By Familiar Means by Delia James Page B

the management . . .”
    Mr. Hilde slicked his hair back again. For good measure, he smoothed down his black tie. “Of course Harbor’s Rest is always happy to cooperate with the police, but can you tell me what this is about?”
    â€œWe’ve found a body, Mr. Hilde, in a tunnel which appears to end at your hotel.”
    Mr. Hilde flushed bright red. “I cannot tell that to our guests,” he announced, as if the discovery of a corpse was some highly personal inconvenience. Detective Simmons did not even flinch.
    â€œThey’re going to find out, I’m afraid. So, I’m sure what you want is to help us clear this all up as quickly and quietly as possible.”
    â€œYes, yes, of course. Naturally. I, um, would it be all right if your people used the deliveries entrance?”
    â€œOf course,” said Pete blandly. “We certainly don’t want to alarm your guests.”
    â€œThank you, Detective. I’ll, um, I’ll go and tell my brother, and my mother, and our day manager, and . . .
    â€œOfficer Freeman will go with you,” said Pete. “To help with the explanations.”
    â€œAfter you, Mr. Hilde.” Kenisha stepped back. Mr. Hilde slicked his hair back one more time but let himself be escorted back up toward the grand white hotel that towered over the river’s bend.
    Pete sighed and glanced through his notebook. “Okay, Mr. and Mrs. Luce, Miss Britton. I think we got what we need for now. There will probably be more questions later, once we know what we’re dealing with here. Jake, Miranda, you two try to take it easy, all right? Miss Britton.” He nodded at me, and he did not look entirely happy. I couldn’t blame him. We’d met over a dead body once before. Probably the detective did not like coincidences. I could completely sympathize.
    â€œCome along, Anna,” said Julia.
    I did, and so did Grandma B.B., of course. I was pretty sure Alistair was already gone in his own kind of way.
    But I also looked back over my shoulder, and I saw Miranda slip her arm through Jake’s. I also saw Pete Simmons watching us all leave.
    I shivered then, hard.

7
    I knew Julia was upset. I expected I was going to get called onto the carpet as soon as we got to her apartment and closed the door against prying (and police) ears.
    Turns out I was wrong. Julia wasn’t upset. She was livid.
    Julia’s apartment is a converted loft above Midnight Reads. The large front room is furnished with a magnificent collection of Victorian furniture and art glass paperweights, most of them spherical. Yes, in fact, Julia Parris, head of the guardian coven of Portsmouth, has a collection of crystal balls. She keeps them on ornate stands spaced among her magnificent collection of dachshund-themed knickknacks, which cover every surface that isn’t otherwise occupied, mainly with books.
    As soon as we reached the living room, Julia sat in her mahogany and gold velveteen chair by the fireplace with both hands folded on top of her walking stick and both dachshunds at her feet. There was a china cup and saucer on the round table beside her.
    Grandma B.B. sat down on one end of the sofa. A matchingcup waited on the oval coffee table. I sat down on the sofa, too, and tried not to be nervous. It didn’t work.
    â€œNow, Anna,” Julia began.
    â€œYip!” interrupted Leo. Max was already trotting toward the window.
    We all looked, of course. Between the cream-colored lace curtains, we saw Alistair, pacing on the sill outside.
    â€œMerow?” His questioning voice vibrated through the pane. Julia’s home was magically warded, so it was one of the few spaces where Alistair couldn’t just pop in.
    Julia sighed and rolled her eyes toward the ceiling, looking for patience. “Very well. Let him in.”
    I unlatched the window. As soon as I pushed up the sash and screen, Alistair flowed onto the carpet. Max and Leo,