Walking Through Walls Read online

  Walking Through Walls

  A Parlor Tricks Mystery

  A.L. Kessler

  Copyright © 2019 A.L. Kessler

  All rights reserved

  No part of this book may reproduced without expressed permission of the author.

  Editing: Jasmyn with No Genre Left Behind

  Cover: Imagine Ink Designs

  Formatting: Imagine Ink Designs

  Blood and Ink Press thank you for reading indie authors

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Connect with me

  About the Author

  To Nana and Patches, you can’t read this, but without you this story wouldn’t have been.

  Acknowledgements

  Big thank you to my sister Amanda and her husband Mike who let me use their dogs in this book. Thank you to Jasmyn for edits and help. To my husband for the coffee and support and to my readers’ group who always keep me going!

  CHAPTER ONE

  Humming a Christmas tune, I hung the sparkly silver garland over the doorway. This time of year was one of my favorites, and not just because it meant good business, it also meant snow. I turned and looked at Copperfield, my bunny, who sat on my register counter. Currently, he was bright red, instead of his usual lavender. I liked to think that he was being festive. I scratched his head as I passed by him. “I think it’s time for some holiday magic.”

  As usual, Copperfield jumped off the counter and ran off to hide somewhere. He didn’t trust my magic. Not that I could blame him, I rarely got things right. That’s how he had come into existence. I rolled my eyes and went to the register. “You are a chicken.” I grabbed a deck of cards that I had opened earlier. “Just a simple trick.”

  Copperfield peeked his head out, and his nose twitched as if he didn’t believe me. I was about to scold him until the door opened, and his fur changed to pure black. I turned to see what had caused him to go black, typically it meant a stranger he didn’t trust.

  A man a little bit taller than me stood just inside the door. His clothes were stained with dirt and I’m sure other things that I didn’t want to question. He wiped his hands on his pants before he held a hand out to me. “You the owner?”

  I nodded. “Yeah.” I took his hand, trying not to cringe. “I’m Lacey.”

  “I go by Duo.”

  I raised a brow. “What can I do for you, Duo?”

  “I’m hoping to get a hat, one specifically for magical people.” He glanced around the shop. “I see no hats.”

  I shook my head. “I stopped carrying them last year. They weren’t big sellers.” That wasn’t exactly the whole truth, but he didn’t need to know about my accidental creation of a reverse raccoon.

  He blinked at me. “What kind of magic shop doesn’t have hats?”

  “This one. Is there anything else I can offer you? Some rings perhaps? Or scarves?” I motioned to the surplus of both that I still had in the clearance section.

  “No, I need a hat so I can pull a bird out of one.”

  I shrugged. “There’s another shop across town that just opened, maybe they have them.”

  “What about bicycles?” he demanded.

  Now I was starting to think he was a bit crazy. “Bicycles?”

  “Do you know where I can get one?”

  I shook my head. “Nope. I’m a magic trick shop, not a bicycle connoisseur.”

  He threw his hands up and made a dissatisfied noise before he stormed out. I shook my head as I watched him run across the street.

  He disappeared into another store across the way, and I hoped that he wouldn’t give them any trouble. I went back to my cards and spread them out. I flipped one over and smiled at the Ace of Hearts. I muttered a few magic words, attempting to turn all the cards into the Ace of Hearts, but instead, all the cards disappeared.

  What the heck?

  I sighed and put my hands on my hips. Where the heck did they go? When things appeared or disappeared, they came from or went somewhere. The question was where.

  Copperfield came bouncing out of his hiding place and used some boxes to hop back on the counter. I looked up as my dad walked in.

  My dad looked a little like me, brown hair and brown eyes. He was taller, though, as I got my height from my mother. He smiled at me and looked around the store. “Your mother is driving me nuts, anything down here to do?”

  He and my mother had been retired in Florida. They moved back here to be closer to me. I think because my dad was getting bored. I smiled. “There’s inventory in the back room that needs to be processed if you really want something to do.”

  “It beats listening to her go on and on about the cake bake-off.”

  “I’m scared to ask, cake bake-off?” I tried not to cringe. Any time my mother set her mind on a contest, it got crazy. Magic everywhere.

  He nodded. “Your mom is participating in a bake-off fundraiser to help those in need this season. Your mother is determined to have the best cake.”

  “You have fun with that.” I laughed. “I have extended hours for the holiday season.” I looked up as a small group came in. I held my finger up to let my dad know I’d be back.

  “Welcome to Parlor Tricks!”

  A lady and her kid came in, and the little boy went straight to Copperfield. Copperfield turned lavender as the kid scratched his ears.

  The mom smiled. “What a charming little shop. A cool trick with the bunny.”

  “Thanks, what can I help you with?”

  She motioned around. “Just looking for some fun Christmas gifts, stocking stuffers, maybe?”

  “Oh, I’ve got this.” My dad stepped up. “Right this way.”

  I chuckled and let him take over, and I went back to the counter where the little boy was still loving on Copperfield.

  “How does he change colors?”

  I leaned down. “Magic,” I whispered.

