Preserves & Premonitions

by Bella Falls

“What we’ve got is a bag that could be drugs. But if he was using, then why didn’t you find the rest of the paraphernalia that goes with it? Something doesn’t seem quite right, and I’d like to get this substance tested first before we decide what our next move is.” Dash snapped his fingers and held out his hand.

  Max stood his ground, staring at his alpha with defiance. “Lucille and James want all of this to end, Dash. We can’t prolong their pain to satisfy your curiosity. Give them some peace.”

  “They will find their peace when they know the truth. And to do that, I’ll need the bag so I can take it to get tested.” Dash paused to give his second a chance to voluntarily give him the drugs. “Please, Fletch.”

  After a tense moment, Max gave in. “Who are you going to get to test it?”

  Dash pulled his keys out of his pocket. “Someone I trust.”

  “More than me?” The second’s eyes glanced at me. “I thought you told me you weren’t ever going to take a mate.”

  “Things change. Sorry I didn’t give you a heads-up before,” Dash growled.

  “Mm-hmm.” Max sighed as he gave in. “Just keep me informed as to what you find. All of the Owens family are counting on me to help them through this.”

  Dash cocked his head to the side. “Funny, I thought that was my job.”

  “You know what I mean, Channing. Don’t make this about some power play on my part. You should know by now that I’ll always have your back.” Max glared at his alpha.

  Dash backed down and stuck out his hand. “Yeah, I know, Fletch. Sorry, this whole situation has just hit me hard.” The two men shook hands and made up. “I’ll fill Cameron in when I get back to the farm.”

  “Sounds good.” Max waved at me. “And I guess I should say, welcome to the pack, Charli.”

  “Thanks,” I called after him as he climbed into his truck.

  Dash came around and unlocked the passenger door for me. In a hurry, he let me pull it open for myself while he slid around to the driver’s side. Once I got settled, he turned the engine of the Impala over with a roar and backed out into the road far enough to give Max space to move his truck. We both watched the second of the pack take off down the road ahead of us.

  Shifting into gear, Dash followed behind him. “You gonna tell me why we’re keeping secrets?”

  “I had a bad feeling,” I answered, tapping my chest.

  He gripped the steering wheel a little harder. “That’s gonna get very inconvenient fast, but I trust your gut.”

  “Thanks.” His admission actually helped ease some of my guilt for meddling in pack business. “Who are you going to use to test whatever’s in that bag?”

  Instead of turning out of the neighborhood the same way Max did, we pulled out in the opposite direction. “Someone else I trust and who’s outside of the pack system.”

  As he drove the mountain roads, we filled each other in on what information we’d found out when we questioned the different family members. Dash didn’t put much stock in what Sammy had told me, but he was interested that her comments led me to the phone.

  “It’s most likely a burner, so I’m not sure it’ll do us much good. But the fact that he had it raises some suspicions.”

  After about a forty-five-minute drive, he turned off the main road and drove us up a winding switchback road into higher elevation. Clouds descended around us, and he turned on his headlights despite it being the middle of the day.

  “It’ll clear up in just a few minutes.” Dash slowed down and maneuvered with skill even though the fog around us cut off our field of vision more than a foot in front.

  I pushed my feet down as if I could control the gas or brakes and braced my hand on the ceiling. “We’re going to go off the side of the road,” I screeched.

  Tingles passed down my arm, and the pressure changed inside the car. With a slight pop, the clouds disappeared, and the bright sun shone down on us.

  “It’s a spell,” I exclaimed. “Much like the one that keeps out regular humans from Honeysuckle.”

  “Exactly,” Dash said with a smile. “From what I’ve been told, it’s an old weather spell meant to shelter and protect those who live on the other side.”

  We passed by an old sign that was too beat up for me to read other than the word Welcome.

  “Where are we?” I asked, leaning forward to take a better look around.

  “This place reminds me of Honeysuckle Hollow. Especially with its remaining inhabitants.”

