Shear Magic, page 3
part #5 of Silver Hollow Series
South Side witches? Did Eric’s death have something to do with the South Side witches? That would not be good. Not good at all. Investigating a Southie would be nearly impossible for Gray.
For as long as Gray could remember, it had been a rule that they should avoid Southies at all costs. That had been a problem when they were in high school, because Silver Hollow only had one high school. They’d had to attend with South Side kids. Of course they’d always steered clear of each other. Well, at least most of the time.
“So, Tim’s father was a wizard?” Ember asked, cuddling a kitten beneath her chin while the other fussed and tried to take its place. “Is Tim one too?”
“Nah, Tim’s no wizard. Not that I know of, anyway. He’s nonmagical like his mother,” Luigi said. “But his father was pretty powerful, at least according to Martin Ellsworth. He investigated everything back then. The father apparently hid his abilities from both his son and his wife.”
“Yikes.” Issy sat back in her seat. “I never imagined Tim would have any kind of scandal in his background. He’s a customer at my shop. I sold him a saltwater aquarium a while back. He comes in periodically for new fish and supplies. Always so pleasant and polite.”
“I know him too,” Ember said. “He comes into Divine Cravings a lot. Tim’s mother likes my vanilla creams. She’s homebound now, and he takes care of her. And he likes the peppermint bark.”
“Yeah, Tim probably doesn’t even know about what happened back then. Probably nothing to do with what happened to Eric. You know, now that I think about it,” Luigi scratched his jaw, “I remember Eric telling me about a run-in he had with Beth Wilkins recently.”
Gray’s spirits fell further. Beth Wilkins was a middle-aged witch known around Silver Hollow for being a little crazy. Her memory was shot, and she couldn’t perform magic any longer. Every time Gray had seen her, she’d been rambling on about the good old days. So sad and so very unhelpful for his current situation. He needed answers, not mad ramblings.
“Was it at O’Hara’s Pub?” he asked Luigi. “I hear that’s where she spends most of her time these days, especially now that she can’t work at the applesauce factory.”
“Not sure,” Luigi said. “Eric only said they’d argued. Don’t know about what, but I think Martin’s keeping an eye on her now that her condition seems to be worsening.”
From where they sat in the corner, Gray could hear the conversation at the next table over. Two older women were discussing Mrs. Newcastle’s hair. He bit back a sad chuckle as one of the ladies said she thought it looked ridiculous. The other agreed but pointed out that Mrs. Newcastle said it was one of the latest styles. Great. Not only was his shop closed, people were talking about his latest haircut, and not in a complimentary manner. This couldn’t be good for business.
“I’m too old for the latest styles,” one lady said.
“I don’t know,” the second said. “Fanny Newcastle looked much younger with that cut. Maybe I should consider making an appointment.”
Okay, maybe not so bad if one of them was still considering an appointment.
“Speaking of Martin Ellsworth,” Luigi said, drawing Gray’s attention back to his own table. “He seemed to think it was mighty suspicious Eric was found outside Shear Magic, with your golden shears in his back. You might want to watch yourself for the time being, friend. There appears to be trouble headed your way.”
From where Gray was sitting, trouble had already set up shop and hung out a welcome sign. He watched as Luigi went back into the kitchen to help prep for the lunch rush. An ominous silence fell over the group. Gray couldn’t blame his cousins for the awkwardness. Considering a dead body had been found on his premises, he wouldn’t know what to say either.
Things like this seemed to follow the Quinns around like a loyal puppy. But sitting here, feeling sorry for himself, wasn’t getting him anywhere. He needed to take action and investigate the death himself as soon as possible. Things weren’t looking good for him at present on either side of the fence — human or paranormal. Owen seemed as suspicious as Luigi, and he fully expected to be hauled into the police station for questioning soon.
Issy patted Gray’s arm. “Don’t worry, cuz, we’re not going to let you take the fall for this.”
