“This is really undignified.” I made a whimpering sound as I tried to pull away, which only made Sarah grip my hair tighter. “Let go!”
“You killed my brother,” Sarah bellowed. “I want to make a citizen’s arrest.”
“You’ve always been a slut, Lilac,” Cordelia charged. “I see you’re already turning your new best friend into one. That’s so … tacky.”
“You’re tacky,” Lilac hissed. “You’re a tacky and jealous whore, and you’ve always been bad for the island’s reputation.”
“That hurts.” I grabbed Sarah’s wrist, my temper flashing. “Let go or I’ll make you let go.”
“I’m not afraid of you,” Sarah argued. “I’m making a citizen’s arrest and there’s nothing you can do about it.”
“I said let go!” I screeched the words, something ripping free from inside of me at the same moment. After the fact, I would have trouble giving words to the feelings and emotion surrounding the event, but it was as if another being hiding inside of me broke out to wreak havoc on the bar. That was the only way I could describe it.
My anger bubbled up and burst forth, a bright light flashing as Sarah screamed and jerked back her hand. Cordelia’s eyes widened to comical proportions as she fixed her full attention on me. Lilac happily clapped.
“That was impressive,” Lilac said. “May would be so proud.”
I had no idea if that were true, but I teetered to the side a bit as I tried to regain my focus. “What was that?”
“That was you,” Cordelia muttered, shaking her head as she flicked a gaze toward a terrified Sarah. “I guess, in addition to being a big slut, you’re powerful, too. Well … this just bites.”
“DOES SOMEONE WANT to tell me what’s going on?”
Galen arrived ten minutes later, someone calling 911 to alert him to a chick fight at the beach tiki bar. He looked beyond frustrated when he strolled inside, his gaze bouncing between faces before focusing on me.
“What happened to you?” He hurried to my side, tilting my chin so he could stare into my eyes. “She looks drunk. Have you guys been drinking? It’s not even noon, for crying out loud.”
Lilac and Cordelia shook their heads in unison.
“We haven’t been drinking,” Lilac replied. “Hadley is wiped out from using magic. She’s already feeling weird, so don’t make a big deal about it.”
Galen was incredulous as he lowered himself so we were at eye level. “You used your magic again? I would’ve thought you’d be too wiped after last night.”
I couldn’t believe he was bringing that up – and in front of Cordelia. She would think I was an even bigger slut than she already did.
“Oh, that’s nice.” Cordelia made a face. “This really hasn’t been my day. In fact, it’s been an awful day. I’m sick to death of all you people.”
“Right back at you,” Lilac shot back. “I’m thinking of forming a club of people who are sick to death of you.”
“I’m going to make a citizen’s arrest of my own,” Cordelia warned. “I’m going to lock you up for being a public nuisance.”
“I’m going to lock all of you up for being a nuisance,” Galen snapped, squeezing my knee before turning his furious countenance to Cordelia and Lilac. “What’s going on? And what happened to Hadley’s hair?”
My hair? I instinctively reached up and ran three fingers through the gathered mess. Sarah really did a number on it when she decided to give it a good, hard tug.
“Sarah pulled Hadley’s hair,” Lilac volunteered.
Galen’s eyes widened. “Why?”
“She murdered my brother,” Sarah barked, cradling her wrist. “She murdered him, and I want her arrested.”
“I see.” Galen cast me one more worried look before crossing over to Sarah. He gently tugged at her hand so he could see the area she was trying to protect. “This looks burned.”
“She did it!” Sarah looked like a crazy person as she pointed, as if we were in Salem and they were about to start hanging witches. “She burned me.”
“Uh-huh.” Galen didn’t look all that worried. “Why did she do it?”
“Because she’s evil,” Sarah replied.
“That’s not why,” Lilac protested. “Sarah was pulling her hair and Hadley warned her to let go and then it was like something just kind of … I don’t know … whooshed through the room.”
