Witch Hunt

by Kate Allenton

  Her gaze traveled over both of us before a smile split her lips. “Even if I did, I wouldn’t give it to you two. Manny died at your coven. You fix that, and I’ll think about sharing a possible fix.”

  If I could have strung this woman up by her toes and hang her from the tree, I dang sure might have. I now understood Ryder’s aggravation with this woman. We left the bar.

  “Let’s go.” I gestured to the trees.

  “Don’t get us lost again.”

  “Quit being a big baby.” I crossed my arms over my chest and refused to budge from my spot. “If you can’t handle the ride, I can always take you back and leave you in the antique store. I can handle this myself.”

  Andrew stopped walking and spun around to face me, giving me the first glimpse of his face and the color starting to return. “I can handle anything you can dish up, honey.”

  I tried to hide the smile on my face and failed miserably as I held out my hand to him. He laced his fingers with mine, and I put my hand on the tree.

  “Bring it on. Let’s get this show on the road” His macho words made me chuckle.

  I closed my eyes again and whispered the words, “Coven forest.”

  This time I hit my mark. We were just inside the forest tree line of the Witch Wars playing field. The only problem with that was this field was on the other side of the coven property from where we’d landed last night.

  I was going to have to start being extremely detailed with my directions until I got the hang of where I wanted to go and how to get there.

  “Nice driving, Tex, but the townhomes where Manny was staying are two miles away.”

  “I know.” I lied as if this was the exact place I wanted to come. He didn’t need to know any better. “I wanted to arrive unnoticed so we can watch everyone on site and see if we can find anyone who doesn’t belong.”

  “There’s only one problem with that,” Andrew announced, tossing his arm over my shoulders.

  “What’s the problem?”

  “Neither of us know who belongs and who doesn’t. It’s not like we’ve spent time with these people.”

  “Then we’ll find someone who has.” I gave a resolute nod and rolled his arm off my shoulder. It was a long hike. I’d been winded the second time we’d traveled. It was like someone or something was draining my energy every time I tried. Thirty minutes later, we stepped out of the tree line into the parking lot located in front of the mausoleum building. Several witches and their families were packing up their cars.

  Chapter 9

  “They must be scared,” I whispered.

  “I should have been here to protect them.” Andrew’s brows dipped as he left me and headed toward the closest woman packing up her car.

  “Excuse me.” His words scared the woman, and she jumped, banging her head on the trunk lid.

  Her gaze traveled over him and then over to me.

  “Now you two decide to show up. It’s a little late for the Hexfords and the Golds to care what happens to us.”

  Expecting to feel the woman’s angry, accusatory emotions rolling off of her in a deluge of waves, I opened my senses and dropped my wall to find that I was wrong. It wasn’t anger that this woman felt. It was fear.

  She’s afraid, I said in my head and earned a nod from Andrew that he’d heard me.

  “I’m sorry we weren’t here to protect you, and that is on us, but please, if you saw anything, if you know anything that can help us track the killer to stop him for good, anything at all…”

  The woman slammed the trunk shut and led her daughter to the car to strap her in. “With the council members here, there have been a bunch of new faces. Everyone from their assistants to some of the other covens showing up to see the playing field, not to mention trackers. Heck, we’ve even seen the FBI in town. They alone are going to scare enough of us away if they show up out here.”

  “The FBI won’t hurt you guys. They’re here to help.”

  The woman raised her brow. “I’m not willing to take that chance. I’m sorry, but I’ve got to go.”

  Andrew and I stepped out of the woman’s way as she backed out of the parking lot. She punched her gas, kicking up dirt as she made her way to the asphalt. We waved our hands in front of us to clear out the layer of floating dust.

  “That wasn’t helpful,” I said, coughing into my hand.

  Andrew and I rounded the corner to the townhouses to find Ryder standing outside of Manny’s door. The door was taped off with crime scene tape to keep everyone out. Ryder glanced in our direction as we approached. He let out an agitated sigh. “Why are you two following me?”

