Hex on the Beach (The Magic & Mixology Mystery Series Book 1) (13 page)

“Mother, please. This is serious. We need to discuss Leonard.” Mimsey stared resolutely at her.

Hettie, however, dunked a sugared cookie into her tea and took a bite.

“Stop acting like a child.” Mimsey slid her mother’s teacup away from her.

Unfazed, Hettie raised her hand and, as if fishing with an invisible line, hooked the teacup with a quick flick of her fingers and slid it back across the table in front of her.

“Mother,” Mimsey began again, the exasperation growing in her voice. When Hettie didn’t respond, Mimsey
harrumphed
.
“Fine, Your Sagginess.”

“Was that so difficult?” Hettie’s gaze flicked between the two of us. “Now, speak. What did you come to tell me?”

“Well, I didn’t come to
tell
you much of anything,” Mimsey admitted. “I came to ask if you’d let Lily stay here until we sort things out.”

I swiveled my head to look at Mimsey. “What?”

Hettie looked amused by my reaction.

“I don’t want to stay here.” Hearing how that sounded almost as quickly as I finished speaking, I turned to Hettie. “Not that I don’t love this place. The house is adorable, and you seem… well, it’d be nice to get to know you, but I don’t want to hide away. I want to help.”

I looked back at Mimsey, who looked down. “I think you should relax here and study. The Rangers will take care of everything.”

Hettie threw her hands in the air. “It was just Leonard. What’s the big fuss? Can’t they do the typical autopsy?”

“Foul play was involved, Mother—”

“Your Sagginess,” Hettie corrected.

“Your Sagginess,” Mimsey said with an eye roll. “We can’t have the new Mixologist’s name attached to a murder, especially before most of The Isle has even met the girl.”

“They may not have met her, but everyone’s watching.” Hettie turned eerily knowing eyes in my direction. “You’re already famous, new girl.”

A shiver ran down my spine. “I’m not sure I like the sound of that.”

Hettie shrugged. “That’s not my problem. I just thought I’d let you know.”

“Anyway,
mothe—
Your Sagginess, can Lily stay here for a few days? Just until things are sorted out.” Mimsey turned to me, her gaze imploring. “You’ll be safe here. Nobody can reach this cottage without West Isle Witch blood, as I said. And frankly, nobody much wants to come here.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Hettie narrowed her eyes at Mimsey.

“If you insist people call you Your Sagginess and you refuse to answer the door, Mother, that’s what happens. You’ve told half The Isle a tiger will attack them if they ever knock on your door.” Mimsey massaged her temples. “You’ve done this to yourself.”

“Oh, I like my peace and quiet.” Hettie sat back with a satisfied expression. “In fact, I should do more to make sure people are scared of this place. Maybe a real tiger is in order…”

“I’m leaving. Lily, please stay here,” Mimsey said.

“Excuse me.” I raised a finger. “Um, Aunt Mimsey, I’m sorry, but I don’t want to stay here.” I glanced at Hettie. “Again, nothing against you or the house… uh, Your Sagginess.”

Hettie bowed her head. “No offense taken, Your Perkiness.”

“Stop it, Mother,” Mimsey said. “And Lily, why on earth would you say that? Even Gus didn’t have a problem with you studying from here for a few days. And Gus has a problem with everything.”

“Right old crank, he is,” Hettie said. “His Grouchiness.”

Mimsey ignored her mother. “You’ll be safe here. Away from questions, the public eye, nosy busybodies stopping by to see what you’re all about. They’d just disturb your studies, dear.”

“I concur.” Hettie pounded her fist on the table as if she were a judge. “As a busybody myself, I can say that my daughter, Her Know-It-All, is correct. I would definitely be stopping by to order a drink and test the new Mixologist, if you stayed at your home.”

I flexed my fingers. Getting assessed by one nosy islander after another did not sound appealing. “But staying here would be the easy way out. Plus, I don’t really want to see if that tiger actually exists.”

Hettie beamed.

“I have to go back home.” I shook my head, pushing my untouched teacup toward the center of the table. “If I’m truly to become the next Mixologist, or at least give it a shot, I have to give it a full shot. And that doesn’t mean hiding away.”

“You won’t be hiding forever,” Mimsey said.

“I may be new here, and I don’t fully understand magic yet. Maybe I never will. But I do understand the message I’m sending if I hunker down here until this passes. I don’t want to be known as the person who hides when things get difficult.”

Silence fell on the table.

After a long moment, Hettie punched the air. “Zing! One point for my granddaughter, zero points for my daughter.”

Mimsey frowned at Hettie. When she returned her gaze to me, the frown was replaced by a resigned look. “Are you sure about this? We want to protect you, dear. If you choose to go back to the shop, we can help some, but we might not be able to shield you from everything.”

