Hexes and Holly
A Paranormal Christmas Mystery Anthology
Tegan Maher
Jenna St. James
Amorette Anderson
Misty Bane
Stella Berry
Morgana Best
Stephanie Damore
Leanne Leeds
Hermione Moon
K.M. Waller
ReGina Welling
Erin Lynn
Addison Creek
Ava Mallory
Samantha Silver
Magical Words Publishing
© 2020 Tegan Maher
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This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual people, places, or institutions is entirely coincidental.
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Contents
Yule Tide Murder
Jenna St. James
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
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About Jenna
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Hidden in Plain Sight
Amorette Anderson
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
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About Amorette
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Bespelled
Ava Mallory
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
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About Ava
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Things that Go Bump and the Knight
Hermione Moon
Introduction
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
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About Hermione
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Lost Souls Paraagency and The Christmas Siren
K.M. Waller
The Assignment
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
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About K.M. Waller
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Angels, Eggnog, and Murder
Tegan Maher
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
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About Tegan
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Mystic Greetings
Leanne Leeds
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
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About Leanne
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Merry Misdeeds
Misty Bane
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
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About Misty
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Mintwood Christmas Paws
Addison Creek
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
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About Addison
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But Wait, There’s Myrrh
Morgana Best
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
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About Morgana
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Wicked Gift of the Witch
ReGina Welling & Erin Lynn
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
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About ReGina and Erin
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All I Witch for Christmas is You
Samantha Silver
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
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About Samantha
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Mistletoe Murder
Stella Berry
1. Mistletoe Murder
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About Stella
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Sugarplum Spooks
Stephanie Damore
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
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About Stephanie
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Yule Tide Murder
Jenna St. James
Yule Tide Murder
By Jenna St. James
When witch, Serena Spellburn, discovers both a dead body and the theft of a beloved family heirloom, she has no choice but to help Detective Wolfe uncover who the culprit is—after all, she’s the best insight Detective Wolfe has into the long-standing family feud going back three centuries. Can the killer be captured and the beloved Yule Log returned in time for the town’s Yule celebration?
1
“I know it’s last minute,” Daisy Woods said as she gently snagged the Peppermint Mocha from my hand, “but I just came up with the idea this morning. Basically, I’m asking a few shops in town to donate from their store. I’ll set up a raffle table tomorrow in the park during Christmas Kickoff, and then Mayor Stone will draw the winner of the basket tomorrow night after the Yule Parade of Lights and the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony.”
“I think it’s a wonderful idea,” my best friend, Tamara, said.
Tamara and I co-owned Enchanted Bakery & Brew. We’d both grown up on Enchanted Island, left to attend culinary school on the mainland, and after earning dual baking and pastry degrees, decided to come back and open our own shop.
Daisy let out a little squeal. “Yay! I just came from Tinker’s Antiques, and Mr. Tinker said he’d be glad to supply the basket and a little something extra from his sho
p. My sister, Iris, is donating fresh flowers which I’ll collect from her tonight before she closes.”
I glanced down at our display case. “Then we will donate Enchanted Bakery & Brew gift certificates, and a couple goodies from the case.”
“Perfect!” Daisy bit her lip. “I know how busy you are right now during the holiday season, but do you think we could meet around five at Tinker’s Antiques?”
During the month of December, Tamara and I doubled our output. We still officially closed everything down at three, but from three-thirty to five, we opened the shop for the pick-up and carry-out holiday orders we took all month long. We were so busy, Tamara’s older sister, Piper, always gave us a hand during this time. Otherwise, we’d never be able to fill all the extra orders.
“Yes, she can,” Tamara said. “I can hold down the fort for ten minutes alone. I’ll be fine.”
Daisy grinned. “Thanks! I better run. It’s three o’clock now, and I still need to talk to Beatrice Warton over at The Craft & Candle. She’s running the store now that her mom has retired.”
“I didn’t know Liza Warton retired,” I said. “When did that happen?”
“About eight or ten months ago,” Daisy said. “She decided to focus solely on her beauty line, leaving Beatrice to run the store.” She leaned in close. “Don’t tell anyone I said this, but I’m glad Beatrice is now in charge. It’s…lighter. Airier. You know what I mean?”
I nodded. “I know exactly what you mean.”
The Wartons were known to dabble in black magic when it suited them. Beatrice had long come out against what her family practiced, but the stigma was still attached to her. Of course, that didn’t stop citizens from frequenting The Craft & Candle to snatch up Liza’s popular homemade facial and body creams.
I followed Daisy to the door and flipped the sign to CLOSED, giving us that half an hour to set out the pre-arranged orders. Once that was done, I counted the till while Tamara swept the floor. Usually if we were in a hurry, we’d use a cleaning spell to help us along, but we weren’t going anywhere for another two hours.
By four, we had a steady flow of customers rushing in to pick up their pre-ordered holiday treats of pies, cakes, cupcakes, and even specialty breads. At a quarter till five, I hung up my apron and called it a night.
