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  I didn’t mean to find an authentic cesaral spirit bell, but here it is.

  “Jack will take their statements and confirm that there was no ill intent, though the problem arises with the fact that they withheld evidence. I honestly don’t know how Jack is going to play this,” Liam replied, rubbing his jawline in disbelief. “Licorice oil? Before today, I would have thought it was insane to use such a thing as truth serum. Now…well, I have a lot to learn, don’t I?”

  “It’s true that licorice oil is one of the special components that can compel an individual to be truthful, just as other herbs and plants have healing properties.” I thought back to one of my numerous lessons, grateful that I had Leo to steer me through the vast material my Nan had left behind for me to study. “I learn new things every day, Liam.”

  Speaking of new things, we really need to discuss this bell and the rest of this kit.

  “Such as how to move things with your mind?” Liam asked, a hint of wariness in his tone that told me he was still grappling with this newfound knowledge. Well, he could just join the club. In all honesty, it was nice to have another person know my secret. The responsibility of such a gift could get pretty heavy at times. “That was you, right?”

  I held up my right hand and wiggled my fingers.

  “Elemental energy,” I whispered, having leaned in a bit closer to make sure that Kathleen and Lydia didn’t catch on to our topic of discussion. They were still trying to accept that their actions had cost a man’s life, and I’m sure they would continue to do so for the rest of their lives. Magic and its material components were to be used with great caution. “I can harness energy in the palm of my hand.”

  Well, these objects back here might actually be feeding on that energy.

  “Harness energy? In your palm?” Liam ran a hand over his face, but I had to give him credit that he didn’t seem to want to run in the other direction. “This is going to be quite the education, isn’t it?”

  I could only smile, mainly because Liam hadn’t run away from me yet.

  Give him time, Raven. I want a front row seat when you tell him about our giant Crayola, the grim reaper at the cemetery, and the local werewolf who poses as our librarian. You might want to steal the good ol’ sheriff’s running shoes from his closet.

  “Just think of how much help I can be in figuring out who keeps stealing lollipops off Monty’s counter at the hardware store or who takes roses from Wilma’s bushes out front. A little magic can go a long way, Sheriff Drake.” It made me very, very happy to see the corners of Liam’s lips lift at my offer to help him with his backlog of not-so-serious crimes around town. Unfortunately, he currently had to deal with the death of a colleague and the two women who were accidentally responsible. I didn’t envy him this part of the job. “I need to go talk to Leo on the other side of the shop. He found some…objects. The kind that might not be such a great idea for the residents to get ahold of, if you get my drift.”

  Liam nodded, letting his concerned gaze land on the two women who were still seated in the chairs. He’d keep them busy while I made my way to the other side of the shop to see exactly what had Leo all worked up, because I couldn’t understand how a bell could be dangerous.

  I didn’t say dangerous, Raven. You really should get your ears checked out. Wax build-up can cause serious problems, you know.

  “Raven.” Liam grabbed my hand before I could walk away. “I don’t believe Becca Wilson was having an affair with Sheriff O’Leary. She mentioned to me that she was helping him plan a surprise trip for his wife. At first, I thought Ms. Wilson was attempting to deflect my attention away from the idea that she was having an affair. I think the reason she knew of Sheriff O’Leary’s visit to Paramour Bay rather than Deputy Wilson was because the two had been talking in private about the trip beforehand.”

  Liam’s theory made sense, especially when Becca and Claire had been chatting on the couch about hiding the evidence. They hadn’t wanted Deidre to know about the surprise trip and cause her more grief in knowing that she and her husband would never be able to see it through.

  I nodded my understanding, realizing how important honesty was in relationships. Sheriff O’Leary thought he’d been doing something nice for his wife, all the while that she thought his sneaking around had been due to his interest in another woman. He loved her, yet his wife had spent the last few months of his life believing that he had betrayed her.

  “Thank you,” Liam said, squeezing my hand in gratitude. “Thank you for trusting me with the truth, Raven.”

  Okay. Can we cut the sappy stuff, please? We have the potential of facing a supernatural apocalypse if we don’t take precautions here. Now really isn’t the time to get all emotional, Raven.

  I sighed in reluctance to part with Liam after such a revelation about our relationship, but I also couldn’t have us on the verge of a supernatural apocalypse.

  “What is it that has you…” I let my whisper trail off as I finally saw the table in question. It was a good thing that this section was out of sight from the others, because I could only imagine my expression of horror. “Oh, this is bad, Leo. Is that a black mass candle? I mean, one that has been ritually deconsecrated?”

  Yes.

  “Is that a triple moon pentacle offering bowl?” I asked in disbelief, hoping I was wrong. “And an athame dagger?”

  Double yes.

  “And the altar tile? Is that the one from…”

  Sweet angel of mercy, yes! Yes, yes, yes! All of these things are from the official log of evidence presented at the Salem witch trials. They are all magical relics. I hope you have a lot of room on your credit card, Raven. These are dangerous objects to have in the hands of humans. They need to be removed from here immediately, if not sooner.

  “Now would probably be a good time for you to tell me what a cesaral spirit bell is used for,” I whispered, afraid to touch any of these items. I leaned back a bit to make sure that Liam was still talking to Kathleen and Lydia. Sure enough, they were still at the other end of the shop. I breathed a bit easier, though we still had the problem of buying all of these objects and hauling them to the cottage. “It doesn’t summon evil spirits, does it?”

