“Actually, I found something. We found something, a hidden wall just beyond the pantry.”
“Megan,” Alex warned me, but I wasn’t in the mood to listen to him. Seeing Joanna in this photo along with the others made me even more determined to open that second wall.
“I think we should show Loretta and Micah. They are both knowledgeable about the subject, and they might have some clue about those symbols,” I answered him as I stuffed the photos back in the envelope.
“I think that’s a bad idea.”
“I don’t care what you think.”
“If that’s the case, I’ll let you get on with it. Don’t forget the housekeeper is coming tomorrow. She’ll be here in the morning. And I’ll send the party guest list to you. The date is set, so please try not to destroy the place before then. I’ll see myself out.”
I didn’t try to stop him. Loretta whispered as the door closed, “Was it something we said?”
“No, it’s something I did. I wasn’t kidding when I said I found a wall. Want to see it?”
“Sure,” they answered with clear excitement. I locked the door and watched Alex drive away before reaching for the flashlight and leading them through the pantry and down the stairs.
“This is incredible,” Loretta whispered as she hovered in front of the wall. She pointed at the top symbol. “I know this. This is from the book, right?”
“Yes, I think so. I’ve taken some photos but haven’t done a side-by-side comparison so far. What do you think, Micah? Have you seen anything like it?”
“No, but my house was built in 1986. I’ve never been in a house this old. Probably lots of hidden spaces here. This seems odd, though. Who would take the trouble of building some stairs and then putting up a wall four feet from it? There’s nothing else down here. There’s got to be something on the other side of it. Any ideas what that might be?”
I wiped dust from my lips and nodded slowly. “I think so. Maybe. Like you said, why else would they put a wall up here? It hardly seems worth it unless this wall is hiding another room. Don’t you think?”
“I do think. Absolutely.”
“Right, but we have to preserve this, Megan. This arrangement has meaning. It’s not merely graffiti. Look, beneath the symbols are some letters. I think that’s Greek. This is a crux. That’s for spell-casting. This is a spell, Megan.” She took a step back and bumped against me. I thought for a minute she might run up the stairs.
“I thought it might be. That book, the one Vivian wrote, suggests such things but doesn’t say anything clearly. You couldn’t just read it and learn how to cast a spell. She encoded that book with these symbols. Maybe you and Alex are right. We do need to preserve this symbology before I take the wall down. But the idea that…”
Some small animal squeaked in a dark corner, and Loretta’s eyes widened as she stepped on the bottom step of the stairs. I’d forgotten how superstitious she could be. But clearly not too superstitious…after all, she’d given me Vivian Kemal’s book.
“I would certainly proceed with caution. There’s something back there, but what is anyone’s guess,” Micah said as he slapped the wood and listened with his ear close to it. “Definite chamber, though. Maybe I can pull up some plans and take a peek under her skirt. No telling what’s buried under this old place.”
Nomi…
“Megan, you promised me a tour. How about it?”
Neither one of them heard the whisper. If they had, surely they would have said something.
“Sure, Micah. I’ll give you the full tour.”
“I heard this place has an elevator. Is that true?” Loretta called behind her as she climbed the steps quicker than any cat.
“It did, but like this room it’s been closed off. It was a fine old elevator too, with a cast-iron door and a carpeted floor. I can show you where it used to be.”
As I closed the door to the pantry, I heard the whisper again, but there was no time to explore now.
Strangely enough, I was dying for a cigarette. I knew it was the past calling to me. That would have to wait, but I had a feeling it wouldn’t be long.
Not long at all.
Chapter Fifteen
April 1932
“Make up your mind, Joanna dear. You’re holding up Emma, and I’m sure she has plenty to do,” Danny scolded me as if I were a child. He folded the newspaper and tossed it on the table between us. I thought sitting outside in the sunshine would strengthen me; I had not planned on being browbeaten by my manager. I wished he would just speak his mind. He had bad news for me, I could see it all over his handsome face, but as of yet he had not been willing to share it. Dan had become a cold fish since his awkward attempts at kissing me in the dressing room in Los Angeles.
