The sheriff jotted it down. “Anything else you’d care to add?”
Petunia tapped her foot, a habit of hers. “Not that I can remember.”
Merlin hopped on the table and hissed at the sheriff. Petunia hastily picked him up, setting him on the floor.
“No, but then there’s Jeremy Walters’ disappearance. Word has it Jeremy was seeing both you and Helen.”
Petunia went to the sink to pour herself a glass of water, taking a drink as she turned back to face the sheriff. “I can’t say for sure. Like I already said, I only met the woman once.”
“So you said, but there has to be some reason she was rude to you besides the cats.”
“Possibly, but I don’t know what it was.”
“So about Jeremy—you’re sure you don’t know his whereabouts?”
Petunia shook her head as her heart beat hard. The sheriff just wouldn’t quit. “No, I don’t. He might have left town.”
“What makes you think that?”
“He had family in Grand Rapids, I believe, or at least he told me he did. But I already told you that when you questioned me before.”
Sheriff Pinkerton massaged his chin. “Yes, I believe you have, but as I’ve also told you before, he never returned to Grand Rapids and his family hasn’t seen him since he came to Lake Forest.”
Drat! “How awful, but I’m sure he’ll show up someday.”
The sheriff rose from his chair and said, “Thanks for your time, Petunia. If you remember anything else about Helen or Jeremy, don’t hesitate to call me.”
Petunia walked the sheriff to the door and once he’d left, Noah waltzed up holding Pansy, a black cat, in his arms. Pansy squirmed, but Noah held him securely. Petunia took the cat, snuggling Pansy against her cheek for a moment. She then walked over to his bowl and set the cat down, filling his bowl. Instead of lapping up the water, Pansy knocked it over with a swipe of his paw.
Noah was quickly ushered to the door. Petunia thanked him for bringing the cat home and slammed the door shut just as Pansy paced, screaming telepathically, “Help, don’t leave me with her!”
“Oh, bother. You know he can’t hear you.”
Pansy jumped on the counter and stared at Petunia. “Of course nobody can hear me but you. Was that part of your evil plot?”
“I don’t have an evil plot, Jeremy, and cats don’t have the vocal range for human speech. But how many times have I told you not to leave the house?”
“Leave the house? What’s your beef with me, Petunia? Just turn me back already. Isn’t it bad enough you gave me a feminine name?”
Perhaps if Jeremy had been nicer to Petunia, she wouldn’t have named him Pansy, but there’s no going back now. Petunia could even say that she had no idea who Jeremy really was until she changed him into a cat. “Since I don’t know how I turned you into a cat to begin with, Jeremy, how do you expect me to turn you back into human form?”
Pansy hung his head. “I don’t know, but it’s not like you’re even trying.”
“Haven’t I done enough damage already? It seems like you’d have gotten used to it by now.”
“Oh, yeah, an entire two months of eating that dreadful cat food you give me and licking out of a bowl. It’s the high point of my life.”
Pansy scampered over to a ball with a bell inside, batting it into the next room as the other cats darted after it. “It might be fun if you give me to the hot blonde on the next block. Now, she’s a woman I’d love to get to know.”
“You do realize you’re a cat, right?”
“Of course. How could I not? I really would love a steak for dinner. How about getting your human self down to the market and fetching me one.”
Petunia tapped her foot. “And that’s the attitude that got you into your predicament in the first place.”
“Not. That was all you and your need to be loved, remember? You slipped me a potion thinking it was a love potion, but all it did was turn me into a cat.”
“I’m sorry about that. I was so sure I had the right recipe, too.”
“Well, mix up another potion and turn me back.”
“Don’t you think I would if I could? But I’ve sworn off making potions.” And that therein was Petunia’s life. While most in town considered her a witch, she considered herself a maker of potions that do the opposite of what they’re suppose to, and the inventor of healing balms that at this point she was too afraid to try on anyone. The simple truth was that Petunia wasn’t a witch and didn’t understand why people called her that. Whipping up potions didn’t deem one a witch, did it?
