“No,” I muttered. “No, it didn’t move again.”
“Have you tried using Nanna’s book to remove the curse?” Kip didn’t talk much about the journal anymore, not since December, when he’d gotten himself in trouble for trying to work charms he didn’t know how to control. He’d made our life hell and had paid for it by being banned from helping me with anything magical for six months.
I didn’t want to tell him what I’d found out; it seemed too gruesome, even for my Ninja-video-game-playing son. “I suppose I can try.” Though I doubted if it would work, at least I’d be doing something. I took the dragon and my tea and went back to the kitchen, cautioning Kip to stay off the Internet and out of the kitchen unless I called for him.
I opened the journal to what seemed like the strongest charm Nanna had written down. Breaking Curses. Hmmm. Digging through my stash in the pantry, I hauled out the components that the journal called for. Salt and crystallized sulfur. Holy water, for which I substituted Florida water, a Voudoun concoction that worked just fine. Nanna’s pewter star pendant. A large piece of quartz crystal, and a silver ring with a polished cabochon of amethyst in it. I slid the ring on and draped the pendant around my neck, then cleared a space on the counter.
Sprinkling a circle of salt around the statue, I chanted, “Depart, all spirits evil and wayward energies. Flee this dragon, flee this house, and never return.” Channeling the energy that ran through my hands, I focused it around the statue. Flickering, the faintest of lights emanated from my fingers to engulf the dragon. I placed the amethyst next to the dragon’s right side and held the quartz crystal in my left hand, point aimed directly at the statue. I was about to complete the second part of the spell when a flash startled me as the page of Nanna’s journal that I was reading from burst into flames and flew into the air, showering me with ashes as the dragon slowly pivoted to stare at me.
“Holy crap!” Put the quartz back on the counter and step away from the statue, ma’am. I rubbed my hands to stop them from tingling with the backlash of energy. I checked the journal to make sure it was okay. There was no obvious damage, other than the crisped page. I turned back to the dragon. So, obviously basic hexes and charms weren’t going to work. “Damn you, don’t you mess with Nanna’s book again.” Exasperated, I snatched up the statue and stared at it. The dragon mutely eyeballed me back, a snarky look on its face. I shoved it into the broken étagère and headed upstairs to change into dark jeans and a black sweat-shirt. Time to play garbage man. Lucky me.
Chapter 13
AFTER MAKING SURE I had my flashlight, I paused at the phone. I knew I should call somebody to go with me, but all my logical cohorts were out of reach. Harlow was still in a wheelchair, and Murray wasn’t talking to me. I tinkered with the receiver, then picked it up and dialed the firehouse. The dispatcher on duty told me that Joe was out on an emergency call and wouldn’t be back for some time. I thanked her and left a message for him to get in touch with me as soon as possible. So that was it; I had to get over there before morning, and apparently I was going to do so alone.
I finally settled for leaving the kids a note. If they woke up and I wasn’t back, they were to call Officer Greg and tell him that “Mom went after the necklace and isn’t back yet.” If he wasn’t around, they were to call Murray. Chances were, they’d never know I’d been gone.
Locking the door, I slipped quietly into the shadows. Although the night was clear, the moon was a sliver, barely visible, and the only light came from the stars that formed a glittering canopy overhead. I turned right at my front gate, hightailing it around the block. I approached the alley from the far end, where I figured I’d be well out of Oliver’s sight.
I matched my breath to my steps, moving carefully to avoid stirring up any sleeping dogs or other such denizens of the night. Give me a ghost any day over an angry homeowner who might think I was a thief attempting to break into his house. A scurrying movement stopped me, and I froze, listening as some creature skittered through the tall grass that was growing alongside the dirt alleyway. Cat, skunk, or raccoon, whatever it was disappeared, and I was once more alone.
As I approached the back of Oliver’s house, I paused, hiding behind the gatepost. So far, so good. No lights in the kitchen, no lights upstairs. I didn’t have the faintest idea of what he’d do to me if he caught me. He was obviously short a few cards in the deck, and I didn’t particularly want to know which ones were missing. After a few minutes, when there was still no sign of anybody stirring in the house, I cautiously approached the garbage can. It had been righted, and the lid was back on.
