Meows, Magic & Murder (3 page)

Pansy came over, too, but with a leash inside his clenched jaws.
“Take me for a walk. You know you want to question your other neighbors.”

Petunia tapped her foot on the floor.
“I suppose if I don’t go now, you’ll never give me any peace.”

CHAPTER THREE

With leash in hand, Petunia waltzed up the street with Pansy who strutted like he was a show cat. The medical examiner’s van was still parked on the street and Petunia stopped to peek through the bushes to see if Helen’s body had been picked up yet and about jumped out of her skin when someone tapped her on the shoulder.

Petunia whirled to face Noah, who also held a leash. “What on earth are you doing?”

“I-I wasn’t doing anything.”

“Oh, that’s good because it looked like you were looking to see if Helen’s body was still in my back yard.”

“It’s not?”

“Nope, the ambulance picked it up not ten minutes ago.” He scratched his arm. “I couldn’t help but notice that Cora was just at your place.”

Petunia tapped her sneaker-clad foot. “Oh, you did, Mr. Snoopy Pants, eh? Have you also set up your surveillance equipment?”

“What on earth for?” he asked with a smile.

“So that you can spy on me.”

“You really are something, Petunia. I was merely taking Melvin for a walk. He’s been quite upset that your cat found its way inside my house.”

The brown pit bull’s eyes dilated when he spied Pansy behind Petunia and he yanked the leash. Noah lost his hold on it, watching his pit run up the street.

“You’d better catch him before one of the citizens reports seeing Melvin running loose. There’s a leash law in this town, you know.”

Noah raised a brow and said, “No thanks to your cat. Who walks cats, anyway?”

“I do, for your information. We’re going to my aunt’s herb shop.”

“I might as well tag along. Hopefully, I’ll spot Melvin before he gets himself into trouble.”

“Pit bulls are known to attack strangers. I hope he doesn’t bite anyone.”

“He’s not like that at all. He’s the calmest dog I’ve ever had.”

“He’s also quite the creampuff. He’ll be thrown out of the kennel club for sure if they ever find out he’s scared of cats,” Petunia said with a curt nod.

Pansy purred at that.
“Quit flirting with Noah and get a move on, already.”

“I’m not flirting with Noah. I just think it’s funny that a pit bull would be afraid of you. You’re not even a real cat.”

“This isn’t a cat suit, you know.”

Noah waved a hand in front of Petunia’s face. “Where did you go? I said Melvin isn’t afraid of all cats, just that one. What’s her name again?”

“Pansy, and it’s a him.”

“What kind of name is that for a boy cat?”

“It’s a very fitting name, I think.”

Pansy attacked Petunia’s foot, biting down on her big toe. “Ouch, would you stop that,” Petunia shrieked as she shook the cat free. She then limped up the sidewalk with Noah trailing after her. She turned and asked, “Why are you following me?”

“I’d love to see your aunt’s shop.”

“You can come along if you like, but there’s nothing all that interesting about your run-of-the-mill herbal shop.”

“Stop, you’re really killing me, here,”
Pansy grumbled.
“Don’t just stand here, get moving.”

“Well, I didn’t want to take you along anyway, and if you keep being so smart-mouthed with me, I might just take you to get fixed.”

“Why do I get the feeling that you’re somehow communicating with that cat?” Noah asked.

“That’s silly. Why on earth would you ever think that?”

“Because you dead stare at the cat in the eye, for one. It’s kind of creepy.”

Petunia didn’t answer Noah, but instead moved along up the street. She crossed Hines Street and on the opposite corner was a red, brick building that housed her Aunt Maxine’s potion shop,
Mystical Remedies
.

She picked up Pansy and stepped inside as Noah opened the door for her to enter first. Petunia thanked him and strode inside, choking back a scream when there, on a ladder, was her eighty-something aunt in the process of reaching for a light bulb near the ceiling. As the ladder shook, Noah said, “I could get that for you.”

Aunt Maxine said, “I almost have it.”

“Not even close. Please allow me to help you,” Noah insisted.

With a huff, Aunt Maxine descended the ladder, admiring Noah’s physique. “Well, hello there, young man.” She then gazed over at Petunia. “Is he with you?” she asked excitedly. “It’s about time.”

