Hacienda Moon (The Path Seekers) (26 page)

26

Later that evening, Eric and Tandie reluctantly emerged from their safe haven, headed outside, and stood on the front porch. Rose Chelby’s voice flooded Tandie’s mind as she glanced around the front lawn for evidence of the shadow people. Her somber thoughts disappeared at once as Eric pulled her into his arms. She would put all that she had toward finding a way to free his family of the Broken Heart Curse and to help Saul find Alice and Eliza’s bones. One family’s release meant freedom for the other one.

“It’s time to put Bolivia out of its misery. The Chelby spirits deserve to rest, as well as our own,” Tandie said, leaning her forehead against Eric’s chest.

“I called Norma earlier today. I hope you don’t mind, but I told her what you said about the trinity,” Eric admitted.

“Norma has to be the strangest librarian ever. In my experiences, weird and odd equals super resourceful. Good call,” she said.

Moving his hand down her sides, Eric found hers and laced their fingers together. Lifting her chin, he kissed her. “I love that I can do that freely now,” he said with their lips still pressed together.

“So do I,” Tandie said, kissing him again. His tongue laced with hers, filling her body with warmth and tingles.
God, this guy is addictive.

Eric’s breathing increased and his skilled hands moved over her body. The sudden surge in hormones sent Tandie whirling both mentally and physically.

Something vibrated in his pocket. He pulled away, his face flushed, his breathing ragged, as he removed his cell phone from his pocket. Frowning, he answered it, and glanced at Tandie with a hungry dark look that made her want to smash the phone for interrupting them.

“What’s wrong?” Tandie asked, her damned anxiety sneaking back in.

“It’s the hospital calling. Hold on.” He held up his index finger. “Detective Newman, my favorite person. How is your day going so far? I hear you enjoy harassing--” He stopped mid-sentence and glanced at Tandie, a different kind of darkness clouded his handsome face. “I’ll be right there.”

Sighing, he closed his eyes, placed both hands on the back of his neck, and lifted his head toward the sky.

Damn. He even makes stress look sexy.

“What happened?” Tandie asked, dread creeping along her spine.

It took a few moments for him to answer. “Abby’s in the hospital. Leroy thinks she was attacked by the same person who killed Virgil.”

“You mean the Cropseys?” Tandie asked.

Eric closed his eyes and sighed. “No, Tandie. I mean, whatever psycho murdered Virgil.”

“How can you stand there and act like none of the things we said last night matter today?” Tandie demanded, her insides clenching up.

As if he read her thoughts, his face softened even though his body was still tense. He pulled her into his arms and buried his face in her hair. “I still remember everything. We complement each other in a sense. My stoic hard assness, to your ghostly visions.” He pulled back and glanced deep into her eyes. “It’s kind of like good and evil. For one to exist, the other has to hang out somewhere in the equation too.”

“Why, Mr. Fontalvo, I do believe my poetic nature is rubbing off on you,” Tandie said. Staring in his eyes, she felt a pull in her stomach and the ache between her thighs that brought them together as a couple. “I can go to the hospital with you.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. If there are possessed people connected with the Cropseys, they seem to be most interested in me. You said that Rose Chelby placed a protection spell over this house, right?”

Tandie nodded. Eric was trying to show her how much he wanted to believe in her. Was he starting to believe she was his reincarnated soul mate? She never discussed the extent of his relationship with Abby before. But obviously something happened between them. Or maybe he still had those feelings for her. Maybe that’s why he insisted she stays at Chelby Rose while he took care of something that affected both of them. A brief flash of anger passed through her. Did all of her relationships have to be so difficult?

“Do I just sit here and twiddle my thumbs? You should know that’s not my style, Eric.”

Sighing, he moved his lips into a thin line. “You’re not sitting or pining. I’m keeping you safe. Promise me you won’t go looking for Eliza Chelby’s grave until I get back?”

No way do you get both the cake and the girl, Eric Fontalvo.
Tandie nodded and crossed her fingers behind her back.

“All right. I’m holding you to it.” He looked deep in her eyes.

“And what about you? I think we should avoid splitting up tonight.” Tandie’s heart sank. She hated feeling the way she did about Abby; but deep wounds take longer to heal than the smaller ones.

“I can take care of me. Now stop worrying.” Eric brushed his lips across hers. “Go back inside. I’ll call you from the hospital.” Eric turned, hopped in his Jeep, and disappeared around the bend in the driveway.

Standing on the porch under the darkening evening sky, Tandie struggled to control her anxious mind. A shuffling sound came from the woods to the left side of the house. A light flashed in area near the old swamplands, the same place Saul emerged from a couple of nights ago. This time it was Eliza Chelby’s ghost who appeared outside the trees. She waved her arm for Tandie to follow.

