by Jinty James
“But what if the murderer is one of us?” Jenna wailed. “This is so horrible.” She buried her face in her hands. “What am I going to tell Hailey’s husband?”
There was an awkward silence.
“Lock your doors tonight,” Detective Edgewater looked uncomfortable. “I believe Autumn – your leader – has the keys. And the deputy will stay here with you tonight.”
“Thank you, detective,” Autumn replied.
Maddie heard a commotion at the staircase. She guessed it must be the medical examiner.
“I’ll call later today,” Detective Edgewater said, looking at everyone thoughtfully before departing.
“Well, ladies.” Autumn stood up and clasped her hands. “I think we should continue with our workshop. If there was any time to banish negativity, this is it!”
“True,” Linda said slowly.
“All I can think about is Hailey!” Jenna burst into tears again.
Brenda patted the soccer mom’s back.
“I would suggest we go for a bracing walk outside.” Autumn glanced at the window. “But I don’t think it would be wise if another storm is coming.” Another rumble of thunder sounded, as if on cue.
Footsteps clomped up the stairs, accompanied by a murmur of voices.
Maddie and Suzanne turned to look through the open doorway into the hall.
“Perhaps we should shut the door.” Autumn firmly closed the door. “What about some yoga?” She checked her yellow watch. “And then after lunch we can continue with the afternoon activities I had planned.”
A ragged murmur of assent followed.
Autumn grabbed the yoga mats that had been rolled up and placed in the corner of the room.
“Trixie, would you like to help me lead the class?”
“Mrrow!” Trixie looked pleased at the idea.
The room’s mood brightened a little.
“If Trixie’s going to join in ...” Maddie heard Edith whisper.
“Do we have time for this?” Suzanne asked Maddie. “I know I wasn’t very good at yoga yesterday, but I’ve decided I want to give it another try. But we’ll have to get lunch ready.”
“It’s salad, isn’t it?” At Suzanne’s nod, Maddie continued, “I can fix it. Enjoy the yoga.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.” Maddie smiled at her friend. She didn’t think this form of exercise was her cup of coffee.
“Thanks.” Suzanne touched Maddie’s arm. “I’ll come and help you in the kitchen as soon as it’s finished – or I’m unable to twist myself into any more poses.”
“Deal.” Maddie bent down to Trixie and told her to have fun, then headed toward the kitchen.
She didn’t see anyone in the hall. Perhaps the deputy was helping the medical examiner upstairs? She hoped they had enough food for him if he was staying the night – or maybe he was able to get something delivered?
Right on that thought came another one – they probably did have enough food on hand now they were down one member of the group. She blinked back sudden moisture and took a deep breath.
Maddie opened the refrigerator. Bags of organic salad stared at her from the still cool depths. She set to work, making each plate of greens, tomatoes, and radishes as attractive as possible.
She remembered Suzanne had mentioned a package of bread rolls that were vegan. Apparently, all she had to do was pop them in the gas oven and they’d have freshly baked bread. Her mouth started to water at the thought.
After pre-heating the oven, Maddie found a cookie tray and placed the par-baked rolls on it.
Once lunch was over, she wondered if she should suggest to Suzanne that they start a suspect list. She thought her friend would jump at the chance. They’d done the same thing before when they’d encountered a dead body.
If Hailey’s death was murder and an intruder hadn’t killed her, it meant that someone in this house had – Autumn, Jenna, Edith, Brenda, or Linda. The thought sent icy chills down her spine. She wished Trixie was with her right now.
As if her familiar had been able to discern her thoughts, an image popped into Maddie’s mind. Trixie was sitting on her bottom next to Autumn, her hind legs wide apart and her front paws between them.
Maddie smiled. Was that a yoga pose the Persian had invented? She wondered if Autumn was allowing the cat to make up the poses and was copying her moves?
Just then, Suzanne burst into the kitchen.
“Phew!” She mopped her brow dramatically. “My arms and legs refused to co-operate any more. I don’t know how Trixie does it.”
“She just showed me what she was up to,” Maddie admitted.
