Ghoul's Paradise (Spellbound Ever After Paranormal Cozy Mystery Book 7)

by Annabel Chase

  “I’d like to speak with Penny. Do you know her?”

  Her blond head bobbed up and down. “She’s in charge of the party.” She scanned the group. “I think she went in the other room to burn some of the clay.”

  “You mean put them in the kiln?”

  She shrugged. “Sure. Whatever.”

  I patted her on the head. “Thanks for your help, Poppy.”

  “Next time I draw you, I’m going to make you shorter and with more pimples.”

  I touched my face. “Pimples?”

  She took aim at my face with her paint brush. “Those brown spots on your face.”

  “Those are freckles,” I said, and instantly relaxed. The thought of adult acne was more than I could take at the moment. I had enough body issues to contend with.

  Poppy gave me one of those sweet, childlike waves, the kind where the little fingers open and close. The sight of it made me want to rush home and cover Diana in butterfly kisses.

  I walked into the back room where a tall woman was placing a misshapen clay pot into the kiln. “Hi. Sorry to interrupt, but are you Penny?”

  “Yes. Are you interested in hosting a party here?” Her wide smile put me at ease. She wore her brown hair pulled off her face, probably to keep stray hairs from sticking to wet clay. Her broad shoulders were offset by a delicate floral dress. “We cater to baby showers too.”

  My own smile melted away and I glanced down at my protruding stomach. “Um. That part has come and gone already.”

  Her cheeks turned crimson. “Oh gods. I’m so sorry. I know you’re never supposed to assume.” She smacked her forehead. “I’m such an idiot.”

  “It’s okay. Really.” I took stock of the back room with its cheerful display of pots, bowls, and urns. “Did you make all these?”

  “Some of them.” She gestured to a bowl with butterflies painted around the rim. “Some of them have been left by customers and I keep them in case they decide to come back for them.”

  “Which ones are yours?” I asked.

  Penny pointed to row to her right. I followed her gaze to an entire collection of ceramics that featured…clowns. I shuddered because they were clowns, as well as for the more obvious reason.

  “Why clowns?” There were clowns of all varieties, and they seemed to be in an ascending line of creepiness.

  “I’m fascinated by them. I didn’t know anything about clowns until the curse broke and I went to visit another town. We went to this magical place called the circus.” She clasped her hands together and sighed dreamily. “I’d never seen anything so incredible.”

  I begged to differ but decided to stay silent on that score. “I’m sorry to barge in like this, but I need to ask you an important question. Do you have a minute?”

  She eyed me skeptically. “You’re not trying to convert me to something, are you? Because I’m way too susceptible and I’ll just say yes to avoid conflict and eventually we’ll both come to regret my decision.”

  I stared at her, wide-eyed. Playful Penny couldn’t possibly be Lorenzo’s secret paramour. She was far too sweet and accommodating. Still, I had to be certain so I could cross her off the werebear list.

  “I’m not here to convert you, Penny. The only group I belong to is the coven, and I shouldn’t even be a member because I’m technically not a witch.”

  She blew out a relieved breath. “No chance of the coven trying to recruit a werebear like me. The most magical thing I can do is make a ceramic plate.”

  I forged ahead, eager to get my answer so that I could move on. “I know this may seem like a strange question, but were you romantically involved with Lorenzo Mancini?”

  Her brow lifted almost imperceptibly. “Why would you ask me that?”

  More importantly, why would she not immediately deny it? “It was you, wasn’t it?” I asked quietly. “You were his secret girlfriend.”

  She looked around furtively. “How did you find out? No one was supposed to know, and I mean no one. Enzo was very firm about that.”

  Enzo? “I’m so sorry for your loss. You must be devastated.”

  The tears began to flow freely, as though I’d uncorked a bottle of grief. “You have no idea what it’s like to have to suffer in silence. I have to act like I’m fine, like I didn’t even know him. I should have been standing by his coffin.” She gulped for air.

  “He swore you to secrecy?”

  She nodded. “He had to for the sake of the pack. He wanted to go public. We both did, but the pack was so upset about Darcy that it worried him too much.”

