Witches of Palmetto Point Series Boxset Books 1 - 3: Haunting Charlie, Wayward Spirits and Devil's Snare

by Wendy Wang

  Chapter 24

  Once Charlie got Emma calmed down and poured a ring of salt around the bed so the woman could get some sleep, she slunk out of the hotel and made her way toward East Bay Street. Even at nearly one-thirty in the morning there were crowds of people milling around, and she mixed in with them glad for the anonymity. Even though she hated crowds they were often a good shield, especially when the emotions were positive. For someone as sensitive as she was the mood of the crowd could sway her more easily than she liked to admit. The streets of downtown Charleston in early September were almost always filled with vacationers and tourists. Never once had she walked away from downtown feeling anything but happy. She welcomed the influx of emotion floating around her, letting it lift her out of the fear and anxiety that made her body shake.

  “Charlie?” A voice came from behind her. “Charlie Payne?”

  Charlie stopped in her tracks and turned around to find Tom Sharon's beautiful brown eyes fixed on her. A smile stretched across his lips, revealing his perfect white teeth. Her heart fluttered in her chest. How did he do that?

  “If it isn’t my own personal stalker,” Charlie teased and couldn't stop herself from smiling.

  His expression shifted from one of joy to concern as he drew closer. “Oh my god, what happened? Did someone hit you?”

  Charlie's hands instinctively went to her cheek where Brianna had struck her head against the door.

  “Nothing really. It was stupid. I fell,” she lied.

  “Tom?” the man standing beside him said. At nearly six three, Tom was tall, but this man loomed over him by at least four inches. He looked like an older version of Tom with a little gray at his temples and a few wrinkles. But his eyes were a fiery dark gold. He smiled but nothing about him made her heart flutter. Instead a cold warning spread through her chest. She took a step backward.

  “Forgive me.” Tom glanced at the man. “Charlie, this is my older brother Gabriel. Gabriel, this is the young woman I was telling you about.”

  “I see.” Gabriel smiled but it never reached his eyes. “It's very nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you.” Gabriel offered his hand and Charlie's breath caught in her throat. She didn't want to touch him. Didn't want to see whatever images might be floating through his head or spirits that might have attached themselves to him. She called up a weak smile and looked to Tom for help.

  Tom touched his brother’s elbow and shook his head slightly. “Charlie's very sensitive to touching people.”

  Gabriel's fingers twitched and he closed them, letting his hand fall to his side. His smile morphed into a scornful leer. “Yes, I've been known to be sensitive myself from time to time.”

  “Sorry,” Charlie muttered. “It's really not personal.”

  “Of course, it's not,” Tom interjected. “Gabriel and I were just having a late supper and time just got away from us. He runs the branch over off Calhoun.”

  “Right. It's the original, isn't it?”

  “Yes, our great-great-grandfather opened it in 1802.”

  “Really? I had no idea that it'd been around so long.”

  “Oh yes.” Gabriel nodded. “After all, death is always with us and someone must attend to its needs.”

  A chill skittered down Charlie's spine even though it was still almost 80 degrees. She folded her arms across her chest and hugged them tightly to her.

  “Indeed.” Tom gave his brother an embarrassed side-eyed glance. “Charlie, can I walk you to your car?”

  Charlie shook her head. “That's really not necessary.”

  “Oh, let him walk you to your car, dear.” Gabriel’s tone oozed with condescension. “It isn't very often that my brother takes such a shine to someone.”

  Charlie shifted her feet and fought the urge to turn and just run. Her cheeks tightened with the force of her smile. “All right.”

  “I'll see you on the weekend, Gabriel?”

  “Yes of course. We have to get that taken care of before someone else —” Gabriel fixed his gaze on Charlie. “Gets hurt.”

  Charlie's gaze went from Tom to Gabriel and back to Tom again.

  “We have a piece of property that has an old house on it that's not very secure.” Tom explained. “There have evidently been signs of squatters, and we don't want anyone to get hurt.”

  “No of course not. What are you going to do?”

  “We're looking at having the building razed.”

