by Vella Day
“That’s amazing. How?”
Rihanna sat down on the sofa. “Gertrude said she might have been able to get him to talk, but that I’d be a lot happier if I had a way to do it by myself.”
“By yourself? Like when my Mom talks to the dead?”
“Kind of. I think. I’m sure it helps that I have some genetic inclination toward speaking with those who’ve passed, but I talked to him in my mind and not with my mouth, if that makes any sense. It takes a lot of concentration, but eventually, I can hear his words. Then we talk, like I’m in some kind of dream. Only I’m not, I’m awake.”
I didn’t follow all of it, but if she was able to communicate with her dad, I was very happy for her. “I think that’s great. I wish Aunt Fern could have that with Uncle Harold. He seems to be the only man who ever treated her right.”
I never believed in soul mates, but maybe they did exist.
Rihanna sat up. “Maybe I can help her.”
“Help her how? Help her connect with Uncle Harold?”
“Yes.”
“He used to come around every day—while in his ghost form—but eventually, he said she should move on.”
“He might like lucid dream walking then.” Rihanna smiled. “That’s what I’m calling it. It won’t take much effort for him to appear.”
“I think it’s wonderful. Why don’t you ask her if she’d like to give it a try?”
Rihanna stood. “I will.”
My cousin had so much energy.
“While you’re at it, if you have any ideas on decorating the Tiki Hut Grill for Thanksgiving, let me know.”
She chuckled. “I have only one request.”
“What’s that?”
“No more pink pumpkins. And please remember the pilgrims only wore black.”
I’m sure they wore a few other colors, but light pink was probably not something the average folk would have access to. “It’s a deal, but I’m putting a pink bow on sprigs of mistletoe at Christmas.”
She grinned. “And who are you hoping to catch with this sprig of love?”
“Who knows?” Of course, she and I both knew that I only had eyes for Jaxson.
Iggy crawled up on top of the coffee table. “Can I get some catnip mistletoe?”
Eww. “For you and Aimee?”
“Who else?”
I smiled. “I’ll see what I can do, but Christmas is six weeks away.”
“I know.” He crawled down to the floor. “I’m going with Rihanna. I want to learn to conjure my ancestors.”
I laughed. “Good luck with that, buddy.”
I probably should have taken it more seriously. Iggy had some magical talents, and maybe we hadn’t tapped into the spiritual aspect of them yet.
As soon as they left, I went back to work on my finances. Not more than ten minutes later, Jaxson came upstairs from the wine shop.
“Hey,” he said. “I’ve been thinking.”
I turned to face him. “About?”
“What do you say we take a break from our busy lives and maybe go parasailing?”
“Parasailing? I’ve never been.” So what if the weather was perfect this time of year, I was a little scared to go up in the air.
His brows rose. “There has to be a first time for everything.”
“Why that? And why now?”
He pulled up a chair and sat next to me. Jaxson then lifted my hands into his. “Because I want to spend the day with you. It will be fun. Is that so hard to understand? These last few weeks—no make it these last few months—have been hectic. All we do is work, work, and work. Someone is always needing our services, and I thought it would be nice to put that aside and enjoy ourselves. No Rihanna and no Iggy. Just the two of us.” He squeezed my hand. “You do know the word fun, right?”
I swallowed a smile. “Not at all, but if you’re patient, maybe you can show me?”
He lifted my hands to his lips and kissed them. “It would be my pleasure.”
My pulse soared. “Then I say let’s do it.”
I hope you enjoyed seeing how Glinda, Jaxson, and Rihanna sorted through so many clues. Thank goodness they had a lot of help in unearthing several magic spells to help. In book 8, The Pink Iguana Sleuth company finds themselves in a total quandary. They have been sent back in time and have no idea why. Their big dilemma (besides having to solve a murder) is how to return to the twenty-first century!!
Mistletoe and the Pink Bow (book 8 of A Witch’s Cove Mystery) is available.
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Here is a sneak peek.
