Revenge of the Witch

by K E O'Connor

  “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 sur
e,” 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. Th
at 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.