by Tegan Maher
He gave me a tight smile. “I didn’t say that’s what I believed. Could be Tamara stole the phone after she killed Jack, and you both sent the messages in hopes to cover Tamara’s tracks.”
I gasped. “Of all the stupi—”
“I know you saw the body,” he spoke over me. “There’s no way you could have missed how he was killed. It could just as easily be Tamara waited for him out in the garden, she confronts him, maybe he took things from the house he wasn’t supposed to, she gets mad, picks up the cobblestone paver and whacks him across the back of the head.”
“There’s no way he could have taken anything from the house that wasn’t his,” I said smugly.
Grant frowned. “How do you know?”
I bit my lip. “What do you know about the island? I mean really know?”
“You mean other than the whispers from people on the mainland? I know I visited here when I was a kid. I know there was always something I couldn’t put my finger on, and I know I’m the only detective that applied for the position here, even though it pays twice what I made on the mainland.”
“Did your—do you call them aunt and uncle or grandparents?”
“Grandparents,” Grant said.
“Okay. Did your grandparents or parents ever talk about what makes Enchanted Island so special? Or maybe Chief Hawkins when he hired you?”
Telling humans about the true nature of Enchanted Island was frowned upon, so I figured I’d hint around to see what he knew.
“I know that most people on this island believe themselves to be witches or something like that,” he said. “I mean, you just called Tamara a green witch. So I know about the claim of witches. I don’t go in for that kind of stuff, but I’m not one to say another person is wrong for believing in it.”
Oh boy. This is going to be tough.
“You should know, the people that makes up Enchanted Island are different than your average citizens in a town.”
“How so?” he demanded.
I frowned and thought about what I could and should say. “What if I told you before Tamara left the house this afternoon, she put a ward around the house so Jack couldn’t take anything outside the house that wasn’t his?”
He snorted. “I’d say maybe Tamara believed she did, but—I mean, c’mon? A ward around a house? What does that even mean?”
“How long have you been on the island now?” I asked.
He shrugged his broad shoulders. “I don’t know. About three weeks, I guess.”
“And you haven’t spoken to your grandparents? Or they haven’t spoken to you about maybe the way of things here?”
He narrowed his eyes, and I could tell I’d struck a nerve. “Of course I’ve spoken with my grandparents. Not face-to-face contact since they’re on a month-long cruise in the Mediterranean, but we’ve spoken. ”
I sighed. “Look, it’s really not my place to tell you about the ways of the island. That needs to come from your family.”
“Okay. Fair enough. I’ll ask them specific questions about the island when they return.”
“Good.”
I was about to say something else when Officer Sparks stepped into the room. “Sorry, sir. I just wanted to let you know that Chief Hawkins said I could go. I left Ms. Gardener with him in the kitchen.”
Grant stood, causing Hocus and Pocus to flee the room in hissing anger. “Thank you, Sparks.”
Sparks smiled. “I really need to split. My wife and kids will kill me if I’m late for the festival tonight. Are you going, sir?”
Grant turned to me. “Are you guys going?”
“Of course. We’re supplying the six pies for the pie eating contest, and besides that, we’ve never missed a Samhain Celebration.”
Grant turned back to Sparks. “I guess I will see you there. Has all the evidence been bagged and taken down to the station?”
“Yes. Chief Hawkins has it all.”
Grant and I walked into the kitchen and saw a weeping Tamara crying on Chief Hawkins’ shoulder. Chief Hawkins and my dad had been best friends growing up, and since Dad’s death, he and my mom have formed a bond. Not a romantic bond, but one of mutual friendship and companionship. He was like a dad to me. He was also good friends with the Gardeners, so I figured the chief would be rational and know we had nothing to do with Jack’s murder.
Tamara stepped back so I could give the chief a hug.
“How’s my girl doing?” he asked. “You okay? Holding up good?”
I blew out a breath. “Yeah. I guess as well as can be expected.”
