Now you’ve garnered my attention. Why would our resident warlock be inserting himself into our investigation after he so adamantly refused to join our team?
“Beetle, would be a kind soul and go find me a glass of wine?” my mother asked with a few bats of her eyelashes. “The only booth with an alcohol permit is over by the Ferris wheel. Had I known we’d be enjoying a night out, I wouldn’t have worn these gorgeous ankle boots.”
She’s as nauseating as Rowena, and that’s saying quite a bit.
Mom raised her hand so fast that Leo practically scampered up Heidi’s upper body, his mind no longer on his bent whisker.
“Anything for you, my dear Regina,” Beetle crooned, giving a small bow before setting out to search for that red Solo cup of wine.
“Beetle, can you make that two?” Heidi called out, giving me an unapologetic shrug. She then stroked Leo in comfort, reassuring him that he hadn’t turned into a toad. “Might as well join her, Raven.”
Don’t do it, Heidi. Don’t join the dark side.
“This is really serious, Mom,” I whispered now that Beetle was out of earshot. “Buttons was the one who killed Kevin Paul. I saw a mugshot in a folder that Liam had in his truck, and I incorrectly assumed the man was named Seymour. George, Olive, and Seymour were arrested in that drug sting, but I have a feeling the ringleader was Buttons all this time.”
“Look,” my mother directed me with a tilt of her head toward where Liam had run off after Buttons. “You have nothing to worry about, and it seems that we’ve even made a friend in this mess.”
I wasn’t quite sure who my mother was talking about, but Liam suddenly immerged from the darkness leading a handcuffed clown in the direction of the exit. Buttons’ scowl was evident despite of the smudged face paint, but it could easily have been the fact that he was now without a wig. He must have lost his red bulbous nose at some point too, because that item was also missing.
If it hadn’t been for the fact that I was seeking out the individual my mother could have been talking about, I would never have noticed Rye standing back in the shadows. His red and white plaid shirt was barely visible, but that’s how I knew the man in question was my so-called cousin.
That was very smart of you, Rye. Listen, do you think we can have a one-on-one discussion about this abundant squirrel population in town? Your abilities could come in quite handy with my current Skippy situation.
Rye must have somehow aided Liam in apprehending Buttons, though I had to question if there might be strings attached to such an olive branch.
“Well, it looks as if another one of your murder mysteries has been solved,” my mother commented as she stepped away from me. She even gave a small clap in celebration. “Try not to make a habit of getting involved with them. I’m on the downslope of life, and I’d really rather spend the rest of my years enjoying wine and the company of a very nice gentleman. Now, I’m off to enjoy the festivities with Beetle. Did you know that he can play the violin? Such a talented man. Ta-ta! Oh, and don’t wait up for me.”
My mother’s laughter rang out behind her as she turned away.
Hairball.
I’d been so preoccupied watching my mother take her leave that by the time I looked back at the darkened area next to the funnel cake stand…Rye had completely disappeared.
“I’ve been texting Jack,” Heidi divulged, setting her cell phone down on the table so that she could pay more attention to Leo. “He’s on his way. Apparently, one of the officers had already notified him on what was taking place. He’ll be here in around twenty minutes.”
Grand. I don’t like how Heidi ignores me when that man is around, Raven.
I had no choice but take my seat next to the oversized teddy bear, but I did so in a way that I could still keep my eye on the path that Liam had taken with Buttons. There were so many questions that had been left unanswered, the main one being why Buttons had killed Kevin Paul.
You’re missing the point, Raven. Even your mother pointed out that the murder mystery has been solved, so we can get back to setting a foolproof trap to capture Skippy. Is your palm still burning?
“No,” I replied, only now realizing that the tingling sensation had slowly dissipated. “Buttons really did kill Kevin Paul.”
“Oh, Raven,” Heidi said softly, calling my attention to Clara. She was standing near the younger girl from the popcorn stand, who was trying to comfort the grieving girlfriend. “Clara must have realized that Buttons being arrested means that he was most likely involved in Kevin Paul’s murder. That’s so sad.”
