Shifting and Bewitching by the Sea: A Romantic Witch Cozy Mystery by Carrie de Croix

Author:Carrie de Croix [Croix, Carrie de]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-10-03T00:00:00+00:00

eighteen

. . .

Sadie

When I entered the Mermaid Cafe, I was hit with the delicious scent of pumpkin French toast and cinnamon muffins.

And coffee. Lots of coffee.

Oh yes. This was just what I needed.

A soft murmur of chatting tourists filled the warm cafe.

Pudgy peeked his head out of my backpack and mewed into my neck.

"This is the Mermaid Cafe, Pudgy. Best coffee in town. Except for our kitchen." Funny that I already thought of him as part of my family. I reached back and pet him.

He rested his little kitten chin on my shoulder but I could feel his head rotate as he glanced around, seeming to take in the fishing nets draped over the walls and ceiling.

"Do the nets still smell like fish?" I asked him.

The waitress, Melody, greeted me by lifting up the coffee pot. The tight curls of her red hair were knotted up in a bandana. She had dark circles under her eyes.

I nodded. "To go, please!"

I'd been coming here my whole life and Melody had been working here just as long.

Two older men rushed in and pushed past me, their faces bright with excitement as they found a booth in the back.

I plucked a menu from the counter and opened it up.

Odd writing circled the perimeter of each page. It almost looked like runes.

I opened my phone and compared the photo of Marcy’s book.

Maybe it was a match, I couldn't really tell. My phone was too small to clearly see the letters. I needed to compare them in person.

Melody slid a to-go cup on the counter in front of me. "Whatcha doing?" she asked.

"What's this writing on the menu?"

"Hmm?" she leaned closer to look.

I could smell her perfume, something spicy. "Is it a foreign language?"

She shrugged and smiled down at me. "I don't know, hon. Something Dex made up, probably."

Dexter was Melody's husband. He worked the grill.

"Can I borrow one of these?" I held up the menu.

"Borrow it?"

"I'll bring it back. I need to compare it to a book."

Melody shrugged. "Yeah, sure."

Pudgy mewed and pawed my neck.

"Ah!” Melody said, pointing at him. “You’re the third person this week that’s come in here carrying a kitten. People keep finding them. The universal cat distribution system has gone haywire.”

Pudgy hissed.

Melody frowned and stepped away.

I pointed to the ceiling. "Did Dex do the interior design too? Where'd he get those huge nets? They look big enough to catch a whale."

Melody and I both looked up at the ceiling. "I don't know," she said. "I never thought about it."

The men in the booth pounded on their table and everyone turned to look at them.

"Excuse me," Melody said as she rushed off. "You can pay next time, okay?"

"Sure. Thank you!"

Pudgy mewed.

"She's usually much friendlier. Must be a bad day."

He meowed again.

I slid the menu into my backpack, and we headed out.

I walked down the boulevard toward the Hair Atelier. Would Daphne be there today? Was she still angry?

I hoped I could sign the release form and get out quickly. Since the hairdo-off was tonight, I also wanted to check out the salon.

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