“Then you decide, Dan. As I said, I am not hungry,” I complained in a surprisingly hollow voice. Was I really this sick, or was I merely sick of Dan Petit? It was becoming hard to tell the difference.
Why are you so ungrateful, Joanna? He got you home, didn’t he? And where is Paden now when you need him? Off on another trip; he left you alone. All alone again.
“Miss Storm and I will have the soup, please. Make sure hers has plenty of pepper,” he instructed. “Pepper is good for the blood.”
“No pepper, Emma.” Small victories. Imagine arguing over the menu like two children. I sighed at my current state of affairs. “Please bring me the mail as soon as it arrives.” Dan flinched as if I’d struck him. That struck a nerve. Good. It was good for Danny to remember that I was still the lady of the house here at Morgan’s Rock; I was not his to order around. Yes, he had been there for me in my time of need, but he wasn’t going to treat me like I was his property. I was surprised that he didn’t argue with me as I rather hoped he would, but then again, Danny wasn’t one to reach for the small victories.
He always went for the large ones. The golden rings.
“Perhaps I will receive a letter from Paden today. He promised to write before he returned. I think it would be nice to have a welcome home party. I could use a distraction.”
“Whatever you like, Jo.” Danny picked up his paper again and didn’t say another word. Strange how he never spoke Paden’s name. He never talked to him, not even when they were in the same room. Nor did he wish to talk about Paden even when I very much wanted to.
Ah, Paden. Come home, my love. Surely this business of yours can’t keep you away forever. You know that I need you.
I closed my eyes and daydreamed about the last time he was home with me. My bliss did not last long, for Vivian stepped onto the terrace humming away, her pretty yet pale face in a dusty book. She spoke to me as a formality, but I pretended to be asleep. She didn’t seem to mind.
The world had finally stopped whispering about my disappearance at the Fields of Green premiere. I breathed a sigh of relief at first, but not for long. When you were Hollywood’s Golden Gamma, people had to whisper about you. When you weren’t being whispered about, you were in trouble. And according to the papers, I might be in trouble. Danny assured me that the headlines were just that, headlines meant to shock readers, keep them turning the page, keep them buying the next rag, but there was absolutely no truth or substance to any of the stories. According to the Los Angeles Times, I was facing financial trouble over a contract dispute with Danny. Not true. The New Yorker wrote an awful piece about an affair with my co-star, Trent, which also had absolutely no truth to it. The poor man was newly wed; he didn’t need this kind of speculation. There were other wild stories about my whereabouts, but no one had guessed the awful truth. And then came my fainting spell in the clock tower shortly after my return to Morgan’s Rock last month. Only a handful of people knew what really happened at the premiere and in the clock tower—Danny, Vivian and Paden. And each of those had a vested interest in keeping my secret, but for how long?
What happened now? I had no idea. Doctors couldn’t even agree on my condition. Dr. Collier suggested I take some time off, while the esteemed Dr. Taylor
wanted to sign me up for electrical treatments to tame my brain fluctuations. His words, not mine.
“You’re just tired, Miss Storm. I suspect you have been burning the candle at both ends for a very long time. You need rest.” That was Collier’s advice, boozy old man. I’d been tired before, many times before, and this wasn’t what I experienced. Without the proper diagnosis and the correct medicine, how would I keep my shaking fits under control? The few incidents since returning to Morgan’s Rock thankfully didn’t last long and weren’t as severe as the one in Los Angeles. But the fear of it kept me a prisoner here. At least for now. I dreaded the terrible day when I shook into a frenzy and fell on the ground during an interview. Or what if a director like David Scabaldi found me in my trailer gasping for air and unable to speak, move or perform? No doubt the photographers would be at the ready. I could almost read the headlines.
Golden Gamma Cracks Up
Hollywood Starlet Possessed with Demonic Curse
Silly things to think, Joanna. It’s not a curse. It’s a disease. That had been Dan’s answer when I cried and worried myself that first week home.
