Careful What You Witch For

by K. J. Emrick

  “Sorry I’m late,” she said as she dropped her purse and her autumn jacket down on the kitchen’s island counter. “Gary and I got to talking and one thing led to another and, well, there wasn’t much talking after that if you know what I mean.”

  Addie rolled her eyes. Kiera levelled her gaze at their younger sister, folding her hands at her waist. “Quite.”

  Gary White was Willow’s boyfriend-of-the-moment. Usually the men she spent her time with were here and gone the next week, revolving through her life whenever her heart settled on another flight of fancy. Gary, so far, was proving to be the exception. He wasn’t very bright, in Addie’s opinion—well, in anyone’s opinion for that matter—but whatever he had going for him was something that worked for her little sister.

  So who was Addie to judge? It wasn’t like her own love life had been blossoming like a rose garden. She was willing to let her sister have her fun as long as it didn’t put the three of them, or this town, in any sort of danger.

  “Anyway,” Willow said as her sisters continued to give her the silent treatment, “I’m here now. Hello, Doyle. What did I miss for dinner tonight?”

  The cat’s one ear flicked. “It was cottage pie.”

  Addie stifled a laugh behind her hand. Doyle liked people food just fine, as long as it was certain kinds of people food.

  “There’s beef in cottage pie,” Willow reminded the big tomcat. “Lots of beef.”

  “Oh, sure,” Doyle mewled. “Meat mixed with carrots and peas and corn and potatoes. I mean, I understand that we’re from the rolling hills of Ireland and all that, but does that mean that every dinner has to include potatoes?”

  Kiera cleared her throat. “The meal was not for you, Doyle. Perhaps next time you would like to do the cooking for everyone?”

  The look Doyle gave her in response translated just fine even with his furry face. “Perhaps if I’d been blessed with opposable thumbs, I would.”

  “Letting you have the gift of a voice is quite enough, thank you.”

  Before Doyle could say anything to that, Kiera went back to moving items around on the shelves. Something had passed across her eyes, something sad and solitary. Addie knew exactly what her sister was thinking about. Daily chores could only take her mind away from it for so long.

  Kiera’s son was missing.

  It had been a full week now, and as hard as the sisters had tried to find him, there was still no trace. Alan Pierson was his name. He had only been a baby when Kiera had given him up for adoption. They didn’t know why, but he had been on his way to Shadow Lake when his car had wrecked. After that he disappeared, without so much as a trace.

  Just like there had been no trace of the witch Belladonna Nightshade. Belladonna had suddenly popped up in town, spreading her dark magic, challenging the sisters. They had expended their magic looking for her, and looking for Alan, and in both attempts they had failed.

  Belladonna was still out there somewhere. Kiera’s son Alan was still out there, too, waiting to be found.

  None of that was Kiera’s fault, but there was no doubt that she had a lot on her mind. Addie’s heart went out to her.

  As Doyle started to say something that would no doubt be both witty and unnecessarily bitter, Addie scooped him up and motioned for Willow to follow them back to the dining room.

  “Come on, Old Man. Let’s just give Kiera some space, okay?”

  “Mrrow,” he complained, tucking himself into her arms. “I am the source of wisdom for this family. I don’t know why the three of you don’t listen to me more often.”

  “Source of wisdom!” Willow chuckled. “Doyle, you’re a cat.”

  “Go away outta that!” he snorted. Wriggling himself out of Addie’s arms he dropped gracefully to the floor. “I’m not just a cat. I happen to be the Kilorian sisters’ cat, and that’s something you don’t see every day.”

  “You never know.” Willow tapped a finger against her lips dramatically. “We might have another cat someday.”

  His copper colored eyes narrowed. “Perish the thought.”

  Then he padded away with his nose in the air and his tail sticking straight up, annoyed as only a cat can be after being fed hamburger for dinner and coddled in someone’s arms. He slipped out of the dining room, and into the hallways of Stonecrest to find someplace to sulk in private.

