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Can you get to the Roseburg Mansion in twenty minutes?
Wynona jolted a little at the intrusion. That wasn’t Violet’s voice. Rascal?
Yeah?
She rubbed her forehead. “I guess I don’t have much use for a phone anymore,” Wynona muttered. She glanced at the wall clock. The shop had opened only an hour before and her regulars were all seated in their chairs. What’s happening? Why should I be there?
They’re reading the will.
I thought we weren't allowed inside.
We are now.
Urgency hit Wynona in the gut. She had desperately wanted to watch the family’s faces when the will was read, but had known better than to try and flaunt the law. Without another thought, she raced for the kitchen. “Lusgu!”
A grunt pulled her eyes to the corner.
“They’re reading the Roseburg will,” Wynona said breathlessly. “Can you watch the shop?”
I’m coming too! Violet shouted, racing from the direction of the office.
Wynona shook her head. “I need you here,” she said to her familiar as the mouse skidded into the kitchen.
Violet put her hands on her hips and began arguing so fast it all sounded like squeaks and chitters rather than words.
Please, Wynona begged. She didn’t want to say it out loud, but she didn’t like leaving Lusgu in charge. He might have magic beyond the norm, but his people skills were seriously lacking. For the shop?
Violet stopped her protesting and chose to glare instead. Fine. But you owe me.
“I’ll keep my mind open,” Wynona said. “You can listen in.”
Violet sniffed and immediately began cleaning herself as if she didn’t care, but Wynona knew better.
“Thank you,” Wynona whispered. She turned back to Lusgu, who had yet to give her an answer.
His glare was much more intimidating than Violet’s was. “Do I have a choice?”
“Of course you do,” Wynona said, her eyes wide. She might really, really want his help, but she wouldn’t force it on him. “You always have a choice.” And she meant it. Too much of Wynona’s life had been chosen for her. She refused to do the same to others.
He huffed and turned away, but Wynona understood it as consent. If he wanted to say no, he would have. “Thank you!” she sang out, rushing to her office to gather her things.
Purse and keys in hand, Wynona practically ran to her Vespa. The scooter wasn’t the speediest vehicle in the shed, but it always got her where she needed to go. And she adored the mint green color.
Plopping her helmet on, Wynona took off, weaving through traffic as quickly as she dared. Even still, she only had one minute to spare when she reached the Roseburg home.
“Cutting it a little close,” Rascal said with a grin as he helped her off.
“Someone didn’t give me much advance warning,” she teased right back.
Rascal squeezed her hand and kissed her cheek. “Sorry. Next time I’ll demand they wait for you to curl your hair.”
“Hardy, har, har,” Wynona said sarcastically. “Come on.” She tugged on him, leading toward the house.
Rascal chuckled. “Don’t think I didn’t catch your surprise this morning when I popped in to say hello.”
“Yeah...about that,” Wynona drawled. “I think maybe we need some kind of signal. Like a knock at a front door before we just burst into each other’s thoughts like that.”
Rascal’s chuckle grew louder. “You want me to knock on your mind before I speak.” He knocked on the front door.
“Yes,” Wynona said primly, sniffing for added emphasis. “Thank you,” she murmured as a butler let them in. “It’s the polite thing to do.”
Rascal’s amusement continued to rumble in his chest as he led her deeper into the house. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
Wynona wasn’t fooled by the fact that he hadn’t promised to actually “knock”. Stinker.
His grin grew, having heard every word. “Here we are.” He pushed open a door and every head spun to look at the new arrivals. “I apologize for the delay,” Rascal announced. “We wanted one of our best consultants to be here.”
Zander smirked, Silvaria rolled her eyes and Mr. Killoran snorted. Each person looked bored with the production and eager to be elsewhere. Only Marsh Monroe didn’t make his thoughts known, though he nodded politely at Wynona.
She returned the gesture, then moved to the back and sat in a corner with Rascal standing next to her chair. She loved how he always stood. He wasn’t lording over her or showing dominance, but his stance showed his protectiveness and desire to be on his guard at all times. It never failed to make Wynona feel safe and cherished.
Several cats were lazily draped around the room, their beady eyes taking in everyone and everything. Wynona watched the tail of a tabby twitch back and forth, as if it were planning its next conquest. His paws flexed, as if to show off his weapons before he began cleaning himself.
“Welcome, Ms. Le Doux,” Mr. Melion said pleasantly from the front of the room, pulling her attention that direction. His reading glasses gave away his age, though his face was free of wrinkles. He was a fairly handsome man, as things stood, but the bulky wolf to her side was much more Wynona’s style.
