Witch Way to Beauty and the Beach

by Jane Hinchey

  “Come on up.” Daniel stood at the bottom of the stairs. “The formal living room is up here, best views.”

  He wasn’t wrong. A plush white sofa dominated the space, tossed on one end was the pinstripe suit jacket he’d worn the night of the fire, the presumably silk tie thrown on top. I took a step closer, eyeing the tie thoughtfully. It would make a handy weapon to strangle someone with. From the floor-to-ceiling windows I could see the park across the road, and on an angle, the mayor’s house and beach beyond. He literally had an eye on the mayor’s house.

  While I stood in thought, Daniel crossed to the bar and opened the fridge. “Well, I’ll be damned.”

  “What?” I turned, and he stood back so I could see the contents. No beer.

  “Darn it. I was hoping to avoid this.” Daniel pursed his lips, then looked at me.

  “What?”

  “Let me check something first. I’m hoping I’m wrong.” I followed him into his study where he pulled a book from the bookshelves and flipped it open. Ah, it was actually a box disguised to be a book.

  “Oh, Jacob.” Daniel turned and showed me the box. Inside were a handful of keys, each on its own key tag. I looked from the keys to Daniel, brows raised.

  “The key to the beach hut is missing. This is where I keep it. I’d meant to check earlier, but things have been pretty hectic with the fundraiser coming up and it slipped my mind.”

  “Does Jacob know you keep the key there? And what are the other keys for… if you don’t mind me asking.”

  “A spare house key, the spare key to my parents’ place, key for my office, some old keys I don’t even know what they belong to.” He shrugged. “Look, I hate to say this, I was hoping against hope to give my wayward nephew the benefit of the doubt, but this isn’t the first time he’s done something like this.”

  “Like what?”

  “Stealing. Drinking. Sex.”

  “Oh?”

  “Last year he stole a bottle of scotch from his parents. Went drinking with a girl, one thing led to another, only after, when they were both sober, he realized it was a mistake, only she wanted more and it was all messy for a while.”

  “Who was the girl?”

  He tapped a finger against his lips, eyes studying the carpet. Then he snapped his fingers. “Anna? Or Hannah? Something like that. The pretty blonde with the unusual gray eyes. She’s in the talent show with him.”

  “Hannah Burton?” I blinked in surprise. I’d seen Hannah and Jacob together and hadn’t picked up any vibes that the two of them had once had a thing.

  “I guess. I don’t really know all their names—something I should remedy I guess. After all, they’re going to be voting age soon.” He flashed his white teeth, all polished politician. “I hope this has been of some help, Harper?” He guided me out of the office and back down the stairs. “But I really need to be getting back.”

  “It has. Thanks.”

  “And rest assured I will be speaking with Jacob about this. He has a family name to represent and I will not tolerate this sort of behavior. Maybe it’s time to speak to his parents about boarding school.” The last was more to himself than to me, and I remained silent as we headed back to the town hall, each lost in our own thoughts.

  We arrived at the same time as Sarah and her mom.

  “Oh, hi guys.” I waved, crossing to them as Daniel headed back to the delivery driver who was finishing up.

  “I didn’t expect to see you here so soon.” I touched Sarah’s arm in a friendly gesture and she smiled, pale, but her violet eyes hadn’t lost their sparkle.

  “Sarah insisted on coming. But no rehearsal, just to touch base with her friends and then we’re going home to rest.”

  “Yes, Mom.” Sarah rolled her eyes. “I told you, I’m fine.” She strolled ahead of us into the hall. Watching her, you wouldn’t have thought she’d had her stomach pumped the night before.

  “Is she okay?” I kept my voice low so she wouldn’t overhear. Kristin looked in a worse condition than her daughter, drawn and haggard.

  “She’s actually right.” Kristin snorted. “She’s fine. They discharged her not long after your visit. Said that after they’d pumped her stomach, they probably didn’t have to, that she hadn’t taken that many pills, just enough to knock her out. No lasting damage.”

  “Well, that’s good news. So…” I hesitated for a second. “You said that she hadn’t taken that many. Have the police spoken to you yet?”

