Cuff Master

by Frances Stockton

  Later, she just might see if he would bring out his cuffs. She’d like to be Detective Maddox’s willing prisoner.

  They moved away from the tree, continuing on their walk around the Common. It was incredibly peaceful here. Some people strolled around leisurely, while some picnicked or tossed Frisbees with their dogs.

  In its heyday, Salem Common was the place where citizens could bring their livestock to graze. It also served as a spot where young men learned to shoot in preparation of serving in the military.

  If someone followed the footpaths, they’d get a view of the Salem Witch History Museum, the antiquated and popular Hawthorne Hotel and local historical society building, as well as other long-standing buildings and businesses.

  Gradually they made their way to the street that led to the square where Enchanted Treasures resided along with Book Haven Diner, Ink Masters and a privately owned gym and martial arts dojo specializing in Taekwondo training.

  Grandma Everhart had inherited the small three-room dark wood house that dated back to the witch trials. The house was eventually restructured into a shop containing a decently sized area for shelves and stock and a small backroom where Morgan did private readings. The third room was a unisex handicapped-equipped bathroom with a simple toilet and sink.

  “You know, as proud as I am to know you want to go to college, Morgan, I like Enchanted Treasures. It’s very you,” Ethan said as they neared the building.

  “It’s pretty old. I’d like to think I have plenty of years to go.”

  “I didn’t mean it that way, honey. It’s not the building so much as the things you sell. It also smells real nice.”

  “Incense, Grandma loved it, especially sandalwood and frankincense. I prefer jasmine. I got into the habit of using it when I’m able to watch over the burner.”

  “That’s why you smell so good all the time. We’ll have to keep up the habit when we’re home alone.”

  “I’d like that.”

  “Tell me about your grandmother. It seems as though you were very close to her.”

  Stopping on the sidewalk, Morgan looked at the small dark brown colonial-style building. Its ties to history were showcased by the historical society plaque fastened to the outside wall.

  “Grandma Everhart was a dear woman. She taught me everything I needed to know about my abilities. Mostly to not be afraid of them and trust what the spirits of the past had to say.”

  “Your desire to be an archaeologist makes sense then.”

  “Yes. Grandma and my dad’s family were originally from Salem, Massachusetts. He moved to upstate New York to take a professor’s position at SUNY.”

  “Your grandmother stayed here, I take it?”

  “She did. Enchanted Treasures belonged to her great-great-grandfather who came to Massachusetts Bay to practice the Puritan faith without condemnation and to open a small general store. It was located not far from Essex Street, near the John Corwin Witch House.”

  “That’s why your shop looked familiar to me when I first saw it. It’s a small replica of Corwin’s house.”

  “Yes, many compare the two. It was here that Reginald Everhart lived with his wife, Virginia. Together they made a home and raised their small family. Eventually, it was handed down the generations to my grandmother, who never married. She converted it into the shop.”

  “Was the Everhart family affected by the witch trials?”

  “Very much so,” Morgan answered. “Virginia was accused of witchcraft because the Everhart store was profiting due to its proximity to the water and her incredible talent at sewing. Fortunately, the trials ended before she could be imprisoned or tried.”

  “Thank goodness,” Ethan said. “What happened to the store?”

  “It eventually collapsed from age. Virginia and Reginald were too old by then to rebuild. Their kids had married and moved away, so she began selling handmade clothes from home.”

  “Having such a rich history in your family must be fascinating for you.”

  “Definitely, Sara Everhart, my grandma, inherited more than Reginald and Virginia’s home. It’s been legend in our family that she gained the gift of sight from Virginia and handed it down to me.”

  Ethan shifted in nice and close. “I would have liked to get to know her.”

  “Through me, you can. When things are quiet, maybe I can get her to talk to you too.”

  He smiled at that. “Grandma talks to you?”

  “She may be in heaven, but she watches over me.”

  “I’m glad. I hope someday to meet her. One thing though. If my touching you keeps psychometry at bay, will it affect seeing her or any of the spirits you communicate with?”

