A Witch's Curse Part 7

Carolyn smiled broadly, "Yes, I do feel someone else. I'm positive what I'm feeling is coming from you, the feeling is much too strong to be from anyone else."

Adele nodded. "In time, you'll find that distance and familiarity with each sister will affect the strength of the emotions you receive. What feeling are you getting from me right now?"

Carolyn extended her arms to embrace Adele. "Love."

Adele sat next to Carolyn on the bed and hugged her. "And pride too. You are my sister now; of course, I love you, my dear." Then sounding more like a mother than a sister, Adele said, "Now, I'm not going to tell you again. Eat!"

Shoveling food into her mouth as fast as she could, Carolyn mumbled, "Yes, Sister Adele."

Breakfast left Carolyn feeling like a boa constrictor who swallowed a large boar or a small elephant. She wondered if it would be safe to take a bath, or should she wait an hour? Would two hours be safer? Her sisters had done a good job cleaning the blood from her, but she needed to soak her stiff and sore body, smell clean soap on her skin, and mainly, wash her hair.

Humming, she added scented oils and bubble bath salts to the hot water. If she sensed her sisters' moods, they could also sense hers, and she was determined to give them nothing but good vibrations. Slipping into the tub, Carolyn let out a long, "Ahh!"

Growing up with only her mother to call family had always left a hole somewhere deep inside Carolyn. As a child, some of her friends had only one parent, like her, but they at least had brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, and cousins. When her mother died, she felt abandoned, totally alone in a harsh world. Today, she had a real life cousin, an extended family with her new sisters in the coven, and, if she had her way, a man to love for the rest of her life. Nothing in life sounded more perfect.

If she were to have Caleb though, she had to find a way to free him from Caroline's curse. The soreness in her body slowly dissolved as Carolyn mulled the seemingly insurmountable problem of how Ellie got into the locked study. The answer came to her in a flash. The same way Hargrove and her coven sisters entered the house! Through a secret entrance.

Old mystery movies were full of old houses like this with secret doors and pa.s.sages. Furthermore, how does Chester keep getting himself into locked rooms like the library and the spare bedroom?

Cutting her bath short, Carolyn dried off quickly and went to search for Chester, hoping she might get him to show her how he managed to get into locked rooms. She found him in his favorite spot, the windowsill in the library. She tried talking to him, tried coaxing him to show her where the secret door might be. All she got in return was his, Stupid human, do you really think I can talk, stare.

"Some familiar you turned out to be. Okay, you asked for it. I didn't want to resort to this, however, you leave me no choice, buster."

Picking Chester up, she carried him upstairs, locked him in the spare bedroom she found him in before, and then rushed back to the library. Not knowing where he might pop out, her head kept swinging back and forth, trying to look everywhere at once.

Looking toward the front, a slow, groaning noise from a bookcase behind the desk alerted her to Chester's entrance. Carolyn raced around the desk in time to notice Chester nosing open the bookcase, but once he pa.s.sed through the opening, the bookcase started to close behind him. Carolyn jumped to grab the door before it closed completely, and propped a desk chair in the doorway to keep it ajar.

With flashlight in hand, she inspected the black hole on the other side of the door. Cautiously stepping inside, Carolyn started to follow the narrow pa.s.sage. A second later, she flew back out, frantically brus.h.i.+ng at her hair and clothes, her feet stomping madly as if the floor was on fire.

"f.u.c.king cobwebs are everywhere in this d.a.m.ned house!"

Armed with her trusty broom, Carolyn re-entered and inched her way sideways down the pa.s.sage in a fruitless effort to avoid touching the walls and the mult.i.tude of spider webs. Coming to the end of the pa.s.sage, she noticed slats nailed across two studs to form a ladder.

"Well, the bedroom is on the second floor." Tossing the broom up first, Carolyn climbed the ladder and found herself in another maze. Forcing herself to move slowly, Carolyn began tapping on the walls with the b.u.t.t end of the broom in an effort to detect a hidden door.

When she heard Chester's m.u.f.fled cries from the other side, she tried pus.h.i.+ng and banging, but the wall wouldn't budge. Pointing the flashlight at the wall, she inspected the section closely, finally finding a latch, which, when released, allowed the door to swing open. Carolyn stepped into her own bedroom closet.

"Chester! Good boy! You did it." She picked him up and gave him a big hug. "I'll bet every room has access to these pa.s.sages. This is how Ellie was able to get into the library and proves she set Caleb up. I can't wait to tell Sarah. Before I do though, I need another bath," she said, brus.h.i.+ng more sticky cobwebs from her hair.