Galen cocked a curious eyebrow. “Whooshed?”
“It was a magical wave,” Cordelia supplied, offering up a pretty smile for Galen’s benefit. “Whatever it was built inside of her and then vented. I can usually sense these things, but it happened quickly.”
“Hmm.” Galen’s expression was thoughtful as he turned to me. “Do you feel sick? Wiped out?”
“More shaky than anything,” I replied, staring at my quivering fingers. “It’s weird.”
“Try this.” Galen grabbed an orange from the counter and handed it to me. “This should help even you out.”
“An orange?” I accepted the fruit and stared at it. “Are oranges magical and nobody told me?”
“No. They’re just good for you and should even out your blood sugar.” Galen patted my shoulder before turning back to Sarah. “Why did you pull her hair?”
Sarah still seethed. “She killed my brother.”
“Your brother tried to kill her first,” Galen argued. “She protected herself. You can’t blame her for what happened.”
“Well, I do blame her,” Sarah sniffed. “I don’t believe my brother would go after a woman under any circumstances. He doesn’t even know this one. He was a drunk, not a killer.”
“He was a drunk who would do anything for a dime,” Galen corrected. “As for you not believing he would do it, believe it. I was there right after it happened. I saw her bedroom. He was in the lighthouse for the express purpose of killing Hadley.”
“Why were you near the lighthouse in the middle of the night?” Cordelia queried.
“I was checking the property.”
“For what?” Cordelia’s expression turned dark. “Were you checking to see if the inhabitant was wearing panties?”
Galen furrowed his brow. “No. I … what do panties have to do with anything?”
“Nothing,” I answered hurriedly, mortified to think our private business would be discussed in public … again. It was bad enough we would have to discuss it ourselves in a few hours. I so wasn’t looking forward to that.
“Cordelia is jealous,” Lilac interjected.
“I am not!” Cordelia’s hands landed on her narrow hips. “You take that back, you slut!”
Lilac ignored her. “Cordelia was perfectly pleasant – er, well, at least for her – until she found out you and Hadley did the naked dance of our ancestors last night. Then she turned into a monster and got all passive aggressive. It’s so annoying.”
“I can see that.” Galen’s expression twisted as he rubbed the back of his neck. “And she turned mean because … .”
“She knows you and Hadley had sex last night.”
“Oh, geez!” I slapped my hand to my forehead. “Did you have to bring it up in public? I told you that in private.”
“You may have only known me for only a few days, but you should be well aware by this point that I’m not capable of being quiet,” Lilac argued pragmatically. “If you want something kept secret, you can’t tell me. It’s an island rule.”
“She’s right,” Cordelia said, feigning brightness. “So, do you want to explain yourself, Galen?”
“What I do in my private life is none of your business, Cordelia.” Galen’s voice was flat, firm even. I could feel his eyes on me, but refused to lock gazes with him. I was too embarrassed. “Hadley, maybe we should talk.”
That sounded like the last thing I wanted to do. It was bad enough we’d slept together and I didn’t remember it. If I had to listen to him explain to me why it was a mistake I’d be mortified for the rest of my life. I already knew it was a mistake. I didn’t need
him to refer to it that way.
“Actually, um, I need a little air,” I said, struggling to refrain from touching him as I got to my feet and skirted around his muscular frame. “I don’t feel well, and I need a few minutes without people staring at me.”
“Okay, but … .” Galen forced my eyes briefly to him by making a small throat-clearing sound. “We need to talk. If you need air, I get it. Don’t wander away. I’ll be out there in a few minutes.”
That sounded absolutely terrible. I didn’t let him know what I was thinking, instead faking enthusiasm as I nodded. “Sounds good. I’ll be right outside.”
I would definitely be outside. Right outside of Cordelia’s tiki bar? Not a chance. I needed to make an escape, and Galen’s distraction would give me just enough time to do it.
“Take your time.”
