Masquerade in Chaos: Kable VonSable

by M J Hutto

  He sighed, nodded with his eyes closed and grimaced. “I think I followed some of that. So, you and Jaylin are trying to keep you out of trouble and you think Jim might be the root of that trouble. And maybe the root of ours too.”

  I quirked up the corner of my mouth. “Yeah, I knew you weren’t just a pretty face.”

  “Well, he’s at least a concrete suspect, which is more than we’ve had up till now. I’ll check him out and tell Detective Aether your concerns. He’s the lead on this so it’ll ultimately be up to him.”

  He grabbed a piece of sandpaper to help. I wrinkled my nose when he got close.

  “Dude, you stink!”

  He barked out an abrupt laugh and the mood lightened considerably. “You saying you don’t like my new cologne? Eau de trash bin, I can get you some.” He reached over to rub his sleeve down my arm. “There you go, now we match.”

  I pretended to gag. “Ya nasty!”

  He grinned and some of the tension left his shoulders. He was a genuinely happy person. He woke up early, sang and danced, went for runs and managed his stress very well. Seeing him upset meant this was bad, not that two dead bodies didn’t already telegraph that clearly.

  We continued sanding in comfortable silence. There was satisfaction in making the carved words disappear. The real trick would be getting the tabletop even again. Maybe I could do something different with it. I sighed as I ran my hand over the rough surface.

  Dorian patted me on the back. “Buck up, kiddo. This is easy to fix. It could’ve been a lot worse.”

  “He either did this while we were on the phone or while I was on the phone with you. Either way, he was right here, and I had no idea. I can’t ward the shop, or I won’t be able to have customers come and go freely,” I lifted my hands helplessly.

  “I can’t just shut down my business. I don’t want to keep putting Maxine and Reva at risk. I don’t know what I’m going to do yet.”

  We started sanding again. I thought about the problem from a practical and magical standpoint. Maybe I could put a detection charm over the door for malevolence. Would that work? Could I make it detect bad intentions? I thought I could, but I’d have to work on it some. And then someone would have to be there to see it, or maybe I could make it sound an alarm instead. Something ominous but innocuous, like a rattlesnake rattle.

  I started working out the potion and charm. I could use the rattlesnake rattle I’d found in Granda’s things. Maybe some quicksilver, some thyme, the sound of the rattle and a few other things. I could make it rattle when they walked beneath it. Maybe also flash silver.

  I nodded and looked up. Dorian had fallen asleep at the table. I gently woke him up and sent him home. I reminded him to shower before crawling into his bed. He snagged a cookie as he walked out the back and I sighed as he left.

  The table was actually finished. Not completely even yet but once over with the electric sander and I felt it would be good. Maybe the three of us could decorate the table before I stained it. Maybe paint a scene or flowers or a starry sky.

  I wiped down the counter, swept the floor, wiped the glass door, and checked the lock. Tomorrow’s dough was already in the cooler and the sign was flipped to closed.

  I turned off all the lights, walked out and locked the back door. I called out for Jekyll and he met me at the front door, the others close behind.

  I grabbed the snake rattle from the coffee table. Time to do a little inventive spelling.

  21 New Do, New You?

  I woke up the next day, late, with Jaylin standing over me. I burst into laughter, and every time I tried to stop, I looked at her again. My stomach was sore by the time I had myself under control.

  She was standing in front of me dressed in a Victorian era dress, complete with bustle and veiled hat. It was the most obnoxious shade of pink I’d ever seen and had buttons all the way up to her throat. Her arms were crossed over her chest, her booted foot was tapping, and the darkest, most furious scowl was covering her face.

  “Are you done yet?”

  I burst out laughing again. She looked so mad. “They’re your memories! Why are you mad? Aside from the color it’s not bad and you make it look great!”

  Her eyes narrowed and her hands went to her hips. “Do NOT patronize me.”

  I shrugged; she did make it look good.

  “It’s from a damn wedding I was in. My cousin’s stupid wife wanted a Victorian wedding. They both looked amazing. I got stuck with this pink monstrosity. The wedding itself was beautiful, set in the rose gardens at dusk. She chose colors for the bridesmaids to match the roses,” she said in a slow voice with a great deal of eye rolling and hand motions.

