by Diane Darcy
“One, please.”
Esmerelda used tongs to put a cube of sugar in Lena’s tea, then one in her own, before she settled into her chair to stir the concoction and play with her teabag, tugging it up, and letting it sink down.
“I wasn’t expecting you until tomorrow. Are we still on for lunch?”
“Oh, yes. I have tomorrow off work.”
“Good. I see you and William have gotten even chummier since the last time I saw the two of you.”
Lena lifted a shoulder. “The jury is still out on that one.”
“Really? A big, handsome Highland werewolf has all of his attention fixed on you, and you’re resisting? Why?”
Lena studied the witch. Long dark hair, beautiful light brown eyes, and a slight smile. Lena could tell she was being teased. She didn’t know Esmerelda yet, but suspected if they spent any time together they could become friends. “No comment.”
Esmerelda chuckled. “Things were so hectic the other day when we spoke in the lobby. But, we were serious. Scarlett looked into your family ancestry and we feel we can call you one of our own.”
“As in related by blood? What exactly did you find?”
“Oh, so skeptical. It turns out we share a common grandmother. I may not be able to call you sister, but I surely can call you cousin.”
“Really?” A frisson of excitement sparked in Lena. The possibility that she had female cousins she didn’t know intrigued her now, as it had then.
Esmerelda picked up the manila envelope she’d brought in with the tea and handed it to Lena. “When you have time, feel free to look this over. Perhaps show it to your grandmother?”
“I’ll do that.”
“Now, to business. What has our chief-in-residence werewolf looking like he’s about to howl at the moon? Besides meeting you, of course. And besides the full moon right around the corner.” Her smiled invited Lena to join in.
Lena’s recent experience notwithstanding, she really didn’t believe in magic. At least she kept telling herself that. Regardless, she’d told William she’d ask, so she did.
“He’s found out one of you might have sold a spell to the missing girl, Addison Stansberry. Something that might knock out a security camera or two?”
Lena thought it much more likely one of them had technical skills and had been paid to do the actual deed. But she could speak the lingo.
Esmerelda giggled. “And he doesn’t ask me himself, because?”
Lena smiled at her. “Apparently, you guys don’t have the best relationship in the world.”
“Ah.” Esmerelda sighed. “What I wouldn’t give to have that werewolf under my control.”
“Is that why you’re being so nice to me? You want to be best friends, cousins, and use me to manipulate William?”
A laugh sounded behind her. “She’s got you there, Esme.”
Lena turned around to see the witch that she hadn’t yet been introduced to. “Ava?”
The witch in question came forward, took a seat in an armchair, snapped her fingers at the cat, which jumped immediately onto her lap. She sank her fingers into the thick fur and a loud purring filled the room. “I see my reputation precedes me. Yes, I’m Ava, your third cousin, once removed.” She grinned. “Or, something like that. I hear you’re short on cash.”
Ouch. “Where did you hear that from?”
She continued to pet the black cat. “A pretty kitty told me.”
Lena glanced at the animal on Ava’s lap and wondered if it was a secret spy or something.
She wanted to laugh at the delusion, but with werewolves, vampires, and witches running about, why not? “It’s not nice to pry.”
Ava chuckled. “So says the girl who almost got caught breaking and entering tonight.”
A chill ran through Lena’s body, though she kept her gaze steadily on Ava. How could she possibly now that?
“Stop teasing her,” Esmerelda said. “It just so happens that our local news reporter called us and accused us of breaking into his house.”
“We knew we didn’t do it, so … we thought perhaps you and William?”
Lena chuckled, though she also relaxed a bit. Mirrors and nonsense. She needed to keep that in mind so she didn’t get sucked into the mystic lore here at the hotel. “Again, no comment.”
Ava waved a dismissive hand just as the third witch, Scarlett, came in and sat in the chair next to Ava’s. The three of them sat facing her. “Have you asked her yet?”
Ava shushed her and sipped her tea. “William wants to know who sold the spell that shut the cameras down, does he?”
Ava and Esmerelda turned to Scarlett, who laughed. “Come on. Who was I to stand in the way of true love? Especially when she was willing to give me all of her nice, hard-earned, babysitting money.”
“What happened?” asked Lena.
Scarlett flipped her red hair over her shoulder. “I was down at the pool, watching this darling little romance play out before my eyes. First loves truly are adorable, you know? I might have suggested that I could help the course of true love run smoothly. I mean, honestly, who do her parents think they are, anyway? She’s eighteen-years-old, an adult even by human standards.”
Lena let the human thing bypass her. She was starting to realize it wasn’t just William who liked to play pretend here at The Hemlock.
“So, you offered to sell her a spell?”
Scarlett shrugged, but she wore a pleased expression on her face. “I just happened to have one on me, didn’t I? The girl was worried about sneaking out to meet him, worried her parents would find out who he was, follow them, and generally ruin her first romance.”
Scarlett took a sip of tea, her green eyes looking over the top of her cup at Lena. She set the cup down. “Two hundred dollars later, the girl had her spell and I had money for fruit smoothies.”
“How did she activate it?” William might already know, but Lena was curious.
