by Diane Darcy
“It does.”
“You want to call her?”
William thought about it for a long moment, but as they pushed their way inside the main security office and crossed the room, he sighed. “No’ until I absolutely have tae.”
William hadn’t been sitting at his desk long when there was a knock on his door and Quinn peeked his head inside. “Boss?”
“What is it?”
“I found the waitress who served the drinks if you want to talk to her?”
“Send her in.”
William recognized her immediately. Circee, a fun-loving nymph, had worked at the Hemlock for about five years or so, and had the personality to fit the job. Bubbly, entertaining, and able to deal with men who got out of hand, literally, with a joke and a smile. She could often be found at the pool on her time off. “Circee, come in, have a seat.”
Circee flicked honey blonde hair over her shoulder, crossed the carpet effortlessly in red, six-inch heels, and sank gracefully into the seat across from him, smoothing her thin, silver skirt into place before crossing her legs. “Hey, William.”
“Good tae see ye. I hope everythin’ is going well?”
She giggled. “Oh, yes, everything’s fine.”
“D’ye know why ye’ve been brought in here?”
She fiddled with a wooden, intricately designed ring on her hand. “Caleb wanted to know about the drinks I served to the vampires last night. One of them turned out to be poisoned?”
“That’s right. And we saw ye on film delivering the drinks. Do ye know anythin’ about it?”
She swallowed and shook her head. “I swear, I don’t. I turned in their drink order to Max and eventually picked them up to deliver to their group.”
“Ye didnae wait for the drinks?”
“Well…no, I never do. If I’m remembering right, I took some drinks to a couple of humans over at the roulette table first. They tipped me pretty good, and we chatted for a moment. Then I went back and picked up the drinks to take them to the vampires.”
Her face crumpled with worry. “Only one of them won, so of course, I watched the fun, and when they were passing by to go pick up the keys, I realized I was still holding their drinks and so I offered them to the guys as they walked by.”
She bowed her head and twisted her fingers together. “Do you think someone poisoned one of the drinks as I held the tray?”
“Mayhap. Or mayhap earlier. Did ye notice anyone suspicious, hangin’ about by the drinks when ye picked them up?”
“No. Max leaves them at the end of the bar with the ticket on the tray. There are no chairs there and no one else was around.”
“Were the drinks all the same?”
Her eyes moved and he could see her thinking. “Well, no, they weren’t now that you mention it. Earlier they were all drinking shots, but the vamp who died? He’d switched to straight plasma.”
William stared at her and she soon started to squirm. “I swear to you, William, I don’t know anything about this.”
He was inclined to believe her. Anxiety permeated the air, but the acrid bite of guilt did not. “Did anyone pay ye tae add poison tae the drink before ye handed it tae him?” So far as he could see, she gained nothing by doing such a thing unless she’d been paid.
Her mouth dropped open and she shook her head. “No! I swear on the tree I was born of that I did not!”
He finally gave a nod. “All right, ye’re excused. Let me know if ye remember anythin’ else.”
With a sigh of relief, and pouty look in his direction, she jumped up and hurried out of the room.
Quinn soon stuck his head back inside. “Anything else, Boss?”
“Ye already talked tae Max?”
“Yes. Nothing there.”
William blew out a breath and shook his head. “Keep digging.”
Lena drove her newly fixed truck to her sister’s house, the drive smooth and worry free. The machine purred, actually purred, leaving her feeling more warmly toward Mike, their friendly neighborhood mechanic, than she had in years.
The homes in her sister’s subdivision were uniformly the same, with stucco covered walls, red tile roofs, and front lawns that each had one tree and two bushes.
The houses were governed by an HMO that ruled their outdoor lives, telling them where to park, what kind of mailbox to place curbside, and what type of flowers to plant so every house was unvarying, and looked quite similar.
It was a sore point of contention with her sister who’d been raised with so much freedom that the rules felt stifling.
Lena wasn’t sure she could do it.
Still, it seemed to suit Olivia’s family and Olivia had made the backyard, which didn’t have such strict guidelines, into a wonderland with iron benches, stone pathways, a glittering gem garden and, of course, a swing-set fit for a princess.
Glitter lights strung across the deck, and a hot tub that was used frequently sat on the cement pad, off to one side.
Lena slid out of her truck, locked it, and slowly walked toward the front door. She’d never had this feeling of dread before when approaching the place, and was determined to make up with her sister, because she hated being on the outs with her.
She rang the doorbell, rather than use her key, and shifted from foot to foot as she waited for Olivia to answer.
She heard footsteps but didn’t playfully cup her hand over the peephole like she usually did, but simply clasped her fingers together and waited while Olivia unbolted and unlocked the door before pulling it open.
“Hi.” Olivia said, unsmiling, her dark hair pulled back in a ponytail. She wore cut-off jeans and a T-shirt.
“Hi, yourself. Are you still mad at me?”
“Yes.”
“Then I’m mad at you, too,” Lena said the words before she could think better of them. But it must have been exactly the right thing to say, because Olivia made a scoffing noise and threw open the door. “Come in, dork.”
Lena was quick to take her up on the invitation, and walked into the family room/kitchen area.
