by Sonia Parin
“Yes, Miss Mackenzie?”
“Did you just lock the door?”
“Yes, indeed. I did.”
“May I ask why?”
“I was instructed to do so by the authorities. They should be along soon. If you need anything, dial one on the bedside telephone.”
She heard his footsteps recede. After a few moments of indecision, she turned toward the bed. She had no choice now. Spreading her arms out, she dove onto it, bouncing a couple of times.
“Great start, Lexie.” Locked in her room and obviously, held under suspicion. “Any suggestions, Luna? A meow will suffice.” She didn’t even get that. “Luna?”
Lexie?
“Mom.”
Has something happened? I’m getting the strangest vibe from you.
“I’m settling in.” She plumped up her pillow and caught sight of Luna’s tail as she wove her way around the bed. It made her think of a shark’s fin. “You should see the room I’m in.” She hoped it wasn’t all she got to see of the house. “Luna’s busy getting the lay of the land. How are things down your end?”
Fine. I’ve sent Jonathan out on an errand.
“To get what?” Lexie frowned. She couldn’t imagine Jonathan agreeing to do anything for Morg... not willingly. Her frown deepened. “Mom, why did you send Jonathan out on an errand?”
He was... being annoying. He seems to think you’ve walked into a dangerous situation. And that’s impossible. Lord Bradbury is a wonderful man. He’ll be the perfect host.
Should she tell her now? No, not until she could be sure the dead man she’d seen on the bed was Lord Bradbury. A light knock on her door had her sitting up. “Talk to you later, mom.” She swung her legs off the bed. “Yes?” she called out.
The door opened. The butler looked in and stepped aside to let a man in. About the same age as Jonathan, which put him on the cusp between late twenties to early thirties, he was tall with broad shoulders. Unlike Jonathan, he was actually well dressed in a dark gray suit with a black shirt and tie and what were probably Oxford brogues.
“Miss Mackenzie?”
“Yes.”
“I’m Detective Inspector O’Rourke. We’d like to ask you a few questions.”
She looked over his shoulder but didn’t see anyone else. Then a policewoman stepped forward and stood by the door.
“Fire away.”
He strode over to the window and gestured to an upholstered chair. Giving a small nod, Lexie sat down and waited to see how he’d settle into his chair. He looked too large for the dainty piece of furniture. Not overweight large, but rather, well-built… large. The way Jonathan was well built. Lexie frowned and hoped Jonathan hadn’t picked up on that thought. Surely there had to be a way to determine who could have access to her thoughts.
“I’m sorry, did you say something?” the detective asked.
“Huh? No, no I didn’t.”
He stretched a leg out and looked at his small notebook. “Grayson tells us you walked into Lord Bradbury’s room by mistake.”
“That’s right.” Or rather, she’d crash-landed in the closet.
“Pardon?”
“I said that’s right, I walked in by mistake. This house is so large...”
He looked down at his notebook again. “And you’re here at Lord Bradbury’s invitation.”
“Yes.”
“Who’s Luna?” he asked.
“Huh?”
“Luna. You mentioned Luna.”
No she hadn’t. She’d... she’d thought it. Lexie wanted to clamp her hand over her mouth when in reality she should probably clamp both hands over her head. Could everyone hear her thoughts?
The detective studied her for a minute, and then looking toward the door, he closed his notebook and sat back.
How did you find your way into Lord Bradbury’s chamber?
Lexie inspected her nails. Had she made her bed that morning? She hated not making her bed. She couldn’t think of anything more unpleasant than ending the day, walking into the bedroom and finding she’d been so distracted she’d forgotten to make the bed.
“Miss Mackenzie. Would you mind answering the question?”
“Which one?”
How did you find your way into Lord Bradbury’s chamber?
If she hadn’t made her bed, then her mom was sure to make it for her. She hoped she didn’t force Jonathan to make her bed. The man had his pride... And she wasn’t sure she wanted Jonathan in her bedroom. What if she’d left her underwear drawer open?
Lexie clenched her back teeth. “I’m sorry, I didn’t get your name.”
“Detective Inspector O’Rourke.”
“Do you have a first name, inspector?”
“Dante.”
“An Irish surname and an Italian first name.”
“My mother is Italian.”
That explained his dark hair... or maybe not. Jonathan was Irish and he had dark hair and she was sure both his parents were Irish. Actually, she couldn’t really be sure because she didn’t know that much about him and why was she ranting? Detective Inspector Dante O’Rourke could not... surely he could not hear her thoughts.
You’re coming through loud and clear.
“Huh?”
He laughed. “How is Jonathan?”
“Huh?”
The detective slid to the edge of his chair. “Jonathan O’Connor. How is he?”
“You know Jonathan?”
“I just asked about him, so it’s safe to assume that I do.”
“Not necessarily. It’s a common enough name.”
He lifted an eyebrow.
Lexie brushed her hands along her thighs. Was she developing a nervous trait? “Are you a... you know...”
“Yes.”
I’m a guardian and you are a witch.
“How did you know?”