  We drove by many old and dilapidated buildings, and I began to wonder if all we’d find here were ghosts and spirits of people long gone. Only one or two stores remained open on the small drag of the main street.

  Dash slowed down and pulled into an alleyway. The rumble of the car bounced off the brick walls surrounding us. We pulled into a parking space at the back of the building.

  The back door swung open, and I recognized the face of the woman who walked out, slinging a towel over her shoulder. She waved at the two of us.

  “That’s Georgia Whitaker, right?” I asked Dash as he turned off the engine.

  A wide grin spread on his face as he acknowledged her with a slight head tilt. “Yep. Welcome to Mystic Mountain.”

  Chapter Ten

  Dash’s mood lightened the second he set eyes on Georgia. I couldn’t help but smile at his reaction. “Aha! So, I’m not the only witch you’re bringing into this investigation.”

  We both got out of the car, and he slammed his door shut. “Which is why I didn’t tell Max any specifics. I’m already going to have a lot of explaining to do next time we talk in confidence.”

  I wanted to ask for more specifics, but we couldn’t keep Georgia waiting.

  “Well, I should be thanking the two of you,” she exclaimed with a big grin.

  Dash stopped a foot away from her. “Why?”

  She snatched the towel off her shoulder and snapped it at him. “Because I’m gonna win the bet me and my sisters made about how long it would take before you brought Charli here.” Georgia lifted her chin at me. “Things getting a little too tough to take with the wolves?”

  “Not yet,” I said, moving to give her a quick hug. “I’ll definitely let you know.”

  The friendly witch cast a look around me like she had before. “Looks like whatever’s going on, you need some looking after. You’ve got some loved ones hovering around you.”

  I’d forgotten Georgia was the sister who could see ghosts. “Can you tell who they are?”

  She shook her head. “Not really. Just that whoever it is, they treasure you enough to stick around as protection.”

  I choked up a little bit at the thought that it could be either of my parents. Or maybe even Uncle Tipper. But whoever it was, for some reason, it felt good to know they had my back even in the afterlife.

  “If you’re gonna win any money off this bet, I think it’s only fair that you share it with me and Charli.” Dash crossed his arms as he made his most serious face at his friend.

  She offered him a honey-dripping sweet smile. “Dragons will fly out of my butt the day that happens. And stop trying to act like the big bad alpha wolf around me, all huffy and puffy. You know that crap doesn’t work on me.”

  Dash broke his gruff demeanor and chuckled. “Which is why I like you.” He swooped Georgia up in his arms and swung her around.

  “Put me down,” she squealed with delight. “I told you to stop acting like I was some sack of potatoes.”

  “If you were a sack of potatoes, I would carry you around like this.” Without even a grunt of effort, he hoisted her over his shoulder.

  Georgia kicked her legs in protest and swatted his behind while she was slung over his back. “Charli, help!” she cried out.

  Out of spite and girlfriend solidarity, I aimed a little stinging hex at the big shifter. He yelped when it hit him square on his bicep.

  With a fake groan, he put her down on the ground. He pointed his finger at both of us. “I don’t like you two ganging up
on me.”

  “Then don’t do anything to make us take you down,” I sassed.

  Georgia tidied her hair as best she could. “So, what brings the two of you to Mystic? Are you hungry? Big Mike’s in the kitchen if you want one of his famous burgers.”

  At the mention of food, my stomach growled loud enough to be heard. “I guess that’s my vote to get some lunch,” I chuckled.

  “I can always eat,” Dash agreed.

  “Well, follow me.” Georgia turned on her heels and opened the back door. “The bar is pretty much empty, so if there’s something you need to discuss, you won’t have to worry about anybody listening in.”

  We walked through a darkened narrow hallway with a door marked for employees, a restroom, and a staircase that led to whatever existed on the upper floor. The scent of meat cooking enticed me further into the building, and my stomach made more interesting noises.

  “That’s my fault,” Dash said from behind me. “I’ve done a terrible job of taking care of you.”

  “Oh, yes,” I said. “It’s been absolutely pure torture to have to stay in a comfy cozy cabin on a Christmas tree farm run by a fantastic woman who can cook almost as good as Nana.”

