Lucky Witch: A Beechwood Harbor Magic Mystery (Beechwood Harbor Magic Mysteries Book 5)

by Danielle Garrett

  Lucky Witch

  A Beechwood Harbor Magic Mystery Book Five

  Danielle Garrett

  Copyright © 2017 by Danielle Garrett

  Edited by Magical Words Edits

  Cover Design by Alchemy Book Covers

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.

  Created with Vellum

  Contents

  Books By Danielle Garrett

  Introduction

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Acknowledgments

  About Danielle Garrett

  Books By Danielle Garrett

  BEECHWOOD HARBOR MAGIC MYSTERIES

  Murder’s a Witch

  Twice the Witch

  Witch Slapped

  Witch Way Home

  Along Came a Ghost

  Lucky Witch

  BEECHWOOR HARBOR GHOST MYSTERIES

  The Ghost Hunter Next Door

  Ghosts Gone Wild

  When Good Ghosts Get the Blues (Winter 2017)

  Introduction

  It’s St. Patrick’s Day and Holly’s feeling lucky…

  At least, right up until a dead body shows up in the woods behind the esteemed Beechwood Manor.

  With the townspeople distracted by a mysterious shamrock-themed scavenger hunt, everyone seems content to chalk up the death as a tragic hunting accident. But when the clover-shaped clues lead back to the crime scene, things take a deadly turn.

  With a rogue leprechaun on the loose and something sinister lurking on the edges of town, it’s up to Holly to stop the murderer and keep the paranormal powers from swallowing up the sleepy town she's grown to love.

  Chapter 1

  “Okay, Cass, I get that St. Patrick’s Day is this weekend, but green whipped cream feels a little over the top. Don’t you think?”

  Not to mention it looked a lot like pond scum.

  Cassie rounded the corner and stopped to consider the drink I’d just decked out with the frothy, swamp-gator-green cloud. She smiled. “I think it’s festive and fun,” she decided. “Don’t forget the shamrock sprinkles!” she called over her shoulder as she bounced across the shop, broom in hand, to start sweeping up.

  “You’re right. That will definitely make it all better,” I muttered under my breath as I reached for the container of specialty sprinkles.

  “Who is that for, anyway? Did someone call in an order?” Cassie asked. A natural question as we hadn’t had a customer for the past half an hour.

  “I’m going to take it over to Nick after I clock out.” I snapped a lid on the piping hot mocha. “He’s having a … rough time lately. I thought a mocha would cheer him up.”

  Rough time was a massive understatement. Having recently been attacked by a werewolf, he was set to undergo his first change in a few nights. He’d never admit it, but I knew he was terrified. Regardless of the circumstances of the curse, I’d have wanted to reach out and take care of him in his time of personal crisis, but I felt especially protective because the only reason he’d been anywhere near a werewolf was because of me. The scene replayed through my mind every day, and each time, half a dozen alternate endings would appear and I’d kick myself all over again for letting it happen.

  Not that I could share any of that with Cassie. She was one of my few human friends, blissfully unaware of the supernatural world lurking right under her nose, and I was going to do everything to keep it that way. Introducing Nick to the supernatural world over the past few weeks had been exhausting and painful enough.

  The front door swung open and I forced my tangled thoughts to the back of my mind and turned to greet Mrs. Brooks and Mrs. Grady as they shuffled through the door. As usual, the inseparable friends were wearing nearly identical track suits and sneakers, just in slightly different hues, along with reflector belts and fanny packs. “How’s the training going, ladies?” I asked.

  The two septuagenarians were organizing, as well as training for, the Easter walk-or-run 5K their church was hosting for a local charity and came in every day to get a couple of post-walk treats.

  “As well as can be expected, Holly dear,” Mrs. Grady replied, sagging against the counter. “Only a few weeks left to go!”

  “We’ll be ready with time to spare,” Mrs. Brooks said, dismissing her friend’s concerns with a flap of her hand as her eyes wandered to what was left in the dessert case. “Oh, goody! There’s one left.”

  I didn’t need her to specify; she always ordered the same thing. I smiled and grabbed the tongs. “It’s got your name on it, Mrs. Brooks.”

  “You’re such a dear, Holly.”

  I tucked the maple-pecan scone inside a pastry bag, then took their drink orders and rang up the purchase. They argued over who was going to pay and then took their items over to one of the tables after opting to go dutch.

  Cassie stopped at their table to engage in some small talk and I went back to cleaning the espresso machine. Cassie had to stay late and take care of payroll so I was trying to get as much done before leaving.

  “Have you heard anything about this, Holly?” Cassie called out a few minutes later.

  She was still standing at the ladies’ table and waved a green sticky note at me when I turned to answer her. “What is it?”

