Witch Way To Amethyst: The Prequel (A Stacy Justice Mystery Book 0)

by Barbra Annino

  "Okay, but they said they had to report back to the She Woman Head Heathen. I'm guessing that would be you. So, then what?"

  "Lolly or Fiona could take my place," Birdie said.

  I thought about that. In theory, it sounded great. It was the application that concerned me.

  Birdie saw my eye twitching. "Sweetheart I'm not sure you're quite up to the job."

  "What job?"

  "Re-introducing a woman to her pagan roots."

  She was right about that. My resume listed absolutely no experience in pagan root revival. That was a job for professionals.

  Thank the Goddess. I kissed my grandmother’s cheek and rose to leave.

  Birdie grabbed my hand. In a deadly serious tone, she said, "Learn to recognize the signs. There are no accidents. Every feeling you get, every inclination, every physicality has specific meaning." She clutched my hand tighter. "And if you ever feel nauseous, I want you to be extremely careful."

  "Why?"

  "Because that signifies harmful intent."

  "Good to know," I said.

  I made my way to the gate and turned to wave goodbye. Birdie waved back. Just as I was about to curve the corner she called me. "Oh, and Anastasia?"

  I turned back around. "Yes?"

  "Follow the pennies. They hold the truth. Find the truth, find the perpetrator."

  "How did you...?"

  Birdie smiled like a woman who’s fortune cookie just came true.

  Around the corner, I bumped into Gus carrying a Dungeons and Dragons game.

  "Oh, hey Stacy," Gus said.

  "Hey Gus, whatcha got there?"

  "Dungeons and Dragons. Your grandma and me have been playin'. She's real good."

  "I bet she is. Have fun."

  Somehow I couldn't picture that scenario in any Chicago precinct.

  Leo was at his desk when I reached the lobby. He looked up and smiled when he saw me.

  "How'd the fashion show go?"

  "Very funny," I said.

  "I didn't know you could be so...cat like. Very agile, that move back there,” he said.

  "That's right. But I have sharp claws."

  He drank me in and scratched his head.

  "Um, you've got things a little mixed up there," he said, waving a finger at the blouse.

  Looking down, I discovered two buttons weren’t fastened at all and the rest of them were out of order. Cripes, now he thought I couldn't even dress myself.

  "I was going for a new look. Bag lady chic. Do you like it?" I curtsied.

  Leo laughed. "Why don't you come over here and have a seat. I'd like to ask you a few questions."

  I crossed to the desk and pulled up a chair.

  "Can I get you some coffee?" he asked.

  I shook my head.

  Leo’s tee shirt hugged his skin and his face was freshly shaven. He looked good enough to eat.

  "So how's the investigation going?" I asked when he didn't say anything.

  "That's what I was gonna say."

  I sat back. "What do you mean?"

  "Look, I know you and the Grand Poobah are cooking up something and I want to know what it is." Leo hinged forward and folded his hands together.

  "I don't know what you're talking about."

  "Well, something's going on."

  I gave him my Little Bo Peep stare.

  He stared back, holding my gaze and I wanted to crawl across the desk and straddle his lap. "Don't play innocent with me, Stacy, I've seen your caped crusader costume."

  No denying that.

  "Halloween's coming up," I said. "Just trying out the ensemble."

  Leo narrowed his eyes and drummed his fingers on the desk. I folded my hands in my lap and beamed.

  "Fine. The truth is no one in this town will talk to me and the few who do talk claim your grandfather is a saint, your grandmother is a martyr and I'm an asshole," he said.

  That was Amethyst for you. Single out the most normal person in the crowd and ostracize him.

  "Leo, I feel for you, but I don't know what I'm supposed to do about that."

  "For one thing, you could stay out of this. We're looking at an attempted murder and whoever did it might not be too thrilled at some reporter asking questions."

  I clamped my mouth shut.

  "Stacy, I want to get to the bottom of this. And I want your grandmother out of my jail cell. She's turning the place into a sleep-away camp and she doesn't listen to a damn word I say."

  "Then let her go."

  "I can't do that. She signed a confession and bond has been set. It's up to a judge at a preliminary hearing now."

