by Tegan Maher
Yeah, that didn't make me sound like a freak at all. But I was starting to like him and wanted to test the waters. After all, I was a witch, so if he wasn't open to the so-called paranormal, then I didn't want to get emotionally invested. The problem was, how and when do you tell somebody you're a witch?
The kids arrived just then and spared me the trouble of trying to explain further. I figured I'd just let him chew on that much to start with.
Shelby rushed up to the porch with Cody following close behind her, flip-flops slapping against the wood of the porch as they thundered into the house.
"Hey, Sister! Hey, Hunter!" she called over her shoulder. "When's dinner?"
I glanced over at the charcoal; it was ready. "Gimme about a half-hour," I yelled back.
"If you want to stay here and enjoy the view, it'll only take me a few minutes to get stuff ready," I told Hunter.
He finished his beer and stood to follow me. "Nah, I'll keep you company. I'm ready for another beer, anyway."
Before the screen slapped shut, Max thought, Be a good human and bring me a couple of fingers of my scotch when you come back, please.
He was kidding, right? Yeah, sure, because he wouldn’t think it was strange at all for me to bust out the Glenlivet and pour my mini donkey a couple of shots.
Spoilsport, he grumbled.
Be grateful Earl threw in a bottle because, for whatever reason, he likes you. There wasn’t any fine scotch money left after the electric bill was deducted from the royal coffers.
What good does it do me if you hoard it inside?
I pretended I didn’t hear him and kept walking. We made our way into the kitchen and I motioned toward the table. "Have a seat."
I opened the fridge door and handed him another beer, then rummaged around for all the ingredients for burgers and dogs. Before I started patting out the burgers, I poured myself another glass of wine.
"Where did you go to college?" I asked, plopping the hamburger into a bowl and adding seasonings and a packet of onion soup mix.
"Believe it or not, UCLA. I was accepted to several schools on a full football scholarship but chose there because, well, it was Los Angeles." He shook his head and shrugged. "It wasn't for me. I mean, I had a great time in school, but I didn't want to be a cop there. I missed my family, so I moved back to Indy."
"So if you don't mind me asking, why didn't you go into the military?" I asked as I squished the burger between my fingers.
He smiled, showing both dimples. "That was exactly the reason I chose LA. I loved my dad but he was military to the core. I wanted to get away from the structure and the rules, not sign myself up for another four years of it. Maybe if I hadn't gotten the football scholarship I would have."
He took another pull of his beer then washed his hands and started slicing a tomato. "So what about you? Have you ever wanted to leave here?"
"Oh, I did leave. I went to UGA and earned my undergrad in criminal justice, with my sights set on being a forensic tech or maybe a cop. Then I discovered I missed the farm and moved back. You can, of course, imagine why I chose to be waitress rather than a cop here."
"Well," he said, taking a bit bite of crow. "Now. I really feel like a jerk about what I said the day the sheriff died. You have the same degree I do."
“Yeah, how ‘bout those preconceived notions, again?”
Chapter 15
As soon as the cheeseburgers and dogs were done, I brought out the fixin’s and called to the kids, who were playing a game of cornhole in the backyard. After everybody was situated with plates piled high with food, we sat down around the larger patio table and dug in. After a few minutes of companionable eating, I asked Cody what he thought of Keyhole Lake.
"It's not as bad as I thought it would be. In the city, it was harder to get around, especially on a motorcycle, because other drivers don't pay attention. Here, I don't have that problem, and there are lots of good back roads and thinking spots where I can go when I need to get away."
He looked down at his plate and my heart went out to him. I knew what it was like to lose your parents, and understood the flood of emotions he was experiencing. At least I had been fortunate enough to be able to stay in my hometown. This poor kid had not only lost his parents, but his entire support system of friends, too.
"Well, there's a great little cabin by the lake that hardly anybody remembers anymore. I wouldn't recommend going in the cabin itself because it's falling in, but it has a dock that's great for sitting, dipping your feet in the water, and just letting your mind soak in the peace of the place. I used to ride my horse there, but there's a small access road to it that's more of a path now. A car probably couldn't navigate it, but you could probably make it there on your bike."
