by Kezzy Sparks
I buzz him at the door, and instantly he lets me in. On one level, I am very pleased I’ll get to see him, but on another I feel guilty that I will later be doing something I can’t first discuss with him to see if he agrees. For now, though, I suppress the guilt and savor the hot liquid need building in me. Love is such a great thing.
I enter his apartment. Kay is in a white sleeveless T-shirt and blue shorts. I hug him and his hold is warm and tight to the extent I feel the blood pulsing in his veins. Soon he releases me, however, and I sense again that restraint in him that says you can’t take advantage of someone who just suffered an ordeal.
“You strong enough to drive yet?” He repeats a question he asked maybe three or four times earlier on the phone.
“Like you can see,” I reply.
“I am still very concerned.” His gaze is disconcerting.
“I am fit,” I declare.
“What did I rent the Nissan for? Don’t make me feel guilty like this, please.”
“Don’t worry, it’s me who planned it that way.”
He leads me to the couches and takes a seat beside me. I am awed by his masculinity. Although his face is narrow, he has a strong jaw and a sharp nose. Very manish. Oh God, I love that look.
“I have something for you.” He plucks a rose from behind a seat cushion and hands it to me.
“Are you now a wizard?” I say, joking about how he can suddenly whip out something so living and beautiful and fresh from a dead couch. “You turn leather into flowers.”
He kisses me on the cheek, and his lips are warm and soft.
We sit and chill out with some diet sodas, but eventually it’s time for me to lay the trap.
“I’ll be back soon,” I say. “Don’t lock the door.”
“Where are you going?” Concern again is plastered on his face. He doesn't, though, try to stop me getting out alone, and I guess he knows a wizardess ought to be allowed to run a few errands on her own.
“Make sure you have your phone,” he says.
“Yes, sweetie,” I say and then quickly get down.
The whole front court is supposed to be well lit by fluorescents, but they aren’t doing such a great job of it. Some tubes are burnt outright, while some only flicker. The partial darkness, however, makes the work of a huntress easier when she doesn’t wish to be seen carrying out her act.
Laying the Alcatraz involves walking along the borders of a trapezoid with the oaken scepter pointing down, while making utterances in the Quimglich magical language. Busily, I start from the northeast, and lay the web thick.
“I bind anyone who wants to hurt Kay, and me...” I chant as I go along.
I’m in my own element here as I cast the trapezoid. While I proceed, I am now seized by a feeling that I’m doing this for family—that Kay and I are meant to be one. A cozy warmth wells up again in my belly and rises sweetly to my heart.
Sinking a magical post, of which four will be needed to complete the zone's four-sided shape, involves hitting the ground with the scepter's sharp end, while uttering a bigger incantation. I reach the southeast corner and sink the second, then from there, I begin the westward track, angling inward to create the tapering line of a trapezoid. The building’s garbage port is on the south side, and even though the roll-up door is down, the waste still smells. I pass by fast, but still laying the web. In no time I reach the western extremity of the backcourt and lay the third post. “I bind anyone…”
Almost finishing, I hit the north western corner and then sink the last post. Once I join this one to the first, the Alcatraz will be complete. Anything that walks into this zone intent on harming Kay is bound. With no hope of escape.
Fifty-three
After everything is up, and I am back in the apartment, we have a bit of a late dinner with Kay. He has steamed some veggies, made a soup, and then heated up a whole rack of those pre cooked pork ribs available in the frozen sections of butcher shops. I love his cooking, which is a healthy choice except maybe for the slightly greasy ribs. Heartily, I munch away, but can’t avoid feeling the pang of having done something behind his back. Perhaps as a courtesy I should have just let him know what I was doing down there, but no, magic works best when practiced in relative secrecy.
We eat our dessert, and I fall more in love with Kay as I take in some of the jelly with diced fruit that he laid out.
