Meows, Magic & Manslaughter (Lake Forest Witches Book 2)

by Madison Johns

  Petunia shook her head. “You’re crazier than I thought. I make herbal remedies, I tell you, and my aunt sells them. There is no sense in labeling us anything.”

  “Humph.”

  Petunia walked over to the fence and put her hands on the top. “Don’t make any more trouble for me Cora, or I’ll … I don’t know what I’ll do, but it will be very bad for you.”

  Cora backed away. “She’s a witch, I tell you,” she shouted and threw up her arms, hobbling back her house and disappearing inside.

  Noah shook his head. “Now, why did you say that? You know she’ll take that threat to the bank, probably even call the sheriff on you.”

  “He’s too busy right now to show up so I should be safe.”

  His brow shot up. “Has there been a crime wave in Lake Forest?” He laughed.

  “Not sure about crime wave, but Florence McHenry’s body was found in Mayor Hopkins’ pool.”

  “The same Florence who the Mayor is having an affair with?”

  “Actually, his wife Bonnie says that affair is over, but Florence’s car was parked out at the curb and Bonnie had no idea that it was there.”

  “How is that possible?” Noah asked.

  “I haven’t sorted that out yet, but I can’t believe that Bonnie would have had anything to do with Florence’s death. Florence might just have drowned in the pool, for all we know.”

  “What does the sheriff have to say?”

  “He’s not ready to accuse anyone at the point, or so he says, but I wonder.” Petunia sighed. “Bonnie said she was at Norm’s Meat Market buying supplies for their barbecue tomorrow, which, by the way, we’re invited to, if I get the invitation today like she told me I would.”

  “So, she wasn’t home all day?”

  “Apparently not, but we should check up on that to make sure it checks out.”

  “We, as in you and me?”

  “Well, yes.”

  He smiled widely now. “That sounds like a plan. I actually like investigating cases with you.”

  “And you’re not worried that doing this will hurt your chances of running for sheriff?”

  “No, I’m not all that sure that I want that now anyway.”

  “You do know, though, that we don’t get paid to investigate.”

  “We could be private investigators. That way we could be paid to clear someone’s name.”

  Petunia gave this some thought. It never occurred to her that money could be made doing the same things she did for free. “I wouldn’t be comfortable taking money from anyone.”

  “Just a thought, but if I decide not to run for sheriff, I’ll have to do something that I can make money doing.”

  “But I thought you came here to run for sheriff?”

  “I did, but I realize that now I just might be guilty by association. Everyone in town thinks that you’re a witch, so what of it? Is there any truth to the rumors?”

  Petunia sighed. This was not the conversation she wanted to have with him. “Do you really want to know?”

  Noah swept a hand through his hair. “Not really. Come to think of it, I haven’t seen you do anything that would make me believe you’re a witch.” He shook his head. “This is complete nonsense. I think I was letting that Cora get to me.”

  “She’s good at that. So, what about your fence?”

  “I should check about ordinances in this area, but I can’t see why there would be one.”

  “I wonder if Cora wrote all the ordinances. You could ask the mayor tomorrow night.”

  “Do you really think the party will still be on after a body was found in the pool?”

  “Actually, yes. If mayor had a party, it would go on in the middle of blizzard and everyone on the guest list would be there, too. Never underestimate the power of that man soliciting money for his re-election bid.”

  “Let’s go check out the meat market. I don’t have anything else going on,” Noah said.

  Petunia and Noah walked over to Norm’s meat market, and this time, she didn’t even have to convince him to walk instead of taking his car. Petunia still vowed not to own a car since so many people in her family had died in car accidents. Aunt Maxine wasn’t worried and felt that she was close to dying anyway, since she was eighty plus. But Petunia just hoped her aunt would be around for many more years. The truth was that Petunia would be lost without her.

  When they made their way through the automatic doors of Norm’s Meat Market, Petunia put her head down, hoping that Sharon, one of the cashiers, wouldn’t see her. Sharon had once accused Petunia of shoplifting, when really all she was trying to do was conceal Pansy, who was hiding in her oversized bag. Ever since then, Sharon had had it out for Petunia.

