by Cindy Stark
Cora tipped her head against Hazel’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry.”
They both remained lost in their thoughts for several minutes. Hazel tried many paths to find a way to resolve their dilemma, but none would work.
Except…
She heaved a sigh. “The only way out of this is to find the true killer.”
Cora lifted her head and looked at Hazel. “How will we ever do that? The feds haven’t been able to crack the case for Belinda, let alone whoever committed Grant’s murder.”
Hazel thought of telling her about Glenys’ frantic call and resulting meeting, but Cora had damaged her trust for the time being. “We start at the beginning and go through every detail again. I’ll start with Charlie.”
Cora blew out a breath. “Are you sure? If he is the killer, he might become dangerous.”
“Don’t worry. I’m not going to do anything stupid. I’ll invite him to meet me at the café where there are plenty of people and the police station is only a holler away.”
Twenty
Getting Charlie to agree to meet her at Cora’s for afternoon pie had been a breeze for Hazel. All she had to do was mention she had information on Belinda’s murder, and he agreed to meet her. She still hated to think sweet Charlie could do such a thing, but love did crazy things to people.
She arrived fifteen minutes before Charlie was scheduled to show and spotted Cora sitting at a table with Lachlan Brogan. They both seemed to be in good spirits. Hazel headed toward them. When she encountered higher than normal energy swirling between them, she paused.
Cora laughed, and Hazel realized they were flirting with each other.
The second she considered turning away so she wouldn’t interrupt them, Lachlan looked up and caught her gaze. He glanced at Cora and spoke, and then Cora turned her way.
Hazel gave a small wave, and Cora motioned her forward. She pasted on a smile and hoped she hadn’t interrupted any new developments in Cora’s previously non-existent love life. “Hey, guys.”
Cora’s cheeks were flushed, and she seemed happier than she had in a long time. “Hi, Hazel. I didn’t expect to see you so soon.”
Hazel gave Lachlan a cursory smile before she glanced back at her friend. “Last minute thing. I’m meeting a friend for pie.”
“Funny,” Lachlan said. “I’m doing the same. Meeting my uncle.”
Cora gave a nonchalant chuckle. “I was just keeping Lachlan company until he arrived.”
He gestured with his chin toward the café’s entrance. “There he is right now.”
Hazel swiveled her head and then smiled. “I didn’t know Luca was your uncle.” She remembered he’d mentioned he had family in town, but she’d thought he’d made that up so he’d have a reasonable excuse to be in Stonebridge after Dotty Fingleton’s pearls went missing.
Lachlan seemed surprised. “You know my uncle?”
Before she could answer, Luca approached the table and gave her a wide smile. “Bella Hazel. How good to see you.”
She allowed him to kiss her on both cheeks. “Good to see you, too. I thought you and Dotty were on a whirlwind tour of Europe.”
His expression dimmed. “Sadly, we had to return home too soon. The nuns kicked her daughter out of school. We could have left her to survive on her own, but her mother has a soft heart. Softer than she wants anyone to know.”
He turned his gaze to Cora. “I see my nephew understands the value of a woman who can cook.” He laughed.
Cora’s cheeks grew redder, and she stood. “Oh, no. We were just chatting while he waited for you.” She stepped aside and gestured for Luca to sit.
Luca shook his head. “You ladies must join us.”
“I can’t,” Cora said quickly. “Work calls.”
“Me, either,” Hazel added. “I’m actually meeting a friend, too. But I’d love to catch up another time.” Though Peter wouldn’t be happy to know that.
“Our loss,” Lachlan said, exuding some of his uncle’s charm. But without the foreign accent, it didn’t hold quite the same power.
Hazel wished them both well, and then snagged Cora’s hand and pulled her toward the kitchen.
“Is it Charlie that you’re meeting?” Cora asked.
Hazel nodded. “No time like the present. I’ve decided the best approach is to confront him directly. Please keep an eye on us, and call for help if anything seems amiss.”
