Pumpkin Spice & Poltergeist (Maple Hollow #1)

Smooth. I was a total Salome.

I debated lying to her about why I had this folder. It could’ve been filed under General Witch Things, but with the way she was looking at me, I couldn’t do it.

“Not this time,” I admitted. “We’re investigating someone’s death.” I winced and waited to see how that confession landed with my hopeful paramour.

Harlow’s brows pinched together in concern. “Isn’t that something the police should be doing?”

“The police around here are intentionally sort of lax,” I said with a grimace. “This was someone special to me, and I just want to make sure nothing suspicious happened.”

“Oh,” she said. “Is this the ex-girlfriend you were telling me about?”

“Yeah.” My words fell away as Iris came running back, panting and shoving the last page into the file.

“Well, uh, let me know if you need any help with the investigation,” Harlow said. “I’m not a very good sleuth, but I can supply the coffee and donuts.”

Why did she have to be so adorable?

“Say yes,” Lou said, hovering right behind my ear. “Let her help.”

I swatted my hand straight through her like I was shooing a fly and turned back to Harlow.

“I just might take you up on that.” I smiled and quickly ushered Iris away before I could dig the hole any deeper.

The last thing I needed was to rope Harlow into this side of my madness.

“You should’ve invited her back to the apothecary,” Lou chided. “Kill two birds with one stone and all.”

“Would investigating your death count as a date?” The words came out louder than I intended.

“Lou wants Harlow to help investigate her death?” Iris inferred from my muttering.

“No. Lou wants to meddle where she doesn’t belong,” I answered as we crossed the street.

Lou swam through the air to catch up with us, then walked backward directly in front of me until we got to the doorway of the apothecary.

“The sooner you grow closer to her, the sooner I leave,” Lou insisted.

“I don’t want to bond over your death,” I hissed.

We stepped inside, and I rounded the counter to sit on the stool, then flipped through the pages. There were initial reports by the police that looked more like chicken scratch than words, then a list of results done with a blood and fluid sample. I skimmed to the bottom of the last page and my jaw dropped.

“What?” Lou and Iris asked simultaneously.

I glared down at the paper. It couldn’t be right. “There wasn’t a drop of alcohol in your blood when you crashed.”

“But . . .” Iris came to my side and peered over my shoulder. “Dougall said the car reeked of alcohol?”

“Well, either Dougall’s lying or . . .” I frowned down at the papers, then looked up at a stone-faced Lou, who finished my thought, saying, “Or someone else was in the car when it crashed.”

16

HARLOW

Willow had warned me that Maple Hollow would be overrun with curious families, social media influencers, and retirees looking for a thrill as the weeks drew closer to Halloween.

Willow spent the morning dashing about, making the coffee orders for Bats & Broomsticks. The bed-and-breakfast, located just behind the haunted orchard, was already fully booked for the season. Willow provided them with their morning coffees while their patrons enjoyed the apple-themed pastries provided by Wyatt. The intricacies of the town ecosystem were both impressive and seamless.

When Wyatt came through the back door at six a.m., he dropped off our usual delivery but lingered near the baked goods case, watching my sister with a glint of pride as she quickly filled her customers’ orders.