Fires Of Solstice Part 11

Meredythe scowled into her water gla.s.s. "And that's probably where it will stay unless there's another one." Of course, if she wrote a story about the two that came before this one, the public would be clamoring for the police to find the murderer. But it was still too soon. Someone else could find the murderer before she did.

Jon's waving hand caught her attention. "Earth to Meredythe. Are you still with me?"

"Sorry." She set her gla.s.s down. "Ah, did you get anything back on the hair samples you sent to the lab?"

He shook his head. "You don't forget anything, do you?"

"No," she answered with a grin, "I don't."

The waiter placed their salads on the table.

He poured more beer in his gla.s.s. "The samples were contaminated."

She reached for her fork. "What do you mean?"

"The DNA reading came back as wolf and human. Since there's no way that's possible, somebody screwed up," he answered and took another sip of his beer.

The hand holding her fork froze halfway to her mouth. Salad dressing dripped onto the tablecloth. Wolf and human! The information about werewolves leaped into her mind.

Jon waved his hand in front of her face again. "Meredythe, are you okay?"

She shook her head. "What?"

"You look like you've just seen a ghost."

She set her fork on the edge of her plate and reached for her water. After a quick sip, she picked up her fork again. "It was nothing. I just felt a tickle in my throat."

Jon dug into his salad.

Meredythe picked at hers. "How... how did the sample get contaminated?"

Jon shrugged. "Who knows? A tiny sc.r.a.p of skin, a microscopic drop of blood. All we know is the DNA didn't match the guy who was killed. My bet is one of the technicians made a mistake and won't admit to it."

The thoughts whirling in Meredythe's brain slowed. After a bite of salad, she said, "You're probably right. I guess you don't have any hair samples left."

Jon grinned. "We do. This time I'm going to check it myself as soon as I get some time. But that's enough about work. The work week's over. There have got to be other, more interesting things to talk about."

She didn't fail to notice the slight blush on his cheeks or the way he pushed his gla.s.ses back up onto the bridge of his nose. The waiter set their meals in front of them, and Meredythe forced herself to relax. Jon was really a nice guy, and she was hungry. She could take a couple hours off. "So, how did you get interested in cutting dead people open?"

Time pa.s.sed quickly. Jon was a charming and witty companion. As they left the restaurant, he threw his arm around her shoulders. She didn't shrug it off. Laughing at another of his seemingly endless stories about working in a morgue, she allowed him to steer her down the sidewalk.

The November evening was warm. It was a nice night for a walk.

As the laughing couple brushed past him, Slade turned and followed them with his gaze. The woman had wavy red hair, but she had to be past twenty-five. Besides, neither the wolf nor the druid would ever allow another man to be so familiar with the wolf's woman. Pulling a cell phone from his pocket, he punched in a number.

"They've left the city," said the voice on the other end, "heading north."

"They're heading for Bleddyn's estate, then," he muttered.

He tossed one more look toward the redheaded woman walking away from him. Something about her...

He shrugged and turned away. There were thousands of redheaded women in New York City. Throwing his arm into the air, he hailed a cab, slid in and gave the address of his hotel.

As the cab merged with the other traffic, a tall man dressed completely in black stepped from the shadows. The light from a streetlamp flashed off dark eyes in a pale face as he turned and followed Meredythe. He'd promised Rhys that he'd keep an eye on her.

Chapter Six.

Splotches of bright November sun speckled the driveway as Meredythe eased her car to a stop underneath the almost leafless oak trees.

His bushy tail lashing back and forth, Methuselah braced his forefeet on the dashboard. "Merrooww."

Her fingers stirred the fur on his head. "Glad to be home, aren't you, Thuse? Me too. The one bad thing about living in the city is not having you and Aunt Evie with me."

The front door slammed open and a sprightly, gray-haired woman dressed in a bright orange sweater and brown skirt flitted across the porch and down the steps. Stopping halfway to the car, she set her hands on her hips and scolded, "It's about time you're finally home. What took you so long?"

As soon as Meredythe opened the car door, Methuselah leaped out and sprang across the lawn. Evelyn Woods bent, scooped the cat into her arms and cuddled him against her chest.

Grinning, Meredythe got out of the car and followed at a more sedate pace. "Sorry, Aunt Evie," she said after giving her aunt a quick peck on the cheek. "I overslept and traffic this morning was horrible. Seems like everybody was trying to get out of the city. Oh, and James says h.e.l.lo."

Her aunt beamed. "Such a nice man, James King. I'm so glad you work for him."

The gray cat squirmed in her arms. "Merrooww?"

She hugged him once more. "Of course I'll put you down now, dear. Off you go."

