Chapter 4
Chapter
Four
Iavoided the HOA building as much as possible. If the Neighbors ever decided to rise up and revolt against authority, this was the place they’d attack first.
“Go right in,” Lionel, Justine’s trusty assistant, said. “She’s waiting for you.”
“Thanks.” I studied Lionel’s face, searching for any sign of suppressed knowledge, any clue that Justine knew about Darlene’s death at the hands of an unhinged shadow or anyone else. I saw only the pale face of someone more interested in his phone than the meeting that was about to take place.
Justine sat behind her desk, staring intently at her own phone. She held up a finger when I entered, which I assumed was intended to shush me. With her black-and-white hair and prickly personality, the wereskunk was like the offspring of Cruella de Vil and a sea urchin.
I took a seat and waited in silence.
“Sorry about that,” Justine finally said. “I was in danger of losing my Duolingo streak.” Her smile faded. “Because someone forgot to set the reminder on my calendar!”
Lionel’s voice reverberated in the room through a speaker. “Because someone else was out sick yesterday with a hundred-and-three-degree fever! Pardon me for trying not to die.”
Justine rolled her eyes. “He’s more of a drama queen than Hera and Aphrodite combined.”
“Which language?” I asked.
“All of them,” she replied.
“All of them?”
“Each one has its own streak, though. I started with Japanese, so that one’s the longest. I’m a number-one Achiever—what do you expect?”
“A number one?”
“Clifton Strengths.”
“Is that a personality test?”
She narrowed her eyes at me. “I didn’t make you take the test before I hired you?”
“No.”
“Huh. I think everybody on the island should be required to take it. If they know their top strengths and weaknesses, it will help them be more productive.”
“I don’t think anyone on the island is looking to be productive at this stage.” Nor should they. The Neighbors had earned their retirement. “Is that why you asked me to come? You want to know my strengths and weaknesses?” I crossed my fingers and toes.
“No, although it’s not a bad idea. We should add it to your annual performance review.” Justine set her phone aside and focused on me. I shifted uncomfortably in the chair. If Zach broke our deal and blabbed to Justine, the frying pan would quickly become the fire.
“How’s everything on your end?” Justine asked.
I was immediately on high alert. Was this normal pleasantry, or was she walking me into a trap? It was hard to tell the difference with Justine.
“Busy,” I said, which was true.
“Then I thank you for taking time out of your schedule to meet with me.” She sounded more mocking than grateful. “What about the blue and green monsters? Have they been taken care of?”
“No more sightings. They seem to be omens.” I omitted the seer sisters’ visions. They weren’t clear enough to relay.
“Bad omens? Should we be battening down the hatches?”
“I’m sure it’s nothing that serious,” I lied, mainly to avoid being the object of Justine’s ire.
“Really? Because ‘bad omens’ makes them sound like their entire reason for existence is to incite fear in people.”
“Bad omens would be a great name for a band,” Lionel’s voice chimed in from the speaker.
“Serious comments only.” Justine punched a button on the phone to silence him.
I was grateful for the interruption because it allowed me to redirect her. “The only other noteworthy report this week is from Stella Von Hagen.”
Justine pursed her lips together. “Stella Von Hagen is one of our more important Neighbors.”
By “important,” Justine meant “wealthy.” “Which is why I flagged it as noteworthy,” I said.
“What’s the issue?”
“I’m not sure it falls under my jurisdiction. The other party involved is on the mainland, most likely in Savannah.”
“Have you contacted the local police on her behalf?”
“I’m not sure it falls under their jurisdiction either. It appears to be magical in nature.”
“Then contact the Protector of the Region’s office.”
All the blood rushed to my head. “Oh, no. I don’t think it warrants that level of scrutiny either.”
Justine’s mouth tightened. “Need I remind you, Maya, that Stella Von Hagen is the reason this island has an extra clubhouse and golf course. However insignificant the issue is, treat it like a felony murder.”
“Yes, ma’am.” I wasn’t willing to push the issue, not when Justine had the power to kick my butt back to the mainland permanently. I had to tread lightly over those sea urchin spines.
“I asked you here to talk about Judd’s replacement.”
“I see.” I’d been expecting this, just not so soon. “Any candidates?”
“I think it should be you.”
I choked as I attempted to swallow. “Me?”
