“Duly noted.”
I peered through the screen door, my mouth dropping open when I realized who was standing in the driveway. I immediately jerked open the weathered screen frame and stepped outside. “Wesley?”
My grandfather looked nervous, his hands stuffed in his jean pockets as he shifted from one foot to the other. “Hey, Hadley.” He chuckled hoarsely. “Um … I thought I might stop in for a quick visit.”
His timing was interesting – to say the least – and I couldn’t help feeling a quick tug of shame because of what we were planning. He loved May beyond reason even though they were divorced. I planned to force her to me, in essence control her movements, whether she wanted to visit or not. He probably wouldn’t like that.
“Oh, well … .”
Galen placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder as he moved to my left, fixing Wesley with a smirk as he shook his head. “Nice ride.”
“What? Oh.” Wesley shook his head and focused on the peach-colored golf cart – complete with storage bins and an awning. “I bought this as a gift for Hadley.”
The admission threw me for a loop. “What?”
“I figured you did,” Galen said, descending the steps and moving closer to the golf cart. I barely noticed it at first because I was so surprised to see Wesley that I didn’t look beyond him. Now that I focused on the cart, I wasn’t sure how I’d missed it. The color was … loud. That was the best word to describe it.
“You bought that for me?” I was dumbfounded as I followed Galen. “Why?”
“You need a vehicle if you’re going to visit me,” Wesley replied without hesitation. “I won’t have you being ripped off by the taxi hacks – who are lucky I haven’t put a boot in a behind as of yet. This way you’ll be able to drive your groceries back without renting one of those carts.”
I was touched he even thought of something like this. Peach-coloring aside, it was a beautiful gesture. “This is too much.” I felt ridiculous as I finally met my grandfather’s steady gaze. “You must have spent a fortune on this. It’s not necessary. I … um … should write you a check. Yeah.” I started to retreat toward the lighthouse, but Galen grabbed my arm before I could disappear inside.
“This is a gift, Hadley,” he said pointedly. “Your grandfather bought it as a gift. He doesn’t want a check.”
I looked to Wesley for confirmation. “You don’t want a check?”
He shook his head, his lips curving. “I don’t want a check,” he confirmed. “Your boyfriend is right. I bought this as a gift.”
“But … it’s too much.”
“It’s not enough,” Wesley fired back, his tone gruff. “I haven’t bought you anything since you were born. Your grandmother bought you a lot of stuff right before your mother was due, but then when we heard what happened … .” He broke off, clearly uncomfortable.
My heart went out to him. “Well, this is just the best gift ever.” I meant it. “I wanted a golf cart of my own really badly when I was a teenager. My father thought it was a terrible idea and never bought me one. Now I can mark that item off my bucket list because I actually have a golf cart.”
Galen snickered, genuinely amused. “You do indeed.” He moved closer to the cart and ran his hands over the seat. “This is in pretty good shape. Where did you get it?”
Wesley was blasé. “Florida.”
Galen arched an eyebrow. “Florida? How did you get it here so fast?”
“I’m a man of means,” Wesley replied. “I have a farm that keeps most of the island in beef and chicken. That means I have special privileges.”
Galen wasn’t convinced. “But a golf cart?”
“I said I needed it for getting around and nobody questioned it.” Wesley ran his hand over the shiny hood. “I picked peach because … well … I have no idea. You can have it painted here if you want. Booker can do it. I know he’s painted some for the golf course a time or two.”
I knit my eyebrows. “We have a golf course?”
Galen chuckled. “I really need to take you on a more formal tour. Once we figure out if Henry or Barbie is a murderer, how about we take a day and I’ll drive you all over the island? We’ll turn it into a picnic.”
“That sounds nice.”
“That sounds like you plan to get handsy,” Wesley corrected, his eyes dark as they locked with Galen’s more amused orbs. “Do you plan on getting handsy?”
Galen bobbed his head. “Absolutely.”
