Chapter Twenty-Two

“Did you make theses cookies? They’re fabulous. And where is everyone?” I asked.

Star flushed beet red. “I did make those with Tulip, but they’re not for public consumption. And Granny, Auntie T.J. and Tulip are upstairs asleep in your apartment.” She came closer and thrust the tin lid back on the container then held it out of reach.

“What’s going on?” Confused, I stopped drinking the milk and set it aside.

“How many have you had?” she asked, her expression turning to one of worry.

“Just one. Why?”

“Did you have any, Constable?”

Now she was being proper. “He didn’t want any,” I explained.

She gave me a curt nod. “I need to speak with you—alone.”

“What have you got yourself into this time?” I shook my head, then turned to Ace. “If you’ll excuse us a minute, I need to speak with my sister.”

He eyed both of us suspiciously but gave us space by walking back into the café. I waited until his boots rang out near the front of the store.

“Okay. What is it, what’s wrong?”

“You remember I said I had a great way to make more money from our baking? How we could charge a lot more?”

“Yeah, I remember. And—” I stared at her as the full memory of the conversation came back to me. “No way! These are marijuana-laced cookies?” Horrified, I rocked back on my heels.

“You only had one, so you’ll be okay.” She gulped, trying to be reassuring. “You’ll just begin to feel more relaxed soon, that’s all.”

“You left them in the café. Anyone could have found them.”

“Hardly. They were in a back of a cupboard with the proper label of the plant leaf on the cover. Don’t you know anything about such things? You’re supposed to be so darn smart, reading all those fancy physics books.” Her defensive tone wasn’t helping. “All you have to do is go to bed and you’ll be fine by morning. One cookie is barely enough to affect a person anyway. I used such a little bit in the recipe. You’d need two or three to have any real effect. Maybe it will make you happier for a change, get you to relax. You’re kind of uptight, sis. Just sayin’.”

“But I have so much to do yet tonight. Did you hear about Emma? Poison was found at her place and now she’s under suspicion. And I am not that uptight!”

“But that lets us off the hook, right? And yes, you are that uptight.”

“That’s not the point. I don’t want my best friend charged with a crime she couldn’t possibly have committed.”

“Duh, the truth will come out. Just go put your hands on everyone involved and solve the case already!”

“You think it’s that easy?” I shook my head, then began to giggle. “Did I tell you what happened with Helen Davis? Did you know she has—had cancer and I was able to drive it right out of her body? Just zapped it right then and there.” I snapped my fingers for effect.

“What are you talking about? I think you’d better sit down, sis.”

She led me to the kitchen table and I plunked myself down across from her.

“Now tell me exactly what happened with Helen.”

I explained the process, finding I had never been more eloquent in my explanation of anything in my entire life. “And then Granny said that the gift is given to the firstborn—you and Tulip might get some other kind of ability, by the way—and that you only get to keep it if you remain a virgin and sleep with just your one true love for all your life.” I spread my arms wide then brought them in to hug myself, blessing my fellow triplet with a full-on grin. “And since I’m still a virgin—” I looked up and realized Ace had come back into the kitchen and was listening. Oh goddess, no. “How long have you been standing there, Sheriff?”

“Long enough.” He gave me the strangest look.

Star jumped up. “I need some coffee. How about you, Constable?”

He shook his head. “I think you should take Charm upstairs and put her to bed. I’ll make the coffee. It’s going to be a long night.”

“I’m fine. We need to come up with a plan to catch the real killer. And all my instincts say it’s Mrs. Smith. We need to get her to come clean.”

“How are we going to do that?” Star asked.

Ace spoke up. “By working together.”

I looked up at him, standing bigger than life in our tiny kitchen. “What? Now you want my help?” I teased. Working together had such a lovely ring to it.

A hesitant knock on the door took my full attention. Ace strode over to open it, revealing a subdued-looking Alison standing there.

I got up and hurried over. “What’s wrong?” I asked before she threw herself into my arms and began to weep.

“She made me do it,” she said, her words barely understandable through the deep sobs.

“Who made you do what?”

“My mom. She said if I wanted the money for school and a large wedding and to keep our home, I had to help her. That someone was blackmailing us and I was her only hope to get what she needed.”

“What did she need?”

Alison looked over at Star now standing beside me and clammed up. But it was too late, I’d seen the stark image shared between us, of Alison planting the cyanide at Emma’s.

“Why did you do it? Why would you do that to Emma?” I asked. We needed her confession out loud to clear Emma.

“Because she said it was the only way. I’m sorry. She’s my mom and I had to help her. Otherwise, you know how she gets.” Her voice trembled with emotion.

Thank you, goddess.

