by Amy Boyles
“Yeah,” I grumbled. “I’m going to be in hot water over this, I know. Just something else I might get away with that Dewy Dewberry will flip out about.”
She leaned back and crossed her arms. “So let me get this straight. We’ve got a dead double agent, a balding stone that tries to kill you if it’s unlocked the wrong way, a Registry with its pages stolen and a seductress for your boyfriend’s new partner.”
I clasped my hands over one knee. “You forgot one thing.”
“What’s that?”
“A sister with a compulsion for baking.” I glanced around the bakery at the cakes stacked three high in boxes ready to be sold.
She shrugged. “Just getting ahead.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Stop worrying so much.”
She threaded her fingers through her short, dark hair. Dazzling blue eyes peeked out from beneath a curtain of bangs. “Oh, okay. We’ve only been attacked twice and almost thrown in witch jail. It’s very stressful. This whole Norwood thing has been more trouble than it’s worth.”
“I know,” I said. “I want our family to be safe, not to be worried that someone’s going to kill us in our sleep.”
She frowned. “I thought Roman had been posting someone outside our house?”
I sighed. “He has. I’ve seen Steve Howie’s patrol car a couple of times. I think he’s been more interested in shooting his ray gun at cars as they pass, looking for folks to ticket, more than he’s guarding us. But anyway, that’s why we have to figure out how to crack open this balding stone. I need Dewy Dewberry out of my life, too, you know.”
“Roman said nothing was going on between them.”
I sighed. “He did, but I still don’t want her to be his partner. She can’t be trusted.”
Sera folded her hands on the counter. “Okay, so what do we do now?”
I shook my head. “I don’t have any leads.”
“Does Roman?”
“Not as far as I know.”
Sera drummed her fingers on the counter. “You need an expert on balding stones.”
“Roman’s dad is an expert in the device that unlocks them.”
“But that’s not the same. You need to undo the magic surrounding it.”
I rolled my eyes. “Thanks, Sherlock. Any ideas on how I can get that done since I don’t know anything about Norwood?”
Sera paused. “Yep. You go back to Alias. Find out what he knows. He’s got more info to spill. You need to make him do it.”
I smirked. “And how am I going to get him to do that?”
Sera smiled. “Take Grandma. She’ll get him to talk.”
“Why? Why would he talk more with her around?”
A sparkle gleamed in Sera’s eyes. “Because he used to be her boyfriend.”
***
The next day Roman drove the three of us to Alias’s house. Alias invited us down to dinner once he knew I was bringing Grandma along. She wore her best tiara and had been sure to fluff her hair so it was nearly horizontal all the way across the back. She’d used so much hairspray I was afraid to strike a match anywhere near her.
“Are you excited, Grandma?” I asked.
“I don’t know what I should be excited about. I haven’t seen the man in fifty years.” Pause. “I hope he makes beef Wellington. That would make me excited.”
I flashed Roman a look. His lips curled into a smile. He thought this was just as good as I did. I rubbed my hands together. Grandma and her ex-boyfriend. I wanted to know all about this.
Roman guided the SUV onto a smooth driveway. Alias’s house didn’t look anything like I expected. Based on his lab, I expected trees and shrubs to be growing from inside out. Basically I expected it to be the sort of place that would make me itch from looking at it. You know, give me the heebie-jeebies.
Luckily it looked normal. It was cottage-sized with warm yellow lights emanating from inside. White lights winked on the bushes.
“So he keeps his Christmas lights up all year round,” I mused.
“Those aren’t Christmas lights,” Grandma said. “Those are anytime lights.”
Right. ’Cause that’s a thing.
Grandma fluffed her hair one last time, and we exited the SUV. Roman knocked on the door. Alias answered. He wore a pressed gold shirt, red suspenders and black slacks. Grandma’s eyes flickered open a little wider when she saw him.
“Ulysses,” she said.
“Hazel,” he cooed. Alias floated forward and took Grandma by the hands. They disappeared inside, leaving me and Roman all alone.
Roman smiled. “Shall we?”
“I suppose we shall.”
Alias offered us wine. Roman and I declined, but Grandma accepted. She and Alias took their glasses to the living room, where a crackling fire burned in a well-used hearth. They sat practically nose to nose in two wingback chairs.
I quirked a brow to Roman. “Feel like a third and fourth wheel?”
He nodded. “Yeah. Let’s go look around.”
I balked. “We can’t just do that.”
Roman shot me a devilish grin. “We can’t? Doesn’t look like there’s anyone to stop us.”
“How about you go look and I’ll stay here?”
He pecked my cheek. “Your loss. I bet there’s lots of dark rooms in this house.”
My girlie parts tingled. “You just go on and look. I’ll stay right here.”
Five minutes later he returned. “Did you find anything?”
He shook his head. “Only a tiny snake that threatened to bite me.”
“Sounds terrifying.”
He raked his fingers through his beach-blond hair. “If you only knew.”
After what seemed like an hour of the geriatric social club, Alias offered us some supper. Beef Wellington, it turned out.
Alias wore a sloppy smile as he doled out individual beef-filled puff pastries. “So, do I understand you wanted to discuss Norwood more in depth?”
