Familiar Spirits (Twilight Hollow Witchy Cozy Mysteries Book 1) Read online

  “He’s just a cat,” I said, moving to the oven. The treats were only supposed to bake a few minutes.

  I opened the oven door, then grabbed the fork I’d left out on the countertop to poke one of the treats. Nice and crunchy. I pulled them out of the oven and set them on the stove.

  Callie hovered over my shoulder. “You know, those don’t look half bad.” She snatched one from the hot pan, then proceeded to toss it back-and-forth between her hands until it cooled.

  I turned with my hands on my hips. “Those are cat treats. You shouldn’t eat one.”

  She shrugged. “I’m sure it’s fine.”

  She lifted the little crunchy fish up to her mouth and took a bite, then chewed thoughtfully.

  “Well?” I asked, feeling a little anxious about the results.

  “Fishy.” She tilted her head and took another bite. She chewed and swallowed. “But not half bad.”

  I lifted my brows, totally shocked.

  Callie took another treat from the pan, cooled it in her hands, then offered it to Spooky.

  He sniffed it for a moment, then grabbed it in his mouth and started crunching it.

  I watched him with my jaw agape. Had I actually managed to bake something that wasn’t repulsive?

  “Maybe he really is your familiar,” Callie said as she turned back to the Chinese food. “We already know your magic shows up in your tea and coffee. Maybe now it can finally show up in your food too.”

  She said it so casually, not realizing what her words meant to me. I picked Spooky up and gave him a squeeze. Maybe I really did finally have a familiar. Maybe I wasn’t a totally defunct witch after all.

  The feeling of being chased came back to me, and of that dark, prickling magic.

  It occurred to me, suddenly, that maybe being a real which wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.

  Chapter Six

  I never thought I would be the type of witch to wake up early to bake, yet here I was, at 6 AM, two cups of coffee in, pulling a pan of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies out of the oven. Evie was going to open the cafe for me so I could visit Neil’s estranged wife, Sasha. Of course, as far as Evie knew, I was just taking the morning off to spend time with my sister, which wasn’t entirely off.

  The sister in question shuffled into the kitchen just as I set the pan on the stovetop. She pushed her hair out of her face, fluffy from sleep, and narrowed her eyes at the cookies.

  Her tattooed arms were bare this morning in a white tank top and plaid flannel pajama pants.

  She leaned forward over the cookies and took a deep inhale. “Well, they smell like cookies.”

  I lifted my chin, proud of my handiwork. I wasn’t sure how they would taste, but they definitely looked better than anything I’d ever made. “There’s enough for breakfast. We need to try them before I bring any to Sasha.”

  Callie lifted a brow as she straightened. We had discussed questioning Sasha the previous night, and she had agreed to come with me since she did Sasha’s taxes every year. They were at least acquaintances. “You’re hoping your cookies will work a little magic on her, aren’t you?”

  I shrugged. “I don’t have high hopes, but even if they can put her a bit at ease, she might tell us more than she would have otherwise.”

  She grinned as she snatched a cookie off the hot pan. “Devious. I like it.” She bit into the cookie and chewed. Her eyes went wide. “Addy, this is actually good!”

  I blinked at her for a moment, then lifted a cookie and had to toss it from hand to hand. Callie made it look like it wasn’t that hot. Once the cookie was cool enough, and I had melted chocolate all over my palms, I took a bite.

  I chewed slowly, ready for the worst. Perfectly sweetened cookie crumbles swished around in my mouth, with just enough cinnamon to bring out the bittersweet chocolate. By the gods, I had made a damn good cookie.

  Callie stole another and ate it in two bites. “You know what,” she said with her mouth half-full, “I am feeling pretty safe and cozy. Just like I feel when I drink a cup of your coffee.”

  We both looked to the opposite counter where Spooky sat watching us.

  “That damn cat is your familiar, Addy. You finally have one.”

  I grinned. If the cat treats didn’t prove it, the cookies most certainly did. “Get dressed. We need to deliver some cookies to a widow.”

