We had agreed to eat at the Blue Jinn Diner down the street.
I laughed. “I’m trying to. Do you think Aegis will like this?” I turned around, holding up the bustier.
“If he doesn’t, then he’s not the hot-blooded…” She stopped, then laughed. “Let me rephrase that. If he doesn’t, then he’s colder than… Oh fuck it. Yeah, I think he’ll like it.”
I glanced around the rest of the shop, spying a table of microfiber high-legged briefs. “I need some new panties. I love this brand. They’re the most comfortable thing next to going commando.” I sorted through the collection, choosing four pairs of blue, three plum, and two hunter green. I added two pairs of burgundy and three pairs of black panties to the pile. “There, two weeks’ worth.”
Sandy picked up a pair, running her hand over the material. “Nice. No seam lines to dig in.”
“They last for a long time, too. And they don’t fade.” My stomach chose that moment to rumble. “Come on, let me pay for all this and then we’ll go eat. I’ve got something to tell you about but I don’t want to get into it here.”
As I paid for the clothes, my worries came flooding back. “Sandy, do you know a good private investigator?”
She gave me a sharp look. “Why?”
“No reason.” I shrugged. “I may have some questions. Anyway, let’s go. I’ll tell you all about it over lunch. After lunch I was planning on shopping for furniture. If I’m planning on opening the B&B late next week, I have to finish decking the place out and I haven’t a clue what I want at this point.”
Bags in hand, we hurried through the falling snow. The storm had picked up substantially from just thirty minutes ago. “I’ll drive. We’ll swing back to pick up your car after lunch.” I shoved the bags into the back seat with the others and started up the engine.
As we waited for the car to warm up, I pulled out my phone.
“Have you ever seen this picture before? Somebody texted this to me. It’s a painting—but I have no idea who sent it to me.” I held out the phone.
Sandy stared at it, then shook her head. “No, I haven’t. But that’s Aegis. Who’s the woman?”
“I have no idea. I want to know when it was painted and who she is, and who the hell decided to text it to me.”
“Well, by the style of her dress I’d say it was painted during the late 1980s.” Sandy’s pursed her lips as she enlarged the photo. “She’s a real looker. Expensive, too. That haircut’s so precise you could shave your legs on the edge.”
“Thanks, I needed that visual.” I leaned over to glance at the picture again. “She’s wearing an expensive dress, though. That’s a Donna Laurenz, unless I miss my guess.”
“I think you’re right.” She snapped her fingers. “I have every Styalista published. I know I saw that dress in there. I’ll have Lihi get on it.”
“You don’t have to bother her—” I started to say, but Sandy formed a ring with her index finger and thumb and raised it to her mouth, whistling sharply. A moment later, a homunculus appeared. Twelve inches tall, she looked like a cross between a bat and a woman, with leathery wings and large ears. She was wearing a pink halter top and a pair of leather shorts with a hole cut in back for her long, rat-like tail. Lihi was cute more than anything, but I knew better than to underestimate her. Homunculi were dangerous if you crossed them, but Lihi was bound to Sandy by a mutual contract, so I wasn’t all that worried.
“Lihi, see this?” Sandy showed the homunculus the picture.
Lihi nodded. “What do you need, Mistress?”
“Please go through my back issues of Styalista and find this dress. I want to know what issue it’s from—what month and year. Also the designer’s name and if the story says anything about someone who may have bought the original.”
“As you will.” Lihi vanished as quickly as she had come.
“She’s cute.” I started the car. “How long has she been with you? I can’t remember.”
“About four years. We agreed to a seven-year contract to begin with. She’s handy and her pay comes easy. She loves crystals, and since she can’t enter this realm without being summoned, she can’t go hunting them herself. So I promised her ten quartz crystals per month, with a bonus of an amethyst and citrine at the end of the first year, and other gems at the end of other years.” Sandy grinned as she leaned back.
“You got off easy.” It seemed to me like Sandy was getting the best of the deal.
