons on the loose?”

“Not anymore,” I said. “Maybe you shouldn’t stick around, though. They like pretty things to play with.”

Lula backed away. Her gaze went back to the carrot cake, and a determined look crossed her face. She was nothing if not persistent. “I can stay a few more minutes.”

“I’ll go see Petra, find out what she knows about whoever attacked her. She must make the angels realize Aurora isn’t involved.”

“Take your grandpa with you,” Granny Dottie said. “He has a thing about nurses’ uniforms.”

That was something I didn’t want to know about. “Send him a message. I’ll meet him at the hospital.”

“Here’s your reward, Lula.” Granny Dottie cut a slice of carrot cake and handed it to Lula.

She grinned. “Lovely. Thanks, so much.”

“Where’s mine?” I asked.

“I’ll save you some for later. You need to get to the hospital.”

I sighed and ran out of the cemetery with Wiggles, Lula struggling to keep up as she ate her huge slice of cake.

“I hate to say this, but...”

I glanced back at Lula. “Tell me.”

“Your sister seems really involved in what happened to Deacon,” Lula said. “First, he dies, and now his girlfriend is attacked.”

“His ex-girlfriend. If you listen to all the rumors, you’d know Deacon had finished with Petra before asking Aurora on a date.”

“Sure, but people are beginning to talk. They think Aurora might be involved.”

“Then they’re idiots,” I said. “Spread the word; anyone who goes badmouthing Aurora will have to answer to me. Make sure they know that.”

“What will you do to them?” Lula asked.

“Make sure they never tell another lie again.”

Lula slowed as we reached her hairdressers. She had a smear of cream frosting on her chin, which I decided not to mention. “I’ll let everybody know.”

I left her to her sticky carrot cake encrusted fingers and gossip and ran the length of Sweet Briar Lane to the hospital.

The hospital in Willow Tree Falls was small. There was never much call for sick beds. If someone was ill, they used magic to get better. Now and again, someone would develop a serious illness or an injury that needed rest. Magic was not the solution to everything. Whatever had happened to Petra must be bad if she had to stay in the hospital to recover.

As I reached the hospital doors, I saw Grandpa Lucius materialize. As usual, he was dapperly dressed and sported a pair of bright blue chinos and matching bow tie.

“I heard you needed a bit of help.” He kissed my cheek.

I gave him a brief hug. “You don’t need to be here, and you could have walked. The hospital is ten minutes from our house.”

“It’s good to shake out the old magic now and again. I haven’t done a transportation spell for a while. What’s the situation?”

“Aurora’s been arrested again. Angel Force think she tried to kill Petra.”

Grandpa Lucius’s bushy eyebrows rose. “Petra is in the hospital?”

I nodded. “I need to talk to her and find out what happened before Aurora’s name gets any more mud attached to it.”

“Lead the way, dear girl.”

I looked down at Wiggles. “Sorry, buddy. No dogs allowed.”

“Why don’t you tell them I’m your assistance dog?”

Grandpa Lucius chuckled. “Dottie mentioned your pooch had an upgrade.”

“Not enough of an upgrade to get inside the hospital. Wait here, Wiggles. We won’t be long.” We headed through the doors and into the clean corridors of the hospital. I strode to the desk where Virginia Mackenzie sat. She was a round-faced witch with a mess of dark curls and a tiny snub nose.

“I’m here to see Petra,” I said.

Virginia’s gaze ran over me as she chewed on the end of her pen. “Family only.”

“My sister’s in prison because of Petra. I need to see her now.”

“She’s recovering. Petra’s had a shock. She doesn’t need any more unwelcome shocks.”

“How badly injured is she?” Grandpa Lucius said.

Virginia smiled at him. “She’s had a knock to the head and is under observation. Petra was unconscious when she was found, so we’re keeping a close eye on her to make sure there’s no serious damage.”

I shook my head and scowled. Why couldn’t Virginia have told me that? “What does she know about who attacked her? Has she said anything?”

“Not to me. That’s the job of Angel Force to investigate. From what I’ve heard, Aurora hurt her.”

“There’s been a mistake,” I said. “Aurora wouldn’t injure Petra. She has no reason to do so.”

Virginia arched an eyebrow. “Didn’t she steal Petra’s boyfriend?”

I kept my irritation in check. “If you mean Deacon, he dumped Petra ages ago, long before Aurora was on the scene.”

“That’s not what I heard,” Virginia said. “Still, whatever happened, Angel Force think your sister attacked Petra. You’re not getting anywhere near her. For all I know, you might be here to finish the job.”

I opened my mouth to protest when Grandpa Lucius squeezed my elbow and gently pushed me to the side.

“Has anyone told you the color purple makes your skin shine?” he asked Virginia. “It makes you look positively radiant.”

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes as I discreetly stepped back. Grandpa Lucius could sweet talk anybody, and it looked like his skills weren’t failing on this frosty receptionist.

I heard her giggling and watched her cheeks redden as he continued to shower her with compliments.

Only when he gave me a discreet wave behind his back did I sneak off and start looking for Petra.

I found her at the end of the corridor in a private room. Her eyes were closed when I sneaked the door shut behind me.

Petra’s sleepy gaze didn’t seem to register me at first as she blinked her eyes open. Then her gaze widened, and she stiffened in the bed.

“Don’t scream.” I hurried to her bedside. “I heard what happened to you.”

Petra licked her lips. “Don’t be mad with me again. I never said it was your sister who did this.”

“Even if you didn’t, they still arrested Aurora. What happened?”

Petra glanced at the closed door before giving a small shrug. “It’s all a blur. It was late last night, and I was having trouble sleeping. I often go down to the bar and make myself a cup of cocoa and read a book until I get tired. I got to the bottom of the stairs and heard somebody creeping about in the bar.”

“Who was it?”

“I couldn’t see them. I wasn’t alarmed to begin with. It wouldn’t be the first time I’d missed someone who’d fallen asleep on a bench by the fire. It gets cozy back there, and after a few too many, it’s easy to doze off. I figured it was just another drunk who’d woken up and was trying to fumble his way out of the door.”

“But it wasn’t a happy drunk who’d lost his way?”

She shook her head and winced. “I’ve never seen a drunk move so fast. I’d just walked into the bar when I was slammed from the side. They shoved me to the ground and landed a good kick on my head.” Petra touched the lump on her forehead.

“Did you get a glimpse of who did it?”

“No. The lights were off. I know my way around that place so well I don’t need to put a light on at night. It only attracts attention if I do. Then I’ll have someone looking to get a late-night drink and banging on the door to be let in.”

“You have no clue who was in the bar?”

“All I know is that they messed the place up.” She frowned. “It was a neat sort of mess, though.”

“A neat mess? That doesn’t make sense.”

“It was as if they’d done it deliberately. It was too staged to be the work of someone looking for money or to steal booze. I heard no noise, but when I got downstairs, there were chairs turned over and drawers opened. Everything was placed just so, messy neatness. Almost like the scene of a movie set.”

“Was whoever broke in looking for something specific?”

“I was pretty out of it when I was found. I was awake for a couple of minutes but didn’t see anything missing. I had Angel Force check, and the bar takings were in the safe completely untouched, so they weren’t after money.”

“Why do they think Aurora is involved?”

“It beats me. The first I knew about it was when Dazielle came in and told me she was back in a cell.”

I shook my head. “It couldn’t have been her. Aurora has no reason to break into the Ancient Imp. She’d never hurt you. She’d never hurt anybody.”

“Whoever it was, they were dressed in black, and they were strong despite not being very tall. If it was your sister, she had to be using some sort of magic to give her extra strength. She slammed into me so hard, I blacked out for a second before landing on the floor. And that kick, it was meant to hurt. It was meant to frighten me. Maybe it was a warning to keep my mouth shut.”

The door behind me opened. “What do you think you’re doing in here?”

I turned slowly on my heel. Dazielle stood in the doorway, her hands on her white clad hips. I pasted on a smile. “I was passing by and heard Petra had taken a fall.”

“You cannot be in here. Your sister is the prime suspect in this investigation. You could be manipulating our only eyewitness.” Dazielle stalked into the room.

“No, she’s not. I’ve already told you I saw nothing,” Petra said swiftly.

“Not another word,” Dazielle said. “You are still in shock.”

“I need to know why you’ve arrested Aurora,” I said to Dazielle. “What makes you think she had anything to do with Petra’s accident?”

“Being kicked in the head isn’t an accident,” Dazielle said.

“Have you seen the ridiculous shoes my sister wears? She couldn’t hurt anyone with those.” Aurora liked peep-toed sandals in summer and sparkly ballet pumps when it got colder. The worst she’d do if she trod on you would be to give you a sore toe.

“We have strong evidence to show she is involved. That’s all I’m going to tell you,” Dazielle said. “Now, you have two choices: you leave, or I’ll arrest you and you can spend time with your sister, discussing how you both ended up behind bars.”

I gritted my teeth and glared at Dazielle. I couldn’t afford to end up behind bars again, but I had to find out why they thought Aurora was involved in Petra’s attack.

“What’s it going to be?” Dazielle asked.

I huffed out a sigh. “I’m leaving. But I’m not leaving this alone. You’re not going to keep Aurora in a cell. She didn’t do this.”

“She will stay there for as long as I need,” Dazielle said. “This time, it’s more than circumstantial evidence I have against her.”

I raised my eyebrows, but she refused to say any more, simply glaring at me and pursing her pouty lips.

I stomped out of the room and headed back to reception. Grandpa Lucius was now behind the reception, perched on the desk with a mug of what looked like coffee in his hand.

He winked at me as I passed. He seemed more than happy to carry on his flirting with Virginia, so I left him to it. He never meant anything when he flirted; it was just his way. Granny Dottie was the same when it came to any hot guy showing off his toned stomach. They both liked a good flirt but always ended up back in each other’s arms.

As I headed out of the hospital, Wiggles met me by the door. “Any luck?”

“Petra has been hurt, but she’s not sure it was Aurora who kicked her. She saw nothing. The angels have something on Aurora, though. Dazielle looked smugly confident that she hadn’t made a mistake.” I stopped as I spotted an Angel Force bike parked. Sitting astride it was my favorite gorgeous but dumb angel, Dominic.

I sauntered over and gave him a smile.

He returned the smile. “What’s up, Tempest?”

“I was visiting a patient.”

His smile faded. “Of course. Yes, that makes sense. You don’t come to the hospital for fun.”

I gave him my most flirtatious grin. “What case are you working on?”

“I’ve got all sorts of things open. Too many open cases and not enough shut; that’s what the boss always tells me.”

“A smart angel like you should be able to figure everything out easily.”

He scratched his fingers through his mess of thick blond hair. “Some of us aren’t born detectives.”

Dominic had followed his father into Angel Force. It was well-known he hated his job but felt obliged to stick with it to keep the family reputation intact. The trouble was, Dominic was hopeless at his job. He was also terrible at keeping secrets, and that played in my favor.

“Are you working on Petra’s case?”

“Yes, that’s a nasty business. I love the Ancient Imp. I can’t believe someone broke in and hurt Petra.”

“My sister seems involved,” I said. “I can’t figure out why you’d think that.”

“Me neither,” Dominic said. “Aurora is lovely. She always gives me free candy when I go to Heaven’s Door.”

I stifled a smile. “She is nice like that.”

“She is. Sadly, the evidence doesn’t lie. We found one of her shoes and some blonde hair. We’re running analysis now. Dazielle is certain it’s going to be Aurora’s hair.”

“Hair and a shoe! That seems suspiciously convenient,” I said. “That would mean Aurora left the scene of the crime with only one shoe on.”

“Unless she brought a spare pair to change into,” Dominic said.

“She changed her shoes and then accidentally left one behind? Aurora loves her shoes. She’d never abandon one.”

“She might have had to if she was disturbed,” Dominic said.

“What robber carries a spare pair of shoes?”

“Maybe she was breaking in a pair and had a backup option in case the new ones pinched,” Dominic said.

I pressed my lips together. It was a good job he was so beautiful to look at. “It’s an interesting theory. What about the hair?”

“There was a big mass of it on the floor.”

“My sister is not a werewolf. She doesn’t go around shedding fur everywhere.”

“Yes, that was a bit odd,” Dominic said. “It was a big ball of the stuff. It was impossible to miss.”

“It wasn’t a couple of strands that might have accidentally fallen out when she was fighting with Petra?”

“Nothing like that. It looked more like a bird’s nest sitting on top of the bar. Still, it’s great evidence. It looks like this is a case of girl on girl rivalry.”

“Rivalry over what? Or whom?”

Dominic scratched his chin. “Dazielle thinks they fought over Deacon. This is an open and shut case.”

“Perhaps you should look at other possibilities.”

“No, it’s an easy one. I tell you what, how about we meet up and talk about it?” Dominic asked. “It sounds like you might have some ideas I haven’t thought of.”

Frank twitched at the prospect of spending an evening with an angel. “That’s lovely of you, but I’m going to be busy trying to get Aurora out of your prison cell.”

“Oh, yes, you must focus on family. I’m sure it will get sorted out. Perhaps if she apologizes and pays a fine, she’ll be in less trouble. Of course, Petra will need to agree not to press charges.”

“That might work, so long as you don’t keep pursuing her for Deacon’s murder. I don’t think killers get let off if they say sorry and here’s some money to make up for being dead.”

“Oh, no, that is tricky. And Aurora seems like such a lovely girl.”

“That’s because she is lovely.”

“What can I say? The evidence is the evidence,” Dominic said.

“The evidence is horse poop,” I muttered.

“So, perhaps a date another night?” Dominic asked. “I mean, not a date, but a chance to talk all things criminal.”

I nodded as I turned away from his bike. “Maybe. I’ll see how it goes.” I hurried away with Wiggles before Dominic could start suggesting places to go for our never going to happen date. He was cute but not smart, but he’d given me what I needed. The evidence they had on Aurora couldn’t be real. It made no sense for her to drop a shoe and a handful of hair. It all sounded too convenient. It sounded like faked evidence.

I had to see Aurora. It was time to find out what she was really up to last night.

Chapter 12

Before I could get Aurora out of Angel Force, I needed to go to Cloven Hoof and drop a big, heartfelt apology on Merrie.

It wasn’t my fault I’d been stunned by an angel then shoved in a cell. But she wouldn’t know what was going on, and I’d abandoned her to deal with two parties of overexcited revelers.

I headed inside the cool, dark interior and found Merrie stacking glasses on the shelves behind the bar.

She arched an eyebrow and cocked her hip. “I know stag and hen parties are no fun, but you totally abandoned me last night. You said you’d be gone half an hour.”

I squeezed my eyes shut for a second. “Forgive me.”

She chuckled. “What happened?”

“I ran into an angel, and she blasted me with magic and shoved me into a cell.”

Merrie’s jaw dropped open. “It sounds like you need a coffee.”

“With a big dollop of stardust.” I hopped onto a stool. “Long story short, I went to question Petra, and one of her customers freaked out when my magic sparked. They called Angel Force, thinking I was threatening Petra. The next thing I know, I wake up behind bars and get hassled by Dazielle.”

Merrie poured out two coffees and handed me a mug. “She hates you.”

I shrugged. “I try not to take it personally. I think she senses Frank. Angels and demons never get on.”

“Talking of demons,” Merrie said as she cocked her head to the right, “Axel has been in here for the last two hours. He was waiting to come in before I opened the doors.”

I shifted in my seat and turned around. Axel was a regular, but I’d never seen him here so early. “What’s he into?”

“The usual mushrooms.”

“How many times has he been in this week?”

“Every night,” Merrie said. “And he’s having home deliveries too.”

My mushrooms weren’t addictive. That was the beauty of them. You got a lovely natural buzz, and all your cares washed away, and there were no nasty after-effects. Well, in ninety-nine percent of cases. There was always that one infuriating percent that liked to mess it up for everybody else. Maybe Axel was going to be that annoying one.

I took a big gulp of coffee. “Did you say every night?”

“Always. That’s his favorite booth.”

“Does that include the night Deacon was murdered?”

“I’d almost guarantee it,” Merrie said. “Axel is a regular. When he’s not here, I think it’s strange.”

“Yes, it is strange.” Strange that he’d lied to me about where he was the night Deacon had been murdered. Axel had told me he’d gone to the gym, ate dinner, and then watched a movie. He never mentioned coming to Cloven Hoof. If he was lying about that, he could also be lying about having nothing to do with Deacon’s death.

Coffee just wasn’t doing it for me. I dumped in more stardust and swirled it in the mug.

“Is everything okay with you?” Merrie asked.

I patted my stomach as it gurgled. “The usual demon issues.”

“How about a lemon drop? They always calm Frank.”

“That would be perfect. Super-size me.”

“Are you sure?” Merrie grinned at me. “My lemon drops are strong.”

“I’ll be fine. I need a big hit of energy. I’m off to tackle Angel Force and get Aurora out. I can’t have Frank getting loose in the middle of a room full of angels.”

Merrie chuckled again as she mixed her speciality drink. The recipe was a secret she kept closely guarded. It was a customer favorite and left everyone with a warm glow and a shot of energy.

She placed a small shot glass that glowed bright yellow in front of me.

I raised it and downed it in one. The sharpness of the lemon was cut through by a sweet aftertaste. I smacked my lips together. “Just what I needed.” I placed the glass down as a loud burp shot from my lips.

“Excuse you,” Merrie said. “I told you to be careful.”

I covered my mouth with my hand. “It’s not me; it’s Frank. He hates this. The last time I had a lemon drop, he told me it made him sleepy.”

“Which is what you want. No demon is coming out to play today.”

I held in another burp as I nodded goodbye to Merrie and headed out with Wiggles to face the angels.

Cassiel was on the desk as I walked into Angel Force. She raised her blonde eyebrows. “You’re here to see Aurora?”

“Unless you’ve already let her go.”

“She’s still here. I don’t think she’s going anywhere soon.” Cassiel gave me a sign-in pad on which I pressed my thumbprint.

“We’ll see about that.” I followed Cassiel into a quiet room with a table and chairs and waited a few minutes until Aurora was brought in.

“Tempest! I’m so glad you’re here.” She hugged me before sitting down.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

“I don’t know what happened,” Aurora said, her bottom lip jutting out. “I was in the store, when all of a sudden, the angels turned up. It was so official. They arrested me and brought me here.”

“You do know why you’ve been arrested?”

“They said Petra was attacked. They’re sure I did it.”

“The evidence is conveniently convincing,” I said. “You left a shoe behind and some hair.”

Aurora’s hands traced over her blonde curls. “Hair?”

“A big ball of the stuff. Where were you last night?”

“In the store.”

My eyes narrowed as I saw Aurora’s nose twitch. I glanced at Cassiel, who’d remained by the door. “You didn’t go anywhere near the Ancient Imp?”

“No, I was at the store all night.”

“Doing what?”

“Tidying up. Making sure it looked lovely for the next day.”

“That wouldn’t take you all night.”

“No, of course not. After that, I had dinner and went to bed.”

“Alone?”

“Tempest! Of course, alone. You know I’m not in a serious relationship.”

Aurora was seeing someone, though. She’d admitted that to me when I’d come back to Willow Tree Falls. Maybe he was the reason she was keeping quiet. I glanced at Cassiel again. If Aurora wasn’t going to reveal to me who she was with last night, she wasn’t going to tell Angel Force.

I leaned across the table. “You’ve got to come clean. There’s no point in hiding anything. You’ll only get in trouble if you do.”

She waved a hand in the air dismissively. “I won’t get in trouble. I know nothing about the evidence at Petra’s, but she’ll stick up for me. She couldn’t have seen me there because it wasn’t me.”

“Petra’s no good to you. She didn’t see her attacker. It was dark, and she was shoved over and kicked. It could have been you on a magic high.”

Aurora bit her bottom lip. “I promise you it wasn’t me. I’ll see Petra when I get out and explain everything.”

Cassiel shifted her feet and shook her head. “Best if you stay away from Petra for a while, at least until we get this matter sorted out.”

Aurora’s eyes widened, and she looked at me. “They think I did it.”

I sighed and sat back in my seat. Maybe Aurora had done it. She was hiding something, and whatever it was didn’t want to shift anytime soon. Perhaps a few nights in a cell would get her to start talking and stop being so stubborn. She needed to tell somebody before it was too late.

“You look guilty. Angel Force has evidence, and they’re clinging to it. They will charge you if you don’t watch yourself.”

“Tempest, you have to get me out of here.” Aurora’s eyes flooded with unshed tears.

“No crying.” I rubbed my forehead. “It’s not going to be so easy this time. I can’t help you if you’re hiding things from me.”

“You have to. I can’t stay here.” She grabbed my hand.

I glanced at Cassiel. “Are they mistreating you?”

“No, of course not. The angels are all being lovely. But I’m in a cell and being accused of something I haven’t done.”

I nodded as I stood. “It sucks, but I’m not sure how to help you. You need to come up with solid proof that you were at Heaven’s Door on the night of Petra’s attack.”

“Isn’t my word enough?” Aurora looked from me to Cassiel.

Cassiel shook her head. “Not with the evidence we have.”

“Are you sure there’s nobody who can vouch for you? You didn’t see anybody else that night?” I asked her.

She looked away. “No one.”

I sighed. There was that nose twitch again. I was done. My sister was lying to me and making a whole mess of this situation. Since she wouldn’t come clean, there was nothing I could do to help her.

Mom would complain that I’d abandoned her, but this wasn’t my fault. Aurora was hiding something. Whatever it was, it was a big enough secret to hide it from her family and risk jail.

I moved toward the door. “I’ll make sure to come to see you during your weekly visiting privileges.”

“Tempest, wait!”

I turned and looked at Aurora. “Is there something you want to tell me?”

Aurora bit her lip again and shook her head. “No, nothing.”

“Enjoy your life behind bars.” I stomped out behind Cassiel and back to the main doors where Wiggles waited for me.

“No Aurora?” he asked, looking over my shoulder.

“Nope, and she deserves to be in here.” I ushered him out the door and away from Angel Force. “I don’t know what she’s gotten herself into, but Aurora is hiding something, and it’s something big. Something she’s prepared to stay behind bars for.”

“Maybe Heaven’s Door is in trouble,” Wiggles said. “She’s always giving stuff away when a magic user pleads poverty, and she hands out free candy to her customers.”

“Which is why people love Heaven’s Door,” I said. “The locals buy most of their magic supplies there, and the non-magicals get all their tourist stuff from there. My sister is rolling in money. It’s not that.”

“She’s got a secret addiction to dark magic,” Wiggles said. “Behind that fluffy blonde exterior lies the dark heart of an evil witch intent on bringing Willow Tree Falls to its knees.”

I laughed. “Aurora is about as dark as a bright summer’s day. The darkest magic she’s been involved in is helping me bring you back to life.”

“That’s gray enough. It could have tipped her over the edge. Aurora might have been waiting for an opportunity to sink into dark magic.”

“It’s not that. It could be something to do with this secret guy she’s dating. Maybe he’s someone she thinks I won’t approve of.”

“He could be married.”

I grimaced. “Then she’d never go near him, no matter how hot he was.”

“He could be ugly.”

“As if I’d care about that, so long as he made her happy.”

“He could be an angel.”

“That would be hard to forgive, but I’d get over it, so long as the angel wasn’t too bright and sunny.”

Wiggles glanced at me. “Or Aurora really did do it. Maybe she fell in love with Deacon, and it all went wrong. Deacon could have rejected her, gone back to Petra, and your sister snapped.”

“Aurora has her naïve moments, but she’s not the kind of woman to snap over a guy. There’s no way that evidence in the Ancient Imp is legit. Somebody else is involved. Someone who wants to take Aurora down.”

I slowed as I saw a squat figure hurrying into the Romer’s telegram store.

“What’s on your mind?” Wiggles asked. “Have you got a snow globe message to send?”

“No, but that was Mannie Winter, one of the mayoral candidates. Petra pointed the finger at him for Deacon’s murder.” I changed direction and headed toward the telegram store. “It’s time we put the thumbscrews on our friendly neighborhood second-hand merchant and see what he knows.”

Chapter 13

The telegram store smelt of vanilla and mothballs. It had been run by the Romer family for generations. Giovanni now ran the store. His mom, Mila Romer, was semi-retired but kept a stronghold on the business from her perch in the apartment above the store. She was forever pestering Giovanni to work harder and raise the prices of the snow globe telegrams.

These weren’t your average telegrams. We all used the system in Willow Tree Falls. They were like the freaky mobiles used by non-magicals. We sent messages via the Snow Globe communication route that ran across the world. It was easy enough to use snow globes if you had to send a local message. Anything going out of Willow Tree Falls made things complicated because of the magic barrier keeping non-magicals from seeing what was really going on.

That was where Giovanni and his skills with the globes came in handy. If you needed a message sent, no matter where in the world it had to go, Giovanni was the warlock to do it.

I edged closer to the counter where Mannie stood. I couldn’t catch everything he was saying, but the message he wanted to send was confidential and urgent.

Mannie Winter was a slick salesman, who ran the Magic Second Time Around second-hand store. Whatever you needed, Mannie could get it for you so long as you didn’t mind paying through the nose.

It looked like he ate most of his profits and was a rotund dwarf, who took great pride in the long luxurious beard that sat over his stomach.

I waited until he’d finished his transaction with Giovanni, stepped into the walkway, and bumped into Mannie.

“Oh, Tempest. How are you?” He smiled up at me and smoothed down his oiled beard.

“I’ve been better,” I said.

His expression grew sympathetic. “Of course, your poor family is going through so much. And your sister has been arrested for the second time in as many days. It’s hard to believe; she’s such a lovely girl.”

“She has her moments,” I said. “You must be feeling conflicted by everything that’s going on.”

“Conflicted how?” His smile remained friendly.

“Deacon was a thorn in your side. Everyone thought he would be the new mayor. It must have been a relief to get him out of the way.”

Mannie cleared his throat. “I was happy to fight fair, so long as he did. Besides, I never considered Deacon real competition. He was a bright young man but lacked experience. I have years on him. I know everyone in Willow Tree Falls. When people come to vote, they’ll realize they need someone experienced and knowledgeable, someone with strong roots and a long foundation.”

“The Feathers family has been here for five-hundred years. I’d say that’s pretty deep roots.”

“Not Deacon. He’s only been here a decade. He spent years traveling around the world and seeing what magical delights he could enjoy. We can’t afford to have a play boy in a position of authority. It wouldn’t do Willow Tree Falls any good. As tragic as it is, Deacon would never have made mayor.” Mannie stepped closer to me. “I heard he was thinking about withdrawing because he knew he didn’t stand a chance and couldn’t face being humiliated when the results came in.”

“Is that so?”

“Indeed. And he was thinking about leaving Willow Tree Falls.”

“No kidding. Where was he going?”

“I’ve no idea.” Mannie smiled and stroked his beard. “My customers are never wrong, though. That’s what they were telling me just before Deacon died.”

I arched an eyebrow. “Were you information gathering on the night of Deacon’s murder?”

Mannie’s fingers twisted into his beard. “I’m not sure I understand.”

“Who were you with? Where were you?”

His expression shifted from friendly to cautious. “I don’t see how it’s any of your business.”

“Given that my only sister is in a cell, I made it my business.” I smiled brightly. “I’m sure you’d do the same for your own family if they were wrongly accused.”

Giovanni hurried out from behind the counter. “May I be of service, Tempest?”

I kept my attention fixed on Mannie. “No, thanks.”

“Do you have a telegram to send? I’m doing a twenty percent discount on all long-distance messages this week.”

“I came in here to have a chat with Mannie.”

Giovanni swallowed noisily. “Excellent, excellent. As lovely as it is to have you in here, perhaps you could take your chat to the cafe? I don’t want to distract the other customers.”

I looked around. Other than the three of us, the telegram store was empty. “I’m sure they won’t mind.”

“Of course. You’re right. Even so, I don’t want any trouble.”

“Tempest won’t cause any trouble. She knows it’s not wise to get on the wrong side of the future mayor,” Mannie said.

“A potential mayor who doesn’t have an alibi for the night someone was murdered,” I said. “Maybe you won’t be mayor for long when the rumors get out.”

Mannie pulled himself up to his inconsiderable height. “Very well. I was at a campaign meeting that went on until midnight. Actually, it might be of interest to you. We discussed the problem of a number of venues in Willow Tree Falls that have late night licenses. Residents have concerns that people have been leaving late and causing too much noise. We cannot afford the peace and tranquillity of Willow Tree Falls to be disturbed. There was mention of adjusting the license, so you must close by ten o’clock.”

“You are kidding me.” I took a step toward Mannie.

“Now, now. Nobody needs to get angry. I’m sure it was a healthy discussion with people suggesting different options, nothing more.” Giovanni worried around us as I continued to give Mannie a death stare.

“There doesn’t sound anything healthy about that discussion,” I said. “I extended my license after a public petition. People want Cloven Hoof open late. They’re the ones who demanded it, not me. I’d be happy to curl up in bed at ten o’clock and put my feet up for the rest of the night.”

“I’m sure you would. What a charming image that is,” Mannie said. “Still, I must consider the needs of my new supporters. If they’re not happy, I’m not happy.”

I glowered at him. My growing anger made Frank shift inside me. I almost wished I hadn’t had that lemon drop. It would be fun to watch Frank come out and terrify Mannie with a splash of fire and brimstone.

“I will check your alibi. And I want the names of everyone who doesn’t think Cloven Hoof should open late.” Even if Frank wasn’t in command, I’d be happy to shake down a few suckers for not liking my business. They needed to tell me to my face that they weren’t happy and not hide behind this smug-faced dwarf and let him do their dirty work.

“I always protect confidences,” Mannie said. “And, might I say, you’re being overzealous in your pursuit of somebody else for Deacon’s murder. My understanding is that your sister was very fond of Deacon. She spent a number of nights in his company.”

I jabbed a finger into his gut. “That’s not true. They went on a few dates. Aurora was undecided about Deacon.”

“That’s not what I heard.” Mannie’s smile was self-satisfied. “He told me she put on quite a performance in the bedroom one night.”

I grabbed hold of his beard and yanked it. “Aurora is not that kind of girl.”

Mannie tried to pull his beard out of my grasp, but I held on. “I’m only telling you what I heard.”

“Tempest, please, not here.” Giovanni touched my arm. “We don’t want to upset Mother.”

As if summoned by the sound of Giovanni’s voice, footsteps stamped down the stairs. Mrs. Romer peered around the door, her black beady eyes staring straight at me. “What’s going on down here? All I can hear is you simpering, Giovanni.”

“Nothing, Mother. Go back to your puzzles.”

“I can’t think with all this noise.” She stamped out from behind the counter. “Tempest Crypt, what are you doing with that dwarf’s beard?”

“Stroking it while he gives me information about Deacon Feathers’ murder,” I said.

Mrs. Romer’s eyes widened. She sniffed and nodded. “I heard all about that. Bad news indeed.”

“You need to stop protecting Aurora.” Mannie succeeded in untangling my fingers from his beard and brushed it flat against his stomach. “I understand why you’re doing it. She’s your sister, and you care for her. But if she is guilty, she must pay.”

“She’s innocent,” I snarled.

Frank’s interest perked up again. His voice was just a whisper in my head. “It’s up to me to decide how guilty your sister is. No one else. Remember, she’s all mine.”

I slammed the door on Frank and his mutterings. He could keep his demon claws off my sister, as could everybody else.

Mannie grunted and ran his fingers through his beard. “You need to go back and talk to Aurora. Perhaps she isn’t as pure as you think.”

“You Crypt witches are all the same,” Mrs. Romer said.

I turned slowly and glared at her. “Meaning what?”

“Meaning you have too much power. You expect everyone in Willow Tree Falls to be grateful for what you do.”

“Shouldn’t you be a tiny bit grateful that we keep those badly-behaved demons in prison? I’d like to see you handle a fifteen-foot horned demon who breathes fire and has metal claws.”

Mrs. Romer sniffed again. “I’d give it a good go.”

“Good luck with that,” I said. The Romer women were strong. She probably could give a demon a good butt kicking. I glanced at the panic-eyed Giovanni. The Romer men clearly didn’t have the fierce backbone trait of the women, or maybe it had skipped a generation.

“You tell me where and when,” Mrs. Romer said. “I’ll show you a thing or two about fighting a demon.”

“That sounds good. I’ll suggest my family go on an extended holiday and forget all about our guardian role at the cemetery. When we get back, there might be a Willow Tree Falls left. I doubt it, though.”

Mrs. Romer scowled at me. “Do you want to send a telegram? Or did you come into my store to cause trouble for my paying clients?”

I shook my head. “Don’t worry. I’m leaving.”

“Don’t come back any time soon,” Mrs. Romer said as I turned away. “And we don’t want your murdering sister in here either.”

“Mom, maybe you shouldn’t,” Giovanni whispered.

“Aurora wouldn’t come in here if you paid her.” I slammed the door as I left the telegram store, fury seeping through my veins and exciting Frank to the point I had to stop walking, close my eyes, and take several long, deep breaths to get him back under my control.

“You really showed them,” Wiggles said.

“That was too close. Frank is kicking up a storm.” I looked back at the telegram store. Giovanni and his mother were staring at me through the window.

I resisted the urge to gesture rudely and stalked away. I had to double-check Mannie’s alibi, but from what he’d said, it sounded like he was telling the truth and had witnesses to prove it. But I wouldn’t accept what he’d said about Aurora. She wasn’t into Deacon, and she certainly wouldn’t spend the night with him.

My options seemed to be narrowing when it came to finding Deacon’s killer. Maybe I should head back to Angel Force and see about raising Deacon from the dead. I could ask him face-to-face what happened and solve this whole thing.

I snorted a laugh. Like they’d let me get anywhere near his body. I looked down at Wiggles. Raising the dead was not easy magic and came with unexpected consequences.

I looked along the street and studied the faint shimmer of the magic barrier surrounding Willow Tree Falls. I should get out of here while I had a chance. Frank was getting strong, and my patience was running out. It was a toxic combination and one that meant trouble for everybody.

Wiggles nudged me with his nose. “Any time you want to share those thoughts whizzing around in your head, you let me know.”

I petted his tummy. “As frustrating as it is that Aurora’s hiding something, we can’t give up on her. We need to talk to other people about Mannie’s alibi and find out what was discussed at that meeting.”

“That cute little dancing pixie is always at his meetings,” Wiggles said.

“Star? How do you know that?”

“She’s always going on about it. Before I could talk, I had no choice but to listen. I understood everything.”

I glanced down at Wiggles. “Which means you know all my secrets.”

“Every dirty one. What do you reckon, shall we go have a dance with a pixie?”

I nodded. “Let’s see what Star Fairfax has to say about Mannie’s alibi and find out if she knows who wants to mess with Cloven Hoof.”

Chapter 14

My nose wrinkled as I pushed open the door to the dance studio. It smelt of rubber-soled shoes and lady sweat.

Star was surrounded by a group of eager-faced teenage girls all wearing lycra, tutus, and ballet pumps.

“The same time next week, girls.” Star’s blonde hair was pulled off her face in a tight bun, and her cheeks glowed from the exercise. She had the figure of an established dancer, all long limbs and tight muscles.

She smiled as she saw me and Wiggles. “Are you here for the next dance class?”

Wiggles’ bark sounded remarkably like a laugh.

“No, it’s not my thing,” I said, shooting Wiggles a warning look.

“I’m sure you’d enjoy it. I’m teaching beginners Cuban lessons in half an hour.”

“I’ll leave the dance lessons to the tourists.”

Star’s smile faded. “It’s not just tourists who come here. Several of our local ladies enjoy a good boogie. I’ve even got a few men on the books.”

“I don’t suppose you’ve had any complaints about the studio?”

Her eyes widened. “Never. Everyone loves coming here.”

“I meant the noise you make. All that Cuban music must annoy people.”

“I’m always considerate of my neighbors,” Star said. “Why, do you have a complaint?”

“No, but I’ve had a few issues at Cloven Hoof. I’ve been talking to one of our potential mayors. It seems he’s had supporters on his back about my late license and the noise that occurs when people roll out at the end of the night.”

Star brushed her hands down the front of her sparkly lycra vest. “Oh, that must be tricky.”

“You volunteer to help Mannie with his campaign, don’t you?”

“Now and again. Only when my dance classes don’t occupy my time. Despite what you think, it gets busy here. And then there’s the planning, marketing, and choreography to sort out.”

“Do you know who was talking about trying to have my license altered?”

Star shrugged and looked away. “I’ve got to get the studio ready for the next class.”

I caught hold of her elbow before she could walk away. “Who’s been talking about Cloven Hoof? Who doesn’t like the late license?”

Star clasped her hands in front of her. “Don’t take it personally, Tempest. It’s just that I get woken up with people stumbling back from Cloven Hoof late at night. I’m a light sleeper, you see, and I like to have the window open at night to get fresh air. I often get woken several times a night.”

My eyes narrowed. “It was you? You’re the one trying to mess with my business?”

Star let out a sigh. “Yes, it was me.”

“You don’t know for sure that these people are leaving Cloven Hoof. They could be coming from the Ancient Imp.”

“I have spoken to Mannie about that place, as well.”

“You hate all the local businesses that have late licenses because it disturbs your beauty sleep?”

“No, don’t get me wrong. I don’t hate Cloven Hoof,” Star said quickly.

“I should imagine you don’t since you have a monthly standing order with me for Moon Burst mushrooms.”

“Your produce is great, and I love your service. It’s first class.”

“If you think it’s so great, you shouldn’t make complaints about me.”

“I promise you it isn’t personal.”

“It feels personal. If I have to close early, I’ll make less money. I might have to cut staff, which will impact on my produce dispatches. That could include canceling monthly deliveries, especially to people who have tried to put me out of business. I have to look after my loyal customers first.”

Star’s mouth fell open. “No, I’d never want that. Maybe you can ask your customers to be a little quieter when they leave late?”

“My clientele is always quiet and considerate. They’re not hyped-up and energetic. They come to relax and chill out. They don’t leave wanting to cause trouble. I’m sure you aren’t talking about Cloven Hoof customers.”

Star stepped back and looked at the door. “You could be right. I just get so tetchy when I haven’t had my sleep. I even snap at my dancers, and they’re all so sweet.”

“You could always try closing the window.”

“No, I need my fresh air.”

“How about wearing earplugs?”

“They make my ears too hot, and I don’t want to risk getting an infection. If a dancer loses her inner ear balance, it can ruin her.”

“How about moving your bedroom into another room?”

Star’s nose crinkled. “I don’t think that will work.”

She was not making this easier or me any happier. “How about you get your own late license? You could run evening dances.”

Star pursed her lips. “Actually, that’s not a bad idea. People are always asking me about holding evening events. I’m more interested in teaching dance, but I have the space to hold something less formal.”

“Then we both have a late license, and you have nothing to complain about,” I said.

Her eyes sparkled at the possibility. “Would you come to my dance evenings if I held them?”

“Not likely, but I know Aurora would drag me to one. She loves to dance.”

Star’s smile faded. “Oh, of course, your sister. How’s it going? I heard about her arrest.”

“That’s something I want to talk to you about,” I said. “Mannie was telling me he had a meeting with some of his supporters on the night of Deacon’s death.”

“That’s right,” Star said. “We held it at his house.”

“What did you discuss?”

“Other than the late license issue,” Star tweaked her hair bun, “we discussed new campaign materials and what to do with the empty land over on Mystic Street.”

“What time did the meeting take place?”

“I got there just after dinner. I ate upstairs, had a quick shower, and was at Mannie’s by seven. We talked for about two-and-a-half hours. I was home by ten at the latest.”

“Which means you left Mannie’s about nine forty-five?”

“That’s right. I was the last to leave.”

With those timings, it gave Mannie plenty of opportunity to head to Deacon’s and kill him. It also meant he hadn’t been truthful as to how late the meeting had gone on. He didn’t have an alibi for the whole night. “Do you know what Mannie did after the meeting ended?”

“He didn’t say he was doing anything,” Star said. “I left him drinking brandy. I assumed he finished that and went to bed.”

“Did he have any problems with Deacon that you’re aware of?”

Star’s cheeks paled. “Oh, no. Do you think Mannie is involved with his murder?”

“They were rivals in the upcoming election.”

“I don’t think it was Mannie,” Star said.

“Deacon was a strong candidate. A rival to Mannie’s ambitions.”

“Yes, but Mannie had so much support. It wasn’t really a fair fight.”

“Not everyone was planning to vote for Mannie.” I was definitely in the undecided camp.

“You were on Deacon’s side?”

“I’ve given the election no thought. All I know for sure is that my sister is being quizzed by Angel Force for something she didn’t do. I’m trying to figure out who had it in for Deacon.”

Star frowned. “Mannie had a few drinks that evening and seemed jolly. Surely, someone who was planning a murder wouldn’t be happy just before they did it.”

“Maybe he went to Deacon’s in a good mood, and they fought,” I said. “If Mannie had been drinking, he could have gotten angry and lost control.”

“But Mannie is so... compact. He’s no match for a half-angel. If they’d gotten into a fight, Deacon would have floored him.”

“Not if Deacon was asleep and Mannie caught him unawares. He could have overpowered him using the element of surprise.”

The shake of Star’s head was so fierce her bun came loose. “I can’t believe it.”

“And I can’t believe my sister did it.”

Star’s eyebrows shot up. “No, of course, you’re right to think that. Maybe you should look elsewhere, though. Mannie is a decent guy.”

I didn’t agree. As far as I was concerned, he was still on the hook. “I’d better get going,” I said. “Before you get Cloven Hoof shut down, I need to get some work done.”

Star hurried after me as I headed to the door. “I never meant for it to go that far. Please don’t cancel my monthly order. In fact, double it. I want to show my appreciation for your business.”

I glanced at her. “No more trying to get my license revoked. And maybe look into getting your own late license. It could be fun.” And it would give Star something to think about other than messing with Cloven Hoof.

Star let out a relieved sigh. “Thanks, I will.”

I left Star to her next dance class and headed out the door with Wiggles.

“Star likes Mannie,” Wiggles said.

“She does seem like a super fan. People get crazy over anyone with a little authority. She’s convinced he’s not involved.”

“He needs looking into. I don’t trust Mannie. Anyone who spends so much time on beard maintenance is not okay in my books.”

“Neither do I. We need to do more digging into Mannie and his alibi.” I checked the time. “First, we need to check in with Cloven Hoof before Merrie resigns.”

“Then we get something to eat,” Wiggles said.

“Good thinking. Work, eat, and sleep.”

“You do the working,” Wiggles said. “I’ll do the eating and sleeping.”

Chapter 15

“It’s time to get up.” My duvet was yanked off me, wafting me with an unwelcome blast of cool air.

I rolled over and blinked sleepily at my mom. “How are you even here?”

She pulled open the curtains and smiled at me. “Wiggles let me in.”

I groaned. “I’m going to kill that dog.”

“Killing a hellhound is a tricky business. Come on. You need to get up. There’s work to be done.”

“I worked all night, which is why I’m having a lie-in.” I rubbed my eyes, grabbed my pillow, and stuffed it over my head.

“I mean with your sister.” Mom’s voice sounded quieter, but I could still hear her. “You have to get her out of that awful cell. What progress are you making in finding out who killed Deacon?”

I groaned into the pillow. “No progress.”

“I’ll make breakfast, and you can tell me everything.”

I raised the pillow an inch. “Will you make waffles?”

“Only if you hurry.”

The pillow was yanked out of my hands. Wiggles stared at me, the pillow gripped between his teeth. He spat it out. “This one’s my favorite.”

“Don’t remind me about your weird interest in my pillows.” I eased myself upright. “We need to have a conversation about who you let into this apartment.”

“She’s your mom. Of course I’m letting her in.”

“Not when I’m asleep.”

“Of course I will. Any time. She often brings treats.”

“You’re such a suck-up.”

“She is making us waffles,” Wiggles said as he hopped off the bed.

“She’s making me waffles.” I grabbed another pillow and threw it at his retreating butt.

Fifteen minutes later, I was showered, dressed, and sitting at the table as Mom served up coffee and waffles. She’d even made a waffle for Wiggles.

I gave her a quick update about my talks with Mannie and Star.

Her expression grew increasingly worried as she watched me over the rim of her mug.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“I know I told you to help your sister, but I don’t want you overstretching yourself.”

“I haven’t got a choice. I can’t stop working at Cloven Hoof, and I need to keep questioning people who could be involved in Deacon’s murder. Something will soon shake free. Someone must know what happened to Deacon.”

“If only Angel Force would set Aurora free, I’d be less worried.”

I took another waffle and shuffled the fresh strawberries around on the top into a frowning face. “I can’t believe they still have her.”

“It’s that wretched evidence,” Mom said, “the hair and the shoe.”

“It was obviously planted,” I said. “You know Aurora; she’s so fastidious. If she was intent on killing someone, she’d know how to leave no clues behind. She’d probably go to her victim’s home wrapped in polythene after having shaved her head. She’d know how to avoid leaving evidence.”

Mom’s eyebrow arched. “You make her sound calculating.”

“I make her sound clean.”

Mom sighed. “Which means somebody wants Aurora to go down for this murder.”

“It’s not happening,” I said as I helped myself to another waffle and ignored Wiggles cold nose nudging my calf for a piece. “I’m dealing with it.”

“Which is good, but...”

“Go on, what’s on your mind? You don’t think I can do this?”

“I’m sure you can. But I know stress makes Frank tetchy. Maybe take a day or two off from your interrogations. I had Mrs. Romer send me a rude message yesterday about your visit to the telegram store.”

“Mrs. Romer can bite me. My conversation with Mannie was none of her business. She said neither me nor Aurora is welcome in the telegram store.”

“She decided to make it her business. We don’t want to get on the wrong side of Mrs. Romer. She might cut off our communication link out of Willow Tree Falls.”

“She can try,” I said. “We won’t be cut off. I leave Willow Tree Falls at least once a month to do Angel Force business. We can still get messages in and out.”

“It will make things more difficult for you.” Mom placed her mug down. “I worry about you.”

“There’s nothing to worry about.” I kept my expression neutral as I focused on my waffle. “I’m certain this will be solved by the end of today. Mannie lied to me. He told me that meeting went on late. Star says otherwise. Mannie had plenty of time to get out of his house, over to Deacon’s, and kill him. He’s got a perfect motive. Deacon was competition and could have ruined Mannie’s chances of being mayor.”

“You’re ruling out everybody else?” Mom asked. “What about Axel? Granny Dottie is convinced he had something to do with this.”

“She only fingered Axel because she doesn’t want me to date him. Not that I would, but there is something off about him. He lied about his alibi. Merrie spotted him in Cloven Hoof when he said he was at a movie.” I sighed as I finished the last waffle. “I don’t know, maybe they’re in this together? Axel and Mannie both want to be mayor, so they teamed up to get their biggest rival out of the way.”

“Keep your enemies closer than your spell book,” Mom said. “What about Rhett?”

“I should go talk to him too, just to clear his name. Otherwise, Auntie Queenie will keep prodding me to hassle him.”

Mom regarded me steadily. “Will you find it tricky speaking to Rhett?”

I spent a long time drinking my coffee. “No.”

Mom smiled at me. “It’s okay to like a bad boy. Your father was considered a little rough around the edges when we first got together.”

I blinked at her. Mom rarely talked about Dad. He’d disappeared ten years ago, simply up and left one day. No one knew what happened. Everyone assumed he was dead.

“Don’t look like a startled owl. We were young when we met. I was just out of my teens and looking for an adventure. Your father roared past on this enormous sleek motorbike. He had hair to his shoulders and was dressed in leather. It was lust at first sight.”

I coughed down my mouthful of coffee. “Too much information, Mom.”

She smiled. “When I got to know him, I realized what a sweetheart he was. Behind the leather and moody looks, he was a giant teddy bear. So protective of me. And you girls.”

I nodded. I remembered him quizzing Aurora and me when we first got interested in boys. He warned us not to date anyone with long hair who wore leathers. I smiled at the memory. One day, I’d find out what happened to him and why he had to leave us.

“You’ve been on a few dates with Rhett.”

“It was nothing. I’m not into him.”

“If you are, then you have good taste. I know I said not to date a biker, but I don’t mind. Make sure you take plenty of time to get to know him. You need to ensure there’s more to him than that bad boy image.”

“I’ll ask him for his resume when I see him.”

“I’m serious. Some men have a shady side but a good heart. Others are bad to the marrow. They chew you up and spit you out like a werewolf does hairballs.”

“I do not want that kind of guy.”

Mom patted my hand. “Rhett is always welcome at our dinner table. If you do bring him, Queenie will be thrilled. She’s also got a thing for men in leathers.”

I grimaced as an image of Auntie Queenie dragging a leather clad gimp around on a leash came into my mind. “She’d eat Rhett alive.”

Mom chuckled. “Quite possibly. Seriously, if he is involved, take care. Rhett runs with a dark crowd. Be discreet with your questioning.”

“I’m always discreet.”

“That’s not what Mrs. Romer said. She claimed she had to throw you out of the telegram store because you were being, let me get the phrase right, too much of a disruptive influence.”

“That’s not true. I stormed out of there quite happily on my own.”

Mom chuckled again. “I just need to make sure you’ve got Frank under control.”

“I always have him under control.”

Her expression turned serious. “You do a great job. I know it’s not easy. We ask a lot of you to keep Frank away from Aurora.” Mom’s eyes glistened. “It should have been me. I should have gotten to Aurora in time and stopped him.”

A part of me wished that was true. I’d acted on instinct, launching myself at Frank as he’d wrapped his talons around Aurora. It had happened in the blink of an eye, and now, I lived with a demon inside me. “He’s never going to get her. Frank tried once, and he failed. I’m never letting him get close to Aurora again.”

“Of course not.” Mom dabbed at her eyes and finished her coffee. “You always have been protective of her.”

I nodded. It was the main reason I was knee-deep in this mess and had no idea how to get out, but I wasn’t letting Mom know I felt like I was fumbling in the dark for answers to this mystery.

We left the apartment together. I said goodbye to Mom and headed in the opposite direction with Wiggles over to Rhett’s studio on the other side of town.

He lived on Firefly Lane in a converted barn. From the outside, it looked abandoned, but from what I knew of his place, he’d been working on it for a long time, fixing it up himself.

Aside from running with a biker gang, Rhett had a creative side and made enormous metal sculptures from scrap metal. His home doubled as his work studio, and as I got nearer, I noticed several of his sculptures placed along the driveway.

Wiggles stopped and inspected one. “This thing is a beast.” A twisted metal image of a two-headed dragon stared down at him.

“It’s unique.” I was impressed. To create something so striking out of junk needed a good eye and plenty of hard work.

“If we took that home, it would give me nightmares.” Wiggles dabbed the claw of the dragon with a paw.

“You’re a hellhound. How can you get frightened by that?”

“I might fart brimstones, but even I have phobias.”

I laughed. “I promise I won’t buy you this as a birthday gift.”

“Yeah, stick to giant bones and steaks, and I’ll be happy.”

We headed to the large metal double doors of the studio. I knocked and waited. No one arrived.

“Maybe he’s out doing nefarious things with his biker gang,” Wiggles said as he inspected a small metal sculpture of a lizard.

“He’s most likely still asleep.” Which was exactly what I wanted to do.

“Keep knocking.”

Five minutes of knocking later, and I was about to admit defeat. I’d just turned to walk away when I heard a bolt slide across the other side of the door. The door slid back to reveal Rhett. An almost naked, sleepy-looking Rhett.

I tried hard not to stare at his abs. His hair was a tangled dark mess around his stubbled jaw line. He wore a pair of black boxers that looked incredibly snug, and his feet were bare.

“Tempest! What brings you here?” He ran his hands through his hair as he stared at me.

I dragged my gaze from his abs. “I thought no one was in.”

“As you can see, I’m in. I was in bed.”

“Alone?” I grimaced. Why on earth had I asked that? Who Rhett dated was none of my business. We’d had a very brief fling a long time ago, and it meant nothing. It was ancient history, all brushed under the carpet; no one remembered it. Definitely not me.

He grinned. “I don’t usually allow sleepovers. I’m all alone. It’s tragic.” He looked down at Wiggles. “That’s a new look for you.”

I glanced over to see Wiggles had shaken off his sunglasses and placed them on the lizard, revealing his glowing red eyes.

I shrugged. Everyone would eventually know what had happened to him. Rhett might as well be one of the first. “He’s a hellhound these days.”

Rhett’s eyebrows rose. “Nice one.”

I looked at Wiggles and nodded.

“I think so,” Wiggles said.

Rhett glanced at me. “And a talking one. Do you two want to come inside?”

“Sure.” I waited until Rhett had stepped aside before walking in to avoid brushing past those toned abs.

“I’ll put on some coffee.”

“And maybe some clothes?”

He laughed again. “If it bothers you.”

I tried not to stare at the lovely view of his butt as he walked away and ran up the stairs. It shouldn’t bother me. I’d been the one to cool things off. Rhett had been keen on us dating and had asked me out several times before giving up when I’d repeatedly refused him. He was gorgeous but dangerous. I had enough danger in my life. I didn’t need some shady biker guy messing things up even more.

His studio was a huge, open plan space with a giant lounge diner and a mezzanine floor above where a bedroom sat.

Several of Rhett’s sculptures sat around the main room. There was a giant cat, some sort of warrior knight with a blade in his hand, and a long-haired woman with a flowing robe staring off into the distance.

“You were my inspiration for that.” Rhett appeared, thankfully dressed in dark jeans and a white T-shirt.

I stared at the sculpture. “That’s supposed to be me?”

“Not you exactly, but I wanted to capture your emotion.”

I stepped closer to the sculpture. “What emotion was I conveying?”

“Repressed love. The desire to do the right thing and protect those you care about, while denying your own happiness.”

I tilted my head. “Huh! That’s what you think of my emotional state?”

“Sometimes. You’re a complicated woman.”

The sculpture was starkly beautiful. Rhett had captured a quiet despair on the features of the woman. It wasn’t me, though. I had nothing to despair about.

“Coffee?” Rhett asked.

“Thanks, that would be good.” I followed him into the kitchen.

“Do you still take it the same way?”

I nodded. “Same as always.”

I watched as he expertly worked his way around the kitchen, filtering coffee and pouring cereal into a bowl.

He grinned at me. “As great as it is to have you here, I’m guessing this isn’t a social call.”

“That’s true. I’m here about Aurora.”

Rhett blew out a breath as he handed me a mug of coffee. “Jeez, that sucks. Angel Force should never have arrested her. What were they thinking?”

“I often wonder that about their decisions.” I leaned against the kitchen counter. “The first time was a knee-jerk reaction. They figured she was the last one to see Deacon alive, so she had to be involved in his death. The second time they arrested her, they had evidence to connect her to an attack on Petra. They’re convinced she tried to kill Petra.”

Rhett shook his head. “That makes no sense. Aurora wouldn’t do anything like that. She isn’t into Deacon.”

“And you know that how?”

“Oh, you know, you hear rumors.” Rhett stuffed a huge spoonful of cereal into his mouth.

I wasn’t letting him off that easily. “What do the rumors say?”

He spent an inordinate amount of time chewing. “Well, Deacon was seriously into your sister. He was looking to set himself up as the perfect mayor.”

I pursed my lips. “To do that, he needed the perfect trophy girlfriend to parade around at fancy events.”

“Something like that. Not that Aurora wouldn’t be a great girlfriend. She’d make any guy proud to have her on his arm.”

I ignored the faint stab of jealousy I felt. “I wondered the same thing. So did Aurora, which was why she doubted his interest in her.”

“I also heard your sister was into somebody else and only dated Deacon because she felt sorry for him.”

“That’s my sister all over. She never likes to hurt anybody’s feelings, even if it means doing something she doesn’t enjoy.”

“Aurora told Deacon she couldn’t date him anymore. From what I heard, he wasn’t willing to give up without a fight.”

“Who told you that? Was Deacon hassling my sister?”

Rhett shrugged. “It’s just local gossip.”

“You knew Deacon, though. Is it right that he still wanted to be with Aurora?”

“I can’t say for certain. We were friends when we were kids. We’ve drifted apart over the years. I haven’t spoken to him for ages. We didn’t have a connection anymore.”

I took a sip of coffee. Rhett did something magic to coffee, making it strong and rich without any bitter taste. “What made you drift apart?”

“This and that. Deacon picked the life of an upstanding half-angel. I decided to run with a shady biker gang.” He winked at me as he finished his breakfast.

“You won’t mind telling me where you were the night Deacon died?”

He chuckled as he refilled my mug with coffee. “No problem. My gang can back me up. We were out late that night.”

“Doing what?”

“What gangs always do, causing trouble and mayhem.”

“Really?”

Rhett laughed again. “No, not really. We were out on Deadman’s Lane, running the bikes. Josh has a new one, and we went to test it.”

“You were out playing with your toys all night?”

“Sad but true. I’d rather have had someone fun in my bed to play with, but we’re just a bunch of emotionally repressed guys who push our feelings into our giant engines and pretend we want for nothing.”

I had to smile. It was probably closer to the truth than he realized. “How about Mannie Winter? How well do you know him?”

Rhett’s laugh was startled. “Not at all. I have nothing to do with Mannie.”

“You don’t like dwarves?”

“I like dwarves just fine.”

“You never go to Mannie’s store? There’s never anything you need him to get you?”

“No way. If I want something, I get it myself.” Rhett traced his tongue across his bottom lip.

I was annoyed when I felt my cheeks grow warm. “What about Mannie being involved with Deacon? Does your secret rumor mill suggest the two of them had a falling out?”

Rhett shook his head. “Not that I know of.”

“How about the two of you working together?”

“Why do I need to work with Mannie?”

“Maybe he was paying you to get rid of a problem?”

Rhett’s dark eyes narrowed. “You’re talking about a Deacon kind of problem? Are you suggesting Mannie hired me to get rid of Deacon?” He lowered his mug to the counter.

“You’re not close to Deacon anymore. It would only be business if Mannie needed your help to get him out of the picture.”

“The business of murder,” Rhett said. “Something I’m not into.”

The surrounding air crackled with tension as Rhett glared at me. “Could Mannie have done it alone?”

“Not a chance. Mannie is not man enough to do anything like that.” Rhett scraped his hands through his hair and let out a sigh. “You’re on the right lines if Mannie is involved, though. He’d hire someone to do the dirty work for him.”

I looked down into my coffee. “I’ve been thinking the same thing. I don’t suppose anyone in your gang has been talking to Mannie? Anyone who’s in need of some cash and would help Mannie?”

“Tempest, we’re not cold-blooded killers. We might run on the wrong side of the law now and again, but we wouldn’t stoop to something like that. You need to look elsewhere if you’re hunting for a killer.”

“Then who do you think did it? Who killed Deacon? I have to find out. I have to get Aurora back home where she belongs.” The desperation in my tone surprised me.

When Rhett didn’t speak, I tipped my head back and stared at him. “What?”

“I hate to be the one to tell you this, but everyone thinks it was Aurora. Anyone I’ve talked to comes to the same conclusion. She was the last one to see Deacon alive, they were having relationship problems, and she was caught trying to get rid of his old girlfriend.”

“You don’t believe that,” I said. “You just told me you know Aurora couldn’t have done it.”

“I’m not the one who needs convincing. Angel Force has the evidence. They’re being pushed for a quick result. Your sister is their quick result.”

“How do you know all of this?” I said. “And why are you so interested in this case?”

“Because a friend of mine is involved.” Rhett gave me a meaningful look. “I don’t like to think of your sister in trouble. I know what stress does to you and your demon companion. If he’s stressed, then so are you, and that’s good for no one.”

“I’m fine. As is my companion.” I let out another sigh. This felt like a failure, and none of it made sense. Mannie still wasn’t in the clear, but just like Rhett, I couldn’t believe he’d snuck off into the night and killed Deacon.

I was at a dead end. It felt like I was being lied to by just about everybody. What was so wrong with telling the truth? It would be so much easier if the killer wandered in with his hands up and told Angel Force he’d done it and was really sorry.

I glanced up at Rhett. He smiled at me, not pushing, just giving me the time I needed. A tiny part of me relaxed. I was glad Rhett was so convincing. He ran with a shady gang, but there was a decent side to him, the side that had drawn me to him.

“If you need any help, you only have to ask,” Rhett said.

“No, I’ll figure it out.”

“I’ve no doubt you will. Sometimes, having someone to watch your back isn’t such a bad thing.”

“I have Wiggles. He does a decent enough job.”

Wiggles raised his head from his investigation of Rhett’s trash can. A banana skin was draped over his head, and he had a paper cake case stuck to his snout. “Did someone say my name?”

I shook my head. “When he’s not scarfing down your leftovers.”

Wiggles snorted and continued his trash can diving.

Rhett nodded. “I want to help. I’ll ask around and see if anyone’s heard anything that will clear Aurora’s name.”

I finished my coffee. “You can if you like, but I didn’t ask for your help.” It felt nice to have someone looking out for me, but I couldn’t start to rely on Rhett. “I need to get out of here and ask more questions.”

“Are you going back to question Mannie? You still think he had something to do with this?”

I nodded. “His chain needs yanking. He lied to me, and I need to know why.”

Rhett walked Wiggles and me to the door. “Stay safe, Tempest.”

“I always do.”

“Just ask if you need a hand.” He leaned down and brushed a kiss across my cheek.

I ignored the tingle on my cheek as I hurried away from his house. I wished Rhett hadn’t been so obliging. Even when I’d accused him of murder, he’d barely flinched. If I thought he was guilty, I wouldn’t get that annoying warm glow inside me when we spent any time together.

“Can we quit with the power walking?” Wiggles trotted alongside me.

“Oh! Sure.” I forced myself to slow down. I hadn’t even noticed I was almost jogging.

“You have such a thing for that guy.”

Maybe I had, but it wasn’t important. “I don’t.”

“Sure you do. Even with my nose stuck in the trash, I could smell the lust.”

“It’s not like that. We’re... friends.” We couldn’t be anything more, not now, not ever.

“You keep telling yourself that. Neither of you believes it.”

“Keep your nose out of my love life.”

“I’ve had to endure watching your sad little lack of love life for years. It’s time I got involved and sorted things out. You’re young, you’re cute, and you need someone.”

“Nope, the only thing I need to sort out is who killed Deacon.” That was all I could deal with.

Rhett and his abs and his perfect coffee were not getting involved in this.

Chapter 16

Before seeking out Mannie, I felt guilty enough for snapping at Aurora yesterday to stop at Angel Force to see how she was doing. Maybe she’d had a chance to rethink her options. Even if she was still keeping her secret, I could update her on my fruitless search for the real killer. This situation was getting desperate, and she needed to know what little success I’d had.

I left Wiggles in reception and signed in.

Once we were alone in the visitor’s room, I updated Aurora as to who I’d been talking to.

“The bottom line is, your name keeps cropping up when it comes to Deacon’s demise.”

“Everyone in Willow Tree Falls thinks I killed him?” Aurora’s cheeks paled, and she clasped her hands together.

“Not everyone. I’m still on your side. Mom’s on my back about me figuring this out for you.”

“Of course, I know you’ll stick by me.”

“Even if you did it?”

“Most likely, which I didn’t.” Aurora pursed her lips. “Look at me, how could I overpower some hulking great half-angel? Deacon was enormous.”

“He did have too many muscles for my liking. But you do have magic. Magic trumps muscles.”

“White magic only. Magic that helps and heals, not fells gorgeous angels when they get a bit handsy.”

I nodded. “I believe you. But we have a job to do to make sure everyone else feels the same.”

Aurora slumped back in her seat. A smile played on her lips. “Did you get to see any of Rhett’s muscles when you were talking to him?”

I shook my head and ignored the memory of the perfect abs that had welcomed me when Rhett opened the door. “There was nothing to see.”

“It was nice of him to offer to help.” Her tone was deliberately coy.

“Sure.” We were not heading down that road. “So, when are you going to be honest with me?”

Aurora lifted her head. “About what?”

“Where you really were the night Deacon died. I can guarantee you weren’t stock taking. You hate stock taking.”

“Hate is a strong word. Stock taking is a necessary evil.”

“Which you definitely don’t do every week.”

“I did it that night.” Aurora ducked her head. “That’s my alibi.”

“An alibi where no one witnessed what you were doing is not a real alibi.”

Aurora’s nose twitched, and she looked around the room. “Maybe you’ll find out something useful when you speak to Mannie again. It does sound like he’s been up to no good.”

“He’s not the only one,” I muttered. Aurora was still hiding something. That something must be big. She rarely kept anything from me. Was it big enough to involve murder?

The door to the visitor’s room opened. Dazielle scowled at me as she entered. “I heard you were here.”

“Visiting the prisoner,” I said. “I got permission. I even signed in like I’m supposed to.”

“That’s not the problem,” Dazielle said. “You’re still investigating this case.”

I tilted my chin up. “And if I am?”

“I’ve told you to stay off the investigation.”

“And I told you that’s not happening while my sister’s in a cell. You’re going to have to let her go. You either charge her or release her.”

“We have strong evidence to hold Aurora until further notice,” Dazielle said. “Evidence collected by my squad.”

“Which makes it no less wonky.”

We glared at each other, neither one backing down.

“It’s not so bad here,” Aurora said after the awkward silence stretched out for too long. “The food is okay, and they’re nice to me.”

I looked away from Dazielle. “You’re happy with this being the rest of your life? You want to sit in the same room and stare at smug angels’ faces because you won’t be honest about what you did the night Deacon died.”

“What do you mean by that?” Dazielle asked.

I stared at Aurora, willing her to tell the truth.

She shook her head and bit her lip.

“If you’re concealing information, you need to let us know,” Dazielle said. “This case could be concluded if you simply confess to your involvement.”

I stood from my seat and shoved my chair back. “Aurora is not a killer. You’re looking in the wrong place. Are you even bothering to follow up any other leads now you’ve got her here?”

“The other leads have gone cold,” Dazielle said. “We questioned everyone we considered relevant. They either have alibis or we’ve discounted them from the investigation. Your sister is the only suspect we’re looking at.”

Aurora’s quiet sob was hidden behind her hand.

“Then you’re putting away an innocent person.” I turned to Aurora and slapped my hands on the table. “Tell her the truth. What did you do that night?”

I glared at Aurora until she looked away. “I’ve been dating someone.”

“Yes, Deacon Feathers. We know that,” Dazielle said.

“Not Deacon. He was nice, but there was no spark between us. I accepted his dates because I didn’t want to hurt his feelings. I figured he’d work out we weren’t compatible and move on to somebody else.”

“Were you seeing this mystery guy you’ve alluded to the night Deacon died?” I asked.

Aurora nodded. “I felt terrible. I was supposed to go out with Deacon that night. I did drop by his place to cancel our date. There was no way I could stand him up. I told him I was busy at Heaven’s Door and couldn’t get away. He was so sweet and understanding. I almost changed my mind.”

“What happened after that?” I asked.

Dazielle cleared her throat. “I ask the questions.”

I gestured at Aurora. “Then ask.”

Dazielle glared at me and then looked at Aurora. “What happened next?”

Aurora dipped her chin. “I went out with the other guy.”

“Who is he?” I asked, ignoring the annoyed sounding tut from Dazielle.

“He’s an older guy. He’s a divorced warlock.”

I scratched my head. “Okay, that doesn’t sound so bad. Does he have a name?”

Aurora licked her lips. “Toby Matlock.”

My mouth fell open. “Wow! He’s really old.”

“He’s only twenty years older than me,” Aurora said. “He’s charming and sophisticated.”

“And old,” Dazielle muttered.

I nodded. Toby Matlock was a wealthy warlock, skilled in the mental magical arts. In particular, he could bend a person’s thoughts. He also had a liking for cravats and silly looking hats. I couldn’t picture him with my sister.

“Listen, I don’t care who you date, so long as you’ve got a solid alibi for the night Deacon was murdered,” I said. “Why didn’t you give Toby’s name as your alibi in the first place? You could have been out of here by now.”

“Or not here in the first place,” Dazielle said.

I nodded, for once agreeing with Dazielle.

Aurora sighed. “The family won’t approve of Toby. Granny Dottie called him a second-rate wizard the only time I mentioned him. Mom wants me to marry a doctor or a politician, someone respectable. I can’t bring Toby home and show him off.”

I wasn’t sure if I wanted to smack Aurora around the head or hug her. “You’re such an idiot. They don’t care, so long as you’re happy.”

“I’m not so sure. Do you remember when you brought Dillon home and Dad chased him away?”

“I was sixteen and thought it was cool to date a fire breather. He deserved to be chased off, especially after he set fire to the table cloth. Besides, Dad’s not here to chase any of our dates anymore.”

“I bet Auntie Queenie would scare him off.”

She had a point. “Does Toby make you happy?”

“He’s different, interesting, and he has loads of fun stories. I like being with someone older. When I compared him to Deacon, he’s so much more sophisticated.”

I looked at Dazielle. “You need to get out there, find Toby, and make sure my sister is innocent and everyone knows about it.”

“I didn’t realize I was working for you. Do I have a new boss?” Dazielle said coolly.

“Someone needs to be in charge.”

Her eyes glittered. “Someone is.”

“Come on! You’ve got an eyewitness to say where Aurora was on the night Deacon was murdered. Don’t stand there staring at us; get to work and find out what went on.”

Dazielle crossed her arms over her chest. “Perhaps I don’t consider Toby a reliable witness. I suspect Aurora’s reticence about revealing her involvement with Toby is not just about what your family thinks of him.”

I glared at her. Now she was being annoying. “You’re only saying that because you know you’ll have to start from scratch with this case. All those other suspects you’ve discounted are back on the table, and you’re going to have to scuttle off to your big boss and tell her you made a mess. You’ll be lucky if Aurora doesn’t put in a formal complaint for wrongful imprisonment.”

Dazielle turned her attention to Aurora. “Is that true? How well do you know Toby?”

Aurora focused on her clasped hands. “Well enough.”

“So, you know he’s being investigated by the Magic Council for the misuse of magic?”

I sucked in a breath. “He is?”

Aurora glanced at me and nodded. “I’m sure he’s done nothing wrong.”

“Which is why you kept your involvement with him a secret?” Dazielle arched her perfect eyebrows.

“What’s he done?” I asked. The Magic Council never got involved unless it was something serious.

“That’s under our investigation,” Dazielle said. “The Council has made us lead investigators in this matter.”

“So, you’ll never solve the case.”

Dazielle’s eyes narrowed, and she pressed her lips together.

“He’s being accused of using his ability to manipulate a wealthy widow into giving him money,” Aurora whispered.

I stared at her, my mouth open. “And you’re okay with that?”

“It’s not true!” Aurora’s cheeks flushed. “He was with her when we met. She died, leaving Toby her money. A family member claimed Toby tricked her into giving him everything and left her when he met me. They said she died of a broken heart. They tried to claim Toby killed her, but that isn’t true either.”

“That doesn’t sound at all suspicious.” I studied Dazielle’s neutral expression. “How far are you from solving these accusations?”

“We’ve got a lot to do, but we’re making progress.”

Which meant they didn’t have a clue what was going on. I looked at Aurora’s miserable expression. I sort of understood now why she was reluctant to reveal her alibi. If any of this was correct, Aurora was in love with a thief and possibly a murderer.

Aurora sighed. “I want this over. I need to get back to Heaven’s Door. The place has been closed since I’ve been away. People have orders that need collecting.”

“Do you hear that,” I said to Dazielle. “The most popular store in the village is going to go out of business because you’ve imprisoned the owner. Imagine how popular that’s going to make you.”

Dazielle raised a hand. “I will talk to Toby and see if he supports Aurora’s confession.”

“She’s confessed to nothing, other than being a bit of an idiot.”

“Hey, that’s not fair,” Aurora said. “You can’t help whom you love.”

I glared at her again until she ducked her head. “Okay, I might have been a tiny bit stupid.”

After giving me one more pointed glare, Dazielle left the room.

I sat back down and stretched my arms over my head. “We need to talk about your taste in guys. Toby Matlock, really?”

Aurora shrugged. “I like him. I know he’s innocent.”

“Mom is going to pop her cork when she finds out.”

“Which is why I’ve said nothing. Can you imagine the grilling I’m going to get about him?”

“He is old enough to be your father. You’re not using him as a sugar daddy?”

“Don’t be gross. I don’t need a sugar daddy. I just need to find a way to get everyone to accept him. I think I want him in my life for a long time.”

I twisted my mouth to the side. “It sounds serious.”

“It is, I think. I don’t know. I’m so confused. Just don’t say anything to Mom, not yet. Let me do it.”

I nodded. Aurora was in for a rough ride when she finally came clean, but she could handle it. “At least now we have proof it wasn’t you; you can get on with your life with Toby, so long as he doesn’t get arrested as well.”

Aurora snitched her nose at me. “Sure, but what about the actual killer? We need to find out who killed Deacon. You mentioned Mannie, but I can’t imagine a less likely killer. He’s not the type.”

“I’m thinking the same thing. But he lied to me. He had an opportunity and a good motive if he considered Deacon a threat.”

“Mannie’s such a... weasel. You’re right in thinking he’d hire someone to do it.”

“When I spoke to Rhett, he laughed off the idea of being involved with Mannie. He assured me none of the other gang members were involved either.”

“If not Mannie, Petra, or Rhett, that leaves Axel,” Aurora said. “If it was him, did he work alone?”

“Axel has lied to me as well, but I’m not sure he’s a killer. He’s been hitting the mushrooms hard. I’ve seen him staggering home a couple of times after overdoing it. If he was in that state on the night of Deacon’s murder, he wouldn’t have been able to see straight, let alone kill Deacon.”

“He could have hired Rhett to do the job for him,” Aurora said.

I nodded. That had crossed my mind. “The problem is, Rhett has plenty of people who will back him up. His gang is loyal to him.”

“You should go talk to Rhett again.”

“I’ve heard enough from him. The most important thing is we get you out. Once Dazielle has gotten her team in gear and they’ve spoken to Toby, you’ll be released.”

“You’ve got to keep investigating, though. There’s a killer on the loose.”

“You’re doubting the skills of the angels to find out who really killed Deacon?”

Aurora shrugged. “They do like jumping to conclusions, and they have arrested me twice. What’s to say the killer won’t strike again before the right arrest is made?”

“Until we know the reason Deacon was killed, I can’t answer that. You’re my priority, that’s the reason I’m doing this.”

Aurora jumped up and hugged me. “Thanks. I couldn’t wish for a lovelier big sister.”

“I’m only doing it because Mom told me to.” I returned her hug.

“Sure you are.” Aurora stepped back. “But I won’t be able to sleep knowing a killer is on the prowl, maybe even hunting for their next victim.”

“You have an overactive imagination.” I stood from my seat. “If it makes you feel any better, I can ask Dazielle to keep you here another few days. You said yourself, you like life behind bars.”

Aurora pouted. “Not that much. I want out of here as soon as possible.”

“You’ll have to sit tight for a bit longer. As soon as Toby comes good, you can get out.”

“Then I can help you search for whoever did it.”

“We’ll see about that.” I walked to the door. I did not want Aurora involved in a hunt for the killer. Once she was safely away from the incompetent clutches of Angel Force, I would lock her in her store and set a guard on her until Deacon’s killer was revealed.

For now, my next step in finding out who killed Deacon was a trip to see Mannie and get the truth out of him.

Chapter 17

When I arrived at Mannie’s house with Wiggles, the place was quiet. All the windows on the grand white painted building were closed. Despite knocking on the front and back doors, no one came to answer.

“We should come back later,” Wiggles said. “You do realize we missed lunch, which should have been five hours ago.”

“I hadn’t noticed.” My stomach grumbled as if it had most definitely noticed.

“I’m starving,” Wiggles said. “A growing hellhound needs his food.”

“You ate out of Rhett’s trash can.”

“I was tidying up for the guy. A bachelor needs to maintain his standards.”

“You were being disgusting.”

“I’d have shared if you’d asked.”

I stared up at Mannie’s house. “I’m sure he won’t object to us waiting inside.”

“You’re thinking of a little break and enter?”

“There might be a door or window open. That’s not really breaking anything.”

“That sounds like fun. Maybe Mannie has food we can eat.”

“We don’t want to add stealing to our breaking and entering.” I did a quick check of the front door, which was locked. We headed around the side of Mannie’s house. None of the windows budged until I got to a small one by the back door. It was unlatched, and after some gentle shoving, it popped open.

“That looks like a squeeze,” Wiggles said. “I’ll wait out here until you get the door open.”

“You’re such a hero, but I can’t fit through that.” I leaned through the window and fiddled with the latch until it unlocked.

When the door opened, I held my breath for a few seconds, listening for the telltale sounds of anybody inside the house. Silence hit me.

“Take me to the kitchen. I’m in the need for a triple-decker sandwich with mustard and pickles,” Wiggles said.

“No sandwiches,” I said. “We’re having a quick look around to see if there’s anything in here we can use against Mannie.”

“What sort of thing are we looking for?” Wiggles wandered ahead of me along the wide hallway.

“The murder weapon would be nice.” I pushed open a door and walked into the living room.

“We don’t know what that is.”

“A pillow with Deacon’s blood on it? If he was smothered, a pillow would be the perfect weapon.”

“I doubt Mannie would have brought the murder weapon home.” Wiggles raised his nose and sniffed the air. “I’d be happy to test the firmness of any pillows by humping them.”

I turned my head slowly. “You’ll do what?”

“Isn’t that what pillows are for?”

“Humping? No, they’re not.” I was regretting Wiggles ever finding his voice. “Let’s keep everything as it is. We don’t want the place to look turned over.” Without warning, a gross tasting sulfurous belch shot out of my lips.

“Manners,” Wiggles said.

I clamped a hand over my mouth. “It’s not me; it’s Frank. There’s something about this place he doesn’t like.”

“He’s not the only one. It looks like a memorial to Mannie has been set up in here. Have you seen how many pictures there are of the guy?”

I did a slow turn. There were over a dozen framed photographs of Mannie dotted around. There was also an enormous oil painting hanging over the fireplace of him sitting in a throne-like chair with a glass of wine in one hand.

“We should definitely eat while we’re here,” Wiggles said. “Whenever you get hungry, it makes it easier for Frank to control you.”

He was right. I needed to look after myself; otherwise, Frank took advantage. “We’ll take five minutes to eat,” I said. “And nothing out of the trash.”

“That depends what’s in there,” Wiggles said. “People throw away all sorts of tasty treats.”

“No dumpster diving. We’re eating food that hasn’t passed its sell by date.”

We hunted around until we found the kitchen. The units were a sleek black gloss, and the oven looked new. Perhaps Mannie ate out every night and never used it.

I felt another belch brewing and could sense Frank grow increasingly restless. Maybe it was the amount of time I’d spent with Aurora recently. It was always the same; whenever I spent more than half an hour with my sister, Frank sensed her presence and wanted in on the action.

“She’s not here,” I muttered to him as I hastily made a cheese and pickle sandwich for me and Wiggles. “Stop pushing.”

“We can go back and see her,” he whispered in my head.

“That’s not an option. We’re here to find out more about a suspect. Don’t you want to see my sister go free?”

“Having her behind bars makes her easier to get to.”

Wiggles cocked his head as he accepted his sandwich. “Demon problems?”

“Frank is being troublesome.” I looked around the kitchen. “Maybe it’s something Mannie’s done to the place.”

“Does Frank sense a threat?” Wiggles’ hackles rose, but he kept eating.

“He’s not said if he has. I don’t get it; as soon as we got inside, he started acting up. I put it down to seeing Aurora, but maybe it’s more than that.”

“You don’t think Mannie’s got a protection barrier around the house?” Wiggles asked. “I’ve seen them set Frank off before.”

My eyebrows rose. “That might be it, but I didn’t feel any magic when I came through the door.”

“Do you remember that time you broke into Bite Me to steal a tray of caramel meringues?”

I grimaced. “How could I forget? There were spells on all entrances. Once I got in, Frank was enraged by the magic and came out to play. He gorged on everything in the store.”

“And you vomited a dozen meringues all over the floor.”

“I worked off my punishment for three months. Mom was so embarrassed.”

“You and Frank have a sweet tooth. Nobody can blame you for that.”

Another belch shot out of me, and Frank’s power curled up my spine. “We should get out of here.”

“Let me finish my sandwich,” Wiggles said. He eyed my untouched food. “I’ll have yours if you’re not interested in it.”

I pushed the sandwich toward him. “Help yourself. But we need to leave.”

My gaze went to the kitchen door, and my eyes widened. Hanging next to the door was a small oval amulet with an eye painted on it. “You have got to be kidding me.” I stood and inched toward the amulet.

Wiggles followed me, both sandwiches jammed in his mouth. “If looch rike ma bambi let. My of erection.”

The eye glittered as I stared at it. “It’s an eye of protection.”

“That’s what I said.” Wiggles swallowed the last of his sandwich. “Those things are powerful.”

No wonder Frank was unhappy. I clutched my stomach and groaned. It felt like Frank had just punched me from the inside.

Wiggles grabbed hold of my pants leg with his teeth. “Let’s get out of here.”

I nodded as I stumbled through the doorway, heading to the back door.

Frank’s energy crawled up my spine, making me sweat. I grabbed the wall for support to stop from falling.

“Stay away,” I warned Frank. “You’re not needed.”

“I want to come and play.”

I sucked in several deep breaths. “Not now. It’s just protection magic triggering you.” Every now and again, I had no choice but to let Frank’s energy come through. It was exhausting keeping him controlled. But I only let him out when there was no risk to Aurora, and I was far away from Willow Tree Falls. Right now, I was in the danger zone. Letting Frank out would mean trouble.

“Tempest, let’s go.” Wiggles stood by the back door, nudging it with his nose. “What I wouldn’t give for opposable thumbs right about now.”

“Go through the window,” I said. “Get out of here.”

Wiggles tilted his head. “Will you be okay?”

“I’ll handle Frank. Get outside and keep a look out for Mannie. I don’t want him coming home and finding me here when Frank is in control.”

“That would be fun,” Frank said.

“Not for Mannie,” I said.

Frank’s hot demon energy crawled up the back of my neck and covered my head. That was when I knew I’d lost control, and he was taking over.

Usually, I could force Frank back, but his power, combined with the magic Mannie had infused through the house, weakened me. I sank to my knees.

“I should stay with you,” Wiggles said.

“You’re better off outside,” I said. “Use the window to get out.” I didn’t think Frank would hurt Wiggles, especially not since he’d helped bring him back to life. I didn’t want to take that risk, though. I didn’t like anybody to be around me when Frank was in command, especially not people I cared about.

Wiggles backed up and jumped at the open window. He made it halfway through before his butt got wedged. He wriggled and kicked but didn’t get any farther.

I staggered to the window and gave him a shove from behind. “I told you not to eat out of trash cans.”

“It’s got nothing to do with my diet. I have wide hips. Keep pushing.”

I shoved his butt with my shoulder, but he was well and truly stuck.

“You’ll have to drag me back in,” Wiggles said.

“You’re wedged. I can’t move you either way.”

“I can’t stay like this!”

“I’ll get some oil and grease you up.”

“Don’t you dare grease me up! A hellhound has to have some dignity.”

“You’ve got your fat ass wedged in a window of the house we’ve broken into. You’ve got no dignity left.”

“I’m warning you. Do not grease me up.”

I staggered backwards and landed on my knees. My body shook as Frank took away my final slivers of control.

When he gained power over me, it was as if I saw the world through somebody else’s eyes. Everything took on a slightly red glow. I could still sense myself and think, but I had little control over my actions and not a chance of shoving a rational belief into Frank’s twisted little demon mind.

I raised my head, and the world gleamed red. “Damn!”

“Damn, indeed,” Frank said. “Or should I say damned. It’s time for us to have fun. You’ve kept me caged for too long. Seeing your sister imprisoned and so pitiful only made me determined to get out and break free of my own shackles.”

“There are worse shackles you could be in,” I said, my voice echoing inside my own head.

“And if you ever figure out how to get me out of your body before I kill your sister, you’re welcome to try to get me into them,” Frank said.

I found myself pushed back to my feet. Frank propelled me over to Wiggles.

“Stay away from him.” We fought for a few seconds, my arms trembling from trying to stop Frank from touching Wiggles.

“I will not harm our hellhound.” Frank grabbed hold of Wiggles and pulled him back through the window.

Wiggles landed on the floor and jumped to his feet. He looked up at me. “How are you doing?”

“We are doing very well, my splendid hellhound.” Frank held out a hand, and Wiggles tentatively sniffed it. “Let’s explore properly. There are all sorts of delights in the fridge that need eating. We deserve a feast.”

“No binging on junk food,” I said to Frank. It always felt so weird to talk to him while I was trapped inside my own mind. Frank could hear me fine, but Wiggles couldn’t.

“I am definitely binging. Cake, ice cream, cookies, wine. And coffee. Lots and lots of strong coffee with sugar in it. I miss those things.”

“No to all of that. That’s not why we’re here.”

“What do you desire, my hellhound?” Frank asked Wiggles. “I expect you get bored with all that dried dog kibble she forces on you.”

Wiggles cocked his head to the side. “I could do with another sandwich.”

“You’re such a traitor,” I hissed, even though Wiggles couldn’t hear me.

Frank chuckled at my comment. “Tempest agrees. More sandwiches all around. Then we move on to the sweet stuff.”

Within a few minutes, the kitchen counter was littered with meats, cheeses, peanut butter, jelly, and a big loaf of fresh bread. With the sandwiches made, Frank and Wiggles sat in a contented silence as they stuffed themselves.

I hated to admit it, but Frank had excellent taste in sandwiches. Peanut butter and jelly was always my favorite, closely followed by banana and honey.

“Grab those cookies, my hellhound.” Frank stood and brushed crumbs off my chest. “Let’s explore upstairs.”

“No exploring,” I said to Frank. “We have no idea how long it will be until Mannie comes back. You’ve stuffed your face. Now let’s get out of here.”

I pushed against his energy in the hope he was now satisfied after eating and would be happy to let me gain control. Frank was having none of it. He was strong, possibly stronger than I’d ever felt him.

It had to be those wall amulets. I needed Wiggles to deal with those, or I’d never get control of my body.

I was forced into action, and Frank propelled me up the stairs.

Wiggles followed along happily enough, a family sized bag of chocolate chip cookies in his mouth.

“Let’s see what we’ve got in here.” Frank opened Mannie’s closet and rifled through it. “Hideous, garish, too boring, too bright. This dwarf has a terrible dress sense.” Frank hauled clothing over his shoulder as he inspected each item and passed a scathing judgment on it.

“Stop that, or Mannie will know we’ve been here.”

“He’ll know someone’s been here,” Frank said. “I have no intention of getting caught, which means you will also be in the clear.”

“Nice thinking, genius. My fingerprints will be all over this place,” I said. “You try explaining that away.”

“Everyone knows you carry an evil demon inside of you. Say it was my fault. I’m your perfect get out of jail free card. The demon took control, and you had to sit back and let him.”

“All that will do is get us in an Angel Force sanctioned security unit being monitored all the time because I have no control over you. That’s not going to be fun for either of us.”

Frank ignored my comment. “Hellhound, what’s happened to those cookies?”

Wiggles’ head poked out from around the side of the bed, his muzzle was covered in crumbs. “I must have left them downstairs.”

“Hand them over,” Frank said. “You don’t get to eat all the cookies. Tempest is right; you’re out of shape.”

Wiggles growled as he stamped over with the remains of the cookies. “I’m in the prime of my life.”

Frank grabbed the cookies and stuffed several in his mouth. Crumbs scattered across the floor as he continued to pull out Mannie’s clothing.

“I’ve always fancied myself as a tailor.” Frank grabbed a pair of scissors from the dressing table and turned toward the heap of clothing.

“No, you don’t,” I said. “Put the scissors down and step away from the clothes.”

He laughed. “You don’t like Mannie. This will teach him a lesson. He lied to us both, he’s hiding something, and he’s not helping your sister. This is his punishment.”

I shoved hard against Frank’s energy, trying to get his control to loosen. My gaze went to the doorway, and I saw another one of those wretched amulets.

There was nothing I could do but watch in dismay as Frank set to work with the scissors, hacking through the arms of Mannie’s shirts and tearing up pants legs. He was behaving like some naughty schoolkid, who’d been let out of class early and gone on a massive sugar bender.

Frank dropped the scissors and chuckled. “That was fun. What’s next?”

Since I couldn’t beat him, I decided to play along and try to get him to make a mistake. “How about we get out of here? Mannie is not coming back. We could go and get something at Bite Me. You love to play with Tilly, and she makes the best coffee.”

“Mmmmm, fresh coffee, cakes, and Tilly Machello’s throat clasped between my fingers.”

“No, there won’t be any throats crushed.” Tilly was strong. She could stand her ground with Frank, but only if she was ready for him.

“Just a little choking of the witch.”

“What’s going on?” Wiggles asked. “Who are we planning to choke?”

“Follow me, my hellhound.” Frank stuffed a black fedora on my head, ran down the stairs, pulled open the back door, and walked out.

My stomach flipped over. I never got used to the feeling of Frank being in control of my body. It felt like being on a wonky rollercoaster that was about to fly off its rails.

I had to get Frank back in his cage, but he was having far too much fun even to think about giving up his control over me. We were wasting time, and this was not helping me sort out Aurora’s problems.

“Ah yes, your pretty sister. We should pay her another visit,” Frank said.

I shoved away all thoughts of Aurora. “Let’s concentrate on the food.”

A hot wave of power ran down my spine. “You don’t tell me what to do, witch.”

“I do when it comes to protecting my sister.”

Frank chuckled. “I can wait for somebody so succulent. She’ll be mine one day.”

Wiggles trotted along beside us. “I’m lost. Are we going to choke Tilly or play with Aurora?”

“Both,” Frank said. “Oh look, Tempest. A friend of yours.”

My chest tightened as I saw Axel strolling toward us. He knew all about my unwelcome passenger but had only seen me once when I was not in control of Frank.

Axel grinned at me. “That’s a new look for you.” He pointed to the oversized fedora Frank had slapped on my head.

“Hello, handsome,” Frank said to Axel.

“No, no, no! Don’t you dare mess with Axel.” I slammed against Frank’s energy.

“Handsome! Someone’s in a good mood.” Axel tilted his head as he looked at the hat I wore. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say that was Mannie’s hat.”

“Would you be jealous if I told you he gave it to me? He’s so sweet like that.” Frank practically purred as he spoke.

“Stop encouraging Axel,” I said to Frank.

“Erm, well, not really. It’s a bit big.” Axel ran a hand through his hair. “Is everything okay with you?”

“Everything is just perfect, sugar.”

“Frank, stop!”

Axel took a step back. “Are you running a fever, Tempest? You look a bit hot.”

“Oh, sweetheart, you don’t know the half of it.”

I groaned. “Please, just let him go.”

“This one’s for you,” Frank muttered to me as he grabbed hold of Axel and kissed him.

My mouth collided with Axel’s so hard I tasted blood as my teeth hit his bottom lip. Frank clamped my hands around Axel’s head and held on tight as he forced open Axel’s mouth and went to town on him.

This was a nightmare. Axel obviously thought so too as he tried to pry himself out of my grip.

I knew there was no point in trying to struggle, but I still tried.

Frank finally shoved Axel away and wiped a hand over my mouth. “I’ve had better.” He plopped the fedora on Axel’s head before stalking away.

“What was that all about?” I gasped. My cheeks felt roasting hot after that kiss and not for the right reason.

“He’s a half-demon. You owe the guy a break. He’s been flirting with you for months. I’ve had to endure every sleazy move he made in an attempt to draw you in.”

“How is kissing Axel going to make him less sleazy toward me? He’s going to redouble his efforts after that.” I tasted peppermint and realized I’d transferred Axel’s gum into my mouth during our make-out session. Could this get any worse?

“The guy deserved a break. But you could be right. I should go back and punch him instead, just so he’s clear where we stand.”

“No, but spit out his gum and keep going,” I said. “Let’s forget all about the kiss.”

“I doubt Axel will.” Frank turned and looked back along the lane.

Axel stood there, his arms by his side and his mouth open.

Frank gave him a cheery wave. “You’ve just made his day.”

“You mean, you have. You were the one who wanted to kiss him. Maybe you have a crush on Axel?”

“That was all for you. You could do worse than a half-demon. And it’s been a while since your sheets have seen any action.”

“That’s because I shut you down, so you have no clue what goes on under my sheets.” At least, that was what I always tried to do. But maybe I’d not been as successful as I thought if Frank knew when my last romantic relationship was.

“You should try a full demon. We’re not so bad,” Frank said.

“You burned down twelve villages.”

“They were in my way,” Frank said.

“Of what?”

“My view.”

Typical demon. Always putting his own needs first.

We arrived at Bite Me, and I hunted anxiously through my red tinted vision for signs of Tilly. There was a method to my madness in enticing Frank here. Tilly was a fiery witch and had helped me in the past when I’d struggled with Frank.

My heart gave a thud of relief as I saw her behind the counter, handing change to a customer.

Tilly’s smile faded as she saw me walk through the door. Her gaze shifted to the occupied tables. She knew trouble when she saw it. “Is there something I can help you with?”

“I’ll take a dozen of your desserts, flame witch.” I tried to shake my head, but Frank held me in position, so my body froze to the spot.

Tilly looked down at Wiggles. “You know the rules.” She pointed at the door.

Wiggles looked up at me and shook his head.

“It is best the hellhound remains outside. His loyalty might be tested,” Frank said. “I would not like him harmed.”

“Good idea.” Tilly opened the door. She petted his head. “Everything will be okay.” Wiggles backed out of the door, his eyes full of concern.

I was grateful they both wanted Wiggles out of the way. He would try to protect me. When he did, Frank would hurt him as punishment. I couldn’t have that happen. He might be a hellhound, but he was still my fur baby.

“Are you having a party?” Tilly moved cautiously around the counter. She was a tall slim blonde with pale blue eyes that were fixed to me with an unnerving intensity.

“Yes, a party for one.”

“You need to be careful with all that sugar.” Tilly gestured to the dessert counter.

“I can handle a little sugar. I can even handle your sugar.” Frank closed the gap between them.

Tilly raised her eyebrows. “I’d be too sweet for you.”

“Frank, stop flirting and eat your damn desserts,” I said.

He laughed in response. “What do you say, flame witch? Shall we dance?”

Tilly squared her shoulders, and red sparks of magic flickered across her fingers. “Everybody leave.”

The half-dozen diners knew not to question Tilly. They grabbed their purses and food and ran for it.

When the last customer fled, Tilly flexed her fingers. “I’ve done enough dances with demons to know how this will end for you.”

I found myself bowing in front of Tilly as Frank laughed. “Then this should be entertaining for us both.”

Tilly raised her fingers, and a fireball appeared in her palm. “Give Tempest control of her body and slither back to whatever prison she keeps you in.”

“I am impressed you saw through my disguise,” Frank said.

“I don’t serve demons. You need to leave.”

Frank grunted, and his hot energy spiked inside me. “I haven’t had my dessert.”

“Let go of Tempest.” Tilly raised the fireball to eye level, a flicker of indecision in her eyes.

I wished I could let her know she could do whatever she needed in order to loosen Frank’s grip. I could handle being singed with Tilly’s fireball if it meant Frank disappeared and I got control of my limbs.

Tilly seemed to understand because she raised the fireball and slammed it directly at my head.

At the last second, Frank lunged out of the way. I hit the floor and stayed there, feeling the heat of Tilly’s fireball skim past.

“I don’t want you injured,” Frank said to me. “This lovely body of yours needs to be able to walk around, so I can visit Aurora whenever I desire.”

“I’d break my own legs to stop you reaching her,” I hissed at him.

Tilly leaned over me. “I’ll try not to mess you up too badly.”

“As if you could,” Frank said.

“She will. Tilly is a bad ass,” I said.

Frank launched my body upward, and he leaped over the dessert counter in a fluid motion.

“You stay away from those cakes,” Tilly shouted.

Frank plunged my hands into a strawberry pavlova and stuffed the sweet gooey mess into my mouth.

Tilly launched another fireball.

Frank grabbed a brownie before ducking behind the counter. “Our flame witch has a terrible aim.”

“She only has a terrible aim because she’s trying not to kill me.”

“Then she’s a fool.” Frank dragged a tray of chocolate tiffin to the ground and gorged himself on them.

“You’re paying for those desserts,” Tilly said.

“You’ll have to catch me first,” Frank said.

“My pleasure.”

An unnerving silence filled the room, occasionally punctuated by Frank’s noisy open-mouthed chewing.

“Quit it, will you? That’s enough cake.” I focused on stopping Frank grabbing another tray of desserts. Any more cake and I’d be sick for days.

“You are not in control, and neither is that—” Frank shot to his feet, cakes tumbling around us as he bashed into the trays.

Tilly held two large white moonstone crystals. Her eyes gleamed with anger. “Are you sure you want to stay?” She edged the crystals closer.

Frank snarled. “You will harm my carrier if those stones touch.”

I wanted to tell her to do it. Those crystals drained a witch’s energy. If I was unconscious, so was Frank. He couldn’t influence me when I was asleep or unconscious. The easiest way to knock out a witch was to drain her using moonstone crystals charged in the moonlight in our stone circle.

“Get back in your cage, demon,” Tilly said.

“You will not do it. You value this witch too much.” Frank’s heat radiated off me in sulfurous waves.

Tilly shook her head. “I also value my cakes.” She slammed the crystals together, and I blacked out.

***

“Tempest, are you okay?” Tilly caught hold of my shoulder and rolled me out of the face full of lemon cheesecake I’d landed in.

I groaned and licked my lips, feeling like I’d gone several rounds with a heavyweight prize fighter. “He’s gone. I’ve got Frank under control.”

Her gaze was full of concern. “He was strong this time.”

“The worst for a while.” I blinked up at the ceiling. “I’ve been in Willow Tree Falls too long. It’s my own fault. Frank gets like this when I’m around Aurora.”

“Then you need to leave,” Tilly said. “I don’t want you to go, but it’s not safe for you or anyone here.”

I laid flat out on the ground, my stomach churning from all the food Frank had stuffed into me and the smell of burnt sugar filling my nose. “I know, but until Aurora is in the clear, I can’t abandon her. The family is relying on me to clear her name.”

“It’s a good job my crystals were charged, or I might have no store left and definitely no desserts from the way Frank was stuffing them into you.”

I wiped cheesecake off my face. “Sorry. I had to come here. I knew you’d sort out Frank.”

“Of course, any time. Let’s get you up and clean some of this off you.” Tilly looked around at her ruined dessert counter. “It’s going to take me all week to get this place back together.”

I raised a weak-feeling hand. “I’ll help. You won’t even know you battled a demon in here by the end of the day.”

Tilly caught hold of my hand and pulled me into a sitting position.

The movement made my head spin. “Just give me a second.” I slumped down again and passed out next to a destroyed pile of chocolate profiteroles.

Chapter 18

I awoke to the taste of sugar in my mouth and a pounding head.

My gaze shifted around an unfamiliar bedroom as the memory of the fight filtered through my thoughts.

I groaned and gingerly rubbed my forehead.

Wiggles’ face appeared over the edge of the bed. “You look terrible.”

“I feel worse.”

“You passed out.”

“I guess I did. Where are we?”

“In Tilly’s place. She brought you up here to sleep off the after-effects of Frank.”

I pulled on a strand of my hair and discovered sticky, sour smelling cream in it.

Wiggles didn’t seem to mind as he tried to lick it clean.

“Enough of that. I’m going to need a long, hot soak to stop smelling like a gone off dairy farm.”

“I helped Tilly clean up last night,” Wiggles said. “I’m not hungry for once.”

I eased myself carefully up on the bed, and my stomach rolled over. “I’m guessing that means you ate a truckload of ruined desserts.”

“I might have eaten a few. Tilly didn’t mind. She said I was a great help.”

“Your waistline will mind.” I tried standing, and the room only tilted a little. “How long was I out?”

“All night.”

I groaned again. I inched out of the room and made a stop in the washroom. My face was bloated from too much sugar, my eyes were puffy, and my hair stuck up at odd angles from being mashed together with cream and icing.

I washed off the worst before walking down the stairs into the restaurant. My eyes widened. Apart from an empty cabinet of desserts, you wouldn’t have known a demon and a fire witch had fought with each other last night.

The smell of strong coffee and sweet muffins drew me toward the kitchen.

As I pushed the door open, I saw Tilly. She wore a white apron wrapped around her middle and was busy mixing something in a large bowl.

She looked up at me and smiled. “Who’s in charge this morning?”

“It’s me. I promise.”

“I’m glad to hear it.” Tilly looked down at Wiggles and shook her head. “No dogs in the kitchen. I’ll lose my license if your fur is found in my soufflés.”

“Some might consider my fur a delicacy.”

“Not in this restaurant,” Tilly said.

“You’d better wait outside,” I said to Wiggles.

He gave a dejected sigh and slumped away.

“He has nothing to complain about,” Tilly said. “He ate so much last night I thought he would burst.”

“That pooch has a bottomless pit for a stomach.”

She filled a mug with coffee and handed it to me. “And he’s now a hellhound. When did that happen?”

“That’s a story for another time.”

“I’ll look forward to it. How are you doing?”

“I feel like I drowned in a vat of sugar. I’m never eating cake again.”

“I’ve never met a demon with such a sweet tooth,” Tilly said. “The two of you should make good companions, given your love of brownies.”

“You’d think so. If he wasn’t such a nightmare when it came to Aurora, I might not mind having him around.”

Tilly shook her head. “You mentioned last night that you needed to leave because he’s getting twitchy with Aurora.”

I took several sips of my coffee before answering. “I’m not safe around Aurora. The whole family is also at risk. They pretend not to notice how difficult Frank can be, but they must realize how strong he is.”

“Have you told them that? You get an A star for hiding how you feel most of the time.”

“We don’t talk about our feelings much,” I said. “It’s how we roll. We get on with what we have to do and protect the world from demons. There’s no point crying every time we fight a bad guy.”

“That doesn’t mean you can’t tell your family that it’s a struggle at times. Maybe Aurora will be more cautious around you if you do.”

I drank more coffee and stared into space. I didn’t want that, not really. I wanted the normal relationship everyone had with their sisters. I wanted her bugging me and hassling me and asking me questions. I didn’t want her to be scared of me.

Tilly patted my hand. “Families are complicated. How come Frank was in charge last night?”

I grimaced. “That was sort of my fault. I was looking for evidence of Mannie’s involvement in Deacon’s murder.”

“Do you think he has something to do with it?”

“It’s a hunch. He’s not been totally honest. I went to ask him some questions, but he wasn’t home.”

Tilly arched an eyebrow. “And? There’s more to that story.”

“I found an open window and decided to take a look around.”

“You broke into Mannie’s home and that triggered Frank?”

“Not that.” I told her about the amulets, gorging on Mannie’s food, and ruining his clothes. “Then Frank got talking about going to see Aurora. I had to distract him. I mentioned you and your desserts, and he thought it was a great idea to come over. Frank’s so full of himself. He always thinks he can come in here and take what he wants. He has a selective memory when it comes to the times you’ve beaten him down.”

“And I’ll keep on beating him down as long as he keeps threatening you and your family.” Tilly jammed her hands on her hips.

“Thanks. I’m eternally grateful for that.” Tilly had always had my back. “But it was a waste of time going to Mannie’s. I found nothing that connected him to Deacon’s death.”

“You said he wasn’t telling you the truth. About what?”

“He lied about the time his meeting ended,” I said. “It was something to do with his campaigning for the mayoral election. He said it ended two hours later than it did. It took place on the night of Deacon’s murder, and he used it as his alibi.”

Tilly grinned. “You know why that is?”

“Because he killed Deacon and is trying to cover his tracks?”

“No, well, I don’t think so. Mannie’s got a mistress.”

My mouth fell open. “What about his wife?” I was always amazed Mannie was married, but he had a mistress as well. His personality regularly slid to the wrong side of smug to be considered attractive.

“He uses his campaign meetings as a cover story. He ends his meetings early, so he can have a couple of hours of naughty fun. Mrs. Winter knows nothing about it. If it comes out, Mannie will not be happy.”

I puffed out a breath. “Which is why he lied to me. Who is he seeing?”

Tilly grinned. “You are never going to guess.”

“I’m sure I can’t. Mannie is an acquired taste.”

“He is also a rich acquired taste. That business of his makes some serious cash.”

“Put me out of my misery. Who is he seeing?”

“Star Fairfax.”

If my jaw could drop any lower, it would. “But she’s young and attractive and full of energy. What does she see in Mannie?”

“His bulging bank balance,” Tilly said. “He is one wealthy dwarf. He gives his wife all the gifts she demands, spends a ton of money on Star, and still has plenty to go around when it comes to funding his campaign for mayor.”

“Hold on. I thought Star was dating Giovanni Romer.”

“You’re right there. Mannie is cheating on his wife, and Star is cheating on Giovanni with Mannie.”

“Star does not have great taste in men.” I grimaced. “Imagine Mrs. Romer as your mother-in-law to be. I bet she grills Star about her intentions toward her precious Giovanni.”

“It can’t be pleasant. What that means though is that Mannie was most likely with Star when Deacon was killed.”

“You know for sure they are a couple?”

“No doubt about it. I saw them late one evening. I’d just finished doing the cooking prep and was taking the trash out to the back alley. I heard voices and laughter and snuck along the alley to take a look. Mannie was wrapped around Star. They were... enjoying themselves.”

I raised a hand. “I don’t need to know any more. But I do need to confirm they were together on the night of Deacon’s murder.” I ran my fingers through my damp, soured cream scented hair. “Since I couldn’t find Mannie yesterday, I’ll talk to Star again and see what she knows. If she confirms they were together, it means Mannie wasn’t involved.”

“So, who did it if you rule out Mannie?”

“I’ve ruled out Petra and most likely Rhett. That only leaves me with Axel.” My hand went to my head, and I groaned as a vivid memory of me snogging Axel came to mind.

Tilly looked startled. “Is there something I should know?”

“Just Frank making my life complicated. We ran into Axel yesterday when he was in charge. There was an incident.”

“What kind of incident?”

“The kissing kind.”

Tilly laughed. “Frank likes Axel?”

“No! Well, I don’t think so. He wants me to hook up with Axel because of his half-demon status. He loves to stir things up when he’s in control.”

“He wouldn’t be a good demon if he wasn’t. Well, a bad demon.” Tilly shrugged. “You know what I mean. How was the kiss?”

“It hurt.” I remembered my teeth crashing into Axel’s full lips.

“That doesn’t sound good.”

“I feel sorry for Axel. He got a split lip, and I stole his chewing gum.”

Tilly chuckled. “The two of you should talk. He’s sweet on you, but you don’t want to give him ideas.”

“Axel is sweet on a lot of women. I don’t consider myself anything special.”

“He might.”

I shook my head. “I’m not interested in dating.”

Tilly nodded, knowing this conversation would go nowhere. “And you’re no closer to figuring out how to remove Frank safely, so this won’t happen again?”

“Nothing works.” I’d lost count of the number of times I’d talked to Tilly about how to remove Frank. Every time I tried, he clung to me like a love-struck limpet. It was as if he liked his home inside me and had no intention of ever leaving. We’d tried different spells and potions to remove him, and some did temporarily weaken him, but they got nowhere close to having him exorcised.

“One day, we’ll find out what your demon hates. You’re not going to spend the rest of your life living with Frank.” Tilly touched my shoulder.

“That’s definitely one relationship I can do without.” I finished my coffee. “Thanks again for everything last night. I’ll pay you back for all the desserts I ate. Well, all the desserts Frank made me eat.”

“Don’t worry about it. I was happy to help.” She passed me a brown paper bag. “Muffins for later. Give yourself a bit of a sugar detox first.”

“Will do.” I headed out of Bite Me, Wiggles at my heel.

“Where to next?” he asked, his nose pointed at the bag of muffins.

“The dance studio. It’s time to confirm an alibi and catch a killer.”

Chapter 19

It was still early when we arrived at Star’s studio, and classes had yet to begin.

I discovered Star dressed in a pale cream tracksuit, warming up in front of a huge wall of mirrors.

She turned and waved at me when she saw me in the mirror. “I see you’re back.” She walked over, her gaze going to my disheveled hair. “Did I tempt you with the idea of private lessons?”

I shoved my soured cream scented hair off my face. “No, but I am interested in the private lessons you have with Mannie Winter.”

Star’s eyes widened. “I don’t teach Mannie.”

“You don’t teach him dance.”

She blushed and looked away. “He’s just a friend.”

“What kind of friend?”

“The usual kind.” She bent and fussed with a loose tie on her shoe.

“I know you’re seeing him,” I said.

She stood up swiftly. “Who told you that?”

“That’s not important. I need to know if you saw Mannie on the night of Deacon’s murder.”

Star sighed and nodded. “I did. I knew Mannie couldn’t have been involved in what happened, so I kept quiet about it.”

“Are you still dating Giovanni?”

Star twisted a loose thread from her top around a finger. “Sometimes.”

“You’re seeing Mannie behind Giovanni’s back?”

Star ducked her head. “Giovanni is a lovely man, but he’s not got much get up and go. I have to make the effort in that relationship and feel like I’m nagging him to do anything spontaneous. With Mannie, it’s different. He swept me off my feet. He showered me with gifts and compliments until I agreed to go on a date with him. He’s such a romantic.”

“He’s also a married romantic.”

“Mannie told me he’s leaving his wife after the election. That’s the only reason he’s waiting. He doesn’t want negative publicity attached to his name before such an important event.”

I crossed my arms over my chest. “I imagine he doesn’t.”

“He knows people like to gossip. Mannie wants to make sure his personal life doesn’t impact the outcome of the election. After that, he promised me he’s going to tell his wife that he’s leaving her for me.”

I didn’t agree with Star seeing Mannie behind his wife’s back, but it was their business and their guilty consciences. “You’re sure you were together that night? Mannie didn’t leave you at any point?”

“No, it was the same as always. His campaign meetings are a great excuse for him to have a night away. He tells his wife he’s going to work late and sleep over at his office. She doesn’t seem to mind. In truth, I think she’s glad to get rid of him. They haven’t been friendly for a long time.”

They always looked friendly enough to me when I saw them together. “You spent the whole night with Mannie?”

“That’s right. He has an apartment on the other side of the village. It’s for his exclusive use. I like to call it our little love nest.”

I tried as hard as possible not to grimace.

“He’s a big sweetie. He’d never be involved in anything as awful as killing Deacon. They had a friendly rivalry with the campaign, but that was it. Mannie was convinced he would win the election.”

“Maybe he was only convinced because he’d planned on wiping out all competition until he was the only man standing. That would guarantee him a win.”

“I promise you he’s not like that.”

Although any man who cheated on his wife was a scumbag in my books, Mannie did have a decent alibi.

Star touched my arm. “Does that mean you’re back to square one with proving your sister’s innocence?”

I sighed. “It looks like it.”

“I wish I could give you better news, but I promise Mannie is not involved.”

I tipped my head back. There was the vaguest of possibilities Star was lying and covering for Mannie. Or maybe he’d slipped out when she’d fallen asleep and he’d killed Deacon, but it didn’t seem likely.

“Where is this secret love nest?”

“It’s in the woods on the very edge of the village,” Star said. “It takes about twenty minutes to get there on foot. Thirty if you stop for a little canoodle like we do. It’s tucked out of the way; no one can see you.”

“Is it easy to find?”

“No, you have to trek through the woods. There’s not even a proper path. It’s super private and very romantic. If Mannie ever left me in the woods on my own, I’m sure I’d be lost forever.”

I twisted my mouth to the side. That was doubtful. The woods weren’t that big. But it would make it hard for Mannie to creep back to Deacon’s house, kill him, and then return. It would probably take someone at least an hour and a half, and that was providing they didn’t get lost. It looked increasingly unlikely that Mannie was involved.

But if it wasn’t him, it must be Axel. Despite the embarrassment that burned inside me about our unexpected kiss yesterday, I would have to go confront him.

“You will keep quiet about this,” Star said. “We only need to keep it a secret until the election. Once that’s out of the way, Mannie will come clean to his wife, and I’m going to cool things off with Giovanni. We only need to keep up the pretense for a bit longer.”

“It’s not my secret to tell, but you know it’s a lousy thing to do.”

“I didn’t mean to fall for him,” Star said. “I don’t like being a husband stealer.”

“What’s so wrong with Giovanni? There must have been something about him that appealed to you when you first got together?”

“He’s okay. He’s actually quite a nice guy when he gets away from work.”

“So why stray?”

Star shrugged. “It’s his mother. She terrifies me. The last time I was in the store, she stamped down the stairs and accused me of taking her son away from her. Then she started asking when we were going to have babies. First of all, I can’t have him, and then I need to have kids with him. Mrs. Romer needs to make up her mind. It’s too stressful being around her. I want a mother-in-law I can have fun with, go out for long lunches and have shopping trips with, that sort of thing. Not creep around terrified of her in case she decides to insult me or tell me I’m not fertile enough for her darling boy.”

I saw Star’s point. My encounters with Mrs. Romer were never pleasant. “I won’t say anything. But you need to sort this out. It’s not fair to lead anybody on.”

“Of course. I wish I could have been more help in getting Aurora’s name cleared. Do you have anybody else you think might be involved?”

I pinched the bridge of my nose. “There is someone else. I need to go talk to him before making any decisions about what to do next.”

Star smiled. “I’m glad we got that all cleared up. Do let me know if you want a private dance lesson. I teach one-to-one, so no one else has to see until you feel ready to shake your stuff in public.”

Wiggles did one of his indiscreet barking laughs from the corner of the room where he was investigating the used dance tights.

“I’ll bear that in mind.” I hurried out of the dance studio and away from the unappealing invitation of a dance class with Star.

I muttered under my breath as I walked. I had to see Axel and work out what he knew about Deacon’s murder. He would understand what happened yesterday. He knew about Frank, but I still didn’t want him getting any ideas about us. There was no us.

“If there’s anything you feel like sharing,” Wiggles said as he trotted along beside me, “I’m happy to listen, especially if you want to break out those muffins Tilly gave you. I’m a better listener when I’m eating.”

I opened the bag and passed him one. “I don’t want Axel getting the impression that yesterday meant anything.”

“You mean after you snogged his face off?”

“Yes, that. I wasn’t in control. Frank did it to mess with me.”

“Tell Axel that,” Wiggles mumbled around a mouthful of muffin.

I knew I had to, but all I wanted to do was hide under my duvet for a week and forget the last day or two had ever happened.

If only Aurora hadn’t decided to date a cute half-angel. If only Deacon hadn’t gone and gotten himself killed. I’d be happily accepting a new job to hunt a demon and heading out of Willow Tree Falls with my dignity intact. Instead, I still smelt of gone off cream, had an upset stomach from too many cakes, had probably gained five pounds, and had some explaining to do after my unexpected snog-fest with Axel.

Still, I had to do it. I had to put my humiliation to the side and see him. If Axel was the killer, I needed to confront him and save my sister.

Chapter 20

It was late in the afternoon as I stamped along the main street of Willow Tree Falls. I’d tried Axel’s home, dropped by Cloven Hoof to see if he was enjoying himself there as seemed to be the norm these days, and even tried the Ancient Imp. He was nowhere to be found.

In my eyes, that made him even guiltier. Only the guilty hid. He had to be involved and must have figured out I was onto him. Axel could have realized what I’d been doing at Mannie’s and assumed I’d found information that linked him and Mannie. Could it be that I had the right idea but the wrong people? Could Mannie and Axel have been working together to bump off Deacon? Was it such a big deal to ensure victory in this election? Willow Tree Falls was a special place but special enough to kill for?

There was one place I knew Axel would be. Tonight was the evening the results of today’s election would be announced. Axel would have to be there. He wouldn’t resist the opportunity to brag about his victory if he was successful. I would get him then when he went to claim his new position. He could be the shortest serving mayor in Willow Tree Falls if I was right about him.

Putting my search for Axel temporarily on hold, I made a detour to Angel Force to check-in with Aurora and see how the angels were treating her.

As we reached the front doors, there was a new sign on the wall: No hellhounds allowed.

I grinned. “It looks like you made quite an impression the last time you were here.”

Wiggles growled at the sign. “That’s discrimination.”

“We should put in a complaint.”

“You can bet your butt I’m complaining. I did nothing wrong.”

I tilted my head. “I do remember you threatening Dazielle and stealing her muffin.”

“That wasn’t threatening. These angels need to stand up for themselves.”

“Wait here. I won’t be long.”

Wiggles grumbled to himself before cocking his leg up the side of the building, right under the new sign.

Sablo stood at the desk as I entered. She gave me a puzzled look when I asked to see Aurora.

“She’s been released. She left an hour ago.”

My eyebrows shot up. “Nobody told me.”

“I processed her. Your mom, along with the rest of your family, came to collect her. It was quite a celebration.”

I shook my head. Thanks for keeping me in the loop, family. “Does that mean you’re no longer investigating her?”

“For now.” Dazielle appeared in the doorway at the back of the reception.

“What about the evidence you had on Aurora? The rock-solid evidence that she attacked Petra?”

Dazielle shrugged and walked over to the desk. “When I looked into it more closely, it didn’t stack up. I interviewed Petra again, and she wasn’t convinced it was Aurora in the pub. Also, the evidence we found showing Aurora was the attacker was—”

“Obviously planted? So ridiculously obvious that it couldn’t be true? No one loses a massive clump of hair and a shoe at the same time.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Yes, well, maybe it was a little too convenient. Plus, there was an unknown fingerprint on the shoe.”

“Whose fingerprint?”

“They’re not on any database we have. They don’t have a criminal record. I have to assume that they took the shoe from your sister, along with her hair, and planted it in the pub.”

“To make her seem guilty and involved with Deacon’s murder?”

“It would appear so,” Dazielle said. “For now, Aurora is in the clear, especially since her alibi checks out too.”

“You spoke to Toby?”

She nodded. “He confirmed everything. He needed no prompting and said they were together that evening. There is a small window of opportunity that your sister could have gone to Deacon’s and smothered him, but it’s not likely.”

“If only you’d listen to her in the first place, you wouldn’t have wasted all this time trying to pin this crime on her.”

Dazielle’s expression remained unapologetic. “She looked good for it. I wasn’t going to ignore such a compelling motive and evidence.”

As tempting as it was to rant at Dazielle for being such an idiot, I bit my tongue and turned to leave.

“While you’re here, are you interested in getting the details of a new case?”

I turned back and nodded slowly. I should jump at the chance. Now Aurora was free, there was no reason for me to stick around. In fact, it was better if I didn’t. It would be good for Frank to have a break from Willow Tree Falls and reduce the risk of him taking over again.

But I wasn’t sure I wanted to go just yet. I loved it here. I loved being around my family when my demon wasn’t threatening them.

“It’s not a difficult case,” Dazielle said, “a quick in and out. A demon absconded from custody and he needs rounding up.”

“I’ll take a look at the file notes. What are the conditions?”

“Same rates as always,” Dazielle said. “Round him up, bring him back here, and we’ll do the rest.”

“I’ll let you know.” I grabbed the file Dazielle offered me and headed out of Angel Force. Although Dazielle could be a thorn in my side at times, she gave me a legitimate reason for leaving without upsetting my family. They always supported me when I left to go demon hunting. It was a win-win all around, but sometimes it felt like a hollow win as I left behind the safe bubble of magic and my family and endured the noise and chaos non-magicals thrived in.

“No Aurora?” Wiggles asked as I stepped outside.

“They let her out.”

“That’s great news.”

“It is.”

“So why do you have a face like a smacked butt?”

“I do not. It’s just that—”

“Now you think you have to go. That you’re more trouble than you’re worth.” Wiggles nudged the file I held with his nose.

“It is safer if I’m not around.”

“It’s boring. I get bored when you’re not here. You should stay and keep me entertained.”

“This isn’t about you.”

“It should be. I’m your hellhound.”

I shook my head. I sometimes wondered who owned who in this relationship. Who was I kidding? I always put Wiggles first. Now he was a walking, talking hellhound he was going to keep me on my toes even more.

“Come on, let’s go celebrate the prisoner getting out on early release.” I headed along the lane to Mom’s house. I’d only just started walking up the garden path when I heard laughter inside. I slowed, and instead of going to the front door, I walked around the side and peered in the kitchen window.

Everyone was inside. Aurora was surrounded by Mom, Auntie Queenie, and Granny Dottie. Grandpa Lucius sat off to one side, smiling to himself as he rocked backwards and forwards in his ancient wooden rocking chair. Only Uncle Kenny was absent, most likely left to stand guard in his man cave in the cemetery.

I wanted to be a part of that, but I held back. I could feel Frank stirring, and I wasn’t even in the same room as Aurora.

“You keep your demon snout out of my family’s business,” I whispered to him. “Aurora is not yours.”

Frank didn’t reply, but I felt a trickle of his hot energy run up my spine. One day, he’d beat me. One day, I’d lose control around Aurora. I could never let that happen. I had to keep my distance.

“Are we going in?” Wiggles asked. “I bet there’s a cake.”

“No.” I turned and walked away. Everything was fine here. Aurora was safe, and everyone else was happy. I’d do a quick check-in with Cloven Hoof and make sure Merrie had everything covered for the next few days then I’d pack a bag and get out of Willow Tree Falls while I could.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Auntie Queenie stood on the front porch, her arms folded under her ample bosom.

I looked back at the house. “How did you get out of the kitchen and onto the porch so quickly?”

“I’m a witch.” She grinned at me and beckoned me over. “You can’t go sneaking off without seeing us. Anyone would think you don’t love us.”

I walked over and sat on the front porch steps. “That’s just it. That’s why I have to do it.”

Auntie Queenie sat next to me and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “I know that. We all do.”

I leaned against her and breathed in the scent of elderflowers and cinnamon. “It’s not easy keeping Frank under control.”

“You put on an excellent show of having no problems with him. You let everyone believe you’re capable.” Auntie Queenie raised a finger and pressed it to my lips. “But I know the truth. I see how you struggle with him. I know how strong he is. Whenever you’re around me, I get the chills.”

I gently pushed her finger away, so I could speak. “You’ve never said anything before.”

“I didn’t want to alarm you and give you another reason to avoid us. I know you like to pretend nothing ruffles your feathers, but that demon you hold is a nasty one.” She stroked my hair behind my shoulders. “When you found him in your sister’s bedroom all those years ago, he was going to kill her. He would have if you hadn’t trapped him. You are an incredibly strong witch. You have powers we’ve never seen before in this family.”

“I don’t know about that. You and Mom are amazing at kicking demon butt if one of them dares to creep out of the prison.”

“That’s because we have decades of experience on you. And that’s our speciality. We’ve honed our skills in demon butt kicking. You have to handle much more than that. You use your body as a demon prison, containing a powerful and dark force. You leave the protective environment of Willow Tree Falls and surround yourself with non-magicals when you go demon hunting. You’re never sure what you’re going to find out there, but you always come back having trapped the demon. I doubt either your mom or I could achieve that.”

“You make me sound like a super-witch.”

“You are a super special witch, especially to me.” Auntie Queenie kissed my forehead. “Don’t be afraid to say when you’re having problems. We’re all here for you. And Aurora understands.”

“She doesn’t. She never understands that she needs to stay away from me.”

“Aurora does just that. She barely visits you and hardly ever sees you when it’s just the two of you. She would like nothing more than to hang out with her big sister every night. Aurora tries as hard as you do to make sure Frank doesn’t get the upper hand.”

My bottom lip jutted out. Maybe Auntie Queenie was right. I always acted so annoyed whenever Aurora came too close, but she didn’t do it often. She passed on lots of messages between family members that reached me, and she used the snow globe system a lot. It would have been so easy for her to walk down the road to Cloven Hoof. Instead, she was keeping a distance. Aurora was doing her best, knowing how difficult the situation was.

“You’ve done an amazing job helping to keep her safe,” Auntie Queenie said. “I’m sure Angel Force would have charged her with Deacon’s murder if it weren’t for your involvement. You’re turning into a regular little sleuth alongside your demon hunting.”

I shrugged. “You see? I am a super-witch.”

“You’re also my super niece, and I want to keep you that way. You let me know if you have any problems. You can always talk to me, whatever the trouble is.”

“Thanks, Auntie Queenie. I do struggle sometimes to control Frank. I lost control of him yesterday. There was magic interfering with my abilities, and he beat me.”

Auntie Queenie nodded. “I know. I was at Tilly’s this morning. She mentioned you were upstairs. I decided to let you rest.”

“If Tilly hadn’t helped me, I’m not sure I could have stopped Frank.” Sadness filtered through me. Hosting a demon was the hardest thing I’d ever done. It kept me apart from the people I loved the most.

“Let me give you a piece of advice that has always worked when it comes to diffusing tension and getting control of the situation.”

“Anything. I’ll try anything if it means Frank doesn’t keep slipping out and taking control.”

She patted my hand. “You need to have more sex.”

I choked out a laugh. “I do?”

“It works for me. Whenever I’m experiencing tension or am frustrated about something, I go see your Uncle Kenny. He’s a man of few words, but he’s also a man of action. I only have to say to him, Kenny, I’m frustrated. He jumps straight to it. That man has so many moves it makes my head spin. I remember one occasion when—”

“Err, if it’s okay, I really don’t want to know about your love life.”

Auntie Queenie chuckled. “Maybe you don’t need to know the details, but you need to know the basics. A lot of sex with the right partner is good for you. You need to get yourself a regular man and make good use of him. Don’t be shy in coming forward when you tell him what you need. It’s important you keep control of Frank. If that means you have to get busy with your significant other on a frequent basis, then you do that. I’ve got books I can loan you if you need inspiration. They show all kinds of different positions.”

I eased myself out from under her arm. “I appreciate the offer. But before I read the books, I need to find myself a significant other.”

She patted my knee. “Of course, you do. I’m happy to share, but I want those books back. I make use of them most evenings.”

I blew out a breath to try to cool my hot cheeks. Auntie Queenie needed to check her inappropriate discussion filter was working. “What’s making you so tense that you have to get busy so often?”

“I kick demon butts for a living. We look after a demon prison. Not every day is a picnic.”

I nodded. Living in Willow Tree Falls, it was easy to forget that protecting a demon prison wasn’t an everyday thing, especially when your family did it for a living and you’d been raised talking about crypt cracks, demon powers, and how to fell a demon with a single punch.

“Aurora tells me you’re still looking for Deacon’s killer,” Auntie Queenie said.

“I should let Angel Force do it, but I’m not sure they’ve got any angles. Aurora told me it’s the right thing to do, find the killer.”

Auntie Queenie smiled. “How’s that going?”

“I have my suspicions about Axel. I’ve ruled out Petra, and I don’t think Mannie was involved or Rhett.”

Auntie Queenie snorted. “Axel wouldn’t get his hands dirty with a murder. He’s too much of a pretty boy.”

“He’s a half-demon pretty boy.”

“Even so, he’s a weak half-demon. I still have my suspicions about the biker gang.”

“Nope, I’ve spoken to Rhett. They were out running a new bike on the night of the murder.”

“Do you believe the biker gang?”

“I believe Rhett. He wouldn’t lie to me.”

“Have you spoken to the rest of the gang?”

“Well, no. I took Rhett at his word.”

Auntie Queenie tutted. “You get your head turned too easily by him. I’m not saying he isn’t gorgeous, but you should double check the information. Just because you went on a few dates with him that doesn’t mean he’s always going to be honest with you. The biker gang is his family. They’ll protect each other. It would be easy enough for them to come up with an alibi like that. What’s to say they weren’t running that bike just as Rhett said? He didn’t need to be there. And remember, I did see his bike at Deacon’s house.”

“Are you sure it was his bike?”

“I know my bikes. If it’s Rhett’s bike, I’d know it if I saw it again.”

My head sank into my hands. If that was the case, then Rhett had lied to me. “He told me he hadn’t been in contact with Deacon for a long time. Why lie? What is he hiding that means he needs to conceal a visit to an old friend?”

“We should go.” Auntie Queenie hopped up.

I peered up at her. “Go where?”

“To see the biker gang.”

“Now?”

“There’s no point in hanging around. There’s a killer to be found.”

“I can talk to Rhett again. There’s no need to see the whole gang.” I wasn’t scared of the bikers, but I didn’t want to drag Auntie Queenie into this search for a killer.

“There’s every need. Come on. There’s no time to waste. We’ve got a biker gang to intimidate.” Auntie Queenie strode along the path and out the gate.

I jumped up and hurried after her.

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Wiggles asked as he followed along behind.

“No, it’s a lousy idea. But you know what Auntie Queenie is like when she sets her mind to something. Nothing stops her.”

“She turns into you on a triple dose of lemon drops.”

“That’s not fair.”

Wiggles barked out a laugh. “Trust me. I’ve been around this family long enough. You are just like her.”

I shook my head and broke into a jog to keep up with Auntie Queenie. Maybe we were similar, but I wondered what I’d gotten myself into by going with her to interrogate Rhett’s gang.

Chapter 21

“Are you sure you don’t want to slow down?” I was having trouble keeping up with Auntie Queenie’s fast pace as she strode away from the house and toward the woods.

“I’m fine. It’s all the sex, you see. It’s a great aerobic workout,” Auntie Queenie said.

“Maybe I should try it more often if it keeps you this fit.” My forehead was damp with sweat, and my chest heaved. I was half Auntie Queenie’s age, but she wasn’t even out of breath.

“I highly recommend it.” Auntie Queenie slowed as we turned down an overgrown path.

“Do you know where you’re going?”

“This is the place. Most people don’t come here on foot. The gang uses an ancient cave system on the edge of the woods. Very few people know about it.”

I tripped over a tree root and bashed my knee. “I can see why.”

We walked for about five minutes, the trees getting denser and all signs of a path vanishing.

“Hold it right there, ladies.” What looked like an enormous moss-covered brick moved in front of us.

Wiggles jumped and ran behind me. So much for being a badass hellhound.

As my eyes adjusted to the gloom, I saw it was a huge, tattooed, bearded guy, his eyes narrowed and his hand holding a large wooden stick.

“Hello, dear. You must be a part of the biker gang,” Auntie Queenie said as she peered up at the giant of a man.

His expression remained neutral. “You’re on private land.”

“We’re looking for Rhett.” I stood next to Auntie Queenie, sensing the pulse of menace coming off the guy. “Is he here?”

“I don’t know anyone by that name.”

“Of course you do, dear,” Auntie Queenie said. “He’s gorgeous and wears tight leather pants and has a lovely bum to fill them. A bit like a ripe peach, all ready for biting.”

The bearded guy snorted a laugh, and his gaze flicked to the side. “You could be describing me.”

Auntie Queenie chuckled. “You’re more meat than muscle.”

The guy scowled at her. “He’s not here. Leave.”

“Maybe you can help us if Rhett’s not available,” I said. “He told me he was out on Deadman’s Lane the night of Deacon’s murder.”

“What of it?”

“Is it true?”

“Why do you care?”

“Because someone murdered Deacon, and I want to find out who.”

“It wasn’t Rhett. It wasn’t any of us.”

“Rhett was there on the night of the murder?”

“If he says he was, then he was.”

I shook my head. “That wasn’t a real answer.”

“Why don’t you take us to your leader?” Auntie Queenie said. “We can sit down, have a nice cup of tea, and you can tell us everything.”

“We don’t have a leader, and we don’t serve tea.” He stepped forward and went to grab hold of Auntie Queenie’s arm.

She sidestepped him and planted her knee in his stomach. “My apologies, but it’s not polite to grab a lady.”

The bearded guy grunted as he clutched his stomach. “Leave. I won’t ask you again.”

“You weren’t asking. You were trying to manhandle me. Only my Kenny gets to do that.”

The guy pulled himself upright and rubbed his stomach. “I’ll do more than manhandle you.” He lunged at her.

Auntie Queenie grabbed a low-hanging branch over her head and swung her feet forward, connecting with the giant biker’s chest. I sensed the magic she pushed into her feet as she kicked him.

The biker was launched through the air and slammed into a tree. He didn’t get up.

“I did warn him.” Auntie Queenie jumped down from the tree branch.

“Some guys can’t take a hint,” Wiggles said.

“Where were you when the fighting went down?” I asked him.

Wiggles inspected a spot on the ground. “I have an upset stomach. I needed an emergency comfort break.”

I sighed. “It looks like we’re going to have to find Rhett ourselves.”

The surrounding air shimmered. Three more bikers stepped into view, blades in their hands.

“We’ve got unwelcome visitors.” A tall lean guy with a scar above his right eye stepped forward, a blade glinting in his hand. “And they’ve not been too friendly to Josh.”

“Young men, behave yourselves and put down those knives,” Auntie Queenie said. “I raced against your parents, so I know you, Jimmy Blackmouth, and you, Ian Blaine. You should respect your elders.”

A guy with bulging biceps and a mess of brown curls squinted at Auntie Queenie before laughing. “You’re telling us you used to be in a gang?”

“Not this gang. I ran with the Dead Tree Witches.”

Ian hissed. “You were our rivals.”

“Until we ran them out of town,” Jimmy said.

“Where are your manners?” Auntie Queenie said. “You’re not too old for me to bend over my knee.”

“He’s into kinky stuff,” Ian said. “He might like having an older woman discipline him.”

The bikers chuckled and bumped fists.

“You can watch your tongue, as well.”

I touched her elbow. “We’re not here to cause trouble.”

“It’s too late for that,” Ian said. “Josh is out cold. What did you do to him?”

“Schooled him about his appalling manners,” Auntie Queenie said. “You will be next if you don’t watch yourself.”

“Promises, promises.”

“We’re just here to see Rhett,” I said as I moved to stand in front of Auntie Queenie before she challenged the entire gang to an all-out fist fight. “We need to check his alibi for the night of Deacon’s murder.”

“You’re accusing one of our own of being involved in that?” Ian sneered.

“No, but he needs to be scrubbed off the list of suspects, so we can find the killer.”

“What list?”

“My list of suspects. I’m not having my sister’s name tarnished with this murder.”

“He was with us,” Ian said.

“Where was that?”

Ian glanced at his friends. “Wherever he was supposed to be. Wherever he told you he was. We’ve got his back covered.”

“You’re lying to protect him,” I said. “If he had anything to do with this, I need to know.”

“Then what are you going to do?” Rhett stepped out from behind a tree, his dark eyes blazing with anger. “Are you planning on arresting me and taking me to Angel Force?”

I sucked in a breath. He was even more gorgeous when angry. “You lied to me. You told me you haven’t spoken to Deacon in ages.”

“I haven’t.” Rhett signaled his guys to move back, and they all obeyed.

“How come my Auntie Queenie saw your bike outside Deacon’s house?”

“Who says it was my bike?”

“If I saw the bike again, I’d know it,” Auntie Queenie said. “That was a one-of-a-kind Harley. There’s nothing else like it in Willow Tree Falls.”

“You know your bikes, Grandma?” Ian asked.

Auntie Queenie glared at him. “I’m no one’s grandma. But of course, I know my bikes.”

“She reckons she ran with the Dead Tree Witch gang,” Ian said to Rhett.

Rhett’s lips quirked. “Is that so? Then you know what we like to do with witches in that gang.”

“You had a lucky break running them out of town,” Auntie Queenie said. “If I’d been in charge, it wouldn’t have happened.”

Auntie Queenie opened her mouth to keep arguing, but I shook my head at her. We needed to get the information we came for and get out of these woods before more gang members showed up.

“You still haven’t answered the question,” I said to Rhett. “What were you doing with Deacon?”

Rhett sighed and turned his attention to me. “Even if I was there, it doesn’t mean anything dodgy was going on. What’s to say I didn’t stop by to chat with an old friend?”

“Because you told me you haven’t spoken to him, and you weren’t close anymore.”

“It could have slipped my mind. Maybe I did drop by one day. It still doesn’t mean anything was going on or I had a problem with him.”

“It could mean Deacon wanted you involved with his campaign.”

Rhett laughed, and his gang members chuckled along with him. “I have no interest in small town politics. I leave that to the suits and the social climbers. That’s not for me.”

“You don’t need to like politics. Maybe Deacon wanted you to help him get rid of the competition.”

“Which would mean I’d have killed one of the other candidates, not Deacon.”

“If not that, then maybe you were at Deacon’s looking for a way to get into his house and smother him without anyone seeing you.”

“That’s how he died?” Rhett asked, surprise clear on his face. “He was smothered?”

“That’s not our style,” Ian said.

“Murder is not our style.” Rhett shot a sharp glance at Ian. “I’m not involved. This gang isn’t involved with Deacon’s murder. We weren’t close, but I had nothing against the guy. I was sad to learn of his death, but this is not our business.”

“I’m making it your business,” I said.

“We should teach these ladies a lesson.” Ian’s blade rose.

Wiggles growled, and his eyes glowed. It looked like his courage had returned just in time.

“They need to show us the proper respect,” Ian said. “They’re on our turf and accusing you of murder.”

I glanced at Auntie Queenie as the tension grew. She appeared perfectly calm and had somehow managed to find a pastry about her person and was eating it. “I want a straight answer. I need to clear my sister’s name.”

“You won’t be able to clear her name when you’re in the hospital,” Ian said.

Frank kicked inside me, sensing the growing danger.

Auntie Queenie looked at me and shook her head. “We don’t need Frank. We can handle this lot on our own.”

I pushed against Frank’s energy. He needed to stay where he was. Fallen angels and demons battling against each other was never a pretty sight, and I always ended up getting covered in demon goo, which was a look no one could pull off.

Rhett raised a hand, and his gang stilled. “It doesn’t need to come to this.”

“Agreed. You tell us what you were doing with Deacon, and we’ll get out of here. We won’t bother you again,” I said.

“Rhett had nothing to do with that dude.” Ian lifted his blade higher. “He’s already told you.”

“I don’t believe him.”

Rhett glanced at Ian, shook his head, and sighed. “Deacon asked me for a favor. He needed to beef up his security. He’d had a couple of weird messages sent to him and was unsettled.”

I kept an eye on the blade in Ian’s hand. “What did the weird messages say?”

“He didn’t show them to me. Deacon said someone had shoved them through his letter-box. He didn’t see who it was. They threatened him and told him to stay away.”

“Stay away from what?”

“He didn’t know. Deacon assumed it had something to do with the mayor’s campaign. He asked me if I’d sign on for a few shifts as his unofficial muscle. He didn’t want me anywhere near the campaign, and he definitely didn’t want anybody to know he was using a gang member to keep him safe.”

“So why ask for your help?”

“Deacon knew he could rely on me. We were buddies when we were younger. I guess he figured he could still trust me.”

“That’s what you were doing at his house?” I asked. “Going through security details?”

“That’s about it. Deacon asked me to keep an eye on his house for a few evenings and see if the secret note writer returned. I did as he asked.”

“Who did you see?”

“No one. A week later, there was nothing and no new notes. When Deacon had no further contact from whoever wrote them, he assumed it was some overenthusiastic opposition supporter. He paid me what I was owed, and I left him to it. A week later, he was dead.”

I let out a sigh. Rhett wasn’t involved. He hadn’t been working with Mannie or Axel to bump off Deacon. And since I didn’t think either of them had the guts to kill Deacon on their own, I was all out of suspects. I must have missed something, but what? Who else could want Deacon dead?

“Are we done here?” Ian asked.

Auntie Queenie nudged me. “We should go. They’ll be announcing the new mayor in a couple of hours.”

My eyebrows rose. “Of course. If this murder has to do with who becomes mayor, the killer could be there.”

“I would be if I’d gone to so much effort to get the job,” Auntie Queenie said.

“Do you need a hand?” Rhett asked.

“No, we’ve got this,” I said.

“It doesn’t seem like it,” Ian said. “A few minutes ago, you thought Rhett was your killer.”

I glared at him, and Ian glared right back.

“What’s your next move?” Rhett asked.

“I’m going to find the killer,” I said. “They won’t be able to resist being at the event tonight and seeing who the new mayor of Willow Tree Falls is. If the wrong person has won the vote, they might decide to do something about it.”

“You think this is down to some overzealous supporter?” Rhett arched an eyebrow. “How can anyone be that interested in boring politics?”

“You’re asking the wrong person,” I said.

“But we need to be there,” Auntie Queenie said. “If this is about the election, the other candidates’ lives are at risk.”

“We’ll escort you,” Rhett said. “We can get you there quicker on the bikes.”

“There’s no need,” I said.

“There’s every need,” Auntie Queenie said, a big smile on her face. “It’s been awhile since I’ve had a ride. Ever since your Uncle Kenny banned me from riding after that little incident when I hit the magic barrier and broke it, he doesn’t think I’m safe.”

“We don’t need their help,” I muttered to her.

“Of course we do. Since they’re not the killers, they might as well lend a hand. Hey, big guy with the beard, get on your feet and show me to your bike.” Auntie Queenie strode over to the biker she’d knocked unconscious and pulled him upright.

Rhett stifled a smile behind his hand, his gaze on me.

Auntie Queenie dusted down the biker and checked him over. “Oh dear, you’re not fit to ride. I’ll use your bike, and you can be my pillion.”

The guy’s jaw dropped, and he stared at her. “You want to ride my bike after you knocked me out?”

“I’ve shown you I’m strong. I can handle a throbbing beast of an engine between my thighs.” She strode off, dragging the bemused-looking biker behind her.

Rhett chuckled as he watched them go. “What do you reckon, Tempest? Can you handle having a biker gang as your escort?”

I kept my expression neutral. It was no big deal accepting a ride. “It looks like I don’t have a choice.”

We walked along in silence for a moment, Wiggles by my side.

“I’m not going to hide the fact I’m disappointed,” Rhett said.

“What have you got to be disappointed about?”

“I told you my alibi for the night of Deacon’s murder. I thought you trusted me.”

I shrugged. “It isn’t that I don’t trust you, but I need to get Aurora’s name cleared. You could have been involved. I had to be sure. Only an idiot wouldn’t check the facts.”

“And I never had you pegged as an idiot.” Rhett nudged me with his shoulder. “It stung that you think I might have killed Deacon. I liked the guy. He’d gotten a bit uptight as he’d grown older, but he was decent enough.”

I tried not to care that Rhett was disappointed in me. I was doing what I needed to protect my family. That had to come first.

I glanced at Rhett. “You must miss him.”

“I guess so. I didn’t even realize it, but I always looked out for him. Even after we’d grown apart, I kept an eye out to make sure he was doing okay. I never let Deacon know, but I was sort of proud of him. He’d done so well for himself. If he’d won this election, he’d have been the youngest mayor of Willow Tree Falls. We’ll never know how good he could have been.”

We reached Rhett’s enormous sleek, black Harley. He hopped on and glanced at the seat behind him. “Climb aboard. Let’s go see if we can find you a killer for your Auntie Queenie to beat up.”

Chapter 22

The sun was sinking below the horizon as we pulled up outside the village hall. Bunting was strung outside, and music drifted from the open doors as we all climbed off the bikes.

I tried very hard not to think about how good it had felt to wrap my arms around Rhett’s waist as we’d sped out of the forest and along the streets. Nope, it hadn’t made me at all breathless to be so close to him.

True to her word, Auntie Queenie had ridden Josh’s bike as he’d clung to her on the back.

“What a ride. I need to get myself a bike again. I’d forgotten how much fun they could be.”

“I’m never riding with you again,” Josh said. “You corner way too sharply.”

“You just have to lean into it,” Auntie Queenie said. “Never let the fear take over. That’s when you lose control and wipe out.”

“Is that what you said to yourself when you broke Willow Tree Falls magic barrier and almost exposed us to the non-magicals?” I asked.

Auntie Queenie sniffed. “That was different.”

“You’re one crazy rider, lady.” Josh patted his bike and rubbed a hand across his sweaty brow.

“Thank you.” Auntie Queenie caught hold of my elbow. “Shall we go inside?”

Rhett touched my shoulder before I could answer. “We’ll hang around in case you need us.”

“You don’t have to. I appreciate you bringing us here, but we’ve got this.”

He shook his head. “Even so, in case you need backup. I’ll be here. We all will.”

My insides flipped over, and this time, it wasn’t because Frank was kicking off. Rhett had an honorable streak. He looked out for the people he cared about. I could relate to that. It was the whole reason I was hunting Deacon’s killer. Aurora needed me, and I wasn’t letting her down. I had to solve this murder. Only then would the rumors disappear about Aurora’s involvement.

As I entered the village hall with Auntie Queenie, the sound of talking and laughter filled the air. Voting had been going on all day, and the final votes were being counted before the new mayor would be announced.

There was a stage at the back of the hall with a curtain drawn over it and different stands displaying all the candidates’ promises if they became mayor.

We stopped beside a tasteful memorial for Deacon. There was a picture of him smiling. Tea light candles and small bags of herbs covered the memorial.

“He was taken far too young,” Auntie Queenie said. “And such a good-looking boy. It’s a shame your sister didn’t take to him.”

“Perhaps he’s not to her taste.” Aurora had yet to reveal to the family just who she was interested in. A part of me hoped her relationship with Toby would fizzle out after the novelty had died off. But that was Aurora’s battle to fight. I was here to clear her name. She’d have to deal with her romantic entanglements herself.

We passed the memorial, and I spotted Mom with Granny Dottie and Grandpa Lucius. Aurora was checking out the refreshment stand.

“Why don’t you wait with the others?” I said to Auntie Queenie. “I need to find Axel and have a chat with him. Even though it’s a long shot, he’s the only one left who might be involved with this.”

“I still don’t see it being him,” Auntie Queenie said.

“There’s nobody else,” I said. “He wasn’t telling the truth about where he was the night Deacon died. Maybe there are other things he’s lying about.”

“Tempest.” Mom engulfed me in a hug. “We were wondering where you were. And what happened to you?” She looked at Auntie Queenie. “One minute you were off getting more drinks and then you vanished.”

“I needed to spend quality time with Tempest.” Auntie Queenie winked at me. “We had a few things to deal with.”

“They’re about to announce who’s going to be our new mayor,” Granny Dottie said as she walked over. “I voted for the best looking one.”

“Who do you consider the best looking?” I asked.

“Axel, of course. He’s such a charming half-demon.” She gave me a knowing wink.

He might be a charming half-demon, but he might also be a killer. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.” I left Auntie Queenie with the rest of my family. Wiggles had abandoned me in favor of the refreshment table and I started hunting for Axel.

There was no way he’d miss out on tonight. He’d have to know the outcome of the votes and if all his hard work had been worth it, especially if that hard work involved murder.

He wasn’t anywhere in the crowds of waiting people, so I snuck behind the curtain in front of the stage to have a snoop around the back.

There were two rooms backstage. I was about to check in one when I heard footsteps behind me. I turned and discovered Axel.

He slowed as he saw me. “This is a surprise. Don’t tell me you’ve come to give me an early congratulatory kiss? Or should I say, another kiss?”

I grimaced. “Not a chance. I’m sorry that happened. I wasn’t myself.”

His grin faltered. “Oh, well, it was out of the blue.”

“Frank thought it would be funny to jump you.”

“Frank! Right, it makes sense now. I was taken aback when you lunged. I did wonder if you’d finally given into your desires and stopped pretending not to like me.”

“No, sorry. That’s not going to happen. I mean, I like you. I just don’t...” I waved a hand in the air. This was stomach clenchingly cringy, but I couldn’t lead Axel on. “I do need to ask you a question, though.”

He shrugged. “Fair enough. You can’t blame a guy for trying. Your question will need to be quick. I want to run over my acceptance speech one more time before the curtain goes up.”

“You’ve lost me.”

He grinned and pointed at the heavy red fabric. “It’s Grenville’s grand idea. The plan is that the winner will be told a few seconds before the curtain goes up. We’re supposed to stand on the other side of the curtain and be revealed to the waiting audience and welcomed by the old mayor. I guess people will like it. After that, I give my winner’s speech.”

“I don’t think you’ll be giving any speech.”

Axel’s smile faded, as did the color in his cheeks. “You don’t like speeches?”

“What I mean is, I think you were involved with Deacon’s murder.”

Axel’s mouth dropped open. “No, that’s not true.”

“You knew you didn’t stand a chance of winning against him, so you got rid of him.”

Axel raised a hand. “Wait a second. I’ll admit that, with Deacon gone, I was the next best option. I never considered Mannie strong competition.”

“I heard otherwise. I heard Mannie has plowed lots of money into this campaign. He wants to win. Did you have him as your next target but run out of time?”

“Mannie can push as much of his money into this as he wants. The people know a trustworthy face when they see one.”

“Are you really that trustworthy?”

Axel cocked his head and smiled tentatively. “Of course. Are you questioning my trustworthiness? As the almost new mayor of Willow Tree Falls, I’m offended.”

“You lied to me about where you were on the night of Deacon’s murder.”

“No, I didn’t. I had the same routine that evening as I do every week. Gym, dinner, and a movie.”

“Maybe you did all of those things, but you were seen at Cloven Hoof. You must think I’m an idiot. Merrie spotted you.”

Axel rubbed the back of his neck. “Merrie is mistaken.”

“She doesn’t make mistakes.”

He stared at me for a second and shrugged. “I might have left the movie a little early. I occasionally do that if I figure out the ending. Then there’s no point in staying.”

“How much of the movie did you see that night?”

“Maybe half. I wasn’t ready to go home, so I headed to Cloven Hoof. I thought I was being discreet.”

“We are very discreet at Cloven Hoof, but my staff misses nothing.” I noticed a tremble in Axel’s hands. “Is everything okay with you?”

“Other than the stresses of trying to be the next mayor of Willow Tree Falls and you just accusing me of killing Deacon, everything is fine. Why do you ask?”

“You need a detox from Cloven Hoof.” Axel had slipped through my net thanks to my focus on finding Deacon’s killer. He was hooked on my mushrooms.

“From what?”

“I’m cutting you off from Cloven Hoof.”

Axel grabbed my arm. “You don’t need to do that. You’re losing good business by turning me away. There’s nothing wrong with regular mushroom consumption. It’s been proven. You tell everyone that.”

“There is a problem if you rely on it. I’ve seen you staggering away some nights. You shouldn’t eat that many.”

“They help me relax. I have it under control. It’s not a problem.”

“It will be my problem if you don’t get a handle on things,” I said.

“It will be different once the election results are in,” Axel said. “I needed a little extra boost. I’ve been working long hours on this.”

“You’ve never worked at anything in your life.”

“Which is why I’m so stressed out. Tempest, I need this, or my dad is turning off the tap. He told me I need to find a passion and said to try politics. Well, he actually said I should work toward world domination, crushing as many skulls as I can along the way. I thought I’d go for something a little less messy. Demon dads, what are you gonna do with them?”

I pressed my lips together. “You’re running for mayor to keep your trust fund?”

He nodded. “This is important to me.”

“Do you need it enough that you’d kill for it?”

“No, I want to win fairly. And once I got into it, it wasn’t so bad. I’ve spent weeks getting to know what everyone wants. I don’t want to turn the place into some cheap tourist destination like Mannie does. Willow Tree Falls is all about magic and protection and keeping people safe. It’s not about exploiting our healing stones or thermal spas. The magic we use and the way your family protects the rest of the world from dangers they can’t even imagine is incredible. That needs protecting.”

“That’s quite some speech.”

Axel nodded. “Dad wrote it for me. He wants to keep Willow Tree Falls just as it is.”

I sighed. “I don’t disagree with any of that.”

“The balance we have is ideal. We don’t need to change things. I love Willow Tree Falls and only want to make it stronger. If we fill the place with overexcited non-magicals, it could tip the balance the wrong way. It could make our jobs harder.”

I nodded, surprised by his emotive outpouring. There was more to Axel than I’d realized. Sure, he’d been pushed into this by his dad, but he cared about Willow Tree Falls.

“I promise you, Tempest, I would never kill for this. I had nothing to do with Deacon’s murder.”

“Where were you the night Deacon was killed? After you left Cloven Hoof, where did you go?”

He ran a hand through his hair. “This is a bit embarrassing, but I was so out of it, I passed out and woke up the next morning on the edge of the forest.”

I groaned. “When I opened Cloven Hoof, I made assurances that no one would get themselves in trouble. Everyone would use my produce responsibly.”

“It’s my fault. Merrie always cuts me off before I get too bad.”

“But not the night of Deacon’s murder?”

Axel ducked his head. “I might have bought somebody else’s mushrooms off them. I paid double the price you sell them for.”

I smacked him around the side of his head. “Don’t ever do that again.”

He rubbed the side of his head. “Jeez, I’m sorry. Even more so because you think badly of me.”

I blew hair out of my eyes and tilted my head as I heard people approaching.

“Mom, you need to leave this alone.” A harassed sounding Giovanni strode behind the curtains, closely followed by his mother, who fussed at the collar of his shirt.

I grabbed hold of Axel and shoved him into one of the rooms, easing the door almost shut, so I could peek through the gap.

“Why are we hiding from the Romers?” Axel whispered.

“Mrs. Romer hates me, and she looks furious.” I did not want another run-in with her anytime soon.

“That’s her default face. Even when Mrs. Romer is supposed to be happy, she can make small children cry if they see her.”

I pressed a finger to my lips as I waited for them to leave.

“Remember, you need to keep quiet. Keep your head down, and no one needs to know what happened.” Mrs. Romer continued to fuss with her son’s collar.

He shrugged his shoulders and stepped away. “I’m hardly going to tell anybody what happened.”

“Make sure you don’t. I know what you’re like when you get nervous. We have to keep the family name intact.”

“What are they talking about?” Axel whispered.

“I’m not sure.”

“This doesn’t feel right,” Giovanni said. “It had to be done, but—”

“But nothing. Action had to be taken. You worry too much.”

“I’m right to be worried.”

Mrs. Romer slapped her son’s cheek. “Less cowardly talk. Be a man. Be the man your father would have been proud of.”

“I try,” Giovanni muttered as his chin dropped to his chest.

“Try harder. And stop pouting. What happened was the right thing. You stay quiet and everything will be fine.”

“Yes, Mom.” Giovanni’s shoulders were slumped as he followed Mrs. Romer back out into the main hall.

“What was all that about?” Axel said.

I eased the door open and stepped out, my thoughts racing and my heart thumping. Giovanni was a mommy’s boy, but even they snapped if pushed hard enough. “I think... I’m not sure, but I think it had something to do with Deacon’s murder.”

Axel followed me out and closed the door. “How do you figure that?”

“Mrs. Romer needs Giovanni to stay quiet about something. Something important enough to ruin the family name. Murder would ruin their reputation.”

“Why would Giovanni want Deacon dead?”

“I don’t think he did. This has nothing to do with Deacon. This has everything to do with Giovanni’s relationship with Star.”

Axel’s eyebrows shot up. “I didn’t even know they were dating.”

“The problem is, Star is also seeing Mannie Winter behind Giovanni’s back.”

Axel snorted a laugh. “You can’t be serious. If that’s true, Star has terrible taste in men.”

I stared hard at the curtain that concealed us. Could Giovanni have done this? “Giovanni killed Deacon. He planned to frame Mannie for the murder to ruin his chance to be our new mayor, but something went wrong, and Aurora got dragged into it.”

“It’s not possible. Giovanni can’t be a killer.” Axel waved a hand in the air. “He’s so... so, apron-whipped. His mom would never let him get away with it. She watches him like a hawk. I bet he even needs permission to go out at night.”

I rubbed my forehead. Axel had a point. Giovanni was a sweet guy and his mom ruled his life.

“Their conversation must have been about something else,” Axel said.

My pulse quickened. “Maybe I’m looking at the wrong Romer. My mom always says how strong the Romer women are. She’s always telling me to be careful around Mrs. Romer and not get on her bad side. You don’t think...” I shook my head.

Axel stood up straight. “You’re thinking the old lady did it?”

“She might be old, but she comes with a hell of a power. And she’s fiercely proud of keeping the family name respectable. What if she found out Star was cheating on her son? Some mothers will stop at nothing to protect their children.”

“She killed Deacon because...”

“Mrs. Romer killed Deacon, meaning to frame Mannie.” I shook my head again. “But something happened, and she didn’t get the chance.”

“It definitely did, since your sister was in the frame.”

I paced backwards and forwards. I was still missing something. “Why kill Deacon and attack Petra? And why try to frame Aurora?”

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Mayor Grenville’s voice boomed over the PA system, “I would like to introduce you to your new mayor.”

The curtain shielding us was yanked up. Everyone stared at Axel and me.

Chapter 23

“Tempest! Axel!” Mayor Grenville stared at us. “I wasn’t expecting either of you to be here. You’re not even running for mayor, Tempest.”

I stared around at the sea of curious faces. Since everyone was in the hall, now seemed like the best opportunity to reveal what I knew about Deacon’s murder.

I stalked over and held out my hand for the microphone. “Can I borrow this?”

“Well, we do have a new mayor to announce.” Grenville looked over his shoulder at Axel.

“I’ll just be a minute. It’s important.”

Mayor Grenville scratched his head. “Everybody, I’d like to welcome Tempest Crypt to the stage, who, by the way, is not our new mayor. He will arrive shortly.”

The sound of cautious clapping filled my ears. I raised my hand. “I need you all to know that Aurora Crypt is innocent of Deacon Feathers’ murder.”

A murmur went around the room.

“I know she’s been arrested twice and questioned, but she’s innocent.” I sought out Aurora in the crowd and nodded at her. She gave me a thumbs-up, a worried look on her face.

Mannie stood to one side of the stage looking uncomfortably sweaty in a lurid pink shirt and plum colored slacks. Star stood near him while keeping a safe distance from the pinch-faced Mrs. Winter. Star’s gaze kept moving from Mannie to Giovanni, who stood with his mother. Mrs. Romer had a wicked scowl on her face.

At the back of the room stood Rhett and his biker gang. He nodded at me as I caught his eye.

I took a deep breath. I was either about to reveal a killer or make a complete fool of myself. “I know who killed Deacon Feathers.” I saw Dazielle approach the stage, a furious look in her eyes. I was running out of time. “Let me explain. Mannie Winter and Star Fairfax are seeing each other.”

Mrs. Winter made a squawking sound and spun on her heel toward Mannie.

Everyone’s attention shifted to the two of them.

Mannie adjusted his shirt collar and muttered under his breath to his wife.

I noticed Star discreetly moving toward the exit. Smart girl.

“Star is also dating Giovanni Romer.”

Giovanni’s head shot up, and he stared at me.

I glanced at Mrs. Romer. If looks could kill, I’d be hung, drawn, and quartered by now. I had no evidence she was involved with Deacon’s murder, but if I was right, she’d do anything to protect her son.

“Giovanni killed Deacon in order to discredit Mannie and ruin his chances in this election.”

“That’s not true,” Giovanni said. “I had nothing to do with Deacon’s murder. I liked him.”

“Be quiet,” Mrs. Romer snapped, her hand clamped on his arm.

Star stared at Giovanni. “You love me that much that you’d try to frame Mannie to get me all to yourself?”

I shook my head. And they say romance is dead.

“If that’s true, why was my bar broken into?” Petra moved to the front of the stage. “What has Giovanni got to do with that? And why did he plant evidence to frame your sister?”

Everyone’s attention returned to me.

I cleared my throat. “Petra, didn’t you mention something about wanting to get out of the business of bar ownership? What do you think you’ll do next?”

Petra glanced at Giovanni and Mrs. Romer. “Well, I have done some investigation into opening a new telegram service.”

“Which would put you in direct competition with Mrs. Romer.”

Mrs. Romer glared at Petra. “We don’t need another telegram store in Willow Tree Falls. Ours works just fine.”

“You overcharge. There’s no competition. I figured I could set up my own service and undercut you. People have no choice but to use you.”

“No one would use your service,” Mrs. Romer snapped. “Everyone comes to us. The Romers have run the business for hundreds of years.”

“That doesn’t mean you run it well,” Petra said.

I tapped the mic to get their attention. “No matter who would run a better service, perhaps Giovanni decided he needed you out of the running. He couldn’t risk a rival setting up and making things difficult for him.”

Giovanni opened his mouth, but Mrs. Romer glared at him, and he kept quiet.

“What nonsense,” Mrs. Romer said. “Giovanni had nothing to do with that. You should ask your sister who killed Deacon and injured Petra.”

“It wasn’t her. Even Angel Force figured out the evidence implicating Aurora in Petra’s attack was planted.”

Dazielle glared up at me but then nodded.

“Aurora was an easy target,” I said, thinking on my feet as the pieces fell into place. “Giovanni saw the angels were interested in her, so he made their job easy for them.”

Mrs. Romer glanced over at Aurora. “My boy did no such thing.”

“Aurora, when was the last time you saw either Giovanni or Mrs. Romer in Heaven’s Door?” I asked her.

Aurora tapped a finger against her lip. “It was a few days ago, after I was arrested for the first time. I remember because Mrs. Romer needed a particular type of herb, and I didn’t have any on the shelves. It was a rare type of marigold. I was sure I had some dried in the back, but it took me ages to find it.”

“You left Mrs. Romer in the store with no one watching her?”

“I did. But I trust Mrs. Romer.”

“And I bet you left your door unlocked, so she could have gotten into your apartment if she wanted to.”

“Oh! Well, yes. I never lock it. There’s no one in Willow Tree Falls that I don’t trust.”

“That means nothing,” Mrs. Romer said. “I’m an old lady. I can’t climb the stairs.”

“You can,” I said. “The last time I was in the telegram store, you stamped down your own staircase well enough. It would have been easy for you to sneak up to Aurora’s apartment, steal hair from her hairbrush, take one of her shoes, and plant them in Petra’s bar. You wanted to divert attention away from your son and onto my sister.”

“You cannot prove that,” Mrs. Romer said.

Annoyingly, she was right. I looked at Dazielle, who shook her head and shrugged.

“Angel Force will take Giovanni in for questioning. It won’t take them long to get him talking.”

“They’ll do no such thing,” Mrs. Romer said. “My son is innocent.”

Giovanni nodded, not even bothering to try to defend himself, while his mom did such a good job.

I agreed with Mrs. Romer about Giovanni’s innocence. I was sure she wasn’t innocent, though.

“Giovanni, what’s your alibi for the night Deacon died?”

He glanced at his mother, and she nodded, giving him permission to speak. “Well, I don’t recall.”

“He was with me,” Mrs. Romer said, “all night. We closed the store, I cooked Giovanni dinner, and we stayed in together.”

He bowed his head and nodded.

“Wasn’t that the night we were supposed to meet?” Star asked from her relatively safe place close to the exit. “We were going to have an early dinner before I went and met...” She stopped and looked over at Mannie. Her cheeks flushed bright pink. “Well, I was going to meet Mannie later that night, so I said we could meet early. You were with me until eight o’clock. You mentioned nothing about your mom cooking you dinner.”

“That doesn’t mean he wasn’t with me,” Mrs. Romer said. “I’m an old woman. I simply got my timings muddled.”

Giovanni backed away, his hands fluttering against his chest and panic in his eyes. “I had nothing to do with this.” His anxious gaze shifted to his mom.

“I told you to keep quiet,” she hissed at him. “And stop shaking.”

“If that’s true, you won’t mind talking to Angel Force, so they can clear your name,” I said to Giovanni. “And they also have an unidentified fingerprint on the shoe planted at the Ancient Imp. I reckon it will be a perfect match for Giovanni.”

“It will not.” Mrs. Romer licked her lips, a hint of panic flaring behind those beady black eyes.

“There’s nothing to talk about.” Giovanni bumped into several people as he backed away. “I was with my mom.”

“And Star,” I said. “You forgot that bit. What else have you forgotten?”

“I wouldn’t forget killing someone,” Giovanni said.

I noticed Rhett and his gang move to block the door to prevent anyone escaping.

“You should confess now, Giovanni,” I said. “Angel Force will go easier on you if you do.”

I ignored the fact Dazielle shook her head and glared at me.

“I can’t,” Giovanni said. “Mom, help me.”

“Mrs. Romer, is there anything you’d like to add?” I asked.

“My son is innocent.” She hurried over and grabbed Giovanni’s arm. “Stop bothering him.”

“He’ll be in for a lot more bother if you’re not truthful.”

Dazielle approached the Romers and touched Giovanni’s elbow. “We should talk at the station, where it’s private. It seems you’ve got a few things you need to get off your chest.”

“No!” Mrs. Romer’s hand shot out, and a blast of magic slammed into Dazielle, knocking her to the ground. “Keep your hands off my son.”

I clutched the microphone as the crowd dispersed away from Mrs. Romer. Magic shimmered around her, threatening anyone who got too close.

“You killed Deacon,” I said to Mrs. Romer. “You were so worried about the Romer name being discredited if people found out your son’s girlfriend cheated on him that you had to do something about it.”

Giovanni glanced from me to his mom. He opened his mouth.

“Not a word,” she snapped at him.

I could see Giovanni was weakening, so I pressed on. “Mrs. Romer snuck out that night, killed Deacon, and planned to discredit Mannie and Star. When that didn’t go to plan, and Angel Force accused Aurora, you took advantage and used it to get rid of a business rival. You tried to kill Petra and frame my sister.”

Giovanni stared at his mom, horror on his face. “I never knew you hurt Petra. I love the Ancient Imp. I can’t let anything happen to that place.”

“Be quiet,” she spat. “That’s your problem. You always want the easy life. Sometimes, we have to do things we shouldn’t to get what we need.”

Dazielle jumped to her feet, a glimmer of white magic on her hands. “Is there something you need to tell me, Mrs. Romer?”

She glared around at the anxious faces in the room. “The Romers are strong. We have traditions to uphold. If anyone joins our family, they must be loyal. We do not allow people who cheat and have low morals be involved with us. And we do not allow rivals to take what is ours. My son deserved so much more than some dancing tart in his life.”

Star gasped as her hand went to her mouth.

I sort of agreed with Mrs. Romer. It was never cool to cheat.

“Is that a confession?” Dazielle asked.

Mrs. Romer lifted her chin. “Deacon was a decent enough person, but his death meant the family name would remain intact, a harlot and her lover would be discredited, and our business would remain safe. His sacrifice was a worthy one. I would have found another way to ruin Mannie before long.”

“And Aurora?” I asked.

Mrs. Romer shrugged. “As you said, she was easy to implicate. I have nothing against your family other than your superior attitude, but when Angel Force stopped me from framing Mannie, I had to cover my tracks.”

I let out a sigh and handed the microphone back to Mayor Grenville, surprised to see my fingers shake a little. My job was done. Aurora was in the clear, and the killer had been found.

I felt a hand go round my waist and discovered Axel standing behind me.

“Nice job,” he whispered. “You should consider a job full-time with Angel Force. They’d never have figured that out.”

I looked up at him and grinned. “I only just did. When I saw them all standing together, it clicked into place. Mannie, Star, and Giovanni. Add in Giovanni’s domineering mother, who’d do anything to protect him, and there was the answer. I didn’t have a clue about Petra’s idea for a rival snow globe business, but I knew she was thinking of making a change.”

Axel surprised me by kissing my forehead. “There’s more good in you than you realize, Tempest.”

I shrugged and smiled. Maybe there was some good in me, and maybe Frank wasn’t always such a bad demon, but I would always need to be careful not to go too dark.

Axel stepped back as Aurora ran onto the stage and flung her arms around me. “I’m innocent. You’ve cleared my name and in front of everybody.”

I gasped as she squeezed me tightly. “You could have done it yourself. You didn’t need me.”

“I’ll always need you,” Aurora said. “No matter how mean that demon is inside of you, you’re my sister and I’m yours. We’re in this together.”

I grinned at her and looked around the room again. Mrs. Romer was being escorted away by an angry looking Dazielle, who rubbed her chest where she’d been blasted with magic. Giovanni was right behind her, slumping along like a scolded puppy. My gaze locked onto Rhett’s, and I saw him scowling. As I tracked the direction of his scowl, I saw he was glaring at Axel.

Could he be jealous of Axel kissing me? He couldn’t seriously imagine I was interested in Axel. I watched as Rhett left the hall with his biker gang behind him.

Grenville tapped a finger on the microphone to get everyone’s attention. “I know we’ve just had something of an exciting time, but we still have our new mayor to announce. I need to pass the baton of power to someone else, so I can get practicing my golf swing.”

Everyone laughed politely and looked back at the stage.

“Please don’t be me,” Axel whispered as I moved out of the way and stood next to him.

“What about your great speech about keeping Willow Tree Falls traditional?”

“Hmmm, it’s a nice idea but think about how much hard work it will be. I’m a playboy at heart. I’m not cut out for authority. I’ll have to find something else to impress my father with.”

“Ladies and gentlemen, I’d like to welcome the new mayor of Willow Tree Falls to the stage, Mannie Winter.”

“Three cheers for our new philandering mayor,” I whispered.

Axel let out a relieved sigh and nodded.

Mannie managed to look both happy and chastised as he stepped onto the stage. He had the cheek to wink at me as he passed and took the microphone from Grenville. “Well, this has been something of an illuminating evening. First off, I must apologize for my unusual outfit. I had something of a wardrobe malfunction and limited choice as to what to wear on this important evening. I hope it doesn’t make you change your mind about voting for me.”

I suppressed a smile. Trust Frank to leave only the truly revolting clothes untouched in Mannie’s closet.

“Thank you all for your votes. I promise to do my best for Willow Tree Falls. No more murders and no underhanded business dealings. We don’t need rivalry here. We can all work together in harmony.”

I looked at Mrs. Winter and Star, who both stood awkwardly by the side of the stage. There was no chance they’d ever be harmonious. Mannie would have a lot of apologies to make before this evening was over.

“We’re all a part of an incredible community. I have big plans for Willow Tree Falls. We are going to turn this into an even more amazing place. Everybody’s business will be booming.”

The audience politely applauded, many of them peering intently at Star and Mrs. Winter in the hope they’d start the next round of entertainment for the evening.

I had to hand it to the ladies. They were doing an excellent job of pretending the other didn’t exist.

“I sort of wish you had won,” I said to Axel as we slipped off the stage. “I do not like change.”

“Who does?” Axel scrubbed at his chin. “About cutting me off at Cloven Hoof—”

“It’s for your own good.”

“I’m not sure I can manage on my own.”

I glanced at him. “You’ll be fine.”

“Maybe you could give me some pointers, you know, how to stay clear of future over indulgences?”

“Are you looking for a sponsor to keep you clean of my produce?”

“No! Well, maybe for a while. Until you think I’m a responsible, solid citizen again.” He grinned at me. “It would mean you stopping by my place more often.”

My mouth twisted to the side. I did feel a sliver of responsibility. I should have kept more of an eye on all my customers at Cloven Hoof. If I had, Axel wouldn’t be in a mess and need babysitting.

“What do you say? We could make it a regular date.”

My thoughts went to Rhett, and I shook my head. “It won’t be a date.”

“Okay, an intervention.”

“For a month, that’s it, then you’re on your own.”

Axel grinned. “A month is all I need.”

My eyes narrowed as I looked at him. “To do what?”

His grin widened as he strolled away. “You’ll see.”