Petunia blushed. “He’s just looking for his dog and tagged along with me. I told him that my aunt owned an
herbal shop
,” she winked.

“Well, if you want to call Mystical Remedies that, you can, Petunia.”

Noah smiled. “I’ll get that light bulb changed for you.” He took the bulb and had it changed in a jiffy. He then began to stroll around the shop, staring at the small glass bottles with white labels on them. “Are these all herbal remedies?”

“Yes, of course.”

He picked up one bottle and read the label. “Calf’s Snout?”

“That’s an herb, short for Snapdragon,” Aunt Maxine said. “What did you think it was, a real calf’s snout?” She laughed.

“I guess. Cora told the sheriff that—”

“What—that we’re witches, no doubt. That woman really watches too much television. You can hardly believe anything she says.”

“She means no harm,” Petunia added. “Just has a wild imagination.”

Petunia took the leash off Pansy and let him roam on the counters, which he did, eyeing the ingredients on the shelves.

“Well, she did live next door to the dead woman, Helen Patterson,” Noah said.

Aunt Maxine began to fan herself. “I need a seat. Quick, somebody grab me a chair. Petunia pointed out a chair behind the counter, and Noah grabbed it and eased Maxine into it.

“Are you okay?” Noah asked.

“Y-Yes, it’s just I warned her not even a few days ago when I was reading her tea leaves that she needed to be careful.”

“Tea leaves?” Noah said, his amusement taking over his features. “Are you sure this isn’t a potion shop?”

“Not at all, young man. I simply sell ingredients and it’s up to my customers to use them wisely. Simpletons generally just can’t whip up a potion and expect it to work.”

Petunia swallowed hard. She was quite sure that was meant for her since all of her potions had backfired, but not nearly quite as bad turning Jeremy into a cat. “You’re reading too much into this, Noah, but many people do believe in having their fortunes told by way of tea leaves.”

“It’s been quite resourceful at times, and boy, it sure hit the nail on the head this time with Helen.”

“Did you see anything other than that she was in danger, like who might have wanted her dead?” Noah asked.

“Noah’s running for sheriff soon,” Petunia explained.

“I see. It’s not quite so clear-cut and I didn’t know the woman that well to say who might have wanted her dead.”

Noah was silent for a moment and walked to the door. “I see my dog. I’d better try to catch him before I lose sight of him.”

Petunia grabbed a box of cat treats from behind the counter and gave them to Noah. “Try this. It always works to shake the box with my cats.”

Noah nodded as he grabbed the box, ran out the door and across the street shaking the treat box. Instead of Melvin responding, two stray dogs began to chase Noah down the street as he followed his dog.

“Come here, dearie,” Aunt Maxine said. “Tell me all about this Noah. He has his eye on you, I think,” she cackled.

“As a suspect, perhaps. Helen’s body was found in Noah’s yard and we sort of found it together. Pansy had gotten into his house somehow.”

“He’s not the sheriff just yet and since the body was found in his yard, why wouldn’t he be at the top of the suspect list?”

Petunia’s hands went to her hips. “Because I’m still a suspect in Jeremy’s disappearance, and Helen was stabbed by knitting needles. And, by the way, my needles are missing again.” She sighed. “The medical examiner hinted that there were other bodies found murdered in the same fashion, which worries me. What if my missing knitting needles were used in all of those crimes?”

“Let’s not put the cart before the horse, dear. You’re not the only one in town who knits, but it is odd about your missing needles. Who on earth would be able to take them without you knowing it?”

“I’m not sure, but I really need to get to the bottom of this case.”

Pansy shrieked from where he was pacing the counter.
“No, what you need to do is mix up a potion and turn me back into a human, now!”

“Is that bossy cat inside your head right now?” Aunt Maxine asked.

“How did you know that?”

“Because it’s written all over your face. You really need to learn to watch your facial expressions. Folks are gonna think you’ve gone plain loco.”

Petunia began to pace. “I have, auntie. First the hair tonic incident and now I have to put up with a talking cat inside my head. I wish I had never given Jeremy that potion, but now it’s too late. He keeps demanding that I make another potion to change him back, but there’s no way I’m ever going to make a potion again.”

