Hell of a Witch (Crypt Witch Cozy Mystery Series Book 2)

by K. E. O'Connor

  “You had no reason to believe Nick was unhappy in your relationship? If he kept walking off, maybe he was annoyed with you about something.”

  “Of course not. In fact, he’s been thrilled this last month.”

  “Why is that?”

  Rachel smiled smugly. “Because I’m having his baby.”

  I snatched the bag of mushrooms out of her hands. “Then you need to go easy on the sweet stuff. No more of these for you.” Rachel was definitely not having any more mushrooms. I had no clue what my mushrooms did to growing babies. What if she gave birth to a baby who had magic, or horns, or the ability to fly?

  Rachel pouted. “They taste so good. They can’t be bad for the baby.”

  “You should stick to unprocessed foods. You don’t want to give your baby a sweet tooth.”

  “Goodness, no. I definitely don’t want a fat baby.” Rachel patted her flat stomach.

  “How long has Nick known about the baby?” I tucked the bag of mushrooms into my back pocket.

  “Not long. We’ve been keeping it a secret until we’re ready to tell everybody. He was a bit shocked when I first told him. It wasn’t something we’d planned.”

  “He was happy?”

  “Delighted. So, you see, I had nothing to do with what happened to Nick. I could never kill the father of my unborn child. I definitely don’t want to be a single parent.”

  It was a convincing reason. I also couldn’t imagine Rachel managing a kid on her own. Her lack of obvious grief troubled me, but it looked like she wasn’t the only one I needed to speak to about Nick’s murder.

  I wasn’t ruling out Rachel, but now I had another suspect. It would be worth speaking to James to see if I could figure out what he was prepared to do to get an exclusive on the solstice celebrations.

  “You get some rest,” I said to her. “There might be more police coming to speak to you in a little while.”

  “Haven’t you gotten all the information you need? I need to take a nap and figure out what to do next. Nick drove me here, so I don’t know how I’m getting home.” She kicked her feet onto the bed.

  “Call a cab to take you to the station.”

  Rachel’s nose wrinkled. “I don’t use public transport.”

  “Catch a ride in the big white van with all Nick’s equipment.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous. It’s an equipment van, and it smells of old cheeseburgers and feet.”

  “I’m sure you’ll figure it out.” I gestured to Wiggles, and we left the room before I made any more ridiculous comments to solve Rachel’s travel issues.

  “That lady is as high as a kite,” Wiggles said. “Did you keep those panties for me? I love lace.”

  “No, you disgusting dog, I did not. Keep your slobber off women’s underwear.”

  “I don’t know. First, it’s no humping your pillows and then no chewing on underwear. How is a hellhound supposed to have any fun?”

  “Chew on a bone and go hump someone’s leg. Pillows and underwear are off-limits.”

  Wiggles grumbled under his breath as we headed down the stairs and to the front door.

  I’d just stepped outside when I felt a shift in the air around me. I went to take a step and found I couldn’t move.

  “Hold it right there,” Dazielle said. “We need to talk.”

  Chapter 6

  The only thing I could move was my eyes. I swiveled them to glare at Dazielle as she walked toward me.

  Wiggles jumped in front of me and growled.

  Dazielle pointed a finger at him, and he froze to the spot.

  “What are you doing interviewing our prime suspect?” Dazielle stood in front of me, her eyes sparking with annoyance. “I didn’t ask you to do that.”

  If I could speak, I’d be uttering curses. Instead, all Dazielle’s magic did was stir up trouble as Frank reared inside me, sensing the threat from an angel.

  Dazielle snapped her fingers, and I found I could move my jaw. My limbs remained immobile. “I thought you wanted me involved.”

  “In a consulting role only. I don’t want you talking to suspects.”

  “I can’t sit around like you do, drinking coffee and eating doughnuts, while the prime suspect could be slipping away.”

  “We do neither of those things,” Dazielle said. “But we do have to follow protocols.”

