Midsummer Night's Mayhem (12 page)

“I hate to mention this, but weren’t you dating Austin?” Clover asked

Felicity shifted uncomfortably in her chair. “I dated Austin after he graduated from the academy and moved to Stargazer City, but it didn’t last long. I visited Oliver’s house a few times over the year when Austin and I were dating, but then Oliver began sending me letters detailing his studies with his labyrinth and the illusions he wanted to incorporate into the maze. I hate to admit it, but I couldn’t resist. He’d found the way to my heart and I found myself coming out here to visit more and more, working late into the night on spellcraft. It was glorious, and I knew then I’d have to break it off with Austin.”

“Did he know that you left him for his father?” Clover asked.

“No, we made sure of it.” Felicity’s expression was imploring. “You have to believe me. We didn’t want to hurt him.”

Clover frowned. “But he found out, didn’t he?” From the way Austin reacted when Clover mentioned Felicity’s name the other day at his house, she was sure that he knew. His reaction now made sense.

Felicity relented. “Regrettably, he did. But we kept it a secret for his sake. No one else knows about us and that’s why Oliver didn’t mention my name is his will. He wanted me to make the decision to come forward on my own.” She wrung her hands and another tear slid down her cheek. “I don’t know what I’ll do now.”

It was a lot to take in, but at least one mystery had been solved—Felicity Claire was Oliver Yearling’s mystery love.

“Austin is going to be furious if you claim your inheritance.” Derek kneeled down in the grass. “His father betrayed him.”

“Betray is a strong word,” Clover countered.
And a motive for murder.

“Oliver chose her over his own son. She dumped him for his dad. That’s harsh. I’d say that was a betrayal.”

He had a point. “Derek’s right,” Clover said. “It doesn’t sound good, Felicity.”

“Austin never really loved me. He was too young to understand. I never should have started dating him. That’s my biggest regret. But he’s dated many witches in Stargazer City since then. Our breakup hardly broke his heart. It was my romance with his father that was too much for him.”

Clover drummed her fingers on the bench. “Let’s get back to why you really came. You said you feel responsible for Oliver’s death. How?”

Felicity sighed. “Oliver wasn’t well. His health was in decline and there was little that the healers could do to prolong his life. I should respect his privacy, but I can’t anymore. It all started when he went on a expedition to the West to study a type of creeping vine he was fascinated with and he contracted
wizard’s wrath
.” She bit her bottom lip.

Clover gasped, “That’s terrible.”

“I’m so sorry,” Derek said, humbled by the news.

Wizard’s wrath was a rare and incurable viral sickness contracted from drinking the water in certain springs in the mountainous areas of western Everland. Because the disease was so rare, there had been little attempt at curing it.

Felicity twisted her handkerchief. “Oliver said he took precautions and has no idea how he encountered the virus. He swore that he never drank the water, but by then it was too late. He was diagnosed about a year ago.”

“When Austin started visiting,” Clover said. “That’s why he’s been coming out so much. It was to visit his ailing father, who he knew was dying.” Sympathy for him washed over her.

“Yes, we both did.”

Wizard’s wrath could take years to progress to death and Oliver didn’t look ill at the solstice party. “How far had the disease progressed?” Clover asked.

Felicity sniffed. “The disease was in mid-stage. He had his ups and downs, but he was strong and stubborn. He was also taking belladonna for his illness.”

“He took deadly nightshade willingly?” Derek asked.

“Yes, for medicinal purposes. In small doses it’s quite helpful. Being a plant mage, he thought he could handle the poison. It was the only thing that relieved the inflammation in his back and neck. He suffered from severe pain and the herb was working for him.”

“That’s why Austin bought it at Rosewood Apothecary. To help his dad,” Clover said.

“When did Austin buy some? As far as I knew, Oliver was the only one who bought it, and he hadn’t made a purchase in months.” Her brow pinched in confusion, but she shook it off. “Perhaps Oliver asked him to. I don’t know.”

“But why would you think you were responsible for his death?” Clover asked.

“Because I was pushing him to take part in studies with Mender Corp. I wanted them to find a cure. I wanted him to live, and if he didn’t, I swore I would die with him. I was selfish.”

“Are you suggesting a suicide pact?” Clover’s stomach rolled over. The thought was tragic. “Oh, Felicity. Tell me you weren’t really planning on taking your own life.”

The tears flowed again and Derek handed her a tissue he dug out of his pocket.

“Yes, no. I don’t know. I was so overwhelmed with the thought of losing him and he was so stubborn. He had accepted his fate and wanted to enjoy his last moments alive, but I pushed and pushed. I refused to accept his death. He told me he had a surprise for me that night, a surprise that would end my worry.”