I gave him directions and he thanked me. "I hope it works as well for you as it does for me. Now, are you enjoying working at the clinic with Will? We ran into him and Violet at the fair the other day and he looked exhausted. He said you guys have been putting in some crazy hours there."
Cody looked at me quizzically. "Things have actually been pretty slow at the clinic, so I'm not sure why he'd say that. I have noticed he's distracted and isn't sleeping much though. Sometimes I wonder if part of that is me, but he assures me I'm actually good for him."
He paused to take a bite of cheeseburger and looked thoughtful. "I think that maybe he and Aunt Violet are having some problems; I heard them arguing yesterday. She says she wants to move back to the city and that Uncle Will would make a ton of money if they lived in Atlanta, but he doesn't want to leave grandma and grandpa, or his clients here." Will's parents were Bob and Marge, the owners of the hardware store, and they'd always been close.
"It would be awful if he left," Shelby exclaimed. "Doc Will is amazing. I can't even imagine somebody taking his place!"
"Well, I don't think you have anything to worry about, because as far as I know, he has no plans to leave. Thus, the arguing." He looked a little guilty as he glanced around the table. "Oh man, please don't say anything to anybody about them fighting, okay? If word gets around, they'll know it was me."
"No worries, Cody," I assured him. "What happens here stays here."
Yeah, Max muttered from his place at my feet. Especially since we may end up counting on him to return the favor if he thinks too much about floating rocks.
Truer words. Shelby was pretty sure she'd convinced him it had been a trick of the light—thankfully it had been dusk—but if he didn't believe that, we'd either have to bring him into the fold or wipe his memory.
"Thank you!" Cody sighed, relieved. "I'm worried about Uncle Will, too. I volunteered to help with Pop Warner football before he started looking so ragged, and now I kinda wish I hadn't. We're planning a guys-only camping trip this weekend and I think it'll do him good. It's just going to be us, Grandpa, and Mike, one of my friends." He paused and shook his head, smiling. "A year ago, I would have never said this, but I'm really looking forward to it. Hunter, maybe you could come, too. Do you like fishing?"
"Actually, I love fishing, but with everything that's going on at work, I doubt I'll be able to take the weekend off."
Cody nodded, and that wayward hank of hair fell over his eye again. "I totally get it. Well, maybe you can make it up for a few hours. I'll ask Will, but I'm sure it won't be a problem."
I smiled at the thought of Hunter in a fishing hat and hip-waders, holding a stringer of fish. I just couldn't picture it, but I took my own advice and left my mind open. Who knows; the city boy might have been a Boy Scout.
"Sorry if I sound nosy, but how do you and Violet get along?" She and Will had met while they were in college and though she was nice, she never struck me as somebody who would be willing to leave the city life to live in a Podunk town.
We've had lunch a few times because she's on the board for Pets United, a charity for abandoned and abused animals. Will started the program several years ago when pet overpopulation became a problem in the county and we raise money to help pay fo
r medicines and shots. Will donated his time, spaying and neutering the animals, and the organization worked to find foster homes and then permanent ones for the pets.
I was active in the group and though I didn’t have a ton of money, I was great at fund-raising and often fostered any horses, mules, or donkeys that come in. Violet had a ton of contacts both here and in Atlanta and though she was a bit reserved, we had a good time when we got together. Margaritas work wonders for opening up just about anybody, but even half-lit she was still sort of stiff.
Cody finished chewing a mouthful of burger before answering. "We get along okay. We don't really interact that much, but when we do, like at meals and stuff, she's nice to me."
The topic seemed to make him a bit uncomfortable, and I was grateful when Hunter asked, "So I hear you have a motorcycle. What kind is it?"
"It's nothing much. Just a 1995 CBR 600. My dad and I bought it wrecked and worked on it in our garage until it was rideable."
