“That sounds about right too,” Dad said with a chuckle.
“Maybe we are aliens,” Mom said with a waggle of her eyebrows before shoving a huge forkful of pancake in her mouth.
And just like that, it was like we all understood each other. The sense of relief was instantaneous. I felt tension I didn't even know I had drain from my shoulders. In fact, I felt better than I had in years.
Too bad I had no idea what was in store for me.
Chapter Three
After we were finished with our dinner, Dad paid the bill and we all practically rolled out to the car. "Are you sure I'm not going to get fat?" I asked as I patted my bulging tummy.
I deserved it if I did. I didn't need the slice of blueberry pie a la mode I ate after my pancake sliders, or half of Dad's fries, but I sure did enjoy them.
"You won't gain an ounce,” Mom said and patted her stomach. "I mean, you might need to do a little magic occasionally to work it off. You haven't forgotten how, have you?"
"There are some things I think I remember,” I said. "It's been a while."
"Well, Dad and I are always here to help you. Meri can assist you too. You've got a whole library in the attic at Hangman's House. Meri can show you any book you need."
"I don't have to start tonight? Do I?" I asked. "I'm tired."
"No, honey. Dad and I will drop you off at home, and you can get some rest. There's still a bed up in one of the spare rooms. You'll find fresh sheets in the hall closet where we always kept them."
"They won't still be fresh, right?"
"Kinsley, honey, they're wrapped in plastic,” Dad said. "And if they're not, then just use a little magic. Freshening up some sheets should be easy."
"You're right,” I said. "It's going to take some getting used to. I've trained myself to never really think about magic as an option."
"It would probably help if you took that bracelet off,” Mom said as we all got into the car.
I'd taken the last bracelet Amelda had ever given me to control my magic and woven it into a new bracelet. Since I'd been a young kid when she gave it to me, it was much too small, but I'd rebraided it with fresh strands and worn it my entire adult life. It wasn't that powerful of a charm, but it did keep me from accidentally popping off some magic.
"Yeah, I should do that,” I said. "I'll cut it off when I get back to Hangman's House. I want to keep it. Since it was a gift and all."
"Just don't let Amelda hear you getting all sentimental over it. She'll probably make fun of you and ruin it,” Dad said with a chuckle.
"How is my great-grandmother?" I asked.
I worried about Amelda. She had to be pushing one hundred or more. Though, from what my parents had told me over the phone, she didn't seem to get much older anymore, but she did get saltier.
"As sassy as ever. Watch out for the old broad. She might make you think she's going senile, but she's as sharp as a tack. She just wants to keep everyone on their toes, I guess,” Mom said with a sigh.
When my parents dropped me off at what was my new home, we kept our goodbyes brief. Still, Dad seemed reluctant to back out of the driveway. Perhaps he was afraid I would slip away in the night again, but that wasn't going to happen. Mom seemed to know that. I waved at them both as they drove away. Mom rolled down her window and waved her arm furiously before blowing me a kiss. Just before they were out of sight, I saw her wink. It was as if she'd known this was where we would end up all along. That helped me feel a little less guilty.
I was through the front door and almost had it locked behind me when I realized I didn't have my purse. It was just a little clutch that I used to carry my wallet, keys, and a tube of lip balm. I'd set it down on the bench next to me at the diner, and I'd forgotten to pick it up again.
"Where are you going?" Meri asked suspiciously when I started back out the door. "Are you really going to pull a runner again so soon?"
"No, I'm not leaving. Well, I'm not leaving Coventry. I left my purse at the diner. I'm going to unhitch the car from the trailer and go get it. Should take me less than fifteen minutes including unhitching the trailer,” I said. "You can time me if you want."
"I just might,” Meri said as he sauntered off obviously satisfied with my answer.
Once I'd freed my car from the trailer, I backed around it carefully and got out on the road. The diner wasn't far, and when I looked at the clock, I smiled. I was probably going to make it back home in about ten minutes. That would put Meri at ease. I could get my bed ready and pass out. A good night's sleep sounded like just what the doctor ordered.