“You think he killed himself?” Derek asked. “That’s a terrible surprise.”

“What else could it have been? I pushed him too far and he wanted to end his suffering and mine. I think he put a large dose of belladonna into his drink and went to the old oak to finish it all. I was supposed to meet him that night under the solstice moon, but I got caught up with the party and never met him. I couldn’t find him and ended up going home by myself alone. I figured he went home early to sleep, but I never saw him again.”

“You’re suggesting that Oliver Yearling wasn’t murdered at all, but committed suicide.” Clover considered the possibility. On the surface, it made sense when she realized that he was dying anyway, and wizard’s wrath was a painful disease with no cure. But if it was suicide, then why had someone sent a specter to her house? No one would care if she were meddling. Something was not ringing true. Clover and Derek exchanged a glance.

“I’ve got to tell the sheriff. Let him know that it was my fault. If I hadn’t been so selfish, demanding Oliver seek treatment, he would never have taken the belladonna.”

“We don’t know that. I don’t think you should blame yourself. But you should tell the sheriff everything you told me. They’ll need to know about Oliver’s illness, if they don’t already.”

Derek motioned to Clover and the two of them stood.

“Will you give us a second? We’ll be right back.” They ducked out of earshot, a few feet away behind the lavender patch.

Derek crossed his arms over her chest. “I think Felicity’s telling the truth and really does think that Oliver killed himself, but that still doesn’t change the fact that she’s a very wealthy witch. Who in this town is going to believe her when they find out she’s the one?”

“Not many. It explains why Austin made such a scene at his lawyer’s office yesterday. He’s not going to let her get her hands on the inheritance without a fight.”

“What do we do now?” Derek asked.

“Wait for backup. I still have to find out who cast the specter spell and doesn’t want me poking around. I’m afraid this case is far from over.” Clover glanced across the yard and waved. “Juniper’s here.”

Juniper trekked toward them. “I got your note. What’s going on? Looks like you’re having a tough talk,” she said, eyeing Felicity’s tear-stained face.

“That’s just the half of it,” Clover said.

13

C
lover paced the garden path while Juniper sat attentively and listened to Felicity tell her story. If Oliver Yearling had been dying from an incurable disease, then the motive for murdering him was getting thinner and thinner. Why kill him if he was going to die anyway? He probably had another year or two at the longest.
Unless timing is part of the motive
, she thought. Who needed Oliver dead sooner rather than later? Clover cringed. The thoughts made her skin crawl.

After Felicity finished talking, Juniper stood. She slipped her parchment notebook into her jacket pocket. “Why don’t you go home and get some rest, Ms. Claire, and I’ll contact you if I have any further questions?” Something was different about the look in Juniper’s eye. Her eager-beaver attitude had shifted into a quiet confidence, a slow study of the facts. She was starting to adapt a cool veneer similar to the one Lance Gardener always wore, like he knew way more about what was going on then anyone else in the room.

Felicity rose to her feet and thanked Clover and Derek profusely.

“You did the right thing.” Clover guided her around the rose bushes and back out to the front yard.

Walking up the path, Felicity turned to Clover. “I know I don’t have a right to ask you this. You’ve done enough already.” She sniffed and wiped her nose with her handkerchief.

“What do you need?”

“I was hoping to get your help. Would you mind coming with me down to the lawyer’s office later today? I’ve thought about it, and I want to claim the inheritance.” Felicity glanced down at the cloth balled in her fist. “I don’t want to hurt Austin, but it’s what his father wanted.”

“Of course. I’d be happy to come with you.” Clover’s answer was a knee-jerk reaction. Opportunistic as it seemed, she really couldn’t blame Felicity for coming forward, and she felt terrible about her loss. Not to mention that she’d pay a price in public gossip and speculation for years to come. “If that’s what you want to do, but isn’t there a family member or friend who you’d want by your side for support?” Clover was a little surprised Felicity would want her to go with her, seeing as they weren’t exactly friends.

Her face pinched. “I’m embarrassed to say it, but there’s no one. My parents live in the city and are very private. I’m afraid I’ve just had Oliver the past few years. I’ve really neglected my social circle. He was my whole world and now that he’s gone, I’m alone.” Her bottom lip trembled as she fought back a fresh round of tears.

Clover’s sympathy won out. “Of course I’ll go with you. Everyone needs a little moral support now and then.” Felicity didn’t have an easy road ahead. Plus, as macabre as it seemed, Clover had to admit she wanted to see the look on Austin’s face firsthand when Felicity came forward. It spoke to the curious witch in her—gossip, intrigue, love affair, and a tragic death. How could she resist? “How about we meet back here say around three o’clock? I should be free by then.”

