The manager looked up, and her eyes widened. She moved around the desk and opened the door. “Come in, Ms. Tabard.” Jancie motioned Adara to a cheap vinyl upholstered chair. Once she moved past, the girl hesitated at the door and finally closed it. The corners of Adara’s lips curled a bit at the thought of Jancie being frightened to be alone with her. “How may I help you?” Jancie asked as she worked into her seat behind the desk in the cramped office.
Adara placed a manicured hand on the edge of the desk, the marcasite eyes of her snake ring glinting with her intentions. “You may help me by removing yourself from my life.”
Jancie blinked. “Excuse me?”
Adara gave a dry laugh. “That would save me the bother.”
The girl touched a silver band on her right ring finger but said nothing. A curious gesture.
A hard lump formed in Adara’s throat which she swallowed with minimal discomfort.
Jancie met her gaze. “What am I doing to cause you trouble?”
Adara pursed her lips, not prepared for that naïve question. She hissed her response. “It should be obvious you’ve had a hand in breaking my heart.”
The girl pulled the moonstone locket from under the neckline of her dress and displayed it with her neat but unpainted, short nails. “Rowe and I are only connected through this gem’s magic. We are helping each other through grief from losing a loved one.” Her lowered eyes showed she hid something, but what? Why did she possess the locket? And Rowe wear a fake one?
“I have heard otherwise, and my sources do not lie.”
Jancie bristled and looked at her. “I am not a liar.”
“And I say that you are.”
The moonstone flashed a vivid blue that reflected on the desk’s polished glass top. Adara flinched but covered the aberrant reaction with a subtle move to adjust her hat.
Jancie let the locket fall and took hold of the ring again. Did the moonstone surprise Jancie too? Adara studied the girl, looking for answers but found none.
“Rowe and I are not romantically involved.” Jancie’s voice was resolute, although her fingers trembled across the ring. “If I cannot help you with a banking matter, you should leave.”
Adara leaned over the desk and shook her head. “Not yet.” A web of shadowy magic wound round her fingertips.
Jancie pushed back from the desk. “I’ve done nothing to hurt you. Leave me alone.” She held the ring out in front of her as if she could possibly defend herself from a powerful witch.
Adara smirked. “Rowe isn’t the only man I’m referring to,” Adara spat and hurled black magic at the girl’s hands, enough to severely burn all exposed skin.
The threads enveloped Jancie except for her ring which cast a silver glow. Adara’s darkness dissipated leaving the girl almost unharmed. Only her cheeks suffered with what looked like a sunburn. What just happened? Her flesh should be singed. The knot reformed in Adara’s throat, and she coughed until water leaked from her eyes.
“I’ll get some water.” Jancie raced out of the office, probably looking for a reason to escape. At least Adara managed to scare the girl, even if the effects of her magic went array.
Adara clamored to her feet. Her plan backfired, and she wasn’t about to diminish her stature by accepting aid from her foe. Outside the office, her stiletto heels clicked across the wide terrazzo floor.
“Adara, here!” Jancie darted toward her carrying a paper cup. “Here’s some water.” Adara couldn’t believe the girl actually followed through. Was she that brave to face a strong witch, or too naïve to realize the danger, or a sickeningly compassionate do-gooder? Whatever the reason, Adara didn’t have use for her or her offer.
Bent to conceal her coughing predicament, she covered her mouth with one hand. The elbow of the other arm pinned her clutch pocketbook to her waist, while the forearm flapped, waving Jancie away. Caught in this unsteady posture, her only recourse was to skitter as fast as possible to the door.
Jancie rushed after her and pushed the heavy door open. While somewhat glad for the favor, Adara would rather have dealt with the obstacle herself than be made a helpless spectacle.
Twisting to gain distance from the despised girl as Adara passed through the door, she bumped into a person in front of her. Strong hands grasped her shoulders, and her head spun to see who else witnessed her vulnerability.
“Adara.” The smile of the familiar voice warmed her like the finest liquor and eased her coughing.
