Devil's Lair

by Sarah Barrie

  ‘Which will make us late. Which … is fine by you.’ Paisley sniffed again and laughed. ‘Okay. Let’s make Dad dinner.’

  They arrived at the restaurant just as everyone was sitting down to entrees. There had to be at least sixty people there, Callie estimated, yet spots had been left for them on Connor’s table, with Indy and Logan and Tess.

  ‘You made it,’ Connor said when he saw them. ‘I thought you might not show.’

  Callie thought perhaps he might not kiss her, since they were standing in the middle of a room full of everyone he knew. But Connor pulled her in gently, touched his mouth to hers and lingered for a moment before lifting his head. ‘Let me introduce you to Bob and his wife Shelley.’

  She ignored Paisley’s smirk and turned to the next table to meet the older couple, chatting for a couple of minutes about the gardens. Then their table was served its entrees and Callie took her seat.

  ‘We weren’t sure you were coming,’ Tess said.

  ‘She didn’t want to—wedding anniversary,’ Paisley told them.

  Tess grimaced. ‘Ouch.’

  Callie smiled at Tess, before Connor leant in. ‘You okay?’

  ‘Fine,’ she said. ‘Just wasn’t sure I really felt like … all this.’ She smiled a little sadly. ‘I should have told you. We used to do something every year—go out and have an adventure of some kind and finish off with dinner at a lovely restaurant. It just feels a bit wrong, I guess.’ She leant back as a fancy meat dish was placed in front of her, before a prawn salad was delivered to Connor. She eyed them both.

  ‘Yours is garlic butter pork belly with butternut puree and apple crackling. It’s good,’ Connor said.

  ‘I prefer prawns.’ She looked at him hopefully.

  He laughed and swapped them over. Callie saw Paisley and Tess eyeing them and talking quietly. They smiled spectacularly when they caught her watching them.

  ‘How did you go getting the spa clean?’ Indy asked Tess.

  ‘It took all afternoon. But I still can’t get the jets working, I’ve stuffed up the vacuum cleaner and I need a new broom.’

  Logan choked on his wine. ‘What happened to the last one—crash landing?’

  Tess’s eyes narrowed a second before she bounced her bread roll off his forehead. It landed in his prawns.

  ‘Overkill!’ he exclaimed.

  ‘Overkill would have been my plate of pork belly launched at your head. Or, as I’m apparently a witch, turning you into a frog.’

  ‘Careful,’ Logan teased and glanced at his wife. ‘You’re threatening to assault me in front of a police officer.’

  ‘Off-duty detective,’ Indy clarified. ‘And as you’re my sister-inlaw,’ she continued, ‘I feel I have to advise that although you could theoretically be charged with assault over a pork belly attack, there’s no law I know of against turning someone into an amphibian.’

  ‘You hear that, Kermit?’

  ‘You think witchcraft is funny?’ Paisley snapped.

  There was a surprised silence as everyone looked at each other, immediately uncomfortable.

  ‘No?’ Tess said slowly.

  The glare gradually left Paisley’s face and she smiled in apology. ‘Sorry. I didn’t mean to snap. It’s just hearing about Orson. He was always a bit of a pest as a kid but nice enough. I guess the news just got to me. Where’s Kaicey tonight?’

  ‘She took off,’ Indy said. ‘When Orson was murdered. She seemed to think she was next. I wasn’t going to bring this up tonight, but as we have, you wouldn’t happen to know Adam Mansfield, would you?’

  Paisley’s expression darkened. ‘He was a local drug dealer.’

  ‘Right, who ran a rather nasty gang in Risdon Prison. The one connection I can find to him and both my victims is that they testified against him in the court case that saw him end up inside for twelve years.’

  ‘Both of them?’ Paisley gasped. ‘He got Mike?’

  ‘Yeah. Why?’

  ‘He was a friend in high school. He changed his name. Moved away. They all moved away. I remember Dale’s mum saying how pleased she was they were going—that the guy was just sick enough to worry about.’

  ‘Are you saying Dale testified too?’ Callie asked with a churning feeling in her stomach. ‘He never mentioned anything like that.’

  ‘It was two minutes on the stand more than a decade earlier,’ Paisley said. ‘He probably didn’t ever think about it again.’