  No, but it does warn the owner of when an ethereal spirit is near.

  “That’s a good thing, right?”

  Well, only if that spirit isn’t evil, of course. I figure as long as it doesn’t ring, we’re in good shape.

  A bit of tension released from my shoulders. We’d already dealt with the spirits of Mazie and Lucille, promptly sending them back through the veil from whence they came. Job accomplished, and no one from the other side had paid us a visit recently.

  “Good,” I said with a quick nod, feeling a bit better. “I mean, what are the odds of that thing going off anyway? A million to one?”

  Leo and I were always warning each other about jinxing our odds or basically alerting karma to our precipitous presence, but my attempt at reassuring the both of us that Paramour Bay was spirit-free had backfired on us once again.

  The bell rang…loud and clear.

  I’ll take another horse pill now.

  We both stared at the old relic in horror when it rang once more.

  Make that a double, Raven.

  ~ The End ~

  Get ready for a spine-tingling cozy mystery that has ghosts, ghouls, and goblins coming out of the woodwork in the next spirited installment of the Paramour Bay Mysteries by USA Today Bestselling Author Kennedy Layne…

  Click HERE to grab your copy of Spirited Blend!

  Mounds of delicious candy corn, jack-o-lanterns, and spooky hayrides are all part of this year’s Halloween festivities in Paramour Bay. Raven Marigold plans to make the most out of this All Hallows’ Eve, which just so happens to be her birthday.

  Not everyone in town seems to have gotten the festive memo, though. One of the residents is claiming that the spirit of her dead husband has been paying her nocturnal visits, while other townsfolk are making similar
claims about their deceased relatives. Is this someone’s version of a supernatural flash mob or has someone accidentally pierced the veil to the afterlife?

  It’s going to be a hauntingly good time in this quaint coastal town, so bring along your lanterns and flashlights as Raven and the gang take a midnight stroll through the local cemetery to try and solve this hair-raising mystery!

  Books by Kennedy Layne

  Hex on Me Mysteries

  If the Curse Fits

  Cursing up the Wrong Tree

  The Squeaky Ghost Gets the Curse

  The Curse that Bites

  Paramour Bay Mysteries

  Magical Blend

  Bewitching Blend

  Enchanting Blend

  Haunting Blend

  Charming Blend

  Spellbinding Blend

  Cryptic Blend

  Broomstick Blend

  Spirited Blend

  Office Roulette Series

  Means (Office Roulette, Book One)

  Motive (Office Roulette, Book Two)

  Opportunity (Office Roulette, Book Three)

  Keys to Love Series

  Unlocking Fear (Keys to Love, Book One)

  Unlocking Secrets (Keys to Love, Book Two)

  Unlocking Lies (Keys to Love, Book Three)

  Unlocking Shadows (Keys to Love, Book Four)

  Unlocking Darkness (Keys to Love, Book Five)

  Surviving Ashes Series

  Essential Beginnings (Surviving Ashes, Book One)

  Hidden Ashes (Surviving Ashes, Book Two)

  Buried Flames (Surviving Ashes, Book Three)

  Endless Flames (Surviving Ashes, Book Four)

  Rising Flames (Surviving Ashes, Book Five)

  CSA Case Files Series

  Captured Innocence (CSA Case Files 1)

  Sinful Resurrection (CSA Case Files 2)

  Renewed Faith (CSA Case Files 3)

  Campaign of Desire (CSA Case Files 4)

  Internal Temptation (CSA Case Files 5)

  Radiant Surrender (CSA Case Files 6)

  Redeem My Heart (CSA Case Files 7)

  A Mission of Love (CSA Case Files 8)

  Red Starr Series

  Starr’s Awakening(Red Starr, Book One)

  Hearths of Fire (Red Starr, Book Two)

  Targets Entangled (Red Starr, Book Three)

  Igniting Passion (Red Starr, Book Four)

  Untold Devotion (Red Starr, Book Five)

  Fulfilling Promises (Red Starr, Book Six)

  Fated Identity (Red Starr, Book Seven)

  Red’s Salvation (Red Starr, Book Eight)

  The Safeguard Series

  Brutal Obsession (The Safeguard Series, Book One)

  Faithful Addiction (The Safeguard Series, Book Two)

  Distant Illusions (The Safeguard Series, Book Three)

  Casual Impressions (The Safeguard Series, Book Four)

  Honest Intentions (The Safeguard Series, Book Five)

  Deadly Premonitions (The Safeguard Series, Book Six)

  About the Author

  First and foremost, I love life. I love that I’m a wife, mother, daughter, sister… and a writer.

  I am one of the lucky women in this world who gets to do what makes them happy. As long as I have a cup of coffee (maybe two or three) and my laptop, the stories evolve themselves and I try to do them justice. I draw my inspiration from a retired Marine Master Sergeant that swept me off of my feet and has drawn me into a world that fulfills all of my deepest and darkest desires. Erotic romance, military men, intrigue, with a little bit of kinky chili pepper (his recipe), fill my head and there is nothing more satisfying than making the hero and heroine fulfill their destinies.

  Thank you for having joined me on their journeys…

  Email:

  [email protected]

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  facebook.com/kennedy.layne.94

  Twitter:

  twitter.com/KennedyL_Author

  Website:

  www.kennedylayne.com

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  www.kennedylayne.com/aboutnewsletter.html