Chapter 5
Chapter
Five
Rory ate very little of her dinner and left the table early to make a call.
I suspected it was to her son, Deek. Rory was a good mom.
I had thrown Lilac headfirst into this investigation.
Now, Rory’s motherly instincts were making me rethink that action.
Maybe she should stay at the compound with Annamae.
You’re not Lilac’s mother.
I looked up to see Nic watching me. He believed I was over thinking this. I was, but that wasn’t his business.
Stay out of my head, big brother.
He smiled. Then stop thinking so hard.
“I swear, the two of you were always doing that. Making the rest of the table feel like they were being talked about,” Annamae shook her finger at both of us.
She grinned when we both stared at her. “Now you didn’t think that this gift started with the two of you?
No, Rebecca, Alana, I mean, your mama and me, we talked all the time to each other.
Probably why people thought we spelled the Franklin boy.
You be careful, people don’t like not knowing what is going on. ”
“Like right now,” Bubba held up his hands. “I’m clueless and think I’ve missed something when I was over here just enjoying Ms. Annamae’s chocolate cake. This is amazing.”
“Thank you kindly,” Annamae ducked her head a little, her face flushing. “And don’t worry about what I just said. I was just getting the children in line. Sometimes they forget their manners at the table.”
“I know you’re not talking about me,” Lilac said as she cut another slice of cake. “I’m having a glass of milk with this. Anyone else want one?”
“Coffee’s fine with me,” I lifted my cup and took a sip. “Honestly, I try not to have any caffeine after four, but I need the sugar and jolt after today just to keep me awake until we hit home.”
“You put on a tasty table, Ms. Foster.” Alexander nodded to Annamae. “I know people are tired, but can we meet one more time and go over tomorrow’s schedule in the den?”
I looked around at my group. We were tired but, more, we were still a little frightened. We’d won one battle today by getting Catherine back. And maybe another with a name from the past. Maybe this was almost over.
You’re jinxing us.
“I think we should take our coffee into the den. Annamae, you come along with us. I’ve hired you an assistant.
” Nic stood and a woman came into the dining room and started clearing the plates.
“Betsy, this is your real boss, Annamae. Tonight, Betsy will get the kitchen back to order and then be here to help with anything you need in the morning. Is six too early?”
“Now, Mr. Nic, you know I am more than capable to clean up my own mess.” Annamae shook her head.
“You are, but we need your brain in this meeting. After what we learned tonight, I’m afraid if we don’t, we’re going to miss something important. Besides, Betsy needs a job. She cooked at a downtown restaurant that recently closed. You don’t want her not to have a good job, do you?”
“It’s not nice to play with my emotions, Mr. Nic.
” Annamae stared him down. But Nic had won.
She turned and held her hand out to Betsy who had come back in from the kitchen for another load of plates.
“Betsy? I’m Annamae. I’ve been told we’ll be working together.
We’ll get to know each other better tomorrow.
Come over at six and we’ll get baking for breakfast.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Betsy grinned as she loaded her arms up with plates. “I love this house. Did you know you have fairies in the back yard?”
After she left, Nic shrugged. “And, she has a talent to see other creatures. I thought it might be a good added protection level for our security system.”
“You’re just like your mama. Always finding people who need us.” Annamae stood and refilled her coffee cup at the credenza. “If we’re going to be meeting, we need to get it going. I’ll be heading to bed soon.”
“You heard the lady,” Nic stood as well, leaving his coffee cup on the table. “I’ll be having a bit of brandy if anyone wants to join me.”
“I’ll run up and get Rory. I think she should be done talking with Deek by now,” Esmeralda stood, but then Rory popped her head back into the dining room.
“Did someone say brandy?” She grinned.
“She has a gift of being right where the action is,” Esmeralda put an arm around her friend. “Let’s go talk about tomorrow. How’s Deek?”
They left the room together and I took one last bite of the chocolate cake. Then I refilled my coffee cup and grabbed my tote. As soon as I got into the den, I’d take a swig of the potion too. It couldn’t hurt and we did have fairies in the backyard. I’d forgotten about that.
“So do all houses have fairies and I just didn’t know about them until now?” Bubba asked as he also refilled his cup.
I shrugged. “I guess. I mean, I knew we did at the house. I saw them whenever I’d play in the back.
Well, until I was fifteen. Then I assumed they’d gone away.
But maybe it was me, blocking that talent so I could fit in during high school.
I stopped seeing them. We used to have amazing pool parties here for my birthday. ”
“And no one said anything about the fairies dancing in the yard.” He sat in a straight-backed chair with a view of the door and the window.
“You don’t talk about your crazy aunt. You just set her out on the porch.” Nic teased as the rest of the group gathers. “It’s the same with mythological creatures hanging around your house.”
Alexander rolled his eyes. “Can we finish this discussion so I can go home?”
Rory came into the room and sank onto the couch with me. I met her gaze and she nodded. Everything was fine at home.
“I think we’re all here. I’d like to visit Catherine, if you don’t mind. And I need to see if Alicia Moore is still hanging around. Oh, and Nic, you need to fire Crystal. She let the man in that killed Mercy.” I stared at my brother.
His eyes blinked, then he nodded. “I’ll make sure that’s done. And that Boone has interviewed her for any clues he left. You’re sure?”
“I’m sure,” I glanced at Rory and she nodded. “But you can’t be the one to fire her. She’s obsessed.”
Esmeralda giggled.
