by M. J. Caan
He raised his arms in protection as Jasmin advanced on him, death in her eyes.
“Stop it,” said Torie, stepping between them. “There will be no fighting in this house.”
Jasmin stopped out of respect for her friend. Then she turned to Torie.
“They are trying to get us to turn on one another. They want us to fight amongst ourselves so we can’t see the real culprit.”
“And what good would that do us?” asked Max. “We want whoever is doing this to be captured just as much as you do.”
“Oh yeah,” said Jasmin, “why would that be? Give me one plausible reason.”
“Because we are tired of running and we have no place else to go,” blurted Elric. “We just…want to belong.”
Max growled at his subordinate, baring his human teeth in the process. “Be quiet, beta.”
“No,” said Torie, stepping forward. “He has every right to speak up, just as you do.” She wasn’t sure where her bravado came from, but in her gut she felt that it was the right thing to say.
No one spoke as Elric reluctantly continued. “You know that we are new here in town. From day one we heard the rumors that there was a serial killer stalking this town, and we knew the dangers of being the new guys. But we came up from Trinity, and if you knew what we had been through there…well, let’s just say that the chance to start over in a place that values everyone equally…called to us.”
His eyes were focused on the floor as he spoke, and Torie had the feeling that he was speaking only the truth.
“We have done bad things, in defense of ourselves, but we have never hurt an innocent.”
This last statement she heard in her head. It was Elric’s voice, but he had definitely not spoken it aloud. She looked at him, and he was staring hard at her; his gray eyes pleading with her. She looked at the women around her, just to be certain that no one else had heard.
“Is it really out of the realm of possibility?” Torie said. “I mean, shouldn’t we consider that anyone could be a suspect?”
“You have yet to come into your power,” said Jasmin. “Because if you had, you would know that all Hexes are defenders of life; we protect and serve. That’s all.”
“Not all of you,” said Max, softly. “I’ve seen first-hand what some of you are capable of.” He lifted his shirt, showing long, raised burn marks that scarred his torso. “This is from a witch who channeled hellfire through her whip.” He then bent over and pulled up a pant leg to show a deformed calf muscle that looked like it had been torn away then half glued back on again. “And this is from a witch who kept me in enchanted silver chains…just to see how long it might take me to gnaw off my own leg to get free.”
No one spoke, and Torie had to fight back the threat of tears.
“Well,” said Jasmin quietly, “I don’t know what kind of witches you’ve encountered but I guarantee that no one here in Singing Falls would ever do something like that.”
“But that’s just it,” said Max, “you don’t know what kinds of witches are out there. Yeah, sure, here in this town everyone is all kumbaya and pixie dust…but you drive down to Trinity and see what your sisters have been up to down there.” He turned away, his face red with a combination of embarrassment and anger. “I’m just saying. Not everyone welcomes supernaturals with open arms and a plate full of elderberry muffins.”
“Fair enough,” said Jasmin. Then she swallowed hard. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry. You should never have to experience what you’ve been through; and anyone who would do this to you…I refuse to call them a sister.”
Max didn’t respond, but Torie could tell from the way his shoulders relaxed that he felt better and accepted Jasmin’s apology.
“We just want to help you catch this person,” said Elric. “We like it here.”
“Okay, so now we are opening up the search to witches as well,” said Taylor.
“Well, the good thing about that is, there are only a few here in town,” added Fionna. “Present company excluded, we should be able to pay them a visit within a day and see what we can find out.”
“Does anyone else find it suspicious that Eddie doesn’t remember what happened to him?” Torie asked. When no one answered, she rolled her eyes. “That is the same thing my mother said; she couldn’t remember what had happened to her. From what I can tell, she isn’t senile…or rather, wasn’t. She said there was a hole in her memories…and that is kind of what Eddie hinted at.”
Jasmin nodded, deep in thought. “Maybe there is something there. Add that fact to what the wol…er…Max and Elric told us, maybe this is magical in nature.”