  “You’re staying at Elodie’s? Those cabins are really nice, aren’t they?” Georgia commented.

  “You’ve seen them?” I asked. A slight pang of something squeezed my heart.

  “Ginny and I helped them pick out the furnishings and spruce up the cabins that are there,” she said with a smile. “Kind of a trade since Dash and Max are going to help me build out my distillery so I can have a tasting room.”

  We entered a modest bar and dining area that had seen better days. Dash placed a hand at the small of my back. “Which would you prefer, table or to sit at the bar itself?”

  I glanced around the room at our pick of seats. With such delicious smells coming from the kitchen, it surprised me the place wasn’t packed. “You decide.”

  He pulled a barstool out for me and then settled on the one next to mine. “I know today’s been a lot to take, so if you want something with a little kick, feel free,” he offered.

  Georgia made her way behind the bar to serve us. “You’ve had a rough day?”

  Dash filled her in on going to Zach’s house and dealing with his parents. I also contributed what I’d learned from his sister in the treehouse.

  “That’s really smart of you,” she complimented, setting two glasses of ice water down in front of us. “Let me tell you, sisters tend to see everything, so I’ll bet talking to her was really helpful.”

  “I think I picked up that whatever bad had happened in Zach’s past, he had really changed. That thing he wrote on his drawing of her kinda haunts me.” I repeated the scribbled phrase to the two of them.

  “It sounds like he thought she might need protecting,” Dash said, stroking his beard in thought. “Which may mean that whatever happened to Zach, he did it thinking he was doing the right thing by his family.”

  “Yeah, but we’ve got absolutely no proof of that,” I said, a little miffed. “You know what, I really wouldn’t mind a drink. What’s your specialty?”

  Dash clapped his hands and rubbed them together. “Ignore all the beers she has on tap. Georgia here is the finest distiller in the Red Ridge Mountain range.”

  The young woman’s cheeks turned a dark pink. “All I’m doing is holding up Pappy Telford’s old recipes,” she said.

  “And turning the old moonshining business into a legit one.” He nudged my arm. “Remember when Lee and I brewed that stuff on the back of your current property?”

  I remembered just fine since his involvement with my friend was what introduced him into my life. “Sure.”

  Dash shook his head. “Ain’t got nothin’ on what G makes. She’s going to put Southern Spirits on the map whenever she builds that bar and tasting room off of Highway 421.”

  “Oh, you mean you weren’t talking about fixing this place up?” I asked.

  Georgia scrunched her nose at me. “No way. I would have zero business if I opened up the place in Mystic directly. This whole town is almost empty except for those of us too stubborn to give in and move. That includes all the haints still hanging around.”

  I furrowed my brow. “Haints?”

  She waved her hands in the air as if pointing at beings all around us. “Ghosts. Spirits. You know, haints.”

  It took me a second to realize she was using a word that sounded like haunts. “How many of those kind are around here?”

  Georgia leaned on the edge of the bar and widened her eyes. “Too many to be counted. And that’s saying something. Now, let me go get Big Mike so he can figure out what to make you.” She disappeared through a door into the kitchen.

  After a brief moment, a large man almost the size of Horatio pushed his giant noggin through the opening. “Whaddya want on your burgers?”

  In any other place, I might have been irritated that we weren’t given a choice in food. But since Dash and I were the only customers, it made sense to let the cook make whatever he wanted.

  Dash raised his hand in greeting. “Hey, Mike.”

  The large grump’s grimace morphed into a sort of smirk. “Oh, hey, Channing. You want your usual?”

  “Yes, please.” My wolf friend rotated on his barstool to address me. “That’s two double-stacked burgers rare with everything on top and a separate basket of fries.”

  I wrinkled my nose. “I just want one burger done medium.” The thought of almost-raw meat turned my stomach a bit. “And what does everything entail?” I asked the cook.

