Walking Through Walls: Parlor Tricks Mystery, #3

By A.L. Kessler

For Lacey Willows, holidays are a time of booming business, tinsel, and…cake?

When Lacey agrees to help Trace finding his client's missing pups, they have a chance to make a Christmas miracle for the family. But a case like this is never as straight forward as it should be. An old enemy, an ex-boyfriend, and a crazy mother makes everything a challenge.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Amy Kessler
• Release date: Apr 20, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223362173

Book preview

Walking Through Walls

A.L. Kessler

Copyright © 2023 NovaLynn PRess

All rights reserved

No part of this book may reproduced without expressed permission of the author or publisher

Editing: Jasmyn with No Genre Left Behind

Cover: Imagine Ink Designs

Formatting: Imagine Ink Designs

Blood and Ink Press thank you for reading indie authors

Contents

. Chapter

. Chapter

1. CHAPTER ONE

2. CHAPTER TWO

3. CHAPTER THREE

4. CHAPTER FOUR

5. CHAPTER FIVE

6. CHAPTER SIX

7. CHAPTER SEVEN

8. CHAPTER EIGHT

9. CHAPTER NINE

10. CHAPTER TEN

11. CHAPTER ELEVEN

About Author

Also By

To Nana and Patches, you can’t read this, but without you, this story wouldn’t have been.

Big thank you to my sister Amanda and her husband Mike who let me use their dogs in this book. Thank you to Jasmyn for edits and help. To my husband for the coffee and support and to my readers’ group who always keep me going!

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CHAPTER ONE

Humming a Christmas tune, I hung the sparkly silver garland over the doorway. This time of year was one of my favorites, and not just because it meant good business, it also meant snow. I turned and looked at Copperfield, my bunny, who sat on my register counter. Currently, he was bright red, instead of his usual lavender. I liked to think that he was being festive. I scratched his head as I passed by him. I think it’s time for some holiday magic.

As usual, Copperfield jumped off the counter and ran off to hide somewhere. He didn’t trust my magic. Not that I could blame him, I rarely got things right. That’s how he had come into existence. I rolled my eyes and went to the register. You are a chicken. I grabbed a deck of cards that I had opened earlier. Just a simple trick.

Copperfield peeked his head out, and his nose twitched as if he didn’t believe me. I was about to scold him until the door opened, and his fur changed to pure black. I turned to see what had caused him to go black, typically it meant a stranger he didn’t trust.

A man a little bit taller than me stood just inside the door. His clothes were stained with dirt and I’m sure other things that I didn’t want to question. He wiped his hands on his pants before he held a hand out to me. You the owner?

I nodded. Yeah. I took his hand, trying not to cringe. I’m Lacey.

I go by Duo.

I raised a brow. What can I do for you, Duo?

I’m hoping to get a hat, one specifically for magical people. He glanced around the shop. I see no hats.

I shook my head. I stopped carrying them last year. They weren’t big sellers. That wasn’t exactly the whole truth, but he didn’t need to know about my accidental creation of a reverse raccoon.

He blinked at me. What kind of magic shop doesn’t have hats?

This one. Is there anything else I can offer you? Some rings perhaps? Or scarves? I motioned to the surplus of both that I still had in the clearance section.

No, I need a hat so I can pull a bird out of one.

I shrugged. There’s another shop across town that just opened, maybe they have them.

What about bicycles? he demanded.

Now I was starting to think he was a bit crazy. Bicycles?

Do you know where I can get one?

I shook my head. Nope. I’m a magic trick shop, not a bicycle connoisseur.

He threw his hands up and made a dissatisfied noise before he stormed out. I shook my head as I watched him run across the street.

He disappeared into another store across the way, and I hoped that he wouldn’t give them any trouble. I went back to my cards and spread them out. I flipped one over and smiled at the Ace of Hearts. I muttered a few magic words, attempting to turn all the cards into the Ace of Hearts, but instead, all the cards disappeared.

What the heck?

I sighed and put my hands on my hips. Where the heck did they go? When things appeared or disappeared, they came from or went somewhere. The question was where.

