Witch Boots on the Ground Read online

  We sat around a corner table, sipping on Barry’s exquisite coffee creations and swapping stories from the investigation. Barry listened, wide-eyed to our recounting of our confrontation with Nausika at the Calliope.

  “That was too dangerous,” he said disapprovingly, once we had finished. “You should have left that to the police.”

  “Oh, really?” Winnie said, “The police were chomping at the bit to lock you up for murder. If we had left it to the police, you’d still be behind bars.”

  Barry looked like he was about to protest, saw the look on Winnie’s face, and deflated. Winnie laughed and gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

  “Speaking of,” I said. “Something is still bothering me about that, Barry.”

  He managed to tear his eyes away from Winnie long enough to give me a quizzical look.

  “What on earth were you doing that night that you couldn’t tell the police about?”

  Barry suddenly couldn’t meet my eyes. He flushed a deep scarlet and stiffened in his chair. Winnie’s curiosity was piqued.

  “What was it, Barry?” she insisted, nudging him with her shoulder, “Come on...we won’t tease you. Much.”

  Barry buried his face in his hands and groaned.

  “Ughhhh,” he said. “Okay, fine. I was at...Betty’s Boutique.”

  Alan cackled and I stifled a laugh. Winnie, however, looked thoroughly confused.

  “Betty’s Boutique?” she said disbelievingly. “What on earth were you doing there?”

  Barry sighed deeply and dug into one of his pockets. He produced a small glass sphere that he placed on the table.

  “I was getting that. For you.” He looked like he wanted nothing more than to disappear at that moment.

  Winnie picked it up and cradled it in her hands. Her eye lit up. To me, it looked like just a ball of glass, but she was clearly seeing something completely different. That was the magic of a crystal ball—you can only see what you need to see within it. She watched it for a few seconds, her face shifting from wonder to joy.

  “Barry...” she breathed. “I love it. Thank you.”

  Barry raised his head from his hands long enough to accept another kiss on the cheek. Alan cawed indignantly.

  “That was it?” he demanded, jutting his beak forward and puffing up angrily, “You were embarrassed about getting her a gift?”

  “To be fair,” Winnie defended, laughing, “it’s a pretty good gift.”

  Alan scoffed and turned around to preen his feathers for the third time that day. He wanted to look his best, he’d explained, for when he met my grandparents.

  The coffee shop door opened and a customer stepped in.

  “Got to go, Winnie,” Barry said. “I’ll see you after my shift?”

  “I’ll be here,” she said, grinning.

  “It’s time for us to be heading out, too,” I told them, “Alan, you ready?”

  He flew up, landed on my shoulder, and gave me an affectionate peck on the ear.

  Winnie walked us to the door and we said our goodbyes on the coffee shop porch.

  “Have fun at the mirror pools,” I said, “Say hi to your family for me...and don’t let Barry get into too much trouble.”

  “I will,” she promised. “And hey...good luck in the normal realm.”

  “Thanks,” I said, waving as I walked away. I was going to need it.

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  Catalog of Books

  TRIPLET WITCH SISTERS Mystery Series

  Two’s Company, Three’s a Coven

  Resting Witch Face

  Bewitched and Bewildered

  Triple Toil and Trouble

  WITCH DETECTIVE SERIES

  Payback’s a Witch

  Come Witch or High Water

  Witch Boots on the Ground

  THE WITCH SISTERS OF Stillwater

  Hoodoo and Just Desserts

  A Shade of Murder

  That Ol’ Black Magic

  A Whole Lotta Witchin Goin On

  The Beast Cometh

  Secrets and Sorcery

  THE LUCKY DILL DELI Mystery Series

  A Yuletide Wallop

  Haunted Homicide

  The Leprechaun’s Loot

  THE SINISTER CASE SERIES

  Mirror, Mirror Murder Them All

  A Wicked Enchantment

  A Scorching Spell

  THE GRUMPY CHICKEN Irish Pub Series

  A Frosty Mug of Murder

  Treachery on Tap

  A Highball and a Low Blow

  Cursed With a Twist

  A Whiskey Sour Wipeout

  OLD SCHOOL DINER COZY Mysteries

  Murder at Stake

  Murder Well Done

  A Side Order of Deception

  Murder, Basted and Barbecued

  Murder Ala Mode

  The Candy Cane Killer

  THE CURIOSITY SHOP Cozy Mysteries

  The Curious Case of the Cursed Spectacles

  The Curious Case of the Cursed Dice

  The Curious Case of the Cursed Dagger

  The Curious Case of the Cursed Looking Glass

  The Curious Case of the Cursed Crucible

  WITCHY WOMEN OF COVEN Grove Series

  THE WITCHING ON THE Wall

  A Witching Well of Magic

  Witching the Night Away

  Witching There’s Another Way

  Witching Your Life Away

  Witching You Wouldn’t Go

  Witching for a Miracle

  TEASEN & PLEASEN HAIR Salon Series

  A Hair Raising Blowout

  Wash, Rinse, Die

  Holiday Hooligans

  Color Me Dead

  False Nails & Tall Tales

  CAESAR’S CREEK SERIES

  A FROZEN SCOOP OF MURDER

  Death by Chocolate Sundae

  Soft Serve Secrets

  Ice Cream You Scream

  Double Dip Dilemma

  Melted Memories

  Triple Dip Debacle

  Whipped Wedding Woes

  A Sprinkle of Tropical Trouble

  A Drizzle of Deception

  SWEET HOME MYSTERY Series

  Creamed at the Coffee Cabana

  A Caffeinated Crunch

  A Frothy Fiasco

  Punked by the Pumpkin

  Peppermint Pandemonium

  Expresso Messo

  A Cuppa Cruise Conundrum

  The Brewing Bride

  WHISPERING PINES MYSTERY Series

  A Sinister Slice of Murder

  Sanctum of Shadows

  Curse of the Bloodstone Arrow

  Fright Night at the Haunted Inn

  THE CHRONICLES OF AGNES Astor Smith

  The Peculiar Case of Agnes Astor Smith

  The Peculiar Case of the Red Tide

  The Peculiar Case of the Lost Colony