“Oh! You mean she sent you a telepathic image of herself?”
Maddie described Trixie’s yoga pose that had popped into her mind.
Suzanne giggled. “Yes, she was doing that a couple of minutes ago. I did it too, and then I was worried I wouldn’t be able to get up off the floor!”
“The salad’s all ready.” Maddie gestured with a smile to the plates on the kitchen counter.
The oven timer dinged.
“And the rolls.” Maddie had almost forgotten about them, first thinking about the murder and then about her familiar’s enthusiasm for yoga.
“Awesome!” Suzanne grabbed an oven cloth and pulled the tray out of the oven. “Thank goodness this oven is gas and not electric!”
The smell of freshly baked bread wafted through the room.
“Mmm.” Suzanne looked like she wanted to eat a hot roll right away.
“I guess we should start taking the food in.”
Last night they’d cleared the dining room and laid the table for breakfast. With a start, Maddie realized nobody had had breakfast that morning.
Suzanne’s stomach growled. She put a hand on her belly and looked embarrassed.
“Sorry,” she apologized.
“Mine will probably do that in a minute,” Maddie admitted.
They took the plates into the dining room. Autumn swept into the room, looking at the table with approval.
“Wonderful job, girls.” She smiled at them.
Trixie trotted in behind her, looking pleased to see Maddie.
“Mrrow.”
“Trixie is such a dear.” Autumn bent to stroke the Persian. “And she was a great help with yoga class. I’m sure if she hadn’t participated none of the others would have been keen.”
The other ladies trooped into the dining room.
“I don’t know how I’m going to eat anything,” Jenna mumbled.
“Hailey would want you to keep up your strength,” Linda said in a soothing tone.
“Perhaps we should say a few words in Hailey’s memory,” Autumn suggested as everyone sat at the table.
“Please,” Jenna said. “She would have liked that.”
Autumn bowed her head, her hands tucked in her lap.
“Thank you, Hailey, for sharing your spirit and personality with us. We wish you well on your journey – now and in the future.”
There was silence for a moment. Then everyone started murmuring among themselves.
“This bread roll smells delicious,” Brenda told them as she broke it open. “But I thought we didn’t have electricity.”
“Gas oven.” Suzanne grinned at her.
Trixie stayed by Maddie’s side during the meal. The attendees told Maddie about Trixie’s prowess at yoga, and then asked her if she had any news about the investigation.
“I’m afraid not.” Maddie shook her head. “I haven’t even seen the deputy.”
“I’m sure he’ll say hello when he’s able to,” Autumn commented. “Until then, let’s try to think about the workshop as much as possible.” At Jenna’s unhappy face, she said gently, “I’m sure that’s what Hailey would have wanted.”
“None of you knew Hailey!” Jenna jumped up. “Only I did!” She ran from the room.
Maddie wondered if she should get up and comfort the soccer mom, but Autumn laid a hand on her arm.
&
nbsp; “Perhaps we should let her grieve on her own,” the group leader suggested. “This must be very overwhelming for her. She may need time alone to process it all.”
Maddie nodded, forking up a slice of tomato. Perhaps Autumn was right.
Just then, Autumn’s cell phone rang.
All the women stared at the group leader.
“Again, I apologize.” Autumn tossed off a breathless laugh that didn’t sound genuine. She glanced at the screen and paled. “Please excuse me.” The fork clattered on her plate as she pushed back her chair and hurried out of the dining room.
Maddie looked at Suzanne. What was that about?
“I hope Autumn’s okay.” Brenda stabbed a radish. “Her phone’s gone off a couple of times since we’ve been here.”
“And she did tell us yesterday not to turn on our phones during group activities,” Linda added.
“I hope she’s all right,” Edith said softly.
“So do I,” Maddie replied.
A few minutes later, Autumn slid back in her seat.
“How is lunch, ladies?” she asked brightly.
“Delicious,” Linda replied, her tone just as bright as the group leader’s. Perhaps she was embracing positivity?
“I’ve turned my phone off so we won’t be interrupted again,” Autumn continued.
