The Burning Bush (37 page)

Even if he did buy the treranges, that would have been a month or two ago. The treranges I’d seen were fresh. Plus, Harriet had displayed them like she would a bouquet of flowers—as if they had no grand worth. I would have assumed most poor people would have hidden them somewhere to keep others from stealing them.
Does she know how much they’re worth? She has to.

Maybe Harriet worked here and stole them.
No way.
I had shown Harriet the picture of Jacobi. She’d said she didn’t know him. If she worked here she probably dealt with Ely. He definitely resembled Jacobi enough that when I’d shown Harriet the sketch, she should have thought of this place.
Or is that why the person gave her the treranges—to make Harriet forget about working here and knowing the Brass family?

An ache crept around my X brand and spread to my temples. There were just too many possibilities and scenarios to consider.

“Are you finding everything okay?” Ely asked. I jumped at the sound of his voice.

Getting back on all fours, I quickly grabbed a few weeds near a trerange and pretended like I was working. “Yes. The limo looked clean, so I figured I should work on the garden.”

“That’s a good idea.” Ely nodded. “You know what those flowers are over there?” Ely pointed to the treranges.

“The forget-everything flowers.”

“Yep!” Ely said louder than he needed to. “Now let’s make sure none of them walk out of here! I know the correct count for all of them!”

“Oooo-kay.” I looked around us. It seemed like he was putting on a show, but I had no idea who the audience was supposed to be.

“You and that Shifter do a good job today, and I may be able to get you both on as part-time crew.” He sat down on the grass behind me and wiped the sweat off his X brand. “The judge holds a lot of socials here. Sometimes the staff and I ask our friends to come and split the cash.”

“Sounds good. I’ll give you my number.” I glanced back again and noticed him staring at my behind.

Ely’s eyes met mine and he blushed. “I’ve been working here for years. I could help you get a good position.”

“I would really appreciate that.” I snatched up more weeds and put them in a pile. “I used to work at the blood factory. Now it’s gone, so I have bills to pay.”

“Well then, you should count yourself lucky for meeting me,” Ely said. “I have a little pull with the judge. I basically grew up here. My mom was a cook. We lived in that house over there.”

“Whoa.” I grinned.
Jackpot. Maybe he can give me information on Jacobi.

“It must have been pretty cool to grow up around rich people.” I wiped my hands on my jeans.

He shrugged. “The rich have problems just like the poor. Money doesn’t stop the crazy in people. It just hides it better.”

Who is the crazy person? The judge or Jacobi?

“Ely!” the judge yelled, twirling his golf club at the end of the flower tunnel and glaring suspiciously at me. “I’m going to the golf range and taking my golf cart. Make sure that limo’s polished and ready for the Masquerade Ball.”

“Yes, sir.” Ely saluted, which I thought was a bit much.

The judge marched off with his golf club while whistling a tune. Once he hopped on the golf cart and sped off, Ely slid closer to me. “Now that the judge is gone, we can stop pretending. Right, Ms. Vesta?”

I continued weeding, but now with shaking fingers. Fire rushed within me, begging for release. I kept the flames inside my arms and hands. My palms swelled with the pressure.
How does Ely know me?

“I have to say, I’m shocked to see you here so soon after Zulu’s death.” Ely carried on with his conversation. “But as you showed Santeria on TV last night, you’re dedicated to the Mixie cause.”

So that’s how he knows me.
My body relaxed. I doused the fire within me, keeping a tiny bit swimming in my bloodstream.

“Well, work is the best way to grieve, I’ve always been told.” I forced myself to pull more weeds.

“It is the best way.” Ely crawled over to my side and pulled some weeds near me. “What you and your group do for the Mixies is amazing. The whole kitchen staff is excited that you’re here.”

Ely pointed beyond the flower tunnel back to the house. A large window outlined by sapphire-colored seashells was on the right. I spotted two Mixie women at the window, waving and smiling like I was a movie star.

“I thought it was you at first, but then I said, no way. It can’t be. The news reported this morning that Zulu was worth twenty million dollars . . .”

I swallowed.
What did he just say?

“. . . There’s no way Lanore Vesta would be here doing a walk-in for food. The lawyer announced that only his sister and you were in Zulu’s will. Do you know every reporter in Santeria is searching for you and the sister to get a comment?”

Twenty million?
Shock filled me. I hadn’t watched the news since last night.
Where the hell did Zulu get so much money?
I knew Zulu’s father had left him his whole estate, and his mother gave him money, but twenty million dollars was way more than I assumed he was worth. I remembered Dante stating that Zulu was worth a lot, but Dante was not exactly someone I trusted to give me the correct information.

“So the girls and I figure you’re here on a covert mission for MFE.” Ely scooted closer to me. “Something big against the Purebloods, right?”

I nodded like a preprogrammed robot. “Yes. Really big.”

My mind still reeled with the news of Zulu’s fortune.

“What can we do to help?” Ely asked.

My mouth dropped open for a second, but then I recovered myself. “Well . . . I need to know as much as possible about Judge Elijah Brass and his son Jacobi.”

“I can help you with that, and what information I don’t have you can get from the girls when they serve you your meal.”

“Okay.” My voice squeaked. Maybe being famous wasn’t so bad after all.

“I’m investigating Purebloods’ treatment of their workers,” I explained and stood up, shaking off any dirt on my jeans. “I would love to check out the house and get a feel for them. I promise I’m not going to steal anything.”