“That’s right. We’ll investigate it ourselves,” Raine added with an unlikely burst of enthusiasm.
“I think we should start by talking with Tim Stevens and Beth Wilkins,” Issy added.
“But what if what Luigi said was true?” Ember asked. “If his father was a wizard and this murder has something to do with the South Side witches, then how in the world will we ever investigate that?”
Chapter 4
While Issy, Raine and Ember headed back to their shops, Gray felt a bit discombobulated. He couldn’t go back to Shear Magic because the police were still investigating, so he sat at the juice bar table alone, feeling a bit gloomy. He had managed to send off a message to the maker of the magic shears in Switzerland, doing his best to explain what had happened and why he needed a replacement pair. So far, he’d not received a response. All the stress was getting to him. He normally worked out his problems while he cut a client’s hair. The precision of snipping strands to form a cohesive whole helped center him and clear his head, making it easier to find a solution to whatever issue he faced. Now, though, when he needed that clarity most, it was elusive. Deep in his heart, he feared he might never get it back.
Brimstone walked up and sat near his ankle. “Told you things didn’t look good.”
“Thanks for the reminder,” Gray muttered. Hearing those words did not help make him feel better. “So far I haven’t heard anything from DeeDee about the police investigation, and I have no idea how we’re supposed to look into any of this ourselves.”
“Yeah, I heard the part about the South Side witches.” Brimstone purred low. “Maybe I can help. There’s a certain tabby familiar over there I sometimes associate with.”
“Really?” Gray patted the seat of the chair beside him, and Brimstone hopped up. “Isn’t that considered walking on the wild side?”
“I can obviously go places humans can’t. And your petty human rules don’t apply to me,” the cat said in a superior feline tone. “Given my stature in the local familiar community, no one questions if I take a jaunt over to the South Side of Silver Hollow to check things out.” Brimstone swished his tail, preening. “A sleek ginger tiger cat there and I have developed a certain … rapport.”
Cosmo squawked and bobbed his head, speaking telepathically to Gray. “I can help too. I can fly over the area and scope things out, boss.”
Gray scratched the bird’s head and smiled. “Thanks for the offers, both of you, but we don’t even know for sure if the South Side coven is involved in any of this yet, though my instincts tell me that’s a definite possibility. But given what Luigi said, maybe it was crazy old Beth who did Eric in. Or Tim Stevens, as unlikely as that sounds. Probably best not to send either of you on a wild goose chase until we have more to go on. Besides, Issy and I are going to Tim’s house later to talk with him. I’ll know more after that.”
“Fine, have it your way.” Brimstone jumped down off the chair and strutted away. “See you later.”
Gray watched the cat go then got up and walked to his car, the South Side coven still stuck in his mind — or rather, one witch in particular.
As he drove past the small strip of forest that divided Silver Hollow into north and south sections, images of Starla Knight flitted through his mind. Back in high school, she’d been all long blond curls and deep midnight-blue eyes. He’d found her intoxicating, intriguing, forbidden fruit.
He’d never acted on any of that, of course. It just wasn’t done. And now, with all the rumors of hexes and curses flying around for anyone from the north who dared set foot in the south, it would be crazy to set foot on the South Side again. Still, he was desperate and his options were dwindling by the hour, so perhaps he’d take a chance after all. This wooded area was considered a neutral zone, where magical folk from either side of town could meet and conduct business, because crossing over into another coven’s territory without invitation was frowned upon. As long as he stayed within its boundaries, he was fine.
Unfortunately, with his mind otherwise occupied, Gray drove right past the forest and straight into the South Side coven’s territory. Before he knew what he was doing, he was driving by a jewelry shop called Charmed, owned by the woman foremost in his mind.
He parked his black SUV near the curb and cut the engine, watching the storefront as tourists came and went. It looked much the same as it had the last time he’d been here with Issy. Same quaint stone-cottage exterior, same glittering interior filled with all sorts of charms and jewels and crystals for any occasion. Through the front window, he spotted Starla behind the register, smiling at a customer she waited on, still just as pretty and puzzling as ever. She’d never given him any indication she even noticed him beyond the usual hello and goodbye, which was odd, because he was a guy who was used to standing out.
