Hoodoo Woman (Roxie Mathis Book 3) (13 page)

Ray was still there when the mail delivered another manila envelope of pages torn from Britney’s diary. I let him read the first set as I examined the second. Once again there was no date to be found but I did find something useful. She talked about her first ultrasound showing her to be nine weeks pregnant, with the name of the doctor mentioned.

“I’m guessing there’s not an OB named Carter here, is there?”

Ray looked up from the pages in his hands. “Uh, no. Shouldn’t be too hard to find out where this doctor is but without a warrant I can’t do anything with the information.” He dropped the pages on the table, rubbing the stubble on his jaw. “I can’t do a damn thing until we find something concrete. A threat to her life. Something.”

“There’s nothing like that in any of this. No indication of when any of it was written either.” I tapped the pages on the table. “Daniel can do things.”

He looked up over the sheets he still gripped in one hand. “What do you mean?”

I took a deep breath. “We find this doctor, Daniel can find someone in the office who can give us dates for Britney’s appointments.”

“I won’t have anyone getting hurt.”

“No, it’s not like that. He has a sort of vampire mind thing. He can influence people. He doesn’t use it much but will if I ask him.”

“You’re talking about mind control? Am I right?” He dropped the pages. “That’s a hell of a lot further out of bounds than breaking and entering.”

“I know. I’m just saying, this is an option. It’s up to you.”

Skimming the tops of the loose pages with his fingertips, he moved them restlessly. “I know it may seem hypocritical after what I let y’all do the other night but I feel like that’s a step too far. I might feel different if we were trying to save a life but we’re trying to solve a murder.”

“I get you. I just wanted you to know.” Privately I was relieved. It wasn’t something I liked to ask Daniel to do. For some reason I also liked knowing Ray had limits. I’d always respected him and I was glad to know I still could.

“We need to talk to whoever’s sending you this stuff. How did they know to send it to you, anyway?”

“Somebody who had access to her apartment. Other than that, I don’t have any ideas yet. Daniel’s mentioned the case a little on his blog.”

“Yeah, I read it.”

“Why do you read his blog? And all those books in your office at home, what’s up with that?”

Ray picked up the new diary pages. “What? Can’t a guy expand his reading choices?”

“That stuff always made you nervous back then.”

“When we were together? Like I said. Things changed. I changed.”

I looked away. “I guess those posts on the Grapevine let people know I was working on this.”

“There are posts about you on the Grapevine?”

I nodded, hoping I could avoid going into detail.

“God damn it. That damn website is a menace.”

I took the plunge. “Your name came up in connection with mine. Just so you know.”

“Yeah, I figured. Don’t worry about it.”

“You never really said whether you’re seeing anybody. If they see those posts they might get upset.”

“I’m not seeing anybody. You’re the one that’s attached. To a boyfriend who left you to go play guru in some ashram or some damn thing.”

“Now you sound like Daniel.”

“He’s right. That Blake fella’s an idiot for leaving you on your own.”

Embarrassment brought me to my feet. “You should talk. You broke up with me.”

Ray stood so fast the chair toppled behind him. “I didn’t break up with you! You walked out on me. The stupid thing I did,” he said, pointing at his chest. “Was not chasing you down like I should have.”

My heart slammed in my chest. I couldn’t hear him say things like that. Not now, not with the emotions brought back by the lightning strike so close to the surface. Ray was mostly a good-natured, laid back guy, but he could turn on a dime, a volcanic eruption with no warning. I’d been on the other end of that more times than I wanted to think about and every single one of those times led to either an intense fight or even more intense sex. He’d look at me with those blue eyes burning a hole in my flesh, starting a fire. He looked at me that way now. I wanted to run but I stood rooted to the ground. I wanted to remember what Blake looked like but his face was shrouded in mist. I wanted Ray to yell, scream, be angry, make me angry.

“I never should have let you go,” he said, voice husky.

“You can’t talk to me like that. I’m with somebody. It’s not right for you to say things like that to me.”

“You’re with somebody? Baby, he’s not here with you. Coming back home is probably the hardest thing you’ve done since you left. I know that. Daniel knows, that’s why he’s came with you. But Blake? Where is he?”

I fought back tears. “You said we were going to be friends. Is this how you treat your friends?”

“I’m honest with my friends. So I’m gonna be honest with you now. I see you holding on tight to something that’s not real. I see you hurting. I see you still trying to figure out what it is you want.” He bent to right the chair, pushing it under the table. “But the thing that bothers me most is I still see you running away from yourself. At some point you’re gonna have to stop running and face some things.”

He gathered his jacket and book and headed for the door. I stared at the curtains as he paused in the doorway, not wanting to look at him. “Go visit Mrs. Kent’s grave. I know you haven’t been. Cowardice never suited you.”

