Pumpkin Blend (A Paramour Bay Cozy Paranormal Mystery Book 14)

by Kennedy Layne

  “Ivan, one more thing before you go,” I said quickly before he could walk away. “Do you know who is stealing the pumpkins?”

  There was something in the grim reaper’s expression that had me believing he did hold the answers that we sought. Then again, it could be that there was quite a bit of energy piercing the palm of my right hand that had me seeing things that weren’t there.

  I’m not liking where this meeting is heading, Raven. Now that we cleared up the air about me being a hardened criminal, all I want is to sit back and enjoy a few hands of poker. It feels as if I’ve been through Hades these last two days. Doesn’t a familiar who will eventually be ranked to sainthood deserve some me-time?

  “There are many pumpkins available, Miss Raven. There is a simple solution to continue with the festival,” Ivan said, offering a suggestion that was only a temporary fix. “I’m sure the mayor can request to have Mr. Stellhorn carve another pumpkin into a spectacular jack-o-lantern.”

  “But that doesn’t fix the problem,” I replied impatiently only to hear Heidi give out a little squeak of protest. She was taking her hand and making a slicing motion across her neck in order to get me to stop while I was ahead. I ignored her in order to forge ahead in my quest for answers. “You said yourself that good deeds could outweigh the bad, Ivan. Shouldn’t we give the thief an opportunity to right his or her wrong?”

  I don’t think I’m going out on a limb with Skippy and his ninja squirrels when I say that you might have offended our local grim reaper. You might want to rethink your plan, Raven. Now that I’m not about to be carted off in handcuffs, I have to sit next to the host of the next poker game. I’m going to be really upset if you’re the reason my sainthood is revoked.

  “All is as it should be, Miss Raven.” Ivan bowed his head and slipped his thumbs underneath his suspenders. “I bid you all goodnight.”

  With that last statement, Ivan turned on his work boots and disappeared into the patch of fog that seemed to have become thicker than when we’d arrived at the graveyard.

  “Are you trying to put us on that elevator? Or is it an escalator?” Heidi asked only to then wave her hand in the air as if her question no longer mattered. “Never mind. You shouldn’t go around upsetting Ivan like that. He might have the authority to put our names at the top of his list, and I’ve done everything that I can to avoid such a happenstance.”

  I don’t know if I agree now that I know I’m about to be nominated for sainthood.

  “Heidi, my hand has been gathering energy,” I explained cautiously, really taking the time to look around the graveyard. “More than usual, especially since we began talking to Ivan. Something’s not right.”

  Why in the glory of all catnip would you say something like that while we’re standing smackdab in the middle of the cemetery? Sometimes I don’t think you use your brain. I hate to break this to you, Raven, but I don’t think you’ll be nominated for sainthood alongside me.

  “Are you telling me that there is an evil spirit roaming around or some zombie about to crawl out of a grave? Oh, gosh! Do jack-o-lanterns ward off zombies? I don’t remember reading anything about zombies in that folklore about pumpkins.”

  I didn’t answer Heidi right away, and I held up a finger when Leo’s hat went crooked after he tilted his head to get another word in edgewise. There was an ominous hum traveling through the air, similar to the supernatural vibe that Heidi had asked about at the crime scene. I hadn’t noticed it then, but I certainly did now.

  The low fog had stretched across the entire grounds of the cemetery, blocking our view after about two rows of tombstones. An odd thought crossed my mind, but it was almost as if the tingling in my palm was timed to a heartbeat.

  Was there something else here with us just beyond the thick, white mist?

  There are some questions best left unanswered.

  Leo began meowing at Heidi, prompting her to give me a sideways look of suspicion as she started after him, both of them eager to reach the car. I hated to be the one to tell them that it was probably best we have a look around the area before we left, but someone had to do it.

  “Not so fast, you two,” I called out softly in warning, shining my flashlight directly on them after they’d gotten a few feet away. They both stopped dead in their tracks—no pun intended. “I want to have a look around. We keep saying that the pumpkins that were stolen have to be somewhere, but yet Liam nor anyone else can seem to locate them. What if they are here?”