“You’re sure you can finish up here while I run over to Tinker’s Antiques?” I asked.
“Shoo,” Tamara said. “I’ll warm us up some soup and bread when I get home.”
“Sounds good.”
Picking up the gift certificates and boxed pastries, I closed the front door and made my way to Mr. Tinker’s store. Enchanted Island had a population around ten thousand, with the downtown being the heart and soul of the whole island. You could pretty much find any store you needed—mainly because no one really ever wanted to leave and shop on the mainland. We felt safe here. And by “we,” I mean the nearly ten thousand supernaturals that called Enchanted Island home.
At the corner I made a left onto Charmed Street and waved when I saw Chief Hawkins and Detective Wolfe roping off the edge of the street and curb for tomorrow night’s Yule Parade of Lights.
Not everyone who lived on the island was a supernatural. Sometimes there was a generational gene skip in families, or as was the case with the new detective in town, Grant Wolfe. His dad had been adopted and raised on the island before moving away years ago. Now Grant was back as the new detective, and I’d already helped him take down a bad guy at the Samhain Festival two months back.
Until that night, Grant had no idea about the true nature of Enchanted Island. Grant’s dad, Walter, had been raised on the island by Tom and Linda Wolfe. Tom’s younger brother, Walter’s biological father, chose to leave the island when he was just eighteen. The wolf gene had skipped him, and he never felt he belonged on the island. So he left for the mainland, met and married a human woman, and a couple years later they had Walter. Unfortunately, they died when Walter was five, and so he came to the island to live with Tom and Linda. Walter didn’t inherit the wolf gene, so I had to figure Grant didn’t either.
“Are you roping off the edge of the sidewalks this year?” I asked.
Chief Hawkins nodded. “Thought this might help to keep the little ones from running into the street.”
Last year, one of Mrs. Mystic’s boys ran out into the street trying to get candy. Luckily Mrs. Anise had been thinking and did a levitation spell and saved the boy’s life.
“I’m still not sure how a piece of string is going to keep the kids from crossing,” Grant said.
Chief Hawkins gave me a wink. “I had Mrs. Anise put a little spell on it. Go ahead, Grant. Touch it.”
2
Grant snorted. “Never mind. Forget I asked.”
“Why Detective Wolfe,” I said in my best syrupy-sweet voice, “are you chicken? Bwaawk. Bwaawk.”
Grant scowled. “I’m not chicken…I’m cautious.”
I laughed. “Want me to touch it?”
I knew whatever spell Mrs. Anise had worked, it would never harm kids.
“I’ll do it!” Grant said exasperatedly. “I’m just working up the courage.”
Chief Hawkins and I laughed, but a few seconds later Grant reached out and touched the bright orange string. It let out a low whistle and then Mrs. Anise’s voice filled the air. “You better stand back before I turn you into a toad and take you home with me!”
I laughed. “That’s awesome! Trust me, any kid who hears that will think twice before crossing the line.”
“Whatcha got there?” Grant asked, eyeing my pastry box.
“It’s for a raffle the City Hall is doing tomorrow,” I said. “Mr. Tinker is donating the basket, and a bunch of us shopkeepers are donating to fill it.”
“That’s thoughtful,” Grant said. “I don’t suppose you have any extra cinnamon rolls you’d like to get rid of?”
“Or double chocolate muffins?” Chief Hawkins added.
I laughed. “You boys stop by the bakery first thing in the morning before the crowd rolls in, and I’ll fix you up!”
“You’re the best, Serena,” Chief Hawkins said.
Grant gave me a wolfish grin. “Yes, she is.”
I told myself to get a grip. I was still a little miffed Grant hadn’t asked me out after our last case together.
“You ready for the crazy of tomorrow?” I asked Grant. “This will be your first time to experience Christmas on the island, right?”
He nodded. “Yes. My parents never visited during this time of year, so this will all be new to me.”
Chief Hawkins clasped Grant on the shoulder. “It’s a full day of fun and festivities!”
“Didn’t we just have that at the Samhain Festival in October?” Grant asked.
“This is different,” I said. “Tomorrow for Christmas Kickoff, the shop keepers will open their stores early with big sales, the park will have face painting, festival food, and craft booths set up for those merchants without a store. Then when it gets dark, we will have the Yule Parade of Lights here on the streets and end with the mayor lighting the tree in the park. Huge celebration.”
“Sounds exhausting,” Grant said.
“Sounds exciting,” I countered.
“Hey everyone!” Daisy called as she hurried down the sidewalk, her arms loaded down with fresh flowers from her sister’s flower shop and candles from The Craft & Candle.
“I see you got more items,” I said.
“I definitely made out,” Daisy said. “We should have a nice basket to raffle tomorrow.”
“Let me get the door for you ladies,” Grant said.
Mr. Tinker’s store had two large display windows up front with a recessed door in the middle. While his window displays were always amazing throughout the year, at Christmastime they were simply breathtaking. I wasn’t sure how he managed, but every year was better than the last. Grant pressed down on the levered door handle and gently pushed the wooden door open.