A Crow Alone Does Not A Murder Make: A Story of Crows, #2

By d. l. struble

A Crow Alone Does Not A Murder Make follows Figgy and the remaining Coven of Crows as they deal with the return of Marlow McCallister and Figgy's journey to find her father. She returns to New Orleans with her faithful companion, Soda.  In the Crescent City, the reader meets Pork Pie and his employer Asmodeus - The Eater of Hearts.  Will Marlow disend into madness and finally destroy the Coven of Crows? Will Figgy connect with her father after all these years? And what happened to Norine?  The reader will love the exciting adventure on every page.

• Language: English
• Publisher: d. l. struble
• Release date: Jun 6, 2024
• ISBN: 9798227149602

Book preview

Chapter 1

It had taken Figgy years to get used to deep shadows.  She had always loved the sunshine and the way sunlight tickled the trees and danced across water.  Dimly lit rooms and dark corners held shadows and shadows held secrets. She had had enough of secrets and shadows.  Her mother, Blu, had always fretted over secrets and kept hers locked away and buried deep within the wall she had created around her mind.  It wasn’t until Figgy had graduated from high school in Athens, Georgia that she decided to leave her mother and the Coven of Crows.  Blu had wedded herself to the Coven years ago and found her peace living with the sisters in The Crow’s Nest.  Figgy knew that Blu would have loved for Figgy to do the same but, to Blu’s credit, she never pressured her to commit to that lifestyle.  The choice was, and had always been, Figgy’s to make. Figgy loved the Coven and the sisters loved her back. She was happy living there and felt safe, but in her heart, something was missing. What Figgy needed was freedom.  It was in her nature to wander, as it had been in her mother and father. She too had been born with a gypsy heart and restless shoes.

When Figgy decided to leave Athens, she wasn’t going to travel alone.  By her side as always, was her three-legged pitty, Soda.  Soda was no longer the bouncing pup he had been. He had aged as all living things must, but he still had a spring in his gait and wouldn’t allow Figgy to go anywhere without him.  Although he couldn’t communicate this with Figgy, Soda knew he still had work to do and wasn’t going to let Figgy out of his sight. Besides, Figgy was not ready to part with him either.  They were connected and Soda had a right to follow his own path.  Even if his path was at Figgy’s side.

The morning of Figgy’s departure was blanketed with an unusual fog.  The Coven’s sisters were gathered in the foyer of the Crow’s Nest to exchange tearful goodbyes and heartfelt well wishes.  Figgy’s heart felt heavy as she and her mother embraced at the door.  Please be careful, Figgs, she said, her beautiful blue eyes blinking back the tears.  Over the years Blu had gradually returned to her normal self and this included the disappearance of her one black eye.  You are just a light press away, Figgy responded. We can communicate better than any cell phone. I will only be a thought away.

Busa Busa stood regal at the front door and embraced Figgy when it was her time to say goodbye. You will always have a home with us.  Come back anytime, our hearts are always open to you, The high priestess whispered in her ear.  Figgy glanced back at the sisters.  There was so much she wanted to say and so much she wanted them to know.  Susan was there, as stunning as ever. She raised her hand and pressed Figgy, I will always love you, you are my little sister.  Marta was smiling at her; her fingers stained brown from constantly working with her plants.  Tamara stared down at the floor. She wouldn’t let Figgy see her tears.  Julie pressed a package into Figgy’s hands. I am sure you will get hungry. Here are some road snacks to keep you going for a while, she said. The bubbly redhead with green eyes gave her a little wink and a smile.

Figgy couldn’t help but think of Abby, Heather, Caroline, Rose, Mimi, and Mary Catherine.  She knew if she squinted and concentrated hard enough, they would appear and be standing with their coven as well, smiling and wishing her well as she set off on her new adventure.  The other sisters that made up the rest of the coven said their goodbyes.  The Coven of Crows was once again strong and full.  They were thirteen strong again and each of them as formidable as the sisters that had originally pledged to protect Blu and Figgy all those years ago.

