by January Bain
“Lovely story,” I said. “Not so easy these days to just set your cap at a man. And in my case, it’s even worse. If I choose incorrectly—poof—there go all my powers.”
“Maybe, maybe not.” She shrugged, as if she wasn’t as sure as the first time she’d shared the information. “Your healing power is the strongest I’ve ever seen or heard about in all our family’s history of gifted healers. Might take more than bedding the wrong man to end it? You have good instincts. Trust them.” Granny looked as though she was trying to reason it out or reassure me.
I shook my head. “All the more to lose. What if one of us needed my healing ability all of a sudden? I’d never take that chance.”
“You can’t live your life worried about what-ifs, child. You have got to live your life for you, not by what everyone else needs. Sometimes to find yourself, you must let go, sweeting, come what may.”
“Yeah, well, I need a plan just to be spontaneous. Kind of defeats the purpose, don’t you think?”
She chuckled, a sound that reminded me of that awesome moment earlier today when Ace had surprised me. “You never did like change. Always needing to control everything and everyone around you. Doesn’t mean you can’t learn another way.”
“Too old.” I had a sudden wish that my mother had learned a little control over her drug habit—things might have turned out very differently.
She burst out laughing, then wiped her streaming eyes on her flowered apron. “Charm, don’t you beat all? You’re twenty-one. You’ve got a lot of changing to do before this lifetime is over. I look back down on my way of thinking and being when I was your age, and I don’t recognize that person now, she’s changed so much. Life’s journey changes everyone, sweeting, like it or not. Up to you to decide what to embrace and what to let go with each new experience. And if you’re lucky, you’ll have so many experiences that you’ll leave this part of our existence for the next well prepared and ready for it.”
“I’m not changing for any man. No matter who it is.”
“Don’t worry. He’ll do most of the changing.” She poured us more tea, giving me a waggle of her eyebrows in the process.
“Granny!” I sat stunned by her revelation. I had no idea that Auntie T.J.’s earlier comments about women being blacksmiths ran in the family. I wanted to ask her more, about what she knew about what was next for us, after this lifetime, but something made me hesitate. Some things were better left unsaid. I couldn’t see my way past this thing with Ace and Jennifer Morgan, let alone be worrying about the end of my existence on this physical plane. Which didn’t mean I didn’t have my theories. I took a sip of tea, basking in the moment. I came from an interesting group of women, without a doubt. I set my cup down, another thought coming to me.
“I was sent a message that trouble’s coming our way.”
“Always going to be trouble, sweeting. Just how you handle it that matters. Remember, all that has been or ever will be has already happened. Life’s one endless cycle.” She sat back in her chair, a tired look replacing her recent animation. Guilt struck. I relied on her counsel so much that I forgot she was a woman in her seventies.
“I should go. You need your rest.” I got up, squeezed her shoulder and gathered up our tea things to rinse them in the sink.
I was kissing Granny on the cheek when the back door burst open and in trooped the errant Tulip.
“Where have you been?” I asked, straightening up and giving her a direct look.
“Aw, Charm, didn’t expect to see you here. You must have parked out front. I just came up the alley from visiting with Emma,” Tulip said. She looked flustered, handing out way more than enough information. What is she hiding?
“Would you like some tea, sweeting?”
“Sorry, Granny, I don’t have time. Running late today.”
“That you are,” I grumbled.
“I just came from the movie set. Have you heard the latest?” she asked, ignoring my dig. She pulled out a chair and plonked down with the smuggest look.
“What’s up, child?” Granny asked.
“You’d best be careful or you’ll be following in Auntie T.J.’s footsteps,” I said, a warning shot over her bow.
“Charm! How dare you compare me to—”
A look from Granny silenced her.
“Anyway, it involves Star so it’s not gossip. You know that song she wrote to honor our ancestor Mary Sarah Toogood, The Wailin’ Tree?”
I nodded. “Yeah. What about it?”
Tulip looked fit to burst. “It’s going to be featured in the movie!”
