Prelude to a Witch, Amanda Lee [ebook reader web txt] 📗

“Private time or investigative time?”

“Both.” He was firm. “I’m going to figure this out. Hannah doesn’t need to be with us every moment of every day. She’ll go off on her own eventually. She has a process.”

“That means she’ll wander around on her own. That’s probably not good.”

“It’s not,” he agreed. “We have to deal with it. Speaking of that, what are you really going to do now that you’re separating from us?”

“I’m going to research that Salem thing she mentioned. There’s probably more to it than even she knows.”

“Okay. Be careful and keep in touch.”

“Don’t I always?”

He growled and leaned in for a kiss. “You do what you want and run off willy-nilly. You give me ulcers and nightmares.”

“And I’m guessing that’s not fun for you.”

“Not even a little. We’re in a weird spot right now. We have to be careful and trust one another.”

“I trust you more than anyone. That thing you said about destiny and soulmates, I believe that. No matter what, I was always meant to find you.”

“Of course you were. I’m a catch. I believe I’ve pointed that out multiple times.”

I laughed. “I’ll get in touch if I find anything in the research that can help.”

He gave me another kiss and then released me, waiting until I was halfway to the front of the inn to call out. “I love you, Bay.”

I smiled. “As much as Peg?”

“Don’t push it.”

“That’s what I thought.”

I LOCKED THE FRONT DOOR OF THE office as Landon demanded, but only because I wanted quiet time to myself. Given Aunt Tillie’s leggings, I had a feeling she was going to be looking for some place to shelter.

I booted my computer after taking a lap around the office. Viola, the resident ghost, was nowhere to be found. Unlike the ghost who lived in the office before her, Viola enjoyed gallivanting around town.

I searched for “Salem” and “runes” and came up with so many matches that I had to winnow it further. I added murder to the mix. Hannah had mentioned the incident was two years ago, which made finding what I was looking for all the easier.

“What are you looking at?” a voice asked as I settled in to read a news article from back then.

I found Aunt Tillie staring at me from across the desk. “How did you get in here? I locked the door and set the security system.”

She snorted. “Security systems can’t stop me. You know that.”

“Yes, well ... .” I looked down. “What happened to your inappropriate leggings?”

“I decided to change.”

“You mean Mom made you change.”

Her scowl took up half her face. “Your mother is horrible,” she said, whipping out another pair of leggings from the backpack she wore. “I knew she would be a pain and bought more than one pair.”

Even I had to admit that was mildly genius. “By wearing the leggings this morning and putting up a fight when she tried to take them away, you set the stage for getting away with the second pair. If you’d given in easily, she would’ve known something was up. Well done.”

“I’m a genius,” she agreed. “Seriously, what are you looking at?”

“You heard Hannah at breakfast this morning. She said a similar incident happened in Salem two years ago.”

“She’s not a believer, so I don’t really care what she says. She doesn’t know anything.”

“She knows about human behavior.”

“I hate to break it to you, but I don’t think she’s very good at her job. She’s no Shemar Moore.”

“Is anybody?”

“No. That man is beautiful and I want to rub myself all over him.”

I made a face. “That’s a bit of an overshare.”

“I have to watch you and Landon pet each other like puppies at a stroking contest so I don’t really care what you think.”

“Fair enough.”

“I’m serious about that. She watches you and Landon as if there’s some sort of trick being played on her. Be careful.”

“I’m not afraid of her where Landon is concerned. They dated a long time ago and it wasn’t serious.”

“I’m not saying you should have anything to fear romantically. Her interest in your relationship could lead to interest in other things. We really don’t need her digging into our family.”

“What do you suggest I do to fix things?”

“I have no idea. I have bigger things to deal with. Namely Willa. I’ll come up with a way to get her out of town if it’s the last thing I do.”

I went back to staring at the story on the computer screen. “This says a teenager was killed in the woods outside Salem. Her blood was used to paint runes on the trees. The runes were believed to be tied to the four elements.”

Aunt Tillie straightened. “You mean the four corners.”

“I think that’s what they’re getting at.”

Aunt Tillie tugged her lower lip. “Anything else?”

“There is something that Hannah left out,” I said. “The murder in Salem was tied to a similar murder, also in Salem, that happened twenty years before.”

“The same circumstances?”

“Yeah. What do you think that means?”

“I have no idea. I’m not much of a researcher.”

I was quiet a moment. “Thistle has been busy with other things and can’t really do research for me right now. Any suggestions on who might be able to help?”

“Ignore Thistle. Her nose is out of joint because Clove is having a baby and you’re getting married. She’s the only one who hasn’t moved forward. She’ll get over it on Christmas.”

“What happens on Christmas?”

“That’s when Marcus will propose.”

“Are you sure?”

“I know all and see all.”

She was full of it, but if she was so determined about the date I figured she had inside information. She and Marcus were tight. He helped her with her pot field, so maybe he’d confided in her.

“I’m happy for them,” I said. “He’s good for Thistle.”

“He’s way too good for her.” She pressed her lips together. “You know who knows a lot about Salem?”

“No. Who?”

“Helen Archer.”

I was taken aback. “Stormy’s great-grandmother?” Stormy was a witch from