I was accompanied by a German shepherd on either side of me as we walked up to the stone farmhouse. They still seemed uncertain about whether or not I could be trusted.
“Have yourself a seat,” Rip Jr. said, gesturing to one of the chairs on the porch.
I sat as delicately as I could on the deep Adirondack chair and opened the wooden hamper. Rip leaned over to get a look inside as the still-drooling dogs settled down in front of me. “Sorry, guys. You’ll have to ask the boss if you want more treats.”
Rip smiled. I think he liked being called boss. He looked at the dogs and said, “You’ve had enough.”
They shot me disappointed looks, then rested their heads on their paws in an identical motion.
I offered the container of squares to Rip, and before I could blink, he had one in his mouth. “We should have something to drink with these.” He turned toward the screened window behind us. “Maureen! Get some lemonade. We have a guest!”
“Get it yourself,” a voice shouted back.
Rip smiled. “She never was known for her hospitality.” He then bit into another square. “I don’t indulge often,” he said, giving his nose another rub, “but today I think I’ll make an exception.”
“It’s a beautiful spot you have here, Mr. Graves.”
“Rip,” he corrected. “My father was Mr. Graves, and nobody would want to be mistaken for that old son of a—”
“Rip, then,” I said with a smile. “And speaking of beauty, those yellow roses at the gate are particularly lovely.”
He frowned. “Family tradition. My mother loved them.”
Hmm. I couldn’t help but wonder if all the siblings grew them.
I studied Rip’s face as he looked over the hills without much pleasure. “It is a nice property though. Eighteen acres. Worth nearly five million.”
I wasn’t sure how to answer that. I hadn’t asked the value, but apparently it was important to Rip I know it.
“So, Constance,” he said, tearing his gaze from the hills. “I heard you three found her. I always thought she’d die alone.”
And I really wasn’t sure how to answer that. The squares, it seemed, were already having an effect.
“It’s better than she deserved.”
“Rip!” a sharp shout came from inside.
“Sorry. Sorry,” he said, not at all looking like he meant it. I couldn’t help but notice him rubbing his nose again. His allergies must be quite bad. “It’s wrong to speak ill of the dead.”
“I heard there was some bad blood between the two of you.”
Rip nodded, rooting around for the next square to make his victim. “I know I sound like a monster, but Connie gave us all cause.” He looked up at me. “And it wasn’t just because of that damned will. I know that’s what everyone thinks.”
The squares were most certainly doing their job. Not that they would force him to say anything. Izzy would never bake something like that. They were simply encouragements.
“Connie never missed an opportunity to stick it to us. I’m pretty sure it’s what she lived for.” He brought his baby fingernail up to dig around in the side of his teeth. “It’s a disgrace the way she let Graves House fall apart. She did that on purpose, you know. Just to get at me. It was supposed to be mine. My father always said the house should be bequeathed to the eldest son.” Suddenly there was a hardness to Rip’s eyes. One of the dogs let out a low whine. “The Graves name is respected in Evenfall. Admired. The house was a part of that. Do you think my great-grandfather chose that location on the hill by accident?”
I didn’t answer. I wanted him to speak uninterrupted.
“It was to send a message. But old Connie could never appreciate any of that. She never wanted the house or the history that came with it. She just didn’t want any of the rest of us to have it.”
I waited to see if Rip would say more, but when he didn’t, I decided to take a gamble. “I’m not sure if you’ve heard, but the police have opened an investigation.”
“What kind of investigation?”
“It’s possible Constance’s death may not have been an accident.”
I studied Rip’s face closely. His eyes narrowed in confusion, but I couldn’t be certain if it was genuine. Seconds later an unpleasant smile broke out over his face as he muttered, “Johnny boy, who would have thought you had it in you?”
“Rip!”
“Yes, dear,” he said sweetly to the window, then whispered, “I’d better keep her on my good side. She’s my alibi.” He winked at me before leaning back in his chair.
There was something about his smile though.
There was an excitement to it. An eagerness.
If I had to guess, it was a smile born of one of humankind’s baser instincts.
Greed.
It was clear Rip still wanted to get his hands on Graves House, but given how he spoke of his sister, I couldn’t imagine Constance changing her will to make him the beneficiary. So why was he so happy?
“I shouldn’t have said anything,” Rip went on. “And I shouldn’t be speculating, Miss Warren. I’m just shocked by this news.”
