“The kind of spell a three-hundred-thirty-four year old spirit witch could invoke?” Jude asked, looking worried.
“Shit,” Cope muttered under his breath. “I didn’t pick up on Amity’s spirit that night at the theater, but if she’s capable of the spell she put on Alistair, then she’s more than capable of keeping herself hidden.” His gaze turned to Everly. “If I had just kept my stupid mouth shut, you wouldn’t be in danger. None of you would be.”
“You need to hit the spell books, Uncle Cope. Find out what you can about the Wellington coven, so we’ll be better armed to face what’s coming. I’ll call Madam Aurora and see if she can help me try to break through the protection spell on Alistair.” Everly looked proud of herself.
Ronan snorted. “My apple didn’t fall far from the tree. Listen to you giving orders and setting up your own investigation.” He shook his head. “I only wish it didn’t have to do with a vengeful fake psychic and his powerful colonial sidekick.”
“It’s gonna be okay, Daddy.” Everly patted his hand. “What about you, Greeley? What did you and Uncle Jude find out today?”
Jude cracked his knuckles. “You’re not going to believe what we found.” He paused for a second, reveling in the anticipation.
“Alistair is a serial killer!” Greeley blurted out.
“What the actual fuck?” Ronan asked. “Who the hell has he been killing?”
“His wives,” Jude returned, grinning from ear to ear.
“I don’t want to ask but how many wives were there?” Fitz wore a worried look.
“Seven,-” Greeley began.
“Just like Elizabeth Taylor!” Cope and Ten said at the same time.
“Right, only she didn’t kill her husbands. Alistair did.” Jude reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper and handed it to Ronan. It was a list of all seven wives, plus the fiancé and their causes of death.
“Are you kidding me?” Ronan asked, looking from the list to Jude and Greeley.
“Notkidding.” Greeley shook his head. “We found death certificates. I printed them out and have them in the file for you to take a look at tomorrow.”
“Read it, Daddy!” Everly prodded Ronan’s shoulder. “Don’t worry about me. I already know, but have questions.”
Ronan rolled his eyes and started to read. “Tinsley, fell at home. Marilyn, accidental drowning. Jeannie, heart attack. Kelly-Ann, liver disease.”
“We think she was an actual love match and died from natural causes,” Greeley interjected.
Ronan’s eyes widened, but he kept reading. “Molly, fell into a gorge. Cynthia, acute ethylene glycol poisoning, suicide. Michelle, auto accident, brakes failed. Last but not least is a fiancé named Jessica who was bitten by a rattlesnake.”
“On purpose?” Fitz asked.
“I suppose the bite could have been accidental.” Jude shrugged. What did it matter if the snake meant to bite Jessica, she was still dead.
“No, dumbass,” Fitz rolled his eyes. “Was the snake introduced to Jessica or did they meet up in nature?”
Jude barked a laugh. “Fitz, I hate to break this to you but snakes don’t have fingers or smartphones. They’re hardly likely to have a Tinder profile.”
Everly burst out laughing. “It wouldn’t be Tinder, Uncle Jude, it would Sssssslither!”
“She’s one of us!” Jude crowed.
“I think what Fitz is trying to ask, Jude, is if Alistair put the snake in Jessica’s bed or handbag or car, which caused her to get bitten. Was it murder or a terrible accident?” Ronan asked.
“It was ruled accidental. Jessica was the only one of the unlucky eight, nine if you count Endora, who had an autopsy, because her mother was her next of kin. I read the report and there was nothing to suggest the bite was a deliberate act. My guess is that he was just getting warmed up with Jessica.” Jude shook his head. He loved Cope with his entire heart and soul. He couldn’t imagine causing his husband’s death the way Alistair had so carelessly done. “With Alistair’s seven wives, he was the next of kin and had the women cremated as soon as the ink was dry ontheir death certificates. There was no one to raise a red flag or to ask for an autopsy on their behalf.”
“He picked women who were lonely and vulnerable,” Greeley said. “Then he took everything they had.”
“Well,” Everly began, “that’s what we have to do to Alistair. Take it all back.”
Jude couldn’t have said it better himself. It wasn’t going to be easy with all nine deaths associated with Alistair being ruled accidental or due to natural causes. What Jude did know, was that if there was a will, then there was a way to bring Alistair Hooke to his knees.