Mom appeared before I could chase after Axel and convince him we were never getting romantically involved. She handed me a carrot cake cupcake and tucked an arm around my shoulders.

“Thanks, this looks lovely.”

“You deserve it after helping your sister.” She squeezed me tighter.

I smiled as I leaned into her hug and tried to remain calm. I could sense Frank shifting inside me, excited by all the action and pushing to get out now Aurora was around.

I stuffed the cupcake in my mouth. Frank would have to wait. I couldn’t abandon my family, not right now.

Wiggles bounded over, chocolate frosting on his nose. “This is a great party.”

I looked around the room. It felt too closed-in and hot. I eased away from Mom. “I’ll be back in a second.”

She nodded, a knowing expression on her face. “Take your time. We’ll be waiting.”

I walked away as Frank became increasingly frustrated at being trapped.

Wiggles bounded along next to me. “Get a grip on your demon. We cannot miss the celebrations. Plus, I want to see when Mrs. Winter is going to explode and slam dunk Star.”

“I’m trying.” I stopped in a quiet corner and turned my back, so nobody could see me. “Stop fighting me. You’re never going to win.”

Wiggle nudged my fingers in a show of reassurance. “You can beat him.”

“I will,” I whispered.

“One day, I’ll win,” Frank said in my head. “When you least expect it, I’ll get out. Then nothing will stop me.”

I leaned my head against the wall and focused on everything good in my life. I had my family, I was surrounded by people who cared about their community, I’d just solved a murder, and I had Wiggles. But Frank was right. I could only fight him for so long. It was a struggle to be here, but I wasn’t giving up. I loved my home, and I loved my family. It was selfish of me to stay, putting Aurora at risk, but I couldn’t help myself.

A chocolate brownie appeared on a plate in front of me.

I took a deep breath and turned. Aurora stood there, her smile pensive. “I thought your blood sugar might need a boost.”

I swallowed slowly and looked anywhere but her. “I’ve just had a cake.”

“This is different. It’s a brownie.” She handed it to me. “Is everything okay?”

“Everything is perfect.” I discreetly belched into my hand as Frank made one more failed attempt to come through. I rubbed my stomach until he finally settled. Not today, Frank, today was all about me celebrating with my family. My sister was innocent, her name had been cleared, and we had a new mayor in the village.

I took a risk and slung an arm around Aurora’s shoulders. “It looks like there’s going to be some changes in Willow Tree Falls.”

“So long as you’re here to see them happen, I don’t mind what they are.” Aurora glanced at me. “You aren’t going anywhere for a while, are you? I sort of like having my big sister looking out for me.”

“I’m staying.” We walked back to the rest of our family. “It looks like you’re stuck with me, at least for a while.”

I couldn’t stay forever, but I could stay for now. Being surrounded by my loved ones helped make everything better. I looked around at all the people and smiled. This was Willow Tree Falls, and this was my family. The whole thing was a weird and wonderful mess.

As I watched Wiggles chase a fallen sausage roll across the room, people scattering out of the way to avoid the hellhound, my heart warmed, and I leaned against Aurora. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Book 2

Hell of a Witch

K.E. O’Connor

Chapter 1

It was official; I hated the city. Not this particular city but all cities. And crowds, not a fan of those either. As I shoved my way through the throng of non-magicals turning out from their office jobs, I made sure to keep my breathing shallow. The smell of stale coffee and what might have been desperation wafted off people’s clothes as I passed them.

The fumes from the vehicles crawling by almost made me gag. I’d never considered myself a country girl, but every time I came to a city like this, I changed my mind. What I wouldn’t do for a lungful of clean, fresh air from Willow Tree Falls and only the occasional buzz of a bike or car dawdling past me. This stress-fueled, horn honking misery did nothing for me.

I stepped to the side to get out of the worst of the commuter foot traffic and reluctantly took a deep breath. I filtered out the stench of the non-magicals around me. I was seeking one smell. The stench of a demon. Every demon came with an unpleasant whiff of sulfur. Some were worse than others, like they’d spent their morning bathing in a bucket of rancid eggs. This one was your average smelly demon. Raksh was a sneaky one, though. He’d eluded me for three long, city stinking days.

I blamed Angel Force for giving him such a good head start. Dazielle hadn’t told me he’d eluded their custody until almost a week had passed. His head start caused me more of a headache than I needed. Not that I needed another one.

My nose wrinkled, and I stepped into the alleyway on my left. I was running this gig solo. Before Wiggles had turned into a hellhound, he’d often accompanied me away from the magical bubble of Willow Tree Falls on the demon hunts. He was good at finding demons when he wasn’t distracted by food. And it was nice to have company, especially in the world of non-magicals, where everything felt a little off and weird.

Since Wiggles’ transformation, he was confined to Willow Tree Falls forever, unless I could figure out a way to maintain his magic away from the sanctity of our home. He didn’t seem to mind; he loved Willow Tree Falls, but I did miss hanging out with him.

No matter, I had a demon to hunt in an alleyway, and time was not on my side. I’d already had three urgent messages from Mom on my mobile snow globe, reminding me in an increasingly shrill tone that I needed to get back in time for the mid-summer solstice celebrations that evening. It was a big deal in Willow Tree Falls. Solstice was a time when we recharged our magic batteries and gave thanks to the power at our fingertips, a power that none of the non-magicals around me knew anything about.

That was why I was creeping along a grimy alleyway. I was searching for this demon to keep the non-magicals safe. I sometimes wondered why I bothered to risk my neck to keep their eyes shielded from the magic truth. Every non-magical I met seemed unhappy. When they came to our healing stones or to try our thermal spas, it was in the hope of a restorative cure for their stress aches. If they knew what really lurked around many a dark corner, they’d be even more stressed.

The noise of the busy street faded as I continued along the alleyway.

“Here demon,” I whispered. “Come take a nap in my cute little bag.” I patted the plain brown bag that hung from a belt loop on my black pants. This wasn’t your normal bag; there was no make-up or hair spray in here. This bag was a miniature demon prison, just like the one my family looked after in the cemetery at Willow Tree Falls. The Crypt family was in the business of demon hunting and incarceration and had been for centuries.

My bag had nothing on the prison, but could hold a demon as I transported him to Willow Tree Falls and let the angels determine the fate of the demon I’d captured.

My sister, Aurora, was always trying to make it pretty by attaching pin badges and sticking on sequins. They never lasted. Demons hated the bag. They fought tooth and claw to avoid being shoved into it, and all the pretty stuff fell off.

The sulfurous smell grew. I glanced up at the grimy brick walls surrounding me. Nope, no demon hiding there waiting to pounce on my head. Raksh was a shapeshifter and could fly short distances. All demons had the potential to live forever if they looked after themselves. Raksh was several hundred years old and wanted for three ritualized sacrifices of non-magicals. In his defense, he’d said he needed to conduct the rituals to maintain his strength, given that so few non-magicals worshipped him anymore. But he’d broken magic laws. We never harmed non-magicals, unless they directly threatened us, no matter how annoying they could be with their giant purses and obsession with cell phones.

A door slammed open behind me. I spun on my heel, the bag raised, ready to capture Raksh.

A red-faced man wearing a white apron slung two black bags of trash out the door. He glanced in my direction, and his eyes widened. “What are you doing out here?”

“Enjoying the view.” I lowered the bag and acted like it was my right to be lurking around a dark, damp alley.

“You shouldn’t be back here.”

I shrugged and looked away. I hoped this guy wouldn’t give me trouble. There was a demon around here, and the non-magical wouldn’t want to be anywhere near us if we fought. Demons liked to use non-magicals as shields.

The guy snorted before pulling the door shut behind him, muttering something about junkies and ending up dead in the gutter.

“As if,” I said quietly to myself. The kind of drugs they served in the non-magical world held no appeal. Now, if you placed a bowl of my own home-dried magic mushrooms and a few lemon drops in front of me, I’d be tempted.

I scratched my way through some trash, grimacing as I did so. A hot swell of Frank’s energy shifted up my spine as if he sensed danger. Frank, my unwelcome resident demon, was my constant companion, no matter what I tried to get him evicted. Having swallowed him to save my sister when we were kids, he now lived inside me but often tried to get out and finish what he’d started with Aurora. He also didn’t react well to stress or danger, something I often found myself in.

“You can stay where you are,” I muttered to him. “I’m dealing with this one.”

He chuckled quietly but made no further attempt to get out.

I’d given Frank a couple of hours respite as soon as I’d left Willow Tree Falls and was a safe distance from my family. He had to come out now and again; otherwise, my resistance weakened, and he could take control whenever he wanted.

I remembered little about those hours and had woken with a banging headache, the taste of whiskey on my breath, and the remains of two takeout pizza boxes beside me. Who’d have thought demons were junk food addicts? And Frank had the sweetest tooth imaginable.

I glanced down at whatever disgusting thing I stepped on as it squelched beneath my black boot. It might have once been a used diaper.

When I looked up, a long-limbed, green-scaled demon stood in front of me, his pinprick sharp teeth bared. I shook my head. Why couldn’t Raksh have shape-shifted into something cute, like a unicorn or a fluffy kitten? Why did it always have to be something gross and scaly, something with teeth and long jagged-looking claws?

I opened my bag. “I hope you’re going to come quietly.”

Raksh hissed and swiped his claws at me.

“I take that as a no.”

Raksh inclined his head. “I am honored that a Crypt witch would come for me.”

“Don’t be. I was the only one with free time on my hands.”

Raksh chuckled. “I know you, Tempest Crypt. You work for the angels.”

“I work for myself.” It always grated that I freelanced for Angel Force. If they only knew how to do their jobs properly, I wouldn’t have to go running around clearing up their mistakes. But my family insisted we help them. It was an old tradition, starting back in the days when my Granny Dottie dated the old Angel Force police chief. Even though he was retired, she still felt we needed to give them a hand and capture all the mad, bad demons who escaped their clutches more regularly than they should.

The demon capturing fell to me if it happened outside of Willow Tree Falls. The rest of my family spent their time guarding the prison and kicking any demon butt that decided to sneak out.

“You’re a pretty witch,” Raksh said. “I’d like to wrap my claws into your long hair and take a bite of that creamy skin.”

“If you’re hungry, there’s a pizza parlor a block away.”

“I prefer my food alive when I eat it.” His forked tongue flickered across his teeth.

I shrugged. I’d met worse demons. I lived every day with a worse demon inside of me. Raksh could issue all the threats he wanted, but this demon was going in my bag. There was no way I’d miss the mid-summer celebrations because of this rule breaker. The celebrations meant lots of home-baked goodies and partying, and I was always down for some of that.

Plus, my own business, Cloven Hoof, was hosting a stall and selling pick me ups and tonics to give everyone a little extra buzz. My bar manager, Merrie, would cover the stall, but when Willow Tree Falls was full of celebrating locals and non-magicals, she’d need all the help she could get. I promised her I’d be back in time.

Raksh twisted his neck unnaturally. “How about we play a game?”

“I don’t have time for games.”

“How about I guess the real name of your demon?”

My breath hitched. No one knew Frank’s real name. To know a demon’s true name was to have power over him. It didn’t mean you could completely control the demon, but it gave you leverage and weakened them. I’d deliberately chosen the name Frank for my unwanted guest because it sounded like such a harmless name, and I knew it annoyed him.

“I see I have your attention.” Raksh tapped his claws on the brick wall.

“You can’t know who he is,” I said. “Nobody does.”

“Some do. Your demon does.”

“He’s not going to tell me, and I doubt the two of you ran in the same circles when he was free.”

Raksh shrugged. “If you’re not interested—”

“I didn’t say that. What do you know?”

His sharp-toothed smile grew. “Lower your bag, take me for a pizza, and we’ll talk.”

This was a con. It had to be. Still, I was tempted. If I knew Frank’s real name, it would make my life so much easier. I’d be able to spend more time in Willow Tree Falls with my family. As much as they annoyed me at times, I still loved them. It hurt to have to leave in order to keep them, and Aurora in particular, safe.

“I’ll buy you one slice, and you tell me everything you know about Frank.”

“I want a family-sized stuffed crust with twelve toppings. And I want dessert.”

“Two slices.”

“A medium Margherita with a stuffed crust.”

“A small Margherita and no dessert.”

Raksh scowled at me. “Very well.”

The door behind me opened again. Two guys stepped out with cigarettes in their mouths.

The demon lunged at them, screaming in an ear splittingly high range as he did so.

“Oh, balls!” I threw myself in front of the two men. Raksh would try to injure the non-magicals in the hope he could slip away in the chaos.

“What the...” One of the men jumped backward, and his cigarette landed on the ground.

Demons could reveal themselves to non-magicals, but they usually only saw a blur of movement when a demon was around.

“There’s nothing to see here,” I yelled. “Get back inside.” I took the full force of Raksh’s charge and stumbled into the non-magicals as his energy slammed into me.

Raksh bounced away, his laugh echoing off the walls.

I felt hands on my shoulders and quickly shrugged them off. “Get inside. It’s not safe out here.”

“Are you a cop?” one of the non-magicals asked as he scanned the alley with wide eyes. “Is something going down out here? Bruce said there was some junkie hanging around in the alley and to be careful when we came out for a smoke.”

“Bruce would be right. I’m much worse than the cops.” I blasted a throwback spell into Raksh’s chest as he dove at me, giving me a few seconds before he launched himself at the non-magicals again.

“What did you just do?” The taller of the two non-magicals stared at me with his mouth open.

“Nothing. It was a camera flash. I’m collecting evidence of the junkie. Now, get inside.” I gestured at the door. Why weren’t they getting the hint? They’d be dead if they didn’t get their butts out of this alley.

“Are you sure we can’t give you a hand? You look kind of small to handle some doped-up loser.”

“I can handle plenty more than that. Let me help you find the door.” I grabbed hold of them by the collars of their work shirts and threw them through the doorway, slamming it behind them and sealing it with a spell.

As I turned back to face Raksh, he threw himself at me. There was no time to open the bag as his claws flashed in front of my eyes.

I took a breath, steeled myself for what was about to happen, and swallowed him. He struggled and spat curses at me. He also exuded a sour tasting green goo that had me using all my willpower so as not to spit him out.

Tears ran down my cheeks as the hot acid sensation of a demon sliding down my throat tore through me. It was never my preferred method of capturing a demon. The bag was so much kinder on my stomach. This was a rare gift of mine, if you can call it a gift, being able to contain a demon inside me.

A loud belch shot out of my lips. That was another side effect of hosting demons. I almost lost my grip on Raksh. It didn’t help that Frank was already inside me and occupying so much space. He did not like to share his living accommodation with anyone.

“Stay down,” I muttered as I gripped my stomach and leaned against the wall, feeling the demon’s power trickle through my body, the hot energy heating me from head to toe.

After several minutes of deep breathing, I had Raksh under my control and a gross coating of green demon goo all over my favorite black shirt and sliding down my chin.

“There she is,” came a shout from the end of the alleyway.

I looked up to see two cops staring at me. The guys I’d shoved through the door stood next to them.

“She’s the junkie who attacked us.”

“Thanks for nothing, guys. Next time, I’ll let the demon play with you.” I pushed myself away from the wall. It was time to leave. I’d gotten what I needed, but this had been a messy search and retrieval operation. Whenever possible, we didn’t use magic around non-magicals. It left them confused and reporting they’d seen some alien or a ghost to a tabloid paper.

I was out of options and trapped in an alleyway with two cautious looking cops heading my way, their hands too close to their guns for my liking. I also had two restless demons on board. I had about two hours before I lost control of them both. I had to get back to Willow Tree Falls and release Raksh. I needed to use magic again.

I focused my energy on a transportation spell. This was taxing magic, so I needed to concentrate.

“Miss, what are you doing in this alleyway?”

I ignored the cop and imagined stepping through a door and finding myself on the main street in Willow Tree Falls, seeing the pastel pink sign of Sprinkles bakery and Wiggles racing toward me with his tongue hanging out.

“Miss, place your hands where we can see them and walk toward us.”

I shook my head, closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and stepped forward.

Chapter 2

I let out a relieved sigh as I opened my eyes and found myself in Willow Tree Falls. The cops would have a great story to tell their friends at the bar tonight about a goo-covered woman, who had vanished into thin air. Not that I cared about that; no one would believe them. But the world was down one demon thanks to my capture of Raksh. It was a win all around.

I felt the ground tremble beneath my feet and had just enough time to catch Wiggles as he launched himself into my arms. I collapsed backward on the ground as his furry face crowded mine and he licked my cheek.

“Have you missed me?” he asked as he continued to give my face lots of affectionate, sloppy licks. “You taste gross by the way, and you’re covered in slime.”

“Thanks for nothing.” I ruffled his fur, rolled him off me, and stood. “I’ve been stuck in hell for three days and am carrying two demons. I’m going to taste gross.”

Wiggles tipped his head to the side. “You didn’t bag him?”

“Raksh didn’t want to be bagged. He wanted to eat some non-magicals, so I had to think on my feet.” I brushed dust off my black pants and stopped to check out Wiggles properly. “What are you wearing?”

Wiggles sported a jaunty-looking red bowtie and matching collar.

He snorted. “It’s your sister’s idea. She thinks everyone needs to dress up for the celebrations.”

“You chose a bowtie?”

“She chose the bowtie. Aurora said it made me look dapper.”

“It makes you look something.” I hugged Wiggles, glad to be back in Willow Tree Falls and surrounded by everything I loved.

He endured the hug for a few seconds before wriggling out of my grip. He was less cuddly now he was a hellhound. I tried not to take it personally.

“What do you say we go sample the goodies?” he asked. “Some stalls have already set up, but the main event isn’t kicking off for a couple of hours.”

I looked around as people wandered past us. I got a few curious looks, but it wasn’t so unusual to see me covered in demon residue and dirt. “I should clean up and offload this demon on Angel Force before we party.”

“Five minutes of eating cake and partying isn’t going to do you any harm. Every demon loves cake, so Raksh isn’t going to mind you stalling his imprisonment for a bit.” Wiggles bounded around my feet.

I sniffed the air and smiled. “Has Patti got her stall out?”

“Sprinkles’ stall is all ready to go. And she’s giving away free samples. I spent the last half an hour being chased off by her after I stole a plate full of chocolate tiffin.”

“Mmmmmm, chocolate tiffin.” I looked along the main street. “Five minutes of fun won’t hurt.”

Wiggles nodded. “Decision made. It’s party time.”

An hour and a half later, I had a giant food baby in my stomach from too much cake and was feeling queasy. I sipped on my lemon water as I watched Wiggles run along beside a pretty little tan bitch. It looked like he was flirting with her.

Tilly Machello, owner of Bite Me, sat in the seat next to me. “It’s nice to have you back. I’m guessing from your state that you had a successful trip?”

I patted my round stomach. “The demon is happily on board.” I stifled a belch. “Well, maybe he’s not all that happy, but he’s not getting out.”

“I thought you had an interesting smell about you,” Tilly said.

I sniffed my sleeve and grimaced. “I blame the demon goo.”

“Me too. That’s always my story.” She grinned at me. “It’s going to be a busy one tonight. I’ve got two dinner sittings booked, and there’s the stall to run. Any chance you can give me a hand?”

“Not a chance. I have to offload my demon cargo and get cleaned up. Then I need to sort out what’s going on at Cloven Hoof. Merrie’s in charge, so I know it will run smoothly, but I said I’d lend her a hand tonight. If I get time, I’ll drop by and see how you’re getting on.”

Tilly nodded. “You might like to keep out of the way of that lot.” She gestured to a guy in a cream linen suit with a microphone in his hand. A petite brunette ran along beside him, a harassed look on her face.

“Who are they?” They didn’t look like the usual non-magicals who came to Willow Tree Falls.

“They’re journalists,” Tilly said. “They’ve been hassling everyone all day. They said they’re here to get a feel for the place and do a piece to camera on the magic of Willow Tree Falls.”

I grimaced. “That will only encourage more tourists.” We had our limit when it came to non-magicals coming into Willow Tree Falls. We made exceptions on days like this, when the energy unwittingly drew them here, but I wanted nobody reporting on how fantastic this place was and turning it into the next hotspot destination.

“Look out. They’re coming our way. I’ve already had to endure one round of questioning.” Tilly hopped up from her seat and hurried away.

I wasn’t so speedy and made the mistake of catching the eye of the guy in the linen suit.

He grinned at me, all perfect white teeth and dimples. He wasn’t unattractive if you were into blond-haired, clean-cut guys.

He walked over, the hassled looking woman sticking to his side. “Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?” He looked at me and raised his eyebrows.

“You can ask. I might not answer.”

His smile faded a touch. “It looks like you’ve had a hard day. Are you local to Willow Tree Falls?”

“Sometimes. How about you?”

“Sadly not, although it’s a beautiful village. It’s my first visit. Is there anywhere you can recommend for getting a true flavor of the place?”

“You could try the cemetery.”

“Erm, I’d never have thought about that.” His expression grew puzzled. “Do you work there? Is that why you’re covered in grime? Hey, are you a grave digger?”

I looked down at the congealed demon goo on my shirt. I really should have changed by now. “Nope, I always look this good. Make sure to check out the thermal spas. Everyone says bathing in them brings a spring to your step.”

“Perhaps you can show me?” Despite my grimy appearance, his curious gaze lingered on me for a second too long to be comfortable.

“I’m sure I’ll be busy.”

“I’m Nick Saunders. I’ll be covering everything going on for the rest of the day. What do the mid-summer celebrations mean to you, Miss...?” He lifted the small microphone he held closer to my mouth.

I pushed it away. “It means the same as it always does. Too many people crowding the streets and eating all the cakes.”

The woman beside him glanced up and grinned. “I’ve had far too many cookies. Your bakery is incredible. It’s like the stuff is infused with magic. I just can’t get enough.”

I repressed a grin. She was closer to the truth than she realized. “Patti makes good cakes.”

“I asked her for the recipe, but she said it was a secret. I’ve never tasted a cookie so soft and gooey.”

“They are tasty,” I said.

“If you’re not interested in the solstice celebrations,” Nick said, “what do you know about a mythical ring?”

The woman next to him rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Not that again.”

This question interested me enough to respond. “Are we talking Lord of the Rings mythical?” I raised my eyebrows.

Nick nodded. “It could be.”

“It’s nonsense,” the woman next to him said.

“No, Jenny, most legends stem from a factual basis. I’m sure there’s something to this story. Think what a scoop it will be if we get the information before James.”

Jenny shook her head again and shot me an apologetic look.

“I know nothing about a ring,” I said. “I’ve read the Hobbit and the rest of the series. They’re good if you’re looking for rings of power.”

“I prefer the movies,” Nick said.

That didn’t surprise me. “You can try Heaven’s Door if you’re looking for rings.”

“Is that the store that sells all the pretty trinkets?” Jenny asked.

“That’s right. My sister runs it. I don’t think she’ll know about a mythical ring. She’s got nice silver stuff with stones.” She’d even put a good luck charm on it if she liked a person. Aurora was always doing good wherever she went.

“No, I’m not into trinkets,” Nick said. “I’m looking for—”

“There you are.” A tall, skinny blonde woman wrapped an arm around Nick’s shoulders and kissed him full on the lips. “I’ve been looking for you for ages. You told me you were going to get me a coffee. That was half an hour ago.” She kissed him again and shot a suspicious look at me.

“Rachel, you know I have work to do.” Nick shrugged out of the woman’s arms. “I’m interviewing some locals.”

“Oh, I thought this was going to be a fun adventure for us, not just boring work.”

“It can be both,” Nick said. His eyes tightened as he dodged another kiss. “Let me back up the stories on the hard drive then we can grab a quick bite to eat. Is there anywhere you’d recommend?” he asked me.

“It depends on what you like. Bite Me is lovely, but it’s going to be fully booked on a day like today. Mystic Mushroom is good if you like pizza.”

“Pizza would be great,” Nick said.

“No, there are too many carbs in a pizza,” Rachel said.

I rolled my eyes at the same time as Jenny, and she smiled at me.

“There’s the Unicorn’s Trough. Brogan does all sorts, but that’s about it. There aren’t that many options. It’s a small place. Maybe you’d like to go to the next town.” And not come back, I silently thought.

“Pizza will be perfect,” Nick said as he glanced at Rachel. “You can always scrape off the toppings and eat them like you usually do.”

Rachel wrinkled her nose. “If I have to.”

Nick nodded, but his gaze was fixed on me. “You seem... different.”

I straightened in my seat. “Different how?”

“It must be a trick of the light. Every time I look at you, I keep seeing a weird shimmer around you.”

“Are you telling me you can see my aura?” I laughed and shook my head. “They aren’t real.”

“I must need my eyes tested,” Nick said. “I could swear there’s this sort of green mist around you.” He sniffed loudly. “And a strange smell.”

Jenny and Rachel sniffed and stared at him like he was talking crazy.

“I can’t smell anything,” Rachel said, her expression hardening as her gaze ran over me. It looked like she was assessing me for signs I might be a potential boyfriend stealer.

“Me neither,” Jenny said.

“It must be your imagination,” Rachel said. “Let’s go get that coffee you promised me a million years ago. My feet hurt in these shoes, so I need to sit down.”

I stared hard at Nick. If I didn’t know better, I’d think he could see the demon I had trapped inside me. It couldn’t be that. There was no way a non-magical would be able to see demons unless they wanted them to. I needed to get rid of Raksh.

“Are you sure you’ve never been here before?” I asked Nick.

“Absolutely. It’s my first time in Willow Tree Falls.”

“And it will be our last,” Rachel said. “There’s nothing to do around here.”

“There’ll be plenty to do later,” Jenny said. “The village is just getting set up. Give it a chance. I hear they have an enormous bonfire over by those weird looking stones, and everyone dances around.”

“It sounds positively primitive,” Rachel said.

“Now, Rachel, you did say you’d behave yourself if you came with me,” Nick said. “You promised me you’d let me work.”

She pouted and blinked her false lashes at him. “I am trying, but I get bored so easily, and you keep ignoring me. What’s a woman to do?”

“Get a life of her own,” I muttered under my breath.

Jenny must have heard my comment because she ducked her head and hid a smile.

I looked back at Nick. “You have absolutely no connection to the village?”

“He’s already told you no,” Rachel snapped. “Let’s get out of here.”

“Hold on a second. I don’t have a connection as such,” Nick said as he pried Rachel’s hand from his arm. “My great grandma lived here, though. In fact, she was something of a black sheep of the family. Everyone thought she was a witch.”

I pressed my lips together. If that was true, it was more than possible that Nick had residual magic abilities he had no clue about. Sometimes, people did leave Willow Tree Falls. It could be that his parents moved away or their parents before them. If he was born outside of the village, he’d have no idea of his history.

“You should look into your family history,” I said. “I’m sure your great grandma was a lovely woman. I hope she was treated kindly.”

Nick shook his head. “She was taken away for some sort of treatment. I doubt it was kind treatment. Back then, it was routine to use electric shock therapy on people when they claimed they were witches.”

“Come on, Nick,” Rachel said. “I’m dying for a coffee, and your new friend looks like she needs to go change into something less grubby.”

I looked down at my clothes and shrugged. I knew the mess I was in, but the cake had been too tempting.

“Everyone is heading to the stones,” Jenny said as she watched the steady stream of people pass us, many of them with their faces painted.

I checked the time and nodded. “We move the celebrations there at five o’clock. People want to get there early to get a good spot.”

“Why?” Rachel asked. “It seems like a hassle for such a small event.”

I shrugged. “Beats me.” I was done wasting my time explaining anything to her.

“We should go too, Nick. Maybe you can find some interesting people to interview there.” Rachel gave me a pointed look.

Nick stared at me for another second before nodding. “That’s a good idea. It’s nice to meet you.” He held out his hand to me. “I didn’t catch your name.”

I shook his hand. For a journalist, he was okay, although his taste in girlfriends was horrendous. “Tempest Crypt.”

“Oh, you must be part of the family who looks after the cemetery. I talked to them earlier today. They seemed really busy.”

Rachel laughed. “They sound as crazy as your great grandma if that’s the case. How can you be busy in a cemetery? There’s nothing to do. Everyone is dead. They’re not going to be asking for snacks and foot rubs from beyond the grave.”

I glowered at her. “You’d be surprised.”

“There’s always work in places like that,” Jenny said swiftly. “Graves to keep tidy and lawns to mow. And there will always be bereaved relatives bringing flowers and little gifts that need tending. I think what your family does is admirable. It takes a special sort of person to care for the deceased.”

I nodded in appreciation at Jenny’s words. “They like it.”

“Perhaps we’ll catch up with you later,” Nick said as he was dragged away by Rachel, who was glaring at me as if I was her new worst enemy.

“I shouldn’t think so.” I stood and walked toward Cloven Hoof.

Wiggles joined me after his unsuccessful pursuit of the other dog. “What was that all about?”

“Nosy journalists who need to keep out of our business.” I glanced back to see Nick still looking at me. “It’s weird. He could sense I’m carrying a demon.”

Wiggles looked up at me. “He said that?”

“No, he had no clue what he was looking at, but he sensed it. He said he saw a fuzzy glow around me. That’s Raksh trying to get out. Nick would only be able to see that if he had some latent magic ability.”

“Huh, go figure. A non-magical coming to Willow Tree Falls, who actually has magic. Maybe he’ll want to stay if he’s digging the vibe.”

“He’s not welcome if he keeps that awful girlfriend with him,” I said. “Speaking of girlfriends, who were you chasing?”

Wiggles’ tongue lolled out. “She’s not local, but she sure is cute. A pedigree cockerpoo. She’s got the perfect fluffy cute butt. She could win awards.”

“You asked her on a date?”

Wiggles grunted and nudged me with his nose. “She wouldn’t talk. It looks like I’ll have to find a female hellhound if I’m going to get serious action anytime soon.”

“One hellhound around here is enough,” I said. “Don’t you go producing little hellhound puppies for me to deal with. I’ve got enough on my plate with you.”

Wiggles barked out a laugh. “There’s no chance of that. I’m a safety-first hellhound. And I’m far too young to be having puppies.”

“You make sure the female who takes your eye knows that. No puppies allowed.”

“My puppies sure would be cute, though, if an accident did happen.”

I shook my head but had to agree with him. Wiggles’ puppies would be adorable. Unfortunately, they’d also come with hellhound issues and would be unmanageable nightmares. Imagine toilet training a hellhound who farted brimstones.

“Come on. I have a demon to dump and a shower to take. Then we can go into full-on party mode.”

Wiggles barked happily in agreement and trotted along beside me. So long as there was a party to be had and food to scoff, he’d be happy. We were very similar in that respect.

I looked forward to a fun night of amazing food and hanging out with friends.

Chapter 3

I loved the way the sun took forever to fade during summer. It was just dipping before the tree line as I headed down the stairs from my apartment above Cloven Hoof and entered the bar.

The warm amber glow of the recessed lights gave the red walls a friendly vibe. This was a place for magic users only. Non-magicals couldn’t get through the barrier around the place. It was for their own safety. If any non-magical got hold of the produce I sold, bad things could happen to them. Magic was unpredictable when applied to non-magicals and needed to be used with caution.

I walked to the bar and grabbed a lemon drop from over the counter. Izzie and Brock were busy loading bottles onto the shelves at the back of the bar.

“Is everything going okay?” I asked.

Izzie turned and smiled at me, her face painted in sparkly purple glitter. “Everything is in order. We’re ready for the crowds when the party gets going.”

“Good. I’m helping Merrie outside. If there are any problems, just give us a shout.” As tempted as I was to grab another lemon drop, I refrained. It had the same effect on me as a triple shot of espresso, but I needed to be balanced tonight, not frantic.

“Oh, before you go,” Izzie said, “there were a couple of journalists sniffing around outside trying to get in.”

“I hope you ignored them.”

“One of them couldn’t get in. He kept tugging on the door, but it remained shut as it should do.”

“And the other?”

“That’s the weird thing; he got in. It took him a few goes, but he stumbled through the door, and it slammed shut before the other journalist could follow. He walked right in here and started asking questions.”

“His name wasn’t Nick by any chance?”

“Yes, it was. Do you know him? I’ve never seen him around here before.”

“You wouldn’t. It’s his first visit. Don’t worry. I’ll handle him. Just make sure you don’t tell him anything about what we do here if he gets in again.”

“No worries about that. I made out this was a regular bar, and we serve the usual beer and spirits. He had a quick half and then left.”

“Good, let’s keep it that way. He won’t be a problem but let me know if he comes back again.”

“Will do,” Izzie said.

I stepped out of Cloven Hoof and inhaled the delicious smells in the air. I got a tangy whiff of barbecue, a sugary puff of cotton candy, and there was a definite scent of chocolate.

Wiggles nudged me with his nose. “We’re going to have fun tonight.”

“I hope so.” My excitement faded as I spotted Nick hurrying toward me.

“Hey, I’m glad I found you,” he said.

“I didn’t know you were looking for me.”

“You look nice.” His appreciative gaze ran over my clean black pants and sparkly top. I rarely did sparkles but made an exception on nights like this. “I stopped by earlier, but you weren’t about.”

I raised my eyebrows and discreetly pressed a finger into the magic barrier around the building. It was intact. “Did you need something from me?”

“Everyone tells me Cloven Hoof is great.”

“I’ve had no complaints.”

He grinned. “Would you like to buy me a drink?”

I snorted a laugh. “Not any time soon.”

His grin widened, his dimples popping. “I thought I’d ask. I don’t want you to think I’m old-fashioned by offering to buy you one.”

“Nobody is buying anybody any drinks.” I went to step around him, but Nick moved into my path.

“There’s something about you, something about this whole place that is different. There does seem to be something magical in the air. Is it just me, or are the colors brighter?”

“It’s just you.” I glanced at Wiggles and shrugged. There wasn’t much I could do to help this guy. His family no longer had anything to do with Willow Tree Falls. He most likely had a tiny bit of magic swirling through his veins but wouldn’t be able to do anything with it. It was best he didn’t know what really went on here. He’d only miss what he couldn’t have.

Nick shook his head. “You’re still glowing. I’d say it was a healthy glow, but it’s still a little green.”

“I need to get going,” I said.

“I’ll come with you,” Nick said. “I want to do more interviews with residents. Hey, maybe you can be a future interviewee? Being a club owner, I bet you’ve got great stories to tell.”

“That’s not going to work.”

Nick kept up with my fast pace, not seeming to pick up on the hints I was dropping that I wasn’t interested in him keeping me company. “What’s wrong with your dog’s eyes?”

I slowed and stared at him. “Nothing. What do you see?”

Wiggles’ eyes were now permanently red, the intensity of color growing when he grew agitated or angry.

“It looks like he’s got pink eye,” Nick said. “I’ve never seen it so intense before. Have you taken him to the vet?”

“He’s not sick.”

“It’s contagious,” Nick said. “Make sure he doesn’t come into contact with any other dogs until he’s better.”

“Like I said, Wiggles is fine.”

Wiggles pretended to act like a normal dog, sniffing the ground and cocking his leg up a nearby bush.

Nick watched him for a moment. “He looks healthy enough other than the pink eye.”

“Tempest.” Rhett Blackthorn appeared on the path as we turned the corner. He had his leather biker jacket over one shoulder. His dark, intense gaze shifted to Nick. “I’m not interrupting.”

“No, Nick was leaving.” I gave Nick a pointed look. “Don’t you have people you need to interview?”

Nick’s affable grin faded, and he glanced from me to Rhett. “Oh, sure, if you’re busy.”

I nodded. “See you around.” I watched as Nick hurried away, glancing over his shoulder as he did so.

“That guy could not take a hint,” Wiggles said. “And accusing me of having pink eye. I should have bitten him.”

“He’s persistent,” I agreed.

“If he’s causing you problems, I can have a word,” Rhett said.

“It’s nothing I can’t handle. Do you need me for something?” I tried hard not to admire his toned biceps on display thanks to the white T-shirt he wore. We had history, but that was where our relationship needed to stay. Romantic distractions were not an option.

“Your guy is getting out of control. I thought you’d like to know.”

“My guy?”

“Axel. He’s drifting around the village telling all the non-magicals his father is a wealthy demon.”

I groaned. “Someone must have sold him dodgy produce.” My gaze cut to Rhett. “It’s not your gang, is it? I’ve had to tell some of your guys to stop dealing in stuff they don’t understand.”

Rhett raised a hand and shook his head. “My boys know better than to do that. They don’t want to cross you or your fearsome auntie. Josh is still talking about the time Queenie knocked him out and then forced him to ride pillion on the back of his own bike.”

“That’s right, and she’d do it again, so make sure they aren’t selling anything they shouldn’t. I’d better go see how bad Axel is.” For the last couple of months, I’d been helping Axel Shadowsoul with his little magic mushroom misuse problem. He’d used them so many times that he’d gotten a taste for them and had trouble functioning if he didn’t have a healthy supply of mushrooms flowing through his system. He’d twisted my arm and asked for my help in getting his head clear. We’d been spending a lot of time together, and quite often, it was time Axel used to try to worm his way into my affections.

“He was outside Sprinkles. I heard him say something about going to the stones.”

“Thanks. I need to make sure he doesn’t do anything he’ll regret or that will get him noticed by the angels.” My motive was selfish. If Angel Force thought the produce I sold at Cloven Hoof got people hooked, and it almost never did, they might take my license.

“It might be too late for that,” Rhett said. “He’s got issues.”

“Haven’t we all?”

Rhett fell into step with me as I hurried toward the busy main street. “I’ve got a couple of guys in the gang who had similar problems if you want me to lend a hand in getting him clean.”

“We’re getting there. It’s just taking longer than I thought it would. It doesn’t help when Axel gets his hands on supplies he shouldn’t.” I couldn’t ask Rhett for help with Axel. They weren’t exactly best buddies.

“Any time you need my input, just say. I had to come down hard on my guys before they straightened themselves out, but they’re better men for it.”

“If I need any muscle, I’ll let you know.” I indulged myself with a peek at Rhett’s muscles before looking straight ahead and concentrating on not tripping over any of the non-magicals milling around. I had to remember I was just friends with Rhett. He was always there, offering his help and assistance. Most of the time, I never took him up on it. Now and again, it was nice to know he was there, watching my back, the same way he did for everybody else. Even though he liked to play the tough biker guy most of the time, there was a softer side to Rhett, the side that made my heart pound.

“Tempest, have you got a minute?” Dazielle poked her head out of Mystic Mushroom, a slice of pizza in one hand.

“I’ll catch up with you later.” Rhett nodded a quick greeting to Dazielle and hurried away. His gang operated on the wrong side of the law more often than not, and he had a tense relationship with Angel Force.

“You’re hanging out with interesting company.” Dazielle wiped cheese off her chin, still managing to look angel perfect, despite the grease on her hand. She wore her usual uniform of pristine white pants and a white shirt. Why did everything with angels have to be white? Surely, if they wore black like I did, they’d get more wear out of their outfits.

“Are you off duty today?” I nodded at the pizza.

“Not a chance, not with so many non-magicals around. We’re struggling to handle all the lost children and drunken behavior.” She took another bite of pizza. “A person has to eat, though. I wanted to offer you another out-of-town job if you want to go out again so soon. It’s a nasty demon with a taste for virginal college students.”

I laughed. “Good luck with finding many of those. What does he do when he finds one?”

Dazielle’s nose wrinkled. “I’d tell you, but I want to enjoy my pizza.”

“I can take the job. Give me a few days to straighten up things here, and I can head out again.”

“This one’s an Irish demon. I’ve no idea how he crossed the water, but he’s causing havoc with the non-magicals. It won’t be long before someone is killed.”

“Send me the file, and I’ll take a look.” I patted my stomach. “While you’re here, do you want to take this demon off my hands? Well, out of my gut?”

She stared at me. “You’re carrying Frank and Raksh?”

“Yep, both on board and both unhappy about it. Raksh put up a fight, so I had to grab him while I could. He’s kicking like a mule. I need him gone.”

Dazielle stuffed down her pizza. She pulled a slim silver tube from her back pocket and flipped the lid. It was a demon canister and sucked those pesky demons right inside. “Cough him into this.”

I grabbed the tube, turned my back so the non-magicals wouldn’t notice, and coughed. Raksh shifted up my windpipe and stuck fast.

I gestured at my back. “Hit me,” I wheezed.

Dazielle was never one to hold back. My ribs groaned as she slammed the flat of her hand onto my back several times.

I gave a huge belch, and Raksh zoomed out and into the tube. I flipped the lid shut and handed him to her. “One demon promptly coughed up.”

“Good work.” She tucked him in her pocket, slapped me on the back again, and waltzed away.

“Someone must have put a feather in her panties,” Wiggles said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen Dazielle smile so much.”

I grinned at him as I rubbed my sore back. “It’s got more to do with tonight’s celebrations than feathers being anywhere they shouldn’t be. Tonight makes everyone happy. We all get a chance to recharge and celebrate.”

“Including me,” Wiggles said. “What are we waiting for? Let’s head to the stones like everyone else and see what trouble we can get into.”

I followed along behind Wiggles, soaking up the atmosphere and feeling a hundred times better now Raksh was no longer taking up residence. On solstice eve, Willow Tree Falls became even more alive with power and magic. Everyone felt good. I could feel my magic energy overflowing, and my fingers tingled with power desperate to be released.

A small side effect was that Frank was also stronger and had been misbehaving for the last hour, sneaking thoughts into my head and suggestions about letting him out for a quick play.

It wasn’t happening, not this evening. No matter how strong Frank got, I was stronger. I was in control tonight.

As I reached the edge of the stone circle, the crowd thickened. Everyone, magical and non-magical, was drawn to stand inside the stones and soak up the vibrations. I walked slowly around the outside of the stones, touching each one in turn. There was something incredible about tonight, and I wasn’t going to miss a second of it.

“Where have you been?” Aurora bounded up to me, carrying an enormous tub of popcorn. “You’re missing all the fun.”

“I had a bit of business to take care of. I’m here now. What have I missed?”

She grinned as she stuffed popcorn into her mouth, small pieces sticking to her glossed pink lips. “Auntie Queenie and Granny Dottie had a dance-off. It was hilarious. Everyone stood around them in a circle and clapped them on. I thought Auntie Queenie was going to pop a hip at one point; she was grinding against a stone and trying to twerk at the same time.”

“That’s something I’m glad I missed. Who won?”

“Granny Dottie, of course. She’s so competitive.” Aurora reached out a hand to me, her expression cautious. “Is everything good with you?”

She was asking about Frank in a roundabout way. We didn’t often mention him by name. It only excited him when he became aware of Aurora. I nodded and grabbed her hand. “Let’s take a look around.”

Aurora beamed at me and skipped ahead, tugging me along behind her. I nodded at Merrie as I saw her at the Cloven Hoof stall. She smiled and waved me away. She looked like she was enjoying herself.

There were stands selling all kinds of treats, from popcorn to cookies. People danced around, even though no music played, and everyone we passed smiled and nodded, happy to be here.

As we walked around, I kept an eye out for Axel, but I couldn’t see him. Hopefully, he’d decided to sleep off the effects of whatever he’d taken somewhere quiet and out of the way.

Despite the energetic vibe of the stones, I still felt a certain amount of bone weariness from my time away from Willow Tree Falls. Being away left me drained. Still, I wasn’t passing up on the fun and was even convinced by Aurora to dance around the stones.

The next time I checked, three hours had passed. I couldn’t have been dancing for that long! I leaned against a standing stone and stifled a yawn. All this partying was exhausting, and it had been a long day. I needed a time out.

I checked Wiggles was keeping himself out of mischief before creeping away into the quiet of the surrounding woods, making sure none of my family spotted me and dragged me back. I only had to walk for a short while before the noise faded and the peacefulness of the forest engulfed me. I trailed my fingers over a few of the trees, noticing how they vibrated with energy.

I sat on a soft pile of moss and leaned back against one of the trees. I needed five minutes with my eyes shut, and then I’d get back to the party. A quick nap to recharge and I’d be dancing again.

My eyes were growing heavy when I heard faint footsteps. I eased one eye open. It was the forest’s wild woman. She rarely made an appearance and never in the daytime. I didn’t consider her a threat. I knew little about her, only that she lived in the woods. She’d been here for as long as I could remember and thrived in the sanctity of the forest. She definitely had magic but kept her distance as she was doing so now, skirting around me, her cautious gaze fixed on my face as she slid past.

I relaxed against the tree and shut my eyes.

***

A hand grabbed my shoulder and shook me. I gasped in a breath as my eyes flicked open. For a second, I had no idea where I was. In my confusion, Frank took advantage. His energy surged up my spine like a sticky dark mass, only becoming stronger when I saw it was Aurora who’d shaken me awake.

My hand went to her throat. “Are you crazy? Get away from me.”

Aurora’s eyes bulged as my fingers tightened around her neck. She blasted a spell into my stomach. It shot through me and made me lose my grip. I shoved her back and scrambled away.

Her eyes widened as she backed away. “I’m sorry. You were asleep. I didn’t think Frank would be a problem.”

Frank’s energy curled up my neck. Once his hot power reached the top of my head, I was in trouble. “Get out of here.”

“Tempest, I didn’t mean it. I didn’t know Frank would be in control when you woke.” Aurora clung to the tree next to her as if it would protect her from the dangerous demon inside me who wanted her dead.

“He’s not. Not yet.” I held up a hand to block my view of Aurora. Even the scent of her was driving him mad. This demon was obsessed with my sister.

“I’m sorry. I’ll go.” Aurora turned and ran.

I gritted my teeth, focusing on Frank and shoving against his power. “Get back where you belong. She is not for you.”

Frank purred with delight, but his energy sank an inch. “I’m just biding my time, little witch. That was a warning.”

“Next time you try a trick like that, I’ll move us out of Willow Tree Falls to some cold, magic sucking place demons hate. I’ll stay there forever if you ever harm Aurora.”

He growled inside my head and sank back further. “You wouldn’t dare. It would hurt us both.”

“It would be worth it to see you suffering.” It would be awful to leave this place for good, but I’d do it. I’d leave if Frank ever became too much of a problem.

I noticed Aurora had slowed and hidden behind a tree, peeking out every few seconds, concern clear on her face.

I let out a shaky sigh. “It’s okay. He’s back where he belongs. What is it? Why did you wake me?”

She crept out from behind the tree. “I had to find you. Mom is upset. There’s been a body found in the cemetery.”

Chapter 4

I stared at Aurora. Had she taken leave of her senses? “A body in the cemetery. That’s hardly news. That’s where all the bodies go.”

“Not a dead body. Well, yes, a dead body. Not one in a coffin and not one buried in the ground. This one was laid out dead for everyone to see.”

I blinked slowly at her, my half-asleep, demon-muddled brain struggling to catch up. “Someone left a body in our cemetery?”

“Yes! Come on. Everybody is there. Angel Force is trampling over everything as usual. It’s upsetting the demons, and they’ve made two new cracks in the last hour trying to get to the angels.”

I shook my head. The last thing we needed was a bunch of angels running around the cemetery. It would take us weeks to calm the demons.

“Hurry! Mom is going crazy. She almost had a fight with Dazielle.” Aurora gestured for me to speed things up.

“That I’d like to see.” We raced out of the forest and passed the almost deserted stone circle.

I blinked in surprise. I must have been asleep a lot longer than five minutes if the party was over. Apart from a few passed-out non-magicals, everyone had gone.

We ran the short distance down the hill to the cemetery.

Sablo stood at the gates of the cemetery. She held up her hand as we approached and fluffed out her wings. “No one’s to go in. It’s a crime scene.”

“We know. It’s our cemetery,” I said.

“Even so, I can’t let you pass,” Sablo said.

Wiggles ran out of the cemetery. “You’re missing all the action. Where did you go? I was eating cake for half an hour tops, and you vanished.”

Sablo took a step back, and her glare narrowed as she stared at my handsome hellhound. “He’s not supposed to be in there.”

Wiggles ducked around Sablo’s legs and sped back into the cemetery. She spun on her heel and went to chase after him but then turned back to us. “He can go. No one else gets in.”

Aurora grabbed my hand. “It’s fine. We don’t need to see what’s going on in there.”

“We do,” I said. “Let us in.”

Aurora gave a little shake of her head. “We can ask Mom later.” She led me away from the gates and leaned closer. “We’ll go in the side entrance. The angels won’t have a clue about all the ways into this place.”

I grinned and nodded. Aurora was right. As guardians of the cemetery, everyone in the family knew the long-forgotten doorways. We hurried around the side of the cemetery, and Aurora tugged aside a swath of ivy, revealing a small wooden door. “Through there.”

I yanked the door open, squeezed through, and popped out into the cemetery.

Aurora followed me, and we kept to the darkest shadows of early morning as we made our way through the gravestones.

“Who’s dead?” I asked.

“I don’t know him,” Aurora said.

“He’s not local?”

“No, but I’ve seen him around the last two days. He could be a non-magical.”

I could already hear Mom and Granny Dottie’s raised voices as they argued with the angels.

“We can take care of this business,” Mom said.

“Not if there’s been a murder committed in the cemetery. You might run the demon prison, but you don’t control everything that goes on here.” I recognized the sharp tone of Dazielle. She was not a happy angel.

We dashed around a large, gray stone crypt, and I saw everyone crowded together. Mom stood toe to toe with Dazielle, while Auntie Queenie faced off with a tall, blond male angel. Granny Dottie jabbed a finger in the chest of another angel, while Grandpa Lucius looked on with concern.

“Let’s not deal with that right away,” I whispered to Aurora. “Mom and the others can handle the angels if they overstep their sensibilities.” We slid around the feud, passed the angels, and stopped by the body.

I stared down at him. “I know this guy! He introduced himself to me. He was a journalist poking around, trying to get a story on Willow Tree Falls.”

Nick Saunders, the overly keen journalist who had tried to interview me, lay on the ground.

“What kind of story?” Aurora asked.

“At first, he wanted local comments on the party. He also mentioned a mythical ring. I told him that was rubbish. It’s weird though. He does have a little magic running through his veins.”

“He doesn’t anymore.” Mom came up behind us and gave me a hug. “I’m glad you’re here. The angels are being obtuse. They’re trying to stop us from guarding the prison. Can you imagine what all the demons are thinking having these angels trample all over the place?”

“Nothing I’d like to repeat in front of you,” I said.

Dazielle strode over, her arms folded across her chest when she spotted me. “I should have known you’d be here.”

“Always happy to offer my services to Angel Force.”

She scowled at me. “You need to get your family in line. This is a crime scene.”

I looked down at Nick’s body again. “How did he die?”

“Someone hit him over the head with something heavy.” Dazielle sighed dramatically. She knew she’d never get us to budge out of the cemetery. This was our territory.

The light wasn’t great, but something was wrong with this scene. “Where’s the blood?”

Dazielle’s brilliant blue eyes narrowed. “That’s what we’ll find out if we can get on and do our jobs.”

“I can’t believe there’s been a murder in our cemetery,” Mom said.

“It’s just terrible.” Granny Dottie hurried over. “This is usually such a peaceful place.”

“It is when you’re not kicking demon butt,” I said.

“That’s to be expected,” Granny Dottie said. “How are you, my dear? Did you have a fun solstice celebration?”

“It was great. It didn’t end so well, though.” I gestured to Nick’s body.

“Definitely not for that poor young man,” Granny Dottie said.

“I was telling Dazielle that we must help with the investigation,” Mom said.

My eyebrows shot up. “Must we?”

Dazielle looked equally shocked at Mom’s suggestion.

“Absolutely. This happened on our territory. We can’t let that go unnoticed. If we do, before you know it, there will be dozens of bodies slung in here when people want to get rid of them. We don’t want to be known as an easy touch.”

“That’s sort of the point of a cemetery,” I muttered. “Dead bodies are supposed to come here.”

Mom gave me a gentle clip on the head. “You know I don’t mean that. This isn’t a place we want people’s rubbish dumped.”

“Maybe Nick wouldn’t like to be referred to as rubbish,” Aurora said quietly.

“I’m sure he was a lovely non-magical,” Mom said.

“He wasn’t a non-magical,” I said. “He had magic.”

“He did?” Dazielle asked. “How would you know that?”

“When I was carrying that extra demon, Nick saw his shimmer sliding out. And Nick managed to get through the magic barrier at Cloven Hoof. Only someone with magic can do that.”

“Unless your magic is weak,” Dazielle said.

I glowered at her. “My magic is fine.”

“If he has magic, who was his family?” Auntie Queenie asked as she strode over. “He doesn’t look familiar.”

“He doesn’t live here. His family moved away some time ago.”

“Maybe he was killed because of his magic,” Mom said. “If that’s the case, we must be involved in this.”

“There’s no need,” Dazielle said. “I have Angel Force on it. We’ll clear this up in no time without your help.”

“There are thousands of non-magical tourists in Willow Tree Falls. Most of them will be waking up with sore heads in a few hours, and many will still be inebriated from last night,” Mom said. “That’s where your focus will be. You can’t do everything.”

Dazielle pursed her lips. “I’m sure we’ll manage, but I appreciate your concern.”

“I nominate Tempest,” Mom said.

“To do what?” I asked.

“To help Dazielle. You did such a good job with uncovering who killed Deacon and clearing your sister’s name. You should be involved in this, as well.”

“No, really I shouldn’t.” I held up my hands as I backed away. Helping sort out the mess the angels had made when trying to solve Deacon Feathers’ murder had been more than enough interaction with Angel Force. I’d only done it to help Aurora, not because I had a taste for solving murders.

“That’s a great idea,” Aurora said. “You were brilliant getting my name cleared. You must help this journalist. It sounds like you got on with him.”

“I never said that,” I said. “I put him off from poking his nose in where it didn’t belong. He was trying to find some angle on Willow Tree Falls, and we don’t need that. We have enough non-magicals coming here as it is. We don’t need any more hunting for the one true ring or whatever it was that he sought.”

“I insist,” Mom said. “Dazielle, you’ll have our full co-operation, providing you include Tempest in the investigation team. Do we have a deal?”

“I don’t need to do a deal with you to complete this investigation,” Dazielle said. She glanced at me and sighed. “But you weren’t unhelpful when it came to Deacon’s murder. Maybe you can lend us a hand.”

I grimaced but saw the stern expression on Mom’s face. She wouldn’t want angels poking around the cemetery. At least, if I was involved, I could keep an eye on them and make sure they didn’t do too much damage.

“Fine, I’ll help.” I wouldn’t be here for long anyway. With the new demon hunting job Dazielle was lining up for me, I’d soon be leaving. I’d help out for a day or two and then be gone. I could manage forty-eight hours in the company of some angels.

An anguished cry rang out from the cemetery gates. Two women pushed past Sablo and ran over.

Sablo pursued them, her apologetic gaze on Dazielle. “They say they know the victim.”

Dazielle shook her head. She walked over and stopped the women from getting too close.

As they neared, I recognized them. One was Rachel, Nick’s clingy girlfriend, and the other was his assistant, Jenny.

“This is awful,” Rachel sobbed as her tear-filled gaze remained on Nick. “Who would want to do this?”

Jenny stood awkwardly beside her and occasionally patted her arm. “It will be okay.”

Rachel wheeled on Jenny. “How will this be okay? My fiancé is dead.”

Jenny’s expression grew puzzled. “I didn’t know you were engaged.”

“You don’t know everything about our relationship, no matter how much you poke your nose in.” Rachel glared at Jenny and then turned her tear-stained face toward Nick’s body. “I must see him.”

“Not now,” Dazielle said. “We need to check Nick for any evidence.”

“Evidence of what?”

“Foul play,” Granny Dottie said.

“Foul play?” Rachel cried. “This wasn’t an accident?”

“We can’t be certain.” Dazielle glared at Granny Dottie before turning back to Rachel. “Perhaps you’d like to join us at the station later. I can give you more information when we are certain of the facts.”

“I can’t leave him,” Rachel said.

“Maybe we should,” Jenny said. “We can’t help, not now. Let’s go get a coffee and give the police a chance to do their job.”

“Don’t tell me what to do.” Rachel shoved Jenny away. She toppled over and hit the ground.

I strode over and helped Jenny back on her feet. We both watched as Rachel stalked away on her wobbly high heels.

“She’s a charmer,” I said to Jenny. “Are you okay?”

“I’m used to it.” Jenny brushed mud off the back of her pants. “Rachel likes getting her own way. She always has a tantrum when things don’t go the way she wants.”

“You mean, she’s a bitch,” I said.

Jenny shrugged and nodded. “She has her moments. I need to cut her some slack, I guess, especially since Nick’s dead.” She glanced over to where Nick’s body lay and looked away. “It doesn’t look accidental to me.”

“Most likely it wasn’t. I don’t suppose you saw what he was up to last night?”

“Not all night. He was in and out of the crowds, just like everybody else. I spent a bit of time with him but went back to the editing van and did some work. We’ve got so much footage from the celebrations, I knew it would take hours to cut together a decent reel for today’s broadcast.”

“When did you last see him?”

Jenny snitched her nose as she stared at the sky. “Just before midnight. My battery was getting low, and I needed to recharge my digital camera. Nick was interviewing a group of girls wearing unicorn horns, asking them about the significance of the horn. He was being really flirty. Rachel was nearby and was giving him daggers.”

“Rachel’s the jealous type?”

“Jealous and bitchy,” Jenny said. “Not everyone’s ideal combination.”

“Did you see anyone else with Nick? Anyone acting strangely or being argumentative with him?”

Jenny twirled a finger into her dark hair. “No one like that. I did see someone strange in the trees nearby, though.”

“What were they doing that was strange?”

“Their behavior wasn’t odd, but they looked like someone from prehistoric times. It was a woman. She had long, dark hair and a crown of what looked like twigs on her head.”

“Maybe she was a New Age type come to enjoy the celebrations.” We got all kinds here, from upper class glampers with their designer, crystal-studded wellies and prosecco, to mud loving hippies with beaten up VW vans and composting toilets.

“Maybe. She didn’t join the party. She looked sort of freaked out. She disappeared into the trees before I got a proper look at her.”

My thoughts went to the wild woman I’d seen when I’d been in the forest. Maybe it was her, soaking up the party vibes like everyone else.

“You seemed surprised when Rachel mentioned she was engaged to Nick.”

“Because she isn’t, at least not that I know of. If anything, I think the opposite was about to happen. Nick wasn’t keen on Rachel. She clung to him like a limpet. She rarely let him out of her sight.”

“She’s possessive as well as jealous.” Rachel sounded more and more like a suspect if Nick had been murdered.

“I think she’d picked up on the fact Nick wanted to cut her out of his life. He was a good guy. At least, he was decent enough to me. I’ve only been on this job for six months and am learning the ropes. He’d taken me under his wing and given me a few pointers. There aren’t many journalists who would do that. It’s horribly cutthroat. If you’re not the first with the exclusive story, then you’re a loser. In this business, there is no reward for second place news stories.”

“You liked him?”

Jenny blinked away tears as she nodded. “I did. As a boss, he was an okay guy. And I got to see a lot of his relationship with Rachel. He wasn’t into her, not the same way she liked him.”

“Why did he let her hang around with him if he wasn’t interested?”

Jenny rolled her eyes. “Have you seen how long Rachel’s legs are? And that cleavage she flaunts is not natural. Nick’s a guy. He likes that sort of thing, I guess. I’m imagining he saw Rachel as a bit of fun, but she had other ideas. He couldn’t shake her off, no matter how much he tried.”

It looked like the decision as to who to question first in this case had been made for me. If anyone had a problem with Nick, it was his girlfriend. His bitchy, jealous, possessive girlfriend. Maybe he’d decided to break things off with her last night and she’d snapped. This mess in the family cemetery was the result.

Rachel would be the first person I’d query and convince her it was never a good idea to kill someone in a cemetery owned by my family. Not if she wanted to get away with it.

Chapter 5

After spending a few hours ensuring my family and the angels weren’t going to come to blows and all threats of new cracks in the demon prison were under control, I left them to sort out the crime scene and headed out with Wiggles. After last night’s festivities, I needed to check in on Cloven Hoof and see how the partying had gone down.

The sun was just rising as I walked through the door and breathed in the calm atmosphere. The building always had a calming effect on me. It was the main reason I’d leased it. When we weren’t hosting pre-wedding parties or celebrating the solstice, this was a chilled-out place. It was a place people could come and relax and get rid of their worries. They could shut out the world for an hour or two, kick back, and just be in the moment.

It sounded disgustingly New Age, but it worked for me, and it worked for all my customers. Business was booming.

Merrie was behind the bar as I walked in. “I’m surprised to see you here so early.”

“I grabbed a few hours of sleep after I shut the stall outside,” Merrie said. “I wanted to make sure everything was intact after last night. It got wild for a few hours.”

Merrie loved this place as much as I did, and I was glad for it. Whenever I had to go hunt a demon, I knew the place was in a safe pair of hands. “It all looks good.”

“The place has been drunk almost dry,” Merrie said. “I placed a rush order after I did a quick stock take. We’ve got enough to keep us going until that arrives. How was your night?”

“It started out well. Had a weird ending.”

“Weird how?”

“Like a body turning up in the cemetery weird. And before you ask, not one we were expecting. This one was a journalist, the journalist who managed to sneak in here.”

“No kidding,” Merrie said. “Izzie told me about that. That is pretty weird.”

“You’re telling me. Now, he turns up dead in our cemetery. Mom’s roped me into helping figure out what happened.”

“Then you’ll be needing these.” Merrie grabbed a handful of dried mushrooms and tossed them into a small bag before passing it to me. “They’ll keep you calm when you’re having to deal with the angels.”

I grinned. “Thanks, I think I’ll need all the help I can get. If you’re good here, I’ve got a bit of business to take care of.”

“I’ve got no worries. Take as long as you need. I doubt we’ll have many customers today.”

I did a quick check of the place, changed my clothes, and headed back out. Wiggles trotted along beside me and kept nudging my leg.

“What’s eating you?” I asked him.

“That’s just it. We’re not eating.”

My stomach growled. He had a point. Breakfast wouldn’t be such a bad thing. “What are you thinking?”

“Triple decker waffles. A few side orders of bacon. Pancakes and syrup. Maybe some muffins.”

“What have you done to make you so hungry?”

“I was off enjoying myself while you were snoozing in the forest,” Wiggles said. “This hellhound needs his energy after a night like that.”

I glanced at him. “That didn’t answer my question.”

“Some things you don’t need to know. All you need to know is I had a great time and burned off a lot of energy. Now, I need to refuel. So do you. I can hear your stomach rumbling from down here.”

“Do you want sweet or savory?”

“I want both.”

I grinned. “Let’s go to Unicorn’s Trough. Brogan does a great pancake stack.”

“Now you’re talking.” Wiggles sped in front of me, his tail wagging as he led the way.

Brogan Costin was opening the doors as we arrived and smiled down at Wiggles. “What can I do for you?” He stood at six-foot-five and had a neatly trimmed beard he was extremely proud of. His muscled arms were covered in tattoos that stretched from his fingers all the way to the tips of his ears. If you saw him in a dark alleyway, you’d run the other way, but Brogan was as gentle as they came and loved nothing more than serving up delicious food for his customers. The only way Brogan would kill you was by overfeeding you all his delectable food.

“Hi, Tempest,” he said. “Breakfast for two?”

“Absolutely, if you’re open. Did you have fun yesterday?” I settled at one of the pristine wooden blue tables by the window.

“Yes, and despite having only had about two hours sleep, I feel wide-awake.”

I nodded as I flexed my fingers. Although I’d missed the arrival of midnight, the most powerful time in the solstice, I also felt energized. I ordered two pancake stacks and enjoyed the strong coffee Brogan served as I waited for the food.

Several more customers came in all grinning and talking about last night’s fun. It looked like the rumors of a body in the cemetery had yet to spread.

Brogan served up the food with a smile before hurrying off to wait on other customers.

“So, what do you think?” I asked Wiggles quietly, not wanting to draw attention to the fact I dined alone and talked to my dog.

“The pancakes are amazing.”

“Not about the food. That’s always good here. About Nick being found in our cemetery?”

“Oh, it was clearly murder.”

“What makes you so sure?”

“You said it yourself, no blood. Someone must have tampered with the body. Anyone hit with something hard and heavy will sustain damage. That damage will cause leakage. Someone hid that leakage.”

I grimaced. “Maybe he fell and knocked himself out.”

“That still doesn’t explain the lack of the red stuff on the ground. I had a sniff around while everyone was arguing. There was barely any blood in the cemetery.”

I let out a sigh. “Maybe he’d had too much to drink. Nick could have hit his head on a gravestone and dragged himself along to try to get help. He collapsed before he could get any.”

“Nope, someone hit that poor guy. It wasn’t a death by being a drunken fool.”

I rested my chin on my palm. “I think you’re right.” I pushed the last of my pancake around the plate, cutting it into smaller pieces with my fork as I did so. “Why did they have to leave him at the cemetery?”

“Beats me. I don’t have the mind of a killer.” Wiggles eyed my pancake. “Is that going spare?”

I tossed a piece to him before finishing the rest. “We need to check in with the grieving girlfriend. If what Jenny said is true, she doesn’t sound stable.”

“Rachel sounds like a nightmare.” Wiggles’ gaze shifted to the window. “Look, it’s Aurora.” He jumped to his feet and bounced on the pads of his paws.

Seeing Aurora reminded me I owed her an apology. I threw money on the table and hurried after her. “Hey! Wait up.”

Aurora slowed and grinned at me but continued walking. “I can’t stop. I’m late getting the store open. I had to break up two fights between Mom and the angels after you left the cemetery. She’s not happy with them being there.”

I jogged after Aurora until I reached her side. “I can’t say I blame her. Angels make most people’s skin crawl.”

Aurora tilted her head. “They’re okay. A bit self-satisfied at times, but then they’re angels. I guess they’re allowed to be.”

We strode along in a companionable silence for a moment.

“Listen, I wanted to apologize about earlier.”

Aurora jangled the store keys in her hand as we reached Heaven’s Door. “What for?”

“Well, I strangled you. When I woke up, you startled me, and Frank reacted badly. I hope I didn’t hurt you.” My gaze went to her neck.

She shooed away my comment with a hand. “That’s nothing. I blasted you with a spell. And I’ve seen you much more terrifying, even when Frank wasn’t in control.”

“Thanks a lot.” I waited as she opened the door and flipped on the lights. The store came to life. There were rows of crystals, jars of potions, and herbal remedies. Books about magic, and charms hung from ancient tree branches Aurora had fashioned to display her wares.

Aurora did a great trade with locals and non-magical tourists who loved nothing more than spending an hour browsing the shelves and enjoying the friendly atmosphere the place exuded.

She flipped the store sign to open and turned to face me. “It was nothing. I should have been more careful. How are things with you?”

“No complaints.”

“And how is he whom we never talk about? How did he like the solstice?”

“A bit too much. He’s going to be a handful for a while.”

“But he’s being good now?” Aurora gestured at the space between us. “He doesn’t have a problem with this?”

Frank often got antsy when I was around Aurora. “He’s chilled out. How about you?”

“Oh, you know, same as always.” Aurora glanced at me and wiggled her eyebrows. “I’ve noticed you’ve been spending a lot of time with Axel.”

I shrugged as I leaned against the counter. “I’m sort of his sponsor. He’s in magic detox.”

Aurora smiled at me. “You must be getting close.”

“Don’t you start. We’re friends. I’m helping him because he got himself in a mess. It’s nothing more than that.”

“He’s not horrible looking,” Aurora said. “And he’s got tons of money. It must be lonely rattling around in that big old bachelor pad of his.”

“I expect he manages,” I said.

“Still, you’re there now, so he won’t feel so lonely.”

“Like I said, we’re friends. How’s your love life? Are you still dating that old bloke?”

Aurora uncharacteristically scowled. “He’s not that old, and yes, I am. Toby is being the perfect gentleman, as always.”

“The perfect gentleman you still haven’t told the rest of the family about.” Aurora had gotten herself in trouble by hiding her relationship with Toby and had almost gotten charged with murder because she was worried what the family would think of her dating a much older warlock. A warlock who was being investigated by Angel Force for his dubious magic use and stealing from a wealthy woman.

“It’s complicated,” Aurora said. “We’re taking things slowly. How about this for an idea? You take Axel home to dinner, and I’ll bring Toby.”

“How about neither of us does that?”

She laughed. “That works for me. You stick with helping solve this mystery in our cemetery, and I’ll stay here and sell out of everything. No men allowed.”

I watched as she hurried around the store, switching on the music and lighting up the jewelry displays. “I was thinking the girlfriend might be involved. I met her yesterday, and she was all over Nick like a cheap suit, demanding his attention, which he didn’t want to give her.”

“Is that the pretty blonde who shoved that other woman in the cemetery?”

“That’s the one.”

Aurora’s nose wrinkled. “You’re right to tackle her. She does seem like trouble.”

“I’m going to find her today and see what she knows.”

Aurora tapped a finger against her lips. “She came into the store yesterday.”

“The girlfriend?”

“Yes, she looked around for a while and then came over and asked if I had something to calm her nerves. I asked the usual questions and made sure she wanted it for herself. I gave her two tinctures to try. She paid for them but then came back.”

“What did she ask for?”

Aurora’s eyes widened. “A love spell.”

“She knows about magic?”

“I don’t think so. At least, I didn’t get any vibe from her that she has her own ability.  She said she was having problems with a relationship and needed to make sure he was devoted only to her. I explained that love spells aren’t all that easy, and you can’t force someone to love you. She got a bit snappy and told me I didn’t know what I was doing.”

“Rachel sounds worried she was losing Nick,” I said. “She came in here looking for a solution to her relationship problem. She wanted to trick Nick into falling for her.”

“I suggested she talk to him rather than be-spell him. Well, of course, I didn’t use the spell word, but I told her that my remedies don’t work that way.”

“I bet she loved that.”

“She muttered something about me being a charlatan and stomped out.”

“Then I definitely need to talk to Rachel. Did she mention where she was staying?”

“No, but she doesn’t strike me as the sort of woman who’d be happy camping out in the fields or in a camper van. I bet she’s got a place at Tabitha’s hotel.”

“Yes, good idea. I’ll try there and see what she has to say.”

Aurora arched an eyebrow, a doubtful look on her face. “I doubt she’ll talk to you.”

“I’ll tell her this is Angel Force business. Just because I’m not carrying a badge doesn’t mean I’m not assisting with their inquiries.”

“Does Dazielle know about this?”

“She doesn’t need to. She agreed I can be involved.” I pushed away from the counter as the first customers came in. “I’ll leave you to it. I’m heading to the hotel to find Rachel.”

“Let me know how you get on,” Aurora said.

“Will do.” I headed out of Heaven’s Door and walked to the end of the main street. Tabitha Dimples’ hotel was a large converted house that had been separated into a dozen private rooms. It had a cozy, rustic feel to it and was always popular.

I entered the small, cream lobby with Wiggles and spotted Tabitha behind the desk, a pencil in one hand and her glasses perched on top of her head.

She looked up and smiled as she saw me. “What brings you here, Tempest?”

“Hopefully, one of your customers. I’m looking for a woman called Rachel. She might have come back here a while ago in a bit of a state.”

“Oh, I know who you’re talking about. Miss Fortesque.” Tabitha sniffed loudly. “Ever since she arrived, she’s been difficult.”

“She’s been causing problems?”

“Everything is wrong as far as she is concerned. The towels are too hard or too soft. The water is too hot or too cold. The bed is too hard or lumpy. I had to change her to three different rooms before she was happy. Imagine the chaos that caused at such a busy time.”

“She sounds like a nightmare out of a fairy tale.”

“She’s been nothing but a pain in my rear-end since she checked in with her boyfriend. He, on the other hand, is sweetness itself. I’ve lost count of the number of times he apologized for that dreadful woman’s behavior.”

“He was the reason she was upset,” I said.

“Has he gotten rid of her?” Tabitha’s dark eyes gleamed. “I do hope so. That will teach the uppity madam a thing or two.”

“It’s something like that,” I said. “They definitely won’t be talking again. Any chance you can let me know which room she’s in?”

“I shouldn’t really.” Her lips quirked. “Are you going to cause her a problem?”

“It’s possible.”

“In that case, how about I leave the book with the room information here and go make a cup of tea? I won’t know one way or the other if you’ve had a glance and seen her room number.” She tapped pointedly on a line in the book.

I smiled at her. “That will be perfect.”

“Right, a cup of tea it is.” Tabitha bustled away from the counter.

I turned the book around. “Room 108.” I ran up the stairs with Wiggles and knocked on the door.

I waited a moment and heard shuffling on the other side. Rachel pulled open the door and stared blearily at me. “What do you want?”

“I’m here about Nick. Mind if I come in?” I pushed past her before she had a chance to respond.

“Who are you again?” Rachel followed me into the room. “You look vaguely familiar.”

“I’m here on... Police business. I’ve got a few questions to ask you about Nick.”

Rachel hiccupped and giggled. That was not the reaction I was expecting from a grieving girlfriend. “Oh, I figured someone would be by to question me. It’s so sad what happened.” She slumped on the unmade bed and picked up a small brown bag. She dug a hand in and pulled out a mushroom.

“Where did you get that?” My eyes widened. If I wasn’t mistaken, she was eating produce from Cloven Hoof. She shouldn’t have been able to get her hands on that.

“They’re these weird, sweet mushrooms. I know it sounds gross, but they’re so addictive. Every time I feel sad or remember what I saw in the cemetery, I chew on one of these, and all my thoughts disappear. I get relaxed and happy.”

“You bought them yesterday?”

“Nick had them. He left them on the nightstand.” Rachel sighed. “Poor guy.”

I held out my hand. I needed to be sure what she was using. My magic mushrooms could really mess with a non-magical. “Can I try one?”

She grasped the bag to her chest. “Get your own. These are mine.”

Wiggles wandered around the side of the bed.

Rachel watched him. “He’s very small for a Police dog.”

“He’s a puppy in training.”

“Training for what?”

Wiggles broke wind loudly.

I suppressed a laugh. “Drugs squad. He’s got a killer instinct for hunting all sorts of illegal things.” I had to get those mushrooms. I couldn’t let any other non-magicals get their sticky little fingers on my goods. “You must be sad about what happened to Nick.”

“I am. He was my one true love. Well, he was someone I liked a lot.”

“The police think his death might not be an accident.”

Rachel cocked her head to the side. “I thought you said you were the police?”

“Of course, what I meant was my colleagues are concerned it wasn’t an accident. Have you any idea who might have had a problem with Nick?”

“No! Nobody I know would do something so horrible.” She ate another mushroom and smiled.

“How serious were you?”

“Very serious.”

“Marriage and babies serious?”

Rachel nodded. “That’s right.”

That was not the story Jenny had been telling. “Did you live together?”

“Almost. I’ve moved most of my things into his apartment, but it’s not official yet.”

“Would you say you were both happy with the progress of your relationship?”

“Blissfully. I was always talking to Nick about weddings.”

I checked her engagement ring finger, and it was bare. Their engagement must be a new event in their relationship if she wasn’t wearing a ring. Rachel struck me as the kind of woman who would want a huge, diamond-encrusted ring to show off to everyone.

“Have you set a date for the wedding?”

“No, Nick was so fanatical with his work. Every time a story broke or he got a sniff of something dodgy going on, he’d shoot off and focus on that. He was obsessed. He was always promising me he was about to hit the big time with an exclusive story.” Rachel looked around the room, disdain on her face. “I can’t imagine what he thought he would find in this little place. It’s nothing but a tourist trap. Telling people those old grubby stones have magic in them, what nonsense.”

I bit my tongue. Our beautiful standing stones were not grubby. “Was that why Nick was here? He thought he’d uncover some supernatural tale?”

“Something like that. He kept on about some stupid ring. The only ring I was interested in him locating was my engagement ring.” She took another mushroom out of the bag and ate it. “I guess now that will never happen.”

I glanced over at Wiggles to see him lying at the foot of the bed, chewing on a pair of lace panties. I sidled over and yanked them from his jaws. “Did Nick have any work rivals? Journalism is a competitive business.”

Rachel sat up straight. “Now you mention it, if you’re looking for someone who had it in for Nick, James is the person you need to speak to.”

“Who’s James?”

“James Ranger. He’s always chasing after Nick and trying to steal his stories. You’ve probably seen him around here in the last couple of days. They’ve both been interviewing tourists.”

I vaguely remembered seeing a tall dark-haired guy with a microphone in his hand sliming around people. “Would he have it in for Nick?”

“James treads over everybody to get what he wants. He was always coming to blows with Nick.”

“When you say blows, do you mean physical fights?”

“No, more like verbal sparring. About a year ago, James stole an exclusive story right out from under Nick. He went to the source and bribed them to change a few details of the story. When Nick went to publish, he was blocked by his editor and told his story wasn’t accurate. Then, James went and published the very next day in a rival publication.”

“I imagine Nick wasn’t happy about that.”

“I should say. He smashed James’s car headlights.”

“So, they definitely weren’t friends.” This James needed looking into, but I still wasn’t convinced about Rachel. She said the right words about being sad, but her actions suggested otherwise. “You won’t mind me asking where you were last night?”

“I was doing the same as everybody else. I was at the celebrations. Everyone saw me there. I was with Nick most of the time.”

“But you got separated?”

“Now and again. He kept heading off to interview people. I lost him just after midnight. It was when the fireworks went off and all those crazy looking sparks flew about everywhere. One minute he was by my side, and the next, he was gone. I looked around for him for ages. After a while, I got bored. My shoes pinched my feet, so I came back here, ate a few of these mushrooms, and fell asleep. The first I heard about it was when Jenny was knocking on my door telling me Nick’s body had been discovered.”

“You had no reason to believe Nick was unhappy in your relationship? If he kept walking off, maybe he was annoyed with you about something.”

“Of course not. In fact, he’s been thrilled this last month.”

“Why is that?”

Rachel smiled smugly. “Because I’m having his baby.”

I snatched the bag of mushrooms out of her hands. “Then you need to go easy on the sweet stuff. No more of these for you.” Rachel was definitely not having any more mushrooms. I had no clue what my mushrooms did to growing babies. What if she gave birth to a baby who had magic, or horns, or the ability to fly?

Rachel pouted. “They taste so good. They can’t be bad for the baby.”

“You should stick to unprocessed foods. You don’t want to give your baby a sweet tooth.”

“Goodness, no. I definitely don’t want a fat baby.” Rachel patted her flat stomach.

“How long has Nick known about the baby?” I tucked the bag of mushrooms into my back pocket.

“Not long. We’ve been keeping it a secret until we’re ready to tell everybody. He was a bit shocked when I first told him. It wasn’t something we’d planned.”

“He was happy?”

“Delighted. So, you see, I had nothing to do with what happened to Nick. I could never kill the father of my unborn child. I definitely don’t want to be a single parent.”

It was a convincing reason. I also couldn’t imagine Rachel managing a kid on her own. Her lack of obvious grief troubled me, but it looked like she wasn’t the only one I needed to speak to about Nick’s murder.

I wasn’t ruling out Rachel, but now I had another suspect. It would be worth speaking to James to see if I could figure out what he was prepared to do to get an exclusive on the solstice celebrations.

“You get some rest,” I said to her. “There might be more police coming to speak to you in a little while.”

“Haven’t you gotten all the information you need? I need to take a nap and figure out what to do next. Nick drove me here, so I don’t know how I’m getting home.” She kicked her feet onto the bed.

“Call a cab to take you to the station.”

Rachel’s nose wrinkled. “I don’t use public transport.”

“Catch a ride in the big white van with all Nick’s equipment.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. It’s an equipment van, and it smells of old cheeseburgers and feet.”

“I’m sure you’ll figure it out.” I gestured to Wiggles, and we left the room before I made any more ridiculous comments to solve Rachel’s travel issues.

“That lady is as high as a kite,” Wiggles said. “Did you keep those panties for me? I love lace.”

“No, you disgusting dog, I did not. Keep your slobber off women’s underwear.”

“I don’t know. First, it’s no humping your pillows and then no chewing on underwear. How is a hellhound supposed to have any fun?”

“Chew on a bone and go hump someone’s leg. Pillows and underwear are off-limits.”

Wiggles grumbled under his breath as we headed down the stairs and to the front door.

I’d just stepped outside when I felt a shift in the air around me. I went to take a step and found I couldn’t move.

“Hold it right there,” Dazielle said. “We need to talk.”

Chapter 6

The only thing I could move was my eyes. I swiveled them to glare at Dazielle as she walked toward me.

Wiggles jumped in front of me and growled.

Dazielle pointed a finger at him, and he froze to the spot.

“What are you doing interviewing our prime suspect?” Dazielle stood in front of me, her eyes sparking with annoyance. “I didn’t ask you to do that.”

If I could speak, I’d be uttering curses. Instead, all Dazielle’s magic did was stir up trouble as Frank reared inside me, sensing the threat from an angel.

Dazielle snapped her fingers, and I found I could move my jaw. My limbs remained immobile. “I thought you wanted me involved.”

“In a consulting role only. I don’t want you talking to suspects.”

“I can’t sit around like you do, drinking coffee and eating doughnuts, while the prime suspect could be slipping away.”

“We do neither of those things,” Dazielle said. “But we do have to follow protocols.”

“I don’t. I don’t work for you. If I want to interview people who are likely to have killed Nick, that’s what I’m going to do.” I blew out a breath as I felt Frank’s energy curl around my spine. “And unless you want to meet Frank, remove this magic now.”

“Cool your heels and get control of your demon.” Dazielle narrowed the gap between us until we stood toe to toe.

“I’m trying, but there’s an immensely irritating angel trapping me in her magic. Anybody would feel threatened by that.”

“Let me take her,” Frank whispered in my head. “Let down your defenses. I’d love to pound this angel into the ground. She is nothing but a problem for you. I’d be happy to remove that problem.”

“Don’t think I’m not tempted,” I muttered to him.

Dazielle raised her eyebrows. “Are we going to have trouble?”

“We already have trouble. Drop your spell on me and release Wiggles.”

Dazielle folded her arms across her chest. I noticed a bag in her right hand. “You need to calm down.”

“And you need to stop being such an officious dork.”

“This is a show of good faith.” Dazielle clicked her fingers and pointed at Wiggles.

Wiggles growled at her. “You’re treading on dangerous ground, lady. When I get free, I’m chewing on that leg.”

Dazielle’s eyes narrowed. “Open your mouth,” she said to me.

“No way.”

“Do it, or you’ll be stuck in that spell all day.”

“What are you going to do if I open my mouth?”

“Calm you down and deal with Frank. You might even enjoy it.”

“I detect the scent of warm brownies,” Wiggles said, his gaze on the bag in Dazielle’s hand.

“I’m not going to do a single thing this idiotic—” Dazielle moved so fast she was just a blur. I found my mouth rammed full of something sweet and chocolatey.

“Eat that and relax.” Dazielle pulled out her own brownie and ate a piece.

“Where’s mine?” Wiggles asked.

“Chocolate is bad for dogs. You can have something else.”

“What have you got in the bag?” Wiggles asked.

I glared down at him, my mouth too full to tell him off. He was so easily swayed by something sweet. Actually, so was I. The brownie was amazing. As I chewed the enormous lump of sticky, gooey deliciousness, I felt Frank’s energy ebb and my mood improve.

Dazielle’s anger also faded from her eyes. “I figured, since we are working together, I need a few tricks to get you to be more cooperative.”

I finally swallowed the brownie and licked my lips. “And you thought that would work?”

“Hasn’t it?”

My smile was grudging. “It helped a tiny bit.”

“Good. There’s more where that came from. How about I let you out of this freeze spell and we go to Sprinkles and figure out the next move together?”

“We definitely need to go to Sprinkles,” Wiggles said. “I’m owed a cake. I got frozen as well.”

“Fine, but I won’t forget this,” I said.

“I’ve no doubt about that.” Dazielle snapped her fingers, and the magic broke around me. I noticed her tense as if worried I might strike back. She needn’t have been concerned, the brownie had done its job, and I no longer wanted to kill her. “The coffee is on you.”

“Fair enough.”

We walked side by side along the lane and away from the hotel.

“So, what did Rachel have to tell you?” Dazielle asked.

“She did her best to play the role of grieving girlfriend, but I’m not sure she gives two hoots about what happened to Nick.”

“What makes you say that?”

“The lack of tears and the fact she was laughing. She got her hands on some magic and was scarfing it down. Maybe that’s what messed with her emotions. She reckons they were serious, though. Serious enough for her to be pregnant with his baby.”

“Oh! I didn’t know that. That changes things.”

“Most likely. They could have had a falling out over the baby and Rachel lashed out, but she said she didn’t fancy being a single parent.”

Dazielle walked ahead of me and pushed open the door to Sprinkles. The place was busy, and we had to wait a few minutes before we got a table.

Patti rushed over to take our order. She raised her eyebrows when she saw us together but made no comment. “What will it be, ladies?”

“Two coffees and two blueberry muffins,” Dazielle said.

“And a bowl of water and your healthiest muffin for Wiggles, who’s eagerly waiting outside,” I said.

Patti grinned and nodded at Wiggles through the glass. “Coming right up.” She hurried away to the next table to take their order.

“I still think Rachel isn’t off the hook,” I said, “but she did point the finger at a rival journalist.”

“James Ranger,” Dazielle said. “I wondered about him. I saw him arguing with Nick yesterday when they both tried to interview the same person.”

“The way Rachel described it, they were serious work rivals. They’ve got history. James stole a story from Nick. In revenge, Nick smashed up his car.”

Dazielle nodded. “That would do it. Maybe with all the chaos of last night, James saw it as a good opportunity to get revenge. He lured Nick to the cemetery and knocked him over the head.”

“Have you found the murder weapon?” I asked as Patti brought over our order and ran outside to give Wiggles his food.

“Nothing yet, but it looks like possibly a rock. There were fragments found in Nick’s hair where he’d been hit.”

I eyed Dazielle as I took a sip of my coffee. “You’re being surprisingly open with this investigation. What gives?”

Dazielle chewed on a piece of muffin before speaking. “Honestly, we’re crazy busy at Angel Force. With all the non-magicals here, plus out of towners with magic coming for the solstice, our workload has tripled. I’ve also had to send three of my team on a mission outside the barrier. I’m shorthanded, and we have too many open files on the desk.”

“You’re saying you actually need my help?” I grinned at her.

She scowled at me. “Your help would be appreciated, but only as long as you do things by the book.”

“I don’t read your kind of books, but I will get results.”

“I can’t have you charging in and demanding answers from just anybody,” Dazielle said.

“I don’t charge in anywhere, but I don’t want to work in any kind of official capacity for Angel Force. I’m a freelance. I work best when I’m not stifled by rules.”

“I agree.” Dazielle ate more muffin. “Let’s keep it freelance, same as always. That’s how you operate when you leave Willow Tree Falls to demon hunt. I’ll give you the information, and you feed back to me. I need to know what you’re doing and what you have planned. Otherwise, it makes Angel Force look bad.”

I grinned at her. “You don’t need me to do that.”

Dazielle’s scowl intensified. “All I ask is that you tell me what you’re up to. Give me the basics and let me know if you’ve got any new suspects. And tell me if you’ve discounted anybody and why. It will make our lives easier, and I’ll stop blasting you with spells to keep you in line.”

“It will take more than a few of your spells to do that.”

“As I’m learning. Although, I see treats help. Maybe you’re not so different from Wiggles.”

I shook my head and glanced over at Wiggles, who was busy licking the crumbs off his plate.

“Actually, there is a suspect I’m interested in.” Dazielle played with her spoon. “It’s something of a delicate matter, so I wanted to give you a heads up.”

“Delicate how?”

“Tempest, there you are.” Granny Dottie hurried to our table, grabbed a spare seat, and sat down with us. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

“You have? What’s up?”

She glanced at Dazielle and frowned. “We’ve been having a few problems with these angels. They’re still not letting us have full access to the cemetery. We haven’t been able to monitor some of the weak spots for several hours, and the demons sense a problem.”

“Is there anything you can do about this?” I asked Dazielle. “You do not want a large crack developing and dozens of demons roaming around Willow Tree Falls, especially since there are so many non-magicals about.”

Dazielle nodded. “I’ll head over to the cemetery. Everything we need should have been collected by now. If you tell my squad what areas you need access to, I’ll make sure you get it.”

“Well, that’s decent of you.” Granny Dottie sniffed, not looking impressed with Dazielle’s offer. “It’s not right that our cemetery has been invaded.”

“It won’t be for much longer,” I said, glancing at Dazielle. “Will it?”

“We’ll be out of there as soon as we can. We’re trying to keep this as low-key as possible. We don’t want to scare off the non-magicals or have a media frenzy descend on us.”

Granny Dottie grabbed the remains of my muffin and ate it. “What are you two doing together, anyway? I didn’t know you were best pals.”

“In case you’ve forgotten, Mom twisted my arm to be involved in this.” I gestured at Dazielle.

“Oh yes, of course she did. She always wants the best for Willow Tree Falls.”

Dazielle cleared her throat. “Actually, you might both be interested in this. Someone in your family was seen talking to the deceased.”

“So what?” I asked, not liking Dazielle’s tone. “I spoke to him on the day he died. Do you consider me a suspect?”

Dazielle stared at me for a second too long. “No, but your Auntie Queenie was seen with him. Apparently, she made unpleasant threats.”

“Are threats ever pleasant?” Granny Dottie asked innocently.

“No, of course not. What I mean is, I will speak to her to discover how she knew the victim. The fact she was heard making threats to him and then he turns up dead in your cemetery not long after is suspicious.”

“You can’t seriously think Auntie Queenie had anything to do with this.” I shook my head in disbelief. Just when I thought the angels weren’t acting like complete idiots, Dazielle goes and spoils it.

“The information source is reliable. And your Auntie Queenie used to run with the Dead Tree Witch gang in her younger days.”

“About twenty years ago,” I said. “She’s not been a part of that gang for ages. And besides, being part of a biker gang doesn’t always make you a criminal.” It sort of did. Most of the guys in our local biker gang were on the shady side, but that was beside the point.

“I wanted to let you know out of courtesy that I would be asking her in for a formal interview,” Dazielle said.

“Let me speak to her,” I said. “I’ll clear this up. Auntie Queenie sometimes speaks before she has a chance to think. She wouldn’t have threatened anybody seriously. She didn’t know Nick, so there’s no reason for her to be involved with this.”

“No, you’re too close to this suspect. I will be interviewing Queenie. You need to stay well away.”

“I don’t think you should,” Granny Dottie said. “We can’t have Queenie thinking she’s a suspect. It won’t do her blood pressure any good.”

“She is not a suspect. And you’re not interviewing her,” I said to Dazielle.

“I am. The source is reliable, and the threat she made was serious.”

“Then check your source, because it’s wrong.” I looked at Granny Dottie. “It’s time we left.”

Granny Dottie stood. “Agreed. There’s too much pompous angel stinking up this place.”

Dazielle huffed and dotted muffin crumbs off her plate with a finger. “Don’t you say a word about this to your auntie. I only told you because I want us to have a good working relationship.”

“You can forget about any working relationship,” I said. “You don’t go accusing a member of my family of this crime. You’re wrong. Stay away from her.”

Dazielle brushed crumbs off her fingers and regarded me coolly. “I can’t do that.”

I shook my head at her. “Let’s get out of here.” I caught hold of Granny Dottie’s elbow and hurried us out of Sprinkles before I said or did something I’d regret.

“Who does she think she is?” Granny Dottie glared over her shoulder at Dazielle. “Accusing someone in our family of murder.”

“It won’t be the first time,” I said. “Those angels have it in for us.”

Wiggles raced after us. “That was a stinking bran muffin.”

“I thought you’d be full after chewing on all those panties. The fiber will do you good. Get things moving,” I said.

“I do not enjoy lousy, tasteless bran muffins.”

“It will keep you nice and regular,” Granny Dottie said.

“I’m as regular as clockwork. Ten o’clock every morning, I head out, find a quiet spot, hunch down, and—”

“No! We don’t need to hear about your daily bowel movements,” I said.

“You brought it up, ordering me an inedible muffin,” Wiggles said. “Anyway, where’s the fire? Why run out on Dazielle?”

“The angels have Auntie Queenie on their suspect list for Nick’s murder. Ouch!” Something squishy pinged off the back of my head. I spun on my heel and saw a squashed frosted angel cake on the ground. I looked back at Sprinkles. Dazielle stood outside with a handful of cakes and an angry glare in her eyes.

“Well, I never!” Granny Dottie dodged a flying cake. “The nerve of that angel.”

Wiggles instantly pounced on the angel cake and scoffed it down.

Dazielle launched another two cakes in the air. One landed squarely on my forehead. The other Wiggles caught in an impressive acrobatic display as he leaped into the air and twisted to ensure the cake landed in his mouth.

I wiped frosting off my forehead before turning and stalking away. Dazielle had just sealed her fate. There was no way I would tell the angels anything I found out after this.

“That’s more like it.” Wiggles licked his chops. “Frosted angel cakes are the perfect tonic to bran muffins.”

“Not when they’re being slung at me as missiles.”

“If you bend down, I’ll get that frosting out of your hair,” Wiggles said.

“We can’t stand for that,” Granny Dottie said. “You show those angels a thing or two.”

“Don’t worry. I will. One thing I know for sure, Auntie Queenie isn’t going to be involved in this. I won’t let the angels bother her.”

I’d show everybody how incompetent Angel Force really was by solving this murder myself.

Chapter 7

I’d taken the previous evening off from figuring out who’d killed Nick and worked through my anger issues with the dumb angels. I’d taken a shift at Cloven Hoof behind the bar, done some paperwork, and then turned in for the night, still angry at Dazielle but no longer cursing her name.

I sat at the breakfast table in my apartment with Wiggles, enjoying a huge mug of tea as my thoughts returned to the body in the cemetery. “Okay, Wiggles, we have three suspects. The whining girlfriend, Rachel.”

“Who is having the dead guy’s baby,” Wiggles said.

“That’s right. The rival journalist, James.”

“Who sounds like a scumbag and needs looking at.”

“Agreed. And then, unfortunately, we have Auntie Queenie.”

“Who can’t be involved,” Wiggles said.

“Of course she can’t, but we need to give her a heads-up as to what’s going on. There’s no way she’d want to bump off a journalist. I can’t imagine her threatening Nick. If he’d poked around the cemetery too much, she might have given him a friendly warning, but that would be it.”

I needed to get Auntie Queenie out of the picture fast, so I could focus on the real suspects. I downed my tea, shoved on my boots, and headed over with Wiggles to Mom’s for breakfast. I needed to find out how Auntie Queenie was implicated in this and stop Angel Force from hassling her.

Mom pulled open the door on my first knock, almost as if she’d been expecting me. She hugged me and ushered Wiggles and me into the kitchen. Glasses of green slime sat on the table. Granny Dottie, Grandpa Lucius, and Auntie Queenie all sat there, staring unhappily at the full glasses.

“Is this a new spell you’re trying?” I stared at the sludge.

“No, I’ve got everyone on a health kick,” Mom said. “We all overindulged at the solstice. I hear these green smoothies are a health elixir. You have one every day in place of your normal waffles or pancakes. It does wonders for the complexion and unclogs the arteries.”

“It might do wonders for the complexion if you smear it on as a facemask,” Auntie Queenie said glumly. “That is not going anywhere near my mouth.”

“It tastes much better than it looks.” Mom took a swig from her own glass. I saw her try hard not to grimace. “Maybe it needs a little something.”

“Like tipping down the drain?” Granny Dottie thumped a fist on the table. “I want my usual pancakes.”

“I’ll add some banana next time,” Mom said. “That will take the edge off the green taste.”

“It will still taste like pond water,” Granny Dottie said.

I settled at the table and waved away the offer of a glass of green sludge. Granny Dottie looked knowingly at me and inclined her head toward Auntie Queenie.

Mom sighed as she collected the glasses. “I don’t know how any of you are still alive; you eat so many pancakes.”

“Your pancakes are a health food,” Granny Dottie said. “They give me something worth getting out of bed for every morning. If you serve me that green goo every day, I’ll wither away and have no reason to live.”

“Of course you won’t wither away,” Mom said. “Tempest, have you had breakfast yet?”

“Not yet. Pancakes would be great.”

She shook her head as she pulled flour from the cupboard. “It looks like I’m outnumbered. Pancakes it is. But we will try green smoothies again.”

“No we won’t,” Granny Dottie muttered.

I grinned at her. “Have you been contacted by Angel Force?” I asked Auntie Queenie.

“I’ve not seen any angels since they were at the cemetery yesterday,” Auntie Queenie said. “They were a right pain in the behind. They cleared out late afternoon. I was glad to see the back of them, racing around pretending like they knew what they were doing and leaving bits of white feathers everywhere. It looks like someone had a pillow fight around the gravestones.”

“They left thanks to Tempest,” Granny Dottie said. “She put in a good word with her new boss.”

“You’re working at Angel Force?” Mom turned and stared at me. “I never figured you for that sort of job.”

“I’m definitely not working there. You need to be an actual angel to work there. As you can see, I have no wings and do not fart angel dust.”

“Well, you are working with them in an official capacity,” Granny Dottie said. “Tempest has a lot of influence with the angels.”

“I have no influence. I’m doing them a favor because they’re running around not knowing how to handle their workload. Dazielle asked me to assist with Nick’s murder.”

“As I told you to do.” Mom heated oil in a pan and whisked pancake batter.

“Yes, but we’ve hit a problem.” I glanced at Auntie Queenie. There was no getting around this. I had to tell her she was a suspect. “Dazielle has a source, who suggests Auntie Queenie could be involved in Nick’s murder.”

Auntie Queenie’s head shot up. “The very nerve of those angels. As if I’d do such a thing.”

“I don’t think for a second you did. But did you spend any time with the journalists yesterday?”

Auntie Queenie toyed with her fork. “Well, I did take the dead journalist and a couple of others around the cemetery. The demons were quiet, and I was at a loose end, so I showed them around and told them a few stories.”

“What kind of stories?” I asked, noticing how Auntie Queenie didn’t want to look me in the eye.

“Oh, you know, the usual sort of make believe that gets these journalists hot under the collar. None of the truth.”

“Go on.”

“I might have told them there were a few ghosts around, and if you turned up at a certain time of night, they’d see a ghost with glowing eyes.” Auntie Queenie still refused to look at me.

“What else?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. I was teasing them.”

“What did you tease them about?”

“Just that there were rumors of creatures, who breathed fire, lurking around with long claws.”

I groaned. “You told them there were demons in the cemetery.”

“I didn’t use the actual word demon. I simply described one type of demon we occasionally meet. They were fascinated. Although, there was one journalist, a snooty looking guy with lovely dark, wavy hair. He was cynical. He kept asking questions and trying to trip me up and make me look silly. I soon put him in his place.”

“That must be James,” I said. “I need to speak to him. He didn’t believe you when you told them about ghosts and demons?”

“Not a bit of it. He kept making snide little comments and trying to be funny. But the other one, the dead one, he lapped it up. He was into it and knew a surprising amount about magic. He was very open-minded.”

“How long did you spend with Nick yesterday?”

“He was there for a good couple of hours. He took lots of pictures and asked plenty of questions. He came by late afternoon.”

“You didn’t threaten him? Dazielle reckons someone overheard you making threats to Nick. They must have been the kind of threats that suggested you’d kill him.”

“What’s this?” Uncle Kenny stumbled through the back door, a strip of fresh willow bark in his hand and a huge basket of lavender over one arm. “Who’s killing whom?”

“Oh, it’s nothing, Kenny,” Auntie Queenie said. “Someone’s got their wires crossed.”

“Queenie’s in trouble with the angels,” Mom said.

“Not again.” Uncle Kenny wiped sweat from his brow, his dark brown eyes glinting with amusement. “Is this about you threatening to sacrifice those journalists to demons?” He laughed as he shook off his jacket and placed the willow bark in the sink.

My jaw dropped, and I glared at Auntie Queenie. “Say that again?”

“Well, I’m sure it was a joke.” Uncle Kenny’s grin faded as he looked around the room, realizing he’d put his foot in it. “I’m sure it was nothing.”

“Sit down and spill everything you know,” I said to him.

Uncle Kenny cleared his throat, and his gaze turned apologetic as he looked at Queenie. “It’s just that, well, they were a bit full of themselves. Queenie thought it would be amusing to have fun with them. She meant nothing by it, but she did suggest letting out a demon who likes to sacrifice humans.”

I dropped my head into my hands. “That’s what Dazielle’s source must have heard.”

“Now, Kenny, that’s not strictly true,” Auntie Queenie said quickly. “The journalists were asking a lot of questions, and I got concerned they knew too much. And Nick was a lovely young man until he started asking about a mythical ring.”

I raised my head from my hands. “I’ve heard mention of this before. What did he tell you about it?”

“Not a lot that was useful. He said he’d found a couple of letters that a great aunt kept. They had information about a ring that was supposed to hold great power. Whoever held the ring was able to influence other people.”

“That sounds like mind control magic,” Mom said as she flipped over the pancakes. “That’s powerful. There aren’t many people who can do that. Or control it.”

“Is there any truth to this ring?” I asked Auntie Queenie.

“It’s hard to say. There are stories of power being contained in certain objects. Certainly, things like crystals, stones, and metallic items can be infused with magic. It’s possible Nick read about this ring, and it once existed.”

“Not anymore?”

“All of those objects have been collected a long time ago. They’re too dangerous and unpredictable to be in the hands of most people, whether they have magic or not. Our forest guardian looks after them.”

I nodded. Willow Tree Falls forest was not just a place to take a lovely walk; it was a great place to conceal magic artifacts that caused more trouble than they were worth.

“Since Nick’s got residual magic, could his family have been involved with the collection of this object? Perhaps a distant relative kept it, and that’s what he’s after.”

“Remind me of his surname,” Auntie Queenie said.

“Saunders. Was there a family who lived here with that name?”

“There have been a few,” Auntie Queenie said. “He could be connected to the Saunders who used to live at the end of the lane.”

“I shouldn’t think so. They were gentle witches. They spent most of their time communing inside the stone circle. They’d have had no interest in getting their hands on such power.” Mom dished out the pancakes and sat at the table to join us.

“I remember reading about a Saunders family who ran the Ancient Imp before Petra’s family took over,” Granny Dottie said.

“Yes, but again, they were your average hedge witches. They gained their powers from being surrounded by trees and plants, just like us,” Mom said.

“Oh, if my memory is behaving itself, I know who Nick’s family was,” Granny Dottie spoke around a mouthful of pancake. “They were chased out of Willow Tree Falls.”

“What got them chased out?” I asked. You had to do something serious to get evicted from the village.

Granny Dottie jabbed a piece of pancake with her fork. “I won’t go into the details while we’re eating, but it involves sacrifice. They would bring in non-magicals and use their blood to make the stone circle stronger. They believed the power of the stones could be enhanced and they could channel its energy into them.”

Mom nodded. “That was long before my time, but I have heard stories about this family. They collected magic artifacts. Surely, all the items they’d collected have been destroyed.”

“Maybe not all of them,” I said.

“You’re sure Nick had no idea he had magic?” Mom asked.

“He was clueless,” I said. “When his family left, they must have started mixing with non-magicals and diluted their magic over the generations.”

“It happens,” Auntie Queenie said. “Some of those non-magicals are jolly cute.”

I wrinkled my nose. I hadn’t met a cute one yet. “Anyway, that could be the reason Nick was killed.” The thought didn’t sit well with me. If he’d been killed because of old ties to Willow Tree Falls, that potentially implicated everyone living here who knew the family. If someone figured out what Nick was looking for, they’d want to make sure he didn’t get it.

“Can you imagine a non-magical having access to that much power?” Auntie Queenie’s gaze turned worried.

“It wouldn’t end well,” Mom said. “It could destroy the non-magical. At the very least, send them mad.”

“They wouldn’t even know how to use it,” Granny Dottie said. “Just having it in their possession would alter them, though. Items like that often have a malevolent influence. They subtly twist the owner to their will.”

“If this ring is real, we need to find it,” I said.

“And in doing so, you’ll likely find the killer,” Mom said. “If someone killed Nick for this ring, they could still be in possession of it.”

“One thing I know for sure,” Granny Dottie said. “We can discount Queenie from being involved in this. She’d never want to use such a magical item.”

Auntie Queenie shifted in her seat. “I wouldn’t mind giving it a go. It could be fun.”

I raised my eyebrows and glared at her. “That almost sounds like a confession. You need to be careful what you say. Dazielle has you in her sights.”

“Oh, she’s all hot air and feathers. Dazielle can’t seriously think I had anything to do with this.”

“You’re on her suspect list, but you’re not on mine, so long as you’re being truthful.”

She shuffled around in her seat again and ate some pancake. “I am. I suggest you try that other journalist. He was too smooth for my liking. He was always eavesdropping on Nick’s conversation and trying to get a new angle. He is not an honorable man. He even leered at my chest a couple of times.”

“Don’t worry. I’m speaking to him next. If he was tailing Nick that closely, he would have overheard him mentioning this ring or perhaps if he’d planned to meet someone who knew something about it. He could lead us straight to the killer.”

“Be careful,” Mom said. “He could also be the killer.”

I studied Auntie Queenie carefully. She still wouldn’t meet my gaze as she focused on her pancakes. What was she hiding? There was something she was keeping to herself about Nick. I was absolutely sure she hadn’t killed him, but she was feeling guilty about something.

I could stay here and quiz her more, but all I’d get was the silent treatment, or I could go talk to other genuine suspects and see what I could shake free. I needed to get out there and start talking to people. Watching Auntie Queenie look shifty was getting me nowhere.

I hopped up from my seat once my plate was cleared. “Thanks for breakfast, Mom.”

“Anytime. Where are you off to now?”

“To speak to that other journalist before he leaves Willow Tree Falls.”

“Take care,” she cautioned.

“Tempest can always blast him on his smooth butt if he causes her any trouble,” Granny Dottie said.

I shook my head at her. “How do you know he has a smooth butt?”

She tutted. “Everything about that man is smooth. I bet he waxes. I bet there’s not a hair on his body beneath those expensive shirts. And he smelt like he used a lot of talc. I bet he waxes and then stands in a cloud of baby talc to cool his sore bits.”

I looked at Mom and grimaced. How was I going to get that image out of my head when speaking to James?

“Ignore her. I never know what she’s talking about half the time.” Mom glared at Granny Dottie. “I told you those pancakes are no good for you. You’re on green smoothies for the rest of the week.”

I hurried away as an argument started over green smoothies versus pancakes. I loved my family, but sometimes, I was tempted to let Frank loose on them. The things they argued about were never-ending. It came with a side order of love and affection and excellent food, but a witch has her limits.

Wiggles looked up at me as we crept out the front door before anyone noticed us leaving. “Is it time to sniff out a slimy journalist?”

“Yep, get your sniff on. Let’s see what he knows about Nick’s murder.”

Chapter 8

I headed back to Tabitha’s hotel to see if James was staying there. She confirmed he was a guest but had gone out early that morning and had not yet returned.

As I was heading back along the main street to see if I could spot James, Axel strolled out of Mystic Mushroom with a pizza box in his hand. I felt a little guilty. Rhett had warned me Axel was out of control last night, and in the mess of the murder and partying too hard, it had slipped my mind.

Axel grinned as he saw me. “How’s it going?” he asked, his teeth gleaming against his perma-tan.

“Fine. Is that a late breakfast or an early lunch?”

“I guess you could call it brunch. I had a late one last night.”

“You and everyone else in Willow Tree Falls.” I arched an eyebrow at him. “I hear you did not behave yourself last night.”

“Where did you hear such lies?” Axel’s grin widened, although he looked sheepish.

“You got some of my produce?”

“Just a little. I promise it was a one-off, a treat because of the special occasion.”

“It sounds like more than a little was used.”

His shoulders slumped. “Sorry, Tempest. I let my hair down. I don’t remember much.”

“That’s probably a good thing. Axel, you can’t do this. It sets back your detox each time you do.”

“I won’t. Never again. I forgot myself. It won’t happen again, not with you helping me.” He lifted the box. “You can have a piece of pizza if you’d like.”

I patted my stomach. I was way too full of Mom’s amazing pancakes. “Another time.”

“It’s a date.”

“No, not so much a date,” I said. “I have been meaning to check in with you. I might not be around much over the next few days, so you need to take care of yourself for a little longer. Did you hear about the discovery of a body in our cemetery?”

Axel shook his head. “Nope, I only got to sleep just after dawn. Who died?”

“No one you know. A journalist called Nick Saunders. I guess you could say I’m working with the angels to help figure out what’s going on.”

“Tempest Crypt likes angels. Who’d have thought it?” Axel winked at me.

“Just don’t let anybody else know, and the word like is not accurate. I tolerate them.”

“I won’t, so long as you don’t point the finger at me like you did the last time you helped Angel Force.”

I shrugged. “You were a good-looking suspect. I’d ruled out everybody else.”

“You got the good-looking bit right.” Axel jutted out his bottom lip. “I don’t know how I’ll manage without you. You’re my rock.”

Wiggles made an irritated sound in the back of his throat. “You should try. She can’t babysit your sorry-looking behind forever.”

Axel glanced down at Wiggles. “She’s not exactly babysitting me. She’s lending me a hand with my mushroom addiction issues.”

Wiggles made a show of strutting away and raising his leg against the side of a nearby building.

“Don’t mind him,” I said. “He’s not happy because he didn’t get enough pancakes.”

“I don’t think he likes me,” Axel said quietly.

He was right. Wiggles had never been keen on Axel, even before he could talk and voice his disparaging feelings about him. He thought Axel was far too smooth and confident and always sure he would get what he desired. Wiggles did have a point; as a trust fund baby, Axel was never short of admirers and had never had to work hard for anything if you discounted his recent failed attempt at becoming mayor. Still, I felt like I owed it to him to help him with his overly keen interest in the mushrooms I sold.

“I’ll check in with you in a few days,” I said to him. “Make sure you keep your nose clean while I’m distracted.”

Axel saluted me. “You’re the boss. And any time you want to share a pizza, let me know. I’m always happy to super-size my order so there’s plenty to go around.”

“I’ll bear that in mind. I don’t suppose you’ve seen any journalists around this morning? I need to speak to them about their dead colleague.”

“I noticed people poking around the stones with a camera. They could be journalists getting some morning-after interviews.”

“Thanks, I’ll check it out.”

“I can help if you like. I’ve got nothing on today.” Axel’s grin held a hint of hopefulness.

“No, you’re good. You enjoy your pizza.”

The sound of a rumbling motorbike engine filled the air. A few seconds later, Rhett idled by on his custom-built Harley. I couldn’t help myself. My gaze shifted, and I watched as the bike drifted along the main street and turned the corner.

“If I got a bike, would you be more interested in me?” Axel’s tone was light, but I noticed an intensity in his gaze.

“Bikes don’t do it for me.” I didn’t want Axel getting the wrong idea about us. He was attractive, moneyed, and lived in a huge house, but he was not for me.

“Hmmm. I’ve noticed Rhett around Willow Tree Falls a lot more over the last two months. Are you the reason he’s coming here more frequently?”

“I never see him. I’ve got nothing to do with that,” I said. “Besides, I’ve got enough bad guy in my life with Frank. I don’t need any more.” As much as I tried to kid myself, Rhett looked magnificent in his leathers, sitting astride that powerful engine. I glanced at Axel. He had a good side too, despite what Wiggles thought of him. He’d proved to me he was more than an entitled trust fund boy. He had depth, but it was well-hidden behind his polished facade.

“Is Frank tempting you to plant a few more kisses on me?” Axel waggled his eyebrows. “I won’t protest if he does.”

“That won’t happen again.” I shook my head at the awkward memory of Frank lunging at Axel and having us lock lips. “I’d better head over to the stones before the journalists disappear.”

I nodded goodbye, ignoring the look of dejection on Axel’s face as I headed away with Wiggles.

“Do I smell a love triangle?” Wiggles asked.

I glanced over my shoulder at Axel. “You most likely smell the trash from last night.”

“He’s into you. You should take him for a ride.”

I scowled at him. “What kind of ride should I take him on? Ferris wheel? Ghost train? Tiny steam engine?”

“Axel’s got money. Think of the dog treats he’d buy me if you dated him. He’s desperate for me to like him. I could get giant bones every day on the proviso I leave you two alone for fun times.” Wiggles snapped his teeth together.

“You don’t even like him. You’d hate it if Axel hung out at the apartment.”

“But I love dog treats.”

“I’m not dating someone because you’ll get extra treats.”

“That should be on your non-negotiable list. If your future husband does not provide your faithful hellhound with a daily treat ration, he must be instantly dumped.”

“I’ll bear that in mind when I revise my husband hunting criteria. But Axel will never be on that list. He’s just in a mess, and I’m helping him out of it.”

“What about Mr. Moody Biker? I smelt the change in pheromones when he zoomed by looking all powerful and intense.”

“You cannot smell my pheromones.”

“I smelt something. Undisguised lust, perhaps? Whatever, you need to get your love life sorted out.”

“My love life is fine.”

Wiggles made a point of looking all around, twisting his head to the sky, and then snuffling the ground.

I glared at him. “What are you doing?”

“Looking for this perfect love life of yours. I’ve not seen you get any action for a long time.”

“And you’re never going to.” I groaned and slapped my forehead with the palm of my hand. “Will you stop discussing my love life? Focus on your own.”

“Don’t worry. I do. If I told you what I got up to last night, your ears would go pink.”

“Then don’t. Keep your horn dog antics under wraps.” As we walked toward the standing stones, I had to admit my love life was non-existent. I was always concerned that bringing anybody into my life would cause problems, not just for me, but for them. The tricky thing was, when someone dated me, they also dated Frank. And I came with a talking hellhound with attitude. That was too much baggage for most people. Besides, my work kept me busy, and I was often away demon hunting. How would I find someone who’d put up with all of that?

“I smell ambition and cheap cologne,” Wiggles said.

In front of us were a half-dozen people. I recognized the other journalist, James. He wore a pair of dark jeans, boots, and a white shirt. His dark hair was swept off his face, and he had a false smile on his lips as he spoke to someone.

He turned as I approached, said a few words to the person he was talking to, and walked toward me. “Do you mind if I get a few words?”

“Only if you share some with me.”

James’s smile turned puzzled. “Sure, I’m always happy to talk. It’s part of my job, after all.” He chuckled to himself.

“You used to work with Nick Saunders?”

James nodded slowly. “I did. I heard what happened. And you are...”

“Tempest Crypt. I’m helping with the investigation into what happened to Nick.”

He held out a hand. “James Ranger. I’m a freelance journalist with the ITC. You’ve most likely seen me on the television.”

“I can’t say I have. I don’t watch much television.”

“Really? I always find it strange when people say they don’t enjoy the television. You can live such an exciting life by watching other people act it out.”

I suppressed a snort of laughter. “Yes, that’s the reason I don’t watch it. I like to live my life for real, not through a bunch of actors.”

James shook his head, the look in his eyes suggesting I’d said something incredibly dumb. “Well, whatever. I guess it takes all sorts. What do you want to know about Nick?”

“How well did you know him?”

“We’re in the same business, so our paths often crossed. ITC uses us as freelance reporters. He was a good guy but tended to jump the gun with a story.”

“What do you mean by jump the gun?”

“Nick would often rush things through, rather than getting all the information. He had a tendency to miss the right angle, the real meat of the story.”

“You were rivals?”

“We’re all rivals in this business, but it was a friendly rivalry. I liked Nick. I never saw him as a real threat to my career.” James brushed a speck of dirt off his sleeve. “I know the career path I’m on. I wasn’t being shoved off it, especially not by a nobody like Nick.”

James had just stepped over the line from confident to an arrogant moron. “Did you see Nick last night at the celebrations?”

“Of course. We were all there.”

“When was the last time you saw him alive?”

James ran his hands through his hair. “It’s hard to say. It was a crazy night. I was doing interviews and then edited several pieces to camera in the build-up to midnight. I can’t remember seeing him after that.”

“Are those pieces to camera time stamped?”

James’s smile wavered. “Of course. You don’t think I had anything to do with Nick’s death, do you? Wasn’t it an accident?”

“Most likely not. You did say you were rivals.”

James rubbed his chin. “It was nothing serious. I even helped the guy now and again. He was out of work for six weeks on one occasion. I got him a freelance gig covering a local dog show. We looked out for each other, even if we did chase the same work sometimes. If you need to check my alibi, you can watch the broadcasts on the television this evening. I’ll be all over it. You can see for yourself; I was standing by the stones just before midnight, filming the crowds and updating the audience on the exciting solstice fun.”

“I might do that. How much longer are you staying in Willow Tree Falls?”

“Another day. But if Nick was killed, I’ll stay a couple more days to cover the story. Do you really think he was murdered?” James rubbed his hands together, a gleam in his eyes.

“That’s what I’m trying to find out.” Wow, this guy was a total jerk. His friend was dead, and all he cared about was getting a story out of it.

“Can I interview you now? Get the inside scoop on the murder investigation?” James lifted his microphone.

“No, and you can’t broadcast anything about it. Not until the ang—, I mean, the police have said it’s okay.”

“Aren’t you the police?”

“I’m a freelance consultant.”

“Oh, right. This is getting even better. A consultant usually means something juicy, not your average murder.”

I shook my head. “Don’t leave the village. I might have more questions for you.”

“Not a problem. I’m going nowhere. I’m staying at the hotel if you need me,” James said, “for anything.”

I scowled at him, making it clear I was never going to be interested in anything like that. I turned to leave, looking around for Wiggles, who had loped off into the stone circle.

“Before you go, have you heard anything about this legend of a powerful ring in Willow Tree Falls?” James switched instantly into interview mode.

I feigned innocence as my heart sped up. “A ring?”

“It’s something Nick mentioned. You see, that was his problem all over. He was hunting the wrong angle. We were here to report on the solstice, and he was hunting some ridiculous legend.”

“If you think it’s so ridiculous, why are you asking me about it?”

James’s smile faltered. “Journalistic curiosity.”

I knew I shouldn’t, but I couldn’t resist. James was a jerk, and jerks needed taking down a peg or two. “Now you mention it, there is a legend about a ring. Of course, it’s not to be believed.”

James’s eyes lit up. “What does the legend say?”

I stepped closer and lowered my voice. “There used to be a family who hoarded magic items.”

James arched an eyebrow. “Magic? As in witches and spells, that kind of thing?”

“Something like that. I expect, in reality, they were oddballs who didn’t fit in, so people made up mean stories about them, a bit like you do.”

“I always report the truth. People have a right to know.” James scowled at me. “Go on. What about this family?”

“The legend goes that this family stumbled across something that had power in it. It could control people.”

James licked his bottom lip. “What did they do with this power?”

He wasn’t fooling me. He believed what I was saying. “No one knows. The family disappeared. Maybe the power consumed them.”

His brow wrinkled. “Does anyone from the family still live here? They’d be great to interview.”

“No, but before they vanished, they hid the ring in the marsh at the far edge of the forest.” Most of our forest was lovely, but there was a small corner, the corner that dipped down before hitting the magic barrier, that was swampy and gross. Anyone who stumbled in there got covered in green, foul-smelling slime. It was the perfect place for James to spend the rest of his time and get the complete experience of Willow Tree Falls.

“The ring is there?” James’s eyes gleamed with desire.

“If you believe the legend,” I said, “which I’m sure a smart guy like you doesn’t.”

“Oh, sure. Hasn’t anyone thought to go look for this ring? If it’s not got any power, it could still be worth money.”

I rubbed my head and made a show of thinking about his question. “There have been attempts over the years. But it’s not true. Why would you spend time hunting for something that’s a fairy tale?”

James pulled himself upright. “Of course, but my viewers love this sort of thing. They can’t get enough of magic nonsense and go crazy for things like unicorns and fairies.”

I shrugged. “I don’t see the appeal.”

“Hold on a second.” James looked around. “Jenny, get over here.”

I was surprised to see Nick’s assistant hurry over, a harassed look on her face.

“We’ve got a lead on the ring legend,” James said.

Jenny glanced at me. She had deep shadows under her eyes.

“You’re working with James now?”  I asked her.

“I guess so,” she said glumly.

“Find me a map of Willow Tree Falls forest. Plot out the marshy area,” James ordered.

“It’s in the north east of the forest,” I said, feeling a trace of sympathy for Jenny. I hadn’t planned for her to go wading around in the marsh.

“How big is this marsh?” Jenny looked appalled.

“It’s big. It’ll take more than one of you to investigate it.”  I looked at James.

“She’s not going to find this ring. I have to break the story,” James said. “Jenny, map out the site and give me the details. Keep quiet about this. I don’t want anybody else getting wind of what I’m doing. Also, find me a pair of wellingtons and some waders and a metal detector.”

Wow! James was going all out in his hunt for a ring he didn’t believe in.

“I’m on it.” Jenny hurried away.

I watched her go. “It’s good of you to help Jenny and keep her on the payroll.”

“What else is she going to do? Jenny has next to no experience in journalism. She should be grateful for the chance to study a pro in action,” James said. “She’s a good girl and happy to take payment in kind if you know what I mean.”

I wrinkled my nose, glad I’d told him about the marsh. I hoped he fell face-first in it and swallowed a couple of toads.

“Good luck with your search,” I said brightly.

“Will do. Thanks for the tip,” James said. “Oh, and as for Nick, I did see him with someone last night, someone he was getting friendly with.”

“A woman?”

“Yes, I’ve seen her around a few times, so I think she lives here.”

“Not his girlfriend?”

James shook his head and smirked. “If you can call Rachel that. Nick wasn’t keen on her. I guess he figured he’d found a better option and decided to forget about Rachel.”

“Who was the woman he was getting friendly with?”

“I didn’t see much of her face, mainly because it was rammed against Nick’s as they kissed. She was slim with blonde hair. She had a decent butt and an apron tied around her middle, like she was a chef or worked in a cafe.”

My spine tingled as shock ran through me. He could be describing Tilly Machello. “Where were they kissing?”

“Inside the door of that restaurant. It’s called something weird. What is it?” James tapped a finger against his chin.

“Do you mean Bite Me?” That was Tilly’s restaurant. She couldn’t have been kissing Nick, could she?

“That’s the one. They must have had a romantic dinner before getting spicy for dessert. She’s a fiery looking one, a lot better than that whining Rachel.”

I stepped back, surprised by this revelation. Why would Tilly get involved with a non-magical? What had that kiss meant? It sounded like more than a friendly peck on the lips if James was being honest.

I went to say goodbye to James, but he was already walking away. I needed to speak to Tilly and see what she was playing at.

I called Wiggles over from his investigation of the stones, and we began our walk back to the center of the village.

He cocked his head as he peered up at me. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost. Did one of the spooks from the stones get you?”

“No, not a ghost, but I have had a shock.” I still couldn’t believe it. “We need to go to Bite Me.”

“Is it lunchtime already?”

I checked the time. It was a little early, but I could eat something. “We need to find out what Tilly was doing kissing Nick the night he died.”

“Whoa, that is serious. What’s she doing locking lips with a non-magical?”

I had no clue. “That’s what we’re going to find out.”

Chapter 9

I powered along the lane and through the door of Bite Me. The enticing smell of melted cheese and freshly baked bread hit me and made my stomach gurgle.

The restaurant still had its colored bunting strung across the usually more formal framed photos of scenes from around Willow Tree Falls, and the tables each had a vase of fresh flowers on them.

The tables were filling up with early lunchtime diners. I spotted Tilly behind the counter, bagging up takeout orders.

“You wait outside,” I said to Wiggles.

He settled by the door. “So long as you feed me, I’ll stand guard.”

I grabbed a seat inside and gestured Tilly over to me.

She waved in acknowledgement and made a show of wiping the back of her hand on her forehead.

I could see it was busy, but she would have to make time. I was determined to find out what she was doing with Nick the night he died.

After waiting for about ten minutes and reading through the tasty sounding dishes on the menu five times, Tilly dashed over. “Sorry for the wait. It’s crazy busy here, which I suppose I shouldn’t complain about. What will it be?”

“Five minutes of your time,” I said.

She laughed. “The chance would be a fine thing. I haven’t had a break all morning. Heidi hasn’t shown up. I guess she’s sleeping off the after-effects of last night. I don’t suppose you fancy waiting on tables for a while?”

“I will if we can chat first.”

Tilly shook her head. “I’d love to, but I’ve got tables waiting and orders in the kitchen coming through all the time.”

“I can wait.”

Her expression became curious. “This sounds serious. Grab something to eat. Hopefully, it will get quieter in a bit, and we can talk.”

I placed an order for two club sandwiches and watched with growing irritation as Tilly dashed around. There was no chance I’d be able to speak to her if customers kept coming in.

Frank stirred inside me, sensing my growing annoyance.

“You stay where you are,” I muttered quietly to him. “I don’t need you coming out and bothering Tilly.” The last time Frank and Tilly had met, he’d destroyed her dessert counter and had me passing out in a tray of puddings.

That was one thing I could rely on when it came to Tilly; she knew how to handle Frank and was great at helping me get control of him.

His power curled around my spine in a sticky wave of evilness as he ignored my instructions to leave things alone.

“Cool your heels,” I said, tamping down on my own irritation; it was only making him worse. “There’s nothing to see here.”

Tilly dashed over with the club sandwiches and dropped the plates. “You’ll have to give Wiggles his.”

I caught hold of her hand. “I have to talk to you about Nick.”

Her cheeks flared with color. “Who do you mean?”

“You must have heard about what happened in our cemetery.” I glanced around to make sure no one was listening.

“Of course. I don’t know anything, though.” She shook her hand out of my grasp. “Come and find me later. We can chat then if you like, but I won’t be of any help to you.”

“She’s being disrespectful,” Frank muttered, as I watched Tilly race away.

“She’s just busy.” At least, I hoped she was. I grabbed a plate and took it outside for Wiggles before returning to my seat.

“We could teach her a lesson,” Frank said.

“School’s out. No one needs to have a lesson today.”

Frank had a bee in his bonnet about Tilly. The longer I sat there toying with my club sandwich and watching her work, the angrier he became. He must have been holding a grudge from the last time she’d knocked him down with her powers.

“We can leave if you’re having trouble behaving yourself,” I muttered to him.

“Not without teaching that witch a few lessons.”

I twisted my head from side to side, trying to dislodge Frank’s energy as it curled up the back of my neck. It surprised me how quickly he’d gained control. I was at full strength after the solstice, but so was Frank, and he must have decided now was a good time to test his boundaries.

I looked around the restaurant, busy with a mix of locals and non-magicals. It was a terrible time for Frank to make an appearance. When he did, he discarded all morals. Not that he had any good ones to begin with. He made me do whatever he wanted, whether that was gorging on desserts, destroying a restaurant, kissing a stranger, or ripping up somebody’s clothes. And those were the things he did for fun. When he was in a bad mood, things took a much darker slant.

I stood to leave, abandoning my half-eaten club sandwich. Frank’s energy slammed me back against the wall, and I sucked in a breath. Damn, he really was strong.

Tilly ran toward me, her mouth set in a thin line and her eyes wide. “Having trouble?”

I nodded, not able to speak. She grabbed my arm and yanked me through the restaurant and into the kitchen. “This way. I can’t have you upsetting my diners.”

“Thanks,” I choked out, ignoring the curious stares from other diners as Frank’s energy sent hot waves pounding through my body.

Tilly pulled open a door and shoved me through the doorway. Before I had a chance to realize where I was, she slammed the door behind me. I was enveloped in darkness.

“What is this?” Frank growled in my head.

“Tilly is saving me. I think she just shoved us in the freezer.” I could see nothing. It was pitch black. The air swirled around me, kissing my skin with tiny, icy pecks. I imagined my breath shooting out of me like smoke.

“How dare that witch do this to us?”

“This is your fault,” I muttered. “If you hadn’t decided to get all macho in the restaurant, she’d have left us alone.”

“She deserves to be punished.”

“Tilly deserves nothing of the sort. You need to get over your problem with her.”

“I need to destroy that witch.”

I let out a long, slow breath. At least he was focused on Tilly and not Aurora for once. Tilly could handle herself, and after last night’s solstice, she’d be super juiced with energy. Still, even I didn’t appreciate being stuck in a freezer all because my demon was playing up.

I focused on controlling Frank, taking slow deep breaths, and trying to force his hot energy back down my spine. He shifted down a few vertebrae, inching back as his power slowly uncoiled from around me.

“That’s it. Calm down. We don’t need any trouble.”

“We might not need it, but I desire it.” Frank’s energy surged up my spine, shooting up the back of my neck and covering my head. He had me. He was in control, and there was nothing I could do to stop him.

An unwelcome laugh slipped from my lips as Frank turned my body slowly around, my arms stretched out as he sensed the room we were in.

“Trapping a demon in a freezer. It seems like such a cruel punishment,” he said. “Anyone would think Tilly doesn’t like me.”

“I’m certain she doesn’t.” I was conscious of my own thoughts but no longer in control of my actions. Whenever Frank took control, I felt like I was having an out-of-body experience.

“Let’s see how much she likes me when I destroy her restaurant and maybe her along with it.”

“No! Not Tilly.” My heart raced as heat coursed through my arms and shot out of my fingers.

“Yes, Tilly. It’s time this witch learned who is in charge.” Frank pressed my hands against the side of the freezer. Ice melted down the wall, puddling at my feet.

I heard a thudding on the outside of the freezer. It sounded like scrabbling paws against metal. Wiggles must have sensed something was wrong and run through the restaurant to help me.

“I’m almost out, my little hellhound,” Frank murmured. “These walls can’t keep me contained for long.”

“If you destroy Bite Me, there’ll be no more treats,” I cautioned Frank.

Frank’s hands wavered, but his energy kept pulsing out of me. “I would miss her desserts.”

“If Tilly dies, so do her recipes.”

“You make a convincing argument. I will spare her. Maybe some light torture?”

“Or no torture at all? You should chill out and forget all about getting even with Tilly.” It was a long shot. When Frank got in a bad mood, he didn’t shake it off easily.

The ice cold of the freezer vanished as steam swirled around me.

“This might sting a little.” Frank plunged my hand through the wall. Although I could barely feel the pain now, it would hurt like hell later. My fingers curled around the crumbling brick, and Frank tossed pieces of metal and stone over my shoulder before wriggling me through the gap he’d made and into the kitchen.

Wiggles raced around and stopped before he reached me. “Oh! Hi, Frank.”

“Hellhound.”

“Any chance Tempest can come back?”

“Not at this moment.”

Theodore, the chef at Bite Me, stared at Wiggles and me for a few seconds before dropping the chocolate cake he held and racing out the back door.

“What’s going on?” Tilly slammed through the kitchen door. She skidded to a halt when she saw me out of the deep freeze.

“You’d better run,” Frank growled.

“Not a chance.” Tilly spun her hands in the air and conjured a fireball.

Frank was in charge as he threw me to the ground.

Tilly’s fireballs kept coming as Frank dodged and dived, laughing as he did so. Wiggles followed along behind me, his eyes full of concern.

“I will burn you, demon,” Tilly yelled.

For a second, I had control and rolled myself into a sitting position. “Tilly! Get Wiggles out of here.”

Tilly flicked her wrist. Wiggles shot in the air and out through the door into the restaurant, the door slamming shut behind him.

“Protecting our hellhound,” Frank said as he regained control, “a sensible thing to do.” He jumped over the counter and lunged at Tilly.

She fell backward, her head hitting the wall.

Frank reached out to grab her, but she ducked just in time. “Sorry about this, Tempest.” Tilly thrust her hands out and a jet of fire hit me in the stomach.

Frank was resisting, but Tilly was strong. Her power forced me out of the kitchen and into the alleyway. I was slammed onto my back by the weight of Tilly’s spell, the smell of burning filling my nose and making me cough.

I heard someone running toward me. My fear and Frank’s joy mingled together as Aurora raced along the alleyway, panic written across her face as she saw me on fire and splayed out on the ground.

“Mine,” Frank roared.

“No, you don’t.” I was never going to let Frank get his demon claws on my sister.

“Run!” Tilly yelled as she appeared in the doorway. “Tempest is not in control.”

Aurora blinked rapidly before turning on her heel and speeding away. She knew better than to stick around when Frank was in charge.

Her movement only excited Frank, and he took chase.

I felt the singeing blast of more of Tilly’s magic at my back, but it didn’t slow Frank. He had his sights set on his prize and wasn’t letting Aurora get away. I could do nothing but watch and hope he failed in his pursuit.

I skidded around the corner, my breath shooting out of me. I looked both ways and set off as Aurora headed along the main street. It looked like she was going to Mom’s house. That was the best place for her. There’d always be someone who could help out when Frank got out of control.

Although Aurora was fast, I was demon powered and was catching up with her.

Wiggles appeared next to me, his little legs a blur as he tried to keep up. “Oh, he’s still in control.”

“I am, hellhound. If you’d care to join in the chase of our prey, you would be most welcome.”

“No, I’m good. I like Aurora.”

“Mmmmmm. So do I.”

My heart felt like it would burst out of my chest as Frank narrowed the gap. I wanted to shout Aurora a warning, but Frank made it impossible for me to speak.

He couldn’t catch her. Aurora had her own powers but had always held back from learning the most powerful spells. She could never defeat a demon as strong as Frank.

“Wiggles, left flank,” Tilly yelled from behind us.

“Ignore the fire witch, my hellhound,” Frank said. “She is of no concern to us.”

“I’m not your hellhound, buddy.” Wiggles dropped back a few steps and disappeared from view.

“Now!” Tilly yelled.

Wiggles jumped onto my back. His weight knocked me off balance, and I hit the ground. A second later, a powerful swirl of magic wrapped around my legs and held me in place.

Frank roared as he tried to break free from these new magic constraints.

“Sorry about this.” Wiggles lay across my back and sank his teeth into my shoulder.

“You’ll pay for that, my hellhound.”

Wiggles growled and grumbled but didn’t release his hold on me.

Tilly’s spell slid up my legs, immobilizing me. She gasped as she reached my side. “Tempest, take some deep breaths and open your mouth as soon as you can.” She held a plate of strawberry tarts in one hand as the other was splayed, her magic continuing to pulse over me.

“Release me, witch.” Frank’s energy shifted, and I felt him losing control as the combination of magic and the pain from Wiggles’ bite distracted him.

“Keep going,” I managed to gasp.

Frank growled. “I need to have Aurora.”

I sucked in air, nodded at Tilly, and forced my mouth open.

She shoved two whole strawberry tarts into my mouth so hard I almost choked. “Chew and swallow. These are Frank’s favorite tarts. The sugar will take the edge off his rage.”

I nodded as I gobbled down the treats. Frank was a sucker for the sweet stuff, and these tarts were just enough to loosen his control.

“More?” Tilly asked.

I nodded again. “Fill me up.”

She stuffed in another tart. “You can let go, Wiggles.”

He detached his teeth from my shoulder, and I hissed in pain. “Sorry. Tilly made me do it.”

“I figured we needed a double whammy approach with Frank, pain and pleasure mixed.”

I licked strawberry glaze from my lips as Frank’s energy slid down my spine. “It worked.”

Wiggles jumped off me and licked my cheek. “I didn’t want to bite you.”

“I know. I’m not mad.” Although there wasn’t a part of me that didn’t hurt, it had been worth it to keep Aurora safe.

Tilly released me from her magic and held out a hand. “Let’s get you up.”

I grabbed her hand and stood slowly, suddenly conscious that we were being watched by a small crowd. “I’m fine. I just...” I didn’t know what to say to cover up this mess.

“She fainted,” Tilly said swiftly. “Happens to the best of us. The sugar from the tarts has her good as new.”

I frowned. I did not want to be known as a fainter, but there were non-magicals watching, so I played along and pressed the back of my hand to my forehead.

We walked slowly back to Bite Me, Tilly keeping a tight hold on me, her magic simmering beneath the surface as a warning to Frank.

“I owe you one,” I said.

“You owe me a lot more than one. How about you pay me back by waiting tables until Heidi shows up?”

I wrinkled my nose. It wasn’t a terrible deal. “Okay, I can handle that.”

As we reached the door to Bite Me, Frank’s energy bucked up my spine. I shoved away from Tilly as he growled in my head.

“Knock me out,” I said to Tilly as Frank creeped over my head. “Quickly!”

Tilly slammed me with a spell without hesitating, and I passed out.

Chapter 10

My head ached, and my throat felt parched as I blinked my eyes into focus. This was definitely not my bedroom.

“Take it easy.” Tilly appeared next to the bed I was in.

I ran my hands down my face, my thoughts a muddled mess of strawberry tarts and dog bites. “What happened?”

“We knocked you on your butt.” Wiggles’ face appeared by the side of the bed.

I groaned. “I think I destroyed a freezer.”

“It’s toast,” Tilly said. “Don’t worry. The insurance will cover it. You seem to be making a habit of forcing me to knock you out.”

“I’m trying not to. In my defense, you riled Frank up when you shoved me in the freezer. Maybe some warning next time?”

“And risk giving Frank the heads-up?” Tilly shook her head. “I thought the cold environment might calm him down.”

Wiggles nudged me with his nose. “You were out of control. On demon overload.”

“I know. It’s been awhile since that has happened.”

“Blame the solstice,” Tilly said. “We’re all hyped up with excess energy. It’s just a shame Frank is as well.”

I looked at her and shrugged. “I should be grateful you tried to give me frostbite.”

“I’m happy to do it any time.” Tilly smiled at me. “How do you feel?”

“Like I’ve been slammed to the ground, singed with fireballs, and bitten by a hellhound.”

“Stop feeling sorry for yourself. I didn’t bite you that hard,” Wiggles said.

I tested my shoulder. There was only a small ache. “Have you seen Aurora? She really set Frank off. He got a glimpse of her, and that was it. There was no chance of me getting control.”

“I have, but I sent her away. She saw what happened and wanted to stay with you until you woke up. I told her it wasn’t the greatest of ideas in case Frank was lurking beneath the surface when you came to.”

“Good thinking.” I sighed and stared up at the ceiling. “I shouldn’t have stayed after the solstice. But with a dead body in our cemetery and Auntie Queenie on Angel Force’s radar as a suspect, I had to stick around.”

“Auntie Queenie?” Tilly shook her head. “What’s she got to do with this?”

“Not a thing, but you know what the angels are like when they get someone they’re interested in.”

“They’re beautiful to look at but not the brightest in the village.” Tilly stroked her fingers through Wiggles’ fur a few times. “Listen, I know it’s not my place to say, but you scared a few people today. Frank was strong. He could have caused real damage if he was in the wrong mood.”

“I think your ruined freezer counts as real damage. And your chef dropped what looked like the most perfect chocolate cake in the world. That was a tragedy.”

“I’m not talking about things. I mean people.”

I frowned at her, feeling like I was being scolded. “That’s your fault. You were the one who got all handsy and slung me in the freezer.”

Tilly arched a brow. “Whatever I’d have done, Frank would have come through.”

I looked around the room. Tilly was right, but I hated to admit I was struggling. “Things haven’t been so easy with Frank recently. He’s gotten control on more than one occasion.”

“You can ask for help if you’re having a tough time,” Tilly said. “I don’t mind lending a hand. Have you ever thought about yoga?”

I laughed and shook my head. “I don’t think a downward facing dog will do me any good.”

“You’d be surprised. I practise most days. It’s very soothing. It helps to keep my energy aligned.”

“I can show you some yoga positions.” Wiggles did an elaborate stretch and balanced on his paws.

“I’m not getting into yoga.” I looked at Tilly and shrugged. “I have been having a few control issues. I thought I could handle it. I figured I was spending too much time in Willow Tree Falls. Maybe a break away from the village won’t be such a bad thing.”

“If it helps you, then that’s good,” Tilly said, her tone suggesting otherwise. “But have you ever thought that you’re running away from the real problem? By leaving Willow Tree Falls, you’re only putting a temporary stop to Frank becoming a problem again.”

“I can’t run from a problem that’s trapped inside me.” I closed my eyes for a second. Tilly made a good point. Leaving Willow Tree Falls was the easy option when Frank became trying, but it never solved the real problem, how to dislodge one frustrating, stubborn, mean-spirited demon who lived inside me.

Tilly squeezed my hand. “One day, we’ll beat that son of a demon.”

“Here’s hoping.” I slowly sat up. “Enough about Frank, the reason I came here has nothing to do with me wanting to destroy your freezer or scare the non-magicals.”

“That’s good to know.” Tilly grinned at me. “And it wasn’t to eat my fabulous food?”

“Not this time.” My expression grew serious. “Someone saw you locking lips with the journalist who was found dead in our cemetery.”

Tilly’s eyebrows shot up and her cheeks flushed red. “Who’s spreading lies like that?”

“He wasn’t here on the night of his death?”

Tilly nodded and ran her hands over the creases in the bed sheet. “He did come to dinner that night.”

“And what else?”

“Nothing else. He ate dinner and left.”

“He didn’t stay for dessert?” I stared at Tilly as she continued to fuss with the bedding. “Not even your special kind of dessert?”

Tilly tutted and looked around the room. “Of course not. He was cute enough but not my type. I wasn’t interested in him.”

“Is that because you knew he had a girlfriend, and she wouldn’t be impressed if she found out you locked lips with her man?”

“Nick was seeing someone?” Tilly pressed her lips together. “I didn’t know that.”

“Are you feeling bad because you led him astray with your amazing food and tempting ways?”

She glared at me and slapped the back of my hand. “I didn’t lead Nick astray. Don’t you go spreading rumors saying otherwise, or we will fall out. You’ll have to find someone else to deal with that butthead of a demon when he gets too annoying.”

Tilly never usually minded my teasing. I was onto something. “Since you didn’t get romantic with Nick and had nothing to do with him winding up dead, you won’t mind telling me what you were doing that night.”

“Of course not. I have nothing to hide. We ran three sittings to accommodate everyone in Bite Me. As soon as the restaurant got quiet, I headed out and helped run the food stall at the celebrations. I was there all night. Hundreds of people will have seen me.”

“You didn’t disappear for a quick smooch break with Nick at any point?”

Tilly glared at me. “I should have left you face down in the dirt. I did not lock lips with Nick. And I’m not involved in what happened to him. It’s terrible. Why would I want him dead?”

I raised a hand. Tilly was getting seriously out of sorts over this. “Did you talk to Nick when he came into the restaurant?”

“In a way.”

“What does that mean?”

“Well, if you must know, he came to dinner and insulted my food.”

“You’re kidding. Why would he do that? Everybody loves your food.”

“I know that! There you go. There’s another reason I’d never kiss Nick. I would never kiss a man who doesn’t love my cooking.”

“There must have been something wrong with him if he didn’t enjoy what you served.”

“I was appalled. The worst thing was, he ate most of it before he complained.”

“The guy must have been out of his mind,” Wiggles said. “I always think I’m in heaven when I’m munching on one of your pies. And you make the best club sandwich.”

“Thank you. I agree,” Tilly said. “So, there you go. I wouldn’t even have had him back in the restaurant, let alone stood close enough to kiss him after that insult.”

This had me stumped. Tilly was fiercely passionate about the food she served. Everything was fresh and locally produced. I’d never had a bad meal at Bite Me, and I was absolutely sure that, if anyone insulted her cooking, she’d sling them out the door.

“Maybe it was somebody else seen kissing Nick.” I eased myself off the bed.

Tilly held out a hand in case I needed it as I stood. “It must have been because it wasn’t me.”

I straightened my clothes and smoothed a hand over my hair. “Thanks for saving me from Frank. Let me know if you have any problems with getting a pay-out for your freezer. I don’t want to see you out of pocket for what happened.”

Tilly waved a hand at me in a dismissive gesture. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll get it sorted. Do you feel safe to leave?”

“Frank is not stirring. You well and truly whipped him this time.”

“It was close.” Tilly led the way down the stairs and back into the restaurant. “If I hadn’t had Wiggles helping me, I’d have struggled.”

“Just call me Iron Fist the Wonder Dog,” Wiggles said.

“Iron Fist?”

“Don’t pay him any attention. Wiggles has been trying to change his name ever since he got his voice.”

Tilly grinned, petted his head, and gave Wiggles a muffin. “This is your reward, Iron Fist.”

Wiggles grabbed the muffin and trotted out of the restaurant ahead of me.

I said goodbye to Tilly and walked out onto the main street. I felt none the wiser for my conversation with her, but she’d acted shifty when I’d quizzed her about kissing Nick. Maybe James had been mistaken, and he hadn’t seen Nick with her but another mysterious blonde wearing an apron.

I walked slowly back to Cloven Hoof with Wiggles. I had to figure out my next move to find out who killed Nick. But first, I needed to clean myself up and wash off the unpleasant tang of demon and dirt.

Chapter 11

As I shoved open the door to Cloven Hoof, the unwelcome scent of warm, downy feathers hit me. Dazielle sat at the bar, a half-empty glass in front of her.

She turned in her seat and nodded at me. “I figured we needed to talk.”

I glowered at her, my fingers automatically clenching. “Have you got any more cakes you’re intending to throw at me?”

Dazielle smirked. “I couldn’t help myself. You and your granny stomped off like a pair of big kids.”

“And you acted just as maturely by hurling cake?”

“I decided to sink to your level. It was a terrible waste of cake, but it was worth it to see the look on your faces.” Dazielle’s smirk grew. “You have to admit you overreacted when I suggested your aunt was involved in Nick Saunders’ murder.”

“You’d have done the same if I’d accused a member of your family of murder.” I strode over and sat on the stool next to her.

“Maybe, maybe not. I like to think I will always be on the right side of justice, no matter who committed the crime.”

I wrinkled my nose. I would need to deep clean this place if Dazielle got any smugger.

Dazielle looked away, and some of her smugness faded. “I wanted to be open with you about what we’ve found. I trust you’ll do the same.”

“I’ll consider it.”

She arched an eyebrow. “Have you had a chance to speak to your aunt and figure out what she was doing?”

I twisted my mouth to the side. That was the annoying thing. I had, and Auntie Queenie had been less than forthcoming. She’d hidden the fact she’d made threats to Nick, even if it had been in jest. If it hadn’t been for Uncle Kenny blundering in and revealing the truth, she most likely wouldn’t have said a thing about it.

“Your silence suggests all is not well.”

“Fine, Auntie Queenie acted a bit shady when I spoke to her. But she didn’t mean anything by what she said to Nick.”

“Which was?”

“She said something about summoning a demon who sacrifices humans.”

Dazielle coughed on the sip of drink she’d just taken. “She was joking?”

“She only ever jokes about things like that. And she only summons demons when she absolutely has to do so.”

“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.”

“Good, because that was a joke too. You see, people make dumb jokes all the time. Anyway, whatever she’s concealing, it’s nothing serious. I’ve also spoken to James Ranger, the other journalist.”

“What were your impressions of him?”

I smiled to myself as I pictured James sliding about in the marsh. I hoped he was having fun. “James claims any rivalry he had with Nick was friendly, which doesn’t tally with what Rachel told me.”

The main door to Cloven Hoof opened. My eyebrows shot up when I saw Jenny, Nick’s former assistant, come in. How was she here? She shouldn’t be able to get through the magic barrier that prevented non-magicals getting access.

Maybe my magic was on the blink. First Nick and now Jenny had broken through it. It should be impossible. When I got a moment, I’d strengthen the barrier and make sure no more non-magicals stumbled in and saw anything they shouldn’t.

Jenny waved when she saw me and hurried over. “I hope I’m not intruding.” She glanced at Dazielle and nodded.

“No, what do you need?”

Jenny puffed out a breath. “This is going to sound silly, and I apologize in advance for asking, but James insisted I come by and speak to you.”

“About what?”

Jenny tugged at the end of her hair and shuffled her feet. “I’m almost too embarrassed to say. It’s just that James has had a few people report that they saw you being chased by the woman from the restaurant and your dog.”

I glanced at Dazielle, who looked at me with a curious expression on her face. It looked like she’d missed that bit of news. “What if I was?”

Jenny’s eyes widened. “Oh, I didn’t expect you to say that. Well, that’s not so strange, I guess, but the weird thing is, people also reported seeing smoke coming out of your mouth.”

I ignored the hard glare Dazielle gave me. It seemed some other non-magicals attending the solstice celebrations also had a hidden magic radar. Rather than seeing me being chased by a dog and my friend, they’d seen Frank’s energy spiraling out of me. Note to future self: do not let Frank get control when Willow Tree Falls is full of non-magicals.

Jenny gave an embarrassed sounding laugh when I didn’t reply. “Oh, goodness, I really am sorry about this. I knew James was setting me up. He loves humiliating people. It must be a joke. Of course, that’s what it is.”

“It sounds like it must be. I think it’s impossible for people to breathe smoke.” I leaned toward her. “And I’m not a half-dragon in disguise.”

Jenny grinned. “I expect he’ll ask me to go buy a long wait next. He thinks I’m an idiot. I just proved him right.”

“You’re not an idiot. When he’s not wasting your time, how are you getting on being James’s assistant?”

Jenny’s smile faded. “Well, it’s a job, of sorts. I don’t think he’s planning on paying me, not like Nick was. I keep trying to get him to confirm my wages, but he gets all evasive. What else can I do? I came here with Nick as a part of his team, and we need to finish the story. I’ll have to look for someone else to apprentice with when this is over.”

“You’re not planning on sticking with James when you get out of here?”

“Good grief, not for a second.” Jenny’s expression turned startled. “I mean, he’s okay, but he doesn’t need an assistant. I’m sure he works better alone.”

I could imagine James had enough ego for several people not to need it bolstered by Jenny. “How’s everything going with your work?”

“It’s all a bit messy. I have some work I did for Nick waiting to be edited. Then there’s stuff from James that he’s insisting I focus on. I feel like I’m being torn in two different directions.”

“You must miss Nick. It sounds like he treated you a lot better than James.”

“He was a good guy to work for. I hope you figure out what happened to him quickly. James keeps on about getting an exclusive on the story. I feel sick about reporting on the death of a friend.”

“No doubt. We’re working on it,” I said. “We’re following several leads.”

“If there’s anything I can do, let me know.” Jenny looked around the bar. “I’d better go, or James will only complain about me. Again, I’m so sorry for asking you those stupid questions about the smoke.”

“No problem. Maybe you need to take what James tells you with a pinch of salt, so he doesn’t have you running all over the village wasting your time.”

“You’re absolutely right.” She waved a quick goodbye and hurried away.

I needed to follow my own advice when it came to time wasters. James had pointed the finger at Tilly and suggested a romantic involvement between her and Nick. He could be distracting me from his own motives for wanting Nick dead.

“What do you think of her?” Dazielle asked as Jenny left the bar.

“I don’t think Jenny’s involved. I asked her where she was the night Nick died. She’s got a good alibi. She also seems a bit too—”

“Too timid? Too innocent?”

“Both. She’s not got a mean streak in her like Rachel. Somebody must have seen what happened to Nick that night. There were so many people around. How do you kill someone at such a busy event and it goes unnoticed?”

“There wouldn’t have been anyone in your cemetery.”

“There’d have been members of my family,” I said. “Before you start accusing my aunt again, it wasn’t her. Besides, we always know when we get people blundering into the cemetery and nosing around. We discourage it, but somehow, they still sneak in. We’d have known if someone had been murdered there.”

“You weren’t in the cemetery with anyone that night?”

“I don’t often do cemetery duty. I was in the forest, getting some shuteye. The first thing I knew about the murder was when Aurora woke me and told me what had happened.” I tapped my fingers on the top of the bar. “I did see someone else in the forest. It was the wild woman, the lady with the long dreadlocked hair.”

“You’re talking about Jane Doe?”

“Erm, I don’t know her name.”

Dazielle arched a brow. “Exactly.”

“Oh, got it. Anyway, Jane might have seen what happened. She’s good at sneaking around and nobody seeing her.”

“Only seeing something? Could she have had something to do with Nick’s murder?”

“There’d be no reason she would be involved. I’ll ask her. If nothing else, Jane might have seen someone lurking around or following Nick and waiting for the opportunity to attack.”

“Good luck with finding her. Jane does not get found easily. She finds you, not the other way around.”

I shrugged. “That won’t be a problem.” The chances were Jane, or whatever her real name was, kept out of the angels’ way deliberately.

Dazielle stood. “A word of advice. From what I’ve just heard, you need to keep better control of Frank.”

“I control him just fine.” I grabbed a drink stirrer and swirled it around my fingers.

“Not from Jenny’s account of what happened to you.”

“She was exaggerating. I was out for a jog, not being chased.”

Dazielle snorted a most un-angel-like laugh. “You do not jog.”

“Maybe I just took it up.”

Dazielle tutted. “If you’re having problems, I need to know. I can’t have you becoming a threat to other residents or the non-magicals.”

“We can’t scare off the non-magicals. That would be too sad.”

“Mannie has plans for Willow Tree Falls. That means we’re to be more accommodating to the growing numbers of non-magicals. They do not like demons.”

My nose wrinkled. Mannie Winter, our new mayor, was determined to double non-magical tourist numbers. “Then they should hate this place, given what my family does.”

“You don’t want a non-magical to uncover your secret. I can’t imagine you’d ever want to be front page news. What would the headlines be: I Swallow Demons for Breakfast. My Best Friend’s a Demon. Or how about—”

“Enough! As if they’d believe I carry a demon inside of me.”

Dazielle shrugged. “You’ve heard of voodoo? People have died having their demons exorcised.”

I waved her away. Her comments were nonsense. Frank was strong, but I was stronger, and he wasn’t catching me out again. “I’ll find you later when I have something new about the case.”

Dazielle gave me a shrewd look before nodding. “Suit yourself.” She strode away, a cascade of tiny white feathers floating off her.

I watched her go, trying to ignore the urge to lob something at her head. We had a truce, but it felt like a temporary one. The sooner I figured out who killed Nick Saunders, the sooner I could get the angels off my back and out of my bar.

Chapter 12

After spending a long afternoon sorting admin at Cloven Hoof, I headed out with Wiggles to see if I could find Jane in the forest. There was no point in going until late; she never came out until dark. At least, I’d never seen her strolling through Willow Tree Falls in the middle of the day. Our wild woman of the forest lived the life of a card-carrying hermit.

I stopped at Sprinkles just before Patti closed and grabbed a fresh out of the oven apple pie covered with cinnamon sugar. Just the scent of it had my mouth watering. I hoped it would do the same for Jane. I imagined there weren’t many opportunities to eat amazing pie in the forest.

I walked away from the stores and houses and entered the forest, following the main path that cut through the trees. I skulked around for a bit, making my presence known and wafting the smell of pie around in the hope of getting Jane’s taste buds stimulated.

As I moved deeper into the forest, the path vanished, and the light faded. My foot caught in a hidden tree root, and I gasped as the pie almost flipped from my hand in my attempt to stay upright.

“If you’re having trouble keeping hold of the pie, I have a spare mouth,” Wiggles said.

“Keep walking. You’re not having this pie.” I checked inside the pie box. It had gotten shaken around but still looked edible.

“I’m just saying, four legs are better than two. And I’m closer to the ground, so I can watch out for holes and roots.” He raced off and returned a moment later with a huge branch sticking out of his mouth and nudged me with his nose.

“Since when do you play stick?” I looked down at the crumbling, moss covered branch.

He jabbed the stick into my leg.

“Ouch! Fine.” I went to take it from him.

Wiggles held on tight and growled.

“You don’t want to play?”

He jabbed me again.

“If you keep doing that, I might find somewhere unpleasant for that stick to go.”

Wiggles shook his head.

I placed the pie down carefully and caught hold of the branch again. He almost yanked me from my feet with the strength of his tug.

I pulled back and held on as Wiggles shook his head. “Jeez, have you been on the Hellhound Bulk Up Diet?”

His gaze went to the pie.

“Nooooo, not a chance. Apple pie is only going to give you a pot belly, not muscles.” I shook the stick to get his attention back on me.

Wiggles tossed his head to the side, sending me flying.

I pitched backwards and landed on my butt, right on top of the pie box. I glowered at him as I wiped dirt and leaves off my black jeans. “You did that deliberately. That’s the last game of tug I play with you.”

Wiggles spat out the stick and sat next to me, looking at the squashed pie. “I thought I’d try being a regular dog for a few minutes. You know, try it on for size.”

“How’s that working out?” I inched up the pie box lid. It was ruined.

“Not so great.” His nose edged toward the pie. “That does not look so good.”

“Nothing would look good once I’ve sat on it.”

“I should eat it. It’s a shame to let good pie go to waste.”

“You’re not getting any of this.” I dug my finger into the pie and ate a piece. “It still tastes great.”

Wiggles watched me with narrowed eyes as I tried to reassemble the pie. “What do you know about this wild woman we’re badly stalking?”

“Not much. Jane is basically a mystery. For as long as I can remember, she’s lived in these woods.”

“What powers does she have?”

“I’ve never seen her do anything with magic, but she must be able to look after herself alone out here. I’m guessing she draws her power from nature, which is why she enjoys spending so much time in the forest.”

“Huh! Well, it looks like the pie’s not working on drawing her out. Maybe she’s allergic to apples,” Wiggles said. “We should eat it.”

I looked around the densely packed trees. “You could be right. Maybe Jane doesn’t like apple pie.” I pulled open the lid and broke off a piece of crust. Despite its sad-looking crushed appearance, it was the best I’d ever had.

Wiggles whined and pawed the ground.

I broke off a small piece for him and cut three slices with my pen knife.

Wiggles made short work of his pie. “Let’s try me being a regular hound again.” He nosed the stick toward me.

“If you say so.” I grabbed the stick and threw it.

Wiggles raced off as I munched on my pie. I leaned back against a tree as I waited for him to return. Jane would definitely hear Wiggles crashing around the woods. Even if she didn’t like pie, she’d come to check out the noise. From the little I knew of her, she was protective of these trees.

I’d eaten most of my slice when I heard a faint rustle in the bushes to my right. It was far too delicate to be Wiggles. I kept eating. I didn’t want to startle Jane by letting her know I was aware of her presence.

Wiggles raced back with the stick.

I grabbed it and leaned forward. “Be discreet. I think someone is watching us.”

Wiggles jumped around and scanned the trees.

I shook my head. I shouldn’t have bothered. “Go fetch.” I threw the stick for him again.

Wiggles raced off, his tongue hanging out and his tail up.

I sensed I was being watched. Unlike Wiggles, I didn’t look around to see who it was but nudged the pie farther away with my foot.

A large, matted-haired head appeared around the side of a huge pine tree. A pair of intense dark eyes looked at me without blinking.

I nodded at Jane. “There’s pie here if you want it. I can’t eat a whole one my own.”

Jane’s head disappeared. A few seconds later, she stepped out from behind the tree. She was dressed in brown, blending perfectly with the forest. Her long, dark hair was in dreadlocks down to her waist, and her cheeks were smeared with dirt.

“What are you doing in my forest?” Her voice sounded croaky as if she didn’t use it often.

“The forest is for everyone in Willow Tree Falls. I’m here simply enjoying some pie. I’m happy to share.”

Jane’s gaze darted around the forest as if hunting for some sort of trap.

“It’s just Wiggles and me. I’m sure you’ve heard him crashing around. He won’t bother you. He’s awfully interested in your piece of pie, though, so you’d better be quick if you want any.”

She nodded swiftly. “He talks.”

“He does. He’s a hellhound.”

Jane backed up a step.

“Don’t worry. He’s a harmless hellhound. He’s my pet.”

Wiggles ran over and eyed Jane. He spat out the stick. “Just don’t tell anybody else that. Is that piece of pie mine?” He went to grab the slice set aside for Jane.

I scooped it up. “I told you this is for...” I glanced at Jane. I couldn’t use the made-up name Dazielle had given her.

“Suki. And you’re my guests in this forest.” Defiance flashed in her eyes.

I nodded. “Very well, Suki. We’ll be your guests. Perhaps you’d like to join me?”

After looking around again, Suki walked over slowly, giving Wiggles a wide berth. She grabbed the pie and backed away before settling lightly on top of a fallen tree trunk, looking ready to flee if anything startled her.

I gave her a moment to calm down and let the apple pie work its magic.

“It’s good pie,” she muttered.

“The best. I’m guessing you don’t get into Willow Tree Falls too often to sample anything from Sprinkles.”

“I do. From the dumpster.”

“The dumpster?”

“Patti throws away anything that spoils. Sometimes, she leaves a bag by the side of the dumpster. It’s always got good stuff in it, edible stuff. I take what I want and leave the rest for anybody else.”

Wiggles dropped the stick and stared at Suki. “There’s a bag of cakes left out every night behind Sprinkles? Why did nobody tell me?”

“Because you don’t need any more cake,” I said.

Wiggles growled at me. “I do. What else don’t I know about? Maybe Brogan leaves a pile of puddings behind his place. Or I could get free pizza for life if Tate does the same at Mystic Mushroom.”

I groaned. “I’m not letting you out dumpster diving in the middle of the night.”

“It’s not a problem. I’ll let myself out.”

Suki laughed quietly. “They’re good to me, the local residents. I think they look out for me.”

I felt a slither of sympathy for Suki. Even if she did get left treats, it couldn’t be much fun hunting for your food out of the trash. I glanced at Wiggles. He hunted in the trash for fallen treasures all the time and was thriving.

“I saw you at the solstice celebrations,” I said.

“I saw you as well, sleeping in my forest.”

“It’s a safe place to sleep.”

“Usually it is. I don’t like it when there are so many non-magicals around. They have no respect for the place. They make noise and leave litter. It’s disrespectful.”

“Were there many in the forest that night?”

“A few. I kept out of their way.” Suki looked over her shoulder. “They’re not right in the head, some of them. Just today, there was a guy in the marsh making all sorts of noise. He kept cursing and falling over like he didn’t have a clue what he was doing. He was stabbing a stick into the ground as if he was looking for something he’d lost. He gave up in the end after he pitched headfirst into the marsh. He came out looking like a swamp beast.”

I grinned. That must have been James eagerly following my suggestion to hunt for the ring. “I don’t suppose he found anything useful during his search?”

“Other than a few unpleasant marsh-borne diseases, I doubt it.” Suki shared a small smile with me.

“A few people have mentioned seeing you on solstice night.”

“I was around. It’s hard to stay out of people’s way when it’s so busy.”

“You don’t need to stay out of the way. You’d have been welcome to join in.”

“I hate crowds. They’re too tiring.”

“Sometimes it’s nice to have company, especially on a special night like the solstice.”

“Maybe. I celebrate in my own way.”

I nodded. Parties weren’t for everyone. “Did you see any journalists that night?”

Her gaze flicked to me before drifting away. “You’re investigating the dead one in your cemetery?”

“Yes, I’m trying to figure out who hurt Nick.”

“I didn’t see him.”

“Not even once? Nick was around a lot interviewing people, taking pictures, and talking to the camera. Around midnight, he was talking to a bunch of women wearing unicorn horns. That would have been hard to miss.”

Suki finished her pie and licked the crumbs off her fingers. “I don’t remember that.” She jumped to her feet as if eager to leave.

“You can have another piece of pie if you’d like.”

She eyed the pie greedily. “Maybe a small piece.”

I cut a generous slice and handed it to her. “Why do you live in the forest?”

“It’s better that way. It’s easier. People think I’m weird.”

“Everyone’s weird in Willow Tree Falls.”

She shrugged. “I’m weirder than most.”

“Any time you want to come in for a coffee, I’m always around. You’re welcome at Cloven Hoof. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you there.”

“You won’t. The forest gives me everything I require. I serve it, and it nourishes me.”

Suki talked in a way that suggested she protected the forest and felt responsible for it. If that was so, that made her a wood nymph. But she couldn’t be a wood nymph; they were tiny. They rarely grew to more than four feet in height. She was at least six-foot five and broad in the shoulders and hips. My mom would have said she had hips for childbearing.

Suki looked at me intently. “Have you got any idea who killed Nick?”

“I’ve no idea. Well, I have a few ideas but no evidence. You’re sure you didn’t see anything that night?”

She scuffed the ground with her foot. “I knew his family.”

I stared at her in surprise. “You did? I thought they moved away a long time ago.”

“Nick Saunders, that was his name?”

“That’s right.”

She shrugged and nodded. “I know them. I remember his grandparents.”

“But that would make you...” I stared hard at Suki. If she knew Nick’s grandparents, that must make her at least eighty years old.

“I knew them but didn’t like them. They were always invading my forest and seeking things that didn’t belong to them.”

“What sort of things?”

“Objects containing magic. Things they had no right to own. Some they kept, and some they sold. I made it my job to keep things like that out of their way whenever I could, but they kept hunting for more. I didn’t get that sense about Nick, though. He seemed like a good person.”

“So, you did meet Nick?”

Suki looked away. “I didn’t say that. I never spoke to him.”

“You were close to him. You must have seen him and seen how he interacted with others to consider him a good person.”

She twisted a dreadlock around one finger. “Maybe. I was curious. I sensed his magic, but I realized he had no idea of his power. It’s unusual for someone with magic not to feel it when they come to somewhere like Willow Tree Falls.”

“Nick definitely felt something. When I met him, he could see the demon I carried. He didn’t know what it was. Maybe coming here awakened his abilities.”

Suki nodded. “Perhaps. It’s too late for him now, though. It’s a shame. I was sorry to hear of his death. Us magic users need to look out for those who need help.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, what exactly are you?”

She flashed me a nervous smile. “You probably already know. I look a bit different to others of my kind.”

“Well, I’d have guessed you’re a wood nymph.”

Suki nodded. “You’d guess right.”

“But you’re...” I looked her over.

“Enormous. I know. I never stopped growing. It was such an embarrassment to my parents. When I shot to over five foot tall, they started worrying about me. I kept getting bigger and bigger. Eventually, my dad was so convinced Mom had had an affair with a giant that they split up. I’m sure that wasn’t true. They were ashamed of me. I could only handle so much teasing before it became too much. I decided the best thing to do was stay out of people’s way. No more pointing fingers and people whispering behind my back about my freakish size.”

It sucked that people could be so needlessly cruel. Suki seemed like a good person. “I’m sorry to hear you were bullied. You don’t need to hide now, though. If anyone says an unkind word to you, you can give them a backhander and send them flying. That will make other people think twice.”

Suki shook her head. “I’m not a violent person unless my forest is being threatened. I don’t think I could hurt anyone.”

“Then ask me. I’m happy to bang heads together if people say unkind things. You don’t have to hide, not anymore.”

She looked around the forest and sighed. “It doesn’t feel like hiding. Besides, I need to stay here and protect the forest. There are too many people who’ve been poking around lately. I wasn’t sure what that journalist was looking for in the marsh, but if he found it and reported the information to others, it will bring more people. People mean damage to my trees. I can’t have that. I need to keep everything safe and protected.”

“What are you protecting?”

Suki worried her bottom lip with her teeth. “The secrets in the forest.”

“Do those secrets have anything to do with the objects containing magic you mentioned?”

She looked around the trees. “I shouldn’t say.”

“It could help in my search for Nick’s killer. He was asking about a ring that had power. If my hunch is right, he’s not the only one looking for that ring. Maybe he got too close to it or even found it.”

“Oh dear, this is terrible.” Suki paced backwards and forward. “I never thought it would come to this.”

My heartbeat sped up. “What? Do you know about the ring?”

She nodded, her expression glum. “It should never have happened. There are so many objects hidden in the forest. Normally, I’m on top of it. I do a daily check to make sure everything is where it should be. With the solstice celebrations and so many people about, it felt so stifling. There were times when I didn’t want to leave my home. I stayed hidden inside because it was so hectic, and I couldn’t face being spotted and laughed at.”

“Why is missing a day of checks such a bad thing?”

Suki turned her guilt-filled eyes to me. “One of the objects went missing. I was horrified when I went to its location and it was gone.”

“What was taken?”

Suki hung her head. “It was a ring. Many of the items I watched over had been collected by Nick’s family. Some they stored in the forest for their own use. I took them when they weren’t around and hid them. Of course, they were furious, but they never knew who took the objects. They asked me about it a couple of times, but I pretended I didn’t know anything. Then they got evicted from Willow Tree Falls, so I didn’t need to worry about them. Instead, I simply guarded the objects they’d left behind to make sure no one else abused them. I knew the forest would keep everything safe.”

“You made yourself an unofficial guardian of these objects? You keep them safe, so they don’t fall into the wrong hands?”

She nodded. “Yes, it always worried me that things with so much power could corrupt. Now, it looks like that’s what has happened. That nice young man found the ring and was killed because of it. It’s all my fault.”

“Nick’s death isn’t your fault. He shouldn’t have been looking for something with that much power. The only person to blame is whoever killed Nick to get their hands on this ring.”

Suki wrung her hands and paced some more. “I was foolish. I let the situation get on top of me. I’m not as young as I used to be, and keeping tabs on all the objects is getting too much. I was hoping I’d have an apprentice by now, but it never happened. I’m all alone. Besides, who would want to work with me?”

Poor Suki. She had zero self-belief and now blamed herself for Nick’s death. “Lots of people. You’re unique. A giant wood nymph is something special. You should embrace your difference.”

“That’s easy for you to say.” She gestured at her hulking form. “I scare most people.”

“Hey, you’re looking at a witch who lives with a demon inside of her. You won’t meet many people like me.”

Her gaze ran over me, and she smiled tentatively. “Maybe we’re not so different.”

“Exactly. And, since we are so similar, I bet you also notice when someone’s not being straight up with you.”

Suki looked at me out of the corner of her eye. “What if I do?”

“Well, you’ll notice those little tells and the things they do when they’re lying. My sister, for example, twitches her nose when she’s concealing something. It’s such a giveaway. She’s been doing it since we were kids.”

Suki nodded. “I might notice things like that.”

“And you might also notice when someone is trying not to draw attention to themselves or maybe when they’re watching someone else.”

She turned to face me. “I didn’t see anything like that when Nick was killed.”

I sat up straight. “But you saw something?”

She stared intently through the trees in the direction of the stone circle. “I saw...”

“What? What did you see?”

“At the stones. It was late. Most of the people had gone.” Suki shook her head. “I was wandering around, seeing what people had left behind and tidying up their mess. It makes me so mad to see how little regard non-magicals have for the place.”

“Is that when you saw Nick?”

Suki nodded. “He was taking pictures and walking around.”

“Was he alone?”

“For a while.” Suki’s bottom lip trembled. “Then someone ran out of the shadows.”

“Did you see who it was?”

“No, they were dressed in black. Nick didn’t see them coming. They knocked him over the head.”

“He was attacked inside the stone circle?” That would explain the lack of blood at the cemetery.

Suki nodded. “Nick hit the ground hard. Whoever it was, they whacked him over the back of the head several times. He wasn’t meant to get up from that.”

“The killer moved his body?”

“They must have, but I didn’t see. I ran off but then came back. By then, Nick had gone. I went to take a look but couldn’t see anything. I expect, if you shift some dirt, you’ll find blood.”

“What did they do with Nick’s body?”

“I didn’t see how they moved him.”

My hands balled into fists. “Someone went to a lot of trouble to conceal their tracks. Was it a man or a woman?”