“What do you think?” I held up a sprig of mistletoe tied together with a pink bow.
My cousin, Rihanna, laughed. “Where do you plan to put that?”
I shouldn’t be surprised she acted as if mistletoe was some old-fashioned tradition. After all, she was just a teenager. I personally thought it was romantic, and yet I was only nine years older than her. “In Jaxson’s house. We’re spending Christmas Eve there.”
“Okay, I’ll admit that does sound like fun.” Thankfully, she seemed sincere.
“And you? Do you and Gavin have plans?”
My cousin and Gavin Sanchez, an intern at his mother’s medical examiner practice, had been dating for about three months. Rihanna was eighteen and technically an adult, so I never questioned her about their relationship. She was a very pretty girl who had turned into a self-confident woman since moving here, and Gavin was bright and focused. I trusted them both.
“He’s taking me out to dinner to some place in Ocean View. It’s supposed to be quite nice.” She smiled and then sighed.
I was happy for her. She’d not had the easiest upbringing. When she moved to Witch’s Cove, Florida, from across the state four months ago, she’d been sullen, rebellious, and withdrawn, but I understood why she was unhappy. My aunt had not been a good role model, especially after Rihanna’s father disappeared when my cousin was only one-year old. He reemerged sixteen years later, and because of Uncle Travis’ sudden appearance, Aunt Tricia decided to go into rehab. From what my mother told me, Rihanna’s mom would be released in a few weeks.
What my cousin’s next step would be, I wasn’t sure, but I didn’t want her to leave here, that was for sure. Between myself and Jaxson—and Gavin, of course—I hoped she’d chose to stay until she at least finished her senior year of high school. If she wanted to make Witch’s Cove her permanent home after that, I, for one, would be thrilled.
“That sounds wonderful,” I said. “Don’t forget we are due at my parents’ place tomorrow at noon to open some presents and then have Christmas dinner.”
“I’ll remember, don’t worry.”
My mom had invited Gavin and his mother, too, since Elissa’s in-laws were going out of town. Naturally, I wanted Jaxson to come, but he’d already committed to going back home with his brother, Drake. Because Jaxson’s younger brother was the one to visit their parents on a semi-regular basis, Jaxson felt the need to be there at least on Christmas Day. He’d steered clear of his folks for many years due to some bad choices he’d made growing up.
Iggy, my fifteen-year-old pink iguana familiar crawled out from under the sofa wearing a green hoodie, one of the early Christmas presents my Aunt Fern had made for him. Even though we lived in Florida, it could get chilly here, and the office was rather drafty. Being cold-blooded, Iggy needed to stay warm to survive. I had to admit he looked adorable in his spiffy new outfit.
“Christmas is tomorrow. Did you both buy me some presents?” he asked.
I chuckled. “Did you get us anything?” I totally understood it was a ridiculous comment, but I didn’t want him to be any more entitled than he already was.
“Maybe.”
From the way he averted his gaze, that was a hard no
. Footsteps sounded on the interior staircase from the wine and cheese shop below. That would be Jaxson Harrison, my business partner in our new venture, The Pink Iguana Sleuths. Yes, Iggy’s ego soared because of that title.
I smiled, happy every time I saw him. “Hey.”
“Ready to grab that bite?” he asked.
“I am.” I had already asked Rihanna if she wanted to join us for lunch, but she said she wanted to pick up one more present for Gavin.
Iggy didn’t like the cold, so for once he was willing to stay back at the office and keep things under control. What he could do if anyone broke in, I didn’t know, but he liked being given the responsibility of office protector.
I grabbed my jacket from the back of the sofa and shrugged it on. It might be sixty-degrees outside, but for this Florida native girl, that was cold. Please don’t judge.
Before I get too far into this narrative, let me introduce myself. I’m Glinda Goodall, a twenty-seven-year old former math teacher, who decided that I was better suited to being a waitress than dealing with middle schoolers.
