by Wendy Wang
Ben couldn't stop the smile stretching his lips. It felt strange (and wonderful) to be cared about in this way. He wished he could bottle up this feeling and pull it out on those days when it felt like no one gave a shit about him.
"Stop being hardheaded. Let us help you," Charlie finished.
"Charlie, no . . ." he started but his protest was lackluster at this point. "She almost killed us. Her aunt, the witch helping me, is at the hospital right now in a coma."
“What kind of shape are you in?” Charlie’s tone grew concerned.
“I’m okay. A little banged up. I figure I’ll try again in the morning.”
“No. You can't face her alone again," she said.
“I don’t have a choice, Charlie,” he said.
“Of course you do! Why on earth do you think I’m calling? We’re gonna finish supper and then we’re coming to you. No more arguing.”
"You think the reaper would come?"
"Sure. If I ask him," she said.
"A reaper would be good," Ben muttered. "Is there any way you can just send him?"
"No way. You need all of us," Charlie said.
Ben scowled, but it made his face hurt and he gave up. "Fine. I surrender. Just make sure you bring the reaper too. Okay?"
"Okay. Now tell me where you are," Charlie said.
"I'm at the Lazy Dog Motel just on the outskirts of Acadia Georgia. Off I-85," he said. It felt good to just give it over. His heart felt a little lighter.
"You hang tight. We’ll be there in a jiffy," she said.
The line clicked and she was gone before he could respond. He put the phone on the bed next to him and closed his eyes. A smile tugged at his lips. The cavalry was on the way.
Chapter 22
A fearful energy rolled off Jen. It prickled against Charlie’s bare arms and left her stomach roiling with nausea. Being an empath definitely had its downside. Charlie’s dinner went mostly untouched and after her call to Ben she focused on just getting through the rest of the evening. Maybe she would have Evangeline pack it up so she could eat it later. She hated to let fried shrimp go to waste.
Jen’s vacant stare and the tapping of her heel against her chair leg seemed to put everyone on edge — empath or not. Everyone except Cameron. He was too focused on Charlie to notice the heavy cloud hanging over the table. Charlie glanced at the antique banjo clock hanging above the buffet. If she hadn’t known better she’d have sworn the pendulum swinging inside the glass box stopped for a long pause before swinging back and stopping again. Why did time always seem to slow down like this when she needed it to hurry up? Charlie exchanged a concerned glance with Lisa across the table.
“So,” Jack cleared his throat. Charlie braced herself for him to ask what the hell was going on. His gaze shifted from one side of the table to the other. He pressed his lips together and they disappeared into his thick grizzly beard. A heavy breath with an undertone of a growl resonated from his nose. He settled his gaze on Jason. “Charlie said you boys solved your case.”
"Yes sir. We made an arrest yesterday afternoon. There was an … um … unfortunate incident and he’s in the hospital, but as soon as he’s well enough, there will be an arraignment," Jason said.
“And Charlie helped you boys out?” Jack said.
Jason shifted in his chair. “Uh, yeah,” Jason said, sounding a little taken aback. He threw Charlie a what-the-hell look.
She shrugged her shoulders and mouthed. “I didn’t say anything.”
Jack’s shrewd stare bounced from his niece back to Jason. He made a judgmental sound in the back of his throat.
“It’s too bad that you had to give up your vacation. I’m sure it was disappointing you didn’t get to spend more time with my daughter."
"Yes sir," Jason offered a half-hearted smile. His fork scraped against the porcelain as he pierced his green beans. He gave Lisa a sideways glance but she didn’t seem to notice him. She was too busy watching her sister.
"This food is delicious ma'am," Cameron said.
"I'm glad you're enjoying it, Cameron." Evangeline smiled but Charlie noted that her aunt's tone lacked its usual warmth.
Cameron didn't seem to notice, though, as he speared a fork-full of crispy squash and a shrimp. He shoveled it into his mouth and chomped his food. Charlie cringed as he spoke with his mouth full.
"I love the squash."
"Jen cooked them," Evangeline said.
