Rabbits Out of Hats: Parlor Tricks Mystery, #1

By A.L. Kessler

Lacey Willow isn't just a witch. She's a bad one. Any attempt to use magic tends to end in quirky ways which is why she owns a magic shop where people purchase amusing parlor tricks. When her new shop neighbor turns out to be a PI, Lacy is unprepared for the shenanigans that are about to go down. Soon she finds herself accused of stalking, snooping around a funeral parlor, and dealing with hexes while she tries to clear her name.

• Language: English
• Publisher: NovaLynn Press LLC
• Release date: Apr 20, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223175506

Book preview

To Sara, because sometimes life just needs a little bit of magic.

Acknowledgement

Thank you to everyone who made this possible! A huge thank you to the beta readers who helped in the time crunch. As always thank you to my husband who kept me supplied with coffee. Thank you to the readers in the Secret Readers’ Group who helped me with the ideas for magic-gone-wrong.

image-placeholder

Chapter One

Iwatched from my shop window as the moving men unloaded office furniture into the no-longer vacant building next to my shop. I debated casually walking out to see if I could get a better look at the man giving directions but figured that’d look too suspicious. There was no easy way to spy on him, but judging by the glimpse of the suit and shiny shoes that I saw, I was betting he was a lawyer. A lot of lawyers had been snatching up open offices downtown lately.

My fluffy, currently white bunny jumped across the windowsill, his cute little pink nose twitching. I ran my hand over his fur and tried to look busy as the bell over the door dinged, and a kid bounded in with his mother.

Welcome to Parlor Tricks. I smiled at the two. What can I help you with today?

Mommy, look at the bunny rabbit, the little boy cried out chasing after Copperfield. The bunny hopped away, and the mother gave me a tired smile.

He’s just endless energy.

So is the bunny. I smiled. Are you looking for something particular?

You know those magic kits for kids? He’s been wanting one since he saw a street magician. She shook her head. Nothing too complicated, because his attention span is well… She shrugged.

Sure, I’ve got some starter ones over here in the corner, but before I can sell you one, I have to ask. Do you have any history of magical abilities?

She blinked at me a few times and then laughed. Oh, no, we’re not one of those freaks— She must have seen the look on my face. Oh, I’m sorry, are you magical?

I looked at Copperfield who was now a pastel pink and tried not to cringe. Yeah. I’m a freak. I tried to keep my voice light and went and scooped Copperfield up and put him back in the large black top hat he normally stayed in. He peeked out with his little pink twitchy nose. In a world of technology and constant connectivity, it was harder and harder for magical individuals to hide, and they had been coming out to the public. When it came to magic, even parlor tricks, a little bit of untamed magic could go a long way.

Hence how I got a color-changing bunny.

She ushered her son to the back to look at the kits, and I went behind the glass display that held the smaller items like two-faced coins, fake money on strings, and the like. The register sat on top of it in the corner, right near the door. From here I could watch my new neighbor across the street move in, and I could wait for my customer to make their purchase.

Copperfield hopped out of his hat and across the display top, his fur back to being white. He simply sat there staring at me until the lady and her son made their selection and came up to check out.

I looked down at the ‘My First Magic Kit’ box and smiled. A good choice for starting out, before you know it, you’ll be on the street performing real magic.

I want to be a real wizard! And turn people into frogs!

The mother paled just a touch at that, but I chuckled. You turn princes into frogs, that way the princess has to kiss him to break the spell.

The little boy wrinkled his nose up. Ewww.

Yeah eww. I laughed and took the mother’s cash. I put the kit in a bag, and they left, shutting the door behind them. The moving truck pulled away, and Mr. Suit had gone inside his new office. I let out a huff of air and looked at Copperfield. What should we attempt today? Nothing with live animals, I don’t think you need any color-changing friends.

I swore he looked disappointed. Oh, how about the rings? He twitched his nose, and for a moment, I wished I would have pulled a talking parrot out of the hat instead. I rolled my eyes and went to grab a set of trick rings, the kind that could be banged together so that they magically connected. There wasn’t a whole lot of ways this could go wrong.

I took a deep breath and focused on the rings, I just needed to tap them twice, and they’d connect, twist, and they’d disconnect. Easy as pie.

Mm…Pie

I tapped the rings together, and a high pitch noise shot through the shop. The rings connected, but then started to multiply. A new ring appeared at the end of the chain, and I dropped the linked set. Ah, crap. The rings twisted and disconnected but continued to multiply and started to shoot around the shop. Crap, crap, crap! I ran out of the shop as the rings started bouncing wildly around.

I watched as they banged against the storefront window relentlessly and sighed.

Someone stepped up beside me. This happen often? the deep voice asked. I didn’t even look over at him.

Does what happen often?

