Dead of Night

By Patti Larsen

What's an Inquisitor to do when she's not even sure she has a victim...?

Now chief of the Whitewitch Island police department, if temporarily, Georgia is called on to intervene when a disturbance has her investigating at The Acropolis Hotel. Accusations fly about a missing girl her mother claims is dead, while the owner's nephew makes it clear he doesn't respect Georgia's authority or anyone else's for that matter. But when one of their number turns up dead alongside an older death that looks far too similar to be a coincidence, Georgia and Benny fall down a deep, dark rabbit hole of lies, deceit, double-crossing and homicide, among other criminal activities. But will they have to resort to magic to unravel the truth before the killer gets away with murder?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Patti Larsen
• Release date: Feb 19, 2024
• ISBN: 9781998948260

Patti Larsen

About me, huh? Well, my official bio reads like this: Patti Larsen is a multiple award-winning author with a passion for the voices in her head. But that sounds so freaking formal, doesn’t it? I’m a storyteller who hears character's demands so loudly I have to write them down. I love the idea of sports even though sports hate me. I’ve dabbled in everything from improv theater to film making and writing TV shows, singing in an all girl band to running my own hair salon.But always, always, writing books calls me home.I’ve had my sights set on world literary domination for a while now. Which means getting my books out there, to you, my darling readers. It’s the coolest thing ever, this job of mine, being able to tell stories I love, only to see them all shiny and happy in your hands... thank you for reading.As for the rest of it, I’m short (permanent), slightly round (changeable) and blonde (for ever and ever). I love to talk one on one about the deepest topics and can’t seem to stop seeing the big picture. I happily live on Prince Edward Island, Canada, home to Anne of Green Gables and the most beautiful red beaches in the world, with my pug overlord and overlady, six lazy cats and Gypsy Vanner gelding, Fynn.

Book preview

Dead of Night

Whitewitch Island Paranormal Cozies: Seven

Smashwords Edition

Patti Larsen

Copyright 2024 by Patti Larsen

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Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, please return to the vendor and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

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Chapter One

I could already smell pancakes as I emerged from the bedroom, heading for the kitchen and the sound of singing. It had been an amazing three months since Dr. Sam Spencer stumbled on my secret. He’d taken my paranormal heritage and history so well in stride it surprised me, though I suppose it shouldn’t have. I knew all along he was an incredible human being and he’d proved it to me many times over in the last twelve weeks.

It was his deep and lovely voice that serenaded me into the sunny and delicious-scented kitchen, but he wasn’t alone in his morning ritual of joining the musician of choice playing from the speaker on the counter while he cooked. The two ravens who’d followed me here to Whitewitch Island had taken it upon themselves to harmonize lately, and even my big Hades Hound mastiff friend enthusiastically half-yowled, half-brayed his own rendition despite Benjamin’s horrific singing voice.

I loved that dog more than life itself, but as my mother would say, he couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket.

Not that any of them cared, least of all Sam. My darling boyfriend (dear elements, what a word—I was still looking for another one that didn’t make me cringe) seemed to look forward to the event every day, my magical family accepting him and his new knowledge much more quickly and naturally than I did. Not that I fought against it once the pixie was out of the blossom, mind you. But there was a bit of an adjustment period on my part where I worried that I might have broken the sweet and handsome handyman/therapist.

Why, you ask? Because he took it so well there had to be something wrong. I kept waiting for some kind of breakdown or delayed reaction to who I was (and who I used to be) but it never came. I was the weepy, worried one who reacted to every question with nervousness and anticipation of rejection. Sam seemed to take my old life so in stride that I finally chalked up his calm and patience to a natural curiosity and fascination with what he was learning as much as to his education and the reason he was led to becoming a psychologist in the first place.

Sam simply didn’t judge, even when he was confronted with the fact the woman who he fell in love with was part dragon, part necromancer and all supernatural, retired from a paranormal investigative guild for a hidden society that he and other normal human beings interacted with but had never known about outside of myth and legend.

The best part? His relationship with Benjamin had only deepened. Benny had always adored Sam, right from day one, and the way the two bonded even without Sam knowing who the Hound really was always made my heart happy. But now that they were able to have conversations, my sweet boy and the man I loved had the kind of kinship I almost envied, often spending long hours together on walks, doing Sam and Benny things that had nothing to do with me but seemed to satisfy the both of them in ways I simply couldn’t fathom.

