Sugar cream or murder, p.7
Sugar, Cream or Murder, page 7
Celia rolled her eyes. “I don’t think my dating life is any of your business, but I’ll tell you everything else.”
Someone rang the bell at the front of the shop. “Be that as it may, I can’t listen right now,” Wynona said. “If you’d like to come back at closing, we can talk then. But if I don’t open, I’m going to have several upset patrons, and I’m not willing to do that.”
Celia stepped up and grabbed Wynona’s arm. “Please,” she begged. “I’m innocent.”
Wynona stared at her sister. This wasn’t like her at all.
“Please.”
The word tugged at Wynona’s heart. She hated to see Celia begging, even if the spoiled princess deserved to be brought down a peg or two.
The doorbell rang again and Wynona jumped. She looked back and forth between the front and Celia. “Sit down,” Wynona said, pointing to the side chair. “I’ll be back when I can, but I can’t promise when it will be. If you come out here and bother any of my customers, so help me, I’ll call Chief Ligurio and tell him you’re here waiting to confess. Is that clear?”
Celia’s lips curled into a smug smile. She flounced to the chair and sat, crossing her legs. “Like a crystal ball,” Celia said sweetly. Too sweetly.
Wynona already knew she was going to regret this, but she didn’t have time to worry about it. Rushing down the hall, she unlocked and opened her doors, forcing a plastic smile on her face as all her regulars began to swarm the front room. It would take quite a while to get back to Celia, but Wynona had to admit her curiosity and her empathy were piqued.
Obviously, Celia had gotten exactly what she wanted when Wynona had agreed to listen, but Wynona still wasn’t sure exactly what her sister’s endgame was. She wanted help. But what kind of help?
Help convincing Chief Ligurio that Celia was innocent?
Wynona wasn’t convinced of that herself, though she erred toward it. Celia was many things; mean spirited, rude, entitled and spoiled, but she wasn’t a killer. What would have been the purpose in killing Indigo? What would have been anyone’s purpose in the killing? Rascal hadn’t mentioned any kind of motive they had found in regards to enemies for Indigo.
The coven had all been working together to gather lightning. It seemed an odd thing for one of them to kill a fellow sister during such a ritual.
Two hours passed before Wynona had a break. The few customers still in the shop were a pair of older druids who always sat and chatted for hours. Wynona knew they would be fine if she went and checked on Celia.
Just as she headed down the hall, a scampering sound caught her attention and Wynona paused to let Violet reach her. Since she was wearing a skirt, she bent down and put her hand down on the ground for the mouse to get on. “Feel like I haven’t seen you in a while,” Wynona said with a smile. She put her hand up to her shoulder, which was Violet’s favorite place to settle. Once the creature was on her shoulder and nuzzling her neck, Wynona felt her emotions begin to calm down. She reached up and scratched Violet behind her ear. “Thanks,” she whispered.
Violet chattered her own response.
Wynona paused, her hand on the office door. “Wish me luck,” she whispered, smiling when Violet nuzzled her again. Wynona had no idea what she was going to find when she opened the door. She hoped that nothing had been destroyed or hexed while she was away. The door opened to find Celia sitting in the same seat, a book in her hands.
She turned her deep blue eyes to Wynona and raised her eyebrows. “You’re busier than I expected for a...” The words trailed off when Wynona raised her own challenging eyebrow.
If Celia was going to continue to be derogatory, she was gone. Celia must have recognized her sister’s thoughts because she smiled placatingly.
“Thank you for coming back to see me.” The insincerity was so thick it fairly dripped from the words.
Wynona reached up for Violet again, the soft fur helping calm her nerves. “I don’t have long,” she said as she walked to her desk. “Now...I need to know what is going on and what exactly you’re expecting me to do about it.”
Celia set the book aside and sighed. “I already told you. Deverel thinks I killed Indigo.”
“No one is even sure that Indigo is dead,” Wynona said. “How can they charge you with a murder?”