After our first town murder happened, however, Jaxson convinced me I should open this sleuth agency with him, mostly because I’m terminally nosy. I also happen to be a witch, and that particular talent—when my spells actually worked the way they were supposed to—helped solve several crimes. I need to point out that our town is full of psychics, witches, and on occasion, some rogue werewolves. Too often, one needed to fight magic with magic, so to speak.
We were half way to the Tiki Hut Grill when something shiny on the ground caught my attention. Normally, I wasn’t the type to pick up a coin, but this particular one was gold-colored, so I bent down and snatched it. Jaxson stopped so we could both look at it. “Have you seen anything like this before?” I asked as I turned it over.
“No. It looks like it came from a game, or else it’s some fake doubloon like the ones they toss from balconies or floats during Mardi Gras.”
“You’re probably right.” I was about to drop it when Jaxson grabbed my wrist. “Or it could be wish coin.”
I laughed. “A wish coin? What is that?”
“My grandmother used to say that if you find a coin on the road, pick it up, and make a wish. It just might come true.”
“Was grandma big into buying lottery tickets, too?”
He laughed. “Turns out, she was.”
I had to assume his grandmother never hit it big. “For grandma, I will give it a try.” A gust of wind blew off the Gulf and chilled me, forcing me to pull my coat tighter. “How about we get to the restaurant first? Besides, I have to think of a wish. I only get one, right?” I wanted to know the Harrison family rules.
He smiled and wrapped a protective and warm arm around my waist. “Yes, you only get one. Come on.”
The Tiki Hut, which was owned and run by my Aunt Fern, was surprisingly busy, but we were seated rather quickly. My aunt, who was standing behind the check-out counter, waved. I figured as soon as she finished with the couple who was paying, she’d stop over for a quick chat. We sat down, and I slipped off my jacket.
“What is your wish?” Jaxson asked.
I thought he might have forgotten about it, but he seemed quite serious. I didn’t want to pick any subject too deep—like something that involved us—nor did I want to make light of the situation. I wanted to do the coin justice, which meant I wouldn’t say I wanted to have someone hand me a million dollars. That wasn’t going to happen, wish or no wish.
I looked outside at the rather grayish day to help me decide. Then inspiration struck, and I turned back to Jaxson. “I have it. When I was a little girl, every Christmas Eve I would ask my parents if they could make it snow on Christmas Day. You see, Mom would play all the Christmas classics, especially those by Bing Crosby and Perry Como. Hearing about a white Christmas made both of us rather sentimental, I guess.” I placed my coin in my palm and then closed my fist around it. “My wish is to see snow on Christmas.”
Jaxson leaned back in his chair. “You do realize that probably won’t happen unless we hop in a car and drive north for about fifteen hours.”
He was being silly. “I do realize that, but I read it snowed here back in the seventies. It could happen again.”
“The forecast for tomorrow calls for temperatures in the seventies.”
I shrugged. “A wish is a wish. Don’t forget, I am a witch. Maybe it will come true.”
Jaxson reached across the table and squeezed my hand. “Dream on, pink lady.”
That nickname pink lady came about because I only wore pink. Even I didn’t know why I did—genetic defect maybe? I shut my eyes and pretended to conjure snow. That was way, way out of my witch abilities, but a girl’s gotta try. When a good ten seconds had passed, I opened my eyes. “I realize I’ve used up the wish on this coin, but if you had one of your own, what would you wish for?”
“Hmm. That is a hard one.”
I couldn’t believe I was actually holding my breath. Was I hoping he’d say that we could always be together? That was silly, of course. Our relationship had only just begun.
“My wish is that we have a constant stream of clients for our blossoming business.”
His choice didn’t surprise me. Of the two of us, Jaxson was the practical one. “I hope that comes true as well.”
Once we ordered, my aunt came over. “Do you two lovebirds have plans for tonight?”
Lovebirds? I wanted to disappear. Sure, Jaxson and I were a couple, but so far, we’d kept it fairly simple. “We do. I’m envisioning some popcorn, soft music, and a nice warm fire.” And some kissing, of course, which was why I planned to take the mistletoe with me. “What are your plans?”