  “I don’t believe so. What happened with the tux coat you’d put on my shoulders at the wedding?”

  “You saw Jenna. When I touched you, she went away.”

  “Don’t you see? I saw her while I was with you. Yes, she faded when you touched me. But I was close to getting a migraine. The discomfort went away because of you. Jenna went away because she no longer had strength to stay. When I get caught up in the visions, you’re the one who keeps me safe.”

  “I’m your anchor,” he concluded.

  “That’s right.”

  “Then I say introduce me to Grandma Everhart.”

  “Maybe I can also get you in on the investigation of Druid Creek Castle,” Morgan offered. “It’s Remy’s call, but since his team is going to do a lockdown there whenever Alex can schedule it, you might be surprised by what you discover.”

  “Can we be locked down in the same room?”

  “Lockdowns are not erotica gone wild nights, Detective!”

  “Spoilsport,” he teased. “I’ll tie you up my way then. And teach you what happens to naughty little subs who misbehave.”

  “Promises, promises,” she countered, looking right at him when she winked.

  “Inside with you. When we get home, you can expect to answer for what you’ve done.”

  “What have I done?” she asked innocently, becoming more in tune with his body language.

  He was turned-on. In fact, he had to shift uncomfortably. She bet his big cock was pushing at the zipper of his jeans for freedom.

  Unfortunately, his coat covered him adequately. Damn!

  “You’ll see later.” Ethan gently grasped her by the shoulders, turned her about and gave a slight push to get her moving toward the front of her shop.

  Inside, she inhaled the familiar scent of jasmine and looked about the store. There were bookshelves along the far wall that Cassie had given her a couple a months ago. The shelves were stocked with such as works as The Crucible, The Devil in Massachusetts and Salem Possessed, some of her favorite accounts of the witch trials.

  There were also atlases dating from the 1600s to current-day Salem, books on witchcraft, Wicca, Druidism, numerology, Tarot, palm reading and various other psychic arts as well as astrology. Three hanging racks had locally handcrafted cloaks, skirts and dresses that were perfect for Halloween costumes.

  The remaining merchandise was displayed on tables, racks and bins. She sold everything from crystals and Tarot cards to a supply of top-notch ghost hunting equipment.

  “Remy? Mary?” she called out.

  Remy came out of the back room with Mary close behind. One glance at the two and it was obvious Mary had a serious case of hero worship. But Remy showed no sign of inappropriateness or answering attraction and he beamed with a great big smile.

  Of course, she knew darned well Remy’s heart belonged to someone else…and maybe another whom he’d yet to meet.

  “About time you two got here,” he called out, crossing the floor to take Morgan in his arms.

  “Careful there, don’t break her,” Ethan warned.

  “Not going to hurt her, don’t worry, buddy.” Remy stepped away from her, retaining her hands in his. His eyes landed on her forehead. “Any luck finding who did this to Morgan?”

  “Danvers cops are still working on
it. It’s amazing how many customers were in the bar and back room, but very few recall seeing anything out of the ordinary.”

  “You tell them I’ll put up a reward for any information leading to an arrest,” Remy said. “Someone hurt my friend. I take that personal.”

  “I’ll be damned,” Ethan said.

  “What?” Morgan asked, glancing over at him.

  “I agree with him,” Ethan explained.

  “I’m not all that bad. Am I?” Remy grinned, seeming to dare Ethan to admit he wasn’t a bad guy.

  “Don’t push it, Remy. You took my woman on a date. No matter that it was for business purposes, I took that personally.”

  “Thought we cleared that up,” Remy countered. “Trust me with your lady, Ethan. I know where her heart is, it’s with you.”

  “As long as we got that straight, I’m good,” Ethan said. “I’ll always be grateful for your willingness to take care of Morgan’s shop while she recovers.”

  “How’s that going?” Remy questioned curiously, eyeing the two of them with a mischievous glint in his gorgeous sapphire blue eyes. “Can’t help noticing Morgan’s glowing.”

  “Morgan’s happy, thank you,” she answered on her behalf. “Is everything all right here, Remy?”

