by Vega Lizzie
“That so sad,” Shannon thought as she remembered the Henderson’s oldest son, “Chris was kinda cool.”
“He left town when his Dad died. Sold off the business and the house as well. Took his Mom to Denver.”
“He said he’d never leave town. That’s weird.”
“Mmmm, he had zero history of heart disease,” her father responded. “then, John Dunham?”
Shannon instantly recognized the name of the neighbor up the road and looked up at her father hesitantly, “Not him too?”
“Yep, but not before he lost his business, just depends on whether or not you count the scandal that went with it. Heart attack. His wife left town as well. He had grown a bit large for his health but nothing a few months in the gym wouldn’t have taken care of.”
He was quiet for a moment, then shrugged and continued, “I know it’s not a coincidence. There are two more. Mysterious or at least unexpected situations that have caused men in my business circles to die or be ruined financially where they are forced to liquidate their assets and put their land up for sale.”
Shannon closed her eyes, “We’ve had a run of coincidences back in the cities too. I try not to leave any stones unturned these days.” From a financial point of view, Shannon was already lining up Marcus in her head.
“Who is buying the land?”
He smirked and Shannon’s heart thudded in her chest. His long-honed mixture of sarcasm and intrigue was something she had found herself missing. She thought of Terra. If there was a legal angle to be explored, she would be key. Without hesitation, her thoughts went to Robbie. It was as if her entire life was starting over.
“It started with a local firm, but a few weeks after the purchase, the building burned to the ground. A local developer but I didn’t really know him very well.”
“Is he still with us?” Shannon asked, almost knowing the answer.
“Died in the fire.”
“Okay,” she said as she closed the binder on her lap, “How much has Iris told you?” She stood up, tucking the book under her arm, “I’d like to borrow this, if you don’t mind. So, what did she tell you about what we can do?”
“Very little to be honest. She felt it was important that I hear everything from you. That you experienced things when you were younger tells me a couple things but…what she did in the restaurant that day. I just about keeled over right there.”
“I’ll bet,” Shannon said but her face was sober. “Do you know about the hierarchies?”
“Iris called it graduation for magicians. I’m almost afraid to ask.” He winced but, again, his little smirk had returned.
“No, you’re not afraid,” Shannon said sharply, then pointed to his miniature library, “and you’re curious as hell to find out.” She took a step toward him and he reared back, “You better be super up front with me because if you’re not and there is some other agenda here…”
“They want the land, Shannon. That’s all it is, but a few years ago, well…it’s worthless scrub.” He shrugged, “I said no…then I sorta said hell no.”
“That someone would kill for?” Shannon said incredulously, “try again.”
Her father was quick to defend himself, “I’m serious. It’s a few hundred acres just west of town. No roads, no commercial value at all. We all bought some, thinking the oil boom would be good to us.”
“Oil?” Shannon responded, “that’s interesting. Any drilling or exploration out there?”
“None,” he responded quietly. “once in a while there would be a truck or two with a team looking around. They strayed on to my, er our sections and that’s when I got vocal about it. That’s when the trouble started.”
He stopped looking up at her face. His eyes were on her hands as a ball of wobbling energy began to spin around her knuckles. A quiet hum from her arms drowned out the buzzing of the fluorescent lighting from the ceiling. As the energy surged around her hand, the lights above them flickered.
Shannon took two steps back. “I started small, then I was kinda forced to wait for a few years to regain what I lost.” She looked at her father, “Why not just sell the land and the mineral rights and pocket the profits? Buy a boat? Better yet, take Mom on a cruise or something.”
Flexing her fingers, she triggered a small release of power from her hands. It thudded into the concrete floor of the garage, rattling the steel building. Her father jumped back off his chair. While not directed at him, the pulse had his eyes wide and focused on his daughter. “That’s amazing. I uh, we didn’t want to…I mean there was a little financial competition to it, I guess. The restaurant makes money, but not the big bucks.”