“I’m sorry, Alison. Yes, I know.” I turned and spoke to Ace. “See, I told you Emma had nothing to do with it. It was Mrs. Smith all the time. She killed Mrs. Hurst for blackmailing her husband and looting their savings and then Boyd for threatening to tell the tale, I’ll just bet.” I gave a confused-looking Alison a reassuring hug. “Don’t worry. Constable Collins will protect you.”

“No, no.” She shook her head violently side to side, taking in my words. “My mother’s not a killer. She’s just worried about her family, making sure we’re going to be okay.”

But even as she denied it, cracks opened in her façade as we all stood there, giving her looks of sympathy.

“My mother wouldn’t really hurt anyone, right?” She suddenly looked lost.

“That remains to be seen, Alison. But I need you to make a statement about what you do know. That’s the best way to help your mom. Are you prepared to do that now?” Ace asked, his voice resonating with both strength and empathy. A good combination to calm fears, judging by Alison’s response. Truthfully, I felt better too, my inner goddess relaxing.

She nodded, straightening her shoulders, her eyes reddened by tears. Star handed her a handful of Kleenex and she dabbed at her tears. “Yes, I can do that.”

“I need to take Miss Smith to the station, Charm. I don’t want to leave you and your family alone. I’ll see if Jim’s available.”

“Not necessary. We’re fine. You do what you have to and we’ll lock up and head upstairs.” The bad stuff happening after a comment like that only happens in the movies, right?

“If you’re sure.”

“Duh.” I added a smile for good measure. I had never felt calmer or more assured of myself in my life. Which was kind of weird, now that I thought about it. “And, Officer?”

“Yes?”

“You never heard a word that passed between Star and me, right?”

“Of course not. Family business is private.” But I did detect a twinkle in his brown eyes that made my heart rate speed up. Later, eh.

He escorted Alison out of the front door of the café, the chimes ringing in full-hearted agreement.

Another loud knock came on the back door. I gave a sigh then turned the handle to open it. What now? A late-night cookie emergency? Though I could see the cookies that Star and Tulip had dreamed up as having real possibilities of someone wanting to purchase them late at night. I couldn’t believe I was thinking that. But very soon, cannabis was going to be legal. And if it did nothing but relax a person, maybe, just maybe, there was some merit to it? And as my sister had said, there were medical issues it was proven to help with as well…

“Mrs. Smith, what are you doing here?” The banker’s wife looked none too happy. And a tad disheveled. Then I shook myself awake and out of the mental haze. This was nothing to be glib about. An actual murderess stood in the Tea & Tarot, one who might yet do us harm. My heart began racing as new worries flooded my brain. This had become way too real.

“Alison, she ran out on me. I thought she might have come here?” She pushed her way through the door, looking about frantically. Her dark spirit pulsed around me, her touch leaving a frightening sense of being unclean and in danger.

“No, she’s not here right now.” Oh goddess, be with me now.

“But she was, right? What did she say? You have to tell me!”

“Calm down. Granny’s upstairs asleep. And Constable Jim is with her.” Best to let her think we still had police presence. I licked my lips, my mouth gone dry.

She spotted Star and gave a hiss. “What did Alison say to you?”

“You’ll need to talk to her about that. Constable Collins is with her at the detachment. You should go there,” I encouraged her, anything to get her to leave and take her vileness with her. I put a hand out to direct her to turn around and leave, managing to barely overcome my horror.

“Don’t you dare touch me!” she screamed. “You’re a bloody witch, that’s what you are.”

“So?” I shrugged, trying hard to be brave and ignore the intense fear and hatred I was surrounded by. “Better that than a murderess.” The lethal word slipped out without warning.

“How dare you! Who do you think you are!”

“What’s going on?” Tulip came rushing down the stairs. “Granny’s trying to sleep!”

“Granny, Granny, Granny! She’s not a bloody saint. Any more than any of you are. Just think of what you did to my Alison, Star. Freezing her out of the competition and taking what was rightfully hers all for your own. You think you can sing,” she scoffed. “My Alison has the voice of an angel.” Mrs. Smith’s face turned an alarming shade of pissed-off royal purple. Not the calm, smug banker’s wife anymore. Her true self stood exposed. But maybe we could get a confession out of her? People make all sorts of mistakes when they’re upset. Be brave. And where’s a good coven when you need it?

“How dare you, you murderer!” I said. She rushed me as I spoke the condemning words, knocking me aside. It was then a gun seemed to magically appear in her right hand. Oh, goddess, no.

“Put that down,” I said, my voice stronger than expected. It didn’t feel real though, having a lethal weapon pointed at me. I could see she had no idea of what she was doing. It was just a threat—there was no way would she use it. Right?

She waved it about in a flashy manner, proving my assumption correct. She was a poisoner, a person better suited to the coward’s way of dealing with things. “I mean to do this. You tell me what Alison said or I will shoot one of you.”

An idea came to me, as I remembered what I had read about beating a lie detector. If you believe, it will sound true. “Alison mentioned you were helping plan the wedding. She was upset that you were taking over, making plans she didn’t want.”

