“Mom, what’s wrong with Randa?” he whispered.
My kids asked tough questions, but I operated under the belief that the straight approach was usually best. I never lied to them unless I had an important reason. Sheltering them from the world’s ills wouldn’t help them, though I did tone down some of the darker aspects of existence when we got into discussions about crime and death and anger. If they could trust me to tell them the truth, then they might trust me with what went on in their lives.
“Honey, Gunner’s parents were hurt really bad in a fire last night. Joe was there. He called me so I could tell Randa before she heard about it from somebody else.” I gave him a tired smile.
Kip’s eyes grew wide. “Her tutor?”
I nodded. “That’s the one.”
For once, he didn’t press. He quietly set the table, even though it was Randa’s chore. When he went to feed the cats, I heard sniffling in the pantry and followed him. His eyes were wet as he filled four dishes.
“I want Sammy back,” he said, and my heart broke as his voice cracked. I sighed and wrapped my arms around him, rocking gently. He leaned his head against me and I softly kissed his hair.
“So do I, baby. So do I. We’ll look for her again today.” I contemplated telling them about seeing Samantha, but since it had been either a dream or a vision, I decided to hold off. They wanted her home in the flesh.
I dished out the oatmeal and poured orange juice, then made my mocha. I needed that black gold today, so brewed four shots of espresso and dosed it liberally with Coffee-mate, cocoa, and peppermint syrup.
Breakfast was a subdued affair. Kip hurried through his meal, and I knew he wanted to be outside, hunting for Samantha. I excused both of them from their chores, on the condition that they stay out of the lot next door. After stacking our plates in the dishwasher, I steeled myself for another trip over to the twilight zone.
As I picked my way across the lot, it was hard to imagine that I’d really seen the bright orbs darting and dashing around. Except, by now, I knew better than to question anything I’d seen firsthand. I’d learned
that
lesson the hard way over the past year.
As I got close to the basement, I tried to imagine what the house had looked like. Horvald’s description had been vivid—but what it conjured up was the silhouette of a haunted house against a full moon, with lightning striking the weathervane. I decided that I’d been watching too many horror movies. I skirted the wheelbarrows we’d used to carry brambles to the truck and headed over to the basement, cautiously stepped over the tape, careful to avoid slipping. One misstep and it would be over the edge with me, and possibly a broken neck, broken arm, broken leg … a lovely thought I had no intention of trying out.
As I peeked into the dank hole, it was easy enough to see the thick layer of leaf mulch that filled the basement. Thick, charred timbers lay half-buried where they’d fallen. The fire must have been horrific, to sweep through and gut the house before the firemen could stop it. Of course, back then, technology still hadn’t come into play in a big way, and the firemen may have had a harder time fighting the flames.
As a noise startled me, I glanced up. A fuzzy calico face was peeking at me from a patch of nearby brambles.
“Samantha!” Holding my breath, I crawled back over the rope and slowly began to inch my way in her direction, but three steps away, she turned and hightailed it into the thick of the bushes. “No!”
I whistled for her, called “Here kitty, kitty, kitty … here Samantha!” until my voice was hoarse, but there was no way I could follow her into the tangle without getting ripped to shreds by the thorns. Frustrated and shaken, I turned on my heel and marched back over to the house.
As I yanked off my jacket, Joe peeked through the door, startling me. I threw myself in his arms and gave him a long kiss. Every time he was out on a bad call, I reacted this way, but he took it in stride, letting me hold him until I was certain he was okay.
“Hey, it’s okay. I’m home. Em? Em? What’s going on?”
“I thought I saw Samantha next door, but I couldn’t catch her,” I said, taking his hand as I led him into the living room. “I don’t know if I really saw her, or if it was wishful thinking. Anyway, it’s been crazy around here.” I told him about the Randa and the ghost outside her door. “I don’t think the spirit’s up to any harm. In fact, I’m not even sure she saw me, or if she’s a spirit at all. There wasn’t much actual energy there.”
He frowned. “If it wasn’t a ghost, what was it?”
I shrugged. “Could be a specter or a haunting … could be my tired eyes playing tricks on me.”
“Not likely. So what else is going on? You’ve got that ‘things-aren’t-quite-right’ look plastered across your face.”