“Oh, such a little baby witch,” said Ava. “You know, watching you with William, it occurs to me that you’ve got some catching up to do. Think of the things you could learn if you worked with us.”
“Think of the things you could learn, you mean, if you worked with William Murray’s girlfriend,” Lena said wryly.
Ava made a scoffing noise. “Girlfriend? Try soulmate. Think what we could learn if we worked with William Murray’s soulmate.”
“I look like a girl who just gives it up that easily, do I?”
The three witches laughed and Ava finally shrugged as she continued to stroke the purring cat. “According to my sources, you don’t.”
All three witches smiled as heat flushed her face.
“Your powers might be dormant, Lena. If so, I suspect you’ll soon come into your own.”
“Oh, please, Lena,” Scarlett said coaxingly. “Come and work with us, even just one day a week. We know you have the shop and the caravan, but we could teach you so much. And it would be so much fun!”
The other woman seemed so earnest, and Lena was tempted. “I’ll think about it. In the meantime, is there anything else you’d like to tell me? Anything you’d like William to know?”
Ava picked up Lena’s cup and stared into the tea leaves. She glanced up at Lena and her gaze sharpened. “Hmm. Why don’t you tell him that you’re in danger of losing your life?”
Lena’s brows rose. “Is that a joke?”
“No joke. He wouldn’t want to lose his soulmate so soon after finding her, would he?”
Lena was having a hard time deciding if Ava was friend or foe, and decided that maybe she just got off on causing trouble.
Lena stood, determined not to let the other woman play games between her and William. Managing a new relationship was hard enough already. She didn’t need outside input. “Thank you for seeing me, and I’ll let you know about the job.”
“Ciao.” Ava said. “Watch out for sharp teeth.”
Lena ignored the comment.
“I hope you say yes,” Scarlett s
aid. “About the job, I mean.”
Esmerelda stood and walked her out. “I know this can all be a little intimidating, but I think if you’ll give us a try, you’ll feel right at home here.”
“Thank you.” Lena said, still undecided, but really grateful for the warm welcome. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“I look forward to it.”
She made her way through the customers waiting behind the rope line that had been set in place. Waiting. Wow. This place really was popular.
William was propped against the wall on the opposite side, his gaze sharp and watchful. Seeing her, he pushed off the stone and hurried forward to meet her in the crowd.
“How did it go?” he said, as he threw a glare over her shoulder, no doubt attempting to intimidate Esmerelda, or one of the others.
Lena took his arm and pulled him along the cobblestone path. “Come on, and I’ll tell you everything.” She clutched the envelope Esmerelda had given her as they headed back through the mall.
As they walked, she told him about Scarlett meeting Addison at the pool and selling her the spell.
Feeling suddenly protective, she tried to defend the witch. “I think she was really trying to help the girl. Sympathizing with her because of her over-protective parents.”
William looked at her, incredulous. “Doonae allow them tae get inside yer head. Tis what they do best.”
“They claimed they’re my cousins.”
An instant look of revulsion crossed his face. “Ye’ve naught tae do with that lot, I can tell ye that for sure.”
Slightly hurt, she lifted her chin. “And if I am related to them? Am I tainted somehow?”
William shook his head, and wrapped his arm around her. “There’s naught that could taint ye in my eyes, and that’s the truth. But ye are good, kind, and curious. They are bad, unkind, and sly.”
“I’m a little bit sly,” she argued.
That finally put a smile on his face. “Aye, lass. But, in the nicest way possible.”
“It didn’t seem to me the witches had anything to do with Addison’s disappearance. Other than aiding and abetting her in getting away from her parents, and that’s not a crime, is it?”
His features darkened again. “Would that it were.”
“What do we do now?”
“Now we go and talk tae Vince Ramsey. I’ve called him, and he was more than happy tae meet with us. He should be waiting in my office by now.”
“Does he know we broke into his house?”
“He’s accusing everyone. So, there’s what he knows, and then there’s what he thinks he knows.”
William led her gently through the crowd, and they headed to his office.
Time to put on her game face.
Chapter 15
Vince Ramsey was nothing like Lena had pictured. A thin, good-looking man, wearing a grey suit, he had an air of energy and a hard time sitting still if his bouncing leg was anything to go by. His light brown hair was probably blonde at one time, and she could see his even features showing well if he ever ended up in front of a TV camera.
The moment he spotted them, he stood up and walked toward them.
“Mr. Murray, I have a bone to pick with you,” Ramsey said.
“Do ye, then? Come into my office, and I’ll see what I can do for ye.”
They headed into William’s office where William offered Mr. Ramsey a chair. He led Lena around the desk and pulled his chair out for her. Once she was seated, he leaned against the wall.
“How can I help ye?” William nodded in Ramsey’s direction.
“Are you kidding me?” Vince jumped up and pointed at William. “You broke into my house tonight.”
William feigned outrage. “How dare ye! How could ye even accuse me of such a thing?”
Vince’s eyes narrowed, and then he looked at Lena, and she stared back, trying to look innocent.
“I think you both broke into my house tonight. Do you want to tell me what you were looking for?”
