Moonlight Murder: An Inept Witches Mystery (19 page)

“
Dickhead,
”
Emily explained,
“
loved bourbon, hated Indian food, poetry, and Ingrid. Also magic.
”

“
So you
’
re torturing a dead man.
”
Kevin sneered.

“
Obviously,
”
Emily said.
“
What
’
s the point of having an emasculated, cannot-whore-with-every-person-ever jackhole in your book shop if you don
’
t make him suffer?
”

It was Gabe
’
s snort, with the touch of humor and the weight of his eyes on her skin that sent her rage flaring. He should have been there, with them, figuring out the ghosts. Instead he was just a semi-amused audience.

“
I think I told you not to come back without a warrant.
”

Gabe
’
s jaw tightened before he said,
“
I have a few more questions.
”

“
Maybe I need my lawyer.
”

“
Maybe you do,
”
he said, gaze focused and serious.

Her eyes narrowed.
“
So you
’
re pursuing the person you don
’
t believe did it. More than believe. You know I didn’t do this.
”

“
We are pursuing all lines of inquiry,
”
Kevin answered. He didn
’
t look pleased that Gabe and Ingrid couldn
’
t take their eyes from each other for more than a breath.

“
What do you want?
”
Emily asked. She stepped between Ingrid and Gabe, handing Ingrid the bourbon.

“
I hate bourbon,
”
she said, and then downed the entire glass.

“
I thought you hadn
’
t spoken to Sheldon in years,
”
Gabe said.

“
Jealous?
”
Emily
’
s posture was furious and protective.

Ingrid stepped around her friend and said,
“
Why are you asking?
”

“
You
’
re his heir,
”
Kevin said. His face looked pleased with the reply. Like he
’
d caught them in something.

“
That
’
s stupid. And you must be wrong.
”
Ingrid
’
s eyes shifted to Emily, then Deputy Dumbass, and back to Gabe.

“
It
’
s real,
”
Gabe replied.
“
Why would he leave anything to you?
”

“
Maria told us that he intended to make a move on Ingrid. That
’
s probably why. He can
’
t have much money.
”

“
He has a really good life insurance,
”
Kevin said.

“
I
’
m already wealthy,
”
Ingrid told Kevin.
“
I have plenty of money as Gabe no doubt told you before you came here with this supposed clue to waive in my face and trot around.
”

“
It gives you a motive.
”

“
A motive,
”
Ingrid laughed mockingly.
“
Killing Sheldon Peters for his what? $50,000 life insurance policy?
”

“
One hundred thousand,
”
Kevin said,
“
is not a small amount of money.
”

“
I have millions,
”
Ingrid replied, drawing out the amount.
“
Millions. You might kill for a hundred thousand. For me, that
’
s like killing a person for their shoes. I don
’
t need a hundred thousand. I give that away regularly far more often. Come back with a real motive or don't come back.
”

“
How do you even know that Ingrid inherited?
”
Emily was standing in front of Ingrid again. Her friend must have caught the crack in her voice. She was pretty sure that Gabe had. His hand had twitched. Before all this madness, when Ingrid would cry, he
’
d cup the back of her neck and pull her close to him.

This time he didn
’
t. Not that she would have let him even if he
’
d bothered.

“
Maria Peters is back. She told us. She
’
s pretty unhappy about you inheriting.
”

“
She can have the money,
”
Ingrid said, suddenly exhausted.
“
I
’
m out.
”

“
We
’
re not done here,
”
Kevin said. He reached for Ingrid
’
s arm, but Gabe stopped him.

“
Make an appointment with my lawyer, Deputy Dumbass,
”
Ingrid said over her shoulder.

