Page 8 of Oohs, Ahhhs, and Orbs

He looked thoughtful as he held me with his smoky eyes. “What about moonlight or ensuring they are performing the ritual with the four corners?”

“Well, if the person who is doing the spell or ritual is serious about the results, or it is an advanced spell, then yes. The more advanced the spell, the more effort the witch has to put into it. Candles, herbs, alignment with the corners, it all connects you to the Goddess and the energy of the Earth.”

“Have you ever used all these elements to perform a ritual?”

I grinned and tilted my head, studying the detective. “Why, sir, am I a suspect?”

His returning grin had the same effect on me as it had the first time I saw it. “Where were you four nights ago?”

I couldn’t help the small burst of laughter. “Four nights ago, I was doing exactly the same thing as every night of my life. I read a book while lying in bed, then was asleep by ten o’clock. I’m a pretty boring creature of habit, I’m afraid.”

“No man to keep you company?”

I shook my head, looking back at my half eaten roll, embarrassed for some reason I couldn’t fathom. “No.”

“Never?” he pushed, making me look up at him from under my lashes. His expression was serious, with an intensity that took me by surprise. I could sense he was curious about me before, even highly attracted, but until that moment, I hadn’trealized how much. He seemed exceptionally interested in whatever answer I would give him.

The moment was interrupted by the waitress returning with our drinks. “Are you ready to order, sir?” Again, her entire focus was on Logan, and again, I studied him as inconspicuously as possible to see if he would finally give in to her flirting.

“Are you ready, Bridgette?”

The pleasure of having him focus on me instead warmed my insides. I looked up at the server with a grin. “I’ll have the shrimp pasta, please.”

The waitress gave a sharp nod. “And you, sir?”

“I’ll have the same.”

We both handed over our menus, Logan giving a slight nod of thanks without taking his eyes off me. I cleared my throat after the woman left again.

“What else can I help you with? About your case?”

Taking the hint, Logan didn’t question me further about my personal life. Instead, he asked something I hadn’t expected.

“Is there a spell that would hold someone immobile?”

I stared at him for a moment. Questions began filling my head, questions I knew I couldn’t ask and that he couldn’t answer without telling me details. “Certainly. However, it is something that witches aren’t likely to do since it takes away someone’s free will. ‘Harm none’ is an aspect of our craft that we take very seriously.”

“What about moving a heavy object?”

“Again, certainly. That is a spell most witches learn at a young age, along with lighting a candle without a match or calling on the other elements. Few witches are proficient in all elements, but most can do the most basic spells with fire or water. Some are more in tune with the Earth, and that gives them a greater affinity with plants.”

“A strong witch, or a witch with strong magic, can do these things easily?”

“Yes, someone with a greater gift of magic than, say, your average witch could easily hold someone in place or even move the person while keeping them immobile.”

“How many witches in the area would you say have that kind of power?”

I sat back in my chair and wiped my fingers on my cloth napkin. “In this area? Very few, I would say. There are several witches in town, of course, but only a few come to mind.”

“You being one of them?” Instead of sounding accusatory, he simply looked… proud? It was interesting that he would look that way toward a woman he just met.

“Actually, yes.” I shrugged. “Myself, my grandmother, a couple of others. But as I said, I was in bed four nights ago. My grandmother is on a cruise somewhere in the Bahamas... I think. And the other two women in town? They are sweet and kind natured. I couldn’t picture either one of them committing something as heinous as murder.”

While we took each other in, our plates were set in front of us, startling me.

“Enjoy. If there is anything else I can do for you, let me know.” Then, the waitress was gone, leaving us alone in our bubble again. The food smelled incredible, making my mouth water, and I immediately picked up my fork, ready to dive into the decadent dish. Neither one of us spoke for several long minutes as we began eating. For a brief moment I was concerned about looking greedy or unladylike but I dismissed the thought quickly. I was hungry, and the dish looked divine. If the man couldn’t handle a woman with an appetite, then that was a him problem.

“So,” I said between bites, wanting to break up some of the silence. “How long have you been a homicide detective?”

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