Every Witch Way But Wicked (A Wicked Witches of the Midwest Mystery) by Amanda M. Lee Read Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Amanda M. Lee
uncle people try to hide at family reunions. Let’s just say he had wandering hands.
“I asked him today,” I admitted.
“What did he say?” Clove asked curiously.
“He doesn’t think he was murdered.”
“Wouldn’t he know?”
“Not necessarily. He says he went to sleep and just didn’t wake up.”
“And Chief Terry didn’t order an autopsy?” Thistle asked dubiously.
“Why would he? William was ninety and there were no signs of a struggle or anything,” I reminded her.
“Yeah, I can see why he wouldn’t waste the time or money,” Thistle grudgingly admitted.
“Something else weird happened, though,” I said.
“What?”
“I asked him if maybe he had unfinished business and that was what was keeping him here and he kind of ran from the office.”
“He ran? Can ghosts run?” Clove looked intrigued.
“Well, he didn’t exactly run, but he floated really quickly.”
“Did he say anything?” Thistle looked puzzled.
“He said he didn’t have any unfinished business, but even Edith could tell he was lying.”
Thistle thought about it a minute. “I bet he’s just protecting Brian.”
“You just don’t like Brian,” I interjected.
“You don’t like him either,” she countered.
“I didn’t say I didn’t like him. I said I got a weird vibe off him.”
“That’s the same as saying you don’t like him,” Thistle argued.
“I think he’s nice,” Clove offered.
“You think he’s hot,” Thistle shot back. “There’s a difference.”
“I don’t think he’s hot,” Clove countered, but her face was reddening under Thistle’s increased scrutiny.
“Whatever.”
“I don’t!”
“Okay, you don’t,” Thistle said, rolling her eyes in my direction.
“I don’t!”
Thistle and I turned our attention away from Clove and back to the store. “Will you guys be done by tonight?” There were still five boxes sitting on the counter waiting to be unpacked.
“We’ll be fine,” Thistle said. “Once Clove stops thinking about Brian and focuses on her work, that is.”
“You’re dead to me,” Clove grumbled as she returned to the decorations she was sorting.
Thistle and I exchanged knowing looks. Clove had a crush. Of course, the fact that she had a crush on my new boss was a little irritating, but if things worked out I might be able to work that to my advantage eventually.
What? I was thinking about her well-being. No. I really was.
Eight
After work, I went home long enough to change my clothes and get a notebook so I could cover tonight’s bonfire event. It wasn’t exactly like it was going to be difficult, but I wanted to make sure we had a good package for Brian’s first edition in charge.
When I got home, I found that our living room had been transformed into big pile of clothes. I figured Clove was underneath some of them, because I could see them moving when I entered the room.
“What’s going on?”
Clove looked up from the pile of clothes and regarded me with a stunned look. “It’s Thistle. I think she’s lost her mind.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Just watch.”
I sat on the edge of the armchair and waited for whatever travesty Clove had been witnessing. I didn’t have to wait long. Thistle flounced out of her bedroom in her bra and underwear and pointed a finger at me accusingly. “I have nothing to wear. I need to go through your closet.”
I glanced around at the pile of clothes for a second. “You’ve tried all these on?”
“Yes.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“You’ve only been home like twenty minutes and this is like fifty outfits, so that’s virtually impossible,” I pointed out.
“Most of them she just came out and threw at me and screamed ‘how could you let me buy this,’” Clove said helpfully.
“I did not,” Thistle scoffed, running her hand through her hair exasperatedly.
I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing out loud. Thistle was clearly on the edge. If I started laughing now, she
“I asked him today,” I admitted.
“What did he say?” Clove asked curiously.
“He doesn’t think he was murdered.”
“Wouldn’t he know?”
“Not necessarily. He says he went to sleep and just didn’t wake up.”
“And Chief Terry didn’t order an autopsy?” Thistle asked dubiously.
“Why would he? William was ninety and there were no signs of a struggle or anything,” I reminded her.
“Yeah, I can see why he wouldn’t waste the time or money,” Thistle grudgingly admitted.
“Something else weird happened, though,” I said.
“What?”
“I asked him if maybe he had unfinished business and that was what was keeping him here and he kind of ran from the office.”
“He ran? Can ghosts run?” Clove looked intrigued.
“Well, he didn’t exactly run, but he floated really quickly.”
“Did he say anything?” Thistle looked puzzled.
“He said he didn’t have any unfinished business, but even Edith could tell he was lying.”
Thistle thought about it a minute. “I bet he’s just protecting Brian.”
“You just don’t like Brian,” I interjected.
“You don’t like him either,” she countered.
“I didn’t say I didn’t like him. I said I got a weird vibe off him.”
“That’s the same as saying you don’t like him,” Thistle argued.
“I think he’s nice,” Clove offered.
“You think he’s hot,” Thistle shot back. “There’s a difference.”
“I don’t think he’s hot,” Clove countered, but her face was reddening under Thistle’s increased scrutiny.
“Whatever.”
“I don’t!”
“Okay, you don’t,” Thistle said, rolling her eyes in my direction.
“I don’t!”
Thistle and I turned our attention away from Clove and back to the store. “Will you guys be done by tonight?” There were still five boxes sitting on the counter waiting to be unpacked.
“We’ll be fine,” Thistle said. “Once Clove stops thinking about Brian and focuses on her work, that is.”
“You’re dead to me,” Clove grumbled as she returned to the decorations she was sorting.
Thistle and I exchanged knowing looks. Clove had a crush. Of course, the fact that she had a crush on my new boss was a little irritating, but if things worked out I might be able to work that to my advantage eventually.
What? I was thinking about her well-being. No. I really was.
Eight
After work, I went home long enough to change my clothes and get a notebook so I could cover tonight’s bonfire event. It wasn’t exactly like it was going to be difficult, but I wanted to make sure we had a good package for Brian’s first edition in charge.
When I got home, I found that our living room had been transformed into big pile of clothes. I figured Clove was underneath some of them, because I could see them moving when I entered the room.
“What’s going on?”
Clove looked up from the pile of clothes and regarded me with a stunned look. “It’s Thistle. I think she’s lost her mind.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Just watch.”
I sat on the edge of the armchair and waited for whatever travesty Clove had been witnessing. I didn’t have to wait long. Thistle flounced out of her bedroom in her bra and underwear and pointed a finger at me accusingly. “I have nothing to wear. I need to go through your closet.”
I glanced around at the pile of clothes for a second. “You’ve tried all these on?”
“Yes.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“You’ve only been home like twenty minutes and this is like fifty outfits, so that’s virtually impossible,” I pointed out.
“Most of them she just came out and threw at me and screamed ‘how could you let me buy this,’” Clove said helpfully.
“I did not,” Thistle scoffed, running her hand through her hair exasperatedly.
I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing out loud. Thistle was clearly on the edge. If I started laughing now, she