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

by K. E. O'Connor

  “I don’t like dogs, especially not ones that bite.”

  “Wiggles is not biting you. He’s making sure you remember your manners. You seem to have forgotten them. Maybe they fell out when you landed in the marsh.”

  James made a strange squealing sound, his eyes bugging out. “He’s breaking the skin. I’ll have him put down.”

  I glowered at him. “I’d like to see you try.”

  “I will. There are laws about this sort of thing. Dangerous dog laws. I know my rights. I did a reportage about dog fouling.”

  “That sounds about right. Talking about what a dog passes out of its butt is about your level of journalism.”

  “I know a dog can’t bite me and get away with it.”

  “That will do, Wiggles,” I said as he ripped through the fabric of James’s pants.

  Wiggles let go of James and gave me an exasperated look, suggesting he was just beginning to enjoy himself.

  James tipped back in his seat, and it toppled over, taking him with it.

  Brogan hurried over and helped him up. “Is everything okay here?”

  “You need to be careful who you let in this place,” James said as he smoothed his shirt, his angry gaze fixed on Wiggles. “And you shouldn’t have animals in here. It’s not hygienic.”

  “Tempest’s dog is a special case,” Brogan said as he raised his eyebrows at me.

  “He’s special all right. He won’t feel so special when I get the vet around to give him a lethal injection.”

  Wiggles growled at the same time I did.

  James scuttled backwards. He wagged a finger at me. “I won’t forget this.”

  Wiggles stalked toward him, nudging him with his nose to the door.

  James squawked before turning and hurrying out of the cafe.

  Brogan righted the chair and straightened the condiments on the table. “Is there anything I need to know about?”

  “No, he was an idiot, but he might be a troublesome one. I have a feeling James won’t stop hunting for a story he doesn’t have a right to tell.”

  “What kind of story?” A bell rang at the counter. Brogan raised a finger. “I’ll bring your breakfast, and you can tell me about it.”

  I patted Wiggles on the head as we waited for our food. “Nice move. That guy was winding me up.”

  “He must have that effect on everybody. I don’t know what happened, but I got an overwhelming urge to bite him. Unfortunately, he sprays his pants with cheap cologne. They did not taste good.” Wiggles stuck out his tongue.

  Brogan returned with our breakfasts and his own mug of coffee. He placed Wiggles’ food on the ground and passed me my plate before settling in a seat and refilling my coffee mug. “So, what was this journalist after that got Wiggles so riled?”

  “James is a nuisance. When he first got here, he was looking for an angle on the solstice. You know what it’s like at this time of year; we always get non-magicals poking around and looking for some daft story or amusing anecdote. The journalist who turned up dead in our cemetery, he was into something else. He’d found information about a magic ring.”

  Brogan nodded. “James was asking me about it. Although he hid his interest well, he thinks he’s onto something.”

  “Which worries me,” I said as I took a bite of my toast.

  “He’ll never find it. Unless an item wants to be found, it will stay hidden.”

  “That’s the problem. I think the ring has been found. Suki was looking after it, and it’s gone missing.”

  Brogan’s eyebrows rose slowly. “It’s not like her to let anything go missing.”

  “You know Suki?”

  “I wouldn’t say I know her. I see her sometimes out back. I leave her food. She’s very shy, but I think she’s sweet. I know she looks after things that don’t deserve to be in the hands of those who can’t control them. And a non-magical like James would not be able to control a ring of such power.”

  “Do you know what ring he’s after?”

  Brogan took a long sip of his coffee before speaking. “If I’m right, it’s the Ring of Halo. It’s dangerous. You should leave it alone. That ring will consume anyone who wears it.”

  “I’ve never heard of the Ring of Halo. When you say it consumes somebody, what does it do to them?”

  “It twists them and changes them. When the user first gets their hands on the object, it makes them feel positive and strong. It brings out their best qualities. That’s a front. What the ring actually does is absorb the abilities of the wearer. Any magic user who has it will initially get a burst of power and become strong. That’s a short-term benefit. What the ring wants is to lure you into a false sense of security and make you believe it’s doing you good. Only then does it leach your power. That’s why it’s so strong. Over thousands of years, that ring has absorbed small amounts of individual magic users’ abilities.”

