With the crowd inside, Danni didn’t want to try to maneuver the herbs and talismans and all else on the shelves with Wolf—and his massive tail.
Natasha, of course, loved Wolf. He would have been welcome. But, Danni went into the courtyard. Natasha wasn’t there, but Jez, her tall, equally impressive assistant, was gathering up tea cups.
“Danni, hey. Wickedly nuts, huh? Halloween. You wouldn’t believe the people coming in here who think we sell ‘voodoo’ costumes!”
“I’d believe just about anything,” Danni told him. “I know how busy you are, but do you think I could speak with Natasha for just a minute?”
Jez looked at her a moment and set a tea cup back down.
“Sure. She thought you might be coming. The murder, right? The poor old man axed in a Garden District yard?”
Danni nodded.
“Yeah, I thought it was weird enough for Cafferty and Quinn. Hang on. I’ll get her.”
He went in. Within seconds, Natasha was hurrying on out. She was as beautiful and exotic as ever, wearing a colorful headdress and a caftan in shades of orange and aqua.
“Danni!” She greeted her with a hug, and then turned to dote on Wolf. “Thought you might be coming by. How awful…and frightening. People are talking about haunted houses, costumes—and the murder. Sit down, sit down.”
“You’re so busy now!”
“It’s okay. I have extra clerks working. And, this…well, this takes precedence. Sit, sit, tell me what you know.”
Danni sat. Wolf perched between her and Natasha.
Danni told her about the day, from the time Sean had come in, until she’d seen Eric Garfield.
“Natasha…this isn’t happening every twenty years, but twenty or so years seem to go by before these murders and or disappearances take place. I can’t help but wonder…if the evil is something? Sean DeMille went crazy with decorations. I haven’t seen them, but I’ve heard him talk about his Halloween, and I’ve heard a bit from Quinn.”
“We both know evil can latch to objects, and yet, those objects will usually latch on to the evil in a man or woman,” Natasha said. “What about these people—Casey and Sean?”
“Sean seemed sincere,” Danni said. “And, apparently, Casey was terrified. Absolutely terrified. Something was after her—in her house, or so she believed. Oh! And our mutual friend, Father Ryan, told Sean he should look up Quinn.”
“We should call our mutual friend,” Natasha said. “I’m sure—even if he told Sean to go to Quinn—he’s already been looking into things himself.”
“Has anyone come into your shop hoping for something you don’t sell?”
“Black magic?” Natasha asked. “An evil voodoo spell?” She sighed. “We get a lot of people who want love spells, and sometimes, of course, we have people who want to jinx a neighbor or a boss or someone. I don’t think I’ve ever had anyone ask outright for a spell that would make a thing or another person kill someone.”
“Of course not,” Danni said. “But, if someone was strange…”
“Strange. In a voodoo shop. In New Orleans,”
“Natasha!”
“I know, I know, I know what you mean! I’m trying to remember. Let me call Jez back out here and see if he met anyone strange.”
“Asked for…strange herbs or potions or spells.”
Natasha smiled. “I know exactly what you mean, not to worry!”
She rose and headed back for the shop.
Danni patted Wolf’s head. “If you ask me, Wolf, it’s all…strange, at the least!”
Her phone rang. She saw the caller I.D. and answered quickly. It was Quinn.
“Hey!”
“I thought you were waiting for me at Eric Garfield’s house,” he said.
“Oh! I’m sorry. I talked to him. I thought I should speak with Natasha. I was trying to move as quickly as possible.”
“Where are you?”
“Natasha’s. I’m fine. I have Wolf.”
“I’ll meet you there.”
“I have so much to tell you—”
“I know. I’ve just left Eric’s house; I’ve seen what you’ve seen. And…I think we have something of a direction to go in. I’ll be there soon. I’m almost there.”
“Great,” she murmured. “See you soon.”
Natasha was coming back out of the shop with Jez
She wasn’t smiling anymore. She looked disturbed and grim.
“Jez, tell Danni about the woman who came in—asking how to wake the dead.”