  I fished a tissue from my bag and handed it to her. “Do you know what he was found wearing when he died?”

  She looked confused. “One of his expensive suits? He had dozens of them. He always looked so handsome in a tie.”

  “He wasn’t wearing a suit, Penny.” My gaze drifted to the clown collection. “He was wearing a clown costume.”

  She gasped and clutched the tissue against her chest. “You can’t be serious. How? Why?”

  “I don’t know. It’s been baffling. Did he know about your interest in clowns?”

  Penny nodded. “Yes, of course. We knew everything about each other.”

  I doubted that was true. Lorenzo seemed the type to keep many secrets—Penny herself being Exhibit A.

  “To the best of your knowledge, did he own a clown costume?”

  She burst into laughter. “Enzo? No, definitely not.”

  “I hate to have to ask you this, but you can confirm your whereabouts on the evening he died—between the hours of six and eight?”

  Penny counted the days on her fingers. “I was here for Miriam Beecham’s seventieth birthday party. You can check with my assistant, Hannah. She’s out there now supervising the party.” She dabbed at her eyes again with the damp tissue. “You won’t tell anyone about me, will you? With Enzo gone now, it would only cause trouble.”

  I gave her a wry smile. “I’ll do my best, Penny, but it wouldn’t surprise me if someone already knows.” And that someone might just be responsible for Lorenzo’s murder.

  Chapter Thirteen

  After confirming Penny’s story, I shared the news with Astrid and returned home to fetch Diana. I’d come up with a plan to solve Lorenzo’s murder once and for all and my daughter would play a critical role.

  I entered the secret lair with Diana in a sling across my chest. The other witches were already here, assembled in front of the magic mirror and watching the end of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. I waited quietly until the credits began to roll.

  “Kylo Ren is the best thing that ever happened to Star Wars,” Millie said. “All that power and awkwardness in one body just overshadows everything else.”

  “What about Baby Yoda?” Sophie asked.

  “He doesn’t count because he’s only on the television show,” Millie said.

  Begonia’s eyes were still pinned to the mirror. “A redeemable bad boy. Is there anything better than that?”

  I laughed. “You would say that, future wife of a vampire.” I placed Diana on the floor and hoped that she stayed put.

  Laurel shifted toward me. “What's the latest with Lorenzo?”

  “I’m glad you asked. There’s something I think you can help me with and it involves Diana.”

  The other witches looked at me expectantly. “You don’t want us to try necromancy, do you?” Millie asked. “Because I’ve watched a couple Stephen King movies now and I can tell you that’s a very bad idea.”

  I kneeled on the floor beside Diana as she played with a set of wooden blocks with different runes carved into their sides. “No, I definitely do not want anyone experimenting with necromancy. Although it’s sort of related.”

  Sophie balked. “Related to necromancy? That sounds dangerous.”

  “It’s not. I swear. I want us to conjure a spell that allows me to see what Diana sees.”

  The other witches appeared confused except for Laurel. “You think that she can see Lorenzo’s gh
ost if he’s here and you want to be able to communicate with him.”

  “Oh, wow,” Begonia breathed. “Can’t your father do that? I thought he could see ghosts.”

  “He can. He almost did, in fact, but…” I didn’t feel like getting into a discussion about my father. “I need to do it.”

  Laurel nodded. “Especially because it’s Lorenzo we’re dealing with. He’s not a forgiving sort and he might not even be willing to talk to Calix.”

  “Exactly,” I said, already knowing how that first attempt turned out.

  Begonia’s lips formed a pout. “But do you think he’d be willing to talk to you? No offense, Emma, but the two of you didn’t exactly see eye-to-eye on anything.”

  “I know, but I still think I’m the best chance because I’m not sure who else could channel Diana. She’s not made of radio waves. I have the strongest connection to her and the best chance of being able to access her abilities.”

  “You can already access them partway,” Sophie said. “Isn’t that the reason you can see Gareth?”

  I lined up the wooden blocks in a row in a tower for Diana to knock down. Half of our time playing seemed to be me setting up blocks for her to knock over. She was like a mini-Godzilla.