“I don’t want to be shielded.” Gaining confidence, I swallowed, trying that whole
fake it ’til you make it
mentality. “I want to go back to my shop.”

“That settles it.” Hettie pushed back from the table and stood. “For what it’s worth, I’m glad I don’t have a tomato for a granddaughter.”

“A tomato?” I asked.

“Mother, that’s not the saying.” Mimsey shook her head. “A tomato—”

“A tomato is squishy. It goes rotten quickly, and it collapses under the smallest amount of pressure. The skin is thin, soft—it’s malleable.” Hettie cleared her throat. “I think it’s a perfectly good expression, and if it’s not one, then write it down and
make
it one.”

I looked away, uncomfortable being the topic of conversation. I tried to hide the flush in my cheeks at being called
not
a tomato. In a strange way, it was the nicest thing anyone had ever said to me.

“You’re right.” Mimsey looked at me, a hint of pride in her eyes. “She is
not
a tomato. Her mother would be proud.”

An odd silence fell on the room, and I busied myself looking deep into the fireplace, though it remained empty. I had so many questions about my lineage, but now wasn’t the time to ask.

Mimsey cleared her throat. “Well, I must be getting off. If it’s settled that you won’t be staying here, then we should leave together. The Twist is difficult to navigate, even for those with West Isle Witch blood.”

“May I offer a piece of advice?” Hettie raised her finger.

Mimsey shook her head. “No. Enough advice from you today.”

“Well, I’m going to offer it anyway, just like any good parent does.” My grandmother turned to me. “Don’t be a tomato when it comes to Leonard either. Understand?”

I frowned. “I’m not sure I do. Aren’t the Rangers looking into things?”

“Isn’t your name on the line?” Hettie raised an eyebrow. “I wouldn’t leave my reputation in anyone’s hands but myself.”

“Maybe you should,” muttered Mimsey. “You might have a slightly less
crazy
reputation if you did.”

“That’s exactly what I’m talking about.” Hettie smiled broadly. “My reputation is the fault of nobody except myself. And if people want to think I’m bonkers, so be it. I’d rather be underestimated than overestimated, ain’t that right?”

I crossed my arms. “So is this whole ‘
out there
’
reputation a ruse? An act?”

“Not at all. She really is nuts, just give it some time.” Mimsey pursed her lips. “Are you ready? Is the lecture finished, Your Sagginess?”

“For now.” Hettie looked at her fingernails. “Don’t worry, there’s more where that came from.”

“We’ll be holding our breath,” Mimsey said with a tight smile. “Lily?”

“I’m happy I got to meet you,” I said. “Maybe I can come back and visit sometime?”

“Don’t get eaten by the tiger.” Hettie waltzed away without another word, leaving the door swinging on her way through it.

“That was…” I turned to Mimsey. “Interesting.”

“You’re far, far too kind.” Mimsey took my hand and led me through the house. “You’re guaranteed
interesting
with my mother, that’s for certain.”

“You’re a
murderer
?” Zin, for the first time since I arrived, showed actual approval toward me. “Wow, you’re making waves on what… day two on the island? Three? I lost count.”

“I’m not a murderer!” I fiddled with the heart necklace, hoping it had some power to calm me down. After leaving the cottage, Mimsey had led me straight to the tiki bar. She said she wanted to show me around, but in retrospect, I’m nearly certain she just wanted to assign me babysitters. “I don’t know anything about it.”

“Ew.” Poppy shuddered. “Murder. Blood. So gross.”

“And sad,” I added. “It’s sad too.”

“I
hate
blood.” Poppy winced.

“Of all people to be born a vamp.” Zin shook her head. “I can’t believe it.”

“You’re just jealous because I
could
be dangerous. Watch—” Poppy paused a moment, closing her eyes and concentrating. After a moment of silence, she opened her eyes and jumped toward Zin with her fingers outstretched like a fake monster. “Boo!”

I started, stepping backward even though she didn’t look in my direction. Poppy’s not-fake-fangs extended beyond her lips, making her appearance legitimately scary.

A small
snap
sounded, the telltale sign of Zin shifting.

“Gotcha!” Poppy laughed. “Serves you right. Don’t make fun of my blood intolerance. I can’t help it.”

I glanced at my feet, but instead of a turtle, there sat a cute little chipmunk.

“Hi there, Chippie,” I said, bending and offering Zin my finger.

She completely ignored it, her little furry legs charging toward Poppy. Zin’s small body scurried up her cousin’s leg as Poppy giggled in uncontrollable fits.

“Get off, get off!” Poppy swiped at her back, where Zin danced on tiny chipmunk feet. “That tickles!”