  Her scowl was back, darker than before. She waved her hands over the dress. “Beautiful color for a flower, not so much as a dress for me. The lavender turned out beautiful! Her dumb sister got the lavender. I look like an Easter egg!”

  We both giggled and her scowl disappeared. I sat up and she perched on the bed. That was a lot of dress, even in theory.

  “I missed you yesterday.”

  “Yeah, I went to check on our buddy Jon. He does seem to be investigating suspicious deaths and the files I saw were all linked to that drug he was talking about.” She looked at her hands in her lap. “I still don’t remember taking anything. I don’t think I’d do that. I loved who I was, mostly.”

  “It doesn’t seem much like you,” I agreed.

  I filled her in on what I’d learned yesterday. She’d seen the news on Jon’s TV about the new victim but there wasn’t anything about Sabine. Jaylin had never met Sabine, so I told her.

  We discussed the incident in the shop, and she agreed Jim was a problem. Neither of us believed in coincidence so it seemed likely he was the big baddie in my drama. Right??

  I told her about my newest charm and how Dorian and I were going to test the amulet today and how I made a new batch of Placement Potation to give them for trying to locate Sabine and a batch of Leave Me Be to use on Jim if he showed up again.

  She fidgeted on the edge of the bed every few seconds. Her hands pulled at the neckline which came up to her chin. The hat was slightly askew on her head.

  “How old were you for this wedding?”

  “It wasn’t that long ago, I think. A few years before the other outfit. Why?”

  “You were worried about reverse aging. You look pretty much the same to me so maybe it’ll just be the outfits. No going through puberty again.”

  She smiled with her whole face. “Bright side! Good job!!”

  We attempted to high five without success. It was, at least, funny.

  “You think Dorian will share information when he finds you today?”

  “Probably. He’s supposed to check out Jim, so I think he’ll at least share that info.”

  ***

  I needed to test the locating amulet. Jekyll agreed to walk around the block with me a few times even with a leash in place. He didn’t need it, but he was a big guy and people thought Shepherds were mean. He was a little protective, to be fair, but never mean.

  Jekyll, Jaylin, Thibbs and I went out for a walk. I checked the doors to the shop on the way. They were all locked up tight; we wouldn’t open until afternoon today. I stopped to water the plants before we left. Treated them to a little Landslide and Ringling Road. The tea plants would need pruning soon and the mint needed to be harvested.

  We walked out the gate. I waved at the gentleman across the street playing checkers, they waved back. I made a note to put out the day-old goodies for them. The air had a chill to it, when the wind blew it cut through my thin sweater. I should’ve worn a coat. It was hard to tell what it would be like before going out. Some days in December were cold and blustery, others were warm and balmy.

  We cut across the street and walked up a few blocks. There was an open market a few streets over; I could look over the produce. Jaylin was complaining about the ridiculous boots and the bustle. Can anyone else could hear the angry rat-tat of her gait?
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  I found some wonderful winter squash, sweet potatoes, oranges, apples, leeks, and broccoli. The sweet older lady I bought from kissed my cheek when I left the extra money with her for a tip. She cackled when I blushed.

  I asked around about Drex, but no one owned up to knowing him. Dorian found me not far from the market. He was in his car and offered to drive us back. Jekyll, Thibbs and I were enjoying the fresh air, so we declined. He said the amulet led him almost directly to me, the bead pulling in the direction he needed to go. We were both pleased it worked so well on the first try. The shark’s tooth would be even easier to follow.

  I gave him the new potion with instructions to try to use it to find Sabine. He’d need her hair or blood or the like to have it locate her. The knowledge would come in mind pictures, like snapshots. And someone would have to drink it. He made a disgusted face.

  “Never thought I’d be drinking Sabine Fairmont potion. Thank you,” he said lifting the potion and the charm. “Hopefully this will work, and we’ll get her home. And hopefully, I won’t need yours.” He drove away as we went back towards home.