Petunia was startled when there was a rap at her front door. “What now,” she muttered as she made her way there, opening the door but leaving the screen door closed. Pansy put her front paws on the door, peering outside. “This looks like trouble,” came the telepathic message from Pansy.
“Tell me something I don’t know,” was sent back to Pansy.
“Hello there, Petunia. Is it true you found the body?” Cora asked, the resident snoopy neighbor that lived next to Helen. “Isn’t it just awful?”
“Y-Yes, it sure is. Did you see anything?”
“Oh, me? I barely notice what’s going on with my neighbors.”
What a total lie! “Me, either.”
“I couldn’t help but notice this morning, though, that Helen had company last night.”
Petunia’s brow arched. “Oh? What could you possibly have seen this morning that would mean that she had company last night?”
“Well, I was going out to get the newspaper this morning and there was a black sports car in the driveway and it was parked there all night.”
Petunia yawned. “Newspaper this morning? They don’t deliver the paper on Tuesday mornings.”
“Well, I forgot to get my Sunday paper.”
“For two days?”
Cora adjusted her coke-bottle glasses on her narrow face. “It sounds suspect, doesn’t it?”
“What did the sheriff have to say about it?”
“Oh, I didn’t see the sheriff today.”
What a liar. “That’s strange, since he mentioned that you spoke to him from your side of the fence. And what did you have to say about me exactly?”
“I-I’d never say anything about you, Petunia. You’re one of my most favorite neighbors.”
Petunia rolled her eyes. “I think it would be a good idea to have a privacy fence installed. That way nobody would need to concern themselves with the comings and goings on my property.”
“Well, the sheriff asked about you first. You have to have known that you’re on his suspect list ever since Jeremy went missing.”
Ignoring the Jeremy reference in regards to her being a suspect in his disappearance, Petunia said, “Helen was dating him too, you know.”
“I-I didn’t know that. I didn’t mean any harm, honest. I feel so nervous since Helen’s body was found. Do you plan to investigate her death?”
“Me? Why on earth would you think that?”
“What if the sheriff thinks you killed Helen?”
“Why would he think I had anything to do with it?”
Cora shuffled her feet. “It’s just that with all the rumors floating around about you being linked to witchcraft and all, folks might think you killed poor Helen with some kind of spell.”
Pansy looked up at Petunia. “This Cora has a point.”
“First off, I’m not a witch. Sure, I work at my aunt’s potion shop whipping up a few concoctions and sometimes we gather in my backyard for cookouts, but that hardly makes me a witch. Plenty of folks rely on home remedies these days.”
“Of course, you’re right. I’m just thinking out loud about a few things most folks think around town.”
“If you don’t mind, Cora, I really need to finish up a few things. What kind of car did you say you saw over to Helen’s?”
“It was a Camaro and the only reason I noticed was on account that it was a classic car, like from 1970, with red racing stripe
s. I only know that because my daughter dated a man who had one once.”
“Does this man have a name?”
“That was back in California years ago.”
Drat. “Thanks for the information, but I think the sheriff can handle the investigation.”
Petunia didn’t wait for a reply from Cora, but Pansy had plenty to say as he screamed, “Get out of here. Petunia has potions to make and spells to cast.” Fortunately, Petunia was the only one who heard Pansy speak and it gave her a headache when he blabbed so much.
“I swear, sometimes I think that cat can talk. Its lips were moving,” Cora shouted through the screen door.
The door slammed shut and Pansy ran over to Petunia’s desk and jumped on it, tapping the keys and spelling out, “walk.”
Hands flew to her hips. “I’m not taking you for any walk. You just got home and I’m exhausted from my ordeal today.”
Merlin bounded into the room and spit out a mouse. “Oh, yuck. Would you stop doing that?”
Merlin pranced away like he was proud of his accomplishment and waited by the refrigerator for a treat, meowing loudly. Petunia came over and filled his dish with the rest of the moist cat food from yesterday and Gem joined him for the feast, which he didn’t seem to mind.