“Perfect. I’ll be ready.” Felicity’s face brightened and she drifted out of the yard.

With reluctance, Clover walked around the house to the front porch. With glowing wands, Juniper and Officer Finch inspected the black ash circle that marred her beautiful painted wood porch. It was going to take a wickedly powerful cleaning spell to get that mark off the surface.

The pudgy officer shook his head, eyes downcast. “I should have stayed.”

“You had no way of anticipating this would happen,” Clover said joining them.

“No reason to beat yourself up, Finch. No one saw this coming,” Juniper said. She narrowed her eyes at the sinister circle. “But just in case, I’m assigning you to watch the house for the next few nights.”

“Felicity shined a whole new light on the investigation. Don’t you think?” Clover asked, but Juniper didn’t answer. Oliver’s illness changed the dynamic entirely. A weight had been lifted off Clover’s shoulders, and as self-serving as it was, the reason spilled from between her lips before she could stop herself.

“Juniper, what if Oliver Yearling committed suicide and wasn’t murdered? Then it reasons to say, I’m no longer a suspect. Right? And if that’s true, there’s no reason to serve the warrant for my closet.” She glanced at Derek who hovered expectantly in the doorway.

“That’s right. It could have been a suicide.” Derek jumped on the idea of getting Clover out of the warrant. “You heard Felicity yourself. Oliver was deathly ill, and it makes sense he would take his own life rather than drag out the pain of his dying on his loved ones.”

Juniper cocked her hip, eyebrow raised. “Just hold on a minute, you two. Don’t get ahead of yourselves. The information that Ms. Claire provided will be added to the investigation, but it’s not over. I’ll look into the suicide claim and Oliver’s illness is a factor. I’m still working through my process, but this circle has complicated the matter. Someone wants you to stop meddling, and it’s my job to find out who that someone is.” Her eyes sparkled like a cat—sly and cunning.

Clover knew she was pushing it, but something was up with Juniper. Her attitude had strengthened. But it was more, even a little magical, and that made her wonder.

“What’s your
persuasion
?”

Juniper’s eyes flashed and then narrowed. Her lip curled up into a noncommittal grin. “I’m studying to be a deputy. Why do you ask?”

“Because you’ve been acting a little differently today. I can’t put my finger on it, but you seem confident, poised.”

“I don’t know what you mean. I always act this way.” Juniper extinguished the spell on the tip of her wand, giving them her full attention. “You don’t know me that well, that’s all.”

“Yeah, you’ve been acting a lot more sure of yourself,” Derek said.

Juniper exhaled with a huff, and Officer Finch grunted. “You might as well tell them. These two don’t give up easily,” he said.

Juniper rolled her eyes at Finch. “Fine. For the sake of building trust between us, I’ll tell you. The reason that I’ve been an assistant deputy for so long is because I barely passed my classes at Haven Academy. School wasn’t my thing. Too many witches and wizards. All thinking constantly.” She might as well have been speaking another language because Clover didn’t believe her one bit.

“Your reputation is exactly the opposite. You seem so dedicated and hardworking. I’d have bet you were the same way at the academy.” Clover was even more interested now. She always pictured Juniper as being one of those goody-goody young witches who always turned assignments in on time, got stellar grades, and volunteered to help their professors out after class for extra credit.
Kind of like she’d been.

Juniper rested her hands on her belt. “My problem is my
persuasion
. I’m a sensory intuitive, kind of like being empathic mixed with logic. My intuition and common sense are heightened. I can’t read minds, but I can read situations clearly for what they are and separate my emotions effortlessly. It’s a little like seeing in black and white, right and wrong. School was a breeze and my
persuasion
made interacting with others kind of stale. I just knew and felt things, and it annoyed me, so I rebelled by not caring.”

“Sorry to hear that, but your
persuasion
sounds perfect for this job. What’s the problem?” Derek asked.

“I screwed up a lot when I was young. I got in trouble with the law and was tossed from the academy, but because of my grades, I earned an honorary degree. And they gave me that mostly so I wouldn’t come back. The sheriff took me in when I was at a real low point. He’s giving me another chance to change my ways. It’s one of the main reasons I’m so ultra focused now. Sheriff Gardner showed me how to channel my magic with a purpose. This case has changed things for me. I have an opportunity to make up for the mistakes of my past and really use my
persuasion
to solve cases and not just to skate by in life.”

Seeing Juniper as a slacker was nearly impossible so Clover would have to take her at her word. But her
persuasion
was interesting to say the least—a built-in witchy sixth sense. It took courage for her to admit her past to them.

“I’m glad you’re getting a second chance and found a great boss, but how does that change what Felicity told us?” Clover asked. “With your
persuasion
you have to sense if she’s being honest.”

