Family Feud: The Witching Hour Series Book 5

by Joanna Mazurkiewicz

  Mrs. Taylor lived in a quiet magical community, a small village in Canterbury. She was well respected by everyone in the village. Over the past two years she had been an important and active senior member of The Elves Association. All the residents are in shock and everyone has been asking themselves who would want to murder an elderly elf. Especially when the crime rate in the village is very low.

  Chief Inspector Jerry Taylor, the son of Mrs. Taylor, was on the scene too. It was clear to them that Mrs. Taylor was killed by a strong black magic spell, the spells that have been banned by the magical association since the fifteenth century. The air was filled with remnants of the lethal and dangerous spells.

  As our source reports, Mrs. Taylor hadn't been living an entirely quiet life after all. Unofficially, Mrs. Taylor had been put in charge of a trust fund for The Elves Association. Many members had reported that around five-hundred-thousand-pounds went missing two days before Mrs. Taylor’s murder.

  The only person who had access to the money was Mrs. Taylor herself, and, despite her wealth, she was the only suspect in the theft.

  The source believes that the suspect wasn't working alone. A few months ago, Mrs. Taylor was seen with an unidentified wizard on a number of occasions. They seemed intimate, despite the fact that at seventy years of age, Barbra Taylor had been happily married for over forty years.

  I stopped reading, glancing over the pictures that Daily Secret had managed to get of my grandmother before she died. The pictures were blurry, but I could see the skinny man with her. In others, she was having dinner in one of the best restaurants in London and Brighton, but my grandfather wasn't accompanying her. My heart sunk, and I swallowed hard coming back to the article, thinking that this couldn't possibly be true. My grandmother was old fashioned, and she would have never cheated on Grandpa Fred.

  Our source reports that the unidentified wizard was part of the black coven of witches that has terrorised London over the past few months.

  There have been rumours that Mrs. Taylor had become interested in black magic. The five hundred thousand pounds that went missing were supposed to help her with the creation of some sort of potion.

  We can only speculate that something went very wrong and Mrs. Taylor must have angered the wrong individuals. That night she paid with her own life, but so far, the Paranormal Unit hasn't confirmed anything. We are still waiting for a comment from Chief Inspector Jerry Taylor.

  The entire community is in shock and questions are being asked. Was Barbra Taylor involved? Or was she just the victim of an affair that went terribly wrong?

  This remains to be seen.

  I put my phone away, trying to calm my racing pulse, but millions of questions began exploding in my mind. Nathaniel was sitting in the chair opposite me, not taking his eyes off me. I swallowed again feeling sick as my breakfast started turning inside my stomach.

  "I don't believe any of this," I said, my voice loud and cracking.

  "It's a pile of garbage. I told you to leave it alone and not to read it. We need to wait for the police report before we start jumping to any conclusions."

  My magic was on alert, actively racing through me. Since my lessons with Tron, I’d been able to control it, but right now I was powerless.

  "My grandmother always had secrets, but she was a good person, Nathaniel."

  "I don't doubt that, and for your family’s sake, stop reading this bullshit. No one knows what really happened there."

  I dropped my head into my hands trying to understand why no one had heard from Grandpa Fred, trying to figure out who that wizard was that had been seen with her just before she was murdered. Nathaniel sat beside me and embraced me with his strong arms. I felt safe, and somehow, he managed to push away the anxiety.

  In the past year everything had been slowly falling into place. My parents were back together, Nathaniel and I were getting married and I’d finally gained control of my magic. All of a sudden, my family life was shattered, with yet another mysterious magical drama.

  We couldn't hide in Nathaniel’s apartment all day long. Too many thoughts were rushing through my mind. Somehow our perfect Saturday passed filled with grief and anxiety. I wasn't looking forward to meeting with my family, but we needed each other at a time like this.

  I left Nathaniel’s apartment an hour later. Just after four, Roberto picked us up at the entrance. Reporters were nearly everywhere and when they saw Nathaniel’s limo they started snapping pictures, screaming and running after the car. Luckily for us, Roberto managed to get out of the gate quickly enough.

