Page 81 of Real Fake Hauntings

I waved toward the trees. “We’re a bit away from the house, and they had good cover. They probably used a glamour potion too. Any security cameras pointed this way?” I asked, hopeful.

Ian crossed his arms and shook his head. “None on the cemetery or the fence on this side.”

“Rufus and Fluffy didn’t notice anything?”

Ian thought about that. “If they did, they must’ve assumed it was part of our group rather than intruders. They might’ve done it while we were doing the rehearsal.”

Alex let out a low whistle. “Gutsy.”

I pointed at him. “We do not admire the murderous witch and their grave-digging companion.”

He grinned. “Sure, boss.”

“It wasn’t me!” Key blurted out.

Shane nudged her with his elbow. “We know.”

“Of course it wasn’t you,” I said, shocked she’d think we considered her a suspect. “Although I’m sure if it had been you, you’d have left the grass a lot cleaner,” I added because there was never a bad time to be complimentary.

Key appeared mollified. “Okay,” she murmured.

“Who would want to help Bagley, and why?” Ian asked.

“Bagley must’ve promised them some amazing dark magic spells,” I said sourly. It still stung it all had happened under my nose without me realizing. “Someone must’ve come into the shop at some point and Bagley must’ve recognized them as a target to help her out.” My thoughts immediately went to Dorsey. She had known Bagley, and just because she was an air mage, it didn’t mean she didn’t have other dark witch friends to help her out. She could’ve easily come in while I was out doing deliveries so I wouldn’t think of her when making a list of suspects. That would mean three people involved. Had there been a literal party in my shop while I slept blissfully unaware upstairs?

The idea made my soul leave my body.

The Council must never learn about this, or the shop and I were absolutely toast.

“You have any idea of who?” Shane asked.

I shook my head. “Way too many customers, especially with the Halloween rush.” Everyone is a suspect was seriously not working out this time. Maybe I needed a better motto.

Alex glanced at the fence beyond the group of trees. “Where do you think they took the body?”

“Anywhere?” The idea slumped my spirits further, but then another thought came into mind, one that cheered me right up. “I don’t think Bagley would want to stay in a decomposing corpse.”

“Oh?” Ian said.

I began pacing. “I think something went wrong with the spell and Crane wasn’t supposed to die. Not yet anyway.” Bagley wouldn’t want to stay in his body forever. “I think he was a temporary vessel to get Bagley out of the shop and somewhere else.”

“But he died,” Ian remarked.

“But he died,” I agreed. “Something must’ve happened then—either the witch was alone and couldn’t drag him out, or…”

“Their companion decided they didn’t want anything to do with murder and left them behind,” Shane supplied.

“Exactly! So now Bagley is stuck in Crane, but Crane is dead and unable to walk out of there.”

“The witch left the body for you to find?” Key asked dubiously.

“Yes. They must’ve waited to see what I did, then followed us here. Either they have a way to detect Bagley, so they knew where to dig, or somehow watched you bury him here.” The cover of trees was good, but not an impenetrable wall.

“But what if you went to the police and they took the body to the morgue?” Key asked.

“I’m sure they would’ve found a way to break in too.”

“Or they could have waited for the body to be released and buried somewhere, then done the same thing they did here,” Shane said.

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