“In order to get inside Lord Bradbury’s bedchamber you first have to enter Chelsea Manor and the butler has no clear recollection of opening the door to you. The alternative way is to...” he shrugged. “Appear and only the ‘gifted’ can do that.”
“You must have me confused with... a leprechaun.”
“Or maybe Jonathan contacted me and asked me to keep an eye out for you.”
“I suppose that’s a possibility.”
“So now we’ve cleared that up—”
“Have we? I’m not sure that we actually have.” And she needed to brush up on protocols, if there were any. Lexie made a mental note to bring this up at the next meeting with her cousins. What should one do when one was caught red-handed and exposed as a witch?
“I’m going to write something down and I’m going to think it. Then I’d like you to confirm it for me.”
You are Alexandra Elizabeth Mackenzie High Chair of the American Continent and all Circumferential Domains Pertaining to the Mackenzie Coven.
She nodded. No doubt about it. He came through loud and clear. Lexie leaned forward and read everything she’d just heard him speak in her mind. She again nodded. “Incoming.”
“Duly noted.” He drew in a deep breath and sat back. “Now that we’ve settled that, tell me what you saw.”
“You say that with so much confidence, but I’m still in the dark. Who are you? More to the point, what are you.”
“I’m... like Jonathan.”
A guardian? Lexie thought.
“Yes.”
He’d heard that?
“Yes.”
Could everyone hear her?
“No.”
How could she be sure?
“You’re still in training wheels. We’re all... exclusive. It’s like functioning on a closed radio circuit.”
She nodded and realized she was getting quite good at agreeing even though she had no idea what she was agreeing with.
Lexie cleared her throat. “I saw a man lying on the bed with an apple in his mouth.”
“And how did you come to be in his room?”
Must we?
“Yes.”
Lexie crossed one leg over the other and inspected her nails. “Well... I sort of landed in the closet.”
He gave a small nod. “Another guest arrived shortly before you. Grayson let them in and showed them to their room. You can say you nudged the front door open and let yourself in.”
“Did you just offer me a cover story?”
“An accident-prone cover will suit you.”
Her mouth gaped open. She wasn’t... she... okay, maybe she had a propensity to land in closets, but in her defense, all this remained new to her. It didn’t mean she was accident-prone.
“Did you see anything else?”
“I heard someone. A woman.” Lexie trawled through her mind trying to recall what she’d heard. “She said it’s all about discretion.”
“Anything else?”
“Apparently she’d said it repeatedly. Do you think she killed him?”
“What makes you think he was killed?” Dante asked.
“I’m assuming. If I could see he was quite dead then surely the person who spoke to him could see it too.”
“Do you think you’ll be able to identify the voice if you heard it again?”
Maybe. “She had a cultured tone. Soft. Smooth.”
“Could you tell if the woman was young or old?”
“Mature. Probably in her fifties.”
“Why do you say that?”
“My mom’s in her forties, about to hit fifty and she still retains that youthfulness in her voice. It’s a sort of joie de vivre.” She nibbled the edge of her lip. “So how do you know Jonathan?”
He tapped his notebook. “We grew up together, but I haven’t seen or heard from him in a long while. I take it he’s become your guardian?”
Yes. Lexie tried not to think about the circumstances but then Dante O’Rourke laughed.
“No, he would not have liked that at all.”
Clenching her back teeth, Lexie focused on wiping the mental image of her walking into Jonathan’s bar and being followed by her cousins who’d appeared as bright lights.
Again, Dante O’Rourke laughed.
At the sound of a knock on the door, he rose to his feet.
The butler entered carrying Lexie’s suitcase.
“Oh, you found it. Wonderful.”
“It was in a broom closet.”
Lexie made a dismissive gesture. “I didn’t want to leave it in the hallway... in case someone tripped over it.”
The butler nodded and left.
“I had no idea I’d end up relying so much on ad libbing. My mom will be proud.”
The detective handed her a card. Lexie looked at it. “I... didn’t bring my cell.”
“You don’t need one.”
She read his name and then noticed it shimmering. “A magical calling card?”
“It will give you a direct line to me. Just call out my name.”
“First or last?”
“Both. Otherwise you risk calling someone else from the O’Rourke Group.”
Lexie laughed. “You sound incorporated.”
“We are.”
“So... do I just go about my business and pretend nothing’s happened?”
“The Feline Extravaganza will continue as planned. More so now as everyone has been asked to remain in the house until this matter can be sorted out.”
“And Lord Bradbury’s family doesn’t mind?”
“Why would they? These are his instructions.”
“Really? Did he speak to you from... beyond.”
Dante frowned. “You seem to be under the impression the body you found was Lord Bradbury.”
“Wasn’t it?”
“No. He’s quite well.”
“So... who was that I saw in Lord Bradbury’s bed?”
“His brother.”
“In his bed?”
Dante shrugged.
“Ours is not to reason why?”
“Precisely.”
She slipped the card into her back pocket. “I take it there is a killer at large.”
“Quite possibly.”
“Am I in any danger?”
“Maybe.”