“He hasn’t charged me,” Celia sniffed. “At least, not formally. But he made it very clear that as soon as they find the evidence, he’ll put me behind bars himself.”
The words were all too familiar to Wynona, since Chief Ligurio had threatened herself with that many times. “And will they? Find evidence?”
Celia’s spine stiffened so tightly Wynona was worried her sister would snap. “You think I killed my friend?” Celia’s voice was low and dark and silver sparks began to drip off her fingers.
Wynona put up a hand. The magic worried her, since she herself was defenseless, but she tried not to show it. “It’s a question I have to ask, Celia. You promised answers.”
Plush red lips pinched into a tight line. “No,” Celia snapped. “I didn’t kill anyone.”
Wynona leaned back in her seat. “Then I don’t think you have anything to worry about with the police. If you’re innocent, they won’t be able to find any evidence to the contrary.”
Celia looked away quickly, as if hiding something.
Wynona’s eyebrows pulled together. “Celia?” Her sister didn’t turn back. “They won’t find any evidence, right?”
Celia once again became completely absorbed with her fingernails.
Wynona groaned and Violet scampered down to the desk. “You promised answers,” Wynona warned.
Celia looked back, then did a double take. “What in all of Hex Haven is that?” she pointed to Violet.
“Another friend,” Wynona said, not wanting to bring up Celia’s botched hex that had turned the mouse purple in the first place.
“You’re going to get turned in for a health code violation if you keep that thing around,” Celia said with a smirk.
“She doesn’t get anywhere near the food,” Wynona defended. “And I’ll remind you one more time that you promised me answers.”
Celia fluttered her eyes while rolling them. “I didn’t do anything to hurt Indigo, but I need your help to keep the police off my back because...” She turned away for a moment, her jaw set tight. When she turned back her eyes were nearly black with anger. “Because I lied to them.”
CHAPTER 9
Wynona followed Celia into the mansion. Almost every part of Wynona was screaming for her to run and not come back. This wasn’t her problem. Her sister was an adult and should be able to handle it on her own. No one actually knew if Indigo was dead.
The excuses went on and on, but a very small voice in the back of her head had spoken up while Wynona had been speaking to Ceila, and that voice seemed to be running the show.
She’s your sister.
Those three words had seemingly trumped every other argument that her frantic brain could think of, though Wynona wasn’t quite sure why. It wasn’t like Celia treated her well, or had ever treated her well. In fact, most of the time, Celia went out of her way to make sure Wynona was miserable or at least knew she was worthless. A fact Wynona not only knew well, but struggled to contradict even on her best days.
The only reason Wynona could truly justify what she was doing was her vow to never be like her family. If Wynona had come crawling to Celia, begging for help because she had lied to the police, Celia would have shut the door in her face, laughing all the way.
Wynona didn’t want to be that way. Terrible or not, Celia deserved justice to be served, and she said she hadn’t hurt Indigo. So Wynona believed her...mostly. She didn’t think Celia would hurt a fellow coven sister, but she did think Celia would hurt others if the situation called for it. Her favorite choice of weapons, however, were words. Celia was sharper tongued than the oldest hag or ugliest harpy. Lashing out physically just wasn’t in her M.O.
Which was why Wynona now found herself walking into Adel’s family home where the Sisters of Eternity were waiting for her. It felt like she was walking into the troll’s den and once again, Wynona was completely helpless.
Her fingers trembled as she clutched her purse across her chest. Her Banshee Scream was in her purse, but it gave her little comfort. An entire coven of witches was more than enough of a match for an ear splitting scream that only lasted a few seconds. All it would take was a quick non-hearing spell and not one of the powerful women would be affected by the weapon.
“Ms. Le Doux,” the butler intoned, bowing his head to Celia. He paused slightly, when his yellow eyes met Wynona’s. They quickly darted back and forth between Wynona and her sister as if comparing how similar they looked. “Ms...”
“Le Doux,” she supplied, pleased that her voice wasn’t shaking as badly as her hands.
