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  Spellbinding Blend

  A Paramour Bay Mystery

  Book Six

  KENNEDY LAYNE

  SPELLBINDING BLEND

  Copyright © 2019 by Kennedy Layne

  Kindle Edition

  eBook ISBN: 978-1-943420-73-5

  Print ISBN: 978-1-943420-74-2

  Cover Designer: Sweet ’N Spicy Designs

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

  All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

  Dedication

  Jeffrey—You were spellbinding from that very first email…I love you!

  Cole—Your freshman year of college is almost complete…we are so proud of you!

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  About the Book

  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

  About Cryptic Blend

  Books by Kennedy Layne

  About the Author

  This is one spellbinding tale of magical chaos you won’t want to miss in the continuation of USA Today Bestselling Author Kennedy Layne’s cozy paranormal mystery series…

  The flowers are in bloom, the songbirds are singing, and the tourists have begun to flock to the small coastal town of Paramour Bay for the Spring Festival. All is going according to plan, but Raven Marigold has one itsy-bitsy loose end to tie up regarding a possible warlock posing as one of the townsfolk. There has to be a simple solution, right?

  Well, one itsy-bitsy loose end turns into two…maybe three…when a body is found behind the kissing booth at the traveling carnival on the edge of town. When Raven discovers a connection between the victim and the warlock she’s been keeping a close eye on, she and her trusty familiar will have no choice but to take the case. After all, it wouldn’t do to have the residents know that magic exists!

  Grab a ticket and take a ride on this swirling mystery that will leave you dizzy with misleading clues, magical chaos, and a spellbinding blend that doesn’t quite go according to plan!

  Chapter One

  The small coastal town of Paramour Bay, Connecticut had been awakened with a single yellow bloom around two weeks ago in the courthouse flowerbed. I’d witnessed the dawn of a new season myself after filling out some paperwork for the tea shop with the city. The days that followed had been straight out of the pages of a fairytale.

  Bright vivid colors had burst forth in rows upon rows in the various planters, songbirds had returned to fly gracefully overhead from branch to budding branch, and the hint of warmth that carried on the gentle breezes had shown a welcome respite from the cool weather.

  Spring had finally arrived after a harsh bitter winter, and it was as if new beginnings were being offered to anyone with a wish to have one. Nothing could forestall the waves of vibrant energy surging through the air.

  Except those conniving squirrels. Look at them sitting in that tree rubbing their hands together, scheming. They do this every year. It’s an ongoing battle between us. They’re up to something catastrophic. I just know it.

  Leave it to Leo, my familiar, to ruin my spring-has-arrived moment.

  I didn’t bother to reply as I continued to smile at the numerous early bird tourists and joyful residents passing by my booth’s presentation while enjoying the sunshine, the sights, and the company. Some even poured themselves a few samples from the carafes of the tea and coffee I’d steeped and brewed to perfection. I was pretty sure I had gained some new customers after today’s social gathering.

  Leo and I were currently minding our vendor’s booth for my tea shop—Tea, Leaves & Eves—at Paramour Bay’s annual Spring Festival. Technically, I ran a tea and coffee shop after incorporating some premium coffee blends, and I was seriously considering changing its name to Tea, Leaves & Grounds.

  The festival was quite the attraction for this Norman Rockwell replica of a small New England seaside village, population of three hundred and thirty-five. It was our way of kicking off the official start of the annual tourist season, with a dash of fun thrown in for those passing through to see the bay.

  I think they forgot the fun part. Let’s get back to these squirrels…

  All those cute little squirrels were doing was trying to find some peace within all the commotion and excitement that had occurred in the past few days. I couldn’t say I blamed them. It was a bit hectic. They’d taken to running, jumping, and hiding in the trees scattered around the park. They probably wouldn’t come down until everything returned to normal after the lights went out after this busy weekend.

  The festival’s committee had even hung a large white sign at the entrance of town announcing the celebration and hired a traveling carnival, which had been set up in the open field across from the park. My table was literally at the end of Oceanview Drive, giving me the perfect view of the ticket booth and entry gate into the carnival.

  I couldn’t have asked for a better location to advertise my tea shop, and I’m pretty sure I had Sheriff Liam Drake to thank for such a coveted spot in the drawing. As I’d mentioned before, I currently had a few samples left of my bestselling hot teas and some select coffee blends set out in Yeti urns next to a stack of to-go cups with my logo emblazed on the sides. We also displayed an assortment of beverage-related devices that would catch any potential buyer’s attention. There was little left in the way of stock items behind me, but it was almost time to pack up anyway. I was looking forward to enjoying the festival’s live folk music entertainment being provided by the carnival.

  I’d say the turnout had been quite a success, all told.

