Our first arson investigation could now commence unabated by my familiar.
Chapter Nine
THIS IS REALLY a bad idea.
“You’re always saying the sky is falling,” I complained, tucking my scarf into my dress coat to keep the cold wind from sneaking under my lapel. All that was left to do was grab my keys and purse from behind the cash register. “This is the perfect opportunity to do a little digging.”
Maybe for a doomsday bunker. There is usually no digging required as a witch, just in case you missed that in your nightly reading assignment…which you never seem to get around to.
The morning had passed by relatively quickly, though not without progress. I’d actually checked a lot off my own list of things to do.
The research into the coffee blends had gone way better than I’d expected. There were literally hundreds of gourmet coffee blends available from wholesale coffee outlets. One of the vendors had been having a sale, so I placed a small five-pound order of fifteen different coffee blends. I also chose a popular brand of French presses to stock, as well. I wasn’t sure how well those would go over, so I also had to purchase some single cup machines and the reusable copperware pods that came with them for those who didn’t want the hassle of making an entire pot of coffee.
Me?
I’d perfected my French press technique, adored the drip coffee makers, and would use the single cup makers when I needed a quick fix while on the run.
You make a good point, and it’s come full circle. Are you ready for this? You need to look at my catnip addiction like your coffee dependence. See? We’d all be happier. Ted needs to add raising hydroponic catnip to his garden of spell components.
Another thing I’d been able to do was place a call into Heidi, who swore she had a super geek technical wizard on staff at her current place of business. She’d even mentioned that she’d already had a talk with her employer about leaving at the end of tax season to take over Beetle’s firm. Apparently, he’d handled it well, though that might have had something to do with Heidi expressing that she’d love to have some sort of partnership for those times when her clients needed more than what she alone could offer in the way of services.
Heidi also mentioned that the deal she’d proposed included technical support on select occasions to ensure their software programs were compatible. There was no time like the present to review what changes would need to be made by rebuilding Beetle’s current systems and securing that information at a third party redundant offsite data management service.
Heidi’s boss, of course, had been very receptive to her idea—more business, more money. Seeing as the fire had technically affected her future, he’d given her the first half of next week off to get things reconstituted with aforementioned technical support in very short order.
It was really happening.
My best friend was moving to Paramour Bay. Contracts and NDAs would be signed…and then it would be set in stone.
And I’d like for us to still be alive for when that eventual cause for celebration happens. Can we get back to the genesis of this bad idea of yours?
“Leo, it’s not like I’m going to stand in the middle of the street and shout that we’re looking for an arsonist. We’re not playing a game of kick the can, and I’m not calling ollie, ollie, oxen free.” I slipped on my gloves, grabbed my keys and purse, and then snatched up the list Beetle had left behind. Even with Heidi claiming her whiz kid could retrieve Beetle’s computer files, Beetle would still need all the receipts and paperwork from those accounts he hadn’t been able to work on this month. “I have a little more decorum than that. I’m just going to tag someone and say they’re it.”
This comic relief is coming from the witch who tossed an energy ball at a known killer in one of the bedrooms at the Paramour Bay Inn with a state police detective only two rooms away. Can you work out why I’m not laughing?
“Leo, we have a chance here to do some investigating without anyone being the wiser.” I held up the list as I walked toward the door. “I’d like this mystery solved before tomorrow evening’s dinner with Liam.”
It all seems to come back to the good ol’ sheriff.
“Leave Liam alone,” I warned, not putting it past Leo to do something that would foil my dinner plans. He’d made it quite well known that he believed my relationship with Liam was a mistake from the word go. He had a point, but not in the way you think. I hadn’t been able to keep my secret from Heidi, so I could understand why Leo would have trouble believing I’d be able to keep from blurting out that I was a witch over a candlelit dinner. “I’ve handled things quite well thus far, haven’t I?”
I didn’t wait for Leo to answer my question, but instead opened the door and stepped out onto the sidewalk. The temperatures were hovering in the high forties or lower fifties, so the bite from the wind gusts weren’t as ferocious as they had been. With that said, I was still glad I’d tucked my scarf in tight and put on my faux fur-lined imitation leather gloves.
I’d stay behind and roll in that huge bag of catnip Beetle left behind, but I’m afraid to leave you alone on this little quest of yours.
“I knew you’d come around to my way of thinking,” I muttered underneath my breath, just in case anyone was watching me. The colder temps kept the window shoppers to a minimum, but it also gave the shop owners the downtime to spy on one another from their perches. “Is Eileen still looking out the window?”
Her glittery snowflake enhanced sweater is hard to miss. It’s a wonder we all don’t suffer from migraines while looking at her. She might actually be a gorgon.
“First up, the malt shop.”
You keep whoever is working busy while I look for the matches and a flamethrower.
No one had said a thing about flamethrowers, or matches for that matter, but I got Leo’s gist. He’d look for anything suspicious while I talked to the shop owner. I almost mentioned that his snooping was just as bad as my canvassing the diner’s patrons with an aura spell, but then thought of the clothing analogy he’d come up with. A quick peek around a public shop wasn’t too bad in the morality department, right?
