The Cupcake Coven Read Online Free PDF Page A

and she turned off the mixer. “So, that’s all you have for leads? Go north? And maybe she was looking for a rental in New Hampshire?”
    “The psychic was pretty sure she was still on the seacoast. She said she saw her on a dock feedin’ seagulls.” He smiled sadly. “That would be her. Feedin’ vultures.”
    Rebecca whirled around. “Vultures?”
    “Sorry. That’s not very Wiccan of me. But seagulls are scavengers, right? They wouldn’t starve if nobody fed ‘em. But there she’d be with a big bag of day-old bread.”
    She gave him a sardonic smile. “We call them flying rats.”
    He laughed. It was a welcome sound considering how down he had been feeling.
    “Do you have a picture of her?”
    “Sure do. I tried to put up some posters, but a lady walked right behind me, tearing down each one. She said she was from the Keep our Seacoast Beautiful campaign or some such nonsense.”
    He fished his wallet out of his back pocket. The picture showed a smiling blonde leaning against a fence, wearing a cowboy hat and plaid shirt tied above her waist, exposing a taut midriff. The hat was tipped back and showed a very pretty face with big blue eyes.
    “She’s stunning.”
    “Yeah, she got all the nice-looking genetic material.”
    Rebecca glanced at him over her shoulder as she popped the muffins into the oven. “I don’t know…I’d say the looks are about equal.”
    One side of his lip curled up. “Are you callin’ me purty?”
    Rebecca laughed and her face heated, having nothing to do with the warmth of the oven. Busted. “Sorry. I guess that wasn’t very professional of me, especially if you’re going to work here.”
    “You think I’m gonna sue you for sexual harassment? Ha! You can harass me any time you like, darlin’.”
    She just about melted inside when he drawled the word ‘Darlin’’ as if it were an endearment. If only there weren’t a million other things on her mind…a handsome distraction was just that. A distraction. She had to focus on her business. How was his working here a good idea again?

    Case manager Danielle breathed a sigh of relief when she spotted the homeless shelter’s psychologist. “Dr. Frampton. I’m glad you could come. I’d really like you to take a look at a young woman we’re calling April.”
    He entered the case manager’s office and closed the door. “This case sounded interesting on the phone, so I cleared a spot in my schedule and came right over from the clinic.” He took one of the chairs opposite Danielle at her desk. “I was told she has no memory and no apparent trauma either?”
    “That’s right. She was examined by an MD initially, and he felt she’d probably recover her memory on her own; however, it’s been a couple of months and…nothing.”
    “You’re sure she’s not faking amnesia? Maybe hiding out here?”
    “We’re not sure of anything, but she looked pretty lost when the police brought her over.”
    “Where can I meet with her?”
    “Sit tight. I’ll go get her, and you can talk right here in my office.”
    Dr. Frampton leaned back and removed a small notebook from inside his suit jacket pocket.
    In a few moments, Danielle brought in the pretty young woman who looked to be in her early or mid-twenties. She was almost too pretty. Fair, flawless skin, and raven hair gave her an edgy look, but it was clear black wasn’t her natural color. Much lighter roots were growing out. Her large blue eyes looked almost haunted. She stood in the doorway and waited.
    Dr. Frampton rose and extended his hand. “Hello.”
    “This is Dr. Frampton. Go on in, April,” Danielle said.
    The girl looked at her imploringly. “Can you stay, Mrs. Reese?”
    Odd. Or maybe not. Could she have been abused?
    The director looked to Dr. Frampton and he nodded.
    Both women entered and Danielle returned to her spot behind her desk. April took the empty chair. She didn’t move it farther away, but she never did shake his hand either.
    He turned his seat