  "And how long can that take?"

  "A few days, maybe more."

  I took a long hard look at the chief of police. He didn't grow up in Amethyst. Didn't understand which way the wheels spun in a small town, let alone a small town that should be located in the middle of the Bermuda Triangle. But maybe that was a good thing. Leo was smart, I knew that. He could probably be objective. If anyone could take in the big picture and paint it with a fresh perspective it was he. But what if he screwed up? It was my family on the line. My future. My past. What did he care if it all went to pot?

  Leo studied me like a lion studies an injured gazelle. He knew I was deciding which path to run down. He was deciding when to pounce.

  He softened then, took my hands in his. The heat generated from that simple gesture made me feel, if only for a moment, safe. We locked eyes and I tried to capture the emotion behind his. I saw a flash of frustration and then, sincerity. "All I want is to catch the real baddie," he said, finally.

  Maybe it was because I felt I could trust him. Or maybe it was because he had sexy, kissable lips and I had been going through a dry spell. Either way, I took a deep breath and told Leo what little I had learned so far about Ed and Roy Entwhistle, Wildcat, Pearl, the policy, the power of attorney. Most of it, he already knew, but he wrote everything down anyway. I also told him Gramps had been given the wrong drug.

  Leo sat back and shook his head. "None of this adds up."

  "There's something else," I said.

  "What?"

  "Well, I think someone was in the cottage that night you came by."

  "Someone broke in?"

  I thought about that. I didn’t lock the door, so technically, there wouldn’t be a sign of a break in.

  "The door was unlocked, but someone was there. Ransacked the place."

  "How can you be sure?"

  I saw a spider web on the door and chills ran down my spine.

  "Well, the place was a mess when I got home the other night. I brought Cin's dog home with me and I went out and--"

  "Wait a sec. Don't you have a cat?"

  "Yes."

  "You left a strange dog and cat together alone on the first night?"

  "Well, I bought them drinks first. What's your point?"

  Leo ignored that last comment. "Couldn't that be why the place was trashed? The dog was chasing the cat?"

  I wrinkled my nose. "Well, that’s what I thought, but I also found a scrap of clothing on the back door. Like it had torn from someone's shirt. And Thor was chewing on a piece of it too."

  So there.

  "Uh huh," he said slowly. "Don't you have a carpenter over there fixing a roof? Maybe he went in for a glass of water one day and tore his shirt."

  I never thought of that. I hadn't even opened the back door of the cottage before that. I wouldn't have thought to look there if it weren't for Thor’s paw prints.

  Leo asked, "Did you see footprints? It was storming the other night."

  "No." But I knew what I felt. Or had Birdie finally gotten to me?

  I feigned interest in a hangnail. Was someone there? What about the mirror? Guess it could have been Chance. But why would he screw around like that? Now I felt like an idiot.

  Leo walked around the desk and leaned against it. “It just seems strange that someone would go into the cottage when you weren't there just to mess it up. Nothin
g was taken. Right?" He folded his hands in his lap.

  I nodded.

  "But, seriously, I do want you to be careful. Don't make any moves without talking to me, agreed?"

  "Agreed."

  "And if you hear anything, I would appreciate it if you kept me in the loop." He pulled out a business card and handed it to me. "Call me day or night. For anything."

  “Actually, I am concerned about something else.”

  “Shoot.”

  “Pearl’s niece. There’s something about her.”

  “How do you mean?”

  “I get the feeling she’s up to something, that’s all.”

  “Well, I can’t go around arresting people on feelings, Stacy. But if you hear or see anything concrete, let me know. If it eases your mind, I did question her. She wasn’t anywhere near your grandfather Wednesday night.”

  “Thanks," I stood up and held out my hand.

  Leo shook it. Then he put his other hand over mine and said. "Why don't I come by later and check out the cottage? We'll see if someone really did break in. I'll even bring dinner. You like pepperoni?"

  Was that a double entendre? I raised my eyebrows. Hmm. Maybe I had another reason to stick around town.

  "I do.”