  He gave me a quick once-over with his enormous eyes, and his voice softened a bit. “I put some cheese on there, plus a helping of chili, a mix of diced onions and pickles, a tomato slice, and a lettuce leaf. Roughage is good for the digestion.”

  Since I wasn’t going to be kissing anybody anytime soon, I didn’t mind ordering it all. “That sounds great. And can you add some chili and cheese on top of an order of fries, too?”

  Mike’s mouth widened into a gaping grin, showing off some of his missing teeth. “I like your style, miss.”

  “Call me Charli.” I wiggled my fingers at him in a sort of wave, which made him almost blush.

  Georgia came back out with a basket of fried pickles and some ranch sauce. “These just came out of the fryer, so be careful not to burn your mouths.” She set down the fried bounty and wiped her hands off on another towel. “Did you decide if you wanted a stiffer drink? If you want to just try our moonshine, I can pour you a flight of shots.”

  “How many would that be?” I asked.

  “Considering I’ve been playing around with flavors, if I gave you one of everything, it would be about ten.”

  I coughed at the amount. “If I drank down ten shots of ‘shine, you’d have to scrape me off the floor.”

  “It’d be fun to watch you try,” Dash teased.

  “Maybe another time. I thought we came here because you had business to discuss,” I reminded the busy alpha.

  Georgia wiped down the wooden bar around us. “What’s going on?”

  “I need a favor from you,” he said, all of his playfulness gone. “We found the drugs that Zach may have used to overdose.”

  She stopped cleaning and stared at him. “How old was he?” she asked in a somber tone.

  “Would have been eighteen in two months. He was one of the kids that was all mixed up in the mess Kash made with those two witches once. But Max and I had helped to get him clean.” Dash paused to take a drink of water. He set his glass down with a little too much force. “At least, I thought we had.”

  Georgia reached out and laid her hand over his in a gesture of compassion. “How can I help?”

  Dash reached inside his jacket and pulled out the baggie Max had found in the Owens family’s upstairs bathroom. “I need you to use your chemistry knowledge to see if you can break this down and tell me what’s in it.”

  The woman behind the bar took o
ne step backwards as if even the drug’s presence could affect her. “You brought that crap here to Mystic? Don’t you remember what it did?”

  “I do,” he replied.

  “Then put it back and take it to the authorities,” she insisted.

  “I can’t.” Dash leaned forward on the bar. “First of all, I need to know how bad it is. Second of all, if it’s got the same magical element as the other stuff, then we might have bigger problems on our hands.”

  Georgia crossed her arms across her chest. “Why are you asking me?”

  He blew out a long breath. “Because there are very few people in my life that I trust. And only you possess the skills and equipment to test this substance. Plus, you aren’t legally bound to report your findings, and since you helped me figure out what happened under Kash’s reign, I’m asking you to use that knowledge to help me again.”

  She kept her lips pursed tight while she mulled over the task at hand.

  “I’ll make sure you’re generously compensated,” Dash offered.

  Her eyes flashed to his. “I take that as an insult. You know I’m not charging you money for it. I’m just wondering if I want to get involved again after the toll it took on our lives when we helped you beat your brother.”

  Although Dash had told me a little of what happened when he declared war on his brother Kash to fix the pack, I didn’t know how Georgia had been involved. “May I ask what happened?”

  “Dash convinced a few of us witches living here in Mystic to get involved. Said he needed to fight magic with magic. And so, we did. Lost a few of our friends in the process,” she replied, chewing on her bottom lip. “And others moved away. Now our little sanctuary of a town is almost empty.”

  “I’ve almost got the pack back up to full speed. I told you, once everything was back to normal, I would compensate Mystic for their losses.” Dash slid off of his stool, reached over the bar, and touched Georgia’s arm. “Come on, G. I need you.”

  Big Mike yelled at her from the kitchen. Without giving Dash an answer, she disappeared to retrieve our orders.

  Dash slumped onto his stool. “I shouldn’t have pushed her like that. Her family and friends took a huge hit helping me out. And I know she doesn’t care about the money, but it’s all I can offer.”