  “I don’t. I don’t work for you. If I want to interview people who are likely to have killed Nick, that’s what I’m going to do.” I blew out a breath as I felt Frank’s energy curl around my spine. “And unless you want to meet Frank, remove this magic now.”

  “Cool your heels and get control of your demon.” Dazielle narrowed the gap between us until we stood toe to toe.

  “I’m trying, but there’s an immensely irritating angel trapping me in her magic. Anybody would feel threatened by that.”

  “Let me take her,” Frank whispered in my head. “Let down your defenses. I’d love to pound this angel into the ground. She is nothing but a problem for you. I’d be happy to remove that problem.”

  “Don’t think I’m not tempted,” I muttered to him.

  Dazielle raised her eyebrows. “Are we going to have trouble?”

  “We already have trouble. Drop your spell on me and release Wiggles.”

  Dazielle folded her arms across her chest. I noticed a bag in her right hand. “You need to calm down.”

  “And you need to stop being such an officious dork.”

  “This is a show of good faith.” Dazielle clicked her fingers and pointed at Wiggles.

  Wiggles growled at her. “You’re treading on dangerous ground, lady. When I get free, I’m chewing on that leg.”

  Dazielle’s eyes narrowed. “Open your mouth,” she said to me.

  “No way.”

  “Do it, or you’ll be stuck in that spell all day.”

  “What are you going to do if I open my mouth?”

  “Calm you down and deal with Frank. You might even enjoy it.”

  “I detect the scent of warm brownies,” Wiggles said, his gaze on the bag in Dazielle’s hand.

  “I’m not going to do a single thing this idiotic—” Dazielle moved so fast she was just a blur. I found my mouth rammed full of something sweet and chocolatey.

  “Eat that and relax.” Dazielle pulled out her own brownie and ate a piece.

  “Where’s mine?” Wiggles asked.

  “Chocolate is bad for dogs. You can have something else.”

  “What have you got in the bag?” Wiggles asked.

  I glared down at him, my mouth too full to tell him off. He was so easily swayed by something sweet. Actually, so was I. The brownie was amazing. As I chewed the enormous lump of sticky, gooey deliciousness, I felt Frank’s energy ebb and my mood improve.

  Dazielle’s anger also faded from her eyes. “I figured, since we are working together, I need a few tricks to get you to be more cooperative.”

  I finally swallowed the brownie and licked my lips. “And you thought that would work?”

  “Hasn’t it?”

  My smile was grudging. “It helped a tiny bit.”

  “Good. There’s more where that came from. How about I let you out of this freeze spell and we go to Sprinkles and figure out the next move together?”

  “We definitely need to go to Sprinkles,” Wiggles said. “I’m owed a cake. I got frozen as well.”

  “Fine, but I won’t forget this,” I said.

  “I’ve no doubt about that.” Dazielle snapped her fingers, and the magic broke around me. I noticed her tense as if worried I might strike back. She needn’t have been concerned, the brownie had done its job, and I no longer wanted to kill her. “The coffee is on you.”

  “Fair enough.”

  We walked side by side along the lane and away from the hotel.

  “So, what did Rachel have to tell you?” Dazielle asked.

  “She did her best to play the role of grieving girlfriend, but I’m not sure she gives two hoots about what h
appened to Nick.”

  “What makes you say that?”

  “The lack of tears and the fact she was laughing. She got her hands on some magic and was scarfing it down. Maybe that’s what messed with her emotions. She reckons they were serious, though. Serious enough for her to be pregnant with his baby.”

  “Oh! I didn’t know that. That changes things.”

  “Most likely. They could have had a falling out over the baby and Rachel lashed out, but she said she didn’t fancy being a single parent.”

  Dazielle walked ahead of me and pushed open the door to Sprinkles. The place was busy, and we had to wait a few minutes before we got a table.

  Patti rushed over to take our order. She raised her eyebrows when she saw us together but made no comment. “What will it be, ladies?”

  “Two coffees and two blueberry muffins,” Dazielle said.

  “And a bowl of water and your healthiest muffin for Wiggles, who’s eagerly waiting outside,” I said.

