Things slid into place. “That horrifying witch,” I hissed. I should’ve seen this coming. She was far too easy to get along with. I should’ve known it was a trap. “I’m sorry,” I said hurriedly. “You probably frown on the name-calling.”
“It’s not something we embrace, but in this particular instance I don’t believe it’s out of line.”
“It’s definitely not out of line. I’m going to ... .” I mimed ripping an invisible head off someone I violently disliked, earning a genuine chuckle from Sheila. “I’m sorry. I just can’t believe I fell for it. I knew she was being far too helpful.”
“It doesn’t surprise me that Margaret tried to damage my reputation. That’s who she is. I am a little disappointed that you believed it, but ... well ... I guess that’s on me.”
“No, it’s not on you.” I felt like a complete ninny. “I voiced disbelief when she told me. It was my initial reaction. But she was very convincing.”
“Yes, well ... she’s a piece of work,” Sheila said. “Was Adam really murdered?”
“Unfortunately, yes. It’s also come to my attention that there’s a possibility he was stepping out on Lorna. I was trying to ascertain who with and keep it under the radar to cause as little strife as possible, but apparently I went about it in the wrong manner.”
“I would definitely say so. The thing is ... I know who Adam was with.”
I wasn’t expecting that. “Are you serious?”
She nodded. “I don’t like idle gossip, you understand, but a lot of people have been talking about it. Adam was a regular parishioner here ... as is Lorna.”
“I know. Can you tell me who it was?”
“I would rather not.”
I decided to change tactics. “I need to know. It would be better if you told me. If Chief Terry and Landon have to come calling, things will get worse. If there’s a chance I can talk to this woman before them ... well ... it might be easier coming from me.”
She cocked her head to the side, considering. Finally, she offered me a slow nod. “That actually makes sense. I would prefer the information not be tracked back to me if you can help it.”
“Sure. You’re not Mrs. Little. I never divulge a source ... unless that source happens to be evil. You don’t fit that bill.”
She chuckled. “That’s good to know. It’s Lisa Newman.”
I was taken aback. Lisa was a local seamstress. A lovely person, she made costumes for all our festivals. Two years ago, her husband had fallen ill and died a few days later. I couldn’t even remember what he died from. It was sudden, though, and Lisa was an absolute wreck for months.
“Are you sure?” I felt mildly sick to my stomach.
She nodded. “I know what you’re thinking. Her husband Barry was best friends with Adam. My understanding is the relationship grew out of their mutual grief.”
In my mind, that didn’t make it better. “Do you know how long it’s been going on?”
“No, but I’m pretty sure it’s been more than six months.”
Well, great. “Okay. Thanks for letting me know.” I slowly got to my feet. “As for Mrs. Little, don’t worry about her. I’ll handle it.”
“And how will you do that?”
“Send Aunt Tillie after her. She’s always looking for a reason to torture her.”
Sheila laughed so hard I thought she might cry. When she finished, she simply nodded. “If there was ever an apt punishment, it would be that.”
I couldn’t agree more.
IT DIDN’T TAKE LONG TO find Aunt Tillie. She was zipping around the downtown area on her scooter, casting scathing looks in Hazel’s direction. For her part, the top witch of the gathering was doing a remarkable job of ignoring Tillie’s antics. It was a master class on how to derange Aunt Tillie. I would’ve applauded her under different circumstances.
“Aunt Tillie ... .” I tried to get her attention as she zoomed past me, but she didn’t as much as glance over her shoulder.
When she did it twice more, I outright glared ... and then grabbed her by the back of the shirt when she tried to fly past me a fourth time. She lost contact with the scooter during the process and it smacked into a garbage receptacle, causing her to howl in fury.
“What are you thinking? Are you trying to kill me? I swear, Bay, it’s as if you want me out of your life.”
I didn’t bother hiding my eye roll. “Cut the drama.” I released her shirt so I could retrieve the scooter. “I need to talk to you.”