Carolyn shed her clothes faster than a wh.o.r.e on a Sat.u.r.day night and jumped into the shower. Minutes later, her hair still damp, she was knocking on Sarah's door. Carolyn tried containing her enthusiasm by s.h.i.+fting her weight from foot to foot, as if standing in line at the ladies room, and clamping her hands behind her back so she wouldn't be tempted to beat on the door too often. Finally, Sarah opened the door. "Sweetie, I didn't expect you today. Should I?"

The words gushed from Carolyn's mouth. "Sarah, you're not going to believe this! I found how Ellie got into the library. She used a secret pa.s.sageway. They're all over the place. We can free Caleb now!"

"Slow down, child. What's all this about secret pa.s.sages?"

Carolyn inhaled deeply; spicy scents wafting from Sarah's kitchen filled her nose. "Mmm. What smells so heavenly? What are you baking?"

"Thank you, dear. I'm baking peach, cinnamon pies. Would you like a slice? We can talk while we eat."

Carolyn's stomach growled. How can I possibly be hungry after eating such a huge breakfast? She chuckled. "You've convinced my stomach, at least."

Sarah's unhurried, methodical pace annoyed Carolyn at first. However, once seated with a large wedge of pie and a gla.s.s of ice-cold milk in front of her, she felt calmer and took up her story again. "I found how Ellie managed to get into the library without a key. I discovered a whole bunch of hidden pa.s.sageways. Every room in the house is connected one way or another to all the rest. Ellie would have easy access from the pa.s.sage in her room and be able to enter the library without anyone observing her."

"How marvelous, my dear. Ester used to wonder if her drafty old house hid a secret pa.s.sage or two, only we never did find any. How did you find them? Did you use a spell?"

"No. I used Chester, my familiar."

"Oh, how very clever of you. Why didn't we try using one of our familiars?"

Carolyn shrugged. "Chester's the one who's clever. What do we do now? Do we still need to call Ellie in a seance?"

Sarah thought for a minute before answering. "No, I don't think we need to now. I believe we should summon Caroline instead and present her with the evidence you've discovered. Adele said she will help at the seance."

"Maggie did too. Will four people be enough?"

"Yes, four will be plenty, especially since three of us are witches."

"Oh, that reminds me. Maggie wanted me to ask, since she and I are related, does that mean she's a witch also?"

"There is a good possibility she is. I knew all about your lineage, of course, so I never had a doubt in my mind you were one of us. If you like, I can test her for you?"

"I don't care one way or the other if Maggie is a witch. I'll love her no matter what. Although, I think she likes the idea of being a witch. For her sake, I would appreciate if you would."

"Then I will. You do know there isn't any room in the coven for any more new members?"

"Why not?"

"Our coven holds thirteen members only. No more and no less."

"You mean, after Grandmother died and you took me into the coven, I filled the vacancy she left?"

"That's right, my dear. I'm sorry to say, but there is the only one way we can take in a new member, when one of us pa.s.ses on."

"Then I hope Maggie will settle for just knowing she's a witch, provided she is one."

Sarah said proudly, "Being a witch is not such a bad thing."

"No, it's not," Carolyn said, just as proud.

Carolyn went to work early the next day. Maggie hadn't arrived yet, so Carolyn went to her workshop in the back and began harvesting leaves from her current herb crop. Using artificial lights and a controlled temperature, she grew herbs and certain fruits all year long. Her workshop had always been her fortress of solitude, and to Carolyn, getting her hands dirty in the rich, earthy loam was only part of the fun.

The pungent aromas of herbs and spices never failed to transport her to a magical forest where anything could happen. People always told her all of her fingers were green, not just her thumbs. Some even referred to her as the Plant Doctor. If they had a sick favorite plant, she's the one they came to.

Today, doing what she loved the most in life, only served to increase her happiness. Soon, her beloved Caleb would be free from the spell Caroline unjustly placed on him, and they would be together forever and ever. Nothing would be able to keep them apart then.

The front door's tinkling alerted Carolyn to someone entering the store. Brus.h.i.+ng dirt from her hands, she went to greet whoever arrived, expecting to find Maggie, and was surprised to find Chief Rose, hat in hand, standing at the front counter.

"Good morning, Chief."

"Morning, Miss Waters. You're looking very chipper today."

"Thank you, Chief. I am. How can I help you?"

"I received some news this afternoon I thought I should deliver in person."

