by Vella Day
“Give the girl a gold star. I did. In fact, I found a photo of him winning a ribbon at a shooting range competition.”
“Well, I’ll be. That means he could have shot his brother.” Note, I wasn’t saying he did for sure, just that he had a good chance of hitting his target. “Why don’t you text Steve what you found. It might make him act with more caution,” I said.
“Why me?”
I had an answer for that. “If you plan to live in this community, it’s good to have law enforcement think favorably of you.”
He didn’t answer for a second. “I like the way you think. I’ll send Steve the information now.”
“Great. And thanks again for all your help.”
“Always.” Jaxson disconnected.
Because I’d not had dinner yet, I thought I’d head to the Spellbound Diner. It never hurt to help spread the word about Emma and her newly acquired necklace.
I waited two days! Two very long days and still no move on Andy Oliver’s part. Maybe I had been wrong about him wanting to harm Emma. If only I understood his end game, I might be able to figure out his next move. By killing his own brother, he had either wanted the necklace, or he had wanted the property. With Emma dead, he’d get both.
It was bad enough that Morgan’s killer hadn’t been brought to justice. Now I probably looked like some whacko to Steve.
When someone knocked on my door, both Iggy and I jerked. It wasn’t Aunt Fern’s knock. Hers was delicate. Besides, she would open the door and come in. This sounded like it belonged to a man. “Who is it?”
I really needed better security. What if it was Andy?
“It’s Steve.”
The relief weakened my knees. I quickly scanned my tiny space. It didn’t look as if I’d just cleaned, but it wasn’t a mess either. I shouldn’t care what he thought of where I lived, but I did. “Coming.”
I rushed to the door and pulled it open. Iggy hopped off his stool but remained at a respectable distance. He’d been hit by the door one too many times.
“Sheriff, come in.” I did a quick scan of his face, hoping to learn the reason for the visit. He looked happy. That was a relief.
“I have news. I realize it will be all over town by morning, but I want you to be the first to hear it.”
My heart pounded. “Sit down, please. Can I get you something to drink? Water, tea, a beer? Or maybe some wine?”
Being this nervous wasn’t really like me, but this was Steve Rocker. Big Steve Rocker. In my house.
He chuckled. “Water would be great.”
I wanted something stronger, but that wouldn’t be polite. I carried the drinks in, handed him the glass, and then sat on the single chair next to the sofa. “What’s your news?”
I could only hope that meant something good had happened.
“We caught Andy in the act.” He grinned.
I was so dumbfounded that I couldn’t even speak for a few seconds. “Really, how?”
“I heard from Nate Billows that Andy Oliver had checked into the Magic Wand Hotel, which put me on high alert.”
“Did you give Nate or Ted a photo of Andy?”
“I did. I figured if Andy planned to do any harm to Emma, he needed to be close to town.”
I smiled. “I have to hand it to you.”
He tapped the side of his head. “That’s part of my charm. People underestimate me.”
I doubted that, but I kept my mouth shut. “How did you catch Andy?”
“If you recall, I had asked Emma to stay with me.”
“I do.”
“I asked her to leak that information to Miriam. The gossip queens then went to town. The truth was that Emma was bunking with Pearl, who for once was able to keep that a secret.”
I laughed. “Probably the hardest job she’s ever had.”
His cheeks dimpled when he smiled. “Probably also true. Anyway, I got the call from Misty’s deputy that Andy was on his way to my house, though I doubt he had any idea I lived there.”
“Probably not, though I’m surprised he didn’t check.” I waved a hand. “It doesn’t matter. Go on.”
“As I had suspected, he climbed in the back window that I’d conveniently left unlatched. I also had put several pillows under the blanket to make it look like Emma was asleep, and I even had Pearl lend me an old wig of hers.”
I had to hand it to him. He’d altered my plan and made it better. “That is brilliant. Then what?”
“Then Andy took aim and shot the pillows three times. I plan to ask the town to reimburse me for my thin comforter and my three old pillows.”
