A Shade of Murder by Constance Barker

Author:Constance Barker [Barker, Constance]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Constance Barker
Published: 2018-07-09T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIX

Mom and I kept an easy pace even as Fern bolted into the cafe, all too eager to get her morning munch on. I glanced at the older witch from the corner of my eye, noting that she seemed a bit troubled by something.

“What’s on your mind, momma?” I asked gently, reaching out to give her a little nudge. She initially moved to wave me off, but seemed to reconsider, heaving an unhappy sigh.

“Ever since George got in that little spat with your coworker, he’s not been himself. I worry he’s not getting enough rest, he always seems so tired and agitated,” Mom admitted, and I resisted the desire to roll my eyes. Tired and agitated were one of the first two words I would think to associate with George, so I wasn’t terribly concerned.

“Norma isn’t a coworker. And... well, George won’t be having anymore issues with her,” I drawled, pushing into the cafe and allowing mom to step inside before releasing my hold on the door. Fern was at her usual place in the corner, already hungrily gobbling at her first stack of pancakes. Though I’d never personally had them, I had to give ol’ Chuckwagon points for his speed.

“Oh, don’t tell me she got fired over the incident, poor dear...,” Mom murmured, wringing her hands as she moved to join Fern at the table.

“Bludgeoned, more like,” I muttered as I lingered behind, taking stock of everyone in the cafe that morning. The usual suspects, as it were, though I would never actually suspect any of Stillwater’s finest of murdering someone—especially one of their own. Dickney was easier to explain, that is to say... his name was all too appropriate in light of his personality. In addition to his terrible attitude, he was an outsider through and through. Norma at least tried to make her own place in town, for what good that did her. “Hey, Hazel. Fern and I were hoping to have a word with you,” I announced, watching as the waitress paused in cleaning one of the tables.

“Well, if your sister has something to say, tell her to go ahead and spit it out. It can’t be too urgent, she was too excited about digging into those pancakes to even say hi,” the older woman said, and if it was anyone else, I would have been worried that she was upset. However, Hazel’s kind and gentle smile never faltered, and she chuckled a bit as she glanced in my sister’s direction.

“Don’t mind her, it’s been a long morning,” I sighed, slinking over to the corner table as well.

“I’d believe so, if that busybody that owns the occult shop were worth her weight in dirt,” Fang said a bit sourly, and Hazel smiled, patting him on the back of the hand as she passed. The surly older man’s cheeks reddened, and I averted my eyes to avoid any such crises. Crises such as cooing at the old moonshiner who would have no problem mounting me on his wall.

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