“At least Clara has some closure.” I couldn’t imagine what the poor woman was going through, but at least she had a good support group of friends around her. Around two or three other people in grey uniforms had joined her, one a man with very large biceps. “Is that Bulldog?”
“Yeah,” Heidi said with an infectious smile. “That’s what I was coming to tell you. I had a talk with Bulldog about his relish recipe and why he didn’t rat me out. We already know that he was helping the police, but he mentioned how hurt he was by Seymour…and then showed me a picture. I was trying to find you before everything happened with Buttons to tell you that Seymour had jet black hair and a goatee—no combover. I guess we now know who does.”
Leo had been using his front paw to try and fix his whisker, but he wasn’t having any success. Heidi had decided that Beetle wasn’t coming back with her wine, so she settled for the coffee I was able to get us from the funnel cake stand. We weren’t sure how long Liam would be gone, and it was doubtful that Jack would have a moment to spare after he ended up taking Buttons into custody. Our best bet was to wait.
“Leo, I was thinking,” I said, after at least another half an hour had gone by. We’d even enjoyed the small fireworks display that had taken all of five minutes, but Leo’s disgruntled appearance was tugging at my heartstrings. “Skippy technically helped solved this case.”
Leo’s left eye might have protruded another millimeter in irritation, but he at least considered what I had to say about Skippy.
“Think about it. Had you not been chasing Skippy, he wouldn’t have been running through the carnival. Therefore, he wouldn’t have had the need to jump on top of that garbage can and land on Buttons’ head,” I rationalized, noticing that Leo had straightened up a bit while sitting on Heidi’s lap. “Skippy somehow got a claw caught in Buttons’ wig, and it was then we noticed his combover. Granted, Liam chased after Buttons for an entirely different reason based on whatever information he heard from the popcorn stand worker, but still…Skippy had a major role in the unveiling of a murderer.”
He bent my whisker. That is totally unacceptable.
“Maybe you can cut Skippy a break considering that Paramour Bay is now safe once again,” I recommended, draining what was left of my coffee. The festivities of the carnival were winding down for the night, which told me that we might have to locate my mother for a ride home. “I’m sure we can fix your whisker, Leo.”
“I think it adds character.” Heidi was always good for Leo’s ego. “Such a handsome kittycat. He’s my boy.”
I wonder how much it would take to bribe Skippy to run out in front of a certain state police detective’s vehicle.
At least I had gotten Leo’s mind off his whisker and the various ways he could get retribution. In the meantime, it was time to text my mother and hope that I wasn’t interrupting anything that would result in ruining the rest of the weekend. Heidi and I still had a house to look at tomorrow morning. I’d just reached into my skirt pocket for my cell phone when I heard my name being called.
“Liam!” I exclaimed, quickly disengaging myself from the picnic table. “Are you okay?”
It was a silly question when I had seen for myself that he’d been physically fine after apprehending Buttons, but the question had popped out anyway.
“Yes. I’m just sorry it took so long for me to get back here. Jack took Lyle Gafney into custody for the murder of Kevin Paul.”
Liam stroked his warm hands up and down my arms. My sweater prevented skin-on-skin contact, but the heat of touch still made its way through the thick fabric. “It’s quite a story, if you and Heidi would like to hear it.”
Wait. So, does that mean the oaf of a detective isn’t joining Heidi tonight?
“Of course.” I scooted the oversized teddy bear over on the bench seat so that we would both have room on the one side. Heidi and I were both anxious to hear what had really taken place for Buttons to take the chance of committing murder in broad daylight. “I can’t believe that Buttons killed Kevin Paul. I mean, we had breakfast with him.”
I’m sleeping next to Heidi tonight. We’ll take the couch. You can have your mother.