Jez looked from Natasha to Danni. “I did have a woman in here last week asking about voodoo spells. I explained that to us, voodoo was our religion, our tenets were about goodness, and we didn’t do any kind of evil spells. She said, oh, she wasn’t being evil, she just wanted to reach out to someone in her past. She wanted to wake the dead. In spirit, in her mind, of course.”
“What did she look like?” Danni asked.
“Medusa.”
“Be serious, please.”
“I am being serious. She was dressed up in a great Medusa costume. Snakes coming out of her head and all. It was a fabulous costume.”
“Was she white, black, Asian…?”
“Green.”
“Pardon?”
“I don’t know whether she was white, black, Native American, Indian—or Asian,” Jez said. “She was wearing paint and probably prosthetics, too. I’m sorry, Danni. But—because we do get a lot of the very strange in here—I honestly remember her because her damned costume was so good.”
“It isn’t even Halloween yet!” Danni said.
“I know, but, there are parties going on all over town.”
“You’re right, you’re right, and, I’m sorry. And it might not mean anything at all anyway, Jez. Thank you!”
Wolf barked; Danni saw Quinn was walking into the courtyard.
Danni stood, anxious to see him. He walked up to the table where Jez and Natasha had grouped around Danni.
“Okay, Quinn is here! I think that means, repeat it all again!” Jez said.
“Whatever it is, please!” Quinn said. He swept out a hand. Natasha and Jez took seats at the table, too, and Quinn sat then, too, setting a hand on Wolf’s head.
He listened as Jez repeated his story, and then he looked at Danni.
“What are you thinking?”
“I don’t know—exactly. But these murders take place every few decades. And I was thinking maybe the Axeman had—descendants.”
“And if he did,” Natasha said. “They might want to carry out his work.”
“It’s not a bizarre idea,” Danni said.
“Not at all. It occurred to me, too.” He took a breath. “I was at Sean’s work; I think the coffin failed to open—at Horrible Hauntings,” he explained, for the benefit of Natasha and Jez, “was rigged. Someone wanted him away from the house.”
“But,” Danni said, “there was no one in the house—and Casey heard voices.”
“And,” Natasha said, “Someone was here, trying to find spells to wake the dead.”
“Maybe just a party-goer,” Jez said. “Crazy people think we’ll give them weird voodoo spells all the time.”
“But, we need a theory,” Quinn said. “So…the Axeman has a descendant, or, at the least, a follower. An admirer. That person wanted to reach out to him—and, whoever he was, he’s definitely dead. That person rigged the coffin, making Sean leave the house. And…”
“The voices,” Danni said.
“The voices,” Quinn agreed.
“We’ve seen objects before…that hold the evil essence of someone. So, this person found a way to bring the essence of a killer to life. How?”
“A spell to raise the dead or the spirit of the dead or…” Jez’s voice trailed.
“The Axeman claimed he was Satan, of a demon or associate of the devil—he claimed he wasn’t human,” Danni said. “In his letter to the paper.”
“The New Orleans Axeman?” Jez said. He shuddered. “I’l
l be playing jazz music tonight! Remember-he wrote he was going to kill on a certain date unless there was jazz everywhere. I heard every home had some kind of jazz playing.”
“We’ll all listen to jazz!” Danni said.
“Tonight,” Quinn said wearily. “Tomorrow, we’ll get together. We’ll get Father Ryan out here, too. If I know him, he’s been looking things up all day. And, I’m sure if we don’t call him, he’ll be calling us.”
“I’ll send out feelers—see if anyone else knows anything about people wanting to wake the dead or speak to lost souls,” Natasha said.
Quinn rose and reached for Danni’s hand. “I have a question for you,” he said.
“Shoot.”
“I’d like to ask Casey and Sean to stay with us.”
“You’re—you’re sure you’re not worried about the two of them having any involvement?”
“As sure as it’s possible to be. I think someone around them did this…maybe it was a tease, before coming right after them. Killing them,” he added softly.
“Bring them in,” Danni said.
“I already have Mr. and Mrs. Devil Demon,” Quinn said.
“What?”
