Page 9 of Seven Secret Spellcasters
“Except when my son is going to be charged.” Thomas shook his head. “Mia, I know you mean well, but let Steve do his job.”
“Thomas, stop being so pushy. We know what we’re doing,” Abigail came to Mia’s defense, and suddenly they were all talking over each other.
Trent took Mia’s hand. “I’m glad you’re here. You, Levi, and I are the only sane ones in the room right now. And I’m not totally sure about Levi.”
“I heard that,” Levi grumbled as he texted on his phone.
Mia smiled as she sat next to Trent. As Abigail and Thomas continued to argue, she focused instead on trying to hear Baldwin’s part of the conversation. “What do you mean, the coroner called in a specialist to do the autopsy?” he was saying. “I don’t understand why Frank can’t . . .”
Mia immediately knew what had happened. The coven had already heard the news and was pulling strings. There was no way they’d let a mortal cut open a man who claimed to be half-leprechaun.
“Fine, have them send me the results when they get . . .” Baldwin paused as he stared at his phone. “Sorry, I’ve got to take another call.”
Mia watched as he hung up and answered the incoming call.
“Sarah, this isn’t a good time.” Baldwin paused, then met Mia’s gaze across the room. “You know I can’t step away from an open investigation. No matter who called you.”
He listened for a little while longer, not breaking eye contact with Mia. “Fine, I’ll come home. But you tell the coven board that either I have a suspect in my office in seventy-two hours or I’m taking the case back.”
As he walked over to the group, he stared at Mia. “Did you call them in?”
She shook her head. “Check my phone. I didn’t call anyone after Trent called me. And I told him to call you. I take it the coven has pulled rank?”
“The mayor called Sarah to explain why I shouldn’t be interrogating Trent Majors or any of his family members until after the coroner determines if the death was natural or accidental. My boss called my wife. And my coroner has called in a specialist. Your magic group is interfering in my investigation and my family, but they have effectively tied my hands.”
“Mark, there are things you don’t want to know about—” Abigail started, but Steve reached out to interrupt her. She turned on her oldest son, anger flashing in her eyes. “Do not shush me. I am your mother.”
“And with that, I’m leaving,” Baldwin said. “Trent, please don’t leave town. We will eventually talk about the time when you found a short man wearing all green dead in your woods. Or when your dog found him. But at this point, I’ve been benched.” He wiggled his finger at Mia. “Come outside with me and let’s talk. I have some things I’d like you to check into.”
“Mia, you don’t have to do anything this officer asks,” Steve started, but Mia stood and whirled to face him.
“Look, I know you know this isn’t a normal investigation, nor is it probably a normal murder. I know you mean well, but we have a system here in Magic Springs that works. Mark handles the human crime investigations, and our team deals with those things that are magical. I’m betting there’s a human reason for Mr. Howard’s death, but if it is part of the ‘magic’ side of Magic Springs, there are different rules and, ultimately, coven laws to follow. Besides, you’re not even my attorney, so stop telling me what to do.” The shocked look on Steve Majors’s face told Mia all she needed to know. The man was not used to being told no.
She turned and followed Mark out to the front porch. The night was starting to darken around them, but an almost-full moon was peeking out from over the mountain. Fall nights were the best. You could wear your bulky sweaters and jeans and be okay outside until late without adding a coat, especially when you were hanging around the firepit.
Mark nodded toward where they’d left and where they could still hear Abigail and Thomas arguing. “Thanks for the support back there, but you might have made yourself an enemy. Steve Majors is considered a shark in the criminal defense pool in Denver. He didn’t like your defection to the dark side.”
“That’s the thing. I don’t think there should be sides. You know that Trent couldn’t have killed anyone. Neither did anyone in his family.” Mia leaned on the porch column.
“Mia, sometimes what you want to be true, isn’t.” Mark glanced at his truck. It was the only official vehicle left in the driveway. The BMW and Mia’s decrepit Honda were parked on the street. The BMW must be Steve’s rental. “Anyway, can you find out why this guy was even here? And what he has to do with Trent’s family?”
Mia knew at least part of the answers to Mark’s questions, but after cheerleading the no-sides, cooperative mission, instead of telling him, she nodded. “Call me as soon as you know something.”
Mark put his ball cap back on. “Same with you. We’ll figure this out, I promise. At least Miss Adams isn’t in town this time.”
Mia took a breath. “About that . . .”
“Don’t tell me.” Mark shook his head. “I should have known that if Levi was here, our goth princess wouldn’t be far behind. She’s always around if there’s a murder in town. Have you noticed that?”
“Christina didn’t kill anyone. You’ve never liked her,” Mia said as Mark strolled to his truck.
“Not true. I like her. Especially when she thinks I’m watching her because she did something wrong. She gets so flustered.” He climbed into the truck cab and started the engine. As he rolled down his window, the look on his face turned serious. “What I don’t like is having politics interfere with my investigation. Can you tell your friends at the coven to back off and let me do my job?”
“One, not my friends, and two, what makes you think they’ll listen to me?” Mia pointed at him. “You might want to chat with your wife.”
He rolled his eyes and turned his wedding ring back and forth. “Like that’s going to do any good. Sarah’s either all about the baby right now or touting the advantages of coven life for our family. She wants us to join, so naturally, whatever happens, Sarah agrees with the coven. I haven’t won many arguments in the last six months. Now that I know about magic, she thinks I should fall in line with whatever that group wants. It’s not going to happen.”
Mia watched as Mark pulled out of Trent’s driveway. She knew the pressure the coven could put on someone. In fact, she was pretty sure the only reason Mia’s Morsels got the contract for the Halloween party was because they wanted to show her what they could do to help her. Instead, the gesture made her feel icky, like they were trying to buy her allegiance.