The orange one-eyed tabby cat, Hook (Blu’s familiar), was lounging at the top of the stairs watching all the fuss being made over the little witch’s departure.  ‘Oh brother’, he thought. ‘She’s finally going and taking that idiot dog with her. Took her long enough’. Hook could pretend that he wouldn’t miss Figgy, but truth be told, he had grown quite tolerant of her. The idiot dog Soda, on the other hand, was the bane to his existence. Always bopping about, sniffing, and licking. It was enough to make Hook cough up a fur ball.  He turned and headed back to Blu’s bed to curl up on her pillow. Blu hated it when he napped on her bed, but Hook ignored her and circled her soft pillow several times before retiring to his morning nap, finally at peace.

After Figgy walked out the front door, Blu turned and headed to the parlor.  She sat down in one of the high back chairs by the fireplace and closed her eyes.  She knew she would never be alone again.  She would always have the coven, but at that moment, she felt lonelier than she ever had.  She couldn’t remember life without her daughter by her side. It was as if the two of them had been glued together and now they were being ripped apart.  A piece of Blu had been torn away from her. She knew it was selfish of her to think that way. Figgy needed to have her own adventures.  She had to leave and live her own life.  Blu realized that within the last few years she had become more dependent on Figgy, than Figgy had been on her.  Did all mothers feel this way about their child’s independence and eventual departure?

Blu could feel a soft tapping deep within her head. She kept her eyes closed and concentrated.  Someone was laughing. ‘The little bitch has left you, Blu, and that crazy bitch Norine is dead,’ a voice whispered from deep within her mind’s wall.  ‘Now, it is just you and me in here, Blu. You and me. Why don’t you let me out?’ it hissed again, a little louder.  ‘No, no, no. You better not. You won’t like the plans I have made for you and your devil spawn. You don’t have to let me out. I will manage that on my own.’ The voice went silent.

Blu knew that voice.  Marlow was never too far from her thoughts but she hadn’t heard him in years. Norine had always kept him quiet and locked away.  The two of them had remained buried deep within Blu’s wall in a dark corner of her mind. But if Norine was truly gone, what would that mean?  Could he actually get out? Blu didn’t think so. But what would happen if he did? Where would he go?  He had no body to return to.  Blu had theorized that without a body, once his mind was released, he would be lost in some sort of limbo or better yet, cease to exist.  Now she wasn’t so sure.  A big fat fact remained; she wasn’t truly alone after all. Marlow would be there, taunting her. Blu was afraid he would eventually drive her mad.

As Figgy walked down the front steps of the Crow’s Nest, the morning fog was starting to lift.  Shafts of sunlight began to pierce the gray blanket and splash on the wet asphalt street.  Figgy’s heart began to beat a little faster as she climbed into the old Toyota Previa van that she had affectionately named Penny years ago.  Tamara had rebuilt the van’s motor and transmission earlier that year and now it started right up with a healthy purr.  Old Penny had been given a new lease on life and was as ready for an adventure as much as Figgy was. 

Soda struggled to climb into the passenger seat but refused to let Figgy give him a boost.  When he was finally settled, he looked at her as if to say, ‘See, I got this’. Figgy smiled and scratched her dear friend behind his ears.  ‘I know you do, boy. Are you ready to get this show on the road?’ she pressed. ‘Pork rinds.’ He pressed back and Figgy smiled.  They would have to stop and get some.

By the time they left Athens, the fog was gone and the sun was shining bright. Soda was watching the scenery zip by his window. He didn’t care where they were going as long as Figgy was there. He let out a little yip as they passed several cows in a pasture.  Figgy felt alive and excited.  She had always been independent and strong.  Her mother would say that living on the road was the best education she could ever receive.  And of course, she had been right.  Once she and Blu finally got settled in Athens and Figgy was able to attend school, she found the institution to be slow and quite boring.  She was way behind her fellow students at first but caught up and eventually surpassed most of them.  Having her special gifts had aided in her scholastic success but she didn’t really need to rely on them too heavily.  She was a natural learner.  Biology, literature, and mathematics came to her easily and she had the best tutors.  Marta and the other sisters were able to explain her lessons to her by showing her real-world applications, and how she could apply them to her daily study of the craft. 

