Natural Born Witch: Witches of Palmetto Point Book 8 Page 19

  "I had no idea," Charlie said.

  "You’ll learn all about it eventually. Although, I’m not sure it’s still part of the training curriculum for new hires."

  "I'm not sure I follow. Why would I learn it?" Charlie held her hand up and gestured to her surroundings. “Why would I ever leave here?"

  "Because this isn't where you belong. Not yet, Miss Charlie," Gerald said. "Can't you feel that humming?"

  Charlie dug her toes into the sand. "Every once in a while, there's this dissonant note that plays. It makes me want to put my hands over my ears."

  "It's just a quiet drone but it’s enough to drive a person crazy if they had to listen to it long enough," Gerald said. “This isn’t my afterlife, and I hear it good in here.”

  "Yes, I hear it, too. But I just haven't been sure about what it means."

  "Now, I'm no expert. I just got here myself. But seems like you're out of harmony with this environment. I think that’s why I’m hearing it here. I don't think that's the way it should be."

  "No, I suppose it's not," Charlie said softly. "Gerald, what was the message?"

  "Oh right. Sorry. The book is in the vault."

  "The book is in the vault. What vault?" Charlie asked.

  "I have a vault in the floor of my boat house. A place where I store some of my private papers.”

  Charlie nodded, listening carefully.

  “I stuck it in there. It’s out of the way, and the vault is climate controlled to protect whatever’s in there.”

  "Okay." Charlie shrugged. “I still don’t understand how I’m going to find it from here.”

  “You’re going back.”

  “But—”

  “Repeat after me, Miss Charlie. It’s in the vault in Gerald’s boathouse.”

  “Gerald. Really. This is ridic—”

  “Just humor me. If you don’t go back, then there’s no harm in at least committing it to memory for now.”

  Charlie crossed her arms. “Fine.”

  "Good. Now repeat after me. It's in the vault in Gerald’s boathouse."

  "It's in the vault in Gerald’s boathouse," Charlie repeated.

  "Very good. Now you just keep saying that over and over again. And Miss Charlie, don’t forget, you still have a son to raise who needs some instruction on how to handle those natural abilities of his." Gerald tapped the side of his nose and cocked his head as if listening to something. "It's time for me to move on to my afterlife."

  "Okay," Charlie said and smiled. "It's in the vault in Gerald’s boathouse.”

  Gerald gave her a quick nod and began to turn away. Then he paused and looked back. "It's been lovely knowing you, Miss Charlie. Now, it's time for you to get back in your body. You’ve got a lot of work to do."

  "I wish it was that simple," Charlie said.

  "It is," Gerald said. "You just have to follow that note out."

  “How do I do that?” Charlie asked.

  “Just close your eyes,” Gerald said. “It will take you where you need to go.”

  “Right, but how do you know?” Charlie asked, taking a step toward him. The waves lapped gently against the shore in a soothing rhythm, but for the first time since arriving, Charlie felt anything but soothed.

  “I just know is all. When it’s your time to be here, you’ll know, too. You take care, Miss Charlie, and close your eyes!”

  Gerald gave her a short wave, turned, and took a few steps before he faded away.

  “It’s in the vault in Gerald’s boathouse,” Charlie muttered. She turned her back on the ocean and closed her eyes.

  Charlie’s eyes flew open, and she sat up straight in bed. Sensors around her began to beep wildly, and something metal clattered to the floor.

  "It's in the vault in Gerald’s boathouse," Charlie shouted. Tomeka jumped up from her seat next to Charlie's bed.

  “You’re okay, Charlie,” Tomeka said. “You need to lie back down.”

  Charlie grabbed onto Tomeka’s hand and yanked her down close. “You have to find it. It’s in the lost and found vault.”

  “It’s okay,” Tomeka said. “You’re going to be okay.”

  “You’re not listening to me.” Charlie’s teeth chattered from the cold filling every space in her body. “Tell Ben. The book is in the vault in Gerald’s boat house.”