“Thank you,” she responded with a smile. “I’m grateful to be here.”
Mr. Melion nodded and grew more serious. “On behalf of Melion Law, I’d like to offer my deepest condolences to the Roseburg and Killoran family. Ms. Roseburg was a wonderful witch and will be sorely missed.”
No one missed the lack of agreement from the family. Even the spoiled Zander didn’t bother to respond to the heartfelt words. Wynona narrowed her gaze. Someone in this room was a killer, she was sure of it. But who? Who would heal a woman only to kill her? Had the death been on purpose? Was someone desperate enough for Ms. Roseburg’s fortune to take her life? Did anyone actually know what was in the will?
“I have with me Ms. Roseburg’s final will and testament,” Mr. Melion said in an official tone. He looked over his glasses. “This will was signed and dated over a year ago and is the last official declaration from Harmony...Ms. Roseburg.”
Zander shifted in his seat, then yawned. “Is this going to take long? I have better things to be doing.”
“Just because you’re sure the money’s going to you doesn’t mean the rest of us don’t want to hear it,” Silvaria snapped.
Zander gave his sister an unkind smile. “Maybe if you had spent a little more time sucking up to the old woman, you wouldn’t be so worried about your future right now.”
Silvaria cursed and Mr. Melion stood up. “There will be order,” he demanded, a growl leaking into his tone. His eyes fluttered to the side before focusing again, as if taking a moment to gather himself.
Wynona watched him carefully. His animal was strong. Stronger than she would have suspected for a lawyer.
Leopard, remember? Rascal supplied. They aren’t exactly domesticated.
Wynona gave him the side eye.
Sorry. Knock, knock...
She bit back a laugh. This wolf was going to be the death of her. I keep forgetting, but thank you. Apparently, your memory is better than mine at the moment. She had remembered Mr. Melion was a cat, but the exact type hadn’t seemed important. Wynona made a note to remember from here on out.
Rascal discreetly tapped the edge of his nose, his eyes never giving away their conversation as they continued to roam the room.
“Any more disruptions of that nature and I will have you escorted to the jail house, is that understood?”
“Isn’t that illegal?” Silvaria asked, twirling her hair through her fingers. “We have a legal right to listen to Mom’s will.”
“You do,” Mr. Melion said with a nod. “But it can be done in a different setting if necessary.” He raised an eyebrow at her. “Are you ready to behave?”
Silvaria held up her hands on either side. “I always behave. It’s my spoiled brother who’s the problem.”
Rascal let out a long, deep growl that shook the room before Zander could respond.
Scowling, the warlock chose to glare at his sister rather than respond verbally.
Good choice, Wynona thought.
Rascal coughed, hiding his amusement.
Mr. Melion cleared his throat, giving Rascal a look saying he wasn’t fooling anyone, before diving into the will.
It took a couple of minutes to get past the beginning paragraphs and finally the room was on the edge of their seats. “To my pool boy, Mr. Marsh Monroe,” Mr. Melion said clearly.
All eyes turned to the merman, who stuck his chin in the air, though Wynona noticed his gills flashing rapidly with anxiety.
“I leave his contract. He may keep his contract with Roseburg House alive as long as he wishes. Neither my children nor my ex-husband or any other person who lives within these walls may terminate said contract. If at any time, Mr. Monroe wishes to be free from working on the Roseburg House pool, he may quit without warning or explanation.”
Marsh folded his arms over his chest and huffed. As far as gifts go, it was an interesting one. Definitely not one worth killing for though.
Wynona wondered what his pay had been. Would working with Ms. Roseburg’s children be worth the amount?
“To my ex-husband...”
Mr. Killoran perked up and smiled. “That’s more like it.”
“I leave my deepest condolences. I’ve heard of your black activities and am aware of the dwindling bank account that used to hold your family’s coffers.”
Mr. Killoran’s face was turning a dangerous shade of red and Wynona found herself leaning back slightly. She looked sideways to Daemon, whose eyes had turned black. When no magic appeared in the room, she relaxed slightly, though she was beginning to understand why Ms. Roseburg’s family hated her so much.
Zander snorted behind his fist. “Good luck, Dad.”
Grumbling curses under his breath, Mr. Killoran stood and headed for the door. “I didn’t come here to be insulted,” he shouted.
“Sit down, Mr. Killoran,” Mr. Melion said tightly, once again rising to his feet.
Daemon stepped in front of the door, his look daring Mr. Killoran to try to leave. Without magic, the witch was no match for the large black hole.
“There is nothing that says I have to stay past where my name is read,” Mr. Killoran ground out, turning to face the lawyer.
