Chapter 6 #2
Margie squinted at me. “And which page is that, Maya? The avoidance page?”
“I can tell you’re trying to make a point. Might as well spit it out. ”
“Someone like you should be married with two kids by now and arguing about a third,” Margie said simply.
“You and Edith need to stop comparing notes. I’m not on the marriage market.”
“You clearly haven’t met the right man,” Margie said, then frowned. “It is a man for you, isn’t it? I wouldn’t want to presume.”
“Unfortunately.” I’d much rather be attracted to a cactus—there was less discomfort when you got too close—but sexuality wasn’t a choice.
“Can we stop harassing Maya?” Joan said, with a vehemence I appreciated. “If she doesn’t want a man in her life, that’s her business.”
“If the right one walked through the door, I bet she’d change her mind,” Margie said.
At that moment, the door swung open and a heartthrob entered.
Dark eyes. Sculpted jaw. Confident swagger.
In the small island town of Evermore, a gorgeous specimen like him was as unusual as milk in Coke.
In a thin black sweater and gray trousers that screamed designer brands disguised as street clothes, the man was overdressed for both the season and the island.
“I’m looking for Maya August,” Milk in Coke announced.
“She’s right here.” Margie nudged me so hard, I was convinced my arm had come out of its socket.
My gaze sharpened at her. “Is this a spell? Did you set this up while I was across the room with Meemaw?”
“I haven’t seen a stripper this ripped since Atlantic City 1979,” Catherine said in awe.
His full lips twitched with amusement. “I’m not a stripper, young lady, but I’ll take the compliment.”
Meemaw’s interest intensified. “ A cop?”
“Something like that,” he said.
“Then I’d prefer you in uniform,” Meemaw told him in no uncertain terms.
“And I’d prefer him out of it,” Margie murmured.
“I’ll make a note of it.” His gaze skated to Catherine. “Are you Ms. August?”
Catherine seemed to forget my existence. She stood and extended a hand. “I’m Miss Weyand, heavy on the ‘miss.’”
Still seated, I wiggled my fingers. “I’m Maya August.” The longer I studied him, the more something bothered me about his appearance. He was almost too perfect, like someone had wished him into existence. No wonder I assumed there was a spell involved.
“A pleasure to meet you, Ms. August.” He paused. “Or is it Miss?”
I peeled myself off the chair. “Maya is fine.”
His smile broadened, revealing a set of white teeth that would’ve dazzled the island dentist. “I’m Gage.” He extended an uncalloused hand.
As soon as my skin made contact with his, I knew why he bothered me. To be fair, I should’ve known from his sultry looks and the flirtatious lilt in his voice, but it had been many years since I’d last met one. In the right light, I would’ve noticed the absence of a shadow.
“I’m sorry to interrupt your celebration,” he said to the group. “I only need a few minutes of Maya’s time.”
“Oh, it isn’t a celebration,” Louise said. “We like to scare the shit out of each other over coffee and cake.”
“Very civilized.” Gage looked at me. “Is there somewhere quiet we can talk?”
“Right this way.” I guided him to the opposite end of the counter, where Meemaw had cast the spell. “How did you know you’d find me here?”
“I stopped by your office and met a friendly gentleman by the name of Miguel. He wasn’t sure where to find you, but a lovely lady overheard our conversation and mentioned that she saw you enter this very coffee shop about thirty minutes ago.
” He broke out the dazzling smile again. “And here you are.”
An island full of nosy Neighbors, yet not a single one of them could locate Judd. What a waste.
“What can I do for you, Gage?”
“I think you’ll find it’s what I can do for you.” His statement was so suggestive, I could feel the tips of my ears burning. No wonder the women were fawning over him. The man oozed sensuality from every pore.
He cast an interested glance around the coffee shop. “I’ve heard so little about this place, I was beginning to think it was a figment of the imagination.”
“Rise and Grind?”
“Evermore.”
“Well, we try to keep its existence quiet.”
“Why would you want that? The island seems to have everything a person could want. Resort-style amenities. Golf courses. Walking trails. Beautiful women.” His gaze lingered on me, and I felt his magic brush against me.
Nice try, Gage . “It’s also an island with limited space, so spots are at a premium.”
“How do you determine who gets one?”
“The primary factor is whether you’ve aged out of society.”
He cocked his head. “Aged out?”
“On the mainland, they have fifty-five-and-over communities for humans. Evermore is a hundred-and-older community for nonhumans at risk of discovery. ”
His gaze skated to the Bookstabbers. “They’re all over a hundred years old?”
