“Um, yes,” I responded to Harry’s question. I sat holding the peanut butter and jelly sandwich in my hand while he kept eating his lunch as if he hadn’t just caught me off guard. “I was wondering that, but now I’m not sure which direction to take this conversation.”
My advice? Back to the teashop, in as much company as possible.
“Harry, we never really talk about…you know.”
Oh, I know. And there’s several good reasons for that, Raven. Sharp teeth being one of the most conspicuous.
I glanced around the front green lawn of the town’s library. It was still pretty devoid of any birds, squirrels, or chipmunks, but it was also lacking humans—supernatural or otherwise. Now would be the perfect time to get things out in the open and squared away.
I never really liked squares. Four defined edges. Sharp edges.
“Leo seems to have a lot to say on the subject,” Harry pointed out, no pun intended.
One, that wasn’t funny in the slightest. Two, tell the sasquatch that I’m just commenting on his beautiful hair. I figure if we butter him up, we stand a good chance of leaving this place in the same number of pieces that we arrived in.
“Leo is a little worried about your intentions,” I said honestly, garnering a loud groan of dismay from him. “He seems to believe that werewolves and witches have an unspoken alliance to stay away from one another.”
“With good reason, but that was many centuries ago.” Harry took another bite of his PB&J, chewing slowly. I’d known that he had a touch of OCD from the way he liked his library to be absolutely perfect, but it was only now that I realized how methodical he was in his everyday motions. “We should be able to live in harmony. I seek no problems with an entire coven of witches. Do you think that I’ve missed the recent influx of witches and warlocks living in town? I can smell your connection to the elements. It’s rather overpowering.”
I think now might be a good time to point out that you’ve been lacking in your studies. As usual, my memory is a bit spotty, but I do recall that witches might have had something to do with the curse of lycanthropy. You might just want to move on from such a sore subject.
“What good reason was that?” I asked, deciding to enjoy this lunch in the same manner as Harry. He was basically an oversized gentle soul who loved his community. I could relate, only in a different size and package. “I hate to admit it, but I haven’t done as much studying as I should have this past year.”
You don’t say?
“Don’t be so hard on yourself, Raven.” Harry smiled as he shot me a sideways glance. “Being a relatively new witch must have come as a shock to your system. I was born into my family, so my transition into the supernatural was as it should be. I didn’t want to pile on the fact that I was a lycanthrope, we have a local grim reaper, a druid in hiding on the edge of town, a vampire who still visits town every once in a while, or all the other various supernatural beings that we come across in our daily lives. I’ve been watching from afar, and I’d say that you’re handling things extremely well. Your grandmother would be very proud. Your family wields great power. As a coven, your supremacy is undeniable, even to a druid of the glade.”
“You make it sound as if you and Nan were friends,” I managed to say without stumbling over my words. Leo’s bent whisker was twitching faster than the eye could see, and I was hoping that he didn’t have a full-blown panic attack over a vampire visiting town every once in a while. I must have subconsciously placed my hand over my neck, because I was now only holding the PB&J with my left hand. “Yet she didn’t know about Agnus.”
I feel a hairball coming up, Raven.
“That is how Helena wanted it, and Agnus continued to follow her mother’s wishes upon her death.” Harry stared in concern as Leo began hacking up said hairball with a dramatic flair. “Is Leo okay?”
No. No, I’m not. First, the squirrelpocalypse. Now? Ted is going to have to cut down every oak tree in Paramour Bay to make wooden stakes. It’s a cheater’s way to end the squirrelpocalypse, but a familiar has to do what a familiar has to do. Oh, here comes an asthma attack.
“If your grandfather didn’t kill Bernard, then who did?” I asked, wondering if solving this mystery could be done with a simple question. “And why would Helena have imprisoned a soul for all eternity?”
Leo was now lying on his back in the grass with all four paws sticking up in the air. His munchkin legs couldn’t reach too high, and his tongue was sticking out the side of his mouth as he feigned drawing in oxygen.