I parked close to the diner's entrance and I could see my purse sitting next to the cash register. I went inside and almost took it, but I figured I should tell someone first. Otherwise, Reggie might think someone stole it.
But when I looked around, she wasn't there. I waited for a couple of minutes, but my eyes were starting to feel heavy. I just wanted to go home.
When she didn't appear, I walked around to the window where I could see the cook. "Hey, this is my purse. I just wanted to let Reggie know that I took it so she doesn't worry. Can you tell her?"
"Do I look like her secretary?" the cook snarked back at me.
"No... Okay. Do you know where she is?"
"Did you look out back? She said she quit smoking, but some days, I have my doubts,” he said and went back to his grill.
I walked back outside and made my way around the building. At first, I thought what I was seeing were some trash bags that someone had left lying on the parking lot. I even said to myself "How lazy can you be not to just throw them in the dumpster?" The dumpster was mere feet away.
I felt frozen in place the moment I realized it was not a pile of garbage bags. An electrical current ran down from my spine to my toes snapping me out of my shock. The pile was in fact, a person, and they might need my help.
"Are you okay?" I asked. "Do you need help?"
I crossed the concrete to the spot where the man had fallen. As I got closer, I could make out for sure that it was a man. I knelt down thinking I was going to maybe give him first aid, but it became immediately obvious that he was already dead. His skin was gray, and pool of blood around him wasn't something anyone could survive. I could also feel that his spirit was gone. It could have been lingering somewhere nearby, but it was no longer in his body.
"What's going on?" Reggie's voice behind me made me jump halfway out of my skin. "Oh, no. Kinsley, what did you do?"
"I didn't do this,” I said and stood up.
"Right, of course. It's just that you're kneeling over a dead guy."
"I found him when I came out here looking for you,” I said.
"Oh, wow... That's Merrill Killian. That jerk left without leaving me a tip. Again,” Reggie said.
"Did you kill him then?" I was half joking. It was probably totally inappropriate timing, but the tension needed to be cut.
"No, I didn't kill him even though he was a stingy old... gentleman,” Reggie said, but I could tell gentleman was not the word she was thinking. "Was he stabbed?"
"Why do you ask that?"
"There's a bloody knife under the dumpster over there,” she said and pointed to it.
"We should call the police,” I said.
"Probably go back inside too in case whoever did this is still lurking around somewhere." Reggie crossed her arms over her chest and rubbed the backs of them like she was suddenly cold.
"I'm not worried about that,” I said without thinking.
"I knew it! You did kill him,” she said and took a step back.
"No, I just..."
I'd let that slip out. I hadn't killed him, of course. The reason I wasn't worried was that I could use magic to protect us, but I couldn't tell Reggie that.
"I'm armed,” I said quickly and patted my purse. "I have a concealed carry permit."
"You mean there was a gun in your purse this whole time!" Reggie said. "That's so cool."
"I guess that means you didn't g
o through it,” I said with relief. That little lie could have backfired spectacularly.
"I would never,” she said and bit her lower lip. "Okay, I was totally going to, but I had customers. Then I had to get bacon and beef from the freezer. That's where I was when you got here, by the way. Not out smoking like Jimmy said. I really did quit."
"We still haven't called the police."
"I got it,” Reggie said and slid her cell phone from her apron.
I surveyed the back portion of the parking area while she was one the phone. I wanted to look around some more, and I was about to walk around the body and walk further past the dumpsters when I saw the ghost of my uncle in the tree line that hugged the edge of the diner parking area.
As Reggie hung up the phone, I ripped the bracelet that limited my powers off my wrist and slid it into my pocket. I didn't think Brody would do anything, but I was prepared to protect myself and Reggie if need be.
"Thorn's on his way,” Reggie said. "I should get back inside and check on my customers before the law shows up."
