Read Online One Potion in the Grave: A Magic Potion Mystery by Heather Blake - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Heather Blake
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your enemies closer.
“And you’re the enemy?” I asked.
“Yes.”
“Why?” I hoped she’d admit, flat out, that she’d been having an affair with Warren. But no such luck.
She tucked a lock of blond hair behind her ear. “Warren’s a puppet master, Carly, and he’s pulling a whole host of strings.” Her eyes glittered. “Right now I’m the enemy because I’m armed with a pair of metaphorical scissors. I’m done playing his games, and he knows what will happen if he doesn’t start playing mine.”
I recalled what Caleb had said about her playing with fire, and realized it wasn’t just fire . . . it was an inferno.
Someone was bound to get burned. But who?
“What is this all about?” I asked.
Her eyes glistened. “Love.”
Dang.
She
was
his mistress. My gaze shot to Louisa, who had been staring our way, a calculated look in her eye. A shiver went up my spine. Then I glanced at Warren. The
nerve
of him to set Katie Sue up in the same inn as the rest of his family. It was like a slap in his wife’s face.
I gripped my locket. “I don’t know what’s going on exactly, but I sensed danger around you from the moment you walked into my shop this morning.”
“I know what I’m doing,” she said firmly. “I have plenty of ammunition and a plan to use it to get Warren to see things my way. Love is worth fighting for, Carly, even if I have to fight dirty.”
“Ammunition?” My jaw dropped, and I kept my voicelow. “Have you resorted to extorting Warren, Katie Sue?”
I could only imagine the kind of mementos a mistress could collect during an affair. Mementos he wouldn’t want seen by anyone, especially when he was about to launch a presidential campaign. I doubted that threatening him would endear her to him, but she seemed determined.
“Shh!” Grabbing my arm, she added, “It’s not extortion. I’m not asking for money. I’m asking him to do the right thing, that’s all.”
I glanced at him—he’d been looking this way but abruptly turned away. “Do you have evidence against him that you’re using to get the outcome you want?” I asked her.
Biting her lip, she nodded.
“Then, money or not, that’s extortion!” I whispered fiercely. What exactly was Katie Sue’s plan? Was she trying to get him to leave his family? To divorce Louisa and marry her? I couldn’t very well ask her here and now. “It might be emotional extortion, but still.”
“Then so be it,” she said, shrugging. “You don’t understand what I’m going through, Carly. I’m doing what I have to do.”
“Tell me. What are you going through?” I asked, feeling her heartbreak.
Moisture filled her eyes, and she looked upward until it receded. “I can’t talk about it right now. You have to trust me, though, that I’m doing the right thing for the right reasons.”
“I don’t doubt that, Katie Sue. I don’t. But I’m worried for you. Do you understand the danger?” Warren wasn’t one to be told what to do. If Katie Sue had simplybeen a dalliance—and she’d read more into it—he might not be too keen to play her games. He might just want to get rid of her altogether.
“I’m not in danger as long as I have that ammunition, and I’ve ensured the family can’t get their hands on it.”
The whole family knew of this plan?
Mercy!
“The ransacking upstairs? Was that someone looking for your so-called ammunition?”
“Probably,” she admitted. “Too bad for them I had it with me. She who holds the information holds the power.”
I stared at her. Was she kidding? She didn’t seem to be. She’d done made up her mind to get what she wanted and wasn’t backing down.
Sighing, I said, “Maybe you should tell Dylan what you’re up to. It might be safer for you that way. And hire your own bodyguard just in case.”
“I’ll think about it.”
Which meant no. My word, her stubborn streak hadn’t changed at all. I tried to tell myself to let it go, that she could make her own
“And you’re the enemy?” I asked.
“Yes.”
“Why?” I hoped she’d admit, flat out, that she’d been having an affair with Warren. But no such luck.
She tucked a lock of blond hair behind her ear. “Warren’s a puppet master, Carly, and he’s pulling a whole host of strings.” Her eyes glittered. “Right now I’m the enemy because I’m armed with a pair of metaphorical scissors. I’m done playing his games, and he knows what will happen if he doesn’t start playing mine.”
I recalled what Caleb had said about her playing with fire, and realized it wasn’t just fire . . . it was an inferno.
Someone was bound to get burned. But who?
“What is this all about?” I asked.
Her eyes glistened. “Love.”
Dang.
She
was
his mistress. My gaze shot to Louisa, who had been staring our way, a calculated look in her eye. A shiver went up my spine. Then I glanced at Warren. The
nerve
of him to set Katie Sue up in the same inn as the rest of his family. It was like a slap in his wife’s face.
I gripped my locket. “I don’t know what’s going on exactly, but I sensed danger around you from the moment you walked into my shop this morning.”
“I know what I’m doing,” she said firmly. “I have plenty of ammunition and a plan to use it to get Warren to see things my way. Love is worth fighting for, Carly, even if I have to fight dirty.”
“Ammunition?” My jaw dropped, and I kept my voicelow. “Have you resorted to extorting Warren, Katie Sue?”
I could only imagine the kind of mementos a mistress could collect during an affair. Mementos he wouldn’t want seen by anyone, especially when he was about to launch a presidential campaign. I doubted that threatening him would endear her to him, but she seemed determined.
“Shh!” Grabbing my arm, she added, “It’s not extortion. I’m not asking for money. I’m asking him to do the right thing, that’s all.”
I glanced at him—he’d been looking this way but abruptly turned away. “Do you have evidence against him that you’re using to get the outcome you want?” I asked her.
Biting her lip, she nodded.
“Then, money or not, that’s extortion!” I whispered fiercely. What exactly was Katie Sue’s plan? Was she trying to get him to leave his family? To divorce Louisa and marry her? I couldn’t very well ask her here and now. “It might be emotional extortion, but still.”
“Then so be it,” she said, shrugging. “You don’t understand what I’m going through, Carly. I’m doing what I have to do.”
“Tell me. What are you going through?” I asked, feeling her heartbreak.
Moisture filled her eyes, and she looked upward until it receded. “I can’t talk about it right now. You have to trust me, though, that I’m doing the right thing for the right reasons.”
“I don’t doubt that, Katie Sue. I don’t. But I’m worried for you. Do you understand the danger?” Warren wasn’t one to be told what to do. If Katie Sue had simplybeen a dalliance—and she’d read more into it—he might not be too keen to play her games. He might just want to get rid of her altogether.
“I’m not in danger as long as I have that ammunition, and I’ve ensured the family can’t get their hands on it.”
The whole family knew of this plan?
Mercy!
“The ransacking upstairs? Was that someone looking for your so-called ammunition?”
“Probably,” she admitted. “Too bad for them I had it with me. She who holds the information holds the power.”
I stared at her. Was she kidding? She didn’t seem to be. She’d done made up her mind to get what she wanted and wasn’t backing down.
Sighing, I said, “Maybe you should tell Dylan what you’re up to. It might be safer for you that way. And hire your own bodyguard just in case.”
“I’ll think about it.”
Which meant no. My word, her stubborn streak hadn’t changed at all. I tried to tell myself to let it go, that she could make her own
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