He didn’t sound shocked. He sounded amused. “Had Constance mentioned anything to you about being worried? Or afraid?”
“Not to me. I didn’t see much of Connie.” He rubbed his nose again, now red from the rough treatment. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some calls to make.”
“Certainly.” I pushed myself to my feet. The dogs got up with me.
“Thanks for stopping by, Miss Warren,” he said warmly. “I’ll let the boys see you out.”
“I’m sorry to have come by with such upsetting news,” I said, not for a moment believing Rip Jr. was upset.
“Yes, let’s all hope the police do their job.” He disappeared into the house.
I looked down at the dogs on either side of me and whispered, “I could be wrong, but I think he was lying about almost everything.”
The dogs stuck their muzzles into my hands.
I smiled. “Shall we?”
Most people are born with a gut instinct that gives them a nudge when things aren’t right. It’s the feeling you get when you know someone is being insincere, but you can’t quite articulate how you know. Or the strange prickle that crawls over the back of your neck when you sense someone is watching you, and it turns out, you’re right.
I didn’t need any of those subtle hints or clues to know something was wrong when I arrived back at Ivywood Hollow. All I had to do was look up at the dark storm cloud roiling overhead.
I hurried my step up to the front door and cautiously stepped inside.
“Izzy?”
No answer.
“Nora?”
Nothing.
After a quick search of the house, I spotted Faustus seated by the door leading to the backyard.
“In the greenhouse, are they?” I asked, bending to give him a quick scratch behind the ears. He rubbed his face against my palm, then backed away, giving me a filthy look. “Yes, I met some dogs today. I’m sorry. I washed my hands though.”
He licked the side of his paw, then rubbed it against his face.
Apparently, not well enough.
I stepped out into the turbulent winds swirling up leaves and hurried for the greenhouse, being careful to step over a regiment of ants making their retreat from whatever was going on in there.
“How could you be so irresponsible?”
“I had to do something. I’m not just going to sit back and wait for them to arrest me.”
I twisted the carved door handle and stepped into the sticky warmth of the conservatory. It was a beautiful structure that ran nearly the length of the property. The rectangular framework was all cast iron, and the roof had a bulbous curve that tapered up to a long running peak, ornamented with filigreed cresting. Inside there were three long tables. One at each side, both overloaded with plants, and one running down the middle that served as a workspace. On the walls at the front and back, there were bookshelves and tall cabinets. Nora had purchased the cupboards from the library when its catalog had gone digital. Now the hundreds of small drawers were stuffed with herbs, powders, semiprecious stones, and a few other ingredients that I didn’t really want to know about.
I approached my aunts facing off on either side of the worktable, two large pillar candles flickering between them.
Nora was vigorously grinding something with her oversized mortar and pestle, while her older sister watched disapprovingly.
“Brynn, darling, there you are,” Izzy said, dragging her gaze from Nora. “Maybe you can talk some sense into her.”
I chuckled weakly. “I suppose there’s a first time for everything, but what exactly is it I’m supposed to provide sense about?”
“Your aunt here decided to cast a spell on the entire town today.”
I blinked a few times. “Oh, wow.”
Nora closed her eyes. “You make it sound like I brought a plague of locusts to Evenfall, which I would like to point out I did not do, even though I am completely capable of such a feat, and the town deserves it for turning on me.”
It was good to see my aunt’s ego hadn’t been affected by all the stress. “So, what exactly did you do?”
Nora folded one arm across her waist and lightly scratched the back of her neck with her other hand. “A harmless spell, really. No one will give it a second thought given the time of year.”
Time of year? I gasped. “That was you? You gave everyone an itchy nose?! Why? Why did you do that?”
“I did not give everyone an itchy nose,” Nora said grumpily. “Only the ones who told lies.”
I looked from Nora to Izzy and back to Nora again. “That’s bad. You’re a bad witch. The powers that be are going to get you.”
“You see?” Izzy said. “She’s half your age, and she knows what a foolish thing it was for you to do.”
“She is hardly half my age,” Nora said with a scoff. “And so far, I’m still standing. We are Warren witches, don’t forget, and my cause was just. There will be no consequences.”
“Even if you’re right, a spell like that? One that effects the entire town? There are a million different ways it could have gone wrong.”
