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

by K. E. O'Connor

  Brogan left me to finish my food alone and headed off to serve other customers.

  Once breakfast was out of the way, I walked over to Angel Force’s headquarters with Wiggles to find Dazielle in the reception area.

  She raised her eyebrows when she saw me. “I didn’t expect to see you around for at least a week.”

  “I’m already feeling much better. How’s everything going with Rachel?”

  “She’s been charged with Nick’s murder and the illegal possession of a magic artifact.”

  “Did she confess to the murder?”

  “Not so much. She keeps saying she knows nothing about it, but it has to be her. Maybe she got her hands on the ring after Nick had discovered it and lost control. We both saw how unstable she was when wearing the ring.”

  “You don’t think she’s innocent?”

  “Not for a second. She might say she is, but I don’t believe it.”

  There was that niggle again in the back of my head, telling me to keep prodding this case. “Is there physical evidence she struck Nick and moved his body?”

  Dazielle’s eyes narrowed. “Not yet. What are you getting at?”

  “I don’t know. It might be nothing, and I agree Rachel needs to be charged with handling the artifact, but Nick’s murder, I’m not so sure.”

  “You seemed sure yesterday.”

  “I was. I mean, I am. It most likely was Rachel. What about Suki? I hope you’re dropping all charges.”

  “We’re dropping the murder charge, but we’re charging Suki with assault,” Dazielle said.

  “Come off it. She defended herself against your attack. That’s not a crime.”

  “Suki should have come quietly. We didn’t want to hurt her.”

  “She wasn’t to know that. You stalked through her forest, stamping around and terrifying her. She reacted just like any wood nymph would.”

  “The problem is she’s a six-foot wood nymph with arms like tree trunks and a quick temper. Suki lashed out and injured people. She even landed you on your butt. She has to answer for that.”

  I had a bruise on the back of my head to remind me of that, but I didn’t hold it against Suki. “What will happen to her?”

  “I’ve checked her record. It’s a first offense, but she could still serve time inside. She would also benefit from a rehabilitation course to learn how to control her temper.”

  “She can’t go to jail. She’ll be picked on and miserable. Suki’s had enough of that in her life.”

  “It’s no less than she deserves.”

  “What Suki deserves is to be left alone, so she can look after her forest. We owe a lot to Suki for protecting dangerous magic and keeping us safe from it. She makes one small mistake and gets shoved into jail. That’s unfair. If she goes inside, we’ll all be vulnerable. You take her out of the forest, and the whole of Willow Tree Falls will be at risk.”

  Dazielle scowled at me. “What do you suggest we do with her? She’s not being let go, or she won’t realize she’s done anything wrong.”

  I rubbed my chin as an idea formed. “Suki can serve her sentence with me.”

  Dazielle’s brow wrinkled. “What would she do with you?”

  “I’ll help her feel more comfortable in her skin. If you like, I’ll make sure she goes to her rehabilitation program.” This was becoming a habit I wasn’t sure I wanted, helping damaged magic users get back on their feet. First Axel and now Suki. “Suki can get support from me and channel her energy into the smooth running of Cloven Hoof.”

  “You’re going to put Suki behind the bar?”

  “Definitely not, I value my expensive bottles of alcohol. She has assets that will be useful. It will help her come out of her shell and learn that being sociable isn’t a bad thing. Not everyone wants to poke fun at her and be mean.”

  Dazielle tilted her head. “What have you got in mind?”

  “Leave the details to me. I’m happy to help if she’s put on probation.”

  Dazielle jabbed a finger at me. “If I do this, you have complete responsibility for her actions. If Suki messes up or breaks the law, it lands on your head. You have to guarantee me that you’ll look after her and keep her out of trouble.”

  “I assure you, Suki coming to work with me will be the best thing that’s happened to both of us.”

  Dazielle smirked, the glimmer in her eyes suggesting she hoped it was a spectacular failure and I’d end up in her cells again. “I’ll get the paperwork drawn up, but I’ll be keeping a close eye on both of you. One mistake, and you’ll both be back here.”