Chapter 9

A Supernatural Hot Mess

Emily drove down Main Street toward their apartments while Ingrid played with her shiny new phone. They
’
d just left the store, unable to wait another moment to get new cell phones. There was an unspoken agreement to not discuss the sheriff or his deputy. As soon as Ingrid had plugged the phone charger into the car and the phone powered up, it started buzzing and dinging.
“
Ingrid, what the hell is going on over there? Are you negotiating world peace or something?
”

“
These are all texts from Maria. This doesn
’
t look good, Em. I really don
’
t want Maria to be the murderer. She
’
s just so nice.
”

“
What do the texts say?
”

“
Uh, well. Let me read a few to you. ‘Ingrid, this is Maria. I
’
ve done something terrible. Ingrid, tell Kimmie I
’
m sorry to miss my nail appointment, but I
’
ve just got to get out of town for a bit. Ingrid, I just found out my brother left his inheritance to you. I get it. I know he loved you. Or was obsessed or whatever. But I need that inheritance to pay off my house. I
’
m going to lose my house and
…
.
’
You get the idea, yeah?
”

Emily groaned out load.
“
You don
’
t think that Maria killed Sheldon for his life insurance policy? Surely not. I don
’
t want other people who shall not be named to be right. Why is she telling you about her nail appointment. People latch onto you, Ingrid.
”

Ingrid shook her head.
“
I don
’
t know. I hope not. Let
’
s get upstairs. I need to think. We need to get a hold of Maria, I think. Maybe we can help her.
”

“
Ingrid, seriously. You are in love with the sheriff. You can
’
t help a murderer escape justice. He
’
ll never forgive you for that, and you know it. That would be crossing a line that would break your relationship, I think.
”

Ingrid snorted.
“
Please. First, I
’
ll help who I want. And it doesn
’
t matter if he forgives me because I don
’
t know if I feel like forgiving him. Anyway, our relationship is already broken. If my hiring a lawyer to help Maria get off for killing her horrible brother is enough to break my relationship with Gabe, then he
’
s not worth it anyway.
”
Ingrid stopped to take a breath then continued.
“
And
…
I don
’
t love the sheriff. Don
’
t be dramatic, Emily. Plus, you don
’
t know Maria did it. Also, we aren
’
t talking about him, remember.
”

Emily rolled her eyes as she pulled into their private garage under their building.
“
Yeah, okay. You don
’
t love him. Whatever. Maria looks pretty guilty from those texts Ingrid. And we have already truth-serumed nearly everyone else on this murderous island. Maria is the last one left that makes any sense.
”

Ingrid just grunted and got out of the car.
“
Whatever. I
’
m going to help her. But first we have to get her here.
”

“
Well, text her back then. I
’
ll make us lunch. I
’
m starving.
”

Ingrid nodded, texting while she walked.
“
Don
’
t get creative, Em. I
’
m hungry, too, and you would burn noodles.
”

She typed
Maria, are you back in town? Come over. Emily and I can help you. No matter what happened, we are on your side. Come over.

Emily pushed the elevator button.
“
I
’
m ordering takeout.
”
She felt a blast of cold air before the Camaro
’
s horn sounded and echoed through the garage.

“
Dammit, Uncle. Why are you doing this. I have enough death on my hands without having to exorcise your ghost from the car.
”

Finally the beeping horn stopped and the temperature warmed back up again. Ingrid held up her phone.
“
Maria just replied. And we
’
ve got to do something about that damn ghost. It
’
s getting tiring. Every time the temperature drops, my nipples get hard, and I feel like a total slut. And Gabe
’
s not available to relieve any of that tension anymore, so we gotta get rid of the ghost, Em.
”

“
Read it to me,
”
Emily ordered,
“
and quit telling me about you nipples. TMI. Totally TMI. I don
’
t want to know about what Gabe does with your nipples or your tension.
”

Ingrid snorted and then read Maria
’
s text.

Ingrid, I will come over. I just don
’
t know what to do anymore. I feel so guilty. I don
’
t think I can live with myself.

“
See,
”
Emily gloated.
“
She
’
s guilty. So guilty. Did you know she had a gun?
”

Ingrid shook her head.
“
We still don
’
t know if she had a gun. Don
’
t jump to conclusions, Em. You call for pizza, and I
’
ll see if I can get Richard to meet us.
”

“
I
’
m not calling for pizza. I
’
m calling for tacos.
”

“
Pizza. I
’
m the one in the middle of a horrific break up. I get to pick what we eat.
”

“
I thought we weren
’
t talking about him.
”

“
We aren
’
t. We are talking about gooey, cheesy pizza.
”

Emily shook her head and dialed as they exited the elevator and walked toward her apartment.
“
I guess we do need to get acquainted with another lawyer since our go-to lawyer is now in prison. I
’
ve always assumed that Richard was too small-town to be of much use, but I guess he
’
s better than nothing at this point.
”