“Darn shame about Jack,” he said. “Maybe not a total surprise, but still a darn shame. His parents will be devastated.”
Tamara started to cry again, and Chief Hawkins handed her a hanky from his pocket. “Now you just dry up those tears. We’ll figure out what happened, don’t you worry. I have every confidence in Detective Wolfe.”
“One thing I don’t understand,” I said to no one in particular. “Why was Jack even anywhere near the garden? He never went out there. He was highly allergic to flowers and would complain every time he walked inside the house.”
Tamara lifted her head from the hanky. “You’re right. Why was he out there?”
“Could be a piece to the puzzle,” Grant said.
“I collected the note out of Serena’s car that was left on Tamara’s windshield,” Chief Hawkins said. “Have you finished your questions?”
“I have,” Grant said. “And I’ve decided that I will be attending the Samhain Celebration tonight to watch over these two ladies.”
I snorted. “Tamara and I don’t need watching over, Detective Wolfe. Believe me, we’re more than capable of handling ourselves.”
“I’m sure you are,” Grant said in a voice that left no doubt he was placating me. “But has it not occurred to you that Tamara might be in danger? If Tamara didn’t kill Jack, then someone is going to an awful lot of trouble to make it look like she did. Plus, they’ve left a threatening note on her car.”
“But I thought you said—”
“I’m not ruling anything out,” Grand said patiently. “It’s my job right now to gather the information, look for clues, and figure out who killed Jack Luckett.”
“He’s right, Serena,” Chief Hawkins said. “Let him do his job. I need to run and get ready for tonight. Your mom will have my hide if I’m late picking her up. Oh, and Dr. Drago said he’d get right on the body.”
“Dr. Drago?” Grant mused. “There are some odd last names on this island.”
“Dr. Drago is actually a distant relative,” I said. “Drago means dragon.”
Chief Hawkins gave me a sly smile. “It may take a while before Detective Wolfe is a true believer.” He patted Tamara’s hand and quietly left out the back door.
Tamara sniffed, wiped her eyes, and looked at me. “I think Daisy and Rose will both be there tonight. If I remember from last night’s meeting, Rose is handing out drinks, and Daisy is running the maze.”
“These are the two women who have both claimed Jack stole something from them?” Grant asked.
“Yes,” I said.
“Get whatever you need for tonight,” Grant said. “You can’t stay here.”
“What?” I demanded. “What do you mean?”
He gave me a hard look. “I mean this is a crime scene. A dead body was found just five yards from your back door. You can’t stay here tonight.”
“What about Hocus and Pocus?” Tamara asked.
“They’ll be fine here for one night,” I said.
“Okay. Let’s just gather the pies, get our costumes, and go back to the bakery to get ready,” Tamara suggested. “We can decide where to spend the night later.”
Luckily the police had been inside the house when the oven timer went off, so the two pies were able to be saved.
“Fine,” I said. “But just so you know, detective, you have to come dressed in a costume or you can’t attend the festival.” That wasn’t exactly true, but I was f
eeling a little snarky. “The theme this year is nursery rhymes. I hope you have something handy.”
“What’re you going as?” he asked.
“Little Bo Peep,” I said.
He grinned. “Then I have just the outfit.”
7
“Oh, I get it!” Tamara cried from the front of the store. “It’s very clever.”
Grant had followed us to the bakery with the instructions he would be back around six to follow us to the festival, and we were to stay with him the whole time.
I finished putting on my lipstick and stepped back to assess my costume. It was a strapless, pink prom dress with a lace bodice and fluffy ruffles that fell all the way down to the floor. There was also just enough boning in the bottom half of the dress to make the dress poof out. Clutched in my right hand was a white shepherds hook complete with a bright pink bow. Since my blonde hair was cut in a short, stacked bob, I’d glued a bright pink bow to a headband and stuck it on my head.