  Callie looked at Indy, wondered why she hadn’t mentioned it. Indy was watching her as though expecting her to put something together. ‘Was Dale friends with this Adam guy?’

  When Indy’s gaze moved back to Paisley, Callie’s followed.

  Paisley shook her head. ‘They knew each other, but they weren’t friends.’

  ‘Were they involved in any way with your mother’s support group?’

  Paisley hesitated. Nodded. ‘Dale’s mum had anxiety issues, Mike’s father had depression. Adam was …’ She chewed her lip, thought about it. ‘You should check out Adam’s psych assessment. There was something very wrong with him. I’m not sure what his diagnosis was. He was just … wrong.’

  ‘There wasn’t anything much in there.’

  ‘I mean the one from childhood. He was one of Mum’s many patients. It’s probably locked in one of the old hospital files somewhere.’

  ‘What would I find?’

  ‘Like I said, I’m not sure what they called what his problem was, but I’d challenge anyone who doesn’t believe in true evil to spend five minutes with Adam and walk away whole. If you so much as looked at him the wrong way, he’d cut the wings off your pet budgie or chop your dog into pieces. Mrs White accused him of stealing from her shop once, so next time her ninety-year-old mother walked down the main street to see her, he ran past and pushed her in front of a car.’

  ‘Oh my God,’ Callie said.

  ‘He also used to do break and enters, steal stuff. Burn stuff down. Whatever he wanted.’

  Indy nodded. ‘So very possibly graduated to killing people.’

  Paisley shook her head. ‘It’s just a thought. I could be completely wrong.’

  ‘Thanks for telling me,’ Indy said.

  ‘Wish I could say the same,’ Tess said with a shudder. ‘Let’s talk about something else.’

  The rest of the courses came and went, there was a speech for Bob, applause and some general rounds of humour.

  ‘Are you enjoying yourself?’ Connor asked.

  ‘I am,’ Callie said. ‘Why?’

  ‘You’re frowning.’

  She hadn’t even realised. ‘Paisley’s drinking a lot,’ she said, watching her friend move around the table. ‘I think that conversation about Adam has upset her.’

  ‘It upset all of us. Not the best table talk.’

  ‘What are you two up to?’ Paisley asked as she reached them and leant on Callie’s shoulder.

  ‘Just chatting,’ Callie answered. ‘Why?’

  ‘Because you look too serious for a party. Who cares about an old wedding anniversary when you have a gorgeous man by your side?’

  Callie lifted a brow and sighed. ‘Right now, I have a drunk friend on my shoulder.’

  ‘We should be drinking to making new memories!’ Paisley said with a wicked look at Callie. ‘And you know the best way to celebrate?’

  ‘No,’ Callie said, catching on. ‘Absolutely not!’

  Paisley took the wineglass from her hand. ‘Tequila.’

  ‘I’m in!’ Tess said. ‘Indy?’

  Indy shook her head and lifted her palms in defence. ‘I don’t do spirits.’

  ‘Me neither,’ Callie said. She knew how this turned out. And she wasn’t fooled. This wasn’t about an anniversary. It was about Paisley writing herself off.

  ‘I’ll get a bottle. We’ve got salt and lemons …’ Tess headed for the bar, Paisley behind her.

  ‘Don’t want to play?’ Connor asked.

  ‘I don’t want to embarrass her, ruin the night or
play mum,’ she told Connor. ‘But if she starts to have too much, I might have to do something.’

  ‘She’s okay.’

  ‘You say that now. When you have to pour her into a taxi later you’ll regret it. Then I’ll have to get her out of it again and I’ll regret it more.’

  ‘Here we go!’ Tess said.

  Callie had one shot with them, then opted out. Tess kept up with Paisley, while Indy watched with what Callie decided was a look of amused scepticism.

  ‘This looks like fun.’ Logan came back from wherever he’d been socialising.

  ‘It’s a non-anniversary,’ Tess whispered loudly. ‘We’re celebrating.’

  ‘Here you go, Cal.’ Paisley sent her another one.

  ‘Okay, listen, Miss Cast Iron Stomach and your secret country twin here, I’ll pour, but I’m not playing.’

  Connor’s arm slipped over her shoulders and she snuggled back. She noticed the glances they received, but she was relaxed enough not to mind. She was more intent on slowing Paisley down without coming on too strong.

  ‘Any chance Tess is about done?’ she asked Connor.