  I took the produce home and then the goodies out in front of the shop with a pot of hot chocolate. I left them there with a sign that said give what you can or take for free. Money wasn’t something I was worried about but hopefully my pot would still be there when I came back.

  Jaylin continued to complain. About the dress, about the absolutely ridiculous shoes, the itchy material, the godforsaken corset and the knickers. The bride had been adamant about the knickers.

  “Where do you even get knickers?” I asked trying not to laugh anymore but it unsuccessfully. She glared at me darkly with murder in her eyes.

  “I don’t know.”

  Jekyll went with his crew to nap in the sunlight. I brewed a pitcher of iced tea, cleaned and steamed the broccoli and made pasta. I made a creamy sauce, added the pasta, the broccoli et voila! Mmm, I love broccoli alfredo! And it made me happy to cook. I needed a little happy.

  Jaylin sat with me at the island and scowled at me while I ate. I tried not to let her bad mood spoil my food. I drank my sweet, iced tea and savored the fresh broccoli. She huffed for what had to be the fifteenth time.

  “What’s you deal? The dress can’t be that uncomfortable if its one of your important memories.”

  She flopped off the chair and began to pace around. “It’s not the dress. I feel useless. I can’t do anything, and that asshole is going to get away with this and there’s nothing I can do. And I hate it. Also, this dress is awful. Just because something is an important memory doesn’t mean it’s a good one.”

  I nodded. “Very true. My apologies. You are helping, though. We’ve marked one person off the list of suspects, Jon. And I think we can mark off Detective Hottie.”

  “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Not that I ever had him as a suspect but why are you so sure now?”

  I shrugged and looked everywhere but at her. “I don’t know…”

  “She been dreamin’ bout the good detective,” Thibbs broke in, pitching his voice in a higher range. “Oh, Detective Hottie, kiss me. Touch me right there. Don’t stop, Detective Hottie.”

  Jaylin stared with mouth hanging open and wide eyes. “You can’t even let yourself call him Achlys in your own damn dreams?”

  I put the cool glass of tea against my burning cheeks. “Thanks for that Thibbs. You could’ve mentioned that in private.”

  He chuckled. “I ain’t told ya da best part yet, cher.”

  I held my breath. “Dat day he was here wit you on da couch. You was talkin’ in ya sleep den too, girl. If I remember correctly, it was somethin’ like, ‘No don’t stop. I want to feel your hands on my skin and taste your lips and…’ Well, he was a gentleman and he got up.”

  I felt the room spin and my throat was closing up. I felt the walls moving in and heard a rushing sound in my ears. How mortifying! How am I going to look him in the face ever again?

  “Oh my God, ohmygod, ohmygod. He knew all that and didn’t say a word.”

  Jaylin was laughing and Thibbs was blinking his light happily. I had my head in my hands and was trying to decide if I ever actually had to talk to him again.

  “Dude! Chill. Did she ever say his name while he was here?”

  Thibbs answered slowly, “No, but-”

  She cut him off. “No buts. He has no idea who you were talking about. And even if he did, clearly, it’s okay. He still talked to you. He probably took it as a compliment.”

  “Yeah, he was gonna kiss me under the mistletoe.”

  “What?!? And you are just now telling me?”

  I drank a gulp of my tea to wet my parched throat. “Well, you haven’t been here. And nothing happened. I waited too long. He thought I didn’t want to kiss him and walked away.” I nodded at Thibbs. “Like a gentleman.”

  I tried to change the subject. “We are way off track here.”

  Her upper lip was curled, her nose crinkled, and eyes squinted. She couldn’t have looked more disgusted with me if I’d eaten raw chicken.

  “Let me get this straight. The beautiful, sexy, gentleman detective asked to kiss you and you hesitated?! Again! You hesitated again!”

  I huffed, my lower lip sticking out childishly. “To be fair, I didn’t hesitate the first time. I was assaulted by an old lady. Aaaaand, I just met this guy. I still don’t know he ISN’T a killer.”

  Jaylin rolled her eyes, “Whatever VonSable. That is an excuse, and you know it. This guy is great! You already said you were ruling him out so cut the crap. Tell her, Thibbs.”