  “Now you sound like my father. He thinks that if I work with him on developing my demigod skills that I’ll be able to do things that Diana can do.”

  “Do you think there are things she can do that you’ll never be able to do?” Millie asked, her gaze riveted to the baby.

  “Absolutely,” I said. “It’s genetics. Some of my passive genes will be active in her, just like some of my active genes will be passive in her. She also has an angel for a father, which I most definitely do not.”

  Everyone stared at Diana as she lined the blocks in a neat row and then levitated them. I watched in wonder for a full minute until the blocks collapsed in a heap on the floor, prompting Diana to burst into tears.

  Millie smiled. “Well, she definitely inherited that from you.”

  Laurel peeled herself off the sofa and moved into the corner of the lair where the makeshift library was located. She began thumbing through spell books with a look of concentration.

  “Do you already know what you’re looking for?” I asked.

  “Professor Holmes mentioned something in class the other day that I think would work.” Her face brightened. “Here it is.” She pulled a volume from the shelf and flipped to the index. “It’s under the puppet category.”

  I shivered. “There’s a puppet category?”

  “I’m pretty sure there’s a Stephen King novel about that too,” Millie said.

  “Page 74.” Laurel brought the book to the table and set it down where we could all see it.

  I craned my neck to make sure that Diana was in a good spot. The last time we were here, she bumped her head on the edge of the coffee table and it took a good thirty minutes to calm her down. I didn’t care to repeat that experience.

  “I had no idea there was a puppet category,” Begonia said.

  The witches crowded around the book as Laurel read aloud. “This spell allows the caster to inhabit the body of another.”

  I flipped the page. “No, I don’t want to inhabit the baby’s body. I just want to be able to see and hear from her point of view. The more minimal the intrusion, the better.”

  “Here’s one,” Millie said. “It’s a potion.”

  “Yes,” I said excitedly. “This one is more like steering. That’s what I want.” The spell seemed akin to a virtual reality headset. I scanned the requirements.

  “We can make it right here,” Laurel said.

  “Great. It looks like I’ll be doing a field trip with Diana to the cemetery tonight.”

  Sophie hugged herself. “I know I’m a witch and all, but the thought of being in a cemetery in the middle of the night with the ghost of a dead werewolf who was scary in real life makes me a little anxious.”

  “I feel you. On the other hand, I’d much rather do this if it helps us figure out the killer than continue to walk around Spellbound not knowing whether the next paranormal I pass is going to murder me next.”

  “Good point,” Millie said.

  I tickled Diana under the chin and said in a baby voice, “Who’s going to see a Big, Bad Wolf tonight? That’s right. We are.”

  Diana promptly picked up a block and knocked me on the head.

  Millie smothered a laugh. “I can hardly blame her. I’d chuck a block at you, too, if you used that voice with me.”

  I glared at Millie as I rubbed my head. “I appreciate the help, witches. If anyone wants to accompany us tonight, feel free.”

  They exchanged looks. “I think you should take Daniel,” Begonia said. “He’s your best bet if Lorenzo gets out of hand.”

  “He’s a ghost,” I said. “The most out of hand he can get is glowering at me from another plane of existence.”

  Millie patted my back. “Good luck. We’re rooting for you. Let us know how it goes.”

  “Let them know how it goes,” I repeated, doing my impression of Millie. “That’s what they told me. Can you believe it?”

  “I can because it’s the third time you’ve mentioned it.” Daniel carried us through the air, careful to glide only a few feet above the ground. I wasn’t about to risk vomiting on my baby’s head. That would be a new motherly low, much worse than the time I was so sleep-deprived that I accidentally refastened a dirty diaper instead of changing it. Apparently, I’d made a note of the color and consistency of the excrement and promptly returned the diaper to its original state. Only when I checked on her later and saw the diaper ready to explode did I realize what I’d done.

  We landed safely on the edge of the cemetery. I’d advised Gareth to steer clear so as not to rile Lorenzo. Having me here would be enough to agitate him, should we be fortunate enough to make contact. The werewolf and vampire weren’t on friendly terms back when Gareth was the town defense lawyer. It seemed Lorenzo had issues with any authority figures that weren’t him.

