“Fair enough.” Boone couldn’t help thinking they were wasting time — Donna didn’t seem like the most reliable witness — but he opted to let things play out. “Can you describe this woman for me?”
“Well, she was wearing a black cape.”
Boone’s eyebrows migrated up his forehead. “A cape?”
“It wasn’t a cape,” Wendy countered, shaking her head. “It was a dress.”
“No, it was a cape,” Donna argued. “I saw it clearly.”
“It was a dress,” Wendy insisted. “I saw the same woman you did.”
“You did not.”
“I did so.”
“You did not.”
Boone pinched the bridge of his nose to calm himself. The bickering women reminded him of his teenaged daughter and her friends ... although even more immature, if that was possible.
“It was definitely a dress,” Leslie interjected. “I saw her, too. She was standing next to that blue truck. I remember thinking the truck stood out because it was new and the other vehicles in the lot looked older.”
Cooper slid his eyes to her. “You saw a blue truck?” He racked his memory and came up empty. “I don’t know any workers who have a blue truck.” The statement was aimed at Boone, but Nick was the one who responded.
“I take it you don’t have any cameras in the parking lot either.”
Cooper shook his head. “Only on the lift. I wasn’t lying about that. Sorry.”
Nick held up his hands in capitulation. “I wasn’t accusing you of anything. It’s just that cameras might’ve come in helpful in a situation like this.”
And come back to burn them in other instances, Cooper silently added. There was no way he could explain about the paranormal forces that kept descending on Casper Creek, though. Nick might’ve been married to a psychic, but it was clear he wasn’t familiar with other creatures. That was probably for the best, at least for the time being.
“There’s nothing we can do about it now,” Cooper said, focusing on the women. “Can you describe the woman in the truck?”
“She wasn’t in the truck,” Leslie replied quickly. “I can’t say with any degree of certainty that the truck belonged to her. The truck is what caught my attention, though, and when I looked to the right I saw her.”
“Where was she standing?” Boone queried.
All three women pointed at the exact same spot, near the fence that marked off the town’s outer limits. To Cooper, that served as confirmation that the woman had actually been there. The location was the one thing they’d all agreed upon since the conversation kicked off.
“Was the truck still there when you looked again?” Nick queried. “I mean, did you look at the lot after news spread about Velma’s death?”
“I honestly don’t know.” Leslie was rueful. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize it was going to be important. Once I heard about Velma, I forgot about everything else. I didn’t even remember the woman until these two started arguing about her.”
“Fair enough,” Boone said. “We need a description, though. You said she was wearing a black dress. Was there a logo on it?”
“Not that I saw.”
“What else can you tell us about her? For example, I know you were probably too far away to see her eyes, but what about her hair? What color was it? How long was it?”
“Her hair was unique, completely stood out,” Leslie answered. “It was ... weird.”
“It was,” Wendy agreed on a serious nod. “It’s not often that you see a woman with white hair.”
“White hair?” Nick was intrigued. “Are you saying this was an older woman?”
“No.” Leslie shook her head. “She looked young. She just had white hair.”
Nick was about to ask a follow-up question but a quick look at Cooper and the grim set of his jaw told him all he needed to know. “Well, we thank you for the information. We’ll probably be back around to talk to you again.”
“Yes, thank you,” Boone intoned. “You’ve been a great deal of help.”
8
Eight
“You know who she is.” It was a statement, not a question, although Nick kept quiet until the three men were separated from the crowd. “The white woman. You know who she is.”
“White witch,” Cooper corrected, rubbing the back of his neck. “And, yes, we know who she is.”
“What do you want to do?” Boone queried. He seemed lost in thought. “If we go in there guns blazing she’s liable to shut down and it’s not as if we have anything concrete on her.”
“She’s not going to respond to you anyway,” Cooper noted. “She hates you because of what you are.”
“Which is what?” Nick asked. He felt out of his depth but had no intention of pulling out of the investigation now.
“Sheriff,” Boone supplied. “She has no respect for law enforcement.”