Ray still knew me well enough to hit where it would hurt the hardest. Smarting from the blow, I picked up the first thing my hand landed on, an empty coffee cup, and threw it. “You son of a bitch!” The cup hit the door as it closed behind him, shattering into pieces that scattered across the wood floor.

Daniel stepped out of the hallway. He said nothing, hugging me instead. I pushed him away, in no mood for comfort. “Who the hell does he think he is, talking to me like that?”

“He’s still in love with you. I don’t think he ever stopped.”

“I don’t care.”

“You sure?” He picked up the broken cup, dumping the pieces in the kitchen garbage can.

“I’m with Blake.”

Daniel shook his head. “That’s why you keep things from him? Why you keep him at arm’s length? I thought I was a commitment-phobe but you, girl, you bring it to new and exciting levels. You and me, we respect each other’s privacy and I’ve always liked that. We keep our questions to ourselves. Maybe just once we shouldn’t.”

“You wanna ask me something, Bubba?” I snatched at the loose pages on the table, trying to put everything in order and the correct envelope.

“I think you left because you were scared. Not of being persecuted for being different. Not of your mother hounding you. I think you were scared of Ray Travis and I think you still are.” Rummaging through the fridge, he found a blood bag and placed it on the counter, then he retrieved a bottle of tequila and a large juice glass.

“I don’t hear a question.”

He poured the two liquids into the glass, mixing them with a butter knife from the silverware drawer. “Did you come here because of this ghost business?” He licked the knife clean then tossed it in the sink. “Or are you tired of being a coward?”

“To hell with you! And Ray too. Calling me a coward, how can you do that? You know the things I’ve done, the things I’ve faced down. I’m not scared of ghosts or demons or monsters.”

“No, you’re just scared of yourself. What scares me is the thought you might let Blake talk you into this God damn banishing rite. You don’t want to see it but the man in him can’t handle a strong woman and the sorcerer in him can’t handle wild magic. You let that bitch Nadine convince you that you were too much of a freak to deserve to be loved as you are so you ran from Ray Travis as hard as you could and I don’t want to see you bury yourself right as you’re on the verge of finally letting go of all that old shit.”

His words hit cold and hard. Daniel and I had always been honest with each other, but we’d respected each other’s boundaries as well. The things he’d said blew past every boundary and drilled down into private thoughts and fears I’d worked hard to hide from others. The possibility of reopening old wounds was exactly why I’d been reluctant to come home, why if I’d been smart I would have packed my bags right then and gone back to Nashville. As much as it hurt, though, I knew what he said had the ring of truth to it. He wasn’t the only one scared of what decision I might make and what the fallout would be.

My thoughts and emotions were too tangled up to try to pick apart and talk over with him, so I went with the pettiest argument I could muster. “You don’t get to call my mother a bitch.”

“I can call her whatever I want, I’m her ancestor, too.”

“I’m tired of fighting with idiot men.” I shoved the envelopes in my messenger bag, threw the strap over my head and grabbed my coat. It was still light enough Daniel couldn’t follow me so I headed for the door.

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“Just drink your booze and blood, vampire, and enjoy your own commitment phobia.” Slamming the door behind me was incredibly satisfying, for about thirty seconds. By the time I had the SUV on the highway I was ready to pull over and cry but I kept going, fighting tears for aimless miles.

Why had I come back? I could have refused, especially since I wasn’t getting paid and every day I spent in Blythe cost me in paying business. Although Ray had offered, I knew he couldn’t afford the kind of rates I could conceivably charge for a job like this.

But I didn’t do this for the money. Spells and divination, I was happy to charge for and felt like I earned it. Charging for dispelling a ghost…I would do that and not feel guilty, but I knew I would also do it for free. Helping people with supernatural problems had become ingrained, to the point where if a problem was serious enough I couldn’t say no, whether I was getting paid or not.

I couldn’t lie to myself, though. I didn’t come back because of Britney Parker’s ghost. I came back home to Blythe because of my own ghost, and his name was Ray Travis.

The question of how best to approach Mackie or any of the other Parkers answered itself with the morning paper. There was a nice big write up on page three about a fundraiser planned for that night to benefit the Blythe County Historical Society. An annual event that was part of the lead up to the county’s biggest event of the year, the Catfish Cavalcade, it would be held in an antebellum home now serving as the society’s headquarters and a county museum. Tickets would be available in advance or at the door.

I woke Daniel early, not something I usually did. To appease the grumpy vampire I brought a steaming cup of coffee, which he downed in three gulps while I talked.

“The catfish what?”

“Cavalcade,” I said. “It’s a thing. Every year. There’s a carnival and a rodeo and a parade and a craft show. It’s a big deal.”

He wore a dubious look to go with his rumpled hair. “And it’s called the Catfish Cavalcade?”

