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

by Wendy Wang

  Can you do a missing person’s search for me?

  She waited a moment, watching the screen. Finally, an ellipsis appeared indicating he was responding.

  Aren’t you on vacation?

  Not from dead people.

  You want me to find a dead person who is missing?

  Yes. A girl. Maybe 14 or 15. Dark hair. Wearing a nightgown. Maybe she was kidnapped or something?

  And this would be where exactly?

  The mountains in North Carolina. Near Eddington.

  I love how you think I’m some sort of miracle worker and can just dig up missing people for you. Especially without a name.

  Oh, for pity’s sake, I know you have a database you can search. Several actually. Stop giving me a hard time.

  LOL. I have actual cases you know. Inside my own state.

  Yes. I know. I also know you like helping me.

  An eye-rolling emoji appeared, and Charlie laughed out loud. She could almost hear him blowing hot air through his flared nostrils as he uttered the words that appeared on the screen.

  Fine. I’ll see what I can find.

  Thank you! You’re the best.

  A cold chill settled around Charlie's shoulders, and she could feel the girl’s eyes on her. She looked through the telephoto lens again, zooming it to the largest setting of 300 mm. She used it to scan the bank of the other side of the river. There were no dark shadows. No flashes. Why was the girl on the other side of the river? Why had she retreated into the forest? When most spirits realized Charlie could see them they would do whatever they could to move closer, to have a conversation. Most spirits, she found, were lonely.

  Charlie's breath caught in her throat for a moment as a dark form came into focus beneath the canopy of trees. Maybe if they went into town today, she would stop by Marion's office and ask more questions. She drew the camera away from her face and squinted, trying to see the girl with her naked eye. But she only saw murky darkness there.

  Charlie's phone vibrated in her pocket and she pulled it out. She had a new text from Jen.

  Where are you?

  Down by the river.

  Why didn't you wake me?

  I figured after last night you'd want to sleep in. LOL.

  No. I'm fine. I took an aspirin and drank a ton of water before going to sleep.

  What about Lisa and Daphne?

  They're still sleeping. They will definitely be hung over. They laughed at me last night.

  LOL. Then it serves them right.

  Come back. We could go into town and grab an early lunch or a late breakfast.

  Cool. I want to stop by Marion's office and maybe the library.

  Okay. Is Google broken?

  I need information that’s not found online. Newspaper archives for the local area.

  Why do you suddenly need to look something up?

  Spirit encounter. Want to see if I can find anything about her.

  Friendly?

  Not sure. Only saw her for a minute. She looks young though.

  Okay. Come back and we’ll go.

  Should be there in about 30 minutes, the path is slick and muddy.

  See you soon. Be careful of the path and of the spirit!

  Will do.

  Charlie tucked her phone into her pocket and put her camera into its case and started to climb back up the incline by the waterfall. The way the water from the cascade struck the still flowing river caused a mist to rise. The soft spray of water made the exposed earth muddier and the moss-covered granite slick. Charlie’s foot slipped, and she landed on all fours. Her fingernails dug into the mud and her palms stung from the impact against rough pebbles. Wet mud penetrated her jeans at the knees and coated her hands and the spray from the river coated her backside.

  “Dammit.”

  She would have to take a shower and put on clean clothes once she got back. Something cold touched the back of her neck sending a quiver shimmying through her. Her heartbeat sped up, and she looked up. The girl from the other side of the river stood directly in front of her. Charlie’s heart slammed into her throat and she lurched backward almost losing her balance. The spirit’s dark gaze locked onto hers. The girl’s eyes were as muddy as the earth coating Charlie's fingers but something in them blazed with a dark light. She had been startled by spirits before, unnerved and even frightened on occasion, but something about the way this girl looked at her was different from all the other spirits she had encountered. A palpable malevolence emanated from the girl.

  “You see me,” the girl said in an unnatural high-pitched voice. It reminded Charlie of the voices of the munchkins from The Wizard of Oz. The girl hissed, “Conduit.”

