Something to Witch About (Wicked Witches of the Midwest Book 5) Read online

  Mom pursed her lips. “Aunt Tillie has been warned to be on her best behavior. If she’s not, there will be dire consequences.”

  “Is this like when you threatened to put her in a home if she didn’t stop growing pot on the property?” Thistle asked. “Because that didn’t work out so well. Now she just tells people she has glaucoma when she’s holding.”

  Aunt Tillie’s pot field was not only still intact, it was flourishing. Luckily for us, she’d erected a magical force field to keep it hidden. Unfortunately, it was so well hidden my mother and aunts couldn’t find it and destroy it. That did bring up another worry, though.

  “We’ve got to keep her out of that field while Landon’s family is here,” I said.

  “She’s already been warned,” Mom said.

  “And what was her response?” Clove asked, her curiosity evident.

  Mom shrugged. “It doesn’t matter.”

  “That good, huh?” Thistle chuckled.

  “She said that since Landon was a narc that his family was probably full of narcs, too,” Marnie said. “She’s convinced they’re all undercover and trying to bust her.”

  I dropped my head into my hands. “This is going to be a disaster.”

  Mom patted my back reassuringly. “You’re always so dramatic. You were a dramatic child and now you’re a dramatic adult. Things will be fine.”

  I wanted to believe her.

  A flustered Twila, who was pushing into the kitchen from the dining room with an excited look on her face, interrupted us. “They’re here.”

  Maybe I should sneak out the back door?

  Two

  Mom eyed me suspiciously. “Don’t even think about sneaking out of this house.”

  “I’m not.”

  “Good,” she said. “Now, go and greet your guests.”

  I balked. “It’s your inn.”

  “And they’re your guests,” Mom countered.

  “It’s your inn,” I repeated.

  Mom blew out a sigh. “Fine. We’ll greet them.” She focused on Thistle. “If she isn’t out in that lobby in two minutes, I’m blaming you.”

  “What did I do?” Thistle protested.

  “Nothing. Yet.”

  Mom flounced out of the room, Marnie and Thistle close on her heels. I could feel my heart hammering.

  “She looks like she’s going to pass out,” Thistle said.

  “She’s not going to pass out,” Clove argued, although she didn’t look convinced. “You’re not going to pass out, right?”

  “I’m fine.”

  “Your face is really white,” Thistle said. “Just take a deep breath.”

  “I said I was fine.”

  “Then why are you still in here?” Thistle prodded.

  “I’m just … I don’t want to seem too anxious. Mothers don’t like anxious girls.”

  “Bay, I know I’ve teased you a lot about this,” Thistle said. “I guess I didn’t realize how much this was freaking you out. It’s going to be fine. I swear it is.”

  “What if it’s not?”

  “Then I’ll kill her and bury her under the greenhouse,” Thistle replied cheerfully.

  Clove patted my back. “We’ll be there. We’ll deflect as much as we can.”

  “We will,” Thistle agreed.

  I squared my shoulders. I could do this. They were right. I’d grown up with Aunt Tillie. Anything else should be easy. “Let’s get this over with.”

  We found everyone congregated in the front foyer. Landon caught sight of me first and made a move toward me, stilling when he met my panicked eyes. His mouth tipped into an undisguised smirk. “There you are.”

  I plastered a smile on my face as I stepped into the room. “Hi.”

  “We were just going through introductions,” Mom said. “We thought you would be out here sooner.”

  “I was just … I was just finishing up the vegetable tray,” I said, knowing how lame it sounded.

  “Of course,” Mom said, watching me closely. “Well, don’t just stand over there hiding. Come meet our guests.”

  I glanced at Thistle. “I’ll trade you moms.”

  Thistle gave me a little shove. I moved closer to the group, trying hard to keep my breath from coming out in gasps.

  For his part, Landon seemed more amused than anything else. I couldn’t help but notice that his long, black hair was neatly brushed and tucked behind his ears, though. Since it was usually falling across his forehead and obscuring his electric blue eyes, I couldn’t help but wonder if he was a little nervous, too. That thought warmed me.

