by Tara Rose
Billy rubbed the spot, even though Mark doubted he’d done any real harm. “You’ll regret this.”
“Right. And pigs will fly one day. Go fuck yourself.”
This time, he was able to reach his office without verbal threats following him down the hall, but even once he was safely behind closed doors, the hair on the back of his neck prickled and a horrible premonition crept over him. He wasn’t worried about Billy going to Beth in HR. The man had no balls. He wasn’t even worried about Billy saying something to Keith. He couldn’t put his finger on what bothered him. It was something to do with the way Billy had said he had something on Alaina.
That was likely pure bullshit, as well, but why would he put it out there? It was such an obscure thing to say, after all. He tried to remember if there was anything else about what Billy and Keith had done in high school that might be important to recall now, but nothing came to mind. They’d both been bullshit artists, more interested in computers and video games than people.
It had surprised him as much as anyone when Keith actually earned a degree. The fact that Lucie had made him her personal legal assistant and given him an actual office instead of a cubicle like all the other legal assistants and paralegals had meant nothing to Mark. He wasn’t afraid of Lucie.
But Billy was up to something, and because Mark didn’t know what it was, that made him uneasy. He’d helped Keith hurt Nita once before, and now that he felt threatened, there was no reason for him not to try and do it again.
Mark was so in love with her that he’d kill Billy or Keith if either one hurt her. That was a given. He should tell her. She had a right to know that. But he’d have to talk to Brett first. They’d started this together, and they should tell her at the same time how much they loved her. Because there was no doubt in Mark’s mind that Brett loved her, as well.
Chapter Twenty-One
Nita squealed so loud on the phone that she was afraid she’d hurt Mark’s ear. When she got off the phone with him, Brett called and told her the same news. By the time she finally got off the phone with both men, her grandmother looked ready to jump out of her skin.
Nita pulled her aside, away from the two customers currently looking at books on candle magick. “They found the demon names. Well, Jan did. There was a poem in the diary that Iago and Agapito told Shona, and Jan used it as the key to unlock the translation. She needs everything else now, including the actual diary. Apparently they only sent her part of it. Do you know if there are other clues? We need to find out...”
Phyllis laughed. “Child, slow down! I’m dizzy. What are their names?”
Nita repeated them as Mark and Brett had both told her, including what they were known for. Her grandmother crossed herself at the mention of each name, nodding the entire time.
“Now we gots to find those other clues. We need to know who summoned them four demons.”
“They can’t still be alive. What good will it do to know who summoned them?”
“We needs to know that, and we needs to know if it was them four who actually cast it.”
“That’s what Alaina told Brett and Mark Jan said. It was those four who cursed William, Robert, Iago, and Agapito.”
Her grandmother shook her head. “If she don’t have the whole diary she might be wrong about that. And to find them other clues, we only need the diary. Shona kept track of them.”
“It does? Alaina didn’t say that?”
“That because she don’t know that yet. But we don’t know who passed what clues to which of them men…”
“But at least we can start with who had them to begin with.”
Her grandmother nodded. “Mayhap we can. But, child, we still needs to know who called them demons forth in the first place. It might not be them same demons who cast the curse. You gots to have all your ducks in a row when summoning loa to ask for help.”
Nita was confused now. “You mean the loa will help with this?”
“Course they will. But we need to know who, what, when, and where. We already know why.”
“This is so exciting. This is really going to happen, isn’t it? The curse will be gone, and they can all leave the island if they want.”
Her grandmother gave her a knowing smile. “I know two who won’t be leaving. Leastways not without you in tow.”
“I won’t leave this island. Not without you, anyway.”
Her grandmother patted her arm. “Oh, child. We don’t need to be talkin’ about this now. Let everything take its natural course.” She turned to help the customers, and Nita sat on a stool behind the counter, unable to stop smiling. She was so happy for all of them.
Brett and Mark came over for dinner again, but they looked distracted. Nita chalked it up to the excitement of the day. Not only had Jan unlocked the secrets to the manuscripts, but since she still had so much left to do, there was the possibility of uncovering even more information.
Brett and Mark had spent most of the day texting and calling every family member, asking them to make copies of any writing on clues they had so they could get them to Jan. They also said Graham had agreed to let the diary leave the island. When they told her about Sallyanne leaving, she asked if Alaina would get the job.
“We don’t know,” said Mark. “We each have to interview for it. Mine was today, and Alaina had hers just before me.”
“They’re making you all interview for it?”
Mark shrugged. “That’s Tim and Asa for you. One minute they’re bypassing the obvious in favor of a family member who can’t tie their own shoelaces, and the next they’re making everyone jump through hoops for them.”
Nita studied his face as she ate. “Do you think you have a shot?”
“I think Alaina is the best choice.”
“And how does that make you feel?”
He grinned. “You sound like a shrink.”
“I don’t mean to.”