She snorted. “Not so much. She eats like a trucker. I go through a lot more food than you might think. And in her world, those ten crystals per month? Are quite a hefty payment. But we get along and I’m pretty sure we’ll both want to renew when the seven years are over. She’s incredibly handy and I like her sense of humor, though it takes some getting used to.
“So, who do you think the woman in the painting is?” Sandy asked as I turned left on Backslide Street—aptly named, given the gradient. I grimaced, coaxing the car up the steep hill.
“I don’t know. But given she appears to be a vampire by the tips of those fangs showing, I’d better find out, and find out quick. If Ralph confirms she’s the same one who hired him, then I need to talk to Aegis. I’m sure as hell not looking forward to that conversation.”
We topped the hill and turned onto Exxo Street. From there it was a block to the Blue Jinn. Easing into a parking space, I turned off the ignition. As the car settled, Lihi appeared again, her wings fluttering just enough to keep her aloft above Sandy’s lap.
“I found the information you asked for. The issue with that dress in it was released in October of 1987 and it’s a Donna Laurenz original. No copies were made.” The homunculus looked extremely pleased with herself.
“Good job, Lihi. Go enjoy yourself the rest of the day. I won’t be needing you till tomorrow, so take some time and have fun.” Sandy waved her off, and Lihi vanished with a smile on her face. “I told you, a Laurenz. 1987. If there were no copies, then whoever is wearing that dress in the painting bought the original.”
“I wonder how we could find out the name of whoever bought it. I doubt the designer—or her company—would release confidential records like that.” The wheels of my brain were spinning as we entered the Blue Jinn.
“We have a reservation. Gallowglass.”
The hostess ticked us off her list and led us into the depths of the restaurant. The Blue Jinn was a fancy steakhouse with a lounge. The bar, open from four p.m. till midnight, sported a stage for live music and the occasional dinner theater. We passed by the lounge to a booth near the back with a window overlooking the patio. The hostess handed us our menus.
“Your server will be with you in a few moments. Can I start you off with drinks and appetizers, or do you need a few minutes?”
I didn’t feel like alcohol. “Peppermint mocha. For an appetizer, I’d like a bowl of your New England clam chowder.”
Sandy ordered a cup of lemon tea and the lobster bisque. As soon as the hostess left, she leaned across the table. “I think you need to talk to Aegis about this, and soon. Seriously, Maddy. You two have something good going. He’s not going to ruin it by—” She paused as Rose Williams, a member of our coven, hurried over to our booth.
“Maddy, I don’t want to interrupt your lunch, but I think you should know that the Greyhoofs are spreading rumors about you.” She shoved her phone toward me. “Read what he said about you on Flitterbug.” Flitterbug was a social networking site for the Pretcom. I had very little to do with it. Social media in general irritated the hell out of me.
I reluctantly took her phone and glanced at the “flit”—as they called the posts. There, George Greyhoof had written:
don’t be deceived by the illusionary allure of bewitching bedlam. for true comfort, check in at the heart’s desire inn, where we cater to all your needs—both the sublime and carnal.
“Damn it.” I scanned through the rest of his posts for the week, only to find several less-than-flatte
ring mentions of the Bewitching Bedlam. Including the insinuation that Aegis would feed off our guests. “I’ll box their ears.”
Sandy took the phone from me and read through the notifications. She silently handed it back to Rose. At that moment, the waitress brought our soup and drinks.
“Would you like to order now?”
I wanted to bark “No, go away!” but bit my tongue. The waitress hadn’t done anything wrong. Motioning to Rose to stick around for a moment, I glanced at the menu again.
“Grilled cheese with cheddar, a side of steamed asparagus, and fries, please.”
Sandy handed her menu to the waitress. “BLT on whole wheat, a side salad, and onion rings.”
The waitress jotted down our orders, took our menus, and left. As soon as she was gone, I turned back to Rose.
“How long has he been spreading stuff around like this?”
“Since they first realized you were serious about opening a bed and breakfast. At first, I didn’t think anything about it. I thought he would stop, or something. But apparently he’s out to cause you more trouble than I first thought.”