“She has no respect for anybody,” Cooper countered, his eyes on the rolling fields that surrounded the town. “Screw it. I’ll head over there and talk to her. You should stay back, at least for now. We have nothing on her and for all we know she was out here for a different reason.”
“And what reason is that?” Nick asked. “I don’t want to invade what looks to be a private issue, but I’m genuinely at a loss.”
“Her name is Astra Bishop,” Cooper volunteered. “For a time, she worked here at Casper Creek. She was something of an acolyte — I guess that would be the right word — of Abigail Jenkins.”
“And that’s Hannah’s grandmother, right?” Nick furrowed his brow. “You’ve mentioned her name several times.”
Cooper bobbed his head. “Yeah. She was a wonderful woman. I thought the world of her. She made a mistake taking on Astra, though. When Astra realized she wasn’t going to get what she wanted out of Abigail — which was Casper Creek, if you’re wondering — she turned on ... well ... all of us. She’s been something of a thorn ever since.”
“I thought she wasn’t allowed on the property,” Boone noted pointedly.
“She’s not, except I think the parking lot is on the other side of the line.” Cooper pursed his lips. “Someone needs to talk to her. It’s going to have to be me.”
“Hannah isn’t going to like you heading over to Astra’s place alone,” Boone noted. “I don’t think you should take her with you, though. Not today at least.”
“No. Hannah has enough on her mind.” Cooper slid his eyes to Nick. “She won’t recognize you. We don’t have to volunteer the fact that you’re a police detective. It’s not as if you’re local, and technically you don’t have standing in this community.”
“I’m fine going with you,” Nick offered. “I’m still confused as to why this is such a big deal. You said she’s a witch. I’m not sure what that means.”
“Yeah, well ... you’ll get an eyeful when we get to her store.” Cooper’s eyes traveled back to the saloon. “I think we should just go. It should only take an hour to head over there, beat our heads against the wall that is Astra, and get back. I’ll face Hannah’s wrath then.”
“And why will Hannah be upset about you going to talk to this Astra woman without her?”
Cooper didn’t immediately respond so Boone did it for him.
“Because, before everyone realized Astra was evil, she and Cooper were an item,” the sheriff explained. “She still has a thing for him and she’s made it clear she wants to hurt Hannah. It’s a whole big thing.”
“It sounds like it.” The news wasn’t a deterrent to Nick. “Let’s talk to the white witch. It sounds fun.”
Cooper scowled. “If it does, we’re telling the story wrong.”
HANNAH FOUND SHE ENJOYED SPENDING TIME with Maddie. The woman was a little more earnest than she was used to but there wasn’t a deceptive bone in her body, and given the things Hannah had dealt with over the past year of her life, that was something she wholeheartedly embraced.
On top of being honest and forthcoming, Maddie was also curious. She had a
million questions she wanted to ask Hannah about being a witch. Since she was new to the gig, Hannah didn’t have many answers. That’s why she decided to introduce the Michigan psychic to the other members of her coven.
“This is Jackie Metcalf and Danielle Garrett,” Hannah said by way of introduction as she gestured toward an open chair in the seamstress shop. “They’re witches.”
Jackie, the head of the coven, arched an eyebrow. “Do you really think you should be announcing that to random people? I’m not ashamed or anything, but it could get us into trouble.”
“Maddie is psychic.”
“I see.” Jackie pressed her lips together and looked Maddie up and down. “No offense — and I mean that sincerely — but how do we know she’s the real deal? All the people here claim to be psychics and I’m certain that some of them are grifters.”
“That’s a fair point,” Hannah acknowledged. “I was skeptical at first, too. She can see Abigail, though. She’s the real deal.”
“Interesting.” Jackie leaned back in her chair. She had a sewing project on her lap, but it was completely forgotten as she studied Maddie. “How long have you been able to see ghosts?”
Maddie held out her hands and shrugged. “As long as I can remember. My mother insisted that I keep it quiet so the only people who knew for the bulk of my life were her, my grandmother, and me.”
