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  The Baddie About Town

  A Cauldron Falls Mystery, Book One

  C.S. Edwards

  Copyright © 2023 by C.S. Edwards

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is coincidental.

  This book contains content that may not be suitable for young readers 17 and under.

  The Author of this Book has been granted permission by Robyn Peterman to use the copyrighted characters and/or worlds created by Robyn Peterman in this book. All copyright protection to the original characters and/or worlds of the Magic and Mayhem series is retained by Robyn Peterman.

  Contents

  Acknowledgments

  Dedication

  Book Descriptions

  Foreword

  1. Cauldron Falls

  2. The Witch

  3. Six years ago

  4. Three days ago

  5. Two days ago

  6. One day ago

  7. Last night

  8. Late last night

  9. Early this morning

  10. Mid-morning

  11. Noon

  12. Afternoon

  13. Late afternoon

  14. Dusk

  15. The next day

  16. Excerpt from Book Two... A long time ago

  More From the Magic and Mayhem Universe

  About C.S. Edwards

  Acknowledgments

  Thanks to Sean, Eleanor, Spencer, Alex, Chase, Preston, and Ginger for putting up with my crazy, especially when I'm under a deadline!

  Thanks to Robyn for always challenging me to get stuff done!

  For my family

  Book Descriptions

  When the baddest witch in Cauldron falls loses her head, it’s up to Chief Inspector Roam O’Reilly and a witch with a movie-like memory, Honey Hadwin, to discover the real baddie about town. Everyone is a suspect, and everyone has something to hide. And even in the magical world, there are somethings magic can’t unravel, like a good who done it. Murders have to be solved the old-fashioned way, with skill, observation, evidence and confessions. Will Roam and Honey get their baddie, before their baddie gets someone else? It’s a Cauldron Falls cozy mystery!

  Panther Shifter Roam O’Reilly lives a quiet life in Cauldron Falls, a witch and familiar dominated village buried deep in the woods away from the human world. He and a crew of other animal Shifters have long been the protecting of the village from intruders and evil. But when an oddball witch, named Gloria Pendlebury, casts a spell that uncovers a truly evil witch, someone gets murdered, a few folks fall in love, and everyone get involved. Come along this wild ride, you reallly never know where it might end up!

  Honey Hadwin is a witch with a weird talent. Her memories play like movies in her mind. She never thought that would become a handy skill, until a murder takes place. Trying to protect her friend Gloria, Honey exposes her talent, and her heart, to help Chief Inspector Roam O'Reilly solve Cauldron Falls first murder and save the town from the oddest enchantment ever.

  Foreword

  Blast Off with us into the Magic and Mayhem Universe!

  I’m Robyn Peterman, the creator of the Magic and Mayhem Series and I’d like to invite you to my Magic and Mayhem Universe.

  What is the Magic and Mayhem Universe, you may ask?

  Well, let me explain…

  It’s basically authorized fan fiction written by some amazing authors that I stalked and blackmailed! KIDDING! I was lucky and blessed to have some brilliant authors say yes! They have written brand new stories using my world and some of my characters. And let me tell you…the results are hilarious! So here it is! Blast off with us into the hilarious Magic and Mayhem Universe. Side splitting books by fantabulous authors! Check out each and every one. You will laugh your way to a magical HEA!

  For all the stories, go to https://magicandmayhemuniverse.com/.

  Grab your copy today! And if you would like to read the book that started all the madness, Switching Hour is FREE!

  https://robynpeterman.com/switching-hour/

  Cauldron Falls

  The crest of the most secluded waterfall in the world cascades over a rocky ledge into a round pool below. It’s crystal blue water bubbles with a white foam where the two bodies of water crash together. As the plunge pool spreads out into its round bowl-like shape, the water stills and spills towards a series of stair-stepping rocks that go on for a mile, or so, until the creek bed sinks into the earth, and calms the ripples of the falls. That’s where the town begins; at the quiet crook of the creek. There the water inches along its banks and follows the goings-on of a place known only to its inhabitants as Cauldron Falls.