“Have you heard anything else?” Just how far had the Greyhoof boys gone to smear my reputation?
Rose ducked her head. “I should have told you all of this earlier. Last week, I overheard Ralph badmouthing you and Aegis to a couple from out of town. He warned them not to book a room at the Bewitching Bedlam because your ‘boy toy’ might end up having dessert ‘on the house.’ I interrupted him and told him to watch what he said, but he blew me off. After seeing George’s flit, it occurred to me they might really be trying to sabotage your business. I decided I had better tell you.”
My temper rising, I tried to keep my voice steady. “I’m glad you told me, even if I am pissed. Thanks, Rose. I’ll see you at the Esbat on Wednesday.” The Moonrise Coven held rituals on the Esbats—the full moons—as well as the Sabbats, and our eight High Holy days. I handed her phone back to her.
She excused herself and returned to her table.
I kept my tongue in check until she was out of earshot. “Sandy, I swear, I’m going to roast me some goat. I need to have a little chat with the Greyhoof boys.” I pulled out my phone and brought up the picture of the painting. “I first thought Ralph was trying to gather some of my hair to put a hex on the Bewitching Bedlam, and now I think I’m right. I don’t know how this woman fits into the picture—no pun intended. Maybe she’s a vampire who used to be a witch?”
“That would be bad. I wonder. But how are Aegis and Ralph connected? It’s not like they’re best buddies. They barely talk.”
“I don’t know, but there has to be some link.” I shoved the phone back in my pocket and let out an exasperated sigh. “Let’s focus on lunch. I really don’t want an ulcer, and that’s all I’m going to get if I talk any more about this while we’re eating.”
“Sure.” Sandy held up her mug of tea. “Here’s to old friends and good food. With everything else going on in the world, we need all the support we can get.”
“Heaven’s truth to that,” I murmured, saluting her back as we settled into other topics.
AFTER LUNCH, WE stopped in at the Calou Bakery. I had phoned in an order for three loaves of Witches’ Bread, and had received a text that they were ready. The Calou was owned by a local hearth witch named Glenna, who supplied most of the wedding cakes and birthday cakes in town. She was a natural born baker, and the magic she wove into her food was apparent from the first bite.
As we entered the shop, a bright, warm little bakery with three tables and two benches for customers who were waiting their turn, I took a number. We were headed over to one of the side benches when I froze. Ralph Greyhoof was sitting there, blowing a gum bubble almost as big as his head.
When he saw me, Ralph swallowed what must have been a monster wad and stumbled to his feet—hooves, clearing his throat.
“Maddy. Hey.” He shifted his gaze as I loomed over him, cutting off any chance of a retreat he might have without going right through me.
I held out my phone, bringing up the picture. “Is this the woman you were talking about?”
He straightened his shoulders, which told me I was right on the money.
“Yeah…um… Where did you get that?”
“None of your business. You sure you don’t remember her name?”
He shook his head, slowly. A lie and I knew it.
“You’re lying. You damned well do remember her name. Give it to me now. Somebody’s trying to mess with me and I want to know who and why. And you’re involved, you mangy satyr. First you show up in my bathroom, sneaking around trying to steal my hair. Then I hear you and your brothers are trying to ruin my business before I even manage to open the doors. What the fuck are you up to, Ralph?” I wasn’t known for having an even temper, and Ralph’s eyes widened as he pushed himself back against the wall.
“Take it easy, Maddy—”
“I’ll take it easy all over your furry ass, you idiot. Tell me what the hell’s going on!”
Ralph’s musky scent flared as he narrowed his eyes. He lurched to his feet.
“If you can’t take the heat, stay out of the fire. And if you can’t handle competition, stay out of the bed-and-breakfast business. The Heart’s Desire has been around for three decades and now you barge in, determined to yank our clients away from us. Who the hell do you think you are?” His nose was pinched and his face was getting red.
I gave him a withering stare. “Are you serious? I’m not after your clientele. I’m not running a whorehouse at the Bewitching Bedlam. Your ‘clients’ are horny hardups. My B&B is out for the tourists—not sex-starved satyr-fets.”
