The Witches Ladder

by Wendy Wang

  “Good night, sweetie,” Lisa said, before taking a bite of her shrimp and grits.

  “Night, Ruby,” Charlie said.

  “Good night, baby girl.” Evangeline sidled up next to Jack and kissed Ruby on the cheek. “Sweet dreams.”

  “Thank you, Daddy.” Jen watched as her father trudged up the steps to the second floor, waiting until he was out of earshot to continue their earlier conversation.

  “I know this is going to sound crazy,” Jen said, taking the side of her fork, and slicing through a generously sized shrimp. “But I think Kristen may be having an affair with . . . “

  She scooped some of the grit cake and gravy onto her fork and pierced the piece of shrimp before shoving it into her mouth.

  Lisa mumbled something with her mouth half full of food. Evangeline crossed her arms and sat down in the empty chair next to Charlie.

  “With who?” Charlie asked.

  “Josh Helms.”

  “Oh my gosh, really?” Charlie sliced into her pie and took a bite.

  “Josh and Melinda are separated. I don't think you can actually call it an affair,” Lisa said matter-of-factly.

  “How do you know they're separated?” Jen asked.

  “Josh filed the papers with one of my partners. I saw him in the office just this week,” Lisa said taking another bite.

  “Well, there you go,” Evangeline said. Her long silver hair hung to her shoulders, and a halo of frizz from the humidity glowed pale white in the incandescent light.

  “Well that almost makes me feel sorry for Melinda Helms,” Jen said.

  “Almost,” Lisa chuckled. “Bless her cold calculating heart.”

  “Well I feel sorry for Kristen,” Charlie said. “Losing her mama all of a sudden like that. Are you going to the funeral?”

  Jen paused with her fork in midair. “Yeah. I think I should. I think we all should. What do you think?”

  “I think Kristen is your friend, not mine. I mean I feel bad for her but I don't want to go to a funeral.” Lisa pushed a piece of shrimp around on her plate.

  “I'll go with you Jen,” Charlie said.

  “Wonderful. Thank you, Charlie.” Jen smiled.

  “You are welcome.” Charlie smiled and then took another bite of her pie.

  “Kiss ass,” Lisa muttered under her breath.

  “All right now,” Evangeline scolded.

  “That reminds me.” Jen narrowed her eyes and an evil smiled tugged at her lips. “Billy Eisener asked you to marry him?”

  Charlie paused mid-chew and shifted her gaze to the exchange between her cousins.

  Lisa's face lost some of its color and she glared at her sister. “He told you that?”

  “Yep. Said you got mad,” Jen said.

  Charlie shifted her plate out of the way, folded her arms and leaned forward on the table, staring at Lisa intently.

  Lisa's lips curved down at the corners. “I swear to god, he has the biggest mouth.”

  “Is that why y'all broke up?” Charlie asked.

  “Yes,” Lisa said her tone curt.

  “You didn't even tell us he asked,” Jen said sounding a little wounded.

  Lisa put her fork down and it clanked against the side of the plate. “Why would I? It's not like I was ever gonna marry him.”

  “What happens if Jason asks? When you break his heart, you gonna keep that from us too?” Charlie asked, her face a stone mask.

  “What?” Lisa almost choked on the word.

  “What are you talking about, Charlie?” Jen felt the line between her eyes deepen as she stared at her cousin.

  “Lisa knows what I'm talking about, don't you?” Charlie locked her gaze on Lisa's shocked face. Jen watched with awe and confusion as her sister and cousin seemed to engage in some unspoken conversation. Finally Charlie spoke again.

  “He is my friend and my partner. Whatever you do, don't hurt him.”

  Lisa's cheeks reddened. She opened her mouth to speak but Charlie held her hand up, cutting her off. “You know what? I don't want to hear it. Not after the week I've had.” Charlie scraped her chair across the old wood floor of the kitchen and rose to her feet. “Thank you for dinner Evangeline, it was delicious.” Charlie gave Jen a weary smile. “I'll call you tomorrow Jen.”

