Even Joselyn joined in the several seconds of silence.
Then Carly broke it. Turning to Gillian with a slight smirk on her face, she said, “You know, Gil, when you were telling us about that warning call you got, boy, were your cheeks red. Hmm. Wonder who called you?”
“Don’t know what you mean,” Gillian said softly.
Carly clapped her hands together hard. “Ah-hah! I bet it was that Detective Meeks. My, oh, my. Aren’t you both so cute?”
Ellen quickly turned to her eldest daughter. “Gillian, what are you thinking? Not only a human, but a policeman?”
Says you, Mama, who is not even a real witch. With Sarah Good’s warnings etched into her brain, she couldn’t help wondering if it was indeed their mother’s constant worry about humans versus witches that Sarah was warning her about? After all, it had never been high up on her father’s list of worries, and the coven hardly ever talked about this “issue.”
Suddenly, Joselyn, her head feathers up and ballooned out sideways like a little white umbrella, made a single comment. It was the sound of a dog barking.
Yet there was no general laughter this time. Not even a giggle.
“All I wanna know is how come you get to fall for a human, and I’m not allowed?” Carly snapped. “Josh is just as good as your guy.”
“That’s debatable,” Gillian said. “And for your information, Carly, we are not going together, all right? He’s too professional for that. And secondly—”
“And secondly, I think it’s nobody’s business,” Stevie said.
“Stevie, stay out of this,” Carly snapped. Then, facing Gillian, her cheek muscles twitched. “As for you, Gil, I’m tired of you being judge and jury on my personal life. I don’t care if you’re the oldest. You aren’t always right.”
As soon as the doorbell rang, Carly got up and headed for the back door. Suddenly flipping around, she called out, “Have fun with the police, everyone. I’m so outta here.”
* *
Later that afternoon, after an hour of Adam’s and the other detective’s inane questions, Gillian couldn’t stop thinking about Nate. Talk about stupid, going nowhere speculations from those other two policemen. Nate would never be that simple-minded, would never treat the interviewees like they were idiots. But in the end, she was actually glad he wasn’t there—because of her family. Why give her mother ammunition about the nature of their relationship?
Finally, the two detectives glanced at their watches then handed their business cards over to Ellen. And that, thankfully, was that. Stevie saw them both out.
“What jerks,” Gillian commented at the dinner table later.
Several nods came, and once everyone’s opinion was heard about the policemen, they all nonchalantly continued with their meal.
Ping, went a message on Gillian’s cellphone.
“Nah-ah-ah. Remember no cellphone conversations during dinner,” Ellen declared.
Ping.
Ellen shook her head.
Ping. “This may be important, Mama,” Gillian said. “I’m going to at least look at it.”
While Stevie, Ellen, Esther chatted on, and Joselyn used her beak to attack a lone cracker, Gillian looked down at the picture before her.
It was of Carly, standing next to Josh. Both were wearing helmets and goggles, with parachutes wrapped up in their arms and a plane stationed just behind them. Josh’s lips were stretched into a broad smile.
Carly was holding up her middle finger.
She’s such a piece of work. Before Gillian turned back to the conversation, she’d made up her mind. No way am I going to tell them about Carly’s message.
But several hours later, lying in bed, the entire house quiet and peaceful, a strange thing happened to Gillian. Without warning, one of Sarah Good’s edicts rushed back to haunt her. Be protective of your loved ones.
All of a sudden, a cold clamminess spilled over her. Picking up her cellphone, she messaged her sister. “Carly, text me back.”
No response. Well, with their relationship being what it was, Carly not returning her message wasn’t really a stretch. But after five more attempts in a span of three hours and still no answer, images of Carly’s parachute suddenly not working caused Gillian to gasp.
Oh, my God, is she all right?
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The next morning, bleary-eyed and more than exhausted, Gillian could barely think straight, much less participate in the coven’s meeting later that day. Not wanting to worry her family, she had opted for silence on the Carly situation. Still, she kept up her messaging and sneaked in a couple of calls to her nemesis that morning between breakfast and their trip over to the gathering.
