Page 8

Chapter

Eight

LOGAN

T he last two days, Mac and I spent going over the magic murder case, as we’ve taken to calling it. With the information Bridgette supplied, we were able to look at it from different angles, but we were no closer to finding out why it had happened, let alone who had done it.

We were back on the street where it had happened and were once again going door to door, questioning neighbors who hadn’t answered the first time we had come through. It turned out that the elderly witch was known to most and loved by all who did know her.

It seemed it wasn’t unusual to see flickering lights from her house at night, though many said she was more prone to do her spells or incantations outside under the moonlight. It appeared that she had been open with her neighbors about what and who she was, and none of them were bothered by it. Honestly, it was refreshing to see so many people accepting of someone who was different by societal standards.

I had another look through her spell books, paying close attention to the ones that seemed to be used most often, as indicated by the bookmarks and notes written on the page. Emily Brooks had been fond of remedies for various common illnesses that ranged from a runny nose to stomach upset. She also used an incantation for gardening, improving her yields of fruits and vegetables, which, according to the neighbors, she generously shared the abundance of often.

“I don’t think we are going to get anything more from the neighbors,” Mac said as we climbed inside his SUV. He slammed the door shut and revved the engine. “It seems the old lady was practically a saint with how much she shared with the neighbors. When she wasn’t helping them with the common cold, she was filling their kitchens. Who would want to murder the woman, Storm?”

I was just as frustrated as he was. So far, we had little to go on. I pulled out the names Bridgette had given me and pointed to the first of the four names on the shortlist. “According to Bridgette, only someone with strong magical power would be able to bind a person with an incantation and move them without using physical strength. We go talk to Hillary Grimes next.”

Mac glanced over, taking a look at the address I had looked up and written down next to the name. “Only four people?”

I grunted. It wasn’t enough, but it was a start. “Two. One of them is currently on a cruise somewhere in the South Atlantic.”

“Who’s the third?” Mac asked as he pulled up to a stop sign and turned on his blinker.

I sighed and rubbed at the ache that was building at my temples. “Bridgette.”

Mac let out a low whistle. “Are you certain she’s not a suspect?”

“I’d place my badge on it. The woman may be the strongest witch in the town, but she isn’t capable of killing someone.” Mac eyed me but didn’t say anything until I huffed. “Say it.”

“I don’t know, man. You just met her. How do you know she’s not guilty? Sometimes, it’s the sweet, quiet ones who are the most deadly. Have you seen that movie about the woman who married all those men? She was beautiful and charming but was deadly with an untraceable poison. Add magic to that; she’d be unstoppable.”

I snorted. “You don’t know her, Mac. No one could fake that kind of surprise when I talked to her. She was devastated to learn of Emily Brook’s death. Plus, she’s willing to help as much as she’s able to.”

“Are you thinking of bringing her in on a more official basis to help with the case? We could use an expert advisor on something like this. It’s a fucked up situation. It’s too soon to call in the FBI, though I’m sure they probably have experience with witches and murder.”

“Actually, I was going to ask her when we have dinner tonight before I approach the Captain. If she agrees, I plan to talk to him tomorrow. The sooner we can get more straightforward answers from Bridgette, the better. I was only able to get general knowledge from her the other night before Marlene and Kristy showed up.”

Mac pulled up to a small clapboard house painted a cheery, eggshell blue. It had garden beds framing the front walk and surrounded the porch. I would bet a year’s salary that her magic was responsible for the lush flowers overflowing their beds. He turned to me with a disbelieving look on his craggy face.

“What the hell?”

I grunted. “Yeah, that about sums it up.”

“What did Kristy want after all this time?”

“Apparently, she wants to talk to me. I’ve gotten a few texts from her over the last couple of weeks but have been ignoring them since I have nothing to say to her. Unless she wants to give me Sam, I just want to forget I knew her. Marlene just wanted to cause trouble, of course. She’s the one who sent Bridgette running.”

“How did you handle it with your girl?” Mac opened his door, and I followed suit, shutting the door firmly while taking a look at the surrounding houses. It was like most of the residential streets in our small town. Most of the houses were on the smaller side but well-kept.

I thought about what Mac had asked and felt my chest grow warm. My girl . It felt right. After the almost meltdown that Bridgette had gone through when we’d touched, I was certain that the thought of us being together scared her, while at the same time, she felt the connection just as strongly as I did. I needed to find out what her demons were and somehow convince her that I was worth taking a chance on for more than just a date.

When I joined Mac on the sidewalk, I watched him pop a stick of gum into his mouth. “I just told her I wanted a do over, a real date that had nothing to do with murder or ex wives.” I’d basically begged her for a chance. I wasn’t sure what I would have done had she turned me down. Probably show up every day with flowers or some shit until I finally wore her down. Some women were worth the effort, and I knew down to my bones that Bridgette was worth everything.

“Well, good luck, Storm. You know Bobbi Jo will want to invite her over for Sunday brunch. The sooner, the better. Hell, she’s going to blow a fucking gasket if I don’t tell her right away that you have a new woman. She’ll be happy for you, but she’ll want to check her out for herself. She swears that she knew Kristy wasn’t right for you the first time she spoke with her.”

