by Evie Hart
“Do you make a habit of speaking to bats?” I stared at him.
“Well, no.” He paused. “I just didn’t imagine them to be polite. Or British.”
Him and me both.
“Let’s walk, then.” I took to the small dirt trail that weaved its way through the peach orchard. It eventually came out onto a little creek where herbs grew wildly. “Why are you here?”
He sighed, putting his hands in the pockets of his sharply-pressed pants. “I wanted to apologize for yesterday. Sheriff Bones made me correct the report. It is now noted that I was informed of the location of the belladonna by you.”
I made a non-committal noise. “You don’t expect me to believe that you came all the way over here to apologize for that?”
“No.” He looked out through the trees. “You went to see Lorenzo Martinez this morning, didn’t you?”
There was no point in lying. “Yes.”
“You were there before I left, weren’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Avery…” He ran his hand through his hair. “Betty Lou is dead. You have no obligation to carry on—”
“I do.” I stopped and looked at him. “Here’s the thing, Dax, I do. The boundary between the druids and the shifters is the reason for this. I can feel it. The shifters are volatile, and their tempers are dangerous. Betty Lou was staunchly against giving them more territory—in fact, she wanted to take some of theirs away. They have the perfect motive.”
His eyes flashed with annoyance. “But you don’t walk into the alpha’s house, use magic, and then tell him you think one of his pack members is responsible for her death.”
Maybe he didn’t.
I did.
I stared at him, then pulled the small piece of paper from my pocket. It was the note I’d pulled from the side of Amelie’s chair.
“What’s this?”
“Take it.” I held it out. “You’ll see why I think what I do.”
Eyeing me suspiciously, Dax took it and unfolded it. “You’re a disgrace to your kind. Watch yourself, cougar,” he read out loud.
His eyes snapped from the paper up to mine.
I folded my arms.
“Where did you find this?”
I didn’t answer.
“Avery. Tell me now.”
“In Amelie’s house,” I admitted, sighing. “Nicole and I were there the other night. It was stuffed down the side of the armchair in her office. By the way, y’all left that room really messy.”
Dax stared at me. “What do you mean?”
“Her office.” I looked at him like he was stupid, because he was. “It was a mess. There was stuff everywhere. Paper all over the floor, drawers tossed everywhere…”
“Avery, that wasn’t us.”
“I saw the fingerprint dust.”
“I’m telling you right now: that wasn’t us. We leave the dust, sure, but the office was not a mess when we were searching her house.” His hand went to the magical radio on his chest. “Will we find your fingerprints anywhere?”
I nodded. “Nicole’s downstairs, mine upstairs.”
His nostrils flared with his exhale. “Fine. And we’re not done here, Avery, not by a long shot. I still have questions, and you will answer them.”
I waited until he’d turned his back to me before flipping my middle finger at him.
Stuff him.
We were done, no matter what he said.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
I PEERED AT Nicole across the room. She was sitting in the chair right next to Dotty’s bed and I had the window seat.
Dotty could hear us.
We knew that, so we had to involve her in our discussions. It didn’t matter what we were talking about. She could hear what we were saying, and I wanted to do everything we could do to bring her back to us.
I wanted her to know that we were there.
“Okay, what’s our working theory? What evidence do we have?” Nicole clicked her pen and poised it above the notebook on her thighs.
“Okay, evidence.” I shifted on the window seat and hugged a pillow. “We have the threatening note from Amelie’s house that says she had an enemy in the shifter community. Next, we have the location of the belladonna plant used to kill Betty Lou. And thirdly, we have confirmation from the elves, druids, and wolves that there is an ongoing issue about the location of the boundary, and a working assumption that Amelie sided with Betty Lou on keeping it where it is because she was afraid to risk her job.”
Nicole nodded and wrote it all down. “And our theory? Well, your theory.”
My lips twitched to the side. “I think Amelie was killed because she was deemed a traitor to her kind for not supporting them, and that Betty Lou was collateral damage.”
“But why poison her? Why not shoot her?”
“I don’t know. All I can think of is that whoever killed Amelie was seen by Betty Lou, and given how quickly belladonna can act, it was an ideal choice.”
She frowned, tucking her dark hair behind her ear. “Okay, but why would someone going to shoot Amelie have belladonna on their person?”
“Some people still use it as an opiate. Technically speaking, it’s not illegal, otherwise all the witches in the world would be in trouble.”
“But that’s not enough to kill someone, obviously.”
Obviously. “Maybe they tried to poison Amelie and accidentally got Betty Lou, too, so they shot Amelie to confuse the situation.”
Nicole’s gaze darted up. “That makes sense. Mostly.”
“The silver bullet? I know.” I sighed and leaned back against the window. It was hot from the sun. “On one hand, it doesn’t make sense. On the other, if I was going to poison someone, I’d take some kind of weapon with me in case it went wrong. A silver bullet wouldn’t hurt us any more than a normal one would, but shifters change when they feel threatened.”
“And if Amelie felt threatened by whoever was poisoning her, then she’d change, and the silver bullet would do the job by stopping the shift and killing her,” she finished slowly. “I think this makes sense, Avery. We just need to figure out who’s responsible for this.”
