by Vella Day
When we piled out of the car, I couldn’t help but whistle. “This place is amazing.”
The house and grounds must have cost a fortune. It sure didn’t look like Daniel Sanchez had money problems after all, though the upkeep alone would cost a lot. So what if it was Morgana’s house originally? Once they married, I bet Daniel had helped pay for things.
I looked around for the gardener and any other staff, but no one seemed to be working. Either their shift didn’t include weekends, or Morgana told them she planned to be away for a few days and to take the time off.
Gavin opened the front door and showed us in. The home was modern and upscale, though the black and white theme really wasn’t my style. “I had no idea this place was right on the ocean.”
“Yeah. Only the best for Morgana and Dad.” His comment dripped with sarcasm.
I walked to the large picture window that overlooked a massive pool, a grassy area, and then the ocean. It said a lot about Gavin that he didn’t seem drawn to this kind of rich lifestyle. His mom’s house was small, and apparently, he didn’t mind being with a girl who lived at an office.
From around the corner came a man carrying a pool skimmer. “Looks like Mauricio is here.” He looked like an older version of the picture I’d seen.
Gavin looked up. “I guess I forgot to mention that he lives on the property in the cabana.”
Interesting. That meant he had daily access to Daniel. While Mauricio had on jeans and a long sleeve shirt, I could definitely see his muscles. His tan skin and thick dark hair would make any woman take a second look. The question was whether or not Morgana was interested in him. Gavin’s dad was descent looking but rather out of shape. Sure, Gavin’s dad might have been a lawyer, but if Jaxson’s research was right, Mauricio has a medical degree, something that might appeal to her.
“What do you know about Mauricio?” I asked Gavin.
“Not much. He seems really nice. Every time I’ve been here, the place looks great.”
“Is his English good?” Shoot. That implied I knew he’d come from someplace else.
“He has an accent, but he speaks fluent English. Why?”
“Morgana pointed a finger at him, so Jaxson did a little research.”
Gavin walked over the open kitchen and retrieved four glasses. “Ignore Morgana. She and Mauricio got into a fight a while back, though I don’t know over what. I think she accused him of being a suspect because she wanted to get him into trouble. He might not even be here legally.”
“I thought if he had a job, he could get a Green Card.”
“I wouldn’t know.”
I doubt Mauricio would tell us the truth if it meant he could be deported. I would consider asking him, but rushing out and grilling him now was not the way to get answers. Maybe tomorrow. And I’d make sure I had Rihanna with me.
Gavin poured us some water. “I’ll show you to your rooms. Then maybe we can grab something to eat.”
“That sounds great.”
“I’ll stay here and watch the gardener,” Iggy said.
I chuckled. “You do that. Make sure he treats the other iguanas well.” From the way every hedge was perfectly manicured, they certainly didn’t appear to have been attacked by a hoard of hungry reptiles anytime in the near past.
I felt a little funny dressing up in a suit, but if I wanted to be taken seriously at the law office, I figured I should look nice. My outfit was dark plum with a light cream-colored blouse.
Rihanna wore nice black slacks and a light blue blouse. Ever since she started working on her psychic skills with Gertrude, my cousin had slowly moved away from her all-black attire. I had to admit, she looked striking. I could see why Gavin was so taken by her.
As for the men, both Gavin and Jaxson wore black slacks and button-down shirts and looked like they could have worked at this law firm.
We were all seated in a waiting area when a petite blonde came out from one of the offices. “Ms. Cortez will see you now.”
All four of us stood and followed her in. Sandra Cortez came around from behind her desk and hugged Gavin. “I am so sorry about your dad. He was a good man.”
I held my breath, hoping Gavin wouldn’t get into it with her about how his father had failed him. “Thanks.”
“Please sit down.”
Gavin introduced us all. We had decided to let everyone we spoke to know our agenda. I told Sandra that I was a witch who was looking for someone capable of harming another human being using magic. We wanted the sorcerer to fear we might expose him—or her. Had we not been immune, or if I didn’t have the magic potion on me, that would have been quite dangerous should this witch decide to come after us. In the end, we figured it was the only way to find him.
“Tell me how I can help,” Sandra said.
I was a bit surprised by her lack of response that I had some powers, but maybe she was familiar with others like me. I inhaled, ready with my tale. I only hoped Rihanna would be able to tell what Sandra was thinking.
Chapter Ten
“I’m sure you know that Daniel died under strange circumstances,” I said.
“My sister explained about his heart being damaged,” Sandra said.
“Did Dad complain of heart problems?” Gavin asked.
Sandra shook her head. “He didn’t say anything to me, but that’s not surprising since we weren’t close, despite being co-workers.”
Jaxson pulled out his phone. “But you used to be close, didn’t you?”
I didn’t need my cousin to tell me Jaxson had struck a chord. I could see the shock on her face, though she tried to hide it. “Yes. We dated for a while.”
That I didn’t know. “What happened?” I tried to sound sympathetic, but I don’t know if I pulled it off.
“Two lawyers in the same firm are bound to disagree about a case or two. It happened so many times that we decided we weren’t meant for each other.”
“I can understand that,” I said. “When did your sister come into the picture?”
