Wicked Brew Read Online Free PDF Page A

bothered Aunt Tillie.”
    “I knew it,” Aunt Tillie said. “You picked out that doll from the antique store because you knew I hated it, didn’t you?”
    “I didn’t even like dolls,” I said.
    Basil giggled. I tickled her ribs briefly. “Why don’t you go and get washed up? Dinner will be served in a few minutes. I’ll bet you’re hungry.”
    Basil nodded and disappeared from the room. Seconds later, Chief Terry let himself into the dining room from the main foyer. “Hello, ladies.” He pulled up short when he saw all the money on the table. “What’s that?”
    “They illegally sold goods next to the road all day,” Landon said, breezing in from the kitchen with Bay and Clove on his heels. “I stayed in the guesthouse so I didn’t see it and wouldn’t have to arrest them.”
    “Holy crap,” Clove said, eyeing the money. “You made that much just from selling lotion and candles next to the road?”
    “It was surprisingly easy,” I admitted. “I think Aunt Tillie is on to something.”
    “That’s the smartest thing you’ve said all … well … forever,” Aunt Tillie said.
    “You both make me tired,” Landon said, turning his attention to Chief Terry. “Anything?”
    “We got a hit on her fingerprints,” Chief Terry said, settling at the table and running his hand through his graying hair. “Her name is Annie Martin.”
    “Does she live around here?” Bay asked.
    Chief Terry shook his head. “She’s from Minnesota.”
    “What was she doing here?” I asked.
    “That’s a very good question,” Chief Terry said. “All we know right now is that Annie Martin and her mother Belinda left the state of Minnesota three weeks ago. We don’t know when they got to Michigan, and we don’t know why they came to Michigan. We executed a search warrant, and we should have some credit card information tomorrow.
    “For now, though, we just don’t know,” he said.
    “What about her father?” Landon asked.
    “We’re trying to track him down,” Chief Terry said. “From what I can tell, the parents did not live together and were never married.”
    “What about grandparents?” I asked.
    “Her maternal grandparents are dead,” Chief Terry said. “We have managed to get in contact with her paternal grandparents. They seemed surprised to hear we’d found her, but they wouldn’t say why. They’ll be here the day after tomorrow to collect her.”
    “You’re just going to give her to them?” Aunt Tillie asked. “For all we know, they’re the ones who hurt her.”
    “For all we know, her mother is the one who hurt her,” Chief Terry countered. “They have the right to take her. There’s nothing I can do.”
    Somehow, that news didn’t sit well with any of us. Unfortunately, we were in a tricky spot.

Four
    After another restless night, I woke up late the next morning. Annie was already gone, and I found my mom and Clove in the dining room when I finally stumbled downstairs on a coffee hunt.
    “Your hair looks amazing,” Clove said, giggling.
    Why is everyone always picking on my hair? It’s so unfair.
    I glanced at my reflection in the mirror on the wall and cringed. My hair often has a mind of its own. This morning, apparently, it was feeling batshit crazy. Instead of engaging in a fight, I sat down next to Clove and snatched a piece of toast off of her plate. “I’ve been thinking about changing the color.”
    “Oh, that’s good,” Mom said. “The blue is all wrong for your complexion.”
    I ignored her. “Since Annie only seemed to come around when she saw my hair, I’m going to hold off until she goes home with her grandparents.”
    Clove’s face softened as she looked me up and down. “You’re worried about sending her away with her grandparents, aren’t you?”
    I shrugged. I wasn’t sure what was bothering me. I just knew something was. “I don’t think sending Annie away with people who had no idea she was even missing is a good idea.”
    “Why not?” Clove