  Callie looked me up and down, starting with my low-heeled brown boots and jeans, and ending with my chunky forest green sweater. “You know, now that you’re a proper witch, you should start dressing the part.”

  She snatched another cookie and sauntered out of the kitchen.

  I was too excited to care about her insulting my wardrobe. I poured myself a fresh cup of coffee then went to the opposite counter where Spooky still sat.

  I stroked my hand across his clean, silky fur. “You know, some familiars can speak into their witches’ minds. Do you feel like having a chat?”

  “Meow?”

  I patted Spooky’s head. “I didn’t think so, but we can keep trying.”

  I was in the mood to celebrate, so I decided to indulge in another cookie. I smiled as the sweetness lifted my spirits, and the chocolate melted in my mouth. Today was going to be a good day.

  Today was most certainly not a good day. We pulled up to Sasha’s house to find an unmarked police car outside. We debated leaving, then Logan walked out the front door and saw us.

  “Crap,” I muttered, my hands clenching the steering wheel. I tilted my chin down, bringing my hair forward to hide my face.

  Callie sat in the passenger seat with the covered tray of cookies in her lap. She was watching Logan with obvious appreciation. “Oh my, is that the detective you mentioned? He’s staring at us.”

  “That’s him,” I grumbled. I undid my seatbelt, took my keys, and got out of the car just as Logan was reaching the sidewalk.

  He smoothed a hand through his short, dark hair. “Ms. O’Shea, might I ask what you’re doing here?”

  Callie got out of the car with the tray of cookies in hand, then shut the door with her hip. She had put her leather jacket back on over the white tank top, and the flannel bottoms had been exchanged for torn jeans. “We’re here to visit our grieving friend, not that it’s any of your concern.”

  I was glad she’d spoken, because I was finding myself a little tongue-tied.

  Logan looked back and forth between the two of us, ending on Callie. “Another Ms. O’Shea, I presume?”

  “Callie,” she said, bracing the tray against her side to extend her right hand.

  I gritted my teeth as they shook hands. All Callie needed was a touch and she would start trying to set that person up with any romantic match she could find.

  Logan’s brow lowered as he took his hand back, almost like he could sense Callie’s magic, though that wasn’t possible.

  He turned his attention back to me. “I was thinking I’d come by your cafe again today. Everyone I talk to keeps telling me I need to try the coffee.”

  I smiled and nodded, though inside I thought, you’re getting decaf. “I’ll be going there after we visit Sasha.”

  “I’ll see you there then.” He retreated to his car, leaving me alone with my sister.

  She watched him drive away, then looked to me with a mischievous smile. “He’s cute. Why do you hate him?”

  I crossed my arms. “He accused me of murder.”

  She rolled her eyes. “He’s just doing his job.” She started walking toward the door before I could argue.

  The door opened before we could reach it. Sasha must have been watching Logan out the window as he left.

  She glanced at both of us, then opened the door wide. Her blonde hair lay pin straight, framing her wide face. She was in her mid-forties, a few years younger than Neil had been. She owned a small jewelry boutique the next town over, which I only knew because Callie did her taxes, which according to my sister, were always separate from Neil’s.

  She glanced at the tray o
f cookies in Callie’s hands. “I see you heard about Neil.” Her voice had the telltale rasp of a lifelong smoker.

  Callie extended the cookies. “I wanted to make sure you were all right. I know you and Neil were at odds, but he still was your husband.”

  Sasha narrowed her blue eyes at me. “I heard you found his body.”

  I swallowed the sudden lump in my throat. Of course she knew. I should have been prepared for it. I put on my best sympathetic smile. “Yes I did, unfortunately. I’m sorry for your loss.”

  She didn’t say anything about him having my phone number in his pocket, so the police must be keeping that part secret. For that I was eternally grateful. I did not want to try explaining to this woman why her estranged husband had my number.

  Sasha looked back and forth between the two of us as we waited patiently. Her jaw stiffened, but she stepped back. “Won’t you both come inside? I’ll make us some coffee to go with the cookies.”