"They’re delicious, Jen. You did a great job. I don't think I've ever had squash so crispy before."
Jen didn't seem to notice his compliment. Charlie tapped her lightly on the arm with her elbow.
"What?" Jen asked.
"Cameron said he likes the way that you made the squash." Charlie said.
"Oh," Jen said, then directed her comments to Cameron. "Thank you. I'm glad you're enjoying it."
"Is everything all right?" Cameron asked. He picked up his napkin and wiped his mouth. Charlie watched him shift his focus to her cousin. She couldn’t deny that, despite his jackass behavior toward her, Cameron seemed to like dealing with people, especially those in distress. She wondered if he had a superhero complex. Jason could be the same. It was a trait Charlie used to admire about Jason. Maybe she was being too hard on Cameron.
"Yes, thank you," Jen said. She took a bite of her food, as if to prove it.
"It's just you seem a little distracted," Cameron said offhandedly. ”When I was a kid, we always talked about whatever was bothering us at the dinner table.”
Jason turned and stared at Cameron. His dark brows tugged together and his top lip twisted upward in disapproval. Lisa’s eyes widened and her mouth formed a perfect little ‘o’ as in here we go. Daphne leaned forward, a curious half-grin on her lips, her gaze circled the table. Tom bit his lips together, as if he was trying not to smile.
“Really?” Charlie began, unable to stop herself from picking. Maybe that would shut him up. “Did you talk about what happened to Kyle at dinner?”
Cameron shifted his gaze from Jen to Charlie. The concerned expression he’d worn just a second ago morphed into absolute disdain. “No. We didn’t. It made my mother cry to talk about my dead brother. But thanks for asking.”
Charlie’s cheeks heated with shame and her desire to put him in his place evaporated. Why had she said that? She knew the boy in her vision was dead. Knew it the way she always knew such things. But she just had to pick at it, like a scab that wouldn’t heal. “I knew that. I shouldn’t have said anything. I’m sorry.”
“Well you are the psychic, right?” Cameron said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. He wiped his mouth with the napkin and folded it across the plate. “Ma’am, that really was delicious. If you’ll excuse me, I’d like to get some air.”
“Of course,” Evangeline said, her voice sounding strangled.
“Cameron?” Jen turned her big blue eyes on him. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For being concerned about me. I truly do appreciate it.” A smile crossed her lips. Charlie had seen it too many times to count. The smile that could melt the iciest heart. She’d always had that ability and it was one of the things that Charlie loved best about her.
A thousand emotions passed over Cameron’s strong features from anger to confusion to uncertainty before finally landing on acceptance. He tipped his head in a slight nod and smiled back at her then disappeared through the door into the kitchen. The screen door’s hinges squealed and then closed with a slam.
“Well that wasn’t awkward at all,” Daphne said.
Charlie squeezed her eyes shut and put her hands over her face. “I know; I feel terrible. I shouldn’t have baited him. Oh gosh,” Charlie looked up. Cameron had outed her to her uncle. “Uncle Jack, what Cameron said about me I … ” She struggled to find the right words. “I don’t know what he meant by that exactly.”
Jack cleared his throat loudly. Every eye in the room turned to him. A latent anger bubbled just under the surface of his red le
athery face. It shined in his sharp blue eyes, and Charlie could feel it swirling around him, could almost hear the roar of the wind of his thoughts. She braced for the impact of his anger when it finally reached down and ripped through them like a tornado.
“Do y’all think I’m stupid?” Jack snapped.
“What?” Charlie met his fiery stare. “No sir, of course not.” Charlie’s gaze darted to Lisa across from her and then to Evangeline at the end of the table. Both looked stricken by Jack’s words.
“Do you think for one minute I don’t know what goes on in my own house?” Jack said.
Charlie swallowed hard. “I … uh … no sir. I don’t think that.”
