Nothing To Croak About (Silver Hollow Paranormal Cozy Mystery Series Book 3)

by Leighann Dobbs

  Spectacular. Shaking her head, Issy caught Dex’s gaze briefly across the expanse of the open kitchen and hall before ducking back inside the relative safety of the bedroom. The fizzy tingle that had started inside her during their kiss outside now bubbled through her bloodstream, making her both giddy and anxious. She leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes, taking a deep, calming breath.

  “Find anything, cuz?” Raine asked, sticking her head around the door. “You okay?”

  “I’m fine.” Issy forced a bright smile. “Nothing in here. How about you?”

  “Nope. Nothing for me either.” There was a knowing glint in Raine’s eye that made Issy wary as they joined Ember out in the hall then made their way back to the living room, where the guys were now waiting. Dex had taken a seat in one of Adele’s old armchairs, and Bella had made herself right at home in his lap while he scratched her behind the ears and smiled.

  Lucky dog.

  Issy shook her head and took a seat on the arm of the sofa beside her cousins. “Did you tell Dex about the PI, Gray?”

  “I didn’t have to.” Gray leaned over so Cosmo could climb off his shoulder and walk the length of the back of the couch. “He said he talked to her too.”

  “You did?” Issy frowned at Dex. “When?”

  “Right before I came here.” He stopped petting Bella, which was apparently unacceptable because the little dog batted his hand with her paw to get his attention again. He chuckled and scratched her again. “She didn’t have much to tell me. Showed me the file she’d brought with the pictures, said she thought Adele might’ve had more evidence here at the house. So, I came over to check it out.”

  “That’s what she told us too,” Issy said. “But I’m not sure we can trust her.”

  “Yeah, I got a funny vibe from her too,” Dex said. “I need to do more investigating on her.”

  “I still don’t get how Jerry’s involved in all this, though,” Raine said.

  “Linda told us he was studying to be a PI. And DeeDee said earlier at the juice bar he’d worked as a cop for a while in his early years, so maybe he’s reopening Scott’s old case as a trial run for future work?” Issy said.

  “I don’t know.” Dex put Bella down then rubbed his hand over his face. “The fact the guy disappeared so suddenly doesn’t look good for him.”

  “Oh.” Ember smiled. “I tried to get ahold of my friend at the airport to ask about where Jerry went on his vacation, but the guy’s not on duty until tomorrow. He’s supposed to call me first thing in the morning, so I’ll let you all know what I find out then.”

  “I called in a few favors at the Bureau as well, to see if they could trace his ticket numbers and find out his destination, but so far nothing’s come through the regular police channels.”

  “Huh.” Issy gave him a small wink. “Guess sometimes it pays to do things unofficially, then.”

  The heat in his golden-hazel eyes set her belly tingling anew. His full lips quirked into a small half-smile. “Yeah, I guess it does.”

  “Well, there’s nothing more we can do here tonight.” Gray held out his arm so Cosmo could climb back onto his shoulder again before he pushed to his feet and yawned. “I’m going home.”

  Dex sat forward, resting his forearms on his knees, his expression serious. “Wait. I have a question.”

  The Quinn cousins turned to him.

  “If you’re all witches, why can’t you conjure up the missing stuff from Adele’s shelves?”

  Gray met Issy’s gaze, shocked. “He knows the truth?”

  “I knew there was something going on between the two of you!” Ember clapped, her tone triumphant.

  “You’re not going to haul us in for arrest, are you, Dex?” Raine asked, her expression guarded. “That wouldn’t be very nice. Especially since you’re dating my cousin now.”

  “We are not dating,” Issy said, the words sounding hollow. She avoided Dex’s gaze, though she could feel the weight of his stare. Heat prickled her cheeks as she sought the right words to explain what had happened. “After what he’d seen at Enid’s, he was bound to figure it out sooner or later. Especially after Luigi couldn’t erase his memory like the first time.”

  “Wait. What first time?” Dex scowled. “Somebody erased my memory?”

  Issy ignored his question and spoke to her cousins instead. “Don’t worry. He’s promised not to turn us in. He’s on our side.”