“I can’t say. Most likely a man. Nick was a well-built guy.”

I noticed a flush on Suki’s cheeks. It looked like she had a small crush on our dead journalist. “What time was this?”

“Really early in the morning. It must have been around one o’clock. Nearly everyone was gone. There were a few people sleeping, but they didn’t wake up. Nick was the only one awake.”

“It was a risk to drag his body from here to the cemetery. It must be a quarter of a mile. They’d need to be strong to do that.”

“Which makes me think it was a man,” Suki said.

“Most likely. It could be James, Nick’s journalist friend.”

“If you mean the other guy who’s been covering the solstice celebrations, then they aren’t friends,” Suki said. “I overheard them arguing. Nick was furious and telling the other guy to keep his nose out, and it was none of his business.”

“Was he talking about the solstice? He didn’t want James interfering with his reporting?”

“I don’t know, but the other guy told Nick to watch his back.”

I picked pie crumbs off my shirt as I considered what Suki had told me. The more I heard about James, the less I liked him. Assuming he survived his experience in the marsh, I needed to talk to him again.

“I think he’s involved,” Suki said. Her gaze went to the remaining pie.

“Me too. Thanks, Suki.” I cut up the remaining pie and shared it between the three of us. James had just jumped to the top of my suspect list. It was time to quiz this smug journalist again and get the truth out of him.

Chapter 13

After leaving Suki in the forest, I headed home with Wiggles to get some sleep. Not that I’d gotten much. I’d tossed and turned thinking about the magic ring, Nick’s body being moved from the stone circle, and who could have done it.

I dragged myself out of bed just after dawn. I needed a hearty breakfast and a strong mug of coffee if I was going to face the day and not kill anybody.

Wiggles was still asleep as I pulled on my boots and grabbed my keys. I nudged him gently with the toe of my boot.

He raised his head and blinked up at me blearily. “Is there an emergency?”

“It depends if you consider eating breakfast an emergency.”

He jumped to his feet and shook out his fur. “I consider it an emergency. Why the early start?”

“Because we need to get this mystery figured out and fast. We can’t have everyone in Willow Tree Falls thinking the Crypt family had anything to do with Nick’s murder. Whoever moved the body might have been trying to implicate someone in the family, and that’s unacceptable. I need to find James again and see what he knows. He definitely had it in for Nick.”

Wiggles eyed me suspiciously. “Breakfast first, though, right? Otherwise, I’m going back to sleep.”

“Breakfast first. I’ll treat you to something from Unicorn’s Trough.”

“Now you’re talking.” Wiggles barged ahead of me and ran down the stairs. “Hurry up.”

I shook my head and grinned as I locked the door, walked down the stairs and through Cloven Hoof. It was another bright, sunny day, although chilly, as the sun hadn’t long risen. I strolled through the quiet streets, enjoying the calm that always came before the bustle as the stores opened their doors and everyone turned out for the early shift.

Unicorn’s Trough opened at six, and I knew Brogan would have breakfast on the go.

There were several other people in the cafe when we entered. I nodded at Brogan, who was chatting to another guy at the counter.

I settled at a table by the window and perused the menu.

“I’m having hash browns,” Wiggles said, “two rounds of bacon, some maple syrup pancakes, and a side order of waffles.”

“Not a chance. I’ll order you a breakfast special, but that’s it.”

Wiggles checked the specials board. “I can live with that. Ask for extra toast.”

Brogan strolled over, a smile on his stubbled face. “I don’t usually see you here this early.”

“I’ve got lots to do today.”

He raised his dark eyebrows. “If it has anything to do with suggesting our out of town journalists visit any more unusual tourist hotspots, like the marsh, you might like to re-think that.” Brogan nodded toward the counter. “That guy has some serious issues with you.”

I looked back to the counter. I hadn’t recognized him at first, but it was James. “Oh, he must have misunderstood me. I told him to stay away from the marsh. It’s a terrible place. No one goes there.”

Brogan grinned. “Sure you did. What will it be?”

I placed an order for two breakfast specials. Brogan filled a coffee mug for me before strolling off to put the order in with the kitchen.

I watched as James hopped from his stool at the counter and paid for his breakfast. He turned and froze when he saw me, his cheeks flushing red and his eyes narrowing. He stalked over and glared down at me.

“Good morning,” I said sweetly.

“You made me look like an idiot yesterday.” James jammed his fisted hands on his hips, making him look anything but macho.

“Why, what did you do?”

“You knew going into the marsh was a wild goose chase. Admit it. There was never a ring there. You wanted to make me look stupid.”

“I’m thinking you probably don’t need any help with that.”

James scowled at me. “I’ve ruined a pair of my favorite suit pants.”

“Then you really are dumb. Why would you wear a suit to go into a marsh?”

“I didn’t know it was going to be an actual full-on marsh. The kind of place that sucks your feet in and threatens to drown you if you don’t watch where you’re going, complete with slime and goodness knows what lurking below the surface and making weird gurgling, burping sounds.”

“Then I wouldn’t have called it a marsh. I thought you were going to wear waders?”

“That idiot Jenny couldn’t find any. I had to make do with wellies, and the disgusting water was soon over the top of them. I poked around there for hours looking for some signs of recent disturbance. There was nothing. That’s because there was never anything to find, was there?”

I tilted my head from side to side. “How about this? I’ll tell you the truth about the ring if you share what you’ve learned about it.”

His frown deepened, but there was a glint of excitement in his eyes. “Why would you do that?”

“Because I think that ring is connected to your friend’s murder. Didn’t you say you wanted an exclusive story?”

James’s jaw dropped. He snapped it quickly shut. “You think someone killed him for this ring? But it’s not even real.”

“You seemed to think it was real enough yesterday to go hunting around the marsh for it.”

He shrugged and gestured to the chair opposite me. I nodded, and he sat down. “It’s a journalistic hunch. And Nick was so convincing about this ring. I got the sniff of an exclusive story and decided to follow it. I figured the ring was an old heirloom. If nothing else, I might earn a bit of money if I discovered it and printed a decent story. Or I could even sell it if I couldn’t sell the information.”

“You don’t think there’s any truth that the ring has some kind of magic power?”

James chuckled as he played with the salt and pepper pots on the table. “Doubtful, but I’m willing to keep an open mind. There are always crackpot publications willing to buy a story about mythical objects or strange creatures that are spotted. You can earn a couple of hundred for snapping a blurry shot of Big Foot. Actually, you might be able to help me with that very thing. I’ve had a few people report seeing a yeti in the forest.”

“A yeti!” My thoughts flew to Suki. “There are no yetis here.”

“You’ve never seen some kind of Big Foot character lurking around the woods? Someone said it had dreadlocks and fur all over its body. It’s supposed to be over ten feet tall, a real beast, but most likely, some homeless guy who needs a bath and a change of clothes.”

I kept my expression as neutral as possible. “Nope, I’ve never seen anybody like that in the forest.” Suki would be devastated if anybody thought she looked like a yeti or even a harmless homeless bum.

“I figured it was a long shot. I want to gather as many stories as possible while I’m here to make it worth the while. After the story runs in today’s news about the solstice, I need to follow-up with a few other things. Nick’s death is top of my list, but I was hoping this ring mystery and the story of the yeti might be worth pursuing.”

I shrugged. “Neither the ring nor the yeti mystery sound promising.”

“You said you’d share what you know about this ring. I’ve told you what I know. Now, it’s your turn.”

I decided to give him the barest of information, just enough to show willingness. “I’ve never seen this ring, so I don’t know if it’s even real. All I’ve heard is that people think it’s powerful.”

James’s eyes narrowed further as if he was trying to work out if I was yanking his chain. “You’re telling me you actually believe a ring can give someone superpowers?”

“I never said superpowers.”

“It sounds to me like a case of simple greed. Someone’s got their eye on a bit of gold and wants to make money. They attach some nonsense myth to it in the hope of bumping up the offers.”

“That could also be true. The ring is old. Old things can be valuable. I’m guessing Nick thought he was onto something when he heard about the ring and decided to look into it while he was here.”

James leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms over his chest. “I figured it had to be something boring like that. That’s not a story.”

“Was it another story you and Nick argued over?”

James frowned. “We never argued.”

“You didn’t tell the truth about you being friends. Rachel told me you were rivals in business. I also heard you were seen arguing with Nick the night of the solstice and told him to keep his nose out of your business.”

James shrugged. “That’s how we rolled. Journalism is like that. You have to be at the top of your game or you’re forgotten about. There’s always somebody else right behind you, wanting to claim the story and put their name on the by-line. There’s no harm in it.”

“There is if Nick was killed by you.”

James’s laugh was sharp. “Yeah, right. I wouldn’t kill for a story.”

“Maybe you would if your career was on the line.”

He placed his hands flat on the table and glared at me. “My career is perfect. I’m heading straight for the top as I’ve always planned. Hanging around Willow Tree Falls and reporting the murder of some second-rate journalist isn’t getting me my breakthrough story. And boring pieces to camera about a bunch of eccentrics dancing around stones and making up nonsense about mythical rings is the stuff of local journalism.”

Whoops, it looked like I’d touched a nerve. “You want to make the big time?”

“I will make the big time. I’m almost there.”

“If this ring myth has any truth to it, that would be a story and a half.”

James’s lips thinned to an unpleasantly ugly line. “Is it true or not? Or do you spin lies and nonsense about a ring to lure in the tourists?”

I was getting bored with James and his thinly veiled ambitions. “It’s nonsense. Don’t believe anything you hear about it.”

“Maybe you’re concealing the truth from me because it is valuable. Maybe you’ve got the ring. Maybe you took it from Nick and killed him to get your hands on it.”

“You’re over-stretching your journalistic license by going that far. I live here. If there was a powerful ring, I’d know about it.”

“Maybe not. Nick could have arrived with new information. Information you killed him for.”

This conversation was not going the way I’d planned. James had turned the tables on me and was accusing me of killing Nick. “I don’t need a ring to give me power.”

“What are you, the mayor? I thought it was that overweight guy with the hideous beard.”

“Our mayor doesn’t have a hideous beard.” It was a huge, well-oiled beard, the kind you could lose a sandwich in, but Mannie was proud of his beard.

“I should speak to your mayor and see what he has to say about you passing yourself off as some kind of official in charge,” James said. “He might also know about the ring.”

“Mannie won’t know anything, because there’s nothing to know.”

“If it’s here, I’ll find it. I never give up on a good story, and this one is showing promise. If I can tie Nick’s murder with this ring, it will make it more interesting.”

“Good luck with that. I can suggest a few more places if you’d like to look for the ring.”

James scowled at me. “Not if they involve any kind of slime.”

“They most likely will.”

James leaned across the table. “I know you’re hiding something. Tell me what you know.” He yelped and leaped out of his seat.

I looked under the table to see Wiggles had clamped his teeth ever so gently around James’s calf. I kept the smile from my face as I watched sweat bead on James’s forehead.

He flailed in his seat and pointed at Wiggles. “Get him off me.”

“He’s not doing you any harm, but he will if you continue to be mean.”

“I don’t like dogs, especially not ones that bite.”

“Wiggles is not biting you. He’s making sure you remember your manners. You seem to have forgotten them. Maybe they fell out when you landed in the marsh.”

James made a strange squealing sound, his eyes bugging out. “He’s breaking the skin. I’ll have him put down.”

I glowered at him. “I’d like to see you try.”

“I will. There are laws about this sort of thing. Dangerous dog laws. I know my rights. I did a reportage about dog fouling.”

“That sounds about right. Talking about what a dog passes out of its butt is about your level of journalism.”

“I know a dog can’t bite me and get away with it.”

“That will do, Wiggles,” I said as he ripped through the fabric of James’s pants.

Wiggles let go of James and gave me an exasperated look, suggesting he was just beginning to enjoy himself.

James tipped back in his seat, and it toppled over, taking him with it.

Brogan hurried over and helped him up. “Is everything okay here?”

“You need to be careful who you let in this place,” James said as he smoothed his shirt, his angry gaze fixed on Wiggles. “And you shouldn’t have animals in here. It’s not hygienic.”

“Tempest’s dog is a special case,” Brogan said as he raised his eyebrows at me.

“He’s special all right. He won’t feel so special when I get the vet around to give him a lethal injection.”

Wiggles growled at the same time I did.

James scuttled backwards. He wagged a finger at me. “I won’t forget this.”

Wiggles stalked toward him, nudging him with his nose to the door.

James squawked before turning and hurrying out of the cafe.

Brogan righted the chair and straightened the condiments on the table. “Is there anything I need to know about?”

“No, he was an idiot, but he might be a troublesome one. I have a feeling James won’t stop hunting for a story he doesn’t have a right to tell.”

“What kind of story?” A bell rang at the counter. Brogan raised a finger. “I’ll bring your breakfast, and you can tell me about it.”

I patted Wiggles on the head as we waited for our food. “Nice move. That guy was winding me up.”

“He must have that effect on everybody. I don’t know what happened, but I got an overwhelming urge to bite him. Unfortunately, he sprays his pants with cheap cologne. They did not taste good.” Wiggles stuck out his tongue.

Brogan returned with our breakfasts and his own mug of coffee. He placed Wiggles’ food on the ground and passed me my plate before settling in a seat and refilling my coffee mug. “So, what was this journalist after that got Wiggles so riled?”

“James is a nuisance. When he first got here, he was looking for an angle on the solstice. You know what it’s like at this time of year; we always get non-magicals poking around and looking for some daft story or amusing anecdote. The journalist who turned up dead in our cemetery, he was into something else. He’d found information about a magic ring.”

Brogan nodded. “James was asking me about it. Although he hid his interest well, he thinks he’s onto something.”

“Which worries me,” I said as I took a bite of my toast.

“He’ll never find it. Unless an item wants to be found, it will stay hidden.”

“That’s the problem. I think the ring has been found. Suki was looking after it, and it’s gone missing.”

Brogan’s eyebrows rose slowly. “It’s not like her to let anything go missing.”

“You know Suki?”

“I wouldn’t say I know her. I see her sometimes out back. I leave her food. She’s very shy, but I think she’s sweet. I know she looks after things that don’t deserve to be in the hands of those who can’t control them. And a non-magical like James would not be able to control a ring of such power.”

“Do you know what ring he’s after?”

Brogan took a long sip of his coffee before speaking. “If I’m right, it’s the Ring of Halo. It’s dangerous. You should leave it alone. That ring will consume anyone who wears it.”

“I’ve never heard of the Ring of Halo. When you say it consumes somebody, what does it do to them?”

“It twists them and changes them. When the user first gets their hands on the object, it makes them feel positive and strong. It brings out their best qualities. That’s a front. What the ring actually does is absorb the abilities of the wearer. Any magic user who has it will initially get a burst of power and become strong. That’s a short-term benefit. What the ring wants is to lure you into a false sense of security and make you believe it’s doing you good. Only then does it leach your power. That’s why it’s so strong. Over thousands of years, that ring has absorbed small amounts of individual magic users’ abilities.”

“For what purpose?”

“Nobody knows who made the ring. Its original purpose has been lost. Perhaps it was never intended to do that and malfunctioned. You shouldn’t go anywhere near it. It will affect your abilities. It could also make Frank stronger, and nobody wants that.”

I shuddered as Frank stirred at the mention of his name. “I definitely don’t want that. I’ve been having a few problems with Frank.”

Brogan nodded, his expression serious. “I did hear about the chase through the streets. Your sister is okay?”

“She’s fine, but it took Tilly a serious amount of effort to get Frank to submit. I couldn’t control him.”

“That must be... unsettling.”

“You could say that.” Brogan knew all about tricky abilities. His ancestors were vampires, and he was the long-lived offspring of a human and vampire coupling. He rarely talked about it, but Brogan had his own demons to master.

“Best you leave this ring alone.”

I ate some of my delicious breakfast as I considered my options. What Brogan said was sensible. If this ring was as powerful as he claimed, I didn’t want to be anywhere near it. I definitely never wanted Frank to get his demon claws on it and use it for nefarious means, like getting revenge on Tilly or finally getting to Aurora. But what if this ring was the solution to Nick’s murder? Maybe the killer still had possession of the ring. Find the ring, find the killer.

I sighed. It could also be a huge distraction. Nick could have been killed after an argument that went wrong, and the ring was as mythical as King Arthur.

Brogan tapped the back of my hand and smiled. “It looks like you’ve still got some work to do before you find the answers to those questions rolling around your head.”

I nodded. “I do, but thanks for the advice on the ring.”

“Proceed with caution.” Brogan stood and drained his mug of coffee. “If you need any more advice or simply another nice breakfast, you know where I am.” He winked at me before walking away.

“You should marry him,” Wiggles said as he looked up from his empty plate.

I arched an eyebrow. “Where did that come from?”

“Brogan makes the best breakfast.”

“Which isn’t exactly grounds for a perfect marriage.”

“All good relationships have to have a solid basis. The guy who makes a killer breakfast has to be in your top five. And he isn’t too shabby with the puddings.”

I watched Brogan serving more customers. He was a decent guy, solid and dependable, and he had a flirty side. Wiggles was right; his breakfasts were amazing. But I wasn’t husband hunting, I was suspect hunting. And right now, I had a whole heap of suspects and no glue to make any of them stick.

Chapter 14

Following a luxuriously long time spent at Brogan’s, I headed to Angel Force to report my suspicions about James. Dazielle wasn’t in, so I left her a note to let her know that Nick’s body had been moved, and he’d been killed in the stone circle. I also made a few notes about the possible ring link.

As I headed back along the main street, I spotted Rachel walking into the Ancient Imp.

I peered through the window and saw her sitting at the bar. A moment later, Petra Duke served her an enormous bright red cocktail, complete with a lit sparkler and tiny pink umbrella.

“That had better be a non-alcoholic cocktail,” I said to Wiggles.

“Whatever it is, it looks good,” Wiggles said as he propped himself up next to me on the windowsill. “I could do with one of those.”

“You’re right. We should get our own.” I pushed open the door and entered the bar.

Petra nodded at me as I approached the bar, her long dark, silver-streaked hair piled up on her head. “It’s a little early to see you in here.”

“I was just passing and fancied a drink.”

“What will it be?”

“The usual lemon water.” I glanced at Rachel and arched an eyebrow. “You must have gotten out of the wrong side of the bed if you’re starting so early with a boozy breakfast.” I nodded at the cocktail.

“Oh, this.” Rachel’s cheeks flushed. “I’m still grieving over Nick. Losing my sweetheart has taken a lot out of me.”

I stared at her stomach. “It’s all fruit juice, I suppose?”

Rachel pushed the glass away. “It’s nothing, a little pick me up.”

“Nothing alcoholic?”

Petra snorted a laugh as she passed me my drink. “There’s enough alcohol in that cocktail to fell an elephant.”

I looked back at Rachel. “Is that so? That can’t be good for you and the baby.”

Petra grabbed the cocktail and yanked it out of Rachel’s hand. “You never told me you’re pregnant.”

Rachel’s gaze dropped to the floor. “It was a mistake.”

I narrowed my eyes. “The drink or the baby?”

Rachel looked up at me and scowled. She gestured to Petra. “That’s my drink. I’m having it, and I won’t be doing anybody any harm.”

Petra looked at me for support, and I shook my head. “Maybe I’ll give you a lemon water, instead.”

“I don’t want lemon water. I want my cocktail. That’s what I paid for, and that’s what I’m going to have,” Rachel said.

Petra shook her head. “It’s not right. I refuse to serve you.”

“It is right.” Rachel leaned over the bar. “I’m not pregnant.”

Petra looked down at Rachel’s decidedly flat stomach. “Well, you don’t look it. Maybe you’re too early to show a baby bump.”

“There’ll never be a baby bump because I’m not carrying a baby. Now, give me my drink.”

Petra placed the cocktail back on the bar and slid it toward her.

I watched as Rachel took a huge gulp of the cocktail. “Why did you lie to me about being pregnant?”

Rachel glanced around the bar. “Not here.” She gestured for me to follow her to a quiet corner. We sat at the table, and I waited for her to continue.

She looked at me and sighed. “I never meant to lie. I did want a baby with Nick. I was trying so hard, but he wasn’t taking our relationship seriously. I had to find a way to make him grow up.”

“So, you faked being pregnant?”

“I thought it would be good for us. It would give Nick something positive to focus on and stop his obsession over beating James. It was so tiring. Every day he’d complain about James and how good he was at his job and how he always beat him to the best stories. Not only was it tiring, but it was boring. Nick wasn’t focusing on us. I decided, if we had a baby together, it would make him do that. It would make him realize how important I was to him.”

“What were you going to do when he realized you weren’t pregnant?”

“It would have happened. I was taking every opportunity I could to get pregnant by him.”

I wrinkled my nose. “I get the picture, but it would still have been suspicious if the baby didn’t arrive for another twelve months.”

“I’d have figured out something and concealed the truth. Nick was so busy that he probably wouldn’t have noticed if I got the dates messed up. Anyway, by then, it would have been too late. Even if he found out I’d lied to him, we’d have been having a baby together. That would have kept us together and made him take our relationship seriously.”

That sounded like a terrible way to keep a relationship going, lie to a guy, trick him into thinking he’s going to be a dad, and then get yourself pregnant. There was a recipe for an unhappy life. “What makes you think he didn’t know you were lying to him?”

“Nick didn’t have a clue. He trusted me.”

“Are you certain he didn’t find out?” It sounded like an excellent motive for murder. If Nick had figured out how devious Rachel was being and dumped her, she was spiteful enough to get her revenge. I imagined Rachel wasn’t the kind of woman who was used to being dumped.

“No, it was nothing like that. I’ll admit Nick was being on the cool side with me in the last few weeks. That was all the more reason I needed to get pregnant. I had to give him a reason to stay with me.”

“Or you could have accepted you weren’t right for each other and moved on to somebody else. It sounds like you need someone with lots of ambition. Have you ever thought about dating James? He has a tenacious way about him.” He also had a hole in his pristine pants, thanks to Wiggles, and squealed like a frightened mouse when scared.

Rachel scowled at me. “James is ambitious. I have looked at him a few times, but he made it clear he’s not interested. He said something gross about sloppy seconds not being his style, whatever that means.”

Wow, Rachel was something else. She’d decided to stay with Nick because James didn’t want her and then faked a pregnancy to get Nick to stay with her.  She was the girlfriend from hell. She’d fit in nicely in the demon prison. I should offer her a one-way ticket.

“Since you lied about the baby, you might also have lied about the rivalry between James and Nick.”

She shook her head. “Absolutely not. They hated each other.”

“Prove it.”

Rachel glared at me over her almost empty cocktail glass. “Why should I?”

“Because I’m investigating your boyfriend’s murder, and you’ve not been telling the truth. Therefore, you’re unreliable and have a motive for wanting Nick dead.”

“I do not. I’ve never wanted Nick dead. Well, maybe I wanted him hurt sometimes when he wouldn’t buy me what I wanted or refused to take me to my favorite restaurant. But dead, never.” She slurped the glossy cherry off her umbrella stick.

“I don’t believe you. I should take you to the station for further questioning.”

Rachel scowled at me. “Fine, I can prove it. I’ll call Nick’s editor, Ivan. He worked with Nick and James. They were vying for the same staff position at the paper. He’ll show you I’m telling the truth. He knows all about their rivalry.” She pulled out her mobile and stared at it for a few seconds. “It’s so strange. This thing is always going on the blink here. You must have a terrible cell signal reception.”

I grinned at her. It wasn’t the cell signal that was the problem. It was all the magic in the village that messed up the phones. It’s why no one used them in Willow Tree Falls. “We have the worst. Barely anyone uses a mobile around here.”

She stared at me as though I’d said something obscene. “What a nightmare! How do you check your social media? I’ll give it a go and see if I can get through to Ivan.”

It took Rachel several attempts, but she finally got the call to connect. “Put me through to Ivan.”

I sipped my drink as I watched Rachel’s eyes narrow. It looked like bad news. “No, I don’t believe he’s out. He always speaks to me. It’s urgent. Tell him it’s Rachel Fortesque.”

I glanced down at Wiggles and winked at him. He shook his head and settled his muzzle on his paws as if expecting this would take a long time.

She raised her eyebrows at me and shook her head. “These receptionists are so full of themselves. They act like guard dogs, thinking they have control over you just because they decide whether you get to speak to their boss. It’s pathetic.”

“I can imagine,” I said.

“Ivan, it’s Rachel. How are you, sweetie?” She pressed a button and placed the phone on the table.

“Good thanks,” Ivan boomed out of the speaker. “How are things with you? I hope Nick’s treating you well. Let me know if he’s being a bad boy.” His chuckle sounded lecherous.

“Oh, I’ve got some sad news about Nick. He’s dead.”

Ivan made several spluttering sounds. “What happened?”

“I’m not sure. It’s a terrible blow. I’m so distraught.” Rachel sniffed loudly and looked at her empty glass.

“You poor thing. I hope you’re being looked after.”

“I’m managing, but you know what these places are like. Everything takes forever to get going.”

My smile felt too much like a snarl, so I pinched my lips together.

“I’ll have to find someone to fill Nick’s shoes. You’ve got James with you, haven’t you?”

“He’s here.”

“Well, that’s a good thing.” Ivan cleared his throat noisily. “In a way, as difficult as this is, it makes it easier for me. I wasn’t sure who to pick out of the two of them. They’ve been fighting for the same spot for months. To be honest, it was getting unpleasant.”

Rachel rolled her eyes. “Tell me about it. Nick was obsessed with getting that position. It’s all he talked about.”

“At least he can’t stress about it now. Nick is in a better place. I tell you what. I’ll put a nice piece in the paper about him, a memorial to Nick. That way, we won’t need to do a whip around in the office for flowers for his funeral.”

“That’s thoughtful of you,” Rachel said. “Nick would have liked that.”

“Excellent. I’ll confirm James in the staff position and get him to write it.”

I almost choked on my lemon water. I did not like to think what James would write about Nick when he was forced to create that piece of fiction.

Rachel looked at me and nodded. “See,” she mouthed.

I shrugged. I’d heard enough from the unsympathetic editor and mulled over the remaining suspects as Rachel wrapped up her phone call.

“Is that proof enough for you?” she said. “I told you Nick and James hated each other.”

“Hated each other enough for it to lead to murder?”

Rachel frowned. “I don’t know about that. They mainly messed up each other’s work, playing mean pranks that sort of thing.”

“You don’t think James killed Nick?”

“Killing for a job? That suggests desperation. And although a position on Ivan’s paper pays okay, it’s not the New York Times.”

“If you say so. You’ve never seen them actually fight?”

“It was always verbal sparring. I imagine the last time either of them had a fist fight, they were in the playground wearing short pants.”

“When we spoke at the hotel, you mentioned Nick talked about a ring he was looking for.”

“An engagement ring? Did he say something to you about getting me an engagement ring?” Rachel’s eyes flashed with a look that had to be desire.

I repressed a sigh. “No, but he talked about his search for a ring while he was here.”

Rachel shrugged and looked out the window, her interest vanishing. “I didn’t listen to his boring work stories. He said something about an old ring, but I lost interest.”

I shook my head. I was not surprised that the only time Rachel listened was when the information related to her bare finger getting a huge rock on it.

“I need to get out of here,” Rachel said. “I’ve had enough of small towns.”

“You’d better not go anywhere too soon.”

Rachel’s eyes narrowed. “Why not?”

“You’ve proved that you’re a liar, and you’re deceitful, which suggests you could have had something to do with Nick’s death.”

“Me! I had nothing to do with it. Can’t you tell how upset I am?”

I couldn’t. She could turn on the water works when she needed to, but I’d never seen anyone less distressed over losing a loved one.

“Make sure you stick around until you hear otherwise,” I said. “You might have more information that’s useful to the investigation. After all, you do want to find out who killed Nick, don’t you?”

“I guess. If I stay much longer, I’ll die of boredom.”

“It’s better than being dead because someone smacked you over the back of the head. You can survive a few more days here.”

Rachel scowled at me. “I can stay a couple more days.”

“Tempest, you’ve got a message from Dazielle,” Petra called from behind the bar.

I welcomed the chance to get away from Rachel. I left the table and walked to the bar.

Petra pointed to the snow globe tucked discreetly in one corner. “She says she wants to see you over at the standing stones immediately. When does Dazielle get to order you around?”

“Since we formed a temporary alliance. Can you let her know I’m on my way?”

“Will do,” Petra said. “Has this got to do with the dead journalist? You think she’s found out who did it?”

I nodded as I hurried to the door with Wiggles by my side. “Let’s hope so. Then everything can get back to normal and our... tourists can head on home.”

Petra looked over at Rachel. “Here’s hoping.”

As I hurried away from the Ancient Imp, hope fluttered inside me. Maybe the information I’d passed on from Suki had led Angel Force to the killer. They could have found evidence at the standing stones and were about to make an arrest.

This mystery was about to be solved, and I couldn’t be happier not to have to deal with uptight, lying girlfriends and sneaky journalists.

Chapter 15

I slowed as I hurried past Sprinkles on my way to the standing stones. I spotted Auntie Queenie coming out of the bakery with a box of cakes.

Wiggles immediately abandoned my side and raced over to her. He sat neatly in front of Auntie Queenie and raised one paw.

I jogged over to catch up with him. “Are you celebrating?” I pointed to the box.

“There’s always a reason for cake.” Auntie Queenie looked down at Wiggles. “But you’re not getting any.”

He whined and nudged her leg with his nose.

She chuckled. “You can stop that. Where are you off to in such a hurry?”

“We’re on our way to the stones. Nick was killed there.”

Auntie Queenie’s eyebrows shot up. “There you go then. That proves my innocence.”

I tilted my head to the side. “Not that I think you’re guilty, but how come?”

She pursed her lips. “As if I need to prove my innocence to you. But it would make no sense for me to kill someone at the stones and then move the body to the place I spend most of my time. Only an idiot would do that.”

“Or maybe you’re being extra clever. You could have taken Nick’s body to the cemetery, thinking you could conceal him in a grave. Someone disturbed you before you could finish the ghastly deed, and you had to abandon the body.” I didn’t mean it, not seriously, but it was always amusing to wind up Auntie Queenie.

She jammed one hand on her hip. “As if I would desecrate our cemetery by doing that.”

“I’m just trying to think like an angel. They might think that exact thing and haul you in for questioning.”

Auntie Queenie puffed out her cheeks. “Then I’m glad I’ve got all these cakes. It’s stressful being a murder suspect. I’ll be comfort eating all day at this rate. I might have to take up jogging to shed the extra pounds gained if this doesn’t get wound up quickly.”

“That’s your fault. You shouldn’t conceal information.”

Auntie Queenie’s eyes widened. “What information have I concealed?”

“You were hiding something when I came to breakfast. You wouldn’t have said anything about threatening Nick if Uncle Kenny hadn’t put his foot in it.”

“That’s why I always tell him it’s best if I do the talking. Don’t worry. I’ve had words with him. He won’t be doing that again any time soon.”

“That’s not really the point. Why hide it if it’s not important to this investigation?”

“I didn’t do it because I’m guilty of murder. I did worry it made me look bad.” Auntie Queenie sighed. “Your uncle is right. I did sort of threaten Nick. He was being so sure of himself. He acted like he knew everything about magic. I only said those things to spook him and give him a little humility.”

“What exactly did you do?”

Auntie Queenie looked around, not meeting my gaze. “I might have shown him inside the family crypt.”

“Did our ancestors’ remains creep him out?”

“Nick said it wasn’t the first time he’d seen a pile of old bones.”

That didn’t seem so bad. We never encouraged non-magicals in the crypts, but he wouldn’t have seen anything he shouldn’t. “That’s it?”

“I might have mentioned the demon prison.”

My jaw dropped. She had to be kidding. “Why would you do that?” We always worked so hard to make sure non-magicals had no clue what went on there.

Auntie Queenie waved her hand in the air. “He didn’t believe me. Nick thought it was some silly tourist folktale. He said he was surprised I didn’t charge him to come into the cemetery, which is actually a good idea. We could make every non-magical who wants to poke around pay to enter. It would help with the upkeep of the prison, and I’d have more money to spend on cake.”

“That’s an excellent plan,” Wiggles said, his gaze fixed on the cake box. “We can start a treat fund for hungry hellhounds.”

“We aren’t doing that. The last thing we need are hordes of non-magicals traipsing over the graves. Think how much it will irritate the demons. An irritated demon means a tougher job for you.”

“We can threaten the demons with it. We’ll tell them, if they don’t behave themselves, we’ll set the non-magicals on them.” Auntie Queenie chuckled to herself.

I grimaced. That would certainly work on me. “Is there anything else you’ve decided not to reveal?”

Auntie Queenie opened the cake box and sniffed. “These do smell lovely. Can I tempt you with one?”

“Go on,” Wiggles said. “I’ll take two.”

“No, stop distracting me with cake.” I pushed the lid back down. “What else did you tell Nick?”

“It was nothing serious. I simply suggested he should come back that night. I told him I’d show him a demon.”

“Were you being serious?”

She shrugged. “There was something about that young man that intrigued me. For all his bluff and confidence, he had a genuine interest in magic. He wasn’t a wide-eyed Goth looking to commune with the Devil or a New Age type smelling of incense. He wanted to believe so badly.”

“You sensed his latent magic abilities?”

“I believe so. I was curious to see what he really knew and how far I could push his belief before it became too much.”

“Did Nick come back to meet your friendly demon?”

“That’s just it; he never showed. I was shocked when his body was discovered in the cemetery. I hoped he hadn’t come looking for me and his killer jumped out and got him. I’d feel terrible.”

“You were on duty that night, weren’t you?”

“That’s right. I was there with your uncle Kenny and your mom for part of the night. We kept swapping, so everyone got to have fun at the celebrations.”

“Are you sure you didn’t see or hear anyone? Someone would have carried him into the cemetery.”

“Not a thing. Whoever it was, they were swift and quiet. They brought him in, left him, and vanished. It makes me think they must have magic to be so stealthy. Few people get past me in that cemetery.”

“You should be careful. If you were there, the killer might have seen you. You don’t want them coming after you if they consider you a threat. They might be worried you saw them.”

“What nonsense. One little killer won’t stop me.”

“Even so, watch your back. I should know more from Angel Force once they’ve spent time at the site of the murder. If anyone is acting oddly around you or you get the feeling you’re being followed, let me know. The killer is still on the loose.”

“So long as you don’t still think it was me, then I don’t really mind being stalked,” Auntie Queenie said. “But you need to hurry up and find the killer before I stress eat my way to an early grave.”

“That’s the plan,” I said.

“Good girl.” Auntie Queenie pulled a sugared doughnut out of the box and handed it to me. “Make sure you keep those angels off my back. I can’t have my reputation tarnished by them trying to put me behind bars.”

I grinned at her and bit into the sugared doughnut. “You don’t make it easy on me, but I’ll do my best.” I gave her a wave goodbye as I hurried away, Wiggles glued to my side in the hopes of getting some doughnut.

Auntie Queenie had been foolish encouraging Nick, and she had revealed far too much about what went on in the cemetery. Her conversation with him might have sparked his interest in demons, and he’d asked the wrong person the wrong question and gotten himself whacked over the head.

“You know, it’s rude not to share food,” Wiggles said.

I passed him a piece of doughnut and brushed sugar from my fingers. “Let’s hope the angels have found something useful at the stones. It’s time we wrapped up this case and got on with our lives.”

“I’m thinking we need a long holiday,” Wiggles said, “somewhere hot and sunny.”

“You’ve never liked hot and sunny before.”

“Things change. Now, I run hellhound hot. I’m thinking a bit of extra sun will do me good. And I’d like someone cute to rub suntan lotion on my belly.”

“I’ll think about it. But if you’re considering a holiday, you need to get in shape. That means no more doughnuts.”

Wiggles grumbled. “Maybe a vacation is a bad idea. Part of the fun on a holiday is you get to eat as much as you like with no one telling you how fat you are.”

“You won’t get anyone cute to rub your belly if it’s too big.” We headed up the hill to the standing stones. As we got near, I saw Dazielle and two other angels walking around, looking official.

Dazielle raised her hand when she saw me. “I got your message. We came out here to take a look.”

“What did you find?”

“Blood covered over by dirt, just as you said. It looks like Nick was killed here and moved to the cemetery,” Dazielle said. “Although I have no clue why they’d want to move him.”

“To make it harder for you?”

“If that’s the case, it’s working,” Dazielle said. “Any progress on interviewing people?”

I gave her a quick update as to what Auntie Queenie had told me and the conversations I’d had with Rachel and James.

Dazielle scowled at me. “What your aunt says makes sense. I guess it was a long shot thinking I could pin the murder on a crazy old lady who spends all her time in the cemetery eating cake.”

“I’ll pass those kind words on to my aunt.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t,” Dazielle said. “As for Rachel, she definitely needs to stick around. She could be lying about more than a fake pregnancy.”

“That’s my thinking. But would she have the strength to kill Nick and drag his body to the cemetery?”

“It would be a job, and it would be tricky not to be spotted doing it,” Dazielle said. “Even though Nick was killed early in the morning, there should have been a few late-night partygoers around. It was a huge risk moving the body.”

I looked at the dark stain on the ground uncovered by the angels. “What do you think about the information I left about this mysterious ring? Has that got something to do with this?”

Dazielle twirled her long, blonde braid around her hand. “It might, but I’ve got no clue about it.”

“I spoke to Brogan. He suggested it might be the Ring of Halo.”

Dazielle’s cheeks paled, and she swallowed loudly. “Let’s hope it’s not. Journalists do not want to be writing a story about that particular ring.”

“It’s missing,” I said. “Suki, also known by you as Jane, was looking after it in the forest.”

“Heavens above! Then it needs to be found and quickly,” Dazielle said. “A missing ring and a body being moved that nobody noticed. Someone with magic must be involved. Someone strong.”

Uh oh, Dazielle had that look in her eyes. The one suggesting she was making up a new theory that was most likely wrong. “I’m thinking we find the ring, and we find Nick’s killer.”

“I had an anonymous tipoff come in about someone seen in the woods around the time of Nick’s murder,” Dazielle said. “I didn’t take it seriously at the time. It was so vague, but since the killing took place here, it could be relevant.”

“That someone could have been me.”

“From the description, I’m sure it was Jane, or rather, Suki. And she’s strong and knows a lot about magic. She also had access to the ring and could be lying about it being stolen. Maybe she decided to try it and got in over her head.”

This was her genius idea? “No, she didn’t do that. She was mortified about the ring going missing.”

Dazielle paced around. “I’m onto something here. We’re bringing Suki in for questioning.”

That was a terrible plan. “She won’t be thrilled about that. It took me a while to convince her to come out of hiding when I spoke to her. Suki is never going to agree to leave the forest.”

Dazielle’s blue eyes gleamed with excitement. “Which is why we’re sending a search party in tonight. We’re going to flush her out of hiding and make her talk. Suki is involved.”

A shiver of shock ran through me. She couldn’t be serious. “She’s not. I’ve already talked to her. You don’t want to do that. The forest is her home. Suki is fiercely protective of the trees.”

“Which means she considered Nick a threat and decided to get rid of him.”

“Whoa! Slow down with this crazy theory. Why would she kill someone? She’d just scare him off if he made a nuisance of himself.”

“It would have been easy for Suki to wait for an opportunity when it was late and dark and Nick was on his own. He could have gone into the forest earlier in the day and done something to upset her.”

“Why point me to the blood stain if she killed Nick? It’s too obvious.”

“To make us think she’s being helpful and throw us off her trail.”

“Maybe she is being helpful. Suki was the only one to see the murder take place. She could have kept quiet, and we’d be none the wiser. She’s trying to assist us. Don’t penalize her for that.” The angels were so quick to find an easy target and pin the crime on them. They’d tried to do it to my sister, and now, they wanted to do it to Suki.

“If you’re so concerned, you can always assist with the search for Suki.” Dazielle glared at me. “After all, we are supposed to be working together.”

“I’ll help with the search.” There was no way they were going to yank a confession out of Suki. I would be here tonight, and I would be helping, but I wasn’t helping the angels. I would make sure Suki wasn’t dragged in and terrified into confessing to something she didn’t do. Just because she was a bit different didn’t mean the angels could make her a scapegoat.

“Great. Meet us back here at eight o’clock.”

I nodded as I took a final look around. I’d be in the search party, but it wouldn’t go the way Dazielle wanted it to go.

***

“Are you sure I can’t have a head torch?” Wiggles walked alongside me as I strolled away from Cloven Hoof.

“You don’t need a head torch. It’s not even fully dark, and you have those glowing eyes. They must help you see at night.”

“I have twenty-twenty vision no matter what time of day or night it is. A head torch would look cool.”

“That’s debatable.” I wanted to make sure I got to the search in plenty of time. My plan was simple; be the first to find Suki and warn her what was going on and give her a chance to get away before the angels got her.

“Just keep focused on what you’re doing tonight,” I said to Wiggles. “Remember where we last saw Suki. We’ll head there and see if we can get her attention. Whoever sees her first warns her what’s going on. Then we distract the angels until she’s in the clear.”

“Got it. These angels won’t know what’s hit them.”

“Don’t draw attention to yourself. If they think we’re working against them, they might shut us out of the rest of this investigation.” I wanted to see this through and make sure the angels didn’t make any more blunders. I was also curious about this ring. I didn’t want to use it, but it intrigued me.

As we arrived at the stones, there were six angels and Dazielle already assembled. So much for the element of surprise and getting a head start.

I recognized the team of angels. They were all tall, stunningly blonde women with bright blue eyes and perfect skin. For once, they weren’t wearing their trademark white but dark brown and black clothes.

Dazielle finished up her conversation and walked over. “I’m glad you could join us. We’re about to begin.”

“Great. Lead the way.”

The angels formed a line. Dazielle led from the middle as we walked into the forest. It was tricky to see all the angels but easy for me to break away without being noticed and head to the place where I’d shared the squashed apple pie with Suki.

A shout came up from the end of the line Wiggles was covering. “I see someone.”

All the angels dashed toward the sound of the voice. I stayed where I was and continued on my own. I didn’t want to alarm Suki, and I had to hope they were following a false trail; otherwise, she’d be in real trouble.

I spotted movement ahead and sped up. I might be tracking a rabbit, but it would have to be a huge rabbit. “Suki, wait up,” I whispered loudly.

I slowed as I tried to catch a glimpse of her. A rough-palmed hand shot out from behind the tree I was passing and grabbed hold of me. Suki slammed me against the trunk. Her eyes were wild, and her whole body shook.

“What’s happening? Why are angels in my forest?”

“Listen, you don’t have much time. Angel Force thinks you’re involved in Nick’s murder. They’re here to bring you in for questioning.”

Suki’s bottom lip wobbled. “Why do they think that?”

“We don’t have time to talk about it. You need to get out of here. Lie low for a few days until I’ve figured this out and talked sense into them.”

Her dark gaze fixed onto me. “You don’t think I had anything to do with it, do you?”

“No, but the angels think they’re onto something. Once you’re in custody, it will be harder to convince them of your innocence.”

“I can’t leave my forest.” Suki looked around, fear in her eyes. “It won’t be safe if I’m not here.”

“Which is why you’re going to stay hidden. Have you got somewhere safe you can hide?”

She nodded and dropped her hold on me. “I can stay out of people’s way if I need to do so.”

“Then do it. I’ll lead the angels in the opposite direction and give you a chance to get away.”

“Thanks, Tempest.” Suki raced away into the gloom of the trees.

I watched until I couldn’t see her anymore before heading in the direction I’d last heard an angel shout. I side-stepped a huge tree and walked straight into Dazielle.

“What happened to you?” She glared down at me as I backed up a few steps.

“I heard a noise and went to check it out.” I resisted the urge to check over my shoulder. “Did you find anything?”

“It was a false alarm. We spooked a deer.”

“Great. I mean, better luck next time. Let’s keep looking.”

Dazielle narrowed her eyes. “I heard you talking to someone.”

“It was just Wiggles.”

“I don’t see him.” She looked around. “Where is he?”

“Off hunting for Suki, just like we should be.”

Dazielle shook her head. “He was at the other end of the line. I saw the two of you separate when you joined us. What’s going on?”

“I’ve got something,” a voice yelled through the trees.

Dazielle opened her mouth as if to say more but then snapped it shut. “We’ll discuss this later. Let’s go.”

We’d discuss nothing if I had my way. Dazielle might not be the brightest angel in the box, but I hadn’t fooled her. I hurried after her, worry running through me as we headed in exactly the same direction as Suki had run. She didn’t have a big enough head start, and angels could move quickly. Fortunately, the densely packed trees made it impossible for them to take flight; otherwise, it would be easy for them to spot Suki.

The sounds of scuffling and a muffled yelp came through the trees.

“Let’s move.” Dazielle trotted along in front of me.

As we entered a small clearing, my eyes widened. Suki stood in the middle of the clearing, an angel on either side of her. Her hands were balled into fists and her teeth bared in a terrifying snarl.

“Be careful,” Dazielle said as she inched closer. “We don’t know what we’re dealing with.”

“We do,” I snapped. “She won’t harm you. Suki’s a wood nymph.”

Dazielle’s jaw dropped. “That’s impossible. She’s gigantic.”

“It doesn’t matter how big she is. Suki’s here as a protector of the forest. She thinks you’re a threat to her sanctuary, so she will defend herself.”

“She’s the threat. Angels, take her down,” Dazielle ordered.

“No, wait!” I lunged forward, trying to block the angels’ path to Suki.

Dazielle shoved me back. “Stay out of this fight, Tempest. You’re not needed.”

“Suki, get out of here,” I yelled as I watched the angels drop into a fighting stance and extend their wings. They had muscular wings that spanned over eight feet and could break a man’s arm with a single swipe.

Suki’s panicked gaze went to me as an angel landed on her back. She flicked the angel over her shoulder and kicked dirt in her face before spinning and sucker punching another angel who dared get too close.

“Don’t fight,” Dazielle said. “It will only make things worse for you.”

“Of course she’s going to fight. You’re attacking her.” I silently willed Suki to kick their butts. She did not deserve this treatment.

“It’s my forest,” Suki gasped. “There’s no fighting in my forest.”

“Then come quietly,” Dazielle yelled.

Suki shoved back an angel who’d tried to grab her. She picked up a huge branch and swung it in a circle around her, the remaining angels scattering as she did so to avoid being pulverized.

“We don’t want to hurt you.” Dazielle held out her hands, trying to placate Suki, and almost ended up with a head full of splintered wood.

“You’re doing a terrible job of proving that,” I muttered.

Dazielle glared at me before continuing. “Come quietly, and we’ll have no more problems.”

Suki threw the branch like a javelin. It slammed into an angel’s chest. She charged another angel and barreled her backwards into a tree.

Despite how angry Suki was, I could see her shaking with fear. The angels weren’t playing fair. I dodged past Dazielle and ran to Suki. “Calm down. This isn’t doing you any—” I flew through the air, punched in the gut by Suki in her blind rage and panic.

The breath slammed from my chest as I hit a tree and thudded to the ground.

I could do nothing but watch as the angels overwhelmed Suki. She was lost under a pile of white feathers and fists.

Dazielle stomped over and glared down at me. “I should arrest you, as well.”

“What for?” I struggled to my feet and sucked in air, my lungs feeling almost as bruised as my back.

“You interfered in Angel Force business. You’re supposed to be on our side, not helping a murderer escape.”

“First off, Suki is not a murderer. As usual, you’re getting this wrong. Second, you asked me to be involved because you can’t cope with sunburned, hung-over non-magicals complaining about losing their ice cream. And third, I never side with bullies. You didn’t need to come here with feathers blazing. Suki’s done nothing wrong.”

Dazielle scowled at me. “That’s for me to decide. Stay out of this. Your work is done on this case.”

“What are you talking about? You can’t charge Suki just because she lives in the forest and prefers trees to people.”

“I will charge her when she confesses.” Dazielle turned to the angels, who held Suki firmly between them. “Take her to the station. Get her ready for questioning.”

“You’re being an idiot,” I said to Dazielle. “She’s not involved in this. She isn’t the murderer.”

Dazielle glared at me before walking away.

Wiggles trotted over and licked my hand. “That didn’t go so well.”

“Where were you when the angels went all Lara Croft on Suki?”

“Watching from a safe distance. I should have brought some popcorn. Those ladies can fight.”

I groaned and thumped my head against a tree. “We’re not letting them get away with this. The angels can’t charge Suki because she’s an easy target.”

“What’s the plan?”

I stared through the trees at the wispy white feathers floating in the breeze. “It looks like we’re going to be hanging out with the angels. I’m not going to stop pestering them until they let Suki go.”

Chapter 16

My back protested as I jerked awake. I’d been waiting all night at Angel Force’s headquarters. Every attempt I’d made to see Suki had been blocked. Dazielle had been serious when she said I was to have nothing more to do with this investigation.

I wished she’d make up her mind. This was the last time I’d do them any favors.

I stretched and stood from the chair I’d been dozing in. The day was brightening outside, and I was in need of a strong coffee to get my brain to register it was morning.

Looking around the quiet waiting room, there was a definite lack of Wiggles. The last time I’d seen him, he’d been dozing by my feet. The door to the room was ajar. He must have slipped out when I was asleep, most likely looking for something to eat.

The angels had been reluctant to let him in, especially after the last time he’d been here and had helped break me out of my cell. They’d even put up a sign outside the front door saying no hellhounds allowed, but I’d negotiated with them, and Wiggles had promised to stay quiet and behave himself if he could stay inside.

I strolled into the reception area and nodded at Sablo, the angel on the desk, before checking outside. There was no sign of Wiggles.

“Lady, I’m going to bite you so hard on your feathery butt that you’ll remember me for months.” I turned as I heard Wiggles and saw two angels carrying him in a large white mesh net.

“Hey! What are you doing to my dog?” I hurried over, watching with alarm as Wiggles writhed in the net, only succeeding in getting himself more tangled.

They dumped Wiggles on the ground and left him in the net.

One of the angels looked at me and scowled. “You need to keep your hellhound under control.”

I knelt and unwound the net from around him. “Where did you find him?”

“Poking his fuzzy nose where it shouldn’t be. He stays outside from now on.”

They both turned and stalked back into the building.

I pulled the rest of the netting off Wiggles. “What’s going on? Why are the angels so mad at you?”

He stood and shook out his fur. “Those pesky angels, I should pluck them like chickens.”

“Less plucking, more talking. What were you doing that made them net you?”

Wiggles slid me a sideways glance. “Nothing bad. They left the reception desk unattended for a few minutes. I snuck out back to take a look. I wanted to see how Suki was doing.”

I stroked a hand along his back. Other than some ruffled fur, he looked fine. “Did you find her?”

“No, just a lot of angels sitting around doing nothing. It’s amazing Willow Tree Falls doesn’t fall apart with them in charge of keeping everything safe.”

“Sometimes, it does feel like it’s falling apart.” I sat back on my heels. “You got caught snooping?”

Wiggles grabbed the net he’d been wrapped in and tore a big hole in it with his teeth. “All I was doing was trying to get a cookie. There was a whole plate on the sideboard. No one was touching them. That is a serious crime. I’d reached the plate and had my mouth open when I was covered in this sticky, gross, sweet smelling angel net. They bundled me up and brought me out here.”

“Trust you to get caught over cookies. I thought you were doing something noble, not scavenging.”

“Consuming unloved cookies is a noble thing to do.” Wiggles glared at the closed doors. “I’m telling you it’s time to break out Frank. He could have fun with those stuck-up angels, who do not eat cookies that so desperately need a home.”

I was almost cranky enough and desperate enough to let Frank out. Being nice to the angels had gotten me nowhere, and now they’d mistreated Wiggles. Maybe time playing with a demon would make them see things differently.

“Tempest, what’s going on?”

I turned and saw Aurora and Auntie Queenie approaching.

“What are you doing here?”

“We heard what happened last night in the forest,” Aurora said. “We were worried you might have been arrested, especially after the whole... Frank incident at Tilly’s.”

“It wasn’t me this time,” I said. “And sorry about Frank chasing you. I’m glad you got away.”

Aurora raised a hand. “No need to apologize. We all let our demons get the better of us at times.”

I shared a smile with my little sister. She was always so understanding when it came to my Frank issues. “The angels arrested Suki. Dazielle’s got it into her thick head that Suki is involved with Nick’s murder.”

“First me and then that poor girl,” Auntie Queenie said. “These angels are something else.”

“If you discount the angels she pounded into the ground, Suki wouldn’t hurt anybody,” I said.

“You’re right there,” Auntie Queenie said. “She does a good job looking after the forest. If she has to break a few angel heads to do so, it’s understandable.”

“She did do a number on a couple of the angels.”

“With those angels stamping around, crushing plants, and making a nuisance of themselves, she had a right to defend what she loves.”

“Suki does have some awesome moves when she’s riled,” Wiggles said.

The door to Angel Force opened. Dazielle stepped out, a scowl on her face. “You’re needed,” she said to me, completely ignoring everyone else.

I folded my arms across my chest. “I thought I was off this case.”

Her lips pursed. “You are.”

“So, why do you need me?”

Dazielle’s scowl deepened. “Suki won’t talk. We’ve been questioning her all night, and she just sits looking in the corner of the room with her back to us.”

“Good for her,” Auntie Queenie said. “She’s a nice girl. You shouldn’t mistreat her.”

“She’s a suspect in a murder investigation.” Dazielle’s gaze hardened as she looked at Auntie Queenie. “And you need to be careful because you might go back on my suspect list if you start causing problems.”

“Then you’re as dumb as you are pretty if you do that,” Auntie Queenie said.

Dazielle looked momentarily confused by the insult mingled with a compliment. She focused back on me. “Suki will not speak to us before she’s spoken to you.”

“You’ve had me waiting here all night,” I said. “I could have talked to her at any time.”

“Not before we conducted our own interview.”

“You’ve been asking questions for hours, and Suki hasn’t said a single word?”

Dazielle sniffed. “Something like that. She asks for tea and crumpets a lot.”

“You’d better go in,” Aurora said. “It sounds like Suki needs you.”

“Yes, go get that poor girl out of there,” Auntie Queenie said. “Send her to your mom’s for tea and crumpets when she’s free. Then you can continue your hunt for the real killer.”

Part of me was tempted to drop Dazielle in it and walk away from this mess. The angels had wasted everyone’s time, forced me to sleep upright in a hard white chair, and netted Wiggles and tossed him out of the station. But that wouldn’t be fair to Suki. I could talk to her, make sure she was calm, and try to get the angels to see sense.

“Lead the way.” I waved goodbye to Aurora and Auntie Queenie and headed back into the station for Dazielle. Wiggles remained outside, a glare on his face as Aurora rubbed his belly. He was holding a serious grudge against the angels if a tummy rub didn’t improve his mood.

“Any chance of a coffee?” I asked Dazielle.

“No.”

We walked past the reception desk, along the corridor, and into a small, white interview room.

Suki jumped from her seat when she saw me. Panic flared in her eyes, and her bottom lip quivered. “Tempest, I’m so sorry about hurting you when we were in the forest. I didn’t know what I was doing. I heard your voice but reacted on instinct. It’s a wood nymph thing. When we sense danger, we get mad. It’s like a momma bear gets protecting her cubs.”

I lifted a hand to slow her flood of words. “It’s fine. I just have a few bruises.”

Suki ducked her head and clasped her hands. “You must hate me.”

“No, I don’t. I’d have done the same if someone had invaded Cloven Hoof and started laying down the law.” I glanced at Dazielle and arched an eyebrow.

“You’ve got what you wanted,” Dazielle said to Suki. “Tempest will sit with you while we do the interview. You agreed you would talk, providing she is here.”

Suki gulped in air and nodded. “I’ll talk.”

I took a step back as Suki’s panic flooded the room. No matter how shallowly I breathed, it overwhelmed me. If there was one thing Frank loved, it was a bit of unadulterated, uncontrolled panic. His hot energy curled around my spine in a sticky swirl.

Dazielle stared at me, and her eyes narrowed. “Is everything okay with you?”

“Not really.” I gestured for Suki to sit. “Just give me a second.” Frank kicked inside me, feeding off the panic in the room.

Dazielle continued to study me, suspicion in her eyes as she fanned a hand in front of her face. “It’s really warm in here.”

That was Frank’s fault. I slid my tongue over my dry teeth. I had to get a grip on him, or this could get messy.

Suki peered at me. “Tempest, you look like you have a fever. You’re glowing.”

“I can’t do this.” I backed away from the table and bumped into Dazielle, who’d moved to block the door.

Her hand gripped my shoulder. “You have to. It’s the only way we can get Suki to talk.”

“You don’t understand. I need to get out of here.”

Frank’s laugh echoed inside my head. “This should be fun, making friends in a building full of angels,” he whispered.

“We’re not having fun with any angels.” I pivoted around and tried to duck past Dazielle, but she stepped into my path.

“Do your job,” she said to me.

I resisted the urge to thump her. How could she not sense the problem? Frank’s energy prickled up the back of my neck. I was so close to losing control.

“I must get out.” My fingers clawed at the handle of the door as Frank continued to slide through me, gaining in strength with every second I was trapped in this room with a panicked wood nymph.

Dazielle finally seemed to twig what was going on. She shoved me backward and pointed a finger at me. “Stay right there.” She moved so fast I didn’t see her leave the room.

“Tempest, what’s wrong?” Suki whispered.

I raised a hand but couldn’t speak as an enormous unwelcome burp threatened to come out as Frank inched his control over me.

Dazielle reappeared with the same dizzying amount of speed she’d used to leave the room. She shoved a stale doughnut in my mouth. “Eat.”

I tried to spit out the doughnut. Dazielle held on tight and rammed it farther into my mouth. “Eat the doughnut and drink this coffee.” She lifted a huge mug of black coffee. “There’s plenty of sugar in it. It will help you get your control back.”

A flicker of surprise ran through me as I stopped resisting and swallowed the doughnut. I didn’t know Dazielle cared enough to help me with my demon issues. Maybe it was just that she wanted to ensure Angel Force wasn’t blown apart when Frank came out to play. Whatever her motives, I didn’t care. Sugar always calmed Frank, and it was working this time, even though the doughnut was past its best.

“Feeling better?” Dazielle asked as I swallowed the last of the doughnut, grabbed the mug of coffee, and took a huge drink.

“Getting there.” Frank had been temporarily placated by the doughnut, and Suki’s panic had receded enough that it no longer filled the room and made me twitchy.

I glanced at Suki to see a puzzled look on her face. Maybe she didn’t know about Frank. It was probably best if she didn’t.

I wiped sugar from my lips and drank more coffee. “Let’s do this interview. The sooner it’s over, the sooner Suki can go home.”

Dazielle stared at me hard before giving a quick nod. The three of us settled at the table. I sat next to Suki, and Dazielle sat on the other side.

“Tell me what you saw the night Nick was murdered,” Dazielle asked Suki.

She glanced at me, and I nodded. “Well, it was dark and late. Almost everyone had gone home from the celebration.”

“But not Nick?”

Suki shook her head. “He came back with a camera. He was looking around the stones and taking pictures. I could hear him muttering to himself, but I couldn’t hear what he said. I stayed in the forest, so he wouldn’t see me.”

“You weren’t that well-concealed,” I said. “Several people spotted you during solstice celebrations.”

Suki ducked her head. “I got curious. I love solstice.”

“What did you do when you saw Nick?”

“Nothing bad.” Suki blinked rapidly, and I felt her panic step up. “I wanted to know what he was interested in. I needed to make sure he wouldn’t harm the forest. He was digging small holes around the stones as if looking for something he might have dropped.”

“Did he find what he was looking for?”

“Not that I know of.”

“How long was Nick there?”

“At least twenty minutes. I’d convinced myself he was nothing to worry about when someone ran out from the shadow of a standing stone. They were dressed in black and had a hood covering their head. They held a rock in their hand. They hit Nick with it, and he went down.”

Dazielle nodded slowly. “Why didn’t you come forward with this information as soon as you knew what was going on?”

“I was scared this would happen.” Suki gestured around the room. “I couldn’t risk being taken from the forest and didn’t want my home discovered. It’s not that far from the stones, and the thought of all those non-magicals lurking around is horrifying. What if they’d discovered where I live? I’d have to move, and it’s taken me years to get it how I want it.”

“Are you aware that withholding evidence is a crime?” Dazielle said.

“I hoped you’d figure it out without me,” Suki said.

“You have a violent temper,” Dazielle said. “I’m going to have two angels off work for days because you can’t control your temper.”

Suki ducked her head. “I am sorry. I didn’t mean to attack anybody. It’s one of the reasons I stay out of the way. My temper can get the better of me, and I’d hate for anyone to be injured.” She looked at her large brown hands before tucking them onto her lap. “I don’t know my own strength.”

“You’re unusually strong for a wood nymph,” Dazielle said.

“That’s another reason I stay out of the way. Some people think unusual is wrong.”

“We don’t, do we?” I looked pointedly at Dazielle. “You shouldn’t have to hide if you don’t want to.”

Suki smiled at me gratefully. “I appreciate that. It’s easier for everyone this way. But I promise I had nothing to do with Nick being killed. I was shocked when I saw what happened.”

“Okay, let’s go back a step. You saw this person hit Nick over the head, and he went down. Did they only hit him once?”

Suki grimaced and shook her head. “Several times. I don’t think they knocked him out the first time. They hit him three times. It was horrible.”

“Then what?”

“I panicked and ran away. I didn’t want them seeing me.”

“You didn’t see how they moved Nick’s body?”

“No, but I didn’t go far before I realized I was being a coward. I doubled back and crept to the tree line. By the time I got there, the body was gone. Maybe they used magic to move him.”

“Which would make the killer a resident of Willow Tree Falls.” Dazielle looked at me. “Maybe I should get your aunt back in for questioning.”

“Best if you don’t. It’s going to be a long time before she forgives you for thinking she killed Nick.”

Dazielle shrugged. “Did you see anything else?” she asked Suki.

She nodded. “I went to the stones. I saw where Nick had fallen. I could tell he’d been badly injured by the amount of blood on the ground.”

“Hold on. You told me the blood had been covered by the killer, and you didn’t see anything when you looked around,” I said.

Suki tugged on her bottom lip. “It was me. I covered it. I didn’t want the stones to be turned into a circus when everyone else found out. I figured the killer had moved the body and Nick would be found, anyway.”

“You corrupted a crime scene.” Dazielle sighed and sat back in her seat. “If you’re not involved, anyone would think you’re best friends with the killer the way you’re acting. Not only did you fail to report seeing the murder take place, but you also destroyed evidence.”

Suki’s eyes filled with tears. “It was wrong. I know that. I am sorry.”

“Sorry is not enough,” Dazielle said. “I’m going to have to charge you.”

“Not with murder,” I said.

“A murder charge is still a possibility. We only have Suki’s word to go on that this mystery person dressed in black exists. At the very least, she will be charged with assault on my angels, concealing information, and hampering an investigation.”

As I was about to protest Suki’s innocence, there was a knock on the door. Sablo opened it and looked in the room.

“What is it?” Dazielle asked.

“Another one of those journalists has been attacked.”

“Is it James?” I jumped from my seat.

“No, it’s a young woman. It was quite some fight she got into.”

Dazielle also stood. “This could be connected to Nick. We’ll have to continue this interview later.”

Suki looked hopeful. “Can I go?”

“Not yet,” Dazielle said. “We’ll sort you some breakfast and finish the questions later.”

Suki slumped in her seat, tears threatening to fall.

“Where did the fight take place?” I asked Sablo.

“At the stone circle.”

“Let’s get over there,” I said.

Dazielle glared at me but nodded. “Okay but stay out of trouble.”

“Of course,” I said.

Suki caught hold of my hand before I left the room. “There was something else. I heard a strange noise by the stones as I was coming back. It was like a purring sound.”

I glanced over my shoulder, keen not to let Dazielle get away. “Like an animal sound?”

“No, more like an engine sound.”

“Was it a bike engine, like the kind of thing Rhett drives?”

“I think it was a car. I’m not used to seeing them so close to the stone circle, so the sound surprised me. It might have nothing to do with it, but I won’t hide anything else from you. I do want to help sort this out.”

“Thanks, it could be useful. When I get a second, I’ll look into it.”

“Thanks for helping me.” Suki let go of my hand. “Are you feeling better?”

I gave her shoulder a brief squeeze. “After a stale doughnut and a coffee, I’m fine. Sit tight. I’ll be back to get you out as soon as possible.”

I hurried after Dazielle, who had already left the building. The engine sound could be relevant. If the killer had used a vehicle to move Nick, that would narrow down the suspects. Few people drove in Willow Tree Falls. It made it much more likely to be a non-magical involved.

Maybe this new information wouldn’t matter if we were about to unmask the killer. If they’d attacked someone else, they must be unstable and taking more risks. Risks led to mistakes. Mistakes that meant I could catch them, solve this murder, and get Suki released.

Chapter 17

Wiggles joined me as I raced out of Angel Force and along the road, catching fleeting glimpses of Dazielle as she soared across the street and up the hill to the stones.

“Where’s the fire?” he asked.

“It’s not a fire; it’s a fight.”

“Who’s involved?”

“Sablo said it was a woman journalist. I don’t think there are any here, at least, none that I’ve seen. It might be Jenny or maybe Rachel.”

As we reached the top of the hill, my mouth dropped open. One of the enormous ancient stones in the stone circle had been knocked over. A large crack ran across its center. It looked like an ancient fallen warrior. The stones had been here for thousands of years, always steadfast, never at risk of collapse. How could this have happened?

“Someone did not like that stone.” Wiggles trotted over and sniffed around it. “Who has the power to take down one of these?”

“I’m not sure I want to find out.” Three angels were inside the stone circle, surrounding someone who was sprawled on the ground.

I cast a worried look at the broken stone before hurrying over to see who it was.

Dazielle glanced at me and nodded. “It’s Jenny. She’s out cold.”

I peered around Dazielle and saw Jenny on her back. A large red mark marred one cheek, and her hands were bleeding.

“It looks like she’s been clawed by an animal.” I looked closely at her hands. They were laced with deep scratches.

“It wasn’t an animal. Someone reported seeing two women fighting inside the stones,” Dazielle said.

“Who was the other woman?”

“That’s what we need to find out as soon as Jenny wakes up.”

A shudder of cold ran up my spine. Something felt horribly off here. You did not knock over an ancient, powerful stone full of magic without having significant abilities.

I stepped away from the angels as they made preparations to move Jenny and took a slow walk around the inside of the circle. The whole time I did, Frank pulsed through me. It was as if he could sense the dark power and was not happy.

Wiggles strode along beside me, his hackles up and his eyes glowing. He could also sense the weird vibes the place gave off.

Dark magic had been involved in this fight, and its foul essence still lingered like a silent fart in an elevator.

I made it halfway around the stones before Dazielle joined me, her expression grim. “You sense it, don’t you?”

“Something is off, here. I’m getting this weird tingle and not in a good way.”

She nodded, and her eyes tightened. “I bet your demon does, as well. It takes like to know like.”

I nodded and looked regretfully at the stone. I didn’t know how we’d repair the damage.

“Whoever or whatever has that dark power, we need to stop it,” Dazielle said. “I don’t know how Jenny is involved with this, but if she’s come into contact with dark magic, it could have harmed her. It’s hard to predict how non-magicals will react when they come face-to-face with the truth about magic.”

“It looks like she didn’t come off too well,” I said.

“We’ll get her to the hospital for a thorough check-up. Only then will we know how badly she’s been affected and how long-lasting the impact will be.”

We both turned as a scream rang out. Jenny was sitting bolt upright, one hand raised, pointing back toward Willow Tree Falls.

I ran over with Dazielle as Jenny slumped back on the ground.

“What happened?” Dazielle looked at the angels surrounding Jenny. “Did she say anything?”

“She said the name Rachel,” one of the angels said.

“That was Nick’s girlfriend,” Dazielle said.

I stared at Jenny. It seemed a little on the dramatic side to sit upright, scream another person’s name, and collapse. Was she trying to tell us that Rachel was the other woman involved in the fight?

We waited a moment to see if Jenny would say anything else, but she was out cold again.

I walked back to the broken stone and placed my hand on top of it. “Don’t worry. We’ll find out who did this to you. I wish you could talk and tell us what happened.”

Wiggles sniffed around the stone. “We should leave.”

“Are you sensing something bad?”

“I know you never like to run away from a fight, but even I might think twice about going up against anyone who can bring down a standing stone.” Wiggles sniffed the stone and backed up a few steps.

“My hellhound is scared? You’re supposed to be fearless.” I tried to make light of the situation, but it was hard to do so when my own nerves bounced with a warning.

Wiggles sniffed around some more. “I’m just saying I like our lives as they are. I don’t mind a bit of investigating now and again, but neither of us will be able to do that if whatever knocked over this stone comes after us.”

“You don’t think I can handle them?”

Wiggles’ ears pricked. “Maybe Frank could.”

“Let’s not try that experiment. For all we know, Frank, and whoever did this, could be best buddies. If I let him out to go on the hunt, all that will do is release another dangerous power into Willow Tree Falls.”

“I’m just saying maybe Frank can be an asset for once.”

I wasn’t convinced, but Frank did have a remarkable lack of morals and fear. He would do anything to win.

“Tempest, you might as well go home.” Dazielle walked over. “We can’t question Jenny at the moment. I’ve put out a call to find Rachel and see what she knows about this fight. Right now, I’m at a loss to figure out what happened.”

“Fair enough.” For once, I was glad Dazielle was getting rid of me. “I’ll keep an eye out for Rachel.”

“Be careful around her. If she got Jenny in this state, she’s not safe to be around.”

“I’ll give her a wide berth if I see her.” I headed back down the hill and along the main street with Wiggles. One stale doughnut and a mug of coffee would not suffice for breakfast. I headed to Tilly’s for a much-needed fix of food and a chance to think about this fight and what it meant, if anything, in Nick’s murder.

Tilly hurried over when she saw me settle at a table. “You look... like you’ve had a busy night.”

“You won’t believe the half of it.” I gave her a quick update about what had happened to Suki and my unenjoyable evening at Angel Force.

Tilly sat at the table with a mug of herbal tea, her eyes growing wider as I finished the story.

“That’s such a terrible thing to do to Suki. Are they going to let her out? The angels aren’t continuing this ridiculous line of questioning, are they?”

I looked at her and narrowed my eyes. “That depends on if the actual killer comes forward anytime soon. Is there anything you’d like to tell me about that night you spent with Nick?”

Tilly’s cheeks flushed. “You might as well know, and to be clear, it wasn’t the whole night. I only kept quiet about it because I was embarrassed.”

“What do you have to be embarrassed about? You did kiss Nick?”

Tilly looked up at the ceiling as if seeking inspiration. “Okay, I did think he was cute. I can’t explain it, but I think a lot of non-magicals are gorgeous. He came in the first day he arrived, being charming. He had that lovely accent, and he smelt so good.”

I wrinkled my nose. “He didn’t smell that great.”

“Nick smelt like a garden full of spicy flowers. It made me want to wrap myself around him and snuggle him tight.”

“You have the strangest taste in men. So, what happened the night you were seen together?”

She stroked a finger around the rim of her mug. “I might have invited him here for dinner.”

“You asked him on a date?”

“Sort of. I played it down, but he was happy enough to get the invitation. He was also happy enough to make out with me.”

“Hold on. In what order did this happen? He accepted your date and came to dinner. Then did you make out and eat or eat and make out, or did you do both?”

“A little of both. Nick was very friendly. I didn’t know about his girlfriend. I had seen a woman hanging around him a lot. I didn’t look into it; ignorance is bliss and all that, but I assumed it might have been his assistant.”

I arched an eyebrow. “How convenient not to inquire if Nick had a girlfriend before kissing him.”

“Hey, I’m the innocent party here. Nick knew he was involved with Rachel and decided to forget about it when our lips locked. He’s the one who cheated.”

“Okay, so you had a make-out session and then served him dinner?”

“Yes, I thought it was going so well. It was busy here that night, but I’d saved him a special table, one by the counter so I could join him as much as possible. He had his starter, which he loved. Then I served him my speciality ale and tarragon pie. You know the one with the crispy puff pastry top and rich sauce?”

“Of course, I love your pies.”

“Exactly, everybody loves my pies. No one has ever complained about my pies.”

I tilted my head. “Until Nick?”

Tilly nodded sagely. “Until Nick. I was telling the truth about him complaining about my food. He left half the pie. I jokingly asked if there was something wrong with it. I expected him to say it was fabulous, but he was too full or was saving room for dessert. No, do you know what he said?”

“Nothing good about your pie?”

“He said it wasn’t his sort of thing. I was disappointed but decided not to push him. We had a glass of wine together, and I gently prodded about the food to make sure he wasn’t unhappy. He brushed it away and made out like it wasn’t anything important, but I knew something was wrong.”

“I’m guessing it was important to you? More important than impressing a hot non-magical?”

“Of course. This is my pie on the line. More than that, it’s my restaurant on the line. If word gets out that people aren’t finishing their food, it will look bad on me.”

“One unfinished pie will not ruin you.”

“It’s a slippery slope to bankruptcy and empty tables,” Tilly said. “Anyway, I walked him out of the restaurant, and we had a friendly smooch good night. That’s when I got him to admit it.”

“What did he admit?”

“Nick said my pie had a soggy bottom. Can you imagine it! I’ve never cooked a pie with a soggy bottom in my life. My bottom is always perfection.”

“You do lovely bottoms,” I said.

“And that was it, no more kissing with Nick. I was devastated. I’d wasted the whole evening on a guy who was not only cheating on his girlfriend but thought my pies were substandard.”

“Does that mean you’re no longer interested in non-magicals?”

“I won’t be interested if they’re going to be rude about my bottoms.” Tilly took a sip of herbal tea and leaned closer. “And that’s not the only thing. Nick’s conversation was boring. He kept going on about this ring he wanted to find.”

I sat up in my seat. “The Ring of Halo?”

“He didn’t give it a name.” Tilly’s eyes widened. “That’s not what he was looking for, was it? He can’t have thought it was a good idea to dig up that nasty piece of magic.”

“Most likely he did. The ring has gone missing. Nick sounds like he was obsessed with it. I’m reckoning that’s what got him killed.”

Tilly drummed her fingers on the table. “I have terrible taste in men. They hate my food and are trying to use dark magic items they should have no business knowing anything about. He was so cute, though.”

“No, he wasn’t. You do have terrible taste in non-magical men.”

“Oh, come off it. Even you have to admit Nick was cute.”

“He was too floppy-haired for my liking. I like my men a bit—”

“Rough around the edges? Stubbled and sitting astride an enormous motorbike? The leader of a certain biker gang?” Tilly waggled her brows at me and grinned.

I swatted Tilly’s hand. “Enough of that. This information still makes you a suspect. You could be seen as romantically involved with Nick, and he insulted you. How far would you go to keep your soggy bottom a secret?” I wasn’t being serious, but the horrified look on Tilly’s face was worth it.

“I hated him for not loving my pies, but I wouldn’t kill him for it. My plan was to make a special pie and leave it for Nick. He’d know then my pies are lovely. It’s just a shame I never got the chance.”

“Your soggy bottom secret will go to the grave.”

“It was a soggy bottomed lie!” She smiled at me. “You don’t seriously think I’m involved, do you?”

“No, and the more I learn about this, the more I’m convinced it’s one of the non-magicals. In fact, after this fight Jenny was in, it could be Rachel.”

“The jealous girlfriend, who lied about a pregnancy and seems more interested in her social climbing than finding true love. She sounds like the perfect killer.” Tilly stood from the table. “I’d better get on. Let me know how things go.”

I grabbed a couple of filled baguettes to go and left Tilly to her work. I was glad she’d finally come clean about her involvement with Nick. I’d never taken her seriously as a suspect, but Dazielle would only start hounding her if she got desperate enough and the real killer wasn’t found quickly.

But our chat hadn’t helped me figure out what had gone on between Jenny and Rachel at the standing stones. I had to get to the hospital and see if Jenny had regained consciousness, so I could find out who she was fighting with and what the fight was about.

Chapter 18

“Play charades with me.” Wiggles nudged me with his nose.

“We’re in a hospital waiting room. It’s not a place to play games.” I dropped the dog-eared magazine I’d been reading.

“How about name that tune? I’ll bark a tune, and you guess what it is.”

“No barking. You’ll upset the patients. I snuck you in here without anyone seeing. If a nurse discovers you, you’ll be kicked out.” I had to admit I was as bored as Wiggles. We’d been waiting for three hours to get news on Jenny. So far, she’d done nothing other than mutter in her sleep and twitch a lot.

The door to the waiting room opened, and Dazielle walked in.

I jumped up from my seat. “Any news?”

“Jenny has regained consciousness. She keeps saying Rachel’s name over and over again. She said Rachel was like a crazy person, her eyes were gleaming and she was foaming at the mouth before she attacked her.”

“Rachel sounds like she’s had a bite from a rabid dog.”

“She sounds possessed. You don’t have any demons unaccounted for from the prison who might have gotten to Rachel, do you?”

I scowled at Dazielle. “You’re not pinning this on my family letting a demon go. The prison is locked tight, same as always.”

Dazielle nodded. “I figured as much, but it would have been an easy explanation.”

“What now?”

“Jenny’s awake if you want to talk to her,” Dazielle said. “Keep it brief and no stressing her out. She keeps falling asleep and is sedated, so she might not make much sense.”

I left Wiggles in the waiting room and headed out with Dazielle along the clean white hospital corridor. We walked into a small private room. Jenny lay in the bed, her hands bandaged.

She looked at me and a small smile crossed her face. “Hi, Tempest. It’s nice of you to come to see me.”

“Sorry to say, it’s on official business.” I glanced at Dazielle, and she nodded. “We’re hoping you can help us shed light on what happened between you and Rachel in the stone circle.”

Her smile vanished, and a worried look entered her eyes. “I wish I knew. She was so scary. She kept lunging and scratching me. Her nails felt more like claws every time they made contact. My hands will be sore for weeks.”

“Why did she attack you?” I asked.

Jenny chewed on her bottom lip. “She was jealous of me.”

“Of what in particular?”

“I had a good relationship with Nick. Rachel is suspicious of anyone who spent time with Nick. She was insecure about their relationship. And she lied about it, as well. Do you remember the night Nick died, and Rachel said she was his fiancée?”

I nodded. “Sure. I also remember how surprised you looked when she revealed that.”

“Because it wasn’t true. Nick never asked Rachel to marry him. He never would.”

“Are you suggesting you and Nick had a romantic connection?”

“No, nothing romantic. I saw him more as a big brother, a sort of mentor. He might have had a little crush on me, but I liked to keep things professional. We worked well together and were talking about partnering up when he got his staff position at the paper. It was a professional relationship but with the bonus of us being friends. It made Rachel’s blood boil. She was always making snide comments and ordering me around like I was her assistant. That was the only thing that annoyed me about Nick. He never stood up to her. He let Rachel walk all over him just for a quiet life.”

“That must have annoyed you,” I said.

“It did. I mentioned it a few times, but Nick said he was dealing with it, and Rachel wouldn’t be around for much longer.”

“He was planning to ditch her?”

“I think so. Maybe that’s what tipped her over the edge. Rachel was so clingy and annoying. Nick had had enough. He wanted out.”

“Rachel wanted you both dead because of that?” Dazielle asked. “She killed Nick because he rejected her and decided to get even with you because she was jealous of your friendship with Nick?”

“It’s the only reason I can think of for her to attack me so savagely,” Jenny said.

“What about the broken stone?” I asked. “What do you know about that?”

“A broken stone?” Confusion crossed Jenny’s face.

“Yes, the ancient hunk of rock that has stood in the same spot for thousands of years and got ripped out of the ground when you fought with Rachel.” I glanced at Dazielle and raised my eyebrows.

“Oh, it was already like that,” Jenny said. “When I got there, the stone had fallen on its side. I figured it must have been done during the celebration. It’s an old stone, so it could have crumbled when people jumped on it.”

That couldn’t be true. Those stones withstood anything. “What were you doing at the stone circle?”

“Getting a few last shots. It was something Nick taught me to do. Always get more footage than you think you’ll need. It can come in handy during editing. I was going to splice it together when I got back to work.”

“And Rachel just happened to find you there?”

“I guess so,” Jenny said. “I can’t figure out why she’s still hanging around. There’s no reason for her to be here now Nick has gone.”

“I told her to stay,” I said. “I’m glad I did if she’s involved with this attack on you, as well.”

Dazielle’s pocket vibrated. She pulled out a small flat version of a snow globe and turned away discreetly to look at the message. To a non-magical, it would look like she was checking her mobile.

She shoved it back in her pocket and turned to the bed. “Rachel has been spotted.”

Jenny sat up in the bed, bright dots of color appearing on her cheeks. “I must see her.”

“You need to stay where you are,” Dazielle said. “You’ve had a shock and are in no condition to leave the hospital.”

“I have to know where she is and what she’s up to,” Jenny demanded. “She tried to kill me.”

“We’ll get the answers you need.” Dazielle looked at me. “She’s apparently being... difficult. The others could do with a hand.”

I interpreted difficult as out of control crazy because she was using magic she couldn’t control. I nodded at Dazielle. “Let’s go.”

“Wait! What about me? I need to come with you.” Jenny struggled to the edge of the bed, flipping up and down because she couldn’t use her hands to balance herself.

Dazielle touched her shoulder. “Stay here. We’ll keep you up to date. I’ll post an angel outside the hospital, so you don’t need to worry about your safety. Rachel can’t get to you in here.”

Jenny’s lips pressed together. She nodded and slid down the bed. “Okay, I guess I feel better. Make sure you get Rachel, though. She’s evil.”

“What do you think of her story?” Dazielle asked as we hurried along the corridor toward the exit.

I ducked my head into the waiting room and whistled for Wiggles to join us. “I believe Rachel is the jealous type, but to kill Jenny because she had a good working relationship with Nick doesn’t seem right. This has to do with that ring Nick was after.”

“You think Rachel has this ring? That’s why she’s acting out of character?”

As we stepped out of the hospital, the air was thick with an unhealthy throb of murky feeling magic. “That’s what we’re about to find out.”

“Rachel was last seen outside Mystic Mushroom. I’ll meet you there.” Dazielle took flight and soared along the street on her enormous white wings.

“Come on, Wiggles.” I raced after Dazielle.

“This place has a bad vibe to it,” Wiggles said. “It smells like three-day-old barbecue meat that’s been re-heated and covered in sauce to hide the rot.”

I grimaced. The place did feel out of sync with its normal healthy brew of magic. The feeling of dense, sticky dark magic grew stronger as we neared the main street.

“What’s the plan?” Wiggles asked.

“Find Rachel and take her down if she’s got her hands on magic she can’t control.”

“Simple but effective.”

The closer I got to the dark magic, the more Frank twitched and pulsed inside me.

“Not now,” I said to him.

“You’re going to need me for this one,” he whispered.

“I can handle this.”

“Let me handle it for you,” Frank said. “I have met this power before. It’s more than one little witch can handle.”

“Stay down. I don’t trust you.”

“Right now, you have no choice.”

I lurched to the side, stumbling over my own feet as Frank’s energy zoomed up my spine and prickled on the back of my neck.

I gritted my teeth and focused on keeping him under my control. He could not get out, not now. Dark magic twitched all around us, only encouraging Frank’s energy to pulse harder through me, making my heart pound and sweat trickle down my back.

Wiggles whined and nudged my hand. His eyes showed concern. “Do you need help?”

“Get out of here. I’m not safe to be around. Frank wants to come out to play.”

“Shall I get anyone?”

“Just stay back. You can’t be caught up in this.”

Wiggles was a tough hellhound, but if he got caught in the middle of a fight between Frank and this dark energy tainting Willow Tree Falls, he might not come out looking too good.

He whined a couple more times but knew better than to be too close to me when Frank took over.

I breathed a sigh of relief as I saw him turn and race along the street. I couldn’t be sure, but it looked like he was heading to Mom’s house. He’d better not bring the family into this. I couldn’t risk any of them getting hurt when Frank emerged.

I sucked in a deep breath, knowing I was losing the fight. “Do not kill anyone,” I said to him.

“Not even the dark power that is making the whole of Willow Tree Falls quake?”

“It can be contained.”

“We’ll see about that.” His energy smothered me from head to toe. A gross tasting sulfurous belch shot from my lips as Frank gained full control of my body.

The world took on its usual red tint as Frank surveyed the surroundings. I strode along the street, heading toward Mystic Mushroom and the growing crowd of white clad angels.

Dazielle’s head shot up as I approached. She gestured the other angels back. “Take your positions. Focus on keeping everyone else safe.” She backed away as I neared. “Tempest, I can’t help you this time.”

“I need no help from an angel,” Frank said. I willed him to slow down and not attack Dazielle. She was not a threat to us.

But Frank had no interest in the angels. He looked over Dazielle’s shoulder at the wild-haired woman standing in the middle of the street. Her shoulders were hunched, and she was missing a shoe.

Even though Frank was in control, I felt shocked when I saw the state Rachel was in. It wasn’t the state of her clothing that was alarming. On her right hand sat a glowing purple ring.

“Tempest, be careful,” Dazielle warned. “Rachel has already taken out two angels.”

I heard her but couldn’t respond.

Frank made a dismissive gesture at Dazielle as he strode past and stood facing Rachel. “We meet again.”

Rachel’s head rose slowly. Her eyes were a dense swirling black. “I thought I smelled something sour, a traitorous demon.”

“What is controlling Rachel?” I asked Frank.

“Her name is Eligos.”

My fear only made Frank stronger. “Isn’t Eligos male?”

“She can be. I prefer her in her female form.”

“Your preferences are of no interest to me,” Eligos said.

“It has not always been that way,” Frank said.

“It is since you’ve been schooled by a witch.” Rachel’s mouth moved, but the voice coming out of her was anything but human.

Frank hissed and advanced on Eligos. My body heated to an uncomfortable level, and my clothes were soaked with sweat.

“Be careful,” I cautioned Frank. “You’re fighting in a human body. My body. I need it in one piece.”

“I make no guarantees.”

Perfect. Frank was in full-on hunter mode, and I could do nothing but watch from the sidelines as he trashed my body.

I caught a glimpse of Dazielle, who was focused on crowd control and keeping any non-magicals from seeing what was about to go down between two demons.

Eligos crouched and charged Frank, who dodged me out of the way with ease. My fist made contact with the back of Rachel’s head, and my knuckles protested as they slammed into bone.

“Go easy!” I yelped.

Frank simply laughed as he threw himself onto Rachel’s back. This was fun to him, but if he didn’t rein it in, I’d be wearing bruises for weeks.

“Magic barrier in place,” Dazielle shouted to me.

That barrier would do nothing to protect me but would stop the gawking non-magical onlookers from seeing the truth about Willow Tree Falls. They weren’t going to tick watched two demons in a knock-down fight off their bucket lists today.

Eligos flipped me on the ground. I just had time to roll out the way of Rachel’s bare foot as she tried to smoosh my face into the dirt. Death by calloused heel was not the way to go.

“We need to get that ring off her finger,” I said to Frank.

“It would look lovely in my collection.” Frank pushed me to my feet, and the demons circled each other.

“We’re not keeping it.” Once I had that ring, it was going somewhere no one could get their hands on it.

Rachel grabbed me in a headlock, and we hit the ground again. Her arm wrapped around my neck, and she squeezed so tightly my eyes bulged. That ring was giving her serious amounts of muscle power.

“Frank! Do something.” Only Frank could hear my plea, and I had to be desperate to ask him for anything, but if he didn’t get me out of this headlock, something was going to break.

“I’m having a little trouble.” I’d never heard Frank sound so panicked. “Need a way out.”

“Tempest, hold on. We’re here.”

I recognized Aurora’s voice. Through my tear-filled eyes, I spotted Aurora, Mom, Auntie Queenie, and Granny Dottie standing in a row. I just had time to shut my eyes as their combined magic blasted into Rachel and Eligos.

Rachel’s body slammed to the ground, taking me with her. Fortunately, her iron tight grip loosened. I shoved myself out from under her arm.

Frank took control again. He grabbed the finger that had the Ring of Halo on it and tugged. The sickening crack I heard was bone breaking. The ring slid into my hand, and I rolled away as angels piled on top of Rachel.

Frank was still on fire inside me, and he wasn’t done fighting just yet. For a second, I had control of my own voice.

“Hit me!” I yelled at my family.

Aurora’s eyes widened. “Are you sure?”

“Blast me with something powerful.” My control was gone as Frank’s energy shot up my spine and over my head.

A warm blast of magic flowed through me, and I relaxed. I knew this power. It was a feeling I’d grown up surrounded by. It was love and protection and kindness. It was everything my family stood for. It gave me enough of a boost to shove away Frank’s power and regain control.

I rolled over and slammed face first into the side of a building.

Frank still lingered below the surface, but he wasn’t pushing me. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think he was concerned about my well-being or maybe simply licking a wound or two of his own.

I lay there, watching the flurry of white feathers as angels subdued Rachel. She was still holding residual power from the ring I had yanked off her finger but looked easier to control.

The angels pulled her onto her feet, her hands behind her back, and marched her away.

Dazielle walked over to me, caution etched on her face. “How are you doing?”

I coughed, and a sulphurous belch came out. I waved my hand in front of my face. “I’m still not quite myself.”

Dazielle held out a hand to help me up, but I gestured her away. “I think I’ll stay here for a while and make sure everything is as it should be.”

Dazielle nodded. “You’ve just saved Willow Tree Falls.”

“Does that mean you owe me one?”

Dazielle snorted in surprise then nodded. “Perhaps it does.”

I watched as she strolled away, confidence oozing from her now she had success in bringing Rachel to justice.

Wiggles bounded over, followed by Mom, Aurora, Auntie Queenie, and Granny Dottie.

I forced myself to stand, despite not trusting my knees to hold me up. Wiggles paced in front of me. He looked anything but the chilled-out hellhound he usually was.

Mom engulfed me in a hug. “How are you? I hope our magic didn’t do you harm.”

“You know me. I come from tough stock.” I stepped back and smiled at everyone. “Thanks for the blast of magic.”

Granny Dottie also hugged me. “We were worried about you, my girl.”

“There’s nothing to worry about. Not anymore.” I opened my hand to reveal the ring.

Everyone took a step back, their eyes wide as they stared at it.

“Do you know what you’re holding?” Mom asked.

“The reason everything’s been so weird around here lately.”

“You must get rid of it,” Granny Dottie said.

“I brought this to contain it.” Auntie Queenie opened what looked like an ordinary wooden box.

As I slid the ring inside, it glowed a dazzling purple as she snapped the lid on it. “That will keep it safe for a short while.”

“It needs to go back to the forest. Suki is its protector,” I said.

“We’ll make sure no one else gets their hands on it,” Mom said.

“That sounds good to me.” I felt my eyes trying to close. Having a fight with a human possessed by a demon was never my idea of fun.

Aurora looped an arm around my waist. “Let’s get you home.”

I smiled feebly as I let them lead me away. Home, a week of sleep, and no more hassle sounded just about perfect to me.

Chapter 19

After several hearty meals fed to me by Mom and an amazing night’s rest in my old bedroom at the family home, I felt a hundred times better. Willow Tree Falls was safe again, the Ring of Halo had been contained, and it looked like Rachel was neck deep in Nick’s murder. She must have killed him to get her hands on the ring. All the angels had to do was get a confession out of her. Even they couldn’t mess that up. Everything felt right with the world.

I walked down the stairs and into the kitchen. Mom was in her usual place by the stove, stirring what smelled like an enormous vat of strawberry preserve.

“Would you like some breakfast?” she asked.

“Actually, I thought I’d go out and celebrate after yesterday’s fun,” I said.

“My food isn’t good enough to celebrate over?”

I gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. As much as I loved my mom, she could be a little on the stifling side. I was used to living with just Wiggles and not being fussed over. “Thanks, but I’ll pass. I’ve got a couple of loose ends to tie up with this case. I need to report in to Angel Force to make sure Suki has been released and Rachel is safely behind bars with no chance of getting out.”

“Of course. Do tell Suki she’s welcome at ours anytime. We always have room for a wood nymph.”

After saying goodbye, I left with Wiggles and strolled back to the main street.

“Can we have pizza for breakfast?” Wiggles asked.

“I was thinking an enormous smoothie bowl covered in nuts, grated chocolate, and dried fruit.”

“What’s wrong with pizza?”

“It’s not exactly a health food. I feel like I need to take better care of myself after yesterday.” I touched a bruise on my butt. Everything felt a little sore, even after Mom had performed several healing spells on me.

“You might, but I’m still stress eating after seeing you almost killed by a demon.”

“You’re stress eating?” I rolled my eyes. “We’ll consider pizza for lunch.”

A white van was parked outside of Unicorn’s Trough as we neared it. James was strutting around the outside of the van, a smug look on his face.

He scowled when he saw me before glaring at Wiggles and being careful to keep a safe distance. “I don’t suppose I can get an exclusive story on what happened here yesterday? I’ve been asking around, and everyone is tight-lipped. That always means there’s something juicy if they don’t want to tell me.”

“I have no clue what you’re talking about.”

“I have a source who tells me you were in the center of the action,” James said. “It will be a real scoop if I can find out what it was, especially since I have my new promotion. I need to make a splash with an exclusive.”

“I’m happy for you. I still don’t know what I can do to help.”

“You can tell me if my source is correct.”

I glanced around, wondering exactly who his source was. As soon as I discovered them, I’d make sure they never talked to another journalist again. “What do you think you know?”

James grinned. “There’s something different about you. You might be the next Uri Geller.”

I arched an eyebrow. “Isn’t that the guy who bends spoons?”

“He’s psychic. Some believe he has magic powers.”

I snorted a laugh. “We’ve been here before. A smart guy like you believes in magic?”

“I’m not the only one. My source tells me that the hunt for magic is what got Nick killed. My source also tells me Rachel went off the rails and killed him for it.”

“If that’s true, then magic doesn’t sound like the sort of thing you want to mess with. You need to look for another story. How about a sympathetic report of your good friend Nick Saunders?”

“That’s boring. I’m not leaving here until I get the truth about you and this place. There’s more to this backward little hamlet than hot water that stinks and ancient stones. You’re hiding something here.”

My nails dug into my palms as I smiled at him. “Why don’t you come have breakfast with me? I’d like to hear everything you know.” Then I could make a decision about what to do with James. I couldn’t risk him leaving Willow Tree Falls and running a lurid story about us. We’d get all kinds of spook hunters arriving to see the freaks of the village if I did.

James winked at me and adjusted his collar. “I knew you wouldn’t be able to resist me for long.”

“You don’t know what a struggle it’s been. This way.” I headed into Unicorn’s Trough and nodded at Brogan as I sat at my favorite table by the window.

James settled opposite me and stretched his legs. “I have to admit I wasn’t looking forward to yet another boring small town story, but being here has been an adventure.”

“You don’t say. What kind of adventure have you been having?”

“This place is full of secrets. Everyone who lives here is hiding something. I believe it’s the same something.”

“You don’t really believe the magic theory, do you?”

Brogan came over, a curious look on his face as he saw me with James, especially since we’d argued the last time we were in here. “What will it be, folks?”

“I’ll have the goddess smoothie bowl and the biggest mug of coffee you can find,” I said.

James ordered waffles and fresh fruit. “What is this big mystery? I thought it might be you were all hiding an old diamond mine or an untapped source of oil and didn’t want anybody to know about it.”

“No, it’s nothing like that. This place is as dull as you think it is.”

“There is no magic ring?” He raised his eyebrows and stared hard at me.

“Nick did talk about a ring,” I said. “Maybe he meant an engagement ring for his unstable girlfriend.”

“It has to be more than that.” James drummed his fingers on the table in an irritating rhythm. “The police won’t tell me anything.”

“That’s because there’s nothing to tell. It’s time for you to move on and hassle another village for a story that doesn’t exist.”

He watched me in silence, his gaze full of mistrust. I was telling him nothing. It was time to change the subject.

“Do you know how Jenny’s doing?” I asked.

“Why should I be interested in her?”

I gave a small shake of my head. “She’s your assistant.”

James shrugged. “She’s out of the hospital. I’ve got her loading up the van.”

This guy was a real piece of work. “You do know she was attacked yesterday by Rachel, right?”

“Sure, but there’s nothing wrong with her now.”

That was strange. Jenny couldn’t even sit up in bed unaided when I saw her. “Her hands were messed up. She shouldn’t be carrying anything and definitely not loading your equipment into a van.”

“She said it wasn’t a problem. Jenny had some bandage straps on her hands, but I don’t see what all the fuss is about. There’s barely a scratch on her. She was being hysterical.”

“Jenny has a right to be. She was in a bad way when she was found after Rachel attacked her.”

“You know what women can be like when they get catty.” James smirked at me. “Have you ever fought over a guy?”

“They weren’t fighting over a guy.”

“That’s not what Jenny says. She told me Rachel got jealous and went for her. I can’t understand it. Nick had no drive, no get up and go. Why would they have fought over him? Rachel needs a real man if she wants to go places.”

“Do you think you’re that real man?”

His smug smile turned lecherous. “Why don’t you let me show you?”

“There’s no need. I’ve already made my mind up about you.”

“What does that pretty little mind of yours tell you?” James leaned over the table and tried to grab my hand.

“Is there a problem here?”

I looked up, surprised to see Axel standing at the counter, glaring at us.

I waved away his concern. “Nothing for you to worry about.”

Axel glared at James before turning away.

“Is that your boyfriend?” James asked.

“A friend. So, you really made Jenny go back to work already?”

“Of course, if she stops working, she’ll be forgotten in five minutes. There are always people chasing after these assistant positions, looking to get a foot in the door with journalism. She can’t afford to take time off.”

“She must be in a lot of pain.”

“When you’re motivated, you get things done,” James said. “And I’m motivated to get the truth out of you.” He finally succeeded in catching hold of my hand and pulled it across the table toward him.

Instead of yanking my hand away, I gripped hold of his wrist and held on tight, pulsing a spell through my fingers and into his skin. “How about I tell you a story? In Willow Tree Falls, there is a beautiful old thermal spa. That’s the true magic of this place. People who go in the thermal spa leave feeling ten years younger and invigorated.”

James’s eyes glazed over as my magic weaved through his thoughts, removing his desire to tell the truth about the village. He would have his story, but it would be the same boring old story everyone told after they’d visited this place. The magic lay in the thermal spa waters and the ancient stones. That was all there was to it.

Despite wanting to yank my fingers off his clammy skin, I kept hold of James’s hand until I was certain my magic had done its job.

Brogan walked over with our food. Concern crossed his face as he sensed my magic. “I hope there’s not going to be any trouble here.”

I smiled sweetly at him. “There’s nothing for you to worry about. James is going to take his food to go, though.”

Brogan looked at James, and he nodded. “That’s right. I need to go.”

Brogan returned a moment later with a bag for James. He wandered out of the cafe looking happy and completely oblivious to the truth.

Brogan eased himself into James’s empty seat. “Tempest, you don’t need me to tell you to be careful using magic around non-magicals.”

I scooped up a big mouthful of smoothie. “He deserved it. He was a jerk, whose only interest is himself and what he can get out of a situation. He knows Willow Tree Falls is different. He wasn’t going to stop questioning people until he found out the truth. I can’t afford for that to happen. We don’t need people poking their nose where it’s not wanted. When that happens, dangerous magic gets uncovered, and people get hurt.”

Brogan looked out the window at James, who sat on the bumper of his van eating his waffles. “I guess he did deserve it. How are you doing? I saw most of what happened yesterday. You took quite a beating.”

“I feel surprisingly good. It was worth getting a few bruises to get this whole mess sorted out.” I glanced out the window. Even though everything was resolved, what James had told me about Jenny’s quick recovery unsettled me. There was no way she should be using her hands after they’d been so badly injured.

Brogan touched my arm. “What’s on your mind?”

“Maybe it’s nothing. I need to close down this case and move on. There’s bound to be some demon who needs a butt whipping.”

“The Ring of Halo is in safe hands, I’m assuming,” Brogan said.

“It’s secure. I’ll be giving it back to Suki as soon as I can. She can keep it safe along with all the other magic in the forest. She’s done a great job for so many years. I’m not going to let one slip-up go against her.”

“Good. I don’t like to think of her alone in the forest. She is welcome here anytime. And until she feels comfortable enough to use the front door, I will keep supplying her with food out the back.”

“She’s good at taking care of herself, but I know she’ll appreciate that.” It sounded like Suki would be busy from now on; she was getting so many invitations.

Brogan left me to finish my food alone and headed off to serve other customers.

Once breakfast was out of the way, I walked over to Angel Force’s headquarters with Wiggles to find Dazielle in the reception area.

She raised her eyebrows when she saw me. “I didn’t expect to see you around for at least a week.”

“I’m already feeling much better. How’s everything going with Rachel?”

“She’s been charged with Nick’s murder and the illegal possession of a magic artifact.”

“Did she confess to the murder?”

“Not so much. She keeps saying she knows nothing about it, but it has to be her. Maybe she got her hands on the ring after Nick had discovered it and lost control. We both saw how unstable she was when wearing the ring.”

“You don’t think she’s innocent?”

“Not for a second. She might say she is, but I don’t believe it.”

There was that niggle again in the back of my head, telling me to keep prodding this case. “Is there physical evidence she struck Nick and moved his body?”

Dazielle’s eyes narrowed. “Not yet. What are you getting at?”

“I don’t know. It might be nothing, and I agree Rachel needs to be charged with handling the artifact, but Nick’s murder, I’m not so sure.”

“You seemed sure yesterday.”

“I was. I mean, I am. It most likely was Rachel. What about Suki? I hope you’re dropping all charges.”

“We’re dropping the murder charge, but we’re charging Suki with assault,” Dazielle said.

“Come off it. She defended herself against your attack. That’s not a crime.”

“Suki should have come quietly. We didn’t want to hurt her.”

“She wasn’t to know that. You stalked through her forest, stamping around and terrifying her. She reacted just like any wood nymph would.”

“The problem is she’s a six-foot wood nymph with arms like tree trunks and a quick temper. Suki lashed out and injured people. She even landed you on your butt. She has to answer for that.”

I had a bruise on the back of my head to remind me of that, but I didn’t hold it against Suki. “What will happen to her?”

“I’ve checked her record. It’s a first offense, but she could still serve time inside. She would also benefit from a rehabilitation course to learn how to control her temper.”

“She can’t go to jail. She’ll be picked on and miserable. Suki’s had enough of that in her life.”

“It’s no less than she deserves.”

“What Suki deserves is to be left alone, so she can look after her forest. We owe a lot to Suki for protecting dangerous magic and keeping us safe from it. She makes one small mistake and gets shoved into jail. That’s unfair. If she goes inside, we’ll all be vulnerable. You take her out of the forest, and the whole of Willow Tree Falls will be at risk.”

Dazielle scowled at me. “What do you suggest we do with her? She’s not being let go, or she won’t realize she’s done anything wrong.”

I rubbed my chin as an idea formed. “Suki can serve her sentence with me.”

Dazielle’s brow wrinkled. “What would she do with you?”

“I’ll help her feel more comfortable in her skin. If you like, I’ll make sure she goes to her rehabilitation program.” This was becoming a habit I wasn’t sure I wanted, helping damaged magic users get back on their feet. First Axel and now Suki. “Suki can get support from me and channel her energy into the smooth running of Cloven Hoof.”

“You’re going to put Suki behind the bar?”

“Definitely not, I value my expensive bottles of alcohol. She has assets that will be useful. It will help her come out of her shell and learn that being sociable isn’t a bad thing. Not everyone wants to poke fun at her and be mean.”

Dazielle tilted her head. “What have you got in mind?”

“Leave the details to me. I’m happy to help if she’s put on probation.”

Dazielle jabbed a finger at me. “If I do this, you have complete responsibility for her actions. If Suki messes up or breaks the law, it lands on your head. You have to guarantee me that you’ll look after her and keep her out of trouble.”

“I assure you, Suki coming to work with me will be the best thing that’s happened to both of us.”

Dazielle smirked, the glimmer in her eyes suggesting she hoped it was a spectacular failure and I’d end up in her cells again. “I’ll get the paperwork drawn up, but I’ll be keeping a close eye on both of you. One mistake, and you’ll both be back here.”

I smiled as I turned away from the desk. Dazielle could threaten all she liked, but it looked like I had a new member of staff, and I was happy about it.

“Wait! If you stick around for a bit, I can discharge Suki into your care.”

“I can’t right now. I’ll sign whatever needs signing later.” I needed to spend some time figuring out what was niggling me about Rachel’s arrest and the fight she’d had with Jenny.

I had to be certain this was all Rachel’s doing and I wasn’t missing something. Something that could put everyone I loved in Willow Tree Falls at risk.

Chapter 20

As I headed back along the main street with Wiggles, I saw Jenny hopping into the back of the van parked outside Unicorn’s Trough, her arms full of equipment.

I hurried over and poked my head inside. The van’s interior was kitted out with banks of screens and filming equipment, along with cameras and microphones.

She looked over and gasped before smiling. “Hi, Tempest, you startled me.”

“I’m surprised to see you working.” I looked at her hands, which were covered in a light gauze bandage.

“Oh, I feel great. I don’t know what they do at that hospital of yours, but I’m almost as good as new. Besides, I need to get the last few bits sorted before we leave. James won’t be happy if the work isn’t completed.”

“He’s the slave driver making you work while your hands are healing?”

“Of course,” Jenny said. “What’s a girl to do? I need a job, and he’s offering one. When we get out of here and things settle down, I’ll look around for something else. I’m not sure journalism is for me anymore.”

“It seems you do need a mean streak to be in journalism and make it to the top.”

“Tell me about it. I’ve had enough of being bossed around by super-egos.” She closed the lid of the box she was sorting through. “How’s Rachel doing?”

“I haven’t seen her since yesterday. I hear she’s being charged with Nick’s murder, so she’s probably miserable.”

Jenny stopped tidying the equipment and hopped out the back of the van. “Wow! So, it really was her. I can’t say I’m surprised. If you’re looking for a person with a mean streak, she’d be front and center of the pack.”

I studied Jenny carefully. She seemed in remarkably good health after the fight. “Rachel keeps talking about this crazy theory she has.”

Jenny smiled. “What theory is that?”

“She keeps talking about a bewitched ring. She said that’s what sent her over the edge and why she attacked you.” That wasn’t true. I hadn’t spoken to Rachel since the angels took her, but Jenny didn’t need to know that.

Jenny’s laugh sounded startled. “A bewitched ring. Are we in Narnia?”

I shrugged and forced a smile. “It’s so weird. I was wondering if it was an antique ring she’d lost or wanted to buy.”

Jenny stepped closer. “This ring sounds interesting. Did you get a look at it?”

“I pulled it off her finger when she was caught.”

“You’ve got the ring?” Jenny grabbed hold of my arm. Her fingers dug into my flesh. “Where is it?”

My eyebrows rose slowly. “Why the interest?”

Jenny’s eyes gleamed. “It’s mine. She took it from me.”

I feigned surprise as my pulse raced. “A second ago, you were surprised to learn about a ring. Are you certain it’s yours?”

Jenny licked her lips. “I forgot. I mean, with everything that’s been going on, it’s been a stressful week. Nick dying, me being attacked by Rachel. But I’m certain she stole that ring. It belongs to me. Give it back.”

“I wish I could. It was taken away.”

Jenny scowled at me. “The police have it?”

“It’s in a safe place. Besides, it’s evidence. It can’t be handed over to anyone for a while.”

“But it’s mine,” Jenny whined.

“If it is, you’ll get it back.”

Jenny’s smile looked forced as she let go of my arm. “Of course, I’m just curious about what sent Rachel so crazy. My ring can’t have done that. I should go get it, though. I don’t want it to go missing. You hear stories of corrupt police stealing precious items and selling them.”

“I don’t think our police will do that.”

Jenny took a step away from the van, her gaze going in the direction of Angel Force’s headquarters. “Even so, I need to be sure.”

“Give it a couple of weeks and you can get it.”

“I can’t wait a couple of weeks!”

My eyes narrowed. “Why not?”

Jenny looked down at the bandages on her hands and shook her head. “I just... well, it has sentimental value.”

“Is that all? Rachel is as adamant as you that it belongs to her.”

“She’s lying!” Jenny crossed her arms over her chest. “Maybe that’s it. Nick must have found my ring and given it to Rachel. He demanded it back when he realized what an awful human being she is. They fought, and she killed him. There you go. Rachel has another reason for wanting Nick dead.”

“I think we have enough reasons for that,” I said. “Why would Nick give your ring to someone else?”

Jenny shrugged. “He was nice but dumb. He’d have done anything to stop Rachel’s whining for five minutes. He could have found my ring and offered it to Rachel to keep her happy. He wouldn’t have known it belonged to me.” She took another step away.

I grabbed hold of her arm. “You probably don’t want to do that.”

She glared at me. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, you don’t want to go anywhere near that ring ever again. You were wearing it when you fought with Rachel, weren’t you?”

Her eyes widened. “How do you know that?”

“I wondered why your hands were so badly scratched. Rachel tore at your fingers because she wanted the ring.” Which meant Jenny had worn the ring and experienced its powers first-hand. When a non-magical was exposed to that much power, it never ended well.

Jenny shook my hand off her arm and stepped toward me. “Do you know what this ring can do? Do you know its power?”

“A little, and you clearly do. That’s why you fought with Rachel to keep it.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Jenny glanced around the street. She grabbed me by the throat and slung me with surprising force into the back of the van, before jumping on top of me and pinning me down. The van door slammed shut behind us, trapping Wiggles outside and me very much inside and in trouble.

Yikes, Jenny was strong. She must have residual magic flowing through her, thanks to wearing the demon possessed ring. And when I say residual, I mean a ton of strong, spiky, nasty feeling magic that oozed from her pores like yesterday’s whiskey.

“You will tell me where the ring is,” she spat in my face. “It’s mine. I have a right to wear it.”

“You have a right to nothing.” I gasped as her fingers tightened around my throat. “That ring is not for you. It’s not for anyone to use.”

She slammed my head onto the floor of the van. “I will have it back. It claimed me. We are one.”

I tried to lift my hands and cast a spell, but they felt heavy and slow as if the throb of Jenny’s power drained me. “How long have you had the ring?”

“It claimed me after Nick found it. He discovered it the first night we were here. He was so excited that he couldn’t help but tell me all about it. At first, I thought he was joking. Then he showed me the ring, and it was as if nothing else mattered. Before I realized what I was doing, I’d pulled it from his hand and slipped it on my finger.” Jenny let out a contented sigh, and her eyes glazed over.

“He wasn’t happy about that?”

Her expression hardened. “Nick pulled the ring off my finger. He told me not to mess with it and I didn’t know what I was doing. He was an idiot. Nick had no clue what he was dealing with. That ring didn’t want him; it wanted me. I knew the second the warm metal touched my flesh that we were meant to be joined.”

“Joined to a piece of unnaturally warm metal that made you desire it. That didn’t make you think something was off?”

She thumped my head onto the floor again. “You have no idea what you’re talking about. Give me my ring.”

My head ached, and my vision blurred. A sign that Frank wanted in on the action would be perfect, but he refused to show. He must still be licking his wounds from his last encounter with this power. “Did you have that ring when you came to Cloven Hoof? That was how you got in?”

Her expression grew puzzled. “Of course, I could get into your stupid bar. What’s that got to do with anything?”

That was one mystery solved. There was nothing wrong with the magic barrier around Cloven Hoof. It was simply that Jenny had possession of a magic artifact, which meant she could walk through my barrier.

Finally, Frank stirred inside me as black dots flashed in front of my eyes. “It’s about time.”

“Time for what?” Jenny cocked her head. Her eyes blazed. “Oh! I knew there was something strange about you. I sensed it when you questioned me after Nick’s death. You have power too.”

“I don’t have much say over this particular ability.” I sensed Frank wanted to defend himself against Jenny, but something stopped him. His hot energy slid up my spine but stopped halfway and sank down. I couldn’t hear him in my head. It was as if she sucked power from us both.

I heard Wiggles barking outside the van and crashing into the side as he tried to get in.

Jenny bashed my head on the floor one more time. “Now I know the ring is safe, I can find it and be reunited with it. You cannot tell anybody about this.”

“I won’t say a word. I’ve already forgotten what we were talking about.”

She raised a hand above my head, a snarl on her face.

The back door of the van was yanked open. “What’s going on in here?” It was James. I’d never been so happy to see his smug face.

Jenny glanced at him and shook her head. “Leave us alone.”

“Jenny, what are you doing to Tempest?” He ignored her advice and clambered into the back of the van. Wiggles was right behind him, his hackles raised and his eyes glowing as he saw Jenny on top of me.

I gestured for Wiggles to keep back. “You really do need to get lost,” I gasped at James. If he got between two magic users fighting, he’d be toast.

James’s ego was not paying attention to the danger he’d wandered into. “I don’t know what this is, but you both need to stop.”

“You always were a jerk.” Jenny flicked a hand toward him. James flew backwards out of the van and landed on the ground.

“Wiggles, keep him out of this,” I yelled.

Wiggles stared at me for a second before jumping on top of James’s chest and pinning him down.

Our fight had drawn the attention of others, who must have sensed the dark magic exuding from Jenny. Several worried-looking faces peered in at us.

Brogan appeared and stared down at James. When Brogan raised his head, his eyes glowed a liquid silver as he saw Jenny on top of me. His fingers sparked with magic. “Ladies, this fight must end.”

Jenny eased her hold on me a fraction as she gazed at the growing crowd behind the van. She rolled off me, and her eyes widened in mock fear. “I’m innocent. I have nothing to do with this. She attacked me.” She pointed a shaking finger in my direction as I struggled to my feet and rubbed my sore throat.

“That’s not true,” I said. “Jenny’s had her hands on the Ring of Halo for days. It’s changed her.”

“You know nothing about me or my ring,” she hissed.

“What on earth is going on?” James protested from the ground. “Will somebody get this dog off me? I think it has fleas, and it’s drooling on my shirt.”

“Wiggles, don’t let him up,” I called. It was too late to stop James from seeing what we really were. He was surrounded by magic users who weren’t being too careful about hiding their powers as they sensed the danger from Jenny. Before James left Willow Tree Falls, he’d need another mind wipe.

“I insist, or I’m calling the police and animal control.” James squirmed until Wiggles caught hold of the front of his shirt in his teeth and snarled at him.

“That’s enough.” Brogan reached down and touched Wiggles. “He is involved now.”

Wiggles looked at me, and I shrugged. James was in for a shock. I hoped he could handle it.

James struggled up and brushed dirt from the back of his pants, his cautious gaze on Wiggles, who remained alert by the back of the van, his attention fixed to me. “Why are you fighting with each other?”

“It’s her,” Jenny said. “She’s claiming I’m involved with Nick’s murder when we all know it was Rachel.”

James looked from me to Jenny. “Is this true? I thought Rachel had been charged. The whole sorry mess is over, and I have all the information I need for my exclusive.”

“The police have the wrong person,” I said.

James laughed. “You think it was Jenny? She can’t have anything to do with this.”

“You see? I have a witness to prove my innocence,” Jenny said. “I had nothing to do with Nick’s death in the cemetery.”

“He wasn’t killed in the cemetery, though, was he? Nick was killed inside the standing stones and his body moved.” I looked around the inside of the van, recalling Suki mentioning hearing an engine noise near the stones. “He was probably moved using this van, a van Jenny knows well since she uses it as her mobile office.”

“What nonsense,” Jenny said. “Other people use this van. I’m not strong enough to kill anybody.”

“You would if you had possession of the Ring of Halo.”

“The ring of what?” James asked, his eyes gleaming with the promise of a story to tantalize his readers.

“Never mind,” I said. “Jenny killed Nick and moved him. It was all because of this ring.”

“I’m not admitting to anything,” Jenny said. “You have no proof I was involved.”

“Hold on. If it’s proof you need, I can show it to you,” James said.

“How can you do that?” I asked.

“Easy. When we first got here, I rigged a fixed camera at the standing stones. I wanted twenty-four-hour footage of the place. Sometimes, you get funny shots or interesting pictures of wildlife. More often than not, though, the cameras simply catch couples making out in the dark, thinking no one can see them. All that footage has its uses.”

My heartbeat kicked up a gear. “You’ve recorded everything that happened at the stones?”

“Everything. And it’s all time stamped.”

“You won’t find anything.” Jenny sounded frantic as she blocked access to the equipment.

“If we won’t find anything, then it doesn’t matter if we take a look,” I said.

“No, I mean, you won’t see me doing anything.” Jenny’s panicked gaze looked around at the growing crowd of people behind the van. “I’m innocent.”

“Sure you are.” I gestured to James. “Show us the footage.”

James grinned, seeming happy to be the center of attention despite the bizarre circumstances. He hopped into the back of the van and sidled past Jenny.

She lunged at the equipment and grabbed a laptop. I was ready for her this time. I wrapped my arms around her and flooded her with calming magic. It took effort, and I was trembling by the time the spell had an effect, but Jenny lowered the laptop and slumped in my arms.

James looked at me, alarm clear in his eyes. “What did you do to her?”

“It’s a bit like a Vulcan death grip. Squeeze a person in the right place, and they pass out. Get the footage up.” I lowered Jenny onto a seat and pinned her down with magic.

James was still staring at me when I turned back around. “You are the oddest person I’ve ever met.”

“It won’t be the first time someone’s told me that.” I gestured at the bank of equipment. “The footage?”

He glanced at the crowd outside the van. “Very well.” James spent a moment bringing up files and checking through them. “This is the one. I fixed the camera on top of one of those old stones.”

“You do realize how important those stones are,” Brogan grumbled, his eyes still gleaming silver as his magic lurked beneath the surface.

“It’s a bit of old rock,” James said. “I didn’t do it any harm when I climbed on it.”

I raised a hand to Brogan as he approached the van, his fists clenched. Now wasn’t the right time to sucker punch James. Later, definitely later. Those stones were sacred to Willow Tree Falls, and no one got to climb on them.

“Bring up the footage from just after midnight on the night Nick was murdered,” I instructed.

James scrolled through the footage for a few minutes.

“Wait, go back a bit.” I’d spotted a lone figure come into the camera’s view.

James muttered under his breath, something about him not being my slave, but I chose to ignore him.

I watched as Nick appeared and wandered around the stones, slipping in and out of sight.

“What was he playing at?” James said. “I hope he wasn’t trying to get a story over me.”

“He won’t be getting anything over you,” I snapped. “He’s dead, remember?”

James huffed and shoved his hands into his pockets. “I remember. I’m the one being forced to write his memorial message in the blasted paper.”

“Make sure you do a good job.” I kept my gaze fixed on the laptop screen. I tensed as I saw Nick standing alone and a figure run up behind him. They jumped him and whacked him over the back of the head.

James sucked in a breath and leaned closer to the screen.

“Come on. I need to see your face,” I whispered as I continued to watch the footage.

“I thought Nick died in the cemetery?” James said.

“It doesn’t look like it,” I said. We scrolled through the footage, stopping it again when the back of a van appeared in the camera’s view. The killer ran to Nick’s body and dragged him toward the van. I still hadn’t seen their face, so I couldn’t be sure it was Jenny.

As they got closer to the van, the killer stumbled and fell backward. The hood they wore came off, revealing Jenny’s dark hair.

James gasped and looked over at Jenny. “She’s the killer? What about Rachel?”

“Rachel is innocent,” I said.

James rubbed his forehead, and a smile spread across his face. “This is brilliant. I thought I was here to cover a story about the solstice, and I’ve got an exclusive on a murder.” He glanced at me. “And I want to talk to you. There’s something off about you.”

“I have no story to tell you.”

“You’re involved in this. Maybe this isn’t a love triangle between Nick, Rachel, and Jenny but a love square. Are you also in love with Nick?”

“Wiggles, Brogan, can you deal with this problem?” I gestured at James.

“Our pleasure.” Wiggles grabbed James by the ankle as Brogan wrapped a hand around James’s arm and yanked him from the van.

James yelped and disappeared from view.

“Is everything okay in here?” Rhett poked his head inside the van. His eyes widened as he saw Jenny slumped in a seat.

“It will be. Can you message Angel Force and tell them to haul their feathered butts over here? They’ve charged the wrong person with Nick’s murder.”

Concern flashed in Rhett’s eyes. “Of course. Are you okay?”

I nodded as I slumped against the side of the van. “I will be.” All I needed was a week in bed with a stack of cupcakes, and I’d be just perfect.

Chapter 21

It had been two days since Jenny had been revealed as Nick’s killer, and everything finally felt back to normal.

I stretched out on the large checked picnic blanket in the cemetery and smiled as I took in the scene around me. Everyone was there. Mom handed out sandwiches, Aurora sat with Auntie Queenie and Uncle Kenny in the shade of a tree, Granny Dottie and Grandpa Lucius debated whether clotted cream or double cream went best with strawberries, and Wiggles was off bounding around the gravestones chasing butterflies. I was happy to be surrounded by it all.

Mom handed me a glass of something sparkling. “Don’t worry. It’s not alcoholic. It’s sparkling apple juice. You deserve a treat after your hard work finding Nick’s killer.”

“And for clearing my name,” Auntie Queenie said as she peered out at me from under the brim of a large purple hat, a pastry in one hand.

“That was tough,” I said. “I really thought you’d end up behind bars. Maybe be more discreet when you make your threats to journalists. And no more mention of demon sacrifices.”

Auntie Queenie had the decency to look embarrassed. “It was a little joke. Who would actually believe I’d do such a thing?”

“What’s going to happen to Jenny?” Aurora asked.

“Angel Force has seen the footage, and she’s been charged with murder. They’re holding her until they can figure out what to do with a non-magical who broke our laws. She will need special treatment. They can hardly shove her in a demon prison and expect her to thrive.”

“She deserves it,” Granny Dottie said. “She caused a lot of trouble here.”

“Nick started it,” I said. “With his magic ancestral roots and him discovering information about the Ring of Halo, he started this hunt and ended up putting a lot of people at risk.”

“It’s a shame it ended in his death,” Mom said. “We’ve got the ring tucked away in the house, so no one can get to it. The sooner it’s back where it belongs, the better. And we need to be quick. Your gran has been dropping hints about trying it on.”

I shuddered. Granny Dottie caused enough trouble without having a dark magic ring jammed on her finger. “Suki is having a few days off before she gets back to her forest duties. She found the recent events overwhelming. I’ll be keeping a close eye on her.” I took a sip of the apple juice. “In fact, I was thinking of offering her a part-time job at Cloven Hoof. I’ve got to watch out for her, so she keeps her nose clean and doesn’t punch any more angels.”

Granny Dottie snorted a laugh. “Punching angels, what fun.”

“What sort of job can Suki do for you?” Grandpa Lucius asked as he glanced affectionately at his wife.

“I was thinking a bouncer,” I said.

Aurora smiled. “Oh, yes! That will be perfect. She’s intimidating to look at. Anyone who wants to cause trouble at the door will think twice when they run into Suki.”

“Exactly. I haven’t officially asked her yet, but it will do her good and give her a chance to socialize more. She must get lonely in the forest. I also need to get the word out that she wants an apprentice. Managing the forest on her own is too much for one wood nymph, even more so if she’s going to spend time at Cloven Hoof.”

“I can put a note up in Heaven’s Door,” Aurora said. “I’m sure we’ll find someone lovely to assist her.”

“Thanks, I’ll do the same at the other stores,” I said.

“We need to look after Suki,” Mom said. “It must be hard being alone and scared of what other people think of her. When she’s ready, we’ll invite her around for dinner and discuss her job prospects.”

I grinned at Mom. “It’s going to take a while before she can handle dinner with all of us.”

Mom tutted and clipped me around the head.

“I saw that other journalist and the rude non-magical woman scurrying out of here yesterday,” Granny Dottie said. “I’m glad to see the back of them.”

I nodded as I accepted a huge plate of sandwiches from Mom. “So did I. I got the impression Rachel has latched onto James as her next conquest. He’s too confused to know what’s going on. I had to do another mind wipe on him after he saw everything. He’s a stubborn one and doesn’t let go of a story easily. With a bit of luck, he’ll write the most boring story about us imaginable. No one will want to come here after they’ve read his article.”

“I was thinking it would be nice to do something to remember Nick,” Aurora said. “We can have a little plaque or something in the cemetery as a way to remember him. He did mess up in his hunt for the Ring of Halo, but it wasn’t his fault. It was his natural curiosity that killed him.”

“It was a magic crazed woman with a rock in her hand that did that,” Granny Dottie said.

Aurora tutted at her. “Don’t you think it would be nice, though? We can keep it discreet.”

“That’s a lovely idea,” Mom said. “Maybe we can have something we can put flowers in, as well.”

I nodded as I munched on a smoked salmon and cream cheese sandwich. It felt good to be surrounded by my family. It would be so easy to get used to this and think I could stay here all the time. Despite Frank’s recent efforts to get free, he wasn’t happy, and I knew I’d need to leave again soon. Frank needed a proper day out, and Willow Tree Falls was not the place to do that.

Aurora shuffled over and joined me on the blanket. She snaffled a sandwich from my plate, and we ate together in silence for a few minutes.

“I feel like I’ve hardly seen you,” she said quietly. “When I do, I’ve had to run away before you throttled me. And I know you’re going away again.”

My shrug was apologetic. “How do you know that?”

“Dazielle was in Heaven’s Door and said you’ve accepted a new job from her.”

I frowned. Dazielle talked too much. “I’ll be back.”

“We’ve barely spent any safe time together.”

“There’s a good reason for that,” I said. “Plus, I got my arm twisted in helping to solve this murder.”

“I know, but next time you come back, let’s see if we can’t figure out a way to hang out more without Frank causing us problems.” She nudged me as she stole another sandwich. “I miss you.”

I stared up into the sky and repressed a sigh. I’d love that. I’d love to hang out with my sister all the time, but even her sitting next to me had perked Frank’s attention. “I’m sure we can do something.”

“Great. Maybe we can have a girlie day at the spa. It’s been awhile since I’ve been in the thermal waters.”

“I’m not sure about a girlie day.”

“How about a girlie morning?”

“Maybe not a girlie anything.”

Aurora pouted at me. “I can come demon hunting with you. You can teach me all about the non-magical world on the other side of the barrier.”

“Nope, out of the question,” I said. “When I’m out of Willow Tree Falls, Frank is much more prevalent. If you spend time with me in the land of non-magicals, he will eat you alive.”

Aurora shifted on the blanket and eyed me with caution. “Well, I don’t want that. Maybe we won’t do demon hunting together.”

“Good plan. We will do something, though. I promise.”

“Since you’re about to leave us, I got you two going away presents.” Aurora grinned at me and sat up.

“You’ve never done that before.” My gaze narrowed as I saw the wicked smile on her face. “What have you done?”

She pointed over my head. “They’re arriving now.”

I turned my head, and my heart skipped a beat. Rhett and Axel strode through the gates of the cemetery toward us.

I groaned and closed my eyes for a second. “Why did you invite them both?”

“Oh, come off it. You like them. There’s no harm in them coming here and enjoying some of the food Mom’s spent hours preparing.”

“Ooooh, gorgeous men to enjoy.” Granny Dottie chuckled and smoothed her skirt over her knees. “This day keeps getting better.”

Mom grabbed two more plates. “I made extra. I know how growing boys like to eat.”

I glared at her. “You knew about this?”

Mom shared a smile with Aurora. “I might have known something about it.” She hopped up and hugged Rhett and Axel. “Welcome to the picnic. There’s plenty for everyone, so don’t be shy about helping yourselves.”

“Thanks, Mrs. Crypt,” Rhett said as he smiled at me.

“None of that Mrs. anything. It’s Cora.”

Rhett nodded, and Axel smiled at my mom, his grin so bright it dazzled me.

After they’d loaded their plates with food, they looked around for somewhere to sit. Aurora hopped up from the blanket. “There’s plenty of room for the two of you on here. I need to stretch my legs.”

“Don’t leave me alone,” I whispered to her.

All Aurora did was wink at me and skip away like the treacherous, matchmaking fool she was.

Rhett and Axel looked as uncomfortable as I felt as they squashed themselves onto the blanket.

I smiled at them, trying to ignore how mortified I felt by being so obviously set up by my entire family.

“It sounds like you’ve been having quite an adventure,” Axel said. “A dead journalist, an enchanted ring, and a fight with a crazed non-magical.”

“Tempest handled herself just fine,” Rhett said.

Axel glared at him. “I never said she didn’t.”

“It’s all dealt with now. The dangerous magic is contained, the killer has been arrested, and all the journalists have vanished.” I did not like the whiff of alpha dog building between these two. I would not be fought over like a piece of prime steak.

“When will one of you fine young men ask for my granddaughter’s hand in marriage?” Granny Dottie asked.

I cringed and glared at her. “Ignore her. We think she’s losing her marbles. She says all sorts of ridiculous things.”

Granny Dottie frowned at me. “Less of your lip.”

Rhett and Axel grinned as I looked at them. “Don’t you dare indulge her. She’s trying to stir up trouble.”

“It’s not a terrible idea,” Axel said.

Rhett frowned at him. “You want to marry Tempest?”

Axel shrugged. “Well, I have to settle down sometime.”

“Thanks! I’m not settling for anyone,” I said.

Axel’s cheeks flushed. “I didn’t mean that. I meant I wouldn’t be settling if I picked you.”

“You’re assuming I’m interested in settling. I might like being single.”

“It gets boring,” Auntie Queenie said, clearly listening in to the conversation. “Find yourself a handsome stud and enjoy yourself. Remember what we talked about?” She nodded her head vigorously at Rhett and Axel.

“What did you talk about?” Rhett asked.

“Nothing important. Auntie Queenie has strange theories when it comes to controlling Frank. All of it is nonsense.” There was no way I’d tell Rhett and Axel Auntie Queenie’s theory about having lots of sex to keep control of her magic and reduce stress.

Rhett smirked as he ate a mini quiche.

My cheeks flushed. “Just to be clear, I’m not in the arena for marriage.”

“Are you in the arena for dating?” Rhett asked.

“You should choose the one with the motorbike,” Granny Dottie said. “I like his stubble. And anyone who knows how to control such a powerful machine has got to have strong muscles. Can I feel your biceps, Rhett?”

“Please, don’t show her your biceps,” I said to Rhett. “She’ll get overexcited, and her heart will give out.”

He laughed. “Sorry, Dottie, I haven’t been to the gym in a while. There’s nothing to feel.”

“There’s no need to be shy,” Granny Dottie said. “Any time you want someone to ride pillion with you, you only have to say the word. I have my own helmet.”

Grandpa Lucius patted her knee. “I’ll take you for a ride, old girl, so long as you behave yourself.”

“Less of the old.” Granny Dottie stroked his cheek affectionately.

“If you’re into bikes, I’m restoring a classic at the moment,” Axel said. “I think I’d look great in a set of leathers.”

“It takes more than leathers to make a biker,” Rhett muttered.

I shook my head. It wasn’t about the bikes or the leathers, although they were kind of sexy. I discreetly studied both men as they continued to eat and banter with Granny Dottie. They had their charms but also had things that made me realize it wouldn’t be a good idea to date either of them. I had to keep reminding myself that I wasn’t looking for a date. And I wasn’t looking for a date with any bad boys.

Still, they were tempting. If I could figure out how to squash Frank for a few weeks and really get to know them both, things could be different. I could make a decision and find a guy who would put up with me and my annoying demon.

Wiggles raced over to the blanket. He snatched a sandwich out of Axel’s hand and gave him a dirty look before bounding away again.

Axel shook his head. “I’m telling you that dog does not like me.”

“He’s got good taste,” Rhett said.

The ground beneath us rumbled. Everyone was instantly alert.

“That felt like a new crack in the prison.” Mom was on her feet, her hands already sparking with magic.

Granny Dottie stood. “Let’s see what the problem is. Don’t worry everyone. You carry on with the picnic. We’ve got a little demon problem to deal with. We’ll be back in time for cake.” Defying her years, she sprinted away with Mom, magic crackling off both of them as they hunted for the crack and the sneaky demon trying to break out.

I reclined back on the blanket, knowing Mom and Granny Dottie would keep us safe. Aurora sat next to me on the grass, and we watched our incredible family as they hunted for demons and ensured the rest of the world remained safe.

“Our family is awesome,” Aurora said.

I gave her hand a quick squeeze. She was right. I might be leaving soon, but I had everything to come back for.

Book 3

Revenge of the Witch

K.E. O’Connor

Chapter 1

“There’s one of the little imps!” My sister, Aurora Crypt, pointed to a sickly green vapor as it slid from a crack in the cemetery.

I shook my head. Only Aurora would call a potentially lethal, soul sucking demon an imp.

“I’m on it.” I raced over, stick in hand, and slammed it on the head of the demon who was trying to escape the prison.

“There’s another creeping through here,” Aurora yelled.

As I turned, she slammed her own stick on top of a demon’s horned head before sealing the crack with a blast of white magic.

It was unusual for me to work a shift at the cemetery, but the resident demons were being tricky. They’d been disrupting the stability of the prison for almost a week, launching relentless attacks on any weakness they discovered. The whole family was working overtime to ensure none of them crept out and caused chaos.

The sticks we held weren’t your average sticks, but powerful magic staffs that weakened demons by absorbing their energy when they came into contact with them.

“This is like a game of whack a mole, just with demons.” Wiggles, my mostly faithful talking hellhound, wandered over with a stick in his mouth. This stick was for throwing, not smacking down misbehaving demons.

I checked the coast was clear before throwing the stick for him. I turned at the sound of a teeth jarring crack and saw Aurora slam a demon back down. For a witch who followed the white magic path, she sure looked thrilled to be pounding demons.

She wiped a hand across her forehead and grinned at me. “What’s going on with these guys? They’ve got a bee in their twisted demon bonnets about something.”

“Maybe they’ve stopped bitching at each other and decided it’s better to work together to break out of our prison. Not that it will do them any good.”

“Not when we’re here with our fancy twirlers.” Aurora spun the stick in her hand like a talented majorette.

I did the same, and the stick landed with a thud on the ground.  “Whatever their plans are, we’ll stop them.”

“Over there! Here comes another one.” Aurora pointed over my shoulder.

I raced in the direction of a red mist covering part of the cemetery.

“Tempest, this does not look good,” Aurora whispered as she joined me, her fingers digging into my arm. “You know what a red mist means.”

“That we won’t get any freshly baked muffins from this demon,” I said. Demons had different ways of emerging. Some appeared in a cloud of purple mist. Others favored green, but the ones you needed to worry about the most came with a red or black tinge. It promised twisted, nasty magic. Magic that burned your skin and threatened to send you mad if you spent any time immersed in it. That kind of evil was never permitted to run loose in our cemetery.

“We should call for backup,” Aurora said. “Mom and Granny Dottie have more experience with this kind of demon.”

The mist curled toward us as I raised my stick. “We don’t need them. We’ve learned from the best.”

Aurora adjusted the stick in her hand. “Are you sure?”

“Would your big sister ever lie to you?”

“You do about food.”

I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye. “When have I ever lied about food?”

“At my eighth birthday party, when the chocolate cupcakes went missing. I knew you’d taken them, but you swore to Mom you hadn’t.”

“I don’t remember that.” Those cupcakes had been amazing. Rich and gooey and covered in popping candy. I’d eaten two every night for a week until they were too stale, sneaking the wrappers off and hiding under my covers as I read my book by torchlight. It was heaven.

“You do! I found the moldy wrappers under your bed.”

I turned my full attention to Aurora. “You know better than to look under my bed.”

Aurora huffed out a breath. “My friends thought I’d lied about those cupcakes.”

“It didn’t ruin the party. And you’re still the most popular girl in Willow Tree Falls, even if you are too stingy to serve cupcakes at your birthday.”

“Tempest!” Aurora glared at me. “Those were my party cupcakes.”

I tapped my stick in my hand. “We can’t focus on cupcakes. This demon smells like Baccaras. Do you remember him? I dragged him here after almost a month of searching. He stank so bad I had to burn my clothes.”

Aurora sniffed the air and gagged. “Sulfur, rotten fish, and... what else is it?”

“I always thought he stank like used diapers.”

“Yes! That’s it. Baccaras smells of a soggy diaper.” Aurora grinned at me. “We can handle him together.”

Witches and demons were never close friends. There were a number of half-demons living in Willow Tree Falls, but the full-on demons were too chaotic to be trusted. They had lifetime bans unless they got a never-get-out-of-jail card from me.

Even though I hosted a particularly unpleasant demon, Frank, inside me in order to keep my sister safe, I had little time for them. When I wasn’t in Willow Tree Falls, I was out capturing misbehaving demons and bringing them into Angel Force to deal with.

The ground trembled beneath our feet. It was a sure sign the demon was on his way.

We stood in an attack stance, sticks raised and knees bent, ready to swipe his head if he dared pop his horns out for a sniff of fresh air.

“Are you sure it’s Baccaras?” Aurora whispered.

I shook my head. There were thousands of demons beneath our feet. I hadn’t captured them all. Some had been here for hundreds of years, maybe longer. Monitoring the demon prison had been the family business for centuries. That’s what the Crypt family did. We kept the rest of the world safe from devious demons.

The ground rumbled again, and a spurt of steam shot from a new crack.

“We should seal the crack before he comes through.” Aurora stepped forward.

I grabbed her arm. “This demon needs to be taught a lesson. Try to escape our prison, and you end up with a bad headache and your power drained.”

I glanced over my shoulder and was relieved to see Wiggles engrossed in chewing his stick. It was a habit he’d never had when he was a regular dog. Turn him into a hellhound and he developed a love of all things sticky. I didn’t want Wiggles anywhere near a demon. Even though he was a hellhound and had a hide as tough as a rhino, they still might like to play with him.

My hand went to my stomach as Frank stirred. He’d been quiet these past three hours since I’d started working with Aurora, but I was taking a chance being around her for so long. Frank loved Aurora. Or rather, Frank would love to kill Aurora.

I stifled a sulfurous belch behind my hand as Frank’s energy pulsed strongly. I took two steps away from Aurora. I didn’t want her worrying about me when we had a demon trying to break free.

“Stay where you are,” I muttered to Frank.

“Your charming sister is so close. I can smell her. What do you expect me to do?” His voice was just a whisper in my head.

“Slide out of me and head into the prison, like you’re supposed to do.” Frank was a stubborn son of a demon. All my attempts to get him out of me had failed. It seemed he liked living inside a witch.

“Where’s the fun in that? If I was in there, I couldn’t enjoy your fascinating company.”

I snorted, and my fingers tightened around the stick. I’d get rid of Frank one day and finally be rid of his sweet tooth, bad attitude, and twisted desire to choke the life from my only sister.

“Here he comes,” Aurora yelled as the red mist intensified and a low hissing emerged from the crack.

“Are you ready?” I asked her as the mist stung my eyes and blurred my vision.

She nodded, her blue eyes wide but a determined look on her face. “We’ve got this.”

“It’s time for a game of whack a demon.” Wiggles trotted over.

“Don’t get involved,” I cautioned him. “You don’t want to be dragged into the prison.”

Wiggles cocked his head. “You’d come and get me if that happened.”

“Sorry, buddy. You’d be on your own if you were dumb enough to get caught by a demon.” I probably would get him out, but I wouldn’t enjoy it.

Wiggles squinted up at me, his eyes glowing their usual hellhound red. “They’d love me down there. I’d fit right in.”

I had to smile. He was right. Wiggles had a way of charming everybody, and now that he came with a nifty side order of hellhound, the demons wouldn’t mind him at all. But Wiggles was my best friend, and no demon was getting its mean little claws on him.

I coughed as the mist grew thicker and swiped my hand across my face, so I wouldn’t miss the moment the demon emerged.

“Do you see him?” Aurora yelled.

“I can barely see where you are,” I said. “You?”

“Nothing yet. I’ll get closer.”

“Don’t risk it,” I yelled. “We’ll know when he’s here.”

The ground bucked, and there was a ripping sound of stone grinding together as the crack grew larger.

I drew the stick over my head and inched closer. Any second now, the demon would poke his head out, and he’d be sorry when he did.

“Be careful of this one,” Frank whispered in my head. “He likes to eat feisty witches for dinner.”

“He can keep his demon paws off us,” I muttered. “He’s not getting to play tonight.”

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Frank said.

That was an odd thing about Frank. Although his singular mission was to get free and attack Aurora, he came in handy now and again. His powers were wild and unpredictable, but when he gained control, there was little that could beat us. We were a weird and inappropriate double act.

I appreciated it when Frank’s energy faded. Although he was a pain in the backside, he tended not to cause me much trouble when I needed to focus. I sometimes felt he was looking out for me, but that wasn’t possible. Frank was chaos and evil. He was no-one’s friendly uncle.

I grabbed a nearby headstone to stop from falling as the ground rumbled under my feet again.

“I think I see him,” Aurora shouted. “Over here.”

“Where’s here?” I let go of the headstone and stumbled through the thick, sour smelling mist.

Aurora screamed, and I increased my pace, heading in the direction of the sound.

My eyes widened as I saw an enormous head, topped with black curling horns, jutting out of the crack in the ground. The crack had spread several yards across the cemetery, and Aurora stood at the opposite end to me, swiping her stick at the demon as his clawed arm flew through the air trying to reach her.

“No, you don’t.” I raced over and slammed my stick into the back of the demon’s head repeatedly.

He roared but was unable to turn, given the tightness of the gap he was in. But he was inching his way out, and I did not want to see the rest of his enormous bulk come out of that crack.

Aurora joined the attack, and between us, we jabbed and poked, enraging him as he spat sharp shards of brimstone at us.

“It’s working,” Aurora yelled. “He’s getting smaller. We’re taking his energy.”

I squinted at the demon. He was getting smaller, but he was also pulsing. That was a bad sign. “We should get back.”

“We’ve almost got him,” Aurora said. “A few more whacks, and he’ll be back inside.”

“I think he’s going to—” the demon exploded in a hot shower of sticky red goo.

A huge backdraft sucked the majority of the goo toward me as the demon slid into the crack, muttering curses in Latin.

The gross smelling goo covered me from head to toe, and I was thrown off my feet as it slammed into my face. I landed on my back with a gasp and lay there staring up at the star-filled sky.

Wiggles trotted over and looked at me before shaking his head. “What is it with you and demon goo? You enjoy bathing in the stuff.”

“Not out of choice.” I swiped my hand over my goo covered mouth and grimaced. Demon goo always had the underlying taste of rotten eggs and sour milk.

I sat up slowly and shook goo off my favorite black jacket. I watched as Aurora expertly sealed the crack in the demon prison, and the last of the red mist evaporated, leaving nothing but a clear night lit by a large, pale moon.

As she walked over, I let out an exasperated sigh. Aurora had escaped all the demon goo. Her white pullover and fitted dark jeans were spotless. Other than a glow to her cheeks from the exercise we’d gotten smacking the demon, she looked like she’d just stepped out of a salon.

Aurora held her hand out to me. “It’s time for a shift change.”

I waved away her hand, not wanting to cover her in the sticky muck I’d just been showered in.

Aurora ignored me, grabbed my arm, and helped me to my feet. “I can get that jacket clean. It’s just a bit of demon residue. You’ve been covered in worse.”

I belched again, and Frank stirred, his interest more acute after Aurora had touched me. “Auntie Queenie should be here in a moment to take over.”

Aurora nodded. She knew how tricky it was for us to spend too much time together without Frank crashing the party. She wisely dropped her hold on my arm and took a few steps back. “We did a great job tonight.”

I smiled at her. “We make a good team.”

“Did someone say tea?” Auntie Queenie strolled over, a large bag slung over one arm and a pastry in her free hand.

Aurora hurried over and kissed her cheek. “We were saying it was almost time for you to get here.”

“I’m here, right on time.” She looked around the cemetery. “It seems quiet.” Her gaze went to the goo splattered on me and the ground, but she didn’t pass comment.

I exchanged a smile with Aurora. “We’ve been bored all night. Nothing to do but play cards and count stars.”

Auntie Queenie sidestepped the goo as she finished her pastry. “Tempest, you get off and see how Cloven Hoof is doing. We can handle things from here.”

I nodded goodbye and hurried out of the cemetery with Wiggles. My bar, Cloven Hoof, sat at the other end of Willow Tree Falls, only a ten-minute walk from the cemetery. It was a specialist bar, serving mildly magical and completely legal treats. Other than when we had the occasional party, it was a chilled-out place, and it was just where I wanted to be tonight. Hunting demons was stressful.

I headed to the front door and nodded at Suki, who stood outside.

Suki was a new recruit to Cloven Hoof. Being a giant wood nymph with muscular arms like gnarled tree trunks, she did an excellent job as an intimidating bouncer.

“How’s everything going tonight?” I asked her.

Her gaze traveled over my goo splattered appearance before she nodded. “There are plenty of people in, but they’re behaving themselves.”

“Tempest Crypt, as I live and breathe.”

I turned and stared at the three guys approaching Cloven Hoof. I groaned inwardly as I recognized Dewey Lavern, Puddle Lavern’s nephew. He’d always been a smarmy git when growing up. Now that he was an adult, nothing had changed.

“Dewey, what brings you to Willow Tree Falls?” I asked him. “The last time I saw you here, you said this village was too backward for your city tastes.”

“Visiting my auntie. Mom said the old girl gets lonely living in that cottage on her own.” He smirked and shoved his thick, dark hair off his forehead. Some people might consider Dewey attractive, but his eyes always looked cold to me. “That’s an interesting look you’re wearing.” His gaze ran over my ruined clothing.

I flicked goo off my hand, so it splattered on the ground by his feet. “I’m trying something new.”

Dewey kicked dirt over the goo. “These are my friends, Serath Duckle and Bart Ranger. We’re staying a few days. I’m showing them around my childhood home.”

I nodded at the two guys with him. I’d seen them with Dewey before on his rare visits. Serath was tall and pale with large blue eyes. Bart was shorter and stockier with a stubbled chin and dark eyes that swept around as if he was looking for something.

“Even with gross goo on you, you’re looking good, Tempest,” Dewey said. “Are you still single?”

“As ever, just as I like it.”

“We’ll come to Cloven Hoof later. You can buy me a drink, and we can catch up.”

“Tempest doesn’t need to buy the drinks in here, buddy,” Wiggles said. “She owns the place.”

Dewey stared at Wiggles. “It talks.”

“Well spotted.” I nudged Wiggles with my calf as he growled. “Cloven Hoof might not be the place for you. You should try the Ancient Imp.”

“That’s where we’re going now. I’ll look in later when the place gets livelier.”

“This is as lively as it gets. I like it that way.” I shook my head as I watched them saunter away, a picture of cocky arrogance. There was no room for idiots in my life and definitely no room for Dewey Lavern and his dodgy friends.

“That guy is a jerk,” Wiggles said.

I nodded. “You always were an excellent judge of character.”

“I bet he’s not had a date in years. He stinks of desperate loser.”

“Does not dating make you a loser?”

“Absolutely.” He tilted his head to look at me. “It’s why I keep telling you to marry Brogan.”

Suki coughed into her hand, and I saw a smile on her face as she looked away.

“Brogan Costin is part vampire.”

“So?”

“So, he might like a plump little hellhound to nibble on at night. If we start dating, he could mistake you as a snack.”

“Who are you calling plump?”

I laughed. “You don’t mind being a vampire snack, but you mind me pointing out your pot belly?”

“I do not have a pot belly. Besides, I bite back. If Brogan decided I’d make a good hot dog, I’d soon change his mind.” He gnashed his teeth together.

“Come on,” I said to Wiggles. “Less talk about marrying me off. I need to get rid of this demon goo.”

“Then we can have cake.”

“Only if you want a bigger belly. I was thinking we can do some work behind the bar. And I’ve got a stack of paperwork to go through.”

“But first cake,” Wiggles said. “And no more talking about my belly, or I’ll get a complex.”

I grinned as I opened the door to Cloven Hoof and let Wiggles in. He might have a little belly, but I adored it. I did not adore him trying to hook me up with Brogan, although Brogan did make the best breakfasts in the whole of Willow Tree Falls.

I had enough on my plate without dating. Paperwork beckoned, and it seemed, so did cake if Wiggles had anything to do with it.

That’s what occupied my time. Demons, paperwork, goo, and the occasional cake. That was fine by me.

Chapter 2

There was a lovely chilled vibe in the bar as I wandered around. I’d taken a shower, found some cake to keep Wiggles happy, and was settled in a seat at the bar as I watched my two new bar staff, Ginger Gibson and Blaze Dubrovnik, serve customers.

They’d only been here a few weeks but fit right in. They were new to Willow Tree Falls. Ginger was a Green witch, gaining her powers from Mother Nature. Blaze was a mixture of warlock and human and had a handy fire trick he used to entertain the staff.

Business was good, profits were up, and the new staff meant everyone got to take time off and not get over-worked and think about quitting.

Merrie Noble walked over and placed a lemon drop in front of me, alongside a bowl of dried mushrooms. “These are our freshest batch. I thought the boss might like to taste test the produce and give it her seal of approval.”

I dipped my finger into the bowl and sampled a mushroom. It fizzed lightly on my tongue as the magic slid through me. “Perfection.”

Merrie grinned. “We aim to please.”

Merrie was an amazing bar manager. I could rely on her to ensure Cloven Hoof ran smoothly. I never worried when I had to leave on my demon hunting duties.

I gave a contented sigh as I downed my lemon drop. I loved Cloven Hoof when it was like this, lots of happy, chilled-out customers. Music played in the background, but it wasn’t overwhelming, so people could have a decent conversation without yelling. Equally, they could slide into a booth at the back of the bar, relax, and not be bothered by anybody.

This had always been my plan with Cloven Hoof, create a chilled place where people could come and forget their worries.

The sound of raucous laughter had me turning in my seat. I groaned when I spotted Dewey, Serath, and Bart walk through the doorway. They looked like they’d enjoyed themselves a little too much at the Ancient Imp. Serath appeared unsteady on his feet as they headed to the bar, and Bart and Dewey leaned on each other for support.

“Are they friends of yours?” Merrie asked.

“I wouldn’t call them friends. The tall one with the overly styled hair is Puddles’ nephew. He’s visiting for a couple of days.”

Merrie nodded. “He’s been here before. Do you want me to keep an eye on them?”

“Sure, I’ll do the same. It looks like they’re not here for a relaxing time. We don’t want them scaring away the other customers.” I watched them as they reached the bar.

Izzie Argan, another member of my bar staff, was unfortunate enough to serve them. Her smile faded, and a tightness appeared around her eyes as they spoke to her.

“It looks like they’re off to a bad start.” I stood from my seat, but Merrie waved me back down.

“Stay there. I’ve got this. You’ve had enough idiots to deal with for one night after working a shift in the cemetery.”

I sat back down, but my attention remained on the group. Merrie waved Izzie away and quickly served the three guys.

Whatever they’d said to Izzie, she was not happy. She was speaking to Ginger and scowling at them from the end of the bar, her sunny disposition gone and deep frown lines lacing either side of her mouth. Her behavior was unusual. Izzie handled difficult customers easily, even when they got excited, but the way she glared at this group made me think they’d said something inappropriate.

The guys downed their drinks and ordered more. They might be good for business, but I’d rather have less money and fewer troublemakers.

The door to the bar opened. Suki poked her head through. She looked at me and nodded at Dewey and his friends.

Now, there was a good idea. Suki was sweet-natured, but rile her, and she turned into a lethal, unstoppable fighting machine. She could even knock an angel on its feathery butt when she had a mind to do so.

I nodded at the group. It was time for Dewey and his friends to calm down or take a hike.

Suki strode in, her hands fisted as she approached the group.

I watched in amusement as they turned and all stared up at Suki, their mouths open.

Whatever she said to them worked. They grabbed their drinks and left the bar, scurrying to a booth at the back.

I nodded thanks to her, and she shrugged before heading back outside. Suki had been one of the best hires I’d ever made for Cloven Hoof. She fit right in, and her size and intimidating presence meant trouble stopped before it even started. Nobody wanted to be on the wrong end of Suki’s fists.

Even though the group had disappeared and stopped bothering my bar staff, I’d still keep an eye on those three idiots. They were not going to ruin everybody’s night.

“Hey, Tempest.” Axel Shadowsoul strode over, dressed in a tailored gray suit and open-necked white shirt.

As a half-demon, Axel came with a nifty set of skills and a side order of serious smooth, which sometimes slid into sleazy. He was always well turned out and charming and often directed that charm at me.

“I hope you’re not here to buy any produce.” Axel had a small addiction issue when it came to my mushrooms. He’d been off them for months and was doing well, but the temptation would always be there.

“I’m being a good boy, as always. I’m here for a drink and to soak up some fun. You’ve got a good crowd in tonight.” He settled on the stool next to me and ordered a drink for us both.

I nodded as I looked around the bar. “I’ve no complaints.”

“Your new barmaid is cute,” Axel said. “I love the red hair.”

Axel was always looking for a new conquest. It was why I never took his interest in me seriously. I was fond of him, but it was more like a fondness you have for an annoying big brother. Even though he tried to convince me otherwise, Axel was a player. He always would be.

“That’s Ginger. Be careful of her. She’s got a great connection with Mother Nature. You mess with her, and you’ll find your home attacked by angry giant triffids.”

“Sounds interesting.”

“No, direct that interest elsewhere. She’s great at her job, so don’t go messing around with her.”

Axel’s smile turned sly. “Would you like me to direct my interest at you?”

I shook my head. “No, thanks.”

Axel raised a hand and pressed it to his heart. “I never mess around with gorgeous women. You should know that.” He winked at me as the drinks arrived.

I turned at the sound of raised voices. Dewey stood by a booth, glowering at Serath and Bart.

“What’s with that lot?” Axel asked.

“They’re three enormous pains in my backside,” I said. “I should have kicked them out as soon as they came in.”

“I know that one,” Axel said. “Isn’t that Puddles’ Lavern’s nephew?”

“That’s right,” I said, “and his two idiot friends.”

“Calm down, man,” Serath said. “I didn’t mean anything.”

“You’re a jerk.” Dewey lunged at Serath and grabbed him in a messy headlock.

I jumped off my seat and raced over. Fighting was not allowed in Cloven Hoof.

Axel ran alongside me. “Need a hand?”

“It’s okay. I’ve got this.”

“I will never let a woman go into a fight on her own, even if she does have your incredible skills.”

I shrugged. It was up to Axel if he wanted to risk his own neck.

“Hey, that’s enough!” I grabbed Dewey by the shoulder and pulled him off Serath.

Dewey turned and shoved me away, fury coloring his cheeks scarlet. “Keep out of this. It’s not your business.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. This is my business. You’re standing in my business. You all need to leave.”

Bart jumped up and joined Dewey and Serath. “We’re having a bit of fun, Tempest. No harm done.”

“Go have your fun elsewhere.”

“You’re throwing us out?” Dewey grinned and nudged Bart.

“Yes. All three of you are out of here.” I gestured at the door.

“No, we’re staying,” Dewey said. “Tempest, chill out. We’re old friends.”

“No, we’re not. Get out of here.”

Dewey and Bart shared a sharp look.

“What are you going to do about it?” Bart asked.

“He did not just say that,” Axel muttered.

“Yeah, little witch,” Dewey said. “You’re not so tough now there are three of us.” He glanced at Serath. “Are you in or still wanting to bitch at me?”

Serath shrugged and moved to stand next to Dewey, not meeting my gaze.

Oh, this would be fun. “It’s time you all left. You’re not welcome here.”

“You’re banning us,” Dewey sneered. “Like you could stop us from coming in.”

“You’d be surprised what Tempest can do,” Axel said as he squared up to Dewey.

I placed a hand on his arm to stop him from getting involved. “I don’t want trouble. You’ve all had enough for one night. Why don’t you go to your aunt’s and sleep it off?”

“Why don’t you come with us?” Dewey jabbed me on the shoulder. “We could have quite a party, the four of us.”

“You couldn’t handle me,” I said. “And I don’t associate with morons.”

“You’re hanging out with this guy.” Dewey pointed at Axel.

“I make an exception for Axel.”

Axel glowered at Dewey. “Can I punch him yet?” he asked me.

“No punching. These three are going to walk calmly out of the bar.”

“No, I don’t think we are.” Dewey whacked Axel around the head. It was a clumsy punch and showed he had more skills at talking tough than acting it.

“Suki!” I yelled as I dodged Dewey’s fist and jumped backward.

Axel was doubled over by the booth. Dewey’s punch was more effective than I’d realized. Bart jumped on Axel’s back and pummeled him.

Dewey turned his attention to me and gestured at Serath. “Come on. Let’s take this smug witch down a peg or two.”

Frank stirred inside me as the tension grew. I pushed against him. I didn’t want him emerging inside Cloven Hoof. Whenever he made an appearance, Frank always left behind a heap of expensive damage.

The floor shuddered beneath my feet. Suki flew past me and sucker-punched Serath and Dewey at the same time.

They flew backward and hit the ground.

She stood over them, her face a picture of fury. “You do not harm Tempest.”

They lay there, staring at her, dazed expressions on their faces.

“Thanks, Suki. Get these idiots out of here.” I patted her arm.

I glanced over to see Axel still struggling with Bart. I dashed over and yanked Bart off his back. “You too. The only person who gets to mess with Axel’s pretty face is me.”

Bart staggered backward. He made a move toward me, but Suki’s hand wrapping around his throat made him pause. He glared up at her and then raised his hands in submission. “Fine, I’ll go.”

With Suki’s help, we herded the three of them out the door and slammed it shut behind them.

“Is everything okay, boss?” Suki asked. “They didn’t hurt you?”

“I’m fine. Everything is fine, thanks to you and your incredible fists.”

She ducked her head and blushed. “That’s what I’m here for. I’ll head outside and make sure they don’t come back.”

I turned to see everyone in the bar watching us. “The show is over, folks. Business as usual.”

Axel staggered over, groaning as he did so. “I almost had that guy. I just needed to get his hand off my throat and he’d have been history.”

I shook my head as I patted his shoulder. “You’re my hero.”

His smile was rueful. “More like Suki is our hero. That wood nymph has some moves.”

“That’s why she’s here.” I let out a sigh and leaned against the wall, my pulse racing from the fight. So much for a quiet night. I’d trust my instinct the next time I encountered Dewey and his buddies. Steer clear. Their money was not worth my trouble.

Chapter 3

I rolled over and my nose bumped Wiggles’ tummy as he lay sprawled next to me on the bed.

I groaned as I heard the incessant whirring of my snow globe in the lounge, alerting me to an incoming message.

“It’s too early,” I grumbled as I stuffed my pillow over my head.

“Biting the dark handsome parts.” Wiggles sounded like he was having an interesting dream.

“I’ll bite whoever is calling me this early in the morning.” I let out a sigh as the noise stopped. It began again a few seconds later.

I rolled out of bed, stuffed my feet into my slippers, and stomped into the living room. I grabbed the snow globe and shook it to activate the call.

“Oh, Tempest! I’m so glad you’re there.” Puddles Lavern’s pastel blue hair filled most of the image.

“Are you calling to say I’m being evicted?”

“By the witch’s hat! Of course not.”

“Has there been a family emergency?”

“Well, now that you mention it. My—”

“I meant my family.”

“Oh! Of course. Well, I hope not.”

“So, what’s the problem?” Puddles was a realtor who ran Gnome Place Like Home. She was also my landlady, something she reminded me of if I was ever overdue on the rent for the apartment.

“I know I’m going to sound like an overprotective auntie, but I’m hunting for my boys.”

“Your boys?” I rubbed my eyes. Was this some kind of terrible nightmare?

“Yes, Dewey said he was taking his friends to Cloven Hoof last night. I was hoping you’d seen them. They’re such good boys, and I thought they deserved a night out to enjoy themselves. I told them to be back by eleven, though. Growing boys need their sleep.”

I muttered several rude words under my breath. Dewey and his idiot friends were more than capable of looking after themselves. “I saw them.”

“That’s such a relief. I was getting worried. You see, they didn’t come home last night.”

I grunted. “And you think I have something to do with that?”

“Oh, no. But I’d hoped you’d seen them.”

“They were at Cloven Hoof. They caused my customers trouble, so I got them to leave.”

“My Dewey can be a little boisterous. He’s been so looking forward to his visit. They had to delay their arrival by several weeks, so they’ll all be excited.” Puddles giggled. “I expect Dewey was showing off for his friends.”

“Most likely.”

“He’s truly a good boy. It was high spirits. I expect he’ll be around first thing this morning to apologize.”

I shuddered, doubting that very much. “Is Dewey in trouble?”

“No, not that I know of.” Puddles’ face grew closer to the globe. “Do you think he’s in trouble?”

“No, but I wanted to know why you’re chasing him.”

“Oh! Well, I’m worried.”

“Puddles, he’s a grown man. He most likely found some company to enjoy last night.”

Puddles tutted. “Not my Dewey. He’s an upstanding young man. He wouldn’t go off with some floozy who caught his eye.”

I resisted the urge to laugh. If he got the chance, he would. I’d watched him sleazing over several women in the bar, including my bar staff. “Well, then he must be having a sleepover somewhere else. You don’t need to worry. There was nothing wrong with him when he was evicted from Cloven Hoof.”

“You evicted him! What for?”

“That’s a conversation to have with your nephew. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a comfy bed to get back to.” I shook the snow globe and dismissed Puddles.

“Talk about an overprotective aunt.” I stomped back to my bed and flung myself on it. With a bit of luck, I would return to the lovely dream I was having that involved melted chocolate, some toasted cheese sandwiches, and a huge tub of triple chocolate ice cream.

“Tempest, wake up!”

My eyes snapped open. I jerked upright and grabbed a pillow to protect myself. I blinked and stared into Puddles’ big blue eyes. “What are you doing in my apartment?”

She shrugged and looked at the key in her hand. “As your landlady, I have a right to a spare key.”

I glowered at her. “You don’t have the right to barge in whenever you like.”

“It’s an emergency. I had no choice.”

“If the building is burning down, that’s the only emergency I care about.”

Wiggles opened one eye and stared at Puddles. “Am I dreaming?”

“Sadly not,” I said.

He rolled off the bed and broke wind. The room filled with the unpleasant scent of brimstone. It was an unfortunate side effect of being a hellhound. He trotted around the bed and sat in front of Puddles, giving his belly a thorough scratch with a back foot. “Have you brought us breakfast?”

Puddles took a step back and wafted a hand in front of her face. “No, I’m here about my nephew.”

Wiggles glanced at me and shook his head before wandering out of the bedroom.

“I already told you I saw Dewey and his friends last night. They caused a scene at Cloven Hoof, so they had to leave. That’s all I can tell you.” I lowered the pillow back on the bed.

Puddles clasped her hands in front of her. “I’m so worried about him. Dewey always comes home. This is so unlike him.”

I gritted my teeth and thought calming thoughts. “I’m sure it’s nothing. And it’s certainly not a good reason for you to come here and wake me up.”

Puddles looked a little shamefaced. “I want to make sure he’s okay. My sister is so protective of Dewey. She rarely lets him out of her sight. That’s why he visits so infrequently.”

Knowing what a selfish little toad Dewey was, that was most likely not true, but I didn’t want to burst Puddles’ happy bubble. I sighed and rolled out of bed, tempted to follow Wiggles’ routine of scratching and breaking wind, but I resisted the urge.

“Let’s go to the kitchen, and I’ll make coffee.”

“I have no time for coffee,” Puddles said. “I just want to know where Dewey is.”

I rolled my shoulders as I walked into the kitchen. “I do. I barely function at this time of the day without caffeine.”

“He wasn’t acting strangely last night when you saw him?” Puddles asked as she paced my living room. “I was worried he might have gotten sick when he was out and fell into a ditch.”

“Fell into a ditch?”

“You hear all kinds of horrible stories. Do you remember about ten years ago that visitor who wandered into the swamp? They never did find him.”

“That was a rumor. I bet he simply left Willow Tree Falls. Not everyone loves village life. You know, people knowing all your business and where you live, that sort of thing.”

Puddles raised her chin, a stubborn look on her face. “It could have happened.”

“Dewey probably had too much to drink and is sleeping it off somewhere. He’ll roll in in a few hours, all apologetic, and you can forgive him.” I gestured to the coffee pot, but Puddles shook her head.

“I’m sure you were overreacting when you threw him out of Cloven Hoof. Maybe that’s when he fell in the ditch,” Puddles said.

“Dewey attacked Axel. We had to throw him and his friends out for starting a fight.”

“I don’t understand. Dewey must be unwell to behave like that,” Puddles murmured.

“He seemed quite happy to play the role of fist swinging oaf.”

Puddles’ eyes narrowed. “You said we had to throw them out. Who else was involved?”

“Suki. My bouncer.”

“Oh! She’s very large, and I hear she has a temper. You don’t think she did anything nasty to Dewey, do you?”

“I’m sure she didn’t. We threw them out, and that was it.”

“I’d better talk to Suki,” Puddles said. “She might have seen something suspicious.”

“That’s a terrible idea.”

Puddles’ eyes widened. “Why? Is she dangerous?”

“I expect so if you wake her up like you just did me.”

Puddles’ hand fluttered against her chest before she nodded. “I insist. This is important. Where is she?”

I tipped my head back and groaned. When Puddles wanted something, she hung onto it like an angry terrier. “Here’s the deal. You make the coffee, and I’ll go get Suki. She also likes coffee. She will need coffee to cope with you flapping around her.”

Puddles nodded. “Very well.”

I stumbled down the stairs and past the bar. The whole place felt asleep, just like I wanted to be.

I flicked on the lights in the cellar and crept down the wooden steps. After Suki had started working here, she’d asked if she could use the cellar as a place to sleep. She had her own home in the forest, but after a visiting journalist was murdered close to where she lived, she no longer felt safe there. I was more than happy to offer her a bed, and she’d insisted the cellar was ideal.

I paused at the bottom step and could hear Suki’s deep breathing. She had a single bed in the corner, piled high with covers and throws. It looked cozy. I’d said she could sleep in the bar where it was warmer, but she was used to sleeping somewhere cool, having spent most of her life in the forest.

I tiptoed over and nudged her arm. “Suki, please don’t kill me.”

She groaned and rolled onto her back, blinking sleep out of her eyes. “Is everything okay?”

“Everything is fine. We have a panicking Puddles Lavern upstairs. She’s not leaving until she talks to you.”

“About what?” Suki yawned loudly and stretched her arms over her head.

“Her moron nephew and his friends. Any chance you can help?”

Suki’s expression was puzzled as she slid from her bed and pushed her feet into a pair of gray fluffy slippers with unicorn horns on the big toes. “Sure. What does she need to know about her nephew?”

“She’s panicking because he didn’t come home last night.”

Suki rubbed her forehead. “They caused a lot of trouble.”

“You don’t need to remind me of that. Puddles wears rose-tinted glasses when it comes to her nephew.” We walked up the cellar steps and were met at the top by Puddles.

“I thought you were making coffee,” I said to her.

“I did. It’s on the bar.” She pointed to two mugs.

I hurried to the mugs and passed one to Suki, who stumbled past Puddles with a cautious look on her face.

“What did you see after you unnecessarily threw my nephew and his friends out of the bar?” Puddles asked Suki.

Suki took a long drink of coffee, her gaze on me.

“It’s fine. Tell her everything. It might make her panic less.”

Puddles glared at me. “I’m not panicking. I’m worried as all good aunties should be when a beloved relative vanishes.”

Suki set down her mug. “There wasn’t much to see. The tall, blond one started arguing with the other two.”

“That would be Serath,” Puddles said. “What did they argue about?”

“I don’t know. They were too far away to hear. Serath shoved the chubby dark guy and the other one with the lovely hair. Is that your nephew?”

Puddles nodded. “He has such thick hair. It makes him even more handsome.”

Suki glanced at me and shrugged. “Sure. Bart had to pull Serath and Dewey apart. After that, Serath stormed off alone, and the other two walked in the opposite direction without him.”

“Oh dear, that doesn’t sound good,” Puddles said.

“I’m sure it was high spirits and too much drink,” I said. “You should check at the Ancient Imp to see if they went there. It looked like they weren’t finished for the night.”

“I’ve been there. Petra saw them earlier in the evening. You’re the last people to see them.”

“Give them a few hours to wake up from wherever they’re sleeping it off, and you can ask them yourself what happened,” I said. “They’ll come skulking in soon enough with bad heads. I’d bet money on it.”

Puddles worried her bottom lip with her teeth, chewing off her pink gloss. “I need to report this to Angel Force.”

I blinked at her in surprise. “What are you going to report? Three grown men go out for a night and don’t tell their auntie where they’re going?”

“You wouldn’t understand. You’re not an auntie.”

“It’s not that hard to figure out,” I said. “Angel Force won’t be interested.”

“It’s the right thing to do, especially since they were fighting. You know what these young men get like.”

“They get rude and inappropriate,” I said, “as I witnessed here last night.”

Puddles frowned at me. “You’ll feel bad when they’re all found in a ditch.” She turned and hurried out of the bar.

I shook my head. What was Puddles’ obsession with ditches?

Suki leaned against the bar as she finished her coffee. “What does Puddles think happened?”

I sipped my own coffee and rubbed my forehead. “She’s overreacting, but she won’t leave us alone until they’re found. If the angels won’t help, Puddles will keep hassling us.”

“I can help you look for them.” Suki yawned and rubbed her eyes again.

“No, you get back to bed. You had a late night, just like I did.”

Suki nodded. “Thanks. I could do with a few more hours.” She downed the last of her coffee and headed back to the cellar.

I grabbed my mug and walked up to the apartment. After a quick shower and a change of clothes, I was out of Cloven Hoof with Wiggles by my side. It was rare for me to be up so early, and the morning was chilly. I was glad of my extra layers and the black and white scarf with panda faces on it that Aurora had given me as a birthday present.

“Are we really hunting those drunken idiots?” Wiggles asked as he trotted beside me.

“Yep, and we’ll keep hunting so long as it gets Puddles off our back. I do not ever want to be woken again to find her staring at me.” I shuddered. “And I’m going to have words with her about using that spare key.”

“You should change the locks.”

“That’s not a bad idea.” I shrugged. “Although, she’d use magic to bust her way in if she was desperate enough.”

I grabbed two breakfast muffins to go from Sprinkles and headed to the cemetery as we ate them. There was always at least one member of my family on shift. Maybe they’d seen something late last night after I chucked Dewey and his gang out of Cloven Hoof.

Granny Dottie poked her head out of an open crypt as I walked around the graves, hunting for family members.

She gave a cheery wave. “I didn’t know you were taking a shift today.”

“I’m not. I was rudely awoken by Puddles looking for her missing nephew and his friends. I don’t suppose they dropped by here last night, did they?”

“Missing friends. What a thing.” Granny Dottie hurried out of the crypt, sporting an enormous purple scarf wrapped around her throat. “Why would they come here?”