“About six months after Daniel and I broke up. She actually used our firm for her own divorce. We thought it best if I didn’t handle her case, so Daniel took it, and the rest is history.”
“How did that make you feel?” No, I wasn’t a shrink, but sometimes the questions they asked were good ones.
“I was fine with it. As I said, we’d already broken up by then.”
“You weren’t jealous when they started dating?” Rihanna asked. “It would be natural. If you couldn’t have him, surely your spoiled sister shouldn’t have him either.”
Ouch.
Sandra’s mouth opened. Clearly, Rihanna had read the woman’s mind. “No comment.”
When her lips remained firmly pressed together, I changed the subject. “What happened to Morgana’s ex-husband?” It was remotely possible he might have done away with Daniel, because he realized he’d made a mistake in divorcing his rich ex-wife.
“He’s remarried. To his secretary. I’ve heard they are quite happy.” She lifted her chin as if she knew why I’d asked.
For now, I’d cross his name off the list. One could only focus on so many people.
“Are you a witch?” I wanted to strike while she was off-balance from refusing to answer the question about being jealous.
“What? Of course not. There are no such things as witches.”
I really wished I had the ability to levitate something so I could show her witchcraft existed. “I beg to differ. As I mentioned, I’m a witch, and Daniel died from a witch’s curse—though not at my hand.”
Yes, it could have been a warlock, but I didn’t need to be debating semantics with her.
She laughed, but I could tell it was forced. Sandra sat up straighter and sobered. “If a witch cursed Daniel and killed him, prove it.”
That was the problem. We couldn’t, and telling her about my necklace glowing bright yellow when I passed it over his heart would fall on deaf ears. “The autopsy showed the heart was black and h
ard. I actually saw it.”
“I heard about that. I will admit that is strange since he was fine a few days before he went up to Witch’s Cove, but then, I’m not a doctor.”
“Your instincts were spot on. A man doesn’t go from fit to diseased in only a few days.” Or so I believed.
“It wasn’t a stroke then?”
“No. It was a curse.”
“Whatever. I am busy. So, if you wouldn’t mind?”
“We’re almost done. What can you tell me about the man who was suing Daniel?” I asked.
“Ed Whitlow? He’s a blowhard. He didn’t have a case.”
“Are you sure?” Gavin asked.
“Yes, I’m sure. He made it up that your dad cheated and falsified records, because he didn’t want to pay his ex-wife the money she deserved.”
“Was he mad enough to maybe kill Daniel?” I asked.
“Kill him? Ed Whitlow is a short, skinny man who couldn’t take down a ten-year-old girl.”
This woman didn’t seem to understand anything about the power of witchcraft. Maybe she wasn’t one after all. It also seemed as if she wasn’t involved in Daniel’s murder. If she had been, she would have let us think Mr. Whitlow could be guilty. “For the record, a witch or warlock doesn’t need muscles to harm someone.”
I was getting a bit tired of trying to prove our existence, but there was nothing I could do to show her, other than cloaking myself. That, however, required me to say a spell, which unfortunately I’d forgotten. Besides, I’d been warned about trying it too many times. Trust me, I’d felt the consequences of doing it repeatedly in the past, and I didn’t like it.
“If you say so.”
“Do you have his address?” Jaxson asked. “I’d like to hear Whitlow’s side of the story.”
I bet Gavin wouldn’t appreciate hearing lies about his dad.
“Sure.” She typed something into her computer, wrote down the information on a slip of paper, and handed it to him.
“Thanks.”
“Can you think of anyone who would want to harm Daniel, present company excluded naturally?” I asked.
Sandra pressed her lips together, looking as if she was trying to come up with a suspect. “None that I can think of. No.”
“Who will be the firm’s new partner now that Daniel is no longer here?” I asked.
Sandra’s face turned pink. “I will be. I’ve already been asked, and I accepted.”
That seemed like motive to me, but without knowing if she was a witch, it wouldn’t help. I didn’t feel there was anything else to learn from her at the moment. I looked over at my three cohorts to see if they had anything to add, but none of them said a word.
“I appreciate you taking the time to talk to us.” I hoped she wouldn’t charge us for her time, but if she did, we would pay.
Once we were outside, Gavin suggested we go to a coffee shop he used to frequent when he lived here. That worked for me. I could use the caffeine and maybe something to eat.
I didn’t ask anyone’s opinion until we were seated and had ordered. I leaned back in the booth. “I’d like to hear everyone’s take on what Sandra said. Who would like to go first?”
Rihanna raised her hand, and I nodded. “I think she doesn’t know anything about witchcraft, but I believe she harbors quite a lot of animosity toward her former brother-in-law.”
“I can’t say I know Sandra all that well,” Gavin said, picking up where Rihanna left off, “but I think that is true.”
“Do you know why she was angry with your dad?” I asked. “Was it because she was still interested in him, or because your father was in her way when it came to getting that partner job?”
Gavin shrugged. “I really don’t know. Morgana didn’t say either, but I wouldn’t trust my stepmother or Sandra to tell the truth.”
“Good to know.” I turned to Jaxson. “What’s your takeaway?”