  “Oh . . . okay,” Jen stammered. She watched as Charlie walked out of the kitchen, letting the screen door slam behind her. Jen and Evangeline both shifted their attention to Lisa.

  “Are dating Jason?” Jen finally asked.

  Lisa gritted her teeth and gave her sister an angry look. “No. I am not dating him.”

  “Well Charlie's certainly got a bee in her bonnet about him,” Evangeline said.

  Jen stared into her sister's green eyes. “Are you sleeping with him?” she mouthed.

  Lisa scowled. “That is none of y'alls business.”

  “What's none of our business?” Jack said as he entered the kitchen.

  “Nothing, Daddy.” Lisa folded her napkin and put it on the table next to her plate. “It doesn't matter. I think I've had enough. Thank you, Evangeline, dinner was lovely. I better be getting home now.”

  “Don't go away mad,” Jen said. “Talk to me.”

  “What's going on?” Jack said, moving so he could look at his daughters. “What're y'all fighting about?”

  “We're not fighting,” Lisa said. She squirmed for a moment then picked up her fork again and took another bite of food. Jen waited, knowing that eventually her sister would talk about it.

  “Well, if you were dating him, which I know you said you're not, if you were, I think it would be wonderful.” Jen scooped another bite of food.

  “Well, I'm glad you think so,” Lisa said, her tone shifting from serious to wry. She dug into dinner again. “Since it is all about you.”

  “Oh my God, you totally are dating him,” Jen teased.

  “Shut up. I am not. It's just a fling and he knows it. Charlie doesn't have to worry. Nobody's getting hurt.”

  Jen laughed gleefully. Lisa opened up like a clam sometimes -- a little at a time when the water was just right. Then she would slam shut with very little provocation.

  “What are they talking about?” Jack looked to Evangeline.

  Evangeline rose from the table, shaking her head, a smile on her face. “Boys.” She chuckled. “Some things never change. Do they Jack?”

  “No, I guess they don't. You're being safe, right?” Jack said directing the question to Lisa.

  “What?” Lisa gave her father a confused look.

  “You know when you have sex,” Jack said dryly.

  “Daddy!” Jen and Lisa said in a chorus.

  “What? I'm a doctor. It's not like I don't know that my grown daughters have sex. I just want to make sure you're being safe about it.”

  “Oh my God.” Lisa rubbed her forehead with one hand. “Just kill me now.”

  Jen laughed again, this time from her belly. Lisa pushed away from the table and stood up. “That's not entirely true. This kid is leaving right now.”

  “Aw, don't run off just because Dad's nosy,” Jen said.

  “Nah, it's not that. I gotta go. I still have some work to finish.” Lisa leaned in and kissed her father on his bearded cheek. “Good night. Evangeline, dinner was delicious thank you.”

  “You are most welcome, sweetheart,” Evangeline said, giving her a weary smile.

  “Please go with me to Debra's funeral?” Jen asked.

  Lisa make a disgusted noise in the back of her throat. “Charlie said she'd go with you.” Lisa slung her purse strap onto her shoulder.

  “I know but...I want you there.”

  “Why?”

  “I just do. Please?”

  Lisa rolled her eyes. “Fine, just let me know when it is and I'll take a couple of hours off.”

  “Thank you,” Jen said. Lisa gave them all one last wave before heading out.

  Evangeline sighed. “Well, I should be going too. I'm opening tomorrow.” She stood and stret
ched her back. “I'll bid y'all good night.”

  “Good night,” Jen said. “And thank you for taking care of Ruby today.”

  Evangeline squeezed Jen's shoulder. “Anytime.”

  “Night 'Vange.” Jack grinned. “Thanks for cookin' and cleanin'.”

  Evangeline chuckled, gathering her things before disappearing into the quiet of the night.

  Chapter 8

  Jen was refilling the tea at table seven when Ben Sutton walked into the restaurant. He glanced around as if he was looking for her and when he spotted her a smile stretched across his face. Her heart fluttered a little.

  “Hey, your spilling my tea,” the woman at table 7 said.

  Jen looked down at the mess she had made by overfilling the glass. “Oh my gosh, I am so sorry. Let me just get you a fresh glass. I apologize.”