  “I see you over there, Petunia Patterson,” Sharon said. “You know darn well you can’t come in her unless your bag is checked.”

  “Bag?” Lucy Winters asked. “What gives you the right to search her purse?”

  Leave it to Lucy to stick up for Petunia, since Petunia had helped Lucy with her arthritis by giving her a healing salve that worked much better than Petunia anticipated.

  “I agree,” Nelly said. She was Lucy’s friend and owned the local drug store.

  “I need you at the front, Mr. Thompson,” Sharon said over the intercom. “Petunia Patterson is back.”

  “Back?” Petunia asked. “I haven’t been barred from this place, you know.”

  “Perhaps I should have come in without you,” Noah said.

  “It’s not my fault,” Petunia whispered. “She’s always giving me a hard time whenever I come in here.”

  Sharon turned her back to Petunia and rang up her customers until Mr. Thompson marched up. “What is the meaning of this, Sharon? How many times have I told you not to make a spectacle of yourself?”

  “Me? I was trying to keep you from another heath department citation,” Sharon insisted.

  “Citation?” Nelly asked.

  When the customers all looked at him, wide-eyed, Mr. Thompson responded, “Sharon is mistaken. She is no longer employed by Norm’s Meat Market. Out,” he shouted. Sharon just stood there with her mouth gaping open until he said, “I mean it, Sharon. Gather your things and exit the premises.”

  “Why are you taking this out on me? You know that witch brings her cat with her hidden in that bag of hers.”

  Petunia promptly walked up and showed Mr. Thompson the inside of her purse. “See, no cats with me today.” She smiled slyly. “Perhaps you should give Sharon here another chance. I don’t think she meant to cause a scene.”

  Sharon’s face reddened. “One of these days, Petunia, I’m gonna sock you in the mouth.”

  Gasps slit the air and Petunia shrugged, whispering to Lucy, “Can you meet me outside?”

  “What did she just say about me?” Sharon demanded.

  “Nothing. The entire town of Lake Forest doesn’t revolve around you, you know. I was trying to keep Mr. Thompson from firing you, but instead you chose to just be nasty to me. What have I ever done to you?” Petunia asked.

  Sharon didn’t say a word as she stomped her way to the back while Mr. Thompson manned the register. The customers didn’t seem to upset by her departure; a few old ladies even clapped.

  “It’s about time,” Nelly said. “It takes me half an hour just to get through her line with all the gossiping she does with the other cashiers.”

  “Oh?” Petunia asked. “I’d love to hear what it was today.”

  “Would you women folk take this conversation outside? I have a dentist appointment in ten minutes,” Ned Lewis said in his grouchiest voice.

  “Don’t insult Petunia, Ned,” Lucy said. “Go on ahead of me if you’re in that much of a hurry, but I for one don’t know why you’re going to the dentist anyway since you haven’t a tooth in your mouth.”

  Snickers were heard, but the customers knew better than to irritate Ned. He was quite grouchy on most occasions and he had been known to take quite spiteful actions, like allowing one of his loud-m
outhed dogs to bark incessantly all night long, or sneaking them on your yard at night so that when you woke up, your front yard looked like a battle zone. Petunia had never known such small dogs like a Boston Terrier, Chihuahua, or Pomeranian would be able to create such large bombs. Since he didn’t live all that far from her, Petunia kept her laughter on the inside.

  “What are we doing?” Noah asked.

  “We’re going to follow Lucy and Nelly outside. With the crowd in here, I was hoping that one of them might have been here at the same time as Bonnie Hopkins.”

  Petunia gazed at the rows of bulk candy pre-packaged and displayed near the register for easy add-on sales. She had to laugh to herself when Mr. Thompson waited on Lucy and she proceeded to flirt with the man.

  “You sure look fit, Mr. Thompson. Have you been working out?”

  “Just in the stock room.” He smiled.