"Sweet," Hunter enthused. "I have a 2014 GSXR 600. We'll have to ride some day; I've barely had it out of the garage since I moved here."
"That would be great! I've found some sweet back roads around here I'd be glad to show you."
"You're on, then. I have a feeling I'm going to need some wind time by the time this case is over."
Shelby turned to me. "Speaking of his bike, can I ride with him, now?"
I was still hesitant.
Max's voice popped into my head. Stop being a killjoy. It's not like refusing her has worked out so well for you so far. Mayhap a change in strategy is in order. And are you going to eat the rest of that potato salad?
I scowled at him. You have no idea how irritating it is to get child-rearing advice from a donkey, especially one whose definition of responsible was a whole lot looser than mine. It was even worse, when he was right.
"Fine," I finally told her, "but there are conditions. First, no riding after dark. Second, you always have to wear a helmet. And finally, under no circumstances are you to speed or go on the freeway with her, Cody."
They bobbed their heads and said, "Agreed." Shelby was smiling from ear to ear and it made me feel good. I just prayed I didn't live to regret it.
"Oh yeah, and Cody? If she gets hurt on that thing, I'll skin you alive!"
He bowed his head. "Understood, ma'am. I'd never do anything to risk her safety."
Hunter said, "Hey, I've got a great idea. Noelle, you're nervous about her riding. Why don't we all go on a short ride tomorrow evening, and you can see for yourself how Cody drives?"
"I don't know ...," I said.
"C'mon Noelle! It'll be fun!" Shelby said, her eyes shining.
She looked so happy that I had to agree, though my mouth was dry as a bone when I did.
We finished up dinner, and since I'd used paper plates, clean-up was a breeze. Hunter started to leave, citing that he had to get back to the investigation, but when I asked him if he had any leads, he admitted it was at a standstill while he waited for a couple of search warrants to come through. Since that wouldn't be until tomorrow, I convinced him to stay for a while. I couldn't get him to tell me what the warrants were for but I trusted the well-oiled wheel of the rumor mill to fill me in tomorrow.
He and I paired off against Shelby and Cody for a game of cornhole and my sister narrowed her eyes at me when my aim improved considerably after they'd gained several points on us. Hunter commented on it, too.
"Wow, I guess it just takes you a few throws to get warmed up. At first, you were barely hitting the board, and now you're sinking them like a pro."
Shelby glared at me. "Yeah, it's amazing how her aim just magically improves when you guys get behind."
I smiled sweetly at her. "All it takes is a little focus."
She scowled, because that was what I always told her when she was practicing spells.
Max, who had been scavenging leftovers around the table, perked his ears when Shelby mentioned magic. He trotted over when Shelby threw. Her bag landed on the edge of the hole just beside her other one, and he meandered up to me and butted his head against my leg. When he did, his tail "accidentally" swept her bags into the hole. No cheating, he thought.
"That doesn't count!" I protested, ignoring Max. Shelby and Cody insisted on counting it as a point, citing "acts of nature." I couldn't really argue because a few of my shots hadn't exactly been natural, so I let it slide and played the rest of the game on my own merit, which means they beat the pants off us.
By the time the game was over, it was almost dark and I still had baking to do. Hunter headed home, but Cody stuck around to watch a movie with Shelby. I was really starting to like the kid, and hoped he'd be a good influence on my little sister. And that he'd survive the relationship with his memory intact.
Chapter 16
For the next hour, I lost myself in baking. The act of mixing the ingredients and rolling out the doughs was better therapy than any shrink, and it was a good way to let off some magical steam.
Though I can perform other spells such as the mop and broom thing with ease, I'm a kitchen witch at heart. I can feel my magic roll from my body into the doughs and batters, giving them just a little boost of love and magic.
That night, I had to make brownies, berry turnovers, and cinnamon rolls. Those were my best sellers. I prepared all the ingredients then fell into the rhythm of creating.
