Death Over Easy

by Tawdra Kandle

  “Of course not,” Lucas returned. “But remember that she can hear things, and remember that she’s been observing us for a while. It wouldn’t surprise me if she knows already.”

  There was a soft knock at the door behind us, and Veronica stepped into the kitchen. I tried to compose myself, tried to think of anything but the things I didn’t want her to know. But of course, as these things work, suddenly that was all I could think about.

  “I’m sorry to interrupt.” She smiled at me. “I stood outside on the deck, but finally, I thought I had better come in before your very interested neighbor on the other side called the police.”

  “That’s all right.” I stretched out my hand to her, wondering if she was half as nervous as Cathryn was. “We were just discussing something, but it will keep.” I inclined my head to the doorway. “Shall we?”

  “Hail, hail, the gang’s all here.” Rafe stood up as I came into the living room. Lucas and Veronica were on my heels, and I couldn’t help sneaking a peek at Cathryn’s face. As always, she appeared to be perfectly aloof and serene, showing not even a wit of emotion.

  “We are indeed, and we have beer.” I offered bottles to Rafe and Nell, who both took them gladly, and then after a beat of hesitation, held out a bottle to Cathryn. I fully expected her to decline, as I’d never seen her drink anything less refined than a glass of red wine, but she accepted it and took a deep swig.

  Nervous drinker, much? I thought and then winced when I saw her roll her eyes. I’d never get used to my thoughts not being private around her.

  “Jackie, how’s Mrs. Mac? I’m sorry we weren’t down here for the pageant.” Rafe patted my arm. “I heard that it was pretty eventful.”

  “Oh, you know . . . just attempted murder, near death and a new beauty queen crowned. All in a day’s work.”

  “What happened exactly? Lucas said the murderer was a real estate agent.”

  I nodded. “He’d made a deal with a developer in the area who wanted the land where Golden Rays is located. If Augustus Row could convince a certain percentage of residents to list their homes, this developer was going to buy the houses and pay him a bonus. I guess Augustus had a gambling problem and needed the payout, so he was desperate enough to do anything he could to get that payment.”

  “So it wasn’t connected to the pageant at all?” Nell shook her head. “Crazy.”

  “Apparently not. Row just took advantage of the opportunity of the pageant to try to kill Mrs. Mac. He was also hoping to use the publicity of offing pageant contestants to convince more people to sell their houses.” I shrugged. “Not exactly a very well-thought out or considered plan, but that was his motive.” I glanced up at Veronica, who stood staring at Cathryn. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to get us off-topic.” We all fell silent.

  “Cathryn.” Veronica stepped up next to her granddaughter’s chair. “I’m glad to meet you face-to-face at last.” She extended one pale slim hand.

  For a few awkward seconds, I was afraid Cathryn was going to ignore her, but finally, she took the offered hand.

  “What should I call you? Great Grandmother?”

  The other woman laughed. “Veronica is fine. I shouldn’t like to think of the odd looks we’d get if you called me Grammy out in public, when I don’t look more than a few years older than you are.”

  In reality, of course, Veronica was physically younger than Cathryn. She’d only been about twenty when Diego had turned her. But she was giving her granddaughter a small offering, a gesture of good-will.

  Cathryn nodded. “That was you in Cape May. That night.”

  “It was, and I’m sorry I didn’t make myself known. I was still . . . researching. Learning.” She took a seat on the sofa and smiled at the others. “Rafe and Nell. It’s such a pleasure to meet you both. I’m Veronica Carruthers.”

  “Of course you are,” Nell murmured, but she was smiling. “I’m glad you’re here, actually. It’s nice to have someone more bizarre than me in our group.”

  Veronica laughed again. “I’ll take that for the compliment it’s meant to be. I’m honored to meet such a gifted witch.” Her gaze shifted. “And Rafe . . . you scoundrel. I’m only glad that our paths didn’t cross before now, or I’m sure I would’ve fallen prey to your charms.”

  Rafe cocked one eyebrow. “The good news is that I’m taken now, permanently. But yeah, if we’d met before, I can’t imagine I wouldn’t have gone after you.”

