Son of a Witch: A Witch Squad Cozy Mystery #2 Read online

  {Son of a Witch}

  A Witch Squad Cozy Mystery: Book #2

  by

  M.Z. Andrews

  Copyright © M.Z. Andrews 2016

  All characters herein are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner without the express written permission of the author except for the brief quotations in a book review.

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  {Prologue}

  {Chapter One}

  {Chapter Two}

  {Chapter Three}

  {Chapter Four}

  {Chapter Five}

  {Chapter Six}

  {Chapter Seven}

  {Chapter Eight}

  {Chapter Nine}

  {Chapter Ten}

  {Chapter Eleven}

  {Chapter Twelve}

  {Chapter Thirteen}

  {Chapter Fourteen}

  {Chapter Fifteen}

  {Chapter Sixteen}

  {Chapter Seventeen}

  {Chapter Eighteen}

  {Chapter Nineteen}

  {Chapter Twenty}

  {Chapter Twenty-One}

  {Chapter Twenty-Two}

  {About the Author}

  {Sign up For Newsletter from The Author}

  { Prologue}

  The heavy beat of rock and roll music filled the empty spaces of Jimmy Spencer’s small darkly lit tavern. Jimmy towel dried two glass mugs and carefully placed them behind the counter before acknowledging the customer waving to him at the end of the bar.

  “How ya doin? What can I getcha?” he asked expressionlessly as he flipped his long wavy brown hair out of his eyes and stashed it casually behind one ear.

  The stocky man in front of him looked at his date. “What are you drinking tonight sweetheart?”

  “I’ll have a cranberry vodka,” the leggy blonde said to her date but kept her eyes trained on Jimmy.

  Jimmy’s eyes scanned the length of the attractive woman. She wore a tight red dress that hugged her voluptuous body in all the right places. Jimmy gave her an appreciative little nod and then glanced at her date. He was a stocky fellow with a puffed out chest and big beefy arms. The way that the man was standing with his arms out convinced Jimmy that he wanted people to think those arms were all muscle, but Jimmy knew the only reps that guy was doing was with a burrito.

  “And you?” Jimmy asked the man.

  “Just gimme a beer. Whatever you have on tap.”

  Without acknowledgment, Jimmy turned and began to prepare their drinks. As he moved around behind the bar he could clearly hear their conversation.

  “I’m glad we got a room upstairs. Now we don’t have to drive anywhere tonight. Seven hours on the road is too much for one night,” said the man.

  “Oh babe, but it’s going to be worth it. You’ll finally get to meet my parents,” the woman cooed.

  Jimmy turned around with the cranberry vodka in time to catch the woman clinging to her date provocatively. He grabbed a mug from under the counter and held it up to the tap as he poured the beer.

  “You’d think they could have come to see us,” the man grunted.

  “I didn’t want them to come to us, silly. I haven’t been home for years. I’m dying to see my old room.”

  Jimmy handed them the drinks. “That’ll be eight bucks.”

  The man handed Jimmy a ten dollar bill. “Keep the change,” he said.

  Jimmy glanced over at the woman curiously. “You say you’re from Aspen Falls?”

  Her face lit up. “Yeah, I grew up here, moved away about ten years ago.”

  “Huh, I don’t think I recognize you. I’ve lived here my whole life,” Jimmy told her. “What’s your name?”

  “Harper. Harper Bradshaw and this is my boyfriend Vaughn Carlisle,” she said with a smile, revealing her perfectly straight teeth.

  Jimmy’s eyes opened wider. “Sergeant Bradshaw’s daughter?”

  “Yeah, you know Daddy?” She cocked her head to the side curiously. She obviously didn’t recognize Jimmy.

  Jimmy shrugged and slid the ten spot off of the counter and shoved it in his pocket. “Sergeant Bradshaw is a regular in here. He and a couple of guys have coffee here in the mornings. I’ve known him for years. But he always talks about his daughters like they are little girls.” Jimmy’s eyes rested on Harper’s cleavage for a split second. “You’re not quite the little girl I envisioned.”