  “It’s been busy most of the morning with plenty of sales and very little loitering. It only slowed down because the customers are over at the diner or checking out the used books.”

  “Sounds exactly the way it should be. October is always my busiest time of year. Do you want us to stay? You’re taking time out of your schedule. I don’t want to take advantage of you.”

  “You could never do that.” Remy was dressed in black jeans, a black shirt and a black leather jacket. His boots were kickass cool and went all the way to his thighs. His long black and red hair was pulled into a ponytail.

  “I checked your supply of ghost hunting kits. You were good on most of it. I saw you were low on thermal cameras and EMF meters. I can arrange to have stock delivered tomorrow.”

  “Let me check my books first,” Morgan said. “Ethan, do you mind if I run to the back?”

  “No, but if you need the funds, I can help.”

  Automatically, she shook her head no. Then she thought about it. She’d already asked for his help. “That’s nice of you. Why don’t you come with me and see what you think?”

  “Lead the way,” Ethan agreed. “Can I check out one of the EVP recorders? I want to see how they work.”

  “I’ll grab one,” Remy said. “You two go on. Be right there.”

  Morgan and Ethan walked to the back room hand in hand. Morgan loved it. Holding hands made her a little giddy.

  They were sitting at a small desk looking over the books when Remy came back with the recorder.

  “This is exactly the type of device she had Friday night,” he told Ethan.

  Ethan took it, played with it and quickly figured out how to use it. It wasn’t a difficult task, but his curiosity and willingness to look at the recorder with an open mind touched her heart.

  “Can we get EVPs now?” he asked.

  “Possible,” Remy answered. “The problem is that there are noises outside the building. And Mary’s out front. You could try a spirit box or PX device.”

  Ethan kept fiddling with the recorder “What are they?”

  “A spirit box uses continuous AM or FM radio frequency sweeps to produce white noise. Within that noise, spirits can find enough energy to communicate. The PX has an electronic dictionary that spirits can use to speak. Also works phonetically. “

  “I’ll try this right now,” Ethan said.

  Morgan ducked out of the back to ask Mary to lock the door for a few minutes. When she returned, she asked both Remy and Ethan to pray with her in order to open the connection between their earthly plane and Grandma on the other side.

  When she felt Grandma’s presence within the room, she inclined her head to Ethan to let him know.

  Confidently, he turned on the recorder and asked, “Grandma Sara Everhart, if you would, tell me you are here with us. Do you still visit your granddaughter?”

  Remy held up a handwritten sign on a sheet of paper. Keep talking. You might not get a response right away. Pause between questions to give her time to answer.

  “I love your granddaughter, ma’am, and wanted to introduce myself to you,” Ethan continued. “My name is Ethan. Do you know who I am to her?”

  He waited again. “Did I give enough time between questions?”

  “That should be good for now,” Morgan replied. “She is here with us.”

  Ethan played back the recorder, clearly not certain what he’d hear or if he’d hear anything. Clear as the nose on his face, he got responses.

  Yes, always to the first question and what could have been cop or cuff and master to the last.

  Each word was emphasized, each loud enough to reach their human ears without the EVPs being verified on fancy electronic equipment.

  But that wasn’t all Grandma had to say. In her clearly distinct New Englander accent, she implored Ethan to do one thing, take care of my grandbaby, Ethan Maddox.

  Morgan watched Ethan’s face as he played it back twice. “I’ll be damned,” he said. “If anything, I expected to hear maybe a few yesses and the word ‘anchor’. I never expected the last part there. I told her my first name. But she knows who I am, doesn’t she?”

  “Yes, she does,” Morgan answered.

  “Anchor, why?” Remy asked.

  “Because that’s what Grandma called my soul mate,” Morgan said. But the fact that Grandma answered said a whole lot more. The fact that “master” was the loudest word of all resonated through Morgan.

  Grandma Everhart was watching over her. She knew Ethan was more than Morgan’s anchor. He was her Master and her soul mate. Grandma approved. She’d not have given responses at all if Ethan was the wrong man for Morgan.