Not that I begrudged it. Mostly. I glanced at the clock over the stove, knowing that lingering there in the doorway, enjoying the foursome and their musical talents (or not-so-talents) had a limited timeframe. Especially if I wanted to partake in Sam’s delicious pancakes before I was expected elsewhere.

He turned and noticed me first, bare chest covered in the adorable apron he’d bought for my house, because of course, I didn’t own one. My cooking talents equated to conjuring dinner more often than not, or bringing home takeout, a leftover of my days with Guild Artemis when thinking about eating or cooking or anything to do with the domestic was far too much effort after long hours chasing the criminals of the paranormal world. Sam had taken over with an ease and confidence that only made me love him more, and though he still had his adorable tiny home in the backyard of his parents’ house, he was here most nights, and I wasn’t complaining even a little bit.

Doing what, you ask? Well, if you have to ask… that’s really none of your business, is it?

Breakfast is ready, beautiful, he said, leaning in to kiss my cheek when I joined him to check out the plate beside the frying pan, now piled with perfectly browned rounds. Benjamin had stopped singing when the song ended, the ravens fluffing themselves as though proud of their duet efforts, a new tune beginning but turned down as Sam tapped the volume on his phone to control the output. You have time?

Ten minutes, I said, though there really wasn’t a huge rush to be honest, but my years as an Inquisitor had me trained not to be late, even if the possibility of a pressing case coming up on sleepy Whitewitch Island that would require me to land at the office right at 8:30AM really was a distant one.

Then again, I’d handled enough murder investigations since I’d moved here that maybe I needed to be more careful what I thought because the fates and I had a particular kind of relationship I really didn’t want to test, thank you.

I’ll walk you to the office, he said, shedding his apron, dishing me a plate of pancakes before turning and handing Benjamin his. The big mastiff was already drooling and made short work of the offering, the ravens sharing a single one on the counter, taking turns tearing pieces and swallowing them whole. Were they ordinary animals I might have protested the sugary feast, but you try telling talking creatures with their own agency they can’t have Sam’s delicious pancakes.

I’ll wait. No luck, huh? Thought not.

Benjamin licked his plate clean while I took a bite of my own, groaning over the flavor with butter and syrup dripping. Sam had left the room to finish dressing and I called out to him over my next forkful. You need to stop feeding me like this. I rubbed my happy tummy and though I was fortunate enough to have a naturally slim figure thanks to my dragon heritage and all that fire magic burning in my veins, Sam’s cooking challenged even that magical benefit to the max.

Sam was chuckling when he returned, buttoning his shirt and tucking it into his jeans, hands sliding through his dark blond hair. His blue eyes smiled at me when he kissed me softly, lingering a moment. Okay, his pancakes were yummy, yes. But Sam Spencer’s lips?

Simply divine.

Any patients today? I took one last bite, offering Benny my plate which he instantly cleaned for me, licking his chops with a satisfied grin after the fact.

Sam asked if I could help with one of his sessions, the mastiff said. Is that okay, Mother?

Of course. I met Sam’s gaze with a question in mine and he shrugged, finishing sorting himself out, phone sliding into his pocket before he gently stroked first Conscio, the black raven humming in happiness at his touch and then Caprice. The white of the pair shivered as his hand slid down to scratch her neck feathers, then ruffled and gronked at him in thanks when he finished.

He has such a calming effect on some of my patients, Sam said. Despite his size. He grinned at Benjamin whose ears perked.

I’m a good boy, Mother, Benny said with such sweet sincerity I felt my eyes sting. I do a really good job when patients get upset. I stay really calm and I let them pet me. I love helping!

Considering he’d been kicked out of the Hades Hound order for being too sweet, I wasn’t surprised at his attitude. Though I’d been worried since his adventure with my former partner, Elias’ plan to use Benjamin to find the secretive enemy and hiding the dog’s access to his powers despite having them removed when he was a puppy, I guess I shouldn’t have been. Benny might have shown the occasional tendency toward Hound behavior, but he’d retained his caring and empathetic nature. As long as he kept his illegal magicks under wraps and didn’t raise further suspicions from Guild Artemis, I wasn’t going to let myself agonize over it.

Benny was who he was, and I loved him no matter what. Just let them try and take him away from me.

