Evelina and the Reef Hag Part 9

"We do." Her gentle voice turned grave. "There's an investigation under way. Raskin Lipworth, the chief prosecutor, is questioning anyone who had anything to do with it."

That sounded ominous. "I found him dead."

"So I hear." She didn't sound shocked. "Be careful of what you say, my dear."

Evelina's heart picked up speed. "I didn't have anything to do with it!"

"Of course not." Grammy Crimm waved a depreciative hand. "But there are those who would point the finger at anyone they can, especially during a compet.i.tion. The stakes are high."

"You mean the Swamp Hags."

"And others, working with them." Grammy Crimm wore a grim look. "Tribe members turn against each other when it comes to gaining a seat on the Council."

"To help friends?"

"Nepotism is rampant, I'm afraid." She shook her head. "One cut and we all bleed to death."

"But that isn't right!"

"No, it isn't. Many of us are working to change this. But it takes time." She folded her hands in front of her and smiled. "But, let's talk of happier things. "How's your friend, Frankie Holler?"

Evelina shrugged, attempting to appear nonchalant. "He promised the Council to stay away from me."

"Ha! A mistake on their part." She gave a sparkle of laughter. "Love grows stronger once denied."

Evelina stiffened. "Doesn't the Council have more important things to do than spy on us?"

"No, no. It's nothing like that. Even we have our limits, you know-invasions of privacy are taken very seriously. It's strictly forbidden."

"Like Time Keepers and Water Witches marrying."

"Time Keepers have never married for love." Grammy Crimm nodded. "Your parents dying under suspicious circ.u.mstances didn't help that taboo."

Evelina breathed a great sigh. If only she could prove they met with foul play and it had nothing to do with her father being a Time Keeper. They were investigating black magic spells. But that's all she knew. "I wish I knew how they died."

"It's being investigated." There was finality in Grammy Crimm's tone as though she didn't want Evelina getting involved. Maybe it would jeopardize her seat on the Council. "Things must be done through the right channels to make charges stick."

"Why are you my cosmic contact?" Evelina changed the subject to another question that had been burning a hole in her brain. "I mean who decides that?"

"There is no choice. You are the next novice in our line and I the last to pa.s.s."

"But, what if you hadn't pa.s.sed?"

"Then my mother would have been your contact as she was your mother's."

"Is that how you became such a powerful witch? From secrets pa.s.sed down through the generations?"

"Powers can't be taught." Her expression grew serious. "They come from within. Only then can you use a spell to its fullest."

"Burble's all about the spell book. She wants us to learn it from cover to cover." The spell book was enormous. Each spell had infinite variations. Evelina's mind whirled just thinking about it. Her memory stunk. She'd always had to study her guts out to pa.s.s any tests at school.

"It isn't the spell, but the witch behind it." Grammy Crimm's lips firmed. "However, Councilor Burble is right. You must know both." She smiled. "You will in time."

Hopefully, before the Reef Hag reared her ugly head.

"You killed the wrong novice!" Wendell roared over the rush of the surf under the pier. "You stupid hag!"

The Reef Hag's silver eyes sparked in the darkness. "I take what opportunities arise."

Wendell jerked away. "I told you to take out one of Oceana's first. They're our strongest opponent."

"I take my orders from the one who summoned me," she hissed. "Not some half-crippled Novice."

Wendell's face suffused with heat, setting his ears on fire. But he managed to choke down his rage. "Save it!" He bit out. "I'm no real novice. Your poison doesn't work on me."

She gave a loud cackle. "Are you certain?"

Wendell ignored her sly look. "You take orders from me when he isn't here."

"Raskin Lipworth is questioning everyone."

"I know."

"He knows you were there."

"Holler must have ratted me out."

"Or the Crimm girl." She smiled knowingly.

He slashed her a dark look. "She's a novice." His voice turned harsh, despite all attempts to hide his disquiet. "She knows nothing. Leave her to me."

Her glittering eyes narrowed. "I could deal with her next."

Rage engulfed him. But he beat it down, gritting out, "Stay away from her. She's mine. Do you hear me?"

"You're protecting her!" she announced with triumph. "Why?"

"Of course not. We have a score to settle, that's all." He reached over and grabbed her by the throat. "If you deprive me of that pleasure, you old hag," he said slowly and distinctly, applying just enough pressure to make her rasp. "I'll seek my revenge with you."

Chapter Six.

"Raskin Lipworth is here, in St. Augusta?" Evelina blinked against the bright sun, but failed to read Frankie's expression under the shadow of the stone fountain. "Already?"

"Yes." His golden gaze locked with hers, causing her heart to skip. "Be careful of what you say."

"That's what Grammy Crimm said." She shrugged. "But I didn't see anything." It was so dark, and it happened so fast. "I don't know what actually happened. I just found him there. Dead." She shivered, remembering his vacant stare. "He was just lying there... so white, so cold-so young."

