Pies and Potions (14 page)

“I had no idea. And now she’s lost Mr.Wibble.”

He nodded. “We need to act fast if we want to find Mr. Wibble’s killer and keep the town from shutting down.”

“Won’t the police find the killer?” I stepped back to put some distance between us. The electrical charge emitting off of him was too strong.

“Do you really think I’m going to sit around and wait for the police?”

“Don’t let Mary Jane hear you say that.” I flashed him a rueful smile.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Tom was being tough about this, but I didn’t believe him when he said he was fine. Magic was his life. What would he do without it?

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about the mistake with the potion.” I picked at a towel on the counter to avoid looking at him.

“You should have, but we can’t worry about that right now. If you want to keep the Organization away from here you have to follow the rules.” His tone was even and calm, soothing.

“Did the added potion cause what’s happening?” I asked, finally looking up at him.

“I can’t see how it would make people act this crazy. If anything it would make them silly with happiness, not have the opposite effect.” He stepped closer.

What he said made sense and I wanted to believe him, but there was always that little doubt.

“Have you talked to the other shop owners?” I asked.

He paused and leaned against the counter. “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”

My heart thumped a little faster. “This doesn’t sound good.”

“I want to speak with everyone in town who practices the magic. Do you think you could do it with me like last time?”

“Work with you to figure out what’s going on?” Just like old times.

He nodded and folded his arms in front of his muscular chest. “That pretty much sums it up, yes.”

How could I turn him down? “Maybe Mary Jane would like to help as well.”

Okay, she hadn’t volunteered, but at least that wouldn’t leave Tom and I alone for long.

“Would that work for you?” I asked.

“I’d love to have her help. The more the merrier.” A flash of disappointment shone in his eyes.

I fought off the melancholy that his expression brought and asked, “Where do we start?”

“I know a lot of strange things have been going on at the barbershop, The Plaid Peacock, and the bookstore.”

“What type of stuff has been going on?”

“The spells that are performed are the exact opposite. Happiness brings depression. The health spells aren’t working and the love spells make the person standoffish and uninterested. Hell, you’ve seen the strange behavior.”

I sighed. Unfortunately, I’d seen the spells and knew exactly how bad things were. “How does Sydney propose to shut the whole town down when not everyone even knows about the magic? Does she want to tell everyone in Mystic Hollow?”

“No. nothing like that. She’ll just close the businesses. Everyone would move. Mystic Hollow would cease to exist.”

The bell on the door jangled. “I’ll close the café early and we’ll go.”

When I got to the dining room, a few customers had trickled in. They were probably tourists. That was the only way someone would dare enter the café today. Mary Jane and Tom took their orders while I retreated to the kitchen to prepare the food.

When the few customers had been served, the three of us watched the front of the café. My emotions were mixed. On one hand, I prayed for more customers, but on the other, I knew we needed to get started with our sleuthing mission.

When Tom slipped off into the kitchen, I took that opportunity to talk with Mary Jane about our plan and what I’d volunteered her for.

“Did I overhear that you’re going somewhere with Tom? What’s that all about?” Mary Jane asked.

“That’s what I need to talk with you about.” I brushed imaginary crumbs from the counter. “Tom wants to speak with every shop owner. Of course, that will take a great deal of time, so we have to work fast.”

She nodded. “And…”

“Sydney will shut the whole town down if we don’t hurry.”

“I still can’t believe she’s convinced that Tom is responsible for what happened.”

“She probably blames him for Mr. Wibble’s death. Which I can’t even wrap my mind around. He wouldn’t do something like that to Mystic Hollow, let alone murder someone. Anyway, we want to do some investigating of our own.”

“Good luck, Elly.”

“Would you like to help us? Just kind of go around and talk to some people and see what we can find out? Maybe we’ll find a clue.”

“Or maybe we won’t.” She sighed.

“Now, don’t be negative. Positive thinking, remember?” I attempted a smile.

“You’re right. You have to try something, I guess. I can help after my classes.”

I gave her shoulders a squeeze. “Thanks, Mary Jane.” I moved closer to the front door and peered out. “Sheriff Jasper and Rory have been hanging out a lot, don’t you think?” I pointed out the window when I saw them talking.

She shifted from one foot to the other. “I didn’t know how to tell you this, so I didn’t say anything at all.”

“You’re starting to worry me. What’s going on? Just spit it out. Is it really bad?”

“No. Calm down. It’s not really bad. Okay, it is sort of, kinda bad, but we’ll work this out, so stay calm. It is a concern though, and I’m not sure what to do about it.”

I motioned for her to continue. “Hurry, Mary Jane. What is it? You’re giving me a panic attack over here.”

