Son of a Witch Read online

  Son of a Witch

  Crypt Witch Cozy Mystery Series, Volume 5

  K.E. O'Connor

  Published by K.E. O'Connor, 2019.

  While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions, or for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein.

  SON OF A WITCH

  First edition. January 12, 2019.

  Copyright © 2019 K.E. O'Connor.

  Written by K.E. O'Connor.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 1

  I loved the familiar sucking pull of the magic as I slid through the barrier from the outside world back into Willow Tree Falls. It felt like home as I stood blinking in the late afternoon sunshine.

  I’d only been away twenty-four hours. The demon I’d been tracking had been easy to capture. Easy but stinky.

  My long hair stank like cheese that had been left on the countertop in the hot sun. And, no matter how tightly I tied the demon bag attached to my belt loop, the demon inside continued to ooze noxious fumes through the material.

  I looked at my black pants and grimaced. They’d have to be burned. I doubted even my mom could remove the stench and stains on them.

  Rolling my shoulders, I adjusted the bag on my hip and strolled toward Angel Force. They could deal with this pongy demon. Once they had him, I intended to kick back and enjoy a couple of lemon drops in Cloven Hoof before it got busy for the evening.

  “Tempest! Tempest Crypt! Stop right there.”

  My shoulders hitched as I saw Mannie Winter racing toward me on his stubby legs, a bag in one hand. What did our local mayor want? We were far from friendly since I’d revealed his affair during the last mayoral election. He did nothing but glower at me and mutter whenever our paths crossed. Not this time. Mannie was smiling, and that made me suspicious.

  “Phew! That’s my cardio for the week.” Mannie patted his round belly and blinked up at me. He was a sturdy dwarf, standing at just over five feet, with a long, well-oiled beard that trailed to his silver belt buckle.

  “It looks like you need a sit down after that run,” I said. “Something must be important to get you moving like that.”

  Mannie chuckled and smoothed his bushy eyebrows with his fingers. “Indeed, there is. I have urgent business to attend to. I haven’t stopped all day.”

  “There’s not another election coming up, is there?” Mannie had been in his role as mayor for less than a year. His vision for Willow Tree Falls was to turn it into a mecca for tourists who were attracted to our mystical stones and thermal spas. I couldn’t think of anything worse than having the streets constantly thrumming with tourists. A lot of them found us anyway, but since Mannie had taken charge, the numbers had increased.

  “Oh no. That’s not for another four years. You’re stuck with me for now.” He chuckled heartily and slapped his belly.

  “That’s good to know. If you’ll excuse me.” I tried to step past him, but he matched my movement and blocked my way.

  Mannie wafted his hand in front of his nose. “You’ve got a stinker in that bag. I hope he didn’t cause you problems.”

  I shook the bag and more toxic fumes seeped out and wafted around Mannie. “Nothing I can’t handle.”

  “Of course. A clever demon catching witch, such as yourself, is always in top form.”

  I raised my eyebrows. Why was he being so nice? “I need to be. Otherwise, I won’t be alive for much longer.”

  Mannie chuckled again. “Absolutely. Quite right. How’s the family? Is everyone keeping well?”

  I wished he’d stop making small talk and tell me what he wanted. “They’re all good.”

  “And Queenie has recovered from that terrible incident with her friends?”

  “She’s much better.” Auntie Queenie had recently lost two of her biker gang members when one of the gang turned rogue. “She’s just come back from a cruise. It’s done her the world of good.”

  “Oh, I love a cruise,” Mannie said. “There’s nothing like sitting on the deck, a tankard of ale next to me and the sun on my face. Have you ever been on a cruise?”

  “No. Mannie, I really must get on. This demon won’t stay in the bag for much longer.”

  “Oh, of course. But, before you go.” Mannie placed his bag on the ground and extracted a pink box with the Sprinkles bakery logo on the top. “I thought you might like a cake.” He flipped the lid open to reveal a row of glistening doughnuts. There was every kind, from traditional glazed to luxuriant looking snickerdoodle.

  I licked my lips. I was starving but still hesitated. Mannie Winter wanted something. All this sweet talk and now the offer of doughnuts. I raised a hand toward the doughnuts but didn’t take one.

  “Go on. One doughnut won’t hurt.” Mannie waggled his eyebrows. “You deserve it after keeping the world safe from another demon threat.”

  I tilted my head. “Are these treats being offered to make sure Frank doesn’t come out and play with you?” Mannie knew me well, and he knew that feeding me sweet treats kept my incumbent demon from getting feisty.

  Mannie shrugged and looked a little shamefaced. “It never hurts to make sure both of you are happy.”

  I stared at the doughnuts. They did look tasty, and you could never go wrong with a doughnut from Sprinkles.

  “Wait for me!” The ground shuddered beneath my feet.

  I turned to see Wiggles charging toward us, his ears flat against his head and a determined gleam in his red eyes.

  My eyes widened, and I backed away. Wiggles was heading straight for the box of doughnuts in Mannie’s hand. “You might like to—”

  Wiggles launched into the air, colliding with the box and knocking it to the ground. He tumbled across the dirt, bounced onto his feet, and pounced on the first doughnut before it had rolled to a stop.