“Oh, like I’m going to talk to the person trying to murder me. By the way, you’re on my list. Be thankful that someone else has the top spot reserved because otherwise, whoa baby, you would be crying.”
I was thankful for that. I knew I wouldn’t last long on her list, though, because I was about to give her a big prize. “I have a mission for you.”
Her glare was withering. “Oh, now you want me to be your errand girl. Won’t happen. Besides, I have other things going on.”
“It’s about Mrs. Little.”
No matter how focused Aunt Tillie was on Hazel, Mrs. Little was her true nemesis. Nothing would stop her from torturing her if the opportunity arose. “I’m listening.”
I told her about what happened with Sheila, leaving nothing out and embellishing just a little so Sheila looked particularly pathetic in the scenario. Aunt Tillie hated it when good people were trampled upon.
“I think you should split your focus,” I offered. “Mrs. Little needs a good lesson.”
“She does.” Aunt Tillie looked thoughtful as she switched her attention to the Unicorn Emporium. “Why do you think she went after Sheila that way?”
“Sheila said it’s because there’s some sort of competition to see who gets to deliver the sermon next Sunday. Pastor Mark is going to be out of town and it’s apparently a big deal.”
“I never understood things like that.” Aunt Tillie worked her jaw. “Still, maybe I can somehow snag that spot.”
“How do you think you’re going to manage that?”
“I’m gifted, Bay.”
She was ... something. “I don’t care how you get her back. I just want her to think twice before messing with me again. This is all because of the campground. She acted fine, said she was glad we got it because that meant it would remain important to the town, and then lied to my face and tried to hurt an innocent woman in the process.”
“She’s so full of crap even the most dedicated sanitation workers won’t touch her,” Aunt Tillie groused. “I knew that campground steal would cause her grief. We hurt her first, which I always appreciate.”
“You always told me it didn’t matter who hit first. It was the last hit that counted.”
“And I stand by that. We’re definitely going to strike her again. I just need to decide how.”
“I don’t care how you get her. I just want her crying. Oh, and if you could get photos of her crying, that would be great.”
The look she shot me was appraising. “You get more and more like me with each passing year.”
“That’s the meanest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
“No, it’s a thing of beauty. I’m serious. If you’re like me, you’ll be happy for another ninety years.”
It seemed unlikely I would live that long, but I was fine agreeing if it meant she would give Mrs. Little her full attention. “Just get her ... and get her good.”
“Oh, you don’t have to worry about that. I have a few ideas I’ve been gnawing on. I’ll figure out which operation to launch before the end of the day.”
“Great.” I moved to leave and then stilled, something occurring to me. “What’s your deal with Hazel? I know you promised Mom that you would at least try to get along with her. This doesn’t look like getting along.”
“What your mother doesn’t know can’t hurt her.”
“I have no intention of tattling on you. Quite frankly, I’ve never been Hazel’s biggest fan either. It’s been more than a decade, though. Don’t you think yo
u should give her a chance to see if she’s changed? I mean ... that’s been known to happen. Not to you or anything, but to others.”
“I know exactly who Hazel is.” Aunt Tillie’s expression darkened. “I’ll handle Hazel and Margaret, don’t worry about that. I’m good at what I do.”
I was familiar with that firsthand. “Okay. Well ... I need to run and do a few more interviews. You haven’t heard anything about Adam having an affair, have you?”
“No, but I paid very little attention to him. Do you think he was really having an affair?”
“Yeah. It just wasn’t with Sheila. She knew who he was having an affair with ... but I’m not supposed to tell anyone that she supplied me with the information.”
“My lips are sealed. I have bigger whales to harpoon.”
“Okay, well ... try not to get arrested. It won’t go over well if Chief Terry has to take you into custody and then explain to Mom what you were doing. She’ll be furious.”
“You let me handle your mother. I’m not afraid of her.”
