Hexes and Homicide: The Bootlegger by Lacey Flax

Author:Lacey Flax [Flax, Lacey]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Independent
Published: 2024-08-06T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13

Ireturned to my room immediately after dinner. I felt bad for abandoning Flossie to her family, but I had to put the case first. In the privacy of my bedroom, I pulled out my locket and said the names of my aunts and tapped my foot as I waited for them to answer. Now that an idea had come to me, I was anxious to talk to Aunt Doris about it.

“Sylvia? Is everything all right? Doris and I are here,” Aunt Edith’s voice came from the locket, a little shaky.

“Everything is fine, Auntie! Everyone enjoyed your delicious cake for dessert tonight, especially Flossie and me,” I reassured her.

“Sylvia, do you need something?” came Aunt Doris’s voice, redirecting me lest I talk about desserts all night with Aunt Edith.

“Yes, Auntie, have you found anything about the traces of blackthorn and juniper found in Mr. Fenton’s body? Because I’ve had an idea.”

“The Mrs. Schwartzes and I have been running down some leads, but any direction you can give us would be wonderful.”

“Well, I have learned tonight that Mrs. Fenton used to give her daughters something to bind their magic when they were children and I am now wondering if … someone … gave the same thing to Mr. Fenton.” I swallowed hard. I felt like I was accusing Mrs. Fenton in her husband’s murder. Could someone else have given it to him?

I heard a gasp from my aunties. “How horrible! I feel so bad for those poor girls,” Aunt Edith exclaimed.

“I don’t understand how Mrs. Fenton expected her girls to learn to control their powers if she was binding them all the time.” The same judgment I had felt earlier came through from Aunt Doris loud and clear.

“Yes, I agree Aunties, but it also occurred to me that if someone wanted to kill Mr. Fenton, it would have been a lot easier if he couldn’t use his magic.” I cleared my throat nervously. If Mrs. Fenton was the murderer, Flossie would lose both of her parents in a few short days. The thought made me sick to my stomach.

“That is certainly true. I don’t know any way to bind powers orally, but I will check my books and consult with the Mrs. Schwartzes.” Aunt Doris considered for a minute. “I still have the sample of the herbs Mrs. Anderson used to break our wards. I will check if it contains any hawthorn or juniper.” Mrs. Anderson was our former neighbor, who was discovered to be killing witches. She was apprehended by Malone after she attacked me.

“Look in the diary of the medieval witch hunter we got from her apartment, and also, Aunt Doris, her own notes. There might be something in there,” I suggested and then paused a minute. Should I ask Flossie or maybe her aunt? It sounded like Miss Fenton knew what Mrs. Fenton had given the children when they were young. It might even have been something Miss Fenton had learned about during her foreign travels.

I considered for

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