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

by Madison Johns

  “When she’s not acting like a total—”

  Petunia wasn’t sure if she could understand what Pansy was about to say, but Princess certainly chased him into the back of the shop. She heard a series of high-pitched meows and the sound of things crashing to the floor and Petunia raced toward the back before they wrecked the place. That’s all Petunia needed. She was hoping to talk her aunt into letting her whip up a few potions in the back.

  She didn’t make it more than a few feet when Hazel, one of her aunt’s cronies, had hold of the leash as she walked from the back. “Here you go, dear.” Hazel laughed.

  Petunia took the leash from her. “Thanks.”

  “No problem, dear.”

  Hazel was one half of her aunt’s witchy friends. Wherever Hazel was, Wanda wasn’t far behind. Wanda was dressed all in black, in a satiny fabric that stretched to accommodate her large, round body. While she was short and wide, Hazel was tall, thin, and wore glasses.

  When Wanda’s bubbly laughter could be heard, she appeared in the doorway. “Should I let Princess outside? There’s a brute of a dog out there.”

  “A pit bull, perhaps?” Petunia asked.

  “Yes, I think it’s the same one that handsome neighbor of yours has, but I don’t see him out there. It might be a different dog, then?”

  “I hope so. Otherwise, that would mean that Noah’s dog is on the loose again.”

  Noah sprinted into the door. “Did you happen to see Melvin? He yanked the leash out of my hand.”

  “Wanda spotted him out the back,” Petunia said.

  He left and Petunia just shook her head. “That’s the last thing Noah needs. The last time that dog got loose, it took Noah forever to catch him again. People in town see a pit bull and get nervous. They don’t know that Melvin is actually afraid of cats and is mild mannered.”

  Aunt Maxine made way over to the fancy coffee maker and made a chia tea latte for Petunia. Aunt Maxine waited for Petunia to take the cup before asking, “So, what really brings you here today?”

  “I wanted to tell you that Florence McHenry is dead, she was found in the Mayor’s pool.”

  Aunt Maxine gasped. “You don’t say. I thought that man ended it with her.”

  “I bet Bonnie did her in,” Wanda said.

  “I think she’ll be on the suspect list since she was home at the time, while the mayor was not,” Petunia said.

  “Who told you about the body?” Hazel asked, tucking her gray hair behind her ears.

  “I found it when I was over there.”

  “You planned to speak with Bonnie about the ordinance, didn’t you?” Aunt Maxine asked with a shake of her head.

  “Anyway, I wonder how this will affect the barbecue at their mansion tomorrow?”

  Wanda and Hazel both sighed. “I hope it’s not cancelled. I was so looking forward to attending,” Wanda said.

  “Me, too,” Hazel mirrored the thought.

  “That makes three of us, but I didn’t know you were invited,” Petunia said. “Bonnie mentioned that she sent me an invitation.”

  “You need one of those?” Aunt Maxine said. “I half expected that everyone in Lake Forest might drop by, since it’s also a fundraiser for the mayor’s future campaign, but we have more important things to attend to today, which is why I’m glad you showed up, Petunia. We have visitors coming here to see you.”

  Petunia took a sip of the latte. “What visitors are you talking about?”

  “Oh, you’ll find out soon enough, they’re walking through the door now.”

  She whirled as an old woman entered with a much younger woman, who had bone straight, jet-black hair. Not only was the younger woman tall and deadly thin, she held a leash of a hell hound looking dog. Was that what Petunia’s aunt meant when she asked her if a hell hound was chasing her?

  “Hello,” the older woman said. “Is this the new witch, Maxine?”

  “Yes. Petunia, this is Estelle Hoodwink and her daughter, Maria. Estelle is the president of Witches Affairs.”

  “From the look on your face, I half expect that your aunt failed to mention that you need to apply for your license to practice witchcraft.”

  “Witchcraft? I don’t practice that at all. I simply make potions—they’re not magical.”

  “It’s not the same for all witches and from what I heard, your potions are quite magical. I sure would love to know how on earth you transformed an arthritis-ridden woman to someone who has gone on to winning a marathon.”