Not so good. He’d noticed the mess. I lifted the lid to find the can empty, the mishmash of garbage gone. Had he seen me? Or had he come out to empty more trash and found things in disarray? If that had been the case, why hadn’t he just shoved the trash back in the can? Then again, with the necklace right on top of the pile, he might have gotten spooked.
I looked around. Tomorrow was garbage day. If I were looking to hide a bunch of smelly garbage until then, where would I put it? The house? No, he was a neat freak. Maybe the car? I turned off the flashlight and snuck up alongside Oliver’s car. With another glance at the window to make sure nobody was watching, I shone the light in the backseat. Nothing. Clean as a whistle, just like the house. Maybe the trunk? Feeling rather foolish, I bent over and sniffed the back end of the car. Nothing but the faint residue of exhaust.
Damn it! I leaned against the car, trying to think. If only I’d grabbed the necklace when I had the chance, but I’d been too startled. Maybe I could sneak into his house? Have a look around? Uh-uh… nix that idea. A confrontation with Oliver was the last thing I wanted, especially when I wasn’t sure just how dangerous or screwy he was. Nope, nothing left to do but go home.
About to retrace my footsteps, another thought struck me. What better place for garbage than a trash can? And there were trash cans lining the alley, since tomorrow was garbage day. I peeked in the one belonging to Ida’s next-door neighbor. Nope… the next was a bust, too, but on the third, I saw a familiar bulge. Oliver had managed to get all his garbage into a neighbor’s half-empty bin. Smart boy, very smart. But not as smart as me.
I burrowed through the bags, and though I couldn’t find the earrings, I did find half the necklace; the strand had broken, but I managed to confiscate the remaining crystals and clasp. I pocketed them and was about to take off for home when there was a movement behind me; a soft click warned me that I wasn’t alone.
“Put your hands up, nice and slow.” Oliver.
Oh shit! I took a deep breath and slowly raised my hands. “Don’t hurt me,” I said, wondering if he really had a weapon.
He answered my question by jabbing a gun barrel between my shoulders. “Be a good girl, and you’ll do fine. So, I see you’ve found what you were snooping for. Now you’re in on my little secret. I wonder what else you know?”
Not knowing what to say, I kept my mouth shut, waiting for his next move. I heard him fumble around for a moment, then he gave me a little push toward the gate leading into his yard. “Start walking. We’re going back to your place. If you do what I say and don’t scream or run or try any stupid tricks, I won’t hurt you.”
That’s what all the bad guys said in the movies, then they ended up blowing the brains out of their victims. “Can’t we just talk this over? I won’t tell anybody—”
He snorted. “Nope, you’ve got something I want, and I doubt that you’re carrying it in your pocket, though knowing you, I might be wrong. Move, and don’t try to get away, because I won’t hesitate to shoot. This gun is equipped with a silencer. Nobody would even know you were hurt until it was too late.”
I obeyed, slowly leading the way across his front lawn as he maneuvered us into the shadows. We crossed the empty street and, before I could clear my thoughts, we were standing on the front porch of my house. Could I make it inside, slam the door on him before he could follow? I considered the possibility
as I fumbled with my keys but decided it wasn’t worth the risk. As I unlocked the door, I turned to him and said, “Kip and Miranda are sleeping. I’ll do whatever you want, but if they get hurt, you’re mincemeat, gun or no gun.”
He just snarled and pushed me through the door, where he motioned me into the living room. “Sit down and be quiet.” He kept the gun trained on me while he backed over to the étagère. “Aha! There you are!” He reached through the missing glass to grab the dragon.
Comprehension flooded my brain. “The dragon? You’ve been after the dragon?”
“Hell yes, the minute you showed this to Ida and me, I knew what it must be worth. I can get a good price for it on the black market. If you hadn’t played hide-n-seek so well when you said you were taking it to the store, and then again when you went camping, I’d have it now, and you wouldn’t be in this mess.” He slid the figurine into his pocket. “The question is, what do I do with you?”
His eyes flashed, and in their reflection, I caught a glimpse of Norma Roberts, lying unconscious on her floor, and I knew Oliver was the one who’d hurt her. Startled, I almost slipped and said something but managed to stop myself before it was too late. If I kept my mouth shut, maybe he wouldn’t realize how much I knew. “Just leave; take the dragon and leave.”
