Chapter 16
Aunty Misty's old car was filled to the brim with empty chip bags and candy bar wrappers. It was like I was driving a group of high school football players to an away game instead of driving witches to find the missing links to an ever-growing mystery. Sadie and Abigail were so slender, but they could eat someone out of house and home. I had no idea where the food went.
“Are we there yet?” Abigail asked from the back seat for the millionth time.
The road trip to Cold Creek was a total nightmare. I wanted Agnes and Sadie to go with me, but Bobby had finally pulled the plug for good on his relationship with Abby and she was really down in the dumps, so I asked her instead of Agnes.
Agnes was more than happy to stay and help Aunt Misty with all of her errands.
“Yes, finally,” I told her, passing by a town that read ‘Welcome to Cold Creek, y’all! Population 1500.’
The drive through the main part of town took about three minutes. Seriously, Cold Creek made Cat’s Cradle look like New York City. I bet the population included pets too.
“Does this coven have any cute guys?” Abigail asked, poking her head out from the backseat.
"Abby, we are here to find out what the symbols mean not to play witchy love connection," I told her, rolling my eyes. All she thought about was boys. I wanted to have her worries for one day.
“I know that. I’m just saying,” she said, resting her chin on her hand.
“Let’s focus on the reason we’re here. We don’t have time to frolic around,” I said, seeing a mailbox with the exact address Aunt Misty found us.
It was a lot like our house. It would have been creepy, but the aquamarine shade of the house brightened it up.
“What if I find a hot witch? Can I frolic then?” she asked, smirking.
Pulling in the mile long stretch of a driveway, I put the car in park. “Just get out of the car,” I told her before slamming the door shut.
Sadie got off the car and smoothed her dress with her hands making her looked perfect. "I hope they're nice," she said, smiling perfectly.
I didn't want to burst her perfect little bubble but judging from that symbol I knew they were probably going to be horrible people. Wicked witches if you will.
"If they are mean, Sadie, we'll drop a house on them unless they're hot. If they're hot we are going to frolic," she said, winking at me and strutting up the front porch.
“Sadie, can you do me a favor?” I asked, already knowing the answer.
“Anything, Sis,” she replied, chipper as ever.
She was the only person I knew that was still in a good mood after a two-hour drive with Abigail. Two hours may not have seemed like a lot, but two hours with Abby felt like days. She never shut up because she wanted to use the voice up as much as she could. When she fell asleep she still never stopped talking.
“Make sure I don’t kill her. We don’t need another dead body to worry about,” I told her, rubbing my temples.
She laughed as she pulled me to the front door. She thought I was joking, but I wasn’t.
The large French door opened to reveal a very handsome man with black hair and silver eyes. Looking at him, I could tell he wasn't a day over twenty-five.
Abigail’s mouth was wide open as she stared at the handsome stranger.
“Please don’t drool on me,” I said, moving away from her.
“Hi, can I help you?” he asked, leaning against the door.
“Um, I hope so. Hi, I’m Malady Norwood, this is my sister, Sadie Norwood, and the fool with drool running down her chin is my cousin, Abigail Norwood,” I started off, holding my hand out for him to shake.
As he took my hand, I felt a tingle that slid up my arm all the way up to my head. Looking at him, I saw that his eyes were glowing. We were definitely in the right place.
“Ah, yes, all of you are from the Norwood coven in Cat’s Cradle. Come on in, we’ve been expecting you,” he said, holding the door all the way open to invite us in.
The house was dimly lit with candles floating above us and soft music playing.
“I didn’t catch your name,” I said to the stranger, leading us into an enormous living room filled with lots of gaudy decoration
He laughed before sitting on the purple crushed velvet couch. "That's because I didn't tell it to you, Malady. The name is Cade Blackwater, it's a pleasure to meet you ladies finally," he said, looking at each of us as if he were sizing us up.
His eyes made you feel like he knew every secret you were hiding. It was unnerving.
“We are here to-,” I said, before being cut off by him.
“I know why you’re here,” he said, running his hand through a flame of a candle near him without even flinching. “You do?” I asked.
“You’re here about the symbol you found in Mrs. Abernathy’s attic. Am I right?” he asked.
“How did you know that and how did you know her name? Are you the one who put the symbol here?” I asked, totally freaked out.
"Me? No, I didn't do it. That tingle you felt when I touched your hand wasn't because of my good looks; it was because when I touch someone, I can see into the depths of their minds. I see everything. I knew that the symbol showed up in someone's house in Cat's Cradle, but I didn't know who that person was. When I shook your hand I found out," he said, winking at Abigail causing her to giggle like a school girl.
Of course, she liked him even though he was terrifying. The girl had issues.
