Allure (The Hoodoo Apprentice #2) (Entangled Teen) (4 page)

His head snaps in our direction.

Cooper, Jack, and I freeze, holding our breath.

For one long minute Beau searches the yard with his gaze, looking for the source of the sound. My lungs burn for fresh air and my muscles ache from being locked in place.

Finally, Beau turns away, apparently satisfied that he and Missy are alone. Releasing her jaw, he strokes the side of her sleek hair with his puffy hand. “Where is the ruby?”

“I’m not sure.” Her voice is small.

“What?” he growls.

She whimpers. “I know I wore it to the hurricane party. And I remember talking to Bunny Perkins about the burglaries on the island. We’ve got so many valuables here, I was worried we’d be robbed next. I’m sure I put it somewhere to keep it safe. I just can’t remember where.” Her eyes sink like a puppy who knows she’s eaten her master’s slippers.

Beau grips his cane so tight, I’m sure it’ll snap in two. “How is that possible?”

“I had a lot of tequila.”

Actually, I’m certain it was the dirt dauber powder, made from ground-up wasp nests. Adding it to the mustard seed and pepper mixture gave the
Mind Confusion
charm an extra-strong kick. And with any luck, long-lasting power because there’s no telling what Beau will do if Missy suddenly remembers handing the necklace to us.

Stumbling backward, Beau shakes his fist. “You imbecile! Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”

She rushes to him and pats his colossal chest. “Baby, it’ll be okay. I didn’t leave the Big House that night so it’s got to be here somewhere. It’ll turn up. I’m sure of it.”

His brow furrows. “You might not have left, but how do you know one of your low-life, gold-digging friends didn’t take it?”

“That’s ridiculous,” she snaps. “None of my friends would steal my necklace.”

“
My
necklace.” He glares with disdain.

She cowers. “Of course. But if it was stolen—which I’m not saying it was—but if it was, doesn’t it make sense that the burglars would take it? Our house is full of valuables.”

Beau mashes his thin, blue lips. “We’ll know soon enough. I’ve convinced the rest of the King Center board to hire a real investigator to look into the break in. No one steals from my museum and gets away with it. And if these punks looted my home, too, I’ll hunt them down and make them pay.” He turns and hobbles a few steps toward the veranda. Pausing, he calls over his shoulder. “In the meantime, don’t even think of running back to your momma’s double-wide. You’re staying put so I can keep an eye on you, just in case you’re lying to me.” Grunting, he plows across the veranda and back into the house.

Missy’s legs give out beneath her. Slumping into a lounge chair, she drops her head in her hands and weeps.

Chapter Four

I
stare at the dry cereal in my bowl, debating whether to pour some milk and try to eat. After last night, my stomach has been twisted in knots, burning and queasy. I don’t know how I didn’t puke right there behind the palmetto bush after Beau stormed off, or later during my sleepless night as I peered up at the ceiling, but now there’s enough bile in my gut to bore a hole clean through to the outside. If I do manage to swallow these sugar-coated corn flakes, they’ll either incinerate on contact, or launch straight back up my throat.

My twin brother breezes into the kitchen and heads to the cabinet for a bowl and spoon, then plops down at the table. “What’s the matter?” Jack grabs the cereal box next to me. Judging by his perkiness and the brightness in his voice, he wasn’t up all night worrying that Beau will discover we destroyed the ruby neck
lace
and
stole from the museum.

“Good morning to you, too. Nice to know I’m the only one freaking out about our future.”

“Listen, Em, what’s done is done. We can’t stress about it.” He shakes out an extra-large helping for himself.

I drop my spoon. “How can you say that? If Beau finds out, we’re dead.”

“Maybe, but there’s no guarantee he will. Missy seems pretty clueless.”

“That’s only because it was an extra-strong
Mind Confusio
n
spell. I have no idea how long it’ll last. It could wear off anytime. Or never.”

Jack scoffs, pours some milk, and digs in. “Well, it’s not as if she was the sharpest needle to begin with. Maybe the extra dose was enough to scramble that pea brain of hers forever.”