  Jens cheeks heated and she took the tea glass and dumped it in the sink behind the counter. She took a fresh glass and filled it with iced tea.

  “Hey Dottie,” she said to the older woman at the end of the counter refilling the ketchups.” Can you take this to table 7 for me please and I spilled some tea on the floor. If you wouldn't mind mopping it up I'd really appreciate it.”

  “Sure thing, Jen,” Dottie said, taking the tea glass.

  Ben approached the counter and took a seat.

  “You're back,” Jen said.

  “I am.” He smiled and folded his hands on the counter.

  “Did you find a place to live?” she asked.

  “No, I'm still looking,” he said. “I still live out of the hotel. But hopefully I'll be able to find something soon.”

  “Well that will be wonderful, for you. I mean,” she said. Her face felt downright hot.

  “It will be wonderful. As you say.” He smiled again.

  “What can I get for you today?” she said, taking her order pad from the front pocket of her apron.

  “What would you suggest?” he asked, never taking his blue eyes off of her.

  “Well how adventurous are you feeling?”

  “I am always up for an adventure,” he said. He leaned forward on his elbows. She liked the way he looked at her. It had been a long time since anyone had looked at her that way.

  “Well I have a soft shell crab sandwich with a spicy sauce and homemade onion rings that is pretty delicious if I do say so myself.”

  “I'm game,” he said. “

  “Would you like iced tea to drink?”

  That would be wonderful.”

  Jen wrote his order down on the ticket then slipped it on the order wheel and turned it toward the kitchen. “Order up.”

  The swinging kitchen door opened and Evangeline emerged. She had her purse strap slung over her shoulder. “All right Jen, I am off. Manuel's in the back and he is going to finish up your order for you.”

  “Thank you,” she said. “Everything has been delicious today.”

  “I thought you were the chef,” Ben said.

  “Not the only one,” Jen said with a shy laugh. “Evangeline here makes award-winning food. If you come back on Saturday make sure you order the porkchops special. It is delectable. There's no other word for it.”

  Evangeline leaned in and touched her arm to Jen's. “She's just being sweet. Enjoy your food.” Evangeline walked around the counter and left for the day.

  “So I was wondering,” Ben said, taking a sip of his iced tea.” “What is there to do in this town?”

  “Well there are restaurants and there's the beach and there's the river. There's plenty to do,” Jen said.

  “What about a date? What is there to do on a date.” He settled his gaze on her and Jen felt like a deer staring into headlights on the highway.

  “Well, I guess you could have dinner and go for ice cream or you could take a walk on the beach at sunset. During the summer there are concerts down on the pier.”

  “All that sounds really nice,” he said softly. “Any chance I could get you to accompany me on one of those outings?”

  “Me?” Jen said.

  “Yeah, you,” he grinned. “How about it? Are you up for it?”

  “You should know I have a six-year-old daughter,” she blurted out.

  “Really? That's . . . that's wonderful. I'd love to meet her sometime.”

  “Okay,” she said, her voice a little squeaky.

  “Okay,” he said nodding. “It's a date.”

  “It's a date.” Jen grinned. One of the customers signaled that they needed her attention and Jen floated away, her stomach flip-flopping with glee.

  The next day Charlie stood outside her aunt's front door posing with her hand as if she were about to knock. But something kept stopping her.

  It startled her when the door opened, and Evangeline stood there with a quizzical look on her face.

  “How long you going to stand out here?” Evangeline said.

  “Until I decide to knock?” Charlie said

  Evangeline rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Come on girl, why don't you struggle with whatever it is inside your head inside. That way the neighbors won't talk.”

  “Yes ma'am,” Charlie said and followed Evangeline into the tidy living room of her condo. Family photos filled the spaces on the walls and tables. Charlie took a seat in one of the comfortable floral chairs near the pale blue denim couch. Evangeline sat on the couch, leaning forward with her elbows on her knees. Her silver hair was slung over the front of one shoulder in a long braid that nearly reached her abdomen.

  Evangeline focused her intense blue eyes on Charlie. “Now what's going on?”