  “We aren’t. We all want the same thing. We need to figure out who the killer is and find the book that he stole from Manny. That’s the only way Andrew and I are going to be able to break our connection.”

  “That should be the least of your worries.” He glanced between the two of us. “You don’t want to get tangled up in this. The voodoo killer killed several witches and wizards stronger than you two combined before he even attacked Manny. He is one of the Witches’ Council’s most elusive serial killers to date. We have yet to figure out what is connecting the victims, other than the fact that they are witches.”

  I knew the answer to that, although I had no plans to share it with Ryder.

  “I thought the voodoo killer liked to make a big splash and put his victims on display. I thought his weapon of choice was a knife,“ Andrew said.

  “If that’s the case, then why did he kill Manny with an overdose of insulin?” I asked.

  Ryder turned his gaze toward me and lifted a brow. “That isn’t public knowledge. How do you know that?”

  Ryder’s stare was penetrating while he waited for an answer. I didn’t know whether I should tell him where the information came from. The last thing I wanted was to throw suspicion on my Auntie B. “Small town.”

  He gave a slow nod even though I could tell that the wheels were turning in his head. He turned his gaze back toward the townhouse and one of the people inside that was dressed head to toe in white as they scoured the room for evidence.

  “We’ve been unable to find any of Manny’s insulin. We believe the killer might have used what was handy.”

  “You might want to come up with another theory.” I nodded my head in Janice’s direction as she approached. She was caring several bottles of insulin and a leather case that was probably for needles.

  “How is it that everyone here knows that insulin was used?” Ryder growled.

  Janice’s brows dipped. “It was? Oh my God.”

  “If you didn’t know, then why are you bringing it over here?”

  “They collected all of Manny’s things. Detective Carson asked that I double check to make sure they have everything. It wasn’t until he asked about medications that I remembered that Manny was storing his insulin in my fridge.”

  “Why your fridge?” Ryder asked.

  “His was broken,” she answered as she opened the case to show that all of the insulin bottles were filled as if they’d never been used. They were also tagged with Manny’s prescription information.

  It wasn’t Manny’s insulin that was used.

  Andrew acknowledged my proclamation by placing his hand on my back and asked, “Who else knew that Manny was diabetic?”

  “Not many people,” she answered. “This was a recent diagnosis. The council members of course and the trackers and the council’s physician. Outside of that, the pharmacy where he gets the insulin filled. I’m not sure who all Manny might have told.”

  Janice handed the insulin to Ryder before turning to walk away. I jogged up to catch her. “Janice, who sent Manny the fruit basket?”

  She chewed her bottom lip as she tried to remember. “I didn’t read the card, but the fruit came from Abaline’s Delectables in town. It was local, but I don’t remember seeing a card.”

  “Thank you.” I smiled and headed back to where Andrew was waiting for me. I grabbed Andrew by the arm and sm
iled at Ryder. “We’ll leave you to it.”

  Ryder’s eyes narrowed. “Margo, what did you ask Janice?”

  “Not much,” I answered and walked faster, pulling Andrew with me.

  “What did you ask her?”

  “Who sent the fruit basket? The only way he would have ingested insulin is if he was shot up with a needle, which I guess could be a possibility, but I don’t remember seeing any needles. Or there’s the possibility that he didn’t know he was ingesting it. The only thing in the room that I remember seeing is the half-eaten fruit that was out of the basket.”

  “Brilliant.” Andrew perked up. “I guess that’s our next stop?”

  My phone rang as we headed in the direction of the magical current. I slipped it out of my pocket to find Georgia on the other end. Her words were panicked.

  I stopped walking. “Georgia, what’s wrong?”

  “You need to come back to the inn, now. I can’t believe this is happening again.”

  I met Andrew’s gaze as I answered my sister. “We’ll be right there.”

  Hopefully.