It sure would be nice to spend the night here, but now I remember when I left the mall, I didn’t tell Sara where I would be going, and so if she is back home she could be worrying where I am. Gosh, I wish I had given her a heads up, because sleeping here would be appropriate on not one but two counts. First, there is that zone that I set up and if some baddie walks in and gets trapped, I should be close at hand to apprehend them before the public knows what’s going on. The bureau is very queasy about magic and its effects being active while the public is aware. The argument being it may cause a panic.
Second, there is also that need in me to have sex with Kay for the first time, and I want it to be special, with absolutely no room for a do-me-quick-and-I-go kind of thing. I am now recovered enough, I think, for Kay not to feel guilty about it. The romantic scene he has built as we sat for this little dinner only adds to the feeling. So it’s a pity I have to go home for Sara, but one of these days we surely should arrange.
“I will have to head back home, buddy.” I let him know.
“No, you can’t, honey, won’t you stay?”
“Sorry, sweetie, I got a teenager alone at home.”
“She will be fine.”
"No, she can’t,” I say. “She’d be scared alone.”
He finally realizes my concerns and agrees. He sees me to the Corolla, kissing me as I fold myself into its doorway. His kiss is sweet and reminds me of that need again, but I have to go. Innocent as he is, he can’t sense the magic wall that I set up for his benefit, and for me too, but that’s the good part of working underground.
At home, Sara is attempting some school work. “An end of year project that will be due in two weeks.” She elaborates.
“Good for you,” I answer her, then immediately switch to the date. “How did it go?”
“It went fine for Katie.”
Her answer reminds me she is growing up, too, and soon might be bringing a boy or two here, and I don’t know how I will handle that.
“Let me not bother you,” I say as I retreat upstairs. “Go ahead with whatever you were doing.”
In the bedroom, I have Kay to think of, and admittedly to long for hungrily, but there is also the Alcatraz and I wait to see who gets caught…
The first part of the night passes without incident, but later I am woken up by my cellphone ringing in a tone I set aside for those closest to me. The list is topped by Sara but strangely Natalia is also somewhere there.
I check the ID; it’s Kay. He is never one to disturb me at this time.
“Hey,” he says, “there’s a lot of crazy things happening here. Do you have an idea?” While there is no actual panic in his voice, his heightened concern alerts me to something big going on.
“Like what?” I ask. “Have you woken up with a boners?”
“No, there’s a woman who's gone completely nuts. The whole apartment is up. She says she can't leave.”
Jeez, someone walked into the Alcatraz. My heart starts an excited pound.
“Let me come and see.” I say, rising. “Don’t let anything happen to you.”
I have to act fast—because if the whole apartment has been awakened, I’ll probably get a bad rap from the bureau for causing unneeded public disquiet.
It’s half past three. All I need is just a moment to freshen up with a toothbrush and then dress up before rushing out. The scepter is still in my trunk, but it’s not always necessary for undoing the Alcatraz.
My heart still pounds as I drive. I might have hit the proverbial two birds with one stone. If the person who meant to harm Kay is the same person who robbed Casey, then the job is a
lmost complete. I will just make my arrest and then be taken to where the goods are.
In a blur, I hit Tonawanda, and soon I’m coasting toward Kay’s building. The driveway is blocked by police. A paramedics’ vehicle is flashing its lights right inside the parking lot. Briefly I halt at the driveway. An officer advances toward me waving, and so I go and park some way down the road.
I dash back toward the entrance.
“You can't come in if you don't live here,” that policeman who shooed my rental Corolla away shouts. She is a heavy set black woman in tight pants and a Kevlar vest. The breath of her mouth hints at latte and cigarettes.
Momentarily, I gaze at the scene. Not far, but inside the parking lot, a woman sits on a curb, and she is crying. Three police and one paramedic are trying to calm her down.
“I’m here to help with this. I’ve been called.” I announce with some confidence.
“Who called you?” The officer blocking me looks at me incredulously. “What do you do?”
“Please, let me just talk to her.”
Hesitantly the female officer steps aside.
