Pet Psychic Mysteries Boxset Books 5-8 (Magic Market Mysteries Book 2) by Erin Johnson (reading diary .TXT) 📗

Since that was apparently as much enthusiasm as I was going to get out of him, I nodded. “Sure. Why not?”

I followed him and Daisy over to Peyton and her clique.

12

Peyton Thornsbury

Peyton’s self-satisfied smirk died as soon as she turned and spotted Peter, Daisy, and me approaching. The women around her all grew quiet and gaped at us.

“Peyton Thornsbury?”

The redhead lifted a brow and looked Peter up and down. “Yes?”

“We’d like to ask you a few questions.”

The half a dozen women gathered around her all snapped their gazes to her face. The tall woman drew herself up to her full height, nearly eye level with Peter, and squared her shoulders. “Ask away. I’ve got nothing to hide—anything you have to say to me can be said in front of these women.”

The shorter lady with curly brown hair to her left lifted her chin. “Yeah—Peyton’s got nothing to hide.”

Another one of the gaggle nodded. “She’s like a mother and a best friend to me.”

A third chimed in. “She should be running the company!”

I kept my eyes on the tall cocktail table they stood around and pointed at a plate with a few squares of cheese. “Anybody going to finish that?”

All eyes swiveled my way, expressions varying from disgust to confusion to who’s this witch? I ignored it all and raised my brows. “So that’s a no?”

I reached across the woman closest to me and scooped it up, plunking a bite of soft brie in my mouth. Hey—I wasn’t happy about struggling to eat again, but this was where we were.

Peter, who looked more concerned than judgy, turned back to Peyton. His scroll, full of lines of notes, and his feathered quill appeared beside his head. “Alright, Ms. Thornsbury, can you tell me about your involvement in the company?”

She lifted her chin. “Potent Potions is my entire life. I was floundering until it came along.” She threw an arm around the short brunette beside her and pulled her against her side in a tight hug. “These ladies are my family and best friends, and this business is my livelihood.”

The blond chimed in. “Peyton’s the only Vice Premier Witch from our neighborhood. She knows what it’s like to dream of a better life for your family and to get it.” She raised her martini glass, and the other ladies, except for Peyton, saluted with their own drinks.

Peyton leveled a smug look at Peter, which, though he and I were on the outs, I found extremely irritating.

I talked around the bite of pepperjack in my mouth. “Then why would someone high up have told us you had a grudge against Pearl?”

The women around us grew silent, mouths half open. The brunette smashed against Peyton’s side shook her head, curls bouncing. “No way!” She jabbed a finger at me. “That’s an outright lie from someone who’s just jealous of her success.”

I smirked at Peyton. “So you had nothing against Pearl or the company then?”

The woman’s throat bobbed, and she shifted on her sandaled feet. “No.”

Daisy let out a low, menacing growl. Lie.

I held up a finger. “Oop! That means you’re lying.” I popped another piece of cheese in my mouth.

Peyton set her jaw and released the brunette at her side.

Peter gestured toward the side of the room. “Perhaps you’d like to speak in private now?”

Peyton glared at us but tried for a light tone that came out strained. “Don’t worry, ladies, these people are simply confused. I’ll be right back.”

Daisy growled again, and I couldn’t help but chuckle. As much as the mutt annoyed me, she came in handy every now and then.

We slid through the dense crowd, passing a few other officers busy taking statements, and gathered near one of the doors to the auditorium. Peyton, her back to the wall, crossed her arms and glowered as Peter, Daisy, and I huddled in close.

She let out a heavy sigh. “Fine, okay? So this business has been my whole life, that much is true.” She swept a tendril of red hair from her face, her charm bracelet jingling on her wrist. “But a few weeks ago, Pearl and Ralph announced out of nowhere that they’re changing the bonus structure.” She raised her brows at us.

I swallowed my last cheese cube. “Are we supposed to know what that means?”

She shifted on her feet as she gazed around the room, then lowered her voice. “Basically, it made it a lot harder to earn money. Half my downline has quit—half!” She shook her head. “I’m losing money like I’ve sprung a leak, so yeah, I’m a little upset.”

I raised a brow and didn’t bother to hide my smirk. “Yeah, but you’re one of the company’s top sellers. Surely you can handle a setback like this?”

She glared down at me. “I wish. But Pearl and Ralph pressure everyone to live large and lavish. They say it’ll attract more people to join the company if they see what a good life Potent Potions consultants live.” Her shoulders sagged. “I’ve spent all my money, as fast—” She shook her head. “Faster than it’s come in. They promised me that my business would grow every month. And it did.” The bags under her eyes suddenly looked darker as her face fell. “Until last month. After the policy change, my numbers have been in a nosedive, with no signs that it’ll get better anytime soon.”

Peter looked around, then spoke in a hushed voice. “Did you express your concerns to anyone?”

Peyton nodded, the corners of her mouth sagging. “Yeah. I brought it up with Pearl herself. She told me to stop panicking—that it was just an adjustment period and that I had to set a good example for my downline. That if they were leaving, it was because they could sense that I was freaking out.” Her wide eyes searched our faces. “But what was I supposed to do? I wasn’t able to pay my mortgage—I might lose my house!”

Daisy wagged her tail. Truth.

I frowned—this