“You mean a spell that creates amnesia?” said Taylor.
“Not a spell,” said Jasmin. “If that were the case, I would be able to sniff that out. But there are more mundane ways to create the same affect.”
“Medication,” said Glen. “You think that someone gave them something?”
“That would open the door to a lot of other professionals then,” noted Torie.
“Maybe not,” replied Glen. “The hospital is really the only place that would carry the kind of drugs that can do that. There is a master database that shows all medication inventory, who checked it out, and they cross reference to the patient it was used on. I can check that and see if any of it is unaccounted for.”
Fionna frowned. “I don’t know. Whoever is doing this has no problem murdering shifters. I don’t want you in their cross-hairs in any way.”
“And I appreciate that,” said Glen, “but you are out here risking your life for people in your community. Well, you’re my people, and I am not sitting on the sidelines just because I’m human. I love you, and if there is something I can do to help, you damn well better know I’m going to do it.”
Something she said struck a nerve with Torie. “I want in as well. I’m the newbie in town, but I want to do my part.”
“Very well,” said Jasmin. “If you’re okay with calling a share ride for your son, there is something we need to do.”
Torie didn’t like the idea of not driving her son to the airport, but she knew there was a greater good to be performed.
“Of course,” she said. “What are we doing?”
“We are going to follow another lead. Down in Trinity.”
Everyone except Torie began to voice their concern. Torie raised her hand to silence the group and looked at Jasmin with narrowed eyes. “Okay, maybe it’s time you told me just what it is about Trinity that has everyone so freaked out. And what exactly is it we are going to do there?”
Jasmin grinned. “Ellie’s body was taken there for autopsy, just as your mother’s was. Her wounds would have been harder to classify; they wouldn’t be able to just brush it off like they did your mother’s. We are going there to find her body and her clothes and see if we can find out what she might have known that got her killed alongside your mother.”
Max stepped up at the mention of Trinity.
“If you’re going to that hell pit, you’re not going alone. Take Elric with you. I’ll go with the woman to the hospital to snoop around for drugs.”
“Medication,” corrected Glen.
“Yes. Medication,” Max continued. “The squirrel shifter is right; you start poking around in a killer’s business, you might show up on their hit list. I’ll keep her safe, I promise.”
“Okay,” said Torie. “Sounds like we have a plan. Do we head out now, while it’s still daylight? Or do we wait for nightfall?”
Jasmin laughed. “You really don’t know about Trinity Cove, do you? There is no daylight there…it’s a town that has been taken over by a supernatural darkness. Imagine Alaska during their winter when the sun doesn’t come up…if Alaska were run by werewolves, demons and vampires.”
18
Torie decided if they were venturing into a real-life hellmouth, they weren’t doing it on an empty stomach. She whipped up a lunch using whatever she could find in the refrigerator. It turned out to be a surprisingly
good pasta salad with fresh tomato bruschetta.
“So, when did a rich girl like you ever learn to cook like this?” Jasmin quizzed.
“Ha. Well, I may have indulged in a cleaning crew from time to time, but I never allowed us to have a cook. Dinner was special to me; the one time of the day that all of us sat down together. I made it a point to always prepare everything from scratch. Ward used to chide me for it, but Shawn loves my cooking.” She reached over and ruffled his hair.
“Ward sounds like an ass,” said Elric between bites.
Shawn stopped mid-chew, looking up at the older man.
“Oh. I’m sorry,” said Elric. “That was out of place.”
“Yeah, it was,” said Shawn. “But you’re right. He is an ass.” He shoved the last of the bruschetta in his mouth and told his mom he needed to go get his bags. “My ride will be here soon.”
“Okay, Shawn, and are you sure you’re okay with me not driving you to the airport?” She had told him that tonight was the final dress rehearsal (she had actually said un-dress rehearsal) for the shoot they were doing.