“What? No way!” I sat back down. This was beyond huge. Tulip began to sing the song, a decent rendition, though not as tuneful as Star’s.
“They haunt these hills, in long white shrouds
A tree stands firm, near weeping clouds
The crowd’s long gone, their souls set free
And nobody’s left, but me.”
I joined in for the chorus while I remembered the long night when Star had stayed up until sunrise writing the ballad after she’d found out what had happened in Salem. It had affected her so much that she’d had to get the deep feelings out by creating the song.
“The wailin’ tree, oh the wailin’ tree
Nobody’s left, but the wailin’ tree.
The wailin’ tree, oh the wailin’ tree
Nobody’s left, but me.”
Chapter Fourteen
“Kind of a game changer, eh?” Tulip said, her face wreathed in smiles. “Imagine our sister at the Grammy’s or even the Academy Awards, the Holy Grail. Maybe we’ll all get to go?”
I chewed on my bottom lip. “Yeah, no kidding.” Why was my breath tightening in my chest? I had to get out of there, get some fresh air. Fast.
“Well, that’s incredible news, sweetings. Your sister will finally get the respect and recognition she deserves,” Granny said. “A song in a movie—don’t that beat all? A granddaughter of mine.”
“I gotta go. Tulip, you’re on your way to the café, right?” I asked pointedly.
“Yeah, sure, what’s eating you? I just told you the best news like ever, and you’re acting all stodgy. I don’t know why the coven is bothering—” She stopped midsentence, a guilty look coming over her face.
“What are they up to?” I asked, hands on hips.
“Nothing. It’s not important. Just another spell. Oh, and Emma’s going to share what she learned about poppets. Sounds interesting. She’s even going to show us how to make one.” She smiled, then shrugged. “Okay, I’ll go and take care of customers. You go about whatever it is you need to do.”
“Duh, there’s been a murder if you haven’t forgotten? And your sister’s been implicated.” Her easy capitulation didn’t fool me. Tulip was hiding something. And I’ll find out later at the meeting, mark my words. But making poppets, or spirit dolls as some liked to call them, did sound interesting. That I could get onboard with.
“Nobody in their right mind thinks she had anything to do with it.” Tulip rolled her eyes at me.
“Doesn’t matter. I have an obligation to our town to look into it.”
“Isn’t that what the Mounties are for?” she asked, all innocent like. Okay, now I had to get out of there.
“Later,” I warned, making a dash for the front door. Outside, I stood on the top step and chewed on a fingernail. Star. Writing a song for a movie. The whole thing was too much to absorb at the moment. Time to get my mind onto more immediate things.
I started up Thor and drove to the detachment. Now to pull a quid pro quo.
Striding in through the front door, I gave Delores a thumbs-up. She was busy on her keyboard and just gave a quick wave. Then I hurried down the hallway to Ace’s office.
Just as I headed in, someone was coming out and I smacked right into them.
“Oops, I’m sorry,” I said.
Ace grabbed my arms to steady me and I took a deep breath, enjoying the tantalizing fragrance wafting off him, not
to mention his big strong arms that encased me in the kind of protective security a gal only dreams about.
“Hey, darlin’, what’s the rush?”
“Just wanting to do a little trade,” I said. At least he’d managed to somehow escape Jennifer’s clutches, something I needed to check with him about. Just not right then.
“Okay, I’ve got a few minutes. Have a seat.”
I slid into a chair in front of his desk, expecting him to head in behind it, but instead he joined me. I wished he had sat farther away, finding it harder to think straight with his melting chocolate-brown eyes endowing me with his full attention. My fingers itched to reach up and smooth a tousled lock of hair back from his face. Would it be as soft to the touch as it looked?
“So, what have you got to trade?” His voice was tinged with traces of humor, startling me from my musings. Was he flirting with me?
I sat up straighter, looking away. “I had an interesting visit with Mimi and her daughter, Felicity, today.”
“Hmm, I thought your credentials had been revoked?”
