With Scream and Sugar Read online

  Contents

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  Other Books by Erin Johnson

  About With Scream and Sugar

  1. Galentine’s Day

  2. Well Heeled Women

  3. Questions

  4. A New Gig

  5. A Favor

  6. The Vampire Council

  7. The Hearing

  8. Spa Day

  9. Rooftop Pool

  10. Gossip

  11. Food Poisoning

  12. Pains

  13. Bookshop

  14. Scrying

  15. Friends

  16. No Answer

  17. Madison

  18. Questions

  19. Paris Green

  20. Blackmail

  21. The Showdown

  22. The Gift

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  Download Saved by the Spell for FREE to solve a mystical murder today!

  Other Books by Erin Johnson

  The Vampire Tea Room Magical Mysteries

  Minnie Wells is working her marketing magic to save the coziest, vampire-owned tea room in Bath, England. But add in a string of murders, spells to learn, and a handsome Mr. Darcy-esque boss, and Minnie’s cup runneth over with mischief and mayhem.

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  Imogen Banks is struggling to make it as a baker and a new witch on the mysterious and magical island of Bijou Mer. With a princely beau, a snarky baking flame and a baker’s dozen of hilarious, misfit friends, she’ll need all the help she can get when the murder mysteries start piling up.

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  Due East, Beasts & Campfire Feasts

  Grimoires, Spas & Chocolate Straws

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  * Christmas Short Story: Snowflakes, Cakes & Deadly Stakes

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  A curse stole one witch’s powers, but gave her the ability to speak with animals. Now Jolene helps a hunky police officer and his sassy, lie-detecting canine solve paranormal mysteries.

  Pretty Little Fliers

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  Breaking Bat

  The Squawking Dead

  The Big Fang Theory

  The Winter Witches of Holiday Haven

  Running a funeral home in the world’s most merry of cities has its downsides. For witch, Rudie Hollybrook, things can feel a little isolating. But when a murder rocks the festive town, Rudie’s special skills might be the one thing that can help bring the killer to justice!

  Cocoa Curses

  Special Collections

  The Spells & Caramels Boxset Books 1-3

  Pet Psychic Mysteries Boxset Books 1-4

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  About With Scream and Sugar

  Welcome to the coziest, vampire-owned tea room in Bath! It’s steeped in magic and mystery.

  You’d expect serving afternoon tea to a high-society ladies club to go smoothly, right?

  Newbie witch and marketing whiz Minnie Wells thought so. She’s in need of some smooth sailing, considering her plate is full with magic lessons, marketing the tea room, and navigating a divorce during the most romantic time of the year. But the women’s “Galentine’s” Day celebration is thrown into chaos when their event coordinator is stabbed in the back with a pink stiletto.

  Now her handsome boss (who Minnie might have a little crush on) is in hot water with the vampire council and the group’s down a guide.

  When Minnie’s offered the position for the weekend, she eagerly agrees to show the women around the gorgeous city of Bath. Not only to make some extra cash so she and her black cat can stop crashing on her vampire bestie’s couch, but also because she’ll get an all-access pass to snoop out the killer and clear her boss’s name.

  When another body turns up though, Minnie suspects she may be in over her head!

  Will Minnie figure out who’s got it out for these upper class ladies and save her boss from the vampire council’s wrath? Or will the killer tire of Minnie’s meddling, and have a score to kettle?

  Pull your armchair closer to the cozy crackling fire, sip your steaming tea, and find out now in With Scream and Sugar!

  Happy reading!

  1

  Galentine’s Day

  I hustled into the kitchen, my arms laden with crumb-covered trays and empty teapots. As the door swung shut behind me, the chattering hubbub of the dining room grew muffled. The Butler Cafe’s kitchen, warmed by the heat of three hot ovens, smelled heavenly—like fresh baked bread and buttery scones.

  I flashed my eyes at my vampire bestie, Gus, who was only volunteering for the day because we were so swamped. He hurried over, moving with incredible vampire speed, and lifted the dirty dishes from my arms.

  “I hope I’m being paid overtime wages,” he grumbled as he carried them to the deep farmhouse sink.

  I smirked. Though he looked twenty-five, he was hundreds—maybe more?—of years old and ridiculously wealthy. I was positive he was just helping his friend Fitz out of the goodness of his no-longer-beating heart, but it wouldn’t stop him from complaining a bit.

  Without even looking up, Fitz, the owner of the cafe and my boss, pointed at a tray on the butcher block counter in front of him. Cucumber sandwiches on fresh-baked bread, steaming cranberry scones, and delicate petit fours were piled high on each tier. “Order’s up.”

  My vampire boss was using all his superhuman speed and stamina to simultaneously plate orders and roll cookie dough, while silver and copper kettles bubbled on the stove, heating up water for more tea.

