Read Online Dewitched (Witchless In Seattle Mysteries Book 3) by Dakota Cassidy - Free Book Online

on a break. A break alone . That looks suspicious.”
    “Interesting,” Win remarked in my ear.
    “Look who decided to show up to the party,” I whispered, pressing my fingers to my Bluetooth in case I was caught talking to what looked like myself.
    “I’ve been here almost the whole time, Cheeky One. Except, of course, when I went on the hunt for Hugh, whom I was unable to locate unless he was in the loo—a place I’m unwilling to check. You were holding your own just fine with Detective Dog With A Bone, so I thought I’d hover and see what I could see with your mother.”
    “And did you find anything?”
    “I found that even sobbing, she’s still quite beautiful.”
    Grating a sigh, I closed my eyes. “Not helping, Win.”
    “Not much else to report. She claims she was in the ladies’ room, freshening up before she continued her search for Bart. As she made her way back out to the front lawn, she saw him in the parlor.”
    No matter what my mother did, I would never wish her coming upon anyone, let alone her husband, sprawled on the floor with a sheet wrapped around his neck, dead. But that she was alone when she’d found him wouldn’t look good to the law.
    So I crossed my fingers and asked, “Was anyone with her? Did anyone see her go to the ladies’ room?”
    “Unfortunately, no. However, she’s stuck to her guns and repeated the same story four separate times for Detective Montgomery, word for word.”
    “Is he still with her?”
    “Oh, indeed. He’s comforting her as we speak.”
    “Then I’d better get back out there before they end up engaged.” I hated saying that about my mother, but it was the straight-up truth. She’d only had one husband who’d died—a mortal, for all intents and purposes—and not one day after his funeral, she was drumming up replacements.
    I often wondered if it was because she was afraid to be alone. Yet, I couldn’t reconcile that with her behavior after she said “I do.” Once she’d nabbed a man and locked him down in wedded bliss, she didn’t want anything to do with him.
    She was too busy socializing and having her hair done to spend quality time with her new husband. So maybe it was just the thrill of the chase, and when she captured her conquest, the fizzle ran out.
    I slipped out of the dining room and through the entryway, skirting the new crowd who’d entered as the police milled in and about, asking questions of each of the guests.
    Stepping out onto the porch, I saw my mother sitting with Detective Montgomery. He had that enthralled look on his face all men had when they were caught up in Dita’s spell, no matter how powerful they were.
    Great googly-moogly. I had to act fast. “Mom?” I held out my hand to her and smiled. “Come with me and I’ll get you some of that tea you like so much.”
    Detective Montgomery patted her hand and gave her his card when she shot him a questioning glance. “It’s fine, Miss Cartwright. I’ve got all I need for now. We’ll be in touch.”
    My mother rose, fragile as a wilting flower, took two steps and collapsed against me, letting me help her inside. Forrest came up from the rear and flanked her from the other side, taking most of the weight off me as we led her to the kitchen, which had now begun to clear out.
    I sat her down on one of the chairs by the enormous windows overlooking the Puget and set off to make her some tea, but I didn’t have to bother. Carmella, my contractor Enzo’s wife, was already on it.
    She held up the cup, her normally messy bun atop her head looking quite sleek tonight. She wore the pretty gold and blue sparkly caftan I’d given her for her birthday just last week. “I got this, kiddo.”
    “How did you know what she liked?”
    “Oh, your mother and I had a nice chat earlier. I learned plenty,” she said on a wink. I wasn’t sure if it was meant to warn me she knew what a diva my mother could be, or if mom just dominated their conversation with all things Dita