“I know you don’t, love.” He leaned back in his chair. “Am I upset that we have to do this? Yes. I think it’s ridiculous. Do I think in the end they’ll choose someone other than Alaina? No. She’s truly proven herself. And that’s tough to do when you’re not from here, or one of us.”
Brett gave him a long look. “Wow. You know, that’s the first time I’ve ever heard you talk about this without insulting Alaina in a back-handed way, or making sure everyone knew you believed you should land the job over her. What the hell happened in that meeting?”
Mark shot him a sharp glance, which confused Nita and made the hair on her arms prickle.
“I mean, what happened when Tim and Asa walked in and told everyone they had to interview that led you to this conclusion?”
Brett’s voice held an odd note she couldn’t place her finger on. What were these two not telling her? Even her grandmother watched them closely now, as if she, too, sensed that something was off.
“Nothing. Everyone started sucking up to them, but I went back to my office to call you and then Nita.”
“But why the sudden change of heart?” asked Nita. “You’re not upset that it looks like Alaina will get the job anyway.”
He shrugged and averted his gaze, which wasn’t like him. “I guess I finally realized she’s done a better job, that’s all. I’ll have to work harder now. I should anyway. It’s what they pay me to do.”
* * * *
Brett woke up in the middle of the night and crawled out of Mark’s bed as quietly as possible. He and Nita were still asleep. After he used the bathroom and drank some water, he stood in front of the windows overlooking the lake and thought about everything that Mark told him had occurred after Sallyanne made her announcement.
He agreed with him that Billy might be up to something but was more inclined to believe he was merely blowing smoke up Mark’s ass. At least, that’s what he wanted to believe.
But now, looking out over the dark water and thinking about demons and curses, and incidents that could rise up from the past to hurt you, Brett wasn’t so sure. He kne
w one thing for certain. He and Mark were both were in love with Nita. No doubt about it. And he knew they needed to tell her.
He and Mark had discussed that, too, but Mark had asked him to wait until Tim and Asa chose a replacement. Not because Mark thought that would make a difference, but because he wanted to be sure Billy had nothing else up his sleeve.
At first, Brett had thought it didn’t matter what Billy did or didn’t do, but now he saw the logic in Mark’s request. Nita had enough on her plate right now. A few more days wouldn’t make a difference, because nothing would change his mind. He loved her, and he intended to spend the rest of his life with her.
He never thought he’d feel this way about any woman but he was wrong. And Brett couldn’t be happier about that.
* * * *
Tuesday morning, shortly after the guys dropped her off at home, Nita ran downstairs to answer a knock at the door. She thought it was the florist delivering her flowers early, but instead it was their usual postal worker. He handed her a small package. “We don’t get many special requests, so I stopped by earlier to give you this.” Then she handed Nita the usual mail. “And here’s the rest of it.”
“Thanks.” Nita ran back upstairs and turned the small package over. It was the size of a DVD, and she grinned, thinking perhaps Brett and Mark had made a movie for her. When she opened it, there was a note inside, but it wasn’t from Brett and Mark.
She read it three times, not wanting to believe the handwritten words, and then her world went dark.
* * * *
Brett was in the middle of a challenging spreadsheet when his desk phone rang. He wouldn’t have bothered answering it if the call hadn’t come from Asa’s administrative assistant.
“He wants to see you and Mark in his office. Now.”
Oh, for fuck’s sake. Now what? Brett closed his sheet after making a few quick notes so he’d remember what he’d been doing, and then took his time walking over to the executive offices. No doubt this had something to do with Billy, and he was not in the mood for this shit today.
He wasn’t afraid of Asa or of Billy. Ever since Owen and Penn had been arrested, Asa had backed off on insulting Brett and Jagger’s father and uncle, and their construction company. In fact, work was back on for the resort, and it looked as though JD Construction would survive after all. So again he assumed this had to be about Mark threatening Billy.
But why would Asa give a shit about any of that? He stayed out of spats like that unless they affected the bottom line, which this most certainly did not.
Mark was already in the office when Brett came in and closed the door behind him. One look at Mark’s face, and Brett knew this went deeper than the threats he’d made. Mark looked ready to pass out.
“I received this by messenger this morning.” Asa tapped a small package. “It contains a DVD that came with a note.” He handed the note to Brett. All it said was, Watch this. It concerns two of your employees.”
“Now, normally, I wouldn’t bother with shit like this, but with all the crap going on lately, I popped it into my computer.” He turned the monitor around and Brett nearly retched. It was grainy, and clearly shot on an older webcam, in a darkened room, but the two people having sex on a bed were visible.
“What the fuck?” he whispered, already knowing where this must have been shot. Keith’s bedroom. About fourteen years ago. “Why?”
Asa moved the time counter to a spot near the end. Words had been added there, which still gave no clue to the owner. “If I was able to get my hands on this, you’d best believe that I also have film of all your sales employees caught having sex. I’ll blast them all over the media if you don’t appoint me, Mark Raleigh, to run the sales department.”
