The Curse Breakers

by Denise Grover Swank

  “David.”

  He was through the doorway in seconds, worry on his face. “Are you okay?”

  I pointed to the window. In the steam was the outline of a symbol. It was a four-pointed star. It looked weirdly familiar, but I couldn’t place it.

  “How did that get there?” David asked, moving closer.

  “I don’t know. When I came back, the window was steamed up and it was there.”

  “Ellie, this symbol is on the plank.”

  “Do you think it’s Ahone’s?”

  He shook his head in amazement. “I don’t know. It could be.”

  “Could be isn’t good enough. I need to know. I can’t just tattoo some random symbol on my back.” I ran my uninjured hand through my hair and turned toward him. “I’m sorry. I’m not upset with you. I’m pissed at Ahone. Why does he have to be so damned illusive? Why can’t he just say, ‘Here’s my symbol’?”

  “I don’t know. I keep wondering why Okeus’s symbol is still known but not Ahone’s. It could be because the people offered regular sacrifices to Okeus and pretty much ignored Ahone. They rarely gave him thought, so why record his name? Or perhaps Ahone’s name is like the ancient Hebrew name for God, and only the priests knew how to pronounce it. God’s name was considered too reverent to be spoken by just anyone.”

  “Hopefully Daddy will have recorded it somewhere. If we can find any of his other notes.”

  “We will.”

  He sounded more certain than I was.

  “Tonight I think we should sleep in your apartment,” he said. “Last night was the first time you dreamed since you started sleeping with the dream catcher. But I’m going to sleep with you so I can check on you and make sure you’re okay.”

  I bumped his shoulder. “You just want a reason not to sleep on the sofa.”

  He laughed. “That’s right. You caught me. I seduced you only so that I could have a mattress.” He pushed me against the wall and leaned over to kiss me.

  I wrapped my arm around his neck, closing my eyes as I let myself be sucked into the moment. It struck me—this was what I’d been looking for before Collin showed up and shattered my life. I wasn’t in love David, but I was falling in love with him. Even this early, it was easy to see he was the one—the guy I’d been waiting to show up and fill my life, the guy who could give me the love and happiness my parents had shared. Sighing with momentary contentment, I pushed him away. “As romantic as making out in a guest’s dirty bathroom is, I’m afraid I need to get back to work.”

  “You are a very cruel woman, Ellie Lancaster.”

  “And you are easily distracted, Dr. Preston. Now go make a bed.” I gave his arm a playful push.

  After he stole another kiss and headed into the other room, I found myself staring at the fading symbol again.

  With the two of us working, we finished within an hour. David insisted on carrying the dirty linen to the laundry room and starting the wash. When I protested, he mock scowled. “I’m a bachelor, Ellie. I’ve lived alone since I was eighteen. I know how to do laundry.”

  “Okay . . .” Was I really going to fight him over him doing the laundry?

  “Now that we have this symbol, I’m going to e-mail a few colleagues to find out if they’ve ever seen it. I doubt we’ll get confirmation, but we might be able to eliminate it if they recognize it as something else.”

  “Okay, how about I order a pizza? The best place in town doesn’t offer delivery, but I’ll go pick it up while you’re sending your e-mails.”

  Worry filled his eyes. “Do you want me to go with you?”

  “No, I’ll be fine. It’s daylight.” Although I wasn’t sure how much longer that would give me security.

  “Okay. Be careful.”

  He headed for the front porch with his laptop, and I called in the order, realizing as I did that my car was back at my apartment. I grabbed my purse and walked the two blocks home. My arm throbbed after using it all morning, reminding me that it still needed butterfly bandages. I had a box in my bathroom, so I figured I could run upstairs and grab them.

  When I reached my front porch, I knew something was off. The symbols on my door were smudged, and that never happened. Fear squeezed my lungs. Had Tom arrested Collin?

  But when I unlocked the door and pushed it open, I realized what was really going on. One of Marino’s men—the one who’d tried to kidnap me in Morehead City—sat in my overstuffed chair with a handgun on his lap. The box that held Daddy’s remaining watches was out on the coffee table.