  “Magic doesn’t exist. Mommy says it’s all illusions, even the people claiming to be witches are just really good magicians.”

  I ran into things like this every now, and then and I had been called worse things than a really good magician. “And you know what?”

  He looked up at me.

  “A really good magician never reveals their secrets.” I winked at him, and he giggled.

  The lady came back with a pack of cards and a small book on card tricks and sleight of hand. “I’ll grab these.”

  I rang her up and waved to them as they left.

  My dad shook his head. “She doesn’t believe people like us exist.”

  “At least she didn’t call us freaks.” I shrugged. “Go get started on inventory in the back. I’m going to straighten up a bit while I have a lull in customers.”

  Dad nodded and marched to the back room.

  I walked around the store, waiting for my next customers to come in.

  Dad came out a few minutes after I closed the shop and I was counting down the register. He dusted his hands off. “All accounted for and ready to go on the shelves. Are you staying behind tonight to do that?”

  I shook my head. “No, I got a text from mom about an hour ago, she wants me to come over for dinner. She said to bring Trace with me. Which concerns me.”

  Dad cringed. “She’s up to something.”

  “Do you know what?”

  He shrugged. “If I had to take a guess, I would say matchmaking.”

  I rolled my eyes and finished with the re
gister, taking the tray out and taking it to the safe in the back.

  The room that doubled as my back room, employee room, and office currently had product all over. Dad had organized it all by the section of the store they would go in, and he was nice enough to break down all the boxes. I put the tray in the safe and locked it.

  I came back out to find dad holding Nooccar in his arms. The reversed color raccoon stared at me and blinked his beady little eyes a few times before snuggling into my dad. I put a hand on my hip.

  “Nooccar, you’re supposed to stay in Trace’s office, not my shop.”

  He chattered at me and climbed on to my dad’s shoulders. I held my arms out to him. “Come on, Trace will be looking for you. Dad, will you get Copperfield in his kennel to take home?”

  Dad gave me a thumbs-up as I picked up the raccoon and walked out of the store. Dad would lock up while I handled the rebel raccoon. I knocked on Trace’s door and found it still unlocked for the day.

  I walked in, expecting to find him there finishing up paperwork, but instead, I heard him talking in the back office with a client. The words were low, so I couldn’t make out what he was saying. I wasn’t going to interrupt, so I put Nooccar back in his kennel, locked it, and went to head out.

  The moment my hand touched the door, Trace came out with his client. Trace was dressed in his finest suit, he’d gelled his brown hair back, and his eyes looked more dark brown today. He led a woman of average height with her brown hair pulled back in a ponytail. A little boy toddled after her, playing with a phone I assumed was his mother’s.

  “Thank you, Mr. McHue. We really want to find them.” They shook hands, and she gave me a small smile as she took the little boy’s hand and walked out of the office.

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt your meeting.” I motioned to the raccoon. “He decided to visit the store during closing hours, and I thought I’d bring him back.”

  Trace laughed. “He’s kind of a Houdini. I swear he can unlock his kennel. Last time he got out, I caught him eating my lunch.”

  “Hey, speaking of eating…” I went back to the kennel and pet Nooccar through the wires of the cage.

  “Nothing ends well when you stop mid-sentence.” He crossed his arms.

  I shrugged and stood up. “Mom wants you to come over for dinner tonight.”

  “Is she playing matchmaker?” He cringed. “Your mom makes things so weird.”

  I tried to think of something that might get him to come so I wouldn’t have to deal with her alone. “There might be cake involved.”

  “Hm. I do like cake.”

  “And if she tries to set us up, I’ll buy lunch tomorrow.” I held my hand out. “Deal?”

  He took my hand. “Deal.”

  “Awesome. I’ll text her and let her know. Dad’s closing down the rest of the store for me. Bring Nooccar, he’ll have fun with Copperfield.”

  He nodded and went to pick up the travel kennel and usher Nooccar into it. “I’ll meet you at the house?”

  “Sure thing.” I smiled and walked out, going back to my own shop. Dad stood there with Copperfield in his own carrier.

  “Ready to go?”

  I nodded. “Yeah, Trace is going to meet us there. Hopefully, there will be cake because that’s how I got him to come.”

  “I’m sure there will be cake.” Dad nodded and then laughed. “I’ll walk you to the car.”

  We both walked the length of the building and rounded the corner to get to the parking lot in the back. Most of the other tenets in the building were gone, so it was just my car, Trace’s truck, and dad’s SUV, but in the corner of the building, hiding in the shadows was a figure of a man.

  Dad and I both paused. The man was too far away to pose any real threat, but we were both cautious.

  Trace came around the corner behind us, and the man on the other side fled. “Huh, who was that?”

  I shook my head. “No idea.” But my brain went back to the homeless man that had come to visit the store earlier. There should have been no reason for him to be hanging around the building, especially as the shops closed up. No tourists or shoppers to beg money off of, no real reason to be lurking into the shadows, unless he was planning on breaking in.

  I looked at my dad. “You set the alarm, right?”