Mac and Bobbi Jo were good people with good instincts. It didn’t surprise me that his wife wanted to assess my girl and give her a stamp of approval. Even though I didn’t need her validation, it felt good knowing that Bobbi Jo wouldn’t hesitate. All it would take was one minute with Bridgette, and she would adopt her as another daughter.

“Tell Bobbi Jo that I will arrange it soon.”

“Good man,” Mac murmured as he rang the bell.

Soon, footsteps could be heard coming towards the door, and without first asking for the identities of who was at her home, the door was swung open wide. A beautiful woman who was in her forties, according to the report I’d pulled up on her, but looked closer to thirty, stood at the threshold smiling widely, showing off her brilliant white teeth with just the slightest gap between the front ones.

“Hello, gentleman. What can I help you with?”

“Miss Hillary Grimes?” I asked as I pulled my badge off my jeans to show her while Mac did the same. “My name is Detective Storm, and this is my partner, Detective MacKenzie. Do you have a few minutes?”

Her smile dimmed just the smallest amount before she forced it back into place. Her eyes immediately grew worried. “Oh. Yes. Yes, of course.” She held the door open wider and gestured with a dark-skinned hand that was covered in several jeweled rings. “We can sit in the living room. Would you like something to drink? I have freshly made sun tea that is sweetened. With sugar, of course.” Mac and I exchanged a glance. The woman was nervous, but it wasn’t the type of nervous someone who was guilty of a crime would be.

“No, ma’am. I’m good. We won’t take up much of your time.” I settled into the small loveseat she’d gestured to as Mac did the same, murmuring his refusal as he hiked up the knees of his slacks and squeezed in next to me. Miss Grimes took a seat across from us in a comfortable-looking armchair. I glanced around the room, which was decorated in light pastel colors. It looked soft and feminine. It also showed many signs of her being a witch, with spellbooks in a tall, thin bookcase, along with crystals scattered around the room on various surfaces.

“Well now, I don’t get many visits from such fine looking gentlemen such as yourselves. I’m assuming you’re here because of Emily Brooks?”

“You knew Mrs. Brooks?” Mac asked as he pulled a small notebook from the pocket on his shirt and flipped it open.

Miss Grimes’ smile dimmed and her eyes grew glassy as she looked out the window behind us. “Oh, yes. The witch community is close here in Gainsburg. Even if we aren’t close, we know of each other. I was very sad to hear of her passing.”

“Do you know of anyone who might have wished Emily Brooks harm?” I asked as I took her in carefully, searching for any signs that she might have been hiding something, but I saw none. Hillary Grimes shook her head.

“No, never. She was a kind, sweet woman. She liked to talk about her daughter and granddaughter. I don’t recall hearing anyone say a disparaging word about her. The witches in this town have a long history. A long time ago there might have been someone who’d do this, but not now. Not here. The witch’s council strictly monitors behavior, magic ability and power strength to prevent witches from trying to harm others. That, and it just goes against our core beliefs.”

“If I may, Miss Grimes,” I began, only to have the woman wave a hand.

“Please, call me Hillary.”

I inclined my head. “Hillary. Just as a formality, can you tell us where you were on the night of the fourth?”

She graciously nodded. “I understand. I was actually assisting with the birth of a child that night. I am a certified doula, and my client went into labor earlier that day. She had a long, grueling labor that lasted until close to noon on the fifth.” She smiled broadly, showing how much she truly enjoyed her profession. “It was a little boy.”

“That’s excellent news. Congratulations to the new parents.” Mac grinned and closed his notepad after jotting down the information to verify later. After tucking the notepad back into the shirt pocket along with his pen, he slapped his hands down on his thighs and stood to his feet. “Well, I believe that’s all the questions we have for you at this time.”

I stood up next, reached into my pocket for a business card, and handed it over. “If you can think of anything that could help us find justice for Mrs. Brooks, please give us a call.”

Hillary stood up and then followed us to the door. “I will be sure to do that.”

Mac opened the door and stepped outside. As I followed behind him, I paused. “Be sure to check your visitors before opening the door next time.”

Hillary chuckled as she gripped the door handle. “Oh, dear Detective. I already knew who was coming to my door.”

I eyed her for a moment as she smiled up at me. Why didn’t I doubt that she had been expecting us? “One last question,” I began. “Who would you say had the strongest magical talent in Gainsburg?”

Hillary’s smile turned into a broad grin. “Why, that is easy. Twenty years ago, I would have said Suzanne Waters, but now I would say it’s your Bridgette,” she said with a knowing look.

Mac chuckled and slapped me on the shoulder. “Well, now, isn’t that something?” He turned and walked past the array of blooming flowers toward the SUV as I stood in the warm sunlight.

“Thank you for your time, Hillary. Please don’t take your safety for granted.”

Hillary Grimes suddenly became serious as her eyes grew somber. “I will be on my guard, Detective Storm. Please take care of our sweet Bridgette. She deserves all the love you are willing to give, and I can see you will have a lot. She also has a big heart, one that must be prodded open gently yet firmly. But the best things in life are always worth the effort. Don’t you agree?”

The woman had a perceptiveness that most would have difficulty coming to terms with. I couldn’t help but wonder what it was like for her to have so much knowledge about those she came in contact with.

“I do,” I murmured. Then I gave her another nod and turned to join Mac.