“It might as well be a curse. See what my mother passed down to me? She had it too, didn’t she?” And it wasn’t long before Vivian began offering me her concoctions; naturally, I refused them. She studied me now, just as she used to study Mother.
“Didn’t you hear Vivian, dear?” Danny tapped my hand. I saw how it was. He was going to control every detail of my life now. I snatched my hand away and slung back the lap blanket. “What are you doing?”
“I’m going for a walk.”
“Nonsense. Our soup will be here soon,” Danny complained as Vivian poured herself a cup of coffee and smiled at me like a cat. There was no sense in arguing with him, so I just wouldn’t allow myself to engage with him.
“Don’t wait for me.” I picked up my hat from the table. It was a saggy bit of lavender felt with a wide purple ribbon along the edges, but my hair was freshly curled and I didn’t want to ruin my girl’s work. I didn’t normally wear pantsuits, but today was one of those days. And there was the added benefit that Danny hated pants on women. At least he had the good sense not to criticize my wardrobe choice in my current mood.
Yes, a walk would do me good. I felt restless and incredibly unhappy.
I left the two of them whispering on the porch and walked down the dusty lane toward the stables. There were new kittens to see, and Paden’s beloved horse Nobleman would be happy to see me. The stable was a rustic-looking building, especially in comparison to the stone façade that rose behind it, but I liked it. The grass always grew thick and heavy around the fence, and there were always patches of wildflowers and wild onions. It proved an aromatically soothing combination. Because it smelled like Paden.
Sure enough, Nobleman stomped his foot at me. I was happy to see Mr. Lee finishing up his brushing of the magnificent creature. The horse’s black coat shone; he was such a lovely animal. Tall, majestic, almost otherworldly. Yes, he could very well be from another place. As I patted his soft nose, I laid my head against him and listened to him breathe. I wish I had your strength, Nobleman. You’re so strong and beautiful.
Paden had once told me about Enbarr of the Flowing Mane, a mythological beast that carried its rider to his or her greatest desire. But Enbarr could do this only once in each of his many lifetimes. After he fulfilled his master’s or mistress’ wish, he must be reborn.
What say you, Nobleman? Will you grant me my greatest wish? Can you carry me to Paden?
“Please saddle him up, Mr. Lee. I want to go for a ride.”
“Right away, ma’am.” I left him alone and busied myself with playing with the new kittens for a while. Such sweet little creatures but far too small. Too helpless. I kissed the top of one kitten’s head and put the mewling thing back into the basket. Mother Cat would return soon, I hoped, but what if she didn’t? I supposed that would be the end of them. I wouldn’t think about that right now. Nothing nasty and horrible. I watched them play and cavort; Mother Cat did eventually return, and the kittens immediately started fighting for their mother’s milk. Mother Cat looked very unhappy about it all, but she suffered through their demands. The minutes slid by, and I became impatient with Mr. Lee. He hadn’t called me, and I wondered if perhaps he’d gotten distracted and forgotten all about me.
No, there was someone in the stall. I could hear heavy boots walking and a soft voice murmuring to Nobleman. The horse was clearly excited by the visitor.
I didn’t have to get a clear view to see that it was my own dear love. My Paden.
“Is it really you? You’re here in the flesh?”
He wasted no time in taking me in his arms. He removed my horrible hat and ran his hands through my hair. Paden liked touching my hair. His skin felt warm and rough, the hands of a man who knew what a good day’s work meant. Not like Danny at all.
Why must you think of him now, Joanna?
“I’m here. In the flesh. Home for good. And I have something for you. This is why I left, Joanna.” He kissed me and put something in my hand. His breath was in my ear, and I didn’t want to open my eyes. I never wanted to leave this moment. I was strong when Paden held me. I would be strong. We made one another strong. He squeezed my hand, and I could sense that he wanted me to see what it was that he brought me. It was a ring. A lovely ring with a shiny blue sapphire in the center and tiny diamonds all around it.
“Paden? Where did you…”
“It was my grandmother’s, but now it belongs to you if you’ll have me. As your husband.”