Twenty-Two
I had no intention of waiting outside for Galen. Leaving Lilac behind could be considered rude, but I knew she’d understand. I needed to get away from it all, which was funny because I now lived on an island that people visited to “get away from it all.”
I lucked out while walking the beach, spotting Booker’s bus in the main parking lot. I hurried in that direction, searching the area before following the sound of pounding and discovering him on top of the visitor center’s roof.
“What are you doing?”
Booker shifted so he could stare down at me. The visitor’s center was only one story, but he looked very far away when our eyes locked. “What are you doing? I heard you got into a chick fight at Cordelia’s place, by the way. Nice job.” He flashed a sarcastic thumbs-up that caused my stomach to twist.
“How could you possibly know that?” I didn’t bother to hide my frustration. “It happened, like, thirty minutes ago.”
“Yeah, but Todd Hamilton was in the bar when it went down. He said there were bras flying everywhere.” Booker’s smile was mischievous. “Sorry I missed it.”
“No bras were flying.” I wrinkled my nose, irritation bubbling up. “Speaking of that, I need to borrow your bus.”
Whatever Booker expected me to say, it wasn’t that. “I’m sorry?” His expression remained neutral for the most part, but I didn’t miss the way his eyebrows edged up. “What does my bus have to do with bras?”
“Absolutely nothing, but I was tired of waiting for an appropriate transition,” I replied. “I need to get out of here for a little bit and you’re the only person I know who has a vehicle.”
“Yes, and it’s a vehicle I need.”
“I’m not going to wreck it.”
Booker didn’t look convinced. “Do you know how to drive?”
“Of course.”
“Sometimes I’m surprised you can walk, so I’m not sure I believe that.”
He was either trying to get under my skin or hide the fact that he was a bit sexist. I had no idea which. “Can I borrow your bus or not?”
“Well … .” Booker broke off, rubbing his chin as he debated. “Why can’t you borrow Galen’s truck?”
Because I’m hiding from Galen. I couldn’t say that, though. It would open the door to questions I was not inclined to answer. “Because I found you first.”
“Aren’t I lucky.” Booker made a face. “Where are you going?”
“Where do you think I’m going? I only know about one place away from this stupid city. I have no intention of going on an adventure, so … I’m going there.”
Booker remained unconvinced. “Maybe you could call him and ask him to come to you. He has a truck.”
He did, but since I made the decision to escape on a whim that seemed counterintuitive. “Fine.” I threw my hands in the air. “I’m sorry I asked.” I moved to stomp away, but Booker stopped me with a whistle before I traveled far.
He was on his feet, and I watched as he dug in his pocket before tossing his key ring in my direction. “I’m not doing this because of your little meltdown. I want you to know that.”
“Then why are you doing it?”
“Because I think you and Wesley need to talk alone for both of you to be comfortable with your newfound relationship. I think it will be good for you.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Booker winked, his mischievous smile back. “Just for the record, you might want to fix your hair. It looks as if you’ve taken a hard tumble, and I’m sure the gossip will have made it out to the farm before you get there. I would hate for Wesley to assume Galen did that.”
“Ugh.” I twisted my features into a hateful scowl. “How do you people know things so fast on this island? Is there a magical gossip trail I know nothing about?”
Booker nodded, catching me off guard.
“There is?”
“It’s all the females on the island,” Booker explained. “They can’t stop yapping.”
Now I knew he was being sexist. “We’re going to talk about that assumption when I get back.” I waved the keys for emphasis. “Thank you for this.”
“Don’t mention it … and don’t take all day,” Booker ordered. “I have things to do, too.”
“I won’t be long. I just … I have some questions.”
“Of course you do. You wouldn’t be human if you didn’t.”
I wasn’t so sure I was human any longer, but that was hardly something to focus on given the time constraints. “I won’t be long.”
He grinned. “I’ll see what gossip I can gather by the time you get back.”
“Great. Just what I need, more gossip.”