  “Ellie Lancaster, you’re a hard woman to find.”

  Oh, shit. I froze in the doorway, my hand still on the doorknob.

  “Come on in, Ellie. We need to have a little chat.”

  I hesitated. “I’m not feeling very chatty today.” I started to take a step back.

  He lifted the gun and pointed it at me. “Don’t underestimate my willingness to shoot. You’ve been a pain in my ass for weeks, and I’d as soon shoot you and be done with it. Just give me a reason.” The look on his face told me he meant it.

  Forcing myself to take slow, steady breaths, I walked inside.

  “Shut the door.”

  I cast a quick glance over my shoulder. The one time I wished Tom was hanging around and nagging me to talk, he was nowhere to be found. Figured.

  “Have a seat.”

  I took my time sitting on the sofa, staying as far away from him as possible. Why did he have Daddy’s watches? He must have been snooping in my closet.

  “Tell me what you know about the Ricardo deal.”

  “I don’t know anything.”

  He leaned forward, his face reddening. “I’m not a patient man. So let’s try this again.” His eyes narrowed. “What do you know about the Ricardo deal?”

  Why was he questioning me here instead of taking me to Marino? I wasn’t sure what that meant. “I don’t know anything. The first time I ever heard of it was when I met Marino, and Collin refused to give me any details. Officer Helmsworth told me it was a collection of antiques that had been stolen. That’s all I know. I swear.”

  “Then what are you doing with these watches?”

  “They were my father’s.”

  He shook his head with a disgusted look and banged his hand on the table next to the box. “Try again, Ellie.”

  I jumped, fighting the sob that was building in my chest. Where was Mishiginebig when I needed him?

  He opened the lid and pointed to the older watch. “Where did you get this?”

  “I told you, it was my father’s.” I forced myself to take a normal breath. I had to control my fear.

  Reaching down to a bag next to his chair, he pulled out a folder and set it on the table before sliding it over to me. “Take a look at that.”

  I opened the folder with shaky fingers, trying to make sense of the photos inside. Then I realized I was staring at the contents of the Ricardo Estate. Maybe I would learn something I could use if I survived this encounter.

  I flipped through the photos slowly, hoping I wasn’t being too obvious with my cataloging. Swords and daggers made of gold and silver were displayed on tables. Some were intricately carved, others plain. The next photo held candlesticks and silverware, but the third photo was what had made him suspicious. Pocket watches were mixed in with buttons, brooches, hairpins, necklaces, and rings.

  “Take a closer look at that one. Upper left corner.”

  I picked up the photo and tried to figure out what he wanted me to see. When I saw it, I gasped. The watch was identical to the one sitting on my coffee table, the one Oscar had told me would need its own insurance policy. But how could that be? These watches had been in Daddy’s family for years, centuries even.

  “Now you know that I have evidence of your involvement, so let’s stop fooling around. Where did you get the watches?”

  I obviously didn’t have the answer he wanted, and he obviously had information I could use. I had two choices. I could keep insisting on the truth, or
I could take a lesson from Collin’s playbook. “Collin gave it to me,” I said after a moment.

  He eased back in his chair and gave me a condescending grin. “Now we’re getting somewhere. Why did Collin give it to you? As payment?”

  “Payment for what?”

  “Come on, Ellie. Once I figured out who you were, it didn’t take much digging to put two and two together. Your mother was known for her expertise on Elizabethan and Jacobean antiques. And your father”—he leaned forward—“he was an expert in all things about the colonies. Of course Dailey would find you. Most people see his looks and charm and dismiss his cunningness, and he definitely uses that to his advantage. The question is how long did he string you along before you realized what he really wanted?”

  Was there any truth to his question? Had Collin given any thought to who I was besides the fact that I was the other Keeper? I was desperate to know more about the Ricardo deal, particularly now, which meant I had to give this guy something to keep him talking. I gave him a bitter smile. “It was a carrot. He gave it to me to get me intrigued.”