  “Is he now?” Gray said, sounding unconvinced.

  “I am.” Dex looked up and met Gray’s gaze. After a few minutes, a silent understanding seemed to pass between the two men. They each gave a curt nod, and Gray sat back down. Dex tried again. “First, tell me who erased my memory and why. And second, explain to me why you guys can’t just make this stuff appear. I want to understand.”

  “It doesn’t work that way,” Gray said. “Though life would be a lot easier if things worked like they did on Bewitched. And your memory was cleaned after the Louella Drummond case by order of our local Witch Committee. They couldn’t risk having a human running around, especially one who worked for the FBPI, after having seen all that magic out in the woods that night.”

  “I don’t remember any of that,” Dex said, obviously confused.

  “Exactly.” Gray grinned.

  “I wish things were as easy as Bewitched.” Raine laughed. “I’d love to be able to conjure myself a new wardrobe whenever I wanted one.”

  “Or snap my fingers and transport myself to Paris for the day,” Ember said, snuggling her kittens. “We’d love to see the Eiffel Tower again.”

  “Honestly, Dex, your original question would take far longer than one night to answer,” Issy said. “Suffice it to say, magic isn’t about making things appear and disappear so much as it is about controlling the energy around us and using that energy to manifest what’s already there. And intention. Always intention.”

  “Huh. Yeah, that sort of makes sense, I guess.” Dex looked thoughtful. “We’ll have to discuss it more someday, though, when we have the time.”

  Hope flared anew inside Issy that maybe, just maybe, things between her and Dex might work out after all. He’d not balked at her explanation of magic. In fact, if his statement was any indication, he seemed more intrigued than ever. And the promise of them talking more in the future was a bonus, especially if that talking led to more kissing, like it had tonight.

  “Hey, Dex,” Raine said, her grin devilish. “I just got a new shipment of Chinese Lantern plants in yesterday at the greenhouse. Don’t bearded dragons love those as treats?”

  “I’m not sure, to be honest.” He glanced at Issy, who nodded. “I guess they do.”

  “Perfect.” Raine stood. “The company sent way more than I ordered, so I have extras. I’ll drop some off by your house tomorrow.”

  “Yes!” Ember pushed to her feet as well. “And I made a special fruit concoction that’s safe for bearded dragons to eat. I’m sure little Gordon would love it. I’ll bring some over along with Raine.” She smiled serenely then winked at Issy. “You might as well come along. Say around eleven? That way our assistants can cover the lunch crowd?”

  “Oh, I don’t know.” Issy glanced at Dex uncertainly. Things seemed to be going well between them tonight, and she didn’t want to press her luck too far, plus she got the distinct impression her cousins were up to something. “I’m sure Dex is busy tomorrow and—”

  “Actually,” Dex said, standing and pulling out his phone, his smile amused. “I will be home tomorrow morning. The cable guy is coming to fix something. I’d love to show off my new bungalow to someone other than Gordon.” He jotted down his address then handed it to Issy, along with a key to Adele’s house.

  She grabbed the paper with his address, but he pulled back the key before she could grab it. Issy gave him a confused look, but he just grinned. “On second thought, I’ll keep the key. You guys don’t need this, right?” He headed for the door, pausing on the threshold. “Just use your magical abili
ties to lock up before you leave, okay?”

  15

  “Hey, cuz.” Raine bustled into Enchanted Pets the next morning, her arms loaded down with Chinese Lantern plants. “Sorry to back out on you at the last minute, but I’ve got a whole batch of my prized orchids wilting, and I don’t have anyone to tend to them.” She plopped the pots down on Issy’s counter then brushed the dirt off her hands. “Sorry I can’t go to Dex’s with you.”

  “Darn.” Issy frowned. “Hope your plants get better soon.”

  Raine waved on her way out the door.

  Issy grabbed an empty cardboard box from the back room and set the plants inside then snatched her bag from beneath the counter and fished out her keys. “Hannah? I’m going to load these into Brown Betty. When Ember gets here, can you send her down to my truck? We’ll leave from there.”

  “Sure thing, boss,” Hannah said, waving. “Have a good time.”