  “Eerie,” Daniel said under his breath.

  I smiled at him. “At least you don’t have Sedgwick here trying to make it spookier.” The words were barely out of mouth when a haunting hoot emanated from the treetops. I rolled my eyes. Very funny.

  I was hoping for a stronger reaction from your paramour.

  Daniel tilted his head back to scan the sky. “Is there another owl that hangs out here?”

  “No, just my annoying familiar.”

  “Do you have everything you need for the spell?” Daniel asked.

  I patted Diana’s body. “One magic baby. The rest is easy.”

  The angel leaned forward and lightly kissed the top of her head. “What about the potion?”

  I moaned. “Uh oh.”

  The tube of liquid dropped down on the ground in front of me. Not so annoying now, am I?

  I glanced skyward. Thanks, Sedgwick.

  “I brought a mint in case it tastes bad,” Daniel said.

  I smiled at my thoughtful husband. “You’re the best.”

  “It was a slightly selfish gesture. I don’t want you to feel nauseous on the ride home.”

  “You’re still the best.”

  Daniel scooped the tube off the ground and opened the lid. “Ready?”

  “As I’ll ever be.” I opened my mouth and he poured the liquid down my throat. Somehow it managed to taste both bitter and sweet.

  “Is it awful?” Daniel asked.

  “Like a lemon drop at The Spotted Owl.” I waved off the offer of a mint. “It should only take a minute to take effect.”

  Daniel tucked away the empty tube. “I’ll be right here in case you pass out or something.” He spread his wings wide. “These feathers make a nice cushion.”

  I winked at him. “I know.” My body began to tingle and I knew the potion was making its way through my system. I cradled the back of Diana’s head against my chest in the baby carrier and tried to focus on the darknes
s. The only visible lights came from the moon and stars above and the occasional firefly.

  “Anything yet?” Daniel asked.

  “Not yet.” I tried to be patient, but it wasn’t my strong suit.

  “Maybe try taking off your amulet,” he said.

  I glanced down at my chest. “You think this is blocking the spell?”

  “Not necessarily, but you said it’s to keep away negative energy, right?”

  His idea made sense. Lorenzo’s ghost wasn’t exactly positive energy. I lifted the necklace over my hand and handed it to him. “Worth a try.”

  Diana clapped her hands and giggled. I squinted and spotted a silhouette between two headstones. “Wait. I see something.” Gently, I cupped Diana’s cheeks to keep her focused on the area. I gasped as Lorenzo’s familiar form came into view.

  Daniel placed a hand on my shoulder. “Is it him?”

  I nodded, gulping audibly. He drifted toward me, looking every inch the dapper werewolf apart from his slightly transparent nature. His gold cufflinks glimmered in the moonlight.

  “Hello, Lorenzo,” I said. If he’d seen his killer, then I could resolve this case tonight and put the pack at ease.

  The werewolf ghost didn’t answer. He continued toward us, a scowl registering on his face.

  “I know I’m probably not someone you hoped to see once you kicked off your mortal coil, but we play the hand we’re given, right?”

  Lorenzo hovered beside one of the taller headstones. He managed to cut an imposing figure even when dead.

  “My daughter can see ghosts and so I’ve used a spell to try and share her experience,” I said. “We’re trying to find out what happened to you and bring your killer to justice. It seemed like a smart move to come directly to the source for answers.”

  He offered a reluctant nod. I realized that, while his mouth was opening and closing, no sound was coming out. I cocked my head to look at Diana.

  “Can you hear him, sweetheart?” The baby shook her rattle and I glanced at Daniel. “Do you think that shake meant yes or no?”

  Daniel studied our daughter. “She’s smiling. What do you think that means?”

  A soft sound from her bottom told me exactly what it meant. “Let’s try again. Maybe she was distracted.” I focused all my attention on Lorenzo and strained to hear the slightest sound. The only noise I heard was a cricket in a nearby thicket.