Chapter 5
“Murder?” Charles echoed my words. “I don’t understand how that's possible.”
“This is the second murder at Haven Corp.” I shuddered. “Does this mean other employees are in danger?”
Detective Laurence didn’t answer the question. “We need to search you both before you can leave.”
The police checked to make sure we weren’t carrying the possible murder weapon. Afterward, I helped Charles gather the things they allowed him to take. We left his rooms and stood, dumfounded, in the corridor. “The suite you reserved for me has two bedrooms. Do you want to take one?”
“Are you comfortable with that?” He his brows rose at my suggestion, and the corner at one side of his mouth turned up.
It was admittedly unorthodox, but I didn’t care. Charles was a gentleman if nothing else. “It’s no problem, and your company is paying for the room. Plus, I’d rather not be alone in there if there is a killer on the loose. This is uncanny—Margery Blake and now Armond.”
Charles rubbed his hands down his arms, nodding. “It is strange. I mean, New York has a higher crime rate than Austen Heights. But this is far too coincidental for me.”
“Agreed.”
I helped drag a wheeled suitcase while Charles carried the rest of his bags to my suite next door. Still too stunned at the turn of events, we didn’t bother to unpack. I found a box of tea in the kitchen. “I’m going to make you some tea. Why don’t you sit for a minute?”
“Don’t trouble yourself.” Charles followed me into the kitchen and gently placed his hand on mine to stop me from lifting the kettle.
For a moment, we froze in time, returning to Austen Heights, hiking through the back country, picking wild blueberries, and shooting photos of the sunset.
I turned to look at his face, still unsure of what to make of this entire situation.
Touching his hand reminded me of making our way back home in the dark, hand-in-hand, by the light of a flashlight.
But without clarity about our relationship, I recoiled.
“Sorry.” He pulled his hand away, returned to the sitting room, and picked up the hotel phone. “Yes, I’d like afternoon tea service for two. Room 1702.”
“Thanks.” I replaced the tea bags and dropped onto the sofa beside him. Then I grabbed the thick cream cardigan I'd left on the armrest and pulled it around my shoulders. The whole ordeal left me chilled to the bone. “Though I don’t mind making tea.”
But Charles’s thoughts were elsewhere. “I’m struggling to comprehend why anyone wanted to hurt Armond. Did they say someone injected him with something?”
“Maybe they were mistaken,” I offered. “Although you know people can have secrets, sometimes big secrets that get them into trouble.”
“Secrets? I can’t see how…” He shook his head, and leaned forward, cupping his face in his hands. “It would be terrible if it has anything to do with Haven Corp. I’d hate to think we’d put him in danger.”
“I doubt it has anything to do with the company.” It wasn’t so much a lie as a hopeful idea.
Charles was like sunshine, bringing light to everyone with no possibility of evil in his mind.
The only problem with being such a light, meant that he could be blind to darkness.
“It’s not like you're all wrapped up in anything illegal.”
“Oh, absolutely not.” Charles’s ocean blue eyes widened, and he shook his head. “Certainly not that I'm aware of.”
“Maybe you didn’t know Armond as well as you thought,” I suggested. “He may have been involved in something. I mean, we are in Manhattan, and there are all sorts of possibilities here.”
Charles rubbed his temples. “Most people here are pretty decent. What I’m confused about is the injection mark. Did you notice anything unusual aside from Armond lying there? I wonder if there were any clues we missed.”
“There were a few things that seemed out of the ordinary. I snapped some photos as a precaution.” I pulled out my phone and showed him as I scrolled through the pictures.
But I didn't mention the unidentified rage because my emotional readings usually just confused people. "Any idea if the blinds were drawn like that earlier in the day? It made the room so dark. The bathroom light is the only one that’s on, so I wonder if someone was hiding up there and attacked him from behind when he opened the restroom door. There are also the papers on the floor and the knocked-over lamp. So, I think there must have been a struggle. Right?”
“I think so. If the attacker caught him by surprise, they wouldn’t even have to be very strong.
Maybe a brief struggle right after the injection.
” Charles gazed toward the windows, and I wondered what my role in all of this was supposed to be.
“It must’ve worked quickly though if all that happened was an overturned lamp and some spilled papers. ”
“I suspect the police will figure that out pretty quickly with a toxicology report.” I turned off my phone and set it on the table next to me.
“Charles, with Armond gone, I’ve actually finished my photography assignment, and I don’t know if Haven Corp actually needs me here any longer.
I mean, I usually do my edits back at the studio and electronically send the requested photos. ”
Charles’s eyes widened, and he shook his head. “Oh, no. I’m sure there are more things we’ll want.”
He made little sense. I could do nothing.
“Such as? What I mean is… well, there have been two murders. The original person in my position and now the person who hired me, which makes me nervous. I don’t really have a legitimate reason for staying here any longer, and people might think it’s suspicious if I’m still here on the company’s dime. ”
Charles stared at the floor, frowning. “I hadn’t thought about that.
I guess I assumed you’d stay a bit longer.
And yes, we have a policy about nonemployees and contractors.
They aren’t allowed to be involved in private company matters, so I see your point.
You know I have an idea, but it might seem absurd. ”
Though I wasn’t sure there was much I could do, if he asked me to stay and help, I would. But I needed to be clear about why I was even there and how he saw me. “What’s your idea?”
“Well, I could use some help with this. If we tell everyone you’re my girlfriend and staying here with me for the weekend, it might make sense.