  “Apparently we’re not the only ones getting in the holiday spirit,” she said, grinning at me. “Someone’s organized a shamrock scavenger hunt around town!”

  “That’s right.” Mrs. Brooks nodded. “We found this clue on our way past the hardware store. It says A surprise awaits if you take the bait.”

  I wrinkled my nose. “What does that mean?”

  “We won’t know until we find the next clue, silly!” Mrs. Grady replied. “Don’t you know how scavenger hunts work?”

  “It’s so much fun! Yesterday, Jack Gruber found some clues while he was out walking his dog. After three clues, he found an envelope with a gold coin tucked inside! Can you imagine? It was hiding under the park bench by the wishing fountain.”

  “And no one knows who’s behind it?” Cassie asked. “I can’t remember this happening before.”

  “No one’s come forward to claim responsibility. But I’ll tell you, whoever planned this all out is a real gem,” Mrs. Brooks gushed. “Not to mention, they must be loaded!”

  M
rs. Grady nodded in agreement. “Once we figure it out, we have to convince them to run for city council. They’d do a much better job planning the annual holiday social than Claudia Rust.”

  Mrs. Brooks pulled a face. “Well that wouldn’t take much! A blind squirrel with a credit card could do better than Claudia Rust!”

  Cassie’s lips twitched as she pressed them together to keep from laughing.

  I abandoned my cleaning and rounded the counter to get a closer look. “Can I see the clue?” I asked when I reached their table. Mrs. Brooks nodded and handed it to me. It was a green sticky note, cut in the shape of a four-leaf clover. The handwriting wasn’t familiar to me, but if I had to guess, it was female. The loopy letters were more ornate than most men would bother with. “Take the bait? Hmm.”

  Cassie raised a finger. “I know! Sam’s Bait and Tackle. I bet the next clue in the sequence is somewhere outside the bait shop.”

  The ladies exchanged a look and then hurried to push up from their chairs. “Sam will be leaving soon. We better hurry if we want to catch him before closing.”

  Mrs. Grady took their drink cups and Mrs. Brooks snatched the clue from my fingers. “Thanks, girls!”

  Cassie laughed. “Anytime. You’ll have to let us know what you find.”

  “Of course, dears. See you tomorrow!”

  They shuffled excitedly for the door and we watched them hurry down the sidewalk, whispering together with bright eyes. “Can you imagine the look on Sam’s face when those two burst through the front door, waving the clue around and demanding to know where the next one is?” I asked Cassie.

  She laughed. “I hope whoever hid the clues gave him a heads-up.”

  “Makes me want to grab some popcorn and go watch.”

  “I guess we’ll hear all about it tomorrow. And in the meantime, we know to keep our eyes peeled for clues.” Cassie stooped to sweep up the small pile of dust she’d collected. “I wouldn’t mind if someone wanted to hide a few clues around here. We could use the extra business.”

  “Not to mention the tip money,” I added, circling back to the register. I fished out the contents of the ceramic tip jar and quickly decided to leave it all for Cassie. It was hardly worth splitting.

  “It’ll pick up again soon enough,” she said, straightening. “Before we know it, the whole harbor will be overrun with tourists and I’ll be begging you to come back full time.”

  I smiled and pushed the tip jar away, pretending to pocket my share. “Guess I’ll have to see how business shakes out over the next couple of months.”

  Cassie smiled. “Considering your custom hair-care products are sold out every time I go the The Emerald, I’d say you’re in no danger of needing a full-time gig for the summer.”

  She was right. Since I’d gotten my potions master license and started making my own beauty products and specialty blends, I didn’t even really need the part-time gig. I mostly kept the job because Cassie and the other baristas were good company. Not to mention the unrestricted access to fresh bear claws and more coffee than even I could drink.

  “Speaking of, why don’t you go on ahead,” she said, leaning the broom against the counter. “I can finish up. Nick’s drink is probably getting cold.”

  I glanced up at the clock and realized it was less than ten minutes to closing. I nodded and reached around to untie my apron. “All right. You sure you don’t need me to do anything else before I go?”

  Cassie dumped the contents of the dustbin and shook her head. “I’ve got it under control. Say hello to Nick for me.”

  “Will do.” I wrote my time on my timecard, slipped it back into the binder under the register, and hung my apron up on a peg in the short hall that led to the back room of the small coffeehouse. I picked up Nick’s coffee cup and headed for the door. “Have a good night, Cass. See you in a few days.”

  Cassie laughed. “Who are you kidding, Holly? You and I both know you’ll be crawling in here tomorrow, begging for your coffee and sugar fix.”

  I grinned at her. “You know me too well. Although, until you get rid of that green whipped cream, I’m steering clear.”

  She flapped a hand. “Get out of here!”