  “Oh, and Minnie?”

  I looked up from lifting the tray.

  Fitz shook a few tendrils of dark hair out of his face. Flour streaked the handsome vampire’s cheeks.

  “Will you ask the coordinator if anyone will be ordering scones to go?” He glanced toward the ovens. “I’ll need to make another batch, if so.”

  I winked at him. “Got it.”

  I paused at the swinging door and glanced back at Fitz. He grinned, his dark eyes lingering on me until my cheeks burned hot, and I headed back into the dining room.

  I couldn’t deny the strong attraction I felt to Fitz, but there were about a thousand reasons I couldn’t think about that right now. For one, I was still going through a divorce, and for another, forty women from the Regency Ladies Club had rented out the cafe and I had afternoon tea to serve.

  The place had been hopping since Fitz had hired me on as marketing manager last month. We’d been booked solid nearly all day, every day, with visitors to Bath, Jane Austen tour groups, and baby and bridal showers. We were so swamped, in fact, that I was helping serve in addition to my marketing duties, though I didn’t sport the coattails and white gloves butler uniform that the regular servers did.

  Today’s booking was a bigger deal
than usual, though. The women of the Regency Ladies Club all belonged to the upper echelon. Once I spread the word about their champagne tea on all the cafe’s social media pages, I was sure business would pick up even more.

  I bustled over to a round table around which four ladies sat in their matching pink blazers with Regency Ladies Club scrawled across the backs in silver cursive embroidery. They all looked cute and festive for the Valentine’s Day weekend, though it made it harder to tell them apart as I scanned the crowd for Amanda, the event coordinator who was also acting as their tour guide.

  I set the tea service down, and Calvin, one of the butlers who regularly served at the cafe, slid to my side with a silver water pitcher in hand. As he refilled glasses and the women chatted happily, I edged closer to him.

  “How are you holding up?”

  He shot me a boyish grin which lit up his whole face. “I haven’t sat down in four hours, but I think my wallet’s going to be happy.”

  I smiled back. “Nice. Maybe you can take that girl from your sociology class out on a date.”

  His freckled cheeks blushed, and he glanced down at the lace tablecloth. “Yeah. Maybe.”

  I gave him a playful nudge with my elbow—he’d had a crush on her since the beginning of the semester and was such a sweet guy. I hoped he worked up the courage to ask her out.

  I stepped away and rose on my toes, scanning the room for Amanda. I’d never met her in person before today, but after exchanging a dozen emails to coordinate the event, I kind of felt like I knew her.

  I’d guess she was about my age, late twenties, and though she’d seemed stressed, I’d coaxed a couple of chuckles out of her. Plus, it seemed we shared a common love of Jane Austen, although from the way she’d mentioned architecture and historical events, she seemed to be a bit of an all-around Regency history buff.

  Between my roomie, Gus, and the butlers at the cafe, I’d made plenty of guy friends, but since moving back to Bath, I was in need of some amigas. Amanda lived in London but said business often brought her to Bath. I was hoping this might be the beginning of a friendship.

  I scanned the tables of pink-clad women, all chatting, eating, and drinking tea. A blazing fire crackled in the carved wooden fireplace, lending the whole space a warm, cheery glow. Red, pink, and white roses overflowed from elegant bouquets on the mantle and atop all the tables, and a paper heart garland hung across the big front window in honor of Valentine’s Day.

  Not that I was much in the mood to celebrate romance. I was going through a painful divorce and hadn’t been on a first date in about seven years. But I could still be happy for others who were luckier in love.

  I brightened as I spotted the tour guide chatting with another gal by the fireplace. She stood with her back to me, her shoulder-length, shiny black hair pulled into a ponytail at the base of her neck. I slid between crowded tables until I reached her and cleared my throat.

  “Excuse me?”

  She turned and gave me an arch look. “What?”

  I blinked in surprise. It wasn’t Amanda—just another member of the club who looked a lot like her from behind. “Oh, I’m sorry.” I shot her an apologetic grin. “I thought you were Amanda.”

  “Again?” She rolled her eyes and glanced at her friend. “This has been happening all day.” She sneered back at me and lifted a thick brow, looking me up and down. “Do I look like a tour guide to you?”

  Geez. Talk about some sass. And yes, frankly, she looked almost identical to Amanda from behind—especially since the tour guide had also donned one of the matching pink blazers.

  She huffed and pointedly turned her back on me. Well, okay then. Good day to you, too. I threaded my way through the crowd and brightened when I spotted Aldric. No matter how busy we got, Al was calm as a cucumber. I could feel my blood pressure drop any time I chatted with him.

  I slid up beside him as he refilled champagne flutes. “Hey, Al. Have you seen Amanda, the tour guide?”