While I was mixing and kneading, I let my mind wander over the events of the last several days. Things just weren't making sense. Not the part about somebody killing Hank; that made total sense.
But the real estate guy had me flummoxed. Who would have contacted him? With nothing but the barest physical description to go on, there was no way I could figure that out, assuming I even knew him.
Then there was Will. We'd gone out a couple of times in high school, but we'd been such good friends that we decided to leave it that way. Since he'd gotten married, we'd lost touch but he was still my friend and he really hadn't looked good that last time I'd seen him. According to Cody, his claim that it was just too many hours at the clinic didn't hold water, but if he and Violet were having problems, that would explain a lot.
I made a mental note to have Rae put her special revitalizing potion in his coffee the next time he came in.
I had just finished rolling out the dough for cinnamon rolls when the front door opened and Raeann made her way into the kitchen with a bottle of wine.
"Hey!" I greeted her. "Did you get the mess at your mom's cleared up?"
She wrinkled her nose. "Yeah. It took twice as long to clean up the water as it did for him to actually fix it, but it's done. Want a glass of wine?"
"Actually, there's already a bottle open in the fridge. Hunter brought it for dinner and I think you'll like it."
She didn't waste any time reaching for the bottle and pulling a glass from the cabinet. "It's wine. After the mess I just went through, I'm sure I'll love it." She poured us both a glass, then leaned on the kitchen island while I brushed butter over the square of dough and sprinkled it with sugar and cinnamon.
I pulled the edges loose from the counter and rolled it into a log. "It sucks that you didn't make it for dinner tonight. I saved you a burger and a dawg so when you finish swigging that wine like it's Kool Aid, make yourself a plate."
"I am not swigging my wine," she objected.
I raised my brows and looked pointedly at her half-empty glass.
"Ok, maybe I'm swigging it a little. But seriously, you know Donny Skinner is the only plumber in town and just being around him makes me feel slimier than cleaning up the actual mess does."
We'd gone to school with Donny, and he was the kid who picked his nose and tried to sneak peaks up your skirt when he thought you weren't looking. Unfortunately, he hadn't changed much since then.
"On second thought, swig away. Still, eat something if you're going to drive home."
I finished rolling the dough and proceeded to slice off the individual cinnamon rolls, placin
g them on a cookie sheet as I did so.
"So, what's new with you and Jake? Any cool adventures planned in the near future?" Please, lord, let her not say bungee jumping.
"You're never gonna guess!" she enthused. "He's scheduled a skydiving lesson for me! He's an instructor, and swears that since I enjoyed bungee jumping, I'll absolutely love skydiving. I'm so excited!"
I don't know which worried me more, the thought of her jumping from a plane or her bubbly enthusiasm about it. I was dead on my feet and really wasn't feeling the love right then. As a matter of fact, if I could have gotten my hands on Jake, I'd have strangled him.
"You know I've designated you Shelby's guardian in case anything happens to me. If you kill yourself jumping out of a perfectly good airplane, who else do I have? Plus, there's the fact we've been best friends since we were born. The last thing I want to do is have a three-county scavenger hunt for your pieces. Please stop tempting fate."
"But it's such a rush," she countered. "The air in my face, the speed. You'd understand if you'd just try it."
I held my hands up. "There is absolutely no way I'm jumping out of a perfectly good airplane!"
"Well, we'll just have to agree to disagree," she said as she finished her wine and headed to the fridge.
I folded a towel over the rolls and popped them into the warm oven to proof.
"You know what your problem is?" She asked, pointing a bottle of ketchup at me. "Your problem is that you're stuck in a rut. You work, you come home. That's it."
"That's not true. I volunteer at the shelter and do fundraisers for them."
"Yeah, but that's like, what? Once a month or something? And besides—that's boring. You have zero excitement in your life."
Aunt Adelaide chose that minute to pop in. "She's kinda right, sugar. You used to love going places and doing things. Shoot, you haven't even had a speeding ticket in several years, and when was the last time you two went out for a night on the town?"