I’m sure Dr. Jekyll believes it’s a little late for the morality police, Mrs. Hyde, don’t you agree?
Considering that the bell above the malt shop door chimed at my entrance, I’d say Leo was right on the money. I wouldn’t have stopped this investigation, no matter the consequences. I really was looking forward to my dinner with Liam tomorrow night, and we deserved a wonderful Valentine’s Day free of murder and mayhem.
This was going to sound rather sappy, but I’d never had the best Valentine’s Day. Usually, Heidi and I ended up eating a box of chocolates and watching Love, Actually while drowning our sorrows in a bucket of wine.
Pitiful. Just pitiful, corrupting that poor girl.
“Hi, Miss Marigold,” Sam greeted with a sweet smile. I’d seen him put away his phone right as I walked across the threshold, but I couldn’t say anything considering I sometimes browsed on mine when the shop was quiet. “What can I get you today? Another chocolate malt?”
“I was hoping to speak with Cora.” I was quite surprised to see Otis and his wife enjoying an afternoon shake at one of the tables. I’d have to say hello before I left, but business came first. “Is she around?”
“No, but I can get Bonnie for you.” Sam didn’t give me a chance to tell him that it wasn’t necessary that I speak with anyone else, but he’d already shouted out the manager’s name. “She’ll be right out, I’m sure.”
I’m pleasantly surprised by how clean these floors are back here. Young Sammy does good work.
It appeared that Leo had made his way around the counter. The only problem with having Leo around other people while he was invisible was the chance we took that his short-term memory might kick in and he forgot where he was at or why he was here.
I’m not sure if you’ve noticed or not, but catnip does help in that department. I haven’t had an episode in quite
some time.
I was pretty sure that Leo had made that part up, but it was a little late to change our plans at this late stage.
“Hi, Miss Marigold.” Bonnie had come out of the back room that no doubt held a small office. Cora Barnes was nothing if not efficient. “What can I do for you?”
You’re right about Cora. It’s really nice back here. This leather chair is plush and…yeah, my claws go right through it like butter. It’s way better than any scratching post I’ve ever owned.
It took all of my reserve not to go running around the ice cream counter and yank Leo off the leather chair.
This is certainly better than that scratching post you bought me for Christmas.
“I was just looking for Cora,” I explained with a pasted smile on my lips. Had I pulled off am unconcerned air? I wasn’t so sure when Bonnie tilted her head to the side in question. “I’m not sure you know, but Beetle’s office was one of the locations hit by the fires that have been being set around town. He was hoping that Cora or Desmond could reprint off copies of their financial files and their receipts for the past tax year so that he could get a jump on redoing their taxes.”
What’s that?
Leo’s commentary from the other room was setting me on edge. It was a bad idea to have him come with me on this little quest.
“Mr. Barnes is out of town,” Sam offered up with a regretful shrug. “You might be able to find Cora over at the hair salon. She has a standard afternoon appointment with Candy every Wednesday.”
Yuck. It’s a piece of chewed gum stuck underneath the desk. I bet it was Sam’s doing. I’m done back here. This place is clear. No arsonist handbooks lying about turned to the page on burning down Rome.
Bonnie nodded her agreement about Cora’s whereabouts, but I didn’t speak fast enough to cover up the small crash that came from the back room. The petite blonde turned and it was clear she was going to go investigate what had caused the sound.
Oops. I knocked over a copy of the Anarchist Cookbook. My bad. Ohhhh, there is a book on Cancun. As much as I love the sunshine, those scaly lizards will keep me away from paradise. Those suckers are bigger than me.
“Bonnie, do you think you could tell Cora about the financial forms and tax receipts? It would be great if you could relay my message,” I continued, rattling off whatever thoughts came to mind in order to give Leo time to vacate. Granted, Bonnie wouldn’t be able to see Leo if he remained invisible, but I wasn’t going to take that chance. “As a matter of fact, why don’t you give me a piece of paper? I’ll write down a list of what Beetle needs for the malt shop’s year end.”
Back to this other book, did you know that you can make napalm in your own bathroom? No, thanks. I like my weapons of mass destruction kept in the garage.
“I can give the list to Roger,” Bonnie offered, reaching for a small pad and pencil next to the cash register. She slid them over to me while she explained her reasoning. “Roger has been here a lot longer than I have, and he’s the one who closes out our receipts every night and makes the bank drop. He’s just been out sick for the last couple of days. Cora usually has him compile the receipts and financial information in a binder for Beetle. I’m sure he keeps copies for himself and Cora.”
No cigarettes, no matches, and no gasoline. You can put a checkmark on your list next to the malt shop.
I wrote down basically what I’d already said to Sam and Bonnie, but it gave me something to do while I figured out how to ask the next question without blatantly revealing the real reason for my visit.
I already told you the coast was clear. On to the next shop. And did you ever think that maybe one of the firemen staged these fires to have something to do? I saw a movie with a similar plot line, you know.
“I appreciate you passing this onto Roger and Cora.” I set the pencil down on the pad and then focused on Sam. It was proper to ask about yesterday’s events, right? Leo’s theory about firemen going rogue didn’t add up. “How is Billy doing after yesterday’s dose of excitement? I saw him and his parents at the diner after they were through speaking with Liam. Billy seemed relieved.”
