“What?” I snatched the bottle from the desk and practically barked my greeting.
“It’s nice to hear your voice, too,” the woman on the other end of the call drawled.
Jadis Beasley – or Jadis the Beastly as I liked to cackle behind her back – was my mentor. If that sounds a bit trite, I’m right there with you. Still, when I first arrived at St. Joan of Arc’s school I was shuttled directly into Jadis’ office. There she informed me that I was to report to her and only to her. That included times when I had gossip about the other mentors, if I happened to stumble across any while minding my own business, of course. In return she would teach me how to use magic the right way.
Now, thirteen years after the school had closed, I still found myself having to answer to the woman, even though I hated her more now than I did then.
“Jadis.” I managed to keep disdain out of my voice, but just barely. “I can’t tell you how happy I am to hear your voice. I was just thinking about you and it made my heart sing.” I was the queen of laying it on too thick, but I was so used to it I barely noticed any longer.
“Cut the crap, Skye.” Jadis was her usual perky self. “We need to talk about how you’ve been spending your days … and nights.”
Uh-oh. Someone had clearly been bending her ear. I shot a suspicious look to Tut, but he appeared to be asleep, his whiskers fluttering as he exhaled evenly. “I’m not sure what you’re talking about,” I hedged. “I’ve been doing the same things I always do.”
“And that’s only part of the problem,” Jadis said. “If you were doing what you usually do I would do what I usually do.”
“Which is?”
“Curse your name and the day you came into my life, and then disappear into some naked fire dancing and wine drinking.”
That didn’t sound so bad. “So do that. You don’t have to worry about me.”
“Apparently I do if the calls we’ve been getting are to be believed,” Jadis countered.
I should’ve known. My witchy sisters had sold me out. The bunch of tattletales were such babies they couldn’t wait to get me in trouble with Jadis. Oh, I couldn’t wait to show them exactly what I thought about their efforts. “Whatever you’ve heard is a vicious lie.” It’s always good to go on the offensive when you’re being accused of something, so that’s exactly what I did. “I demand proof of my misdeeds before I’ll capitulate to anything.”
Instead of being angry, Jadis blew out a weary sigh. “You’re never going to grow up, are you?”
That was a loaded question. “I believe I’m very mature.”
“Really? What’s the most mature thing you did today?”
That was a good question. “I used a glamour to interrogate a potential murderer.”
“And that right there is the core of our problem.”
I didn’t realize I’d waltzed into her well-laid trap until it was too late. This was so typical. “I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.”
“You are a child who never grew up despite all the lessons you should’ve learned. By the way, I never wanted a child.”
“So why do you insist on calling to yell at me?”
“I’m not going to yell at you.” I could practically picture Jadis practicing her breathing regimen to keep from exploding on the other end of the call. “I’ve decided that’s counterproductive. You can claim I’m being mean and discount everything I say when I yell.”
“I don’t discount everything you say.”
“How often do you listen to anything I say?”
There was no way I was going to answer that. “I’m bad at math. I would need a calculator to tally an answer and I have no idea where mine is right now. I’ll try to remember to figure it later and send you a report.”
“That sounds lovely,” Jadis drawled. “I can’t wait to read it.”
And she thought I was the sarcastic one. “So … is that everything?”
“Not even close.” Jadis turned somber. “I want to talk to you about your actions since finding the body at the resort. You seem to be distracted, and that’s something we can’t have.”
“I’m not distracted.”
“So you’re not spending all your time tracking down information on this dead woman?”
“Of course not.”
“That means you haven’t been using glamours to disguise yourself to question family members? You didn’t go through the trouble of brewing truth serum that was accidentally ingested by your sister witches?”
Yup. Someone had definitely been flapping his or her lips. The question was: Was it the cat or a witchy rat?
“I’m not sure I understand the question,” I replied after a beat. “I’ve been doing what I normally do, which is putting the welfare of the community first and running a newspaper second.”
“You’re a master at deflection, Skye, but I happen to know that you’ve been up to no good, and lying about it won’t help the situation,” Jadis argued. “I know all about the truth serum incident last night.”
This could be a trick. It wouldn’t be the first time Jadis pretended to know something to force me to confess to misdeeds she didn’t have the full dirt on. “And what is it that you think you know?”
“I know you dosed Kenna, Evian, and Zola with truth serum and they made fools of themselves at karaoke.”
“Well … .”
She didn’t give me a chance to shift topics. “I also know that you made something of an idiot of yourself. I believe you were all over a young man and are now the talk of the town, something we really don’t want if we’re going to fly under the radar.”
I had no idea which witch squawked, but I was going to make all of them pay. I wasn’t sure how, but my retribution would be fast and furious … and mean and vindictive … and itchy and scratchy … and whatever other horrible combinations I could come up with between now and then.