  Nathaniel pressed his mouth to my forehead, and I felt warmth spreading down my body. The drive through London was long, the traffic was terrible and by the time we reached my Aunt Dorothy’s home I had this horrible feeling in my gut that something was wrong. I checked my bag, wondering if I had forgotten anything, and looked through my messages. In the end I tried to relax, thinking about the future.

  "Mr. La Caz, I believe we have been followed by a few reporters," Roberto called back to us looking at Nathaniel through his rear-view mirror.

  "I should have anticipated this would happen," Nathaniel muttered when Roberto stopped the car. "Julia, I think it’ll be better if I stay in the car. Your family will feel less nervous if I'm not there."

  I rubbed my hands together.

  "But you’re part of this family, Nathaniel. They should be used to you by now."

  "Of course, but I'm still a dhampir, firecracker, and we only just got engaged. Some of the members of your family might feel a little on edge with me being in the same room with them."

  I took a couple of deep breaths and got out of the car. I was instantly surrounded by reporters. They were snapping pictures, stirring up my magic.

  "Julia, hey, Julia, any comments on your grandmother’s murder case?"

  "Do you believe that she really committed fraud?"

  "Where is your grandfather?"

  I very nearly snapped, but Nathaniel was beside me within moments. He grabbed my hand and we ran to my aunt’s apartment block.

  "You can't stay in the limo, and I don't see why you should have to wait outside. My family has to respect that we’re together." He hesitated, looking back at the street filled with a crowd of reporters. He knew I was right. Nathaniel wasn't particularly well behaved when it came to being civilised around the press, and we didn't want to bring more attention to ourselves.

  "All right, maybe it's easier this way," he replied with a faint smile.

  No one in my family, apart from me, had ever been involved with another breed of paranormal. Most of my cousins and my aunt were all married to fairies and elves. My grandmother had never given me enough reasons why she didn't want me to be with him. She could never tell me why I couldn't date Nathaniel and I hated secrets.

  I felt sad that she never had a chance to get to know him. I felt obligated to convince the rest of the family that he was a good and responsible man.

  Aunt Dorothy lived on the second floor; she shared her three-bedroom flat with her husband and daughter Claudia. A few years ago, my cousin had been kidnapped by a bunch of paranormals. They had been draining her blood in order to replicate a product of Nathaniel’s. It turned out that Caleb McGregor had been involved, Nathaniel’s long-time enemy, who was now dead.

  In the end I rescued Claudia, putting my own life in danger, and I had a feeling that I would need to do the same to find my grandmother’s killer.

  Aunt Dorothy opened the door, hitting me with an unexpected energy. It looked like she had been crying; her red-rimmed eyes were all puffy and swollen.

  "Julia, please come in," she said glancing at Nathaniel.

  "Hello, Dorothy, please accept my condolences," he said.

  "Thank you, Nathaniel, please come on in. Everyone is convened in the living room.” She looked at me. “Your parents are on their way."

  "Dad?" I asked, surprised. "I didn't think he would come."

  "I told him it was his duty, and he yell
ed through the phone that he doesn’t have time for this kind of nonsense. It's difficult for him, I know, because he’s not involved in the case, but family must stick together at a time like this."

  I agreed with her and was really looking forward to talking to Dad. Mum could handle him, but it was difficult.

  Paulina, Paula, Claudia, and my other aunt and uncle were scattered around the small living room. As soon as we walked in, all my cousins surrounded me. It was hard to get ahold of my emotions when I knew that Grandma was gone.

  I swallowed my tears and sat down. My other aunt, Aunt Jenny, glared at my fiancé like she had just swallowed a lemon. Nathaniel was leaning against the wall looking at me intensely.

  "Aunt Dorothy, are you sure Dad’s going to be here?" I asked again, doubting very much he would give up tracking down Grandma’s killer.

  "Yes, yes, he’s on the way. In the meantime, maybe you can explain what you actually saw in that house? I don’t believe anything written in the papers. They’re just looking for a good story, if you ask me."

  Each member of the family muttered with approval, nodding their agreement.

  I don't know if I can talk about what I saw.