“Jack was able to finally shed some light on the drug sting, which was connected to the murder,” Liam shared, completely oblivious to Leo making tonight’s sleeping arrangements. He straddled the bench seat so that he was facing me while being able to speak to Heidi as well. “George Mertes, the owner and operator of this traveling establishment, allowed Lyle Gafney, Olive Belvin, and Seymour Lincoln to run drugs through his operation in exchange for a ten percent of the action.”
“That’s horrible.”
I would have asked for twenty.
“It gets worse,” Liam warned, leaning an elbow against the table. “Elroy Simpson’s body was recovered down in Alabama earlier this week. Turns out that Gafney murdered Simpson and forced George Mertes to hire Kevin Paul.”
Another insider who wouldn’t blow the whistle on the entire drug operation. You’ve got to admit…it was a genius plan.
“Why would Buttons—I mean, Lyle—kill Kevin Paul?” I asked, not clear on why Buttons would kill one person only to end up killing his replacement.
Can you say psychopath? He chose to be a clown, Raven. Who does that? And just so you know, even psychos can end up changing their mind. Wait a minute. Maybe that’s why Skippy is always one step ahead of me. He’s an unpredictable psycho ninja squirrel. Raven, we might just have a psychotic squirrel problem on our hands. See? I was right all along. He must have rabies!
“This is where we don’t have the entire story, but we believe that Kevin Paul had a change of heart about the drug business once he began dating Clara. He wanted out, Gafney couldn’t let him spill the beans, and one thing led to another.”
“So, Kevin wanted to do the right thing?” Heidi asked, sadness lacing her soft tone as she continued to scratch Leo behind the ear. “Sometimes our poor choices get us in over our heads, and the only thing left to do is try to swim for shore.”
“Or get eaten by the sharks,” Liam summed up with a disappointed shake of his head. I tried not to take his analogy too seriously, because we weren’t talking about my choices at the moment. “It’s a shame that this year’s Spring Festival was tarnished by all these arrests, but we were able to rid the streets of some very bad people.”
Your choice to keep our lineage safe is for the best. You seem to be forgetting a very important tidbit. It’s not just your secret, Raven. Others could be hurt by you revealing our abilities to humans…Heidi being the exception, of course. Besides, you’re the one who brought up my weight. Look at me like your life preserver in stormy seas.
As I’ve often said, Leo never ceased to amaze me with his inopportune insight into certain situations. I wanted to steal him from Heidi and give him the biggest hug, but Liam might think that was a bit odd.
No public displays of affection, please. I have a reputation to uphold. Skippy might see.
“How about that Ferris wheel ride before we head home?” I asked Liam, reaching for his hand and squeezing his fingers in anticipation. “We deserve a little fun after all the work you did to keep this festival safe for the locals and tourists.”
“We have around ten minutes before they shut this place down for the night.” Liam had lifted his left arm to look at the time. “Heidi, would you watch the monstrosity I won for Raven? We won’t be long, and I don’t want to share my seat with anyone or anything but this beautiful woman here.”
“Leo and I will follow behind,” Heidi said, setting Leo on the ground and reaching over the table for Ferris. He was almost as big as her, but she managed to get an arm around his neck and lug him toward the Ferris wheel. “That way you guys don’t have to double back to find us.”
“By the way, how did Leo manage to show up back here in town?” Liam asked me as he kept ahold of my hand and began to weave through the waning crowd to reach the Ferris wheel.
I could only laugh, purposefully not answering as we hurried along. The delicious aroma of popcorn and funnel cakes still hung in the air. We ran past the strings of lights and game booths as we raced against the clock. I wasn’t the least bit sad that the temperature had dropped a few degrees, because that only meant I got to sit closer to this amazing man. More importantly, I had no desire to swim with the sharks, and Leo had already offered himself up as a life preserver. He’d made a good point when he reminded me that the supernatural realm wasn’t only my secret to keep.
My decision to keep quiet had nothing to do with lack of trust or what Liam’s possible reaction could be to such an unbelievable announcement. It had more to do with the fact that I wasn’t the only supernatural being in existence, and I needed to take into consideration their lives, as well. Should it ever come down to someone’s life being in danger due to witchcraft, I would wholeheartedly do what was needed and tell Liam the truth. Lives were more important than keeping secrets. Had Kevin Paul done the same in his complicated situation, maybe he would still be alive today.