  Nick’s private investigation office was a quick walk from Siren’s Song. Then again, practically everything in Beechwood Harbor was only a quick walk away. The tight-knit community was built in a circular pattern, with the heart of the seaside town, where all the shops and small businesses were nestled together, situated in the center. Out from there were sleepy neighborhoods lined with vintage bungalows. A little further out, the lots grew bigger, as did the houses sitting on them.

  As expected, Nick’s office light was still on when I entered the office building that had once been a sprawling log home. At some point, it was converted from a private residence to a commercial property and currently housed a number of small businesses.

  I tapped on the frosted glass door and didn’t bother waiting for Nick’s come in, before pulling it open.

  Nick sat at his desk and smiled up at me as I stepped inside the small but well-appointed space. “Hey, Holly. What brings you—” He stopped when he saw the mocha in my hand. He tilted his head. “What do I have to do to convince you that I’m fine?”

  I placed the paper cup on his desk and perched on the edge of one of the plush navy-blue chairs opposite him. I gave him an innocent smile. “Can’t I just bring my friend a cup of coffee?”

  “You could. But we both know that’s not what this is.” Nick was still smiling, but he raised his eyebrows. “I appreciate your concern, Holly, but you really don’t need to worry about me.”

  I sighed and sagged back against the soft chair. “All right, all right. I’m not. Just, um, tell me how things are. How’s business?” I perused the file folders spread across his desk. It looked sparse compared to normal, and possibly a little more disorganized than usual. I forced myself to bury the comment. “Anything interesting going on?”

  Nick picked up the coffee cup. “The most exciting thing that’s crossed my desk in the last month is a case of meandering lawn gnomes.”

  I stifled a laugh. “Oh, well now that sounds very important.”

  He chuckled. “Two weeks ago, my office was besieged by a bunch of grandmas who informed me that they’d pooled their bunko money to hire me to solve the case.”

  “Of wandering garden gnomes?”

  “Apparently gnomes are going missing, only to show up in someone else’s yard the following night.”

  “Oh my.” I sputtered a laugh. “Someone better call the National Guard.”

  “I wouldn’t be surprised if they’d already tried that before coming to me,” he said, taking a drink from the coffee. He started to set it down but did a double-take, his eyes glued to the green stains on the white lid. “Holly? What am I drinking?”

  I rolled my eyes to a mental chorus of I told you so. “You can thank Cassie. She thought it would be fun to dye the whipped cream green until St. Patty’s Day.”

  He peered at the cup a little closer. “Is that a tiny shamrock?”

  “Don’t worry, it’s organic food coloring.”

  “Well that’s a relief.” Nick laughed but set the cup aside. When his eyes met mine, he sighed and leaned across the desk. “You’ve got to stop giving me those big puppy eyes. I’m fine, all right?”

  “What puppy eyes?”

  He arched a dark brow.

  “I’m sorry.”

  “I know we’re getting close to … the event.” His eyes drifted to the large calendar hanging beside his file cabinet. “I’m ready. You and Adam have told me what to expect. At this point, the anticipation is probably more unpleasant than the actual…”

  “Change,” I finished for him when he couldn’t say the word.

  His eyes drifted back to mine and he faked a smile. “Right.”

  For both our sakes, I hoped he was right.

  Chapter 2

  Adam St. James, my shifter boyfriend, was waiting for me
in the kitchen of Beechwood Manor when I got home. It smelled like he’d been cooking, but I couldn’t quite place whatever it was he’d whipped up. I sniffed again, suspicious. With Adam, sometimes it was better not to ask; he tended to get creative in the kitchen and while I liked most of the results, there had been some that were downright cringe-worthy.

  “Hey there, gorgeous!” he said, twisting away from the fridge. He closed the door slowly. “How was work?”

  I held up my hands, showing off the patches of green skin from a mishap while mixing up Cassie’s sludge-slash-whipped-cream. “Interesting.”

  Adam laughed. “Taking your whole green thumb thing to another level, huh?”

  “Apparently! It should wash out in a day or two. I think…” I frowned down at my hands. “Anyway, after work I went over to visit Nick for a few minutes.”

  “Holly, please tell me you weren’t over there puppy-guarding Nick again.” He sighed and sank onto one of the chairs gathered around the farmhouse-style table that occupied half of the large kitchen. “No pun intended, obviously.”

  “I was not puppy-guarding. I was just saying hello, okay? Is that all right with you?”

  He frowned at me. “You’re not helping, gorgeous. He needs space and time to process this whole thing. How is he supposed to do that when you’re over there bugging him every day?”

  “It hasn’t been every day,” I protested, my voice thinning toward the end as I realized it probably had been every day. “I can’t help it! He’s my friend and I’m worried about him!”