We sat around a corner table, sipping on Barry’s exquisite coffee creations and swapping stories from the investigation. Barry listened, wide-eyed to our recounting of our confrontation with Nausika at the Calliope.
“That was too dangerous,” he said disapprovingly, once we had finished. “You should have left that to the police.”
“Oh, really?” Winnie said, “The police were chomping at the bit to lock you up for murder. If we had left it to the police, you’d still be behind bars.”
Barry looked like he was about to protest, saw the look on Winnie’s face, and deflated. Winnie laughed and gave him a quick peck on the cheek.
“Speaking of,” I said. “Something is still bothering me about that, Barry.”
He managed to tear his eyes away from Winnie long enough to give me a quizzical look.
“What on earth were you doing that night that you couldn’t tell the police about?”
Barry suddenly couldn’t meet my eyes. He flushed a deep scarlet and stiffened in his chair. Winnie’s curiosity was piqued.
“What was it, Barry?” she insisted, nudging him with her shoulder, “Come on...we won’t tease you. Much.”
Barry buried his face in his hands and groaned.
“Ughhhh,” he said. “Okay, fine. I was at...Betty’s Boutique.”
Alan cackled and I stifled a laugh. Winnie, however, looked thoroughly confused.
“Betty’s Boutique?” she said disbelievingly. “What on earth were you doing there?”
Barry sighed deeply and dug into one of his pockets. He produced a small glass sphere that he placed on the table.
“I was getting that. For you.” He looked like he wanted nothing more than to disappear at that moment.
Winnie picked it up and cradled it in her hands. Her eye lit up. To me, it looked like just a ball of glass, but she was clearly seeing something completely different. That was the magic of a crystal ball—you can only see what you need to see within it. She watched it for a few seconds, her face shifting from wonder to joy.
“Barry...” she breathed. “I love it. Thank you.”
Barry raised his head from his hands long enough to accept another kiss on the cheek. Alan cawed indignantly.
“That was it?” he demanded, jutting his beak forward and puffing up angrily, “You were embarrassed about getting her a gift?”
“To be fair,” Winnie defended, laughing, “it’s a pretty good gift.”
Alan scoffed and turned around to preen his feathers for the third time that day. He wanted to look his best, he’d explained, for when he met my grandparents.
The coffee shop door opened and a customer stepped in.
“Got to go, Winnie,” Barry said. “I’ll see you after my shift?”
“I’ll be here,” she said, grinning.
“It’s time for us to be heading out, too,” I told them, “Alan, you ready?”
He flew up, landed on my shoulder, and gave me an affectionate peck on the ear.
Winnie walked us to the door and we said our goodbyes on the coffee shop porch.
“Have fun at the mirror pools,” I said, “Say hi to your family for me...and don’t let Barry get into too much trouble.”
“I will,” she promised. “And hey...good luck in the normal realm.”
“Thanks,” I said, waving as I walked away. I was going to need it.
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Catalog of Books
TRIPLET WITCH SISTERS Mystery Series
Two’s Company, Three’s a Coven
Resting Witch Face
Bewitched and Bewildered
Triple Toil and Trouble
WITCH DETECTIVE SERIES
Payback’s a Witch
Come Witch or High Water
Witch Boots on the Ground
THE WITCH SISTERS OF Stillwater
Hoodoo and Just Desserts
A Shade of Murder
That Ol’ Black Magic
A Whole Lotta Witchin Goin On
The Beast Cometh
Secrets and Sorcery
THE LUCKY DILL DELI Mystery Series
A Yuletide Wallop
Haunted Homicide
The Leprechaun’s Loot
THE SINISTER CASE SERIES
Mirror, Mirror Murder Them All
A Wicked Enchantment
A Scorching Spell
THE GRUMPY CHICKEN Irish Pub Series
A Frosty Mug of Murder
Treachery on Tap
Cursed With a Twist
A Whiskey Sour Wipeout
OLD SCHOOL DINER COZY Mysteries
Murder at Stake
Murder Well Done
A Side Order of Deception
Murder, Basted and Barbecued
Murder Ala Mode
The Candy Cane Killer
THE CURIOSITY SHOP Cozy Mysteries
The Curious Case of the Cursed Spectacles
The Curious Case of the Cursed Dice
The Curious Case of the Cursed Dagger
The Curious Case of the Cursed Looking Glass
The Curious Case of the Cursed Crucible
WITCHY WOMEN OF COVEN Grove Series
THE WITCHING ON THE Wall
A Witching Well of Magic
Witching the Night Away
Witching There’s Another Way
Witching Your Life Away
Witching You Wouldn’t Go
Witching for a Miracle
TEASEN & PLEASEN HAIR Salon Series
A Hair Raising Blowout
Wash, Rinse, Die
Holiday Hooligans
Color Me Dead
False Nails & Tall Tales
CAESAR’S CREEK SERIES
A FROZEN SCOOP OF MURDER
Soft Serve Secrets
Ice Cream You Scream
Double Dip Dilemma
Melted Memories
Triple Dip Debacle
Whipped Wedding Woes
A Sprinkle of Tropical Trouble
A Drizzle of Deception
SWEET HOME MYSTERY Series
Creamed at the Coffee Cabana
A Caffeinated Crunch
A Frothy Fiasco
Punked by the Pumpkin
Peppermint Pandemonium
Expresso Messo
A Cuppa Cruise Conundrum
The Brewing Bride
WHISPERING PINES MYSTERY Series
A Sinister Slice of Murder
Sanctum of Shadows
Curse of the Bloodstone Arrow
Fright Night at the Haunted Inn
THE CHRONICLES OF AGNES Astor Smith
The Peculiar Case of Agnes Astor Smith
The Peculiar Case of the Red Tide
The Peculiar Case of the Lost Colony