  I smiled as I turned away from the desk. Dazielle could threaten all she liked, but it looked like I had a new member of staff, and I was happy about it.

  “Wait! If you stick around for a bit, I can discharge Suki into your care.”

  “I can’t right now. I’ll sign whatever needs signing later.” I needed to spend some time figuring out what was niggling me about Rachel’s arrest and the fight she’d had with Jenny.

  I had to be certain this was all Rachel’s doing and I wasn’t missing something. Something that could put everyone I loved in Willow Tree Falls at risk.

  Chapter 20

  As I headed back along the main street with Wiggles, I saw Jenny hopping into the back of the van parked outside Unicorn’s Trough, her arms full of equipment.

  I hurried over and poked my head inside. The van’s interior was kitted out with banks of screens and filming equipment, along with cameras and microphones.

  She looked over and gasped before smiling. “Hi, Tempest, you startled me.”

  “I’m surprised to see you working.” I looked at her hands, which were covered in a light gauze bandage.

  “Oh, I feel great. I don’t know what they do at that hospital of yours, but I’m almost as good as new. Besides, I need to get the last few bits sorted before we leave. James won’t be happy if the work isn’t completed.”

  “He’s the slave driver making you work while your hands are healing?”

  “Of course,” Jenny said. “What’s a girl to do? I need a job, and he’s offering one. When we get out of here and things settle down, I’ll look around for something else. I’m not sure journalism is for me anymore.”

  “It seems you do need a mean streak to be in journalism and make it to the top.”

  “Tell me about it. I’ve had enough of being bossed around by super-egos.” She closed the lid of the box she was sorting through. “How’s Rachel doing?”

  “I haven’t seen her since yesterday. I hear she’s being charged with Nick’s murder, so she’s probably miserable.”

  Jenny stopped tidying the equipment and hopped out the back of the van. “Wow! So, it really was her. I can’t say I’m surprised. If you’re looking for a person with a mean streak, she’d be front and center of the pack.”

  I studied Jenny carefully. She seemed in remarkably good health after the fight. “Rachel keeps talking about this crazy theory she has.”

  Jenny smiled. “What theory is that?”

  “She keeps talking about a bewitched ring. She said that’s what sent her over the edge and why she attacked you.” That wasn’t true. I hadn’t spoken to Rachel since the angels took her, but Jenny didn’t need to know that.

  Jenny’s laugh sounded startled. “A bewitched ring. Are we in Narnia?”

  I shrugged and forced a smile. “It’s so weird. I was wondering if it was an antique ring she’d lost or wanted to buy.”

  Jenny stepped closer. “This ring sounds interesting. Did you get a look at it?”

  “I pulled it off her finger when she was caught.”

  “You’ve got the ring?” Jenny grabbed hold of my arm. Her fingers dug into my flesh. “Where is it?”

  My eyebrows rose slowly. “Why the interest?”

  Jenny’s eyes gleamed. “It’s mine. She took it from me.”

  I feigned surprise as my pulse raced. “A second ago, you were surprised to learn about a ring. Are you certain it’
s yours?”

  Jenny licked her lips. “I forgot. I mean, with everything that’s been going on, it’s been a stressful week. Nick dying, me being attacked by Rachel. But I’m certain she stole that ring. It belongs to me. Give it back.”

  “I wish I could. It was taken away.”

  Jenny scowled at me. “The police have it?”

  “It’s in a safe place. Besides, it’s evidence. It can’t be handed over to anyone for a while.”

  “But it’s mine,” Jenny whined.

  “If it is, you’ll get it back.”

  Jenny’s smile looked forced as she let go of my arm. “Of course, I’m just curious about what sent Rachel so crazy. My ring can’t have done that. I should go get it, though. I don’t want it to go missing. You hear stories of corrupt police stealing precious items and selling them.”

  “I don’t think our police will do that.”

  Jenny took a step away from the van, her gaze going in the direction of Angel Force’s headquarters. “Even so, I need to be sure.”