  “I’m not positive myself, but I have since modified the recipe so it’s not as potent.”

  “That’s unfortunate, but that’s one recipe that I wish could be duplicated,” Estelle said.

  “That wouldn’t be wise, mother,” Maria said. “If suddenly everyone in the elder population became that mobile, just think what might happen. People would find a way to steal our secrets and we’d be obsolete.”

  “People don’t have the same power that we do. It’s not as simple as mixing ingredients in a recipe. Magic is required and Petunia might just be the best new witch around.”

  “I-I can’t agree with that. I haven’t been able to perfect any of my potions as of yet.” Petunia picked up Pansy when he hissed at the hell hound. “There’s a trick to undoing a potion if it misfires.”

  “Yes, but before you begin to do that, there is paperwork that needs to be filled out before we get to the magic portion of you application. You’ll also have to be interviewed by the elders.”

  Petunia rubbed Pansy under the chin, saying, “Relax, I’m not about to tell them you used to be a human.”

  “That seems like quite a process. Why do I need to do that? I like how things are now. If I become a full-fledged witch, won’t everyone in town find out? They’re giving me a hard time as it is.”

  Estelle’s faced reddened. “You certainly can’t believe that they don’t already know who you are.”

  “No, I’m just saying that I don’t want to be a full fledged witch.”

  Estelle’s eyes seemed about to pop out of her head with the way they were bulging now. “I’ll be back in later. You should discuss the matter with your Aunt Maxine. Please speak to her. There’s just no way that I can sanction an unauthorized witch in our sector. It’s important to all of us that all witches are properly licensed.”

  Maria never said much of anything; she just kept staring at Petunia with a haughty look in her eyes, almost like she was sizing her up. Petunia wasn’t certain what that was about, but the last thing she needed right now was to be bothered with this licensing process.

  Maria and Estelle left and Aunt Maxine sank into a chair near the counter. “This certainly couldn’t have come at a worse time. I had hoped that Estelle wouldn’t have shown up this soon. I had hoped to have time to prepare you first.”

  “I see. Well, how did she even know?”

  “I had to report it, Petunia, or I’d be thrown out of the Witches Affairs. It’s important that our family stay in their good graces, but we can’t ever allow them to get a hold of your potion recipes.”

  “That should be easy enough, since I don’t have any idea what the recipes consist of.”

  “What do you mean, you don’t know?” Wanda asked. “You have to have some idea.”

  “Not really. It’s all in my head, which is most likely why I can’t always get the same results twice, but at least we don’t have another Lucy running around Lake Forest.”

  “Thankfully, that’s true,” Aunt Maxine said. “But don’t worry about this right now, I’ll try my best to stall Estelle while you look into Florence’s death. I only hope that Bonnie had nothing to do with it.”

  Chapter Six

  Petunia held Pansy’s leash firmly as Melvin came running up the street. When she called out Melvin’s name, he actually pranced in her direction and she easily grabbed the dog’s leash. So here she was with one hand holding Pansy’s leash and the other one holding Melvin’s. Pansy proceeded to hiss at Melvin now and Melvin act
ually barked at Petunia for a change.

  “Looks like Melvin isn’t all that afraid of you now,” Petunia said to Pansy.

  “We’ll see about that.”

  Pansy made a move to bat Melvin’s face with a paw of bared claws, but Petunia intervened with a well-placed leg that she moved upward to stop him from contacting Melvin’s snout with his claws. Of course she misjudged Melvin, who jerked at the leash and caused Petunia to tumble to the ground with a thump. She held on to both leashes like they were life preservers, but Pansy and Melvin panicked and began to work themselves in and around her limbs until Petunia was practically tied up with them. With no more leash left to do anything else, Melvin and Pansy faced off, meowing and barking at each other, but thankfully just far enough away so that they weren’t able to have any real contact with each other.

  Petunia heard a dog growling nearby and stared up at two pairs of very witchy-looking shoes.