“And now?”
“A few more people know.” A ghost of a smile flitted around the corners of Maddie’s mouth. “My husband, of course. I should’ve told him back then, but I was afraid he would freak out at the news, maybe not believe me, and at the time I figured that would kill me.”
“Obviously he’s accepted it,” Danielle noted. “How long did it take?”
“Not as long as you might think.” Maddie’s smile was sheepish. “He was more angry about me leaving him after high school than the fact that I kept a big secret from him. I mean ... he wasn’t happy I didn’t trust him enough to tell him, but when he had time to settle and really think about it he wasn’t angry for very long.”
“That’s good.” Danielle smiled encouragingly. “It’s nice to have a man who loves you no matter what.”
“That’s definitely Nicky.”
“He’s got a touch of sight or something,” Hannah volunteered. “He said that Maddie’s mother told him how to find her when she was in danger.”
Jackie made an odd throat-clearing noise. “How does that mean he has the sight?”
“Her mother is dead, and she was at the time she told him how to find her.”
“Oh, well, that would be a dead giveaway,” Jackie agreed, her expression thoughtful. “Are you a witch?”
Maddie’s initial instinct was to shake her head. Quickly, though, she thought better of it. “I don’t know what I am. I don’t really know the terminology all that well. As far as I know, I’m only psychic. I don’t have any other ... um ... powers. Wait, is that the right word?”
Hannah’s grin was wide. “I can’t tell you how happy I am to have someone here who knows less about this stuff than me. That’s totally the right word.”
“It doesn’t matter what word you use,” Danielle reassured Maddie quickly. “That’s not the important thing.”
“What is the important thing?” Maddie was legitimately curious. “I mean, in your mind, what is the single most important thing about all of this?”
“What’s in your heart,” Danielle replied simply. “You seem to have a really good heart.”
“I hope I do,” Maddie said.
“You do,” Hannah insisted as she slid into the lone remaining chair. “Trust me. I’ve seen enough bad hearts over the past few weeks to recognize a good one. Yours is pretty much pristine.”
Jackie smiled as Maddie’s cheeks turned pink. “I happen to agree with Hannah. It’s obvious you’re on our side.”
“Well, I guess that’s good,” Maddie said finally, taking a moment to glance around the shop. “Not to stick my nose in it or anything, but aren’t covens usually bigger? Is it just the three of you?”
Hannah exchanged a heavy look with Jackie and then held out her hands. “Up until a few weeks ago we had another member. Becky.”
Maddie waited for Hannah to continue. When she didn’t, she prodded the conversation along. “Did she leave or something?”
“She died,” Jackie volunteered in a matter-of-fact tone, making Maddie want to slouch lower in her chair. “It’s a long story and I don’t think anybody is in the mood to discuss it. Suffice it to say, she made a bad choice and suffered the consequences for it. Before her, though, another woman was a member of our coven ... and she was a whole other level of bad.”
“She’s the reason we want to know what’s in your heart,” Danielle volunteered. “She turned out to be a bad witch, and not because she was flubbing spells, but because she was evil.”
Maddie was taken aback. “Oh, well ... I’m almost afraid to ask, but what happened to her?”
“She’s still alive and kicking.” Jackie made a disgusted face. “She’s close, too.”
“She owns a magic store in town,” Hannah explained. “Her name is Astra, and she’s all kinds of awful ... except when she helps us fight off evil. Then she’s not so bad.”
Jackie let loose a disdainful snorting sound. “When has she ever helped us fight off evil?”
“I remember a certain demon in a cave,” Hannah argued. “She helped that day.”
“No.” Jackie fervently shook her head. “She was out here because she wanted to cause problems and got captured by a demon. You saved her. She didn’t do anything to help.”
Hannah wanted to argue the statement but she couldn’t. Jackie spoke the truth, no matter how Hannah wanted to sugarcoat things. “Well, she’s given me information a time or two,” she said finally. “She’s pointed me in the right direction.”
