Witch Confidential

by Lily Harper Hart

  “He’s doing much better,” Lancaster confirmed, shifting so he could stare through the window. “I would have to deem his recovery remarkable at this point.”

  Ofelia was relieved as she slid to a standstill next to him and caught sight of Bernie through the window. He was propped up on pillows, the color back in his cheeks, and regaling two nurses with fantastical tales. They seemed to be enjoying themselves because they laughed at his jokes, which only propelled him to tell more stories.

  “Is he out of the woods?” Sully asked hopefully.

  Lancaster held out his hands. “I don’t particularly like that phrase because it discounts any number of things that can go wrong. He’s still got an infection, but Ms. Archer’s special tea seems to be wiping it out quickly.”

  The look Sully shot her was one of profound gratitude. “Thank you.”

  Her cheeks burned. “You don’t have to thank me. It wasn’t a big deal.”

  He studied her for a beat. “You’re not used to being praised,” he said finally, shaking his head. “Between your mother being a condescending pain in the behind and your father being consumed by his own issues, you’re accustomed to people taking from you and never giving back.”

  “I don’t know that I would phrase it that way,” Ofelia hedged.

  “You didn’t phrase it that way. I did. Also, it’s going to change. I appreciate what you’ve done here. I guarantee Bernie does, too.”

  “Actually, I can guarantee that, too,” Lancaster said. “He’s been asking for the both of you for thirty minutes. I was about to see if I could track down your information and call.”

  “Is something wrong?” Sully queried, instantly alert.

  “I don’t believe so. He just wants to talk to you. He said it was important, that he forgot to tell you something about the man with yellow eyes the first time you were here. Personally, I was hoping the fever would break his delusions about a monster prowling the French Quarter, but apparently that’s not the case.”

  Sully’s hand moved to Ofelia’s back as he directed her toward the door. “We’ll talk to him about the monster. Thank you for saving him.”

  “Technically, I didn’t save him. Your friend did. You should thank her.”

  “Oh, don’t worry about that.” Sully’s grin was mischievous. “I have every intention of thanking her profusely once we’re done here.”

  This time Ofelia’s cheeks colored for a different reason and she had to stare at the tile to collect herself as Sully led them into Bernie’s room.

  “Hey, man.” Sully was effusive when he snagged gazes with the gregarious street entrepreneur. “I’m glad to see you’re feeling better than you were a few hours ago. Are you keeping the nurses on their toes?” Sully pressed his hand to Bernie’s forehead to check for fever, a gesture Ofelia found touching.

  “Women love me,” Bernie replied. “I have this thing inside me that people can’t get enough of. It’s called animal magnetism and people are just drawn to me.”

  Sully snorted at the picture he was painting. “That sounds lovely.” He pulled his hand back and stared at the older man. “You really frightened us. You need to be more careful. In fact ... .” He hesitated, then barreled forward. “Maybe when it’s time for you to get out of here we’ll talk about putting you someplace where you have a roof over your head, huh?”

  The suggestion caught Ofelia off guard. She had no idea what Sully had in mind, but she was intrigued at the prospect. Bernie, however, was already shaking his head.

  “No.”

  “No?” Ofelia couldn’t swallow her surprise. “Why do you say no?”

  “Because he’s talking about a shelter.” Bernie was calm, but his tone had turned chilly. “I’m not staying in a shelter. Those places are crowded ... and terrible ... and dangerous. You get hurt in shelters.”

  Sully wasn’t in the mood to argue, but he couldn’t stop himself from pressing harder. “You just got hurt on the street.”

  “I did, but at least I could see the stars ... and smell the air when it happened. That’s better than being locked away.”

  “You’re not going to be locked away,” Sully challenged. “I’ll find a good place for you.”

  “No.” Bernie was adamant. “I’m not going to be locked inside someplace at night. I can’t live like that.”

  Sully opened his mouth to continue arguing, but Ofelia stopped him with a hand to his arm. “He knows what he wants,” she said in a low voice. “You can’t make him live his life to your specifications. That’s not fair.”