Liam wasn’t one to go by his official title, and the town was rather informal like that.
Why are you so focused on Billy? You already know that he’s innocent.
“Billy explained why he was here and the reason he used the back alleyway of Monty’s hardware shop to get home.” Sam shrugged as if it had been no big deal. “There haven’t been any more fires. Bonnie and I were just saying that Liam should check with the school to see who else didn’t show up for class yesterday. It had to have been a teenager running around town.”
All I could focus on was that Sam had pointed out there hadn’t been any more fires since yesterday. What if the last fire had been set before I’d reversed the charm spell? What if the reason so much damage had been done was due to the fact the fire hadn’t been called in right away?
Nice detective work, Sherlock. Can we stop this goose chase now? It seems as if you’ve found your culprit—yourself. You set the town on fire with your own version of fiery passion.
Chapter Ten
I SPENT THE rest of my lunch break hitting nearly every shop in town, letting those who used Beetle’s tax services know that they would have to reprint copies of their financials. It had taken over an hour, especially because Gertie had invited me inside the inn for a cup of tea. I, in turn, advised her of my incoming inventory of gourmet coffees.
Honestly, coffee was what I needed most after discovering that the likelihood I may have been responsible for the fires yesterday was becoming very real.
Leo had abandoned me early on, claiming to be in need of an emergency nap. It wasn’t a surprised to find him asleep in his bed inside the display window. He was splayed out, sleeping deeply when I arrived.
He wasn’t the type to curl up in a ball the way most cats do when sleeping. No, Leo was on his back with his mouth open, tongue hanging out, and paws stretched out so that his belly got every ounce of toasty sunshine it could possibly get from the ten seconds it had shown itself so far today.
I let him continue to sleep as I went about my business, walking into the back room to hang up my dress coat. I debated calling my mother, but I didn’t want to rehash what happened yesterday and Leo’s issue with the morality of it all. The belief that my failed spell was responsible for so much damage—and a potential life-threatening crime—was incomprehensible. I could only console myself by realizing that no one had been hurt.
It was best to forget the chaos caused by a spell gone bad and focus on the future.
The bell above the door chimed right as I’d come back through the ivory-colored fairy beads. Now that was a sight to lift my spirits, and I wasn’t talking about the coffee in Liam’s hands.
“I tried to stop in earlier, but the shop was closed,” Liam said as he came closer. I still couldn’t get over the way the brown suede jacket formed across his wide shoulders just so. He sure was a sight for sore eyes…and a bruised ego. “Everything okay?”
“I went around town helping Beetle ask his clients to reprint all of their statements and receipts so that he could spend the morning seeing what was salvageable from the office.” I gratefully took the cup from his hands, but I wasn’t prepared for when he leaned in close. He searched my gaze for something I couldn’t name right before his warm lips brushed against mine. I could definitely get used to this kind of attention. “Well, that warmed me up.”
“Glad I could help,” Liam murmured, pulling back and taking his precious source of heat with him. It was nice to see him a bit more relaxed than yesterday, which once again confirmed my suspicion that I had been responsible for the fires. “The town has been relatively quiet since Oliver and Beetle lost their offices. I did, however, spend the last hour looking for Alice’s Yorkie. She snuck out of the back door and made a beeline for the park and her favorite male beagle friend.”
“You’re such a good sheriff for the people in your to
wn,” I replied with a smile. The thought of Liam running around the park for a small dog who had no intention of being caught until he’d had his fun was rather endearing. “Did you end up saving the doggie from the dangers of an unsupervised park visit?”
“Brownie is safe at home and curled up in front of a fire on her bed that probably costs more than mine,” Liam replied wryly. “That was nice of you to help out Beetle today. I know he was worried that some of his clients wouldn’t understand if he had to ask for a few minor delays in submitting their taxes this year. He reassured them that all returns would be filed by the established deadline and that no one would have to pay a fine due to the date their return was filed.”
We spent the next ten minutes talking about Heidi coming to town for the weekend and a few extra days next week to help Beetle reconstruct his files. I also touched on the fact that she was bringing some very talented IT technicians who might be able to recover everything Beetle had been working on prior to the fire. It wasn’t until the palm of my right hand began to warm ever so slightly that I realized something was going sideways.
I wasn’t the only one, either.
Unfortunately, I had no choice but to remain outwardly calm so that Liam didn’t know there was potentially danger heading our way. This was one of those frequent times that I wished for the freedom to tell him the truth.
Leo woke up as if an earthquake had occurred, scrambling to find his footing.
Is it the coven? Have they finally come for us? Where’s that flamethrower?
Leo shook his head and blinked several times before falling back on his haunches in confusion. He looked a little worse for wear as he attempted to take in his surroundings, and that was saying something.
“…glad to hear that things with Heidi are progressing. Jack will be relieved to know that she’s moving out of the city and out here where they can spend more time together.”
Charming Blend (A Paramour Bay Cozy Paranormal Mystery Book 5) Page 8