I nodded. “If you have more to tell. We’re at a loss. We have his balding stone and know that he was interested in transmutation, but we don’t know any more than that.”
Roman sliced into his meal. “Whatever you can tell us will help. The trail’s cold.”
Alias tucked a linen napkin into his shirt. “More wine?” he asked Grandma.
She shook her head. “No, I believe this grape is ripe.”
That was an interesting way to put it.
Alias chewed his food for a minute. “Norwood became interested in transmutation about a year ago. I knew he was involved in covert operations, but I didn’t understand to what extent. He came to me from time to time to ask my opinion about things, but his interest in transmutation was different.”
“How?” Roman asked.
“It was special. He borrowed every book I had on the subject. We’d even debate the best animals to turn into.”
“Oh?” I said.
Alias nodded. “There are theories that some animals are better than others. Easier to shift your mind into theirs. Rats can be good. Cats, of course. Not dogs. They like to please, but don’t do well when it comes to someone pushing their consciousness out.”
“So you would debate this,” Roman said.
Alias sliced into an asparagus. “Yes. Hour-long debates. I also taught him the incantations, the way to work the magic. He knew them front and back. Back to front.” He flashed Grandma a grin. “I’d even go so far as to say he knew them side to side.”
Grandma giggled. She actually giggled like a schoolgirl, y’all. It was kinda cute in a weird way. I mean, who sees their grandma get a boyfriend? Heck, she hadn’t even been out of her frozen state for an entire year and she was practically dating Professor Crazy Hair. He was nice, though. I had to say. It was definitely better than her dating some jerk.
But I digress.
Roman twirled his fork. “Was there a particular creature he liked the most?”
Alias held a forkful of food out for my grandmother to sample. “Try a radish
?”
“Yes, thank you,” she said sweetly. She took the bite. “Delicious.”
Roman rolled his eyes. “Any animal he talked about the most?”
“Hmm?” Alias said, tearing his eyes from Grandma. “Animals he liked the most?”
“Yes, was there one he told you that he would transmute into?”
“Hmm. Now let me see.” Alias chewed a hunk of beef for nearly a minute before swallowing. “Yes, I do believe there may have been one.”
“What was it?” I asked.
“Of course, you realize this doesn’t mean anything,” Alias said. “Just because he liked a particular creature doesn’t mean you need to run all over the place looking for one and trying to see if it’s Norwood.”
I frowned. “Of course not. We’re only looking for clues. We need something to help us figure out who killed him. We don’t have anything to go on.”
Alias swiped the linen napkin over his mouth. “It’s just that sometimes people can go a little batty trying to find out if someone has transmuted. Usually loved ones. They think Daddy has turned into their pet cat, and they become obsessed. Convinced puss-puss is their dearly departed grandmother, they do everything to get the soul of the person to show itself, and end up harming the animal in the process.”
“We’re not going to hurt any animals,” I said.
“That’s good, because if Norwood has taken the body of an animal, he’ll be asleep for a while. They all are. Transmutation takes a lot out of a person. In order to communicate with the being inside the animal, sometimes the animal body needs to undergo a shock.”
“What sort of shock?” I asked.
“It can be as dramatic as a near-death experience. Not always, but sometimes. Something strong enough to force the consciousness of the deceased into the forefront of the animal mind.”
“So that’s what people do to their pets? Try to scare them to death?” I said.
“Exactly,” Alias replied.
“Okay, so with all that in mind, is there still one animal Norwood told you he would take?” Roman asked.
“Well, in fact there was,” Alias said.
Roman nodded. “And that was?”
Alias smiled. “A snake.”
EIGHTEEN
It was late by the time we finished dinner, so Alias invited us to spend the night. His house was small. Grandma got one guest bedroom and I got another.
That meant Roman got the pull-out couch.
I hadn’t really had a chance to talk to Roman since all that stupid Dewy stuff had gone on. I’d hoped to get the chance that night, but it didn’t look like it was going to happen.
A soft knock came from the door. I opened it to find a shirtless, shoeless Roman. My mouth dried at the sight of his chain-saw sculpted abs and arms.
“Need a blanket?” I said.
“I was hoping for a good-night kiss,” he said in a husky voice.
I quirked a brow. “Dressed like that?”
He nodded. “You might need a foot massage, too. I want to be comfortable.”
He took two steps forward, swept me into his arms and kissed me. I relaxed into him, let his fingers slide through my hair, felt release as his lips grazed over my jaw and down my neck.
I giggled. “That was quite the good-night kiss.”
“It could become a good-morning kiss,” he whispered.
He walked us back to the bed and settled me down on it. We stretched out, and he proceeded to nuzzle below my ear. I shivered.
“You shouldn’t be here.”
“Are the police going to arrest me?” he asked.
“They might,” I teased.
He stopped kissing me. Roman’s hot breath fogged my brain. “The way I see it, we have some making up to do.”
I shrank back. “I think we just did it.”
His gaze trailed the line of my throat. “We’re not done. You need convincing that you’re the only woman in my life, and I need convincing that you believe it.”
I sighed. “I do believe it.”