I bent over, laughing just as hard, as Zin scampered up Poppy’s neck and perched on top of Poppy’s head. Just as Poppy swung at her own head, Zin took a flying leap, her chipmunk form sailing through the air.

I stopped laughing and dove forward in an attempt to catch Zin before she injured her small body with a crash landing. What I
didn’t
anticipate was that Zin had planned her landing all along. As I hit the ground, arms outstretched and palms facing upward, another
snap
alerted me to Zin’s changing figure. Before she landed, human Zin returned in a mass of sprawling limbs and bumbling legs.

Unfortunately, I hit the ground first.

Zin followed shortly after. Except instead of sitting on the ground, she landed smack dab on me.

“Ow!” I grunted. Even though Zin was petite and thin, the impact of a hundred pounds falling straight onto my rear end was enough to knock the wind out of me.

Meanwhile, another
thunk
sounded, this one due to Poppy’s body hitting the floor as she burst into howls of laughter. Zin sat in stunned silence.

I moaned. “I can’t breathe.”

“Why in the world would you do that?” Zin shifted her weight to the floor, situating herself between Poppy and me. “Why did you try to catch me?”

“I didn’t want you to get hurt!” I massaged my stomach as I rolled onto my side. “You took a flying leap. I thought maybe you’d lost it and were trying to… I dunno… end it all.”

This time, both of my cousins fell silent, looking at me with astounded gazes.

“You know chipmunks can practically fly, right?” Poppy asked. “Not to mention she was transforming back to normal size.”

I groaned. “Yes, I realize that
now
.”

Poppy and Zin shot each other a look that bordered on amusement, before the both of them lost it again, writhing in unstoppable giggle-convulsions.

My face flamed, and I almost opened my mouth to argue. Thankfully, I held off a moment, considering the situation, and replayed the events in my mind. Then the funnies hit me as hard as they’d hit my cousins. The three of us rolled with laughter until my abs ached and tears streamed down our cheeks.

We laughed, hee-hawing until we’d dried the well of funniness. Just as we had begun to gather ourselves after the last wave of laughter—thanks to a reenactment by Poppy—a shadow appeared, looming over us.

We fell silent, and my eyes slid upward hesitantly. I lay sprawled on the ground, trying to catch my breath from a combination of laughter and being squashed. At the same time I looked up, I realized I’d twisted about so much, my dress had gotten caught far too high up my thighs to be appropriate. I tugged it down before shading my eyes from the sun and looking up again.

“I’m beginning to think you have a
thing
against pants.”

The low, rumbling voice made a shudder rock my body, his seductive tone bringing back memories from the first time we’d met—on my porch. The Ranger who’d stopped by and scared me off my hammock was back, his face as stern as ever.

“I’m beginning to think you have a thing for creeping up on unsuspecting girls.” I yanked on my dress while getting to my feet.

“Oh, snap,” Poppy whispered. “Burn.”

I ignored my cousin’s color commentary and stepped toward Ranger X, taking in the scar next to his eye and the tailored white shirt buttoned over a thick, muscled chest. The shocking whiteness of the fabric contrasted against his deep tan, while the breeze coming off the lake ruffled his dark, unruly hair.

I could see objectively why other girls might throw themselves at him on a regular basis, but not this girl. He’d invaded my space on two occasions now, and he had the annoying habit of popping up when my dress was all out of whack.

He watched me with a relaxed expression, a lazy smile tugging at his lips. “That’s the first time I’ve been accused of
creeping
.”

“Well, keep it up, and it won’t be the last.” I crossed my arms and took a few deep breaths. Maybe I was overreacting a bit, but that cocky smirk on his face, the easy handsomeness of his features, the smart remarks he always had ready—the whole
package
had my blood boiling.

He blinked. “It’s my duty to keep watch. I’m just doing my job.”

“Bam, point for X,” Poppy said, as if keeping score.

This time, Ranger X and I both looked in her direction.

“Do you mind?” I asked. “I’m busy putting him in his place.”

“You’re doing a great job of it.” Poppy winked. Adopting an English accent, she did a half bow and waved for me to continue. “Carry on, carry on.”

“Yes, do carry on.” Ranger X stepped forward, closing the gap between us.

Dang it.
I’d lost my train of thought. “You… well, you.” I poked his chest. “What is your real name?”

“How is that relevant?” he asked.

“I need something to call you if I’m going to tell you off,” I said.

“Ranger X works just fine,” he said. “As it seems the gossip queens have shared with you already.”

“Ranger X —what sort of name is that?” I extended a hand, my pointer finger jabbed against his chest. “That’s a title. Not a name.”

“For me, it’s both.”