“Really, Sherlock? I didn’t know.”
“All right, Snow, calm down.”
“You did not just call me my cat’s name.”
“Don’t act like her then.” Nic stuck her tongue out. “But we have a solid theory to work from which we didn’t have before. Do you think we should tell Detective Sanders our idea?”
I stared at her. “Do you think we should jump off a cliff and not use magic to break our fall?”
“Wow. He’s not under your skin at all.”
“He’s not. And he never will be.” I gripped the side of the cushion so tightly I was pretty sure my knuckles were white. “He’s an insufferable ass, and I have no intention of telling him anything. The last time I did that, he took full credit for it until Sheriff Bones forced him to admit it was me.”
Nicole rolled her eyes and put down the notebook. “He’s under your skin and you know it. He’s practically rattling around in your bloodstream. That’s why you won’t go out with the hot elf.”
“Dax is not the reason I won’t go on a date with Orion,” I insisted. “I’m trying to solve two murders over here. I don’t have time to date.”
“You watched Netflix for two hours last night.”
“I watched Forensic Files. It was research.”
“Avery, unless Forensic Files is straight out of one of the Havens, it’s not going to help you solve these.” She snorted. “Whatever. What do we do next?”
“I think I’m going to find the werecats and get their take. Regardless of the threat, Amelie was a werecat, and I think they’d know more than the wolves.” I swept my hair around to the side of my neck. “She might have mentioned it to someone or even had a close friend in their group.”
My cousin nodded. “I have a few appointments for new familiars tomorrow. I’ll ask around and see if I can pick up any gos
sip from anyone. I’ll also do my paperwork in the café.”
I clicked my tongue and pointed a finger gun in her direction. “That’s a plan.”
• • •
“I like this plan a lot more than yesterday’s,” Snow said, trotting along beside me. Every now and then, her fluffy tail flicked toward me and tickled my ankles.
I stepped to the side to stop it happening. I’d already scratched it five times. If I did it again, people might think I had bedbugs or something.
“Of course you do. We’re going to visit your people.” I could barely hide my sarcasm.
She practically bounced. “I’m so excited. I love big cats.”
I side-eyed her. Unless it was tuna or a fireplace, Snow never complimented anything.
“I mean, they’re not as good as me, but they’re still pretty cool.”
There she is.
“Well, try to keep your compliments to yourself,” I said, glancing at her again. “I’m here to make friends, not annoy people who can turn into cats ten times your size.”
She shuddered. “Why would you want to be ten times my size? You’re not fitting in front of a fireplace if you’re that big.”
“That’s the exact thing you need to keep to yourself.” Dear Goddess, this was going to be hard work. I should have brought the bat. “I’ll say it again: I’m not here to annoy these people. Nicole said she heard that Luna was friends with Amelie, and I want her to trust me. Don’t be, well, you, okay?”
“I’m offended at that. I’m a delight. Eggnog at Christmas. A popsicle on a cold day. A leaf blower in—”
“Yes, yes, I get it,” I drawled. “You’re a perfect little angel who couldn’t possibly put a paw wrong.”
“It’s always nice when we’re on the same page.” She deliberately rubbed up against my ankle, almost making me trip. “But I understand your predicament. I’ll be quiet.”
“Just be nice.”
“You told me not to be myself.”
“Snow, you’re never nice.”
“You’re breaking my heart down here, Avery.”
I snorted. “You need a heart for me to break it.”
“First the bat, now this. I’ll never recover. Hopefully this moon girl has some tuna.”
“Luna.” I sighed. “Her name is Luna. Please don’t call her the moon girl.”
There was no way Snow would refuse to talk to a werecat. They were her heroes. She loved them. She only hated them because they could be human, and she couldn’t.
The only reason she wanted to be human was for the opposable thumbs.
Snow’s biggest issue with being a cat was relying upon someone else to provide her tuna.
Talk about first world problems.
“Luna. Fine.”
For a cat, she sure sighed loudly. With a little too much exasperation for my liking.
Was this what raising a teenager was like? In that case, I had a few apologies to make.
You know, a few hundred apologies.
The small, two-up-two-down house that Luna rented came into view. It was painted a pale pink, and all the woodwork from the windows to the door to the awning was a brilliant white. Bright-colored flowers adorned the front yard in both pots and flowerbeds.
It looked like the kind of house you added to Pinterest as inspiration for your future home. If I thought I could get away with painting the farmhouse pink, you’d bet your wand I’d do it.
Not that I didn’t love the brick. I did. But I also loved pink.
“It’s not muddy here. I like this. You see this, human?” Snow stopped at the end of the path that led to Luna’s front door. “There’s no mud. Nice grass to sit on and flowers to go pee near.”
“Do not pee here,” I hissed.
Goddess, my familiar was an embarrassment.
“I heard that!” Snow protested, following me up the path. “I can read your thoughts!”
I’m throwing out the tuna, I thought.
She gasped as loud as a cat could. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“Try me,” I forced out of the corner of my mouth as I knocked on Luna’s door. I had no idea if she was even home. This was all the information Nicole had gleaned from her early-morning eavesdropping session at the café.