Pansy came over, too, but with a leash inside his clenched jaws. “Take me for a walk. You know you want to question your other neighbors.”
Petunia tapped her foot on the floor. “I suppose if I don’t go now, you’ll never give me any peace.”
CHAPTER THREE
With leash in hand, Petunia waltzed up the street with Pansy who strutted like he was a show cat. The medical examiner’s van was still parked on the street and Petunia stopped to peek through the bushes to see if Helen’s body had been picked up yet and about jumped out of her skin when someone tapped her on the shoulder.
Petunia whirled to face Noah, who also held a leash. “What on earth are you doing?”
“I-I wasn’t doing anything.”
“Oh, that’s good because it looked like you were looking to see if Helen’s body was still in my back yard.”
“It’s not?”
“Nope, the ambulance picked it up not ten minutes ago.” He scratched his arm. “I couldn’t help but notice that Cora was just at your place.”
Petunia tapped her sneaker-clad foot. “Oh, you did, Mr. Snoopy Pants, eh? Have you also set up your surveillance equipment?”
“What on earth for?” he asked with a smile.
“So that you can spy on me.”
“You really are something, Petunia. I was merely taking Melvin for a walk. He’s been quite upset that your cat found its way inside my house.”
The brown pit bull’s eyes dilated when he spied Pansy behind Petunia and he yanked the leash. Noah lost his hold on it, watching his pit run up the street.
“You’d better catch him before one of the citizens reports seeing Melvin running loose. There’s a leash law in this town, you know.”
Noah raised a brow and said, “No thanks to your cat. Who walks cats, anyway?”
“I do, for your information. We’re going to my aunt’s herb shop.”
“I might as well tag along. Hopefully, I’ll spot Melvin before he gets himself into trouble.”
“Pit bulls are known to attack strangers. I hope he doesn’t bite anyone.”
“He’s not like that at all. He’s the calmest dog I’ve ever had.”
“He’s also quite the creampuff. He’ll be thrown out of the kennel club for sure if they ever find out he’s scared of cats,” Petunia said with a curt nod.
Pansy purred at that. “Quit flirting with Noah and get a move on, already.”
“I’m not flirting with Noah. I just think it’s funny that a pit bull would be afraid of you. You’re not even a real cat.”
“This isn’t a cat suit, you know.”
Noah waved a hand in front of Petunia’s face. “Where did you go? I said Melvin isn’t afraid of all cats, just that one. What’s her name again?”
“Pansy, and it’s a him.”
“What kind of name is that for a boy cat?”
“It’s a very fitting name, I think.”
Pansy attacked Petunia’s foot, biting down on her big toe. “Ouch, would you stop that,” Petunia shrieked as she shook the cat free. She then limped up the sidewalk with Noah trailing after her. She turned and asked, “Why are you following me?”
“I’d love to see your aunt’s shop.”
“You can come along if you like, but there’s nothing all that interesting about your run-of-the-mill herbal shop.”
“Stop, you’re really killing me, here,” Pansy grumbled. “Don’t just stand here, get moving.”
“Well, I didn’t want to take you along anyway, and if you keep being so smart-mouthed with me, I might just take you to get fixed.”
“Why do I get the feeling that you’re somehow communicating with that cat?” Noah asked.
“That’s silly. Why on earth would you ever think that?”
“Because you dead stare at the cat in the eye, for one. It’s kind of creepy.”
Petunia didn’t answer Noah, but instead moved along up the street. She crossed Hines Street and on the opposite corner was a red, brick building that housed her Aunt Maxine’s potion shop, Mystical Remedies.
She picked up Pansy and stepped inside as Noah opened the door for her to enter first. Petunia thanked him and strode inside, choking back a scream when there, on a ladder, was her eighty-something aunt in the process of reaching for a light bulb near the ceiling. As the ladder shook, Noah said, “I could get that for you.”
Aunt Maxine said, “I almost have it.”
“Not even close. Please allow me to help you,” Noah insisted.