We don’t have any policy against having our personal relations being involved—it’s kind of an attempt to be family friendly.
” Charles scrunched up his brows and raised his shoulders like he expected me to laugh.
“It’s the only excuse I can think of for keeping you, well, and your observation skills, close this weekend. ”
I nodded, settling things in my mind. Playing the pretend girlfriend meant he’d seen me only as a friend, and my heart sank a little. At least I knew how he felt, but part of me still clung to hope. I attempted to be nonchalant, but my voice wavered. “If you think it will help, I’d be happy to.”
“Thank you. That doesn’t make you uncomfortable, does it?” He tilted his jaw to the side and studied my face.
“It’s a little unconventional. But to help you and maybe catch a killer, it’s certainly worth it.” In all honesty, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself for abandoning a friend in such a situation. Even if Charles was just a friend.
“Jane, you’re the best. We’ll keep this suite. I’ll just take the spare bedroom here and get private rooms for the other guys who were staying in the other suite with me.” Charles relaxed his shoulders and grinned at me.
I gave him a soft smile. At least we were friends.
I wanted more. But even as friends, he would be in my life, and his warmth and optimism were contagious.
Those were things I could draw upon. It helped me see more possibilities in the world.
“Sure. You know, I think there’s a connection between Margery and Armond’s deaths.
We might want to see what we can learn about her past.”
“That makes two of us.” Charles’s sharp jaw tightened. “It’s too much of a coincidence.”
I wondered if there was anything I could contribute to solving this case. Other than my personal observations, I had no special knowledge of the situation. However, I possessed a unique skill. I was a witch.
“I wonder if we can use magic to see what happened.” Magic had gotten my family out of some difficult situations, but we weren’t high fae like Charles’s and Darcy’s families.
In fact, being half-witch made us inferior in the eyes of many.
Most people didn’t understand that witch abilities didn’t make anyone inherently good or bad.
Power came in many forms: money, fame… magic. How we used it defined our character.
“Oh?” Charles raised a brow. “I wish my magic would help. But I’m mostly limited to healing and a few other things.”
Magic could be unpredictable, and I didn’t want to get his hopes up. “I’m not as skilled as my sisters. But to solve a murder, I bet my Aunt Penny can guide me through a seer spell. They recreate a visual of the area where an event happened.”
“She’s the one who lives nearby? We can use any help we can get.”
A loud rap on the door announced our room service. Charles stood and let in a well-groomed porter, who set up the coffee table with steaming cups of tea and biscuits.
After the porter left the room, smiling at his hefty tip, Charles pulled over an armchair for me. “You were saying magic might help? Your aunt, maybe?”
I stirred my tea, breathing in the soothing ginger scent and considering a few options.
“Yes. Aunt Penny—she’s done some of her research for the university with magic aiding her.
This would be similar in a way. In Austen Heights, the police use magic all the time, and I wish I knew more about their methods.
But my aunt’s fairly familiar with that investigative type of magic. ”
“If you can get in contact with her, I can send a car to pick her up,” Charles said, but a flash of worry crossed his brow. “But I don’t want you to be in any danger, Jane. Who knows what we’re up against?”
“That’s what I’m wondering. We’ll need to be careful.” I nodded, sipping my tea. Then I pulled out my phone to call Aunt Penny. After I explained the situation to her, she gave it some thought. Her response was enthusiastic but nervous.
“Oh, I haven’t used a sight spell for years now, and I’m a bit out of practice.
I would like to be helpful. You’ll have to guide it with your power, Jane.
Yours is stronger than mine. Will we be able to access any of the victim’s things?
” Aunt Penny fretted. The last thing I wanted was to put her in an uncomfortable position.
“I suppose I can try on my own,” I muttered.
“No, no, dear. I’ll do my best to guide you through it, and I have the supplies you’ll need. Have your fellow find an item or two of the victim’s. I’m looking for my glasses.” She spoke between breaths, probably rushing around her apartment gathering things.
Ending the call, I turned to Charles. “She’s coming. I’m sorry this happened.” I studied his face, still hardly believing I was sitting in a luxury suite, trying to solve a murder with Charles Bingley. It wasn’t at all how I’d envisioned the day going.
“Jane, what do you have to apologize for? You’re here with me during this horrendous time and are being nothing but gracious and kind. I….” Charles paused.
“You?” I encouraged him to continue, but stopped myself from begging for validation.
“Maybe I’m asking too much of you. Now that I think about it, it might be better if you went back home.” He brushed my arm with the back of his hand, just barely, like a whisper. “I worry this may be dangerous.”
His concern was touching, but I wasn't as delicate as I looked. “I’d rather stay. We at least have a plan now, and this is going to haunt me until we find some resolution.”
My implication was that I was talking about the case, but it wasn’t the only thing I wanted to be resolved between us.
Broaching the topic didn't frighten me. In fact, I struggled to understand why I didn't, except that maybe I needed to see if Charles would own up to his inexplicable behavior on his own.
“I respect that.” Charles took in slow breath, his mouth forming a straight line. “I’d better make sure my team is all right. I suspect we’ll need to cancel the rest of today’s events. Would you prefer to wait up here while I take care of that?”
Being alone in a hotel suite after finding a dead body didn’t sit well with me. “I’d rather tag along.”
"Good." Charles’s dimples made a brief appearance. “We’ll need to talk to a few people downstairs in the conference room.”