Finally, she said, “They’re convinced that Tom had something to do with the magic spell and possibly the murder, so they’ve decided to follow him, as if they’re going to catch him in the act or something. They don’t want anyone messing with this town. That was the sheriff’s quote, not mine. He thinks Tom took the murder weapon from your kitchen.”

When it rained, it poured for Tom. Obviously, he had been in Mystic Café’s kitchen, but I knew Tom was capable of such a thing.

“I can’t believe this. They think they’re going to be magic investigators now? What makes them so sure that Tom is responsible? I knew Rory thinks there’s something going on between me and Tom.”

“Well, can you blame him? Tom is in love with you. It’s so obvious.”

I didn’t know what to say. It was as if someone had sucked the air out of me. Okay, I knew there was a spark between us, but it wasn’t as if anything would ever come of it. Tom had come along at the wrong time. Maybe if I hadn’t met Rory first. But I couldn’t let Rory continue to blame Tom for something he hadn’t done. I was sure Tom wasn’t involved.

“Well, you need to talk with him. Maybe get everything out in the open,” Mary Jane said with a wave of her hands.

“In theory that sounds like the perfect thing to do. In reality, I don’t know how that will work. But I’m definitely going to try. I can’t let this continue.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

Since there had been only a few customers in all day, it was no big deal to close the café early. Perhaps the bright yellow crime scene tape was a tiny deterrent to customers. Tom had gone out to start asking around about the magic and I was going to catch up in a few. When I looked up from closing down the register, I noticed Rory walk by, but he didn’t look toward the café. I hurried across the floor, flipped the sign to
Closed
, then locked the door behind me.

When I turned the corner, Rory was walking toward Tom. They were headed on a collision course right there on the sidewalk. Neither of them appeared to notice me watching, so I stepped behind the building. Lucky for me, I was close enough to hear their conversation. And even better, I was close enough to step between them if things became heated.

“Hey,” Tom said with his usual cool tone.

“I’ve been wanting to talk to you,” Rory stated matter-of-factly.

Oh boy. They were already off to a bad start. I knew by their testosterone-laced words.

“What’s up?” Tom asked.

I didn’t need to look at Tom to know he said that with a smirk on his face. As if he didn’t know Rory’s beef with him. I couldn’t believe there was this much tension between them. But what girl wouldn’t get some thrill out of having two men interested in her? I’d certainly never had this problem in the past. It made me wonder if Grandma Imelda was somehow responsible for my newfound love triangle.

“Look, I don’t want any problems with you. I don’t know you, so I have no real beef with you. Well, other than one thing.” Rory crossed his arms in front of his muscular chest.

Uh-oh. Here we go.

“I’m guessing that one thing is Elly Blair. Café owner and the sweetest person I’ve ever met,” Tom said with softness to his tone.

That was probably not the answer Rory had wanted to hear. Although the sentiment was very sweet of Tom. Did he really feel that way, or was he just yanking Rory’s chain?

“Yes, it is Elly Blair. I don’t know why you came back to town. Why didn’t you stay away? You came and stirred up trouble for her and I don’t appreciate it. And you’re right.” He pointed at Tom. “She is sweet and probably too nice to tell you that you shouldn’t be here.”

I didn’t want Rory speaking for me. That wasn’t how I felt at all.

“I didn’t come back here to cause problems.”

“Then why did you come back?” Frustration flooded his words.

Silence filled the air. I held my breath waiting for the answer. Why had Tom come back? He could have gone anywhere.

“I’ll be leaving soon, so there won’t be any more problems. As soon as I help Elly figure out what’s happening here. I won’t leave her here to figure it out on her own.”

“You should help her. You’re the one who caused the problem,” Rory said matter-of-factly.

“Like I said, since I’m not involved with the Organization anymore, there’s no need for me to come around.” Tom held his calm demeanor.

Why did I have a sinking feeling in my stomach when I heard those words?

Tom’s frustration mounted. “The magic is really none of your concern.”

Rory’s tone lightened. “Look, I know you’re trying to help Elly. I appreciate that, but she’s a strong girl and she can handle a lot.”

Tom came right back with a response. “Yes, she is strong, but there’s no need to add to her stress. I just want to see her happy. She deserves it.”

Should I let them know that I had been listening? That I didn’t need either of them to make decisions for me? I had a feeling the magic spell would have gone wrong whether or not Tom had come back to Mystic Hollow. I peeked around the side of the building. Both of them stood in front of each other in a stare-down. How long would this last?

Just as I stepped out from behind the building, a loud screech grabbed my attention. Jill ran down the sidewalk at full speed.

“Don’t you touch him.” Jill lunged at Tom’s back, using her little fists in rapid succession as if they were meat tenderizers. She worked at the bank and thought Rory Covington was the most handsome man she’d ever seen. At least that’s what she told me every single time I went in there to make a deposit.