“Stop it,” he grumbled. “It’s not like I invite these women to adore me.”
I wasn’t sure that was quite the truth. Nic liked being adored. He just loved Esmeralda more. “That’s your problem, but the worst thing is her carelessness got Mercy killed.”
“That I won’t stand for,” Nic was typing away on his phone. He looked up, meeting my gaze. “It’s done. What else needs to be done?”
“I want to talk to some of our local watchers,” Alexander said.
“Someone had to see this guy. If he’s drawing power from the death of others, that causes a mark on their soul.
Maybe someone saw it but didn’t know what they were seeing.
Kirk and I will wander through the Quarter.
I don’t think we’ll need Annamae tomorrow. ”
“I can stay here. I need to find out exactly when Rebecca saw Franklin Day and where. If we can track him down.” Annamae sighed. “If I’d only listened when I was a girl.”
“No crying over spilled milk,” Lilac grinned at her. “I’ll stay here too. I can do some research into Franklin Day and this Bobby. Do we have anything else besides his first name?”
Bubba pulled out his phone. “I’ll see if Mom talked to Paige today.”
“Maybe if you follow Paige on the internet thing, you’ll run into him.” Annamae suggested.
“Not a bad idea,” I smiled at the group. “We’re making progress. We found Catherine. We’ve got her to the hospital. Maybe we’re on a roll.”
Nic ignored my Pollyanna comment. “I’ll talk to the security team and see what we can pull on her visit here and maybe, her time in Miami. They have an amazing system of interlinked cameras from the airport back into town. Do you have her last address? My guys can probably find it from her name.”
“I’ll ask Mom. I know she always sends her Christmas cards. She probably put a little money in them, just to make sure that Paige would open them and keep her informed of her current address.” Bubba stepped out of the room to make his call.
“So that’s about all we can do until we find more information.” I looked around at everyone. “Be safe. Don’t take candy from strangers. Don’t walk up to any vans whose drivers just want to ask a question. Suspect everyone and everything.”
“And with that cheery reminder, let’s all head home. Please come to dinner tomorrow here at the compound. At least here, we don’t have to worry about being listened in on. It’s protected.” Nic stood and put his arm around Esmerelda.
“Eddie’s condo has the same protection,” Alexander smiled at Annamae. “But not quite the chef, no disrespect to Lilac. I appreciate the invite.”
Esmeralda pulled me aside as I gathered my things. Bubba had gone out to let our driver know we were ready to go. He hadn’t been responding to his texts. Lilac was talking to Rory about her son’s writing experience.
“Should I be concerned about this Crystal? I sensed some issues surrounding Nic.” She kept her gaze on me and I knew I couldn’t lie.
“Crystal was crushing hard on Nic. I don’t think he even noticed, much, but Rory was furious that another woman would do this to one of our own.
” I thought about the day I’d come by. I’d been late because of Forrest’s appearance as a poltergeist. “I’m more concerned that she broke protocol with Mercy’s reading.
Mercy shouldn’t have been allowed to be alone with that man in a reading room.
I think she felt it almost immediately.”
“How long had she been working for the company?” Esmeralda asked and when I shrugged, she asked a follow up, “Check her personnel file and see if she’s from Miami or somewhere in Florida.”
“Are the spirits talking to you?” I asked.
She laughed, her long curly black hair bouncing.
“No, just several years working out cases with my boss and his wife. She’s got the gift of seeing the worst in people and putting that together to find a suspect. She’s usually right as well. I’m missing my California tribe. We are family, just like we’re family here.” Esmeralda kissed my cheek.
Before I left to meet Bubba at the door, I turned back and said, “You know it would be easier for all involved if you’d just come home and take your place in this house and his life.”
“I have a few things to finish up. I can’t leave them alone. Besides, Nic doesn’t need me yet and absence does make the heart grow fonder. And the kisses, hotter.” Esmeralda looked over at Nic, her love for him apparent in her gaze.
“TMI, you realize I’m just a kid here.” I joked as Bubba came inside looking for me.
“With that mountain of a man around all the time, I know you’re not as PG-13 as you were when I left. He’s so pretty.” Esmeralda looked Bubba up and down.
“He is pretty,” I took Bubba’s arm in mine and leaned on his shoulder.
He smiled at me. “Uh oh, I’m thinking I missed something here and this one needs to get some sleep. That potion Annamae gives her makes her burn hot until there’s nothing left.”
He motioned over at Lilac, and she joined us as we headed out to the car.
I was so tired, I could barely walk. “Where was Fred?”
Bubba looked at me. “What?”
“Where was Fred, our driver?” Alarm bells started ringing in my head as the cool air cleared my head.
Bubba stopped and shook his head. The car waiting in the driveway for us didn’t have Fred in the driver’s seat. Fred had blond hair. This guy’s hair was black. He was someone I didn’t know. Someone who wouldn’t look at me.
I made a quick decision based on my growing bad feeling. “Lilac, we’re going back inside to refill my potion bottle. Bubba, you come too. Nic needs you.”
“Okay,” Lilac was on her phone and not paying attention. As we turned away, the car sped off, nearly missing Alexander’s car. Bubba seemed to sway. Lilac looked up and took his arm, “What’s wrong with you, big guy?”
He rubbed his head and shook it several more times. “I don’t know. I went out to tell Fred we were ready to go, but then I don’t remember anything else. What just happened?”
I moved everyone back into the house. “I don’t think Nic’s security is as strong as he thinks it is. We need to find Fred.”