“What? This is bullshit, Asa! You know he’d never do something like this. And why the hell would he send you a DVD of Nita having sex years ago with Keith? We’re seeing her. Both of us. Keith forced her to have sex with him. More than once. Watch the film. You can see the fear and disgust on her face.”
Brett sat down because he was certain he was going to puke or faint, or both. “And when she refused to do it again, he and Billy started a smear campaign that lasted the rest of the school year. She’s still not over it. This is horseshit. Mark did not do this.”
“I know that.” Asa’s voice was uncharacteristically quiet. “That’s why I need you both to tell me who would do this. What’s going on that I don’t know about?”
* * * *
Her grandmother wanted to call 911, but Nita refused. Instead she drank two bottles of water, and then when her limbs were no longer tingling, she called Brett and then Mark, but both their cells and desk phones went to voice mail. She didn’t know what to do, but she knew she needed help, and quickly.
“Who at Phoebe’s Playthings do you trust besides them two?”
That’s it! Nita called Alaina and told her what happened. She told her about Keith and Billy, and then she told her how odd Brett and Mark had been acting the night before. She was crying by the time she finished, and Alaina had to ask her to repeat several things.
“Stay there and don’t do anything to the DVD or the note. I’m on my way to pick you up, but first I have a couple of quick calls to make. But promise me you’ll wait for me. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
“Thank you. I promise.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Nita handed the package to Alaina. “Take it. I don’t want to see it ever again. Do Brett and Mark know yet? I still can’t reach them.”
“They’re in Asa’s office.”
Alaina had let her inside the building through a side door, bypassing security, and now she ushered her down a hallway then up several flights of stairs. When they emerged, Nita had no idea where they were.
“Do they know? Mark and Brett. Do they know about the DVD and the note?”
“I talked to Asa’s administrative assistant and told her we were on our way. She said she’d ask Brett and Mark to stay until we got there.”
“But do they know?” Nita swiped at fresh tears, and her stomach contracted in fear.
“Come on,” said Alaina. “It’s okay. Asa needs to talk to you, too.”
“What do you mean?” Alaina didn’t answer her, and Nita was crying so hard now it was difficult to breathe, let alone keep up with this woman who walked faster than anyone Nita had ever known.
When they reached what she assumed was Asa’s office, Alaina knocked on the door, and a voice called for them to come inside. She crossed the threshold and recoiled. Not only were Brett and Mark inside, but Keith and Billy, as well. Nita backed up, shaking her head.
“It’s okay.” Brett reached her first, wrapping his arms around her. “We’re here. It’s all right. They can’t hurt you.”
She didn’t understand. Nita searched his face, trying to make sense of all this. She let him lead her to a chair between him and Mark, but she still couldn’t figure out what was going on.
“Let’s bring her up to speed,” said Asa. He held up a package. “I got one, too.”
“Oh God,” she whispered. Her stomach contracted again, and she was certain her breakfast would come up any second now. Mark scooted his chair closer and caressed her back.
“I don’t know how far you watched yours,” said Asa, “but mine had a message at the end.”
Alaina handed Asa the package Nita had received. “This is what came for her this morning.” He opened it and took out the note, then waved it in front of Billy’s face. “Look familiar? This is your handwriting.”
What? She glanced from Asa to Billy, understanding suddenly dawning. They all knew. Asa had just told her he’d watched it until the end. Had Mark and Brett watched it, too? This couldn’t be happening…
Billy shrugged, and his shit-eating grin was so like the one she remembered from school that Nita saw red. She glared at him and Keith in turn. He’d filmed them on his webcam. And she’d had no idea that he’d done it. How many others had he done that to? And wh
y did Billy have a copy of it? Had Keith given it to him? Was he truly that low?
“So what?” said Billy. “That note has nothing to do with you.”
“It has everything to do with me,” said Asa, his voice thundering around the room. He read the note out loud. “Meet me at That Eighties Soda Shoppe at noon so we can talk about what you’ll be doing for me in exchange for my not sending a copy of this to your new boyfriends.”
Nita felt the rage coming off Brett and Mark in waves. She wondered if they’d go after Billy anyway, not giving a shit that they were at work and Asa was right here to watch it. But at the same time, she was dying inside. They’d watched it. They’d watched Keith force himself on her.
She risked a quick glance toward Keith, who merely looked bored. The smug bastard. He didn’t even give a shit. He hadn’t given a shit what he’d done to her then, and he cared even less now.
“Like I said. Nothing to do with you.”
“You work for me and so does Keith. You sent this to me and tried, in a rather amateurish way I might add, to make me believe it came from another employee of mine. You threatened me using this. It has everything to do with me.”
He turned his gaze toward Keith. “And you. What have you got to say about this? How did he get this? Did you give him a copy?”
“Sure I did. So what?”
Mark muttered something that Nita didn’t quite catch, and Brett actually stood, his hands curled into fists.
“Sit down,” said Asa. He turned his attention back toward Keith. “Before or after the message was added at the end? And don’t bother lying. I’ll send it to IT and find out when the message was tacked on and by whom.”