“I do not have the answers you seek, Raven.” Harry had finished his PB&J sandwich and was now working on a bag of carrots. It was hard to picture a werewolf eating anything other than meat, but Harry seemed to be an exception. He was still staring at Leo with concern. “All I know is that my grandfather was very fond of the Ritchies. He had nothing but good things to say about them. As a matter of fact, I think that my grandfather might have even had a crush on Helena. Are you sure that Leo is okay?”
“I thought that werewolves and witches—in this case, druids—didn’t mingle.” There were so many new puzzle pieces to this mystery that I was having trouble keeping them all straight. “Are you saying that your family was friends with the Ritchies?”
I know this is a very odd statement to declare, but…I would like my blood to remain inside my body.
“They were,” Harry confirmed with a nod. He ate another baby carrot. “My father and Agnus were friends for quite a long time up until his death. It was nothing nefarious, mind you. My father passed away from old age and clogged arteries. Contrary to popular belief, werewolves aren’t immortal. Even lycanthropes can’t escape high cholesterol.”
I bet I’m tasty with all the minty herb I consume on a daily basis. I’d make the perfect beverage for a blood-sucking leech.
I might not have solved Bernard’s murder, but I had deciphered the reason Harry was eating PB&J and baby carrots. There was no way that he went without meat, but his philosophy seemed to be all about moderation and a balanced diet.
Do you think they make premium organic catnip in a garlic flavor? Catnip Italiano, minus the red sauce.
“Can you tell me anything from that time?” I asked, respecting his promise to Agnus. The Ritchies hadn’t wanted Nan to know they were nearby, and they’d done what they could within their magical abilities to stay hidden. “I’m trying very hard to help Bernard cross through the veil, but he won’t go until he knows one hundred percent that Mabel didn’t have a hand in his murder. Wait a second. How did you even know about Bernard if your grandfather didn’t have anything to do with his murder? Better yet, how did you know that he was killed at the time that your grandfather stayed at the inn?”
I mean, maybe garlic flavor wouldn’t be enough. Real garlic would have to be mixed in with my favorite minty herb flavor, but I’m not so sure that would be delectable in any way, shape, or form. I might have a big problem on my paws, Raven.
“I learned about Bernard from Ivan a few years ago in a very odd conversation about the most irritating things about our jobs,” Harry shared, finishing up his bag of baby carrots. He then opened a baggie of chocolate chip cookies, inhaling with a deep breath of appreciation. “Of course, mine is hands down when readers don’t remember to return the books that they check out.”
“And Ivan’s pet peeve is when souls don’t show up to be escorted to the afterlife,” I said knowingly, understanding exactly how Harry had connected the dots. I was close to finishing up my own sandwich, so I took that time to fit some of those random puzzle pieces together. “Was Rye with you when you had that conversation with Ivan?”
Do I smell minty to you, Raven? Maybe mint doesn’t appeal to bloodsucking leeches. Do you think vampires like acorns? Now that is something that I could use to my advantage…all in the name of winning the squirrelpocalypse, mind you.
“Yes, Mr. Dolgiram was there, I believe,” Harry responded, tilting his head slightly in confusion as he caught Leo smelling
his own front paw. “Leo is acting very strange today. Will he be at the weekly poker game on Wednesday night? My wife is making us a delicious appetizer for me to bring.”
Ask him if it has garlic in it, Raven. I think we should start adding the herb to every meal.
“I appreciate that you were willing to talk to me about your grandfather, Harry.” I had finished up my sandwich, too. It had hit the spot, and I wondered if Harry’s wife made her own strawberry jam. “Once I can find out who murdered Bernard, I can then get him to cross into the afterlife. He deserves peace after being inside the confines of a hand mirror for close to a century.”
Harry and I carried on a bit of small talk for the rest of the lunch hour, and I came away from the visit feeling really good that I’d made a new friend. Leo, of course, had continued his tirade about garlic and the fact that he already had enough worries on his paws with the squirrelpocalypse. He’d even begun to make a list of who was responsible for each potential Armageddon.