  Chapter 25

  It was still warm when I left the station, but the sun was hidden behind a massive cloud. I hadn't been home in a while and I suspected if I didn't show up with some food for Thor, I would regret it.

  The Black Opal wasn't far from the station so I footed it over to Emerald Avenue and weaved around to Main Street. I needed to touch base with my cousin. Fill her in and get some dog food. What did a dog that size eat anyway? Tuna fish? Chicken? An entire side of beef? I also planned to call Chance and ask why the hell my grandfather trusted him with his estate. And why didn’t anyone think to mention it to me?

  The streets were full of tourists enjoying the fall colors. On the corner was an acoustic guitar musician singing a Bob Dylan tune and the nutty scent of fresh popcorn drifted through him.

  Scully was sitting at the bar when I got there. No sign of Cin, just two guys shooting pool in the back room.

  "Hey, Scully," I said, taking the stool next to him. "You keeping out of trouble?"

  Scully cocked his head towards me, his face wrinkled up like a tree trunk. "What?" He sounded like a drunken pirate.

  "I said, are you keeping out of trouble?" I asked a little louder.

  "Am I sleeping with Mrs. Dougal?"

  Yeah, that's what I said.

  I leaned in closer and shouted. "ARE YOU KEEPING OUT OF TROUBLE?"

  "Jeez, Stacy I can hear you all the way in the back," Cinnamon yelled as she rounded the corner.

  "I'm not deaf," Scully grouched.

  Cinnamon unloaded the case of beer she was carrying onto the cooler, parked a hand on her hip and said, “So what’s the latest?”

  “Our grandmother thinks that I can single-handedly figure out who tried to poison Gramps and wrangle her out of a false confession because I am--get this--the Seeker of Justice."

  "Well”-- Cin skirted around to the front of the bar-- "aren't you?"

  “Are you trying to send me over the edge? Because I am this close to losing my cool.” I made a measurement with my thumb and index finger.

  Cin laughed. "Well you are a reporter, right? Don’t you try to seek justice through your work?”

  "That's different."

  "How?"

  The two guys shooting pool waved to her as they walked out. She waved back.

  "Because there I use facts, interviews, records. She wants me to use magic.” I held my hands up and made quotation signs with my fingers. "Oh, and of course, the spirit guides."

  "Spirit guides?"

  "Yes, apparently they never heard of inflation because they're leaving me messages in pennies."

  "Well, you said you've been finding them everywhere.”

  I gaped at Cin. "Since when are you on her side?"

  She shrugged.

  I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair. "This is too important, Cin." I met her gaze and wrinkled my brow. "I couldn't save my father. And when he died, I lost a little bit of my mother every day until she took off with no forwarding address." I cast my eyes down at the floor. "What if I can't save Gramps or Birdie?"

  In that moment, I realized I might be in Amethyst longer than I thought.

  Cinnamon was about to say something when the door swung open and in walked a skinny man with long curly hair carrying a life-sized stuffed gorilla. The guy took a seat at the bar and pulled one up for the gorilla. The gorilla didn't sit down. This seemed to agitate the man who forced the gorilla into its seat.

  “Are you freaking kidding me?” I said to Cin.

  "Hang on," she said.

  She approached the man who ordered two Jack and Cokes. Cinnamon made the drinks and slid them in front of the guy who passed one to the gorilla.

  She didn't bat an eyelash as he handed her some bills. She rang up the drinks and walked back over to me.

  "Regular?" I asked.

  "He cooks over at the Palace."

  "Must cost a fortune in hair nets," I said.

  She looked at me and we erupted with laughter.

  The guy didn't seem to notice as he sipped his drink.

  "Hey I need dog food," I said.

  "I just bought a forty pound bag. It's in the back."

  I wrinkled my nose.

  "I'll help you carry it," she said.

  "Well, I walked here."

  "Okay. So go get the Trans Am, leave it here and I'll bring the food by later."

  I was so not looking forward to this conversation.

  "That might be difficult."

  "Why," Cin said, narrowing her eyes at me.

  Maybe if I spoke fast she wouldn't hear me. Or hit me. "So here's the thing. The car was acting a little funny and I--"

  "What do you mean 'funny'?" Her face was pinched like she had eaten a lemon slice.

