by J A Whiting
“Why?” Ellie thought her sister might be about to pull a prank on her.
“I’ll give it right back.” Angie could feel her pulse quicken and her blood thrum through her veins.
Ellie unclasped the silver chain and passed the piece to her sister. Angie looked down at the necklace as she held it up to her throat, and then handed it to Jenna. “Hold it up again.”
Lifting it to her neck, Jenna narrowed her eyes trying to imagine what her twin sister was up to.
Angie leaned across the table, intent on the white stone. “Now, hand it to Ellie again.”
Ellie rolled her eyes and put the necklace back on. “Can I keep it this time?”
Angie sat back in her chair, her eyes still glued to the piece of jewelry around Ellie’s neck. “That stone.”
Ellie and Jenna made eye contact with one another.
“What about it?” Jenna asked.
“It only glows when Ellie wears it.”
The three girls handed the necklace around to each other a few more times to corroborate Angie’s statement.
“At first I thought it was just the fire reflecting off the stone, but when Jenna held it up, the white of the stone looked opaque, almost dull, and it didn’t shine.” Angie fiddled with one of the jewelry tools. “But when Ellie wears it, the stone seems to sparkle and swim in the light. It shimmers. It almost comes alive.”
“Huh.” Ellie shook her head, her fingers stroking the white cabochon. “But, why?”
“It was Mom’s,” Jenna said. “You look the most like her. She didn’t want anything to do with powers, either. You’re just like her. The stone wants to be with you.”
Ellie’s face drooped and she swallowed hard. “But, why?” she asked again. “Why does it shimmer when I have it on? What’s it all about?”
Jenna glanced across the room to the window sill where she kept the jar of sea glass that her Nana had given her. “I wish Nana was here. I bet she could tell us about the stone.”
“The dreams.” Angie looked over at Ellie. “We saw your reflection in the white berries of the mistletoe in all of our dreams. Somehow the stone in the necklace and the mistletoe … and you, must all fit together.”
Ellie stood up, her hands shaking. She started to pace around the room. The cats watched her back and forth movement. “Remember how Gloria looked at the necklace? It made me feel strange.” Ellie made eye contact with Angie. “Well, this morning when you were in the walk-in freezer, I came into the bake shop to get a chocolate croissant for my favorite guest.” She made a face thinking of Walter Withers. “Louisa was busy ringing people up and she asked me to bring the Crossworts their coffee. When I set the mugs on their table, their eyes went right to my necklace. I was bent over and the necklace was hanging forward. Mrs. Crosswort reached out and touched it.” Ellie’s lips were tight. “I thought she had such a nerve. It startled me. I practically jumped back.”
“They’re odd people. No social skills.” Jenna shook her head.
“I didn’t like it, not at all.” Clutching a strand of her hair, Ellie braided and unbraided it. “Maybe I should put the necklace back in the box until I know what’s going on.” She stopped in mid-step. “I don’t want to do anything wrong.” Turning quickly, she hurried to the door. “That’s what I’m going to do.”
They heard Ellie’s heels clicking away on the wood floor of the hall. “Do you think she should put it back in the box?” Angie asked.
“Who knows? It is strange that Gloria and Mrs. Crossword reacted in such a weird way when they spotted the necklace.” Jenna picked up a red gemstone from the table and held it up to the firelight admiring the color. “You think the necklace has something to do with the mistletoe?”
“Wait a minute.” Angie leaned forward. “How long ago did Ellie find the box of Mom’s things?”
“Well, the box has been in the carriage house since we all moved here. Ellie just fished it out recently though. Why?”
“The necklace was in that white leather box. It must have been in there since Mom died.”
“What are you getting at?” Jenna had the feeling that her sister was on to something.
Angie felt the low rhythmic beating in her blood. “When did Ellie open the box? Is it a coincidence that she found that necklace at the same time someone started to threaten us?”
Euclid sat up on the sofa and made a soft clicking sound like when he saw birds through the window and wanted to hunt them.