“I don’t believe you. You had a mom at one time, and she gave you a name. Didn’t she?” I poked him a few more times. Mostly because my fingertip was already there against his chest, and I didn’t know what else to do with it.

Before I could process his movements, Mr. Tall, Tan, and Tempting grasped my wrist hard and twisted me so close my chest pressed against his. I felt the distant
thud
of his heart as it raced against mine, a battle of wills.

“I do have a name,” he said, his voice so low that Poppy and Zin had to lean in to hear. “But I’m not going to tell you.”

“Why?” My skin rippled in reaction to his proximity. I couldn’t help it. Even if the man made me madder than anyone else on this island, I couldn’t deny the effect he had on me. Goose bumps prickled my arms and legs, and my stomach flip-flopped as he grasped my other wrist and pulled me even tighter to his body.

“Do you ladies
mind
?” Ranger X looked over my shoulder at Poppy and Zin, who were probably watching with their jaws hanging open.

“Nope, go ahead. I’m liking what I’m seeing here.” Poppy sighed. “Romance.”

“C’mon, let’s talk amongst ourselves,” Zin, the smarter of the two, at least for now, said.

“If you mean eavesdrop from a few feet away, I’m in.” Poppy’s whisper was loud enough for everyone to hear.

Ranger X’s hold on my wrists tightened. He leaned in, his voice dancing over my ear as he whispered, “I’m not telling you my name, so you can forget about it. Names are power, and I’ll never trust you with mine.”

“But you know mine.”

“Whose fault is that?” Ranger X let my wrists fall to my sides, taking a step backward.

“Well, that’s just not fair.” I shook my head. “I’m going to give you a name, then.”

“That right?”

“Yes. It’s gonna be…” I frowned as I thought. “Well, I don’t know yet. But I’ll think of one.”

“Chad!” Poppy called from the peanut gallery. “Or Larry. I’ve always had a thing for Larry.”

I shook my head. “He’s not a Larry.”

“Trevor,” Zin suggested. “Or something dark. Let’s go dark.”

I shook my head. “I’ve got to sleep on it.”

“Keep me posted.” A slightly amused look danced in his eyes. “Meanwhile, I’ve got work to do.”

“Peeking up skirts?” I muttered.

“I came by to
warn
you,” he said. “If you won’t stay in The Twist for safety, then at least don’t walk around alone.”

“I’m not in danger,” I said. “And I didn’t do anything.”

“I’m not so sure about either of those.” Ranger X looked at my cousins. “Don’t let her out of your sight.”

“I don’t need a babysitter. I didn’t do anything wrong!”

“Is there a reason she’s in danger?” Poppy asked. “I mean, aside from you peeking up her sundress?”

“I’m not peeking anywhere.” Ranger X’s voice turned exasperated. “But if she’s flaunting it in plain sight, I won’t say no
to a glimpse.”

I turned to face him, a retort hot on my tongue.

“He’s just saying that to rile you up.” Poppy rested a hand on my shoulder. “Don’t take the bait.”

“Am I?” His brows pinched together as he made eye contact with me, holding it until I looked away.

“You’re annoying,” was the only thing I could come up with as I stepped back to Poppy’s side.

“Don’t wander off.” Ranger X turned on his heel and walked away.

“Dang, he’s off duty now,” Poppy said. “Something big must be brewing for him to come find you in his leisure clothes.”

“Those are leisure clothes?” I snarled. “Looks like he’s ready for a wedding.”

“Yours?” she asked hopefully. “I can feel the heat radiating off you two.”

“Angry heat,” I corrected.

“Anger and lust are a fine line,” Poppy said. “Could go either way. But let’s forget about it. He seriously doesn’t mess around with small-time crime. If he’s warned you to look out, we’d better watch your back.”

“I don’t feel like watching my back,” I said, still fueled from my exchange with Ranger X. “I feel like marching forward and finding out who is responsible for this mess.”

“All right, honey. All right.” Poppy patted my shoulder again. “Let’s be smart about it, though. We’re stopping by the supply store for a few things, then we’ll start asking some questions.”

“The supply store?” I asked.

“Well, no offense, but your magic is crap,” Poppy said.

“And you might have killed somebody with your potions,” Zin added. “So it’s best if we get you some sort of third-party weapon for now. Just to have for backup.”

“I didn’t kill anyone!”

“We know, we know. The weapons are just like… hm. What do you have in the human world?” Poppy asked.

“Pepper spray?” I asked.

“Yes. Except we use much more awesome things.” Poppy pulled me forward. “Let’s go. We can talk about where we need to start asking questions along the way.”

“I already know the answer to that,” I said, my eyes narrowing as we marched toward the supply store. “I have a few questions for Mr. Harpin.”