She tilted her neck back to see out from under her hat’s wide brim. “Dwayne,” she rasped, still clutching her throat to guard against more spasms.
His hands held steady, supporting her, and he glanced behind her at Jancie. “What’s happening here, young lady?” His voice turned harsh and pointed, as if from a man Adara didn’t know. “I told you to not get involved with witches.”
Adara backed off from Dwayne and regained her composure. “Is your darling daughter too good for your ex-girlfriend?” She eyed him, wanting to reach inside his brain, burn through the membranes, and learn the truth. The temptation tortured her. Adara reached a hand to her father’s onyx focus amulet. Her heart ached to know more, to understand what had happened years ago. A moment, frozen in time that she still replayed over and over from memory, when her life had ended. But she couldn’t treat him like the others. He was better than that. She dropped her hand. He was better than her. Self-doubt crept into her thoughts. “She’s the reason you left me, isn’t she?”
Adara slunk past him, while he held up a hand to contradict. Shadowy vengeance, a familiar emotion, twisted and gyrated in her mind. Her lips curled. Her breath on fire, she yanked off her hat and strode with fresh confidence to her sedan, its chrome gleaming in the sharp afternoon sun.
Chapter Eighteen: Pizza Night
Jancie leaned against the open bank door, letting its weight keep her balance while her thoughts collided. “Dad, you dated her?” The words leaving her mouth tasted bitter and sounded worse.
His gaze swept back and forth, avoiding her eyes. He hesitated, looking down and rubbing his brow with agitated fingers before speaking in a stern and gravelly tone. “I’ll explain later. Come by tonight. I need to have a talk with you.”
“Did you?” she probed, unable to move past that one looming, life-size question.
He took a step closer, his voice hushed. “Jancie, this isn’t the place.”
“Answer me. Did you date her?”
“Yes, but…” His words trailed off as he reached for her arm.
Jancie jerked away, unable to process what hit her ears. She turned and made her way through the tellers gathered inside the door.
“Jancie,” Dad bellowed after her. “I’ll be expecting you at the house tonight.”
She dove into her office, shut and locked the door. Her breath shallow, she strummed her fingertips on the desk. She dialed Rowe’s number, desperate for him to answer.
“Jancie, hello.” His voice rose. “Has something happened? Are you all right?”
“I’m not sure.” She pushed any residual awkward feelings aside about their break-up and told him the whole story about Adara’s visit to the bank. She took a gulp of air.
“Did she hurt you? What did her magic do to you?”
“No, I think I’m all right. My cheeks feel hot like I got too much sun.” She touched a hand to the scorched skin. “That’s all.”
“Thank goodness. You’re lucky, and Vika did a good job on that ring of your mother’s. It protected you better than I expected. Thank goodness. I’m betting Adara intended a lot worse.” His words spilled out so fast, Jancie envisioned him pacing.
She stroked a thumb against the palm side of her ring. “Yeah, Adara didn’t seem to expect me to have any defenses. I was just as surprised as she was. She started choking and ran out. After talking to my dad she seemed even angrier. I’m frightened she’ll find a way to hurt me or possibly him. What should I do?”
He gave a long sigh. “This keeps getting more and m
ore complex. How do Adara and your dad know each other?”
“I guess they dated before he married Mom. This is the first I’ve heard of it.” She blew out a slow breath between her teeth. “It must’ve happened before I was born. Adara asked him if I was the reason he broke up with her. I’ll see what my great aunt knows. She’s my mom’s aunt.”
“Good. I’ll arrange for Vika to come over to your place to help with more ways to protect you. Maybe tomorrow to give her some time to prepare? Can you take off work? We need to understand what’s going on.”
“Yes. I’ll make arrangements. I’ll try to see Aunt Starla tonight. How did your council meeting go last night?”
“No problems. Adara treated me like I didn’t exist. That was fine with me.” He gave a short laugh, but Jancie could feel his tension. “I’ll ask around to a few council members and friends I trust to see if I can piece this together.”
Silence hung on the phone connection. Dreading the awkward ending of their conversation, Jancie hoped that signal had been lost.
