Free Every Witch Way But Wicked (A Wicked Witches of the Midwest Mystery) by Amanda M. Lee Page A

right next to the library, and left his body out in the open.”
    Clove was still nervous as she watched us for signs we were going to tussle again. “There was a lot of blood,” she said warily.
    “Are you sure it wasn’t just a fake out for the murder mystery weekend?” Thistle asked.
    “Not according to Chief Terry and Landon,” I said dismissively.
    “Landon?” Thistle looked surprised.
    “Yeah, he showed up last night – right before another body dropped in town.”
    “Why was he here?” Thistle asked curiously.
    “I don’t know,” I shrugged.
    “He came to see Bay,” Clove supplied.
    “He did not,” I scoffed.
    “He came to see Bay?” Thistle turned to Clove. She had an evil look on her face.
    “It was pretty obvious,” Clove said. “He even got all puffed out when Brian showed up. He was marking his territory like a dog.”
    “Well, that’s interesting,” Thistle mused, casting an appraising look in my direction. Crap. Now she had dirt on me.
    “He was not here because of me,” I countered.
    “Then why was he here?”
    “I have no idea.”
    “How did he look?”
    “Hot,” Clove interjected immediately.
    Thistle turned back to me. “He is pretty good looking.”
    “He’s okay,” I hedged.
    “Do you think he’s sticking around for the investigation into Myron’s death?”
    That thought hadn’t even occurred to me. “I have no idea.”
    “I bet he gets himself assigned to the case,” Thistle said mischievously.
    “I wonder how long it will be before Landon takes Bay for a twilight ride,” Clove giggled.
    I stood up determinedly. “I have to get ready for work.”
    I could hear Thistle and Clove betting how long it would take for Landon to separate me from my panties as I left the room. Clove was betting on a week and Thistle was betting on three days.
    Even I was curious which one of them would be right.
Twelve
    When I left the guesthouse, Clove and Thistle were whispering conspiratorially at the counter in the kitchen. I didn’t bother telling them goodbye. I figured I would see them in a couple of hours for lunch – and by then, Thistle would hopefully be markedly calmer.
    I stopped at the police department on my way to The Whistler, pulling in behind the department and exiting my car quickly. It was still early, most of the town hadn’t come to life yet, but I didn’t want to risk running into anyone before I knew exactly what was going on.
    The Hemlock Cove Police Department is small, only a couple of rooms and a small reception area. I greeted Greta, the office secretary, when I entered the office. She was used to my visits so she didn’t even try to stop me when I wandered into the back hallway that led to Chief Terry’s office.
    I navigated the narrow hall and opened Chief Terry’s office door without knocking. I figured he would be expecting me.
    I pulled up short when I found Landon sitting in one of the chairs across from Chief Terry’s desk. He seemed surprised to see me in the doorway. “Don’t you knock?”
    “I didn’t know you were in here,” I said sheepishly. I couldn’t help but notice that Landon didn’t look like he’d been home – or gotten any sleep. He was dressed in the same clothes he’d been wearing the night before and he had pronounced dark circles under his eyes.
    “”You just let her wander in here?” Landon was talking to Chief Terry, but he was looking at me.
    “She doesn’t do well with the word no,” Chief Terry said tiredly. “No one in her family does.”
    “I don’t doubt that,” Landon grumbled.
    I ignored Landon’s obvious sarcasm and sat down in the other chair. I turned to Chief Terry expectantly. “So what do we know?”
    “We know that you aren’t a part of this investigation,” Landon interjected shortly.
    “No one is talking to you,” I shot back. “Do we have any idea who stabbed Myron?”
    “He’s not going to answer that,” Landon said.
    “We don’t know who,” Chief Terry said. “The