  “All right. Can we stop talking about how you would’ve hit on my grandmother?” Cathryn had an edge in her voice. “We have many things to discuss. Nell, would you please check the perimeter and cast the protections?”

  The witch nodded, and her eyes slid shut. I sat perfectly still, watching as her hands lifted, her fingers twitching. Finally, she opened her eyes and nodded.

  “We’re good. Proceed as you like.”

  Cathryn nodded. “I have a good deal of information to share with you, and then we have plans to make. Let’s start at the beginning.” Her eyes flickered to Veronica. “Thanks to what Veronica has confirmed to us, we know more about the genesis of the demon coming into this world and how it has moved about since that time. We know that the ultimate plan involves a ritual in April, exactly fifty years after the first ceremony, at the time that is the actual prescribed date to bring the entire contingent of demons over into this world. We know that right after the door between worlds has been opened, the rest of their plan will go into action. It involves war, bloodshed and violence. It will spell the end of the world for everyone.

  “Unless we can stop it.”

  Lucas reached for my hand and held it tight. None of this was new, per se, but hearing it stated in such stark, matter of fact terms was all the more chilling. Across the room, Nell blinked at me. She wasn’t flipping out, but there was a glimmer of understanding and compassion in her eyes. I remembered two things then: one, Nell had dealt with this evil before. She’d fought them, and she’d come out the other side. It was true that what she and Rafe had fought was a somewhat lesser, weaker version, but still . . . they’d both survived. And two, Nell’s mother was involved with this group. She’d tried to lure Nell into joining them, and it was only Nell’s connection to Rafe and his love that had saved her.

  “Do we have a plan?” Lucas spoke in an even tone. “And not to be flippant, Cathryn, but do we have a plan that’s more solid than your ‘let’s bring Delia back from the Great Beyond’ plan? Because if you didn’t notice, that one had flaws.”

  “Omnia causa fiunt.” Veronica kept her eyes trained on Cathryn. “Everything happens for a reason. And in this case, the miscalculation is what brought Joss back, isn’t it? As it turns out, I think having her is going to be a great help to our cause.”

  “Really?” I couldn’t quite imagine how this was going to work. “Because last time I checked, Joss was tethered to her townhouse. And being non-corporeal and all, that makes her a little less than handy when it comes to fighting. Also, when we’re talking about everything happening for a reason, I didn’t so much enjoy the being possessed part. I’d like to skip that next time, if no one minds.”

  “If Joss hadn’t come over as she had, and if Delia hadn’t possessed you, we wouldn’t have the information that we do,” Veronica reminded me. “Delia wouldn’t have spoken to anyone else except Joss. I understand that it was a difficult time, but everyone came out on the other side. Now we move on.”

  Across the room, Rafe caught my eye and winked at me. He and I had had long discussions about what had happened to me, and his advice had gone a long way to helping me deal with the aftermath of possession. I knew he understood how I felt better than anyone else in the room.

  “Joss is important and necessary, and we are putting pieces in place that will allow her to move.” Cathryn finished her beer, set the bottle on the floor at her feet, and folded her hands in her lap. “We won’t be safe at the townhouse or even at the Carruthers headquarters in the long run. We’re working on other options. Bett
er ones. But meanwhile, I need you all to prepare. Jackie, Lucas tells me you’ve begun setting up your business to run in your absence. That’s excellent. Rafe has spoken to his grandparents, and we’re attempting to make arrangements for their safety.”

  “What about my family?” I leaned toward Cathryn. “What about my parents, my brothers and their wives and kids, and my friends here? Are you making ‘arrangements’ for them, too?” I knew that Rafe’s grandparents were wealthy bigwigs in their community. They both had extraordinary gifts, as well. But I didn’t see how that made them any more important than my loved ones.

  “Of course we have.” Cathryn’s words were clipped. “There will be agents both here and up in New York who will be guarding your family, and in the event that they were threatened, they would be moved to a safe house. But we’re trying to allow everything to go along as normal for as long as possible. That’s in everyone’s best interest.”

  I nodded. I understood her point, and her rationale was solid, but I’d needed to hear it from her own lips. I’d needed her word that the important people in my life weren’t going to be abandoned if she could help it.

