Meows, Magic & Murder (10 page)

“That’s not an answer.”

“Well, I don’t like the question, and I don’t appreciate your accusation.”

“It wasn’t an accusation, just a question.” He revved up the engine. “Hop on.”

Petunia did just that, not wanting to give Noah any reason to think that she had anything to do with Jeremy’s disappearance—but that’s exactly what she was, guilty as charged. Except that she didn’t try to kill him, or make him go missing at all. He was right here in plain sight, but she couldn’t ever tell anyone. How could she even begin to explain that to Noah? And what would he think of her if she even tried to.

Noah skidded from the curb and Petunia hugged him tight as he raced the bike up Main Street and onto Lakeview that traveled along Lake Forest, one of the cleanest lakes in Northern Michigan. It was bright blue on account of the blue sky overhead, and water always magnified what was around it. Since there was only blue sky today, that’s how it looked.

They passed the campground and Petunia waved when she spotted a few children who were waving as they passed. That’s something children liked to do, just like as a child Petunia liked to do the up-and-down motion with her elbow bent so semi trucks would honk their horns. How simple life was then.

She wished she could remember more about her parents, but one thing was clear, they weren’t exactly okay with the goings-on over at Aunt Maxine’s house. Her aunt was actually the sister of her grandfather who lived out at Sunnybrook Manor in Bear Paw, which was ten minutes away and too far for her to ride her bicycle to. Grandfather’s mind was way out there. While many people said he has Alzheimer’s, Petunia wondered since she knew he recognized them for a fraction of a second, right before he outright asked them if they were commies. Yup, life for Petunia was interesting, at best. She asked her aunt why she didn’t bring him to her house to live, with a nurse even, but her aunt assured her that that just wouldn’t work out.

When Noah made the turn into the country club that sat on the north side of the lake, Petunia held on for dear life. It would be just her luck to fall off Noah’s bike since she believed the curse might just find her one day.

He rolled up the circle drive of the stone, two-story building of the Lake Forest Country Club. Noah cut the engine, putting down the kickstand, and hopped off the bike, helping Petunia as well.

The valet was a young man who admired the bike. “You want me to park your bike?”

“Yes, just take it easy. I’d be lost without this bike.”

“Sweet!” He started the bike and wound the engine, taking off toward the parking lot.

“I think you just made that young man’s day.”

“I thought I might when I saw the goofy look on his face. I began riding motorcycles at his age.”

Petunia nodded. “I see. And what did your parents think about that?”

“Hated it, which is probably why I love it so much.” When Petunia frowned, Noah said, “It’s too bad you lost your parents at a young age, but I’m sure they’d be proud of the woman you are.”

“Whatever do you mean by that? You hardly know me.”

“Anyone who owns four cats can’t be all bad,” he winked. “You’re the prettiest cat lady I’ve ever met.”

Petunia didn’t know what to say so she just walked into the lobby of the country club, stopping at the front desk where a woman dressed in a blue skirt and white ruffled shirt greeted them. “Hello. I wasn’t aware that you were a member of the club, Petunia.”

“How do you know my name?”

“What can I say? This is a small town. Is it true that you and your aunt are witches?” she whispered.

“If I was, would it matter?”

“I suppose not unless you’re here to turn someone into a frog,” she snorted as she laughed.

“Only if I can start with you.”

Her smile faded.

“Actually, I’m not. I’m here because—”

“I’m thinking about joining,” Noah interjected with a smile. “Is it possible for me to take a look around?”

“I don’t have anyone available to show you around.”

“This place doesn’t look that big. I’m sure we can see ourselves around just fine.”

“Oh, I don’t know. My boss clearly stated that nobody other than members could be allowed inside the club unescorted.”

Petunia opened her bag. “Now, where did I leave my magic wand? I have a real itch to start turning people into frogs.”

“She’s kidding. We won’t be looking around
too
long, I assure you.” Noah began to walk away, taking a hold of Petunia’s hand.

“What on earth?” Petunia sputtered.

“Come on, now. It won’t hurt you to play along like we’re a couple, will it?”

“A couple of what? Lunatics? That woman at the desk might just call her boss, or ... the police. Then your plans to run for sheriff will be sunk.”

“Let me worry about that, Petunia. Perhaps you should wear a disguise. Too many people know who you are.”

“It’s not my fault. This auburn hair doesn’t help.”