  Chapter 10

  I stepped up to the tree where the magic had taken us last night. I slipped my fingers through Andrew’s and rested my hand on the warm, rough tree bark. My worried thoughts replayed Georgia’s panicked words. I closed my eyes and kept repeating in my head, Take us to the inn, take us to the inn ,take us to the inn.

  I opened my eyes again with my hand now touching not a tree like it was in the forest but my own metal gazelle lawn ornament in Mildred’s yard.

  It appeared that in order to traverse the magical waterways, we had to touch something to keep us grounded. I don’t know how I knew that information, but I did, just like I knew my father’s aged face.

  Georgia was on the porch pacing back and forth. Theo had his arm wrapped around Livvy on the swing, trying to comfort her uncontrollable sobbing. Tess and King were nowhere to be seen. I rushed up the porch stairs and over to where Livvy sat. I dropped down in front of her to see for myself whether or not she was hurt.

  “What happened?” I asked.

  “I have no idea. I came home to find Theo panicked and running through the house calling Livvy’s name. I helped him search the inn and her house. He found her next door and carried her to our porch. The poor girl hasn’t stopped crying yet,” Georgia said.

  I met Theo’s gaze, letting the tension in my shoulders fade. There was no blood, no broken bones. There had been no attack on anyone. Whatever the problem was, this was something we could handle. “Where did you find her?”

  His gaze went next door to Livvy’s house, where King was now living. Theo visibly swallowed. “She was in her room. Margo, this is bad. This is really bad. I think we should all pack up and leave town.”

  I met Georgia’s gaze across the porch, and we both jogged down the steps and toward Livvy’s house. We slammed open the door and took the stairs two at a time to Livvy’s room.

  The death omen painted on the walls was one I recognized. I should. It was my own dang design. Three dolls lay on her bed. There was no question who the dolls resembled. Each doll was laced with the same hair colors as my sisters and me, down to the highlights. My mouth parted at the fact that the hair was probably stolen from our own brushes.

  Drawn on the dolls’ bodies were our corresponding lawn ornaments, which Mildred had placed in her yard celebrating the births of my sisters and me.

  Chills rattled down my spine as anger coiled in my gut. Goosebumps rose on my arm as fire claimed my body. Whoever would scare a child like this deserved the punishment they had coming. The punishment my sisters and I would dish out.

  “Looks like we’re next.” Georgia said picking up the doll constructed in her image.

  “He knows where we live,” I whispered.

  “Let him bring the fight to us. We’ll be ready and waiting for him,” Georgia said with as much conviction as I felt.

  “You two know I believe in your abilities and your witchcraft,” Andrew said from the doorway. “But what you’re forgetting is that neither the witch council trackers or the FBI have been able to catch this killer, who now is in possession of Manny’s grimoire. We don’t stand a fighting chance. Especially if he uses your father to throw you off guard or unleashes some of the criminals being held in captivity.”

  Georgia swung her gaze toward me. She dropped the doll on the bed before resting her fists on her hips. “What the hell do you mean use our father to throw us off guard? Our father is dead.”

  I narrowed my eyes at Andrew. This was the last thing I wanted to discuss right now, especially considering what we were dealing with. It looked like the cat was out of the bag. I was almost out of secrets. I took Georgia’s hands in mine and squeezed them. It was more than a show of support but had the added bonus of making sure she didn’t hit me.

  “I don’t know how to tell you this. But our dad is alive, and he’s being held captive by the voodoo killer. I believe that he is using dad’s memories of the people he cares about to pick his targets. He’s killing the people closest to him.”

  “This is personal?” Georgia yanked her hands out of my hold, and I took an unconscious step back. Andrew came to stand next to me as if sensing my unease.

  Georgia’s eyes narrowed, and her jaw hardened. I think it was only then that she realized why her mother had been killed. I think it was only then that she realized that I had the answers. This was probably the last straw, and whatever relationship my sister and I would have had was now shattered into dust.

  “All this time and you never told me!” Georgia yelled as she ran her fingers through her hair and peered out the window. “We trusted you. How could you keep this from us?”