“First, I maintain that Kenna, Evian, and Zola would’ve made fools of themselves regardless,” I started. “They’re very good at it. You might even say they’re overachievers. As for what happened to me, I will admit I might have gotten a little … flirty … with one of the residents. I’ve known him for a long time, though, and we already talked about the issue this morning. We both agreed it was embarrassing and would never happen again.”
“You really talked to him already?” Jadis sounded impressed. “That doesn’t sound like you.”
“We talked about it because we were both uncomfortable. We blamed it on the alcohol and have already moved on. There’s nothing to worry about.”
“I’m not worried about you getting involved with August Taylor,” Jadis said. “I’m worried about you outing our secret. You need to be more careful with your magic. If the locals were to ever find out what you really are – what we all really are – I’m afraid the fallout would lead to the downfall of Eternal Springs. They have no idea what they’re up against if the four of you are forced to leave, and I can see them trying to evict you if they ever found out what you are.”
I could see that, too. It was a terrifying thought.
“You don’t have to worry about that.” I shook myself out of my melancholy. “They won’t find out. I made an error last night. I’ll admit that. It won’t happen again.”
“So you’re going to give up your investigation into this woman’s death?”
Oh, I didn’t say that. “I’m going to focus on my work.”
Jadis made a clucking sound with her tongue. “I know what that means. That’s a sly way for you to say you’re going to do what you want and there’s nothing I can do to stop you.”
She wasn’t wrong. “How is life on the mainland?”
“Oh, don’t go there.” Jadis sucked in a breath and I knew she was working overtime to calm herself. “You need to make sure that you keep your priorities in order. I’m not saying a murder isn’t something to be concerned about, but there are plenty of people on that island who can solve a murder. What you need to do … well, only
your sister witches and you can do that. It’s important to remember that.”
It wasn’t as if I were in a position to forget. Speaking of that, … . “Have you ever seen a green lizard creature that stinks to high heaven and wants to live in a few feet of water? He claims he eats babies.”
Jadis was obviously jarred by my conversational shift. “Is that a theoretical question?”
“No. There’s a monster living in the wishing well by the newspaper building.”
“And you just left it there?”
“Until dark. I can’t go after it when someone might see me. He’s not doing anything but stinking up the joint and threatening to invite me over for finger foods – which are made of literal fingers, mind you – so I figured I could wait for the cover of darkness to go after him. I just want to know if you know what he is so I don’t waste time when it comes to forcing him back to the other side.”
“I can’t say that I’ve ever heard of such a creature.” Jadis was thoughtful. “It talks?”
“Entire conversations. It used the word ‘posh’ like it was a normal thing.”
“And it just appeared in the well out of nowhere?” Jadis didn’t sound thrilled at the possibility.
“It did. I didn’t even know it was there until the scent hit me and I went to take a look. He didn’t seem surprised to see me. He also didn’t appear worried when I told him he couldn’t stay and I would be back.”
“That’s a little … disconcerting.”
That’s so not the word I would’ve used. “It’s worrisome, but until I actually try to move him … and fail … there isn’t much I can do about it.”
“Try to get one of the others to help you move him,” Jadis instructed. “That way you’ll outnumber him should he try something.”
“I don’t believe my fellow witches are in the mood to help me right now.”
“They’ll have to get over that.” Jadis was the pragmatic sort, so talk of a juvenile argument wasn’t about to derail her practical side. “You need to make sure that thing doesn’t get comfortable.”
“Or start eating babies,” I added.
“Definitely. I’ll do some research on my end and send it your way if I come up with something. Other than that, the only thing I can offer is my hope that you’re victorious.”
“I’m sure it will be fine.”
“I’m sure it will be, too.”
“So, if that’s all … .”
“Just one more thing. When do you think you’ll go on your first date with August Taylor? Everyone has a pool going, and I think I should benefit from inside information. I have to put up with you on a weekly basis, so it only seems fair.”
I made a face. “Goodnight, Jadis.”
“And goodnight to you. Don’t worry about the tip. I already know when it’s going to happen. Thanks.”
And just like that she disconnected and left me with my dark thoughts. What the heck was going on with everyone assuming Augie and I were going to hook up? That was just laughable. I mean … seriously laughable.
Ugh. My stomach hurts. I hate all this upheaval. It makes me tense.
Fifteen
I had time to burn.
I could have written an article for the newspaper. That would’ve been the responsible thing to do. Instead I paced my living room, pouted about one of my witchy so-called friends tattling, and constantly found my mind traveling back to Blair Whitney.
Jadis wanted me to focus on my job, which technically consisted of battling back monsters that managed to find a way around the makeshift door we’d erected after the incident. I was supposed to ignore the other types of monsters I regularly ran across. That was on top of my day job as a mild-mannered reporter on the most boring island imaginable. If I could write about the things I really did, that might be entertaining.
It wasn’t an option, though.