“It’s quiet and has plenty of places to lie down. You didn’t see them, did you?”

Granny Dottie tugged on the end of her scarf and shuffled her feet. “Well, it’s funny you should say that.”

My eyes widened. “Hold on. Have you seen them?”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “I couldn’t leave the poor boys out here. They wandered into the cemetery, joking about seeing ghosts and scaring each other. They sat down near a recently sealed crack. I didn’t want a demon to leap out and grab them, even though they were being boisterous.”

“What did you do with them?”

Granny Dottie shrugged and glanced over her shoulder. “Come this way.” She led me back into the crypt.

Dewey and Bart were curled on their sides with blankets over them.

I stared at the sleeping guys. “Puddles will have a fit when she realizes you’ve been keeping her precious nephew inside a crypt.”

“It’s a lot safer than being out in the cemetery. We had three more cracks open last night. I barely had a chance to get any reading done, and I’ve got a particularly steamy novel on the go. I’m picking up a few tips to keep your grandpa keen.”

I grimaced and wiped those words from my memory. I leaned over Dewey and Bart, and my heart sped up. They had blood on their knuckles.

I looked around. “We’re missing one. Where’s Serath?”

“Only two came in last night. They did mention a Serath, but they were both so merry I could barely make sense of what they were saying. I tucked them in this crypt and let them sleep it off.”

“Do you see the marks on their knuckles? They fought in Cloven Hoof last night, but I don’t think they got those marks then.”

Granny Dottie inspected their hands. “They do look a little worse for wear, poor things.”

“They’re not poor things. They’re drunken idiots who messed up a perfectly decent night at Cloven Hoof.” I nudged them with my foot.

After several increasingly hard nudges, Dewey and Bart both groaned and stirred to life.

“Wake up!”

They blinked up at me in surprise.

“Where am I?” Dewey asked.

“In our cemetery,” I said. “And you’re a wanted man.”

Dewey eased himself upright and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I feel terrible.”

“You look worse,” I said.

He peered up at me. “What am I wanted for?”

“Your auntie is on the war path. She thinks something bad happened to you because you didn’t come home last night. She woke me to tell me that exciting bit of news.”

Dewey groaned. “Auntie Puddles is so protective.”

Bart looked around and yawned loudly. “I don’t remember coming here.”

“You were both rather tipsy last night,” Granny Dottie said cheerfully. “I thought you might like a little sleep inside one of our crypts. It’s safer here. Less chance of being eaten.”

Dewey stared at her. “Oh, I remember. Did you roll me in here?”

Granny Dottie chuckled. “You needed help walking. It was good fun. I rolled you around for a while.”

“Where’s Serath?” I asked Dewey.

Dewey and Bart looked around as if expecting to find him hiding in a corner.

“No clue,” Dewey finally said.

“Suki saw you arguing with him after you left Cloven Hoof. What did you argue about?”

Dewey scrubbed a hand down his face. “I don’t remember us arguing.”

“Look at your fists. You argued with someone.”

Dewey blinked at his bloody knuckles. “I guess I did. I don’t think it was Serath.”

I shook my head. They were worse than useless. “Time to get out of our cemetery. You need to show me where you went after your fight with Serath. He might be lying in a ditch somewhere.” I smirked to myself. I was getting as bad as Puddles.

“Didn’t we go to the forest?” Dewey asked Bart. “I sort of remember being surrounded by lots of trees and mossy crud.”

“That’s right,” Bart said.

“Why would you go there late at night?”

“For fun,” Dewey said. “Since you chucked us out of Cloven Hoof, we were all out of options.”

“You could have gone to bed.”

“Nah. That would have been boring.”

I nudged him with the toe of my boot again. “Get up. Show me where you went. Maybe we’ll find Serath asleep.” As much as I didn’t want to be involved, I also didn’t want Cloven Hoof getting a bad reputation for letting in trouble makers. And I didn’t want the rumor getting around that people who visited Cloven Hoof went missing afterwards.

After several pathetic attempts and a lot of complaining, Dewey and Bart were on their feet.

I said goodbye to Granny Dottie and herded them out of the cemetery and toward the forest.

“Can we get coffee?” Dewey pleaded. “I feel awful.”

“You can have coffee after we find your friend,” I said.

They both grumbled under their breaths as I marched them to the edge of the forest.

“Which path did you take?” I asked.

They looked around as if it was the first time they’d ever seen trees.

“It all looks the same,” Dewey said.

“I think we went that way.” Bart pointed a limp hand to the left.

We wandered slowly around the forest, Wiggles happy to run around and snuffle in all kinds of disgusting things.

My mood grew increasingly dark as it became clear neither Dewey nor Bart had a clue where they were last night.

“Tempest!”

I turned to see Rhett Blackthorn. He was his usual gorgeous fallen angel self, decked out in black and his dark hair swept off his face.

He smiled at me, and I ignored the fluttering feeling in my stomach. “What brings you into the forest so early?”

“We’re hunting for idiots. What about you?” I was surprised to see him here. Rhett was not a morning person.

He looked at Dewey and Bart. “The same.”

My eyes narrowed. Rhett was full of secrets. He must be doing something dodgy if he was up with the sun.

“I don’t suppose you’ve seen anyone sleeping off a heavy night in the forest? A tall, blond guy,” I asked him.

“I’ve not come across anybody, but I’ve only been here a few minutes.”

I nodded as I kept an eye on Dewey and Bart to make sure they didn’t scarper to the cafe for their coffee.

“What’s this guy done wrong to have you on his tail?”

“Gotten lost.” I shrugged. “It’s nothing, but we’d better find him before the werewolves do.”

“Werewolves!” Bart looked at me and staggered backward. “There aren’t werewolves here.”

“Of course not.” Dewey shot me a dirty look.

There were, but they were mostly harmless, old, and had very few teeth. Still, they were a great deterrent to stop drunken fools poking around where they didn’t need to be poking.

“I can help you look if you’d like,” Rhett said.

“Tempest!” Wiggles bounded through the trees. “I found something.”

“Is it a big stick?”

“It’s nothing that fun.”

“A pile of yeti poop?”

“Yuck! I do not touch the hard stuff.” Wiggles bounced on his paws. “It’s nasty. You’ll love it.”

“Okay, let’s take a look.” I was getting nowhere trailing around with Dewey and Bart.

Wiggles glanced at Rhett. “You’re drooling. Tempest doesn’t look that hot first thing in the morning.” He turned and raced away before I could yell at him.

I hurried after Wiggles and Rhett joined me. “Don’t mind Wiggles. He’s always rude when he’s hungry.”

Rhett chuckled. “He must get hungry a lot.”

“That hellhound is always starving.”

We followed behind Wiggles and entered a small clearing close to the swamp.

“What is it?” I asked Wiggles.

“I’m no police dog, but I’ve picked up the smell of blood. And it looks like there’s been a fight.”

I looked around the clearing. There were scuff marks on the ground as if people had been running around and dragging things. “Dewey, Bart, get over here,” I yelled.

They wandered over, looking miserable, pale and grumpy.

“Does this place look familiar?”

They both looked around and shook their heads.

“It all looks the same to me,” Dewey said. “It might look better after I’ve had breakfast. Your treat.”

“Wiggles is right.” Rhett examined the ground. “There’s blood here.”

“Blood!” Dewey said. “Is it a wounded animal?”

Rhett shrugged. “It’s hard to say. This doesn’t look good. There’s a lot of blood.”

I glared at Dewey and Bart. “Are you sure there’s nothing you want to tell me about what happened here last night? You didn’t have a fight with Serath and it got out of hand?”

“No!” Bart said.

Dewey nudged him. “It wasn’t a fight exactly.”

“You did hit Serath?” I glanced at Dewey’s puffy knuckles.

“We had a disagreement. It was nothing bad. I don’t think blood was spilled.”

“You and Serath met again after your argument outside Cloven Hoof?”

“Oh! Yes, we did. I remember.” Bart rubbed the end of his nose. “He charged after us and tackled Dewey to the ground.”

“He did not! I dodged him.”

Bart laughed. “You both hit the ground hard. It was hilarious.”

“The only hilarious thing around here is you,” Dewey muttered.

“How bad was the fight?” I asked.

Dewey raised his hands. “It was nothing. We had a few angry words, swung a few punches, and Serath flounced off. He’s lousy in a fight. He gets all girly and squeals. No offense, Tempest.”

“Offense taken.” I looked around and sighed. “I’d better alert Angel Force. If something bad went down, they’ll need to know.” I used my mobile snow globe to send a message to Dazielle.

I was tempted to scarper, knowing how officious Angel Force got with anything like this, but they’d only come after me later if I disappeared.

Whatever happened here, it was not good. I had a bad feeling Dewey and Bart had done something horrible to their missing friend.

Chapter 4

It took less than ten minutes before three angels descended from the sky.

Dazielle hurried over, her outfit its usual pristine white and her long, blonde hair gleaming. “Have you touched any of the evidence?”

“Good morning to you,” I said. “Wiggles has bounced around the scene a few times, but other than that, we’ve kept our distance.”

Dazielle introduced herself to Dewey and Bart before standing and staring at the clearing with her hands on her hips. “We need to get this area clear, so you don’t tamper with the evidence.”

“Of a crime that might not have been committed,” I said.

“You’re not the expert here,” Dazielle said. “Stand back while we see what we’re dealing with.”

I was happy to get out of their way and waited with Dewey and Bart while the angels did their work.

“You’d better not be hiding anything,” I said to them quietly. “The angels will question you about where Serath is. If your fight was serious, come clean. He could be lying somewhere, badly injured.”

Dewey shot me a sly look. “Nothing bad happened.”

“You argued at Cloven Hoof. What was that about?”

“A cute bit of skirt. Serath was interested in one of your bar staff. We knew he had no chance. We yanked his chain about it, and he took offense. He is lousy at taking a joke.”

“You were fighting over a woman?”

“It’s true,” Bart said. “Serath has the worst luck with girls. He has an eye for the ones who enjoy turning him down.”

Dewey nodded. “You’d think he was cursed, the way they reject him. He’s a total failure when it comes to finding a girlfriend.”

“And you continued that fight after you left Cloven Hoof?” I glanced at the angels who were busy doing I wasn’t sure what, but it gave me time to grill Dewey and Bart.

“Serath carried on the fight. He must have doubled back and followed us into the woods. Bart was telling the truth. I got jumped and defended myself,” Dewey said.

“Why use your fists?” I asked. “You’re both magic users.”

Dewey shrugged and scuffed a foot along the ground. “I’m not all that good when it comes to magic.”

Bart chuckled. “You’re lousy at magic. Even a basic spell backfires.”

“Shut it,” Dewey muttered. “You’re no better. You’d make a simple wart spell go wrong because you never concentrate.”

“My boys! My boys!” Puddles raced through the forest, her blue hair puffing out around her ruddy cheeks.

Dewey grimaced and forced a smile. “Auntie Puddles.”

She flung her arms around him. “I’ve been so worried about you. When I heard Angel Force had come into the forest, I panicked and thought that something bad had happened to you.”

“Nothing bad has happened to him,” I said. “But Serath is missing.”

Puddles continued to cling to Dewey as he struggled to get out of her embrace. “I’m sure Serath is fine. I’m just happy to have my Dewey back.”

So much for caring about all of her boys. “We found signs of a fight,” I said.

“Oh, I’m sure it’s got nothing to do with Dewey.” Puddles licked her thumb and wiped a smudge off Dewey’s cheek. “He doesn’t like to fight.”

“He liked to fight last night,” I said.

Puddles finally released her hold on Dewey and turned to me, a scowl on her face. “What are you suggesting?”

“I’m suggesting your precious nephew might have hurt Serath.”

“It was a disagreement,” Dewey whined. “No one got hurt.”

“You heard him. They had a small disagreement. A bit of rough and tumble, like boys always do. It’s nothing to concern yourself with. And you shouldn’t have involved the angels.”

I gaped at her. “Less than an hour ago, you were off to force the angels into action because you couldn’t find Dewey.”

She flapped a hand at me. “I overreacted. It’s not important now. Not now I have my baby back.” She rained kisses on Dewey’s cheek while Bart looked on with sly amusement.

Dazielle walked over and nodded at Puddles. “There are signs of a struggle. We think the blood on the ground is not from an animal.”

“Whatever happened here, it has nothing to do with Dewey, does it?” Puddles looked at her nephew, whose face was smeared in her sticky pink lip gloss.

“Of course not, Auntie. Serath is a friend of mine.”

“There you go,” Puddles said as if that settled the matter.

“We need to talk to you both.” Dazielle addressed her comment to Dewey and Bart.

“They will co-operate if they must, but they have nothing to do with whatever you’re looking at here,” Puddles said. “Come on, boys. It’s time we left. You look like you need a bath with plenty of bubbles and a big breakfast after your adventures.”

“An adventure where one of their friends went missing.” I glowered at Puddles, but there was nothing I could do to stop her from taking them away. No one was claiming they’d been injured, and there was no sign of Serath, so the blood might not even be his.

I looked around and noticed Rhett had slipped away as soon as the angels arrived. He was not a fan of Angel Force. I guess I’d never find out what he was doing skulking around in the forest. It was probably better that way.

I sighed as I watched Puddles go. At least she had her nephew back and would stop hassling me to find him.

Before I had a chance to walk away and seek out my own delicious breakfast, a hand landed on my shoulder.

“Tempest, we need a word,” Dazielle said.

I gritted my teeth as I turned to Dazielle. “This isn’t my business. I was helping Puddles find her nephew. Now she’s done that, I’ll leave the rest to you. As you said, you’re the expert.”

Dazielle shook her head. “Let’s have a chat over coffee.”

“Did somebody say coffee and cake?” Wiggles raced over and bounced on his paws.

“Nobody mentioned cake,” Dazielle said. “It’s not even nine in the morning.”

Wiggles glared at her, and his eyes flared red. “You call yourself an angel and you deny a hungry hound a treat. I was the one who found the murder scene.”

“It’s not a murder scene,” I said.

Wiggles snorted. “Well, the scene of evil doings. You don’t find blood like that and figure a fairy picnic went down.”

“You might. Fairies can be spiteful,” I said.

Wiggles nodded. “True. They have sharp teeth and attitudes, especially the ones with sparkles.”

Dazielle sighed. “I’ll see what I can do about cake, so long as you stop talking about fairies.”

I was tempted but could not be swayed by the offer of cake for breakfast. “We’ve already eaten, and I’ve got a bed waiting. You can deal with this without me.”

“I’ve no doubt I can.” Dazielle arched an eyebrow. “However, you were one of the last people to see Serath before he vanished.”

I took a step back. “You’re thinking I’ve done something to Serath?”

Dazielle nodded sagely. “Let’s go to the cafe. All I want to do is find out what you know.”

It looked like it would be cake for breakfast after all. I grudgingly followed her through the trees with Wiggles as we left the other angels at the scene and headed to the Unicorn’s Trough.

Dazielle was true to her word as we settled at a table. She ordered hot drinks and three large slabs of coffee and walnut cake.

I decided she should go first since she’d insisted on this interview. We had great fun staring at each other in tense silence as we waited for the food.

Brogan Costin brought over our cake and coffee. “Starting early on the sweet stuff, ladies.”

“I need it. The angels are being spiteful.” I cut off a large piece of cake and stuffed it in my mouth. I groaned at the perfect combination of sweetness and slightly bitter walnut.

Brogan grinned. “Let me know if you need anything else.” He walked away from the table.

Dazielle ate her own cake, sipping on her coffee delicately as if showing me how a person with table manners ate.

I felt a little better after I’d finished my cake. I sat back and raised my eyebrows. “Okay, question me. What do you need to know?”

“Are you friends with Dewey Lavern and his buddies?”

“Definitely not. I grew up with Dewey. He always played the fool and never took anything seriously. I haven’t seen him for over a year. He comes to visit Puddles, but I think it’s because he gets his arm twisted by his mom. I don’t think he enjoys his visits.”

Dazielle nodded. “I’m also not a fan of Dewey Lavern. He’s got a record, you know.”

I leaned forward. “I didn’t know that. What’s he done?”

“It mostly involves his inability to hold his alcohol. A few fights, nothing serious.”

“Dewey needs to grow up.”

“I don’t disagree.” Dazielle placed her mug down. “Puddles informed us you threw them out of Cloven Hoof last night.”

I grimaced. Puddles needed to learn to keep her mouth shut. “They were hassling the customers and staff. When Dewey started on me and Axel, I decided that was enough. It was all above board. They were given fair warning. They threw the first punch, and Suki and I ended the fight.”

“I heard Dewey say something about an argument over a girl.”

“I know nothing about that. They annoyed nearly everyone they spoke to in Cloven Hoof. I should never have allowed them in.”

Dazielle brushed crumbs off her fingers. “We should head over there and speak to your staff.”

I checked the time. “I’ll speak to my staff. It will only be Merrie there this early.”

“Your bar manager?”

“That’s right.”

“Then she should have seen what happened. She can shed light on who Dewey and his friends were sweet talking.”

I grimaced. I didn’t want Dazielle, or any of her angels, poking around Cloven Hoof. “She’ll help if she can. But it will be easier if I ask the questions.”

“Why? Does Merrie have something to hide?”

“Merrie is one of the most honest people I know. If there’s anything useful to tell, she’ll reveal it.”

“We’re going now,” Dazielle said. “The sooner we find Serath, the better.”

“He’s drunk and asleep in the forest. Go look for him there.”

“Most likely he is, but we need to make sure, especially if Puddles is involved. She can be a little... trying.”

I couldn’t argue with that. “Puddles doesn’t seem worried now Dewey is safe.”

“I like to be thorough.”

“You’re wasting your time thinking anyone at Cloven Hoof is involved in Serath going missing,” I said as we left the Unicorn’s Trough and walked along the main street toward my bar. “I vet my staff. I trust them all.”

“I’m sure you do, but it doesn’t hurt to ask.” Dazielle glanced at me. “And I hear you have a new batch of Mexican dried mushrooms in stock.”

“Do you want a taste test?”

“How kind of you to offer. That’s put me in a good mood, so I won’t be too tough on your staff.”

I snorted a laugh. Who knew angels could be so devious?

As we entered Cloven Hoof, I spotted Merrie behind the bar. Her smile dimmed, and her gaze cut to Dazielle. “Is everything okay?”

“It’s nothing to worry about,” I said to her.

“It is something to ponder, though. A customer has gone missing,” Dazielle said. “I need to know what your involvement is.”

So much for her not being tough on the staff.

Merrie’s eyebrows shot up, and she lowered the glass she was holding to the bar. “Who’s disappeared?”

“Serath Duckle,” I said. “Dewey Lavern’s friend. He was the tall, blond one.”

Dazielle slid me a glare. “What can you tell me about his activities last night?”

“Not much.” Merrie glanced at me, and I nodded. We had no secrets to hide from Angel Force.

“What did he do? Who did he talk to?”

“He mainly spoke to his friends,” Merrie said. “They’d had a lot to drink.”

“Did they bother you?” Dazielle asked.

I headed around the bar and returned with some speciality Mexican mushrooms. I placed them in front of Dazielle and gave her a pointed look.

She shrugged and took a mushroom.

“It wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle,” Merrie said. “Dewey was a bit suggestive, but I shut him down. They were sensible enough to know not to annoy the staff too much, or we’d have refused to serve them.”

Suki strolled into the bar from the cellar, stretching her arms over her head. She froze when she saw Dazielle, and her eyes grew wide.

“Don’t worry, Suki,” I said. “She’s not here for you.”

“I do want to talk to you,” Dazielle said. “You might have been the last person to see Serath before he disappeared.”

Suki slowly lowered her arms. “Serath?”

“He was one of those three guys we tossed out of here last night,” I said to her. “One of them has gone missing.”

“And we’ve found evidence that suggests he may have been injured,” Dazielle said. “In the forest. The forest you know extremely well.”

“Hey, no interrogating Suki.” I grabbed the mushrooms away from Dazielle. “She’s not involved with this. And you know what happens when Suki gets nervous.”

Dazielle shifted in her seat. She’d been knocked on her behind by Suki before. “What did you see after you threw them out of Cloven Hoof?”

Suki twisted a long dreadlock around one finger. “Nothing! They walked away. It looked like they were arguing, then the blond one walked off on his own. They didn’t come back. I wouldn’t have let them in if they had.”

“Serath is most likely licking his wounds somewhere,” I said. “He’s sulking after the fight.”

“Maybe those wounds are too severe for him to lick,” Dazielle said.

“Or he could have left Willow Tree Falls,” I said. “Serath didn’t want to hang around with Dewey and Bart, so he left early.”

“Did he speak to any other bar staff while he was here?” Dazielle asked.

“He had a few words with Izzie,” Merrie said. “When I realized they were a handful, I took over and served them. The girls don’t need to be hassled.”

“What words did Serath say?”

“The stupid words drunken guys say when they’re trying to impress their friends. It was nothing. Besides, the team can handle boys like Dewey and his friends. We do it almost every night.”

The snow globe on the bar shook, and I activated it.

“Tempest, you need to come take a look at something.”

I was surprised to hear Rhett’s voice. “What’s up?”

“I think I’ve found Serath, and he’s not looking good.”

“You found our missing guy?” Dazielle butted in on the conversation.

“Oh, you’re with Angel Force.” Rhett sounded cautious.

“Don’t worry about that,” I said. “Where’s Serath?”

“In the woods. By an old gnarled oak tree that looks like it has an owl carved in the trunk. Close to the swamp.”

“I know where you mean,” I said. “We’ll be there soon. Don’t let Serath go anywhere.”

“I don’t need to worry about that. Tempest, he’s dead.”

Chapter 5

Dazielle flew ahead of me as I ran along the streets with Wiggles by my side, back to the forest.

“I knew something bad had happened to that guy,” Wiggles said. “All that blood and mess on the ground, you don’t get that playing hide ‘n’ seek.”

“Serath was a jerk, but he didn’t deserve to die,” I said.

“He must have carried on his argument with his buddies, and it went too far.”

“Maybe.” I entered the forest and sped along the path. I soon spotted the white flare of Dazielle’s wings as I pushed past a bush.

She stood at the edge of a shallow pit next to Rhett, who shifted from foot to foot and kept glancing at Dazielle as if expecting her to arrest him at any second.

I joined them and gulped as I looked down. In a grave lay Serath. His eyes were open as was his mouth, a look of terror forever pinned to his face.

“He did not go quietly,” I muttered.

“That guy died screaming.” Wiggles sniffed around the edge of the shallow grave. “And whatever magic was used on him stinks.”

I nodded. It was unmistakable. Someone had killed Serath using dark magic. A bitter, sour smell drifted off his body.

Dazielle turned her attention to Rhett. “How did you know he was here?”

Rhett shrugged as he backed away, his hand shoved in his jeans pockets. “I know the place well.”

“Well enough to know when someone has buried a body?” Dazielle stalked after him, her wings fluttering.

He glanced over his shoulder. “Sure. It’s easy when you know how to follow the clues.”

I hid a smile behind my hand. Angel Force was not known for following the right logic nor the correct clues when solving mysteries. It was how I often found myself dragged into their more difficult cases.

“What’s your relationship with the victim?” Dazielle asked Rhett.

“No relationship. I have nothing to do with this guy.” Rhett looked at me, the plea for help clear in his eyes. “I need to get out of here.”

“Are you late for the office?” I asked with a grin.

A small smile crossed his face. “Something like that.”

“Where were you last night?” Dazielle persisted.

Rhett raised a hand. “With the guys. They’ll all vouch for me.”

Dazielle scowled at him. “I will be in touch with more questions if I think you’re involved in this death.”

“I’m not. I’m trying to help. I didn’t need to tell you I found Serath. Don’t drag me into this investigation.” Rhett scowled at Dazielle.

“I won’t drag you anywhere if you have nothing to do with Serath’s death.” Dazielle’s wings fully extended, a signal she wanted Rhett to know who was in charge.

He glanced at her wings and shook his head. “Whatever you say. You know where I am.” Rhett turned on his heel and strode away.

Dazielle stared after him before returning her attention to Serath. “What do you think about Rhett?”

I watched him leave, trying hard not to leer at how well his jeans fit him. “You know what he’s like. His gang runs on the dark side, but he keeps them in line. I don’t think they had anything to do with this murder.”

Dazielle snorted. “You need to take off those rose-tinted glasses. Rhett is not such a sweetheart.”

I shrugged. I knew that.

“And curses?” Dazielle asked. “Something dark was used on Serath. Would the gang stoop to using a curse on someone who upset them?”

“It’s possible, but anyone good at magic can conjure a curse. If you’re looking for suspects based on that, you’ll have to interrogate half of Willow Tree Falls.”

“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”

Two angels descended from the sky, curling their wings behind them as they landed elegantly and strode over.

“Secure this scene,” Dazielle said. “And have Serath taken away. We might find something on him that points to his killer.”

The angels nodded and got to work.

Dazielle turned to me. “You can help with this.”

I narrowed my eyes. “How do you want me to help?”

“You know Puddles.”

I grimaced. “Because she’s my landlady. I wouldn’t call her a friend.”

“Even so, you know more about her than I do. She will open up to you.”

“About what?” I scratched my head. “You don’t think Puddles is involved, do you?”

“You heard her when she found Dewey in the forest helping with our inquiries. She’s protective of him.”

“Sure, but we’re talking about Puddles Lavern. Her worst habit is dying her hair every shade under the rainbow.”

“Even so, we need to talk to her. Dewey, Bart, and Serath are staying at her house. Maybe she knows something about Serath or could have overheard them arguing when they were in their rooms.”

“I won’t be any help,” I said. “You’ve got this in hand. Serath’s been discovered, and your angels can figure out the rest.”

“You’re sitting in on the interview with Puddles,” Dazielle said. “We need to get her talking.”

I sighed but nodded. “Fine, the sooner we get this cleared up, the better. I don’t want Cloven Hoof associated with dead bodies and curses.”

“Exactly, and Puddles might tell us everything we need, and we can wrap this up by the end of the day.”

I highly doubted it. I waited half an hour, throwing a stick for Wiggles while Dazielle did her official Angel Force thing, which mainly involved barking orders and stomping around fluttering her wings. Surely, those feathers must contaminate a crime scene.

Once she was done, we headed to Angel Force’s headquarters, and Dazielle summoned Puddles to the station.

I was waiting in the reception area when she bustled through the door, dressed in a pale lemon suit.

“I came as quickly as I could,” she said to me. “Dazielle said you have news about Serath.”

I opened my mouth to tell her what was going on when Dazielle stuck her head into the reception area. “Best we do this in private.”

Puddles turned her large eyes to me. “What’s going on?”

“It’s not great news,” I said. “We’d better do what Dazielle says.” I did not want to break the bad news alone to Puddles in case she got emotional.

Once we were settled in the interview room, Dazielle told Puddles about the discovery of Serath’s body.

Puddles’ hand flew to her mouth. “That’s terrible news. That poor boy.”

“Although we’ve yet to do a thorough investigation, we’re certain dark magic was used on him,” Dazielle said.

Puddles shook her head. “Who would want to harm such a charming boy?”

“That’s what we need to find out. I’m curious. What would you do to protect Dewey?” Dazielle rested her hands on the table and fixed her gaze on Puddles.

“Dewey! Well, I’d do anything. He’s my nephew. I love him.”

“Do you love him enough to remove someone from his life that you consider a bad influence?”

“Oh! I see where you’re going with this.” Puddles’ hands fluttered in the air as if she didn’t know what to do with them. “You think I had something to do with what happened to Serath?”

“It’s possible,” Dazielle said. “You clearly feel the need to protect your nephew.”

“Of course, but that’s only natural. I didn’t harm Serath.” Puddles looked down at her lap. “Although, I did think he was a bad apple.”

I leaned forward in my seat. “Why’s that?”

Puddles sighed. “I didn’t mean to pry, but I was tidying the boys’ rooms after they went out last night and discovered something.”

“You mean you were snooping around their stuff?”

Her eyes narrowed. “I like to keep a tidy house, and those boys are dreadful at keeping things neat. Anyway, I was looking around and discovered, well, let’s say some items that make me think Serath was not such a nice boy.”

“Was it pornographic?” I asked.

“No! I will not have filth in my home.”

“What was it?”

Puddles’ expression grew serious. “Serath was using dark magic.”

My mouth opened in surprise. I had not expected that.

“What did you find?” Dazielle asked.

“A book of spells, a pot of what might be graveyard dust, and some human hair.”

I sat up straight. “This guy isn’t playing around.”

“I would never have allowed him in my home if I’d known he was into such horrors. He must have fallen in with a bad crowd. Perhaps my Dewey felt sorry for him and was trying to get him on the right path.”

“Or maybe your Dewey is also using dark magic?” I said. “He could have used some on Serath last night.”

“Absolutely not! Dewey is high-spirited, but there’s nothing wrong with that. He would never do anything to harm a friend. He’s a good boy.”

From what I’d seen of Dewey and his friends, they were definitely not good.

“Do you know of anybody who has a grudge against Serath?” Dazielle asked. “Anybody who would not be happy to see him in Willow Tree Falls?”

Puddles tapped her fingers on the top of the table. “You need to speak to that barmaid of yours,” she said to me.

My head jerked back. “Which one?”

“Izzie. Serath has been involved with her.” Her top lip curled as if she smelled something bad. “Maybe Serath upset her, and when she saw him back in Willow Tree Falls, she decided to do something about it.”

I shook my head. I had no clue about this alleged relationship. “No way. Izzie isn’t a killer.”

“How well do you know Izzie?” Dazielle asked me.

“I know her well. Do not drag Izzie into this. Puddles is deflecting to get the heat off Dewey.”

Puddles smoothed her hands over her hair. “As if I’d do such a thing.”

I glared at Dazielle. “Izzie is reliable and a hard worker. I do not want you chasing away a good member of my team.” I knew what Angel Force was like when they got the sniff of a suspect. They wouldn’t let it drop, no matter how ridiculous it was.

“She wasn’t there today when we spoke with Merrie,” Dazielle said. “I need to talk to Izzie, especially if she knows the victim.”

“If they did date, which I don’t believe, I doubt Izzie even remembers Serath,” I said. “His buddies said he’s lousy with women. In fact, if they did date, I bet she only dated him because she felt sorry for him. Izzie is kind like that.”

Dazielle shook her head. “I will talk to her. Unless you’d rather I bring her in and make it more official.”

I groaned. “No, don’t do that. Drop by the bar tonight. She’ll be working.” And I would definitely be there. I was not having Dazielle and her feathered crew annoying my staff.

“Izzie could have argued with Serath and things got out of hand,” Puddles said smugly.

“Stop talking. You’re making this worse,” I said.

“Not for Dewey.” Puddles’ smile was on the wrong side of sly.

“Izzie would never curse a person,” I said.

Puddles shook her head. “Whoever did this, it’s a bad business. Even though Serath may have lost his way with his magic, I was fond of him. Deep down, he was a good boy. I hope you find whoever killed him quickly.”

“Since you were so fond of him, you won’t mind me asking where you were last night?” I asked.

Puddles puffed out a breath. “Of course not. I stuck to my usual routine. I had my dinner, listened to a little music while I did some lacemaking, and then went to bed. I had to be up early this morning to show a new rental to a couple.”

“Did you share your bed with anybody?”

Puddles’ cheeks flushed. “You know I’m not married.”

“That doesn’t mean you can’t share your bed with someone.” I grinned at her.

She pulled herself upright. “No, I shared my bed with nobody.”

“Which means nobody can confirm what you did last night.” I jabbed a finger at Puddles. “She’s as much of a suspect as Izzie. More so, because she has no alibi.”

“Tempest, that’s enough. For now, we accept Puddles’ alibi,” Dazielle said.

“Quite right,” Puddles said. “Because that’s what I did.”

“What music did you listen to?” I asked, not willing to let her off so easily.

She blinked at me. “Gilbert and Sullivan.”

I let out a disgusted sigh. Of course, that would be her favorite type of music. You’d never catch Puddles Lavern rocking out to some amazing guitar riff.

“I believe you, Puddles,” Dazielle said. “You’ve always been a model citizen. I’ve no reason to think you’re lying.”

I snorted and crossed my arms over my chest. I had reasons to think she might not be completely honest, but with Dazielle in the room, there was no point in pursuing more questions. Puddles’ pastel-tinted reputation had saved her.

“That’s all we need for now,” Dazielle said. “Sorry to take up your time.”

“That’s quite all right. I’m happy to help any way I can.”

I remained in my seat as Dazielle showed Puddles out. As much as I hated to admit it, I couldn’t imagine Puddles killing a fly, let alone a person. But I wasn’t going to forget about her, especially if Dazielle was interested in grilling Izzie and trying to get her to take the blame.

Dazielle walked back into the interview room. “So much for your help.”

I shrugged. “Puddles was being smug. I prodded her to see if she had a temper.”

“We need to return to Cloven Hoof and see what Izzie knows.”

“Don’t pin your hopes on Izzie being your killer. I agree Puddles is the most unlikely murder suspect in the village, but she has a connection to Serath.”

“As does Izzie, by the sounds of it,” Dazielle said. “Will she be at the bar by now?”

I checked the time. “Not until later. Drop by after eight, and we’ll all be there. You can question her before the place gets too busy.”

“Okay, but don’t go talking to her until then.”

“What do you think I’m going to say?”

“You might warn her that I’m coming so she gets her story straight.”

I glowered at Dazielle as I shoved back my chair and stood. “Her story is already straight. She has nothing to do with this.”

As I left Angel Force and walked away with Wiggles, I knew I’d have to stay involved in this case. I always hated it when Dazielle got that gleam in her eye when she thought she’d found the perfect suspect. She had that look now, every time she talked about Izzie.

She thought Izzie was guilty, but I knew she was wrong. I would not let an innocent person go down for this. I was hanging onto this case until we found out who the murderer really was.

Chapter 6

“Tempest! It seems like an age since I’ve seen you.” Mom engulfed me in an enormous hug before I’d even stepped foot through the doorway of the house.

“I saw you two days ago.” I returned her hug.

“That’s too long. Come through. Dinner’s almost ready. Hello, handsome.” She tickled Wiggles under the chin, and his tongue rolled out with pleasure.

Everyone was already at the table when I arrived. The only person missing was Auntie Queenie, who must have the shift at the cemetery.

“We want to hear all about the murder.” Granny Dottie patted the empty seat next to her. “I hear you’ve been spending a lot of time with the angels.”

I shook my head as I settled in the seat. “Out of necessity, not choice. Dazielle’s got it in her head that someone at Cloven Hoof is involved.”

“Oh dear, that’s not good news.” Mom placed a plate of spaghetti bolognese in front of me before passing around everyone else’s food.

“It’s no one there,” I said. “I trust my staff.”

“The gossip is that you had Puddles in for questioning,” Granny Dottie said. “What’s that naughty thing done this time?”

“Your gossip is good.” I swirled spaghetti around my fork. “She’s crazy protective over Dewey, and I wondered how far she’d go to keep him safe. The problem is, she’s squeaky clean. I couldn’t muster up the belief she’d kill anyone.”

Granny Dottie chuckled. “Puddles wasn’t always such a good girl.”

I raised my eyebrows. “She wasn’t?”

“Absolutely not. She dabbled in the dark stuff when she was a teenager. It got her in a lot of trouble.” Granny Dottie slurped a long string of spaghetti and smacked her lips together.

“Wow! You’d have no idea to look at her,” I said.

“She doesn’t touch the stuff now,” Granny Dottie said. “At least, I didn’t think she did. But maybe she cursed this boy. She’d know how to evoke a curse like that.”

“Don’t go spreading those rumors.” Mom settled at the table. “You don’t want Puddles coming after you with her voodoo dolls and pins.”

Granny Dottie grinned. “I could take care of her if she caused me trouble. Anyway, her mom sent her away for rehabilitation. Puddles came back a reformed witch. She’s no longer interested in dark magic. In fact, she became sickeningly good. She lost her spark.”

I bit into a piece of warm homemade garlic bread as I considered this news about Puddles. Perhaps she still had a dark side and hid it under her pastel colors and bright hair. But she was such a goody two shoes, nobody could keep up such a good act.

“You must make sure this murder is tidied up quickly,” Mom said. “Your cousins are coming to Willow Tree Falls in a couple of months. We don’t want them to be too scared to visit.”

I grinned. My cousins, Raine and Azura, were great fun, and I hadn’t seen them for almost a year. “Don’t worry. It’ll be figured out soon enough. Serath’s friends have to be involved. Dewey and Bart both looked like they’d gone a few rounds when I found them, and they seemed confused about what happened with Serath. I just need to convince Dazielle not to hound my staff and focus on legitimate suspects, and it will get sorted.”

“And you don’t want Cloven Hoof to be the center of a murder investigation,” Aurora said.

I nodded. “No kidding. My business’s reputation is at stake, and I’m not having the angels ruin it by lurking around and asking inappropriate questions.”

“You’ll get it figured out,” Granny Dottie said. “We know how to whip those angels into shape when they make a nuisance of themselves.”

I scooped up the last of my spaghetti. “Speaking of which, I need to head to Cloven Hoof. Dazielle will be there soon.”

“I’ll come with you.” Aurora jumped from her seat.

I grinned at her. “Are you sure?”

“Absolutely, it’s been a while since I’ve been at the bar. So long as that’s okay with you.”

I nodded. It was fine with me, but I knew that Aurora was really checking in on Frank to see how he felt about us hanging out. Frank had been quiet, and other than a few annoying belches, he hadn’t bothered me for days.

We said our goodbyes and hurried out of the house with Wiggles.

Aurora practically skipped along the road as we walked and kept giving me sideways glances.

“What gives? Cloven Hoof is an awesome place to hang out, but it doesn’t usually make you this happy when you visit.”

Aurora grinned at me. “Toby is going to be there.”

“Your secret squeeze?”

“He’s not so secret. It’s just that I still haven’t told the rest of the family.”

“I didn’t think Cloven Hoof would be his sort of place.” Toby Matlock was more of a private members club person.

“He’s happy to go there if I am,” Aurora said. “I think it will be nice if we spend time together, and you can get to know him.”

I was cautiously intrigued about Toby. I didn’t know much about him other than that he was a lot older than my sister, a powerful warlock with the ability to manipulate a person’s thoughts, and under investigation by Angel Force for illegal magic activity. I did want to get to know him better. It seemed he was a permanent fixture in Aurora’s life, and I needed to give him the once over and make sure he was good enough.

“Sounds great. I’ll deal with the angels, and we can spend a bit of time together.”

Aurora grabbed my arm and squeezed. “He’s lovely. Toby is so romantic and such a sweetie. I think I’m falling for him.”

“Are you sure you’re ready to get serious? I mean, you’re not that old. There’s plenty of time to date other people before you settle down.”

Aurora laughed. “Age doesn’t matter. Toby’s serious about me, and he’s good for me. That’s the main thing. Just you wait. When you get to know him, you’ll love him as much as I do.”

“Hopefully not as much as you do, or that will be weird.”

She laughed again. “You know what I mean. Once you see how great Toby is, you’ll understand why I’m so happy. It might inspire you to make a decision about your own love life.”

“What love life?”

“Exactly my point. You’ve got two gorgeous suitors waiting in the wings.”

I shrugged. “I have no idea who you’re talking about.”

Aurora tilted her head. “Of course you do. You’re resisting getting attached. It’s not so bad letting your guard down. I’ve never been so happy since I opened my heart to Toby.”

“We can discuss my love life another time.” I pulled open the door to Cloven Hoof and grimaced. Dazielle and two other angels were already in the bar. They had an annoying habit of always being early for things.

I strode in and noticed several nervous looking patrons glancing at the angels. It was time to deal with them and get them out as quickly as possible.

I walked over to Dazielle. “Gather your feathery friends and let’s grab a booth out of the way.”

Dazielle smirked at me. “I’ve noticed a few people looking worried. Do you think they’re doing anything illegal?”

I scowled at her. “I’m sure they’re not. You being here is unsettling. Let’s move our conversation to the back of the bar, and we can get this over with.” I nodded to Aurora as she sat at the bar. “I won’t be long.”

“Take your time. I’ll stay here and look out for Toby.”

Once the angels were settled and no longer bothering my clients, I grabbed Izzie. “I hate to do this to you, but the angels want a word about what happened last night.”

Izzie nodded. “I’ve heard the latest. Something about a curse?”

“That’s right. And Puddles mentioned that you dated Serath.”

Izzie’s eyes widened. “For about five minutes a million years ago.”

“Tempest,” Dazielle called. “We’re asking the questions over here.”

I shook my head. “You’ve got nothing to worry about.”

Izzie licked her lips. “Are you coming with me? Those angels make me nervous.”

“Absolutely. I won’t let them loose on you. I know what they’re like.”

She let out a sigh. “Okay, I’ve got nothing to hide. I’ll talk to them.”

I ordered a round of lemon drops from Ginger, and we walked over and settled in the booth opposite the angels.

“Tell me what you know about Serath,” Dazielle said.

Izzie nodded. “Not that much. I wasn’t all that impressed with him.”

“You dated in the past?”

“Sure, but not for a long time. Serath said all the right words, but I soon figured he was a player.”

“What did he do to make you realize that?”

“He cheated on me,” Izzie said.

“That jerk,” I said.

“Indeed,” Dazielle said, that worrying gleam in her eyes again. “Go on.”

“We met when he came for a visit with Dewey a few years ago. They were staying for a couple of weeks because his apartment was being decorated. Serath wasn’t a bad-looking guy and caught my eye the first night he was here. We went out on four dates, and things seemed to go well.”

“How did you discover he was cheating?”

“I was walking back from Cloven Hoof at the end of a late shift. I saw Serath stumbling out of the Ancient Imp, his arms wrapped around another woman.”

“So, you were angry with him?” Dazielle asked.

“Of course I was angry. He was seeing other people behind my back.”

“And you wanted revenge?”

I shook my head. It was so obvious where Dazielle was trying to force this.

“Back then, I would have, but that was years ago,” Izzie said. “He came by Cloven Hoof the next night after I’d spotted him cheating, being all smooth and charming and saying how much he’d missed me. I dumped him on his cheating butt and never spoke to him again. Last night was the first time I’d seen him since then.”

“And old feelings arose?” Dazielle asked.

“Hold on,” I said. “Izzie has told you what she knows. You don’t fall in love with somebody after four dates. She did the right thing. She ditched the loser and moved on.”

Izzie nodded at me gratefully. “That’s right. Sure, I wasn’t thrilled to find him standing at the bar last night, but it didn’t bother me. I could see he hadn’t changed. I didn’t want him dead, though. Nobody deserves that.”

“You wouldn’t have minded if you saw him with another woman while he was staying here?” Dazielle asked.

“I couldn’t care less,” Izzie said. “He’s moved on with his life, as have I.”

“Are you seeing somebody else?” Dazielle asked.

Izzie scowled at her. “Not at the moment. I’m happy to be single. There’s no crime in that, is there?”

“Absolutely not,” I said. “And Izzie was here last night. Dozens of customers will vouch for that, and so will I.”

“We’re still not sure exactly what time Serath was cursed,” Dazielle said. “It’s not outside the realm of possibility that Izzie cursed him in the bar and he died later.”

“And then what? Izzie snuck into the woods, dug a shallow grave, discovered where Serath had collapsed after she’d cursed him, dragged him there, and shoved him in?”

Dazielle’s eyes narrowed. “It’s possible.”

Izzie shifted in her seat. “Listen, I didn’t like the guy, but I wouldn’t kill him. He was being rude to a lot of people. Maybe he met his match after leaving Cloven Hoof. Someone could have jumped him, dragged him into the woods, and gotten their revenge. I don’t know. All I know is that it wasn’t me.”

Ginger walked over with our lemon drops and set them down. “I didn’t mean to overhear, but I was working behind the bar last night and heard everything Serath and his friends were saying. Izzie did nothing wrong, although she had every right to slap them.”

“Do you know them?” Dazielle asked Ginger.

“No, I’m new to the village, but they were being disrespectful jerks. They were lucky Izzie didn’t blast them off their feet for being so rude.”

Izzie smiled at her. “I’m not going to deny I was tempted.”

“They’re not worth wasting your magic on,” Ginger said. “They’re not nice guys.”

“Don’t worry,” I said to her. “Dewey and Bart won’t get back in here again.”

Ginger nodded as she walked away.

Izzie sighed. “She’s right. I wouldn’t waste my magic on a loser like Serath. I don’t care about him. As far as I’m concerned, our relationship is ancient history. Besides, he’d gotten daft ambitions to get in with Rhett’s gang. That can only mean trouble.”

My eyes widened. “For real? Serath wanted to be a biker?”

“Absolutely. He was bragging about it last night. He even said they’d be lucky to have him.”

Concern ran through me. Could that be why Rhett was in the woods when we’d been searching for Serath yesterday? Was he trying to cover something up? Had Serath showed off to the gang to prove he was worthy, and it went wrong?

“Have you got what you need?” I asked Dazielle. I needed to get out of here and speak to Rhett as soon as possible.

“For now,” Dazielle said. “I might have further questions as this investigation continues.”

Izzie shrugged. “I’ll help if I can, but I don’t know anything more than I’ve told you.”

“Thanks, Izzie,” I said. “You can get back to work.”

She slid swiftly out of the booth and hurried away.

“Any chance you can get your angels out of my bar before you ruin the evening for all the customers?” I asked Dazielle.

Dazielle arched an eyebrow. “What’s the hurry? We can stay for a few complementary drinks, make sure everyone is behaving themselves.”

I glowered at her. “Aren’t you on duty?”

She smirked. “I know what you’re going to do. You’re off to talk to your boyfriend and see what he knows about Serath’s disappearance.”

My plan had been rumbled. Dazielle was not as daft as she looked. “First off, Rhett’s not my boyfriend. And second, why shouldn’t I?”

“If you do, don’t go feeding him any lines,” Dazielle said. “And I’m only letting you talk to him because he shuts down every time he sees an angel. Anyone would think that guy has something to hide.”

I shrugged. Rhett most likely did have things he didn’t want the angels to know about. “I’m not going to help him cover up a murder, but a chat about his whereabouts and what he saw in the forest could be helpful.”

“Sure. Let me know what he has to say.” Dazielle gestured the angels to follow her.

I flicked her a salute. “Yes, ma’am.”

Dazielle strode out of the bar with her angels in tow. The tension in the air vanished, and a buzz of conversation began as soon as the door had closed.

I raised my gaze to the ceiling. What was Rhett doing getting involved with Dewey and his friends? There was no way he’d want them in his gang. I couldn’t let this wait. I had to speak to Rhett.

I hurried to the bar. “Merrie, I’m heading out for a couple of hours. Have you got everything you need?”

She smiled and waved me away. “You go. We’re fine here. I’ve got Ginger and Blaze working tonight, as well as Izzie.”

As I turned from the bar, Aurora stood in front of me, excitement on her face.

“I can’t stop,” I said.

Her smile faded. “Oh, just five minutes.”

I looked at the door. I needed to tackle Rhett. “What’s up?”

“I want you to meet Toby. He’s just arrived.”

I gritted my teeth, feeling torn. A part of me wanted to check out Toby and make sure he was legit, but I needed to get to Rhett and find out what he knew about Serath’s murder.

“Please, it won’t take long.” Aurora tugged on my arm. “Toby is looking forward to meeting you.”

I let out a sigh. “Sure, let’s meet this guy and see just how amazing he is.” My murder hunt would have to be put on hold while I checked out someone just as dubious.

Chapter 7

Aurora grabbed my hand and pulled me to a booth at the back of Cloven Hoof.

Waiting for us was Toby Matlock. He was a well-preserved warlock, who must be pushing fifty. He had slicked-back dark hair, a neat goatee beard, and wore a long purple velvet overcoat. He was trying hard to look like someone from a Victorian English murder mystery.

“Toby, this is my big sister, Tempest.” Aurora gently pushed me toward Toby.

Toby extended a silver ring-covered hand. “It’s a pleasure to be formally introduced.”

I shook his hand. “I’ve seen you around Willow Tree Falls. I don’t think we move in the same circles, though.”

His smile was pleasant as he gestured for us to take a seat. “The Crypt family’s reputation is an esteemed one. You are all well-known and liked in the village. I simply have not had the pleasure to spend time with your charming family, other than Aurora.”

Oh, he was smooth. I perched on the edge of my seat as Aurora sat next to Toby. Toby was probably the wealthiest person in the village. He had expensive tastes, but then he could afford to.

“So, tell me how you met my sister.” Since I was here, I may as well give Toby a decent grilling and see if I could make him sweat.

“I am a regular visitor at Heaven’s Door. Aurora is usually far too busy to spend time chatting with me, so I had to bide my time before I captured her delightful attention.”

She gently swatted his arm. “That’s not true. I have time for all my customers.”

Toby smiled at her and brushed a finger across her cheek. “One day, I was fortunate enough to be in the store when it was quiet. We got chatting, and she offered me an herbal tea. The next thing I knew, three hours had passed. Your sister is captivating.”

I grinned at Aurora. “She has her moments.”

Wiggles trotted over. He’d been sniffing around behind the bar since we’d arrived in the hope of getting food. “Are we done here? I’m in need of a long walk and a big, fat—”

“Is this creature yours?” Toby recoiled in his seat as he stared at Wiggles.

“I’m my own creature, buddy, and I can speak for myself,” Wiggles said. “Who are you?”

“Wiggles, this is my boyfriend, Toby,” Aurora said. “Tempest is getting to know him.”

Wiggles tentatively sniffed the toe of Toby’s black pointed boot. “Aren’t you a bit old for Aurora?”

“He’s the perfect age for me,” Aurora said. “The guys I’ve dated in the past have been so immature.”

“You deserve the very best, my dear.” Toby’s gaze was troubled as he watched Wiggles sniff around. “I did not know you had a hellhound as a companion,” he said to me.

“It’s a recent upgrade,” I said. Toby was clearly not a fan of hellhounds. He squirmed and shifted in his seat like something cold had been dropped down the back of his shirt.

“It’s an upgrade I approve of,” Wiggles said. He fixed his fiery gaze on Toby. “Have you got a problem with hellhounds?”

“I’m not a fan of any animal,” Toby said. “I have allergies.”

“Oh, you poor darling,” Aurora said. “I didn’t know that.”

Wiggles made a show of sitting and scratching until a cloud of fur drifted around him. There were times when I could kiss Wiggles.

“It’s not a problem, so long as I don’t spend much time with anything that has fur.” Toby nodded at Wiggles.

“You’ve got no worries there.” Wiggles trotted off, clearly not impressed by Toby.

Someone else who was also less than impressed with Toby was Frank. His hot energy curled up my spine, and I felt sweat break out on my forehead. The last thing I needed was Frank making an appearance and getting possessive over Aurora. Strangling Toby would not make a good first impression.

I shoved against his power until I was certain he was under control. “What are your intentions toward Aurora?”

“Tempest! You can’t ask that,” Aurora said.

“I can. How long have you been dating now, four months? That’s enough time to get serious.”

“I’m very serious about your lovely sister,” Toby said. “She is flawless and beautiful, and she has the sweetest nature.”

Aurora blushed and ducked her head. “I’m not that perfect.”

I smiled. She was pretty near perfect, but her taste in men was questionable. Toby was very smooth, but the way he kept an arm around Aurora’s shoulders hinted that he was possessive.

“I adore Aurora,” Toby said. “If she allows me, I plan to be in her life for a very long time. You never know. You could end up being my sister-in-law.”

Aurora gasped and stared at Toby. “Are you serious?”

“I believe we can be very happy together.” He gently kissed her cheek.

I stifled a grimace. I’d never seen Aurora like this with a guy. She was quick to fall for hot looking guys, but her infatuations quickly cleared, and she moved on when the hotness fell away and there was nothing behind the muscles or cute dimples.

This relationship had been going on for a while, and all I could see was devotion on Aurora’s face. Could she really have fallen for this smooth-talking warlock? Maybe he was a father substitute. Our dad had been great, but he’d been missing for years. Aurora might have daddy issues we needed to discuss.

So far, I was undecided if I wanted Toby to become a part of the family. There was also the not insignificant issue of him being under scrutiny from Angel Force for illicit magic behavior. That would need sorting out before he came anywhere near the Crypt family.

Frank was still unhappy about Toby, and my stomach churned in the effort to control him. It was time to go. “It’s good to meet you, Toby. Sorry, I have to cut this short, but I’m meeting somebody.”

Aurora tore her gaze from Toby. “You’re leaving so soon?”

“I have no choice. I’m helping the angels with this whole Serath problem,” I said. “Rhett might be involved.”

“That’s not good,” Aurora said. “You don’t want to become a prison wife.”

“A what now?”

“You know, visiting Rhett twice a month for a short conjugal visit. That can’t be romantic.”

“Hold on, Little Miss Marriage. First off, I’m not married to Rhett. We aren’t even dating. Second, I’m not certain he did anything.”

“Why are you suspicious about him?”

I sighed. “Rhett was in the forest when we were looking for Serath, and he found the body. I’m only talking to him so I can discount him.”

“I am not fond of Rhett Blackthorn.” Toby stroked his goatee. “Trouble follows wherever he goes. You would be wise to stay away from him.”

“Thanks for the dating advice.” I shuffled my behind out of the booth and stood. “I can handle Rhett and anyone else who comes into my life causing trouble.”

Toby’s smile was a picture of innocence. “I have no doubt about that. Aurora said you have a fire in your belly, as well as a demon.”

There was something about this guy that set my teeth on edge. “Enjoy the rest of your evening.” I hurried out of the bar with Wiggles before I said something rude to my potential future brother-in-law.

“What a sleaze,” Wiggles said as he trotted along beside me. “Why is Aurora dating that idiot?”

“It’s a good question,” I said. “On the surface, he seems okay, but I don’t know.”

“He’s okay if you like sleazy old dudes with terrible facial hair, who dress like they have a portal back to Victorian England they use to buy their clothes. What’s with the frock coat?”

I laughed. “His fashion sense is questionable.”

“And who sports a goatee? It’s either a full beard or nothing if he wants to be on-trend.”

I nodded. “There’s a weird intensity between them.”

“Toby stank of magic,” Wiggles said. “I only had to sniff that ridiculous pointed boot to know it leaks out of his pores like last night’s curry.”

“He’s got power. Some of it will seep out.” I blew out a breath. “Frank hated him, as well.”

“I agree with Frank on this one. Toby is not a cool guy for your sister to hang around with.”

“Aurora seems genuinely in love. No guy has ever hung in there for more than a couple of months with her. She sees the next cute smile and moves on. Not this time. Maybe this is the real thing.”

“Then the real thing sucks.” Wiggles belched out a waft of brimstone fumes. “You need to have a word with Aurora and get her to see sense.”

“Maybe I do.” The trouble was, when Aurora talked about Toby, she got a glazed look in her eyes and started smiling like a moron. “I don’t want to cause problems between us by telling her she’s made a terrible dating decision.”

“I’ll do it,” Wiggles said. “Anyone who doesn’t like animals because they have allergies has no place in my life.”

“You keep your dating advice to yourself. With a bit of luck, this relationship will burn out and Aurora will find somebody else.”

“Someone younger with better dress sense and less goatee.”

“Exactly.” We entered the forest, and I hurried along an increasingly narrow path in my search for Rhett.

Rhett and his gang used the forest as natural cover, so they could do whatever dubious things biker gangs liked to do.

“There’s someone up ahead,” Wiggles said.

“Is it Rhett?”

Wiggles raised his nose and sniffed the air. “It doesn’t smell like him. I’m getting a whiff of bike grease. Maybe it’s another gang member.”

“Let’s see if he leads us to Rhett.” I let Wiggles lead as he followed the scent trail. I soon caught a glimpse of a tall, broad-shouldered guy moving fast.

“I recognize him,” I whispered to Wiggles. “That’s Josh, one of Rhett’s gang members.” Josh was a huge, tattooed guy who knew how to work a beard.

We followed him deep into the forest for another fifteen minutes, the light almost disappearing as the trees overhead grew so thick.

Josh slowed, looked around, and ducked behind a large tree.

“What’s he playing at?” I slowed and waited with Wiggles to see what Josh would do next.

After a minute, he emerged from behind the tree and walked away.

We hurried to the tree. It was an enormous ancient oak tree, its gnarled branches reaching up high into the sky. I ran my hand over the crumbling bark. “There’s no magic attached to this tree. Have you got anything?” I asked Wiggles.

“Nothing down here, but there’s a strange smell farther up above your head.”

I lifted my hands over my head and felt around the tree. A piece of trunk gave way under my hand and pushed inward. I shoved my hand inside and found a wrapped package. I eased it out, placed it on the ground, and opened it.

“You have got to be kidding me.” Inside the package was a selection of the dried mushrooms I specialized in at Cloven Hoof. No one else in the village had a license to sell these, so this stash was illegal.

Wiggles stepped back. “Phew, they are strong. I’m getting high from the fumes.”

“I’ve warned Rhett’s gang about selling this produce. He promised me it had stopped.”

“You need to have another word with the gang,” Wiggles said. “They didn’t hear you the first time.”

I blasted the mushrooms with a fireball, sending them up in a puff of smoke. Anger pulsed through me. Rhett had assured me his gang wasn’t selling anymore, and I’d been dumb enough to believe him. I kicked the charred mushrooms across the forest floor.

I wasn’t just angry. I was hurt. I trusted Rhett, and he’d lied to me. “Let’s confront Josh about this. Maybe he’s got more mushrooms stashed away that need a little fire magic applied to them.”

Wiggles bounded ahead, and I was about to follow him when arms wrapped around me from behind and pulled me tight against a hard chest.

Chapter 8

“What the hell?” I kicked back against whoever was dumb enough to grab me from behind. My anger and panic excited Frank. His power burst up my spine and tickled the back of my neck, eager to get out and challenge this threat.

Whoever had hold of me grunted as my foot made contact with a shin, but they held on tight. “What are you doing here?”

I recognized that low, sexy voice, but Frank was desperate to get free. There was little I could do as his energy pulsed through me, sliding to the top of my head and bursting out.

The world took on its usual red tint as I saw everything through Frank’s eyes. I was always stronger when Frank was in control and grabbed the arms wrapped around my chest and flipped my attacker over my head.

I knew it. It was Rhett. He landed on his back with a grunt, and his eyes widened as I pressed my foot into his groin. I say I did, but Frank was in control, and I could do nothing but sit back and watch, hoping he didn’t annihilate Rhett.

“How dare you attack me,” Frank purred.

“Tempest, get control of your demon,” Rhett said.

“She does not need to control me. I have perfect control of myself. And I know exactly what I intend to do to you.”

“Don’t kill him,” I said to Frank, the words sounding like an echo inside my head.

“Tempest wants me to save you,” Frank said. “My little witch desires your pathetic form to remain alive. Is that what you’d like?”

“I’m not ready to die just yet,” Rhett said. His eyes blazed with anger, but he was wise not to fight back against Frank.

“Yet you decided it was a sensible move to attack us?”

“You’re in our part of the forest.” Rhett grunted as my foot squashed harder into his groin.

“I didn’t realize you owned some of our forest.”

“Boss, we’ve heard back from Pete about the shipment.” Two of Rhett’s gang, Ian and Josh, appeared through the trees.

“Hey, what’s going on?” Josh asked.

“Get out of here,” Rhett yelled. “I’ve got a handle on this.”

Frank chuckled. “Have you, now? This should be amusing.”

“Tempest, what are you doing to Rhett?” Ian Blaine, a mean-spirited member of Rhett’s gang, edged nearer, his eyes narrowed. Josh joined him.

“Oh please, make my day and jump me,” Frank said.

Ian was not the brightest guy in the world, but even he must see I wasn’t in control.

“I’m telling you to leave,” Rhett said. “There’s nothing going on here.”

“There is.” Frank hauled Rhett up by the collar of his jacket. “I want to play.”

“No way. Josh, let’s get her.” Ian charged and threw himself at me.

Frank danced me backward, keeping me away from Ian’s fists, but keeping hold of Rhett so he was dragged along the ground.

Josh dodged behind me and tried to grab me, but he was too slow.

Frank dropped me to the ground, so Rhett landed on top of me. He suckered my lips to Rhett and held on tight.

Rhett’s eyes bulged, and he shoved against me.

I tried to scream a warning, but Frank was in command. He was trying to suck Rhett’s energy out of him.

Josh grabbed Rhett by the back of his jacket and rolled him away. He held a large splintered tree branch, which he slammed toward my head.

Frank laughed as he flipped me away and launched me upright.

“Don’t you dare!” I felt him snaking his power through my arm, conjuring fire.

“You should never dare a demon.” Fire flew out of my hand and ignited the tree branch.

“Don’t fight Tempest,” Rhett gasped. “She’s not in control.”

Josh and Ian glared at me but made no more moves to attack.

Frank beckoned them closer. “Show me what you’ve got. I’m just warming up.”

Ian crouched, but Rhett’s barked order to stop kept him in place.

I fought to get back control. Frank should not be loose in Willow Tree Falls. Everyone I loved lived here, and he was dangerous.

Frank sighed inside my head. “I thought these biker guys were supposed to be tough. Where’s the magic? Where’s the anger? All I’m seeing is attitude.”

“Rhett didn’t mean to surprise me,” I said as we carried on a conversation inside my head. “We don’t need you.”

“You make a demon feel unloved. I’m not done yet.” Frank’s hot power seeped into my arms. I was propelled toward Ian and struck him on the side of his head. A fireball appeared in my palm, and it smashed down by Josh’s feet.

Josh retaliated with a flare of lightning.

The air crackled, and the smell of burning hair filled my nose.

Rhett threw himself on top of me and rolled me in the dirt. “You’re on fire!”

“Enough!” I gasped and wiped my hands down my face as I came to a stop by the base of a tree.

Frank’s energy finally faded. He was either bored with the fight or didn’t want me too badly injured. I favored the former option. My body shook, and I could taste dirt.

“How are you doing, Tempest?” Rhett remained crouched by me, blood seeping from a wound on his head.

Frank pulsed at the back of my neck. “Give me a minute. Nobody make any sudden movements.”

Wiggles trotted over. “That was fun.”

“Fun! Where were you when I needed your help?”

“You had things under control. You did a great job. Or should I say Frank did an awesome butt-kicking job?”

“You could have warned me about Rhett being around,” I said. “I could have kept Frank under control if I’d have known he was about to grab me.”

“You have nothing to worry about when it comes to Rhett. He’s in love with you. He’ll never hurt you.”

Rhett looked over, surprise in his eyes, but he didn’t challenge Wiggles on that statement.

I groaned and hid my face in my hands for a second.

“Is everything okay now, Tempest?” Rhett’s tone was cautious.

“My idiot demon will not attack anymore if that’s what you’re asking.” I pulled myself to my feet. “But everything isn’t okay. Your gang is selling off-limits supplies. I’ve warned you about this.”

Surprise registered on Rhett’s face. “They’re not.”

“I just destroyed a bundle of dried mushrooms I found stashed in the tree by one of your guys.”

Rhett turned to look at his wounded gang members. “Is this true? Has anyone been selling produce?”

Ian shuffled his feet and looked around.

Josh cleared his throat and stepped forward. “Boss, there’s been a misunderstanding. We have been selling produce, but it’s not what you think.”

“It looked exactly like the dried produce I sell at Cloven Hoof,” I said.

“Sure, and that’s what it’s supposed to look like,” Josh said. “Boss, I wouldn’t break my word.”

Rhett stood and brushed down his black jeans. “What have you been selling?”

“It’s not legitimate stuff. You don’t get the same buzz off it as you do Tempest’s goodies.”

“You’re selling fake mushrooms?” Rhett asked.

Josh nodded. “That’s right. And not to locals, just visitors. They get a short buzz but nothing else. I make it good and stinky, so they think they’re getting something strong. They don’t know the difference.”

Rhett shrugged and glanced at me. “Technically, Josh isn’t breaking any rules.”

I glowered at Josh. “That’s not the point. We had an agreement. You don’t sell dried mushrooms, even if they aren’t the real deal.”

Josh tipped his head back, a guilty look on his face. “It was a good way to make extra cash. I didn’t mean any harm. And if any of the locals came to me, I’d send them to your bar. I know not to tangle with you or your family.”

I guess that was something. “Who have you sold to recently?”

Josh looked at the toes of his boots.

“Answer her,” Rhett said.

Josh sighed. “That guy who was found dead and his friends. They came into the forest and were making such a racket as if they wanted to be found.”

“All they wanted was dried mushrooms off you?” I asked.

“Not to begin with.” Josh smirked. “What they wanted was to join the gang. Well, actually only Dewey was interested in that. He was bragging about what a big man he was and how we should welcome him. He kept on about his contacts and ideas he had for making money. He was a joke.”

Ian chuckled and nodded.

“There’s no way we’d have Dewey Lavern join us,” Rhett said. “He’s not gang material.”

I arched an eyebrow. “What happened after you rejected his application to join your special gang?”

“Nothing, they bought mushrooms and left the forest. I guess they headed to Cloven Hoof,” Josh said.

I squinted at Josh, not totally convinced. Maybe the deal had gone bad and Serath came back to get a refund. Josh would not have been happy. Would he have been mean enough to kill? I could imagine him kicking Serath’s butt, but murder, I wasn’t certain.

“I trust Josh,” Rhett said. “He’s honest.”

“There’s nothing honest about Josh,” I said. “He’s been selling mushrooms behind my back.”

“Not anymore,” Rhett said. “That was a mistake.”

“Boss, it’s a great sideline,” Josh said.

“Mushrooms are Tempest’s territory. Is everyone agreed on that?”

Ian and Josh nodded.

I was still not satisfied. “What about Dewey’s friends, Serath and Bart? What did you think of them?”

Josh shrugged. “They’re not memorable. Serath was a jerk with a big mouth, like Dewey.”

“And Bart?”

“He was trying to be the nice guy, being super friendly and patting everyone on the back. Then he got weird.”

“Weird how?”

“He asked about getting a specific spell. He wouldn’t say what he wanted at first. It turns out, he was after a seduction spell.”

Ian and Josh both laughed again.

“A seduction spell! That’s seriously sleazy magic.”

“He wasn’t the most charismatic guy,” Ian said. “Maybe it’s the only way he can get a girl.”

“And I suppose you all have super-hot love lives?” I tilted my head and ran my gaze over Ian and Josh. “I don’t see you fighting off gorgeous women with a stick.”

The guys looked at the ground and shuffled their feet.

“No? Don’t tell me. You’re both single.”

Rhett smirked. “Don’t be mean, Tempest. The guys work hard. We don’t all have time for romance.”

“And you do any better?” I said. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen a girl on your arm.”

His gaze darkened. “I’m waiting for the right girl to make up her mind.”

My cheeks heated, and I looked away. I’d walked into that one and deserved it.

“Tempest, I promise you, no more mushrooms,” Josh said. “And we didn’t do anything to Serath or his weird friends.”

“One final question. On the night of Serath’s murder, where were you?” I asked Josh.

“He was with us,” Ian said.

I shook my head. Of course, they would use each other as alibis. It was less than perfect, but Josh had a whole gang on his side, and there was nothing I could do about it.

“Have you heard enough?” Rhett asked. “Or do you want to take us in for questioning?”

“I’ve heard enough for now,” I said.

Rhett caught hold of my elbow and walked me away from Ian and Josh. “Tempest, you need to be careful coming into the forest on your own.”

“I’m never on my own. I have Wiggles and Frank, as you’ve seen tonight.”

Rhett rubbed a bruise on his cheek. “Yes, I’m intimately acquainted with Frank.”

I shrugged. “At least I know your gang won’t mess with me unless they want a taste of Frank’s fist again.”

“They already know that. They were protecting me.” Rhett touched the broken skin on my knuckles and held my hand gently. “And it wasn’t Frank’s fist. It was yours. Your demon forgets you can be broken.”

“He doesn’t forget. He just doesn’t care.” I eased my hand from his grip. “I know they’re your gang and you’re loyal to them, but did Josh and Ian tell the truth? Dark magic killed Serath. Somebody out there has a serious amount of power. It’s only going to get worse if they don’t keep their powers in check.”

“My gang is not involved in this. Josh told me about Serath and his buddies coming into the forest and him giving them the brush off. He didn’t need to do that. Nothing freaky went down between them.”

“And Josh really was with you the night of the murder?”

“He was. We were having a few beers and hanging out. He was there the whole time. We packed up just after midnight and headed home.”

I nodded. It seemed unlikely that Josh would use such dark magic on someone who’d asked a few dumb questions.

Rhett and his gang were still on my radar, though. They knew these woods and might have seen or heard something and weren’t connecting it to the murder, or didn’t want to, in case it got somebody in trouble.

“Tempest, I’m happy to lend a hand if you want to find the real killer. I can ask around and see if anybody knows anything.”

I shook my head. “It’s fine. I don’t need your help.”

Rhett smiled tightly. “You always say that.”

“Because it’s always true.” I turned and walked away. I couldn’t get Rhett involved in this investigation, especially since he might be implicated in what had happened to Serath.

I needed to figure out the next step alone. No gorgeous biker allowed.

Chapter 9

I yawned as I rolled out of bed the next morning. My dreams had been full of images of Serath in the ground, with that frozen scream on his lips. I wished I’d never seen him like that.

Wiggles clambered to his feet from his bed in the lounge he occasionally used as I wandered in to make coffee.

He scratched his belly with a back paw. “What’s for breakfast?”

“Dog kibble for you, and...” I looked in the fridge. A sad, wrinkled orange and a stale piece of cheese stared back at me. I went to the cupboards. “Hey! I’ve got chocolate chips. We can have pancakes.”

“Excellent. Tip the dog kibble in the trash and let’s do chocolate chip pancakes.”

“The dog kibble stays. You can have one pancake, no chocolate.”

Wiggles grumbled as he made short work of the bowl of food I gave him.

I set to work on the pancake batter as the coffee brewed. “I’m still no closer to figuring out what went on with Serath.”

“My genius input is always available,” Wiggles said. “If you give me two pancakes, I might crack this case wide open for you.”

I nodded as I tipped the first batch of batter into the heated pan. “The obvious suspects are Serath’s friends, Dewey and Bart.”

“Yup. They were seen fighting after they left Cloven Hoof,” Wiggles said.

“But when I discovered them in the crypt the next day, they seemed clueless.”

“That could be their default position,” Wiggles said. “Those two don’t strike me as Einstein clever, more Homer Simpson on a bad day.”

“But they fought. Dewey and Bart had injuries on their hands.”

“Serath wasn’t killed in a fist fight. He was killed by a curse,” Wiggles said.

“Which means we’re looking for someone with powerful magic,” I said. “Someone who can handle the dark stuff without it eating them alive or, at least, doing an amazing job of hiding their true nature.”

“And again, neither of those guys struck me as geniuses when it comes to magic use.”

I flipped over the pancake. “There’s also Puddles to consider. An ultra-protective auntie who’d do anything to keep her precious Dewey safe.”

“And Puddles has a dark side,” Wiggles said. “Maybe some of that darkness has slipped back, and she used it on Serath. It was a punishment for him bringing black magic paraphernalia into her house.”

I pursed my lips as I watched the batter bubble. “She decided Serath was not fit to be around her nephew and got rid of him.”

“There’s potential in this theory. Puddles snuck out of her house late at night, made sure Serath was separated from everyone else, and then killed him,” Wiggles said. “Then she dug a grave to put him in without anyone seeing what she was up to.”

“Someone with a love of unicorn colors is never discreet, but it’s not impossible.” I flicked the first pancake out of the pan and cut it in half. “Puddles lives alone, so no one would have noticed if she did slip out.”

Wiggles grunted, his gaze on the pancake. “Leave me at least one chocolate chip.”

I shook my head as I picked them out of his piece. “I don’t see Puddles skulking about in the forest and digging a grave. She’d break her pink nails.”

“Maybe her unicorn colors are a front. She could be some bad-ass black magic-using witch just biding her time. Waiting for the right kind of sleazebag to come into her life so she can use her dark powers on him.”

“Serath would fit that category.” I set his chocolate free pancake down and sat at the table to enjoy mine alongside a freshly brewed mug of coffee.

“So, we’re not scrubbing Puddles off the suspect list,” Wiggles said.

“Not just yet. But we also have to consider her darling nephew, Dewey.”

“A dodgy character.”

“The problem is, he went off with Bart.”

“Who is also a suspect.”

“He is, although Suki swears she saw them both part company with Serath after they got flung out of Cloven Hoof.”

“It doesn’t mean they didn’t meet up later,” Wiggles said. “Maybe Dewey and Bart decided to get revenge against Serath and arranged to meet him in the forest.”

“As you said, they don’t come across as competent magic users. They didn’t even use magic when they were fighting me.”

“We’ve also got the big, bad, bearded Josh and his naughty mushrooms,” Wiggles said.

I narrowed my eyes. “I’m still not impressed with him for doing that.”

“It’s clever,” Wiggles said. “He’s making money and keeping on the right side of your rules.”

“It still doesn’t look good. He’s taking customers away from me.”

“Only in the short term. When people realize his mushrooms don’t work, they’ll come back to you.”

“I bet he’s undercutting my prices, as well.”

“Moving on from your obsession with Josh’s mushrooms and back to our murder, could Josh have killed Serath?”

I let out a sigh. “I’ve always seen Josh as a gentle giant. His size is intimidating, but he’s not as malicious as some of the guys Rhett runs with. I’d be surprised if he used such dark magic.”

“And he has an alibi.”

“Which can’t be relied upon,” I said. “The gang members will say anything to cover for each other.”

“Which leaves us with nobody’s favorite suspect, Izzie,” Wiggles said.

“Not a chance. There’s no way she used dark magic on Serath.”

“We don’t know what was said between them,” Wiggles said. “Serath could have insulted her, and she hunted him down after work.”

I scowled at him. “I thought you liked Izzie.”

“I love Izzie. She gives the best belly rubs.”

“No, it’s not her. She was at the bar until the end of her shift. Serath could have already been dead before she even left Cloven Hoof.”

Wiggles raised one ear. “Shall I pencil her at the bottom of the suspect list?”

“Use an invisible pencil. We’re not hounding Izzie about this. But we need to check in with Angel Force and see who they’re favoring before they arrest an innocent bystander like Granny Dottie.”

Wiggles snorted. “There’s nothing innocent about her.”

I smiled. He was right there.

After we’d finished our pancakes, we headed to Angel Force. As I pushed open the door, I felt the air buzzing with excitement.

I glanced over my shoulder to where Wiggles was sitting outside, waiting for me. The angels still had the sign up saying no hellhounds allowed.

I hurried to the desk. “What’s going on?”

Cassiel grinned at me, looking so pleased with herself she was almost floating with joy. “We’ve made an arrest.”

“Who did you arrest, and for what reason?”

“Serath’s killer.”

My eyes widened. “Who do you think killed him?”

Cassiel glanced over her shoulder. “I should wait for Dazielle to update you. This is her arrest.”

A flicker of worry ignited in my gut. The angels were enthusiastic, but they often got things wrong. “She won’t mind. Who is it?”

Cassiel clasped her hands together. “Josh, from Rhett’s gang.”

I took a step back. “Are you certain? I talked to him yesterday. He’s got an alibi.”

“It can’t be a good alibi. Dazielle is sure he’s involved. And it might not just be him. The gang rarely works alone. This could be the opportunity we’ve been waiting for to take down the whole gang.”

Rhett’s gang was shady, but he was always clear. They weren’t killers. “What evidence has Dazielle got that Josh did it?”

Cassiel chewed on her bottom lip. “You’ll have to ask her.”

I scowled as I tapped my fingers on the desk. This didn’t feel right, and it was happening too fast. “I’d like to see Dazielle.”

Cassiel frowned. “She’s very busy. You’ll have to wait. She wants to oversee Josh’s interview personally.”

“No problem. I’ll wait.” I needed to make sure the angels didn’t charge the wrong person and leave a killer on the loose.

***

After a long wait and several stale doughnuts that I shared with Wiggles, I finally got to talk to Dazielle.

“I can give you two minutes.” Dazielle gestured me through and strode along the corridor.

I hurried after her. “I’m after information about why you arrested Josh.”

She gestured to a seat in the main office before sitting opposite me. “He has a terrible reputation, a lousy alibi, and admitted to seeing the victim before he died.”

“I don’t disagree with any of that, but that doesn’t make him a killer. My reputation isn’t great, I don’t have a fab alibi, and I also saw Serath before he died.”

“Don’t tempt me.” Dazielle arched an eyebrow. “Or do you have something you’d like to tell me?”

“What I’m saying is that you need more than that to charge Josh.”

“It makes him the most likely suspect, so far,” Dazielle said.

“What does Josh have to say about it?”

“He’s pleading his innocence. He said he knows nothing about it.”

“Which could be true.”

“Or he could have killed Serath and his gang is covering for him. Why the skepticism?”

“Because there are other people involved. Puddles, for example, she also has a lousy alibi and a dark past.”

Dazielle gave an unangel-like snort. “Puddles Lavern has nothing dark about her.”

“Not true. I’ve heard from a reliable source that Puddles dabbled in the dark stuff.”

“Who’s your source?”

I hesitated before answering. “My Granny Dottie.”

“Had she been drinking when she told you this?”

“No!”

“Puddles can’t be involved. Maybe she ran wild when she was young, but she’s a model citizen.”

“A model citizen who broke into my apartment a couple of days ago.”

“She did? Why would Puddles do that?”

“Well, she might have had a key, and she might have been worried about where Dewey was, but that’s beside the point. She did something illegal. It shows she can’t be trusted.”

“Puddles is your landlady. It’s okay for her to come in during an emergency. That does not constitute a break-in.”

“I didn’t consider it an emergency. Nobody wants to be woken to find Puddles standing by their bed.”

“That doesn’t matter now,” Dazielle said. “Josh is in custody, and we’re questioning him. It’s only a matter of time before he lets slip what happened.”

I wasn’t convinced. “So, this is over? You don’t need my help?”

Dazielle glanced at the door. “We can handle things.”

Annoyance shivered through me, but I was glad Cloven Hoof and my staff were no longer of interest to the angels.

I stood from my seat. “Let me know what happens with Josh.”

“You’ll hear about it soon enough.” Dazielle already had her head buried in paperwork, making sure I knew I’d been thoroughly rejected.

I left the building and collected Wiggles from outside before heading to Cloven Hoof.

“Case closed?” Wiggles said as he trotted beside me.

“If you believe the angels and their incredible deduction skills,” I said.

“I fear those beautiful creatures couldn’t deduct their way out of a paper bag with a map, compass, magic spell to light the way, and an experienced guide.”

“It seems too convenient. They discover Josh is involved and their attention lasers on him. They’re ignoring anybody else, people who have better motives than Josh.”

I pushed through the door of Cloven Hoof to find Merrie and Izzie behind the bar getting things ready for the evening.

“I’ve had good news,” I said. “Angel Force has arrested someone for Serath’s murder.”

Izzie made a show of wiping her forehead with the back of her hand. “Thank the goddess. They’re not chasing after me anymore?”

“No, not that they should have been anyway. The case is closed, according to Dazielle.”

“We need to celebrate.” Merrie grabbed glasses and a bottle of champagne.

Blaze and Ginger walked out of the back room, carrying cases of booze.

“Get over here you two,” Merrie said. “Izzie is an innocent woman.”

“As if you ever had any doubt,” Izzie said.

“Not for a second.” Merrie filled the glasses and handed them around.

“Here’s to freedom,” Izzie said.

“And here’s to no more angels poking around,” I said.

We all raised our glasses in a shared toast.

Merrie was pouring another round when the door opened behind me. I turned and saw Rhett walk in, his expression dark.

“I’ll be back in a minute,” I said to the others. I walked over to where he waited by the door.

“It’s a little early for you,” I said to him.

Rhett stuffed his hands into his pockets. “I need your help.”

“I’m almost afraid to ask. What do you need me for?”

“You’ve heard Josh has been arrested for Serath’s murder?”

“I spent most of the afternoon trying to get information out of Dazielle, but yes, she told me she thinks he killed Serath.”

“He wouldn’t do that.”

I shrugged. “Josh was passing off fake goods. He’s not squeaky clean.”

“That was nothing. Just because he did that doesn’t mean he’s expanded his skills to murder. Josh wouldn’t use a curse like that. He hates curses.”

I tilted my head. “Is there anyone who actually likes curses? They never end well.”

Rhett shook his head. “No, I mean his mom was killed with a dark curse. He was a teenager, and it happened in front of him. He swore off that kind of magic. He knows how toxic it is.”

I blew out a breath. “I’m sorry to hear that. It still doesn’t mean he’s in the clear. Serath could have come back and confronted Josh about his dodgy goods and things got out of hand.”

“That didn’t happen. We weren’t lying when we said Josh was with us the night of Serath’s death.”

“Even so, I’m not sure I can help you.”

“Tempest, you must. He’s innocent. You’ve dealt with Angel Force before, so you know how they work. I have to clear Josh’s name.”

I shook my head. “No, this has nothing to do with me.”

Rhett’s gaze cut to Merrie and the rest of the bar staff. “Your crew is in the clear, and that’s all that bothers you?”

I bristled at his words. “Pretty much. Dazielle was pointing the finger at Izzie, so I made sure that stopped. And I can’t see this place get a bad reputation. If rumors get around that people wind up in a shallow grave after a night out at Cloven Hoof, it will be lousy for business.”

Rhett glared at me for a second before sighing, the tension seeping out of his shoulders. “I get it. You don’t want anything to do with the shady biker gang. But I promise you Josh is sound. He didn’t do this. Now that the angels have him in custody, they won’t let him go. You know what they’re like.”

Unfortunately, I did. Even when they had the wrong suspect, they kept hassling them. “Talk to Dazielle. See if you can get her to keep asking questions. She might find new evidence that clears Josh. She made it clear she doesn’t want me involved anymore.”

“There’s no way you’re getting me through the doors of Angel Force.” His intense gaze settled on me. “I know you go there.”

“Not for fun. Dazielle is convinced she’s got the right person.”

“She’s wrong. They don’t have solid evidence against Josh.”

“They must have something. She seemed smug, and that’s never a good sign.”

“Dazielle has a prejudice and hang-ups because Josh is a part of my gang.”

I rubbed my forehead. I could see how Rhett was struggling to keep his frustration in check. He was convinced Josh was innocent.

The dilemma was, if I helped to clear Josh’s name, it would mean spending time with Rhett, and I wasn’t sure I was up to the challenge. I kept my distance for a reason. Could I risk getting involved and stirring up old feelings? Feelings he might not reciprocate.

“I’ll get on my knees and beg if I have to.” Rhett grabbed my hand. “I need you for this. I need to get Josh free.”

I groaned. “Fine, I’ll help. But not today. I’ve got this place to run.”

“Let’s meet tomorrow. We can go over everything you know. I will also talk to the other guys, and we can check out the place Serath was found, see if there’s any evidence the angels overlooked. Whatever it takes, I will clear Josh’s name.”

“Great, you do that.” I looked down at our clasped hands. This was going to be tough. “How about we meet tomorrow morning at Unicorn’s Trough for breakfast?”

“Sounds good. I’ll meet you there at nine.”

“I’ll be there.” I could handle this. I would have to be on my guard now that we were working together, and I would not let any treacherous thoughts make me do anything foolish.

“Tempest, this order doesn’t look right,” Merrie called as she held up a delivery slip. “Did you mean to order twenty cases of Russian Ararat?”

“I’ve got to deal with this. I’ll see you tomorrow,” I said to Rhett.

“Looking forward to it.” He turned and left Cloven Hoof.

This could go badly, but if an innocent man was being falsely accused, it was only right I helped set him free. I just had to remember this was business and not pleasure. I would not fall for Rhett.

Chapter 10

I strolled through the door of Mom’s house and into the kitchen, where everyone was seated around the table.

“There you are,” Mom said with a smile. “Pancakes as usual?”

I shook my head as I took a seat. “Just coffee today. I’m having breakfast with someone.”

“Who are you meeting?” Aurora asked.

I glanced at her. I should lie. The second I said Rhett’s name, they would all question me. Was it a date? Did I love him? When were we getting back together? I could do without that.

Aurora grinned at me. “Is this a breakfast date?”

“It’s nothing. I’m helping Rhett because the angels have arrested Josh for Serath’s murder.”

“Oh, we heard about that,” Granny Dottie said. “And now you’re helping that charming young man make sure his friend doesn’t go down for a crime he didn’t commit. It must be love.”

I repressed a sigh. “I can assure you it’s not. Rhett asked for my help and twisted my arm until I said yes.”

“How hard did he have to twist?” Aurora asked.

“Very.” I accepted the mug of coffee Mom placed in front of me and glared at Aurora as I lifted it to my lips.

“It’s about time you two got together,” Granny Dottie said.

“Nope, I’ve been there and done that, and it didn’t work out.”

“Because you played too hard to get,” Aurora said. “A guy can only wait around for so long.”

“I never asked him to wait around at all,” I said. “Rhett’s a free agent. He can date whomever he likes.” So long as he told me nothing about it and I never saw him with another woman, it wouldn’t be a problem.

“He’d like to date you,” Aurora said. “Whenever Rhett comes to Heaven’s Door, he always asks subtle questions about you. He still likes you.”

I was not getting dragged into this. “My relationship with Rhett is professional.”

“That’s why you’ve got lipstick on,” Aurora teased.

“It’s lip balm. I have chapped lips.” I pressed my lips together, wishing I’d never bothered with the gloss I’d painted on them.

“There’s also Axel to consider,” Granny Dottie said. “A wealthy half-demon shouldn’t be ignored.”

“I didn’t think you liked Axel,” I said to her.

“Did you miss the bit where I said he was wealthy?”

“Money is not everything, old girl,” Grandpa Lucius said.

“I know everyone says, if you find happiness, then money doesn’t matter, but it certainly helps. I’d be less miserable driving a Lamborghini than I would riding a bicycle in the middle of winter; that’s for sure. Try again, Tempest. What’s wrong with Axel?”

“He’s a little on the smarmy side. He flirts with everyone. He has a perma-tan. He dresses like a Miami vice cop.”

“He wears way too much cologne,” Wiggles said.

“That too.” Although, I quite liked his aftershave.

“He also desperately wants to get into Tempest’s pants. It’s sad,” Wiggles said. “I smell the testosterone every time he gets near. And one time, he was wearing tight-fitting pants, and I swear, his—”

“Okay, Wiggles. No one wants to hear about that.”

He cocked an ear. “What? It’s true. Axel gets all sweaty when he’s around you, like he’s seen a tasty bone he wants to chew on.”

“Axel does not do that, but he can be a little handsy.”

“That can all be overlooked if Axel is generous enough,” Granny Dottie said.

“That’s enough of that.” Mom passed around platefuls of pancakes. “Tempest can decide who she dates.”

“Thanks, Mom.”

“I just wish you’d hurry up and make a decision,” Mom said. “You don’t want to get the spinster label. Once you’re known for that, no man will look your way unless they want to count the number of cats you own.”

“What’s so wrong with being a spinster?”

“Spinsters have a nasty habit of disappearing,” Mom said. “You know your history of Willow Tree Falls.”

“You’re talking hundreds of years ago, when women who didn’t marry got burned at the stake for being witches,” I said. “That never happened here. This is one of the few safe places for magic users.”

“Don’t be so sure of that,” Granny Dottie said. “There was a rumor of single women going missing in the fifties. They were never found, and they all owned cats.”

“I’ve never heard that story,” I said. “Your made-up stories can’t scare me into dating.”

“Set foot outside of our little haven, and everyone has their eye on the single women,” Granny Dottie said. “And you also have Wiggles. He makes things worse.”

“What’s wrong with having Wiggles?” I glanced down at him, his nose now buried in his pancake breakfast. “Loads of people own dogs.”

“Spinsters surround themselves with animals. It’s a fact.”

“No, it’s not. Besides, maybe spinsters like animals better than people. I know I do.”

“It won’t do you any harm to go on this date with Rhett,” Mom said. “Knock those spinster rumors on the head before it’s too late.”

I groaned. “This is not a date.”

Puddles burst through the kitchen door, her blue hair unbrushed and her blouse misbuttoned. “I’m so glad you’re all here.”

“Puddles!” Mom jumped from her seat. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m terribly worried about Dewey,” Puddles gasped. “He didn’t come home last night.”

I shook my head. “I wouldn’t be worried. He has a habit of doing that.”

“No, he doesn’t.” Puddles glared at me. “And after everything that happened to poor Serath, I’m concerned.”

“Angel Force is convinced they have Serath’s killer. Dewey is safe,” I said.

“I need to make sure,” Puddles said. “He went out last night with Bart. They were having a drink to remember their lost friend.”

“I’m sure that’s the only reason they were having a drink,” I muttered.

Puddles continued. “I told them not to be late. I cooked Dewey his favorite meal. Bart came back alone just after midnight. I waited up to make sure they got in safe, so I was there when he returned. He said Dewey met someone and went off with her.”

I placed my mug down. “You’re right. It is unusual that any woman could be interested in going anywhere with Dewey.”

“Tempest,” Mom cautioned.

“My Dewey is a respectable young man,” Puddles said. “He wouldn’t go with some strange girl he’d just met. Why would he want to do that?”

“I can think of one reason.” I raised my eyebrows at Puddles. “Did Bart say who Dewey went off with?”

“No, he didn’t know her. Bart’s not from around here, so he doesn’t know many people.”

“Dewey got lucky,” I said. “Good for him.”

Puddles’ hand fluttered across her chest. “I can’t believe that. It’s so unlike him.”

“Puddles, take a seat,” Mom said. “Have you had breakfast? I’ve got spare pancakes if you’re hungry.”

“Oh, I’m not sure I can eat. I’m so worried.” Puddles sat down and grabbed a fork.

“Why don’t you try?” Mom placed the pancakes in front of Puddles, and after a second of staring at them, she tucked in.

“I’m sure Tempest is right. Dewey found a lovely young lady, and they spent an enjoyable evening together, most likely talking or discussing their favorite book.” Mom returned to her seat. “You shouldn’t be concerned.”

“I’m trying not to be,” Puddles said around a mouthful of pancake. “My nerves are on edge after Serath’s death. I need to make sure Dewey is okay.”

“Tempest will help you with that,” Mom said.

I frowned at her. “I will?”

“Of course. When you’re out today, keep an eye out for Dewey. Ask around and see who’s seen him. Maybe he’s taking this young lady to breakfast, and you’ll bump into him when you’re on your date with Rhett.”

“It’s not a...” I shook my head. There was no point in trying to convince them otherwise. They all thought I was having a breakfast date with Rhett, and nothing would change their mind. “Fine, I’ll look out for Dewey today.”

“Thank you, Tempest. Let me know when you see him,” Puddles said. “I won’t be able to relax until I know he’s safe.”

“Sure, I’ll let you know.” I finished my coffee and stood. “I need to get out of here.”

“I’ll come with you.” Aurora stuffed the last of her pancake in her mouth.

“You want to come to Unicorn’s Trough with me?”

“No, I need to get the store open. I’m heading in your direction. We can walk together.”

We said our goodbyes and left the house, Wiggles trailing along behind us.

“So, what do you think about Toby?” Aurora asked.

I smiled. That was the reason she wanted alone time. I snitched my nose. I needed to handle this carefully. Aurora was into this guy, and I still hadn’t figured out why. “He was very polite.”

“Toby has lovely manners.” Aurora grabbed my arm and bounced on her toes. “He wants us to live together.”

I sucked in a breath. “Isn’t that a bit sudden?”

“No, we’ve been seeing each other for ages. We spend a lot of time together as it is. It feels like a natural next step.”

Frank’s energy curled around my spine. I sensed he also hated the idea of Aurora living with Toby. I had to agree with him. I didn’t like the way Toby treated my sister like a china doll rather than a person. His weird intensity around her freaked me out.

“You should put on the brakes. You haven’t told anyone else about your relationship. There’s a reason for that.”

Aurora’s bottom lip jutted out. “You know what they’re like. You only mentioned having breakfast with Rhett, and they’ve practically married you off.”

“From the sounds of it, you and Toby are practically married. Living with another person is a huge step.”

“Why wait when you know it’s right?” Aurora said. “He’s so sweet to me and treats me really well.”

“He’s also old enough to be your father.”

“He’s mature and sensible. Toby is not like those silly boys I used to date. They were always more interested in checking their own appearance or my cleavage than making sure I was having a nice time. I like being spoiled. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

“I should meet Toby again. I didn’t get to know him that well when we met in Cloven Hoof.” If I did meet him again, it would give me a chance to grill him about this living together rubbish. Aurora was too young to settle down, especially with some old, dodgy magic user.

“I thought you liked him,” Aurora said quietly.

“I didn’t say I dislike him,” I said. “I just can’t imagine you with him forever. What do you have planned for your future together?”

“Toby has talked about children and maybe travel.”

“He wants to take you away from Willow Tree Falls?” I shook my head. “You love it here. You have your business, your family, and friends. Why leave?”

“He’s not taking me away from anything.” She patted my arm. “Tempest, I’m in love. I want to spend the rest of my life with Toby.”

Frank’s energy shifted up my spine, suggesting he wanted to have input into this unsavory matter. I shoved him back down. He needn’t worry. I was as unhappy as he was about the prospect of Aurora moving in with Toby.

“How about this? You come clean to the family about Toby and see what they think.”

Aurora groaned. “I can’t face it. It will be like the Spanish Inquisition. They’ll ask thousands of questions and insist he comes to dinner.”

“Which is super annoying, but it will help you get a perspective on this.”

“I already have a great perspective on it.” Aurora glared at me. “Anyone would think you weren’t happy for me.”

I wasn’t, not really. Aurora deserved better than Toby. “What about your apartment above Heaven’s Door? You’ve spent ages getting that place just how you like it.”

“I can rent it out. It will give me a bit of extra income. Toby has a lovely house and said he’s happy to share it with me.”

“It seems he wants you to give up a lot. What’s he changing so you can be together?”

“I don’t want him to change anything,” Aurora said. “I like him fine as he is. And he’s not forcing me to do anything. I’m happy to give up the apartment so we can be together. It’s hardly a sacrifice. I’m going from a two-bed apartment above a store to a detached house with two acres of grounds and its own swimming pool. I call that a spectacular upgrade.”

“A pool would be nice. Is it heated?”

She smacked my arm. “Of course! And you can use it anytime you like.”

I nodded slowly. There was still something about Toby that made my skin crawl. If I didn’t get the chance to meet him soon, I’d have to do some investigating into Toby Matlock. I did not want my sister giving up everything for some guy, only for him to turn out to be shady and manipulative.

“Be happy for me, Tempest. This is the first guy in a long time who’s made me feel great about myself.”

I shoved down my reservations. Aurora did seem blissfully happy with Toby. “I am, and if he makes you happy, then that’s great.”

“Give him another chance. You’ll love Toby once you get to know him properly.” She squeezed my arm.

“I’m sure I will.” Especially once I’d thoroughly investigated him and made sure there was nothing dodgy going on when it came to my sister.

“I must go,” Aurora said. “There will be customers waiting if I don’t open up soon.” She waved goodbye as she hurried away.

I watched Aurora go. That was something else to add to my to-do list. But first, I needed to get through my not-breakfast-date with Rhett and see if we could figure out if Josh really was Serath’s killer.

Chapter 11

“Where is he?” I tapped my fingers on the table. I’d been waiting at Unicorn’s Trough for half an hour, and Rhett had still not shown.

“We really need to eat,” Wiggles said. “I’m feeling faint with hunger.”

“You’re not the only one.” I peered out the window, looking for Rhett.

Brogan Costin came over and re-filled my coffee mug for the third time. “Are you ready to order?”

I glanced out the window once more. I didn’t know what Rhett’s problem was, but I was done waiting. “Yes, we’ll have two breakfast specials.”

“With extra toast,” Wiggles said.

“And extra hash browns,” I said. “And a side order of pancakes.”

Brogan chuckled. “You two have quite an appetite this morning.”

“Same as always.” I was eating my feelings, but I didn’t care. Rhett had stood me up after hassling me yesterday to get my help.

“I could go look for him.” Wiggles rested his head on my knee. “Maybe he overslept.”

“Don’t bother. This is the last time I help Rhett.”

“You need to find a real man,” Wiggles said.

“One who can tell the time would be perfect right about now,” I muttered. I’d been stressing about this breakfast date with Rhett, and he hadn’t even bothered to show.

“What you need is someone who will keep you on your toes.”

I looked down at Wiggles. “Have you got anyone in mind?”

He sniffed the air. “Brogan is a perfect catch.”

I smirked. “You love Brogan because he makes amazing breakfasts. I’m not getting involved with someone because he cooks a mean sausage.”

“There’s a lot to be said for a man who can cook,” Wiggles said. “I’d be happy if you dated him.”

“You’d not only be happy, but you’d also be fat.”

“I do not get fat. I burn off excess energy because I run super-hot.”

My gaze went to the window again. This was unlike Rhett. If something had come up, it would have been easy for him to send a message to Brogan to let me know he was running late or needed to postpone.

The door opened, and Axel walked in.

“Not him,” Wiggles said. “He is not a real man. Promise me you will never date Axel.”

Despite my glum mood, I had to smile. For some reason, Wiggles was not a fan of Axel. “He’s not so bad. Axel is kind of cute. And as Granny Dottie said, he has loads of money.”

Wiggles growled at me. “You date him, and I’m moving out.”

“I’ll help you pack your bag if you like.”

He turned his back on me and stalked out of the cafe. “Tell Brogan I’ll have my breakfast out here.”

I laughed as I watched him go.

Axel caught my eye and waved. He collected his order from the counter and wandered to my table. “How’s everything going?”

“No problems here.”

“I heard what happened to Serath and about the arrest Angel Force made. Did you have something to do with that?”

“Not really. I mean, I spoke with Angel Force. I’m not sure about Josh being Serath’s killer, but they’re convinced.”

Axel scrubbed a hand across his chin. “That is a weird one. I went to school with Josh, only pre-school, before the old man shipped me to a fancy boarding school. Josh is a decent guy. A bit of an oaf, but I wouldn’t have picked him for a killer. Why did he do it?”

“It’s a question to ask Angel Force. They’ve got him in custody, and no one else can get to him.”

“I guess they know what they’re doing,” Axel said.

“You’d think so, but I sometimes wonder.” Angels were beautiful and pulled off wearing white jeans like a super model, but their heads were full of fluffy clouds.

Brogan walked over with our food. He set mine down alongside the pancakes and looked around for Wiggles.

“He’s outside,” I said. “He’s in a bad mood.”

Axel grinned. “Let me guess. He doesn’t like the company you’re keeping?”

I shook my head as I speared a sausage. “Something like that. You’d better avoid him when you leave.”

“I’ll do my best not to annoy Wiggles any more than required.”

“Before you leave, have you seen Puddles’ nephew, Dewey, around this morning? She was freaking out earlier because he didn’t come home last night. Apparently, he met up with some girl. Puddles is hassling and wants to know where he is.”

“Haven’t seen him,” Axel said. “I’ll look out for him today. I wouldn’t mind a quiet word after his behavior in your bar.”

“That’s all sorted. No need to get all macho on my behalf.”

“Of course there is. We’re friends.”

“It doesn’t suit you.”

“What? Our friendship?”

“No, being macho.”

Axel chuckled. “You have a good point.”

“I’m sure it’s nothing, but you know what Puddles is like when she gets stressed.”

“Her face gets as pink as her hair sometimes is.” Axel grinned and left me to my enormous breakfast.

After twenty minutes of eating, I felt marginally better about being stood up by Rhett. Still, I did want to know where he was. Partly, it was a pride thing. He needed a damn good explanation for standing me up.

I dismissed the niggle at the back of my head. With Serath dead and Dewey now missing, I needed to reassure myself that everything was fine with Rhett.

If I discovered he’d slept in and forgotten we were meeting, he might also end up in a shallow grave, dug by me.

I paid for breakfast and collected Wiggles from outside the cafe, where he sat next to an empty plate.

“I hope you were nice to Axel when he left.”

“I barely noticed the guy,” Wiggles said. “Although, I did get an eye-watering whiff of cologne. That could have been him.”

“Axel’s not so bad.”

Wiggles cocked his head. “We both know the reason he’s so nice to you.”

“He’s a friend. That’s all. Someone who isn’t a friend right now is Rhett. Let’s head to his house and see what’s up with him.”

“You should cut the guy some slack. Rhett is busy leading the notorious Willow Tree Falls biker gang. That’s always going to give him a few headaches.”

“I’ll give him a few headaches if he’s forgotten we were supposed to meet.”

Rhett lived along a single-track road. His house was a converted warehouse, and he’d done all the work on it himself. I spotted several of his metal sculptures as I headed to the front door. As a sideline, Rhett sculpted incredible creations out of scrap metal. He even had one inside that was supposed to be me.

I hammered at his front door and waited. There were no sounds from the other side. I walked around the back of the house, but everything was locked and shut.

“He could have company,” Wiggles said.

Jealousy simmered inside me. “Are you suggesting Rhett forgot our date because of another woman?”

Wiggles raised a paw off the ground and whined. “Forget I said anything. Rhett would never cheat on you.”

“He’s welcome to cheat on me, since we’re not a couple.” After staring up at the windows for a few seconds and trying not to picture Rhett in bed with another woman, I turned on my heel. “Let’s try the forest. That was the last place we saw him.”

After hunting among the trees for an hour, I’d gotten no closer to figuring out where Rhett was. I’d even left a message on his snow globe asking him to contact me and tried not to sound too angry when I did it.

“Tempest!” I turned to see Adin Tombe, one of Rhett’s gang members, approach through the trees.

“Hey! I’m looking for Rhett,” I said.

“You’re not the only one.” Adin stopped in front of me. “We figured he was with you.”

“He was supposed to be this morning, but he didn’t show.”

Adin shook his head. “No, I mean we haven’t seen him since last night. Someone figured the two of you hooked up and went back to your place.”

I shook my head, my anger for Rhett shifting to concern. “There was no hooking up. He’s been gone the whole night?”

Adin nodded. “It’s not like Rhett to take off without telling anybody what he’s up to.”

“What is he up to? Is he doing private business he doesn’t want anyone to know about?”

Adin shrugged. “He always leaves a message with someone when he goes off just in case a deal goes bad. You definitely haven’t seen him?”

“No, we had plans to meet for breakfast and discuss how to help Josh, but Rhett never showed. Where have you looked for him?”

“Everywhere. We’ve been to the stone circle, the thermal spas, the caves, his house, all the local stores. No one’s seen him since yesterday.”

Unease ran through me. “Rhett has enemies. You don’t think someone’s gotten to him, do you?”

Adin snorted. “Rhett knows how to handle himself. If anyone jumped him, they’d be the one with a sore head. It’s weird. It’s so unlike him.”

“This is a dumb question, but you haven’t been in touch with Angel Force to see if they’ve heard anything, have you?”

Adin shook his head and frowned. “We’ll make contact as the last resort. We’re not keen on them poking around our business.”

“I’ll make contact. Maybe Rhett’s there supporting Josh. He’s keen to get him out. He could have put aside his dislike of the angels to speak with Josh.”

“I doubt it. But Josh is innocent. No one believes us, but he was with us the night of that guy’s murder. It couldn’t have been him. Besides, Josh is not into curses.”

I nodded. “Rhett mentioned what happened to his mom.”

“And Josh has never forgotten it. Even if someone rankled him until his last nerve snapped, he wouldn’t use a dark curse like that. He’d be happy to use his fists but nothing twisted like that Serath guy had inflicted on him.”

“I’ll head to Angel Force and see if they know anything about Rhett. I can also check in on Josh if you’d like.”

“Thanks, Tempest. Let me know if you hear anything. We’ll keep looking.”

“This is strange,” I said to Wiggles as we walked away.

“Rhett could be sick. Maybe he’s at home but can’t get out of bed. He could be desperate for help, running a fever and too weak to move. He could be lying in a pool of his own—”

“Enough! I bet he’s fine and got a sniff of a deal and went after it.”

“What if he didn’t?”

I huffed out a breath. “If Rhett is still missing by the end of the day, I’ll get Dazielle to break into his place. And if she won’t, I will.”

I left Wiggles outside as I walked into the Angel Force headquarters. Sablo looked up from the desk.

“Have you seen anything of Rhett?” I asked her.

“He’s not been here,” Sablo said.

“Not once? Not even to visit Josh?”

Sablo checked the visitors’ log. “There’s no signature to show he’s been here.”

I tugged on the ends of my hair. Where was he? His top priority was helping Josh. Maybe he’d discovered a lead in Serath’s murder and had gone after it. But would he have done that without backup from his gang?

“Is Dazielle around?” I asked.

“She’s out back.”

“I need to see her. This has to do with Serath’s murder.” I wasn’t certain of it, but three missing guys was too much of a coincidence.

I only had to wait a minute before Dazielle sauntered through, an annoyingly smug look on her pretty face.

“Don’t tell me you’re here to defend Josh’s honor.”

“I will if I have to, but he’s a big boy. He can hang tight until his innocence is proven.”

Dazielle arched an eyebrow. “You seem very sure that Josh is innocent.”

“I am, but I’m not here about Josh. I’m worried about Rhett. He’s also gone missing.”

Dazielle pursed her lips. “How long has he been missing?”

“Nobody’s seen him since last night.”

“That’s hardly missing. All that suggests is he had too much to drink last night and is passed out somewhere. Have you tried his house?”

“Yes. We were supposed to meet this morning, and he didn’t show. He was the one who insisted on the meeting, so I was surprised when he didn’t put in an appearance.”

Dazielle grinned at me. “Are you nursing a bruised ego and want to make Rhett pay for standing you up?”

“If I wanted to do that, I wouldn’t come here looking for him. I’d sneak up behind him and slam him with a nasty spell.”

Dazielle tutted. “I shall pretend I didn’t hear that.”

I glowered at her. Dazielle was right. I had been angry with Rhett at first, but was beginning to worry, especially after discovering his gang was also trying to find him. “Can you spare a couple of your angels to help look for him?”

“No. Rhett is not missing.”

“This is not like him,” I said. “It’s like he’s vanished.”

“Tempest, Rhett is a full-grown man. He’s more than capable of looking after himself for twelve short hours. Until he’s been gone at least seventy-two hours, there’s nothing we can do. I said the same thing to Puddles.”

“Puddles is looking for Rhett?” This day was getting weirder by the minute.

“No, Puddles came in flapping because her nephew, Dewey, is missing. At least, he didn’t come home last night.”

“Oh, that’s right. I saw her this morning. She barged into my mom’s house, stressed out because he didn’t show for the meal she cooked him.”

“Maybe he went out with Rhett. Are they drinking buddies?”

“I can answer with surety that they are not drinking buddies.” I tapped my fingers on the desk. “Don’t you think it’s weird that Rhett and Dewey went missing on the same night?”

“If they had gone missing, or if someone had seen something dodgy going on that involved them, I’d agree. Just because they didn’t make it home last night doesn’t mean anything bad has happened.”

Something felt off here. First, Serath went missing and turned up dead, then Dewey vanished, and now Rhett. What was going on in Willow Tree Falls?

“You won’t help me find Rhett?”

“Come back in two days if he’s not made an appearance then we’ll talk,” Dazielle said.

“You’re not a tiny bit concerned, given that other people have gone missing?”

“One person went missing, and we found out what happened to him.”

“Yes, he’s dead! Murdered by a curse. And you haven’t found out who did it,” I said.

Dazielle sighed. “Josh is locked up tight in a cell. He’s not going to curse anybody else. And he’d never curse Rhett.”

“What if it wasn’t Josh? What if Dewey and Rhett have been taken by the same person who killed Serath?”

A flash of concern passed across Dazielle’s face before she shook her head. “No, Josh is the man we want. He did it. Just you wait. Rhett and Dewey will turn up full of apologies for worrying everyone.”

I turned and stomped away. I was getting nowhere, but Dazielle was wrong. Something odd was going on, and it was up to me to find out just how odd it really was.

Chapter 12

It was late in the day, and I’d spent the afternoon hunting for Rhett and had come up blank. He was nowhere to be found. The last time anyone had seen him was late last night. Since then, there’d been no sign of him. It was as if he’d vanished into thin air.

I’d also asked about Dewey and gotten the same response. Both men had been missing since yesterday.

“My paws hurt,” Wiggles said. “We’ve looked everywhere. We need a break.”

I let out a sigh. “I’m all out of ideas about what to do. Where are they hiding?”

“Maybe Dazielle is right and Rhett and Dewey will turn up this evening. You never know. They could have buddied up and headed out of Willow Tree Falls to have some fun.”

“Rhett wouldn’t do that. He wouldn’t leave one of his gang members locked up and head off for fun with Dewey Lavern.”

“You’ll have to carry me.” Wiggles stopped and sat down. “I’m getting blisters.”

“You have paws. You don’t get blisters.”

“I had a pedicure last week. I haven’t got much rough skin on my feet.”

I eyed him with suspicion. “Please tell me that’s a joke.”

“A hellhound needs to be in top shape. You never know when an exciting opportunity with a cute furry butt and a winsome wag will pad your way.”

“Hellhounds do not get pedicures.”

He lifted a paw and whimpered. “My feet hurt.”

“I’m not carrying you.”

Wiggles lay down and rolled onto his back.

“Stop that. You’re making a scene.” I looked around as several amused looking people passed by and stared at Wiggles as he whimpered and thrashed around on the ground.

“I’ll report you to animal services for cruelty.”

“This isn’t cruel! You’re being a brat.”

“I’m your dog. You must help me.”

“You’re an embarrassment. You can walk. We’re just going to Cloven Hoof. I need to make sure everything is fine for tonight. Once we get there, you can have a rest.”

“I’m too weak to move.” Wiggles continued to roll around on his back and flail his legs in the air.

I walked away a few steps and looked back to see him staring sadly at me.

“You are unbelievable.” I walked back, rolled him over, and lifted him onto my shoulder, tucking my hand under his back legs so his front paws could hang over my back.

Wiggles licked my cheek. “I knew you loved me.”

I did, but Wiggles took advantage of that. I hefted him higher and strode to Cloven Hoof.

I pushed through the door and into the quiet of my bar.

“Yum! I smell sausages. Let me down.” Wiggles wriggled in my grip.

“I thought your feet were too sore to walk.”

“I can make it to the kitchen. A sausage will help with the pain.” He wriggled again until I let him go, and he raced into the kitchen.

So much for having sore feet. I walked to the bar where Merrie, Izzie, and Blaze were working.

“Is everything good for tonight?” I eased myself onto the seat and gratefully accepted a lemon drop from Merrie.

“As always.”

“I don’t suppose Rhett’s surfaced while I’ve been away, did he? He should be looking shamefaced and embarrassed about standing me up this morning.”

Merrie pursed her lips. “Sorry, I’ve not seen him. What’s he up to?”

“It’s a question I’d love answered,” I said. “I checked everywhere.”

“Have you looked in the forest?” Suki asked as she emerged from the basement, ready for her duties on the door.

“I had a look around this morning. I ran into one of his gang members; that’s when I got worried. None of them have seen him since yesterday.”

“I can take you back there if you’d like,” Suki said. “I know the place like the back of my hand. There are lots of hiding places. I can show you. Rhett might be in one. His gang makes use of those places.”

“To do what?”

Suki shuffled her feet. “It’s best you don’t know. They never caused any bother and were always polite when they spotted me, so I left them to it.”

I nodded. I didn’t want to know how shady their behavior was. “We need to go before it gets dark.”

“We can go now,” Suki said. “I need to check in with Fallon, anyway.”

I nodded. Fallon was Suki’s new assistant, and she’d taken on the role of part-time Forest Guardian ever since Suki had started at Cloven Hoof.

“Hit me with one more lemon drop,” I said to Merrie. “And go drag my greedy dog from the kitchen before he eats the entire menu for tonight.”

Merrie laughed as she passed me a drink before heading to the kitchen.

Wiggles dashed out a moment later, munching on something stuffed between his jaws.

“Are you ready to keep hunting for Rhett?” I asked him.

He rolled his eyes and shook his head.

“How about I treat you to a steak dinner afterward?”

He tilted his head from side to side before swallowing his mouthful. “You’re on. But it needs to be the largest rump steak you have in the kitchen.”

“It will be the smallest steak. You look like you’ve already eaten several plates of dinner. You wobble when you move.”

“I was sampling the menu. It’s important the chef gets an expert opinion so our customers aren’t disappointed.”

“You eat anything.”

“Some things I turn my nose up at. I’m not overly keen on fruit. And I’ve never figured out what cauliflower is good for. Well, it’s great for one thing. It puffs you up with gas. I can light up the whole street when I—”

“No more talk about your gas issues.” I shook my head. “Come on, Suki. Let’s go to the forest.”

Suki led the way as we entered the forest. She strode confidently along invisible paths as she led us into the deeper parts of the wood.

“There are several small caves around here,” she said. “Maybe he’s in one of those.”

“Why would Rhett be hiding out?”

“Is somebody after him?” Suki asked. “He could be keeping a low profile until the coast is clear.”

“I’d wondered that, but he can look after himself. Besides, it’s not like Rhett to run from a fight. If someone is after him, he’d stand up to them and chase them out of Willow Tree Falls.”

“Halt! Who goes there?” A high-pitched voice bellowed from above our heads.

“It’s only me, Fallon,” Suki called.

A three-foot, chestnut brown wood nymph hurtled from the branches over our head and landed in a crouched position on the ground. She was dressed in forest-green, her black hair similarly dreadlocked like Suki’s. Her sharp black eyes glared at me and Wiggles. “What are you doing in my forest?”

“Now, Fallon, we’ve talked about avoiding a confrontational tone when you meet people in the forest.” Suki’s eyes were full of apology as she glanced at me. “Fallon is very good at her job. She’s fiercely protective of the trees and everything here.”

I smiled, remembering what Suki had been like when we’d first met. She was the same as Fallon when it came to protecting the forest, just a lot bigger.

“That’s what I’m here to do.” Fallon jammed her fists on her hips. “State your purpose.”

“We’re looking for someone,” Suki said.

“Hey, is that a small pony?” Fallon jabbed a finger at Wiggles.

“I’m no one’s pony, short stuff. I’m a hellhound.” Wiggles glared at her.

“Oooohhh! A pony who talks.” Fallon approached Wiggles cautiously. “Have you got a saddle?”

“Wood nymph, I don’t know what your problem is, but you need to look up a picture of a pony.” Wiggles took a step closer to me.

“You look like a pony. Well, an ugly pony. Where’s your mane?”

“I am not a pony.” Wiggles crouched, and his eyes flared red. “Don’t even think about riding me.”

“Fallon, we need your help,” Suki said. “This is Tempest Crypt. She’s looking for a friend.”

“I know who she is,” Fallon said, her gaze still on Wiggles. “She’s that witch who has a demon inside her.”

I shrugged. “Now we’ve been formally introduced, I’m looking for Rhett Blackthorn. Have you seen him in here today?”

“Nope, not seen him since yesterday.” Fallon clicked her fingers. “Come here, ugly pony.”

Wiggles growled and backed away.

“Are you sure?” Suki asked. “Nobody has seen Rhett, and we’re worried about him.”

“What’s to worry about? That guy has moves. He’s got serious magic on him. A fallen angel can look after himself.”

Although everybody kept telling me that, I needed to make sure Rhett was okay. I needed to look him in the eye and ask him why he thought it was okay to stand me up for breakfast. Not that I was obsessing over that fact, but it was a small issue I needed clearing up.

“When was the last time you saw Rhett?” I asked.

Fallon’s button nose scrunched. “He was around when that cursed guy was discovered in the shallow grave.”

“That was Serath,” Suki said.

“Whatever his name was. Anyway, Rhett was around then. He found the body.” She edged toward Wiggles. “I have carrots. Ponies love carrots.”

“Fallon, you must focus,” Suki said. “We talked about this. You get distracted too easily.”

Fallon sighed and stopped stalking Wiggles. “What do you want to know?”

Suki glanced at me and nodded.

“Did you see any unusual activity in the forest last night?” I asked.

“Sure. The forest is full of weird things.”

“Something relating to Rhett. What about his biker gang? They were looking for him last night.”

“If you mean that group of leather-clad muscle-bound idiots who zoom around on those noisy bikes, then yes, there were plenty of them in the forest last night.”

“They were looking for Rhett?”

“That’s the name they were yelling out. They searched for hours before giving up.”

“But they didn’t find him?” Suki asked.

“I reckon not. They were here until the early hours of the morning.”

“Anything else?” I asked.

Fallon scrubbed at her chin. “There was someone poking around in the forest. They did not want to be spotted.”

“What makes you say that?” Suki asked.

“They used cloaking magic. I got a sniff of them just before midnight. They were skulking around, making noise and digging holes before moving off.”

“Did they stay cloaked the whole time they were here?” I asked.

“They did. I followed the sound of footsteps to make sure they weren’t causing harm to the forest.”

“Were they looking for magical items?” Suki asked. “We bury a number of the important ones to make them harder to find.”

“There was no pattern to their search,” Fallon said. “It was like they were looking for easy ground to dig.”

My heart sped up. “Soft ground that would be easy to dig a large hole in? The sort of hole large enough to put a body in?”

Fallon sniffed. “I reckon so.”

“Did you see them dig a big hole?” I asked.

“They might have. I tracked them to the swamp but lost them. It was a good thing they gave up. It was long past my naptime.”

“The edge of the swamp is where Serath was found,” I said. “Whoever was hidden under that magic could have been looking for somewhere to put another body.”

Suki stared at me with large eyes. “You don’t think they’ve got Rhett, do you? They’re not trying to hide his body?”

I ignored the panic spiraling through me. “They’d better not have him. Can you take us to the last place you saw this magic user?” I asked Fallon.

“Does a bear poop in the woods?”

“I guess so.”

“Wrong! Not in these woods. If I catch any giant furry beast using my forest as their own personal bathroom, I chase them out.” Fallon’s gaze cut to Wiggles.

“So, you can’t take us to the site?” I asked, lost in her riddle.

Fallon tutted. “I can show you on one condition.”

“What’s that?”

“You let me ride your little pony.”

Wiggles bared his teeth. “For the last time, I’m not a pony.”

“Let me ride him,” Fallon said. “We’ll get there much quicker if I do. I’ve only got little legs, and I tire easily.”

I glanced at Wiggles, but the glare on his face warned me not to even suggest he let Fallon ride on his back. “Maybe another time.”

Suki rested a hand on Fallon’s shoulder. “Show us where you last saw the cloaked magic user. We must ensure the forest remains safe, and they could have been trying to harm it.”

Fallon scowled at her. “We can’t have that. This way.” She stomped away at a surprisingly fast speed, and we all followed her.

“Don’t let her anywhere near me,” Wiggles grumbled. “I do not like the look in that wood nymph’s eyes. She wants to saddle me and whip me like I’m a dumb beast.”

“She thinks you’re cute,” I said. “You should let her ride you.”

“I’m nobody’s free ride,” Wiggles said. “I’m giving myself permission to bite her if she makes any sudden movements in my direction.”

“I’m rescinding that permission. Fallon does a good job. You don’t want to get on the wrong side of her. She knows where a lot of dangerous magic is hidden.”

“If she gets on my back, she’ll be on the wrong side of me, and then between my jaws when I take a big bite out of her.”

After twenty minutes of walking, we headed across increasingly soft ground.

Fallon slowed and pointed in front of her. “This is the site. I heard them cursing and muttering, so they might have gotten too near and been gifted a boot full of swamp slime. It was after that, that I lost sight of them. They must have given up the hunt.”

“Or found exactly what they were looking for. Anyone would be able to dig a hole in this ground.” I lifted my black boot out of an inch of soft mud.

Wiggles sniffed the air, and his nose wrinkled. “Although I’m picking up odor of swamp, there’s something else around here.”

“What can you smell?”

“It smells like that curse Serath had on him when he was discovered.”

“Hunt around, Wiggles. Sniff out the source of that smell.” I stayed close by him as he stuck his nose to the ground and searched.

It didn’t take Wiggles many minutes before he stopped beside a heap of disturbed earth.

“Is this it?”

He backed up and nodded. “It smells worse than the trash when you haven’t taken it out for a week. You’ll find someone under there.”

Fallon grabbed a stick and prodded it into the mud. “Your ugly pony is right. There’s something there.”

“Scrape back the mud.” My heart thundered in my chest. I really didn’t want to see Rhett staring up at me.

“Maybe we should call in the angels,” Suki said. “I’m not a fan, but they need to know if there’s a body in this swamp.”

“Let’s see what we’re dealing with before we get the angels involved,” I said. “Go on, Fallon. See what’s under there.”

Fallon grumbled under her breath, something about not being a slave to some jumped-up witch, as she scraped away the mud.

I peered over her shoulder, and my eyes widened as she revealed a pale hand.

I let out a sigh. “Okay, I’ve seen enough.” I could tell by the manicured nails that it wasn’t Rhett.

“Who is it?” Suki whispered.

“I can’t be certain, but I think we’ve found Dewey Lavern.”

Chapter 13

It was getting dusk as the angels descended from the sky in a cloud of white feathers and pompous self-righteousness.

Dazielle strode over, her wings ruffling behind her. “What have you got?”

“We haven’t uncovered the body, but I’m pretty sure you’ll find Dewey Lavern in that mud.”

“Puddles’ nephew?” Dazielle squinted at the ground, not looking convinced. “He’s not back yet?”

“He’s not coming back from this,” I said. “Can you smell the magic?”

Dazielle sniffed the air and frowned. “It’s the same curse.”

“Whoever killed Serath also got to Dewey.”

Dazielle flapped around as she set her angels to work securing the area. She knelt by the exposed hand and carefully scraped away more mud. It didn’t take long before she revealed the frozen, terrified looking face of Dewey.

“You’re right.” She looked up at me. “How did you know he’d be here?”

“I didn’t. I wasn’t even looking for him. I’m still on the hunt for Rhett.” I glanced at Suki, who stood looking nervous as the angels hurried around her. “Suki suggested we try the forest. We learned that someone had been lurking around last night. We followed the trail, and Wiggles did the rest.”

Wiggles lifted his nose. “I’ll take payment in fairy cakes.”

Dazielle snorted and shook her head, her attention turning to Fallon. “What’s your involvement?”

“I tracked the killer as they looked for a place to dispose of the body.” She slid a foot toward Wiggles. “We should set up our own crack task force. You can be my faithful pony, hunting out dead bodies, and I will solve the crimes.”

Wiggles turned his back and cocked his leg up a tree.

“Fallon and Wiggles the Wonder Pony,” Fallon continued. “Solving the crimes the angels have no clue about. We’re bound to be busy.”

Dazielle glared at Fallon. “Move out of the way and let my team get to work. I want to know everything you saw last night.”

“We’ve already told you what we know.” I did not like the accusation lacing through Dazielle’s words.

“Tell me again. Who led you here?” Dazielle asked.

I sighed. “Fallon most of the way. Wiggles sniffed out the body.”

Dazielle turned on Fallon, who studied Wiggles with an unhealthily obsessive look in her eye. “Why didn’t you report this yesterday when you discovered someone in the forest?”

Fallon picked something out of her hair and inspected it. “There are always odd bods skulking around my forest. If I reported them all, you’d spend your whole time in here, and I don’t want that.”

“What made you suspicious of this particular individual?”

Fallon shrugged. “They used cloaking magic. You don’t walk around hidden in this forest without me knowing about it. They were up to something dubious.”

“You didn’t see them with the body? It wouldn’t be easy to transport a body through the forest,” Dazielle said.

“They could have come back during my naptime,” Fallon said. “A wood nymph needs her beauty sleep. When I lost sight of them, I headed to my dwelling. I had a half-hour nap and continued on my rounds. I wasn’t alerted to anything unusual.”

Dazielle’s shoulders slumped. “This is bad news. We could have a magic using serial killer on our hands. Someone has gotten a liking for using dark curses to bump off their enemies.”

“Who did Serath and Dewey have as a common enemy?” I asked. “There must be someone in Willow Tree Falls who hates them enough to do this.”

“Is he here?” Puddles bustled through the trees, her blue hair flying out behind her and bright spots of color on her cheeks.

I groaned. “How does she know about this?”

“You know Puddles. She must have seen us flying here and given chase,” Dazielle said. She strode over and stopped Puddles from getting too close. “It’s best you don’t see this.”

“Is it my Dewey? Tell me it’s not. I knew something dreadful had happened.” Puddles clapped her hands on either side of her cheeks as she peered around the trees.

Dazielle tried to lead her away, but Puddles refused to budge. “You don’t need to be here. When we have more information, we’ll come to speak to you.”

“Just tell me, is it Dewey?”

I gritted my teeth. Puddles wasn’t going to go until she knew the truth. She did seem to care for her nephew. I felt a bit sorry for Puddles. It was a horrible way to lose a loved one.

I walked over and stood next to Dazielle. “I’m really sorry, Puddles. We’ve found Dewey.”

Tears filled her eyes. “And how is he? Is he hurt?”

“He’s not good. Dewey is dead.”

Her hand flew to her mouth. “I sensed it in my waters. I knew when he didn’t come back last night that someone had gotten to him. How did he die?”

“We’re not certain yet,” Dazielle said. “We’ve only just found him. Give us time to investigate, and we can let you have more information.”

Puddles dodged past Dazielle. She froze to the spot and gasped when she saw the mud-splattered body of Dewey. Her eyes rolled back in her head, and she fainted.

We both stared at her as she collapsed face down in the mud.

I repressed a sigh. “We need to talk to her,” I said to Dazielle. “Puddles might be playing the grieving auntie, but we can’t rule out the possibility her dark side has returned. What’s to say this isn’t an act?”

Dazielle moved back a few steps. “You handle her better than I do. You talk to her.”

“She could be a magic using serial killer! I’m not qualified to handle that sort of thing.” I also didn’t want to babysit Puddles in her current state.

“When she wakes up, take her to Cloven Hoof and talk to her.” Dazielle continued to back away. “We’ll make it unofficial for now. If she thinks we’re suspicious of her involvement, she might shut down and stop talking.”

I glowered a Dazielle. She was passing the buck. The blue-haired, hysterical, flapping buck, who never stopped talking unless she was unconscious.

Dazielle raised her hands, palms up. “I’ll make it worth your while.”

“Hold on. If there’s a deal to be made, I need to be involved.” Wiggles trotted over. “What are we talking?”

Dazielle pursed her lips. “Fairy cakes for a week?”

I snorted a laugh. “That deal will only work on Wiggles.”

“How about I let you off that noise violation from last month?”

I shrugged. “I was planning on protesting, anyway.”

Dazielle’s wings fluttered behind her. “How about that and fairy cakes for a month?”

“And you take down that unfair sign,” Wiggles said.

Dazielle tilted her head. “What sign?”

“The one on your building that says no hellhounds allowed. I’m the only hellhound in Willow Tree Falls. You’re persecuting a minority.”

Dazielle scowled. “You steal our food, and you break wind all the time. It’s not sanitary.”

“It’s still discrimination. And I can’t help it if I have an irritable bowel. My stomach is sensitive.”

“You wouldn’t have an irritable bowel if you didn’t eat so much junk,” I said.

“Whose side are you on?” Wiggles asked.

“Yours. Always yours.” I looked at Dazielle. “I will handle Puddles if you agree to all of that.”

“The other angels won’t be happy if the sign goes,” Dazielle said.

“Wiggles will do his best not to steal and pass gas, but that’s the deal,” I said. “Unless you want to escort Puddles home and question her?”

Dazielle licked her lips. “No! Fine, deal made.”

“Address the fairy cake order to me at Cloven Hoof,” Wiggles said. “I like pink frosting and sprinkles.”

Dazielle tutted and turned away.

“Hang on,” I said. “With Dewey dead, that means Josh is no longer a suspect. Do you still have him in a cell?”

Dazielle turned back and crossed her arms over her chest. She looked like she wanted to argue, but she didn’t have a leg to stand on. “I agree. Josh was there all night. Unless he has an accomplice, he can’t be involved.”

“You have to let him go.”

Dazielle raised her chin. “It could have been Rhett. His disappearance is now looking increasingly suspicious.”

“Or worrying. We have two bodies on our hands. Will you now take Rhett’s disappearance more seriously, or are you going to wait for another body to turn up?”

Dazielle looked around the trees. “I’ll admit it’s unusual. I’m still not convinced that Rhett’s in any harm.”

“You said that about Dewey and look at him. You have to get your angels searching for Rhett. He could be victim number three if we don’t hurry.”

“We need to assess this crime scene first.”

“What’s there to assess? Dewey’s body is close to the location Serath was found. The magic used feels the same. It’s the same killer. Someone is taking these guys, cursing them, and burying them. We have to stop this.”

“How is Rhett’s disappearance linked to this? It makes sense if someone had a grudge against Serath and Dewey and acted on that. They were friends and could have done something that annoyed an enemy, but they don’t run in the same circles as Rhett. Why would Rhett be the next victim?”

As I rubbed my forehead, I grudgingly accepted Dazielle’s logic, but I wouldn’t be reassured until I saw Rhett and made sure he wasn’t lying in a soggy grave with a terrified look on his frozen face.

Puddles groaned and flailed on the ground.

Dazielle swiftly backed away. “If you want to be helpful, get Puddles out of here and talk to her. Where was she last night? Did she argue with Dewey recently? What did she really think of Serath? We need to know all these things before we can move forward.”

I gritted my teeth. I didn’t want to babysit Puddles, but she could have useful information. I felt torn between staying and trying to find anything that helped in my search for Rhett or dealing with Puddles.

“Where’s my Dewey?” Puddles said weakly from her prone position on the ground.

I knelt next to Puddles, still looking at Dazielle. “I’ll talk to her. As soon as you know what went on here, you let me know.”

“You do the same. If you get suspicious that all is not well with Puddles, don’t let her out of your sight.”

I helped a bedraggled looking Puddles to her feet. The front of her pastel pink suit was covered in swamp slime, and her hair stuck to one side of her face with an unattractive mesh of green slime.

I picked some slime off her cheek and wiped her face with the sleeve of my jacket. “You’ve had a shock. Let’s get you out of here.”

“I can’t leave without Dewey.”

“Dewey isn’t going anywhere. The angels will help him. Come back to Cloven Hoof. Let me give you something for the shock.”

Puddles looked down at her clothes and gasped. “I can’t let people see me looking like this. I have a reputation in Willow Tree Falls. People won’t take me or my business seriously if they see me looking so... so grubby.”

“If anyone sees you, they’ll understand. It’s not uncommon to faint when you get bad news.”

“No, absolutely not. I cannot go to Cloven Hoof. I must get changed.”

I had nothing in my apartment that would be suitable for Puddles. I liked black, denim, occasionally sparkles, but there were no pastels in my closet. “Let’s stop by your house and grab some clothes.”

“I need a shower before I can do anything.” Puddles fussed over her muddy skirt. “This will need to be dry-cleaned. It’s my favorite suit.”

It was amazing how quickly she’d forgotten her grief over her dead nephew when she saw her suit was ruined. “Okay, we’ll go to yours.”

I hurried Puddles away from the crime scene and through the trees, Wiggles walking beside me. As Puddles walked, she muttered to herself and scrubbed ineffectively at the mud, only succeeding in smearing it all over her. I hoped Puddles could hold her sanity together long enough for me to question her.

As we neared the edge of the trees, she slowed and backed into me.

“What’s wrong?”

“Check to make sure nobody can see us,” Puddles said.

“We can’t avoid everybody.”

She waved a hand at me, her bottom lip trembling. “I can’t let anybody spot me in this state. It’s too humiliating.”

I peeked out of the trees. “The coast is clear.”

She bustled past me, her gaze shooting from side to side as if she expected a crowd to leap out and start taking pictures.

“Quick! Hide!” Puddles squeaked in terror and threw herself behind a hedge as two people approached and walked past.

Wiggles jumped after Puddles. All I could see was his tail wagging and heard the sound of Puddles’ startled gasps. I was not sure I wanted to know what was going on behind that bush.

I nodded a greeting to the people and tried to act like it was completely normal for me to be standing by a bush on my own. I waited for them to get out of sight. “Come on. They’ve gone.”

Puddles crept out, her hair tangled with brambles. “Your dog is a menace.” She wiped a hand across her cheek.

Wiggles trotted out. “I was being friendly.”

“You can’t keep dodging people, or it will take hours to get to your place.”

“I’ll dodge if I like. This is my reputation at stake.”

“And my sanity,” I muttered.

After two more near misses and two more hedge dives from Puddles, my patience snapped. “This is ridiculous. Grab my arm. I’ll use a cloaking spell to get us back to your place.”

Puddles’ mouth opened. “You’d do that for me?”

“Trust me. I’m not doing it for you.” I extended my arm to her.

“I always knew you were a good girl. I never listened to the rumors.” Puddles grabbed my elbow as I flung magic over us, concealing us from anybody who walked past.

“What rumors?”

“Oh, you know how people make things up. If ever anyone said anything bad about you, I defended you.”

I highly doubted that. Most of the rumors probably came from Puddles, but that was a discussion for another day.

As we entered Puddles’ tiny cottage, the smell of lavender hit me. It was like entering a pastel pink, unicorn wonderland. Everything Puddles owned came in a pastel shade. From pale lemon to unicorn blue. She had it all. She also had an inordinate love of doilies. Tiny scraps of lace were dotted everywhere.

“Wait in the living room while I change out of these things.” Puddles dashed up the stairs, and I took a few moments wandering around the living room with Wiggles, inspecting the china figurines and unicorn paraphernalia.

I turned to find Wiggles with a piece of lace sticking out of his mouth.

I grabbed it and pulled it out. “Stop that. I know you have a weird fetish about lace but leave the doilies alone.”

Wiggles grunted as he looked around the room for something else to chew on. “Puddles has too much lace. It’s not the same as chewing a pair of panties, but it’s close. She won’t miss a few bits. Stuff some in your pocket for later.”

“No chance. Sit and be a good boy.”

He grumbled to himself as he continued to look around the room.

Puddles returned twenty minutes later, wearing a baby-pink velour lounge suit, her hair bundled in a towel, and a fresh application of lipstick, also in pink.

“Let’s talk about what happened,” I said.

Her eyes widened, and she nodded as she settled on the edge of her floral couch. “What happened to my Dewey?”

“It looks like the same thing that happened to Serath.”

She shook her head. “Who would want to curse my sweet boy?”

“That’s what we need to find out and fast. This is the second time it’s happened, so the killer could strike again.”

Puddles clasped her hands together. “But why Dewey?”

“Puddles, you have to admit Dewey was no angel. He got thrown out of my bar and fought with Serath just before he died. That was in a single night.”

“Dewey had nothing to do with Serath’s death.”

“We know that now.”

Puddles slumped in her seat. “I always thought Willow Tree Falls was a safe place.”

“It’s not that safe. It’s full of magic using creatures. Magic is unstable. Power corrupts. Accidents will happen.”

Puddles’ expression was mournful. “This wasn’t an accident.”

“You’re right, and we’re back to square one in figuring out who’s involved. Can you think of anyone who has a grudge against Serath and Dewey? Has anyone threatened them recently or come to the house looking for them? What about Bart? Did he fall out with them?”

“Nobody would want to hurt them. They’re good boys. And Bart is a sweet boy. They were all friends.”

“You said Serath had black magic items in his bag,” I said. “Did you not like the idea of Dewey associating with someone who dabbled in the dark arts?”

“Who would like that idea?” Puddles lurched forward in her seat. “Do you think I killed Serath because of that?”

I didn’t, not really, but I had to ask. “It could have been an accident. Maybe you got rid of Serath and Dewey found out. Would your darling nephew keep quiet if you’d committed murder?”

Puddles stared at me with her mouth open. She snapped her jaw shut and nodded. “I’ll admit I was not keen on Serath, but I would not kill him. He was leading my nephew astray and look where it got him. He’s dead.”

“Have you still got Serath’s bag?”

“Of course. I’ve yet to return it to his family.”

“Can I take a look at what he brought with him?”

“It’s in the hall closet.” Puddles bustled out and returned with a navy holdall, which she gave to me.

I opened the bag and sifted past the boxer shorts and socks. I lifted out a small book of spells and flicked through it. “These spells are aimed at tourists. Maybe Serath didn’t know what he was doing when it came to dark magic.”

“It’s a slippery path,” Puddles said. “You start dabbling in the dark stuff, and things get out of control.”

“And you know that how?”

She shot me a glare. “I suspect you know the answer to that. I’m sure Dottie hasn’t kept quiet about my past. In my defense, I was a young girl and experimenting. Everyone goes through that phase. I have nothing to be ashamed about. And I promise you this, I do not touch dark magic now.”

I sorted through the rest of Serath’s things and found a small envelope tucked in the bottom of the bag. I pulled it out and inspected the contents.

“What have you got there?” Puddles asked.

“Old newspaper clippings.” I lifted one up. “Do you remember that girl who went missing five years ago, Sandy Bishop?”

“I know a little about her. She was a quiet girl, pretty in her own way. She lived on the edge of the forest with her mother.”

“She vanished one day. Nobody found out what happened to her.” I stared at the crumpled clipping that detailed her disappearance.

“Some speculated she’d met a young man, and they eloped.”

“Her mom left the village not long after. She said she couldn’t stay because the memories were too painful. It was weird. There was no trace of anything out of the ordinary, and her things weren’t taken.”

Puddles nodded. “Why has Serath got clippings about Sandy in his bag?”

“They are about the same age. He might have known Sandy from school. They could have been friends when they were younger.”

“Maybe they were sweet on each other, and he hoped he’d find her when he came for his visits. He’s here every six months or so, even though he doesn’t have family in the village anymore. How romantic.”

It might be romantic, but it was also unlikely, given the way Serath behaved around women. “He doesn’t strike me as the sensitive type.” I tucked the clippings back into the envelope and put it in the bag. This search had gotten me nowhere.

“Going back to Bart, are you sure they were still friends?”

“I’m certain. He’s an angel. He’s out getting my shopping. If you’re looking for someone who is always getting in trouble, what about your boyfriend, Rhett?” Puddles asked.

I narrowed my eyes. “What about him?”

“If it wasn’t one of his gang members who killed Serath and Dewey, maybe he’s directly involved.”

I sighed. I did need to find Rhett and ask that question. “He’s missing, the same as Serath and Dewey.”

“Is he now? I wonder what he’s up to.” Puddles sniffed. “It won’t be anything good.”

“Be careful before you point the finger at other people. You have a lousy alibi for the night of Serath’s murder, and I bet you were home alone last night, as well.”

“I was until Bart came back. I have a reputation to keep. It doesn’t do to be seen out on a work night.”

“Your only alibi is yourself again?”

Puddles flapped her hands in the air. “Stop trying to blame me and figure this out. My sister will never forgive me for Dewey’s death. She’s always considered herself better than me because she married and had a family.”

“I’m sure your sister will be devastated about what has happened. This has nothing to do with her being better than you.” I tilted my head. Or did it? Was Puddles so jealous of her sister’s perfect life that she wanted to mess it up? She decided killing Dewey was the way to achieve that? But a double murder all because you haven’t got a husband and two kids? It seemed unlikely.

“She’ll find a way to blame me for this, even though I’m innocent,” Puddles said.

I stood and handed her Serath’s bag. “The angels will be in touch when they have more news about Dewey.”

Puddles seemed to have forgotten she should be looking grief-stricken instead of annoyed. She swiftly dabbed at her eyes. “Of course, any news. I must be the first to hear.” She walked me to the door.

I nodded goodbye as I left the cottage with Wiggles. I was in need of a long soak in the tub and a good night’s sleep after that pastel-themed adventure.

This investigation felt like it wasn’t going anywhere fast.

Chapter 14

I wandered into Bite Me for a late breakfast the next morning with Tilly Machello and Wiggles.

Tilly pointed at a table by the window. “I’ll be with you in two minutes.” She served someone before hurrying over with a plate of breakfast flapjacks and a huge pot of tea.

She grinned as she settled in the seat opposite me, her blue eyes sparkling. “I heard you’ve had an adventure in the forest.”

“Who’s been talking?”

“Your Granny Dottie was here yesterday. I can’t believe what’s going on. Have you got any idea who’s throwing curses around?”

I sampled a flapjack. It was still warm from the oven and sweetened with plump raisins. “The angels thought they had someone, but it’s not him. I am wondering about Puddles, but the more time I spend with her, the less likely she looks like a real suspect.”

Tilly chuckled. “Puddles Lavern, serial curse killer. That’s something I can’t see happening.”

“She still needs to stay on the suspect list. Her only alibi is being home alone when the curses were handed out. She could be putting on a good act.”

“Who else have you got in the firing line?” Tilly poured the tea.

I let out a sigh. “Well, with Rhett doing a disappearing act, I am wondering about the gang’s involvement.”

Tilly arched an eyebrow. “He’s in hiding?”

“He might be. We were supposed to have breakfast yesterday, and he didn’t show. Even his gang is worried. They’ve been looking for him, but I’ve heard nothing from them, so I have to assume he still hasn’t shown up.”

“He’ll have serious making up to do when he does resurface. You don’t stand up Tempest Crypt and get away with it.”

I nodded, my mouth full of flapjack. I was less angry now and more worried. This was out of character, and with Serath and Dewey dead, I needed to know Rhett was okay.

“Is there anyone else who needs your special investigative attention?” Tilly asked.

“The angels are interested in Izzie.”

“You are joking! Why are they interested in Izzie?”

“She dated Serath for about five minutes. They think it’s a perfect motive. They consider her a dangerous ex-girlfriend who sought revenge.”

“Is Izzie the jealous type?” Tilly said.

“It’s not her. I’m sure of it. She was working the late shift the night Serath died.”

“Which leaves us with?”

“The only remaining friend who is still alive,” I said. “I haven’t spoken much to Bart. He was with Serath and Dewey both nights. Although, he claims they separated, so he wasn’t around when they were cursed.”

“Which seems awfully convenient.”

“It does. What’s to say they didn’t fight? He needs talking to, but I haven’t seen him around. He’d better not skip town before I get to quiz him.”

“Bart is your prime suspect?”

“I’m not interested in Izzie, and I can’t find Rhett to talk to, so he’ll have to be.”

“Is Bart a magic user?”

“He must be. He got into Cloven Hoof, no problem. I don’t know if his magic is up to much, though.”

“He needs looking into. Sometimes, people hide how powerful their magic is, especially if they run with the darker spells.”

“He wasn’t at Puddles’ yesterday, or I’d have grilled him then. I’ll head to Angel Force and see if they’ve spoken to him.”

“Even if they have, it’s worth you doing a second round of interviews. The angels are prone to missing things.”

“And pointing the finger at innocent people,” I said. “As soon as we finish this plate of flapjacks, I’ll get onto it.”

Tilly passed around more delicious flapjacks. “How are things with you and Rhett when he’s not standing you up?”

“The same as always.”

“You mean, he’s doing his moody biker act, and you’re acting like it doesn’t make you hot under the collar?”

“I don’t get hot under the collar when it comes to Rhett.”

“Okay, so if you’re not into Rhett anymore, how about Axel? You’re spending a lot of time with him, helping him get over his little problem. Any flickers of romantic lust developing?”

“Nope to any of that. I’m just friends with Axel.” I focused on my flapjack.

“Even though he’s made it clear he wants to be more than friends?”

“That’s his issue to deal with. Axel knew the score when I agreed to help him.”

“It wouldn’t be so bad if you made a choice about one of them.”

“I don’t have to make a choice about anything. Axel is a friend, and Rhett’s, well, Rhett’s in the past. We had a go at a relationship, and it didn’t work.”

“Because you had your guard up.”

“So did he.”

“Maybe it’s time you both let your guards down. I always thought you two were great together.”

“But I’m not into threesomes, and until I get Frank under control, my dating experiences will always be dodgy.”

Tilly pursed her lips. “How is my favorite demon?”

“He’s being remarkably good. I might finally be getting a handle on him.”

“There you go then. You’re in control of Frank, which leaves you free to date Rhett.”

“I could have my eye on somebody else.” I didn’t. I hadn’t seen anyone in Willow Tree Falls for a while who took my attention. I hated to admit it, but I was still a little hung up on Rhett. If only he didn’t look so good in those biker leathers.

“So, date this mystery person. I don’t like to think of you alone in the apartment.”

“I’m not alone. I have Wiggles.”

Wiggles jerked his head up, flakes of flapjack around his mouth. “You kill my love life. I always have to stay home with you and miss out on hot dates.”

I gaped at him. “I don’t ask you to do that.”

“No, but you get that sad look on your face and start walking around wearing big fluffy socks and talking about eating ice cream out of the tub. I know what those signs mean.”

“They aren’t signs,” I grumbled. “I like to be comfortable. And you can go out on dates if you want to.”

“Don’t worry. I don’t miss out,” Wiggles said.

“You see,” Tilly said. “Even your hellhound is telling you to get a hotter love life.”

“I like my love life arctic cold. It makes it easier to handle.”

“Sooner or later, you’re going to have to make a choice. Rhett and Axel won’t wait forever.”

“I’m happy to make that choice later.” I swiped the last flapjack as I stood. “I’m going to Angel Force to see what they’ve learned about Dewey’s death.”

The smile left Tilly’s face. “A serial killer in Willow Tree Falls. That’s something we do not need.”

“You don’t need to convince me.” I said goodbye and walked out of Bite Me, sharing the last flapjack with Wiggles, who was impatiently waiting outside.

Despite trying to convince myself I didn’t care, I was still on the lookout for Rhett. His elusiveness worried me. Why had he gone into hiding? Could he really be involved with Serath and Dewey’s murders? If so, why? What had they done that was so bad that Rhett decided he needed to get them out of the way permanently?

Rhett was always straight down the line when it came to murder. He didn’t do it. He didn’t need to do it. His reputation was enough that trouble avoided him most of the time.

We stopped outside Angel Force. “Hey, look at that. No sign.”

Wiggles bounced on his paws. “Dazielle stuck to the deal. I’ll be getting my first delivery of pink iced fairy cakes next.”

“Let’s go see what they know.” I walked into the building.

Dazielle was talking to Sablo behind the reception desk. She nodded when she saw me.

“Any news on Dewey?” I asked.

“Nothing surprising,” Dazielle said. “It was the same curse that killed Serath, so we have to assume it was the same killer. What did you get out of Puddles yesterday?”

“She’s declaring her innocence. Puddles admitted she did not like Serath because he was drawn to dark magic. She was worried he was a bad influence on her nephew.”

“She’s not got to worry about that now.” Dazielle twirled her long blonde plait around her fingers. “And her alibi?”

“Home alone, just as before.”

“Which is suspicious.”

“It would be if it was out of character, but that’s normally what Puddles does. She’s a straight-laced woman. She works, then she goes home. She’s known for being a homebody. If her alibi had been that she was surrounded by a dozen people, so she had plenty of witnesses, I’d be more suspicious. There’s nothing out of character about her being home alone on the nights of the murders.”

Dazielle tilted her chin, and an unnerving glint entered her eyes. She couldn’t seriously believe Puddles was the prime suspect.

“This is Puddles Lavern,” I said, “the lady who likes unicorn colored doilies and tinted hair. Sure, she’s a bit annoying, but she’s a stickler for the rules. If I’m ever a day late with the rent, she’s all over me like a cheap suit. She wouldn’t deviate and kill two people.”

Dazielle huffed out a breath. “I’m the expert here. You could have overlooked something.”

I held my hands up. “You crack her if you can. What about Bart? Have you spoken with him? He’s acting evasive.”

“I have. He’s upset about what happened.”

“What’s his alibi?”

“He was with Dewey when Serath died.”

“Did Dewey confirm that?”

“He did. And he was back at Puddles’ when Serath was most likely cursed.”

“Most likely? You aren’t sure when the curse happened?”

“Curses are difficult magic. We’re trying to work out when the curses were placed on the victims. It could have been slow acting magic.”

I sighed. “If we don’t know when the victims were cursed, how can we confirm their alibis?”

Dazielle arched an eyebrow.

“Fine. You’re the experts. I’ll leave it to you.” I would have liked to explore the curse magic used to see if I could glean anything but was certain Dazielle wouldn’t let me near the bodies. “Any news on Rhett?”

“He’s still missing?”

“Yes! And since we now have two dead bodies, you need to start looking for him. Unless you want victim number three on your hands.”

“If he hasn’t shown by the end of the day, I’ll consider it,” Dazielle said. “Right now, I’m going to talk to Puddles.”

“And don’t forget Bart,” I said. “He needs looking at again.”

“He’s on the list,” Dazielle said.

I headed back to reception. Wiggles was having a standoff with Sablo, who guarded the main door.

“Is everything okay?” I asked.

“I smell doughnuts,” Wiggles said.

“You just had a flapjack.” I tried to usher him toward the exit.

“He growled at me,” Sablo said. “He’s not getting through this door. He can come into reception, but that’s it.”

I shrugged. “A deal’s a deal. Dazielle said you can come in. She didn’t say how far.”

“We need to renegotiate.” Wiggles edged toward the main door.

“No! Stay back, or I’ll net you,” Sablo warned.

“Come on. We need to get to Cloven Hoof.”

“For lunch?” Wiggles glanced at me.

“Later, when it’s actually lunch time.” We had a big party tonight, so it was all hands on deck to make sure it went smoothly.

Wiggles gave one last growl before turning and stamping out the door.

“Your dog is a demon,” Sablo said.

I nodded. “Technically, he’s a hellhound, but it’s close enough.”

“He’s not getting through to the back,” she said. “He can growl at me all he wants.”

“I’ll tell him that.” I hurried after Wiggles. He was a free hellhound, and if there were doughnuts around, I could never be sure how he’d behave. It was usually badly.

As I entered Cloven Hoof, I saw Blaze busy lining up bottles on the shelf. Merrie had her head buried in paperwork, Ginger was filling the glass shelf, and Izzie was setting out tables.

“While most of you are here,” I said, “you should know that Dewey Lavern was found dead last night.”

“What happened?” Izzie asked as everyone gathered around me.

“He was cursed, just like Serath.” I watched carefully for her reaction. “He was found buried in a shallow grave.”

Izzie’s face paled, as did everyone else’s.

“Someone killed him and hid the evidence?” Merrie asked.

“The angels are working on the theory this could be a slow-acting curse. For all we know, Serath and Dewey were still alive when they were buried.”

“How horrible,” Izzie said. “Someone must really hate those guys.”

“The angels are still looking for the killer.”

Izzie’s gaze narrowed. “Do they still think I could be involved?”

I had to be honest with Izzie. It was more than likely the angels would be back for more questioning. “The dead guys did hassle you the night they were in Cloven Hoof.”

“They hassled a lot of people.” Merrie put a protective arm around Izzie’s shoulders.

I shrugged. I hated doing this to Izzie. “And you did date Serath.”

“I was the one who left him when I found out he cheated. I dodged a bullet.”

“You can’t be happy that he came back.”

Izzie frowned. “I don’t imagine many people were happy. That guy was trouble.”

“Tempest, you can’t think Izzie is involved,” Merrie said.

“I don’t, but the angels are hunting for suspects, and Izzie is on the list. You need to have your story straight, so they have no reason to come after you.”

“My story is straight.” Izzie shoved her shoulders back. “I was here, and then I went home. I didn’t do it.”

“You have no lingering feelings toward Serath?” I asked. “When you saw him at the bar the other night, you felt nothing?”

Izzie sighed. “I wasn’t happy. Seeing that smug face dredged up bad memories.”

“Were you annoyed enough to wish he was dead?”

“No! Well, maybe once or twice, but that was ages ago. I’ve moved on.” Izzie shifted from foot to foot. “Although, I maybe put a tiny spell on him before he left Cloven Hoof.”

“Izzie!” Merrie stared at her. “What did you do?”

“Nothing like a curse,” Izzie said swiftly. “I’d never use anything so dark. I was angry when Serath strolled into Cloven Hoof and pretended like nothing bad had happened between us. I thought he was a nice guy and felt like an idiot for being fooled. I decided to teach him a little lesson.”

“What magic did you use?” I asked.

“A belching spell. It was supposed to last a couple of weeks. I figured that would put an end to any chances of romance he had while he was here.”

I groaned and shook my head. “If the angels get a whiff of this, you’ll be in trouble.”

“That’s why I didn’t say anything. I figured they’d find out who killed Serath, and nothing would be traced back to me. I didn’t mean any harm. Serath was a jerk. He deserved it.”

“He deserved a lot more than a belching spell for upsetting you,” Merrie said. “Ginger, why don’t you and the others take a break? There’s fresh coffee out back and cookies.”

Ginger nodded. She caught hold of Izzie’s arm and led her away with the rest of the team.

I could tell by the look on Merrie’s face she was angry. I hadn’t meant to sound like I was accusing Izzie, but she had to be prepared for the angels’ ineptitude.

“Tempest, you know we’ve got a solid team here,” Merrie said.

I rubbed my forehead and slumped against the bar. “I know. I’m clutching at straws, but I don’t know where to turn next. Josh is innocent because he was behind bars when Dewey was killed. It can’t be Puddles, despite her best efforts to look guilty, and I’m not sure Bart is up to the challenge of casting such dark magic. Izzie is a strong magic user. She needs to be prepared when the angels visit.”

“She will be. Izzie is a smart young woman. She won’t let the angels mess with her.” Merrie glanced over her shoulder before continuing. “That’s not why I got rid of everybody. There’s a problem.”

“A dodgy order?”

“The orders are fine. It’s Axel. He was being a nuisance last night.”

“What was he doing?”

“He came in for a couple of drinks, and everything was fine. As it got later, he started asking the new staff for mushrooms. He knows he’s cut off, and he didn’t dare ask me. He was flirting heavily with Ginger, trying to twist her arm and get her to slip him some mushrooms.”

“She didn’t do it, did she?”

“As if you even need to ask. But Axel wouldn’t give up. In the end, I stepped in and told him to get lost. I banned him for a month. I hope that’s okay.”

“He’ll get a lifetime ban if he’s not careful.” I twirled a straw around my fingers. “I thought he was doing well. We meet every week, and he always tells me he’s fine.”

“Axel’s not being honest with you. He seemed uptight and said he’d had a hectic day and needed something to take the edge off.”

“If Axel needs to take the edge off, he doesn’t do it here. Thanks for handling him. I’ll have to keep a better eye on him.”

“Don’t be too tough on him. Axel is a good guy, and I don’t want to see him relapsing.”

“I’ve not been tough enough. He’s not taking this seriously.”

Merrie tilted her head. “Don’t drive Axel away, or he might risk getting his kicks from less reliable sources. He won’t know what he’s getting if he does that.”

“I didn’t know you cared.” I’d meant it as a joke, but the blush on Merrie’s cheeks suggested she might be into Axel.

I was too shocked to say anything else. Merrie Noble and Axel Shadowsoul? I’d never have paired them. I must be reading this wrong.

“He did mention he was lonely.” Merrie ducked her head. “You might have to spend more time with him.”

“Or maybe I’m not the right person to help,” I said. “I’m no expert with this sort of thing. Axel could do with professional help.”

“We don’t have that kind of specialist in Willow Tree Falls. Most of us have a handle on our magic.”

“It could be time Axel takes a holiday and gets some intensive intervention.” I felt like I’d let him down. There had been occasions when I hadn’t been able to spend enough time with Axel, checking to see if he was doing well. I was distracted with work, my family, Cloven Hoof, Frank, and now these murders. Axel deserved better. He might be a weak-willed idiot at times, but I couldn’t see him come to harm.

I looked at the door leading to the back of the club. “I owe Izzie an apology. I didn’t mean to make her feel bad.”

“She’ll understand. A big chocolate cake to make up for it will help.”

I nodded. “A big cake will be a start. I’d hate to lose her.”

“We’ve got a great team. We all pull together. She won’t take it to heart, and she did use magic against Serath.”

“The creep deserved it. I’d have done a lot worse.” I straightened up. “Is everything on track for tonight?”

“We’ve got everything in hand for the party. You focus on finding out who is throwing curses around and make it stop.”

“Thanks, Merrie. I can always rely on you.” The murders did need to be my focus. Plus, I needed to find Rhett and Axel. Both needed setting to rights, one for messing with my staff and the other for going missing and standing me up. It was time I sorted them out.

Chapter 15

After two hours of looking for Rhett and Axel, without any luck, I headed into Aurora’s store with Wiggles.

My eyes narrowed when I saw Toby lounging by the counter, looking like he owned the place.

I took a deep breath and forced a smile. I had promised Aurora I’d make an effort with Toby. Now was the perfect time to show I meant it.

He smiled as he saw me and adjusted the collar of his velvet overcoat. “Another charming Crypt beauty. I hope you’re having a lovely day.”

“I’ve had better.” I dodged his attempt at kissing my cheek and patted his arm instead.

“Is there something I can help you with?” His gaze locked onto mine, and I felt a second of dizziness.

I stepped back and shivered. Had Toby tried to use magic on me?

“Tempest!” Aurora hurried out from the storeroom at the back. “What are you doing here?”

“Your lovely sister is having problems,” Toby said. He side-stepped Wiggles, who was sniffing his pants, and moved behind the counter.

“Missing people,” I said, my cautious gaze shifting from Toby. “I’ve been looking for Rhett for a couple of days and need to have a word with Axel.”

“I haven’t seen either of them today, but I heard about the second murder,” Aurora said.

“You and everyone else in Willow Tree Falls.”

“Any idea who it might be?”

“There are a few suspects, but I’m not convinced by any of them. I would like another word with Bart, Dewey, and Serath’s buddy, but Dazielle is pulling rank.”

“That’s not a bad idea to speak to him.” Aurora glanced at Toby and looked away. “Especially if the killer is targeting that group. Bart could be the next victim.”

I hadn’t thought about that. I’d earmarked him as a potential killer, but he could be vulnerable. “It’s possible their killer was waiting for them to come back to Willow Tree Falls to get revenge.”

Aurora bit her bottom lip. “If that’s so, Bart needs to watch his back.”

I tilted my head. “Do you know him?”

Aurora looked at the floor. “No, not really.”

Her nose had just wrinkled. She was lying to me. “Toby, you asked if you can help. Why don’t you get us some cupcakes? I haven’t had any lunch yet.”

“You ladies deserve something better than cupcakes for lunch.” Toby turned to Aurora. “My dear, what would you like?”

Aurora glanced at me. “Actually, cupcakes will be great.”

“Your wish is my command.” He kissed the back of her hand before leaving the store.

Wiggles watched him go. “You can do so much better.”

“Wiggles! Don’t be cheeky.” Aurora frowned at him. “No more belly rubs if you’re nasty to Toby.”

Wiggles grunted and vanished behind the counter.

“What gives?” I asked Aurora. “What do you know about Bart?”

“Not much.” Aurora looked at the closed door and clasped her hands together. “Oh dear, this is embarrassing, and I didn’t want to say anything in front of Toby.”

“Don’t tell me Bart tried it on with you.”

“Absolutely not. Well, I’m not really sure what he tried.”

I sucked in a breath. “Aurora, what did he do?”

“I found myself in Puddles’ house. I was there with Bart.”

My eyes widened. “Found yourself? What were you doing there?”

“That’s the thing. I don’t remember going there. Bart came to the store and asked for dried silver leaf. I gave it to him, but he didn’t leave. He wanted to chat. I didn’t mind. I wasn’t too busy. Then he asked me out for a drink with him. Of course, I said no. I told him I’m happily involved with Toby.”

“But you still went back to Puddles’ house with him?”

“No! That’s just it. I definitely didn’t. At least, I don’t remember doing that. All I know for sure is that Bart was friendly and flirting with me, and I was gently giving him the brush off. The rest is hazy. I remember him touching the back of my hand and thinking how cold and slimy his finger felt. My next memory is of me standing halfway up the stairs in Puddles’ house. Bart was at the top, beckoning for me to follow him.”

My fingers clenched into fists. “That sleazy little magic user. He used something on you, some sort of compulsion spell. He was trying to get you to go back to his room.”

Aurora’s bottom lip jutted out. “I didn’t want to think badly of him, but I came to the same conclusion. His motives seemed less than honorable.”

“Less than honorable! He used magic to try to get you into bed. Why didn’t you tell me about this?”

“I felt humiliated being duped by him. I can’t believe someone would be so underhanded.”

“I can believe it with any of Dewey Lavern’s friends. Bart didn’t hurt you, did he?”

“No, but he got a shock when the magic faded. Bart made an excuse about me being unwell and he thought I’d like a lie down.”

“I bet he did.” I scowled out the window. “You haven’t told anyone about this? Not even Toby?”

“Definitely not. He’d kill Bart if he knew what he’d done. I think Bart used a seduction spell on me.” Her hand went to the amber pendant around her neck, and her thumb rubbed across it.

“Rhett’s gang mentioned Bart was trying to buy sleazy spells like that when they met in the forest.”

“My magic eraser did its job.” Aurora always wore a piece of smooth amber set in a silver pendant. She needed something to avoid any side-effects produced by dealing with spells and potions every day.

“I can imagine his disappointment.” My shoulders tensed. “He can’t get away with this. He could be trying this magic on other women.”

“Perhaps he learned his lesson with me,” Aurora said. “The next day, he came into the store and was so apologetic. I felt sorry for him.”

I snorted. “He was only sorry because he didn’t get to have his wicked way with you while you were under the influence of his nasty magic.”

“Bart said he had a terrible time finding nice women. He said he knew he’d never stand a chance with someone as lovely as me and promised he only wanted to talk and get to know me better.”

“So, he used a seduction spell on you. Good guys don’t do that.” I shook my head. Aurora was always so quick to forgive and see the good in everyone.

Aurora sighed. “I know it was wrong of him.”

“He’s not getting away with this,” I said. “I’d figured Bart wasn’t a strong magic user. Now I’m thinking again. If he’s willing to use something as sketchy as a seduction spell, he’d have no boundaries when it comes to using other kinds of magic. That includes dark magic and curses.”

“A curse that kills is in a different league to a seduction spell.”

“But it shows that Bart has no morals. He uses magic to get what he wants, whether that’s a kiss from you or killing his best friends. In fact, Dewey said something about how lousy Bart is when it comes to women. Maybe they teased him one too many times.”

“Someone must have given him the curse magic. Bart’s magic was weak when he used it on me. That seduction spell wore off quickly.”

“Even so, I need to remind him how to treat women.” I staggered as Frank’s energy curled up my spine. He was as angry as I was about how Bart had manipulated Aurora. For once, I was happy to feed off his anger.

Aurora inhaled sharply and took a step back. “Now, Tempest, there’s no need to do anything rash. Bart has apologized. He knows what he did was wrong. Don’t let Frank deal with this.”

“Maybe that’s what Bart needs. A little demon trouble to remind him to be on his best behavior.”

“I’d be happy to talk to this feeble magic user.” Frank’s fury made his words shake in my head. “He dares to touch what belongs to me.”

Aurora did not belong to Frank, but now was not the time to have that argument. Frank also had no morals and would be happy to teach Bart a lesson he’d never forget.

The door into the store opened. Toby strolled through with a box in his hands. He froze to the spot and stared at me. “Is something wrong?”

“Toby, quick, get a cupcake and feed it to Tempest.” Aurora edged around the counter.

He stared at her as if she’d spoken a different language.

“Quick! It’s the only way to calm her demon.” Aurora pointed at the box in his hand.

“Oh! Of course!” Toby scrabbled to open the box lid.

“It’s too late for cake.” I grabbed the box of cupcakes and flung it to the ground before marching out and slamming the door shut, leaving everyone else behind.

Energized by Frank, I ignored Aurora’s cries to stop. Normally, Frank would pick hunting Aurora over everything else but not this time. We wanted to hunt Bart and hurt him. He needed educating in how to treat women.

I reached Puddles’ front door and slammed my fist against it. I didn’t stop thumping until it was opened.

Bart stood there, the annoyed look on his face turning to alarm as I grabbed him around the throat.

“What the—” Bart lost the power to speak as my grip tightened.

I walked him into the house, his feet dangling off the floor, and whacked his head against the wall. “What did you do to my sister?”

“Who’s your sister?” Bart gasped.

I growled in his face. “Aurora Crypt. You used magic to get her into this house.”

“I didn’t,” he choked out.

My fingers tightened around his neck. I was so angry I wasn’t certain who was in charge. Frank’s energy pulsed inside me, but I still had control of my actions. “You’re lying.”

“Stop shaking me, and I’ll tell you what happened.”

I released my grip around Bart’s throat a fraction. “I’m waiting.”

Bart licked his lips, his eyes wide. “I did try to seduce Aurora with magic.”

I sneered at him. “Is that the only way you can get a woman?”

“No! Well, maybe. I have trouble getting women to see me in a romantic way. They friend zone me before they’ve given me a chance.”

“It’s illegal to use that sort of magic.”

Bart shrugged. “She liked me! Aurora was being coy. It’s her thing.”

I thumped him against the wall again and only stopped when he begged me to. “My sister was not being coy. She’s not interested in you.”

“I know that now! The magic I used wasn’t strong. It wore off before anything happened. I just wanted to spend time with her, so she’d get to know me and realize what a great guy I am.”

I snorted in his face. “Good guys don’t use magic to get women into bed.”

Bart’s head sagged. “I’m sorry. Your sister’s so cute. And she was being really friendly. I thought I stood a chance with her.”

“That’s because she is friendly, you idiot. And you need to apologize to her, not me.”

“I will. I’ll see her tomorrow and make it up to her. I’ll buy her something nice, whatever she wants.”

My eyes narrowed. “Don’t bother. Don’t even breathe the same air as her.”

“I won’t. If that’s what you want. I’m leaving Willow Tree Falls tomorrow, anyway. I won’t be back. I only came to visit because Dewey twisted my arm.”

I sucked in a deep breath and pushed Frank back a fraction. Now I had Bart by the throat, I could question him about the murders. “Not so fast. You’ve got some explaining to do.”

“About what?”

“Two dead friends.”

“Oh! Well, it sucks. They were cool guys.” Bart pointed at my hand that was still clamped on his neck. “Any chance you can let me go?”

“No. Where were you on the nights they died?”

His brow wrinkled. “I already told the angels this.”

“Tell me.”

“I was with Dewey, sleeping in a crypt the first night. I was with Puddles when Dewey went missing.”

“You could have cursed Dewey and then returned to Puddles’ house.”

Bart shook his head. “As your sister has experienced, my magic is lame. I can’t even keep a simple seduction spell active for more than a few minutes.”

“You could be concealing stronger abilities.”

“I’ve always been lousy at magic. My mom, who’s a witch, married a human. I got half her ability, and she isn’t a powerful witch. I tend not to bother with magic much. It’s easier to blend in when I’m in the outside world if I’m not flicking magic around all the time.”

I had to admit I didn’t get a sense I was dealing with anyone with great power. “Tell me about your meeting with Rhett’s gang.”

Bart blinked at me. “The biker gang?”

“They told me you’ve been skulking around the forest.”

“If you let go of my neck and stop smacking my head against the wall, I’ll tell you everything.”

I took a step back, Frank’s energy still boiling inside me, desperate to leak out and pound this piece of dirt into the ground. I needed to get better control of him, or this could turn into a mess I’d have trouble explaining.

“It was Dewey’s idea,” Bart said. “He was bragging that he knew the local biker gang and they were friends.”

“You decided to see if that was true?”

Bart nodded. “Dewey reckoned they wanted him to join, but he kept turning them down. We insisted we meet them and find out if it was true. At first, Dewey didn’t want to take us, but when we challenged him, he caved in. He dragged us into those woods.”

“What happened?”

“We met a gang member; in fact, we met several.” Bart rolled his shoulders. “They weren’t interested in Dewey. They laughed in his face and treated him like a joke.”

“Yet you still bought produce from them?”

Bart scratched his head. “We didn’t have much choice. They got a bit rough. To calm things down, I said I’d buy their supplies. It worked. They were happy enough to take our money. But they cheated us. What they gave us didn’t work. We ate the whole batch and didn’t feel anything.”

“Did any of the gang members hurt you?”

“They were threatening to but didn’t follow through. Why, do you think they’re involved with killing Serath and Dewey?”

“I’m more interested in you right now,” I said. “Don’t leave Willow Tree Falls until this investigation is over.”

“You don’t think I’m a suspect, do you?” Bart’s laugh was startled. “My magic is rubbish, and I have alibis for both nights.”

“You knew the two victims, and you were with both of them the nights they died.”

“That’s not true. Serath stomped off in a rage after we teased him because that cute barmaid shut him down. I wasn’t with Dewey when he died. He went off with a woman. I don’t know what happened after that.”

I nodded as I remembered hearing about Dewey’s hot mystery date. “Who did Dewey meet that night?”

“I don’t know who she was. The whole thing was weird. We went out to grab something to eat, then went for a few drinks at the Ancient Imp. Dewey went to the bathroom and was gone for ages. When he came back, he was acting strangely. His eyes were glazed over, and he kept muttering to himself. I thought he’d had too much to drink. Then he said he had to go and walked out of the bar, leaving half an ale and me standing alone.”

“Where did he go?”

“I tried to follow, but he told me to stay where I was.” Bart stuffed his hands into his pants pockets. “I went outside anyway and saw him wandering toward the forest. He was wasted, staggering from side to side. It was funny to watch. There was someone waiting for him. I’m sure it was a woman, but she had a hood pulled over her head, so I couldn’t see her face. I saw long hair poking out the sides. Dewey met her, and they walked into the woods together. I figured he’d gotten lucky and was taking her off for some fun.”

“You didn’t see her face at all?”

“No. It was dark, and she was a long way away. She was short, though. She only came up to Dewey’s shoulder.”

“What was the color of her hair?”

“Not blonde, but that’s all I can tell you. That was the last time I saw Dewey. I decided not to follow him. I’m not some pervert who watches his friends make out with a girl.”

“No, you’re just a pervert who uses dodgy magic to get women into your bedroom.”

Bart muttered under his breath and scuffed a foot on the floor. “I said I was sorry.”

This left me with a puzzle. There were no women in Rhett’s biker gang, so it made it unlikely that whoever killed Dewey had a link with them. Puddles and Izzie fit the female criteria, but I couldn’t imagine Puddles stooping to wearing a hoodie. If she did, it would be lemon-yellow or sky-blue. That left Izzie. My gut tightened. She owned several hoodies.

“I promise you I had nothing to do with either of their deaths. I’ll admit to messing with your sister, but that’s it.”

I glared at Bart. “Don’t do it again. Not with anybody.”

“I only did it because that’s what Dewey and Serath do when they like someone.”

“They’ve used seduction magic to get women?” My blood boiled again, and Frank’s energy reared up. Maybe I shouldn’t waste my time investigating their deaths. It wasn’t a bad thing that someone had gotten rid of them.

“They said it’s easier than having to go on dozens of dates and spend loads of money before the girl decides she doesn’t like you and you’ve wasted your time.”

