Riddles pranced across the room, watched me from a window ledge he’d wiggled his fat butt onto, and then turned his gaze toward the outdoors. His hackles rose, he crouched as best he could on the thin ledge while a low growl mounted in his throat.
Street lamps glowed eerily over the landscape as I peered through the window and gently stroked the cat’s fur. I saw nothing but shadows in the darkness.
I crossed the room, beckoning Riddles softly. “Come on, beasty boy, let’s go upstairs and relax. It’s been a long, tiresome day, and I’ve about had it.”
The cat plunked up the stairs behind me and scooted through the door before it was hardly open enough to abide his portly body. In the apartment, I chuckled at Riddles as he sprawled on the bed. I ruffled his fur, showered, and readied for bed. Four o’clock would come way too soon.
I turned toward the kitchen table and stopped. Two days’ worth of mail awaited me and I hadn’t even picked up that day’s mail from the post box at the entry to the Junction. Weary and uninterested in traipsing out to get it, I sighed, headed toward the pile waiting on the desk, and settled in for a bit of light reading before I went to bed.
Interrupted by the phone, I grinned when I saw the caller’s name that ran across the screen. “Hello, Devin,” I said cheerfully, happy he’d called a second time.
“That name, Calis, has been nagging the crap out of me. His name may not be Calis, but Carlos, C-A-R-L-O-S. I learned he’s the farmer’s son, the man who owned the property between you and Arianna, as well as the fields beyond that strip of forest.”
“That name sounds Spanish. Carlos spoken with a Maine accent could definitely be mispronounced Calis. What else did you remember?”
“His mother was from Mexico, and named him after her father. The kid was quite a character in school and is a year or two younger than me. He was always in the principal’s office for one offense or another, but he got along well with Arianna. The upshot is, he had a flair for drama at that time and went off to drama school in Boston after he’d graduated high school. He acted on stage all over the country, at least that’s what I heard. Now that his father is gone, Carlos has undoubtedly inherited the land and all that goes with it. I can’t see him becoming a farmer, though – not by any stretch of the imagination. Carlos always wandered those woods and as he got older, he wanted his father to buy the land you own, but the old guy refused. I never did know why.”
“Gosh, I can’t believe that he might just be doing this whole act to get me to move out so he can have the property at last. I wonder why he wants it?”
“Might it have something to do with the faeries?” Devin asked.
An idea popped into my head and I said, “I think he more likely wants to do something different with the forested land. Stephanie mentioned Carlos’s father’s will had made it impossible for anyone to build on the property which likely meant he’d use my property for one thing and intended his father’s land for something else.”
“You could be right, and from the sound of excitement in your voice, I know you’ll find out what’s true. Just be careful and don’t take unnecessary chances like you have in the past, Luna. I’ll get home as soon as I can.”
We talked a bit more about inane things before hanging up.
Chapter 10
Readied for delivery, trays of fresh, scrumptious, colorful cupcakes rode upward in the dumbwaiter. Annie unloaded them while I prepared the next set of trays for their journey. This went on for a half hour before all the delicate morsels were upstairs.
Taking the basement steps two at a time, I reached the kitchen and assisted in setting the final two trays of cakes in the glass cases. Row upon row of tasty creations waited for patrons to gobble them up. Standing in front of each case, I studied the array and suggested some cakes be moved around. Annie smirked and remarked my Van Gogh flair must have kicked in this morning. I snickered and helped gather urns of tea, ice water and lemons, and serving trays, in anticipation of another busy day.
Never disappointed with the flow of consumers, today was no different. By early afternoon, the crowds had abated, leaving the four of us to clear tables, set the dishwasher running again, and I checked the giftware stock for replacements needed. The list I’d begun to make grew steadily as I added items to each line. With a glance into the tea room, I plucked the phone off its cradle and dialed the various artisans I wanted to place orders with. It took a good half hour to catch up with everyone who sold merchandise to me. With a sigh, I finally finished the process and returned to the dining area.
