by Vella Day
“That I couldn’t say, but from the pictures, I would think he might have.”
“If he sought medical help, the doctor might be able to give us a clue what was going on—assuming Daniel was aware of the spell at the time,” I said.
“That’s a good place to start,” Levy said. “Maybe it’s why he came to Witch’s Cove in the first place. He didn’t want anyone in his home town to learn about his condition.”
“No offense to my town, but I’ve never heard of a world-renowned cardiologist in Witch’s Cove. He’d have better luck in Gainesville or Tampa.” On the other hand, if he believed that someone had put a spell on him, he might think a witch could help more than a doctor.
“Then what about his ex-wife? She’s a medical doctor. He might trust her to be discreet.”
I really appreciated his different point of view. “Perhaps, but why not call or text her once he arrived? Considering the condition of his heart, he must have been feeling worse and worse by the day. At some point, he’d want to ask for her opinion.”
“True.”
“One thing I know for sure is that you need to be careful,” Diego warned. “You don’t want this witch or warlock to do the same to you if they think you are getting too close to the truth.”
I shivered at that thought, even though I’d considered that possibility—or rather Jaxson had. “Scare me much?” I chuckled, but there was no joy in any of this. “That leads me to my next question. In your research, did any of you come across any kind of protection spell to prevent something like this from happening to me?”
“Not yet,” Camila said. “We will definitely look for a countermeasure. It might take us a few days to find it, though.”
These guys were great. “I appreciate it.”
After chatting a bit more, but learning nothing new, Levy escorted me out. “You will stay safe, right?”
He sounded worried. To be honest, I was also concerned. “Yes. I made a list of my suspects, and I’ll try to steer clear of them. I just wish I could tell if someone is a witch or warlock.”
“Assume everyone is, and that way you’ll stay alive.”
I chuckled. “If only it were that easy. I owe you one!”
He smiled. “Anytime.”
As soon as I was in the car, I called Jaxson to see if he’d like to meet at Maude’s tea shop to chat.
“I’d love to. Rihanna is still with Gavin, and I feel like I’m a third wheel.”
“I get it. See you in a few then.”
I started the car and headed to town. No surprise, Jaxson was at the tea shop when I walked in. On the table was my usual sweet tea, along with a chocolate chip cookie—my favorite.
I sat opposite him. “You are the best.”
“I try. What did you find out?”
I gave him a brief rundown. “I won’t learn what anyone can do to protect us for a few days. And that’s assuming there is something that can be done.”
He took a drink from his coffee cup. “If a witch put a spell on Mr. Sanchez, that person is pure evil. You have to be careful.”
“I will be.”
The bell above the door dinged and Betty Sanchez came in, looking rather gaunt. Betty and her husband, Frank, owned Candle’s Bookstore, a place where I’d spent many hours when I was in high school. They were also Daniel Sanchez’s parents.
Betty didn’t even glance our way as she headed to a table in the corner. The poor woman looked so lost. I thought her husband would be with her, but I suppose someone had to man the store, even though I’m sure everyone in town would understand if they closed it for a few days. Knowing Frank, he needed to stay open for his own sanity—or else there was no love lost between him and his son.
“I think I’ll go over and offer my sympathies,” I said.
“That is nice of you. What are you going to ask her?”
Was I that obvious? Most likely yes. “I’ll figure it out when I get over there.”
Before Jaxson convinced me it was a bad idea, I pushed back my chair and walked over to her table.
Betty looked up and gave me a brief half smile. “Glinda.”
I sat down at her table. “I wanted to say how terribly sorry I am for your loss. It had to be such a shock.”
“In all honesty, it wasn’t totally unexpected. My son was a troubled man.”
Whoa. I hadn’t expected that comment. Did she think he took his own life? Considering the condition of his heart, I don’t think he could have done that to himself. “I don’t understand.”
She leaned forward as if to tell me a secret. “That new wife of his was bankrupting him. It was driving him to desperation.”
That almost proved Morgana had nothing to do with her new husband’s death. She wouldn’t want her golden goose to die. “He was in financial trouble?” Neither Gavin nor Morgana even hinted at that possibility.
“Yes. He couldn’t afford that witch. Morgana spent money like it was water.”
I almost whistled. A witch? I had to assume that was just a figure of speech. “Did Daniel come to Witch’s Cove to see if Elissa would be willing to lend him money?”
“I don’t know.”
“I don’t believe he ever spoke with her.”
“Of course, he did.”
Okay, someone wasn’t telling the truth. Perhaps Elissa didn’t want Gavin to know about his father’s financial woes and told him she wasn’t aware he was in town. “I had no idea. I’m sorry.”
When tears welled in Betty’s eyes, I thought I’d stirred up enough emotions for now. It was time to rejoin Jaxson.
Chapter Five
“What did Betty say?” Jaxson asked as I sat back down at the tea shop table. I explained about Daniel possibly being in financial trouble. “If that was the case, why was he planning a trip abroad?”
“Good question. Too many things aren’t adding up. I want to know why Elissa denied seeing Daniel, assuming he wasn’t the one who lied.”
“Are you going to confront Elissa about it?”
