Chapter 24

“How did they get the body out of here without anyone noticing?” Alex said. “We were here until late last night.”

Iwaved toward the trees. “We’re a bit away from the house, and they had good cover. They probably used a glamour potion too. Any security cameras pointed this way?” I asked, hopeful.

Iancrossed his arms and shook his head. “None on the cemetery or the fence on this side.”

“Rufus and Fluffy didn’t notice anything?”

Ianthought about that. “If they did, they must’ve assumed it was part of our group rather than intruders. They might’ve done it while we were doing the rehearsal.”

Alexlet out a low whistle. “Gutsy.”

Ipointed at him. “We do not admire the murderous witch and their grave-digging companion.”

Hegrinned. “Sure, boss.”

“It wasn’t me!” Key blurted out.

Shanenudged her with his elbow. “We know.”

“Of course it wasn’t you,” I said, shocked she’d think we considered her a suspect. “AlthoughI’m sure if it had been you, you’d have left the grass a lot cleaner,” I added because there was never a bad time to be complimentary.

Keyappeared mollified. “Okay,” she murmured.

“Who would want to help Bagley, and why?” Ian asked.

“Bagley must’ve promised them some amazing dark magic spells,” I said sourly. It still stung it all had happened under my nose without me realizing. “Someone must’ve come into the shop at some point and Bagley must’ve recognized them as a target to help her out.” My thoughts immediately went to Dorsey. She had known Bagley, and just because she was an air mage, it didn’t mean she didn’t have other dark witch friends to help her out. She could’ve easily come in while I was out doing deliveries so I wouldn’t think of her when making a list of suspects. That would mean three people involved. Had there been a literal party in my shop while I slept blissfully unaware upstairs?

Theidea made my soul leave my body.

TheCouncil must never learn about this, or the shop and I were absolutely toast.

“You have any idea of who?” Shane asked.

Ishook my head. “Way too many customers, especially with the Halloween rush.” Everyone is a suspect was seriously not working out this time. MaybeI needed a better motto.

Alexglanced at the fence beyond the group of trees. “Where do you think they took the body?”

“Anywhere?” The idea slumped my spirits further, but then another thought came into mind, one that cheered me right up. “I don’t think Bagley would want to stay in a decomposing corpse.”

“Oh?” Ian said.

Ibegan pacing. “I think something went wrong with the spell and Crane wasn’t supposed to die. Not yet anyway.” Bagley wouldn’t want to stay in his body forever. “I think he was a temporary vessel to get Bagley out of the shop and somewhere else.”

“But he died,” Ian remarked.

“But he died,” I agreed. “Something must’ve happened then—either the witch was alone and couldn’t drag him out, or…”

“Their companion decided they didn’t want anything to do with murder and left them behind,” Shane supplied.

“Exactly! So now Bagley is stuck in Crane, but Crane is dead and unable to walk out of there.”

“The witch left the body for you to find?” Key asked dubiously.

“Yes. They must’ve waited to see what I did, then followed us here. Either they have a way to detect Bagley, so they knew where to dig, or somehow watched you bury him here.” The cover of trees was good, but not an impenetrable wall.

“But what if you went to the police and they took the body to the morgue?” Key asked.

“I’m sure they would’ve found a way to break in too.”

“Or they could have waited for the body to be released and buried somewhere, then done the same thing they did here,” Shane said.

“Smart,” Alex said. He lifted his hands in a peace offering. “No admiration intended.”

“Too smart,” I grumbled, then louder, “We need to find the body before they find another person to transfer Bagley into.”

Everyonegrimaced at my words.

“How are we going to do that?” Shane asked. “If they used a glamour potion, Rufus won’t be able to follow their scent.”

“They probably used a van anyway,” Alex said.

Iwalked through the trees and watched the houses on the other side of the street.

“We should ask people in those houses if they noticed any vans or big cars overnight or early this morning.”

“We can do that,” Ian said, coming to stand by my side. He motioned with his head, and the three strays jumped into action.

“On it, boss,” Shane said. They jogged back toward the house and the private gate.

“You should go back to the shop,” Ian said, rubbing my arm. “You’re going to catch a cold.”

Onlythen I realized that I hadn’t put on my jacket before leaving the shop. I shivered, suddenly chilled to the bone.

“Come,” Ian said. He took my hand and brought me into the house, where he gave me one of his jackets and allowed me to hold Fluffy for a few long minutes before sending me on my way.

Butas I waved goodbye and took Bee-Bee into the street, I decided that I needed to make one stop first.

Whoeverwas helping Bagley would fight to the last, but if the earth mage was a simple hire, they’d be a lot more willing to give up names.

Ididn’t have the best contacts in the dark web marketplace, but I knew one spot perfect for fishing. It was probably too early for Wyatt’s bar to be open, but I might as well pay it a visit and try later if it was closed.

Surprisingly, it was open. Several of the pubs were. I also noticed a police presence already on the streets, which was excellent news—it wouldn’t be easy for people to move a body around.

Nobouncer guarded the door of the bar this time, so I strode right in. The atmosphere inside was as gloomy this early in the morning as when I’d visited at night. A few customers sat at the bar and at the tall tables, nursing beers, while the shadowed booths by the wall were mostly unoccupied. I wondered if Wyatt simply kept the place going twenty-four-seven.