  I sighed and looked forlornly at the fallen doughnuts.

  “Well, I never.” Mannie stared at the mess on the ground. “Your dog needs to go to obedience classes.”

  “What can I say? He’s a demon when it comes to cake.”

  Wiggles glanced up, his mouth full of a glazed sugared doughnut. “A hellhound, actually.”

  Mannie glared at Wiggles as he munched on his second doughnut.

  “Hey, Tempest,” Wiggles said. “Good trip?”

  I patted the bag. “I got the job done. Did you miss me?”

  He made a muffled sound as he scooped up his next doughnut.

  I took that to mean: yes, very much. And I didn’t race all this way just to eat the mayor’s doughnuts. I was coming to see you and tell you how happy I am that you’re home.

  Mannie was grumbling under his breath, his hands in fists by his sides.

  “Apart from wanting to welcome me back to the village and offer me doughnuts,” I said to him, “was there anything else you needed?”

  “It’s funny you should ask.” Mannie adjusted his waistcoat. “As you know, I’ve been working on our exciting new tourist attraction.”

  My mouth twisted to the side. “The magic mus
eum.”

  “It will be incredible. A history of magic and witchcraft. Dozens of exhibits, lifelike dioramas, and stunning history to enjoy. People will flock here in the thousands to see our interactive, fully immersive exhibits. I’ll be unveiling a new exhibit every other month.”

  “I can’t wait.” I didn’t mind a bit of history, but this museum would mean a lot more tourists, and I wasn’t a fan.

  “This will put us on the map.” Mannie nodded. “It opens tomorrow evening. We have VIP guests and exclusive speakers attending. And we’ll reveal our first exhibition. The Murder of Witches.”

  My eyebrows shot up. “Your first exhibit is all about how to kill my family?”

  Mannie roared with laughter. “My dear Tempest, your family is indestructible. This is about the history of witch murders. The traditional methods used hundreds of years ago to hunt down witches and expose them.”

  I frowned. “Who wants to see that?”

  “Everyone who doesn’t have magic, of course,” Mannie said. “There’s always been a fascination from those who don’t have our skills. They love to see how witches and other magical creatures were treated over the centuries.”

  “We were treated appallingly,” I said. “Why not do a diorama about ten ways to kill irritating dwarves?”

  Mannie shook his head. “No, murdering witches is all the rage.”

  I wouldn’t mind seeing the dwarf exhibit. There was one dwarf who was tempting me to try a cruel and unusual method of killing him. “Willow Tree Falls is our haven. Why bring up the past? Here, we don’t need to worry about ducking stools appearing by the pond and an angry mob with flaming torches dragging us from our beds.”

  “A ducking stool! It’s as if you’ve read my mind. That’s our opening exhibit.”

  I arched an eyebrow. “It sounds great. Best of luck with it.”

  “Oh, no. You misunderstand. I—”

  “Mannie! Mannie! What are you doing?” A stick-thin, sharp-faced woman with a steel-gray bob strode toward Mannie, her green eyes narrowed and a pair of glasses perched on the end of her long nose.

  Mannie’s smile stretched across his face, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Gretel, I was about to extol your virtues to Tempest.”

  Gretel eyed me with suspicion. “There’s no time for that. There are so many problems at the museum, I don’t know where to start. You must come quickly.”

  Mannie chuckled, but I noticed his shoulders hunch to his ears. “Everything’s running to plan. We’ve been over the arrangements a dozen times. It can’t be anything serious.” He turned to me. “Tempest Crypt, meet Gretel Le Strange. She’s one of our VIP guests at the museum opening.”

  I nodded a greeting at Gretel. “Nice to meet you.”

  “Indeed.” Her gaze ran over me. She wrinkled her nose when she saw the smoking bag on my hip. “What have you got there?”

  “Tempest’s a skilled demon hunter,” Mannie said. “In fact, she has all kinds of marvelous skills.”

  “Good for her.” Gretel turned to Mannie. “You must come at once. You have to see the disaster. If we open with the ducking stool exhibit looking like it does, we’ll be a laughing stock.”

  “Just a moment,” Mannie said. “Tempest, Gretel has been helping at the museum.”

  Gretel snorted. “Helping! The place would be a joke if I wasn’t involved.”

  Mannie winced. “Gretel’s a well-known historian, specializing in the history of magic.”

  “Congratulations,” I said to her. I could do snooty too if needed.

  Mannie’s gaze turned anxious. “Gretel will be giving talks and demonstrations at the opening tomorrow.”

  I nodded and watched Wiggles with envy as he polished off the dirt-covered doughnuts. He would have such bad indigestion. I wouldn’t be sharing a bed with him tonight.

  “Since we’re having VIP visitors at the museum,” Mannie continued, “I’m in need of your expertise.”

  I glanced at him. “To do what?”

  “To assist with the security. It’s such an important event, and the place will be crammed full of guests.”

  “Okay, but it’s a museum. Why do you need security?”

  “Because of our important guests.” Mannie tilted his head at Gretel, who stood tapping her foot. “Along with Gretel, we also have the author of the book who helped bring this museum to life.”