The rear door stood ajar. Annie and Leslie could be heard laughing and chatting on the back porch. I glanced around for Dilly and found she was in the kitchen preparing fresh tea. I leaned against the doorjamb. I pointed in the direction of the farmer’s land and murmured softly, “Did you happen to hear if the farmer – you know the old guy who owned the land across the back of my property – has a son named Carlos?”
Walking with the tea urn midway from the sink to the counter, Dilly stopped and thought for a second. “Now that you ask, somebody mentioned the farmer had passed on and his son was coming in from Chicago, or someplace like that, to take over running the farm.”
“Maybe he’s arrived,” I wondered aloud.
Dilly perked up, gave me her full attention, and asked, “Why do you want to know?”
“I spoke to Devin last night and mentioned the farmer. He told me about the man’s son and that he’s an actor.” I shrugged nonchalantly, as though I couldn’t have cared, which incited Dilly to start gossiping.
“He was in trouble all the time in high school. He and that Arianna woman were in cahoots at every turn. Arianna didn’t have many friends, other than him. I always thought those two had something to do with her folk’s house burning down, and them dying in the fire. Sad, that.” Dill shook her head, looked sad for a fraction of a second, and then went on. “That girl built another house right on top of the one that burnt down,” she said.
“But I thought her house was an old family home. It has warped floor boards, post-and-beam construction and even old windows. The fireplace, too, for that matter,” I remarked in surprise.
“The only thing old about that place is the materials used to build it. Arianna was determined to have an old homestead, and had her builder search high and low for old buildings from places that had been demolished and the wood and such, saved. When he found the right stuff, she had him use it for her house.” Dilly shook her head again. “Nothing old about the place, nothing but building supplies. She’s a wacko, that one. No one could ever prove that she, or Carlos, had anything to do with the fire, but she works with fire, don’t she?” Dilly remarked vehemently.
Having summed up the situation as she saw it, Dilly set the tea urn to heat and wiped her hands on a towel. She stepped past me with a nod of what I thought might be satisfaction, whether for a good job done, or a tale well-told, I couldn’t tell.
As she reached the back door, Dilly asked over her shoulder, “When’s Devin coming back?”
I smiled and said, “Mid-week, I can hardly wait to see him.”
She glanced back with a raised brow and harrumphed as she swung the screen door open, passed Annie in the doorway, and joined Leslie on the porch. Annie and I stared at one another for a second before I crooked a finger and motioned her into the tea room.
“What’s up?” Annie asked.
Quickly, I repeated what Dilly had said. The more she heard, the wider her eyes became until I thought they might pop from their sockets. “What do you think about that?” I asked.
Annie sniffed. “Those two will need close watching. I think there’s definitely something mysterious afoot, don’t you?”
I nodded.
“Did I hear you say Devin was coming back next week?”
“Uh huh, and I’m so happy, I danced all over this room last night. Riddles thought I was crazy.” I chuckled and then, on a more serious note, whispered, “I think someone was outside in
the dark last night. Riddles attacked Calis when he strolled up to the porch last evening. Angry about the cat attack, he left right after I disengaged Riddles from his jacket. Later on, I was puttering around the dining room while Riddles sat on the window ledge. He growled and stared outside, but I couldn’t see anyone. Riddles just doesn’t take to him so I think you might be right about Calis hanging about at night.”
Her voice laced with a touch of anger, Annie burst out, “Stalking, that’s what he’s doing. Would you like me to stay with you at night until Devin arrives home? I could do that, ya know.”
“Thank you, Annie, but it isn’t necessary,” I assured her. “I’ll be fine, and it won’t be long before we have Devin to sort out what’s happening. I certainly don’t have the time or energy to do figure it all out.”
“Glad to hear it, just remember that if you need me, I’m but a phone call away.” Annie glanced over my shoulder, rubbed her hands together and said, “Let’s get ready. Here comes a slew of school kids and their mothers.”
“Right,” I said and stepped behind the cupcake cases and smiled at the people who lined up to order.