Of course, I found myself saying then, though my heart hurt a little. I was so used to having him with me. Remember when I said I didn’t begrudge their relationship? Mostly? Times like this were when mostly kicked in. But how could I say no when it made my lovely boy so happy?

All right, big guy, Sam said, ruffling the Hound’s ears. Ready to head out?

Ready, Sam! Benjamin’s enthusiasm was instantly contagious and had both Sam and me laughing as he bounded his big body toward the front door. I watched the ravens wing off, engaged in whatever amused them for the day, while the three of us earthbound souls made our way on foot to the street and headed for town.

Sam’s hand in mine was a warm reminder of just how amazing my life had turned out and I hoped I never came to take it for granted. How had things evolved this way? I still shook my head a time or two at the fact I’d gone from a very busy and rather rebellious daughter of a powerful family to this small island of kind and interesting, if normal, people. I never thought I’d find love like I had with Sam, nor that I’d be content the way I felt as I strolled with him toward the center of Circe, to his office and mine.

Oh, yes, the office thing. The job, the time parameters. My apologies, I guess I should have mentioned that my friend and former sheriff of Whitewitch Island, Harriet Quinn, now interim mayor and enthusiastic resident of this magical place, convinced me to take over as chief of police until the election in November.

Retired, yeah, right. You could take the girl out of Guild Artemis, but law enforcement would always call her back.

It was a short stroll down the main street to Sam’s cute walk-up office and we were kissing openly on the street—took me a bit to get used to that, trust me—before I was waving goodbye to my boyfriend (sigh) and my mastiff (traitor, ha!) and carrying on to the sheriff’s office.

The perfect March morning already unfolding, the lovely California weather ideal for the favored black suit I’d returned to like an old friend, and Sam’s love and amazing cooking keeping me full, and it felt like nothing could go wrong ever again.

Oh, Georgia. What was with my naiveté all of a sudden? I really knew better than to tempt those who treated temptation like a challenge to prove everyone wrong.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I fished it out in innocent curiosity, only to stop in my tracks at the text that had landed.

Georgia, dear, my mother sent. I’ve been patient, but I know when I’m being stonewalled. Whoops. Whether you like it or not, I’m coming to see you and I can’t wait to meet Sam when I do.

And just like that, there went my perfect day.

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Chapter Two

Don’t get me wrong. I did love my mother, naturally. She was a formidable and powerful woman, with a huge influence on my evolution into the Inquisitor I’d become. She’d married a half-dragon, after all, something only the strongest of souls would ever consider and her ambitions and fortitude had meant a meteoric rise to Emissary to the North American Magic League at a young age. And don’t for a second think her success had anything to do with the fact she married into the golden dragon family so revered and even feared. Morgana Drake would have rocketed to the top with or without my father at her side. Having Dad next to her only added to Mom’s presence, like the very best icing on a spicy, dense and formidable cake.

She’d even managed to win over my necromancer grandmother, Arimanthia, and very few had that privilege, so I would never underestimate my mother. It just meant that dealing with her, love or not, was a juggling act that involved deeply felt emotions (not always happy), bullying disguised in a smile and what was best for me and all kinds of deep breathing so neither of us exploded into a million fiery sparks that would take down a small city.

I might have been more of my mother’s daughter than I was willing to admit.

And I’d made the mistake of telling her that Sam knew. All right, not a mistake, a necessity, to be fair. When normals were faced with the reveal, as we called it, we were required to report it to the requisite Guild just in case. Meltdowns had been known to happen and mind wipes required to reverse the damage were commonplace. It was one of my greatest fears, losing Sam to such an event. And you wonder why I was on edge?

Rules or not, I’d been reluctant to tell her, but I had no choice, really. And with Elias and his hunt for the enemy ongoing, I’d wanted to make sure my family was prepared. Even though I’d had no contact with my former partner since, I felt better knowing the Drake family had my back in the paranormal world while I had theirs.

We might have been one of the most powerful, but there were always those looking to bring down their betters just to say they did.

The fact Sam was so accepting and even eager to learn about paranormals seemed to impress my mother and she’d been on my case ever since to come to the island and meet him. I’d put off even letting her video chat with him, the single phone call they’d engaged in short and supervised, one I’d cut off within moments when she’d started in on visit talk.

I think the fact that Dad