The thought made him groan again. “I promise. I’m fine.” He looked around the table, then leaned in and whispered into his mother’s ear. “Umm, you sure you’re going to be okay here? I mean, do you need some protection?”
Torie was shocked. “Shawn! What do you think we’re going to do? It isn’t that kind of a movie!”
He immediately turned red, averting his eyes. “Mom! I meant like some mace or something.”
They stared at one another before breaking out in laughter.
“I’m fine,” assured Torie.
Just then, Shawn’s phone buzzed, and the text message stated that his ride was turning into the drive. He jumped up, ran up the stairs to grab his bag and met his mother at the door. She gave him a bear hug and a kiss on the cheek. He smiled, waving to everyone else in the house before going outside and jumping into the car.
Torie sighed, watching him pull away. She wouldn’t cry because she knew that she was doing the right thing by making him leave. Whatever was going on in this town would require her full attention. She couldn’t do that if she had to worry about him.
Returning to the kitchen, she gave everyone her bravest smile.
“You okay?” said Fionna, patting her hand.
“No. But I will be. Okay, so let’s get going. The sooner we head out to Trinity Cove, the quicker we get back.”
“Sure thing,” Jasmin said. “But first we need a couple of items. Follow me.”
She led Torie into her mother’s study, the small bedroom she had converted to a reading space that sat at the back of the house. There were floor-to-ceiling bookcases that ran the length of one wall, and each was stuffed with books, sitting with their binders out.
Torie walked slowly along the wall, admiring her mother’s collection. There were Nicholas Sparks novels, books by Nora Roberts and her alter ego, J.D. Robb. But the most surprising collection seemed to be the entire collected works of Jackie Collins. Torie smiled; her mother continued to surprise her.
Thinking about Alva brought on a wave of sadness. She wanted to reach out to her, call to her. But she knew that seeing her right now would serve to distract her from the job at hand. She needed to know who had killed Alva, Ellie and the other shifters; and seeing the ghost of her mother would have taken her too far out of her headspace to concentrate.
She turned to see Jasmin rifling through the desk that sat near the center of the room. Behind that was a comfortable wing-backed chair with a plaid quilt draped over it.
“What are you looking for?” asked Torie.
“Your son was right. We do need protection. You more than me.” She pulled out a necklace made of silver shells, with a turquoise pendant in the shape of a palm hanging from it. She stared at it, then held it up to her ear, almost as if it were whispering an extremely intimate secret. Then she walked over to Torie and offered her the necklace. “Here, wear this?”
“What is it?” asked Torie, regarding the necklace with suspicion.
“It’s a necklace. What does it look like?”
“I can see that. But…did it just talk to you?”
“In a manner of speaking,” said Jasmin. “It’s a blood Hamsa. It’s for protection. Normally, a witch would make her own, but since we don’t have time for that right now, this will have to do. The fact that it was made by a witch whose blood flows through your veins should allow it to work with you.”
Torie took the necklace and slipped it over her head. Instantly, she felt at ease wearing it. “How do I activate it?”
“Let’s pray you don’t have to. There is no activation to it…it’s a ward, a spell that protects at all times. Hopefully it will be strong enough.”
“Strong enough for what?”
Jasmin sighed, offering her friend a weak smile. “There are forces in Trinity that are beyond your imagination. Where we are going it’s not bad…but you never know. Keep the Hamsa outside your shirt and in plain view at all times.”
Torie had more questions but sensed that this was not the time to ask. Instead, she fell into step behind Jasmin as they marched back to the kitchen.
Max turned at their approach and immediately flinched when he saw the necklace Torie was wearing. To her it looked like he had been physically struck.
“Sorry,” he said. “That thing packs a punch.”
Elric turned to look at it, moving his gaze from the piece of jewelry to Torie’s face, and then to Jasmin. He shrugged and turned back to the sink where he had been doing dishes.
“Hey, don’t do that,” said Torie walking over to him. “I’ll get those.”