  He spoke in his low, slow voice. “I think I saw her head to the powder room.”

  I smiled my thanks and strode to the foyer. I breathed out a sigh of relief when I spotted the real Amanda speaking with Renee, the head of the Regency Ladies Club, just down the hall.

  “Amanda? I’m sorry to interrupt.”

  The older woman patted the tour guide’s shoulder. “I’ll talk to you later, dear.” Renee smiled at me, then headed back into the throng.

  Amanda, who looked like she could use a nap, or maybe a stiff drink, blew out a breath. “Yes?”

  “Sorry to bug you. Fitz was just wondering if anyone was going to place to-go orders? We’re running a little low on scones, but he can bake more if so.”

  “Oh.” She blew out a breath. “That’s an easy question. I’ll ask around and get back to you.”

  I followed the harried young woman back into the dining room and returned to my serving duties.

  Renee stood in the entryway to the dining room and waved her arms over her head. “Hallo! Yes, hallo! May I have your attention please, ladies?”

  The group gradually quieted and turned toward the head of their club.

  Renee clasped a champagne flute in her hand and beamed at the room. “I’m so pleased we were all able to come together for this little getaway. Even though it’s Valentine’s Day weekend, a time usually reserved for romantic love, it’s so lovely to celebrate female friendship with you wonderful women. Happy Galentine’s Day!” She lifted her champagne flute and was met with a chorus of cheers.

  “On the back of your chair, you’ll find a felt envelope full of gifts from your secret admirers. Enjoy!”

  A scraping of chairs on the hardwood floor ensued as the women all spun in their seats. Earlier in the day, the butlers and I had helped Amanda use heart-patterned ribbon to tie pink felt pouches to the backs of all the chairs. We’d then set name cards at each of the place settings and delivered the anonymously sent lollipops, cards, and boxes of bonbons to the assigned woman. She’d explained it was like a Secret Santa, but for Valentine’s Day.

  The room returned to lively noisiness as everyone tore into wrapped gifts, slid the ribbons off boxes of bonbons, and gushed over the sweet letters they’d received. I grinned—it was a fun idea.

  “Oh my!”

  “Goodness!”

  A few exclamations cut through the din, and the room quieted as all heads turned toward the table by the big front window. A lady to my right lifted her chin and called across the room, “What’s going on over there?”

  “Nothing! Mind your own business” came the tart reply from an ancient old woman. A younger gal rose beside her and placed one hand on her shoulder.

  “Julianne has received the most wonderful gift.” Her voice dripped with honey-sweetness, and I frowned. This was the same rude gal I’d mistaken for the tour guide. Either she’d been in a terrible mood earlier, or she knew how to lay it on thick when she needed to.

  “It’s a first edition of Northanger Abbey! I wonder who could have given it to her?” Her tone implied that it very well could have been her.

  Wow. That was an extravagant gift. As a huge Jane Austen fan myself, my stomach tightened a bit with envy.

  Murmurs rippled through the room, and several women rose from their tables to get a better look.

  Amanda sidled up closer beside me.

  “What’s going on?”

  “Julianne’s received a first edition of Northanger Abbey.”

  Amanda lifted her brows. “Oh my, that’s incredible.”

  Julianne, the old woman, hefted the leather-bound book over her head, a scowl plastered on her wrinkly face.

  “Here, take a good look and then everybody leave me alone.”

  Amanda sucked in a breath. The book certainly looked old. The gold embossing on the leather cover glinted in the firelight, and the edges of the pages were gilded a brilliant emerald green.

  “No,” Amanda breathed. She pushed past me, her eyes glued to the book, and threaded through th
e tables until she stood beside Julianne. Maybe Amanda was an even bigger Austen fan than I was.

  She bent close to the old woman and murmured something I couldn’t quite hear. Julianne yanked the book further away from her and scowled. “It’s mine! Back off!”

  A lavender bookmark fell from the pages to the floor.

  Amanda stiffened and cleared her throat as the room grew quiet, all eyes on her and Julianne.

  She spoke between gritted teeth. “Mrs. Fortescue, it’s imperative that I take a look at that book. I’m not sure if—”

  Julianne cut her off. “No. You can’t have it.”

  Amanda pressed her lips tight together and glanced around the room. She bent her face closer to the old woman’s. “I assure you, I’m not trying to take it from you. But if I could just get a closer look, I’m concerned that—”

  As she reached again for the book, Julianne slapped her hard across the cheek.

  2

  Well Heeled Women

  A collective gasp sounded across the room. I froze, my mouth open. Poor Amanda. And who knew such a tiny old woman could pack such a punch? I exchanged a shocked look with Cho, a goofy, good-natured butler who was a few years older than me. The whites shone all around his dark eyes as he mouthed, “Dang.”