  “Oh.”

  “Yes, it's been in the family forever. It was zoned commercial several years back and we thought of opening another branch there but really it's so far out it doesn't make much sense.” The dark suit Gabriel wore draped his tall lean form perfectly. Charlie folded her fingers against her palm to keep herself from reaching out and touching the fabric to see if it was made of wool. It was such a warm, muggy night. She couldn’t imagine wearing such heavy material. Even Tom, who wore a suit to work, was dressed in a pair of black twill shorts and a pale gray and white polo shirt.

  “What will you do with it then?”

  “Sell it.” Gabriel said. “You wouldn't happen to be interested in 40 acres of land with an old house on it would you, Miss Payne?”

  “Me? No.” She laughed nervously.

  “That's too bad.” Gabriel said. “Well, I must be off now. I have an early day tomorrow. It was very nice to meet you.”

  “Nice to meet you too.”

  The two brothers gave each other a curt nod. Gabriel turned quickly and headed in the opposite direction back into the bustle of East Bay Street. Charlie watched him for a moment, in his dark gray suit disappearing into the crowd despite his size.

  “Well, that was interesting,” Charlie said softly.

  “I’m sorry if he made you uncomfortable. He can be intense.”

  “Yeah, I got that.” She tilted her head and gave him a half smile. “Regardless of your brother, it’s kinda nice to see a friendly face.”

  Concern etched lines in his forehead and he stepped closer to her. “Why are you downtown this late?”

  “Meeting with the client.” She shrugged and muttered, “Sort of a client.”

  “A sort of client? Not sure I like the sound of that.”

  “She's just someone that did a bad thing a long time ago and now it's come back to haunt her. Literally.”

  His eyes darkened and his brows grew together. “You're taking precautions, right? When it comes to these . . . sorts of things.”

  “As best I can.”

  The toes of his gray hiking shoes touched the toes of her black ballet flats. “It's getting late. Would you think it weird if I asked to follow you home?”

  Charlie chuckled. “I guess that all depends on what your intentions are, Mr. Sharon.”

  Tom raised his hands in surrender. “I just want to see you home safely, that's all.”

  “Who says chivalry’s dead?” she smiled. “All right.”

  “Great. Where are you parked?”

  “Up on Broad.”

  “That’s a bit of a walk in the dark, isn’t it?”

  “Don’t worry, I won’t let the boogey man get you,” she teased.

  He made a chuffing sound in the back of his throat, but his lips curved up. She grabbed him by the wrist and turned him around, heading toward Broad Street. Tom pulled her hand into the crook of his elbow and Charlie’s fingers tightened around his arm. It felt so good to be with him. She almost never wanted it to end, which was a funny thought. It had been such a long time since she’d felt attractive to someone. Mostly when she thought of herself, the words weird or strange were the first to pop into her head, which were definitely not attractive qualities in her mind.

  Other than being part owner of a funeral home and having a penchant for black clothing, Tom was anything but weird or strange. Charlie sighed and leaned her head against Tom’s upper arm. She was so tired.

  “Listen I appreciate the offer but there's something else I need to do. I’m not gonna go straight home.”

>   “All right.” He eyed her suspiciously. “It's not dangerous what you're thinking of doing, is it?”

  “No course not,” she lied.

  “Then let me go with you.”

  “Why would you want to go with me?”

  “Because I like being with you. Don't you like being with me?”

  “More than I’d like to admit,” she said. “Let me ask a question. How do you feel about ghosts?”

  “Why?” His mouth spread into a wide grin. “Are we going ghost hunting?”

  “Yes,” she said. “I just need to make one phone call.”

  “You're calling your deputy friend?”

  Charlie frowned. “Okay, I need to make two phone calls.”

  “What is this place?” Tom put his black sedan into park.

  “Mu Theta Chi sorority uses it for hazing,” Charlie said softly. She stared into the dark windows of the old house, searching for any sign of movement. Her breath caught in her throat when the face of the young woman appeared in the upper left window.

  “I thought hazing was illegal in this state,” Tom said.

