Page 112 of Freed By the Witchbone Knife

I huffed a laugh. “No worries.”

I watched her lean against the door for a moment, her back to me. Her shoulders rose and fell with a deep breath. Then she pulled out her phone, her thumb scrolling quickly before she tucked it back in her pocket.

“Long day?” I asked, hoping she was okay.

“Hmm?” She turned, blinking. “Oh. Yeah. You know how it can be as we approach Halloween.” She moved behind the counter, reaching for mugs. “Want some tea? I’ve got a new autumn blend I’m testing out.”

“Sure. That sounds good.” My shoulders relaxed. Tea sounded perfect.

The kettle hissed and steamed. Iris filled two mugs. When she brought them over and set one in front of me, her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. I couldn’t help but wonder if something was wrong, and if it had anything to do with my seeing Axel. Or worse, Ambrose having spoken with her.

“Here.” She slid into the seat across from me. “Cinnamon, clove, and orange peel. Let me know what you think.”

I wrapped my hands around the mug, letting the warmth seep into my fingers. The tea was a deep amber color, steam curling up. It smelled wonderful—spicy and sweet, perfect for autumn.

“Thanks for meeting me,” I said. “I know closing time is probably when you just want to go home.”

“Usually? Yes. But I’ve been looking forward to this all week.” She took a sip of her own tea, watching me over the rim. “Girl time is exactly what I need right now.”

I hesitated, then decided to just dive in. “Iris, I need to talk to you about something. About Ambrose.”

She set her mug down. “Your ex?”

“Yeah.” I took a breath. “He’s been...causing problems. He broke into my office at RCC. Sent me threatening texts. And then on Sunday, he showed up at Axel’s cabin.”

Her eyes widened. “Oh my God. Are you okay? That’s horrible.”

“I know.” Relief washed through me at her reaction. She got it. She understood. “The sheriff’s involved now. We’re building a case.”

She looked surprised. “The sheriff?”

“Yeah, we were forced to get him involved after the office incident.”

“Oh…”

“Anyway…” I paused, choosing my words carefully. “Ambrose said something. About you—that he’d talked to you.”

Something flickered across her face. “He came in last week. Thursday, I think? Ordered a coffee, asked some questions.”

My stomach tightened. “What kind of questions?”

“About you, mostly. Where you’d been spending your time. If I’d seen you around.” She shrugged, but I could see tension in her shoulders. “I didn’t tell him anything useful. Just that you were settling in, teaching at the college. Normal stuff.”

“Did he threaten you? Say anything weird?”

“No, nothing like that. He was actually pretty sweet.” She picked at her napkin. “I didn’t realize he was still causing you problems. I’m sorry, Becca. If I’d known⁠—“

“It’s not your fault.” I leaned forward. “But I wanted to warn you. He’s unpredictable. And if he approached you once, he might try again. Especially if he thinks you know something about me.”

“God.” She pressed her hands to her face. “This is like something out of a movie.”

“I know. I’m sorry. I never meant to drag you into this mess.”

“You didn’t drag me into anything.” She dropped her hands and gave me a small smile. “None of this is your fault.”

The knot in my chest loosened slightly. “Thank you. Really.”

“Of course.” She nodded toward my mug. “Now drink your tea before it gets cold. I worked hard on that blend.”