I glanced at my reflection in the mirror over the fireplace. He was right. Unfortunately, I also noticed the new surge of silver sprinkles in my hair, and right now I felt old, especially with my birthday coming up. Maybe I would visit Harlow’s favorite salon and treat myself to a color job. Pampering would be good for my birthday. And what better way to pamper than a spa day?
I’d learned to happily live with my curves—although they were more toned now thanks to the yoga—and I had finally accepted that I’d never be an inch over five-five. My growth spurt ended over twenty years ago. But my hair and a facial—now, that might just be the ticket to help me feel rejuvenated for the coming autumn.
“Honey? Honey?”
Startled, I realized that I’d been staring at myself in the mirror for over two minutes. I gave Joe a quick peck on the cheek. “Don’t worry, I was just drifting. Listen, about the lot you bought …”
“What about it?”
“We have a problem with dancing lights.” When he looked at me, puzzled, I spelled it out for him.
Joe dropped back against the sofa, shaking his head. “At least you haven’t found any dead bodies yet.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Emerald,” he said, and I could see the beginnings of a grin, “Since I’ve known you, you’ve stumbled over two murdered bikers and a dead romance writer and her daughter. You’ve been cursed by dragons, and together, we saw a big, potentially nasty legend come to life. Face it, you’re a trouble magnet.” He tried to cover his butt by kissing me soundly. A damn fine kiss at that; a full-lay-back-run-hands-through-my-hair-breath-stealing kiss.
After I managed to regain my composure from the unexpected but welcome ravishment, I shook my head and crossed my feet into a semi-lotus position. I hadn’t mastered the full one yet, but I was working on it.
“Cad. Plying me with romance!” I bopped him over the head with a pillow resting behind my back and he laughed, grabbing it from me and tossing it across the room.
“You’re not getting away with that so easy, lady.” He reached out and drew one finger gently along my cheek, gazing at me through heavily lidded eyes that could see inside every corner of my being. “Pay up. I want your body.”
Desire flickered in my breasts and the pit of my stomach, but I pushed it aside, just for the moment. “I’m serious, Joe. This is weird shit.”
He sighed. “So tell me, what do we need to do? Is it dangerous?”
I mulled over the question. I could try to clean the lot, but without knowing what was going on, it probably wouldn’t take. Cleansing required at least a working knowledge of what entities or creatures I might be dealing with and I hesitated to go in there waving my Florida water and charms until I knew what I was up against.
“I don’t know. I haven’t got the faintest idea of what’s going on. Nor do I know who—or what—our visitor last night was. I think we need to do some research to find out just what kind of people the Brunswicks were. Meanwhile, be careful over there. Okay? I’m keeping the kids away until I know more about it.”
He yawned and stretched. “That’s probably the best we can do for now. Do you think your lady last night is connected to the lights you saw?”
I shrugged. “I have no idea. We’re nearing All Hallows Eve. The dead walk during this time of year. Spirits rise to visit their loved ones, and the veil between worlds grows thin.”
Joe regarded me solemnly. “You’re really the one who needs to be careful, you know. I’m not head-blind, but I don’t get hit by as much as you do. Promise me you’ll watch yourself?”
He was serious, and for that I was grateful. Usually the men who’d entered my life ran when it came to matters like this, but Joe accepted the entire spirit world as part and parcel of my life. At the same time, he was cautious, not letting testosterone get in the way of clear thinking.
As I reached over and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek, the door opened and Kip ran inside. He took one look at me, shook his head, and ran upstairs. I wasn’t about to get his hopes up by telling him about the groggy vision of Samantha on my bed or in the lot next door—too much possibility the sightings had been born out of my own desire rather than from reality.
“He’s hurting. I hope we find her soon, or our whole family’s going to be heartbroken, me included.”
Joe cuddled me with one arm. “Don’t forget about me, hon. I think the world of Sam and her kittens. Now, I’m going to go finish tearing out the last of those brambles so we can get down in that basement and find out what’s going on.” He stood up and headed toward the door.
I caught him by the arm before he went out. “Be careful. As I said, I don’t know what we’re dealing with. Just … take care of yourself.”
