Fear Familiar Bundle (154 page)

James lifted his eyebrows. "Well, when Mimi is found, maybe we can do a story about the cat."

"What do you think has happened to the little girl?" Jennifer respected the fact that James was a lot more attuned to the city than she was. "Have there been other kidnappings lately?"

He shook his head. "Thank goodness, no. But to be honest, I'm worried about the child. I thought at first it was some childish prank, but the evidence you found makes me believe she was taken by force."

"And that's scary," Jennifer said.

The food arrived and they savored the spicy island flavor of jerk shrimp, black beans and yellow rice.

"I had another reason for asking you out tonight." James knew he had to handle the situation just right or Jennifer would think the worst of him. It was tricky business, especially with her hot temper.

Dread washed over her like a breeze from the water. "What?"

"There was a very brief article on the state wire today. It mentioned a 'feud' between Crush Bonbon and Eugene. I wanted to alert you. I think Crush is planting his own stories in the media, hoping for some national attention."

Jennifer lowered her fork to her plate. This was the one thing Maji Call dreaded most— and she, Jennifer Barkley, had never even considered the thought that Crush Bonbon would be smart enough to do it. She wanted to slap her forehead— what a dumbo she'd been not to think of such a thing. It was perfect for Crush— and completely in character. If he could start a real stink, he could promote himself and his sick talk show. It didn't matter that Eugene would suffer. In fact, based on Crush's past behavior, it would make him happy to see Eugene ruined.

"I'm sorry to be the one to tell you, but I thought you should know."

Jennifer saw the concern in his brown eyes and felt a little better. At least he wasn't gloating, or trying to use the story himself. "I should have been prepared for this," she said. Her appetite was completely gone. "It makes perfect sense for Crush. He's found an issue, one that's local but has international implications. I mean, what could be better than tarring and feathering a local writer of children's books, a man who might be involved in bad things happening to local children? It's like the violence on television dilemma. Has Eugene provoked something? Crush is all eager to scream yes and start the hangings."

"It's a tailor-made issue for Crush," James conceded. "I wish there was some way we could stop him."

Jennifer looked down at her plate. That one statement had caught her off guard yet again. James had somehow invested in Eugene's reputation. It was something she'd done automatically— because she loved the writer. James hardly knew him, yet he, too, wanted to protect Eugene.

He read her downward glance with ease. "I happen to think Eugene is one of the greatest writers of this century," he explained. "And Crush is one of the biggest butts. It isn't fair that Crush is going to benefit by harming someone like Eugene."

"My feelings exactly." Jennifer met his gaze. Something was happening between them, something serious. She could feel it in her heart and her mind, and though it frightened her, she would never turn her back on it. Eugene Legander
had
cast a spell on her where James was involved.

"I don't have a way to stop Crush, but I wanted you to know. At least you'll be prepared if the phone calls start coming in."

"Thanks." She sipped her drink. "Thanks a lot, James. You didn't have to do this."

"I sort of owed you." He grinned and his face was boyish again. "I made you lose your temper over at Eugene's, and I wanted you to see that I'm not as bad as you thought."

"I see that." And she saw a lot more. "Don't worry too much. I'll think of something. And the most important thing is to get Mimi home. That would blow out the flame of Crush's big campaign."

They both declined dessert, and fifteen minutes later they were outside the restaurant. James walked her to her car and opened the door.

Though she was tempted to stand and talk, Jennifer got behind the wheel, where she was safe from the temptation of another kiss. Even the thought of it fueled her anticipation and desire. "Thanks for dinner. And a million thanks for the tip." She looked up at him, surprised again by his handsomeness.

"My pleasure, on both counts." He leaned down and quickly kissed her cheek.

It was a brief kiss, but enough to send a sensation of tiny pulses over Jennifer's body.

"I have to cover a political rally in Fairhope tomorrow evening. Would you like to go? We could have dinner afterward, but then I'd have to go to the paper and write the story." He gave her an apologetic smile. "It seems I'm never really off work."

"It sounds wonderful— except for the politicians."

"Look at it as research into the human experience. I'll pick you up at six."