With a huff, Aunt Maxine descended the ladder, admiring Noah’s physique. “Well, hello there, young man.” She then gazed over at Petunia. “Is he with you?” she asked excitedly. “It’s about time.”
Petunia blushed. “He’s just looking for his dog and tagged along with me. I told him that my aunt owned an herbal shop,” she winked.
“Well, if you want to call Mystical Remedies that, you can, Petunia.”
Noah smiled. “I’ll get that light bulb changed for you.” He took the bulb and had it changed in a jiffy. He then began to stroll around the shop, staring at the small glass bottles with white labels on them. “Are these all herbal remedies?”
“Yes, of course.”
He picked up one bottle and read the label. “Calf’s Snout?”
“That’s an herb, short for Snapdragon,” Aunt Maxine said. “What did you think it was, a real calf’s snout?” She laughed.
“I guess. Cora told the sheriff that—”
“What—that we’re witches, no doubt. That woman really watches too much television. You can hardly believe anything she says.”
“She means no harm,” Petunia added. “Just has a wild imagination.”
Petunia took the leash off Pansy and let him roam on the counters, which he did, eyeing the ingredients on the shelves.
“Well, she did live next door to the dead woman, Helen Patterson,” Noah said.
Aunt Maxine began to fan herself. “I need a seat. Quick, somebody grab me a chair. Petunia pointed out a chair behind the counter, and Noah grabbed it and eased Maxine into it.
“Are you okay?” Noah asked.
“Y-Yes, it’s just I warned her not even a few days ago when I was reading her tea leaves that she needed to be careful.”
“Tea leaves?” Noah said, his amusement taking over his features. “Are you sure this isn’t a potion shop?”
“Not at all, young man. I simply sell ingredients and it’s up to my customers to use them wisely. Simpletons generally just can’t whip up a potion and expect it to work.”
Petunia swallowed hard. She was quite sure that was meant for her since all of her potions had backfired, but not nearly quite as bad turning Jeremy into a cat. “You’re reading
too much into this, Noah, but many people do believe in having their fortunes told by way of tea leaves.”
“It’s been quite resourceful at times, and boy, it sure hit the nail on the head this time with Helen.”
“Did you see anything other than that she was in danger, like who might have wanted her dead?” Noah asked.
“Noah’s running for sheriff soon,” Petunia explained.
“I see. It’s not quite so clear-cut and I didn’t know the woman that well to say who might have wanted her dead.”
Noah was silent for a moment and walked to the door. “I see my dog. I’d better try to catch him before I lose sight of him.”
Petunia grabbed a box of cat treats from behind the counter and gave them to Noah. “Try this. It always works to shake the box with my cats.”
Noah nodded as he grabbed the box, ran out the door and across the street shaking the treat box. Instead of Melvin responding, two stray dogs began to chase Noah down the street as he followed his dog.
“Come here, dearie,” Aunt Maxine said. “Tell me all about this Noah. He has his eye on you, I think,” she cackled.
“As a suspect, perhaps. Helen’s body was found in Noah’s yard and we sort of found it together. Pansy had gotten into his house somehow.”
“He’s not the sheriff just yet and since the body was found in his yard, why wouldn’t he be at the top of the suspect list?”
Petunia’s hands went to her hips. “Because I’m still a suspect in Jeremy’s disappearance, and Helen was stabbed by knitting needles. And, by the way, my needles are missing again.” She sighed. “The medical examiner hinted that there were other bodies found murdered in the same fashion, which worries me. What if my missing knitting needles were used in all of those crimes?”
“Let’s not put the cart before the horse, dear. You’re not the only one in town who knits, but it is odd about your missing needles. Who on earth would be able to take them without you knowing it?”
“I’m not sure, but I really need to get to the bottom of this case.”
Pansy shrieked from where he was pacing the counter. “No, what you need to do is mix up a potion and turn me back into a human, now!”
“Is that bossy cat inside your head right now?” Aunt Maxine asked.
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