  Charlie tried to stand but her foot slipped again, bringing her to her knees. Her mind raced through all the possible responses. Upsetting a spirit was a dangerous prospect.

  “You shouldn’t be here,” the girl said. “She knows about you now. She doesn’t like strangers in her woods.” Those words in the girl’s munchkin-like voice should have sounded comical, but instead, they hung in the air like a dark cloud, heavy and ominous.

  Charlie kept her tone soft. “Let me leave and I won’t come back. I promise.” Cold dread snaked its way into Charlie's chest. It wrapped around her heart and squeezed tight.

  The girl shifted her gaze to the forest across the river. Her stare was dreamy as if she were remembering some other time, some other life. “I'm sorry.” The girl’s whisper slid across Charlie’s skin and her body went numb. “It’s too late now.”

  Charlie dug her fingers into the muddy bank. The muscles in her legs twitched with adrenaline as she made a quick scan of the space between her and the path. A little voice inside her head screamed run! Charlie slowed her breathing, moving her body deliberately, inching up the bank. Everything hinged on getting her feet out of the mud and up this slick slope. There were only a few feet between her and a granite slab jutting up a few inches. Even with the moss covering it, she would have better traction than the mud. The girl drifted right as if she’d read Charlie’s thoughts. Charlie swallowed hard and forced herself to meet the girl’s black eyes. The girl’s expression shifted from dreamy to deadly in the space of a second. “She wants you. Nothin’ I can do about that now, Conduit.”

  Charlie took a sidestep, getting one foot onto a small mound of grass jutting from the bank. “I can help you, you know. Help you find the light and leave her far behind.”

  The girl’s face shifted again, and she trained her black fire eyes on Charlie. “There is no light. Only the dark. Only these woods.”

  A fresh shiver shook Charlie to the core. A long pause filled up the space between them. Charlie opened her mouth to continue bargaining. Maybe she could convince the spirit to let her go. The words died in her throat when she heard a low growl coming from the girl. The girl raised her arms in front of her and made a pushing motion forward. A sharp pain hit Charlie in the middle of her chest just before she found herself flying backward. A thousand needles pricked her skin when she landed in the frigid water. She struggled against the fast-moving current and the weight of her wet clothes. She struggled to tread water, but the current yanked her under, swirling her body. The cold sank into her flesh making it even harder to move. The air in her lungs grew stale. Her lungs ached. She kicked as hard as she could and finally broke the surface again gulping in air and spitting water.

  The bank looked different. How far had she traveled? Up ahead a drop-off loomed. It was not as steep as the one she’d been pushed into but the water rushing over it moved even faster, crashing into large rocks downstream. Charlie kicked harder but with each stroke of progress the current pulled her toward the next waterfall. She turned on her back, staring at the sky. God, this was not how things were going to end for her. Not today.

  She righted herself and kicked, swimming closer to the bank. Her foot scraped the bottom of the pebble-covered incline and for a second she tasted freedom. She didn't know how she would get past the spirit but if she coul
d at least make it to the path, she would find a way.

  Something icy brushed against her leg and Charlie struggled harder to reach the shore. The sensation of fingers wrapping around her ankle sent sharp pinpricks of pain up her leg. She kicked at it, trying to free herself but one hard yank pulled Charlie beneath the surface, down below the rushing current into the darkness.

  Jen Holloway paced back and forth on the front porch of the cabin, stopping every few moments to stare at the opening of the trail head leading into the forest.

  The front door behind her opened and closed. Her sister Lisa walked across the porch and leaned against the log banister with her arms folded across her chest. “I don't think any amount of staring at that path is going to actually make her show up.”

  “She said she’d be half an hour.” Jen pulled her phone from her back pocket and glanced at the time. She whipped off another text to Charlie and waited, watching the small screen in her hand.

  “I'm sure she's fine. She said it was muddy, right? I mean if it's an incline and it's muddy it could just be taking her longer.”