“You might be surprised to hear that I don’t plan to do that. If she needs to keep something a secret, I’m sure she has her reasons.”
He whistled. “Wow. I’m impressed. My Glinda Goodall is growing up.”
I let my mouth drop open. “Growing up? Are you implying I’ve been immature? I’m twenty-seven.”
He grinned. “Just saying that you seem more…cautious in your old age.”
Old age? He was older than me by a few years. Maybe that was why since meeting Jaxson, I often thought before I acted. Jaxson’s cautious nature must be wearing off on me. “That’s a good thing.”
“It is. So, tell me, cautious one, was there anything else you learned with your meeting with Levy’s coven?” Jaxson must not think the other information all that relevant.
I blew out a breath. “Nothing much. Like I said, it might be days to find how to counteract this heart-hardening spell or protect against it. Obviously, it’s too late for Daniel, but what if it happens again?”
“To you?”
“Yes, to me. Or Rihanna. Or you! If I ask one wrong question, that witch or warlock could come after us.”
“That would hamper our investigation,” he said.
“I’m serious.”
“So am I,” Jaxson said with a sparkle in his eye.
“I’m hoping the coven will find some protective spell to put around all of us.”
“Let’s make sure they do before we land in the killer’s crosshairs.”
“I’m depending on it.”
“What’s next on the agenda then?” he asked.
I’d thought about that on the way back from meeting with the coven. “I want to tell Elissa about the curse we found. If she knows it was in some ancient tome, she might be more cautious. The killer could believe she knows something—even though she doesn’t. At least no more than we do. If Daniel didn’t speak with her, he might have come to see another medical professional. Elissa might know of a doctor who coul
d have checked Daniel out.”
“And if she knows nothing?”
I scrunched up my nose. “Roadblocks. I hate them.” I snapped my fingers. “I’ll give Dolly the names of Morgana’s sister and the gardener in the hopes her sister-in-law can get the scoop on them.”
“That’s a long shot, but worth a try. Do you know their names?”
I pointed a finger at him. “Not yet, but that is where Gavin comes in. If he hasn’t met his dad’s gardener or his stepmother’s sister, I bet he can find out their names from Morgana.”
“Sounds good.”
“Not only that, but Gavin might be able to give us some insight into his dad’s comings and goings, assuming that kind of conversation isn’t too painful for him.”
Jaxson shook his head. “It might not be. I wasn’t eavesdropping on purpose, but Gavin’s voice travels, even through a closed bedroom door. I got the sense there was a fair amount of friction between father and son. It might have been why Gavin decided to spend a year in Witch’s Cove.”
“Then we should thank Daniel—posthumously, of course—for sending Gavin our way. He’s been just what Rihanna needed to feel like she belonged here.”
“I agree.”
Once we finished up and paid, we headed back to the office. I would have asked Maude what she knew about the murder, but it was her day off. Whenever one of the five gossip queens wasn’t around, it put a crimp in our crime solving ability.
When we arrived at the office, Iggy was there, as were Rihanna and Gavin, only now they were in the main room—without Morgana. “Hey,” I said.
They halted their conversation, and I could only hope we hadn’t interrupted something serious.
“How did it go with Levy’s coven?” Rihanna asked.
They both knew that I believed Gavin’s dad had a spell put on him. Rihanna believed me, but I wasn’t as sure about Gavin. “One of the members found what appeared to be the same spell in some ancient book.”
I loved that Rihanna’s eyes lit up. “Can we stop this person?”
“They couldn’t find a way to counteract the spell yet, but a protection spell might exist. When they locate it, I want all of us to get it.”
“Even me?” Gavin asked.
“Absolutely.” I sat down and motioned everyone else to join me. “Look, if I’m wrong, and some magical person didn’t put a spell on your dad, then it won’t matter.”
“I guess not.”
“How does this heart-killing spell work?” Rihanna asked.
I explained that it could last up to five days before the person died.
Gavin was tapping his foot, making me more anxious. Rihanna placed a hand on his leg, and he stopped. Having a mind reader in the family was useful at times.
I mentally thanked Rihanna, but whether she received the message or not, I couldn’t tell.
“That means someone in Miami could have done this to him,” Gavin said.
“It would seem that way. Since he doesn’t know anyone here other than you, your mom, and your grandparents, it kind of makes sense.”
“I guess, but how can we find him—or her?” he asked.
I hissed in a breath. “I don’t think we should do anything until Steve returns, and we hear back from the coven. It’s too dangerous to go to Miami and be subject to the same kind of spell should we get too close to the killer. I’ve started a list of possible suspects, but I’d like your input, Gavin.”
“Sure. Anything.” Gavin looked over at Rihanna and then back at us. “If we go to Miami, I think Rihanna should stay here, though. I don’t want anything to happen to her.”
The sentiment warmed my heart. “I might agree, except that Rihanna is the only one of the four of us who can read minds, more or less.”
Rihanna looked up at him. “Maybe you should stay, Gavin. This could be a vendetta against your family.”
He shook his head. “I don’t think so. It would surprise me if many people even knew my dad had a son.”