* * *
The help had gone, the dining room needed straightening, and table cloths were jumbled in a pile for washing. I’d begin to wonder if Calis would show up since he’d been absent during the day. His anger over Riddles attack swept through my mind and I snickered over the memory of how Riddles had draped himself and hung down the front of Calis’s jacket. While I’d disengaged the cat, he’d growled at Calis, who had complained over the beast.
I scurried upstairs to the apartment and opened the door to find Riddles more than ready to go outside. He flew past, took a flying leap down the staircase, and waited at the back door to go out. A second after I opened the back door, he scrambled after whatever moved in the yard. I stepped out behind him and saw the blue faerie alight on a nearby hydrangea whose flower petals had turned brownish for the season. With her iridescent wings folded, she sat there, immobile, while the cat jumped from the top step to land on the path and saunter into the bushes.
“Hello, sweet faerie. Do you wait for me?” I asked gently and leaned on the porch rail.
Her lovely face turned to me, she said, “Wait, I do. Much news, I have.” Her wings unfurled and she fluttered closer, settling on my outstretched hand and said, “Soon, trouble comes, a would-be faerie’s cause for fun, it is. A friend of the man, she is. Dark times approach, stopped they must be.”
“Are they working together?”
Her wide, slanted gaze settled on my own as she nodded. “Be fooled not by them. In danger we are, of losing our home.”
The faerie slid her glance to the right and winged upward from the palm of my hand. “He comes. Beware, sweet Luna,” she said and flew away.
A wide yawn escaped me as Calis came into view. Was I tired from working all day, or was it from all the shenanigans taking place? At this point, it was hard to tell. I turned to him as he climbed the porch steps.
“Having a faerie chat?” he asked in a sly tone.
“I was catching up on the latest weather report. The faeries keep me posted, you know,” I answered with a smile.
“Mm, I thought she might be filling your head with foolishness. They are a wily bunch, especially those who live in these parts.” He waved toward the copse of trees just beyond the path.
“It is their home and as such, I give them the respect that I want in return. You might try that sometime,” I shot back.
“Testy tonight, are we?” Calis smirked and took a seat in one of the chairs.
“Not at all. Frankly, I’m tired of the games being played, the people playing them, and the energy it takes to keep up with the idiocy of it all.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Calis remarked.
I snorted. “You know quite well what I mean. I’m no fool, Calis. I realize your name isn’t Calis and that you have an agenda all your own––”
“I have no such thing, other than watching out for the faeries. Surely you know that by now,” he interrupted.
“Your act has become a bit old. You couldn’t care less for the faeries and even more importantly, you’d like to be rid of them for reasons of your own, and this nonsense has to stop. I wish I knew exactly what you’re after and how Arianna fits into the scheme of things.” I stepped away from the rail I’d been leaning against and opened the entry door.
As I stepped inside, Calis murmured, “You should watch what you wish for, Luna.”
I stiffened at his words, glanced over my shoulder, and saw he’d left the porch and strode along the path, away from the shop. I shrugged, continued inside, and let the door slam behind me. Enough with his games, I had work to do that didn’t include him or Arianna.
Scrubbing and stacking cupcake trays, I worked through my aggravation. When all was clean, I sent the trays down to the creation station in the dumbwaiter and started down the stairs. I’d opened the basement door when a yowl caught my attention.
Another yowl followed the first and continued until I opened the door. Riddles wanted in, and before I could open the door to let him in, he yowled once again.
“All right, already. Just a minute,” I muttered as I swung the door open.
He pranced past, his head held high, and proceeded to beat me to the basement stairs without a backward glance. I peered after him, then turned toward the backyard. Movement in the stand of trees caught my eye.
A sense of panic shot through me. I gawked as the bushes rustled and straggling leaves on the trees began to jiggle. Grasping the door hand tightly, I moved backward slightly, ready to slam and lock the door, when a pixie came into view. With a wide smile, he beckoned to me.