Somehow, Liam had ended up being tagged with preventing vampires from feeding on the residents of town, which included familiars.
It makes sense, Raven. The good ol’ sheriff’s sole job is to protect the citizens of Paramour Bay. Against my better judgement, you brought him into our world. It now falls on his broad shoulders to follow through with his oath to abolish vampires.
“How does it makes sense that Heidi gets to focus on her lessons to become a hedge witch, while Mom is assigned to solving Bernard’s murder, taking on a druid, making sure the coven war doesn’t continue to spill over, and every other apocalypse you think could happen?” I asked wryly, opening up the driver’s side door. We stood there, waiting for some of the heat to escape since my old Corolla had been parked directly in the sun. “Not to mention that Ted is still tasked with collecting ingredients and components needed for spells, while my only job is chopping up garlic to add to your stash of catnip. You need to go back over your list, Leo. We need to reallocate some of those responsibilities as a collective whole. Remember, there is no I in team.”
You’re missing the point, Raven. There’s only one I that counts, and that is the I in victory. You get the straws.
“What straws?” I inquired reluctantly, waiting for Leo to hop inside and get comfortable on the passenger seat. I immediately slid the key into the ignition and turned the key. “Never mind. I don’t want to know.”
Too late. You asked. The straws are for who gets to tell your mother that a denizen of the night has been visiting Paramour Bay. I’ve added another task under her name—discover the identity of this so-called bloodsucker!
Chapter Fifteen
I’d driven back to the teashop and ended up staying as the visitors and tourists who’d arrived in town for the annual garage sale were still milling about town, enjoying the local shops and entertainment. I’m not sure that I’d ever seen the parking lot at the wax museum so crowded since moving to town. All the gathered vehicles had me glancing over at the inn as we’d driven past.
Gertie had quite a number of visitors, as well.
It had me a bit cautious to join her and Agnus for dinner.
I vote for sending Bernard into the afterlife tonight. No more waiting. This way, we can avoid solving a mystery that doesn’t need to be solved. In reality, the guilty party is already dead and buried. We cast the spell, send him on his way, and we wash our hands of this mess…without upsetting the status quo around here. Nobody else needs to be eaten, poisoned, or drained of any vital substances for no reason.
“What a day, Raven,” Beetle called out as he flipped the closed sign over. “What a day!”
“It certainly was,” I responded with a smile, gathering the cash from the register to store the day’s profits into a leather pouch. Beetle had been taking the deposits to the bank lately, since it was on his way home. It definitely saved me time. “By the way, I was pretty impressed with that conversation you had with the gentleman who wanted to learn how to steep tea leaves instead of using the premade bags. You’re really getting the handle on the business, Beetle.”
“Thank you, my dear Raven,” Beetle exclaimed as he straightened his bow tie in pride. “Thank you. Your mother and I have begun a new ritual of reading in bed after we’ve—”
Make him stop, Raven! Right this minute! These innocent pointy ears can’t take the blasphemy of the depiction my BFF was about to embark on. Sweet angel of mercy, does he not see that I’m hanging on by my one last sharp claw?
I’d zipped the money bag shut, doing my best to hide my smile at Leo’s mini rant while Beetle had run over at the frantic meows that Leo had been emitting to catch Beetle’s attention. It had worked, and now he was fawning all over Leo while asking if he needed another treat.
“I’ve got you covered, old boy.” Beetle reached underneath his cardigan sweater and into the pocket of his dress shirt. He pulled out a few edible treats and sprinkled them onto Leo’s cat bed that was nestled in the display window. “No worries, no worries at all.”
You’re welcome, Raven. I intervened what was going to be a tall tale that left our ears bleeding from a violation unlike any other. This reminds me of something I was going to propose regarding Bernard. Can we send your mother into the afterlife with him? You know, just to make sure that he gets to where he’s going with no problem. It’s always better to be cautious in such cases.
