by Kelly Ethan
“You’re a killer and a gambler. I can’t enable you. You need to turn yourself in.” Hannah stood with hands-on hips, scowling at her husband.
Malachi started, and then his eyes narrowed. A gloating smile bloomed across his face. “I can make money. I’ll sell this place to Shan and with your hair potion money I can have all my debts paid off and start again.”
“Hell no. You do not get my money.”
“I do if you have a tragic accident, along with Miss Nosy and her family of meddling hags.” Malachi shook his head. “I told you not to go out walking with that dangerous Basilisk on the prowl.”
Hannah gasped. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“I’m in with multiple bodies, what’s a few more?”
Xandie pushed herself up. “I object to being a future body.”
“How are you going to stop me?” Malachi smirked.
“I have Lorelei’s pink diary detailing all her dealings with you and others. It’s pretty incriminating.”
Malachi’s face contorted with rage. “Give it to me now.”
“Release Hannah and my Aunt Amelia first.”
He raised the amulet that had lain dormant in his fist and concentrated for a moment before staring back at her. “I could take the book from your stony bones instead.”
Hannah screeched as the rustling behind Xandie grew louder and her husband’s smile grew bigger...
Until Elspeth and Lila emerged into the light, their matching amber Harrow eyes glinting with malice.
Elspeth posed at the edge of the light from her glow stone. “Wow, look at what I’ve found. A nasty murderer and my beautiful prizewinning pug.”
“You have nine lives old woman. But I’m happy to end them all.” Malachi raised his amulet at Elspeth.
“No more killing.” Hannah raised her purse and threw it at her husband’s head.
He howled and stumbled back.
Clapping her hands at her aim, Hannah crowed. “Never leave home without a heavy science text or two. Great for hitting some sense into your murderous husband’s thick skull.”
Elspeth raised a hand and threw a handful of glittering dust into the air, causing tiny fireworks to explode over Malachi’s head.
Not wanting to miss out on the action, Xandie grabbed Lorelei’s pink book and waved it in the air as bait. She noticed an ominous shadow moved behind Malachi, out of range of the light.
Malachi stopped wailing as his gaze narrowed on the book in Xandie’s hand.
Xandie threw the book over his head and it landed next to the suspiciously moving shadow.
Malachi focused only on the book as he surged only to stumble over a belching Colin.
He flew backwards, his arms flailing in the air as he met the ground with a thunk. “I will kill that damn dog for that.” He rolled over onto all fours as the moving ominous shadow ambled into the light.
The size of a large dog, the shadow resolved itself into a juvenile Basilisk. A cockerel’s feathered head placed atop a stout body and spindly chicken legs with tattered dragon wings and a serpent’s tail completed the image of a deadly killer.
A killer who was staring straight at the murderous Malachi Mede.
Xandie clapped a hand over her mouth as a rotting putrid stench rolled over the women.
Mede shuddered, his back elongated and his fingers clawed the ground until they slowed and finally stopped. Malachi Mede, frozen in stone, toppled onto his side.
Hannah screamed and closed her eyes. Trying to block the Basilisk stare as it shuffled forward and started nibbling on Mede’s ear.
“Well, karma loves the practical joke.” Elspeth cackled and picked up the control amulet. She whistled at the Basilisk and snapped on the collar as it brushed against her legs. Colin belched and trotted over to Elspeth, who picked him up and cooed. “Who’s my big boy. You are. Yes, you are.” Elspeth nuzzled the pug before shoving him at Xandie and wandered over to a still bound and gagged daughter.
Amelia thumped her feet on the ground and glared at her mother over her gag.
“Have to remember Mede’s technique. This is the quietest you’ve been since you were born.” Elspeth guffawed but pointed an accusing finger at her daughter. “And if you ever spoil my hex aim again, I’ll make sure you taste salt for the rest of your life.” Sniffing, Elspeth turned, collected Hannah and strutted down towards the resort, the Basilisk following along behind.
Xandie sighed as she dropped Colin next to Lila and untied her aunt.
Amelia glared down the hill at her mother’s disappearing back. “That woman is a menace, and it galls me she had to waddle to the rescue.”
Xandie commiserated. Her grandmother was an amazing woman, but with an ego as big as her reputation. Combine that with her unhealthy fascination with hexes and she wasn’t a person you wanted to cross. “At least you aren’t a Basilisk chew toy.” Both women spared a glance for a now earless Malachi Mede statue.
“True, but we still won’t hear the end of it.” Amelia massaged her freed wrists. “All those poor people and animals killed for money.” Amelia shook her head. “That’s why I stay away from the pet circuit. Greed and shallow people don’t mix.”
Truer words were never spoken by a Harrow. The murderer was dead, victims avenged, and her aunt’s name cleared... And still her grandmother cackled as she marched back to the resort.
Lila held up her spelled phone. “I got through to Aggie. She’s sending the Chief up to collect Mede and the Basilisk.”
Police Chief Braun. Always late to the party when the Harrow witches were involved. At least this time she wouldn’t have to put up with his lecture on staying out of a crime scene. He’d wanted her to produce a suspect other than her aunt and she’d served him up a stone cold one.
Another day in body central, Point Muse, done and dusted.
Eighteen
Xandie gagged and blocked her nose as Colin cleared the morning’s breakfast of bacon, beans and eggs out of his system.
“Better out than in, baby girl. Besides, I have a delicate system.” Colin rubbed his belly and rolled on the ground at the base of Harrow House’s front stairs.
“I swear Elspeth gets more hag-like the older she gets.” Lila sprawled over the top step, wrinkling her nose at Colin’s radioactive antics.
