Haunted Hex (Familiar Kitten Mysteries Book 10) by Sara Bourgeois (best value ebook reader txt) 📗

the one on the shelf that had previously contained the spell bags.

“What are those?” Thorn asked as I put them neatly back in the basket.

“Spell bags,” I said. “They do different things. You keep them in your pocket, in your purse, or tied to the loops on your pants. They’re very popular now that witches can’t just handwave their magic spells anymore. Tourists love them too, though they don’t do much for them.”

“They’re different colors,” he observed as I put a couple more of the little velvet bags in the basket.

“Red is for love, blue is for clarity, and green is for luck or money,” I said. “Basic stuff that most people are looking for. I think for most people, they really just make them feel better or more confident, but that can be its own kind of magic.”

“What’s that one for?” Thorn asked sharply.

“I told you…” I started to say because I thought I’d explained all of the little spell bags we had.

I hadn’t.

There, hidden under the others, was a black bag. It wasn’t one of ours. Well, the bag itself could have been. We sold black velvet bags and ingredients, but we did not sell them as ready-made spell bags for unwitting tourists. I would never sell a black magic spell that way.

“This isn’t…” I said and picked the bag up. “Someone put this here.”

I quickly slid the little sachet into my purse. Thorn’s eyes went wide with surprise.

“Kinsley, you can’t just take that. It’s evidence,” he said.

“I don’t want to file a report,” I said. “I’m sorry we wasted your time.”

“Kinsley, don’t,” Thorn said softly. “You can’t file a claim with the insurance company without a police report.”

“That’s fine,” I said. “I’ll pay for the damages myself. I don’t want to file a report. Thank you, gentlemen, for coming. Reggie, my mother and I will handle this.”

Thorn leaned over close to me. “Are you okay?”

“I am,” I whispered and patted his arm. “I just don’t want to have to explain any of this to Jeremy. I can feel from the bag that this is a witch matter, and the Coven will handle it.”

“All right,” he said. “Come on, Jeremy. Let’s go get started on that mountain of paperwork you left on my desk.”

“Boss?” Jeremy was thoroughly confused.

“You heard me. The business owner is declining to file a report, so our work here is done,” Thorn said.

Jeremy shot me a look, but I returned a smile. “Thank you for everything,” I said. “There’s nothing here for you to worry about, and we’ll handle it.”

The spell that kept non-witches from noticing us and our magic was weakening thanks to the magical reset, but thankfully, it wasn’t gone completely. Jeremy nodded his head and left with Thorn. He would accept whatever Thorn told him about the robbery or, thanks to the supernatural veil, his brain would just make something up.

“I’ll meet you back at the station,” Thorn said to Jeremy.

It was a dismissal, but Jeremy didn’t seem to take it harshly. He kissed Reggie and was on his way.

“You’re not going to stay here and try and solve this, are you?” Thorn asked.

“No. I’m going to call someone to come put in a new front door, and then I’ll go home,” I said.

“Good,” Thorn returned. “I’ll be home in time for dinner.”

“Oh, here, take these,” I said and handed Thorn the bag with the sandwiches in it. “Breakfast for the two of you.”

Once he was gone, I told Reggie to keep the store closed for the day. She could do the inventory if she wanted, but I had the strong feeling that the little spell bag I’d tucked into my purse was the reason for the break-in.

I called around and found a local handyman who could install a new door that afternoon, and once I had that lined up, I called the closest big box hardware store to see if they had a glass door in stock. They had what I needed, so I paid for it over the phone. One more call to the handyman to coordinate him picking up the door, since he had a truck, and the business of getting the door fixed was handled.

“Well, now I’m exhausted,” I said to Mom when I was off the phone. “That wiped me out.”

“What would make you feel better?” she said. Laney was asleep in her arms and didn’t stir at the sound of our voices.

“Coffee and one of Viv’s breakfast sandwiches,” I said with a sigh. “I’m hungry again and I gave away the sandwiches.”

“Well, let’s go over there,” Mom said. “Maybe Reggie would like to come too?”

“I will invite her,” I said and stood up.

Viv’s coffee shop and restaurant had survived the tornado unscathed. In fact, in the direct aftermath of the twister, she’d stepped up and provided the community with warmth and comfort.

You might have thought that the lack of tourism would have hurt her business, but the community had rallied around her. Even without tourists, the Brew Station was busy from the time it opened until it closed.

Reggie was more than eager to go grab a bite to eat. We left the car parked in front of the shop and walked across the square to get to Viv’s.

The ley line that run under the area pulsed as we walked across it, but it was nothing like it had been in the past. Back before magic had faded, you could concentrate on that ley line and draw a huge surge of power. Today it was nothing more than a tingle. You could have mistaken it for your foot falling asleep.

I looked up at the window where I used to see the terrifying apparition of a woman with black holes for her face and eyes. I hadn’t seen her since the tornado, and I didn’t see her now either. If my mother hadn’t witnessed her too, I would have sworn I imagined the whole thing.

Where had she gone? I couldn’t shake the memory of seeing her face