“What?” the man himself snapped from behind the bar.

“Good morning to you,” I answered brightly.

“I think you’re in the wrong place, lady,” Wyatt said with a very unbecoming sneer.

Imade a show of tapping my lips, then spoke loud and clear. “Are you sure? I was told this was the place to find earth mages.”

“We got nothing of that here.”

“But it’s urgent,” I pleaded. The background music was kept to a bare minimum and nobody had touched the ancient jukebox, giving my voice plenty of exposure. “I can pay well.”

“I don’t care. Now, order something or get out.”

Imight have, if I hadn’t left my wallet along with my phone back home. “If you know of anyone who can find me an earth mage on short notice, you’ll let me know?”

“Are you listening?”

“Areyou?” I countered cheekily. “Earth mage. Give me a call at the tea shop if you find one.”

Wyattpointed to the door. “Out.”

Ishook my head. “You’ll never attract new customers with that attitude.”

Hereached for the bat hanging from the back shelf, and I chose to retreat before he practiced his swing on my butt.

Withany luck, either Wyatt or another supernatural in the bar would find the earth mage for me and offer them on a plate in exchange for a good commission.

Asmart business owner knew when to delegate.

Bythe time I made it back to the shop, Dru had already opened. No customers yet, but that would change fast.

“Where were you?” she asked as I hurried upstairs to grab my phone. She followed me into the downstairs kitchen and watched me take one last deep inhale of Ian’s scent, then carefully fold his jacket over the counter.

Ikind of wanted to keep it on for the rest of the day, but Dru had the heater going, and it’d be too warm inside. Besides, I didn’t want to risk spilling anything on it. Ian’s clothes must always remain black like a void. It was his brand, and if there was something I fully understood, it was brands.

“Did you find another body?” Dru asked, full of suspicion. She was dressed all in white today—sparkling white shirt, white jeans, and…a golden band keeping her curls back?

Isquealed with delight. “Is that a halo on your head?”

Shesnapped a finger in my face. “Hope! Concentrate. Dead body?”

Startledgurgling reverberated behind the wall. A muscle flexed in Dru’s cheek.

“No new dead body,” I said. “Are you dressed up as an angel?”

Drusmirked and turned. Two angel wings were drawn on the back of her blouse with thin black tape.

“Oh, my God!”

Shewhirled around. “Are you crying?”

Iblinked repeatedly. “Nooo.”

Shemade a sound of disgust and stalked back into the shop.

Ifollowed, trying to compose myself. “Someone dug up Crane.”

Druhalted abruptly, and I almost crashed into her. “Dug up?” Her attention snapped to the ceiling. “He’s not in your bathtub, is he?”

“No, of course not.” Although in all fairness I hadn’t checked with the ghost-detecting spell. But surely not even Bagley would’ve been that mean, would she?

No, she wouldn’t. Okay, she totally would, but in this case, Bagley wanted a new body, not to be stuck in my pipes as a ghost again. She wouldn’t want to tempt fate and would make sure to stay away from the shop.

AsI told Dru about my theory, her expression cleared.

“You mean the old witch is no longer haunting the shop?”

“Nope.” And just to make sure, I added, “Ms. Bagley, today I made a cleansing potion with dandelions and baneberry.”

Is that bad?Dru mouthed.

Very bad, I answered.

Wewaited, breath caught. The soft notes of our usual background music filled the air, no screeches of horror at my incompetence to be heard.

Druappeared impressed. “She’s really gone.”

“Yep.” Unfortunately, now I needed to catch her again.

Drumust’ve followed my thought because she wrinkled her nose. “I guess not for long.”

“Better we know where she is than have her out there doing who knows what.”

“Can we make her haunt the closet under the stairs instead of the shop?”

“I’ll try my best.”

Thedoor opened to admit our first customer of the day. AsDru got busy serving their coffee, I sent Brimstone a text.

Anyearth mages in town?

Asusual, it didn’t take long for him to answer:

Key.

Myright eye twitched.

Asidefrom Key.

Willask around.

Ithanked him and put the phone away. ThenI froze.

Therewas one earth mage possibility: Key’s missing brother.

Butno, what were the chances? Earth mages were rare, but not that rare. ShouldI mention this possibility to Key? IfI’d thought of it, she must’ve too.

Ididn’t want her to run straight into danger on the slim hope this was her brother. Whoever this earth mage was, they had helped dig a grave and move a corpse, and possibly had been around when the corpse had been murdered. These were dangerous people, and Key was desperate where her brother was concerned.

Onthe other hand, keeping something from her when I’d just witnessed how hurt she’d been that I hadn’t included her in the Crane debacle from the start would be stupid and unfair of me.

“Grandma,” I murmured, looking up. “What would you do?”

ConsideringGrandma hadn’t told me about my magic until she was dead and I’d gotten her spellbook and a long letter at twenty, perhaps not the best person to ask.

Butone of her adages did come to mind:

Don’tcount your sandwiches before you check the fridge for ham and cheese.

Paraphrasing.

I’dwait to see if anyone took the bait about the earth mage, and then go from there.

Thedoor opened again, and a familiar yipping mixed with the tinkle of the bell.

“Fluffy!”