Free A Charming Spell (Magical Cures Mystery Series) by tonya kappes Page A

Birds , but it should be titled Books .
    “As you can see,” Ophelia’s high-pitched voice was even higher. She lifted her hands in the air. “We have had a disturbance today and we don’t do well with that.”
    “What disturbance and what kind of shop is this?” I was beginning to wonder if Alexelrod was right. Ever After Books didn’t belong in Whispering Falls. Or if I would have listened to him, he might be alive today.
    The books swirled, dipped, and dove throughout the colorful shop. The wings of the books resembled the petals on the daisies in the flowerbed outside of the shop. There was a lamppost at the beginning of each aisle, filled with books.
    In each corner of the store were big comfy couches with large fluffy pillows and baskets of snuggly blankets in all sorts of bright colors.
    “It’s my bookshop.” She tossed her curls behind her head and walked ahead of me. “It’s full of magic when no one who isn’t spiritual is here.”
    I followed her, making sure to keep an eye out for the flying books.
    “And I’m afraid it isn’t looking too good for me or Ever After with that dreadful man found dead on my steps.” She stopped, turned, and drummed her fingers. Her eyes narrowed and her back became ramrod straight. “Am I right?”
    “Is this what you wanted to see me about?” I ducked, barely missing having my head detached.
    “It is.” She gestured for me to follow her. Her long black nails scraped the air.
    “Alexelrod was hardly dreadful.” I wanted to make sure that I made that clear with her, even though I was sure his dying wish was to run Ever After Books out of Whispering Falls. “You didn’t know him. He was kind, thoughtful and very helpful to our community. It is I who should be questioning the reasons he didn’t want your bookstore to open.”
    We proceeded to the back of the shop and through a door that opened up into Ophelia’s office space, which wasn’t much different than the actual shop. There were floor-to-ceiling shelves filled with books and a long black desk in the middle of the room.
    “I have no idea why he didn’t like me.” She stopped in front of one of the bookshelves. “He is the one who came to my spiritual village after I asked for a realtor and he showed me this place. Then I moved and he went all crazy. Then he was murdered.”
    “Really?” Something just wasn’t adding up.
    “Yes,” she said in a high-pitch voice. Her curls swayed back and forth as she nodded. “There are records of the entire transaction. But one of my books is missing and that is a key piece of evidence to his murder.”
    “You have thousands of books here.” I pointed in the direction of the shop floor. “How could you possibly know that you are missing a book?”
    The sign on the desk read The Witch Is In .
    “I’m going to go out on a limb and say you’re a witch.” I pointed to her sign. “So snap your fingers and find the book.”
    “Yes. You already know that I’m a witch from yesterday when I was in your shop.” She referred to the little incident at the store. “And you know they are going to go on a witch hunt because that man was found dead on my steps with the help of one of my books.”
    “I don’t think I’d say that. There is no proof you killed…” I slapped my hand over my mouth. “Did you kill Alexelrod?”
    “What do you think?” She stood with her hands firmly planted on her hips.
    I was just about to tell her what I thought right before the bookstore door was busted down. We rushed out of her office to see what had happened. Gandolf bolted in with his gun drawn and waving around a book no bigger than the palm of my hand.
    “By the order of the spiritual police in Whispering Falls, Ophelia Biblio, you are charged with the murder of Alexelrod Primrose.” Another younger police officer, who I had never seen before, was standing behind him. He was rolling his eyes as Gandolf’s baritone voice boomed, causing the books to go haywire.