I know my parents had invited her to spend the evening with them, but so had several of her friends. Even since she’d been betrayed—if that was the right word—by her last boyfriend, Aunt Fern had kept to herself. That was a shame, since she used to have an active social life.
“We’re having a girls’ afternoon over at Miriam’s. We’ll each bring a gift and have a mini-Christmas party. We had to do it early because Pearl wants to spend some time with her grandson.”
“That sounds fun.” From the way her eyes were shining, she was quite excited about it. “Who else will be there?”
“The usual crew: Maude, Pearl, Dolly, and myself.”
Of course. The five gossip queens. The Pink Iguana Sleuths might not have solved even one case had it not been for their information. It certainly helped that the eldest member, Pearl, was the sheriff’s grandmother who worked as his receptionist, despite the fact her hearing was suspect.
Aunt Fern’s cell chimed, but being polite, she didn’t answer it. “See who it is,” I said.
I swear she almost giggled. “Okay.” She read the text and grinned. “Dolly just texted that our special guest has agreed to come.”
It wasn’t long ago that my aunt and Dolly weren’t on the best of terms. They were always competing for who ran the most successful restaurant, but they’d since mended that broken fence. I looked over at Jaxson to see if he knew anything about a sixth gossip queen, but he subtly shook his head.
“Are you going to share the name of this special guest?” Jaxson asked.
“It’s Gertrude Poole.”
Okay, I hadn’t expected that. Gertrude was the town’s psychic. She also had been training Rihanna to follow in her footsteps someday, and I had to say my cousin was an excellent student. Rihanna’s ability to read minds was a bit unsettling, but thankfully, she’d been able to control when she listened and when she didn’t. “That’s awesome. You ladies will have a great time.”
“I hope so.” Our food arrived. “I’ll leave you two to your meal. I’ll see you, Glinda, tomorrow. And Jaxson, enjoy your family time.”
“Thanks.”
I dug into my food. “I am so happy Aunt Fern will be with friends in a bit,” I said once I stopped long enough to take a breath.
“I agree, and I’m e
qually as glad that we will be together as well. I can’t wait for you to open the present I got you.”
I’d always spent Christmas Eve with my parents, so being with Jaxson would be extra special. I was also glad my parents would have a quiet evening together for a change. “Can you give me a hint what you got me?”
He chuckled. “Not on your life.”
“Fine. Be that way.” I tried to act offended, but I’m sure the smile on my face showed I wasn’t. For the rest of our meal, we talked about our usual issue of how to drum up new clients for our business. Witch’s Cove was a small town, and it wasn’t as if someone was murdered every day or every week for that matter. “We need to focus on investigating disappearing relatives, cheating spouses, and such,” I said.
Jaxson chuckled. “You’d be bored within the year if that is all we did.”
He knew me too well. “I know, but unless we move to a city where there is more crime—which I never will do—that might be all we can do.” It was probably why we were the only private investigation firm in town, and Witch’s Cove couldn’t even support us.
“We’ll figure something out.”
That was what he always said. When we finished, I tried to pay, but my aunt wouldn’t hear of it. “Call it an early Christmas present.”
I leaned across the counter and hugged her. “Thank you. You are the best. Have fun with the girls, and I’ll see you tomorrow.”
After I zipped up my jacket, we walked back to the office so I could pick up Iggy. I needed to head home in order to get ready for my hot date.
When we entered, Iggy was on my desk sniffing the mistletoe. “What are you doing?” I asked.
“I was wondering if I sprinkle some catnip on this stuff if it would work between me and Aimee.”
Aimee was my aunt’s cat who, by a mistake of magic, was given the ability to talk just like Iggy. Being a cat though, one moment she would pay attention to my familiar, and the next Aimee would ignore him. “Mistletoe is mostly for New Year’s Eve, but it can be used any time during the holiday season.”