Once in the car, Ellen brought up her middle child. “Where did Carly go? I know she sometimes stays out all night, but—
“Yes, Mama, she does,” Stevie said. “Particularly when she’s mad at—”
“Me?” Gillian said.
Giggling, Stevie nodded.
Oh, Carly, I will never again fight with you. Gillian mentally repeated her new mantra as all three of the Goods entered the Gambit House. Just inside, Amanda greeted them then kept peering over at Gillian every few seconds with a worried frown. She knows me too well. She can tell something is up.
Gillian forced a smile at one point. “Good to see you, Amanda. How’ve you been?”
No way did that work. Amanda gripped Gillian’s arm and pulled her close. “What’s going on, Gil?” she hissed.
“I’ll tell you later,” Gillian muttered out of one side of her mouth.
Next over was Phoebe. “Howdy to the Good family. Where’s Carly? Working at the bookstore today?”
As soon as Ellen bit her lip, Stevie stepped forward to assure the herbalist. “She couldn’t make it. She’s visiting a friend who she hadn’t seen in a long time.”
“Aah,” was Phoebe’s only comment.
There’s her famous “Aah.”
When they were encouraged to sit down because the meeting was about to begin, Gillian told Stevie she was going to the restroom first. Remembering the hallway’s special little alcove, just beyond the bathroom, she headed over there to call and text Carly. Again.
As she dialed, it suddenly occurred to her that she might be having a panic attack. Never, ever in her life had she felt her pulse jump so fast and her heartbeat pound triple time against her chest.
Forget any spell. They don’t work for me anymore, anyway. Just please, please, please be there, Carly—
Then a miracle happened. Carly answered after the fourth ring.
“Oh, Carly, I’m so glad you picked up. I’ve been frantic over you.”
A tiny sob came out from the other end. “You have? Oh, Gil. That means a lot.”
“Are you all right? I guess the sky-diving didn’t fail, or else it—”
“Oh, Gil, it was the weirdest thing. I was all set to jump out with my instructor seconds after Josh and his guide jumped. In the plane, all of us had been laughing about our different flights. Then, all of a sudden, I felt so sick to my stomach, I threw up. Three times. My instructor wouldn’t let me go. So, I had to watch Josh fly out with his guide.”
“You’re all right now?”
“Yes, I’m fine. Thing is, that nausea actually saved me. Apparently, those two parachutes we were equipped with weren’t working all that well. They were from a new company they’d never used before. Josh and his instructor both landed so hard, Josh broke his shoulder, and they’re doing an MRI on his back right now. The instructor definitely broke a couple of ribs.”
“Where are you?”
“At Wheelton General. I’m waiting on the MRI results right now.” She let loose a volley of sobs.
“I’m at a coven meeting. As soon as I can, I’ll come there. I haven’t told the others yet, but I will.”
“No, no! Please don’t. Mama dislikes Josh enough as it is. As do you. Look, Gilly, I just want you to know, Josh once had an old friend who turned out to be crooked. But no
w Josh swears he has nothing to do with him, and I completely believe him.”
That’s good. Probably that tough-looking guy I saw with Josh. “Carly, forgive me. I don’t really dislike Josh. I hardly know the man. Anyway, I’m coming over soon. What floor? And what about Stevie? She doesn’t dislike anyone and adores you.”
“Okay, you can bring Stevie, but secretly, okay?”
After getting all the info she needed, Gillian returned to her seat. Even without looking, she could feel Amanda scoping her out with that one eyebrow-arched thing her mentor always did when the woman was highly skeptical. But she didn’t care. She was so relieved about Carly being alive and well, she couldn’t stop grinning.
After a semi-clever, made-up excuse to her mother for getting Stevie out of the house with her, the two sisters arrived at the hospital by four o’clock.
As soon as they saw Carly standing outside of a room far down on the second floor, they ran toward her. A three-way hug ensued, followed by joint tears.
“How’s Josh?” Stevie asked as soon as they broke hold.