Roman slid his hand under my shirt. My stomach quivered. I automatically pulled away.
He kissed my forehead. “You sure about that?”
“How about I’m working on it.”
He sighed and rolled off, leaning on his side. He propped a hand under his head. “At some point this relationship is either going to move forward or it won’t.”
I gave him a big grin with lots of teeth. “I think it’s been moving forward.”
“It has on my end.”
“And that means?”
He glanced at some dirt or something under his fingernails. “If it were up to you, we’d stay right here for eternity.”
“On this bed?”
He flashed me a dark look. Roman took my hand and pulled me to him. His fingers traced my cheek. “I want you to get comfortable with me. With the idea of me touching you. If it were up to you, Dylan Apel, we’d never go any further than this. Ever. At some point you’ve got to let whatever barrier stands between us disappear. Not for my sake but yours.”
“How do you know there’s anything between us?”
He chuckled. “You’re kidding, right? Darlin’, I’ve been studying human behavior all my life. I know when someone’s got an issue. You, my dear, have an issue. You hide behind this curtain, ready to blame me for your problem. That’s where this whole insecurity with Dewy comes from. But really, it’s coming from you. I don’t care about Dewy. I care about you.” He tapped two fingers to my heart. “Whatever lies in here is stopping you. Don’t let it come between us.”
I leaned back. “I thought you said you were patient.”
“There’s a difference between patience and stupidity. I’d be stupid if I let you hide behind your fear. Relationships are supposed to make you a better person. I’m being a better person by making you confront your fear. It doesn’t mean you have to jump into bed with me. I’m only trying to have some progress.”
“And that progress doesn’t mean you want to seduce me?”
Roman’s sea-green eyes sparkled. “Oh, I want to seduce you. You don’t even know how fierce, darlin’.” He wrapped me up in a hug. “But I want you to be comfortable in your own skin first.” He stroked my back. “At some point you’re going to come out of this shell. I’m going to be ready for you when you do. In the meantime…”
“In the meantime you’re happy to sleep on the couch?” I squeaked.
“As you wish.” He rolled off the bed and hovered above me. Roman leaned down, his hair tickling my cheeks. He kissed the top of my head. “Good night. See you in the morning.”
“Good night.” I sat up. “Roman?”
He turned around quickly, as if I was about to invite him back in. I grabbed a pillow and hugged it to me. “You can stay in here if you want. You don’t have to sleep on the couch.”
His eye twitched. “Not tonight. You’ve got some things to think about it.” He turned.
“Roman?”
He stopped, kept his back to me. The outline of his muscles sent a zinger of desire down to my core. Dear Lord, it was like looking at Thor himself. I nearly toppled off the bed to the floor.
“Yes?”
“What are we going to do next? I mean, now that you know Norwood liked snakes?”
With his back to me he said, “We’re going to find him.”
“How? We don’t even know where to start.”
“I know where to start.”
“Where?” I said.
Roman opened the door. As he crossed the threshold, he said, “Milly’s house.”
***
Grandma seriously did not want to leave Alias. I’d never, and I mean never, seen her so kooky in all my life.
And that’s saying a lot.
“Alias, you’ll have to come visit in the spring when the cherry blossom trees are in full bloom.”
Alias had a sappy smile plastered over his face. He took my grandmother’s hand and gently patted it. “Of course, I
would love nothing more. And perhaps we can have dinner again?”
“Nan can cook, but she’s never tried anything as extravagant as what you make. Your Wellington was delicious.”
He touched his nose to hers. “There’s more where that came from.”
She giggled.
I choked on either a laugh or some vomit edging up my throat. Not sure which.
Roman shrugged on his black duster. “Everybody ready?”
I nodded. “I hope so. Any more time here and I’ll turn into a pile of sappy dialogue.”
He slid on his glasses. “We don’t want that to happen.” He wrapped a hand around my waist and planted a kiss on my forehead.
We thanked Alias for his hospitality and left, rolling into Silver Springs hours later. After dropping Grandma off at the house, we headed over to Milly’s. It was Sunday, Perfect Fit was closed, so I was free to do whatever I wanted.
“You sure you want to come?” Roman asked.
“Of course. Didn’t you know? I solve mysteries in my spare time.”
He chuckled. “So you do. You’re pretty darn good at it, too.” He slid his glasses off his face and flashed me one of those looks that made my stomach do cartwheels.
I cleared my throat. “So on to Milly’s.”
“On we go.”
We arrived five minutes later.
Milly scowled at us. “What’s got you two looking so perky today? A quickie?”
My hair nearly stood on end. “What?”
“Never mind. Come in.”
Roman strode in and walked straight over to the aquarium that held the snake. “Where did this come from?”
Milly shrugged. “Just showed up wanting a place to live.”
I nibbled the end of my finger and spat out a bit of hangnail. “Did it tell you that?”
“Didn’t have to. It was obvious. Anyone want some tea?”
I raised my hand. “Please.”
She magicked up a fresh glass for me. Sugary-sweet liquid spilled over my tongue and glided down my throat. Delicious.
“So who is it?” Roman asked.
Milly took a long draught from her glass and smacked her lips. “How should I know? It doesn’t talk.”