William shook his head. “Ramsey, why are ye playing such games with us? Ye know I’m looking for the Stansberry girl. If ye know something, say so, and I’ll let the matter drop.”
Ramsey laughed. “Like heck you would. You’d be more likely to string me up by my toes from The Eiffel Tower.”
“I was thinking more along the lines of The Stratosphere,” William said gently.
Ramsey shoved his hands in the back pocket of his jeans. “Look, here’s the thing. Maybe I have heard something, and maybe I haven’t. But if I have, then what’s in it for me?”
Lena was getting awfully tired of everyone insisting on payment of some kind when Addison could be in danger.
“There is a young girl at stake here.” She glared at the man. “Maybe her life, maybe her virtue, and certainly her sanity. Mr. Ramsey, if you know anything about this, giving us the information we need would be the most ethical thing you could do.”
Ramsey smirked. “Well, you’re just adorable, aren’t you?” He glanced up at William. “Obviously she doesn’t know how things work around here.” He looked at Lena again. “You pat my back, I’ll pat your back, and then everybody gets what they want.”
Quinn, one of the men on William’s security team, stuck his head in the room. “Can I have a word?”
“I’ll be right back.”
William left the room, and Lena looked at Vince in genuine confusion. “What is it you want, Mr. Ramsey?”
“I want to prove this hotel is full of werewolves, vampires, witches, and more.”
Lena scoffed. “Seriously? You’re a reporter and you’re getting caught up in this? You are aware that most hotels in Las Vegas have themes? The theme of this hotel is medieval paranormal creatures. Somehow, it just seems to work. So, yes, the place is full of vampires, werewolves, and witches. The employees and some of the guests play the roles of supernatural beings. I honestly don’t know what else you were expecting.”
Ramsey stared at her. “Are you for real right now?”
“What?”
“For the entire history of the world, people have been looking for the fountain of youth. In Herodotus’s time people talked of a mythical spring with the power of restoring youth! Alexander the Great looked for a river to heal the ravages of time! The Crusades, the Age of Exploration, Ponce de Leon! Men have searched for the ability to stay young since the beginning of time!”
Eyes gleaming, seeming to look inward, he expelled a breath and ran a hand along the front of his navy suit. “Now it’s The Hemlock Hotel. Immortals own, manage, and work in this hotel.”
Lena laughed. Granted, she’d seen some things … and some of the people here spoke like they were immortals, but that was to be expected, right? It was basically their job to do so. All part of the fantasy world The Hemlock had created.
She thought of the man who’d died earlier in the week. The way he looked like he’d half-turned into a creature. But he’d been wearing a mask, surely. And the other things were just as explainable.
William had jumped out of a twenty-foot window and caught her with ease. The man was strong, and no doubt had thick bones.
And the witches and their spells, well, she’d lived in the fortune-telling industry her entire life. They all talked like that, as if they knew something or could divine something, could tell the future.
It was actually quite normal in her line of work. She did it, her mother did it, her grandmother did it, and her sister had done it when she’d worked the business.
“Mr. Ramsey, have you kidnapped Addison Stansberry with the express purpose of using her to make yourself immortal?” Lena asked.
“What? Don’t be ridiculous.”
Lena quickly grabbed her phone, opened it to her calendar, and checked the moon.
“There is a full moon tomorrow night,” she said.
“Is there?” Something in Ramsey’s eyes seemed to brighten.
Fear skittered up Lena’s spine. She half-expected the man to reach out and
grab her, but she quickly looked around William’s office and realized that had that been his intent, this was not where he would’ve staged this conversation.
She licked her lips, and finally said, “I feel like there’s something you’re wanting to tell me.”
“Clever girl.”
They both stared at each other a moment longer.
“What is it?” she finally asked.
“If you come with me, now, I’ll show you something. If you don’t, then I’ll disappear, and you won’t be able to find me in time.”
A chill ran up her spine. “In time for what?”
He shrugged.
She drew in a breath. “Why me? What do you want?”
“That, I’m afraid I can’t answer, quite yet.”
Did she believe the man? She honestly couldn’t see any reason he’d want to take her or kidnap her, other than to manipulate William.
Should she take a chance, or play it safe?
William came back in the room. “Now, where were we?”
Lena stood, deciding she’d reached her limit. “Vince here is being weird. He’s trying to talk me into going somewhere with him. Obviously you have things to talk about. As for me, I think I’ll head back out to Fremont Street. I’ll see you later.”
William shot a killer look at Vince. “Wait. I’ll take ye!”
“You need to talk to Vince. I’m taking a taxi. If you want to come see me later, we can walk around after.”
“Aye. Let’s do that.”
“One AM?”
“I’ll be there.”
She darted out of the room.
Chapter 16
Lena was glad she’d come back to Fremont Street after all. Saturday nights were the best. In only two hours, she’d made more money than she had all week, and better yet, felt she’d cleared her head a bit.
Just before midnight she decided to close up and give William a call to see if he could come out early. She was just straightening up the caravan for the night, when another customer knocked on the door.
“Hi.” She wasn’t about to say no to a little more money. “Can I help you?”