Jack released Charlie from the weight of his stare and his gaze flitted between the other women around the table. His nostrils flared as he spoke. “Thirty-six years I’ve heard voices lower to whispers as soon as I left a room, or stop altogether when I walked in. As if it was some sort of secret. As if your mama didn’t share that part of herself with me. I never interfered, at first because I was humoring her. But you can only see and hear and feel so much before the reality of it sets in and you admit that you’re surrounded by magic and ghosts and psychics and whatever else is out there. And your well-trained scientific brain has no other choice than to accept it and love it. Because to deny it would be to deny my heart.”
“Daddy,” Lisa said.
“No, don’t,” Jen said. “Just don’t.”
“So I know you’re not a witch . . .” Jack said to Jason. Jason straightened up in his chair and opened his mouth to answer him, but Lisa touched his hand with hers and he stopped. Jack shifted his gaze to Tom and narrowed his eyes. “But I have no idea what you are.”
“Me?” Tom touched his hand to his chest. All eyes widened and turned on Tom. “I’m a mortician, sir. Charlie likes to joke that I’m a death dealer.”
“I guess that’s one way to look at it,” Daphne muttered.
“Daphne,” Lisa and Jen snapped at the same time.
“What? It’s true,” Daphne whisper-yelled.
“Uh huh,” Jack said. His lips twisted with disbelief. “Fine. We’ll go with that for now. My point about all of this is that it can take a long time to admit that there is a whole other world out there. One you can’t see directly without some sort of faith. So why don’t you give old Cameron a break? All right?”
A chorus of yes sirs went around the table.
“Now Jennifer Elizabeth what is going on with you?” Jack asked, not dropping the stern tone in his voice just yet.
“Ben’s in trouble, Daddy,” Jen’s bottom lip quivered as she spoke.
“Can you help him?” Jack asked.
“I hope so,” Jen said.
“Yes, she can,” Evangeline said, sitting up straight and looking Jack directly in the eye. “We all can. But it means we need to take a trip to Georgia to do it.”
“All right then. Let’s get it done. I’ll take care of Ruby while you’re gone. Vange, who can run the cafe?”
Jen got up from her chair. She swiped tears from her cheeks and sniffed just before she threw her arms around Jack’s neck. “Thank you, Daddy.”
“Manuel and Dottie can handle the cafe for us. We won’t be gone long,” Evangeline said.
“Good,” Jack said. “Now can we at least cut that cake before you leave?”
Jen laughed and stood up straight. “Of course we can.”
Lisa walked into her condo without saying a word. Jason and Cameron trailed after her. Her fluffy, cream, flame-point cat headed toward her with his tail raised. She bent down and gave him a quick scratch behind the ears. The cat purred loudly, pressing his head into his mistress’s hand.
“Good boy, Butterbean,” Lisa cooed. “Keep an eye on them for me.” Butterbean sat down and curled his tail around himself, nonplussed. His sharp blue eyes watched as Jason directed Cameron into the living room.
"I won't be long," Lisa said and dashed off toward her bedroom. She wasn't sure why they had come. They could've said their goodbyes at her father's house, but Jason had insisted and since Cameron was his guest there, they came as a package deal.
Lisa stepped into her walk-in closet and pulled the leather weekender bag from the top shelf. She wasn't even sure they would spend the night. At least she hoped they wouldn't. It was hard to know how long these things would take. She’d had very little dealings with demons but if she had to get her hands dirty, so be it. All she wanted was to bring Ben back to Palmetto Point so her sister would be happy again. It broke her heart to see Jen so miserable since he left.
Lisa laid the weekender on the bed and unzipped it. Butterbean sauntered into the room and promptly jumped inside the open bag. He looked up at her and gave her a low pitiful meow. She scratched him under his chin. "Don't worry. I'll be home tomorrow. Probably." She frowned. It felt almost like a lie. "Till then Jason's gonna take care of you. Okay?"
The cat opened his eyes and stared at his mistress. He meowed as if in agreement. Lisa smiled and picked up the heavy cat and hugged him close. She placed him on the floor. "I have to pack. Go entertain our guests."
Butterbean gave her one last soulful look before he strolled out of the bedroom, swishing his tail.