  Then everyone turned their blue eyes on me, waiting for some kind of explanation. I opened my mouth to say that it looked like my grandmother was struck with a black magic spell, when we heard a loud knock, and a second later someone barged through the door.

  It was my dad, but I barely recognised him.

  Chapter 4

  Stubbornness.

  "Oh, my God, Jerry, what happened to you?" Aunt Dorothy gasped, looking at my father with a horrified expression on her face.

  Dad had a swollen black eye, split lip and bruised knuckles; he stank of manure and was covered in what I could only hope was mud. Mum was right behind him. I bet she had a lot to tell me, but the whole family was already in the living room waiting to start, probably waiting with bated breath for every word.

  "Don't worry about me. I'm fine, Dorothy. Have you heard from Dad?" he asked, walking straight into the living room. He was absolutely filthy, and he had done a lousy job trying to hide the fact that he’d used some kind of protection spell probably about an hour or so ago. His energy was pulsing from his body, electrifying the hair on my arms.

  "No, I haven't. No one knows where he is," my aunt replied, concern filling her squeaky voice.

  "Dad, what the hell is going on?" I demanded, standing right in front of him with my hands on my hips.

  "Sit down, dear," he ordered me, ignoring my question and looking at everyone in the room. "The Commissioner insists that I stay away from the investigation. Now, I’ve confirmed that Mum died from a poisonous, illegal spell. I’ve seen the report from the forensic team and it's clear. She was definitely murdered."

  "Mum had her Elf Association … I don't understand any of it, Jerry. Who would have—?"

  "I have no idea, Dorothy," he interrupted. "At the moment everything is unclear and these stories in the media are doing a lot of damage. The Association won't comment on these absurd allegations. Our mother held this family together and she would have never done anything wrong."

  Everyone was nodding in agreement, but I couldn't focus on what he was saying. He was already too emotionally involved. If he interfered anymore he would be risking his career and reputation.

  Someone must have been selling stories to the papers, and there were plenty of paranormals who were willing to share stories about my grandmother’s past. Both my grandparents had made a significant amount of money over the years. Tron made it clear that some members of the community didn't like the fact that they got rich so quickly.

  "I don't believe in the fraud or the affair with the wizard,” Aunt Dorothy said. “We should all sue the Daily Secret. These headlines are slowly going to destroy the Taylors’ reputation."

  Dad scrubbed his hand over his face, appearing agitated; Mum placed a calming hand on his shoulder. The magic in the room shifted, increasing the delicate tension between everyone.

  "I don't know what to believe anymore. I’ve spoken to the neighbours about that night when Mum was found dead. Apparently, Dad had been away quite a bit in the past three months. The shopkeeper in the village said he saw a white Mercedes parked outside the house more than a dozen times. She was seen with a tall, skinny man, much younger than her."

  Awkward silence filled the room as soon as these words left Dad’s mouth. All my cousins were shaking their heads in disbelief, and I swallowed hard, trying not to think the worst. They had all undoubtedly read the stories that flooded the papers. I hadn't been in contact with Grandma for a while, so I had no idea what had really been going on between her and Grandpa Fred.

  "Come on, Jerry, don't jump to conclusions until you have all the evidence. Maybe this whole thing is just one huge coincidence," Nathaniel said, barging into the middle of the room. I was glad he had the guts to say that this story sounded far-fetched. Grandma was extremely powerful, and she did lead a quiet and uneventful life, but her past was still a mystery to all of us. "We have to find your father first and I think I'll be wasting my breath if I told you to leave it to the Unit, right?"

  Dad swore loudly, and Mum slapped at his back. He vibrated with anger and frustration, probably because his hands were tightly held in fists trying to manage his magic.

  "The Commissioner has given me a desk job in another department until the investigation is completed. It was either that or being on sick leave until the investigation is concluded. I have no access to any files, witnesses or even my own desk for Christ sake. He even threatened me with compulsory redundancy if I don't take some time out, at least until after the funeral."

  "Oh, Dad," I gasped, bringing my hands to my face.