A moment later, he said, “Well, I’m glad you called me. I do want to help.”
Jancie shut her eyes and scrunched her face to hold back tears. “I miss you.” Two days had passed since they’d talked. It seemed like forever.
“I need to keep you safe.” Rowe stumbled over the words. “I’ll head over to Vika’s right away. I’ll call you when I know more. Call me if you have any problems.”
“Thanks. I will,” Jancie muttered, disappointed with his response.
After their goodbyes, she called Aunt Starla and Rachelle to set up a girls’ pizza night. Whatever Dad wanted to lecture her about could wait until he cooled down. She thought Adara would go after her, not him. Jancie couldn’t believe Dad had hidden his connection with a witch while expecting her to stay away from them. “Do as I say, not as I do,” she mouthed to her office wall. She definitely had questions for Dad, but first, she had her own problems to solve, and hopefully some of his too.
***
Not bothering to go home to change clothes, Jancie called in the pizza order, then drove straight to the print shop and picked up Rachelle.
“What’s up?” Her friend settled into the passenger seat wearing burgundy capris and a purple tunic with her usual dozen bracelets. “Why is your face red? Did you go to a tanning salon during lunch?”
“I wish.” Jancie turned the car in the direction of the eldercare apartments. “It’s a long story, and I’ll wait until we’re with Aunt Starla, but I had a run-in with Adara today.”
“Really?” Rachelle faced her. “During lunch?”
Jancie shook her head. “Nope. She came into the bank about an hour ago.”
“No! Are you all right? Did you call Rowe?”
“Yes and yes. I’m just shook up. Rowe is getting Vika’s help now. He’ll bring her to my house tomorrow.”
“That’s good. And you’ll get to see Rowe again that way.” She made a thumbs up sign. “Be sure to wear some sexy perfume and tight pants.”
Jancie rolled her eyes. “I don’t think that’s gonna help. I told him on the phone I missed him. He just ignored me and went on about keeping me safe.”
Rachelle blew a pink gum bubble that popped onto her nose, then laughed. “What on earth did you expect him to say? That is more important. You were just attacked by the evil coven leader. If he wasn’t more interested in keeping you safe, I’d kick his cute butt.”
“Thanks for making me feel like the most super-sensitive, foolish girl on the planet.” Jancie turned onto the street of Starla’s apartment complex.
Rachelle patted Jancie’s shoulder and grinned. “No. Just a woman in love, that’s all.”
Jancie returned her grin and parked in a visitor spot.
Aunt Starla opened a window and hollered, “Hello, girls. Come on in.”
Once they entered the inner hallway of the complex, Jancie smiled when she saw Starla’s head poked around the half-open door. Jancie slipped off her dress shoes and jogged down the long hall.
“Lord sakes, don’t tackle a poor old lady.” Her aunt gave a belly laugh as she folded Jancie into her fleshy bosom. With an open arm, she pulled Rachelle into the hug too. Starla’s familiar scent of rosewater and liniment made Jancie’s clenched shoulder muscles soften. “Come in and sit a spell.” She waved an arm toward the couch.
Jancie didn’t have to be asked twice. She sank into the soft cushions and pulled the granny square afghan around her shoulders. “I’m glad you were home tonight, Aunt Starla.”
“Where in tarnation did you think I’d be if you needed me?” Starla lowered her wide hips backward into an easy chair. Her long legs shot out so fast that she lost a pink bunny slipper.
“I never know your schedule of bingo and bridge and crochet nights,” Jancie replied.
Rachelle headed for the kitchen. “May I get a pop, Aunt Starla?”
“You sure can, hon.” The eighty-five year-old lady turned her head to follow the young woman. “Grab me one, too, please. Jancie? Want one?”
“Yes, please. Diet, if there is any.” Jancie snuggled into the soft throw, sensing the love her great aunt had put into her handiwork. “I called in the pizza about twenty minutes ago. Thursday nights are slow, so they should be here soon.”