Calling it good, I walked out from the back of the bakery and frowned when I saw Detective Grant Wolfe. I had no idea what he was supposed to be. Unlike Tamara, I didn’t get it at all.
Before I could ask who he was, he gave me a low whistle. “Look at you. That dress is…very becoming in a bodice-ripping romance cover sort of way.”
I rolled my eyes and tried not to laugh. “Read a lot of those, do you?”
He grinned. “I may have glanced at one or two in my lifetime.”
“Who are you supposed to be?” I asked, willing myself to stop imagining him reading steamy romance novels.
He spread his arms wide and did a small circle. He had on dark blue jeans and a tight, dark blue t-shirt that clung to his body in a very good way. In his hand was a walking stick. “I’m Little Boy Blue.”
I scoffed. “No, you aren’t. Look at me. I actually look like a shepherd girl. You look nothing like Little Boy Blue.”
“I beg to differ. I’m dressed all in blue and carrying a shepherd’s staff.”
“You’re carrying a walking stick,” I argued.
“I think he looks good,” Tamara said. “And it’s funny, ya know?”
I sighed. “Whatever. Let’s just go. It’s only two blocks away, we can walk over.”
He handed me his card. “Put my cell number in your phone. I’ll do the same for you. Just in case we get separated tonight.”
I pushed aside the butterflies that suddenly popped up inside my stomach at the thought of having his phone number, grabbed my phone off the counter, and saved it in my contacts.
We each took a basket holding two pies and made our way to the Samhain Celebration held at the city park. There were at least two hundred people already crowded inside the blocked off area.
“This is amazing,” Tamara said. “Look, over there. The Coventon Triplets are dressed as Three Blind Mice.”
I pointed in a different direction. “And is that Mrs. Mystic over there carrying a shoe and dragging her six children behind her with a rope?”
“Wow,” Grant said, “everyone goes all out for this, don’t they?”
“It’s a celebration. Samhain represents the end of the harvest and the start of winter.” I waggled my eyebrows at him. “And it’s also when the veil to the other side is the thinnest. Who knows what could happen tonight?”
He gave me a strange look I couldn’t interpret. I’m sure he thought I was insane for “believing” in the supernatural, but it was only a matter of time—minutes really—before he discovered the truth. The majority of the games and booths at the festival were enchanted with magic in some way.
“Let’s drop off these pies to the mayor and then have some fun,” I said. “The maze and the haunted house are my favorites.”
We found Mayor Stone a few yards from the pie eating contest booth, politicking and laughing with other residents of the island.
He clapped his large hands in glee when he saw us and motioned us toward the booth. “These look delicious as always.” He gave me a wink. “And no surprises like last year, right? Promise?”
I laughed. “These pies are fine. No one will go screaming or fainting when they’re eaten.”
“Good! Good!” He clamped his hand down on my shoulder and jostled me good-naturedly. “I don’t think my heart could take another year of that.” He sobered instantly. “I was sorry to hear about Jack Luckett. I can’t tell you how awful I feel knowing someone here on this island killed that boy.”
“Don’t worry, Mayor,” Grant said. “I’m here tonight both as a bodyguard for the girls, and to also ask a few questions of two particular people.”
“I trust you’ll have this taken care of soon then,” Mayor Stone said.
We said goodbye and promised to stop back at eight for the contest. I steered us toward one of the food and drink booths for our first stop. The fact Rose Winterbourne happened to be working it was a total coincidence—or at least that’s what I told myself.
As the three of us stood in line, Grant broke the silence. “I’m dying to ask. What was all that about last year screaming and fainting?”
It was on the tip of my tongue to tell him about the whole blood-like scene from last year, then realized Grant wouldn’t understand because he didn’t believe in vampires or anything else supernatural.
“Nothing. It was just some—”
“Can I help you?”
The anger and hostility in Rose Winterbourne’s voice was unmistakable, but not shocking.
“Is everything okay, Rose?” Tamara asked.
“No, it’s not.”
