by J. D. Cavan
I was in no mood for jokes, but I couldn’t wait to get back to the SOJ for a pint of Evil Twin IPA. After the hell-ride I’d just been through, I needed a cold one.
After the beer, I’d be off. I had Dr. Devlin to see. I had a lot of questions about my evil twin that needed answers.
Chapter 23
I HAD TO make sure I wasn’t followed, so I took a bunch of different routes. I drove all the way out to Montauk, switching from highways to back roads.
I pulled the Tesla up in front of Devlin’s house. The wind was whipping off the bluff and I could hear the ocean waves crashing behind it. I walked up the steps of his New England Cape and knocked on the door.
The door opened immediately. It was Devlin, and his face looked panicked.
“It’s me—Lila,” I said immediately. “It’s not my sister, Akantha. Lucky for you.”
“I had a feeling it was you. But one can never be too sure.” Devlin let me inside.
We sat down next to his roaring fire, just as we had many times in the past. Dr. Devlin had helped me find myself during some very dark days in my life. He was a heck of a therapist, and I owed him for that, even if now I questioned his loyalty.
“I never told you about Akantha because I made a commitment to your father. He never wanted it known.” Dr. Devlin beat me to the punch, answering my question before I could ask it.
“So it’s my father’s fault?” I said.
“I’m not saying that. I’m taking responsibility. But you have to understand—”
“You should have told me about her,” I cut him off.
“When we made the decision to give Akantha to the witches of the north, your father was beyond broken and ashamed about it.”
“That’s why he faked his death and disappeared, isn’t it? He knew the curse would be lifted and Akantha would ultimately return.” I had spent some time thinking about it. After a couple of hours, the pieces to the puzzle began to come together.
“In part that was the reason,” Devlin replied. “Akantha is here now because the curse has been lifted.”
“I thought I was dealing with my shadow personality, but all along it was my twin sister playing tricks on me, casting spells.”
“We thought that you might have a dark side, and you likely do based on your connections to your twin sister Akantha, and your great aunt, Akantha. But yes, it seems possible that much of what you were suffering from was your sister’s doing.”
“Another trick from Malcolm, I suppose.”
“Doubtful. It was likely Akantha’s idea. Malcolm did give you the amulet, did he not?” Devlin asked.
“He did.”
“He promised me he would. Say what you will about Malcolm, but he knows about the importance of the order and balance. Without it, the supernatural world would be in grave jeopardy.”
“He’s just afraid of Akantha,” I said. “He didn’t want her to have it.”
“He has to try and maintain the order, whether he’s threatened by her or not,” Devlin said, defending Malcolm. I still didn’t fully understand the order and balance factor Malcolm and Devlin talked about all the time. Perhaps Devlin was telling me the truth.
“I don’t suppose you have any suggestions on how to handle my twin sister nightmare?”
“I don’t, but I’ve got some good coffee on. How about we share a pot and put our heads together? Just like good old times.”
* * *
DEVLIN AND I had coffee together by the fire and talked it out. We didn’t come up with any answers, but we did formulate a couple of important questions.
One particular question stood out in my mind. It related to how I could build a case against Akantha for the murders she committed. I needed to find out how powerful her magic was; only then would I have a better chance of finding out what her weakness could be. Everyone had a weakness. Even Akantha.
Chapter 24
ON MY WAY back to the city, I planned how I would tell Liam about Akantha. I went over it in my mind. It definitely was going to be unpleasant.
I had to tell everyone at the SOJ about my twin sister. If I had an exact replica of myself out there, the SOJ team absolutely needed to know. Plus, Akantha was highly dangerous, and a new force that would have to be contended with. Forget about Blackeye; Akantha was our most wanted.
Just as I was pulling up to the SOJ, I got a call from Terry. I took it on the car’s speaker.
“You need to get to the precinct,” she said. “Commissioner Gallagher wants to see you. He’s with Agent Tasso and Silvio.”
My heart started pounding. I imagined what was happening. Akantha had decided to release Kelly’s memory to do me in. Agent Tasso had the evidence against me she’d been seeking. I tried to calm my worst-case-scenario fears.
“I’ve been trying to meet the commissioner since he took office, and now he wants to see me?” I played it off casually.
“I don’t know, Lila. He would like an update on the escort murders, I suppose. You know, the ones that are still unsolved.”
I was paranoid. I didn’t trust Terry. She might be sending me into a trap. They had the positive ID from Kelly and were all waiting for me at the police station. I’d be locked up right there.
“Now?” I asked.
“Yes, right now.” Terry hung up.
Even though I was sure I was walking into my demise, I headed to the precinct. If I was going to get arrested, then so be it. If I fled, they’d only find me. If Akantha had framed me, I wasn’t going on the run. I’d simply have to fight her from inside a supernatural holding cell.
But when I walked into the station house, no one was there. It was mostly empty. Some cops were wandering around, but no Tasso or Silvio. Then Jake walked out of his office.