Jenna’s lips parted like she was going to speak. She paused trying to make sense of the things that had happened over the past week. “Ellie opened the box around the same time that we noticed the mistletoe in the tree.” Her heart rate quickened. “The Crossworts showed up then, too, and Walter Withers.”
Angie’s voice shook. “Were those people drawn here because Ellie opened the box?”
“It doesn’t seem like coincidence, does it?” Jenna raised her eyes to her sister. “Have the Crossworts been coming into the bake shop every morning?”
Angie gave a nod. “Except for one day, they’re in there like clockwork. The woman looks worse every day.” She looked across the room, thinking, something picking at her mind. “Professor Tyler comes in every morning, too. It’s funny though, the Crossworts always seem to leave just before the professor arrives.” Angie gave a little shrug. The bits of information swirled around like crisp autumn leaves caught in a breeze, not easy to pin down or to put in order.
Circe moved from the cushion to the arm of the sofa, her green eyes flashing.
“Maybe putting the necklace away for a while will settle things down.” Angie hoped so.
Ellie came back into the room carrying the white leather box. She’d overheard Angie’s comment. “I doubt putting the necklace away will stop whoever wants to hurt us.”
“It feels like things are escalating.” Jenna picked up the completed jewelry pieces and carried them to the long work table where she would pack them for shipping. “I don’t think putting the necklace away can put the brakes on the person who’s threatening us.”
Angie rubbed her index finger over the small box. Little zips of electricity bit the tip of her finger. She pressed on it and felt the unusual hardness of the box. Lifting it, she turned it in different directions continuing to press here and there. “This isn’t a normal box.” She slid it across the tabletop for Jenna to inspect it. Euclid and Circe jumped on the table to sniff the box.
“It’s really hard ... and heavy. What’s it made of? Lead?” Jenna joked.
Angie started to chuckle and then stopped. “Lead.”
“What’s wrong with lead?” Ellie glanced from sister to sister.
“Nothing,” Angie said. “It’s very dense, it’s used to protect against gamma rays and against radiation in x-rays. Technicians wear lead aprons or shields when they x-ray someone.” Angie had a scientific background having graduated from MIT.
“That necklace is radioactive?” Ellie stepped away from the table.
“No.” Angie picked up the white box. “The lead is keeping the white stone’s energy inside the box.”
Jenna’s eyes narrowed and she smiled. “That way no one knows where it is. But, if the necklace is taken out of the box, then some people can sense where it is … and come after it.”
The corners of Angie’s mouth turned up. “Exactly.”
The two cats trilled.
21
Angie locked the door of the bake shop, stretched and yawned. It had been another busy day and she was feeling exhausted. She hadn’t been sleeping well the past few nights. She was always listening for any sound that might indicate someone trying to break into the house. Fitful dreams and staying awake trying to piece clues together added to her fatigue.
“What’s cookin,’ Sis?” Courtney came in and opened the refrigerator. “Jenna wants a latte and there isn’t any milk in the house fridge.”
“There’s plenty in there. Take some into the house.” Angie wiped down the countertop
and then removed her apron and placed it in the laundry bin. “Are you doing okay?”
Courtney knew what she meant. Rufus was leaving for England in two days. She gave Angie a wistful smile. “I’m okay. I’m trying to keep busy at all times.”
Angie flicked off the light in the bake shop and followed her sister into the house. Mr. Finch sat at the kitchen table reading the newspaper with Circe sitting beside him. He looked up when the girls came in.
“What’s wrong, Miss Angie?”
Angie sank into the chair opposite Finch. “I’m feeling uneasy.” She made a face. “All the time.”
Courtney put two jugs of milk onto the counter, reached for a cup, and made Jenna’s latte. “Maybe it’s because of your creepy customers.”
“They didn’t come in today.”
Courtney looked over her shoulder. “That’s unusual, isn’t it?”
“They’ve only missed one other day besides today.”