“It was all on the up and up. She needed my help.” Why did this man always do that? Make me want to choke him into submission?
“How did you help her?”
“She just wanted a reading.”
Ace was not fully aware of all the unusual gifts of the McCall clan and it was probably for the best. Heck, they were still emerging anyway. What would be next? Spinning straw into gold? Say now, that would be a good one. Keep all my family so well off they’d never want to leave Snowy Lake.
“Anyway, that’s not the point. What I learned from her is the point.”
“And what is it you want to trade this information for, Miss McCall?” He pursed his lips, one of his dimples flashing into existence, making me want to kiss him again. I sighed inwardly. The guy was just too much.
“Has the medical examiner made his preliminary report yet?”
His eyes narrowed. “And here I was hoping you might trade intel for something a little more personal.” He sighed and looked away. “You’re too early. Report’s not in yet. But I will have to insist you share anything you know about the case, if you don’t want an obstruction of justice charge.”
“Hey, that’s not how this works!”
“It’s exactly how this thing works, darlin’.”
The phone rang and he got up to answer it while I sat stewing. Even Hannibal Lecter gave a little something to Clarice Starling in return.
“Constable Collins. How may I help you?”
He stood by his desk, dominating the room, listening intently while someone spoke at length on the other end of the landline. My curiosity piqued, wishing I could listen in.
“Really?” Ace’s voice changed then, concern clipping the edges. “Of course, I’m on it.”
He set the phone back down in the cradle in a brisk move. Opening his bottom desk drawer, he grabbed a thick roll of yellow police tape. I took a moment to enjoy the view of his pants stretching tight over his sweet hiney, then spoke up. “What’s going on, Ace?”
He gave me a direct look. “You wanted to trade for the medical examiner’s report, right? Well, it’s in. I’m heading over to the movie set right now. We can speak on the way.”
Was he inviting me along? Sweetest moment yet.
I hustled along right beside him out of the detachment’s front door and climbed into his cruiser, buckling myself in. Now this felt so right.
“Guess what was found in Howard’s system?” he asked, while skillfully driving the SUV out of the lot and onto the street.
“Drugs. He was a cocaine addict,” I said without hesitation.
“Yes, but there was something else found of much more import.”
My fingers tingled. “What else?” Was this the trouble foretold when I visited Granny earlier?
“Ricin.”
Blink.
The word hung between us like, well, like poison.
“And he was bashed in the head. Kind of extreme, don’t you think? Why do him in twice?” I asked.
“Same question I’m considering.”
“Maybe it was taking too long?” I said, speculating.
“What do you know about Mimi and her daughter?”
I gave him a quick rundown on the earring intel.
“Interesting,” he said, rubbing his jawline, drawing attention to his handsome mug. Maybe I should have flirted and made a better deal? What would he have offered then?
He parked the vehicle then turned to me. “Wait here. I’m just going to be a few minutes and I need to speak to the director alone.”
“I can help,” I protested.
“I’m closing down the set, due to ricin. Everything will have to be checked. So, under rule of law, I’m ordering you to wait here.”
“What? You can’t do that! I mean, that would cost the producers a fortune, not to mention it will jeopardize Star’s big chance. A song of hers is going to be featured, for heaven’s sake!”
“I’m sorry. No help for it. Provincial standards. We don’t know where Howard received the contamination and the lethal doze. A HAZMAT crew is on the way to do field testing. It’s probably going to take at least twenty-four hours to clear the set. I imagine one day off from filming won’t be too disastrous. Two at most.”
I sat back on the seat, crossed my arms over my chest, tapping my toes. Of all the terrible timing. Star was going to be inconsolable if this thing didn’t happen. I had to solve this. Now. Then a new thought hit like a ton of bricks. What if someone else had been infected? Oh, my goddess, Star! Everyone was always jealous of my beautiful, talented sister.
I was out of the cruiser like a shot, heart pumping and legs churning as I raced toward the sounds of human activity. Spirit Springs. It had to be where they were set up today. Full-tilt down the widened path I ran and headlong into a crowd of spectators.