  "Maybe it's better this way, Uncle Jerry. The unit will find the murderer and straighten out this whole thing with Grandma," Claudia, my other cousin, said, rubbing her hands over her jeans. I knew exactly what she meant. Dad couldn't rely on his own judgment when he was dealing with such a personal matter. His mother had been murdered, so I understood the Commissioner’s logic.

  "The Taylor family name is in jeopardy of being tarnished. I can't sit around and let them deal with it."

  "Dad, Claudia is right. We all knew Grandma. She hated black magic. Dannika will clear our family name. Nathaniel has already spoken to her," I said, feeling heat rising in my body. Dad kept shaking his head.

  "See, Jerry, listen to Julia and stop getting yourself into trouble. We’re here to discuss the funeral arrangements and to pay respect to your mother," Mum said, shaking her head. I bet she’d already spoken to him, but that conversation most likely hadn’t gone anywhere, judging from his psychical state.

  "What about Dad, Jerry? Where is he?" Aunt Dorothy asked. "Do you think he might have something to do with what happened to Mum?"

  "His absence concerns me. Dad wouldn't leave without a word. There’s a possibility that he’s been taken against his will."

  I had no idea what to make of Grandpa Fred’s disappearance. Dad was confident that he wasn't involved in Grandma’s murder, and I thought that whoever had come up with this theory was crazy. Dannika was trying to find him, but so far without any luck.

  After the family sat down to discuss the funeral arrangements, I cornered him by the bathroom, demanding to know why he looked like he had been fighting. He refused to explain himself, telling me to worry about the funeral, not him. Three hours later, I felt like my head was going to explode. I had a migraine and I couldn't function properly. Aunt Dorothy and Mum suggested that the funeral be held on Friday, which meant that the wake was only four days away.

  I overheard Dad talking to his other sister on the phone about some giants who supposedly could give him some information. By the time everyone parted I knew I had to get involved in finding my grandmother’s killer. Dad didn't care about rules anymore; he was going directly against his boss’s orders. He worked hard for twenty years to climb the career ladder and
now he was going to throw it all away. I couldn't let him do that.

  My family was important to me and I had every right to get involved, hopefully before my father got himself killed while trying to solve this complicated case.

  When I got back into Nathaniel’s limo, the reporters were still there snapping pictures, asking the same pointless questions. Nathaniel grabbed my hand and squeezed it, when Roberto put his foot down on the accelerator.

  "Your father will be a problem. He’s too tied to this case; he won't let go. I could smell trolls’ blood on him under the mud."

  I exhaled, and looked back at him, knowing exactly what he was talking about. Dad had worked in the police department for a very long time and he’d developed useful contacts over the years. He wasn't going to let this go; he was more stubborn than I was.

  “That's why I have to find the killer first, before he ruins his career forever."

  It probably wasn't what Nathaniel wanted to hear, but I couldn't sit and pretend that everything was fine.

  "You have no idea who you’re dealing with, Julia. Besides, someone is still after you and your power. You don't want to jump the gun just yet."

  "Everything went wrong last time, but this is different. I'm more aware and more experienced. Dad has no idea what Tron taught me during those few months when my abilities developed. I can't let my father lose everything that he’s worked for all his life. You of all people should understand this."

  Nathaniel exhaled and closed his eyes. I knew he didn't want me to put myself at risk or in a dangerous situation. He could pay people to do all the dirty work for him. I already knew that was what he was thinking about. But when it came to my family, I was ready for anything, would sacrifice anything.

  "So, what are you saying, Julia?"

  "I'm saying that I have to find the murderer fast and figure out the truth."

  Even in the darkened car I could feel he wasn't pleased. The witch who tried to kill me last year believed I was blessed with extraordinary abilities, that I could help her gain immortality. When the witch was just about to take my soul, Jasper appeared and distracted her long enough for me to get free. During the ordeal, I was convinced that Nathaniel was also involved, that he’d been helping her all along. As if all that wasn't enough, my father was struck with a deadly curse. He was dying and out of desperation I made a deal with Jasper. He wanted me to reconsider taking him back. That was his price for helping me, and out of desperation I agreed. Unfortunately for him, after I realised that Nathaniel had only been protecting me, working against the dark witch, I chose Nathaniel over Jasper—and that didn't go over too well.