  Patti grinned and nodded at Wiggles through the glass. “Coming right up.” She hurried away to the next table to take their order.

  “I still think Rachel isn’t off the hook,” I said, “but she did point the finger at a rival journalist.”

  “James Ranger,” Dazielle said. “I wondered about him. I saw him arguing with Nick yesterday when they both tried to interview the same person.”

  “The way Rachel described it, they were serious work rivals. They’ve got history. James stole a story from Nick. In revenge, Nick smashed up his car.”

  Dazielle nodded. “That would do it. Maybe with all the chaos of last night, James saw it as a good opportunity to get revenge. He lured Nick to the cemetery and knocked him over the head.”

  “Have you found the murder weapon?” I asked as Patti brought over our order and ran outside to give Wiggles his food.

  “Nothing yet, but it looks like possibly a rock. There were fragments found in Nick’s hair where he’d been hit.”

  I eyed Dazielle as I took a sip of my coffee. “You’re being surprisingly open with this investigation. What gives?”

  Dazielle chewed on a piece of muffin before speaking. “Honestly, we’re crazy busy at Angel Force. With all the non-magicals here, plus out of towners with magic coming for the solstice, our workload has tripled. I’ve also had to send three of my team on a mission outside the barrier. I’m shorthanded, and we have too many open files on the desk.”

  “You’re saying you actually need my help?” I grinned at her.

  She scowled at me. “Your help would be appreciated, but only as long as you do things by the book.”

  “I don’t read your kind of books, but I will get results.”

  “I can’t have you charging in and demanding answers from just anybody,” Dazielle said.

  “I don’t charge in anywhere, but I don’t want to work in any kind of official capacity for Angel Force. I’m a freelance. I work best when I’m not stifled by rules.”

  “I agree.” Dazielle ate more muffin. “Let’s keep it freelance, same as always. That’s how you operate when you leave Willow Tree Falls to demon hunt. I’ll give you the information, and you feed back to me. I need to know what you’re doing and what you have planned. Otherwise, it makes Angel Force look bad.”

  I grinned at her. “You don’t need me to do that.”

  Dazielle’s scowl intensified. “All I ask is that you tell me what you’re up to. Give me the basics and let me know if you’ve got any new suspects. And tell me if you’ve discounted anybody and why. It will make our lives easier, and I’ll stop blasting you with spells to keep you in line.”

  “It will take more than a few of your spells to do that.”

  “As I’m learning. Although, I see treats help. Maybe you’re not so different from Wiggles.”

  I shook my head and glanced over at Wiggles, who was busy licking the crumbs off his plate.

  “Actually, there is a suspect I’m interested in.” Dazielle played with her spoon. “It’s something of a delicate matter, so I wanted to give you a heads up.”

  “Delicate how?”

  “Tempest, there you are.” Granny Dottie hurried to our table, grabbed a spare seat, and sat down with us. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

  “You have? What’s up?”

  She glanced at Dazielle and frowned. “We’ve been having a few problems with these angels. They’re still not letting us have full access to the cemetery. We haven’t been able to monitor some of the weak spots for several hours, and the demons sense a problem.”

  “Is there anything you can do about this?” I asked Dazielle. “You do not want a large crack developing and dozens of demons roaming around Willow Tree Falls, especially since there are so many non-magicals about.”

  Dazielle nodded. “I’ll head over to the cemetery. Everything we need should have been collected by now. If you tell my squad what areas you need access to, I’ll make sure you get it.”

  “Well, that’s decent of you.” Granny Dottie sniffed, not looking impressed with Dazielle’s offer. “It’s not right that our cemetery has been invaded.”

  “It won’t be for much longer,” I said, glancing at Dazielle. “Will it?”

  “We’ll be out of there as soon as we can. We’re trying to keep this as low-key as possible. We don’t want to scare off the non-magicals or have a media frenzy descend on us.”

  Granny Dottie grabbed the remains of my muffin and ate it. “What are you two doing together, anyway? I didn’t know you were best pals.”