  Vaughn slid a protective arm around Harper’s waist. He obviously didn’t appreciate the looks Jimmy was shooting his girl.

  “Oh, that’s my daddy,” Harper said with a little giggle. “He never wanted me and Elena to grow up.”

  “Come on doll, let’s go shoot some pool or something,” Vaughn said. Gripping her hip he guided her away from the bar.

  Harper turned around grudgingly but managed to give Jimmy a fluttery wave of her fingers as she was pulled away. “Well that was rude, Vaughn,” she mumbled to him under her breath.

  A ringing of the bell above the heavy wooden front door caused all 7 sets of eyes in the bar to swivel to see who had come in. A tall, dark and handsome stranger stood in the doorway wearing black army boots, black jeans, and a black leather jacket over a tight burgundy v-neck. With a backpack slung over one shoulder and a duffle bag in his other hand, he took one step inside the bar and stopped to scan the joint. Two couples on a double date were talking quietly in a corner booth while Vaughn and Harper had just picked up a set of pool sticks. Behind the bar, Jimmy was assessing the stranger as he did every other stranger that walked into his bar.

  The man ran a hand through his thick black hair before noticing he had caught Harper’s attention. She smiled at him much to her boyfriend’s chagrin causing the stranger’s mouth to curl up in a tiny acknowledging grin and give her an ever so slight nod.

  The stranger caught Jimmy’s eye and made his way to the bar.

  “What can I getcha?” Jimmy asked him.

  “I saw your sign out on the highway. You got any rooms left?” the man’s deep voice asked. One eyebrow cocked itself up and he tipped his head slightly to the left.

  Jimmy grabbed a small binder under the counter. “Just gave that couple over there a room, but I think I’ve got one left.” He flipped a few pages in the binder. “Yeah, one left. How long do ya need it for?”

  The man shrugged. “Not really sure how long I’ll be in town for. Does it matter?”

  Jimmy shook his head and stuck out his bottom lip. “Nah, not so much. Give me a day’s notice before you check out and we’re solid. Forty bucks a night and I need a credit card on file.”

  The man pulled out his wallet and slung a card down onto the counter.

  “I need your name for the book too,” Jimmy told him.

  “Name’s Reign Alexander.”

  Jimmy scribbled the name down in the book. “Top of the stairs to the right,” he said handing him the key to room 203.

  “You serve meals here?” Reign asked, scanning the bar for signs of food.

  Jimmy nodded. “Bar food – wings, burgers, fries.”

  “I’m going to go throw my bag down in the room. Mind starting me a burger and fries? I’ll be right back.”

  “Sure thing,” Jimmy agreed.

  Jimmy was alone for only minutes before the devilishly handsome man with the 5 o’clock shadow was back at the bar. “I’ll take a bottle of Sam Adams if you’ve got it,” Reign asked.

  Jimmy nodded and grabbed a bottle from the cooler behind him, popped the top off and slid it down the bar to Reign.

  “Something bring you to town?” Jimmy asked
him.

  Reign took a long slug from his beer before setting it back down on the bar half empty. “Family stuff. I didn’t catch your name?”

  “Jimmy.”

  “Jimmy, I’m gonna need another one of these,” Reign said and polished off the rest of the bottle with one big swallow.

  “Long day?” Jimmy asked him with an amused smile as he handed him another bottle from the cooler.

  “Long life,” Reign sighed.

  “Food’s up,” said a voice from the kitchen behind the bar.

  Jimmy turned around and grabbed the basket and sat it down in front of Reign.

  “Put it on my tab?” Reign asked as he scooped up the food and the fresh beer.

  “Yeah, no problem.”

  “Thanks.” Reign stood up with his meal and carried it over to a booth next to the pool table Harper and Vaughn were playing on. He plopped down with an audible sigh and made himself comfortable.

  Harper took the pool stick from the side of the table and made a show of leaning over the table. She made sure Reign got a nice view of her cleavage while Jimmy got a clear shot of her rear. She giggled before taking the shot, wiggling her rump in a way that clearly begged all the male eyes to look at her. Vaughn grunted in annoyance.