Wesley scowled. “You’re not supposed to own up to that. I’m her grandfather. You’re supposed to be frightened of me.”
“Oh, I’m frightened of you,” Galen drawled as he sat in the driver’s seat of the cart. “I find you absolutely terrifying. This is kind of neat, by the way. How far can she drive this thing between re-fuelings?”
“Only twenty-five miles,” Wesley replied. “That means she’ll have to fill up in town and at my place before leaving.”
“Still, this will be easier for you to get around town,” Galen said. “We can get Booker to paint flames on it or something.”
I made a face. “Is this my golf cart or your golf cart?”
“I’m going to be in it occasionally,” Galen argued. “I just want to make sure you’re safe. In fact … .” He broke off and checked the ignition.
“If you’re looking for these, I have them.” Wesley gave the keys in his hand a good jangle. “I had to drive it here because it was the only way to deliver it. It’s too big to fit in any of the trucks I had available.”
Galen held his hand out. “Toss them here.”
“No.” Wesley made a face. “It’s not your golf cart. It’s Hadley’s golf cart. She gets to drive it first.”
Galen scowled. “Shouldn’t I at least check out the safety features first? I mean … I am her boyfriend. That’s part of the job description.”
“I’m not giving you the keys.” Wesley’s annoyance was obvious. “You just said you wanted to take her on a trip so you can get handsy. I’m not rewarding that sort of behavior.”
Galen snorted out a laugh. “I’ll have you know that she’s the handsy one. She can’t keep her hands off me. It’s quite invasive, if you want to know the truth.”
My mouth dropped open. “Oh, you’re done sleeping here, buddy. That is a filthy lie.”
Galen was clearly enjoying himself, because his shoulders shook with silent laughter.
“Why has he been sleeping here?” Wesley asked, confused. “He has his own house.”
“Oh, well … .” I wasn’t sure how to answer. I’d never had a grandparent ask me that question. My father was careful to completely ignore the topic from the time I hit sixteen onward. It was as if I no longer had a bed in his world.
“I’ve been spending the night to make sure Hadley is safe,” Galen replied smoothly, turning serious. “You’re aware of what happened on the beach yesterday, right?”
Wesley furrowed his brow and shook his head. “What happened on the beach?”
Galen exchanged a quick look with me before sliding out from behind the steering wheel. “You’re not going to like it.” He launched into the tale with a detached tone that I envied. He didn’t get worked up. He didn’t let his anger – which was clearly still close to the surface – come out. He merely reported the facts.
When he was done, Wesley was flummoxed. “I don’t understand any of this.”
“It’s a mess,” Galen agreed. “We’re working on the assumption that whoever killed Gus is responsible for Trish’s death. It doesn’t make sense otherwise. I ran Maureen’s alibi this afternoon and she’s clear for Trish’s death. She still could be guilty of Gus’s death, but there’s no motive as far as I can tell.”
Wesley was speculative. “Money?”
Galen shook his head. “Maureen was cut out of both wills. She gets nothing.”
Wesley thoughtfully stroked his chin. “I can’t see a motive here either. I don’t know what to make of it.”
“I don’t think Maureen
is our culprit,” Galen admitted. “I was keen to tear her apart earlier, but she didn’t act guilty. I mean … I know that she could be putting on a show, but it didn’t feel that way.”
“Who does that leave you with?”
“Barbie and Henry,” I automatically answered. “If we’re voting, by the way, I think Barbie is clearly the guilty party.”
Galen’s lips curved. “I think that’s only because you disliked her so much when you went over there.”
“Her face doesn’t move,” I argued. “That’s a clear sign that a person is not to be trusted. A face should move.”
Wesley chuckled, amused. “You can’t argue with her logic.”
“No, you can’t,” Galen agreed. “The thing is, Barbie is mean and nasty, but she’s never struck me as one of the great thinkers of our time. Whoever did this had to plan it out. I’m not sure Barbie is capable of that.”
