Ricky’s eyes went wide as saucers. He shook his head. “No, sir. I don’t know nothing ‘bout that. I would never do such a thing.”
I watched him for a moment longer.
“I swear on my momma’s grave!” he said.
“I’m still alive, Ricky!” his mother said.
I rubbed my mouth to disguise my amusement. I needed to stay serious here. “Have you ever met with Ezzila in Dreckle?” I asked.
“Ezzila? Who’s that?” Ricky asked. I raised my eyebrows, and he whipped around to look at his mother. “Really, who’s that?”
“The town witch, Ricky,” his mother said.
“I don’t know her! Honest!” Ricky said. “If I wanted to curse someone, I woulda just gone to Griffin’s wife. Willorunia! You knowshe’sa witch, right?”
“Ricky!” his mother hissed, pulling him back by the shoulders. “Willorunia is a good woman, Officer. She would never accept a job to curse the inn her own husband works at.”
I lifted a hand. “Willorunia has helped me quite a lot with this investigation. I’m fairly confident that she and her husband are both innocent.”
She leaned closer to speak in a lowered voice. “You know, I heard Boris’s grandson Cassian didn’t want to inherit the inn, and he was looking for a way out. That’s why he invited his cousin to help him. Have you considered it might have been him?”
“Cassian contacted us to come investigate. I’m certain he is not to blame,” I said.
She shrugged her shoulders high, closing her eyes when she said, “It would be a good cover.”
As true as that was, I could not bring myself to believe Cassian was responsible. Maybe that made me a bad investigator, but it would’ve been stupid of him to curse the inn and then call the Force, and he was not stupid.
“Thank you for your time,” I said, tucking my journal into my coat pocket. “I’ll be in touch if I need anything more from either of you.”
“I’m not in trouble, am I, Officer?” Ricky asked, on the verge of tears.
“You will be if you keep lying about the dead,” I said. “I highly recommend you return to the inn and come clean to Mr. Fibbersnap. If you keep it up, I might be seeing you again someday.”
Ricky watched his feet as he rubbed the toe of his boot against the wood floor. “Yes, sir,” he mumbled.
His mother mouthedthank youto me, and I gave her a nod and went on my way.
The next day, I made my way to Willorunia’s house. She was not happy to see me.
“Officer Thorndrop,” she said, stepping out of her house and shutting the door. “Where’s Cassian?”
“He doesn’t want to be involved with the investigation anymore,” I explained.
Willorunia crossed her arms. “Am I still a suspect?”
“Almost everyone is, Willorunia,” I said, withdrawing my journal to take notes. “Do you have a minute to talk?”
“I only have one minute. I’m with a client,” she said.
“Who’s the client?” I asked.
Her gaze became very serious. “That’s confidential, Officer. If you want me to answer questions of that nature, you’ll need a writ.”
I nodded. “It’s good of you to keep your customers’ information private. I just have some questions about magic for you if you don’t mind.”
“Depends on the questions,” she said. I was beginning to understand why she and Griffin were a good match. They carried the same disdain for nosiness and for the Force.
“I spoke with Ezzila. She tried to tell me you could have altered the diagnosis to prevent your own magic from being traced.”