Exhaling slowly, he turned the key and restarted the engine. This was getting him exactly nowhere, and the sooner he got back on his own side of town, the better. Then Starla glanced in his direction, her deep-blue eyes locking with his across the distance, and once more he was enthralled. A strange, silent connection seemed to sizzle between them, same as it had long ago when he and Issy had gone into the store to question her. Then, as fast as it had started, Starla looked away, and the connection was broken.
Gray found himself breathing fast and deep, hands gripped tight on the steering wheel, doing his best to keep it together. It was ridiculous. It was dangerous. It was delightful.
He glanced back again. Starla was still busy with the customer, but the orange tabby Brimstone had spoken about crouched on the front step, her striped tail curled around her, golden-orange eyes watching him.
For the first time since this whole mess started, he felt a wee bit of hope.
Starla had helped the Quinns on a case once before. He wondered if she might again.
If the South Side coven was somehow involved in this, she would be their best bet in finding out. Her uncle, Bobby Knight, had been one of the most notorious wizards in their coven. He was known to be a hothead and a cheat, among other, less kind things. Though he hadn’t heard much about Bobby lately — the guy was middle-aged, so maybe he’d slowed down — he couldn’t help but feel this might involve him. That meant one thing: Gray needed to talk to Starla.
Realizing he’d been sitting there longer than was prudent, Gray quickly drove off, back toward the north side of town. It wouldn’t look good to get caught where he shouldn’t be right now, and he didn’t want to be late for his meeting with Issy. The last thing he needed right now was for someone to see him coming from the south and start asking questions about why he’d been there. He had enough trouble on his hands as it was. Later, he’d ask Brimstone to help him arrange a meeting with Starla in the woods to see if he could get her cooperation in his investigation.
Until then, he needed to concentrate on his upcoming meeting with Tim Stevens.
Chapter 5
Issy and Gray walked up to Tim Stevens’s doorstep later that afternoon. They were there under the guise of bringing a special delivery of saltwater fish food for him from the new shipment Issy had received earlier that day. Gray knocked on the door and then stepped back.
Moments later, Tim answered, looking a bit worse for wear. Then again, Ember had mentioned him being caretaker for his mother, who had dementia — a hard job that would leave anyone a bit frazzled at times. Tim was around thirty, the same age as the Quinns, though the dark circles under his eyes and strain of dealing with his sick mother made him look a bit older. His clothes were a bit cockeyed, and one of his shoes was unlaced. Issy gave Gray a look, clearly feeling bad for showing up unannounced, but they had to find out what Tim knew before things turned any worse for Gray.
“Hi, Tim,” Issy said brightly. “Sorry for the surprise call, but I got some new fish food in the shop today and thought you might like to try some.” She held up the bag in her hand. “May we come in for a second? Gray is thinking of getting a tank himself, and I wanted to show him your setup.”
“Oh, well.” Tim glanced back into his tiny house, then shoved his glasses further up his nose. His dark hair looked slightly rumpled, as if he’d been running his hands through it. “Uh, I guess it would be all right. Mom’s taking a nap, so you’ll have to be quiet, though.”
“No problem. Thanks for letting us take a look.” Issy walked inside, followed by Gray. She handed Tim the bag before walking over to the fish tank along the wall. Gray flashed what he hoped was a friendly smile, despite the awkwardness of the moment.
The house was clean, if dated, all the furnishings looking like they came from the seventies at the latest. Lots of burnt orange and mustard yellows. The shag carpeting was a nondescript brown, and the walls were beige. Gray took a deep breath, scenting coffee, bacon, and a combination of mothballs and mustiness. It didn’t seem Tim or his mother got out much. Given that she was incoherent most of the time and her son might be a murderer, Gray understood why.