Cora nodded, her features grim. She slid a hand beneath her collar and pulled a long chain from beneath her shirt. A dull silver medallion swung from the end of it. “Put this on. It’s very old and carries powerful protection.”
Before Hazel could question more or decline, Cora slid it over her head. “You’ll want to conceal it. Others might try to take it from you if they know you have it.”
A shiver of knowing passed over her. Something instinctual inside her agreed that, indeed, the talisman carried great strength. She lifted the medallion and tucked it inside her shirt. “I really hope I won’t need it.”
“Me, too.”
“If you could keep other customers away from us, that would be great.”
Hazel gave her a quick hug before she re-entered the dining area. Just as she emerged, Charlie walked through the front door. She caught his attention and headed toward him.
“Hey, Hazel.” He didn’t carry a smile with him today. She couldn’t blame him. “Want to sit here?”
She shook her head. “The back will be better. More private. We don’t need our conversation being the talk of the town.” Nor did she want everyone telling Peter who she’d been seen with.
Cora seemed sufficiently composed and friendly when she took their orders and then brought their slices of pie. “Enjoy.”
Hazel wished she could pull her back and ask her to sit with them for support, but if Charlie freaked out, she’d need someone to get help.
Hazel lifted her fork, but Charlie left his on the table.
“You said you had information about Belinda.”
She sighed and met his gaze. It seemed neither one would be enjoying the temptations on the table before her, and that was a big shame. “I don’t know how to say this other than come right out with what I know.”
He tipped his head in agreement. “I like a straight shooter.”
She shivered at the word, shooter. “I recently had a conversation with Glenys.”
He snorted in disgust and shook his head. “She’s up to no good.”
Hazel shrugged. “She said the same about you.”
A frown creased his forehead. “What do you mean?”
She wasn’t sure she could flat out lie to the man, but she needed to say something. Blessed Mother help and protect her. “Glenys says you killed Belinda. That she has proof.”
His fists landed on the table with a thud loud enough to stop her heart. “I’ll kill her.”
She glanced to Cora who watched with a wide-eyed, questioning gaze. She shook her head slightly and then refocused on Charlie. “It’s okay. It’s okay. I don’t believe her. I wanted to give you a heads-up before she goes to the police.” Maybe that threat would keep him from doing any harm to her.
He scrubbed a cupped palm over his mouth and shook his head. “She’s a vile, vindictive creature. She can’t get away with this.”
She worked to send calming vibes his way. They did little to lessen the intense vibrations rocketing off him, and she worried she may have gone too far with her meddling this time. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you like this.”
“You don’t understand,” he said in a harsh whisper. “Glenys is the most powerful witch in Stonebridge. She wasn’t about to be usurped by a woman like Belinda who abused glamour and went against the coven. She’s the one who killed her.”
Hazel placed a hand over her mouth to cover her shock. “Are you saying you know this for a fact?”
He gave her a swift and bitter nod.
She leaned closer to whisper. “Then why didn’t you tell the police?”
He looked at her like she was an imbecile. “Because I didn’t want to end up dead, too. She doesn’t know what I know. If she did, I’d be dead already. Grant knew too much, and look what happened to him.”
She shook her head. “I don’t understand. Glenys said she and Grant loved each other, and she didn’t believe he’d be unfaithful. But, there’s the rumors about him and Belinda. I don’t know what is true and what’s not.”
He shifted a glance from side to side, checking their surroundings. “I think Grant may have loved Glenys, but he messed up. Belinda had power and knew how to use glamour to manipulate others with it including Grant. If she’d had enough time, she could have been unstoppable in all areas.”
Hazel placed fingers on both her temples to try to stop the throbbing. “Are you saying you think Glenys killed Belinda because she was threatened by what she might become?” If that was true, Hazel herself could be in danger from Glenys.
“That was part of it. But also, Belinda knew what Glenys had planned, and she disagreed with her. Said she couldn’t let her go through with it.”