  Heidi and Leo came scurrying back, both of them appearing quite agitated that I wasn’t ready to head home. Leo should know exactly what I was feeling at the moment, because he normally sensed the same things that I did when it came to our surroundings.

  “Leo, you don’t feel that slow and steady heartbeat?”

  “Why on earth would he feel something like that?” Heidi asked incredulity, swinging her flashlight all around us to make sure that nothing was going to reach out from the dark. “Did you see something? Do you know something that we don’t know?”

  “Not exactly,” I hedged, purposefully linking my arm through hers. “I just know that Ivan was acting odd and the palm of my hand is awfully warm. We really should check out the back of the property.”

  Our local grim reaper always acts that way. You get kind of used to it after a while, although it’s when he pulls out those toothpicks that you have to worry. I think it’s some type of stress reliever.

  “Ivan wasn’t chewing on a toothpick tonight.” Maybe I was making a big deal out of Ivan’s unwillingness to talk. He might simply have been telling the truth about the restrictions of his job. “FBI and CIA aren’t allowed to talk about their jobs, either. You might be right, Leo. Either way, I’d still like to go by some of the crypts to make sure that everything is okay.”

  I didn’t consume enough blueberry-filled edibles for such a stroll, Raven.

  “Why would someone put jack-o-lanterns near a crypt or tombstone?” Heidi asked as she scrunched her nose. Somehow, the black face paint that she’d lined her cheeks with had smeared to the point that she now looked like a coalminer. “Isn’t that defeating the purpose?”

  My soulmate has a very valid point. I can’t believe it took the thought of crossing through the veil to realize my mistake regarding true love. Things are finally back to normal, and you want to go and get us all killed. Not fair, Raven. Not fair at all.

  We continued to carefully and cautiously maneuver through the old tombstones as we made our way to the back of the property line. As Heidi continued to scan her flashlight from side to side, assuring herself that the coast was clear less than a few feet ahead of us due to the low-hanging fog, I was given the opportunity to go over what we knew of the case.

  Someone had not only stolen the prized jack-o-lantern, but they’d also plundered the pumpkin patch. Whatever it was that had done so had the ability to become invisible, which really only left us with a confused spirit. I still wasn’t sure that anything else beside a familiar had the ability to dissipate into thin air. Ivan had all but assured us that Leo was in the clear, not that I’d ever believed otherwise.

  Mrs. Marinus’ husband and brother had crossed through the veil, but Ivan hadn’t answered my question about if he knew who was responsible for the thefts. It was as if he had been deliberately avoiding giving up the name of who might be responsible.

  Who could Ivan be protecting?

  Listening to your thoughts is like watching a tennis match on television. Your giving me a brain-crink, and right when things are starting to look up for me. The only thing left for me to do is break it to my former perfect mate that we’re not right for one another. Please don’t go getting us killed before I’ve had time to sort out my affairs. At least I know that my soulmate will be accompanying us, so that’s a plus.

  “Heidi, do you think that—”

  “Call me Bree while we’re here.”

  “Didn’t you just hear Ivan talking about good deeds outweighing the bad?” I asked
with a chuckle, knowing that Heidi really didn’t mean anything by throwing someone else’s name around. Besides, Ivan was too smart to fall for the old name-switching trick. “Just humor me about checking out the—”

  A random gust of cold air came out of nowhere, bringing all three of us to a complete standstill.

  Well, two of us.

  Leo had done his blippy thing, most likely leaving behind a few strands of fur. I wasn’t sure how the costume managed to disappear with him, but I really didn’t have time to learn the science behind magic.

  “What was that?” Heidi whispered, tiptoeing me in a circle as we both used our flashlights to search out what seemed to have run past us. At least, that’s what the gust of cold wind had felt like. “Did you see anything?”

  Before I could answer, a rippling dark mist rose from out of the low hanging fog. It morphed into what appeared to be a human form, hovering right over where Leo had reappeared next to an old tombstone that had seen better days.