  A nurse rushed in and looked at the monitors before she pulled a syringe out of her pocket and plunged the needle into the input port on the IV bag.

  Charlie’s teeth slowly stopped chattering, and she fell back onto her bed. The cold penetrated her whole being.

  “Tell them to check the vault,” she whispered. She fought the panic threatening to wrap its hands around her throat, threatening to cut off her air. Her arm and shoulder ached so badly, but all she could think of was finding the vault and the book inside.

  “Darius, go get Ben,” Tomeka commanded. “But before you go, calm her down first.”

  “Sure thing,” Darius said. He placed his hand on Charlie’s forearm. “Breathe in for me, Charlie. Take a deep breath.” His chest puffed out, and Charlie mimicked him. Her lungs expanded, and the panic receded some.

  “Good job. You keep breathing. I’m going to go get Ben.”

  Charlie’s nostrils flared out, and she pulled in as much air as she could.

  A few moments later, Ben appeared with a doctor in tow. Charlie tried to get off her bed.

  “Ben, we have to go to Gerald’s boathouse.”

  “Whoa, whoa, whoa.” The doctor rushed to the bedside and held Charlie in place. “Not yet, Ms. Payne. Not yet.”

  “Ben,” Charlie said, desperation dancing on her nerves. “Ben, please.”

  “Charlie, please get back in bed,” Ben said. Charlie reached for his hand and he took it.

  “The book is in the vault in Gerald’s boathouse.” Charlie pulled on his arm, trying to draw him closer. She’d never felt so desperate before. Why wasn’t he getting it?

  “How do you know that?”

  “I…” She blinked, trying call up the specific memory, but it was all hazy. She remembered Gerald’s face. His kind smile.

  “I don’t know. I can’t remember exactly. I just know the book is in the vault in Gerald’s boathouse. Please. Please believe me.”

  “I believe you,” Ben said. He squeezed her hand. “You rest now, okay? We’re going to check it out.”

  “Promise?” Charlie asked.

  “Promise,” Ben said.

  Charlie let out a strained breath and let her head rest on the pillow again. “Good.”

  Her eyelids closed slowly. All she wanted to do now was sleep.

  Chapter 26

  Jason, Lisa, and Sabine stalked across the dark backyard to the small boathouse overlooking Gerald’s little corner of the lake. The light from their flashlights bounced on the ground ahead of them, leading the way.

  Jen, Daphne, Joy, and Marigold concentrated their efforts on combing the back yard, garage, and edge of the woods hoping to find the bodies of the Cochrans. Gerald had admitted to killing them. He must have put them somewhere, and in Jason’s mind, the easiest way to dispose of them would be to bury them somewhere on the property.

  When they got to the heavy steel door of the boathouse, they found it padlocked. Jason lifted the lock and inspected it.

  “I’ve got some bolt cutters in my trunk,” Jason said.

  “No need,” Sabine said. She stepped in front of him and took the lock in her hand. She whispered a quick incantation, and the locking mechanism clicked, releasing the shank. Sabine lifted the padlock from the metal loop and opened the door. “There ya go.”

  “Well, that’s handy,” Jason muttered, and entered the boathouse. He flashed the beam of his small flashlight around the perimeter of the room. It landed first on a large chest freezer and then on a large black safe bolted to the floor in the corner of the room.

  “There it is.” He looked to Sabine and pointed his light at the safe. “You think that thing you did to get us in h
ere will work on that?”

  Sabine grinned. “Of course. Hopefully, he hasn’t put any curses or counter spells on it to keep someone from opening it.”

  “Yeah, let’s hope,” Jason said.

  “Don’t worry. I’m very skilled at this,” Sabine said. “I can get around most deterrents. The only exception might be a death curse, but knowing Gerald, it probably won’t be something so horrible.”