“We will do this correctly now or later,” Mr. Melion said. He waved toward the now vacated seat. “But it will happen.” He paused, stilling in anticipation before his muscles moved again.
His lips pinched into a tight, white line, Mr. Killoran sat, though the veins in his neck and arms looked ready to burst at any second.
Again, not a good motive for murder.
Rascal rubbed her shoulder in agreement.
“To my daughter,” Mr. Melion continued.
“Somehow I don’t think I want it,” Silvaria said as if she hadn’t a care in the world.
“I leave a permanent place at Paranormal Rehab. Your name has been placed on the records and your stay paid for any time you finally decide to get your act together and make a witch out of yourself.”
Silvaria slunk into her seat.
I didn’t know she was an addict, Wynona sent the thought to Rascal.
She smells of alcohol at all times of the day, though it's fairly subtle.
Wynona frowned. Had Silvaria been worse when she was younger? Was that why she was kicked out? Most addicts would be drenched in the smell, allowing even Wynona to understand what was going on.
“And to my favorite son,” Mr. Melion’s voice continued to interrupt Wynona’s thoughts.
“Finally,” Zander breathed, rubbing his hands together.
“I leave the apartment on Luminous Street. While the home is paid for, you will need to get a job in order to pay for the utilities. I trust that at this point in your life, with as much money as I have doled out for college and graduate school, you can finally find it within yourself to get off my couch and use your hands for once.”
Zander’s jaw dropped and his eyes bugged. “An apartment? That’s all she left me?”
Mr. Melion nodded his assent. “Yes.”
“That can’t be right,” Zander argued while his sister chuckled rudely at his dismay. “The house, the fortune, it’s all still here. She hasn’t given it to anyone.”
“Not yet,” Mr. Melion agreed.
“Are you saying you’re not done?” Zander asked.
“That would be correct.”
Zander’s jaw clenched. “You’re reading it wrong.”
The lawyer’s eyebrows rose. “Excuse me?”
“You’re reading it wrong!” Zander stood up. “There was no one else for her to leave it to. She had no family other than us and her boyfriend already got his stupid job. My mother would have died before giving it all to charity.” He leaned onto the desk as if to intimidate Mr. Melion. “So I say again, you’re reading it wrong.”
“Young man, you will sit or I will have you forced into it,” Mr. Melion said coolly.
Zander punched the desk. “YOU’RE READING IT WRONG!”
“Tanjin.” Mr. Melion tilted his head, his body relaxed and overly still.
A man that Wynona hadn’t even noticed emerged from the shadows. His craggy face and sharp lines told everyone he was a troll, which meant he towered head and shoulders above everyone else in the room. The creature dressed in black stepped up to Mr. Melion’s desk.
“Please help Mr. Killoran find his seat.”
Zander backed up quickly, his fingers twitching but no magic coming out. “I’m fine,” he stammered, dropping into the chair. “Just finish reading the stupid will.”
Tanjin stood stoically next to the desk, apparently not willing to leave his boss alone now that a threat had been made.
Mr. Melion resettled the glasses on his nose, his eyes scanning up and down the page. “As for my home, my wealth and the future payments of my investments,” he read, “I leave them to Duo, my beloved cat.”
“WHAT!” Zander screamed, once again jumping to his feet.
“As the only creature who ever truly loved me, I have made sure that your future is assured and any posterity you have will be taken care of for generations to come. The Kitty Kauldron will continue as your caretaker until such time as there are no more descendants to provide for. At that point, the money and properties will become the property of Rowan School of Witchcraft, my alma mater, as a trust in my name.”
“Are you telling me that my wife left millions of dollars to a cat?” Mr. Killoran said in a dangerously low tone.
Mr. Melion removed his glasses and nodded. “She did.”
“And you believe she was in her right mind?”
The leopard shifter nodded. “She was.”
Mr. Killoran pointed a finger at Mr. Melion. “I’ll see you in court. This will never stand.” He stormed from the room, his daughter on his heels.
Zander, however, paused, studying Mr. Melion for a long moment. “We’re going to fight this,” Zander said calmly, a stark contrast to his behavior only a few moments before. “Don’t think you’ll get away with it.”
Mr. Melion sighed. “I was expecting it, Mr. Killoran. Do what you must.” He closed his eyes for a few seconds, obviously gathering strength.
With one last glare, Zander left the room.
Wynona slumped against the wall once they were gone. “That might be the craziest will I have ever heard.”
Mr. Melion walked from the backside of the desk and picked up the tabby from the bookcase, slowly scratching the cat’s ears. “Ms. Le Doux, meet Duo. The richest cat in Hex Haven.”