  Stonecrest was the name of the ancestral home of the Kilorians. Their grandfather Angus had burned down the original house, and this one had been built in its place over a hundred years ago. It was a towering three story Victorian home, with a square tower at the front right corner that went up another level higher yet at the top. Their handyman Kyle had been busy getting the place ready for winter, patching up the roof and putting the glass panels over the windows. It was too big to ever be considered cozy, but it was their home. Addie couldn’t imagine living anywhere else.

  Of course, the house was just a house. Stone and wood and cute red curtains in the living room. The real power of any place came from the land where it sat. This parcel had been in her family since before the Vikings stumbled across Greenland. The power that was contained here in the land was something that resonated in Addie’s bones whenever she crossed the magical threshold surrounding the property. The Well of Essence deep under the town of Shadow Lake was centered right under Stonecrest.

  It was almost the biggest secret the three of them were entrusted to protect.

  Keeping that kind of power out of the hands of evil men and women and big baddies who went bump in the night was a full-time job. It took all three of the sisters—and yes, the wisdom of Doyle the cat—to make sure that never happened.

  Addie went back to her seat, and picked her pen up, tapping it against the list of things they needed to buy. Willow stood there watching. It was silent in the house now. More silent than usual.

  “I take it,” Willow said, “that Kiera’s mad at me for being late for another fun-filled night of family togetherness.”

  “You should take what we do a little more seriously,” Addie admonished her sister. “It’s not like this is a nine to five desk job.”

  “Or like running a café?” her sister quipped.

  Counting to five in her head, Addie put on a thin smile for her sister. “I run the Hot Cauldron Café because I enjoy it. I like giving back to the community. I enjoy being around people.”

  “People,” Willow snorted. “Typics, you mean.”

  “All sorts, I mean.” She wasn’t going to let this turn into some sort of racist argument about how magic users were superior to those without magic powers. “That’s a funny sort of thing for you to say, don’t you think? Considering your boyfriend is a Typic.”

  Willow’s eyes turned hard, like shards of green gems. “All I meant was there’s better things we could be doing with our time. Like trying to find Kiera’s son.”

  “You’re one to talk, Willow. While we’ve been here, looking for both Alan and this Belladonna woman, where have you been? You’ve been spending more time at your boyfriend’s house than here with us.”

  “I’ve been looking, too!” Willow cried out, but then quickly lowered her voice with a furtive glance toward the kitchen where Kiera was still busy. “Saints preserve us, Addie, I’m not stupid. I’ve been asking around with the other paranormals in Shadow Lake. The werewolves haven’t heard anything. The pixies won’t talk to me but what do you expect with pixies? I’m still waiting to hear back from a few others.”

  Addie hadn’t expected that. “Oh. That’s, um, actually a really good idea.”

  “Gee, sis, thanks for the vote of confidence. I’m doing everything I can, same as you. Don’t forget, Belladonna isn’t the only big baddie we have to worry about. According to you there was some kind of entity in this house, and it’s gone now, but we don’t know where it went. You do remember that, don’t you?”

  Addie closed her eyes, because yes, she did remember.

  What she saw was vaguely human, but it had arms that wer
e too long, and its legs were twisted and corded and jointed in three places. She couldn’t see its face.

  It didn’t have a face…

  That memory flashed in her mind. Something evil had gotten through the defensive barrier around Stonecrest, and into this house, and into the bathroom while Addie was about to get into the shower. Then it disappeared again, without a trace.

  It had to be somewhere. In town, probably.

  That had been a week ago. Just like Alan. Just like Belladonna.

  So. Add that to the list of things their family had to take care of.

  “Sisters?” Kiera called in to them. “If you two are done arguing about which one of us has done the least to help the others, could one of you get the front door, please?”

  Addie looked out into the hall. “The door?”

  The chimes of the doorbell rang before she was done asking the question.