Figgy had plenty of opportunity to further her education by going to college. The Coven had been more than generous in offering to pay the tuition and she had received several scholarship offers.  However, Figgy had lost interest in traditional academics. What she really wanted was the freedom and adventure on the road; at least for a little while.  She had her entire life to go to school or wed the Coven.  She didn’t have to make up her mind now.  Now, she wanted to live, explore, and find her true path.

As the miles slipped by and the sun crossed its midday peak, Figgy found herself heading west across the Florida pan handle.  She hadn’t thought too much about where she would go, she figured she would let fate decide. It came as no real surprise when the road signs started counting down the miles to New Orleans.  Figgy’s heart rate picked up a beat or two when it became clear that the Crescent City was waiting for them to arrive.

Soda could feel the energy shift in the van.  He was having one of his favorite dreams.  He had been chasing an annoyed Hook across the hardwood floors and up and down the stairs of the Crow’s Nest.  Figgy was laughing, pressing him ‘Get him, Soda! Get him!’  He popped a sleepy eye open and looked over at Figgy behind the wheel. She was smiling to herself.  He pressed her ‘Hi’.  Figgy glanced at Soda and gave him a wink. ‘We’re going to New Orleans, boy. What do think about that?’. Soda didn’t know what to think about that.  As long as she was happy, he was content to go anywhere.  He couldn’t quite grasp why New Orleans seemed familiar.  He concentrated and tried to recall what he knew about New Orleans but any understanding was just out of his mind’s reach. ‘New Orleans,’ he thought. ‘Why does that sound so familiar?’. A cold shiver ran down his back to the tip of his tail.  He shook his head. ‘As long as Figgy is happy and safe,’ he thought to himself.  He closed his eyes and rested his snout on his one front paw.  Soon he was dreaming again, chasing Hook around the house.

Chapter 2

When Blu woke up, she was still in the chair in the parlor.  Her neck was a bit stiff and she stretched to knock out the kinks.  She shut her eyes and concentrated.  All was quiet in her head.  She didn’t hear any tapping or whispering.  She wondered if her encounter with Marlow had actually happened or if she had been dreaming.  Regardless, she felt uneasy and a little scared.  She wondered if she should tell her sisters about Marlow and his threats of escape.  It was absolutely something she should share if it was real. But Blu was hesitant.  She was so tired of being the weak, fragile, Blu that everyone had to tip-toe around.  If she was just being paranoid, or worse, mentally fatigued, the sisters would be compelled to handle her with kid gloves and fret over ‘poor damaged Blu.’  Norine would have known what to do.  As crass and abrasive as she had been, Norine didn’t fret or take shit from anyone.  Norine had been fearless.  It was hard for Blu to admit, but she missed Norine.

Blu stood up and crossed the hall to the restroom to splash some water on her face and pull herself together.  Blu rested against the pedestal sink in the bathroom.  She adjusted the water faucets to coax warm water out of the tap.  When the temperature was right, she splashed the warm water on her face and tried to wash the unease off.  After a few seconds, she grabbed the hand towel with one hand and turned off the water with the other.  She brought the towel up to dry her face.  ‘What should I do?’ she asked herself as she pulled the towel away and looked into the mirror. ‘For fuck’s sake. Pull your shit together and nut up,’ her reflection responded. Blu stared into the mirror. Staring back at her was a confident Norine.  Her one black eye shown bright.  Norine had a wicked little grin. ‘I am not gone. I am part of you now.’

‘Marlow said you were dead. That he had killed you’ Blu almost said out loud.

‘That skinny little snake can’t kill me without killing you. After all these years, I thought you would have figured that out by now.  As our mind healed, you and I were stitched back together, the two of us became one again. I am as much a part of you as you are a part of me. Dammit, were you always this slow?’

‘But you were trapped in the box with him. How did you get out?’ Blu asked.