“You most certainly will not,” he said. “You cooked this fine meal that I enjoyed. Cleaning up after is my small way of saying thank you.”
Max guffawed before Torie could answer. “Let him clean. He likes that stuff.”
Torie ignored him but saw the red creep into Elric’s cheeks at the words.
“Where is everyone else?” asked Torie, changing the subject.
“Fionna and Glen are back there checking on Eddie, Taylor slipped outside for a moment,” said Elric, returning his attention to the sheet pan he was scrubbing.
“You sure we should be splitting up?” Torie questioned.
Jasmin nodded. “There’s no other way. Time is crucial, especially if we are facing some kind of rogue witch.”
Just then, Fionna and Glen walked back into the kitchen.
“Eddie seems to be getting better,” said Fionna. “He’s still sedated, but Glen feels that he should be awake fairly soon.”
“Shifters really do heal faster than humans,” added Glen.
“Do you think he’ll be up for some questions when he wakes?” Jasmin asked.
“No way of knowing that. But he’s definitely doing much better.”
Jasmin’s brows creased as she thought. “Torie, you’re going to have to go to Trinity without me. I need to stay here to speak with Eddie as soon as he wakes up.”
“What? No. This was all your idea,” Torie protested.
“Yes, and you’ll be fine. Elric will be with you. He knows where to go, and he knows that town a hell of a lot better than I do. You’ll be fine. Speak with the veterinarian that Ellie visited; find out what she might know. Then, swing by the hospital and see what you can find out.”
“But I’ve never done anything like this before,” Torie said worriedly.
“And you think I have? We’re figuring this out as we go.” Jasmin paused. “As for you, Fionna, you stay here with me and Eddie. Glen and Max can handle the snooping at the hospital here.”
“What about me?” said Taylor.
“Oh, she can come with us,” said Max quickly. “Never know when we might need an extra…nose, to sniff things out.”
“Gross,” said Taylor.
“Or she can stay here as well,” said Jasmin, ignoring the wolf. “If whoever is behind this knows that Eddie is still alive,
they may try again. We could use an extra set of fangs for protection.”
Taylor’s face lit up. Given the choice between potentially facing a serial killer and sitting in a car with a werewolf…well, there really wasn’t a choice.
“Okay, time to go,” said Glen. “Right after shift change is the best time to go snooping around in a hospital. If we’re going to do this, we have a small window that will open up in about forty minutes.” She gave Fionna a quick kiss and caressed her cheek before walking out the door, wolf in tow.
“Guess that’s our cue as well,” said Torie, turning to Elric. “I’ll drive, you navigate.”
They said their goodbyes and headed out of the house to the car. Torie gave one last look over her shoulder at Jasmin and gave her a wave.
“She’ll be okay,” said Elric. “Witches are not easy to kill.” He immediately snapped his head around, giving Torie a horrified look. “I am so sorry. I just have a habit of saying things sometimes before my mind has a chance to edit them.”
Torie laughed as she belted herself in. “It’s okay, Elric. I’ve made peace with what happened. Also, it helps that my mother is still floating around in the house somewhere.”
“Ugh. I don’t know if I’ll ever get comfortable with that,” Elric said. “Not that I need to be, I mean. I’m sure as soon as this is all solved, we probably won’t have to see each other again.”
That seemed a little harsh, and Torie told him so.
“I just meant…you won’t have to deal with a couple of wolves hanging around your door anymore.”
“Oh,” she replied. “So, what will the two of you do?”
“No idea. That will be up to Max I guess.”
“But you said you were tired of running. Aren’t you looking for a place to…I don’t know, belong?”
“That would be nice. Somewhere that we aren’t constantly feared or hunted or recruited for something.”
Torie didn’t say anything as she pointed the car in the direction of the highway that would take them south to Trinity Cove.
“So why does it depend on what Max wants? Is it because he’s your alpha?”