How to Stone a Crow (Witch Like a Boss Book 2) by Willow Mason (great novels txt) 📕

I might have Desi put it back together. What’d you say?”

“I say I only started renting here three months ago. My landlord will kill me.”

I nudged a piece of splintered wood with the toe of my sneaker. “Sorry about that but you were crushing my foot.”

“You were trying to get into a house I’d made clear you weren’t welcome in.” Evelyn folded her arms while her lip curled. “I don’t have the power to put this back together. My limited magic gets used up in the daily grind.”

“I’ve got plenty.” I leant forward, locking eyes with her. “Please just help us out here. If this continues, all the witches in Briarton will have disappeared by the end of the year.”

She plucked at the neck of her T-shirt; the loose ribbing showed it was a well-practised habit. “You think this might happen to any witch?”

Patrick wobbled his hand. Maybe-maybe not. “Until we can connect the dots, we don’t know who or what this will strike.” He paused, rubbing the back of his neck. “Or even what this is.”

“That’s why we must dig into the relationship between Jac and Violet. Any scrap of detail might be the key to unlocking why they were targeted.”

“What relationship?”

I spun on my heel at the man’s voice, seeing Carson pushing Sara in a pram. “Didn’t you know each other?”

“You mean the Jac from Jac and Wes?” He frowned and lifted his daughter out of the pushchair as she started to fuss. “I don’t recall her ever mentioning him.”

“They went to high school together and used to hang out.”

Carson balanced Sara in one hand while trying to wrestle a bonnet onto her head with the other. “Doesn’t seem likely. My wife was very studious and quiet while Jac…” He tilted his head to one side to avoid a chubby hand grasping for his face. “Well, he’s flamboyant, isn’t he?”

Evelyn watched the conversation, her eyes darting from one participant to the next. Until Carson gave a strangled yelp, whereupon she jumped forward and helped him pull the pram and his daughter through the remains of the door.

“What happened here? I was only gone for twenty minutes.”

“Bit of an accident,” I said, waving a few sparkles in the air. “I’m new to all of this.”

“Mm-hm.” As Evelyn took the pram through to the living room, Carson turned to glance back at us over his shoulder. “You lot coming in, then?”

I didn’t wait for a second invitation, strolling inside and taking a seat in the lounge when Carson made a vague gesture that way. Annalisa curled up beside me, crowding the tiny space and sending my temperature rocketing upwards.

“I’d offer you something, but I still haven’t worked out where everything is.” Carson sat on the sofa, bouncing Sara on his knee. Her large blue eyes were defocused, close to sleep.

“No surprise there. I haven’t finished unpacking half of it yet,” Evelyn said, joining them. She perched on the edge of the sofa next to her brother, giving her niece a caress on the head.

“What about you, Evelyn?” Patrick asked. “Did you know much about Violet and Jac hanging out in high school?”

“No.”

After leaving space for her to fill in the answer, I turned back to Carson, who seemed mildly amused.

“Evie and Violet didn’t get on,” he said in a mock whisper. “I’m surprised she’s letting us stay with her.”

“You’re my brother. Where else would you go?”

“To hell, according to the last time we had you over for Sunday brunch.”

Evelyn’s lips twisted and she gave him a soft punch on the thigh. “Yeah, but did you?”

“No, because I’m a man so can’t follow the simplest instruction.” As Sara began to cry, his face softened, then crumpled. “I’ll just put her to bed,” he said, choking back sobs. “Be right back.”

“Are you sure you never saw Violet palling around with Jac?” Jared asked, drawing his lips back. The slight snarl didn’t have any visible effect on the woman, but given she was of equal height and looked a more solid build, I doubted she even registered the subtle threat.

<Call that a threat?> Annalisa stretched out her front paws, letting her claws catch the sunlight filtering through the half-closed blinds.

Her efforts also went unnoticed, except by Jared, who gave a light snort.

“I can’t tell you what I don’t remember. Besides, high school was fifteen years ago for me.” She tapped the side of her head. “Unless it had to do with the footy pitch or getting ready for the formal, it hasn’t stuck.”

Patrick tapped a hand on his knee. “Can you share what the police have found out about Violet?”

“No. That’s our business.”

“Evie.” Carson stood in the doorway, deep lines etched into his forehead. “We should be sharing all the information we can. I know you don’t like Violet—”

“I never said that!”

“No, but you acted like it from the moment we started dating. When we went on that picnic for Waitangi Day, you pretended she didn’t exist. Even when she was speaking directly to you.”

“She didn’t like me, either.”

“This isn’t a competition. I want to get my wife back and I’m appalled that I have to beg for your help. Do you want Sara to grow up without a mother? How about some support for a change?”

“You’re staying here. That’s support.”

“No, that’s the least you could do. You told me that yourself. I want more than your least.”

“The police haven’t found anything useful, anyway, so I don’t know why you’ve turned this into a fight.”

Carson sighed, slumping back onto the sofa as though his legs would no longer support his weight. “They’ve searched the property and couldn’t find Violet. She’s not in the house. She’s not on the grounds.” He shrugged. “Like she’d leave Sara alone, crying, if there’d been any other choice.”

“They’ve also interviewed her friends, but no one’s seen or heard from her.” Evelyn’s voice was subdued, the words halting. “She hasn’t accessed the bank account or used her credit cards.”

“If it’s a supernatural thing, the police won’t be able to