Murder and Mugwort: a Moon & Mugwort Apothecary Cozy Mystery by Ella Reid

Author:Ella Reid [Reid, Ella]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2025-10-05T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

“Memory is more indelible than ink.” -Anita Loos

The next morning, inside the warm quiet of the apothecary, Kat tried her best to focus on what would be one of her largest sales weekends of the year. She busied herself displaying her autumn-themed goods: the Autumn Breeze tisane Jo and Nyomi had taste-tested, a warming arnica balm for the achy joints that inevitably reared their heads as soon as the weather turned, and a batch of her locally famous Peppermint Dream lip balm. Tomorrow, the Autumn by the Sea festival would begin. It would be exciting, it would be cozy, it would be charmingly cheerful…

But Shayla’s words kept ringing in her ears: “The bookstore!”

As did Rebecca Penn’s: “Nobody wants a murderer for mayor!”

As did Denny Barlow’s report of Alex Diaz visiting Coastal Covers – and ostensibly Bella Court – late at night.

And Shayla and the Penns all had pasts in Ohio.

What am I not seeing?

It would be too busy to close for lunch today, but she would bolt to Coastal Covers the second she locked up. Bella may still be out of town, but it wouldn’t stop Kat from looking for answers in the bookstore and, if needed, in the flat again.

A cluster of laughing young women entered the apothecary and broke Kat’s concentration. The twenty-somethings quieted as they took in the space. A look of awe spread across their collective faces, their eyes lighting up beneath the twinkling fairy lights, their senses likely consumed by the scent of dried herbs and resinous incense. Kat smiled at this. The Moon & Mugwort effect was, at least, a reliable constant in her life. As was Mr. Wentworth, who purred at their newest guests.

“Good morning, ladies,” Kat offered as they split apart and wandered deeper into the shop. “Let me know if I can help. Enjoy exploring.”

A red-headed woman with two long braids and freckles covering every inch of her milky white skin approached the counter, peering tentatively at the wall of herbs behind Kat. She pursed her lips as her eyes wandered over the jars, twisting her hands nervously. “Do you have any,” she said, then dipped her chin and lowered her voice, “herbs for nerves?”

Kat appreciated the near-rhyme and made a mental note of it. “Absolutely! Nervines are some of my favorite herbs.” The other women began drifting over and gathering around their freckled friend. “Nervines work to harmonize your nervous system,” Kat said, turning around to pull a few jars from the wall. “Some are quite calming, like catnip, lavender, or valerian. Some have a toning effect, strengthening the whole system over time, like oat straw and albizia. Others can have a gently stimulating effect, like ginseng.” Kat whirled around to face the small crowd and found each woman staring at her wide-eyed, like she’d just spoken Klingon.

“Um,” the woman with braids said, “just something a little relaxing?”

Kat smiled and set down the jars she was hugging in her arms, then pulled a single jar from the bunch: Lavandula angustifolia, English lavender.

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