  “Give it a couple of weeks and you can get it.”

  “I can’t wait a couple of weeks!”

  My eyes narrowed. “Why not?”

  Jenny looked down at the bandages on her hands and shook her head. “I just... well, it has sentimental value.”

  “Is that all? Rachel is as adamant as you that it belongs to her.”

  “She’s lying!” Jenny crossed her arms over her chest. “Maybe that’s it. Nick must have found my ring and given it to Rachel. He demanded it back when he realized what an awful human being she is. They fought, and she killed him. There you go. Rachel has another reason for wanting Nick dead.”

  “I think we have enough reasons for that,” I said. “Why would Nick give your ring to someone else?”

  Jenny shrugged. “He was nice but dumb. He’d have done anything to stop Rachel’s whining for five minutes. He could have found my ring and offered it to Rachel to keep her happy. He wouldn’t have known it belonged to me.” She took another step away.

  I grabbed hold of her arm. “You probably don’t want to do that.”

  She glared at me. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean, you don’t want to go anywhere near that ring ever again. You were wearing it when you fought with Rachel, weren’t you?”

  Her eyes widened. “How do you know that?”

  “I wondered why your hands were so badly scratched. Rachel tore at your fingers because she wanted the ring.” Which meant Jenny had worn the ring and experienced its powers first-hand. When a non-magical was exposed to that much power, it never ended well.

  Jenny shook my hand off her arm and stepped toward me. “Do you know what this ring can do? Do you know its power?”

  “A little, and you clearly do. That’s why you fought with Rachel to keep it.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Jenny glanced around the street. She grabbed me by the throat and slung me with surprising force into the back of the van, before jumping on top of me and pinning me down. The van door slammed shut behind us, trapping Wiggles outside and me very much inside and in trouble.

  Yikes, Jenny was strong. She must have residual magic flowing through her, thanks to wearing the demon possessed ring. And when I say residual, I mean a ton of strong, spiky, nasty feeling magic that oozed from her pores like yesterday’s whiskey.

  “You will tell me where the ring is,” she spat in my face. “It’s mine. I have a right to wear it.”

  “You have a right to nothing.” I gasped as her fingers tightened around my throat. “That ring is not for you. It’s not for anyone to use.”

  She slammed my head onto the floor of the van. “I will have it back. It claimed me. We are one.”

  I tried to lift my hands and cast a spell, but they felt heavy and slow as if the throb of Jenny’s power drained me. “How long have you had the ring?”

  “It claimed me after Nick found it. He discovered it the first night we were here. He was so excited that he couldn’t help but tell me all about it. At first, I thought he was joking. Then he showed me the ring, and it was as if nothing else mattered. Before I realized what I was doing, I’d pulled it from his hand and slipped it on my finger.” Jenny let out a contented sigh, and her eyes glazed over.

  “He wasn’t happy about that?”

  Her expression hardened. “Nick pulled the ring off my finger. He told me not to mess with it and I didn’t know what I was doing. He was an idiot. Nick had no clue what he was dealing with. That ring didn’t want him; it wanted me. I knew the second the warm metal touched my flesh that we were meant to be joined.”

  “Joined to a piece of unnaturally warm metal that made you desire it. That didn’t make you think something was off?”

  She thumped my head onto the floor again. “You have no idea what you’re talking about. Give me my ring.”

  My head ached, and my vision blurred. A sign that Frank wanted in on the action would be perfect, but he refused to show. He must still be licking his wounds from his last encounter with this power. “Did you have that ring when you came to Cloven Hoof? That was how you got in?”

  Her expression grew puzzled. “Of course, I could get into your stupid bar. What’s that got to do with anything?”

  That was one mystery solved. There was nothing wrong with the magic barrier around Cloven Hoof. It was simply that Jenny had possession of a magic artifact, which meant she could walk through my barrier.

  Finally, Frank stirred inside me as black dots flashed in front of my eyes. “It’s about time.”