  “For what purpose?”

  “Nobody knows who made the ring. Its original purpose has been lost. Perhaps it was never intended to do that and malfunctioned. You shouldn’t go anywhere near it. It will affect your abilities. It could also make Frank stronger, and nobody wants that.”

  I shuddered as Frank stirred at the mention of his name. “I definitely don’t want that. I’ve been having a few problems with Frank.”

  Brogan nodded, his expression serious. “I did hear about the chase through the streets. Your sister is okay?”

  “She’s fine, but it took Tilly a serious amount of effort to get Frank to submit. I couldn’t control him.”

  “That must be... unsettling.”

  “You could say that.” Brogan knew all about tricky abilities. His ancestors were vampires, and he was the long-lived offspring of a human and vampire coupling. He rarely talked about it, but Brogan had his own demons to master.

  “Best you leave this ring alone.”

  I ate some of my delicious breakfast as I considered my options. What Brogan said was sensible. If this ring was as powerful as he claimed, I didn’t want to be anywhere near it. I definitely never wanted Frank to get his demon claws on it and use it for nefarious means, like getting revenge on Tilly or finally getting to Aurora. But what if this ring was the solution to Nick’s murder? Maybe the killer still had possession of the ring. Find the ring, find the killer.

  I sighed. It could also be a huge distraction. Nick could have been killed after an argument that went wrong, and the ring was as mythical as King Arthur.

  Brogan tapped the back of my hand and smiled. “It looks like you’ve still got some work to do before you find the answers to those questions rolling around your head.”

  I nodded. “I do, but thanks for the advice on the ring.”

  “Proceed with caution.” Brogan stood and drained his mug of coffee. “If you need any more advice or simply another nice breakfast, you know where I am.” He winked at me before walking away.

  “You should marry him,” Wiggles said as he looked up from his empty plate.

  I arched an eyebrow. “Where did that come from?”

  “Brogan makes the best breakfast.”

  “Which isn’t exactly grounds for a perfect marriage.”

  “All good relationships have to have a solid basis. The guy who makes a killer breakfast has to be in your top five. And he isn’t too shabby with the puddings.”

  I watched Brogan serving more customers. He was a decent guy, solid and dependable, and he had a flirty side. Wiggles was right; his breakfasts were amazing. But I wasn’t husband hunting, I was suspect hunting. And right now, I had a whole heap of suspects and no glue to make any of them stick.

  Chapter 14

  Following a luxuriously long time spent at Brogan’s, I headed to Angel Force to report my suspicions about James. Dazielle wasn’t in, so I left her a note to let her know that Nick’s body had been moved, and he’d been killed in the stone circle. I also made a few notes about the possible ring link.

  As I headed back along the main street, I spotted Rac
hel walking into the Ancient Imp.

  I peered through the window and saw her sitting at the bar. A moment later, Petra Duke served her an enormous bright red cocktail, complete with a lit sparkler and tiny pink umbrella.

  “That had better be a non-alcoholic cocktail,” I said to Wiggles.

  “Whatever it is, it looks good,” Wiggles said as he propped himself up next to me on the windowsill. “I could do with one of those.”

  “You’re right. We should get our own.” I pushed open the door and entered the bar.

  Petra nodded at me as I approached the bar, her long dark, silver-streaked hair piled up on her head. “It’s a little early to see you in here.”

  “I was just passing and fancied a drink.”

  “What will it be?”

  “The usual lemon water.” I glanced at Rachel and arched an eyebrow. “You must have gotten out of the wrong side of the bed if you’re starting so early with a boozy breakfast.” I nodded at the cocktail.

  “Oh, this.” Rachel’s cheeks flushed. “I’m still grieving over Nick. Losing my sweetheart has taken a lot out of me.”

  I stared at her stomach. “It’s all fruit juice, I suppose?”