“I’m still waiting to hear.” Turning to her older sister, she added, “Gil, I know you don’t think he’s good enough for me, but—”
Her palm out, Gillian shook her head. “No, we’re not going to go down that road anymore. Stevie’s right. It’s nobody’s business whom we love. I think it’s time we get Mama’s tape of ‘when a witch gets involved with a human it’s a disaster’ out of our heads.”
“I’m so glad you see it like that now, Gil,” Carly said. “By the way, how’s it going with your detective? What was his name again?”
“Nate Meeks,” Stevie said. “Remember, Carly? The one you said you saw around town.” She turned to her big sister. “Right, Gil?”
Gillian shrugged. “We’ll see. He’s being very careful about us. More than I would like frankly, but…” She let out a long sigh.
Both sisters giggled. Then Carly sing-sang, “Gilly and Nate, up in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes love, then comes marriage. Then comes a baby in a baby carriage!”
“Such a bunch of childhood feathers[24]!” Gillian laughed. Then glanced at her pinging cellphone. “Oh, my. It’s from Nate.”
“Go answer him. But first—” Carly softly repeated the song. “Gilly and Nate, up in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes love, then comes marriage. Then comes a baby in a baby carriage!”
But Gillian didn’t pay any attention. She was too busy staring down at his message: “I’ve been rethinking this whole business between you and me. An innocent dinner together won’t hurt us. So, I’d love to make a nice Italian meal for you at my apartment. Godfather style. Are you up for it? Say, seven o’clock tomorrow night? If you’re free, that is.”
Quickly, she answered him back. “But won’t you get in trouble?”
She smiled at his reply. “I’ll take care of that. Don’t worry.”
As soon as she texted, “Yes, where and when?” he sent her all the info—with a wine emoji.
“So?” Carly asked.
As soon as Gillian told them of her dinner plans for the next night, Stevie pressed her hands together like a little girl as she alternated between squeals of delight and saying, “Oh, goody, goody gumdrops.”
Carly was infinitely blunter. “Wow, Stevie, now that’s a blast from our past. All I can say is, innocent dinner, Gilly? Yeah right. Give me a break.”
“You’re blushing again,” Stevie said to Gillian, a slow grin stretching over her lips.
No kidding. I sure hope it won’t be innocent!
Turning to face her sisters, she was about to say something to that effect, but instead, stopped to stare.
Just a little way down the hall, at the nurse’s station, stood two men. One of them was holding a single cane, the other was signing something with his left hand, his right hand completely bandaged. Normal enough being in a hospital. Although his wild curly blond hair first grabbed Gillian’s attention, it was what happened next that made her freeze.
Approaching the two men was a third guy, whose entire body was covered in tattoos. Not only that, even from a few yards away, his cold steel blue, wolf-like eyes made her shiver.
Apparently, the cane carrying man wasn’t too pleased with the newcomer as well. After talking to the marked man, he barked out a volley of angry sounding words, grabbed the bandaged man, handed the cane over to him, then turned them both toward the exit. With his face now facing hers, she let out a lusty gasp.
It was Adam Springer, who stared at her for a couple of seconds then blurted out, “It’s the witch/bitch!”
That did wonders for her anonymity. Instantly, Adam must have said something about her to the others, because all three men were now eyeing her with smirks on their faces.
What lies are you spreading about me, Adam?
As soon as Adam led his hurt pal away, she began a long sigh of relief. She never finished it. Gasping for air, she watched the tattooed man suddenly make a sweeping slit-your-throat gesture with his hand. Then he laughed.
WHAT? Who are you?
The sisters, with a determined measure of solidarity, stayed with Carly. But at eight-thirty, Carly pointed to her watch and insisted Stevie and Gillian return home. “Let’s not worry Mama. Besides, I can easily spend the night in the waiting room alone if need be.”
“I sure admire your devotion to Josh, Carly, I really do,” Gillian said as she kissed her sister goodbye.
“Amen to that,” Stevie chimed in. “Let’s go home.”