  “The plan that we’re evolving . . . it’s complicated, and it’s going to take time to put into place. Additionally, we’re going to need to recruit people. Carruthers has a large roster of people with amazing, unique talents, but over the years, we’ve focused on those who can use their gifts to help others in some way. That means that we’re somewhat limited. We’ve discovered that there are others out there in the world whom we never dreamed existed. We need some of them to help us. So for the next few months, I’ll be traveling in order to secure commitments from these people.”

  “What are we talking here, Cathryn?” Lucas cocked his head. “Werewolves? Zombies? We’ve already got a witch and two vampires right here.”

  “I’m not going to dignify that question with an answer,” she shot back. “Whoever elects to join us will gather at the appointed time and place. I hope I can talk all of them into fighting with us, but I’m not naïve. I know there are some who will prefer to sit out the fight and see who wins before they choose sides. And I also know some will elect to go with the dark side. There’s an element among the gifted who resent ordinary humans for whatever lack of acceptance or prejudice they’ve experienced in their lives. Those will be intrigued with the idea of a world where the extraordinary have an upper hand, and they won’t listen to reason. They’ll allow their own narrow focus and viewpoints to blind them to the greater good.” She sounded sad, and I felt bad for giving her a hard time earlier.

  It was easy to forget sometimes how hard Cathryn worked and how completely she had dedicated her life thus far to her family’s cause. She was often stiff and cool; she rarely showed emotion. But she was passionate about this fight, and I knew she would sacrifice everything to make sure we were ready when the time came.

  “When and where will we gather?” This time, the question came from Veronica. “And . . . will I be permitted to be part of the planning and the fight? I promise, I’m useful in a battle. I want to help. This is important to me.”

  Cathryn’s hesitation was barely perceptible. “Of course. We need every hand on deck. As to the when and where, that will be sent to you at the right time. In order to preserve the safe parameters, we won’t disclose the location until the very last moment. We don’t want the Hive to attack us before we’re assembled and ready.”

  “Do you really expect an attack?” Nell sounded surprised. “I’d think they’d be so focused on their own plans that they’d mostly ignore us. We’ve been laying low for a while. We haven’t done much to threaten them.”

  “They haven’t been ignoring us, and you know that.” Cathryn sighed. “All the little fires you and Rafe have been working to put out over the last few months have been their attempts at distraction. When they realize that we’re serious, that we’re organizing to challenge them, I expect their human leadership to do anything they can to derail our plans.”

  “I agree.” Rafe nodded. “So you’re going on a recruiting trip, Cathryn. Are you bringing in any other existing agents to supplement the team, or will they be guarding the home front?”

  “Most of our current agents will not be privy to our plans or our location. After what happened with both Emma and Delia, I’m very concerned about the existence of other double agents. Not even the leadership at Harper Creek will know where we are, once we’re in place.” She paused, and her eyes met Rafe’s. “But since I’ve been accused before of hiding things that might upset some of you, I should probably tell you this. After I leave here today, I’ll be making a trip down to King. I’m going to try to convince Tasmyn Vaughn—well, she’s Tasmyn Sawyer now—to join us.”

  I held my breath. I didn’t know Tasmyn, but I knew of her. After Veronica had mentioned her name to us, I’d asked Nell to give me the full scoop on the girl. I understood that her powers were not unlike Nell’s and Cathryn’s; she could hear thoughts, and she could also move objects and practice elemental magic. Unlike Nell and Cathryn, however, Tasmyn had been raised to hide her abilities. It had only been when her family moved to King, Florida, that she began to develop those gifts.

  Of course, it was also in King that Nell had tried to kill Tas while they were still in high school, and where Tasmyn had met Rafe when he moved to town during their senior year. I knew from conversations with Nell that Rafe had fancied himself in love with Tas, and when she’d chosen her boyfriend Michael over him, that heartbreak had launched Rafe on his summer of man-whoring, as he called it.