“Well, it didn’t,” Nora said matter-of-factly. “You have underestimated me once again.”
“What did you do with it though?” I asked, jumping at the sound of something small scurrying in the terra-cotta pots behind me.
“I went into town and talked to a few people.”
This was just getting worse and worse. “I’m afraid to ask but how did that go?”
Nora groaned. “Let’s just say people can be infuriating. A lot of them refused to answer my questions. They simply walked away. I think I showed remarkable restraint in not striking them down where they stood.”
I could picture Nora walking right up to people and asking them if they had killed Constance Graves. I mean, surely she had been more subtle than that, but the effect had probably been the same.
“But I did find out some useful tidbits.”
“Such as?”
“I learned that Theo of yours at the bookstore was playing cards with Constance’s sister at the time of the murder.”
“I could have told you that. What else did you get?”
Nora straightened up to her full height and arched an eyebrow. “I also found out the diner does not use freshly ground coffee beans to make their brew despite what they might have you believe.”
“Oh, well,” Izzy said. “I guess it was worth flouting the rules of magic to find out that little nugget.”
Thunder rumbled overhead.
“Calm yourself, Sister. And again, what would you have me do? Nothing? I’ve studied enough history to know our kind does not do well in situations like these. I believe you’ve heard the term witch hunt?”
“Nora, you’re being paranoid. Evenfall is our home.”
“Um, she may not be entirely wrong.” I filled my aunts in about the looks I had received in town.
“There you have it,” Nora said, waving a hand in my direction.
“That doesn’t excuse your reckless behavior!”
“What other options did I have? You’re too afraid to cast any spell beyond your sweet dream sugar cookies, and—”
“You said you liked my sweet dream sugar cookies,” Izzy said, looking hurt.
“Of course I do. Everyone does. They’re sugar cookies that give you sweet dreams,” Nora said. “But that kind of spell is hardly going to get us out of this mess. The truth is, you’ve never been willing to do what needs to be done in serious situations. And then there’s Brynn. My loving niece, who won’t even try to use the talent she was born with to help me.”
“I tried.”
Nora raged on, not hearing me. “I mean, if ever a situation called for a witch of the dead, this would be it.”
“I tried.”
“But no, apparently that’s too much to ask.” Suddenly Nora jerked up and looked over at me. “What did you say?”
I took a long, deep breath. “I tried. I tried to contact Constance’s ghost.”
My aunts fell silent. Even the grasshopper that had been creaking ceaselessly in the corner had gone still.
Izzy took a step toward me. “When?”
“Last night,” I said, meeting her eyes. “I went up to the Rosewater Room, and I tried.”
“Well?” Nora asked, also moving toward me.
“Nothing. Well, not entirely nothing. Constance knocked a few books around, which led me to find a yellow rose petal on the floor.”
“A yellow rose petal?” Nora gasped, putting a hand to her chest. “How horrifying.”
I gave her a look but pressed on. “That was all though. I couldn’t see or talk to her.”
“Oh, darling,” Izzy said. “It was very brave of you to try.”
“Brave of her to try? What’s next? Shall we start giving merit badges for getting out of bed in the morning?” Nora asked. “Let’s pull this all back a little. It was good of you to try, Brynn, but just because you didn’t succeed, that doesn’t mean it’s the end of the story.”
“I think it is.”
“Don’t be silly. You must try again.”
“No. No. I need you to listen to me.”
“No, I need you to listen to me. I’ve been doing some reading and there are spells we can still try.”
“You don’t understand.” I ran a hand over my face. “I need to tell you something. Both of you.”
“Whatever it is, it can wait.”
“No, I’ve waited too long already to tell you this.”
“What could possibly be more important than what we’re currently facing?”
“Evanora,” Izzy snapped, giving her sister a pointed look before turning her gaze back to me. “I think it’s time you told us everything.”
“Everything?” Nora asked. “What everything? What is going on?”
My throat suddenly felt dry. I knew Izzy had suspected something was going on when I wouldn’t do the lighter than a feather charm, and then again, when I wouldn’t help her with Nora. I swallowed hard. “It’s time you both knew.” I searched for the words that might make this easier. “Nora, Izzy, I have done a lot of thinking since I lost the ability to see ghosts, and I’ve made a decision.”
My aunts waited breathlessly for me to go on.
“I have decided to stop practicing magic. I am no longer a witch.”