A Ghoulish Midlife (Witching After Forty #1) - Lia Davis Page 0,22

ice straight to my heart. I knew that voice.

Drew hurried forward to intercept Penelope from launching herself at the body bag. “Ma’am, hold on.” He put his hands on her shoulders, but it was too late. She’d gotten her hands on the zipper and yanked it back to see the body.

She stiffened and pulled back. “Oh, William,” she whispered. Penelope Comb was a few years younger than my aunt Winnie. Mrs. Comb had silver hair; the color women nowadays pay big bucks to their hairdressers to duplicate. She was about three inches or so shorter than my five feet seven height.

I shuffled around everyone, so I was beside Penny. “Come on,” I whispered as I wrapped an arm around her shoulders. I looked at Drew. “Is that sufficient for an identification?”

He nodded, drawing his brows together and closing off his emotions. I guessed because it kept him from getting too personal with the case. Still he could show a little empathy.

She sobbed into her hands and turned into me. “That’s my Willie.”

“I know.” I tightened my hold on her and urged her to come with me. “Let’s go, Penny. I’ll take you inside.”

That was when she noticed me. We locked gazes and for a minute I got lost in her green eyes. My own sorrow bubbled up inside me. “Ava.” Then she started sobbing again.

Chapter Seven

We walked the long way around the building, passing Clips and Snips hair salon and Peachy Sweets bakery. I set our slow pace on purpose because I knew all too well what it was like to lose a husband unexpectedly.

Penny walked with her head on my shoulder. I felt the moisture spread into my T-shirt as she silently wept. My own chest tightened, and a lump stuck in my throat, but no tears formed. Probably because they had dried up. I had no more tears to shed.

“Can I call someone for you?” I asked as soon as I got her in the car. I decided to take her home instead of inside the bookstore. If Sheriff Drew wanted to speak with Penny, then he’d have to go to her house.

She leaned over and clutched my hand. “You’ve got to avenge my husband’s death, Ava. You’ve just got to.”

Avenge sounded too close to revenge and not because they were rhyming words. I studied her closely as I spoke. “Penny, the police will catch the killer. If there’s anything I can do to help, I will, but it’ll be Sheriff Drew and his officers who will find William’s killer.”

“No, Ava the police can’t stop magic. Not like you can.” Her hands shook and she looked around the car wide eyed, as if she expected someone else to be in the car.

Her words slammed into my chest. I thought back to the smell of a ghoul when I exited the building.

“Was William killed by magic?” I asked, extracting my hand from hers. “Buckle your seat belt, please.”

Once I was settled in the driver’s seat and buckled myself in, I paused before starting Dia, waiting for Penny to answer my question. She didn’t. She was in a daze, but it was clear she was in shock. Understandably so. But I couldn’t help to wonder if it was just the grief of seeing her husband’s body or was there something else?

It was almost like she had more information than she let on and was trying to gather her thoughts before spilling her secrets.

Leaving her to her thoughts, I started the car and drove out of the downtown district. I knew where they lived, not far from my Auntie’s house, so I headed straight there.

Much like my mood, the day had taken a dark turn. Clouds blocked the sun and the wind picked up, like the weather grieved the death of William.

The police can’t stop magic.

Penny’s words echoed in my head and I so didn’t want her to be right. But something deep inside me said she was. Great.

I hadn’t been in town a solid week, and already magic was trying to suck me back in. I had to get clear of this murder, get the house sold, and get the hell out of Dodge.

“Okay, Penny, we’re here. Who can I call for you?” I desperately didn’t want to go inside with her, but what else could I do? I couldn’t leave the poor woman here alone until someone else arrived.

“My daughter is on her way. I called her when the police called me. But she lives in the next town