What Dies Beneath (A Witch on the Rocks Cozy Mystery Book 9) by Lily Harper Hart

Author:Lily Harper Hart [Hart, Lily Harper]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperHart Publications
Published: 2024-11-05T00:00:00+00:00

11

ELEVEN

They headed back toward St. Pete. Gray let Hali stew for a good ten minutes before he asked the obvious question.

“Who is Marmaduke Epson?”

Hali kept her gaze out the window. “A bad warlock.”

“I pretty much figured that out myself. Can you give me a bit more than that?”

“He used to be a member of our coven.”

Gray waited her out. He could tell that Marmaduke was a sore spot. It was rare for Hali to get so quiet, though. That’s how he knew it was really bad.

“He ranked pretty high there for a bit,” she explained. “He was my grandmother’s second-in-command for about three years, right around when I was sixteen to nineteen.”

Gray ran the numbers through his head. “So, he would’ve been with the coven when Delinda was with the coven.”

“Yes, but I can tell where your head is, and you’re wrong.” Hali’s eyes were a turbulent storm when she turned to him. “They weren’t involved or anything. My grandmother wouldn’t have allowed a guy as old as Marmaduke—he’s about my mother’s age—to hang around a teenager that way.”

“I’m not casting aspersions on your grandmother,” Gray assured her. “I like Martha a great deal … even if she is doing unmentionable things with my brother.”

Hali’s laugh was dry and hollow. “I’m not sure they’re actually doing anything.”

“They act like they’re doing something.”

“That’s the point. My grandmother doesn’t usually advertise her dalliances. I think they just like the attention they’re getting.”

“Rusty is spending a lot of time at her house.”

“Yes, but he’s been doing handyman stuff. I think they heard the whispers, and they’re both getting off on it. Truth be told, I believe Rusty has real feelings for Carrie.”

“Feelings she can’t reciprocate.”

“Pretty much. It must be hard for a guy like your brother, who never had extensive feelings for anybody, to finally feel something for the exact wrong person. This is all cover until he gets his emotions in check.”

“Maybe we should ask Carrie to stop spending time with him.”

Hali immediately started shaking her head. “No. Their friendship is legitimate. I don’t want to take that from either of them. Your brother will get over his crush. Heck, Carrie might actually help him find someone.”

Gray didn’t know if he believed that was possible, but he nodded all the same. “I’ll drop it for now. Let’s talk about Marmaduke. Please tell me he goes by the name Duke.”

Hali managed a raspy laugh. “Nope. He’s as pretentious as you might think. He had a thing for my mother when she was younger, but she’s never been all that powerful. He married my mother’s second cousin, Hester, but it wasn’t a happy marriage.”

“Meaning what?”

“Meaning that they used to hex the crap out of each other. Marmaduke had a wandering penis, and Hester was just … unpleasant.”

“Obviously, they didn’t stay married.”

“They did not. They only lasted a few years. Then they divorced. Marmaduke was mad because the court ordered him to pay alimony. He would complain to anybody who would listen.”

“It is kind of weird that he would be ordered to pay alimony for a marriage that short.

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