  “I didn’t keep the secret to hurt you or Tess. I did it to protect you. This entire time I’ve been searching for our father's journals. The killer is somehow connected to our dad and is trying to hurt him by killing everyone he loves. Who do you think is going to be next? When I found out the maniac left a clue that he was going to show up at the Witch Wars, I knew we were in serious trouble. I was going to tell you and Tess. You have to believe me.”

  “Why doesn’t dear old dad just give you the names of the people that hates him? Moreover, why Manny of all people? There’s nothing to indicate the two had any connection.”

  “I don’t know why the killer picked Manny. Dad’s memory is hazy. I think he was put under a spell.”

  “Convenient for both you and him.” Georgia slowly shook her head as she headed toward the door. “You weren’t protecting us. You didn’t trust us. You are just as bad as our dad and Mildred.”

  Each angry stomp down the stairs Georgia made broke my heart a little more. The slamming of the front door made me cringe. She was angry, and I couldn’t blame her.

  I spun on Andrew. “How could you tell them my secret?”

  Andrew closed the distance between us and rested his hand on my cheek. “Your sisters can help you. I only fear I waited too long.”

  Andrew left me standing in the room as he headed out of the house. It wasn’t until the door shut that I plopped down on Livvy’s bed and grabbed the mini-me doll. I lowered my head, and the tears started to fall. How could I have done this? Why hadn’t I been able to stop the murderer and keep everyone safe? I squeezed my eyes closed as my sorrow turned into anger.

  “Where in the hell could Daddy‘s journals be?” They held the answers, and I was going to find them and stop this lunatic. I rose from my spot. My sisters might not ever forgive me or understand, but they would thank me in the end when they still had their lives.

  I jogged out of Livvy‘s house, heading toward my metal ornament in the yard. I placed my hand on it and closed my eyes, and the only thought running through my head was my father‘s journals. If the magic in these channels could take me wherever I needed to go to this town, they could direct me to where my father’s journals were hiding. I squeezed my eyes closed and used the streams of emotions running through my b
ody, letting all of those emotions collide like a fireball as I focused my thoughts toward my dad’s journals.

  I opened my eyes to find I was still in the yard. I released the lawn ornament and fell to my knees, too exhausted to stand. The energy was draining from my body as if it were gasoline being burned out of a car on a long trip. The heaviness of my eyes won as I struggled to keep my eyes open.

  The last thing I heard was Andrew screaming my name, before the darkness pulled me into its peaceful fold.

  Chapter 11

  I don’t know what woke me up, but my eyes flew open. The moonlight was streaming in through the window into the room. The familiar comforter lay heavy against my chest. I glanced at the clock on the bedside table to find that most of the day was now lost. The glowing red light read 9 PM.

  I hadn’t forgotten what transpired hours earlier. It was settled against my chest like a hard rock, crushing my heart and stealing whatever hope and joy I thought I’d found locating my sisters. I couldn’t blame them for being angry with me. I knew they’d never understand why I’d kept the secret that our father was still alive. I guess in some respects I was being selfish. I wanted to hold on to the glimmer of hope. They were full of anger toward him, and it would’ve been harder to convince them that my delusions were real.

  Glowing colorful movement in the corner of the room caught my eye. Tess was sitting in the dark. She was juggling a magical bubble of goop from one hand to another as if it were a mere baseball.

  “I hope you don’t plan to hit me with that?”

  Tess rose from her seat and crossed the room to the bed. “I should. I have every right. You hid a vital piece of information from us.”

  “I know, and I’m sorry. I didn’t want you to have to grieve his loss twice in the event I couldn’t save him.”

  Tess sat down on the edge of the bed, and I eased myself to a sitting position.

  “That wasn’t your decision to make. Georgia is angry. As you can imagine, knowing the reason behind her mother’s death opened a can of emotions that she wasn’t ready to deal with. The fact that our father was responsible for giving the killer her mother’s name is a hard one to process.”