  “Yep, it is,” Charlie said. “My client called it a test of worthiness. Whatever that means.” Charlie glanced at the red digital numbers on the clock on the radio.

  “What are we waiting for?”

  “My cousins,” she said.

  “Why?”

  “They're going to help me trap her.”

  “The spirit that’s been plaguing your client?” Tom asked.

  “Yes.”

  “What will you do with her once you have her?”

  “Banish her. I hope,” she said. And if that failed, she thought, there was always the reaper.

  “And you and your cousins can do this?” His was voice full of curiosity, not fear or disbelief. Her heart swelled.

  “Yes,” she said.

  “How?”

  The lights from Lisa’s white BMW shined into Charlie's rearview mirror and some of Charlie’s anxiety eased. She looked at Tom giving him a mischievous grin. “Magic,” she said. “Come on.”

  She was out of the car before he could respond, waving her hands. Lisa pulled up next to Charlie and parked. Her three cousins piled out. Jen and Lisa wore somber, serious expressions but Daphne's was more excited. More curious.

  “I can't wait to add this to our videos.” Daphne almost sang the words. She gave Charlie a quick hug. “Oh, hi Tom, the not boyfriend.”

  Charlie pinched Daphne’s side.

  “Ow!” Daphne whined. Charlie raised her eyebrows and gave her cousin a stern warning look. Daphne's lips twisted into a frown momentarily. “Fine, have it your way.”

  “Are we all ready for this?” Jen asked. She dug through her messenger bag and pulled out a small paper sack. “Tom, I have a few things for you.”

  “For me?” He glanced at Charlie, uncertainty filling his eyes.

  “It's okay,” Charlie reassured. “Just a couple things to help protect you.”

  “From the spirit?”

  “Yes.” Jen opened the sack and began rummaging through it. “Now I didn't have time to put together a full protection kit so these are just a few things that will help keep you safe. You'll need to stick with one of us.” She held up a silver pendant hanging from a black silk cord.

  “Just exactly how are you going to trap these spirits?” He bent forward to allow Jen to slip the talisman over his head.

  Jen pulled three Rowan’s crosses from her messenger bag. “With these.”

  Two of them were simple — twigs crossed and wrapped with red thread joining them together. The third one was more complicated — the twigs crossed in such a way that when wrapped with red thread it formed a hexagon. The center was wrapped in yellow and white threads and it looked like an eye staring out at them. A God's eye cross.

  “And exactly how do those work?”

  Jen gave him a smile but didn't answer his question. “Okay, so the pentacle will help to protect you. Here is a small bag of salt and a black tourmaline.” She pressed the small stone bead into his palm. “It was the best I could do on short notice.”

  “It'll be fine,” Lisa glanced at the expensive gold watch wrapped around her wrist. “Can we get this show on the road? It's almost three and I've got an early meeting tomorrow.”

  “Of course,” Charlie said.

  “Is Jason coming?” Jen asked. “I have a sack for him to. You know, just in case he forgot to bring some of his things.”

  “I called him and left a message but he hasn't called me back. I gave him the address though so that if he does check his messages at least he’ll know where I am.”

  “And that you're not alone,” Lisa said.

  “Yes,” Charlie said. “And that.”

  Chapter 25

  The front door was locked, which Charlie found to be odd. Most of the windows had been broken out. What was the point in locking the front door?

  “Hang on just a minute,” Lisa went back to her car, opened the trunk and returned carrying a small pry bar. She stuffed the flat end between the doorjamb. With one hard yank, the ancient door splintered and opened wide.

  “Well, that's one way to do it.” Jen pushed past her sister, holding one of the red threaded Rowan’s crosses in her hand. She stopped in the foyer and looked around. There were two large rooms on either side of the wide foyer and a staircase that led up to a second floor. The foyer led to a hallway running along the staircase toward the back of the house. Charlie moved in close to her cousin and turned in a circle, surveying the room. The house was old, not as old as some she had been in, and it reminded her of the large foursquare styled house she had grown up in with her grandmother Bunny. On one side was a dining room. Dark rose-colored walls, dingy cracked plaster and exposed wooden lath that looked like dingy gray bones that made her skin tingle with heightened awareness. Something dead lived here.