  Kiera had sensed someone crossing the barrier and coming up to the threshold of Stonecrest. Addie frowned at herself and shook her head. If she hadn’t been so busy being angry at Willow for having a life, she would have sensed it too.

  “I’ll get it,” Willow offered. “Maybe then you’ll feel like I’m doing something to help?”

  “Willow…”

  Her sister put her hand up as she stormed out of the dining room, stopping the conversation cold.

  Maybe she shouldn’t have snapped at Willow without knowing the whole story first. Well. She would have to apologize for that later. Right now, she just followed her sister down the hallway. When Willow opened the door, the man standing there nodded a greeting to them both.

  Constable Herman Bledsoe was a scarecrow of a man, built long and lanky and thin as a rail. Addie wondered why he hadn’t ever blown away in a strong breeze. The baggy brown shirt and pants he was wearing had been the town’s attempt to create a uniform for him. There had never been constables in Shadow Lake before now. Herman was the first.

  With the number of deaths recently, the town board of Selectmen had decided that maybe having a law enforcement officer to walk the streets and answer calls would make tourists feel safer. This man standing here was the best their money could buy.

  Not that they had gone looking for an action hero type. The Selectmen knew who really protected the town from dangers. The Kilorian sisters kept them safe. Herman and his shiny badge were just for show.

  Herman’s face was pale as he slowly turned his uniform cap between his fingers, down by his waist where his gun belt hung loosely across narrow hips. His eyes were wide and round. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he tried to find the words for what he wanted to say. “They told me… gosh darn it all. I don’t understand it, but I’ve got my orders to tell you three Kilorians when anything like this happens. The board of Selectmen were very clear about this.”

  Addie nearly laughed at the man. Gosh darn it? Who said things like that?

  Willow laid a hand on his shoulder, in that feminine way that always set men at ease. “It’s all right, Herman. Just tell us. What happened?”

  Pushing a hand through the unruly wisps of his hair, Herman scratched at his scalp. “Well, it’s like this. There’s been a murder. Somebody’s dead.”

  Chapter 2

  Willow turned to look at Addie, arching one perfectly sculpted eyebrow.

  Addie shrugged. “I’ll get my jacket. And I’ll tell Kiera.”

  “No need,” Kiera said from the other end of the hallway. She had already put on an ankle-length wool coat, the blue one with the high collar. “I’m ready to go.”

  Leaving Herman standing at the door with his hat in his hand, Willow walked back up toward the kitchen. “I’ll grab your coat, Addie. I have to get mine anyway.”

  “Can you get my purse, too?” Addie asked her. “It has my—”

  “Your kit’s in it.” Willow didn’t look back as she waved a dramatic hand in the air. “I know, I know. I’ll get it. I wouldn’t want to be accused of not doing enough to help out around here.”

  The cutting sarcasm in that was impossible to miss. Curse her Irish eyes, Addie thought to herself. They didn’t have time for this. She started to say something to that effect but Kiera’s hand gently laid across her wrist stopped her. “Sometimes with Willow it’s better to let her work things out for herself.”

  “I’m afraid I hurt her feelings,” Addie confessed. “I didn’t mean to, but we were talking about everything that’s been happening and I think we both may have said some things.”

  “You did,” Kiera assured her with a smile. “I heard every word.”

  Addie grimaced. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for that to happen.”

  “It’s all right, Sister Addie. These matters concern us all. We can’t avoid the topic forever.”

  Taking Kiera’s hand, Addie squeezed it tight. “We’ll find him, Kiera. Your son won’t stay lost forever. I promise.”

  Behind them, Herman cleared his throat. “Excuse me, but I don’t even really know why I’m here.” He looked from Kiera to Addie. “Why’m I out here reporting to you whenever there’s a crime in town? I’ve done this for three whole days now, telling you about broken windows and missing pets and now this murder… I mean, I took this job and I figured I was supposed to be the authority figure. Me. Not three sisters in their old house on a hill.”