  Kristin shook her head. “No, but after that news, I think she was definitely roofied. I just haven’t mentioned it to Sarah yet. Because whoever did this, she knows them. Trusts them. The doctors told me she may experience flashes of memory, but not to force it, so until she remembers who she was with, I’m sticking close. Trust no one.”

  I chewed on my lip. I could see Kristin’s point of view, wanting to protect her daughter, but with her daughter not knowing someone had done this to her intentionally, her guard would be down.

  Seeing my hesitation, Kristin grabbed my wrist. “Please don’t say anything. I’ve got this. I’ve been solely responsible for Sarah her entire life. I know my daughter. It’s best she doesn’t know.”

  I nodded. Fair enough. It wasn’t my decision to make. Although I still thought it was the wrong one. We followed Sarah inside and I watched as the kids finished up. They looked amazing. Ethan was temporarily partnered with Gran as they went through their final routine. Daniel stood leaning against a wall, watching, but constantly checking his watch.

  Sarah clapped in delight when the routine finished and the team lowered themselves to the floor. “You guys, that was incredible! It looks even more amazing watching from the floor.”

  “Hey, Sarah.” Hannah beamed. Hiking up her ball gown skirts, she hurried over to hug her friend. “How are you feeling? Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine, honestly. And, Mrs. B, I will be here tomorrow night, I swear.”

  “It’s good to see you, Sarah love.” Gran approached, still dressed in her tutu, and gave Sarah a hug. “Now tell us, we’re dying to know, what happened? Got into your mom’s booze, did you?”

  Kristin stiffened by my side and I shot Gran a warning glare, but Sarah handled the query with aplomb. “Actually, I don’t know,” she admitted. “The doctors tell me I have some form of amnesia.”

  “Really?” Jacob asked, eyes wide. “You don’t remember anything? At all?”

  She shook her head. “Nope. Last thing I remember is listening to music in my bedroom. I have no idea how I got to the beach.”

  “Wow. That’s rad.” Ethan and Ryan said in unison. Kristin snapped her gaze to them, and, noticing her glare, Ethan hurriedly amended their statements. “I mean weird. That’s weird. But glad you’re okay, Sarah.” Ethan gave her a wink. “Not that I didn’t appreciate Mrs. B being my partner.”

  Gran grinned. “Okay, kids. That’s a wrap. Mister ‘I’ve got the hall booked and can’t wait for you lot to get out so I can decorate’ is keen for us to leave. The shows starts tomorrow at seven; I want you here at five. Got it?”

  “Yes, Mrs. B,” they chorused.

  “Jordan, you and I will put in some extra time. You’ve picked up most of the routine, just a couple of rough spots. I think if we go over it one more time—maybe two—you’ll be solid.”

  “Is that okay, Harper?” Jordan asked. “Who’s looking after the store?”

  “It’s closed at the moment.” I motioned the two of them to follow me away from the group.

  “What’s happened?” she asked. I filled them in on finding Jackson injured in the store.

  “That’s so weird.” Jordan gasped, hand over her mouth. “Who would do that?”

  “Very good question. I have no idea.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  I watched as Jordan and Gran headed off to an apparently secret location to continue practicing for tomorrow night’s competition. Hannah stood nearby, chewing on a fingernail. The boys had cleared out, no doubt off to play video
games. I’d overheard them fanatically fanboying over some game called Fortnite.

  “Hey, Hannah, is someone picking you up?”

  She jumped when I approached and quickly pulled her finger from her mouth.

  “Yeah. Mom is. She’s just finishing up with a client.”

  “Must be busy at the salon?”

  Hannah shrugged. “I guess. Mostly blow outs for the dinner tonight.” She nodded at the town hall where a stream of people was carrying boxes inside, ready to set up for the big event.

  “How are you holding up?”

  “Okay.” She kept her eyes on her shoes and scuffed a toe on the ground.

  “So you and Jacob are good friends?”

  Her eyes darted my way. “I guess.”

  “I didn’t know you and he had a thing.”

  “We didn’t.”

  “Oh? I heard you and he hooked up last year?”

  Color flooded her cheeks, and she folded her arms across her chest. “We didn’t. We got drunk and passed out. Nothing happened. Despite that moron running around telling everyone he’d scored.”