He’s got a point. But that doesn’t diminish the danger we’ll face if she does regain her memory. “But what if—”

“What if nothing.” He crunches with his mouth open, further depleting my appetite. “Listen, I know you don’t like it when I say you’re emo, but let’s face it, you do have a tendency to get worked up about stuff.”

My cheeks heat as I prepare to blast him. I so don’t need his brotherly crap this morning.

He clasps my wrist, revealing his stumpy middle finger, the sole remnant of his battle with The Creep. We both stare at it, a potent reminder of what we went through together. “Hey, it’s cool, I get it. And I’m grateful, too. You’re emotional because you care about stuff. And you know, people like me and Coop. If you didn’t, I’d be a walking skeleton right now. Or worse.” For once, his cool blue eyes are sincere. He offers me a sheepish smile, totally designed to diffuse my anger.

Fine, but that doesn’t mean I’m okay with the emo crack. Still, my shoulders relax. “So what’s your point?”

“We knew this was coming, Em. Missy isn’t like Beau’s other wives who kept the necklace locked in a safe. He was bound to notice it wasn’t hanging around her neck.” He releases my wrist and goes back to chomping his breakfast.

“Yeah, but I was hoping for a little extra time so we could get past Cooper’s birthday. Or maybe after the summer when we were all off the island and back at school.”

He laughs. “Nice fantasy but totally unrealistic.” He rubs the faint stubble on his chin. “Maybe it’s good that Beau thinks the museum burglars took it. It’ll throw him off our trail. At least for a little while.”

I arch an eyebrow. “Um, do I have to remind you that
we’re
the burglars?”

“Technically, you and Cooper are. I’m just the getaway driver.” He grins.

“You’re guilty by association.”

“That’s up to a jury to decide. And thanks to Miss Delia’s
Semi-Invisibility
Charm, it’s not going to come to that.” Tipping the bowl to his mouth, he gulps the last of his milk and then scrapes the last remaining flakes with his spoon.

“I hope so. From what Beau said last night, he’s taking things personally. Which is kind of weird since he’s only a donor. I mean, why would he care if the museum lost the mortar and pirate’s dagger? It’s not like they’re valuable to anyone besides us.”

Belching, Jack shrugs. “You know Beau. His family’s been here so long he thinks he owns everything. Even a museum about the Gullah. But it doesn’t matter what he thinks if he doesn’t have any evidence. Pinning the necklace on the burglars is better than him finding out what really happened.” Shoving his hand in his pocket, he pulls out his third of the broken ruby and rolls it onto the kitchen table. Even though its cuts are jagged and uneven, the stone fragment is dazzling in the morning sunlight.

My thigh heats, just like last night, except now it’s way hotter. Reaching into my pocket, I pull out my own ruby, which strangely feels icy cold to the touch. Once again, I’m totally confused by what my spirit guide is trying to tell me. How the heck am I supposed to interpret hot skin and a cold rock? I’ve already messed up once. With Cooper’s birthday just over three weeks away, I don’t have time to screw up again or he’ll lose his soul.

My fingers freeze and I drop the stone. It bounces, then rolls across the table as if drawn toward Jack’s piece, stopping only when the two pieces click against each other. Like two jigsaw pieces, the fragments are perfectly aligned along the fault line where they split, though the crack is still super obvious.

Jack taps his piece to nudge them apart, but the two fragments remain stuck together. “What the—”

Déjà vu kicks in as I reach over and tug on my piece. It doesn’t budge. Pulling a bit harder, I manage to break apart the bond between the two pieces. I think I understand what’s happening. It’s got nothing to do with the
Protective Shield
. “Cool. It’s like a lodestone.”

“A what?” Jack asks.

“Lodestone. They’re like natural magnets. Miss Delia has a ton of them. She uses them in all kinds of spells. I think they’re some kind of iron ore or something.”

“But how can a ruby have the same properties as a magnet?”