  Addie gave him a patient smile. It would be hard for anyone to take this scrawny rag doll of a man seriously as an authority figure. Even he must see that.

  Or maybe he didn’t.

  “Herman,” she said, “don’t worry yourself over it. This is just the way things are done in small towns.”

  He blinked his oversized eyes. “But… I’m the constable.”

  Willow came back down the hall, dropping Addie’s coat and her purse into her hands. She already had hers on, and she swept past Herman and through the open door, trailing her fingers along the constable’s chest as she went. “Don’t worry your pretty face. We’ve got this.”

  Then she winked at him.

  “But,” he said, and seemed to get stuck on that one word. “But… but… but…”

  Addie almost felt sorry for him. He was in over his head, and didn’t even know it. “Herman, we need you to take us to where the murder happened. Can you do that?”

  He stared blankly at her, and then shrugged helplessly and dropped his hat back on his head. “Sure. Why not? That’s part of my instructions from the Selectmen too.” He turned around, stomping down the stairs as he left. “Who’s running this town, that’s what I want to know.”

  “Best not to ask questions you’re not wanting the answers to, boyo.”

  Herman nearly stumbled over the final step as he twisted around to see who said that.

  Addie took one step sideways to stand in front of Doyle. She smiled at Herman, wishing their cat could learn to keep his mouth shut when they weren’t alone.

  The constable looked from Addie to Kiera, and then down at the black and white tail swishing across the floor behind Addie’s legs.

  Then he went back to his mumbling and walked down to the driveway, and got in his car.

  Addie waited until he was gone. “Doyle!”

  He looked up at her, his cat eyes narrowing. “What? What’d I say? I’ve got a right to my own opinion, don’t I?”

  “Just keep that opinion to yourself when there’s other people around, will you?”

  Kiera bent down to scratch between Doyle’s ears. “Stay here, and protect our house. Can you do that?”

  “Of course,” he purred, leaning into her hand. “You have to ask?”

  On their way out, Addie locked the door behind them. Between that, and the magical barrier around Stonecrest, she had a lot more faith in Doyle’s ability to keep their house safe. “Kiera, are you sure you want to come with us?”

  Her older sister nodded. “I know I don’t leave our home much. In the last week I’ve left not at all, spending my time looking for my son, and the dangers that have presented themselves in t
own. However, there has been another murder. It is our responsibility to keep our town safe. My responsibility, as much as yours.”

  At the driver’s door of her Jeep Cherokee, Addie waited to ask a question. Willow was already in the back seat. “So do you think the murder has a paranormal connection, then? Could it be Belladonna killing people again?”

  That evil witch liked to kill people. If this was her doing this then maybe they could finally put an end to her. It would have to be their job. A supernatural murder in Shadow Lake was definitely not something Herman the constable could take care of.

  “I don’t know if it is or not,” Kiera answered. “People kill other people on their own all the time, without any help from black magic.”

  That was true, Addie knew. People were often their own worst enemy.

  They got into the Cherokee and followed Herman in his black two-door hatchback, out of the driveway and down the road into town. That car came with the job. Once again, it was the very best the Selectmen could afford. Addie thought Herman was lucky not to be riding a bicycle, all things considered.

  The streets of Shadow Lake were neat and orderly, dark in the night except where houselights still shone through windows. Off to their right, past the buildings and past the trees, would be the deep waters of the lake that gave the town its name. Addie knew every little inch of this place. She wondered where the murder might have happened, and which one of her friends might have died.

  It was almost a relief when Herman took them right through town, and out the other side on Old Lutherfud Road.

  This was the road that went straight through Shadow Lake. The only road that did so. It connected them to the two nearest towns, starting in Bellewood to the south, and ending in Birch Hollow up to the north. In between there was nothing but miles of woods. They were heading south, in the same direction as the Luna Moth hiking trail where a woman had been murdered just a week ago.