  Rachel pushed the glass away. “It’s nothing, a little pick me up.”

  “Nothing alcoholic?”

  Petra snorted a laugh as she passed me my drink. “There’s enough alcohol in that cocktail to fell an elephant.”

  I looked back at Rachel. “Is that so? That can’t be good for you and the baby.”

  Petra grabbed the cocktail and yanked it out of Rachel’s hand. “You never told me you’re pregnant.”

  Rachel’s gaze dropped to the floor. “It was a mistake.”

  I narrowed my eyes. “The drink or the baby?”

  Rachel looked up at me and scowled. She gestured to Petra. “That’s my drink. I’m having it, and I won’t be doing anybody any harm.”

  Petra looked at me for support, and I shook my head. “Maybe I’ll give you a lemon water, instead.”

  “I don’t want lemon water. I want my cocktail. That’s what I paid for, and that’s what I’m going to have,” Rachel said.

  Petra shook her head. “It’s not right. I refuse to serve you.”

  “It is right.” Rachel leaned over the bar. “I’m not pregnant.”

  Petra looked down at Rachel’s decidedly flat stomach. “Well, you don’t look it. Maybe you’re too early to show a baby bump.”

  “There’ll never be a baby bump because I’m not carrying a baby. Now, give me my drink.”

  Petra placed the cocktail back on the bar and slid it toward her.

  I watched as Rachel took a huge gulp of the cocktail. “Why did you lie to me about being pregnant?”

  Rachel glanced around the bar. “Not here.” She gestured for me to follow her to a quiet corner. We sat at the table, and I waited for her to continue.

  She looked at me and sighed. “I never meant to lie. I did want a baby with Nick. I was trying so hard, but he wasn’t taking our relationship seriously. I had to find a way to make him grow up.”

  “So, you faked being pregnant?”

  “I thought it would be good for us. It would give Nick something positive to focus on and stop his obsession over beating James. It was so tiring. Every day he’d complain about James and how good he was at his job and how he always beat him to the best stories. Not only was it tiring, but it was boring. Nick wasn’t focusing on us. I decided, if we had a baby together, it would make him do that. It would make him realize how important I was to him.”

  “What were you going to do when he realized you weren’t pregnant?”

  “It would have happened. I was taking every opportunity I could to get pregnant by him.”

  I wrinkled my nose. “I get the picture, but it would still have been suspicious if the baby didn’t arrive for another twelve months.”

  “I’d have figured out something and concealed the truth. Nick was so busy that he probably wouldn’t have noticed if I got the dates messed up. Anyway, by then, it would have been too late. Even if he found out I’d lied to him, we’d have been having a baby together. That would have kept us together and made him take our relationship seriously.”

  That sounded like a terrible way to keep a relationship going, lie to a guy, trick him into thinking he’s going to be a dad, and then get yourself pregnant. There was a recipe for an unhappy life. “What makes you think he didn’t know you were lying to him?”

  “Nick didn’t have a clue. He trusted me.”

  “Are you certain he didn’t find out?” It sounded like an excellent motive for murder. If Nick had figured out how devious Rachel was being and dumped her, she was spiteful enough to get her revenge. I imagined Rachel wasn’t the kind of woman who was used to being dumped.

  “No, it was nothing like that. I’ll admit Nick was being on the cool side with me in the last few weeks. That was all the more reason I needed to get pregnant. I had to give him a reason to stay with me.”

  “Or you could have accepted you weren’t right for each other and moved on to somebody else. It sounds like you need someone with lots of ambition. Have you ever thought about dating James? He has a tenacious way about him.” He also had a hole in his pristine pants, thanks to Wiggles, and squealed like a frightened mouse when scared.

  Rachel scowled at me. “James is ambitious. I have looked at him a few times, but he made it clear he’s not interested. He said something gross about sloppy seconds not being his style, whatever that means.”

  Wow, Rachel was something else. She’d decided to stay with Nick because James didn’t want her and then faked a pregnancy to get Nick to stay with her. She was the girlfriend from hell. She’d fit in nicely in the demon prison. I should offer her a one-way ticket.

