Evicted Witch (Jagged Grove Book 3) Read online

“Come on!” Rain calls up the stairs. “Frank is ready to go.”

  I sigh, check to see if he’s in any of his favorite spots in the house, then lock Bilda’s door and climb in the truck.

  We’re halfway there when movement from the side mirror catches my eye. “Rain - did you close the tailgate?”

  “Um...no? I thought you did it.”

  “Frank, please stop. A box just fell - I’ll grab it and walk the rest of the way.” I need the fresh air anyway.

  “I’m coming with!” Rain says, scooting across the seat after me.

  Chapter Three

  Blakely’s house is between ours and the new cottage, and he’s locking his front door as we near it. Today he’s wearing a three piece, pin striped suit in spite of the heat, and a silver pocket watch chain dangles near his hip. He’s the best-dressed vampire I know.

  OK, he’s the only vampire I know. Also, he seems to have claimed Bilda as the love of his life, which is weird, but also sweet. They’re cute together.

  He turns and sees us, then hurries to catch up. He looks worried. “Have you found her yet?”

  I slow down and shake my head, offering an apologetic smile. “Not yet - I promise you’ll know as soon as I do.”

  “You didn’t tell me that she was going to be arrested.” His tone is accusing.

  “I just found out last night, Blakely. I haven’t had time to do anything.”

  His eyes shift to the box in my hands. “You’ve found time to break your mother’s heart, I see.”

  “Stay out of this, Blakely.”

  He shakes his head and changes the subject. “How can I help? I’m worried about her, and I think Angelo has men stalking my house.”

  “They’re looking for her. It’s plausible that she’ll show up here instead of at home.”

  “Tell me, Trinket,” he says, pushing his hands into his pockets. “Did Angelo say what evidence they have to accuse Bilda?”

  “Not really.” This might take a while, so I bend and set the box on the sidewalk. “Only that she’s the prime suspect. She was evidently the last person to see Aries alive.”

  He clears his throat and gives me a look. “No. The person who killed Aries was the last to see her alive. I refuse to believe that person was Bilda.”

  “Me, too,” I murmur. “But how do we find out who really did it?”

  “Well, that is the question, isn’t it?”

  It is, and Bilda is depending on me to figure it out before she loses everything.

  It’s what I do - saving her. In the years since we moved away from Washington, Bilda has started to fumble her magic a bit, causing a bit of trouble here and there. She really doesn’t mean to - I think she might have just lost her confidence, without a proper coven to support her.

  I cock my head and look at him. “You do know that another body has been found, right? Angelo is blaming that one on Mom, too.”

  The look of shock tells me he didn’t know. “Who?” he asks.

  “Sabrina somebody, from the colony. I’m not sure what her connection to Aries is, exactly, but now there are two deaths to investigate.”

  A hint of sadness crosses Blakely’s features. “Sabrina Cappisso. Such a shame - she was an Elder, too, one of the oldest longstanding members of the coven. And I’m sure Angelo is getting worried about so much death. He’s very protective of Jagged Grove.”

  “Why, though? It’s not like he’ll get bad publicity from it.” As far as the rest of the world is concerned - the world I used to happily inhabit - Jagged Grove doesn’t even exist.

  “It’s his baby. His father’s brainchild. You would feel responsible for it too, most likely, if Bilda had created this place.”

  “Mm,” I say noncommittally. “So what do you know about Sabrina?”

  “Well, she is - was - a fairly important person over in the colony. They have a sort of council, just like here in town.”

  “And she was a member?”

  “No - Sabrina was a little too hot-headed to be in a position of power, if I remember correctly. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen her. Regardless, she operated more as a consultant position than an actual councilperson.”

  “What did they consult her about?”

  He shakes his head. “You’ll have to ask someone more involved in colony politics, I’m afraid.” A pause. “But I still want to help. Bilda needs us, Trinket.”

  “I know. Do you have any idea where she might be?”

  “I’m sorry. I’ll snoop around and let you know if I find anything.”