I raised a finger and said, “One minute, pixie.” I raced into the gift shop, grabbed some ribbon scraps from the trash basket and went to meet the little mischief-maker.
He stood in the same spot as I’d left him, still smiling. His eyes sparkled with glee when he saw my offerings. From the edge of the path, I tossed them to him. The pixies and I never get too close to one another, especially since none of us truly trust the other not to play a prank. While I’m not a prankster, it’s well-known that pixies are.
Greedily, he sprang forward, clutching the bits to his chest. I grinned at his gleeful laughter. Once the pixie had studied his gifts, he turned his gaze toward mine.
“Some time since we’ve met, it has been, good woman,” he said in a lilting tone, similar to the faeries song-like speech pattern.
“Indeed, pixie. What brings you here this day?” I countered.
“News from across the way, I have.” The pixie tipped his head toward the direction in which Arianna lived. “Misled you have been. Where the glass maker works, no pixie stands guard. Great her magic is, pure her nature is not, nor kind is she. Unlike you, generous she will never be,” he said with a serious demeanor.
“What can be done about this, I wonder?"
“On your toes, you must be, or lose ourselves and our homes, we all might,” the pixie warned. “Do what we pixies can, we will.” With that, the pixie once again appraised his treasures, then bowed, and was gone.
His words worried me. I’d been warned twice, in a short space of time, to stay alert and watch my back. Devin couldn’t get home fast enough to help me with all this. I clicked the door lock in place on the inside door, and went to the creation station while I tried to focus on the upcoming cupcake menus for the next few days.
Table cloths tumbled in the dryer while I browsed cake and frosting flavorings. I scribbled notes on a pad for what cupcakes might please the customers, and ensured all the ingredients were on hand to make them. Thank goodness the delivery truck would bring supplies in the morning; I was running seriously low on flavorings.
The dryer alarm buzzed, signaling the load was done. I pulled the cloths from the tumbler and ironed slight wrinkles from each one before taking them upstairs to dress the tables. I thought about Calis, Arianna
, and the warnings from the fae. Had I been in danger all this time without realizing it? Were the fae and I targeted by those who’d benefit most by displacing us. The deeper I thought, the clearer the picture became.
If Arianna had truly burned her parents out of their home, the threat to my life and livelihood could be extremely serious. Carlos, or Calis, was no better. He had his own agenda, which, when all was said and done, might or might not include Arianna. Could he want the woods and the Junction property for his own gain? How did Arianna fit into that scheme? Was Calis using her because she had no qualms where murder was concerned?
They didn’t seem to get along whenever I was present, but, if Calis was Carlos, his acting skills would come to the fore, right? I sighed, rubbed my forehead, and felt the weight of the situation drag me down.
The day’s receipts sat on the kitchen counter awaiting deposit. Rolling my shoulders backward and forward, I eased the stiffness out of the back of my neck before I drove to the bank. I swung the car through the night deposit lane and slid the zippered folio into the slot. I glanced at the clock, figured it was early enough for a visit, and called Annie on my cell phone to ask if an impromptu visit was okay.
“Sure, come on over. Have you eaten yet? I can fix you some supper, if you’d like,” Annie offered.
Definitely hungry, I agreed to the offer and scooted toward her house. By the time I arrived, inviting lights glowed from her windows. Annie waited at the door as I sauntered up the walk.
Taking in my attire, Annie asked, “You’ve been working since we left, haven’t you?”
I glanced down at my work clothes and grinned. “Indeed, I have. The place doesn’t run by itself, and it’s a pleasure to delve into hard work, especially with Devin away.”
“You aren’t going to Massachusetts this weekend, then?”
“Since he’ll be home by Wednesday, I didn’t mention the trip.” I grinned. “I wasn’t willing to give him the chance to renege on his decision. For a while there, he was insisting I shut down the Junction and move out there, to be closer to Ida and William. I said thanks, but no thanks. How could I leave this place, it’s like I was born to be here?”
Faerie Dust Dead (The Luna Devere Series Book 2) Page 10