“Yes, I sensed honesty from her. She was sincere in thinking she endangered Oliver and feels responsible for his death. I sensed a lot of regret and heartache in her. She’s in a dark place and dark places are dangerous.”

Clover tensed. Her time was running out, and she wasn’t even close to figuring out who, if anyone, killed Oliver Yearling. Surely Juniper and the sheriff would call off the warrant. “But Oliver had the poison in his possession and was taking it for his illness. Certainly that makes a difference.”

“It does. And I don’t believe you were involved directly in the murder, but you’re hiding something from me.” Juniper crossed her arms over her chest and stared at Clover. “You have a secret, Clover. That’s clear. I know it’s hard to trust me. We’re not friends or family. Until you do, I can’t tell you this case is closed. Plus, we have to deal with the black magic. And currently your own porch tells me this case is far from over. There’s darkness all over the place.”

Damn black magic
, Clover thought, but she was keeping her secret, for now, anyway. She wasn’t ready to tell Juniper or anyone else the truth that she was hiding Cassandra Reason in her closet upstairs. Not yet.

Juniper nodded to the circle of broken glass and black ash. “Who do you think would do this to you?”

The image of the amber glass practically stuck in Clover’s throat. “I don’t know. Really, I don’t.” She didn’t want to imagine anyone on her current list of suspects going to these lengths. She sucked in a gulp of air, torn in half by the decision she had to make. Should she tell Juniper that she suspected Bradley Adams might be involved and possibly get him into trouble, especially if it turned out the murder was really a suicide? It could potentially ruin his business, and he might not have a thing to do with it.

Could it have been the Winters? They were desperate to get their hands on Oliver’s land for their new crops. The memory of Gwen’s harsh words to her at the will reading came to mind. But would her neighbors really turn on her like this? Desperation caused a witch to do strange things she wouldn’t normally do. A little bit like she’d turned witch detective. Implicating her neighbors was harder than she thought; gossip was one thing, but turning them in was another.

Juniper broke her train of thought. “This is serious, Clover. Someone used black magic to infiltrate your home and scare you, but next time they could really hurt you or worse. I’ll be investigating who did this to the best of my ability, but from your account of the specter, someone realizes you’re deeply involved in investigating the death of Oliver Yearling and doesn’t like it, and neither do I. You need to stop playing sleuth and let me help you.”

Clover swallowed hard. “You’re right. I do have a secret and it’s sacred to me.” She wanted to see the case through for at least one more day, until they served the warrant. Then she would tell them everything. “I just have speculation right now, and I’m not going to implicate innocent wizards until I know more.”

“I can work with speculation,” Juniper said.

“What about
your
suspects? Was there anyone you were looking at in connection with the investigation?” Clover asked, turning the question back on Juniper. “Maybe I know one of them.”

“I’m not able to discuss the details of suspects with you,” Juniper said.

“Trust is a two-way street,” Derek said. “Clover will start trusting you when you start trusting her.”

Juniper snorted. Derek’s comment hadn’t amused her. “You have a lot to think about, Clover, but your time’s running out. I’m returning tomorrow morning with the warrant, either way. Let me know if you want to talk. Until then, I have samples to take. You can clean up the ash after we’ve gone. Officer Finch will be back tonight to watch the house and make sure you’re safe.” Juniper turned back to the ashen circle. “If you two will excuse us.”

Huge wings fluttered overhead. Barnaby coasted to the porch rail with a message from Honora attached to his leg. The message said she’d dug up some information on Austin Yearling and asked Clover to meet her at a restaurant in Stargazer City as soon as she could. After a quick shower and change of clothes, Clover left Derek to watch over the house, and headed to the Silver Train Station to meet up with her sister. Hopefully she’d get a little more insight into her neighbor and his son.

After stepping off the platform of the Silver Train, Clover pushed through a bustling crowd of witches and wizards. Making her way along the streets of Stargazer City to meet her sister for lunch, she was getting an ache in her neck from staring up at all the dazzling glass and chrome buildings. The city was a far cry from the Meadowlands with hovercrafts zinging by and witches and wizards flying high above the streets. She smiled at the thought of her sister being one of them—fearless and strong. Clover might dream up adventures, but it was her sister Honora who really lived them.

Clover walked past the posh office building where Honora shared a gorgeous office space with her new partner Jenny Liu, and rounded the corner. In the middle of the block was Clover’s favorite restaurant in the city, The Ruby Cauldron. Her heart and stomach leapt for joy when she saw the huge oak doors with scarlet red cauldrons emblazoned in the wood. A waft of exotic smells washed over her when she pulled open the door. The Ruby Cauldron was famous for its eclectic soup menu.