  “This is Bay,” Landon said. “Bay, this is my family.”

  “It’s nice to meet you all.” I didn’t get a chance to say anything else. Instead, I found my face pressed into the broad chest of Landon’s father as he hugged me enthusiastically.

  “You’re a pretty little thing,” he said.

  He held me so tight I felt as though I was smothering. “Thanks.”

  “Earl, let the girl breathe,” his wife admonished him.

  Earl glanced down at me and shrugged apologetically. “Sorry.”

  “It’s fine.”

  He looked like his son, I realized. Or, rather, Landon looked like his father. Earl’s black hair was shot through with gray streaks, but they had the same strong jaw and flashing blue eyes.

  A quick glance at his two brothers, who were watching the scene with undisguised glee, told me they took after their father, too.

  Their mother was a different story. She was tiny. Like five feet tall tiny. Her auburn hair was short but perfectly coiffed. She was dressed in a simple gray pantsuit, with matching pumps and simple jewelry. While her husband’s eyes were warm and inviting, her green orbs were decidedly wary.

  “Mrs. Michaels,” I said, sticking my hand out uncertainly. She didn’t look like a hugger. Thank the Goddess.

  “Call me Connie, dear.”

  “Connie,” I said. “It’s really nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you.” Actually, Landon hadn’t said much about his family. I knew they were close, but he hadn’t offered a lot of details.

  One of his brothers pushed to the front. His black hair was cut very close to the scalp. “I’m Denny.”

  I wracked my brain. “You’re the minister?”

  “You seem surprised.”

  “You’re not dressed like a minister,” I explained. “It just took me by surprise.”

  Denny’s eyes were twinkling. “How does a minister dress?”

  “Umm … .”

  “I think she meant you’re not wearing one of those collars,” Clove offered.

  “That’s a priest, moron,” Thistle said, smacking the back of her head.

  “Oh,” Clove muttered. “Sorry.”

  “It’s okay,” Denny said. “I get that all the time.”

  My cheeks were burning. This was not a good start. “I’m really sorry.”

  “Don’t worry about it,” Denny said, patting my arm reassuringly. “It’s fine.”

  Mom looked mortified. “They don’t get out much,” she said by way of apology. “They’re ignorant sometimes.”

  “Well, when you’re not raised around religion, those things happen,” Connie said coolly.

  Mom frowned but didn’t offer further comment.

  “This is my brother, Daryl,” Landon said hurriedly, ushering the other man in the room forward. His hair was the same color as his brothers, but the length fell somewhere in between.

  “It’s nice to meet you.”

  “You, too.”

  The room lapsed into silence for a moment. There was still one other person in the room I’d yet to be introduced to. She was an elderly woman, her frame small and hunched. Her hair was platinum blonde, though, and her face was scrunched into a pronounced scowl.

  Landon caught me looking in her direction. “This is Aunt Blanche,” he said.

  Her I had heard about. Apparently she was just like Aunt Tillie – without the magical aptitud
e. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  “You keep saying that,” Blanche said. “I can’t help but think you don’t mean it.”

  I bit the inside of my cheek. “No. I’m really excited to meet you.”

  “You need to learn to lie better.”

  Landon frowned. “I told you to be nice.”

  Blanche lifted her chin defiantly. “It’s not my fault she’s acting like a fool.”

  My mother straightened, clearing her throat. “I think she’s just nervous.”

  Blanche fixed my mother with a disdainful look. “Is anyone in this place going to show me to my room? I need to get my things put away before they’re all wrinkled and then I need my afternoon tea.”

  “You behave yourself,” Connie warned. “Stop being rude.”

  “This is a place of business, isn’t it?” Blanche pressed. “Since we’re paying to stay in this … place, shouldn’t we have the full services allotted?”

  Thistle and I exchanged worried looks. Our mothers were nothing if not professional. If you said anything bad about the inn, though, you were in for a world of hurt. And, on several occasions, purposeful food poisoning.

