In Charm's Way: Hex Falls Witch Cozy Mystery Series, #5

By Ruby Rivers

A rival designer arrives in town intent on stealing away Violet's business.
It's a case of the two ghouling designers.
Will it be a duel to the death?

 

It's a witchly case of duelling designers when rival interior designer Cookie Castleman shows up in town. She has her sights set on taking over Violet's decorating territory, systematically wooing Violet's clientele and plagiarizing her designs, as well as cozying up to Sotherby—the ghostly host of Murder Manor—whom Violet is not about to let Cookie win over.

 

She could just about kill the woman, when someone beats her to it. 

 

In Charm's Way, book 5 of the Hex Falls Cozy Mystery Series, is a humorous full-length paranormal cozy mystery.

 

The Complete Hex Falls Cozy Mystery Series:
Hopeless Pocus, Book 1
Bedknobs & BroomHilda Sticks, Book 2
Witchity, Glitchy, Boo, Book 3
Abracastabra, Book 4
In Charm's Way, Book 5
Witchity, Glitchity, Glamour, Book 6
The Poof! Is in The Pudding, Christmas Novella ~ To Complete the Series

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookMarked
• Release date: May 25, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224551286

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

T here’s something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about, I say to Jeremy, sitting across from him at The Bottom of the Cauldron. His eyes sparkle the most dazzling shade of azure blue.

They never change anymore, not since what happened at the fairgrounds with the Druen. No more flashes of denim blue, only azure, and I’m A-okay with that I guess, now I know the reason they were changing in the first place. Meaning, it was the sign of the warlock possessing him.

I wonder where the warlock is, actually, now that he’s gone?

And if he’ll be back. He was kind of nice and not too hard on the eyes either.

Okay, Violet, focus.

I’ve been thinking— I start again, finding it hard to say what I’ve come to tell him. He’s such a sweet, sweet guy. He’s just not my sweet guy; I’ve come to realize over time. I bite my lip. Sotherby was right. We are not the match made in heaven. But still, I hate the thought of letting him down like this. It must be said—now that he’s finally all better—it’s not right of me to keep leading him on like this, but the words are just so hard to say.

He’s such a sweet, sweet guy. Did I mention that? I swallow.

He takes a slurp of his favorite drink—Eye of Raven—its candied-jelly eyeball floating around in the foam on top, glaring up at me, making me feel even more guilty for what I’m about to say. He slurps again, draining the dregs of the cup.

Jeremy, would you please stop doing that? I say firmly, the noise shuddering up my spine.

Oh, yeah, sorry, he says and pushes the drink aside. You were saying? He leans across the table taking both my hands in his and gazes dreamily into my eyes. Yeah, this is gonna hurt.

Both of us.

It’s like this…, I swallow, heaving in a breath. Come on, Violet, enough stalling. You can do this. Just rip off the Band-Aid already.

Yeah? he says, looking at me all cow-eyed and overly smiley again.

All right, this is it. Just blurt it out. I’m sure you’ve noticed as of late that things between us have been⁠—

Going absolutely swell. Jeremy’s eyes sparkle.

Swell? I gulp. Oh gods… I haven’t heard him use that term since— Holy batmobile, don’t tell me he’s regressed right back to the original Jeremy I met when I first came to Hex Falls. I swallow. Not that the sweet, country bumpkin hokey-dokey version of himself wasn’t adorable, it's just, well… I bite my lip. I've sort of, kind of grown accustomed to the more refined and cultured version of him.

In fact, he continues, his voice low and creamy. I thank my lucky stars every day that I met you. He encapsulates my hands even tighter inside of his. I mean, I don't think I could've found myself a more perfect gal.

Gal? I gulp. Oh gods. It’s worse than I thought. That last whack to the head must have been a doozy.

And I’ve been thinkin’. Oh gods, he’s been thinking. His eyes sparkle as he grins at me in the low light of the room. Maybe it’s time we⁠—

Oh no, don’t say it. My heart races.

You know, I just thought maybe— He reaches behind himself about to pull something out of his back pocket, and I panic.

Wow! Would you look at that! I shout and point at the ceiling.

At what? He glances up. Works every time. Then his arm swings back around and I wince, bracing. From his hand, he produces…

…a comb, which he uses to restyle his hair.

What? he says, looking perplexed. I’m still holding my breath, my eyes drawn wide. I just noticed my reflection in the window and saw the cowlick, so I thought I’d smooth it down. He runs the comb through his hair. Can’t have a sheriff walking around with a cowlick now, can we? He grins and I exhale, sinking down in my seat. Now, where was I? He puts his comb away. Oh yeah, I was about to say⁠—

Yes, about that— I grasp his hands and take the lead. I’m afraid that’s what I’ve come to talk to you about… us— A ruckus in the street breaks out on the street, beyond the window behind me. What on earth? I turn around, seeing people running past the window, hooting, hollering, and waving their hands. What is going on out there? I fully twist at the torso to get a better look but see nothing. People swarm to the windows inside the Cauldron to stare outside.

Gosh, you’d think a celebrity’s come to town, Jeremy says, leaning over and squinting past me.

