“And he agreed?” That didn’t sound like Jake.
She threw up her hands. “No idea. The next thing, he was dead, and Doc appeared mighty relieved.”
A nasty suspicion formed in my mind. “That’s a motive.”
“It could also mean nothing. There were a number of people he’d rubbed the wrong way with his rule-enforcing.” She didn’t sound convinced. “I don’t want to start any rumors.”
“Neither do I. But I don’t think anyone in town will have any peace until the case is solved.” I shivered. “I’m having nightmares over it. It’s like him trying to reach out to me.” That was as far as I could safely go with telling her the truth.
“We could ask the cards,” she said. “It might be a little uncomfortable for Nick if his wife starts to meddle in a case his senior partnerwas taking care of, but nobody will know if we do a phone-in with the oracle.”
I grinned. Whatever happened, Ange’s weird phrases never disappointed.
She opened her purse. “Darn. I left my Tarot cards on the table. The one at home. Do you have a deck?”
“Let me check.” I pulled up the long inventory list on my computer. “Nothing on here, I’m afraid.” I tried to remember if I’d seen Tarot cards in the secret room. Again, I came up empty. If only I could ask Cosmo. Because the question was, did Tarot cards not work or did my aunt the good witch simply have no need for them?
“We could do a session tonight,” she suggested. “Cards first, and a visit to theBlue Moonafter?”
“Great. Can you ask Nick discreetly about Doc and his wrong cause of death?”
“I’ll do my best. He’s home for lunch, so I better run and throw a pizza in the oven.”
With a huge sense of relief, I watched her climb into her car. With Ange, Harper, and a talking familiar by my side, we’d sort out this mess lickety-split, if the police hadn’t done so already.
Chapter thirteen
Irewarded myself with a nap, to make up for the lost sleep. For once, Cosmo agreed with me. Magical powers or not, he followed a sensible feline routine. Or training me exhausted him too.
I woke up an hour later, without so much as the flicker of a nightmare to freak me out. Beside me, Cosmo yawned. At a quick calculation, he occupied two thirds of my bed. Considering that he had more cushy sleeping spots than most kings, I wondered if he wanted to gently remind me who was boss or if he was trying to guard me.
My joints creaked as I rolled my shoulders. It reminded me that I needed to put self-care in my priority list. Not the reiki guy who came so highly commended, though. My preference went more towards Pilates or aqua aerobics. Unless Cosmo taught me a spell to magic away minor ailments.
He gave me a blank stare when I asked him about it after a late lunch. “What’s wrong with humans? Always wanting the easy option.”
That stung. “I don’t. And neither did my aunt.”
“That’s true. Violet accepted the laws of nature. Pills for her heart, speaking louder when she went a little deaf.”
“And I don’t? I’m only asking, which for the record, I wouldn’t have to do, if you’d stop acting all secretive. If I had more information, I’d be able to adjust alot faster.”
He flexed his paw and cleaned the space between his toes. I harbored the suspicion he used these dramatic pauses to decide how much to tell me. “Stop treating me like a child,” I said.
“Sure?”
“Cosmo. I’m close to hitting the big five-oh, menopause makes me hot and cranky, and if you want me to learn anything before I develop brain fog, you better hurry.”
“How can you be sure it’s the menopause?”
“Because I’m having symptoms?” Now I was really having a mood swing. Before, I’d thrown in the bit about being cranky for good measure, so he could admire my restraint.
“It could also be the magic.”
“What?”
“It happens a lot. You can feel a temperature surge when you practice magic, or when someone else does. It’s also possible that a person with powers is close to you, whether they use their gifts or not.”
I tried to digest that information. “I’m not going through the change?”