“A couple of the decorations. They were bought at an auction, I believe. They’re really great antique pieces.”
“Mr. and Mrs. Devil Demon. Great. Hell, we might as well ask the Axeman in himself.”
Maybe they already had!
But then again…
Weren’t they the ones who were supposed to fight him?
Danni smiled at Natasha and Jez. “Well, I guess I’m going to go and meet the Devils,” she said.
“Quinn, are you sure about what you’re doing?” Natasha asked worriedly.
“I just have a strange feeling,” he said. “I have a feeling that…well, I think these devils may be a force for good. Go figure. Anyway…Halloween is soon…really soon. And I’m afraid if we don’t get this thing figured out…”
“All Hallows Eve will turn into the night of the bloody dead,” Natasha said. “Jez and I will both be here through the night; you know to call!”
Danni, Quinn, and Wolf bid them goodbye and headed out of the courtyard and back out to Royal Street.
“You’re sure you’re okay with this?” Quinn asked Danni.
She smiled. “We’ll get the guest room set up. We don’t need both guest rooms, do we? I mean, Mr. and Mrs. Devil Demon don’t need a room, do they?”
He shook his head.
“They’ll look great in the shop. They’re in the car; I’ll get Billie to help me bring them in.”
“Can’t wait!”
Thirty minutes later, Danni had made the call to invite Casey and Sean to their house; she was afraid Sean was going to cry, he seemed so grateful.
And Mr. and Mrs. Devil Demon were in the shop.
They were beautiful mannequins or life-sized dolls. They were both scary—and captivating.
Danni walked around them and touched them. The way Quinn watched her as she did so made her wonder if he had already done the same thing.
She could feel nothing.
Certainly, nothing evil.
“There were dozens of things in the house and in the yard,” Quinn told her. “These were just the most—real?”
“They are fantastic,” Danni agreed. She hesitated. They usually kept The Cheshire Cat open late during Halloween season. That night, she’d decided the day had been far too long; she’d put the “closed” sign up at nine.
Billie was whipping up a very late dinner; Bo Ray was making sure the guest room was ready. She and Quinn were alone in the shop.
Danni shivered suddenly.
“What? The dolls?”
She shook her head. “No…just…just Halloween,” she said. “But, I do suggest we, too, play jazz music tonight. And, of course, make sure we lock the door between the shop and the rest of the house.”
Wolf barked.
He seemed to be in absolute agreement.
Chapter 6
“What’s for dinner?” Quinn asked Billie, stepping into the kitchen.
Sean and Casey had arrived; they’d been shown to their temporary room upstairs.
Billie cast him an aggravated glare, shaking his head, his long, thin white hair swaying as he did so. “Dinner! At almost ten at night. Haggis, that’s what it should be, boy!”
“Haggis?”
Quinn was startled by Billie’s words. Haggis was a traditional Scot’s dish, yes, but made using a sheep’s or a calf’s heart, liver, and lungs and other parts, and—as long as Quinn had known Angus and Billie!—it had never been served in the house on Royal Street.
“Haggis,” Quinn repeated.
Billie let out a sound of aggravation. “Shepherd’s pie, my friend, using only some ground beef and pork, good potatoes, and some seasoning. Peas and corn on the side—Angus never liked peas mixed in with his meat. By the way, haggis—and shepherd’s pie, for that matter—are rather like pizza.”
“Like pizza?”
“They were cheap and easy to make, made from the leftovers, after good cuts of meat had been sold. And, Angus never did like haggis, be he a Scot or nae. He said he worked hard for a living and could afford better food. So, bring your guests on down. Time for dinner. Now, if ye’ve a problem with shepherd’s pie…”
Quinn lifted a hand. “Not a problem in the world! Sounds delicious. At this point, even the haggis sounded good. None of us have eaten in a very long time!”
“I’ll call the others,” Quinn said.
He crashed into Bo Ray in the hall.
“They’re all set,” Bo Ray said. “Room is spiffy clean with new sheets, yada, yada. And you and Danni saw the shop was all locked. Dinner—and then I’m to bed. Long day!”
