RBC06.50 - Marcella, Vampire Mage (27 page)

“I need a change. My ex boyfriend insisted on this red hair and I want to go back to my natural blonde.”

Rebecca stepped closer and pulled up strands of Abbi’s hair.

“It’s not in very good shape is it? Well, sit down; we’ll get started.”

After reversing the color, which took quite a while, Rebecca washed her hair and told her all of the town gossip, even though Abbi had no idea what or who she was talking about. Still, it was relaxing. Then after a new cut and style, Rebecca stood back and gave her final approval.

“There, great work even if I do say so myself,” she said as she turned the chair around to the mirror so Abbi could see.

She turned her head from side to side. “It’s fabulous, thanks so much. I look like I did years ago. Now I can really start over. I love it. It’s just what I needed,” she said giving Rebecca a hug.

“You’re a beautiful girl. That always makes my job easier.”

“It must be rewarding to be so good at what you do. How much do I owe you?”

“Thank you, I do love it. Fifty dollars ought to cover it.”

Abbi gave her a hundred dollar bill. “They would charge me twice that in the city. Well, I’m off to have dinner. I will stop back again if I get the chance.”

Rebecca smiled, “Have a great night. It was nice to meet you…”

“. . . Abigail.”

“Nice to meet you, Abigail,” Rebecca repeated.

The sound of the screen door snapping closed behind her put an end to a bad phase of Abbi’s life; a new phase was beginning and Abbi was back in charge of it.

She shook her slightly shorter hair as she strutted down the street to the restaurant. Abbi was starting to feel like her old self again - happy and confident.

It was after six already on a Thursday night and there were several people waiting for tables.

“I need a table for one, please,” Abbi told the young girl at the podium.

“It will be just a moment.”

Abbi nodded and took a seat. Beside her was a stand holding magazines and brochures. She loved looking at real estate listings, so she chose a publication featuring those and sat back in her seat.

“Your table is ready now, if you will follow me.”

“Oh, thank you.”

Abbi put the real estate magazine in her purse and followed her.

She was led to a nice table at the back of the restaurant and took her seat. The hostess handed her a menu and stated, “The specials are on the first page. Of course all our seafood is fresh. Can I get you something to drink?”

“I think a glass of Riesling wine would be wonderful.”

The girl gave Abbi a questioning look.

“Whatever house white wine you have is fine.”

Abbi looked over the menu, everything sounded so good. She hadn’t realized how hungry she really was until now. The smells wafting from the kitchen weren’t helping, she thought as her stomach growled again.

“Have you decided what you’d like?” the waitress said as she placed a cocktail napkin on the table and set the frosty glass of white wine in its center.

“Yes. I want the Filet Mignon, rare, a baked potato with butter, and sour cream, and a garden salad with Thousand Island dressing. Could you direct me to the restroom?”

“It’s around the corner to your right, just past the bar. I’ll get this right in for you.”

Abbi washed her hands and took a good look in the mirror. She liked what she saw. The life was coming back into her eyes.

“I feel so much better than I did this morning.” Her heart was still broken and her soul still bruised, but she was free and for the first time, in charge of her own life.

Back at her table, she wolfed down the tender steak and everything that came with it. She hadn’t been out of the house, not to mention out to eat, since she had found the newspaper in the Escalade’s glove compartment. The nearly six weeks since then had been a nightmare. It had shaken her confidence, but now everything had changed. Though she had no idea where she was headed, she was free from Dallas.

“Would you like some dessert?” the waitress asked as she cleared the empty dishes.

“Yes, I think I would. Can I get it to go?”

“Sure, what would you like?”

“That lemon cake with fresh strawberries is calling to me. I’ll take that.”

The waitress brought the dessert in a foam container along with the check. Abbi handed her several bills.

“I’ll bring your change.”

“No that’s fine. I really enjoyed everything.”

“Thank you, so much,” she said, her eyes widening when she saw the size of the tip. It was such fun to give money to people that really deserved it, Abbi thought as she left and walked back to the motel.

Once inside her room, Abbi double locked the door and flopped down on the bed. The real estate magazine sticking out of her purse on the night stand caught her eye.

After fluffing and stacking the pillows behind her so she could sit comfortably, she pulled it out and started to browse through it. After just a few pages she saw something that shocked her to the core.

There, occupying a entire page, was a full color ad featuring the plantation in her dreams!

CHAPTER TWO

It was in an awful state of disrepair, but it definitely was the one she had always seen in her dreams.

“I can’t believe it, this is really it! The ‘last of its kind’,” the ad read. “A thousand acres with access to the Mississippi River, it includes the land, main house, carriage house, and several out buildings.”

Abbi was so glad she had charged the new cell phone as she drove. She rifled through her purse and pulled out the phone. Running her finger down the magazine page, she found the number of the listing agent and quickly entered it into the phone before pressing ‘call’.

She impatiently tapped her fingers on the magazine as she listened to the phone ring again and again. Finally a man’s voice said to ‘leave a message and he would call her back as soon as possible’.

“I am sorry to call so late, but I am interested in seeing your listing on Cemetery Road, please call me back as soon as you can. I am only going to be in the area for a short time. Thank you.”

Abbi set the phone back down on the night stand and took another look at the picture in the magazine.

“It lists a website. Maybe there are more pictures on that,” she said excitedly.