Frankie's expression turned grim. "We have to find the Reef Hag before it happens again. Oceana's the top tribe. They're favored to win. If she takes out one of their novices, it could change everything."

"Maybe she'll lead us to whoever's behind all of this-the black market spells?"

"It's an interesting coincidence that you received a Wave Wire the night after she appeared on the beach."

"What do you mean?" Her heart sank. She realized now, deep down, she'd hoped it was from one of her parents, not some cruel trick of the Swamp Hags. "I thought you said it was old?"

"It is," he said hastily, as though sensing her disappointment. "But it's hard to say how old. The only real way to find out is to do what it says."

"Count the coins in Cutthroat Cove." Evelina gazed around at the tourists, throwing coins in the fountain. Others tramped past toward the wharf to tour the pirate ship. "The only coins are in the fountain." She peered down at the thousands of coins. It couldn't mean that.

Frankie circled the fountain clockwise, appearing to examine every inch of it.

Evelina circled counter clockwise to do the same. She'd had a good look before Frankie showed up, but maybe she'd missed something. After coming full circle, she planted her bottom on the edge for a closer look.

Frankie did another pa.s.s, searching under the lip of the fountain, jumping up on top to walk around the edge.

Evelina watched him, absently running her hand through the water, scattering the silver and copper.

Then...

Her fingers. .h.i.t a lump.

She swished the coins aside to get a better look. It appeared to be some kind of large medallion, or, a large sculpture of an old coin. Her blood bubbled with excitement. She leaned closer. It had a ship on it.

"Frankie!" She wriggled further around the edge of the fountain, swishing away coins until she found another one. "Look at this."

Frankie joined her, leaning close, until they were shoulder to shoulder. "Coins! Spanish Doubloons. Way to go! Are there any more?"

"Three," she said, uncovering another.

"Four!" Frankie moved ahead, dispersing coins with both hands. "That's the outside."

They looked at each other and grinned, kicked off their sandals, then hopped in.

Frankie took one side and she took the other.

Shifting coins with her feet Evelina discovered another. "Five!"

"Six!" Frankie splashed around the fountain to join her.

"Six Doubloons." Evelina stared up at him. "What does it mean?"

"There's a restaurant in the Old City called The Six Doubloons. I think it used to be a tavern."

"Come on!"

They jumped out, slid into their sandals, then sped off.

The Old City was teaming with tourists. Horse and buggies clopped down the cobblestone streets. The sweet smell of fudge and roasted pecans made Evelina's belly rumble.

Lively chatter swirled around them.

The hum of the crowd seemed to carry them along.

Then, all of a sudden she was alone.

A throng of boy scouts exiting the ice cream shop separated her from Frankie. Evelina hopped in the air, but couldn't spot him. Then, she felt his warm hand clasp hers.

"Thought I lost you," he breathed against her ear.

A delicious shiver rattled through her.

"There it is!"

She gazed up to discover the red tavern sign swinging above their heads, scrawled in gold-The Six Doubloons.' It occupied the entire corner of the next street. Coquina walls rose two storeys high, shining like a mountain of crushed pearls. Laughter and music floated from the balcony above.

But what caught and held her attention most was the tattoo parlor on the opposite corner of the street, or rather the woman sitting on a bench before it. There was something oddly familiar about her.

Something about the way the woman puffed on the thin cigar wedged between her boney fingers. Or, the dramatic flourish of her hand after, as the smoke curled round her dark cropped hair. She had the look of a Roaring Twenties film star in her black fringed dress-all beads and bangles and sultry looks. Her skin glowed as pale as a fish's belly, except for her ruby lips and the heart and arrow tattooed around her ankle.

Evelina hastened her pace.

But Frankie grabbed her by the arm to stall her.

The red tourist train rattled by, clanging its bell.

Evelina sucked in a sharp gasp. She'd been so intent on the woman, she'd almost been flattened like a taco. "Thanks."

"No problem." His hand fell away.

Her hand tingled where he'd touched it. She made a fist to release the effect, but his proximity negated all efforts. Her blood rushed fast when he was near. There was no use fighting it. Her heart wouldn't obey her head.

The Six Doubloons appeared fresh and airy-if it had been an ancient tavern, little remained of its former character. The colorful mosaic floor tiles appeared old, but beyond that the place shone like new silver, from the crisp white tablecloths to the rows of crystal gla.s.ses stacked behind the bar.

The maitre d' led them to a seat by the window, with a perfect vantage of the intersection and the tattoo parlor beyond.

Evelina gazed around, hoping Frankie had some plan up his sleeve. Time Keepers were sort of time traveling detectives. He must have some angle. Finally she said, "Okay, what are we looking for?"

He leaned back in his chair, folding his arms across his broad chest. "I don't know."

Evelina's gaze strayed once again to the woman across the street. "I feel like I've seen her before."