by K E O'Connor
“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?”