  To visit Cauldron Falls one just has to find the waterfall, and cauldron-shaped crystal blue pool, then follow the rippling creek southward, traveling between the towering hills that hide it from the rest of the world. But alas, the waterfall is buried deep in the most treacherous, hard to reach, uninhabitable part of the Appalachian Mountains. No normal human would dare attempt to find it, if they knew it existed, much less try to live there. Of course, Cauldron Falls wasn’t settled by humans.

  There in this shadowy place carved out by the rushing waters of a waterfall, lives a band of witches and warlocks, descendants of escapees from Transylvania, who ran from the ruling grasp of the wretched Vampires that control all the lands surrounding the Black Sea. While their liberation was centuries ago, the fear of the pale-skinned, sharp-fanged predator keeps Cauldron Falls residents content to exist in their safe and secret bubble, insulated from the rest of the world.

  But as progress will do, Cauldron Falls is not truly and completely cut-off. The quaint town blossomed into a booming business many, many years ago. And is now the main manufacturer and supplier of magical goods to the world. They are the broom makers, crystal miners, herb growers, potions masters, wand turners, and book binders of all things magical, especially witchy things. Keeping the old traditions alive, every truly magical implement in the world is made in Cauldron Falls in the same manner as they were in the old country. Being keepers of the craft and all its secrets, is the blessing and curse of the witches and warlocks who live in this town. Their fate comes with great pressure and power, which each of the residents of Cauldron Falls take very seriously, and protect with their very lives.

  However, like the uncontrollable consequences of a waterfall on the very environment that makes it beautiful, it’s hard to see the erosion happening just under the surface of something so perfect. While most of the residents of Cauldron Falls will continue forever to go about their business, keeping the crafts and all its’ glory alive, there is something not so right creeping through the night and into the forest around the falls. Born from the power, the perfection, the isolation, and the secrets that dwell in every home hidden deep in the mountains, an evil is growing. Where will it strike? What will it do? Who will it take? One might never know these answers without making the trek to the most magical, mysterious, and now murderous place on earth. Welcome to Cauldron Falls.

  The Witch

  The Witch

  I have walked a great while over the snow,

  And I am not tall nor strong.

  My clothes are wet, and my teeth are set,

  And the way was hard and long.

  I have wandered over the fruitful earth,

  But I never came here before.

  Oh, lift me over the threshold, and let me in at the door!

  The cutting wind is a cruel foe.

  I dare not stand in the blast.

  My hands are stone, and my voice a groan,

  And the worst of death is past.

  I am but a little maiden still,

  My little white feet are sore.

  Oh, lift me over the threshold, and let me in at the door!

  Her voice was the voice that women have,

  Who plead for their heart's desire.

  She came—she came—and the quivering flame

  Sunk and died in the fire.

  It never was lit again on my hearth

  Since I hurried across the floor,

  To lift her over the threshold, and let her in at the door.

  Mary Elizabeth Coleridge1

  1. Baldwin, E. (2022, December 7). The witch by Mary Elizabeth Coleridge. Poem Analysis. https://poemanalysis.com/mary-elizabeth-coleridge/the-witch/

  Six years ago

  Every seat in the Assjacket Diner was full by noon. No one in the small Shifter town could resist the delicious aromas emanating from the charming eatery at lunch. Besides, Assjacket didn’t have many choices in the way of restaurants, so the diner was always busy. This fact made it easy pickings for Gloria Pendlebury. She’d loaded Blewy, her Russian Blue familiar cat, in her satchel, much to his protest, and left her house intent on finally unleashing her greatest lifetime achievement upon the whole town. She needed Blewy’s help to make the magic happen, even though he didn’t want to help. She’d snuck up on him while he napped, snatched him from his bed, shoved him inside her bag and zipped it shut. Blewy punched the inside of the bag, jumping and meowing, trying to claw his way out. Gloria patted at
the bag, to calm her familiar, yet he shouted for the witch to release him, cursing her for making him part of her crazy plans.