“Hey Jake, Terry sent me here. Commissioner Gallagher wants to talk to me.” I shrugged.
“He’s in the back office,” Jake said as he walked me down the hallway.
I tried to sense from Jake if he was betraying me. He didn’t give me any suspicious feelings, but that didn’t mean that he wasn’t leading me to my demise. If this was a trap and I was about to get booked for the murders, I knew Jake would be broken up about it.
Jake opened the door and I walked into the office. Gallagher was standing by the windows looking out. His back was to me. Jake stepped inside the office and shut the door behind him.
“Commissioner Gallagher, Lila Stone is here to see you,” Jake announced.
Gallagher turned around to face me. He was an older looking gentlemen, gray hair, and a beard. He wore thick, darkly tinted oval glasses. I squinted my eyes and peered at him. I recognized something about him. My heart suddenly broke.
“Dad?” I uttered.
“Yes, it’s me, Lila,” he replied.
I ran to him. It was Daniel Stone, my father. He opened his arms and I threw myself around him.
“I’m sorry, so sorry I didn’t tell you about your twin sister all these years. I should have,” he said regretfully.
“Devlin told me, and you shouldn’t be ashamed about it.” I couldn’t be angry with my father. I protected him. I loved him.
“I will help you as long as I can, but Akantha will be after me. If she finds me, I will likely meet my real end.”
I let go of him and we faced each other. It was different this time. We weren’t just father and daughter anymore. Now we were colleagues, equals in the fight for justice.
“I’m going after her. I need you as commissioner. I have some control over the supernatural gangs for now, but with my evil sister in town, I can’t predict what kind of havoc she could cause. She’s threatening to build a powerful witch coven.”
“I’ll try to stay undercover as Commissioner Gallagher for as long as I can,” he said.
“Who knows who you are?”
“Just me,” Jake said. I wasn’t surprised. Jake had been my father’s best friend and most loyal confidant for as long as I could remember.
“And now you,” my fath
er said. Then he glanced at Jake for a moment. “There is someone else, a contact I have working on the inside. He’s on our side.”
“Who?” I asked.
“It wouldn’t be safe to tell you specifically, but he’s undercover in one of the gangs. He’s watching out for you,” my father said.
I instantly thought of Julian. I wondered if that was what he had planned to tell me when we were at the Mayor’s ball.
“Okay, that’s good for me to know. What about Terry? She doesn’t know it’s you playing Gallagher?”
He shook his head. “I thought she might sense it was me, but she hasn’t yet.”
“She’s too clueless and self-involved,” I couldn’t help but say.
“I wouldn’t underestimate Terry. I didn’t tell her because I didn’t want to put her in a bad position. It’s best if she thinks I’m dead.”
I half-believed my father, but I also thought that he likely didn’t trust Terry fully either.
“What do we do now?” I asked.
“We have to keep our distance for one thing. Forget that you’ve seen me. Akantha is carefully monitoring everything.”
As much as I didn’t like it, I knew my father was right. If we were going to save this city from Akantha, and manage the supernatural gangs, we were going to have to be very smart about it.
He took me to the door to say goodbye. It was harder than I thought leaving my father. I had missed him so much, and now I wasn’t sure when I’d see him again. I had to erase him from my mind. Akantha had magic that was far-reaching. Who knew if she could get into my head and crawl around?
As Jake walked me out, we changed the subject and chatted about the Yankees’ playoff hopes. They were in a great position to get to the World Series this year.
Maybe I’d get to watch a game with my father. He had the police commissioner’s box seats now. I’d sit next to my dad at Yankee Stadium in the best seats in the house for the World Series. Detective Lila Stone, a guest of Commissioner Gallagher. It was an awesome wish.
My fantasy was dashed with the reality of my life. Normalcy was non-existent. I’d have to work in any fun while running the powerful supernatural gangs of New York, not to mention managing my psycho sister.
All of this was made easier knowing that my father was out there. He was at serious risk, and that concerned me. But as much as he had my back, I had his. We were working together now.
Final Chapter
EVEN THOUGH I had a ton of heavy-duty issues on my mind, everything seemed to melt away when I strolled into the main reception room at Pier Sixty in Manhattan.
I hadn’t had time yet to tell Liam or the rest of the SOJ about my twin sister. I didn’t want to rain on Brad and Janice’s wedding day. I’d tell them all tomorrow morning, first thing. We had an SOJ meeting scheduled. I had a huge agenda to cover, including the threat of my sister and the witches’ coven she planned on creating.
I’d gotten to Pier Sixty before everyone else, and the expansive reception room, soon to be filled with well-dressed guests, was empty. The lighting was perfectly elegant, with fabulous candelabras on each delicately designed table. I looked out over the picturesque views of the Hudson River. Floor-to-ceiling windows gave the feel that you were actually standing on the water.
