Brewing Up the Wrong Tree (Ivy's Botany Shop Witch Cozy Mystery Series Book 5) by Constance Barker

Author:Constance Barker [Barker, Constance]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Constance Barker
Published: 2020-11-18T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

Dark settled over St. Augustine by the time they fought their way back. Everett pulled to the curb outside August Botanica.

“Where do we go from here?” Ivy said. “Do we try to track down more innocent victims of Franklyn’s transfer?”

“First we track down Hull, and put the screws to him. This could still be a con. Something shady is going on for sure.” Everett shut down the car. He got out and opened Ivy’s door.

“Should we talk to the Gunthers again? They might have some insight, or have a close relative or something that suddenly got diagnosed with Parkinson’s.”

Everett nodded. “And Crystal Zuniga to see if her psoriasis has returned.”

“I’m sure examining her will be a burden on you,” Ivy lowered her brows.

“All in the name of justice,” Everett said.

As they entered the shop, Moira resolved out of thin air in front of Ivy. “You’re just in time, hon. I think Blanche hooked a live one.”

“Sakes, I didn’t think you’d ever get back.” Blanche sat behind the register, purse in her lap.

“You’ve got the afternoon shift. You have the keys. Why didn’t you just lock up and go?” Ivy asked.

“Because I had to rub it in!” Blanche said. “I’m having beers with Julio again.”

She felt a tinge of green suffuse her soul. “Oh?”

“This time, he invited me!” Blanche did a little shoulder dance. “How’s my makeup?”

“You look quite fetching, Miss Blanche,” Everett said.

“I declare,” she said. “Always the gentleman.”

“Too much the gentleman, I say,” Moira eyed the detective. “He should be all over Ivy by now. What’s his damage?”

Ivy didn’t really want Everett all over her. Everett seemed to feel the same. They had a solid working relationship. Why wasn’t that enough for everybody else?

Blanche headed for the door. “Toodles, Cuz. Don’t wait up for me.”

“Julio,” Everett said after the door jangled closed.

“It’s a long story.”

Everett waited.

“It’s too long a story for right now. I’m completely exhausted.” The ceremony from last night had been rough on her, the effects lingering. Now, Ivy felt a crash coming on.

“We could get some supper,” Everett said.

Ivy shook her head. “I’m-a nuke a burrito and hit the sack. Rain check?”

“Rain check. I’ll dig into Ernest Hull, and let you know what I find tomorrow afternoon.”

“Deal,” Ivy yawned.

Everett’s brow knitted in concern. “Get some rest. You do look tired.”

Awesome. She looked how she felt.

But two hours later, she picked at a burrito gone cold again, her eyes on her laptop. She researched gyres, the big currents that moved the ocean between continents, and eddies. Outside, a storm raged, the usual Florida thunderstorm. Water rushed down her windows, a total frog wash. While Ivy had Dominion over plants, and Blanche over light and color, her family were traditionally weather witches. The sounds soothed her.

Given Uncle Roby’s simple explanation, Ivy didn’t really learn much more about the ocean’s movement. She learned more about eddies, the currents that pinched off from the gyres, than she wanted to. The whirlpools brought nutrients to the surface, which caused things like plankton and algae blooms.

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