  He shouldn’t have done that, since that gave Lucy all the momentum she needed. “Would you like to go to dinner sometime?”

  “I don’t think my wife would like that,” he said.

  “Oh, but didn’t your wife pass away five years ago?”

  He shook his head and bagged up her purchases while she pulled her money out of her big black purse. “If you change your mind, I’ll be at Hanover’s Bistro at six o’clock for dinner.”

  “Would you shut your trap,” Ned said from the next register. “I swear I wish people would quit yapping their jaws so much. I’ll be late for sure now.”

  As he strutted toward the door, Lucy smiled and said, “Some men. That’s why I never date any men my own age.”

  Mr. Thompson’s brow shot up. “You’re too much woman for me, Lucy.”

  Petunia took things into her hands and guided Lucy out the door. Nelly followed them and the two old birds had quite a laugh.

  “Do you know how to make love potions?” Lucy asked. “Because I’m sure going to need one to ever get that Mr. Thompson to have dinner with me.”

  “I-I. No, I draw the line on making love potions.”

  Noah cocked a brow. “That’s good to know. So, you’re saying you’ve never even tried to make one before?”

  “Of course not! That would be like playing God and that’s one thing I want no part of.” Petunia smiled. “Since when do you believe in magic?”

  “Magic? Who said anything about magic? I thought you were talking about one of your herbal remedies. I’m not ready to start believing that magic has anything to do with your potions,” Noah said.

  “How do you explain me going from riddled with arthritis to winning a marathon?” Lucy asked. “You can deny the existence of magic all you want. I know different.”

  Petunia shrugged and said, “That’s not what I wanted to talk about, Lucy. I was wondering if either of you had seen Bonnie Hopkins here earlier?”

  “No,” Lucy said.

  “I did,” Nelly informed them. “When I arrived, she was getting a carry out. She has a big barbecue party planned for tomorrow, you know.”

  “I know. I was invited. I can’t image the mayor will be happy about that. I’m not his favorite person, you know.”

  “Lucky you,” Nelly said. “I’ve longed to check out that fancy mansion of theirs, but unfortunately, I don’t travel in the same circles as them.”

  “Well, that’s about to change,” Lucy said. “You can come with me. Ever since I won that marathon, I seem to be invited to a lot of places. I just like to go to see who’s there and what they’re wearing. The invitation even said to bring your bathing suits!”

  “Bathing suits?” Petunia said.

  “That sounds good to me,” Noah said with a wink.

  “Very funny, but after the events of today, I doubt there will even be a party.”

  Lucy practically craned her neck. “Events? What events?”

  “I-I. Perhaps I shouldn’t say. The sheriff might not like it.”

  “Now you just have to tell me. I swear, I won’t tell a soul,” Lucy said with a nod.

  Petunia looked over at Noah, who just shook his head sadly.

  “I hate to spread rumors, especially since I don’t know all the details, but I kind of found Florence McHenry’s body in the pool over at the Hopkins’ mansion.”

  Lucy slapped a palm over her mouth and when she let her hand drop, she said, “That is the best piece of gossip yet. Do you think the Mrs. caught the Mr. with his pants down and offed the mistress?”

  “No. I’m sure that couldn’t have been the case. Bonnie seemed quite shocked when I found the body floating in the pool.”

  “So, it was a floater, eh?” Lucy said. “However did you find the body?”

  “Her Dobermans chased Pansy into the backyard and up a tree.”

  “So, Bonnie was surprised, was she home the whole day?” Lucy asked.

  “She was at Norm’s Meat Market,” Nelly said. “Didn’t you just hear me say that?”

  “Of course I did, dear. I was just trying to get all the details down.”

  “How did she seem?” Petunia asked.

  “Like I said, she was on the go leaving, but I doubt she’d be at the market if she killed Florence.”

  “We don’t know yet if it was foul play or not, but it will be interesting to find out if the barbecue happens tomorrow or not. I, for one, wouldn’t want to miss it,” Petunia said. She gave Lucy a quick hug and wandered back to where Noah stood. “I suppose there is no sense in going back inside, now, since Nelly confirmed that Bonnie was here.”