  Callie and I locked gazes as she turned her back. Step one achieved.

  Sasha led us into her small, clean home. According to Callie, this was where Sasha and Neil had lived when they were still together. When they split up, Sasha took the house, and Callie’s knowledge of the details ended there. The home was meticulously neat and organized, no whiff of cigarette smoke. She had either quit, or smoked outside.

  Soon enough we were sitting in Sasha’s breakfast nook, sipping atrocious coffee and preparing to eat my cookies.

  I found myself staring too hard as Sasha lifted one to her lips.

  She hesitated, lowering the cookie. “Is something wrong?”

  I startled and didn’t have to fake a blush. “Sorry, it’s a new recipe. I’m hoping to sell them at my cafe, so I was anxious to see if you liked them.”

  She still seemed wary, but she took a bite and chewed. “A little dry,” she said after swallowing.

  A bit of fire flared in my gut, but on the outside I smiled. “Oh well, I guess I need to work on the recipe a bit more then.”

  Despite her words, Sasha finished her cookie and took another one. Like magic, her petite shoulders relaxed, and she slumped a little further down in her seat.

  Callie, sitting next to Sasha, gave me a little wink.

  I leaned forward across the small rectangular table. “Sasha, I hope you don’t mind me asking, but do you know why anyone would want to hurt Neil? I find myself a little scared after finding him.”

  She finished a third cookie then dusted her hands. “You mean was it a random killing like a serial killer, or premeditated?”

  I nodded encouragingly. “Something like that.”

  She glanced at Callie, back to me, then sighed. “To tell you the truth, girls, a better question would be who didn’t want to hurt him. Neil owed a lot of people money, including his dad and brother. I just finished explaining as much to the detective.” She looked down at her coffee. “Neil may have been a scoundrel, but I didn’t want him dead.”

  Reading between the lines I could see that Logan had accused her of murder too. I reached across the table and took her hand. “Of course you didn’t. No one thinks that.”

  She batted a tear with her free hand, and I realized I really didn’t think that. Sasha was one suspect I’d be crossing off my list.

  She seemed to settle herself, and looked up with glistening eyes. “The police should really be questioning Blake Monroe.”

  Callie leaned forward with her elbows on the table. “The guy who owns the pawn shop?”

  Sasha pulled her hand away to clutch her coffee cup with both hands. “He lost a lot of money in one of Neil’s schemes. Neil was never able to pay him back.”

  “One of his schemes?” I asked.

  “Neil always had something in the works. Said he wasn’t meant to be a mechanic the rest of his life. He nearly lost our house before I kicked him out. Without his father’s help, I’d be destitute.” She looked at the tray of cookies, then subtly snatched another.

  “Neil’s dad bailed him out?” Callie asked.

  Sasha’s eyes widened. “Oh no, Ike knew better than to give his son money. Once I kicked Neil out, Ike helped me save the house.”

  I tried to keep all the information straight in my head. “That was kind of him.”

  She shrugged. “I think he felt bad that his son was such a scoundrel. I found lipstick on his collar on more than one occasion.”

  My eyebrows raised. If Neil had been seeing another woman, that might mean another suspect. “Do you have any idea who it was?”

  She shook her head. “By that time I didn’t really care to find out.” She took a deep breath. “I’m sorry ladies, I think I could use some time alone.”

  We both stood. I felt a little bad for grilling her, making her relive these painful memories once again.

  “Thanks for having us,” I said. “If you ever find yourself in need of a comforting cup of tea, come on by the cafe, my treat.”

  She walked us both the door, shutting it a little too quickly behind us. I had a feeling she hadn’t meant to share so much, but I was glad she did. We now had two more suspects, though we only knew one name.

  Blake Monroe. He had come into the cafe on occasion. I might just have to stop by the pawn shop to deliver his favorite drink.

  Chapter Seven

  After dropping Callie off and checking on Spooky at home, I walked past the Golden Dollar Pawn Shop. I frowned at the sign taped between the glass and the iron bars on the inside of the door, Closed until further notice.