  “In case you’ve forgotten, Mom twisted my arm to be involved in this.” I gestured at Dazielle.

  “Oh yes, of course she did. She always wants the best for Willow Tree Falls.”

  Dazielle cleared her throat. “Actually, you might both be interested in this. Someone in your family was seen talking to the deceased.”

  “So what?” I asked, not liking Dazielle’s tone. “I spoke to him on the day he died. Do you consider me a suspect?”

  Dazielle stared at me for a second too long. “No, but your Auntie Queenie was seen with him. Apparently, she made unpleasant threats.”

  “Are threats ever pleasant?” Granny Dottie asked innocently.

  “No, of course not. What I mean is, I will speak to her to discover how she knew the victim. The fact she was heard making threats to him and then he turns up dead in your cemetery not long after is suspicious.”

  “You can’t seriously think Auntie Queenie had anything to do with this.” I shook my head in disbelief. Just when I thought the angels weren’t acting like complete idiots, Dazielle goes and spoils it.

  “The information source is reliable. And your Auntie Queenie used to run with the Dead Tree Witch gang in her younger days.”

  “About twenty years ago,” I said. “She’s not been a part of that gang for ages. And besides, being part of a biker gang doesn’t always make you a criminal.” It sort of did. Most of the guys in our local biker gang were on the shady side, but that was beside the point.

  “I wanted to let you know out of courtesy that I would be asking her in for a formal interview,” Dazielle said.

  “Let me speak to her,” I said. “I’ll clear this up. Auntie Queenie sometimes speaks before she has a chance to think. She wouldn’t have threatened anybody seriously. She didn’t know Nick, so there’s no reason for her to be involved with this.”

  “No, you’re too close to this suspect. I will be interviewing Queenie. You need to stay well away.”

  “I don’t think you should,” Granny Dottie said. “We can’t have Queenie thinking she’s a suspect. It won’t do her blood pressure any good.”

  “She is not a suspect. And you’re not interviewing her,” I said to Dazielle.

  “I am. The source is reliable, and the threat she made was serious.”

  “Then check your source, because it’s wrong.” I looked at Granny Dottie. “It’s time we left.”

  Granny Dottie stood. “Agreed. Th
ere’s too much pompous angel stinking up this place.”

  Dazielle huffed and dotted muffin crumbs off her plate with a finger. “Don’t you say a word about this to your auntie. I only told you because I want us to have a good working relationship.”

  “You can forget about any working relationship,” I said. “You don’t go accusing a member of my family of this crime. You’re wrong. Stay away from her.”

  Dazielle brushed crumbs off her fingers and regarded me coolly. “I can’t do that.”

  I shook my head at her. “Let’s get out of here.” I caught hold of Granny Dottie’s elbow and hurried us out of Sprinkles before I said or did something I’d regret.

  “Who does she think she is?” Granny Dottie glared over her shoulder at Dazielle. “Accusing someone in our family of murder.”

  “It won’t be the first time,” I said. “Those angels have it in for us.”

  Wiggles raced after us. “That was a stinking bran muffin.”

  “I thought you’d be full after chewing on all those panties. The fiber will do you good. Get things moving,” I said.

  “I do not enjoy lousy, tasteless bran muffins.”

  “It will keep you nice and regular,” Granny Dottie said.

  “I’m as regular as clockwork. Ten o’clock every morning, I head out, find a quiet spot, hunch down, and—”

  “No! We don’t need to hear about your daily bowel movements,” I said.

  “You brought it up, ordering me an inedible muffin,” Wiggles said. “Anyway, where’s the fire? Why run out on Dazielle?”

  “The angels have Auntie Queenie on their suspect list for Nick’s murder. Ouch!” Something squishy pinged off the back of my head. I spun on my heel and saw a squashed frosted angel cake on the ground. I looked back at Sprinkles. Dazielle stood outside with a handful of cakes and an angry glare in her eyes.

  “Well, I never!” Granny Dottie dodged a flying cake. “The nerve of that angel.”