“I’d be totally guessing here, but something weird was going on when she spoke about Ed Whitlow.”
“What do you mean?”
“I have no proof, but could she have paid him to sue Daniel? Perhaps she forged the papers and tried to blame it on Daniel to get him suspended.”
I whistled. “That is low. I have to say it could honestly be any of those scenarios. I suppose we could speak with Ed Whitlow, but do we think he’d tell us the truth if he was in cahoots with Sandra?”
“Highly doubtful,” Jaxson said. “He’s not going to admit to a crime. He’d have nothing to gain and everything to lose.”
“I think we should talk to Mauricio,” Gavin said. “He and Morgana were chummy at one time. Maybe she told him something, off the record of course, that we could use.”
I wondered what his definition of chummy was. “Sure, and if Sandra is involved in Daniel’s death in any way, she’ll let it slip to this person that I’m a witch. It might help draw him out.”
“For all we know, the spell has already been set in motion,” Jaxson said.
I shivered at that thought. “It won’t do any good, thank goodness.”
Jaxson clasped my hand. “Let’s hope not. Will you promise to tell me the second you feel strange in any way, though?”
Now he was being overly protective. “I could, but if this love potion notion is wrong, there is nothing we can do to stop certain death.”
“Don’t talk like that.”
I didn’t want to bring the whole group down. “You’re right. What do you say once we finish our meals, we go back to Morgana’s house for a swim?”
“Why?” Rihanna asked.
“I want to get Mauricio to talk, and what better way than to show him we are four fun-loving people?”
Rihanna looked over at Gavin. “What do you think?” she asked.
“I’m game. I’ve chatted with Mauricio on several occasions, and like I’ve said, he’s always been nice.”
“When you spoke to him last night, did he think it odd that we’d come to the house so soon after your dad’s passing?” I asked.
“No, I think he assumed I was there to look through some of my father’s things. I didn’t really say why we were there other than being at my dad’s house, surrounded by his things, helped me cope with my grief.”
I rubbed his shoulder. “I truly am sorry, Gavin.”
“Thanks.” His chin trembled.
If that had been an act—which I didn’t think it was—it certainly was a convincing one.
“Did you ever mention to Mauricio that you were going to intern with your mom at her morgue?”
“I might have,” Gavin said.
“Did Mauricio comment about having a medical degree?”
Gavin chuckled. “Mauricio is the gardener who also takes care of the pool.”
“Yes, but we believe he was a doctor in Mexico.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
I looked up at Jaxson. “Want to tell Gavin what you found out?”
“Sure.” He told him about the article. “Are you sure he’s not going to school or anything?”
Gavin said nothing for a minute. “I mean, I guess he could be. He only works at most forty-hours a week. After work he’s free to do as he wishes.”
“Morgana might know,” I said. “Do you mind texting her?”
“I can do that.”
No sooner had we entered the house when Morgana texted back. “Yes, he is doing some kind of online course,” Gavin said.
“Did she say why he left Mexico?” I asked.
“Nope, but I didn’t ask either.”
I wasn’t sure what to make of it. “I think it’s time to find out about this intriguing man.” I looked around. “Iggy?”
The house had been locked up, so he couldn’t have gone outside.
“You called?” He was hiding under the sofa.
“How did it go?” I asked.
“You first.”
Sometimes Iggy could be a pain. I lifted him up and carried him into the bedroom so I could change into my ba
thing suit. I gave him the short version of our conversation with Sandra.
“She dated Gavin’s dad, and now he’s dead? Interesting,” he said.
“Are you saying there is a connection?” Sometimes Iggy could be quite intuitive.
“I’m not saying anything, and since I couldn’t go outside, I couldn’t find out much.”
“What are you implying? That I should have let you loose, so Mauricio could have tried to capture you?” I didn’t add and maybe kill him.
“It was probably better that I stayed inside. It gave me time to come up with a plan without worrying about being captured and killed by some gardener.”
I tried not to smile. “A plan, huh? What kind of plan?”
“You let me out, and as soon as Mauricio goes into his cabana, I’ll cloak myself and sneak in.”
“That’s not a bad idea. Do you want me to remove your collar?”
“Why?”
“It says Detective Iggy on it. I think that might raise suspicion should you lose your cloaking ability.”
Iggy ran his claw over his collar. “I guess, but I hope Mauricio doesn’t think I’m an ordinary iguana if he sees me.”
“Then don’t get caught.” I had every confidence in Iggy.
“Okay, but don’t tell Jaxson I’m not wearing it.”
“Why not?”
“He gave me the collar. He might think I don’t like it.”
“I appreciate that you care so much.” I lifted up Iggy, took off the collar, and put him back on the floor. “I need to change, so get out of here. And tell Jaxson and Rihanna your plan, so they can let you out as soon as Mauricio is out of sight.”
He tilted his head. “Then Jaxson will see I’m not wearing the present he gave me.”
Iggy really seemed concerned. “Fine.”
I left the bedroom and made my way to the large, sliding glass doors that overlooked the pool. I opened it a nudge. “Go, but be careful.”
“I will.” From the way he rushed off, he was quite excited to be on another adventure.
Chapter Eleven