Dark Moon Magic

by Jerri Drennen

  “Yes.”

  His brief answer had her studying him closely. He didn’t come here to tell her about the murder. He was here to ask where she was at the time it happened.

  “I didn’t do it, Trace. If that’s why you’re here.”

  “I know you didn’t, but a lot of strange events seemed to coincide with your coming to town.”

  Regina had no idea what she was supposed to say to that. It did seem odd things had happened, but she didn’t know Groves’s history. Had the place been Shangri-La before she moved to town?

  “I don’t know what you want me to say.”

  “I don’t, either, but is there anything I don’t know that I should? I mean—what the hell was that statue you had up the first day we met? It looked like a cross between an eagle and a lion. Care to tell me what it stands for and why you removed the thing?”

  Could she tell him the truth and trust he wouldn’t look at her as if she were evil?

  A knock at the door gave her a reprieve. “Excuse me,” she said before walking to the living room and answering the door.

  Tiah threw herself into Regina’s arms.

  Regina pulled back, happy to see her friend. “Did you drive all night?”

  “Yeah. I just packed a bag of essentials and rushed here. It was late, and I knew Rod wouldn’t be watching. The perfect time to come.” Tiah stopped to stare at Trace, who had followed Regina into the room. “Am I interrupting something?”

  Was she ever, and thank goodness for that.

  “Tiah, this is Sheriff Langston. Sheriff, this is my best-friend, Tiah. She’s from Little Rock.”

  He nodded. “I’d like to finish this talk later, Regina. Come by the office when you get a chance.”

  He walked out the door, and Regina released a labored breath. When they did speak, she needed to decide whether she was going to tell him everything or not.

  Tiah threw her arms around her again. “I’m so glad to be here. I missed you terribly.”

  “I missed you, too, but we have a big problem.”

  “Problem?” Tiah repeated, scrunching up her forehead.

  “I think someone in Groves is a very powerful force, and they’re trying to set me up for murder.”

  * * *

  Trace stepped into the office. Darla, his dispatcher, looked as grim as he was sure he did. Keith’s murder was going to send this quiet, little town into a panic, and life as they knew it would change. Trace would be busy responding to every noise the residents heard. He’d seen the paranoia in Chicago in a neighborhood that suddenly met with a killing. He’d see it here. But on a larger scale, and Regina Moon, being the new person in town, would be everyone’s choice suspect. After all, nothing bad had happened before she’d shown up. Trace was afraid for that reason only, her safety could be in jeopardy.

  “You got something from the CDC.” Darla held out a manila envelope. “Also, I put Nathan Horn up in Sweeney’s Bed and Breakfast. You’ll need to show him how to get there when he comes in. I think he’s over at Caulders’ having breakfast right now.”

  “Thanks, Darla. When Garrett shows up, tell him I need to talk to him right away.”

  “Sure thing, Trace. Are you okay? You look like hell.”

  He gave her a weak smile. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

  Trace dragged himself to the office and sat at his desk, memories of Keith bombarding him, causing his throat to tighten.

  He shook it off and tore open the envelope from the CDC. At the bottom of the page, it said results inconclusive. Great. That wasn’t any help.

  He tossed the paper and envelope down and sat back in his chair. Were all the events of the last couple of weeks related in some way? In his gut he sensed they were, and they all seemed to revolve around Regina. She didn’t look like the type to kill someone, and she certainly wasn’t strong enough. So, what was he missing? If he wasn’t so damned tired, he might be able to figure it out.

  “Hey, boss,” Garrett said from the doorway. “You wanted to see me?” His deputy looked as bad as Trace felt. Almost immediately after he’d talked to the State Police last night, Garrett had showed up at Keith’s. He knew his death had hit the guy every bit as hard as it had him, and Trace could see by his red-rimmed eyes Garrett hadn’t gotten any rest, either. “I want you to go home and get some sleep. Tonight, you’ll be on duty. I’m going to need you to sit outside Regina Moon’s place.”