With a quick flick of his tail, Methuselah disappeared around the corner of the house.

Smiling, Meredythe shook her head. Aunt Evie would never believe that her cat didn't understand every word she said.

Evelyn tucked her arm through her niece's. "Come along, dear. I have pies in the oven."

Meredythe patted her aunt's hand then shrugged free. "I'll be right in. I have to get Thuse's things from the car."

"I'll put on water for tea and we'll have a nice chat." Looking over her niece's shoulder, Evelyn waved and called, "Good morning, Mr. Hoffnagle."

Meredythe grimaced as the neighbor's tirade about daughters of h.e.l.l, blasphemy, abominations walking the earth and not suffering witches to live shot fanatically across the street.

"Why are you so nice to him, Aunt Evie, when he's so mean to you?"

Her aunt patted her arm. "He can't help the way he was raised, dear. Besides, the nicer I am to him, the more frustrated he gets. Now get Methuselah's things. The water will be ready for tea in a jiffy."

A door across the street boomed shut. Evelyn waved at the closed door then turned and walked into her own house.

Meredythe chuckled as she hurried back to the car and grabbed the two bags that held the cat toys, two cans and a half-empty box of cat food, and a spare litter box. Shoving the car door shut with her hip, she lifted the load in her arms and headed toward her aunt's house.

Her lips twitched. Like every other house on the block, the flowerbeds at the front of the house had been cleaned and mulched for the winter. The fallen leaves from the oak trees were all raked up and bagged. The house was even freshly painted-at least the Wiccan good luck symbols were.

As she paused next to the brightly painted sign advertising tarot card readings, a feeling of peace enveloped her. Then, stepping on the first of fifteen rune stones that trailed through Evelyn's front yard to her porch, Meredythe silently recited the mantras for each charm. When she reached the porch, she brushed each of the six wind chimes for luck. First, the silvery crescent moons. The second had multicolored eggs. Third, the copper Egyptian ankhs. After those, the golden suns. Next, the black-and-white chime with three male and three female symbols. And finally, her favorite, the wind chime composed of rich, red phalluses. Instead of the delicate music of the other five chimes, this one's music was much deeper and more powerful. When she caressed it, the deep bongs followed her into the house.

After closing the bright blue door firmly, she walked across the foyer's round, multicolored carpet that was woven into a perfect pentacle. Once in the living room, she dropped the bags and her coat onto the purple sofa, stepped around the stuffed ocelot crouching under her aunt's prize rainforest fern and pushed through the beaded curtain that divided the living room and kitchen. Closing her eyes, she breathed deeply. G.o.ds, but it was great to be home.

Opening her eyes, she stepped into the s.p.a.cious kitchen and said, "I see you got a new sign advertising your tarot readings."

Her aunt beamed as she opened the oven. The smell of cinnamon, nutmeg and apples wafted toward her. "It's so much nicer than the other one, isn't it? The blue and silver swirls are such a nice touch."

Meredythe reached around her aunt and grabbed the whistling kettle from the stove. "Well, I'm glad you've cut back your readings to Monday and Wednesday. You had too many strange people running about the house."

A wide grin appeared on Evelyn's face. "Now isn't that funny. That's exactly what most of my neighbors say about my friends."

Chuckling, Meredythe lifted the tea canister down from its shelf. "What flavor are we having today?"

"Chamomile and rose hips. And get another cup. My new neighbor is coming over to meet you."

Meredythe reached up into the cupboard. "You have a new neighbor? And she comes for tea? You mean there's finally someone in this neighborhood who's not afraid of you?"

Making a face over her shoulder, Evelyn set the third pie on the counter. "Meredythe! My neighbors like me. At least, most of them do. Just because they won't come into the house... Anyway, Mary Francis is a wonderful woman. I want you to be nice to her. And none of those nosy reporter questions. She and I have a lot in common."

"How nice of you to say so, Evelyn," said the woman in the black-and-white habit who walked in the back door without knocking. Methuselah and a calico cat followed on her heels.

Tea leaves spilled onto the counter as Meredythe completely missed the pot. She blinked twice. "You-you're a... "

"Nun. How did you guess?" Blue eyes twinkling, the woman continued, "Did I forget to wash the word nun off my forehead again this morning?" Shaking her head in mock frustration, she continued, "No matter how often I ask Him-quite nicely, I might add-not to put it there, He just seems to think I need the reminder."

Meredythe's mouth dropped open. A nun? Here? In her aunt's house?

"Close your mouth, dear," Evelyn said as she removed her oven mitts. "You look rather undignified. Didn't I tell you the church purchased the house next door after the cloister across town burned down?"

Meredythe snapped her mouth shut. After swallowing, she began, "But my aunt is..."

