Free Moonlight Murder: An Inept Witches Mystery by Amanda A. Allen, Auburn Seal Page B

tell your husband about your little pathetic tryst? ”
    Tia paled. “ You wouldn't tell him! I mean, how did you even know about Sheldon and me? ”
    “ The whole island knows, ” Ingrid replied. “ Plus, we are witches. So, obviously we just know things. ”
    “ You are terrible witches, ” Tia said. “ Everyone knows that. ”
    Ingrid looked at Emily. “ She sort of has a point. But you know, I don ’ t think I ’ m going to let you — a cheating dove — insult me. Especially not today. I think I should show you that I ’ m not the terrible witch you and everyone else seems to think I am. ”
    Emily was getting nervous. Ingrid sounded slightly out of control and a little too close to the wrong kind of crazy.
    Ingrid lifted her hand and pushed Tia into the bathroom, then flicked her wrist and shut the bathroom door. Then with another movement from her hand she slid the dresser in front of the door so Tia wouldn ’ t be able to get out.
    “ Uh, damn. Remind me not to piss you off. ”
    Ingrid rolled her eyes. “ She can sit there in the bathroom until her precious deputy comes home. And we are only terrible because we want to be. People irritate me today. ”
    “ People irritate you every day. ” They walked out of the house nonchalantly as if they hadn ’ t just broken in and locked the homeowner in the bathroom before leaving.
    “ It ’ s true. But especially today. What should we do now? I don ’ t think Tia did it. I mean, I want her to have done it because she is a horrible human. But, I don ’ t know. She seems pretty sad that he ’ s dead. ” Ingrid stared at the Camaro for a long moment to think.
    “ Maybe she is just sad because she realizes that in addition to being a cheater, she is also a murderer. ”
    “ Possibly. ” Ingrid sounded unconvinced.
    Emily grunted, sounding irritated.
    Ingrid continued, ignoring her friend. “ I think we should go talk to Maria. I've always liked her. And maybe she can give us some info about other people that might have hated her brother. Or some proof that Deputy whatever-you-call-him did it. That would be great. He could go to jail. Gabe would be proved to make stupid decisions, and he ’ d have to apologize. Cheating Tia can be left home alone. Her lover dead and her husband in jail. That would be good, right? ”
    Emily laughed as she got behind the wheel of the Camaro. “ That would be a pretty perfect day. By the way, I ’ m driving because you ’ re scary when you are a competent witch. I don ’ t think you should be behind the wheel in your current state. ”
    Ingrid opened the passenger side door and got in. “ I ’ ll cut you, Em. Just like you always threaten. You ’ ve given me bad ideas. ”
    •••
    “ Maria? ” Emily asked, eyeing Ingrid somewhat askance. There was a part of Ingrid who wanted to laugh at the look of semi-concern and semi-irritation on Emily ’ s face. The truth was — neither of them were prepared for how Ingrid had actually felt about Gabe. Ingrid felt like she ’ d been hit on the back of the head by her feelings for him and then how massively she ’ d screwed up everything.
    Emily opened the door of the Camaro. She was driving since friends didn ’ t let friends drive with sullen, burning, mind-numbing fury.
    “ Yes, ” Ingrid said, opening the passenger door of the Camaro. “ I object to murders in general. This has ruined my nap schedule at least, and I haven ’ t eaten anything good since like … possibly ever. You should dump Sam. ”
    It came out rather unexpectedly. Also unexpected was the way her dress caught on nothing and slid up while she eased into the car.
    “ Hooker, ” Emily said as Ingrid yanked her skirt down and then asked, “ Are you commando? ”
    “ Shut up, ” Ingrid said, yanking her skirt back down.
    “ Why are you commando? ”
    “ Shut up. Gabe. Panties. Drama. Fire in the shower. ”
    “ You burned your panties? ” Emily ’ s snort made even Ingrid laugh.
    “