Through the open door Lisa could hear Cameron and Jason talking. She heard Jason stoop down to Butterbean’s level, talking to the cat in baby talk. Lisa snickered. Jason didn't realize Butterbean was actually her familiar and her guardian. That he understood more than just any old normal house cat.
One day she would tell Jason there was no reason to talk to the cat as if it were a baby. Butterbean fully understood. She went to her bureau and pulled enough clothes for two nights. Just in case. Then rushed into the bathroom and grabbed her toothbrush, cleanser and face cream. There didn't seem to be much point in worrying about makeup. She shoved the toiletries into a zippered bag she found under the sink along with a hairbrush and a couple of ponytail holders.
"Hey," Jason said, moving into the bathroom behind her. She glanced up at the mirror and met his gaze.
"I'm almost done," she said.
"No rush," he said. The corners of his mouth turned down slightly.
"What?" Lisa said trying not to let defensiveness creep into her voice.
"Are you sure you need to go?"
"Yes. This is going to take all of us," she said.
"Are you going to take your wand?” he asked softly.
“Maybe. Why?”
“I would feel better if at least one of you had a weapon."
"What makes you think we're not the weapon?" Lisa asked dryly. "I’m sure Jen is taking an arsenal of crystals and herbs."
"Right." There was just a hint of sarcasm in his tone and it made her bristle.
"Since when don't you trust those things? How many times has a stone and a pendant or a pound of salt protected you?" she asked. Her cheeks reddened and blotchy patches crept from her chest to her neck. "I think maybe Charlie’s right. Cameron is a bad influence on you."
"That's what you think?" he said, his defenses up. "Well you know what I think? I think you're picking a fight so you don't have to feel bad when you leave.”
"That is the stupidest thing I think I've ever heard," she snapped.
Jason’s phone rang. The ringtone was familiar. One he’d assigned specifically to his partner. Jason slid his phone out of his pocket and held up his hand. “What’s up Beck?”
Lisa gritted her teeth and shoved the tube of toothpaste into her bag. She moved from the bathroom into the bedroom and finished folding up her clothes. The sound of Jason’s voice made her stop the angry diatribe going through her head. She zipped up the weekender and turned to watch Jason talk to his partner.
Jason held his forehead with his freehand and all the color had drained from his cheeks. “Holy fuck,” he muttered. “You’re sure?”
Jason’s jaw tightened. “That is just fucking great,” he said, but there was nothing great about the seething in his tone. Lisa folded h
er arms across her chest and hugged herself tight.
Jason closed his eyes and blew a breath through his teeth. He shoved the phone back into his pocket.
“What’s wrong?” Lisa asked.
“Gabriel Curtis escaped custody,” Jason said.
“What? Are you kidding me?” Lisa asked.
“Nope. He killed a deputy and a nurse and vanished into thin air.” Jason shook his head, his expression incredulous.
“Babe, I’m so sorry,” Lisa said. “What are you going to do?”
“SLED is putting together a manhunt. We’ll join in,” Jason said. “Man, this storm is bad timing.”
“Yeah,” Lisa said.
“So you still want to pick a fight with me?” he asked.
“No,” she said in a small voice.
“Well, you may just change your mind about that,” Jason said. “Especially because of what I’m going to ask you.”
“What?” Lisa said.
He stepped closer and lowered his voice. “You can’t tell Charlie.”
“What? Why not?” Lisa asked.
“I don’t want her to get all riled up again with this demon idea,” Jason said.
“Maybe Charlie was right though, did you ever think about that?”
“Please, not you too,” Jason said.
“He was shot, right? Curtis?” Lisa said.
“Yeah,” Jason said. “So?”
“So how did he manage to kill a nurse and a deputy? And escape completely undetected?” Lisa asked.
“I don’t know,” Jason huffed. “We’re looking into it.”
“Right,” Lisa said scowling. She slung the strap of the leather bag over her shoulder. “I have to go.”
“Fine.” He grabbed her by the hand and stopped her before she could walk through the door. “I need you to promise me that you won’t tell Charlie anything.”
“Jason, I . . .” she started.
“Promise me. I don’t want her obsessing over this, especially when there isn’t anything she can do about it,” he said.