  “What? Why? You don’t think she killed Keith, do you?”

  “No, I don’t. But I’ll bet my life everyone else in town will.”

  “But … oh,” he said, clearly catching on to what Trace was saying. “Because she’s new to town, and nothing like this has ever happened before.”

  “Exactly. I expect trouble, and she’ll be the target.”

  “All right, Trace. I’ll go home. I suggest you do the same. You look like hell.”

  “So I’ve been told. I will later. Now go on. I want you back here by five. Oh, one of Regina’s friends just came in from Little Rock. She’s a curvy blonde. I don’t want you to try and accost her because she’s hanging around.”

  Garrett nodded. “Okay. I’ll try and control myself.” He gave Trace a lopsided grin.

  “Go. Get out of here.” Trace leaned back in his chair and rubbed at the stubble on his chin. He was missing something. But what was it? Why would someone want Keith dead? Did it have anything to do with the fact he lived directly behind Regina? Maybe he saw something. Perhaps when the rock had been thrown? No. It couldn’t be that. Trace had been there that night.

  Damn it. What wasn’t he seeing?

  He closed his eyes and felt himself drifting off.

  “What are you going to do, Trace?” an angry male voice bellowed, instantly waking him.

  He found the town mayor, Ted Mueller, standing in the doorway, his round face as red as a male cardinal. The man was almost as wide as he was tall and would probably have a stroke if he didn’t calm down.

  “I’m doing all I can, Ted.” Trace sighed deeply.

  The mayor shook his head. “I think we know who killed Keith. Groves didn’t have one problem until that strange woman came to town. She has to be the one who murdered Keith.”

  “You have no proof of that. I can’t go arresting her because our town hadn’t had a murder before she came to live here. Don’t you see how ridiculous that is?”

  If possible, the man’s face flamed even redder. “You’re just protecting her because you want to get in her pants. Don’t think we didn’t all see how you looked at her last night at the dance. I want you to do your job, or you might just lose it.”

  “Are you threatening me?”

  “Look at it the way you want, Trace, but I want you to do your job. Keith deserves that from you.”

  “I am doing my job. Until I have evidence, I’m not arresting anyone. I will find Keith’s killer, and he or she will stand trial for his murder, and it’ll stick because I didn’t go off half-cocked because you wanted me to.”

  Trace stood. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a killer to find.” He stormed past the mayor, angry the man didn’t trust him to do what he should. After all, that was what Groves paid him for.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Tiah lit the ceremonial white candle and placed it on the table next to the clear glass bowl. “Are you ready?” she asked Regina, who stood next to her.

  “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

  Her friend picked up a photo of Regina and closed her eyes.

  Regina did the same. After a few minutes of meditation, they both opened them again.

  Tiah grabbed a piece of white ribbon, wrapped it around Regina’s picture, then looked at her and nodded. “I bind your soul from evil and protect you from all that harms,” they both repeated over and over until all the ribbon was looped around the picture.

  When Tiah placed the wrapped photo over the candle, the flame suddenly went out.

  Both sucked in a breath.

  “Oh my goodness” Tiah e
yes widened to the size of saucers. “Someone is determined to hurt you.”

  Regina had never felt so vulnerable. Sure, Rod had tried to kill her, but he was flesh and blood. This was something supernatural, and she didn’t know who or what was behind it or how to protect herself.

  “You want to try again? Tiah draped a hand on Regina’s shoulder. “Maybe it was a draft.”

  “I don’t think so. It’s still as the dead in here.”

  “Did you have to say dead?” Tiah visibly shivered.

  “What am I going to do?” Regina looked questioningly at her friend.

  “Let me do some research. Maybe I can find another way to shield you. Right now, let’s just try to get our minds off the whole mess.”

  “How?”

  “Tell me about that handsome sheriff of yours. I could feel the tension between you two. What happened?”

  “Nothing,” Regina said.

  Her friend’s gaze narrowed. “You’re lying. Now, tell me. Have you slept with him?”