She lifted her palms to him. “Okay. Slow down. You’re losing me here.”
“Belinda liked all kinds of people, whether they were magical or not.” A bolt of genuine pain flashed in his eyes. “I’d like to think she really did love me and that she broke up with me to keep me out of this mess.”
“She didn’t love Grant?”
He shrugged. “I think she loved the idea of stealing Grant and sticking it to Glenys. But mostly, I think she loved herself, and she wanted Glenys’ power.”
Hazel could believe that part.
He swallowed, causing his Adam’s apple to bob in his throat. “I don’t know why I’m telling you this. Please, please don’t say anything.”
“Of course, Charlie. I’d never say anything to put you in danger. If anyone asks, this was strictly a landscaping design meeting. I promise.”
He exhaled and focused a sharp gaze on her. “Glenys wants to take over the town, Hazel. Kill anyone who might be the slightest threat to her.”
She could see in his expression that he meant what he said, but… “She couldn’t do that.” Though Hazel wouldn’t be surprised to learn that she’d threatened to do so.
“Belinda thought she was capable, said she was only missing one piece of a spell. Something that the original witches created.”
Hazel shook her head repeatedly, and her veins iced over. “No. I can’t believe that much power is possible.” Though in her heart, she feared it was.
He shrugged. “I don’t know much about that world. I only know Belinda feared that might happen, and now she’s dead.”
She lifted the glass of water Cora had brought with their pie and downed the contents. The drink did little to calm her fears, but it did help with her constricted throat. “Now what?”
His fear and hopelessness reached out to her. “Don’t know. I’ve thought about leaving town, but my whole life is here. And what if Belinda was worried for nothing?”
Hazel wasn’t sure it was for nothing since she was dead, but saying that wouldn’t help Charlie.
“Sorry I told you all that. Part of me hoped you could help since you’re dating the chief. But it’s not like he could help anyway.”
“If he could prove Glenys killed her, he could send her to prison.”
“I have a hard time believing that will happen.”
Hazel wasn’t so sure, either.
Charlie scooted to the edge of the booth. “I’m going to go, Hazel. Forget I told you any of this. Keep your head down and run whenever you hear the word ‘witch’. Life is safer that way.”
He didn’t stick around for her to attempt to console him. He nodded at Cora as he paid and then he strolled from the café. By his casual stride, most would think he was happy-go-lucky, but she knew very well what churned inside him.
She sat for several long moments, staring at her pie, trying to center her thoughts.
Holy harpies. If what he said was true…
She couldn’t go there. Couldn’t allow herself to picture that scenario.
Cora slid into the other side of the booth, her jeans whooshing across the vinyl seat. “I’m so glad I didn’t have to call Peter. I was worried there for a while.”
She shook her head, her thoughts scrambling through information. “No, he was fine.”
She snorted. “He didn’t seem fine.”
Hazel inhaled and focused on her friend. As much as she believed she trusted Cora, she couldn’t mention what Charlie had told her, not if there was the smallest chance it might cost him his life.
She relaxed her features. “Well, he wasn’t happy with me asking lots of questions about Belinda, but in the end, I still believe he loved her and wouldn’t hurt her.”
Cora nodded, seeming satisfied. “On to Quentin, then?”
It would be best if Cora thought so. “I think that’s a great next step. Maybe I’ll have a casual chat with his grandpa when he comes for breakfast in the morning. He might be able to tell us all kinds of things about his grandson that Quentin wouldn’t want us to know.”
“Great. If you interview him here, I can help, too.”
Hazel purposely glanced at her watch. “I need to get to work. I’ll call you later.”
Cora walked with her to the door and hugged her goodbye. Hazel slipped out into the beautiful sunshine, wondering how such dark and devious things could happen in a town that seemed so serene.
Twenty-One
The hollowness of being alone in her sleuthing endeavors weighed heavily on Hazel as she sat at her kitchen table the following morning. She arranged with Gretta to handle the morning customers and then called Cora to say interviewing Virgil Fletcher would have to wait one more day.