  “Since you lied about the baby, you might also have lied about the rivalry between James and Nick.”

  She shook her head. “Absolutely not. They hated each other.”

  “Prove it.”

  Rachel glared at me over her almost empty cocktail glass. “Why should I?”

  “Because I’m investigating your boyfriend’s murder, and you’ve not been telling the truth. Therefore, you’re unreliable and have a motive for wanting Nick dead.”

  “I do not. I’ve never wanted Nick dead. Well, maybe I wanted him hurt sometimes when he wouldn’t buy me what I wanted or refused to take me to my favorite restaurant. But dead, never.” She slurped the glossy cherry off her umbrella stick.

  “I don’t believe you. I should take you to the station for further questioning.”

  Rachel scowled at me. “Fine, I can prove it. I’ll call Nick’s editor, Ivan. He worked with Nick and James. They were vying for the same staff position at the paper. He’ll show you I’m telling the truth. He knows all about their rivalry.” She pulled out her mobile and stared at it for a few seconds. “It’s so strange. This thing is always going on the blink here. You must have a terrible cell signal reception.”

  I grinned at her. It wasn’t the cell signal that was the problem. It was all the magic in the village that messed up the phones. It’s why no one used them in Willow Tree Falls. “We have the worst. Barely anyone uses a mobile around here.”

  She stared at me as though I’d said something obscene. “What a nightmare! How do you check your social media? I’ll give it a go and see if I can get through to Ivan.”

  It took Rachel several attempts, but she finally got the call to connect. “Put me through to Ivan.”

  I sipped my drink as I watched Rachel’s eyes narrow. It looked like bad news. “No, I don’t believe he’s out. He always speaks to me. It’s urgent. Tell him it’s Rachel Fortesque.”

  I glanced down at Wiggles and winked at him. He shook his head and settled his muzzle on his paws as if expecting this would take a long time.

  She raised her eyebrows at me and shook her head. “These receptionists are so full of themselves. They act like guard dogs, thinking they have control over yo
u just because they decide whether you get to speak to their boss. It’s pathetic.”

  “I can imagine,” I said.

  “Ivan, it’s Rachel. How are you, sweetie?” She pressed a button and placed the phone on the table.

  “Good thanks,” Ivan boomed out of the speaker. “How are things with you? I hope Nick’s treating you well. Let me know if he’s being a bad boy.” His chuckle sounded lecherous.

  “Oh, I’ve got some sad news about Nick. He’s dead.”

  Ivan made several spluttering sounds. “What happened?”

  “I’m not sure. It’s a terrible blow. I’m so distraught.” Rachel sniffed loudly and looked at her empty glass.

  “You poor thing. I hope you’re being looked after.”

  “I’m managing, but you know what these places are like. Everything takes forever to get going.”

  My smile felt too much like a snarl, so I pinched my lips together.

  “I’ll have to find someone to fill Nick’s shoes. You’ve got James with you, haven’t you?”

  “He’s here.”

  “Well, that’s a good thing.” Ivan cleared his throat noisily. “In a way, as difficult as this is, it makes it easier for me. I wasn’t sure who to pick out of the two of them. They’ve been fighting for the same spot for months. To be honest, it was getting unpleasant.”

  Rachel rolled her eyes. “Tell me about it. Nick was obsessed with getting that position. It’s all he talked about.”

  “At least he can’t stress about it now. Nick is in a better place. I tell you what. I’ll put a nice piece in the paper about him, a memorial to Nick. That way, we won’t need to do a whip around in the office for flowers for his funeral.”

  “That’s thoughtful of you,” Rachel said. “Nick would have liked that.”

  “Excellent. I’ll confirm James in the staff position and get him to write it.”

  I almost choked on my lemon water. I did not like to think what James would write about Nick when he was forced to create that piece of fiction.

  Rachel looked at me and nodded. “See,” she mouthed.

  I shrugged. I’d heard enough from the unsympathetic editor and mulled over the remaining suspects as Rachel wrapped up her phone call.