Meows, Magic & Murder (9 page)

Aunt Maxine opened the door of Mystical Remedies and when Petunia entered, she sneezed with bubbles appearing and dancing about her head. “Oh, great. I thought I was cured. I didn’t sneeze one time last night at dinner.”

“It might be a good time to take a look at the potion book. There might be a cure for your ailment.”

“Or make it worse. No thanks. I can live with my bubbles, but will Lucy be able to live if she attempts a marathon?”

“Have you ever thought about how you might just have real powers, Petunia?”

“Powers, how?”

“A little witchcraft might have rubbed off on you after following those recipes.” When Petunia frowned, Aunt Maxine added, “It just seems like you whipping up a batch of salve with that kind of results wasn’t so much an accident.”

Petunia laughed. “Fine, think what you want, but there’s no way I’ll ever believe that was anything more than an accident. It’s not like I said any magic words. I hardly think saying, ‘Oh please let this work this time,’ is under the realm of a spell. Like I already told you, I have no clue what ingredients I used, or in what order. All I know is that I didn’t want Lucy to suffer anymore.”

“You did that, Petunia. You actually made something that works, and works well, at that. See, I told you all you had to do was have some confidence in yourself.”

“I suppose, but I can’t help but think something bad will come of it.”

“That’s because you had a bad run of making potions that just didn’t turn out quite right.”

“You’re right there, but I have more important things to worry about now. I had hoped to go on over to the government building and ask a few questions about Helen Patterson since she worked there.”

“I’d love to go along for the ride, or walk. I almost wished you’d given me that salve. My knees aren’t what they used to be. Seems that Lucy’s body wasn’t the only thing that improved. I’ve never seen her look so radiant or happy before.”

“It was for you. I should have saved some for you, but you’re the last person I’d want to use as a guinea pig. I just felt bad for Lucy. At the meat market the other day, she could barely walk and nobody would even let the woman go ahead of them until a clerk finally helped her out. But only after I said something.”

“You did good, Petunia. I’ll call Hazel and Wanda over to watch the shop for us while we’re out.”

* * *

Ten minutes after the call, Hazel and Wanda staggered in with a Starbucks cup in each of their hands. Yup, even a small town such as Lake Forest managed to be invaded by Starbucks—not that it made Petunia mad, since she loved the chai tea latte they made.

Hazel grinned at Petunia. “I heard there’s some celebrating to do.”

“I just whipped up an herbal salve, is all. Nothing to talk about, really.”

Wanda put her hands on her thin hips. “She meant a date, dear. We heard through the grapevine that you were spotted at Mario’s with a dreadfully handsome man.”

“Oh, that. It wasn’t a date. My new neighbor just asked me to have dinner with him, is all.”

“Sounds like a date to me. Did he kiss you, at least?” Hazel asked, taking a sip of her drink.

“No, I told you it wasn’t a date. He’s new in town and my neighbor, so he just wanted to get to know me better and—”

Petunia abruptly clammed up with the realization that it did, indeed, sound more like a date all the time. Even their conversation sounded like it. They’d talked about their ex’s and their parents, even. No, it wasn’t a date at all, but she certainly enjoyed Noah’s company. Too bad he was planning on running for sheriff soon. Petunia was used to poking her nose in where it didn’t belong, and if Noah was ever really the sheriff, it just wouldn’t fly quite as well.

Petunia gave Pansy’s leash a tug, but he kept where he was, yawning.
“I can stay here,”
he said, licking his paws.

“Not after the mess you made of my aunt’s shop, you won’t. I’ll put you in my purse if I have to.”

Pansy lowered his head.
“Oh, all right, but why not do it now. I’m really tired.”

“You’re also really heavy.”

Pansy wouldn’t move until Petunia opened her purse enough for Pansy to crawl inside. This bag had several holes along the bottom of the purse that allowed for more air to drift into the bag so that Pansy wouldn’t suffocate. She held the straps of her purse, carrying it that way out the door with Aunt Maxine following her since her bag was much too heavy to put the strap over her shoulder.