  “Humph, and this is the witch you want to license? She barely looks able to walk down the street.”

  “There now, Maria. There’s no need to be rash. I’m sure there is a logical explanation for Petunia’s current predicament,” Estelle said with a laugh.

  She thought things were about as bad as it could get, but then Noah raced up and there she was, in the most undignified position, ever! Her arms were crisscrossed with Pansy’s leash wound around a leg and Melvin’s leash wrapped around a nearby fire hydrant. She thought that life just couldn’t get any worse until Aunt Maxine, Wanda, and Hazel came out of the shop.

  “Isn’t anyone going to help me?” Petunia asked with an exasperated breath.

  Noah laughed. “I’m just not sure how since both leashes have you trussed up. If I let Melvin go, he’ll be off to parts unknown and I’m not sure what that cat of yours will do, but I suppose we had better give it a try.”

  “You better. It was your blasted dog that got me into this predicament in the first place!”

  “Hold on, now. No sense in getting all dramatic about it.”

  Noah proceeded to unhook Melvin’s leash, keeping a tight hold on his collar as Aunt Maxine removed the leather strap from Petunia’s limbs, handing it back to him so that he could secure the dog. As for Pansy, he was unhooked and Petunia was finally able to kick the leash to the ground and stand up, refusing the help offered by Wanda and Hazel.

  Petunia tried to settle her breathing down now, since she seemed to be the attraction of Lake Forest at the moment, with children on bikes, joggers, and even senior-aged walkers, stopping to stare as they passed. She straightened up, grabbing up the leash from the ground and re-hooking Pansy. “This is all your fault,” Petunia said out loud.

  “Don’t blame me, Red. Blame that blasted dog.”

  Another power walker passed, and Petunia saw it was Cora, who craned her neck to snoopily see what was going on. Petunia glared at Cora and Cora took a tumble to the ground, rolling onto the grass.

  “You witch,” she shouted. “You did this to me!”

  “Don’t flatter yourself. Since when do you power walk, anyway?”

  Wanda put her arms straight out, trying to help Cora up, but Cora slapped them away. “Don’t touch me, witch. I know what your kind likes to do, cast spells on us simple folks in town.”

  “Simple is right,” Petunia said. “And quit calling everyone a witch, you b—.”

  “Petunia,” Aunt Maxine interjected. “It’s not going to solve your problems with you neighbors if you insult them.”

  Petunia’s eyes widened. “Me insult her? She’s gone out of her way to cause me problems and this is the thanks I get?”

  She didn’t wait for her aunt, who was still holding Pansy’s leash, to answer. At this moment, all Petunia could think about was that her aunt was sticking up for Cora and not for her. Petunia left Pansy with Aunt Maxine and waltzed across the street to where a very familiar gray-haired man stood, although she was a little surprised that he had been sprung from Sunnybrook Manor, the nursing home in Bear Paw where he had lived the past ten years. Alfred Patterson was retired from the CIA and still worked cases—or so he said—although Petunia had never known for sure what caper he had going at Sunnybrook Manor these days. She assumed it involved what the residents were having for dinner.

  “Grandfather, what are you doing here?”

  He stared across the street at his sister Maxine and then took Petunia’s arm, pulling her along with him. Since her aunt didn’t say a word, the older woman must not have recognized her brother. Pansy tried to dart across the street after Petunia, but Aunt Maxine grabbed the cat and all Petunia could do was shrug.

  “Where are we going?” Petunia asked her grandfather.

  “We need to talk.”

  Petunia removed her arm from her grandfather’s grip and sat on a bench.

  “As you know, there’s going to be a new election for mayor in Lake Forest next year.”

  “Yes, so what does that have to do with me?”

  “Well, I’m the candidate.”

  Petunia laughed. “Are you off your meds? You can’t run for mayor, you’re too … overqualified.”

  He sighed. “I can’t tell you how grateful I am for that vote of confidence. I’m not about to allow Mayor Hopkins to win another election. Not after what happened to Florence McHenry.”

  “Are we talking about the same Florence, who had an affair with the mayor before she was given the boot?”