Gavin had to be exaggerating, but maybe it was true. “Don’t assume you’re in the clear. It’s always possible someone wanted to take revenge on your family. Besides, your father could have a photo of you on his desk. You’d be easy to track down, what with social media the way it is these days.”
He shrugged. “I guess. I appreciate you all wanting to make sure I stay safe, but I have to be the one to go. I know Miami. Dad talked about the people he worked with all the time. I might not have met them all, but I have a good sense of who they are.”
“He has a point, Glinda,” Jaxson said.
“Fine.” I grabbed a pad of paper. “Morgana mentioned that her sister, who worked with your dad, might have harmed him. Do you know her name?”
“Yes. It’s Sandra Cortez.”
“Do you think she’s capable of harming your father?”
“Are you asking me if she’s a witch?”
“I guess she’d have to be.”
He shook his head. “No way.”
People never suspected I was one for the longest time either. “Did you know Rihanna was a witch the first time you met her?”
He glanced to the side. “No. Okay. Fine. Sandra could be a witch. She’s ruthless enough. Sorry. I didn’t mean to imply all witches are ruthless.” He lifted Rihanna’s hand and brought her fingers to his lips.
“No offense taken,” I shot back. “What about your dad’s gardener?”
“Mauricio? No way. He’s a real nice guy. He’s a genius when it comes to landscape design.”
“Does this genius have a last name?”
Gavin glanced at the ceiling. “Jimenez. He’s from Mexico or some Spanish speaking country.”
I scribbled down the information. “If you had to guess who might have wanted your father dead, who would that be?”
Gavin shrugged. “He didn’t talk much about his cases. He said it was lawyer-client privileged information stuff.”
“How about the people he worked with?” Jaxson asked. “Besides Morgana’s sister, would anyone else have it out for your dad?”
“He won a lot of cases. Someone might have been jealous of his many successes.”
If he won so many cases, how was he broke? Secondly, would a smart, sophisticated fifty-year-old man be okay with his new wife purchasing so many things that she bankrupted him? While I hated to burden Gavin further, I wanted to make sure that Betty’s facts were right. “Your grandmother said that your father was experiencing financial difficulties.”
He barked out a laugh. “Dad? No way. Why would she say that?”
“I don’t know. Maybe your father told them that for a reason. Betty said he spent a lot of money on Morgana.”
“That wasn’t true. I don’t like her at all, but she came from a very wealthy family. She didn’t need my dad’s money if that’s what you’re thinking.”
Okay that messed up every theory I ever had. “That is interesting. If you think of anyone else, let me know, and I’ll add their name to the list.”
“Will do.”
“We should find out when Steve is returning,” Jaxson said.
I pulled out my phone. “Nash will know. It can’t take that long for him to coordinate a plan with the Miami police.”
“Wait until he hears witchcraft is involved,” Rihanna added. “Both he and Nash will be beside themselves.”
“I don’t envy Steve if we convince him the real cause of Gavin’s father’s death was because of magic.” I dialed Nash’s number, and he answered rather quickly.
“Glinda.”
“Hey, Nash. Do you know when Steve will be returning from Miami?”
“Why?”
I disliked the word why—except when I used it. “I’m just curious if he found out anything.”
“Elissa told me about your theory.”
I bristled at the word theory. “I can send you the image of the heart so you can see for yourself.”
“She already sent me the copy. I will admit it does appear that
witchcraft could be involved. Knowing you, you have a plan to find this person.”
I let out a long breath. “Yes. I spoke with Levy’s coven to see if they could point me in the right direction.”
“And?”
It had been Levy’s group who had provided me with the spell to treat Nash. Without their help, Nash would be dead. “They found the spell, but they aren’t sure how to prevent it from occurring to anyone else, nor have they found a way to protect others from being affected. They will let me know if they learn something.”
“I hope that means you won’t do anything until Steve returns.”
He was smart. “That’s my plan.”
“Good. Steve will be back tomorrow.”
I smiled. “Thank you.”
“Anytime. Please, keep me in the loop. No one should have this happen to them like what Daniel Sanchez went through.”
“I couldn’t agree more.”
I disconnected and told them what our deputy said.
“Once the sheriff returns, suppose he knows nothing,” Gavin said. “Then what?”
“Good question. Once we figure out a way to be immune to this terrible spell, I want to take a road trip to Miami. First, though, I’ll ask Dolly to ask her sister-in-law to check out the gardener and Morgana’s sister. I’m not sure what she’ll learn, but maybe she’ll surprise us.”
“When do you expect to hear back from Levy?” Rihanna asked.
“They seemed very determined to find an answer quickly.”
She smiled. “Then I guess we wait.”
“What about Morgana?” Jaxson asked.
“What about her?” I asked.
“Should we tell her we plan to go down to Miami and ask around?”
That might be smart if we were positive she had nothing to do with Daniel Sanchez’s death. For all we know, she is the witch with a secret motive. “Not yet.” I turned to Gavin. “Are you okay with not telling her right away?”
“Of course. I don’t trust her. Never have. She twists everything and makes it all about her.”
I really didn’t want to get into that discussion, so I stood. “As soon as I learn something from the coven, we’ll present it to Steve and Nash, and then we’ll plan our trip to Miami.”