  “Ohhhhh,” I said in sympathy. “That sucks. Why do boys do that?”

  “Because they’re jerks,” she muttered.

  “They can be.” I remembered my fair share of jerks when I’d been in school. “I’m glad your parents didn’t make you pull out of the competition.” I changed the subject, although it probably wasn’t a safer topic.

  She shrugged. “I am grounded. But it’s school vacation and they’re both working. So basically the rehearsals are their way of knowing where I am and what I’m doing. Now I get to go to the salon and sweep the floor all afternoon.” Her voice cracked and her chin wobbled.

  Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, I squeezed her tight. “Things will work out.”

  A car pulled to the curb, and the window rolled down.

  “Come on, Hannah!” Jacqueline Burton yelled. “I’ve got Mrs. Evans in for a cut and color any minute.”

  “See you,” Hannah said to me and hurried over to slide into the passenger seat.

  “Bye.” I lifted a hand to wave, watching as the car pulled out and zipped off down Main Street.

  Despite Hannah lighting the fires, I felt for her. And her parents. I couldn’t imagine the pain they must be going through. It was a sorry situation all the way around, but hopefully Hannah getting caught was a wake-up call to them all.

  Shaking off the maudlin thoughts, I glanced at the time. Midday. No word from Jackson, but then he was minus his phone, so I decided I’d check on him, see if they’d admitted him or not.

  Turned out they hadn’t. He was still on the gurney where I’d left him in the treatment bay. The curtain around his bed was pulled back giving me a clear view of him sitting up, the color back in his face.

  “Oh hey,” he greeted me warmly. “Glad you’re back. I’m about to get discharged.”

  “You are? So, no concussion?”

  “Oh, he has a concussion all right!” The same nurse who’d tended to him when I first brought him in bustled over. “And we will discharge him provided he has someone with him at all times for the next twelve hours.”

  “Oh well, I can do that?” I offered.

  “Perfect. I’ll get the paperwork sorted.” She hurried away again, and I frowned at Jackson.

  “But you were unconscious all night? Why would they discharge you?”

  “Because I wasn’t really unconscious. Well, I was, briefly, but I have no signs of brain injury or a bleed on the brain—they think I slept it off, that I wasn’t unconscious all that time, just asleep. Concussions make you drowsy, so by the time you found me, I was over the worst. And now I have some pain killers onboard, I’m good to go.”

  I sagged in relief. That was excellent news. Seeing my face, Jackson grabbed my hand. “Sorry I gave you such a fright.”

  “Well, just try not to do it again, okay?” Leaning forward, I kissed his cheek, and he was reaching up to touch my face when we were interrupted by a commotion from behind.

  I turned to see Jacob’s parents, Jeremy and Kathleen, marching into the emergency department, Jacob trailing behind them. With the curtains open around Jackson’s treatment bay we had a clear view as the trio made their way to the reception desk. Jeremy was arguing with someone on the phone and Jackson and I watched—and listened—with interest.

  “I don’t care what you think,” Jeremy snapped into the phone. “This is not your decision and Jacob is not your son.” Silence as he listened to whoever was on the other end of the call. “Absolutely not. You’re obsessed with your career and public image, Dan. This is my child we’re talking about and submitting to a DNA sample will clear his name. He did not hurt that girl. This will prove it. No, I don’t care what your lawyer says. Stay out of it.” He jabbed at the screen, disconnecting the call. Running a hand through his hair, he approached the reception desk.

  “Yes, I was told to report here for a DNA test for my son, Jacob Griffin.”

  “Thanks for coming in, Mr. Griffin.” Liliana Miles appeared from nowhere, as she had a habit of doing, and I stiffened. Jackson squeezed my hand, but I didn’t take my eyes off the scene unfolding before me. “The test is a simple swab from the inside of his cheek. The nurses will do it. I’m just here to witness it to maintain the chain of evidence.”

  “Fine. Let’s get this over with.”

  Liliana swung around and her eyes landed on me, then Jackson. Nothing. Her face revealed nothing. Turning back to the Griffin family, she said, “The nurse will be with us shortly. Take a seat.” Then headed our way. I’m pretty sure my gulp was audible, and Jackson again squeezed my hand.