Right then, Mrs. Dumfries bursts through the front doors, waving her arm and shouting, It's Cookie! Cookie Castleman! In the flesh! Right here in Hex Falls!

What? I stand.

Cookie Castleman? Jeremy repeats.

Where? Liesel’s head shoots up from behind the serving counter, her eyes open wider than I’ve ever seen them before.

What is it? Is there a problem? Do I need my gun? Jeremy rushes forward, fumbling to draw his weapon.

No, no, no, it's nothing like that. I stop him. Although… I tilt my head, thinking about the option.

Oh, good, ’cause the latch was stuck on my gun belt and— His gun goes off as he struggles to fix it, accidentally shooting himself through the toe of his boot, right through the bottom of his holster. The room goes up in shrieks and he throws up his hand. It’s all right. It’s okay. The boots were too big anyway.

Oh, gods... I slap my head and turn my eyes to the window.

"You don’t mean the Cookie Castleman? The famous designer? Liesel looks at Mrs. Dumfries continuing the conversation. The one with the show on HGTV?"

Of course she does. Who else could she mean?

There is only one Cookie Castleman. I huff.

The very one, Mrs. Dumfries giddily confirms the obvious as Liesel races to the window to see for herself. I push past her to the front of the glass, press my nose up against it. Sure enough, there she is—Cookie Castleman—in all her bottled-blonde buxom glory.

Yowza, Jeremy exhales, hanging over my shoulder, staring out the window himself.

Yes, yowza, I say, shrugging him off me and watching as Cookie struts past, down the middle of main street, dressed in faux fur and elegance from head to toe. Her hair is beautifully coiffured and spun up into a neat bun at the back of her head, while a single sexy swoop of loose bang hangs down over one of her large blue eyes.

Wow, Jeremy coos, his mouth falling open, which I turn around and shut for him. Godsforbid the man start drooling on himself. It’s bad enough he’s already shot his own foot.

As if on cue Cookie turns her head at that very moment, slides her expensive designer sunnies—as she likes to call her sunglasses—down the length of her cosmetically reconstructed nose and winks at Jeremy through the window.

The poor man nearly faints.

You know her? He asks in a voice that sounds starstruck.

Know her? Of course I do. Who in the designing world doesn’t? I scowl. She’s only the single most famous home decorator in all the world. I snort and cross my arms, my jealousy soaring.

Well, okay, maybe not the whole world, but at least this side of it, that’s for sure.

Or at least, this side of Hex Falls County.

What’s she doing here, anyway? Jeremy asks, still staring.

How should I know? I snap.

"She’s here filming her latest episode of Diggin’ My Designs!" Mrs. Dumfries provides the answer. Of course. Isn’t that exciting! she adds in a trill, her hands falling together in a clap.

Maybe for you. For me it’s a disaster. I stare back out the window.

Diggin’ my what? Jeremy asks.

Never mind. I dismiss him with a flick of my hand.

And the best part is, we can all be in it, Mrs. Dumfries continues. As if she hasn’t said enough already. Seems she’s in need of some extras!

Oh goody, goody gumdrops. Just what I wanna be. An extra in my number one rival’s number one rated TV show.

"All we need to do is oooooo and aaawww whenever the director gives us the signal, Mrs. Dumfries carries on. Oh, and applaud loudly whenever the ‘applause sign’ is raised."

So that’s how she gets all those inflated ratings.

At that, half The Bottom of the Cauldron empties out onto the street, pushing and shoving like a regular stampede.

Aren’t you gonna join them? Jeremy asks.

"Are you crazy? Pfft! I lacquer him in a scowl. The last thing I want to be is a Cookie Castleman extra. I turn my back about to walk away. Well, maybe I will just take a peek." I push out the doors with the rest of the stampede.

Of course she is as beautiful in person as she is on TV—what else would she be?—with a body so dazzlingly shapely, she resembles a voluptuous human hourglass walking past.

Gag me with a cauldron spoon.

I gnash my teeth as she tips up onto her high heels and twirls for the camera.

My gods, could the woman be any more perfect?

She lands, catching sight of Jeremy out the corner of her eye and giggles like a schoolgirl, tossing him a black-gloved queen-like wave.

Jeremy giggles too.

I always did love a man in uniform, she tells him in passing.

Oh bother, I groan.

Ready? Set? the director shouts. Everyone in their positions! Extras you too.

The stampede shuffles into position, forming two adoring lines that hug the sidewalks on either side of the street.

Aaaand… we’re rolling, the director shouts and drops his arms. Cookie hesitates then makes her grand entrance, bursting into the shot, her arms flung wide, twirling, like she’s Julie Andrews on a mountain top on the set of The Sound of Music, for crappulasakes.

The camera zooms wide then in for a closeup, which of course, only catches her in the very best of light. So, here I am walking down the main street of my brand-new hometown! she cheerily tells her camera audience.

Her brand-new what? My throat constricts.

That’s right, fans. I’ve decided to trade in the hustle and bustle of the big city and move out to country bumpkin land!