  “Thank you, Grandma, for coming to us today. Go and rest and we’ll talk again soon,” Morgan said.

  To Ethan, she explained, “It’s always good to thank the spirits who decide to communicate with us. Their sense of time and place is different than ours and it can be exhausting to say a few words.”

  “Thank you, Grandma. I will take care of your granddaughter,” Ethan bestowed kindly. Afterward, he listened to the recording again. “This EVP recorder is new, Remy?”

  “Yes, it is,” Remy answered.

  “Can I keep this, Morgan?” Ethan requested.

  “No need to ask. It’s yours.”

  “I’ll pay for it.”

  “No. You were serious about joining forces in business. I’d like to move forward with that. To me, you’re as much an owner of Enchanted Treasures as I am. I’m confident Grandma would approve.”

  Ethan smiled, tucking his new toy into his coat pocket. “All right then. We’ll get on that as soon as Phalen and Cassie get home. Taran’s the legal expert for our family.”

  “As he should be, considering he’s an attorney now,” Morgan added.

  “Even though he’s working for a law firm in Boston, don’t be surprised when he opens his own before he turns thirty,” Ethan said, revealing the deep respect he held for his brother.

  “You love him,” Morgan observed.

  “Of course, same as I do Phalen and my sister-in-law,” he answered. “Family is family, no matter how much of a pain in the ass they can be.”

  “Taran was in the wedding,” Remy commented. “I didn’t get a chance to meet him other than a handshake at the receiving line. It was obvious that he was a Maddox.” He pointed toward Ethan’s eyes, referring to the gray eye color the brothers had in common.

  Eye color wasn’t the only similarity. Taran might be the dark-haired Maddox, but he was actually the tallest of the three by maybe an inch and carried himself with the confidence and fortitude of his brothers. He also shared many of the same facial characteristics that made him a Maddox through and through.

  The prim
ary reason people thought Phalen was the biggest and tallest of the three was that he projected a larger-than-life image. When he walked into a room, he wanted everyone to know he was there. You couldn’t miss him.

  “I’m sure you’ll get to know Taran soon enough, Remy. He’ll come to Salem and hang out at the diner next door when it’s his turn to babysit Samson and Delilah,” Ethan said.

  “I look forward to it. For sure, I’m going to stick around town for a while. Already have a room at the Hawthorne.”

  “Let me guess, you picked the third floor,” Morgan said.

  “Nah, not necessary,” Remy answered. “I’m certain contact can be made on any floor. I’m good where I am.”

  “Be sure to get to the basement when you can. Take your recorder with you. You’ll pick up something.” Morgan had only been to the basement, which was more or less a library, of the Hawthorne twice. It sort of resembled a ship, with portholes in the doors and dark wood walls.

  At some point, it’d been a meeting place for sailors. Whoever was down there had ties to the sea and was drawn to stay there because it felt familiar. More than likely, the haunting was residual and harmless. It was still a bit off-putting for those who went down to the basement and felt as though something or someone was watching them.

  “Are you ready for lunch, Morgan?” Ethan asked.

  “Yes, Detective,” she said, unconcerned that Remy might pick up on the emphasis she’d made there.

  If he did, Remy didn’t comment. He returned to the front of the store to help out Mary and reopen the door.

  Ethan had told her the other night when they’d gone to bed that her purse, keychain and wallet was with her suitcase. He’d given her store keys to Remy to open and close Enchanted Treasures according to the hours she’d set.

  Feeling confident that the store was in good hands, Morgan left the backroom the same way she’d entered, hand in hand with Ethan. He took her next door for lunch as promised.

  No one who witnessed them together could doubt that they were a couple. He even leaned over and kissed her twice, risking ketchup stains on his elbow both times. But he didn’t care or make a mess.

  What he did was make her want him desperately. Goodness, now that she’d started having sex again, she was fast becoming addicted to Ethan Maddox’s kind of loving. Sometimes he was a little rough, sometimes he was demanding and most often he put her needs above his own.