My fist slammed against the wall, right by Bart’s ear. “You need to rethink your seduction techniques. No more magic.”

The sound of running feet had me turning. Dazielle raced to the door, closely followed by Wiggles. “Tempest, you’re here! We had a report of a fight at this address.”

“There’s no fight here, is there?” I glared at Bart.

He swallowed loudly. “No, sure. Everything is fine. We were having a chat. Real friendly, like.”

“You’ll have to finish your friendly chat later,” Dazielle said. “There’s a problem.”

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“We think Axel’s been taken. He’s the curse killer’s next victim.”

Chapter 16

I left a startled looking Bart and raced out of the cottage with Dazielle. “Why do you think Axel’s been targeted by the killer?”

“We’ve been trying to find him since this morning,” Dazielle said. “I sent an angel to his house regarding a complaint of lewd behavior.”

“What did he do?”

Dazielle grimaced. “Nothing pretty. There was no answer at his place. When Sablo looked through a ground-floor window, she noticed furniture knocked over and signs of a fight. We think he’s been abducted.”

My heart raced as we sped along the street. Axel gone, as well. This was not a coincidence.

“What about Rhett?”

Dazielle nodded. “I’ve dispatched an angel to his home to see if there are signs of an attack.”

At last, the angels were taking this seriously. It only took the abduction of a wealthy, well-connected half-demon to spur them into action.

Wiggles nudged me with his nose. “Is everything good?”

I shot him an apologetic look. “Sorry for leaving you behind. Frank wanted to teach Bart a lesson regarding his treatment of Aurora.”

“Did it work?”

“Bart won’t be seducing women with magic ever again.”

Wiggles nodded. “That’s all that matters, and I got a chance to eat all the dropped cupcakes in Heaven’s Door. They were delicious.”

We arrived at Axel’s house. Two angels stood outside the front door. We walked in, and Dazielle nodded at an angel inside who was taking pictures and bagging evidence.

“You see, overturned chairs and things pushed out of the way.” Dazielle gestured around the lounge.

I nodded as I walked slowly around the room and into the kitchen.

Dazielle followed me. “Any idea who’d want to get even with Axel?”

I shook my head. “There are two coffee mugs here. Why would Axel make coffee for his attacker?”

“He must know them,” Dazielle said.

“Were there signs of a break-in?”

“No, the windows are secure, and there’s no sign of tampering on the door locks.”

“Which means Axel let the person in, made them coffee, and they jumped him. He fought back in the lounge but wasn’t strong enough to stop whoever it was from taking him.”

“Axel must be connected to Serath and Dewey if this is the same person,” Dazielle said. “Do they know each other?”

“He recognized Dewey in Cloven Hoof the first night he arrived, but he doesn’t know him well.” My gaze settled on a small brown paper bag, and I frowned. As I suspected when I looked inside, there were dried mushrooms in there. Mushrooms that came from Cloven Hoof. Axel had lied to me. He was still using mushrooms. How had he gotten his hands on supplies from my bar? Everyone knew not to serve him.

“The coffee in these mugs is tepid,” Dazielle said. “Whatever happened here, it wasn’t long ago. I’d say less than an hour.”

“Which means Axel is still alive,” I said.

Dazielle nodded. “The curse takes time to work. We think our killer curses his victims, so they can’t move but are conscious and aware of what’s going on. They then bury them and leave them to die. It’s a horrible way to kill a person. They’d know everything that was going on but can do nothing to stop it from happening.”

I shuddered. This person had to be stopped. “When I was... chatting to Bart, he revealed that he saw Dewey heading into the forest with a woman. He didn’t have much of a description, but I think we’re looking for a female magic user.”

“And a strong one,” Dazielle said. “There are plenty of those in Willow Tree Falls. You’re one.”

I scowled at her. “Check my alibis if you like. This has nothing to do with me.”

“Maybe it’s a man hater,” Dazielle said. “She could target guys she’s taken a disliking to.”

I tapped my finger against my lips. “You might be on to something. It could have to do with the way these guys treat women. I saw Dewey and Serath in action at Cloven Hoof. They were hassling my bar staff and being disrespectful. Bart’s admitted they’ve all used seduction magic to get women they want.”

Dazielle’s nose wrinkled. “I’ll be having words with Bart. Some time in a cell will convince him to learn new manners.”

“Frank and I have already spoken to him, but it’s worth shaking him down before he leaves.”

Dazielle nodded. “Where are you going with this theory of our curse killer targeting arrogant guys?”

“Axel is known for flirting with anyone even mildly attractive. Most of us are used to him, but if he met someone new and offended her, he could have gone on her hit list. She’s targeting guys who don’t treat women well.”

“It’s possible. Whoever it is, we don’t have much time to find her and stop her from killing Axel.”

My head pounded. “How long have we got?”

“Forty-eight hours, if that. From our tests of the magic used that’s how long it takes before the curse fades.”

“Let’s go find Axel.” I headed to the door, Wiggles by my side.

“Where are you going?”

“Into the forest, near the swamp. That’s where Serath and Dewey were found.”

“We’ll catch up with you,” Dazielle called. “We need to finish with this crime scene.”

I waved a hand to let her know I’d heard. Angels moved a lot faster than I did. The wings were a bonus if you discounted all the shedding.

“I’m not keen on Axel, but even I don’t want to see him cursed and buried alive,” Wiggles said as he munched on something he’d most likely stolen from Axel’s trash.

“Same here. We need to start in the forest. Maybe the killer takes them there and spends a few hours terrifying them before shoving them in the ground.”

“I don’t want to worry you,” Wiggles said as he ran alongside me, “but Rhett is still missing. And he’s been gone longer than Axel.”

“I haven’t forgotten,” I said. “The problem is, is Rhett missing because he’s involved in these killings or because he’s also been taken by the curse killer?”

“If Rhett is involved in killing Dewey and Serath, would he use somebody to get to them?”

“Like a honey trap? You think he’s got a witch on his books helping take these guys out?” That didn’t sound like Rhett. If he had business to deal with, he did it himself and didn’t hide behind others.

Five minutes later, two angels shot over my head, heading in the direction of the forest.

“We’ll meet you there,” Dazielle yelled from above me.

I nodded as I continued to run. What I wouldn’t do for a pair of giant wings right about now. Or just a decent pair of running sneakers.

We got to the edge of the forest, and I slowed, taking in a few deep breaths. Although the forest wasn’t huge, it was dense and difficult to navigate.

“Let’s start at the swamp,” I said to Wiggles.

Wiggles bounded ahead, his nose to the ground.

I spotted Dazielle and Sablo up ahead and ran to join them.

Dazielle nodded at me. “We’ll move the search out from the edges of the swamp. We can flush our killer out if she’s in hiding. We must be careful. If she becomes aware we’re onto her, she could panic and abandon Axel. We need to find out where she’s stashed him.”

“If she does panic, she might kill him to get the job done quickly,” I muttered.

Four more angels joined us, and we spread in a long line as we reached the swamp.

I tried to keep my focus, but inside I was panicking. This was too close to home. Whoever this killer was, they were targeting people I cared about, and I couldn’t let that happen.

We’d been searching for half an hour when I heard breaking twigs underfoot and muttered conversation. I stopped walking and stared through the trees. Was the killer walking toward me?

Slowly, one by one, members of Rhett’s gang appeared. None of them looked happy to see me or the angels.

“Hey, guys.” I did not like the angry glint in their eyes. “Is there a problem?”

Ian Blaine stepped forward, his top lip curled. “You’re the problem. You and the angels need to get out of our forest.”

“We’re not looking for trouble,” I said.

“Then what are you doing here?” Ian drew closer, his fists clenched by his sides.

“Probably the same as you,” I said cautiously.

His eyes narrowed. “You’ve no business being here.”

“You don’t own this forest,” Dazielle said. “We’re on official Angel Force business.”

“You can stick your official business.”

Dazielle’s wings fluttered. “I won’t hesitate to have you arrested if you stand in our way.”

I pressed my lips together. Dazielle made us sound like nosy, irritating officials. “We’re looking for someone. They could be hurt.”

“So are we.” Ian took a step closer. “Who are you looking for?”

“Axel Shadowsoul. We think the curse killer has taken him.”

Ian snorted. “We don’t care about some jumped-up trust fund half-demon. We’re looking for Rhett. You need to get out of our way. Rhett doesn’t like snooty angels or stuck up witches involved with his business.”

“That’s not going to happen,” Dazielle said.

The gang moved forward in a single wave of menace. The angels didn’t back down. Instead, they spread their wings, tension radiating off them.

As entertaining as it would be to see the angels and the gang go toe to toe, I did not have time to watch a fight.

“Stop!” I stood between the angels and the biker gang. “This magic user doesn’t mess around. They killed Serath and Dewey and could be about to do the same to Axel. And, since Rhett is missing, it’s possible that the curse killer has him, as well.”

Ian licked his lips, his gaze darting to the side. “What makes you say that?”

“Tempest, do not share confidential information with a bunch of criminals,” Dazielle muttered.

I ignored her. “There’s evidence at Axel’s house of a struggle before he vanished.”

The gang exchanged glances.

Ian looked around the group before nodding. “We found the same thing at Rhett’s place. There was blood on the floor and things kicked over.”

My heart thudded in my chest. “Who has Rhett annoyed recently?”

“I’ll give you a long list.” Ian’s lips thinned.

“The killer can’t have Axel and Rhett at the same time,” Dazielle said. “The magic would be too difficult to contain. They’d lose control.”

“She must be a strong magic user,” I said. “She could have incapacitated one of them while she kills the other.”

“She?” Ian said. “You know who this is?”

I waved a hand at him. “No, no details. But the killer was seen with Dewey just before he died.”

“Rhett’s not stupid. He wouldn’t go off in the forest with some strange chick, even if she is cute.”

“We also believe Axel knew her, so maybe Rhett also recognized her. He wouldn’t be suspicious of a friendly face.”

“How long has Rhett been missing?” Dazielle asked.

“Two days,” Ian said.

“What’s the connection?” Dazielle asked. “How does Rhett know Dewey and Serath?”

Ian scrubbed his chin. “He wouldn’t waste time on those losers.”

I shook my head. “We don’t have time to figure out the connection. Axel and Rhett are out here somewhere. We have to find them before it’s too late.”

The gang and the angels glowered at each other for a moment, no one willing to concede.

“Come on! This is a matter of life and death. With more of us, we can cover a bigger area of the forest more quickly.”

Dazielle nodded. “We can work together, but I’m in charge.”

“You can think that if you like, Feathers,” Ian said. “You don’t call the shots when it comes to what we do.”

I gritted my teeth. “I don’t care who’s in charge, but we have to find them. Now!”

“Conducting a search is my area of expertise,” Dazielle said. “If nobody takes the lead, it will be a mess. We will miss vital information.”

I listened to the gang and the angels bicker about who should be in charge, my frustration growing. This was a nightmare. They seemed more concerned with pulling rank than finding Rhett and Axel.

I needed help from someone who didn’t have a stake in this. Someone who had enough power to take on a dangerous curse killer and survive. I hated to admit it, but I needed Frank.

I stepped away from the bickering group and snuck behind a tree.

“That look on your face is giving me the chills,” Wiggles said.

“I bet it is. We need an extra hand.”

Wiggles cocked his head. “You’re going to bring Frank in on this?”

“He’ll sense the dark magic. Frank might even know who’s behind this. Anyone who’s using magic this dark has to have some demon in them.”

Wiggles backed up a step. “Can you control him once he’s out?”

“Probably not, but it’s our only option.” I gestured to the bickering group. “They’re intent on attacking each other rather than focusing on the real problem. By the time they figure out who’s the boss and how to conduct a search, it will be too late. We don’t know how long Axel and Rhett have been cursed or the strength of the magic used on them. We could already be too late to save Rhett.” I swallowed against the tightness in my throat. We could be standing here arguing and they could already be gone.

I couldn’t think about that now. I had to believe there was still time for Rhett and Axel.

I took a deep breath and looked down at Wiggles. “You might want to get out of here.”

“No way. I’m sticking by your side, even when Frank’s got control of you. If he gets too much, I’ll bite his leg.”

“That will only anger Frank and hurt me.”

“I’m still staying,” Wiggles said.

I was glad to have his company, even though it was a risk him remaining here when Frank was in charge.

“Frank, any chance you want to come out and play?” His warm energy curled over me as if he was stretching from a deep sleep.

“A rare invitation to get free in Willow Tree Falls. What do I owe the pleasure?”

“We have to stop someone using curses to kill people,” I said. “If I let you out, can you get a fix on the magic being used?”

“Of course. The real question you need to ask me is if I want to come out and help.”

“I’ve no time for games. Do you want to get free or don’t you?”

Frank chuckled as his energy wove up my spine, tickling the back of my neck but going no further. “How about we make a deal?”

I gritted my teeth. “I’m not making any deals with you.”

“If I agree to help, I want a weekend away with me in charge. You won’t get an opportunity to surface for two whole days and nights. I choose the venue. I choose what we do.”

I scowled, hating the idea of not being in control for forty-eight hours. “No killing.”

“When have I ever killed?”

“Plenty of times.”

“Never when I’ve been with you. I may partake in a little gentle maiming, and a few limbs have been lost, but my playthings always survive.”

“No killing and no maiming. And I do not want to wake up in some stranger’s bed because you took a fancy to them.”

“A demon has to have some fun. Not even a little debauchery?”

“No debauchery.”

“I’m not sure that’s a good enough deal. It’s almost as if you don’t want your friends to survive.”

I knew Frank had been listening the whole time. “You’ll get your weekend away, and right now, you get the chance to get loose in Willow Tree Falls.” That was a carrot he could never resist.

He purred in my head. “I can pay your sister a visit. I’ve been meaning to have a one-on-one chat with that boyfriend of hers. I do not like that goatee.”

“You and me both, but we can’t worry about Toby’s facial hair. We’ve got a killer to locate. Do we have a deal?”

“We do. I’ll ensure we find this killer and destroy him.”

“No destruction. And our killer is a woman.”

“Even better. Some of the darkest magic users are women. It’s to do with how bitter they get following a betrayal. Their magic becomes twisted and sly. Curse-using females are a delight to be around. I’m surprised there aren’t more female demons in the world.”

“Let’s discuss the male to female demon ratio another time.” I dropped my barriers. “Over to you, Frank. Do your worst.”

“I always do.” His hot energy flooded over my head.

I blinked as the world turned red. I stretched, yawning loudly as I stepped around the tree and saw the angels and biker gang still feuding.

I shook my head and left them to it. Those petty idiots could fight all they wanted. They’d only slow me down.

Although Frank was in control, I wasn’t fighting him this time, so it was easier for us to talk.

“Can you sense anything? The bodies of Serath and Dewey were found by the swamp. It’s likely Axel and Rhett are also here.”

“I am sensing dark magic.” Frank propelled me through the forest, Wiggles close to my side.

“How is my little hellhound? Have you missed me?” Frank asked.

“Can’t say I have. Although you do have a great gift for hunting out the best food when you’re in charge of Tempest.”

“We have that in common.” Frank paused and sniffed the air. “This way.” We turned and headed deeper into the forest.

The sounds of the arguing angels and bikers disappeared as the trees closed in around us.

“There’s an unpleasant, sticky residue in the air,” Frank said. “It’s like a spider web. You track one thread, and it will lead you to the center of the magic.” He changed direction several times, stopping, sniffing and then moving on.

“What are you doing? Don’t mess me around. My friends’ lives are at stake.”

“I’m not messing around,” Frank muttered. “There’s a lot of dark magic here. It’s muddled with the energy of the forest.”

“There’s more than one person using curses?”

“No. There are two different locations where a curse has recently been used. The energy emanates from both of them. I’m being pulled in opposite directions.”

“You must be picking up on the curses placed on Axel and Rhett.”

“Then you have a problem,” Frank said. “The locations are on opposite sides of the swamp.”

“Can you get an exact location?”

“I can. The magic was placed at different times but is reacting at different speeds.”

“Rhett would have been cursed first.”

“I feel a curse that is well-established on one person.”

“Then we go get him first,” I said.

“As you wish, but the other individual’s curse is almost complete, as well.”

The worry throbbing through me pushed against Frank’s power. “How is that possible if the curse was placed on them at different times?”

“We must have disturbed the killer. They altered their magic to ensure Rhett and Axel perish before they are found. The activation of a curse can be adjusted.”

“How long have we got?”

“Within the next ten minutes, they will both be dead.”

I struggled to breathe as my emotions overwhelmed Frank, leaving me free for a moment. My mind whirled with horror.

“What are you going to do?” Wiggles asked. “You can’t save them both.”

“You make an excellent point, my hellhound,” Frank said as his energy slid back over me, and he took control again. “Who do you want to save, Tempest, Axel or Rhett?”

Chapter 17

Despite Frank being in charge, I still felt panic throbbing inside me. I didn’t want to choose between Rhett and Axel. Whatever decision I made, a friend would die.

“We’ll go back and get the angels,” I said.

“We’re not involving those buffoons,” Frank said, forcing me to remain on the spot. “When they realize I’m in charge, they won’t pay attention. They will probably attack.”

“The gang then,” I said. “They won’t care if I’m controlled by a demon.”

“By the time you go back and lead them to the bodies, the curse will be complete, and your friends will be dead. You will have lost them both.”

I was glad Frank had control of my body; otherwise, my knees would be shaking. “Where is Axel?”

“He’s closest to us. I sense his half-demon ability. Rhett is on the opposite side of the swamp. His power has a different flavor.”

I had no way to send a message to Dazielle to let her know what was going on and direct her to one of the victims. There was no one who could help.

“Tempest, you’re at a crossroads. You must make your decision. Who do you want to save?” Frank sounded like he was enjoying this.

“I want to save both of them.” It wasn’t fair. What did the curse killer want with Axel and Rhett?

“If you do not decide, I will make the decision. Perhaps I will choose to save neither and go play with your sister instead.”

“No! You made a deal with me.”

“Then make your choice. Your anxiety is making me sweat.”

I looked down at Wiggles. “Who would you choose?”

“You need to ask? Axel is a jerk.”

“He’s not a jerk who deserves to die.”

“Rhett is your guy. He’s on the shady side, but he’s generally sound.”

“But Axel is vulnerable and alone. Rhett has his gang to look out for him.”

“Axel is a trust fund baby. He has all the luxuries a half-demon desires. He wants for nothing.”

I groaned. “Fine. I’ve made my decision. I choose Rhett.”

“I am disappointed,” Frank said. “I always favor the demons. Fallen angels are so intense and emotional.”

“Where is Axel?” I asked.

“You’ll find his body two miles east of the broken bridge leading out of Willow Tree Falls,” Frank said.

“I’ll tell the angels.” Wiggles raced away, his tiny legs a blur as he shot through the trees.

“Let’s rescue Rhett,” I said. “Don’t be slow about it.”

My head jerked back as Frank blasted into action. Demons can move fast when motivated. My heart felt like it would burst out of my chest as he flew past trees and bounded over rocks.

“We’re almost out of time,” Frank cautioned. “Your dithering could have killed him.”

“Keep going.”

“You’re overheating. I can sense it.”

“It doesn’t matter. Don’t slow down.”

Frank grunted and pushed on. The ground underfoot grew damp, and we soon squelched through ankle high muck.

“This can’t be the place,” I said. “It’s too swampy. You can’t bury a body here.”

“But you can here.” Frank made a huge leap, grabbed hold of a tree and swung around it. We landed on the other side, my knees protesting as I thudded to the ground.

“Where is Rhett?”

“Under this mound of earth.” Frank was on the move again before I was dropped to the ground beside a pile of recently turned mud.

I shoveled sticky, foul smelling mud behind me as Frank’s energy ebbed back, and I felt my control slip back into place.

“I should warn you, Axel is about to perish. He only has a moment of air left.”

I blinked tears out of my eyes. “Frank, please, is there anything you can do to save him? Are the angels on their way?”

“Our hellhound has just reached them. They don’t believe what he’s saying. It appears they have trust issues when it comes to Wiggles. By the time he convinces them, it will be too late, and your friend will be dead.”

“Axel can’t die.” I dug faster. If I could get Rhett out quickly, maybe I could get back to Axel.

“You’ve made your decision. You picked Rhett.”

I flung mud in all directions, using my arms as scoops, despite the muscles burning with the effort. “There must be something you can do. You’re a powerful demon.”

“I am that.” He was silent for a second. “Perhaps for another weekend in control of what we do.”

“You are a hateful demon,” I growled. “You’re bargaining when a person is dying.”

“As you just said, I’m a demon. My morals are on the wonky side.”

“What morals?”

Frank chuckled. “The same conditions. I promise not to debauch, kill, or maim too badly. One more weekend, and I will help Axel.”

I had no time to negotiate. “Do it. Anything to save him.”

“As you wish.”

I struck something warm. I slowed my frantic digging as I discovered a hand underneath the mud. I slid my hands up and dug carefully until I revealed Rhett’s face.

A sob choked out of me. “He looks dead.”

“He’s very close to death, but he’s still breathing,” Frank said.

“Give me back full control,” I said. “I can use my magic to heal him.”

“Make sure you keep your promise. And be careful. What I have summoned to assist Axel will not go quietly. One false move, and it will be your funeral everyone is attending.”

I continued to scrape mud from Rhett’s eyes and mouth as Frank’s power faded. “What did you summon?”

“You told me to do anything, and that’s what I’ve done. I hope you can live with the consequences.” Frank’s energy slid down my spine, and I no longer heard him in my head.

I leaned over Rhett and let out a relieved sigh when I heard quiet breaths coming out of him. I pressed my hands against his chest and pumped him full of healing magic, focusing on connecting with the power of nature around us and filling him with life.

As I touched Rhett, I felt the sticky residue of dark curse flicker across my skin.

The curse was fading. The magic had achieved what it needed to do. The curse killer must assume Rhett had suffocated as he was held in place by the dark magic.

Rhett’s eyes flickered open, and he sucked in a huge breath.

I kept my hands pressed to his chest, keeping the magic flowing until color returned to his cheeks.

His eyes struggled to focus, but his gaze finally locked with mine. “Tempest?”

“I’m here. The curse didn’t get you. Lie still. You’ve taken quite a magical beating.”

“It isn’t safe.” He coughed, and his eyes closed again.

I shook my head. “Don’t worry about anything. The magic user isn’t around.”

“You’re not hurt?” His voice sounded hoarse.

“No, I’m fine. I got here in time. Everything will be okay.”

“Your bar!” His eyes blinked open, panic clear in his dazed expression.

“Cloven Hoof? What about it?”

“It’s dangerous.”

My brows lowered. My bar wasn’t dangerous. Other than the occasional crazy night, it was one of the safest places to be. “I don’t understand.”

Rhett faded for a moment before gasping in a breath. “The curse killer is in your bar.”

My heart stuttered in my chest. “Are you talking about Izzie?”

Rhett coughed again, and his eyes fluttered closed, his head dropping to the side.

I checked his pulse, which was strong and regular. It seemed that the effort of talking had knocked him out.

I sat back on my heels and tried to puzzle through what he meant. Was he warning me that Izzie was dangerous?

My gut twisted, and my vision went blurry. Had I made a huge mistake? Had I overlooked the real killer because she was a friend?

The smell of sulfurous gas filled the air, followed by an ear-piercing explosion that rocked the ground beneath me.

I recalled Frank’s words about watching my back when help arrived for Axel. What or who had Frank summoned?

Another explosion filled the air, and I saw a spray of fire blast through the treetops.

I did one final check on Rhett. He seemed stable, and there was nothing more I could do to help him right now.

I raced away. I had to find out what was going on. What had Frank done to keep Axel safe? Maybe the bargain I’d made to save him would be too high of a price to pay.

Chapter 18

I sped toward the site of the explosion. As I grew nearer, my pulse raced. The angels and the biker gang had joined forces and faced down a ten-foot mass of writhing red smoke.

As the smoke solidified, long twisted horns, talons, and a bulky flame-red giant of a demon stepped forward.

I slowed, and my eyes bugged. What was most amazing about this scene was that Axel lay on the ground, covered in sticky mud, and the demon appeared to be protecting him.

An angel screamed as the demon threw her against a tree before lunging at Dazielle.

Dazielle’s wings were fully extended, and she hovered three feet off the ground to match the height of the demon.

“This is help?” I muttered to Frank.

Frank chuckled. “I knew he would come to assist in this little problem.”

“Why? Who is he?” I flinched as a gout of flames shot from the demon’s mouth.

“Don’t you see the family resemblance? That’s Axel’s father.”

“That’s Kroni!” My jaw dropped, and my mouth went dry. Of course, it made sense. He’d want to protect his son when he realized he was in mortal danger. My brain froze for a second. Kroni was the right-hand demon to the ruler of the underworld. He was powerful, dangerous, and had a terrible temper.

“And he’s in the blackened flesh he enjoys so much.” Frank snorted. “I do not see the appeal. Too theatrical for my taste. Typical Kroni.”

“Axel’s father is a soul collector.”

“Correct.”

I swallowed my fear. Not many demons made my knees shake, but soul collectors were the stuff of nightmares. They used to be all about collecting damned souls and tossing them into fiery pits. But they’d diversified and now used their powers so anyone could bargain with them. If you had a pure soul, you could sell it to a soul collector and get your hands on a lot of power. Soul collectors didn’t care who they did business with, so long as the price was right.

Another angel was downed along with a gang member as I stared open-mouthed at the fight.

Wiggles raced over. “This is great. People would pay money to see a fight like this.”

I shook myself to dislodge some of the horror I felt. “Maybe they would, but it’s time for it to stop.”

“I don’t recommend you go up against Kroni,” Frank whispered in my head. “He’s not known for his benevolent behavior. He does not like witches.”

I watched Kroni slam dunk an angel like she was a basketball. “I don’t love the angels, and the gang is a massive pain in my backside, but I can’t watch them die.”

“You could,” Frank said. “It will be entertaining. Your hellhound has the right idea.”

“Tempest, we should sit this one out,” Wiggles said. “You’ve got magic skills, but this is a huge, raging mad demon who wants to kill everyone in sight.”

“He’s also Axel’s father,” I said.

“Huh! No way! Axel is nothing like him. This dude is seriously cool.” Wiggles studied Kroni. “Nope, that is not Axel’s dad.”

“Fortunately for us, he is.” I inched closer as Kroni hurled an enormous fireball at the remaining gang members, and they scattered.

I sucked in a breath. There was never a good time to approach a demon, but I handled demons almost every day. This one would be no different. Hopefully, maybe. Oh, bugger, what was I getting myself into?

I rolled my shoulders and walked toward Kroni. “You don’t need to attack. I summoned you.”

Kroni spun on his heel and stalked toward me. I backed up several steps and held my hands up. There were rules for handling angry demons. Rule number one: Don’t rile them any more than necessary. Rule number two: They do not enjoy being summoned. Rule number three: If you summon a demon, you’d better have an excellent reason for trying to control them. Rule number four: If you don’t have a good reason, you need to have your affairs in order, because they will destroy you.

The air around me felt hot and murky as Kroni drew close. “I did not mean to cause offense, but your son was in mortal danger.”

Kroni raised his chin and sniffed the air, his huge nostrils contracting and expanding several times. “A Crypt witch.” His voice was low and gravelly like he smoked unfiltered cigarettes.

“Tempest Crypt. I’m friends with Axel.”

His top lip curled, revealing a fine set of sharp teeth. “My son is friends with a witch. How disappointing.”

“It’s not so hard to believe. Everyone in Willow Tree Falls gets along.”

Kroni grunted. A flame shot out of his mouth and hit the ground. “Who placed my son in danger?”

“I’m not certain. We have someone cursing people and burying them alive. I didn’t have enough time to save Axel and the other cursed victim, so I decided to get assistance from you.”

“There is more than one victim?”

“There would have been four. I saved one guy, and you saved Axel. The others weren’t so lucky.”

Kroni shook his head. “You lie. You did not summon me.”

I shrugged. “Technically, it wasn’t me. Does that matter?”

Kroni’s muscled arm shot out so fast I didn’t see him move. His talons wrapped around my neck, and he squeezed. I wished I had my demon catching bag. I did not want to try to swallow this big guy. He would give me a nasty case of acid reflux and most likely make me explode from the inside.

He sniffed the air again. “I thought so. You are the witch who houses a demon inside her.”

“You’ve heard of me?” I gasped as his talons scraped my skin.

“Most demons have.” He snarled in my face. “You are an aberration.”

“We all have to make a living.”

“Dad, don’t hurt her.” Axel was on his knees, staring at us, his eyes wide and his face pale and mud-streaked.

Kroni did not turn. “She means something to you?”

“Tempest is telling the truth. We are friends.”

Kroni’s gaze ran over me. “My son is an idiot.”

“He has his moments,” I said.

“Please, don’t kill her.” Axel staggered to his feet, made it two steps, and fell on his face. My hero.

Kroni belched sulfur over me. “He seems fond of you. I shall spare your life.”

Dazielle made the hideous mistake of jumping on Kroni’s back as he dropped me to the ground.

He roared, spouting fire from his mouth as he reached around and flung her over his shoulder.

I shook my head and groaned as I watched her collapse to the ground. Just when I was getting somewhere, the angels had to mess things up.

As more angels charged Kroni, I ducked behind him and knelt next to Axel, turning him gently onto his back. “How are you doing?”

“I think I died a couple of times.” Axel’s eyes rolled back in his head.

I tapped his cheek. “Stay with me. It was a close call, but you’re breathing now.”

Axel coughed and spat mud on the ground. “I can’t believe you summoned my father. I didn’t even know you could do that.”

“It was Frank. They’re old acquaintances. It was the only way I could save you and Rhett at the same time.”

“Rhett was cursed too?” Axel forced his eyes open.

“He was. Did you see who cursed you? I don’t think they’re going to stop, so we have to stop them.”

A shriek echoed through the forest, followed by another explosion, as Kroni launched himself at the remaining gang members who had crept back after his last attack.

We both cringed as the fight grew nearer and a blast of fire skimmed the ground by my feet.

Axel feebly brushed at a burning bush next to us before giving up and flopping to the ground. “I remember some of what happened.”

“You saw who cursed you?”

Axel ran a hand down his face, smearing sticky mud across his cheeks. “The memory is hazy. I don’t remember anything after being cursed, other than feeling sick and a little terrified. I definitely don’t remember coming here.”

I grabbed his shoulders. “Axel, think really carefully. Other peoples’ lives depend on this. Who cursed you?”

Axel’s gaze widened as he stared at me. “Oh, no! Tempest, you’re not safe. You have to stay away from Cloven Hoof.”

I frowned. That was the exact same thing Rhett had said. “Is it one of my bar staff? Is it Izzie?”

An angel was thrown through the air and slammed into Axel, sending them both flying into a tree.

I jumped up and hurried over. I yanked the unconscious angel off Axel, but I was too late to get an answer to my question. He was out cold.

“No! That was my chance to find out who cursed Axel.” I glared at Kroni.

“My son is injured, again?” The demon strode over and scooped Axel up with one hand, peering into his slack face and giving him a shake.

I looked behind Kroni and saw the carnage he’d left. Trees were burnt, angels were down, and there were no signs of any gang members, other than a crumpled, blood-stained leather jacket.

I returned my attention to Kroni. “What do you expect? You threw an angel at him. Those things are heavy.”

“It’s the wings. Axel is simply a casualty of war.” Kroni sniffed Axel. “He won’t die.”

“This isn’t a war. If you’d bothered to talk to the angels or the gang members, they’d have told you what was happening.”

“Angels never listen to demons. When I arrived, I had to assume the angels and the leather-clad cretins were trying to kill Axel.” He lifted Axel closer and tucked him under an arm. “I will take him with me.”

“Stop him,” Dazielle croaked from her position on the ground.

“You have got to be kidding,” I muttered. “He came to help.”

“He’s a wanted demon,” Dazielle said. “Tempest, do your job.”

My gaze ran over Kroni. Here was a problem. Technically, when I see a demon who’s doing bad things, I bag the demon and stop him, but Kroni was helping Axel.

“The angels have you on a hit list,” I said.

A slow smile spread across Kroni’s face. “What number am I?”

I arched an eyebrow. “I have no idea.”

“He’s number three,” Dazielle muttered.

“Be quiet, angel.” Kroni blasted a flame at her, and she covered her head with a wing.

I took a step toward Dazielle, but her wings were flame retardant, and the fire faded quickly.

“Hmph. That is disappointing news. I must try harder.” Kroni used a talon to scratch the end of his nose.

I turned to Kroni. “At what?”

“Becoming number one on the angels’ hit list.” Kroni’s smile widened. “When I achieve that lofty goal, shall I expect a visit from you, witch? Will you gobble me up like that devil hiding inside you?”

I did not fancy my chances against Axel’s dad. He was a mean son of a demon. “If you’re lucky.”

Kroni raised his head and chuckled. “Then until we meet.”

“Perhaps when you next visit Axel in Willow Tree Falls. You can always come in quietly if you’re bored of life as a fugitive. I can get you a nice place in our prison.”

“I doubt I will return.” Kroni sniffed the air and scowled. “I do not like the neighborhood. It has not been welcoming during my short visit.”

“It could have something to do with you blowing up the place.”

Kroni looked around. “I have done worse.”

I looked at Axel, who was still unconscious. “I hope he’ll be okay.”

“He will recover. I will make sure of it. Axel is not as strong as me, but even a half-demon recovers much faster than mere mortals. You will have Axel back if he desires to return.” Kroni stamped on the ground. A flash of flame flared and engulfed him and Axel.

As I blinked the image off my retinas and wafted away the sulfur stench, I saw they had gone.

Wiggles trotted over, his tongue hanging out and his tail up. “That was epic. I’ve never seen such an incredible fight. Axel’s dad is awesome. How come Axel is such a jerk when he has such a cool father? Hey, I wonder if I can do that stamping on the ground and vanishing trick. Hellhounds and demons aren’t so different.” Wiggles bounded around, stamping his stubby legs on the ground and trying to make flames appear.

“You’ll have to ask Kroni how he does that trick.” I walked to the first downed angel, who was just coming round. One of her wings was bent at an unnatural angle, and she had blood on her face.

“We’d better get more help out here.” I checked on another angel. “Wiggles, go to the hospital and get some medics.”

Wiggles looked around. “Everyone looks okay to me. It’s just a bit of blood and a few torn feathers.”

“Get out of here, you lazy hound. They need our help.”

He grumbled for a few seconds before running off.

I knelt next to Dazielle and lifted the wing that covered her face.

She blinked up at me. “You let him go?”

“The big, bad demon has gone, and he’s taken his son with him.”

She stared at me. “His son?”

“Yes, that was Axel’s father. Didn’t you know Kroni was his dad?”

“I don’t spend any time with Axel.” Dazielle let out a sigh. “I knew he had a demon father, but that was it.”

“Kroni was protecting his son from what he thought was a joint attack by angels and bikers.”

“How did he know Axel was in danger?” Dazielle tried to sit up but only succeeded in moving an inch before slumping back and lying in a cloud of white feathers that drifted around us.

I cleared my throat. “Don’t get mad, but Frank summoned him.”

“Tempest!” Dazielle said weakly. “We do not summon demons to Willow Tree Falls.”

“If there had been any other choice, I’d have done it,” I said. “It was a case of saving either Rhett or Axel. Frank discovered where they’d been buried, but there wasn’t time to uncover them both. You were fighting with the gang rather than doing your job, so I had to do it. I make no apologies for wanting to keep my friends alive.”

Dazielle finally managed to get up onto her elbows and looked around. “He’s destroyed my angels.”

“They’ll recover. They’re hardy.”

Jimmy Blackmouth emerged through the trees, limping heavily. Supported on his arm was Rhett.

I jumped up and hurried over. “You found him!”

“Your hellhound told me where he was,” Jimmy said. “I slipped away from the fight to make sure he was okay.”

As I got closer, I realized Rhett was unconscious. “Did he say anything when you found him?”

“Only a few dozen curse words. The effort of getting up off the ground knocked him out again.”

I sighed. It looks like the curse had really messed with Rhett.

Dazielle hobbled over slowly, wincing with every step. “That curse will have exhausted him. The best thing is rest and some magic juice at the hospital. We’ll arrange to have him taken there.”

“Rhett hates hospitals,” Jimmy said.

“He’s unconscious, so he doesn’t get a say in what happens to him,” I said. “I’ve got medics coming. They’ll be here soon.”

“Good,” Dazielle said. “I’ll need statements from everyone. This will take a while to process.”

“You can have my statement later.” I needed to get to Cloven Hoof and confront Izzie. I glanced at Dazielle. Should I tell the angels about my suspicions? Axel had been taken by Kroni, and Rhett was unconscious, so they couldn’t reveal who the curse killer was.

If Izzie was involved, I needed to know why she’d done it. What had Serath, Dewey, Rhett, and Axel done to her that meant she’d cursed them and buried them alive as punishment?

“When Wiggles gets back with the medics, tell him to meet me at Cloven Hoof.”

“You’re leaving?” Dazielle looked alarmed. “You’re one of the few people left standing.”

“You’ve got a handle on this, and the medics won’t be long.”

Dazielle sighed. “I want you at the station first thing tomorrow. Full statement, no compromise.”

I took a step away. I had to get to Izzie. “Sure, whatever you need.”

Dazielle glared at me. “What are you up to?”

“Nothing. You’ve got everything in hand. Rhett and Axel are safe, and the demon has gone. You don’t need me here. I’ll only get in your way.”

“What about the curse killer?” Dazielle asked. “We still don’t know who it is. She’s still out there.”

“We’ll have to catch her tomorrow,” I said. “You can get information out of Rhett when he wakes up.”

Dazielle lifted Rhett’s head and dropped it back so it flopped against Jimmy’s shoulder. “I doubt he’ll be awake for some time. What about Axel? When is his father bringing him back?”

I continued to creep away. “He didn’t say.”

“Which means we’re no closer to finding our curse killer.” Dazielle watched me with narrowed eyes.

I bit my tongue. I didn’t want the angels involved, not yet. Not until I knew the truth and the reasons Izzie had done this.

“Get out of here,” Dazielle said with a sigh. “But I want to speak to you soon. We’ve got a killer to find.”

We! When did I become an official member of Angel Force? Still, I had no time to argue with Dazielle over that. “You know where I am.” I turned on my heel and ran through the forest.

It was time to confront Izzie and find out how she was involved in this mess.

Chapter 19

The sun was dipping below the horizon as I reached Cloven Hoof. I pulled open the door and hurried through.

Merrie looked up from behind the bar, and her mouth fell open. “Tempest! What have you been doing?”

“Where’s Izzie?”

“She’s out back, unloading a delivery,” Merrie said. “Is something wrong?”

“You could say that. I just helped the angels save Rhett and Axel. The curse killer got them. We almost lost them.”

“That’s terrible,” Merrie said. “But wait, what has Izzie got to do with this? You can’t still think she’s involved.”

“That’s what I need to ask her.” I hurried to the storage room at the back of the bar and found Izzie unloading boxes from a cart.

Her smile faded when she looked at me. “Gosh, Tempest. You look like you’ve been mud wrestling.”

“Leave that.” I caught hold of her arm and pulled her away. I didn’t want to do this. Everything in my gut told me this was wrong. I knew Izzie. She was fun and clever and great with the customers. What had gone so badly wrong that she’d curse Rhett and Axel and kill the others?

“What’s the matter?” Concern filtered across Izzie’s face. “Did a customer make a complaint about me?”

“Our customers love you. It’s not that. What happened between you, Axel, and Rhett?”

“I know they’re missing,” Izzie said slowly. “People have been looking for them. Is that what this is about?”

“When did you last see them?”

Izzie chewed on her bottom lip. “I saw Axel in Cloven Hoof about five days ago. You were chatting to him. As for Rhett, I’m not sure. We don’t mingle in the same circles. What are you getting at?”

“Have either of them done anything to annoy you?”

“No! Axel is a bit of a flirt, which can be distracting when we’re busy. I don’t know Rhett all that well. If we do speak, he usually asks after you.”

“Did you recently visit either of them in their homes?”

“Never! I don’t understand why you’re asking me these questions.”

I let out a sigh. Honestly, neither did I. It couldn’t be Izzie. She couldn’t be the curse killer. “Rhett and Axel were taken by the curse killer.”

Izzie’s hand flew to her mouth. “I had no idea. Are they okay?”

I narrowed my eyes. She seemed genuinely surprised. “We got them out in time.”

Izzie let out a sigh. “That’s a relief. The poor guys. Why were they targeted?”

“I was hoping it was a question you could answer,” I said.

“Me! I have nothing to do with this.”

I rubbed my forehead with my fingers. “I don’t want to believe you’re involved. You’re great at your job. I consider you a friend.”

“But? What aren’t you saying?”

“You did date Serath, and I saw you when he came to Cloven Hoof that first night. He said something to offend you. I’d never seen you react that way with a customer.”

Izzie’s eyes narrowed. “You’re right. He was rude to me. I was shocked to see Serath and reacted badly. He made some smug comment about his friends having me because he’d already sampled the goods and didn’t want to go there again.”

I scowled and shook my head. “That’s disgusting.”

“It was. And, to be clear, I never got that friendly with Serath. We had a kiss and a cuddle but nothing else. He was so crude. The only way I could stop myself from slapping him was to take a step back. I was relieved when Merrie came to my rescue. I didn’t want to cause a scene, but Serath was an idiot. That doesn’t mean I wanted him dead. And I have no problems with the others. I like Rhett and Axel.”

“Can you do curse magic?”

Izzie glanced away. “If I want to, which I don’t. The worst magic I used on Serath was that belching spell, and I’ve already told you about that. It was a little revenge. That’s all I did to him.”

I really wanted to believe Izzie. I wanted her to be innocent.

“Tempest, you must believe me. I’m not the curse killer. I wouldn’t do that. I love being in Willow Tree Falls. I have friends here, and this place is great. You can’t think it’s me.”

I tipped my head back and looked at the ceiling. Maybe the warnings Rhett and Axel had given me were about something else or someone else.

“Who else can do curse magic here?”

Izzie scratched her head. “Well, apart from me, Merrie, I expect. Paula, not a chance, nor Niall. I don’t know Ginger and Blaze that well, but they don’t seem like strong magic users. I’ve seen Blaze do fire magic, but nothing stronger than that.”

“Is everyone here tonight?”

“No, Paula is off.” Izzie stared at me. “You don’t think someone here is the curse killer, do you?”

The door to the storage room banged open. Merrie, Blaze, and Ginger walked through. They pulled up short when they saw me holding onto Izzie.

Izzie gripped my hand. “Tempest, I don’t know how I’m going to convince you that I’m innocent. These curses have nothing to do with me. You have to believe me.”

“I do.” I sighed and loosened my grip on Izzie. “But Rhett and Axel said Cloven Hoof isn’t safe.”

“What are you talking about?” Merrie walked over with the others. “Cloven Hoof is a safe place. We keep it safe.”

“I don’t think it is, not anymore. Rhett and Axel said it’s not safe. It’s because somebody here is the curse killer.”

Merrie gasped and shook her head.

Ginger’s cheeks paled, and she took a step back. Her hand reached for Blaze, who looked equally as shocked.

Blaze shook his head. “None of us are involved. We were working when the killings happened.”

“That’s not proof enough of innocence. The curse isn’t the thing that kills. It immobilizes its victims. Whoever placed the curse on these guys buries them in a shallow grave. They suffocate to death. The curse holds them in place while they die.”

“That’s a terrible thing to do,” Merrie said. “None of us would do that.”

Ginger inched backwards toward the door, dropping her hold on Blaze, her hands clenched. “I’m not feeling so good. It’s too gross thinking about what’s going on.”

“Ginger, wait! I’m not finished. I have to know for sure why Cloven Hoof isn’t a safe place.” I stared at her hard. I didn’t know much about Ginger, but that didn’t mean I didn’t trust her. She had a great resume, loads of experience, and she’d been nothing but brilliant with the customers. I had no reason to believe she was involved any more than I did Izzie or Blaze.

“I’ve already told you I’m not involved. I feel faint. I need air.” She turned on her heel and raced out the door.

I exchanged a surprised glance with Merrie. “Is she running because she’s guilty?”

“Ginger wouldn’t waste her magic on cursing people she barely knows.” Merrie stared at the swinging door Ginger had run through.

“You don’t run unless you have something to hide.” I raced into the bar. There was no sign of Ginger, but the bathroom door was swinging shut.

I hurried over and peered inside. “Ginger, what do you know?” I inched inside. She wasn’t by the basins.

I checked the first three toilet cubicles. All empty. “If you’re involved, it’s better if you come clean. Rhett and Axel are safe. They’ve seen their attacker. If it was you, the angels will know soon enough.”

The next door swung open. A stranger stared back at me, her dark eyes wide with surprise. “Oh! How did you get in here?”

The woman blinked. “I just needed to use the bathroom. Am I in trouble?”

I studied her before looking away, realizing I was staring at a woman sitting on the loo. “Sure. Have you seen a redhead come in here?”

“No, I’ve only been here a minute. I didn’t hear anyone else come in.”

I glanced back at her. She wasn’t a stranger, but I couldn’t place her face. That long, dark hair and those dark brown eyes were familiar. “Do I know you?”

She tugged at the door. “No. If you don’t mind, I’m right in the middle of something.”

I let the door swing shut but remained outside. I knew that face.

“You’re still there,” the woman said. “I can hear you breathing.”

“I’m going.” I walked to the door leading back to the club and pretended to leave, holding my breath as I did so.

After a minute, the toilet door opened. The woman poked her head out. As our gazes locked, I gasped. Her eyes were black, and dark magic oozed from her like sticky treacle.

She grimaced and shook her head as she emerged from the toilet. “I knew you wouldn’t leave this alone.”

“I know you.”

“We’ve already established that’s not true.”

“No, I do.” I recalled the clippings I found in Serath’s bag. “You’re Sandy Bishop!”

She tilted her head. “So what if I am?”

I shook my head. My vision was playing tricks on me. One second, I saw Ginger and the next Sandy. But Sandy had been missing for five years. How was she suddenly in the bathroom of Cloven Hoof?

Sandy stepped closer, her fists clenched. “Mind if I leave?”

Before I could answer, she blasted me with a knockback spell and fled out the door.

My stomach throbbed from the sudden attack, but I hurried after her.

I skidded to a halt in the bar. Sandy was smashing bottles of whiskey on the floor.

She ignited a fireball in the palm of her hand when she saw me. “You come any closer and this whole place goes up.”

“Why are you doing this?” I stayed where I was, not wanting to see my beautiful bar go up in flames. “Do you have something to do with what happened to the dead guys? Did you put those curses on them?”

“You won’t understand. You’ve always had it so easy. It’s not that easy for everybody. I had to protect myself.”

I risked taking a step closer. “What are you talking about? Did Serath do something bad to you?”

“I warn you. Stop moving or your precious Cloven Hoof is gone.”

“I’m staying right here. Why don’t you tell me why you’re here?” I rubbed my eyes, not believing what I saw. One second, Ginger stood there; the next it was Sandy. The constant flow of dark magic from this woman made me dizzy.

Sandy sneered at me. “Am I making you feel bad?”

I nodded and staggered to the side.

She lowered the fireball and waved her hands from the top of her head down her body. As she did so, her features stopped shifting, and the surrounding air crackled.

I blinked and took a step back. Ginger was gone.

Chapter 20

I turned as I heard a door open and gestured Merrie, Blaze, and Izzie back as they appeared from out of the store room.

Ginger, now revealed to be Sandy, glared at them and raised her palm. Fire flared around her in a protective circle.

“Who’s that?” Merrie asked, her eyes wide.

I sucked in a breath. “Sandy Bishop.”

“I’m surprised you remember me.” Sandy’s gaze remained on me.

“I remember you. You’ve been missing for years. Everyone wondered what had happened to you.”

“Hold on, Sandy Bishop?” Merrie stared at her. “You used to live on the edge of the forest.”

“That’s right,” Sandy said. “I lived with my mom. I was happy, content living a simple life. I never wanted any trouble. But trouble found me.”

“What trouble found you?” I asked. “What made you leave Willow Tree Falls all those years ago?”

“I never left,” Sandy hissed. “I’ve been here the whole time.”

The entrance door to Cloven Hoof slammed open. Dazielle barged through with Wiggles racing along behind her.

He bounced over to me. “I tried to out-run the angel, but she’s fast. She knows you’re up to something. Who’s this?” Wiggles looked at Sandy.

“I think it’s our curse killer,” I said.

“You can’t prove that.” Sandy lunged at Dazielle, flinging the fireball she held at her head.

Dazielle barely fluttered out of the way in time, obviously still suffering from her injuries. She landed flat on her back, and Sandy jumped on top of her.

I raced over and wrapped an arm around Sandy, hauling her off Dazielle. Sandy’s viscose, foul magic crept across my arm, and I quickly let her go.

Sandy turned and glowered at me. “Friends with the angels now, witch.”

Dazielle scrambled to her feet, her expression wary. “You said this is the curse killer? I’ve never seen her before.”

“None of us have seen her for five years,” I said. “This is Sandy Bishop. She went missing.”

Dazielle blinked slowly, recognition filling her eyes. “We thought you’d left the village.”

Sandy shook her head, her dark hair sticking to her forehead. “I didn’t leave. I was taken against my will.”

“By whom?” I asked.

Sandy cracked her neck from side to side and flexed her fingers. She was preparing for another battle. “I’d only been free for a couple of days when I heard Puddles Lavern bragging about Dewey and his friends coming for a visit.”

“Free from where?” I asked.

Sandy continued as if she hadn’t heard me. “I was a mess after so long in confinement, struggling to understand what had happened to me. When I heard Puddles, it all came back. And when I heard her say Serath’s name, I remembered everything he’d done.”

“What’s Serath got to do with you going missing?” Dazielle asked.

My breath caught in my throat. “Serath took you five years ago. What did he do?”

“He cursed me,” Sandy said. “He was angry because I turned him down. He tried a pathetic seduction spell on me. It failed, and I wasn’t interested in him. He showed up at my house one evening, being sweet and charming, but there was something off with him. Serath tried another spell, but it didn’t work. I called him out on it, and he walked off in a huff. I thought that was the end of it.”

“Serath decided to get revenge,” I said.

Sandy bared her teeth as she nodded. “He was better at magic than I realized. I was taking a walk the next night, and he found me. I tried to be polite, but he wouldn’t take no for an answer. He grabbed me, and that’s the last clear memory I have. I woke up a few times, but I couldn’t move. He used a curse on me. I was terrified. I thought he was going to kill me.”

“Then what happened?”

Black sparks flew off Sandy as she shuddered. “He did what I did to him. While I was still cursed and couldn’t move, he buried me alive as a punishment for turning him down. He said if he couldn’t have me, no man would.”

“How did you survive?” Horror filled Dazielle’s eyes.

“I almost didn’t. Serath came back to Willow Tree Falls every six months to check on me and strengthen his magic. I knew when it was getting close to his visit because the curse would weaken, and I’d be able to move. On one occasion, I almost dug my way out. I had my hand free and could breathe clean air. Serath caught me, laughed in my face, and reburied me. He told me it was no less than I deserved.”

“You were buried for five years?” I couldn’t hide how disgusted I was. Serath was a monster.

“He left me underground with a small tube, so I could breathe. Every time he came back, he would perform magic to ensure I didn’t starve or die of dehydration. There were times when it came close, though. As I said, his magic wasn’t perfect. And the breathing tube he left me got blocked several times. I’ve lost count of the number of times I fell unconscious because I had so little air to breathe.”

“How did you finally get out?” Dazielle asked.

“Serath’s magic failed. I don’t know what happened. He must have been late in coming to revitalize the magic. That was my chance to get out, so I took it.”

“That’s right,” I said. “I remember Puddles being upset about Dewey and his friends changing their plans at the last minute.”

“That would be it,” Sandy said. “That arrogant jerk believed his magic would hold for longer than it did. It was enough for me to break the curse and get out of that hole. It felt incredible to be able to move and breathe freely. But I was weak and confused for days.”

“How did you get to be in Cloven Hoof?” Dazielle asked. “Why disguise yourself as Ginger?”

“I hadn’t planned to. My first thought was to get to my mom. I needed to let her know I was okay. I was stumbling out of the forest when I heard Puddles. She was talking about the upcoming visit with Dewey, Serath, and Bart. That’s when I knew I’d been given a chance to get revenge. After everything Serath put me through, he had to pay. That became my priority. I had a few weeks to recover, so I headed back into the forest, only coming out at night.”

“To do what?”

“Get strong. I even broke into the hospital and got magic to speed up my recovery. After that, all I did was practice the curse. I had to get it right. Serath could not be allowed to get away with this.”

“You disguised yourself as Ginger because you knew Serath would turn up at Cloven Hoof?” I recalled the day Ginger had walked in almost a month ago. She’d been so sure of herself. She knew her way around the bar and had poured the perfect pint. I’d had no clue what she was hiding. She was a strong witch. A better witch than me.

Sandy nodded. “I knew Serath wouldn’t be able to resist this place. That night, when he came in with the others, I was so shocked I almost couldn’t move. I didn’t want to draw attention to myself, even with my disguise in place.”

“He noticed you when he was talking to me and said you seemed familiar.” Izzie stood by the store-room door with the others.

“I couldn’t risk getting too close to Serath in case he saw through my magic. I had to act fast. I had to curse him and bury him before he figured out what had happened. He wouldn’t have waited long before going into the forest and strengthening his curse. If he’d gone to the site I was buried in and discovered me gone, he’d have known something was wrong. He’d have fled Willow Tree Falls, knowing I’d have been after him.”

I looked at Dazielle. “I don’t blame Ginger, or rather Sandy, for what she’s done. I’d have done the same thing if some scumbag cursed me and shoved me in the ground because I turned him down for a date.”

Dazielle simply arched an eyebrow. “What about the others? Why curse Dewey?”

“Dewey got suspicious. I overheard him and Serath talking about me. Serath was convinced he knew me, and Dewey was staring when they were at the bar, trying to figure out where they knew me from. I’m not the best at disguise magic, and if I’d let it slip for a second, it might have ruined everything. When I get tired or nervous, the magic wavers. I had to get rid of Dewey in case he blew my cover.”

“That doesn’t explain what you did to Rhett and Axel,” Dazielle said.

“Rhett spends a lot of time in the forest,” I said to Sandy. “Did he see what you were doing and try to stop you?”

“He got unlucky,” Sandy said. “I didn’t mean to curse him, but he walked right into my path as I was placing Dewey in the ground. I tried to explain it away and said it was nothing, but he wouldn’t let it go. Rhett insisted he look at what I was burying. I couldn’t let him see, so I flung the curse at him, and he collapsed.”

“You were going to kill Rhett to hide your secret?” I shook my head. I could let her off for Serath but not Rhett.

Sandy scowled at me. “He probably deserved it. I bet Rhett hasn’t treated women kindly. He lets them down and breaks their hearts. Most men do. When they don’t get what they want, they turn mean.”

“So, Rhett was unfortunate, but what about Axel?” Dazielle asked.

Sandy snorted a laugh. “I’ve seen Axel in action. Whenever he’s in here, he flirts with everyone. He got on the wrong side of me one night. He’d had too much to drink and kept pestering me for mushrooms. He offered all sorts of incentives, but then suggested we go back to his place and have some private fun. I put him in his place, but he wouldn’t stop. It brought back the memories of how Serath had treated me the night he took me, cursed me, and threw me in the ground. All because I didn’t want him.”

Axel did tend to flirt too hard, but cursing him for doing it was extreme.

“You went to Axel’s with mushrooms because you knew he wouldn’t be able to resist them.” I recalled seeing the bag of mushrooms in his house.

“He’s not safe to be around,” Sandy said. “He pushed too hard. It was only right I pushed back. I grabbed a bag of mushrooms at the end of my last shift and headed to his place in the morning. He was happy to let me in. He practically drooled over the mushrooms. He made us both coffee, and I chatted and pretended to flirt to get him to relax.”

“Then you cursed him,” I said. “You took him to the woods and buried him.”

“I used a cloaking spell and dragged him into the swamp. I’d have left him like the others, but I heard the angels fighting. I adjusted the curse speed to finish Axel off quickly. I wanted him to suffer and slowly suffocate, but I had to change my plans.”

“I understand why you wanted revenge on Serath,” I said. “But you can’t attack and curse innocent people.”

“You know Rhett better than everyone else,” Sandy sneered. “He’s not innocent. And as for Axel, I’ve seen you having to fend him off. You can’t say they didn’t have it coming.”

“They didn’t deserve that. Give them a slap and tell them to keep their hands off but don’t curse them and bury them alive.”

“I thought you’d be on my side,” Sandy said. “We got on well when I was Ginger.”

“I was friends with Ginger Gibson. It turns out she’s not real.” I felt sad that I’d lost Ginger. It was horribly unfair what had happened to Sandy, but she couldn’t get away with this.

“You need to come with me,” Dazielle said. “I need your full confession before you are charged.”

More black sparks flew from Sandy, and she hunched over and growled. “I’m not going to prison. I was defending myself. I was righting a wrong.”

“Two people are dead because of you,” I said. “Admittedly, they were jerks, but you have to pay for what you’ve done.”

Sandy flung her arms out, and flames shot toward the ceiling.

I looked over at Merrie, Izzie, and Blaze. “Get out of here!”

“We can’t leave you,” Merrie said.

“Get in the back. That’s an order.” If I was worried about protecting them, I wouldn’t be able to focus on bringing down Sandy.

“We’re staying.” Merrie jammed her hands on her hips.

“If you all want to keep your jobs, you leave. Now!” I hated pulling rank, but it was for their own good.

Merrie frowned at me before ushering Izzie and Blaze away.

I’d make my apologies later, but I could only do that if they were all alive.

Dazielle fluffed out her wings. I could see one wasn’t working properly and hung at her side. She was in no shape to fight Sandy.

I hurried to her side. “You stay out of this. I’ll deal with Sandy. After all, I made the mistake of hiring her.”

Dazielle shook her head. “Be careful, Tempest. She’s got serious magic going on inside her.”

“Yes, and it’s singeing my bar. This has to stop.” I raised my hands and flung a dousing spell at her fire to stop the flames.

Sandy raised a magical barrier, and my magic bounced off.

We threw several more spells at each other. She favored fire, and I just favored staying alive and not turning crispy. I felt the painful sting of dark magic kiss my skin as her power got too close.

“She’s working up to something big.” Wiggles bounced on his paws as he stood on top of a table, watching the fight.

“She’s already doing something big.” I dodged a spell. “I can’t hold her for much longer.”

“Maybe Frank can,” Wiggles said.

I felt around for Frank’s energy, but he was nowhere to be found. “He’s content to sit this one out. He must figure I can handle things on my own.”

“Maybe you’d like to be cursed yourself.” Sandy splayed her fingers, and a jet of what looked like a black spider web shot toward me.

“Look out! It’s her curse.” Wiggles launched himself off the table and knocked me sideways. The curse missed me by an inch but slammed into Dazielle, who was flung backward into the wall.

“Thanks, that was close,” I said to Wiggles as I clambered to my feet.

Wiggles looked at Dazielle, who was pinned to the wall, her arms and legs flailing and one wing flapping. “That angel wouldn’t have been any help, anyway.”

A fireball slammed by my feet. I swung and kept flinging spells at Sandy. Her focus was not on me as she concentrated on pinning Dazielle to the wall as the curse spread from her feet, up her legs, and across her torso, winding black strands of power across her.

Dazielle continued to struggle, but in her injured state, she couldn’t break free from Sandy’s magic.

“No more spells. This needs direct action.” I flung myself at Sandy and wrapped my arms around her.

We fell to the floor, and she twisted in my grip before grabbing hold of me. Her curse was still active, and it pulsed across my skin.

“You won’t stop me,” Sandy spat in my face. “I will have my revenge.”

“No, you don’t.” I flared my own power, and our energies smashed together. My magic was not at full strength, having drained it healing Rhett. I hoped I had enough in the tank to take this crazed witch down.

I felt straightaway that she was stronger. Sandy wasn’t a demon, so my magic was less effective against her, but she was something dark and deadly and couldn’t be allowed to leave this bar.

“My witch magic trumps you, demon slayer,” she hissed.

Her curse was too strong for me, and I felt my limbs grow weak as she siphoned my ability to move.

Sandy struggled out from underneath me and rolled to her knees. “Now you’re going to pay. You—”

A roar reverberated around the room, and a blast of flame slammed into Sandy’s back. She shrieked and rolled away.

I turned to see Wiggles belching fire. My jaw dropped open. “I didn’t know you could do that.”

He looked as confused as I did. “Neither did I. Who knew, in times of crisis, I belch fire?”

The door to the bar flew open. Three angels zoomed through, their wings spreading out as they took in the carnage in front of them.

“Get her,” Wiggles yelled and pointed his nose at Sandy.

The angels turned to Dazielle for confirmation, but she could only nod. The power of speech had already left her as the curse took hold.

They descended on Sandy, who bucked and twisted and threw fire and sticky dark webs of curse at them.

One angel was thrown away and slammed to the ground in a heap of feathers.

Sandy screamed as she was covered by the remaining angels, and after a struggle that had the room stinking of burning feathers and sour magic, they got her under control.

Wiggles nudged me with his nose. “Having fun?”

“I can’t move. Sandy got me with her curse.” I rolled pathetically from side to side.

He shoved my arm with a paw. “Who’s going to feed me if you can’t move?”

I scowled at him. “I’m trapped in a curse and all you care about is your stomach.”

“If you don’t have fuel in your belly, you can’t function.” Wiggles turned to the angels. “We need some help over here.”

An angel hurried over. “What happened?” It was Cassiel, her face smeared with soot and sweat dappling her normally perfect brow. She offered me her hand.

“You’ve just arrested the curse killer,” I said. “I can’t move, and I might not be able to speak soon. Sandy cursed me and Dazielle with the same magic she used on Serath, Dewey, and the others.”

Cassiel’s eyes widened. She looked dazed as if not knowing what to do next. There was no one in charge to give her any orders.

I tilted my head. “Maybe you can start by helping your boss.”

“Oh! Yes, good idea. Thanks, Tempest.” Cassiel hurried over to where Dazielle was slowly sliding down the wall.

Wiggles placed his paws on my chest. “That was quite an adventure. Same time next week?”

I could barely move my head as the dark magic spread through me. “Maybe not. We deserve a couple of weeks off after this.”

“We caught the curse killer,” Wiggles said. “We have to celebrate.”

“When I can move again, we will.” My throat felt tight as the curse edged across me.

Wiggles licked my cheek. “Don’t worry. I’ll keep an eye on you until you shake this off.”

“Thanks, Wiggles. You saved my life.”

“And got Dazielle blasted with a curse. It was so worth it.”

I felt a little tearful as my best buddy rested on my chest and chatted about the epic fight he’d seen.

“You’re a great hellhound,” I whispered.

“That’s what I’m here for. Saving lives, breaking hearts, and generally being awesome.” He belched sulfur in my face. I could do nothing but inhale it and accept Wiggles, sulfurous gas and all.

“I’ll get you a big treat.” Those were the last words I spoke as the curse took away my ability to speak.

“I’ll make a list.” Wiggles looked at me. “But before you do that, isn’t there someone you need to check on?”

I wrinkled my brow. It was the most movement he’d get out of me for a while.

“A certain hot guy who’s life you saved and who will want to thank you by giving you a nice, wet, slobbery kiss?”

I shut my eyes and pretended to sleep. That was a problem I had no clue how to handle. I’d saved Rhett first and picked him over Axel, but did that mean anything significant, and if so, what would happen next?

Chapter 21

It had been two days since Sandy’s arrest. She was safely tucked away where no one would find her. And, after twelve hours of not being able to move or speak, her curse had finally broken, and I was back to normal.

“I can’t believe that lovely young Ginger was a black-hearted villain,” Granny Dottie said.

The whole family, apart from Aurora, who was on cemetery duty, sat around the table in Mom’s kitchen.

“She had us all fooled,” I said. “Ginger Gibson was an awesome person. Sandy Bishop, not so much.”

“That poor child must have been half-mad to do what she did.” Mom placed a sweet-smelling stack of pancakes on the table. “That dreadful boy treated her appallingly just because she rejected him and his ego couldn’t take it.”

“I hope the angels go easy on her,” Auntie Queenie said.

“I’ve talked to Dazielle. She sees the mitigating circumstances but will still charge Sandy with the attempted murder of Rhett and Axel. Sandy also killed Dewey to cover her tracks. She might be crazy, but she’s not stupid.”

“Which means the poor dear will not be back in Willow Tree Falls anytime soon,” Mom said. “Tempest, you should go visit her.”

“Mom! She cursed me.”

“Well, I will visit her. And her mom needs to know what happened.”

“She’s been informed,” I said. “She was as shocked as everybody. Happy to know her daughter is alive but horrified by what she’d done.”

“With Sandy gone, does that mean you’re looking for a new member of staff?” Granny Dottie asked. “I can take a few shifts in the bar if you’re short staffed.”

“You, behind my bar.” I shook my head. Granny Dottie had a liking for hard liquor. “We’ll manage fine for now. Although, this proves I’m not a great judge of character. I don’t think I’ll do any new hires for a while. I didn’t spot the dark magic on Sandy.”

“Nonsense,” Mom said. “You weren’t looking for any dark magic. Why would you? All your other bar staff are lovely. And that Blaze is a proper hunk. I saw him the other day with his shirt off.”

“Where did you see him with no shirt on?” I asked.

Mom blushed. “He didn’t have his blinds down in his bedroom. I was just walking past and glanced up.”

“Mom! You’re a peeping tom.”

“No, I’m not! It’s not my fault it was a lovely view, and I stopped to admire it.”

Granny Dottie chortled. “You’ll have to take me along the next time. It’s been a few years since I’ve seen a decent set of abs.”

Grandpa Lucius kissed her cheek. “I might not have abs anymore, but I still know how to show you a good time.”

I tried not to be grossed out by my grandparents smooching. It was sort of sweet in an old, wrinkly way. “If you think Blaze is cute, are you going to ask him out?” I asked Mom.

“Ooooh, that would make you a cougar,” Auntie Queenie said and nudged me. “Your employee could become your step-father if he plays his cards right.”

Mom blushed and swatted at me with a tea towel. “Of course not, but he’s a charming young man. If you keep hiring staff who look like that, you’re going to have a crowded bar every night.”

“Full of middle-aged, lonely women looking for a good time,” Auntie Queenie said.

I smiled at Mom. She hadn’t dated since Dad had disappeared. She’d lost the love of her life and knew there was no point in trying to find a replacement.

“And how’s that lovely young man, Axel?” Auntie Queenie said.

“His dad returned him yesterday,” I said. “Axel seems good as new. In fact, when I saw him, it’s as if he’s had some improvements.”

“What do you mean?” Mom asked.

“I can’t put my finger on it, but he looks different. It’s like his dad sent him for a makeover. He has a new haircut, and I’m sure his teeth look different. It’s more than that; there’s something about his energy. He felt stronger, more powerful.” I’d only seen Axel for five minutes when he’d dropped by the bar yesterday. He’d thanked me for saving his life and had once again promised he wouldn’t touch any mushrooms. I wasn’t convinced but had been distracted by how different he’d seemed to scold him too much.

“His father is a powerful demon,” Granny Dottie said. “Maybe he’s decided he wants his son to step up into a more senior role.”

I groaned. “Don’t say that. I never want to find Axel on my hit list of demons who need hunting.” That would be a conflict of interest I wouldn’t know how to handle.

“What about your young man, Rhett?” Granny Dottie asked.

I stuffed a pancake into my mouth to avoid answering.

Everyone waited for me to chew my pancake, all eyes on me. This was something I’d been avoiding. I’d made my decision to save Rhett. I’d picked him over Axel, but I wasn’t sure what it meant. A big part of me was way too scared to follow through after my initial actions. Maybe it meant nothing. I had to make a choice, so I did.

I swallowed the pancake and went to stab another with my fork, but Granny Dottie stopped me.

“Fine, I know he’s doing okay. I saw Josh yesterday, and he filled me in.”

“Don’t you want to check that for yourself?” Auntie Queenie asked, a twinkle in her eyes.

I shrugged. Did I? If I followed through with my decision, it meant something big. Big, scary and possibly romantic.

“You shouldn’t ignore Rhett,” Mom chastised. “You go to all that effort to save his life and then don’t bother to see how he’s recovering.”

“I’ve been busy. I have a business to run. I’m also recovering from being cursed.”

“You’re better now, and Cloven Hoof can look after itself for a few hours. You should go see Rhett today. He’ll wonder if he’s done something wrong.”

“I’m eating breakfast!”

Mom grabbed my plate and replaced it with a large box. A sugar cinnamon scent drifted out of it. “You take these cookies to the boys and make sure they’re doing okay.”

“The boys?”

“Axel and Rhett. They both deserve cookies after what they’ve been through.”

“Yum! Cookies.” Wiggles’ nose appeared on my knee.

“You’ve already eaten,” I said to him.

“There’s always room for cookies,” Wiggles said.

“Now go,” Mom said. “No dragging your heels.”

“They will want to thank you,” Granny Dottie said. “I bet they’re grateful you saved their lives. You should have something in mind if they ask how they can repay you. I’d ask Axel for a new car and Rhett for a back rub and some hanky panky.”

“You would.” I glared at her for a second, but she just chuckled and ate a pancake.

“Go now.” Mom pulled my chair back.

I reluctantly left the kitchen and headed outside with Wiggles, the box of cookies tucked under one arm.

“I think we should see Axel first and get that out of the way,” Wiggles said.

“Good choice.” Even though Axel was a notorious flirt, I never took him seriously. It would be good to see how he was doing and check out his new vibe again. There was something about it that set my teeth on edge. It had a dark edge I’d need to keep an eye on.

I headed to Axel’s flash bachelor pad. The windows and doors were shut, and it looked like nobody was in. Before knocking on the door, I peeked through a ground-floor window.

“Oh my...”

Axel lounged on an enormous cream sofa. Leaning over him was a gorgeous blonde wearing a skimpy nurse’s uniform. The hem of the outfit barely covered her panties.

Wiggles wolf whistled. “That’s like no nurse I’ve ever seen. Is that uniform even legal? I can feel my blood pressure rising.”

“It’s definitely not. If she bends over, Axel might have a heart attack.” I watched as the nurse popped a grape into Axel’s mouth and ran a hand through his hair.

“We should go in,” Wiggles said. “I have to be introduced to that nurse. I’ve got a stomach ache and need a belly rub.”

“Another time.” I backed away from the window carefully, not wanting to disturb Axel’s recovery.

After another few seconds of leering at the nurse, Wiggles followed me. “We’re not going to see her, I mean, him?”

“Axel will be just fine.” I shook my head and laughed. Trust Axel to hire a cute blonde to nurse him back to health.

“Axel doesn’t need your mom’s cookies to get over being cursed. He can enjoy the cookies that hot nurse has.”

I nodded as I pulled out two cookies and passed one to Wiggles before eating my own.

“Now to Rhett’s?”

I sighed. “I guess so.”

We’d only taken a few steps before the ground rumbled. I clutched the box of cookies tighter and looked around.

“Have you broken wind?” I asked Wiggles as I was engulfed in a waft of rotten eggs.

“Not guilty, but I can smell it too. Sulphur.”

My gaze narrowed. Somewhere nearby was a demon. The air shimmered in front of me, and Axel’s dad appeared in a flash of red smoke.

I gazed up at him, his eyes black murky pools as he peered down at me. “I didn’t think you liked Willow Tree Falls.”

Kroni grunted. “I can’t say I do. But my son decided to return. I’m keeping an eye on him until he is fully recovered.”

“He’s doing well,” I said. “You might like to give him half an hour. He’s got company.”

Kroni chuckled. “He always was a ladies’ man. He mentioned your name a lot when he was recovering.”

“We’re friends.”

“Nothing more?”

I shook my head. I did not want a demon like Kroni as my father-in-law. “Nothing more.”

“That is for the best.” Kroni picked something long and stringy from between his teeth. “Crypt witches can be difficult.”

“We aim to please,” I said.

Kroni snorted and used a talon to scratch his chin. “Although I do not approve of your demon hunting activities, my son spoke fondly of you. You hold a place in his heart. Make sure you don’t abuse that.”

“I have no plans to. As I said, we’re friends. I treat my friends well.” After my visit to Rhett’s, I was planning a trip to Sprinkles to buy the biggest cake I could find. I owed Izzie a huge apology and everyone else at Cloven Hoof for pulling rank. I’d never doubt any of them again.

“As it should be.” Kroni sniffed the air and eyed the box in my hands. “Because of that, you will get no trouble from me.”

“That’s good to know.” I tightened my grip on the box. This demon was not having my cookies. “There’s a chance we’ll meet one day outside of Willow Tree Falls. The angels are not fans of yours.”

“And when we do meet?” Kroni tilted his head.

I sucked in a breath. “When we do, one of us will win.”

His hand reached out, his talons stroking down a strand of my hair. “It will not be you. You are good at what you do but don’t underestimate my power. You saw a tiny hint of it when I saved my son. I can make life very difficult for you.”

“You could, but would you want to do that to one of your son’s friends?” I refused to flinch as his talon clipped my ear.

“We can come to an agreement,” Kroni said.

“I don’t make deals with demons.” I discounted the recent bargain I’d made with Frank. Desperate times called for desperate measures.

“My deal is, we stay out of each other’s way.”

It wasn’t a bad offer. I was sure I wouldn’t be able to beat Kroni if he turned nasty. “I’ll consider it.”

“I’ve watched you work outside of Willow Tree Falls. You have taken some of my friends.”

I arched an eyebrow. “Your friends do bad things. They deserve to be taken.”

“I could have stopped you. I almost did on several occasions. Perhaps now, I will not watch you so much. I will allow you to do your job, providing you do nothing to harm my son and stay out of my way.”

I couldn’t believe Kroni was bargaining with me. He must seriously overrate my powers, or maybe there was a soft side to this demon, just like his son. “I’d appreciate you not watching me. It sounds a bit creepy.”

He chuckled. “I’ve been called a lot worse than a creep. Do we have a deal?”

I nodded slowly. I had no plans to hurt Axel. He was a super annoying, sometimes sleazy friend, but still a friend.  “If you don’t get in my way when I’m taking down demons, I don’t see there being a problem.”

“Then it is agreed.” Kroni held out his hand, a talon raised.

I grimaced. Why do demons have such an obsession with blood? To seal the agreement, we had to exchange blood. I carefully ran the tip of my finger over the top of his talon and felt the skin break. He sliced his own finger open, and we pressed skin together, our powers mingling before the deal was formally sealed, demon-style.

“Have a pleasant life, Demon Hunter,” Kroni said.

“You too. Have a pleasant... demon existence.”

Kroni nodded, snatched the box of cookies from my hand, and vanished in a puff of red smoke.

“Hey! He stole the cookies.” Wiggles growled at the spot Kroni had been standing.

I stared at my empty hand. “Typical demon. They always have a sweet tooth.”

“Kroni always was a show off,” Frank muttered in my head.

“Don’t say you wouldn’t do the same thing,” I said as we headed back along the lane toward Rhett’s house, minus my cookie gift.

“I’d do it with much more class.”

“Could he beat me in a fight?” I asked Frank.

“Between the two of us, we could knock him on his fiery behind.”

I snorted a laugh. Today was full of surprises. “You’re suggesting we work together?”

“No, I’m suggesting I take advantage of you at every opportunity. Remember who I am. Remember why I’m here.”

I pressed my lips together. Of course, Frank’s focus was getting to Aurora. I could never let my guard down and take the risk that he would succeed.

“If you walk any slower, you’ll go backwards.” Wiggles turned and looked at me over his shoulder.

I was dragging my heels, but I didn’t have a clue what to say to Rhett. I’d picked him. When backed into a corner, Rhett had been my choice. Did that mean I wanted to take it any further?

I arrived at his house and stood outside his front door, staring at it. “Maybe he’s not in.”

“Unless you knock, we’ll never know,” Wiggles said.

I knocked quietly. “See, he’s not in.”

Wiggles jumped up the door and pounded against it with his paws.

“Traitor!”

“Anything for true love and snacks. I bet Rhett has snacks.”

Rhett pulled open the door and smiled when he saw me. “I’ve been hoping you’d drop by.”

Other than looking a little paler than usual, Rhett was back to his frustratingly gorgeous self. “I wanted to give you time to recover after the incident in the forest.”

“You mean the incident where you saved my life?” He grinned at me.

I nodded. “I had cookies to give you. They got stolen.”

“Who stole them?”

“Axel’s dad.”

Rhett peered over my shoulder. “Kroni’s here?”

“Not anymore. Neither are the cookies.”

“No problem. I have cookies.”

“I knew he would.” Wiggles barged past him. “Show me the cookies.”

Rhett shook his head as he watched Wiggles walk along the hallway. “I guess that means you’re coming in.”

“I guess so.” I stepped through the doorway and looked around. “You’ve got some new pieces.”

Rhett gestured at the small metal sculpture of a tortured angel. “A commission from a customer.”

I inspected the begging, terrified expression on the sculpture’s face. “Someone who does not like angels?”

Rhett chuckled. “Client confidentiality, but it’s safe to say they run on the dark side. Come through. I’ve been working on something I think you’ll both like.” He led the way into the kitchen and gestured to a sculpture by the back door. “What do you think?”

I stared at the sculpture. “Is that...” I moved closer. “You’ve done a sculpture of Wiggles?”

Wiggles raised his head from his focused investigation of Rhett’s trash. “Say what?”

“Get over here and take a look.” Rhett had done an incredible job of capturing the slightly cocky, slightly surprised look Wiggles had on his face when he’d been caught doing something he shouldn’t. His head was tilted, and he had one paw raised.

“I always see him doing that when he wants whatever you’re eating.” Rhett came to stand beside me. “Is it a good likeness?”

“It’s incredible.”

“You’ve captured my best features.” Wiggles stood by the sculpture and raised a paw. “What do you think?”

Rhett laughed. “It’s like you posed for me.”

“Why would you make a sculpture of Wiggles?” I asked.

“When I see him trotting around the village, it reminds me of you.” Rhett bent and brushed a speck of dust from the sculpture.

I glanced at him. “That’s a good thing?”

“It could be. After all, I owe you one. You did save my life.”

“I was helping the angels.” I moved away from the sculpture, suddenly aware of how close Rhett was to me.

Rhett petted the head of the sculpture and then Wiggles. “How about some coffee?”

“And cookies?” Wiggles asked. “And a bowl of milk.”

Rhett spent a few minutes brewing coffee and placed a bowl of milk down for Wiggles alongside a couple of cookies.

I sat at his counter not sure what to say. I couldn’t deny I had feelings for Rhett, but they were complicated, and I’d been the one to walk away. But having experienced the gut wrenching fear of what it would be like to lose Rhett, it had made me pause. I wasn’t ready to let him go. Maybe I should never have let him go.

Rhett placed a plate with cookies on in front of me. “You’re quiet. Is there something on your mind?”

I grabbed a cookie and stuffed it in my mouth. “No, it’s nothing.”

Rhett twirled a strand of my hair around a finger. “There has been something playing on my mind.”

“What’s that?” I said around the cookie.

“I spoke to the guys after I got out of the forest. They filled me in on what happened. The fight with Kroni, the near miss in the shallow grave. All of it.”

I nodded. “It was quite some fight.”

“Not the fight. The fact that you got to me first.” Rhett’s gaze turned intense.

“I had to make a choice. It’s not a big deal.” I was such a liar.

“You chose me.” He set his mug down and stared into my eyes. “You picked me over Axel.”

I looked away and studied the sculpture of Wiggles. “I had a Plan B to save Axel.”

“Oh, yeah. I heard about your Plan B. Kroni took out half the forest.”

“Axel’s dad is something else,” I said. “But we’ve come to an agreement. He won’t be a problem.”

Rhett’s shoulders stiffened. “He didn’t mess with you?”

“He might have played a little, and he stole the cookies, but for a crazed demon, he was surprisingly reasonable.”

“You have a dangerous job, Tempest.”

“I’m used to it,” I said. “I’m not going to change what I am or what I do, not for anybody.” I raised my mug to my mouth.

Rhett eased the mug out of my grip before I could take a sip. “I didn’t ask you to. But I still want to know why you picked me first.”

I couldn’t meet his gaze, knowing I’d give in if I did. “Maybe you were closer.”

“No, it’s not that. I’ve been back to the forest with the guys and taken a look around. Admit it. You wanted to save me.”

“Of course! I didn’t want to see you die.”

Rhett chuckled. “That’s about the best compliment I’m ever going to get from you.”

I shrugged. “You have nice eyes.” Rhett knew how gorgeous he was and how tempting he was to me. He didn’t have to throw it in my face.

“So do you, when you look at me.” He tapped a finger against the back of my hand. “What can we do about this situation we’re in?”

I took a breath and stared at him. Nice eyes! I could lose myself for hours in those sexy, dark pools. “You know it’s complicated.”

“I know you’re complicated. And I know you come with a hell of a lot of baggage. Who doesn’t? I’ve got a past, and my future isn’t going to follow the straightest of paths. We both have issues.”

“We should go into therapy, not start dating.”

“There’s no fun if you don’t have a few issues.” A smile spread across Rhett’s face. “Is that what you want, to start dating again?”

I blushed and looked away. “My main issue lives inside me. How do you feel about dating a demon?”

“If he comes attached to the gorgeous, headstrong, clever witch sitting in front of me, I don’t have a problem.” Rhett stepped closer. “I never have. You’ve always been the one to hold back.”

“I never held back.” I swallowed. He smelled so good, like a forest with a hint of engine oil. It was a perfect combination. “I just want everybody to stay safe.”

Rhett tilted my chin up. “I can keep myself safe.”

Wiggles cleared his throat. “Do I need to leave the room? If so, I’m taking some cookies to go.”

Rhett laughed. “No, you stay where you are. You’re going to have to get used to seeing this.” He leaned forward and kissed me.

I should have resisted. I shouldn’t have let myself sink into that kiss and forget how tricky a relationship with Rhett would be, but I didn’t. Instead, I grabbed him by the collar and pulled him closer.

Wiggles groaned. “I’m out of here. You two are embarrassing.”

I finally let go of Rhett when I became dizzy from lack of air and grinned up at him.

“Wow! That was quite a kiss.” He traced a finger down my cheek. “What am I going to do with you, Tempest?”

“Accept me, demon and all.”

“I always have. I want you in my life. I know it’s never easy with you, and I know you’ll always focus on your demons and keeping your sister safe above all else, but that’s enough. Admit it. We’re great together. You have to stop resisting me.”

My gaze ran over Rhett. “It’s not been easy. You do look great on your bike.”

“There’s room on the back if you ever want to ride with me.” He pulled me in for another heart melting kiss.

I couldn’t hold back any more. I liked Rhett. I liked him a lot. If this was going to work, I’d have to figure out how to date without Frank getting in the way.

I could do it. I could handle my demon, keep Aurora safe, and have Rhett in my life.

Rhett pulled back from the kiss and rested his forehead against mine. “So, Tempest Crypt, what next?”

I grinned up at him. “That’s for us to decide together.”

Book 4

Curse of the Witch

K.E. O’Connor

Chapter 1

I stretched my legs under the oak kitchen table and leaned back in my seat. I yawned loudly and gave a grateful nod as Mom placed a large mug of black coffee in front of me.

She sighed and shook her head, a mournful look on her face. “I just cleaned this kitchen floor.” My dusty, gooey footprints led in from the hallway.

I took a long sip of coffee. “Sorry, I needed some downtime after finishing work and knew the perfect place to come.” I patted the demon catching bag hanging from my black belt loop. It carried a particularly pesky demon I’d been tracking outside Willow Tree Falls for three long, stressful days. He’d not come quietly, but they rarely did. This spiteful demon had also showered me in bright green slime as he’d fought to stay out of my bag.

“You can also blame me for the visit,” Wiggles said from his seated position by my knee. “I heard you were baking some peach cobblers. That’s my favorite. Cora, you make the best cobbler.”

I grinned at him. So long as it was sweet, it was Wiggles’ favorite food. My hellhound had such a sweet tooth.

“You’re right. I am making cobbler,” Mom said. “There’s none for you. It’s for the party.”

I tilted my head, hoping I’d not forgotten anyone’s birthday. “Whose party?”

“Don’t tell me it’s not on your calendar.” Mom smiled. “It’s the highlight of your auntie’s year.”

I straightened in my seat. “It’s not her birthday, is it?”

Mom flapped a dishcloth at me. “Of course it isn’t. It’s the thirtieth reunion of your auntie’s biker gang. They’re all arriving. In fact, she’s out right now collecting two of them.”

I sipped more coffee, slowly relaxing now I was home and safe, and no demon was trying to gouge my favorite body parts. I had forgotten about the reunion party. Auntie Queenie used to run with the Dead Tree Witch biker gang. The gang was a force to be reckoned with in Willow Tree Falls, but that was a long time ago. They had a reunion every year and made a special effort every ten years to celebrate the trouble they’d gotten into over the decades.

“She’s been looking forward to this for months.”

“Auntie Queenie will have a great time. It’s the rest of us who’ll suffer,” I said.

Mom chuckled as she checked the contents of the oven. “It’s only right your auntie gets to blow off steam now and again.”

“It’s how much steam she blows off that’s the problem. Do you remember their twentieth anniversary reunion? They destroyed the fountain outside the mayor’s house.”

Mom twisted her mouth to the side. “It wasn’t so much destroyed as permanently altered.”

“Fountains aren’t supposed to spurt flames!”

Mom laughed. “I do remember the mayor’s face when he woke the next morning to find rivulets of fire dripping from his mermaid’s urn.”

“They never confessed to it, but it had to be them.”

“She’s promised they’ll all be on their best behavior. And they’re getting on a bit, so I can’t imagine they’ll be too much trouble.”

Auntie Queenie was Mom’s older sister, but she wasn’t that old. She was in her late fifties but acted like a woman half her age.

“I hope I’m like the gang when I’m that age.” They still acted like excited teenagers most of the time.

“I’m sure you will be. Although, the last time they met, Bastille complained of a lingering throat infection, and Samantha mentioned a sore hip. We can all be young at heart even when the body starts to misbehave.”

Dodgy hips or not, these witches were a handful. But their parties were always great, and they were fun to hang out with, always telling incredible stories about what they got up to when they were in the gang.

“We’re back!” Auntie Queenie called from the hallway. She bustled into the kitchen, a big smile on her face. Behind her were Esmeralda DuPont and Lila Beaumont.

Esmeralda was tall, thin, and pale with a sharp face and jet-black hair that I was certain she dyed.

Lila was a few years older and had a shock of ice-white hair that sat around her head in a fluffy cloud. She always had a smile on her plump face and a twinkle in her blue eyes.

Mom hurried over and hugged them both. “I hope you had pleasant journeys.”

“Mine was fine.” Esmeralda kissed her cheek and smiled at me.

“I can’t understand why you don’t remain in Willow Tree Falls all the time,” Auntie Queenie said. She passed by my seat and ruffled the top of my hair.

“I love my commune too much,” Lila said. “Us single witches need to stick together. The commune is a peaceful place, where we hone our skills and aren’t bothered by others.” Lila specialized in healing and water magic and had an affinity with the sea. Her commune was a short walk to a beautiful beach with long stretches of pristine sand and warm salt water pools you could bath in.

Auntie Queenie huffed as she took a bottle of brandy from the shelf and waved it in the air. “Is it too soon?”

“Not for me,” Lila said.

“Lovely! I’ll have some in my coffee,” Esmeralda said as she took a seat at the table. “The old place hasn’t changed. Queenie walked us around before we came here.”

“It’s the same as always.” Auntie Queenie passed around large brandies and coffee. “You’re still in that drafty old cottage on the moors?”

Esmeralda nodded. “It’s not drafty. It’s cozy. I get no interference from other people.”

“It must get lonely out there on your own.” Mom settled at the table with everybody and placed a plate of homemade chocolate chip cookies in the center.

“I’m actually thinking about downsizing,” Esmeralda said as she took a cookie.

“There’s always a place for you in Willow Tree Falls,” Auntie Queenie said. “It could be like old times if you come back.”

“My knees won’t take kindly to riding on a bike,” Esmeralda said. “I have trouble getting my leg over these days.”

Lila snorted coffee across the table. “So do I!”

The three women cackled with laughter.

“You can ride pillion with me,” Auntie Queenie said as she topped up the glasses.

Lila chuckled. “That would be a sight. Two aging biker chicks raising hell in Willow Tree Falls.”

“Less of the aging,” Auntie Queenie said. “I’ve got plenty of good years in me.”

I sat back and listened to their good-natured banter. It was always the same when the gang got back together. It seemed like no time had passed. They were quick to catch up with recent news and then spent the rest of the time reminiscing about the good old days when their gang ruled Willow Tree Falls.

“You need to watch what you say.” Auntie Queenie lifted her chin in my direction. “Tempest is in with the enemy these days.”

I frowned at her. “What do you mean?”

“She’s dating Rhett Blackthorn.” Auntie Queenie’s voice lowered to a conspiratorial whisper.

“That gang is still around.” Esmeralda sniffed in disapproval. “Maybe we should re-form and run them out of the village once and for all.”

“It’s a different crew these days,” Auntie Queenie said. “Tempest’s dating the leader.”

I waved a hand in front of my face. “It’s early days with Rhett. You can say whatever you like in front of me. It won’t get back to him.” It had been three months since I’d helped rescue Rhett from a curse. A curse that almost killed him. After his brush with death, I realized I had strong feelings for him and wanted to see where our relationship went. So far, it had gone well. We’d been on numerous dates, and I enjoyed his company. The kissing wasn’t bad either.

But we were taking it slowly. I wasn’t letting the fact my heart beat fast whenever I was around him affect my judgment. And I had history with Rhett and a pesky demon living inside me who stirred up trouble at inappropriate times. Dating was difficult when you came with a dark shadow, but Rhett was understanding.

“We’ll make sure not to talk about our revenge plots against Rhett and his gang.” Lila winked at me.

“Talk away. That gang can be trouble, but they’re mainly harmless.”

“It used to be a much rougher crowd,” Auntie Queenie said.

“So bad they ran us out of the village,” Esmeralda said.

There were disapproving mutters from Auntie Queenie and Lila about that unfortunate truth.

“I’m sure they used underhanded tactics,” Auntie Queenie said. “And they caught us at a weak moment. Only cowards do that.”

Mom tactfully cleared her throat. She’d seen many times how angry Auntie Queenie and her former gang members got when they discussed losing their place in Willow Tree Falls. “What plans have you got to celebrate this year?”

“We’re having a party in the forest,” Auntie Queenie said. “I’ve cleared it with Suki and Fallon. They’re fine with it so long as we don’t cause any damage and put out the fire.”

Suki and Fallon were the wood nymphs who looked after our forest. It wasn’t any old forest. It was full of magic and used to store powerful magical items that were best kept out of people’s way because of their destructive qualities.

“I’ve ordered plenty of food from Bite Me,” Auntie Queenie said.

“I’m glad we’re going sophisticated this time,” Esmeralda said. “I’m not a fan of pizzas and hotdogs like you provided last time.”

“I always say you can do the catering if you don’t like it,” Auntie Queenie said. “I thought we’d have something with a bit of pizzazz, given it’s been thirty years since we got together.”

The three women all looked at each other and grinned like excited school kids.

“It doesn’t seem like more than a few years since we were all here,” Lila said. “How can time go so fast?”

Esmeralda leaned forward, her eyes sparkling. “I’ve still got my bike in storage. I can’t part with the old girl, even though I don’t ride anymore.”

“You should have brought her with you,” Auntie Queenie said. “It would have been great to take her for a spin for old times’ sake.”

“You’re not allowed to ride,” Mom said. “Our magic barrier can only sustain so many hits.”

Auntie Queenie clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. “That was an accident. I don’t know why people bring that up. I can still ride if I have to.”

“What’s that you’ve got in your bag?” Lila pointed to the demon bag that hung from my belt.

“Tempest is still doing freelance demon hunting work for the angels,” Auntie Queenie said. She nodded at my bag. “Have we got company?”

“We have but not for long,” I said. “I only got back a few hours ago. I needed to recharge my batteries before facing the angels.”

“Have you got anyone interesting in there?” Lila leaned closer, her eyes glistening with interest.

“No one you’d like to meet,” I said. “He’s a sneaky one. He had me on the run for three days before I tracked him to a back alley behind an exotic dance bar.”

Auntie Queenie shook her head. “What is it with these demons? They’re either obsessed with girls dancing in sparkly thongs or lurking around takeout places. You’d think they’d have better things to do, like try to take over the world. But no, all they’re interested in is fast food and fast women.”

“Which is handy for me,” I said. “I know where to look, and I can grab some food after I’ve captured them.”

“Let me take a peek,” Lila said. “I haven’t had a rumble with a demon for years.” Her hand inched toward the bag.

“Best if we don’t let a demon loose in Mom’s kitchen.” I kept a tight hold on the bag.

“I’ll smack him down if he makes a scene.” Lila’s hand moved closer.

Mom jumped up and hurried to my chair, placing a barrier between me and Lila. “Tempest, it’s time you left. You’ve got that demon to deal with, and you must get cleaned up before you meet Caprice, Samantha, and Bastille.”

I slid her a sideways glance. I was grateful for the rescue from Lila’s inquisitive hand but hadn’t realized I was getting lumbered with collection duties for the rest of Auntie Queenie’s gang. “Can’t they find their own way here?”

Mom pulled my chair back and shooed me toward the door. “No, that’s not polite. You meet them at the barrier and show them to the hotel.”

“Someone needs to keep an eye on them,” Auntie Queenie said. “Those three are trouble when they get together.”

“We’ll see you at the party.” Mom ushered me into the hallway.

I stopped when we were by the door and out of earshot of the others. “What gives? Why are you so keen to get me out of here?”

Mom glanced over her shoulder. “Lila loves demons.”

“She does?”

“The last time they were here, I caught her snooping around the cemetery, looking for a crack. She wanted to meet a demon, test her skills, and make sure they hadn’t gotten rusty. I was worried she’d let out that demon you’re carrying. I can’t have that. He might destroy my peach cobblers.”

I arched an eyebrow. “That would be a crime.”

“It absolutely would.” Wiggles wandered out of the kitchen, his mouth full of something that looked suspiciously like peach cobbler.

Mom tilted her head and tutted. “Go on. Get out of here you two. And wipe some of that goo off your clothes, or they’ll think I raised a wildling.”

I looked down and shrugged as I saw the stains on my outfit. “It’s a part of the job.”

“Your auntie’s friends will think I don’t look after you properly.”

I kissed her cheek. “Mom, I can take care of myself. What time do I need to meet the rest of auntie’s party?”

Mom checked the time and gasped. “Five minutes! They’re arriving by the Green Man.”

“Then I’d better get a move on.” I hurried out of the house with Wiggles. There was no time for a change of clothes or clean-up of any kind. They’d have to take me as they found me. It wouldn’t be the first time they’d seen me smeared in some kind of gross demon residue.

Wiggles trotted along beside me as I broke into a jog. “I love Queenie’s reunions. They always know how to party.”

“You only love them because they give unlimited belly rubs,” I said.

“They have their priorities right,” Wiggles said. “Party hard, treat a hellhound right, and have fun.”

“Let’s make a quick detour. I need to dump this demon before we meet the others just in case they get interested in trying to set him free, as well.”

We changed direction and jogged to Angel Force’s headquarters. It was a huge, white building in the center of the village.

I pushed through the door to find Dazielle at the desk, talking to Cassiel.

“One demon, all yours.” I unclipped the bag from my belt and handed it to Dazielle.

“Good work.” She passed the bag to Cassiel, who vanished out the back to decant him into a safe container. “I hear your auntie’s having a party tonight.”

“Good news spreads fast. Don’t be offended if your invitation got lost in the post.” Dazielle had a habit of accusing Auntie Queenie of things she hadn’t done, and there was no love lost between them.

Dazielle smirked. “Tell her to be careful. I know what she’s like.”

“She knows how to have fun. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

“Even so, keep an eye on her and her misbehaving friends. I don’t need a bunch of overexcited, middle-aged witches causing havoc in Willow Tree Falls.”

“There might be a little havoc, but I’ll see if I can keep a lid on things.”

Cassiel returned and handed me my now empty bag.

“Make sure you do,” Dazielle said. “I’ll arrest them for disorderly conduct if things get out of hand.”

“That’ll look good in the local paper: Police Chief Harasses Overexcited Middle-Aged Witches Reunion Shocker!!!”

Dazielle sniffed. “I’ll treat them the same as anyone else if they break the law.”

“You should come to the party,” Wiggles said, “so long as you promise not to be a party pooper. I’ll see if I can get you in.”

“I have better things to do than hang out with a bunch of eccentric witches,” Dazielle said.

“Washing your hair?” I asked.

Her eyes narrowed. “Maybe. But I might drop by to make sure they aren’t causing problems.”

“We look forward to it. If you’re bringing nibbles, we’re low on salty snacks.” I shook my head as we headed out of the building. Auntie Queenie would not want any angels at her party ruining the vibe.

I raced to the edge of the magic barrier where a broken hunk of green stone, known to locals as the Green Man, rested against a lightning struck oak.

I was just in time to see three women emerge. Their images looked misty as they passed through the magic.

Samantha Smythe-Barrow was easy to spot. She was a curvy witch with flame red hair and green eyes. She carried her fifty-five years well and often caught men’s attention.

Bastille Drew was next. She’d always been the quiet one of the group. She had a neat gray bob, a fondness for long cardigans, and lots of silver rings.

Caprice Gray was the final arrival, with a neat dark pixie cut, a willowy figure, and intense dark eyes.

They all waved at me as I approached.

“Tempest, it’s lovely to see you.” Samantha air kissed either side of my cheeks. She was the refined one of the group until she’d had a few drinks.

“We’ve been so looking forward to our visit,” Caprice said. “Where’s Queenie?”

“Entertaining Esmeralda and Lila,” I said. “She asked me to take you to the hotel.”

“Lovely, and you must join us later on.” Caprice grabbed my elbow and walked alongside me. “We’re going to have such fun.”

“I’ll definitely drop by,” I said.

“You must stay all night,” Caprice said. “I want to hear all your news.”

“Watch out. I spot trouble.” Samantha grabbed Caprice and Bastille’s arms and yanked them to a stop, her gaze narrowing as she stared across the street.

I looked over to where she was staring, and my eyes widened. Rhett and his entire gang sat astride their bikes in a single line of leather-clad menace. They hadn’t been there when I’d hurried past a moment ago.

“If they’re trying to intimidate us, it’s failing.” Caprice lifted her chin and stared them down. “They’re little boys on big bikes that they don’t know how to handle.”

“They’re fine,” I said. “Give me a minute, though, and I’ll make sure they’re not after anything.”

“They’ll find my foot whacking them in the backside if they spoil our fun,” Caprice hollered, loud enough so they could all hear.

I hurried over to Rhett, hoping the blush I felt hadn’t spread to my cheeks. “You look like you mean business.”

“Just making sure our new arrivals are appropriately welcomed.” Rhett grinned at me and winked.

“Your gang rivalry was a long time ago, before you were head of this gang,” I said.

“It’s tradition when former gang members arrive in the village. It never hurts to remind them who’s in charge,” Rhett said. “We might be the new generation, but old grudges stick.”

I shook my head. “Look at them. They’re middle-aged women. They—”

“Incoming!” Josh yelled.

Rhett grabbed me and yanked me against his chest as something hot and magic-laced shot past us.

“Sorry!” Samantha shouted. “My aim’s a little off.”

I peered over Rhett’s shoulder to see a flaming purple rock behind us. I turned toward her. “A little! You almost took my head off.”

“See what I mean?” Rhett brushed my dark hair off my face, amusement glinting in his eyes. “They might have a few wrinkles, but those witches have power. They’re not our fans, so we return the favor.”

I nodded, my attention shifting to his mouth. “They won’t be a problem. They’re only here for a couple of days.”

“They might be. Those witches have a lot of power, especially when they get together.” Rhett’s gaze moved over my shoulder, and his fingers tightened on my back.

I turned to see Caprice shoot a green flame into the air, her glare fixed on the gang.

I groaned and rubbed my forehead. “Okay, so they’re powerful witches. They still won’t cause you any trouble. They’re here to get merry, drink too much, and talk about old times.”

Rhett scrubbed his stubbled chin before nodding. “Are we still on for tomorrow night?”

I grinned at him. “Of course. Tonight, I have to take care of this lot, but I’m free tomorrow.” Rhett had asked to take me stargazing. I wasn’t sure I’d enjoy it, but if it meant alone time with Rhett, snuggled on a blanket, I was willing to experiment.

“I’ll pick you up at ten. We won’t get the best view until midnight.”

“Not a problem.” I glanced at the other members of his gang, who were watching the three witches with scowls on their faces, before giving him a quick kiss. “See you tomorrow.”

I felt the urge to skip as I hurried away from Rhett. It was silly, but he always made me feel like a teenage girl with a giant crush.

Caprice shot another bout of flame into the air, and Samantha and Bastille laughed as I drew near.

I doused the flames with my own magic. “That’s enough showing off.”

Caprice raised her neat eyebrows at me. “You’re having a dalliance with Rhett Blackthorn?”

I shrugged. “Sort of.”

“What does Queenie think about that?” Samantha asked.

“If I’m happy, she’s happy. Do you have an issue with who I date?”

Samantha laughed. “When he’s as hot as that, of course not. It’s just a shame he runs that rabble.”

I turned and smiled at Rhett. “They aren’t so bad when you get past the attitudes.”

“I’m itching to try out my new ice spell,” Caprice said. “I should see if these big, tough guys fancy a little frost on their beards.”

“No! No frost on anything.” I blew out a breath. “Let’s get to the hotel.”

“Just a little spell,” Caprice said. “I promise not to hurt any of them.” Ice danced across the ground toward the bikers.

“Wiggles.” I pointed at the ice.

He sucked in a breath and belched out a hot steam of brimstone laced smoke, melting the ice.

“Oh, you’re no fun, you bad puppy.” Caprice pouted.

Wiggles shrugged. “I had trapped wind. If I hold it in, I get a stomach ache.”

Caprice frowned. “I’m still keeping an eye on that gang. I don’t trust them.”

“No one does.” I tilted my head in the direction of the hotel. “Let’s get a move on. You don’t want to be late for the fun.”

These witches might be retired from the gang, but they were still a big handful of mischief.

Chapter 2

The mission I’d been forced into accepting by Mom that evening was to keep Auntie Queenie and her gang of delinquent buddies in line. If none of them got arrested and ended up in the angels’ cells, I’d consider it a win.

After depositing Auntie Queenie’s friends at the hotel, I’d headed to Cloven Hoof for a quick shower and a change of clothes. It was never polite to go to a party stinking of demon.

I now sat by an open fire in the forest with two forkfuls of melting marshmallows in my hands.

All of Auntie Queenie’s friends sat around the fire, drinking spiced red wine from fancy gold chalices and chatting about old times. Nearly everyone from the family was here. The only ones missing were Grandpa Lucius and Uncle Kenny, who were at the cemetery keeping an eye on the demons.

I passed a fork of melted marshmallows to Aurora, who sat beside me, dressed in a fluffy white jacket and knee-high black boots, her hair hidden under a woolen hat.

She scooped off a finger of gooey marshmallow and blew on her finger. “That’s hot!”

“Fire tends to make things warm. You should wait until they’ve cooled.”

“No way.” Aurora squashed the gooey marshmallow between two chocolate cookies before taking a bite and handing me half.

We both looked over and smiled as Auntie Queenie roared with laughter and slapped Lila on the back.

“She’s still got it,” Aurora said. “I hope we’re like her when we’re her age.”

“Crazy, drinking too much brandy, and reading inappropriate books about how to spice up your love life?”

Aurora laughed. “Exactly. It’ll be me and you, drunk, half-mad, and reading smutty novels. I can’t wait.”

That did sound like fun. I thought about Frank, and some of my happiness faded. He was behaving himself and had barely stirred all evening, even when Aurora sat next to me with a bag of marshmallows and two toasting forks. Would I still have a demon living inside me when I was Auntie Queenie’s age? Maybe he wouldn’t let me live that long.

I shook my head. It was no time for maudlin thoughts. This was a party, and I was determined to enjoy myself.

Wiggles bounced around between everyone, accepting belly rubs and treats whenever he could. He loved nothing more than a good party.

“Look out. We’ve got company.” Lila jumped to her feet, her eyes narrowed.

I squinted through the gloom into the trees. Two shadowy figures stood outside the light of the fire. I tensed and rose slowly to my feet. Who would want to snoop on our party?

“Can you see who it is?” Aurora whispered.

“I’m not sure. They don’t look friendly.” I handed the other forkful of marshmallows to her and accessed my magic, sparking it on my fingers if I needed it in a hurry.

“You’re not welcome here,” Lila said sharply. “Get out before we run you out.”

“Who is it?” Auntie Queenie joined her, along with Bastille.

“Two of those boys we saw when we arrived this afternoon,” Samantha said. “I recognize the one on the left because of his ridiculous beard.”

I sighed and shook my head. “I’ll deal with this.” Rhett’s gang wouldn’t be daft enough to come into the forest. They all knew what we were up to tonight. They must be looking for trouble if they were paying us a visit.

“You stay where you are. We’ve got this.” Samantha and Caprice strode toward the bikers, sparks of yellow magic flaring from their fingers.

“There’s no need for that.” Alarm spilled through me as I saw the focused intent on the witches’ faces. They weren’t playing around.

“Don’t mind them. They’re having fun,” Auntie Queenie said as she settled back on her upturned log. “It’s been awhile since any of us has gone up against the gang. It gets the juices flowing to have someone to battle with.”

“It won’t be fun if the fight gets serious,” I said, my gaze not leaving Samantha and Caprice.

“Quick! They’re making a run for it,” Caprice said.

“Let’s see if this puts them off of snooping on our fun.” Samantha rolled a large ball of sparking electricity between her hands before flinging it after the retreating figures.

Two loud yelps and a torrent of angry curses filled the air as her magic made contact.

Samantha and Caprice laughed and clutched each other as they returned to their seats by the fire.

“You hit your targets,” I said.

“I did. That was fun,” Samantha said. “We must celebrate seeing off those rogues.”

More wine was poured and chocolate covered buns passed around.

“We should start up the gang again,” Esmeralda said. “I miss the fun we had.”

“If my joints could take it, I’d be right behind you,” Caprice said. “Every time I move these days, something aches.”

“I’ve got an herbal remedy that might help,” Aurora said. “It’s good for aching joints.”

Caprice patted her cheek, her face glowing, thanks to the wine. “You’re such a sweet girl. I’ll give it a try.”

“Too much has happened since the gang broke up,” Bastille said softly. “We’ve all changed.”

“Speak for yourself,” Auntie Queenie said. “I’m no different from when I was eighteen. I remember my first ride on a bike like it was yesterday. The wind in my hair and my skirt blowing up around my thighs. I’d never felt so free.”

“You never wore a helmet.” Bastille stared into the flames. “We all know why that is.”

Auntie Queenie cocked her head, and her eyes narrowed. “Why don’t you tell us just in case anyone’s forgotten?”

I glanced at Aurora. I’d seen Auntie Queenie and Bastille bicker before. It was always over the same thing. Uncle Kenny.

“You wanted to catch a certain person’s eye,” Bastille said. “You thought he wouldn’t notice you if you had a safety helmet on. And you used to wear those ridiculously short skirts on that bike. It’s a wonder you weren’t arrested for indecent exposure.”

“Those skirts allowed me to move easily on the bike, and nothing stuck in the spokes,” Auntie Queenie said. “There’s nothing wrong with that.”

“It made you look easy,” Bastille said.

Auntie Queenie sucked in a breath, and her lips thinned.

“Now, now,” Mom said. “You were young and enjoying yourselves. We’ve all got an inappropriate skirt in our closet.”

“Bastille’s still jealous,” Aurora whispered. “You’d think she’d let it go after all these years.”

I nodded. It was no secret that Uncle Kenny had dated Bastille before Auntie Queenie. They’d been together for six months when Queenie had caught his eye. He always said it was love at first sight. He saw her, and no other woman mattered. He always called her his beacon of light, although, perhaps the short skirt had helped.

Once they’d met, he’d ended things with Bastille. It was a long time ago, but Bastille had trouble letting go.

“Bastille never married,” Aurora said quietly.

“She must have dated after Uncle Kenny,” I said. “He’s a lovely guy, but he’s not the only lovely guy on the planet.” To look at Uncle Kenny, you’d never think he was such a stud in his youth. He was quiet, polite, and reserved. A kind-hearted guy who always looked out for others and kept his head down and out of trouble.

“Maybe she thought he was her true love,” Aurora said. “When you find it, you just know.” She sighed and gazed at the stars.

Aurora was besotted by Toby Matlock. So far, she was still not telling anybody else about him but did keep dropping hints about them moving in together. Any day now, she’d have to come clean and let everyone know what she was doing. I’d make sure not to be around when that happened.

Grandpa Lucius strode through the forest toward the fire. He gave everyone a cheery wave as he looked around. “Having fun, ladies?”

Granny Dottie hopped up and kissed his cheek. “Of course. Don’t tell me it’s a shift change already. I was just getting going.”

“Afraid so, old girl. The demons request the presence of your delightful company.”

“Where’s Uncle Kenny?” Aurora stood. She was joining Granny Dottie for a shift in the cemetery.

Grandpa Lucius rubbed the back of his neck. “He stayed behind. He didn’t want things to get tense around here.” He looked pointedly at Bastille.

“Understood,” Granny Dottie said briskly. “There’s no point in opening old wounds.”

“Ancient wounds more like,” I muttered. Bastille needed to get over having a crush on my uncle. It was sort of creepy.

“Come on.” Granny Dottie linked arms with Aurora. “Let’s go bash some misbehaving demons.”

I said goodbye to them and settled back in my seat, soaking up the atmosphere and enjoying some delicious cobbler Mom had baked for the party.

Samantha looked around the group, a smile on her lips. “I just remembered the time we snuck into the thermal spas and dyed the water.”

Caprice snorted a laugh. “It was the day before the mayor brought his fancy friends to visit.”

Auntie Queenie roared with laughter. “After they had a dip, they came out purple.”

I joined in the laughter as I ate my cobbler. This was what life was all about. Great friends, close family, and incredible desserts.

***

It wasn’t until almost midnight when the party broke up.

All of Auntie Queenie’s friends staggered away toward the hotel, while Mom and Grandpa Lucius did a quick clear up and made sure the fire was out.

Auntie Queenie leaned heavily on my shoulder as I helped her to her feet.

“Did you have a fun night?” I asked her.

“The best.” She planted a sloppy kiss on my cheek. “Those girls are incredible. Absolutely nuts, but brilliant fun. When I’m with them, I know someone has my back. That was the incredible thing about being part of the gang. You knew you had someone looking out for you. No matter how bad things got, they were always there.”

“It sounds awesome.”

She hiccupped and giggled. “I might have had a bit too much wine.”

I smiled. “Just a bit.”

“It won’t be many more years before I’m too old to party. I have to enjoy myself while I can.”

“You know that’s not true,” I said. “You’ll be partying long after I’m gone.”

That comment earned me another kiss.

“Let’s get you home,” I said.

Mom loaded Grandpa Lucius with leftover food and empty dishes and sent him on ahead before grabbing Auntie Queenie’s other arm and wrapping it around her shoulders. “You old lush. You’re setting a bad example for Tempest and Aurora.”

“It was a little fun,” Auntie Queenie slurred. “My nieces are too sensible to follow my example.”

Mom shook her head and looked at me. “This is not the way you’re supposed to live your life.”

“You said it yourself. There’s no harm in letting off steam,” I said.

“Toot, toot,” Auntie Queenie said. “I feel like I’m all puffed out after tonight.”

“I couldn’t help but notice things got tense with Bastille.”

Auntie Queenie waved a hand as if conducting an orchestra. “Take no notice of her. We both loved the same man, but I won him. There are no hard feelings. Bastille sees how happy Kenny makes me and how happy I make him.” She started singing out of tune as we walked slowly back to the house.

Uncle Kenny opened the door as we arrived. He chuckled and shook his head. “Had a good night, beautiful?”

Auntie Queenie flung her arms around his neck and gave him a big smooch. “The best. You’re the best. Have I ever told you I love you?”

“Only every day of our married life.” He grinned at me and Mom. “I’ll take it from here.”

“Are you going to carry me up the stairs?” Auntie Queenie asked.

“Not unless you want me to put my back out,” Uncle Kenny said as he guided her to the stairs. “That’s it. One step at a time. We’ll get there.”

I stood at the bottom of the stairs with Mom until we were sure they weren’t going to topple down in a drunken heap.

Mom walked into the kitchen and switched on the kettle. “Do you want a mug of cocoa before bed?”

“That sounds good.” I curled my feet underneath me, and Wiggles settled by the chair, exhausted after his fun night of partying and food. “Bastille still seems hung up on Uncle Kenny.”

“She took it hard when they got together.” Mom made the cocoa and sat next to me at the table.

“They were only teenagers when they dated. She couldn’t have expected it to last.”

“She absolutely did,” Mom said. “Your auntie makes light of it now, but they weren’t friends for a long time. It was all because Kenny chose Queenie over Bastille.”

“He didn’t mess them around?” Uncle Kenny was the sweetest of guys. I couldn’t imagine him fooling with people’s emotions.

“No, your uncle was straight down the line. He was clear with Bastille. He said he cared for her, but he was in love with Queenie. Bastille tried to win him back and used several underhanded tactics. She even tried to get him drunk and seduce him.”

“No way! Bastille’s so quiet. You’d never think she was so devious by looking at her.” I liked Bastille, but she’d always been a little stand-offish, not like the others who always wrapped me in warm hugs and gave me too many kisses.

“Bastille had a habit of asking Kenny out, just as a friend, and then trying to win him back.”

I frowned. “I’m glad she failed.”

“So am I. That’s why your uncle stayed away from the party. He didn’t want to upset Bastille. He’d like to be her friend, but it’s not possible. And he’d hate to rub her nose in it if Bastille saw Queenie with him. For years after they were married, Bastille still wrote your uncle love notes, trying to convince him he’d made a mistake.”

“That’s plain weird,” I said. “Six months in a relationship with Uncle Kenny, and she can’t let him go. He’s a nice guy, but...”

“Your uncle is a special guy,” Mom said.

“Even so, that’s unhealthy.”

“It is. But suddenly, she stopped. I always figured Bastille had found someone else.”

“But she never married.”

“No, and I don’t think she even dated. Bastille leads a quiet life. She stayed in the gang, but after moving out of Willow Tree Falls, she wasn’t a regular. She’d drop in and out and keep in touch with the other members, but she was a part-time member. She found it too painful and didn’t want to risk seeing Queenie and Kenny together and so obviously happy.”

“It sounds like she needs to get a life,” I said. “She has to have moved on by now.”

“You’d think so. Speaking of moving on.” Mom arched an eyebrow. “How are things going with you and Rhett?”

“Oh, you know, they’re going.” I downed my cocoa. If Mom was going to quiz me about my love life, it was time to leave.

“When can I expect him for dinner?”

“In about ten years.”

She swatted the back of my hand. “Tempest, if he’s going to be a significant part of your life, he needs to be a part of our family. We need to welcome him.”

“You mean hassle him. Rhett’s a new part of my life, and we’re taking things slowly. You know it’s not straightforward to date me.”

“Even if you didn’t have a demon living inside you, it wouldn’t be straightforward. That doesn’t mean I can’t give your boyfriend a home-cooked meal now and again. I worry about those biker boys and what they eat. They always seem to be eating pizza.”

“Tate makes a mean pizza. I could live off his pizza every day.”

Mom tutted. “You tell Rhett that any time he wants a decent feed to come here. We’d all love to see him again.”

“And by see him, you mean grill him about his intentions toward me and scare him off.”

“There might be some gentle grilling.” She stroked a strand of my dark hair off my face. “After all, I need to make sure you’re treated well and looked after.”

“You can be sure that, if Rhett ever mistreats me, it will be the last time I see him. I’m a big girl.”

“You can be as big as you like. I’ll always keep looking after you.” Mom jumped up and wrapped two pieces of peach cobbler. “Take this with you, but don’t eat it for breakfast.”

I grinned at her. “As if I would.”

She kissed my cheek as she walked me to the door.

Wiggles wandered along behind us, his nose in the air as he smelt the peach cobbler.

“I expect your auntie won’t be up early tomorrow.”

“From the amount of wine she drank tonight, it will be a miracle if she surfaces all week.”

“It takes more than some spiced wine to knock her off her feet.” Mom waved us goodbye as we headed out the door and into the quiet lane.

Tonight had been a lot of fun. I’d sort of failed in my mission to keep everyone in line, but it had been an enjoyable failure. And everyone, so long as I discounted Rhett’s idiot gang members, had come out unscathed.

Wiggles nudged me with his nose as we walked back to Cloven Hoof. “Peach cobbler for breakfast?”

I grinned at him. “Of course. What other option is there?”

Chapter 3

I sat bolt upright in my bed, my heart racing.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

There it was. That noise hadn’t been in my head.

Wiggles opened one eye and stared at me. “What is that?”

“I think it’s a who. And whoever’s banging on our door this early had better have a good excuse.” The thudding came again. They weren’t going away.

I reluctantly slid out of my cozy bed and shuffled to the door. I pulled it open, ready to give whoever dared invade my sleep a piece of my mind.

“Tempest! Something terrible has happened.” Auntie Queenie stood in front of me, her hair a disheveled mess and her dressing gown on over her checked pajamas.

I caught hold of her hand, worry flooding through me as I saw she’d been crying. “What’s the matter? It’s not Mom? Is everything okay at home?”

She covered her mouth with her hand for a second. “It’s Bastille. She’s dead.”

I gasped and wrapped Auntie Queenie in a tight hug. “Come in. You’ve had a shock.” I was just as shocked. Bastille wasn’t much older than Auntie Queenie. She was too young to die.

“No, I don’t have time. I need to get back to the hotel.” Auntie Queenie stepped away and scrubbed the tears off her cheeks. “I thought you could help me.”

“Of course, whatever you need. Give me five minutes, and I’ll come with you.” I couldn’t let Auntie Queenie go to the hotel alone. I gestured her into my apartment. “Do you know what happened?”

Auntie Queenie bit her bottom lip. “She was always a kind, quiet soul. She had a dark sense of humor that could offend if you didn’t know her well, but she never meant anything by it. I can’t believe this has happened.”

“Of course you can’t.” I hugged Auntie Queenie again. I’d never seen her look so shocked. “Have you seen her? Did she die in her sleep?”

“No, nothing like that. I didn’t get a good look at her body when I went to the hotel. I got a message on the snow globe from Tabitha to let me know what was going on.”

Tabitha Dimples ran the hotel everyone was staying in. “So, what did happen?”

Auntie Queenie swallowed as a tear trickled down her cheek. “There’s a possibility it was a demon attack.”

My mouth fell open. “A demon loose in Willow Tree Falls. That’s not possible. We’d know about it.”

She clasped her hands together, her bottom lip trembling. “What if one escaped from the cemetery and we missed it?”

“There’s not a chance of that. We don’t mess around when we’re on duty at the cemetery.” My eyes narrowed as I looked at the guilty expression on her face. “Do we?”

Auntie Queenie looked away. “I can get caught up in my steamy romances. They’re so distracting. I lose myself in them when I’m taking notes.”

“Distracting enough that you’d let a demon sneak past?”

She sighed. “I hope not. What if it happened, though? I could have set a demon loose, and he killed my friend.”

“No, this isn’t your fault. If a demon so much as pokes his ugly head out of the prison, we know about it. This can’t be a demon from our prison.” At least, I hoped it wasn’t, or we were in huge trouble.

Auntie Queenie wrung her hands together. “If it wasn’t a demon, something awful happened to Bastille. It wasn’t a natural death. The smell...” she looked away and wiped her cheeks with her fingers.

“Wait right here.” I raced into the bedroom and threw on the first clothes I could find. “It’s time to get up.” I nudged Wiggles as I pushed my feet into my boots.

“What’s going on?” he grumbled.

“Auntie Queenie’s had a shock. We need to help her.” I sorted through my laundry basket and found an over-sized black pullover.

Wiggles yawned and rolled off the bed. He stretched before trotting in front of me back into the living room. “What’s up, Auntie Q?”

“Oh, Wiggles.” She bent and wrapped him in a huge hug. “I’m in need of your nose.”

He wriggled in her tight embrace and glared at me. “What do you need my nose for?”

Auntie Queenie stifled a sob. “To help my dead friend.” She buried her nose in his fur.

“Let’s go see what’s happening at the hotel.” I helped Auntie Queenie to her feet and handed her the pullover. “Put this on. It’s chilly outside.”

She looked at her clothes and laughed sadly. “I didn’t even think about getting dressed when I heard the news. I raced straight to the hotel. I leaped right over your uncle, who was still sound asleep.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll get this figured out.” We left Cloven Hoof and hurried to the hotel. It was still early. The sun hadn’t long been up, and there was a chill in the air.

Only a couple of stores were open, and I looked longingly at Brogan’s cafe and wondered if I dared sneak in and grab a coffee. But Auntie Queenie was focused on getting to the hotel. My coffee would have to wait.

Auntie Queenie shook her head. “I’d planned to meet the girls for breakfast, make the most of the day while we’re all here. Everyone will be devastated by what’s happened.”

“Who found Bastille?”

“Samantha. She’s always been an early riser. She knocked on her door and found it open. There was no sign of Bastille inside. Samantha went out the back and found her.”

“Where was she found?”

“Behind the hotel. Tabitha has a private garden for residents to use. Samantha ran in screaming. Tabitha called me and asked for my help.”

“Was Bastille killed outside?”

“I don’t know. I can’t think clearly. That’s why I came to get you. I knew you’d help. You’re so good at puzzling things through. I don’t know what she was doing outside.”

“Maybe she went out to get some air if she couldn’t sleep.”

Auntie Queenie dabbed at her eyes. “Tempest, I’ll never forgive myself if this happened because of me.”

“Don’t think like that. We need to find out what happened before we worry about the prison. It can’t be one of our demons involved.”

“I can’t help it. Bastille didn’t deserve this.”

I watched as an angel descended from the sky and landed outside the hotel. “Angel Force has been informed?”

“Tabitha messaged them before making contact with me. They’ve sealed off the garden and are looking around. I overheard Dazielle mention demons, which is when I started panicking.”

“What makes them think it was a demon?”

“Bastille’s skin has been burned. It looks like she was grabbed and choked by someone with hot hands. Demon hot hands.”

A shudder ran through me. This wasn’t sounding good.

We reached the hotel where a small crowd was gathered at the front. Among them was Aurora and Granny Dottie.

I hurried over, keeping a tight hold of Auntie Queenie. “What are you doing here?”

“I was opening the store when I heard the news,” Aurora said. “We had to come and see. Poor Bastille, this is horrible.”

I nodded. “You both took the late shift at the cemetery last night. Were the demons acting up?”

“No,” Aurora said. “It was quiet.”

“No demons tried to get out or cause a distraction?”

Aurora’s eyes widened. “I heard the angels mention demons. Did a demon kill Bastille?”

“We’re not sure,” I said.

“I am,” Auntie Queenie whispered. “I got a glimpse of Bastille.”

“I’m sure no demon escaped on our watch.” Aurora’s cheeks paled as she turned to Granny Dottie. “We didn’t let anyone out, did we?”

“Absolutely not.” Granny Dottie wrapped an arm around Aurora’s shoulders. “We were there the whole time, and nothing stirred. There’s no chance a demon crept out and did this to Bastille.”

Samantha, Lila, Caprice, and Esmeralda hurried over, all looking as pale and shocked as Auntie Queenie.

The women all talked at the same time, comforting each other and hugging. Hankies were produced and shared to mop wet eyes and noses.

“Auntie Queenie, stay here with the others,” I said. “I’ll see what I can find out from the angels.”

I left her with Aurora, Granny Dottie and the others and headed through the hotel to the back door and into the garden with Wiggles.

We were stopped by a large, blond, broad-shouldered angel, who peered down at me and fluttered his wings. “Nobody gets through. This is a crime scene.”

“I can go through. I’m sort of a consultant,” I said. I didn’t recognize this angel. He must be a new recruit. He sure was an attractive one, if you liked your guys seven feet tall, muscled, and blue-eyed.

The angel’s eyes narrowed. “I know who you are. Dazielle doesn’t want anyone in until the scene has been examined.”

“Is Dazielle here?” I tried to look past the angel but was blocked by a wall of white feathers.

“She is.”

“Is there any chance I can have a word with her?”

“I’ll see if she’s available. Wait here.” The angel walked away. He spoke to a colleague, who came closer, her attention on me.

I knelt next to Wiggles. “How do you fancy a sneaky look at the crime scene? See what happened to Bastille.”

Wiggles’ eyes gleamed red. “I’d be happy to if you can provide the distraction so I don’t get stomped by those horrors in white.” He eyed the angels as they discussed me and shook their heads.

I walked over to them. The other angel was also new and just as attractive with long blonde hair, curves a guy would kill to touch, and big, blue eyes.

“What do you think happened?”

The angel eyed me with suspicion. “That’s what we’re trying to find out.”

I stuck my hand out. “I’m Tempest Crypt. We’ve not met.”

The angel nodded but didn’t shake my hand. “Dazielle warned me about you.”

“That’s lovely to hear. Do you have a name?”

“I do.”

This wasn’t going well. It looked like I was in Dazielle’s bad books again. I shifted to the right, and the angels matched my step just as I hoped they would. It meant Wiggles could sneak past unnoticed, which was exactly what he did.

“What theories do you have as to the cause of death?” I asked. “I heard a rumor it could be a demon.”

The beautiful blond angel glanced at her colleague. “You shouldn’t listen to rumors.”

“Tempest!”

I looked past the mean angels to see the smiling face of my favorite cute but dumb angel, Dominic.

“Hey, Dominic. How’s everything going?”

He grinned at me. “I’m not loving this early start, but other than that, things are good. How about you?”

“No complaints.” I walked away from the grumpy angels and took Dominic with me. “What are you thinking happened here?”

Dominic scratched his head. “It’s hard to say. The body’s in a bad way. Whatever got her, it was something hot.”

“Demon hot?”

The other angels, who were clearly listening in to our private conversation, cleared their throats.

Dominic glanced over his shoulder. “It could be. But you have a handle on all the demons. You wouldn’t let one loose in Willow Tree Falls, would you?”

“Not a chance. Our prison is impenetrable. And if any were on the loose and causing trouble, you’d know about it.”

“That’s right, and we’d call you in to deal with it. We make a great team.” His grin widened. He was the only angel I knew who was always happy to see me.

Shouts rang out in the garden, followed by the sounds of a scuffle. It looked like Wiggles had been discovered doing his undercover sleuthing. I hoped he’d had a chance to look around before he was caught.

Dominic turned and straightened his spine as Dazielle strode toward us. She had something wrapped in her wings, and I’d lay money on what it was.

“Tempest! You must control your hellhound.” She opened her wings.

Wiggles dropped to the floor. He shook out his fur and scowled at Dazielle. “I was taking a morning walk. There’s no crime in that.”

“There is when you’re deliberately nosing around a closed crime scene,” Dazielle said. “And I know why you’re doing that.” She glared at me. “Keep him out of here.”

“He was curious, as we all are. What do you think happened?”

Dazielle shook her head. “This one isn’t for you.”

“Was it a demon attack?”

Dazielle’s eyes narrowed. “Most likely, but we need more time here before we can say for certain. Go home. There’s nothing you can do.” She stalked off.

I shrugged. “See you around, Dominic.”

“Sure! Anytime you want to catch up over a drink, you just let me know.”

I raised a hand in acknowledgement as I walked away with Wiggles. “What do you think happened?”

“It looks demon related to me,” he said. “Bastille has burn marks around her neck. It looks like she was choked to death. Her skin is charred like overcooked barbecue chicken.”

I wrinkled my nose. “Let’s not mention the chicken reference to Auntie Queenie.”

“She’s already seen her. She knows how bad it is.”

“Even so, she doesn’t need the reminder. Bastille was her friend.”

Wiggles nodded. “And the body is cold. Bastille’s been dead for hours.”

“Maybe she didn’t even make it to bed. Bastille could have come back to the hotel and gone outside straightaway.” But why would she do that? Something must have tempted her outside on a chilly evening.

I walked out the front of the hotel, back to where the others stood.

“What news?” Auntie Queenie asked.

“Not much. Dazielle wasn’t all that helpful. Wiggles had a look around, but it’s not looking good. It might be a demon.”

Auntie Queenie shook her head. “A demon slaying in our village. I never thought I’d see such a horror.”

“Let’s go home,” Granny Dottie said. “We’ve all had a shock. We need strong tea and something fortifying inside us.”

“Good idea,” Aurora said. “I’ll make everyone breakfast.”

“I can’t eat,” Auntie Queenie said. “But a cup of strong coffee will be good.”

“Hold it right there.” Dazielle strode over before we had a chance to leave. “Queenie, I need to take your statement as soon as possible. You were one of the first to find Bastille.”

She nodded, her eyes wide and tear-filled. “Of course. If I can help, I will.”

“We’re going back to our house for breakfast,” Granny Dottie said. “We’ll take everyone with us, so we’ll all be there when you want to take statements.”

“No, that won’t happen.” Dazielle glared at the group. “Queenie and her friends are all suspects.”

The group erupted, everyone protesting their innocence and talking over each other.

Dazielle raised a hand and waited for the shouting to die down. “This isn’t up for discussion. You were all together last night. I need to speak with you separately to confirm alibis. Until I do that, you can’t remain together.”

“I thought Bastille was killed by a demon,” Aurora said.

Dazielle pursed her lips. “It’s possible but not definite. The evidence isn’t conclusive. Until I know for certain what happened, you’re all under suspicion.”

This caused another flurry of objections.

“We’re not going to spend the morning getting our stories straight if that’s what you’re worried about,” I said.

Her eyes narrowed. “That’s exactly what I’m worried about. Bastille was murdered. Until I determine your alibis, you stay apart. If I have to, I’ll arrest you all and put you in separate cells so you can’t talk. I’m hoping you’ll be sensible enough not to force me to do that.”

“What are we supposed to do while we wait for you to interview us?” Auntie Queenie asked.

“I suggest you go your separate ways. Everyone staying in the hotel needs to go to your room.”

“That’s not right. We’ll be prisoners,” Samantha said.

“No, you’ll be making it easier for me to catch the killer,” Dazielle said. “It won’t take long, and this way is more comfortable.”

“What about me and Tempest?” Auntie Queenie asked. “I can’t lock myself in a room.”

“Of course you won’t,” Granny Dottie said. “You’re coming home. The angels can’t object to that.”

Dazielle hesitated, her suspicious gaze shifting from me to Auntie Queenie. “No discussing what happened.”

“We won’t mention it,” Auntie Queenie said before nudging me.

Dazielle glared at me. “I’m serious. No talking about last night. You were both there as was the rest of your family. If I get a sniff you’re hiding anything, I’ll drag everyone in for questioning. I’ll make sure the whole village sees you’re under suspicion for murder.”

Dazielle would be mean enough and dumb enough to do just that. “We’re all innocent. And Bastille was a friend. No one in this group would hurt her.”

“That’s what I need to find out. I’ll be in touch to take your statements.”

After lots of hugging and promises to meet later, the group dispersed, and Auntie Queenie’s friends headed into the hotel.

Auntie Queenie grabbed my hand. “Tempest, help me find out what happened to Bastille. I can’t imagine any of my friends harming her, and it wasn’t any of us, but someone wanted her dead.”

I wrapped my arms around her. “Of course I’ll help. I liked Bastille. We’ll get whoever did this.”

“And make them pay.” Auntie Queenie squeezed me so tightly I worried a rib might crack. “We’ll get them and teach them a lesson.”

“Come on.” Granny Dottie extracted me from Auntie Queenie’s grip. “Let’s get back to the house, and we can figure out this mess together.”

I shook my head. “Why don’t you and Aurora head to the cemetery? Check everything is okay with the prison.”

“Good idea. We can’t have those angels thinking our prison is not secure.” Granny Dottie grabbed Aurora’s hand, and they hurried toward the cemetery.

I kept hold of Auntie Queenie’s arm as we walked away. I glanced over my shoulder to see Dazielle watching us.

I glared at her before turning away.

She thought she’d spotted a killer among us, but I’d prove her wrong. We were all innocent, but whoever had done this to Bastille would pay.

Chapter 4

I sat at the table in Mom’s kitchen while she made strong tea laced with a shot of brandy for Auntie Queenie. A heap of buttered toast sat on the plate in the center of the table, but no one seemed hungry.

She’d been as shocked as everyone else when she’d learned what happened to Bastille, but she’d soon gone into caring mode and was fussing around everyone trying to get them to eat.

Auntie Queenie sat next to me, her hand clasped in mine.

“I loved Bastille,” she said. “She was an odd fish at times, but she was still one of the gang.”

“What made her odd?” I asked.

Auntie Queenie pulled at her bottom lip. “She liked to live in the past and had trouble letting go of things. She’d bring up conversations we’d had twenty years ago, recalling them like they were yesterday and we were just picking up where we left off.”

“Especially when it came to Kenny,” Mom said. “We all remember how obsessed Bastille was with him.”

Auntie Queenie shook her head. “It was such a shame. Bastille was a real beauty when she was younger. She had long blonde hair and a twinkle in her eye. She enjoyed life and was always laughing. When Kenny left her, she changed.”

“That’s not your fault,” I said. “You never chased after Uncle Kenny. He couldn’t help who he fell in love with.”

Auntie Queenie nodded. “I knew how much Bastille still cared for Kenny. She couldn’t let go of the past. I felt a little sorry for her. It ruined her happiness. It ruined her chance to move on and be with somebody else.”

“You never rubbed it in her face.” Mom placed a plate of crumpets in front of us and poured more brandy before settling on the opposite side of the table.

“We were always discreet,” Auntie Queenie said. “Bastille was heartbroken when they parted. We used to go on dates outside of Willow Tree Falls so she wouldn’t stumble across us getting cozy in a restaurant. It made the relationship tricky, but I didn’t want to hurt her more than she was already hurting.”

“Bastille’s death can’t be connected to Kenny and how she felt about him,” Mom said. “It’s ancient history. Even though she wasn’t happy about it, she’d accepted that you’re together.”

“It sounds like it took a long time for her to accept it, though,” I said.

“Decades,” Auntie Queenie said.

“What about her family?” I asked.

“She had no family. Bastille was an only child. Her parents are dead. She has no living relatives.” Auntie Queenie sniffed and dabbed her nose. “She was all alone. Her death makes no sense.”

“It made sense to someone,” I said.

“Let’s see what Aurora discovers at the cemetery,” Mom said.

“It can’t be one of our prisoners,” I said.

“I know.” Mom patted my hand. “We need to be doubly sure, and the angels will ask us to check. We’ll ensure the place is sealed and nothing got out.”

“What if a demon broke through the magic barrier around the village?” Auntie Queenie asked.

“We’d know about it. No one wants an unmonitored demon skulking about the village,” I said.

“It won’t do any harm for you to scout around,” Mom said. “We must show willingness with the angels.”

I shrugged. “I can look. We have to keep Dazielle and her angels off our backs. If they think for a second we’re involved, they’ll hound us.”

Auntie Queenie sighed. “Which is why you must help, Tempest. We have to find the killer. We can’t let those pretty feathery fools arrest the wrong person. Bastille deserves justice.”

“I won’t let that happen. Even though Dazielle doesn’t want me involved, I’m not staying away. And you have nothing to worry about. Your alibi is solid,” I said. “You were with me and Mom when we came back after the party. You were so merry, you could barely stand, let alone cast a working spell.”

Auntie Queenie glared at me out of the corner of her eye. “I wasn’t that bad.”

Uncle Kenny bounded down the stairs, his eyes wide. “My love! You’re back.”

Auntie Queenie jumped up and hugged him. “Bastille’s dead.”

“I know.” He wrapped his arms around her and tucked her head under his chin as he blinked tears out of his eyes. “Do you know what happened?”

She filled him in on the events of this morning. “The angels will question all of us.”

“What nonsense. It wasn’t any of us,” Uncle Kenny said. “I know for a fact it wasn’t you. After you collapsed into bed, you kept me awake most of the night with your snoring. I’d have known if you’d left because I’d have been able to sleep. You were with me all night.”

“Of course I was, but I don’t snore that loudly.” Auntie Queenie returned to sit at the table.

Uncle Kenny joined us, the shock clear on his pale face. “Poor Bastille. She didn’t deserve to go out that way. She was a gentle soul. She deserved so much better.”

Aurora hurried through the doorway, Granny Dottie right behind her. “We’ve checked with Grandpa Lucius, and everything’s fine at the cemetery. All the demons are accounted for. There’s no way one broke out and killed Bastille.”

“I wish one of them had,” Auntie Queenie said with a sigh. “It would mean we’re all innocent. I can’t believe any of my friends could do this to her.”

“We still need to discount a demon on the loose in the village,” Mom said. “At least we know our prison is secure.”

“It’s happened a few times, but it’s been years since a demon has snuck in,” Auntie Queenie said. “The magic around Willow Tree Falls is strong.”

Which meant it was most likely someone in the village. Someone Bastille knew. I took hold of Auntie Queenie’s hand. “I hate to ask, but out of your friends, who had a reason to want Bastille dead?”

Auntie Queenie shook her head. “None of them. Bastille used gentle magic and never dabbled with any shady stuff that got her noticed.”

“She had no enemies that I know of,” Uncle Kenny said. “She was a good sort and kept to herself. I can’t imagine anyone who’d wish to do her harm.”

“Somebody did, and it was someone who knew she’d be in Willow Tree Falls at the hotel last night. We have to consider everyone, and that includes the rest of Auntie Queenie’s old biker gang.”

“I can’t think about it. It’s not right. We look out for each other. Even though we’re not in a gang anymore, we always will.” Auntie Queenie swallowed and looked away.

“What if things have changed? You don’t see so much of each other. Bastille could have fallen out with one of the others. Is there anyone in the group not close to Bastille?”

Auntie Queenie stifled a sob and shook her head.

“I know this is hard, my love,” Uncle Kenny said. “But Tempest is trying to help.”

Auntie Queenie sighed and patted my hand. “I know.”

“It can be anything you think of. An argument you overheard or a cross word. I need something to get started with.”

She nodded and straightened in her seat. “If I had to pick anyone, it would be Caprice. Bastille thought she was snooty and looked down on her. They often bickered, and Caprice would make fun of Bastille because she couldn’t afford designer shoes. Caprice loves the finer things in life.”

I frowned. “Caprice killed Bastille because she wouldn’t wear designer clothes?”

Auntie Queenie tutted. “Of course not! And their bickering wasn’t serious. They simply came from different backgrounds. And they’d always watch out for each other when we were together. If anyone else ever hassled Bastille, Caprice was there making sure they didn’t do it again.”

“Could their bond have faded over the years?” I asked. “Maybe Bastille got sick of being teased and confronted Caprice. Things got out of hand. You all had a lot to drink last night.”

“Caprice wouldn’t have killed Bastille.”

“Caprice is a powerful witch,” I said. “Is she powerful enough to burn another witch with magic?”

Auntie Queenie pressed her lips together. “In theory, but only in theory. None of them have anything to do with this.”

“I believe you, but we need to cover all the bases. The angels will ask the exact same questions.” I sat back in my seat. It wasn’t much to go on, but it was a start.

Auntie Queenie looked at me, her bottom lip wobbling. “What are you going to do?”

“See if I can get to Caprice before the angels talk to her.”

“Go easy on Caprice,” Mom said. “She’s most likely in shock. Everyone is.”

“I’ll ask a few questions, that’s all. I need to rule her out and make sure they weren’t arguing about something more complicated than designer shoes.”

“She’s innocent,” Auntie Queenie said. “We all are.”

“And that’s what I’m going to prove.” I nodded to Wiggles as I stood and walked to the kitchen door. “I will find out who did this. I won’t stop asking questions until I do. We’ll get justice for Bastille.”

Auntie Queenie’s smile was tearful as I turned and left the kitchen. It was time to investigate this murder and figure out who hated Bastille enough to kill her.

Chapter 5

I slowed as I saw feathers drifting in the air currents. There were angels around somewhere, and those feathers were suspiciously close to our cemetery.

“I smell purity and incompetence,” Wiggles said, his nose in the air.

“You’re not the only one.” I changed direction, and we headed to the cemetery gates.

Two angels stood outside. Grandpa Lucius blocked their path, his expression stern as he glared up at them.

“Feathers at twelve o’clock,” Wiggles muttered. “If either of them tries to hug me like Dazielle did this morning, I need permission to bite.”

“Granted. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”

Grandpa Lucius’s raised voice drifted toward me, and I increased my pace. “What’s going on?”

“Tempest! These angels want to poke around. They don’t believe me when I tell them the prison is secure.”

I blinked in surprise. I rarely saw Grandpa Lucius angry. He was a laid-back guy, who loved to chill out with a good book and a bit of classical music. Right now, he was anything but chilled. His cheeks burned with color, and his hands were fisted.

“He’s right,” I said to the backs of the angels. “Stop hassling him.”

One of them turned, and I recognized Sablo.

“I’m sure you’re right, Tempest. We’re here on Dazielle’s orders. She’s insisting we check for ourselves. We won’t be long.”

“You’re not getting in here,” Grandpa Lucius growled. “Whenever an angel steps inside the cemetery, it causes chaos with the demons. They get fixated on breaking out and ripping off your wings. It takes hours to settle them.”

“I’m not bothered what the demons think of us,” Sablo said. “We have to look around. You might have missed a crack.”

I glowered at her as I joined Grandpa Lucius. “We do not miss cracks.”

Sablo raised a placating hand. “Demons are tricky. We both know that. We have to take a look.”

“Do you think you can do a better job of running this place than we can? We know how to identify any weaknesses and fix them.”

Sablo sighed. “Please, we don’t want to cause you any problems.”

“Then leave,” Grandpa Lucius said.

“We can’t do that.” Sablo glanced at her colleague. It was one of the new, unfriendly angels I’d met this morning. “If you like, you can guide us around. Show us the place is locked down, and we’ll leave you alone. We have to make sure Willow Tree Falls is safe. If there’s a demon on the loose—”

“If there is, you’ll call me to catch it.”

Sablo smiled. “We most likely will. Just a quick look that’s all I’m asking. We won’t touch anything unless you say it’s okay to do so.”

I raised my eyebrows and looked at Grandpa Lucius.

The muscles in his jaw twitched, but he gave a swift nod. “Okay, so long as you’re not wandering around on your own.”

“I wouldn’t dream of doing such a thing in your cemetery,” Sablo said. “Your place, your rules.”

“I’ll show them around,” I said to him. I was worried Grandpa Lucius might lose his temper and shove the angels into the prison. That would be fun for the resident demons.

Grandpa Lucius patted my arm before standing aside. “Don’t take any nonsense from them.”

That would be tricky. Angels weren’t the easiest of magic creatures to deal with. I’d rather deal with a grumpy werewolf or a misbehaving fairy. I walked into the cemetery in front of the angels.

“This is Jophiel.” Sablo introduced the unfamiliar angel.

“I take it Dazielle has had a recruitment drive.” I nodded at Jophiel.

“The big boss gave us extra funds. We’ve been having a lot of suspicious deaths lately. We need experts who can deal with the darker side of crime.”

Suspicious deaths! I’d helped them to solve most of those suspicious deaths. They should have offered me the job. Not that I’d have accepted. Feathers made my nose itch.

“Don’t touch that.” Grandpa Lucius hurried up behind us and swatted Jophiel’s hand from a sculpture of an angel with her wings extended.

She pouted and looked away. This new recruit needed training.

“I’ve got this.” I winked at Grandpa Lucius. “Wiggles, why don’t you keep Grandpa Lucius company?”

Wiggles growled as he glared at the angels. “I wanna come with you.”

I knew what he was like around angels. He was longing to take a chunk out of one of these feathered beauties, and I didn’t need Dazielle on my back because of Wiggles’ bad behavior.

“I’ve got a breakfast burrito we can share.” Grandpa Lucius waggled his eyebrows at Wiggles.

“Burrito beats angels any day.” Wiggles bounced around the gravestones. “What are we waiting for?”

Grandpa Lucius eyed the angels with suspicion as he backed away. “We’ll be at the family crypt if you need us.”

“Thanks, Grandpa.”

“How does your demon prison work?” Jophiel asked.

“Much like any other prison designed to contain supernatural nasties. Magic keeps them inside. We monitor them remotely, so we don’t have to go in unless there’s a problem.”

“Do they have cells?”

“No, they’re free roaming demons. There are a few who need their own private space, though. They don’t do well in company.”

“Don’t they fight if they’re all together?”

“It can get feisty down there, but they figure out their own pecking order. If they don’t, they don’t tend to survive for long.”

“How often do they try to escape?”

“Most days.”

Jophiel looked horrified. “You have to fight demons every day?”

“No, a quick whack on the head sorts them out.” I grinned at Jophiel. “This way.”

I showed them the main entry points to the prison through the Darkmore and Willow family crypts. These were the two oldest families in the village and had established the magic community centuries ago.

Sablo and Jophiel spent a few moments looking around each crypt, running their hands over the cool stone as if their angel fingers could detect something I couldn’t.

“It all looks secure,” Sablo said.

I nodded. “That’s because it is.”

“Have you had any problems with cracks opening?”

“Yes. All the time.”

Jophiel gasped. “It doesn’t sound stable.”

“It’s very stable. But the ground is old, and the magic gets weak. It’s why we always have someone stationed in the cemetery. Usually, we have two people, but with the current situation, Grandpa Lucius is managing on his own.”

Sablo looked around the cemetery. “No one got out recently? You would report that to the angels if it happened?”

“Of course. If they had, and we kept the information hidden, our reputation would be in tatters. We don’t let demons out once they go inside.”

“Which means one of two things.”

I nodded. “Either we have a demon on the loose who somehow got into the village...”

“Or, this is much closer to home, and someone you know murdered Bastille.”

I hated that that appeared to be the more likely option. “How’s the investigation going?”

“We’ve finished at the crime scene and moved Bastille’s body.” Sablo swiped her hands down her arms. “It was a horrible way to go.”

“Did she fight back?”

Sablo slid me a sideways glance. “Dazielle said you’re not to be involved. You know everyone who’s a suspect. You’re a suspect.”

“Which means I’m going to be involved. I know these witches, and I know none of them are killers. I also know I’m not a killer.”

Sablo shrugged. “Alibis have yet to be established for everyone.”

“I can give you mine now.”

“No. This has to be done by the book.”

I struggled to conceal my frustration. “It must be someone who lives in Willow Tree Falls. They must have a grudge against Bastille. One they’ve been holding onto for a long time, just waiting for the right opportunity to get their revenge.”

“It’s likely to be someone Bastille knows well,” Sablo said.

“Which means she didn’t fight back!” I jabbed a finger at Sablo. “She knew her killer.”

Sablo sighed but nodded. “There was no sign of a struggle. She wasn’t dragged into the garden. She went willingly.”

“They took her outside the hotel so no one heard any struggle,” I said. “They didn’t want anyone hearing any noise or stumbling into Bastille’s room mid-murder.”

“It’s looking likely. There are no signs of a fight in Bastille’s room or any suggestion she was taken against her will. Bastille went outside alone in the middle of the night with her killer. Her killer was known to her. She trusted them.”

I was reluctant to admit that any of Auntie Queenie’s friends had anything to do with this, but it sounded like one of them could be involved.

“Could a demon have tricked her?” I suggested as I continued to lead the angels around the cemetery. “A shape shifter. Demons can take human form for a short period. This mystery demon could have disguised itself in order to get to Bastille.”

Sablo didn’t look convinced. “Why bother? A powerful demon wouldn’t have cared if they’d been overheard. Demons are chaos makers. The more damage and death, the better.”

“The demon would have been cautious if it realized there were powerful witches in the other rooms.”

Sablo tilted her head. “It’s possible, but those powerful witches are also on our suspect list.”

“If it was a demon, they weren’t from here.”

“It doesn’t look like it.” Sablo stopped by the gates of the cemetery. “You run a solid prison.”

“I agree.” I nodded at Sablo and Jophiel. “Have you started questioning people yet about Bastille’s murder?”

“We’ll be speaking to everyone,” Sablo said, “including you and Queenie.”

“I don’t want to spoil the surprise, but I’m her alibi and she’s mine. After the party, I helped get Auntie Queenie home. Mom was also there. Auntie Queenie was in no condition to harm anyone with magic.” Magic needed a clear head to be effective, and that was one thing Auntie Queenie hadn’t had last night.

“We still need to check that out,” Sablo said. “What about you? How clear was your head?”

“Clear enough, but this has nothing to do with me. What have the other suspects said?” I had to know what progress the angels had made.

Sablo narrowed her eyes. “I’m speaking to Esmeralda and Lila first. We’ll get around to Queenie later today.”

That gave me an opportunity. If I could get to the hotel and speak to Caprice before the angels did, I could learn how bad the bickering got between her and Bastille. It was a long shot, but my questioning had to start somewhere.

“Is there anything else you need to see?” I smiled sweetly. “Maybe a VIP guided tour in the prison?”

“You’re kidding?” Jophiel backed away, her eyes wide.

“Of course she is.” Sablo’s expression grew pensive. “You are kidding?”

I laughed. “Anytime, you know where we are. The demons will be thrilled to see you.”

“We’ll report back to Dazielle,” Sablo said. “But remember what she said. You need to stay out of this. I’ve told you too much.”

“Don’t worry. I always listen to what Dazielle tells me.”

Sablo pursed her lips before heading toward the hotel with Jophiel.

I hurried back to the family crypt to find Grandpa Lucius and Wiggles chomping on the last of a giant burrito, alongside a bag of tortilla chips. “They’re gone. They found nothing, as we knew they would.”

“They’re so full of themselves.” Grandpa Lucius wiped his fingers on a napkin. “They rile me up with their self-importance. There’s nothing like a self-righteous angel to put you off your breakfast.”

It didn’t look like they’d put him off that much. “Our demons are not to blame for this.”

He nodded. “Any substance to the theory of a rogue demon?”

“I hope not, but I need to check it out.”

Grandpa Lucius shook his head. “Better that than the other grim option.”

“Which is why I can’t stop. I need to figure out what happened; otherwise, Auntie Queenie won’t get any sleep worrying about who killed Bastille.”

“Of course, you go but be careful.” Grandpa Lucius stood and kissed my cheek. “There’s a killer out there. Whoever it is, demon, witch, or otherwise, they have strong magic.”

“I will, but we have to find out what happened.” I waved goodbye as I dashed out of the cemetery with Wiggles.

“Good burrito?” I asked him.

“It could have used more hot sauce, but I’m not complaining. A burrito’s a burrito. You can never have a bad one.”

“Are you ready to sneak past some angels?”

“Of course. It’s something I’m getting top marks in lately.”

I grinned at him as we dashed to the hotel. I wasn’t all that comfortable having to question people I’d known all my life about a murder, but there was no other option.

Sablo wasn’t a bad angel, but she wasn’t the most competent. I needed to get as much information as I could to piece this mystery together.

And I had to do it before Dazielle figured out what I was doing and followed through on her threat to shove me in a cell until this investigation was over.

Chapter 6

As I entered the hotel, I heard voices coming from upstairs, but there was no one on the reception desk.

I snuck a look at the guest book and saw Caprice’s room number before hustling up the stairs with Wiggles.

I knocked quietly on Caprice’s door.

She opened it a few seconds later. “Tempest! What are you doing here? I thought we were all being kept apart by those irksome angels.”

“We are. I’m not supposed to be here.” I hurried into the room and shut the door, not wanting any angels to discover me interviewing suspects.

Wiggles jumped on the bed and bounced up and down a few times. “This mattress is too soft.”

Caprice scooped him off and placed him on the ground. “Then it’s a good job it’s not your bed, you bad boy.”

Wiggles’ tongue flopped out and his tail wagged. “I love a bossy witch.”

Caprice shook her head before her attention shifted to me. “How’s Queenie doing? We’re all so shocked about what happened.”

“Like you, she can’t believe what’s going on. The angels are talking to everyone, but I wanted to get your take on things. Did you see anything unusual last night? Have you got any idea who’d want to do this to Bastille?”

Caprice gestured to a seat in the room before perching on the end of her bed. “Nothing that would be bad enough to kill her.”

My eyebrows shot up. “But she was having problems with someone?”

Caprice rested her elbows on her knees. “Bastille lived a basic life. She never had much, not even when growing up.”

“Unlike you.” I noticed the royal blue outfit Caprice had on was tailored, and a pair of fancy studded designer boots sat by the closet. “I’ve heard you bickering at previous reunions.”

Caprice sighed. “I did tease Bastille when she turned up in second-hand clothes or a dress she’d worn the last time we met. I didn’t mean anything by it, but I know it riled her. She was happy enough to call me a snob and stuck up when she was of a mind to. That’s how we were.”

“Did she have financial problems? Is that why she lived so simply, because she didn’t have money?”

“Bastille always said she had enough, but I think she would have liked more. She never complained about being poor, but she’d run into problems recently because of a medical bill she couldn’t pay.”

“I didn’t know she was sick.”

“She’d had a persistent cough, but we didn’t think it was serious. The trouble is, we only see each other once a year. I couldn’t tell you if a cough she had five years ago was the one she had last year. I figured it was an age thing. There’s only so much magic can do to stave off the inevitable.” Caprice smoothed her hands over her sleek hair.

“Bastille must have worried about this medical bill. Do you know how she planned to pay for it?”

“Oh, yes. Samantha loaned her the money. It wasn’t a secret. She has more money than I do. Samantha married well, you see. It’s not family money, like mine. Her husband is generous, and she got the money off him to give to Bastille. She didn’t want her to worry about an unpaid debt. It could have made her health worse.”

“Do you know how much Samantha loaned her?”

“It wasn’t discussed. I overheard Bastille thank Samantha and promise to pay it back as soon as she could. Although, how she planned to do that I can’t imagine. Bastille had no money. She scraped by on thin air. Samantha wasn’t seeing that money back anytime soon, if ever.”

That was a possible motive. If Bastille had reneged on that promise and Samantha was in need of her money, it would give her a reason for confronting Bastille. They could have argued, especially if Bastille had told Samantha there was no money and she couldn’t repay her.

I didn’t know Samantha’s husband, but maybe he was the one pressuring to get his cash back, and Samantha panicked. How would Samantha feel knowing she’d never see the money again? I needed to speak with her next and find out.

“I hope the angels sort this mess out soon,” Caprice said. “I wasn’t as close to Bastille as the others, but I’d never wish her harm. She was one of us, no matter where she bought her clothes.”

“Is there anyone else who might have had a problem with Bastille?”

Caprice played with the hem of her skirt. “I shouldn’t say.”

“The angels will ask you the same thing.” I leaned forward. “What do you know?”

She glanced at me and looked away. “Tempest, I hate to say this, but Bastille and Queenie did argue yesterday at the party.”

I jerked back in surprise. I hadn’t expected Caprice to point the finger at Auntie Queenie. “I was there. It wasn’t a full-blown argument. It was the same thing they always bicker about.”

“Exactly, your Uncle Kenny.” Caprice smoothed her silk skirt over her knees. “Bastille knew how to hold a grudge. She’d never forgiven Queenie for what happened.”

“Auntie Queenie had no reason to kill Bastille. She got her man.”

Caprice arched an eyebrow. “Bastille swallowed her pride and her dislike of Queenie, so she could remain a part of the group. She’s always civil to Queenie but nothing more. I think, deep down, there was a lot of anger still simmering.”

I blew out a breath. “I had no idea. I mean, I knew they weren’t that close.” Could this be true, and Bastille had been silently seething all these years every time she saw Auntie Queenie?

“Their argument was never resolved. Queenie apologized plenty of times, and Bastille pretended to accept and say it was fine, but she wasn’t fine. She held in all her anger. I believe that’s part of the reason she suffered such poor health. You bottle your rage and hurt, and it festers like a wound.”

“Did Bastille ever talk to you about how she felt?”

“She shut the door on that conversation. I tried several times to get her to open up and say how hurt she was and admit that she still loved Kenny, but she wasn’t interested.”

I shook my head. “Even so, I know for a fact that Auntie Queenie isn’t involved. I was with her last night. I helped get her back home. And I watched her go up the stairs with Uncle Kenny. That was the end of her night. Even if she’d wanted to, she was in no fit state to sneak to the hotel, convince Bastille to go outside with her, and kill her. Her magic wouldn’t have been effective. She’d had too much to drink.”

Caprice shrugged. “I hope you’re right. I’m only telling you what I know. And I’ll have to tell the angels what I think.”

My eyes narrowed. “Don’t drop Auntie Queenie in this. She didn’t kill Bastille.”

Caprice lifted her chin. “Somebody did. We’re all under suspicion.”

“What will you tell the angels about your whereabouts last night?” Caprice could be deflecting attention by suggesting Auntie Queenie was involved in Bastille’s murder.

“I was here. After the party, I came straight back with the others and went to sleep. I’m not used to these late nights. I fell into bed and didn’t wake until Samantha knocked on my door this morning. I’m a sound sleeper. I didn’t budge from this bed once I was in it.”

That wasn’t a great alibi, but I could check with Tabitha, the hotel owner, to see if she’d seen Caprice on the prowl when she was supposed to be asleep. “I’ve seen you do fire magic.”

She pursed her lips. “Yes, I can perform proficiently in all elemental magic, fire magic included. But before you go jumping to conclusions that means nothing, I’d never hurt Bastille.”

She might not have hurt Bastille, but she had the power to kill with fire. Caprice also had a lousy alibi. It made me queasy to think she was involved or that any of the wonderful witches I’d gotten to know over the years could be Bastille’s killer.

I sighed and slumped in my seat. “I have to figure this out.”

“The angels will work out what happened.” Caprice patted my knee.

“You have heard about Angel Force?”

“Oh, I know all about them. More beauty than brains. But someone must know what happened to Bastille. Is there any more evidence about a demon being involved?”

“Nothing so far. Our prison is secure and all inmates accounted for. I’m planning a search of the village to be certain we don’t have any unwanted guests.”

Caprice nodded. “With your help, the killer will be revealed.”

“I shouldn’t really be helping,” I said. “Don’t mention that I’ve been to see you to anyone. I’ve been told to steer clear of this investigation because I know most of the suspects.”

“And you must be a suspect yourself,” Caprice said. “Bastille was around when you were growing up, and you were there last night.”

“Thanks for pointing the finger at me.”

Caprice tutted. “Tempest Crypt, you’ve just interrogated me and checked my alibi. I get to do the same back. It doesn’t feel great, does it?”

She was right. It felt lousy trying to find motives for any of these witches.

I stood and headed to the door. “I didn’t mean to offend you, but I have to help Auntie Queenie, and all of you, get to the bottom of this.”

“I know. I don’t take it personally. We all want to find out what happened.” Caprice stood and walked to the door. “I won’t say a word to the angels about your sneaky visit. I hope you can solve this.”

“So do I. Come on, Wiggles.” I opened the door and poked my head out. The corridor was clear of angels.

Wiggles wriggled out from under the bed and joined me in the corridor.

“Which room is Samantha in?” I asked Caprice.

“She’s next to me.” Caprice gestured to the left.

“Thanks.” I whispered a goodbye to her as she closed the door.

“What’s our next move?” Wiggles asked.

“Let’s see if Samantha’s around.” I was interested to learn how worried she was that she might never see the money she loaned Bastille. Was she worried enough to kill over it?

Chapter 7

I crept along the corridor with Wiggles and tapped lightly on Samantha’s door.

I was pushing my luck. Although I couldn’t see any angels, I sensed them, and they weren’t far behind me in interviewing Samantha. I had to make this quick.

Samantha opened the door, her green eyes widening when she saw me. “Tempest! This is a surprise.”

“I’m on a mission. Mind if I come in?”

“Of course not.” Samantha stood to one side.

I hurried into the room with Wiggles and waited as she closed the door. “I’m trying to figure out what happened to Bastille.”

“Aren’t we all,” Samantha said. “Queenie mentioned you’ve been solving crimes with the angels. What’s your theory about this one?”

“I don’t have anything concrete. I’m certain none of you did it, although Auntie Queenie mentioned that Caprice and Bastille didn’t get along.” I paced the room as I talked.

Samantha cocked her head. “They had their moments. Caprice can be a little full of herself. She even snipes at me.”

I stopped pacing. “About what?”

Samantha smirked. “I married well, and she doesn’t like that. I’ve always put her little digs down to jealousy.”

“Was she jealous of Bastille?”

“No, Caprice is old money. That comes with an unhealthy dollop of looking down on others. Bastille was never fussed about material possessions or owning a fancy house. If anything, she took pleasure in annoying Caprice by wearing the same outfits when we met. I bet she kept a record of what she wore so she could don it again just to rile Caprice.” Samantha chuckled and shook her head. “Bastille had an odd sense of humor.”

“Did their arguing ever get intense?”

“Now and again, but Bastille was generally relaxed about it. She took a lot of criticism from Caprice and rarely fired back. Caprice picked on her, but we always warned her off if she got her claws out. Bastille was one of us. It didn’t matter how much money she had or if she patched her clothes rather than buying new.”

I raised my eyebrows. “Talking of money, Caprice mentioned you gave Bastille a loan.”

Samantha pursed her lips. “She does love to gossip. I made no secret of it. As I said, I married well, and a former partner still treats me from time to time, so I always have money to spare.”

“Lucky you.” Samantha was the youngest of the group at a sexy, redheaded fifty-five, although she looked at least ten years younger. Although she had fine lines around her eyes, they sparkled with vitality, and her curves still attracted the attention of plenty of guys.

“I treat my men well, and they return the favor. Even when we’re no longer together.” Samantha smiled slyly. “Anyway, we’re getting off the point. The money I loaned Bastille wasn’t a problem. I said I’d give it to her, but Bastille insisted she pay me back.”

“And did she?”

“She paid back a little when she could. She suggested a regular payment plan, but I didn’t want to stress her about monthly payments. With her illness concerning her, she had enough going on. If I never saw that money again, it wouldn’t bother me. I don’t miss it. I don’t need it. She did.”

“You mentioned Bastille was unwell. Did she use the money for her treatment?”

“Bastille has been unwell on and off for at least ten years. She had periods when she seemed fine, then six months later, she’d be coughing and looking exhausted. Recently, her skin has had a worrying gray tinge to it. There were times when she was so drained she could barely get out of bed.”

“No one could figure out what made her so sick?”

“She had all kinds of tests and tried various spells. Nothing stuck for long. The healing and magic treated the symptoms but not the reason for the lingering illness. Every time her illness returned, she seemed weaker. I was worried about her. It’s why I was happy to give her money for more treatment, even though it didn’t have much effect. She was fine for about eight weeks, but the symptoms crept back.”

A worrying thought entered my head. “Could her ill health be related to her death?”

Samantha’s eyes widened. “I can’t see why it would be. What are you thinking?”

“How desperate was Bastille to get well?”

“I imagine she’d do just about anything to feel better.”

“Including making a deal with a demon?”

Samantha’s hand went to her mouth. “No! She wouldn’t do that. Bastille would never trust a demon. We’ve dealt with enough of them over the years.”

I tapped my fingers against my arm. “If not a demon, could she have tried to heal herself using obscure magic, and it backfired?”

Samantha lowered her hand, concern in her eyes. “Bastille was the weakest of the group when it came to magic, but she still held her own. The elemental essences were never a problem for her, and fire magic was something she managed with ease.”

“Did you see her body? Could this have been an accident? A spell went badly wrong, and she injured herself.”

Samantha looked away. “I did see her. Unless she choked herself with her own flaming hands, this was no accident.”

I sighed. It had been a long shot. “What will you tell the angels when they ask where you were last night?”

“You mean, what’s my alibi?”

I shrugged. “I have to ask.”

Samantha crossed her arms over her chest. “I was in the hotel.”

“All night?”

“I came back with the others.”

“You didn’t leave your room at any time?”

Samantha bit her bottom lip. “Does it matter if I did?”

“It will if you went into the garden at the same time as Bastille.”

Samantha sighed. “No, I didn’t do that, but I don’t want anybody to know where I was. The girls will tease me.”

“About what?”

She teased a strand of hair around her fingers. “I didn’t see any harm in it.”

I stepped closer. “What did you do?”

“I snuck out for a couple of hours to see my ex. He lives in Willow Tree Falls. It was nothing underhanded, but I didn’t want it getting back to my husband. He can be terribly jealous if he sees me so much as talking to another man. I love him dearly and would never be unfaithful, but he has trust issues.”

“Okay, so what time did you leave the hotel to see this ex-boyfriend?”

“After midnight, after I was sure everyone was in their rooms. My ex is good to me. He still sends me gifts and checks up on me now and again. It would have been rude if I’d come all this way and not dropped by to say hello.”

It did seem suspicious that she just happened to drop by in the middle of the night. Why not meet for coffee in broad daylight when everyone could see what they were up to? I decided not to mention that. “You were catching up for old time’s sake?”

“Exactly! There was nothing dubious about it.”

“Who’s your ex?”

Samantha tilted her head. “Toby Matlock.”

I grabbed the wall, feeling certain the room had just tilted. “You used to date Toby?”

She nodded. “We were together for five years.”

“I had no idea. What happened to make you separate?”

“Toby’s a lovely man and always generous, but he has old-fashioned values. He didn’t like me working or traveling without him. He wants a traditional housewife, the kind who’ll cook his meals and run around in a frilly apron, fluffing cushions and making sure his slippers are warmed by the fire. That’s not me. I love my freedom. I’m not complaining about the wonderful trips we took together or the way he’d shower me with gifts and compliments, but we weren’t right for each other.”

“I can see why. I’d find it stifling being checked up on all the time.”

“As did I. We discussed it like adults. He was honest and said that was what he wanted, and I didn’t. I was sad that we parted, but we left it on friendly terms.” Samantha shook her head. “I hate to think that Bastille was fighting for her life as I was swanning off to see an old boyfriend.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, how old were you when you dated Toby?”

“Oh, well, I was in my late twenties. I was involved with the gang and living in Willow Tree Falls. Why do you ask?”

“Toby’s the same age as you?”

“That’s right. We grew up together. We’ve been friends since childhood. He was a charming rogue, even back then.”

I did a quick calculation in my head and grimaced. Toby was older than I’d thought. If he was the same age as Samantha, he was old enough to be Aurora’s father. What was she doing with him? It wasn’t that I didn’t understand the allure of an older man, but there was old and then there was decrepit.

Samantha touched my arm. “I suspect you’re not asking about Toby because of what happened to Bastille.”

I rubbed my forehead. “You’re right. Toby’s seeing a much younger woman. I don’t think she has any idea how old he actually is.”

“He’s a well-preserved warlock. I’ll give him that. He uses magic to give himself a more youthful appearance. He likes to hide how old he really is.” Her eyes narrowed a fraction. “I had no idea he was seeing anybody. He didn’t mention it when we had drinks together.”

“They’re keeping their relationship quiet, but it’s moving fast, and I’m worried. There’s talk of them moving in together.”

Samantha tossed her hair over her shoulder. “I urge you to tell this young woman to be careful, unless she wants to live the life of a kept housewife, darning Toby’s socks and cooking his meals. Toby will expect her to remain at home while he works. He won’t like her out, socializing with friends, unless he’s there. For all his charm, he’s too possessive. Make sure this woman knows what she’s letting herself in for.”

“I will.” I tucked away this information about Toby and Samantha. Despite Aurora being besotted with Toby, I had to tell her what he had in mind for their future. Aurora would never give up Heaven’s Door. She’d built a thriving business from scratch. She wouldn’t abandon that for a life of tedium as Toby’s live-in skivvy and sock darner.

Samantha leaned against the wall and cocked her head. “If you’ve ruled me out through your not-so-subtle questions, who’s next on the list?”

I hadn’t completely ruled her out, but her alibi would be easy to check. “Who would you point the finger at?”

“None of us! We all had our squabbles but nothing serious enough to kill over.”

“And you didn’t see anybody when you went out to meet Toby?” I asked. “You didn’t hear voices in the garden or anything like that?”

Samantha twisted her mouth to the side. “I didn’t hear voices, but I heard someone walking along the corridor after I got back from drinks with Toby. I poked my head out the door to have a look. I was curious as to who’d be about so late.”

I leaned forward. “Who was it?”

“Esmeralda. And she was gone for ages, at least an hour. I was dozing off when I heard her footsteps again and her door close. She’s in the room opposite me, so I heard everything.”

“Did you see where she went?”

“No, but she went along the corridor.”

“Could she have been heading downstairs to the garden?”

Samantha’s eyes widened. “Well, it’s possible. The stairs are in that direction. But they had no problem with each other. Although...”

“Although what?”

“No, it’s nothing. Esmeralda can be sharp with people, but she didn’t do that exclusively with Bastille. That’s just her manner. She’s a no-nonsense sort of woman. She speaks her mind and doesn’t care if it offends anybody.”

“Has she offended Bastille?” I asked. “Could Bastille have confronted her about something she said and things turned nasty between them?”

“No, that’s not Bastille’s way.” Samantha gave a decisive shake of her head. “The worst she’d do is have a sulk and keep it to herself. Esmeralda’s the opposite. She doesn’t keep things bottled up. If she wants to do something, she gets on with it. If she discovers a problem, or you’ve done something to annoy her, you soon know about it because she wants it solved.”

I tensed as I heard voices in the corridor. I’d been here too long and had to get out before the angels found me.

Samantha glanced at the door. “I bet those gorgeous angels won’t be happy to catch you quizzing me.”

I winced when a knock came on Samantha’s door. I was out of time. “I need to hide.”

Samantha looked around the room. “I’m not sure where to put you.”

“Under here’s good.” Wiggles’ voice sounded muffled.

I knelt on the floor and found him under the bed, chewing on what might once have been a pair of Samantha’s silky undergarments. “This will have to do.” I slid under the bed on my stomach.

“Mrs. Smythe-Barrow,” an angel said from outside the room. “We’re here about Bastille. Have you got a moment?”

“Are you all set?” she whispered to me.

“I’m good.” I tried to yank the remains of the underwear from Wiggles’ mouth, but he growled and held on tight.

“I’ll be right there,” Samantha called to the angels.

I tried to get comfortable under the bed as I heard the door open and Samantha invite the angels in.

Wiggles squirmed over to my side and spat out the soggy fabric. “Not as good as lace,” he whispered.