  “First, I'm really sorry about the dust up the other day at dinner. I didn't mean to go off on Lisa like that. Just something rubbed me wrong when she was talking about Billy.”

  “Honey, I appreciate that, but I'm not the one you need to apologize to.” Evangeline said.

  Charlie leaned her head back and closed her eyes. “I know.”

  “Now, what's really going on? There's something else that's been bugging you. I can feel it.”

  Charlie crossed her arms hugging them to herself tightly. “Jason found the man who attacked me.”

  “Well that's great honey. Although I thought it was a ghost that attacked you.”

  “It was,” Charlie said. “It was the ghost of a man that was walking through the Walmart parking lot last Saturday. He was angry and according to his stepdaughter a little drunk. I caught him looking into my car.”

  “I don't think I understand, sweetie. Are you saying that you knew the man?”

  “I think know is a very strong word. I met him briefly in a parking lot last Saturday. And then he ended up dead in Seward's nature preserve. Killed by his own boat and stupidity I guess.”

  “Well stars above, why did he think you killed him then?”

  “That I don't know exactly. What I do know is that he was cursed. By a witch's ladder.”

  Charlie peered into her aunt's face. Evangeline looked as if she had been slapped.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes, ma'am,” Charlie said. “As sure as I'm sitting here. The problem is I don't know what to do. I don't know any witch capable of doing this, but I had a vision about her. Actually, there were two of them I think. A witch and her apprentice.” Charlie leaned forward. “I was hoping that maybe you could give me some guidance.

  “All right,” Evangeline said in a measured way. “There's nothing inherently illegal about the witch's ladder itself. It's only when it's used as a death spell that it gets into dark magic territory. I guess I could contact the Council. See what they have to say.”

  “Well, Jason said he can't really help me because the man died from a head injury. The coroner deemed it an accidental death. His hands are tied.”

  “Well that may not be a bad thing. It's not like he's a witch and can protect himself.”

  “I know.” Charlie tilted her head toward the window, pondering the Evangeline's practical assessment. “I do think we need to find this witch. Before
she hurts someone else.”

  “I agree.” Evangeline got to her feet. “Wait here just a minute.” Charlie watched as her aunt disappeared down the short hallway that led to her bedroom. A few minutes later Evangeline returned with her cell phone. She searched through her contacts and found the name she was looking for and pressed the call button.

  “Hi, Eileen,” Evangeline said in a calm, serene voice. “This is Evangeline Ferebee. Yes, thank you, I'm doing very well. I have a little problem. It looks like we may have a rogue witch situation here. Well, we know that there has been at least one death spell.”

  Charlie watched as her aunt nodded her head and made sounds of agreement into the phone.

  “Okay, then. I appreciate the information. Oh, yes, we'll be careful.” Evangeline nodded. “Thank you so much. Yes, you have a wonderful day yourself.”

  Evangeline pressed the red icon on her phone and turned to face her niece. “Well?” Charlie asked. “Are they going to help us?”

  “She gave me the number for the Defenders of Light.”

  “Who are the Defenders of Light?” Charlie asked.

  “They are basically magical law enforcement,” Evangeline said.

  Charlie scooted up on the edge of her seat, a little excited at the thought. “I didn't even realize that we had magical law enforcement. I thought it was up to the local witch community to keep that sort of thing in line.”

  “Not when it comes to illegal spells, honey. Death spells. Torture spells. Those are sort of like the controlled substances of the magical world,” Evangeline said. “And are highly regulated. Most people don't even have a death spell in their family's grimoire.”

  “Okay,” Charlie said. “Let's call them. So they can come down and help us.”

  “You're awfully excited about this,” Evangeline said. “Should I be worried?”

  “No, absolutely not. It's great. It means I have somebody that I can count on.”

  “All right,” Evangeline smiled. “I just don't want you to be disappointed if it doesn't turn out to be as exciting as working with Jason. That's all. A lot of these officers, well they tend to be solitary. I don't really think they work with a partner.”

  “Well, we'll just have to see about that, won't we?” Charlie said. “Now how do we contact them?”