“Colin’s the last in a lengthy list of misdemeanors. I’m surprised no one’s put a hit out on her yet.”
Hannah giggled at Xandie and swung her feet up underneath her as she settled into the porch swing.
Xandie smiled as she watched Hannah relax. The last few days had taken a toll on the former Point Muse resident. Finding out your husband was a killer and planned to take you out too, had to damage her psyche. But somehow Hannah had stepped out of the mental shadows and emerged a happier person. The police had closed the case of the pet show murders and shipped the basilisk to a magical zoo. Hannah had sold her resort to the Point Muse Council for a knockdown price and pulled out of her hair tonic deal. She’d partnered with Amity Puffin to mass-produce it themselves to the supernatural world. Odds were they’d make a killing. Pun intended.
The only loose tie was ASP and their chief idiot, Agent Smith. After delivering his message, the government agents and their stereotypical black SUV were noticeably absent from Point Muse. Elspeth had told her when she moved to Point Muse to keep her enemies close enough that she could dose them with a nasty itching hex if need be. Disappearing ASP agents made her teeth hurt. As for her mom, Herman, her Troll private investigator, had been silent on the subject of Miranda Harrow, nary an invoice sent for works rendered. She was secretly relieved; her emotions were mixed when she thought of her long absent mother.
“Please, I’m top of everyone’s hit list.” Elspeth snorted as she sailed onto the porch, with a lime green concoction in hand that had smoke curling around the straw. “I’m that good.” She cackled, and a bolt of thunder boomed in the distance.
Lila rolled her eyes. “She times it that way, makes her look more wicked witch.”
The screeching sound of an abused pink moped skidding to a stop outside of Harrow House had their squabbling grinding to a halt.
Amelia and Winifred stepped out of the house, both frowning, as Holly killed the engine in front of the stairs and ran to her relations.
Xandie straightened, it was never a good sign when her Banshee cousin came running. “What’s wrong Holly?” Part banshee and part witch, her cousin’s powers always frizzed in and out. At least until recently.
Holly raised her head and her eyes glowed ruby red with silver rings. She took a trembling step forward and her head dropped back and an undulating wail rose from her.
That was new. Her cousin’s eyes normally bled silver and she’d never wailed before. Xandie winced as the noise scraped at her nerves. She glanced around hoping for answers, but her family looked as confused as she was. Holly’s cry snapped off, and she lowered her chin. Her gaze snagged Elspeth, and Holly’s finger, now tipped with a silver claw, pointed straight at her grandmother’s heart.
Everyone looked between Holly and Elspeth. Locked in a banshee versus witch stare down. A flapping of wings and the caw of crows overhead broke the deadly stare contest.
Holly blinked furiously and lowered her fingers as Elspeth started down the stairs toward her.
Something brushed past Xandie’s head and she ducked. The crow cawed again as it fluttered in the air before stiffening and dropping like a stone at her grandmother’s feet.
Elspeth wore a mask of pain. She threw her cocktail into the shrubs, glass and all, and squatted at the side of the crow. She placed her hand on the crow’s chest, trying to feel for a heartbeat. After a moment, Elspeth dropped her hands away and stood. Like a bone-weary old woman, she wobbled up the stairs and slammed the front door behind her while the crow got to his feet, wobbled a little and then flew away.
Her daughters, Amelia and Winifred, shared a worried glance and followed her into the house.
Hannah stopped the swing with a toe and shifted her gaze between the front door and Xandie and her cousins.
Lila narrowed a worried gaze to Xandie, before rubbing Holly’s back.
“I couldn’t stop it. Couldn’t stop the scream.” Holly’s face crumpled as she delivered the ominous words. “It’s Elspeth. Death is coming for her and soon.”
Xandie joined her cousins and gave them a quick group hug. “Elspeth eats death for breakfast.”
“Not this time.” Holly shut the conversation down.
She’d found her Harrow grandmother and as quirky and as devious as Elspeth was there was no way Xandie would let her go now. She was the Librarian and, according to Elspeth, a catalyst. Bodies were her business, and now it was personal.
The only problem? Living up to the Harrow blood line might be the death of her…
The end...
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About the Author
I want to thank everyone who spent the time to read my novel.
My world is small town magic, mystery and mayhem, with plenty of snarky laughs along the way.
With an overactive imagination and a love of all things that go bump in the night, it was natural to write cozy paranormal mysteries, but I also love paranormal romance. No matter the genre, I love sarcastic heroines who like to save the day and solve the puzzle.
With a busy and chaotic household, writing is my outlet for madness. I live in Australia and when not writing, I can be found plotting my next fictional murder or chasing after the family’s ferocious hellhound.
Visit me today at my website or say hello on Facebook or Twitter.
Website:
https://www.kellyethan.com
Also by Kelly Ethan
Cozy Paranormal Mystery.
Point Muse Cozy Paranormal Mystery Series:
The Wicked Witch and the Christmas Chaos.
#0 The Pernicious Pixie and the Choked Word.
#1 The Killer Knight and the Murderous Chairleg.
#2 The Dastardly Dragon Slayer and the Poisoned Breath.
#3 The Murderous Monster and the Stony Gaze.
#4 The Cursed Crow and the Deadly Hex.
#5 The Slanderous Siren and the Grievous Gift
#6 The Vengeful Villain and the Cursed Treasure
Paranormal Romance
The Vegas Mythbehaving Series:
Miss Predictable.
Mr. Muse.
Mr. and Mrs. Monster.
Non Fiction
Heart and Craft.