“What does the symbol mean?” Sadie asked, completely engrossed in the conversation. Her eyes were wild like she was reading her favorite book for the first time or watching one of those old movies she loved so much.
“It means that a spell that was cast on someone in Cat’s Cradle was broken in some way. Completely botched,” he said, resting his elbows on his knees.
“What kind of spell?” Abigail asked, managing to stop drooling over him long enough to ask.
"A love spell, Darling. The best kind of spell and the worst kind of spell. When the spell is intact, it makes you feel like you could touch the moon, but when it's broken it makes you do crazy things. You snap because all of that happiness you once felt is gone and you just feel empty," he said, walking over to her and kneeling beside her. "May I?" he asked, holding his hand over hers.
“You may,” she said, her eyes twinkling like shooting stars.
While they flirted shamelessly, I tried to think of anyone who had been acting weird lately but failed. Sure, everyone in Cat's Cradle was weird, but weird was normal in that town. Surely, I would have noticed if someone had cast a love spell on someone. Wouldn't I?
“Who’s Bobby? And why on earth would he want to let you go?” he asked before turning his head to me, “Did Alison come with you?”
Of course, he knew about Alison.
“Not that I’m aware, Romeo,” I replied, looking all around me to see if she if she was anywhere in sight. She was like a ninja ghost.
“She’s always near you,” Another man’s voice said, startling me.
Slowly turning around, I saw a man with the same face as Cade Blackwater.
"This is my twin brother, Cole, he talks to the dead," he said like it was the most normal thing in the world.
“Oh, how comforting. So, he’s a medium?” I asked, dodging all contact with Cole.
They were identical. I'm talking same inky black hair, same razor-sharp cheekbones, and same steel grey eyes. But for some reason, Cole was creeping me out way more and made the hair on my neck stand up.
“I guess you could say that, but his connection to the dead goes way deeper than those mediums who have reality shows and make lucky guesses. He’s the read deal,” Cade said, leaving Abigail’s side and taking his spot on the couch.
“Is she here now?” I asked Cole, my heart beating uncontrollably.
I wasn’t sure I was totally convinced that he was the ‘real deal’ as his brother called him. But I was going to find out.
“She jus
t left. She said watching you interact with people was painful because you were so awkward. Why is she calling you Calamity?” he asked, snickering.
Just like that I was convinced.
“I don’t really feel like discussing that with a stranger,” I said, shaking my head in disbelief.
“She wants you to follow her,” he said, walking to the front door.
“Where is she?”
“By your Aunt Misty’s car,” he said, snapping his fingers and opening the door.
Getting up, I walked to the car with Sadie, Abigail, and the Blackwater twins trailing behind me. I couldn’t see her, but I knew she was there. I could smell her sandalwood perfume in the wind and I felt like someone was judging my itchy pencil skirt.
“How can I follow her if she’s not letting me see her?” I asked, getting frustrated.
What if she was leading me to a clue to figure out her murder? I couldn't miss out on that. She was the key to unlocking Mason's cell.
“I’ll go with you,” Cole offered, jumping inside of the passenger seat before I could decline. I didn’t want to admit it, but I needed him. His creepy connection with the dead came in handy when I needed to follow a dead girl that I couldn’t see.
“Okay, I guess he’s going. Come on Sadie and Abigail, let’s go,” I said, jumping in the driver’s side and starting the car.
Looking in the rearview mirror, I saw that Cade had decided to join without being invited. I guess that ran in the family.
“Oh, you’re coming too?” I asked, getting the stink eye from Abigail.
The girl was heartbroken over Bobby Lyons only an hour before meeting Cade Blackwater, but as soon as she laid her eyes on the handsome warlock she was like Bobby who?
“I’m bored,” he said, rolling down his window and sticking his elbow outside, “We should have taken the brooms that would have been much quicker.”
“You guys use brooms? I thought that was only in the movies,” Sadie said, making eye contact with Cole Blackwater through the rearview.
“No, Sweetheart. He was only kidding. We drive motorcycles,” he said, signaling for me to turn right.
After a few more right turns and one left we ended up in front of small off-white house with a white picket fence and a bright cherry red door.
“Why would she want to bring you here?” Cade asked, jumping out of the car and helping Abigail out, “Are you sure this is the right place?”
Cole looked at his brother with a cocky expression, “Have I ever been wrong before?”
“No, Bro, you haven’t,” Cade answered, scratching the back of his head.
They knew whoever lived in that house and they were shocked that Alison led me there. I wanted to know why. "Is this house of any importance to you guys?"
They shared a look before exploding with laughter. "No, definitely not. Aaron Golden lives here," Cole said, sticking his hands in his pockets and rocking back and forth on his feet.
“And?” I asked, not following what they were saying.