  A quick perusal of the gathering crowd showed that Liam wasn’t anywhere in sight. I tried to bury my disappointment, especially since we hadn’t been able to spend much time together this past week. Seeing as he was Paramour Bay’s only police presence, aside from the small three-man unarmed security detail the carnival operator provided, Liam would be working around the clock for the next couple of days to ensure that the residents and tourists had a safe weekend. One would think with all the spells and enchantments in the family grimoire that I could squeeze out a few moments of time.

  I wish those annoying squirrels would stand still. All their twitching is very annoying. They’re giving me a headache with all their incessant chattering.

  “Why does Leo look like he’s ready to attack someone?”

  Heidi Connolly suddenly claimed the second foldout chair that had been designated for my table by the town’s festival committee, her blonde curls bouncing with the abrupt downward motion. In her hand was a paper funnel full of warm candied almonds that she’d been talking about buying all day long. I leaned back in my seat and held out my hand, needing a sugar pick-me-up myself.

  “He’s upset that the squirrels are fidgeting in the trees behind us.” I popped a candied almond that my best friend had somewhat reluctantly relinquished into my mouth, taking a moment to relish the delicious sweet snack that practically melted in my mouth. I instantly reached for another one before she could withdraw the treat and save them all for herself. “We’re both in bad moods, and that
won’t change unless we can unilaterally prove that Rye Dolgiram isn’t a warlock. Did you find out anything while you were standing in line? I saw him talking to one of the carnival workers for a bit, but the man walked away afterward with a brochure in his hand.”

  The reason I was able to ask such a question was that the food truck serving an assortment of candied nuts and fruits was parked directly behind Rye’s table. He was known well enough around town that he didn’t need to solicit customers for his handyman business, but he’d gone ahead and reserved one of the vendor tables anyway, as had nearly every other business in town. I guess the same could be said for me, but he technically didn’t have a brick and mortar shop to advertise. He’d been passing out brochures to the local residents, and even some to those in neighboring towns.

  “I didn’t find out anything,” Heidi reluctantly admitted, tilting her head to the side while she studied the man in question. There was no denying the fact that he was tall, dark, and handsome. He was also the type that a woman inherently knew was harboring a deep, dark secret. With that said, he went out of his way to be kind and inordinately helpful to those residents around town. “Raven, I’m thinking that what Leo saw the night Rye fixed your gate was nothing more than a trick of the light. I don’t think he used magic, and I don’t believe he’s actually a warlock.”

  Heidi could have a point. I did say that I might have hallucinated the entire thing given my level of catnip consumption that day. Hey, what do you think would happen to those squirrels if I stuffed catnip in their acorns?

  “Leo, stop spying on the wildlife and focus on our target.”

  Who says the squirrels aren’t our targets? They might not be on your radar, but they’re certainly on mine. Come to think of it, they might just be in league with Rye.

  To say that the last eight weeks or so had been lived with a fair amount of stress would be an understatement. It had been that long since Leo thought he’d witnessed Rye use arcane magic outside my cottage to defeat one of Nan’s minor protective wards.

  It was a wonder I hadn’t developed an ulcer.

  The mere possibility that the man could be a warlock had me all worked up. Trust me when I say that there would be a fair ration of ramifications if that were the case. You see, I was a descendant from a long line of witches who had been expelled from our previous coven for conjugating with humans.

  My family had been excommunicated from a notorious coven located in Windsor, but word had it that the council was on the brink of war. I wanted no part of the coven, the council that governed it, or either faction that had the capacity to expose our kind to the world with their tomfoolery.

  My full name is Raven Lattice Marigold, and I’d become quite fond of this new way of life of being a witch. In fact, I’m growing rather fond of my gift, and I was getting better at casting spells by the day.

  Debatable, by even the loosest definition of the concept.

  Okay. I’ll admit that it had been a bit more trial and error than a complete success, but I hadn’t sent the town into a tizzy or caused Leo to lose feeling in his tail for close to two months.

  I’d call that a win.

  Your abilities leave a lot to be desired.

  Anyway, long story short, my mother had made a very valiant effort toward keeping this part of my lineage a secret…even from me. Regina Lattice Marigold had moved all the way to New York City and raised me there in hopes that I would have a normal life away from all of this.

  It didn’t quite work out the way she’d intended.

  My grandmother, Rosemary Lattice Marigold, had dropped dead of a heart attack on her daily walk with Leo last summer. I’d basically inherited everything—the tea shop, the eerie little cottage on the edge of town, what you might call a wax golem who lived in a shed out back, and my de facto familiar—Leo.

  Mr. Leo. You always leave my proper title off when introducing me.

  I’d come to find out that a familiar almost always crossed into the afterlife with his or her charge, but Nan had committed a rather big no-no in the supernatural realm. She’d dabbled in black magic so that Leo could stay behind to help me acclimate to my newly inherited and previously unknown powers. Her intentions had been pure, but that hadn’t prevented the consequences of her actions from leaving their mark on Leo and my life.