They ducked through a pathway that led from her aunt’s shop to the government building, crossing through a small park with benches where many people that worked in town ate their lunches. They all glanced up and stared as they passed through, and Petunia was more on edge than usual since Lucy had spilled the beans. She just was thankful that nobody stopped them.

Petunia stared up at the three-story, brick building that housed the government offices. Inside at the counter was a cashier where you could pay your taxes or water bill. Behind that were a few desks where secretaries of government officials sat.

They waited in line behind a man with a cane until a voice carried over to them. “I’m here to ask you a few questions about Helen Patterson,” a male voice said.

Petunia stared across the waiting area and, sure enough, it was Noah standing near a doorway. She didn’t wait, but strode over there, not about to allow Noah to do what she had planned to today.

As Noah walked into the room, Petunia followed him inside. Noah glanced over, irritated at the interruption, but didn’t say anything to Petunia, just to the woman who sat down. “I’m sorry about Helen’s death, but I had hoped you could tell—”

He glanced over his shoulder at Petunia and Aunt Maxine, and faced the woman again. “I meant tell us what it was like working with Helen?”

The woman fidgeted with a pencil. “It’s hard to say. She didn’t work here that long. She’s only been in town a four short months, before she met such a horrible end,” the woman cried, reaching for a tissue. “So shocking. I still can’t believe she’s gone. I can’t imagine who might have wanted to murder her so brutally.”

“Did she talk about her life much?” Petunia asked.

“Well, she was so upset about Jeremy Walter’s disappearance. She was dating him until one day—poof—he disappeared. I heard he was dating you—someone else, too,” she gulped.

Petunia smiled kindly. “Yes, I was seeing him, but his disappearance was a shock to me, too.” She held her bag closer to her as Pansy spouted off with,
“What a line of malarkey.”

She sighed.
“Calm yourself. If you can’t behave yourself, I’ll just take you home.”

“Fine.”

“You’re Petunia Patterson, right?”

Petunia nodded. “And that I am.”

“I-I didn’t mean anything by what I said. Please, don’t cast a spell on me.”

Here we go again
, thought Petunia. “Spells? Where on earth did you hear that I cast spells?” She frowned. “Let me guess. Helen, right?”

“Well, yes, but it’s common knowledge that you and your family are—witches.”

“Common knowledge, eh? And what else did Helen say about me, specifically?”

“Just that both of you were dating Jeremy before he went missing, but you were the last person to see him before he disappeared.”

“She’s got your number, all right,”
Pansy said.

Petunia tried to calm herself. If Helen knew that, then the sheriff did, too. “I can’t say for sure. I simply thought he went back to Grand Rapids, or was staying at Helen’s place. He was like that, you know. Never could make up his mind. I think he was playing the both of us.” She calmly added, “And, for the record, neither I nor my aunt are witches. That rumor began after my aunt inherited her house on the hill overlooking Lake Forest.”

“But Anastasia Cuza was a witch, too.”

“She was the only one in Lake Forest to ever claim to be a witch, but she was also a lonely old woman who my Aunt Maxine happened to befriend when she was but a teenager. I think you should get your facts straight before you start accusing anyone of being a witch, is all I’m saying.”

“Of course. You’re right, Petunia.”

“I didn’t mean to snap at you so. It’s just so tiresome to me to keep being accused of witchcraft over and over again. What I’m interested in and why I’m here today is to find out what you know about Helen. I’d like to track down who really murdered her. It’s so unnerving to think that someone is killing women with knitting needles. I can’t imagine who would do such a thing.”

“Of course. I’m sorry for bringing up such a subject, and I can’t say I blame you for being so sensitive about being called a witch.”

“That’s fine, really. But besides talking about Jeremy’s disappearance, did she talk about anything else?”

“Just that she wished her neighbor, Cora, would mind her own business.”

“I second that and I’ve only seen her a few times with her binoculars trained on my backyard,” Noah said.

Aunt Maxine smiled at the woman, now. “What about before she came to town, dear? Did she mention anything about why she moved to Lake Forest?”

“Actually, no.”

“Thanks. What did you say your name was, dear?”

“Gwen. I hope you find out who killed Helen and I really hope it doesn’t wind up being someone I know.”

Petunia thanked Gwen for her information. “One more question. Did Helen ever mention any friends she had in town?”