  “How are you feeling?” Liliana asked him as she stood at the foot of his bed.

  “Fine. About to be discharged. How’s the case?”

  “The Griffins’ beach hut has DNA evidence that Emily was inside. Hair, fingerprints, bodily fluids.”

  Bodily fluids? As in? Ewww. So Emily had been having sex in the hut with Jacob.

  “The family has agreed to a DNA sample. The boy swears he has never had intercourse with her, therefore the DNA we found can’t belong to him.”

  Jackson nodded. “Best way to rule him out then.”

  “Yeah, but Jacob stole the key from his uncle,” I said.

  Liliana’s eyes zeroed in on me, cold as steel. “He also denies that. Just because the key is missing doesn’t mean Jacob took it.”

  “She’s right.” Jackson nodded. To Liliana he said, “Anything else? Do we have the phone records yet?”

  “Came in this morning. Philips is going over them.”

  The nurse who’d treated Jackson shot past to where the Griffin family waited. “Looks like we’re up,” Liliana said, spinning on her heel and stalking away.

  “This should wrap up the case,” Jackson murmured, watching them follow the nurse into a treatment room. “Prove Jacob is the baby’s father and that he was with her in the hut.”

  “The timeline doesn’t match up though,” I pointed out. “Emily was already pregnant when she and Jacob started dating. Plus Jacob’s uncle owns the hut, it’s feasible that his DNA would be there.”

  “Let’s wait and see what the test results reveal.”

  I thought about the tie I’d seen in Daniel’s house. “Do they know what was used to strangle Emily?”

  “Initially, we thought maybe a belt, but that would have left harsh welts in her skin. The ME thinks a fabric, soft. They pulled a fiber that we’re hoping to identify.”

  “A fiber? Like… from a tie?”

  He nodded. “Possibly. Or a scarf. Or stockings. Even a T-shirt or hand towel.” His brows pulled together in a frown, but then he looked at me and the lines eased. “So, looks like we’re going to be hanging out for a while.” His grin was cheeky and endearing.

  “Guess so,” I drawled, as if having to keep an eye on him was the biggest burden in the world.

  While we waited for the nurse to return I filled h
im in on the morning’s discoveries and my chat with Daniel Griffin.

  “I assume that was Daniel that Jeremy was arguing with on the phone when they came in.” My eyes drifted over to the closed door where Jacob was having a DNA swab.

  “Well, he did say Dan, so yeah, good call, Sherlock.” Jackson was sitting on the edge of the bed, his legs dangling over the side. I slapped his knee.

  “Police brutality now, Jones?” One dark brow arched and the twinkling was back in his eyes.

  “You wish.” Shoving my hands into the back pockets of my jeans, I shifted my weight from foot to foot, growing impatient at the wait. And finding it harder by the minute to keep my hands to myself. It was safer if they stayed tucked away in my pockets.

  “Whatever you’re thinking”—his voice dropped to a deep growl that sent shivers of anticipation dancing across my skin—“I like it.”

  My eyes met his in a clash of emotion. Want, desire, but also a touch of fear. The feelings I had for Jackson were multiplying rapidly, and the sudden realization that if this didn’t work out with us, if he decided I was damaged goods after all, the pain that would follow would be unimaginable. Not to mention I’d lose him as a friend. He saw it. The second the thought entered my head, he saw the change, the slight stiffening of my body, the narrowing of my eyes, the way my heart rate spiked and then dropped back into rhythm.

  His growl was more pronounced as his hand shot out and seized mine. “Don’t. You went someplace you didn’t have to.”

  “But—”

  “Harper,” he said, my name coming out on a sigh, tugging me closer so I was wedged in between his knees, “don’t borrow trouble. We’ve waited this long, let’s just enjoy the moment, enjoy each other, hmmm?”

  My breath hitched in my throat. Being this close to him, I could barely think, let alone worry about what the future might hold. I was leaning in, drawn to him like a moth to a flame, when the nurse who had been treating him earlier appeared.

  “You’re free to go,” she said. “Remember, take it easy. No physical activity.” Her eyes darted between us, her meaning clear. My cheeks heated with color, but Jackson just chuckled, his smirk revealing the dimple that melted women’s hearts.