  A real smile lit up his face. “And did it?”

  I lifted my eyebrows. “What do you think? You said it yourself—he has the looks and the charm.” I lowered my chin. “Let’s just say he used every trick he had to get me involved.”

  “Did he tell you where it was?”

  I held my breath. Did Collin actually have it? “No. He just gave me the watches to appraise. He never mentioned where anything else was.” Was I doing the right thing? I had no idea how Collin was really involved in the Ricardo deal. For all I knew, I was screwing him over. But I had to survive this encounter, and throwing Collin under the bus was the only way I saw that happening. I’d deal with the fallout later.

  “Did he plan to take you to the collection?”

  I hesitated, not sure of what the right answer would be. “We never got that far.”

  His eyes narrowed. “Marino was never certain whether Dailey had it or not. He claimed he didn’t, but we all know that every other word out of his mouth is a lie, so we’ve been watching him and biding our time. Marino had begun to believe Dailey really didn’t have any part in the theft.” He grinned. “Until you showed up with those candlesticks. So many alarms went off in that one visit.”

  My heart sped up. “So you think Collin does have it?”

  “That or he knows where it is. Doesn’t this watch he gave you prove it?” He sat back a bit and I let out my breath. “Marino thinks that map he loves so much might have a clue about where the collection is hidden. Did you ever see anything on the map that might support that?”

  “No.” I shook my head. “I barely saw it. I’ve been trying to get the map myself.”

  He perked up. “You’ve been trying to get the map? Do you still have access to Collin?”

  Oh, crap. “I see him around.”

  His jaw tightened as he gripped the arm of the chair with his left hand, his right still holding the gun steady. “Are you or are you not still working with Collin Dailey?” His eyebrows lifted ominously. “Think carefully about your answer.”

  Shit. What should I say? Both yes and no seemed fraught with danger. If I said no, then he’d probably take me to Marino, and I really didn’t want to go there. If I said yes, he might kill me because of my association alone. Neither sounded like a good option. God, I hoped I was making the right choice. “Neither.”

  “What the fuck does that mean?”

  “I’m a middle-of-the-road kind of girl and I’m not big on commitment. Collin comes to me every now and then to ask me a question about antiquities. Sometimes I answer, sometimes I don’t.” I gave him a wicked smile, trying to keep my chin from quivering with fear.

  He stood. “I think we need to make a trip to Buxton.”

  Wrong answer. I stood and scooted around the arm of the sofa. “I’m sorry. I already have plans today.”

  He pointed the gun in my direction as he leaned over and closed the lid to the box. “Change them.”

  He was going to take Daddy’s watches and I really needed them now. How could I get out of this situation alive and with the watches? “Wait. There’s one more.” My words came out shaky. I had to get myself together to make this work.

  His head lifted. “One more what? Watch?”

  “Yes.”

  “How do I know you’re not lying?”

  I pointed to the box. “If you look closely, there’s an impression of the third watch in the case.”

  He lifted the lid and leaned closer. “I’ll be damned.” He looked up, his eyes hard. “Where is it?”

  I forced myself to take slow, steady breaths. “I hid it. In case Collin ever tried to take them back. Insurance.”

  “Smart girl.”

  “If you give me some time, I can try to get Collin to tell me where the rest of the collection is.”

  He looked dubious. “You think you can really get him to cooperate?”

  I put my hand on my hip. “I’m not like all of Collin’s other sluts. Don’t underestimate me. Give me until next week and I’ll have more information for you.”

  “You have until tomorrow night. I’ll be here at eight.”

  “My neighbors are extra nosy. Make it eleven.”

  “Deal.”

  I released my breath, trying not to make it obvious.

  He picked up the box and tucked it under his arm.

  “Wait! I still need those.”

  He paused, his eyebrows raised in anticipation.

  Oh, crap. What rational explanation could I come up with? “Collin is expecting them back. He won’t take me to see the entire collection if I don’t have them.”