“Such a shame about Eric Naill, eh?” Issy said, straightening from where she’d crouched to peer inside the aquarium. The tank was the only bright spot in the otherwise dim room. Brightly lit from behind, neon-hued fish swam slowly through the turquoise water. Green plants swayed in the bubbles and currents, and pristine white sand sparkled from the floor of the aquarium. Whatever Tim’s other faults might be, he took excellent care of his fish.
“What do you mean?” Tim’s expression was guarded.
“Found dead this morning in the alley behind my shop,” Gray said, taking over for Issy. The words still stuck in his throat, but he forced them out, doing his best to keep his voice steady. “Stabbed in the back. Police are still searching for suspects.”
“Dead?” Tim stumbled over a side table and slumped into a threadbare recliner.
Not exactly the reaction Gray had expected, especially if Tim was the one who’d done the deed. Yes, the news was upsetting, but as far as he knew, Tim and Eric hadn’t been that close. Was he acting at being surprised? Issy rushed over to pat a distraught Tim on the back.
“You seem really upset,” Gray said.
“Well, a man is dead. That’s upsetting.”
“Could there be another reason?”
Tim’s eyes narrowed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Like maybe he was working for you and now the answers to whatever you had him doing died with him.” Gray’s words earned him a stern look from Issy. He hadn’t meant to be so blunt, but considering he was suspect number one on law enforcement’s list, any subtlety Gray possessed had gone right out the window. He gentled his tone a bit and continued. “Is that true, Tim? Did you hire Eric?”
A babbling female voice came from down the hall, where Gray assumed Tim’s mother was asleep in the bedroom — or was supposed to be. He heard the words “toads” and “shaving cream” distinctly. Gray and Issy exchanged a look.
Tim glanced nervously in the direction of the voice. “Where did you hear that?”
Gray studied the other man. He could hit him with a truth spell or reach into his mind with a reading hex, but that sort of witchcraft was frowned upon. Besides, Tim looked like he would cave pretty easily without any sorcery.
“Around town. If it’s true, you might as well tell us. It will all come out in the investigation,” Gray said.
“Investigation?” Tim cast another worried glance in the direction of the bedrooms. Was he worried his mother might wake up or worried about an investigation?
“Into his murder,” Gray added. “Naturally they’ll be looking into his clients first.”
Tim looked at Gray uncertainly as he pushed up from the recliner. “That’s supposed to be confidential.”
“Not in a murder investigation it won’t be.”
Tim glanced down the hallway again and sighed. “Hold on.”
He went down the hall, and Gray heard a door close. Then Tim came back and plopped in the recliner again.
“Sorry, I don’t want Mom to overhear this and get upset.” Tim fiddled with his glasses again then leaned forward with his forearms on his thighs. “She wasn’t always like this, you know. She used to be like a normal mom. But over the years, she’s gotten worse and worse. Aunt Sadie said she was fine until Dad’s accident.” Tim’s voice broke and he looked down at his feet.
Accident? Gray would’ve sworn Luigi said Tim’s father took his own life. Then again, it had been a long time ago, and Tim would’ve been a child. Maybe in the aftermath of it all, Tim’s mother had lied about how his father died to protect him from the truth.
Gray felt a pang of guilt. Poor guy was just trying to protect his mother, and here Gray was interrogating him and practically accusing him of being a murderer.
“So why did you hire Eric?” Gray’s voice was more gentle this time.
Tim sniffed, still looking at his feet. “I just want Mom to have some peace. I’d do anything for her. But her care is getting harder and harder. And more expensive. The insurance company dismissed some claims that I recently filed on her behalf, and I wanted to make sure I had my facts straight before I took the company to court. That’s why I hired Eric. He’s looking into some of the insurance rules and legalities for me. You know, making sure the insurance company doesn’t screw me over.” He looked back up at them and shrugged. “I had no problem with Eric at all, I swear. I didn’t kill him. Why would I when he was helping me?”