Tabitha was sitting on the couch, watching some oddball cartoon Lena had never seen before, and Olivia resumed chopping vegetables on the kitchen counter.
“Hey, kiddo,” Lena said.
Tabitha looked up and let out a screech of happiness. “Lena!” She threw herself off the couch and ran across the room to wrap her arms around Lena’s legs.
Lena bent over to hug her niece and then straightened. “Watch your cartoons, kiddo. I’m going to talk to your mom.”
Tabitha ran back to the couch, dark curls flying as she threw herself down, instantly immersed once again in the colorful characters on screen.
Lena crossed to the counter that faced the family room, and sat down on one of the wooden stools to face her sister. “I won’t take the job with the witches if you don’t want me to.”
“Do whatever you want.”
Lena dropped her head onto her forearms and groaned. “Don’t do that. Just tell me what’s wrong, and I’ll fix it.”
Olivia didn’t say anything but continued to chop vegetables.
Lena sat up again. “You know I really like William, don’t you? I’m so glad you got me a date with him, and set us up. But, as always, the girl code is firmly in place. You’re my sister and if you don’t want me dating him, I’m going to break it off.” Even as she said it, she swallowed, and felt sick to her stomach.
Would she actually be able to break up with the guy?
She thought about the way he made her feel and a swell of emotion rose within her. Somehow, he’d become the fun in her life. Her reward at the end of a long day. He was safety, protection, desire. She could be herself with him, and no matter what she did, said, or how she acted, it wouldn’t change the intense way he felt about her.
She could say anything, do anything, be anyone, and he’d always be on her side, on her team.
The sick feeling in her gut intensified.
Her sister glanced up at her,
and stopped chopping vegetables. “Oh, my gosh. If you could see your face right now. You’re in so deep with him, even if you don’t want to admit it.”
“Do you hate him?”
Olivia sighed. “Of course, I don’t hate him. I don’t even really know him.”
“You hate The Hemlock Hotel?”
Olivia set the knife down and planted both hands on the counter. She tilted her head back to look up at the ceiling and her green eyes brightened with tears.
“You know what? I’m jealous, okay? It’s always been you and me against the world, and suddenly, you’re crazy mad in love, and unavailable, and I know I’m supposed to be happy for you, especially since I have Sean and Tabitha, but just let me feel this and I’ll get through it, okay?”
Lena’s mouth parted. “Olivia, you’ll always be my best friend. Nothing, and no one is going to change that.”
Olivia sniffed, and went back to chopping vegetables again. “And then there is this role-playing thing you’re suddenly into. Witches and werewolves … it’s weird, Lena. You’re being weirder than usual and it’s making me worry.”
“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be.” Lena could understand. Things really were changing. She’d kept her newfound powers from her sister and hadn’t convinced her of what she knew about William and the Hemlock.
She didn’t doubt Olivia was feeling left out.
But she had tried to tell her and Olivia just didn’t seem to be ready or willing to believe.
Maybe she shouldn’t try and change her sister’s world completely, especially when she was still struggling to accept everything herself?
Besides, she didn’t want to fight with her sister so if Olivia wanted to go with role-playing for the time being, that was all right by her.
Olivia wiped her eyes against her shoulder and chuckled. “It’s just that, first William, and then the witches, it seems like everyone wants a part of you, and maybe I’m afraid there’s not going to be anything left for me, and I know I’m selfish, and a jerk, but that’s just how I’m feeling.”
Lena slid off her chair, rounded the counter, and wrapped her arms around her sister. “Now who’s being the dork?”
Olivia laughed, and after a moment, hugged her back.
“I’m sorry, if you’re feeling left out.”
Olivia let go, and turned back to the meal she was preparing. She sniffed, used her shoulder to wipe at her eyes again, and then shrugged. “I tried to leave a bad review on the website I signed you up for. But I couldn’t find it. That’s weird too, don’t you think?”
“It is.”
“I still have Dr. Paulson on speed dial if you feel like you need to talk to someone.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Olivia huffed out a laugh and placed the chopped vegetables in a pot and then filled it with water. “I don’t want you to break up with William. I like him just fine. And I think working as one of the witches of the Hemlock Hotel could be a hoot.”
Olivia shot her a meaningful look. “I mean, I’m not saying they’re not weirdos, and you’re already one, and might become worse now, but I think you’ll have fun.”
“Do you want to work there too?”
“They didn’t want me, did they? So, I don’t want them either.”
“Olivia, if you want to work there, I’ll make it a condition of my employment.”
Olivia shook her head. “Thanks. If I change my mind, I’ll let you know.”
“So, what are you making?” Lena was quick to change the subject.
“Beef stew and homemade rolls. Sean said he was craving this, but thank goodness for air conditioning, right?”
“Are you cooking it in the crockpot or on the stove?”
“Crockpot.”
“You’re doing that so it won’t be ready for lunch and I can’t have any, aren’t you?”
“That’s right, until I’m done being mad at you, it’s peanut butter sandwiches.”
“Okay, I’ll take it.”
She met her sister’s gaze, and felt like they’d come to a new, if fragile, understanding. If she had to eat peanut butter sandwiches for the rest of her life to keep her sister happy, and also keep William, then so be it.