Tomorrow wasn’t guaranteed, so I’d made the decision to take each day as it came and enjoy these moments to the fullest. What mattered most right now was that Lyle Gafney was behind bars and Rye Dolgiram wasn’t some evil warlock working for the coven. The residents of Paramour Bay were safe from clowns, humans, and supernatural beings alike for the time being.
You’re forgetting something, Raven. Skippy. He’s still out there, biding his time…but I’ll be ready. Yes, siree, I’ll be ready.
~ The End ~
Thank you so much for reading Spellbinding Blend. There are many more magical mysteries ahead for Raven and Leo, and the next installment—Cryptic Blend—will be releasing in May!
Click HERE
Ghosts, goblins, and ghouls go bump in the night in the latest installment of the Paramour Bay Mysteries by USA Today Bestselling Author Kennedy Layne…
The residents in the small coastal town of Paramour Bay are sorting through their unwanted belongings and setting up card tables in their driveways in order to get ready for their annual community garage sale.
Raven Marigold hasn’t lived in town long enough to contribute to the garage sale, but she sure is ready to find some basement bargains. Armed with a small reserve of cash and a large tote for her treasure trove, she wasn’t prepared for her familiar to make a shocking discovery of an authentic sapphire pendant. You see, the disturbing part of such a find was that the pendant belonged to a resident…one who’d been buried with it.
A haunted cemetery, an empty crypt, and a rather curious raccoon are all cryptic clues in another magical mystery that will leave you gasping for breath until the very last page!
Books by Kennedy Layne
Paramour Bay Mysteries
Magical Blend
Bewitching Blend
Enchanting Blend
Haunting Blend
Charming Blend
Spellbinding Blend
Cryptic Blend
Office Roulette Series
Means (Office Roulette, Book One)
Motive (Office Roulette, Book Two)
Opportunity (Office Roulette, Book Three)
Keys to Love Series
Unlocking Fear (Keys to Love, Book One)
Unlocking Secrets (Keys to Love, Book Two)
Unlocking Lies (Keys to Love, Book Three)
Unlocking Shadows (Keys to Love, Book Four)
Un
locking Darkness (Keys to Love, Book Five)
Surviving Ashes Series
Essential Beginnings (Surviving Ashes, Book One)
Hidden Ashes (Surviving Ashes, Book Two)
Buried Flames (Surviving Ashes, Book Three)
Endless Flames (Surviving Ashes, Book Four)
Rising Flames (Surviving Ashes, Book Five)
CSA Case Files Series
Captured Innocence (CSA Case Files 1)
Sinful Resurrection (CSA Case Files 2)
Renewed Faith (CSA Case Files 3)
Campaign of Desire (CSA Case Files 4)
Internal Temptation (CSA Case Files 5)
Radiant Surrender (CSA Case Files 6)
Redeem My Heart (CSA Case Files 7)
A Mission of Love (CSA Case Files 8)
Red Starr Series
Starr’s Awakening(Red Starr, Book One)
Hearths of Fire (Red Starr, Book Two)
Targets Entangled (Red Starr, Book Three)
Igniting Passion (Red Starr, Book Four)
Untold Devotion (Red Starr, Book Five)
Fulfilling Promises (Red Starr, Book Six)
Fated Identity (Red Starr, Book Seven)
Red’s Salvation (Red Starr, Book Eight)
The Safeguard Series
Brutal Obsession (The Safeguard Series, Book One)
Faithful Addiction (The Safeguard Series, Book Two)
Distant Illusions (The Safeguard Series, Book Three)
Casual Impressions (The Safeguard Series, Book Four)
Honest Intentions (The Safeguard Series, Book Five)
Deadly Premonitions (The Safeguard Series, Book Six)
Spellbinding Blend Page 15