  “Great,” Jason said. He stood back to let her work. The bright white of the freezer kept drawing his eye to it. Maybe he’d been a cop too long, but something told him to look inside. He walked over to it, and a cold shiver skittered across his back when he saw the brand new padlock.

  “Shit,” he muttered. Lisa drew up next to him.

  “What is it?” Lisa asked.

  Sabine turned the lock of the safe, and it clicked. She pushed the lever and opened the door. “See I told you. Easy peasy.” She flashed her light at the freezer, and the shiny padlock glowed in the darkness. “Why would you put a lock on a freezer?”

  “Not for any good reason I know of,” Jason said. “Would you mind?”

  “Of course not,” Sabine said. She made quick work of unlocking the padlock and stepped back, an anxious look on her face.

  “You might want to step back too, hon,” Jason said.

  Lisa nodded and joined Sabine a few feet away. Jason took a quick breath and held it before he jerked the freezer door open. The sight of the frozen bodies, carefully wrapped up in plastic, turned his stomach.

  “What is it?” Sabine asked. She took a step closer.

  “No,” Jason held up a hand. “Y’all just stay there. I think it’s the family y’all were searching for.”

  “Oh, sweet goddess.” Sabine moved next to him. “Oh, my gosh. That poor family.”

  Jason closed the freezer door and pulled his phone from his pocket.

  “Who are you calling?” Sabine asked.

  “I need to call this in to the local authorities,” Jason said.

  “No, you can’t do that. This is a witch matter and our dominion. The local authorities handed it over to us. We’ll handle it,” Sabine said. “I’ll get a team out here to take care of everything.”

  “Just like that?” Jason asked.

  “Yes,” Sabine said. “Just like that. Now we need to get that reaper Joy down here to handle this book and get it back to the DOL as quickly as possible to take care of Charlie. Unless you’d rather help me deal with these bodies?”

  “Uh… no.” Jason said. “It’s your jurisdiction.”

  “What are we waiting for?” Lisa snapped. “Let’s get this book back to the DOL Medical Center.”

  Charlie’s eyes fluttered open, and she squeezed something rough in her hand. She held up the small linen bag. Where had that come from? She shifted her gaze to the chair in the corner where her son slept curled up in a small recliner. Her ex-husband Scott sat in an uncomfortable-looking plastic and metal chair with his hands folded across his chest. His head leaned back against the wall with his eyes closed. A familiar snore escaped his partly open mouth. She smiled and let her gaze drift around the room until it landed on Tom staring out the small window.

  “Tom?” Charlie said, her voice a little froggy.

  Tom jumped a little as if he’d been goosed. A moment later, he was at her bedside, taking her hand into his. “You’re awake. Finally.”

  “Finally,” she repeated. “What day is it?”

  “Sunday.”

  She looked past Tom to Evan. “Did he have his game?”

  Tom glanced over his shoulder and nodded. “Why don’t you ask him? Evan.”

  “No, it’s okay, let him sleep.”

  Evan roused at the sound of his name, and he sat up on the edge of his seat, rubbing his eyes. “Mom? Are you awake?”

  Charlie smiled. “I am.” She felt around for the bed controller, and when she found it, lifted the head of her bed to a more comfortable position. Scott made a snorting noise and started awake.

  “What? What’s going on?” Scott said, sitting up straight in his chair.

  “Mom’s awake,” Evan said. He stood up and moved to the other side of her bed and sat down. He reached for the mojo bag in her hand. “It worked.”

  “That’s yours?” Charlie asked.

  “Yep.”

  “Did Evangeline help you make that?” Charlie asked.

  “No. A witch named Magda did,” Evan said. He tucked the bag back into Charlie’s hand.

  “Magda?” Charlie looked to Tom, and he shrugged and shook his head as if the news was as much a surprise to him as it was to her. “Sounds like we have a lot to talk about.”

  Evan gave her a nonchalant shrug. “Not that much.”