  “Of course not. I told you, Rod has me swearing off men forever.”

  “Forever is a long time to go without sex, Reggie.”

  Regina shrugged. “So be it.”

  “You expect me to believe you plan to stay celibate with Sheriff Hottie around? I wanted to jump him myself, and I only just met him.”

  “You’d jump a log if it was in a pair of pants.”

  Tiah grinned. “True, but this man has a thing for you. You could see it.”

  Something rubbed Regina’s ankle, and she looked down to find Isis at her feet. “You want to be fed, don’t you?” She reached down, picked up the black ball of fur, and smiled.

  “Do you think he came to your door to protect you?” Tiah asked.

  Regina didn’t know, but in the short time she’d had the kitten, she’d become quite attached to it. “I hope so, since we couldn’t finish the spell of protection. I need all the help I can get.” She nuzzled Isis against her cheek and walked to the pantry to grab a can of food for him.

  Once the cat sat on the floor eating, Regina returned her attention to Tiah, who was watching something out the window.

  “What are you looking at?”

  “A police car.”

  “What?” Regina raced to her friend’s side.

  Indeed, it was Groves’s one and only cruiser, but it wasn’t Trace sitting inside; it was Garrett. What was he doing there?

  For the first time, Regina noticed it was starting to get dark. Where had the day gone?

  “You want me to go out and see what’s going on?” Tiah stared at the man in the car.

  “I’ll go. It’s the sheriff’s deputy. Maybe he came by to find out why I didn’t stop in and have that talk with Trace.”

  Regina walked to the door. Hopefully she wasn’t in trouble for not complying with the sheriff’s orders, but Tiah arrived in town and they’d spent the day talking about what was happening in Little Rock. It was nice to forget everything for a short time, even if the feeling hadn’t lasted.

  She stepped onto the front porch and watched Garrett for a moment. He hadn’t noticed her yet, but he seemed to be looking around and appeared in no hurry to get out of the car.

  Regina descended the steps and headed for the cruiser, watching the young man continue to check the perimeter. She was a few feet from the car when he saw her and smiled.

  He opened the door, got out, and started around the front to meet her. “Hey, Miss Moon. How are you this evening?”

  “I’m fine. My friend saw you from the window. I was just wondering why you’re parked outside my place.”

  “Hello,” Tiah said from behind them.

  Regina shook her head at her friend.

  Garrett cleared his throat, then said, “Hello.”

  “Garrett, this is my friend Tiah. Tiah, this is the deputy of Groves, Garrett Sherwood.”

  “Nice to meet you, Garrett.”

  Regina couldn’t help but notice the interest the guy had in her friend. Then again, who wouldn’t? Tiah was a striking beauty. Tall and blonde, with crystal-blue eyes and a friendly smile, revealing perfectly straight pearly-white teeth.

  “So, why are you here, Garrett?” Regina’s question forced him to look at her.

  “Trace was concerned there could be trouble.”

  “Trouble? What kind?”

  Instead of answering, he started to fidget.

  What was Trace so worried about? Something weird was happening here. “What is going on, Garrett?”

  He looked from her to Tiah. “With the murder and all, he thought it’d be best if we kept an eye on you. People tend to get irrational when something out of the ordinary happens. You’re new here, and …”

  “They’ll all assume I killed Keith, right?”

  Garrett shuffled from one foot to the other.

  “I want to talk to Trace.” Regina lost her patience. This was crazy but hardly unexpected. She was new to town, and they’d need someone to blame, and that would be her. She knew that. Trace knew it, too.

  “I’ll call him on the two-way, but he’s probably sleeping. He’d been up almost a day and a half.”

  “Forget it. Just tell him in the morning I’ll be by the office on my lunch hour.”

  “All right, ma’am.”

  “Have a good night,” Regina said then turned and headed back inside. She should have known this would happen—that she’d be the town’s patsy for a murder that could be a setup to get her out of Groves for good.