“Calm down, Petunia. The hair tonic incident sure wasn’t very hair-raising,” she laughed.

“Very funny, Aunt Maxine, but thanks to me, four men are completely bald.”

“It’s a good look these days, so I wouldn’t worry, dear. Besides, those men don’t even know where you live for sure. You did ship the tonic from the post office box like I told you, right?”

“Yes, but that doesn’t make me feel any better. I’m horrible at this potion-making thing.”

“How about that salve you were working on before the cat thing happened. Have you tried it out on anyone?”

“No, and I’m not going to, either.”

“Go ahead and tell her how I was dating both you and Helen,”
Pansy said.

“I was getting to that.”

“Getting to what, dear?”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to say that out loud. Did you know that Jeremy was also dating Helen?”

“Double whammy,” Aunt Maxine said. “That sure isn’t making you look any better in the suspect department.”

“I’m at my wits’ end. Cora told me she saw a Camaro in Helen’s driveway the night before she died, but—”

“You’re wondering why she’d give you a tip like that since she has done nothing but cause problems for you?”

“Exactly.”

“Well, at least it appears that your new neighbor is quite handsome. That can’t be all bad.”

“Except that he suspects me, too. I really don’t know what I can do at this point. Where am I going to find a Camaro with red racing stripes in Lake Forest?”

“I’m not sure, but you’ll figure it out, dear. Now, run along and get that cat back home before he runs off again. The last time he wound up at the pound.”

“I should have left him there.”

“Now, now. Pansy is your responsibility. It was your potion that turned him to begin with.”

“It was your recipe.”

“There’s nothing wrong with my recipes, girl. Something else must have gotten into the potion to alter what happened, like a cat hair. You sure have plenty of that at your place.”

“Of course. Why didn’t I think of that?”

“Because, Petunia, you lack self-confidence and that, my girl, is why all your potions go to the birds.”

Petunia gave her aunt a cockeyed look. “You might be right.” She moved behind the counter. “I hope you don’t mind if I make a cup of tea before I’m off.”

“Go ahead. I just got in a new shipment of tea from the Orient.”

“Sure, go ahead and make yourself a nice cup of tea while I’m suffering over here as a cat.”
Pansy began to lick his leg.
“Of course you can always whip up a batch of potion while you’re at it. Might as well, since all the ingredients you need are handy in this shop.”

Instead of responding to Pansy, Petunia examined several metal containers with interest. She opened them and took a sniff, no longer having to ignore the cat since he had quit meowing. She filled her tea cup with hot water from a spigot at the coffee machine, then added the loose-leaf tea into a small teabag that was at the ready.  She was so intent on her task that she never noticed Pansy’s tail swish, knocking a bottle over, which introduced a drop of liquid into her tea.

Petunia stared at the cat now, who almost appeared to be smiling, but instead of pondering it too long, she merely lifted the teacup to her lips, taking a heady drink of the intoxicating brew. It tasted a little strange, but she shook that notion off, draining the remainder of the cup. That’s when her lips curled up and her tongue danced around inside her mouth.

“That’s strange. I thought that was supposed to be jasmine tea.”

“What?” Aunt Maxine asked, with a duster in one hand as she swished it over the herb jars.

“Nothing. It’s nothing. I’d better get going now. I have a few errands to run today.” Before she reached the door, she sneezed, leaving a trail of bubbles in her wake.

CHAPTER FOUR

Petunia shook her head as she spotted Noah trying to catch up with his dog on Murphy Street. That poor man was sure having quite the day, but not nearly as bad as she was having since it seems that she was now a suspect in another crime.

“Maybe that wouldn’t happen if you hadn’t changed me into a cat,”
Pansy suggested.

She stopped at the crosswalk and retorted with,
“Would you quit jumping into my thoughts.”

“I can’t help it if you think so loud. And don’t you even think about having me fixed today, just in case you’re planning to.”

“I won’t, but sometimes you’re really too much. Perhaps I should drop you off at home while I do some poking around in town.”

Pansy gazed up at her.
“Not happening. Where are we going, anyway?”

“I figured the meat market. I’m feeling bad about changing you into a cat enough to buy you a T-bone today.”