CHAPTER 4
W hen Mia arrived at Trent’s house, the driveway was filled with police cars and one lone ambulance without its lights on.
A black BMW was parked on the street. Mia made her way to the front door, then as she stood there, she watched as four men pushed a gurney with a body bag on top of it into the ambulance.
The body inside appeared to be much shorter than the bag or the gurney.
Alfred Howard. An evidence bag held a box of Lodge cookies. It looked empty.
“What exactly do you think you’re doing here?” Mark Baldwin asked from the doorway. Mia hadn’t heard the door open while she was watching the scene.
“Trent called. I wanted to make sure he was all right.” Mia stared into the foyer. A flurry of white flew at her, and she picked Cerby up as she talked. The dog was shaking. “Hey there, big guy, are you okay?”
“That remains to be seen.” Mark glanced around, then pulled her inside. “I have a feeling this event is more in your realm than mine. Do you mind helping?”
“Of course. Whatever you need,” Mia said as she followed the police chief into Trent’s living room.
Trent wasn’t alone. Abigail, Thomas, Levi, and a man Mia didn’t know were gathered around the couch.
She could see Buddy watching them from outside the window.
Cerby barked at his friend, and Buddy stepped back into the shadows.
Rubbing the little dog’s head, she glanced at Mark. “What’s going on?”
“Chief Baldwin has been asking some very pointed questions,” the man dressed in a black suit said, waving Trent down when he tried to stand and greet Mia.
“He seems to think that Trent had something to do with that poor man’s death.
As he’s clearly stated, he went out to find his dog and discovered the body. Nothing else to say.”
Mark blew out an exasperated breath. “Look, Steve, I’m not saying Trent had anything to do with it.
I find it odd that the man who’s obviously part of your world from his appearance would wind up dead by the river.
Mia, tell them I’m not trying to jump to conclusions here.
I need a rational explanation. Even though I know it might not be possible. ”
“I’m not sure what you mean by ‘our world.’ You live in Magic Springs as well. I haven’t been home except for holidays for years.” The man, Steve, glanced at Abigail.
“Steve, Mark is aware of the coven and our special circumstances,” Abigail explained.
“Mother, I’m the attorney here. You paid a lot of money for my law degree. Maybe you should stay quiet like I asked.” Steve softened the words with his tone, but Mia could see Abigail bristling just the same.
“You’re a Majors?” Mia glanced at Trent, who nodded.
“Mia, meet my oldest brother, Steve Majors. He’s my attorney and almost the five-million-dollar man since he charges so much for his services.” Trent smiled as Cerby wiggled in her arms. “Let him down. He wants to be with me.”
“And as your attorney, I told you to stop speaking.” Steve frowned as he watched Mia let Cerby down. “I think it would be better for you to leave, Miss Malone.”
“Trent asked me to come, and he’ll tell me to leave.” Mia stood straighter. Steve might be part of Trent’s family, but he wasn’t in charge of her. “What happened to Alfred Howard? That was him in the body bag, correct?”
“Yes, the victim is Alfred Howard, according to his passport. As far as what happened, that’s what I’m trying to find out.” Mark Baldwin groaned as his phone rang. He stepped away and answered the call.
Mia took the interruption as the time to rush over to Trent. She hugged him. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. I went out to get Cerby. Levi had let him out without a leash.” Trent glared at his brother.
“I thought you’d already set up a perimeter for him, dude. Don’t blame me.” Levi smiled at Mia. “I’m glad to see you. Is Christina still at the apartment?”
“Yes, she went to bed. I didn’t want her involved since Baldwin freaks her out.” Mia turned back to Trent. “You found Cerby near the body? Buddy didn’t . . .”
Trent shook his head. “There were no marks. Besides, dragons don’t tend to leave bodies around. They eat the evidence.”
“Gross.” Mia blew out a breath. That was one good thing, anyway.
“No one listens in this family,” Steve grumbled. “Just because Baldwin’s in the other room doesn’t mean he can’t hear you talking.”
“Mark’s a good guy. He’s not looking for an easy solution. He’ll find out who actually killed Howard.” Mia was beginning to not like Steve Majors at all. “We work together to solve these situations.”
“Except when my son is going to be charged.” Thomas shook his head. “Mia, I know you mean well, but let Steve do his job.”
“Thomas, stop being so pushy. We know what we’re doing,” Abigail came to Mia’s defense, and suddenly they were all talking over each other.