“Probably only because she thought you might get yourself in so much trouble there would be no way for you to dig yourself out,” Jackie argued. “She thought you might die trying to do right by the town. Stop making excuses for her.”
Maddie watched the interplay in dumbfounded disbelief. It took her a few beats to realize her mouth was gaping open. She was going to snap it shut but instead asked the obvious question. “Demons?”
Hannah patted her knee and smiled. “It’s been a busy few weeks. Do you want to hear a story?”
Maddie wasn’t certain she did. She could hardly turn back now, though. “Sure.” She swallowed hard. “Lay it on me.”
NICK THOUGHT HE WAS FAMILIAR WITH magic stores — his wife used to run one out of what now was their living room after all — but nothing could prepare him for the eclectic building Cooper parked in front of.
“I ... don’t know what to say.” Nick shook his head. “I just ... is that a shrunken head in the window?”
Even though they were there for a serious reason, Cooper found amusement in the other man’s obvious discomfort. “They’re all over the place inside. Don’t worry because they’re fake. At least I think they are.”
Nick cast him a dark sidelong look. “Don’t put nightmares in my head. Maddie will see them.”
Cooper’s surprise was evident. “Maddie can see inside your head?”
“Not really, but she knows when I have a bad dream.” Nick slapped his hands to his cheeks and shook his head. “Don’t put that sort of stuff in my head.”
“I’ll try to refrain,” Cooper said dryly, pocketing his keys. “Now, listen, it’s important I do the talking. Don’t react. She’s going to try to get under my skin. I’m used to it. She’s good at what she does, but I can take it.”
“I’ll let you lead,” Nick reassured him. “I won’t say anything if I can help it.”
“That would be great. Also, don’t mention you’re a cop. Astra might pick it up, but I don’t want you to confirm it if she does. It’s best to leave her questioning who you are.”
“No problem.”
Cooper was f
amiliar with the store so he led the way. Once inside, it took a moment for their eyes to adjust to the dreary indoor lighting. The woman behind the counter boasted dark hair so she was clearly not their intended target, but she appeared to recognize Cooper, and she looked almost gleeful when she realized who was darkening her doorstep.
“Well, well, well,” she drawled in a sing-song voice. “Look who it is. Have you finally come to your senses and decided you need a real woman?”
A muscle worked in Cooper’s jaw but he held it together. “I have a real woman. I’m here to talk to Astra. Is she on the patio?”
The woman’s expression didn’t change. “Why go to Astra when I’m right here, sugar?”
“Stormy, I wouldn’t consider dating you if you were the last woman on Earth,” Cooper replied. “I mean that, too.” He motioned for Nick to follow him, not waiting for permission to enter Astra’s private patio area. He wasn’t surprised to find the white-haired witch sitting at her bistro table flipping through a catalog. “Why is Stormy still here?” he blurted out before she could even look up.
Astra appeared surprised by the interruption, but she masked her feelings quickly. “I like her,” she replied. “She has spunk.”
“She’s going to cause you a million headaches,” Cooper argued, grabbing a chair from the other side of the table and sliding into it. “That’s on top of the million she’s already caused.”
“Yes, well, she’s a work in progress.” Astra took a moment to look Nick over. “Are you playing for the other team these days, Coop? Last time I checked, you were still with that insipid blonde you insist on hanging with. This guy is a step up.”
Cooper rolled his eyes. “We’re here on a mission, Astra. We don’t have time for games.”
“There’s always time for games.”
“Not today.” Cooper was firm. “I want to talk to you about your whereabouts yesterday. We have multiple reports that you were sighted in the Casper Creek parking lot. I thought we made it clear that you’re not welcome on the property.”
Astra’s stiff smile turned into a sneer. “And I thought I made it clear that you’re not the boss of me. I can do whatever I want. I can go wherever I want. There’s no one who can stop me.”
True Grit Spirit: A Maddie Graves and Hannah Hickok Mystery Page 8