I would have chastised Leo about taking his jokes too far, but the bell above the door rang out as Liam walked in with a pleased grin lighting up his handsome face.
Don’t you start fawning over him, Raven. We are in public, and it’s bad enough that my BFF planted a scandalous seed in my brain that will take days to pry out of my overactive imagination.
“Hey, Beetle,” Liam greeted, shaking the man’s hand and exchanging small talk before making his way to the counter. I’d already walked around to greet him, so I was able to accept his kiss and get an inkling as to why he’d dropped by so unexpectedly. We’d already made plans for him to drop by the cottage before I drove to the inn for dinner. “I found something very interesting about Paulie Russo that you should know about before meeting up with Agnus.”
Liam had spoken to me quietly while Beetle had finished giving Leo the remaining treats that he’d had stored in his pocket. I could literally hear the purrs of satisfaction from across the shop. It had been hard enough to convince Leo to come to dinner with me tonight, and now he would no doubt want to take a nap.
Unfortunately, his afternoon naps could sometimes last for hours.
It takes delicate balance to live amongst all the supernatural beings in existence, Raven. And let’s face it. Your picture is right next to accident-prone in the dictionary. We should take advantage of these naptimes when they are given to us.
“I’ll be off now,” Beetle said with a final pat on Leo’s head, leaving a tuft of hair sticking straight up, making his bald spot a bit more noticeable. “Are you sure that Leo doesn’t have mange? That spot seems to be getting larger.”
I quickly walked across the shop and handed Beetle the moneybag, catching sight of Leo’s whiskers practically knotting together as they twitched uncontrollably. Liam coughed to cover up his laugh.
“Leo got into a slight tussle with the chickadee that has a nest in the lamppost outside of the bakery,” I explained, walking with Beetle to the door. “His hair will grow back in time. You and Mom have a good night. I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”
“Of course, of course,” Beetle said with a final wave to Liam. “Off I go!”
I need a calendar to see where my life began to veer off track, Raven. Oh, wait. I do remember now. It was the day that my beloved Rosemary decided to use black magic on my once innocent soul to corrupt my body and prolong my stay in purgatory.
“You love the excitement that I bring into your life,” I reminded him with a laugh. I explained to Liam that Leo was complaining about not getting his evening nap, but quickly got right to the point of his visit. “Tell me what yo
u found out about Paulie Russo, and then I’ll tell you all about Harry.”
Can we skip the show and tell, please?
“You first,” Liam said cautiously, knowing that Harry was of the lycanthrope variety. Finding out an urban legend that had the ability to shift into something with sharp teeth and claws actually existed had been a bit of a shock. “Do I need to worry?”
Does a bear—
“Not at all,” I said with a laugh, quickly relaying what Leo and I had discovered about Agnus and Harry’s families while leaving out his bear analogy. It took me a good five minutes to catch him up to speed. “And Harry truly believes that his grandfather had nothing to do with Bernard’s murder.”
I believed that my beloved Rosemary wouldn’t leave me behind with an accident-prone witch whose side job is solving complex whodunits and somehow attracting every supernatural creature in the universe when I somehow managed to avoid them all during my entire previous lifetime. Look how well that turned out.
“You’re saying that Ivan told Harry that Bernard had been murdered and then a druid cast his soul into a mirror?” Liam asked, scratching his head when he heard his own question. “Sometimes, I can’t believe what comes out of my mouth.”
This moment might be worthy of my buttered catnip popcorn that came in the mail the other day. Go ahead, Raven. Tell the good ol’ sheriff that a vampire has apparently been a regular visitor to our supernaturally magnetic town. This ought to be good.
I’d decided to actually wait a day or two before sharing the vampire news with Liam while I had time to ingest that kind of news myself. Again, I found my hand wrapped around my neck before consciously dropping my arm down to my side.
One thing at a time.
Right now, we had a phantom to free from an antique hand mirror.
Phantom Blend (A Paramour Bay Cozy Paranormal Mystery Book 12) Page 13