“Yep, long day,” Quinn agreed. “Go on in, I’ll run up for Danni and our guests.
He found Danni, Wolf, and Casey and Sean in the broad hall that separated the upstairs room and held the second set of stairs that led to the attic apartments. Danni had been helping them get to know Wolf, which was easy enough.
Wolf was lapping up the attention.
“He’s as big as a small horse!” Casey said, smiling as Quinn reached the hallway.
“Best dog ever,” Quinn said, patting Wolf’s head. “And we have some dinner downstairs; I know I’m ready for it.”
“Let’s go,” Danni said.
She led the way. Casey followed her. Sean tapped Quinn’s shoulder. “Thank you!” he told him. “I can’t thank you enough.”
“It’s okay. We want to get to the truth here, too, Sean. This is an easy enough fix for you and Casey now.” He shrugged. “I actually own a house, too. But, I have renters in it now, so…anyway, I hope Casey will feel better here.”
“She’s already herself again!” Sean said happily. “I just don’t know…and, I’m worried about us. And a man was killed. A man who never hurt anyone.”
“It’s a tragedy,” Quinn said. “And, I’m afraid, others may die. Unless we catch this killer. So, we have to do everything we can—follow anything that looks like a lead.” He studied Sean. “I’m going to have to talk to your friends—Chrissy and Gill. They may know something—they may have seen something—and not even realize it.”
“Hey, you guys!” Danni called. “Dinner!”
“Let’s get down there, huh?” Quinn said.
They headed down to dinner. Billie was on the grouchy side, telling them they were eating on paper plates, and that’s the way it was. But, Casey really was a sweet young woman. She immediately laughed and told him she ate on paper plates all the time, and his shepherd’s pie was so good, she’d be happy to eat it out of a cooking bowl. Billie became friendlier.
Bo Ray was thrilled to meet Casey. “I’ve seen your name on some of the cards you’ve created!” he told her.
When dinner was over, Quinn told Casey and Sean to get some sleep. Danni insisted she could clean up, so Billie and Bo Ray could get some sleep. Quinn helped her, a
nd they were done and upstairs within ten minutes.
He closed the door to their room and heard Wolf settle down in the hallway—the place he always kept guard.
When the door was closed, Danni immediately turned into his arms.
“I think we’re alone now!” she whispered.
He laughed softly, stroking her hair.
“I do love being alone,” he whispered.
She ran a finger down the length of his chest and leaned in and kissed him.
He kissed her deeply in return. In a few minutes, they were entwined, laughing as they stripped one another of their clothing, falling together on the bed.
They’d learned long ago that in the world they lived in, they needed one another.
And needed one another in this way.
“I just love the taste of…” he whispered, kissing her.
“Hm, my flesh?” she whispered.
“I was thinking of crème brulee,” he said.
“Um, and when I touch you…”
“You’re amazed by my muscle and prowess?”
“I’m amazed to realize I’m thinking of dusty brick.”
“Dusty brick?” He laughed softly.
“Maybe I love dusty brick!
She rolled in his arms. Their whispers teased as they kissed and touched intimately and erotically. And in her arms, he could forget the ugliness in the world, and see only beauty.
“I love you,” she whispered, and he returned the words passionately.
Then the teasing was over, and the sounds they made weren’t really words at all, until sensation erupted in an incredible high, physical climax, both hearts and bodies afire, and slowly, slowly cooling. Quinn held her close, beyond grateful he had found her and they were together in the world.
She was curled snugly in his arms, and he just held her. For a bit, there was just the sweetness of lying there
And then, of course, the day came back. He felt it when Danni fell asleep; he began to doze himself. And then he awoke with a start.
Danni was up. Sleek and beautiful, she was headed for the door.
And he knew where she was going, and what she was doing.
He jumped up himself, slid into pajama bottoms, and raced after her with a robe. She was halfway down the stairs.
He was careful as he slipped the robe around her shoulders. She slept walked—and she slept painted. And she was headed down to her studio to do so, he knew.
Big Easy Evil Page 7