She couldn’t talk to Cora about what she knew. For one, it might put her in danger with Glenys, or two, while she didn’t think Cora confided in Glenys, at this point, Hazel wasn’t sure what to believe about any of them.
Worse, she couldn’t talk to Peter because he couldn’t know or wouldn’t understand everything at play.
One day, she’d learn to mind her own business. If she hadn’t started poking around, she wouldn’t have any of this information about Belinda’s death. She could have been happy and much safer in her oblivion.
At least, she hoped she would have.
Still, if Glenys was as powerful as everyone believed, she might have discovered Hazel and her heritage anyway, long before Hazel learned anything about the threat of her. Charlie had mentioned Glenys was searching for a missing component for her dark spell. Hazel feared she might find it in Clarabelle’s book.
One person couldn’t accomplish the horrible feat without the other. It must have been a safety thing back when they’d created it. Maybe, if another witch besides them discovered one of the spell books, the separation of components would make it so she couldn’t complete the spell on her own.
Hazel wished she knew.
She could make a trip to the house to ask Clarabelle, but she had a feeling that would be opening a bigger can of worms, and she had all she could handle at the moment.
She still wasn’t one hundred percent sure Glenys was guilty. For all she knew, Belinda had fed lies to Cora and Charlie, turning them against Glenys.
Hazel lifted her teacup to her lips and the scent of Majestic Mint tickled her senses, bringing her back to the moment. The first thing she needed to do was see if she could prove Glenys had told her the truth or lied. If she could find the book of spells belonging to Glenys’ ancestor, she’d be off to a good start.
If Cora was right and Glenys did have it and therefore, access to the spells it contained, Hazel could continue down that vein of investigation.
A thump coming from her left stole her attention, and she found Mr. Kitty sitting on the chair next to her, Clarabelle’s tome beneath his front paws.
“I don’t have time for studying this morning.”
You’ll
need this.
She frowned. “What?”
Take the book with you to Glenys’ house. It will help.
She stared at her cat for a long moment, dumbfounded. She had no idea how taking the book to Glenys’ would help her discover the killer or if Glenys also had an ancient book of spells. She flicked several glances between the book and Mr. Kitty. “I don’t understand.”
You will. Go now.
“Now?” She couldn’t decide on the fly like this to break and enter. She needed time to create a plan and mentally prepare herself.
She glanced at the clock. Nine-thirty. Glenys should be at the bank right now. It was unlikely Glenys would carry the tome around with her. “What if she’s left the book at her friend Harriett’s?” she asked her cat.
Go. Now.
A sharp pain throbbed between her temples, but Hazel stood anyway. She must be certifiable to attempt to break into someone’s home, more so to trust a cat that communicated telepathically, who also hated her. But she was going to do it.
****
Hazel went by bike even though storm clouds were building on the horizon. She’d picked a slower mode of transportation, for sure, but people were used to seeing her riding around town. Plus, a bike would be easier to hide while she was in the house, as opposed to her very noticeable car parked anywhere near Glenys’ home. If it rained on her while she was out, she’d survive.
The bike ride to the cottage on Primrose seemed to take forever, and yet was over in an instant. She’d already checked at the bank to make sure Glenys’ BMW sedan was there before she headed this way, but that did little to settle her anxiety.
She wheeled past the eighteenth-century house with its black pitched roof and wild roses climbing up the exterior. Plenty of oaks and pines provided a barrier between the street and her cottage, but there was enough visibility that she’d still feel vulnerable.
Several hundred yards down the deserted street, when she’d spotted no one outside, she turned back and pedaled toward Glenys’ home. She wanted to be out of sight as soon as possible.
Once she reached the driveway, she didn’t hesitate to turn in. Her tires whooshed along the cement drive as she pedaled fast. She continued toward the house as if she’d been invited, and after a quick glance behind her, she stowed her bike behind a tree where it would be less likely to be seen.