  “But how is he supposed to keep that wound clean living on the streets?” Sully snapped, his temper flashing hot and hard. “It will just get infected again. And what about food? He’s going to need steady nourishment to heal. He can’t get that hopping from place to place near Jackson Square.”

  “You’re not the boss of me,” Bernie argued. “If I want to hop from place to place, you can’t stop me.”

  “Hold up.” Ofelia flashed a tense smile as the nurses, who were clearly uncomfortable with the change in the atmosphere, slipped out of the room. “I get that you guys have a lot of testosterone and everything, but there’s no reason to get into a fight. We can come up with a compromise.”

  “And what compromise is that?” Sully asked. “He’s not safe out on the street. There’s a monster out there right now. The hospital isn’t going to keep him for more than a day or two because that’s how they operate. He’s not going to be able to move fast enough to run.”

  Bernie narrowed his eyes. “I’ve been taking care of myself for a very long time. I know you have the best of intentions but ... this isn’t your problem.”

  “I’m supposed to keep you safe,” Sully shot back. “That means this is most definitely my problem.”

  “Stop it!” Ofelia put her hand to Sully’s chest to nudge him back and stepped closer to the bed, snagging Bernie’s defiant gaze. She was used to male conflict. Oscar and Felix fought like this on a regular basis. For a moment, she almost felt as if she were a teenager again and the notion made her have to swallow a laugh.

  “He’s not the boss of me,” Bernie offered on a low growl. “I’m the boss of me. I get to decide.”

  “You get to decide,” Ofelia agreed in a placating manner. “Nobody is saying otherwise. You have to understand that he’s trying to keep you safe, though. That bossy thing he’s doing comes from a place of love, not hate.”

  Bernie made a face. “Oh, you’re just trying to make me feel guilty now.”

  “Maybe a little,” she conceded. “I happen to understand where he’s coming from.”

  “So you’re taking his side.” Bernie worked his jaw. “I’m thankful for you telling the doctors how to help me, but you’re not my boss either.”

  “I’m most certainly not your boss,” she agreed. “I don’t want to be your boss. I do want you to be safe, though. That’s why I think I have an idea to make everybody happy.”

  “Oh, I can’t wait to hear this,” Sully grumbled, folding his arms over his chest. “You just have to fix everything, don’t you?”

  “It’s my way,” Ofelia agreed, unruffled. “As for you, Bernie, I get that you don’t want to give up your autonomy. Sully is right, though. You need a quiet place to recuperate. I know of just the place.

  “It’s outside, so you can see the stars,” she continued, refusing to let either man shoot down the idea before she was finished laying it out. “It’s also walled in, which means an enemy can’t sneak up on you. There’s even a lounge chair outside for you to sleep on.”

  Bernie narrowed his eyes, suspicious. “I don’t like walls.”

  “I get that, but they’re going to keep you safe for the time being.” Ofelia was firm. “There’s this little garden area behind my bar. You can access it through the tunnel area. You can sleep out there, spread out your stuff, and be comfortable. You can also be safe because nobody can just wander up on that area.”

  “Even a shadow with yellow eye
s?” Bernie challenged. “I don’t think walls can stop a shadow.”

  “Yeah, about that ... .” Sully shifted from one foot to the other, drawing Bernie’s attention back to him. “Did you see the shadow’s face?”

  “The shadow didn’t have a face,” Bernie replied. “It was just ... a shadow.”

  Sully couldn’t contain his disappointment. “Are you sure?” He held out his phone, a photograph of Robert Windsor on the screen. “Do you recognize him?”

  Bernie stared at the image for a long beat. “No. I’m sorry. Should I recognize him?”

  Sully shook his head. “No. I guess I was just hoping we were on the right track.”

  “We don’t know that we’re not on the right track,” Ofelia countered. “We’re nowhere near done looking at this point. Just because Bernie didn’t see a face, that doesn’t mean we’re barking up the wrong tree. We’ll figure it out.”