You getting chased out of your shop by magical rings. There was a chuckle in his voice that did make me look at him. He stood in his black suit and shiny shoes and was a good foot taller than me. Dreamy brown eyes matched the chocolate color of his hair.

Normally it’s not rings, once it was feathers. I cracked a smile. They filled up the shop. I was finding them for days after.

He looked at me for a moment, and I think he was trying to decide if I was serious or not. I heard the racket from next door.

Next door? Next door! Crap, he was my new neighbor. He was sexy as hell, and I had just introduced us by magical oops. I resisted the urge to cover my face. Welcome to the street.

I’m Trace McHue. He held his hand out to me, and I shook it.

Lacey Willow. I gave a sheepish grin. Local witch and magic dealer.

He motioned to the rings that were starting to die down. I noticed the witch part.

I tried not to die of embarrassment. Guess I should start picking up rings, it was nice to meet you Mr. McHue.

Trace, please.

Trace. I slipped back into my shop, ducking as a ring shot over my head and clanked against the door. This was not how I pictured my Monday going. Not at all.

image-placeholder

It’d taken me nearly all day to pick up the rings. The only bright side was now I had a quite a few extra sets for the store. I picked up Copperfield and stuck him in his cage, making sure he had enough food and water. Now, you stay in here tonight. I’ll be back in the morning.

He twitched his nose, and I covered his cage with a blanket to help keep him warm. I walked out and locked the shop up. I paused as a woman came out of the office next to me, Trace’s office. She was dabbing at her eyes like she’d been crying, but she shoved the tissue into her purse, stood straight, and walked over to a shiny red sports car.

I watched as she got in, checked her makeup in the mirror, and then peeled out of the parallel parking space. Divorce lawyer, I was sure of it now.

I turned to walk to my own car and saw Trace standing there, locking his office. A client of yours? I motioned to the now empty parking lot and then realized how stupid my question was. Of course she was a client.

He nodded. Yep, first one in the new office.

I took a moment and thought about the woman. Cheating spouse case?

Can’t let you in on that secret. He shook his head. Confidentiality laws and all that.

Okay fine. She must be loaded, that’s a nice car. I grabbed my keys and headed toward my car, parked behind the building. He followed me. You don’t have to stalk me.

My car’s in the parking lot too.

Oh duh, everyone in the building parked there. I tried not to roll my eyes at my stupidity.

He walked next to me though, in a comfortable silence. My last neighbor closed later than I did, so I never had to worry about awkward walks to the car, but this was anything but awkward, it was comforting to have him next to me.

We rounded the corner of the back of the building to the parking lot. The patched cracks in the asphalt spread through the ground like spiderwebs, and the two street lamps barely touched the darkness.

My little car was sitting under one of those street lamps. Trace’s vehicle was parked next to mine, but his truck towered over my tiny sedan.

I glanced at him. That’s a big truck.

Yep. He grinned and walked to it, unlocking it with the click of a key fob. I like trucks, what can I say?

Bigger isn’t always better, I joked as I unlocked my car and shrugged. But to each their own.

You could fit your car under my truck, he teased. Can’t be too safe.

Doesn’t matter. I resisted the urge to stick my tongue out at him. It’s mine, and I love it. I climbed in and started the car.

I swore he shook his head as he got into his truck. I let my car warm up a little bit, and I assumed he was doing the same because he hadn’t left the parking lot by the time I did.

The drive to my little house was filled with traffic and maybe just a little bit of road rage. By the time I parked in my cracked driveway, I was ready for a drink or two.

I got out of the car and went to my house. The cozy three-bedroom house sat on the corner of the street. No fence around the yard, but it did have a nice little porch in the front that I could sit on and have my coffee. I unlocked the door and walked in. The feeling of home swept over me. The second-hand furniture looked new enough against the white carpet. I had pictures on the hall walls of my parents and me from various times in my life. I found myself going straight to the bedroom for some shut-eye.

image-placeholder

The next morning I went to unlock my shop and saw the woman from yesterday peering into my window. I put on my best professional smile as I walked up to my door. Something I can help you with?

She looked me up and down and smiled. No, I was just looking. I’ve always loved magicians and magic tricks. I like how they can make people just disappear. It’s always a shame that they always come back.

That was just an odd thing to say. I glanced at her and saw that she was smiling. I’m joking of course.

I let out a forced laugh. Of course. I unlocked the door and walked in, locking it behind me. I glanced at the window and saw her still standing there, staring into my store.

I uncovered and opened Copperfield’s cage. I’m sure you’re hungry.

I picked him and stroked his purple fur. I brought you some veggies this morning. I put him on the counter and pulled out a Tupperware container from my purse. I opened it and sat it in front of him. Enjoy. He hopped over to it and sniffed