  Scott pointed to the door. “I’m gonna step out and let the others know you’re awake.”

  “Thank you, Scott,” Charlie said. Scott ducked out of the room. “Sounds like I’ve got a lot to talk about with him, too.”

  “Not that much.” Tom grinned. “How are you feeling?”

  “I’m okay.” She held up her arm. “I’m not in pain anymore.”

  “Good,” Tom said.

  “Hey.” Charlie shifted her attention to Evan. “Did you win your game? I’m assuming that’s what this is for.” She held up the mojo bag.

  “I didn’t go, but Connor texted me. We lost. In a big way.” Evan played with a frayed edge of her blanket, a strange smile on his lips.

  “I’m sorry, honey,” Charlie said, touching his hand. He grabbed onto her hand and held it tight.

  “It’s just a stupid game, Mom. It’s not important,” he said.

  “Come here.” She pulled him to her. “Give your old mom a hug.”

  “Sure,” he said and cuddled up with her. She kissed the top of his head, and a bittersweet pang filled her chest.

  Charlie stood on the back porch of her uncle’s house watching her cousin Jen prepare the back yard for the solstice bonfire and celebration. Jen ordered Ruby, Evan, and his friend Rachel around like a pro, telling them which chairs to put where and how to set up the table for their family ritual.

  Tom stepped on to the porch and sidled up to her, putting his arm around her waist, and handing her a cup of Evangeline’s hot apple cider. The warm mug felt good in her hand, and she blew on the hot sweet liquid before taking a sip. At least the weather had turned cool, and the skies were clear. It would be a lovely night for welcoming back the sun.

  Tom leaned over and kissed her on the temple. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m alive, and I’m here with the people I love the most, so I’m good. How about you? Any news from our friend, Gabrielle?”

  “As a matter of fact, she did as you asked, mainly because I think she felt a debt of gratitude that we found her book,” Tom said.

  “Well, don’t keep me in suspense. What did she find out?”

  “She found the demon, K’Ozra was what she called him, and with a little coaxing, he told her that Gerald Handley had encountered John Cochran hanging around the DOL parking structure. The possessed John attacked Gerald, and when they fought, K’Ozra told Gabrielle that he jumped into Gerald’s body because he was alive and could get him into the DOL without casting suspicion. K’Ozra had killed Cochran when the man summoned him, and then possessed his body.”

  “And his family?”

  “K’Ozra actually killed them and kept them in a minivan he’d stolen,” Tom said.

  “That’s terrible.” Charlie shook her head and took another sip of her cider. “This whole case has just been one horrible tragedy after another.”

  “Are you having second thoughts about going back after the holiday?” Tom asked.

  Charlie opened her mouth to answer, but a chuckle escaped her lips instead. She shook her head. “No. No, I think I’m where I’m supposed to be. There’s still a lot of good I can do.”

  Tom squeezed her waist tighter. “Yes, there certainly is.”

  “Will you tell Gabrielle thank you for
me?”

  “Of course,” Tom said.

  Jen walked over to the steps and put her hands on her hips. “Are y’all just going to stand there all day or are you going to help?”

  Charlie put her cup on the top of the porch railing. “We’re coming. Good goddess, you’d think almost dying would give a girl a pass on this sort of thing.” Charlie muttered as she descended the stairs.

  “Not today, Charlie Payne. Not today,” Jen said.

  Thank you for reading Natural Born Witch. I knew this story was going to be a challenge because it took Charlie to new places, with lots of new faces and friends to be made. So many of you have reached out to me over the course of the series and asked about Evan, and this book felt like the right place to introduce him, his abilities and how much of a journey he has before him so I’m excited about all the possibilities for Evan in future books.

  In the next book, Bad Omens, Charlie stumbles across an old family secret that sets her on the path to determine whether her parents and her aunt Ellen, Jen and Lisa’s mother, were murdered. There will be lots of mystery, intrigue, ghostly encounters and family time to keep you entertained.

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