“Are you kidding me?”
“You can contact me at any time.”
“One more question.”
“Yes?”
“Am I under suspicion?”
Lexie noticed his eyes brightening; shifting from light blue to dark.
“I don’t sense any darkness in you.”
“That’s a relief.”
“Actually,” he said, “that could mean you don’t see your actions as evil and don’t feel any remorse.”
“But I’d never hurt anyone.” Luna strode up to her and flicked her tail against her leg. “Stuffed toys don’t count.”
“We have a couple of days to find the killer. By then we should hopefully be able to fully clear you of any wrong doing.”
So much for not worrying...
Chapter Four
“Ready?” Lexie asked.
I am. Are you?
Luna gave her a head to toe sweep that suggested she didn’t care for the outfit Lexie had chosen to wear.
“FYI. My mom picked this out for me. So if you have any problems with it, I suggest you take it up with her.” She turned and checked her reflection in the mirror. The candy striped pink and lime green skirt reached her mid thigh. While she’d never been a skirt type of gal, she actually liked the way the fabric shifted when she moved. “How did my mom even know my shoe size?” She slipped into a pair of black ballet slippers and grabbed her jacket. Lime green to match the skirt. “It’s all for a good cause, which I’ve yet to discover.” She tilted her head and gave Luna a taste of her own medicine. “You look freshly preened.” Luna took a dainty step forward and looked over her shoulder. “Yes, your tail is all nice and fluffy. Come on, let’s go see what this shindig is all about.”
Watch my back. I’ve got a bad feeling about this.
“Have you been able to talk to me all along?” Luna didn’t answer.
Careful how you phrase your questions. People might think you’re nuts talking to yourself.
“This business of me having to make an impression on you is getting old. You should try to be nicer to me.” Luna gave her a slanted eye look. “Guess what? I don’t think there’s anything wrong with a scrawny alley cat.” They strode along the long hallway, taking their time to inspect the paintings hanging on the walls. “This house is a treasure trove. That’s a Velazquez and it’s hanging in the hallway. Makes me wonder what they have on display in the main rooms. Do you have any idea how much it’s worth?”
Luna hurried her pace. At a glance, Lexie could see why. Someone emerged from one of the rooms, a cat by his side. It looked like a mini panther on the prowl.
“I’d watch out for him, Luna. He looks like a heartbreaker.”
Luna slowed down.
“What’s wrong? Cat got your tongue?”
Luna gave her the equivalent of an eye roll which looked more like a head roll.
“Mistaken identity?”
Luna dipped her head.
“You thought it was someone else. Now I know to be on the lookout for a black cat.”
The man stopped and turned. His gaze shifted from Lexie to Luna and back to Lexie. He bowed his head.
“Hello. We haven’t met.”
“I’m a new arrival.” Lexie smiled. “Alexandra Mackenzie.”
“Pleased to meet you. I’m Henry Stuyvesant.”
Henry wore a gangster style pinstripe suit with a butter yellow cravat pinned in place with a blue sapphire.
“This must be Luna,” he said. “She looks delicious.”
As in... good enough to eat?
Without her asking, he introduced his cat. “This is Blackwell.” The black cat purred.
Lexie waited to see if Luna would react. Although what she expected her to do she had no idea. Did cats sniff each other the way dogs did?
To her surprise, Luna shifted her butt closer to
Lexie and curled her tail around Lexie’s leg almost as if anchoring herself to safety.
“Is this your first time here?” Lexie asked.
“Oh, no. Blackwell and I are veterans of the circuit. We’ve been looking forward to meeting you and Luna.”
Her eyebrows arched. “Really?” She was about to ask how he knew about her since she’d been recruited for this gig only a couple of days before when a group of people approached from the other end of the hallway, their cats trailing behind them. They were all dressed to the nines in haute couture. A woman with bright red lipstick covering her luscious lips and vibrant red hair gathered into a beehive winked at her.
“I see you’ve made Henry’s acquaintance. Watch out for him. He’s a bit of a devil.”
If Lexie hadn’t recently experienced the dark side of a deadly inky black fog, she might not have stiffened with apprehension.
“A lady’s man,” the woman whispered as she strode past. “Same goes for his cat.”
Luna put her paw on Lexie’s foot.
“Drinks are being served in the conservatory. Are you coming? We can introduce ourselves there.”
“Yes, of course.” As she turned to follow, she remembered the body in Lord Bradbury’s room and wondered if she was about to engage in polite chitchat with a killer.
There were five women in the group but only the redhead had spoken.
Dante O’Rourke? Are you there?
Yes. Has something happened?
No.
Then why did you contact me?
I wanted to check on your response time.
Please try to take this seriously and only contact me in case of an emergency.
Roger that. Over and out.
Relief seeped through her. She wasn’t entirely on her own. She looked down at Blackwell trying to walk beside Luna but she was having none of it. When Luna moved over to Lexie’s right, Blackwell followed. Lexie would swear she saw his lips curl into a lecherous leer.
Luna. Are you all right?
Shoo him away.
Huh?