Beyond, at the apartment door, residents of this place are gathered talking loudly. Some look like they want to venture forward and see, but a couple of officers are maintaining a barrier. Near to hand, the ‘caught’ woman is all panic and tears. She is young, and of agreeable looks, with shoulder-length hair, and she is heavy of bust. She wears a red jump suit and black Converse sneakers, but what interests me most is the black witch’s hat that sits atop her head.
Who is this witch? I look again and then can’t believe my eyes. It’s Eve Lynn, that ex-girlfriend of Casey's. My jaw drops right into the dirt. “Eve Lynn, God, is this you?”
Momentarily, I forget what she was going to do to Kay and think of Casey. Could she be the cause of that, too?
“Don’t talk to her, who are you?” an officer bellows. “Show us an ID.” They still don’t want me here.
I fetch my wallet and yank out a driver's license.
“That’s not the ID…”
“Yes, it is,” I say, fast. “Eve Lynn, what are you doing here? You remember me, right?”
She stops sobbing, looks up, but doesn’t say anything yet.
“Stand up,” I say. “And come with me; I’ll have a word with you,” I add.
“What are you trying to do? Don’t you know she can't?” a white female barks. “Vehicles couldn't drag her out.”
I know what she means. They must have tried to haul her out using cars, but nothing can break through the Alcatraz if it’s properly set. The wall, though, won’t stop anything else passing through, just that one vehicle trying to whisk her away.
“I’d say let her try,” says the paramedic. “Not that it’s my call, guys.”
For a moment, the officers remain mum.
“Melanie, is that you?” Eve stands up, asking weakly. Her energy has been sapped by continuously bumping against the magic wall.
I grab her hand. It’s an arrest, although I do not want to over-tighten my grip in front of officers.
“You can't just take her. Do you have a clue what's going on?” The white female points to the sidewalk. Again she is indicating that Eve can’t be taken past the courtyard. She doesn’t know I can undo the Alcatraz, which of course is something she can’t see.
“Let’s see her try.” A male of seemingly higher rank says.
“We go to my car.” I order Eve.
Her hand is cold, and she shivers a bit. I grip her tight as we go.
Dazed, the officers remain standing, but paying close looks. In a moment we reach the sidewalk, which is where the Alcatraz border is. I whisper a lifting chant, and Eve shudders as I pull her across. She almost stumbles, unable to believe we are getting away. I take her to the pavement, and then we walk toward my parked Corolla.
“See, she made it,” says one male voice from behind.
“Sure they're going.” The second voice is female. I don’t turn to see who.
“What the heck is going on?”
“Hey, there, wait.” The officers start to follow. The paramedic is not far behind. “How did you do it? I swear we couldn’t.”
“Sorry guys,” I reply. Honestly, I have no time for them; I have apprehended a suspect, and she must lead me to those things I want.
The officers walk fast and catch up.
“Hey, you can't just take her. Do you have her permission?” It’s that white female again.
“She’s my job,” I say. “You guys thank you very much for your work but now you can go.”
“Eve, are you sure you want to go with that woman?”
Eve stops. Her strength has returned. She glares at me.
“Don’t even try it or I’m sending you back in,” I declare. “No tricks, I’m in charge.”
She thinks for a moment. “Thank you officers,” she mutters at last. “I’ll be fine. Let it go.”
We pick up the pace and reach the Corolla. “Into the backseat,” I command.
She obeys at once and opens the door, then when she is in, I slam it shut. It isn’t my first time to drive a suspect to her home, but I don’t know what Eve Lynn might try to do while I concentrate on the steering. Hopefully nothing violent, for if she makes the stupid mistake of attacking, and then I overpower her, I could punish her more.
Jesus, what a night! My client must learn of this…but uh, maybe not so soon. I don’t want to start a premature fight between these two.
“I’m taking you back to your apartment,” I advise her coolly. “And we will talk more about Casey.”
“I don’t know what you are suggesting,” says Eve.