  “Time for what?” Jenny cocked her head. Her eyes blazed. “Oh! I knew there was something strange about you. I sensed it when you questioned me after Nick’s death. You have power too.”

  “I don’t have much say over this particular ability.” I sensed Frank wanted to defend himself against Jenny, but something stopped him. His hot energy slid up my spine but stopped halfway and sank down. I couldn’t hear him in my head. It was as if she sucked power from us both.

  I heard Wiggles barking outside the van and crashing into the side as he tried to get in.

  Jenny bashed my head on the floor one more time. “Now I know the ring is safe, I can find it and be reunited with it. You cannot tell anybody about this.”

  “I won’t say a word. I’ve already forgotten what we were talking about.”

  She raised a hand above my head, a snarl on her face.

  The back door of the van was yanked open. “What’s going on in here?” It was James. I’d never been so happy to see his smug face.

  Jenny glanced at him and shook her head. “Leave us alone.”

  “Jenny, what are you doing to Tempest?” He ignored her advice and clambered into the back of the van. Wiggles was right behind him, his hackles raised and his eyes glowing as he saw Jenny on top of me.

  I gestured for Wiggles to keep back. “You really do need to get lost,” I gasped at James. If he got between two magic users fighting, he’d be toast.

  James’s ego was not paying attention to the danger he’d wandered into. “I don’t know what this is, but you both need to stop.”

  “You always were a jerk.” Jenny flicked a hand toward him. James flew backwards out of the van and landed on the ground.

  “Wiggles, keep him out of this,” I yelled.

  Wiggles stared at me for a second before jumping on top of James’s chest and pinning him down.

  Our fight had drawn the attention of others, who must have sensed the dark magic exuding from Jenny. Several worried-looking faces peered in at us.

  Brogan appeared and stared down at James. When Brogan raised his head, his eyes glowed a liquid silver as he saw Jenny on top of me. His fingers sparked with magic. “Ladies, this fight must end.”

  Jenny eased her hold on me a fraction as she gazed at the growing crowd behind the van. She rolled off me, and her eyes widened in mock fear. “I’m innocent. I have nothing to do with this. She attacked me.” She pointed a
shaking finger in my direction as I struggled to my feet and rubbed my sore throat.

  “That’s not true,” I said. “Jenny’s had her hands on the Ring of Halo for days. It’s changed her.”

  “You know nothing about me or my ring,” she hissed.

  “What on earth is going on?” James protested from the ground. “Will somebody get this dog off me? I think it has fleas, and it’s drooling on my shirt.”

  “Wiggles, don’t let him up,” I called. It was too late to stop James from seeing what we really were. He was surrounded by magic users who weren’t being too careful about hiding their powers as they sensed the danger from Jenny. Before James left Willow Tree Falls, he’d need another mind wipe.

  “I insist, or I’m calling the police and animal control.” James squirmed until Wiggles caught hold of the front of his shirt in his teeth and snarled at him.

  “That’s enough.” Brogan reached down and touched Wiggles. “He is involved now.”

  Wiggles looked at me, and I shrugged. James was in for a shock. I hoped he could handle it.

  James struggled up and brushed dirt from the back of his pants, his cautious gaze on Wiggles, who remained alert by the back of the van, his attention fixed to me. “Why are you fighting with each other?”

  “It’s her,” Jenny said. “She’s claiming I’m involved with Nick’s murder when we all know it was Rachel.”

  James looked from me to Jenny. “Is this true? I thought Rachel had been charged. The whole sorry mess is over, and I have all the information I need for my exclusive.”

  “The police have the wrong person,” I said.

  James laughed. “You think it was Jenny? She can’t have anything to do with this.”

  “You see? I have a witness to prove my innocence,” Jenny said. “I had nothing to do with Nick’s death in the cemetery.”

  “He wasn’t killed in the cemetery, though, was he? Nick was killed inside the standing stones and his body moved.” I looked around the inside of the van, recalling Suki mentioning hearing an engine noise near the stones. “He was probably moved using this van, a van Jenny knows well since she uses it as her mobile office.”