  An old buffet with a cracked glass front and one door missing was the only stick of furniture left. A living room or a parlor sat directly across from the dining room, uninviting, whatever it was. Water wept down the plaster in long teary stains. A brick fireplace centered between two large windows on the far wall was flanked by built-in shelves. A ratty nest made of pine straw and paper filled up one corner of the bottom shelf. The stench of mold and rat feces hung in the air.

  “Do you see anything?” Jen asked softly.

  “No.” Charlie shook her head.

  Daphne came in holding her phone up. A red circle on the screen blinked. Lisa and Tom entered as well, both wearing cautious expressions on their faces.

  “What's the plan, Charlie?” Lisa asked, glancing around, rubbing her arms.

  “We should split up,” Charlie said. “Each take a Rowan’s cross.”

  “I don't think we should go by ourselves,” Daphne said.

  “No, Daphne's right,” Jen said. “We should go in pairs at least.”

  “I want to be paired with Tom,” Daphne said.

  Jen, Lisa, and Charlie all shot their younger cousin a what-the-hell look at the same time. Tom chuckled but turned it into a cough.

  “What?” Daphne shrugged and looked as if she'd been caught doing something wrong. “He's tall and a man.”

  “So?” Lisa asked.

  “You can't blame a girl for trying. I mean Charlie's not interested in him so —”

  “Daphne!” Jen said.

  “What? She's not.”

  Lisa just rolled her eyes. “You're coming with me.”

  “Jen?” Daphne said her voice full of pleading.

  Jen held up her hands in surrender. “Sorry, you kinda set yourself up for that one.”

  Charlie snickered. “Tom, why don't you come with me.”

  “Yes,” he said, sounding relieved. “Good idea. You too, Jen.”

  “Why does Jen get to go with them?” Daphne whined.

  “Come on. You know perfectly well why.” Lisa held out her hand. “Can I have one of those?”

  Jen h
anded her one of the Rowan crosses.

  “Here Charlie, you take this one.” She handed Charlie the God’s Eye cross.

  “Daphne and I'll do a sweep upstairs,” Lisa said.

  “That sounds good,” Charlie said. “We'll take the downstairs. She reached out holding her hand palm down. Her cousins circled around, each placing their hand on top of hers. Charlie glanced up at Tom and he stepped into the circle, placing his hand on the very top.

  “Guardians of the East and West be with us now. Powers of the North and South fill our souls with light and protect us,” Lisa said.

  “So mote it be,” Jen said.

  Lisa, Daphne, and even Tom echoed the words. Charlie as usual chimed in last. She glanced up at Tom unsure what to think of his joining so easily in the short prayer and ritual. She would ask him about it later. Right now, they had a spirit to catch.

  They dropped hands, and Lisa and Daphne headed up the steps.

  “Be careful,” Jen said. “Some of that wood looks rotted.”

  Lisa raised her hand and gave her sister an acknowledging wave. Daphne followed close behind her, never pausing her video.

  From the corner of her eye Charlie saw one of the windows raise in the dining room.

  “Jen. Tom,” Charlie whispered and motioned for them to follow her. As she approached the window it slammed shut, shattering what little glazing was left. Charlie jumped when Jen placed a gentle hand between her shoulder blades and sidled up next to her.

  “Do you see anything?” Jen asked.

  “Just what you see,” Charlie replied.

  Tom stared through a second door leading to a small serving space. “I saw some movement through there.”

  Charlie nodded and headed through the door. It appeared to be a butler’s pantry. Glass-fronted cabinets floating above a marble counter and more cabinets below. Inside one of the cabinets were crystal glasses coated it a thick layer of dust. Something crunched beneath her feet and she looked down to find some shattered remnants of a bottle ground to almost fine powder.

  A door on the opposite side of the one they came through swung open of its own accord. Jen wrapped her hand around Charlie's arm and gave it yank.