‘You pulled me out as you recovered. The stronger you became the less of me remained in the box. Bit by bit I left. For the longest time, only our anger and sorrow remained in there with him.  As you eventually came to terms with yourself and your secrets, that part of us left the box as well.  You should take a look in those silly boxes you have stored all over the place in here. You will find they are empty as well. You are finally where you need to be, Blu. You are healed and you are strong. You have found a home and you have found peace. I am you and you are me, capiche?’

‘What about Marlow? Can he get out?’ Blu asked.

‘He is a strong little fucker and he is getting stronger all the time.  Without me in there to beat the snot out of him, he may get out.  We have to be careful. We have to have a plan before it is too late.  He never had much sanity and next to no goodness in him, but now whatever he did have is gone. He is completely insane and very, very angry.’ Norine continued, ‘Now you know what I know. We are one. Remember I am you and you are me’.

Blu was shocked. No, she had never thought about what would happen if her mind was ever healed. She assumed that Norine would always be around and in a way, she guessed, she still was, but not how she had thought. Blu wiped her face again with the towel.  When she looked into the mirror again, her reflection was the normal Blu that looked back at her. Both of her eyes were still the steely blue ones she was born with. 

Blu closed the bathroom door behind her and made her way to her room.  Hook was lounging on the bed.  He stretched and carefully hopped down when he saw her enter.  He had expected to be scolded but Blu was strangely quiet.  Hook thought about resuming his leisurely afternoon back on the bed but changed his mind and walked over to the window sill. He was still able to jump upon the sill and rest in warm sunlight.  The fog had burned off a while ago and the sun felt nice and warm.

The Coven of Crow’s sisters seemed to age slowly. It wasn’t like they completely stopped aging; they just seemed to age very gracefully.  Blu was no exception.  Despite a few new laugh lines, she looked remarkably like the young mother she was when she joined the sisterhood. It may very well have been a benefit of practicing the craft, but more likely their youthful appearance was a result of living a natural life and dedicating themselves to the Earth Mother. Like in current society, it was taboo within the coven to discuss a sister’s age.  They didn’t practice birthdays but did celebrate the day that they wedded the coven. Blu honestly had no idea how old her sisters were but she figured Busa Busa was the oldest and wisest of all of them.

Blu had to admit that she hadn’t felt this good in years.  She was still physically fit and could fit into her ‘gettin’ pretty’ clothes.  And despite Figgy’s departure, she was emotionally stronger.  She may never have noticed the gradual emotional change if Norine hadn’t pointed it out. Now that Blu thought about it, she realized that she was not as scared, paranoid, and worried as she had been.  She felt more like her old self.  She felt more like the Blu she was before the incident at the truck stop in Beaumont Texas. She couldn’t remember much of that night but what she did, she could never forget. Marlow had really done a number on her.

There really wasn’t a decision to make.  Blu had to tell Busa Busa, and eventually the other coven sisters, what was happening with Marlow.  It was entirely too dangerous not to.  Norine was right, of course, they needed a plan and they needed to come up with the plan quickly.  The last thing that Blu needed was The Dark Man loose in her head.  ‘Shit, he had been living in there for over ten years,’ she thought. ‘Did I just swear?’ She asked herself. Norine was the one with the potty mouth. It had been over ten years since Blu had uttered a swear word.  Swearing felt kind of good, like slipping into old jeans. Blu met Busa Busa in the parlor later that afternoon.  It was probably safer to talk with her one on one before telling anyone else.  Blu did not want to raise any panic.

Norine is no longer in the box with Marlow, Blu said when they were sitting in the parlor. She and I have ‘reconnected’, for lack of a better way to explain it.

Oh, I see, Busa Busa responded.  That could only mean that you are healing.  That is wonderful news, Blu.

Well, I am afraid that if Norine is no longer in the box, she has no control over Marlow anymore. Blu leaned in a little closer to Busa Busa. Marlow is becoming more active, and I am afraid that I am not strong enough to contain him. He is gaining strength and making threats. I don’t know what will happen if the box fails.

Busa Busa was not only the High Priestess of The Coven of Crows, she was the most skilled healer of the thirteen sisters. So, when Busa Busa asked to examine Blu’s mind, Blu didn’t hesitate.  Blu