  “Now, now Blewy. It’s going to be okay. We’re going to do a very good deed today. Don’t fuss around in there too long. You’ll tucker yourself out. Besides I put an enclosure spell on it, so you can’t escape.” The bag quit moving, and Blewy sighed. “That’s a good kitty.”

  At exactly eleven forty-seven that morning, Gloria Pendlebury slung her familiar filled satchel over her shoulder and skipped out of her cottage toward the center of Assjacket. She was hellbent on saving the lives of every good witch, warlock, Shifter and all the other magical creatures that she loved, from evil. Even though there was no clear and present danger in Assjacket, Gloria felt compelled to keep it that way. She’d always been able to sense the presence of things. She could feel beyond an aura, and get straight to the trouble or grief, worry or weight living inside a soul. The ability to feel others fears was a blessing by this time in her life. She figured the Goddess had given her this gift so she could use it for good. And that is what she’d spent her life doing. Helping others. Counseling. Guiding. Solving their problems. Encouraging them to be strong and rise above the thing that held them back. The one thing her gift did not to allow her to do was to dig all the way down to the root of a soul and find evil. Because evil, as it turned out, was the easiest thing in the world to mask. Gloria’s sensing abilities had never unmasked true evil. So, Gloria Pendlebury had spent her lifetime, which was so long at this point, she’d forgotten how old she really was, trying to perfect the perfect spell to sus out a baddie. In her opinion, if she could just do this one thing, then she could heal the whole magical world. And everyone would live in peace.

  The Pinocchio Spell, was the official name Gloria had given her gift to the world. She was very proud of that name. She thought it was super clever, and chuckled to herself every time she thought about her own cleverness. Chuckling to herself could have been the cause of many folks thinking she was a bit off her rocker. But she let them think it because she couldn’t explain that she was just thinking about the most amazing thing she’d ever created, and what she was going to do with it. Well, not until she was ready to show them, then she’d explain.

  Ready to share and explain. She’d let her flaming red hair go wild, and the tangled mess of curls blew out behind her in a long veil-like wave as she raced toward Assjacket. She knew it was best, when casting spells on so many people to be as free from any constraints as possible, which is why she’d also shed her clothes and dawned only her best full-length, cotton cloak. It was a soft cream hue that blended with the tint of her perfectly porcelain-colored skin. She secured the opening down the front with Velcro, from her feet to her neck, for the trip into town.

  For a town that appeared to humans like a total dump on the outside, with ramshackle stores boasting rotting fruits and flowers, Assjacket was pure enchantment behind those façades. As such, the Assjacket Diner was no exception to the enchanting interior rule. Full of shabby but chic décor, mix-matched chairs, and delicate fine china, the diner was just about the coziest place in town. Gloria loved the diner, and used to frequent the place, until she didn’t. Her absence from the Assjacket social scene as of late was all just a big misunderstanding. The problem was she’d been practicing, or rather trying to perfect, her Pinocchio spell, and instead of coaxing out evil she was blowing things up. She’d blown up a moped, a few mailboxes, and nearly fully decapitated the cement bear that stood watch in the middle of the town square. The townsfolk were none too pleased thinking about their beloved bear without a head. The poor thing only had half a head as it was, and that was just as they liked it.

  But, one sunny morning last month, Gloria knew it was time to cast her spell on the town. She wanted to lay it down like a blanket from the center of the square, where she’d spin around until the cast spread out and found every last soul in Assjacket. Instead of spreading out, the cast went a little sideways and bounced off the bear, which wobbled back and forth on this stand. It was like the half-headed bear had come to life. Everyone stopped, as if they were part of one of those flash dance mobs. Rather than breaking into a cool dance rendition of Margaritaville by Jimmy Buffet – which was Gloria’s favorite tune – every witch, Shifter, Familiar, warlock and fairy in Assjacket held their breath until the bear stopped wobbling. The Pinocchio Spell had been foiled by concrete bear with half its’ head missing. Gloria made note of that, scribbling in her little black book to watch out for concrete.

