Read Online A Charming Voodoo (Magical Cures Mystery Series Book 10) by Tonya Kappes - Free Book Online

family room with a vaulted wood-beam ceiling and the back wall was shaped in an A-frame with floor-to-ceiling windows with the perfect view of the pumpkin patch.
    “Nice view.” I realized it wasn’t probably the right thing to say when Patch and Oscar walked in, but I had sincerely meant it.
    “Yes. I picked this lot for that reason. I knew when the Order of Elders opened up the village to new businesses, that I had to be part of it. Especially in Kentucky with all the seasons. It’s perfect to grow pumpkins,” Patch said.
    “Where is your coffee?” I asked and walked over to the kitchen.
    The cabinets were grey and the countertop was concrete. His house was very masculine and fit his personality.
    “In the cabinet above the coffee pot.” He sloppily gestured. “Just make yourself at home.”
    He eased himself on one of the stools at the high top counter and Oscar sat down next to him.
    “Do you have any clues who might’ve done this?” Patch propped his elbow up on the counter and held up his head with his hand.
    “That’s how I’m hoping you can help.” Oscar began to ask his questions while I found all the stuff to make the pot of coffee. “Do you know anyone who might’ve wanted to hurt him?”
    “He has a big mouth. There are plenty of times he’s gotten himself into scuffles when he should’ve let stuff roll off his back. But you saw him with Colton.” He shrugged.
    “Why would he and Colton have gotten into a fight?” I asked and leaned my backside against the concrete countertop, folding my arms.
    “They had gone to the wizard academy together. Didn’t you go?” he asked Oscar.
    “Actually, I didn’t. But tell me about their time there.” Oscar and I both had had no idea we were spiritualists until we were adults, so we got the fast track education. Oscar took out a pad of paper and began to jot down what Patch was saying.
    “Colton’s father and my father were both police officers and had gone to the academy together as young boys. They were very competitive and Colton’s father got the Medal of Valor.”
    “What’s that?” I asked.
    “It’s the highest medal awarded to one student in the academy. That student gets to pick whatever spiritual community they want to run. As a stab to my family and from the competition with my father, Colton’s father picked our family’s spiritual community in the west.” Patch bit the edges of his lip. “He did it purely out of spite. He could’ve picked anywhere. But he didn’t. He wanted to have more competition with my father. My father had to work under him as a deputy. My father had terrible working hours. Got the worst cases. It was a nightmare. But my father had to stick with it since it was our only income and he had sent Patty and me to the best boarding school.”
    “Is that where you met Ophelia Biblio?” I asked.
    The coffee pot beeped that it was finished and I searched the other cabinet next to the coffee pot to retrieve the mugs.
    He continued as I poured three cups of coffee, “Yes. It was apparent that the competition didn’t just stop with my father and Mr. Lance.” Patch reached for the cup as I set it down. He curled his hands around it. “Mr. Lance had heard where we were going to school and he enrolled Colton there as well.”
    Oscar and I sipped our coffee as the story unfolded, giving Colton a motive to kill.
    “Not only did Colton win the Medal of Valor, but he also won Ophelia’s heart.” Patch twisted his body to look out over the pumpkin patch beyond the windows.
    “You mean to tell me that Patty and Ophelia were a couple?” I asked.
    “They weren’t just a couple. They were engaged. Ring, dress, date and all.” He turned back around. The corners of his eyes dipped along with his lips. “It was more of a family arrangement but Patty was head over heels in love with her but she wasn’t in love with him. Don’t get me wrong. They were good friends and had a great time, but the day Colton showed