I laughed. “Did you rush in and arrest him?”
“After the deputy stepped out of the closet and cuffed him, I did.”
I clapped. “I love it.”
“I sent his gun to the lab to check to see if the bullet that killed my pillows are the same as those that killed Morgan.”
At the mention of his name, I sobered. “Did Andy say why he wanted Emma dead?”
“It was what you said. He thought he should be the next one in line for the property. This intended killing was to make it look like a robbery—only we stopped him before he could trash the bedroom and the house. Andy said he wanted the necklace so he could sell it. I’m guessing he believed that with Emma dead, he’d show surprise and shock when he was given the property.”
“That is sick. Didn’t he think Charles would object? I imagine Floyd’s own brother would have more right to the land than anyone.”
“I don’t know.” Steve polished off his glass of water and stood. “I wanted to let you know that you did a good job with this, but it would be a lot safer if you stuck to waitressing.”
“I agree. Just so you know, I didn’t ask to be able to see ghosts. It was actually a bit disconcerting. And I certainly never thought a dead person would ask me for my help in solving a crime.”
“Good to know. I’ll let you get back to whatever you were doing. Goodnight.”
I thought about asking him to stay a bit, but he probably had a ton of paperwork to fill out. “Oh, Steve?”
He spun around. “Yes.”
“What’s going to happen to the necklace?”
“I imagine the courts will see fit to let Emma keep it.”
That was what I was afraid of. “I’m not sure that’s such a good idea.”
“What do you mean?”
“Everyone in town knows she has it. We don’t need one of those werewolves trying to get it from her.”
His brows rose. “Oh, yeah. The werewolves. Do you think they exist?”
“I don’t know, but it’s better to be safe than sorry,” I said.
“Good point.”
“According to Gertrude and Morgan, there were two necklaces. Do we know who has the second one?” I asked. “Since Floyd was killed on a full moon, maybe he was wearing it to prevent him from shifting into a werewolf. If his killer took it, it should be somewhere, right?” I was still struggling with the concept of shapeshifters.
He quickly sobered. “That makes sense. Find the necklace. Find his killer—assuming it was a human who turned into an animal.”
The look of dismay on Steve’s face almost hurt me in its intensity. “If someone was willing to kill for Floyd’s necklace, Emma is still in danger.”
“I’ll suggest to Emma that I put the necklace in a safety deposit box at the bank. She won’t have access of it, at least until we can figure out this werewolf thing.”
I nodded. “That would be for the best.”
He stepped toward me, and my heart flipped. “Glinda, I want to say I’m sorry I doubted you.”
I never expected to hear that from him. Ever. “That’s okay. You’ve been amazingly open-minded. I’m not sure I’d be the same if I didn’t see or hear things the way I do.”
“So, we’re good?”
What did that mean? “Absolutely.”
“Let’s hope the next time you stop in to chat, it won’t be to report a murder, sa
y you’ve had another ghost sighting, or heaven forbid you claim to have seen a man change into a werewolf.”
He did have a vivid imagination. “I hope so too.”
Chapter Eighteen
One week later
I was sitting in the Bubbling Cauldon Coffee shop after I finished my shift when who should walk in but Sheriff Steve Rocker. I will admit that a trickle of excitement charged through me. He was a handsome man, but not one I wanted to be with. Why? His life was full of danger, and I’m not sure I could handle that on a daily basis.
I half expected him to smile and walk on by, but once inside, he strode right over to my table. “May I join you?”
It wasn’t like I was about to turn him down. “Of course.”
“Have you spoken with Morgan again?” he asked.
When he didn’t grin or wink, he must have been serious. “Once. I told him that his brother had killed him, and I gave him my best guess as to why.”
“What did he say?” Steve asked with complete sincerity.
“He figured as much. While he’d wished it had been some random violent act, he thanked me for helping.”
“Is he now able to cross over as they say?” he asked.
