Meows, Magic & Murder by Madison Johns Page A

ignoring the stares of the men and women that were sitting on leather chairs. Once she was outside, she began to pace until Noah waved down the valet to return his bike.
    “What’s the matter?”
    “Sh-She hinted that Helen was related to me and that she’d stand a chance to inherit from my aunt if she died, but how would she when I’m in her will. You can’t just show up out of the blue and expect to be added. What if Helen had planned to kill my aunt?”
    “It’s safe to say that isn’t going to happen. You do realize that Helen’s dead, right?”
    “That doesn’t make me feel any better. I could care less about my aunt’s money, but what if someone plans on hurting her?”
    “There’s no reason to think that, just yet. Can’t you find out if Helen was related to you, ask your aunt at least?”
    “I could. I’d like to ask someone else first, but I’m not sure he’ll talk or even know what’s going on.”
    “Who are you talking about? You told me your parents died when you were twelve.”
    “Yes, but my grandfather is very much alive. He’s my Aunt Maxine’s brother, but he has Alzheimer’s.”
    Noah pulled out a five from his pants pocket, paying the valet. “How bad is he?”
    “That’s just the thing, I’m not all that sure. I have the feeling that he’s not quite all gone like my aunt thinks.”
    They hopped on the motorcycle, and Noah asked, “Where is he staying.”
    “Sunnybrook Manor. It’s in Bear Paw. It’s ten miles away to the north.”
    “On the same road?”
    “Yes, I’ll give you directions once we get into Bear Paw.”
    Petunia held on tight and soon was leaning into Noah’s back a little too close, but it felt so natural and comfortable.
    “You don’t need to hold me quite so tightly. I promise I’m not a reckless driver,” Noah shouted over the roar of the engine.
    She moved slightly away now and felt miffed for some reason, but she felt a little embarrassed. The last thing she needed to do was lose her head over a man, any man. It’s bad enough that she’d done that with Jeremy and look how that had turned out. She’d really have to whip up a potion, or try to—and soon.
    Petunia stiffened as they passed a jogger that was none other than Lucy, the woman she had given the herbal salve to. She felt very worried right now. If that woman had a heart attack or if anything untoward happened to her, she’d be sunk. How was it possible that anything she ever made would work, when nothing she had done before ever had?
    She vowed to speak with her aunt about it when she came back from seeing her grandfather. For now, she was back to enjoying the view that changed now from lakeside to pine trees that blanketed both sides of the road. “Watch out for white-tailed deer,” Petunia warned him.
    “Oh, right.”
    Petunia loved the outdoors for the most part, but there were certainly more dangers to her picturesque town than she had ever known about, and plenty of funny business when it came to the mayor and Florence McHenry. The mayor’s wife, Bonnie, was so sweet, too. It would take all of Petunia’s willpower to not let his wife in on his indiscretion, but there was no sense in giving that woman any grief. What was it about men and commitment, anyway?
     
     
     

CHAPTER TEN
    When Noah rolled into Bear Paw, Petunia pointed out Murphy Road, holding on a little tighter on the turn. A mile down the road, a white, colonial type of mansion came into view. It was a little fancier than your average nursing home, but the owner wanted it like that. They also had a gourmet menu and the best care around. Most of the residents were more able-bodied than most, including her grandfather that Petunia almost thought continued to stay there to spite his sister, her Aunt Maxine. Before he came to Sunnybrook Manor, his house had burned to the ground and he had no insurance, refusing to listen to well-meaning comments from his sister. Petunia just wished she knew what the bad blood was