“That’s the rule, unless your spouse is younger. Then the eighty/twenty rule kicks in. Twenty percent can be younger than one hundred, as long as the one they cohabit with meets the age limit requirement.”
He whistled. “Sounds complicated.”
“Not really. It’s basic math.”
“What about you?” He looked me up and down. “There’s no way you can claim that status. Let me guess. You’re married to an older, wealthy vampire.”
“I’m staff. I don’t count.”
“You’re the assistant director of security on an island full of powerful people. I’d say you count more than you think.”
Gage knew my name, my occupation, and how to find me. The longer we spoke, the more apprehensive I became. “You said you were here to do something for me?”
“I’d like to offer assistance with your investigation.” Hesitation flickered over his perfect features. “You look stunned.”
Stunned was an understatement. “What makes you think I have an investigation?”
“Is my intel incorrect?”
Quite the opposite, but I didn’t learn to share in kindergarten, and I had no intention of starting now. “Where are you from, Gage?”
“Originally, Ohio. Now I live in Savannah.” He produced a business card.
Elite Division. Savannah, Georgia.
I handed the card back to him. “Elite Division of what?”
“That’s like when you walk into a luxury store and ask the price. ”
“If I have to ask, then I can’t afford it?”
He touched the end of his nose. “Exactly.”
“If I’m important enough for you to stalk me, then I’m important enough to know which entity the Elite Division is part of.”
He splayed a hand across his chest. “Stalk you? Miss August, I apologize if my actions have made you uncomfortable. That wasn’t my intention. I’ve ridden here as your white knight in Under Armour.”
For an elite stalker, he didn’t read people very well. “When you look at me, do you see a damsel desperate to be rescued?”
“I’d advise you to answer ’no’ on that one,” Delilah said from behind the counter. “We’re closing soon, just FYI.”
“Thanks, Delilah,” I said.
Gage kept his sculpted features aimed at me for maximum impact. “I only meant that I’m here to serve in any way you might need.”
“Give the magic flirtation a rest,” I told him. “I’m immune to your charms.”
He leaned closer. “I highly doubt that.”
“What interest does Savannah’s secret Elite Division have in the death of an elderly mermaid on Evermore?”
“We have reason to believe that the perpetrator might have come from the mainland.”
“And what reason is that?”
“That’s confidential.”
“Then I’m afraid I can’t help you.” I started toward the door.
“Miss August, if we’re right about the killer, then your island of misfit curmudgeons is in danger. I’m not sure you’re equipped to handle this sort of thing.”
I spun to face him. “First, they’re called Neighbors. Second, you have no idea what I’m equipped to handle. Do you think they send second-rate security personnel to deal with senile vampires and werewolves? Do you know what happens when powerful witches forget their spells mid-incantation?”
Gage was undeterred. “Sounds like you have your hands full here. Another reason to let us help with the investigation.”
I had no doubt this was Justine’s doing. After our conversation, she went behind my back and called in reinforcements.
My hands shoved against my hips. “Who does the Elite Division report to?”
“I don’t see why that matters.”
“Then you’ll have no problem answering the question.”
“I report to my boss, who reports to his bosses. Satisfied?”
“Not even a little.”
He leaned closer to me, whispering in my ear. “What if you’re exchanging book club recommendations with the killer right now?”
“They’re witches who enjoy books about murder. That doesn’t mean they’ve taken up the practice.”
“Not even your friend with the eye patch? Is she into pirates or is it cataracts?”
“Allegedly, Louise lost her eye in a sword fight.”
He grunted. “How old can she possibly be?”
“Nobody knows. Just like nobody knows what happened to her eye. There are plenty of rumors, though. My favorite is she sold it on eBay to buy her condo.”
“Why not ask her?”
I recoiled. “No one dares to ask.” Louise was far too intimidating, and it wasn’t only because of the patch.
Meemaw told me she once swam to Tybee Island with a bowie knife between her teeth in case she encountered any alligators.
I was a badass in my former life out of obligation, but Louise was born with badass encoded in her DNA.
He turned on the charm again with a glimmer of teeth. “See? This is why you need me, Maya. I’m not afraid to ask the hard questions.” He looked past me. “What about the lady with the e-cigarette?”
“That’s Joan Byers. Nobody messes with Joan.”
“Another sword-wielding daredevil from days of yore?”
“From days in Palm Beach. When she and her husband split up, he refused to let her buy him out of the house and forced her to sell. Her claim to fame is buying up all the billboards on the interstate and putting up his picture with the word ‘cocksucker’ underneath in huge red letters.”
He broke into his first genuine smile. “Incredible. I remember hearing about those billboards.”