  “If you say so.” Sully looked grim as he dragged a hand through his hair. When his gaze returned to Bernie, there was a pleading expression in his eyes. “Please let Ofelia help you with a place to stay. I’m not talking forever. This is just until you’re completely healed. If you sleep in that garden area, we’ll both be able to make sure your injury is healed ... and we’ll be able to keep your medication safe and dry. Why is that such a bad thing?”

  “Because I don’t need no one to take care of me.” Stubborn, Bernie folded his arms over his chest and jutted out his lower lip. “I’m the sort of man who prefers taking care of himself. No offense, Ofelia.”

  “I’m not offended,” she assured him. “I get that you want to take care of yourself. The thing is, everybody needs help once in a while. I want to help you. There’s no reason not to let me. By working together, the three of us are going to find this thing that hurt you and make sure it doesn’t hurt anyone else. A few weeks of sleeping in my garden isn’t going to kill you. That’s your part of the compromise.”

  “But ... .”

  “No.” Ofelia shook her head. “You’re going to do it whether you like it or not. You can sit here and stew about it — that’s expected — but it’s still going to happen. You’re coming with me when you’re discharged. I’ll make sure the nurses know so there aren’t any glitches with your release or anything.”

  Instead of offering up his profound thanks, Bernie scowled. “I don’t think I like you any longer.”

  “Yeah, well, you’ll live. That’s the whole point of me doing this.” She beamed at him, an expression he didn’t return. “This is a wasted argument now. You’re going to be here a few days longer. After that, we’ll have the argument again if it becomes necessary.”

  “Oh, it’s going to be necessary.” Bernie’s expression was dark. “I’m the boss of me.”

  “Dude, I think she’s the boss of both of us,” Sully countered. “I don’t feel as if I have any control here either. The only one with control is Ofelia. How do you think that happened?”

  The question was enough to nudge a smile out of Bernie. “Maybe she’s magical.”

  “Oh, I’m definitely magical,” Ofelia agreed. “That’s why I always get my way. There’s no sense in arguing. It’s going to be the same this time.”

  Sully was officially impressed. She’d neutralized Bernie’s argument, stopped the two men from getting into a fight, and somehow managed to get her way with both of them. It was a miraculous feat.

  “Well, Ms. Boss Lady, how about we get some dinner and discuss our next move, huh? It’s been a long day and I think you’ve earned it.”

  Ofelia’s grin was so wide it almost swallowed her entire face. “That sounds like a fabulous idea to me.”

  “DO YOU HAVE TO WORK A SHIFT AT Krewe tonight?” Sully asked an hour later as they sat in a corner booth at a gumbo restaurant they were both familiar with. It was something of a hole in the wall, which meant the tourists essentially avoided it, but the locals were wily and knew that good food didn’t always come in a tourist-friendly package.

  “It depends,” Ofelia replied, her expression thoughtful. “I really should put in an hour or two to help with the rush.”

  “When is the rush?”

  “Nine to eleven.”

  Sully leaned back and did the math in his head. “That will work for what I have planned. I’ll go to the bar with you, help you serve drinks. After that, we can head out.”

  Ofelia pursed her lips. “Where are we heading?” she asked finally.

  “St. Louis Cemetery.”

  “Why?”

  “Because Robert Windsor was laid to rest in a family mausoleum and I want to make sure he’s still there.”

  Realization dawned on Ofelia. “Oh. If he’s our ghoul, he won’t be in his final resting spot. That’s smart.”

  “I like to think so.” He winked at her and grabbed a roll from the basket at the center of the table. “I could go alone, but I would rather have someone watching my back if there’s a yellow-eyed demon out there.”

  “I have no problem watching your back, if you answer a question for me.”

  Sully made a face. “Why do I get the feeling this is going to be painful?”

  “Because you’re a suspicious soul. That’s the price of my cooperation, though. Take it or leave it.”

  He made a growling noise. “Fine. I’ll take it.”

  She grinned at him. “What’s the deal with you and Bernie? You told me the story about how he helped you solve a murder when you were in uniform. I think there’s more to it than that, though.”

