The Girl with the Uninvited Ghost: Pandemonium Cozy Mystery #1

Chapter 34

They gathered the photos and placed them in a stack on the coffee table. Mahogany put the image with Magic Mike and the murderer into the manila envelope with the other clues gathered by Priscilla Wembley before her death.

"Do you think Priscilla lost her life because of this?" Evelina tapped the legal-sized yellow envelope.

"It's possible." Guilt settled over Mahogany like a shroud.

Evelina's eyes grew wide, and she placed an arm over Mahogany's sagging shoulders. "This isn't your fault. You had no way of knowing the murderer would go after Priscilla."

Mahogany nodded but said nothing, afraid her voice would crack and release a flood of emotion.

"What I don't get," Tony said, "is that the photo left in Magic Mike's hand, Neema's face is circled, like a warning."

Neema, Evelina, and Mahogany nodded.

"So why wait? Why go after the librarian instead? What about Thadeus? Why hasn't the murderer tried to kill him already?" Tony said, his brow drawing together in a puzzled frown.

"Maybe they don't know what you look like now," Evelina said. "Thad isn't pictured here, and, no offense Neema, you've put on a few inches around the waist, and you dye your hair. Maybe they aren't sure who you are."

"We've established that this person has been planning this for a long time, decades even. Maybe they want to drive us crazy," Neema said. She'd finished placing the mirror back into the camera. "We need to get this back into evidence before the police miss it."

Mahogany nodded and, using the spectre, closed the camera in its evidence bag before resealing the red tape around the lid on Mike's box.

Tony stepped forward, helping Mahogany maneuver the box back through the port-o-hole. Their arms intertwined. Tony's warmth seeped into Mahogany's skin, making her heart flutter.

Once the box was back in evidence, Neema pulled the port-o-hole from the table top and walked it into the living room.

A sudden shrill chime made them all jump. "Sorry." Evelina fished her phone from her purse. "My alarm. I need to get some sleep before work."

"You set an alarm for bed?" Mahogany said. "Isn't that kind of backward?"

"Not if you're a night owl. It's completely reasonable," Evelina dropped her phone back into he purse. "I need to go. Craig warned if I'm late again, there will be Hades to pay."

"Me too," Tony said, stretching, his back cracking. "I have to open the store tomorrow, but I shouldn't leave you two on your own. The murderer has already made it clear they are willing to take innocent people down in their twisted quest."

Neema smiled a sly half-smile as she returned to the kitchen. "Oh, don't worry. We're safe." She gestured to the herbs stewing on the windowsill. "I've brewed a hefty protection spell. That gives me a great idea." She opened one of the kitchen cupboards, retrieved two glass vials, and filled each container with some of the concoction.

"I thought that was for a customer," Mahogany said, nodding towards the bowl.

"I didn't say who it was for, only that it was a full moon spell," Neema said. She held out the vials. "Tony, you're right about being on guard. This person is willing to hurt the innocent to obtain their goal. We all need protecting."

Tony and Evelina took the vials. "Keep them close. The closer, the better," Neema said.

"I'll sleep with it under my pillow," Evelina said.

"Me too," Tony said, slipping the vile into his pocket.

"And when you're out and about, have it on your person," Neema said.

"What about me?" Mahogany said. "Shouldn't I get some too?"

Neema brushed her words away with a flick of her wrist. "You don't need any. I placed a protection spell on your necklace years ago."

Mahogany fingered the silver chain and pentagram around her neck. "Years ago?"

Neema gave a smoky cackle. "Did you ever wonder why you never scraped your knees as a kid, learned to ride a bike without falling, or managed never to cut yourself while cooking?"

Mahogany stated, opened mouthed at the older woman, at a loss for words.

"It's late. We all need sleep," Neema said and clapped her hands, clearing everyone's milling thoughts.

Mahogany glanced at the clock over the oven. Two o'clock announced its steady green stare. "Neema's right. It's late." She walked Tony and Evelina to the door. "We'll talk later today and figure out what to do next."

"Make sure you keep the place locked tight," Tony said. "And call if anything freaks you out."

"My knight in shining armor," Mahogany said, trying to flirt, and then immediately regretted her comment.

Tony smiled, and he and Evelina headed to his car.

Mahogany yawned and locked the door behind them.

"Well," Neema said, "that was the most truth I've told anyone in over two decades."

"Good for you," Mahogany said and headed upstairs. When she got to her room, the bone needle on the compass was spinning like a top.