  Why though? Who was threatened by her? Becky? No. This went beyond mere jealousy. This had to be about her spiritual beliefs—someone didn’t like them, and to Regina, that meant she could be in real danger.

  * * *

  Trace walked down the aisle of Caulders’ Café and slid into the black booth where Nathan Horn was waiting for him. “Morning. Sorry I’m late. I needed to check in with Darla to see if any of the forensics work came back.”

  “And?” the dark-haired man across from him asked.

  “Nothing yet. I was hoping they’d get a hit on the print we found on the knife.”

  “What about that stone? Anything there?” Nathan asked.

  “No.” Trace hoped the man couldn’t tell he was lying. He’d seen that type of polished rock before in Regina’s shop. But until he talked to her, he didn’t plan to say anything. He wanted to give her a chance to explain how one could have been found under Keith’s body. Then again, she’d had the break-in. The stone could have been stolen at that time. This rock was just another thing conveniently pointing to her. Too bad he didn’t believe her capable of murder. Seemed like a setup to him. His gut felt it.

  But why railroad Regina? Because she was new to Groves? That made no sense, unless there was something she was keeping from him.

  The café’s doorbell jingled, and Trace looked up to find Garrett entering. His deputy spotted him and trudged toward them, definitely in need of coffee, if the dark circles under his eyes and the stride of his step were any indication.

  Garrett dropped down in the seat next to Trace just as Millie Caulders brought the pot of high test to fill all their cups.

  “Are you ready to order?” the middle-aged woman asked, smiling at them.

  Trace returned Millie’s smile. “Give us three of your specials and keep the coffee flowing.”

  She nodded and left them.

  “How did your night go?” he asked Garrett, who poured a generous amount of cream into his cup and spooned in some sugar.

  “Nothing eventful. Regina and her friend, who is hot, by the way, saw me and came out to chat.”

  “You didn’t tell her why you were there, did you?”

  Garrett squirmed in the seat. “Sort of. She really guessed.”

  “Guessed?” Trace looked at him intently.

  “Okay … okay, I told her you were concerned for her welfare. She wants to talk to you. She said she’d come by on her lunch hour.”

  Perfect. He needed to speak to her a
nyway, and the office was best—much less intimate. He’d about lost it when she’d touched him the day before.

  “Who is Regina?” Nathan asked before taking a sip of coffee.

  “She’s our new resident business woman. She moved here a few weeks ago.”

  “Don’t tell me.” Nathan looked from Garrett to Trace. “You’re worried everyone in town will think she killed Keith Walsh?”

  “Unfortunately, yes.”

  “I forgot what small town mentality could be like.”

  “Not everyone in Groves will jump to such a ridiculous conclusion,” Trace said, smiling at Garrett, who he could see took offence to the man’s statement.

  But Nathan was right about small towns and the way they thought. True, not all would conclude the new girl did it, but a good majority would, and he’d have his hands full trying to keep them from extracting their own justice on her.

  “So, you’re watching her place?” Furrow lines deepened on Nathan’s forehead. “Around the clock?”

  “Just overnight.”

  “When do you two plan to sleep? We do have a murder to solve.”

  “You let us worry about Regina Moon. Protecting her is not going to get in the way of me finding Keith’s killer.”

  Millie arrived with their food.

  “You’re going to love this.” Trace savored the smell of the heaping plate of buttermilk biscuits smothered in thick sausage gravy with ripe red tomato slices on the side.

  Nathan stared at the plate with wide eyes, then looked at him strangely. “What the hell is it?”

  “Trust me. You’ve never tasted anything like it.”

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Regina and Tiah strolled down the street to the police station, the two drawing odd looks from people along the way. Were their suspicions already forming?

  She glanced at her best friend, who was frowning. Clearly it wasn’t her imagination. Tiah had noticed, too.

  Regina quickened her stride. This unwanted attention made her nervous. Now she knew why Garrett had sat outside her place all night. Trace had the people of Groves pegged about how they’d react once news of Keith Walsh’s murder got out. Their first thought—blame the new resident.