"Sounds ominous."

"Nothing to cause alarm, however, I doubt if you will like what I'm going to say. The judge ruled Hargrove isn't competent to stand trial and ordered him to a psychiatric center for treatment. Only when, or if, he's ever found competent again, will he stand trial for embezzlement, breaking and entering, attempted murder, and several other charges."

"Actually, Chief, I feel sorry for the poor man. I hope he gets better. I do thank you for stopping by to tell me. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"You are much too forgiving, Miss Waters. I don't know if I would be as charitable in a reversed situation. Have a good day," he said with a tip of his hat.

"Thank you again, Chief," she called to him as he left the store.

A moment later, the bell chimed again as Maggie came in. "Hi, Cuz. What did the fuzz want?"

"Hi, Mags. Chief Rose isn't fuzz. He's a nice man. He came to tell me Mr. Hargrove has been put into an asylum."

"Serves him right."

"No, he shouldn't be in an asylum. Jail? Yes, but not an asylum. It is my fault he's in there. If I hadn't called Caleb-"

"You'd be dead, just like your grandmother. Maybe he killed her too?" Maggie said.

"I highly doubt he did. Grandmother died from cancer. All Hargrove tried to do is scare me to make me want to move out."

"So why were his hands around your throat? Don't blame yourself, Cuz. He asked for everything he got when he tried to kill you."

"Let's not talk about him anymore. I want to tell you what I found yesterday."

Maggie's eyes lit. "What?"

"I found out how Ellie got into the library without needing a key."

"You did? How?"

"She used a secret pa.s.sageway."

"Cool. And you found one?"

"Actually, I found them all. The house is practically the Catacombs. There are secret doors and pa.s.sageways all through the house."

Disappointment laced Maggie's reply, "I guess you won't be having a seance then?"

"Yes, we will. We decided not to call Ellie, we're going to summon Caroline directly and make her remove Caleb's spell since we discovered the evidence we need to prove his innocence."

"Do you think she will?"

"She better," Carolyn said firmly.

"So, when is this big event?"

"Midnight on Halloween, All Hallows Eve. Why don't you come home with me after work that night and I'll make dinner for us?"

"Okay. Good thing the costume party is the night before. I bought a killer outfit and I'd hate missing the look on all the guy's faces when I come strutting in," Maggie said, swinging her hips in a provocative manner.

Carolyn laughed. "Maggie you're terrible!"

"As Mae West once said, 'When I'm good, I'm good, when I'm bad, I'm even better'."

"No arguments here."

Chapter Seven.

Waiting for the next few days to pa.s.s took a toll on Carolyn. She truly felt Caleb's nightly visits saved her from becoming a complete basket case. Not even her workshop helped sooth the uneasy feelings plaguing her.

"Good night, Mags. Have fun at the party tonight."

"Are you sure you don't want to come with me? A night of booze and debauchery will do you a world of good."

"As much fun as a party sounds, I think I'll pa.s.s."

"You don't know what you're missing," Maggie said as she left for the day.

Carolyn smiled and waved good night to her cousin. Locking up, she went to her car, an old V-dub convertible, and paused to look at the night sky. Black clouds shrouded the bright, full moon. Zipping her jacket against a sudden chill, Carolyn started her car. Purple People Eater by Sheb Wooley played on the local radio station.

The nearer she came to her house, the more on edge she became. Carolyn sensed a coven member projecting a deep sense of worry and concern; only she couldn't identify the woman. Believing the troubled emotions she picked up might be coming from Sarah, Carolyn turned into her neighbor's driveway. The instant Sarah opened her door Carolyn knew Sarah wasn't the one she sensed, although, the feeling of anxiety persisted. Apologizing for stopping in unannounced, Carolyn made the excuse of wanting to see how Sarah was doing. Sarah told her she was perfectly fine and had noticed Adele pulling into Carolyn's driveway a few minutes earlier.

Carolyn thanked her, got back into her car, and drove across the street to her own house. Adele's car sat in front while Adele stood waiting on the porch. Stepping from her car, Carolyn ran up the steps. "Adele, what's wrong?"

"I'm not sure. Can we talk inside?"

"Of course. Come in."

Carolyn put water on to make tea then joined Adele at the kitchen table. "Something is bothering you. Is it the seance tomorrow?"

"Yes and no. I've been talking with Sarah." Adele s.h.i.+fted in her chair, obviously struggling with something. "Normally, I don't like to pry, but in this case, I feel I better. Sarah tells me you're in love with Caleb?"