“You damn well know for sure. Remember what I was looking for the day I came into your room?”
She presses her lips tight.
I already know where Elmwood is, so I don’t need any directions. It’s clear Eve knows a lot, although she won’t say. Had torture been permitted in black magic investigations I would have found a way to make her spit it all out. Who sent her to Tonawanda, and what was she trying to do?
The streetlamps flit by as I chauffer my witch suspect to Bryant. Eve Lynn sniffles a little as she takes in the cranberry smell of my car’s air freshener. She frequently clears her throat, and I guess she is bewildered by how the night has turned out.
Outside is the faint beginning of dawn, but a few stars shine bright, defying the glare of Buffalo’s night lighting. The air is cool, and a fine day is promised, but above everything is now the shimmering hope that Casey’s case will finally take a turn for the better.
We reach Elmwood, and I park at her building. A shadow of fear hangs on her face, although she certainly isn’t about to break down and squeak.
“If you don’t want any trouble, take me straight to your room and we will finish the matter there.”
She hesitates at first but then makes up her mind to agree. We pad to the elevators then ride in silence. When we come out, purposefully I march ahead of her since I’m already familiar with her unit.
Eve’s room is still the one I remember, the beat-up couches, the cramped spaces. Her bed today is unmade, and she has panties thrown everywhere. The air smells of sleep, a little sweat, and predictably, cheap perfume. The floors are swept, though, I must admit. So, this is the home of a novice witch, fancy that I couldn’t nail her that day I came and snoozed on that couch.
“Say it,” I command.
“What do you want to hear?” a certain courage comes to her, and she bristles.
I am not going to waste my time; I have to lay charges. The only reason she got trapped in the Alcatraz was because she wanted to hurt Kay. And I still have the tingling feeling she knows who harmed Casey.
“First let’s talk about what you were doing in Tonawanda.”
“I just went there to see someone.”
“Liar, you were caught in my zone. You wanted to hurt my boyfriend, didn’t you?”
She purses her lips guiltily. Soon she exhale
s, shakes her head, and then her eyes just glare at nothing.
“Please don’t waste my time, or I will punish you tenfold. The troubles you already had will be nothing compared to what I will unleash on you.” My voice comes out hard, and the blood has begun to pump.
Eve finally sees there is no way out. “Yes, I wanted to hurt Kay.”
“How, or using what?” I snap.
“Curse him by means of a sigil.”
“What! Show it to me.” Anger rises to my throat and my hands quiver.
Hesitantly, she reaches into her jumpsuit pocket and retrieves a piece of colorful paper. It’s incredibly similar to what I picked on my tire.
“So, you wanted to hurt me, too, with this this fucking thing?” Momentarily, a dark, slithering horror creeps up my back. This sigil may look small and crumbled, but it’s loaded with venom worse than a cobra’s.
She says nothing.
“Why did you want to get me killed?” My anger reaches the roof.
Again no reply.
Ugh I sigh loudly. This isn’t getting anywhere; let me just finish. Since it’s a confirmed case of dark witchcraft, I am entitled to lay a Pendle. She will have to come to court at some point. It’s too early, though, to decide what kind of punishment to give, so I will wait until I know all the crimes she committed. I shall have to make another date with her when the time comes.
“I will be back with a sentence proposal.” I inform her.
She blinks hard. Even though she is a novice, Eve is aware of the court process and its implications.
An idea then suddenly hits me; since finding what Casey has lost is more important, why don’t I offer a deal to this minnow. “Help me crack the case,” I say, “and I will lessen your punishment.”
She scratches her chin several times considering my offer. A strange fear comes to her eyes. There must be something else she is scared of other than me. “Yes, I was involved in it all,” she mutters finally.
“What was your role?” I ask. “I know it wasn’t you at Casey’s home that night he was robbed of his manhood. The signature is different from yours.”
Eve trembles, and then sighs. “It was my senior who did it,” she says. “But I have to admit it’s me who asked her to.”