“Boys,” Shannon sighed, shaking her head, “That’s nothing. Come with me.”
He was quick to follow her out of the garage and into the back yard. Away from the glare of the yard light, Shannon quickly manifested another energy orb and held it on her fingertip. Glowing softly in the darkness, her father looked on in fascination. As it increased in diameter, he backed up. She stood there, the old family binder tucked under her arm, so casually, her father looked startled.
“Dad, this is little stuff. Between Terra and I, speaking of coincidences, we can manifest a great deal of power in a moment’s notice. I need to know who you are mixed up with and why they are after you. What turns a land deal, worthless land, deadly?”
She released the glowing ball and it drifted down to the grass like a shimmering soap bubble. “I want a detailed list of everyone you suspect is involved with your situation. I will make very subtle inquiries…very secret inquiries.” With a twist of her wrist the energy ball drove into the ground with a double thump of reverberation.
“Little stuff,” her father repeated, “Jesus H Christ.”
“There are people all over the world, Dad, both of the Light and the Dark. What you describe has a sadly familiar ring to it and I’m going to find out what I can.” Again, as she traced her fingers in front of him, a small green orb hovered a few inches away from him. “The books that you have in the garage are quite the collection. I get you’re a rock-hound, so am I, but you have a couple of references in there that I would like a friend of mine to inspect. Is that alright with you?”
“Yes, of course. I don’t have any idea what’s in most of them. I just thought, the weirder the better if I was going to understand what might be going on.” His eyes stayed fixed on the glowing orb as it began to pulse and sparkle, “It’s beautiful.”
“Yes, it is,” she agreed, “I’d much prefer to keep it in this level.” The orb began to flutter and rose a few feet above their heads. “The map that you have built in the garage also closely replicates, among other things, a fourteenth century battle between the Scots and the English Army. Did you just dream that up?”
“It’s what?” he asked, his voice barely a whisper, “It’s the mountain range that we drove to. It’s the shining peaks. How do you know about the English thing? My God, Shannon. That’s incredible.”
“I know stuff, Dad. I always have. Now more than ever. Do me a favor, please?” Again, her casual tone surprised him. He was witnessing his daughter’s confidence first-hand.
“Of course.”
“Two favors actually. Take a big step back and bend your knees a little.”
He stepped back quickly and even in the soft glow of the evening sky she could see the look on his face. She hadn’t exactly wanted to come back and show off, but the opportunity had suddenly presented itself. Pointing to the grass, she spoke quietly, “Terra quaerere.” The green ball of light twisted instantly into a pointed green shard of glass, then drove itself into the ground at his feet. The percussion from the impact was enough to shake him as the fragment disappeared into the ground without a trace.
Harris caught himself reaching for the spot where the light had stabbed into the earth, “Maybe not?” he asked softly.
“Not for a while,” she smiled, “I generate most of my power from the earth. Sometimes I like to give some back. You mi
ght need some grass seed in that spot, like next year.”
“Oh, okay,” he smiled, still shaking, “I like that. What’s the other favor?”
“Is the old fishing spot still decent?”
“Um, wow Shannon we haven’t been up there forever. Actually, it’s better than ever.”
“Good. Why not take your granddaughter fishing. Tell her I said it was okay to talk about her skills with geometry. She’ll know what you mean.”
“I’d like that a lot. Why geometry? Is she a math whiz?”
“Oh yes. Very much so in the conventional sense. But what I just showed you? She can do it differently.”
“Do you want to come with?” he asked, “I would really like that too.”
“Next time, Dad. It’s fine. Maybe we can all go.” She turned toward the house, “I’m gonna go catch up with the ladies. Get to work on that list and,” she grinned at him, “and don’t worry, I know what I’m doing.”
“I’m not worried. I just wish I could be of more help.”
“We’ll be okay. All of us. Part of this trip was to get some downtime from an incident that happened in the cities. That one worked out pretty well.”