“I love me a little ginger.”

Petunia wanted to give him a smack. How she hated to be called a ginger or ginger-head. It wasn’t her fault that she was born with red hair. Luckily, her color had darkened to an auburn as she’d gotten older. It was one of those things that really set her off. “Call me a ginger again and I’ll sick all of my cats on Melvin.”

“Point taken and I’m sorry about that. I had no idea you were so sensitive.”

“I’m not, just about the ginger thing. It brings back bad memories from middle school.”

“Those are the hardest years of every kid’s school years. I used to have ears that stuck out, but my grandmother forced me to wrap them with a tight headband and it actually corrected them.”

“That’s awful,” Petunia said, shocked, wiggling her hand out of his as they strolled through the patio door. Outside, there was an oval, in-ground pool, sad considering the lake was so close. Why, you could even see the lake from here.

Petunia strolled toward the pool. “I don’t see Mayor Hopkins anywhere, or Florence, either.”

Noah stared over at the few couples that were now gawking at Petunia and Noah, and he walked over there and asked, “Have any of you seen Mayor Hopkins?”

“Who’s asking?” a woman asked.

“I’m here to discuss business with him, dear lady.”

She pulled off her sunglasses and smiled. “Why didn’t you say so to begin with? I think he’s in the sauna.” She pointed out a door near the back of the main building that was ajar.

“Thanks.”

Petunia followed him over there and Noah and Petunia walked into the sauna where a couple was in an embrace—a very passionate embrace. Noah cleared his throat and Mayor Hopkins and Florence McHenry stared at them, shocked.

“Wh-What are you doing in here?” Her eyes now narrowing, she added, “Petunia?”

“There seems to be a growing theme here,” Noah said. “She’s accompanying me, actually. I’m Noah Becker and will be running for sheriff in the next election.”

“He’s here to ask you, err ... I mean, we’re here to ask you about Helen Patterson.”

“We told the police all we know,” the mayor said. “Please, shut that door. I don’t want my wife to find out that—”

“That you and blondie, here, aren’t just working together?” Petunia asked innocently. “We’re not here to blackmail you. We’d just like to know if Helen ever talked about her past?”

“Or ever indicated that she was in danger?” Noah added.

“I wish I could help you,” Florence said. “She didn’t talk about anyone other than Jeremy, but that was after he’d turned up missing. I’m sure you know all about that case since the word around town is that Petunia is considered a suspect.”

“I’m not, as far as I know, but I’m not here to talk about that case. We’d really like to find out who might have wanted Helen dead.”

“Do the math,” Florence said. “You were the one who was dating Jeremy, too, and now he’s missing and Helen’s dead.”

“True, but Helen’s not the only woman who was murdered via knitting needles,” Petunia said.

“What if Jeremy had dated all of the victims and then mysteriously disappeared before Helen was murdered? He might have killed those women and then planned his great escape and since the sheriff thinks he’s really missing, he comes back to murder Helen,” Noah said. “That sounds very plausible—if he dated those other women, too.”

“Jeremy was like that, a serial dater,” Florence said. “But he’s not bright enough to be involved with a plot like that.”

“I wouldn’t say that. I’ve seen very regular guys who perpetrated some horrendous murders during my days as a detective in New York City.”

Petunia thought Noah made perfect sense other than Jeremy was a cat now, and cats just couldn’t commit murder on this scale. She couldn’t believe Jeremy capable of murdering anyone either.

“Do you know anyone who owns a ‘70s Camaro with racing stripes?” Petunia asked.

The mayor looked at Florence and they both shrugged. “Not that we know of.”

Petunia sat down, enjoying the feeling of the steam, even though she was getting a little too sweaty. “You have to know something more, like did she mention how she got along with her neighbors?”

“Well, she didn’t care for you, Petunia, that’s for sure.”

“I know and I just don’t get that. Just because we dated the same man doesn’t give that woman a reason to go hating on me.”

“Oh, don’t you ever wonder why you and Helen have the same last name, then?” the Mayor asked.

Petunia leaned forward. “Not really. I mean, we’re not even related.”

“Oh, and it’s just a coincidence that she turned up in the same town as you?”

“I guess I never considered that we were related. Did she tell you that I was?”

“Actually, yes, but she never went in-depth about it,” Florence said. “And now we’ll never know, I suppose. Are you sure you didn’t shut her up, permanently?”

