Page 13 of Air Of Mystery
Estella dropped down into a chair at the table beside me. “So, is it true?”
“Care to be more specific?” I asked.
“Is it true that an entity attacked a man at one of the houses that you and your team often investigate?”
“We investigate many locations,” I said, purposefully being vague.
She pointed at me. “Don’t play games with me,chica.”
“Estella,” Amanda began as she stood, “you may want to hear the whole story before you—”
“So, whatisthe story?” she said, interrupting. Amanda had stepped into the attached laundry room to shift my clothes from the washer to the dryer. “Not that this one wouldn’t exaggerate.” Estella sneered. “Anything for ratings, right,chica?”
Knowing my snark would piss her off, I batted my eyes and said sweetly, “Wow. Youarecharming, aren’t you, Estella?”
Estella’s responding smile was all teeth and zero warmth. “You’re sitting in my best friend’s house. Her children are here.”
“And they’re in no danger from me!” I retorted, beyond insulted.
“I’ll be the judge of that.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Bottom line? I don’t want you here in my village.”
“I was invited by Amanda,” I pointed out as Estella narrowed her eyes. “And you’re being paranoid.”
“What I am is protective,” she argued, “and your energy feels bad.Sourfor lack of a better word. Plus, you look like something the cat dragged in.”
From the corner, Nyx meowed indignantly at that comment.
“Sorry, Nyx,” Estella said to the cat, before focusing on me again. “Anyway, I’ve kept tabs on you for years, Golden. You love to cause trouble, and you crave attention with your stupid YouTube show.”
It wasn’t the first time I’d had such complaints leveled at me. However, it still rankled. Especially when a fellow Witch was the accuser.
Deliberately, I raised an eyebrow at her. “Have me all figured out, do you, Estella?”
As we argued, Amanda had stepped back into the kitchen. Folding her arms, she silently watched Estella and me.
“Did you battle an evil entity today?” Estella asked. “Or was this a publicity stunt gone wrong?”
“No,” I replied, “Idid not battle an entity today.”
Returning to her place at the table, Amanda took the seat between us. “Skye,” she said, “go ahead and tell her what you told me. Estella has had her own experiences with intense hauntings. She might be able to provide you with some insight.”
Estella leaned forward in her chair. “Do you actually trust her?” She spoke to Amanda as if I wasn’t even there.
“I do.” Amanda nodded. “Otherwise, she wouldn’t be sitting in my kitchen.”
“Fine.” Estella blew out a long breath and glared at me. “So ifyoudidn’t take on an entity, then who did?”
I sighed in aggravation. “Long story short? My sister, Kenna, was in a spot of paranormal trouble. She called me for backup. Charlie Smythe and I arrived in time to help her—and her boyfriend, Tyler—get safely off the premises.”
“You drug Charlie into your mess?” Estella was practically seething.
“Estella…” Amanda gently laid her hand on her friend’s arm. “It was the Victorian era house on Henry Street.”
And with those soft words from Amanda, Estella’s whole posture changed.
“Oh, I see,” Estella said in a completely different tone of voice.
I sat there totally confused as Estella Marquette and Amanda Parker exchanged significant looks.Maybe I was more tired than I realized.Because for the life of me I had no idea why a woman who worked as the bar manager at the Marquette Hotel, and a small-town librarian, would be so interested in the house in Alton. Sure, it had a bad reputation, but most folks—and to be fair, most Witches—didn’t comprehend the level of paranormal issues that were present.