Hmm. It seemed as if she was being affected adversely from the spell also. Tom stumbled backward and spun around. Jill had reached up and draped her arms around his neck. She dangled like a rag doll when he moved.

“What the hell? Jill what do you think you’re doing?” I yelled and ran toward the mayhem.

“I won’t let you hurt Rory,” she spat out.

Rory moved toward Jill and pulled her from Tom’s neck.

“I really appreciate your concern for me, Ms. Smith, but things are fine,” he said as he eased her to the ground.

Tom stared at her with wide eyes. She was like a giant gnat.

“I’m not going to let some stranger come to town and beat up on one of our townsfolk.” She tossed the words at him with venom.

Tom held his hands up in surrender. “I had no intention of beating up anyone.”

At this point, several people had started to gather around.

“Nothing to see here folks. Move along.” I motioned. My comment was met with frowns. They didn’t move.

Jill finally looked at me after the bizarre incident. She appeared somewhat dazed and confused.

She continued to glare at me. Her cheeks were scarlet red. “I’m sorry, Elly, but if you won’t protect your boyfriend, someone has to.”

I nodded. “Of course.” Humoring her was probably the best bet. “It won’t happen again.” I plastered a smile on my face that was faker than a plastic Christmas tree.

She turned around and stumped away, letting out a loud huff.

Tom turned around and walked away. I wasn’t sure if he’d seen me. Rory turned to me with his eyes wide at the sight of me, as if he’d been caught doing something he shouldn’t be doing.

“What was that all about?” I asked, acting as if I had no idea about what they’d been discussing.

Would he tell me the truth or act as if nothing had happened?

“I have no idea what is wrong with Jill. Tom and I just kind of ran into each other,” he said, looking down at his boots.

Uh-huh. He was conveniently going to leave all the details out of the conversation. I had to decide if I’d allow him get by with it, or tell him that I’d snooped on the whole exchange. I decided to confront him with it. I didn’t like keeping secrets. Nothing good ever came of keeping things in like that. Okay, I’d been keeping a lot of secrets lately, but this served to proof my point… nothing good came of my secrets. So why did I continue to do it?

“I have to tell you the truth. I overheard your conversation with Tom.”

Rory looked up from his boots and met my gaze. “You did?” A gentle melancholy came over him.

I nodded.

“Elly, I’m trying to protect you. If Tom is trouble, then of course I don’t want him to come around and cause more problems for you.”

“Rory, don’t you think I can tell him how I feel? Tom didn’t cause any of this.” I crossed my arms in front of my chest. Anxiety gnawed at my insides.

“He brought the investigators here looking for him and now one of them is dead and the other is threatening the whole town. I’d say he did bring at least some of this trouble to you.”

“The problem with the way the town is acting has nothing to do with Tom. The investigators would have come here no matter.”

“But this started when he arrived. How well do you know Tom, anyway?”

“Are you asking that because you want to know about the magic? Or because you want to know how
involved I am with him?”

His expression softened with my questions.

“Both.” He shoved his hands in his pockets.

I chose my words carefully, hoping that he’d understand. “I told you before. Tom and I met when you got the wrong spell. I’ve known him just as long as I have you. But I do trust him. I know he wouldn’t do anything to Mystic Hollow. It’s just a feeling I have.”

Rory wrapped his hands around mine. “I’m sorry, Elly. I should let you handle the situation. I just want to help you. I hate to see you upset.” He pulled me close and wrapped his arms around me. It was hard to be mad at him when I knew he really did just want to help. But I had to let him know there were some instances he shouldn’t get involved.

“You know I can handle this.”

He shook his head.

I stepped back from his embrace and looked him in the eyes. “Rory, I know things are crazy, but everything will work out.” I spoke the words, but I hoped they were true. I needed to believe that they were.

“I trust you, Elly. But you say the word and I’ll have another talk with him.”

Men.

I squeezed his hand, then kissed him softly. “I have errands to run so I’ll talk with you tonight, okay?”

No way did I want Rory to know what I was about to do with Tom. I didn’t like keeping secrets, but he’d only worry… not to mention grow angrier with Tom.

Rory pulled me into a kiss that left me breathless and dazed.

“I’ll talk to you later,” he said softly.

I watched Rory hop in his pick up and drive away. Now I stood on the sidewalk wondering what to do next. Where had Tom gone? Maybe he’d taken what Rory had said to heart and left. It would be up to me to question the other business owners.

As I stood there trying to figure out my next move, footfalls from behind me caught my attention. I whipped around to find Tom standing right there.

“You look lost.” A hint of a smile materialized on his lips.