If I knew we’d find this out, I’d have asked her days ago.
The white door swung open to reveal a petite, blonde-haired woman. She was no taller than five-foot-two, and her expression only added to her innate cuteness. Her almond-shaped eyes were a startling green, framed by uncharacteristically dark lashes. With high cheekbones and a wide mouth with full lips, she was the picture of beauty.
“Hi! I’m sorry, but I’m not buying whatever you’re selling.”
I held out a hand and stopped her closing the door. “I’m not selling anything. My name is Avery. Avery Thorn.”
Luna stopped, one hand curled around the door. Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly and sparked with curiosity. “You found Amelie, didn’t you?”
“I did.”
Her throat bobbed. “Would you like to come in?”
“I have my familiar with me. Is that a problem?”
“That depends. Is it a dog?”
“I am not a dog!” Snow darted in front of me. “I am a beautiful cat!”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “No, Luna, she’s not. She’s a cat.”
Luna laughed, a bright sound that belied the sadness of her voice. “Well, little one, far be it from me to refuse a sister entry. Come on in.”
Snow bounded in before I had a chance. “Do you have tuna?”
Luna grimaced. “I don’t. I’m not a fan of tuna.”
My familiar bounced backward. “What kind of cat are you?”
“A weretiger.”
Well, I wasn’t expecting that.
Snow looked her up and down. “Do you have cheese?”
“I have cheese,” Luna said, grinning.
“That will be an acceptable substitute for tuna.” Snow stalked past Luna’s legs, tail in the air.
“Snow!” I called after her. “Oh, my Goddess, I’m so sorry. She has the manners of a potato.”
Luna laughed, beckoning me inside before I shut the door. “Don’t worry. The living room is just through there. Please, take a seat, and I’ll cut your familiar some cheese.”
“Not too much,” I said. “She’s been bribing the entire family ever since we got back.”
She winked and followed Snow.
I stepped into the living room. It was just as cutesy as the outside—not a place you’d ever imagine someone who could turn into such a deadly predator would live in. Maybe that was it, though. Luna was totally adorable, and while tigers were beautiful, I would think ten times before patting them on the head.
The living room was decorated in neutral shades and accented by blue. The couch was cream, complimenting both the white wooden furniture and the deep blue rug to perfection.
I stood at the end of the couch, casting my gaze across the room. The walls were plastered in photos, and as I walked the room to view them all, I saw many people I recognized.
Most of the faces belonged to werecats, but there were a few witches and fae in there, too. There was even a photo with Lorenzo, but Luna looked decidedly uncomfortable in the framed picture. They were flanked by Samuel and Cameron and a few others I didn’t recognize on sight. I wanted to put that down to the fact that she was a weretiger next to a werewolf—something that went against all her instincts—but that wasn’t it.
Something was off about the picture.
Although, it could just have been my own severe dislike of Lorenzo coloring all the other photos.
Probably.
“Ah, I see you feel the same way about the alpha as I do,” Luna said dryly.
“Huh?”
She smiled at me. “You had a little frown. Right here.” She pointed to the middle of her forehead. “I can’t stand the man.”
Now, I was confused. “But you have a photo of
him in your living room?”
She sighed and motioned for me to sit down with her on the sofa. “Lorenzo Martinez might be a wolf, but he fancies himself the alpha of all the shifters in town.”
“Don’t you have your own alpha?”
Luna bobbed her head. “We have one. Alex Carpenter. He’s a werelion.”
“You don’t have a weretiger?”
“No. Before, there weren’t enough of any one species to warrant having individual packs. The werecat community in Haven Lake was originally made up of loners and wanderers, so you could say we reverted to type in selecting our leader as a lion. The Carpenters have been alpha for decades.”
Made sense. “Don’t you have enough now?”
“Probably, but the politics involved in splitting us up…” She shuddered. “Besides, it works. Why fix something that isn’t broken? We’re bonded as a pack, and the more of us there are to fight for our rights as a whole rather than individual species, the better.”
I paused. “Your rights?”
“Lorenzo holds the seat on the Council, so he can go over Alex’s head. It’s not just the druid land he’s trying to take—it’s ours, too.”
My eyebrows shot up. “Don’t you share?”
“No. The temptation to rip his head off in animal form might be too much.” Her eyes sparkled at that. “It’s referred to as shifter territory as a whole, but it’s split between us. We probably get twenty-percent of the allotted shifter land.”
Spells bells. “I guess Lorenzo’s newest land-grabbing plan isn’t going down well with Alex.”
Pursing her lips, she shook her head. “Not at all. It’s a huge point of contention—he knows that if Lorenzo gets more territory, it won’t extend to us, and he’s already arguing that his pack needs more space. If the werecat space weren’t written into law, he’d have cut us off already.”
“He sounds like a dictator.”
“He’s a dic-something,” she replied wryly. “He’s not making any friends, that’s for sure. There’s a lot of fighting at the private shifter meetings. The Council had a giant run security for in the last meeting because the previous one got a little out of hand.”
At the twinkle in her eye, I smiled. “I guess you had something to do with it.”