“Shush,” a person reminded me as I jostled into them.
“Have you seen Star McCall?” I asked, uncaring of their attempts to silence me.
“No. And they’re about to make an announcement. Please stop talking,” the young woman hissed at me, shrugging off my hand on her shoulder.
I looked frantically about, then caught sight of the pathetic waif dress. Star. I pushed through the crowd until I reached my sister, ignoring the curses and exclamations of annoyance.
“Are you all right?” I asked, pulling her into a bear hug.
“What? I’m fine. For heaven’s sake, let go of me.” She raised her finger to her lips. “And be quiet. Constable Collins is about to speak. I need to hear this.” She tugged away from me, giving me a strange look.
“Star—”
She took my hand, gave it a squeeze. “Shush.”
Fine. Be like that.
“Ladies and gentlemen, if I can have your attention, please,” Ace said. My, but his aura was getting brighter. I looked around with curiosity. Strange. No one else had much of one. Maybe because we connected intellectually? And he liked yanking my chain?
“I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but it’s been brought to my attention that ricin has been used on set recently and was involved in the death of one Howard Smith.”
“What?” Star turned to me, her eyes widened by shock and surprise.
“That’s what I was trying to tell you. Howard died due to two things, ricin and having his head bashed in.” I gave a head-shake. This would make Felicity Higgins a suspect. Add in the missing earring and the police might have a case. But it was hard to imagine that poor stuttering girl harming a flea, let along poisoning a person. Kind of too obvious in a way. She would know that ricin would make her look bad. No, it had to be someone else.
“Good grief. That’s awful.”
“Well, dead is dead,” I said with aplomb. The person standing on my other side gave a gasp. Well, he would have gone through worse if he had suffered a ricin death. Dying from a sudden head bashing sounded less painful.
“Charm, th
at’s an awful thing to say. Poor Howard.”
Ace began speaking again, and the crowd quieted down to listen. “Now, due to these unfortunate circumstances, we will be shutting down the production until we can determine that it’s safe for everyone. So, if you would please vacate the area until further notice. And, if you are suffering from any flu-like symptoms, please go to the emergency entrance at Snowy Lake Hospital. Thank you.”
“Are you sure you’re okay?” I asked Star, laying a hand on her forehead. She was cool to the touch, ratcheting down my worry a scant degree.
“I’m fine. Don’t fuss.” She pulled away from me. “How long will the set be closed, do you think?”
“Just a day or two. HAZMAT can use handheld devices to give a quick check in all the trailers.”
“Well, I hope so. Just when I get my big break, this has to happen.”
“Yeah, I’m sure that Howard is feeling poorly that his murder is inconveniencing you,” I muttered. Now who was being insensitive? “By the way, are they going to improve your wardrobe at least, now that you’re becoming big news?” I asked, giving a pointed look at her torn and stained gown. I wrinkled my nose. Was it my imagination or did the cloth smell moldy?
“What? I don’t know. I gotta go.”
“You got a ride?” I asked.
“Duh.” She hurried away, rushing toward Ace and Director Dan, where a small crowd had already gathered. Hmm. Time to ask a few questions of my own.
I worked my way around the area, keeping a sharp lookout. I wanted to duck and dive Ace for the moment. Steam rising from the bubbling hot springs curled skyward, scenting the air with brine. I loved that smell. How many times as a child had the three of us escaped Granny’s clutches to swim in the hot springs’ healing waters? A thousand harsh memories had been soothed by their magic. Maybe I should invite Ace for a swim? It sure would beat the week he’d first arrived in town, when we’d both been involuntarily signed up for the dunk tank at the ’Eh Neighbor Festival. Auntie T.J. was responsible for my freezing my hiney off and Ace was the rookie—and all rookies got the treatment. But it had all amounted to the same thing, getting blasted by ice-cold water. Well, it had raised money for a worthy cause, so this buttercup had had to suck it up.