by Amy Boyles
“From what Tina confessed, Walter told Daisy they needed a soul. She had a plan to lure Sera here with the baby shower and kill her. Maisie discovered the plan and was against it. From what Tina said, she tried to warn Sera.”
I bowed my head, trying to remember. “Yeah, she might’ve. She was so mean to her, though.”
Roman nodded. “She was trying to get you to leave so that Sera wouldn’t end up being Daisy’s victim. Daisy wanted Maisie dead. Tina was supposed to make that happen, but somehow she screwed up the spell—it wasn’t supposed to go down that way, just a nice, simple poisoning, at least according to Caroline. Then Sera got arrested because right as Maisie was about to pop, she used the last magic she had to transport some of Sera’s food to her.”
I rubbed at a worry line on my forehead. “Why? And how do you know this?”
Roman shrugged. “Conjecture. How else did the food end up beside Maisie’s dead body? She probably did it so Sera would be arrested. That would offer her protection against Daisy and her group, giving us time to figure out who the killer actually was.”
I frowned. “But then Tina blamed the murder on Sera, right from the beginning.”
Roman shook his head. “I think Tina botched it all, too. She worked the wrong spell on Maisie, and everything went haywire.”
“So you’re saying if I ever need something done right, don’t get Tina to help.”
Roman chuckled. “Yeah. She’s definitely an outlier.”
I sighed and rested my head on his shoulder. Roman wrapped an arm around me and tugged me closer to him.
“Where are the grandmothers?”
He placed his cup on the concrete bench we were sitting on. “When we left you at the house, we went to Dex, the vampire, for help. They stayed at his house trying to work out the mystery.”
“I guess it’s a good thing Reid and I were able to get out. But how’d you find us?”
Roman reached into his pocket. “Hold out your hand.”
I did so, and he dropped something in my palm. “My ring! My engagement ring. You got it back.”
He nodded. “That and this.” He draped my necklace around my neck and clasped it shut. “Don’t take these off ever again.”
I hugged him tight. “I’m sorry. I had to find my sister.”
“I know.” He cocked his head toward Brock. “So did he. That’s why we went to Walter.”
I watched as Brock and Sera sat head to head on their own bench. Whatever bitterness had lain between them seemed to be put to rest as they whispered in each other’s ears and stopped long enough for a brief kiss.
“Ah,” I said. “All is right in the world.”
Roman studied me. His green eyes seemed to drink me in as he said, “Yes, it is.”
Epilogue
“Uh, I wish you’d hurry up in the bathroom,” Reid said.
“Listen,” I said, raising a brush to thread through my locks, “it’s my rehearsal dinner. I’ve got to look good.”
It had been almost three months since our little excursion to Normal, Alabama. Life had calmed down considerably, and I was elated to be home. I’d also been incredibly busy. After all, I had a wedding to plan—my own.
“Just because you’re getting married tomorrow doesn’t mean that you get to hog the bathroom,” Reid said.
“Fine,” I said smugly. “I’ll walk next door to Roman’s house and use his bathroom.”
Sera leaned against the lip of the doorframe. “Right. It’s not like we’re getting rid of you after you’re married. You’re going to keep living right next door.”
I scoffed. “Are you trying to get rid of me? We’re sisters. I thought you loved me.”
Reid pushed her way to the other side of the cramped bathroom and stole a sliver of mirror so she could fix her hair. “All I know is that I’ll be glad when both of y’all are gone. I’ll have this whole place to myself.”
I watched as Sera raked her fingers through her hair. The diamond ring Brock had given her sat cushioned nicely on the ring finger of her left hand.
“Let’s get this wedding over with,” Sera said. “Because as soon as we’re finished with Dylan’s wedding, we can start working on mine.”
I wiggled the hairbrush at both of them. “Y’all are gonna be so sad when I’m not here to pester you anymore.”
“Don’t worry,” Sera said. “I’m pretty sure you’ll be around.”
I rested the brush on the counter. “Plus, we’ll be putting our private investigation business together. I’m so excited!”
We had it all planned. We’d scale back on our own businesses and start a PI firm for witches. It would be word-of-mouth only, of course, and would allow for us to still do some of what we loved on the side. Which meant I could design clothes and Sera could bake. I wasn’t sure exactly how we’d do it, but we’d figure out something.
“Do you really think your husbands are going to let you run around chasing after murderers?” Reid said.
“Sure,” I said. “After all, what choice do they have?”
The doorbell rang.
“Well,” Sarah said. “This’ll be one of the last times we see you before you get married.”
I nodded. “I know. It’s a little crazy to think about, and even crazier to be living. But it will be good. It’ll be really good.”
I fluttered toward the door and found Roman talking to Grandma. She had tears in her eyes and a tissue in her hands.
I hugged her and said, “You’re not getting rid of me yet.“
She sniffed. “I know, but it feels like I’m losing my girls one at a time.”
I hugged her tighter still and released her. I looked at Roman and gave him a wide smile.
“You ready to rehearse this shebang?” he said.
I grinned widely, my heart full to bursting with love for him. “I am. And I’m ready to start our life together.”
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THANK Y’ALL
Thank you so much for reading FRIED GREEN WITCH. If you enjoyed it, please consider leaving a review. Reviews help other readers decide whether they’d like to take a chance on a book. If you think they should take a chance on this one, let them know!
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If you’d like to learn more about Andie Taylor and the town of Normal, Alabama, check out my Southern Single Mom Paranormal Mysteries series.
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The Witch’s Handbook to Hunting Vampires
The Witch’s Handbook to Catching Werewolves
The Witch’s Handbook to Trapping Demons
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Also by Amy Boyles
BLESS YOUR WITCH SERIES
SCARED WITCHLESS
KISS MY WITCH
QUEEN WITCH
QUIT YOUR WITCHIN'
FOR WITCH'S SAKE
DON'T GIVE A WITCH
WITCH MY GRITS
* * *
SOUTHERN SINGLE MOM PARANORMAL MYSTERIES
The Witch’s Handbook to Hunting Vampires
The Witch’s Handbook to Catching Werewolves
The Witch’s Handbook to Trapping Demons
About the Author
Amy Boyles grew up reading Judy Blume and Christopher Pike. Somehow, the combination of coming of age books and teenage murder mysteries made her want to be a writer. After graduating college at DePauw University, she spent some time living in Chicago, Louisville, and New York before settling back in the South. Now, she spends her time chasing two toddlers while trying to stir up trouble in Silver Springs, Alabama, the fictional town where Dylan Apel and her sisters are trying to master witchcraft, tame their crazy relatives, and juggle their love lives. She loves to hear from readers! You can email her at amy@amyboylesauthor
.com.
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