The group leader seemed composed but Maddie wondered if the sheen in her eyes was actually a sign of tears. She glanced down at Trixie who sat on the floor next to her chair.
“Mrrow,” her familiar said softly, as if confirming Maddie’s thought.
Dessert was fresh Van cherries.
Maddie rolled a cherry in her mouth like a lollipop, savoring the sweet, juicy flavor, but being mindful of the stone.
“I thought we could have a session of special breathing,” Autumn announced at the end of the meal. “It will be a wonderful way to banish the negativity here.”
“Should someone check on Jenna?” Brenda asked.
“I’ll go,” Suzanne volunteered. She nudged Maddie.
“Me too,” Maddie found herself saying.
“Mrrow,” Trixie agreed.
“I’m sure Jenna will feel better if you visit her, Trixie.” Autumn’s face softened as she looked at the Persian.
“And then we’ll do the lunch dishes,” Maddie said.
They excused themselves from the dining room.
“Don’t you think it’s weird Autumn keeps getting these phone calls?” Suzanne whispered once they were near the staircase.
“She’s only had a few that we know of,” Maddie said mildly. “But you’re right, it is a bit strange, especially since she expects everyone else to turn off their cell phones while they’re here.”
“Mrrow,” Trixie commented, scampering up the stairs.
There was no sign of the crime scene techs or medical examiner. Perhaps they had left before or during lunch.
When they reached Jenna’s room, Maddie spied a deputy sitting on a chair outside Hailey’s room.
“Look.”
“Hi.” Suzanne smiled and waved at him.
The forty-something man nodded back, looking a little uncomfortable.
There was crime scene tape stretched across the bedroom door.
“I guess no one will be getting into Hailey’s room,” Suzanne commented as she knocked on Jenna’s door.
A few seconds later the door opened. A tear-stained Jenna stared at them.
“We just wanted to check that you were okay,” Maddie said awkwardly.
Jenna sniffed. “No, I’m not.”
“Can we come in?” Suzanne asked.
“Mrrow?” Trixie asked.
“Oh, Trixie.” Jenna smiled wanly. “I suppose so.”
“Would you like us to bring you lunch?” Maddie asked, feeling guilty she hadn’t thought about it before.
“No, I’m fine. It’s probably blasted salad again, anyway,” Jenna replied gloomily.
“You’re right,” Suzanne said. “But we had fresh rolls with it and those delicious cherries from last night.”
“Oh.” Jenna seemed to perk up. “Perhaps I could eat a roll – and some cherries.”
“Okay.” Maddie smiled sympathetically at the soccer mom.
“Have I missed anything?” Jenna sat on the single bed.
“Not much.” Suzanne shook her head. “Did you see the deputy down the hall?”
“No.” Jenna’s eyes widened. “Where is he?”
“Guarding Hailey’s room,” Maddie replied.
Trixie wandered around, sniffing at the armoire, then turning her attention to the space under the bed.
“I don’t think your cat will find anything under there,” Jenna remarked.
“Not even dust bunnies?” Suzanne giggled.
A couple of minutes later, Maddie, Trixie, and Suzanne said goodbye and headed to the kitchen.
“I’ll take up Jenna’s lunch,” Maddie said as she put a bread roll and a big handful of cherries onto a white china plate.
“I’ll start clearing up.” Suzanne pouted. “I didn’t think there’d be so many dishes to do this weekend.”
“I know.” Maddie put Jenna’s platter on a tray.
“Mrrow?”
“Do you want to visit the special breathing class?” Maddie asked her familiar.
Trixie tilted her head to one side. “Mrrow,” she finally said in the affirmative.
“Maybe she’s curious,” Suzanne said. “It’s a shame she can’t help us with the dishes.” She snapped her fingers. “Or cast a spell that does them for us!” She bent down to the Persian. “Can you do that, Trix? Can you use magic to make all the dishes clean again?”
Trixie scrunched up her face as if she thought Suzanne’s request was silly. She waved her plumy tail in the air as she padded out of the room.