“He’s the town weirdo, so I have no idea why a popular girl from three towns over would lead you to Aaron’s house. I’m not sure why any girl would lead you to Aaron’s house,” Cade said, mimicking his brother’s movement.
It didn’t make any sense to me either. Alison was the type of girl who wouldn’t be caught dead in Cold Creek. No pun intended.
The twins started walking toward Aaron’s front door. “What are you guys doing?” Abigail asked, slowly following behind them. She was scared, but she was following them not because she was brave it was because the twins looked like they had jumped from the pages of a vogue editorial.
“Finding out what is going on here. We love a good mystery,” they said in unison, causing me to jump.
“I don’t like them,” I whispered to Sadie and Abigail.
“I do,” Abigail replied, smiling wildly.
The twins knocked, but no one came to the door. They opened the door anyway.
Those boys were trouble, but trouble was my only hope at that moment. For the first time in my whole life, I was going to walk on the wild side.
I was scared to death.
Chapter 17
The house had pictures of Alison and a guy who I assumed was Aaron scattered all over the house. She definitely knew him and judged from the picture of them kissing I came to the conclusion that she knew him well.
Why was she showing me her side dude's house? And more importantly, why did she have a side dude? I thought she was insanely in love with Mason. She constantly hung from his arm.
“She wants you to go to his desk. It’s in the room before the kitchen. Check the top drawer on the left side,” Cole said, rubbing his temples.
I knew how he felt his pain Alison’s voice gave me a headache as well. It was like nails on a chalkboard.
“Is she annoying you?” I asked, giving him a sympathetic smile.
“Yes, she is. Go find whatever she wants you to find, so she will leave me alone,” he said, pacing back and forth.
Nodding, I walked away and followed the directions I was given. The small office like room held the desk in question. Pulling open the top drawer, I found a letter folded up. Picking it up, I felt guilty for reading someone else’s private property, but I had to do it. Alison wanted me to see whatever was in that letter.
Taking a deep breath, I unfolded it and my eyes scanned over it. It was Alison’s handwriting scrawled elegantly across the paper.
Aaron,
I spent last night thinking about your offer and I came to the conclusion that I want to do it. I want to run away with you and marry you, but I just can't. For some odd reason, I can't leave Mason. It's not that I won't leave him it's like it's physically impossible for me to leave him. Almost as if we are tied together by some unseen force. The feeling of wanting to be around him is completely suffocating me. I know he doesn't love me, I can see it in his eyes. Every time he says those three words it sounds forced like he doesn't want to say it, but he has to. Like he has no choice in the matter. Believe me; I know how silly this sounds because I feel silly writing it. I want you to move on and find a girl that makes you happy because I can't. I'm forever connected to a man I don't love. I wish this were one of those romantic comedies and it would all work out in the end, but it's not. It's real life. I wish you could save me from my miserable future.
I’ll love you forever,
Alison Talbot.
Well, I wasn’t expecting that. I still didn’t know exactly what Alison was trying to tell me. She was having an affair I had gotten that much, but did she just hand me a suspect?
The jilted ex-lover who decides if he can't have her then no one will? It made sense, but it didn't explain the magic element of it.
“Find anything?” Sadie asked, poking her head in the room.
“I found a letter Alison wrote to Aaron,” I told her, walking to the door and handing the letter over to her. “A love letter?” she asked.
“Yep, well, kind of,” I said, shrugging.
Eyeing me strangely, she moved her eyes all over the letter making different facial expression ranging from ‘Aw’ to sadness. “She really had me fooled I thought she was head over heels for Mason,” Sadie said, folding the letter up and holding the door open for me to walk out.
“Yeah, me too. She always through his name around when she was around me,” I said, walking to the living room to rejoin Abigail and the Blackwater twins.
“How well do you guys know Aaron?” I asked Cade and Cole, hoping they would be able to help me further.
They shared a look before turning back to me at the same time. “As well as anyone could know the town shut in. Why do you ask?” they inquired once again at the same time.
They were like the twins in the shining and I was pretty sure they were going to be the stars of my nightmare that night. I was used to seeing identical twins because I lived with Agnes and Abigail, but I was only used to one twin being able to talk. They couldn’t do
that weird talking at the same time thing. Thank goodness.
“Would you happen to know if Aaron has any connection to magic?” I asked, giving the letter to them to read.
They were completely silent as they read the letter and when they finally looked back up at me, they were sporting confused expressions. "This is a breakup letter why would this lead you to believe that Aaron Golden is using magic?"
“Because whoever murdered Alison Talbot used magic to make it look like Mason Blanchard did it,” I said, stating the obvious, “So, I’m going to ask you again does Aaron Golden have any connection to magic?”
Cursed at First Sight (Cursed Coven Cozies Book 1) Page 9