"I'll stand here and make sure none of those customers wander back here and disturb the body,” I said.
Reggie narrowed her eyes at me like she was evaluating if I was up to something or not. "Naw, you're not a killer,” she said and left.
Thorn's cruiser pulled up a couple of minutes later. He parked close by and then got out. I felt his eyes scan over me. They were narrowed much like Reggie's, and I got the sense I would be evaluated a lot over the next few days. Maybe even longer.
"Breaking and entering and now a dead body?" he asked as he shut the door to his car.
I shrugged. "I guess I bring sunshine and luck with me wherever I go."
Thorn quickly suppressed a chuckle. "Was it you or Reggie that found him?"
He joined me next to the body, Merrill, and checked for himself to see if the guy was dead. Satisfied that he was, Thorn stood up and faced me.
"It was me,” I said when I had his attention again. "I found him. I left my purse here at the diner. I came here with my parents. Anyway, I left my purse. When I came back for it, I found it at the front register. No one was around, though, so I went looking for Reggie. The cook, Jimmy she said, told me she might be out here. She wasn't, but I found the body."
"Reggie called me, though?" Thorn questioned.
"Yeah, she was in the freezer, I guess. The cook told her he sent me out here. She saw the knife under the dumpster,” I said and pointed.
"Did you know him?" Thorn asked.
"No, and I didn't kill him,” I said.
"Why would you say that?"
"Because it's what you were thinking,” I said.
"How did you know that?"
"Because I found the body,” I said. "It's a natural first question. I watch crime shows too."
"I need to tape off the scene and then conduct the investigation,” Thorn said as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Where will you be?"
"Uh, I guess I'm living at Hangman's House. I'll be going there when I leave here."
"I'll find you if I have any other questions for you then,” Thorn said.
"Why don't I give you my phone number too?" I said. "That way you can call or text if you don't want to come all the way over."
"Very good,” Thorn said a little too officially.
"Am I a suspect?" I asked.
"I can't say that you're not right now, but I know your folks pretty well. I have my doubts that they raised a killer. Still, don't leave town,” he said.
"Oh, trust me, I don't have anywhere else to go."
Chapter Four
"Where have you been?" Meri came running to the door as soon as I walked into the living room.
"You're not going to believe this, but there was a dead guy behind the diner. I found the body and had to wait for Thorn to let me go,” I said.
"Ha ha. You're so stupid," Meri snarked. "That's not even funny."
"I'm not joking,” I said deadpan.
"Stop it." Meri's tail was flicking back and forth with agitation. "Where were you really? You said you wouldn't be gone long, and then you were. I thought you bailed again."
"Meri, for real. I found a body behind the diner. Why do you think that's a joke?"
"Wow, okay. I guess Brighton never told you that story,” Meri said. "So, when your mom first got to Coventry, she found a body behind the diner. It was the old one, of course. But still, that's so weird."
"That is weird,” I said. "But, the universe works in mysterious ways. I can't say I find it that shocking."
"Who was it?" Meri asked.
"Reggie said his name was Merrill Killian,” I said and took my first good look around. "Hey, wait a minute. Where did all this furniture come from? Has the house forgiven me already?"
"Some of the Aunties came by and brought you stuff. I think they planned on seeing you, but you were gone so long that they all wandered off. They'll be back. Probably tomorrow."
"Were they worried that I wasn't back yet?" I asked.
"No, and neither was I,” Meri said and sashayed off.
"Whatever,” I said after him.
"Whatever."
I went out to the trailer and quickly grabbed a suitcase that had some of my clothes in it and my overnight bag. The master bedroom had been empty when I arrived, but I found it completely furnished when I went upstairs to go to bed.
The four-poster bed sat in the middle of the room on a plush red carpet. There was a large mahogany dresser on one wall and a smaller one on the wall that led into the bathroom. Hangman's House had been remodeled at some point when I was very little, and the largest upstairs bedroom had been turned into a master suite. At least, I thought that's what my mother had said. The first floor and the upstairs attic had been left alone, though.