  Sully shifted, uncomfortable. “I don’t know what you mean.” He averted his gaze. “I hope they deliver the gumbo soon. I’m starving.”

  “Oh, don’t do that.” Ofelia wagged a finger and shook her head. “We’ve been getting along really well. The truth is important when you’re starting out in a relationship. If you don’t want to answer the question, that’s fair. Just tell me to mind my own business. Don’t brush off the question, though. I don’t like that.”

  Sully shifted so he was facing her, his eyes cloudy. Finally, he heaved out a sigh. “You really are bossy. Bernie was right.”

  She laughed. “If you don’t want to tell me, then just say so. We’ll move on to something else. You don’t have to confide in me. I just thought — since we’re going to date when this is all over — that you might want to get a leg up on the relationship stuff. It’s not a big deal, though.”

  “Oh, man.” He pinched the bridge of his nose and tilted his chin up. “You’re manipulative to boot.”

  “I’m trying to figure things out.”

  “It’s not a big deal.”

  “Okay.”

  “He just reminds me of someone.”

  “Okay.”

  “There was this guy I knew as a kid. He was down on his luck but gave to others and ... I don’t really want to get into it now.” Sully gripped the roll tighter. “Suffice it to say that he died when I was a kid and I’ve always wondered what I could’ve done to save him. The answer is, probably nothing. I still wonder. Bernie reminds me of him and I don’t want history to repeat itself.”

  Ofelia’s heart went out to him and she rested her hand on his wrist. “It’s okay. I get it. We’ll make sure Bernie is okay. I think checking the tomb is a good idea. It’s proactive. We’ll do two hours at the bar and then break into a cemetery. That’s one of my favorite things to do anyway.”

  He chuckled at the blasé way she phrased it. “You really are the perfect woman. You make a mean drink and like to go on adventures. I mean ... does it get better than that?”

  She winked at him before snagging her own roll. “I might be biased, but I’m going to have to say no.”

  “You’re humble, too.”

  “I am indeed.”

  Fifteen

  Ofelia wasn’t a novice when it came to late-night excursions. After a shift at Krewe — one where Sully showed off his drink-mixing skills with aplomb — she excused herself to run upstairs and change. When she returned, she fo
und Sully showing Oscar how to mix an Absinthe Frappe, and the two men looked to be having a good time.

  “It’s good,” Oscar enthused, sipping. “I’ve never had one before but ... I like it. Is this your drink of choice?”

  Sully shook his head. “No. It’s my mother’s favorite, though, and I learned how to mix it at an early age.”

  There was a sadness to his tone that caught Ofelia off guard and her heart went out to him. As if sensing her watching, he lifted his head and met her gaze. When he caught sight of her outfit — she was dressed from head to toe in black — he barked out a laugh, the light back in his eyes. “Subtle.”

  Oscar shifted to stare at his daughter. His expression was devoid of amusement. “Do I even want to know what you two are going to do?”

  “Probably not,” Ofelia replied, sliding around the bar so she could join them. “You’re in charge until I get back. Try not to get in trouble, huh? It would be great if things ran smoothly in my absence.”

  “You’re such a nag,” Oscar complained, shaking his head. “You get that from your mother.”

  “That’s not the way to get me to leave you in charge again,” she warned, flicking her eyes to Sully, who was busy enjoying the way the simple black yoga pants hugged her every curve. “Are you ready?”

  “I am.” He wiped his hands on a towel and started toward her. “I have to say, that’s an interesting outfit.”

  “Get your mind out of the gutter,” Oscar warned on a growl.

  Sully was the picture of innocence. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  “I’m not blind, son. I see the way you look at her.”

  Sully’s smile was easy. “She’s a beautiful woman. How am I supposed to look at her?”

  “Like she has a father who doesn’t care if you’re a cop and who knows how to hide a body.”

  “Ah.” Sully’s grin didn’t falter. “Good to know. I’ll keep that in mind.” He tilted his head toward Ofelia. “Shall we? I promise to tuck her in safe when we’re done, Oscar. You have nothing to worry about.”