  “Is that it for now, then? Because if it is, I’d like to have some lunch,” Noah said.

  Petunia smiled. “Now that’s the best thing someone has said all day. I’m famished.”

  Chapter Four

  “Should we go home first, before we head to the bistro?” Noah asked. “Just in case you decide to go somewhere not in walking distance.”

  “What do you have against walking?”

  “Nothing. It’s just that who knows where we’ll wind up if we plan to investigate this case.”

  “What case are we talking about here? We don’t even know yet if Florence died of natural causes.”

  “If you think that, then why did we go to the meat market to begin with?” Before she had a chance to say anything, he continued, “It’s certainly odd that Florence wound up in the pool over at the Hopkins’ place. I can’t imagine that Bonnie would have welcomed her there after the way she was carrying on with her husband.”

  Petunia led the way across the street and said, “That’s ancient history, but I have to agree with you there. I just hope Bonnie hasn’t done something desperate. I really like her.”

  Noah took the lead as he made a turn in the direction of his house. “Are you sure you’ll be able to be objective if you feel that way? We can’t ever presume anyone innocent at this point.”

  “No crime has been established yet.”

  “Still, are you prepared to follow the leads where they go, or will you allow your feelings about the woman to jade you?”

  Petunia gave it some thought while they arrived back at Noah’s house and he pulled out his black Camaro with the red racing stripes. It was like driving around town with a huge neon sign hanging from the roof. It’s hard to miss that kind of car in a town such as Lake Forest. It was a quaint, small, and very northern Michigan town. What she loved the most about it was that the brick buildings still looked much like must have back in 1852 when the town was founded. The local historical society saw to that. Why, Aunt Maxine was one of the founding members. Well, her and her very witchy friends, Hazel and Wanda. She made a mental note to head back to her aunt’s store before the day was through. She needed to tell her about what had happened at the Hopkins’ place. If her aunt heard about it on the news or through the local gossip mill, she would never forgive Petunia.

  Now Petunia hopped in the car as Noah opened her door. He was a real gentleman, which wasn’t something Petunia was used to, a man holding open a door for her. Not that she thought about it
, Noah was much different than any man she has ever met. Them joining forces on investigations were something she had really begun to enjoy. She silently hoped that he’d never run for sheriff, but the man deserved to make a living. If only she could figure out a way to convince him that he could be more useful in this town as an investigator. He’s proven himself in that regards.

  Noah drove the few blocks it took to arrive at Hanover’s Bistro. He parallel parked across the street and they made their way back to the other side. Petunia couldn’t help but notice Henry, the man she had been engaged to once, before he had cheated on her. Petunia put her head down so hopefully he wouldn’t notice her walking past. The last thing she wanted was for him to see her. Not only would it delay lunch, but it also wouldn’t help with their investigation, since she had hoped to hear someone inside talking about something that might give them a clue to follow.

  They glided through the door, which was held open by a hostess dressed in black pants and a white ruffled button-up shirt, the standard wait staff uniform.

  “Hello, Petunia and Noah,” the hostess Rhonda said. “Another hot date today?”

  “No!” Petunia said, a little louder than she wanted since several customers glanced over.

  “Sorry. I didn’t mean to pry.”

  “She’s just not sure whether she wants to date me or continue to live as the well-known cat lady of Lake Forest,” Noah said with a wink.

  “That’s not all she’s known for,” Rhonda said, then quickly apologized. “Where are my manners? You came here for lunch, not to listen to me rattle on.”

  “Could we get a window seat?” Petunia asked.

  “I think so. I’ll just have to clean off a table first.”

  They stood there while Rhonda raced off. Petunia scanned the customers, who consisted of mothers enjoying a leisurely lunch while their children were still in school. It was June and school would be out in a few short weeks. Then Lake Forest would be abuzz with activity as tourists headed into town. That’s what Petunia was counting on, since she was selling potions now at her aunt’s shop.