  Gretel snorted. “Isadora might have written some popular piece of fluff about the history of witchcraft, but it’s hardly instrumental in creating the museum. In case you’ve forgotten, I’ve advised you every day for nine months on this matter.”

  Mannie’s lips pressed together. “I haven’t forgotten. Your input has been most welcome.”

  Gretel huffed and folded her arms across her chest. “We need to get a move on. Stop wasting your time with this witch.”

  “Tempest is going to help us,” Mannie said, a pleading look entering his eyes. “I need her for the extra security at the museum.”

  I shook my head. “I’m no security expert. Why don’t you ask the angels?”

  Mannie scuffed a foot in the dirt. “The angels are lovely creatures, and they do their best. I’m not sure they can handle a security job of such importance. Things could get hectic. What if someone needs calming down?”

  “Have you ever been hit in the face with an angel wing? They sting. It would calm anyone down.” I didn’t want anything to do with this. “If your museum guests get rowdy after their sherry, the angels can handle them. I don’t run a security team.”

  “You’ve got experience from running Cloven Hoof,” Mannie said. “You have door staff.”

  “What’s Cloven Hoof?” Gretel sneered. “It sounds like some disreputable devil’s den, a place for down and outs.”

  “You’re pretty close.” My smile felt more like a snarl. “We have a specific clientele we cater to.”

  “I doubt I’d enjoy your establishment,” Gretel said.

  “It’s definitely not for you.” My fingers flexed, and I took a step closer to Gretel.

  Mannie grabbed my arm. “Please, Tempest, I need the very best for our guests. Whatever you need to make it a success, it’s yours.”

  I pulled my arm from his grasp. “I need nothing. I’m not a bouncer. This isn’t what I do.”

  “Money’s no object.”

  Gretel scowled at Mannie and turned away from us, her foot continuing to beat on the ground.

  Mannie leaned closer. “Please, Gretel’s very demanding. I need somebody to keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn’t take over and spoil things.”

  I stepped away from him and studied Gretel’s back. She did look like a handful, but I didn’t want to hang out with a rude magic historian for an evening.

  “Try someone else. Rhett’s gang is always good if you’re looking for muscle to keep things under control.”

  “Oh, no. They’re not the right kind of security.” Mannie shook his head swiftly. “You can handle yourself in a professional manner if there’s trouble.” He nodded at the bag on my hip, which now oozed a green sludge from the bottom. “You look after the demons. You even have your own under control these days.”

  Gretel spun on her chunky-heeled shoes and scowled at me. “You own a demon?”

  I shook my head. “No. It’s a long story.”

  “There’ll be canapés and champagne. You’d be free to help yourself,” Mannie said. “You’ll be doing me such a favor.”

  “Did someone say free canapés?” Wiggles belched out smoke, which was tinged with the smell of sulfur.

  Gretel took several steps back and pinched her nose.

  “Sorry, Mannie. I’m out. You’ll have to find someone else.”

  He caught hold of my elbow, and his eyes glittered. “I wasn’t going to mention this, but if you do this for me, last month’s noise violation will disappear. What do you say? The paperwork vanishes, you get a decent bit of cash in your pocket, and you can drink and eat ‘til your heart’s conten
t.”

  This time, it was my turn to scowl. That noise violation would cost me a few thousand in fines, and there was no way out of it. “Just one evening?”

  “That’s all I ask. Get there at six, and we’ll be done by eleven.”

  I rubbed my forehead, not happy with Mannie’s underhanded tactics. “Can I bring an extra body? Suki looks after the door at Cloven Hoof most nights. She’s good at keeping order.”

  “Absolutely, bring whoever you like,” Mannie said. “Same goes for them, free canapés and drinks.”

  “I’d better get out my smart bowtie,” Wiggles said, “if I’m going to be a bouncer for the evening.”

  Mannie blinked at Wiggles before nodding. “Why not? A hellhound as security will be a fun bonus.”

  Wiggles strutted around us. “I’ll take my payment in bones and cupcakes.”

  I sighed. It looked like I’d be adding bouncer to my resume. “We’ll be there.”

  “That’s excellent news.” Mannie smiled at me before turning to Gretel, whose face looked set in a permanent frown.

  “My time is precious,” she snapped at him.

  “Of course.” Mannie nodded at Gretel. “Let’s see about this museum exhibit you’re not happy with.”

  I watched them walk away. “How were the doughnuts?” I asked Wiggles.

  “Tasty. A bit gritty, but they were free.”

  “They looked lovely. Maybe save me one the next time you knock a whole box on the ground.”

  “You wouldn’t have liked them. Some had coconut sprinkles on the top.”

  I stuck my tongue out. I wasn’t a big coconut fan. “Come on. Let’s get rid of this demon. Then we need to figure out how we’re going to avoid falling asleep at this dull museum opening.”

  Wiggles nudged me with his nose as we walked to Angel Force. “It’s good to have you back. I sort of miss you when you’re not around.”

  I smiled down at him. “I missed you too, you greedy hellhound.”

  Chapter 2

  “I didn’t know my girlfriend was so rough and tough.” Rhett Blackthorn grinned at me from the other side of the bar.