I was in a bit of shock at this new Steve Rocker. “I can’t say for sure. I’ve tried a few times to contact him, but he hasn’t appeared, so maybe he has. I know that Morgan wanted closure, and now he has it.”
Steve nodded. “I see.”
That sounded like something else had happened. “Why?”
“I’m glad Morgan knows. Turns out Andy Oliver is not a fan of spending the rest of his life behind bars. He was willing to bargain with us—or rather with the county courts—for the ability to be paroled at some point.”
That caught my interest as I sipped on my ice coffee. “What did he have to bargain with?”
“Knowledge. He said he was at Floyd’s house when Charles showed up the day Floyd was murdered. Floyd had gone outside to meet with his brother because Andy was in the house. That was when he heard his uncles argue about the necklace. Floyd was wearing his, but he wouldn’t say where the other one was. Ever curious, Andy peeked out the window and watched as Charles transformed into a werewolf. A second later, Floyd turned, too.”
I leaned forward, my heart pounding. “Does that mean we should believe werewolves are real?” I whispered.
“Maybe. I know Emma thinks they are. You said Morgan claimed his uncle needed a spell put on the necklaces because he didn’t want to change. I don’t know how else to explain it. I’d like to say it’s all hogwash, but what if it isn’t?”
I sucked in a breath, the clues coming together. “That’s why Floyd had blood under his fingernails. I bet the blood will match Charles’ blood.”
“I thought the same thing. That’s why I asked a few lawmen from the county to round up Charles and test his blood. And guess what? It matched what was found under Floyd’s fingernails.”
“I’ll be.” I ran that scenario through my head. “Do you think the courts will believe werewolves exist?”
“Probably not. I’m guessing Charles would say he and his brother got into an altercation in which Floyd scratched Charles.”
I could fill in the blanks. “And Charles would say he left after the fight. Afterward, the wolf attacked and killed his brother.”
Steve pointed a finger at me. “That is why I suggested they search Charles’ house for the other necklace.” He smiled.
“Don’t tell me they found it.”
“They did. I’m not sure we can make the murder charge stick, but I’m hoping the theft of the necklace will hold.”
I shook my head. “I’m not sure people will believe that farmer Floyd would wear such a necklace. Charles probably will say he inherited it, maybe from their mother or grandmother.”
“We’ll see. At least we know the truth. It’s possible that Emma can testify that Floyd bought the necklaces, and that they weren’t family heirlooms.”
“Unless they were.”
“There is that. All we can do it try,” he said.
“I agree, and thanks for telling me. I love it when loose ends are tied up.”
He tapped the table and stood. “Thanks to you, they are. We need to catch up some time.”
I wasn’t positive what that meant, but I liked the sound of it. “For sure.”
No sooner had Steve left than Emma Paxton waltzed in. I had to admit, a bit of rest had done wonders for her. Her hair was styled, and she was wearing what looked like a new dress. I waved. “Emma!” I motioned her to join me.
She smiled. “I thought I saw you in the window.” As she pulled out a chair to sit, she waved to the server. “I have news.”
I wanted to tell her about Andy’s information and about Charles’ arrest, but I’d let Steve do the honors. Emma seemed ready to burst. “Do tell.”
While I wasn’t a gossip queen like some others who shall remain nameless, I loved to hear things.
The server came over and took Emma’s order. “You’ll never guess who stopped by the farmhouse.”
I had no idea. “Who?”
“Joe Delaney.”
I didn’t even know how to react. “Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Did I hear correctly that you decided not to sell the farm?”
“That’s true. Turns out my miserly husband had been saving his money—a lot of it—that he’d never told me about. I can now afford to hire some ranch hands to take care of the place.”
“I couldn’t be happier for you.”
“It gets even better. Once Joe learned that I wasn’t going to budge about selling, he finally told me the real reason why he was so anxious to buy my land.”
Steve might have thought all of the loose ends had been tied up, but he was wrong. The whole issue with Joe’s apparent desire for Floyd’s land still bothered me. Now, I’d find out the truth. “Tell me.”