Chapter 8
Later that night Lena stepped off the bus, late getting to the surprise birthday meeting.
She should have driven her truck, but wanted William to drive her home to make up for the way she’d left the night before. She’d known he was upset and didn’t want a repeat tonight.
He’d texted earlier and she’d said she was still with her sister, even though she was on her way to the Hemlock.
So, now, she was a dang liar.
She hoped he didn’t catch her at the hotel, because if he did, she wasn’t sure what she’d say to him.
She got off the bus and walked up the long driveway to the hotel, past taxis, Ubers, and people milling about under the porte-cochere on the large cobblestone walkway.
She ducked into the front doors, trying to be as unobtrusive as possible, but noted a doorman watching her.
He looked like a vampire, his hair smooth, not shaggy. His clothes sharp, and his curious eyes flashing a brilliant blue for a moment. No doubt he was a vampire.
Her life was so weird now.
She glanced over at the entrance to the casino, almost expecting to see William. The man seemed to have a sixth sense where she was concerned.
Instead, she saw Caleb hurrying toward her, and lifted a hand in acknowledgment.
He was soon at her side. “I thought maybe you weren’t coming after all.”
“Wouldn’t miss it.”
Again, she was a dang liar. She had considered not coming, as she’d realized involving herself in his birthday bash was adding a rather thick layer to her relationship with William. They’d only been dating a short while, after all, and it seemed a bit presumptuous on her part to suddenly horn in on his friends this way. She was determined to simply keep her mouth shut and agree to whatever they’d planned. “I rode the bus,” she added. “It took longer than I’d thought it would.”
“Where’s your truck?”
She blinked up at him. How did he know she had a truck? “I took the bus today. Saves money and gives me time to think.” And it was none of his business that she was hoping to catch a ride with William later.
He gave her a strange look.
“What?”
“It’s just that William would buy you a car with your own driver if you wanted one. You don’t need to worry about money.”
She snorted and shook her head. “Whatever.”
He grinned. “Come on, we had better get up there.”
He walked beside her without touching, and glanced frequently into the casino as the two of them made their way across the lobby.
They rose up the escalator, searching the crowd below and looking for William, and both breathed a sigh of relief when they reached the top and were out of view.
“Come on.”
She glanced around at the medieval shops in the mall area as they hurried down the cobblestone walkway, but didn’t see any of her new acquaintances. They passed weaponry on the walls, a couple of turrets, and wove around crowded eateries and shops.
Caleb led them down a side hallway she hadn’t noticed before, situated between two stores. He opened one of the wooden, arched, medieval doors at the end and led her into a meeting room filled with about twenty people sitting around a long, rectangular table.
“She’s here!” Caleb announced as they went through the doorway.
She shot him a killer look as heat seared her cheeks, giving her reason to be glad her tan-colored skin didn’t reveal blushes easily.
Caleb grinned as everyone stopped talking and stared. She tried to compose her expression as it hit her that the entire room was filled with paranormal creatures. Werewolves and witches for sure, vampires no doubt, and other beings she probably knew nothing about.
Suddenly feeling like prey,
goosebumps rose on her arms making her glad for the black shawl she’d wrapped in earlier.
Scarlett and Ava waved at her. “Over here! We saved you a seat.”
“We did, as well,” Quinn said from his position at the head of the table.
“This way,” Caleb grinned, and gave her a slight push.
She shot the witches an apologetic look and preceded him.
Quinn, as always, appeared far more serious than his friend. He held out the chair next to his, and Caleb sank down on the other side, seeming especially satisfied to have her between them.
She, however, wished she’d joined the witches in their unobtrusive spot further down.
Quinn remained standing. “All right. William’s birthday party is coming up and it’s a big one.” He glanced around, but seemed to be addressing his comments to Lena. “And with him finding his soulmate? No expense is being spared. It’s going to be the best party ever!”
Everyone started talking at once, excitement levels rising.
Lena was confused. William told her he was turning thirty-two. Why was this such a big deal?
She almost asked, but didn’t want to interrupt, or call any more attention to herself.
Quinn continued. “All right, so let’s hear how everyone is doing with their assignments and catch Lena up on the plans.” He turned to Lena again. “We’re hoping you’ll give us your input on what’s been organized. When William finds out you were involved, he’s going to be over the moon.”
“Oh. Great.” Nothing like being put on the spot, and exactly what she didn’t want. These were William’s friends and she didn’t intend to step on any toes.
“Witches, what have you got?”
Scarlett stood, papers in hand, her chest rising as she breathed in with excitement. “Well, it’s a Black and White Ball, and we’re decorating the ballroom in black and white! Huge swaths of material will hang from the ceilings, stunning white floral arrangements, and the cake will be in black and white — mostly black — and made to look like a tuxedo. All the men will wear tuxedos, and the women will look magnificent in white gowns.”
She put a hand to her chest, her expression blissful. “We have a symphony orchestra featuring three violin soloists! Can you imagine the waltzing? It’s going to be classical and classy. We’ll keep the doors open and the party will probably spill out into the mall area as so many have been invited. It’s going to be marvelous!”