Page 61 of Christmas Mittens Murder

“She told you a lot,” Mark commented.

Mia sighed. She’d been expecting the lecture. “I know, I’m not an investigator, but I was concerned that someone was killed at the Lodge. I needed to know that it was personal. I don’t want my staff in the way of some serial killer.”

“That even sounded sincere.” Mark laughed, but Mia could hear the fatigue in his tone. “Did you find out anything else?”

“There’s a gap in the security tape just as the murder occurred. But I’m sure you’ve already seen that.” She stared at the notes she’d made after talking to Tasha. There was something in that conversation she was missing.

“My tech guys just found it. You think someone jammed the signal to keep from being seen coming or going from the Lodge?” Mark paused. “You would have thought that someone would have seen a guy or gal with a bloody tire iron walk through the lobby.”

“Unless they hid it in something.” Mia knew that’s why her memory was off. And why the video had been altered. Someone magical had killed Geoffrey for Kate Brewer and had walked through the Lodge to put the tire iron into Tasha’s locker. A memory from Saturday night and Mother Adams’s party came to her mind. Edward walking away from the door. Swinging an umbrella, even though there wasn’t rain that night. Tasha had mentioned someone else picking up the dress. She stared at the notes she’d written down. She’d written down his name. Edward.

He hadn’t been at Mother Adams’s party to meet Christina or even Mia. He’d been there to see what she’d remembered, if anything. And maybe put a little more of a hex on her to keep her from remembering.

“Mark, I heard someone saying that Kate was seeing a guy from Magic Springs. An Edward Phillips. Maybe he helped her kill her husband.” Mia pushed a little with the information, hoping that the magical boost wouldn’t backfire. Mark was a good guy and an excellent investigator. If there was a trail between Kate and Edward, he’d find it. She could count on that.

“Funny thing, I’ve already been looking at Mr. Phillips. He was at the Lodge that night according to credit card receipts at the bar, but no one remembers seeing him. I wonder if he was watching for Geoffrey to leave so that his wife would have an iron-clad alibi. And, yes, I’ve heard the rumors about the two of them being together.” He paused a moment. “I’ve got some interviews to set up. And some warrants to get, but thank you, Mia, you’ve been helpful. Sarah told me to tell you that you should come over for coffee one morning. She says you two need to talk. Well, she’ll be drinking tea. She’s been off caffeine for the pregnancy.”

“I’ll call her.” Mia saw Grans leave the room, heading toward Christina’s room. “I’ve got to go.”

Mia hung up and went to tuck the notebook back into her tote. But the bag was blocking the opening. She took it out and realized she still had the mitten fuzz she’d found in the fur stole. Maybe this was what the mittens needed. She opened both bags and then dumped the fuzz on the mittens. It melted into the knit weave immediately.

Abigail came back from the kitchen. “They’re on the road. They didn’t even wait for their luggage. Levi will be here soon.”

Grans came back into the room, relief exuding from her body language. “Tell them to go back for their bags. Christina’s coming out of it. Maybe the mittens just needed some time to talk.”

Mia glanced at the now-empty bag. “Actually, they were still missing a little bit of their essence. She’s better?”

Grans nodded. “I need help getting her out of the goop. Then we’ll take her to your bathroom while I make the goop dissolve. I’d hate to ruin your pipes. Abigail, call your husband, and Mia, come help me get her out of the bathtub. The spell has been broken.”

* * *

The six of them were downstairs cooking later that night. Mia put the last batch of cookies into the oven and looked around her busy kitchen. Abigail and Thomas were setting up delivery orders and putting the delivery sacks on the table so they could be filled tomorrow morning. Grans was rinsing the last of the dishes to go into the dishwasher. Levi had just given Christina another bottle of water. He hadn’t left her side since they’d arrived from the airport.

Trent came over to Mia and put his arms around her waist. “I’m not sure I can look at another Christmas cookie again. On the other hand, it looks like deliveries will go out tomorrow as planned. Should we go to the Lodge for dinner tonight? I think we’re all wiped and not up for cooking.”

“Sounds good.” Mia leaned into him. “Mark Baldwin called and told me that they arrested Edward and Kate for the murder. I guess they found letters in Edward’s house between him and Kate planning Geoffrey’s murder. They’ve been planning this for years.”

“Now how did you meet Edward?” He leaned his head on her shoulder and pulled her closer. “Wait, he was the guy at Mother Adams’s who was hitting on you. I should have recognized him.”

“He wasn’t hitting on me. We can talk about it over dinner. I need to update Christina on some Mother Adams issues too, before she takes a call from her.” Mia glanced around the room again and then smiled up at Trent. The room smelled like Christmas cookies. The Christmas mittens had been picked up by one of the coven leaders to go into their vault. Sabrina had called and told her that the case with the National Office of Regrettable Events was closed. And Mark had found justice for Professor Brewer. With a little help from her and the Goddess.

It had been a busy week.

“We’re going to the Lodge for dinner. Who wants to drive?” Mia announced to the group as they all finished their tasks. “And dinner’s on me to thank everyone for your help today.”

Grans set the towel down she’d just used to dry off the sink area. “Maybe next year we can do something a little less strenuous like snowshoeing on Magic Mountain for our Christmas get-together.”

Christina stood and stretched. “I know I could use some exercise. I feel like I’ve slept for days.”

As the group left the kitchen to put on coats and decide on who was driving, Mia went over to talk to Christina. “I’m really glad you’re back with us. What was it like?”

“I could hear you talking to me.” Christina gave her a hug. “But I had this really weird dream where you were having dinner with my mom. And this hunky guy from Magic Springs.”

Mia let her words sink in. Maybe some of Christina had been around when she’d gone to Boise for the dinner. “Christina, we need to talk. Especially before you talk to your mother.”

They were gathered in the school’s living room. It was set up now as a waiting room for classes and maybe somewhere groups could meet for parties. The tree lights twinkled as Trent came up and stood next to Mia. “I think we should add a Santa Village by the stairwell.”

Mia turned her head and watched him. “It already looks like Santa’s workshop in here. And you want to do more?”

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