  “Knock it off, Harp. Why you gotta embarrass me like that?” he asked her gruffly as he moved his behind her so her rear wasn’t as openly visible as it had been.

  “Oh, Vaughny, you’re so boring. I was just moving to the music. What’s the harm in that? Can’t you ever just have a little fun?”

  He rolled his eyes. “What’s the harm? You’ve got half the eyes in this room on you. You think daddy Bradshaw would be happy to know his little girl is making a fool of herself at the local pub?”

  Harper stood up and shot Vaughn a menacing glare. She strutted back to their table and downed the rest of her drink. “How about you just zip it and get me another one of these.”

  “You’re really a piece of work, you know that?” he grunted at her. “Bartender. Another round over here.”

  “Jimmy!” Reign hollered from his booth. “Put their drinks on my tab and bring me another beer too.”

  Jimmy nodded his head and set about getting their drinks.

  “Ohh,” Harper cooed, leaning over Reign’s table. “That’s so sweet of you! I’m Harper.” She extended her red fingernailed hand to Reign.

  Reign’s left eyebrow shot up with interest as he took her hand, giving it a little squeeze. “Hey. I’m Reign.”

  “We don’t care,” said Vaughn as he stood up from taking his most recent shot.

  Harper gave Vaughn a disgusted look. “Don’t mind him. He’s got a pool stick shoved up his…hey!” she squealed as Vaughn reached around Harper and pinched her backside.

  Vaughn glared at Reign. “You can’t find anywhere else to sit?” he asked, looking around the bar. Aside from the two couples in a booth in the far corner, there were at least a dozen empty tables and half a dozen empty booths in the bar.

  Reign gave him a cocky half smile and nodded towards the pool table. “I was hoping you’d invite me to play.”

  Vaughn glared at him in annoyance.

  “Sure, you can play!” Harper said excitedly. “We just started. Let’s start over Vaughn.” Before her boyfriend could object, she ran around to the other side of the table and grabbed the two balls that had rolled into the pockets on the two far corners and tossed them onto the table.

  “Ugh, Harp!” Vaughn groaned as Jimmy set the mug of beer and the cranberry vodka down on their table and handed Reign his bottle.

  “Look, if you don’t want me to play, it’s fine,” Reign said after thanking Jimmy.

  Vaughn looked at the drinks and rubbed his forehead. “Oh, fine. You and I’ll play. Rack ‘em up, Harp. You can break for us.”

  Reign took a swig from his third beer and then scooted out of the booth. Harper gave him a once over as he stood up. His broad muscular shoulders tapered down to a slim waist and a nicely shaped bottom. Harper took an extra long glance at his backside.

  “Where y’all from?” Reign asked.

  “Well, I’m from here originally, but Vaughn and I are living in Connecticut right now.”

  “You’re from Aspen Falls? Ya don’t say,” Reign said as he leaned on his pool stick while Harper loaded the balls into the rack on the table. His eyes traveled the length of her body appreciatively, watching her every move.

  “Yeah, my dad is kind of well known in the area. I’ve been gone for awhile. Haven’t seen him in two years,” she admitted with a hint of regret apparent in her voice.

  “You haven’t seen daddy in two years and you’re back in town playing pool at the local tavern? Why’s that if I may ask.”

  Harper’s bubbly demeanor suddenly quieted as a dark cloud seemed to float across her face. She shrugged before answering him. “My mom’s not going to be very excited to have me back,” she admitted. “I know daddy will be excited to have me home, but in all honesty, I didn’t exactly tell him I was coming. And…we rolled into town kind of late. I didn’t want to go over there at this time of night and be like ‘surprise!’ or anything.”

  Vaughn looked up at Harper sharply. “You didn’t tell the Sarge we were coming? You said you ironed all that out!”

  Harper grinned nervously. “I didn’t want you to back out. I couldn’t face them alone…”

  “You know how they feel about me. About us. You don’t think they would have appreciated a little warning that they were finally going to meet me?”

  She shrugged and scooted over to the front end of the table. She put the cue ball down on the table and lined up her shot. “It’ll be fine. I’m sure daddy will just be happy to see me, that’s really all that matters.” Her cue ball barely broke the triangular figure, she stomped her high-heeled foot down on the ground petulantly.