“It’s because of the lake and the fishing tourism it brings in. It’s no different from the thousands of other small town festivals held all over the place all year round.”

“You sound defensive.” He reared back, cocking an eyebrow. “Roxanne. Do you actually enjoy the Catfish Cavalcade in a non-ironic way?”

I faked a pout. “You can either be a grumpy old vampire or you can be a hipster vampire. You can’t do both.”

A wide grin split his face. “You enjoy the Catfish Cavalcade. Admit it.”

I scooted closer on the bed and said in a conspiratorial whisper, “I would go to the carnival every year, hoping it would turn into something out of Ray Bradbury. I even kept going once I was old enough to be wigged out by the male carnies who tried to flirt with the underage girls. But the rodeo. Oh, Bubba.” I placed a hand on his arm. “Cowboys.”

He laughed. “So this thing tonight, the Parkers will be there?”

“At least some of them will.” I reached for the newspaper and held it up. “They’re co-sponsors of the event.”

He took the paper, scanning the article. “This sounds like just the thing a curious blogger and his intrepid assistant would want to attend.” He tossed the paper to the floor and caught my hand. “We okay?”

I nodded. “Yes. Of course we are.”

“I got worried when you were gone so long last night.”

“I had a lot of thinking to do. Wasted half a tank of gas doing it.”

“Come to any conclusions?”

“I did. I need to let go of the past. I know that’s more or less what you were trying to tell me and you’re right.”

“Of course I’m right. I’m always right.” With his arm around me, he drew me to sit next to him with our backs to the headboard.

“And so modest about it.”

“Okay, I’m gonna ask you this even though it might lead to another fight. I don’t want to fight with you but if you’d made a decision about this, I’d like to know.”

“Ask away.” I leaned my head on his shoulder.

“What are you gonna do about this banishing rite Blake wants to do?”

“I’m going to convince him it’s not necessary.”

“And if that doesn’t work?”

While driving all over the county last night I’d given the things he’d said a lot of thought, especially the things about my mother. She’d never been happy with me, none of my family had. The only thing that would make them happy would be to pretend I was something I wasn’t. I learned years ago I couldn’t do that and still respect myself. Right or wrong, I needed my self-respect more than I needed any man.

I said, “Then it doesn’t work.”

To Daniel’s credit it took him a full five minutes before he asked if Ray would be at the party. I told him what to go do with himself and left the room as he laughed.

* * *

My vampire ancestor looked his dashing best in dark grey slacks and matching jacket over a sapphire blue dress shirt that brought out his eyes. Between his looks and his natural charisma, he’d be sure to have every woman at the party eating out of his hand in record time. I eschewed my usual jeans and t-shirt for a black wrap dress that came to just below my knees and hugged my curves, with a plunging deep v-neckline that made me mindful of the slightest lean forward. With my hair in a fairly tidy updo, or as tidy as I could make my mess of thick auburn waves at any rate, and my feet in high heels, I felt like a different person. Catching a glimpse of myself in the beveled mirror behind the bar as we ordered drinks, I looked like a different person, too.

When I noticed Mackie Parker pause and give me a once-over while glad-handing a line of sycophants and well-wishers, I decided to take
different
out for a ride and see what it got me.

After waiting my turn patiently I took Mackie’s hand and gave him a smile meant to be equal parts friendly and flirty. The way his eyes lit up as he looked down my dress told me it wasn’t necessary, and that the money spent on this pricey push-up bra was worth it.

“Why, hello there,” he said to my breasts. “I don’t believe we’ve met.”

“Actually we have but it’s been a long time.” I slipped my arm through his and sipped my wine.

“You sure? I think I’d remember meeting a sweet thing like you.” He still hadn’t made eye contact.

From across the room, Ray Travis did. He raised his own wine glass in greeting, face pensive. I gave him a quick nod and said to Mackie, “I used to live here. You sure you don’t remember me? You even asked me out once.” That wasn’t exactly the truth, he’d hit on me which was no big deal. Sooner or later he hit on every woman in town.

He finally looked at my face and I took the opportunity to examine him in turn. The years had been so-so to Mackie Parker. Perpetually tanned from guiding fishing expeditions and playing golf, his face had the florid look of a long time hard drinker. His shaggy hair was now mostly gray, his blue eyes bloodshot. The Parker family good looks still echoed despite the hard living and decades of carousing. Sadness leaked from the edges like slowly overflowing water, turning his aura into a smudged haze.

“You’re…” He waved his index finger. “You’re the Mathis girl.”

“Roxanne,” I supplied. “How have you been, Mr. Parker?”

He spotted Ray across the room and gave me a sardonic look. “You know. Staying in trouble. You?”

“If trouble takes too long to find me, I go hunting it down.”