If Aunt Tillie was afraid of anyone, it was Mom. Still, it was none of my business. Their relationship was between them. “Okay. I’m heading to Lisa Newman’s shop. I’m not sure where I’ll be after that, but if you’re interested in lunch we’ll probably be ordering in to Hypnotic later.”
Shrewd as always, Aunt Tillie narrowed her eyes. “Why are you going to the seamstress shop?”
“Why do you think?”
Her mouth dropped open. “No way. She was schtupping Adam? That is so wrong. Her husband and Adam were best friends.”
“Yes, it seems like a huge betrayal on just about every front. I think it might be true. Either way, I have to talk to her.”
“That sounds like a terrible conversation.”
“I’m not looking forward to it.”
“I’ll go with you.” She volunteered without hesitation, which made me uneasy.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I hedged. “This is a delicate conversation.”
“Which is why you need me. Nobody does delicate better than me.”
I knew a hundred frustrated women — and even more men — who could argue with that statement. “Why do you really want to go?”
“I’ve been thinking that the one thing this scooter needs is a cape for me. Lisa could make one ... and I bet she could do it fast.”
Huh. Never what you expect. “Fine, but don’t say anything embarrassing.”
“Do I ever?”
She was doing me a favor, I reminded myself. There was no sense buying trouble. “Of course not.”
Nine
I thought Aunt Tillie’s cape plan was a joke until she strolled through the door of Lisa’s store and planted her hands on her hips. “Where’s your Wonder Woman section?”
I practically choked on my own tongue.
“My Wonder Woman section?” Lisa looked up from the sewing machine she was working at and frowned. “I don’t technically have a Wonder Woman section.”
“How can you not have a Wonder Woman section?”
“I haven’t gotten around to it yet,” Lisa replied. “Perhaps if you tell me what you’re looking for I can help you with something from a different section.”
Instead of immediately answering, Aunt Tillie sighed. “I don’t know. I had my heart set on being Wonder Woman … at least I think.”
She was being purposely difficult, which wasn’t unusual. “She needs a cape,” I volunteered. “Something satin ... maybe blue. She wants to wear it around her neck while she’s riding around on her scooter so it streams behind her. I think that’s a good way to get snagged on something and accidentally hang herself ... but I don’t get a vote in the matter.”
Instead of reacting to the news with an appropriate sneer, Lisa nodded and stood. “I think I have what you’re looking for.” She gestured for Aunt Tillie to follow her to the far corner of the store. “These are durable synthetic fabrics that mimic satin but come with a much smaller price tag.”
“Oh, cool.” Aunt Tillie brightened considerably when she saw the fabrics. “Do you only have solid colors?”
Lisa looked rueful. “I’m afraid so.”
“Ah, well.” Aunt Tillie tapped her chin as she regarded her options. “Can I have one that’s double-sided?”
“You should probably ask how much it’s going to cost first,” I pointed out. “You might decide you don’t want to spend that much.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” Aunt Tillie’s lip curled into a sneer. “I’m going to wear a cape on a scooter. In what world won’t I want to do that?”
She had a point. “It’s up to her,” I said, waving my hand as Lisa started pulling out bolts of fabric.
“What colors do you want?” Lisa asked Aunt Tillie. “We can do double-sided. Maybe you can have two sides of your superhero personality.”
“Actually I prefer being a super villain on my off time.” Aunt Tillie ran her fingers over the fabric. “Go green for one side and purple for the other.”
I furrowed my brow. “Why not red and blue for Batman and Superman? Or red and yellow for Wonder Woman? You just said you wanted to be Wonder Woman.”
“I don’t want to be either of those goons.”
“Wonder Woman is red, too.”
“Yes, but the Hulk is purple and green. I’ve decided if I was ever to turn into a superhero, it would be the Hulk. He most closely matches my personality.”
I could see that. “Do what you want.”
“Thanks for your permission,” she shot back dryly. “Do you need to measure me?”