  ‘Doubt it. Tess will walk away and not have so much as a hangover in the morning. She’s managed to drink a lot of people under the table over the years.’

  ‘We’ve run out,’ Paisley complained when they drained that half-full bottle Tess had started with.

  ‘The day this place runs out of alcohol …’ Tess got up and Connor cleared his throat, sending her a look. She dropped back to her seat. ‘Maybe later,’ she said.

  ‘How about I get you some water?’ Callie offered.

  ‘Can’t think of why,’ Paisley said, going back to the wine.

  ‘Paise,’ Callie began, grimacing as Paisley drained her glass.

  ‘Okay, you win,’ Paisley said. Then she said to her new best friend, ‘Tess, sorry I was such a bitch earlier. When you grow up with the town witch, you get a bit touchy about it.’

  ‘Town witch?’ Tess asked. ‘So that’s true?’

  ‘Oh, yes. The real deal. You must have heard about Winston. I copped a heap over him at school.’

  ‘I have,’ Logan said. ‘That’s the Willow Court ghost.’

  ‘Mum worked there and she’s a Waldron, so of course she must have run that little séance that caused all the trouble. Yep. You too can be one of us, just sign away your soul.’

  Connor stiffened and Callie glanced up to see him exchange glances with Indy.

  ‘One of us?’ Indy repeated.

  ‘They’re everywhere,’ Paisley whispered dramatically. ‘And they’ll do anything to get what they want. Don’t mess with them.’ She got out of her chair, stumbled, laughed. ‘God, I feel like a teenager. I’ll go see about a taxi to get us home.’

  ‘Hold it,’ Connor said. He got up. ‘I’ll be back,’ he promised Callie, and led a stumbling, giggling Paisley away.

  Callie watched them go, then turned her attention to Tess. ‘You don’t look anywhere near as drunk as she does.’

  ‘I probably am,’ Tess promised. ‘I just hide it better. So, you and Connor have finally come clean about being a couple?’

  A couple? ‘We’re not!’ Callie said. ‘We’re just …’

  ‘Oh, you’re “just”. Of course. Can I say, I’m very glad you’re “just”?’

  ‘Remember, she’s drunk,’ Indy pleaded with Callie. ‘Or she’d notice you were ready to deck her and she’d shut up.’

  ‘Okay,’ Callie said.

  ‘But we are all very happy about the “just”,’ Indy continued, sending Tess into a fit of laughter.

  ‘Indy,’ Callie said, changing the subject to settle the panic the conversation had lodged in her stomach. ‘What do you think Paisley meant by “one of us”?’

  ‘Don’t worry about that now.’

  She almost argued, then decided it wasn’t the time. ‘Right. Then I’m going to go see if they’ve organised a taxi.’ Was it really her imagination, or was everything a little strange around here? A stream of images flashed through Callie’s mind as she said goodbye and wandered out. Black tourmaline, hexafoils, the strange charm Cliff wore around his neck. Paisley’s talk of witches and ghosts. The chanting. The objects appearing in the cottage. Jonah’s weird comments.

  ‘Whoa!’

  ‘Huh?’ She looked up, nearly crashing into Connor coming the other way.

  ‘Where’s the fire?’ he joked, reaching out to steady her. ‘I sent Paisley off in the direction of room eleven. There are two single beds in there. I’ll show you where it is.’

  ‘I thought she was getting a taxi.’

  ‘I wasn’t sure she’d make it.’ He took her hand and they walked down the hall towards the room.

  ‘I guess it was borderline. Thanks for this.’

  ‘Here.’ He pushed a key into her hand as they reached the door then wrapped his arms around her. ‘You know, I shouldn’t have kissed you like that earlier.’

  ‘You shouldn’t? I did wonder if you might not want to—’

  ‘I should have kissed you like this.’ He took his time, his hands sliding into her hair to support her head as he lowered his slowly.

  This was a deliberate, drawn-out and intoxicating battering of her senses. It rammed her heart into her throat and dissolved the strength in her legs. To stay upright, she slid her hands around his neck and held on, while his fingers moved up and down her ribcage, smoothing and caressing.

  Eventually he lifted his head, releasing her slowly. ‘What’s that look?’ he asked gently.

  ‘It would be very easy to fall for you.’