  I put a hand on his arm. “Thanks, Blakely. For everything.”

  I don’t want to leave him, upset as he looks, but there is nothing else I can say. I offer a small smile, pick up my box, and head for the cottage. Rain follows along silently - unusual for her these days.

  We’re almost there when we happen to pass Wisp, walking with a few other girls. They look like they’re on display, stopping along the sidewalk to preen and squeal at things they see in various storefront windows. Rain rolls her eyes, but I just keep walking. As we pass them, Wisp suddenly turns around and shoots me a steady glare. “I hope Angelo gets rid of you,” she hisses.

  “Me, too,” I hiss back. As soon as we find my mother.

  Frank is leaning against the truck door, waiting patiently for us, when we get there. I unlock the front door and step back out into the sunshine. Rain says quietly, “Do you think this is connected to my parents?”

  I consider this as I grab a box from the bed of the truck, but I’m almost positive the answer is no. Rain’s parents were killed by my sister Rachel, and that was a matter of coven politics. “I doubt it,” I say carefully. “That was all Rachel, and just crazy coven politics. I also wondered about that when Lilly was killed, but then it turned out to be a freak accident.”

  “Candace.”

  “Candace. No connection at all.”

  “But now Aries is dead, too.”

  Rachel greets me with a small display of lightning in the front yard. I watch it, slightly worried. “Rachel? Having a good day?”

  You never know with her.

  I’m so excited that you’re finally here!

  “Yeah, me too.” At least she’s in a good mood and won’t try to strangle me or anything. She’s done it before. I don’t dare tell her that I’m not exactly moving in yet.

  “Can you hear her?” I ask Rain.

  She shakes her head. “Sort of, but not really. It sounds like voices from far away. Nothing I can make out, though.”

  That’s saying something, because Rain has a bit of what Mom calls super-hearing. “Just wondered.”

  Rachel flutters around me, skimming the ground. Any word on Bilda?

  I shake my head. “Not yet. Do you know anything at all?”

  Not about Bilda, but I know that Wisp had a complete meltdown when she saw you leaving with Jones last night. That was hilarious.

  “I don’t understand why she cares. She’s engaged to Scott Travine. It shouldn’t matter who Jones is hanging out with.” I can’t deal with her drama on top of everything else, so I brush away the thought. “Besides, she was probably just mad that I was there in the first place. She hates my guts.”

  If you say so.

  The edges of the box are cutting into my fingertips. “I do. Get the door, would you?”

  The door swings open and I carry it inside, almost tripping on the pile of boxes already there. They weren’t there a minute ago. I drop my box and turn around. “Rain!”

  I see her giggle from the bed of the truck. “See? Magic makes life a lot easier.”

  I can’t help but smile - I used to be just like her. Magic was a plaything when I was a kid, even though I had to hide it from normals. I’ve spent many wonderful afternoons doing stuff just like this, but that was before I realized how dangerous magic could be and stopped using it altogether. “You’re going to get fat if you use magic for everything - you need the exercise.”

  “I’d rather be magi
cal and fat than skinny and uptight, like you,” she teases me, coming up the walkway to where I’m standing just inside the door.

  “I’m not skinny, I’m slim.”

  “Boyish.”

  “Willowy.”

  “Stick-figure.” She’s not even paying attention to me now, and the look on her face reminds me that she’s never been inside before. “Whoa. This place is so cool...”

  She spins in a slow circle, taking in the polished green jasper fireplace and the soft colors of the room.

  “It really is,” I answer, watching her face. I had the same reaction my first time here. Every surface is custom, from the gemstone fireplaces in each room to the amethyst floors in the kitchen and the emerald-studded banister on the stairs. My sister Rachel is, or was, an earth-witch, employing the natural material of the outdoors in everything she did.

  “Holy crap, I want to live here, too,” she says.

  “That wouldn’t be a good idea...” I love the twins, and living with Rain would maybe be OK, but then Glade would have to come, and soon I’d have a houseful, which is what I’m trying to avoid.

