Page 22 of Seven Secret Spellcasters (Kitchen Witch Mysteries #7)

Mia avoided mentioning the library in mixed groups. If Finn was a reader, she’d love to go visit a home library to see what books were there, maybe grab a few to read while she was staying here. The problem was, their library wasn’t like that. It was more specialized, and humans weren’t welcome.

Mia sighed and left the kitchen, hanging her apron back on the hook. “Okay, then, bake sweet.”

As she walked through the reception area, she saw the table was filled with books.

She stopped because she was sure they hadn’t been there before.

A white card in front of the books said, Finn .

The library must have overheard her thoughts and brought down a selection of books that it thought would be appropriate for Finn’s reading pleasure.

Mia looked upward and whispered, “Thank you.” As she scanned the pile of books, she saw some romances and some paranormal mysteries.

And quite a few of the fairy-tale books Mia had read during her studies to be a kitchen witch.

The books served dual purposes, as instructional tales for young witches as well as entertaining stories for humans.

She patted the table. Finn would find them when she left the kitchen. Mia would make sure of that at lunch. Mia loved it when the academy worked with her. That hadn’t always been the case. Trent wanted to move to a regular house when they made their relationship permanent. What was he thinking?

Her phone rang. It was Baldwin.

“Got time for coffee this morning?”

“Sure. I’m at the house.” Mia hurried upstairs to grab a jacket and her wallet. “Where do you want to meet?”

“I’m parked at the greenbelt opening down the street from your house. I don’t want anyone seeing us together, so can you go out to the walkway and head south?”

“Okay.” Mia wasn’t sure why Baldwin wanted to meet in secret, but it was either this or working in the potions lab. Alone. “Give me ten minutes.”

As she walked past the tree where Buddy was perched, he chirped a good morning. Or at least a greeting. Mia guessed she needed to learn dragon language. “I’m heading to meet with our human police chief, so don’t go scaring him,” she told him.

Buddy sank back into the tree, probably trying to show her that he could hide from any human eyes.

“Good job, stay here. Trent will bring Cerby out to play soon,” Mia called back as she went through the gate that led to the greenbelt.

She heard the answering chortle clearly. Buddy loved Cerby.

As much as she loved living in the apartment at the school, she knew it wasn’t the best place to try to keep a growing dragon and an untrained hellhound in Maltese clothing.

The school was too close to town and prying eyes.

She didn’t even know what the coven would think about Buddy.

This reminded her to tell Trent to take Buddy and Cerby home before the coven’s party on Friday.

He probably had already thought of that.

Or Abigail had. At least she hoped. So many spinning plates, and she had no idea how half of them had started spinning in the first place.

She climbed into the cab of Mark’s truck, and he handed her a travel mug. “Coffee, black. Right?”

“Perfect. So, why the secrecy?” She looked around at the forest surrounding them. “I have to admit, this is a great place for coffee.”

“The coven said they were turning the investigation over to me, but then I got a call from the mayor yesterday wondering why I was investigating a natural death. I threw the unattended death regulation at him, and he shut up, but he did ask me to make the investigation quick.” Mark turned to focus on her. “So, who was this guy?”

“He works for the National Society, I think. I’ve already told you he was here to see why the Goddess gave Cerby to Trent.

” Mia sipped her coffee, but it was too hot, so she set it down in the beverage carrier.

“I’m beginning to think whoever called in the tip on Cerby and Trent might also be the killer.

Howard wasn’t supposed to be here until yesterday.

But instead, he dropped into the school on Thursday to introduce himself. ”

“Trying to catch you unaware?” Mark nodded. “Smart idea.”

“I thought that was why too, but then he said he was taking some personal time to explore since he’d never been to Idaho before and that he’d see us on Tuesday. Maybe he was being nice?” Mia suggested.

“So all I have to do is find out what this guy was doing between the time he visited you at the school and when he wound up dead at Trent’s,” Mark said as he scribbled in his notebook. “He checked into the Lodge on Wednesday night. Did you talk to him there?”

Mia shook her head. Had Blake talked to Howard, or was she freaked out he was there?

“No, but I’ve been off a lot recently, getting ready for my test and now the party on Friday.

Blake Sandburg, my boss, said he talked to her on Thursday about me and Trent.

She wasn’t happy that my ‘personal’ life was interfering with my time at work. ”

“That’s interesting. I talked to Blake yesterday, and she said she never met the guy.” He narrowed his eyes. “How much trouble are you going to get into if I call her on her story?”

“Maybe none. Don’t mention that she’s a witch, though.” Mia sighed. “I was supposed to keep that part a secret. So please don’t tell her I told you that. Although she called yesterday all upset and asking if I’d seen an incubus in town?”

“Excuse me?” Baldwin wrote that information down, but Mia could see he was uncomfortable. “I should have taken that job in Boise. At least there the freaks were human.”

Mia had an idea. “Ask Sarah about the incubus. I forgot to ask Abigail or Grans, but I’ll do that at lunch.”

“You realize you’re dragging me into your delusions.

” Mark snapped his book shut. “Anyway, can you talk to the hotel staff quietly and see if there’s anyone else Howard talked to between Wednesday, when he checked in, and Friday night?

And quickly? I don’t know how long they’ll let me keep this case open. ”

As Mark drove away, she glanced at her watch. The Lodge was on the greenbelt a mile past her house. If she hurried, she could get there and back before lunch. All she had to hope was that the people who wanted to kidnap her and steal her magic weren’t watching her now.

Great, now she was going to be the girl whom everyone thought was too stupid to live in the horror movies. “Okay, then, let’s go down in the spooky basement with a single candle for light and not tell anyone what we’re doing.”