“I believe she spent time with Florence McHenry. Helen never told me that, but I did overhear it once. They go to the country club together with the mayor.”

“As in the Lake Forest Country Club?”

“Yes, but please don’t tell anyone you heard it from me. I’d hate to lose my job.”

“Not to worry, young lady,” Aunt Maxine said. “Do you happen to know where Florence and the mayor might be right now?”

“I suspect at the club. Mayor Hopkins is quite the golfer.”

“What about Charlene Catlin and Kaye Horton? Did Helen ever mention if she knew them?” Noah asked.

Gwen’s eyes widened. “You mean the other victims of the Knitting Needle Killer?”

“You’ve read the paper too, I see,” Noah said with a raised brow. “That’s exactly who I meant. You do know that we fully intend to ask around here before we leave, just to make sure you gave us all of the information. I’d hate to find out that you’ve led us astray.”

“Go ahead, sir. I swear that Helen never mentioned Charlene or Kaye. I would have remembered since the newspaper only recently released their names.”

“Very well. Thanks again, Gwen.”

“One last question,” Petunia began. “Do you know about anyone who drives a 1970 black Camaro with racing stripes?”

“No, I’m not even sure what a Camaro even looks like from the ‘70s, but I would remember a black car with racing stripes if I’d seen one.”

Aunt Maxine reached into her pocket and pulled out a coin, pressing it into Gwen’s hand. “For luck, my girl.”

She had no idea why Aunt Maxine gave that woman a coin, but it certainly wouldn’t dissuade the woman from thinking that they were witches.

Petunia followed Noah out the door and watched him go to ask the women that worked at the counter the same questions we asked Gwen, coming up with the same answers, their voices carrying over to her.

“Gwen looked frightened when Noah asked her about the other victims. Do you believe she told us the truth?” Petunia asked Aunt Maxine.

“No reason to believe otherwise, unless someone tells us something that might dispute her story.”

“I was talking about your gut feeling. You might not be a witch, but you certainly have some clairvoyant abilities.”

“For someone who hates being called a witch, you might want to try and not argue the point with everyone you meet, especially if we’re trying to question them.”

Petunia nodded. “I see your point, but I’m really so tired of everyone saying that all of the time.”

“So let them think it, then. It can’t hurt anything, and we’ve been dabbling with more than just potion recipes and you know it. Deep down you know we’ve tapped something much deeper.”

Petunia didn’t say anything further as Noah joined them. “Seems like everyone has the same thing to say about Helen. The thing is, though; everyone seems to know all about who you two really are. I wish I was certain myself. Granted, I don’t believe in the occult in any form, and I have yet to see anything that even resembles magic from either of you as of yet. I’m a logical man and lean heavily on science and facts. As a cop, facts are the only thing that’s really important. We’ll need to dig much deeper before we find out the truth.”

CHAPTER NINE

Petunia went home and dropped Pansy off since she was concerned that he might just expire in her purse, and not in a good way. She tripped over a cat toy and glanced down, seeing an array of stuffed mice, plastic balls with bells inside, and even a dead mouse! She took Pansy out of her bag, placing him on the sofa.
“Where did all of these cat toys come from? I don’t recognize any of them?”

Merlin strutted by with a swish of his tale as if to say, “See, I told you Pansy was up to no good.”

“Is this why all the cats are out to get you, Pansy? Have you been stealing cat toys from the neighborhood cats?”

Pansy rolled on his back, throwing a paw over his face.
“Can’t you see I’m tired? I can’t be bothered by this right now.”

“You better make this right, or else. You won’t be able to handle a fight with one of those tomcats out there. Some of them are downright vicious. Take those toys back before this gets ugly, and that dead mouse ... get rid of it!”

“Fine, Red. I will when I wake up from my nap.”

Petunia stomped her way to the door, giving Pansy an aggravated look that was lost on him since his eyes were closed. When she made it back outside, Aunt Maxine was nowhere to be seen and Noah had his bike parked out front. He handed her a helmet and as she adjusted the strap, Noah said, “So, were you the last person to actually see Jeremy alive?”

“Alive? He’s listed as missing, not dead.”