“Of course not. You’re a millionaire.” Ely held his hands out. “So this could be a big case?”

“Let’s hope.” I pushed away some of my guilt at lying about being here to help.
Maybe I can also assist these Mixies while I’m here.
I added it to my to-do list.

Ely’s face glowed with joy. “Finally, that old man may get what’s coming to him. He’s caused my family and most of the staff here enough heartache and suffering for one lifetime.”

I stared at him. “What do you mean?”

“In public and in front of the cameras, the judge is a nice guy.” Ely wiped sweat off of his X brand. “Around here, he’s an abusive, evil bastard.”

See, Cassie, I told you the father was abusive.
I couldn’t wait to tell Cassie the next time she came by. And then a tiny pang hit my heart.
I’ll never see her again.
I cleared my throat and shoved Cassie’s face out of my mind. “Did he ever beat his son?”

“That’s an understatement. Any time the judge had a bad day, he’d go after Jacobi. When my mom was alive, she would hide Jacobi in the maid’s quarters over there.”

I glanced over my shoulder at a tiny turquoise and white house. “That’s where you grew up?”

“Yep. And Jacobi would hide over there under my mom’s bed.”

“So you were kind of friends?” I asked.

Ely laughed and guided me through the floral tunnel and up the stairs to the back service entrance. “I wouldn’t say that. Jacobi would sit in the corner and jump if I came too close to him, like I had a disease. We’ve barely said more than a few words to each other in all these years.”

Ely and I approached the kitchen’s back door and walked through it. MeShack sat between two female cooks. The brunette fed him some grapes. Each time she grabbed one from the plate in front of him, he would ogle her cleavage. Leave it to MeShack to find the women in the house.

“You eat fruit now?” I asked MeShack as I stepped by him.

“I’m an open-minded cat. I love to try new things.” He winked at the brunette, and she beamed.

The other cook sat on MeShack’s right, twirling the ends of her midnight strands. She tossed her long black hair over her shoulder. “I’ve never met a Shifter who was so nice to Mixbreeds.”

“You probably spend too much time in Yemaya with these rich Purebloods. You need to slum it every now and then.” MeShack ate another grape as the brunette placed it near his lips.

It didn’t surprise me that MeShack’s shirt was off. Every time he spoke, his biceps flexed, which I’m sure was an innocent coincidence. I grinned and gazed at that massive chest, taking note of the rows of golden muscles wrapped around his waist. They looked bigger, if that was even possible. In fact, his arms bulged more.
Maybe because he was just moving furniture?
Licking my lips, I noticed the whole kitchen had become silent, and everybody was staring at me, including MeShack whose face now held a huge smile.
Fine.
You’re hot, MeShack. It’s not like I’m immune.

Ely cleared his throat. “So MFE’s investigating the Purebloods’ treatment of Mixbreeds?”

“Yes.” I switched my attention to Ely instead of MeShack’s chest. “So can I check around the house?”

“Sure,” the brunette said and returned to feeding MeShack. “We want to help MFE as much as possible.”

MeShack stood up and headed toward me. “Excuse me, ladies, but I should really help Lanore.”

“No. You should definitely stay here and eat your fruit.” I held my hand up, smirking at him. “I’m just going to do a quick walk around.”

“I’m coming anyway.” He flexed his pectoral muscles and chuckled.

“Go ahead, both of you. We’ll look out for the judge,” Ely said. “When you get back, we can tell you anything else you need to know.”

“Thank the goddess Yemaya.” The black-haired cook raised her hands. “I haven’t been paid in three months.”

“I get paid on time, but then I have to deal with his creepy hands. I swear that man was an octopus in his former life. His hands are always all over me.” The brunette pulled out a pack of cigarettes. “And when he’s not pleased with something . . .”

I waited for her to finish, but both the cooks and Ely remained silent.

“Basically, we’ll be happy to help.” The brunette got up, already lighting her cigarette as she walked out of the kitchen.

“Okay. It should be quick.” I turned the corner into a wooden hallway. MeShack trailed behind me.

This had been easier than I’d thought it would be. I took the wrinkled paper out of my pocket. I’d made a list of the things Vee said I should look for—cedar, cinnamon, rosemary, marjoram, eucalyptus leaves, and blood.

“Jacobi’s room is down this hall.” MeShack jumped in front of me. “Sharon already gave me a tour of the house.”

“Sharon, huh?” I muttered. “You actually remember her name? I’m impressed.”

“Well, I think it’s Sharon.” MeShack opened the door to Jacobi’s room and blocked me as I tried to enter.

“I enjoyed it when you were drooling over me in the kitchen.”

“I was actually daydreaming.” I ducked under his big arm and entered Jacobi’s room.

“Sure you were.”

“Fine. I think you’re sexy, and I love your body.” I checked out the bedroom. “You already knew that.”

Jacobi’s room was nothing spectacular, just milky-white walls and beige carpet. A single twin bed sat near a gray dresser. No personal pictures, knickknacks, or art were anywhere in the room. I would have assumed it was the guest room if MeShack hadn’t told me it was Jacobi’s.

MeShack smacked my behind.

“Stop it,” I hissed as he closed the door behind him. “I have a lot of crap to finish today. The sooner I find evidence, the better.”

“I have a good nose.” MeShack snatched the list from me and read it. “If I find this stuff in less than five minutes, you have to give me a date, just you and me.”