The butler was very well preserved for a zombie, Wynona noted, but not even a good spell could quite hide the surprise that lit his face, causing his dead eyes to sparkle and his patched jaw to drop. “Excuse me,” he stammered, collecting himself quickly. With another head bow, he addressed her in a similar manner to her sister. “Ms. Le Doux. If you’ll follow me.”
The butler’s back was so stiff, Wynona worried he’d break his decaying bones, but they made it in one piece to a large and lavish sitting room. Wynona had never met a zombie in person, though she’d read about them. They were a show of power and wealth, and apparently the Thornhearts had both in abundance. Anyone who had the magic to keep a wild being sane, while also keeping their body intact, had to be at the top of the magic food chain.
The Thornheart mansion was also one of the more impressive homes in Hex Haven. Between the power and the money, it explained why Adel was part of the Sisters of Eternity coven. Despite its grandeur, however, Wynona was able to keep her gawking to herself, since the castle she was raised in outdid every other wealthy family in the area. She wasn’t particularly proud of that fact, but it did help keep her from looking like an idiot when she visited with the elite.
“Welcome, sister,” Adel purred as she sashayed across the room to kiss Celia on each cheek. After the greeting, both women turned to look at Wynona, who stood back, knowing she wasn’t going to receive the same reception.
“Hello, Adel,” Wynona said, putting her chin in the air just a little. Just like with her family, Wynona knew showing any bit of weakness would bring dire consequences. Between Adel and the other sisters in the room, Wynona was the weakest one here and that would be used against her if she wasn’t careful. “Callista.” Wynona inclined her head. Her eyes moved to the other women in the room. Not all of them had been in the meadow the night of the storm. “Ladies,” she said politely. “My sister has asked me to help, as I can, with this case and I was hoping you wouldn’t mind answering a few questions for me.”
Callista crossed her legs under her flowing dress. Her bottom lip poked out like a pouting child. “I don’t understand why we need to do this. We spoke to the police and you the other night.”
“Daughter,” an older woman scolded. “Ms. Le Doux has offered her services.” Her emerald green eyes were sharp, even if her face was lined with wrinkles. “One of our own is missing. We should welcome such help.”
“I don’t see what a magicless witch can do for us,” Adel muttered, walking away from Celia and sitting down in a chair.
If Wynona hadn’t heard those very words a thousand times, they would have stung worse than they did. But as it was, she brushed them away and enjoyed the angry chittering of Violet, who had emerged from Wynona’s hair.
Adel jerked upright. “What is that?”
Wynona raised an eyebrow. “A friend. Now...do you want my help or not?”
Adel’s eyes narrowed, but it was Celia who responded.
“We all know that if we don’t get this figured out, Deverell is going to find a way to pin this on me, and I haven’t done anything wrong,” Celia sniffed. She sat down in a seat across from Adel and pinned her friend with a glare. “Wynona helped solve the murder of Chef Droxon, so she already has an ‘in’ with the police. Why not let her give it a try?”
Adel huffed and sat back in her seat. “I just don’t see how she can accomplish something we can’t. Our magical abilities outweigh anything she can do.”
“Have you found Indigo?” Wynona interrupted.
The room went deathly silent.
“That’s what I thought,” Wynona said firmly. “If your magic hasn’t found her at this point, what does it hurt for me to give it a try?”
The older woman walked over and stood toe to toe with Wynona. Those green eyes saw too much, but Wynona felt helpless to pull away. It wasn’t until they darted to Violet that Wynona felt as if she could take a breath. The woman spun around and walked to the couch. “Let her help.”
The words were said with finality and Wynona had to assume the witch was the coven mother, since no one objected to her statement.
Violet nuzzled Wynona’s neck. “Thank you, Madam...?”
The woman’s eyes sparkled with humor. “Augustus Murik. Mother Murik if you wish.”
Wynona filed away the name but she wasn’t about to call Madam Murik mother. Wynona was not part of this coven, nor would she ever be. “Madam Murik, again, thank you.”
The older woman’s lips twitched as if amused at Wynona’s small rebellion.