“I guess Trixie doesn’t like doing the dishes, either.” Maddie couldn’t help laughing. Suzanne joined in.
“When you get back, and we’ve cleaned up, we better make a suspects’ list.” Suzanne’s eyes shone with sleuth-like eagerness.
“That’s what I was going to say to you!”
“I know there’s a deputy, but Mads, it is a bit creepy staying here after what happened to Hailey.”
“I know.” Maddie touched her friend’s arm.
After Maddie took Jenna’s lunch to her, she returned to the kitchen and helped Suzanne with the dishes. When everything was clean and tidy, they sat down at the kitchen counter.
“We’ll have to make our list on this.” Suzanne dug out her phone.
A large crack of lightning illuminated the kitchen. Maddie and Suzanne stared at each other.
Heavy rain pelted the roof and windows.
“Looks like we’re stuck here,” Suzanne said gloomily.
“We couldn’t leave anyway,” Maddie told her. “We signed a contract, remember? And it wouldn’t feel right leaving Autumn in the lurch.”
“I know.” Suzanne sighed. “There’s something going on with her, though, don’t you think? And there’s something going on with her and Trixie.”
“What do you mean?” Maddie crinkled her brow.
“Like I said earlier, maybe Autumn is another familiar or an intuitive or something.” Suzanne’s ponytail swished. “She seems very taken with Trixie.”
“Trixie does have that effect on people,” Maddie replied.
“Definitely. But this just seems a bit different, like Trixie knows somehow that Autumn needs her.”
“Does she?” Maddie stared at her friend. Trixie wasn’t thinking of leaving her for Autumn, was she? Maddie told herself not to be silly.
But sometimes she couldn’t help wondering where Trixie had lived before Maddie had found her – or Trixie had found her. Had she lived with another witch? Was Autumn a witch? Was it time for Trixie to leave Maddie?
She’d met Trixie just over a year ago and the Persian had been helping her come to terms with her witchy powers, although the process was slow going, as
it seemed one new spell was revealed to her at every full moon.
What would Maddie do without her sweet cat? She was more than just a familiar – she was Maddie’s best friend, along with Suzanne. Maddie knew she’d be lost without the fluffy white Persian.
“Only while we’re here.” Suzanne patted her shoulder. “What did you think I meant?”
But Maddie couldn’t tell her.
“Everyone knows you and Trixie belong together,” Suzanne continued. “It was meant to be – I mean, she even came into Claudine’s coffee shop while you were working there. It’s obvious she was looking for you.”
Maddie cheered up at her friend’s words.
“I hope so,” she said. But there was still a niggle of worry at the back of her mind. Were she and Trixie truly meant to be together forever?
“Anyway.” Suzanne pressed some buttons on her phone. “Let’s get started. And we can’t take too long or Autumn will wonder what we’re doing.”
“You’re right,” Maddie agreed.
“So – Autumn.” Suzanne typed on the phone.
“Do you think so?”
“I think we should just add everyone who’s still here.” Suzanne looked at her earnestly. “If it wasn’t an intruder, and I have no idea how one got in, it must have been one of us.”
“Unless the intruder was a previous tenant or rented the place out temporarily and kept a key or got a copy made while they were here,” Maddie said. She didn’t want to think about someone in this group being a murderer.
“Ooh, good point.” Suzanne typed some more. “I’ve put that in. So it’s either Autumn, Jenna, Edith, Linda, or Brenda. Or a mysterious intruder or former tenant.”
“I can’t imagine Edith killing anyone,” Maddie said thoughtfully. “She seems so quiet.”
“I know! And she dresses like she’s from another generation.” Suzanne frowned. “But maybe that’s her M.O. Maybe she’s really a hitman in disguise.”
Maddie stared at her friend. “I refuse to believe that.”
“It’s just a theory.” Suzanne shrugged.
“What are you watching or reading at night?” Maddie asked curiously, wondering where Suzanne’s “theory” had come from.
“This and that.” Suzanne airily waved her hand. “You know me, Mads, I like trying out new things.”