* * *

“She’s lucky to be alive. The doctors said the wounds on her neck were close to her main artery,” Detective Leroy Newman said.

Standing outside the window to Abby’s room, Eric massaged his temple as he watched his best friend’s sister fight for her life. Tubes extended from all over her body. Her face was bruised, and a large gauzy bandage covered her neck. It reminded him of the kind used to treat whiplash victims. Her right leg lay above the covers, and the cast on it was extended in the air. Vibrant Abby had been reduced to something he didn’t even recognize. What tore at Eric the most was that he suspected the attack was somehow related to him and that God forsaken curse.

“It’s interesting that the people you know keep winding up dead or injured, Fontalvo,” Leroy’s voice said beside him.

“Yeah, well I’m cursed. And if you’re not careful, I just might toss some of it at you next,” he said meeting the detective’s critical gaze.

“Is that a threat?” Smiling, the detective reached into his pocket and popped another stick of Double mint gum in to his mouth. “I think I’m tired of getting threats from all of you people. That freak master, Saul Chelby, threatened me when I questioned that psychic a couple nights ago. Now you’re doing the same thing. It almost makes me want to believe your girl is a witch.”

Eric stiffened, and the slippery detective caught it right away. “Whoops. Did I say something shocking?” He gave Eric a hard stare. “The way I figure things, is that you didn’t do this. Nah, your balls never grew that big. But either Chelby or our little psychic celebrity knows who did. That is, if one of them didn’t do it themselves. No, I got it. Maybe they’re working together. What do you think?”

Eric narrowed his eyes and clenched his fists. “That’s enough.”

Yeah, Detective Newman’s news took him by surprise. Tandie never mentioned how she got inside the locked attic. Or why she believed Saul wanted her to find the bones of his ancestors. But hearing the news from the sarcastic know-it-all detective made his stomach boil. “What’s your point? Why are you even here, Leroy?”

He moved closer to Eric, closing the distance to less than a foot. “That little lady lying in there all busted up. She’s the reason I’m here. Our killer slipped up. They left her for dead in the woods by the old swamplands. She found her way back to the road. When I got here, she managed to tell me one last thing before she passed out. She said: ‘Tell Miss Harrison I know she didn’t mean to do it’.”

Every drop of blood drained from Eric’s face.

“Tomorrow I’m hauling her ass in. And there isn’t a damn thing you or Saul Chelby’s lawyers can do to stop it,” Leroy said and stalked away, shoving through the doors at the end of the ward. Eric turned back to stare at Abby, his mind whirling, his heart screaming that he’d been a fool to trust it again.

Deep in thoughts of how he’d been such an ass the last time they spoke, he almost didn’t feel the fingers on his left shoulder. He spun around and found Shania McKinnon’s face staring back at him. Her eyes were puffy and red, and she looked as if she’d lost a few pounds since he last saw her.

“I heard what the detective said. I’m sure he’s wrong about Tandie,” she whispered, embracing him. This time, he welcomed the attention. Things had turned on him, and now he wasn’t sure where to begin…or who to believe. Pulling apart, he glanced at Virgil’s widow.

“I’ve been here ever since they brought Abby in. The doctors aren’t sure if she’ll make it through. I could lose the last connection I ever had with Virgil if...” She broke down and started sobbing. Eric let her cry on his shoulder this time.

She glanced up at him after composing herself. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to attack you again. A little Abby humor.”

“She’s tough, Shania. Stronger than any of us,” Eric said truthfully.

“But I’m not. I could really use a break from all of the hospital odors,” Shania said, attempting a weak smile. “Wanna go grab a beer, or something?”

“Sure, why not. I need a few minutes with Abby first, though.”

“I’ll meet you in the lobby by the parking garage.” She smiled again and walked away. The way she moved made her seem like a ghost walking in a formerly vibrant woman’s body.

Turning, he walked through the door of Abby’s room and went over to her bed. Her makeup-free face wore a peaceful expression. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen her so calm. Maybe back when they were in elementary school. Sometime before adulthood entered the picture. Sometime before her brother sold her to the highest bidder so he could finance a nightclub.

He moved a long strand of auburn hair away from her face, leaned over, and kissed her forehead. Bending down to her ear he said: “I will find whoever did this to you. I swear on my life, I will.” Standing tall, he turned and left Abby’s room, resolving to keep his promise.

The lobby beside the elevator was empty. No Shania. No anyone. Figuring she must’ve needed fresh air, Eric trudged out to the parking lot, stopping just before he reached his Jeep. Shania’s small gold purse lay on the ground, the contents scattered. A handwritten note was attached to the side of it. Eric pulled the yellow paper off and read it, his heart racing

If you ever want to see your dead friend’s wife alive and in one piece again, then you’ll be at the Old Catsburg Store across from Sunset Beach by midnight. Bring the psychic, the librarian, and Saul Chelby.

No police.