Page 57 of Wicching Hour

As the light bled from the sky, I shook off my stupor and called Detective Osso.

“Yeah,” he answered.

“Always the charmer.” I put him on speakerphone, so I could continue to hold my teacup in both hands. I needed the warmth. “I have to talk with you about a poisoning. Are you available tonight?”

“Someone poisoned you?” he growled.

I flicked my fingers and the exterior shutters came down. A shiver went through me. I didn’t know why I was feeling so vulnerable, but I was locking everything up tight tonight.

“Not me, no. Someone poisoned the food in my café case so that a human would be killed. I know who did it. I have camera footage and Declan has the poisoned food in a bag in his truck lockbox.”

I heard young voices in the background. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t think. You’re home. We can do this tomorrow.”

“Are you in danger tonight?” he asked.

I thought about it, wishing I had a blanket.Oh, shit. The cold. I still needed to do the fae ward. What was the matter with my head tonight? “I think I’m okay. Or, at least, I will be once I make another ward.”

He grumbled, “Where’s Declan?”

“With the pack in Big Sur. My cousin and her friend are causing problems with the pack. He’s going to be meeting with them in the mornings and evenings until we deal with our problem.”

There was a woman’s voice and then he said, “Fine, but call me if you need me. I can be there in ten minutes.”

“Thank you and I’ll see you tomorrow.”

I pocketed my phone, went to the freezer for three muffins, and thawed them in my gloved hands as I walked to the back door. Hopefully, my raccoon friends would visit this evening. I could use some adorable mischief right about now.

The moon was bright overhead, so I didn’t bother with the outdoor lights. I put the three muffins in a semicircle in front of the bench closest to my back door and then sat. It was night and the wind was coming in strong off the ocean, but it was still warmer out here than in my studio.

I breathed in the sea spray and tried to center myself so I could create this ward on my own. Instead, I felt a prickling between my shoulder blades. Someone was watching me. I let down my mental blocks, listening. Nothing. I lowered them more and felt Bracken sleeping in his RV.

Was I wrong? Maybe Cal was scrying tonight, keeping tabs on me. I almost rationalized it away, but I felt something to my right, something in the tall grass near the rocks at the water’s edge. It was my property, but an area I let grow wild.

Closing my eyes, I did my best to project relaxation and calm while I sought out what was niggling in my brain. The image of a small camera popped up behind my eyelids.Damn it.

I stood and walked to the edge of the deck. I needed a tall door here, one that locked. Declan had promised to make doors for each end of the deck, but he’d been so damned busy, he hadn’t had a chance to yet.

Movement on the rocks drew my attention. Wilbur’s head bobbed in the water but on the rocks, Cecil climbed toward the tall grass. What was happening? Cecil was running a special op for me. His tentacle rose up in the air, wrapped around a narrow pole, and snapped it, dragging the top half of the pole and the small camera attached to it back into the ocean with him.

Once it was gone, the tension in my shoulders eased. I waved at Wilbur and the water where Cecil had disappeared. “Thank you!” Feeling more settled, I went back to the bench, sat to the side, took off a glove, and then remembered the octopus bottle in my backpack. I ran in, retrieved it, and sat back down. Gloves off, I poured the special ocean water into the palm of one hand, rubbed them together, and placed my hands on my face, fingertips on my forehead, covering my eyes.

Deep-sea leviathans swam through my mind again. Breathing deeply, I held that picture in my head and moved my hands to the side of the gallery. I imagined a massive whale breaching and throwing himself onto his side, creating a tidal wave that swamped the gallery and Bracken’s RV—and new car because why not?

As I pictured the ocean covering every inch of the gallery and washing out to the property line, I felt water run over the backs of my hands. Imposing my will, I added stingrays and lionfish to swim through the watery ward. I thought of Declan and Bracken, Mom and Gran, Detectives Osso and Hernández, Carter, Hester, Frank, Faith, Aunt Elizabeth and Uncle Robert. I didn’t want any of them accidentally hurt.

I’d have to adjust the ward before I opened again next weekend. Until then, I wanted to hold everyone at bay while we tried to find Calliope.

TWENTY-SIX

A Witch Burning

When I opened my eyes, I saw movement and jumped. Otis chittered at his brother for scaring me. “I’m okay. How are you three tonight?”

They sat behind their muffins, watching me, seemingly waiting for the invitation to eat. It didn’t escape my notice that Jasper had already taken a bite out of his. Thankfully, I didn’t seem to scare Daisy anymore. She stood with her brothers, staring up at me.

“Please eat. I brought those out for you.” They each plopped their butts down, picked up their muffins, and began to eat. “I hope you guys are staying safe. I worry about you when there are so many creeps around here.”

When they finished, they scampered off and I went in. I checked the freezer for what I could serve for dinner tomorrow night. I had a couple of large lasagnas. In the refrigerator, I found two big steaks, some green beans and asparagus—look at Declan, being healthy. I could make some garlic bread and serve lasagna and vegetables. Good. Done.

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