“I’m not sure but I’m guessing the magic in the ancestors’ mortar seeped into the stone when it exploded. There’s no telling what kind of power it picked up.” And after everything we’ve seen this summer, I’m not about to question it.

The front door creaks opens. Jack and I scoop up our rubies and slip them into our pockets. Dad’s work boots clunk onto the plastic tray by the door and his footsteps pound through the living room.

Moments later, Dad enters the kitchen in his socks. A neat freak, I think he’d rather have a coronary than wear shoes in the house. His face is chiseled with wrinkles and his temples look grayer than normal. I bet he’s been working since dawn.

His eyes brighten when he sees us. “Hey, kids. I’m surprised you’re still around. Figured you’d be out causing trouble with Cooper by now.”

Jack rubs his eyes. “Late night. We’ll probably head out soon. Unless…you need me to stay around and help you some more.” He looks apprehensive, as if he’s only asking to be nice.

Dad laughs, but it’s tinged with weariness. He lifts the coffeepot from the machine on the counter and pours a fresh mug. “Nah. I appreciated your help with the storm cleanup, but now that we’ve repaired the last of the broken shutters, I’ve just got to run to the hardware store for some paint. I might even get to take the afternoon off.”

Jack smiles. “Awesome. ’Cause I didn’t want to deal with any more fallen trees.”

Dad smirks. “I know. It must be tiring watching me chop all that wood.” He takes a swig of coffee. “I’m hungry. You want some pancakes? You haven’t touched that cereal of yours, Emma. And I know you can always eat again, Jack.”

“Heck yeah.” Jack rubs his unfairly flat midsection.

Although my talk with Jack didn’t fix our problems, it has calmed my stomach, at least a little bit. Plus Dad’s homemade pancakes are about the best in the world. “Yeah, that would be great.” I dump the untouched cereal back in the box.

Dad opens the cupboard and pulls a bag of flour, some sugar, and a box of baking powder from the shelf.

The phone rings. Jack jumps to answer, knowing better than to ignore it. No one ever calls on that line except Beau or Missy, and it’s usually to demand something ridiculous. Personally, I don’t get why my father takes their crap, but it’s his job, one he takes very seriously, so we don’t give him too much trouble about it.

“Hello?” Jack’s eyes stretch wide. “Hang on, this isn’t Jed. Let me get my dad.” Covering the mouthpiece, Jack shakes his head. “She’s totally freaking out. Like more than normal. Says it’s an emergency.” He hands over the receiver.

No matter what it is, whether it’s hanging a drape or changing a lightbulb, in Missy’s world, it’s always an emergency
. Though considering the argument we witnessed between her and Beau last night, maybe there’s a reason for it.

Dad takes a deep breath before he lifts the phone to his ear. “Yes, Missy, what can I do for you?” I can’t make out her specific words, but from the muffled sounds I can hear, I’m fairly sure she’s crying. Dad’s brow creases. “Slow down. I don’t understand. What’s going on? Is it Beau?” He exhales. “All right. Is it the plumbing? Do you smell gas? Then what’s the problem?” Moments pass before he pinches the bridge of his nose and asks, “What do you mean broken?” More indiscriminate whelps emerge. He sighs. “Okay. I’ve got to run to the hardware store first. I promised Beau I’d finish the shutters today.” Her shrieks pierce through the speaker, causing Dad to yank the phone from his ear.

“It can’t wait.” Missy’s voice screams from the earpiece, nearly as loud as if she was standing right next to us. “Now get over here and do your job. Unless you want to lose it!” She wails then breaks into uncontrollable sobs.

“Okay. Don’t cry. I’ll be right there.” He cuts off the call then stands frozen as if he doesn’t know what to do next.

“What the heck was that about?” Jack brows are quirked.

Dad yanks himself out of his daze and turns to us, a blank look on his face. “I’m going to need to a rain check on that breakfast.”

…

Cooper, Jack, and I exit the hardware store, our arms laden with supplies for my dad. My stomach grumbles. Again.

