“Done,” Camila chirps.
A thought comes to me. “If you need a venue to host your party, the inn has tons of rooms. I’m sure I could accommodate your needs. What kind of a party is it?”
Wouldn’t she like to know. Tabitha offers a slight wink my way. “I’d like to keep it under wraps for now. It’s sort of a surprise.”
Great. I hate surprises, Camila muses.
Me too.
Tabitha’s brows meet in the middle as she considers my offer. “Yeah, maybe I’ll touch base with you. We’ll see. Can I get you ladies any appetizers? The witch’s fingers, pumpkin dip, and mummy baked Brie are super popular.”
“We’ll take all three,” I say. Not only am I starving, but I have a feeling Georgie and Juni are going to need something solid in their stomachs sooner than later. I see them both at the bar, sipping on something purple with a matching colored fog billowing out of their glasses, while hitting on every man that’s breathing—and maybe some that aren’t. “Tabitha, can I ask you a question? Was there anyone there that night who had an axe to grind with Blair?”
Camila grunts, “Yeah, who do you think she was chewing out after I left her?”
Tabitha’s lips knot up. I had it out with Blair, but I’m not about to say it. Especially not since Camila made a big stink about how Bizzy here has solved every homicide in Maine for the last year solid. She also mentioned she was the one doing the slaughtering and cleverly setting people up, but still.
Tabitha had it out with Blair? Was she the one Blair was arguing with right after Camila left? My word, is she the killer? And leave it to Camila to out me—ironically, it’s not serving her well.
“Raven.” Tabitha nods my way. “She and Blair were on the outs regarding the society.”
“What society?” I ask without missing a beat.
Tabitha brings her fingers to her lips a moment.
“I meant to say our society. You know leftwing-rightwing views. The two of them have never seen eye to eye politically. Anyway, I’ll get your order in.” She takes off and Camila and I exchange a glance.
“What’s this society?” I ask. “And does the word maiden ring any bells to you?”
Her mouth falls open. “Is that what she was thinking about?”
I loathe the thought of outing myself officially to Camila as far as my supernatural abilities go.
“Maybe,” I say. “So what does it mean?”
“I don’t know. But the last thing Blair mentioned to me was something about a society function. Maybe this is the same thing?”
“I guess the party goes on,” I say. “But that word maiden.” I shake my head. “I’m getting the feeling it’s some sort of guild or club. I’ll have to look it up.”
“Don’t worry, Bizzy. I’ll look it up, too. Believe me, I’m rolling my sleeves up, and I’ll be getting dirty right alongside you. I want the spotlight off of me and my good name cleared.”
I choose not to comment on the state of her questionably good name.
“So what do you know about this Raven chick?” I ask. “I met her, but it was brief.”
“Raven is the real deal. A good friend through and through. And she’s always been loyal to Blair.”
“Why do I get the feeling Blair was the queen bee?”
“Because she was. And believe me, I hated seeing Raven bowing down to her the way she did. I guess things soured between them, but Raven Marsh is no killer.”
“I’ll talk to Raven and see where I can get. Hopefully, she’ll tell me all I need to know about the Maidens, and who knows? Maybe she did kill Blair, maybe she didn’t, but here’s hoping that a little chitchat with Raven will end this investigation for good.”
Camila lifts a brow. “You mean the chitchat I’m about to have right along with the two of you. Believe me, I’ll be able to pull all the dirty little details from her, no problem. Are you free tomorrow?”
“I can be. What are you thinking?”
“I’m off early. I’ll book us both an appointment at her salon. Once she sees we’ve dropped some serious dough, she’ll be good and primed to spill all she knows. Raven and I always share a cup of coffee together afterwards, right there in the salon.”
“A kaffeeklatsch in hopes to catch a killer, can’t wait.”
“Who’s going to catch a killer?” a deep voice rumbles from behind, and every muscle in my scheming body freezes. I recognize both that voice and that heady cologne already ensconcing me in its warmth.
Juni and Georgie run over.
“Jasper is here, six o’clock!” Georgie points behind me.
Juni lifts her foaming purple concoction our way as if she was toasting us. “Glad to see we didn’t miss the show. Let the fireworks begin.”
Camila filled both Georgie and Juni in on the fact that I swore to Jasper that I’d stay out of the case. The three of them seemed to have a good laugh on my behalf on the drive over regarding it, too.
“Bizzy?” Jasper steps my way, and I quickly wrap my arms around him and offer up a smothering kiss that comes with promises and maybe a slight bribe that suggests we hold off having the inevitable conversation until we’re alone.
Jasper Wilder is a vision tonight in his dark suit with that equally dark look in his eyes as his brows hover over those pale gray peepers like a couple of birds in flight.
“Ladies,” he offers an amicable nod to the trio of women, “what’s going on, Bizzy? Why is Camila here?”
Apparently, my new legal plus one isn’t the mind reader I was hoping he’d be.
Camila’s chest vibrates as she struggles to swallow down that chortle stuck in her throat.
“I was just about to take off,” she says. “But if there are going to be fireworks, who am I to miss the show?”
Jasper offers me a stern look. “Why would there be