  Thibbs flickered his light. “‘Fraid she’s right, cher. He a gentleman. Even when you was caressing his chest in your sleep, he kept his hands to himself.”

  My mouth fell open, “Wh-, whe-, when I what?”

  He laughed. “You were strokin’ that man like he belonged to you, girl.”

  I tried to melt into the air. What the ever-loving hell?

  “Thibbs, I think maybe you buried the lead, buddy.”

  I swung my head around to stare at them both. My mouth snapped shut which caused me to bite my tongue.

  Jaylin smiled apologetically. “Okay, so he knows you like him. But honestly, it could’ve been a dream about anyone. You don’t dream about a pillow, but you might hug it during a dream, right? On the other hand, he probably does think it wasn’t about him now since you brushed him off,” she said, face scrunched-up and apologetic.

  I stood up straight, shoulders stiff. “I most certainly did not. He barely gave me time to decide before he walked away. I mean really, it was rude.”

  She arched a brow. “Whatever you need to tell yourself, kid.”

  I slumped, groaning. “I know, I know. But there are so many more things to worry about right now. If I can stay alive then I’ll think about how I’ve screwed up my chances with the hot detective.”

  “That man is hotness personified. Thank God for his mildly crooked smile. If he were purely perfect, he’d probably be related to you.”

  I sneered at her, she only shrugged and laughed.

  “I’m just sayin’. Your family are freaks of nature. Hey, did you find out anything in Granda’s stuff?”

  “Oh yeah, I never got to tell you about that. Let me grab the book. Or better yet, let’s go in the living room with the more comfortable furniture.

  She and Thibbs followed me, and I opened the book up to leaf through it. We glanced over several pages before coming to the Crossroads Demon page.

  “Thibbs, is either of those you crossroads demon?”

  “No, no, mine was a man. He was tall and slender and had a bald head. He wore these little coke bottle glasses and walked with a cane. I don’ think he needed one, mind you. I think he just liked the way it looked, same with the glasses. Ain’t never seen a demon what needed glasses.”

  The two demons Granda listed were both females. Maybe they could get me in contact with Thibbs demon. I’d save that thought for another day. We continued to flip through th
e pages until Jaylin saw something that made her stop cold.

  “Kable.”

  “What?”

  “K, K-able.”

  I looked up at her stark face, “What Jaylin? What’s wrong?”

  “Kable.” She pointed at the page, her eyes wide and large, and her pupils huge.

  “Jaylin, you’re scaring me.”

  “Fucking good, because that,”-she pointed at the page again- “is my boss. That is the ‘person’ running the InBetween. That is who sent me to you and told me to save you.”

  We both looked at the picture. Granda had drawn a likeness of the being. I wouldn’t have called them a person. People didn’t tend to have four arms, a mouthful of sharklike teeth or a whip-like tail covered in spines. She, and they were definitely a she based on the shapely image, was terrifying.

  “That is your boss?”

  The audible sound of Jaylin swallowing was the only answer I got. She was staring at the image and description. Granda hadn’t known much about her backstory but he’d apparently had a few dealings with her. He titled her page Lil and she had signed-you know autographed-his book. What the hell Granda? Did Babushka know about this?

  Jaylin sat staring. I sat staring. Thibbs buzzed around, his light randomly going from dim to bright and back. We all seemed a little stunned.

  “So why does your boss care if I live or die?”

  Jaylin shrugged with her whole body, “How the hell should I know? No one tells me shit. Maybe she owes your Granda.”

  I frowned at that thought. Then why wasn’t he here. If she owed him, wouldn’t he have come himself? Of course, he would’ve. Or maybe he wasn’t in the InBetween, maybe he was in a final resting place, happy and peaceful.

  “I could maybe, possibly, if you really wanted, maybe ask. Or maybe we don’t need to know why.”

  Her voice shook when she spoke, and her mouth pulled to one side. She bit her bottom lip and fidgeted on the couch.

  “I don’t think it actually matters why. Unless I’m going to owe a favor to a faery queen or something. That might change things a little bit. You don’t think she is, do you?”