  Is it gone? Vanished? Phew! That was a close one. Those roaming spirits can be pesky things, but my pirate costume did the trick. Aren’t you glad I kept it on?

  The fact that Heidi hadn’t moved an inch from her frozen spot next to me told me that we weren’t about to run for our lives. Her fight or flight was clearly flight, but her body wasn’t listening to the warning signals that her mind was no doubt flooding her system with at the sight of an obviously angry ghost.

  On the plus side, I didn’t have to answer Leo. He could clearly see Heidi’s shock and fear at the menacing sight before us. I blinked ever so slowly so as not to startle the murky figure while trying to figure out how to save Leo before he became engulfed in the darkness.

  It’s behind me, isn’t it?

  A squeak of terror escaped my lips when Leo glanced behind himself so quickly that his hat tilted on top of his head. His sigh of relief caught in his throat as he slowly tilted his head back, causing said hat to slope to the side even further.

  Sweet angel of mercy, this is it! I’m going to die!

  Chapter Fifteen

  There were a lot of moments over the past two years when energy gathered in my palm only to dissipate. Then there were those handful of times when the coiled up electric charge instinctively expelled from my body without me even being aware of what had happened…and this was one of those times.

  It was as if someone else had lifted my arm without my knowledge.

  My flashlight immediately fell to the ground, but the illumination of what could only be described as a bright, white lightning bolt lit up our immediate area as if it were high noon. A thick line that was like a flash from a hundred cameras had discharged, taking mere seconds to evaporate in the cold air.

  It took a few seconds for my vision to adjust, and for me to realize that the dark figure that had been hovering over Leo’s head was completely gone.

  Vanished.

  “Are you okay?” Heidi asked frantically, dropping the saltshaker that she’d taken out of her pocket after Ivan had disappeared into the darkness. “I can’t believe you did that! I mean, I know I saw it before when you almost killed Ted, but…it’s like you’re a superhero or something!”

  “We need to get my glove off,” I murmured once I realized that there was a hole right in the middle of one of my favorite pair of leather gloves. I quickly leaned down and grabbed my flashlight to show her the burn mark. “It just happened, Heidi. No forewarning, like before. I had no idea what that poltergeist was going to do to Leo, and it was as if my mind had already made its decision to eliminate any threat to our lives.”

  “Oh, no,” Heidi said softly as she helped remove the glove from my hand. “Your favorite pair of gloves, too. Don’t worry. Mindy has a few pair left at the boutique.”

  What in Hades is wrong with the two of you? Get that flashlight over here and make sure that I’m in one piece! I was almost swallowed whole by an evil black cloud while Annie Oakley over there was taking potshots at me with lightning bolts, and the two of you are worried about a pair of gloves. Where are your priorities?

  “Go check on him,” I told Heidi, holding my own beam steady to inspect my palm.

  How the energy that had been stored inside my hand damaged the glove and not my sensitive skin was astounding, but I wasn’t going to question the magic of such a defense mechanism.

  I was just grateful that this gift resided in me.

  Have you even considered that the reason I’m still standing here is because of this pirate costume? Clearly, the poltergeist that was hovering over me had no idea that I was there. I knew it all along, too. I was just feigning my fright so that the two of you didn’t feel so scared and alone. You just so happened to scare off the malevolent spirit before I could take matters into my own paws.

  “Have you ever seen such an ominous presence before, Leo?” I asked cautiously, scanning our immediate area to make sure that the phantom wasn’t close by. “No wonder the pumpkins are being stolen from the local pumpkin patch.”

  “No offense, but I would have stolen the largest one, too.” Heidi stood from where she’d straightened out Leo’s hat and eyepatch, casting a wary glance all around us. The low hanging fog hadn’t evaporated, and it was almost as if it was clinging to the tombstones in an effort to remain. “Can we go now? I think we’ve had enough excitement for one night, and I really don’t want to chance another encounter with Casper’s alter ego.”