  “If you say so,” said Vaughn. He then stepped forward, leaned over and took a shot. A striped ball sunk into a side pocket easily. He stood up straight, puffed his chest a bit and then took another shot at a striped ball. It came close to falling in but bounced and rolled away.

  “So what’s your story?” Vaughn asked Reign as he walked back to his table to take another drink.

  Reign scanned the length of the table, looking for a good shot. “No story to tell,” he said then leaned over, pulled the stick back and launched it, sinking four solid balls into four separate holes. “Visiting family in town, same as you.”

  Vaughn’s eyes widened as the balls all dropped. Harper clapped while bouncing on her toes. “Wow, Reign, that was awesome! You should give Vaughn some pointers!”

  Her boyfriend shot her an angry glance as Reign leaned over to take his next shot. “I’d be happy to give you some pointers, man.” Reign took another shot and sunk his last three balls.

  Vaughn’s face dropped. “Nah man, I don’t need any pointers. You a hustler or something?”

  Reign laughed as he leaned his pool stick up against the table and returned to his booth to grab his beer. “Did I ask to play for money?”

  Vaughn looked at Harper nervously. “Then what’s your game?” he asked.

  “No game. I’ve been on the road all day by myself. I just wanted to have a little conversation. How about you two join me. Next round’s on me again?” Reign suggested easily.

  “Ooh, I better finished this one then,” Harper giggled, taking a long sip of her rose-colored drink.

  “Jimmy, hit us all with another drink. In fact, throw one at those four too. On me,” Reign nodded towards the couple in the corner. They all smiled and waved at Reign.

  “Thanks man!” hollered one of the men in the group.

  “See, no game,” Reign said with a little shrug. “Just being friendly. I’m gonna go throw some money into the jukebox over there, you two wanna hear anything special?”

  “I’ll come with you and help you pick!” Harper said excitedly.

  Vaughn rolled his eyes at her. “Harper, he doesn’t wan
t your help.”

  “I don’t mind, come on sweetheart. You can choose them all,” Reign told her with a sexy grin as he extended his elbow to her.

  “Ugh, Harp,” Vaughn growled and threw both hands up in the air.

  “You got a handful right there,” Jimmy said to him from across the bar.

  Vaughn looked at Jimmy and nodded. “Yeah I do.”

  { Chapter One}

  I smoothed out the wrinkles in the slinky little dress Holly let me borrow and looked down at myself self-consciously. “You really don’t think this is too…I don’t know, revealing?” I asked, spinning around in front of the full-length mirror.

  “Duh, that’s the point,” Holly said as she adjusted the strap on my right shoulder to lift my chest up higher. “It’s unfortunate you don’t have bigger boobs. These will have to do, I guess.”

  ”You look hot, Mercy. Smokin’ hot! Houston won’t be able to resist,” said Jax, my tiny pixie of a roommate.

  I took a good look at myself in the mirror. I barely looked like me. Gone was my ratty old AC/DC hoodie, skinny jeans, and the Converse sneakers I usually walked around in. Who was this girl in the mirror? I certainly didn’t recognize her. Even with my black framed glasses on, I looked like a fake glamour version of Mercy Habernackle. My long auburn hair wasn’t in my usual side braid, because I’d relented when Holly offered, pleaded really, to curl my hair. Now it bounced cheerfully around my shoulders and with the makeup she’d held me down long enough to put on, I looked like, ugh, a girl.

  I shrugged. “I guess I look ok. I just don’t think I look like – me.”

  Jax squeezed her petite arms around my middle. “You look like you, Mercy. You just look like the date version of you.”

  I peered at myself again. I didn’t necessarily care for the date version of me. This was my first college date and in reality my first date date. Not that I would admit that to the girls. They didn’t really need to know that I was freaking out inside. Houston Brooks had sort of tricked me into going on this date with him. He’d helped me and the girls when we’d gotten into a sticky situation and I’d promised that I owed him one. Little had I known that he’d have collected by asking me out on a date.