Page 47 of Seven Secret Spellcasters (Kitchen Witch Mysteries #7)

Carol reached out and stroked Mia’s hair.

“No, you won’t. You’ll be dead. And unless you believe in vengeful ghosts, you’ll be the only one who will think that.

Besides, Mark Baldwin doesn’t believe in ghosts or witches, not even when they’re right under his nose.

I wonder how Sarah’s been keeping him ignorant all these years.

Maybe her cooking, or maybe her other talents? ”

She pulled a vial out of her jacket. “Grab one of those water bottles out of your mini fridge, and I’ll get this mixed for you.”

“You think I’m going to sit here and help you murder me?”

“If you don’t, I’ll kill you, and then your friends.

How sad for Christina to die at her very own engagement party.

” Carol let the vial dance between her fingers.

“The one thing I’m good at is poisons. Howard had warded himself against potions and spells, but he didn’t realize that a human mixture of poisons could be so lethal.

And since I hid the foxglove in the cookies, he didn’t expect a thing.

Besides, if he’d just killed Edmund Pevensie as he promised, he’d still be alive. ”

“You killed him because he wouldn’t kill his friend?”

Carol’s eyes went dark. “How was I supposed to know they were friends? These things live forever. And that incubus, he changes names every time he comes back to Magic Springs. When Marsha told me an incubus was living here, I knew it was the same one who had attacked me after my Harvest Festival Queen Pageant. He feeds on us. Then I heard Blake telling you about her ex—well, I figured she would be the perfect scapegoat. I sent an email to the National Office about Cerby, knowing that Howard would most likely be the investigator they sent. And he has a talent for gathering rogue creatures, so I offered him a contract.”

“Then he told you that he couldn’t kill Edmund.”

“He laughed at me. Said I was overreacting. If we hadn’t been at that pancake house, I would have shown him overreacting, but Polly has it warded so you can’t do magic there.” Carol rolled her eyes and pointed to the mini fridge on Mia’s right. “Get your water, please.”

Mia groaned but followed Carol’s direction.

At least her murderer was polite. She tried the cap on the water bottle, but like all of this brand, the seal was too tight.

Mia held it toward her as she saw a shape behind the frosted glass of her door.

Trent must already be here. It was now or never. “I can never get these open.”

“Are you kidding me?” Carol reached for the water, then Mia squeezed the bottle, shooting water up into the woman’s face. Pushing her away, she stood and ran to the door as Mark Baldwin came inside, his gun drawn.

“Stay right where you are,” Mark called out to Carol, who was now blindly reaching out to try to find Mia.

“You ruined my contacts,” Carol screamed. “How can I see now?”

Mark pulled Mia out of her office and nodded to two hotel security guards who were behind him in the hallway. “Take her and put her in the cell in Zander’s office. I’ll be right there.”

As they dragged out a still-yelling Carol, her hands now handcuffed behind her back, one guard handed Mark a vial he’d placed in a plastic bag.

“That’s what killed Howard, and she was going to use it on me.” Mia leaned against the wall, her adrenaline level dropping. She wasn’t sure she could even stand anymore.

Mark must have recognized the look, because he pulled a chair from her office and sat her down in the hallway. “Didn’t I tell you to call if you got in over your head?”

“I was sitting in my office, looking up some reservations. I think I found evidence that links her to Howard. I don’t know how much of her confession you heard.

She used her employee discount code to get a cheap room for Howard.

I suspect she was going to change it to Blake’s code to frame her, but she hadn’t gotten around to it before I pulled the records of everyone who came to town that week. ”

Trent came running down the hallway. “What happened?”

“Long story, but Mia jumped in front of a moving car to find a killer,” Mark groused.

Trent’s face crumpled. “In the staff hallway?”

“Not literally. But your girlfriend has a knack for being exactly where she shouldn’t be at the exact wrong time.

” Mark looked at her. “I got to thinking about Mia’s tendency and thought I was probably needed here.

I turned back around to double-check. I was sure I was being overly cautious, but I found her door shut and someone yelling at her. She’s alive because of me.”

“You’re so attention-needy.” Mia stood and leaned into Trent’s arms. “If you don’t need me right now, I should get home to get dressed. The information is on my computer screen. Just hit the print button. My printer is on top of the mini fridge.”

“How in the world did you figure out it was Carol?” Trent asked as they walked out to his truck.

“I thought it was Blake, but we all have our own, separate employee codes to get cheaper rates at the Lodge. When I looked up the code, I saw Carol hadn’t changed it. Her cheapness put her in jail.”

Once they were in the truck, Mia leaned back and closed her eyes. “She threatened to kill all of you. She knew about Cerby. Does everyone in the coven know about his talents?”

“Not that I’m aware of. I’m going to ask Mom to dig into that.

Tomorrow. Tonight, Christina needs you at this party.

You have time for a short bath if you hurry.

I’ve got my suit already at the apartment.

” He reached over and squeezed her hand.

“How in the world do you always wind up in the middle of these things? Mark is right, you have a talent.”

“Sarah’s going to be mad at me because now he has an excuse not to come to the party.” Mia groaned. “Even when I’m right, I’m wrong.”

Trent laughed as he pulled into the parking lot for the academy. “I don’t think she’ll blame you, but Mark had better hurry and get Carol processed so he can get changed. Sarah doesn’t like to be kept waiting.”

Mia hurried upstairs, where a worried Mr. Darcy followed her straight into the bathroom. She turned on the hot water, then rubbed his head. “I’m fine, but I’m glad it’s all over.”

Trent brought her a glass of wine to calm her nerves as she filled her tub. “I talked to your grandmother. Your phone must still be in your office. I’ll come get you in thirty minutes. I’ll get dressed, then I need to call Mom and let her know what happened.”

As Mia sank into the tub, she closed her eyes and thought about butterflies and rainbows. Anything to take away the taste of what she assumed poison water would have felt like in her mouth.

Even her wine tasted a little off right now.