Free One Potion in the Grave: A Magic Potion Mystery by Heather Blake Page A

me,” I said. “Hopefully you don’t mind a little dust and cat hair.”
    “A
little
dust?” Dylan said, smirking.
    “Hush now.” I gently elbowed him.
    “I don’t want to impose,” Katie Sue said.
    “You hush, too. My door is always open to friends.”
    Her eyes softened. “Thank you, Carly.”
    “Good,” Warren boomed. “It’s settled then. Perhaps we can get on with the rest of our day. There’s much to do with this upcoming wedding if I’m not mistaken.”
    Landry looked ill, his face ashen.
    Color rose to Katie Sue’s cheeks. She stood up. “Warren, may I have a word with you? Outside?”
    Louisa’s fingers twisted the pearls so tightly I thought the string would break. She said, “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
    Warren, however, waved her concerns away. “A few minutes won’t do any harm.” He also waved off the private security guards who started to follow them.
    All eyes were on them as they stepped onto the back patio until Earl Pendergrass came barreling through the front door amid shouts from the reporters, successfully capturing our full attention. The mail carrier straightened his shirt and adjusted his bag as he took a deep breath. “A pack of wolves out there. Pack of wolves. Afternoon,” he said to us all as he tipped his hat. Deep crow’s feet wrinkled the skin around his eyes as he smiled. He was near to retirement age, but loved his job and didn’t have any plans on hanging up his mailbag anytime soon.
    We all murmured hellos, while Hazel rushed over to the outgoing mailbox and gathered its contents. “Earl, you be safe heading out there now, you hear?”
    Cassandra added with a teasing smile, “They’ll eat you alive.”
    She was quite beautiful when she relaxed and showed some humor. I had the feeling that when she ran, she was going to win the Senate election by a landslide.
    “Don’t I know it,” he said, laughing, his white teeth flashing against his dark skin. He took the mail from Hazel and gave her an extra sweet smile. “Seems you have your hands full, Miss Hazel.”
    She laughed and gave him a playful shove. “Always, Earl. Always.”
    As Eulalie primped in front of the mirror for her big debut with the press, I noticed how Louisa’s eyes flared when she spotted a manila envelope in Earl’s hands. Her gaze flashed to Landry, then Cassandra, then back to the mail—straight to the coffee-stained envelope on top of the pile Hazel had just handed to Earl.
    She obviously knew what it was, and it was causing her much distress if the sudden pounding of her heart was any indication.
    That envelope had to contain Katie Sue’s
ammunition
. I’d bet my witchy senses on it.
    I grabbed my locket to try to block Louisa’s emotions. This happened sometimes when I was in a crowded room—I couldn’t block energy no matter how hard I tried. It kneaded my soul, pushing and pushing until I finally gave in to the pressure.
    Louisa stepped toward Earl, and before I could fully reconcile what was happening, she tripped and lurchedforward, catching Earl’s arm on the way down. The mail went flying, but Earl caught Louisa before she hit the ground. He set her to rights.
    At the same time, Cassandra had rolled forward to help her mother and accidentally knocked over an end table. As everyone but Eulalie (she was too busy peeping out the window) scurried forward to help with the situation, Louisa bent down to scoop up the mail. We reached for the coffee-stained envelope at the same time, each grabbing an end.
    Anger flashed in Louisa’s eyes, a direct contrast to her syrupy voice. “I have it.”
    “No, I do.” I yanked hard, pulling it from her grasp. The motion sent her reeling backward, and she landed flat on her rump. Everyone gasped and glared at me.
    “Sorry,” I said and quickly handed the envelope off to Earl, who tucked it—and the rest of the mail—into the bag slung over his shoulder. “I don’t know my own strength.”
    One of the bodyguards helped