  Twila swallowed hard. “I can show you to your room.”

  Blanche looked her up and down, taking in her clown-red hair and eager expression. “Who gets drunk and cuts this family’s hair?”

  Connie’s mouth dropped open in surprise while Thistle giggled madly. Landon had heard enough. He grabbed Blanche’s arm and led her to the stairs. “What room is she in?”

  Mom glanced down at the ledger. “Twelve.” She handed over the room key.

  “I’ll take her upstairs,” Landon said through gritted teeth. “Why doesn’t everyone else get settled in the dining room?”

  “Sure,” Marnie said. “You don’t need any help, do you?”

  “No.” Landon’s voice was cold.

  “Stop manhandling me,” Blanche complained. “Treat your elder with some respect.”

  “I will,” Landon replied. “When you’ve earned it.”

  Marnie led everyone into the dining room, ordering Thistle, Clove and me to take the assorted luggage upstairs before joining them. Once they were gone, Thistle couldn’t stop her laughter.

  “Does anyone else think that when Blanche and Aunt Tillie meet the world is going to cease spinning on its axis?”

  The thought terrified me. “Where is Aunt Tillie?”

  “I think she’s outside bothering the construction crew,” Clove said, hoisting two bags from the floor.

  “Is Kenneth out there?” Kenneth’s grandson owned the construction company that was building the greenhouse. He’d been “courting” Aunt Tillie for weeks. He seemed like a nice guy – or a glutton for punishment. I hadn’t figured out which yet.

  “I don’t know,” Thistle said. “She likes bothering them whether he’s out there or not.”

  After depositing the bags in various rooms, the three of us made our way to the dining room. Connie, Earl, Denny and Daryl were all seated at the table – coffee and tea in front of them – as my mother and aunts plied them with baked goods and vegetables.

  “This is a great inn,” Earl said. “It’s got an unusual name, though.”

  “We told them that,” Thistle said, sitting at the far end of the table. “They don’t get it.”

  “What’ so bad about the name?” Twila asked, fixing her eyes on Thistle suddenly. “When did you dye your hair blue again?”

  “You just noticed? I’ve been here all afternoon and my hair has been this color,” Thistle replied. “I feel so neglected.”

  “You know I don’t like that color.”

  “I know.”

  “You’re just doing it to drive me crazy.”

  Earl cleared his throat nervously. “So, um, how did you settle on The Overlook for a name?”

  “We’re overlooking the bluff,” Marnie explained, like it was the most natural thing in the world.

  “They’ve never seen The Shining,” Clove added. “They don’t get it.”

  “I thought maybe you named it that on purpose because of this being a magic town,” Earl said.

  I froze. “What do you mean?” Had Landon told them?

  Earl furrowed his brow. “I thought that Hemlock Cove rebranded itself as a witch town for tourists?”

  Oh, that’s what he meant. “Yeah,” I said, sliding into one of the open seats at the table – one that was conveniently located several feet from Connie. What can I say? The woman makes me nervous.

  “That’s a great gimmick,” Denny said. “From what Landon says, it’s working out well for the town. Without an industrial base, these small towns have to survive any way they can.”

  “I wouldn’t think you’d like magic,” Thistle said.

  “Why? Because I’m a minister?”

  “Well, yeah.”

  “As long as you’re not all sacrificing animals or worshiping Beelzebub, I think I’ll be fine,” he replied. “Besides, it’s all pretend, right?”

  “Right.” Or not.

  “I think it’s sacrilegious,” Connie said.

  “It’s not,” Marnie said. “It’s all good-natured fun.”

  “I don’t think promoting evil is fun,” Connie replied.

  Uh-oh.

  “We’re not promoting evil,” Mom said evenly. “Besides, who says witches are evil?”

  Landon chose now to join the party. He slid into the seat next to me and grabbed a cookie.

  “Is everything all right?” Earl asked.

  “She’s up there pouting,” Landon replied. “I told her she couldn’t come back down until she adjusted her attitude.”