  After that debacle, the Baba Yaga put Gloria on lock down in her tiny house in the woods. She was not to cast spells in town anymore, or else she’d be deported. She didn’t like the sound of that, at all. She loved Assjacket, and had never lived anywhere else. Besides where the heck would they deport her to. She couldn’t just stroll into any old town. It’d have to be a very special place where a witch could be herself.

  As she rounded the town square, Blewy poked her in the ribs from inside the satchel, “Psst, hey, Gloria. You know we don’t have to do this today, right? Maybe we should try it out again in the woods. Just to make sure it’s working properly.”

  “No. No. Calm down. Last time I cast in the woods nothing exploded. And if that blasted skunk hadn’t sprayed and nearly suffocated me with his stench, I would’ve been able to stick around and see if any of those furry creatures sounded like a hyena. Took me three days to wash off that stink. I’m not risking that, again.” Gloria waggled her eyebrows even though Blewy couldn’t see her. Outside of the name of her spell, the next best thing about it, in Gloria’s opinion, was what it did to identify the evil soul. Once cast upon an evil witch, the spell lived in their laughter, and made them cackle like a hyena. No one liked hyenas or their awful little laughs, so Gloria saw this as the perfect punishment. To live with a hyena laugh forever, would be the fate of all evil doers. Gloria was so proud the day she’d decided to add the unexpected identifier to the Pinocchio Spell, she danced and sang all over her tiny home. Celebrating her cleverness by herself.

  “Did you see the skunk, Gloria?” Blewy asked.

  “I did. It stared straight at me with his beady little eyes, turned tail and ran, letting off a smoke bomb of poo poo that no one needs to ever experience.” Gloria gagged at the memory.

  “Are you sure?’ Blewy said.

  “Never been surer of anything in my life.” Gloria had reached the square and hid behind the concrete bear. Looking into the diner, she saw almost the whole town enjoying their soups and salads, sandwiches and chips. A smile spread across her face, she knew this would be the perfect moment to work her magic. For a split second she imaged the aftermath of her Pinocchio spell. She would be famous, but stay humble. Everyone would celebrate her at all the town festivals. She might even get her own day named after her – the Gloria Pendlebury Day, because she saved the witch world from evil. A warmth crept across her face and Gloria flushed as she imaged herself riding a flower covered float around the square and waving to all the magical visitors who would come to see her once she became part of magical history.

  “Gloria.” Blewy whispered. As Gloria’s familiar he had her file. He knew her history. She was good witch. Almost too good. She was horribly misunderstood. Every attempt she’d made to do good on a grand scale had backfired, never hurting anyone but Gloria.

  “Yeah. Blewy.” Gloria slowly unzipped her satchel. She reached into the bag and pulled out the beautiful Russian Blue cat and hugged him to her chest. He purred, and snuggled into her neck.

  “Let’s go home.” Blewy rubbed his head on her chin. “Please, Gloria. We’ll go have tea and scones.”

  She raised her best friend in the air and swirled around. “We are saving the world, Blewy. Saving the world.” She gathered him in, again and lowered herself to the ground. “You stay here by the concrete bear. You’ll be safe here. Besides, I know you’re not evil.” She let him go, dropped her satchel and in a flash ran to the center of the square. In one swift motion she ripped open her cloak, dropped it to the ground and began to chant the Pinocchio spell. Magic flames lit her whole body in a violet aura. It circled around her head, and down to her feet. For the finale, she flung her arms around wildly, then stopped completely, frozen like another statue on the square. She stood with her fists stretched to the sky, then flicked her fingers out and a web of white flames shot from them. The spell was cast.