* *
Not too far away, by eight-forty-five, Nate and Adam were sitting at a local bar, discussing Rebecca’s still missing last journal as they unwound with a couple of drinks. Adam downed his fast.
Nate also took his drink in quickly. Still on edge about the call he had just made to Chief Hutton, he felt the need for an instant buzz. God help me. My meeting with the chief tomorrow morning better go smoothly.
“Hey, Meeks, frankly, I don’t give a damn about Rebecca’s last journal. I mean, we still are coming up pretty lean evidence-wise, but right now, I’m on burnout.” Adam eyed his colleague. “But you sure look keyed up.”
If you only knew. Nate figured if all went well the next morning, he’d have plenty to say to his partner. But for now, he just wanted to keep digging for evidence.
“I’m still up for more,” he said. “Tell you what, before I go home tonight, I’ll swing by the department, and check out Rebecca’s files again. You never know what you’re going to find, right? I mean, if we hadn’t gone back and found that loose floorboard covering up a little hole, we wouldn’t have found those journals. It’s all about perseverance, man.”
Standing up, Adam scowled. “Well, my bladder’s sure not allowing me to have any perseverance. Gotta go. Back in a few.”
Nate nodded and casually watched his partner exit the room. Then he cocked his head. Funny, that’s not the way to the men’s room. Something didn’t feel right. What else was he hiding?
He rose, and walking in the same direction Adam had gone, he observed his partner heading toward the outside parking lot. Slowly, Nate proceeded, careful not to make too much noise as he, too, opened up the back door a half minute later. Nothing seemed obvious at first, but then he heard some talking coming from behind a very tall garbage bin. It sounded like Adam’s voice, and he definitely sounded angry.
Inching closer to the voices, Nate pressed his body against the building as if on a stakeout and cocked one ear toward Adam’s words.
“Look, man, I do not wanna hear anything more from you, okay? I’m a cop for God’s sake. I warned you, remember? Whatever you got yourself into, you’re on your own. So, don’t call or follow me ever again!”
Quickly, Nate ducked back into the bar and hurried over to his bar stool. As soon as an agitated looking Adam returned, Nate plunked down some bills and said, “Hasta la vista, partner. See you tomorrow.” Maybe.
In his car, he couldn’t stop ruminating. No matter what happened
the next day, Adam deserved his advice before it was too late.
Gotta get Adam to come clean. Whoever this guy he talked to is, I sure hope he doesn’t have anything to do with Rebecca’s case.
* *
That very same night, the back booth in Pepper’s Old Time Eatery housed three men. Two of them got louder and louder with each beer swilled down. But the man sitting across from them wasn’t drinking. He was too busy trying to calm his irregular breathing.
As he watched the dark-haired, crew-cut thug and his shaved head counterpart hungrily gnaw at their greasy chicken wings between bouts of lame jokes, he mentally reviewed the past few months. Bottom line? When he had borrowed money from their bosses, the Valenteen brothers, who would have thought he’d have so much trouble repaying his bills? Sure, it was true that he had a gambling problem. Yes, he hadn’t always made the best decisions in the world. But he had always worked things out. Or so he thought. Until something crashed down on him so hard, he could barely think straight.
As the two toughies across from him guzzled even more beer, he decided it was time to at least try and speak up for himself.
“Look fellas, your bosses have always given me the benefit of a doubt. Just let me talk to them, all right?”
Snickers passed between the men. Then, after Mr. Crew-cut got out his wallet and fanned out a hefty amount of money on top of the table, they both rose.
“We gotta go now,” said the Shaved Head. He patted their “guest” on his shoulder. “Here’s a message for you. Pay up by the end of the week, or that’s it. Period. End of story.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Today, after I tender my fresh baked bread over to the jailhouse keeper, I am aware that Sarah Good is far from doing well. Her hollowed expression, the darkness imprinted under her eyes, her weakened grip when she takes ahold of my hand, all indicate the extent of her fragile state. I see how the once talkative and glowing young woman now appears as a ghost, a mere shadow of her former self.
Endangered Spells (Witches Academy Series Book 6) Page 11