“Well,” he said, perching on the arm of the sofa, “I can’t just run off and leave you to call the police. Maybe… if I had insurance that you’d keep your mouth shut…”
I broke out into a cold sweat. Something about the way he said “insurance” scared the hell out of me. “Really, just tie me up if you want, then leave. I promise I won’t call the cops, and I won’t tell Ida when she comes home.” Like hell I wouldn’t.
He cocked his head and gave me a cunning smile. Squirrel, yep, and a rabid one, at that. “I got a call this morning. Ida’s coming back next week, and somehow, I think it would be best if I was long gone. I would love to thank her for her hospitality and the nice assortment of trinkets I found in her house, but don’t think she’d appreciate my gratitude. Maybe you can thank her for me.”
I was about to say something when he pointed the gun at me. “Quiet. I need to think. Hmm,” he mused. “Let’s just get you trussed up and gagged for a start.” He looked around, then spotted Randa’s jump rope coiled in the corner where she had left it. “This will do—” The phone interrupted him, startling us both. “Who’s that?”
“I don’t know, but if I don’t answer, you can bet somebody will be over here. I’m never out late, and I always answer the phone, even when I’m in bed.” Maybe this was my chance.
He pointed the gun at me. “Okay, answer it, but not a single word that will make me inclined to pull this trigger. Understand?”
I nodded and picked up the phone, swallowing. Please, oh please, be Murray or Greg. Luck was with me for once. Greg’s deep voice boomed across the line. “Emerald, we thought you might want to know that Jimbo’s just posted bail. One of his buddies managed to come up with it.”
I forced myself to remain calm. “Thank you, I appreciate the warning. I’m scared Jimbo might come back, though.” I prayed that Greg would catch the hint and come over, but he seemed oblivious. Oliver, however, shifted, and I felt the gun graze the back of my neck.
“We’ve thought about that, too. I’m going to have Deacon swing by your house every couple of hours. You call us at the first sign of trouble. And about the necklace—I’ll look into it tomorrow morning. If I stop the garbage truck right after they pick up at his house, then I can go through the bags without a problem. So don’t you go getting yourself in trouble by going over there again, you hear?” Greg said a quick good night and hung up.
I listened to the ringing dial tone, kicking myself for not catching his attention. Oliver reached around from behind and took the receiver from my hand, gently replacing it on the phone cradle. “Good girl. Now get your butt over to the sofa, lie facedown, and put your hands behind you.”
Shaking, I obeyed. Oliver looped the rope around my feet, then yanked them back so my knees were bent. He hog-tied me, winding the cord around my hands, binding them so tightly to my feet that I wanted to scream. Then he twisted a scarf that I’d left on my desk into a long, taut rope and forced it between my lips, tying it at the back of my head. I started to choke, and he loosened the knots but left the gag in place.
“There we go. You won’t be going anywhere. Now, for some insurance…” With a snap of his fingers, he took off upstairs. Shit! He was going after Kip and Miranda! I rocked back and forth, terrified.
A few minutes later, Oliver returned, dragging the kids by their arms. Kip was the first to see me, and he broke away and raced over to my side. I couldn’t see everything that was happening, but I heard Kip yelp and then Oliver said, “Get over by the fireplace, you two. Do as I say, and I won’t hurt your mother.”
I tried to turn my head to get a better view, but my arms were so strapped by the bindings that I couldn’t twist around. A stabbing pain drove between my shoulder blades, and I forced myself to relax until the cramp passed. I wanted to tell the kids to do what he said, to keep him calm and not make him angry, but the scarf seemed to expand in my mouth, and it was all I could do to keep from choking.
Oliver ordered Randa to sit in the chair. Petrified, I held my breath, wondering what he was doing, but then he said, “Don’t get your panties in a wad, Emerald. I’m just tying her up so she won’t feel the need to play Wonder Woman.”
Randa spoke up quickly, her voice shaking. “Why are you doing this to us? What’s happening?”
“Tell your mother what I’m doing so she doesn’t kill herself trying to see that you’re okay,” Oliver said gruffly.