I took my overnight bag into the bathroom and dropped it as soon as I walked in. "You've got to be kidding me,” I said and quickly flipped on the light.
My parents did not have a stone walk-in shower and clawfoot tub in their bathroom when I left, but there it was right before my eyes. There was also a long vanity with dual sinks. The stone sink basins looked like bowls sitting atop soapstone counters that coordinated with the showers. The faucets were open on the top and when I turned it on, it created a mini waterfall into the basin.
"They got pretty fancy,” Meri said as he wandered into the room.
"And then they left all of this?" I said.
"Your mom wanted a new project,” Meri said. "So, they moved into Remy's old place and she started fancying that house up. She took a lot more liberties in there because she wasn't worried about the historical value of the house."
"She needed a project,” I said. "Because I was gone?"
"Don't get started on that. Just get ready for bed,” Meri said. "You'll have plenty of time to feel bad about running out on your family later."
"Thanks,” I said.
"No problem."
I took my toothbrush and toothpaste out of my bag and set them on the counter. I'd just planned on brushing my teeth and going to bed, but the stone shower with gigantic rainfall shower head was practically calling my name.
After a couple of minutes, the bathroom was filled with steam. I stepped inside and sighed with relief as the hot water washed my day away.
And then I screamed as the water turned ice cold. I practically fell trying to navigate the wet stone to get out of the shower, and I knew I came close to breaking my head or my butt.
"What is it?" Meri came running, but when he saw me standing there trying to get a towel wrapped around me, he turned away. "My eyes!!!"
"Oh, shut up,” I said.
"What happened?" he asked.
"The water turned ice cold,” I said as my teeth chattered. "It happened so fast, it shocked me. That's why I screamed."
"Well, either the water heater went out or there's a ghost, and I don't sense a ghost,” Meri said. "Probably just the house's way of saying hello."
"Does Co
ventry have a plumber that does after-hours emergency calls?"
"Do you have soap in your hair?" Meri asked.
"No, why?"
"Because you don't really need an emergency plumber if you don't. Why pay triple the fee when you can just wait until tomorrow?"'
"What if the pilot light is out? It could explode."
"Your parents had it upgraded to one of those new jobbies with the safety pilot light. It can't explode. You need to chill,” he said. "Sorry, poor choice of words."
"I think I'd like to check for myself,” I said.
"It's in the basement," Meri answered.
"I've never been in the basement,” I said. "Mom and Dad worried I'd wander into the tunnels and get lost."
"Well, you won't now. There's a locking door you have to go through to access them now. You can't accidentally stumble into them anymore. And even if you do go into them, they have electricity with lights and everything."
"Do people even use them?" I asked.
"No. Not really. Everyone has doors on their access points and they just keep them locked all of the time."
"Where do they go? I've heard they go outside of Coventry."
"Do you want to look at the water heater? Or do you want to stand here in your bathroom yammering about tunnels?"
"Let me get dressed, and I'll meet you in the kitchen."
"Whatever,” he said and left.
I threw on the sweat pants and t-shirt that would serve as my pajamas. Figuring it would be chilly down there, I also pulled my favorite cardigan out of my suitcase. I couldn't sleep in long sleeves, but most of the time, I needed them when I was milling around the house.
My hair was cold and wet, so I tied it up in a bun and dried the back of my neck a second time. After slipping on a dingy pair of sneakers I kept for just such occasions, I went down to the kitchen to meet Meri.
"When I was younger, my friends told me I wasn't allowed down in the basement because Mom and Dad kept powerful magic stuff down there," I said I opened the basement door.
"Yeah, but not so much anymore,” Meri said. "Anything dangerous got moved to the other house. They actually finished the basement as a part of the remodel thing Brighton did. There is a storage room down there, though. It's got lots of stuff in it. Just nothing that's super dangerous."
Black Magic Kitten Page 3