THE FARM LOOKED quiet when I parked in front of the house, struggling with the stick shift to get it in the correct gear four times before killing the engine. I was thankful the driveway wasn’t on an incline when I finally finished, because I wasn’t one-hundred percent sure I knew what I was doing.
When I climbed out of the bus, I found Wesley sitting on his front porch. He had a pitcher of iced tea sitting on a small table and a pipe in his hand.
“I figured you’d come.” Wesley smiled. “You were quicker than I thought.”
“I had to get out of town for a few hours,” I admitted sheepishly, keeping my head down as I climbed the porch steps. “This is the only place I know that exists outside of the main town.”
“There are many other points of interest on Moonstone Bay,” Wesley explained, pouring a glass of iced tea and handing it to me. “You’ll discover them yourself when the time is right.”
“That sounds ominous.”
“It’s not ominous. It’s just … everyone on this island is weird. Did you know there are mud pits out on the far side of the island and people actually pay to sit in them?”
That was news to me. “No, but a mud bath is supposed to be great for your pores.”
“There’s mud over there.” Wesley pointed toward a spot on the other side of the driveway. “Go roll around in that if you’re interested. It’s free.”
I couldn’t hide my chuckle as I shook my head, staring at the eave offering us shade. “I need to ask you something,” I ventured after a few minutes of silence. “You’re probably not going to like it, but I still need to know.”
“You want to know why I never contacted you.”
“Well, yes, but that’s not the question. Sarah Santiago brought up the fact that you might’ve wanted me dead because you wanted the lighthouse. I just … that’s not true, right?”
One of Wesley’s sparkplug eyebrows winged up as he regarded me. “I have trouble believing anyone who shares my genes would drive out to a farm in the middle of nowhere to meet with a man she thinks might be a potential killer.”
“It’s not that,” I said hurriedly, pressing the iced tea glass to my forehead to ward off the heat. “It’s just … Sarah seemed certain that you wanted the lighthouse. Everyone seems certain that the lighthouse is some big prize. I’m afraid I’m missing something.”
“You’re missing a lot, girlie, but it’s not your fault.” Wesley stretched his long legs in front of him as he
reclined in the chair. “For the record, I have no interest in killing you.”
“That was only half of the question,” I pointed out.
“Are you asking if I want the lighthouse?”
I chewed my bottom lip and nodded, something about the expression causing Wesley to smile.
“Your mother used to make that face when she was younger,” Wesley noted, his voice taking on a wistful quality. “You remind me of her.”
“I’ve seen photographs,” I argued. “I don’t really look like her.”
“You’re a mixture,” Wesley corrected. “You have your mother’s bone structure … and my eyes. You have a few of your mother’s mannerisms.”
“I never knew her to compare.”
“Which is a shame.” Wesley took me by surprise when he reached over and patted my hand. It was the first tactile contact we’d managed since meeting. “I should probably start from the beginning for your benefit?”
I held my hands palms up and shrugged. “You can start wherever you want.”
“I’ll start with May.” Wesley pressed the heel of his hand to his forehead, perhaps centering himself, and then launched into his tale. “I fell in love with her the moment I saw her. Your grandmother was a fiery woman. She had a mouth like … well, back in my day women didn’t talk like your grandmother.”
“She was bossy?”
“She swore like a drunken trucker after a three-day bender,” Wesley corrected. “She was also funny, bright, and beautiful and she had a smile that always made me happy to see her. We dated only a month before getting married.”
“Wasn’t that kind of the norm back then?”
Wesley’s eyes twinkled. “Do you mean back in the olden days?”
“I wouldn’t put it in that rude of a manner, but kind of.”
“It was normal. We had a blissful two years, a time that included the birth of your mother, and then reality set in. We might’ve loved each other – heck, we always loved each other – but living together was another story.”
“So you divorced because you couldn’t live together?” That sounded rough. “You mentioned that you didn’t go after the lighthouse when you divorced. If the property is as important as everyone seems to think, why not?”
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