Lisa shook her head. “It should be fairly easy. I’ll make sure it’s not too long because I don’t want you tripping. I saw the scooter. If it gets tangled under your foot or in the spokes, that could be a recipe for disaster.”
“Good point.” Aunt Tillie flopped in a chair and watched as Lisa started measuring fabric. “So, word on the street is that you were having an affair with Adam Harris. Is that true?”
I wanted to kick her ... or at least slap myself in the face for telling her in the first place. I had no one to blame but myself. Aunt Tillie never met a secret she didn’t want to blab.
“I can’t believe you just said that,” I gritted out.
“Sure you can. You knew I would broach the subject from the start. That’s why you invited me.”
“I didn’t invite you.”
“That’s not the way I remember it.” Aunt Tillie’s gaze remained clear and keen as it rested on Lisa. “You don’t have to talk to us if you don’t want to, but it’s better to spill your guts to Bay than ‘The Man’ ... and I guarantee ‘The Man’ will find a way to stick his nose in your business. He’s threatened to take my still and wine so many times I’ve lost count. And don’t get me started on my pot field.”
She was referring to Landon. They had a tempestuous relationship at best. Landon had threatened her pot field on more than one occasion. Unfortunately for him, Aunt Tillie cursed the field so anyone trying to find it would get diarrhea.
Yeah, she’s a horrible woman when she wants to be.
Now that recreational pot was legal in the state of Michigan, we were at a crossroads. You could legally own eight plants. Aunt Tillie had way more than that. But the field was cloaked, so there was no way to prove she was breaking the law. Chief Terry had long since given up trying to get her to follow the rules. Landon wasn’t quite done smashing his head against the wall yet.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Lisa said. Her full attention was on the fabric she was cutting, but it was impossible to miss the stiff set of her shoulders. The question had clearly hit the mark.
I felt bad for her ... and a little annoyed at the same time. “I don’t think you were as stealthy as you thought when it came to hiding the relationship,” I offered. “More than a few people know the particulars.”
“I see.” She held up the fabric, comparing the panels to ensure they were the same size, and t
hen moving back to her machine. “I guess it’s a mistake to deny it given what happened?”
“I would definitely say so,” I confirmed, resting my hands on my lap as I regarded her. She was steadfastly avoiding eye contact. I couldn’t blame her. This could hardly be the way she envisioned things ending when she embarked on the affair. “Why didn’t you come down to the blacksmith shop after the fire yesterday?”
“I was out of town,” Lisa replied, grabbing a container of pins from the counter and carefully inserting them in the fabric. “I had to run to Traverse City for supplies. That’s a normal run for me. I do it at least once a month. Actually, Adam was supposed to go with me this time, but he had to back out at the last minute.”
“Why?”
“Lorna couldn’t handle the shop herself and everyone kept saying these witches coming into town were a big deal. Tourism is the name of the game in Hemlock Cove. We have to keep the tourists happy ... and these particular tourists are bringing a lot of money to the town.”
“They are,” I agreed. I felt woefully out of my depth. “How long were you and Adam involved?”
“About a year.”
“So ... a year after Barry’s death.”
“I know what you’re thinking.” Lisa finally lifted her head and I saw the strain lining her pretty features. She was in her late forties, but looked younger. “You think I’m a horrible person for carrying on with a married man.”
“I didn’t say that.”
Aunt Tillie lifted her hand. “I didn’t say it, but I think it. I don’t like cheats.”
I slapped at her hand. “Knock that off.” I was firm. “You’ve already caused enough trouble.”
“What trouble?” Aunt Tillie’s face was blank. “If I hadn’t come with you the question never would’ve gotten asked.”
“That’s not true. It just would’ve taken longer.”
“Okay.” She turned back to Lisa. “Didn’t it bother you that Adam was married?”
“Of course it did.” Lisa sat down at the machine with her basted project. “We didn’t plan for it to happen. You should know that. It was an accident. It just sort of popped up out of nowhere.”
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