I took a deep breath, and then I felt it for the first time. It was an honest desire to someday be standing here, or a place like it, in a wedding gown of my own. I surprised myself; getting married was never a thing on my list. Maybe it was the setting, or maybe I was changing. I noted it all as topics for my next Dr. Edwards session.
“Brad’s family really knows how to put on a wedding.”
I spun around. Liam was standing by the door. “Hi,” I said, awkwardly. I had no idea how long he’d been standing there, watching me.
Liam walked over toward me. He looked stunning. He wore a dark suit and his hair was slicked back neatly. He reminded me of a movie star at the Oscars. I felt my breath escape as he stepped in front of me. We looked out over the river together. For a moment it was quiet between us.
“Remember that night we sat up on the bluff in the graveyard?” he asked. “We’d dug up your father’s grave only to find nothin’ in there.”
“How could I forget,” I replied. I hadn’t known it then, but my father had staged his own death. He lived in disguise, impersonating various people, now including the police commissioner. “What’s making you think of that?”
“This moment reminds me of it.” Liam opened his jacket and pulled out the very same metal flask he had that day. He opened it and gave it to me. I smiled to myself and went to take a sip. But he stopped me.
“Before we drink, I’ve got something to say. That night, do you remember what we toasted to?”
“It was to the newly minted Society of Justice. That was the moment we created it.” I also recalled falling for Liam at that moment, but I left that part out. I raised the flask to toast the SOJ again but Liam put his hand out and touched my arm.
“Let’s toast something different this time.” He gazed into my eyes. I felt my heart do a flip. I swallowed hard.
“To what?” I muttered. He moved closer to me. I totally lost my breath.
“Let’s make a toast to us,” he said. And then Liam kissed me. I was suddenly overwhelmed with emotion. I felt his passion, his love for me. I didn’t fight it or block it. I permitted it.
There was a timeless moment of us locked together before the room filled with staff and guests. We didn’t stop, however. We stared into each other’s eyes. I searched for words before the wedding planner interrupted us.
“Lila, you need to get ready for the photos and then the wedding party announcements!” He took hold of my arm and began to drag me away from Liam.
“Wait,” I said. I wanted to run back to Liam, hold him and tell him that I had fallen in love with him too. That I should have told him the day he told me. Tears filled my eyes.
“It’s okay, I’ll be right here,” Liam said as the wedding planner whisked me away. I watched Liam as I got dragged through the doors. He never took his eyes off me.
* * *
THE EVENING WENT by so fast.
There wasn’t a minute where I wasn’t being called upon to do something or meet someone from Brad or Janice’s family. I’d been seated with the wedding party the entire night and spent only seconds it seemed with Liam, let alone Dean, Vovk, Jess, or Nick. They had all been seated at the same SOJ table.
The party was at its end, with only my speech and the cake left. I stood up in front of the room holding my champagne glass. I began tapping it with my spoon. The loud room quieted and I held the glass high in the air.
I gave a thank you toast to Brad and Janice’s family for putting on such a great wedding. After that I told some funny anecdotes about Brad, including how he and I had been terrible as boyfriend and girlfriend. I got a ton of laughs. The crowd ate it up. Then I got a little serious.
“But in all honesty, I can’t think of a better man for Janice than Brad. Forget about his genius in forensic medicine, and his incredible contribution to this city working with us at the Society of Justice—” I got interrupted as the guests broke out in cheers. “Brad’s greatness is more than that. It’s simpler and far more profound. He’s a good man.” I saw Brad and Janice smiling widely. “And he has a good woman. Right?” I rallied the crowd, and they responded with hoots and hollers.
“If you have two good people who trust each other, who have each other’s backs no matter what—” I paused for a moment and searched the SOJ table. My stomach dropped. Liam was missing from his seat. I quickly searched the room and couldn’t find him. I wanted him to hear this part of my speech. I noticed the guests waiting for me to finish, so I proceeded.
“If you have trust, then you have the possibility of true love. And what is true love? It is the kind of love that will be strong, weather any troubled times, won’t break but only deepen in the face of hardship and loss.” I glanced around
again and finally found him. Liam was in the back, watching me.
“Because true love is the kind of love that will survive anything that this world can throw at you!”
The guests erupted in cheers, standing up from their chairs. Brad and Janice rushed over, both embracing me. I gazed out over the crowd of people, searching for Liam. They were blocking my view of him. I stood on my tiptoes but still couldn’t find him.
As people came up to me, I thought about the city, and my evil twin sister. Even though the thought of fighting her seemed truly impossible, I knew I had help. I knew Liam was there.
End of Book 3
Dear Reader,
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If you haven’t read Book 1 The Immortals or Book 2 The Dead City I think you’ll love them!
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A Lila Stone Supernatural Crime Thriller Series
Book 1 The Immortals
Book 2 The Dead City
Book 3 The Druid Witch
Book 4 Twin Witch (coming soon)