Courtney put the cup on a saucer and headed for the hall to deliver the drink to Jenna. “The Crossworts bother you when they come into the bake shop and they bother you when they don’t. You can’t win.”
Angie looked at Mr. Finch. “I don’t think the Crossworts are the cause of what’s bothering me. They’re not the whole reason anyway.”
Finch folded the newspaper and pushed it to the side of the table. He made eye contact with Angie, but didn’t say anything. Circe rubbed her cheek against the man’s hand and he obliged by scratching her. After a few moments, Finch said, “I think your unease will be gone soon.”
“Will the outcome be good or bad?”
“Unknown.” Finch continued to scratch the cat’s cheek.
“Someone’s about to make a move?”
“I think so, yes.”
A noise at the doorway made them both look across the room. Ellie stood at the threshold staring at them. Her face looked ghostly pale. “Why do I always walk in on these kinds of conversations?” She stepped into the kitchen and let out a sigh. “I’m going to busy myself by starting dinner.”
“What are you going to make? I’ll help.” Angie pushed herself out of the chair.
Ellie took some ingredients out of the refrigerator. “Why don’t you go for a run instead?”
Angie blinked. “Why?”
Ellie straightened up, her hand still on the fridge door. “I don’t know why.” Her cheeks tinged pink. She stammered trying to cover her fluster. “You, ah, you haven’t exercised for days, ever since these fires started happening. It might do you good.”
Angie looked at Mr. Finch and he raised an eyebrow. She cocked her head and asked Ellie, “Is this one of your things like when you say something about Chief Martin and then he calls? Do you have some feeling that I should go for a run?”
“No.” Ellie replied too fast which made Angie think that the real answer was yes.
“Okay. I want to talk to the chief anyway so maybe I’ll jog down to the police station.” Angie started for the hallway to go to her room to change into running clothes. “Tomorrow afternoon, I’m going to go see Francine’s new stained glass store in the center of town. I saw her this morning in the bake shop. She said her place is coming out really nice and she invited us all to come by. Her grandmother is helping her and Francine said she used to know Nana. She’d like to meet us.”
Mr. Finch told Angie that perhaps it might be wise if he stayed at the Victorian to keep an eye on things while the girls visited the stained glass store and met Francine’s grandmother. The family was trying to have at least one person at home at all times in case trouble reared its head. Ellie wanted to go along to Francine’s, so they set a time.
Angie headed out of the kitchen. “I’ll ask Jenna and Courtney to come, too.”
* * *
AS SHE ran down Main Street, Angie had to admit that the exercise was doing her good. The late afternoon was clear and cool and the sun was low on the horizon painting strips of pink and violet against the darkening blue sky. Angie waved to acquaintances as she made her was down the road and she glanced into shop windows as she passed. The stores and restaurants had colorful mums and small pumpkins in their window boxes and at their entrances. Some store windows had displays of black cats and ghosts set beside pumpkins and cornstalks. A smile played over Angie’s lips. She loved the festive atmosphere in town and the fall weather and its hint of the coming holiday season.
By the time she reached the police station, Angie’s muscles and lungs were burning from the exertion, but she had to admit that running had drained the tension from her body. Climbing the steps to the station, she used her forearm to wipe the sweat off her brow. Inside she was greeted by Officer Talbot and led to Chief Martin’s small, spare office.
“Angie.” The chief looked up and smiled. “I was just going to text you.”
Hope filled her chest. “You have a lead?” She sat in the metal chair in front of the chief’s desk.
A small one. Maybe.” Chief Martin twirled a pencil between his fingers. “The techs have been working on the security camera footage.”
“I thought the tapes were useless from the electrical blip or whatever it was.”
“The techs have been able to filter out some of the static and blur. Somewhat.” The chief leaned back in his well-worn, squeaky chair. “I haven’t seen it yet, but I’m told you can make out a form moving about on the common. I assume the person is setting up the scarecrows. They’re sending the photos over either tonight or tomorrow morning. I’ll make copies and you and your sisters and Mr. Finch can take a look. I’ll drop them off at the house.”