“You think it was Henry, don’t you?” I searched my heart for a reaction when he nodded, but came up empty. “He was a main participant in the feud. I guess that makes sense.”
“It’s not just that,” Galen said. “Whoever killed Trish had to shove a knife in her throat. That takes a sort of cold calculation that I’m not sure many women have.”
“That’s sexist,” I argued. “A woman could easily stab another woman in the throat.”
“I don’t discount that. But a woman might not like the mess associated with that. You heard the crime scene tech while he was there. Trish lost a lot of blood in a short amount of time. The killer would likely have been splattered with blood. Can you see Barbie taking it well if she was covered in blood?”
He had a point … which I hated. “Still, she’s more evil than Henry.” I was certain of that. “You should’ve heard the things she said to me. The things I saw were even worse. She’s not a good person.”
“The things you saw?” Wesley leaned forward, intrigued.
I had no choice, so I told him about the vision I’d experienced while leaving Barbie’s house. “She clearly had a secret with Henry and it’s not something she wanted Ashley to know. She’s a horrible woman. Henry seemed more resigned, as if the feud and carrying around so much anger had sucked the life out of him. Barbie wanted to control things. That’s why I think this is right up her alley.”
“Do you think she’s capable of hiding in the trees and firing a bullet over a long distance and hitting her target?” Galen challenged.
“Um … .” Crap. He had me there. “I don’t know. Maybe she hired someone.”
“Like who?”
“Madame Selena.” It was the first name that came to mind. “We both agree that she had something to do with the spell that paralyzed me yesterday.”
Wesley was still behind. “Wait … what spell?”
I related that part of the story to him, and when I was done the look on his face promised mayhem. “I really am fine,” I added hurriedly. “I wasn’t grazed or anything.”
“She was in shock when I got to her,” Galen volunteered. “She had no idea what was going on. Once she explained about the spell, I felt a little better. She managed to shake the aftereffects fairly quickly.”
“Well, that’s good.” Wesley brightened, although only marginally. “It’s impressive you managed to break free from a spell of that magnitude with no training. Was May proud when you told her?”
The question caught me off guard. “She hasn’t been around. I mean … not for days. I’m starting to get a little worried.”
“We’re going to hold a séance,” Galen volunteered, slipping his arm around my waist and anchoring me to his side. “Hadley has been reading up. It’s not just that we’re worried about May. It’s also that we’re worried about Hadley. We want to know if May has seen anything.”
“Sounds fairly practical to me,” Wesley said. “When are you doing it?”
I wrinkled my nose, worry coursing through me. “Now. We’re just waiting for Booker and Lilac to get here so they can help.”
Wesley’s expression turned grim. “Now?”
I nodded. “I’m sorry. I had no idea you were heading over here … and with, like, the best gift ever.”
“No, it’s okay.” Wesley waved off my apology. “It makes sense what you’re trying to do. In fact, it makes a lot of sense.” He moved his jaw back and forth, his mind clearly busy. “You know what? I’m in. Let’s do this.”
I was beyond surprised by his reaction. “You want to do the séance with us?”
Wesley nodded. “Believe it or not, I’ve participated in similar efforts a time or two. I told you I had some wizard in me, right? That will come in handy today.”
I glanced at Galen for his reaction. He was smiling.
“That’s a great idea,” Galen offered before I had a chance to answer. “Hadley is worried about doing this. It will be good for her to a have a family member close when it comes time.”
“I’m glad to be that family member.” Wesley said the words, but there wasn’t much energy behind them. “We should probably gather some supplies.” He looked up to the third-floor window. “That means I’ll have to go inside.”
My heart went out to him. “Just tell me what you want and I’ll collect it.”
“No.” Wesley was firm when he shook his head. “It’s time. I want to see May. I want to help you. We’ll do this together.”
I was relieved beyond measure. “Thank you … for this and the really cool cart.”
Wesley’s expression softened. “Just think of it as a lifetime of missed Christmas and birthday gifts all rolled together.”