His booming laugh filled the etheric space around us with a brief shower of fireworks. “I like the sound of that, girl. What brings you back to town?” He leaned closer, glancing down at my cleavage as he mock-whispered. “The same trouble in a uniform that made you leave?”

“What do you know about that?” I kept my voice light and breezy even though I kind of wanted to punch the old lecher.

“No more than anybody else. But you feel free to tell me all about it, darlin’.”

“I’ll share a dirty little secret with you if you share one with me. But I get to ask first.”

His face screwed up in confusion. Hell, he’d probably been drinking since breakfast. He wagged his eyebrows and said, “What dirty little secret of mine do you want to know?”

Time to drop a bomb and see what the fallout brought. “Did your family know Britney was pregnant and planning to leave town?”

Mackie pulled away, sobering up so fast I could almost see his head spinning. “You keep your mouth shut about my niece!”

A trio conversing nearby overheard and turned to stare. I ignored them. “Did they know, Mackie? What about the father? Who was he and what did he know?” In my peripheral vision I noticed Ray and Daniel on opposite sides of the room, triangulating on my position but holding back.

Mackie grabbed my arm, twisting it. “You don’t know a God damn thing and you better keep your mouth shut, little witch.” He dragged me against him. “You’re not the only one around here with power.”

It was a warning, but not menacing. Like the warning was from him but not about him. And the way he emphasized the word
power
…was Britney not the only witch in the Parker family? I wrenched my arm away. “I’m willing to go one on one with anybody who’s got
power
. You see, power’s a funny thing. Sometimes it’s real, and sometimes it’s only an illusion propped up by others. People throw off that illusion and decide you aren’t the one with the power, things can get desperate quick. Is that what happened with Britney? Did she decide to claim a little power of her own and someone felt threatened?”

At this point I was just throwing stuff out there to see how he reacted. The fear in his bloodshot eyes told quite a tale. “If you know what’s good for you, you’ll stay out of my family’s business. Go back to Memphis or Nashville or wherever you live now and forget about this.” He stalked away, blowing past the nearby eavesdroppers.

I raised an eyebrow at them. “Enjoying the show?” None of them had the balls to answer.

Ray’s normally calming energy announced his presence at my side before I saw him, strangely jumbled like knocked over blocks. “You sure yanked his chain.”

“We’re not getting anywhere. Not fast enough, anyway.”

“In a hurry to leave town again?”

“I’ve got a life to get back to in Nashville.”

Ray drained his glass then took mine and drained it too. “Feel free to get back to it any time. I’ll deal with this.” He shoved the empty glasses at me, leaving me standing there holding them as he stormed off.

I pawned them off on one of the staring women. “Guess it turned out to be a double feature.”

After hiding in the ladies room for a few minutes to compose myself, I found Daniel schmoozing a pair of older ladies in front of a glass case holding a Confederate uniform.

“It’s a shame how little is taught in school nowadays about the War of Northern Aggression,” one of the ladies said. “My grandchildren barely know anything about it.”

“It is unfortunate when people refuse to learn from the past,” Daniel said smoothly. I knew exactly how contemptuous he was of glorifying the Confederacy.

The other woman gestured imperiously at a passing waiter. “Dear, you simply must try these bacon and cheese canapés. Simply divine.”

“I’d love to.” Daniel looked at the tray with longing. “But the crackers.” He shook his head. “I have a gluten intolerance so I’m very limited in what I can eat.” He switched his drink from one hand to the other, draping an arm around my shoulders. “Let me introduce you to my research assistant. Roxie, this is Jean Carver and Maryanne Lewis. Ladies, Roxanne Mathis.”

“Oh!” Maryanne almost choked on her bacon.

Jean parachuted in to save her friend. “Haven’t you grown up to be a lovely young lady. Your mother must be so, so…”

Bless her heart, she fumbled just shy of the end zone.

I gave her what I hoped was a dazzling smile. “Yes, she is.”

Daniel said, “Would you ladies excuse us?” A gentle push of his vampire will sent them on their way.

I pointed at the uniform. “It’s hard to picture you in that.”

He grimaced. “I can’t remember what itched worse, the wool or the lice.”

“Ew.”

“I didn’t know you were planning to piss in Mackie Parker’s cereal.”

I shrugged. “I didn’t either, until I did it. With any luck it’ll get around and I’ll have pissed off the right person.”

“Looked like you pissed off Ray, too. That part of your plan?”

“No, just my natural gifts shining through.”

A cold draft descended on the crowded room. I exhaled, my breath curling out in a puff. The etheric spectrum went haywire with flashes of red. “Bubba.”

“You about to tell me why the hair on the back of my neck is standing at attention?”

“Find Ray. He might need to evacuate the place.”

Screams rang through the party.