I pressed a finger against my lips as I listened to the angels ask the same questions as I did. Samantha’s story was the same. She even admitted to seeing Toby but requested their discretion in confirming her alibi.

My idea that Samantha needed her money back from Bastille had come to nothing as far as finding a decent motive for Bastille’s murder. And her alibi would be simple to check, although I wasn’t looking forward to having that conversation with the smarmy Toby.

My chat with Caprice also hadn’t helped, especially not with her pointing the finger at Auntie Queenie. She was many things, but Auntie Queenie was no killer.

“I’m going to sneeze,” Wiggles whispered. His nose wrinkled, and his mouth opened.

I grabbed his mouth and clamped it shut. A flicker of flame drifted out of the corner of his mouth, and the foul stench of brimstone filled the air.

An angel coughed. “Is there something wrong with the plumbing in this hotel?”

“Hmmm, it does smell a little odd in here,” Samantha said. “I’ll open a window.”

I glared at Wiggles, who cocked his ears and wagged his tail.

“It must be the old plumbing pipes,” Samantha said. “I’ve had problems with an unusual smell since I checked in.”

“I heard this place is haunted,” one of the angels said. “Make sure there’s nothing scary under your bed.”

I stopped breathing and didn’t move, willing the angels not to do anything daft like look under Samantha’s bed for things that went bump in the night.

Samantha laughed. “Oh, what nonsense. And, even if there were ghosts here, I’d soon scare them off with a spell or two.”

The angels laughed politely.

“Well, if there’s nothing else I can do for you.”

“No, that’s all,” an angel said. “We’d appreciate it if you remain in Willow Tree Falls for now, until this matter is cleared up.”

“Oh, well, I can’t stay too long. My husband’s expecting me home.” For someone who didn’t like possessive guys, Samantha sounded like she’d married badly. Maybe she overlooked his flaws because he had a bulging bank balance.

“This shouldn’t take more than a few days. We’re confident we’ll find who killed your friend.”

Samantha let out a sigh. “That’s good to know. Let me show you out.”

I heard the door open and close.

“It’s safe to come out,” Samantha whispered.

I crawled out from under the bed, along with Wiggles. “Thanks for hiding me.”

“Anytime. You’re helping us, so I’m not going to stand in your way.” She hugged me. “Oh! Is that where my favorite camisole went?”

I turned to see Wiggles had picked up his new chew toy. “Sorry! He’s got a thing for women’s underwear.”

“You bad doggie.” Samantha shook a finger at Wiggles before patting his head. “You’d better keep that. Every time you chew on that, you think of me.”

Wiggles wagged his tail, his mouth too full to speak.

“Give my love to Queenie,” Samantha said. “I hope to see her later.”

“Sure, will do.” I hurried to the door and cracked it open. I could hear voices, but I couldn’t see anybody.

I said a quiet goodbye to Samantha before we left her room.

I reached the bottom of the stairs without seeing anyone else and had my hand on the door knob when I felt I was being watched.

“Tempest Crypt. Why am I not surprised to find you here?”

Chapter 8

I turned slowly. Dazielle stood behind the reception desk, her arms folded across her chest and a furious gleam in her blue eyes.

I gritted my teeth and tried to smile. “You can’t blame me for taking an interest in this case. I knew Bastille. I want to find out what happened.”

“Maybe you happened to her.” Dazielle glowered at me. “Have you returned to the scene of the crime to conceal evidence?”

By the goddess, she was daft sometimes. “You’ve caught me. Come and watch me as I wrap my flaming hands around another innocent person’s neck.”

Her nostrils flared. “You know how Bastille died?”

“Of course! Wiggles told me. Remember, you tossed him out of the crime scene.”

She scowled at Wiggles. “How could I forget? I still have the faint, unpleasant tang of hellhound on my feathers.”

“People would pay good money to smell like me,” Wiggles said.

As much as I loved Wiggles, I doubted that. Hellhounds came with a whiff of brimstone and sulfur.

“Tempest, you can’t be here.” Dazielle rested her hands on the reception desk. “You’re getting in the way and only making things harder.”

“Until now, no one knew I was here. I’ve not stopped the angels from questioning people. Have you seen Sablo? I couldn’t have been more helpful showing her and Jophiel around the cemetery.”

Dazielle nodded. “She did mention that. Who have you been talking to?”

I tried to look as innocent as possible. “What makes you think I’ve been talking to anybody?”

Dazielle arched an eyebrow. “I’ll arrest you for obstructing this investigation if you don’t watch your step.”

“I’ve done nothing wrong. I simply had a chat with a couple of Auntie Queenie’s friends.”

“Which ones?”

I was worried steam might blast out of Dazielle’s ears, she looked so angry. “Caprice and Samantha. I wanted to make sure they were okay.”

“Sure you did. And while you were doing that, you didn’t ask them where they were last night and what their alibis were? And you didn’t ask them if they had any problems with Bastille or why they think she was killed?”

I shrugged. “I might have asked some of those questions. They could also have volunteered that information so we can find out who killed their friend.”

“Tempest! This is serious. You know everyone involved in this murder. Queenie is a suspect in this murder. So are you.”

“No, she’s not and neither am I. And the others are as shocked as Auntie Queenie. None of them killed Bastille.”

“We won’t know that for certain until we’ve questioned them all.”

“Dazielle, you know these witches. They come to Willow Tree Falls every year.”

She sighed. “I’ll admit it doesn’t sit well thinking one of them did this. And we’re still pursuing the demon theory in the hope of finding an intruder.”

“Yes! Pursue that. That’s a great idea.” If the angels focused on the demon theory, it would give me more time to question everyone and see if any of the alibis didn’t tally.

“No! You pursue it.”

My eyes widened. “Me! I thought you wanted me to leave this investigation alone.”

“I insist you leave the suspects in this hotel alone. But you’re the demon hunting expert. Focus on that. See if we have an intruder in the village.”

“I could do with a walk,” Wiggle said. “We can have a poke around for a demon while we’re out.”

Dazielle hissed air through her teeth. “You need your complete attention on this demon hunt. No picnics and gentle strolls. Turn over rocks, look in caves, go to the swamp.”

I wrinkled my nose. “You don’t know your demons very well. They don’t like any of those places. If we had a pole dancing club in the village, that would be my first stop. Then the takeout places.”

“We should go to Mystic Mushroom.” Wiggles nudged me with his nose. “Pizza! Pizza! Pizza!”

“Not pizza, demon! Focus on the demon.” Dazielle shook her head. “I don’t know why you keep him around.”

“Because his presence makes you so happy.” I looked at Wiggles and winked.

Wiggles scratched his belly with a back paw. “Always happy to make an angel’s day.”

“You won’t think I’m interfering if I hunt for the elusive demon?” I had planned on scouting about for a demon but had hoped to speak to all of Bastille’s friends before that.

“You being here and ensuring our killer has her story straight is interfering. Demon hunting isn’t.”

“I didn’t do that. I want to find out who killed Bastille as much as you do. I’m not here to cause problems. I’m helping.”

“Help by staying out of this hotel.” Dazielle walked around the reception desk and towered over me. “You’re tampering with witnesses.”

“I’m not tampering.”

Dazielle shook her head, and the hardness left her eyes. “I know this is personal. It must be difficult for you because you knew Bastille. We will find out who killed her. This case is my top priority.”

I blinked back tears at Dazielle’s unexpected kindness. “Make sure you do.”

“I ask just one thing of you. Leave this investigation alone. We don’t need your help. I’ll drop by the house to see Queenie later and take her statement.”

“You don’t want to see her at your headquarters?”

“I don’t want to make anything official. Not until we have more evidence.”

“So, you do have some evidence? Who have you talked to? What leads do you have?”

Her gaze hardened. “Don’t push your luck, Tempest. If you hadn’t helped us on previous cases, I’d be sending you to the cells. You wouldn’t get released until we figured this out. If I find out that anyone you’ve talked to this morning has changed her story, I might still do that.”

“They won’t change anything. They all want to find out what happened. I’m trying to speed things up.”

“We’re going fast enough. Now, get out of here and don’t come back.” Dazielle took a menacing step toward me. “This is your only warning. If I catch you snooping around again, you’ll find yourself in a cell for interfering in official Angel Force business.”

I grumbled under my breath, but Dazielle was right. I was too close to this investigation and struggling to see anyone as the killer. Maybe letting an impartial mind take the lead was the best thing to do. It was just a shame it would be the mind of an angel.

I sent out a silent wish that they wouldn’t mess up this investigation.

“Is there something you want to say?” Dazielle tilted her head. “There’s nothing you want to confess while you’re here?”

I smiled sweetly at her. “Not this time.”

“Then go find me a demon, and we can put this case to bed.”

I saluted her. “Come on, Wiggles. Let’s see what we can find lurking in Willow Tree Falls.”

Chapter 9

I dashed to Cloven Hoof, collected my demon catching bag, a pouch of salt, and changed into a pair of boots I didn’t mind getting muddy.

“Where are we hunting first?” Wiggles asked. “Please say Mystic Mushroom.”

“If there’s a demon around, it won’t be in plain sight.”

“So, behind Mystic Mushroom?”

“You really want pizza at this time of day?”

“Any time of day is pizza time.” Wiggles bounced around me. “A quick check of the trash and we can move on.”

“You mean, a thorough investigation of the alley behind the store to make sure there’s no evidence of a demon trying to get its greedy claws on leftovers.”

“That too.” Wiggles’ eyes glowed. “But if there is a demon, it had better not have eaten all the leftovers.”

“I’m sure there will be plenty of garbage for you to sort through.”

“Even so, we should hurry.” Wiggles dashed down the stairs and barged open the front door.

It was amazing how motivated he got at the prospect of day old pizza. I wasn’t so different, but I drew the line at eating pizza from the trash, even though it was made by Tate.

I strode after Wiggles to the alley behind Mystic Mushroom. My gaze swept the area, but there were no clues that screamed demon to me. The large trash container was locked with nothing stacked around it.

“Nooooooo!” Wiggles pawed at the locked container. “Tate’s put a lock on it. Why do something so cruel?”

“Because someone was stealing the leftovers.” I grinned at him. “Tate doesn’t want to attract vermin.”

“Hey! I’m not vermin. I’m offering a free clean-up service.”

As Wiggles hunted for a way to get the food, I walked along the alley. It was clean, no smell of demon, no goo, no mess. If there was a demon in the village, it hadn’t discovered the delights of Tate’s pizza.

“We should try the forest. There are plenty of places to hide and wait until after dark before coming out to cause more problems.” That was if we were talking your average, annoying demon. Anything stronger wouldn’t bother hiding. It would rampage and maim and do whatever it liked.

Wiggles grunted as he kicked the locked trash bin. “How long will we be hunting?”

“It shouldn’t take more than a couple of hours to cover the forest,” I said.

“Two hours! Then we’ll need snacks.”

“No snacks. We can have lunch when we’re done.”

“How am I supposed to concentrate if I’m hungry?” Wiggles eyed the trash container. “I was relying on this hidden feast to get me through this search.”

“You can manage for two hours without food.”

Wiggles flopped onto his belly. “No! Go without me. I’m too weak to move.”

I shook my head. I didn’t have time to argue with my greedy hellhound. “Fine. We’ll grab something to eat on the go.”

He raised his head. “Sweet or savory?”

“You choose. Just make it snappy.”

Wiggles hopped to his feet. “Sweet. I’ve gone right off pizza.”

I stopped at Sprinkles bakery and grabbed two cherry bakewell slices.

“Hey, Tempest. I heard from my customers about what’s going on at the hotel,” Patti Kayes said as she bagged my treats. “How’s everybody doing?”

“Not great,” I said. “We’re still trying to figure out what went down.”

Patti’s gaze went to the demon bag clipped to my belt loop. “There’s truth in the rumor about a demon having done this?”

“It’s possible. So far, there’s not much evidence to go on.” I leaned closer. “The angels don’t want me to interfere, but the least I can do is make sure we’re safe until they find the killer.”

“Absolutely. The last thing we want is another demon causing trouble.” Patti winced. “How’s Frank?”

I grinned. “Being his usual charming self. This has nothing to do with him, and I’m not even convinced this is demon related. If I can squash the demon rumor, I can focus on finding out who did it. Or rather, the angels can, because I’m not getting involved.”

Patti smiled. “I have a feeling you won’t leave this one alone.”

“I don’t know. Being threatened with a few days in a cell has made me hesitant, but I can’t sit back while Auntie Queenie is so worried.”

“Of course not! I’d be the same. I’ll keep an eye out for anything suspicious.”

“Like a marauding demon running past the store?”

Patti chuckled. “You’ll be the first to know if I spot one of those. Good luck hunting.”

“Thanks.” I headed out of Sprinkles and walked along with Wiggles as we munched our cherry bakewell slices. The shortcrust pastry was baked to perfection, and the layers of jam and frangipane, topped with flaky almonds, cheered me up.

If there was a demon in Willow Tree Falls, I could deal with him.

I licked the last flakes of pastry from my fingers and focused on the task in hand as we reached the edge of the forest.

The trees absorbed the faint sounds from the street as I walked along a path. This place felt too peaceful to be hiding a demon, but there were all sorts of interesting things lurking in the trees. Fairies, sprites, pixies. There was even the occasional retired werewolf.

Wiggles sniffed the air and lifted one paw. “There’s something odd in here. I recognize the smell.”

“What are you picking up?”

“There’s a hint of demon, but I don’t think it’s the one we’re after. It’s not strong, and the smell has faded. It’s like he passed through a few days ago and left behind a stink.”

“We need a fresh scent trail,” I said.

We walked for a few minutes before I slowed. There was a small puddle of dried green goo on the ground. I knelt and touched it gingerly with my finger.

Wiggles peered at the goo. “That looks like a demon excretion.”

I studied the goo before wiping my finger on a leaf. “It’s not recent. This is congealed. Let’s go farther into the forest. I’ll use a drawing spell. If there’s something in here, the magic will attract them.”

We walked for another ten minutes until we found a small clearing among the trees. I pulled out my salt pouch and spread a circle around me. “Are you getting in?”

Wiggles’ butt was poking out from behind a tree stump. “No, I’m going for a sniff around. There might be a rabbit close by.”

“We’re not hunting rabbits. We’re after demons.”

“I’ll look out for any of those as well.”

“You’re outside the circle of protection,” I said. “You’ll only have yourself to blame if a demon comes after you.”

“Nah! Demons love me. I’ll have no trouble if any are around.”

“I might,” I muttered as I watched Wiggles saunter off through the trees.

I took a few deep breaths and calmed my mind before reciting the drawing spell. It was a basic spell and could be adapted to draw different magic using creatures to you. I was interested in any dark energy in the forest. Where there was dark power, there were often demons.

While I was inside the salt circle, whoever I attracted couldn’t harm me. I often used this spell outside of Willow Tree Falls to attract demons. There was something about the magic they could never resist. It was like offering candy to a child with a sweet tooth. They always took the bait.

I finished the drawing spell and waited. If the demon was on the other side of the forest, it would take them a few moments to get to me.

A stillness descended as the birds stopped singing. It was as if they’d sensed something was coming and didn’t want to draw its attention.

I turned slowly inside the circle, trying to catch a glimpse of whatever had stopped the birds from making a noise.

A blur of movement caught my eye, and I ducked as an arrow flew at my temple.

“What the—” I dived to the ground as several more arrows shot through the air, aimed straight at my heart. I landed in the dirt and flung a barrier spell over me.

What was going on? I’d never met a demon who shot arrows. They attacked with flames, fangs, and claws, rarely weapons.

I rolled onto my side and peered through the trees. There was no one there, but someone had to be in charge of those arrows.

I moved to a crouch, remaining inside the salt circle. “Show yourself, demon. What business do you have in Willow Tree Falls?”

There was no response and no more arrows. I stood slowly, being sure to keep the barrier spell covering me. I recited the drawing spell once more. Maybe the demon was shy and needed a little encouragement.

The spell prompted no response, and my immediate concern was to discover who was trying to finish me off with arrows. Demon or not, they were in trouble.

As I stepped out of the salt circle, I paused and cocked my head, listening for any sign someone was making their escape. There was nothing other than the faint stirring of dried leaves on the ground.

I headed cautiously in the direction the arrows had come from and walked past several trees, peering around each one slowly to see if my attacker was hiding. There was no one to be found. The forest was quiet, and my attacker was gone.

I returned to the clearing and looked around. The arrows were still there, embedded in the trunk of a tree.

Retracing my steps, I peered among the branches over my head. My eyes widened, and my mouth fell open. Hovering in the air was a bow with an arrow notched in it.

I glanced around, but no one seemed to have ownership of this hovering bow. “It looks like we have a mystical Robin Hood in our woods,” I muttered to myself.

This wasn’t the work of a demon but a strong magic user. This could be protection magic. Someone had placed the bow here to ward off people and stop them finding something precious that had been hidden. An arrow in the gut would definitely do that.

After another quick scout around to convince myself I was alone, I continued my hunt for the demon.

I paused and sucked in a deep breath. There it was, the smell I’d been looking for. It was the faint, unpleasant stench of sulfur.

“Wiggles, is that you?” I might be picking up on his smell. On a bad day, Wiggles carried the aroma of demon with him.

There was no response from Wiggles.

I moved cautiously through the forest, unclipping my demon bag from my belt. If I was about to be jumped by a demon with flaming hands, I needed to make sure I captured him on the first attempt. There was no way I’d end up like Bastille.

I spotted more green goo on the ground. This looked fresher, and another large blob sat on top of a rock. I hurried over and touched it. The demon had been here recently.

And, if they were leaving fresh blobs of demon goo as they moved, they must be injured. Demons didn’t bleed the same way as anyone else. They oozed a sludge-like substance from their veins. Sometimes, it burned if you got any on your skin. Mostly, it just stank.

I kept my attention on the ground as I looked for more goo. If I followed the goo trail, I’d find the demon. And if I found the demon, I’d find Bastille’s killer.

I gasped as a web of sticky netting enveloped me. I twisted, feeling the invisible webbing clutch me and dig into my skin. I sucked in a breath, and the webbing slid into my mouth and down my throat, choking me.

Twisting and straining, my heart raced as I struggled to breathe. I needed to get free, but the webbing held fast. This was not demon power enveloping me.

I tried a freeze spell, turning my palms and blasting the spell against the magic that trapped me. The webbing held fast.

My panicked brain went into overdrive. If some enormous, creepy spider with poisonous fangs came to eat me, I would not be happy.

Frank’s power curled up my spine as he sensed the danger, but he seemed in no hurry to offer assistance. “It seems you’re having a little trouble.”

“Nice of you to notice.” I spoke to him inside my head.

“You’re tied up.”

“Again, well spotted. What is this stuff?”

“It has the tang of binding magic. You might like to hurry. It’s set to explode.”

My eyes bugged. No way was I going to die thanks to gross, sticky, exploding webbing. That would look great on my gravestone. Here lies Tempest Crypt, renowned demon hunter. Killed by sticky webbing. What a loser.

The webbing around me grew warm as the magic strengthened.

“You want fire, I’ll give you fire!” I blasted a jet of flames from my hands.

The webbing ignited around me and flamed into the sky, singeing my hair as it did so.

My spell worked. The binding magic broke, and I was free to move.

“Congratulations, witch. You live to fight another day.” Frank’s energy ebbed down my spine as his voice faded.

I snorted in response as I pulled strands of webbing out of my mouth. He must have surfaced because he was worried his free ride was about to combust. Selfish demon.

Grimacing, I tried to brush off lank strands of gray webbing that clung to my clothing. What was going on? Someone had booby trapped the forest.

After getting my breath back, I soon spotted more green goo and picked up the trail, keeping one eye on the goo and the other on any more magic traps.

Maybe a demon had crept into Willow Tree Falls without anyone noticing. This might be a case of Bastille being in the wrong place at the wrong time. She stumbled across the demon, and it destroyed her. But that didn’t explain why she was outside so late on her own.

I grimaced as my boot landed in a puddle of green goo. Seeing this much goo, it suggested the demon was badly injured. Bastille could have gotten in a few good shots before she was taken down.

I hoped that was true. I hoped she’d fought like a warrior and made this demon regret ever meeting her. Bastille hadn’t deserved to die. When I found this demon, I wanted to find it hurting and sorry. It wouldn’t bring Bastille back, but it would give me comfort knowing she didn’t give up without a fight.

I followed the goo trail for another twenty minutes, drawing ever closer to the swamp in the forest. It wasn’t my favorite place. And it wasn’t so long ago that I’d rescued Rhett and Axel from unpleasant deaths when they’d been buried near the swamp.

My boots squelched through sticky mud as I continued my hunt for the injured demon.

I tilted my head. The birds had stopped singing again.

I tensed, half expecting more arrows to fly at my head.

An icy wind blasted past me, and a glimmer of movement made me flinch and duck.

The sound of an enraged warrior’s scream filled the air, and a foot brushed past my head. “Back you horror. You foul beast. You dare to invade my forest with your twisted magic.”

I knew that voice. It was Fallon, the wood nymph who protected the forest. I turned, but before I could speak, two feet slammed into my back, and I hit the ground face first.

“You desecrate this sacred place. You summon demons to harm what is most precious. You risk the safety of my forest to meet your demon lover.”

Demon lover? I spat out dirt and tried to roll over, but something sharp jabbed into the base of my spine. I froze.

“I’ll teach you not to come into my forest. Let this be a lesson to you.”

I sucked in a breath to shout an objection but was engulfed in a wave of foul, sticky green goo. It washed over me like a putrid wave. I could do nothing but close my eyes and pinch my lips shut as I waited for the goo torrent to subside.

Whatever had been jabbing into my back vanished. “Let that be a lesson to you, foul creature.”

I moved slowly, flipping onto my back and risking opening one eye a crack. “Fallon? What are you doing?”

There was a second of silence. “You know me, wretched beast?”

“Of course. And you know me.” I swiped the worst of the goo off my face and shook it off my hand. “It’s Tempest Crypt.”

“Oh! Tempest!” Fallon blinked at me and lowered the thin blade she held. “What are you doing summoning demons?”

I pulled myself into a seated position. “I’m not summoning anything. I came here to see if there’s a demon loose.”

“In my forest?” Fallon shook her head, her dark eyes narrowed. “I’d never allow such a thing.”

“What about the green goo I keep finding? It’s all over the place. There’s a demon in here somewhere.”

Fallon laughed. “That was planted by me. Anyone too nosy for their own good gets lured into my traps. You follow the trail of goo to your doom.”

“Your traps? The arrows and sticky exploding web?”

“Oh, sure, that was all my doing. Isn’t it great?” Fallon tucked the blade into the belt around her moss green pants. “I upgraded the magic. I got sick of everyone coming into the forest and making a mess, causing noise, and stealing what doesn’t belong to them. Some people take acorns and rocks. Who wants those? What do you do with stolen rocks?”

I shook my head. “You could have killed me.”

“I know!” Fallon grinned. “It’s good stuff.”

I raised my eyebrows. “I’ll say that again. You could have killed me.”

“You look okay to me.” Fallon tilted her head. “You’re alive. Maybe I need more power in my spells.”

“No! No more magic.” I wiped goo off my pants. “Does Suki know what you’re up to? She’s not going to be pleased that you’ve got lethal magic lurking in the forest.”

“Suki’s too soft on forest visitors. She used to let anyone come in here and mess around. I had to chase out three lots of campers last week. I gave them quite a scare.” Fallon chuckled. “They won’t be back.”

“The forest is for everyone,” I said. “You can’t scare people away, even though campers can be annoying.”

“I’ll scare them out if they do daft things like try to summon a demon.” Fallon glared at me. “What made you do such a crazy thing?”

I rested my hands on my knees. “It was a drawing spell, not a summoning spell. There’s a big difference.”

Fallon sniffed. “They’re not so different. You were encouraging a foul presence into my forest.”

I squinted at Fallon. “You haven’t heard about Bastille?”

“If she’s not in my forest, I won’t have heard about her. What’s she done?”

“She’s been murdered. Bastille was a friend of my Auntie Queenie. She was killed last night at the hotel. There’s a chance a demon’s involved. Bastille was choked to death by flaming hands.”

“Flaming hands! There’ll be no flaming hands in my forest. Think of the damage to the trees.” Fallon glared over my shoulder, her dark gaze flicking around as if trying to spot any demon sporting fire magic.

“This is a good place for a demon to hide,” I said. “There haven’t been reports of anything odd in the village, so I wondered if the demon was here.”

“There are no demons in this forest.” Fallon jammed her fists on her hips. “I can guarantee it.”

“Since you’ve got this place so tightly bound with magic, a demon wouldn’t last five minutes. I barely did.”

“You’ve got that right. Any demon who comes in here will soon regret it.”

“And you’ve had no unusual visitors? No malevolent presence creeping around that might be responsible for what happened to Bastille?”

“Not last night,” Fallon said. “You need to look elsewhere for this killer.”

I couldn’t help but feel disappointed. If there was no demon, it was back to interrogating old friends, women who’d been in my life since I was young.

Fallon stomped to the nearest path. “I can’t stand around chatting. You’ve set off my magic traps. I need to restock the arrows and sort out my webbing.”

“Explosive webbing is a bad idea.” I struggled to my feet, cold goo sliding down the back of my shirt.

Fallon cocked her head. “How did you break the magic?”

“I used fire.”

“Huh! Fire. I’ll need to sort that weakness.” Fallon walked off, muttering to herself.

I hurried to the path. “Hey, have you seen Wiggles?”

“No, but tell him I’ve got a saddle made. Whenever he’s ready, we can go for a ride.” Fallon raised a hand as she vanished into the dense trees.

I shook my head. There was no way Wiggles would let Fallon ride him. The first time they’d met, she thought he was a weird looking pony and tempted him with carrots so she could get on his back. Wiggles had been less than amused.

I scrubbed the worst of the goo off me with a handful of leaves. This mission had failed. There was no demon hiding in Willow Tree Falls, I was covered in goo, and Wiggles had done a disappearing act.

“Wiggles! Where are you?”

I walked around for twenty minutes calling for him, but he didn’t come.

I was exhausted, hungry, and frustrated. Wiggles knew his way home. I bet he’d found a rabbit hole or something nasty to eat and was using his selective hearing to focus on his own mission and ignore me.

This called for a time out and something to take my mind off this mess. I needed Mom’s home cooking.

Chapter 10

As I entered Mom’s house, I heard laughing and talking in the kitchen. I froze when I got to the kitchen doorway. Rhett sat at the table with a plate of sandwiches in front of him.

I glanced at my goo-stained clothing. This was never the look to go for when stumbling into your squeeze. “Hey! What are you doing here?”

Mom turned and smiled at me. “It was your auntie’s idea. She said we all needed cheering up after such a horrible morning. She bumped into Rhett when she went out and invited him to lunch.”

Rhett looked at me and shrugged, a sheepish look on his face. “I couldn’t say no. I know how good your mom’s food is.”

I swiped ineffectively at the goo on my shirt. “It’s good of you to come and cheer everyone up.”

He grinned. “I’m always happy to help.”

This was so humiliating. Mom and Auntie Queenie always interfered in my relationships.

“Having Rhett here has taken my mind off of Bastille,” Auntie Queenie said. “He’s such a charming young man. You picked the right one.”

Rhett raised his eyebrows at me as I sat at the table. “I was one of several choices?”

“Of course not.” Mom placed more sandwiches on the table. “You were always Tempest’s first choice.”

I wanted to hide. Instead, I grabbed a cheese and pickle sandwich. “I’ve been looking into what happened to Bastille.”

“Excellent. What have you found out?” Auntie Queenie asked.

“I’ve been in the forest, demon hunting.”

“Did you find one?” Auntie Queenie leaned forward. “You smell like you did.”

“No such luck. I encountered a wood nymph with an attitude and a liking for deadly magic.” I picked a piece of goo off my arm.

“So, no demon?” Auntie Queenie said mournfully.

“I wish I had found one, but Fallon saw no one in the forest. And other than the evidence she planted to lure me into her magic traps, there was nothing to suggest a demon is on the loose.”

“And demons have no self-control,” Mom said. “If there was a demon here, it would be drawn to people. It wouldn’t be able to resist the tempting smells from the café or bakery.”

“I have to agree,” I said. “I checked at Mystic Mushroom, but there was no sign of a demon. But before I went demon hunting, I talked to Samantha and Caprice.”

“What did the girls tell you?” Auntie Queenie asked.

“Nothing conclusive,” I said. “Caprice doesn’t have an alibi, as such. She was alone in her hotel room all night. She said she didn’t leave and went to sleep after the party.”

“That’s very possible,” Auntie Queenie said. “She was never one for late nights.”

I glanced at Auntie Queenie. “Caprice did point the finger at you as the killer because you argued with Bastille last night.”

“Typical Caprice, she always gets the wrong end of the stick,” Auntie Queenie said. “I always argued with Bastille, and we all know why, but it was never a serious argument. It proves nothing.”

“She also mentioned that Bastille had borrowed money from Samantha.”

“An unpaid debt would be a good reason for murder,” Mom said.

“That’s what I wondered, but when I asked Samantha about it, she wasn’t bothered about having the money back. In fact, she said she’d have given Bastille the money, but she insisted it was a loan.”

“Samantha loves to spend her husband’s money.” Auntie Queenie chuckled. “He looks like a warty toad who eats too much. It’s amazing how a heap of cash can make a toad look extremely sexy.”

“How much money did Samantha loan Bastille?” Rhett asked.

“I don’t know. The money was to pay for a medical bill,” I said.

“What’s wrong with her?” Rhett asked.

I looked at Auntie Queenie. “Any idea?”

“We’ve all known she’s been ill for a long time, but Bastille never liked to talk about it.” Auntie Queenie helped herself to a sandwich from Rhett’s plate. “She must have found a new treatment, and that was what the money was for.”

I nodded. “Another interesting thing Samantha told me was that Esmeralda left her room late last night. She disappeared for about an hour.”

“Who was Esmeralda sneaking off to see?” Auntie Queenie asked.

“Bastille?” I suggested. “It could explain why there was no sign of a struggle. Bastille wouldn’t think it odd her friend wanted to see her alone.”

“Didn’t they get along?” Rhett asked.

“They got along fine,” Auntie Queenie said. “There’s no reason for Esmeralda to be involved.”

I considered mentioning Samantha’s late-night rendezvous with Toby, but I wanted to check that out myself. I needed to find out just how friendly Toby still was with Samantha. I could check her alibi without letting everyone else know he was involved.

“If I had to wager, I’d be looking hard at Caprice for this murder,” Rhett said. “Her alibi is lousy. What magic ability does she have?”

Auntie Queenie scratched her chin, a doubtful look on her face. “She’s an elemental witch, specializing in fire. There are few who can beat her ability to control flame. The heat courses through her like blood. Flame is drawn to her.”

“Could Caprice control it so she flamed just her hands?” I asked. “She could have used fire when she choked Bastille to make it look like a demon attack. It’s certainly muddied the evidence and our focus. When the angels first discovered Bastille’s body, they were drawn to the idea of a demon attack.”

“Unless something’s happened between them that I don’t know about, Caprice wouldn’t want Bastille dead,” Auntie Queenie said.

“She should be at the top of your suspect list,” Mom said. “I like Caprice, but she has no alibi, and she has the ability to kill Bastille with fire, without injuring herself.”

“I still need to talk to Lila and Esmeralda,” I said. “I want their take on things, see if they heard anything odd last night. I’d have tried when I was at the hotel, but the angels threw me out.”

“That won’t be a problem,” Auntie Queenie said. “I’ve been in touch with the angels. Once they’ve interviewed everyone, we’re allowed to see each other. They’ll be done by the end of the day, and we’ve got a reservation at Bite Me at seven o’clock. Join us, and you can speak to Esmeralda and Lila then.”

“Are you sure the angels don’t mind you all meeting?” I could imagine how annoyed Dazielle would have been when Auntie Queenie announced a dinner date with all the murder suspects.

“Even if they do, it won’t stop us. It wasn’t any of us, so there’s no harm in meeting for a good natter over a few glasses of wine and some decent food.”

“Then I’ll be there.” I gazed at my untouched sandwich and sighed.

“What’s wrong?” Mom touched my hand. “Are you finding this hard?”

I nodded. “I can’t believe it’s anyone in this group, which means we’ve got a killer on the loose in Willow Tree Falls and no idea who it is.”

No one spoke for a moment.

Auntie Queenie finished her sandwich and smacked her lips together. “We can’t have that. I should get the gang back together. We’ll organize a hunt for this killer. No one hurts a member of my gang and gets away with it.”

Rhett shifted in his seat. “There’s only one gang in Willow Tree Falls, Queenie.”

Her eyes narrowed. “And we both know why that is.”

They glowered at each other before Mom broke the tension by sliding a plate of warm chocolate chip cookies into the center of the table.

Auntie Queenie grabbed a cookie. “Lovely. My favorite.” She broke it in half and dunked it in her coffee.

Rhett relaxed in his seat and took a cookie. “It’s not a bad idea to do a search. My guys are available if you need more eyes on this.”

“Let’s see what information Esmeralda and Lila have first,” I said. “We have no clue who or what we’re looking for. A stranger? A local gone bad? We’ll be searching for someone without knowing who it is we’re looking for.”

“It makes me sick with worry thinking it might be someone in my gang,” Auntie Queenie said. “It must be an outside party. Someone who’s taken a disliking to Bastille.”

“If anyone can figure this out, Tempest can.” Rhett patted Auntie Queenie’s hand. “She’s good at solving puzzles.”

Auntie Queenie smiled at him, all animosity gone. “You’re right. She’s great. You’re lucky to have her.”

He smiled at me, and his dark eyes twinkled. “Don’t I know it.”

I didn’t share Auntie Queenie’s confidence in resolving this quickly. The only possible, tenuous suspect I had was Caprice, and I hoped I was wrong about her.

I also needed to find out what Esmeralda had gotten up to last night and confirm what Lila did after the party. But if the angels had discovered anything suspicious about them during their questioning, they wouldn’t allow the old gang to meet, so I wasn’t hopeful of discovering anything useful.

I hoped my questioning tonight would come to nothing, but if it didn’t, we might never find who murdered Bastille.

“Thanks for lunch. It was great.” Rhett pushed back his chair. “I need to get going.”

“Wait a moment.” Mom dashed around the kitchen and handed him a tin of cake. “Take this to the gang. There’s plenty more if they want it.”

“Thanks, Mrs. Crypt.” Rhett grinned. “They’ll love this. They don’t get a lot of home comforts.”

“Please, it’s Cora, and they’re always welcome to my home comforts.”

Auntie Queenie cackled saucily. “Don’t tell me you’ve taken a fancy to a biker?”

“Of course not! What did I say?” Mom looked confused.

“Ignore Auntie Queenie,” I said. “She has a dirty mind.”

Rhett grinned at my mom. “You’re way too good for any of the guys in my gang.”

She blushed. “I didn’t mean anything by that. I just—”

“Rhett, I’ll walk you out.” I kissed Mom’s cheek as I passed her. I didn’t want her getting any more confused about her offer of home comforts to rough, tough biker types.

I accompanied him outside to the garden gate.

Rhett turned and took hold of my hand. “Your mom does a great spread.”

“Sorry you got dragged into this.”

“I’m always happy to eat good food and make sure Queenie is okay. Despite being a member of a former rival gang, I like her. She’s obviously shaken by this murder.”

“We all are.”

“It looks like you’re going to be busy tonight.” Rhett glanced back at the house. “Do you really think one of Queenie’s friends did this?”

“It’s possible,” I said. “Bastille proved herself that old wounds fester, and it’s not hard to imagine a friendship turning sour. This gathering could be the opportunity her killer was waiting for. Get everyone together, cause confusion, and then attack. Bastille had her guard down. She wouldn’t have seen this coming.”

“Don’t take too many risks finding out who did this.” Rhett wrapped an arm around my waist and stepped closer. “You need to watch out you don’t get too singed around the edges.”

“You mean even more than I already am?”

He touched a strand of my frazzled hair. “You pull off the goo splattered, singed look well.”

I smiled up at him, and my heartbeat sped up. “You know I can look after myself.”

“And you know that the offer of help is always there if you ever want to take me up on it.” He pressed a gentle kiss to my lips. “Any chance our stargazing date tonight is still on?”

I bit my bottom lip and shook my head. “I can’t miss this dinner tonight, and I don’t know how late I’ll be. Everyone will be there. It’s my chance to question them and see what theories people have.”

“I get it. Family first. I’d expect nothing less from you.” Rhett kissed me again.

For a second, I forgot my worries about a killer on the loose in Willow Tree Falls and enjoyed the feel of Rhett’s strong, solid arms around me.

“You’re going to have to make this up to me,” he whispered against my mouth. “You’re standing me up.”

“If you were a lesser man, you’d hold it against me.”

“That’s true, but I won’t forget. Our next date is going to be epic to make up for this.”

I smiled up at him, feeling ridiculously breathless. I was in so deep with this guy, and I couldn’t be happier.

Chapter 11

“I shouldn’t come tonight.” I stood at the front door of Mom’s house, peering into the gloomy evening.

“Nonsense! You must. Everyone will be there. You said yourself, you need to speak to Esmeralda and Lila.” Mom squeezed my shoulder.

“This is so unlike Wiggles.” He hadn’t returned from our trip to the forest. It had been seven hours, and he was never away from home for this long. His rumbling belly always enticed him back.

“Wiggles is a robust, clever hellhound.” Mom nodded at me. “If he’s run into trouble, he can look after himself. After all, he burps flames.”

“Only when under pressure.”

“There you go. If he has any problems, he can deal with them.”

“Oh, wait! I see him.” I ran to the gate, relief filtering through me. I hated Wiggles going missing. A couple of hours wasn’t a problem. I was used to that. But anything longer and I got worried.

Wiggles scurried toward me. He was covered in mud, his expression grim. “Where were you when I needed help?”

“What happened?” I stared at him in horror. He was filthy, his paws caked in mud, and his fur grubby.

He wrinkled his nose, his eyes glowing. “I fell in a hole.”

“Were you hurt?” I hurried over. “Was it a deep hole?”

He growled at me. “I’m fine. It wasn’t deep. I could poke my nose out the top, but the sides were muddy. You know I’m not great at jumping. I bounced up and down a hundred times. I kept flipping on my back. It was humiliating.”

I bit my lip. “You’ve been in a shallow muddy hole this whole time? You really couldn’t jump out?”

“Small hellhounds carrying a little extra weight don’t have the ability to jump great distances.” He turned, displaying how grubby he was. “I stink. I’m cold, and I’m starving. This is all your fault.”

“Oh, Wiggles!” Mom hurried to join me. “You poor baby. What happened to you?”

“Ask my negligent owner. She left me in a huge pit. I think there was a snake at the bottom.”

“A snake!” Mom gasped.

Wiggles snorted. “Or it could have been a pointy stick that looked like a snake. I was spooked after being abandoned.”

“Hey, that’s not fair. How was I to know you’d stumbled into a hole and couldn’t jump out because of your pot belly? I almost died in the forest, thanks to Fallon. She shot at me, trapped me in magic, and covered me in goo.”

Wiggles bared his teeth. “It’s no less than you deserve for abandoning a pet.”

“I didn’t abandon you! I figured you’d gone off hunting a fun scent or found a cute female to hang out with.” I was secretly relieved he was back. I’d have to check this hole wasn’t another of Fallon’s traps to stop people from going into the forest. She took her role of Forest Guardian way too seriously.

Mom fussed around Wiggles. “Come inside, gorgeous boy. I’ve got a stew almost ready, and you need a bath.”

Wiggles expression softened, and he stopped growling. “Can I eat my stew in the bath?”

“No!” I said.

“Of course you can.” Mom patted his head. “You’ve had a stressful day. A big bowl of stew and some of my magic bath salts will see you right.”

“I need a belly rub as well,” Wiggles said. “I’m very stressed.”

“Absolutely.” Mom scooped him up and carried him into the house.

He looked at me over Mom’s shoulder and stuck out his tongue.

I shook my head. No wonder I had such a spoiled hellhound. Everyone treated him like a prince, me included.

“Come on. Let’s go.” Auntie Queenie dashed out of the house.

“It’s your fault we’re running late.” Auntie Queenie had changed her outfit three times. She’d gone from a floaty cream number to a scarlet smock and now sported a slightly too tight purple tube dress. I’d opted for a subtler black number that came with a few sparkles.

“We can’t keep the girls waiting.” She tucked her arm in mine, and we sped along the street toward the restaurant.

I glanced at her. “How are you feeling about this evening?”

“Oh, I’m not worried.” She waved a hand around. “I mean, no one has anything to hide.”

“That’s right. We’ll confirm everyone’s alibi and spend the evening working out who had it in for Bastille.”

“Exactly. You’ll solve this, and we’ll have no more quizzing from those silly angels.”

Although she put on a brave face, Auntie Queenie was nervous. I would be too if my oldest friends had been earmarked by the angels as potential killers.

I pushed open the door to Bite Me and strode in with Auntie Queenie beside me. The scent of vanilla candles, mixed with expensive perfume, filled the air.

“There they are,” Esmeralda called as she waved at us.

Lila, Samantha, and Caprice also greeted us as we sat at the table in the corner of the restaurant. The place was busy, with most of the tables occupied. It was no surprise. Tilly Machello always knew how to tempt diners in with her delicious dishes.

“We wondered if the angels had arrested you.” Samantha grinned as she poured champagne into our glasses.

“Not likely, but I got a grilling this afternoon, the same as the rest of you,” Auntie Queenie said. “They asked me about my relationship with Bastille and any problems we’d had.”

“What did they think about you stealing Bastille’s man?” Caprice wiggled her eyebrows.

Auntie Queenie squinted at her. “You know that’s not what happened. But they kept circling that information like they’d found a perfect motive. I was honest with them about what happened. They also talked to Kenny and left convinced I didn’t do it.”

“They’d better be convinced,” I said. “You’ve got a great alibi, and you’re innocent.”

“As we all are.” Esmeralda stood from her seat. “This calls for a toast. Bastille was one of the good ones. She didn’t have the smoothest ride in life, but she was loyal and honest. Her death was tragic.”

“Her murder, you mean,” Lila said.

Esmeralda nodded. “I’d like everyone to take a moment to remember a happy memory about Bastille and how she touched our lives.” She raised her glass. “To Bastille. One of the best Dead Tree Witches there was.”

Everyone raised their glass and toasted to Bastille.

As Esmeralda sat down, Samantha stood. “Since we’re commemorating lost gang members, we never got around to remembering our fallen sisters last night.”

“Fallen sisters?” I whispered to Auntie Queenie.

Auntie Queenie raised her eyebrows. “Being a gang member isn’t plain sailing. It can get rough. People get hurt. People die. Although, this lot didn’t die on my watch.”

“They’ve been gone over ten years, but they’ll never be forgotten. Let’s toast to the memories of Abigail, Petra, Mona, and Kat. They helped make our gang great and are sorely missed.”

There was another round of glasses chinking.

“Who were these witches?” I asked Auntie Queenie.

“They were great fun,” Auntie Queenie said. “They were in the gang for years. When the four of them turned thirty, they decided to spend a year traveling. They saved up and made a plan of places they wanted to visit.”

“They did it all,” Caprice said. “They went to Canada and saw polar bears, did a road trip across America and ate greasy giant burgers at all-night diners. They even headed to Mexico and took part in the Día de los Muertos.”

“The day of the dead,” Auntie Queenie translated. “A public holiday to remember lost loved ones. It’s very colorful, and I hear the food served is something else.”

“That was around the time they visited the Inca ruins,” Lila said, “and where their problems began.”

“What problems?” I asked.

“We don’t know that the trip to the ruins caused their problems,” Caprice said. “But something bad might have gotten them.”

“What do you mean by bad?” I asked.

“That’s nonsense!” Esmeralda said. “They most likely got bitten by a bug and contracted some exotic disease. I told them to get their shots before they left.”

“It wasn’t a bug bite that made them unwell,” Lila said. “But they were all sick when they came home. The Inca ruin was the last place they visited. When they got back, they had fevers and sore throats and complained of odd visions. I believe there was dark magic in that place. Somehow, it infected them. They were never the same after that trip.”

I leaned forward in my seat. “Could they have activated some ancient magic that attacked them?”

“Nobody knows,” Auntie Queenie said. “Over the next two years, they faded. They became lethargic and complained of aches and pains.”

“It’s like the curse in that Egyptian tomb,” Lila said. “Tutankhamun’s curse. Everyone who went in there when it was first opened became ill. Many of them died or went mad.”

“Because of an air borne virus, not a curse,” Esmeralda said.

“Many believe Egyptian pharaohs had magic,” Lila said. “How else could they build those incredible structures?”

“Slave labor,” Esmeralda said.

“Anyway, within two years, our friends were dead,” Auntie Queenie said. “It was tragic.”

“To our fallen sisters.” Samantha raised her glass again. “We’ll never forget them.”

As the waiter came to take our order, I leaned over to Auntie Queenie. “Their deaths were from natural causes? This bug, or whatever it was, killed them?”

“No, it wasn’t the bug, although it definitely weakened their magic. Kat was hexed. Mona had a bike accident. Petra’s heart failed, and Abigail died in her sleep.”

“All within two years of each other. Isn’t that suspicious?”

She peered at me, her forehead wrinkling. “Their doctors noted nothing suspicious. In theory, the hex shouldn’t have killed Kat, but she was weakened by this exotic bug. Mona simply lost control of her bike and hit a tree.”

I sat back in my seat. “What caused Abigail’s heart to fail?”

“The doctor said there was a weakness in a valve. No one noticed it. And Petra had a love of fatty food. She was a touch on the curvy side and was supposed to be watching her calories. One too many pastries caught up with her.”

I toyed with my fork. “It seems odd that they died one after the other, even though the causes of death are different.”

“It was the Inca ruins,” Lila said with a decisive nod. “They messed around with old magic, and it bit back.”

I nodded. If no one else considered it strange, it would do me no good to poke around in the deaths of four long-deceased witches. Not when there was a very recent death to focus on.

The waiter left with our order.

I paused with my glass halfway to my mouth as everyone’s attention turned to me.

“How’s the sleuthing going?” Caprice asked me. “You did a great job questioning me. Better than the angels.”

“Yes, what have you learned?” Esmeralda asked.

I lowered my glass. “Nothing that points to a killer, although we can rule out a demon. There’s no evidence of one in Willow Tree Falls.”

“From what Dazielle said when she interviewed me, the angels have come to the same sticking point,” Auntie Queenie said. “They’ve got no firm evidence. Nothing that points to any of us.”

“Which makes sense, because we’re all innocent,” Caprice said.

“Yet somebody had it in for Bastille,” I said. “And they knew her well enough to convince her to go outside with them. They wanted to be alone with her so they could kill her.”

Samantha dabbed her eyes with a napkin. “It’s so terrible. She was such a gentle soul.”

“She was the best,” Lila said.

Nobody spoke as hankies were produced and noses dabbed.

Caprice pushed back her chair, her eyes full of tears. “I’ll be back in a minute. I need to powder my nose.” She stood from the table and walked away.

Esmeralda sighed. “Bastille was lonely. I got the impression she’d given up on life and finding love. She’d shut herself away from everything. She was barely living a life.”

“What life she had still deserved to be protected,” Auntie Queenie said.

“Bastille was hiding because she was so sick,” Lila said. “She kept away from everybody because she didn’t want to reveal how bad she was. I knew the truth. She couldn’t hide it from me. My senses tingled every time we got close.”

I nodded. As a healing witch, Lila had a sixth sense when someone was suffering.

Lila continued. “When I spent time alone with Bastille, I could feel her pain. She put on a good front, but when she thought no one was paying attention, I could sense how awful it was for her.”

Esmeralda shook her head. “It wasn’t an illness making her distant. If you ask me, dark magic was draining her.”

There were several gasps from around the table.

“Bastille didn’t use dark magic,” Auntie Queenie said.

“That you know of,” Esmeralda said. “She wasn’t suffering a physical illness, but she was losing herself to the darkness. The signs were there, the pale skin, nervousness, withdrawal from society. She was in trouble.”

“That can’t be right,” Lila said. “I never saw her using anything dark, and I never felt anything toxic from her. Dark magic leaves a residue, no matter how careful you are. It stains you like ink.”

“There are cloaking spells that hide dark magic use,” I said. It hadn’t been so long ago that I’d encountered a member of my own bar staff who’d concealed her use of dark magic under a clever spell. She’d fooled us all.

Lila shrugged. “If Bastille was using dark magic, I don’t blame her. She was desperate to find something to make her feel better. Perhaps she turned to the dark arts as a last resort. She felt like she had no other option. She longed to be well, and nothing worked for her.”

“Whatever her health problems were, she’s at peace now,” Esmeralda said.

“If you consider being murdered peaceful,” Auntie Queenie said.

Esmeralda’s expression tightened. “I meant no longer in pain.”

Auntie Queenie sniffed. “She could have asked for help.”

“She was proud and fiercely independent,” Lila said. “You know that.”

Auntie Queenie shuffled her cutlery around on the table. “I do. She never liked to complain.”

Lila looked at me. “So, the angels aren’t close to charging anyone?”

I glanced toward the restroom. Caprice had yet to return. “Would you be surprised if I suggested Caprice as the killer?”

Nobody spoke for several seconds as they exchanged worried glances.

Esmeralda was the first to speak. “Caprice has power.”

“No, I can’t believe that,” Samantha said. “Caprice is a good witch. She’s not a killer.”

“If not Caprice, then what about you?” Esmeralda asked.

“What about me?” Samantha stiffened in her seat.

“What’s your alibi for the time of Bastille’s murder?”

Samantha’s gaze shifted to me. “I have an excellent alibi. I’ve already told Tempest and the angels.”

I nodded, deciding not to share her late-night meeting with Toby. That was her secret to tell.

Samantha glared at Esmeralda. “If we’re pointing fingers, then what were you doing sneaking out of your room late at night? Going to the garden to see Bastille?”

Esmeralda’s jaw dropped. “Absolutely not. I visited Lila. I couldn’t sleep and knew Lila stayed up late. I went to her room, and we had cocoa together.”

I looked at Lila, and she nodded. “That’s right. We sat up chatting for a while. I must admit I was tired and dozed off a couple of times, but that’s what happened. We were with each other. After we finished our cocoa, we both went to bed.”

There were the alibis I’d been missing. Esmeralda and Lila were together when Bastille was killed.

“What have I missed?” Caprice sat back in her seat and looked around. Her smile faded. “What’s wrong? Don’t tell me I have toilet paper stuck to the back of my pants?”

“We were talking about Bastille’s murder,” Esmeralda said. “Remind us again what your alibi was?”

Caprice blinked rapidly. “You know my alibi. I was asleep. After we finished partying, I returned to my room the same as all of you and went to bed. I didn’t stir all night.”

“We only have your word for that,” Esmeralda said.

“Now, now,” Lila said swiftly. “We’re not accusing anybody of anything. We’re just getting to the bottom of what happened to Bastille.”

“You think I had something to do with it?” Caprice leaned back in her seat, a look of horror on her face. “Why would I kill her? We were friends.”

“You teased her. You made fun of the fact she had to buy second-hand,” Samantha said. “I told you off about that several times, but you still kept on.”

“That was our way,” Caprice said. “Bastille accused me of being snooty, so I teased her about, well, not having much money.”

“Of being poor.” Samantha shook her head. “That’s not funny. It upset Bastille.”

“She never said anything to me about being upset,” Caprice said. “If I’d thought I was hurting her feelings, I’d have stopped. I meant nothing by it. I’d always help her out if she ever got into difficulty.”

“Bastille would never have asked you for money,” Samantha said. “It’s why she came to me when she couldn’t pay her medical bill. She knew what you’d say to her. You’d tease her about her lack of savings.”

Caprice clutched her champagne flute. “Of course I’d have paid her medical bills if she was in debt. None of us wanted to see Bastille struggle financially. But she chose that life. She didn’t need to seclude herself and work part-time. It wasn’t my fault she was poor.”

“It was your fault that you kept prodding her about it,” Samantha said.

Caprice glared at her. “Why are you all picking on me?”

“We’re not.” Lila looked around the group and sighed. “But we’re all anxious to find out what happened.”

“As am I.” Caprice flung her napkin on the table. “I can tell you this right now. I didn’t kill Bastille. I loved her the same as any of you. Sure, we bickered, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t like her. Queenie argued with her much more than I did. Why don’t you call the angels in to arrest her?”

Auntie Queenie opened her mouth to argue, but I grabbed her arm and shook my head.

“Everybody take a breath,” Lila said. “We’re all getting worked up about nothing. We trust each other, and we all have alibis.”

“Some of us have better alibis than others,” Auntie Queenie muttered.

“We need to look outside our circle for the killer,” Lila said.

“It seems you’re doing the exact opposite.” Caprice stood and shoved her chair back.

“Don’t go,” Lila said. “We can’t fall out about this. We need each other.”

“It looks like that’s exactly what we need to do.” Caprice grabbed her purse and stormed out of the restaurant.

I exchanged a surprised glance with Auntie Queenie.

She shrugged. “We’ve touched a nerve.”

“No, she’s just upset.” Lila looked at the door as it swung shut behind Caprice. “Although, it is out of character. Caprice is usually so happy-go-lucky.”

“Why run if you’re not guilty?” Samantha arched an eyebrow and took a sip of champagne.

I looked at Caprice’s empty seat.

Samantha was right. Caprice’s behavior suggested she had something to hide. It made her look guilty, but how could I prove that?

Chapter 12

I headed to the hotel the next morning with a freshly bathed and sweet-smelling Wiggles to speak to Caprice.

Despite the best efforts of the group, they hadn’t been able to get Caprice to return to the restaurant last night. In the end, we’d stayed and eaten, but everyone was mourning the loss of Bastille and not in the mood for fun.

The party had broken up early, with promises to meet the next day and get to the bottom of what happened to Bastille.

I’d been tempted to visit Caprice last night and ask her why she’d stormed off but decided she needed a night to cool down. Everyone showed their grief in different ways, but she shouldn’t have reacted so sharply. We were all under the spotlight for Bastille’s murder, and Caprice knew she’d have to face questioning, just like the rest of us.

“You’re looking handsome today,” I said to Wiggles.

“I’m still not talking to you.”

I tilted my head, tempted to point out that was exactly what he was doing. “Did you enjoy your stew?”

“Yes.”

“And your bath?”

“Yes.”

“Do you want to know if I found the killer?”

Wiggles snorted. “If you had, we wouldn’t be up so early, marching around before we’d had anything to eat.”

It looked like I had some making up to do with my hellhound. “How about a muffin?”

“Make it a tray of muffins, and I might be open to negotiations.”

I shook my head as I walked into the hotel reception to find the owner, Tabitha Dimples, behind the desk. Her glasses were perched on the top of her head as she smiled up at me.

“Tempest, how’s everything? How’s your auntie doing? I bet she’s in shock after what happened to her friend.”

“She is. We’re doing our best to figure out what happened. Actually, that’s why I’m here. I was hoping to speak to Caprice. Have you seen her around?”

“I have. She was up early today. She left about an hour ago.”

My eyes widened. “Left as in checked out?”

“Oh, no. She said she couldn’t sleep and was going for a walk and to get breakfast. She’ll be back.”

I let out a relieved sigh. For a second, I thought Caprice was making a run for it. “You’re sure about that?”

“Absolutely. Her room’s been cleaned, and her things are there.” Tabitha sucked in a breath. “Why? You don’t think she’s got anything to do with what happened in my beautiful garden, do you?”

“No. But I have a few questions to ask her.”

Tabitha shook her head. “It’s a tragedy. All my flowers are dying. I think they’re in mourning, too.”

“They are?”

Tabitha nodded. “Flowers are sensitive to bad vibes. I’ll have to get some cleansing magic from Aurora’s store to remove the negativity. And there’s nothing like a murder to bring down the reputation of an establishment.”

“I’m sure Bastille would agree. She’d much rather be alive and eating a croissant from the buffet than her cold body being pored over by the angels.”

“Oh! Of course. That was insensitive.” Tabitha pulled her glasses from her head and placed them on her nose. “I’m sad about what happened. I just wish it hadn’t been here. I don’t want to get a reputation for running a haunted hotel.”

“You never know. It could be good for business.”

Tabitha peered at me from over the top of her glasses. “Business is just fine as it is.”

I repressed a smile. Some people coming to Willow Tree Falls might expect to see a ghost or two. “I’ll come back later and see if Caprice has returned.”

I tapped my fingers against my arm. I couldn’t put it off any longer. It was time to pay a visit to someone who left a bad taste in my mouth. I needed to confirm Samantha’s alibi, and that meant a visit to Toby Matlock. I was also interested to see his reaction when I mentioned his relationship with Samantha. I had to make sure he wasn’t cheating on my sister.

We left the hotel and walked to the other end of the village, where all the expensive houses were built. It was a short walk, but every step took me closer to luxury I could never afford.

Wiggles wolf-whistled as we approached Toby’s house. “Here’s a guy who knows how to spend too much money.”

I had to agree. Toby’s house was an enormous three-story building. There were brick chimneys on either end and a gravel driveway that curved around a lawn large enough to build several more houses on. Giant stone dragons sat atop pillars at the entrance of the driveway.

“I can see why your sister is into this guy,” Wiggles said. “He’s got more money than sense.”

“Aurora’s not that kind of woman. If Toby doesn’t treat her well, she won’t stick around, no matter how loaded he is.”

“It happens. Money attracts hot women. And a lot of money makes plain, boring guys handsome. Even a mean guy can be tolerated if he showers you in giant dog bones.”

“I get that, but Aurora has her own money. She’s a successful business woman.”

“She doesn’t have this kind of money. Aurora doesn’t have giant stone dragons sitting outside her door. And if I’m not mistaken, that car is worth more than everything you own times about a hundred.” Wiggles ambled over to a sleek, black car.

I had no clue about cars, but this one looked fancy. Few people drove in Willow Tree Falls. Everything was easy enough to walk to, and magic often interfered with electrical equipment.

“Let’s hope Mr. Fancy Pants lets us in, looking like this,” Wiggles said. “I should have worn my bow tie.”

I resisted the urge to smooth my hair and check if there was mud on my boots. Toby would have to take us as he found us. I knocked on his door, and we waited.

I looked at Wiggles. “Sorry about not helping you out of that hole. I didn’t think you were in trouble. I did look for you.”

He inspected an urn by the door. “I know. I heard you calling.”

“You should have shouted. I’d have found you.”

Wiggles wriggled his nose. “I might have found an interesting smell. I didn’t want to be distracted.”

My eyes widened. “You little sneak. You’ve made me feel terrible, and all the time, you could have come when I called you. You fell into that hole after I left because your nose led you into a trap.”

He glanced up at me. “The hole had a currant bun at the bottom. I couldn’t leave that for anyone else to find.”

“I thought you said the scary hole had a snake in it.”

“There was a sharp stick. In the right light, it looked like a snake.”

“So you fell in the hole because you were after food?”

He shuffled his paws. “I might have climbed in and gotten stuck.”

I snorted a laugh. “Was the bun worth it?”

“Not really, it was stale.” Wiggles nudged me with his nose. “Anyway, apology accepted.”

“Apology taken back,” I muttered.

A seven-foot butler with a blank expression on his long, pale face opened the door. He peered down at us without speaking.

I cleared my throat. “Hi, there. We’re here to see Toby. Is he in?”

“Name?” The zombie-faced butler’s voice resonated in his broad chest.

“Tempest Crypt and Wiggles.”

“Do you have a meeting?”

“Nope, just passing and wanted to say hi.”

He nodded before pushing the door shut in our faces.

“I’ve never seen him before,” Wiggles said. “Do you think he’s alive?”

“His skin is weirdly pale. Maybe Toby made him in his creepy lab in the basement.”

“Built from the body parts of his victims.” Wiggles shuddered.

My eyebrows shot up. “What victims?”

“You know, all the people who’ve crossed him. I bet Toby doesn’t do the killings himself. Maybe his butler does it for him. Toby’s built himself a lethal assassin.”

I stared at the door, wondering if it would be rude to make a run for it. “I’m sure he’s a lovely guy when you get to know him. He’s just on the large side.”

“The creepy large side. Have you ever read Frankenstein?”

“Have you?”

“I watched the movie. This is Frankenstein’s monster, the twenty-first century version.”

“Toby is not Doctor Frankenstein.” But he was an enigma and one I was determined to get to the bottom of if he continued to date Aurora.

The door opened again, and the butler gestured us inside.

I looked around and failed to prevent my jaw from dropping. We’d stepped inside a palace. The walls were a sumptuous deep red, and my boots sunk into the thick carpet.

“This way.” The butler turned and walked ahead of us, his long arms hanging loosely by his sides.

Before I could stop him, Wiggles bounded ahead and walked alongside the butler, looking him up and down. He sniffed his leg and backed away.

I shook my head as I took in the rest of the surroundings. I was no expert, but the oil paintings and vases I passed looked ancient and expensive.

The butler stopped by a door and knocked before pushing it open. He gestured for us to go in.

I poked my head inside. Toby sat behind a large carved oak desk. He was in a library, the walls covered in books, and an enormous fireplace dominating one wall.

“Tempest, what a delightful surprise.” Toby pushed back his chair and stood. “Do come in.”

I entered the room. “Nice place you’ve got.”

“It suits my needs.” Toby looked down, and his smile faded. “I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but no animals are allowed in the house. It’s my allergies, you see.”

I’d forgotten Toby wasn’t a fan of Wiggles. I looked at him. “Are you okay to wait outside?”

“He’s welcome to go in the garden, so long as he promises not to make a mess.” Toby waved Wiggles back with a hand. “Feodor! We have an issue.”

The huge butler appeared in the doorway.

“Take this dog outside and keep an eye on him.”

“I don’t need keeping an eye on,” Wiggles grumbled.

“I mean, keep an eye on my plants. Some of them are valuable. I’ve cultivated them for years. I’d hate to see any... accidents happen.”

“I don’t trust the zombie butler,” Wiggles muttered to me. “He might make me his next meal.”

“You’ll be fine. Just keep out of his reach.”

Wiggles gave Toby the stink eye before turning and stomping out of the library. Feodor closed the door, leaving us alone.

“What do I owe this honor?” Toby gestured to a couch.

I perched on the edge of it. “Since things are getting serious with Aurora, it would be good to get to know each other better, just the two of us.”

Toby reclined on his own couch and crossed one leg over the other. His smile looked indulgent and a little smug. “You’re right to be protective of Aurora. She’s a beautiful, charming woman. I know many men who are interested in her. I consider myself fortunate that she has chosen me. I adore your sister. She’s delightful company, and I couldn’t be happier.”

“I like Aurora too. But I’m worried about how fast things are moving between you.” I shifted on the couch. Despite the comfy padding, I couldn’t get settled. “There’s talk of you moving in together.”

“There is indeed talk of such a happy event. I will welcome her into my home.” Toby gestured around him. “As you see, I have plenty of space. This house has twelve bedrooms. It’s too large for a single man. It’s time I opened my doors to another.”

“You want that other to be Aurora? You’re really that serious about her?”

“I am. Your sister is flawless.”

I snorted a laugh. “She’s a normal person. It sounds like you’ve put her on a pedestal. I’d hate to see what happens if she falls.”

Toby’s smile faded. “I admit to a little worshipping of your sister, but that’s appropriate. She has a good heart. She’s generous and kind. And her beauty takes my breath away. I want to give her the best things and the best possible life.”

“Her life is good as it is. She loves working at Heaven’s Door, and she’s got a great apartment. Plus, Aurora’s surrounded by a family who loves her.”

“If Aurora wishes, she can keep all of that. I will never take her from her family. And if she wants to keep her apartment, for whatever reason, she may do so.”

“And her business? That’s always been her focus. Aurora’s not going to give that up.”

Toby shrugged. “I admire ambition, but Aurora will need nothing when she’s living with me. After a time, I imagine she’ll find the daily grind of running a small business tedious. She’ll understand that she doesn’t need to do that to earn a living. I will give her everything.”

“What’s she going to do if she doesn’t run Heaven’s Door?” It sounded like Toby wanted to keep Aurora like a pet in his gilded cage.

“She’ll live here. She can pursue her passions.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Heaven’s Door is Aurora’s passion.”

Toby chuckled and shook his head. “You’re young and don’t see the pleasures of this lifestyle. I’m sure there will be a period of adjustment as Aurora realizes all the opportunities she has. If she’s insistent on keeping Heaven’s Door, I’ll give her the money so she can hire someone to run it. She can have that as a hobby while removing the burden.”

“That’s generous of you, but Aurora loves the buzz of running her store. She loves helping people. She can’t do that if she pays other people to run the place.”

“Does she love the stress and the early mornings? Stress does terrible things to the body. It ages a person. I don’t want to see your sister fade because she’s worried about anything. I can take care of it all.”

This guy had Aurora’s future all planned. Samantha was right. He wanted someone who’d be around to service his needs and act as his pampered housewife. That wasn’t Aurora. She’d be bored out of her mind. She’d hate having no purpose other than to fluff Toby’s pillows and make sure his slippers were warm.

Toby leaned forward. “My dear, have I offended you?”

“It’s not me you need to worry about offending. Does Aurora know about these ambitions of yours?”

“We talk about our future a lot. She’s very excited. I hope you’ll be excited for us too. As my relationship with Aurora deepens, I will consider us family. I’m always generous to my family.”

I wasn’t buying any of this, and he couldn’t bribe me into supporting this relationship. Aurora would not become Toby’s house pet. She deserved better. He could charm her all he liked, but he was onto a losing game if he thought he could do the same to me.

“Would you like tea?” Toby asked.

“No, I can’t stay much longer. I do have a question that’s not related to Aurora. I expect you’ve heard about the murder at the hotel, right?”

“Yes, such a bad business. A friend of your auntie’s, I believe?”

“An old friend. They used to be in the same biker gang when they were younger.”

Toby pressed his lips together. “Your family is full of interesting people.”

“They’ll be your family too if you do commit to Aurora.”

He smirked and splayed his hands. “Naturally. What do you want to ask me about this murder?”

“You know one of Auntie Queenie’s other friends, Samantha Smythe-Barrow. She was also in the gang.”

Toby’s jaw muscles clenched, and he glanced away. “I know Samantha. We’ve been friends for many years. She never took the gang seriously. She used to joke about them with me.”

“You’re still good friends?”

“Not as close as we used to be, but we keep in touch.”

“Samantha used you as her alibi for the night of Bastille’s murder.”

Toby nodded slowly. “Of course, she would have mentioned me. We saw each other that night but only after she insisted. Samantha and I parted a long time ago. I left her. She’s a charming woman but not the right one for me.”

“Because she was in a biker gang or because she liked her independence?”

Toby’s nostrils flared. “A little of both. Her beauty was bewitching, and she’s still an attractive older woman. But sometimes attractive features cannot overcome more fundamental character flaws. I had to let her go.”

“That must have been difficult for you both.”

“Samantha took it badly. I believe she still has a small crush on me.” Toby rested back against his seat and flashed his brows at me.

I tried not to show how unappealing I found him. “Did you take advantage of that crush the night she came to visit?”

“The idea never crossed my mind. Samantha is a friend, but I’m not interested in her in that way.”

Toby’s story didn’t tally with Samantha’s. She’d been clear that she didn’t want to be his little housewife and had left him. There’d been no talk of him ditching her, but who was telling the truth?

“What did you do when she came for her friendly visit so late at night?”

“It was late, but I’m a night owl. Samantha knows that. We had a drink, chatted about old times, and she left. Nothing happened between us. I’m with your sister now.”

“Samantha said that you wanted her as a kept woman and you weren’t happy when she wouldn’t give up her freedom.”

“Aaahhh! I see why you’re so interested in my past relationship. You think I’m going to force your sister to do the same?” Toby chuckled. “Aurora’s a strong-minded, smart woman. I could never convince her to do something she doesn’t desire.”

“So Samantha lied?”

Toby shrugged. “Memories are funny things. We change what happened in our past to fit our current beliefs. Samantha was keen on us marrying. She didn’t want to work and was happy to stay at home and live a life of luxury paid for by me. She didn’t make me happy, though. Samantha hides it well, but she’s resentful of having missed her opportunity with me.”

I barely managed to suppress a snort of laughter. Toby was grotesquely wealthy, but he was hardly a catch. He was so self-satisfied and smug that I always had the urge to slap him.

I leaned forward in my seat. “I hope your intentions toward Aurora are honorable. She’s young and still has lots of living to do. I’d hate to see that stifled.”

A muscle in his jaw twitched. “Your lovely sister will have all the freedom she desires. All opportunities will be available to her.”

“Even if that means she won’t be your stay at home housewife?”

Toby’s nostrils flared again. “That’s for Aurora to decide.”

I sucked in a breath to continue my questioning but was hit with a wave of light-headedness. The room felt like it was spinning. I grabbed the edge of the couch, thinking I was about to topple to the floor. I squeezed my eyes shut and focused on calming my suddenly racing heart.

As I opened my eyes, a cold breeze hit me in the face. I blinked several times as I struggled to figure out where I was. The library was gone, as was Toby. I stood at the open front door of his house.

Feodor stood in front of me. “Do come again.” He shut the door in my face.

I stumbled away from the door, my head pounding and my vision blurry. It felt like I’d lost time. The last clear memory I had was of grilling Toby about Aurora. Then I got dizzy and ended up outside.

Wiggles bounded around the side of the house, his front paws covered in mud. “Run! I’ve been spotted.”

I stumbled after him, my balance still not great and my stomach churning.

“Hurry! Feodor’s been chasing me for ages. I escaped when he went inside the house.”

I shook my head as I staggered after Wiggles. “What did you do?”

“I dug a few holes, left a couple of presents. That will teach Toby to have allergies.” Wiggles slowed as he waited for me to catch up. “You look really pale.”

I looked back at the house, my vision clearing. “Something happened, but I’m not sure what. Toby gives me the creeps.”

Wiggles nodded. “You’d be right to think he’s creepy. And something definitely happened to you. Toby used his powers on you.”

I stopped walking and stared at Wiggles. “He did what?”

“I couldn’t see much because Feodor was chasing me, but I watched through the window for a minute when you were talking.”

“What did you see?”

“You two having a cozy chat. It looked like it was getting tense. Suddenly, you stopped talking. You sort of froze in your seat.”

I rubbed my forehead. “I don’t remember that. I was grilling Toby about Aurora, and he wasn’t happy about it.”

“I could tell that from the sour look on his face,” Wiggles said. “Anyway, Toby got up, went to his desk, came back with a pair of scissors, and cut off a piece of your hair.”

I grabbed handfuls of my hair and studied it. Sure enough, there was a small amount clipped off the end. My stomach clenched, and my mouth went dry. “This is bad.”

“No kidding. You need to be careful,” Wiggles said. “Owning a person’s hair gives them power over you. You could wind up as the next Feodor doing Toby’s creepy bidding. He could turn you into his slave.”

A cold shiver of worry ran down my spine. “At least this proves he’s trouble. Toby used magic on me to get my hair. He’s worried I’m going to turn Aurora against him.” It all fell into place as my mind stopped spinning. “That’s how I ended up outside the house with no knowledge of how I got there. A spell was used to compel me out.”

“Then Toby’s doubly creepy, especially if he can control you. Didn’t Frank mind Toby messing with you?”

I checked in with Frank, but he was nowhere to be found. “I doubt he cares about Toby snipping my hair. He probably found it funny.”

“We should go back, call Toby out on his tricky behavior.”

I half-turned to go back to the house. My fists clenched, but I didn’t move. “He’s also a liar. Toby’s story doesn’t tally with Samantha’s. He said he dumped her and that she was free to do whatever she wanted. That’s not the story Samantha gave us.”

“I trust Samantha much more than Toby,” Wiggles said.

I nodded. “Same here.” Spending time with Toby Matlock was never on my top ten list of fun things to do, but now I had evidence to show Aurora that he couldn’t be trusted. There was no way she’d stay with him after she learnt about this.

“What are you going to do about your hair? You need to get it back before Toby uses his magic on it.”

“He won’t do anything yet,” I said. “He’s got my sister in his thrall and won’t want anything bad to happen to me, in case it makes her suspicious.”

Wiggles cocked his head. “That could be how he’s gotten Aurora so crazy about him. He’s used a spell on her.”

I gritted my teeth. I’d had the same concern. It was the only way this relationship made sense. “Toby would need to strengthen whatever magic he’s using constantly, though. Aurora’s magic eraser never leaves her throat.”

“He spends a lot of time with her,” Wiggles said. “That could be the reason why. If they spend too long apart, Aurora starts to see what a creepy old dude he really is.”

“Let’s get out of here,” I said as I turned and walked away from the house. “Toby Matlock is on my hit list, but we’ve got another problem to focus on.”

“You still need to be careful,” Wiggles said. “I couldn’t be certain what it was, but there are dead things buried in Toby’s garden. You don’t want to become the next dead thing fertilizing his roses.”

A shudder ran through me. “I’ll get my hair back and make sure Aurora knows not to trust him. Toby Matlock’s made his first mistake and proven he’s not safe to be around.” I shook off the remnants of his dizzy inducing magic as we walked slowly to the hotel.

I stopped as I saw Sablo and Jophiel walk out the front door. Caprice was sandwiched between them, her head down.

“That looks like trouble,” Wiggles said.

I hurried over. “What’s going on?”

Caprice raised her head, tears on her cheeks. “I’m innocent.”

Sablo looked at me. “We had an anonymous tip-off about Caprice.”

“Tempest, they think I killed Bastille.” Caprice sniffed. “I didn’t do it. You know me. You tell the angels I’d never do anything to hurt Bastille.”

“Are you charging her?” I asked Sablo.

“Not yet, but she’s under caution, and Dazielle wants her in for questioning. The tip-off said she was about to leave Willow Tree Falls.”

“I wasn’t. I went to get breakfast. I took a walk to clear my head. I was still upset about last night.”

“What happened last night?” Sablo asked.

I winced. “Nothing bad. Things got heated over dinner. We all want to find Bastille’s killer.”

“And you all thought it was me.” Caprice hiccupped a sob.

“No! Not all of us.” I felt guilty. Caprice’s expression was one of shock and sadness. I focused on Sablo. “What evidence have you got?”

“Nothing I can discuss with you,” Sablo said.

“Which means you have nothing concrete.”

Sablo pursed her lips. “Which means we have a strong lead, and we’re following it.”

“Tempest, you have to help me.” Caprice’s bottom lip quivered as the angels moved her away from the hotel.

“I’ll do everything I can.” At that moment, I could do nothing but watch as they led Caprice toward the Angel Force headquarters.

I had my own suspicions about Caprice, but they weren’t strong enough to declare her the killer. She didn’t have a great alibi and had the power to kill with her fire magic, but was that enough? What was her motive?

“What do you reckon?” Wiggles asked. “Have they found Bastille’s killer?”

“I’m not so sure they have,” I said. “While they question Caprice, we’ll keep asking questions, see if anything strange pops up. One question I’m interested in having answered is who sent in the tip-off about Caprice.”

“The killer wanting to frame her?”

I nodded. “That’s what we need to figure out.”

Chapter 13

I walked away from the hotel with Wiggles, my mind churning over the possibility that Caprice had killed Bastille.

“We should celebrate the capture with a cake,” Wiggles said.

“It’s a little soon to celebrate. All we know for sure is that Caprice reacted badly when Esmeralda quizzed her about her alibi at dinner.”

“And she tried to escape before the angels got her.”

“Caprice must have known that fleeing would put the spotlight on her.”

“She got nervous because she thought people were onto her. Caprice panicked.” Wiggles nodded. “Case solved. Now, about that cake to celebrate. I’m thinking something with whipped cream.”

I shook my head. “What about the anonymous tip-off? Who sent it in?”

“Someone who knew what Caprice had done.”

“Someone who was in the hotel,” I said, “which means someone who knew Caprice.”

“You think it’s someone else in the gang? One of the others saw what happened?”

I tilted my head back. “If they did, they’re hiding what they know from everyone else, but why?”

“They’re covering their own behind. They called in the tip-off to deflect attention and skulk away before they’re caught.”

“That’s possible. The real killer figured out that Caprice has a lousy alibi. They stirred up enough heat, and the angels reacted and took Caprice in. When they have a prime suspect, they stop looking at anyone else.”

“Which means what?” Wiggles raised a paw. “That we deserve cake?”

“No, it means we still have a killer on the loose, and the angels are wasting their time.”

Wiggles lowered his paw. “It won’t be the first time that’s happened.”

I slowed as we reached Aurora’s store.

Wiggles bounded to the door. “Aurora often has treats.”

I shrugged. Now was as good a time as any to speak to her about her sleazy boyfriend and make her see sense.

I pushed open the door and walked inside with Wiggles. Aurora smiled at me and gestured to the customer she served.

I wandered around, looking at the beautiful crystals and pre-made spells sitting on the shelves.

Once the store was empty, I walked to the counter. “How’s business?”

“Good, as usual,” Aurora said. “What brings you by?”

“Oh, you know, just seeing how my little sister’s doing.” I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye. “How’s your love life?”

She raised her eyebrows and grinned. “Great. How’s yours?”

“The same.” I took a deep breath. “Have you seen Toby recently?”

“Yesterday. He came by the store. We had tea together.”

“You’re still into him?”

Aurora laughed as she opened a box on the counter. “Of course. He’s being as lovely as ever.”

“No second thoughts about being involved with a much older man?”

She tilted her head, her hair falling over her shoulder. “No. Why do you ask?”

I couldn’t keep what I knew from Aurora. The more time she spent with Toby, the greater his influence would be. I needed to free her from his deceitful arms before this went too far.

“I’m not sure about him.”

Aurora stopped sorting the packets of dried herbs she’d unpacked. “What makes you say that? You’ve only met him a couple of times, and he’s been nothing but nice to you.”

“I went to see him today.”

“Oh! Why did you do that?”

“He’s an alibi for someone in relation to Bastille’s murder.”

“Goodness. He never said anything about that to me. That’s serious.”

“Everything checked out,” I said. “He’s Samantha’s alibi. Did you know he used to date Samantha?”

Aurora’s eyebrows shot up. “I don’t ask him about his past relationships. It’s none of my business.”

“It was serious between them.”

Aurora waved a hand in the air. “Even if it was, none of that matters now. Samantha’s his past, and I’m Toby’s future.”

“You’re not at all curious what they were doing together so late that night?”

Aurora pursed her lips. “I don’t know what you’re insinuating.”

“You think it’s appropriate that Samantha was in Toby’s house so late?”

“I trust Toby.” Aurora shrugged. “They sound like they’re old friends. I often meet with old friends and catch-up.”

“After midnight, just the two of you, over a glass of wine?” I felt mean for prodding Aurora, but she needed to see Toby wasn’t as honest as he made out he was.

Her face paled. “You’re not going to tell me Samantha spent the night, are you?”

“No! They both said that didn’t happen. They said it was just a friendly catch-up.” I couldn’t lie to my sister, even though it might make her doubt Toby if I did.

Aurora sighed. “There you go then. I have nothing to worry about.”

“What if Toby was mean to his former girlfriends? You might like to get in touch with them and ask. It would be easy enough to talk to Samantha.”

“Toby Matlock is the nicest man I know. He’s well-mannered, generous, thoughtful, and sweet. If he’s like that with me, he’d have been like it with his previous girlfriends. I’m just lucky no one snatched him up before I did.”

“I don’t know about luck,” I muttered under my breath. This tactic wasn’t swerving my sister from Toby. It was time to pull out the big guns. “When I was with Toby, he used his magic on me.”

Aurora’s eyes widened, and she dropped the packets of herbs she held. “He wouldn’t do that. He has strong magic but an equally strong moral code. He never uses his ability without a person’s permission.”

I couldn’t believe that. What was the point of being able to manipulate a person’s mind if you couldn’t have a little fun? I’m not talking bank robbery fun but convincing Patti to give you the biggest jam doughnut and a free treat of scones now and again, that sort of fun. Nothing that would harm another person.

“How can you be so sure?” I asked.

Aurora shook her head and scowled at me. “Did you have a late-night at Cloven Hoof? Maybe you had a few too many lemon drops. That’s why you’re talking such nonsense.”

I choked out a laugh. “My head was clear when I spoke with Toby. We were talking about you. The next thing I know, I’m outside his house and the door gets shut in my face by his creepy butler.”

“Feodor isn’t creepy.”

“He’s seven feet tall and doesn’t use words with more than two syllables. His arms are way too long for his body, and he doesn’t make eye contact. He’s creepy.”

“He’s also a big softy who adores Toby. He’s been in his employment for more than a decade.”

“Okay, so Feodor is a sweetie. But I’m sure Toby used his magic on me. He didn’t like the fact I asked questions about your relationship.”

Aurora crossed her arms over her chest. “Neither do I. Why quiz Toby about our relationship?”

“Because you’re my sister, and I care about you. I’m worried you’re dating someone who’s not being honest. Toby’s making out he’s this perfect guy so he can get you under his spell.”

Aurora raised a hand. “Stop right there. Toby’s never used his magic on me. He never would.”

I blew out a breath. “That’s what I’m trying to get you to understand. You wouldn’t know if he had. Toby shut me down because I was poking at something that made him uncomfortable. He’s not a nice guy.”

“Just because Toby doesn’t ride a noisy motorbike and stroll around looking all stubbled and mysterious doesn’t mean he’s not a nice guy. We have different tastes, that’s all.”

“We’re not talking about Rhett. We’re talking about a guy you’re threatening to spend the rest of your life with.”

“Did he say that to you?” Aurora grinned at me. “Did Toby suggest he’s going to ask me to marry him?”

I groaned and rubbed my forehead. “No, but that’s what I’m worried about. He’s got plans for you. He even suggested you give up Heaven’s Door.”

“Now I know you’re being silly,” Aurora said. “Toby likes this place. He’s here most days. He knows I love the store.”

“Toby’s plan is to wow you with luxury and turn you into a lady of leisure.” I shook my head. “You’ll hate that. You’ll be bored and lonely. You’ll rattle around in his enormous house being watched by Feodor to make sure you behave yourself. You’ll have no life of your own.”

Aurora’s expression hardened. “Toby’s house is beautiful, and I can find plenty to occupy myself there if I do give up the store. There’s the garden, the library, the pool, and plenty of rooms to choose from if I want to set up my own private spell room.”

I opened my mouth to protest, but she stopped me with a shake of her head.

“No, listen to me. That’s if I chose to do that, which I’m not going to do. Toby has said I don’t have to work if I don’t want to. I’ll always choose Heaven’s Door.”

I snorted. “Even for a generous monthly allowance? What if Toby gives you so much money that you won’t have to work?”

Aurora gestured around the store. “This isn’t work. This is fun. I love helping people with their magic and giving them spells to enhance their lives. This gives me pleasure, and Toby knows that. He won’t cut me off from something I love.”

Toby might give Aurora his smooth talk, but I wasn’t convinced. “I’m begging you not to rush into things with him. And be careful around him. His magic is really strong. He completely surprised me. It won’t happen again.”

“I have my magic eraser. You know I wear it all the time. Even if Toby used his magic on me, he’d constantly have to strengthen it.” She rubbed the amber pendant around her neck. “I trust Toby. I’m falling in love with him.”

I squeezed my eyes shut for a second. This was the worst news. I had one final card to play to convince Aurora he wasn’t a good guy. “Toby did something when I was in his house.”

Aurora’s eyes narrowed. “What did he do?”

“Cut off a piece of my hair.”

Aurora’s mouth fell open. “Are you sure?”

“No, because he used magic on me. But Wiggles saw the whole thing. He was watching through the window. Toby has my hair. You don’t take a lock of a person’s hair for a good reason.”

“You must have misunderstood.” Aurora looked at Wiggles, who was flat out on his back on the rug by the store door. “What exactly did you see?”

Wiggles nodded at me as he rolled over. “What Tempest said. That old man you’re dating got some scissors and took a bit of her hair. He tucked it away in his desk drawer.”

“You saw that clearly?”

Wiggles scratched his belly with a back paw. “It wasn’t a great view. Toby shoved me outside so I wouldn’t shed fur on his shag pile carpet, and I had to keep an eye on the undead butler in case he tried to bite me, but I’m eighty percent sure that’s what happened.”

Aurora sighed. “You could be wrong. Maybe he was doing something else.”

“Something that involved a freeze spell, scissors, and my hair?” I tapped a finger against my chin. “Maybe he’s planning on buying me bows for my bonnet and wanted to make sure the colors matched my hair.”

Aurora glowered at me.

“Tempest is right. You need to be wary of him,” Wiggles said. “Anyone who leaves a dog in the garden rather than letting him chill on a fancy rug and eat cake has got issues to deal with.”

“Toby doesn’t have issues. He has allergies,” Aurora said. “Wiggles, think carefully. Did you actually see him take Tempest’s hair?”

My patience was wearing thin. Aurora had never doubted me like this before. “Why would I lie to you?”

“Because you don’t like Toby. Because you’re jealous of how happy I am with him.”

“Jealous! You’re dating a man old enough to be your father.”

“He’s refined and mature. I thought you were happy for me, but I see I was wrong.”

“I’m happy for you, but I’m also worried.” I reached for her hand, but she stepped away. “Think about how old Toby actually is. He dated Samantha when they were young. Samantha is in her mid-fifties. That means Toby is as well.”

Aurora shook her head. “You’re wrong. Toby’s no older than forty.”

I blinked at her rapidly. Was she kidding? She knew that couldn’t be true. “Have you asked Toby his actual age?”

“I’m sure I have. He’s forty.”

“That’s impossible. Samantha told me that Toby uses magic to look younger than his years. You’re dating a really old guy.”

“Tempest is right again,” Wiggles said. “He’s a proper old wrinkly. It’s unsettling that you’re into him.”

“That’s enough! Get out, both of you. I’ve had enough of being lied to.” Aurora stamped to the door and opened it. “You’re both nasty and spiteful. I know Toby’s older than me, but I like that. He’s mature, unlike the two of you.”

I gaped at her. Why couldn’t she see past Toby’s lies? This wasn’t blind love. Toby was manipulating Aurora. “I’m trying to save you from making a huge mistake.”

“No, you’re not. When you’ve gotten control of your jealous feelings, we can talk again.” Aurora pointed out the door.

“You need to open your eyes. Toby is bad for you.”

Aurora’s cheeks colored, and her eyes sparkled with tears. “Out. Now!”

I looked at Wiggles and shrugged before we shuffled out the door, which was slammed shut behind us and the blind pulled down.

I let out a frustrated sigh. “That went well.”

“Yeah, Aurora is totally going to ditch the old guy after that.”

A trickle of Frank’s energy curled around my spine. It seemed he was also annoyed with Toby and the influence he had over my sister.

As we walked away from Heaven’s Door, Frank’s energy crept further up my spine, and I felt myself grow warm. “Not now, Frank.” I wasn’t in the mood to deal with a jealous demon.

“I have a suggestion,” he whispered. “Let me pay Toby a visit. I’ll get the truth out of him. I’d enjoy pounding my fist into his face until he realizes that honesty is the best policy.”

I chuckled but shook my head. “I’m tempted, but it will only make things worse between me and Aurora. If she discovers I let you loose on Toby, she might never forgive me.”

“We both care about your sister in our own unique ways,” Frank muttered in my head. “By getting rid of Toby, I’m showing her how much I think of her.”

“We all know what you think of Aurora. Toby’s being dishonest with her, but you want to choke the life out of her.”

“Eventually, I will choke the life out of her. I’ll enjoy holding that slender neck whilst the light fades from those pretty eyes.”

I snorted. “That’s never going to happen.”

“It will. But before I do that, I must remove all unwelcome distractions from her life. Toby is a distraction.”

“Get out of here,” I growled at Frank. “If you talk about choking Aurora again, you’re not getting cupcakes for a month.”

He growled back twice as loud in my head before sliding down my spine.

“We need more information about Toby,” I said to Wiggles.

“The angels are still investigating him. Maybe they’ll share what they know.”

“Not likely, but we need to check in with them and see how things are going with Caprice. While we’re there, we can try getting our hands on information about what a slimeball Toby Matlock is.”

“Sounds good to me. And the angels always have doughnuts in the back room.”

I nodded. “And that’s exactly where you need to go.”

Wiggles cocked his head. “You’re asking me to break into the angels’ office?”

“It’s important. We’re saving Aurora from a terrible love match.”

Wiggles snorted a cloud of sulfur. “No problem. I’ll be a silent ninja hellhound, creeping into enemy territory to protect the fair maiden from the wrinkled, gnarled hands of a creepy old warlock.”

“Exactly. See if you can find out what they’ve got on file about Toby. If Aurora isn’t convinced he’s bad news because of his magic tricks on me, she might be convinced when she finds out what the angels are investigating him for.”

We walked the short distance from Aurora’s store and into the reception area of Angel Force.

Dazielle was on the desk and nodded as I approached. “I figured you’d be by soon enough. Sablo reported that you saw Caprice’s arrest at the hotel.”

“I had my own suspicions about her but was surprised when you took her in. Is she talking?”

“No, but she’s panicked. She’ll let something slip if we keep pressing her.”

“Have you got enough evidence to charge her with Bastille’s murder?”

Dazielle arched an eyebrow. “Not yet, but something will turn up.”

I discreetly gestured to Wiggles as I continued to talk to Dazielle.

He snuck behind the reception desk on his belly and headed toward the main office.

I had no clue how the angels filed their investigations, but if Wiggles could get a look around and see if there were files on Toby, that was a start. If Toby was as shady as I thought he was, he’d have a whole archive dedicated to his dubious behavior.

“Are you still questioning other suspects about Bastille’s murder?” I asked Dazielle. “Although Caprice was top of my list, other people could be involved.”

“Caprice is our focus going forward,” Dazielle said. “And I trust you won’t continue to poke your nose in. I heard you’ve been asking questions. It’s not welcome or needed.”

I raised a hand. “I’m only trying to help. Bastille was a friend of the family. She was my friend.”

“Which is why you shouldn’t be helping.” Dazielle shook her head. “I know this is tricky for you and your family. I actually expected you to be more of a problem.”

“I won’t be any more of a problem than I need to be, so long as you don’t start pointing the finger at Auntie Queenie.”

Dazielle smirked. “Queenie’s got nothing to worry about.”

“But her friends have?”

“They won’t, so long as I get Caprice to talk. They’ll be free to leave Willow Tree Falls as soon as we’ve charged Caprice.”

“But you can’t do that without enough evidence.”

“Or a confession.” Dazielle shrugged. “Caprice hasn’t been charged with anything. She can walk out any time she likes.”

“Does she know that?”

Dazielle tilted her head. “I’ve not expressly stated that. And if she thinks she has to be here, it gives me more time to dig.”

An angel being shady with a suspect, what a shocker. I almost expected the Devil to come wandering in wearing a sparkly tutu and talking about the cold weather in Hell.

“We’ll keep her for a few hours before letting her go,” Dazielle continued. “Perhaps a night on her own, thinking about what she did, will make her confess.”

“You don’t consider Caprice a flight risk?”

“We’ll keep an eye on her.” Dazielle arched an eyebrow. “And, if she runs, I can always hire you to bring her back in.”

“She’s a witch, not a demon. I don’t hunt witches.” I pursed my lips. “You should keep asking around. Caprice has no real motive for wanting Bastille dead.”

“How do you know that?”

I scuffed my boot on the floor. “I... well, I might have asked a few questions.”

Dazielle shook her head. “Of course you did. No more. It’s over. We’ve got the person who did this.”

I couldn’t let it go. I couldn’t let the angels push Caprice into a confession. “Why kill Bastille at this specific reunion? Maybe that’s important. What has Caprice said about this anniversary get together? It’s been thirty years since the gang got together.”

“Nothing. The date’s not relevant.”

“It could be an old grudge coming to the surface.”

“No one holds a grudge for such a long time. Now that your auntie and her friends are getting on in years, I don’t consider them a serious threat anymore. More a nuisance.”

“They never were a threat to the village or the people living here.”

“They were if you got on the wrong side of them.” Dazielle tapped her finger on the desk. “I’ve heard stories of what they got up to.”

I grinned. So had I. Auntie Queenie and her friends had been awesome in their prime and still rocked some impressive magic.

Dazielle’s expression hardened. “That’s not something to live up to. We have files on all of them. The Magic Council even got involved a few times to sort out their dramas.”

“Okay, so they could be trouble. Getting back to Bastille’s murder, it was a risk killing her at the hotel. There were other people around. She led a sheltered life and lived alone. It would have been easier to kill her in her home with no one else around.”

“We’re not ruling out an opportunistic killing. The women could have argued. Caprice attacked Bastille and lost control of her magic.”

“What did they fight about?”

“That sounds suspiciously like a question. Something you’re not supposed to be asking.” Dazielle gestured to the door. “You need to leave, and I need to get back to questioning Caprice.”

I glanced at the door behind Dazielle. I couldn’t leave Wiggles in a building full of angels. “Any chance I can sit in on the interview?”

Dazielle snorted a laugh. “Not this time. You stick to demon hunting. I’ve got a new case coming your way. A real nasty piece of work. You two should get along.”

Wiggles scurried out from behind the reception area and winked at me. It was time to leave.

“I look forward to it. Let me know when you hear anything useful from Caprice,” I said to Dazielle.

“You’re at the bottom of my list to keep informed.” Dazielle lifted a sheet of paper. “Oh, my mistake. You’re not even on my list.”

When had Dazielle gotten so snarky? I shook my head as I left the angels to their interrogation.

I hoped they didn’t stuff this up. Bastille deserved justice, and the angels had better make sure she got it.

Chapter 14

I waited until we were away from Angel Force’s headquarters before speaking to Wiggles. “Did you find anything useful about Toby?”

“Nothing. These paws don’t work well on filing cabinets. I had a peek on a couple of desks that were unoccupied, but they didn’t have anything useful. Toby’s information could be in the archive.”

I pressed my lips together. I would find out about his underhanded tactics. That’s all I needed, more ammunition against him to show Aurora he was wrong for her.

“Let’s go to the hotel again,” I said. “I want to speak to Tabitha. I didn’t get a chance the other day because the angels were poking around. She might have seen something useful on the night of Bastille’s murder.”

Tabitha Dimples was behind the hotel reception desk when we entered. “Hi, Tempest. Any news on what the angels are doing to my guest?”

“They’re keeping Caprice for questioning.”

“It’s a terrible business.” Tabitha looked around. “Should I keep Caprice’s room for her? All her things are still here. I hate to be mercenary, but I have people wanting to stay.”

“How long has she paid for?”

“Another two nights.”

“Keep it until then. If the angels are charging her with anything, they’ll have to do it soon.”

Tabitha nodded. “Do you think it was her? I’m a good judge of character and didn’t get a hint of killer intent off Caprice when she checked in.”

I tilted my head. “How can you tell someone’s a killer?”

Tabitha took her glasses off and cleaned them. “I have a sixth sense about people. I know a good egg when I see one. I also know a rotten egg.”

“What sort of egg was Caprice?”

Tabitha tutted. “An all-round good one. She’s stayed here before for previous reunions and is always polite and tidy. Some guests who stay here are nothing more than pigs. The stories I could tell you about what I’ve found lurking under beds. Dirty pants, old socks, half-eaten sandwiches. One guest even left behind a full-sized, blow-up—”

“Were you here the night Bastille was killed?”

“Oh, yes. I don’t sleep much. I have an easy chair out back, so use that to nap in. I was around on and off all night.”

“Did you see anyone coming and going?”

Tabitha smiled at me. “Still doing your detective work?”

I shrugged. “I have to. You know what the angels can be like.”

“A pain in the behind. They left feathers all over the carpets. It took me hours to get everything looking presentable. Did they say sorry? Of course not!”

“Have they questioned you about what you saw that night?”

“You’d think they would, but we keep missing each other. I have a business to run and can’t wait around for the angels to pull their boots on and get over here.” Tabitha shook her head. “Not that I want them back, messing the place up.”

“I doubt they’ll bother you now,” I said. “They think they’ve got their killer.”

“I suppose they know what they’re doing. If you have any questions for me, ask away. I’m happy to help.”

“Thanks. One of your guests, Samantha, said she left around midnight to meet somebody.”

“That’s right. I was in the back room and saw her leave. She returned two hours later.” Tabitha arched an eyebrow. “She looked very pleased with herself. I wondered if she has a gentleman in the village and they met for a little slap and tickle. She looked disheveled when she returned if you know what I mean.”

I did and wasn’t happy to hear that. “Did Samantha go straight to her room after she got back from her slap and tickle?”

“She did. She couldn’t see me in my easy chair. I push the recliner back so I can just see over the top of the counter when people pass. I heard her go straight up the stairs. She wears those heeled boots, so I heard them clipping on the floorboards.”

“Did anything else unusual happen that night?”

“Nothing remarkable. Esmeralda called down late and asked for two mugs of cocoa. It was just after Samantha had left. I don’t mind doing room service during the day, but I’d closed the kitchen, so I couldn’t help Esmeralda.”

“So, she didn’t go to Lila’s room with cocoa?”

“Oh, yes, I believe she did. I couldn’t provide the drinks, but I offered her my kettle. Esmeralda was happy with that because she had her own cocoa. She came down and collected the kettle. In fact, she brought me my own mug of cocoa after making the drinks, which was sweet of her.”

That was useful information. It helped to solidify Esmeralda and Lila’s alibis. They were snug in Lila’s room gossiping and sipping cocoa when the murder happened.

“Did anything else happen?” I asked. “The other guests said they stayed in their rooms all night.”

Tabitha adjusted her glasses and tapped her fingers against her chin. “Esmeralda popped down with the kettle before she turned in, which was around two in the morning. I’d nodded off, actually, so I got a start when she appeared behind the desk. Oh, and Caprice went out.”

My eyes widened. Caprice had lied to me. She’d said she’d stayed in her room all night. “What time did she go out?”

“Not long after Samantha. I wondered if they were going out somewhere together and she was running late.”

“Caprice was out of her room around the time Bastille was killed?”

“Yes, but she left through the front door,” Tabitha said. “That’s why I didn’t think anything of it.”

I shook my head. “Caprice couldn’t get into the garden by going out the front door and around the back?”

“Oh, no. There’s not a chance of that. There’s a single door to gain access into the garden, and you have to walk past reception to get to it.”

“There’s no side gate?”

“No. The only way Caprice could get in the garden after going out the front is to scale a fifteen-foot stone wall covered in prickly holly. I grew it up there to deter any bad sorts trying to get in.”

“And if she’d done that when Caprice came back, she’d be filthy.”

Tabitha nodded. “She would and most likely bloody from getting stabbed by the holly. I grow the prickles extra long.”

I chewed on my bottom lip. I thought I’d found a hole in Caprice’s alibi, but she couldn’t have been in the garden, so why lie about going out that night?

“What about Bastille?” I asked. “When did she leave her room and go into the garden?”

Tabitha tilted her head and frowned. “That’s a funny thing. I don’t know. I nodded off for a while. I didn’t hear the back door go, and it’s a heavy wooden door, so I always hear it when it thuds shut. Bastille must have been quiet when she came down the stairs.”

“What time did you fall asleep?”

“I can’t say for definite. It was the early hours of the morning. I remember Samantha returning around two, so it must have been after that. I fell asleep properly after she was back and rose about six.”

“And you slept in your chair all night?” I glanced over her shoulder and saw a comfortable looking pink recliner with several soft throws on it. It did look cozy.

“I always do. I like to be on hand for my guests.”

So, Caprice lied about going out but couldn’t have gotten into the garden. Esmeralda and Lila were in the clear because they were together the night of the murder. Samantha was having a dalliance with the sleazy Toby Matlock. That only left Auntie Queenie, and I knew she was innocent. What was I missing?

I turned away from the reception. “Thanks for the information, Tabitha.”

“Is it any help?”

“It might be.” I wasn’t sure. Unless I could get to Caprice and find out where she’d snuck off to, I couldn’t go any further with this investigation. Everyone was where they should be, and all alibis accounted for.

“Pass the information to the angels if you think it’ll do them any good,” she said. “I want this business sorted. That poor lady deserves justice, and I deserve not to have the angels poking around anymore and threatening my business reputation.”

“We’ll get to the bottom of this.” I left the hotel with Wiggles, my head full of questions. I still couldn’t figure out why Caprice had lied. Could she have found a way into the garden Tabitha hadn’t thought of?

I checked no one was watching before sneaking around the side of the hotel.

“What are you doing?” Wiggles asked.

“Looking for a secret door.” I stared at the fifteen-foot wall. There was no way I’d attempt to get over that, and Caprice had a fair few years on me.

“There’s no door, but maybe a ladder would work,” Wiggles said.

“It would have to be a big ladder. And Caprice would need holly resistant clothing.” I eyed the sharp leaves carefully. They could do serious damage. Even if Caprice had found a way to sneak into the garden undetected, she’d have been injured.

“She could have flown.”

“Caprice doesn’t have that power.” Not all witches were a natural on a broomstick. “I’m missing something. How did she get into the garden if she came out the front door?”

“Tabitha sounds like she sleeps on the job more than she realizes,” Wiggles said. “Caprice could have snuck back in when she was snoozing. Maybe she saw Tabitha all snug in her seat and waited her out, so she couldn’t see her creeping about.”

“But Caprice would have needed to time it right. Otherwise, Bastille could have been waiting in the garden on her own for ages. She wouldn’t have done that. If Caprice asked her to meet outside at a certain time, when she didn’t show, Bastille would have gone looking for her.”

Wiggles glanced at the hotel. “You don’t think Tabitha’s involved?”

I wrinkled my nose. “What’s her motive?”

“Bastille complained about something. Tabitha’s in the prime position to see everyone coming and going. She could have seen Bastille go outside and decided to get her revenge.”

“It would have needed to be a serious complaint.”

“Maybe Bastille saw a giant rat and threatened to call in the inspectors?” Wiggles raised his nose and sniffed. “A rat with claws and a mean expression on his face.”

I shuddered. I didn’t want to see any rat, big or small. “We need to focus on those who knew Bastille well. The people she trusted. The people she wouldn’t think it strange to go outside with in the middle of the night. Tabitha and Bastille didn’t know each other well.”

“So, we’re back to all of Auntie Queenie’s friends,” Wiggles said, “and Auntie Queenie.”

I hated to do that, but there was no one else to focus on. “I need to update Auntie Queenie. She might not know that the angels have Caprice for questioning.”

I turned from the hotel feeling lost. Something felt wrong about Caprice’s arrest. She was an easy target because of her lousy alibi, but she’d been so stunned when the angels had taken her. It was hard to fake that.

“Time for lunch?” Wiggles said.

I nodded. “Sure, we can get lunch. Let’s head to Mom’s and see how everyone is.” Mom would also be happy to feed us.

As soon as we arrived, Auntie Queenie bombarded me with questions before I’d even sat down. I filled her, Uncle Kenny, and Mom in on the angels’ activities and wasn’t surprised when Auntie Queenie didn’t believe Caprice had killed Bastille.

She shook her head, her bottom lip jutting out. “I need to talk to Caprice and get to the bottom of this nonsense.”

“The angels still have her. I don’t know how long they’ll hold her. When I spoke to Dazielle, she said they were hoping Caprice would confess because they don’t have enough evidence to charge her.”

“Which means she’s innocent.” Mom placed a fresh loaf on the table, alongside a plate of cheese and pickles, a pile of warm sausage rolls, and a mixed salad.

“The angels must let Caprice go if they don’t have enough evidence,” Auntie Queenie said. “Just because she was alone that night doesn’t mean she’s the killer. I could easily have snuck out of my bedroom once Kenny was asleep, crept to the hotel, and killed Bastille.”

“Not a chance,” Uncle Kenny said. “Your beautiful snoring kept me up all night.”

“Oh, that was just the drink making me snore,” Auntie Queenie said. “I could have done it. If the angels had a mind to, they could use that flimsy timeline to hold me, just like they’re doing Caprice. They have no more evidence on her than they do me.”

“Don’t offer yourself as a sacrificial lamb,” I said. “If you say things like that around the angels, they’re dumb enough to believe you.”

“There’s no reason for Caprice to want Bastille dead,” Auntie Queenie said.

I bit my lip. “She lied about her alibi. Caprice told me she was in her room all night, but Tabitha saw her leave after midnight.”

Auntie Queenie’s eyes widened and her mouth opened, but she didn’t speak.

“That doesn’t mean she’s the killer,” I continued. “There’s the problem of how she got into the garden. But Caprice hid the fact she’d left the hotel. She was up to something, but I’m not certain it was murder.”

Auntie Queenie sighed and pushed her plate of cheese and pickle sandwiches away.

That was a bad sign. Barely anything put Auntie Queenie off her food.

“Tempest is on the case.” Mom patted Auntie Queenie’s hand. “She’ll figure this out.”

“I’m doing my best,” I said. “Until the angels find conclusive proof Caprice did this, they can’t charge her. And if they do, it won’t stick. Any half-decent lawyer will get her off.”

“It shouldn’t come to that,” Auntie Queenie said. “Tempest, you have influence with the angels. They might listen to you if you plead Caprice’s case. Dazielle listens to you.”

“Not often,” I said. “She thinks I’m interfering. I’m not able to help Caprice.” But it was crucial to speak to her somehow. I had to find out why she’d lied about her alibi.

Maybe that was the missing piece of information I needed. Caprice was hiding something, and I needed to know what it was.

Chapter 15

“We’ve got a small party coming at nine, but other than that, it’s business as usual.” I stood behind the bar at Cloven Hoof, making sure everything was prepared for tonight.

Merrie Noble nodded as she walked along beside me, double checking supplies and ensuring we had enough stock. “We’ve got everything covered. Izzie’s got the night off, so Paula and Blaze are covering. I’m here as well, so we’re fine for staff.”

“That’s great. Have you checked the lemon drops?”

Merrie smiled. “Yes, five minutes ago, after you asked the first time.”

“Sorry, of course.” I was distracted by everything going on with Bastille, and my mind wasn’t on the job.

Merrie’s smile was sympathetic. “Are you making progress with what happened to Bastille?”

“I’m half-convinced it was Caprice but not enough to stop asking questions. Something’s off about her involvement in all this.”

Merrie nodded. “Don’t worry about us. If there are any problems, I’ll get in touch. You focus on helping Queenie and her friends.”

I turned and spotted Axel Shadowsoul at the other end of the bar. He raised a glass to me as I wandered over with Merrie. “Planning to have a fun night?”

“You know me. I’m always looking for a good time.” Axel was dressed all in black, which was unusual for him. His dark hair was messier than normal, and his deeply tanned skin looked less orange. In fact, he looked great.

“Make sure that good time doesn’t involve any mushrooms.”

He shook his head. “I learned my lesson. After I was duped by Ginger, or should I say Sandy, with that bag of mushrooms, I’ve gone off them. Every time I see dried mushrooms, I remember being hit with her curse.”

I smiled. “That’s called aversion therapy. Why didn’t I think of that? All the months I spent trying to convince you to keep clean and out of trouble. All I needed to do was blast you with a couple of curses and you’d have been fixed.”

Axel looked away and shrugged. “You make it sound so easy. That curse was nasty. I still wake in a cold sweat as I remember coming to underground with my mouth full of dirt and having no clue what happened.”

My smile faded. Axel had been through a lot. He put on a good front of being carefree and up for a laugh, but he’d suffered when he’d been cursed by Sandy Bishop. And he was different since recovering at the hands of his demon father, Kroni. His energy had a darker vibe.

“What did your dad do to you after he took you out of Willow Tree Falls?”

“He mainly shouted at me,” Axel said. “Dad told me I had terrible taste in friends. He also said I wasn’t to date you. Witches and demons breeding is a bad idea.”

“That’s good advice,” I said. “We should never breed.”

Axel shrugged. “He also reminded me of my future, or my potential future, if I decide to take it on.”

“He offered you a job?”

“Not yet. He doesn’t think I can handle anything serious, but he has plans for me. I’m his only son.”

“What about your half-sisters? They don’t want in on the family business?” Axel had three half-sisters whom he rarely saw.

“Most likely. Desdemona is already involved. Foxglove and Persephone won’t be far behind once they’ve stopped partying.” He swirled his drink and downed it.

Axel had matured over the last few months. He’d only been with his dad for a couple of days while he’d recovered from the curse, but there was a more serious air about him. I couldn’t decide if I liked this new version of Axel.

“Would you like another drink?” Merrie smiled at Axel.

“Always. And get one for yourself.” Axel grinned at Merrie as she blushed and turned away.

I glanced from one to the other carefully. I might be wrong, but it looked like they were flirting, and Merrie was enjoying it. Merrie and Axel? I’d no idea she was interested in him.

“Am I included in that generous offer? Or are you only offering to buy Merrie a drink?” I tilted my head and grinned.

“Erm, well, no. I mean, of course, you’re included.” Axel scratched his chin. “I figured you’d be too busy to hang out and chat.”

“Tempest’s helping to solve a murder.” Merrie looked at me, and her gaze shifted to the door.

“I am? I thought that was the angels’ job?” My grin widened as Merrie’s cheeks colored again.

“Oh, sure. I heard about the murder at the hotel.” Axel nodded.

My grin faded. “I do need to get back to it. If I leave the angels to figure this out, they’ll be arresting you next.”

Axel’s brows shot up. “I’m innocent. Whatever happened, it wasn’t me.”

“Sure it wasn’t. Not this time. I’ll leave you to it,” I said to Merrie. “Be good.”

Merrie turned, her gaze not meeting mine as she placed a drink in front of Axel. “I always am.”

“You too, Axel. I’m watching you,” I said.

He accepted the drink from Merrie. “When am I ever bad?”

I shook my head and decided not to answer that question as I left the bar with Wiggles in tow. The late shift would be about to start at Angel Force. This could be a good time to see if I could sneak in and see Caprice.

We walked through the door and over to the reception desk. Cassiel was pinning the latest Angel Force motivational posters to the walls.

I looked at the first one: A gathering of angels can enlighten the world.

“And leave behind a heap of feathers,” I whispered to Wiggles.

Cassiel looked over at me. “Everything okay, Tempest?”

“I’m here to speak to Caprice,” I said. “Has Dazielle finished with her?”

Cassiel turned. “You’re too late.”

My gut clenched. “Have you already charged her?”

“No, Dazielle decided we didn’t have enough to charge her. She was released half an hour ago.”

I let out a relieved sigh. That was a good sign. It showed the angels had been fishing for information and had nothing solid to pin on Caprice. With her free, it also meant I’d get a chance to talk to her without the angels interfering.

“Dazielle was looking for you,” Cassiel said. “There’s a new demon case we need your assistance with.”

I turned back to the door. “She can leave the details at Cloven Hoof.” The demon would have to wait. I needed to see Caprice.

I hurried to the hotel, Wiggles bounding along beside me.

Tabitha walked in from the garden as we arrived, carrying a bucket and sponge. “Tempest, back so soon. I’ll have to get you your own room.”

“I heard Caprice has been released. I hoped I’d find her here,” I said.

“Oh, of course. Yes, she came back not long ago. The poor thing looked tired. She said she was going to lie down and then head out to get some dinner. I asked if she needed anything, but she said she was fine. It looks like she’s innocent though since the angels let her go.”

“Quite possibly,” I said.

Tabitha’s expression grew cautious. “She is innocent, isn’t she? I’m not having a killer in my hotel. I’ve just been scrubbing the burn marks off the paving slabs out back.”

“I’m sure she’s safe. I’ve known Caprice for years. And the angels have let her go, so they can’t be too concerned. Is it okay if I go up?”

“Yes. She’ll appreciate a friendly face.” Tabitha peered into her bucket. “I need to find something stronger to get rid of the burn marks. Or I could move a pot plant over the place, hide any signs of, well, you know, what happened.”

I nodded as I headed to Caprice’s room and knocked on the door. There was no reply. I knocked several more times.

“Maybe she’s asleep,” Wiggles said, “or in the shower washing off the angel stink.”

I tried the handle of the door, and it opened. I glanced down at Wiggles. “What do you think? If she’s asleep, we can sneak out and come back later.”

“Fine by me. I can be stealthy when I’m searching for panties to chew on.”

I glared at him.

“Fine, no panties.”

I eased open the door, crept inside, and pushed it shut behind me. There was a small private bathroom to the left and, in front of me, a short corridor with a fitted wardrobe. The bedroom was in the main room.

I tiptoed toward the bed. It was empty. There was no sign of Caprice.

The room was also a mess. A chair had been knocked over and the bedding tossed around.

“Where’s she hiding?” Wiggles trotted to the bed and peered underneath. “She’s not under there.”

A quick check of the bathroom showed it was just as empty.

I opened the closet. “Her case has gone.”

“Caprice is making a run for it,” Wiggles said. “She’s guilty and sees this as her only chance to escape.”

I looked around the room, disappointment flickering through me. I didn’t want to believe she was the killer. “She’s left a lot of things behind.” There was a makeup bag in the bathroom, a pair of what looked like designer boots by the door, and several cosmetic items dotted around.

“She had little time,” Wiggles said. “Caprice grabbed what she could and made a run for it.”

“We should let the angels know. If she’s escaping, she won’t have gotten far.” I hurried back to the reception and told Tabitha what I’d discovered.

Her eyes were wide as she scratched her head. “How strange. I didn’t see her leave.”

“You were in the garden when we arrived. She must have left then.”

“Caprice must have been waiting for me to turn my back so she could escape. I’m glad I did. If she’s desperate for a way out, she could be dangerous. She could have hurt me.”

“You need to send a message on the snow globe and let the angels know what’s going on.”

“Of course. I’ll do it right away.” Tabitha bustled away and returned a moment later. “They’re on their way. They said for you to wait here.”

It only took five minutes before Dazielle arrived. She fluttered her wings into place as she strode through the door. “Tempest, what a surprise. You’re snooping.”

“There’s no time to nag me. Something’s going on with Caprice. Things are missing, and her room’s a mess.”

“Let’s take a look before you go leaping to conclusions.” Dazielle led the way back up the stairs and into Caprice’s room. She stood for a moment looking around. “My team is on the lookout for Caprice. We’ll search the village and spread out wider if there’s no sign of her. I didn’t think she’d flee. She seemed reasonable and promised she was staying put.”

Worry churned in my gut. There was something about the mess in the room, and the way things had been thrown about that unsettled me. “Caprice is always immaculate.”

“Tempest, she’s a fugitive. When you’re under stress, you act out of character. Did you expect her to make the bed and fold the towels before going on the run?”

“No, but look at the bedding. It’s shoved on the floor. The bed would have been made since this morning.” I looked around some more. “And Caprice left behind designer boots that cost a lot of money.”

Dazielle stared at the boots and shrugged. “She can do without her designer clothes. They’ll be no use to her when she’s behind bars for murder.”

I walked around the other side of the bed. On the floor was a broken lamp. This room wasn’t the scene of someone fleeing in a hurry. This was the scene of someone who’d been fighting.

Tabitha knocked on the door and opened it. “I don’t like to disturb you, but there’s a message for Tempest from Suki.”

I walked to the door. “Did she say what’s wrong? Is it a problem at Cloven Hoof?”

“No, but she sounded upset. She said something’s been found in the forest.”

“Did she say what it was?”

“She’s coming here to tell you herself.” Tabitha glanced at Dazielle. “It sounded important.”

“You go,” Dazielle said. “I can handle things here.”

I looked at the mess in the room. “Caprice was taken. She’s not running. I think she’s in trouble.”

Dazielle pursed her lips. “And you know that how?”

“This is the scene of a fight. Messy bedding, a broken lamp, things missed when hurriedly packing a case to make it look like Caprice is on the run.”

Dazielle studied the room again. “I’ll get my team to do a sweep and see if they find anything unusual.”

There was nothing more I could do to convince Dazielle there was something odd going on. I hurried down the stairs and out the front door of the hotel with Wiggles.

Suki was racing toward me from the direction of Cloven Hoof, waving her hand as she spotted me.

She stopped as she reached me and gasped in air. “I have terrible news.”

“What’s wrong?” I’d never seen Suki look so pale. “Is there a problem with magic in the forest?”

“Fallon found something,” she gasped.

“What did she find?”

“A body,” Suki said. “She found a body hanging from a tree.”

I took a step back, my heart racing. “Does she know who it is?”

“No, she didn’t recognize them. She said it’s an older woman, well put together. Fancy clothes.”

My heart skipped a beat. That sounded like Caprice. “Wait right here.” A raced back into the hotel and up the stairs. “Dazielle! I think Caprice is in the forest.”

She appeared from out of the bedroom. “Let’s get after her.”

“Wait!” I grabbed her arm as she hurried past me. “There’s a problem. She might be dead.”

Dazielle blinked rapidly. “Dead? Are you sure?”

“No! Come with me.” I led her outside to speak to Suki.

Suki confirmed what Fallon had found and where the body was, her worried gaze returning to me as she spoke with Dazielle.

Dazielle let out a sigh. “Very well. Let’s go take a look.” She took flight and headed toward the forest.

I raced after her with Suki and Wiggles. My stomach was churning with worry and my nerves jangling. Would Caprice do something as drastic as this? She would if she was guilty and it had gotten too much for her to bear.

We hadn’t gone far before Fallon popped out from behind a tree, her dark eyes bright with excitement. “Greetings, forest visitors.”

“Fallon, where is she?” I asked.

“Right this way.” Fallon gestured us to follow her along a narrow path.

We rounded a tree, and I gasped. It was Caprice. And she was very dead.

Dazielle alighted on the ground and came to stand next to us. She stared up at Caprice before shaking her head. “Suicide.”

It looked like it. “She must have been guilt-ridden over what she did to Bastille.”

“Has anyone checked for a pulse?” Dazielle asked.

“I have,” Fallon said as she pushed past me. “Forest Guardian at your service. I shimmied up the tree and checked. She’s gone, but she’s not been here long. She’s still warm.”

I looked away and swallowed. I didn’t like encountering dead bodies, especially not ones swinging from a tree, and especially not when they were people I knew and cared about.

“She must have been desperate to do this,” Suki said quietly. “She must have felt she had nowhere else to turn. I’m so sorry, Tempest.” She placed a large hand on my arm.

I blinked away tears. “Thanks.”

“I’ll bring in reinforcements,” Dazielle said. “We’ll get Caprice down.”

It only took a few minutes before two more angels descended from the sky. They got to work and carefully removed the rope from around the tree branch and placed Caprice on the ground.

As much as I didn’t want to, I inched over to take a look.

“She must have broken her neck when she jumped off the branch,” Dazielle said. “It would have been quick. It doesn’t look like she suffered.”

I leaned closer, focusing on the rope around Caprice’s neck. “Does rope make burn marks like that?”

“Stay out of the way, Tempest,” Dazielle said sharply. “I appreciate the information about Caprice’s location, but there’s nothing you can do.”

“But look at her throat,” I said, my pulse hammering, making my head hurt. “Under the red marks, it looks like her skin’s been burned.”

Dazielle’s head jerked back before she drew closer. “It’s hard to tell. Maybe it’s bad friction burns from the rope.”

I didn’t believe that. The marks were subtle, but they were there. “Wiggles, get over here.”

Wiggles bounded over. “What do you need?”

“You saw Bastille’s neck. Do the marks on Caprice look similar?”

“Your hellhound isn’t an expert in identifying the cause of death,” Dazielle said.

“But he saw both bodies.” I nodded at Wiggles. “What do you think?”

He sniffed the body. “It’s the same smell. Chargrilled chicken. Caprice was burned before she died.”

I nodded. “Someone choked her with flaming hands and hid the evidence by staging her death as a suicide.”

“Caprice was murdered too?” Suki clutched my shoulder.

“Yes. Whoever did it must have hoped the rope marks would conceal the real cause of her death.”

“There’s a vague possibility that happened.” Dazielle stared at the body for several seconds. “We’ll get her back and do a more thorough investigation, without your input.”

“This wasn’t suicide,” I said. “Caprice was murdered.”

Chapter 16

I’d spent the last few hours in a daze. I’d gone through the motions of eating dinner and staring blankly at paperwork in the back office of Cloven Hoof, but I was in shock. Caprice was dead. She’d not committed suicide. Someone had wanted her out of the way.

After Dazielle and her team had poked around for a while, even they agreed her death was suspicious.

I was certain that Bastille and Caprice had been killed by the same person. That person had tried to frame Caprice for Bastille’s murder and make it look like she’d ended her life because she was so torn up about murdering her friend.

I shoved the paperwork to one side and rested my head in my hands.

Wiggles’ head appeared on my knee. “How’s it going?”

I stroked his ears. “Not great. Who’s doing this?”

He nuzzled my hand with his muzzle. “A mean person whom we’re going to catch. I’m going to bite them so hard when we do. I love these witches. No one gets to bump them off.”

“Me too. We have to figure this out.” The problem was, I had no idea where to look next.

“I need some air.” I left the office, and after a quick check-in with the bar staff, I headed out of Cloven Hoof. I couldn’t process everything I’d witnessed, so maybe a change of scene would help.

It had gone eleven at night, but there was no way I could think about settling down for the night.

I wandered the streets with Wiggles by my side, not going in any particular direction. There had to be something bigger behind this, something I’d missed. The only connection between Caprice and Bastille was their old biker gang affiliation. Was that it? Was that why they’d been killed? Someone had an old grudge that they’d finally decided to act on?

I stopped when I saw a warm, welcoming amber light on in Tilly’s restaurant. She was closing Bite Me for the night, and the place was empty.

I walked over and knocked gently on the glass door. A moment later, Tilly appeared, still in her apron. She waved at me and hurried to open the door.

“Hey! I meant to catch up with you. I heard about what’s going on with Queenie’s friends. How horrible.” She ushered me inside and locked the door behind me and Wiggles.

“Have you heard the latest?” I asked.

“All I know is that Bastille was killed at the hotel, and the angels have Caprice in for questioning.” She rested her hands on her hips. “What have I missed?”

I slumped into a seat and dropped my head into my hands. “There’s more. None of it good.”

“Hold those thoughts.” Tilly patted my shoulder. “This needs pie and strong coffee.”

“For me too,” Wiggles said. “Although I’ll take a bowl of milk with my pie.”

Tilly narrowed her eyes. “You shouldn’t even be here, but I sense this is a crisis situation. You can stay, so long as you behave yourself.”

Wiggles raised a paw and cocked his head. “I’ll be a good boy.”

“Thanks, Tilly, you’re a lifesaver,” I said.

Tilly returned a moment later with a tray. There were three pieces of pumpkin pie with ice cream, a bowl of milk, and a pot of coffee with a plunger. She placed a plate down for Wiggles before setting the rest out for us. She poured the coffee and settled in her seat.

I took a few sips of coffee. “Caprice didn’t kill Bastille. I’m certain of it.”

“What makes you say that?” Tilly cut a piece of her pie, swirled it in some melting ice cream, and took a bite.

“We found Caprice in the forest this evening, hanging from a tree.”

Tilly choked on her pie as she dropped her spoon. “Suicide?”

“It looked like it at first, but whoever put her there did a lousy job of covering their tracks. She was killed the same way as Bastille. The hanging was a cover. I’m no forensic expert, but I only needed to look for a minute before I spotted something was wrong with how Caprice died.”

“I’m so sorry to hear that. Who did this?” Tilly sipped her coffee.

“I can’t figure it out.” I shook my head. “But I don’t believe Caprice killed Bastille. What concerns me is that someone could be picking off Auntie Queenie’s old biker gang one at a time, but I don’t know why.”

Tilly’s brow furrowed. “Tempest, this is worrying. Does Queenie know?”

“I can’t face telling her, not yet. I’m still in shock, but it won’t be long before word spreads, so I’ll have to see her soon and break the news. I’ll do it first thing in the morning.”

Tilly’s mouth twisted to the side. “Could Queenie be at risk?”

I jerked back in my seat. “The killer wouldn’t dare try anything with Auntie Queenie.”

“I’m sure you’re right. She’s one tough cookie. If anyone did try anything, they’d be sorry.”

“She’s safe for now. Uncle Kenny and Mom are with her in the house.” Even so, with this concern added to my list, I had to decide on my next move and fast. No one went after a member of my family and got away with it.

I cut a piece of my pie and ate it. This was just what I needed, a friend, great food, and strong coffee to help get my thoughts in order.

“There is one thing playing on my mind. Caprice lied about her alibi. She said she was in her room the night of Bastille’s murder.”

Tilly jabbed her spoon at me. “I can tell you straight up that’s wrong. I was clearing up late that night. I’d had a private party in for a fiftieth birthday celebration. They were late leaving, which I didn’t mind, they spent a lot of money on after-dinner drinks. I was clearing the last table when I saw somebody walk past. It was Caprice.”

I sat up straight. “Was she alone?”

“She was. I almost went out after her because I thought she looked in pain. She was clutching her stomach. At first, I thought it must be cramps but then remembered Caprice is a bit old for cramps.”

“Caprice didn’t mention feeling unwell when we had the party in the forest. Maybe it was something she ate.”

“Whatever it was, perhaps she thought fresh air would make her feel better. Caprice could have forgotten she went for a walk that night, what with the shock of Bastille’s murder.”

“Or she was worried she’d be taken in for questioning. Caprice went out alone and had no alibi. It looks suspicious. Now, I can’t get any answers from Caprice about what she was doing that night.”

“If it wasn’t Caprice, who do you think killed Bastille?”

“Everyone has an alibi. We’ll have to start over and figure out where people were when Caprice died. I must speak to Auntie Queenie as well. Maybe she’ll remember an old enemy who’s out for revenge. Someone we’ve overlooked.”

“But why now?” Tilly asked. “Why has this mysterious enemy resurfaced after such a long time?”

“If there even is one.” I raised my hands, feeling exasperated. I felt like I was clutching at straws, and those straws kept slipping through my fingers.

Tilly smiled. “More pie?”

“Not for me,” I said.

“Yes, please,” Wiggles said.

“One piece is enough for a little guy like you.” Tilly scooped up the empty plates and sat them on the counter.

“I need my strength to help fight crime,” Wiggles said, his hopeful gaze on the empty plates.

“You’ve got plenty of reserves.” Tilly poked his belly. “You live off that for a while.”

I fiddled with my mug of coffee. “There’s also another mystery I need your help with. It’s not related to these murders.”

Tilly turned from the counter. “What’s that?”

“Toby Matlock, what do you know about him and Samantha? I’ve learned they used to date. I think they might still have some sort of relationship.”

“Samantha and Toby!” Tilly returned to her seat, a mischievous look on her face. “I thought Toby liked his women much younger these days.”

I narrowed my eyes. “What do you know about Toby’s dating situation?” I didn’t know how widely Aurora had shared her secret relationship and wasn’t going to reveal anything.

Tilly smiled. “I don’t want to get anybody in trouble, but I’ve seen Toby with a younger woman. She’s very pretty and extremely sweet. We both know her.”

I tilted my head. “Is she a local business owner whom I’m related to?”

“You do know about Toby and Aurora!” Tilly smacked the back of my hand. “I’ve been desperate to say something but didn’t know how hush hush their relationship is.”

“It’s very hush hush,” I said. “No one else in the family knows. How did you find out?”

“They were very discreet when I saw them together. If I didn’t know your sister so well, I’d think she was just being friendly to Toby, but it was the way he touched her arm and gazed at her. I knew then something was going on between them. They’re really in a relationship?”

“They are.” I pressed a finger to my lips. “Don’t say anything to anybody else.”

“But that guy’s ancient. He’s old enough to be my father.”

“The age thing isn’t even the biggest issue. There’s something off about Toby.” I recounted my recent meeting with him and what he did to me.

Tilly was horrified. “You’re right to be concerned if he’s misusing his power. Toby will be in big trouble if he gets found out, even more so if you think he’s seeing Samantha behind your sister’s back.”

“I don’t know that for definite, but their stories are different. I’m concerned something happened between them that night. If that’s the case, then Toby’s cheating on Aurora. Aurora should know, but I don’t think she’ll listen to me.”

“And, not forgetting, Toby used powerful magic on you without your consent,” Tilly said. “Aurora isn’t worried about that?”

“She’s too love-struck to be worried. She can’t see a flaw in Toby. Aurora also thinks he’s much younger than he is.” I swirled the last of my coffee around. “What if he’s using magic on Aurora to make her think he’s this amazing guy? He could be influencing her mind so she becomes besotted with him.”

“When I saw them together, Aurora seemed genuinely interested. She was laughing and smiling. I’ve never seen her so happy with a guy. I’ll admit it’s weird and a bit gross to be going out with someone that old, but opposites attract. Your sister is lovely, and Toby is a rich, older guy who can show her the world if that’s what she wants.”

“I’m not buying it. He’s a creep, and I won’t be happy until he’s far away from Aurora.”

“Be careful, Tempest,” Tilly said. “If your sister is as crazy about him as she sounds, you risk driving her away if you say anything against Toby. You know what it’s like when you’re in love. It doesn’t matter what anybody says, you only see the good things. So, tread carefully.”

“I’ve already put my foot in it,” I said. “I do owe Aurora an apology. But Toby’s still not having her.”

Tilly tilted her head from side to side. “Have you thought about setting Frank on him?”

I laughed. “For once, you and Frank are in agreement. He suggested that himself. He thought it would be fun to pay Toby a visit and pound the truth out of him.”

“It’s not a terrible idea,” Tilly said. “Although, just some scaring rather than any physical violence. I’m not a fan of Toby Matlock, and his ability gives me the shivers. If he’s manipulating your sister, it has to be stopped.”

I leaned back in my seat as I finished my coffee.

It felt like there were too many puzzles and problems to solve, and I had no way to sort any of them.

Chapter 17

I was up uncharacteristically early the next day.

I left Wiggles sleeping on my bed and headed to Angel Force. I waited a few moments in the reception until Dazielle came through.

“Any news on Caprice?” I asked.

“Nothing good,” Dazielle said. “Your suspicions were right. Once we’d examined the body, there were clear burn marks. They were more discreet than the ones we found on Bastille.”

“Because the real killer tried to make Caprice’s murder look like a suicide. Whoever it is used Caprice as a fall girl.”

“That’s what we’re thinking,” Dazielle said. “The killer must have waited for Caprice to be released after we questioned her. They pounced as soon as she got back to the hotel.”

“Have you checked with Tabitha? Did she see anyone lurking around or watching the hotel?”

“She didn’t see anything odd,” Dazielle said. “But it wouldn’t have been hard for someone to sneak in and attack Caprice.”

“But not so easy to take her to the forest. They’d have had to carry her body.”

“Unless they forced her using magic,” Dazielle said.

“Caprice was an elemental witch. It would have taken a powerful magic user to bring her down without a struggle.”

“There were signs of a fight in her room.”

“Yes, that I spotted. Before you did.”

Dazielle arched an eyebrow. “Congratulations. We also found Caprice’s suitcase in the forest. It was hidden under a bush.”

“The killer took some of her things to make it look like she was leaving but then changed their mind?”

“Or they wanted to complicate matters. If Fallon hadn’t found Caprice in the woods, we’d have been searching elsewhere.”

I nodded. “Giving the actual killer time to escape.”

“That could be true.”

“I don’t think Caprice was killed in her room. We’d have detected the smell of burning. I reckon the killer knocked her out, which explains the struggle in the room, cloaked them both, and took Caprice into the forest to kill her, where there’d be no interruptions.”

“That’s possible,” Dazielle said.

“But they didn’t do a great job,” I said.

“Agreed, it was an amateur job. Possibly an opportunistic killing. We’re going to speak to everyone again to see what they know.” Dazielle tilted her head. “And, as a courtesy, I’ll let you know we will be talking to Queenie. She has an alibi for the first murder, but we need to know where she was when Caprice was killed.”

I gritted my teeth and nodded. “I won’t stand in your way. Somebody saw something. There are other guests in the hotel, and they could have seen someone go to Caprice’s room.”

Dazielle shuffled the papers on the reception desk. “You’re being surprisingly cooperative.”

“So are you. You could have told me nothing about Caprice.”

Dazielle raised a hand as if to pat my arm but then scratched her wing instead. “I understand this is difficult for you. People you know and care about are dying.”

“And you don’t think I’m doing the killing?”

Her eyes narrowed. “Don’t push your luck. My sympathy has an expiry date.”

I shrugged. I did appreciate her letting me know what the angels were doing. “You’re not forbidding me from seeing Auntie Queenie?”

“No. I would ask that you don’t discuss our investigations, but I’ll be wasting my breath. Just be discreet. We’re still looking for a killer.”

“Will do.” I nodded goodbye and headed to Mom’s house. I needed to get to Auntie Queenie before the angels did and let her know what happened to Caprice. As usual, the front door was open.

I slowed as I walked into the hallway. There were hushed voices coming from the kitchen. I recognized Auntie Queenie, and I was pretty sure the other person was Lila.

“We can’t mention this to anybody just yet,” Auntie Queenie said.

“I think we should. This could be the reason we’re being targeted.” Lila’s tone was tense. “I’ve been feeling terrible recently, and nothing is helping.”

“You’re not as bad as Bastille was. She got the brunt of that foul magic.”

I inched closer to the kitchen door. What were they talking about?

“I wasn’t far away from her,” Lila said. “It took me several months before I could even get back on my feet.”

“I’ve got something to fix you up if you’re not feeling so good,” Auntie Queenie said.

I didn’t know Lila was also sick. It seemed like every member of the gang had some kind of ailment.

“We should share this information with the angels,” Lila said. “If we give them this book, they might help.”

“Help how? They can’t undo the magic, and we can’t go accusing anyone on the Magic Council of coming after us.”

My eyebrows shot up. The Magic Council was after Auntie Queenie and her friends? What for?

“I’m worried,” Lila said. “This feels serious. Whoever is doing this means business. What if they don’t stop until they’ve wiped us all out?”

“It won’t come to that. Let’s get some fresh herbs from the garden for your tonic,” Auntie Queenie said. “Until we know more, we can’t do anything. If we tell the angels our concerns, they’ll flap around and have no idea what to do. It’ll only make it worse. We don’t need them to know about our pasts. They might lock us up if they do.”

Their pasts? What had they done that was so bad the angels would put them behind bars?

I waited until I heard them leave the kitchen through the back door and hurried into the room. Sitting on the table was a small black book. I flipped it open. There were dates and details of different magical items, their side-effects, and a power listed against each one. The pages were old, and several were stained. I had no idea what I was looking at.

Whatever it was, it sounded like it had gotten Auntie Queenie and her former biker babes into trouble with the Magic Council.

The Magic Council generally kept to themselves. They ran the administrative side of magic. They issued laws regarding magic use, monitored infringements, and used their significant influence to curb dangerous magic and ensure the checks and balances were in place so nobody became too powerful.

I turned the page of the book and trailed my finger down it. This had all kinds of magic listed but not the names of the item or spell. All of it sounded powerful and a little warped. There were initials next to an item that could turn you mad, another set of initials listing a power that forced a person to speak the truth, and something that compelled a person to do anything you commanded them.

This could just be a record of all the magic the gang had access to over the years, but it sounded like something else was going on. Something that involved deadly spells and curses.

I continued to read. From the details in the book, it looked as if this magic was tested to see how effective it was and what harm it did. The side-effects were listed, and there was a color next to each spell. A red, amber, or green dot.

“What does this mean?” I muttered to myself as I sifted through the pages, looking for an explanation of the code.

“The code means safe, be careful, and destroy at once.” Auntie Queenie stood in the door leading out to the garden. Lila was next to her.

I shut the book swiftly. I’d been so engrossed I hadn’t heard them come back. “What’s this about?”

Auntie Queenie rubbed her forehead as she placed the herbs she’d collected onto the table. “Here’s a tricky thing. What can we tell you?” She glanced at Lila.

Lila pressed her lips together and nodded. “Tempest is involved. She might be able to help.”

“Help with what?”

“Sit down both of you. I’ll make this tonic,” Auntie Queenie said.

Lila sank gratefully into a seat. She looked pale, and there was a gray tinge to her skin. It could be because of the shock of recent events, but I had a feeling it was more than that.

“If you’re here to tell us about Caprice, we already know.” Auntie Queenie swiftly chopped the herbs and placed them in a pestle before grinding them.

Lila shook her head. “Terrible news.”

“Oh! Yes, I was coming to tell you that.” In my surprise at finding this mysterious book, I’d forgotten my purpose for visiting. “How did you find out?”

“I was in the bakery late yesterday. Patti saw the angels fly to the forest. The rumor mill got going before the day was out.” Auntie Queenie paused to dab her eyes. “We still can’t believe it. Another sister has fallen.”

Guilt filtered through me. It was a lousy way to find out. “Sorry, I should have told you as soon as I knew.”

Auntie Queenie patted my hand as she sniffed back tears. “I understand. You’re figuring this out. You’ve got a lot going on. What do the angels think happened?”

“It wasn’t a suicide. It’s the same person who killed Bastille. I’m almost certain.”

Lila’s hands fluttered to her chest. “I knew it. They’re after us.”

I waited a minute for either of them to elaborate on what that meant, but neither spoke. “Auntie, what’s going on? Who’s after you, and what does it have to do with this book?”

“The book is a record.” Auntie Queenie tipped the herbs into a mug, poured hot water over them, sprinkled in some magic powder, and handed the mug to Lila. “Drink that and you’ll get color back in those cheeks.”

Lila nodded and took a sip. “Thanks, it’s just what I need.”

Auntie Queenie finally sat at the table and clasped her hands together. “You know I was part of the Dead Tree Witch gang.”

“Of course, you all were.”

“I’ve always talked about the gang as if it was a bit of fun. A chance for me to hang out with my friends, ride around on fancy bikes, and enjoy ourselves.” She glanced at Lila. “It was a bit more than that. When you get such powerful magic users together, you can do impressive things.”

I nodded. Everyone knew that a coven of witches could share power and strengthen a spell when they worked together. “What sort of things did you do?”

“It was nothing bad,” Lila said quietly. “But our combined ability came to the attention of the Magic Council. They called upon our services.”

I looked at the book. “They gave you these magic items and spells to test?”

“Exactly,” Auntie Queenie said. “Here’s the tricky bit. We were sworn to secrecy by the Magic Council. We can’t talk about what we did.”

“You can tell me anything,” I said. “I won’t say a word.”

“You misunderstand. We literally cannot talk about it. If I try to discuss the magic in that book with anyone outside of the group, I won’t be able to. My voice vanishes.”

I blinked at her rapidly. “The Magic Council put a spell on all of you?”

“That’s right,” Lila said. “We were handling dark magic. They decided it was too much of a risk if we could talk freely. We can talk to each other about it, but that’s it. If anyone else is in the room, we go mute.”

“However, the Magic Council aren’t as smart as they think,” Auntie Queenie said. “They didn’t say we were forbidden from writing our results down. I kept a record. It was partly so it was easier to report back to the Council and tell them what we’d discovered, but I was also curious. We tested so much magic over the years that I couldn’t remember it all.”

“So, what’s the problem? Is the Magic Council not happy that you have this book?”

“We worked with them for almost a decade,” Auntie Queenie said. “There was no problem until their requests changed and we became uneasy with their demands.”

Lila ducked her head. “They asked us to use the magic on specific people.”

I jerked back in my seat. “They wanted you to be magic using assassins?”

“Nothing that sophisticated,” Auntie Queenie said. “We were happy to test the magic and use it within a protective circle when together, but we never used it on our own. There’s power within those pages. For a single witch to use such power, it would kill her.”

“We didn’t turn the Council down to begin with,” Lila said. “We targeted the magic on a few people, as they requested.”

“At first, it wasn’t an issue.” Auntie Queenie lowered her head. “It wasn’t until someone died from the magic we used that we stopped helping the Magic Council.”

“They got you to kill someone?”

“They claimed it was an accident. The magic should never have killed the target.” Lila frowned. “The individual had been weakened by other magic they were unaware of.”

“After that, we said no more to using magic on others,” Auntie Queenie said. “We were prepared to continue testing magic, and the Council agreed we could do that. Everything was fine for a few months. We still got magic sent our way and reported our findings.”

“Until an item backfired,” Lila said. “We were sent a corrupted potion. When we activated it, it attacked us.”

My eyes widened. “How did it affect you?”

“It made everyone sick, some more than others,” Lila said.

“I’ve always suspected the Magic Council used that potion to try to get rid of us,” Auntie Queenie said. “We knew too much and had stopped following their orders. And we’d used magic under their instruction against others. If we decided to reveal what we’d done, the Magic Council would have been in trouble.”

Lila tilted her head. “We have no proof. The potion could have gone wrong. Magic distorts over time or when it’s not handled correctly.”

“We know how to handle magic,” Auntie Queenie said. “This wasn’t a problem of our making. Everyone who was there when that potion activated got sick. Basically, the whole of the Dead Tree Witch gang.”

“Did this potion make Bastille sick?” I asked.

“Yes, she was closest to the potion when it activated,” Auntie Queenie said.

“And I heard from Tilly that Caprice didn’t seem well on the night of Bastille’s murder.” I glanced at Lila. “You also don’t look too good.”

Lila sighed. “I’ve felt better.”

I grabbed Auntie Queenie’s hand. “What about you? Did this potion get on you?”

She patted my hand. “I was the lucky one. I wasn’t there when the gang used the potion. I returned to find them weak and sick. It took them months to recover. By then, the gang was on its knees. That’s when we were driven out of Willow Tree Falls by a rival gang. We disbanded not long after.”

I let out a sigh of relief. Auntie Queenie was safe from whatever this potion was doing to the others. “Did the witches you commemorated at the dinner also get affected by the potion?”

“They were there.” Auntie Queenie’s eyes widened. Her worried gaze went to Lila. “You don’t think...”

“They died because that potion weakened them?” Lila’s eyes filled with tears. “That can’t be true.”

“When you told me about their deaths, I thought it was odd,” I said. “Four healthy witches dying within two years of each other.”

“When they returned from their travels, they were sick, so we assumed it had to be related to something they came into contact with when they were away, not the potion,” Lila said.

Auntie Queenie dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. “They thought their trip would help them recover. They wanted to have some fun and forget about their worries.”

“Maybe the Magic Council found a way to kill them without making it look like murder,” I said.

“As they tried to do with Caprice.” Auntie Queenie’s chin lifted a slight wobble in her jaw. “I’ve never thought about it until now. What if that potion weakened them over time? Then they activated something dark when they were on their travels. The Magic Council realized they were vulnerable, so they took the opportunity to take them out.”

“It can’t be the Magic Council doing this,” Lila said. “They’re not perfect, but they aren’t assassins.”

I sat back in my seat. “If this is the reason behind the murders, it means nobody in your group is the killer. Someone else is after you because of what you know or what you did to them.”

“We’re being picked off one by one by someone who knows what we did for the Magic Council,” Lila whispered.

“Or by the Magic Council themselves. They’ve realized we know too much,” Auntie Queenie said. “They consider us a liability. Our relationship with the Magic Council isn’t great.”

“I still can’t believe it’s the Magic Council coming after us,” Lila said. “They’re a bunch of officials sitting in their fancy offices, and we can’t talk about any of the magic we tested. We’re no threat.”

I nodded. It also seemed unlikely to me that the Magic Council would take out Auntie Queenie and her friends. “Could it be somebody you used the magic on?”

“It’s most likely somebody who’s magic was taken for us to experiment with,” Lila said. “Those powerful spells and magic-filled items came from other magic using creatures.”

Auntie Queenie nodded. “The Magic Council had a push two decades ago and cracked down on lethal spells, forcibly removing them from magic users.”

“And one of those magic users now wants revenge against you.” This was the worst possible news. Somebody was targeting every member of the Dead Tree Witch gang, including Auntie Queenie.

She took hold of my hand and squeezed it. “This killer isn’t messing around. Don’t put yourself at risk to help a bunch of middle-aged women who played with fire when they were younger. We can sort this ourselves.”

There was no way I’d leave them to figure this out on their own. “I’m going nowhere.”

“What are we going to do?” Lila looked at me as she spoke.

I reached for her hand and linked us together. “Find out who it is before they strike again and stop them.”

Chapter 18

After learning about Auntie Queenie’s association with the Magic Council, I decided to assemble the remaining gang members at Mom’s house. Together, they should be able to figure out who most wanted them dead.

We’d arranged for Esmeralda and Samantha to come by at lunchtime, but every other member of the family had been excluded. The fewer people who knew what was going on, the better. I didn’t want anyone else added to this killer’s hit list.

Aurora was working at the store, so she wouldn’t be a problem. Granny Dottie and Mom were taking a shift at the cemetery, so they couldn’t be involved.

I gently shooed Uncle Kenny and Grandpa Lucius out the front door just before noon. “We’re having a girls’ afternoon. No men allowed.”

Grandpa Lucius looked at me with suspicion in his eyes. “Since when do you organize girls’ afternoons?”

“Starting today,” I said.

“What about your sister? She’s a girl, and I don’t see her here.”

“She’s busy.” I smiled at him. “Don’t come back for several hours, unless you want your nails painted and a clay mask applied.”

Uncle Kenny chuckled as he backed away. “Don’t worry. We’ve got a couple of seats waiting in the Ancient Imp.”

Grandpa Lucius kissed my cheek, his narrowed gaze suggesting he didn’t entirely believe me. “Have fun.”

They strolled out of the gate and along the lane. I didn’t like keeping secrets, but it was better for them if they didn’t know what we were involved in. Safer for them.

I raised a hand as I saw Samantha hurrying toward me. She looked flustered, and her cheeks were flushed. I briefly wondered if she’d made a detour to see Toby, but I couldn’t worry about her tangled love life now. We had a killer to find.

“The message from Queenie was most mysterious.” Samantha stopped beside me. “What’s going on?”

“We’ve got an idea about who killed Bastille and Caprice,” I said. “We have to be discreet. The fewer people who know, the better.”

“Oh, goodness.” Samantha took a step back. “Fair enough. I’ve just finished talking to the angels again. They’re grilling Esmeralda at the moment, so she’s going to be late.”

“Do you know how long they’ll be with her?”

“They talked to me for a good half an hour,” Samantha said. “I tried to get her to come with me, but the angels said they couldn’t postpone their questioning and shut the door in my face.”

“We’ll start without her,” I said. “Everybody else is inside.” I led Samantha into the kitchen. She greeted Lila and Auntie Queenie before sitting at the table.

I’d also collected Wiggles from my apartment, and he sat next to Auntie Queenie, begging for treats.

I settled in a seat, and Auntie Queenie nodded at me to begin. I looked around the table at the anxious faces. “We have a new theory about why members of the gang are dying.”

“What is it?” Samantha asked as she accepted a cup of tea from Auntie Queenie.

“Give Tempest a minute, and she’ll tell you,” Auntie Queenie said.

“We think it’s somebody from your past. Someone whose magic was given to you to test on behalf of the Magic Council. Whoever it is, they’ve come back for revenge.”

Auntie Queenie, Samantha, and Lila all talked at once, disputing, throwing out names, suggesting spells used. I gave them a minute before gesturing for silence.

“I know it’s been a long time since you’ve had anything to do with testing magic for the Council, but I think it’s relevant.”

“How do you even know about that?” Samantha asked.

“Because she’s nosy.” Auntie Queenie winked at me. “And it’s a good thing she is. Tempest found the record book I keep.”

“I only found it because you left it on the kitchen table,” I said. “You can’t deal with this on your own. Two of you have already been killed, and Lila is sick. You need help.”

Samantha nodded. “You know we can’t talk about specifics of the magic we tested.”

“I’ve had an idea about how to get around that,” Auntie Queenie said. “We use replacement words for the spells. I know, for example, if I talk about this particular spell,” she tapped a page on the book before passing it around the table, “I won’t be able to utter a word. What if I called it the Spell of Orange?”

“It should work,” Lila said. “I’m not sure how useful it will be, though.”

“If it helps you all to talk it out, then try that. You need to come up with a shortlist of the most powerful magic from that book,” I said. “Whoever’s power you took is after you.”

“Do you really think they’d wait this long to get back at us?” Samantha looked doubtful.

“There must be a reason they’ve waited this long. Maybe they’ve only just learned about your involvement with the Magic Council. But whatever the reason, they’re here, and they want you all dead.”

“I’ve marked the spells with that traffic light signal you saw in the book, Tempest. The green, amber, and red marks. We’ll focus on the red ones. They were lethal, dark, and dangerous. That sort of magic should never be allowed to manifest. There were only twenty or so of those in the whole time we assisted the Magic Council.”

I nodded. “Great, you go through those spells, and I’ll sort out some food.”

“Cake,” Wiggles said. “It’s essential in times of crisis.”

“Your mom made a lovely buttercream sponge,” Auntie Queenie said. “It’s in the pantry.”

I collected the cake and plates as Auntie Queenie, Samantha, and Lila huddled around the book, muttering to themselves and flicking through the pages as they read through the spells.

I busied myself with making more tea and cutting the cake as I tried not to worry. This was serious and deadly. We had to find out who was after them before the killer made their next move.

I’d never say it to them, but they were all vulnerable. Auntie Queenie had power, especially when it came to containing demons, but if what she said was true, and I had no reason to doubt it wasn’t, the magic in that book was even stronger.

I set the fresh pot of tea and the sliced cake on the table before breaking off a few pieces and feeding them to Wiggles. “What have you got?”

“There are only three detailed in here that cause us concern,” Auntie Queenie said. “There’s the St...” her voice cut off, and she blinked rapidly.

“Give the magic another name,” Lila said. “How about the Shoe of Banana? Yes! Listen, I can say Shoe of Banana, Shoe of Banana, Shoe of Banana as much as I like, and the restriction magic doesn’t kick in.”

I scratched my head. “The Shoe of Banana is meaningless to me.”

“I’ll show you the information in the book, but I used initials and shorthand for each item, so they couldn’t be used or found if the book fell into the wrong hands,” Auntie Queenie said. “Let’s call this magic the Shoe of Banana for now, and you study my scribblings as I tell you about it.”

She passed me the book and pointed at a line. The initials were S and B.

“Let’s see how much we can reveal.” Auntie Queenie cracked her knuckles. “The side effects of using this piece of magic were madness and death. It had the ability to turn an individual into stone.”

“The Shoe of Banana must have belonged to a High Witch,” I said.

Auntie Queenie nodded. “Owning the Banana wasn’t a problem, providing you never used its full power.”

“That’s right,” Lila said. “The Shoe of Banana had different levels of influence. For example, it could freeze someone to the spot for a moment before releasing them. That was considered permissible use.”

“But the witch who had the Banana,” Samantha said, “Agat...” her words faded.

“We can’t say her name,” Lila said.

“That’s no good,” I said. “How can I look out for a killer if you can’t tell me who she is?”

“We’ll have to make up a name for her,” Samantha said.

“Grumpy Old Bird Face.” Auntie Queenie grinned at the others. “She had a sharp nose and an even sharper tongue. She was always complaining about something.”

Lila shrugged. “Mean but true. She did look like an old eagle whose favorite nesting site had been squashed.”

“So, Grumpy Old Bird Face broke the rules,” Auntie Queenie said. “She used the Banana’s full power and killed people. A dozen people died before the Magic Council figured out what she was up to. They imprisoned her, took the Shoe of Banana away, and gave it to us.”

“What did you do with it?” I asked.

“Drained it of its power,” Samantha said. “It wasn’t easy, and it was dangerous magic to tinker with. There was every possibility the Banana would explode and turn us all to stone.”

“It was a close call. When we finally figured out how to deal with the magic, it was unstable. Banana splattered everywhere,” Auntie Queenie said.

I wasn’t sure what the banana was in this context, but I got the idea. The magic had been messy, and they’d almost died.

“It took three weeks to drain the Shoe of Banana’s power,” Samantha said. “After that, it was easy enough to destroy. Grumpy Old Bird Face wasn’t happy when she learned what we’d done. I hear she still spits curses whenever anyone mentions us.”

“If she’s in prison, she’s no danger to you,” I said.

“That’s just it. She’s not,” Auntie Queenie said. “Grumpy Old Bird Face vanished from prison almost a year ago. I remember thinking I needed to watch my back when I heard about her escape. After a while, when she didn’t come looking for me, I figured she was too jaded and worn out to chase us after such a long time.”

“And Grumpy Old Bird Face never focused her magic around fire. She always used stones and precious gems as a source of power. I’d be surprised if she’s turned to fire,” Lila said.

“She could have learned new skills while inside,” Samantha said.

“Or she used fire as a diversion,” Auntie Queenie said. “No one would think of Grumpy Old Bird Face using fire to kill.”

I studied the scribbles and shorthand that referred to the Shoe of Banana. It was possible that this magic user had come back for revenge after losing something with so much power.

“Another dark piece of magic we’ve considered is the Book of...” Auntie Queenie’s voice faded again. She sighed and shook her head.

“Don’t use banana this time,” I said.

“The Book of... Pumpkin,” Auntie Queenie said. “Yes! A nasty little book full of curses. It was compiled by a twisted, spiteful, cold-hearted warlock.”

“Let me name him!” Samantha clapped her hands together. “I never liked him. He always leered at my chest. He’s called... Floppy Chops McFlappy Jowls.”

Auntie Queenie and Lila chortled with laughter.

“That’s a perfect description.” Lila wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. “He looks like a Basset Hound in a wind tunnel.”

I tipped my head back. For mature women, they sure had an interesting sense of humor. “What did Mister McFlappy Jowls do with this book?”

Auntie Queenie’s smile faded. “Every page had the potential to kill.”

“Floppy Chops McFlappy Jowls was building up to something big,” Samantha said. “He’d collected these curses over a decade. He was never a popular guy and took offense easily. Alongside the Book of Pumpkin, there was a list of a hundred names. They were his targets. He’d planned an epic mission to kill everyone on his list using the curses in his nasty book.”

“He almost got away with it,” Auntie Queenie said. “He killed ten people before he was caught. The Magic Council took the book from him, sent him away for a long stretch, and ordered us to destroy his work.”

“That was a horror to get rid of,” Lila said. “We had to deal with each page individually and chant over it for twenty-four hours to leech the magic. There were one hundred curses.”

“Where’s Mister McFlappy Jowls now?” I asked.

“The last I heard about him,” Auntie Queenie said, “he was still inside. He must be ancient by now, but he’d still be mean enough to hold a grudge against us. He knew we were involved with taking his magic. If he’s gotten out without us realizing or been given an early release, I wouldn’t put it past him to come here for revenge.”

“So, we have Grumpy Old Bird Face and Floppy Chops McFlappy Jowls,” I said. “One who likes earth magic and the other who favors curses. Neither of which were used on Bastille or Caprice. What’s the final piece of magic?”

“It’s a potion,” Lila said, “the one the Magic Council gave us to destroy.”

“The one that made everybody sick,” Auntie Queenie said.

“Who did the Magic Council say the potion belonged to?” I asked.

“Baby Big Mouth.” Lila grinned. “This magic user has a big round face and can never keep a secret. I called her Baby Cakes behind her back because I always wanted to squeeze those chubby cheeks.”

“What magic does Baby Big Mouth specialize in?”

“She was a dark one,” Auntie Queenie said. “She’s supposed to have made this potion to kill her entire family. She was lost to dark magic and had become convinced her family hated her and was trying to kill her.”

“Did she have any reason to believe that was true?”

“None at all. You know her family. They’re the...” Auntie Queenie’s words died. “Anyway, you know them. They wouldn’t harm another family member. Baby Big Mouth wasn’t strong enough to handle the dark magic she’d gotten lost in. She created this twisted, poisonous potion that acted slowly. If a person drank it or got it on their skin, it ate away at their health. It made them sick over several years, draining them of joy and happiness.”

My eyebrows rose slowly. “That’s the potion that exploded all over the gang?”

Auntie Queenie nodded, her expression glum. “Everyone was weakened. When I returned to find the gang in such disarray, I thought I’d lose them all.”

“Queenie was incredible.” Samantha patted Auntie Queenie’s arm. “She used every magic trick she knew to get us on the mend. She brought in professionals, called in all of her favors, and didn’t leave our sides until we were recovered.”

“You’d have done the same for me.” Auntie Queenie smiled at Samantha. “But it wasn’t enough. Not for everybody.”

I looked carefully at Samantha. Although she had some color in her cheeks, there was still tiredness under her eyes. “You were there?”

“Oh, yes.” Samantha shifted in her seat. “I’ve been doing well for years. The potion didn’t seem to bother me. But, as I’m getting older, I feel the dark magic gnawing at my bones. I’ve tried everything to dislodge it. My time is coming to an end.”

“Nonsense,” Auntie Queenie said. “You’re a vivacious and beautiful woman.”

Samantha shook her head. “It takes a lot of effort to be this vivacious. I like to think I’m still young and as full of energy as I was thirty years ago, but it’s not true. I use most of my magical energy to maintain myself. I can’t do it much longer. As great as your tonics are, Queenie, this magic is beating me. Just as it was beating Bastille.”

“Was Caprice also getting weak because of this potion?” I asked.

“She fared better than Bastille,” Auntie Queenie said. “Bastille got at least half of the potion on her. She swallowed some as well, which is never good.”

“The rest of us got splashed with it,” Samantha said.

“You’re a strong witch. You’ll beat this.” Sadness clouded Auntie Queenie’s vision. “I’m not losing any more of my gang.”

Samantha smiled sadly and patted her hand.

I blinked tears out of my eyes and let my hair fall over my face as I pretended to study the book. It wasn’t fair what had happened. Auntie’s gang had been helping the Magic Council. They’d gotten re-paid by having a deadly potion inflicted on them.

Auntie Queenie’s hand settled on my knee, and she gave it a gentle squeeze. “We’ve still got fire in our bellies. And having you here to sort this out is just what we need.”

I cleared my throat and nodded. I’d solve this. If they were all sick, the last thing they needed was some sleazy, dark magic using maniac after them.

“We’ve got three possible attackers,” I said. “But I don’t know any of their names.”

“Our descriptive names should help,” Lila said. “Look for a grumpy old eagle, a guy with floppy jowls, and a woman with a moon face who never stops gossiping.”

I shut the book and slid it onto the center of the table. I knew most people in Willow Tree Falls, so finding any of these unusual looking strangers wouldn’t be tricky.

Auntie Queenie touched the book. “We did it because we thought we were helping the Magic Council.”

“We also did it because we were full of ourselves,” Lila said. “We know how powerful we are, and when we joined forces, we were almost unstoppable. We got arrogant.”

“We have a right to be,” Auntie Queenie said. “Our joined power is incredible. It’s just a shame the Magic Council came to see us as a threat as opposed to an ally.”

“Do you really think the Magic Council wants you dead?” I asked. “I can take on three dodgy magic users, but the entire Council? Even Frank would struggle with that.”

“No,” Lila said. “It’s not the Council. They’re the good guys.”

“Maybe it’s them.” Auntie Queenie sank back in her seat. “But we should look at these three suspects first. As you said, they’re a manageable problem. Taking down an ancient, powerful magic body, not so much.”

“You all need to be in a safe house,” I said. “Lila and Samantha, you can’t go back to the hotel. The killer found Bastille and Caprice there. Staying on your own puts you at risk.”

“You can stay here,” Auntie Queenie said. “There’s safety in numbers, and we’ve got the room.”

I glanced at the kitchen door. “I thought Esmeralda would be finished with the angels by now.”

“You’re right,” Samantha said. “They can’t have been quizzing her for this long.”

A shiver of worry ran through me. I hoped she wasn’t about to be victim number three. “You all stay here. And stay together. Don’t separate, not even to use the bathroom.”

“McFlappy Jowls won’t be hiding behind the shower curtain,” Auntie Queenie said.

“Even so, no one stays on their own. If you’re together, you’re stronger.” I pushed back my chair and stood. “I’ll get Esmeralda and bring her here.”

As I left the house with Wiggles, unease shifted through me. What if Auntie Queenie’s concerns were justified, and it wasn’t any of the magic users in her book? You don’t go up against the Magic Council and win.

I had no idea how I’d stop everyone in the gang dying if it was the Council chasing them, but I was determined to try.

I wasn’t losing another one of these witches, no matter who was hunting them.

Chapter 19

“I have a bad feeling about this,” Wiggles said as we walked away from Mom’s house. “We know about powerful magic, but this is hardcore.”

“Tell me about it,” I said. “I can’t go to the Magic Council and petition to stop them from killing Auntie Queenie and her friends.”

“You could, but it would take a dozen meetings and six fifty-page forms filled in before they’d even agree to meet you. They’re suit wearing, stuffy pencil pushers who don’t get their hands dirty.”

“Which means, if the Magic Council is involved, they’ve hired a freelancer. Someone with lethal skills.”

“Someone just like Auntie Queenie and her gang,” Wiggles said.

I nodded as we reached the hotel and walked into the reception.

The reception desk was empty, so I hurried up the stairs and knocked on Esmeralda’s door. It pushed open as I leaned against it. “Esmeralda, it’s Tempest.”

There was no reply. I walked into the bedroom to find it empty.

“She’s left half a cookie.” Wiggles hurried over and scoffed the cookie sitting on the edge of the dressing table.

I walked to the table and lifted the mug by the cookie crumbs. The contents were warm. “She hasn’t been gone long. She could have ducked into a store on her way to Mom’s house and we missed her.”

“What’s this?” Wiggles bounced on the bed. He had a piece of paper between his teeth.

I took the paper and read it. “Let’s meet at the stone circle at twelve-thirty to discuss the offer.” I turned it over. There was no name on the note, but it must have been for Esmeralda.

“What offer? Who’s she going to meet?” Wiggles asked.

“I don’t know, but I don’t like this. If Esmeralda’s on her own, it makes her vulnerable. Why would the angels leave her alone when there’s a killer on the loose?”

“The angels know nothing about the Magic Council’s involvement or the dodgy characters from Queenie’s book,” Wiggles said. “Esmeralda’s a clever witch. She won’t meet some weirdo who left an elusive note on her bed, not with everything that’s going on.”

“So, she must know the person who sent her this message.” I hurried back down the stairs with Wiggles. A quick check of the garden and dining room confirmed Esmeralda wasn’t in the hotel.

We left and hurried up the hill toward the stone circle.

I was almost running as we reached the top of the hill and sucked in a breath as I looked around.

“I hear voices coming from the circle,” Wiggles said.

“Keep to the edge of the tree line. Let’s see who Esmeralda’s meeting.” We inched closer to the stone circle, using the dense shadows of the forest to hide our movements.

I ducked as I spotted Esmeralda. She stood just inside the stone circle with her back to us.

Standing opposite her was a tall, broad-shouldered man with slicked-back dark hair wearing a gray suit and a neat black tie.

“He looks official,” Wiggles muttered. “I’m getting the definite whiff of Magic Council.”

“Me too,” I whispered. “But why is Esmeralda meeting him here?” I gestured Wiggles to follow me and crept closer until we could hear their voices clearly.

I ducked behind a bush with Wiggles and settled in to hear what they were talking about.

“It’s not good enough,” Esmeralda said, her tone suggesting she was deeply unhappy.

“It’s the best you’ll get.” The man’s voice was high-pitched and petulant. “You can complain all you like, but it’s a generous settlement.”

I glanced at Wiggles and shrugged. “What settlement?”

“No! It has to be an individual settlement. You’ve tricked me. What you’re offering is unfair.”

The man’s expression hardened. “It’s only unfair to everybody else involved. We’re the ones being honest, here.”

“Honest! You wouldn’t know what that word meant if it leaped off one of these stones and kicked you in the behind.” Esmeralda paced in front of him. “I put in the effort. I made the claim as an individual. You’re twisting things.”

“By making that claim, you implicated others.” The man looked at the papers in his hand. “You stated that you weren’t the only one affected.”

“To show I’m not making this up. No one else is interested in compensation.”

“The group settlement stands.” The man lowered the papers. “You take that offer, or you go away and stop bothering us.”

“A group claim for compensation?” My brow wrinkled. It sounded like Esmeralda was chasing the Magic Council for money. But money for what?

“If you make that offer just to me, I’ll accept it immediately.” Esmeralda jabbed a finger. “I’ll sign on the line right now, and you won’t hear from me again.”

The guy in the suit snorted a laugh. “You’d love that. There’s enough money in this group settlement to set you up for the rest of your miserable life.”

“And it will be miserable. I’m suffering. I feel sick every day, and my memory is fading. That’s your fault.”

I sucked in a breath, and my heart raced. “This is about the potion that misfired. Esmeralda’s suffering because of it, too.”

“And she’s chasing the Magic Council for compensation,” Wiggles said.

The man crossed his arms over his chest. “The Magic Council agreed to an out of court settlement with the entire group. Split the money between all of you and the problem is solved. You’ll have a cozy retirement somewhere quiet. A nurse can dose you up with calming magic and sedatives until you give up the ghost and stop bothering us. But that’s all you’re getting.”

Esmeralda scowled at him. “I deserve more. I led this claim. You settle only with me. I never mentioned a group settlement.”

“Esmeralda’s gotten greedy,” Wiggles whispered.

I shook my head. It sounded like it, but I couldn’t believe she’d be so merciless. Auntie Queenie and the gang were Esmeralda’s oldest friends. They’d been through so much together. Would she turn on them to get her hands on this money?

The man smirked. “If you go down this road and insist on all the money, we’ll ruin you. We’ll tie this matter up in court with nit-picking questions and legal loopholes. You’ll be poor and too sick to care by the time we’ve finished with you. Any money you get from us will be eaten up in legal fees. And when you lose, you’ll pay all our costs, as well. Take the group offer. It’s the easy way out.”

“For you,” she said. “When that money is split between us, it’ll barely cover my upcoming medical bills. I’ve booked a month with a voodoo shaman in Haiti and an immersive healing cleanse with the demi-goddess Panacea.”

“You have expensive tastes.”

“I’ll try anything to get better. Bastille was drowning in debt because she was so desperate to get well. The offer you’re making wouldn’t have helped her.”

The man shrugged. “Bastille could have paid off her debts and had a little left over to pay for her funeral.”

“That’s my point!” Esmeralda was almost yelling. “If she’d lived, she’d have had no quality of life. Bastille couldn’t have kept trying different spells and ways to heal herself. She was borrowing money to get by as it was.”

“Even if she’d had all the money in the world, it would have been wasted. There’s no cure,” the man said. “We have records of that potion. We know where it came from and what its purpose was. Once you’ve been contaminated, you don’t get better. You fade. You’re fading, Esmeralda. Why use your last years fighting something you’ll never win?”

I shifted my position to stop my feet from going to sleep. My emotions were torn. I understood why Esmeralda was suing the Magic Council, but why keep it a secret from the others? If they worked together, they could get the Council on the ropes and squeeze more out of them.

My hand flew to my mouth as a dark, horrible idea entered my head. “No, she wouldn’t.”

Wiggles cocked his head. “What are you thinking?”

I swallowed, my stomach clenching. “The Magic Council has offered compensation to everyone made sick by the exploding potion.”

Wiggles nodded. “That sounds right.”

My breath came out shaky, my brain rejecting the idea every time I jumped on it. “Esmeralda doesn’t want a group settlement because it means she’ll get less money.”

He nodded again.

“Wiggles, think about it. The fewer people left alive in the group contaminated by the potion, the more money there will be for each of them.”

Wiggles closed his eyes for a second before a growl slid from his mouth. “Esmeralda’s killing everyone until she’s the only one left.”

“Which means, she’ll get all the money.”

“She’ll have to kill Lila, Samantha—”

“And Auntie Queenie.” My hands balled into fists. Esmeralda wasn’t one of the gang. She was an enemy.

“What’s it going to be, Esmeralda?” the man asked. “Let’s end this nonsense now. Take the deal. Share the love with your old cronies.”

“You can stuff your deal,” Esmeralda said. “I’ll get all that money, one way or the other.”

“Then I’ll see you in court.”

My eyes widened as fire flared on Esmeralda’s hands.

The guy in the suit laughed as he clicked his fingers and vanished.

Esmeralda screamed and shot a ball of fire into the air.

“That is one unstable lady,” Wiggles whispered.

I nodded. “She’s sick and greedy. She’ll do anything to get her hands on that money.”

“Even killing her oldest friends,” Wiggles growled. “I need to bite her.”

Frank stirred inside me. “Having problems with a greedy, old witch?”

“Something like that,” I muttered.

“I always enjoy teaching witches a lesson,” Frank said. “If you’d like me to play with her, I’ve nothing better on this afternoon.”

I was tempted to let Frank go to town on Esmeralda. It was no less than she deserved. “Let’s see what she has to say before you have your fun.”

“Be careful,” Wiggles said. “She’s already killed two people, people she was supposed to care about. When Esmeralda finds out that you know what she’s been up to, she won’t hesitate getting rid of you.”

It hurt to hear that, but it was the truth. Maybe the sickness had stopped her from thinking clearly, but Esmeralda had to be stopped.

“We’ll see about that.” I stood and was about to confront Esmeralda when a figure dressed in black darted from behind a stone. They threw themselves at Esmeralda, taking her to the ground.

My eyes widened as I stared at this unexpected arrival.

Esmeralda shrieked and rolled over as the black-clad attacker shot magic at her.

I shook my head. What was going on?

“Whoever jumped Esmeralda knows how to fight.” Wiggles winced as a blast of gray light pinged off Esmeralda and made the surrounding colors fade and the air cold.

“Come on. We need answers from Esmeralda before this stranger kills her. We have to stop this.”

Chapter 20

Esmeralda shrieked and hurled a spell at her attacker as we hurried closer to the standing stones.

I slowed, my eyes wide as I watched Esmeralda fight this stranger. Her attacker was tall and slim, and from the fit of her ninja-style clothing, looked female. Whoever it was, they were fast, strong, and using magic with lethal abandon.

“Have we made a mistake?” I asked Wiggles.

“I never make a mistake.”

“I mean, we thought Esmeralda was the killer.” I flinched as a bolt of jagged red magic flickered around the stone circle. “Maybe we got it wrong. This is the killer, and she’s after Esmeralda.”

The ninja attacker was blasted off her feet but spun in the air and landed in a crouched position, her hand extended, ready with more attack magic.

“You’re not getting rid of me that easily,” Esmeralda screamed. She blasted another spell.

Her attacker threw up her arms, and the magic bounced away before striking.

“This can’t be any of the magic users Auntie Queenie and the others identified. They’d be ancient by now and not capable of moving like that ninja.”

Esmeralda raced toward the attacker, her hands flaming. She grabbed her as she dodged away and wrapped her hands around her neck.

“Look! That’s how Caprice and Bastille were killed.” I stepped closer as I watched Esmeralda strangle her attacker, her fingers blazing white hot.

The black-clad attacker wrestled with Esmeralda before blasting her in the chest with a spell and sending her flying. She smacked against the side of a standing stone and fell to the ground.

The ninja stalked toward her, flickers of green magic sparking on her fingers.

I edged closer with Wiggles, keeping an eye on the attacker. I couldn’t let Esmeralda die. I was still uncertain if she was innocent or guilty, and she had a lot of questions to answer.