  “Sure it would. It’d be perfect.”

  “I don’t cook.”

  Her face falls. Bilda has spoiled the twins with home-cooked meals like they haven’t had since their parents died years ago. “Well, you could learn.”

  “I could,” I agree. “I don’t want to. I’m not even sure I’ll be able to live with Rachel in the house. I’m used to being alone.”

  “Meanie.”

  “Brat.”

  I leave the door open to illuminate the room and start pushing curtains back out of the way as I think. When I’m done, I turn to her. She’s still in the doorway, watching me. I need her out of my hair, because she’s making me jittery. I love the twins, but they can be intense.

  “Do you think you could do me a favor?” I ask her. “Aries and Sabrina were both part of your parents’ coven. Could you try to find the other coven members? Ask them if they know anything?”

  She looks dubious. “We were pretty young. I don’t know if I remember them.”

  “That’s fine. Ask somebody who would know, maybe. Ask Blakely - I would have but I didn’t think to. He would know who those members were, wouldn’t he?”

  “Probably. You want me to go now?”

  “Well, you wanted to look around first, so do that.” I wave a hand in the general direction of the rest of the house, then grab my boxes and start up the stairs to the bedrooms.

  Halfway up, I pause. “Just stay away from the basement door, OK?”

  She grins. “Fine.”

  I get busy putting things away while Rain looks around, letting out plenty of oohs and aahs as she discovers treasures in each room. Rachel hovers over my shoulder, watching. “Can’t you go find something else to do?” I ask finally. She’s translucent today, so I can see the furniture through her abdomen.

  Like what? Nothing is as interesting as bothering you, you know.

  “Go bother Rain.”

  Rain is busy admiring my work, and besides, I like making you nervous.

  “Wonderful,” I mutter, and try to ignore her. It took a lot of work to unattach her from me, but she’s still here.

  At least I’m not afraid of her anymore. We came to an understanding, and now she’s not going to kill me. At least, I’m pretty sure she’s not.

  When I’m finished I yell for Rain and go back downstairs.

  You’re leaving?

  “I am. I’m going to stick close to Bilda’s until she comes home.”

  She wanders off and pouts in the kitchen.

  Rain finally appears at the top of the stairs and comes down. “Are we leaving?” she asks.

  “Yep. Let’s get-.”

  “Don’t go yet.”

  I turn to see Jones standing in the doorway, looking good as ever in jeans and a simple white t-shirt. “I want you to show me something.”

  “Um, OK,” I say, taking in his lean body and strong arms. “What?”

  “The tunnel. I want to see it.” He’s talking about the tunnel under my new house, the one that leads directly to the colony - and Dravo’s office.

  “Oh.”

  The tunnel is off limits. Only Dravo’s daughters can use it. Rachel is back.

  “That’s not exactly true,” I tell her, wondering why she cares. “Dravo’s daughters are the only ones who can open the door on the other end, but anyone can use the tunnel.”

  Jones steps in through the door. “Then let’s go,” he says.

  “You smell good.” I lean in and sniff.

  “What are you, a retriever? Stop trying to distract me.”

  “I’m not.” I’m just not sure I want to share the tunnel with Jones. It’s kind of special, knowing that my father had it built for his daughters, and I don’t have a lot of special feelings for him right now. I barely know my dad, so any connection at all feels important.

  Besides, Jones does smell good. Very dark and sort of like marshmallows, after you hold them over the fire until they char.

  “Earth to Trinket...?” He’s staring at me with a mixture of amusement and impatience.

  “Sorry.”

  “Do you have a reason to keep me away from the tunnel?”

  “Not really,” I admit. Behind me, Rachel huffs.

  “You stay out of this.” He points at her, and she poofs away.

  “I’m coming, too.”

  We turn to see Angelo. Rachel poofs back in immediately. You can show him.

  “I can’t show one of them and not the other - make up your mind.”

  Fine. It was supposed to be a secret, though.

  “Nothing around here is a secret. At least not for long”

  Good point.

  “Thank you.”