  "I think it has a wiring problem. Anyway, I took it to Tony and--"

  She put her hand right in my face. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Say that again?"

  I slapped her hand away, annoyed. "What was I supposed to do? He can fix it."

  "I would have taken care of it."

  "You know what? That man loves you. Yes, he made a really big mistake, but he would do anything to make it up to you. Doesn't he deserve a second chance?"

  Cinnamon shook her head. "I can't believe you're saying this. After what he did."

  Before I could answer her we heard a loud crash.

  We both turned to find the skinny guy on top of the gorilla, beating the crap out of it.

  "Pete," Cin shouted and ran over to the scene.

  I followed.

  Cin reached down to grab Pete's arm, but he was really wailing on the thing. "When I buy you a drink, you better drink it," he screamed to the gorilla.

  I went over to help, and my head started spinning. Cin saw this as an opportunity to continue our argument.

  "How could you take his side?"

  Black nylon fur flew all over the place.

  "I'm not taking his side," I said, trying to grab Pete's other arm.

  Scully moved two seats down and snagged the Jack and Coke from the bar. The other one was splashed across the floor.

  Pete was wiggling in Cinnamon's grasp.

  "After what he did. And with her." Cin yelled at me, wrestling with Pete. She seemed to be winning over on that side.

  My side wasn’t going so well. He was scrappy for a guy with the girth of a toothpick. He got in a good eye poke and I yelped before I slammed his shoulder forward, knotting his hands together. Cin stuck her knee in his back. The face of the stuffed animal was mocking me, but then it became Tony’s face. His eyes were closed, asleep. And then Monique’s face, laughing.

  These partial visions were starting to grate on my nerves. Didn’t the spirits understand that I would figure out their message a lot quicker without
having to buy a vowel?

  Pete stopped squirming and I loosened my grip. "Just talk to him. Go there and talk, Cinnamon. You owe that to yourself."

  We both yanked Pete off of his friend and hoisted him to his feet. Cin was sweating and my borrowed blouse was torn and still mis-buttoned.

  Cin glared at me. "Fine. I'll talk to him." She wiped her forehead with the back of her arm.

  I walked over to her and gave her a hug. "Cinnamon spice and everything nice," I sang and patted her head.

  "I hate it when you say that."

  Pete sat back on the barstool. "Hey, who took my drink."

  Scully scooted further down, chugging the Jack and Coke.

  And before I could fill her in on the latest in the family news, twenty people walked into the bar.

  “Aw hell. Stacy, call Bay. His number is next to the phone, top of the list. Tell him I need help. You go take care of Thor and we’ll talk later. There’s some canned food behind the bar too.”

  The food had a picture of a gray wolf and the size of the can told me that just one might piss off a dog the size of Thor so I grabbed eight of them. The bartender said he’d be at the Opal in ten minutes and I headed back to the Geraghty cottage.

  A long "meeeeooooooooowwwwww" followed by a deep "woof" greeted me.

  Clearly, I was neglecting my roommates. I scratched Thor behind the ears, patted Moonlight on the behind and made a pit stop in the bathroom.

  I washed up, ran a comb through my hair and went into the bedroom for a fresh shirt. I wiggled into a turtleneck that hugged my chest. I hadn't had any run-ins with pork or pastry products today so I thought I'd risk applying a little makeup. I ran eyeliner on my lids, brushed on some blush, layered mascara on my lashes and painted my lips. I had to put the hat back on because my hair was smashed to my head.

  Moonlight jumped on the counter and demanded food, so I popped open a can of tuna and dished it into a small bowl. He didn’t even wait for me to finish before scarfing down the fish.

  Thor licked his giant snout, waiting for his turn. His huge eyes were glued to my every move as I rifled through the cabinets, searching for a bowl the size of a hot tub.

  Thor wagged his tail as I emptied three cans into a ceramic bowl and placed it on a side table. Then I poured him fresh water and set it on the porch so he could take care of business. After that, I hopped into the Jeep and pointed it towards the hospital.