  “See you in an hour or so.” Issy headed outside, Bella trotting along on her leash. The sun was out, and the day felt warmer than usual. She walked the half a block to her old pickup and balanced the box on one hip while she unlocked the passenger side door then bent inside the truck to settle the box in the small space behind the seats. Nervous excitement fizzed in her stomach, and she couldn’t seem to keep the silly grin off her face. Truth was, she hadn’t been able to stop thinking about Dex and the latest kiss they’d shared. Seemed each time they were together, the invisible cord between them grew stronger. And now, with him all but coming out and saying he accepted her, magic and all…

  Well, Issy felt more hopeful about a possible relationship between them than she had in a long, long time. Now, if Ember would just get a move on, they could head over to Dex’s bungalow before his cable guy finished for the morning.

  “There you are.” Ember rushed down the sidewalk, a small white shopping bag with the Divine Cravings logo embellished on the side in her hand. “I’m really sorry, Issy, but I’m afraid I can’t make it today either. Got a big order for a last-minute dinner party tonight and I’ve got a ton of desserts to make this morning.” She held out the bag to Issy. “Here’s the lizard treats. Be sure to give him a scratch under the chin for me.”

  Ember winked, and Issy got the distinct impression she’d just been set up. Still, she asked, “Gordon, you mean?”

  “Sure. Him too.” Ember slowly backed away. “Have fun!”

  Issy shook her head and secured Bella onto the passenger seat before walking around to get in her truck. She’d been nervous enough seeing Dex again with her cousins along. Now, she’d be seeing him again all alone. Her chest squeezed with apprehension. Maybe he’d changed his mind. Maybe he’d decided being with a paranormal was too much bother. Maybe he’d regretted kissing her last night.

  She took a deep breath and checked for oncoming traffic before pulling out into the lane and driving the few short blocks from downtown Silver Hollow to the quiet residential neighborhood where Dex had rented his house.

  After parking in front of his cute white-and-green bungalow, she got out and walked around the truck to let Bella out. She reached in for Raine’s box of plants then grabbed Ember’s bag of treats before closing the door with her butt. Swallowing hard against the constriction in her throat, she walked up his front sidewalk to the porch and rang the doorbell with her elbow while Bella yipped beside her, a happy litany of telepathic thoughts bombarding Issy’s brain, this time in full sentences at least.

  I like it here, Mommy! Lots of interesting smells here, Mommy!

  Can we go inside, Mommy?

  Dex answered the door, his smile warming her from head to toe.

  “Good morning!” He took the box from her arms. “You look great, Issy.”

  Heat prickled her cheeks as she ran her hand down the front of her black cardigan and slacks. She’d decided to wear something other than her usual jeans and T-shirt today, knowing she’d be coming to see him. The fact he’d noticed—and appreciated her appearance, if the sparkle in his hazel eyes was any indication—made her feel special. She wasn’t used to anyone, especially a man she was interested in, taking any notice of how she looked.

  “Come on in.” Dex waved her inside his home. “The cable guy is still here working in the den, so please excuse the mess.”

  “Thank you.” She passed by him and picked up Bella, catching a whiff of his sandalwood cologne as she stepped into his open-floor-plan living room. Her heels clacked on the gleaming hardwood floors, and the overstuffed furniture and warm paint tones made the giant space feel homey and comfortable. She stood there for a minute, just gazing around, before remembering what was in her hand. “Oh, here. The treats Ember made for Gordon.”

  He took the bag and set it on the counter beside the box of plants. “Thanks. Where are your cousins? I thought they were coming too.”

  “They couldn’t make it. Sorry. Things at work.”

  “Ah.” One side of his full lips quirked up into a small smile as he took a step toward her. “Guess that means it’s just you and me this morning, then, huh?”

  “Yeah.” Issy stared at the toes of her black pumps, tucking a stray strawberry-blond curl behind her ear with a shaking hand, suddenly shy. “I guess so.”

  “You can put the dog down, if you want.”