“Callista,” Wynona said. “I’d like to start with you.”
Callista jerked and looked around before facing Wynona. “I already told you everything I know.”
Wynona nodded. “I know, but I’d like to hear it again please. The night of the storm, I was only an observer. If I’m to help, I need to rehash the evening.”
Callista pinched her lips together, looking anything but pleased. “Like I said before, we went to the meadow to capture the lightning for the Petra Luminis.”
Wynona nodded and tilted her head. “About what time was that?”
Callista shrugged. “We arrived at eight and set up everything we needed for the ritual.”
“Which was?”
Adel rolled her eyes. “If you were a proper witch, you would know this.”
“Adel,” Madam Murik said calmly.
The fact that Adel snapped her mouth shut was a clue to Wynona that Madam Murik was a very powerful witch. As head of the coven, she would have to be, but for the women to follow her orders without question...that was a whole new level of power.
A shiver ran up Wynona’s spine and she saw a few purple sparkles in her peripheral vision. Ignoring them, she went back to Callista. “Please tell me about this ritual.”
“We form a circle, with our backs to the middle,” Callista explained in a bored tone. “As the lightning is breaking across the sky, we join hands and reach for the sky, chanting the spell necessary to bring the lightning to the chosen rock in the middle of the circle.”
Wynona nodded. “So you were holding your sister’s hand when she disappeared?”
Callista hesitated before shaking her head. “Uh, no. We actually weren’t touching at that point.”
Wynona frowned. “I thought you were next to each other.”
“We were, but our connection had broken.” Callista began to fiddle with a thread on her skirt.
“Was anyone in contact with Indigo when she disappeared?” Wynona asked the group. “Who was on her other side?”
Celia growled as she lifted her hand. “I was in contact with her...until I wasn’t.”
Why did it always come back to Celia? Wynona had agreed to help prove her sister’s innocence, but with each thing she learned, Celia seemed deeper and deeper involved. “Please explain.”
Celia twirled a piece of hair. “Our hands were connected after the second stone, but when the light flashed, blinding us, she was simply...gone.”
“Gone,” Wynona clarified. “Just gone. No residual magic or anything?”
Celia shook her head. “Who could tell if there was residual magic with all that power from the storm running around?”
Wynona nodded. That was true. It would have been difficult to tell one from the other. “I understand.” She chewed her lip for a second. “Can you remind me again of when Indigo disappeared?”
Callista looked at Adel, who gave a very subtle nod, before she turned back to Wynona. “I believe it was ten thirty-two.”
“Ten thirty-two,” Wynona repeated.
Callista nodded. “Yes. Exactly.”
“And you knew this how?”
Adel sighed long and loud. “I already told you that I got a text right after she had disappeared. My phone said the time.”
“Right,” Wynona responded. “I forgot.”
Adel rolled her eyes and relaxed deeper into her seat.
“What else do you need to know?” Madam Murik asked, carefully watching Wynona.
Wynona shifted her weight from one foot to the other. She actually wasn’t sure what to ask next. Just like last night, she got the feeling that she was being lied to. Something about Adel’s excuse just didn’t sit well with Wynona. Not to mention, she wasn’t quite sure what her sister had lied about.
After Celia’s admission, Wynona had been forced to go back out to handle a new batch of patrons. After closing, she and Celia had come straight to the Thornheart mansion. She should have taken the time to find out what Celia was holding back, and then it would have helped Wynona be more prepared to dig a little deeper. “You’re absolutely sure about the time?” Wynona gave them the opportunity one more time to tell her the truth.
Callista once again looked to Adel, who groaned. “Yes. I am absolutely sure.”
Wynona nodded. She wasn’t sure how, but in her gut she could feel the words were a lie. Perhaps it was best to solve that first before asking for more information. If they weren’t going to tell the truth, Wynona wasn’t going to get very far anyway.
“Thank you for your time, ladies,” Wynona said. “I think I’ve got enough to get started.” She could hear Adel grumbling under her breath, but Wynona ignored her.