After a pause, Randa spoke again, sniffling, but sounding a little calmer. “I’m okay, Mom. He’s just tying me up in the rocking chair.”
She was frightened, but I could tell she was telling me the truth. With panic one step away, I knew I had to calm myself, to conserve my strength. I tried to breathe evenly and slowly through my nose. Inhale… exhale… slow and easy.
After another moment, Oliver knelt near me. He was clutching Kip’s wrist, and by straining to the side, I could just make out the petrified expression on my son’s face.
“Here’s the deal. Kip’s coming with me, and we’re taking your car, so don’t even think about calling the cops when you finally get free. I’m meeting up with my buddies, and we’ll drop the kid on the side of the road before we hit the border. He’ll be safe with me as long as you don’t call the police, but if I even think I smell a cop car, he’s history, dead in a ditch. Got it?”
“N-n-nooo… .” Kip stuttered.
Oliver cuffed him on the side of the head. Furious, I struggled against the ropes, but they immediately dug into my skin. Kip threw himself at me and begged me to stop. “M-m-om, your hands are turning white. S-s-top! You’ll hurt yourself.”
“Knock it off!” Oliver’s voice rang through the room. Kip sniffled and looked up at him. “If you behave, your mother and sister will be safe. If you don’t do what I tell you to, I’ll call some of my friends and have them come over and slit their throats. Do you understand me, boy?”
Pale, Kip nodded, his lip trembling. He looked down at me, and I gazed into his eyes, praying that he’d be safe, that he’d have some chance to escape. Oliver was dangerous. No way did I trust him to keep his word.
“Good,” he said, then pushed Kip toward me. “Kiss your mother and say good-bye. You behave, and you’ll be back home by tomorrow afternoon.”
Kip leaned down, he looked in my eyes and, with a single glance, we said so much. Dashing the tears from his eyes, he gave me a brave soldier smile and whispered, “I’ll be okay, Mom.” He kissed my cheek and turned back to Oliver. “I’m ready,” he said. And then, they were gone.
AS SOON AS they left, I started to struggle, but the ropes began to cut off my circulation, and I remembered that hog-tying somebody pretty much insured t
hat if they tried to escape, the ropes would automatically tighten. I slowed my breathing, trying to calm my thoughts. Could I somehow get off the sofa, knock the phone off the hook, and dial 911 with my nose? The scenario seemed within reason until I tried to shift around, only to discover just how ridiculous the stunts in those action movies are. Barring the miraculous discovery of a jagged metal edge nearby on which I could cut the ropes, I was trussed up like a pig on butchering day.
I did, however, manage to squirm around enough to see Randa. She caught my glance and held it, her eyes waging a war between fear and anger. Yep, she was my girl all right. Oliver had tied her arms to the arms of the rocking chair and gagged her, but her feet were free. I gauged her strength. Could she tip the rocking chair forward enough to land on her knees and crawl to the phone? Nope. The chair was solid oak, and while it wasn’t upholstered, it was a heavy son of a bitch. I hoped to hell she didn’t get the same idea because, knowing Randa, if she thought of it, she’d try it.
Samantha came padding into the room and stretched up against the side of the sofa to stare at me. I glared at her. Silly cat. Kip was right. We needed a dog. Lassie would be perfect. Emerald’s tied up on the sofa, you say? Come on girl, let’s go rescue her!
Out of ideas and rapidly losing hope, the tears were beginning to well up. Uh-oh. Not a good idea when I had a gag in my mouth that could choke me if I got too much phlegm in my throat. Not a good idea when my nose might get all stuffed up, and I couldn’t breathe through my mouth. Focus on something else, I thought. Focus on… on… my eyes caught sight of the corner of the étagère. The dragon! Oh shit. Oliver had stolen the dragon, and even if I was able to get free and save my son, we’d still be doomed. If Oliver got away with that figurine, I’d have no chance of breaking the spell.
How had I been so stupid? Going after that necklace without somebody there to back me up was insane. I’d been so preoccupied that by the time I’d sensed Oliver behind me, it had been too late. On the verge of panic, with no other hope, I decided to try contacting Nanna. If I could transcend the pain from the ropes, maybe I could slide out on the astral and call for help.