“I hadn’t heard of anything out there,” he responded. Shannon knew from his voice that he was trying his best not to ask too much.
“That’s because it worked out. Might be something simple to get you back on track, Pops. I’m happy to help. Why not close up the shop for tonight and come grab a movie with us. See if Ollie is up for fishing.” Shannon smirked, “She likes to sleep in, if you catch my drift.”
He chuckled, “How early should I pick her up? Five-ish?”
“Nah, maybe not that early. She’s not really a morning person. Six would be good.”
He laughed heartily, “Do you find, once in a while, it’s kinda fun to mess with your kid a little?”
It was such a gentle question. One that, had she heard it as a teenager, she would not been able to understand the concept let alone to agree with an answer. She looked at him for a long time before answering. He had, in his own way, allowed her to strike out on her own early in life. While the path for Shannon had been brutally hard at times. At that very moment, she began to think it all may have been worth it.
“Thanks, Dad. Yes, it is fun,” she answered finally, “But I’ll warn you now, that Ollie’s sense of humor can be advanced. She’ll start a joke and then wait forever to drop the punchline. Just a heads up, she’s fast. Get her laughing and you won’t catch a single fish.”
“I’m gonna go power down the garage,” he grinned, “I don’t give a hoot about catching fish. She’ll have a fun time even if we don’t get a nibble. I’m sure it will be memorable. I’ll only be a couple minutes. Find a rom-com or something your mom would like.”
“Rom-com,” Shannon repeated as she went up the back steps, “My God, who is he?”
Chapter 5
Walking into the kitchen, Shannon’s bemused headshaking confused Terra, but Martha was quick to recognize it. “Seems like things went okay?”
“They did.” She caught Terra’s eye, “We had a little moment, or at least I certainly did. Things will get interesting for sure.” Shannon looked at her daughter, “He’s got a request for you. I think you’ll like it.”
Olivia’s eyes widened, “Horseback riding?” Now Terra’s eyes got big, “That’d be so cool if we all go. What a great idea.” She was so excited that Shannon started to laugh, “Great idea, yes…afternoon, um late afternoon…sorta. I’ll set up the ride, but-”
“Miss Olivia,” Harris boomed as he walked into the kitchen, interrupting the enthusiasm, but as he hunched down to the kitchen table to get eye-level with his granddaughter, “I know of a secret place…”
Her eyes widened along with her grin, “Cool, we’re good with those.”
“Oh no, this is just for you and me.” He looked up at Terra, “Next time sweetie, I promise.” He turned back to Olivia, “Where the trout are gigantic and there are too many of them. Would you like to go fishing with me?”
“Serious?” she gasped, as Shannon and Terra burst out laughing, “Yes.”
“You’ll have to get up early.”
“Oh, um…”
“Not that early. There’s a great café on the way. We’ll have breakfast and then go.”
Enthusiasm restored, the fist pump followed, “Yesss. Mom, I’m going fishing.”
“I know, right?” Shannon snickered, “then riding in the afternoon has been mentioned, Dad, so not the whole day, okay?”
“Perfect, then we’ll head over to the restaurant after you get back and eat like kings. I’m gonna do it up big. Let’s find a movie to watch.”
Terra caught Shannon’s expression as she reacted to her father’s ideas. It was if the normality of the conversation was too much for her. She cleared her throat softly and tipped her head to Shannon, “Wanna show me your old room?”
Shannon seemed relieved to hear the question. Terra also looked to Olivia and got a nod of her head before she engaged her grandfather in an old knock-knock joke. Taking advantage of the giggling diversion, Terra dragged Shannon down the hallway and shoved her playfully into her old bedroom.
“You looked like you could use a little break from all of this…kinda wonderful stuff.” She closed the door, then backed Shannon up against the foot of her twin-size bed, “I’d like to chew on your lower lip for a minute or two if you have no objections?”
“Mmmm, you know me so well,” Shannon smiled as she put her arms around Terra, “No objections but let’s not get carried away. Thanks for the rescue. I remember this room as bigger.”