The new laptop wasn’t charged, so she pulled the cord out of the bag, plugged it into the wall and the laptop and turned it on. Even in this small town the hotel room included free internet access, thank goodness. The website came up and she paged through the endless amount of listings before she found what she was looking for.

“Great, there are more pictures! The one in my dreams has a conservatory.”

She kept clicking through the listing’s pictures and then... “Oh my God, there it is, just like in my dreams. Well it looks terrible, but it’s the same one, I’m sure of it.”

The cell phone rang causing Abbi to jump.

She calmed herself before answering, “Hello?”

“I am returning your call regarding my listing on Cemetery Road?”

“Yes, when can I see it?” Abbi asked breathlessly.

“Is tomorrow morning good for you?” the man asked with a laugh.

“That would be fine, what time can you meet me there? From the map on the website, it looks like it will take me at least an hour to get to the location.”

“The road in is in terrible shape, nothing on the property has been touched since the eighteen hundreds. I just took the listing, so I haven’t had a chance to get anything done. I can meet you at the end of the road. I’m afraid we’ll have to walk in from there and I’m sorry to tell you it’s over a mile to the house. Is that okay?”

“I don’t mind, how about ten o’clock then?”

“Fine, Miss…”

“. . .Black.”

“I’m Andrew McDermott. I look forward to meeting you tomorrow, Miss Black.”

“Thank you, I’ll see you then.”

“She didn’t even ask about the price,” McDermott mumbled after he clicked the cell phone closed.

What he hadn’t told Abbi was that he couldn’t get any workers to even look at the property. Every one that he knew refused to go. Those that he had gotten were from other counties and had refused to go back. Something always frightened them off. He himself, on the few occasions that he had been to the property, always felt as if someone or something was watching him. He definitely would love for someone to take this property off his hands.

It was all very strange. Everything about this listing had been handled through the mail. And now out of the blue a call on the property. Why would a woman, and a young one by the sound of her voice on the phone, be interested in a property that was so far from civilization, he wondered? In the end he didn’t care. His goal was to sell the property.

Abbi, on the other hand, was so excited she could hardly sleep. When she finally did, the same dream began. She was walking away from the house to a wall of formally trimmed hedges that were higher than her head. It was a maze. She walked through its twists and turns with ease, finally reaching the middle. Now, the dream’s perspective changed and she saw herself as if from above. She was smiling and whirling around with glee.

The answers to the maze puzzle were shown to her for a reason. She knew instinctively that she needed to try to remember them.

Abbi woke early, took a shower and changed into the new jeans and t-shirt she had purchased yesterday. Her comfortable sneakers would serve her well today, walking the mile to the house and touring the property.

She packed up her meager belongings, brushed her blonde locks and headed out the door.

She used the new car’s remote to unlock the trunk and plopped the suit case inside.

As she closed the trunk she noticed a large SUV turning into the parking lot. A black Escalade.

“Damn,” she said to herself as she ducked inside the new car and started the engine.

She backed the car slowly out of the parking space and then shifted into drive. Abbi reach for the new pair of oversized sunglasses she’d purchased the day before. As she put them on she tried to stay calm. He had no further hold on her. She was in control and vowed that this time if he followed her she was going to the police.

Since there was only one exit from the hotel, Abbi had no choice but to drive right past the Escalade. With her hands shaking slightly, she turned on the radio and started to sing along with the oldies song playing. “Bye, Bye, Miss American Pie, took my Chevy to the levy but the levy was dry.”

She was close now. She would be somewhat hidden from view by the difference in the size of their vehicles. It wouldn’t be easy for him to get a good look at her with her car seat so much lower than his.

Abbi kept singing and smiling as she calmly drove past him. She watched the rear view mirror as she continued on. Dallas never realized it was her. The fact that he was still looking for her, and had come this close frightened her. He was the kind of man that always seemed to get what he wanted, and right now he wanted her. Well to be more exact, he wanted her money.

It was still very early, but she couldn’t chance stopping for something to eat right now, even though she was starving. Abbi kept a close eye on the rear view mirror, but there was no sign of Dallas.

Later, she saw a truck stop with a restaurant just ahead and pulled in, parking around back.

“Coffee, please and the special,” she said as she sat at the counter.

“How do you want your eggs?”

“Over medium.”

“Toast or biscuit?”

“Biscuit.”

“It’ll be right up.”

“Thank you.”

Abbi drank the coffee with some cream and then took a look around the small café. She casually walked over to the free map rack and chose a local one and headed back to her seat.

“Need any directions?” the waitress asked as she put the full plate of breakfast in front of her.

“I’m going to look at some property between here and Natchez. Do you know that area?”

The waitress chuckled, “Everybody knows everything about everyone around here. What property?”

“The Collier plantation,” Abbi said showing her the picture in the real estate magazine.

She saw the color drain from the waitress’s face. “You don’t want any part of that place. It’s haunted. General Collier disappeared and it’s said his sons’ ghosts are still waiting for him there. No, I’d stay away from there if I were you.”

“Really, well I’ll keep all that in mind.”

She left, but Abbi noticed that she was speaking with the cook and other waitresses, who looked as shocked as she had and looked over at her in disbelief.

All of this was making her very uncomfortable, so she ate as quickly as she could, paid the bill, adding another generous tip and left. After filling the car with gas, she took a quick look at the map and headed to her appointment with the real estate agent.