Catching Her Bear Read Online Free PDF

old lady was losing it. “His name is Kalan Murdoch.” Elana swore the old woman’s eyes sparkled. Certainly, she wasn’t under his sexual spell. Good Lord, the woman probably hadn’t had sex in thirty years. “Do you know him?”
    “Yes, my dear. I’m aware of most of our residents.”
    As much as Elana wanted to learn what the witch thought of him, she was here to banish him from her thoughts, not enhance them. “So what do I have to do?” Cut up flowers and mash them? Dunk my head in a bowl of water for thirty seconds? Clearly, spells were not her thing.
    Ophelia smiled, and Elana could see the woman had been a beauty in her day. “Give me your hands.”
    That seemed simple enough. Ophelia closed her eyes and when her body shook, Elana worried the woman might be having a stroke. She then began to chant, though Elana had no idea what she was saying. The pressure on her fingers increased, as if the witch was squeezing out Kalan’s image. The stronger her grip, the freer Elana began to feel.
    Ophelia suddenly let go and smiled. “The next time you see your man, things will have changed. With him not clouding your thoughts, your true beauty will shine through.”
    “Thank you.” Though she wasn’t quite sure what that meant.
    Before she could pay the woman or ask her more questions, the witch in the long gauzy dress spun around and disappeared behind the house, her hair flowing in the wind. Elana glanced at Izzy.
    Her friend rushed up to her. “Do you feel any different?”
    “I don’t know, but I think I’m lighter.”
    “That’s because you no longer have to worry about Kalan.”
    Elana should be thrilled, but because he had been part of her life for so long, she missed him already. “I didn’t have the chance to pay her.”
    Izzy smiled. “Witches don’t accept payment. At least the Wendayan witches don’t.”
    “Okay, then. I guess that’s done.” She clenched her fists. “Did she say how long this spell lasts? I’d hate to think I was cured and then have a relapse.”
    Izzy wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “I didn’t ask her, but I’m thinking it was a complete exorcism.”
    Her chest sunk in. “Good.” Izzy probably wanted to get back to Rye. “Thank you for finding Ophelia.”
    “Anytime.”
    *
    Brian Stanley was on a mission. He needed to find his parents and his baby sister, though he suspected she didn’t even know he existed. More than likely, she’d been as emotionally abused as he’d been, but that didn’t mean she would be an ally.
    He might have been born in Silver Lake, but he wasn’t quite sure of the family’s address, just that the estate was on the west side of town. After twenty-seven years, things had changed. That was why he’d gone to a bar, hoping someone could help him. The outside of McKinnon’s Pub and Pool looked clean and in good repair, which meant Brian probably wouldn’t end up in some stupid ass brawl or in a ditch out back.
    “What can I get you?” the bartender asked. The man’s nametag read Finn, and he looked like an affable young man.
    “A shot of whiskey, Finn.” Brian was still on his meds and probably shouldn’t drink, but he’d dreamed of this moment for many years—or maybe it was more that he’d dreaded it.
    “Here ya go. Want to run a tab?” Finn had given him a healthy dose of scotch. No skimping from this fellow.
    It was tempting, but he had a lot to learn and didn’t need his brain muddled. “No thanks.”
    Extracting his wallet, he slapped a twenty on the counter. While he had a credit card, flashing his name around wouldn’t have been smart, since he had no idea how well known his parents were. Given what he’d read up on them, they were quite wealthy, implying many in this small town might know them. Brian could certainly use a family handout right about now, but that wasn’t why he’d come.
    Finn slipped the money off the counter and returned with change. “Let me know if you need anything