  Angelo is watching with less amusement than Jones. “Well?”

  “I’m not sure I want to show you. I don’t even like you right now.”

  “”Trinket...” The note of warning in his voice lets me know he’s nearing the end of his patience. I fail to care.

  “Bite me, Angelo.”

  Jones laughs at that. Angelo scowls. Rachel gasps.

  Rain watches the whole exchange with curiosity, but mostly she’s watching Jones.

  Angelo’s shoulders drop a little. “Don’t make me get a warrant. Please?”

  I almost feel sorry for him, but then I get over it. My chin comes up. “Why not? I kind of hate your guts right now, Angelo.”

  He blows his hair from his eyes with a heavy sigh, then speaks to the air in the room. “Fine. Rachel? Where’s the key?”

  She’s hovering right behind him and I can sense her hesitation. She isn’t sure whether to take my side or his on this one.

  Finally the key drops into his hand.

  “Hey!” I walk over and punch his arm. “Give that to me.”

  “Sorry.” He really does look sorry. “Might want to step outside.”

  Jones realizes what Angelo is doing before I do, and pushes both me and Rain onto the porch. Angelo follows, doing something with his fingers, and the door slams behind us. Then he turns and smiles at me.

  “I’ve sealed all the doors until we get a warrant. You can’t go back inside.”

  “Jerkface. How am I supposed to find Bilda if I can’t go to the colony?”

  He steps closer and leans down until he’s in my face. “You aren’t. Stay away from the tunnel, and stay out of the colony until this is settled.”

  “She’s my mother,” I practically growl at him. I clench my fists and he takes a step back.

  “She’s a wanted woman. Trinket, I promise I know how you feel, but this is too big for you to fix.”

  “I hate you, Angelo.”

  He looks genuinely sad. “I think we’ve established that.”

  “Get off my property.” I point toward the street.

  He smiles a little, kisses me on the cheek before I can react, and then leaves.

  I’m fuming as I
watch him make his way down the front walk. “How dare he...?” I stop, because my voice is shaking.

  Suddenly a tree limb falls from one of the willows, barely missing his head. He jumps, looks back at us once, and keeps going.

  “Shoot. I missed,” Rain mutters from behind me.

  Her words break the tension snaking along my spine and I smile at her. “Thanks for trying, though.”

  “My pleasure,” she says. “I don’t like the way he talked to you.”

  “Or kissed you,” Jones adds.

  “Don’t remind me.” I wipe my cheek, where the imprint of his lips lingers.

  He didn’t mean it. He’s just trying to soften you up.

  “Thanks for the input, Rachel.” The truth is, I don’t know if he meant it or not. This isn’t the first time Angelo has kissed me. “It didn’t work.”

  Good.

  Jones clears his throat. “So are we still going to the colony? You said last night that you wanted to look for Bilda.”

  “Angelo said we couldn’t.”

  “No - Angelo sealed the doors. That only means that we can’t get there by tunnel. There is still a path.”

  Oh, yeah. I’d forgotten about that. “Let’s go.”

  “I’m coming,” Rain announces.

  “I don’t know if it’s safe, sweetheart...”

  She glares at me. “I’m coming. I can help.”

  “She can help. She’s a smart girl,” Jones agrees, and Rain melts visibly under his gaze.

  I roll my eyes. “Fine, but I’m not responsible for her.”

  “Fine,” Rain says, moving closer to Jones.

  “If anything happens to her, Bilda will kill you with her bare hands.”

  “I understand.” Jones smirks at the idea of my five-foot-nothing mother trying to kill him.

  “Don’t laugh - she’s a firecracker,” I answer, thinking about but not mentioning my father’s finger - he was the last guy who crossed her.

  “I’m sure she is.”

  Rain groans. “Let’s go, please. I’m dying of boredom.”

  She is not - she’s drooling quietly and obviously over Jones. She would stand here looking at him all day if we don’t get moving, though.

  He doesn’t appear to notice. He just leads the way back to the street and into town without another word.