  “It’s been two hours. She should just text me back, dammit. This isn’t like her.”

  Lisa sighed and rubbed the top of her sister’s arm. A gesture of comfort that Lisa rarely displayed. “We could go looking for her. If you want.”

  The knot in Jen's stomach tightened. Why did that make her feel worse? “What if we don’t find her?”

  “Don’t be an idiot. We will. We’ll probably run into her on the path, covered in mud from having to climb up a steep hill.”

  “Really? You think so?”

  “I do. Then you can give her hell for not texting you back. Okay?”

  “Okay.” Jen forced a smile. That knot in her stomach still didn’t let go.

  “Cool. Let’s do this.” Lisa jerked her thumb toward the front door. “I'll go grab Daphne and my coat.”

  “Sounds good.” Jen waited until the door shut behind her sister before whipping off another text.

  Hi. Got a sec?

  She rocked on her feet and concentrated on the tiny screen. Her heart thudding lightly in her throat. Finally . . .

  Sure. How are the mountains?

  Not sure. Charlie went for a walk. Said she’d be back in half an hour. But it's been two.

  Charlie's very levelheaded. I'm sure she's fine.

  I know. I just have a sick feeling in my stomach. Something's not right.

  What can I do?

  Do you know anybody in this area? You know, just in case.

  Just in case, what?

  Maybe Lisa was right. Maybe she was worrying about nothing.

  I don’t know. I’m probably just being silly.

  Ok. Here’s what I’ll do. I’ll check around and see what I can come up with.

  That’d be great.

  Keep me updated.

  I will. Thank you!

  She signed off with the smiley emoji just as Lisa walked out onto the porch.

  “Is that Charlie?” Lisa craned her neck to get a glimpse of her sister’s phone.

  “No. I was just checking the weather,” Jen lied.

  Lisa narrowed her eyes. “Okay . . . “

  “What? I wanted to see if it’s gonna rain.”

  “All right. Calm down. Nobody’s accusing you of anything.”

  “I know . . . “ Jen sighed and tucked her phone in her bra. “I’m just edgy that’s all.”

  Lisa rolled her eyes and handed her sister a small velvet pouch. “Maybe this’ll help.”

  Jen wrapped her fingers around the pouch and the contents shifted. “You expect us to need these? They’re for Charlie’s ceremony.”

  Lisa shrugged. “No. But I know they make you feel better.”

  Jen loosened the drawstring and touched the stones inside. A cool calm spread through her, and she closed her eyes for a moment, breathing in and out, taking in the healing energy. After a minute, she tightened the string and slipped the bag into the pocket of her coat.

  “Better?” Lisa asked.

  “Better.” Jen smiled and glanced at the door. “Where’s Daphne?”

  “She’s not coming. She said somebody needed to stay here in case we disappeared, too.”

  “Well, that's cheerful,” Jen muttered under her breath and followed Lisa down the steps.

  “Honestly, I think she's so hung over she can't stand the thought of putting on real clothes.”

  “Why are you not more hung over? You drank more than all of us.”

  Lisa laughed. “I drink more than you guys do.”

  “Oh,” Jen frowned. “Are you trying to tell me something? Should I be worried?”

  “Of course not. I’m the only female partner in a law firm full of men who like to drink scotch. Once you build up a tolerance, fruity drinks really don't touch it. Especially when they're made by your lightweight sister,” Lisa teased as they made their way onto the path.

  Jen gave Lisa a side-eyed glance and saw her mouth curve up into a smirk. She rolled her eyes and brought her attention back to the path. “It's muddier than I thought it was going to be.”

  “Why? Charlie already told you it was muddy.”

  “I don't know,” Jen said. “It didn't look that bad from the cabin.” Jen glanced up at the sky. Gray clouds moved overhead giving the forest an eerie preternatural glow. Jen couldn't see spirits the way Charlie did, but her witch’s senses were heightened, and the hair on the back of her neck and arms stood up, sentinels warning her to pay attention. Shadows played at the corners of her eyes but they disappeared as soon as she glanced their way. Was this how Charlie saw the world, shadows dancing just out of view?

