Read Murder Most Witchy (Wendy Lightower Mystery) for Free Online Page A

"Deputy Mayor."
    Wendy stared, not quite knowing what to say. "If you'd said that to begin with," she began in a huff. Her slip of the tongue was back to haunt her, and her mortification had just multiplied itself by a factor of ten. "You said your name was Archer. How was I to know?"
    "Richard A. Blackly. Like I said, I never much cared for Richard. And I don't think I look like a Dick, do you?"
    "I'm not so sure," she snapped back. Her hand flew to her mouth. She couldn't believe the words had been out loud. She had only meant to say it in her head.
    To her relief, Archer threw back his head and laughed out loud. "Delightful," he said when he had caught his breath. "Let me get you another."
    Wendy looked down and found, to her surprise, that her pint glass was completely empty. She couldn't remember finishing the beer, but at least that might account for some of her recent word vomit.
    "Thank you," she replied with all the dignity she had left at her disposal, "but I must get back to the party. I do need to represent the library, and that means circulating amongst the guests."
    "I understand," he smiled again. "It has been a pleasure, Wendy."
    Wendy made her escape without answering either his words or the knowing look in his eyes. Immediately after leaving Archer, who she suspected was still looking in her direction though she refused to lower herself by checking, she ran smack into Carrie.
    "Just the person I have been looking for," Wendy said somewhat truthfully. The encounter with Archer had left her off balance. She would have remembered to look for Carrie eventually. "Are you having a nice time?"
    "It has been very interesting," the younger woman answered gravely.
    Carrie was dressed in a neat, if somewhat old-fashioned, black dress with long sleeves and clunky high-heeled shoes. Her eyes were wide and searching, and Wendy's heart suddenly contracted as she considered how overwhelmed the girl must feel.
    "Try to have fun," Wendy gave her a warm, comforting smile. "You can stick close to me, if you want."
    Carrie smiled back, "Thanks, Wendy, but I'm doing fine. I saw Magda just a moment ago."
    Wendy moved in the direction Carrie had indicated, not sure how she would find her friend in the increasing sea of people milling about in the small museum's foyer.
    "You look hot !"
    "Shhh!" Wendy hissed, as a number of heads swiveled in Magda's direction. From the look of her flushed face and slightly wobbly stance, Magda had already had more than a few of her favorite martinis. "How many have you had?" she demanded.
    "Two or three," Magda was noncommittal. "Loosen up, Wendy."
    "This is a work function, Magda," she replied sternly. "Pull it together."
    "Oh, pish. Live a little. Now let's scope out the prospects, shall we?"
    Wendy rolled her eyes. "That is not why I'm here."
    "Really?" Suddenly Magda's eyes didn't seem so unfocused. "You seemed mightily interested in that extremely attractive man by the door."
    Wendy was saved from having to answer. Magda let out a little gasp and grabbed her roughly by the arm.
    "He's here."
    "Who?"
    "That man from the bar last night. He's coming this way," Magda was starting to sound a little worried. "I really don't need another one of these."
    Wendy didn't have to ask what she meant. Magda was a bit sensitive about men following her around after she had to file a restraining order against a man she'd known in college. He had cornered her in the school's library and issued some very ugly threats. Magda had told her about it after they'd shared a bottle of wine one night. Wendy had always suspected that was why she was so blunt to men who tried to pick her up and why, despite her knock out good looks, Wendy had never known her to have a boyfriend.
    Wendy risked a glance over her shoulder, and sure enough, it was the same man who had bought them drinks the night before at the bar. He was approaching them slowly, a warm smile belying any threatening intentions.
    "I think he just wants to talk to