"And I'll see you at the reading." She waved out her open window as she drove away. She had a peculiar mingling of relief and disappointment as she left. The thought of another kiss in the moonlight had been too tempting. With a little encouragement from James, she would have stayed to sample one. But he hadn't encouraged her. Was he feeling as unsettled as she was by the emotions that had been stirred?

She let her mind wander as she drove across the beautiful causeway and was swallowed by Bankhead Tunnel. In a few moments she was deposited in downtown Mobile among the tall, new buildings heralding the downtown area's revitalization.

Mobile was a beautiful city, with a history as long and interesting as that of New Orleans. Spanish, French, British, Confederate and American flags had bannered the city at different times. Before that, Mobile had been a cultural center for many of the local Native American tribes. She'd dreaded her assignment to such a "podunk" little city. But she'd discovered a wealth of hospitality and generosity among the people here. Now she knew she'd never want to leave.

She drove by Eugene's house to make sure that all was settled. It was eleven, and a light was still burning in his front window. For a moment she was tempted to stop and check on him. She slowed the car beneath the willows, wondering if he was asleep. Before she could react, a small figure raced in front of her headlights.

Her foot jammed on the brakes, sending the car into a squealing slide as she swerved to avoid the dark-clad figure. Her seat belt saved her from smashing into the steering wheel, and after fighting for a few seconds, she was able to bring the car under control and stop it.

Legs shaking, she jumped out and turned to confront the person who'd almost ran out in front of the car. She heard footsteps running fast in the darkness, and then she saw a small figure darting beneath a streetlight. The child— and it was a child— dashed into some azaleas and disappeared into the night.

Still shaky from the near accident, Jennifer took a few moments to stop trembling. She'd almost killed someone. That it wouldn't have been her fault meant nothing. If the child had been a split second slower, he or she would have been crushed beneath the wheels.

But what had a child been doing in the shrubs beside Eugene's house?

The creepiest sensation moved swiftly down her spine. What had a child been doing out at eleven o'clock on a school night? At Eugene's? And why had he or she run away so desperately when Jennifer slowed her car?

It didn't bode well at all.

"'And Giles, his scaly skin crinkling around his neck, turned to cast vertical green eyes at his brother and flicked his forked tongue."' Eugene settled the manuscript pages on his knee.

"Is Giles going to take his brother into the lizard kingdom?" Tommy Franklin asked. Behind his glasses, his eyes were round with concern.

"What do you think?" Eugene was having fun. The children had spoken not a single word once he'd started his story. Now all fifteen of them were still engrossed in the world he'd woven of boys and girls turning into lizards.

"I think Giles should take his brother Jimmy," Tommy said seriously. "Jimmy is every bit as lazy as Giles. Their parents would probably be glad to see them go."

"I don't think so." Judy Luno shook her head emphatically. "Even when I'm bad, my mother wouldn't want me to turn into a lizard. And sometimes I'm
very, very
bad."

Jennifer stifled a grin. She had no doubt that the dark-haired Judy Luno could be more than a handful. The child had an opinion about everything, and she didn't hesitate to express it with tremendous intelligence. And vehemence.

"But Jimmy sort of wants to be a lizard. I mean, it's gross, but it's neat." Tommy Franklin looked around the group to see if anyone agreed with him.

"I would never want to be a lizard. Lizards are ugly, and I'm beautiful." Stephanie Rogers tossed her dark curls. "I'd hate it if my skin got all creaky and scaly and that red thing ballooned out in my throat."

"You'd never look like that." Chris Estis was smitten with the beautiful Stephanie.

"And lizards can't tap dance." Renee Paul demonstrated a few buffalo steps to prove her point.

"I think you'll have to wait until I finish the book to hear what happens to Giles and Jimmy." Eugene stood. Martha Whipple, the librarian, waved her hand to signal that refreshments for the children were ready. They ran toward her with shouts of laughter as she doled out the punch and cookies and chips and treats.