“It’s more than that.” I smiled at him, my eyes suddenly burning with tears. “I really do appreciate it.”
“Oh, now, none of that!” Wesley looked panicked as he focused on Galen. “Can’t you do something to make her stop that?”
Galen shrugged, noncommittal. “Maybe, but you’ve forbidden me from being handsy.”
Wesley rolled his eyes. “You’re going to be trouble, aren’t you, boy?”
Galen snickered. “I certainly hope so.”
26
Twenty-Six
Wesley gave me a list of ingredients to gather. Thankfully May had them all in stock on the third floor. When I came downstairs, I heard Galen and Wesley talking in the kitchen, their voices hushed.
“She seems worried,” Wesley noted. “I’m not sure what to make of it.”
“Why do you have to make anything of it?” Galen was calm as he brewed coffee. “This is her first séance. Of course she’s worried.”
“Emma was thrilled the first time she held a séance,” Wesley argued. “She was eight, hosting a slumber party, and her mother was ticked off because she tried to call for Bloody Mary, which thankfully didn’t work. May made her settle for a nice and sweet spirit, which Emma hated.”
“Hadley is not Emma,” Galen pointed out.
I could see Wesley through the crack between the door and the frame. He bristled at Galen’s words. “I know she’s not Emma. Did I say she was Emma?”
Galen refused to back down. “No, but you’re treating her as if she grew up in the same manner as Emma.”
“I am not.” Wesley was clearly annoyed, although his anger lasted only a moment. “What do you mean by that?”
Galen, who I often thought had infinite patience, looked tired as he regarded my grandfather. “Hadley is her own person. She’s a pretty great person.”
“I happen to like her, too,” Wesley argued. “She’s a mixture of things. Of May … of me … most importantly, of Emma. I see Emma in her whenever she smiles.”
“Which is great, and I’m happy for you.” Galen’s tone was even. “But she’s not Emma, and it’s unfair to hold her to that standard.”
I was both impressed and worried by his words. What if Wesley didn’t like what he had to say and took off? It wasn’t just that I needed my grandfather for the séance. I wanted to get to know him better.
“I’m not holding her to any
standard,” Wesley shot back. “I’m not pushing her to be something she’s not.”
“I know, but … it’s hard for her.” Galen was somber. “She belongs here, but she feels like an outsider. Comparing her to Emma won’t make that better. She’s brave, but she’s also afraid of failing at being a witch because all she hears is the amazing things that May could do.”
“That’s not fair.” Wesley’s expression twisted. “Honestly, that’s not fair at all. Hadley was raised on the mainland. She didn’t know about any of this. No one expects her to be May.”
“Except for Jareth, who couldn’t glamour May,” Galen argued. “He managed to glamour Hadley at the funeral home the other day and then pointed out that May couldn’t be glamoured, which I’m sure didn’t make Hadley feel good.”
“I’ve always hated that bloodsucker,” Wesley muttered as he rubbed the back of his neck. “I’ll handle him.”
“You’ll stay away from him,” Galen shot back, extending a finger. “I already had a talk with him. Sometimes he forgets his manners, but he’s basically a good guy. He and Hadley made up on their own. Let her decide how she wants to deal with him.”
“But … she’s my granddaughter.”
“And you should celebrate that by getting to know her. She’s pretty funny … and entertaining … and sometimes a bit of a spaz. She’s great, though. She deserves for you to get to know her as she is, not as you think she should be.”
Wesley rolled his eyes. “I’m not sure I should be taking advice from the guy who has been sharing a bed with my granddaughter for the past week despite barely knowing her. What’s up with that, by the way? I hear the gossip from my workers, and I don’t like it.”
Galen’s eyes lit with mirth as I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing at Wesley’s outrage. “Are you asking my intentions toward Hadley?”
“I guess. I want her with an honorable man.”
“I try very hard to be an honorable man.”
“Honorable men don’t sleep in the same bed with single women,” Wesley argued.
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