Copperfield came bouncing out of his hiding place and used some boxes to hop back on the counter. I looked up as my dad walked in.

My dad looked a little like me, brown hair and brown eyes. He was taller, though, as I got my height from my mother. He smiled at me and looked around the store. Your mother is driving me nuts, anything down here to do?

He and my mother had been retired in Florida. They moved back here to be closer to me. I think because my dad was getting bored. I smiled. There’s inventory in the back room that needs to be processed if you really want something to do.

It beats listening to her go on and on about the cake bake-off.

I’m scared to ask, cake bake-off? I tried not to cringe. Any time my mother set her mind on a contest, it got crazy. Magic everywhere.

He nodded. Your mom is participating in a bake-off fundraiser to help those in need this season. Your mother is determined to have the best cake.

You have fun with that. I laughed. I have extended hours for the holiday season. I looked up as a small group came in. I held my finger up to let my dad know I’d be back.

Welcome to Parlor Tricks!

A lady and her kid came in, and the little boy went straight to Copperfield. Copperfield turned lavender as the kid scratched his ears.

The mom smiled. What a charming little shop. A cool trick with the bunny.

Thanks, what can I help you with?

She motioned around. Just looking for some fun Christmas gifts, stocking stuffers, maybe?

Oh, I’ve got this. My dad stepped up. Right this way.

I chuckled and let him take over, and I went back to the counter where the little boy was still loving on Copperfield.

How does he change colors?

I leaned down. Magic, I whispered.

Magic doesn’t exist. Mommy says it’s all illusions, even the people claiming to be witches are just really good magicians.

I ran into things like this every now, and then and I had been called worse things than a really good magician. And you know what?

He looked up at me.

A really good magician never reveals their secrets. I winked at him, and he giggled.

The lady came back with a pack of cards and a small book on card tricks and sleight of hand. I’ll grab these.

I rang her up and waved to them as they left.

My dad shook his head. She doesn’t believe people like us exist.

At least she didn’t call us freaks. I shrugged. Go get started on inventory in the back. I’m going to straighten up a bit while I have a lull in customers.

Dad nodded and marched to the back room.

I walked around the store, waiting for my next customers to come in.

Dad came out a few minutes after I closed the shop and I was counting down the register. He dusted his hands off. All accounted for and ready to go on the shelves. Are you staying behind tonight to do that?

I shook my head. No, I got a text from mom about an hour ago, she wants me to come over for dinner. She said to bring Trace with me. Which concerns me.

Dad cringed. She’s up to something.

Do you know what?

He shrugged. If I had to take a guess, I would say matchmaking.

I rolled my eyes and finished with the register, taking the tray out and taking it to the safe in the back.

The room that doubled as my back room, employee room, and office currently had product all over. Dad had organized it all by the section of the store they would go in, and he was nice enough to break down all the boxes. I put the tray in the safe and locked it.

I came back out to find dad holding Nooccar in his arms. The reversed color raccoon stared at me and blinked his beady little eyes a few times before snuggling into my dad. I put a hand on my hip.

Nooccar, you’re supposed to stay in Trace’s office, not my shop.

He chattered at me and climbed on to my dad’s shoulders. I held my arms out to him. Come on, Trace will be looking for you. Dad, will you get Copperfield in his kennel to take home?

Dad gave me a thumbs-up as I picked up the raccoon and walked out of the store. Dad would lock up while I handled the rebel raccoon. I knocked on Trace’s door and found it still unlocked for the day.

I walked in, expecting to find him there finishing up paperwork, but instead, I heard him talking in the back office with a client. The words were low, so I couldn’t make out what he was saying. I wasn’t going to interrupt, so I put Nooccar back in his kennel, locked it, and went to head out.

The moment my hand touched the door, Trace came out with his client. Trace was dressed in his finest suit, he’d gelled his brown hair back, and his eyes looked more dark brown today. He led a woman of average height with her brown hair pulled back in a ponytail. A little boy toddled after her, playing with a phone I assumed was his mother’s.

Thank you, Mr. McHue. We really want to find them. They shook hands, and she gave me a small smile as she took the little boy’s hand and walked out of the office.

"Sorry, I didn’t mean