“Of course. You’ve handled yourself admirably in the wake of Judd’s death. You know the island inside and out. I think he would agree you’re a worthy successor.”
“I don’t know, Justine. I don’t mind acting as the temporary director, but I think I’m better suited to the secondary role.”
“Since when do Gorgons believe they should play second fiddle to anybody?”
“I’m only half,” I reminded her. Gorgon mother. Mage father. That was my story, and I was sticking to it.
“You shouldn’t be afraid of your power, Maya. You should embrace it.”
Oh, she had no idea how much I’d embraced it. I’d embraced it so hard that it nearly suffocated me. The only way to survive was to keep it at arm’s length, which would be difficult to do as the director of security. Judd had allowed me that safe distance.
“I’ve started collecting applications for the assistant director position. Once I narrow them down, I’ll loop you in. I’d like your input on the next hire. After all, you’ll be the one working with them, day in and day out.”
The thought was almost as unsettling as Darlene’s death.
It had taken ages for Judd and me to settle into an amicable partnership, and there was no guarantee I’d have a similar experience with someone else.
My entire goal in life was to avoid people, hence the reason I jumped at the chance to relocate to Evermore decades before my hundredth birthday.
“It’ll be a nice experience for you,” Justine continued, “moving from a junior to senior role. Teaching someone else the ropes.”
Great. Not only was I officially in charge, but I was going to be subjected to spending time with a new person. Mentoring a new person.
For the umpteenth time, I cursed the faerie that killed Judd.
“Is that all?” I asked.
“Not quite.” Justine drummed her fingertips on the edge of the desk. “When were you going to mention the secret you’ve been keeping?”
My throat ran dry. “Excuse me?”
“Black. Hiding in plain sight.”
My hands clenched. Had Zach gone behind my back after all?
“Meows,” Justine continued.
My muscles relaxed. “You mean the cat.”
“You’re supposed to register all pets, Maya. You’re not above the law just because you enforce it.”
“Jinx isn’t technically my pet. She’s a stray.”
“I’ve been told she lives with you.”
“She spends time in a lot of places,” I said vaguely. “Mine is one of them.”
“You need to register her. Take her to Dr. Adam to get her up to date on all her vaccinations. Has she been spayed?”
“I don’t know. Like I said, she isn’t mine.”
“She is now. With great treats comes great responsibility.” Justine flicked her fingers toward the door. “You’re dismissed. I just realized I missed Swedish.” She picked up her phone and resumed her lesson.
Justine might be on a winning streak, but I seemed to be losing no matter what I did.
Justine’s directives were the only ones I couldn’t ignore.
With great reluctance and very slow typing skills, I sent an email to the Protector of the Region’s office.
I’d met Vale during my recent investigation into the deaths of Judd and a Neighbor named Belinda.
Vale was someone on my “avoid” list. He was a demigod, the eighth son of Enmesharra, the Mesopotamian god closely associated with the underworld.
Although Vale was headquartered in nearby Savannah, he ruled over the entire southeastern territory of the United States.
Despite my objections, he and Justine included Evermore in his domain.
As far as I was concerned, the island was secret and off the grid for a reason and should remain a completely separate entity from the mainland.
Of course, I had my own reasons for wanting to retain our independence, but, for better or worse, I answered to Justine.
Once I hit send, I called Dr. Adam and made an appointment to bring in Jinx. I rationalized the call by telling myself it would also be an opportunity to ask the druid about Darlene, to find out if he noticed anything out of the ordinary when he discovered her body.
With those unwanted tasks out of the way, I focused on Darlene’s potential murderer. I didn’t have much experience with shadow magic, but I knew someone who might.
As the oldest and most powerful witch on the island, Meemaw served as the top crone in the witch hierarchy. She’d proven to be an excellent resource for me and someone willing to bend the rules without flinching when necessary, mainly because she disliked following them herself.
I logged in to the security system and tracked down Meemaw’s most recent keycard swipe—the Magnolia pool.
I found the crone seated on a chaise lounger, fully decked out in a shiny white track suit and a purple sequin sun visor.
Geriatric white woman with a 1980s rapper aesthetic, party of one.
She held a Kindle in one hand and a margarita in the other.
For some residents, the Neighborhood was a permanent vacation.
I envied them. In all my visions of the future, none of them involved lasting long enough to enjoy a life of leisure.
I’d have to live vicariously through Neighbors.
“Afternoon, Meemaw.”