Rachelle handed pops to each and took a seat at the other end of the couch. She kicked off her high top sneakers and tucked her feet under her as she took a sip.
“So what’s this all about?” Starla faced Jancie. “You’ve got me worried.”
Jancie took a deep breath and started the story from the beginning. “Well, I took your advice, or Maggie’s advice, and found the moonstone teller.” She explained all that had happened at the carnival. Her eyes gleamed to tell about the moonstone. “Aunt Starla, it worked! It really worked. I got to see Mom and talk with her.”
“Lord! Lord!” Starla clapped her hands together. “That brings joy to my old heart.”
“And Mom can feel my presence when I work in her garden. It’s like we’re connected there. I can feel her, too.” Jancie leaned forward. “Did you know there are faeries in Mom’s garden?”
Starla slapped her hand against the chair’s armrest. “I can’t say that surprises me none. Your mother Faye was a fine person. But she never seemed to fit in when her mother, my cousin Betty, moved them to Bentbone.” The old woman tapped a finger to her chin. “She must’ve been about thirteen then, an awkward age for any girl with all the female changes. A pretty thing, but painfully shy. Which seemed right odd ‘cause as a child she laughed and played games outside, chasing through the woods past dusk till her mama grew hoarse from calling her home.”
“Were you close with Mom when she was little?” Jancie asked.
Starla nodded. “My folks and me would take trips in the summers down south near the Ohio river where they lived. I remember one fourth of July there when I met a few handsome fellas at the park festival. Both Betty and my ma made me take little Faye, no more than four-years-old, with me to see fireworks with the local young adults.” Starla shook her head. “Betty said Faye would keep me safe. Well, I didn’t get in any trouble with a little one hanging round, that’s for sure.” Grinning, she stared across the room.
“Why did Gran Betty move here with Mom?” Jancie leaned forward.
“Betty’s pa, Louis, died after a long illness. I’m not sure what with, but when I met him he was plumb out of his head. After Louis passed, his wife Maggie died a few months later, like her heart broke and her body followed. Betty’s direct relations were here, her sister Dorothy who’d moved back years before, as well as my family.” Starla tilted her head. “I took Ma and Betty to New Wish at least twenty or so years ago for a visit. That’s the last I’ve been there.”
The doorbell rang, and Rachelle jumped up. “I’ll get it.”
Jancie dug in her purse, and handed her friend a twenty-dollar bill as she passed.
After the pizza boy left, Starla motioned them to the kitchen
table and asked, “Why is all this talk about people long gone important?”
“What does all this have to do with the coven leader attacking you today?” Rachelle blurted.
Starla choked on her pop and reached for a napkin to dry her eyes. “Jancie, you’ve got some explaining to do.”
Jancie recounted the afternoon’s events while the others filled their plates and munched. “I’m trying to understand why Adara thinks I was the reason Dad broke up with her. There’s got to be some clues from the past.”
“Oh hon, all I know is that when your dad started dating Faye, he was real serious, almost pushy. Me and Betty weren’t too sure of him ‘cause he came on so strong. But then your ma got pregnant with you and…” She lifted her hands, palms up, and dropped them to the table. “We couldn’t say much after that.”
Jancie laced her fingers together. “I don’t know how to connect what you’ve told me and what was written in Maggie’s diary to what Adara meant today. Hopefully, Vika will know how to find the missing links when I see her tomorrow.”
“What did you find in the diary?” Rachelle picked the pepperoni off her pizza and ate them first. One of her many strange habits that Jancie had come to love.
“Not much. That Maggie got pregnant with Gran Betty while she was here by a man named Louis. Maggie was really happy about that but also sad because she had to leave Bentbone. The reason didn’t make sense to me, something about it being for the sake of her children. The entries ended there.” Jancie looked at Starla. “Do you know why Maggie and Louis had to leave town?”
Her great aunt nodded. “Louis was a witch from the coven here, while Maggie wasn’t. I always figured that intermarriage back then was forbidden. That wasn’t long after the coven originated, and rules might’ve been stricter.”
Coon Hollow Coven Tales 1-3 Page 20