Sister Mary Francis nudged Meredythe away from the counter and wiped up the tea Meredythe had spilled. Then she poured hot water into the teapot. "A witch, or at least thinks she is. Yes, I know. And I find her to be quite fascinating. It will be quite a coup if I can convert her."

Meredythe's eyes bugged out and both older women laughed.

"What did I tell you, Mary Francis? She takes everything so seriously."

Meredythe sank into a chair. "I think I've stepped into the Twilight Zone or something." The calico cat jumped into her lap and began to purr.

Sister Mary Francis set a steaming cup before her. "Here, dear. This will help calm your nerves. Oh, and that's Jezebel."

The teacup stopped halfway to Meredythe's mouth. "You named your cat Jezebel?" A nun named her cat Jezebel?

"Believe me, she's earned the name," Mary Francis said with a defeated sigh. "She looks upon every male she sees as a potential conquest. And he doesn't even have to be a cat. You should see what she does to the neighborhood dogs. And men! I don't even like to think about it. Drink up, dear, you look like you could use it."

"I could use something a lot stronger," Meredythe mumbled into her cup before she gulped the tea.

Her aunt placed a slice of hot apple pie before her. "Tell me how this tastes. I tried a new recipe."

Taking a deep breath to bring some order to the chaotic thoughts swirling through her brain, Meredythe simply nodded. Maybe something to eat would help her regain her composure. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been this fl.u.s.tered.

Wrong, murmured her insidious conscious. You were more fl.u.s.tered when he kissed you.

Firmly shoving that particular thought into a locked compartment in her mind, she set her cup down and picked up her fork. With both older women looking on, she dug into the pie. A wide smile appeared as the combination of flavors danced with her taste buds. "Mmm. I didn't think you could make a better apple pie than you already did, but I was wrong. What did you add?"

Clasping her hands in front of her bosom, Evelyn said, "Maybe someday I'll tell you, dear, but right now it's a secret."

Meredythe laughed. "Keep your secrets, Aunt Evie. We both know I'm not much of a baker. Now how was your trip to Tucson?" She scooped up another chunk of pie.

Sister Mary Francis cut two more slices and joined them.

After thanking her, Evelyn said, "It was just wonderful. I met the most fascinating Navajo medicine woman. And she gave me a fabulous recipe for lemon sage chicken. Next time you come for dinner, I'll make it for you."

As they ate, Evelyn continued to relate anecdotes from her trip. Finally, Sister Mary Francis rose. Meredythe glanced at her watch-barely half an hour had pa.s.sed.

The nun reached across the table and held out her hand. "It was so nice to meet you, Meredythe. What with all your aunt has told me, I felt like I knew you before we met. But I simply must be going. If I don't help Father Paul organize the rummage sale, we'll end up selling the hymnals."

Meredythe grasped her hand firmly. "It was nice meeting you too, Sister."

"Call me Mary Francis, dear. Don't bother to get up, Evelyn. I'll see you tomorrow. Come along, Jezebel."

Evelyn poured herself another cup of tea as her guest headed for the back door. "Goodbye, Mary Francis. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

As Meredythe watched, Jezebel rubbed her cheek against Methuselah and then followed her mistress out door, her tail c.o.c.ked in the air.

Meredythe chuckled. Thuse definitely had a besotted expression on his face. "Wow! Her name really fits."

Evelyn sighed. "Every cat in the neighborhood makes its way into Mary Francis' yard at least once a day. And so do the dogs if they get loose! And not a single one tries to chase her! Jezebel drives them all to distraction."

With a grin, Meredythe reached over and stroked Thuse's head. "A nun with a cat named Jezebel. What's the world coming to?"

He sneezed then yawned at her. If only you knew, Meredythe. With a flick of his tail, he strolled out of the kitchen.

When Evelyn would have risen, Meredythe gently clasped her wrist. "Aunt Evie, I need some information."

Curiosity colored her aunt's features as she settled back down. "What is it, dear?"

Meredythe threaded her fingers together and propped her elbows on the table. "The ancient Celts...did they offer human sacrifices on their important holidays?"

Her aunt frowned and leaned back. "Why do you want to know?"

Rising, Meredythe meandered over to the sink where she rinsed out her cup. "This story I'm working on now-a serial killer. All of the murders occurred on the same dates as old Celtic holidays."

Evelyn pursed her lips and drummed her fingers. "It's been so long..." she murmured, mostly to herself. Then, glancing up at her niece, she continued, "Sometimes, if conditions were dire enough, a person would volunteer to sacrifice himself or herself for the good of the people. And then, there were times that enemies... But on every important holiday? Definitely not."