Trent took Mia’s hand. “I’m glad you’re here. You, Levi, and I are the only sane ones in the room right now. And I’m not totally sure about Levi.”
“I heard that,” Levi grumbled as he texted on his phone.
Mia smiled as she sat next to Trent. As Abigail and Thomas continued to argue, she focused instead on trying to hear Baldwin’s part of the conversation. “What do you mean, the coroner called in a specialist to do the autopsy?” he was saying. “I don’t understand why Frank can’t . . .”
Mia immediately knew what had happened. The coven had already heard the news and was pulling strings. There was no way they’d let a mortal cut open a man who claimed to be half-leprechaun.
“Fine, have them send me the results when they get . . .” Baldwin paused as he stared at his phone. “Sorry, I’ve got to take another call.”
Mia watched as he hung up and answered the incoming call.
“Sarah, this isn’t a good time.” Baldwin paused, then met Mia’s gaze across the room. “You know I can’t step away from an open investigation. No matter who called you.”
He listened for a little while longer, not breaking eye contact with Mia. “Fine, I’ll come home. But you tell the coven board that either I have a suspect in my office in seventy-two hours or I’m taking the case back.”
As he walked over to the group, he stared at Mia. “Did you call them in?”
She shook her head. “Check my phone. I didn’t call anyone after Trent called me. And I told him to call you. I take it the coven has pulled rank?”
“The mayor called Sarah to explain why I shouldn’t be interrogating Trent Majors or any of his family members until after the coroner determines if the death was natural or accidental.
My boss called my wife. And my coroner has called in a specialist. Your magic group is interfering in my investigation and my family, but they have effectively tied my hands. ”
“Mark, there are things you don’t want to know about—” Abigail started, but Steve reached out to interrupt her. She turned on her oldest son, anger flashing in her eyes. “Do not shush me. I am your mother.”
“And with that, I’m leaving,” Baldwin said.
“Trent, please don’t leave town. We will eventually talk about the time when you found a short man wearing all green dead in your woods.
Or when your dog found him. But at this point, I’ve been benched.
” He wiggled his finger at Mia. “Come outside with me and let’s talk.
I have some things I’d like you to check into. ”
“Mia, you don’t have to do anything this officer asks,” Steve started, but Mia stood and whirled to face him.
“Look, I know you know this isn’t a normal investigation, nor is it probably a normal murder.
I know you mean well, but we have a system here in Magic Springs that works.
Mark handles the human crime investigations, and our team deals with those things that are magical.
I’m betting there’s a human reason for Mr. Howard’s death, but if it is part of the ‘magic’ side of Magic Springs, there are different rules and, ultimately, coven laws to follow.
Besides, you’re not even my attorney, so stop telling me what to do.
” The shocked look on Steve Majors’s face told Mia all she needed to know. The man was not used to being told no.
She turned and followed Mark out to the front porch.
The night was starting to darken around them, but an almost-full moon was peeking out from over the mountain.
Fall nights were the best. You could wear your bulky sweaters and jeans and be okay outside until late without adding a coat, especially when you were hanging around the firepit.
Mark nodded toward where they’d left and where they could still hear Abigail and Thomas arguing. “Thanks for the support back there, but you might have made yourself an enemy. Steve Majors is considered a shark in the criminal defense pool in Denver. He didn’t like your defection to the dark side.”
“That’s the thing. I don’t think there should be sides. You know that Trent couldn’t have killed anyone. Neither did anyone in his family.” Mia leaned on the porch column.
“Mia, sometimes what you want to be true, isn’t.
” Mark glanced at his truck. It was the only official vehicle left in the driveway.
The BMW and Mia’s decrepit Honda were parked on the street.
The BMW must be Steve’s rental. “Anyway, can you find out why this guy was even here? And what he has to do with Trent’s family? ”
Mia knew at least part of the answers to Mark’s questions, but after cheerleading the no-sides, cooperative mission, instead of telling him, she nodded. “Call me as soon as you know something.”
Mark put his ball cap back on. “Same with you. We’ll figure this out, I promise. At least Miss Adams isn’t in town this time.”
Mia took a breath. “About that . . .”
“Don’t tell me.” Mark shook his head. “I should have known that if Levi was here, our goth princess wouldn’t be far behind. She’s always around if there’s a murder in town. Have you noticed that?”
“Christina didn’t kill anyone. You’ve never liked her,” Mia said as Mark strolled to his truck.