Esmeralda tried to get to her feet but staggered and fell. She held her hand against one side, and her face was pale. Still, she was a fighter, and flames flickered on her hand as she held it out to ward off her attacker.

The ninja stood over Esmeralda and raised her hands.

“That’s enough!” I stepped out from behind a stone and entered the circle.

The attacker wheeled and crouched.

“Oh! Tempest! You have to help me.” Esmeralda struggled onto her knees. “This is the person who murdered the others. She’s trying to kill me.”

The attacker didn’t move, but her attention remained on me. “This isn’t your business. Leave now.”

“I’m going nowhere,” I said. “Why are you attacking Esmeralda?”

“I’ve told you,” Esmeralda spluttered. “This is the person you want. She murdered Bastille and Caprice.”

The attacker’s head tilted. She wore a black fitted face mask, so I had no idea who she was. “I’m here to kill one person. Esmeralda DuPont.”

“Why?” I inched closer and felt Frank’s energy spiral up my spine as he felt the power of the mystery woman.

“Be careful of this one,” Frank cautioned. “She has a higher authority backing her.”

“How do you know?” I whispered.

“It’s my job to know trouble when I see it.”

“Help me!” Esmeralda said. “I can’t fight her on my own. Between us, we can take her down. This is who we’ve been searching for. We have to bring her to justice. For Bastille and Caprice.”

“I’m here to administer justice today, not you.” The attacker turned and blasted Esmeralda onto her back.

I sparked my own magic. Being in the center of the stone circle enhanced my power. The stones were ancient and full of magic. They’d seen thousands of years of supernatural activity. They absorbed it and held onto traces of power.

I touched a stone and felt a satisfying throb of energy before blasting out a bolt of green light and knocking the attacker off her feet.

She bounced up like she was made of rubber and raced toward me, blasting spells that weren’t meant to miss.

I dodged several but was spun off my feet when one caught me in the side.

I gritted my teeth as a hot, jagged lance of pain ripped through me. This assassin wasn’t playing fair. Her magic had a gray tinge, suggesting she had experience with darker powers.

I dodged around a stone and dragged in air. Wiggles sat looking up at me.

“Any time you want to blast the attacker with fire, you’re most welcome,” I gasped.

“That happens on special occasions and is rarely under my control,” Wiggles said. “You’ve got this.”

My eyebrows rose. I wasn’t so sure. This assassin’s magic was strong. She also wasn’t a demon, and that was where my speciality lie.

I glanced around the stone to see the ninja attacker turn back to Esmeralda. She must have thought she’d scared me off, but I wasn’t done yet.

I ducked out from behind the stone and blasted her in the back with a swirl of magic zapping energy. She staggered forward but remained upright as she pivoted toward me.

“That’s not good,” Wiggles muttered as he peered around the stone. “It’s like she barely felt that spell.”

“Get back.” I nudged Wiggles to safety just before I was flung backwards and pinned against a stone. My arms and legs were splayed, and I couldn’t move, no matter how much I struggled. The binding magic slid over my body like rancid, sticky tar.

The ninja attacker glided toward me like she was walking on air. “Stay out of this. This isn’t your business. I don’t want to kill you, but I will if you keep getting in my way.”

“Why are you here?” I struggled against the power in her binding spell. “If you’re only here to kill Esmeralda, why kill the others?”

The assassin glanced back to where Esmeralda was slumped. “I’ve killed many times, but this time, my assignment is the death of one witch. If other murders have taken place here, they’ve not been by my hand.”

I glared at her. “Why should I believe you?”

“I’m paid per kill. I don’t do freebies. Now, sit back and enjoy the show.” She patted my cheek before turning and striding toward Esmeralda.

I wasn’t sure who to believe, but the assassin sounded certain. She had a job to do and was here to carry it out. There was also no reason she’d lie to me. Someone had sent her here to kill Esmeralda. This all came back to the money Esmeralda was trying to get out of the Magic Council.

I struggled to get free, but the spell held. “Wiggles, how are you doing?”

He poked his head around the stone, his red eyes glowing with excitement. “Don’t worry about me. All I need is popcorn and this will make for great entertainment.”

“This isn’t for your entertainment. I could die.”

“Do you want me to take on the assassin?” He moved closer and growled.

“No! She’s too strong. We need reinforcements.”

“I can run back to the house and get help.”

“We don’t have time for that.”

“What do you need?”

I gritted my teeth. I needed Frank. His extra energy could break this spell. “Don’t get too close. Frank’s coming out.” I let down my barriers and encouraged his power to fill me.

He wasted no time sliding up my spine and over my head. As he took over, I felt his lust for a fight.

My body grew uncomfortably warm then agonizingly hot from the inside as his powers burned away the spell trapping me against the stone.

I dropped to the ground with a gasp, sweat running down my back as Frank gained complete control and the world took on a red tinted glow.

“Who shall we deal with first?” Frank asked.

“I have to talk to Esmeralda,” I said, my own voice echoing in my head. “Keep her alive.”

“And the assassin?”

“Is just that, an assassin. A hired killer. She must know the risks of such a profession.”

Frank laughed. “Tempest Crypt, you’re giving me permission to kill?”

A big part of me wanted to say yes, but I was intrigued by this mystery woman. Who hired her to come after Esmeralda? “Keep her alive.”

“I promise nothing,” Frank said. “Let’s go dance with danger.”

He was always so dramatic. I headed toward Esmeralda and the assassin, Frank’s power bubbling through me.

She turned and shook her head. “You don’t know when to quit.”

“I could say the same for you.” My voice sounded deeper when Frank was in charge.

The assassin’s head tilted. “You’re different.”

“And you’re dead.” A dark, sticky power shot from me and blasted the assassin onto her back.

It took a few seconds before she struggled back on her feet. Frank’s power always had a nasty sting to it. She shook her head and backed away. “What are you?”

“Your executioner.”

“Easy now,” I said to Frank. “We need her to talk.”

I felt Frank’s excitement curl through me. He always enjoyed a good throw down fight. “Who sent you to kill Esmeralda?”

“I never talk about my clients.” The assassin continued to back up, her knees bent and arm splayed. Magic sparked on the tips of her fingers, but she didn’t throw anything at me.

“You don’t like to talk, but I love to make people confess their sins.” I dodged from side to side as Frank tried to spook the assassin with fast, jerky movements.

“The vibe you’re giving off is unnatural.”

“I take that as a compliment,” Frank said. “Why don’t I show you how unnatural I am?” He lunged me through the air, and I wrapped an arm around the assassin’s neck.

She flipped me over her head, and I rolled out of the way as a spell slammed into the ground an inch from my ear.

I shook my head, trying to dislodge the loud ringing sound.

The assassin threw several spells, one after the other. I dodged, jumped, and weaved in an unnaturally fast pattern, thanks to Frank’s flood of power and control over my movements.

“Take her down,” I muttered to Frank. “You’re playing with her and me.”

“I like to play,” he said. “You don’t let me out often enough.”

A stream of black energy flew from me and wrapped around the assassin’s neck like a lasso. I hauled her toward me as she tried to burn through Frank’s energy with her own magic.

But Frank was an ancient demon. His ability was strong and dark and not easy to conquer.

The assassin sank to her knees, choking as her hands fell to her sides.

I approached and stared down at her. “Frank, let me talk to her.”

“I’ll handle her.” He forced my arm to move and yanked the mask off her head.

The woman revealed was in her thirties, with pale blue eyes and cropped blonde hair. She glared up at me, her breath gasping out as Frank’s energy continued to drain her.

“Who are you?”

She shook her head. “That’s not important. I’m here to do a job, that’s all.”

“Who hired you to do this job?”

The assassin looked away. “I don’t remember their name.”

I knelt until I was eye level and growled in her face. “As you noticed, there’s something wonderfully unnatural about me. On the outside, I look like some cute little witch, but there’s more going on than you realize. You’re lucky I don’t twist your head from your scrawny neck.”

“No removing of heads,” I whispered to Frank.

He grunted in response. “Tell me who you work for and why they hired you to kill Esmeralda.”

The assassin grimaced but didn’t say a word.

“Speaking of Esmeralda,” Wiggles shouted from his spot behind the stones, “she’s making a run for it.”

I jumped up and looked around the stone circle.

Esmeralda was running toward the trees. Once she got into the forest, she’d be impossible to find.

“Hellhound, get after her. Don’t let Esmeralda go.”

Wiggles’ legs were a blur as he raced after Esmeralda, who limped as she ran and still clutched her side. He reached her and grabbed the back of her skirt in his mouth.

Esmeralda shrieked but kept running, dragging Wiggles behind her as he dug his paws into the ground and held on tight.

Frank moved me away from the assassin. He raised my hand, and a black ball of what looked like sticky mud shot toward Esmeralda.

It slammed into the back of her head, and she face-planted into the ground.

Wiggles flew over the top of her and rolled across the ground. He jumped up, shook out his fur, and glared at me. “I was on top of things.”

“My apologies, my little hellhound.”

“You owe me for that, Frank,” Wiggles grumbled. He turned to face Esmeralda and growled at her, but she was going nowhere. She was stuck to the ground and covered in a toxic looking mud.

I walked over and flipped Esmeralda onto her back. She lay there blinking at me. “Why did you attack me? I’m the innocent party.”

“You were running. Only the guilty run.” Frank wasn’t gentle as he laced my fingers around her ankle and pulled her back into the stone circle.

The assassin was crawling away on her hands and knees. A quick warning blast of magic halted her slow escape.

“My turn, Frank.” I had to be in control of the questioning. His lust for blood was growing, and I couldn’t have either of these women killed before all the questions were answered.

He growled in my head and pushed against me but slowly faded, and along with his energy, all the murderous thoughts he fed me vanished.

I dragged Esmeralda over to the assassin. “Start talking,” I said to Esmeralda.

“This is who you should interrogate.” She pointed a wavering finger at the mystery woman.

“You’ll both get interrogated,” I said. “I overheard you. You’re trying to get money out of the Magic Council.”

Esmeralda licked her lips. “I was making a deal for everyone.”

“Everyone affected by the dodgy potion given to you by the Magic Council?”

Her mouth fell open before she snapped her jaw shut and sighed. “Queenie showed you the book.”

“The group told me everything. Well, everything they could. I know about the potion.”

She raised her chin. “We deserve fair compensation for what happened. The Magic Council is in the wrong. They have to pay.”

“And they offered you a group settlement,” I said. “Wasn’t that enough?”

“It was more than enough.”

“For you.” Wiggles trotted over and sat by my heel. “So long as you don’t have to share it.”

Esmeralda glared at him. “That money is for everyone left in our group.”

“How much are we talking about?” I asked.

“It’s ten million,” Esmeralda said.

My eyebrows shot up. “Ten million each?”

“No, between all surviving members of the group. Anyone who had direct contact with the potion will receive a share of the money.”

“Notice she said surviving members,” Wiggles muttered.

I nodded. “Which means, the fewer members in the group, the more money you’ll get. That’s why you killed Caprice and Bastille.”

Esmeralda refused to meet my gaze. “They’re my friends.”

It didn’t sit well with me that Esmeralda was the killer, but the evidence was overwhelming. “Are you having money problems? Is that why you did this?”

“Of course not! I intended to take what I’m entitled to.”

The assassin snorted.

“Have you got something to say?” I asked her. “Who are you? I can’t keep thinking of you as the assassin.”

“My name’s not important. Besides, that’s an accurate description of what I do.”

“Your name will be important when I hand you over to the angels for attempted murder,” I said.

She shrugged. “They can’t hold me.”

“Let’s call her Daisy,” Wiggles said. “She looks like a Daisy. Sort of cute and harmless.”

“You mangy mutt. I’m not called Daisy. I’m—” she snarled at Wiggles and looked away.

“You see, cute as a button,” Wiggles said.

“Fine, I’m Daisy. Whatever you like,” the assassin, now known as Daisy, muttered.

I shrugged. It was as good a name as any. “Okay, Daisy. What do you know about these murders?”

“I’m only interested in Esmeralda. She’s my target. That’s who I’ve been watching since I arrived in Willow Tree Falls yesterday. I just needed an opportunity to get Esmeralda on her own.”

“Who hired you?”

“I don’t recall.”

“The Magic Council?”

Daisy snorted. “Who knows?”

“You do. It’s too much of a coincidence that someone from the Magic Council arrives with a deal for Esmeralda, and when she doesn’t take it, you appear, all magic blazing.”

“You know what they say, life is full of coincidences.”

I wasn’t buying that. “Why did the Magic Council hire you?”

Daisy looked away. “It doesn’t matter who hired me. The only thing I’m telling you is that I had nothing to do with these other murders. I got here yesterday. I’ll be leaving today.”

“Neither did I,” Esmeralda said. “I’m innocent.”

“You’re not that innocent,” I said. “I watched you use fire magic to strangle Daisy. That was how Bastille and Caprice were killed.”

“In self-defense,” Esmeralda said. “I’d have done anything to escape her. She’s dangerous. Only when she’s behind bars will the rest of us be safe.”

“If you need my alibi, I have one,” Daisy said. “I was doing... a bit of business in another part of the country. I have victims who, well, they can’t talk anymore, but my particular style of dispatch is unique.”

“Your style of dispatch?” I swallowed, feeling disgusted at how easily she talked about killing.

“We all have bills to pay.”

“Get a job behind a bar,” I said.

Daisy only smirked and toyed with a blade of grass.

My heart sank as I glared at Esmeralda. It wouldn’t be hard to check Daisy’s movements and confirm who she killed. Esmeralda was the killer. She’d murdered Bastille and Caprice to get her hands on their share of the pay out from the Magic Council.

I’d heard enough. It was time to bring in reinforcements. But before I got the angels involved, there were other people who’d want to speak to Esmeralda.

Chapter 21

Fifteen minutes later, I spotted Wiggles returning from Mom’s house with Auntie Queenie, Samantha, and Lila.

“Tempest, what’s going on?” Auntie Queenie hurried over, concern on her face. “Wiggles said you’d found the killer.”

“I have.” Esmeralda and Daisy sat with their backs against a stone in the circle. Esmeralda looked nervous, and Daisy appeared bored.

“Who’s that?” Samantha pointed at Daisy. “I don’t know her.”

“Neither do I,” I said. “She came out of the shadows and attacked Esmeralda.”

“That’s Bastille and Caprice’s killer?” Lila advanced toward Daisy, her hands clenched.

I caught hold of Lila’s arm. “Sadly not.” I looked at Esmeralda. “Do you want to tell them?”

Esmeralda sighed and looked away. “I had no choice. And I deserve that money.”

“What money?” Auntie Queenie asked. “What’s going on?”

Esmeralda glanced at her friends before ducking her head. “I’m also sick. I’ve been fighting it for a while, but the potion is finally getting to me. Six months ago, I went to my doctor. He said there’s not much more he can do. It’s a case of time. I’ll fade slowly over the next few years. I refuse to go out with a whimper. I know there’s something out there that will help me.”

“What’s this got to do with our dead friends?” Samantha asked.

Esmeralda shifted on the ground. “I’ve been trying to get the Magic Council to accept responsibility for that potion they gave us. Once they do that, it’s only right they offer compensation for what happened to us.”

“Responsibility? Huh, I never thought about going after them for compensation,” Auntie Queenie said.

“Neither did I. Not until I read about a case in a newsletter run by a Magic Council hater. She claimed the Magic Council uses their funds to keep magic users quiet when things go wrong. They paid a witch a huge sum of money because she’d experimented with a spell they gave her and had almost died.”

“What spell did she use that was so deadly?” Lila asked.

“The spell isn’t important,” I said. “It’s the money she got offered that Esmeralda is interested in.”

Esmeralda nodded. “It had been hushed up, but I discovered the witch’s name and got in touch with her. She told me how she winkled money out of the Magic Council. It wasn’t difficult but needed time and lots of paperwork. I’ve been working on getting us compensation for almost a year.”

“Since our last reunion?” Lila asked.

“You should have said,” Auntie Queenie said. “We could have helped.”

“Esmeralda didn’t want help,” I said. “Keep going. What did the Magic Council offer you?”

Esmeralda scowled at me before shaking her head. “They offered me a settlement, but when it was divided between us, it wouldn’t have made any difference. I have plans for my last few years. There are new treatments I want to try, and I’d planned to spend a year sailing the world, eating fine foods, and drinking amazing wine. I want to make love under the stars on a Caribbean island with a gorgeous guy half my age.”

Auntie Queenie snorted a laugh. “It’s a lovely dream, but you’re a bit old for that.” She took a step closer to Esmeralda.

I caught hold of Auntie Queenie’s arm. “Best not to get too close.”

Auntie Queenie’s brow wrinkled. “I didn’t know you were so ill, Esmeralda.”

“It was a shock to me, as well. It came on quickly.”

“And the money you were offered?” I prodded her to continue. “What did you decide to do about the offer from the Magic Council?”

She glowered at me. “The Council wasn’t budging. If I was to achieve half of what I wanted before I faded, I had to act fast.”

“So, what did you do?” Samantha’s anxious gaze shifted from Daisy to Esmeralda.

Esmeralda pinched her lips together and shook her head.

“Esmeralda killed Bastille and Caprice,” I said.

Auntie Queenie gasped and grabbed Lila and Samantha’s arms. “She wouldn’t do such a thing. She’s one of us.”

I gestured for Esmeralda to continue, but she looked away and crossed her arms over her chest.

“Esmeralda was offered a group settlement by the Magic Council. Ten million divided between all surviving members. Anyone who’d been in contact with the jinxed potion was eligible for a payout. Esmeralda figured it wasn’t enough when divided between you all. However, the fewer the number of gang members left, the bigger the payout would be.”

Nobody spoke as this information sank in.

“Esmeralda planned to kill us off to get a bigger payout for herself?” Auntie Queenie’s face paled.

“But we were drinking cocoa together when Bastille was killed,” Lila said. “How could you be in two places at once?”

“Didn’t you say you dozed off?” I asked her.

“Well, yes, I did struggle to keep my eyes open,” Lila said. “I got really sleepy. When I woke, Esmeralda was tidying the mugs and about to leave.”

I nodded. “And Esmeralda gave cocoa to Tabitha as well. She also fell asleep after drinking it.” I glared at Esmeralda. “I wonder why that is?”

Esmeralda ducked her head. “A sleeping potion. I used it so I could get around without being noticed.”

“You scheming old hag.” Samantha advanced on Esmeralda.

Esmeralda cowered against Daisy, who shoved her away.

“I’m not getting involved with this,” Daisy said. “If you were my friend and double-crossed me like that, I’d want to kill you too.”

Esmeralda pressed her back against the stone. “Have mercy. I’m dying. Daisy beat me half to death.”

“Who’s Daisy?” Auntie Queenie looked confused.

Daisy tilted her chin. “Lethal killing machine at your service.”

They stared at her in silence.

“Your niece is a menace, Queenie,” Esmeralda said. “She let her demon loose on me. He stopped me from escaping.”

Auntie Queenie sniffed. “I’m not a fan of Frank, but he did the right thing. You don’t deserve to escape.” She shook her head. “How could you kill Bastille and Caprice?”

“Bastille was almost dead, anyway,” Esmeralda said, her expression growing cold. “We all saw how badly she suffered. In six months, she’d have been dead. Her share of the money would have vanished along with her if she’d received it. It would have been a waste.”

“She could have enjoyed the time she had left,” Samantha said. “You know how little money she had. Bastille could have taken a few holidays, treated herself, and taken her mind off her illness.”

“But instead, you wanted it all for yourself,” Lila snarled. “You’re a heartless, evil witch.”

“And greedy,” Samantha said. “What about Caprice? She wasn’t sick.”

“I think she was,” I said. “She was seen out of the hotel on the night of Bastille’s murder. She didn’t look too good.”

Esmeralda nodded. “Caprice was in a bad way. She’d told me in confidence that she wasn’t doing well. She’d visited a specialist in Norway and another in Canada to get second and third opinions. She’d been given some magic to ward off the worst of the symptoms, but she was going down almost as fast as Bastille. I figured she didn’t have more than twelve months left.”

“They were your friends.” Auntie Queenie’s magic sparkled out of her like a firework. “We were part of the same gang. We looked out for each other, no matter what. You attacked the weakest members of our group for personal greed. That cannot be forgiven.”

“Who were you targeting next?” Samantha stood shoulder to shoulder with Auntie Queenie and Lila. “I’ve had symptoms recently, so has Lila. Which one of us were you planning to choke to death?”

Esmeralda had the decency to look away. “I needed that money. I wasn’t going to spend my last months sitting in a moth-eaten armchair and cursing the Magic Council.”

“By withholding that money from Caprice and Bastille, you took away any chance they had of a decent end.” Auntie Queenie pulled back her shoulders. “We know the truth. It’s time for justice.”

“Finally!” Daisy stood. “If you want justice, that’s why I’m here.”

They all looked confused.

I raised a hand in warning. “Daisy was sent by a mysterious someone to kill Esmeralda.”

Wiggles coughed out the words Magic Council.

Daisy shrugged. “I’m saying nothing about who sent me. This is what I’m here for. It sounds like you want this witch dead. Let me do my job, and I’ll be on my way. I’d have been done by now if I hadn’t been attacked by this... this creature.” She gestured at me. “Whatever hybrid of magic creature you are, you’re strong and damaged.”

“Nonsense. My niece is perfect.” Auntie Queenie patted my arm. “She has a little issue to deal with, that’s all.”

“She should be locked up. You must be able to feel her energy. You think Esmeralda’s a danger, but she’s the most unstable thing around here.”

“Ignore her.” Auntie Queenie’s worried expression was masked by a smile. “She doesn’t know you like we do.”

I tried to ignore the shiver of worry inside me. I knew I had a problem with Frank, but I couldn’t think about that now.

Lila scratched her head. “I’m confused. I got lost at the lethal assassin administering justice part?”

Daisy smirked. “You should have left me to complete my mission. Your problem would be gone.”

“Your mission?” Lila asked.

“When I went to find Esmeralda, I discovered a note in her room telling her to come here,” I said. “I overheard her talking to someone from the Magic Council about the group compensation offer. When he left, Daisy turned up.”

“To kill me,” Esmeralda said.

Auntie Queenie nodded. “Daisy’s right. We should leave her to get on with it.”

“That’s a funny name for an assassin, Daisy,” Lila said. “Is it a family name?”

Daisy sighed and pressed her lips together.

“Your greed made you a target,” Samantha said to Esmeralda. “You brought this on yourself.”

“You’re a fine one to talk about money,” Esmeralda said.

Samantha shrugged. “I earn mine.”

“You mean, you married it,” Esmeralda said.

“My husband’s no walk in the park. He eats with his mouth open and never puts the loo seat down. Sometimes, I wonder if all that money is worth it.”

I glanced at her, wondering if she was reconsidering her relationship status with Toby. Was Toby worth the trouble, or was he just another guy who ate with his mouth open and forgot the loo seat had a purpose.

Lila looked at Daisy. “Is this case still open?”

Daisy’s brow wrinkled. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, the claim Esmeralda has against the Magic Council,” Lila said. “If it’s an active case, it sounds like we’re entitled to our share of the money, so long as we’re alive to claim it.”

Esmeralda spluttered, and her cheeks turned puce. “You can’t do that. It’s taken me months to get to this stage. If the Magic Council hadn’t tried to kill me, I’d have fixed a deal for us all. They were trying to scare me away with threats of lawsuits and bankruptcy, but I’d have gone after them.”

“I doubt that. You’d have gone after the rest of your friends,” I said. “You killed Bastille and Caprice, and I bet you had the rest of the gang in your sights.”

Esmeralda glanced at Lila, Auntie Queenie, and Samantha. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You mean old bag,” Lila said. “Let’s take our share of this money. Esmeralda’s getting nothing. That’s the perfect punishment for her. You can’t spend your money when you’re in prison.”

Esmeralda groaned and pressed a hand to her injured side. “That’s not fair.”

“You lost the right to fairness after you killed our friends,” Auntie Queenie said. “You deserve nothing.”

“I deserve that money,” Esmeralda said. “I worked hard for it.”

“And two of our best friends lost their lives because of your hard work,” Auntie Queenie said. “All you’ll get is a long spell in prison.” She looked over at me. “Have you informed the angels?”

I nodded at Wiggles. “Go round up some angels and get them here.”

Wiggles grumbled before running off, muttering about the angels hating him and not letting him eat their doughnuts.

“What about Daisy?” Auntie Queenie asked. “How are we going to explain her?”

“You don’t need to explain me,” Daisy said. “I can look after myself.”

“The angels will want to talk to you,” I said. “You tried to kill Esmeralda.”

“Prove it,” Daisy said. “I’ll say I was a concerned citizen who saw trouble and tried to help you take down a criminal.”

“The angels won’t need to do much digging to find a record on you. It sounds like this isn’t your first time on the job,” I said.

Daisy smirked. “Assuming you’re right, and I work for the Magic Council, those kinds of records have a habit of disappearing.”

“She’s right,” Auntie Queenie muttered. “The Magic Council is an officious bunch, but they’ve got a lethal side. As Esmeralda has discovered, if you cross them, you pay with your life.”

“Which is what they tried to do to all of you,” I said. “If they’re responsible for that dodgy potion making you all sick, they won’t want that information getting in the public domain.”

“I wish I could prove it was them behind it,” Auntie Queenie said. “It’s time someone shook up that archaic system.”

“The payment they’re offering is a sort of proof,” I said. “They feel responsible enough to give you money.”

“It’s hush money,” Esmeralda said. “That’s a part of the deal. I was taking this money but would have signed a waiver so I could never talk about it again. Ten million for my complete silence.”

“So, no one will know how underhanded the Magic Council really is,” I said. “That’s clever of them.”

“That’s the Magic Council for you,” Auntie Queenie said. “They like their dark deeds to remain hidden. What do you reckon girls? Do you fancy spending the rest of your days fighting the Magic Council to get them to admit they tried to bump us off?”

“There’s not a chance I’m wasting the time I have left going after them,” Samantha said. “I’d rather take the money and spend it on extravagant nonsense. Every time I sip a glass of champagne, I’ll smile because I know I’m spending the Magic Council’s money on something frivolous.”

“I’m with Samantha,” Lila said. “We’d waste what time we’ve got going to court, filing paperwork, and being hounded by the dubious tactics of the Magic Council. And, if we keep prodding them, what’s to say they won’t send another Daisy after us? If I’m going to die, I’m going out in style.”

“That was my plan,” Esmeralda whined. “You’re stealing my plan and my money.”

“You keep quiet,” Auntie Queenie said, “or I’ll let Tempest loose on you again.”

I tilted my head and shrugged at Esmeralda. “You can’t blame me for what happened. My demon has a mind of his own.”

Frank chuckled inside my head. “And don’t you forget it.”

“We’ll take the money.” Auntie Queenie nudged Esmeralda with the toe of her shoe. “Don’t expect any visits from us when you’re inside. You’re lucky we don’t finish the job Tempest and Daisy started.”

“But I’ll die in prison,” Esmeralda said. “I don’t deserve that.”

“And Bastille and Caprice didn’t deserve to lose their lives,” I said.

Esmeralda hung her head and sighed.

“I’m getting a toy boy,” Lila said. “Someone who’ll look after me and treat me like a goddess. He’ll be skilled in the sensual art of Thai massage.”

“A toy boy sounds exhausting,” Samantha said. “How about a cruise? All expenses paid, food on tap, champagne whenever we want it. Dancing at night or seeing shows. Whatever we fancy.”

“Will there be a masseuse on board?” Lila asked.

“Of course. You can hire one for your exclusive use. Some gorgeous guy can be on hand to give you a brisk rub down whenever you fancy.”

“We should go on a year-long cruise.” Auntie Queenie’s eyes sparkled.

“I don’t think Uncle Kenny can spare you for a whole year,” I said.

She pursed her lips. “I would miss him if I was away for a whole year. We can start with three months. He’ll enjoy a break from me. He always says I snore too loudly. He can catch up on his beauty sleep while we have an adventure at sea.”

The women gathered together and continued talking about how they’d spend their windfall.

I shook my head and smiled as I listened to them. Something good had come out of this. The killer had been found, people I cared about who’d been mistreated by the Magic Council would get some comfort, and we knew what had happened to Caprice and Bastille.

My work was done. I’d have to look into having my own holiday. I needed it after this adventure.

Chapter 22

Three days had passed since Esmeralda’s arrest for the murder of Caprice and Bastille. Willow Tree Falls felt back to normal.

I stood in the family cemetery with everyone. Lila and Samantha were also there, dressed in black, a red and white rose in each hand.

Two ornately carved, white marble plaques were on the ground in front of us. They commemorated the deaths of Caprice Gray and Bastille Drew.

Auntie Queenie wiped a tear from her cheek. “They were great girls.”

“The best in the gang,” Samantha said.

“Caprice always let me borrow her designer boots,” Lila said. “She didn’t even mind when I broke the heel on the last pair. She was so generous.”

Mom patted Auntie Queenie’s arm. “You girls had a great time together. Remember the good times. Remember sharing fun and laughter and all the adventures you had.”

“We did have amazing times,” Auntie Queenie said. “I remember when Caprice stole a bike from a rival gang. She rode it around the village dressed in shiny red hot pants and a bikini top while they chased her. She kept throwing fireballs over her shoulder, not really caring what she hit. She rode through the barrier and out of Willow Tree Falls. She didn’t come back for eight days. When she did, the bike had done over ten thousand miles. She said she’d just rode for hours, only stopping to refuel and hang out with cute guys.”

“What about the time Bastille stole the gargoyle from outside the mayor’s house?” Samantha said.

“Bastille did that?” My eyes widened. “She always seemed so sensible.”

Auntie Queenie grinned. “Still waters run deep. She had a naughty side.”

“That thing was heavy,” Samantha said. “The gargoyle weighed more than I do. Someone challenged her that she’d never get the gargoyle without being seen.”

“Bastille never said anything, didn’t even confirm she’d accepted the challenge,” Lila said. “But she had this sly smile, and you knew something devious was going on inside her head.”

“I remember,” Auntie Queenie said with a chuckle. “A week later, the gargoyle was gone and had been replaced by that hideous stuffed cat the mayor kept in his front window. The one with a missing eye and mangy fur.”

Lila laughed. “The mayor was furious that someone broke into his house and stole his beloved stuffed cat. He didn’t care about the gargoyle. All he wanted to know was who stole Fluffy.”

“And where did the gargoyle magically reappear?” Auntie Queenie asked.

“In the mayor’s toilet,” Lila and Samantha said at the same time before laughing.

I smiled as I watched Auntie Queenie and her friends reminisce. They had lovely memories of their old friends. Bastille and Caprice would never be forgotten.

“Come on. I’ve got the food set up in the crypt,” Mom said. “We can toast a farewell to Bastille and Caprice.”

Auntie Queenie, Samantha, and Lila remained by the plaques as they placed their flowers and said their goodbyes, while the rest of us gave them privacy.

I wandered along next to Granny Dottie and Grandpa Lucius, looking forward to the feast Mom had prepared.

“I heard a rumor,” Granny Dottie said, “about our mysterious assassin.”

I slowed and looked at her. It was no secret that the angels had taken both Daisy and Esmeralda into custody when they’d arrived at the stone circle. “Do you know who she is?”

“No, she remains a mystery, and she’ll continue to do so. I was getting coffee before coming here with your grandpa, and Brogan told me the assassin has vanished.”

I grabbed her arm. “The angels let her go?” It would be just like them to make some blunder and release a paid assassin onto the streets.

“Oh no, they didn’t let her go. She vanished. She was in a locked cell, and the next morning, there was no sign of her. The door was locked, and there was no window to get out of.”

“The Magic Council,” I hissed. “Daisy was so smug when she said there’d be no record of her.”

Granny Dottie patted my hand. “It sounds like she was only interested in fulfilling her agreement with the Magic Council. Esmeralda’s locked up and out of the way, so she’s no longer considered a problem. And from what Brogan overheard from the angels, Esmeralda is raging about the Council trying to kill her. They think she’s attempting to fake insanity, so she gets a lighter sentence. No one believes her.”

I felt a slither of sympathy for Esmeralda. She was dying and had lost sight of what was important. She’d put her own temporary happiness in front of her friends. But she’d gotten what she deserved and would never get out of prison.

Granny Dottie glanced over my shoulder and winked at me. “I’ll see you inside the crypt.” She hurried away with Grandpa Lucius.

I turned and saw Rhett heading toward me, a smile on his face.

He placed a lingering kiss on my cheek. “I heard you were having a party.”

“It’s a sort of party. Auntie Queenie and her friends are remembering those they’ve lost. I have a feeling it’s about to get rowdy now that the sad part is over. Caprice and Bastille did love a good knees-up, so it’s only right we send them off in style. You’re welcome to join us.”

Rhett wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “Lead the way. They may have been in a rival gang, but we always honor the fallen.”

For a shady, fallen angel, Rhett was pretty decent. I snuggled against him. It felt good not to fight my attraction for him. We were official, and I was proud to call him my guy.

As we walked into the crypt, Auntie Queenie, Lila, and Samantha followed us in.

Auntie Queenie made for the full champagne flutes and passed two glasses to me and Rhett. “Here you go, you two lovebirds. Drink up. We’ve got lots to get through. We’ve already started spending our money.”

“You haven’t had your payout yet,” I said as I accepted a glass. “What if the Magic Council changes their mind?”

Auntie Queenie’s eyes twinkled. “As if they’d dare. I’ll set you on them if they do.” She grinned at Rhett and patted his cheek. “Such a handsome young man.” She hurried to the food-laden table where Wiggles was lurking.

“What’s this about money?” Rhett asked.

“It’s a long story,” I said. “I’ll tell you about it later.”

He smiled down at me. “I look forward to it.”

“Sorry I’m late.” Aurora hurried through the door of the crypt. “I got caught up arranging... something.”

I wasn’t sure how to behave around Aurora. We’d not spoken since she’d thrown me and Wiggles out of her store.

Aurora grinned before beckoning at the door. Toby Matlock stepped through, dressed in a long dark purple velvet overcoat, a smile on his face.

“Whatever’s this?” Auntie Queenie walked over. Her expression was one of suspicion as she peered at Toby. “What brings you here?”

“Queenie, always a pleasure.” Toby bowed.

“Stop all that groveling nonsense. What are you doing with Aurora? This is a family party. A private celebration to remember fallen friends.”

Toby’s gaze cut to Rhett. “Aurora invited me.”

“Aurora! I didn’t realize you were friends with Toby.” From the tone of Auntie Queenie’s voice, she wasn’t happy to see him. I couldn’t say I was all that thrilled either, and the worrying way Aurora bounced on her toes made me realize she had something big planned.

“I wanted to bring you happy news,” Aurora said. “I know everyone is sad about what happened to Caprice and Bastille.”

“What happy news have you got to tell us?” Auntie Queenie continued to glare at Toby.

“What is it, Aurora?” Mom hurried over, followed by everyone else.

Aurora grabbed Toby’s hand and smiled up at him. “I wanted you all to know that we’re getting married.”

The crypt erupted into chaos. Everyone talked at once, flapping around Aurora and Toby and asking dozens of questions.

Aurora smiled and blushed and gazed up at Toby.

I backed away a few steps. I wasn’t happy about the news, but I wasn’t surprised. Toby had been trying to convince Aurora to move in with him, and it looked like he’d taken the next step by putting a ring on her finger.

I glanced at her engagement ring finger, and my jaw dropped. She wore an enormous diamond set on a platinum band. It must have cost my annual salary and then some.

“Did you know about this?” Rhett whispered in my ear.

“I knew they were seeing each other.” I tugged him away from the chaotic babble. “I had no idea about this marriage proposal.”

“Toby Matlock is sly,” Rhett said. “I know you think I’m shady, but that guy has some dubious history. How do they know each other?”

“That’s another long story.” I looked around at my family. Everyone was talking over each other, and Aurora’s cheeks were bright pink, while Toby stood beside her, one arm clamped around her shoulders and his teeth gritted in a smile.

It looked like they’d be grilled for hours over this surprise announcement.

I beckoned Wiggles away from the food table and backed out of the crypt, taking Rhett with me. I couldn’t deal with this today. I wasn’t going to stick around and watch Aurora be quizzed about her inappropriate fiancé and how happy he made her. Their relationship didn’t make me happy, but I’d already put my foot in it with Aurora and wasn’t sure how to fix things.

Once we were safely away from the crypt, I looked up at Rhett. “How about that date we keep postponing? Just you and me.”

“And me,” Wiggles said. “I’m not hanging out with that smug, velvet covered lothario, even though the food is amazing.”

Rhett grinned at Wiggles. “That’s fine by me.”

Wiggles nodded. “I like you. You don’t have ridiculous facial hair.”

“You don’t want to see me grow a beard?”

“No beard!” I said. “I don’t want my chin sandpapered every time I do this.” I kissed his lips.

“No problem. The beard will never happen.” His grip tightened around my shoulders. “What have you got in mind for our date?”

I glanced back at the crypt and winced as someone squealed. “Something quiet. Something where we can hear ourselves think.”

“And somewhere that serves great food,” Wiggles said.

Rhett kissed my cheek and pulled me close. “That sounds perfect. And you can tell me about your adventures in the stone circle with an assassin and why your sister is marrying Toby Matlock.”

I shook my head. “That’s a puzzle I’ve yet to solve.” I would, but it was a puzzle to mull over another day.

Willow Tree Falls was safe. Esmeralda couldn’t harm anyone else, and Auntie Queenie and her gang would have plenty of fun spending their money.

I took Rhett’s arm as we headed out of the cemetery gates.

Right now, it was time to hang out with my two favorite guys and have some fun of our own.

Book 5

Son of a Witch

K.E. O’Connor

Chapter 1

I loved the familiar sucking pull of the magic as I slid through the barrier from the outside world back into Willow Tree Falls. It felt like home as I stood blinking in the late afternoon sunshine.

I’d only been away twenty-four hours. The demon I’d been tracking had been easy to capture. Easy but stinky.

My long hair stank like cheese that had been left on the countertop in the hot sun. And, no matter how tightly I tied the demon bag attached to my belt loop, the demon inside continued to ooze noxious fumes through the material.

I looked at my black pants and grimaced. They’d have to be burned. I doubted even my mom could remove the stench and stains on them.

Rolling my shoulders, I adjusted the bag on my hip and strolled toward Angel Force. They could deal with this pongy demon. Once they had him, I intended to kick back and enjoy a couple of lemon drops in Cloven Hoof before it got busy for the evening.

“Tempest! Tempest Crypt! Stop right there.”

My shoulders hitched as I saw Mannie Winter racing toward me on his stubby legs, a bag in one hand. What did our local mayor want? We were far from friendly since I’d revealed his affair during the last mayoral election. He did nothing but glower at me and mutter whenever our paths crossed. Not this time. Mannie was smiling, and that made me suspicious.

“Phew! That’s my cardio for the week.” Mannie patted his round belly and blinked up at me. He was a sturdy dwarf, standing at just over five feet, with a long, well-oiled beard that trailed to his silver belt buckle.

“It looks like you need a sit down after that run,” I said. “Something must be important to get you moving like that.”

Mannie chuckled and smoothed his bushy eyebrows with his fingers. “Indeed, there is. I have urgent business to attend to. I haven’t stopped all day.”

“There’s not another election coming up, is there?” Mannie had been in his role as mayor for less than a year. His vision for Willow Tree Falls was to turn it into a mecca for tourists who were attracted to our mystical stones and thermal spas. I couldn’t think of anything worse than having the streets constantly thrumming with tourists. A lot of them found us anyway, but since Mannie had taken charge, the numbers had increased.

“Oh no. That’s not for another four years. You’re stuck with me for now.” He chuckled heartily and slapped his belly.

“That’s good to know. If you’ll excuse me.” I tried to step past him, but he matched my movement and blocked my way.

Mannie wafted his hand in front of his nose. “You’ve got a stinker in that bag. I hope he didn’t cause you problems.”

I shook the bag and more toxic fumes seeped out and wafted around Mannie. “Nothing I can’t handle.”

“Of course. A clever demon catching witch, such as yourself, is always in top form.”

I raised my eyebrows. Why was he being so nice? “I need to be. Otherwise, I won’t be alive for much longer.”

Mannie chuckled again. “Absolutely. Quite right. How’s the family? Is everyone keeping well?”

I wished he’d stop making small talk and tell me what he wanted. “They’re all good.”

“And Queenie has recovered from that terrible incident with her friends?”

“She’s much better.” Auntie Queenie had recently lost two of her biker gang members when one of the gang turned rogue. “She’s just come back from a cruise. It’s done her the world of good.”

“Oh, I love a cruise,” Mannie said. “There’s nothing like sitting on the deck, a tankard of ale next to me and the sun on my face. Have you ever been on a cruise?”

“No. Mannie, I really must get on. This demon won’t stay in the bag for much longer.”

“Oh, of course. But, before you go.” Mannie placed his bag on the ground and extracted a pink box with the Sprinkles bakery logo on the top. “I thought you might like a cake.” He flipped the lid open to reveal a row of glistening doughnuts. There was every kind, from traditional glazed to luxuriant looking snickerdoodle.

I licked my lips. I was starving but still hesitated. Mannie Winter wanted something. All this sweet talk and now the offer of doughnuts. I raised a hand toward the doughnuts but didn’t take one.

“Go on. One doughnut won’t hurt.” Mannie waggled his eyebrows. “You deserve it after keeping the world safe from another demon threat.”

I tilted my head. “Are these treats being offered to make sure Frank doesn’t come out and play with you?” Mannie knew me well, and he knew that feeding me sweet treats kept my incumbent demon from getting feisty.

Mannie shrugged and looked a little shamefaced. “It never hurts to make sure both of you are happy.”

I stared at the doughnuts. They did look tasty, and you could never go wrong with a doughnut from Sprinkles.

“Wait for me!” The ground shuddered beneath my feet.

I turned to see Wiggles charging toward us, his ears flat against his head and a determined gleam in his red eyes.

My eyes widened, and I backed away. Wiggles was heading straight for the box of doughnuts in Mannie’s hand. “You might like to—”

Wiggles launched into the air, colliding with the box and knocking it to the ground. He tumbled across the dirt, bounced onto his feet, and pounced on the first doughnut before it had rolled to a stop.

I sighed and looked forlornly at the fallen doughnuts.

“Well, I never.” Mannie stared at the mess on the ground. “Your dog needs to go to obedience classes.”

“What can I say? He’s a demon when it comes to cake.”

Wiggles glanced up, his mouth full of a glazed sugared doughnut. “A hellhound, actually.”

Mannie glared at Wiggles as he munched on his second doughnut.

“Hey, Tempest,” Wiggles said. “Good trip?”

I patted the bag. “I got the job done. Did you miss me?”

He made a muffled sound as he scooped up his next doughnut.

I took that to mean: yes, very much. And I didn’t race all this way just to eat the mayor’s doughnuts. I was coming to see you and tell you how happy I am that you’re home.

Mannie was grumbling under his breath, his hands in fists by his sides.

“Apart from wanting to welcome me back to the village and offer me doughnuts,” I said to him, “was there anything else you needed?”

“It’s funny you should ask.” Mannie adjusted his waistcoat. “As you know, I’ve been working on our exciting new tourist attraction.”

My mouth twisted to the side. “The magic museum.”

“It will be incredible. A history of magic and witchcraft. Dozens of exhibits, lifelike dioramas, and stunning history to enjoy. People will flock here in the thousands to see our interactive, fully immersive exhibits. I’ll be unveiling a new exhibit every other month.”

“I can’t wait.” I didn’t mind a bit of history, but this museum would mean a lot more tourists, and I wasn’t a fan.

“This will put us on the map.” Mannie nodded. “It opens tomorrow evening. We have VIP guests and exclusive speakers attending. And we’ll reveal our first exhibition. The Murder of Witches.”

My eyebrows shot up. “Your first exhibit is all about how to kill my family?”

Mannie roared with laughter. “My dear Tempest, your family is indestructible. This is about the history of witch murders. The traditional methods used hundreds of years ago to hunt down witches and expose them.”

I frowned. “Who wants to see that?”

“Everyone who doesn’t have magic, of course,” Mannie said. “There’s always been a fascination from those who don’t have our skills. They love to see how witches and other magical creatures were treated over the centuries.”

“We were treated appallingly,” I said. “Why not do a diorama about ten ways to kill irritating dwarves?”

Mannie shook his head. “No, murdering witches is all the rage.”

I wouldn’t mind seeing the dwarf exhibit. There was one dwarf who was tempting me to try a cruel and unusual method of killing him. “Willow Tree Falls is our haven. Why bring up the past? Here, we don’t need to worry about ducking stools appearing by the pond and an angry mob with flaming torches dragging us from our beds.”

“A ducking stool! It’s as if you’ve read my mind. That’s our opening exhibit.”

I arched an eyebrow. “It sounds great. Best of luck with it.”

“Oh, no. You misunderstand. I—”

“Mannie! Mannie! What are you doing?” A stick-thin, sharp-faced woman with a steel-gray bob strode toward Mannie, her green eyes narrowed and a pair of glasses perched on the end of her long nose.

Mannie’s smile stretched across his face, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Gretel, I was about to extol your virtues to Tempest.”

Gretel eyed me with suspicion. “There’s no time for that. There are so many problems at the museum, I don’t know where to start. You must come quickly.”

Mannie chuckled, but I noticed his shoulders hunch to his ears. “Everything’s running to plan. We’ve been over the arrangements a dozen times. It can’t be anything serious.” He turned to me. “Tempest Crypt, meet Gretel Le Strange. She’s one of our VIP guests at the museum opening.”

I nodded a greeting at Gretel. “Nice to meet you.”

“Indeed.” Her gaze ran over me. She wrinkled her nose when she saw the smoking bag on my hip. “What have you got there?”

“Tempest’s a skilled demon hunter,” Mannie said. “In fact, she has all kinds of marvelous skills.”

“Good for her.” Gretel turned to Mannie. “You must come at once. You have to see the disaster. If we open with the ducking stool exhibit looking like it does, we’ll be a laughing stock.”

“Just a moment,” Mannie said. “Tempest, Gretel has been helping at the museum.”

Gretel snorted. “Helping! The place would be a joke if I wasn’t involved.”

Mannie winced. “Gretel’s a well-known historian, specializing in the history of magic.”

“Congratulations,” I said to her. I could do snooty too if needed.

Mannie’s gaze turned anxious. “Gretel will be giving talks and demonstrations at the opening tomorrow.”

I nodded and watched Wiggles with envy as he polished off the dirt-covered doughnuts. He would have such bad indigestion. I wouldn’t be sharing a bed with him tonight.

“Since we’re having VIP visitors at the museum,” Mannie continued, “I’m in need of your expertise.”

I glanced at him. “To do what?”

“To assist with the security. It’s such an important event, and the place will be crammed full of guests.”

“Okay, but it’s a museum. Why do you need security?”

“Because of our important guests.” Mannie tilted his head at Gretel, who stood tapping her foot. “Along with Gretel, we also have the author of the book who helped bring this museum to life.”

Gretel snorted. “Isadora might have written some popular piece of fluff about the history of witchcraft, but it’s hardly instrumental in creating the museum. In case you’ve forgotten, I’ve advised you every day for nine months on this matter.”

Mannie’s lips pressed together. “I haven’t forgotten. Your input has been most welcome.”

Gretel huffed and folded her arms across her chest. “We need to get a move on. Stop wasting your time with this witch.”

“Tempest is going to help us,” Mannie said, a pleading look entering his eyes. “I need her for the extra security at the museum.”

I shook my head. “I’m no security expert. Why don’t you ask the angels?”

Mannie scuffed a foot in the dirt. “The angels are lovely creatures, and they do their best. I’m not sure they can handle a security job of such importance. Things could get hectic. What if someone needs calming down?”

“Have you ever been hit in the face with an angel wing? They sting. It would calm anyone down.” I didn’t want anything to do with this. “If your museum guests get rowdy after their sherry, the angels can handle them. I don’t run a security team.”

“You’ve got experience from running Cloven Hoof,” Mannie said. “You have door staff.”

“What’s Cloven Hoof?” Gretel sneered. “It sounds like some disreputable devil’s den, a place for down and outs.”

“You’re pretty close.” My smile felt more like a snarl. “We have a specific clientele we cater to.”

“I doubt I’d enjoy your establishment,” Gretel said.

“It’s definitely not for you.” My fingers flexed, and I took a step closer to Gretel.

Mannie grabbed my arm. “Please, Tempest, I need the very best for our guests. Whatever you need to make it a success, it’s yours.”

I pulled my arm from his grasp. “I need nothing. I’m not a bouncer. This isn’t what I do.”

“Money’s no object.”

Gretel scowled at Mannie and turned away from us, her foot continuing to beat on the ground.

Mannie leaned closer. “Please, Gretel’s very demanding. I need somebody to keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn’t take over and spoil things.”

I stepped away from him and studied Gretel’s back. She did look like a handful, but I didn’t want to hang out with a rude magic historian for an evening.

“Try someone else. Rhett’s gang is always good if you’re looking for muscle to keep things under control.”

“Oh, no. They’re not the right kind of security.” Mannie shook his head swiftly. “You can handle yourself in a professional manner if there’s trouble.” He nodded at the bag on my hip, which now oozed a green sludge from the bottom. “You look after the demons. You even have your own under control these days.”

Gretel spun on her chunky-heeled shoes and scowled at me. “You own a demon?”

I shook my head. “No. It’s a long story.”

“There’ll be canapés and champagne. You’d be free to help yourself,” Mannie said. “You’ll be doing me such a favor.”

“Did someone say free canapés?” Wiggles belched out smoke, which was tinged with the smell of sulfur.

Gretel took several steps back and pinched her nose.

“Sorry, Mannie. I’m out. You’ll have to find someone else.”

He caught hold of my elbow, and his eyes glittered. “I wasn’t going to mention this, but if you do this for me, last month’s noise violation will disappear. What do you say? The paperwork vanishes, you get a decent bit of cash in your pocket, and you can drink and eat ‘til your heart’s content.”

This time, it was my turn to scowl. That noise violation would cost me a few thousand in fines, and there was no way out of it. “Just one evening?”

“That’s all I ask. Get there at six, and we’ll be done by eleven.”

I rubbed my forehead, not happy with Mannie’s underhanded tactics. “Can I bring an extra body? Suki looks after the door at Cloven Hoof most nights. She’s good at keeping order.”

“Absolutely, bring whoever you like,” Mannie said. “Same goes for them, free canapés and drinks.”

“I’d better get out my smart bowtie,” Wiggles said, “if I’m going to be a bouncer for the evening.”

Mannie blinked at Wiggles before nodding. “Why not? A hellhound as security will be a fun bonus.”

Wiggles strutted around us. “I’ll take my payment in bones and cupcakes.”

I sighed. It looked like I’d be adding bouncer to my resume. “We’ll be there.”

“That’s excellent news.” Mannie smiled at me before turning to Gretel, whose face looked set in a permanent frown.

“My time is precious,” she snapped at him.

“Of course.” Mannie nodded at Gretel. “Let’s see about this museum exhibit you’re not happy with.”

I watched them walk away. “How were the doughnuts?” I asked Wiggles.

“Tasty. A bit gritty, but they were free.”

“They looked lovely. Maybe save me one the next time you knock a whole box on the ground.”

“You wouldn’t have liked them. Some had coconut sprinkles on the top.”

I stuck my tongue out. I wasn’t a big coconut fan. “Come on. Let’s get rid of this demon. Then we need to figure out how we’re going to avoid falling asleep at this dull museum opening.”

Wiggles nudged me with his nose as we walked to Angel Force. “It’s good to have you back. I sort of miss you when you’re not around.”

I smiled down at him. “I missed you too, you greedy hellhound.”

Chapter 2

“I didn’t know my girlfriend was so rough and tough.” Rhett Blackthorn grinned at me from the other side of the bar.

I returned his grin as I passed him a lemon drop. “Mannie Winter strong-armed me into it. You could say he blackmailed me.”

“What with? Does he have some dark secret he’s been keeping about you?” Rhett’s gorgeous dark eyes sparkled in the bar light. He was dressed in his usual uniform of black, topped off with a battered leather jacket. He looked deliciously tempting.

“There might have been a small noise violation issue not so long ago,” I said. “He said he would make it disappear if I did what he wanted.”

Rhett’s grin faded. “I never trusted that dwarf.”

I shrugged. “He’s also paying a decent amount and said there will be free food and drink. Besides, what can go wrong at some stuffy museum opening? We’ll be bored most of the time.”

“I’m looking forward to it. It should be fun.”

My eyes widened. “You’re going to the opening?”

“Sure. I heard that some exhibits are interactive. You can get involved and speak to characters from the past.”

I laughed. “No kidding. I didn’t think I was dating a secret history geek.”

Rhett chuckled. “Less of the geek. History is cool. You can learn a lot from the past, mainly what mistakes to avoid in the present.”

I brushed a finger across the back of his hand. Rhett was full of mystery, but then a fallen angel who led the local biker gang had to have hidden depths. “Don’t cause any trouble tonight. You don’t want me chasing after you in my role as a rough, tough bouncer.”

His grin widened as he caught hold of my hand and tangled our fingers together. “I can’t think of anything I’d like more.”

I leaned across the bar and pressed a kiss to his lips. “I’d chase you any time.”

“What do you think?” Wiggles bounded behind the bar. He sported a large black bowtie and a pair of wraparound shades.

“You look suitably bounceresque,” I said.

“You should see Suki.”

I glanced up as Suki shuffled out from the back room, her hands clasped in front of her. She wore a large, ill-fitting tuxedo, her black bowtie clipped on wonky. She also sported a pair of shades that masked her eyes.

“Erm, I don’t think we’re supposed to dress up for tonight,” I said.

Suki raised her gaze from the floor. “I told you we don’t have to wear this,” she said to Wiggles. “I feel stupid.”

“You look great,” I lied. The pant legs of the tuxedo were too short for Suki and exposed a lot of ankle and some candy-pink socks. “It just needs a little adjustment.”

“Are you wearing a tuxedo?” Rhett asked me, a smile on his face.

“Not a chance,” I muttered.

“Of course, she is,” Wiggles said. “I got it arranged this morning. I hired a tuxedo for Tempest and Suki and got myself a new bowtie. Watch what it does.” He pressed his chin onto the bowtie, and it spun around.

“That’s clever,” Rhett said, his tone serious. “Does Tempest’s bowtie also do that?”

“Stop it,” I warned him. “I’m not wearing a bowtie or a tuxedo.”

Suki’s eyes widened. “I’m not wearing this on my own. You have to put yours on, or I’ll feel ridiculous.”

“You should have an outfit for the evening,” Rhett said. “You’ll look great in a tuxedo.”

“And I got you a pair of shades, so we all match,” Wiggles said. “If we’re going to be bouncers, we need to look the part.”

I looked down at my mostly black outfit. “What’s wrong with this?”

“You heard what the mayor said. There will be VIP guests tonight. We’re looking after academic royalty. We need to look like we mean business.”

“Ill-fitting tuxedos and shades do that?”

Wiggles sat up, puffing his chest out. “Indeed, they do. Now, get a hustle on. We need to leave soon, and you’re not changed.”

“Why are you so excited about this?” I asked him.

“It’s not every day you get to meet an important person, dress up in your best bowtie, eat fancy canapés, and quaff champagne.”

“No champagne for you. I know what you’re like when you get your paws on bubbles.”

“I become even more fabulous.” Wiggles jumped up and strutted around, posing now and again to show off different angles of his bowtie.

I groaned and shook my head. “Help me,” I whispered to Rhett.

“Not a chance. I can’t wait to see you in your tuxedo, guarding important guests. Who are you looking after?”

“Gretel Le Strange and some author. I met Gretel yesterday. She might be a clever historian, but she’s not all that friendly.”

Rhett’s brow wrinkled. “I know that name. Gretel Le Strange comes from an ancient family of magic users. She’s a popular university lecturer. Has she really come all this way for the museum opening?”

“It looks like it.”

“She knows her stuff,” Rhett said. “Gretel has studied the history of magic and witchcraft for decades. She’s an expert in her field. Everyone speaks highly of her work.”

I fanned my face with a hand. “Please, stop! I get so excited when you go all geeky on me.”

“Hilarious,” he said. “I wouldn’t mind meeting her, though. Maybe you can make an introduction after the museum has opened?”

I wrinkled my nose. “You don’t want to meet her. Gretel’s rude and abrasive. Even Mannie was struggling to keep a civil tongue in his head when she was snapping at him.”

“I love bossy women.” Rhett winked at me.

“Tempest, hurry up and get into your tuxedo,” Wiggles said. “We’re leaving in ten minutes.”

“Duty calls,” Rhett said. “I’ll catch up with you at the museum.”

I gave him a quick kiss. “I look forward to it.” I dragged my feet as I went into the back room to find my own tuxedo hanging on a door.

Wiggles bounced around as I changed out of my clothes and into the tuxedo. Despite the jacket being a little on the large side, it wasn’t a bad fit.

“And the shades,” Wiggles said.

I looked around and saw a pair of wraparound shades on the counter. “Really? It’s evening. No one wears shades at night.”

“Hard core bouncers do,” Wiggles said. “Anyone who thinks about stepping out of line will stop when they see the three of us. We’re like the magic version of the Three Musketeers.”

“I think you mean the Three Stooges,” I muttered.

Suki walked in and stared at me in my tuxedo. “You’re really going to wear it?”

I shrugged as I adjusted the lapels of my tuxedo. “It looks like it. Don’t worry. You look great. Focus on the food. You’ll get first dibs on all the canapés. That will take your mind off of what you’re wearing.”

Suki’s face brightened. “That sounds good. I’m still not sure about this jacket, though.”

I hurried over and unbuttoned it before adjusting the shoulders. “Roll the sleeves up to your elbows.”

“Great idea,” Wiggles said. “That’ll make you look much meaner.”

Suki glanced at him. “I don’t want to look mean. I’m not a mean person.”

Suki had her moments of meanness. She was a giant wood nymph who was normally placid and easygoing unless you riled her. Then she turned into an unstoppable force. You needed to run in the opposite direction when Suki was in a rage.

She rolled up her sleeves and looked at me. “Any better?”

“Not bad. We’ll do for the mayor and his cronies.”

I waved goodbye to the staff behind the bar before we headed out into the cool evening air. The sun was dipping below the horizon as we headed toward the museum.

The museum was housed in a disused mansion that had been owned by Vincent Maldovic. The lovely Vincent had been chased out of Willow Tree Falls after he’d used a curse to turn a family to stone because they’d disrespected him.

Since then, everyone had stayed away from his mansion. There was a rumor it was haunted by the tortured souls Vincent had played with in his basement. Who said that money couldn’t buy you happiness? It made Vincent happy by giving him the space to get away with murder for a very long time.

Once Mannie became mayor, the first thing he’d done was use public funds to take possession of the mansion for a fraction of its value, fund its refurbishment, and open it as Willow Tree Falls’ first museum.

I slowed as we turned the corner, and my mouth fell open. A long line of people snaked around the building. “Why are there so many people here?”

Suki glanced down at me. “It’s a big deal. Everyone’s excited about this museum.”

“Not everybody,” I said. “It must be the whole village here.”

“And some guests,” Wiggles said. “I recognize that woman in the sequined dress. She promotes her psychic skills all over the place. A lot of big names use her services. I’d better get her autograph.”

“No pestering the guests,” I said. “We’re here to keep order. Our job is to stay in the background and be discreet. We look out for trouble and stop it before it happens. Nothing more. No hound dogging the gorgeous women.”

“We can eat the canapés, though?” Suki asked.

“Sure. Grab as many as you like.”

Suki sighed. “I’ll be happy, so long as I can eat.”

We walked past the queue of people. I stopped as I recognized some familiar faces. “Mom! Granny Dottie? What are you doing here?”

Mom hugged me. “Don’t you look smart. We wouldn’t miss this. It’s supposed to be amazing.”

Granny Dottie grinned at me. “What are you wearing?”

“We’re the security for the night.” Wiggles bounced around everyone. “They needed to hire the best.”

“But they got us,” I said.

Mom patted my cheek. “You be careful in there. There’s a big crowd tonight. Everyone wants to see what Mannie’s been up to.”

“It’s a crowd of history geeks,” I said. “I can’t see them being trouble.”

Grandpa Lucius and Uncle Kenny hurried over. “Sorry we’re late. We’ve just finished at the cemetery. Aurora lost track of time and forgot she was supposed to take a turn.”

“She’s on her own?” I hadn’t spoken much to Aurora since her announcement that she was getting married to Toby Matlock. I got the impression she was avoiding me. It was mutual. I had no clue what to say about how serious things were with Toby. I didn’t trust him as far as I could throw him, but Aurora had blinders on when it came to her new fiancé.

“It’s been quiet at the cemetery for a couple of days,” Uncle Kenny said. “We made sure everything was secure before we left.”

“We won’t stay here long,” Mom said. “We’ll check in at the cemetery on our way home and make sure everything’s fine. We’re taking the next shift, anyway.”

“Oooh! I think they’re about to let us in,” Granny Dottie said as the crowd stirred around them. “Hurry up, everybody. We don’t want to miss our spot.”

“We’d better go inside,” I said. “Have fun.”

We strode to the front door, and I banged a fist on it.

After a few seconds, it cracked open. Mannie peered out. “Tempest! Hurry! Everything’s in place.” He slid the door open, and we all walked inside.

His gaze ran over us. “You look very... official.”

I quirked an eyebrow. “Who are we looking after?”

“This way.” Mannie bustled along, his tartan suit stretched around his rotund gut. “Isadora, darling. Over here.”

“That must be the famous author,” Wiggles whispered.

A petite woman of about fifty with a blonde bob, wearing a tailored cream pantsuit, turned and smiled at Mannie as she walked over to join us. “How are we doing?”

“It’s all looking good.” Mannie clasped his hands together. “Isadora, this is your security detail for the evening. Tempest Crypt, Suki, and erm, this is Wiggles. He’s small, but he’s a hellhound and good in a fight.”

“I’m excellent in a fight.” Wiggles bared his teeth and made his bowtie rotate.

“I’m hoping there won’t be any fighting tonight.” Isadora chuckled and shook hands with all three of us, bending to shake Wiggles’ paw. “It’s lovely to meet you all. I’m Isadora Ash. I believe you were drafted in at short notice.”

“Something like that,” I said.

“I’m sure we won’t need security,” Isadora said. “Museums rarely get rowdy.”

“You never know. It’s important to ensure the safety of our valuable assets.” A tall, narrow-faced man with slicked back dark hair strode over.

A quick glance at him suggested a hint of the undead. He wasn’t a full vampire, but somewhere in his history, there’d been a vampire liaison with a human. It was the cheekbones and the pale skin, such a giveaway.

“Seth, I’m sure you’re overreacting.” Isadora smiled at him. “Seth Fellows, this is our security for the night.” She introduced us all.

Seth glanced up from the papers he held. “We need to stop the rabble from getting too close to Isadora. She’ll be signing books later, so you’ll need to keep control of things. The fans can get over-excited.”

“We can handle the rabble,” I said.

Seth’s gaze ran over me, and his dark eyes gleamed. “Make sure you do.”

“This is Jonah Dragoon and Lotus Umbra,” Isadora said as two more people approached. “Jonah’s my right-hand man.”

A serious-faced, broad-shouldered guy in his late twenties with bright blue eyes shook my hand. “Officially, I’m Isadora’s personal assistant, but I also answer to right-hand man.”

“And Lotus is my genius research assistant,” Isadora said.

Lotus smiled and nodded at the three of us. She was a pretty, elven female with spiky blue hair and delicately pointed ears.

“Lotus and Jonah have been helping me manage all this craziness with my book,” Isadora said.

“Craziness that’s well deserved,” Mannie said. “Isadora’s book is nothing short of a work of genius. Her research is thorough and precise. It’s all thanks to Isadora’s book that this museum became a reality. I’d always had an idea for a museum but didn’t have the right focus. Once I’d read a few papers written by Isadora on witchcraft through the ages and discovered a book was in production, I knew I had exactly what I needed.”

“And, after some gentle persuasion,” Isadora said, “I decided to consult with Mannie and help make the museum happen. It’s exciting to see the dry words I wrote brought to life in such an amazing way.”

“Your words are a delight,” Mannie said. “I was captivated by the advance copy you gave me.”

“It sounds like a good book,” Wiggles said.

Isadora smiled down at him. “I’d be happy to give you a copy. Signed, of course.”

Seth sighed. “Don’t keep giving away your books. People are here tonight to spend their money.”

Isadora’s mouth drooped, and she shrugged.

“Wiggles isn’t much of a reader, anyway,” I said. “Tell us where we need to be, and we’ll keep an eye out for any problems.”

Mannie scratched his fingers through his beard. “There’s one problem. Gretel’s missing. She’s a special guest, as well. I was hoping one of you could chaperone her for the evening.”

“She needs chaperoning,” Seth muttered.

“Does she usually cause trouble?” I asked him.

He smirked at me. “For other people. She might be a notable historian, but she’s also a notable pain in most people’s backsides.”

“She’s a woman who knows her own mind,” Mannie said. “The plan was to have one of you look after Gretel, another would look after Isadora, and the third can mingle and keep an eye on the crowd.”

“I’m up for mingling,” Wiggles said. “It’ll be easier to keep an eye on the canapés supply and make sure nobody’s being too greedy if I’m on the move.”

“Suki, how about you look after Isadora?” I suggested. Isadora seemed pretty easy going and much nicer than Gretel. I could handle her sharp tongue for an evening when she turned up.

Suki nodded. “I won’t leave her side.”

Isadora chuckled. “Just hang around in the background and keep an eye on anyone getting too in my face. Fans can be a bit full on, and it gets too much for me. I’m used to being on my own. Crowds make me nervous.”

“We’ll control the crowd. You don’t have to worry about that.” Mannie looked around. “I just wish I knew where Gretel was.”

“I can look for her,” I said.

“Have a quick hunt around but then stay by the main entrance doors,” Mannie said. “Maybe she’s running late. Isadora, you head to the podium with Suki and get yourself ready.”

“And I’ll mingle with the catering staff,” Wiggles said. “Check they have enough food out.”

“Yes, an excellent idea.” Mannie clapped his hands together. “Places everybody. The doors open in five minutes.”

I strolled into the first room of exhibits and froze. I’d walked into a twisted world of magic. The place looked incredible.

“Welcome, child of the night,” a deep voice boomed.

I jumped and spun around. The skeleton in the corner was talking.

“Enjoy your time of freedom, fun, and frivolity. The time of the long night inverts the rules and desires your company.”

I backed up and hit a witch. Her arms curled around me. I leaped away, batting at her bony fingers and ragged clothing.

The witch cackled before retreating into her exhibit. This was too creepy for its own good.

The skeleton’s bones shook as he laughed. “The long night lures out our darker sides, offering a release from the everyday.”

“I’m good with the everyday,” I said. “It’s weird enough.”

“Expose your primeval self.”

I shook my head. “I’m exposing nothing to you, buddy.”

The skeleton laughed again before sliding behind a door.

I had to admit, it was an immersive experience. Mannie had spared no expense in pulling this together. I could sort of understand everyone’s excitement if it was all like this. The glass cases around me glistened, and there were trays to pull out and inspect the artifacts. I was tempted to take a look.

I stopped by a display of witch hats through the ages. The sign said, ‘try me on.’

I couldn’t resist. I grabbed a typical black pointed hat and stepped in front of the mirror.

“Not your style.” The wrinkled face of a witch appeared in the mirror.

Jumping back, I flung off the hat before laughing. It was a neat trick.

I’d almost forgotten what I was supposed to be doing as I wandered around, staring at the ancient torture devices used to extract confessions from witches.

Peering into a glass cabinet, I grimaced. There was a metal mask with spikes on the inside. It was described as a witch talker. It was used as an encouragement to get reluctant witches to reveal their abilities when interrogated.

“I’m glad they don’t use that anymore,” I muttered.

“Tempest! Any sign of Gretel?” Mannie bustled into the room.

I’d only gotten into the first exhibit room before getting distracted. “No sign of her in here.”

“I hope she gets here soon, or I’ll have to change the running order of the evening.” Mannie frowned. “No matter. This way. I’m about to open the doors.”

I followed Mannie into the main entrance foyer. Rows of chairs sat in front of a podium. Behind the podium was a long red curtain.

“Cleo! There you are. Get ready by the door to welcome our guests.” Mannie gestured to a short, curvy brunette with tanned skin and silky dark hair who lingered by the chairs.

I’d not seen her in Willow Tree Falls before. She must be a member of Isadora’s team.

Cleo nodded and hurried to the double doors to stand opposite me.

Mannie looked around before giving a satisfied nod. “Let the crowd enter.”

I opened the doors, with Cleo’s assistance.

Mannie stood to one side, shaking hands and kissing the cheeks of all the women.

I kept an eye out for Gretel, but she didn’t enter with the crowd. Maybe she had stage fright.

“Take a seat, everybody,” Mannie called as the crowd grew and people jostled for space. “We’re having a wonderful reading from the renowned author, Isadora Ash, before the museum opens.”

Waiters wandered around the crowd, passing out glasses of champagne and tiny filled pastry canapés.

I grabbed a couple of canapés and stuffed them into my mouth. Not bad, cream cheese and smoked salmon.

There wasn’t much to do other than crowd watch. Everyone was mingling and making small talk. All the history nerds were behaving themselves as I figured they would.

The sound of a microphone squealing had everyone turning. “Sorry about that. If you’d all like to take a seat, we can get started.” Mannie stood on the podium, smiling at everybody.

It took a few minutes, but everyone was soon settled in a seat and waiting for the talk to begin.

I edged around the side of the audience and stood next to Suki and Isadora.

“Is everything okay?” I asked Suki.

“Everything’s good on my end,” Suki said. “I didn’t get much of a look in with the canapés, though. I heard the waiters complaining about a fat dog who keeps knocking them out of their hands.”

Trust Wiggles to get in on the canapé action. “Don’t worry. Once everyone’s looking around the museum, we can eat the leftovers.”

Mannie tapped the microphone. “Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Isadora Ash to our new museum. Her research inspired the wonderful exhibits you’ll see tonight. Make her feel welcome.”

There was applause as Isadora walked to the podium and nodded thanks at Mannie, who moved to one side.

“Thank you for such a lovely greeting this evening. I’m sure I’m as excited as everybody here to be the first to reveal the exhibits at the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic.”

“It’s scary back there,” Suki muttered to me. “Isadora showed me a couple of the exhibits. They did gruesome things to you witches back in the day.”

“They probably still would if they knew we existed,” I whispered.

Suki shuddered. “I got jumped on by a ghoul.”

“What did you do?”

“Squished him in a headlock.” Suki shrugged. “Isadora stopped me before I pulled his head off. He wasn’t real, but he sure smelled like he was.”

I nodded. The exhibits were pretty spooky.

“I’d like to read you a few passages from my new book,” Isadora said. “But, before I do that, I’ll reveal the first interactive exhibit of the museum to give you a taste of what’s to come.” She walked to the side of the curtain and pulled a cord.

The curtain dropped, and the crowd gasped.

Displayed in front of everyone was a small pond, complete with living plants and the deep croaking sound of toads. The stench of fetid water crept across the room. By the side of the pond was a full-sized ducking stool. On that stool was a dead witch.

Everyone applauded as Isadora presented the display with a flourish of her hand.

“This is our first exhibit, which is an interactive experience.” Isadora gestured to the lever. “You can duck a witch. And for those brave enough, you can take your place on the ducking stool and see what it felt like to be a witch questioned by those who feared the magic we all possess.”

“It looks a bit chilly to me,” I whispered to Suki. “I bet that water’s not warm.”

“Not to mention the smell.” Suki held her nose. “I’ve never been a fan of water. This reminds me of the swamp in the forest.”

A movement by the ducking stool caught my eye. I stepped away from Suki and peered closely at the rushes planted by the pond. Wiggles was poking around in the middle of the display.

I gestured for him to come away, but he ignored me and continued sniffing.

Isadora had returned to the podium and was reading from her book, drawing the audience’s attention back to her.

I inched closer to the display, not keen to draw any attention. “Wiggles! Get out of there before you break something.”

He looked at me, and his red eyes glowed. He lowered his snout into the water and snorted loudly.

I shook my head. He most likely wanted to be the first to take a ride on the ducking stool.

When Wiggles’ head emerged from the water, he held the witch’s leg in his mouth.

That leg looked worryingly real. The skin was puffy and blotchy, nothing like a mannequin’s leg.

Glancing at Isadora to make sure I wasn’t disturbing her, I ducked and concealed myself with the plants as I crawled on my hands and knees marine-style toward Wiggles. As I got closer, my nose wrinkled. There was an unhealthy smell lingering in the water, and it wasn’t pond scum.

“Put the leg down,” I whispered to Wiggles.

He spat the leg out. “Happily. I knew I smelled something odd. They’re using a real body for the exhibit. How true to life is that?”

True to life! I sat up and heard several of the audience members murmur as they saw me.

“Is that Tempest?” I heard Granny Dottie say. “Coooeeee! Tempest. I didn’t know you were a part of this exhibit.”

I ignored my embarrassing family as I lifted the head of the witch sitting in the ducking stool.

I gasped as I stared into the very lifeless eyes of Gretel Le Strange.

Chapter 3

The book fell from Isadora’s hand as she turned and saw me beside the dead witch. “Is that Gretel?”

I lowered Gretel’s head back to her chest. “I’m afraid so.” That explained why she hadn’t shown up for the museum opening. She was already here, but not in the role I imagined she wanted to be.

“Tempest, what’s going on?” Mannie hissed as he hurried over. “You’re making the audience worry.”

“They need to worry.” I stood and wiped my damp hands down my tuxedo pants. “This is a crime scene. The witch in the ducking stool is Gretel Le Strange.”

Mannie gasped and staggered back. “That’s not possible.”

“You said she was missing. It turns out, she’s not missing. She’s dead.” The audience was murmuring, and I felt the panic grow in the room. “We need to clear this place,” I said to Mannie. “Any evidence that might show who did this to Gretel will be destroyed with so many people in the room.”

Mannie stared at me. “What about the opening? It’s been arranged for such a long time.”

“What about the dead body?”

His lips pursed. “Of course. We need to move Gretel before the evening can continue.”

I gaped at him. “There’s not going to be any evening. Somebody’s been murdered in the museum.”

“Murder!” A woman in the front row rose from her seat and craned her neck. “What’s that about murder?”

The word spread quickly, and soon the rest of the crowd were on their feet, pushing closer to get a better look.

“Suki! Wiggles! We need crowd control,” I shouted.

They jumped in front of the podium and kept the crowd from getting too nosy.

“Get everyone out of here,” I said to Mannie. “Now.”

“Very well.” Mannie huffed before hurrying to the podium. “Ladies and gentlemen, if I may have your attention. There’s been a small accident. I’m afraid the evening will have to be postponed for a few hours.”

The crowd murmured their disapproval and shuffled uneasily.

“What’s going on?” someone shouted.

“It’s nothing to worry about,” Mannie lied. “A small technical difficulty.”

“Is that a real body?” another person yelled.

“Of course not.” Mannie’s laugh sounded forced. “Everything is fine. You all need to leave for now, though. Perhaps we’ll have a second go at the opening tomorrow night. I’ll make sure we have extra champagne to make up for this unfortunate incident.”

I shook my head as I stared at Gretel. There’d be no chance of opening this museum anytime soon. Not with a dead body on our hands.

The audience remained where they were as if expecting a show.

I moved away from the ducking stool and stood with Suki and Wiggles. “Let’s clear this lot out. Herd them like sheep toward the door. Prod anyone who doesn’t look like they’re going to move.”

Between the three of us, we forced the grumbling crowd to the main doors. After ten minutes of gentle shoving, everyone was outside.

I locked the door behind them. “We need Angel Force here.”

“I’ll send a message via the snow globe,” Mannie said. “We have one in the back office.” He bustled away.

“What do you need us to do?” Suki asked, her shades slipping down her nose.

“Nothing for now. Just try to avoid messing with the crime scene.”

“Hey! Here’s a plate of canapés,” Wiggles called. “They’ve only been trodden on a couple of times. Plenty are undamaged.”

Suki hurried over and sat on the floor with Wiggles to inspect the trampled food.

“Do you want one?” Wiggles glanced at me.

“I’m good.” Wiggles would eat anything, and it looked like Suki wasn’t all that fussy either.

A fist pounded against the door. I cracked it open and peered out to see Dominic and Sablo standing outside, their white angel uniforms gleaming in the gloom.

“That was quick.” I pulled the door open wider and let them in before locking it again.

“What are you talking about?” Sablo’s long blonde hair was wrapped in a thick coil on top of her head.

“Mannie only just sent the message.”

Sablo exchanged a confused glance with Dominic. “We saw no message. We were passing on our way to grab a pizza and saw the crowd outside. We thought we’d better see if everything was okay.”

“We can’t be long,” Dominic said. “Our pizza will be ready in five minutes.” He grinned at me. “You’re welcome to a slice of mine, Tempest.”

“The pizza will have to wait,” I said. “There’s been a murder.”

Sablo took a step back, and her wings fluttered behind her. “Are you sure?”

“There’s the body of a witch on the museum’s ducking stool. It’s doubtful she ducked herself,” I said. “You’d better take a look.”

Sablo and Dominic hurried after me as I returned to the exhibit.

They stood staring at Gretel for a minute, neither of them saying anything.

“This is terrible timing,” Sablo said.

“I’m sure Gretel will agree,” I said. “She was here to show off her knowledge at the opening event, not be drowned on a ducking stool.”

“Oh, it’s not that.” Sablo glanced at Dominic. “Dazielle’s away.”

“Then she needs to come back.” Dazielle could be stubborn and sometimes followed the wrong clues, but she usually saw sense in the end. Sablo and Dominic, not so much.

“She’s on an immersive course outside of the village. I don’t think they get access to their snow globes.”

“So, who’s in charge?”

Dominic scratched the back of his head. “We sort of all are. We operate a cooperative system at Angel Force. When the boss is away, we all get a say in how things are run.”

I repressed a groan. All that meant was no one would take charge of this murder investigation.

Mannie hurried over. He tugged at my arm and tilted his head to the side. “I need to speak with you in private.”

I followed him, leaving the angels to puzzle over what to do next. “What’s up?”

“You have to deal with this problem,” he said. “The museum will be ruined if this doesn’t get sorted quickly.”

“You’ve got Sablo and Dominic here.” I glanced over to see Dominic toying with the lever on the ducking stool. I could tell he was itching to give it a tug. “They’ll figure things out.”

Mannie curled his beard around his fingers. “Tempest, we both know what the angels are like when Dazielle’s not here.”

“Are you referring to the incident three years ago?” I grinned.

He nodded. “We were finding feathers six months after that party.”

I held my laughter in. The last time Dazielle had been away, the angels had had the equivalent of a frat party at a thermal spa. Three hundred drunken angels had gate-crashed the party and run amok through Willow Tree Falls. It was epic.

“We didn’t have a murder to deal with then,” I said. “I’m sure they’ll sort this out. They can be professional when they need to be.”

Mannie’s expression was pensive. “Dazielle knows how to take charge and get things moving. And these two are...”

“Pretty but ineffective?”

“Something like that,” Mannie said. “You’ll have to help them figure out what happened.”

“Mannie, I’ve already stepped up as your security detail for the night. That’s enough.”

“And look what happened.” Mannie gestured around the deserted room. “My audience fled in terror, and someone’s been murdered. I call that terrible security work.”

I scowled at him. “Gretel wasn’t murdered on my watch. That body has been in the water for a while.”

“You see! You know about this sort of thing, and you found the body. You’re good at this. I know Dazielle complains about you—”

“What does she say?”

“Oh, the usual.” Mannie wouldn’t meet my glare. “She thinks you interfere.”

“And I definitely will be interfering if I investigate this case when she’s not here.”

Mannie grabbed hold of my hands. “Please, you have to sort this out. What can I give you to convince you to step up and lead on this investigation?”

“Nothing! I didn’t know Gretel. I only met her briefly yesterday. You need to find out who’d want to kill her in such a public way. Someone clearly didn’t like Gretel and needed everyone to see what they thought of her.”

“There you go. You’re already thinking about the reasons for her murder. Anything you want, it’s yours. I can pay for a holiday, or how about a car? You’re always walking around everywhere. That must be exhausting.”

I tried to pull my hands from his hot grasp, but he held on tight. “Mannie, I don’t need a holiday or a car. I don’t even drive.”

“Someone has to lead on this. It doesn’t need to be for long, just until Dazielle returns from her course.”

My brow wrinkled. “How long will that be?”

“A day or two at the most. No time at all. You just need to do the basics. Collect evidence, talk to suspects, figure this out. A smart young witch like you should have no trouble dealing with this.”

I finally extracted my hands from Mannie’s grip. “If I’m investigating this, you’ll be a suspect.”

Surprise registered on Mannie’s face. “Me! A suspect. I was friends with Gretel.”

“If you want me to do this, I’m doing it properly.”

He huffed out a breath. “Very well. I suppose it’s only right you ask me appropriate questions, but I can assure you I’m not involved.”

I looked around the room. Sablo and Dominic still stood looking perplexed by the body. If I did nothing to help, they’d probably leave Gretel attached to the ducking stool for anyone to gawp at.

“I’ll do this. Just until Dazielle returns.” I lifted my chin. “I get to question whoever I need to, and you don’t interfere.”

Mannie sighed. “Thank you, Tempest. Anything you need, it’s yours. Gretel was a friend. It’s terrible what’s happened to her. I need a nip of brandy for the shock.”

I nodded. “First things first, I need you to round up everyone close to Gretel. We might as well start there. Anyone who’s been working with her at this museum could be involved. I must speak to them all.”

“Of course. I’ll get right on that.” Mannie hurried away.

I was surprised he was following my orders. Maybe this wouldn’t be so difficult to deal with.

I turned and walked back to Dominic and Sablo. “Good news. You have a new boss.”

Dominic grinned at me. “Mannie’s put you in charge of running Angel Force?”

I choked out a laugh. “Not for a second, and I’d never agree to do that. He wants me to lead on this investigation. Do either of you have a problem with that?”

“I think it’s brilliant,” Dominic said. “I always enjoy hanging out with you.”

Sablo’s eyes narrowed, but she nodded. “I don’t see it being a problem. You’ve helped us in the past. With Dazielle away, we’d appreciate an extra pair of hands.”

“What do you want us to do, boss?” Dominic asked.

I looked at Gretel, and my stomach clenched. I was never good with dealing with the more gruesome side of murder. “Secure the crime scene and control entry. It’s been contaminated enough. No one else goes near the body. There might be clues as to who did this. Get photos of the scene, including pictures of Gretel before she’s moved out of the water.”

“Wow! Tempest, you know what you’re talking about,” Dominic said. “You sound just like Dazielle.”

“I’ve heard her bark orders at you enough times to know the drill,” I said. “Look around for any signs of who did this, but don’t touch, just document. Gretel didn’t put herself in that ducking stool, which means someone else is involved. They might have left behind a clue.”

“No problem,” Dominic said. “I’ll head back to the office and grab the equipment.”

“Get the pizza, too,” Sablo whispered.

I glared at her but then shrugged. Pizza sounded good after only a few puff pastries. “Pizza too. Get extra for everyone. Be quick. When you get back, you need to keep everyone separate. We don’t need our suspects fudging their alibis.”

“Got it.”

“Sablo, you stay with Gretel until Dominic returns.”

Sablo nodded and clasped her hands behind her back, her gaze darting around the room as if looking for an attacker.

I walked over to Suki, who stood by the door with Wiggles, the tray of squashed food long gone. “You might as well head back to Cloven Hoof. There’s not much you can do here.”

Suki’s nervous gaze shifted to the body before she grimaced. “If you’re sure. I can stay if you like, but...”

“No, you’ve been great tonight. Go grab a coffee and take a break, make sure everything is fine at the bar. Some museum visitors might have stopped off there, so it could be busy. We won’t be too long.”

Suki nodded, her relief obvious, before hurrying out of the museum.

I turned as I heard footsteps.

Isadora walked over, her face pale. “Do you know what happened?”

“Someone wanted Gretel out of the way. Any idea who that might be?”

Isadora’s hand went to her mouth, and she swallowed loudly. “Gretel was a strong woman. Whoever did this would need to be equally as strong.”

“What were her powers?”

“She was an elemental witch with a liking for old magic. She had a collection of artifacts that had residual magic in them. She enjoyed indulging in the old stuff. It makes sense. That was where her passion lay.”

“Her ability was strong?”

Isadora nodded. “And she was never one to be walked over. Gretel would have fought back if someone attacked her. It would need someone with strong magic to hold her in place and use the ducking stool to kill her.” She looked away and wiped a hand across her cheek.

“Is everyone still here?” I asked. “I need to speak with you all.”

“Oh, yes. Mannie asked us to stay. We’re in the red exhibit room.”

I took a deep breath. I wasn’t certain where to start, but I recalled the comment Seth had made about Gretel being a problem.

Since he hadn’t had anything nice to say about our victim, I’d start with him and see if he’d acted on his low opinion of Gretel Le Strange.

Chapter 4

I walked into the red exhibit room with Isadora and looked around at the anxious faces. Mannie stood with Seth and Jonah. Lotus stood apart from the group with Cleo.

It wasn’t ideal that all the suspects and witnesses were together, but Dominic would be back soon to separate everyone.

“Seth.” I gestured him over.

Isadora nodded at me. “I’ll leave you to it.” She hurried away and joined Lotus and Cleo.

Seth strolled over. “I hear Mannie put you in charge.”

“Lucky me,” I said. “I’d like to talk to you about your relationship with Gretel.”

“There’s not much to say. I’ll help if I can.”

“How well did you know her?”

“As well as I wanted to.” Seth shoved his hands into his pants pockets and leaned back on his heels. “I know I’m the first person you’re talking to about her, but I’ll be honest with you. Gretel was a hard person to like.”

“You didn’t like her?”

“No one did. If they tell you differently, you’ve found your killer. Gretel Le Strange was sharp, rude, and full of herself.” Seth shrugged. “In a way, she had a right to be. She was at the top of her field. If anyone had a question about some historical magic artifact, Gretel was your go to woman.”

“Did she do anything, in particular, to make you dislike her?”

“She didn’t go out of her way to target me. She was just a beast to anyone who got in her way. People let her get away with being obnoxious and rude for so long that it became her default mode. Gretel considered everyone else beneath her because they weren’t as clever as she was.”

“What did you mean when you said that Gretel was a pain in people’s backsides?”

“Nothing was ever good enough for that woman. She drove me almost to distraction by her demands.”

“What was she demanding from you?”

“Gretel saw this museum as hers. Mannie brought her in as an adviser because of her expertise, but she was soon claiming this was her idea. That sat badly with everyone who made this happen.”

“That must have annoyed the whole team.”

“Of course.” Seth shook his head. “The worst thing is, Gretel demanded that she be interviewed about the museum.”

“And she wanted you to set that up?”

“I’m a book publicist. I know how to arrange a few interviews, but I’d never arrange a single interview for Gretel. She’d annoy everyone because she’d be rude.” Seth glanced at Isadora. “Isadora, on the other hand, is a dream to work with. She’s my client. She was the one going in front of the cameras and talking about her book and its links to this museum. She has a way of making the dullest subject interesting.”

“And Gretel didn’t like that Isadora had all the limelight?”

Seth shrugged. “Professional rivalry, I guess. Call it what you like, but Gretel wasn’t camera ready. I rejected her suggestion, and she made my life difficult after that. I kept out of her way, but the closer it got to the launch of Isadora’s book and the opening of this museum, we couldn’t avoid each other.”

“Since she was making your life so difficult, did you do something about it?”

Seth smirked. “Sweetheart, you obviously don’t work in PR.”

I narrowed my eyes. “No, but I do hunt annoying demons for fun. And any magic using creature who gets on my wrong side.”

Seth tilted his head. “Oh, you’re the witch who hunts demons. I’ve heard of you. You’ve got an interesting reputation. I could make a book out of your story if you’re interested.”

“I’m not.”

“And you’re freelancing with the angels now? Even more of an interesting twist.”

“It’s a temporary thing,” I said. “Who have you been talking to about me?”

“Word gets around. And I know Brogan Costin. We’re old acquaintances. He mentioned you when I dropped by his café last night.”

Half-vampires were a close-knit group, so I wasn’t surprised to hear that Brogan and Seth knew each other. “Getting back to Gretel’s death, where were you last night?”

“I grabbed a bite to eat. Brogan will confirm that, and then I headed to the local pub. I think it’s called the Ancient Imp. I was there all evening.”

“And after you left the pub?”

“I went back to the house.”

“Where are you staying?”

“Mannie’s rented us a place while we’re here. We didn’t fancy staying in the local hotel, so he got us a house for a couple of weeks. I’m there, along with Isadora, Lotus, and Jonah. It’s a decent place, lots of space to work in. It’s along Luminaire Lane. Number six.”

I knew the place. “Who do you think would want Gretel dead and displayed so dramatically?”

“I can give you a long list of people who Gretel irritated. As for killing her, I don’t know. You’d need to search back fifty years. There will be a lot of people who won’t be sad she’s gone.”

“I’m more interested in the people here.”

Seth’s bottom lip jutted out. “It’s a gruesome way to go. Killed by her own exhibit. Gretel was fascinated by witch trials. She’s written several papers on that period in history. They’re a bit dry for my taste, but Isadora used some of Gretel’s research in her book. Sprinkle them with a little movie magic and they’d make a great fantasy production.”

“I’m sure that would have made Gretel happy, seeing her research manipulated for a movie.”

Seth chuckled. “I never mentioned the idea for exactly that reason. Now she’s gone, the door’s open to different income generating opportunities.”

That gave Seth a motive. He saw Gretel as a cash cow, but only if she agreed to sell out. Something I doubted she would do.

“Who knew there’d be a ducking stool in the museum?”

“It was kept quiet, just between the team, so we wouldn’t spoil the unveiling. We had parts made by different companies, so no one would figure out we were creating a working model of a ducking stool. Everyone you see in this room knew, but that’s about it.”

“What about other members of the team? Did Lotus or Jonah have much to do with Gretel?”

“Jonah spends all his time with Isadora. She works long hours, and he needs to be close by for whenever she needs anything. I expect their paths crossed, but I’ve never heard him complain about her.”

“And Lotus?”

Seth grinned. “She’s as sweet as apple pie. Lotus has never got a bad word to say about anybody.”

I arched a brow. “The two of you are close?”

He smiled smugly. “As close as you can be. I met Lotus after I started working with Isadora to put together the publicity campaign. Lotus does background research for Isadora’s books.”

“It’s serious between you?”

Seth nodded. “If she plays her cards right, we’ll soon be married. She knows she won’t find anyone better.”

“You do sound like a catch.” Not anything I’d be hurrying to grab anytime soon.

“Lotus does what I tell her because I’m always right. It’s the perfect match.”

“I hope you’re happy together,” I said. Seth’s smugness set my teeth on edge. It wasn’t an uncommon vampire trait, but he talked about Lotus as if he owned her.

“Can you think of anyone who disliked Gretel, who would act on those feelings?”

Seth looked around the room. “Well, I don’t like to mention it, since he’s such a respected figure in the village.”

“Mention away,” I said.

“I saw your mayor arguing with Gretel. She pestered him all the time about things not being right at the museum. Although he laughed off her comments, I could see they grated on him. I walked in on them two days ago in a fierce debate about the layout of a display. Gretel was in his face, shouting at him. Mannie’s cheeks were bright red. I thought he’d burst a blood vessel.”

“I know Mannie Winter well. I can’t see him killing Gretel. As you pointed out, he’s a public figure.”

Seth smirked. “If you know Mannie as well as you say you do, then you’ll know what he’s like when it comes to his social status.”

Mannie was a serious social climber but killing someone would do nothing to enhance that status. “What makes you say that?”

“Mannie mentioned how great he’d be in a documentary. He suggested we do a series in Willow Tree Falls featuring local residents. A sort of faux reality series.”

That sounded like a nightmare. “That won’t interest anybody.”

“You’d be surprised what trash people watch.” Seth tipped back on his heels. “Mannie wants a starring role.”

“Mannie has big ambitions. Was Gretel stopping him from achieving them?”

“She could have been. Mannie was jealous of Gretel and the respect her position gave her. He has himself up as some kind of know-it-all historian, but Gretel was quick to knock him on his behind if he got a fact wrong. They were competitive, and both hated to back down.”

Could things have gotten out of hand with Gretel when they were arguing? Mannie was powerfully built even if most of his weight was stored in his expansive gut. It wasn’t out of the question that he had the strength to hold Gretel on the ducking stool before drowning her.

“Did you see Mannie here last night?” I asked Seth.

“Only for a couple of minutes early on in the evening. He was running around trying to get this organized.”

“Did you see him near the ducking stool?” Mannie might have investigated the stool to see how easy it would be to use.

Seth shook his head. “No, but he’d know how to work it. Mannie had a tedious argument with Gretel about the mechanisms of the ducking stool and how you’d get one to work, the kind of weight you need, and the...” he yawned. “Sorry, I’m boring myself. Anyway, they argued, and he knew what he was talking about.”

This wasn’t looking so great for Mannie. He knew how to operate the ducking stool, and he didn’t like the victim. I couldn’t rule him out just yet.

“You’re wasting your time by quizzing me, gorgeous,” Seth said. “I didn’t do this. I’ve got an alibi, and it’s a good one. If you’re looking for a killer, go speak to your friendly mayor. I bet he’s got a tale to tell. Are we done?”

I gritted my teeth but nodded. Gretel had rubbed Seth up the wrong way, but his alibi would be easy to check, and I could discount him as the killer. “You can leave. Are you staying at the house?”

“Sure. We’ve got a mess to sort out after tonight’s event. I need to figure out the next steps for Isadora. Make sure her book doesn’t flop.”

I watched him saunter away. If everything Seth said was true, I had a problem on my hands. It was dwarf-shaped and had a huge beard. I couldn’t go accusing Willow Tree Falls’ mayor of murder without cast iron proof. If I did that and was wrong, the village would be in an uproar, and Mannie would most likely shove me on the ducking stool next.

I needed to be careful how I handled this. If I was seen interrogating Mannie Winter, there could be hell to pay.

Chapter 5

I decided to tackle the other members of Isadora’s team before approaching Mannie, see if they supported Seth’s theory that Mannie could be involved.

Walking across the room, I wasn’t happy to find Mannie and Isadora talking quietly in one corner. I looked around and glared at Dominic, who was studying an artifact in the cabinet, a piece of pizza in one hand.

I hurried over to him. “You’re supposed to be keeping the suspects separate.”

He jumped and turned toward me. “Oh, sorry, Tempest. I got distracted. Have you seen this? It’s a hand of glory.”

I glanced at the mummified hand. “It is.”

“Do you own one?”

“No. They’re only for black magic.” Although, I bet there was one covered in dust in Mom’s attic. She loved collecting weird magic items.

Dominic continued to eat his pizza. “This is the severed hand of a hanged criminal.”

“They all are. It makes them more powerful.”

“Have you ever touched one?”

“Sure. Now, about this murder investigation you’re helping me solve.” I glanced at the suspects. “We have to get people apart. Use the extra pizza you got to lure them away.”

“Extra pizza?”

I pursed my lips. “Yes, the pizza I asked you to get for all of us.”

“Oh! Sure. That slipped my mind. I only picked up the order for me and Sablo. I guess I’m in shock over what happened to Gretel.”

I sighed. “So, no pizza?”

He held out his crust. “You’re welcome to this.”

I wrinkled my nose. “I’ll pass.”

Dominic nodded. “It says here you use a blend of salt, long peppers, nitre, and zimat to pickle the hand.”

“That’s right.” It looked like he wasn’t budging until he’d educated himself on the hand of glory. I was tempted to get it out of the glass case and use it on him as a punishment for forgetting the pizza and not doing his job.

“It’s creepy.”

“It’s dark magic. It’s meant to be creepy. You get the hand to hold a lit candle. It enhances a spells power. If the candle was made from the dead person’s fat, that’s a bonus.”

Dominic swallowed his pizza crust and grimaced. “Witches are strange.”

“Angels can be too, especially when they’re not doing the job they’re supposed to do.” I grabbed his arm and tugged him away from the display case. “Keep Mannie and Isadora apart. If they’ve got anything to do with what happened to Gretel, they could be fixing their stories while you’re staring at a dead man’s hand.”

“Of course, all my fault.” He tilted his head. “But you can’t think Mannie has anything to do with this. He’s our mayor. Everybody loves the mayor. He pays for the winter parade out of his own pocket.”

“Everybody won’t love the mayor if it turns out he killed Gretel. But I won’t know that if he’s fudging his story and getting Isadora to cover for him.”

Dominic bit his bottom lip. “Dazielle’s always telling me off for getting distracted on the job.”

I raised my eyebrows. “Dazielle and I agree on that. Go over there and get Isadora away from Mannie.”

Dominic’s wings wilted as he walked away. He looked like a scolded puppy. It was hard to stay cross with him when he looked like that. There wasn’t a mean bone in Dominic’s toned body, just lots of foolish ones.

Mannie glanced up as Dominic spoke to him and then looked at me. I didn’t like the determined expression on his face as he hurried over.

“Tempest, surely that’s enough for one evening.”

“You want me to stop questioning people who might be involved in Gretel’s death? I’ve only spoken to one person.”

“I know, but I’ve been asking around, and everyone’s in shock.” Mannie glanced over his shoulder. “And Isadora is feeling ill. She needs to lie down before she faints.”

“Maybe she’s feeling ill because she murdered someone.”

“Shush! Don’t say such a thing.” Mannie grabbed my arm and pulled me out of earshot of Isadora. “She’s a respected, talented author. Isadora has worked hard all her life to get to this point in her career. We’re lucky to have her in Willow Tree Falls.”

“That still doesn’t rule her out as the killer,” I said. “I have to speak to everyone tonight while the information is fresh in their minds. And, if someone here is the killer, what’s to say they won’t sneak away if we give them the night off to get over their shock?”

“No one’s sneaking anywhere,” Mannie said. “I know where everyone is staying. They’ve assured me they’ll stay for as long as this needs to be cleared up.”

I tilted my head back. That meant Mannie had spoken to everyone. So much for trying to keep people apart. I glanced at the ducking stool. “Where’s Sablo?”

“I sent her to get a round of drinks and some muffins. I thought sugar would be good to calm everyone.”

“Sablo agreed to that?” I spoke through gritted teeth.

“Of course. She trusts me. Everyone does.” Mannie patted my arm. “Let’s do this tomorrow morning. It’ll give you time to think about the questions you need to ask, and we can all get a good night’s sleep to help get over the shock. Poor Gretel.”

Poor Gretel, indeed! This case wasn’t going anywhere if everyone was chatting, sharing alibis, and covering for each other. “I need to take a step back from this. You agreed I could do this my way, but you’re already interfering.”

Mannie stroked a hand down his beard. “You do want that noise violation to disappear?”

“Hey! I agreed to do the security detail in exchange for that vanishing. You said nothing about having to solve this murder as well. That wasn’t part of our agreement.”

Mannie shrugged. “The deal’s changed. I still haven’t heard anything from Dazielle, so you need to stay on this until she’s back.”

“I’m trying, but you’re suggesting we give up for the night. Dazielle wouldn’t do that.”

“We need to handle this carefully.” Mannie patted his belly. “We’re dealing with important people. People of influence.”

“And one of those influential people is now dead,” I said. “The sooner we clear that up, the better. Let me question everyone tonight, and this could all be over by tomorrow.”

“My dear Tempest, while I appreciate your involvement, it’s late and everybody’s tired.”

“But—”

“And, as Mayor of Willow Tree Falls, I insist we treat our VIP guests appropriately. Whatever happened here is unfortunate, but I think it highly unlikely that anyone involved with the museum would stoop to murder. We’re a respectable bunch. We wouldn’t sink to the depths of such depravity.”

“Will you take responsibility if a suspect vanishes overnight? I’m not taking the fall for this if they make a run for it because you thought everyone looked a little stressed.”

Mannie’s eyes narrowed. “By suspects, if you mean Isadora’s team, then yes. I have no qualms in vouching for any of them. I’ve gotten to know them all since they arrived. They’re not involved in this.”

I shrugged, stamping on my irritation. Mannie had dragged me into this, but he wasn’t going to drag me down with him if it turned out one of his so-called respectable suspects had murdered Gretel. “Then everybody can leave, under your authority.”

“That doesn’t mean you give up on this investigation,” Mannie said. “I still expect you to do your job.”

My fingers flexed, and I sucked in a deep breath to stop from saying something I’d regret. “Of course, Mayor. I’m always happy to help.”

Mannie patted his stomach and nodded. “Excellent. I’ll send everybody home, and you can deal with the... situation on the ducking stool.”

I watched him bustle around and share the good news that the suspects could leave and have time to sort out their alibis, so I’d never find out who killed Gretel.

“Tempest, is there anything we can do to help?”

I turned to find Dominic standing behind me. “We’re putting this investigation on hold for the night.”

“Oh! Sure. Great! My feet ache.”

I pressed my lips together. “Have you gotten what you need from Gretel?”

“Not yet.” His easy smile faded. “There is one tiny problem.”

Of course, there was. “And that is...”

“We can’t get hold of anyone to deal with the body,” Dominic said.

“Can’t you take Gretel to Angel Force?”

He shook his head. “It’s always Cassiel who deals with the body. She’s great at handling the gross bits.”

“The gross bits!”

Dominic cleared his throat. “I mean, Cassiel knows how to handle the bodies and doesn’t mind what state they’re in. She’s interested in dead bodies.”

“If she’s not around, you and Sablo will have to step up.” I glared at him until he nodded.

“We won’t move her, but we can preserve the scene. We’ll use a spell to ensure nothing degrades.”

“So, you turned up nothing useful at the crime scene?”

“Not yet. We can—”

“That’s enough for tonight, Tempest.” Mannie hurried over. “Everyone’s on their way home. These fine angels can look after the situation here until the morning.”

Dominic’s eyebrows shot up. “You want us to stay here all night?”

“That won’t be a problem, will it?” Mannie patted Dominic’s arm. “A fine, upstanding angel like yourself is just what we need in a time of crisis.”

Dominic’s face paled before he nodded. “Whatever you say, Mayor.”

I felt a little sorry for Dominic. He wasn’t a natural in law enforcement. He was a big, feathery frat boy who was after an easy life and a good time. Weren’t we all?

“Let’s take another look at the scene now,” I said to him. “It’s quiet, which will help us focus.”

“Start afresh tomorrow,” Mannie said. “Dominic and Sablo will take care of things here. You go home. Sablo will be back soon with coffee and treats to keep them going.”

“Five minutes,” I said. “It’s not a problem.”

“No! The angels will guard the scene.” Mannie gestured at Dominic. “Don’t let anyone near the crime scene, not until the morning. I want to be here when you look around.”

“Whatever you say,” Dominic said. “No one gets in without us knowing about it.”

“Good work.” Mannie glanced at me. “I’ll meet you back here tomorrow morning.”

This investigation was a disaster, thanks to Mannie’s interference. I should have accepted the noise violation and paid the fine. It would have been worth it to avoid this stress.

“You’re the boss,” I said.

Dominic looked almost panicked. “We really have to stay the whole night?”

Sablo walked over to join him, a large bag in one hand and a tray of paper cups of coffee in the other. “What’s going on? Where’s everyone gone?”

“We’ve got to stay here,” Dominic said glumly.

Her eyes widened. “Is that necessary?”

“By order of the mayor,” I said. “No one’s allowed to come in until tomorrow.”

Mannie nodded. “You two keep everything safe until then.”

“Oh! Well, sure, we can do that.” Sablo glanced at Dominic and shrugged.

Dominic turned his concerned face to me. “Any instructions?”

“Drink lots of coffee and try not to fall asleep.” I turned and left the museum with Wiggles, eager to put distance between me and Mannie before I yanked his beard and called him all kinds of inappropriate names.

“That was some party,” Wiggles said.

“We’re never going to find out who killed Gretel.” I stamped away from the building. “I don’t know what Mannie’s playing at.”

“I do,” Wiggles said. “Our dwarf could be guilty.”

“Mannie Winter, a killer?” I shook my head. “Annoying. Full of his own self-importance. A pain in my behind but not a murderer.”

“Why is he so keen on stopping you from talking to everybody?”

“Because he doesn’t want to put his VIP guests’ noses out of joint,” I said. “Did you see how he was drooling over Isadora? Maybe she’s on his list to be the next Mrs. Winter.”

“Or, he’s giving himself time to get his story straight.” Wiggles trotted next to me. “If he killed Gretel last night, he’d need to firm up his alibi and make sure there’s no chance of him coming under suspicion.”

I looked back at the museum. “Mannie wouldn’t risk his reputation as mayor to get rid of Gretel, would he?”

“Tempest!”

I turned and spotted Mom and Granny Dottie striding toward the cemetery. I walked over to meet them. “Hi, going to check on Aurora?”

“That’s right,” Granny Dottie said. “How’s everything going at the museum? We tried to get a look at the body, but we were ushered out.”

“It wasn’t pleasant to look at,” I said. “She’d been on the ducking stool for a while.”

“Wrinkled up like a giant pink prune, I expect,” Granny Dottie said. “That always happens to me when I’ve been in the tub for too long.”

I grimaced. “Pretty much.”

“How terrible,” Mom said. “We heard someone say the name Gretel. Is that the woman who died?”

“Yes, she was a friend of Mannie’s,” I said. “Gretel Le Strange.  She was something big in the history of witchcraft and magic.”

“And why are you still involved?” Granny Dottie straightened my lapel. “I thought your job was security.”

“Dazielle’s not around, and Mannie twisted my arm to look into things until she gets back,” I said. “Although, I’m beginning to think he’s not being totally honest.”

“Our mayor, not honest.” Granny Dottie chortled. “As if there’s such a thing as a dishonest public figure.”

“He’s acting shady. Mannie stopped me from talking to the people who knew Gretel, the people who are most likely to have killed her.”

“Watch out for Mannie Winter,” Mom cautioned. “He’s always got a twinkle in his eye for an attractive young lady.”

I shuddered. “I’ll keep out of his reach. I don’t think he’d dare make a move on me.”

Grannie Dottie chuckled. “I’d like to see him try. I imagine a few fireballs aimed at that oiled beard of his, and he’d soon change his mind. He’d go up like a tinder block.”

We all laughed, but I noticed Mom’s attention was directed at the cemetery.

“Is everything okay at the prison?” I asked her.

“Oh, the prison’s fine.” She turned back to me, but her smile looked strained.

“Mom, what is it?”

“Aurora’s lost weight,” she said.

“She has? I hadn’t noticed.” But then, I’d barely seen Aurora. We were still treading on eggshells whenever we were around each other.

“And she didn’t open Heaven’s Door for two days last week.”

“I noticed the store was shut,” I said. “I wondered if she was having work done inside.”

“Aurora hasn’t said anything if that’s what she’s doing,” Mom said. “In fact, she’s been tricky to talk to. I want to discuss her wedding plans and see if she needs a hand with anything. When was the last time you spoke with her?”

Guilt trickled down my spine. I deliberately hadn’t been talking to Aurora. I thought distance might do us some good. Every time I talked to her about Toby Matlock, I lost my temper, and that only drove Aurora further from me.

“Not for a while,” I said.

“You haven’t discussed any of her wedding plans?” Mom asked. “As her only sister, she’ll want you involved.”

Granny Dottie shook her head. “I still can’t believe Aurora agreed to marry that wrinkly old warlock. He’s as rich as the King of Sweden, but there’s only so much money can smooth over.”

“I haven’t warmed to him either,” I said. “There’s something not right about Toby.”

“Don’t say that to your sister,” Mom said. “She’s besotted with him. I tried to corner him a couple of times in the crypt when they made their announcement. I wanted to get information out of him about their future plans, but he kept avoiding me. Toby also didn’t let Aurora out of his sight for more than a few minutes, so it was hard to get him on his own.”

“Aurora could just be nervous about the wedding,” Granny Dottie said. “I would be if I was marrying Toby Matlock.”

“Don’t say they’ve set a date,” I said.

“Not that we know of.” Mom turned back to the cemetery. “Aurora’s been so distracted. I wish you’d talk to her.”

“She’ll confide in her big sister if she’s having problems.” Granny Dottie patted my arm. “You two have always been close.”

We had until recently. I needed to fix things with Aurora, especially if she was having a hard time. I hated the thought of her having doubts about her relationship with Toby but not feeling comfortable turning to me for advice.

“I’ll look out for her,” I said. “See what I can find out.”

“Yes, we all will,” Mom said. “Don’t let that distract you from your business here. If you’re involved in this murder investigation, you need to focus.”

“I will if Mannie lets me,” I said. “He’s going to want to stick his nose into everything I do. If he does that too many times, I might find myself arrested by the angels for his murder.”

“Tempest! Don’t say such a thing,” Mom said. “You don’t go around telling people you’re going to kill our mayor.”

“I’m sure a lot of people have thought it,” Granny Dottie said. “He can be an officious little toad.”

There was a gentle rumble under our feet, and we all tensed.

“That came from the cemetery,” Mom said.

Granny Dottie rolled her shoulders. “A new crack must have formed.”

Mom grabbed her arm. “Let’s go. Aurora’s on her own.”

“Do you need any help?” I called to their retreating backs, always amazed at how fast they ran when they sensed trouble.

Mom waved a hand in the air. “We’ll be fine. Make sure you see your sister soon.”

I watched them race toward the cemetery. As much as I loved Aurora, I wasn’t sure how to make things right with her. We would never agree on her relationship with Toby.

I had to figure out how to have Aurora in my life without us exploding at each other every time Toby Matlock was mentioned. It was either that or dig up enough dirt on him to convince her she was with the wrong guy. So far, my attempts to do that had led me down several dead ends, and my sister wasn’t talking to me.

“Those canapés didn’t fill me up,” Wiggles said. “I ate a whole tray, and I’m already hungry.”

“We can have a late dinner if you like,” I said.

“Now you’re talking,” Wiggles said. “What are you thinking?”

“How about the Unicorn’s Trough? We can check Seth’s alibi and see what Brogan knows about him.”

“He was one smooth talking half-vampire,” Wiggles said. “But he knows how to pick cute girlfriends. Lotus is adorable. We don’t get many elves around here. She gave me a belly rub while I was waiting for you.”

“You also don’t get many elves interested in vampires,” I said. “Let’s get something to eat and see if we can figure out this murder before I end up committing one of my own.”

Chapter 6

The Unicorn’s Trough only had a few diners when we entered. It was past most people’s dinnertime, so we had the pick of the tables. I strolled to the counter and checked out the specials board.

Brogan wandered over, his shirt sleeves pushed up to reveal the intricate tattoos on his forearms. “I heard about some fun at the new museum.”

“News gets out fast,” I said. “Mannie’s grand opening plan ended in a watery disaster.”

Brogan arched a dark eyebrow. “Was there really a dead witch on the ducking stool?”

“There was. No one from here, though. Gretel was helping Mannie to set up the museum. I didn’t know her, but from what I’ve heard so far, she wasn’t popular.”

“Even so, it’s a terrible way to go. Are you here for something to eat or to quiz my diners?”

“We’re only here for the food,” Wiggles said. “As soon as Tempest makes up her mind.” He nudged me with his nose.

“And some information if you can spare us the time.”

Brogan nodded as he looked around. “It’s not busy. Everyone’s order is in, and I haven’t eaten. Mind if I join you?”

“Of course not,” I said. “What’s good tonight?”

He grinned. “Everything’s good. I recommend the ham hock, cider, and green peppercorn pie with creamy mash and maple glazed carrots.”

My mouth watered. “I’ll have two of those.”

“Be right back.” Brogan strolled away to place our order.

I settled in a seat by the window, and Wiggles joined me.

“I know you’re dating Rhett,” Wiggles said, “but it’s always good to keep your options open.”

I looked down at him. “I know exactly what you’re going to say. Don’t waste your breath.”

“Brogan Costin is a catch. He owns his own business. He can cook, and he’s single.”

“That you know of,” I said. Although, I hadn’t seen Brogan dating anyone.

“He makes a mean breakfast,” Wiggles said. “All I get from Rhett are cookies.”

“Rhett can stop giving you cookies if you’re bored with them.”

His ears shot up. “No! Cookies are excellent. I love Rhett’s cookies. It’s just that, well, Brogan’s sausages are outstanding.”

“Then you marry him.”

“Who’s getting married?” Brogan wandered over with a bottle in his hand and two glasses. He balanced a bowl of water on his forearm, which he set down for Wiggles.

“Oh, it’s not important,” I said, shooting Wiggles a warning glare.

“I thought you might be talking about your sister and her engagement to Toby Matlock.” Brogan settled in the seat opposite me. “That’s an interesting match.”

“Tell me about it,” I said. “I’m still trying to get my head around that one.”

“Are you single, Brogan?” Wiggles asked.

I cleared my throat and grabbed the dessert menu.

Amusement crossed Brogan’s face. “I was the last time I checked. Why, have you got someone you’d like to set me up with?”

“No, he hasn’t,” I said.

Brogan sat back in his seat. “It takes a certain kind of woman to put up with the habits of a half-vampire. Some get freaked out by my fangs.”

“Fangs are cool.” Wiggles bared his teeth. “Tempest is used to fangs.”

Brogan chuckled. “They have their uses.”

“What kind of woman are you looking for?”

“Maybe he’s not looking,” I said.

Brogan shrugged. “I always like to look. There are some pretty women in the village. I’m not sure if I’m ready to stop looking at them all just yet.”

“Playing the field.” Wiggles nodded. “I get it. I’m yet to find a furry friend to spend eternity with.”

“Which will be shorter than you think if you keep prodding Brogan about his private life,” I muttered.

Brogan’s smile widened. He tapped his finger on the bottle he’d brought over. “This is sparkling apple juice. I got it when I visited Puzzlewood. They make it locally and tell the tourists that the apple trees contain ancient magic, which is why their cider tastes so good.”

“So, they’re telling the truth.” I smiled at Brogan. “I love Puzzlewood. Mom and Dad took us there a few times when we were kids.” It was a tucked away magic community, much like Willow Tree Falls, but with more forest and a lot more fairies.

“Do you want to try their magic apple juice? Don’t worry. It won’t make you sparkle. Although you can buy a variety that does.”

“That sounds great.”

Brogan poured me a glass. “You’re both dressed up for the evening.”

I yanked off my bowtie and stuffed it in the pocket of my tuxedo. “I was doing our mayor a favor at the museum. It backfired.”

“I’d have liked to have come to the museum opening,” Brogan said, “but I didn’t have cover here tonight.”

“It was an opening that won’t be easy to forget. Mannie wants me to poke around until Dazielle shows up. I’d most likely know by now who put Gretel on that ducking stool, but Mannie insisted I don’t talk to key witnesses until tomorrow.”

“Our mayor doesn’t like to ruffle feathers. From the sounds of it, you’re dealing with some influential people.”

“That’s what Mannie said. I don’t care how influential they are if one of them killed Gretel. Murder is murder, no matter how high up you are.”

“What about our lovely mayor? Could he be involved?”

“That’s what I thought,” Wiggles said. “He’s covering up something.”

“I’ll have to talk to him,” I said, “but I’m not looking forward to it. Mannie can make life difficult if you get on his wrong side.”

Our food arrived, the plates piled with sweet smelling carrots, creamy mash, and pie.

The three of us stopped speaking as we enjoyed the food for a moment.

“Who else could be involved?” Brogan asked.

“That’s the information I hope you can help with,” I said. “Do you know Seth Fellows?”

Brogan’s top lip curled. “I do.”

“You’re not friendly?”

“Seth pretends to be friends with everybody.” Brogan shrugged. “He’ll stab you in the back if it gets him what he needs.”

“Would his murderous intentions expand to killing an annoying historian who made his life difficult?”

Brogan pulled on his bottom lip. “I’ve not seen Seth for a while, but he’s got a past. He had some control issues when he was younger, almost killed a girl he drank from.”

“He seems like a massive slime ball,” Wiggles said.

Brogan nodded. “Seth has a high opinion of himself. He has vampire royalty in his lineage. It’s what makes him such a... well, let’s just say, a self-entitled individual.”

“A slime ball,” Wiggles said.

Brogan smiled and took a sip of the apple juice. “Yes, that as well. His father is Daray Plantagenet, although Seth kept his mom’s surname. Daray has a liking for seducing stunning women, only to reveal what he is after they become pregnant.”

“He sounds like a charmer,” I said.

“Seth’s inherited many of his traits. He idolizes his father but is half as powerful because, obviously, he’s not a full vampire. His mother was human.”

“What’s he doing working as a publicist?” I asked. “That doesn’t seem royal to me.”

“This isn’t his only job,” Brogan said. “Seth’s a freelancer, so he goes where the big bucks are. I suspect he’s getting a healthy cut from the profit of whatever he’s promoting.”

“He’s looking after the author Isadora Ash. She’s also involved with the museum. It’s her book he’s promoting.”

“You can make a decent amount off a book if it’s a bestseller,” Brogan said. “That must be why Seth’s doing this.”

“You don’t consider him trustworthy?”

“No. He’ll say whatever he needs to cover his back.”

“Did he come in here last night?”

“He did. He had something to eat then said he was going to the Ancient Imp. He got here about eight and left within the hour.”

“Did you talk to him?” I scooped up the last of my pie. I could manage another of these. It was the perfect blend of crunchy and peppery.

“As little as possible. Seth plays nice with everybody, but it’s an act. He only looks out for himself.”

“What about his girlfriend, Lotus? Do you know anything about her?”

“He wasn’t with anyone,” Brogan said. “He dined alone and didn’t mention a girlfriend. I pity her, whoever she is.”

I set down my knife and fork and wiped my mouth with a napkin. “I haven’t spoken to Lotus yet, but she seemed sweet enough.”

“Is it only Mannie and Seth in the frame for this murder?” Brogan asked.

“There could be others,” I said. “Lotus, who works as a researcher. The author, Isadora, although she seemed nice when we spoke, a bit stressed about the launch of her new book, but who wouldn’t be? There’s also her assistant, Jonah. I don’t know much about any of them.”

“I’m pointing the paw at Mannie,” Wiggles said. “He’s a social climbing creep. He argued with Gretel and got his nose put out of joint.”

“Everyone had access to the museum the night the murder took place,” I said. “And with Mannie being so well-known in the village, he’d have a hard time killing Gretel and not getting spotted leaving the museum. There’s always someone who wants to bend his ear.”

“Not if he’d done it in the middle of the night,” Wiggles said.

“True, but he’d have needed to persuade Gretel to be at the museum at the same time as him. She didn’t seem like the sort of woman who’d be easy to persuade to do anything if she didn’t want to do it.”

“What’s your next step?” Brogan asked. “Are you really planning to interrogate our mayor?”

I grimaced. “I’m going to try for as gentle an interrogation as possible. But yes, I need to speak to Mannie and everybody else.”

“What about the scene of the crime?” Brogan asked. “Any clues there?”

“The angels are in charge of that side of things,” I said.

“That’ll be a no,” Wiggles said. “Dominic’s a good-looking angel, and I like Sablo well enough, but neither of them have a clue how to find a clue. Without Dazielle to direct them, they won’t know what to look for.”

“You should check out the murder scene, without any interference,” Brogan said. “You might find something useful. I hear you’re good at dealing with bad guys.” He flashed me a smile.

I rubbed the back of my neck. “The angels won’t let me take a look. Mannie put them in charge of guarding the scene until Gretel’s body can be collected.”

“I thought you were involved in this investigation?”

“So did I. But Mannie can’t help but crack the whip and take over. No one’s getting to the crime scene until tomorrow.”

“Then you need a distraction,” Brogan said. “Something to take the angels’ minds off their jobs and let you do yours.”

I grinned at him. “I’m listening. What do you have in mind?”

Chapter 7

The lengthening shadows of the trees around the museum made for a perfect hiding place as we prepared for our mission.

I carefully arranged the box of doughnuts on Wiggles’ back.

“You realize that a few doughnuts might fall off,” Wiggles said.

“Do not eat the doughnuts before you offer them to Sablo and Dominic,” I said. “If you eat our distraction, this plan will fail.”

“I’m just telling you the likelihood of what will happen,” Wiggles said. “There are twelve doughnuts in this box. The angels won’t want them all, and this box keeps wobbling. It’s an accident waiting to happen.”

I stood back and checked the weight of the doughnut box was evenly distributed. “That will have to do.”

Brogan had donated the doughnuts to our good cause. He was right. We needed to get back in the museum and investigate the murder scene without Mannie or the angels getting in the way.

After finishing our dinner, I’d taken the doughnuts, and we’d headed back to Cloven Hoof for a few hours. After doing a bit of work and waiting until just gone two in the morning, when the bar was closing, we’d snuck back to the museum.

“I bet they’re asleep,” Wiggles said. “Those angels will have curled their wings around themselves and forgotten they’re supposed to be guarding a crime scene.”

“They’d better not be asleep.”

“If they are, can I eat the doughnuts? They won’t want them if they’re sleeping.”

“No! Wake them up and get them out of my way,” I said. “Insist the doughnuts will go well with coffee and get them into the kitchen. I need time to check out the crime scene.”

“I’m on it.” Wiggles walked slowly toward the museum door, the box of doughnuts wobbling on his back.

I crept along behind him and pressed my hand against the door. It was locked from the inside, but a simple unlock spell unbolted the door, and I eased it open.

Wiggles crept into the darkness, and I kept the door ajar and pressed my ear against the gap. I didn’t have to wait many seconds before I heard movement.

“Wiggles!” Sablo sounded surprised. “How did you get in?”

“Oh! Through the dog door at the back,” Wiggles said.

“Dog door?”

“Yes, it’s like a cat flap but a bit bigger.” Wiggles’ lie sounded convincing. “I come bearing gifts.”

“Yum! Doughnuts.” That was Dominic. “I’m dead on my feet here. It’s so boring guarding a body.”

“Why don’t you have a coffee, as well?” Wiggles suggested. “It’ll go great with these doughnuts.”

“Good thinking,” Dominic said. “Would you like to join us?”

“I thought you’d never ask.”

I waited until I could no longer hear them talking before easing open the door and slipping inside.

There was a light on at the back of the museum. I kept an eye on it as I hurried toward the ducking stool exhibit.

I stepped over the barrier and scanned the surrounding area with a torch.

There were no footprints, but there were what might be drag marks around the pond. It suggested Gretel had been pulled along or fought back. Her attacker might be sporting a few bruises, which could help identify them.

The angels had moved Gretel from the ducking stool, so she lay on her back by the side of the pond. I was no expert on murder, but I saw bruising on her arms. Gretel had tried to kick butt before being ducked.

Her clothes were also damp and wrinkled, suggesting she’d spent a long time in the water.

I kept my attention from her face as I touched her cold arm. The angels’ energy fluttered up my arm. It felt like a preserving spell, used to keep the body from decomposing and the evidence from being disturbed.

There was also another spell. It was the faint trace of a freeze spell. It made the tips of my fingers icy cold and numb. That spell could have been used to trap Gretel into place on the ducking stool. Her attacker might have forced her in here and used magic to hold her in place while she was ducked.

I removed my fingers and shook the magic off me. I’d need to take a few crime scene investigation classes if I had to keep doing this sort of thing. I usually left the more gruesome side of an investigation to the angels. But with Dazielle missing, I was out of options.

I jumped as I heard a crash from the back of the museum.

“Hey! That one was mine.”

I ducked out of sight. Whatever was going on between the angels and Wiggles, it didn’t sound good.

“He stole my doughnut!” Sablo yelled. “That’s his third one.”

Grimacing, I shook my head. I’d wasted my breath telling Wiggles not to steal the doughnuts. He could never resist anything sweet.

I had another quick look around the exhibit but couldn’t see anything useful. It was time to get out of here before the angels returned.

I turned toward the door and yelped as a blast of hot, dust-laden magic slammed into my chest and knocked me off my feet.

My head hit the ground, and I gasped. Whatever had hit me had a weird feel to it. I felt itchy, and the air sparkled around me like fairy dust.

I struggled to my feet and peered into the gloom to see my attacker. I caught the gleam of someone’s eyes. It was a woman, standing in the shadows.

“Who are you?” I held my hands out and sparked my magic to warn her I’d attack if she tried anything again.

“You must leave this place,” the woman hissed. “This is my new home, and it has been defiled.”

“Your home?” I edged closer and recognized the woman’s face as she moved from the shadows. “You were at the museum. You helped with the opening.”

She nodded. “I’m Cleo Jinx. What are you doing in my home? There’s been enough destruction and pain here tonight. No more. Leave that witch alone.”

“I’m not here to destroy anything or to hurt anyone,” I said as I edged closer. “Do you live in the museum?”

There was another shout and the sound of pounding feet. The angels must be pursuing Wiggles and the stolen doughnuts.

Cleo continued to glare at me. I saw fear mingling with the anger on her face. She seemed terrified, and I was certain it wasn’t my presence causing her such concern.

“Murder and angels have spoiled this pristine place.” A sob caught in her throat.

“Murder is a bad business,” I said. “But the angels are only doing their jobs. You were around when Gretel was discovered, right?”

She shook her head. “I don’t like crowds, so I skipped out as soon as I could. I came back when I heard what happened. The angels must leave my home. I didn’t invite them to stay.” She raised her hands as if to attack again but then lowered them and sighed.

“The angels have to stay here to protect Gretel.” I glanced over my shoulder as I heard more yelling. “Come with me, and we can talk about it.”

“I want the peace back. I want my museum back. I don’t want a body polluting such a sanctuary.”

I tilted my head as I studied her. She had an exotic look. Cleo would look perfect in ancient Greece, with her tanned skin and glossy dark hair. “Are you descended from the Muses?”

She blinked at me before nodding. “From Kleio. Did you know her?”

“Not personally,” I said. Kleio was the muse of history. Her father was Zeus. There was a lot of ancient power surrounding the muses. It was no wonder her ability felt so tangled and old. “I can see why you’d be interested in the museum, given your family connections.”

“History runs through my blood,” Cleo said. “It’s why I’m here. It’s why I must protect this place. It’s why you and the angels must leave.”

“I was about to,” I said. “You’ll get no trouble from me. I would like to talk to you, though. I’m also not happy that someone’s been murdered in your museum. We can work together and figure out what happened.”

Cleo wiped her hands across her cheeks. “I’d like that. I would like the peace back. If you can help me achieve that, then I will answer your questions.”

“Incoming!” Wiggles raced past. “The angels are on their way.”

Cleo’s mouth opened, and a huge smile spread across her face when she saw Wiggles. “Oh! A puppy!” She ran after him, her arms open.

I hurried after her. “He’s not exactly a puppy. He’s pretty old and grumpy most of the time.”

“I love puppies.” Cleo giggled as she chased Wiggles.

I could hear the angels searching for Wiggles, getting closer by the second.

My gaze ran over Cleo as we followed Wiggles to the door. She didn’t seem like a threat and had acted much like Fallon and Suki did when defending the forest. Cleo seemed to think she had guardianship over this museum and protected it from any perceived threat.

“Would you like to pet the puppy?” I asked her.

Cleo slowed and clapped her hands together. “I’d love to.” She did a little jump and floated in the air for several seconds.

“That’s great.” I grabbed her hand and pulled her to the ground. “The puppy is about to leave, and we need to chase him.” I gestured Wiggles to the door.

“When I catch the puppy, I’m giving him a big squeeze and lots of kisses.”

“Wiggles loves cuddles and kisses.”

Wiggles’ expression turned scary as he overheard Cleo and me talking, and he slowed. “I do not—”

“No time!” I pulled open the main door and ushered him out. “We need to leave, Cleo. We don’t want to lose sight of the puppy.”

Cleo laughed, all trace of her sadness gone. “Let’s chase the puppy.”

I raced out the door, keeping a tight grip on Cleo’s hand as we slipped out into the night.

The door clicked shut behind us, and I let out a sigh. That had been a close call. I’d found a few clues at the crime scene but nothing conclusive. Nothing that pointed me toward anyone other than a strong magic user who might be concealing a few bruises.

But I had found a new witness and maybe even a new suspect. Since Cleo seemed so involved with the museum, she might have useful information about what had happened to Gretel. Or maybe, Gretel had done something to the museum that Cleo considered harmful, and her urge to protect it had led to Gretel’s death.

From my short time with Cleo, she’d bounced from a magic flinging protector to a sparkly, hand-clapping puppy hugger. I needed to learn more about Cleo Jinx.

Chapter 8

“I don’t see the puppy anymore,” Cleo whispered as we hurried along the silent streets toward Cloven Hoof.

“I know exactly where he’s going,” I said. “Come on. I see him.”

Cleo floated through the air again as I ran. I caught hold of her hand. It felt like I was tugging a heavy balloon behind me, but I was worried she might float away or simply change her mind and return to the museum if I didn’t watch her.

“I asked Mannie if I could have a puppy in the museum, but he said no. He said not everyone likes puppies. What kind of monster doesn’t like a puppy?”

“Beats me,” I said.

“I do have my familiars. They keep me company.”

I glanced at her. It was only witches who had familiars, and Cleo was no witch.

Wiggles was waiting by the front door of Cloven Hoof as we arrived. The place was locked and silent, all customers and staff gone.

Cleo stared at the building as her feet touched the ground. “Is this where you live?”

“Yes, I live here with the puppy.”

“I’m not a puppy,” Wiggles grumbled as he dodged out of Cleo’s way when she made a grab for him.

“Do you have more than one puppy? Can I have one?”

I unlocked the door and ushered her and Wiggles inside. “I just have this one. He’s more than enough. He’s like ten puppies squashed into one.”

Wiggles trotted ahead of us, casting a curious look over his shoulder. “What’s all this about a puppy?”

Cleo skipped over to Wiggles. “I’m going to give you the biggest snuggle of your life.”

Wiggles ducked out of her way as she tried to grab him again. “Sorry, cutie, I don’t snuggle.”

I bit my bottom lip to stop from smiling. “Maybe you can do a little snuggling. Cleo works at the museum. She might have useful information for us.”

Wiggles turned to face Cleo, who still stalked him. His eyes glowed red, and he bared his teeth.

Cleo giggled and clapped her hands. “You clever puppy. You can do all kinds of tricks.” She waved a hand in the air and a rainbow of sparkles floated out of her fingers and settled on Wiggles’ fur. “Now you’re a puppy who sparkles.”

Wiggles growled and shook the sparkles from his fur. “Do we have to do this?” His glare cut to me.

“It might be helpful to the investigation,” I said.

“I’m so great at snuggles that, once I’ve got you, you won’t want to leave.” Cleo opened her arms wide.

“I’d better get a big treat after this.” Wiggles stopped growling and sighed. “Fine, you can snuggle me.”

Cleo squealed and scooped Wiggles into her arms. “Oomph! You’re a heavy puppy. I bet your owner feeds you all kinds of treats for being so adorable.”

“She will after this.” Wiggles slung his front paws over Cleo’s shoulder and wrinkled his nose at me.

Cleo wrapped both her arms around him and squeezed. “You’re so soft. Although, you smell like you need a bath. I have rose scented bubbles at the museum.”

Wiggles wheezed. “I’m not a soft toy. If you keep squeezing me like that, you’ll get more than my unique hellhound scent filling your nose.”

“Let’s take a seat.” I gestured to a booth. “I’ve not seen you in Willow Tree Falls before.”

Cleo’s face was glowing with happiness as she settled in the booth with Wiggles still in her arms. “I’m new to the village.”

I sat opposite her. “I saw you at the museum opening.”

“That’s right. I’ve been here a month. Mannie hired me. I’ve not had a chance to leave the museum since I started. It’s been really busy.” She rubbed her cheek against Wiggles’ side. “I love it there.”

“What do you do at the museum?”

“I’m the museum assistant. Well, that’s what I signed on for, initially. But when I arrived, there were problems with on-site security.”

“What kind of problems?”

Cleo’s bottom lip jutted out. “The site is haunted. Did you know the building was owned by Vincent Maldovic?”

“Sure, everyone knows the tales. He was supposed to conjure dark spirits to make them do evil things. I even heard there’s a hidden entrance to a dark magic dungeon. It’s an urban myth. I’ve lived here all my life and have never seen anything dodgy happening in that house, not since Vincent was run out of the village for illegal magic use.”

“It might not be an urban myth.” Cleo stroked a hand down Wiggles’ fur. The color changed to bright pink. “He’s such a pretty puppy.”

I decided not to mention the new fur color to Wiggles. It would only make him mad. “He is lovely. Does that mean you got involved with the museum security?”

“It was my idea,” Cleo said. “I was renting a room at the hotel, but my assistant salary doesn’t stretch to much. I offered to stay at the museum and make sure the place was secure. I’ve got a few tricks of my own to keep evil spirits at bay. It meant a bit more money and free accommodation. It was a win-win all round.”

“Did you see any evil spirits?” I asked.

“Oh, yes! That place is haunted. There are loads of ghosts there. Not all of them are evil. I often get awakened by banging noises and icy drafts at night. Whenever I go to investigate, there’s never anything there, so it has to be ghosts.”

“It’s an old building. It could be loose pipes in the basement or the wind knocking a tree against the glass.”

“No, there’s something dark in that museum. But it’s such a beautiful place, and there are so many incredible artifacts there. I have to keep them safe. I patrol at night to make sure everything’s secure, and so far, it’s worked. But, with what happened to that witch on the ducking stool, I don’t think I’ve been doing a good job. I let someone commit a murder.”

“You were there the night Gretel was murdered?”

“I was in the building, but I didn’t see anything.” Cleo buried her nose in Wiggles’ fur. She removed it just as quickly. “He’s such a stinky puppy.”

“I smell great.” Wiggles shuffled his butt in Cleo’s arms. “Can I get down yet?”

“A couple more minutes,” I said. “Do you check the exhibits during your patrol?”

“The glass cabinets, yes. But the ducking stool was hidden by the curtain, all ready for the reveal on opening night. I’d been told not to touch it.”

“By whom?”

“Mannie.”

I tilted my head. We were circling back to Mannie as a suspect. First, he didn’t want me interviewing everyone, and second, he’d stopped Cleo from checking on the ducking stool. Was that because he’d planned to use the stool to commit murder and didn’t want anyone to disturb the scene?

“Did you hear anything odd on the night of Gretel’s murder?”

“Only the usual ghostly noises. The bangs and whistles. One ghost laughs a lot. It’s a deep, menacing sound, but I don’t think he means any harm by it. There is a dark presence in the museum. If a ghost wanted to, it could have moved silently and attacked Gretel. That makes sense. It’s the only reason I can think as to why I didn’t hear anything.”

“Hold on. You think a ghost killed Gretel?”

“Oh, yes! That’s the only explanation. Gretel must have upset a ghost. If you’re not polite to them, they can be mean. I always leave milk and cookies for the ghosts every night.”

“Milk and cookies every night?” Wiggles turned his head, so his nose was next to Cleo’s ear.

She giggled. “Absolutely. You can have them too if you want a sleepover.”

“I’ll consider it. What kind of cookies?”

“I bake all kinds. Apple and cinnamon. Chocolate chip. Maple syrup and marshmallow.”

“You’re winning me over,” Wiggles said.

“Getting back to your ghost theory, you believe Gretel was killed by a ghost because she was mean to it?” I’d seen Gretel in action, so I knew she was sharp. Could she have riled a ghost enough for it to attack her?

Cleo nodded. “Ghosts can be powerful, especially the older ones. And when they’ve been tampered with by dark magic, you never know what you’ll encounter.”

“How long was the ducking stool exhibit in place before the museum opened?”

“It was one of the first exhibits to arrive. Mannie was determined to get that right because it was a part of the grand opening.”

“Was the ducking stool always empty?”

Cleo shook her head. “No, there was a dummy of a witch in it. That’s why nobody panicked when they first saw the body. We expected to see a drowned witch on the ducking stool. It wasn’t until your beautiful puppy pulled the leg out that we realized something was wrong.”

“Which means the killer removed the dummy from the stool and replaced it with Gretel at some point in the night.”

Cleo nodded as she played with Wiggles’ ears. “They must have been there late. But I guess ghosts don’t need to sleep.”

“Is that water deep enough to drown in?” I asked Cleo.

“If you jumped in, you wouldn’t fully submerge. There’s a couple of feet of water in that pond. It was staged so that part of the witch’s body would be in the water as if she’d just had her final duck before dying.”

“Enough water to drown a person in?”

“Definitely. The ghost must have seen its opportunity and attacked.”

“Did you let Gretel in that night?”

“No, but she was in and out of the museum a lot before the opening,” Cleo said. “She was an exacting woman. She knew what she wanted and wasn’t giving up until she got it. I was working until eleven before the opening to get everything right.”

“So, she died sometime after that?” It was a question I asked myself more than Cleo.

“She must have. That’s when the ghosts are most active. They don’t come out when the place is full of people. I wonder if they’re shy.”

“Shy ghosts, whatever next?” Wiggles muttered.

Cleo kissed the side of his face and nuzzled him with her nose. “Don’t worry, puppy. I’ll protect you from the ghosts. I protect the whole museum. That’s my job.”

“I feel so much better knowing that,” Wiggles said.

“What did you do after you finished work that night?” I asked Cleo.

“I was exhausted. I’d been up since dawn, taking in last-minute deliveries and checking everything was where it needed to be and, of course, patrolling to make sure the ghosts weren’t a problem. I passed out as soon as I fell into bed. I snuggled with my three companions and didn’t wake until it was time for my first patrol three hours later.”

“Your companions?”

“My three familiars. They live at the museum with me. Puppy, do you like cats?”

“They’re fun to chase.”

“No, you don’t chase them. They can be a little... feisty when they don’t get their own way.”

“Have you had them long?” I asked.

“All my life.” She kissed Wiggles’ cheek again. “Much like your special puppy here, they’ll be with me my entire life. We’re joined by our powers, and our lives are linked. It will be nice if you join them, puppy. We can have fun together. My familiars are always looking for new playmates.”

“I’m not looking for new playmates,” Wiggles said. “I don’t play nicely with others.”

Cleo gasped. “Don’t tell me you’re a bad puppy! I can’t imagine it, someone as cute as you. I’m sure you’ll become close friends with my familiars.”

“I’m giving you a hard pass on that offer.”

“Getting back to Gretel,” I said, “did you see or hear anything out of the ordinary when you did your patrol?”

“Nope, nothing. I was tired, though, so it was a quick look around and then straight to bed.”

“How well did you know Gretel?” I asked. “Did you get along?”

Cleo shifted in her seat. “Not well, and I wouldn’t say we were friends. She could be a bit bossy. Sometimes, I got scared of her. Gretel was always shouting that nothing was good enough.”

“You didn’t like her?”

“I didn’t dislike her. I just kept out of her way. It made my life easier. I admired her passion for history, and we had good conversations about ancient times. She knew of my ancient lineage and respected my knowledge. Gretel wasn’t always respectful of Isadora or Mannie, though. She’d mock them when they got their facts wrong and was quick to correct them.”

“Did you see Gretel argue with anyone in particular?”

“Mostly Mannie and Isadora. There was bickering and a couple of stand-offs over aspects of different displays, but it wasn’t serious. Providing Gretel got her own way, there were never any problems.”

“And no rows on the day of her murder?”

Cleo tilted her head and rested it against Wiggles. “She was causing Seth problems. I overheard him talking on his snow globe. I wasn’t sure who he was talking to, and a lot of it sounded like legal jargon. He was saying that Gretel was being difficult, and something had to be done.”

That was interesting, but Seth had an alibi for Gretel’s murder. “Did Seth mention what the problem was?”

“Something about a lawsuit. It sounded serious. I was tucked behind an exhibit adjusting the backdrop, so he couldn’t see me when he was talking. I listened in because I was worried. I don’t want anything to happen to the museum. Sometimes, these legal issues drag on for years. That could close the museum, then no one will see the lovely exhibits and immerse themselves in my history.”

If Gretel was gunning for the museum to be closed, for whatever reason, that could lose Seth money. This was the launch pad for Isadora’s book. If things got delayed, it would affect sales and mess with the opening of the museum. There were also implications for Mannie, given how hard he’d worked to make this museum happen. Seth and Mannie still had a lot to gain by getting rid of Gretel.

“Seth kept talking about the bottom line. He said it couldn’t be impacted. He’d do all he could to stop Gretel getting her own way.” Cleo tilted her head back. “The promotion was to go as planned, and he’d sort things out this end. He was adamant they weren’t going to lose their investment. He used some rude words about Gretel, which I won’t repeat in case it upsets the puppy.”

“The puppy likes rude words,” I said.

“I do. I have several favorites I use every day. They include bu—”

Cleo wrapped a hand around Wiggles’ muzzle and shook her head. “You’re a cheeky puppy. No swearing allowed.”

I raised my eyebrows as I watched Wiggles squirm, indignation on his face. Cleo had been helpful, but her information meant I had to consider Seth and Mannie as suspects. What I really needed was evidence that ruled out suspects.

“Is that everything?” Cleo asked. “I’m having fun with this gorgeous puppy, but I need to get back to the museum. I’ve been keeping an eye on those angels. They’re bad at their jobs. They were asleep most of the time, and the cute one with the dark hair, he kept wandering off and looking around. He spent an hour trying on witches’ hats.”

That didn’t surprise me. “We’re done for now. If you think of anything else, let me know.”

“I’ll keep an eye out for whichever ghost killed Gretel,” Cleo said. “I’ll speak to them and see if they know anything.”

“You can speak to the ghosts?”

“I speak to them a lot. They don’t answer back.”

“Well, anything you find out, pass it on.” I stood from the booth. I didn’t think a malevolent ghost had anything to do with Gretel’s murder.

“You’re sure I can’t keep this puppy? He likes me.” Cleo held onto Wiggles tightly as he squirmed in her arms.

“I’m not up for adoption,” Wiggles said. “And I’m beginning to sweat.”

Cleo giggled before raining kisses on his face and lowering him to the ground. “Anytime you’re looking for a new home, my familiars and I will be happy to accept you. They’ll love playing with a puppy.”

“Good to know.” Wiggles shook out his fur, more sparkles flying off him, and backed away from Cleo.

I showed Cleo out and locked the door behind her before turning to Wiggles.

“That was torture,” he said. “I smell weird, and I’ve got glitter in my fur. It itches.”

“You also have a pink stripe down your back,” I said.

Wiggles growled, and his eyes flamed red. “She’s some kind of freaky magic user. She smells like lemons, cinnamon, and dusty books. The old kind of books that get covered in mold.”

“I also got the ancient magic vibe off her,” I said. “Her magic is mixed with something else.”

“Madness,” Wiggles said. “As if she’d think for one second I’d move into that haunted museum with three cats who want to scratch my eyes out.”

“Not even for nightly milk and cookies?”

“Nope. I’d have to fight the killer ghosts and the evil cats to get those cookies. Not worth it.”

“It could be fun,” I said. “You might like a holiday there when I go demon hunting outside of Willow Tree Falls.”

“I’d rather sleep in the gutter in the middle of winter, without having had a hot meal, than spend a night in that mad house.”

I laughed. “Fair enough. I won’t suggest you stay with Cleo and her fluffy gang the next time I’m away.”

“What do you make of her story about the ghosts?” Wiggles turned, trying to get a look at his new pink stripe.

“Not much,” I said. “And Cleo’s alibi isn’t great. She was alone in the museum at the time the murder happened. If she’s as protective of the museum as she claims to be, she might have taken offense to Gretel poking around and being unkind to everyone.”

“Cleo was trying to squeeze the life out of me, so I’m happy to point the paw at her as a suspect.”

“I didn’t get the murdering vibe off her. She’s more kooky than criminal. What about the conversation she overheard with Seth? He sounds unhappy with Gretel. They could have locked horns if she threatened legal action against him or the museum.”

“Or Isadora’s new book,” Wiggles said. “That’s what Seth’s interested in, getting money out of this publicity tour.”

I nodded as we walked out of the bar and headed up to the apartment. Mannie, Cleo, and Seth all had plausible motives for wanting Gretel dead.

“As much as I hate to admit it, I need a bath,” Wiggles said. “And you need to sort the pink stripe on my back. No self-respecting hellhound goes out with pink fur.”

I smiled down at him. “I’ll get the bath running and look through my spells to see if I’ve got anything to reverse what Cleo’s done.”

As I dwelled on what Cleo had told me, my interest in Seth grew. What would he do to protect the money he’d sunk into this publicity campaign? Might it stretch to murder?

I needed to talk to him again and find out what our smooth-talking half-vampire might be hiding.

Chapter 9

After our late-night adventure in the museum, Wiggles and I were late getting up the next morning. After a leisurely breakfast, I showered, dressed, and headed to the Ancient Imp.

There was a scent of wood smoke and dried hops in the air as I opened the door. The pub hadn’t long been open, but some early lunchtime drinkers had already taken up residence at the bar.

I slowed as I passed one table and heard the words ghost and museum.

“They’re talking about a murderous ghost.”

“It’s no surprise. Everyone knows what that place is like.”

“It’s a wonder a ghost hasn’t crept out and caused trouble in the rest of the village. That place should be burned to the ground. It might need to be if the ghosts keep causing problems.”

I shook my head as I walked to the bar with Wiggles. Rumors spread fast in this place. “Hi, Petra.”

Petra Duke, the owner of the Ancient Imp, smiled. “How’s it going, Tempest?” She looked at Wiggles and nodded. “I heard you’ve gotten tangled in this ghost murder.”

“If you mean the murder at the museum, then I am. But don’t believe the rumors about a ghost being involved.”

“That’s all everyone’s talking about,” Petra said. “It’s hard to know what to believe. Can I get you both a drink?”

“A sparkling lemon water will be great. Water for Wiggles. What else are your customers talking about?”

Petra pursed her red lips and flipped her dark, silver-streaked hair over one shoulder. “I don’t like to gossip, but I heard the woman who was killed wasn’t popular. I even saw her bending Mannie’s ear the other day with some complaint. The poor guy looked defeated, his shoulders slumped and head down as she berated him. If she treated everybody like that, it’s no surprise she ended up in the ducking stool.”

I accepted my lemon water and took a sip then placed the bowl of water on the floor for Wiggles, which he ignored as he snuffled for dropped potato chips. “That’s the reason I’m here. One of the suspects in the investigation claims he was here the night of the murder.”

Petra arched an eyebrow. “Who would that be?”

“A half-vampire called Seth Fellows. Tall, sort of handsome in an overly confident way. Nice cheekbones. Pale skin.”

Petra smirked. “I’d hardly forget a handsome guy like that. He was here, flashing his money around and bragging about what a big shot he is. I’ve never heard of him. He kept talking about what a success this book he’s promoting will be. I asked if I could have a free copy, and he said I’d have to buy one.”

“Seth was here all evening, until closing time?”

Petra tilted her head. “Yes, until last orders. He ordered a whiskey for his final drink. As for being here all night, I can’t confirm that. I wasn’t watching him all the time, even though he sure is cute.”

“Cute with a big order of arrogance thrown into the mix.”

“You know me. I like my men with a bit of sass.”

I shrugged. So did I. “Could Seth have disappeared for say half an hour without you noticing?”

“It’s possible. It was busy that night, and it was just me behind the bar. I have to pay all my customers the right level of attention.”

“Did you leave the bar unattended?”

“Sure. A lady has to powder her nose.” She winked at me. “I also had to change a barrel. That took about ten minutes. My regulars don’t mind waiting for a refill if I need to duck into the cellar. You don’t think our cute half-vampire is involved in this murder, do you?”

“Seth knew Gretel. They weren’t all that friendly, but there are other people I need to speak to.”

“He was smooth. I can imagine somebody like that would pay to have the dirty work done. And he wears those lovely designer suits. If this witch drowned, as everyone says she did, he wouldn’t want to get his designer clothes ruined with pond slime.”

That was a good point. I could hunt around and see if anyone had discarded a fancy suit. I imagined Seth had his suits tailored, so it would be one of a kind and easy to match to him.

Seth’s alibi wasn’t cast iron, and with his great motive for wanting Gretel gone, my attention remained on him. He’d also mentioned nothing about her trying to torpedo this book launch and lose him money when we’d spoken.

“Anything else I can help you with?” Petra asked.

I shook my head as my attention went to the window. Aurora strode past, her blonde hair flying out behind her as she hurried along.

“Thanks, Petra.” Leaving money on the bar, I hurried out with Wiggles. Mom was right; Aurora looked skinny. Her clothes hung off her, and her usual cheerful smile was gone.

I kept a little way behind her as she continued to walk. I didn’t know what to say. I’d never felt awkward around Aurora before, but there was a growing divide between us, and I wasn’t sure how to repair it.

“Aurora, wait up.” Wiggles bounded away before I could stop him.

Aurora turned, glancing over her shoulder at me. Her expression hardened, but she smiled when Wiggles reached her and gave him a belly rub.

The rumble of a bike engine had me turning. Rhett rolled to a stop beside me, looking windswept and gorgeous. “I’ve been looking for you. I’ve heard interesting rumors about what happened at the museum.”

“I thought you were coming to the grand opening?” I kissed his cheek before glancing back at Aurora. She still petted Wiggles, who rolled on the ground, exposing his belly.

“I got caught up in a bit of business. I’d just arrived when I saw the crowd pouring out. People were saying all sorts of weird things.”

“The whole thing is weird. The historian Mannie used to help with the museum was murdered. The killer used the ducking stool in an exhibit to drown her.”

Rhett’s eyes widened. “What a way to go. Any suspects?”

“Several. And Mannie’s got me figuring out what happened until Dazielle returns.” I looked over my shoulder to see Aurora striding away, Wiggles watching her go. I sighed and shook my head, feeling guilty that a part of me was glad I hadn’t had to speak to her.

“Still not having luck with getting through to your sister?” Rhett squeezed my hand.

“Honestly, I’ve been avoiding the issue. I don’t know how to get her to open her eyes about Toby.”

Rhett scrubbed his chin. “I’ve been digging into Toby Matlock’s past. The more I find, the less I like.”

“What have you found out?”

“He’s a suspect in a fraud investigation. Not just one case, five separate incidents of fraud.”

“You’re kidding? What did he do?”

“He conned five million out of several women.”

“Why? Toby’s already rich. What does he need other people’s money for?”

“No idea. But your sister needs to be careful. When Toby Matlock wants something, he goes after it and keeps fighting until he gets it.”

“If it’s money he’s after, then he’s chasing the wrong person. Aurora has her store and the apartment above it, but that’s it. And the family isn’t rich. All we have is the demon prison.” I sucked in a breath. “You don’t think...” I shook my head, not believing what had just crossed my mind.

“He wants the demon prison?” Rhett raised his eyebrows and nodded. “I’ve been thinking along those lines too. Toby’s not after money from Aurora. But those demons your family looks after would pay a lot to be free. And they have friends in low places who would pay to get them out.”

I took a step back, and my heart pounded. “Toby wouldn’t dare. If the prison becomes compromised, it would destroy Willow Tree Falls.”

“And your family’s reputation.”

“You think Toby wants to ruin the Crypts?”

Rhett stroked a hand down my arm. “Toby could be using Aurora to divide your family and weaken you all. It could be an old grudge he’s chasing, or he’s after something you have.”

I wished that Rhett hadn’t agreed with me about this possibility. It would be easier to accept Aurora simply had lousy taste in men and not that the creep she was involved with was far sneakier and deadlier than I’d realized.

“If the prison is badly damaged, the demons could get out and find a way through the barrier. Thousands of people would be harmed.”

“We all know Toby’s shady. He’s old and well-connected, and he has a lot of power.” Rhett frowned. “Power hungry people often don’t know when to stop. They always want more.”

My fingers went to the ends of the hair that Toby had trimmed off. I needed to be careful, or he might focus that power on me.

“I won’t mention this to Aurora,” I said. “Not yet. She didn’t believe me when I told her about Toby’s underhanded behavior the last time we tangled. She’s never going to believe this. Even if we had solid proof that Toby was going after the demon prison and using her to get it, she’d ignore it. He’s got a hold over her, and I don’t like it.”

“I’ll keep looking into his past. Maybe we can find a chink in his armor, a way to convince him to leave your sister alone.”

“Toby seems so sure of himself,” I said. “I bet he’s covered up his dark past. That’s why the angels have had no luck with their investigation of him.”

“I’m not the angels,” Rhett said. “Well, I’m a fallen angel, but that means I don’t operate under their constraints. I’ll keep digging and let you know if I find anything that can help.”

“Thanks.” I kissed his cheek again. “I need to sort things out with Aurora. We can’t go on avoiding each other. Ever since the announcement that they’re getting married, things have changed. Aurora’s distanced herself from all of us, and it has to do with Toby.”

Rhett caught hold of my hands. “Be careful around him. He’s up to no good. I don’t want you getting hurt because he realizes you’re looking into him.”

“Right back at you. But if he tries to hurt me, I’ll hurt him right back.”

Rhett brushed a finger down my cheek. His gaze shifted over my shoulder, and his eyes widened. “What is that?”

I turned and looked down at Wiggles as he trotted toward us. Sticking out of his mouth was a charred human hand.

Chapter 10

My mouth fell open as I looked at the gruesome discovery Wiggles had hold of. “Where did you get that?”

Wiggles tilted his head before spitting out the hand. “The trash in the alleyway behind Sprinkles. I thought I’d have a look to see if there were any cakes that needed eating. I was digging around, and I found this.”

I peered at the hand. “Wait! It’s not real.” I knelt and gingerly picked up the hand. It was plastic. “This must be from the museum dummy that was on the ducking stool.”

Rhett studied the hand. “Is that all there is?”

“No, there are loads more body parts,” Wiggles said. “No cake, though.”

“Let’s take a look.”

Rhett climbed off his bike, and we followed Wiggles to the alleyway. Buried beneath several trash bags was the rest of the burned museum dummy. She wore the remains of a black linen dress. Her head had been taken clean off and sat on its own in the corner of the alley. She was also missing a foot, and the hand Wiggles had been chewing on.

“The killer must have dumped the dummy here,” I said. “They hoped the trash would be collected before it was found.”

“And burned the dummy to conceal evidence by the looks of it,” Rhett said.

“It wouldn’t have been difficult to sneak here and dispose of the dummy, but I’m surprised no one saw the flames when the plastic burned.” I poked the remains around but saw nothing helpful. Whoever had burned the dummy had done a good job. “I need to update the angels about this.”

“Are you in charge of all of Angel Force?” Rhett grinned.

“Not a chance. And Mannie’s interfering whenever he can, so I might throw in the towel if he gets too annoying. I’m just a placeholder.” I pursed my lips. “I don’t like to say this, but I miss Dazielle. She needs to get back to Willow Tree Falls and take over this investigation. Maybe she’ll be in the office when I get there, and I can hand this charred mess to her and forget about it.”

Rhett scuffed a foot on the ground. “If you don’t mind, I’ll duck out of coming with you.”

I smiled at him. “Are you sure you don’t want to spend an afternoon with the angels? They’re such fun.”

He returned my smile as he shook his head. “They’re anything but fun.” He kissed me lightly on the lips. “Keep me informed and stay out of danger.”

“The same goes for you,” I said. “As soon as you learn anything about Toby, let me know.”

He nodded as he waved goodbye and strode back to his bike.

“Wiggles, look after this hand. We can take it to Angel Force. It might be useful.” I held it out to him.

He wrinkled his nose and shook his head. “It tastes funny.”

“I can see your teeth marks in this, and it’s covered in drool. You’ve been chewing on the evidence. It can’t taste that bad.”

“You look after the hand. You’re used to a bit of dog drool.” Wiggles hurried out of the alleyway before I got a chance to shove the hand in his mouth.

I pinched a finger of the hand and held it at arm’s length as we made the short walk to Angel Force’s headquarters and headed into the reception. There was nobody there. That was unusual. There was usually someone looking after the reception desk.

I waited a few moments before walking around the desk and knocking on the door at the back that led into the interview rooms and main office.

After a minute, a surprised looking Jophiel poked her head out. “Is there something I can help you with?”

“Is Dazielle back from her training course?”

She shook her head. “No word from her. It’s strange. She should have checked in by now. You must be here about the museum murder.”

“Yes. Has Gretel been collected from the museum yet?”

“No, we’ve had no bodies brought in today.”

I shook my head and sighed. That meant Sablo and Dominic were still at the museum. I felt a bit sorry for them. Without Dazielle barking orders, the angels had no direction and no drive to do anything.

I held out the dummy hand. “I doubt there’s any evidence on this, but you might like to bag it. It’s probably from the dummy that was removed when Gretel was murdered. You’ll find the rest in the trash behind Sprinkles.”

Jophiel stared at the hand, a look of disgust on her pretty face. “Is this pertinent to the investigation? It looks like it’s been chewed by a wild animal.”

“It might be, but then I’m not the expert. You are.” I dumped the hand on the reception desk.

“Oh, well, of course we are. I’ll see if the others can deal with the dummy.” She tilted her head. “Anything else I can do for you?”

“No, all’s good here.” I turned and walked out. No one seemed to want to take the lead on Gretel’s murder, which left me concerned. I couldn’t do this on my own.

I hurried to the museum with Wiggles and banged on the door.

A few minutes later, Sablo opened it, looking bleary-eyed.

“You’ve been forgotten about by the other angels,” I said.

Dominic appeared behind Sablo and pushed the door open wider. “We’re so glad you’re here. I’m starving.”

“I’m not here to feed you.” I walked into the museum with Wiggles.

“Hey, you haven’t been forgiven for last night.” Sablo glared at him. “Tempest, did you know this greedy hellhound stole four doughnuts? He said he was making a special delivery. We were happy to share a single doughnut with him, but he ate one and grabbed three at once. No one can get three doughnuts in their mouth.”

Wiggles puffed his chest out. “I can. At a push, I could probably get in four.”

I composed my face into what I hoped looked like an angry expression. “You naughty dog. Stealing from the hardworking angels.”

“We had to chase him out,” Dominic said. “He’s fast for a tubby little guy.”

“I could run rings around you, Feathers.” Wiggles puffed out smoke.

“I’ll get you more doughnuts to make up for it,” I said. “Has Mannie been by yet? We were supposed to meet to arrange interviews with the rest of the suspects.”

“Not yet. You’re the first person we’ve seen for hours,” Dominic said.

“I discovered the missing dummy from the exhibit.” I gestured to the ducking stool.

Wiggles loudly cleared his throat. “Who discovered it?”

“Okay, Wiggles was cake hunting in the trash and found the dummy behind Sprinkles.”

“Excellent work,” Dominic said. “That could be useful.”

“I’ve also spoken to Seth and Cleo about their whereabouts on the night of the murder and if they saw anything suspicious.”

Dominic nodded encouragingly. “So, who’s the killer?”

I glanced at Sablo, who looked equally keen to know the answer. “I can’t tell you. I’ve only interviewed those two, and no one’s come forward with a confession. The body hasn’t been examined, and we’ve got no clear evidence as to who did this.”

“That’s disappointing.” Dominic looked at Sablo. “What shall we do now?”

Sablo scratched her chin. “Wait until Dazielle comes back?”

I suppressed a snarl of frustration. “Or we can interview the people most likely to have murdered Gretel before they all vanish and we lose track of them.”

Dominic pulled on his bottom lip. “That’s not a bad idea either. Hey, Tempest, maybe you can apply for Dazielle’s job if she doesn’t come back.”

I grimaced. “What makes you think she’s not coming back?”

“She’ll be back.” Sablo glared at Dominic. “Dazielle just needed a time out.”

That sounded ominous. “Are you sure?”

Sablo shrugged. “Pretty much.”

Dominic leaned closer. “Dazielle was told she had to go on this course.”

Sablo fluttered a wing at him. “No one’s supposed to know.”

“Know what?”

Dominic ignored the evil glare Sablo gave him. “Dazielle has anger management issues.”

My eyebrows shot up. “I thought she’d been a bit snarky. What did she do?”

Sablo smacked Dominic in the face with her wing. “Nothing! She’s a great boss.”

Dominic staggered back. “Ouch! That hurt. Tempest is Dazielle’s friend. She’ll want to help.”

Sablo gaped at him, and I shrugged. I was no friend of Dazielle’s, but I still wanted to know what she’d done to be forced to go on this course.

The door behind us opened. Mannie bustled in. “Excellent. I’m glad you’re here, Tempest. What’s going on with this investigation?”

I smiled sweetly at him. “I need to have a few words with you.”

“How delightful,” Mannie said. “Have you got it all figured out?”

“No, and this won’t be a delightful chat,” I said. “I need to confirm what everyone was doing the night of Gretel’s murder. That includes you. Your name’s been mentioned a lot and not in a good way.”

The smile on Mannie’s face faded, but he nodded. “We all need to prove our innocence. Why don’t we make this more pleasant, though? This doesn’t need to be a witch inquisition.” His gaze went to the ducking stool, and he winced. “Maybe that was a bad choice of words.”

I tilted my head. “What do you have in mind?”

“Let me take you to lunch. We don’t need to be savages while we’re completing this investigation. Everyone thinks better on a full stomach.”

“That sounds good,” Dominic said. “We’ve not had a break all night.”

“Oh, no. Just Tempest,” Mannie said. “You need to get to work on the scene. Do, well, whatever you’d normally do in this situation.”

“And me,” Wiggles said. “I’m coming to lunch. I’m an essential part of the team.”

Mannie glanced at Wiggles and shrugged. “Your mutt can come too.”

Wiggles didn’t even growl at being called a mutt. His thoughts must be on his stomach. “Let’s go to Bite Me.”

Mannie patted his belly. “Why not? And it’s on me. My treat.”

I arched an eyebrow. “I hope you’re not trying to bribe me, Mayor.”

He took a step back. “What do you mean?”

“You’ve made me lead investigator in a murder that you’re implicated in.” I smirked. “Now, you’re taking me to an expensive lunch while we discuss your alibi. Some people might find that suspicious.”

I noticed Sablo and Dominic exchange a worried glance and almost lost control of the smile I was fighting.

“I’ve never given a bribe in my life,” Mannie said. “I’m not about to start now.”

“That’s good to know.” It was also completely unbelievable.

He sniffed before turning to the door. “Shall we?”

I looked over to see Sablo and Dominic still looking confused. I decided to cut them some slack. “One of you go to Angel Force and get the others to take over here. See if Cassiel is around to deal with Gretel. If she isn’t, get her moved and back to your base. It doesn’t matter who does it, just get it sorted.”

Dominic looked even more perplexed, but Sablo nodded. “Yes, we can do that.”

I wasn’t convinced, but they seemed to operate better when given clear and simple instructions. I hoped they wouldn’t mess them up.

I left the museum with Mannie, Wiggles walking beside me.

“Tell me your progress,” Mannie said.

Talk about a conflict of interest. I was about to share information about a murder with one of the suspects. “There’s not much so far. I only got to talk to Seth last night. I checked his alibi, and it’s unlikely he’s involved, although he has a small window of opportunity.”

“Seth’s a smart fellow.” Mannie nodded as people walked past and greeted him. “I suggested he work for me on my next campaign. Do you know what he said?”

“That he’d be thrilled to run the campaign for the mayor of a small village?”

Mannie chuckled. “He said I wouldn’t be able to afford him. I was tempted to show him my bank balance, but that seemed crass.”

“I’m still considering him a suspect. He’s too smooth for his own good.”

“As you should, my dear.”

We arrived at Bite Me, and Mannie held the door open for me.

I looked at Wiggles and shrugged. “You know the deal.”

Wiggles snorted a cloud of gross smelling smoke. “I know. Not every diner wants a free fur ball with their meal. So long as I’m fed, I’ll stay out here.”

Mannie wafted his hand across his face before deciding he’d had enough of being a gentleman and hurried inside.

Most of the tables were occupied, but we found one at the back that gave us a little privacy.

Tilly Machello hurried over, her expression one of curiosity as she saw me with Mannie. She knew we weren’t the best of friends. “It’s lovely to have you here, Mayor and Tempest.”

“Thank you. What can you recommend, Tilly?” Mannie asked.

“We have a delicious chicken and leek pie. Or there’s our usual lasagne. That’s always popular.”

“Lasagne for me,” I said.

“That sounds perfect. And garlic bread,” Mannie said. “And two tankards of Imp’s Claw ale.”

“Not for me,” I said. “I’ll have water.”

Mannie chuckled. “The ale is all mine.”

“What about Wiggles?” Tilly tilted her head. “He’s already making my heart bleed by giving me his abandoned puppy face through the window.”

I grinned. “Whatever you’ve got spare. He loves your cooking.”

Tilly nodded before hurrying to the kitchen to put the order in.

“From what you’ve said, you don’t consider Seth your main suspect,” Mannie said.

“Not yet. I need to speak to Isadora and her assistants, Jonah and Lotus, to get a better picture of the group dynamics. One of them could have seen or heard something suspicious.”

“Leave that to me,” Mannie said. “They’re staying in the same house, so it’s easy for me to arrange a meeting. I’ll get in touch with Isadora, and you can all meet later today. Now everyone is rested, this nasty business will be much easier to handle.”

“I appreciate that. Although, I shouldn’t discuss any of this with you,” I said. “I need to discount you as a suspect. You knew Gretel. You brought her in on the museum job. And, you were seen arguing with her.”

Mannie stroked a hand down his beard. “Arguing is a strong word. Our professional disagreements were not uncommon, but we never fell out about anything serious.”

“How heated did these professional disagreements become?”

Mannie played with a button on his green waistcoat. “We both maintained our dignity, even if there was a little yelling. But if you need my alibi, I’m prepared to give it to you.”

“I’m guessing you have a good one.”

His smile was a little on the smug side. “I was at the museum that evening. There was a lot going on the night before the grand opening. I walked around the exhibits with Gretel. She showed me what she was unhappy with. I arranged for the museum assistant, Cleo Jinx, to deal with the final adjustments. Have you met Cleo?”

“We bumped into each other. She was very helpful.”

“Yes, she’s a good girl. On the flighty side and somewhat obsessed with ghosts but very reliable.”

“What time did you leave the museum?”

“We were all there late that night. I must have been there until around ten. Then I went home.”

“Your wife can confirm that?”

Mannie smoothed his hand down his beard again. “No, I’ve gone my separate ways from the first Mrs. Winter. As you’ll remember, she discovered my little... mistake, just as I was elected into this role.”

I pursed my lips. His little mistake involved an affair with a much younger woman. One I publicly outed. “You’re still with Star?”

He shook his head. “Sadly, we’ve also parted ways. She’s a lovely woman but focused on her career. And I like to see a lady who knows how to dress like a lady. Star spent most of her time in workout clothes. All that lycra and those dance shoes aren’t for me. I bought her new clothes and some delightful high heels to tempt her to change her style, but she wasn’t having it. Star said heels damage your feet.” Mannie leaned closer. “You should see the state of her feet after so many years practicing ballet. I have nightmares about those feet. Dancers don’t have beautiful feet, and I’m partial to a pretty foot.”

“Your foot fetish aside, if you weren’t with your wife or your mistress, who does that leave?” Mannie might be a man of influence, but he was no stunner. Women shouldn’t be falling at his flat feet.

“I have a new lady friend.” He grinned at me. “Trixie Vermouth. We’ve been together two months.”

Trixie sounded more like a cocktail than a person. “I don’t know her.”

“She’s a new resident. She works with Abigail at the Fur Baby Emporium. I helped her to get the job. It’s just part-time, but she’s talking about staying and taking on more hours.”

“Trixie can confirm you were with her that evening?”

“Absolutely. I got home around ten-fifteen, had a late supper, and we sat listening to new music from Draygar. He knows how to work a dwarfen drum. Then we went to bed. That’s where we stayed until the morning.”

“I’m discovering Gretel annoyed a lot of people. And when I met her, she was bending your ear about the problems in the museum. That must have been wearing.”

Mannie nodded. “Gretel was an exacting woman. You don’t get to her position without treading on a few toes. She was head of her department and held that position for more than a decade. Whenever there was a conference on the history of magic, everyone wanted Gretel’s input. She could charge whatever she liked to give talks.”

“Does that mean you didn’t like her?”

Mannie toyed with his napkin. “I respected Gretel. Her knowledge was outstanding, and I admired that. Were we best friends? No, but from one professional to another, I appreciated her input. I was the one who insisted she become a part of this museum development because it has to be world class. It wouldn’t be without Gretel’s input.”

Tilly walked over with our food and drinks and set everything on the table. “Is there anything else I can get you?”

“No, this all looks lovely.” Mannie flapped his napkin over his lap and grabbed a hunk of garlic bread.

The sound of frantic scratching came at the restaurant door.

I turned to see Wiggles giving me the stink eye through the glass. I chuckled. “You’d better serve his majesty before he barges in and starts stealing from customers’ plates.”

Tilly shook her head. “Will do. He’s also getting lasagne.” Her gaze went from me to Mannie before she walked away.

I gave the interrogation a rest as I sampled the rich, savory layers of lasagne and dunked my own hunk of garlic bread in the juice.

“Tilly has outdone herself.” Mannie smacked his lips together.

“She always does.”

We ate in companionable silence. Mannie had a good alibi, and it would be easy to check. It looked like I could discount our mayor from this investigation.

He lowered his fork. “Did you see the museum display about your family?”

“No, but Mom told me you’ve been asking to see old family  documents.” I wasn’t keen about the Crypt family secrets being publicly displayed. Our demon catching lineage went back centuries.

“You should be proud of your family and what they’ve achieved.”

“I didn’t say I wasn’t.” Long before Willow Tree Falls existed, the Crypt witches hunted demons all over the world. For years, our home was wherever we laid our hats until an ancestor set down roots in the village and the demon prison was established.

“It’s fascinating,” Mannie said. “The research is meticulous, and it’s all thanks to Gretel and Isadora’s hard work that the exhibits are so impressive.”

“Speaking of the exhibits, Cleo mentioned that Gretel was exacting in what she wanted to be displayed. Would that have irritated anyone?”

Mannie nodded as he brushed garlic bread crumbs from his beard. “It could have. In fact, I discovered Gretel making fun of one of Cleo’s displays. She’s a charming creature and an absolute font of knowledge, but her display ideas can be eccentric. I walked in on them, and Gretel was furious with Cleo. She was telling her she had no idea what she was doing and mocking her amateurish display.”

Cleo hadn’t mentioned that when I’d talked to her. “Was Cleo upset?”

His brow wrinkled. “It’s tricky to know what Cleo’s thinking. She’s a strange one. Her ability is like nothing I’ve encountered before. It’s a mixture of pixie magic and something much older. She feels like an old soul.”

I nodded. That was exactly how I’d felt when I was around her. Cleo had an eclectic power. Maybe her act of being ditzy and cute was just that.