I fall back on my heels as she throws up her arms under the official welcome sign of Hex Falls.

You’ve got to be kidding me. This can’t be happening. I feel my blood pressure rising.

My greatest nightmare is to have a rival designer show up and lay claim to the town.

Let alone the likes of the infamous Cookie Castleman.

"Yep, you heard me right. Diggin’ My Designs is moving, and so am I, right here to sweet little old Hex Falls! I gulp, feeling sick as she continues. I mean, I couldn’t ask for a more perfect place to settle down, what with all the deliciously dilapidated mansions all over the place? Her camera crew scrambles to widen their lenses to take them all in. Why, just look at them all up there dotting the hillsides. There must be a million of them, she coos, all just begging for a Cookie Castleman makeover."

Wait, what? Mansions? No! You can’t have them. Those are my mansions. I was here first.

And we all know what that means, don’t we, deckies? She lowers her voice and grins into the cameras. Deckies are what she calls her hundreds of thousands of little minion decorating followers on social media and the show—and belong to her elusive fan club.

Millions more dollareos for Mommy! She winks into the camera as she lightly rubs her forefinger and thumb together, indicating loads more money.

Like she hasn’t enough.

I just can't wait to get started. In fact, I already have.

She what?

"I landed my first job this morning. A quaint little Victorian on the edge of town that I plan to gut and turn into my very own… dream house!" She screeches at the top of her lungs, wildly shaking her fists and tossing her head around. The crowd is signaled to screech with her. The noise is deafening.

That’s right. I am now the proud new owner of a half-falling down mansion, right up there on the ridge overlooking the seaside. She points, and I follow the end of her impeccably painted fingernail, over her back and in the direction of…

Sotherby’s place. I gasp, a frosty chill shivering up my spine as the cameras zero in on it.

She can’t mean— Not Murder Manor…

No, not that one. That one, Cookie shouts, correcting the crew, and the cameras jerk right.

Oh, the old Chablis place. I exhale in relief as the cameras focus in on the stunning gingerbread Victorian that stands down the road from Sotherby's mansion.

That’s right. You know it? Cookie turns, speaking directly to me outside of the camera, her eyes reducing to slits.

Know it? Of course I know it. I eye her gravely back. I’ve made it my business to know all the gorgeous stately homes in the area in need of restorative love. That is my business, after all.

I believe the place also goes by the title Majestic Manor, she continues before I can utter a word. I’m told it has quite the history. She glowers at me. Maybe even a ghost or two. She smiles, looking delightedly back into the camera at her devout subjects. But a little ghostly activity could be fun, right, deckies? She shrugs.

Depending on who the ghosts are, sure.

At any rate, they won’t know what hit them when I’m done with the place. She titters, breaking into a laugh.

That’s for sure.

Nothing Cookie touches ever looks the same again—once she inflicts her ultra-modern style all over it. The poor old Chablis Estate. I bite my lip and look back over my shoulder at the beautiful Victorian dwelling. It’s lasted all these years, just to have Cookie Castleman come along and strip it back to the bone. My heart feels heavy just thinking about what she’ll do to it.

Wait a minute.

I've been trying to get my designing mitts on that abandoned property for quite some time now. I've dropped off letters, talked to realtors, and everyone just kept ignoring me. I couldn’t even find out who owned the place. How did she manage to make contact so quickly?

Money talks, dear, Cookie mutters, floating past me.

What? I turn my head.

Money talks, she mouths again.

Did she just⁠—

Did she just read my thoughts?

I scowl after her while she grins at me. Oh gods. I gulp. Don’t tell me, she’s a⁠—

Oh, would you look at that? Cookie Castleman twirls, throwing up a hand to shield her eyes from the sun. She pauses, staring back at a building. What a cute little café. A coffee shop actually. She takes in the signage. "The Bottom of the Cauldron. How quaint. She drops back to the window. And so very on-brand." Her eyes flash.

I know that look. That, ‘Cookie Castleman’s about to land another job,’ look.

How did I not notice this before?

You did, but you were too busy flirting with the sheriff inside it.

Oh no you don't.

I sprint up the street and spread my arms across the doorway in an attempt to block her entrance, but it’s no use. She pushes me aside and enters anyway. Wow, what I could do with this place. She looks around dreamily.

Funny, that's exactly what I said the first time I saw it. I race in after her, door chimes tingling wildly overhead. In fact, I've been in talks with the manager about redoing the whole place. I drape myself protectively across the order counter in back. It’s to be my next job, actually. I sigh.

No, it’s not, Liesel says, popping out from behind it.

Yes, it is. I grit my teeth and glare at her. Okay, so it's not really my next job. But I have been talking to the owners; they just haven’t been talking back.

I’ve gotta call Grams right away. Liesel lunges for her phone.

Oh no you don’t! I attempt to wrestle it from her. No use bothering the owner when the matter’s already been settled.

It has not.

Has too. We fight over the phone.

It's all right, girls, Cookie says in her smooth, creamy, irritating voice. She glowers at me, then looks sweetly back at Liesel. "You tell your Grams I’ll be back another day to