  Her grandfather looked in both directions, now. “She was a plant and I believe she was about ready to give me her full report on what Mayor Hopkins was really up to.”

  Petunia laughed. She couldn’t help it, until her grandfather silenced it with a dark look. “Look, it’s hard for me to believe that Florence was up to any more than having a fling with the mayor, although Bonnie did put a stop to that,” she said.

  “Do you think she was the one who permanently silenced Florence by drowning her in the pool?” her grandfather asked.

  “How do you even know about that?”

  “Let me just say that I have a scanner that is linked to sheriff’s department. You’d be surprised how candid dispatch can be sometimes.”

  “Won’t they be searching for you in Bear Paw for skipping out from Sunnybrook?”

  “Not likely. I have an associate from the CIA who’s taken my place there.”

  Petunia shook her head. “And you think they won’t figure that out?”

  “No, I really don’t think they’ll know. The nurses are kept busy enough since they’re understaffed at the moment.”

  She frowned. “I’m expecting the cops to show up anytime, now. I just can’t believe that they wouldn’t realize that you’re on the lam.”

  Her grandfather produced a picture on a very shiny cell phone. “This is Wilfred, he’s a very good likeness, don’t you think?”

  Petunia had to blink a few times. “Actually, yes. So, you’re going to run for mayor now and you still expect for people to think you’re back at Sunnybrook? I’m sure people in Bear Paw read the paper and once you’re spotted in it, your ruse will be quite over.”

  “I’ll be using the assumed name of Simon Shore, and anyway, the election isn’t this year, which gives me plenty of time to find out who murdered Florence and to retrieve the flash drive.”

  “Oh, so you’re really not running for mayor, then?”

  “No, but it’s my cover in case someone asks me who I am.”

  Petunia massaged her brow. “Flash drive?”

  “You know, it’s where she put all of the information about the corruption in Lake Forest.”

  Petunia covered her face with her hands, now. “What kind of corruption could there be in Lake Forest? Although they certainly won’t allow me to work from home because of an ordinance.”

  “I’d rather not say, but know this, there is more going on in Lake Forest than meets the eye.”

  Yes, like witches and a cat that used to be a man, she thought to herself, but then turned to her grandfather, eager to kn
ow more. “So, spill it, then. What is really going on?” she asked.

  “I’m not at liberty to tell you, but I need your help getting into the Hopkins’ mansion. I heard that they’re having a fundraiser there tomorrow.”

  “And what does that have to do with me? I’m going there to have fun and do a little investigating.”

  “See, we’re on the same team after all, but keep this to yourself. I had hoped that you’d be invited and now I can be your guest.”

  “I can’t bring you. I’m bringing my neighbor, Noah. We’re dating now.”

  “Oh? So no marriage yet?”

  Petunia sighed. The last thing she needed was a lecture about why she wasn’t married off yet to a nice young man. “No,” she finally said. “We’ve only had a few dates, but he makes one heck of a partner. Of course, he used to be a detective back in New York City.”

  “That won’t do. I must get into that mansion tomorrow.”

  “For all I know, Bonnie is locked up in the slammer. No, I don’t think I could call her after what went down over there. Florence could have died quite naturally for all we know,” Petunia insisted.

  “Fat chance,” grandfather said. “I came here to find out who offed Florence and find that flash drive.”

  “And you insist that there is a flash drive?”

  “Yes, call Bonnie, if you would. We need to get into that mansion and soon.”

  “Even if there really was a flash drive, what makes you think it would be there?”

  “Because that’s the last place she was. She was obviously caught red-handed and killed, making it look like a complete accident.”

  “I’d be happy to ask Noah to drive you back.”

  “Back where?”

  “Sunnybrook, grandfather.”

  “I’m not going back there until I find that flash drive and discover who killed Florence.”

  “I’m the one who is going to find out who killed Florence, not you.”

  “I’d allow you to assist me, but we need to do it together. I’ll have to clear it with my superiors, of course, but I’m sure they’ll understand that you’re a valuable asset here.”