  “Of course I did.” He continued walking to his SUV. “Copperfield and I’ll see you at home.”

  I started to my car with Trace right behind me. “Something worrying you?”

  “No, I just had a strange visitor today, so I wanted to make sure things were set right.” I smiled. “I promise, it’s just me being silly.”

  He snorted. “You being silly? You’ve lacked that lately. Nothing has randomly appeared in my office, nothing has taken over your store. Copperfield isn’t Christmas colors…”

  I waved my hand. “He has, but only when he feels like it.”

  “Yet, you’ve decorated, and he hasn’t joined in on the festivities.”

  I rolled my eyes. “I’ll see you at the house.”

  “There better be cake,” he said as I climbed in the car. “And it better be good!”

  “I never promised good cake.” I shut the door and started the car before heading to my parents’.

  I hadn’t expected my parents to go full out for Christmas decorations since this was their first year in Colorado, and they were used to decorating palm trees, not evergreens. But I was wrong.

  I pulled up to the curb and saw the large evergreen in front of the house strung up with colorful lights, flashing in a dizzying pattern, and the porch decorated in a gingerbread theme. Complete with fake giant candy canes that went up the walkway.

  I got out and waited a moment to see if Trace would pull up right after me or not. He did and got out with Nooccar in his arms. “He escaped while we were driving.”

  “Did he cause any problems?”

  “Nope, he just sat on my shoulder the whole time. I guess he doesn’t like the carrier.” He shrugged, and as if to prove his point, Nooccar climbed back up on his shoulder.

  I nodded and started up the walkway.

  “Parents like Christmas, huh?” He looked up at the large fake icicles hanging from the awning. “They do realize that real icicles will be here soon enough, right?”

  So far, we hadn’t had enough snow to form impressive icicles. “I’m sure they remember. Mom said the weather was one of the reasons they moved to Florida.” I shrugged and walked in.

  Inside, Copperfield hopped right to me, wearing a green and red plaid bow tie. He jumped in my arms and wiggled his little nose at me. His fur was a dark green, and I looked up as my mom walked into the main room to greet us. “Mom, did you have to put him in a bow tie?”

  “Well, it was either that or an elf hat, dear.” She smiled and reached her arms out for the raccoon. “And I have another one for this handsome fellow too.”

  Nooccar chattered at her and swiped a paw in her direction. Trace shook his head. “That’s his way of saying no.”

  “Well, come in, sit down, and let’s eat. Dinner’s getting cold.” She almost threw her hands up as she walked back toward the kitchen. I put Copperfield down so that he could play while we ate. Nooccar jumped off Trace and went right after the rabbit to play.

  Trace followed me to the dining room where the smells of soup wafted through the air. I took a deep breath and smiled. I loved when soup season was here, and mom cooked a mean chicken noodle soup.

  Trace smiled at my mom. “It smells delicious.”

  “Good, but make sure you have room for dessert. Tonight we’re taste-testing cakes.” She had a gleam in her eye as she walked off to the connected kitchen. Dad was already sitting down at the table, and there were three other places set.

  Trace and I sat down, and dad stood up. “I’ll help your mother with the bowls.”

  “Just how much cake is involved tonight?” I asked, and dad just shook his head as he walked off.

  That was not a promising sign.r />
  Mom might have been a good cook, but a good baker wasn’t something she could claim.

  Trace looked at me. “You promised cake.”

  “And obviously, I’m going to deliver?” I gave a cheesy grin.

  “I feel like I’ve been tricked,” he muttered. “I don’t know why. I just do.”

  I shrugged a shoulder. “I’m not tricking you. In fact, I only performed one trick today.”

  “Did it go as planned?”

  I wasn’t going to answer that, and luckily, mom and dad came to the rescue by delivering the soup to the table. I grinned as dad sat the big bowl in front of me and then one in front of Trace.

  I took a deep breath and savored the smell of the broth and watched the noodles and carrots float around. I dipped my spoon in and took my first sip. Delicious.

  “So, how’s work, Trace?” my mom asked.

  Trace smiled. “Steady, I’m finally building a good clientele down here.”

  “That’s good. I hope the colder weather doesn’t interfere too much with the flow of jobs. I know it’s a slower time of year for Lacey.”

  “After the holidays, it’s slower, but I still make ends meet mom.” I tried not to roll my eyes and just enjoy the soup.

  She nodded. “I know, I know.”

  “Besides, the slow time gives me a chance to clean the store out some.” I shrugged a shoulder. “Black Friday and Small Business Saturday rocked my sales too.”

  Trace laughed. “Yeah, I even went in to help her. It was a great weekend.”

  My mother made a noise that sounded like disbelief, but I let it go and ate my soup. Soup, and hopefully, good cake would make the night better.

  We all ate while my mom chattered away about the challenge of making the best cake and how she was going to show ‘so and so’ that she could make a damn good cake.

  I pretended to be interested until I finished the last drop of my soup. The moment that Trace also finished, my mom jumped up. “Alright, time for cake.”

  I was glad she was excited about the contest, but it did seem it was consuming her life.