She lowered the gun a couple of inches, perhaps hearing the truth of conviction in my tone. “Then why did the constable take her to the station? That makes no sense.”

Think, Charm, think. Where was a good basic time machine when I really needed it? It didn’t need bells and whistles, just to be able to send us back a few precious minutes. “Something about a confession? I don’t know for certain. He took her out of here so fast, I really have no idea.”

Her eyes narrowed. I kept my eye on the gun that now dangled from her hand. “Confession? Alison’s confessing? No, she can’t! I won’t let her. She’s getting married. To a Davidson!” An unholy light gleamed in her calculating eyes.

“You should go to her,” I urged. “She needs you.”

“You’d like that, eh? Let all of you off the hook.” She waggled the gun about alarmingly.

“What’s going on?”

Granny’s voice resounded from the top of the stairs. Mrs. Smith’s attention was taken away at that moment, her glance shifting to watch our grandmother coming into view. It was my chance, my only chance. I couldn’t risk having our beloved Granny come down the stairs to confront a killer. I lunged for the gun, striking at the woman’s arm with all my force.

She screamed in rage as the weapon flew out of her hand and struck the floor, followed by a loud sound that instantly deafened me. Oh. My. Goddess. My throat tightened and a cold sweat broke out all over my body. Loaded, the weapon had fired a shot.

I have to save my family.

I dived for the gun, wanting to grab if before the killer could. She reached it first and we locked together in a life or death struggle. My foot connected with her shin, making her use a stream of profanity that sickened me. Striking out at her, touching her—it was almost more than I could bear. Nauseous and wanting to upchuck, I gritted my teeth and suffered it all. Better me than anyone else.

She was so strong for a woman well past middle age, easily my match in the deadly battle, overpowering me, laying me out flat on the floor, and the triumphant look on her face glittered, a horrifying sight to behold. That is, until the back door burst open under the pressure of a wave of women, the surprise freezing her in place. It helped me to find an enormous storehouse of willpower I didn’t even know I possessed. I slid free and on top of her in one last mighty effort, visualizing Hercules in my mind’s eye, pinning to the floor the arm that held the gun and grabbing her other hand, shaking with the adrenaline.

“Is everyone okay?” I gasped, shooting a quick look around. Everyone was still standing. Good sign, right? Granny came down the stairs slowly followed by her sister, their eyes wide with worry.

“We’re all fine. The bullet hit the wall above the sink,” Tulip said, pointing in that direction, her voice tinged by fear. No kidding.

I took a scarf offered from the extended hand of someone nearby, using my teeth and chin to tie it together in a loop, not wanting to take my hands off the killer until I unceremoniously secured the still-frozen Mrs. Smith’s hands behind her back, thrusting her into the corner near the back door, against the wall. All the fight went out of her then, making the job simpler. My breathing came heavily, my muscles aching, and I was beyond thankful it was over.

“Call nine-one-one. We’ve got our murderer.”

I looked up and realised the entire Northern Lights Coven stood in our kitchen, silent, shoulder to shoulder, their faces focused. I…couldn’t have done it without them. Not that I had any idea how we’d done it, and judging by their faces, neither did any of them. But—

The door burst open again and there was our Mountie.

“Stand aside. RCMP business.” He made his way up to me, looked at Mrs. Smith still squeezed into the corner and closely guarded by those standing nearest her, and then at the bullet hole over the sink. He tugged me into his arms. “Are you okay?” he asked, holding tighter than necessary. It was quite nice and I snuggled closer.

“I’m fine. Just fine.”

“That you are, Miss McCall.”

“Aww, isn’t that just too sweet?” Mrs. Smith muttered, finding her voice.

“Will you be all right while I book Mrs. Smith?”

“Of course. Go about your business, Constable.”

The sea of women parted for him and he reached down and tugged the culprit to her feet. “Mrs. Smith, you are under arrest for attempted murder. Anything you say will be held in evidence against you. If you want a lawyer, one will be appointed…”

“Guess what?” Christine had pushed herself through to the front of the crowd and now stood by my side, looking excited.

“What?” Unable to take much more, I prayed it was good news.

“The strippers’ bus is fixed and they’re about to leave town.”

“Really? Well, that’s one good thing, eh?” Maybe things would settle down. Please.

“Let’s give them a proper send-off,” Christine called, to be heard over the din of those assembled. Instantly the coven cheered then streamed through the kitchen into the café and out the front door to line Main Street. I caught sight of Emma’s red hair, a bright beacon in the middle of the group, and breathed a sigh of relief. She’d be fine now. I’d see to it.

“Hidey-ho, strippers, time to go!”

“Hidey-ho, strippers, time to go!”

I winced at the message and reluctantly took my place between Tulip and Star, to be part of the collective.

Just another day in Snowy Lake.