With a nod, he slipped on his jacket and work gloves and headed next door. As I toyed around with the remote, trying to decide whether to go help Joe or hunt down Randa and see how she was doing, the phone rang. I picked it up and a familiar voice echoed on the other end of the line.
“Emerald? This is Maeve. I got to thinking about your birthday this morning and had the feeling that I needed to call you.”
A feeling of relief swept over me, and I realized that I wanted to talk to her, too. “Maeve, I’m so glad you called. Listen, can we meet for tea?” She agreed to rendezvous with me at my shop in half an hour and I hung up and grabbed my keys. I should check in with Cinnamon and Lana anyway. Might as well head out early.
After letting Kip know where I was off to, I slipped through the hedge to peek in on Joe, who had built up a sweat. The beads of perspiration glistened on his skin. I fought the desire to rip off my clothes right then and there.
“I’m taking off for the shop. I’ll be gone an hour, maybe ninety minutes. You can reach me on my cell if you need me, and Kip knows to come over and get you in case something happens.”
He pulled out a bandana from his back pocket and wiped his nose. The chill air was making it run. “What do you want to do about dinner tonight?”
“I’ll pick up some takeout on the way home,” I called over my shoulder as I hurried down the drive, back to my yard where I climbed into my Mountaineer.
As I put the car into reverse and pulled out of the driveway I could see Randa, out on the roof, staring over the railing I’d had installed when we first moved in so she could sky-watch the night away in safety. She lifted one hand in half-salute when I blew a kiss at her, looking forlorn. As I tooled off down the street, I murmured a quiet prayer to the universe. The only thing I really wanted for my birthday was a little extra time so I could devote it to everybody who needed my attention. Some days, there was never enough of me to go around.
IN THE ALMOST three years that I’d been running the Chintz ’n China Tea Room, it had changed. Not only had I updated the paint job and the shelf liners, but I’d upgraded my tearoom furniture after a thief trashed everything that wasn’t bolted down during a major act of vandalism earlier in the year. After a brief bout with self-pity and anger, I dug in, refurbished the shop, restocked with better inventory, and installed a security alarm system.
We were set for autumn, with displays of Brown Betty teapots and delicate porcelain pots in the shape of pumpkins and onions. The windows were filled with silk autumn leaves and elk antler sheds that Jimbo had found out in the woods. Earthen brown baskets rested, filled to the brim with tea and crackers and honey. Bobble-head jack-o’-lanterns nestled side by side with beautiful witches dangling on crescent moons. I had even managed to find long garlands of apple-shaped lights and bordered the windows with them.
The display tables and every piece of china in the place sparkled, and my heart swelled. I loved my store and treasured both Lana and Cinnamon, who always followed through, uncomplaining. As I glanced around the room, I saw Cinnamon finishing up with Purdy Anderson, a colorful and influential member of Chiqetaw’s matronly society.
“How are my two favorite ladies today?” I slipped up to the counter next to Purdy, who patted my arm.
“I’m so glad to see you, Emerald. You realize we miss you here, but I hope you’re enjoying your vacation.”
I just gave her a warm smile and nodded. Purdy was a notorious gossip and I knew better than to say anything I didn’t want spread all over town. She picked up her shopping bags and wandered out of the store. Cinnamon sighed and rubbed her head.
“Hey, Emerald. Things are fine, before you ask. The weekend’s been busy. A lot of foot traffic and a lot of sales. The weather seems to be driving people indoors.”
I glanced in the tearoom. Maeve was waiting for me at a table in the corner. The rest of the alcove was packed.
“That’s good news. We can always use the extra money. Looks nice in here, by the way. I’m going to go chat with Maeve for a bit. Cinnamon? Is something wrong?” I saw the sparkle of a tear in one eye and she looked strained, like she’d been holding her breath. “What’s going on?”
She sniffed, then blew her nose with a tissue. “Oh, Emerald, I just found out that my boyfriend is getting out of jail early.”
I blinked, not certain what to say. Her boyfriend was a rock-bottom jerk who had managed to get himself tossed in the slammer several times. My opinion of him was about as low as it could get. The man had three children to take care of, yet he had decided the best way to do that was to rob a convenience store. When Cinnamon first came to work for me, he was on trial and I’d wanted to go over to the jail and smack him upside the head.