Angie’s eyes were wide. “That’s good. That’s something.” She nodded with enthusiasm. “Anything might help.”
“Anything new on your end?” The chief raised an eyebrow.
Angie realized he was hoping she’d dropped in with some bit of information. “I was just wondering if there were any new clues.” She bit her lip. “There is something though.” She told the chief about the necklace and certain people’s expressions of interest in it. “Gloria’s eyes bugged out when she saw it and Mrs. Crosswort had the nerve to actually reach out and touch it. Ellie was really taken aback.” She explained their suspicion that the white stone gave off energy of some sort and that being in its lead box kept the energy inside.
Chief Martin’s face was blank and he blinked a few times before saying anything. Even though he’d worked with the girls’ Nana on many cases and accepted the Roseland’s abilities, he was often still surprised by and unsure of how to address their skills. “Well, that’s, um, interesting.”
Angie couldn’t help chuckling. “Who knows if there’s any connection between the necklace and what’s been going on. We’re probably just clutching at straws.”
They chatted about other aspects of the case and other unrelated things going on in town. Angie started to shiver from the cold, wet sweat clinging to her skin. “I’d better head home.” She stood up and went to the door, but hesitated for a moment. She turned to the chief. “Mr. Finch senses that someone is about to make another move. We should be on guard.”
The chief’s cheek muscle twitched as a grave expression crossed over his face. “Be careful.”
Angie nodded. “You, too.” A quick shudder ran down her back, but the cold sweat on her skin wasn’t the cause.
* * *
RUNNING BACK up the street, a heavy sense of fatigue came over Angie, but she pressed on hoping she would get a second wind if she kept going. She knew her sense of desperation over the case was mixed in with her physical weariness and the combination was sapping her energy. Her breathing was labored and her leg muscles were on fire. She watched the people and tourists on the sidewalks as she passed trying to distract herself from her pain. The gift shops and restaurant buildings cast long shadows and, here and there, the streetlamps started to glow.
Although Angie felt it was cheating, she decided that instead of slowing to a walk, she would keep running, but would take a side str
eet home that would cut off some of the distance she’d have to cover if she remained on the main street. She decided it was a decent compromise. Plodding along with heavy legs, she promised herself to get back into a regular exercise routine and to stop making excuses.
Angie hadn’t been on this street for a while and she saw several shops that she enjoyed browsing through in the past. There was one that sold beautiful handmade Irish sweaters and she’d thought of getting one for Ellie for Christmas. She made a mental note to visit the shop soon. Up ahead, coming down the sidewalk towards her, an older couple weaved around some tourists, and Angie glanced away. Something about them caused her to look again and her heart pounded as she ran by. Halting in her tracks, she whirled around to see the couple step into an old car and drive away. Angie stood on the side of the street with her mouth open.
She was sure that the couple who had hurried along the sidewalk past her was the Crossworts, but Mrs. Crosswort looked completely different. She no longer looked sickly. Her skin was rosy and her eyes were bright. The woman’s posture was upright and she moved with vigor, her step light and easy.
Angie shook herself. It couldn’t have been Mrs. Crosswort. Maybe it was her sister or some other relative who resembled the woman. Turning away and breaking into a run, she took one more look back over her shoulder.
22
Ellie stood in the foyer and called up the stairs. “Are you coming?”
Jenna hurried across the landing and down the stairs to the first floor. She lifted her long brown hair off her shoulders and put it into a ponytail.
While she was waiting for the others, Angie sat at the dining table going over the monthly figures for her shop. Euclid and Circe watched her from high on the China cabinet.
“You ready, Angie?” Ellie pulled a red and white cardigan over her head. “Where’s Courtney?”
“I’m right here.” Courtney came into the foyer from the hall. “I was putting a box of summer clothes in the carriage house storage area.” She had her index finger stuck in the back of a baseball cap and swung it back and forth. “Does this belong to one of your guests? I found it outside.”