  Lisa seemed less concerned, which comforted Jen. She could always count on her sister to keep a level head in any situation. They walked in silence following the long trail toward the river. Overhead a crow cawed and Jen shifted her gaze toward the bird. It batted its black glossy wings and flew ahead of them. It glided back and forth, staying in their line of sight. Jen opened her mouth to comment on it, but Lisa cut her off.

  “It’s been following us since we left the front porch.” Lisa’s foreboding tone made the hair on Jen’s arms stand up.

  “What?” Jen’s heart sped up and the crisp air chilled the inside of her nose as she breathed it in too fast. “Why?”

  “I don’t know yet.”

  Jen trained her eye on the bird, despite her sister’s warning. “What should we do?”

  “I don’t want to spook you any more than you already are, but she’s indebted to someone and shrouded.”

  “How do you know that?”

  Lisa gave her a how-do-you-think scowl.

  “Can you tell if it’s . . . “ The words died on her lips but she finished the thought in her head. Evil?

  Lisa shook her head. “I wish I’d brought my wand.”

  A chill skittered through Jen and she shivered at her sister’s words. Evangeline had taught them all when they were girls that wands were not used in everyday magic, no matter what the storybooks said. They magnified a witch’s abilities and allowed the focus of energy. “That kind of power can be too much for most witches,” Evangeline had told them. “You should only use a wand for high holidays and certain rites. They’re not for playing. You girls understand me? You are never to point your wand at someone and cast with it.”

  Jen shoved her hands deeper into her coat pocket and tightened her grip on the pouch. Her fingers tingled a little, and she scoured the ground looking for something specific. When she spotted the fallen branch from what looked like a hickory tree, she left the path. Carefully, she surveyed the twigs jutting from it for just the right size before she pressed her foot against the larger central branch and snapped off a limb. She plucked the few dead brown leaves still clinging to it and broke off any smaller offshoots until it was clean. Then she snapped the wood in half, leaving her with two thin lengths of wood, each roughly ten inches long.

  Lisa had stopped and watched her sis
ter with a curious expression.

  “Here you go.” Jen handed one of the straight green twigs to her sister. “Not perfect, but it will do in a pinch.”

  Lisa wrapped her hand around the base of the makeshift wand and snapped it back and forth. It made a swishing sound. “What do you have in that pouch?”

  Jen pulled her velvet bag from her pocket and untied the gold drawstring, carefully opening it. The cache of various stones and crystals sparkled a little even in the dim light. She plucked a flat black stone about the size of her thumbnail and handed it to Lisa.

  Lisa placed the stone flat in the palm of her hand, pressed the end of the stick against the stone, and wrapped her hand around it. She again cut through the air with the wand and a translucent pale blue smoke appeared from the tip. Lisa shifted her gaze to her sister's face, concern etching lines into her forehead. “What about you?”

  Jen picked through the stones until she found a piece of dark green jade. She pulled the drawstring tight and slipped the bag back into her pocket. She placed the stone in her palm and held the wand against it tightly in a clenched fist. She whipped the twig back and forth and uttered an incantation. A glowing green smoke trail followed the swirl she cut through the air. “I’m good.”

  A loud cawing made them both look up just in time to see the large bird headed straight for their heads. Jen’s heart leapt into her throat and she held her wand up, but Lisa had already swiped at the air forming a series of zigzags. The bird struck the protective net of magic. Tangled, the bird lost its momentum and plummeted to the ground with a flat thud. Lisa walked over to it, her face determined and fearless. She pointed her new wand at the bird.

  “Who do you belong to?” she asked.

  The bird struggled against an invisible force holding its wings close to its body. It tried to hop away but Lisa swiped at it again, binding its feet, forcing it onto its side. It cawed one last time and then grew very still. One black jewel of an eye trained on Lisa, unblinking.