  A bit odd that someone who had recent business dealings with Neil would skip town just after his murder. I’d have to ask around and see if anyone knew where Blake ran off to.

  With nothing else to do, I headed toward the cafe. I knew Evie wouldn’t mind me relieving her a few minutes early. It was a Monday, so she could have some time to herself before Sedona got off school.

  In a few minutes I was at the cafe. I opened the door to find a few customers seated here and there, including Francis and Elmer. Max, the cute vet, stood at the counter. He turned at the jingle of the bells attached to the door.

  “Ah, there she is,” Evie said from behind the counter.

  I waved to Elmer and Francis on my way in, then stopped beside Max.

  I took in his red flannel shirt and jeans. They looked nice with his short stubble and warm brown eyes. “Day off?”

  “I was hoping to try your famous coffee.”

  Evie was watching us with a little bit too much excitement. Callie might be the self-proclaimed matchmaker of Twilight Hollow, but Evie was a close second.

  “Any preference?” I asked, shooting Evie a quick glare.

  The corner of Max’s mouth ticked up. “I’ll take whatever you suggest.”

  I walked around the counter, giving Evie a meaningful look behind Max’s back. “Coming right up.”

  I set to work on Max’s drink while he went to find a table.

  Evie hovered near my shoulder with her back to the rest of the cafe. “I see your cat must’ve made an impression on him,” she giggled. Her dark eyes sparkled.

  I turned up the milk steamer to drown out her words. “I told him he should come by,” I said through gritted teeth. “No big deal. Just a new customer.”

  She grinned. “Whatever you say, Addy.” She breezed passed me to grab her purse. “Mind if I cut out a little early?”

  “Oh, I insist,” I said with a laugh.

  I finished up Max’s drink as Evie walked out the door. Evie might have been set on romance, but I was interested in learning more about Neil.

  I walked around the counter to Max’s table, carefully balancing the full cup. I slid it in front of him. “Double cinnamon cappuccino. My favorite.”

  He lifted the cup and gave me a charming smile. “Do you have time to sit?”

  I pulled out a chair, tugging the braid I’d put my hair in before work over my shoulder. “I’ve got a few minutes. It’s usually slow this time of day. Plus I have a few questions I want
to ask you.”

  He lifted his brows and leaned back in his seat. “Go on.”

  “I was wondering if you knew if Neil was seeing someone other than Sasha.”

  His smile wilted just a bit around the edges. “Well I wouldn’t be surprised. He was the type to do something like that. But like I said, we weren’t really close.”

  “What about his father, Ike?” I pressed, leaning forward. “Do you think he would’ve known if Neil was seeing someone?”

  His brows raised a little further. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were trying to solve Neil’s murder.”

  “I’m not going to lie, I’m curious.” I gestured to his cup. “Your coffee is going to get cold.”

  He pulled his cup close, but didn’t drink. “Oh I don’t distract that easily. Why are you so interested in Neil? I know you found the body and all, but isn’t solving the murder a job for the police?”

  I sighed. Maybe honesty would get me a little further. “All right, fine. The detective on the case accused me of having something to do with the murder. I’d like to clear my name.”

  If he was surprised, he didn’t show it. He smiled and took a sip of his coffee. His shoulders instantly relaxed. “I can see why this is your favorite.”

  I frowned. “Are you avoiding my questions?”

  He took another sip of his coffee. “No, I’ll answer them, but under one condition.”

  I narrowed my eyes. “Go on.”

  “Let me help. I’ll give you any information I have, and in return you’ll be up front with me.”

  I furrowed my brow. “You want to help me solve your cousin’s murder?”

  “Yep. I may not have liked Neil, but he was still family, and Ike is a good man. He deserves to know what happened to his son.”

  I considered him for a moment, wondering if he was pulling my leg. “I thought you said solving murders was a job for the police.”

  He shrugged. “It is, but I have a sneaking suspicion you might learn more than Detective White.”