  Get it over with. The readers should know that there are penalties for puttering around with the dark elements.

  Oh, there had definitely been consequences. The residents just assumed that I’d rescued a homeless orange and black kittycat from a horrible life of scavenging food on the streets. They didn’t know that he was smart, witty, and compassionate underneath that rather disheveled exterior.

  Now don’t go ruining my reputation, Raven.

  Alas, Leo had been left with a crooked tail, bent whiskers, tufts of hair that resembled dreadlocks, and a left eye that bulged out farther than his right when he was under stress. He was also a bit overweight, had short legs, and had a bit of a memory problem that popped up at the most inconvenient times, both of which he swore had improved with his overindulgent consumption of catnip. He certainly was a sight, but I’d be completely lost without him.

  You make me sound like a mangy dog. I resent the inference.

  “I’m thinking it’s time to let this warlock thing go,” Heidi advised, pointing her bag of nuts toward Rye who was already cleaning up the brochures from his table. “He’s a hardworking handyman trying to make a living. Don’t you think that if he were part of your former coven that he would have made himself known already? You moved to town over six months ago.”

  “I guess.” I was reluctant to admit that Heidi might be right, but as much as Leo had a habit of consuming too much catnip on a regular basis, he’d never hallucinated anything before. “Without any supporting evidence to our theory, it might be best to let it go for now.”

  Was I making the right decision? Heidi had a point. Rye had done nothing, with the exception of what Leo might or might not have seen, to indicate that he was anything other than an obscure member of the local society. Even if he was a warlock, didn’t it stand to reason that he might be like me—someone with magical powers who wanted to be left in peace?

  That might be all well and fine if the coven wasn’t on the brink of war.

  Leave it to Leo to put more doubts into my head.

  You’re welcome.

  “I’ll help you clean up, and then we can take this stuff back to the tea shop before hitting the carnival, maybe getting a cold beer, and listening to some outdoor folk music.” Heidi carefully laid the paper cone on her chair after folding it closed, ensuring that none of the delicious contents fell to the ground. “Are we still on for looking at houses tomorrow? I can’t wait to see the one that’s on a corner lot with fruit trees in the backyard.”

  “Absolutely,” I replied enthusiastically, turning off the base station that I’d used to plug in the line of urns to keep the samples hot for the tourists. It had been a great investment, and I’d been able to use the electric decanters, as well. I wish it was just that easy to flick a switch in order to turn off my suspicions of Rye. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world. How many addresses are on the list?”

  I’ll be joining the two of you. I have to make sure there’s a good window I can lounge in during my visits, preferably one with a tree so that I can continue to monitor the comings and goings of those pesky squirrels. They remind me of fairies, you know. Tricky little devils, always scheming over something or other.

  To say that Leo and I were equally ecstatic over having my best friend move from New York City to Paramour Bay was an understatement. Don’t get me wrong, I had no regrets about uprooting my life from the city. It had been hands down one of the best decisions I’d ever been forced to make, but there was nothing wrong with having a bit of icing with my cake.

  I like my cake with a bit of fresh cream poured over the top.

  Besides, I’d missed our wine nights and girl talk.

&
nbsp; I only had to wait until the end of the month. That’s when Heidi would be taking over the financial firm slash tax consultancy here in town from an older gentleman by the name of Beetle, who was retiring. He’d gotten the nickname from driving around in his old red Volkswagen bug. On a side note and for future reference, he resembled the mad scientist from Back to the Future.

  Do you think my BFF owns a comb?

  Beetle also happened to be my part-time employee, not wanting to become stagnant during his budding retirement. He was also the prime supplier of Leo’s catnip addiction, which was the only reason the older gentleman had become Leo’s best friend forever.

  It hadn’t been too hard to keep my secret of being a witch under wraps, especially considering that I had followed in Nan’s footsteps by creating holistic tea blends for my customers’ various ailments. Neither Beetle nor my clients were aware of the magical touch I sprinkled over their orders, and it needed to stay that way.

  Anyway, not too much damage had been done during Beetle’s training. I had to keep reminding myself that it was only for a few hours a day. He wasn’t cut out for the retail business. On the plus side, he was great at keeping my books in order.

  “Not a lot of houses are for sale, so there are only three to look at tomorrow and one on Sunday before I head back to the city.” Heidi had efficiently cleared away the sample cups and tossed the ones that had been used into a nearby trashcan. The only thing left to do was to empty the carafes and place them back into the box, along with the base station. Unfortunately, Leo was currently occupying said box. I was going to have to evict him before we could return everything to the tea shop on my handy cart. I’d already loaded up the various tea implements and coffee machine into a second box behind my chair. “If I don’t find a house I like in the adjacent neighborhood, I could always look at the waterfront properties. They’re just so expensive, and I was looking forward to reducing my housing costs after living in the city.”