“He found one of his grandfather’s old journals that he’d only glanced through in the past. I can’t remember what he said prompted him to look, but when he read it, he learned that two of his relatives were rather notorious.”
My pulse soared. I couldn’t believe it. “Don’t tell me it was Mary and James Delaney, the famous bank robbers?”
Her mouth dropped open. “You know about them?”
I gave her a brief rundown of what I had learned. “At one time I thought maybe Joe had killed Morgan so he could search the land without interference.”
She waved a hand. “Nonsense. He is the nicest man. Why I never figured it out when I was married to Floyd, I don’t know.”
Emma’s blush told it all. She liked him. “What did Joe want?”
“He has a map that shows where those two bank robbers buried their take on my property. If I let him search, he’ll split it with me.”
“That’s fantastic.” I didn’t want to bring up the fact that the amount of money from the early 1900s might not be as great as they would hope. Also, I had no idea about any statute of limitations on money found from a bank robbery. Far be it for me to burst her happy bubble.
When the server delivered Emma’s drink, she held it up in a toast. I lifted my cup and tapped hers. “To the best amateur sleuth in all of Witch’s Cove,” she said.
I laughed. “I might be the only one, but I will take the title anyway. And thank you for your help in solving this crime. We couldn’t have done it without you.”
“You’re welcome. May the rest of the year be devoid of any more murders.”
I’d toast to that, though I had a sneaking suspicion that wouldn’t be the case. We chatted a bit more about what her plans were for the future. While I thoroughly enjoyed talking with her, I couldn’t wait to tell Jaxson what I had learned. When he had become important in my life, I don’t know. I had to say, I was looking forward to the future.
I hope you enjoyed meeting the townsfolk of Witch’s Cove, and Glinda’s cute familiar, Iggy, but don’t worry, she will be running into trouble soon.
>
Glinda promises to keep out of trouble, but when the powerful witch, Gertrude Poole, asks for Glinda’s help, she can’t resist finding what the pink aura means.
Check out The Mystery of the Pink Aura (book 3 of A Witch’s Cove Mystery.) Buy THE MYSTERY OF THE PINK AURA on Amazon or read for FREE on Kindle Unlimited
Don’t forget to sign up for my Cozy Mystery newsletter to learn about my discounts and upcoming releases. If you prefer to only receive notices regarding my releases, follow me on BookBub.
Here is a chapter one of The Mystery of the Pink Aura.
Penny Carsted, my coworker and best friend, rushed up to me and tugged on my sleeve, clearly needing my attention. “Glinda, did you hear?”
I set the full sugar shaker down on the side table in the Tiki Hut Grill where we both waitressed and faced her. Despite her out loud squeal, my heart didn’t race because I knew everything was a big deal to Penny. It was one of the many reasons why I adored her. “Hear what?”
“We have a new deputy!”
Okay, I hadn’t expected that announcement, and I will admit my pulse actually jumped. “It’s about time. What do we know about him?” I asked, letting my never-ending curiosity get the best of me.
I assumed the new addition to the sheriff’s department was male, because the Witch’s Cove city council was responsible for hiring this person. And, well, let’s say our beloved rulers were basically a good old boys club.
Why did I care? I had recently unofficially worked with Sheriff Steve Rocker on a case that involved the murdered nephew of one of our very own, and I wanted to make sure the city council hired someone who would be an asset. At least, that was what I told myself.
Why did I assume Penny would know about this new arrival? Easy. Even on the day of the deputy’s arrival, the whole town would have learned if he was married—did or did not have kids—what his favorite foods were, and what his shirt size was. The last statistic might seem strange to the average person, but the five gossip queens of Witch’s Cove were all single, and it wouldn’t be unkind of me to say that four of the five had a roaming eye. It wasn’t just me who thought that. All of them would readily admit it too, especially Dolly Andrews, the owner of the Spellbound Grill.