  My soulmate makes a good point, Raven. We should head home, forget this ever happened, and shove the file of the missing prized jack-o-lantern into the cold case files. That was too close of a call for me. What if your aim had been a hair off?

  A part of me agreed with Heidi and Leo that now might be the time to retreat. We could always come back to the graveyard tomorrow to walk the grounds, but what if our presence had been noticed by something or someone other than the menacing ghoul?

  We could lose the upper hand in this situation.

  I didn’t realize that we had an upper hand. Or a lower hand, for that matter. I’m thinking we shouldn’t have any hands or paws inside the pumpkin, if you get my drift.

  “The ghost, or whatever you want to call him, is gone.” I had hoped my statement was reassuring, but Heidi and Leo continued to stare at me with rather blank expressions. “For now. Let’s just quickly take a look near the crypts lining the back of the cemetery, and then we’ll head home.”

  Don’t you think that falls under job responsibilities for our local grim reaper? I’ve seen him in action at the poker table, Raven. He takes his obligations seriously. As we know, death is no laughing matter.

  “Ivan wasn’t as forthcoming as he could have been,” I pointed out wryly, catching the eerie hoot of the owl. It was almost as if the nocturnal creature was inquiring who could have possibly been the angry soul that was currently roaming the grounds of the cemetery. “Let’s take a quick peek near the crypts before heading to the car.”

  You’re beginning to sound more and more like one of those moronic characters in a horror movie, Raven. Where did I go wrong in my teachings? Maybe we should head back to the cottage and talk about it, shall we?

  “My tombstone better have a great quote about me being the best friend of all time,” Heidi muttered as she reached into her coat pocket for the saltshaker. She began to adjust her black knit cap as she waited for me to join her. “My weapon isn’t as good as yours, but keep your hand revved up, Raven.”

  Whatever you do, don’t go blasting Skippy or one of his minions into nothing but mounds of ashes. That’s no way to win the squirrelpocalypse, Raven. Skippy and I have a set of rules based on a code of honor…you know, like the knights of the medieval days.

  Heidi and I both took tentative steps forward, mindful of anyone or anything that could be threatening to our existence. Considering that we were in a graveyard, that could include quite a lot of supernatural hazards.

  I realized that Leo wasn’t walking in between Heidi and I like before, so I glanced over
my shoulder to find that he’d somehow ended up sitting on top of a tombstone. His bent tail was twitching slightly as he watched us closely with one squinted green eye.

  “Get over here,” I whispered sternly.

  I’d rather not be near the Guinea pigs, if you know what I mean. Take another few steps. If nothing happens, I’ll be right behind you.

  “Did you ever think the poltergeist could come up behind you?” I asked in exasperation, having to stop our progress. We remained quiet as Leo pondered over my questions, completely disappearing into thin air. Within seconds, he was snuggled back in between Heidi and me. “Good decision.”

  What can I say? You made a compelling argument. That’s about as much of a compliment as you’re going to get right now.

  “Let’s get this over with,” I muttered, wrapping my arm through Heidi’s as we forged ahead. “Keep your eyes peeled and your ears open.”

  That’s a horrible image, Raven. You need to work on your pep talks, because that one definitely fell short by a mile.

  We began to slowly advance, all three of us on high alert for anyone or anything that moved in the shadows around us. The only sounds that I could make out was my own breathing and the rustling of Leo’s tail against Heidi’s leg.

  Why weren’t the crickets having their usual conversation?

  Even the talkative owl that was tucked away in one of the surrounding trees had fallen silent. It was as if the nocturnal fowl was holding its breath and waiting for something to happen below him before warning the other creatures of the night.

  You’re not helping my bravery remain intact, Raven. Truthfully, it’s barely hanging on by a thread, which is what I’m afraid this eyepatch is suspended from around my head. If it falls off, I’m warning you now that I’m outa here. Vamoose. Vanished. Gone.

  “I get it, Leo,” I replied softly, wincing when my words had caused Heidi to startle. “Sorry.”

  “Since we’re talking aloud, I don’t see why we need to check out the back of the cemetery. It’s not like we’re going to find—”