CHAPTER TEN #2
“Anger, envy, or jealousy is often the fuel for a hex,” Lorna agreed. “In this case, the curse’s maleficence built slowly over time, beginning subtly with everyday annoyances.”
“Things that could be easily explained away,” I said. “The debit card, the car troubles, mortgage paperwork.”
“Right.” Lorna nodded. “I figure that Johnny’s anaphylaxis episode was when the curse hit its peak and really took hold. Then Kate started protection work for the couple, and things settled down for a few weeks. However, the energy of the hex wasn’t broken...only diverted.”
“Like creek water siphoning off into a pond?” Circe asked.
“More like a creek during a flash flood. It can only hold that rising water for so long,” Lorna corrected. “Eventually the water will come up over the banks and spill over into the surrounding area.”
Circe began to pace as she thought it over. “So, the spillover as you called it was Hattie’s accident, then Kate’s close calls?”
“Yes,” Lorna said. “Kate hit the hex once and slowed it down. Which is a damn good thing, because Hattie, while injured, did survive.”
“But the hex—while still active—is starting to peter out,” Lorna said. “And not to downplay our Kate’s injuries, as she did get bruised and scratched up, she also walked away.”
I sat there, bandaged and sore, and felt lucky all over again that my injuries weren’t any worse.
“Do you think you are up for working today, Kate?” Lorna asked me.
“I had planned on it,” I said. “That, and I don’t want anyone to know or even guess that I’m injured. I think it’s best not to show any weakness, and to go about my day as usual.”
Lorna nodded. “I agree. Choose an outfit that’s comfortable, and a top with long sleeves to hide the bandages.”
“I have a swing dress,” I said to them both. “It’s dark green with long sleeves and very comfortable.”
“I can help you with your hair and makeup,” Circe said.
I nodded. “Thanks Circe. I’m not up for holding my arms up to deal with my hair today.”
Circe patted the top of my head. “By the time I’m done with you no one will ever suspect that you’ve been hurt.”
“I’ll see you both downstairs in an hour,” Lorna said, stepping back. “We’ll keep at this, ladies. The three of us working together simply can’t fail.”
***
The Apothecary Shoppe was as busy as I’d expected with it being the day before Thanksgiving. I perched on a stool behind the front counter ringing and bagging up sales, while Taylor worked the sales floor. Dex dropped by and gave me a blueberry muffin and a cup of tea.
“Thank you.” I smiled up at him. “Did you know that blueberries are good for protection?”
“I did,” he said, dropping a brief kiss on my lips.
Dex had never kissed me in public before. My eyes shot over toward Taylor, who was grinning and suddenly making herself very busy.
“See you later,” Dex said, after running his hand over my hair. He then returned to New Moon Books.
“Hey Kate?” Taylor asked as she walked over a few minutes later.
“What’s up?” I responded, trying to sound casual, but I was mortally afraid I was blushing.
“Have you noticed that there’s a ton of spider webs on the left display wall? I swear I wiped them all out with a duster—you know the fluffy one on the long handle—like two days ago, but they’re back.”
I sighed. “You know I’ve been seeing a lot of webs too lately. My homemade spray doesn’t seem to be working. I’m wondering if I’ll have to call in an exterminator.”
“It’s weird,” Taylor said. “I never see any spiders, but there’s all these webs. Seems like we have an infestation.” She shrugged. “It’s gotten worse since Halloween. That’s not a Witch thing, is it?”
A Witch thing...
Goosebumps broke out on my arms. “Oh, I’m an idiot,” I muttered as realization dawned. Spider webs...like the energetic shawl of webs I’d first ‘seen’ on Hattie.
My heart rate picked up as I recalled all the times in the past few weeks that I’d seen webs around the shop.
They’d been in the windows, coating bottles in the display shelves, and even draped on the metal railing outside my apartment.
Then there was that weird nightmare I’d had about spiders only the night before!
Whoever had cast the hex was working with spider magick.
“Taylor?” I asked. “Could you hold down the fort for a moment? I need to make a quick call.”
“Sure,” she said.
I went directly into my back room and wasn’t surprised when Dex walked in right behind me.
“You’ve figured out something,” he said, shutting the door.
There were times him being a psychic came in damn handy. “I think so,” I said, selecting Hattie’s number from my list of contacts.
“Get off your feet,” Dex said, pulling out my desk chair for me.
“Thank you,” I said, sitting down as the call went through.
“Kate!” Hattie answered right away. “Thank you so much for the hydrangeas. They’re a favorite of mine.”
“Glad you like them,” I said, putting the call on speaker so Dex could hear. “Hattie, I have a question for you. It’s going to sound strange, but this is important.”
“Hang on,” she said. “Johnny’s here. I’m putting you on speaker.”
“Hey, Kate,” Johnny said.
“Hey,” I said. “Do either of you know of anyone, a friend, an ex, or even a relative that has a thing for spiders?”
“How do you mean, a thing?” Johnny wanted to know.
“Are they really into them?” I clarified. “Have you ever noticed anyone in your life wearing spider or spider web theme jewelry, or maybe even having a spider tattoo?”
It was quiet for a moment, until Hattie spoke. “Umm, yeah...as a matter of fact we do know someone like that.”
“Who?” I asked, as Dex and I exchanged looks.
“My cousin, Jolene,” she said. “She has a big spider web tattoo on her shoulder. Wears this gothic looking spider necklace all the time too.”
“She’s worn that ugly pendant since high school,” Johnny added.
“In fact,” Hattie continued, “Jolene came to visit me in the hospital to see how I was. She didn’t stay very long though.”
Jolene. I’d heard the name before. “Wait, didn’t you tell me that she was the one who was upset at your bridal shower, about you getting to wear your grandmother’s wedding dress?”
“She was. She and her mom, my Aunt Mae.”
As I was speaking to the couple, Dex pulled out his phone and began searching through Hattie’s social medial profile. When he found the post of Hattie’s bridal shower, he began scrolling through the photos.
“Mae was the aunt who told you the dress was bad luck, right?” I asked her.
“That’s right.”
“Hattie, I want you to listen to me very carefully. Did your cousin give you a gift or leave anything with you at the hospital?”
“No,” Hattie said. “But it was kind of weird. She came in acting like she was going to give me a hug, and stopped, and commented on my necklace.”
“She spotted the Hekate’s Wheel pendant that I gave you?”
“Yeah. You know Jolene started acting all weird about it, and then said she had to go.”
“Did she say anything else?” I asked the couple.