"It was a wonderful reading." James went up to shake Eugene's hand. "Delightful. I'm sorry I won't get to hear the end of the story." He spoke with sincerity, but his interest was on a big, heavy man standing at the far side of the gathering. Crush Bonbon had attended the reading, but so far he'd remained completely silent. James scanned the room and found Jennifer behind the counter pouring additional cups of punch. She'd kept a wary eye on Crush, and each time she'd looked at him James feared the glare might kill the radio talk show host. Jennifer had a hard eye when her temper was up.

"Don't worry, James. Jennifer won't poison him."

"I think poison is too impersonal. She'd rather choke him to death with her bare hands." James laughed along with Eugene, but both men knew it was true. If looks could kill, Crush Bonbon would be impaled on an ice pick of malice.

"Jennifer is far too defensive of me," Eugene admitted. He sipped the sweet punch, barely touching it to his lips. "I think Mrs. Whipple is trying to kill me with a diabetic attack."

James, too, had set aside his punch cup. It was like syrup, but the kids were swilling it down. "How long have you been doing story hour here?"

"For the past two or three years. Martha Whipple started it twenty-five years ago, though. I can remember bringing Eleanor and several other children up here to listen to her read the classic children's stories. She did a wonderful job."

"She seems to have a way with the children." James was watching them laugh and talk as Martha Whipple bent down to examine a cut or a bruise or to help with a difficult shoelace. "She's been staring at you all morning, Eugene. Is there romance sparking between you?" He owed the old gentleman a good turn, and Mrs. Whipple was an attractive woman with a bright and lively mind.

"Heavens, no." Eugene looked started. "Martha and I have been friends for years. She has no interest in me. Whatever gave you that idea?"

"The fact that the entire time you read, she watched every nuance, every smile, every little thing you did. And she obviously admires your stories." James knew he'd embarrassed Eugene— and good for that. If anyone could appreciate the eccentric life-style of a writer, it would be a librarian.

"Martha is my contemporary. If she's fond of anyone, it's that old reprobate, Allan Juniper, the historian. Now, he's been carrying a torch for her for fifty years." Eugene had recovered and was ready for battle. "I can see you're having difficulty controlling your own yen for Jennifer, but that doesn't mean you have to try and drag me down Lover's Lane behind you."

"Lover's Lane?" Crush Bonbon had moved up rapidly— and silently— for a man with his girth. "Who's sampling the delights of amour?"

"Crush, the mental picture of you mooning after a woman makes me too tired to think." Eugene backed away several steps. "I'm going for a walk and then home. I have some wonderful ideas to finish
The Lizard King,
and I need some exercise to work them out." He walked away without another word.

"Sorry to bust up your tea party, Tenet. Legander wasn't giving you the scoop on the next child he plans to kidnap, was he?"

"He said something about the Lindbergh baby." James glanced up to see Jennifer watching him with interest.

"Very funny," Crush said. He wasn't smiling. "You think you're better than me, don't you?"

"Journalistically, we're not even in the same profession." James normally wasn't so harsh, but Bonbon's personal attacks on Eugene were irresponsible, motivated by jealousy, and potentially damaging— without the first shred of proof. "I know cockroaches with more ethics than you, Bonbon."

Anger touched Crush's small, blue eyes. "You'll be singing a different tune when you have to admit that Eugene Legander is a dangerously deranged man. He
writes
about hurting children. My God, man, did you listen to the story today? A human boy is turned into a lizard because he doesn't mow the grass, or pick up his clothes, or help the old lady down the street. That's a little extreme, isn't it?"

Tenet gave Crush a long, cold look. "I know this is going to be difficult for you to grasp, but try.
The Lizard King
is a story. A made-up story. A fantasy, with magic and wicked princes and good elves. Those things aren't real, Crush. Maybe you should have your doctor check your medication dosage. You can't judge fantasy from reality any longer." He paused long enough to see that Jennifer was now within earshot, and she was grinning so wide it seemed her face would split.

"Yeah, there's magic going on here. Those people have done something to you. Cast a spell to make you forget you're supposed to be objective." Crush's face was red. "Man, you're over the edge. You must be getting some kind of attention from that publicist. She's good-looking, but is she worth your professional judgment?"