“Maddy, calm down—Glenna is coming out from the back.” Sandy tugged on my sleeve.
I froze. Sandy was right. This wasn’t the right place to start an altercation. Turning away, I intended to apologize to Glenna when Ralph shoved me from behind. I lurched forward, into the crowd who had been staring at us. One of the men kindly caught me before I fell but not before Ralph stomped forward, his eyes blazing.
“You shut your mouth, Maudlin Gallowglass, or I’ll shut it for you. I swear, I’ll make sure your business goes under and you with it!” He was raving now, his arms flailing wildly as he did his best impression of a windmill gone amok.
“Break it up.”
I knew who it was, before I even turned around. Sure enough, Derek Lindsey broke through the crowd. A member of the Majestic Mountain Squad—a league of search-and-rescue witches who specialized in healing on the island of Bedlam—he was also one of the senior officers in Bedlam’s sheriff’s department.
Derek turned to Ralph. “Did you just threaten Maudlin?”
Ralph sputtered, but instantly deflated, backing away. “It’s all talk. Just a friendly little spat between competitors.”
“That’s not what it sounded like to me,” Derek said. “Ralph, get out. You come back later and I don’t want to hear another peep out of you. You already got on the sheriff’s bad side with that last bender you went on. You’ll be cooling it off in a cell if she catches word that you’ve been raising hell again.”
Ralph muttered something unintelligible, but grabbed his jacket and stomped out of the bakery.
I stepped delicately to the side. “I’m sorry, Lieutenant Lindsey.”
“Just watch out. The Greyhoofs have been in and out of trouble for years. They’re not the calmest heads in town.” With that, he tipped his hat and took his place in line again.
Sandy let out a soft breath beside me. “Maddy, you should be careful. I don’t trust Ralph and his brothers. They’re always up to no good.”
“I don’t know. I think they’re more bluster than brawn, to be honest. But I’ll be careful. I promise.” But something told me that Ralph and his brothers weren’t going to let this drop.
Chapter 4
AFTER DROPPING OFF Sandy at her car, I headed for my last stop before going
home.
Bjorn Kitsa, a fox shifter—also known as a kitsune—was my real estate agent and friend. He was flamboyant, gay, and fabulous. Bjorn wore designer suits to tennis matches, he drove a Jaguar, but beneath that snobby, elitist exterior, he had a heart of gold. He worked with the local food bank, was on the board of a nonprofit children’s cancer society, and had personally paid off four mortgages belonging to aging widows who would otherwise have been thrown out of their homes. The latter was only known to a few of us, and he had pledged us to secrecy.
Bjorn was six-two, lean and fit, and he had a shocking head of red hair that tumbled to mid-back. He had his father’s striking green eyes, and his mother’s porcelain complexion. His mother had been Norwegian, his father was Irish. He wore both heritages with pride.
“Maddy, love. What’s up?” he asked as I peeked into his office. He owned the Bedlam Realty office and was determined that every customer who walked through the door would be treated with respect and leave satisfied, even if he determined he couldn’t help them. To that end, Bjorn had endeared himself to other real estate agents around the area and they sent a surprising amount of business his way.
“I just want to talk over a few of the licensing aspects of owning a B&B—make certain that I have everything filled out correctly. You have some time?”
“For you, I have all the time in the world.” He motioned to the chair opposite his and we dove into business.
An hour later, I slid into my car, ready to head home. But all the way, I had the strange feeling I was being followed. I glanced in my rear mirror several times, but saw nothing.
As I pulled into my driveway, a call came in from Rose. Surprised to hear from her again so soon, I answered the phone.
“Maddy, I have a big favor to ask you. Can I come over later tonight? I need your help with a spell. I just got word that my sister is missing and you’re one of the best at Finding spells.”
Technically, she was right, and the plea in her voice was more than I could stand. I could talk to Aegis about the picture later. Right now, a coven-mate needed my help, and a missing sister took precedence over a business dispute.
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