Suddenly Paden was on his knee, and his eyes were focused on me with an intensity beyond his usual kind attention.
“Will you marry me? Will you be my wife?”
I gasped in surprise. Could this be happening? Was I dreaming all this?
“Joanna? Your soup is getting cold. Why don’t you come back to the house and eat? Maybe we can go for a ride in the new Seville after, take in some ocean air.” Danny stepped into the stable, and one of Mother Cat’s kittens skittered in front of him. Paden was still on his knee, my hand in his.
Dan’s smiling face darkened immediately. He turned on his heel, leaving me alone with Paden as his shadow fell across us.
As Paden slid the ring on my finger, I muttered my response. But even as Paden held me, I couldn’t shake the sight of that shadow.
Chapter Sixteen
Present Day
I woke up feeling like I’d been run over by a Mack truck. My chest ached, my brain felt fuzzy, and swallowing was a challenge. I shuddered at the vision of Dan’s shadow over what should have been the happiest moment of Joanna’s life. She didn’t know what was to come, but I did.
And to make matters worse, Alex showed up at my door elegantly dressed and sporting his classic you’re never going to believe this grin.
“Can’t this wait? I feel like I’m dying, Alex. Just look at my face. Do you think I have measles?”
“Are you taking that allergy medication I suggested?” I shook the unopened bottle at him and dropped it back in my robe pocket. He wasn’t going to let this go, I could see that. “This won’t take a minute. I just need your signature on this, and then I’ll disappear. Where’s the housekeeper?” Alex stepped inside, closed the door behind him and put the paperwork on the bar.
“I can’t read much less sign anything responsibly. Aren’t you listening? I feel like I’m dying, and I don’t think this is allergy-related.” I plopped down on the barstool and laid my head on the bar. “I haven’t seen a housekeeper, but then again, I’ve practically been in a coma all day.”
“That’s troubling. You’ve got a party coming up, and you don’t even have a housekeeper.”
I lifted my head and reached for the paperwork. “It wasn’t my idea to have a party, Alex. You can’t saddle me with that responsibility. That was your big idea, so I don’t know what to tell you. What is this?”
He leaned against the counter. “It’s only
potentially the biggest deal you’ve ever landed.” He tugged the papers out of my hands and flashed a playful smile. Did he think I was going to beg to see what he brought me? I wasn’t feeling his flirtatiousness. I seriously wanted to crawl back in bed and die quietly. “Maybe I should wait until you’re in a better state of mind. Or mood.”
“I’m certainly not in the right state of mind to sign a movie contract. And for the record, it has nothing to do with my mood. I’m sick, bonehead. I can’t even read a medicine bottle label. Speaking of which, can you open this? I can’t figure it out.” I slid the pill bottle toward him and took the paperwork back. As Alex opened the bottle, I flipped on the light and glanced at the papers.
“It’s not a contract. We’re a ways from that yet, but this is a big deal. Here you go. Need some water?”
“Yes, please. This can’t be right. This is a rights query for my Joanna Storm book. I haven’t even settled on a title yet. Is this a mistake? Am I hallucinating?” I popped a pill in my mouth and sipped a swig of water.
“Not hallucinating. They want the book, Megan. The Joanna Storm book.”
I slapped my forehead and then stared at him. “They haven’t even seen the whole book yet. You aren’t pulling my leg, are you?”
“What they have seen, they like. Call it timing. I mean, the world is about to hit the twenties again. That’s good for business and for your book. And yes, I have to argue that it is good writing. Very good. Just need the ending. Nobody believes you’re going to uncover the bones of the Golden Gamma, but at least put forth your theory. What do you think happened to her? Tell the readers your conclusion, and let’s get this book to the publisher ASAP.”
I tried to glare at him through watery eyes, but I was sure that wasn’t coming through. “I’m writing as fast as I can. And the truth is I don’t know what happened to her, Alex. I thought they were interested in the sequel to The Robin’s Song.”
“I thought so too, and they may still want The Robin’s Cry, but Joanna Storm is the clear favorite at the moment. You hit it out of the park, but we need an ending.”
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