  “Great.” Issy unclipped Bella’s leash and set her on the floor. The small Pom’s nails scrabbled against the polished floor as she ran over to Gordon’s vivarium in the corner of the living room. The little lizard raised his front foot in a wave, and Issy smiled. “How’s my little green buddy doing?”

  “He’s great.” Dex reached past her to pull out one of Ember’s treats, and Issy did her best to suppress a shudder at his nearness. Together, they walked over to the bearded dragon’s enclosure. “Want to try one of these, buddy?”

  Issy giggled as Gordon snatched the treat from Dex and gobbled it up like it was going out of style. “He seems to like those.”

  “Yes, he does.” Dex stood close enough that his shoulder brushed against hers.

  “So.” Dex rocked back on his heels. “We’re alone, then.”

  She caught his eye and blinked. “We are.”

  Bella yipped as if in protest, and Gordon waved once more.

  “Okay.” Issy grinned. “Maybe not all alone.”

  “No. Not all alone.” He reached out and hooked his finger beneath Issy’s chin. “I missed you.”

  “You just saw me last night.” Her words husked out of her suddenly dry throat.

  “I know.” His warm breath ghosted over her skin as his soft lips met hers in a featherlight kiss. Those same sparks, brilliant and incandescent, danced between them like fireflies, and she sighed, inching closer to him, her hand resting on Dex’s chest, right over his pounding heart. Issy’s own pulse thundered in her ears. Dex slipped his arms around her waist to pull her even closer, and she realized the world could stop turning right here and now and she’d die a happy woman.

  “All right, sir.” The cable guy walked into the living room and set his toolkit down on the hardwood floor with a clatter. Issy jumped away from Dex before he could catch her. “I’ll need your signature here on the dotted line, then I’ll be out of your hair.” The cable guy looked up from his clipboard and glanced from Dex to Issy then back again. “Hope I wasn’t interrupting anything.”

  Issy shook her head and moved to the far side of the living room, not trusting her voice to speak, while Dex took care of business with the cable guy. By the time the repairman left, she’d almost gotten her rapid breath under control. Almost.

  Dex closed the door then ran a hand through his dark hair, dots of crimson lining his high cheekbones. If Issy didn’t know better, she’d think he was as affected as she was by their brief kiss. He took a deep breath then looked at her again, those sparks flaring brightly between them. Dex headed over to where she stood by the window, his expression intent. “Issy, I think we…”

  Frowning, Dex stopped several feet away from her and pulle
d out his phone. “Sorry. Hang on, I need to take this.”

  She stared at his retreating back as he headed toward the kitchen area. Knees still a bit wobbly, Issy took a seat on the sofa in the living room and reached down to scratch Bella behind the ears.

  Do you like him, Mommy? I like him a lot, Mommy! Can we stay here, Mommy?

  “Sorry about that.” Dex returned a few moments later. He shut off his phone and shoved the device back in his pocket. “Let me show you around the place.”

  “Sure. Great.” Issy stood, Bella in her arms, and followed him down a short hallway. “This is a nice home.”

  “Thanks.” He glanced back at her over his shoulder, and her heart stumbled. “I haven’t been here long enough to do much with it yet.”

  “You should hang up some pictures. Maybe get some curtains. Personalize it a bit more.” She followed him into an empty guest bedroom. “Make it feel more like a home. There’s a nice shop in the next town over that specializes in home décor. Last time I was there they had these mission-style lamps that would work perfectly in your living room.”

  “Hmm.” He showed her two more bedrooms and a guest bathroom before walking her back into the living room again. “Well, that’s it.”

  “Very nice. And a great neighborhood too. Lots of families and kids.”

  “Yeah, I like it here so far.”

  They both looked anywhere but at each other as awkwardness descended again.

  “Can I get you something to drink?” he asked, heading for the kitchen.

  Issy trailed behind, stopping to lean against the granite-topped breakfast bar. “No, I’m good, thanks.”

  He opened the fridge and pulled out a bottled water then leaned his hips back against the counter. “I was actually thinking about calling my landlord and seeing if I could get out of my lease.”

  “Really?” Issy’s heart tumbled to her toes once more. Just when she thought they might have a chance together, he was leaving again. “That’s too…”