  I was a little murky on the details, but I’d heard that Nell had redeemed herself by astral projecting back to King from the mental hospital where she’d been committed and helping to save Tasmyn from the crazed witch-teacher who was attempting to kidnap her. The blood ritual that had allowed her to project had also caused her to fall into a deep coma, until Cathryn and some others from Carruthers had worked their mojo to wake her up so that she could save Rafe’s life.

  I thought Nell had made her peace with Tasmyn, but still . . . I wondered how she’d feel about working side-by-side with the woman who was not only her former victim but also her boyfriend’s past love. Of course, I myself had some experience with that, as here in this room were not only one but two of my boyfriend’s ex-lovers. And they were from the same family. How messed up was that?

  Both Cathryn and Veronica swiveled their heads to look at me, nearly identical expressions on their similar faces, reminding me that when two mind-hearers were in the vicinity, my thoughts were not my own. I gave a little shrug. They’d just have to deal with it.

  “I think not asking Tasmyn to help us would be a huge mistake.” Nell crossed her legs. “She’s powerful, and she has that inerrant sense of right and wrong, doesn’t she? Plus, she went up against Ben Ryan. I think she’ll be compelled to want to see this through.”

  Rafe didn’t speak right away, but finally, he nodded. “Nell’s right. Tasmyn’s too strong to leave her on the sidelines. Now, the bigger question will be whether or not she wants in. Last thing I heard was that she was working hard not to use her powers. She left Carruthers after only a few months, and she seems to be focusing on having a normal life.” He slid a glance sideways to Nell. “So she’s married now, is she?”

  Nell shifted. “Apparently so. I’m happy for her. She and Michael deserve to find their happy ending.”

  Rafe muttered something under his breath, but Nell pretended not to hear.

  “Excellent.” Cathryn looked a little relieved. I wondered if she’d been that worried about how Nell and Rafe might react to bringing Tasmyn into our team. “While I’m in King, Rafe, I’m going to stop in to see your grandparents. Ostensibly, I’ll be there to find out if there’s anyone else I should consider inviting to join us, but I’ll also try to talk them into going underground for a time.”

  “Thank you.” Rafe’s mouth twisted into a half-smile. “It won’t work. They’re both stubborn cusses,
and they think we might need them once things get serious, but it means something that you’ll try. I appreciate it.”

  “Where will you go after King?” Veronica touched her granddaughter’s arm. “Is there anything I can do? I’d be happy to travel with you. I still have connections here and there.”

  Cathryn looked grim. “Thanks. After King, I’ll be heading for Ireland. If my mission there succeeds, I’ll feel much better about our chances of winning this battle.” She regarded Veronica for a moment. “How do you feel about a trip to Louisiana? There’s a woman named Sionnach Creven I’d like on our side. I’ve traced her as far as New Orleans. She’s a tough nut, but you could give it a shot, if you wanted.”

  Rafe perked up. “I wouldn’t mind a trip to New Orleans.” He smirked. “I have some very happy memories of that city.”

  “No, Rafe.” Nell’s voice was mild and amused, but her face was adamant. “We have our own mission.”

  He gave an exaggerated sigh. “Everyone else gets to have fun but us.”

  “If we live through this, I promise you a month-long stay in New Orleans, just the two of us. How does that sound?” Nell twined her fingers with Rafe’s.

  “Sounds like heaven.” He smiled, and my heart melted a little. On paper, Rafe and Nell shouldn’t have worked, but damn . . . there was no denying their chemistry.

  “All right then.” Cathryn stood up, gazing at each of us in turn. “Everyone has orders. Stay alert, stay alive and be ready to move on a moment’s notice.”

  “Will you tell me more about this Sionnach I’m to find?” Veronica stood, too, her eyes tentative as she watched Cathryn.

  “Yes, I can give you the rundown on her.” She ran the tip of her tongue across her lips. “Why don’t you ride up to Harper Creek with me? I know my mother wants to meet you, and I can fill you in on everything as we drive. You’re welcome to stay with us as long as you like.”

  Veronica smiled, and it was like the sun rising over the placid sea. I knew she was treading carefully, aware that she couldn’t push Cathryn too far too fast, but her eagerness to interact with her family was so apparent. I was glad that she would have this chance.