Son of a Witch

by K E O'Connor

  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 sh
ow 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.”