Petunia rose to her feet, stepping closer to Florence. “I don’t like what you’re implying here.”

“You have every reason to want Helen dead if her claims that she’s related to you are true. Everyone in town knows that your Aunt Maxine is loaded. If it was proven that Helen was related, she’d have a stake in the estate if your aunt died.”

Noah had to pull Petunia off Florence who, at this point, had lost her towel. “Calm down would you?” Noah whispered into her ear.

“If anyone tries to hurt my aunt, there will be hell to pay.”

Florence and the Mayor laughed as Petunia was hauled outside. “Why did you pull me off her, you heard what she said.”

“All she said was that Helen might be related to you. Have you never considered it?”

“No, I mean the name Patterson isn’t obsolete, you know. Plenty of people with that name.”

Noah scratched his head. “Is there anyway you can find out, like ask your aunt, at least?”

Petunia strutted back through the patio door and into the main lobby, ignoring the stares of the men and women that were sitting on leather chairs. Once she was outside, she began to pace until Noah waved down the valet to return his bike.

“What’s the matter?”

“Sh-She hinted that Helen was related to me and that she’d stand a chance to inherit from my aunt if she died, but how would she when I’m in her will. You can’t just show up out of the blue and expect to be added. What if Helen had planned to kill my aunt?”

“It’s safe to say that isn’t going to happen. You do realize that Helen’s dead, right?”

“That doesn’t make me feel any better. I could care less about my aunt’s money, but what if someone plans on hurting her?”

“There’s no reason to think that, just yet. Can’t you find out if Helen was related to you, ask your aunt at least?”

“I could. I’d like to ask someone else first, but I’m not sure he’ll talk or even know what’s going on.”

“Who are you talking about? You told me your parents died when you were twelve.”

“Yes, but my grandfather is very much alive. He’s my Aunt Maxine’s brother, but he has Alzheimer’s.”

Noah pulled out a five from his pants pocket, paying the valet. “How bad is he?”

“That’s just the thing, I’m not all that sure. I have the feeling that he’s not quite all gone like my aunt thinks.”

They hopped on the motorcycle, and Noah asked, “Where is he staying.”

“Sunnybrook Manor. It’s in Bear Paw. It’s ten miles away to the north.”

“On the same road?”

“Yes, I’ll give you directions once we get into Bear Paw.”

Petunia held on tight and soon was leaning into Noah’s back a little too close, but it felt so natural and comfortable.

“You don’t need to hold me quite so tightly. I promise I’m not a reckless driver,” Noah shouted over the roar of the engine.

She moved slightly away now and felt miffed for some reason, but she felt a little embarrassed. The last thing she needed to do was lose her head over a man, any man. It’s bad enough that she’d done that with Jeremy and look how that had turned out. She’d really have to whip up a potion, or try to—and soon.

Petunia stiffened as they passed a jogger that was none other than Lucy, the woman she had given the herbal salve to. She felt very worried right now. If that woman had a heart attack or if anything untoward happened to her, she’d be sunk. How was it possible that anything she ever made would work, when nothing she had done before ever had?

She vowed to speak with her aunt about it when she came back from seeing her grandfather. For now, she was back to enjoying the view that changed now from lakeside to pine trees that blanketed both sides of the road. “Watch out for white-tailed deer,” Petunia warned him.

“Oh, right.”

Petunia loved the outdoors for the most part, but there were certainly more dangers to her picturesque town than she had ever known about, and plenty of funny business when it came to the mayor and Florence McHenry. The mayor’s wife, Bonnie, was so sweet, too. It would take all of Petunia’s willpower to not let his wife in on his indiscretion, but there was no sense in giving that woman any grief. What was it about men and commitment, anyway?

CHAPTER TEN

When Noah rolled into Bear Paw, Petunia pointed out Murphy Road, holding on a little tighter on the turn. A mile down the road, a white, colonial type of mansion came into view. It was a little fancier than your average nursing home, but the owner wanted it like that. They also had a gourmet menu and the best care around. Most of the residents were more able-bodied than most, including her grandfather that Petunia almost thought continued to stay there to spite his sister, her Aunt Maxine. Before he came to Sunnybrook Manor, his house had burned to the ground and he had no insurance, refusing to listen to well-meaning comments from his sister. Petunia just wished she knew what the bad blood was between them.