Not wanting to let her spoil our fun, I quickly ordered a Spiced Pumpkin Punch.
“Me too,” Tamara added.
“And for you?” she asked Grant.
“I guess I’ll have the same.”
“That’s three Spiced Pumpkin Punch drinks,” she repeated. “Did you want those with ice?”
“Yes,” Tamara and I said at the same time.
Grant looked confused but nodded his head.
As Rose turned to fill our order, Grant raised an eyebrow. “Do you ladies know her? She seems a little hostile.”
I leaned over to whisper in his ear and almost moaned when the scent of his cologne tickled my nose. “That’s Rose Winterbourne. One of the suspects.”
He pulled back from me nodded. “Got it.” He leaned in to whisper back, and this time I did moan a little when his breath caressed my outer ear. “I’m going to ask her a few questions, please don’t interfere.”
I was about to argue, but Rose plunked three glasses on the wooden edge of the booth. “Did you also want them slightly frozen?”
“Please,” Tamara said.
Rose picked up one of the glasses, closed her eyes, and whispered something under her breath. A few seconds later, the rim of the glass produced tiny ice crystals. It wasn’t until I heard Grant gasp that I realized this was probably the first time he’d seen someone work magic. Rose, oblivious to Grant’s reaction, quickly froze the other two drinks.
“How?” Grant asked as he tilted his cup and gawked at the now frozen slushy. “How did you do that?”
Rose rolled her eyes. “I’m a Winter Witch.”
“Okay,” Grant said slowly.
Rose’s eyes turned hard. “We like our ice.” She turned to Tamara. “Just ask Jack.”
Tamara gasped and took a step backward.
“I’m sure you’ve heard by now about Jack.” My own anger spilling out in the words. “So we can’t ask Jack.”
“He stole my ice and never gave it back,” Rose said. “Now, if you don’t mind, there’s a long line behind you.”
“I actually do mind,” Grant said. “As I’m the acting investigator looking into the death of Jack Luckett, I’d like to ask you a few questions.”
“Make it quick,” Rose said. “I have a line forming behind you.”
Grant didn’t even turn around to look. “Where were you today from noon to three?”
Rose crossed her arm
s over her white apron and glared. “About twelve-fifteen I was standing in line at Enchanted Bakery and Brew getting an espresso and Samhain Soul Cake. From there I went straight home to get ready for tonight.”
“Did you stop and talk to anyone?” Grant asked. “Maybe someone on the street?”
“No.”
“Does anyone live with you?” Grant asked. “Husband? Kids?”
“No. I live alone.”
Grant frowned. “Neighbors?”
“No. I live about twenty minutes from town.”
“So there is no one who can corroborate your story that after you left the bakery you went straight home?” Grant asked.
Rose shrugged. “Guess not. But if you want to talk to someone who had it out for Jack, why don’t you go bother Daisy Woods? I hear she threatened Jack’s life plenty of times.”
8
We fell out of line and went to find a vacant picnic table. Grant was going to have to sit down for the rest of the Enchanted Island talk.
“What’s going on with the frozen hocus pocus thing?” he demanded, still staring at his drink wearily.
“Let’s sit down here,” I said. “Tamara and I can fill you in. I really wanted you to talk to your grandparents and hear it from them, but I can see there’s no time.”
We sat down at a picnic table, our backs against the tabletop so we could still survey the crowd walking by. Unfortunately, the boning in my dress reacted to the movement, and I was momentarily humiliated when the bottom half of the dress flipped up. Luckily, I was quick enough to slap it down before passersby were given a peep show they’d never forget.
Once I was back under control and Tamara and Grant stopped laughing, I took a huge gulp of my drink to ease the heat of embarrassment in my face.
“It’s safe to drink?” Grant asked.
I smiled. “Completely.”
“And that was what?” he asked with only a hint of derision in his voice. “Some kind of witch magic?”
“Yes,” I said.
“Okay. And do you two have tricks like that?”