  Shock and humour filled his face. ‘You mean you haven’t?’

  ‘Maybe a tiny bit.’

  The grin spread. ‘That’s just the tequila affecting your judgement.’

  ‘All two of them?’ she teased as she slipped the key in the lock. ‘Perhaps it doesn’t mix well with wine.’

  He held the door open for her to step through. ‘Goodnight, Callie.’

  ‘Night.’

  When the door closed she leant against it, released a breath. She might not have followed him up tonight, but she acknowledged the temptation to switch rooms had been there. It was beginning to feel inevitable.

  CHAPTER

  25

  Callie woke up the next morning with a headache and a growling, uncomfortable stomach. She tiptoed past Paisley and into the bathroom for a shower, and having no choice, put last night’s dress back on to go out and get some breakfast.

  When she entered the dining room she saw Connor right away, so she took a couple of pieces of toast, some butter and an apple and headed over. ‘Not yet!’ she said when he opened his mouth, then went back for coffee. To save time, she filled two of the small cups and took them both back. When she sat she took a deep breath of coffee steam.

  ‘Okay, go ahead.’

  ‘Unless you want me to take you upstairs and ravage you, you should be more specific with your invitations.’

  She was halfway through her first sip and almost dropped the cup. ‘What?’

  ‘Ah, now you’re awake. You had a bit of a post-apocalyptic zombie thing happening when you walked in. How did you sleep?’

  ‘Well,’ she lied. ‘Despite Paisley’s best impersonation of a dying steam train.’

  ‘I didn’t. Thanks to you.’ His warm, teasing gaze swept down to the table. ‘You got coffee. Twice.’

  ‘Because I’d like more than one sip,’ she said and held a cup up for inspection. ‘These don’t even try to mean it. I’ve seen more generously sized egg cups. If I was a Barbie doll,’ she added in disgust, ‘I’d consider this a decent-sized cup of coffee.’

  ‘If you were a Barbie doll it would be proportionately big enough to bathe in.’

  ‘Now we’re talking.’

  He grinned. ‘You didn’t drink very much, but you look washed out. Headache?’

  ‘Thanks and yeah, just a niggly one. Mixing wine and spirits—even in small amounts—never does me a lot o
f good.’

  ‘It was nice to see you less cautious for a change.’

  ‘Less cautious? Not enough to let you take me upstairs and ravage me though.’

  He smiled and leant in to her to speak quietly. ‘If I’d pushed, you would have.’

  She considered denying it. ‘You’re probably right.’

  His expression was appreciation with a touch of dare. ‘I’ve got some time now.’

  ‘Sorry, the tequila’s worn off.’

  ‘I could buy a case of the stuff,’ he said, reaching across the table to skim a finger over her wrist. ‘Or I could just prove you don’t need it.’

  The scattering of her pulse and that warm look of his was melting away her bad mood whether she liked it or not. ‘It wouldn’t be hard to prove,’ she said honestly. ‘But the whole idea of becoming involved with someone again so soon after getting my life back is a bit scary. I’d decided I wouldn’t go there again. And now there’s you. And I don’t know what to do with you.’

  He watched her over a sip of coffee. ‘How old are you?’

  Her eyebrows shot up. ‘I think there’s a rule about not asking a woman that.’

  ‘I just want to calculate how many years you think you might prefer to be alone for. How many years you have left for that bastard to ruin.’

  The comment got her back up. ‘Having a man in my life is not the be-all and end-all of my existence, believe it or not!’ she snapped.

  ‘No,’ he agreed amicably enough, ‘but you’re a people person. You get lonely. Not everyone does, but you would. You could socialise, join clubs, do any number of things to keep from being lonely, but we’re not talking hypotheticals. You’re talking about giving up a chance at exploring something you think you might want because you’ve set yourself a rule on the basis of one—admittedly horrific—experience.’

  Callie was having trouble deciding whether his even temper and quiet argument were soothing or as annoying as hell. ‘I was being as honest as I could. I wasn’t giving up on anything. It’s just, Tess called us a couple last night and my stomach went into knots. Damn it, Connor. I’m not ready to fall in love with someone!’

  ‘I don’t think that’s a choice.’ He put down his cup. ‘I’d like to see where this something might take us both … if you do. No expectations, no promises, I’m just asking you not to put limits on something incredible before we’ve even really started.’