Terra kissed her on the lips then wrapped her arms around her, “I’ll hold you still,” she whispered, “just how you like.”
“Perfect,” Shannon responded, “I think I scared my Dad a little. For a minute he looked like a little kid.”
“It’s been a long time for both of you. Just let stuff happen, Shan. Don’t push yourself.” Just then they heard a burst of laughter from the dining room, Olivia had her grandparents in stitches, “Ollie’s noticed it too, just so you know.”
“I’m a wreck, aren’t I?”
Terra only chuckled and squeezed her tighter, “Never a wreck, for sure.” Suddenly she gasped, “What…what is this I see?” With another kiss, Terra gently broke away and went to a shelf above Shannon’s white hoop headboard, “I see a trophy or two,” she looked to Shannon with nefarious grin, “I see blackmail material. I believe I was teased at my aunt Dana’s house.”
Shannon just shook her head, “Okay track star, you’re on.”
“What was it,” Terra teased, “spelling bee or participation medal…I showed up participation medal thing?”
Shannon cocked her eyebrow as Terra had her fun and waited until she read the first plate on the little trophy. She looked back at Shannon, “Seriously. Second place for bareback riding? That’s amazing.” She picked up a second one and anticipating another playful dig, Shannon stepped to the closet and slowly slid the bifold doors open, “I’ll admit they are little, but c’mon, it’s a little shelf.”
Terra only had to glance at the shelves that lined the closet, “Holy shit,” and rushed to the display of treasure. She picked up a three-foot tall silver trophy from the lowest shelf, “First place, first place, best of show, Jeezuz, Shan.”
Again, the eyebrow went up with a sly smile, “There’s one in the lower level that’s a little bigger than these.” Shannon winked, “I can do amazing things with an experienced thoroughbred between my legs.”
“Oh…oh my. That was…you can’t imagine what I just thought in my head. We gotta ditch Ollie tonight, I’ll spring for another room…wow.”
Shannon laughed, “You’re so sweet.” She laughed then looked back into the closet, “This brings back a lot of memories. Mom kept all of this stuff.” She reached up and took an old school binder down from the shelf, “I did art stuff and doodles,” she shrugged, “can’t believ
e she’s kept all of this.”
Terra took an excited step toward the door, “I gotta get Ollie, she needs to see this. You’re amazing. She needs to know about all of this.”
“That I’m amazing? Really?” Shannon joked, but then she sighed, “maybe tomorrow, okay? She’s having fun and I don’t want to take her away from them.” She straightened her shoulders, “Kiss me again and then we’ll go hang with them.”
“Okay, but I’m gonna go look for that big trophy, you know that, right?”
“What, you’re a size queen now?” Shannon grinned, “You can sit next to me on the sofa during the movie. Maybe we can cuddle under a blanket.”
“Deal.” Terra snickered but again caught Shannon’s faraway look, “I’ll go see what they’re up to. Leave you with your treasures for a minute.”
Shannon fanned her hands to her face, “Just for like two minutes, then I’ll be out. Thank you.”
Terra looked back as she opened the bedroom door, “Thoroughbred…wow.”
Shannon grinned as she listened to Terra’s deep chuckle going down the hall. With a soft smile, she opened the old binder and flipped through the wide-lined pages until she came to an old doodle from her junior high days. She sighed and nodded her head in recognition.
Walking quickly through the foyer, she put the binder under the notebook from her father, covering them inconspicuously with her jacket. She went into the spacious entertainment room to join her waiting family.
Chapter 6
“Grampa, look,” Olivia pointed across the hidden bay at the end of the small lake. As the sun had come up over the trees surrounding the little inlet, it uncovered a stealthy secret observer.
“A great blue heron,” her grandfather whispered, “he moved out of the bulrushes about a half hour ago. Watch his head.”
“He looks like a sculpture,” she whispered back, “I’m so gonna draw him when we get home.”