  “She’s fine,” Mom said. “She was probably just tired from the trip.”

  “It was only two hours,” Landon countered. “She’s just mean sometimes.”

  “Hey, we’ve got Aunt Tillie,” Thistle said. “We know all about mean.”

  “Yes, Landon told us you have an elderly aunt, too,” Daryl said. “He said she’s even more of a pill than Aunt Blanche. I can’t wait to meet her.”

  “You’re going to regret saying that,” Thistle said.

  “Don’t talk about your aunt that way,” Twila warned. “Has she seen your hair?”

  “She doesn’t care about my hair,” Thistle replied.

  “I take it the hair color is something new,” Connie said. “It’s really not your color, dear. It washes you out.”

  Thistle frowned. That was exactly the argument her mother had used when she’d first seen it the previous summer. The thing with Thistle is, though, if you don’t like the present color all you have to do is wait. She changes it whenever the mood strikes.

  “I think it looks nice,” Daryl said, offering Thistle a warm smile. “It’s eye-catching.”

  “She has a boyfriend,” Clove said hurriedly, grunting when I kicked her under the table. “What? She does.”

  I shook my head. Clove was on the dry spell to end all dry spells. It didn’t help that Marcus and Landon were constantly spending the night at the guesthouse we all shared on the edge of the property. Unfortunately, she has terrible taste in men. I could only hope she wouldn’t set her sights on Landon’s brother. That would just be all kinds of awkward.

  Landon chuckled. “He knows.”

  “He knows?” I asked.

  “I told him all about your family,” Landon said.

  I didn’t know how to take that revelation so I decided to ignore it. “So, what are your plans while you’re in town?”

  “I don’t know,” Connie hedged. “What is there to do here?”

  “Well, there’s lots of shopping,” Mom said. “It’s spring, so none of the orchards are up and running yet. Still, there’s horseback riding and walking trails.”

  Daryl laughed. “Mom isn’t an outdoor kind of girl.”

  “Don’t get fresh,” Connie warned.

  I glanced at the clock on the wall. Had it really only been twenty minutes? Had time ceased movin
g forward?

  Luckily for us, a noise at the kitchen door drew everyone’s attention. It was the construction foreman, Dirk.

  “Is something wrong?” I asked. “Is Aunt Tillie bugging you?”

  Dirk looked uncomfortable. “No. Well, yes, but we’re used to that now. As long as she wears her hardhat I’ve given up arguing with her.”

  That was probably wise.

  “Then what is it?” Marnie asked.

  “Um, well, I don’t know quite how to tell you this … .”

  “Just tell us,” I said.

  “We were digging with the backhoe and we found something,” Dirk said.

  “What?”

  “A body.”

  All the air left my body in a whoosh. Crap.

  Three

  The room erupted.

  “Someone was murdered here?” Connie’s voice was shrill.

  “Cool,” Daryl said.

  “We should all pray,” Denny said.

  “Someone should call Chief Terry,” Twila offered.

  “I’ll call him,” Mom and Marnie said at the same time.

  I glanced over at Landon. His face was grim. “What do you mean you found a body?”

  “Well, it’s not really a body,” Dirk corrected. “It’s more like bones.”

  “Bones?” Landon lifted an eyebrow.

  “Yeah,” Dirk said. “If I had to guess, I’d say the body has been there for a long time.”

  Landon got to his feet. “Call Chief Terry,” he told my mother before turning to me. “You want to come with me?”

  “We all want to come,” Daryl said.

  “It’s a crime scene,” Landon said. “You can’t trample all over it.”

  “Hasn’t the construction crew already handled that?” Daryl pressed.

  “Just stay here until I know what’s going on,” Landon growled.

  “Why do you get to go?” Daryl asked.

  “Because I’m a FBI agent,” Landon said.

  “And why does she get to go?” Daryl pointed at me accusingly.

  “Because I want her there,” Landon said. “Now just stay here and eat your cookies.”

  I followed Landon out the back door wordlessly. My mind was a jumble. How could this be happening? Someone high up obviously hated me.