“Did Cleo complain about the way Gretel spoke to her?”

“She never mentioned anything to me,” Mannie said. “While Gretel was ranting at her, Cleo was disassembling the exhibit and putting it back together the way Gretel wanted it. She was humming as she worked, which makes me think she was happy.”

“And Cleo does the night security, as well?”

“That’s right. I don’t know how she does it. She patrols three times a night, which means her sleep is disturbed, but she’s always full of energy. I’ve had to warn her a couple of times about all the sparkles she leaves around. It’s as if she sweats glitter.”

“Cleo said she’s descended from the Muses. She could draw power from the artifacts around her. If she’s regularly handling old items, they’re often tinged with power. That would energize her, so she could manage both jobs.”

“That’s very possible. See, I knew you were the right witch for this job!” Mannie finished his last mouthful of lasagne and sat back in his seat. “How about dessert?”

“Tilly does a mean cookies and cream pie.” As far as questioning murder suspects went, this wasn’t a bad way to spend a lunchtime.

“We’ll get three servings of that.” Mannie nodded and smiled at me. “I know we’ve had difficult times in the past, but I appreciate your help with this. We must get the murder solved quickly. I have to get the museum opening rescheduled.”

“I’ll do what I can,” I said, “but I’m only standing in until Dazielle returns. There’s no guarantee I’ll solve this.”

“You’re doing a splendid job. Dazielle will be back anytime now. Until then, you keep going. It’s a pleasure to be interrogated by someone so charming.” Mannie blinked his beady eyes at me.

It looked like Mannie and I were now friends. I never thought I’d see that happen.

After we placed the dessert order, I sat back and listened to Mannie regale me about a new tourist promotion he had planned for the thermal spas, but my mind was elsewhere. I was worrying about Cleo. With her mix of powers and obsession with history, she could have taken Gretel’s criticism badly.

What if her sparkles and giggles were a front? I’d thought Seth was involved, but having learnt more about Cleo and more or less confirmed Seth’s alibi, it might be that I’d focused on the wrong person.

There were a lot more questions to ask before I made progress with this mystery.

Chapter 11

I knocked on the door of the detached redbrick house Isadora and her assistants were staying in. It was three hours after my lunch interrogation with Mannie, and he’d been true to his word, arranging for me to see Isadora that afternoon.

“Mannie can’t be short of money if he’s rented this place for them.” Wiggles snuffled around the outside of the door.

“That must be why he’s so attractive to women in Willow Tree Falls,” I said, “including his new girlfriend, Trixie.”

“That’s a pet’s name.”

I waggled my eyebrows. “Maybe she’s his new pet.”

Wiggles snorted. “It can’t be the beard they find attractive. Even from where I sat outside of Bite Me, Mannie ended up with half his lunch nestled in that forest around his face. He’ll be enjoying leftover garlic bread for days.”

“I was trying not to look,” I said with a grimace.

The door to the house opened. Isadora stood there, her eyes looking glazed and her hair unbrushed.

“Hi, is this a bad time?”

Isadora blinked at me, and her eyes snapped into focus. “No! Sorry, I was expecting you. Mannie said you were stopping by. I’m in the middle of writing a new chapter of a book and got distracted. Please, come in.” She stepped to one side, and we walked into a dark oak hallway.

“You’re working on something new?” I asked as we followed her along the hallway and into a cream colored lounge.

“I’m always working on something,” Isadora said. “Too many ideas in my head, that’s the trouble. I’m promoting my new book, but my focus is on one I’m yet to write. It’s always the same. Take a seat. Would you like some tea?”

“If it comes with cake,” Wiggles said.

Isadora scratched her head. “Oh, I’m afraid not. The cupboards are bare. I keep meaning to go out and get something, but with everything that’s going on, I’m not sure whether I’m coming or going.” She ran her hands through her hair before perching on the edge of the seat opposite me.

“I understand how distressing this is,” I said. “Gretel’s murder, the book launch being postponed, the museum opening on hold.”

Tears filled Isadora’s eyes. “My hard work could be ruined. I spent years working on that book. I worked long hours, only slept maybe five hours a night for months leading up to its release, checking final proofs and double-checking the facts to make sure nobody could complain that I got something wrong. Then Mannie came along with his proposal about the museum. At first, I thought it was wonderful. My historical teachings coming to life in a museum to share with everybody.”

“That’s a lot of pressure.” I noticed Isadora hadn’t mentioned Gretel’s murder and how distressing that was.

“I let my ego take over my senses,” Isadora said. “I wanted everyone to know about my work. I understand that not everybody reads books, but a museum is a wonderful, interactive way for people to learn. I couldn’t turn Mannie down and came on board to consult on the project. It got so big, so fast. I’d expected a couple of exhibits, not a whole museum full of history, and for Mannie to use my research as inspiration for it all.”

“You’ll still be able to launch your book, though,” I said.

“We have thousands of copies printed, so I hope so.” Isadora sighed. “Seth’s working on a new deal and finding other ways to generate a buzz about the book.”

“Gretel’s murder will generate plenty of buzz.”

Isadora clasped her hands together. “Yes, I suppose it will. Not the right sort, though.”

“Isadora, I’ve been checking over your schedule.” Jonah stopped in the doorway, a sheet of paper in his hand. “Oh! I didn’t know you had guests.”

“Come in, Jonah,” Isadora said. “This is Tempest Crypt. You might remember her from the museum opening. She’s helping with the investigation into what happened that night.”

Jonah nodded. “Nice to see you again. Can I get you anything?”

“I don’t suppose you’ve got any cookies?” Isadora asked. “I need something sweet to calm my nerves.”

Jonah smiled. “Of course. While you were busy in your room this morning, I went out and got a few provisions. How about I make everyone coffee and cookies?”

“You’re an angel,” Isadora said. “Leave me the schedule, and I’ll take a look at everything.”

Jonah passed her the sheet of paper before hurrying out.

Isadora watched him go. “Honestly, I don’t know what I’d do without him. Jonah’s so organized, whereas I’m so...” She waved her hand around. “Sometimes, I forget to brush my teeth I’m so caught up in my work.”

“Has Jonah been with you long?”

“Five years. I’d be a disorganized mess without him.”

Jonah returned with the coffee and cookies and poured cups for us all before leaving and pulling the door shut.

I took a sip of my coffee. “Is your new book also on the history of magic?”

“Yes, it’s what I specialize in. I find the past much more interesting than the present. But I will be including a chapter on modern day witchcraft.”

“Not our kind of magic?” I asked.

Isadora’s smile was benign. “No, our secrets will remain safe. There’ll be no mention of the magic associated with Willow Tree Falls or anyone who lives here. I find an increasing number of people, who have no magic ability, turn to our ways. The modern world leaves people wanting for something, and they think knowing about magic will help them.”

“Were you working with Gretel on your new book?”

“Gretel hasn’t got the patience to write a book. I consulted with her a few times on my book, and we worked together on the museum, but that’s as far as our collaboration goes.”

“What was your working relationship like?”

Isadora tilted her head as she dunked a cookie in her coffee. “I respected Gretel. She was dedicated to historical accuracy.”

“She was a pedant?”

A smile filtered across Isadora’s face. “It could be annoying at times. Gretel had this ability to rub people up the wrong way. She didn’t do it deliberately, but she could be spiky. Borderline rude.”

“Did you tell her that her behavior was inappropriate?”

“Tell Gretel Le Strange how to behave?” Isadora shook her head. “I’m not that brave. She was a no-nonsense sort of woman. Her passion for history meant that she cared for nothing else. She never married. Never had a family of her own. Her work was her life. Gretel didn’t mind if she offended someone by telling them they were wrong. All she cared about was historical accuracy. She had my professional respect, and until recently, I thought we were friends of sorts.”

I took a cookie and broke a small piece off for Wiggles, who’d been begging by my knee ever since they’d arrived. “What happened to end your friendship?”

“My new book,” Isadora said, “the one that’s about to be released. I talked through the idea with her years ago, and she supported my efforts. She said it would be a worthy addition to current literature.”

“She changed her mind?”

“When she saw an advance copy, Gretel called it a work of fiction.” Isadora’s mouth turned down. “She said it shouldn’t be on the historical shelves. It was a joke. I couldn’t believe it at first. It isn’t fiction. It’s full of factual information and has source references to support my ideas. I insisted she apologize.”

“That didn’t go down well?”

Isadora sighed. “Gretel refused. She said she’d have no part in this book and couldn’t endorse it. In fact, she went as far as to say that she’d recommend people didn’t waste their time on it. That was spiteful and unnecessary. After that, I stopped talking to her.”

“Which must have been difficult, since you were working on the museum together,” I said.

“We had our moments, but most of the work was done. Gretel was stomping around barking at everybody and telling them they were doing things wrong, and I left her to it. I was ready to launch the book and leave as soon as possible. It doesn’t look like that will happen now.”

I sipped my coffee, and my gaze went to a stack of boxes in the corner of the room. “Are your books in those boxes?”

Isadora nodded. She stood and collected a copy before handing it to me. “You can have it autographed if you like.”

I flicked open the first page. “Thanks. Do you focus on particular magic topics?”

“I mention it all. I’ve always been most interested in the history of witchcraft and how others have treated witches.”

Isadora grabbed her own copy before returning to her seat. “Take a look at the chapter headings. You’ll see I focus on different periods when magic was acknowledged and what happened to send it underground and lead to the establishment of places like Willow Tree Falls. Not that I mention the village, but to those without abilities, they simply believe that magic transformed into something more benign. Something that could never affect them.”

“There’s nothing benign about what goes on here.” I scanned the chapter headings. “Death of the witches?” I flipped to that chapter.

“We all know about the persecution of our kind,” Isadora said. “And the specific methods used when forcing confessions from witches or killing them so they couldn’t return and terrorize the local villagers. Not that we ever would.”

I scanned the text before flipping the page. My eyes widened as I saw a picture of a witch on a ducking stool. “Is the museum exhibit modeled on your description?”

“That’s right. There were five main ways to kill a witch. The ducking stool was used to force confessions and see if the woman was a witch. The ridiculous thing about that was, if she drowned and floated, then she wasn’t a witch.”

I grimaced. “I never understood that. If she lives, she’s a witch, so they’d kill her anyway. If she drowns, she’s not, and an innocent person dies.”

“Exactly. The second method is stoning. The witch was crushed to death by heavy stones. Then there’s hanging, which was the most common way to kill a witch. Everyone thinks it was burning at the stake, but that was rare. Hanging was the most popular method but is rarely talked about. I guess it’s not glamorous. There’s also being trapped behind a wall and bricked in. That was even rarer but equally unpleasant.”

“And there’ll be a museum exhibit of each of these methods of killing?” I asked.

“Yes, the ducking stool was our pièce de résistance because it’s so stark and dramatic. There will also be an exhibit of a witch buried under stones. You’ll see glimpses of the witch underneath, with a hand sticking out. It’s gory, but it happened. We have to portray the past accurately. We can’t learn and change if we don’t know what we did wrong.”

I stared at the picture in the book of the witch on the ducking stool. The way the body was posed in the stool was just like Gretel had been left. She’d been slumped forward, her hair covering her face. Her legs had been in the water, and her hands tucked in her lap. It was eerily accurate.

“How many people have seen this image?” I asked Isadora.

“Me, of course, the illustrator, and everyone who works for me, the publishers. Mannie and Gretel have seen a finished copy, but I don’t know if they’ve looked through it all. The public hasn’t seen it yet. The book doesn’t go on general sale for another week. Why do you ask?”

“It might be nothing, but Gretel’s death looks like this picture, even down to the way her hands were placed.”

Isadora’s eyes widened. “Do you think the killer used that picture as the inspiration to murder Gretel?”

“That’s something only they can answer. Looking at this picture, I instantly thought of Gretel.”

“I trust everyone I work with. It makes no sense that the publishing house would have anything to do with this. No one from the company was at the museum event, so they can’t be involved. It must be a coincidence.”

I closed the book. “Do you mind if I keep hold of this?”

“No, call it a gift. It might be the only one I give away any time soon if the museum launch is scuppered.”

I nodded. There was still no sign of sadness from Isadora about Gretel’s murder. “Returning to your publishing company, I’ve heard legal rumblings about the book.”

Isadora pressed her lips together. “What have you been told?”

“Gretel wasn’t happy with some information in the book and was considering legal action.”

Isadora waved her hand in the air. “I know what you’re talking about, but everything’s under control. Gretel was causing a fuss, but it was about nothing. Seth’s looking into it. The book launch won’t be delayed by Gretel’s unreasonable behavior.”

Gretel definitely wouldn’t delay anything now since she was dead. “What was Gretel unhappy about?”

Isadora sighed. “Nothing. Silly details. Things that no one else cared about.”

I raised an eyebrow and waited for her to continue.

Isadora huffed out a breath. “Factual inaccuracy, but everything was inaccurate as far as Gretel was concerned. She’d find faults where there were no faults to be had. My team is excellent at what they do. Her complaints were small wrinkles that are being ironed out.”

“And now Gretel’s not around, anything she was planning to do won’t happen,” I said. That was an excellent motive for wanting Gretel dead. If she’d been threatening to take Isadora to court because of this book, Isadora would be desperate to prevent that from happening.

“With everything that’s gone on between me and Gretel, I can’t say I’m shedding tears over her death. She was slowing everything down and making everybody stressed. With her gone, it removes roadblocks, and that includes her questioning my research. I wasn’t afraid to go up against her in court. If she’d pursued it, I would have won the battle. Gretel was in the wrong.”

I drank more coffee. Isadora seemed confident about her book, but her dislike of Gretel and the problems she was causing her had jumped Isadora to the top of my list of suspects.

“What were you doing on the night of Gretel’s murder?”

“The same as everybody else involved with the museum,” Isadora said. “I stayed there until around eight in the evening, came back here, and had a late dinner with Jonah, and then had an early night. I wanted to be ready for my big launch.”

“Was Jonah with you the whole evening?”

“We were in the house together, but after dinner, I went to my room. I didn’t see him after that. You can confirm with him that we had dinner together.” Isadora checked the time and jumped from her seat. “Oh! I’m so sorry, but I must get back to work. I’m expecting a report to arrive that I must read for a new chapter in my book. Do you have any more questions for me, or is that enough information?”

“No, thanks. That’s been helpful,” I said. “Do you have plans to stay in Willow Tree Falls for much longer?”

“If we can get the museum launch going again quickly, we’ll stick around and try for book launch part two.” Isadora clasped her hands together. “Mannie assured me everything will be ready to go by the end of the week.”

“It might take longer than that,” I said. “We must make sure we find out what happened to Gretel.”

“Oh, do you think so?” Isadora’s shoulders drooped. “I need quiet time to focus on my new book. Trying to work in a strange place is unsettling.”

“You do want us to catch the murderer, don’t you?”

Her eyes widened, and she blinked at me. “Of course. But you can’t think anyone here did it. We all had our differences with Gretel, but none of us are killers. We’re researchers, historians. Book nerds. We’re not murderers.”

I patted the book she gave me. “I look forward to reading this.”

Isadora’s smile was tentative as she led me and Wiggles to the door. “I hope you enjoy it.” She opened the door, and after saying goodbye, I walked away with Wiggles.

“Isadora seemed nervous,” Wiggles said.

“She did. And she couldn’t have cared less about what happened to Gretel. All she was worried about was people taking her book seriously and selling a ton of them.”

“She’s one of those typical professor types,” Wiggles said. “The ones that have their brains engaged in something else, even when they’re talking to you. She kept getting a weird, faraway look in her eye when you were asking her questions. It’s like she can access a part of her brain us mere mortals can’t.”

“Or she was trying to hide her guilt,” I said. “Isadora has a lousy alibi. Even with Jonah in the house, it would have been easy for her to sneak out and go back to the museum when it got late. She had a lot to lose, and Gretel was a massive problem for her.”

We reached the end of the lane, and I slowed when I heard rustling coming from a nearby bush.

“That sounds like a big rabbit.” Wiggles’ eyes glowed as he stared at the swaying bush beside us.

“I don’t think it’s anything you want to eat.” I heard a muttered curse from behind the bush.

Jonah pushed his way through the bush, brushing leaves off his pullover. “Tempest, I’m glad I caught you before you went too far. I have to talk to you. There’s something wrong with Isadora.”

Chapter 12

I approached Jonah, noting the worry on his face. “What’s wrong with Isadora?”

He glanced back toward the house. “I didn’t want to say anything while you were inside in case Isadora overheard. It’s why I snuck out when you left. She thinks I worry too much, but I’m around her all the time, and I’m really concerned.”

“Does her stress have to do with Gretel’s murder?”

Jonah shook his head. “They didn’t get along, but Gretel being out of the picture is a good thing for everyone. The problem is this book that’s about to launch. It’s been Isadora’s obsession for years. Five years of almost full-time research to make sure it’s the best book ever written on the history of witchcraft and magic. It’s like her baby, her one true love. Now, she can see everything she’s worked for collapsing around her. She’s falling apart because of it.”

“It’s her book launch worrying her?”

He nodded. “She’s not sleeping. I hear her at night, pacing her room and talking to herself. She’s never been like this before. Isadora does get anxious before a deadline, but that’s normal. This is a new level of stress.”

“Isadora sounds obsessed,” I said.

Jonah wrung his hands together. “She’s got a right to be. It’s a masterpiece. You should read that copy and see for yourself.” He nodded at the book in my hand.

“I’m planning to. Do you do any of the research for her?”

“No, I’m her personal assistant, not a researcher. I do everything to ensure Isadora’s daily life is as smooth as possible and she can focus on her passion. I’m on call all the time. Whether it’s making sure there are cookies in the cupboard or reminding her of her dental appointments.”

“That must be hard on you,” I said. “You’re running your life and hers.”

“If it was anybody else, I wouldn’t be around.” Jonah shrugged. “Isadora is a good boss. And history is an interest of mine. I studied it at college and planned to go into teaching, but then this opportunity came up to be Isadora’s assistant, and I grabbed the chance. Working alongside such a popular magic historian and helping get her book out seemed like a dream. I’d love to write myself, but I don’t have the intellect to write a book.”

“Is Isadora a demanding employer?”

“Not usually, although she keeps odd hours. It’s mainly that she forgets about things when she’s deep in her writing. For example, no food in the cupboards when you visited. It’s the little things she forgets about; that includes remembering to eat regular meals. I give her a routine, and she sticks to it so she can maximize her productivity.”

“Since Isadora is focused on making sure her book is a success, I imagine she’d do anything to ensure it didn’t fail.”

“Oh! Of course. There’s a countrywide book signing tour planned. The museum’s opening was stage one before she heads off to other venues. Isadora’s also got a number of TV appearances booked when she leaves Willow Tree Falls. Lots of radio interviews, and she’s appearing on numerous blogs. We have it planned out.”

“I thought Seth handled the publicity.”

“He does. We work side-by-side to make sure there’s never a clash with Isadora’s schedule. She has to have time to produce new work. A genius like Isadora never stops working.”

To me, it sounded like Isadora wouldn’t let anything stand in her way to ensure her book was an epic success. Maybe that included murder.

“How was Isadora the night before the book launch?” I asked him. “She said she had an early night after eating dinner with you.”

He nodded. “That’s right. She came back from the museum around eight. I was with her. They’d been working on last-minute problems Gretel had identified. Isadora wasn’t happy about it. I ordered in dinner as a treat. We ate together and ran through the schedule for the launch, then she said she was tired and was getting an early night.”

“Was that unusual? Does Isadora often go to bed early?”

“It depends on her work schedule. When she’s close to a deadline, she’ll often stay up until gone midnight working on a book. But all she needed to worry about was her talk at the museum and the launch event. There wasn’t much she could do. I wasn’t surprised when she said she’d have an early night.”

“Did you see her after she went to bed?”

Jonah raised his eyebrows. “I’m not sure what you’re implying.”

“Nothing improper. But did Isadora come out to get a drink or use the bathroom?”

“Oh, no, not that I saw.” Jonah smiled self-consciously. “I sat up until around ten-thirty. The house was quiet, so I did some work undisturbed. Then I went to bed.”

“Did you hear Isadora in her room?”

He tilted his head. “I heard some noises early on, so I assumed she was getting ready for bed.”

“You said that Gretel had issues at the museum that Isadora wasn’t happy about. Did they often argue?”

“It was common. After the fallout over her book, Isadora stayed away from Gretel. Every time they met, they clashed. Two alpha females in the same room, you see, it’s always going to be fireworks. Gretel thought she was better than Isadora because of her qualifications and the papers she’d published in a few dry academic journals.”

“It sounds like Gretel rubbed Isadora’s nose in it.”

“All the time, but Isadora is smart. She does her research and goes back to the source material. She’s not sloppy like many of these popular historical writers. They embellish the facts with nonsensical romance or ideas about historical figures that they can’t know about. Isadora’s an excellent historian. Gretel hated the fact that she’d never back down when they argued. It was a shock to her system when she didn’t get her own way.”

“When was the last time you saw them argue?”

Jonah tugged on his bottom lip. “Outside the museum, the night before Gretel died. It got quite heated. I was about to intervene when Gretel stomped away.”

“What were they arguing about?”

“I didn’t hear the details of the argument, but there were only ever two things they argued about, the museum or Isadora’s book. It was all either of them cared about.”

It wasn’t looking so good for Isadora. She’d had an ongoing feud with Gretel, who sounded like she was trying to ruin Isadora’s book launch, and no one could confirm where she was after nine o’clock on the night of Gretel’s murder. It wouldn’t have been difficult for her to slip out and confront Gretel at the museum. Jonah would have been none the wiser.

Isadora and Gretel both sounded passionate and headstrong. Gretel might not have considered it strange to meet Isadora so late if she believed there was a problem with an exhibit. She’d have wanted everything to be perfect for the opening event.

Jonah touched my arm. “The sooner you figure out what happened to Gretel, the better. I’m so worried about Isadora. She can’t cope with more stress. Mannie is pushing for a second launch event, and Seth keeps adding more book signing dates to the list. Anything else, and she might break.”

“I’m doing what I can, but I still haven’t spoken to all the witnesses. And everyone who knew Gretel is under suspicion.”

“You can’t believe any of us are involved, do you?”

“Someone who knew Gretel killed her. She wouldn’t have met just anybody at the museum that night. Can you think of anybody who’d want Gretel dead?”

Jonah’s shoulders sagged. “Sadly, lots of people. I don’t know of anyone who had kind words to say about Gretel, other than the fact that she was a genius when it came to the history of magic.”

“Does that include you?”

He nodded. “Sure, but I’m used to dealing with high-powered types. Isadora mixes in a particular social circle. There are often experts and people whose egos need careful management. Difficult people are my bread-and-butter. It didn’t bother me that Gretel was abrasive. I’ve handled people a lot worse than Gretel Le Strange. Academics are an odd breed. You learn to ignore their bluntness and eccentricities once you’re used to it.”

“Would you hazard a guess as to who’d most benefit from Gretel being out of the picture?”

He was silent for several seconds. “I’m not sure.”

“What about the rest of the team you work with? I’ve spoken to Seth, and he confirmed that Gretel was tricky to work with. Did anybody else have problems? Was there any division within the team?”

“On the whole, everyone’s happy.” Jonah rubbed his chin. “We all like working with Isadora. Although, Lotus has just handed in her notice.”

“Why is she leaving?”

Jonah puffed out a breath. “It’s got to do with her relationship with Seth. I imagine he’s mentioned her to you.”

“He did,” I said. “He said they might be getting married. Are members of staff not supposed to date?”

“It’s got nothing to do with whether they’re dating or not,” Jonah said. “Lotus wasn’t happy because of Isadora’s handling of the relationship.”

“Isadora isn’t happy that Seth and Lotus are involved?”

“Jonah!” Isadora’s voice drifted along the lane. “Where are you? I need you.”

Jonah snapped to attention and stepped away from me. “I have to go. I can’t leave Isadora alone for long or she starts to panic.”

“Wait! What do you mean about Lotus and Seth’s relationship?”

Jonah’s fingers flexed. “Lotus isn’t into Seth. She wants nothing to do with him.”

“Jonah!” Isadora sounded like she was close to tears.

“I have to go. If you want to learn more about their relationship, you’ll need to ask them.” Jonah turned and dashed back to the house.

I rubbed the back of my neck as I processed this information. Seth had been so certain about his relationship with Lotus, but it seemed like there was trouble in paradise.

“Isadora sounds ambitious,” Wiggles said as we turned and walked slowly along the lane toward the main street.

“Ambitious enough to kill Gretel,” I said. “She sounds like a woman on the edge. How can somebody get so stressed about writing one book?”

“Have you ever written a book?”

“No, but I’ve read a few.”

“Her book sounds like her whole life,” Wiggles said. “Gretel threatened Isadora’s livelihood, and she snapped.”

I glanced back at the house. “Jonah seems worried about her. The team can’t fall apart now, or they’ll all lose out. If Isadora can’t do this book signing, Seth will miss out on the publicity deals, and future sales will be affected. Lotus might not have a job if Isadora stops working, and Jonah won’t have anyone to assist.”

“You don’t think they’re all covering for her, do you?” Wiggles asked. “Maybe the team knows what Isadora did to Gretel and is providing her with an alibi, so they keep their jobs.”

“If that’s what they’re doing, they’re not doing a great job,” I said. “Isadora’s alibi is flimsy. Nobody can vouch for where she was at the time of the murder. Being in bed alone isn’t a great alibi.”

“And she’s got a great motive,” Wiggles said.

“I need to speak to Isadora again. But let’s give her a bit of time to calm down. She sounded frantic when shouting for Jonah. I don’t want to be the one to push her over the edge. How about we tackle Lotus next?”

“And find out if that smarmy half-vampire is telling the truth about their relationship?”

I nodded. “Somebody’s not being honest, and we need to figure out why.”

Chapter 13

I’d visited the museum in my search for Lotus, but there was no one there. I was pleased to see Gretel’s body was gone, and there were no signs of the angels. It looked like they’d followed their orders.

Lotus hadn’t been at the house when I’d visited Isadora, so there was no point in going back there. I wandered through the village, hoping I’d bump into her.

As I passed Mystic Mushroom, I did a double-take.

Lotus sat at a table on her own with half a giant pizza in front of her. Grease from the cheese was smeared down her chin, and her expression was glum as she sat alone eating.

I walked into Mystic Mushroom and over to the counter. “Hey, Tate. How’s everything going?”

“No complaints.” He grinned at me. “Are you after an early dinner?”

“Actually, just a few questions.” I tilted my head toward Lotus. “How long has she been here?”

“She’s been eating alone for the last hour,” Tate said. “That’s her second large pizza. I get the impression she’s comfort eating.”

“I could do with some comfort eating right about now,” Wiggles said.

I ignored his nose as it stabbed into my leg. “She didn’t mention why she needs to eat two huge pizzas on her own?”

“You mean other than the fact that I make incredible pizzas?” Tate smiled. “She didn’t say anything, but I can tell she’s upset. Her eyes are red, and her nose is puffy as if she’s been crying. I asked if everything was okay, but she clammed up and said she wanted to eat alone. I decided not to bother her. If customers want to deal with their feelings on their own as they eat my pizza, they’re welcome to.”

I turned and looked at Lotus. I did need to bother her. I ordered a coffee and walked to Lotus’s table. “Mind if I join you?”

Lotus looked up and blinked at me, recognition crossing her face. “Oh, you’re that investigator.”

“Tempest Crypt.” I nodded at the chair opposite Lotus.

“Sure, help yourself.” She stuffed a large piece of pizza in her mouth, her gaze shifting to Wiggles.

“That’s Wiggles,” I said.

Lotus tossed him a dough ball, which he grabbed in mid-air.

“Thanks.” Wiggles swallowed after a single chew, his gaze on the remaining dough balls.

“Anytime,” Lotus said.

“Tate makes incredible food, doesn’t he?” I said.

She made a muffled sound of agreement around the pizza.

“How are you doing? It must be a shock what happened to Gretel.”

Lotus shrugged and wiped cheese grease off her lips. “Not really. I’m surprised no one killed her years ago. She was an old hag. She always tried to pick apart my research simply out of spite. She kept on about lack of experience and youth as if that’s a factor. I’m amazing at what I do. It always riled her when I proved her wrong.”

“I thought Gretel was the font of all knowledge when it came to the history of magic.”

Lotus snorted. “Gretel did old school research, sticking to books in dusty libraries. I investigate using two different methods. I go to the original source when possible, and I go online. Although, my computer’s been playing up since we got here.”

“Blame the magic. Electricity and magic always have fun together.”

“Figures. Anyway, I fact check using specialist search sites. I leave questions in online chat rooms and use mapping programs to investigate sites I can’t physically get to. Add that to my source data review, and my research is more comprehensive than Gretel’s. The only issue with age was hers. She was too old to keep up with new ways of researching. She was a dinosaur. I’m a genetically modified super computer.”

“I can imagine how much Gretel liked accepting that.”

“She hated it, not that she’d ever acknowledge I was better than her. I think that was why she was so spiteful to me. Not that I cared. I knew I was better than Gretel Le Strange. It gave me a thrill to make her mad.”

For a cute looking elf, she came with a mean streak. “I heard that you won’t be working with Isadora anymore.”

She nodded. “It’s time to move on.”

“Have you got a new job?”

“No. It’s not easy to pick up research positions for this kind of work, but I’ve got my eye on something.”

“You must have gained useful experience doing research for Isadora’s book.”

“And it’s all for nothing.” Lotus grimaced and looked away. “I worked alongside her for such a long time. I would say two thirds of the research in that book is mine.”

“I’m surprised your name isn’t on the cover.”

Lotus scowled and ate a dough ball. “Exactly. Isadora doesn’t even mention me in her acknowledgements. I’m always there for her, looking up obscure facts, finding information, and checking source material. Sure, Isadora did some of it, but she did the glamorous stuff. She got to have lunch with the fancy professors and give talks at museums and universities all over the world. What did I get? A dusty old room with no window in a library. I barely left that room for months when we did the initial research. Isadora only cares about the finished product. She wants her name all over this book, so she can be rich and famous.”

“That must have made you mad,” I said.

“For all the good it did me,” Lotus said. “It doesn’t bother her if her team isn’t happy, so long as she gets what she wants.”

“Is that what prompted you to resign?”

“It was the final straw. I was angry with the way she treated me, but when I asked for her help, and she saw I needed it, she turned away.”

“What did you need help with?”

Lotus frowned. “Have you met Seth?”

“He was the first person I talked to about what happened to Gretel,” I said. “Things aren’t going well between you?”

She snorted a laugh. “Things have never gone well between us. Seth’s so full of himself. He’s been working with Isadora for nine months, getting this book launch in place. The first day we met, I knew he’d be trouble.”

“What happened between you?”

“Seth assumed too much. He was overly friendly and acted like I should be grateful for his attention.”

“And you weren’t?”

“I have no interest in Seth. He’s asked me out dozens of times, and I always turn him down. I’ve made it clear there’s nothing romantic happening between us. Not now, not ever.”

“Seth doesn’t buy that?”

“He doesn’t believe it. The guy lives in a fantasy world where we’re blissfully happy together.” Lotus pulled the pineapple off her pizza and ate it before flicking a piece at Wiggles. He ignored the pineapple offering. He wasn’t a fruit fan. “Every time I say no to Seth, he comes up with another suggestion for a date or another reason he’s perfect for me. At first, it was cute. It’s flattering when someone’s interested in you, but it got boring. He wouldn’t stop asking.”

“He sounds like a pest,” Wiggles said. “Feed me a few more of those dough balls, and I’ll bite him for you.”

Lotus managed a small smile as she threw him a dough ball. “Be my guest. Anyway, I began to find reasons not to be around when Seth was about. Isadora was flexible and let me work anywhere, but I still couldn’t get away from Seth. He’d turn up when I wasn’t expecting him. No matter how discreet I was. I only ever told Isadora where I worked, but Seth still figured it out.”

“What did you need Isadora’s help with?” I asked. “If you didn’t want her to okay your relationship with Seth, what else could she do?”

“Seth was interfering with my work. I asked Isadora to keep him out of my way, but she said Seth had a job to do, and she wasn’t letting him go. But I’m not a part of his job. I have nothing to do with the publicity side of things. We have no reason even to speak.”

“Isadora overlooked Seth’s inappropriate behavior because he’s so good at his job?”

“That’s the problem. Isadora’s determined her book will be a massive success. Seth isn’t cheap to hire, and she wants the best.” Lotus’ mouth twisted to the side. “And, although he’s a creep, he does know how to run an excellent publicity campaign.”

“What did Seth do that made you want to leave?”

“It’s not so much what he did.” Lotus’ shoulders slumped. “I’m used to batting away his advances and keeping his hands off me. But one afternoon, Isadora walked in on Seth making a pass at me. He had me pinned against the desk and was trying to kiss me. I looked right at Isadora and asked for help. I said I wasn’t happy and Seth needed to leave. Isadora did nothing. She shrugged her shoulders, turned around, and walked out the door. She left me when I needed her.”

My eyes widened. “How did you stop Seth?”

“I kicked him somewhere very delicate, very hard. He was limping for days.” Lotus grinned at me. “I knew I only had a temporary reprieve. It wouldn’t be long before he tried again. I’d had enough. What stung the most was that Isadora knew I needed her, and she hadn’t helped me. If I didn’t know how to handle myself around Seth, I’d have been in serious trouble that day, and Isadora knew that. She doesn’t care enough about me to make sure I’m safe.”

“What did she say to you about the incident?”

“That’s the horrible thing. She never mentioned it. Isadora acted like she’d seen nothing.”

“Seth sounds more like a dangerous stalker than a boyfriend.”

“That about sums him up. And I’d never date him. Seth’s a creep, and I don’t trust him.” Lotus chewed on a piece of pizza crust. “I like my work with Isadora, and I love doing research like this, but I had to resign. Isadora let me down. I can’t forgive her for that.”

Isadora seemed solely focused on making her book launch a success and had neglected her staff, even when they desperately needed her help.

“I understand why you want to leave. It’s a shame you can’t get rid of Seth and keep your job.”

“I sometimes dream about bumping him off and getting rid of him permanently.” Lotus chuckled. “I shouldn’t have confessed that to you since you’re investigating Gretel’s murder. I promise I might dream of murder, but that’s as far as it goes.”

Lotus’ openness made me trust her. She had enough problems in her life without going after Gretel and trying to conceal the murder. “There’s no way to get Seth fired?”

“I’ve thought about it several times, trying to make him leave, but he’s sticking around until he gets paid. Isadora also won’t let him go. She can get another researcher easily enough. I’m replaceable.”

“Did you see Seth the night of Gretel’s murder?”

“Unfortunately, yes. There’s not much for me to do at the moment, and everyone is focused on the new book launch. Isadora’s working on something new, so I’m helping with bits and pieces, but I have free time and usually get to finish early.”

“Was Seth working with you that night?”

“No. I finished work and went for a drink in the Ancient Imp. I’d been there a couple of hours and was thinking about getting dinner when Seth came in. Immediately, he came over, offered to buy me a drink, and started sweet talking me. I wasn’t in the mood for his nonsense. I left the Ancient Imp and came here.” Lotus sighed. “I love pizza. It takes away all your worries.”

“There’s something magic about what Tate does to his pizza. How long were you here that night?”

“Late. I stayed as long as possible to avoid Seth when I went back to the house. We’re all staying in the same place, and he’s knocked on my bedroom door a couple of times to see if he can give me a good-night kiss and a mug of cocoa.”

My brows shot up. “I hope you never let him in.”

Lotus wrinkled her nose. “The door is always locked. He’s never getting into my bedroom. I left here at closing time and got back to the house around midnight. I went straight to bed. I didn’t see anyone, and I was quiet because I didn’t want to alert Seth if he was listening for me coming home.”

“You’re too good for Isadora and definitely too good for Seth.” Lotus seemed like a decent person who’d been treated badly. “Who do you think wanted Gretel out of the way?”

“You can take your pick out of anyone here. Isadora hated her; Seth thought she was trouble and not worth the hassle. I even saw your mayor arguing with Gretel, and I thought they were friends. Even Cleo got the sharp side of Gretel’s tongue more than once. Gretel made enemies wherever she went. There will be plenty of people raising a glass when they learn that Gretel Le Strange is no longer hassling them.”

I nodded as I stood from my seat. “Thanks for the information. Enjoy the rest of your pizza.” I wandered back to the counter where Tate was serving up a large deep pan stuffed crust with extra sausage and mushrooms.

“Did you get everything you needed?” Tate asked.

I nodded and licked my lips. “I don’t suppose that’s for me, is it?”

“Sorry, special order. I can always make you one.”

“Make that two,” Wiggles said. “And some dough balls.”

“Maybe another time.” I leaned closer to the counter. “Do you remember Lotus being in here the night Gretel was murdered?”

He nodded. “Of course. She’s hard to miss with that cute blue hair.”

“What time did she come in?”

“Just after eight. She had a large pizza, a side order of garlic bread, and a triple fudge sundae. She can sure pack away the food for such a tiny thing.”

“How long was she here?”

“All night. I had to ask her to leave because I was ready to close the shop. She looked like she was settled in and would have stayed as long as she could.”

“Lotus didn’t say anything about why she wanted to stay?”

“No, she wouldn’t open up.” Tate glanced at her. “Did she tell you what’s wrong?”

“Guy trouble,” I said. “And employer trouble.”

“That’ll do it. Everyone enjoys comfort food when they’ve got problems like that.” Tate shook his head. “I locked the store and walked Lotus almost back to her house. I didn’t want her walking home on her own when she was clearly troubled.”

I smiled at him. “You’re a decent guy, Tate.”

“And he makes awesome pizza,” Wiggles said. “You can make me one of those deep pan extra sausage pizzas to go.”

“No pizza,” I said. “We’ve got work to do.”

“Not even a small one?”

“We can treat ourselves to pizza when we’ve solved this murder.” I nodded thanks to Tate and left Mystic Mushroom before I was also tempted by the alluring scent of garlic bread and melted cheese.

My thoughts swirled as I considered what I’d just learned. Everything I heard about Isadora was bad news. She’d stop at nothing to ensure her book was a success. She’d ignored a staff member who needed her help, walked all over everybody else, took advantage of her assistant, and maybe even killed Gretel to rid herself of the woman who could ruin her hard work.

Isadora Ash was my number one suspect. It was time to bring her in for questioning.

Chapter 14

“Do you know when she’s coming back?” I stood outside the house Isadora was staying in.

Jonah shook his head, his expression apologetic. “I insisted she take a break. She’s gone for a walk to get fresh air. I’m hoping that will calm her. You’re welcome to wait inside if you have more questions.”

“No, thanks. We’ll take a walk around and see if we can spot her. Did she say where she was going?”

“I suggested the stores. Isadora can have a browse around and take her mind off work.”

“Thanks. I’ll see if I can find her there.” I said goodbye to Jonah and walked back into the village, hoping I’d see Isadora in a café or checking out one of the stores.

“Where do you think she’s hiding?” Wiggles asked.

“I’m hoping she isn’t hiding.” If she was, it only added to my suspicions.

“Someone has a guilty conscience.” Wiggles sat and scratched his belly with a back paw as we surveyed the people wandering past.

“It does seem odd. Maybe we spooked her when we first asked questions. Isadora might think we’re onto her.”

“I could try sniffing her out, but my nose is full of the delicious aroma of pizza. I have pizza on the brain. The only way to cure that is to eat pizza. We should get a pizza. Ten minutes to order a pizza. I can eat a whole pizza in five minutes.”

“If you say pizza one more time, it’s off the menu for a month.”

“Piiiizzzzza.” Wiggles snorted and turned his back on me.

I had to make this search for Isadora official. I needed to bring the angels up to speed on what was going on. They had more bodies than me and could help me look for her.

I walked to their headquarters to find the reception desk empty again. I didn’t wait this time and went through into the back room with Wiggles.

A blob of something white and fluffy smacked into my forehead. “What the—”

“Oh! Tempest!” Sablo froze, a ball of what looked like sticky white feathers balanced on one outstretched wing. “We weren’t expecting you.”

I wiped my forehead and found it covered in white feathers and something that smelled like melted sugar. “What’s going on?”

Dominic hurried over and handed me a cloth. “You know what it’s like. When the boss is away...”

“You throw sticky balls of feathers at each other?” I wiped my forehead clean of feathers.

“It’s Angel Ball.” Sablo wandered over, tossing the white ball in the air.

“That’s right,” Dominic said. “We use our wings like bats. We each spare a few feathers, mold them into balls and bat them back and forth. Whoever drops the balls first is the loser and has to buy doughnuts.”

“I’d love to play,” Wiggles said. “I’m great with balls. And I love doughnuts.”

“Angels only,” Sablo said. “And I’m not trusting you anywhere near doughnuts ever again.”

“We’ve been playing for three hours,” Dominic said. “And we won’t count your involvement because you aren’t an official member of the crew. The pause in the game doesn’t matter.”

“No, we’ll have to start again.” Sablo flicked the ball in the air and caught it on her wing. “Previous time score void, thanks to intruders.”

“Before you focus on this crucial task,” I said, “you might be interested in what’s going on with Gretel Le Strange’s murder.”

“Oh! Of course.” The ball of feathers disappeared into Sablo’s hand as she tucked it behind her. “What have you found out?”

I shook my head. I wasn’t sure why I bothered. All the angels wanted to do was bat their balls around and munch on doughnuts. “I’ve spoken to everyone who has a connection to Gretel. Some alibis aren’t great, but we need to focus on Isadora Ash.”

“The author?” Dominic rubbed his chin. “Why would she ruin her book launch by killing Gretel?”

“Isadora isn’t as straightforward as she appears. For one thing, her alibi is lousy. She was seen going into her room the night of the murder, but it would have been easy to return to the museum unnoticed. Isadora’s also fiercely ambitious. She’d stop at nothing to make this book a success. Gretel was causing her problems. I’ve heard mention of a possible lawsuit against Isadora. Gretel was threatening legal action.”

“That sounds serious,” Dominic said. “You think Isadora killed Gretel to stop her from taking her to court?”

“It’s looking increasingly likely. Although, no one has a nice word to say about Gretel. We need to bring Isadora in for questioning. I believe she had the most to lose if Gretel kept interfering.”

“Make it happen,” Sablo said. “We have an empty interview room if you want to use it.”

Anger bubbled inside me. “I’ve been trying to, but there’s a problem. She’s missing.”

“Is she on the run?” Worry flickered across Dominic’s face.

“That’s what we need to find out. Can you get the angels to be on the lookout for Isadora?”

“Sure,” Sablo said. “We can pause Angel Ball and have a look around.”

“If it’s not too much trouble.” I hoped I didn’t sound too sarcastic. “Is there any sign of Dazielle coming back?” I never thought I’d be pleased to see Dazielle, but I now understood why she walked around with a sour expression on her face. It was all thanks to having to deal with this bunch of feathery fools on a daily basis.

“There’s still no word,” Sablo said. “We’ve sent three messages. She must be enjoying her training.”

“Until she returns, we focus on Isadora. Get a team out looking for her. Whoever finds her first, bring her in for questioning.”

“Are you leading on the questioning?” Sablo asked. “You know a lot more about this case than anyone else.”

“Sure. You find her, bring her in, and we’ll talk.”

“We’ll get right on it, boss.” Dominic hurried away.

I looked around for Wiggles and saw him with his paws on a desk, chewing furiously.

“Quit it,” I hissed at him. “You know what the angels do to you if you steal their food.”

He took another big mouthful of whatever leftovers he’d discovered before racing over to me. “They always leave food around. I don’t understand these angels. Why leave perfectly edible food to go stale? I’m doing them a favor by eating it.”

I rubbed my forehead as I left the angels to get organized. If I came back to find them playing Angel Ball in a couple of hours, I was turning in my unwanted investigator badge and letting Mannie deal with the fallout.

Until the angels found Isadora, there wasn’t much else I could do. I’d spoken to all the witnesses and suspects and needed to let the angels do their thing and track down Isadora.

I slowed as I walked past Aurora’s store. The lights were off and the blinds down. “Why’s the store shut? It’s not closing time.”

“Maybe she’s got wedding business to take care of,” Wiggles said. “I bet she’s tasting wedding cake. That always sounds like the best bit of getting hitched. All the free cake you want to sample.”

I peered through the window. Most of the shelves were missing stock. That never happened. Aurora was always getting new stock and special deals in for her customers. That was one of the things that made her so popular; she was rarely missing an item if somebody needed it in a hurry. Whether it was a calming spell or a healing crystal, Aurora always had something suitable.

“I don’t like this,” I said to Wiggles. “Maybe Aurora’s not well.” I took a step back and peered at the apartment above the store. There were no lights on, and the curtains were open. It didn’t look like anybody was home.

“She’ll be at Toby’s house,” Wiggles said. “I bet that creep’s convinced her to move in with him. Not that I blame her. Twelve bedrooms, a heated pool, acres of ground for me to run around in. I’d be tempted to move in if he asked.”

I glowered at him. “You love our apartment.”

“The apartment’s great, but it would be nice not to have to run up and down the stairs every time I need a bathroom break. I’ve told you I’m happy to use a litter tray if you can find a big enough one.”

“You’re not a cat,” I said. “You don’t go to the bathroom in the apartment.”

Wiggles grumbled under his breath. “Maybe I should get Toby to ask me to move in with him. I bet he’d give me a litter tray. It would be gold-plated. No, it would be solid gold.”

“He’d never do that. Toby has allergies, and he’s particularly allergic to you.”

“He will be after my gardening efforts the last time we were at his house,” Wiggles said.

“We need to pay Toby Matlock a visit. I want to see what he’s up to with my sister.”

We hurried past the stores again. I kept an eye out for Isadora as we walked, but she was nowhere to be found.

We walked along the long lane toward Toby’s house, passing increasingly grander houses as we approached his driveway.

I headed to his front door, which was flanked by two menacing stone dragons. I paused before I knocked.

“This needs discretion,” I said to Wiggles. “We don’t want to bump into Feodor and be stopped from getting in. Let’s see what’s going on inside before we try to get through the front door.”

Wiggles stood to attention, his tail in the air. “Stealth mode activated.”

“Let’s head around the side. Maybe Aurora is inside and nothing bad is going on. They might be having a nice dinner and I’m worried about nothing.” I didn’t believe my own words, but I hated to think Aurora was being exploited by Toby.

We crept around the side of the house, passing manicured bushes pruned into animal shapes. I peered in the first two windows and saw the hallway.

Wiggles hummed the theme tune to Mission Impossible as he scuttled beside me on his belly, his eyes darting from left to right.

I raised my head and looked through the window. My breath caught in my throat. “She’s in here.”

Aurora was in Toby’s study, a smile on her face as she sat perched on the couch. She was staring into space, looking at nothing in particular.

Toby sat behind his desk, bent over some paperwork.

I stared at Aurora. Although she was smiling, the expression on her face was vacant, and her eyes looked glazed.

“Let me see.” Wiggles pulled himself onto the frame with his paws and peered through. “I’ve never seen her in that dress before. It’s low cut for your sister. She’s showing a lot of, well, I don’t like to leer at Aurora. She’s showing some skin.”

“I’m not worried about the dress.” My fury mingled with Frank’s energy as his power pushed up my spine. He sensed Aurora was close, and something bad was happening to her. “Toby’s used his magic on her. Look at her face.”

“She looks spaced out.” Wiggles shuffled his butt closer. “Is that goofy look because of Toby?”

“It has to be.” I studied her neck and saw her magic eraser pendant in place. How was Toby influencing her so easily?

“Eeek!” Wiggles tumbled backward. “We’ve been spotted.”

I froze as Toby’s gaze met mine. It was too late to do a Wiggles and hide. I stared at Toby for several seconds, neither of us blinking.

Rather than seeming surprised at my appearance outside his window, a sly smile spread over Toby’s face.

Frank’s energy burned at the back of my neck. His desire not only to have Aurora but destroy the man who was manipulating her fueled his anger.

“Tempest! Get down,” Wiggles whispered. “Aren’t you worried that Toby’s seen you?”

“It’s Toby who needs to worry.” I drew back my fist, not entirely sure who was in control of my actions as Frank’s energy pounded through me.

Just before I slammed my fist through the window of Toby’s study, everything went black.

***

The world felt like it was spinning too fast. I held my hands out to stop from toppling.

“Tempest, you look beautiful in this color.” Aurora knelt in front of me, adjusting the hem of the floor length yellow satin gown I wore.

I blinked slowly as my vision cleared and sucked in a breath. My ears were ringing, and my head throbbed with every movement of my eyes.

I was inside Toby’s house. He’d used his sleazy magic on me.

“Say something,” Aurora said. “Don’t you like it?”

I stroked my hands down the soft fabric of the dress. “Why am I wearing this?”

Aurora giggled and clapped her hands together. “Stop fooling around. You’re not getting away with wearing jeans and boots for our wedding. There are other color options, but the yellow makes your dark hair look incredible.”

“The wedding?” My gaze went to the full-length mirror I stood in front of. The dress was high-waisted and off the shoulder, with lace sleeves running down the length of my arms. I had no idea how much time had passed or how I’d ended up in this dress. If Toby had helped take my clothes off and put this dress on me, I’d delight in setting Frank on him.

“I was thinking yellow and cream for the flowers,” Aurora said. “They’ll set your dress off perfectly. As my only bridesmaid, I want you to feel amazing.”

Another wave of dizziness hit me, and I swallowed, my mouth feeling sandpaper dry. “It looks fine, and the flowers sound great.” I glanced over my shoulder to see Toby sitting at his desk.

He raised his head and nodded at me. His eyes narrowed as if daring me to confront him. I took a step toward him. Toby wasn’t getting away with this. I had to break Aurora free from his twisted clutches.

Aurora grabbed my hands and squeezed before I could go any farther. “I’m so happy you came. I’ve hated not being able to talk to you about the wedding preparations. There’s so much to do, and now you’re here, it will be easier to manage.”

I nodded slowly. At least I was with Aurora again, and we were talking. Whatever Toby was doing to her, I couldn’t leave her on her own to deal with him. She was oblivious to how manipulative he was. If I played along, Toby might stop thinking I was a problem, and I could convince Aurora she was making the biggest mistake of her life.

I forced myself to smile. “We have a lot to catch up on. You have to tell me everything about the wedding plans. Why don’t we go outside and take a walk?”

“There’s plenty of time for that.” Toby pushed his chair back and strolled over. “You do look delightful in that color, Tempest.”

“Have you been here the whole time I’ve been getting changed?” I spoke through gritted teeth.

“Of course, he hasn’t,” Aurora said. “You changed upstairs, but the light down here is perfect to look at the color, and I wanted Toby to see you in your dress. Doesn’t she look beautiful?”

“Almost as lovely as you, my dear.” Toby wrapped a hand around Aurora’s waist and pressed a kiss on her cheek.

I repressed a growl as Toby fawned over Aurora like a prized pony.

“What do you think about a tiara?” Aurora asked as she tore her gaze from Toby.

“For whom?”

She grinned at me. “You! I was thinking flowers, but something more traditional. One with tiny crystals that sparkle in the light will look pretty in your hair.”

I wrinkled my nose. “I’m not sold on the tiara.”

“Aurora’s having one,” Toby said. “It will make her look like royalty.”

She smiled up at him. “You always treat me like a princess.”

“As is fitting,” he said.

Aurora simpered over Toby while I tried not to gag.

After several minutes of cringe inducing soppiness, Aurora glanced at me. “I’ll get the flower samples, and we can match them with your dress.”

“Great idea.” The second the door closed behind her, I turned on Toby. “You won’t get away with this.”

He stroked a hand down his goatee. “What is it you think I’m getting away with? Making your sister happy? Ensuring she has the best life she can? Letting her spend time with the man she loves?”

“You’re manipulating her, and you manipulated me.” I stepped closer. “I know you have my hair. That’s how you’re able to influence me so easily.”

He shook his head, an expression of innocence on his face. “Are you feeling quite well? I’m manipulating no one, and I know nothing about your hair. I was somewhat surprised when I saw you lurking outside the house like a thief, looking for a way in to steal my antiques. But it’s only right that you come in and make amends with Aurora. She’s been down since you abandoned her.”

I hissed in his face. “I didn’t abandon her. She’ll come to her senses about you.”

“She’s perfectly sensible when it comes to our relationship,” Toby said. “Aurora will be happy here with me. She’ll have everything she needs and will worry about nothing. But that will only happen if you don’t keep causing problems for her.”

“She’s my little sister, and you’re taking advantage of her,” I snarled at him. “You’re using mind manipulation magic on her. How are you doing it? How are you making Aurora remain under your influence for so long?”

“You’re making no sense. Aurora is here of her own free will. As are you.”

My eyes narrowed, and I glared at him. Toby was lying. He’d done something to make me lose time and end up standing in his study wearing this ridiculous dress. And he was taking advantage of Aurora, despite her magic eraser pendant.

“Here we are.” Aurora hurried back in the room with an armful of flowers. “Who knew there were so many shades of yellow and cream to choose from?” She scattered the flowers on the floor in front of me and began holding them up one after the other against the dress fabric.

“Where’s Wiggles?” I asked sharply, suddenly aware he was nowhere in the room.

Toby turned away. “I haven’t seen him. Perhaps he’s outside.”

“Wiggles can’t come in here,” Aurora said. “He’ll be fine in the grounds. There’s plenty to entertain him. So, which shade of yellow do you think goes best with your dress?”

I rubbed the back of my neck. This was too weird. Aurora was blind to what Toby was doing.

The sound of a thud outside had me turning to the window. Feodor lumbered past, swinging a huge club in his hand.

I hurried to the window and grabbed hold of the frame, gasping as I saw Wiggles belch a gout of flames at Feodor. “Call off your mad butler,” I said to Toby. “He’s trying to hurt Wiggles.”

Aurora hurried over and stared out of the window. “They’re just playing. Feodor’s a sweetie.”

“Feodor has a giant club spiked with nails in his hand. That doesn’t look like playing to me.”

Wiggles belched more fire at Feodor, hitting his club, and it burst into flames.

Feodor swirled it around his head before launching it at Wiggles.

Aurora gasped. “These boys do like their rough-and-tumble.”

“Rough-and-tumble!” I gaped at her. “The zombie butler is trying to kill Wiggles.”

Aurora glanced at me, worry shimmering in her eyes. “Maybe they do need to calm things down a little.”

My hands clenched into fists. “Toby, call off Feodor. Now!”

A loud knock sounded on the front door.

“My dear, will you be so good as to get that?” Toby said to Aurora. “Feodor is otherwise engaged.” He smirked at me.

“Of course, my love. I’ll speak with Feodor as well and make sure things don’t get out of hand with Wiggles.” Aurora nodded and hurried out of the room.

“If your zombie butler hurts a fur on Wiggles’ head, I’m coming for you,” I snapped at Toby.

“I wish you luck with that,” Toby said. “And a word of advice while your sister is not here. Stay out of our relationship. Aurora’s mine. You’re jealous because you no longer have any influence over her. She’s moving on with her life and doing it without you. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll stop interfering.”

I bared my teeth. “Or what? You’ll use more of your mind magic on me?”

“It has its uses, but there are other types of magic I’ll use if you don’t stay out of our way. I want your sister, and I will have her. We’ll be married, and there’s nothing you can do about it. Keep away, and you and that revolting hellhound get to stay alive. How’s that for a deal?”

I advanced on Toby, magic sparking from my fingers, fully intending to show him exactly what I thought of his deal.

Aurora returned to the room, followed by an anxious looking Sablo. “Darling, it’s an angel.”

Toby glanced at me, a warning in his gaze, before turning and smiling. “How may I assist you?”

Sablo glanced from Toby to me. “Actually, I’m here for Tempest. Someone saw her heading this way. There’s an emergency.”

I restrained from blasting Toby in the head with a spell. “What is it?”

Sablo played with the tip of her wing. “There’s been another murder.”

My eyes widened. “Who’s dead?”

“Isadora Ash.”

Chapter 15

I glared at Toby as I processed what Sablo had told me. I was torn between my desire to kill Toby and help the angels.

Isadora Ash was dead. She’d been my prime suspect. With her bad alibi and a strong motive for wanting Gretel dead, I’d been almost sold on her being the killer.

Sablo gestured for me to follow her. “Please, Tempest, we need you. We don’t know what’s going on.”

“You’d better go,” Aurora said. “We can finish the flowers another time.”

I looked at the lemon-yellow dress I wore. “Where are my clothes?”

“Aurora washed them,” Toby said. “They looked like they hadn’t seen the inside of a washing machine for some time.”

I glared at him. “They were fine. Those jeans had at least another two wears in them.” I saw my boots in the corner of the room and pulled them on quickly. There was nothing for it. I’d have to go to the murder scene dressed as a bridesmaid.

I hugged Aurora tightly before I left. “Be careful,” I whispered to her.

She pulled back, her expression curious. “Of what?”

I glanced at Toby. “Make sure you don’t make a bad decision when it comes to the flowers.”

She smiled and let out a sigh. “Of course, I won’t. With your help, the wedding will be perfect.”

I shook my head as I hurried out of the house with Sablo. This was one giant mess, but at least Toby was showing his true colors. There was no way I’d listen to his warning. I’d continue to mess with their relationship until Aurora came to her senses.

“Hold on a minute,” I said to Sablo as we headed outside. I hurried around the side of the house.

“Wrong way,” Sablo said.

“I just need to—” I ducked as a chunk of rock flew through the air and past my ear.

Feodor was still pursuing Wiggles around the garden, and he was gaining on him.

I hitched up the floor length dress and raced after them, conjuring a bolt of lightning as I ran, the pungent smell of ozone filling my nose as the air crackled with power. I pulled back my arm and threw the lightning. It sliced through the air and landed squarely between Feodor’s shoulders.

He bellowed before crashing to the ground.

Wiggles slowed before doing a U-turn. He stopped by Feodor, who lay unconscious on the ground.

I hurried over and scooped Wiggles into my arms, my heart racing, and checked him for injuries. “Are you okay? I saw Feodor chasing you when I was inside.”

“Of course I’m not okay.” Wiggles squirmed in my arms, smearing mud all over the bodice of the dress. “I’ve been racing around the garden trying to avoid being slaughtered by this maniac. What happened to you? One minute, you were standing by the window, the next you were almost floating off the ground, a stupid look on your face. You went inside the house. I tried to follow, but the door was slammed in my face.”

I placed him on the ground and knelt next to him. “Toby got me. He used his magic on me.”

Anger bristled off Wiggles, and his fur stood on end. “That guy needs to be taught a serious lesson. He set this thug on me, and he manipulates you.” His red-eyed gaze ran over me. “And he made you put on a hideous dress.”

I looked at the dress, which was stained with muddy paw prints and fur. “This is Aurora’s idea. She thinks we’re friends again and wants me to wear this dress at her wedding.”

“Yellow is not your color.” Wiggles climbed onto Feodor’s back and jumped up and down several times. “For a big guy, he’s fast.”

“He wanted you dead.”

“He did. I was scratching at the door and trying to get in when he yanked it open and made a grab for me.” Wiggles bounced off Feodor like he was a mini trampoline. “After that, he was roaring at me and trying to get me.”

“Toby knows we’re onto him,” I said. “He’s warned me off.”

“Which you’re going to ignore.” Wiggles cocked his ears.

“Of course.” I petted Wiggles on the head. “I was worried when I saw Feodor after you.”

“I can handle one giant nightmare of a butler.” Wiggles belched sulfur in Feodor’s face.

“Tempest, we need to go.” Sablo shuffled from foot to foot, choosing to stay well away from Feodor as she lingered at the edge of the lawn.

“What’s an angel doing here?” Wiggles asked.

I tipped my head back. “There’s been another murder. Isadora Ash is dead.”

“No way!” Wiggles walked beside me as we hurried toward Sablo. “She was our prime suspect in Gretel’s murder.”

“Not anymore,” I said. “Don’t say anything to Sablo about what Toby’s up to. I don’t want the angels getting involved. We’ll deal with Toby without their interference.”

“Fine by me. If we need to break some rules to scare off Mr. Sleazy Goatee and his maniac butler, we don’t need the angels figuring out what we’re up to.”

Sablo glanced down at Wiggles as we stopped in front of her. “Why was that giant man chasing you? Did you steal his food?”

Wiggles snorted and glanced at me. “He’s not a fan of hellhounds.”

Sablo tilted her head but then shrugged. “We need to go to the stone circle. That’s where Isadora was found.”

“What happened to her?” I asked as we hurried along next to Sablo.

She shook her head and grimaced. “It’s not a pretty sight. Two walkers raced into the headquarters and said they’d found a body under a pile of rocks.”

“Rocks! Did one of the stones from the circle fall on Isadora?”

“No. I wasn’t there for long, so I don’t have all the information, but it looks like Isadora was crushed by rocks.”

“Multiple rocks? Not a single slab toppling and hitting her?”

“That’s right. There are dozens of them piled on her. They look like they came from the chunk that was split from a standing stone a while back.”

My stomach roiled unhappily. I wasn’t looking forward to this crime scene, but then who could say they enjoyed poking around dead bodies? Necromancers, maybe?

We arrived to find Dominic and Cassiel already there. They stood either side of a pile of rocks in the center of the stone circle.

I decided not to get too close. I didn’t have a strong stomach for murder, no matter how often I helped the angels.

“How do you know it’s Isadora?” I asked Sablo as we stopped by the edge of the rocks. “I don’t see anyone under there.”

“If you go around the side, you’ll see a hand. And we moved the rocks to make sure whoever was under there wasn’t alive. It only took a couple of minutes before we revealed Isadora.”

“Are there signs of a fight or a struggle?”

“Nothing like that,” Sablo said. “As soon as we found the scene and figured out who it was, we didn’t poke around, so as not to disturb evidence. We’re not sure what to do next.”

“Get on and do what you always do when you discover a dead body,” I said.

Sablo’s mouth twisted to the side. “Dazielle always tells us what to do. I figured, since you’re in charge, you can suggest our tasks.”

I rubbed the bridge of my nose. “Okay, so what would she tell you to do in this situation?” The angels were lost without their leader. As much as they frustrated me, I felt a bit sorry for them.

Sablo swallowed and glanced at Dominic and Cassiel who were deliberately not making eye contact. “Secure the scene so evidence isn’t tampered with. Look around for any clues to suggest who killed Isadora. Remove the body and take it to be examined.”

“Top marks! You know what to do,” I said. “Get on with it.”

Sablo nodded. “You’re right. Yes, of course. I’ll take a look around.”

“Dominic and Cassiel, you stay here with Isadora,” I said. “Don’t let anyone near her body.”

“Sure, we can do that.” Dominic stood to attention, but there was a worried look on his face. “Who do you think did this?”

“I have no idea,” I said. “I was thinking Isadora killed Gretel. Now, I’m not so sure.” I walked slowly around the rocks, taking note of the hand poking out, palm up and fingers splayed. There was something horribly familiar about this scene.

“Are you looking for anything in particular?” Dominic followed closely behind me, his wings extended so I had my own private wind barrier.

“The way Isadora’s been killed, does it remind you of anything?”

Dominic tugged on his ear. “It reminds me that there are a lot of sick people out there.”

“Have you studied the history of witchcraft?”

Dominic shook his head. “It’s not in our training syllabus.”

“And Angel Ball is?”

He looked shamefaced. “I’m not much of a reader.”

My thoughts were on the book Isadora had given me. “Hundreds of years ago, there were several ways people killed witches.”

“Oh! The ducking stool in the museum.” Dominic grinned. “I know about that.”

“Well done. You get a gold star.”

Cassiel smirked at Dominic. “That’s not the only way to kill a witch.”

“What are the other ways?” I asked her.

Her smirk faded. “Blast them with a spell?”

“No star for you.” I pointed at the rocks. “People also stoned witches. Villagers would drag some innocent woman out of her house, surround her, and throw rocks at her.”

Dominic looked at the pile of rocks, horror on his face. “Someone did that to Isadora?”

“It’s a working theory,” I said. “First the ducking stool and now this stoning. And two witches are dead. Maybe someone is targeting only witches.”

“That’s a relief.” Dominic let out a sigh. “I’ll sleep easy in my bed knowing I won’t be at risk if it’s only witches they’re interested in.”

I quirked an eyebrow. “As I said, it’s a working theory. Don’t forget to lock your doors at night.”

Dominic’s face paled. “Right. Of course. Always better to be safe.”

I did another circuit of the rocks but didn’t see anything helpful.

“You look lovely in that dress, Tempest, and you’re so clever. You are the full package.” Dominic’s grin dazzled me as I stopped next to him. “How do you know all of this?”

I smiled at Dominic and stroked my hand down my ruined bridesmaid’s dress. He was so gorgeous but so dumb. “It’s no secret. And the details of witch stoning are in Isadora’s book. If I remember rightly, she detailed the ducking stool method first and then the use of rocks. I think someone is re-enacting her descriptions.”

Dominic’s mouth dropped open. “Why would anybody do that?”

“As you say, there are some sick people around here.” I looked for Wiggles and spotted him snuffling outside the stone circle. “Hey, come over here and see what you can find.”

Wiggles trotted over and stared at the scene. “I’ve found a pile of rocks and a body underneath it.”

“Get nearer and see if there’s any magic around.”

“What’s in it for me?”

I glared at him. “I won’t lock you outside for the next week.”

He snorted. “You’d never do that. Make me an offer.”

“No offer. Go smell the body.”

“My nose has three hundred million receptors in it.”

“I’m happy for your nose.”

“And, I’ll have you know, almost half my brain is dedicated to analyzing smells. Imagine what it’s like for me, having to poke around near a corpse.”

I sighed. “One bone.”

“Ten bones. And a dozen cupcakes.”

“One bone, and one cupcake.”

Wiggles sat and curled his tail around his feet.

I growled at him. “Two bones and two cupcakes.”

He tilted his head from side to side. “Triple caramel with frosting?”

“If that will make you move.”

He hopped up. “We have a deal. I’ll be your magic sniffing hero.” Wiggles trotted toward the rocks.

“Should he be doing that?” Dominic asked. “We shouldn’t let the evidence be tampered with.”

“The worst he’ll do is shed a few furs,” I said. “Wiggles has a good nose. He often picks out different kinds of magic if it’s been used.”

“Wow! That’s impressive.”

“I’m not a one trick hellhound,” Wiggles said. “I also belch fire in moments of crisis. There have been a lot of those recently.”

“That’s a neat trick to have,” Dominic said.

I let Wiggles sniff around for a couple of minutes. “Have you got anything?”

“Magic was used. Nothing dark, but it feels like an immobility spell.”

“I detected something similar on Gretel,” I said.

“When did you detect the spell on Gretel?” Dominic asked.

I ducked my head. My illegal snoop around the ducking stool had just been revealed. “I felt it when the body was discovered, and it makes sense to use such a spell. I’m not sure how powerful Gretel or Isadora were, but they’d have a basic knowledge of defense spells. Someone used an immobility spell to prevent them from running, particularly in the case of Isadora. Unless they got a lucky first strike, she wouldn’t have hung around while someone hurled rocks at her.”

Dominic shook his head and smiled. “There you go again, being all brilliant and beautiful in your sunflower yellow dress.”

Sablo returned from her walk around the circle. “I didn’t find anything useful.”

“Okay. Get Isadora uncovered and take her away,” I said.

Sablo nodded and instructed Dominic and Cassiel to get to work. Some of the rocks were so large they needed two hands to roll them away.

“These rocks weren’t thrown by hand,” I said. “Someone used magic to propel them at Isadora. She must have been terrified. But what was she doing in the stone circle? The last time I saw her, she was focused on her work and didn’t want to be distracted. What made her come here?”

“To have a break?” Sablo said. “All that research must get dull.”

“Not for someone like Isadora. She was obsessed with her work. Jonah described her books as her children. That’s all she cared about.”

“It could have been for research,” Wiggles said. “These old stones are full of magic. Isadora could have gotten excited about the stones for her new book.”

“That’s possible. Something drew her here.”

We waited ten minutes for the angels to remove all the stones. I wandered around the stone circle again to see if anything had been missed but found nothing useful.

After the angels had uncovered Isadora’s body, they placed her in a body bag, suspended the bag between their wings, and we headed back to the Angel Force headquarters.

I followed them at a short distance, Wiggles trailing behind me. I wasn’t sure where to turn next. My prime suspect had been murdered. If it wasn’t Isadora who’d killed Gretel, then I was back to square one.

Something else worried me. If my theory about the killer re-enacting the methods of murder in Isadora’s book was correct, then they weren’t finished. There’d be three more murders. Burning at the stake, hanging, and being bricked behind a wall.

I walked into the reception area, my thoughts on the killer’s next move, and waited a couple of minutes until Sablo came through.

“What shall we do next?” she asked.

“You focus on examining Isadora,” I said. “Also, go take a look around her room. She might have left a clue behind as to what she was doing at the stone circle. And you’ll need to inform those working with Isadora as to what’s happened.”

“We’ll get right on that,” Sablo said. “We have to catch who’s doing this.”

I nodded. We did. I needed to speak to Dazielle before our killer struck again. She always claimed to be the expert when it came to solving a crime, and right now, I needed an expert. I had no clue what our next move should be.

Chapter 16

I’d left several messages for Dazielle the previous evening, and she’d returned none of them. Anyone would think she didn’t want to keep her job.

I sat curled on the couch in my apartment, sipping coffee as I waited for my snow globe to connect. My gaze settled on the lemon-yellow dress sitting in a heap on the floor. It was destroyed. After the mad dash around Toby’s garden to save Wiggles and the race to get to the stone circle and see what had happened to Isadora, I wasn’t sure it could be salvaged. Wearing lemon satin when you investigated a murder was always a bad idea.

My snow globe finally connected, but I got the same message I’d heard the previous five times.

“Dazielle is not available. Please leave a message, and she’ll get back to you. An angel’s farewell to you.”

There was no time for subtlety. “Having left three previous messages, we’ve all decided you’re dead. Your possessions have been sold, and your apartment is up for sale. You’ll be pleased to know the mayor has promoted me to your role. I’ll be disbanding Angel Force within the next forty-eight hours and taking their salaries as my own. This could have been avoided if only you’d bothered to pick up your messages. A demon’s farewell to you.”

I shut off the snow globe and smirked. That might spur Dazielle into action. But her lack of communication was worrying, and, as much as I hated to admit it, she knew a thing or two about murders. Sablo and the others did their best, but I needed someone with a bit more clout to sort this mess out.

“It’s no good,” I said as I uncurled from the couch. “There’s only one solution for this. We need breakfast.”

Wiggles, who’d looked to be sound asleep on his bed in the lounge, leaped up and spun in a circle. “That’s my favorite word. Alongside lunch, dinner, snacks, and treats. Oh, and belly rub. I love a belly rub.”

We headed out of Cloven Hoof. The morning was bright and sunny with a hint of chill in the air as we headed to Unicorn’s Trough.

I froze as I got to the door. Mannie Winter was inside at the counter.

“What are we waiting for?” Wiggles asked. “My stomach’s growling like a frustrated fairy.”

“Let’s go elsewhere.” I backed away from the door.

“No! Brogan’s breakfast specials are the best.” He pawed at the door.

I shooed Wiggles away and turned. “How about cupcakes from Sprinkles?”

“Tempest!” The door behind me opened. “I was just thinking about you.”

I suppressed a groan as I heard Mannie’s voice. “Good thoughts?”

“Come inside, and I’ll tell you.”

I took a deep breath, knowing I couldn’t avoid Mannie, and walked into Unicorn’s Trough.

“I’ve been waiting for an update from you,” Mannie said. “I had to hear about Isadora from the angels.”

“That is their job,” I said. “They’re trying to figure out what happened.”

“And what about you?” Mannie stroked his eyebrows with the tips of his fingers. “You need to be on top of this. You’re in charge of the angels until Dazielle returns.”

“No, I’m in charge of what happened to Gretel. I signed on for one murder solving only. I didn’t agree to be the big boss or have anything to do with what happened to Isadora.”

“Come now, this must all be connected.” Mannie patted his stomach. “One murder to solve or two, you can manage that.”

“I’m doing what I can, but I’m no expert. You have the wrong woman for this job. I was leaning toward Isadora as Gretel’s killer, but now she’s gone, so I can’t ask her what went on between them.”

Mannie waved his hand in the air. “No, that’s not possible. Isadora would never do anything like that.”

“She had no alibi; she hated Gretel for attempting to ruin her career and had plenty of opportunities to return to the museum and drown Gretel. Isadora looked good for it. And she vanished yesterday. I was trying to find her and bring her in for questioning.”

“Oh, well, when you lay out the facts, that doesn’t look so good for Isadora.” Mannie played with a button on his waistcoat. “You must see, she can’t be involved now.”

“She still might have killed Gretel.”

“But who killed Isadora?”

It looked like this wouldn’t be a quick conversation. I led Mannie to a quiet table in the corner, and we both sat. “I’d hazard a guess that it’s someone she knew. Somebody must have tempted her to leave the house and go to the stone circle.”

Mannie shook his head. “It’s terrible what happened to her. A real loss.”

“It’s not a great way to die. Do you know much about Isadora’s ability? If someone attacked her, could she have defended herself?”

“She had abilities, but she didn’t use them that often. Isadora was more interested in exploring the old ways of magic rather than honing her power.” Mannie stroked a hand down his beard. “Have you had breakfast yet?”

“No, that’s why I’m here.” I’d been so distracted by seeing Mannie that I’d forgotten the reason for coming to Unicorn’s Trough.

“I’ve just placed my order,” Mannie said. “You need fuel if you’re going to solve these murders. I’m having an extra-large breakfast special.”

“That sounds perfect,” Wiggles said.

“Right you are. I’ll be back in a moment.” Mannie left the table.

I shook my head. For all Mannie’s faults, he was always generous when it came to feeding me.

He placed our orders before returning to the table. “Whilst I’m mourning the loss of two dear friends, I do need this resolved swiftly.”

“As you’re aware, we’re working on it.”

Mannie tilted his head. “I need the museum open by the end of the week. The show must go on. You understand.”

I shrugged. “That’s not got anything to do with me. Any evidence that we need would have been collected from the ducking stool when Gretel’s body was removed. If you want to reopen the museum, then you can.”

Mannie smiled a little smugly. “I wasn’t asking your permission, Tempest. I’ll open the museum whenever I choose. But we can’t have two unsolved murders hanging over Willow Tree Falls. That’s terrible for business.”

I raised my chin. Typical Mannie, always thinking about the bottom line before anything else. “With Isadora gone, I need to speak to everyone who knew her. The killer has to be someone who knew both women.”

“That makes sense,” Mannie said. “Although, her team is made up of decent people. I still can’t picture any of them being involved with this.”

This time, I was the one who felt a little smug. “You knew both of the women. Be honest with me. What was your actual relationship with them?”

Mannie lurched back. He cleared his throat several times. “Well played, Tempest. It’s only right you ask me that question. I was friendly with Isadora. I considered her an asset and knew she’d prove a boon to tourist numbers, thanks to her book and its association with the museum. It’s a tragedy what happened to her. She could be a little single-minded when it came to her work, but she was a decent woman. I will miss her.”

“You didn’t find her to be obsessed with her work? She didn’t neglect your friendship because of it?”

“Not to a great degree. I always admire a feisty career woman. What’s wrong with that?”

“It makes a person selfish if they single-mindedly obsess over a goal, excluding everything else.”

“Oh! Well, no. I’d never describe Isadora as selfish. She was an academic. They tend to be eccentric and driven.”

“And Gretel? Be honest. I haven’t heard anybody say a kind word about Gretel other than you. Are you really going to tell me that you liked her?”

Mannie waited as our breakfasts were served before speaking. “I will admit to not being fond of Gretel.”

“Why didn’t you like her?” I sliced into a sausage on my plate.

He sighed. “She talked down to me. Have you heard that saying, never meet your heroes?”

“I have.”

“Gretel Le Strange was a hero of mine. I thought she’d be a fascinating woman, full of interesting facts and sharing knowledge of ancient magic. Instead, she was shrill and unpleasant. She accused me of being a smug, fat dwarf.”

Wiggles choked on the hash brown he was eating, and I averted my gaze and focused on my toast to stop from laughing. “Try not to take it personally. Everyone said she was hard to get along with and could be rude.”

Mannie patted his paunch. “I tried everything to get her to like me, but Gretel was having none of it. She wasn’t interested in pleasantries or making people feel comfortable. She just cared about her work. If you didn’t agree with her, you were dead to her. She wouldn’t negotiate over anything.”

“Which must have made her difficult to work with at the museum.”

“Gretel’s input was valuable, and we made relevant changes to the exhibits but not without extra expense being incurred.” Mannie shook his head. “She was so rude to the staff that I thought they’d walk out. In hindsight, bringing her here was a bad idea.”

“I expect she’d agree since she’s dead.”

Mannie nodded sagely. “You might be right.”

“Since you weren’t a fan of Gretel’s, care to tell me where you were yesterday afternoon?”

His brow wrinkled. “I have no involvement in these unfortunate deaths.”

“So, tell me your alibi. I believe the murders are connected. It’s the same killer. If you killed Gretel—”

“Don’t say that.” Mannie flapped a hand in the air and looked around the café. “I can’t let my constituents hear such a terrible rumor. It could ruin my re-election chances if I’m embroiled in a murder investigation.”

“Especially if you did it,” I said. “Where were you yesterday? I need your alibi to exclude you from Isadora’s murder.”

Mannie’s lips pinched together. “I was with Trixie.”

“All afternoon?”

He nodded, his gaze going over my shoulder. “In fact, you can ask her yourself what we were doing.”

“Mannie! Sweetie pie.” A tall, willowy goddess with jet-black hair and an ample cleavage wrapped herself around Mannie and kissed the top of his head.

“Trixie. We were just talking about you.” Mannie’s cheeks glowed as she continued to kiss his head, leaving hot pink lipstick marks on his forehead. “Tempest Crypt, meet Trixie Vermouth.”

Trixie extended a ring covered hand to me. “Pleasure to make your acquaintance.” She had a strong Eastern European accent.

“Likewise. I’ve not seen you around here before.”

“We met online,” Mannie said. “It was an unexpected treat. I made a trip out of Willow Tree Falls, and while I was there, a friend of mine suggested an online dating site for magic users. There’s no point in trying that here because of our dubious internet signal. I was away for a few days and thought it sounded fun, so I signed up.”

“And he found me.” Trixie splayed her fingers across her chest. “True love.”

Trixie looked at least fifteen-years Mannie’s junior. I wondered what she saw in the wealthy, social climbing dwarf who just happened to be mayor. “Are you enjoying your time in Willow Tree Falls?”

“Very much. I have a job looking after cute animals. And I’ve been out with Mannie drinking and eating. And, of course, we make lots of boom boom.” She winked at me.

Wiggles’ head appeared from under the table. “Boom boom?”

Mannie cleared his throat. “We shouldn’t talk about that, my dear. But since you’re here, you won’t mind telling Tempest what you were doing yesterday afternoon.”

Trixie grinned. “Of course not. Making boom boom with Mannie all afternoon. He’s a strong, lusty dwarf.”

I grimaced. I needed no more information. “Great! Good to know. I’m happy for you both.” I spotted a book under Trixie’s arm. “What are you reading?”

“A copy of the dead witch’s book.” Trixie held it out. “It’s signed. See?”

I went to take the book, but she pulled it back. “No, that’s not for you to touch. No sausage grease finger marks on my nest egg.”

Nest egg? “I just want to take a look.”

Trixie shook her head and clutched the book to her chest. “I’m keeping this. It will be worth a lot of money now the witch is dead.”

Mannie tutted and shook his head. “There’s no need to talk about things like that in public. Remember to use your inside voice when appropriate.”

Trixie scowled at him. “You said to keep all the signed books safe. Worth a lot of money.”

Mannie glanced at me. “We need to wait awhile to see if Isadora’s book appreciates in value following her untimely demise.”

I saw a hungry glint in Mannie’s gaze. He was hoping Isadora’s fame would grow after her murder, and he’d be able to sell off her signed books for a fortune. It wasn’t a bad motive for wanting Isadora dead, but he had a good alibi with Trixie.

“I’ll be careful with the book.” I took a few seconds to wipe my fingers clean. “I have a theory about the killings. I think there are more to come.”

Trixie gasped. “More murders. This is such a small place. Why so much death? Mannie, you said this place is a haven.”

Mannie glanced around as her shrill voice carried around the café. “Remember, inside voice, my sweet. Give Tempest the book.”

“It’s mine.”

“It’s ours.” He tugged on the book. “There are other copies in the house.”

Trixie pouted but handed over the book. “I get a treat for behaving?”

I ducked my head and bit hard on my lip.

“Of course. Why not treat yourself to an afternoon at the thermal spa? You can try that new bikini I bought you.”

“You’ll come with me? We can make boom boom in the water.”

I tried not to gag as I studied the contents page of the book.

Mannie patted Trixie’s hand. “That sounds delightful but another time. I have to finish my business with Tempest.”

Trixie poked my arm. “No stealing my man.”

I masked my snort of laughter with a weird sounding cough. “I wouldn’t dare. He’s all yours.”

Trixie narrowed her eyes at me before kissing Mannie’s cheek and flouncing out of the café.

“She seems nice,” I said to Mannie.

He tilted his head. “She’s a beautiful young woman with a lot of energy. I’m not sure I’ll make her the next Mrs. Mannie Winter, but she makes me feel young again.”

“I bet she does with all that boom boom.” I turned to the description of the ducking stool in the book and handed it to Mannie. “This is what I’m worried about. Isadora described the ducking stool and being stoned to death as two popular ways to kill a witch.”

Mannie nodded. “I’ve seen the book. I know the contents.”

“Turn the page to the next method of murder. It’s being burned at the stake.”

He nodded again. “What does your belief that there will be more murders have to do with this book?”

“If I’m right, the killer is re-creating the different methods of killing outlined by Isadora. The way Gretel’s body was staged on the ducking stool looks exactly like that picture, even down to the placement of the hands.”

Mannie’s eyebrows rose as he flicked back through the pages and studied the picture. “It’s hard to say for certain, and I didn’t look at her body for long. It does look similar, but maybe that’s a coincidence.”

I shook my head. “What if it isn’t? Look at the picture of the stoning. See the hand poking out? That’s how Isadora was found. Just a hand visible. The palm up.”

Mannie tugged on his beard. “That’s concerning.”

“What’s more concerning is that there are five methods of killing detailed. The ducking stool was first, then the stoning—”

“Then burning at the stake, hanging, and being bricked behind a wall.” He looked up at me, his eyes wide. “Someone’s planning to re-enact all of these methods of murder?”

“I believe so.”

“What can we do about that?” Mannie asked. “We don’t know who it is, and we don’t know who they’re targeting next.”

“We have to find out,” I said. “This killer is just getting started. They’ve already killed two witches, and they’ll be looking for their third victim. They might even have her by now.”

Mannie turned the pages. His face paled as he read the description of a witch burning. “This can’t be allowed to happen in Willow Tree Falls. Think of the bad publicity. It could ruin the museum.”

I snatched the book from him. “More importantly, think about the dead witch.”

“Yes, of course!” Mannie stared at me. “Tempest, what are you going to do to stop this?”

I didn’t know. But I’d make sure no more witches lost their lives.

Chapter 17

After finishing breakfast with Mannie, I headed out of Unicorn’s Trough with Wiggles. We needed as many eyes as possible looking for this killer to make sure they didn’t snatch another witch.

I walked into the reception and found Sablo behind the desk.

“Not playing Angel Ball today?” I asked.

“We only play Angel Ball in the afternoon,” Sablo said. The lack of sarcasm in her tone made me think she was being truthful.

“Did you get anything useful from Isadora’s body?”

“There was nothing helpful from the study of her body or clothing,” Sablo said. “Her chest was crushed. That’s what killed her. She was most likely unconscious before that happened. She had several nasty wounds on her head.”

I grimaced and held up a hand. “I’ve got an idea to share.” I handed her the book I’d borrowed from Mannie and explained my theory about the killer’s behavior.

Sablo’s nose wrinkled. “Dominic mentioned your theory when we were having coffee. It’s interesting, but I don’t think it’s right.” She handed me back the book.

“Why not? Have you got evidence suggesting who’s involved and why they’re doing this?”

“We have a note,” Sablo said.

“From whom? The killer?”

“From Isadora. As you suggested, I went to the house and took a look around. She left the note in her bedroom. It said she was sorry for her lies and betrayal and that she didn’t mean to deceive anybody.”

I rubbed the back of my neck. “What did she mean by that?”

“Isadora didn’t mention any names in the note, but it sounds like she’s been dishonest in her work.”

“Dishonest about what?”

“Something that drove her to suicide,” Sablo said.

My mouth dropped open. “You think Isadora crushed herself to death with rocks?”

“I didn’t say it was an easy way to kill yourself, but she had magic. What’s to say she didn’t lie down and move the rocks herself?”

“Logic? Common sense?” I shook my head. “There are much less painful ways to do yourself in.”

“Not if you’re full of regret and feeling guilty,” Sablo said. “Maybe Isadora felt she deserved a painful death because she’d lied.”

“Let me see the note.”

Sablo’s mouth twisted. “It’s evidence.”

“And I’m leading on this investigation. Mayor’s orders. I get access to all the evidence.”

Sablo sighed. “Wait here.” She returned a moment later and passed me a clear evidence bag with the note in it. It was typed, no signature.

“Anyone could have typed this,” I said. “The killer included. Whoever it is, they want to push us in the wrong direction.”

“You said yourself that Isadora was the main suspect in Gretel’s murder. You had us looking for her to bring her in for questioning.”

“When I met Isadora, she was stressed about her work but wasn’t suicidal.” My thoughts drifted to Jonah and how concerned he’d been about her. Was that what he’d been so worried about? He’d sensed she was close to the edge and might hurt herself?

“Those stones are full of ancient magic,” Sablo said. “They could have sensed the darkness or deceit in Isadora and destroyed her.”

My eyes bugged as my opinion of Sablo’s detective skills plummeted to a new low. “You think the stone circle killed Isadora?”

“There’s powerful magic there.” Sablo sniffed and examined her nails. “If the stones didn’t activate when they sensed Isadora’s guilt, she could have encouraged them, activated them with magic, so they sought retribution against her deceit.”

“The circle doesn’t work like that. Isadora’s death wasn’t suicide. And the stone circle has never killed anyone before.”

“It’s alive, though. Maybe the stones were biding their time, waiting for the right amount of evil to step inside.”

“Stop with this crazy stone theory!” I shook my head. The circle sometimes ejected people if they were trying to do harm to the stones, but that was about it. “The magic in the stone circle has nothing to do with what happened to Isadora.”

“Then why the note?”

“The killer is playing with us. Whoever it is, they want us arguing.” I gestured to Sablo. “They want to halt our painfully slow progress, so they can grab another victim while we’re distracted.”

Sablo tilted her chin. “Your idea about Isadora’s book is as good as my theory about the stones.”

“No, we’re in different leagues when it comes to theories. We have to consider this a serious option.” I tapped the book. “More witches will die if we don’t find the actual killer.”

Sablo shook her head. “The note means something.”

“It means a big waste of time,” I muttered. “There’s someone out there hunting witches. We have to stop them.”

“I’m right on this. I always follow my gut instinct, and it’s telling me that there’s a clue in this note.”

I blew out a breath, seeing the stubborn glint in Sablo’s eyes. She wasn’t budging from her flawed idea. “Okay. Going with the crazy suicide theory for a moment, why choose that method?”

“Isadora knew that was what happened to witches,” Sablo said. “She picked that method because she knew it was effective.”

“And painful. There’s no way she’d have been able to lie still and let that happen to her.”

“I think she did,” Sablo said. “We’ve solved this. Isadora killed Gretel then, full of remorse, she decided to end her own life.”

“I’m not supporting this theory.”

“You don’t need to. Don’t worry, Tempest. We’ve got this. I’ll speak to Mannie and tell him the conclusion we’ve drawn. You’ll get the thanks you deserve.”

“Thanks?” Anger mingled with my frustration. “That’s it? Murder solved? I’m guessing all those hours playing Angel Ball helped figure this out.”

Sablo shrugged. “A fit body creates a fit mind. Exercise gets the blood flowing to the brain and makes new connections to help solve puzzles like this.”

“Yes, but you need a brain for that to work. You follow that theory if you like, but I’m not giving up on this.” I turned, my fists clenched, as I stomped out of the building toward the museum with Wiggles.

“Easy, Tempest,” Wiggles said. “You look like you’re about to blow.”

“The angels are dumb at times, but this is beyond ridiculous.” My anger made my voice sound growly.

“There’s more time for fun if the angels aren’t doing any real work,” Wiggles said.

“And what are a few less witches in Willow Tree Falls?” I snarled. “They’d act differently if the killer was hunting angels to drown, stone, and burn.”

“Not to mention hang and bury behind a wall.”

“Every witch in Willow Tree Falls is vulnerable, even more so now the angels think they’ve solved this. They won’t lift a finger to do any work. Our killer could be out there right this second, hunting for the next victim.” I sucked in a deep breath to try to cool my anger as we walked into the quiet air of the museum.

I flinched as the peace was shattered by an ear-splitting squeal.

Cleo raced across the foyer and grabbed Wiggles, wrapping both arms around him and lifting him off the ground. “Puppy! You’ve come home. I knew I’d convince you to come and stay.”

Wiggles struggled in her grip as she spun him around. “You’ve got it wrong, sister. I’m not moving in.”

Cleo’s gaze went to me as she continued to squish Wiggles. “Hey, Tempest. I heard about Isadora.”

“That’s what I’m here to talk about,” I said.

“It’s so sad. She was a nice lady. We had lovely chats about the past.”

“It’s a shame she’s gone,” I said, shoving down the last of my anger as the calming feel of the museum slid over me.

“I hope the museum won’t remain shut for much longer,” Cleo said. “All this beautiful history needs to be shown off.”

“Mannie plans to open it by the end of the week,” I said. “And the angels think they have everything sorted.”

Cleo lowered Wiggles to the ground. She gave him one final squeeze before letting him go. “He’s such a beautiful puppy.”

Wiggles bounded away, his red-eyed glare fixed on Cleo as he disappeared into an exhibit room.

“He is that. Do you mind me asking where you were yesterday afternoon?” I asked Cleo. “I’m checking everybody’s alibi, given what happened with Isadora.”

“Of course. You must find out who did this. I was here with Jonah. I think he likes me. He was being very flirty.” Cleo giggled. “He’s cute, as well. Do you know if he’s single?”

Cleo’s alibi would be easy enough to check with Jonah. “He seems committed to his work. I’m not sure he has much time for love.”

“Being committed to work is a good thing,” Cleo said. “It’s good to be involved with someone who has ambition. I dated a history professor once. He was cute in a nerdy kind of way. He had an interesting fetish for ancient Greek statues. Do you know the ones I mean, the ones with the women whose togas have slid down revealing their figures?”

“I think I know what you mean.” I tilted my head. “What was his fetish?”

“Well, he never confessed anything to me.” Cleo glanced around and leaned closer. “One evening, I found him standing by a statue with his pants around his ankles. He was—”

An enraged squeak was followed by the sound of hissing.

I spun on my heel to see Wiggles racing across the foyer. He was followed by three black fluffy blurs.

“Oh, look! Wiggles is making friends with my familiars.” Cleo clapped her hands. “That’s so lovely. I want them to be lifelong friends, so he can visit all the time.”

Wiggles’ paws skidded on the shiny floor as he rounded the corner and bolted toward a back room, the cats in hot pursuit. It didn’t look like they were trying to make friends. Cleo’s familiars wanted blood.

“Are you sure you can’t loan him to me for a few days?” Cleo asked. “He’s such a cute little thing.”

“I’m not sure Wiggles is up for being loaned,” I said. “And between you and me, he can be difficult to live with. He’s got a problem with gas and doesn’t understand boundaries when it comes to looting your trash. He’s also obsessed with pillows.”

“But he’s such a sweetie. I can’t imagine he’d be any problem,” Cleo said. “I’ve even got him an outfit. It comes with a hat and boots.”

“Wiggles will love that.” I repressed a smile. Wiggles would rather shave off his fur than be seen dead in any item of clothing, other than his bow ties.

I winced as there were several loud crashes from the room Wiggles and the cats had raced into.

Cleo bit her lip. “I hope everything’s okay. Does your puppy know how to play with familiars?”

“He’s not a big fan of cats,” I said.

“Get off me, you mangy beasts.” Wiggles yelped, and more things crashed to the floor.

“My familiars are three hundred years old,” Cleo said. “They’ve seen it all.”

“Three hundred years old!”

“They’re my eternal familiars. I got them from my granny when she passed. Old power from the Far East runs through their veins. They can tell you a story or two, when they decide to speak, in your head and usually when you’re asleep. It gave me a fright the first time they all spoke to me. They talk about mice a lot and good places to use as a bathroom. And they often debate the merits of puddle water over tap water.”

“That sounds intense.” I hurried to the back room as something smashed on the floor. I poked my head inside.

The three cats sat at the bottom of a display of witches’ hats. Somehow, Wiggles had gotten wedged on top of the tall display case, his butt hanging out and his back legs flailing.

“I didn’t think you could jump high,” I said to him.

“It’s amazing what you can do when you’re motivated.” Wiggles grunted and squirmed some more. “Get those crazy cats away from me.”

The cats hissed and narrowed their green eyes at him.

I stepped closer. “Cleo thinks they’re making friends.”

“If I need any more friends, I’ll let them know.” Wiggles squirmed on his belly, but he seemed well and truly stuck between the ceiling and the glass top of the cabinet.

I inched toward the cats. They turned on me, their hackles raised and eyes flashing with fury.

I raised my hands slowly. “I come in peace, fur balls. I need to rescue my hellhound before you make him your next meal.”

The cats eyed me suspiciously as I inched around them to the display case.

I saw my family name in the next display case and paused to take a look. “Hey! This exhibit is all about our family.” I peered at the huge family tree that branched off in all directions. “I’m on here.”

“What about me?” Wiggles asked.

“You’re not a blood relative,” I said.

“I’m the closest thing you’ve got to a child,” Wiggles said. “I should be on there.”

“I’ll make that suggestion.” I tilted my head as I studied Wiggles’ position. “I’m not sure how I can get you off there.”

“You’ll have to pull me out. My belly’s gotten wedged.”

“Too many cupcakes,” I muttered as I wrapped my hands around his hips and pulled gently.

He slid back an inch but stopped. “Get those mangy cats out of here before I get down. I need a head start, so they don’t catch me.”

The cats all hissed as if they understood what he’d said. Maybe they did. Three hundred-year-old familiars must come with a hefty whack of power.

“Hold on.” I grabbed a chair from the corner and stood on it. Up higher, I could grab a handful of warm, soft belly. I tugged on Wiggles again.

He popped out, his legs flailing as he flipped in the air. I grabbed hold of him before he hit the floor and hugged him to me.

The cats jumped to their feet and stalked toward me, their murderous gaze on Wiggles. I jumped off the chair and backed away quickly. “There’s no trouble here. We’re leaving. Don’t kill us.”

“Blast them with magic,” Wiggles grumbled. “Evil little critters.”

“Don’t antagonize the ancient powerful familiars,” I muttered.

“I’m not scared of them.”

“You should be. They want to destroy you. I think they probably could.” I hurried back into the foyer where Cleo stood, a concerned look on her face.

“Sorry about my girls. They can be feisty,” she said. “I hope they didn’t hurt you, puppy.”

“You need to put leashes on them,” Wiggles said. “They’re out of control.”

An angry hiss had me speeding to the door, Wiggles still in my arms. The cats clearly hated the idea of being given a harness and a leash.

I turned before we left the museum. “Where’s the rest of Isadora’s team? Is no one else working here?”

“I saw them all earlier,” Cleo said. “They’re staying at the house for now. They seemed a bit bemused. Since Isadora hired them, they’re technically out of work. They’re trying to figure out what to do next. I think Seth’s setting up a memorial promotion for the book. He dazzled me with information, and I lost the thread when he talked about live chats and multi-channel social media options. It’s something to do with capitalizing on tragedy so no one loses out.”

Capitalizing on tragedy? Seth was a piece of work.

The cats advanced menacingly toward us. “Thanks, Cleo. It was nice to see you.” I nodded at the evil cats. “You too, fur balls.” I raced out and swiftly shut the door behind us before kneeling and letting go of Wiggles.

He shook out his fur and glared at the closed door. “We’re never going back in there again.”

I checked the door was shut tight. “I don’t know. I’ve always been fond of cats. Maybe we can get a kitten.”

“No cats. I’m the only pet in your life. You don’t need anybody else. And I do not share treats.”

I smiled as we walked away. “Fair enough. It looks like Cleo and Jonah are in the clear for Isadora’s murder. All I need to do is confirm that she was with Jonah yesterday afternoon and we can tick them off the list.”

“Cleo still doesn’t have a great alibi for Gretel’s murder,” Wiggles said. “Didn’t she say she was sleeping with her mangy moggies?”

“She did,” I said. “And Cleo wasn’t entirely honest with how Gretel had treated her. But I still don’t get the sense she’s a killer.”

“It’s her cats then,” Wiggles said. “I can imagine them skulking in the shadows in the dead of night and taking down innocent victims. I bet they’d use their dark powers to frame someone else while they sit back, lick their paws, and plot their next evil deed.”

“They were on the scary side.” I slowed and turned away from the main street. “Let’s head to the house and see how Isadora’s team is feeling about her death. And we need to find out where they all were when she died.”

Someone out there was a killer, and we needed to find out who it was before they struck again.

Chapter 18

The door in front of me opened, and Seth looked out. He smiled when he saw me and Wiggles.

“We figured you’d be by soon enough. The angels told us about Isadora.” Seth turned and gestured for me to follow him.

I walked into the house and along the hallway. “That must have been a shock for you. I’m sorry for your loss.”

“I’m hoping it won’t be too bad for business.”

“Bad for business?”

Seth turned, and his gaze ran over me. “That’s why I’m here. Isadora was a client, not a friend.”

Yep, it had just been confirmed. Seth was a Grade A piece of dirt. I followed him into the lounge to discover Lotus packing a bag. She glanced up, and her gaze narrowed as she saw Seth.

Wiggles took one look at the tense situation and trotted off toward the kitchen.

“Lotus, sweetheart, there’s no need to do that.” Seth walked over, his hand held out.

She backed away from him. “There’s every reason.”

“You’re leaving?” I asked her.

She shrugged. “There’s no point in staying. Isadora’s dead. I have no boss. Besides, I was leaving anyway.”

I was out of time when it came to playing nicely. “You have a good reason for wanting Isadora dead.”

“What are you talking about?” Seth tried to place an arm around Lotus’ shoulder, but she shrugged him off and moved away.

“It’s true, isn’t it?” I said to her. “You were angry with Isadora.”

Lotus’ shoulders sagged. “If only she’d stood up for me. All I needed was help to get rid of a problem.” Her gaze drifted to Seth. “Just for her to intervene once. To lift her nose from her own obsession and help. If she’d done that, I’d have stayed. I enjoy my work. I don’t want to leave.”

“I have no clue what’s going on here,” Seth said. “If you have a problem, you can talk to me. We share everything.”

“You’re the problem, loser. Lotus is talking about you,” I said. “She’s sick of you sleazing on her. She’s not into you.”

Seth’s eyes widened. “Of course she is! I’m planning to be with Lotus for a long time.”

Lotus glared at him. “Not if I have any say in it.”

I focused on Seth. “You lied to me the first time we talked. You told me you were in a serious relationship with Lotus, and you’re planning to get married.”

Seth’s lips thinned. “I told you that in confidence. It was meant to be a surprise for Lotus.”

Lotus snorted a laugh. “I’d never marry you. Tempest is right. Isadora saw you hassling me, and I asked her to help me. She turned her back. She walked away. That’s why I was mad with her.”

“She knows what you’re like.” Seth touched Lotus’ arm. “You’re scared of committing to me. You shouldn’t be. We’re right for each other.”

Lotus scowled at him. “I wouldn’t date you if you were the last guy on Earth. We’re not, and have never been, in a relationship.”

“You’re upset because of what happened to Isadora. You’re not making any sense.”

“Where were you yesterday afternoon?” I asked Lotus.

“She was with me.” Seth stood next to Lotus. “We were together most of the day.”

Lotus sighed and shook her head. “No, we weren’t. You kept hassling me, and I kept telling you to get lost.”

He grabbed her shoulders and turned her toward him. “Think carefully about what you say next. Isadora was murdered yesterday afternoon. Tempest is looking for her killer. You need a strong alibi, or you could be in trouble.”

“What you need to do is tell the truth,” I said. “Where were you both yesterday afternoon?”

Lotus shook Seth’s hands off her shoulders and stepped away from him again. “I wasn’t doing anything. Isadora wasn’t around after about ten o’clock that morning. It wasn’t unusual for her to disappear without telling anyone. She’d often squirrel herself away and focus on her work. Isadora could get lost in her research and forget to tell anyone where she was. I didn’t worry when she wasn’t back for lunch. I was here most of the day. I went out a couple of times to stretch my legs but didn’t see Isadora.”

“Which means you have no alibi,” Seth said. “I can be your alibi. Let me help you. If you don’t, you’ll find yourself behind bars.”

Lotus crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m innocent. I’m not involved. I don’t need an alibi.”

“You absolutely do,” Seth said. He turned to me. “I was here with Lotus. She doesn’t always know I’m around, but I’m always watching her.”

I grimaced. That wasn’t at all creepy. “You were both in the house at the time of Isadora’s death?”

Lotus scowled at Seth before nodding. “I didn’t go anywhere near the stone circle yesterday. And yes, I was angry with Isadora. She did the wrong thing, but I’d made my decision to leave. I was moving on. There was no reason for me to kill her.”

“Tempest, believe me. Lotus was here,” Seth said. “And don’t listen to her nonsense about us not being in a relationship. She’s just stubborn and loves her independence.”

“Give up on this dumb fantasy of yours!” Lotus shouted. “I don’t love you. We’re not together. And when I’m gone, don’t you dare follow me, or I’ll stake you.”

“I’ll follow you wherever you go,” Seth said, seeming undeterred by Lotus’ threat to puncture him with a wooden stake.

“You realize that’s called stalking,” I said. “Lotus has made it clear she doesn’t like you. Back off, or you’ll be the one behind bars.”

“What for?” Seth sounded genuinely surprised.

“For being a sleazebag,” I said.

Lotus nodded. “I’d rather tell the truth and have a lousy alibi than be vulnerable to Seth’s advances because I owe him a favor.”

Seth’s jaw dropped. “I’d never hold this over you. I give you this alibi willingly.”

“I know what you’re like,” Lotus said. “You still remind me of the time you loaned me some money. Even though I paid you back in full and on time, you still mention it, trying to get me to be nice to you because you did me a favor. That was the first and last time I asked you for anything.”

He looked aggrieved. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ve forgotten all about that loan.”

Though Lotus didn’t have a great alibi, I believed she was telling the truth. It would have been simple for her to accept Seth’s alibi. If she was guilty, she’d have grabbed onto it, but she’d made the more difficult choice.

“What about you, Seth?” I asked. “Where were you yesterday afternoon?”

He scrubbed his chin. “Right here, as I said.”

“Watching me.” Lotus shuddered her gaze on Seth. “You have to see how weird that is.”

“It’s not weird. I need to watch you to make sure you’re safe.”

“From what?” Lotus asked. “I have one of the safest jobs in the world. I sit reading books all day.”

“Some of those books can be heavy,” Seth said.

Lotus threw her hands up in exasperation. “I give up. I’m packing my bag and leaving.” She stomped out of the room and up the stairs, slamming a door behind her.

“Lotus! Wait!” Seth went to follow her.

I grabbed his arm and yanked him back. “Leave Lotus alone.”

His top lip curled, exposing his fangs. “Keep out of this, witch.”

“Not a chance.” I shoved him away. “Lotus doesn’t want you. Stay here. I’ll make sure she’s okay.” I hurried after her. Lotus couldn’t leave. I needed to keep everyone here until these murders had been figured out.

I opened the door I’d seen Lotus go through and eased it shut behind me. “How are you doing?”

Lotus stood by her bed, her hands on her hips and her back turned to me. “I’ve been better.”

“Don’t leave. Not yet. We have to find out who murdered Gretel and Isadora.”

She spun toward me, tears in her eyes. “I promise this has nothing to do with me. They were complicated women and obsessed with their work, but I didn’t want either of them dead.” Her gaze drifted over my shoulder. “Seth, on the other hand. The day he’s permanently out of my life is one I’ll celebrate.”

“I see what a problem he is. There are laws to protect you against being stalked.”

“I’ve talked to the angels about it. But Seth’s always so charming and convincing. He makes everyone believe I’m the neurotic one who’s a commitment phobe. I’ve never once suggested to Seth that there’s a chance of a relationship between us. He’s obsessed with me. It’s unhealthy, and it’s not natural. I’m sick of it.”

“Is he like that with everything?” I asked. “Does Seth get that obsessed with his work? Everything has to turn out the way he wants, no matter what he has to do to make that happen.”

“You think Seth killed Isadora and Gretel because of a work glitch?” Lotus shook her head. “He’s not a killer. He doesn’t have the stomach for it.”

“Gretel was putting together a case against Isadora and her work. Seth was dealing with the legal issues and trying to find a way out of it.”

Lotus’ eyes widened. “I didn’t know that. What was the problem?”

“I’m not sure of the details. You’ve not heard anything about this? Isadora didn’t mention her concerns?”

“No! This is news to me.”

“Someone overheard Seth talking about dealing with the problem. It wasn’t long after that, that Gretel died.”

Lotus blinked rapidly. “I don’t know. I mean, Seth’s always working to get what he wants, and he normally gets it. But why would he kill Isadora? Her book will make him wealthy.”

“Isadora was struggling with her work. Was she stressed about anything?”

Lotus brushed her fingers across her lips. “We were all being careful around her because she seemed a bit fragile. Apart from Seth, who never gets the hint when someone’s unhappy. Jonah had even been treating Isadora to fancy food from Bite Me and trying to get her to take more breaks to see if that would help.”

“Isadora was worried her new book would fail and was stressed about her new project. Was Seth unhappy with what she was working on?”

“I can’t see why he’d have a problem,” Lotus said. “I’ve done a little research on it myself. It’s a follow-up to this book, focusing on powerful witch families and the evolution of their magic. That wouldn’t bother Seth. I expect he saw dollar signs when he heard about the proposal. He could imagine it being another bestseller. He wouldn’t block that by killing Isadora.”

“The angels have a theory that Isadora might have killed herself,” I said.

Lotus scraped her hands through her short hair. “No, she’d never do that. Isadora had so many plans for future publications. She had too much to live for. I can’t believe she killed herself. And, although I despise Seth, I can’t believe he’s involved. He watches me all the time. He thinks I don’t know, but I feel those creepy eyes staring at my back.”

“And you felt that yesterday? He was watching you?”

She tilted her head. “Not for definite, but he’s never far away.”

I nodded. I wasn’t as certain that Seth was innocent. He’d shown himself to be dangerously obsessed with Lotus, living in a fantasy in his head about them marrying and settling down, despite Lotus making it clear she hated him. What else had he imagined? That Gretel was planning to ruin his career? Isadora would fire him, so he’d lose all his money? Maybe he even believed they’d wanted to hurt him, so he’d struck first?

His alibi for Gretel’s murder was also not solid. He could have slipped out of the Ancient Imp for half an hour and murdered her. And as for his alibi for the time of Isadora’s murder, he was lurking in the shadows where no one could see him, watching Lotus. Again, he could have suspended stalking duties to go murder Isadora.

“Are you going to be okay with Seth?” I asked Lotus.

“I’ll be fine. I’m so used to him being a lecherous creep, I’m almost immune to it. And after everything that’s happened here, I’m glad to be leaving. I won’t leave a forwarding address with Seth, no matter how much he begs.”

“Stick around for as long as you can,” I said. “I think someone who worked with Isadora and Gretel is involved in their deaths. You might remember something that leads to their arrest.”

Lotus pressed her lips together but nodded. “I can wait around for a while. I’ll help if I can, but I can’t imagine who would do this.”

“Thanks.” I hurried out of her room. I could. I needed to speak to Seth.

Chapter 19

As I walked back into the lounge, I looked around. There was no sign of Seth.

“Wiggles!”

He appeared in the kitchen doorway a few seconds later, chewing on something. “What’s up?”

“Have you seen Seth?”

“There are no smarmy half-vampires present in the kitchen.”

“Search upstairs for him,” I said. “We have to speak to Seth. I think he could be our killer.”

Wiggles finished his mouthful and bounded up the stairs as I searched the rooms downstairs.

I checked the study, the kitchen, the living room, and a downstairs bathroom. Seth was nowhere to be found.

I met Wiggles back in the living room. “Any sign of him?”

“He’s not upstairs,” Wiggles said.

“He’s gone on the run. Seth tried to use Lotus as an alibi for Isadora’s murder. She refused to play ball, leaving him exposed to more questioning. We need to lean on him, see what he knows. He won’t have gotten far.” I hurried to the front door. “Let’s find this sneaky half-vampire and get him to talk.”

We raced out of the house. I looked around to see if I could see Seth walking along the lane. There was no sign of him.

I hurried toward the stores, wondering if he was planning an exit through the magic barrier. I’d be able to spot him from the end of the lane if we were quick.

I slowed as I reached Aurora’s store and saw Jonah heading inside. “Wiggles, try to pick up Seth’s scent out here. See which direction he’s going. I’m going to speak with Jonah, see if he’s seen Seth.”

Wiggles nodded and snuffled on the ground.

I hurried into Heaven’s Door and stopped on the dirty welcome mat. The store normally had a warm, welcoming environment, but the air felt cold, and half the shelves were empty. I was so shocked by how unfriendly the store felt that I forgot for a second why I’d come in.

“Tempest!” Aurora’s eyes widened when she saw me. “I’ve been so worried about you ever since you raced out of our house.”

“Our house?” My eyes widened. “You and Toby are living together?”

Her smile faded. “We’re getting married. I don’t see anything wrong with us sharing a home before our wedding.”

I looked around the store, noticing Jonah studying a bottle and trying not to listen to our conversation. “Are you renovating?”

“No, why do you ask?”

“It looks like you’re having a closing down sale. You never have empty shelves.”

Aurora waved a hand in the air. “It’s nothing, just a delay in getting new stock.”

My eyes narrowed. I didn’t believe her. But at least if she was here, she was away from Toby’s influence. I checked and was relieved to see Aurora wore her magic eraser pendant.

Jonah glanced up from the herbs he held, his expression glum.

I had to focus on the task in hand. Catching a killer. I walked over to Jonah. “Have you seen Seth pass by the store?”

He shook his head. “I haven’t seen him since this morning.”

“I need to talk to him about Isadora.”

Jonah sighed, and his gaze lowered. “I can’t believe what’s happened. We’ve been working side-by-side for such a long time. I considered her like family.” He scrubbed a hand over his eyes.

“This must be hard for you,” I said.

He nodded. “That’s why I’m here. I need something to help calm my nerves.”

“Those herbs won’t help you.” Aurora walked over and patted Jonah’s arm. “You need something to help with your shock and the grief you’re experiencing.”

“I need to ask you some questions,” I said to Jonah.

“Not now,” Aurora said. “Can’t you see he’s upset?”

I took a step back, surprised by the sharpness in her voice. “I understand that, but there’s a killer on the loose in the village, and we need to find them.”

“Then go and look for your killer,” Aurora said. “Stop bothering my customers.”

What was wrong with her? She had to know I needed to talk to everyone who knew Isadora. Jonah had been Isadora’s right-hand man for years. He probably knew her better than anybody else.

I chose to ignore Aurora. “Jonah, what’s your opinion of Seth?”

Aurora tutted and crossed her arms over her chest. “Ignore my heartless sister. Let’s get you some spells to help you relax.”

“Thanks,” Jonah said as he followed Aurora to the counter.

I hurried after them. “Seth might be involved in these murders.”

Jonah turned and stared at me. “Really?”

“Has he done anything to make you suspicious of him? Anything that makes you think he planned to get Gretel and Isadora out of the way?”

“He’s very determined when he wants something. Seth doesn’t treat Lotus very well,” Jonah said. “He’s obsessed with her. He’s upset her several times. I warned him off once or twice, but he said she was being stubborn and didn’t want their relationship to go public.”

“You believed him?”

“I wasn’t sure what to make of their relationship. Most of the time, I’m too busy with Isadora to think about it. I’d often see them talking, and Lotus never seemed happy, but some relationships are like that. Some couples love to fight. If you intervene, they turn on you.”

“Seth’s part of the reason Lotus is leaving,” I said.

Jonah shook his head. “I know there’s some problem he’s hiding about the book. It was one of the things Isadora was stressing about. She’d heard Seth sending a message via his snow globe, something about needing the court summons to go away. When she quizzed him about it, he said it was nothing and he was sorting it out.”

“Isadora didn’t believe him?”

“She was torn about what to do. A part of her was worried and wanted to learn more, but she was already focused on her new book.”

“Would Isadora have investigated the problem herself and found out what Seth was concealing?”

Jonah rubbed his chin. “It’s possible. She was an independent woman, never scared to face a difficult problem.”

“That’s enough questions,” Aurora said. “Jonah, try this tincture. Place three drops under your tongue and leave it for a moment. If it’s effective, you should feel better.”

I waited, my foot tapping as Jonah tried the tincture. I could tell from the glare on Aurora’s face that she wasn’t happy I was there. She’d have to suck it up. I had to do this.

“Tell me about your movements yesterday,” I said to Jonah. “When did you see Isadora last?”

Aurora sucked in a breath. “Tempest, show some care. Jonah’s grieving for someone he cared about. You should be more sensitive.”

“And you should stop getting in my way when I’m trying to figure out who killed two witches in our village.”

We glared at each other, neither one willing to back down.

Jonah shuffled his feet. “It’s okay. I don’t mind answering questions. Not if it helps you figure out what happened to Isadora.”

I quirked an eyebrow at Aurora. “Thanks, Jonah. Your help is appreciated.”

He nodded. “I saw her mid-morning, around eleven. Isadora said she needed time to work on new material. She told me to take a long lunch and come back in the afternoon.”

“What did you do for your long lunch?”

“I went to the museum. I saw Cleo, and we chatted.”

“What did you talk about?”

“Tempest,” Aurora warned. “That’s enough.”

I kept my gaze focused on Jonah. Every time Aurora prodded me, I felt a flutter of Frank’s energy. He was noticing her, and that meant trouble for everyone.

“Nothing important. We had a look at the exhibits and talked about places we’d visited. I like Cleo. She’s quirky and cute.”

That tallied with what Cleo had told me to support her whereabouts at the time of Isadora’s murder. “Did you think it was odd when Isadora didn’t show up as planned?”

Jonah shook his head. “It’s not unusual for her to disappear so she won’t be disturbed. She’s a classic introvert. She can’t work if there is any noise or distractions. Even me coming into the room can annoy her when she’s focused. It was getting late, and I was beginning to wonder where she was when I heard the awful news.” He sniffed and looked away.

Aurora patted the back of his hand. “How are you feeling?”

“I don’t think the tincture is working,” Jonah said. “Have you got anything stronger?”

“Of course.” Aurora turned and rifled through her shelves. “I’m out of stock of lemon balm and valerian powder. That would have done the trick. We can try camomile tea and a spell of calm.” She turned from the shelves. “I’ll heat the water and you can drink it here, so I can monitor its effectiveness.”

Aurora’s look was full of warning as she glanced at me before heading out the back.

“Do you think Seth’s capable of murder?” I asked Jonah.

His head jerked back. “I don’t know. I mean I don’t know him all that well. He’s good at what he does, but I’m always wary around vampires.”

“How much money was Seth making by doing this job?”

“Fifty thousand,” Jonah said. “I handled the paperwork for Isadora when he came on board. Seth’s also getting a percentage of the profits from the sale of Isadora’s book and from her speaking engagements. That could easily add another hundred thousand to his deal. He was going to be wealthy, thanks to her.”

“He won’t see much of that money if the book can’t be launched as planned.”

Jonah nodded. “Seth will get his flat fee but won’t get as much money if the book flops. He’d want this to be a success, just like all of us.”

That left me with a puzzle. If Seth had killed Isadora, he was killing off his source of income. He needed this book launch to be a success. There was the possibility that Isadora’s death would make her more famous. She could be like those starving artists who created masterpieces that no one bought, then when they died, their work sold for millions. Was that what Seth had been thinking when he’d killed Isadora? She was worth more to him dead than alive?

“Do you really think Seth’s involved in these murders?” Jonah asked. “He’s not dangerous to be around, is he?”

“He’s not at the house. He left after I questioned him about his alibi, which is why I’m suspicious of him. If you see him, make sure you’re not alone. I don’t think you’re his target, but he might not be finished yet. If he’s going to kill anyone else, I think it will be another witch.”

“Of course. If I see him, I’ll let you know,” Jonah said. “What if he comes back to the house when I’m there?”

“Don’t let him know that you’re worried,” I said. “Get out and find me or an angel.”

Aurora stomped back into the store and passed a mug to Jonah. “Drink that.”

“Thanks.” Jonah sipped from the mug.

“Tempest, it’s time you left.”

“You’re throwing me out of your store?”

Aurora nodded. “You’ve interrogated Jonah enough. The poor man is upset. He needs to be in a relaxed environment to help deal with his feelings, not be harangued by you.”

“I’m trying to help.” Frank’s energy curled up my spine as my anger grew.

Aurora raised her chin. “Where’s the dress?”

“What dress?”

“The bridesmaid’s dress you’re wearing on my wedding day. You ran out of the house still wearing it. I need it back to complete the alterations, not that you deserve to be my bridesmaid, the way you’re acting.”

A trickle of guilt ran through me. “Oh, it’s at my apartment.” Lying in a heap in the corner with a rip in it and covered in mud. “I’ll get it back to you soon.”

Aurora’s eyes narrowed. “We don’t have long until the big day.”

“You haven’t even told me when you’re getting married,” I said.

Aurora’s eyebrows shot up. “I have. We talked about it at the house. When you showed up and apologized and said you wanted me to be happy, I was overjoyed. I thought we’d put this nonsense behind us.”

“We’ll put this nonsense behind us when you wake up to what Toby’s really like.” Frank shoved up my spine, his dark, sticky power seeking out Aurora.

Aurora blinked at me rapidly. “You know what he’s like. You hugged Toby and said all was forgiven. You were sorry for being so pig-headed and thinking badly of him.”

I pressed my lips together. Toby deserved to feel some serious pain for making me do that. I had no recollection of that and no memory of Aurora telling me when their wedding was. For all I knew, they might be getting married at the weekend. This had to stop. I had to put an end to this madness.

“Get the dress back to me tomorrow,” Aurora said. “I must make sure everything is on track. Getting married is stressful enough without you throwing up roadblocks and trying to ruin my happiness.”

I leaned across the counter, fury spiking through me as Frank’s energy continued to grow. “Sorry, little sister. I’m going to keep throwing up those roadblocks until you come to your senses. Toby’s bad for you. Toby’s deceiving you. Until you see that, I’m going to stand in your way. You’re never getting married to that low life.”

Aurora glowered at me and pointed at the door. “Then you’re not welcome here, and you’re not welcome at our wedding.”

I sucked in a breath, and Frank tickled the back of my neck. I had to get out of here before the argument spiraled out of control and Frank broke free. I couldn’t decide if he was spoiling for a fight because of what Toby was doing to Aurora, or if he seriously thought he had a chance to get his demon hands on her.

“Leave,” Aurora said.

I stepped away. “I’m going.”

Jonah cast a worried look from me to Aurora. “I should leave too.”

Aurora grabbed his hand. “Stay right where you are. You’re a customer. I’m helping you.” She gave me a pointed look. “My sister is beyond saving.”

“Fine, I’m leaving.” I stamped out of the store, my nails digging into my palms and my blood boiling. I sucked in several deep breaths, pushing Frank down and getting control of my anger.

Aurora was so stubborn and blinded by Toby. How could she not see what he was doing to her? I rolled my shoulders, angry that Toby had driven such a wedge between us.

I spotted Wiggles trotting toward me. I had to focus on the immediate problem. The killer on the loose in Willow Tree Falls. That was something I could deal with.

“Any sign of Seth?” I asked.

“No. I couldn’t find any new scent trails, although vampires don’t always smell of much.” Wiggles tilted his head. “Everything okay? You look flushed.”

“Sure. No problems here.” At least, there wouldn’t be once I’d solved the Toby Matlock issue.

I had a killer to find, and Seth was in the frame.

There was only one way to find that out for sure. I had to find where he was hiding and force a confession out of him. The mood I was in, I felt ready to inflict some vigorous forcing.

Chapter 20

I’d been hunting for Seth all afternoon, and there was still no sign of him. Why did everyone keep disappearing on me?

Frustrated, with aching feet and a rumbling belly, I headed to the angels to give them an update.

The reception was empty, so I walked into the back room with Wiggles.

The place was almost deserted, other than two angels who had their feet up on the desks.

Sablo strolled in from the kitchen with a tray of takeout food in her hands. She slowed when she saw me. “I wasn’t expecting you.”

“Surprise! I have a new suspect for you to chase,” I said.

“Is there enough food to share?” Wiggles hurried over to Sablo and sat at her feet.

She glared down at him. “No, there’s not. We only ordered in for three.”

“Those look like big portions,” Wiggles said. “I’m sure you won’t manage it all. I hate to see food go to waste.”

Sablo placed the tray on a high filing cabinet. “There’s nothing for you.” She looked at me. “Who’s your new suspect? I thought this mystery was solved.”

“Not by me. I’m worried about Seth Fellows. I went to the house to speak to Lotus, and Seth was there. He tried to fake an alibi and claimed he’d been with Lotus at the time Isadora was murdered. She revealed his lie. When I went to talk to him about it, he’d gone. I haven’t seen him since.”

Sablo leaned against a desk and crossed her arms. “That doesn’t make him guilty. I still think this note left by Isadora is significant. She killed Gretel and felt too guilty to carry on.”

“Seth doesn’t have an alibi for Isadora’s murder, and he could have murdered Gretel. He has a lot riding on the book launch. If it goes wrong, he’ll lose a lot of money.”

“He’s also a stalker.” Wiggles’ gaze hadn’t left the food tray. “He’s after Lotus, even though she wants nothing to do with him.”

I nodded. “Seth isn’t a stable guy.”

Sablo picked up a french fry and popped it in her mouth. “I’m not buying this theory. Not when it’s all sorted. Why go causing problems?”

Wiggles whined and raised a paw.

“You have to help me look for Seth,” I said. “He’s behind these murders.”

“No, we’ve got this.” Sablo dangled a french fry in the air before snatching it away from Wiggles. “I’ll leave the investigation open until Dazielle returns, but I’m making a case for Isadora killing Gretel, just as you originally thought.”

“If I admit I was wrong about Isadora, will you keep investigating?”

Sablo smirked. “It’s tempting. It’s rare to hear Tempest Crypt admit she messed up.”

I gritted my teeth. “I’ll do it. Willow Tree Falls isn’t a safe place right now.”

Sablo tilted her head from side to side. “I disagree.”

“There’s still a killer on the loose,” I said. “A killer who’ll keep attacking witches until they’ve fulfilled their sick fantasy.”

“You’ve got no proof of that. It’s a coincidence that the ducking stool and rocks were used.”

It was too much of a coincidence for my liking. “Give me one angel. Even Dominic will do.” He always did what I told him.

“Dominic is busy.”

“Let me guess. He’s making more angel balls.”

“Nothing so important. Besides, his balls always come out lumpy.”

“So, you can spare him?”

“Not for this.”

I turned on my heel. I was done with these dumb bags of feathers. “Enjoy your food.” I hoped they choked on it. Without Dazielle cracking the whip, the angels had gotten lazy. But I wasn’t giving up.

I got to the door and realized Wiggles wasn’t with me. He’d do anything to get his paws on takeout food. “Wiggles! We’re leaving.”

A moment later, he raced after me, a sullen look on his face. “They wouldn’t even give me one lousy french fry. Did you see how piled those plates were? All I wanted was one french fry.”

“We can have french fries later. We need to find Seth.”

“We’ve looked everywhere. He’s not coming out now he knows you’re onto him.”

“Then we’ll stake out the house,” I said. “He has to come back at some point. He won’t have forgotten about Lotus that easily. I bet he’ll try to convince her to run away with him.”

“A stakeout,” Wiggles said. “That always involves food. All goods stakeouts have plenty of food to keep you awake. I read about that in my private investigator manual.”

I smirked. “Does your PI manual say what kind of food we need to get?”

Wiggles bounced around me. “Pizza!”

I shrugged, still angry with the angels, but I could do with something to eat. I’d also had pizza on my mind ever since talking to Lotus. “How about Mystic Mushroom?”

Wiggles danced around me. “I knew there was a reason I kept you around.”

We didn’t have to wait long to be served, and Tate was soon boxing two large pizzas, one covered in pineapple and mushrooms for me, while Wiggles ordered a meat feast with extra meat.

“Planning a fun night in?” Tate asked as he took my money.

“Something like that,” I said.

“We’re on a stakeout,” Wiggles whispered loudly.

Tate’s eyebrows rose. “A stakeout. That’s an interesting way to spend your time. Sounds risky.”

I glared at Wiggles. Nobody needed to know what we were up to. “Ignore him. He’s been watching too many spy movies.”

Tate nodded slowly. “If you need backup on this stakeout, you know where I am.”

“Thanks, we’ll be fine.” We headed out with our pizzas and over to the house Seth was staying in.

After a few minutes of hunting for a suitable spot, we settled behind a large bush where we had a good view of anyone approaching the house.

I leaned back, resting against a tree as I made my way through my delicious pizza. Whoever said it should be illegal to have pineapple on pizza needed their head examined.

Wiggles had finished his pizza within minutes and was sitting next to me, his gaze not leaving my final slice.

“I’m worried about Aurora.”

Wiggles glanced at me. “Because of Toby?”

“I have no idea about half the things we talked about when I was in his house. They’ve set a wedding date, and I don’t know when it is. And Aurora was so spiky when I was in her store.”

“A wedding date can be unset,” Wiggles said. “As soon as you figure out what Toby’s hold is over Aurora, you can destroy him.”

“Rhett thinks Toby is after the demons. Someone’s paying him to get access to our prison and using Aurora to help do that.”

“Huh! What does Toby want with the demons?”

“Maybe nothing, but if the pay-out is large, he might be brave enough to mess with our operation. Somebody could be pulling the strings to break out a demon they want free.”

“Or maybe they want to mess with us,” Wiggles said. “Ruin the Crypt family name. What better way to do that than bust open the prison and point the finger at us for being incompetent?”

“Rhett also suggested that.” I sighed as I wiped my fingers on a paper napkin. “Why do that? Who’d want to mess with us?”

“I imagine a fair few magic users aren’t big fans,” Wiggles said. “Anyone who’s a friend of the demons won’t be a friend of ours. There are loads of demons beneath the cemetery. Some of them have friends.”

“So, they use Toby Matlock to cause us problems?”

“It’s working,” Wiggles said. “I’ve never seen you and Aurora argue so much. You used to be so close.”

I crumpled the paper napkin and tossed it into the pizza box. “We still are. We just need to get Toby out of the way, and things will be fine.”

“Easier said than done,” Wiggles said. “Pretty soon, he’s going to be your brother-in-law.”

The thought made me queasy. “Over my dead body.”

We sat in silence for an hour, my thoughts continuing to churn over the Aurora problem. There had to be a way to break Toby’s hold.

“My butt’s gone to sleep,” Wiggles said. “It doesn’t look like Seth’s going to show.”

I was also bored and getting cold. “Seth could have left something incriminating in his room. Evidence that will suggest he’s involved in these murders.”

“Are you thinking a little breaking and entering is in order?”

“It’s in a good cause.” I stood, grabbed the pizza boxes, and placed them in the nearest trash can. “It looks like nobody’s home. We haven’t seen any lights go on and off since we got here. We can be in and out in ten minutes.”

“Stealthy is my middle name,” Wiggles said. “And now I’m fueled by pizza, I’m ready to go.”

I checked the lane was clear before hurrying to the house with Wiggles. I tried the front door but wasn’t surprised to find it locked.

We headed around the side of the house. I tested each window we passed, but none of them budged. However, when we got to the back door, it wasn’t bolted. The handle turned, and we were straight into the kitchen.

I looked around the gloom and waited for any sounds of movement, but the house was quiet.

“Upstairs and straight into Seth’s room,” I whispered.

Wiggles scuttled along, his nose to the ground.

I checked in the lounge, and all was quiet. No one had been here for hours.

We raced upstairs, and after a quick check of the rooms, I figured out which one was Seth’s. It smelt like him. It had the spicy whiff of his aftershave in the air.

I checked the closet. “His clothes are still here.”

“There are loads of papers on this desk,” Wiggles said. “He hasn’t been back to pack his things.”

“Maybe he’s not coming back.” I checked through the clothing and looked in the pockets. Everything was designer and tailored to fit. Typical vampire trying to be all debonair and sophisticated.

I walked to the desk and looked through the papers he’d left out. It was mainly information on schedules of appearances for Isadora and ideas for blog tours and book signings.

On a notepad, he’d written the words legal issue resolved.

I tapped my finger on the notepad. Seth had most definitely resolved the legal issue if he’d killed Gretel.

“We should look around the other rooms while we’re here,” Wiggles said.

“Good idea.” We headed along the corridor and into the next room. “This must have been Isadora’s room. I recognize that cream pant suit on the back of the chair. She wore it on the museum’s opening night.”

I looked through her bedside cabinet, checked the closet, and went to the dressing table. Everything was there. Nothing had been packed to send to any family.

Opening a drawer of the dressing table, I found a silver locket. I opened it and saw a picture of a baby wrapped in a white blanket. “I didn’t know Isadora had kids.” I showed Wiggles the locket.

“She never mentioned kids.” Wiggles glanced at the picture. “Maybe it’s a nephew or niece.”

I snapped the locket shut and placed it back in the drawer. Next to it was a small book. I pulled it out and flipped it open. It was full of baby pictures. She had dozens of them, from the time the baby was first born until he was about six months old. I guessed it was a boy from all the blue he was dressed in.

“This must be her baby,” I said. “Why keep so many pictures if he isn’t hers? And why no toddler pictures or those cringey first day of school pictures? Every parent loves to torture their kids with them.”

Wiggles snorted a laugh. “I like the one of you on your first day of school. Your hair looks like you stuck your finger in a power socket, and you were missing a front tooth.”

I grimaced. “I’ve asked Mom to take that photo down so many times. I look like an ogre.”

Wiggles nudged me with his nose. “An adorable ogre.”

I flicked through the photos again. Someone clearly loved this baby.

“Maybe the baby died,” Wiggles said. “That’s why there are no more pictures.”

I peered closely at the photos. “He looks like Isadora. They have the same chin.”

“Someone on her team will know if Isadora has a kid,” Wiggles said. “It must be hard to hide a baby.”

“Why hide a baby at all?”

A knock on the front door made me jump, and the photo album fell from my hand. I grabbed it and shoved it into the dressing-table drawer before closing it softly. I crept to the front of the house and peered out the window.

“It’s Cleo,” I whispered to Wiggles.

“Don’t let her anywhere near me. My ribs feel bruised from the last torturous snuggling session.”

“What’s she doing here?” I peeked out at her.

“Hunting for innocent hellhounds to hassle.”

“Or looking for someone to tell her what to do. With Gretel no longer bossing her around and Isadora gone, she might be worried about her job.” I tensed as the door knob rattled but knew the door was locked.

She knocked loudly. “Jonah, it’s Cleo.”

“That’s why she’s here,” Wiggles said. “She’s looking for some hot lovin’ with Jonah.”

“Cleo said they’d been flirting when he paid her a visit at the museum.”

A hand banged against the door. “Jonah! I got worried when you didn’t show. Is everything okay?”

“It sounds like Jonah has stood her up,” Wiggles said.

“The way he spoke about Cleo when I saw him in Aurora’s store suggested that he likes her. I wonder where he is.”

“Seth’s done something to him, so he can’t talk. Could Jonah be Seth’s next victim?”

“Only if my theory is wrong. This killer is targeting witches.”

Cleo knocked a couple more times before walking away and staring up at the house.

I ducked out of the way, so she wouldn’t see me. After standing there for another minute, I saw her shrug and turn away from the house.

My gaze went to Isadora’s room. I walked back into it and took out the baby pictures again. “What if this baby was a surprise? If she’d had him young, when she was starting her career, she might have felt unable to keep him.”

“She gave her kid away?”

“Or maybe she tried to keep him, but it became too much for her. A young mom and no sign of a dad around, he’s not in any of these pictures. Isadora had her future planned out, and it didn’t include a surprise pregnancy.” I flipped through more pictures and stared at the cute chubby-faced baby with his shock of blond hair and blue eyes. “You don’t take dozens of pictures of your baby and then suddenly stop. Unless you no longer have that baby.”

“Do you think Seth is related to Isadora? Is she his secret love child?”

“Not Seth. At least, this baby looks nothing like Seth. The coloring is all wrong. Seth is pale with dark hair.”

“Unless he took most of his father’s traits,” Wiggles said.

My heart thudded. “Jonah was really upset about Isadora’s death. How old do you think Jonah is?”

“Late twenties,” Wiggles said.

“Look at these pictures.” I showed him another one of a serious-faced baby with messy blond hair. “The baby has Jonah’s chin and nose. What if Jonah is Isadora’s son?”

“She would have told us they were related,” Wiggles said. “Isadora made no mention of having a son.”

My gut clenched. “What if she didn’t know Jonah was her son? He said they’d worked together for five years. What if he’d been looking for his biological mom? Jonah discovered her and found she was looking to hire someone. He invented himself as this incredible assistant, so she’d take him on and he could get back into her life.”

“It would have been easier to tell Isadora he was her son.”

“Maybe Jonah didn’t think he could,” I said. “It must be tough on a kid to know your mom gave you up because she wanted her career more than her baby. That must hurt. He must have been worried that she’d reject him again. At least this way, he got to be in her life.”

“Jonah thought he couldn’t be in Isadora’s life as her son, so he took the job as the next best thing?”

I chewed on my bottom lip. “Maybe he didn’t come back into her life because he wanted to get to know her. Jonah came back into Isadora’s life because he was angry. She’d abandoned him as a baby. She must have given him up for adoption. That could scar a child.”

Wiggles stared at the pictures. “Jonah planned to ruin Isadora because she put her career before him?”

I nodded as I grabbed the locket and hooked it around Wiggles’ neck. “Keep this safe. It’s evidence.” I headed to the door, the photo album in my hand. “Seth isn’t our killer. It’s Jonah.”

Chapter 21

It had been hours since I’d seen Jonah at Aurora’s store, but I raced back there with Wiggles, hopeful Aurora had insisted he stay until he felt better.

The more I thought about it, the more I was convinced that Jonah was Isadora’s son. He was utterly devoted to her, and from the way he’d spoken about her, he’d do anything for Isadora.

But what if that devotion had become warped? What if Jonah had been sticking to Isadora’s side and making her dependent on him because of what she’d done when he was a baby?

Wiggles panted as we ran. “I still think Seth’s involved. He’s too sleazy to be innocent.”

“He’s a moneygrubbing jerk, but all Seth’s interested in is how much he can squeeze out of Isadora and how to convince Lotus to marry him. And, even with Isadora dead, Seth can still make money out of this deal. As Trixie suggested, people pay a lot for a first edition signed copy from a dead author.”

“I still wouldn’t trust him not to give me a nip with his vampy fangs when I’m not looking,” Wiggles said. “I vote for Seth as the killer.”

I checked the time as we approached the store. It should be open for another half an hour. Aurora had late night opening on Fridays. My hope fell as I saw the lights were off. It looked like she’d left.

“Tempest!”

I groaned as I turned and saw Mannie hurrying toward me. I could do without his interference right now.

“I’ve been trying to find you.” Mannie puffed out a breath as he stopped. “I heard worrying news from the angels. They tell me they’ve solved the case, but you’re still investigating. You’re after Seth Fellows?”

“Forget about Seth,” I said. “I’m more interested in Jonah Dragoon.”

“Jonah! He’s a charming young man,” Mannie said. “Devoted to Isadora. He’d never kill her.”

“Did you know he’s her son?”

Mannie’s eyebrows shot up. “That can’t be right. Isadora never said they were related, and she didn’t treat him like a family member. And, I don’t think she had any children. I never thought to ask.”

“I don’t know if Isadora was aware that Jonah was her son.”

Mannie shook his head. “No, you’ve got this backward. Jonah isn’t involved in this. He’s smart, hard-working—”

“And possibly a killer.”

“It’s time someone else took over this investigation. I appreciate everything you’ve done so far, but it’s best to leave it to the experts. Sablo has an interesting theory about Isadora. She thinks—”

I grabbed his waistcoat and yanked him toward me. “Mannie, they’re related. I found pictures of a baby in Isadora’s things.” I shoved the photo album I held in his face. “That baby is Jonah. He came back in her life as her doting assistant. He’s anything but that.”

Mannie looked at the crumpled waistcoat fabric scrunched in my fists. “You can’t know that.”

I shook him. “Look at the pictures. I’ve got evidence. If Jonah’s intentions were good, he wouldn’t have hidden this secret for five years. Imagine how mad you’d be if you were abandoned as a kid, all because your mom wanted to pursue a career and not have a baby under her feet.”

Mannie spluttered and wriggled in my grip. “Well, I suppose I might be upset.”

“Jonah’s more than upset. He’s raging mad. He wanted revenge. Jonah killed Gretel and Isadora, staging their murders so they looked like the pictures from his mother’s book.”

Mannie licked his lips, and his attention settled on the baby pictures. “Why would he do something so twisted?”

“We have to ask him that. But what better way to get revenge than to ruin the career his mom built up over the years? He said her books were her only love. Jonah hated Isadora’s career, so he destroyed it. And he’s not stopping. He’s going to keep killing.”

Mannie blinked up at me. “Are you absolutely certain of this? There’s no chance the angels are correct?”

“I wish they were.” I wasn’t completely sure, not until I’d confronted Jonah, but I was willing to bet Cloven Hoof on my hunch. “The last time I saw him, he was in Heaven’s Door with Aurora.” I let go of Mannie and turned back to the store.

Hurrying to the door, I tried the handle. My heart clenched as the door opened. Aurora never left the store unlocked at the end of the working day.

I swung the door open and stepped inside. My mind reeled, and I grabbed the wall for support. “What if Aurora’s next? She was being kind to Jonah when he was here. He could have taken advantage of that. He claimed he was in the store looking for something to calm his nerves, but what if he was looking for his next victim?”

“My dear, I’m sure that’s not true.” Mannie stiffly patted my back. “Even if it was, Aurora has power. She can defend herself.”

“No, she can’t. Aurora’s not herself. She’s vulnerable. Jonah could have sensed that and targeted her.” My throat tightened, and panic flooded through me. “Jonah needs another witch to re-enact the next murder from Isadora’s book.”

Mannie’s face paled, and he tugged on his beard. “What’s the next method of murder?”

I swallowed. “Burning a witch at the stake. That witch could be my sister.”

“There’s no need to panic. You don’t know for certain that’s what’s going on.”

I shoved Mannie out of the store and slammed the door shut. “We can’t take that risk. Get help. Get the angels out looking for Jonah and Aurora. I don’t care who they find first, so long as they aren’t together.”

Mannie staggered backward. “Of course. We’ll find your sister. I’ll get the angels right on it. Where will you be looking?”

“The forest. It’s the perfect place to burn a witch.”

Mannie nodded before turning and dashing away.

I sucked in a deep breath as blood pounded in my head. This couldn’t be happening. I couldn’t have left Aurora alone with a killer. If I hadn’t been so wound up about her relationship with Toby, I would have spotted something was off with Jonah and stopped him. What if I was too late? What if he’d already killed her?

“Less thinking, more action,” Frank growled in my head. His energy spiraled up to my neck and prickled across my skin.

I didn’t even try to stop him from coming through. I needed everyone on my side if we were to hunt down Jonah and save Aurora.

“Let’s go, Wiggles.” I had to hope I could control Frank’s rage, and his desire to rescue Aurora from Jonah would beat down his own lust to see her life drain away.

Wiggles sped along beside me as we raced away from the store.

“We will gut this monster.” Frank’s words rumbled through my head.

I tried to clear my panicked thoughts and figure out where Jonah would go. The forest wasn’t big, but it would take too long to search without backup. Sweat ran down my back as Frank’s energy pounded through me. He lingered just below the surface, ready to burst through.

I had to keep a sliver of control over him as we hunted for Jonah and Aurora. If Frank was pulling the punches when we found them, I wouldn’t be able to protect Aurora.

We dashed through the trees, yelling Aurora’s name.

I heard the sound of someone groaning and changed direction. Leaping around a bush, my fist raised ready to strike, I stopped. It was Fallon. She lay on the ground, blood seeping from a head wound and her eyes glazed.

“He got me,” she whispered. “He was so fast.”

I caught hold of her arm. “Can you stand?”

Fallon nodded as she staggered to her feet and touched her head injury.

“Did you see Aurora?”

She rocked back and forth unsteadily and groaned. “I’m dying.”

“No, you’re not.” I steadied her, keeping my frustration in check but only just. “Think, have you seen Aurora in the forest?”

Fallon rested the back of her hand against her forehead. “There was a pretty blonde witch slung over this beast’s shoulder. I halted him and demanded to know what he was doing.”

“What did he do to you?”

“I’m not certain, but it hurt. I remember opening my eyes and finding myself on my back, having been knocked out cold. He must have dragged me behind the bush to conceal his evil deed.” Fallon sank to the ground. “No one has ever beaten me before. I’ve failed my forest. If I wasn’t dying, I would insist I get cast out for incompetence and forced to live in the bog lands of Tanith Mure.”

“You weren’t to know who you were dealing with. Jonah isn’t a stable guy.” I kept hold of Fallon’s arm. “Which way did they go?”

She raised a trembling arm. “So, that’s the monster’s name. He went through the trees in that direction.”

“Show us,” I said. “He’s got my sister.”

Fallon nodded and stumbled a couple of steps before falling to her knees. “I can’t walk. Leave me to perish. Save your sibling.”

“Let’s move,” Frank growled. “This creep has a head start on us.”

I glanced at Wiggles. “I know you’ll hate me for asking, but can Fallon ride on your back?”

Wiggles’ eyes flared red, and he bared his teeth. “I’m not a pony.”

“Oh, yes!” Fallon waved a hand in the air. “That’s my dying wish, to ride your special furry pony.”

“We need Fallon to guide us safely through the forest,” I said to Wiggles. “Remember, she has dangerous pits, magic arrows, and exploding webbing set up. If we stumble into that, we’re goners. So is Aurora.”

“I guarantee my magic will kill you,” Fallon whispered.

“Wiggles! Please!”

Fallon held a hand out to Wiggles. “I’ll show you exactly where they went.”

Wiggles stalked over to Fallon and glowered at her. “You can ride me. But you have to say I’m not a pony.”

Fallon tilted her head. “Then what are you?”

“Come on! We don’t have time. Aurora’s life’s at risk.” I hurried ahead of them, hoping I was going in the right direction.

I heard grumbling behind me and turned to see Fallon clambering on Wiggles’ back and grabbing hold of his ears.

“Not the ears!” Wiggles flipped his head from side to side. “Wrap your arms around my neck if you have to hold on to anything.”

Fallon grinned, suddenly looking much better. “I’ll lead the way.” She pressed her heels into Wiggles’ sides. “Giddy-up, pony.”

Wiggles growled and shot me a glare as they raced past.

I’d make it up to him. But right now, we had to find Aurora.

“Yee haw!” Fallon yelled. “This is everything I dreamed of and more. Faster pony, faster.”

“Focus,” I snapped at her. “Which way did Jonah and Aurora go?”

“Through that clearing. Straight ahead, pony.”

Wiggles raced along, not seeming impeded by the extra weight on his back.

I kept up with them, drawing on Frank’s energy as I raced past the trees. I slowed and raised my head. My stomach tightened, and fear flooded through me. “I smell smoke.”

“So can I,” Wiggles said. “It’s stronger in this direction.” He ducked around an enormous oak tree and sped along the path in front of me.

I followed, my stomach churning. If Aurora was dead, I’d never forgive myself. We’d had a petty argument, and I’d left her with Jonah. I hadn’t paid enough attention to a suspect because he’d been polite and offered me cookies. I wouldn’t lose my sister to him.

“I’m also not prepared to lose Aurora,” Frank muttered. “We have unfinished business.”

“Don’t you dare talk about killing Aurora,” I said to him. “Not now. You know how much she means to me.”

“And you know how much she means to me.” Frank’s growl rumbled through me. “I’m in this for one reason. We’re not friends; we’ve never been friends. I help you from time to time when your life is at risk. If you die, I die without a host, and that’s not going to happen until I get what I want.”

“Enough,” I said. “We have to find Aurora.” I swept aside a branch and followed the smell of smoke.

“You don’t have to do this,” a female voice cried out.

“That’s Aurora!” I sped up, keeping up with Wiggles and Fallon as we raced along the path.

“Keep quiet, witch. Your death will be in the history books forever, just as it’s supposed to be. Re-enacting the past is a way of bringing it back to life.” That was Jonah.

“What are you talking about?” Aurora said, her voice sounding shaky.

“This is all she cared about, so this is what I’m doing. Bringing history to life.”

I came to a stop as a clearing appeared, my throat tightening and my mouth going dry as I saw Jonah.

He prodded a flaming branch into a pyre. Tied above the pyre, standing on a wooden plank, her hands and feet bound behind her, was Aurora. Tears streaked down her face, and her eyes were wide with terror.

Lying on the ground next to the pyre was an open book. It looked like a copy of Isadora’s book.

“Jonah, you need help,” Aurora said. “Let me help you.”

He pointed the flaming branch at her. “One more word, witch, and I’ll end you.”

“Please, I can fix this. You don’t need to burn me.”

“History must be served.” Jonah jabbed the branch into the pyre.

“No, it doesn’t.” I raced out of the tree-line and slammed into Jonah, taking him to the ground in a bruising slam. I grabbed him around the waist and pinned him to the ground. “Keep away from my sister.”

Chapter 22

I flipped over on the ground, keeping a tight hold on Jonah as he writhed in my grip. “Put out the fire,” I shouted at Wiggles and Fallon.

“We’re on it,” Wiggles yelled.

Jonah swung a punch at my head, and I ducked, a deep laugh rumbling out of me.

He blinked at me, madness shimmering in his eyes. “What’s gotten into you?”

“A demon.” I growled in his face as I let Frank come through. “Jonah, meet Frank. Frank, meet the guy who tried to take Aurora from us.”

Frank roared in my head, and I lost control as his energy poured over me. My eyes filtered the world through a red glow as my hands latched around Jonah’s neck, and I squeezed.

Jonah wheezed and gasped. He grabbed the burning branch he’d dropped and swung it toward me.

I rolled away and felt the swish of flame pass my cheek.

Jonah jumped to his feet and clubbed me with the butt of the burning branch.

I felt the impact, but Frank didn’t care about my bruises as I leaped to my feet and crouched.

Jonah rubbed his neck as he held the burning branch out in front of him.

I glanced over my shoulder to see Wiggles and Fallon pulling burning piles of wood away from Aurora as she choked on the smoke.

Jonah slammed into me, and we hit the ground again.

The roar that came out of my mouth wasn’t human as Frank’s rage flooded into my fists, and I fired bolts of black energy into Jonah’s chest.

He yelped and flew backward, slamming into a tree.

I leaped to my feet and raced toward him. He rolled out of the way as another blast of Frank’s energy spun from my fingers.

“What kind of monster are you?” he wheezed out.

“The kind you should never anger.” I shoved hard against Frank’s energy. I needed to maintain a fragment of control. Aurora was a few meters away, and she’d be a huge temptation for Frank, especially in her weakened state.

“We’re here!” Mannie, Lotus, Cleo, and Seth emerged from the trees.

My mouth fell open. He was supposed to bring the angels, not Jonah’s work buddies. “Where’s the backup?”

Mannie’s startled gaze took in the scene before it returned to me. “The office was closed. The angels weren’t there. I wasn’t sure who else to bring until I went past the museum and saw Isadora’s team coming out. I grabbed them and asked for help.”

“Jonah?” Seth stepped forward, a bemused look on his face. “What are you doing?”

Jonah snarled and raced toward Seth, head-butting him in the stomach as they made contact.

Seth gasped as they hit the ground and rolled around in the dirt, slapping at each other and grunting. For a half-vampire, he had a disappointing set of fighting skills.

While Seth distracted Jonah, I hurried to the burning pyre. Wiggles and Fallon had done an excellent job of stopping the flames from spreading, but the smoke was dense and choking.

I felt around for Frank’s energy and paused. He was close, I didn’t have him under control, but I couldn’t risk waiting any longer.

I leaped onto the smoking piece of wood Aurora stood on and untied her hands and feet. “Are you okay?”

She nodded, but her jaw wobbled. “I don’t understand why he’s doing this. One second, he was being sweet and saying how helpful I was. The next, he had me in a headlock. Jonah moved so fast. He knocked me out.”

My fingers went to her throat, and I stroked the soft skin, Frank urging me to continue.

“Tempest?” Aurora’s eyes widened. “Or, is it Frank in charge?”

I bit my lip hard, and the pain helped me to keep control. “I’m still here. Tell me everything once we’re safe.” I helped her off the plank and away from the burning wood.

“Fallon, Wiggles, keep Aurora safe and away from me for now.” I backed away from her and shook my head. Frank confused my thoughts and sent me disturbing images of how delightful it would be to choke Aurora.

“Tempest. You’ve got this. You can control Frank,” Aurora said.

“I know. Just stay where you are.” I held up a hand as she took a wobbly step toward me.

She nodded, a tear trickling down her cheek. She looked so small and lost.

I wished I could hug her and tell her everything would be okay, but it felt far from okay. My insides burned as Frank battled for control.

Turning away, I saw Seth still taking a beating from Jonah. This warlock had power.

Lotus, Cleo, and Mannie all stood watching, shock on their faces.

I gritted my teeth and growled. They were supposed to be helping, not getting a free warlock and half-vampire smack down battle to ogle. “Don’t just stand there. Help me take Jonah down.”

Mannie took a step back. “I don’t have my weapons, and I’ve never been one to use my fists. Weak wrists, you see.”

“Then strangle him with your beard!”

Mannie grabbed his beard, a look of horror on his face.

My gaze cut to Lotus and Cleo. “It’s down to us, ladies. Are you willing to fight?”

Lotus’ mouth twisted to the side. “I’m sort of enjoying watching Seth get a beating. I’ve dreamt about doing it myself on numerous occasions.”

My eyebrows shot up. “Really? Now you want to get your revenge?”

She pursed her lips, and sparkles of magic glittered on her fingers. “I’m enjoying myself, but I didn’t say I wouldn’t help.”

Cleo nodded, and magic swirled around her in a dusty cloud. “I’m ready when you are.”

Jonah slammed Seth’s head into the ground. His focus was on inflicting maximum damage to the half-vampire. It was the perfect time to strike.

“Now!” I yelled.

We launched our magic at Jonah’s back. Cleo twisted her fingers as she directed her dusty blast at him. Lotus spread her arms, and a shower of vicious looking glitter appeared. My magic was a gray mix of my own powers and Frank’s muddy energy. With our magic combined, Jonah was about to be in a world of hurt.

His back arched as our magic struck. His hands flew up and his head tipped back as our energy poured into him and held him in place.

Jonah writhed and bucked as Seth scrambled out from under him, his face bruised and battered and his suit torn. He staggered away before collapsing on the ground.

“Hold him,” I said to Cleo and Lotus. “Don’t let Jonah go.” My magic felt too dark, and Frank added more heat to my power as Jonah struggled and bucked, breaking spells and inching toward us, a look of murderous hatred in his crazed eyes.

He snarled and snapped his teeth. “You can’t take me.”

“Yes, we can.” I dropped a barrier and let more of Frank through. Sweat dripped off my chin as my magic united with Frank’s demon energy.

Jonah roared as his hand reached for me.

Cleo and Lotus moved forward, flanking me either side. Magic flowed from both of them, their faces contorted with effort as Jonah’s magic fought back.

“Stars! What is he?” Lotus gasped.

“Damaged,” Cleo whispered. “I feel his anger. So much pain. He’s broken inside.”

“Don’t let him fool you,” I said. “Jonah will kill us if we let him loose.”

Another tortured roar flew from Jonah’s lips as he sagged forward.

I felt Jonah’s dark essence drain away as he wobbled on his feet. He dropped to his knees, and his head slumped to his chest.

“That’s it. We’ve almost got him.” I pumped more energy into the magic that held him. Whatever power Jonah used felt dark and dangerous, and he didn’t have complete control of it.

Only when Jonah was slumped on the ground did I pull back my magic.

Cleo and Lotus did the same, both gasping in relief as they drew in their powers.

Jonah lay on his side, his eyes fluttering and his breath panting out of him.

“Why was he burning that witch?” Cleo whispered.

“That witch is my sister,” I muttered. “And Jonah is who we’ve been looking for. He killed Gretel and Isadora.”

Jonah groaned and rolled onto his back, blinking slowly as he stared at the trees. “You’ve ruined everything.”

I moved closer to Jonah, my fingers outstretched, a warning glimmer of magic lacing across my palms. “Why do this?”

He shifted his gaze to me, and his eyes narrowed. “I have to leave a legacy. I have to make sure my name is remembered in the history books.”

Lotus stepped forward. “I don’t understand. You were devoted to Isadora.”

“Devoted!” Jonah snorted. “That cold-hearted witch wouldn’t know the meaning of the word. I gave her everything, and what did she do for me?”

Lotus shook her head. “Paid you a decent salary?”

Jonah closed his eyes. “She was a monster.”

I looked at the group and saw the confusion on their faces. “Isadora was Jonah’s mother.”

Cleo and Lotus gasped and grabbed for each other.

Jonah snarled at me as he pushed himself into a seated position.

I flicked magic at his feet. “No sudden moves, or we’ll put you down for good.”

He grimaced as he edged upright. “Isadora might have given birth to me, but she was no mother. She left me. She gave me up when it got too difficult. All she cared about was making a career for herself. Isadora couldn’t do that with a brat by her side. Her ambition blinded her. She never loved me. She was no mother.”

Mannie shook his head. “Well, I never. Tempest, who’d have thought it? You were right.”

I was too angry and focused on Jonah to bite Mannie’s head off.

Cleo walked closer to Jonah, her eyes full of compassion, and held a hand out. “Your mother abandoned you?”

“That’s near enough,” I cautioned her. “When I touched Jonah, I felt dark power in him. It will still be there.”

Cleo moved away slowly. “I understand why you’re hurting, but you didn’t have to kill Isadora.”

“She ruined my life,” Jonah said. “She didn’t want me. She left me in the care of others. I never found a home to settle in. I bounced from foster home to foster home until I was old enough to look after myself.”

“That must have been tough,” Cleo said.

“When I was eighteen, I began my search for her. It took a while, but she wasn’t difficult to find. When I learned what she’d been doing all these years and how driven she was, I knew she deserved to be punished. Isadora was selfish.”

“So, you waited until there was an opportunity to get close to her,” I said.

Jonah nodded. “I watched Isadora for years and became familiar with her routine. I knew her favorite places to eat, what coffee she drank, what stores she shopped in. It was easy to fake a resume and submit it when she was looking for an assistant. You should have seen her, so eager for me to take the job. Mommy dearest kept saying that she felt as if she knew me and we had a connection.” He scowled. “Little did she know what kind of connection we really had.”

“Were you hoping she’d recognize you and welcome you back into her life?” Mannie asked.

“Of course not. I wanted nothing to do with that evil witch. All I cared about was getting justice. What kind of person abandons a child?”

“A desperate one,” I said. “Someone young, inexperienced, and scared. Maybe someone with no support network. Your mom had ambitions, and you weren’t a part of her plan.”

“So, she discarded me like a piece of trash.” Jonah swiped at his soot stained cheeks.

“Why wait until now?” Lotus asked. “You’ve been with Isadora for five years. You could have killed her any time.”

“Five years ago, Isadora wasn’t a world-renowned author, about to launch a best-selling book. She was just another lecturer, no one special. As her book took shape, I realized she had a hit on her hands.” Jonah’s gaze went to Seth, who remained on his back, panting. “Then Mr. Smarmy came on board, sending Isadora around the country on talks and generating a buzz. That was when I knew this was the right time to kill her. She’d spent every waking hour building her career, and I got to destroy it. I got a chance to make her pay for what she did to me.”

“You talked about leaving a legacy,” I said. “Was the plan to go down in history as some notorious witch killer?”

Jonah ran a hand down his face. “That’s a bonus. Everyone will remember me for what happened here. My name will be linked to my mom forever. I have my own place in history.”

“You set up the murders just as Isadora described in her book,” I said. “People will think her work inspired you to kill.”

He nodded. “Yes, but it was more than that. I wanted people to think she’d killed Gretel. I ensured Isadora had a lousy alibi on the night of Gretel’s murder and that everybody knew they weren’t friends. It was easy for me to return to the museum after it was shut. I knew Cleo would be in bed, and Gretel wouldn’t be able to resist interfering when she thought no one was around. A blast of magic held her in place. You know the rest.”

“The angels didn’t arrest your mom, though. They pursued other leads.”

“Or no leads.” Jonah shook his head. “I’ve never met a more incompetent bunch of idiots. Everything was laid out for them, so they could arrest Isadora, but they refused to see it.”

I bit my tongue. Jonah was good. I’d been well on the way to being convinced Isadora had murdered Gretel. “You planted that note the angels found in her room. The one suggesting Isadora might have killed herself.”

“It was a long shot. Who’d be dumb enough to believe that was a good method of suicide?” He snorted a laugh. “I should have known the dumb angels would believe it.”

Lotus shook her head. “Your mom didn’t deserve to die.”

Jonah glared at her. “And I didn’t deserve to be discarded and not considered important.”

Mannie shuffled his feet. “Why carry on? You killed Gretel in an attempt to frame your mother and then killed Isadora when your efforts to get her arrested failed. Why target Aurora?”

“Because he doesn’t want to be forgotten.” I looked at Aurora, her face soot stained and her eyes wide.

Jonah bared his teeth. “That’s right, and I was enjoying myself. Mom had worked hard on her book, so I decided to re-enact every murder from it. It was only fitting, giving her a long-lasting legacy. Isadora Ash should go down in history as the author who inspired a serial killer. My name will be linked to her forever. She can never be rid of me, no matter how hard she tried.”

I glanced at Cleo. “Your story doesn’t fit. How could you have killed Isadora when you were at the museum with Cleo?”

Cleo’s eyes widened. “Jonah was with me almost the whole time.”

Jonah waved a hand dismissively at her. “When I met Cleo, I could see she was a weirdo. She’s as obsessed with history as Isadora. I could also tell she was lonely. It was easy to flirt with her and get her attention. Soften her up so she’d be the perfect cover.”

Cleo gasped. “You don’t like me?”

“How can I like someone who smells like the pages of a dusty old book and recites Latin for fun?”

“Hey, that’s rude!” Lotus wrapped an arm around Cleo’s shoulders. “Ignore him. You’re brilliant.”

Jonah kicked his heels in the dirt. “Whatever. I was with Cleo most of the time, but I left for half an hour on the pretense of getting coffee and cake. I’d arranged to meet Isadora at the stone circle. I told her I’d found an interesting artifact buried there, and she had to see it. She totally bought the story. She had no reason to doubt me. I was her devoted employee.”

I looked at Cleo. “Why didn’t you say anything when I asked you about your alibi?”

She bit her bottom lip, tears in her eyes. “I didn’t think it was important. We were together most of that day. Jonah slipping out to get us a treat seemed like a sweet thing to do. He wasn’t gone long and seemed so calm when he came back. And he was happy.”

“Of course I was happy,” Jonah said. “I’d destroyed the woman who’d ruined my life. I wanted to dance and sing with joy because she was gone. Her life was over. Everything she wanted had been ripped from her. It was no less than she deserved.”

Cleo shook her head. “You’re a terrible person, Jonah.”

“Because she made me terrible,” Jonah said. “Isadora never cared for me.”

“You’re wrong,” I said to Jonah. “Your mom loved you.”

He scowled at me. “You don’t know her. You know nothing about her.”

“She had a locket with your picture in it,” I said. “I found it when I was looking around her room.”

Jonah blinked at me rapidly. “You’re lying.”

“Wiggles,” I said.

He walked over, and I unhooked the locket from around his neck. “See for yourself.” I dropped it on the ground and toed it toward Jonah.

Jonah grabbed it, a look of disbelief on his face. He opened the locket, and his eyes widened. He stared at the picture in silence for a moment. “This means nothing. That might not be me.”

“Are you sure?” I asked. “Why else would Isadora keep that picture with her? She did love you, but she wasn’t in the right place to look after you properly. She was trying to do the best for you.”

Jonah snapped the locket shut and clutched it in his fist. “More like she couldn’t be bothered to look after me. She only cared about herself.”

“Where’s the baby book?” I asked Wiggles. I’d dropped it in the dash to protect Aurora.

“Hang on a minute. I saw it by the fire.” He sprinted away and returned with the small photo album in his mouth, which he spat out next to Jonah.

“In there, you’ll find dozens of pictures of you,” I said. “Your mom kept you for as long as she could. It looks like she tried to make things work for at least six months.”

Jonah grabbed the album and flicked through the pages. He shook his head, the muscles in his jaw twitching. “I’ve never seen these pictures.”

“Isadora had them with her. She had them in her room. She must have carried them wherever she went. Your mom loved you.”

Jonah dropped the album and buried his head in his hands. “She hated me.”

“She probably does now,” Seth muttered as he pulled himself off the ground.

“You be quiet,” Lotus hissed.

Seth looked startled but kept his mouth shut.

Jonah lifted his head, and I saw tears on his cheeks. “I didn’t know,” he repeated.

“Of course you didn’t. Just as she didn’t know you were her son. That’s still no reason to ruin her.”

Jonah’s whole body slumped. “I got it wrong. She did try to raise me. She did love me.” He clutched the album against his chest.

“Isadora wasn’t perfect, but she didn’t throw you away.” I nodded as I looked at Mannie. We had everything we needed.

He returned my nod. “I’ll go round up an angel. Let’s finish this.”

“Keep an eye on him,” I said to Cleo and Lotus.

Lotus clenched her hands into fists, her gaze fixed on Jonah.

“We got this,” Cleo said.

I rolled my shoulders as I checked Frank was back where he belonged. His anger still simmered, but he wasn’t about to break through.

I let out a relieved sigh as I walked to Aurora and hugged her. “Everything’s good. We’re good. There’s nothing to worry about.”

She sagged against me, her thin frame shaking.

I kissed the top of her smoky smelling head. It was over. The killer had been found and the witches of Willow Tree Falls were safe.

Chapter 23

The sunshine felt great on my face as I headed out of Cloven Hoof with Wiggles for a late breakfast.

I skidded to a halt, and my eyes widened. In front of me was a very angry, very tanned looking Dazielle. The white of her angel’s uniform made her skin glow.

“I thought you’d left for good,” I said. “Where have you been hiding?”

“That’s not your business.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “What have you been doing while I’ve been away?”

“Keeping the village safe,” I said. “Saving witches’ lives. Stopping a deranged killer. I think that’s about it. What about you?”

Dazielle arched an eyebrow. “Keep talking.”

“I have to say,” Wiggles said as he shuffled past me, “you look hot, Dazielle. I’m not a fan of feathers and blonde hair, but wherever you’ve been, it’s taken five years off you.”

A smile flitted across Dazielle’s face before fading. “Time away has done me good. Now talk, Tempest.”

“You can get the information from your angels. They were nothing short of miraculous while you were topping up that tan. I learned so many things, especially how to play Angel Ball and shirk responsibility whenever possible.”

Her nod was curt. “I’m already having words with my angels. I’ve had several complaints about a lack of angels in the village while I’ve been away. They’ll be undertaking intensive training, so they don’t forget their responsibilities again.”

“That sounds like the perfect plan. Good luck with that.” I tried to step around Dazielle, but she blocked my path with a wing and shoved me back. “I’m not finished with you.”

I raised my hands. “I don’t know what to tell you. Mannie insisted I help, and he’s our esteemed mayor, so I could hardly say no. You weren’t around when the murders took place, so I was forced to step in. And you still haven’t told me where you were. Why did I have to cover for you?”

Dazielle’s nose twitched. “I was instructed to attend a transcendental yoga retreat.”

Wiggles snorted a cloud of smoke from his nose.

I choked back a laugh, thinking she was joking, but the look on Dazielle’s face was serious. “Wow! I understand why you had no interest in what was happening in Willow Tree Falls. You can’t let a couple of murders in the village you’re supposed to protect come between you and your yogic flying.”

“Or your downward facing dog,” Wiggles said.

“There was no flying,” Dazielle grumbled. “But there were no external communications. Our mobile snow globes were taken off us when we arrived, and we weren’t able to access them until the end of the retreat. When I found mine, I discovered dozens of messages from the angels, you, and Mannie.”

“Did my message about taking your job and selling your apartment prompt your return?”

“I knew all of that was a lie. You’d never want my job.” She had the decency to look a little ashamed. “I got back as soon as I could.”

“We’re so grateful you did,” I said. “Everything’s been falling apart.”

Wiggles turned his back as he chortled.

Dazielle’s mouth twisted to the side. “I owe you a favor for this, and I suppose I should thank you.”

“That’s very decent of you.” I couldn’t help but prod. “How’s the temper? Did the retreat give you your mojo back?”

She sighed. “I hope so. My angels can be like naughty schoolchildren when not constantly supervised. I thought being away for five days wouldn’t be a problem. How much trouble can they get into in such a short space of time?”

“They even surprised me,” I said. “In Dominic’s defense, he wasn’t a total dunce. Sablo, she needs work, as does Cassiel. Everyone else, they all scarpered. You should fire them all and start again.”

“Usually, the village is quiet. It didn’t occur to me that the museum and its guests would cause problems.” Dazielle turned and gestured with her head for me to follow her. “So, Jonah was the dead author’s abandoned son?”

I glanced at Wiggles and shrugged before walking alongside Dazielle. “That’s right. He’d convinced himself that his mom had abandoned him. The truth was, she did care for him but was too young to raise him alone. She focused on her career, determined to make a name for herself.”

Dazielle shook her head. “And Isadora never tried to find him?”

“That’s a question we can never answer,” I said. “By the time Jonah found her, he was raging mad and determined to get revenge. He was obsessed with his mom’s work and not only wanted to ruin her but planned to leave a legacy people would remember for hundreds of years. He found a way for the world to know he was her son and what she’d done to him.”

“Jonah wanted a link between the two of them, so they’d always be joined.”

“Sounds about right. Have you interviewed him?”

“I got back late last night,” Dazielle said. “I spoke to Jonah briefly, and he’s talking. He admits to everything. He had a ring in his pocket, which was the source of his dark power.”

“I wondered what made him so strong.”

“Jonah seems remorseful now he knows the truth about his mom. He’s still going away for a long time.” She glanced at me. “I heard about your sister. It sounds like a near miss.”

I let out a sigh. “It was. She’s unharmed, just shocked. She’ll be fine.”

“That’s good to hear.”

I stopped and turned to Dazielle. “Since you owe me a favor...”

Her eyes narrowed. “You’re already calling that in?”

“It’s about Aurora or, rather, who Aurora’s dating.”

Dazielle’s eyes widened. “Go on.”

“Aurora is getting married to Toby Matlock.”

Dazielle grunted in surprise. “I hadn’t heard that. Toby Matlock is old.”

“And as shady as they come. He’s manipulating Aurora. I don’t know how he’s doing it, but she’s fallen for him in a big way.”

Dazielle’s nose wrinkled. “He’s very rich.”

“Don’t go there. You know Aurora isn’t that kind of girl.”

“I’m just saying. I admit he’s not her usual type.”

“She thinks he is. Whatever I say, she’s not convinced that Toby’s wrong for her. He’s also used his mind manipulation magic on me more than once. And, he’s got a lock of my hair.”

“Why would you give him a lock of your hair?”

“I didn’t give it to him willingly. As I said, Toby’s a shady warlock, and he’s using his magic to get what he wants.”

“He’s ensuring an interfering big sister stays out of the way of his happy ever after with Aurora.”

I glared at Dazielle. “Something like that.”

“So, what’s the favor?”

“I need to know everything you’ve got on Toby Matlock.”

Dazielle shook her head. “I can’t share details about an ongoing investigation. We’ve been looking into Toby for some time.”

“I know that, which is why I’m so concerned about his manipulation of my sister. If you’re having trouble pinning something on Toby, maybe I can help. I need to get him away from Aurora before she makes a terrible mistake.”

Dazielle twisted her long blonde braid around her wrist. “It’s against policy. You’re not an angel. I’d be breaking the rules if I let you see what we’ve got on him.”

“I did solve two murders for you and just about stopped Angel Force from imploding with incompetence. Your angels aren’t as angelic as they appear to be. I could have walked away and left you to clear up this mess.”

Dazielle tilted her head back before nodding. “You can’t tell anybody about this. If you say I’ve shown you these files, I’ll deny everything and make your life hell.”

“My lips will be sealed. But I have to know how much trouble Aurora’s in.”

Dazielle turned in the direction of Angel Force. “You might think keeping Willow Tree Falls safe from Jonah and his crazed re-enactments of his mom’s work was tough. You’ve got a bigger problem going up against Toby Matlock.”

My stomach clenched as I followed Dazielle. “Whatever it takes, I’m bringing him down.”

I spotted Mom and Granny Dottie heading toward the cemetery. It wasn’t just Aurora at risk. If Rhett’s theory was true, and Toby was after a much bigger prize, the whole village could be in trouble. Scrap that, the whole world.

Willow Tree Falls might be safe from Jonah, but we had a bigger snake living among us.

I’d fix this mess. I’d make sure Aurora got back to her happy, smiling self. Heaven’s Door would open again, and Toby Matlock would be gone for good.

Dazielle opened the door to Angel Force and gestured me and Wiggles inside. “I hope you’re ready for this.”

I nodded at her, my expression grim. “I will be. No one messes with my family and gets away with it.”

***

THE END

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About the Author

K.E. O’Connor (Karen) is a cozy mystery author living in the beautiful British countryside. She loves all things mystery, animals, and cake (these often feature in her books.)

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When she’s not writing about mysteries, murder, and treats, she volunteers at a local animal sanctuary, reads a ton of books, binge watches mystery series on TV, and dreams about living somewhere warmer.

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