Free A Charmed Life (Halloween LaVeau Book 5) by Rose Pressey

Jolene?” I looked at her, waiting for an answer.
    Jolene looked over at Cora and then she sat up a little straighter. “Cora invited me to her room and that’s when she gave me the potion to drink.”
    I made a time-out signal with my hand. “Wait. What potion?”
    “It was supposed to be a love potion, not a death potion,” she yelled at Cora.
    Cora studied her fingernails.
    Jolene tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Cora was going to give me a potion so that I could find a boyfriend. Needless to say, it didn’t work out as I had planned.”
    “Obviously,” Nicolas said.
    “I’m not so sure she didn’t plan it that way all along.” Jolene glared at Cora.
    “How do you know you were dead?” I asked.
    Jolene blew the bangs out of her eyes. “I remember choking and coughing when I drank it and then I fell over onto the floor. It was an out-of-body experience.” She waved her hands. “I was up above looking down at myself and I knew that I was a goner.”
    “That’s not good,” I said.
    “She needs to be arrested.” Jolene pointed at Cora.
    Cora leaned forward in the chair. “I did nothing wrong. You can’t prove it either.”
    She was right… I couldn’t think of one way I’d be able to prove it. Though I needed to find the concoction that she had given Jolene. I might be able to get it tested and see what was in it. I had to admit though, I was worried that maybe I’d been responsible for what happened. After all, I’d been doing magic when it had taken place.
    Cora could have given Jolene the potion to kill her and I’d brought her back to life with my spell. That would be a good thing, but it would also prove that my magic was nowhere near as good as I’d thought. I’d be back to the place I’d started. My skills had been so horrible in the past that when I cast spells other witches’ spells were messed up at the same time. I’d thought that was all behind me now, but maybe I’d grown too confident. I was worried that I had really messed up this time. Did anyone have to know if I was the one responsible? This could just be my little secret.
    Cora watched me. It was almost as if she was reading my mind. I tried to avoid eye contact with her, but she didn’t stop her stare.
    Finally, she said, “Maybe it was you. I sense your magic. I know what you’re doing.”
    That was when Nicolas stepped forward. “But do you know who she is?”
    She focused her attention on him. “I’m not too concerned with her status.”
    If she could perform magic then she should know my position. Cora was just trying to act innocent. Whatever her reasons for being here, I would figure it out. And I wasn’t going to let her intimidate me either.
    “Hallie LaVeau is the leader of the Underworld,” Nicolas said with such pride that my stomach did a little dance.
    “I already knew that,” Cora said. “It means little to me.”
    “Well, until further notice no one is doing magic,” I said. “Not until this is solved.”
    “Do you have the authority to do that?” Cora asked.
    “Yes, I do,” I said.
    I was taking charge. I couldn’t let this get out of hand. There were too many people who thought I would fail and I wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of being correct.
    “I’m going to my room.” Cora got up from the sofa and marched over to the stairs without looking back.
    Jolene jumped up too. “I don’t know what to do. Am I living or am I dead? I don’t know. I’m in the middle of worlds and possibly reality.”
    “Jolene, I’ll help you any way I can,” I said.
    She marched toward the foyer. “I’m going for a walk. I need fresh air.”
    That was probably one of the best things for her to do. But what should I do? I didn’t know where to begin. I’d better think of something quick though.
    Nicolas came over to me and wrapped his arms around me. “Are you okay?”
    “What do you think I should do? Should I call the police? There’s really no proof that a crime has been