“Excuse me.” I shift my bags to rub my still-empty and grouchy stomach. After Dad’s freaky call from Missy, I forgot all about breakfast. Instead, Jack and I waited for Cooper to pick us up and then drive into Beaufort to get the paint and other stuff Dad called about after he got to the Big House. I’m not sure why he needs drywall tape and joint compound but there’s never any rhyme or reason to Missy’s demands, so it’s not worth contemplating. It might even be related to the Great Burglar Menace, which means there’s no worry at all.

Jack’s head snaps toward me when my stomach growls again. “Come on, Em. That’s the fourth time in an hour. Can we please get you something to eat? You’re making me hungry. Let’s load this stuff in the car and get a burger or something.” He points across the street to Daisy’s Diner, one of our favorite spots.

Now that he’s mentioned food, the pit in my belly seems to have grown deeper. But we didn’t come out for lunch and, unlike Jack, I can hold out if I have to. “What about Dad?”

“We won’t be long. Heck, we can even take it to go. But if I have to listen to your stomach again, I might go crazy,” Jack says.

“Look, it’s Taneea,” Cooper says.

“Where?” I twist my head to see where he’s pointing.

“Ta
who
?” Jack asks, craning his neck. “Oh.
Dang
.” His eyes look as if they’re about to pop from their sockets.

There she is on the sidewalk, in giant black sunglasses, texting on her iPhone. She’s wearing yet another statement piece, a curve-hugging, black mini-tank dress and bright pink platform espadrilles that perfectly match her fuchsia streaks. The diamond stud above her lip glints in the sun.

Where’s Miss Delia?
I scan both sides of the street to see if she’s parked her great-grandmother on the sidewalk. But the only things I see are a pair of wrens hopping around the base of a small turkey oak foraging for insects. Out of nowhere, a big, fat crow dives out of the sky, aiming for the tawny little birds, scaring them into flight. The crow squawks in triumph as it flies away, its raspy call so loud it resonates all the way down the block.

“Who is she?” Jack leans over me to get a good look. “And how do you two know her when I don’t?”

“We met yesterday,” Cooper says. “She’s Miss Delia’s great-granddaughter. From Chicago.”

“What’s she doing here?” Jack asks.

“Apparently hard time,” I mumble under my breath because I know it’s not exactly charitable to be so mean. But given the move she tried to make on Cooper yesterday, she totally deserves it.

“Officially she’s here to help Miss Delia for the summer,” Cooper says, ever the optimist and proponent of the bright side.

“Unofficially it’s because her mom kicked her out,” I add.

Jack’s eyes brighten with understanding. “That explains a lot.” His eyes travel the lengthy distance between her eyebrow ring and hot pink toenails.

Just then, a big, old-looking black car with dark tinted windows pulls up to the curb. Taneea smiles and tosses her cell into her oversize black leather bag. Flipping her shaggy bangs, she prances around to the passenger side, opens the door, and disappears inside. The engine revs then speeds down the street.

Cooper scratches his temple. “After all she said yesterday, I didn’t think she knew anyone down here.”

“I guess she made a friend,” I say. Based on that getup of hers, it probably wasn’t hard.

Jack laughs as he shoves the supplies in the trunk. “Wow, I bet she’s a ton of fun.”

I watch as the car disappears from sight. “Or a bucket of crazy. Doesn’t she know not to climb into a car with a stranger?”

“Maybe she’s lonely,” Cooper says. “What do you think, Jack? She’s available. You’re available. Maybe you two should hang out. You’re a little weird, but you’re safer than a random dude with tinted windows.”

Jack’s smile slips. “No thanks.”

“Hey, I didn’t mean—”

“No, it’s not that. Ever since Maggie, you know, left, I’ve sworn off chicks.”

Maggie didn’t leave so much as disappear. Literally. Because she was a ghost, killed nearly three hundred years ago by Bloody Bill and his pirates. And until we broke The Creep, she was his girlfriend.