Kenna, Zola, and Evian believed I was sticking my nose where it didn’t belong. They thought I was interested because I discovered the body. That was only part of it. In truth, I sensed that I was supposed to follow the trail of evidence and solve the case. There was something inside of me that demanded I not let go. Some would call it intuition. I wasn’t sure I could give it a name. I only knew I couldn’t stop now.
“I’m heading to the resort.”
Swoops didn’t bother raising his head as he snored in his hammock. Tut barely opened one eye before squeezing it shut.
“Don’t everyone hop up and down while applauding my work ethic,” I grumbled.
“Bring back dinner,” Tut called out as I strolled toward the door. “I’m feeling like tuna casserole tonight.”
I had never made tuna anything – I hate fish, but love seafood, go figure – and I certainly wasn’t going to start now. “That’s not going to happen.”
Corned beef hash.
“That’s not going to happen either unless I can find the low-sodium stuff that will reduce your blood pressure.”
Swoops made a derisive sound, and even though his eyes remained closed I was fairly certain he was offering me the bat version of a one-fingered salute. He had only one finger at the tip of his wings, so that was a fair assumption.
“I’ll be back when I can.” I twisted the door handle. “Keep your eyes and ears open regarding the thing in the wishing well. If you hear it’s running around, get word to me at the resort. I’m going to have to handle him before the end of the night, too.”
“You can count on us.” Tut sounded smug. “Don’t forget dinner.”
“I said I was going to do it, so I will. Get off my back. You’re worse than Jadis.”
Corned beef hash!
“Don’t make me remove all meat and potato products from this house, Swoops!”
THE RESORT WAS QUIET when I arrived. I managed to sweet talk Dylan into telling me where Blair Whitney’s daughter was for the afternoon, and when I found out she was at the mud pits I wanted to curse a brown streak – like the mud I was potentially going to be forced to brave. But then I put on my big-girl panties (I had to because I was forced to settle for granny panties this morning) and made my way to the pits.
I smelled them before I saw them. There were two, although one was a decent distance from the resort, and the first was almost always the one chosen by guests. That’s where I found Sheridan Whitney and Rebecca Preston as I cut across the grounds and rounded the corner to the main outdoor area.
I pulled up short, thankful neither woman was looking in my direction, and watched them for a while. They seemed lost in thought, chatty with one another, and entirely oblivious to how they should be acting.
It was an interesting sight.
My original plan was to climb into the mud (which I never wanted to do despite everyone else making yummy girl noises over the healing properties it offered) and weave a little spell to loosen their tongues. It wasn’t exactly a truth spell, but it would hopefully be enough to get them talking. Now that I knew exactly where they were, though – and what they were likely to be doing for at least the next hour – I had another idea.
I turned quickly, every intention of returning to the inn so I could infiltrate housekeeping and go through Rebecca’s room fueling me, but I pulled up short when Augie stepped into my path. Was he somehow LoJacked to me this week? How did he keep finding me? And why did he keep showing up?
“Augie.” I kept my voice low so as not to disturb the women in the pit. “Are you here spying on the guests? Do you have a mud fetish I don’t know about?”
Augie’s expression was haughty. “I don’t think any of my fetishes have to do with mud. Rum runners, on the other hand … .” He smirked at my discomfort before turning serious. “What are you doing out here, Skye?”
Eternal Springs wasn’t large, but it also wasn’t so small that I should’ve had occasion to run into Augie three times in one day. That was stretching the limitations of feasibility. “I was looking for the source of that smell.” That seemed plausible. In fact, it made a lot of
sense now that I gave it some thought. “It’s definitely coming from here.”
Augie’s forehead wrinkled as he lifted his chin and scented the air. “I don’t smell anything.”
“That’s because you’re used to the stink. Your nose has become accustomed to it.”
“I didn’t have a problem smelling it at your office.”
“And yet I didn’t smell it there. It’s coming from here.”
“See, I think you’re full of crap and you’re covering for something else,” Augie countered. “Because that’s the least of my worries – I don’t care how many people are walking around town talking about how much you smell – I think you should handle that problem on your own.”
Now it was my turn to make a face. “I don’t smell.”
“Not usually, but your building smelled today. I would call island services to have that checked out if I were you. It could be a sewer break right under your building. That could turn messy.”
“I have it under control.”
“Great.”
“Good.”
We lapsed into uncomfortable silence and eyed one another for several minutes. I considered walking away without uttering another word – I simply had no idea what else I was going to say – but Augie had other ideas.
“Are you going to try to question them?”
I glanced over my shoulder to where Sheridan and Rebecca remained lost in conversation. “I was considering it.”
“What changed your mind? I mean, you were walking away when I found you.”
“Do you want the truth or should I lie?”
Augie was taken aback by the question. “I don’t know. Will I be upset with the truth?”
“Probably.”
“Can you come up with a convincing lie?”
“Probably.”
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