  “This better not be a trick.”

  “It’s not. I swear.” I was surely going to hell for all the lies pouring out of my mouth lately, but then again, Okeus had pretty much confirmed I was going there anyway.

  He moved toward the front door. “See you tomorrow night, Ellie Lancaster.”

  “Yeah,” I mumbled as he walked out the door. “I can’t wait.”

  After giving myself a few moments to recover, I grabbed the watches and bandages from the bathroom and headed for my car. When I got back to the inn, David was on the front porch, his full attention focused on his laptop. I parked my car on the street and walked across the yard, the box tucked under my arm.

  When I opened the screen door, he looked up in surprise. “You’re back already? Where’s the pizza?”

  “Something happened.”

  His eyes widened in alarm. He closed his computer and set it to the side. “Are you okay?”

  I nodded. “Just shaken up.” I paused. “Marino’s guy was in my apartment.”

  He jumped out of his seat and grabbed my hand. “What?”

  “He found Daddy’s pocket watches, and he thinks it’s proof that I’m involved with the Ricardo Estate.”

  He shook his head, confused. “What watches?”

  “Let’s go inside and I’ll show you.”

  David picked up his laptop and opened the front door, locking it behind us once we were inside.

  “They won’t be back until tomorrow night,” I said when I caught him scanning the street.

  “Tell me everything.”

  We went into the kitchen and I showed him the watches. I confessed to pawning the third one and told him everything that transpired in my apartment a few minutes earlier.

  “Do you think Collin made the same deductions about your parents’ background that Marino did?”

  I shook my head with a sigh. “No. He refused to tell me anything about the deal, saying the less I knew the better. He never once tried to get information from me about any of it.”

  “Okay. So what do you want to do about tomorrow night?”

  I opened the lid to the box. “I don’t know yet. Maybe tell Tom. I want to think about it. But we’re safe for the moment.”

  He nodded.

  I looked inside and gasped, picking up my favorit
e watch. “It’s the symbol.” The four-pointed star had always blended into the background of smaller stars, but after seeing it in the window this morning, it was like a neon sign.

  I’d had it all along.

  David reached for the watch, and I reluctantly handed it to him.

  “Daddy used to carry one of two pocket watches every day. When I was little, before Momma died, we’d play a game. Every morning at breakfast, I’d try to guess which one he had in his pocket.”

  “Surely he didn’t wear the other watch in this box. It looks like it should be in a museum.”

  “No, it was this one and the one I sold. But this one was always my favorite. The other one was prettier, but for some reason I was always drawn to this one.”

  A soft smile lifted his mouth. “I guess we know why.”

  “I take it you haven’t heard anything yet?”

  “No. But I just sent the e-mails out. Let’s give it a little time.”

  I nodded. We didn’t have time, but pointing that out wouldn’t help anything.

  Then it hit me: Myra said Daddy said I’d needed time. The watches. He’d given me a clue but I was too stupid to put it together. What else had I missed?

  I shook my head. “I forgot to pick up the pizza.”

  He leaned over and kissed me. “We’ll figure something else out.” He grabbed my hand and placed the watch in my palm. “But do me a favor: don’t ever consider selling these two pieces unless you are so desperate you have no other option.”

  I glanced down at the timepiece, then put it back into the box. “I won’t.”

  We made sandwiches for lunch before we searched my old room. After an hour of looking in every nook and cranny, we came up with nothing.

  David pulled me into a hug. “Let’s take a break. I’ll check my e-mail, and then we can figure out which room to start on next.”

  I put in some more laundry, fighting my rising frustration. I was beginning to accept the fact that I might never find the rest of Daddy’s notes or that mysterious ring Myra had mentioned. The most pressing issue was figuring out Ahone’s mark. The four-pointed star had turned up twice in the course of a few hours. Could I trust that we’d found it? Enough to permanently put it on my back? When I finished, I found David in the kitchen, sitting at the counter with his computer.